Teachers to get notices
By Bret Bradigan

By March 15, as many as 23 teachers in Ojai Unified School District will get notices that their services may no longer be required.

While grants, improved enrollment, continued leaves of absence and a clearer budget picture from the state make it likely that actual layoffs will be much fewer, Superintendent Dr. Van Riley said it was better to assume the worst. "We don't have solid information from the state, but we have to take concrete, real actions."

Riley presented his report to a packed house at Tuesday's special evening board meeting at 7 p.m. The board had met at 1 p.m. Tuesday with Nordhoff High School's Student Senate.

"It's a sad time for education in California," he said. "But we will rise to the challenge and continue to offer outstanding education to the children in Ojai."

His plan included the number of positions likely to be eliminated, and the procedures - most of which are spelled out in the Educational Code - for which teachers will be notified. For instance, temporary positions are the first to go, followed by probationary positions. Seniority dates begin with the first day of probationary status. All other things being equal, those teachers with master's degrees or bachelor's in core subjects such as math or science. Depending on status, most notifications must be sent by March 17, though for some teachers, those with probationary 2 non-reelect status, the deadline would be June 12 - the final day of school.

Board member Kathi Smith asked if it was necessary to send notices to so many teachers, when it was unlikely that all of them would have to find new jobs as further grants and leaves were secured. "My heart goes out to these teachers, but I know they'll get other jobs. It's that the kids in the district are not going to be taught by them," he said.

The bottom line was that the district anticipated 10 teachers returning from leave - with a March 1 deadline to notify the district - and 12.8 classroom reductions, for a total of 22.8 positions reduced.

In other news, Riley said there was no agreement between state legislators and Gov. Gray Davis on mid-year reductions, which were expected to cost the district $580,000. The good news is that the district had already made $400,000 of those cuts. The bad news is that the "hurt will be moved to next year," Riley said.

Riley recommended against, and got board consensus, that the K-3 class-size reduction plan would remain in place, even though the district's share was $160,000 of the $800,000 program. He said parents might be encouraged to move their kids into private schools, offsetting any decreases in expenses.

California State Employees Association Barbi Rice addressed the board to remind them of the role played by classified staff - among which are the district's bus drivers, secretaries, classroom aides and cafeteria crew. "We are already feeling the pinch of more work and less hours," she sad. "These are very scary times."

Chaparral High School secretary Dorothy Johnson thanked the district for the recent pay raise. She got a round of applause when she challenged the district to eliminate one administrative position on a trial basis. "We have too many administrative positions in this district," she said. "Let's start reductions at the top."

The meeting was entirely without levity, as Riley's presentation about declining funding and enrollment was interrupted by a baby's wail. As the mother took the infant from the board room, Riley said, "Wait. We need all the kids we can get."

© 2003 The Ojai Valley News

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