Thursday’s school board meeting at Gilroy Unified School Board
District was one big spoonful of mixed news
– some sweet, some sour.
Highlights included the introduction of two newly hired GUSD
principals at the beginning of the meeting.
Thursday’s school board meeting at Gilroy Unified School Board District was one big spoonful of mixed news – some sweet, some sour.
Highlights included the introduction of two newly hired GUSD principals at the beginning of the meeting. Anisha Munshi will be the principal of South Valley Middle School, and Maria Walker will be the principal of Solorsano Middle School. Currently both are vice principals at Solorsano.
Serious discussion followed 30 minutes later when Kirsten Perez, director of Fiscal Services for GUSD, gave a budget update. Ensuing dialogue on how to survive an all-cuts budget, which could result in the possible loss of about $1,000 in funding per student, included school closures, a parcel tax, a loss in additional school days plus cuts to athletics and transportation.
“Which arm or which leg are we going to take? Which one is going to be amputated?” said trustee Jaime Rosso. “That’s the kind of conversation we’re going to be having now. It’s disheartening and difficult as a board member to start talking about dismantling what we have taken pride in building over the years.”
As temporary tax extensions slated for a possible June ballot have not come to fruition, GUSD administrators are faced with phase III cuts. Without the extension of the temporary taxes, education funding will decrease by $2.1 billion according to Perez, who said the worst-case scenario for California education funding could skyrocket to $5 billion. She thinks the number will eventually land somewhere in the middle.
“All negotiations at the state level have really failed,” she said. “The Governor has proposed what an all cuts budget would look like.”
It’s not pretty.
A $5 billion reduction would lower education funding levels backward by a decade, she said.
The next step is for Gov. Jerry Brown to revise the budget by mid-May and provide the districts with more information, according to Perez, who explained this will help GUSD hone in on what the target is.
“We’re really looking for that May revise to provide some clear direction on what number we can be using in going forward,” she said.
In reality, however, Perez said GUSD probably wouldn’t get that number by the time they need to adopt their budget locally on June 15.
In light of additional funding reductions, Perez said some relief or flexibility from the state would be necessary for schools to remain financially solvent, such as reducing the school year below 175 days and eliminating oversized class penalties.
At the end of her PowerPoint budget presentation, Perez concluded with a slide that read “Community Outreach.”
GUSD Board President Rhoda Bress turned to trustees.
“Any suggestions?”
Trustees discussed a handful of serious routes, including a parcel tax – an “unpopular option,” noted trustee Tom Bundros. Other subjects included the closure of an elementary school given the number of students enrolling in Gilroy Prep School, a brand new charter set to open August 2011. Cuts to athletics, transportation and less school days were also mentioned.
“These are not the frills,” said Rosso. “Some of these things are what make going to school a worthy endeavor for the kids. I’m afraid those that think that somehow (some believe) that there’s fat to be cut here.”
In the coming weeks trustees said they will be meeting with city council members as well as looking for ways to engage the business sector and community of Gilroy in finding ways to address the issues at hand.
New principals named
Prior to budget discussions there were some well-received announcements.
Hugs, heartfelt thanks and earnest congratulations filled the building at 7810 Arroyo Circle after it was announced Maria Walker, who has been with GUSD for 20 years, has been selected to fill principal Salvatore Tomasello’s shoes as he retires from Solorsano Middle School in June.
Anisha Munshi, who has been with GUSD for 11 years, has been chosen to become South Valley Middle School’s principal for the 2011-12 school year when current principal Greg Kapaku departs for Christopher High School in the fall. Kapaku will join forces with CHS principal John Perales in the 2011-12 and serve as one of two CHS vice principals.
Currently Munshi and Walker are both assistant principals at Solorsano Middle School.
“Both will do a great job and trained by the absolute best so we expect them to perform at a Sal Tomasello level. Not immediately, but that’s our expectation,” said Bress smiling.
“As one of the original staff, I’m honored to be at the helm,” said Walker, who was one of the original staff when Solorsano opened in 2003.
Both said their biggest challenge will be balancing budget woes while ensuring focus is student-centered.
“We can do it,” said Munshi, who added another priority would be working on program improvement.
Walker has lived in Gilroy for 28 years, and Munshi has lived in Gilroy for 15 years. Munshi has one child attending GHS. All three of Walker’s children went through the GUSD system.
