EDITOR: I am extremely concerned about the School Board
’s recent decision to staff Live Oak High School (as well as
Britton and Martin Murphy Middle Schools) at a ratio of one
counselor for every 700 students. I was deeply saddened by the
recent death of Susan Lewis, who was an extraordinary
counselor.
EDITOR:
I am extremely concerned about the School Board’s recent decision to staff Live Oak High School (as well as Britton and Martin Murphy Middle Schools) at a ratio of one counselor for every 700 students. I was deeply saddened by the recent death of Susan Lewis, who was an extraordinary counselor. She loved and respected the students with whom she worked. What made her loss even worse was the decision not to fill her position and leave the school with only 2.6 counselors.
In January, Marie Watson, the .6 counselor, was asked to bring Live Oak’s Career Center up-and-running. The Live Oak Home and School Club paid for her to attend a conference in Burbank to help her learn how to organize the Career Center. Imagine our disappointment to learn that Ms. Watson has been laid off, and that there will only be two counselors left at Live Oak for 1800 students.
Depending on Live Oak’s student population, there will probably be a “floater” counselor who spends most of her time at one of the middle schools and a little time at Live Oak to fulfill the one to 700 ratio. How could this counselor possibly get to know her students or even be there when they need her?
I cannot begin to imagine what the School Board is thinking. In the aftermath of events like Columbine High School and the recent loss of a ninth grader to suicide, Live Oak, Britton and Martin Murphy need more counselors, not less. Students need to get more help from counselors, not less. Students need to be able to get help from counselors to figure out how to reach their goals, whether they want to get into college or go into a trade. There has to be someone to help with the multitude of problems that befall teenagers, especially when it can be difficult for them to talk with parents.
I have met many of the School Board members and know that they truly care about kids, which is why they ran for election in the first place, so I do not understand this decision. I know that cuts have to be made, because of the budget difficulties, but this is a “penny wise and pound foolish” decision.
I read that the School Board will be reducing the workdays of the administrators at the District Office by 13 to 20 days for the school year. Perhaps reducing the workdays of the administrators at the District Office by 13 to 20 days would save the district a lot more money. Carolyn McKennan, our superintendent, has stated that she would reduce her pay by 2 percent if the teachers and the SEIU would do the same. Perhaps she and others in upper management would be willing to reduce their workdays by 13 to 20 days, since classified workers are being forced to.
Budget decisions are never easy, but I would hope that the most important people in our school district are the students. At Live Oak, these kids are making decisions that will impact the rest of their lives and they need to be able to see a counselor to help them. At 700 to one, what are their chances of seeing a counselor when they need to.
Jan Bergkamp, Morgan Hill
