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The Twain Harte-Long Barn Union School District board and staff discussed the impacts of the Pinecrest Elementary School closure on the district at a board meeting Wednesday evening. Of the 38 students who were enrolled in the school when it closed in June, 25 have requested to transfer to Mountain Oaks Charter School. The San Andreas-based charter school opened a new location on Old Strawberry Road in the Pinecrest area for the displaced students, superintendent John Keiter said. The remaining students will attend Black Oak-Twain Harte schools and other schools within Tuolumne county. The board approved changes to district bus routes for 2012-2013 that would reduce the reach of school buses. The buses will no longer travel further than the Cold Springs area because of the Pinecrest closure. The district reviews the bus routes each year to ensure the most efficient and cost effective usage of the bus routes. The Twain Harte-Long Barn Union School District unanimously approved to shut down Pinecrest School at the March 21 board meeting, an action that will save the district more than $200,000 per school year, according to superintendent John Keiter. The district reduced its teaching staff by one teacher and transferred the other two teachers to Black Oak-Twain Harte schools. The district advisory committee is brainstorming possible uses for the vacant facility. In other business: • The board approved a resolution to allow the county treasurer to move money between funds to cover cash shortfalls. The funds will be repaid with any interest generated within the same fiscal year that the transfer occurred or within the first few months of the following year if it was done at the end of the fiscal year. • The board approved a legal services contract with Byron C. Smith for the 2012-2013 school year, instead of appointing alternate legal counsel. Smith has provided legal services for the district since the 2007-2008 school year, and the new agreement includes no increase in hourly fees. Costs for legal services during the 2011-2012 school year totaled $18,261. • The board approved the Senior Youth Partnership/PM Club Agreement for Aug. 22, 2012, to June 6, 2013. The Senior Youth Partnership operates a PM Club to provide child care after school and during the summer. The district billed the Senior Youth Partnership/PM Club $1,000 in 2011-2012 for use of district facilities. • The board approved the appointment of three temporary athletic team coaches. Cross country coach Joleen Jacobs and girls’ basketball coaches Tim Anderson and Noel Rathmel have met the qualifications for recommendation which include knowledge of the sport and child psychology, possession of first aid and CPR cards, completion of tuberculosis tests and fingerprint clearance required by the Department of Justice. The coaching stipend is $671 per sport. • The board approved the appointment of a new teacher, Kimberlie Ballard. The district had already budgeted $38,000 for the position. • The board approved revisions made to the 2012-2013 student/parent handbook. • The board tabled the decision of an agreement between the district and the Twain Harte Community Services district for electrical service and fuel tank location. The board will revisit the decision after the school district provides further information. |