The Plumas County Office of Education/Plumas Unified School District held its regularly-scheduled board meeting May 14 in Chester. A special meeting was scheduled after the regular meeting to finalize the employee layoffs first presented in March. The District 5 board vacancy was addressed again during the same special session.
Ten employee layoffs finalized
In March the board approved three resolutions resulting in 22 employee layoffs. They later identified errors in some of the layoff notices that had to be addressed and remedied, said Interim PUSD Superintendent Jim Frost. Several layoffs were rescinded. One hearing was held. Other employees made and then withdrew requests for a hearing. In the end, 10 total layoffs were finalized May 14, in advance of the May 15 deadline.
The layoff process invoked several allegations of procedural errors, pointed out by public commenters May 12. According to the summary findings of Administrative Law Judge Sean Gavin, issued during an April 24 hearing, the district should have laid off its three least-senior teachers. It did not, instead skipping five less senior teachers. A 21-page judgement attached to PUSD Resolution No.1681 provides details of the layoff process.
Shannon Phillips, a Greenville Elementary School teacher, urged the board to take no layoff action. “Do not approve the layoffs,” she said, citing a rushed, incomplete and flawed process. “Vote no tonight.”
Lauren McIntire, another Greenville Elementary teacher, said May 12 she was among those to receive a layoff notice. “The layoffs failed to meet legal standards,” she said, citing the summary findings of Judge Gavin. “This is not legally authorized by the judge,” she said.
McIntire added the layoffs will have minimal impact on the district’s financial situation. “Let the state lead the change,” she said.
Alicia Banning, president of the Plumas California Teachers Association, said, “We disapprove of the layoffs.” She warned that the association will file a grievance for contract violations.
The board voted to approve all 10 layoffs. Two are PCOE employees: one behavioral health specialist and one outdoor education coordinator. The remainder work for PUSD and include: a licensed vocational nurse, two health care aides, one cook manager who is retiring and two paraeducators whose jobs are seasonal. Two certificated teachers, McIntyre and Sarah Cardin, received layoff notices in spite of Judge Gavin’s ruling. The district’s counsel, Michelle L. Cannon, disagreed with the judgement and recommended the layoffs go through. However, due to resignations, they will keep their jobs, said Frost.
Fourteen staff resignations approved
In addition to the 10 layoffs, the board approved 14 staff resignations. Of them 11 are PUSD employees. They include Human Resource Director Megan Daun.
The board also approved three resignations from PCOE, among them Chief Business Official Mallory Marin, Daun’s sister. Daun and Marin, the daughters of former Superintendent Terry Osterich, came under public scrutiny earlier this year in connection with PUSD’s financial crisis. Both Daun and Marin’s resignations go into effect June 30.
Frost has said the vacant roles will not be backfilled.
Other business
Raise approved for CSEA 19
After months of negotiations, a tentative agreement between the CSEA 193 and the district was finally approved by the board May 14. The agreement includes a 2.5% across-the-board raise, which puts CSEA members inline with the other unions, which got the same 2.5% raise earlier in the year.
Theresa Belsher-Howe, president of CSEA 193, said, “CSEA 193 is grateful to Robert Shemwell, CDE and FCMAT for their support of our unit gaining the same percentage wage increase as all other PUSD and PCOE employees. This was absolutely the right thing for the board to do.”
2022/23 bond report accepted
Heather Rubio, of Christy White Certified Public Accountants, gave a Zoom presentation on Measure B Building Fund Bond 2022-23. Her findings included: improper bank reconciliations; improper internal control over financial reporting of interfund balances; improper bidding procedures, with no bidding packets found on two of the five construction contracts tested. The two contracts without bidding packets totaled $1,283,943. The board approved and accepted the outside audit.
District 5 trustee vote split
The school board voted on the appointment of a new District 5 trustee representing East Quincy, Graeagle and Whitehawk. The public comment and interview process took place at a special session May 12, with candidate Keith Barnett selected in a 2-1 vote. However, because an insufficient number of board members were in attendance, the vote was procedurally invalid. A May 14 re-vote resulted in a 50/50 split between Barnett and candidate Matthew De La Montanya. Frost advised that the PCOE Superintendent Andrea White could make the appointment, or an election could be held. White suggested an election.
Principals recognize outstanding student leaders
Chester Elementary School Principal Scott Cory presented the Principal’s Recognition Award to sixth grader Adalyn Martens. Her teacher, Susan Tantardino, said that Adalyn sets an example with her peers. She excels in math and stands out as a student leader who is a positive example in kindness, respect and a strong commitment to learning.
Chester Jr. Sr. High School Principal Kevin Cooper presented the award to senior Lore Bischoff for creating a newspaper, Chester High News: Where the Lava Meets the Lake. She is the editor of the newspaper, as well as a writer, and the class valedictorian. She is also noted as a creative and accomplished artist.
During the Teacher Feature/Program Spotlight section of the meeting, Chester Elementary teachers Nicholle Crowther and Aletha O’ Kelley shared “Thriving Thursdays.” The program is a purposeful play program where students take the afternoon to visit different classrooms, each with different interactive lessons such as games, building projects or nature activities.
Ariana Boatright, Chester’s student representative to the board, gave a report on activities and events at Chester High.
The next PUSD/PCOE meeting is scheduled for June 18 at 4:00 p.m. at the district office in Quincy.
Editor’s note: This story was edited to include information received after publication.