Patterson parents asked to volunteer

By CHRISTINA SALERNO
csalerno@modbee.com

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PATTERSON -- Parents of students in Patterson schools may be asked to donate reams of copy paper and volunteer time as classroom aides next year, as the district tries to squeeze every penny out of its budget.

Patterson Joint Unified School District must cut $1.66 million from its $28 million budget. The move is in response to Gov. Schwarzenegger's proposal to slash $400 million in school funding from the state budget this fiscal year.

Board members on Monday night reviewed a budget advisory committee's recommendations of staff cuts and cost-saving ideas to lessen the impact.

Suggestions included eliminating some counselors, instructional aides, math and reading coaches and a technology teacher, and reducing the music budget by 40 percent.

Money-saving ideas ranged from increasing recycling programs, watering the lawns less frequently, using parents as volunteer aides, combining classes and encouraging teachers to write on the board rather than use photocopies.

Earlier this month, the district froze spending on all nonessential materials, such as office equipment, and told employees that it likely would have to cut 30 teaching and classified positions.

Michael Gardner, assistant superintendent of human resources, told the board Monday that the actual number of layoffs depends on retirements and attrition. He said the figure could be as low as two or as many as 10.

Districts have until March 15 to warn employees about anticipated layoffs, forcing administrators to plan for the worst-case scenario until the state budget is passed later this year.

Superintendent Patrick Sweeney said staff members had begun a letter-writing campaign to the Legislature to implore them to spare education funding. He is meeting with state Sen. Jeff Denham, R-Merced, later this week to discuss the cuts and encouraged community members to contact their representatives as well. Denham's district includes Patterson.

The board will meet again Monday to hear public comment and review a suggested list of cuts that will be finalized later this week. They will vote on the cuts and prioritize what comes back first should extra funds become available.

Trustee Ruben Piña encouraged teachers, parents and members of the community to submit their cost-saving ideas.

"The message we want to convey ... is that everybody is working on it," Piña said.

The board will meet at 7 p.m. Monday at Las Palmas Elementary School, 624 W. Las Palmas Ave, Patterson.

Bee staff writer Christina Salerno can be reached at csalerno@modbee.com or 238-4574.