DMUSD Regular Board Meeting
Del Mar Hills Academy – Multi-Purpose Room
14085 Mango Drive
Del Mar, CA 92014
Wednesday, May 28, 2008, 5:45 pm
(Click here for map)
More Information:
Source: http://nbcsandiego.com/news/16415925/detail.html
POSTED: 11:59 am PDT May 28, 2008
UPDATED: 2:56 pm PDT May 28, 2008
SAN DIEGO -- The Del Mar Union School District may start a Spanish language program at one of its elementary schools, officials said Wednesday.
The program would expose all students at Del Mar Heights School to conversational Spanish in their classrooms. In some grade levels, there would be more focused language instruction, leading to class work in Spanish.
The school board is scheduled to discuss -- and possibly vote -- on this issue at a meeting on Wednesday night. Among the issues to be discussed is the possibility of increased staffing costs for the district and the potential impact on student enrollment in the kindergarten and first-grade class at Del Mar Academy. Those challenges might cause the school board to start a more limited Spanish language program.
Parents at Del Mar Heights School told NBC 7/39 that they were very excited about the possibility of Spanish language instruction for their children. School principal Wendy Wardlow said she hopes the school board will approve the Spanish Discovery Program.
Although some parents expressed concern about costs and the resources it would take to support the program, but many parents said foreign-language skills are a top priority for this generation of American children.
Hello everyone:
I apologize in advance for the length of this email, but I feel that it is very important for the families at Torrey Hills to get a clear picture of what will be taking place at the DMUSD Board meeting tomorrow evening – MAY 28. The meeting will begin at 5:45pm at Del Mar Hills. The board packet was posted yesterday afternoon (http://www.dmusd.org/district/webpages/openwebpage.aspx?subcategoryID=147 – you'll need to scroll through to see each agenda item in detail) and there is some important information to share in advance of Wednesday's meeting.
First, and most important, the packet states that the Fiscal Impact of instituting the Spanish Program (at Del Mar Heights) on the budget is "unknown". The packet states that Del Mar Heights will self-fund the purchase of curriculum materials (no information on the cost of such materials), and that the County of Office of Education will supply unspecified additional training at no charge. The packet further states that "the hiring of two bilingual teachers may/may not increase staffing costs", and further notes that "All eligible DMUSD teachers were asked of their interest to teach in this program and declined at this time."
With respect to the extra 0.5 enrichment slot allocated to the Heights, the packet states "that enrichment staffing would increase at the Heights, regardless of the Spanish Program, due to necessary grade level configurations at the upper grades." I have no idea what this means, and there's no explanation -- At the last board meeting, the additional 0.5 enrichment teacher was expressly tied to adoption of the Spanish program and reflected as such in the packet. Thus, the only projected cost outlined in our letter that the District claims to have addressed is the $30 to $40K for curriculum materials. In fact, it now appears definite that 2 teachers would have to be hired at a cost of $142K at a minimum, and the extra enrichment staffing seems to be an additional cost as well. The packet also states that, as of May 21, a total of 20 students had applied to be included in the program from outside the Heights attendance area.
Second, District staff has revised the projected deficit for 2008-09 to be $1 million -- down from the $1.5 million projected at the Budget Workshop, but still huge. For the current year, the District is projecting a deficit of $1.2 million.
Third is the nightmare that we've all been dreading. Presumably as a means of dealing with the deficit, the District has outlined three options for reducing the number of enrichment specialists allocated to each school for 2008-09. Under all of these options, almost every school would lose positions from their current baseline, as set forth below (please note the Del Mar Heights numbers):
What all of this seems to mean is that absolutely nothing has changed, except that maybe the consequences of the current financial situation is even more dire than we thought. There is a tremendous value from teaching foreign language in our schools -- The question is, at what cost? Does it make any sense to put our existing enrichment programs in jeopardy to institute a new program primarily for the benefit of one school, the costs of which have not even been determined. To that end, the statement that Del Mar Heights principal Wendy Wardlow made to the school board at its January meeting when presenting the Spanish program, which has been transcribed, verbatim, from the audio file on the District's website. These are Wendy's exact words in describing the criteria for implementing the program that she and her team came up with:
"Lastly, we want to make sure that this program is fiscally conservative and that it is sustainable over time. I said this time and time again -- it would just be shameful if we enthusiastically with, you know, all good intent jumped into something and it cost lots of money. We went out, kind of way out thinking we could just consistently raise money, raise money, raise money and then stumbled. It just would not be good. So we're taking a small step into this because we want to make it a step that will not have a negative impact on our District, on our parents, and we're not having to go back and just constantly ask for money. And want to make sure that it's sustainable and we can build it."
Clearly, this program has failed to meet even Wendy's criteria, given that the costs remain significant and not quantified. If there were ways to implement this in a manner that would not increase the deficit, and would allow all of the schools to maintain their existing programs, then the program should be supported. Unfortunately, that does not appear to be the case. It is very important that we get as many people as we can to attend the Board meeting on Wednesday, and to encourage those who cannot attend to send emails to the Board, to express this view.
Please show your support for our school and the other schools in Carmel Valley. The Board needs to know that the families east of I-5 are concerned with what they are doing.
Best regards,
Jennifer McCroskey
Source: http://nctimes.com/articles/2008/05/24/news/coastal/del_mar/z2d9bdaffc54550eb882574520065783c.txt
DEL MAR ---- Three meetings have been planned to gather information from the community regarding the Del Mar Union School District's search for a new superintendent.
Consultants for the district's school board will hold three public forums to get input on the selection process. The group wants to hear from teachers, parents, PTA leaders, foundation board members, classified employees, administrators and community members.
During each meeting, consultants will provide an overview of the process and then solicit public opinion regarding the critical issues facing the district, the district's strengths, and what qualities the new superintendent should have.
The meetings will be held at 7 p.m. May 29 at Ocean Air School; at 9:30 a.m. June 2 at Ashley Falls School; and at 7 p.m. June 2 at Del Mar Hills.
Contact consultant The Cosca Group by e-mail at tcgcorp@sbcglobal.net or by fax at (707) 422-6494.
Source: via email
We are parents at schools throughout the Del Mar Union School District. We are concerned with plans to implement a Spanish program for the benefit of one school, (which could cost more than $200,000), that will undermine the continuing financial viability of existing science, music, art, technology and physical education programs at every school in the district.
The school board stated at its special meeting on May 14 that it is currently projecting a budget deficit of approximately $1.5 million for the 2008-09 school year. Despite this deficit, it is continuing with plans to institute a new "Spanish Discovery Program" at Del Mar Heights Elementary — the school where board members Katherine White, Steven McDowell and new appointee Doug Perkins have their own children enrolled. Although the program is open to all children within the district, only 15 students from outside the Del Mar Heights attendance area have applied. The costs of implementing this program for the first year alone were publicly revealed for the first time last week, and include:
Even a fraction of these costs would be difficult to justify if this truly were a district-wide program, given our desire to preserve the existing enrichment programs while facing a $1.5 million budget deficit. To incur these costs for the benefit of only one school, where the majority of school board members are parents, is beyond comprehension.
Implementation of the Spanish program at this time also threatens to undermine the clear preference of Carmel Valley parents to send their children to their local neighborhood school. In connection with implementing this program, school board members Katherine White and Steven McDowell have proposed imposing enrollment caps at Ocean Air and Sage Canyon and shipping the displaced children away from their closest school. Ironically, this is exactly the kind of activity that the slate of Annette Easton, McDowell and White so vocally opposed when they ran for election to the school board.
We urge parents to attend the next school board meeting on Wednesday, May 28, beginning at 5:45 p.m. at Del Mar Hills Academy, to express their views on this proposal. In this time of extreme fiscal constraint, we would prefer that the school board focus its energies on maintaining funding for the wonderful existing enrichment programs in our district, rather than increasing the deficit for the benefit of a single school.
Nicole Baril,
Sycamore Ridge
Jennfier McCroskey
Torrey Hills
Bob Gans
Del Mar Hills
Janet Pecsar
Del Mar Hills
Janet Handzel
Sage Canyon
Mary Taylor
Torrey Hills
Terri Harbison
Ocean Air
Beth Westburg
Del Mar Hills
Source: Carmel Valley News, May 22, 2008.
By Ian S. Port
Assistant Editor
“We are concerned with plans to implement a Spanish program for the benefit of one school … that will undermine the continuing financial viability of existing science, music, art, technology, and physical education programs at every school in the district,” wrote a group of district parents in a letter to the Carmel Valley News/Del Mar Village Voice urging others to come to the May 28 meeting.
