MDUSD Superintendent Message 6/24/10

Dear Parents and Community of the Mt. Diablo Unified School District:

In a time of unprecedented budget deficits throughout the state, the Mt. Diablo Unified School District (“District”) like many others is forced into the untenable position of making drastic reductions in staff and services. Ongoing state budget cuts have severely impacted the amount of money we receive from the State of California to educate the children of our community. As a result of decreasing revenues and declining student enrollment, the District’s annual operating deficit is projected to average nearly $13 million per year for the next three years, on top of the approximately $24.8 million deficit for what remains of the 2009/10 fiscal year.

Although we have already responded to the budget deficit by implementing staff reductions and non-personnel cuts totaling $15.88 million, we regretfully find ourselves in the position of having to ask for additional concessions from all of our bargaining units in order to present a balanced budget to the County Office of Education by June 30.

In the event we are not able to present a balanced budget in 2010/11 and beyond, there is a very real possibility that the state could take over our District. If there is a takeover and a State Administrator is appointed, your elected representatives (the Board of Education) and by extension you, will have no say in running the District. That is an outcome I know that none of us want to see come to pass.

I am certain that you have questions about the District’s finances and what is happening at the bargaining table. Therefore, I am enclosing answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the budget and the status of bargaining.

I am confident that with continued cooperation we will see our way through this current fiscal storm. Thank you for your patience. Have a good summer.

Sincerely,


Steven Lawrence
Superintendent

LINK is for a FAQ about bargaining dated 6/23/10 that was attached to this Superintendent message: FAQ about District Bargaining (not google docs, everyone should be able to view and or /download). It's also available in spanish: SPANISH FAQ about District Bargaining

P.S. This message and link to FAQ's is not up on the district website yet. I would volunteer to help this district with communication. Or is that a union job I'd not be allowed to help with? Just asking.

Parent Letter: Dismantle MDUSD Special Ed/Student Services Dept, says study

Below is a letter from a concerned parent (not this blog):

Special Ed. Study Recommends the Dismantling of Mt. Diablo School District’s Special Education/Student Services Department and for the Principals to be Responsible for the Program Management of Our Students with Special Needs and 504 Plans.

The Mt. Diablo School District hired MGT of America, a consultant firm, to perform a study of their Special Education Services/Programs. The report has been received and recommendations include the complete dismantling of the Special Education/Student Services Department. Instead, there would be:

• One Director.
• Three Program Specialists to train site staff.
• ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) to be handled by the district legal counsel.

Principals to take on the primary role of program management for their special education/504 students.

In addition to the increased responsibilities they have acquired due to staff reductions, Principals would now be responsible for special education/504 student services/programs.

• Can our Principals handle this extra responsibility?
• How much time will be taken away from the everyday management of their site due to this additional responsibility?
• Are our Principals knowledgeable in State/Federal laws regarding the district’s responsibility for serving our students with special needs?
• With only one Assistant Director for special education under the Curriculum and Instruction department, who will provide necessary support/guidance to our Principals and staff?
• Will Principals be able to learn every aspect of every disability to be able to confidently place and serve every special ed./504 child placed at their site?
• Currently there are different programs at different sites. Will Principals know which students should be placed in which programs?
• Who will coordinate the related service providers i.e., speech/OT/PT/Nursing?
• When it is time for students with special needs to transition from preschool to elementary to middle to high school, how will the Principals know which sites to assign the transitioning students. Or will every site have full time staff to provide all the programs/services every student in their school will need? Who will coordinate?
• MGT is also recommending the elimination of the Mental Health Collaborative and placing these students in their home schools with a site clinician. The MH Collaborative is supported and paid, approximately 95%, by County Mental Health Services. If students are placed back at their home schools, County Mental Health will not provide services to these students due to their own budget restraints. Will the district hire therapists at each site to provide the services these students require? How will Principals deal with these students placed on their campuses? Whose safety will be compromised?

Why would the board of education implement these recommendations?

