School District Waiting for More Information on State Budget Cuts

budget for the 2011-12 school year will not undergo any major changes at this time, according to David Ostermann, assistant superintendent of administrative services.

With the state budget facing a $2 billion-plus shortfall, Ostermann assured the trustees that the budgetary amount provided to RUSD by the state will at least remain the same as the 2010-11 school year, which was “about $30 million.”

“It’s too soon to tell,” Ostermann said at the July 7 governing board meeting. “We still do not have many of the nitty-gritty details of what that will mean to Ramona.”

He will be attending workshops in San Diego over the next two weeks, meeting with School Services of California to discuss the budget and what it means to the school district.

Once the final budget is determined and RUSD administrators know the status of its financial situation, a priority for the district will be to call back five teachers who received lay-off notices in March. This will reinstate some of the programs cut from the curriculum, according to Anne Staffieri, the new assistant superintendent of human resources.

There also is a possibility the school year may be shortened by seven days, in addition to the five days previously authorized by the state.

“It doesn’t necessarily mean it will save money,” Superintendent Bob Graeff said about having a shorter school year. “The district will negotiate with employees.”

In other business before the board, a proposed policy change elicited discussion among the trustees on the use of cell phones by students during school hours and at school events.

Cathy Pierce, assistant supervisor of education services, addressed the issue of cyberbullying, a term referring to students who use cell phones or the Internet in a threatening manner.

An Internet Acceptable Use Policy will be included in the Parents Handbook. Staff will be trained on “cyber citizenship” and how to identify cyberbullying, Pierce said, and students will be given instructions on what is expected for good cyber citizenship.

“Legal counsel advises us to update our policies and procedures,” Pierce said. “We must teach (students) how to interact on the computer.”

The trustees also approved an agricultural vocational incentive grant of $5,608 that will be used for additional instructional and laboratory supplies, student participation in regional and state Future Farmers of America events, and attendance by an instructor at the California Association Teachers of Agriculture Conference.

Approval also was given for two new irrigation wells, one at Ramona High School and the other at . Ostermann was authorized to negotiate with the local bidder to bring the cost down to $105,000. If an agreement is not reached, the project will go out to bid again.

The next school board meeting will begin at 7 p.m. Aug. 25 at Wilson Administrative Center, 720 Ninth St.