The letter was signed by several active parents in the district, including Del Mar Schools Education Foundation President Bob Gans (who said he was concerned about the issue as a parent); Torrey Hills PTA President Mary Taylor; Sycamore Ridge PTA President Nicole Baril; Sage Canyon PTA President Janet Handzel; Del Mar Hills PTA President Janet Pecsar; Ocean Air PTA President Terri Harbison; and two other parents.
Supporters of the Heights Spanish program also sent a slew of letters in support of the program.
“Del Mar Heights School has done an impressive amount of work and research to make this Spanish program,” wrote Del Mar Hills parent Phoebe von Reis. “If the program is implemented now at the Heights, it would be much easier for our other schools to learn from this process and include the second language program at their sites in the future.”
The Heights program, which is available to students across the district for enrollment, would give about 40 kindergarteners and first-graders daily Spanish lessons from teachers with credentials in the subject. All students at the school would get 15 minutes of conversational Spanish lessons through the program.
The Spanish proposal would include the hiring of two teachers with Spanish teaching credentials at a cost to the district of about $71,000 each, plus the cost of curriculum materials, which is estimated at anywhere from $7,000 to $40,000.
Because of the way the district allocates enrichment staff, the Heights would also need another half-time enrichment position allocated to it at a rough cost of $35,500.
Critics of the program say it doesn’t make sense to spend as much as $200,000 on a program during a year when budget cuts already endanger the district’s beloved enrichment curriculum — especially given that they say only 15 students from schools other than the Heights and the Hills have applied for it.
“Even a fraction of these costs would be difficult to justify if this truly were a district-wide program,” wrote parents in the letter.
There is also concern that students entering from east of I-5 could face enrollment caps at their neighborhood schools and be forced to go elsewhere if not enough students enroll in the Spanish program.
But defenders of the Heights proposal say it’s long overdue that the Del Mar district had a serious second-language program for its students.
“The ear is trained so easily at a young age to hear the sounds of any language. Therefore, I eagerly support giving our Del Mar students this second-language acquisition advantage by going forward with this timely program,” wrote Robbie Elliott, who sat on a multi-year committee that helped plan the Heights program. “ As a Task Force member, I visited nine of the many San Diego county schools which already had Spanish language programs in place. I will confess to being surprised at how many schools, both public and private, had already been successfully teaching Spanish (and sometimes other languages) in their schools...most for many years, and with an obvious level of enthusiasm by both students and teachers! Given the abundant research making the case for the widespread benefits of teaching children a second language at as early an age as possible, these visitations and observations left me wondering why the Del Mar Union School District was not at the forefront of teaching a second language.”
The meeting of the Del Mar School Board is set for 5:45 p.m. May 28 at Del Mar Hills Academy.
By Ian S. Port
Assistant Editor
Under the agreement, the city paid the district $5 million of the original $8.5 million purchase price — the amount raised since July by fundraisers for the Winston School and a citizen group called the Campaign for Del Mar Shores. (Escrow on the initial payment had not closed by press time, but was expected imminently by both city and district officials.)
The remaining $3.5 million will be paid to the district over the course of one year at an interest rate of 5 percent, with monthly payments of $500,000 commencing Nov. 15. The loan is secured by the 5.3-acre property itself, and there are no penalties for paying it off early.
Under the lease terms agreed upon, the district may remain in its offices on the site for $1 annual rent for two years. Rent for a third year will be $30,000.
A ground lease between the Winston School and the city is still being worked on. Under the terms of the original July agreement, the Winston School owns the buildings it occupies, but the city owns the land under them.
The agreement —which officials said still contains a few unresolved details — comes after weeks of negotiations between the city and the school district, which kicked off after it became clear that fundraisers would not be able to raise the full $8.5 million purchase price by the original Feb. 28 deadline.
Fundraisers had warned since the deal was inked in July that raising $8.5 million in seven months would be difficult. Some said it was the most ambitious privately financed project the city has ever taken on.
By February, when the escrow was slated to close, only $5 million had been deposited into the account.
The district extended the deadline to May 15, inciting fierce criticism from some Carmel Valley parents who said it was giving Del Mar residents a sweet deal and could have obtained a higher price for the property.
Officials from both organizations said they were relieved that the extremely complex negotiations on the property were essentially concluded and that an agreement had been reached.
“I am so excited to have this,” said Del Mar Councilmember Crystal Crawford said of the agreement. “[Negotiating] makes the fundraising part look easy.”
“The transaction was complex and involved and immense amount of hard work,” said DMUSD Board President Annette Easton in a statement. “There are still a number of details — which are minor in comparison to the big picture — that will need to be worked through. We have every confidence that those details will be satisfactorily resolved.”
On May 14, the board of trustees approved the selection of The Cosca Group to assist in the selection of the new superintendent. The board is committed to obtaining input from all interested stakeholders. Over the next few weeks, numerous meetings will be held across the district with interested stakeholders, including teachers, parents, PTA leaders, Foundation board members, classified employees and administrators. A critical component in the selection process is to obtain input from community members. To achieve that goal, three community input meetings have been scheduled.
During each meeting, the consultants will provide an overview of the process, and then ask three primary questions: What do you see as the strengths of the district? What do you see as the critical issues/needs facing the district? What are the desirable characteristics for the next superintendent?
The consultants will provide the board with a report containing all comments. This information will be used by the board to prioritize the lists of strengths, needs/critical issues, and characteristics. The consultants will then create a candidate profile and brochure to advertise the position.
The community input meetings are scheduled on May 29, and June 2. Details of the meetings are as follows:
If none of the options to meet personally with the advisors matches your schedule, you may contact them with your responses as follows:
Email to: tcgcorp@sbcglobal.net
Fax to: 707-422-6494
By Marsha Sutton
With the appointment of The Cosca Group last week, Del Mar Union School District trustees initiated the formal search for a replacement for former district superintendent Tom Bishop.
Based in Fairfield in northern California, Cosca’s team now includes Ken Noonan, a highly respected education leader whose familiarity with San Diego’s North County schools makes him a key asset for Del Mar.
Noonan, who retired last year after successfully serving as superintendent of the Oceanside Unified School District since 1997, continues to serve on the California state board of education where he was appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in April 2005.
Hiring a search firm to find a new superintendent is a necessity. Without a superintendent, the district is rudderless, discord is polarizing factions of constituents, and unfounded rumors are fanning the flames. The Cosca Group seems an ideal choice, and Del Mar can hopefully soon appoint an outstanding leader to ease the tension, unite opposing forces, and set clear direction.
Even as the district proceeds with this step, there is another attractive, longer-term option to consider in parallel – that is, a merger with the Solana Beach School District.
Because of Del Mar’s need for a new superintendent – coupled with the district’s current, if transient, instability – a number of readers have recently suggested that the timing is right for the merger idea to be resurrected and explored.
I’ve written about a merger before, but never have the stars been so aligned.
A merger makes fiscal sense as it would solve the primary issue confronting both districts every year – a funding shortage. Less duplication of effort, administrative staff, salary and office space add up to considerably lower overhead.
This reduction in expenses represents a significant benefit, given the monumental complexity of school district funding in California. Watching the governor and the state legislature have at it every year, as they play political games with the numbers, is enough to send even the steadiest school district finance officer into a state of heightened anxiety.
My previous columns that have centered on the DMUSD’s problems frequently compared Del Mar to the Solana Beach School District – noting how Solana Beach seems to be doing things right. But Del Mar also has valuable assets to contribute to the equation.
Despite the obstacles, which should not be underestimated, uniting small school districts is unquestionably a legitimate cost-saving proposal. Other issues make this particular union appealing as well.
Support for a united Del Mar/Solana Beach school district comes from a number of prominent local politicians and education leaders, including San Diego County Board of Education president Bob Watkins, who said he would react favorably to the exploration of the idea and would endorse the concept of a merger of these two districts.
But this could not happen overnight. Besides summoning the grassroots energy to tackle such a weighty project, the other major hurdle is the time needed to accomplish the mission. According to Carole Parks, a business advisory services consultant who has worked with the San Diego County Office of Education for the past 36 years, it would take a minimum of three years, assuming everything went smoothly, before the vision could be realized. [see sidebar]
Which brings us back to Cosca and the need to find a superintendent for Del Mar.
So a merger can’t be done in the next two months. Or even two years. So, yes, Del Mar needs to find someone now to lead the district. But that fact shouldn’t stop those who believe the time is right to think creatively about our community’s schools, our finances and our children.
