Anderson HS District cuts staff

"We are no different than many other school districts in the state,” said Anderson Union High School District Superintendent Randy Palomino about the coming year’s school budget shortfall.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposed 2008–09 budget recommended a $4.8 billion cut for education from kindergarten through junior college, and that cut is on top of a $400 million reduction for education in the state’s current fiscal year.

The net effect is about $750 less per student currently enrolled in K-12 education. The governor’s proposal calls for the suspension of Proposition 98 — the state’s minimum funding guarantee for public schools and community colleges — in order to address the state’s projected $14.5 billion budget shortfall.

Palomino went on to say, “by the state’s inability to fund Prop 98, it is hurting teachers and administrators, but mostly the students.”

The school district is still in the middle of completing its new budget, but some decisions have already been made as to what must be done to “keep the educational processes going in the district,” Palomino said.

Palomino said the district board is contemplating cuts of “nine full-time teaching positions and five administrators – so far.” However, some of the teaching positions are not full-time so the number of people affected could be slightly higher, he explained.

The layoffs consist of three positions in the counseling departments; 1.8 positions in the English departments; two in math; 2.6 in social sciences; one in science; 2.6 in agricultural sciences; and a .5 in temporary assignments.

Administrative changes include the demotion of current Anderson Union High School principal Mike Koontz, who at his own request is going back into teaching. Scott Booth, Assistant Principal at AUHS, will be taking over as principal when Koontz departs, Palomino said.

Additionally, Paul Jones is retiring thus leaving an opening for Brandt Shriner, Assistant Principal and Athletic Administrator at AUHS, to take over Jones’ old job as Principal of Alternative Education.

“There could be more changes,” said Palomino, “but we will have to wait to see how this plays out.”