TEMECULA: Music, PE classes to be cut

Parents, teachers lament loss of specialist positions

By RANI GUPTA - Staff Writer | Saturday, May 17, 2008 5:10 PM PDT ∞

In a scene reminiscent of the movie 'Big,' giant keyboards played with the feet are used in music teacher Brenda White's classroom (David Carlson - Staff photographer)
Temecula music teacher Brenda White leads her classroom. (David Carlson - Staff photographer)

FRENCH VALLEY ---- "Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, Ti, Do!"

Fourth- and fifth-graders in teacher Brenda White's music class sing along with her, some of their voices straining to hit the higher notes, as she walks across a giant keyboard placed on the floor of her Alamos Elementary School classroom.

White is using the giant foam keyboards to teach students about scales. After walking across the white keys, White pivots in her socks and walks backward across the keyboard, singing the notes backward. This prompts an eruption of giggles from the students who haven't quite mastered the backward scales.

Then it's the students' turn to mark out the notes, balancing on one foot as they press the keys with their bare or sock-clad feet. They play a C-minor scale, which they dub a scary-sounding scale after White plays the notes on her keyboard, and a "blues scale," which White informs them is a purely American invention out of New Orleans.

Some students say the class, which meets weekly for 45 minutes for half the year, is a favorite.

"It's kind of like a break from the other things I do," said Alexis Brown, 11.

But in the fall, elementary school students in the Temecula Valley Unified School District probably won't be attending separate classes in music, physical education and computer technology. The board has voted to eliminate those teaching positions because of an expected drop in state funding and plans to fold these subjects into the regular school day.

Parents and educators say the move will be a big loss for students for whom the classes provide part of a well-rounded education and relief from core classes in math and reading.

Few options

Stacia Saaler said her two sons, a second-grader and a fourth-grader at Alamos, are upset about the potential loss.

"They talk more about PE and music than anything else," she said. "They're both really disappointed these are looking at going away."

Superintendent Carol Leighty agrees that arts and physical education are "critical for kids" and said she shares parents' concerns.

But she said it was a necessary moven given that trustees have rejected other options, such as increasing class sizes in the early grades.

"We didn't have a lot of options," Leighty said. "This is one we were very, very reluctant to propose, but we're at our wits' end trying to get balance to our budget, and we're not sure we're there yet."

The district has been attempting to cut $8 million to $10 million from the budget. The governor released a spending plan Wednesday that provided more money for schools than his initial proposal, but Temecula school officials have not yet determined how the revised budget would affect the school district.

Leighty said it's rare for elementary schools in California to have specialists in these subjects. Any teacher with an elementary school credential is considered qualified to teach those subjects, and Leighty said she did that herself when she was a teacher.

"Was I strong in all those areas? No," she said. "Would our kids have been better off if we had specialists? Absolutely."

 

Prior cuts

California law requires that students in grades one through six have 200 minutes of physical education every 10 days. There are no state requirements for the amount of music or arts instruction students must receive.

Officials say no elementary school in the Murrieta Valley or Lake Elsinore unified school districts has a full-time music or PE teacher except for the arts-themed Lisa J. Mails Elementary, which has a full-time music teacher. These schools may share music or PE teachers, use classroom teachers to teach the subjects, or supplement the classroom teaching with PTA-sponsored arts programs taught by volunteers or outside officials.

Years earlier, Temecula cut the number of music, physical education and technology teachers, so most elementary schools now have one full-time teacher in one of the three subjects. The four largest elementary schools have two of these teachers.

These educators are commonly called "prep-time" teachers because their classes are held when elementary teachers receive time during the school day to plan classes. But some teachers bristle at the title, saying they are teaching valuable skills.

"We're not just taking them and baby-sitting them while our teachers get time to prep," said Pamela Kerr, the PE teacher at Vintage Hills Elementary. "We are giving them instructional time."

Several concerns

Kerr said students learn not only sports and movement in her half-hour weekly class, but also teamwork skills that will pay off when they eventually enter the workplace. She said the district's PE teachers have spent years honing a specialized curriculum that can't easily be picked up by classroom teachers.

"It's taken us 10 years to get there," she said. "My concern is it's going to affect academic scores, discipline on campus. It's going to affect the skill level of kids when they move into high school."

Kerr teaches a square-dancing unit using costumes sewn by her parents and a minigolf unit using an 18-hole course set up by her older students. Kerr doubts classroom teachers will have the time or energy to replicate those specialized lessons.