The merger process is daunting but not impossible. The effort will require massive amounts of hard work and dedication. But the idea is sensible and ground-breaking, and the benefits are profound.
The following letters to the editor appeared in the May 22, 2008 edition of the Carmel Valley News in response to Marsha Sutton's May 8 column, The Prep Time Quagmire.
We’re supposed to be a team working together to educate children
Ms. Sutton thinks the enrichment classes funded by the foundation are nothing more than a way for teachers to sneak some much-needed planning time into the school day. Here’s the truth: Del Mar teachers have had planning time for over 20 years, well before Tom Bishop was the superintendent. Teachers finally formed a union while he was superintendent, and then negotiated guaranteed planning time while students were in these special classes. The only new aspect of this “juicy perk” is that it is now written in our contracts.
State and federal laws require the teaching of art, music, technology and science. Ms. Sutton suggests using local artists and musicians to teach some of these classes. Here’s another fact: that is against the law. The state of California requires that all adults teaching children be certified by the state. Luckily, many of our current enrichment teachers not only have their teaching certificate, but they have real world experience in their area of expertise. If Del Mar cannot afford $75,000 (a number quoted by Ms. Sutton that I assume includes benefits) to pay each certified enrichment teacher, having a foundation with generous donations by the community is a plausible way to fund this.
Another hot button that Ms. Sutton pushed related to teacher planning time in general. I did some quick research and asked several Del Mar teachers to estimate how many hours they spend outside the school day planning, making copies, grading, etc. According to my survey, the average teacher at my school is working a 51-hour week. That’s 32.5 hours from 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. during school, plus 18.5 extra hours working before school, after school, and on the weekends. That’s how much we’re working even with our contracted planning time. In other districts, I have seen a lack of planning time result in teachers giving busy work during the school day so they can grade papers or plan lessons. Would that be an improvement? Hardly. To maintain our top position throughout the county and state, teachers need their planning time to effectively prepare and assess students. Is it really such a big deal that we can get work done while our students are in enrichment classes covering standards? Besides, I know most of the parent community highly supports these valuable enrichment classes.
As for planning time being something that only we in Del Mar get to enjoy, that is just plain wrong. While it is true that districts like the Escondido School District do not give teachers any contracted planning time, many districts do. The San Diego Unified School District gives teachers at least 60 minutes per week, and some schools get more if parents donate money to pay for it. Solana Beach gives teachers about 225 minutes for grades 4-6. These minutes are not necessarily guaranteed in a contract, but teachers in those districts would like to move in that direction. Out-of-state-districts such as Naperville 204 in Illinois give teachers 175 contracted minutes a week. All schools across Minnesota are required by state law to give 5 minutes of planning time per 50 minutes of instruction. I could go on and on. This practice is not a perk, but a common practice all over the country in elementary, middle, and high schools. Let’s not forget, according to Time Magazine, the number one reason teachers quit their profession is lack of planning time.
Many of the finest teachers end up in Del Mar due to the great reputation, family support, and the “juicy perks” like contracted planning time. Taking away opportunities for planning and collaborating will not only upset teachers, but more importantly it will directly impact the students’ learning. Remember: we’re supposed to be a team working together to educate children. Let’s stop trying to take away the tools we need to successfully do that.
Michelle Brashears
Del Mar Union School District Teacher
The path to improvement should be grounded on solid evidence
Her letter appears as an angry rant as opposed to a well-thought out and caring argument towards the betterment of the schools. Ms. Sutton’s “article” is short-sighted in several ways:
Understanding the California Education Code:
The California Educational Code is not unclear in explaining the law regarding a credentialed teacher in each classroom. There is no gray area with this and it has been upheld in court; there must be a credentialed teacher with the students. Ms. Sutton poses the question “is Del Mar over-the-top in its strict application of California’s Education Code?” Were the leaders of Enron over the top? If you are speeding are the police “over the top” if you get a ticket? This kind of “eek-my-way around rules and laws” thinking and behaving is how students learn to be irresponsible and dismissive of the laws that govern us as a people. If a law is unfair, petition for its revocation; I am all for change for the good of the whole. Purposely ignoring a law because it is inconvenient is irresponsible and arrogant — like the Enron leadership was. This kind of thinking erodes people’s participation in a representative democracy, which is what we are arguably trying to teach our students — how to think, act and participate as a responsible citizen in a democracy. Ironically, Ms. Sutton also criticizes past rumors of Del Mar Schools ignoring rules governing their behavior. Do as I say, not as I would do?
The training that goes into becoming a credentialed teacher includes child development and training in a supervised environment. Throwing someone into a classroom from industry may make sense financially, but the health and well being of the students are an important factor. Ed. Code accounts for this by making it law that teachers go through the supervised training.
Understanding the Del Mar School District:
Del Mar has figured out a way around a problem that many districts can’t — that is the lack of outside core classes. Music and art are crucial for developing different ways of thinking. The language of music makes the brain respond in different ways than other thinking. The district has ensured that all students get to experience these disciplines that some other districts do not.
Understanding her responsibility as a public voice:
I applaud questioning leadership and the system in which we teach children. Honest questions designed to raise awareness of how to better serve our students, particularly the underserved and underrepresented, are important and empowering, even noble. If Ms. Sutton began her discussion of the Del Mar School District in this manner, I applaud her. However, what the Carmel Valley News/Del Mar Village Voice chose to publish does not come across as being focused on the best practices for children, but an angry article serving to misinform and mislead; on accident or on purpose I do not know. Public dialogue and good research showing the best practices in teaching is crucial; divisive, misinformed finger pointing is destructive to a community and its children, and we as a community can do better for ourselves and our children. I want all community children to experience what the Del Mar Schools have to offer; I do not want any children reading that article or the Carmel Valley News/Del Mar Village Voice if this is representative of its reporting. Is there room for improvement in teaching? Of course, that is why it is a practice, a profession. The path to improvement should be grounded on solid evidence, logical proceedings and the best interest of the students and community at the forefront of the conversation in order to create a world where laws matter, people have a deeper understanding of their community and heresay (sic) and rumor mongering are a thing of the past.
If she wishes to continue the conversation, along with Rory Devine of NBC San Diego, I would love to have an opportunity to discuss this further.
Erik Conklin
Doctoral Candidate, Education
UCSD/CSUSM
Time, research, and planning are required to provide instruction that will meet the goals of students
If you will recall the history of Del Mar Union School District, we use to staff enrichment courses in a similar manner to Solana Beach. The Del Mar Foundation committed to raising funds to acquire certified teachers for those positions to meet the needs of the California State Standards and a growing district with high expectations. This model was set up long before the contract was formed between the teachers, board members, and administration.
Now, enrichment teachers have a specific credential to instruct in science, music, physical education, technology, and art. This has fostered a higher level of achievement among the students in Del Mar. Students have benefited from the instruction that has come out of having a teacher with a subject-specific credential for those areas of the curriculum. In turn, this has affected the educational community of Del Mar as follows:
Benefits to the Student
California has a plethora of standards that each student must learn within one year. Every teacher in Del Mar is committed to meeting these standards with each student. During the 180 minutes that are allotted each week, the classroom teacher ensures that all lessons incorporate the essential standards. It takes time and forethought to combine standards that will produce a high level of achievement with students. Secondly, as Del Mar teachers, we are committed to planning lessons that accommodate all learners in the classroom. Next, there are seven known styles of learners; teachers are committed to representing those styles in each lesson, therefore, hands-on materials must be prepared for each lesson to ensure student success. Finally, teachers across the district are committed to providing individualized instruction to students who need this to be successful. Time, research, and planning are required to provide instruction that will meet the goals of these students, often student by student. In addition, the teacher must be prepared for meetings that regularly occur regarding these individualized plans. The teachers of Del Mar have committed to increasing student achievement.
Benefits to Parents
Because the Del Mar teachers and the Foundation understand that parent involvement is crucial to the learning process of each student, it is my belief thatwe share the common goal of providing prompt feedback to parent’s questions and concerns. On an average, a teacher receives eight to 10 e-mails and phone calls a day. These e-mails usually involve a request that may require planning, research, and a reply. It takes time to accomplish this. In addition, teachers regularly update a Web site to further communicate with students and parents. We are committed to communicating with students and parents.
I have been actively involved in the Del Mar Teachers Association since being hired. Our association recognizes the professional responsibilities we have to the students and parents. We utilize interest-based bargaining for that sole purpose. Viewing the glass half full, all stakeholders come to the table to mutually agree upon guidelines between the teachers, board members, and the administration so that the focus of the district remains on the student. The current contract allows for openers from each side, on a yearly basis, which would prevent any stakeholder from feeling permanently bound to the contract. It is my main goal to continue to foster the professional relationship between the teachers and the community we serve.
