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	Diocese of Rockville Center Plans Staff Cuts WPIX January 26, 2010 http://www.wpix.com/news/local/wpix-rockville-diocese-cuts-jobs,0,417856.story [with video] ROCKVILLE CENTER, N.Y. (WPIX) - A lot of Catholic school teachers on Long Island are praying to keep their jobs. The diocese of Rockville Centre is getting ready to cut 1,500 positions. "It's upsetting," Jen Trotta, a mother with four children in the Catholic School system, told PIX News. Since the collection plates have been light in this struggling economy, the diocese of Rockville Centre is looking to cut about a quarter of its workforce. Next month, some 1,500 employees including elementary school teachers and administrators will be offered buyouts. Six months severance for up to ten years of service, nine months pay for those who put in more than 20 years. Many teachers told PIX News they are worried if they don't take the buy out, they might lose their jobs anyway and feel let down by the church. Parents with children in the school system aren't feeling much better. "Of course everybody would be upset about it...because our children's education is our future," said one parent. It's reported nearly half of the diocese's 133 parishes are operating at a deficit. The hope is the deep cuts will allow for a more efficient operation while providing the same level of service. "It would be tough because right now there are 26 kids in the classroom, so to have more kids and less teachers....they're not going to the education I want them to," said Mary Ellen Noble. In addition, many parents said sending their children to public school is not an option. "We send our kids to Catholic school because we want God to be in their lives everyday," said Jen Trotta. Church leaders say they don't plan on closing any schools or closing any parishes.
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