BUSD board recap for Mar. 9, 2010

BARSTOW • The Barstow Unified School District Board of Trustees took action on the following items Tuesday:

• School administrator switch: The board approved several changes to school administrator positions due to the departure of Barstow Junior High School assistant principal Michael Gomez. Oron Jackson, assistant high school principal, will take Gomez’s place as the interim assistant principal at the junior high. Lenwood Elementary School teacher David Norman will replace Jackson at the high school. The changes are only until the end of this school year, said Jeff Malan, assistant superintendent of personnel. Gomez left to work for the Ontario-Montclair School District.

• Hinkley principal to retire: Longtime principal of Hinkley School Dennis Hirsch will end his tenure as head of the elementary and middle school in June. Hirsch has worked for the district since 1986.

• Eliminate dean position at junior high: The position of dean of students at Barstow Junior High School, currently held by Claire Ellis, will be eliminated at the end of this school year, saving the district $47,345. The position, which mainly deals with student counseling, discipline and intervention, was established in the fall of 2005. The board approved unanimously.

• Cutting $2.2 million: The board committed to cutting $2.2 million from the budget due to state cuts and dropping student enrollment. Specific cuts will come before the board at the next meeting Mar. 23. According to board president Julie Clemmer the budget committee will not propose closing a school for the 2010-11 year but may consider closing a school for the 2011-12 year.

• Homeless liaison appointed: The board unanimously approved David Wishnewsky to serve as the homeless liaison between the district and agencies like Desert Manna or local motels to help homeless students. Wishnewsky will be paid $30 per hour with a maximum of $10,000 a year.

• School year to start earlier: The board adopted the calendar committee’s recommendations for the upcoming two school years, moving up the first day of school to before Labor Day. The first day for the 2010-11 year is Aug. 30. It moves up another week in 2011-12 to Aug. 22. The board voted 4-1, with Trustee Ernest Vogt dissenting.

The following topics were also discussed:

• Opening a community day school: Director of pupil services Joni James gave a presentation on the possibility of BUSD opening its own community day school for expelled students. Currently students who are expelled or referred by the district truancy board are sent to a county community day school for at-risk kids. There have been 194 students expelled from BUSD in the past three years; however 137 were later readmitted, according to James. The district will present more specific information about the proposed community day school, including a location, at the next meeting.

• Health clerk concerns: During the public comment session, a parent, health clerk and district nurse voiced concerns about the district’s move to replace school health clerks with licensed vocational nurses. Monique Hodge, parent and health clerk at Hinkley School, said she was concerned about the continuity of care for the students if new staff take over. District officials said they would bring a report updating the status of the switch, which the board approved in September, at its next meeting.

Contact the writer:
(760) 256-4122 or elee@desertdispatch.com