In technology classes at Nicolas Valley Elementary, Kelly Maxey teaches students how to use PowerPoint and digital video. Given the increasing importance of technology, Maxey said it's important for students to master computer basics early and school may be the only place to do that.

"A lot of our kids don't have computers at home," she said. "If they don't get it here, they might not be getting it at home."

Rancho Elementary music teacher Karen Soderberg worries students will be less likely to sign up for band or chorus in middle or high school at a time when teachers say those programs can prevent kids from dropping out.

"When they get there, hopefully they still remember how to read music," Soderberg said. "It's like they have to start all over again if they haven't had it in elementary school."

Smoothing the transition

Some parents also are unhappy about the effect that losing the teachers could have on the school day. To ensure that elementary teachers get the planning time they are guaranteed in their contract, Leighty said the district is looking at options that would revamp the school week without cutting instructional time.

For instance, the district could cut 15 minutes from the hour-long combined lunch and recess period and send students home an hour early every Wednesday. Leighty said the district would move up after-school programs in that case.

Single mother Maria Torres said the move would force her to find child care for her daughter, an Alamos third-grader.

"It's going to severely impact me financially," said Torres, who said she recently lost her job with the federal government.

Administrators say they are doing their best to make sure the loss of music, physical education and computer specialists has a minimal effect on students.

Jona Hazlett, principal of Susan LaVorgna Elementary, said the school has managed to hold music programs and other events even without a designated music teacher. Hazlett said some classroom teachers have taken it upon themselves to specialize in music and computers and instruct other teachers in how to teach the subjects.

Hazlett said LaVorgna's designated physical education teacher is working with other teachers on the curriculum before he leaves to smooth the transition.

"It's always difficult to lose a staff member and it's hard when it's such an incredible staff member," Hazlett said.

She added, "We are going to do everything we can to make sure it doesn't affect the students."

 

'The very last thing'

Teachers and some parents say an effect on students is inevitable and have pleaded with the board to look elsewhere.

White, the music teacher, splits her time between Vail and Alamos elementaries and teaches at each school for half the year; the other half, students have PE class with Brian Jones, whom the two schools also share.

White said that while she's not an expert on the budget, "I'd like to see this be the very last thing they look at doing."

Leighty doesn't dispute that students will suffer from the cuts.

"It's important for the public to understand we can't cut $8 million and not affect the classroom," Leighty said. "It will affect the classroom, and this is a really good example."

Teachers say the quality of physical education, music and computer instruction won't be the same, despite the state requirements and the best intentions of classroom teachers.

Jones said that, in a previous job in San Bernardino County, he helped train classroom teachers in physical education instruction. Despite giving the teachers lesson plans, Jones said most relied heavily on games that were easy to set up, such as kickball, instead of giving students a broad variety of activities.

"A lot of them will tell you they just don't have time to do it. They have too much pressure to do all the other things," Jones said. "It's one of the first things that goes."

Contact staff writer Rani Gupta at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2625, rgupta@californian.com.

Next

More Stories

Tags: Top CAL News Local Temecula

Bookmark and Share

Ads by Yahoo!

Advertisement

Pre-Registration Comments[-]Go to Top

Molly wrote on May 17, 2008 7:47 PM:This makes me wish I could afford private school. My heart breaks for all of the TVUSD students. I know there has got to be some fluff they can cut out before P.E. and Music.

To Molly wrote on May 17, 2008 10:38 PM:What fluff? If anybody has some ideas out there, please tell the district. All ideas are welcome!!!!!!!!! Thank you.

To Molly wrote on May 18, 2008 12:53 AM:Yes, it's terrible. In 2000 the state cut district funding by $5 million. At that time reading specialists, noon duty aides, custodians, music, art, coaching stipends, classroom aides, were cut. But no teacher lost a job. Now, there's nothing left to cut and the district has to make up $8 million!! This time, it will affect people. It's sad. But necessary.

Anony. wrote on May 18, 2008 1:37 AM:Yet the Board wont close just one out of the 3 schools that are half empty in the district to save nearly as much money as it would to cut these programs. What is the greater good here?

There is a Board meeting this Tuesday where this issue is sure to be brought up again by teachers, parents, and students alike.

m wrote on May 18, 2008 7:01 AM:My kids attend 2 different schools thru TVUSD and neither of them have had music classes. One has had a PE teacher and the other a computer instructor. How come select schools were able to have music? No loss for my kids since they never had the opportunity.

