Happy New Year 2005 from the Morgan Hill School District Board
of Education.
Happy New Year 2005 from the Morgan Hill School District Board of Education. We are seven strong, and we are ready, willing and able, with a fresh perspective and enthusiasm to renew and build a strong foundation for public education in our district.
We know we have to collaborate with each other to be effective and with staff, families, businesses and government … our community … to be successful. Public education, our kids, deserve no less.
We work to continue to improve success by taking the time to build understanding, support and participation. Our community must know what we are doing and the reason for it. Clear information about district policies, programs and our fiscal condition must be communicated. We can ask no less to build and to sustain trust and credibility within our district, and build trust and respect with all our district staff.
These are and will continue to be challenging times. After three years of more than $8 million in cuts and reductions in services due to declining enrollment and state fiscal pressure, the district has experienced an increased enrollment and some equalization funding to put us back in the black. An interim budget report projects just $27,000 in uncommitted funds available in our general fund for 2005-2006. To date, the district receives a little over $27 a day to educate a student in our district. Our Average Daily Attendance figure is $4,919 yearly.
The bulk of our expenditures, as expected and rightly so, funds employee salaries and benefits, a little more than 80 percent of the general fund budget. In the last three years, the board’s response to budget cuts almost always included elimination of personnel and programs. When the number of students decreases, revenue decreases.
Yes, our district wants to be like Palo Alto and Cupertino; it is enviable. MHSD is a low wealth district that due to state funding receives almost half the amount of the districts we envy. The adage, “it’s not fair” does come to mind. Our district is diverse. Forty-nine percent white, 37 percent Hispanic, 22 percent English learners, 12 percent migrant and 12 percent special education. It is reflective of our community, a kaleidoscope of students with different needs and demands. As the board continues to discuss our shared goals, none of us lose sight of student success.
It is our job to ensure that our community has accurate information; the good and the bad. It is possible to build community support by telling the truth, demonstrating to our community that problems are being addressed and involving the community in solutions. We have a critical role in building and maintaining support for our schools, and in truly engaging the community in our schools. Excellent schools are built by establishing a supportive climate for excellence, generating a sense of pride and ownership throughout our community.
All of our community will benefit and do benefit from strong public schools. Community support is based on the level of satisfaction with the job schools are doing. Community support is influenced by how well “the board” performs our responsibilities, from setting goals to adopting and monitoring curriculum, from developing policies to holding the superintendent accountable and establishing firm financial footing and accountability.
The board’s focus in establishing a new direction is to develop and define our goals. And our board will need to take the time to decide on our beliefs and our goals. The goals evaluate the performance of the superintendent. The board has taken the first steps in hiring a new superintendent starting July 1.
Many of the traits of a superintendent are traits of a strong board. Being effective at communication and able to communicate the needs and accomplishments of our district, as well as evaluate the progress and performance of our district, are must-haves.
Being a good listener is critical to success. Taking into account differing viewpoints from various constituents allows for good decision making. As a board, we have to be willing to take risks, to raise the bar, make a commitment and work collaboratively, rather than confrontational, to create solutions. We cannot be all things to all people. It is impossible to keep everyone happy all the time. A balancing act to do what is best for our students, that is our job to work to drive student success.
Wouldn’t it be exciting to get the community behind a push for great schools? I know it is going to take a long time and lots of little steps along the way, but we can do it. Our town, our community always amaze me with its spirit. Now let’s amaze the rest of the state with our incredible school district. There is no reason why we cannot be one of the top performing districts in the state.
From a culture of academic and instructional excellence, embracing the best practices, to building and improving safety nets for students, to emphasizing staff feel respected and valued for the jobs they do, to making sure the focus always remains on the student, to making sure facilities as well as general fund expenditures are balanced, each trustee carries a “passion” for improvement in our district. This energy has to be brought together so that the board, as a whole, can define and focus our responsibilities.
Our vice-president, jokingly, wants to make sure our board meetings keep “moving along.” And, in reality, that is exactly what the board needs. Actions speaks louder than words. As a board we are committed to kids, to the people who work for the district, and to the community our schools serve. We have to keep it “moving along.” We are lucky because each of us has or has had sons and daughters in this school district. It allows for a better understanding and appreciation for what is done right and a learning from our families experiences.
It is a new year. Working together as a board with our community can make a good district great. It is a new beginning to build the foundation for the success of every child.
As a community we are blessed to be “looking forward” in a world with too much war, natural disasters and tragedy.
I need to say thank you and job well done for all that is right in our district. I could talk about the Saylor Report or the FCMAT Extraordinary audit and what has to be developed in construction oversight. I could talk about the FCMAT general fund audit and Special Education audit with the recommendations to be adopted.
I could talk about Coyote Valley and the impact it will have on our district. I could talk about the Los Paseos project, Sobrato completion, and Live Oak renovation and Machado. I could talk about truancy or why our district is growing this year and not the previous three years.
I want to present a perspective, develop a culture and let the community know every trustee takes his/her service seriously. I have had two meetings with the new board. Three seasoned veterans are two years new and I believe them to be effective and we collaboratively make the decisions at the dais.
Board decisions are deliberated together. We are all aware that we are ultimately responsible to the community that elected us. To be successful, we all have to move forward together.