• Cost of the study was over $99,000. If the district does not implement the recommendations, will their constituents complain about the dollars spent?
• They do not understand what is cost effective vs. more costly.
• They would not have to admit their failure in not adequately using their resources in the district to determine reductions without compromising the integrity and compliance of the program.
  o Did they request specific budget reductions from qualified staff in the district?
  o Did they ask the CAC to assist them in developing specific recommendations?
  o Have they factored in the “Cost of Reconstruction” after they butcher the foundation of the consent decree?
  o Have they factored in long term costs onto the cuts for a “real value”?
  

Why should the board of education NOT implement MGT’s recommendations?

• MGT of America is a consulting firm based out of Florida who apparently does not understand California law or Mt. Diablo’s philosophy of providing required services to students with special needs.
• Implementing MGT’s philosophy would be jeopardizing the health and welfare of all students, special ed. and general ed. by placing students in improperly supervised programs.
• The recommendations are not appropriate for our district needs.
• Programs could potentially go out of compliance due to lack of program knowledge.
• Lack of support will lead to more litigation.
• Costs of mismanagement will “encroach” on the general ed. fund.
• Parents will not request ADR from the District’s legal counsel; therefore, parents will file directly to the State and legal costs will skyrocket.
• Most important, it is not good for kids - all of our kids!
  

It took 10 years with a Consent Decree for Mt. Diablo to build an infrastructure that is in compliance and working. If we follow MGT’s recommendations and restructure, it will definitely bring about noncompliance and millions in litigation costs.

We need to act responsibly. The board, district staff and parents need to work together to determine the most appropriate way to reduce costs without reducing compliance and jeopardizing the safety of all of our students.


To view the complete report, you can go to the Mt. Diablo School District’s website at http://www.mdusd.org/ and look under the Board of Education Agenda or the CAC blog at http://www.mtdiablosped.blogspot.com/. I am also attaching the report to this email. (see agenda: http://esbpublic.mdusd.k12.ca.us/public_agendaview.aspx?mtgId=281)


To receive emails all year long regarding special education events/activities
in the Mt. Diablo School District, please register at mdusdcac@yahoo.com


Parents / Staff / Community Members
Attend the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at 6:00pm to express your opinion.

Please do not count on others to attend and speak on your behalf.

Meeting with be held at Monte Gardens Elementary School
(next to the District office)


Send Emails to the District Superintendent and Board Members
Dr. Steven Lawrence
Superintendent
lawrences@mdusd.k12.ca.us

Paul Strange
President
paul@mdusd.net

Gary Eberhart
Vice President
gary@mdusd.net

Dick Allen
Board Member
dickallen_dallen@yahoo.com

Linda Mayo
Board Member
mayolk@aol.com

Sherry Whitmarsh
Board Member
sherry@mdusd.net

PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH OTHERS. THANK YOU.

MDUSD Community Meeting Schedule

To: Families of the Mt. Diablo Unified School District

Steven Lawrence, Superintendent of the Mt. Diablo Unified School District invites you to attend a COMMUNITY MEETING at one of the following locations:

Thursday, February 4 – College Park High
Wednesday, February 10 – Northgate High
Thursday, February 11 – Concord High
Tuesday, February 16 – Clayton Valley High
Wednesday, February 17 – Mt. Diablo High
Wednesday, February 24 – Riverview Middle
Thursday, February 25 – Ygnacio Valley High School

Meetings begin at 7pm

Purpose of the Meeting:
• Meet the new Superintendent
• Learn about the current challenges of the District during these difficult fiscal times
• Learn about what is being done to address these needs
• Share your thoughts about additional ways we can work together to benefit our students

For more information contact Loreen Joseph at 925-682-8000 ext 4000
Email: josephl@mdusd.k12.ca.us

MDUSD Catastrophic News, Board Meeting Recap (Sherry Whitmarsh)

Dear Parents and Community of MDUSD,

It was with a saddened heart that I listened to the catastrophic news presented at the board meeting. The Governor's proposed budget will cut MDUSD another $35 million by 2011/2012. When you look at the the budget horror in 2014/2015 our cuts are $115.9 million. The total 2009- 2010 budget is $266.8 million. Here's the link to the complete PowerPoint presentation:

MDUSD: Governor's 2010-11 Budget Announcement, January 12, 2010 (Powerpoint file)

If you have any thoughts that would not apply to negotiations I would love to hear from you by Monday, January 18. Example of items that apply to negotiations are salary reductions, furlough days, benefit reductions. The reason I'm asking you to not send those is that they are currently on the list of budget reductions. Here's the link:

MDUSD Budget Reduction List (Excel file)

For the sake of our children, please contact your elected state officials. Please have everyone you know contact the state officials. Public education is at a severe risk. Also I did want to inform you that at last night's board meeting, board member Dick Allen announced he would not be running for election in November.

