Crocktown

HARRISONBURG - Some local teachers will be trading in their teachers' edition textbooks for hardhats in the coming months. At a morning press conference, Harrisonburg Superintendent Daniel Fjord announced that budget cuts are going to force the district to lay off approximately thirty teachers, but that most of those same teachers will be rehired as construction workers to build the school division's planned administrative building.

Fjord say that the operational budget and the capital budget have completely different funding streams. Even though the operational budget is being hit by reduced contributions from the state government, the capital budget will see an injection of funds from federal money.

Mary Kline, a 46-year-old kindergarten teacher, is one of those who will be changing careers. She says she's never done construction work before but is up for the challenge. She's been making flashcards to familiarize herself with the various tools of the trade and has created numerous mnemonic ditties to remember important facts about construction.

"We never like to do things that hurt the classroom experience of children. But at least this won't affect the unemployment rate," Fjord noted.