Mary Ann Loes
Lead Negotiator—Del Mar Teachers Association
So what is the big deal about the sale? Why not sell it for fair market value and be done with it? Because there are regulations about how to “dispose” of government owned surplus property and it can get a little tricky. Fair market value is not an option when selling government to government because there needs to be a substantial discount. So here are the steps as I understand it: public agencies selling real property must first offer it to other public agencies (for example, city, county, state entities) at a discounted rate, though the discounted rate facet seems to be debatable when reading various legal opinions on this. If the various tiers of public agencies and non-profit entities are not interested in the property, then the property may be offered at auction to any bidder.
In 2007 the DMUSD made a deal with the city of Del Mar to sell the approx. 4.94 (or 5.3)-acre piece of land at a discounted price of $8,500,000. In March, just a week before they were scheduled to close escrow, the city asked for a 30-day extension. It gets a little “sketchy” here, since personnel issues are secret and our board isn’t talking in open session about the Shores property, but somewhere in the middle of all this re-negotiation talk the board forced the Superintendent’s resignation. Is this the “rest of the story” as Paul Harvey might say? Why would this be an issue worth spending nearly $300,000 of reserve money to buy out a contract unnecessarily? Oh, and by the way, what is the fair market value of the Shores property?
From what I have learned from reliable sources, a private trust is (or at least was) ready to make an offer to purchase the Shores property for a great deal more than $8,500,000 – I have heard numbers between $20,000,000-$25,000,000, just to let it sit. (Sounds logical since I recall that the Solana Beach School district paid $4M+ for each acre of land they purchased to build Solana Pacific School a few years ago.) I was told that this particular Buyer would preserve the integrity of the property as a ball park and school for a number of years. This seems like it could be a win-win for everyone if the city is unable to purchase the land.
I feel that we as parents and community members must take note of the spending and big financial decisions being made by our board of Trustees right now. If we add up the ancillary implications of just one decision to oust the Superintendent, that’s close to $300,000. Add to that $500,000 more this year (or next) to make up for the fundraising crises caused to the Foundation by the board’s decision, along with hiring costs of a new Superintendent, this brings us well over $800,000 in unforeseen expenditures from our district reserves! Is it worth it?
Personally, I am not proposing that the district sell The Shores to one entity over another. As a matter of fact, the sale is pretty much a done deal now. What I am asking is that the board of trustees bears in mind that they have had options. Their decisions affect everyone in the Del Mar Union School District boundary area and they should work with all diligence to make decisions that will best benefit the entire district and move forward.
More recently, there has been a movement to call in to question budgeted expenditures that have been a part of DMUSD's successful Strategic Plan. These expenditures afford our teachers planning time and parallel and vertical collaboration opportunities at their school site and throughout the district. I would hope our families will take the time to really understand the benefits our district has enjoyed by daring to be unique. Please don't forget that we can boast having the finest schools because we dare to think outside of the box and be all we can be by working together!
It is obvious that the board of trustees wants control of our district and now they have it. So from this point on I would expect them to make responsible decisions and point us in a positive direction, not a non-specific, non-clarified direction. They should stop the micromanagement and begin supporting the very capable staff in place, empowering them to do their jobs.
I would hope they want to move forward together with a collaborative plan to heal and stabilize our district from the repercussions of their decision. What’s done is done, and now representatives from the Foundation, PTA, community at large, and district personnel from throughout our district should have a say in our future. The next superintendent should be chosen together and given authority due them under the law to be the district’s “CEO.” The superintendent should feel supported by the board of trustees and be allowed to make personnel decisions and over-see the day to day learning at the school sites- keeping our children’s successful education always first and foremost!
Comischell Bradley-Rodriguez
Concerned DMUSD Parent and Volunteer
By Ian S. Port
Assistant Editor
Under the agreement, the city paid the district $5 million of the original $8.5 million purchase price — the amount raised since July by fundraisers for the Winston School and a citizen group called the Campaign for Del Mar Shores. (Escrow on the initial payment had not closed by press time, but was expected imminently by both city and district officials.)
The remaining $3.5 million will be paid to the district over the course of one year at an interest rate of 5 percent, with monthly payments of $500,000 commencing Nov. 15. The loan is secured by the 5.3-acre property itself, and there are no penalties for paying it off early.
Under the lease terms agreed upon, the district may remain in its offices on the site for $1 annual rent for two years. Rent for a third year will be $30,000.
A ground lease between the Winston School and the city is still being worked on. Under the terms of the original July agreement, the Winston School owns the buildings it occupies, but the city owns the land under them.
The agreement —which officials said still contains a few unresolved details — comes after weeks of negotiations between the city and the school district, which kicked off after it became clear that fundraisers would not be able to raise the full $8.5 million purchase price by the original Feb. 28 deadline.
Fundraisers had warned since the deal was inked in July that raising $8.5 million in seven months would be difficult. Some said it was the most ambitious privately financed project the city has ever taken on.
By February, when the escrow was slated to close, only $5 million had been deposited into the account.
The district extended the deadline to May 15, inciting fierce criticism from some Carmel Valley parents who said it was giving Del Mar residents a sweet deal and could have obtained a higher price for the property.
Officials from both organizations said they were relieved that the extremely complex negotiations on the property were essentially concluded and that an agreement had been reached.
“I am so excited to have this,” said Del Mar Councilmember Crystal Crawford said of the agreement. “[Negotiating] makes the fundraising part look easy.”
“The transaction was complex and involved and immense amount of hard work,” said DMUSD Board President Annette Easton in a statement. “There are still a number of details — which are minor in comparison to the big picture — that will need to be worked through. We have every confidence that those details will be satisfactorily resolved.”
Source: http://delmartimes.net/archives/index.php?section=frontpage#perkins
By Karen Billing
Doug Perkins was named interim trustee to the Del Mar Union School District Board last Wednesday.
Last week the Del Mar Union School District Board appointed Doug Perkins as an interim trustee. The unprecedented appointment had to be made as trustee Linda Crawford resigned on March 12 after 11 years on the board.
After a May 7 interview session with prospective board members, trustees said they were looking to fill their vacant seat with someone who is very familiar with the district and has a strong knowledge of fiduciary responsibilities. Perkins, a Del Mar Heights area resident, appeared to fit the bill, with his 20 years of residence within the district and service on the San Diego County Taxpayer's Association. Perkins said he knows the district well and has a "keen eye" for finances and understands important aspects of state and local funding processes.
"No other candidate has his wealth of experience," trustee Katherine White said of Perkins, who will now serve as an interim trustee for six months until the next election.
Perkins is a local businessman with a masters degree in education. He's been involved in a number of leadership positions in public and non-profit sector, including serving on the executive committees of two State of California Education boards for five years. Additionally he's been a local soccer coach, little league coach and has worked as a mentor at Casa de Amistad, assisting limited English speakers to achieve a higher education.
Seven candidates took part in the public interview process, in front of an audience in the Ocean Air School performing arts center. American flag banners hanging behind the board's table lent a sense of official occasion to the proceedings. Candidates Perkins, Stephen Cochrane, Korey Sarokin, Bob Gans, Mary Slattery Johnson, Kris Kissner and Comischell Rodriguez were asked five questions and given two minutes each to respond.
After all of the candidates were interviewed, the board took an awkward pause, seeming to be struggling with the unprecedented process. Minutes passed where nobody spoke a word.
"This is one of the challenges," said board president Annette Easton. "It's hard for us to have discussions of pros and cons of people when everyone's here."
Cochrane and Kissner were the first candidates to be eliminated. Johnson and Rodriguez moved onto the next rounds of deliberation but never gathered a strong nomination. It really came down to Perkins, Gans and Sarokin.
In his interview, Perkins said he would be an effective board member, intending to do his homework.
"You can't be too successful unless you're willing to do the legwork," he said.
Perkins also said he intends to get out into the community and listen to different perspectives of teachers, administrators and parents.
He said he is most proud of the families within the district and the dedication of the district parents to a good education.
"All of us chose to be here and a big part of that is because of the schools," Perkins said.
His major goals for serving on the board include making the transitional period as smooth as possible, selecting a solid superintendent to replace the recently resigned Tom Bishop and helping create a district headquarters that is reflective of the community and technologically advanced.
