MARCH 2024 | VOLUME 4 | EDITION 8
Music and the Arts in our Schools March is here and that means, among many other things, it’s time to celebrate Music and the Arts in our schools!!! Our schools have incredible offerings and our staff provides amazing opportunities for our students in both visual and performing arts. That’s where the fun begins... Our students have proven to be some of the most creative, talented and hardworking individuals in these programs. Perhaps what even makes these programs better is the comradery, relationships and feelings of accomplishment when their hard work pays off with dance shows, choir performances, concerts and the amazing pieces of artwork created by the students. In the March 1st episode of our podcast, The Point, Dr. Tooker is joined by two teachers and a few students who share their experiences in both performing and visual arts. Be sure to listen; it’s linked later in this newsletter. I would encourage you to keep an eye out for the announcements of performances or art displays that occur in the Spring...you won’t want to miss them. In the meantime, take a look at a few of photos of our students’ work and them in action on the following page. Happy March ~ Sarah Rath Communications Officer
Official Newsletter of the Placer Union High School District
VAPA Pictures - Page 2 Redistricting Process - Page 3 Competency-Based Education - Page 4 PUHSD Visitors - Page 4 “The Point” Podcast - Page 5 The Squeeze - Page 6 Out & About on Campus - Pages 7-11 Budget Information - Page 12
March Board Meeting Tuesday - March 19, 2024 5:30 pm Lynn MacDonald Education Center 3775 Richardson Drive - Auburn
What is Redistricting? The Placer Union High School District’s Board of Trustees are currently elected in At-large elections. At-large elections are those in which all the voters of the entire jurisdiction elect all the members to the governing board. Under a By-Trustee Area election system, the District is divided into geographic areas - Trustee Areas – and a Board Member residing in each Trustee Area is elected only by the registered voters who live in that Trustee Area.
At-Large System
By-Trustee Area System
= Area Trustees are elected by voters residing in entire District boundaries
Area Trustees are elected by voters only residing in the Trustee area boundaries
Why are we Redistricting? Under the 2001 California Voting Rights Act (CVRA), at-large elections are impermissible if they result in racially polarized voting or take away voting rights from a protected class. Although PUHSD has not faced a CVRA claim and does not suspect racially-polarized voting, the Board has decided it is beneficial for the PUHSD communities to switch to a by-trustee area election process. The Board anticipates that this change will encourage active voter participation in selecting Board members, as well as provide more candidates an opportunity to run for office. Adopting a “By-Trustee Area” election system ensures that our District is compliant with the California Voting Rights Act and protects the District against the threat of costly litigation. What is the Process? The Board approved an intent Resolution on 1/16/24 to facilitate the drawing of “By-Trustee Area” maps that comply with the CVRA. The Board will conduct five public hearings to receive community feedback on the proposed “By-Trustee Areas” as well as a workshop. Two public hearings will be held before the release of draft maps, and at these hearings, community partners will be asked to provide input on potential “communities of interest” when shaping draft “By-Trustee Area” maps. The next two public hearings will be to consider proposed by-trustee area maps. The final public hearing will provide the Board the opportunity to adopt a final map. Lastly, the County Committee will hold a hearing to consider the proposal and shall vote to approve or deny the District’s request. Does the PUHSD need Public Involvement? Yes! Through means such as this newsletter, social media and local papers, we are requesting that our educational partners (parents, staff and community members) provide input. It is only with your participation that we can ensure our District's governance aligns with the values and unique needs of our diverse communities. How do I get involved? Please come to our Public Hearings, the upcoming workshop, or submit map proposals. All Hearings are listed on
the webpage linked below. Where can I learn more? Please visit our dedicated webpage and/or reach out to us on our dedicated email address: redistrict@puhsd.k12.ca.us Please keep in mind that this transition does NOT change attendance boundaries for students/schools, it only changes the Trustee Area maps for election purposes.
