La Mesa-Spring Valley Schools Lay Off 27 Classified Employees, Expect More

Saying “hope is not a strategy,” officials of the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District cut nearly 30 jobs Tuesday night amid continuing uncertainty over the state’s budget.

The “hope” comment came from David Yoshihara, the district’s assistant superintendent for business services, during a lengthy presentation on the state funding outlook for public education.

Yoshihara said too much depends on the state’s ability to close an $11 billion budget gap through temporary tax extensions that voters must approve. Public school districts could face deep funding cuts unless that happens, he said.

“It’s still a big problem and it’s by no means solved,” he said.

The school board followed his sobering presentation with a series of 5-0 votes before a sparse audience and laid off 27 classified employees.

In addition, the board voted 5-0 to continue unpaid furlough days next year for several administrators and supervisors.

The district, which has a $100 million budget this year, expects to lay off more classified employees, including custodians, officials said. The board’s next meeting is June 21.

Assistant Superintendent for Human Resource Claudia Bender said she could not say how many more jobs could be affected because the district is still negotiating with the labor union that represents classified employees. The district has about 550 classified employees.

The district expects to cut $1.5 million in spending through the reduction of its classified workforce, Yoshihara said. The district has taken steps to reduce a potential $9 million to $12 million budget deficit next school year, which begins July 1, he said.

In May, the district laid off 104 teachers and other certificated employees. The district expects to bring back as many as 30 of those employees to fill positions left vacant due to retirements and temporary leaves, Yoshihara said.

Trustee William Baber said the district is sticking to its plan formulated earlier this year to prepare for severe state funding reductions by cutting spending.

“Nobody was surprised. The controversy was in March,” said Baber, referring to the low public turnout Tuesday and the heavy debating that took place at public hearings earlier this year.

The following jobs were cut Tuesday:

• The position of director of information technology will be eliminated in August. The person who has that job now has bumping rights and as a result a programmer/analyst will be laid off.
• Fifteen guidance aides who worked three hours daily were laid off due to the end of a mental health grant. A lead printer and a publication technician, both full-time employees, were also laid off.
• Four full-time groundskeepers and five full-time skilled maintenance workers will be laid off in September.
• In addition, unpaid furlough days will continue for classified managers, including the directors of maintenance and transportation. They will take 13 unpaid furlough days. Classified supervisors and confidential employees, including administrative assistants, will take 12 furlough days.

In other activity Tuesday, the following awards were presented.

• The ROSE award was given to Carolyn Meek for her volunteer work at La Mesa Middle School.
• Community Foundation grants from Mission Federal Credit Union for mini-grants written by Tracy McFarland, Kathy Ruiz, Marlene Carlsen, Jan Need, teachers at Lemon Avenue Elementary in La Mesa; Debra Lunamand, teacher at Spring Valley Middle School in Spring Valley; Jon Hayman, teacher at Rolando Elementary in La Mesa and Nichole Condon, teacher at La Mesa Middle School in La Mesa.