Teachers’ jobs safe, classified staff iffy Small...

Teachers’ jobs safe, classified staff iffy

Small class sizes, and teachers’ jobs, will be safe next school

year in the Huntington Beach City School District. Budget woes

continue to plague the district, however, and other district

employees’ jobs are still in jeopardy.

The school board voted to approve a series of budget cuts Thursday

after parents who raised $205,000 to pick up the district’s share of

class-size reduction costs presented the superintendent and other

district officials an oversized ceremonial check.

“The kids will appreciate it the most,” school board President

Robert Mann said.

The money raised by the parents group, Community for Class Size

Reduction, will keep a 20 to 1 teacher to student ratio in first and

second grades next school year. Kindergartners will be taught in

small classes for a portion of the school day.

The money made it possible for the district to rescind 38 notices

that had been sent to teachers warning of possible layoffs.

Those notices were all revoked Friday, Assistant Supt. for Human

Resources Kathy Kessler said.

But after the parents’ presentation, the board approved more than

$687,000 in budget cuts and modifications, including reductions to

librarians, health aides and other support positions in the district.

The cuts weighed too heavily on district staffers, said Midge

Hill, president of the union that represents classified personnel in

the district.

“Nothing has been imposed on the management personnel in this

school district,” Hill said.

Among the cuts approved by the board, the only item that

specifically targeted top management was an $8,000 item that reduced

the work year for the superintendent and assistant superintendents by

a total of 16 days.

After approving cuts, the board voted to send layoff notices to

two custodians and a bus driver, but custodians could be re-hired

once the position’s descriptions are revised.

Other school employees’ work hours were cut by the board’s action,

which is scheduled to go in effect July 1 unless the district finds a

way to reverse the decision.

Body shop tries to lend schools a hand

The owner of a Huntington Beach body shop said local businesses

should find a way to give Surf City schools a hand.

“More individuals or businesses should consider helping the local

schools where they make their living,” said Ray Galvin, owner of

Skill Craft Body Shop.

“That’s where we get a lot of our employees,” he added.

Galvin said he and his company try to make a monthly donation to

Ocean View High School, which is across the street from his shop.

Recent donations include five cases of paper and $100 to help the

school pay for academic awards, he said.

Galvin said he got the idea after he found out some teachers buy

class supplies with their own money.

“That didn’t seem right to me,” he said.