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Alpine’s Urdahl named as Grossmont president
By Lori Bledsoe
The Alpine Sun
EL CAJON — A very information heavy
board meeting took place on Dec. 13, for the Grossmont Union
High School District. Community members stood up to let their
voices be heard, an election for board offices, which ultimately
resulted in local Alpine resident Larry Urdahl being named as
president of the GUHSD board or trustees.
Elections of the school board officers began with a
nomination from Dick Hoy to elect Larry Urdahl as the next
president, Priscilla Schreiber seconded and Urdahl won the seat
of President of the board. Dick Hoy won the election of Vice
President; Priscilla Schreiber won the seat of Clerk. Schreiber
then appointed Superintendent Collins as the CEO of the board.
Also discussed was a to include a charter school within
the district, the budget report, and a board stand on the
anti-discrimination Senate Bill 777.
At the beginning of the meeting Homestead school
psychologist Rita Haley presented proof that the daily rate of
pay for GUHSD teachers and psychologists are among the lowest in
the county as well as the state. Also, in the Grossmont
district, psychologists are treated and paid at the same rate as
teacher, which is not a trend that other districts follow.
Psychologists in all other districts presented at this
meeting were paid at a higher rate due to the greater required
workload and education of psychologists.
Terry Holland stood up and questioned the current
safety policies of GUHSD. Her questions harkened back to a
recent school event, a football game, in which the football
players stormed the field through the performing band and color
guard performance at halftime. There was one injury during this
event, and because of this, Holland asked the board for a policy
that states that only one group during a venue be allowed on the
field during performance.
Allison Conway also added that this kind of behavior
has occurred before on another school site. Ashley Henderson, a
student that was among the color guard who suffered this
incident, reported that as a member of the color guard, they are
there to support their team. Henderson said it was very hurtful
to hear the football players use inappropriate language against
the band, and color guard, as well as the apparent bragging that
occurred during the school days after this event occurred.
Superintendent Collins responded to this by saying that the
district is always concerned about behavioral concerns, and the
district will be looking into this issue.
Debbie Byer, the developer of Literacy First Charter
School, asked the board to accept Liberty Charter High School in
the District. Byer said that Literacy First Charter School is a
financially sound, high academic achieving entity and very
sought after educational option.
Parents involved in this school have asked for a high
school facility, and Literacy First is asking GUHSD to support
Liberty Charter School. Many supporters stepped forward with
pleas for GUHSD to support this new Charter, with the inclusion
of a letter from Duncan Hunter who urged the board to consider
this new school.
Scott Patterson brought into view the upcoming budget
for the school year. He predicted that the upcoming year might
prove to be difficult, as the declining enrollment that is
occurring now will be reflected in the upcoming budgets as the
state bases all of their financial support on the enrollment.
This means that financial cuts within the district are
eminent. Patterson asks the board to just stay tuned, as the
future budget is contingent on how the state handles their
expenditures regarding the declining enrollment.
The status on Proposition H was visited, and students
are now being moved into the first finished classroom of this
project. Updates are continued on the district web site (www.guhsd.net).
Continuing confusion on Senate Bill 777 was addressed
when Jim Kelly requested clarification on the new law, SB777
regarding student civil rights. Many of the board members as
well as members of the community have several concerns and
confusions regarding this law. Hoy added that the law is vague
and allows for open interpretation of unclear language.
After much discussion on this new referendum, the board
accepted the resolution for clarification on this new law, with
the knowledge that this law is already under the scrutiny of the
constituents of California and is on a current petition that is
in circulation throughout the state.
To read the text of Senate Bill 777 check online
HERE.
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the Editor
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