School board hears of budget
revisions, honors police chief
August 14, 2015
By Brian D. Wilson
Santa Paula News
Santa Paula Unified School District Assistant Superintendent Donna Rose told the school board that the Governor has signed the 2015/16 State Budget. The District’s Adopted Budget was based on the May Revise, and will require some revisions.
The board was told that the enacted state budget has an increase of $3.2 billion in discretionary, one-time Proposition 98 funding. That’s equal to about $530 per Average Daily Attendance (ADA), for Santa Paula Unified that comes out to a little over $2.7 million.
The legislature suggests that these funds be used for such things as professional development, instructional materials and technology and investments to support state standards. Rose told the board that this is not a mandate and the funds can be used for “any one-time purpose, as determined by the governing board.” She noted that $1 million was budgeted for professional development, instructional materials and technology mini-grants. The remainder has been budgeted in capital projects until further plans are developed.
She said that this money provides an opportunity to get a long-term benefit from one-time money. She cited three examples: Commit funds for future capital projects, for post retirement obligations or future instructional materials adoptions.
Rose noted there are conditions for receiving these funds. First is to adopt a plan and explain how the funds will be used at a public meeting before the plan is adopted at a subsequent meeting. Second is to report expenditures on or before July 1, 2018 to the California Department of Education.
In another matter, the board recognized Santa Paula Police Chief Steve McLean. They presented him with a certificate expressing their appreciation to Chief McLean for his collaboration and commitment to the school district. They specifically thanked him for the Campus Resource Officers at Santa Paula High School and Isbell Middle School.
McLean called it a team effort by school staff and the police department. He added that his hope is that they can get an intervention program at the schools. “We desperately need an intervention program in this district,” he said. McLean told the board that they need at least two additional resource officers for the elementary schools. He added that ideally there should be a resource officer for every school.
The board was also told that the district has received the Thille donation. The Santa Paula Education Foundation was handed 15,000 shares of Calavo Growers stock recently to go towards the proposed Santa Paula High School Agriculture Facility.
The donation came from the Hardison-Kimball-Thille family and will go to the Foundation, designated for the 29-acre Agriculture Facility, planned for the Stewart Ranch property. The donation totaled $746,392.81. Superintendent Alfonso Gamino said they’re hoping for State matching funds. The current animal facility has been operating at the old Santa Paula Water Treatment Plant property. The estimated cost for three animal buildings and related facilities at the new site is $1.5 million dollars.
