❒ Gradual move would affect 9th, 10th graders in fall

By Keri Luiz
Assistant Editor

Superintendent Janice Adams on Thursday will request that school district trustees approve a closed campus at Benicia High School beginning next school year.

“The Benicia High School Administration facilitated an inclusive process to review the current Open Campus Lunch policy,” Adams said in a report to the Benicia Unified School District Board of Trustees, citing Benicia High Principal Damon Wright’s months-long study that included an informal staff survey, discussion with the Student Senate, a community forum and a survey of local companies that profit from student business at lunch time.

Wright is scheduled to present his complete report and recommendations at Thursday’s meeting.

“Principal Wright and district administration recommend the Governing Board consider revising the ‘Open Campus’ policy at Benicia High School,” Adams wrote. “We are concerned that the current policy poses a safety risk to students and community members.

“While a full closure may be in the best interest of the school community, we also understand a full closure will require a complete cultural change and a significant investment.”

To address concerns, she will ask the board to consider a gradual closure beginning in 2013-14 that requires ninth and 10th graders to remain on campus. Adams is also recommending a merit-based system that considers attendance records, discipline records and academic efforts of 11th- and 12th-grade students.

“A re-evaluation will occur in 2014 and additional recommendations will be made for subsequent years,” she wrote.

In other business, district Chief Business Official Tim Rahill will ask the board to approve the public disclosure of the collective bargaining agreement with California School Employees’ Association chapter 1096.

“The Benicia Unified School District and the CSEA, which serves the classified union employees of the school district, have agreed to a Collective Bargaining Agreement for fiscal years 2012/13 and 2013/14,” Rahill wrote in a report to trustees.

Among the key provisions of the agreement: a 2.5-percent increase in salary for 2012-13, retroactive to July 1, 2012; a 2.5-percent increase in the salary schedule for 2013-14; and up to an additional $50 per month for district-paid medical premiums, increasing the maximum district-paid amount from $451 per month to $501 per month, retroactive to last July.

“The total cost of the two-year collective bargaining agreement with CSEA is $320,000 (which is $166,000, for 2012/13 and $154,000 for 2013/14),” Rahill wrote, adding that BUSD will “use one-time funds from its General Fund Reserve to cover the $320,000 in salary and benefit costs. After this settlement, the BUSD will still maintain its mandatory reserve levels.”

Also Thursday, Dr. Karen Dubrule, director of curriculum and instruction, is expected to request the board’s approval of the School Accountability Report Cards for 2011-12.

“In November 1988, California voters passed Proposition 98, also known as the Classroom Instructional Improvement and Accountability Act. The intent of this ballot initiative was to provide California’s public schools with a stable source of funding. In return, all public schools in California have been required to annually prepare SARCs and disseminate them to the public.”

Also up for discussion will be a proposed change to district elections from odd- to even-numbered years, which would extend the term of board trustees.

If the change — currently before the City Council — occurs, the board may change as long as it does not increase or decrease the term of office of each trustee by more than 12 months, Adams wrote in a report to the board.

Thus, the district may change its election date from November 2013 to November 2014, extending terms by 12 months.

If You Go
The Benicia Unified School District Board of Trustees will meet Thursday at 6 p.m. in closed session, and 7 p.m. in open session in the board room of the district office, 350 East K St.