The board asked Perkins what issues he would consider in identifying a new district office site, necessitated by a sale of the Shores property to the city of Del Mar.
"I'm a process person," said Perkins. "I need to see a needs assessment done."
He said he would encourage going out and looking what other districts are doing but maintained that a high-tech, state of the art facility is needed. Perkins also said he is a strong believer in co-location, combining the district office with other public resources.
Sarokin's background as an attorney, as well as her being someone who is new to the district and thus able to have fresh eyes for the situation, was appealing to White.
Sarokin made a convincing argument for a board that has strong, informed debates, critical analysis and a transparent process.
"The communication of why decisions happen never makes it to the ears of those who need to hear it," Sarokin said.
Sarokin has only been in the district for nine months but it was the schools that brought her here for her three children's education.
Trustee Steven MacDowell could not support Sarokin as he wanted someone on the board who has been very involved with the district.
Trustee Janet Lamborghini agreed with MacDowell.
"I like the idea of demonstrated commitment," said Lamborghini. "Demonstrated commitment to the district is invaluable."
With that in mind, Lamborghini was the first to take a stab at an official nomination of Gans, an attorney who's been in the district for eight years and is the current president of the Del Mar Schools Education Foundation.
In his interview, Gans said he believes the job of a trustee is to create an environment that allows teachers and administration to thrive and allocate resources where they're most needed.
He also spoke of wanting to be a bridge builder.
"All problems can be helped by effective communication and I have the skills to help with that," Gans said.
McDowell seconded the Gans nomination but White and Easton made no move to support him further.
After an extended silence, White "took a stab" and nominated Perkins. Lamborghini seconded the motion and Easton provided the third, which effectively appointed Perkins as the new interim trustee.
Source: http://delmartimes.net/archives/archive3.php?section=news#edfound
By Jim Kerr
With questions lingering over declining contributions and mixed messages from the school board over its fundraising role, the Del Mar Schools Education Foundation's board has nonetheless dismissed a notion by its president Bob Gans that the organization might need to temporarily suspend operations.
Gans, has expressed growing concerns of late over the viability of the foundation, which raises funds for enrichment programs in the Del Mar Union School District. At the foundation's May 6 meeting, he asked his fellow board members to closely reexamine their role.
"I want this to be a frank, open and positive discussion," said Gans at the meeting, "but everyone remember why we are here — for our kids.
"I'm not proposing dissolving or liquidating our assets," Gans continued, "I think it would be difficult to ever start this organization up again. But we might look at suspending operations until there is a better understanding and consensus of our role in the district."
Gans cited several contributing factors for the possible suspension of operations such as controversies over the resignation of both the district's superintendent Tom Bishop and school board member Linda Crawford, a drop in fundraising totals including an 80 percent drop in revenue from the foundation's main fundraising event, and questions over the district accepting donations for additional enrichment staffing at school sites beyond those allocated by the district without regard to whether a school site met its fundraising goal
"I think it is irresponsible of us not to examine suspension," he said.
The relationship between the foundation and the school district has of late, become an often-confusing mix of legal opinions, staffing formulas and current and future year funding issues. This after a thorough vetting of that relationship last year, following parent complaints over the foundation's transparency and overhead including a rather large salary paid to a former executive director.
The current board headed by Gans has touted a new era of openness with the ability to transfer 100 percent of parent donations to the district without expense deductions.
But questions still remain including the latest swirling through the district over whether so-called enrichment programs in subjects such as science, art, music and technology should be considered regular core programs (the district hires certain numbers of those teachers anyway based on school populations). The district recently announced the formation of an enrichment task force to examine many of the latest enrichment issues. Adding to foundation's dilemmas is seven of 16 board positions are set to expire next month including that of Gans himself.
But despite the uncertainties, there was little support at last week's foundation board meeting for suspending operations.
Board member John Logan characterized the current year as one of rebuilding.
"The discussion to suspend is premature," said Logan. "It is a macro economy environment we are in and most fundraising organizations are having trouble. I don't think we need more negative PR"
"I think ultimately it would sound the death knell for this organization," said board member Jay Lichter. 'I think it would be almost impossible to restart if we did suspend operations. If we truly think we don't get enough money from the state, this organization has to exist."
Lichter, who said his private sector business involves assisting startup companies, compared the foundation to such a business,
"The first year of a startup business is very difficult," he said. 'This is a new business model and we still raised over $500,000. Even in the face of turmoil we still raised a lot of money. We have plenty of years to try different things to make this work."
Lichter suggested the board might hire an event coordinator to assist with next year's fundraising events, a notion that received some support among members.
"The new board may want to tweak some things," added Logan.
"This was a valuable discussion we had," said Gans in closing the meeting, "and I see there is commitment here.
'I don't want there to be any doubt throughout this that I am incredibly proud of this organization," he said. "You've done a tremendous job rebuilding the trust of this community and we've acted openly and transparently. The communication with the community has been great, but I think there has been a lack of communication with the district."
Gans, who has been very public with his frustration with the district and was denied last week in an attempt to earn a seat on the school board (see accompanying front page story) hasn't said whether he will return to the foundation. He couldn't help wondering about the organization's future ability to fundraise.
"In that first appeal letter to parents, what do you say given the current state of things?" he asked. "But then maybe it's just not my issue.
Source: http://signonsandiego.com/news/education/20080510-9999-1mc10delmar.html
May 10, 2008
DEL MAR – Trustees of the Del Mar Union School District late Wednesday unanimously approved the appointment of Doug Perkins, a longtime resident, to the school board.
Perkins, who runs a public relations and consulting firm in San Diego, will serve out the term of Linda Crawford. Crawford resigned this spring, citing irreconcilable differences with trustees Katherine White, Annette Easton and Steven McDowell.
The three trustees have formed a political majority on the board, and earlier this spring they voted to buy out the contract of former Superintendent Tom Bishop. Crawford and trustee Janet Lamborghini opposed the ouster.
Perkins, 57, is a district parent with three children in elementary, middle and high schools. He said Thursday that he will work hard to be a consensus builder among parents, teachers and others.
“I'm a big believer in public involvement,” he said.
Perkins said he intends to run for election in November to continue serving as a trustee. He said he looks forward to helping find a superintendent to replace Bishop.
“I've been interested in education for a long time, and thought it would be a great opportunity,” Perkins said.
Residents of Del Mar/Carmel Valley fortunate to have a refreshing columnist like Marsha Sutton
I want to commend you for greatly adding to the public dialogue about local public education by featuring Marsha Sutton's column in your paper.
I wish we had a refreshing columnist like Ms. Sutton on our local newspaper staff (I live in the Sun Valley area of Idaho; Ms. Sutton's column was recommended to me by my sister who lives in Del Mar). Excellence in local reporting about public education seems to be integral to the process of creating real improvement. What a public service Ms. Sutton is providing— the people of Del Mar and Carmel Valley should be grateful.
Liz Schwerdtle
Hailey, ID
Shores property: DM school board members should keep in mind that they have options
So what is the big deal about the sale? Why not sell it for fair market value and be done with it? Because there are regulations about how to “dispose” of government owned surplus property and it can get a little tricky. Fair market value is not an option when selling government to government because there needs to be a substantial discount. So here are the steps as I understand it: public agencies selling real property must first offer it to other public agencies (for example, city, county, state entities) at a discounted rate, though the discounted rate facet seems to be debatable when reading various legal opinions on this. If the various tiers of public agencies and non-profit entities are not interested in the property, then the property may be offered at auction to any bidder.
In 2007 the DMUSD made a deal with the city of Del Mar to sell the approx. 4.94 (or 5.3)-acre piece of land at a discounted price of $8,500,000. In March, just a week before they were scheduled to close escrow, the city asked for a 30-day extension. It gets a little “sketchy” here, since personnel issues are secret and our board isn’t talking in open session about the Shores property, but somewhere in the middle of all this re-negotiation talk the board forced the Superintendent’s resignation. Is this the “rest of the story” as Paul Harvey might say? Why would this be an issue worth spending nearly $300,000 of reserve money to buy out a contract unnecessarily? Oh, and by the way, what is the fair market value of the Shores property?
From what I have learned from reliable sources, a private trust is (or at least was) ready to make an offer to purchase the Shores property for a great deal more than $8,500,000 – I have heard numbers between $20,000,000-$25,000,000, just to let it sit. (Sounds logical since I recall that the Solana Beach School district paid $4M+ for each acre of land they purchased to build Solana Pacific School a few years ago.) I was told that this particular Buyer would preserve the integrity of the property as a ball park and school for a number of years. This seems like it could be a win-win for everyone if the city is unable to purchase the land.
