School employee layoffs are also affecting Sunol Glen Unified School District. The small one-school district was about to lay off four employees—but two were saved by the board of trustees.
The school board voted on March 10 to save a preschool teacher and a childcare staff member from potential layoffs. An art teacher was reduced to part time. Meanwhile, a health support specialist and a noon duty supervisor are currently at risk of being laid off.
School board members say they are taking these layoffs seriously. “The way that Sunol operates is that we are small, and everybody has a really high impact on the decisions that are made at this school,” said trustee Erin Choin.
Sunol, a small town located south of Pleasanton, has a population of just over 900 residents. Its entire school district exists under Sunol Glen School, serving preschool and transitional kindergarten to eighth grade students.
Trustee Ted Romo said they are trying their best to balance the budget. “We understand what’s involved here. We’re trying to do what is best for the school, students, teachers and staff as a whole, to the best of our ability with the resources that we have.”
The board had a change of heart after district employee Rene Stilwell, president of California School Employees Association Chapter 862, made a public comment about the preschool program. She requested that the preschool teacher and the childcare staff member be removed from the potential layoff list being considered at the March 10 school board meeting.
Her reasoning is the school district’s special programs and unique opportunities to grow together in a small tight-knit environment.
“We have a great [preschool] program,” Stilwell said. “The community is watching really closely, these families are making decisions for next year. If we want families to choose Sunol Glen we have to continue investing in the programs and the people that make our families want to stay with us for years.”
The district’s preschool program has been experiencing jumps and dips in enrollment. Superintendent Shay Galletti said about six preschool students were enrolled last school year.
There are 12 students enrolled in preschool this school year. District staff said about 10 students are registered for the upcoming year.
Stilwell said the district can lose employees if they give provisional layoff notices because they can go and find another job. “It’s hard to hire here. . . that makes me really nervous,” she said.
The school board said they agree with Stilwell’s point, that they don’t want to lose employees by giving the notices. School board members also said the preschool made its enrollment goal. They pointed out that several staff members have kids who plan to attend the preschool for more than a year. Last year the district expanded preschool to include two-year-olds. They offer potty training and diapering support.
Romo said it will be hard to predict where the district will be in the future. “It’s a measured step. It doesn’t solve next year’s problem,” he said about reduced hours and layoff notices. “It doesn’t solve three years’ problems. It solves at least right now, hopefully it solves this year’s problem.”