Thank God wrote on May 18, 2008 7:26 AM:Caring parents have their kids in afterschool programs. The feel-good, selfish, ME, ME ME baby boomer generation has destroyed the California education system with all their wasteful programs and social promotions. Get back to teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. MY children will learn the arts and humanities from their parents. When was the last time you took your kids to a museum? (Temecula Children's doesn't count!)

teacher wrote on May 18, 2008 7:52 AM:I can't tell you how disappointed I am to see the music, PE, and computer programs go... Classroom teachers simply don't have the time to "specialize" in these subjects, and as much as I love to sing or take my kids out to play for an extra fifteen minutes on Friday, it's just not the same. :(

temecula teacher wrote on May 18, 2008 8:40 AM:What about cutting conferences,cutting signing bonuses for higher-ups, consolidating 1/2 full schools, eliminating vp's...aren't principals enough?, cutting field matainence costs by making after school sports have a fee to participate,

TVUSD parent wrote on May 18, 2008 8:43 AM:200 minutes of PE every 10 days? Where do we sign-up for the lawsuit against the district for cheating our kids? There is no way that mine have ever received their 200 minutes every 10 days...recess is NOT instructional time, and my kids tell me they get "extra recess" on Fridays for "PE"

Mike wrote on May 18, 2008 9:39 AM:So the amount to cut is $5 Million. Tell me, how much of a difference is a handful of $50K-$60K teachers really going to make in the big picture? This is the most short sighted proposal I have ever heard. Who exactly is going to plan the lessons for the teachers now that they will be teaching music, PE, doing noon duty, and sweeping their own classroom floors? The cuts need to happen at the top before it goes anywhere else.

Very reminiscent of the George Orwell novel Animal Farm: "All animals are equal, but some are more equal that others."

Parents Look at the School Board Agendas Online wrote on May 18, 2008 10:02 AM:See the Governing School Board Members and Administrations financial tricks.
They write a budget, but don't use it.

By writing their own resolutions, they seize (appropriate) the grant monies, General Funds and Restricted Funds.

You need a new school board...yesterday.

sharon wrote on May 18, 2008 10:34 AM:Having lived in Illinois and Florida ( with my children happily enrolled in the full funded public elementary schools) it was quite a shock enrolling them in the underfunded schools of Temecula. They have already dropped P.E. & art and now they are taking away music?! Why not cut the salaries of school administrators first? As I doubt this was ever even a option then lets look to other states for inspiration. Why not join up each Temecula public school with a state University letting them invest in the core curriculums - science, math, social sciences (which, in turn, prepares our public school kids for future college enrollment) while the district rounds out the required education funding while keeping music, art and P.E. in place. This is what happens in Florida. It can be done. It takes vision, initiative, commitment and strong leadership from the school board- which so far, has been lacking.

Dear Sharon wrote on May 18, 2008 10:57 AM:No one follows their budgeting and taking of the school funding for a multi-million dollar NOBLE Clause: an Autistic Preschool that they will only admitt to spending $1.5 million upon. This is a false figure.
No one follows the extra money NOT SHOWN in the budget from their April/May P2 Report. The State adjusts an additional 4% monies for Daily Attendance. Where does this go; it's definitely not programs.
Also, you have Board Members like Tooker who've been hanging on for 18 years, making it her empire of direction and funding mandates. Others have also been on for too long follow her lead.
These are the problems, no one has followed.

Temecula Mom wrote on May 18, 2008 11:07 AM:temecula teacher is right....why exactly are we keeping open schools at 1/2 enrollment? So that the Board can justify having opened Luiseno when they knew what was coming??

Truly a self-serving board we have here.

Two schools shoud be closed wrote on May 18, 2008 11:09 AM:Actually, three elementary schools can be closed.
But, your Governing School Board wants to save face for over building elementary schools within attendance boundaries.
You should be irrate! They've wasted taxpayers' monies, mellos roos monies, and developer fees.
The above action also makes our homes in a depressed economy worth less due to over taxation.
Now, to find monies...they will continue to write resolutions appropriating classroom monies.
They need to go!