Thank you.

Sherry

Sherry Whitmarsh
mobile (925)899-4731

Community Meeting Tonight 7pm: Making the Best of a Tough Situation

Remember the Local Community Meeting tonight.

7pm at the Willow Creek Center at 1026 Mohr Lane in Concord.



You'll view a presentation (also available HERE), and hear why a new funding measure will help protect academic programs in the Mt. Diablo School District. You'll also hear, as part of the presentation, the recent poll results related to the possibility of a new funding measure. There will also be an opportunity for break out sessions with your local high school feeder patterns.



This really is an important meeting. Voice your concerns, join your neighbors. What are we going to do to protect basic education in our district? It seems we are past restoring anything that was cut, we are fighting for the survival of very basic core academics. Every district near us has a parcel tax. The district needs to restore trust and perhaps, our new Superintendent will do just that. These issues are statewide. This is not our current board's fault. It is an impossible situation for them. It's not how to make cuts that won't hurt, at this point, we're already looking at cuts at the core of what is best for our students. How will our district survive this next round?

I hope that we can all be adults. Stop the blame and finger pointing and let's get down to how we're going to keep this district providing a quality education for our children? People get bogged down in the blame, the past and their own priorities that we seem to sometimes forget the big picture - that is that our children deserve the best education possible. How are we going to get there? How are we going to keep this district solvent? If there is an idea you have other than a parcel tax - get involved, and voice it! The same old arguments (cut at dent, cut admin, blame the board, blame the superintendent, cut the teachers, etc etc) don't cut it. We need real solutions. This is a statewide issue, that will require a local "roll up your sleeves" solution. The question is, what's the answer?

Here's a new Fact Sheet Flyer, also available at this LINK:

How will you help our ailing MDUSD schools?

There has been a seemingly never ending assault on our schools here in the MDUSD. With the failure of Measure D and the continued failure of our state to put kids and education first, it just gets worse every time we look. Next up, $12 million more will be slashed from our budget at next Tuesday night's board meeting. So what can you do?


The district wants you to donate your $99 that otherwise may have gone to Measure D, to them. I think it is a very interesting idea. This giving campaign, started by Ygnacio Valley High parent, Teresa Torbett and introduced at the board meeting on June 2nd, resulted in over $2,700 in contributions that same night. You can read more about Teresa's effort HERE . I applaud Teresa's efforts. We need more grassroots thinkers out there, as we are left in a position of having to scramble for support and lost programs. With proactive, visionary parents like Teresa out there, we will get there. She was also featured on a recent episode of Channel 7's "Beyond the Headlines" discussing the ground level efforts within our district and at our schools. She also discussed more locally the Ygnacio Valley /YVHS Community Action Group

Next up, the parcel tax may be re-introduced to the ballot in November. Hopefully the community will realize that every single vote counts. Though Measure D got the majority vote, in this instance, the minority ruled. It is not acceptable. The cuts made in the last few weeks, and surely the next ones coming, will be felt by all within this district come August when school begins again. No VP's, larger class sizes, no sports, no elementary music, reduced library services and more. Every student will feel these cuts.

Then, we have individual schools ramping up their fundraising efforts. Some with specific goals for the summer in order to supplement their programs come fall. Strandwood started by asking families to donate the $100 that would've otherwise gone to Measure D, direct to the school. Their goal is to raise over $56,000 this summer. Bancroft Elementary also started a $1 a day campaign and in just over a week brought in over $36,000. These schools and others were featured in a CCTimes Article today. These schools are looking to fund programs and assistants to aide in their growing classrooms. The impact of grades 1-3 going from 20 students to 31 will be profound. Some of these fundraising efforts are geared directly at providing an aide for each classroom come fall.

