School district and local charter school leaders will be on opposing ends of a debate regarding a possible grant application for available construction funds through the state Office of Public School Construction when the board of education convenes May 16.
Charter School of Morgan Hill officials want to apply for funding of an $11,577,416 project that includes modernization of four restrooms and nine permanent classrooms as well as modernization or replacement of 11 portable classrooms, according to the May 16 agenda. CSMH officials are seeking a 50 percent match from the state at $5,788,708 with the additional funds coming via a loan from the California School Finance Authority, according to district staff.
However, CSMH needs the support of its authorizer, which is Morgan Hill Unified School District board of education, to be able to apply as part of the conditions of Proposition 51. There is no guarantee they will be granted those funds if they do submit an application.
MHUSD officials outlined a detailed list of reasons why it is not in the district’s best interest to support the application, most notably they could be on the hook for up to $7,807,259 in debt obligations if CSMH vacates the site.
“Although the projected state entitlement of $5,788,708 in funds is enticing, upon careful consideration of the long-term implications and commitments, the receipt of these grant funds do not outweigh the potential long-term challenges tied to the funding,” the district concludes. “Providing support to CSMH’s application for Proposition 51 funds would be detrimental long-term to the district’s facilities and finances potentially negatively impacting future generations of students.”
The seven-member board, consisting of Board President Donna Ruebusch, Vice President Ron Woolf and Trustees Tom Arnett, Mary Patterson, Teresa Murillo, David Gerard and Gino Borgioli, will hear from both sides and are expected to vote on the matter at the May 16 meeting.
CSMH, located at 9350 Monterey Road in the northern outskirts of Morgan Hill, is housed at the district’s former Encinal School site. They recently received a five-year renewal from MHUSD as well as $5 million in Measure G funds to build its newly constructed multi-purpose facility on the aging campus.
Another item on the same agenda dealing with the same parties is a Memorandum of Understanding for 2017-18 in accordance with Proposition 39, which mandates allocation of facilities to charter schools by the district. In that agreement, which is supported by both sides, the district receives a 3 percent oversight fee for providing “rent-free” facilities that adds up to about $130,000 annually.
Other general business items include:
• Action on the board policy subcommittee; and
• Proposed revisions to board policies on updates from the California School Boards Association Policy Maintenance Services.
Recognitions
The 2017 Teachers of the Year will be recognized at the May 16 school board meeting with one top educator being selected from each school site and one chosen as the Morgan Hill Unified School District Teacher of the Year.
This year’s top teacher honors go to: Jennifer Klem-Myers (Barrett); Kristina Peterson Carr (Britton); Eddie Yoon (Central); Jodie Wylie (Adult School); Kathy Corcoran (El Toro); Ellyn Perez (JAMM); Martha Stawarz (Live Oak); Kate Parsons (Los Paseos); Dan Scudero (Martin Murphy); Lisa Carr (Nordstrom); Johanna Miller (Paradise Valley); Terri Muscatell (PA Walsh); Jose Anaya (San Martin/Gwinn); and Heather Rottenborn (Sobrato).
Taking district-wide honors as MHUSD’s 2017 Teacher of Year is Klem-Myers, according to the May 16 agenda.
District officials are expected to read highlights from each educator’s career and what has warranted the honors the honors at Tuesday’s meeting.
Consent calendar
Items listed under consent are considered routine and trustees consolidate them into one single vote. However, a trustee or member of the public can pull an item out into general discussion if they feel more discussion is necessary.
• $294,800 contract (1999 bond sale interest earned) with Condor Inc. for the replaster of Sobrato High School swimming pool;
• $217,063 contract (Measure G) with Guerra Construction Group for the installation of new water and sewer lines at PA Walsh Elementary School;
• $17,000 contract (general fund) with Agron Consulting for Schools and Libraries E-Rate consulting;
• $5,000 contract (Measure G) with KNN Public Finance, a financial advisor, for work with Measure G capital improvements bond;
• Tax levy resolution for Measure G Series B. The request is for “the Board of Supervisors of the County adopt a tax rate and levy a tax for the Bonds. The tax rate will be based upon an estimated debt service schedule prepared by the District,” the agenda reads.
Personnel Order
Two teacher retirements (Lucia Bonnaud at San Martin/Gwinn and George Flores at Britton) and one classified employee retirement (Deadra Campi, office assistant, at Britton), as well as four resignations and three approved leaves among certificated staff are part of the personnel order for the May 16 school board meeting.
