May 21, 2024, Board Meeting Highlights

May 21, 2024, Board Meeting Highlights

The Santee School District Board of Education met at 6 p.m. May 21, 2024. Meeting highlights included:

Reports and Presentations

Spotlight on Education: The Board honored students who were selected to compete in the Academic Achievement Award competition for the 2023-24 school year. This year marks our 50th Academic Achievement Competition. Congratulations to our competition winners:

  • Overall Winner - Jack Barrett, Chet F. Harritt
  • Speech Winner - Sophia Bernadino, Rio Seco
  • Essay Winner – Ryan Rowbotham, Carlton Oaks
  • Mathematics Winner – Micah Petrie, Pepper Drive

Academic Achievement Participants:

  • Cajon Park: Bradley Hill and Melanie Gandor
  • Chet F. Harritt: Jack Barrett and Isabella Casimir
  • PRIDE Academy: Robert Martinez and Averee Shipman
  • Carlton Hills: Chase Sullivan and Elizabeth Mottram
  • Hill Creek: Milana Miller and Taiden Hertzig
  • Rio Seco: Amir Shefa and Sophia Bernardino
  • Carlton Oaks: Andrew LaCross and Ryan Rowbotham
  • Pepper Drive: Micah Petrie and Logan David

Public Hearing 

  • A Public Hearing was held for the Recycling of Obsolete Instructional Materials. Details can be found in the Board Packet.

Discussion and/or Action Items

  • The Board appointed Gerardo (Jerry) Guzman as Director, Information Systems Technology. Mr. Guzman has over 18 years of experience in Information Technology. He is currently a Microcomputer Support Technician with Grossmont Union High School District and is a credentialed IT CompTIA A+ Certification instructor. In addition, Mr. Guzman holds the following certifications: CompTIA Security+, CITE Certified K-12 Technology Management Advancement Program (TMAP), and CompTIA Network+.
  • At the April 16th Board meeting, the Board of Education approved $1,728,464 ongoing and $2,160,327 one-time cost savings due to loss of the District’s State revenue. There were three budget solution recommendations that the Board requested administration bring back to the May 21 Board of Education meeting for consideration. Since the April 16th Board of Education meeting, administration has determined additional budget solutions of $1,250,000, at a minimum, are necessary given the anticipated 2024-25 school year State funding levels. Administration continues to identify budget solutions and currently is bringing forward an additional $496,125 to address the ongoing budget concerns. The Board approved the following cost savings solutions for 2024-25, totaling $939,098:
    • Reduce a teaching position at the Alternative Home School Program ($138,717)
    • Eliminate the Administrative Intern Position ($124,551)
    • Eliminate the Director of Instructional Technology position ($179,705)
    • Reduce an additional 9 site subs paid at $250 per day ($496,125) 

The next meeting of the Santee School District Board of Education will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 4, 2024, in the Educational Resource Center, 9619 Cuyamaca, Santee. Meetings can also be live-streamed at santeesd.net/LiveBoardMeeting.

Note: These are not official meeting minutes of the Board of Education but rather a brief recap of the Board’s actions. For official meeting minutes and a complete list of actions taken, click here.