Well, it is official. I will be changing schools next year and possibly grades. Our superintendent came to our school yesterday at 3:30 on a 3 day weekend to tell us our school will be closing at the end of this year. We've all been expecting it but the other cuts are bad! No more 20:1 in any grade. That translates to big layoffs. We were told 88 elementary teachers will receive RIF notices. That's huge since we only have 350-400 elementary teachers in our district! Our union legal rep crunched the numbers and she thinks it will go back to 8 years. While that makes me safe, it means many of my good friends will no longer have jobs. And where are they going to get a job? Every other district is in the same boat. Here's an example of how ironic this situation is. Our 3rd grade teacher has been teaching about 7 years. She's on the cutting block. Her daughter is in her 2nd year. But she teaches math at the middle school so she won't lose her job. Ramona has 2 brand new special ed teachers. They won't lose their jobs because they have that extra special ed credential. At least they have told us we can tell our parents if they ask and they are sending out a letter Friday after the Thursday night board meeting. Oh, and we will have to take 3 furlough days next year. I don't really mind that, either, because at least I do have a job!
It also worries me for the state of our state. How many more people are going to be on unemployment? Where are they going to get jobs? The city of Los Angeles is looking to lay off 1000 workers. A lot of people are blaming Arnold but the fact is that all government spends and spends and just goes more and more into debt. I only hope that this will help everyone realize they have to live within their means, no matter if it's an individual, a state or a nation! One reason my district has not bee affected until now is that they don't spend the money until they receive it. While a district has to have money in reserve (I can't remember the amount but 6 or 7 billion) our district has had 20. Now we are down to what you are supposed to have.
Well, I guess that's it for now. I just needed to vent my frustration.
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Well, at least you finally got the news that you have anticipated. Glad the layoff doesn't affect you directly, but the repercussions will hurt everyone. Our board is deciding at the Feb. 23 meeting just what cuts will be made here. It looks like there cannot be any more layoffs since they are working with skeletal staff already, but I know 5 furlough days for the next 3 years is pretty well settled in addition to a lot of Tier III sweeps. It's not pretty.
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