School Board Cuts Hours for 29 Classified Employees

School board trustees this week approved a reduction of hours for 29 classified employees at five school sites. The cuts will become effective immediately. In addition to loss of hours, the length of the work year will be cut for the positions.

The positions include attendance and health technician, bilingual para-educator, instructional para-educator, secretary II, campus safety officer I, clerk I, computer lab assistant and library technician.

Cuts are being made at Ramona Community School, Hanson Elementary, James Dukes Elementary, Mount Woodson Elementary and Olive Peirce Middle School. No cuts were made at Ramona Elementary, Barnett Elementary, Ramona High, Montecito High or the district office.

At a special meeting, Superintendent Robert Graeff cited the reduced funding from the state in the current budget and the lower enrollment figures for the current year as the reasons behind the cuts.

Graeff assured the board that no positions would be eliminated or result in employees being laid off; however, three of the employees will no longer qualify for health insurance benefits. The projected total savings in personnel costs to the district will be $139,575 annually.

Ramona Unified School District (RUSD) administrators called the special board meeting on Sept. 26 to seek approval for two items of business. In addition to the cut for CSEA employees, the trustees were asked to approve changes in the health and welfare benefits provided for board members.

The board will continue to have the same insurance options as those available to the district. The monetary contribution will not exceed the current cost of the medical plans for the 2011-12 school year.

Both items were approved 4 to 0, with Trustee Bob Stoody not in attendance. Rodger Dohm, Dawn Perfect, Kim Lasley and Dan Lopez voted in favor of the items.

The next regular meeting of the school board is 7 p.m. Oct. 20 at the Wilson Administration Center, 720 Ninth St.