CAMPUS OPENINGS DELAYED? PALMDALE DISTRICT SQUEEZED.Byline: Karen Maeshiro Staff Writer PALMDALE - Elementary school elementary school: see school. music programs, school counselors A school counselor is a counselor and educator who works in schools, and have historically been referred to as "guidance counselors" or "educational counselors," although "Professional School Counselor" is now the preferred term. and district funding for school librarians would be eliminated next year by Palmdale School District The Palmdale School District is a school district that serves a major part of the city of Palmdale, California (USA). The Palmdale School District was first formed in 1888. Approximately 28,000 students are enrolled in the Palmdale School District. under nearly $5.7 million in spending cuts Noun 1. spending cut - the act of reducing spending cut - the act of reducing the amount or number; "the mayor proposed extensive cuts in the city budget" . Citing stagnating enrollment growth and the need to cut spending from an approximately $180 million 2005-06 budget, district officials also plan to keep closed one, and possibly two, new campuses that were slated to open in September. ``They are empty schools, under construction, and while we need to open them, there is tremendous savings in not opening them,'' Deputy Superintendent Deputy Superintendent, or Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), was a rank used by police forces of the British Empire. In some territories it was called Deputy District Superintendent of Police (DDSP). Lori Ordway-Peck said Wednesday. At a meeting attended by a standing-room only crowd, the board voted unanimously Tuesday night to accept cuts recommended by administrators. Another $883,000 in spending cuts remains to be made. The crowd of 250 to 300 people included parents, teachers and Ocotillo School pupils, who spoke in opposition to the cuts, especially those affecting librarians and media technicians, trustees said. Teachers are unhappy about the cuts and believe officials need to look elsewhere, union president Simone Zulu said teacher. She said some in the audience at Tuesday's meeting suggested that cuts need to start at the top, not the bottom. ``We still need to find a different way to deal with it. A lot of those positions put on the chopping chop 1 v. chopped, chop·ping, chops v.tr. 1. a. To cut by striking with a heavy sharp tool, such as an ax: chop wood. b. block is not something we don't need. We need all of them,'' Zulu said. The latest cuts come on top of $23 million cut in the past four years, officials said. ``After so many years of cuts, the ability to be creative is running out,'' trustee Sheldon Epstein said Wednesday. ``There wasn't a single thing on (the list of budget cuts) that we could afford to eliminate in the sense of serving district needs. Financially it was necessary, but we desperately need those services.'' The latest cuts eliminated funding for about 37 teaching or certificated positions, which included preschool instructors, nurses, music teachers, psychologists, counselors, and special education teachers. The district also slashed funding for 80 nonteaching or classified jobs, such as media technicians, instructional assistants, library aides, grounds workers, and warehouse employees. Many of the teachers in the affected positions will be able to move into regular teaching jobs, but some may be laid off, said Roger Gallizzi, assistant superintendent Assistant Superintendent, or Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), was a rank used by police forces in the British Empire. It was usually the lowest rank that could be held by a European officer, most of whom joined the police at this rank. of personnel. Eliminating district-level funding for school library services will save the district $469,000, a district staff report said. The district now is paying for 3 1/2 hours of work daily for a librarian at each school, with schools having to option to fund more hours with their own funds, Ordway-Peck said. Epstein said the campus libraries will be open but will not be staffed. ``It's a matter of restructuring how services will be handled through the libraries,'' Epstein said. Principals can still fund a library clerk out of school funds or operate libraries out of classrooms, district officials say. Other positions to be eliminated include nine Head Start preschool teachers A Preschool Teacher is a type of early childhood educator who instructs children from infancy to age 5, which stands as the youngest stretch of early childhood education. Early Childhood Education teachers need to span the continum of children from birth to age 8. ; two nurses, leaving five in the district; five elementary music teachers; three psychologists, leaving eight in the district; four counselors; 13 special education instructors; and one deaf and hard of hearing teacher. The district plans to file a ``qualified'' budget report March 15 with Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County, indicating it may not be able to meet its financial obligations for either the current or any one of the two future fiscal years. District officials cite several factors as contributing to the district's financial crisis, including rising operating costs operating costs npl → gastos mpl operacionales with no increase in education funding; enrollment growth unexpectedly slowing to a virtual standstill standstill /stand·still/ (stand´stil?) cessation of activity, as of the heart (cardiac s.) or chest (respiratory s.) . stand·still n. Complete cessation of activity or progress. ; and having to pay for employee health insurance with no contribution from employees. After years of rapid enrollment growth from new home construction, the district's student population stands at more than 22,800 - but is not expected to increase much more next school year. The district this year has a large graduating eighth-grade class, and smaller kindergarten kindergarten [Ger.,=garden of children], system of preschool education. Friedrich Froebel designed (1837) the kindergarten to provide an educational situation less formal than that of the elementary school but one in which children's creative play instincts would be classes have been entering. ``We are no longer a high-growth district,'' Ordway-Peck said. ``We are growing at a much reduced rate. The problem is all of our budgets were based on a continuing high rate of growth.'' The new campuses that may stay closed are Ponderosa School, under construction at 37th Street East and Pearblossom Highway, and a permanent campus at Avenue R-8 and 66th Street East for Los Amigos School The Amigos School is a dual-language bilingual primary school in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. The Spanish-immersion program began in 1986 at the Maynard School and became an autonomous school within the Cambridge Public School District in 2001. . A third new campus, for Palmdale Learning Plaza, will open in September beside the Antelope Valley Freeway The Antelope Valley Freeway is a freeway in Los Angeles and Kern counties in southern California. It is signed as California State Highway 14 along its length. It connects Greater Los Angeles to the rapidly developing Antelope Valley. at Avenue R. In another cost-cutting move, the district increased the distance inside which the district will not provide bus transportation from one mile to 1 1/2 miles at elementary schools, and from 1 1/2 miles to two miles at intermediate schools. Karen Maeshiro, (661) 267-5744 karen.maeshiro(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): box Box: PALMDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT BUDGET CUTS Source: Palmdale School District Fiscal Recovery Plan |
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