School Board Meeting Update - March 11, 2009

The following was written by school board member Lisa Kaplan. Thank you Lisa for your summary, and thanks to the board and Dr. Farrar for demonstrating that you are truly working with your bargaining units on budget saving ideas. Much appreciated!

Good Evening:
In a short version since it is late tonight, the following is a brief summary of the major actions the Natomas School District made tonight:

1) The Board approved expanding NP3 from a 9-12 to include 6-8, thus creating a 6-12 charter school.

2) The Board approved opening HAH middle school by moving next year all existing students at Natomas Middle School over to HAH middle as a full middle school - by doing this the District saved the start-up costs associated with opening a brand new middle school and ordering all new text books and supplies.

3) The Board approved moving NP3 over to the Natomas Middle School campus to share with Westlake Charter School. This decision saved the District approximately $1.2 million dollars its first year and approximately $700,000 thereafter by not renting property in the community to house NP3. NP3 middle will open next year with 150 - 6th graders / 50 - 7th graders and 50 - 8th graders, thereby easing overcrowding at both middle schools.

4) The Board gave direction to the district to work with the middle school design team (MSDT) to create partnership academies at each middle school (the intent is to create 2 small schools within each middle school with approximately 450 kids at each school)

5) The Board approved approximately $ 6million dollars in cuts (including savings by moving NP3 to NMS campus / increasing class size by 1 student district wide approx $1 million - the other cuts include deferring retirement costs / moving categorical money around with the flexibility given to us in the State budget and a host of other cuts that none of the board really like making). These cuts were needed because the State already reduced our budget by 15% this year and is cutting the District funding by 20% next year.

Don't hesitate to call the District 567-5400 (ask for John Christ - email our business director jchrist@natomas. k12.ca.us) or send me an email if you have further questions.

Lisa Kaplan
General Counsel, L&B AssociatesTrustee, Natomas School Board