Tragedy and holiday celebrations were mixed into the San Benito
High School District Board of Trustees meeting Wednesday night.
Superintendent Jean Burns Slater discussed the tragic auto
accident Saturday night that killed two SBHS graduates. She urged
the community to help stop underage drinking in the county and said
she hoped the accident would serve as a means of changing societal
perceptions.
Tragedy and holiday celebrations were mixed into the San Benito High School District Board of Trustees meeting Wednesday night.
Superintendent Jean Burns Slater discussed the tragic auto accident Saturday night that killed two SBHS graduates. She urged the community to help stop underage drinking in the county and said she hoped the accident would serve as a means of changing societal perceptions.
Two people the accident did impact are Athletic Director Randy Logue and athletic trainer Dave Tari. At the meeting, Logue discussed an anti-drug and alcohol curriculum the pair are working on to deliver to all athletes at the school.
“The bottom line is that this tragic accident that happened pushed us to do something and stop just talking about it,” Logue said after the meeting.
During a report on fall sports, Logue happily reported that those sports came under budget. Fall sports made about $5,600, Logue said, but that’s still not enough to balance the athletic department’s budget.
Also during the meeting, the Board chose a president and clerk. In a move sticking with the past, Trustee Shelley Donati will remain president and Trustee Judith Rider will remain clerk. Rider nominated Donati with a second from Trustee Jan Joseph. Trustee Steve Hailstone nominated Rider for clerk and Trustee Bill Tiffany seconded the motion.
Celebrating the holiday season, the SBHS Scarlet Regiment Band performed at the meeting. The band played “Deck the Halls” and this year’s competition performance piece, “Army of the Nile.” The band received a standing ovation.
Band Director James Zuniga reported on the band’s success at band reviews so far this school year. The band and color guard have already won 11 awards – most notably a 5-foot-tall Sweepstakes Award trophy won in Pacific Grove on Nov. 1, the first ever sweepstakes award in SBHS history, Zuniga said.
In other business:
– The Board voted 5-0 to expel a student for the rest of the school year, but also to suspend the expulsion and put the student on a behavior contract. The suspension serves to give the student a second chance – If there are any more incidents, the student will be expelled immediately.
– Teachers association President Clete Bradford presented the union’s initial bargaining proposal that calls for a maintenance of the current contract with a 2-percent salary increase as scheduled. The association also wants to create committees to work on contract language for teacher evaluation procedures, Peer Assistance and Review, instructional minutes and scheduling, early retirement incentives and attendance incentives.
– Slater updated student enrollment during her report. Student enrollment, without independent study numbers, peaked at 2,786 in September. As of Wednesday, enrollment was at 2,675, so Slater recommended no increase in staffing and suggested reallocating staff time.
– There were no public comments.
The next Board meeting is Jan. 14 at 7 p.m. in room 172.
