SPUSD Board hears East Area 1
update and agrees to special autism class
July 22, 2015
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
The governing board of the Santa Paula Unified School District received a status update on the East Area 1 K-8 school and voted to hire a special education teacher for a new Autism Spectrum Disorder K-3 classroom.
The East Area 1 discussed focused on a proposed joint-use gym/multi purpose building and recreation fields at the new school site. Assistant Superintendent Donna Rose told the board that there are continuing discussions with the city on sharing in the cost of the facility. “Everybody needs to do their part,” she said. Rose said she and city officials are comparing sample joint-use agreements they’ve received from other cities and school districts. Rose added, “We’re starting the process.” She also noted that a lot of other projects, at various schools in the district, are underway.
In another matter, the board were told of the need to establish a K-3 Autism Spectrum Disorder classroom. Frida Goldstein-Friend, Executive Director of the Special Education Department said that the SPUSD has seen a large increase in the number of children eligible for special education under the Autism Spectrum Disorder eligibility category. She said the district currently has 17 students with that disorder from pre-school and third grade. She told the board that students with autism present learning challenges and she said there is a need to develop a K-3 class to serve them.
She noted that parents are requesting referrals to the Ventura County Office of Education operated Triton Academy or to the Ventura Unified School District which operates this program. The cost of Triton Academy can be as high as $40,000 per student. She said the SPUSD would save by operating their own program and they would be able to stay within the class size contractual agreement with teachers.
The board, later in the meeting, voted 3-0 to go ahead with creating the new teaching position. Two board members were absent from the meeting.
The board also approved lunch and breakfast meal prices for the upcoming school year. Santa Paula Schools charged $2.65 for the elementary & middle schools lunch last year and $2.90 at the High Schools.
The lunch meal prices for 2015-16 will be set at $2.75 for elementary
schools and middle school, and $3.00 for the high school. The Breakfast meals prices will be $1.50 (elementary/middle) $1.75 (High School) (Same as 2014-15). The District did not charge for reduced price meals in 2013/14.
In another matter the board approved a resolution to fund one half of one percent of the Unrestricted General Fund Expenditures be transferred in 2015-16 to Fund 140, the Deferred Maintenance as committed funds for future maintenance projects.
Assistant Superintendent Rose said the financial impact for fiscal year 2015 - 16 of $275,000 has been budgeted for the estimated transfer from the General Fund. The final transfer amount would be determined during the closing of the books.
The board has a special meeting this evening at 5:00 p.m., which will be a closed session discussion of anticipated litigation and salary negotiations.