Personally, I'd like to see the individual school communities create a needs list (i.e. aides) and then create a campaign to help support that. Whether it be a $1 a day, or the flat $100, it will go a long way if EACH family contributes. I worry the district's fundraising campaign will not come close to the funds needed to restore any programs. I further worry that these monies will be considered "one time" money. Just as the district could not use the stimulus money to restore ongoing programs and positions, it seems too this same restriction would hamper the district from using any of these donations to restore anything "we" at the school levels will feel. I hope that if I'm wrong, one of the board members will correct me.

But for now, my advocacy would go toward the individual school sites to support their own needs. It is now that, we have been forced to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, we must all pitch in and give to our schools. If your school is having a fundraising drive, advertise it to your community, not only school families benefit from good schools.

CCTimes Editorial: Vote YES on Measure D

Contra Costa Times editorial endorses Measure D as a "...a critical investment in children's education for residents of a district that otherwise faces major cutbacks."

And in keeping with the priorities voted upon at the March 23rd board meeting, the editorial notes :

"The tax money would be used to restore funding for vice principals, secondary school librarians, fourth-grade instrumental music programs, high school athletics, custodian and groundskeeper positions, and school psychologists.

The list also includes instructional media assistants, computer technicians, campus supervisors and special education resource specialists and classroom assistants. "

VOTE YES for Measure D in the Mt. Diablo School District on May 19th!

300+ pink slips, class size reduction - all on the list

If you've read tonight's agenda you'll see that all tolled , there are probably over 300 pink slips slotted to go out this week within the Mt. Diablo School District. If you look at the position lists of possible cuts, you'll notice everything from science and math teachers to librarians and intervention personnel. Also, on the list is the teaching staff needed to keep class size reduction in place for grades K-3. This presumably means they're leaving their options open if this budget situation gets worse, that may be next to go. Its hard to imagine how much worse it can get, and if it does get worse, what is left to cut ?

On the http://www.protectourlocalschools.org/ site it says something I think everyone needs to know:

It may get worse. The failure of any one of five ballot items (placed on the ballot by the state government to balance the budget) on the May 19th statewide election will further reduce the MDUSD budget. In addition, any subsequent change in the budget resulting from the Governor's May Budget Revision could further reduce the MDUSD budget.

Now is the time to get involved with Measure D. What is important to you? Do you know how it may be prioritized when the parcel tax passes? If anything on that cut list is/was important to you, you can not afford to think others will fight the fight. We all need to do it. It is going to take all of us now.

Next Round Budget Cuts at MDUSD Board Meeting tonight

MDUSD School Board Meeting Tonight 7:30pm.

Do you know what is on the cut list tonight?

You can read tonight's agenda at : http://www.mdusd.k12.ca.us/mdusd/board_of_education/agendas/currentagenda.pdf

(its only 282 pages!)

The agenda (on page 6) lists all cuts due to be approved tonight, but remember they can vote for ANYTHING on the cut list, even if not on the agenda, and rumors are swirling that the remaining 2 elementary VP's will be cut (which leaves just Meadow Homes with a VP) and most VPs for Middle Schools.

11a is on the agenda, but they may vote for 11b and/or c instead.

11b will cut Highlands Elementary and Mt. Diablo Elementary VPs.
11c will cut Glenbrook, Oak Grove, Pine Hollow and Valley View VPs.

Mt. Diablo Elementary is an elementary school of over 850 children. Does it seem to make good safety sense to cut an administrator at a school of this size? What about your school if its on the list, how will you do with one less administrator on campus each day?

Devastating NEW Budget Cuts proposed to the MDUSD

Things aren't getting any better on the budget front for MDUSD and for school districts around the state. Check out the latest memo from Superintendent McHenry. Please keep your ears open for community meetings near you - they are coming. We all need to pull together and work for the good of this district, and of greatest importance, our children, their education and teachers.

I'm thankful we have a new board majority as we move into this unsure time, and next round of budget cuts. We will likely have to band together to demand our Sacramento representatives stop the cuts to our schools. Doesn't seem likely we can withstand these kinds of cuts without devastating wide-felt damage

The district is near crisis with these cuts. Take note, this is now MORE than the original 6.6 million projected - it is now closer to 17 million dollars! These next cuts could devastate every part of our district. Read on:






I can not find this memo posted on the district website yet, if you want a copy of the email, please email: mdusdparents@gmail.com and I'll forward you a copy of the above.

