Cumberland schools consider freezing positions

A Cumberland County associate superintendent proposed that 164 open positions remain unfilled in the 2009-10 school year as a cost-saving measure.

Ricky Lopes, the associate superintendent of business operations, made the recommnedation Wednesday in a school board meeting.

The district would shuffle some existing employees to cover the vacancies, Lopes said, and no jobs would be lost.

Lopes outlined a plan to eliminate 30 teaching assistant positions, 115 teachers, two librarians and reduce hours for two custodians.

The school system employs almost 4,000 people.