I feel that we as parents and community members must take note of the spending and big financial decisions being made by our board of Trustees right now. If we add up the ancillary implications of just one decision to oust the Superintendent, that’s close to $300,000. Add to that $500,000 more this year (or next) to make up for the fundraising crises caused to the Foundation by the board’s decision, along with hiring costs of a new Superintendent, this brings us well over $800,000 in unforeseen expenditures from our district reserves! Is it worth it?
Personally, I am not proposing that the district sell The Shores to one entity over another. As a matter of fact, the sale is pretty much a done deal now. What I am asking is that the board of trustees bears in mind that they have had options. Their decisions affect everyone in the Del Mar Union School District boundary area and they should work with all diligence to make decisions that will best benefit the entire district and move forward.
More recently, there has been a movement to call in to question budgeted expenditures that have been a part of DMUSD's successful Strategic Plan. These expenditures afford our teachers planning time and parallel and vertical collaboration opportunities at their school site and throughout the district. I would hope our families will take the time to really understand the benefits our district has enjoyed by daring to be unique. Please don't forget that we can boast having the finest schools because we dare to think outside of the box and be all we can be by working together!
It is obvious that the board of trustees wants control of our district and now they have it. So from this point on I would expect them to make responsible decisions and point us in a positive direction, not a non-specific, non-clarified direction. They should stop the micromanagement and begin supporting the very capable staff in place, empowering them to do their jobs.
I would hope they want to move forward together with a collaborative plan to heal and stabilize our district from the repercussions of their decision. What’s done is done, and now representatives from the Foundation, PTA, community at large, and district personnel from throughout our district should have a say in our future. The next superintendent should be chosen together and given authority due them under the law to be the district’s “CEO.” The superintendent should feel supported by the board of trustees and be allowed to make personnel decisions and over-see the day to day learning at the school sites- keeping our children’s successful education always first and foremost!
Comischell Bradley-Rodriguez
Concerned DMUSD Parent and Volunteer
We’re supposed to be a team working together to educate children
Ms. Sutton thinks the enrichment classes funded by the foundation are nothing more than a way for teachers to sneak some much-needed planning time into the school day. Here’s the truth: Del Mar teachers have had planning time for over 20 years, well before Tom Bishop was the superintendent. Teachers finally formed a union while he was superintendent, and then negotiated guaranteed planning time while students were in these special classes. The only new aspect of this “juicy perk” is that it is now written in our contracts.
State and federal laws require the teaching of art, music, technology and science. Ms. Sutton suggests using local artists and musicians to teach some of these classes. Here’s another fact: that is against the law. The state of California requires that all adults teaching children be certified by the state. Luckily, many of our current enrichment teachers not only have their teaching certificate, but they have real world experience in their area of expertise. If Del Mar cannot afford $75,000 (a number quoted by Ms. Sutton that I assume includes benefits) to pay each certified enrichment teacher, having a foundation with generous donations by the community is a plausible way to fund this.
Another hot button that Ms. Sutton pushed related to teacher planning time in general. I did some quick research and asked several Del Mar teachers to estimate how many hours they spend outside the school day planning, making copies, grading, etc. According to my survey, the average teacher at my school is working a 51-hour week. That’s 32.5 hours from 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. during school, plus 18.5 extra hours working before school, after school, and on the weekends. That’s how much we’re working even with our contracted planning time. In other districts, I have seen a lack of planning time result in teachers giving busy work during the school day so they can grade papers or plan lessons. Would that be an improvement? Hardly. To maintain our top position throughout the county and state, teachers need their planning time to effectively prepare and assess students. Is it really such a big deal that we can get work done while our students are in enrichment classes covering standards? Besides, I know most of the parent community highly supports these valuable enrichment classes.
As for planning time being something that only we in Del Mar get to enjoy, that is just plain wrong. While it is true that districts like the Escondido School District do not give teachers any contracted planning time, many districts do. The San Diego Unified School District gives teachers at least 60 minutes per week, and some schools get more if parents donate money to pay for it. Solana Beach gives teachers about 225 minutes for grades 4-6. These minutes are not necessarily guaranteed in a contract, but teachers in those districts would like to move in that direction. Out-of-state-districts such as Naperville 204 in Illinois give teachers 175 contracted minutes a week. All schools across Minnesota are required by state law to give 5 minutes of planning time per 50 minutes of instruction. I could go on and on. This practice is not a perk, but a common practice all over the country in elementary, middle, and high schools. Let’s not forget, according to Time Magazine, the number one reason teachers quit their profession is lack of planning time.
Many of the finest teachers end up in Del Mar due to the great reputation, family support, and the “juicy perks” like contracted planning time. Taking away opportunities for planning and collaborating will not only upset teachers, but more importantly it will directly impact the students’ learning. Remember: we’re supposed to be a team working together to educate children. Let’s stop trying to take away the tools we need to successfully do that.
Michelle Brashears
Del Mar Union School District Teacher
The path to improvement should be grounded on solid evidence
Her letter appears as an angry rant as opposed to a well-thought out and caring argument towards the betterment of the schools. Ms. Sutton’s “article” is short-sighted in several ways: 1) understanding the California Education Code, 2) understanding the Del Mar School District, and 3) understanding her responsibility as a public voice.
Understanding the California Education Code:
The California Educational Code is not unclear in explaining the law regarding a credentialed teacher in each classroom. There is no gray area with this and it has been upheld in court; there must be a credentialed teacher with the students. Ms. Sutton poses the question “is Del Mar over-the-top in its strict application of California’s Education Code?” Were the leaders of Enron over the top? If you are speeding are the police “over the top” if you get a ticket? This kind of “eek-my-way around rules and laws” thinking and behaving is how students learn to be irresponsible and dismissive of the laws that govern us as a people. If a law is unfair, petition for its revocation; I am all for change for the good of the whole. Purposely ignoring a law because it is inconvenient is irresponsible and arrogant — like the Enron leadership was. This kind of thinking erodes people’s participation in a representative democracy, which is what we are arguably trying to teach our students — how to think, act and participate as a responsible citizen in a democracy. Ironically, Ms. Sutton also criticizes past rumors of Del Mar Schools ignoring rules governing their behavior. Do as I say, not as I would do?
The training that goes into becoming a credentialed teacher includes child development and training in a supervised environment. Throwing someone into a classroom from industry may make sense financially, but the health and well being of the students are an important factor. Ed. Code accounts for this by making it law that teachers go through the supervised training.
Understanding the Del Mar School District:
Del Mar has figured out a way around a problem that many districts can’t — that is the lack of outside core classes. Music and art are crucial for developing different ways of thinking. The language of music makes the brain respond in different ways than other thinking. The district has ensured that all students get to experience these disciplines that some other districts do not.
nderstanding her responsibility as a public voice:
I applaud questioning leadership and the system in which we teach children. Honest questions designed to raise awareness of how to better serve our students, particularly the underserved and underrepresented, are important and empowering, even noble. If Ms. Sutton began her discussion of the Del Mar School District in this manner, I applaud her. However, what the Carmel Valley News/Del Mar Village Voice chose to publish does not come across as being focused on the best practices for children, but an angry article serving to misinform and mislead; on accident or on purpose I do not know. Public dialogue and good research showing the best practices in teaching is crucial; divisive, misinformed finger pointing is destructive to a community and its children, and we as a community can do better for ourselves and our children. I want all community children to experience what the Del Mar Schools have to offer; I do not want any children reading that article or the Carmel Valley News/Del Mar Village Voice if this is representative of its reporting. Is there room for improvement in teaching? Of course, that is why it is a practice, a profession. The path to improvement should be grounded on solid evidence, logical proceedings and the best interest of the students and community at the forefront of the conversation in order to create a world where laws matter, people have a deeper understanding of their community and heresay (sic) and rumor mongering are a thing of the past.
If she wishes to continue the conversation, along with Rory Devine of NBC San Diego, I would love to have an opportunity to discuss this further.
Erik Conklin
Doctoral Candidate, Education
UCSD/CSUSM
Time, research, and planning are required to provide instruction that will meet the goals of students
If you will recall the history of Del Mar Union School District, we use to staff enrichment courses in a similar manner to Solana Beach. The Del Mar Foundation committed to raising funds to acquire certified teachers for those positions to meet the needs of the California State Standards and a growing district with high expectations. This model was set up long before the contract was formed between the teachers, board members, and administration.
