As an unusual school year nears its end, the Santa Clara Unified School District (SCUSD) Board of Trustees met on Thursday, May 14 to discuss what school will look like in the fall.
Substitute Salary Schedule
The Board unanimously approved increases to their substitute teacher salary schedule.
At a January meeting, the Board had previously approved a 3 percent increase to the 2019 – 2020 certificated substitute salary schedule and a 3 percent increase to the 2020-2021 certificated substitute salary schedule. However, the Board requested additional information about the substitute shortage.
In March, the Board were presented with additional information regarding the challenges with finding subs in SCUSD, including consideration of adjustments to the substitute pay rate. At the recent meeting, District staff recommended adjustments to the 2020-2021 Substitute Teacher Salary Schedule, which includes:
- Daily rate increase from $165 to $180
- Retired rate increase from $190 to $200
- Long term rate increase from $185 to $225
“Thanks to staff for bringing this forward and looking at this again so we can do this…” said Board President Dr. Michele Ryan. “I’m glad that we’re going to be very competitive when we look for subs, hopefully, when we have open classrooms very soon.”
This approval means an additional $380,000 included in the 2020-2021 Budget.
Planning to Plan to Reopen Schools
Superintendent Dr. Stella M. Kemp asked the Board to share what they wanted to discuss at the June 4 Study Session on reopening schools.
Recurring themes from the Board Members included logistics on keeping students in small, stable groups; plans for families with health concerns who don’t want their students to return; and support for parents.
Almost all the Board Members expressed their desire to have parents, students and staff involved in the planning process.
Additionally, Board Member Jim Canova asked staff to seriously consider outdoor learning since California’s weather allows for it and he read that being outdoors can reduce the risk of spreading the virus.
Dr. Kemp said there are three plans on the table: a traditional in-person plan, a distance learning plan, and a hybrid plan. Dr. Ryan wanted to know what the indicating factors would be that would allow them to move between the different plans.
A survey will be sent out to the community.
Other Business
During her report, Dr. Kemp said that graduation celebrations have been decided on for each high school site and that, next week, they will start delivering about 1,200 celebratory yard signs to the District’s seniors.
The Board accepted the receipt of CSEA’s Initial Proposal for a Successor Collective Bargaining Agreement and accepted the Initial SCUSD Proposal for 2020-2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement Negotiations with CSEA.
The choice of Brenda Carrillo as the new Director of Student Services was approved by the Board, as well as the hiring of Terry Flora as the new Principal of Cabrillo Middle School and the hiring of Candace Abrahamson as the Vice Principal of Don Callejon School.
Many members of the public and the Board wished Lorena Tariba, the Director of Supplemental and English Learner Programs, well on her retirement. The meeting was adjourned in the memory of John Doherty, a former custodian at the District.
The Board meets next on Thursday, May 21 for a Study Session on the 2020-2021 Budget and LCAP. They meet for a regular meeting on Thursday, May 28.