A search is just beginning in the Cascade Union Elementary School District for a superintendent to replace Wes Smith, who took a similar job in Morgan Hill back in November.
According to John Almond the interim-superintendent, the school district posted a job in the Association of California School Administrators weekly newspaper, EdCal.
Then a couple of board members and staff will paper screen the applicants to determine who might be best suited for the job, said Almond.
From there, the district will schedule interviews with the selected candidates.
According to Almond, the district is hoping to have someone selected by March.
One of the largest challenges the new superintendent will face is the continued budget cuts from the Governor. According to Almond, if the new proposal from Schwarzenegger goes through, Cascade will lose about $211 per pupil.
"The target is about $300,000 to cut. The problem is, school districts have been making cuts for years, so all the low hanging fruit is gone," said Almond.
He said they are expecting to be down 74 ADA (average daily attendance) next year, which means $370,000 less funding.
"People think just cut a teacher, the problem is the loss of those 74 kids doesn't come in a neat little package. They aren't from just one grade level. They are spread out from Kindergarten through eighth grade," said Almond. "If you cut a teacher, you can't run the school."
He said they'd probably have to start looking at cutting programs. Almond says with all the budget cuts, the district will have to look at their goals and focus on how to meet those goals. Unfortunately, programs that the district currently offers may be sacrificed in order to preserve the overall goals of the district.
"We had a superintendent meeting last week, the day after the meeting with all the boards, and we are looking at moving forward on certain parts of the proposal," said Almond.
He added that all the districts are hoping that consolidation of services will help with budget problems.
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 1
pk56 writes:
California's school districts need to take a look at Medford,Oregon's schools. They go to school 4 days a week...didn't have to layoff any teachers. There is, I'm sure, other better creative ways to "cut the budget". The school system is already a MESS.
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