BVUSD School Board Approves 2010/2011 Calendar and Is Poised to Move Forward with Union Negotiations

Big Bear Lake, CA — The new school calendar, for Bear Valley Unified’s 2010/2011 school year, was approved at this week’s meeting of the Board of Trustees, and eight snow days have been factored in to the calendar for the school year that begins on Tuesday, August 3. The calendar also maintains the minimum day Thursdays for Big Bear Middle School and the elementaries, to allow for teachers’ strategic planning in the afternoons, while also maintaining the roughly twice-a-month late start Mondays for Big Bear High School. (FYI, Monday the 22nd is a late start day at BBHS.)
The February 17 meeting also included a public hearing with regard to the initial proposals that BVUSD presented to the unions, BVEA for certificated staff and CSEA for classified staff, on February 3; as there was no comment, either for or against, these proposals, negotiations will begin though no meetings with either union have yet been scheduled. As presented to the bargaining units, the school district has, loosely put, proposed “adjusting and/or restructuring the current salary schedule in an amount that will protect the fiscal integrity of the district.” For classified staff in CSEA, the bargaining proposal also suggests requiring certain employees to work on days when snow removal is needed; for teachers in BVEA, adjustments to class size and staffing ratios are proposed.
The Board of Trustees, led by President Beverly Grabe, also approved the hiring of Carol Craig, a secretary in the Healthy Start program, to assume the position of the high school counselors’ secretary; Sima Mills was hired as a special education instructional aide.
BVUSD’s Budget Advisory Committee also met this week, on Thursday, and though no actions were taken, the BAC is planning to hold informational meetings for both staff and the community; the next regular meeting of the Budget Advisory Committee is scheduled for March 2 at 1:30pm at the district office. Those with input regarding budget cuts are welcome to attend the BAC meetings; agendas and minutes are posted on the school district’s website.