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School Board Meeting Synopsis

January 5, 2005

Link To SLVUSD Web site Agendas and Minutes Page (Note: These are PDF files - read this if you have trouble opening them). Minutes are posted after they are approved, usually at the next regular meeting.

Note from Laura About These Synopses (Basically, I report on what I think will be most interesting to community residents. Consult the minutes for a more complete listing of what happened in the meeting.)

Closed Session

The closed session was to take place following the public meeting. It was listed as:

Labor Negotiations Compensation for Represented and Unrepresented Employees (Government Code 54957.6)

Community Input

I was too late for this part of the meeting. I will fill in when I see the minutes.

Superintendent's Report

(I think I missed the beginning of this as well. Again, I will fill in next week when the minutes come out.)

- The County Office of Education is considering various options to help alleviate the health insurance crisis in the school districts.

- Class size fundraising, an effort that began last year, is continuing this year. The goal is $30,000 for grades K-6 and $36,000 for grades 7-12.

- A Restructuring Committee of staff, teachers, parents, and a community member is being constituted to look into various school configuration options.

Reports

Auditor's Report

Amazingly, the independent audit appointed to NO ADJUSTMENTS needs in our budget! It is balanced, and in fact, the reserves increased this year. I think a hearty congratulations are due to Edith Henden, and also to the everyone in the district who has made the sacrifices necessary to make the budget continue to work in these difficult financial times.

05-06 Projected Enrollment

For the upcoming school year, the traditional (non-charter) enrollment is expected to drop by another 151 students, or 5.3%

Goner's Budget 05-06

It seems that we get more money in some ways, but more is taken away in others, resulting in a net loss to the district of $146,000 over previous years. The good news is that the governor has increased our ability to decide how to spend certain of our funds.

I plan to attempt to understand the details of this more clearly in the future.

Child Nutrition Services

The head of CNS is ill and could not be here, therefore the report will conclude next meeting.

- CNS is not meeting its target.
- CNS has not making all of the changes suggested by the state evaluation, including involving the kids in figuring out what meals and food items will sell.*
- Hardly any Jr. High students are using the cafeteria.

* During community input, I stood up to say that I've been working with Jr. High students leading health discussions, and I can attest to the fact that the students are very engaged and enthusiastic when talking about this subject. I think involving them could reap great rewards.

Bond Update - Bryan Loehr

- New septic/constructed wetlands is underway, but on hold because of rain. They started again today. They are installing 3000 and 5000 gallon tanks. The erosion control (hay, fence, water channeling) put in before the rainy season has been effective. Completion of the system is estimated to be mid-summer.

- High School - The new classrooms are nearing completion. Everything else (library restroom, etc) are finished.

- Junior High - We saw slides of the progress since the beginning. The "underground stuff" is nearly done. The slab is supposed to be poured next week for building D. The framers are supposed to come on Jan 31. For building B, the soil is still too wet, and C will be the third to get going, in the spring.

Mr. Loehr reported that there have been many "surprises" in putting in the extensive underground utilities which have delayed the utility work.

- BCE - Is in the design phase. Phase One will be building A, with six new classrooms and a restroom remodel. Phase Two will be conversion of classrooms to a library and computer room. Hopeful completion in spring of 2006.

- SLE - Plan is six new classrooms. Interim housing is an issue. Modular and/or predesigned construction is being explored. (Predesigned means you buy plans, and don't need to hire an architect.) Hopeful completion September 2006.

- Pool House - budget is only $300,000. Will probably go with pre-design, and very basic construction.

Other Notes:

- Grants for the Jr. High are being reviewed.

- Grant for the High School roof was approved, and the plan is for the work to be done this summer.

- BCE and SLE situations have both changed since the original bond approval.

Action Items

Weeks of the Teachers, Staff, and Administrators

- February 7-11, 2005 will be the Week of the Teacher
- February 7-11, 2005 will also be the Week of the Classified Staff
- February 28 - March 4, 2005 will be the Week of the Administrator.

Meeting was adjourned at around 8 PM.