Opinion
Our questions are as follows:
l) How will these changes affect our small school?
Student programs: As a small, cohesive district, we are able to quickly tailor our efforts to our own students’ needs. In a large district, decisions would be made by an administration that doesn’t necessarily know our students’ unique needs. We also risk further loss to the personalized learning environment when teachers and students get moved around within a much larger district.
Test scores: We have worked very hard to have the resources and collaboration needed to address student test score improvement issues. We have stayed out of “Program Improvement” by knowing our students and using our resources to meet their needs. If we unify, how will our test scores be impacted by movement of students and loss of revenue?
2) How will students be affected by changes in accessibility of administration?
Presently we have daily access to our administration and all questions, concerns and issues are taken care of immediately. Our accessible administration knows all of our students by name and each student’s strengths and needs. Administration attends student and teacher meetings, visit our classes frequently, and are involved in our intervention programs – on site. With unification, would we lose the strength gained by our administrator knowing our student population so well? Administration also knows each teacher’s strengths and needs and is able to offer resources accordingly.
Lucerne and Upper Lake already have a principal/superintendent position in which they “wear many hats.” If we were to unify, a superintendent position would need to be created, adding another cost. In the students’ best interests, we would still need to have on-site administrators.
3) How will allocation of resources be decided?
Teachers from larger county districts have complained to us that we have more professional development opportunities and more access to current technology. We appreciate having current technology available as well as the opportunities we have for professional growth. We know that having appropriate resources and teacher training is crucial to providing students with the best possible education.
4) What about financial responsibilities?
Our district has made appropriate sacrifices to make our district financially responsible. We do not want to merge with other districts and put our school at financial risk.
Although Lucerne teachers would probably be given a pay raise if unification happens, we wonder how this will financially impact a new unified district.
Our board has already given up their monthly stipends and district-paid health benefits, as it impacts our district’s general fund.
We already participate in contract sharing and cooperative purchases with the county and other districts. For instance, our buses are serviced through Upper Lake, and we share some support personnel with them.
It is our hope that this list serves to clarify both our feelings and concerns regarding what is at risk surrounding unification. We appreciate working with the students in Lake county and will always be willing to collaborate with other schools for the needs of students. Our students are unique and we work hard to provide the best programs possible for their education.
Tammy Saldana, Melissa Seymour, Kathy Hughes, Christa Mott, Catherine Davenport, Laura Ewing, Stella Winckler, Megan Grant, Merilee Krieg, Venus Kuintzle, Ron Hale, Jen Wangberg and Doreen Walstad are teachers at Lucerne Elementary School.
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- Written by: Lucerne Elementary School teachers
The Konocti Unified School District has been having regular meetings regarding the H1N1 and seasonal flu since the end of last year in preparation for this time. The school sites are taking a lead role in educating our students and families in ways to remain healthy during this flu season.
Here is what our district is doing:
Closely monitoring all information coming from the California Department of Education and Lake County Public Health.
Monitoring our attendance to make sure that students who are ill are staying home until they are no longer contagious.
Increasing our frequency of cleaning germ “hot spots” such as desks, tables, door knobs, light switches, faucets, and bus seats.
Keeping classrooms, buses and other facilities fully stocked with the necessary disinfectant materials.
Placing reminder signs in bathrooms for students to wash their hands and students are also reminded to wash their hands upon returning from recess or bathroom.
All staff members are monitoring the bus, classrooms, and the campus for students who show signs of illness, such as frequent coughing, and these students are sent to the office to be medically cleared or sent home.
Educating kids in healthy habits. Students are corrected when they make unhealthy choices and praised when they make healthy choices.
As a community we need to work together to help teach each other and our children healthy habits which will help reduce all illnesses (not just the flu). If everyone works hard we can maintain and improve the health of our community.
Here are the healthy habits that we believe need to be enforced and reinforced by parents, staff members and our community:
Get vaccinated (if recommended by your health care provider).
Stay home if you are sick and try to avoid contact with sick people.
Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for 20 seconds (sing “Happy Birthday” to yourself twice).
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth (viruses can spread when your hands touch surfaces that may be infested with germs).
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and remember to throw away the tissue (then wash your hands). If you have no tissue, use the inside of your elbow and be sure to cover your nose and mouth.
Do not share drinks, water bottles, eating utensils, cell phones or makeup.
A parent’s decision to keep a child home from school when sick can sometimes be a difficult one. No parent wants to interrupt their child’s learning and, for some, keeping a child home means missing work or losing pay.
However, if a child has a serious illness such as influenza (flu), it’s important for the child to stay home from school for the recommended seven-day period of time.
The key is to closely monitor your child for signs of illness on a daily basis:
If you have a stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat and a hacking cough you probably have a cold;
If you have a fever higher than 100 degrees, severe headache, muscle and body aches, extreme tiredness and a dry cough, you probably have the flu.
If you suddenly find yourself sick or have a sick family member and are unsure what steps to take, contact your health care provider for treatment advice. Please feel free to contact your neighborhood school for further information and assistance.
Dr. William MacDougall, Ed.D., is superintendent of the Konocti Unified School District.
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- Written by: Dr. William R. MacDougall
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