KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
The William S. Hart Union High School District governing board unanimously approved layoffs for several members of classified staff, and discussed potential plans for returning to school in the fall at a virtual special meeting Wednesday morning.
Due to budget limitations, the Hart District Board approved 22 “reduction in force” notices, or RIFs, for district classified staff during a special meeting Wednesday morning.
District officials clarified that some of the positions included in the RIFs were already vacant, and could be phased out to minimize the number of people who would lose their livelihoods, however Dr. Michael Vierra, assistant superintendent of human resources for the Hart District, could not confirm the exact number of people who might be laid off.
“We’re also looking at teachers and we’re also looking at administrators,” said Board President Linda Storli. “It’s not just the classified staff that’s going to take the hit of this horrific time we’re in and the lack of budget that we have.”
Before the impact of COVID-19, the Hart District was spending between $10 million and $14 million a year in deficit spending over a three-year period, and would eventually deplete the district’s entire reserves unless the district spending trajectory changed, according to Ralph Peschek, chief business officer for the district.
In the wake of COVID-19 and the state shifting its focus to pandemic spending, revised numbers presented in May indicated that in year three, the District would be operating at negative $72 million.
Reducing classified staff would save the district approximately $1 million a year, according to Peschek.
Board Members clarified that they had previously been working on reducing spending among other areas of staffing as well in an effort to not single out one group of employees over another.
“This may be the first resolution brought before the board that talks about reductions,” said Superintendent Mike Kuhlman. “This time when we are going through this process for some pretty dramatic belt-tightening moves, that there are other ways that we have gone about the processes of actually reducing staff and reducing costs across all different employment areas”
The board voted unanimously in favor of the layoffs.
The board also explored potential options for learning models for Hart District school when students return in the fall.
Potential options include a 100% distance-learning model, reopening school campuses entirely for traditional learning, or choosing blended learning models. District officials wish to explore further options in order to ensure the safety of students and staff whilst also providing adequate education, officials said.
Photo courtesy of the William S. Hart Union High School District.
In a survey of parents within the Hart District, 52 percent of respondents indicated that they would prefer their children to resume classes entirely on-campus, followed by 34 percent of parents preferring a blended model, and 14 percent preferring an entirely online learning experience for their children.
District officials plan to meet at a later date in order to discuss potential learning models for the fall semester.
To watch the live virtual meeting, check out the video above, or click here.
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Start clipping teachers. Distance learning has shown the outdated model of in classroom teaching isn’t necessary anymore. First step in reclaiming our kids from the left wing nut jobs that haunt schools from K to grad school.
Imagine the savings on pensions and benefits alone.
You obviously did not have a child of school age, because if this experiment in Distance Learning showed us anything, it is that kids need to be in the classroom. They need contact with their teachers and peers, they need extracurricular activities and athletics. One of the problems in the classroom today is the reliance on electronics, and kids on social media. What we just did is give them only access to electronics and isolated them. There is going to be such a spike in social anxiety, depression, and suicide among young people, we are going to wish they contracted the virus, where almost zero kids died.
How about eliminating unnecessary sports like lacrosse that operate as non profits but are survive using school funds. Go back to the basic sports.