Some good news but primarily more bad news is on the agenda for
discussion at the school board meeting tonight at Morgan Hill
Unified’s district office, 15600 Concord Circle. At the 6 p.m.
meeting, the board will discuss summer school, the possibility of a
two-year kindergarten program and budget cuts to the Community
Adult Education School.
Morgan Hill – Some good news but primarily more bad news is on the agenda for discussion at the school board meeting tonight at Morgan Hill Unified’s district office, 15600 Concord Circle.
At the 6 p.m. meeting, the board will discuss summer school, the possibility of a two-year kindergarten program and budget cuts to the Community Adult Education School.
SUMMER SCHOOL
This summer’s offering by the district looks much like last year’s: pared down but packed full of substance, according to the district. MHUSD will offer kindergarten readiness, algebra help for middle-schoolers, migrant classes and continued IEP (Individualized Education Plan) instruction. Enrichment programs through the Silicon Valley Education Foundation will offer an additional course, “Stepping Up to Algebra” to prepare students for eighth-grade math.
Summer school will start July 5 and end July 29 with Melissa Howell, assistant principal at Martin Murphy, acting as summer school principal at Britton where classes are being held.
Student applications for summer school will be distributed to school sites in April.
ADULT EDUCATION
More than $100,000 is up for discussion tonight at the board meeting – that’s a big chunk of the Community Adult Education School’s budget and would mean that high school credit recovery would find more dedication. More high school students are in need since summer school options have been reduced dramatically in the last five years.
For now, Principal Dennis Browne’s proposal spreads the cuts: reduce a teacher’s salary ($20,000), reduce principal’s time by 10 percent ($14,000), reduce one clerical position ($54,000), eliminate bilingual stipend ($600), reduce classroom supplies ($900), reduce reference materials ($200), reduce conference fees ($1,600), reduce consulting ($4,000), reduce postage ($4,000), reduce of phone charges ($500), and reduction of “indirect support services” ($5,000).
At the May 10 board meeting, trustees will take action on the budget reductions.
KINDERGARTEN
Socorro Shiels, assistant superintendent of educational services, will make a presentation on the feasibility of hosting a “transitional kindergarten” at MHUSD. Shiels said it would be a two-year kindergarten program with pre-kindergarten at the district schools – not to be confused with pre-school – and a second year of traditional kindergarten.
New legislation could create the opportunity to host a transitional kindergarten program in the district. Look for an update in Friday’s edition of the Times.