Just wait wrote on May 18, 2008 11:14 AM:when a school district is found to be unsolvent financially, and the state takes it over, the following is done:
The superintendent is fired. PE, Sports, electives and all unnecessaries are cancelled.
PE can be cut at middle school and high school.
Years ago La Habra layed off PE teachers and assigned all staff to teach a PE class before or after school.
The High School PE teachers have been given only $75.00 per fiscal school year for the last three years that I know of. If it were not for the generositity of the Pechanga Tribe giving each high school $50,000.00 for programs every year, our students would have been given even less.
Ask to see where the last five years of GATE, ESL, Grants of enrichment, suppliy monies have gone? The Board took the monies.

budget cuts wrote on May 18, 2008 11:23 AM:I think Sharon should run for the Board! I also think that another option is to pass a measure to increase taxes maybe $40 a year for TVUSD residents to keep our teachers employed so our kids can benefit. My kids actually go to a private school - I pay tuition that is very expensive but I'd be willing to pay an extra $40 so our school district can be good because that affects not only helps our kids but a bad school district also affects our housing market.

You all still do NOT get it wrote on May 18, 2008 11:48 AM:The object is twofold: 1) to make this as PAINFUL as possible to the students here 2) blame it on the budget crisis (rather than any past, present or future decision making done by our school board or upper admin.)
How else do you expect them to get us to accept a parcel tax (see the article that ran in this paper a few days ago)?
They know that most of you (even the unions) don't review their financial records (unaudited actual reports, final audits, 1st or 2nd interim financial reports, etc), even though those records are public information (provided in board packets).
Where's the OUTRAGE regarding the $30K increase the board approved for our superintendent (only 1 year into a three year contract) last year? Where's the OUTRAGE regarding the $12.7K increases given to the 3 existing asst sups (in the last board meeting in June '07, when no one was around)? Where's the OUTRAGE (same board meeting, end of June) over the creation of a new asst sup (SSS), with a salary in excess of $140K? Where's the OUTRAGE over the decision of opening TLES, with a cost to the general fund in excess of $800K this year, when it's OBVIOUS we didn't really need to open that school (most of the students there were pulled from other elementary schools - and now they are suggesting closing 1 to 3 of those other schools the students were pulled from)?
Instead of packing the next board meeting to complain, try this: request a copy of the 2nd interim financial reports, then ask (try emailing the board, super &, why not, cc the unions while your at it - oh but remember, both union presidents have taken a leave of absence, so try the VPs) about the budget to actual & projected supplies (WOW, it's been drastically reduced, even though they told us that couldn't be done this year!). You may also wish to ask what's up with travel and conferences expenses (that were supposed to be frozen & obviously haven't been). These are just a few suggestions that the taxpayers, parents & students can do. There's a lot more going on in this school district. Rather than just complaining out it, try getting informed about what's really happening. After you've done that, ask questions & lots of them. Keep on asking until you get an answer that makes sense (based on what the data says). Finally, PLEASE use that knowledge when you vote in the election next November. Two board members (Tooker & Morris), should they choose to run, will be up for re-election. In their last go-round NO one chose to run against them. Ask yourself this question: Can the TVUSD afford to maintain the status quo?

PE is easy wrote on May 18, 2008 12:15 PM:If you want your kids to get some exercise, sign them up for soccer or basketball or swimming. The fees are pretty reasonable for organized sports. Spend 45 minutes a day with them at the park after school.
Music is also easy. You can get music lessons all over the area for a pretty reasonable fee. Stop depending on our government to raise our kids. Schools need to focus on readin', writin' and cypherin'. We will take care of the rest.
People's dependence on our government to solve their problems is not very effective. What ever happened to the American spirit of self reliance and can do attitude?
The government rarely solves problems, they band-aid it and it limps along and folks complain that it is broken. Folks need to take personal responsibility. Remember our government is staffed by folks who cannot cut it in the private sector. Do you really want these people molding and shaping your children or should you, the parent, take a much more proactive role in your child's development?
Our government is a joke and if you depend on them the joke is on you.

No way Id agree to a tax hike to bail this school district out. wrote on May 18, 2008 12:30 PM:To budget cuts: Please know that the TVUSD has a foundation that you can donate to should you CHOSE to but please do NOT suggest that I be FORCED to bail out this school district. I donate to my children's schools & directly to their teachers because I know how little they get to supply their classrooms. I wil however REFUSE to give anything to (forced or otherwise) to a school district that I believe has/does not properly manage OUR public funds.
(Just in case you need a specific example, look what's written above regarding the ES that did NOT need to be built, let alone opened. Now, go back & look through up what's been written - or email Carol or the school board - regarding each our high schools & how they'll be way over capacity - up to 3500 students at each campus. After you've got that info, ask yourself whether or not our board & admin. acted appropriately regarding that "public" funding (including, GOBs CFDs, Developer fees & State Construction bond money). More than just a few of our elementary schools are or will be BELOW 1/2 capacity while our high schools enrollment continues to grow (families with younger children haven't been able to afford to move to Temecula for quite some time &, go figure, our student population continues to age).

