THE BUZZ survived the Natomas Unified School District five-hour long marathon budget workshop during which the board of trustees succeeded in cutting $5 million as mandated by the Sacramento County Office of Education.
“School with 25 percent less resources will not look like school did last year,” said Teri Burns, board president. “There are things that will not get done.”
An “official” list of approved cuts will be posted on NATOMAS BUZZ once issued by the district office, but here are some of the highlights from our notes:
- Delete high school transportation exceptions – save $80,000,
- Charge direct cost to all users of district facilities – save $65,000,
- Eliminate middle school summer session – save $40,000,
- Eliminate middle school athletics – save $60,000,
- Cut high school athletics funding – save $50,000,
- Eliminate junior and senior high school P.E. – save $232,000, and
- Close one school in 2010-11 – save $400,000.
Also at the meeting, the board decided to set kindergarten through 3rd grade class size at 25 students per teacher in lieu of last week’s decision to bump the ratio to 30 students to one teacher in 2nd and 3rd grades only. The board continued to steer clear of cutting GATE programs and the decision to close one, or two schools, was postponed for a year.
We are far from out of the woods yet.”
At the end of the evening, when faced with another $1.3 million needed in cuts, the board approved layoffs for 75 positions. This number includes approximately 62 certificated employees (teachers), 13 classified employees as well as some cuts on the administrative side. These staff reductions include P.E. instructors, library staff, and school counselors.
Trustee Lisa Kaplan voted against the 4-1 decision, telling her peers on the dias, “I don’t believe in decimating our employees and our kids.”
At almost 11 pm, to a still standing room only crowd, the board has decided to go K-3 at 25 students per classroom.