February 7, 2022
Superintendent Jeff Baier and Assistant Superintendent Randy Kenyon will both be retiring at the end of this school year (June 30, 2022). The board will hold two special meetings in order to set timelines for hiring their replacements. An online survey will be available in early March to solicit community input regarding the search.
Mr. Baier shared that the California state of emergency is set to expire at the end of March. If it is not renewed, remote public meetings may no longer be an option and would be conducted in-person instead.
The Citizens Advisory Committee for Finance (CACF) presented their mid-year report. They mentioned declining enrollment and growing maintenance costs as points for the board to consider. They also suggested transitioning Blach and Egan to the middle school model (grades 6-8). Board member Bryan Johnson concurred, as enrollment numbers indicate that both Blach and Egan campuses should have room to accommodate 3 grades in just a few more years.
Mr. Kenyon presented the preliminary budget for 2022-23. The board had discussed the possibility of adding technology to the district operating budget during the previous meeting, so Mr. Kenyon provided a few estimates. For staff technology, the estimated annual cost would be $120,000. For both student and staff technology, the estimated annual cost would be $500,000. Allison from the Santa Rita PTA spoke in favor of the district absorbing technology costs, and most of the board members seemed to be in favor of doing so without committing to anything concrete at this time. Board member Bryan Johnson commented that funding technology from a different pot of money, such as rental income from the 10th site, could be another option.
Mr. Kenyon also provided an update on the Universal Meals for All Program that will begin in 2022-23. Two free meals (breakfast and lunch) per school day will be provided at no cost to any student that wants them, with no advance sign-ups required. The meals will meet federal nutrition guidelines and may be either cold or hot. No other meal option will be available to students. The meal facilities will need to be updated and some funding for this purpose is expected from the state. The estimated cost of staffing and serving the meals is $400,000 per year.
The board reviewed two possible layouts for the new school to be built on the 10th site. The two options can be viewed by clicking on this link to the master plan presentation. (A side-by-side comparison of option A and option B can be found on page 17.) The board voted 3-2 in favor of option B, which places the school building along Showers Drive and the field along Pacchetti Way.
Stella Kam, Observer