Fred wrote on May 18, 2008 1:14 PM:The school board knows they shouldn't have opened those half-empty elementary schools in the first place. Plenty of people protested it. The ones here were here then, particulary Barbara Tooker, want to save face by insisting in keeping them open now. These kids would still have their music and p.e., if these schools were closed. These schools didn't need to be "saved". Schools are the people, not the building.

What a shame that Temecula has to lose great teachers wrote on May 18, 2008 2:24 PM:like Brenda White & Brian Jones. Both of my kids had them & both benefited because of it. I hope they (& other teachers forced out of Temecula) end up working for a school, district (or anywhere) where they receive the appreciation they deserve (remeber the comments made by D. Allmen regarding elementary PE teachers?).

Wheres Rambo wrote on May 18, 2008 2:29 PM:Come on, arent you gonna tell us all how grate the Honorable Barbara Tooker & the rest of the skool bored is for are kids?

Sorry but Recess Lunch periods cant be used as PE wrote on May 18, 2008 2:46 PM:CA Ed Code:
51210. The adopted course of study for grades 1 to 6, inclusive,
shall include instruction, beginning in grade 1 and continuing
through grade 6, in the following areas of study:
(g) Physical education, with emphasis upon the physical activities
for the pupils that may be conducive to health and vigor of body and
mind, for a total period of time of not less than 200 minutes each
10 schooldays, exclusive of recesses and the lunch period.

why wrote on May 18, 2008 3:16 PM:are we still talking about cutting programs when I just read that the governor isn't going to be making any of his proposed cuts. You need to read his May revised budget on his website. There will be NO cuts in the 5-12 education and it will be fully funded through prop 98. In face, funding will be higher this year than last, so why are we cutting anything at this point? He has proposed that there will be a vote in November to have the lottery fix our state deficit and if that doesn't pass then a 1 percent tax increase will be implemented. Were people not aware of this? It just came to light last week...

To Temecula Teacher wrote on May 18, 2008 3:46 PM:So lets get this right save Elem. Prep teachers PE, Music, Etc....by taking away or making it more expensive (then it already is) to play sports in High School. Come on now that doesn't make much sense. We parents already do pay fees to play sports after school. Thank you very much.

Temecula Parent wrote on May 18, 2008 3:52 PM:I want to know where the outrage was at the meetings when they were talking about closing schools. Not one person was there saying close schools save our Prep teachers. Now you want everything. Well teachers the ones that were the loudest happen to be the "teachers" and staff from the schools that were slated to close. Now you are in an up roar. I also notice that the article nor anyone talking about getting rid of these teachers, teach at any of the schools that are on the list to close. Hmmm....just saying

What about Vail wrote on May 18, 2008 5:16 PM:The choices to close Sparkman, Jackson, and Redhawk all have their pros and cons. TLES should have never been opened, but it was and we can't turn back time. Sparkman may be converted to an alternative high school, but who wants an alternative high school on Margarita's main street. In addition, if we close Jackson and Redhawk next year, wouldn't make a lot of sense to keep Sparkman open since they are the central school and can handle the students from these closing schools?
What about Vail? They seem to meet a lot of criteria that the alternative school needs. Just a thought...

CP wrote on May 18, 2008 5:34 PM:No PE. Well, I guess the fattest country in the world will just get fatter.

No Music? Too bad, I am a firm believer that the arts lead to better learning of the sciences. I guess we can send those overseas with everything else.

sharon wrote on May 18, 2008 6:17 PM:To BUDGET CUTS,
Thanks for suggesting I run for the school board! I would have a hard time keeping my mouth shut though when decisions are made that negatively affect our kids. As we expect our kids to think "outside the box" so, we need to hold our elected school board officials accountable to that same standard. The easy way out is to "cut" music, art and P.E. It is much harder to come up with creative solutions to enhance our children's education. Why not hook up with local businesses and corporations to sponsor art, music and P.E. This being California, you would think that corporations based in this great state would have a vested interest in our public schools. They will reap the benefits when they have a graduating class of qualified educated future employees. And to those who feel that music, art and P.E. are not important, let us keep in mind the link between music and math, between art and the social sciences, and P.E. to sportsmanship AND childhood obesity that strains our health care systems and increases your (yes, your) premiums. Let's do right by our kids who will be tomorrows leaders!

m wrote on May 18, 2008 8:51 PM:Did you know TVUS also has two different budgets for the school supplies? One they claim to the state they need and one that they actually spend. Of course, the state pays them enough to cover all school supplies but TVUSD doesn't provide these supplies to the schools. Instead we, as parents, and some of the teachers end up supplying the classrooms. Where does that money go?

