Amazing Work Being Done to Care for Animals
Dear Editor,
The folks at Town Cats of Morgan Hill and the St. Francis of Assisi Spay/Neuter clinic in San Martin are doing amazing things for the animals of South County with little resources.
It’s important to acknowledge that good things can be done for the animals that re not predicated on the country budget, the county deficit, geographic location of animals, capital projects list – or any of the other ubiquitous excuse rhetoric ad nauseum – that we are given by our elected officials for not having proper animal care services in the South County.
Even Dumesnil, San Martin
Local School Classified Employees Deserve Appropriate Compensation
Dear Editor,
I am a Morgan Hill Unified School District employee who has worked for food services for more than 16 years. This is my career and my livelihood, which I’m investing in for my future. There are many others like me who serve the children of this district in different classified positions.
The teachers, management, and even our own Superintendent Alan Nishino all receive increases in pay and benefits. Not many could argue that teachers don’t deserve these increases. However, are the services provided by the classified workers of this district not just as important? Don’t we deserve fair and honest increases in pay and benefits as well? I work eight hours per day five days a week. I’m unable to afford the medical insurance for my family. I have to go out of the district to get medical insurance for my children.
Some may think that your lunch ladies go to the school, serve lunch and leave. That is not how it works. My day starts at 5am at the district kitchen to prepare the lunches for the children of our school district. For some of these children this could be the only meal they get all day.
At 8am I go to Nordstrom School where I have been working for more than four years. I am there until 1:30pm. I have a special bond with the children and their families. They look forward to seeing me as much as I look forward to seeing them. I am someone that these children trust and they know that I will listen to them.
The classified staff of this district is very important to our children. We are the friendly faces they see first thing in the morning and throughout the day. Our service to this district is valuable and is just as deserving of fair pay and benefit increases as those for our teachers.
My day doesn’t end with the completion of my shift at Nordstrom School. Like many other classified workers in this district, I have a second job to help support my family. I work afternoons as the office manager for a local law firm. As a single mom, having two jobs helps to make ends meet.
However, whether I have one, two or three jobs, it’s only fair that my work be regularly reviewed and rewarded with pay and benefit increases when deserving of such. I’m sure I speak for most of the classified workers of this district in saying that we are deserving and it’s time for us to be appropriately compensated.
Kimberly Mireles, Morgan Hill