Now, enrichment teachers have a specific credential to instruct in science, music, physical education, technology, and art. This has fostered a higher level of achievement among the students in Del Mar. Students have benefited from the instruction that has come out of having a teacher with a subject-specific credential for those areas of the curriculum. In turn, this has affected the educational community of Del Mar as follows:
Benefits to the Student
California has a plethora of standards that each student must learn within one year. Every teacher in Del Mar is committed to meeting these standards with each student. During the 180 minutes that are allotted each week, the classroom teacher ensures that all lessons incorporate the essential standards. It takes time and forethought to combine standards that will produce a high level of achievement with students. Secondly, as Del Mar teachers, we are committed to planning lessons that accommodate all learners in the classroom. Next, there are seven known styles of learners; teachers are committed to representing those styles in each lesson, therefore, hands-on materials must be prepared for each lesson to ensure student success. Finally, teachers across the district are committed to providing individualized instruction to students who need this to be successful. Time, research, and planning are required to provide instruction that will meet the goals of these students, often student by student. In addition, the teacher must be prepared for meetings that regularly occur regarding these individualized plans. The teachers of Del Mar have committed to increasing student achievement.
Benefits to Parents
Because the Del Mar teachers and the Foundation understand that parent involvement is crucial to the learning process of each student, it is my belief thatwe share the common goal of providing prompt feedback to parent’s questions and concerns. On an average, a teacher receives eight to 10 e-mails and phone calls a day. These e-mails usually involve a request that may require planning, research, and a reply. It takes time to accomplish this. In addition, teachers regularly update a Web site to further communicate with students and parents. We are committed to communicating with students and parents.
I have been actively involved in the Del Mar Teachers Association since being hired. Our association recognizes the professional responsibilities we have to the students and parents. We utilize interest-based bargaining for that sole purpose. Viewing the glass half full, all stakeholders come to the table to mutually agree upon guidelines between the teachers, board members, and the administration so that the focus of the district remains on the student. The current contract allows for openers from each side, on a yearly basis, which would prevent any stakeholder from feeling permanently bound to the contract. It is my main goal to continue to foster the professional relationship between the teachers and the community we serve.
Mary Ann Loes
Lead Negotiator—Del Mar Teachers Association
By Marsha Sutton
Hell hath no fury like a teachers union scorned – to paraphrase a famous line from the play “The Mourning Bride,” by late 17th-century English author William Congreve.
Judging by the number of objections from teachers, it seems my last column hit a raw nerve. Although my column primarily leveled criticism at the Del Mar Schools Education Foundation for employing what I characterized as bullying tactics aimed at Del Mar’s school board, apparently the ancillary issue of teacher prep time has occupied center stage these past two weeks and distracted the Del Mar Union School District’s teachers from the core issue of financing enrichment programs.
To explain the district’s reliance upon parent donations – and thus the Foundation – to support the salaries of enrichment teachers, I established the connection between the enrichment program and teacher prep time, which allows teachers to prepare for lessons while students take enrichment classes. Those classes include art, music, science, technology and P.E.
My point – that the district should never have made a contractual guarantee to the teachers for prep time during the school day without having some secure way to fund it – was lost on many teachers who chose to focus only on the possibility that I might have been suggesting that prep time is not beneficial.
So let me be clear: Prep time during the school day is a wonderful thing to have, if a district can afford it. But it’s not a God-given right. And saying this does not mean I don’t value Del Mar’s teachers, because I do – no matter how much some people would like to believe otherwise.
It’s important to separate myth from reality if those in a position to tackle Del Mar’s budgetary problems are to make any progress. Criticizing people for views they do not hold is not only deceptive and misleading, but it clouds the debate, making the search for sound solutions more difficult.
This method of argument – refuting claims that were never made – is specious at best, distorts my position and hinders honest discussions.
Del Mar’s quagmire of financial instability, and the prep-time/enrichment conundrum, is the 800-pound gorilla in the room – and is the “much-needed improvement” referred to in my previous column.
This may come as a shock to some, but I agree with Del Mar’s teachers on most issues they raise. We concur that –
I don’t even have any quarrel with the teachers union, whose mission is to take care of its members. Del Mar’s union leaders do exactly what they are supposed to do – negotiate for higher pay, improved benefits and better working conditions.
The only point where we disagree, it would seem, is with the prep time guarantee. Not the prep time itself, mind you – just the inclusion in the teachers’ contract of 120 to 180 minutes of prep time per week. That’s two to three hours each week during the school day for classroom teachers to prepare for lessons. This time does not include the early Wednesday afternoon release program, another bonus not even mentioned in my prior column.
All this time for preparation of lessons, planning and collaboration – and demanding that enrichment classes be taught only by certificated teachers – would be wonderful if the budget could support it. But for the district’s administration to approve such a prep-time promise – and to lock it in virtually forever by including it as a contractual obligation when there was never a secure way to fund the benefit – is fiscally reckless and shows an egregious lapse in fiduciary responsibility.
The prep time guarantee is estimated to cost the district $2,325,000 this coming year – for 31 enrichment teachers at about $75,000 each, a per-teacher dollar figure used regularly by the district for budgeting purposes.
The inclusion of this benefit in the labor contract many years ago was enthusiastically supported by former superintendent Tom Bishop, who endorsed and promoted the guarantee when there was no way to fully fund it except for parents to foot the bill.
These parents, many of whom are currently experiencing hard economic times, already see nearly half their property taxes given over to local schools. It is the height of arrogance to demand that these homeowners and parents pony up even more money.
At Bishop’s request, this system of private funding was approved by the previous school board. School boards have two primary functions – to hire and fire (and evaluate along the way) their superintendent, and to employ solid financial management procedures to ensure a fiscally solvent district.
In this case, the former DMUSD school board did neither.
Fiscal mismanagement allowed Bishop to offer this prep-time benefit without the dollars to back it up – a risky decision, the consequences of which we are witnessing today. And this new school board is left with the mess, forced to fix problems not of their own making and to make the hard decisions when there are few good options available.
Is it any wonder that many DMUSD teachers bemoan the loss of Bishop? He gave away the store to teachers without any way to pay for it, leaving taxpayers and parents holding the bag. How do we get that genie back in the bottle?
I stand by my characterization of this prep-time guarantee in the labor contract as a “juicy perk.” It is a benefit the district could not, and cannot today, afford. It was fiscally irresponsible. There was a startling lack of fiduciary oversight. And unless major change happens, it will soon become a monumental dollar drain. Best estimates suggest that the district has three years before reserves are depleted.
By all means, pay for prep time. It’s a worthy goal. If you can afford it, lovely. But if not, don’t promise it. Simple as that.
Other districts’ teachers, such as those in nearby Solana Beach, have prep time during students’ enrichment classes, the same as Del Mar. But the difference is that the prep time guarantee is not contract-bound, and most enrichment teachers are classified employees who extend classroom lessons effectively at lower pay.
If the Solana Beach School District suddenly suffered a drastic reduction in donations to its foundation, it would have the ability to modify or reduce enrichment programs as needed to ensure fiscal solvency. Del Mar, however, would be stuck.
Asking why one top-rated district operates quite differently than a neighboring top-rated district seems to me a legitimate question.
For every critic, there are five others who applaud a frank discussion of this issue – although most are too fearful to openly ask these hard questions, afraid as they are to be targeted with just the sort of baseless attacks we’ve seen here. The orchestrated backlash can be vicious, divisive and far-reaching.
But silencing people who are willing to talk about hidden issues and raise valid concerns is nothing more than a flagrant attempt to intimidate dissenters into submission.
Objectors may call solid research rumors, statistics hearsay, interviews irrelevant, experience extraneous, and fact fiction. But calling the truth a lie does not make it so. The problem is real, and denying its existence will not make it go away.
Caustic comments, defensive posturing, hurled insults and name-calling are approaches hardly conducive to productive dialogue. As we approach these problems, a healthy dose of civility would go a long way toward the promise of progress.
Although the topic is emotionally charged, striking a balance between what the teachers deserve and what the budget can sustain is a debate we can no longer afford to delay.
Instead of condemning a community newspaper for exposing issues that need to see the light of day, let’s encourage all the district’s stakeholders to use this opening as a starting point to discuss the real problems at hand and find workable solutions that both value our deserving teachers and secure the school district’s financial stability well into the future. Our children deserve no less.
How Solana Beach does it
A recent interview with seasoned education leader Leslie Fausset, superintendent of the Solana Beach School District, offers insight into the art, music, science, technology and physical education enrichment program in her district. Excerpts follow.
