Mono County Superintendent of Schools Catherine Hiatt confirmed that Eastern Sierra Unified School District officials, who had voted to lay-off a dozen teachers, have now decided they will reinstate some of those teachers which may lead to the reinstatement of High Desert Academy.

Last week, Hiatt had planned to meet with the ESUSD board, but in an earlier meeting with Superintendent Don Clark and his staff she learned that they planned to re-instate “all but four teachers.” Hiatt had prepared to offer ESUSD that the County Office would handle some of their fiscal duties and save them hundreds of thousands of dollars. When she learned about the reinstatement plans, Hiatt asked Clark if they still needed help. He said, yes, but not so much.

The teacher reinstatements, said Hiatt, may mean it is possible not to close High Desert Academy in Benton. The ESUSD Board was expected to meet today for a vote on the school budget and apparent reinstatements. The meeting was set for the Bridgeport school district office at 1pm when many working parents will not be able to attend.

Parents who heard of these new developments have now asked that the district reinstate Eastern Sierra Academy in Bridgeport, closed by teacher lay-offs and transfers.