Benicia School Board Upbeat In Spite of $2 M Deficit

A $2 million budget deficit did not dampen spirits at the Benicia Unified School District Board meeting last night.  The board approved the unaudited actuals from the 2009 - 2010 school year showing that in spite cutbacks, the district still had to dip into reserves for operating capital.

Timothy Rahill, chief business official pointed out the positives:

• The District is expects to receive about $90,000 in recently approved U. S. federal jobs stimulus funding and the first payment may come by October. What do with the new money has not been decided.
• Enrollment is not declining, as feared.
• The budget meets the State of California and local, union negotiated requirements for total reserves of slightly over 6 percent of the $33 million budget.
• The State temporarily lifted restrictions on the annual $1.6 million of "categorical" funds normally designated only for specific uses, allowing districts to use that money for operations.

Board President Rosie Switzer questioned a rate increase for unemployment insurance and a few other points. Rahill explained that the majority of the increase is reimbursed by the state.

Switzer noted that the cafeteria account had improved by 165 percent and complimented Rahill saying, "In poor economic times, you have conserved our money in a stellar ways."  

Trustee Dana Dean's added, "This has been a shared sacrifice," referring to a district employees agreemeing to accept furlough days.

Switzer discussed newly released California State Department of Education testing results showing a 29 percent overall improvement in BUSD scores, but also revealing Benicia Middle School remains identified as a school needing improvement.

Directing his remark to BUSD School Superintendent Janice Adams, Trustee Steve Messina noted that API scores had gone up while spending went down.

The announcement of the BUSD 2010 - 11 Teacher of the Year, Jan Rogenski, 2010 - 11 Classified Employee of the Year, Paul Salas and the newly hired District Director of Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Karen Dubrule added to the positive atmosphere.

School Operations Worker Salas seemed surprised at the number of people who came to recognize his more than 30 years of  dedication to the school and the community, most of it at Robert Semple Elementary School.  

Keith Rogenski, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources enumerated the ways that Salas has gone above and beyond his job description to benefit the success and welfare of students at the Semple school."Paul is a Jack of all Trades," Rogenski said.

Salas is known for being the good natured DJ for the school's annual "Jump for Heart" event, befriending kids who need it, and the ability to anticipate a need and take care of it.  The audience gave him a standing ovation.

Jan Rogenski, Mary Farmar Elementary School Reading Specialist graciously accepted the 2011 Teacher of the Year award after BUSD Superintendent Janice Adams described Rogenski's ability to "Empower students with the skills to become competent readers and instill a love of reading in them that changes lives." 

"She is a life-long learner who is never satisfied with the status quo," Adams remarked.  "Jan inspired others by providing staff development and leadership throughout the district." While working at BUSD, Rogenski completed her M.A. at St. Mary's College in Moraga.

Newly hired District Director of Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Karen Dubrule was introduced with a recitation of her credentials which include: a degree from the University of Southern California in Policy Planning and Administration, experience as a classroom teacher and elementary staff development specialist, middle school principal, work as director of elementary education at various California school districts and service as Superintendent of Schools in the Monte Rio and Old Adobe School Districts.

Most recently Dubrule was President of Education Consultants, LLC which provides academic coaching to K-12 schools.