Adult school, 200 jobs on block in Hayward district

By Eric Kurhi
Oakland Tribune
Posted: 02/25/2010 03:57:20 PM PST
Updated: 02/25/2010 08:00:49 PM PST


HAYWARD — In a foreboding meeting Wednesday, school trustees voted to notify more than 200 teachers, nurses and counselors that their services might not be needed next year.


The list included the entire staff of Hayward Adult School, reinforcing fears that the district will opt to eliminate the program entirely.

Granted, it's a worst-case scenario. District staff and board members emphasized that by law, the notices have to be sent out, and that decisions are still being made regarding where to cut.

"Unfortunately, this has become an annual event in California," interim Hayward schools chief Janis Duran said.

With no way of knowing how much funding the district will get from the state, the notices must be sent out to legally alert people that they may be laid off. The cuts will be finalized by May 15.

Last year, notices went out to 240 teachers, but nearly 90 percent were rescinded, said Mercedes Faraj, president of the Hayward teachers union, which represents 1,300 employees.

But many fear that with $18 million in cuts that need to be made to the $180 million budget, and no repeat of incoming federal stimulus money, things might turn out differently this year.

Counselors, nurses, and the students and parents who value them all spoke at Wednesday's board meeting to stress the need for the employees to remain on the job.

"You took away their block schedule and now a lot of kids are not on track," parent

Lisa Brunner said. "They need counselors to keep them on track to graduate. Now, you want to take away the person who gives them direction, who can help them get through this."

Advocates for the adult school say that because its funding is no longer a separate budget item — state moneys previously reserved for that purpose now can be used elsewhere in the district — the school faces a real threat of elimination.

At a well-attended summit last weekend, adult-school teachers, students and other community members gathered to come up with ideas for making the program more self-sufficient.

Currently, the adult school draws about 40 percent of its funding from sources outside the district, such as federal and state work force training grants and business partnerships, Hayward Adult School instructor Madeline Kronenberg said.

The school needs time to become self-sustaining, including a commitment that the district will not shut it down, she said.

"We have a unique approach with our business model," she said. "And we've really truly only just started. But if (potential funding sources) think we're going to be gone, they won't consider working with us."

A district budget committee is holding ongoing meetings that will lead to recommendations on areas to cut. Public input is being solicited over the next few months before final decisions are made. A Web site has been set up to collect comments at http://husd.k12.ca.us.