Q: How are you able to offer enrichment programs without using all certificated teachers?
For our program I believe that we are within the legal requirements of the law. That is, our enrichment is pure enrichment. It is extension beyond what our classroom teachers do in the classroom. It’s not core instruction.
For example, in science, our teachers are teaching science in the regular classroom and our enrichment science is really experiential; [it’s an] opportunity for kids that they wouldn’t get in a classroom setting.
What we’re really trying to do is to make our enrichment activities more closely tied to core and make them experiences that link and align to the instruction that our kids are getting in the classroom. All of our programs, everything is over and above classroom instruction.
Q: Music teachers are credentialed though?
We do have credentialed teachers in music. Music has been a long-time commitment in this district. And while it’s been cut and kind of reshaped, there’s been a commitment from the board to maintain it. I think that music is only taught by our music teachers, and I don’t believe we do very much music in the regular classroom.
Q: That means that in your regular classroom, your classroom teachers are teaching some science, some technology, some art and some P.E.?
The answer to that is yes. [For example,] we actually bought a P.E. curriculum this year that is state-adopted and standards-aligned. We bought a K-6 curriculum. So our teachers are teaching P.E., yes. And then our P.E. instructors actually work with our certificated [teachers] to construct activities.
In technology, we also have a teacher on special assignment who’s released full-time to work with not only classroom teachers but to work with our technology folks.
Q: How do you respond to people who say that’s an inadequate way to teach enrichment classes? Do you feel your students are suffering because they aren’t all certificated teachers?
I don’t think our children are suffering. Most of our enrichment instructors are certificated, as it turns out. This is a high-paid instructional aide salary, and most of our teachers do come with certification. They’re not paid as teachers, but they are trained teachers. They’re not hired as teachers. They are hired as instructional aide IIIs, but they are certificated teachers. But it’s not a requirement for the position, not at all.
I think the biggest challenge we face in all honesty is that we probably don’t have stability in staff because people are looking for another job. So it’s the instability of staff that would be our biggest challenge, I think.
Q: Do you feel your students are not getting what they should be getting if you had the money to pay for all certificated teachers in those enrichment classes?
That’s really hard for me to answer, because we’re working very hard to link and align it to classroom instruction. We’re trying to make sure that the enrichment experiences that our students have tie to their classroom instruction so it’s meaningful for them. I think if we invested in certificated teachers, we would have greater stability of staff, and I think that would be beneficial for us.
But I also want to be careful to say that we have some long-term people who have been teaching in this enrichment program who are not certificated teachers who do a phenomenal job. And I don’t want to minimize them or the great contributions that they’ve made.
Q: What is prohibiting Solana Beach from hiring all certificated teachers for enrichment classes?
It’s a budget issue. We are dependent upon our foundation for this enrichment program. We wouldn’t have it without the foundation. It would cost considerably more if we had certificated teachers.
By Ian S. Port
Assistant Editor
Perkins holds a master’s degree in education from the University of Maryland and has served on numerous state education boards, as well as on the executive board of the San Diego County Taxpayer’s Association.
“I’m pretty excited — and humbled,” Perkins said after the meeting. “I felt bad for the board having so many good candidates to vet through. It was tough competition.”
Nominating Perkins for the temporary vacancy, trustee Katherine White said that among a strong field, he had exceptional experience shouldering fiduciary responsibilities.
“I don’t think any of our other candidates have that wealth of experience,” White said, pointing to Perkins’ years on various boards at the city and state level.
Perkins, a Del Mar resident for over 20 years, no longer has children in the Del Mar schools, but remains active in the community and — as with many of the other candidates — attended nearly all of the Del Mar board’s recent meetings. In responding to a question about school funding — a major issue with budget cuts looming this year — Perkins said it was key for school districts to form coalitions and pressure lawmakers in Sacramento to be lean on cuts, as well as to seek alternative sources of funding.
“We’re facing the worst budget in California since I’ve been here,” he said.
Perkins will serve during a crucial time in the district, when trustees will face the daunting tasks of hiring a new superintendent, wrestling with state budget cuts and other financial issues, and healing a school community that has again grown perilously divided.
He will fill the vacancy left by longtime trustee Linda Crawford, whose seat term expires in November. Perkins will have to run again at that point if he wishes to remain on the school board.
Crawford resigned in March over philosophical differences with the three-member board majority shortly after it voted to buy out former Superintendent Tom Bishop. Crawford and another longtime trustee, Janet Lamborghini, who remains on the board, supported Bishop and voted against the decision to oust him.
Bishop’s voluntary resignation brought to a head many prickly issues in the district, and the acrimony and divisiveness it wrought among staff and parents is now considered a major obstacle. Several prospective board members, including Perkins, indicated concerns about those divisions.
But the group will have to conduct any healing while also handling some hard decisions.
Looming large among them is the issue of enrichment program funding, which has dogged the district for nearly two years. The district is contractually obligated to provide its teachers with several hours per week of preparation time during the school day — hours that students now spend in enrichment classes with other certificated teachers.
The enrichment program, which provides art, music, science and technology education to students and allows schools to set their own curriculum and staffing levels, is adored by many district parents, who help fund the program through voluntary donations to the Del Mar Schools Education Foundation.
Without those donations from the DMSEF, the district essentially cannot afford its enrichment teachers — and its teachers’ prep-time hours. But it cannot fire them either, because the employees are fully certificated union members entitled to the same benefits as regular-curriculum teachers. And its contract with teachers guarantees certain levels of prep time.
The process essentially allows schools to fundraise for additional staff, which the district is then obligated to pay — even in years when donations do not support them.
Adding to the difficult situation is a heated political climate that has parents withholding their normal donations to the Foundation in protest of the decision to oust Bishop, according to DMSEF President Bob Gans.
Gans said in a recently letter to the school board that the Bishop controversy and a lack of clear direction from the district threatened the Foundation’s viability, and suggested that the organization consider suspending its operations until the situation becomes clearer.
The DMSEF Board of Directors chose not to do that at its May 6 meeting, with about half of its members saying that it’s too early to give up on the mission of the organization. About another half argued that without more direction and a business model that the community can support, the DMSEF can’t continue fundraising. The group decided to leave the decision to its next board of directors, which will be seated in June.
“If you don’t know what you’re fundraising for, you can’t send fundraising letters,” said board member and Sage Canyon parent Jeb Spencer. “This is the toughest money I’ve ever raised and I’ve raised a lot of money in Washington, D.C.”
At the meeting, Del Mar Trustee and ex-officio Foundation board member Janet Lamborghini acknowledged the difficulties facing both organizations, but said she wholly supported them.
“I’m optimistic for you all,” she told the DMSEF board. “I hope that you will go on.”
Enrichment and staffing levels are only one of many challenges facing the Del Mar School board. Its main task for the summer is finding a replacement for controversial superintendent.
The seven candidates who sought a temporary seat on the district board came with varying levels of familiarity with Del Mar schools, according to their application forms, but all said they wished to serve the mission of the district and help its students. One or more of them may chose to run again for the vacant seat in November.
Mary Slattery Johnson, also a Del Mar resident, has graduate training in education from Stanford University, where she studied the importance of video and multimedia in building literacy. She indicated strong support for the mission of the district’s enrichment program and cited the importance of influencing lawmakers to ensure adequate funding.
Kris Kissner sat on the Del Mar school board and served as its president, and also worked as a staff member for the Foundation. She promised not to run for the permanent seat in November.
Bob Gans is currently the president of the DMSEF and has essentially led the organization as a volunteer this year, in addition to serving in various other volunteer posts throughout the district. A former litigator, Gans cited his ability to make reasonable appeals and disagree respectfully — as well as his considerable knowledge of district matters — as key benefits he would bring to a board post.
Comischell Bradley-Rodriguez is a businesswoman with experience in international trade who has volunteered widely in the district since moving to Carmel Valley eight years ago. She served as PTA president at Sage Canyon for three years, helped run a letter-writing to convince state officials to let Del Mar keep its Basic Aid funding status, and has a knowledge of both music and Spanish.
Stephen Cochrane is a professor of education at Azusa Pacific University in the Special Education Department. Having lived five years in Carmel Valley, Cochrane said he wants to ensure the best possible future for the district his nine-month-old son will eventually attend. Cochrane also ran for a seat on the San Dieguito Union High School District Board in 2006.
Korey Sarokin is an attorney who moved to Carmel Valley about nine months ago. With experience volunteering at her children’s school in New Jersey, and working with underserved children at a community food bank, Sarokin hopes to help unify the community and bolster public education in the district.
