Close to 60 pink slips were distributed to teachers when the
school district scrambled to respond to massive state budget cuts
in March. Now that the state budget dust has settled, Gilroy will
lose a dozen teachers and cut programs as a result of the $4.7
million worth of reductions in the general fund budget, which
provides for teacher salaries.
Close to 60 pink slips were distributed to teachers when the school district scrambled to respond to massive state budget cuts in March. Now that the state budget dust has settled, Gilroy will lose a dozen teachers and cut programs as a result of the $4.7 million worth of reductions in the general fund budget, which provides for teacher salaries.
The recently approved district budget shows total expenditures of $205 million, compared to last year’s $132 million. The bulk of that jump can be tied to an increase in expenditures on facilities funded by state money and a potential bond that could not be used for teacher salaries or to restore programs, said Keiko Mizuno, the school district’s director of business services. However, the general fund budget shows a $4.7 million decrease from last year’s actual expenditures, largely a result of cutting programs and laying off teachers.
The group of 60 teachers who initially received pink slips was cut in half once the district accounted for the teachers who would be reassigned, Gilroy Teachers Association President Michelle Nelson said. That number decreased further when the district examined the seniority list, rescinded three notices and decided that 10 educators had been “overnoticed,” Nelson said.
Of the 17 that were left, only five will have to find employment elsewhere next year, Nelson said, as a direct result of the layoff notices. An additional six teachers left even though they didn’t receive pink slips. In total, the budget cutting resulted in about a dozen teachers leaving Gilroy schools compared to the original 60 who received notices.
As a direct result of shortening the school day – cutting from eight periods to seven – the three middle schools will offer few elective opportunities for students next year. Two years ago, the school board voted to add a period to the middle school day, a period that would give students an extra dose of math. This spring, the board voted to take that eighth period away, but instead of eliminating the new math period, they took away an elective period, a decision that did not sit well with the district’s musicians and artists.
“Right now, bands and choirs are really falling in numbers, big time numbers,” said Tom Brozene, Brownell Middle School’s band director, at the last board meeting.
The board decided to allow only seventh and eighth graders who earn a proficient score on the districtwide math test to be allowed to replace their second period of math with an elective. Regardless of their math proficiency, sixth graders will have to take band before school, or not at all.
“We can’t afford to restore that eight-period day,” said Superintendent Deborah Flores of the decision which saved the district $874,700. “It’s such an expensive option.”
She said she and the board are working on getting band back into the seven-period day.
Middle schoolers will have to pass a few hurdles to take band but their art options are severely lacking. One art teacher will split her time between South Valley and Brownell middle schools and Ascencion Solorsano will offer no art classes. Last year each school had their own full-time art teacher who taught a plethora of classes.
The approved budget meets and exceeds the state mandated 3 percent reserve requirement by $1.3 million. One of Flores’ top priorities is to get administrators and staff over to the city’s new, and second high school as soon as possible to get Christopher High School running in time for its Fall 2009 opening.
CHS principal John Perales is still wrapping up his duties at the helm of South Valley Junior High but is confident that things will fall into place in time.
