Board Approves Funding and Bid Process for New Torrey Pines Aquatic Facility
Superintendent Addresses Childish Gambino Video and Ethnic Literature Curriculum
Management Salary Increases Approved
Second Interim Budget Approved
Katrina Young Will Not Run for Re-election
Board Approves Funding and Bid Process for New Torrey Pines Aquatic Facility
The biggest news from the meeting is that the Board unanimously approved the funding and bid process for the new Torrey Pines Athletic Center. We will finally be building a pool in our District!
As I mentioned during the meeting, this will be a “signature asset,” one that we can be proud of for many years. Aquatic athletes and their families are ecstatic, and as we know, “pools are for everyone.” We will support our aquatic athletes and open the pool for swimming lessons and other activities.
Specifically, the Board set aside $21 million in capital funding for the Aquatic Center and authorized the Superintendent to obtain bids from construction companies to build the project. When those bids are completed, which is expected in the June timeframe, the final contract will be brought to the Board for approval. We could begin construction this summer.
I am so happy we are very close to beginning construction and I know that 800+ current aquatic athletes, their families, and future students share that happiness.
Superintendent Addresses Childish Gambino Video and Ethnic Literature Curriculum
The Superintendent asked to rearrange the Board agenda so that she could start the meeting by addressing two controversies that arose last week which caused concern among members of our community.
The first was a video that was shown in 11thgrade English classes at San Dieguito High School Academy called “This is America” by the musician Childish Gambino. The video first came to my attention last week when the parent of a student called me with concerns over the appropriateness of the video and the site leadership’s response to his concerns. I did not know this parent before he reached out to me, but he felt it was necessary to escalate the issue.
Superintendent Staffieri reiterated at the Board meeting that all classroom materials must be age-appropriate and support safe learning environments, and that it is important that teachers and staff continue to undertake ongoing professional development to address the appropriate use of supplemental instructional materials.
One public commenter stated that this was a “fabricated uproar about the music video” and that it is not the Board’s role to make “operational decisions” on what is shown in a classroom. This person is incorrect. Of course, approval of curricula and instructional materials is a core responsibility of the Board. In this case, the Board had not approved of this video, and as soon as our Superintendent heard about the video, she acted. I won’t post the link here, but if you Google “Childish Gambino This is America” you can watch the video for yourself and let me know your thoughts.
The second issue addressed by Superintendent Staffieri was an Ethnic Literature syllabus that was posted in the course catalog at Canyon Crest Academy. Keen followers of Board meetings may remember that last year the Board considered adding a high school course titled Ethnic Literature and approved a course title and description. The Board has not yet approved the course syllabus and instructional materials.
Superintendent Staffieri clarified that the syllabus was posted by mistake, and that the course will not be offered to students until the syllabus and instructional materials are approved following the District’s adopted processes.
As a point of clarity, the proposed Ethnic Literature class is different than the Ethnic Studies class that will be required to be offered in the 2025/26 school year. That course is still in development.
Management Salary Increases Approved
The Board unanimously approved a 4.5% salary increases for confidential, supervisory, and management employees. This group is essentially everyone who is not represented by a union.
The District already settled pay increases for this year with the Teachers Union at the same 4.5% increase. The District continues to negotiate with the union that represents the classified staff, which is essentially everyone who is not a certificated educator or a member of management. This includes maintenance staff, instructional aids, food service personnel, bus drivers, and other positions.
Second Interim Budget Approved
The Board approved the “Second Interim Budget”, which is a mid-year budget update for this school year and an outlook for the next two school years.
This budget update shows an operating deficit in our unrestricted accounts of ($6,780,799). This increased from a ($4,289,465) deficit at our First Interim Budget presented last December.
Our deficit spending will be funded from our reserve accounts. This Second Interim Budget Update is forecasting $14,674,611 of Unassigned Reserves, which is a reserve level of 7.18%. The Board has set our target reserve level at 18%.
This update also shows that the forecast for the 2024/25 school year moved from a $3,826,438 surplus to a ($566,811) deficit, primarily due to recent wage increases. This will reduce our reserves to a dangerously low 4.95%. I do not remember our reserves ever being this low.
It is also important to note these numbers do not include the wage increases just agreed with management and confidential employees, nor does it include any increases for classified staff.
These financial results concern me, and we simply must focus on operating more efficiently. We cannot afford to continue to run operating deficits.
Katrina Young Will Not Run for Re-election
Finally, in a heartfelt speech at the end of the meeting, Trustee Katrina Young announced that she will not be running for reelection to the School Board in November. Ms. Young was elected to the Board in November of 2020 for Trustee Area 2.
As a reminder, Trustee Areas 2 and 4 will be up for election this year. With Ms. Young’s withdrawal from consideration, we will have a new Trustee in Area 2. No one has announced their candidacy yet, but I expect that to happen in the coming weeks.
I am the Trustee for Area 4 and have not announced my plans regarding reelection yet.