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A long-time daycare program at Pleasanton Unified School District is facing staff cuts “due to lack of work and/or lack of funds,” if the Board of Trustees approves eliminating six classified staff positions for the next school year at their regular meeting on Thursday, starting 7 p.m.
The Board will consider eliminating and/or reducing five full-time early education positions at Horizon Early Education Center, including a lead early educator plus an early education aide, saving the district approximately $470,000 based on staffing allocations.
Horizon has provided childcare for Pleasanton families for more than 30 years, including reduced or subsidized services for those who qualify. However, officials said “that it is in the best interest of the district to reduce and/or discontinue particular kinds of service of certain classified staff within the 2021-2022 school year.”
The district expanded the program two years ago to full time to see if it would attract more families, and currently has 15 families enrolled with a total capacity for 24. “However, it’s been operating in the red for a number of years and is unfortunately no sustainable,” said PUSD spokesman Patrick Gannon.
Parents who contacted the Weekly called the district’s proposal to lay off staff “out of nowhere.”
“Just as these daycare teacher-student ratios are set to loosen, the Board is asked to make a hasty vote to close this program before it has the chance to show it can be fully self-funding,” resident David Polanco said in an email.
Polanco noted that layoffs would also cut support for teen moms who rely on free or very reduced childcare at Horizon in order to stay in school and get an education.
Mallory Homewood has had her almost 1-year-old son enrolled at Horizon since he was six months old, and said they provide “a wonderful daycare” for infants and toddlers.
“There are a lot of unhappy and desperate parents who do not want their daycare to be closed, especially given how hard childcare is to find and with everyone going back to in-office work with the pandemic coming to an end,” Homewood said.
If approved, the layoffs and/or reductions will be effective as of July 19. Employees that are laid off will be eligible for reemployment with PUSD, according to the district.
In other business
* On Tuesday, PUSD staff will present an annual update on changes to the budget and implementation plan for an assortment of projects funded by Measure I1 revenue.
The $270 million bond measure adopted by Pleasanton voters in 2016 has been a major financial resource for many projects throughout the district such as modernization work at Lydiksen Elementary, a new Career and Technical Education building at Foothill High, and security fencing and HVAC upgrades at many PUSD sites.
Besides “additional funds added to the program contingency from interest earned,” some recent alterations noted in the Measure I1 budget include a reduction of funds from recently canceled plans to build a separate $35 million school for grades 4 and 5 on the Donlon Elementary site, and increased funds for the Lydiksen remodel “to address the expansion directed by the Board based on the decision to cancel the E-10 project,” as well as the Foothill CTE project.
Due to bid savings, the district was also able to reduce the budget to upgrade various security and fire alarm systems, as well as roofing repairs.
* Students at two PUSD sites can look forward to exploring their schools’ new playgrounds when they return to learn next year, should the trustees approve replacing old and outdated equipment at both Fairlands and Vintage Hills Elementary on Tuesday.
Officials said, “The playgrounds at Fairlands and Vintage Hills Elementary schools are in poor condition, and identified as needing replacement” for safety reasons.
Through discussion and surveys with students, teachers and staff, outside consultants and district officials came up with “revisions and recommendations” for replacing the two playgrounds, and are now slated to finalize contracts with Specified Play Equipment Company for $169,965 at Fairlands, and $245,167 for work at Vintage Hills.
“The existing ground surface at Vintage Hills is made of artificial turf. Removing it and converting it to a ‘playground bark’ solution would have been more costly,” staff said. “Hence, the Vintage Hills cost is higher because an artificial turf needs to be removed and replaced.”
Work is expected to start and finish at both sites this summer.
I am a current parent. The tuition has not been raised since 19 and parents have no clue that Horizon has been operating in the red. It is shocking to learn that it may be shut down in only two months.
It was really a hard year for Horizon. The capacity reduction due to the pandemic leads to financial loss, but Horizon is not eligible for small business relief. On top of that, it still needs to pay rent to PUSD. I am wondering what has PUSD done to help Horizon survive instead of watching it drown.