District honors elementary school volunteers

Three reading tutors and a retired elementary school teacher received accolades from school trustees at a recent school board meeting.

“The board is recognizing you tonight for your tremendous contribution to the elementary students of Ramona Unified School District,” trustee Rodger Dohm said to the reading tutors. “For the past decade or more, each of you three ladies has participated faithfully in the district’s OASIS reading program.”

In the national program, adults volunteer weekly to help at least one young reader improve his or her reading skills.

“Each of you has spent an hour a week or more with an individual student for the past 10 to 15 years to read aloud or to be read to aloud,” said Dohm.

In addition, the tutors meet monthly for trainings, select reading materials for their student/s, and at times purchase materials, motivational awards and treats for the students, said Dohm.

“Together you have contributed a total of 39 years of volunteer service,” he said.

Dohm presented each with a certificate proclaiming Oct. 15, 2015, “Karen Beggs Day, Jill McKenzie Day and Dorothy Oberlies Day in the Ramona Unified School District.”

McKenzie spoke of the support she has received from the district the past 14 years — from the district office to the people in the hallways who “make coming into a school site a warm and helpful and wonderful experience.”

School board president Dawn Perfect then recognized Leanne Plunkett, who has spent three to five days a week volunteering at Mt. Woodson Elementary School after she retired as a teacher at the school in 2010.

“You support students in primary grades in reading Magic Treehouse books and to extend their thinking,” said Perfect. “You support struggling students to read and write.”

Plunkett helps the teachers provide Dibbles assessments for students in grades one through six, Perfect continued.

“You are a skilled seamstress and have made curtains for the staff … and protective covers for sensitive student data,” said Perfect.

Plunkett spends the first week of school “from the opening bell to the closing bell” with kindergartners as they acclimate to a full day of instruction, added Perfect, concluding by presenting Plunkett with the proclamation that Oct. 15, 2015, is Leanne Plunkett Day in the district.

Accepting her certificate, Plunkett said, “I did not retire because I was tired of teaching … I retired because this wonderful board offered me $80,000 over a five-year period, and I had four grandchildren to put through college.” Her reference was to a retirement incentive package the district gave teachers during the state budget crisis when the district also faced declining enrollment.

“The second thing is, as much as I love the children, and as much as they fill my bucket every single day … I do it for me, because it just makes me happy,” said Plunkett. “I love this school district. I will never be able to express how much I love Mt. Woodson school.”

In other business at the board meeting:

•Assistant Superintendent David Ostermann presented a report showing that enrollment districtwide continues to decline, but “the elementary schools actually saw their enrollment increase by 15 students.” The middle grades declined by 31 students and high school by 84, he said. Enrollment is 5,586 students, a decline of 106 students from last year. In 2011, it was 6,130, his report showed.

The state requires school districts to report enrollment each year on the first Wednesday in October.

Enrollment at each school on Oct. 7 was:

—Hanson Elementary, 526

—Ramona Elementary, 460

—Barnett Elementary, 501

—James Dukes Elementary, 499

—Mt. Woodson Elementary, 507

—Ramona Community Montessori, 263

—Mountain Valley Academy (TK-6), 90

—Olive Peirce Middle School, 806

—MVA (7 and 8), 37

—Ramona High, 1,556

—Montecito High, 129

—MVA (9-12), 86

—Future Bound, 4

—Special Education, 85

•Superintendent Robert Graeff, Ed.D., reported on the San Diego County Achievement Gap Task Force he attended with school principals and Perfect.

“What I took away from this is the importance of our staff members building connections with the students and how much that can mean to the students,” said Perfect. “That is beyond just teaching the lessons in the classrooms, that making those connections and really getting to know the students on an individual level can really make all the difference in the world.”

•Resident Kim Newcomer cautioned the trustees about accepting a school resource officer from the county for free this year when it may cost the district in future years and the district may not need it.

•In a 4-1 vote, with Trustee John Rajcic voting present, trustees approved $114,000 to purchase a bus for special needs students by piggybacking on another agency’s bid.

“I have no problem with the need,” said Rajcic.

Rajcic said his concern is with the procedure.

•Trustees voted 4-1, with Rajcic voting present, to file a notice of completion for the Ramona High School roofing project, which included replacing the roof on the boys main locker room, and repairs and coating to the boys north locker room and the school’s newer gymnasium.

“I’m voting (present) because of the procedures,” said Rajcic.

•Trustees gave unanimous approval to proceed with bids for the Barnett Elementary School lower playground project. The district anticipates that community park money administered by the county will pay for most of the project, and it wants to be ready to start the project when the county releases the money.

“We want to get going (on preparing bid documents), we don’t want to wait until the dollars are here,” said Ostermann.

The district expects $92,000 in Park Land Dedication Ordinance money for the project. The money comes from developer fees dedicated to active recreation areas in the community, said Perfect.

•Rajcic asked who edits the school board minutes.

“What is the board’s policy on what statements and comments go into the minutes?” he asked.

Rajcic at other meetings has asked about the minutes.

“I think the minutes should be more of a narrative,” he said. “The minutes should be more informative.”

“Meeting minutes typically are not that,” responded Perfect. “Meeting minutes typically are a record of actions taken.”

“I’d like to see a little more meat on the bones of the minutes,” said Rajcic.