RESOURCES PUHSD and school websites have a dedicated page about CBE which contain a lot of information and resources. PUHSD Webpage Please be sure to listen to all of the podcasts, but especially the episodes that contain information about CBE. There are many useful episodes on how CBE helps students be successful as the leave one class and move on to the next. “The Point” Podcast
New Mexico Visits PUHSD Educators from a few public schools in Albuquerque, New Mexico, came to visit our District at the beginning of February. They came here to learn about PUHSD’s journey of transitioning to our grading system that is more accurate, equitable and motivating.
The day began at the Lynn MacDonald Education Center with Joe Feldman leading the discussion. The day culminated with the educators visiting Del Oro High School and hearing from Teachers and Administrators on the site. PUHSD Proud!!
P INT The
Podcasts will be aired on the 1st and 15th of each month during the school year (unless that needs adjusting due to topics/schedule).
Episode #12 - February 1, 2024 Episode #11 - January 16, 2024 Episode #14 - March 1, 2024 Episode #13 - February 15, 2024 Episode #9 - December 15, 2023 Episode #10 - January 1, 2024 Episode #8 - December 1, 2023 Episode #7 - November 15, 2023 Trailer - August 1, 2023 Episode #1 - August 15, 2023 Episode #2 - September 1, 2023 Episode #3 - September 15, 2023 Episode #4 - October 1, 2023 Episode #5 - October 12, 2023 Episode #6 - November 1, 2023
From the desk of Crystal Eatherton, Director Child Nutrition Services Department
ON CAMPUS OUT & ABOUT
Governor Newsom presented his January 2024-25 Budget with a projected improvement to the deficit: estimating a $38 billion shortfall in State revenues. This is much less than the independent Legislative Analyst Office’s estimate of $68 billion in December. Governor Newsom’s approach to the Education Budget is to protect against the local impact of a nearly $12 billion reduction in Proposition 98 resources- school districts’ main funding source . The Governor is not proposing mid-year cuts, deferrals in funding, or education program rollbacks. The January proposal, to account for the shortfall, is to withdraw from the State reserves (Proposition 98 Rainy Day Fund), State internal borrowing, funding shifts, funding delays, and non-Proposition 98 deferrals. The Governor’s Budget offered some solutions to the State deficit with a few factors that will affect school budgets next fiscal year:
13000 New Airport Road Auburn, CA 95603 Phone: 530.886.4400 Fax: 530.886.4449 Placer Union High School District The cost of living adjustment for additional funding to PUHSD is a lot lower at a 0.76% COLA. The last approved budget report for the District included a 3.94% COLA increase for the District’s main funding stream. This is a projected decrease of $3.3 million dollars over the next two years. The District is projecting enrollment to continue to decline. The District has lost over 406 students in the last ten years. A reduction of one-time COVID Relief and Learning Recovery Funds where the District had received approximately $10 million dollars from 2021 to 2024. The District has been a good steward of our funding resources by steadily building a reserve to assist in carrying us through the projected State budget shortfalls.
The Placer Union High School District (PUHSD) is committed to ensuring equal, fair, and meaningful access to employment and education services and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. PUHSD prohibits discrimination, harassment (including sexual harassment), intimidation, or bullying in any employment practice, education program, or educational activity on the basis and/or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics of age, ancestry, color, ethnic group identification, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical information, national origin, disability, parental status, political affiliation, pregnancy and related conditions, race, religion, retaliation, sex, sexual orientation, military or veterans status, homelessness, foster status, or any other basis prohibited by California state and federal nondiscrimination laws consistent with Education Code 200 and 220, Government Code 11135, and Title IX. If you believe you have been subjected to discrimination, harassment (including sexual harassment), intimidation, or bullying you should contact Title IX Coordinator (Students) Steve Caminiti 13000 New Airport Road, Auburn, 530.886.4402, scaminiti@puhsd.k12.ca.us; Title II (Students) and Section 504 Coordinator Carrie Warda, 13000 New Airport Road, Auburn, 530.886.4443, cwarda@puhsd.k12.ca.us; and/or Title IX and Title II Coordinator (Staff), Elena DalFavero 13000 New Airport Road, Auburn, 530.886.4426, edalfavero@puhsd.k12.ca.us.
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