EDITOR’S NOTE: One of the candidates for school board trustee, Tommy Miles, also serves on the board of The Plumas Sun.
Personnel layoffs and public input dominated the March 12 Plumas County Office of Education/ Unified School District agenda at the regular meeting held at Greenville Elementary School. Before board members and attendees could dive into the difficult matter of staff reductions, however, there was another important decision to be made: the appointment of a new trustee representing District 2.
The incumbent, Dave Keller, did not run for the seat in 2024. When no one else ran for the position, he remained in the role until a replacement could be found and appointed. Two candidates applied: Cindy Crim and Tommy Miles. Both were in the audience awaiting their public interviews by the board when Board Chair JoDee Read called the meeting to order and opened the first of two comment periods.
Lindsey Buis-Kelley, a Greenville Elementary parent, spoke first. She said she had read both candidate’s profiles in The Plumas Sun, and although Tommy would bring valid experience to the board, she felt that District 2 needs a representative who lives in Indian Valley and could represent local students and teachers.
“Despite all the obstacles the area has faced, we have amazing teachers and staff here and Cindy Crim is the representative we need,” said Buis-Kelley.
It was a sentiment many echoed during the following 20 minutes. Alica Banning, representing the Plumas chapter of the California Teacher Association, and Klytia Dutton, representing California School Employee Association, had previously conducted interviews with the candidates. Both groups endorsed Cindy Crim.
When Read ended the public comment period and began the interview portion of the meeting, Miles was called to the podium first. Before the interview began, he withdrew from the selection process.
“I want to save you all a lot of time,” he said. “It is clear to me that this community is interested in having someone on the school board who is from this geographic region. The fact that I live in District 2, the fact that I have 38 years of experience in the field — that is less important. I am not about to spend my limited time left on the planet to help anyone understand expertise is more important than one’s street address.”
Miles expressed his appreciation to the attendees, board and his fellow candidate before departing.
Board member Joleen Cline then made a motion to appoint Crim as District 2 school board member, with a term beginning immediately and lasting until the next election in 2028. The motion was approved unanimously. Read administered the oath of office and offered Crim an opportunity to speak.
“I want to give thanks to all my fellow citizens, parents, community members and students for believing in me and continuing to believe in me,” Crim said. “My opinion differs a little with what Tommy said. It’s not where you live, it’s where your heart is. My heart is with Greenville, with every student, teacher, parent, custodian [and] cafeteria worker in Greenville.”
The board — including its newest member — then went into closed session.
School board adopts resolutions to lay off 22 PUSD employees
The major agenda item for the night was a set of three layoff resolutions, impacting 22 employees across a variety of positions: two certified nurses and one licensed nurse, two health aids, three custodians, eight cooks, one enrichment staff member, three teachers, one vice principal, and one assistant superintendent/director of educational services. Altogether, the layoffs enumerated in the resolutions are estimated to save $1.8 million, according to Jim Frost, interim PUSD superintendent.
In anticipation of the layoff resolutions on the board’s agenda, much of the public comment period focused on PUSD’s ongoing financial crisis and the impact of cuts on students. Cline, the trustee for Portola, took the unusual step of opening the public comment session by reading a prepared statement. Like Keller, Cline said she did not run for election in 2024. When no one else stepped forward to take on the seat, she decided to stay on the board to make sure the Portola area had representation.
Cline went on to say that she has had numerous conversations with staff, parents and administrators about the district’s worsening financial crisis. Among them are seven members of district staff with first-hand information who hesitated to speak out for fear of retaliation. She encouraged employees with information to come forward and “do the right thing.”
PUSD’s now-$3-million-dollar deficit and the consequent layoffs, which the district has repeatedly warned of in recent months, loomed large in the remaining public comment period. Teachers and parents stressed that the children in Indian Valley had suffered enough between COVID, the Dixie Fire and the housing crisis, arguing that no layoffs should take place at Greenville Elementary. They blamed the fiscal crisis on district business office staff and a lack of board oversight.
“The children are the true victims and should not be caught in the crossfire of financial mismanagement,” said Stephanie Blue, a teacher at Greenville Elementary and graduate of Greenville High School.
“The children are the true victims and should not be caught in the crossfire of financial mismanagement.”
Stephanie Blue, Greenville Elementary School teacher
“Do these kids, our students, our littlest learners, deserve more loss?” asked Niki Hammerich, a parent and board president of the Indian Valley Elementary Parents’ Club.
When the board returned to the agenda and formally opened the matter of the layoff resolutions, Read prefacing the discussion with a statement. She noted that locations have not been considered in the layoffs; staff may be reassigned to other sites. By law, layoffs are based on seniority. In accordance with California Education Code 44955, layoff notices must be given by March 15 of the current year. They can be revoked by May 15. That two-month gap presents an opportunity for the district to make cuts elsewhere before the layoffs become permanent.
Commenters expressed concern that layoffs — even if they are later revoked — could cause staff to find different jobs. Others shared their dismay that the “staff are being punished” and “careers ruined” while the district office and board were not held accountable. They asked the board to withhold action on the resolutions.
Kest Porter, a retired school administrator, pointed out that the March 15 legal deadline for layoff notifications meant delay was no longer an option. “It’s no surprise that my neighbors are upset. This should have been discussed the last two months,” Porter said. Now the board has to “pass this action and give us the next two months to find other cuts.”
Frost reported that PUSD has already gathered leadership, principals and department chairs to identify potential cuts in their domain and operational sites. He has asked them to come up with a list.
Board member Leslie Edlund said, “This sucks. This really sucks. You all want answers and accountability and the board wants the same thing… A big concern is the state comes in and it’s a thousand times worse.”
Cline agreed: “We are up against a deadline. The state wants a good faith effort that we are making the hard cuts. This will buy us time.”
“You all want answers and accountability and the board wants the same thing.”
Leslie Edlund, PUSD trustee
Even if office of education roles were within scope for cuts, added Frost, it still would not address the underlying problem. “If we eliminate all the district office staff, we are still not even close enough to fill the financial gap,” he said “We are cutting four teachers districtwide. The state fiscal advisor is working with us and district office cuts will happen. There have been interfund transfers and borrowing from funds like reserves that need to be paid back.”
Ultimately, all three layoff resolutions were passed three-to-one, with Chelsea Harrison of Chester voting ‘no’ and Crim abstaining.
Greenville Elementary student receives award
During the otherwise contentious meeting, there was a sweet moment that highlighted the important work done every day in Plumas County’s public schools. Greenville Elementary sixth grade teacher Jennifer VanAcker recommended John Ryan Schramel for the Principal’s Recognition Award. The award was presented by Principal Nicki Rodriguez, who enumerated the award recipient’s many strengths. She described Schramel as respectful, responsible and hard working. He follows the Golden Rule, has self discipline, takes care of school property and greets everyone with a smile, telling them to have a good day, Rodriquez said.