Comments on: A solution in search of a problem

By: Steven Kelleher

Steven Kelleher — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 17:57:03 +0000

wdf1
After the dust settled, according to Bruce Colby, they saved a principal’s salary, about $100,000. Considering that the budget to open Korematsu ahead of schedule was over $700,000, and there were the costs of moving teachers, remodeling both Korematsu and V.O to accommodate the preschool changes, etc. The district was probably out of pocket close to $1 million. So the district still hasn’t recouped that expense and won’t break even for about another 4-5 years.

By: wdf1

wdf1 — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 15:56:26 +0000

“(Pardon our skepticism, but the last time we closed down a school to save money, we moved another program into the vacant facility a year later.)” —- True, but in closing Valley Oak Elementary, they did reduce the overall number of non-teaching positions on the DJUSD payroll, for instance a principal, clerical staff, a library technician, etc. Wouldn’t you say that’s a positive savings from your perspective?

By: Kim

Kim — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 07:34:48 +0000

It’s good to see these proposed changes are finally being discussed with the teachers and community members (sorry I hate the term “stakeholders”), hopefully in a more transparent manner than has occurred in the past. Thank you to all who have spoken up to demand inclusion in the decision-making process *before* the decisions are made. Hopefully the Board will listen and think before they act.