The history of the Elverta School District has long been one of educational excellence and financial stability. This remarkable status continues in spite of unusual state and national economic challenges, in spite of declining enrollment and in spite of instructional challenges presented by increasingly unique student populations.

Looking back...

The 2008-2009 school year ended with various culminating activities including a graduation ceremony for eighth graders moving on to high school. Moving the stage to a new area and providing shade and water to speakers, staff and students were simple, but there were noticeable changes to the ceremony. Attendance by nearly all faculty members was a first, as was the large audience who patiently bore with technical challenges. Graduates behaved as young adults and were sent on their way to "independently struggle with their unique cocoons." (Please refer to the Superintendent’s graduation speech.)

Throughout the year, more time was focused on core instruction and remediation. Students and teachers implemented “Response to Intervention” ("RtI" - now in its second year of implementation), instructional time. This was done in groups to target individual needs, and goals were changed throughout the year as per student needs. Students were regularly and meaningful assessed. Data from these assessment tools drove instruction and provided teachers with concrete identification of proficiency levels. Teachers collaborated at higher levels of professional interaction, reflected on their own teaching strengths and weaknesses and fully supported a new administrative style. Collaboration regarding student data assessment, instructional strategies and curriculum implementation maintained consistency and improved professionalism.

Discipline issues were met with new administrative responses. Sadly, some expulsion and multiple suspensions were processed at the middle school level, in response to student behavior choices. Most students behaved well; some did not. A renewed message of no-tolerance for disrespect for adults or other students, bullying in any form, lack of motivation in completing required assignments, poor attendance, etc. were responded to with firmness, compassion and the opportunity for students to correct their behavior patterns. When these behavior choices would not be corrected by students, they were invited to seek out other educational opportunities outside of the District.

Despite limited custodial services and condensed transportation personnel; faculty, staff and students came together to assist. Some teachers and the Superintendent drove special needs students home when bus drivers were not available. Others kept their rooms exceptionally tidy so that custodial cleaning time could be kept to a minimum. Students assisted with sweeping classrooms at the end of the day and emptying garbage receptacles to maximize custodial time.

Aided by custodial staff from both sites, parent volunteers and other available (volunteer) staff, Alpha Technology Middle School was temporarily relocated to the Eloise campus. During weeks when exhaustion from completing a school year was typical, multiple volunteers and additional paid staff found one last burst of energy! Rooms were readied by cleaning draperies, cabinets, chalkboards and bulletin boards, cleaning and polishing floors, removing equipment and washing windows within one week. Within two weeks, the elementary classrooms were more thoroughly cleaned than they had been in several years and in less time than usual. Not only were all floors polished, and stripped as necessary, all furniture was cleaned, windows washed, blinds cleaned, paint touched up and repairs made with a very small crew of dedicated workers. This hard and efficient work now provided time for a more scaled down crew to focus on the detailed cleaning of the middle school.

Teachers and students focused on all means of budget protection; turning off lights, using alternatives to paper and copy machines, using less substitute teacher time, emailing instead of sending hard copies of documents, opening cafeteria draperies for sunlight warmth on cool days, closing them on warmer days, duplexing paper, using recyclable paper and overall minimized spending.

Staff, students and parents have come together to brainstorm budget protection strategies which have resulted in higher levels of quality stewardship. Temporarily relocating the middle school to the Eloise campus did bring significant savings on utilities, transportation and staff. All of these actions are, however, not enough to fully protect our fiscal status. To that end and with the full support of both Classified and Certificated employee associations, reductions in staff are required as follows:
• Reduction in Administrative staff
• Reduction in Transportation, Maintenance and Cafeteria Hours
• Reduction in Instructional Assistant Hours
• Reduction in Instructional Staff
• Reduction in Special Education

Additional projected cost savings will be seen in:
• Reduction in Cafeteria Vehicle Usage
• Reduction in Utilities
• Reduction in Transportation Fuel

Looking forward, there are many questions...

We do not, at this time, know how recent legislative action is going to affect our District. We do know that state-imposed cuts will continue to impact us for at least two additional years. All ‘inside’ information tells us to expect continued unprecedented economic worry. We do know that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) will assist us in recouping some losses. Some numbers have been reported, but until the dollars are actually received we do not know exact figures and can only surmise conjectures based on current understanding (which seems to consistently change). These will be one-time monies.

The District has made a firm commitment to limiting impact on students, however, with less staff overall and with more staff having greater responsibilities (with redesign of management functions) student programs will be impacted. Students will have less staff available to them which impacts important relationships. Transportation of students and providing food services will change. There will be less staff to provide critical small group intervention. There will be fewer monies for curriculum extension and fewer monies for student study trips, incentives and rewards.

Class sizes, normally significantly under state averages, will increase at all levels. With fewer adults, students will have fewer opportunities to find the adult(s) that will influence and guide them. Schools in the nation funded at the national average have 64 teachers and 3.4 administrators per 1000 students. In California, the average school has 48 teachers and 2.2 administrators, and that is before this round of cuts and reductions. The Elverta School District will collectively and collaboratively strive to make things work and maintain the education excellence and fiscal stability to which our community has become accustomed. We will respond to financial challenges as best we can and focus on the positives that are within our control.

Although continuing decision-making will be a joint effort, there may be times when stake-holders disagree. We will need an abundance of patience, understanding and mutual support. Avoidance of relaying inaccurate information and avoidance of undue criticism are essential to maintaining the positive ‘can do’ spirit of the Elverta District. It is through our commitment to providing students the best possible education that we will rise above all challenges presented and will continue to serve the Elverta community.

Should you have any questions or need clarification regarding the content of this report, please feel free to contact Superintendent, Elizabeth Golchert.