With an approved balanced budget for the upcoming school year in place, parents in the San Mateo Union High School District are gearing up to raise money and volunteer to pick up what still isn't in the budget. A budget that restores the 3 percent reserve but reduces bus drivers and routes was approved Wednesday. The vote came after the announcement of an additional $150,000 savings next year thanks to administration moves. The $91 million budget is $2.3 million less than the previous school year, which accounts for the estimated $2.75 million reserve. It does not, however, restore anything cut during the previous year, leaving parent groups preparing early to meet the needs of teachers and students next year.
... The Burlingame Parents Group opted not to fund the librarian position next year which it did pick up after last year's cuts. It is helping to fund the academic center, which acts as a tutoring center, the career center and an extra stipend for a counselor who is working with Latino students, said outgoing president Connie Puccetti.
...An additional savings will come from not filling the open assistant superintendent of instruction position left open when Mark Avelar retired in December. Avelar will come back part-time for the first semester. Burlingame High Principal Matt Biggar will become the interim assistant superintendent in January while maintaining his role as principal. The arrangement will save the district $150,000, said Interim Superintendent David Miller. It will cost us $45,000 for what would normally cost $200,000. We're going to save money and show the administration is willing to share the burden,? he said.
- Written by Fiona
"Burlingame High Principal Matt Biggar will become the interim assistant superintendent in January while maintaining his role as principal"
This move will leave BHS with only two administrators on campus each day to handle the operations of the school. Many high schools have four administrators on campus each day. The SMUHSD cut back to three a few years back and this move will push BHS down to two. All other schools will retain three per day.
While the move saves money, it reduces student supervision and services on campus that are needed on a daily basis.
Posted by: KRN | June 30, 2007 at 03:30 PM
They should promote a teacher from within. A math teacher who could fairly represent the teachers and aid in school finances.
Posted by: ABP | June 30, 2007 at 03:59 PM