DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — The Board of Education of the Dayton City School District voted during a special session Friday to furlough 207 employees, choosing to layoff 25 more due to restructuring.

Superintendent Elizabeth Lolli said during the meeting that once virtual learning is over the furloughed employees will be reinstated.

The school board agreed to furlough 207 employees, including 40 art and music teachers, 14 physical education teachers and 22 school nurses.

“It’s very difficult for art to occur when our students don’t have the supplies that they need to have,” Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Lolli said.

Furloughs also include 56 bus drivers and 37 clerical workers.

Lolli says the district will offer virtual health classes and alternatives to the arts.

The board voted for the district to pay 100% the employees contributions for health insurance while they are furloughed.

The furloughs are set to go into on Sept. 8 and Sept. 14.

Those being let go from their positions due to restructuring work in administration or in decision support systems (DSS). The layoffs are set for Sept. 11.

Lolli said the district wants to use this period of online learning to focus on academics.

“Academically, we are behind from the last nine weeks of school, and I think we need to focus-in on our academics and that’s not to say that we don’t value the other things, because we do value them,” Dr. Lolli said.

Parents protesting outside DPS headquarters Friday said they are disappointed with the decision to furlough teachers and the arts.

“Our students are going to be held back more than they already are,” parent Monica Fine said.

Click here and here to read the boards agenda listing the furloughed employees. Click here to read the boards agenda listing the employees being let go due to restructuring.