To what about Vail wrote on May 18, 2008 9:34 PM:Why wouldn't you want an alternative HS on Margarita? It didn't seem too dangerous for an elementary school (has there ever been a student accident on Margarita during school???) Sparkman, Redhawk and Jackson all have hundreds of less kids than Vail. So, why displace 590 kids vs. 300??? Vail is not centrally located as Mr. Brown thinks it is. In fact, Margarita is a great, direct route right into Sparkman. I think the high school admins want to get rid of the "low test takers" to raise their own API scores. Get rid of those that bring the school down. Elementary schools can't do that. They don't have an alternative place to send their kids. They just teach them all day, everyday.

Send away underperformers wrote on May 18, 2008 9:43 PM:The Board is working with the HS staff to eliminate poor achieving students and sent them away, thus boosting their test scores. Do we really need an alternative high school to house all these kids? Why can't they be housed and taught on campus in small group environments? What is wrong with their own high schools? They could set up a separate area on campus. IF the district really cares about alternative students, then why are they sending them to a school full of them? Why aren't they trying to work with them on-site? This will set a precedent -- any kid not testing up to snuff will be shipped off to the alternative high school. What will happen....have a school with 3,000 students considered "at risk?" Are parents OK with this???

Don wrote on May 18, 2008 10:42 PM:Everybody is concerned about the education of our children which is good, but then you have a school like Margarita Middle School which actually shortens teaching time every Friday so that students can participate in what they call "PRIDE" groups or in other words play board games, knit, play football or even Sudoku. So what you are telling me that it is okay to get rid of Music,PE and Computer classes at the lower levels while the kids PLAY games on the tax payer's money and Student's learning time. Can anybody tell me how that makes sense.

pd wrote on May 20, 2008 8:47 PM:In addition to the loss of these enrichment programs, teachers are going to be required to increase instructional minutes and learn additional curriculum. There are state standards for P.E. and computer classes. They are also losing their limited prep time.
Increased instructional time, more curriculum, and less time to plan effective and engaging lessons. This does not make sense.

keep on wrote on May 25, 2008 9:46 PM:Keep on depending on your government to educate your kids and you will always be dissappointed. Real education being and end with the parents.
Stop depending on government functionaries to educate your kids. You will need to take charge of your children's education if you want to be successful.

Dear what about Vail wrote on May 26, 2008 1:33 AM:TVHS is where the Continuation High School should be. Why? You would not have to limit the enrollment, and could yearly adjust staffing and classroom sizes with no expeditures for Sparkman to be retrofited for high schoolers verses K -5 students; toilets, drinking fountains, desks, library, etc. etc.
How could you use a 7:10am to 3:00pm school such as Temecula Valley High School? Start their school day at 4:30pm to 9:00 each day.
This does not require Brain Surgery to understand, as other Districts do this.

Important to understand...test scores would improve at the three high schools due to dumping 200 plus students each year failing or not making their standards testing out exams.

macs says wrote on May 26, 2008 1:39 AM:Look at the 2nd Interim Report of March/April of 2008.
There are $12,000,000.00 in the Supply Budget with a freeze on it! In 2006-2007 The Board Members and their Administration posted into the Supply Budget $14.9 million dollars in the 2nd Interim Budget Report! Only about $5 million dollars was spent on supplies in 2006-2007.
$7,000,000.00 would have been the enrichment monies plus......your school Board Trustees have Rat holed with written resolutions taking the monies from posted function object codes all year. Plus in May 2007 Okun took funding from 2007-2008 funds when they had the monies rat holed in their Supply Budget.
Time for a demanded State Audit
Time for an investigation where our children's monies are going
Time to meet with Superintendent Kenneth Young and demand justice and proper monitoring, which he is ignoring.
All he does is audit what the District gives him in their Interim Reports.
No financial OVERSIGHT.

Registered Comments[-]Go to Top

Advertisement

Videos