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Final surge of support on Monday and Tuesday

The Eberhart /Whitmarsh campaign as put out the following. Will we see you there? See http://www.mdusd.net/ for more.

Dear Friends,

Its crunch time in the MDUSD School Board election and we need your help. The opportunity for fundamental change is right in front of us. It's up to each of us to help in the effort to fix our schools. I know that everyone's life is extremely busy, but what is more important than our children and their future? Many of you have done much in the effort to elect Sherry Whitmarsh and myself. I am personally asking that you put in just a little more.

The following is part of our final strategy for election victory:

· Contact everyone that you know who resides in the district and ask them to vote for Sherry Whitmarsh and Gary Eberhart on November 4th. Even if you have contacted them before, please do it one last time. You can do this easily via e-mail. Your friends who have not been following the School Board race will appreciate that you have been and that you can provide them with educated advice on who to vote for.

· Join our campaign for a rally on the corner of Treat Blvd. and Oak Grove Road from 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM on Monday November 3rd. The rallies that we've had so far have been very effective in showing the voting public that Sherry and Gary are the best choice for kids.

· Pick a friend and a corner and hold up an Eberhart/Whitmarsh sign in the morning or afternoon on Tuesday November 4th. The morning times are 6:30 AM – 7:30 AM and the afternoon times are 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM. We will try to get many of our busiest intersections covered. Just think; our signs and our enthusiastic supporters might be the last things that voters see just before they vote.

The following schools are actual poll location sites (see below). If you can organize a group of parents/teachers to stand at least 100 feet away from the polling area you may hold signs. You can do this before school or after school! It would make a HUGE impact to voters coming to vote. If they see signs that say Teachers/Parents Support Eberhart and Whitmarsh! Let us know if you need a sign or you can make your own.

These are the last opportunities to try to bring about real change in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District in the 2008 election. The race is very close and we need to make sure that we have a strong finish. No one will be happier for this race to be over than Sherry and me and our families, but we can't relax now. The last few days may be the difference between defeat and victory. Please join us as we sprint across the finish line.

Please e-mail us back and let us know what you can do to help. Two hours one on each day that is all we are asking. If you would like to do the Tuesday intersection sign holding, please let us know which time(s) that you can be there and which intersection you will be at.

Thanks for your continued support.
Gary Eberhart

List of sites:
Clayton- Dana Hills Cabana Clubhouse, Oakhurst Country Club, Clayton Endeavor Hall

Concord/PH/Walnut Creek locations: Silverwood, Sun Terrace, Wren Ave, Westwood, Ayers,. Mountain View, Woodside, Oak Grove Middle,
Fair Oaks, Crystyl Ranch Clubhouse, Willow Pass Community Center, Hope Center-Corner of Taylor/Morello, any other main intersection.

Bay Point-Rio Vista and Delta View

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MDUSD Budget Reduction Meetings **IMPORTANT**

IMPORANT NOTICE. This was just received tonight from the Superintendent's office, you can also access information about the reductions online by CLICKING HERE.

This is IMPORTANT, these meetings are taking place NEXT WEEK, November 5th and 6th at various locations around the district.

Please come and help shape what will be on the chopping block in this next round of substantial budget cuts. 6.6 million needs to be cut and YOU DO HAVE A VOICE. This is your time to make your opinions known. There is also Parent Advisory Council coming up next Weds evening (7pm) November 5th at the Dent Center, all are welcome at those meetings.





For further clarity of the flyer, the meetings for parents, community and teachers thru-out our district are as follows:

Wednesday, November 5th, 3:30pm
Foothill Middle School Multi-Use Room w/ Asst. Supt. Rose Lock
Mt. Diablo High Library w/ Supt. Gary McHenry
Ygnacio Valley High Library w/ Asst. Supt. Gail Iserman

Thursday, November 6th, 3:30pm
Clayton Valley High Library w/ General Counsel Greg Rolen
College Park Library w/ Supt. Gary McHenry
Concord High Library w/ Assoc. Supt. Alan Young
Riverview Middle Tech Lab w/ Director Margot Tobias

I have this as a PDF if anyone wants a copy, please email: mdusdparents@gmail.com