As the March 15 deadline for termination notices grows near,
school districts are devising ways to determine staff
seniority.
As the March 15 deadline for termination notices grows near, school districts are devising ways to determine staff seniority.
The time crunch is on for the San Benito High School District since its board of trustees usually meets on the third Wednesday of each month – and trustees didn’t approve criteria for a seniority list at Wednesday’s meeting.
Evelyn Muro, SBHSD director of personnel, presented a resolution to the Board, but some board members and local California Teachers Association representative Clete Bradford didn’t like some of the language of the resolution and its point system.
The criteria allows for a 100-point scale in determining seniority. Teachers with appropriate credential authorizations and training received 50 points; teachers with quality performance records received 20; teachers with the ability to serve as role models for students would get 15; teachers with the greatest breadth of teaching experience or expertise receive 15; teachers with demonstrated service to the school and students would get 15; and teachers with records of current professional growth receive 5.
Bradford expressed concerns over the term “role model” and the use of evaluations since different people evaluate different teachers which can lead to inconsistency.
Muro said the proposed point system was aligned with the state education code and advice from law firms. The Board decided to take another look at a special meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 26.
The SBHSD needs a system for determining seniority before its March meeting – which was moved up from March 19 to March 11 – to allow administration to meet the March 15 deadline for notifying staff of layoffs for the next school year.
In other business:
Construction of the San Benito High School freshman campus is behind because of rain delays and delayed plans with the city about the campus’ sewer, water and storm drains. Steve Delay, the district’s director of finance and operations, said the project will most likely by completed in two years instead of 18 months.
A report was presented on the district’s testing. Head of curriculum Michael Robustelli presented numbers on tests such as the STAR, Advanced Placement, SATs and Golden States. Fifty percent of SBHS are taking the SATs, according to the report. Low scores in reading on various test scores are reflected statewide, Robustelli said.
New SBHSD Superintendent Jean Burns Slater instituted the Superintendent’s Advisory Committee per Board Policy 1230. The committee will be made up of staff, parents and community members and will help make recommendations to the Board on various issues.
Slater removed a Board directive regarding the use of profanity. The directive applies to coaches, volunteers and student athletes in refraining from the use of profanity. The Board wanted to expand the piece to apply to the entire campus.
The next SBHSD Board of Trustees meeting will be held Tuesday, March 11 at 7 p.m. The location is to be announced. For more information, call 637-58312, ext. 134.
