RUSD Board of Education hears report

The Redlands Unified School District Board of Education was presented with the second interim financial report from Sherryl Avitabile, assistant superintendent, business services during Tuesday night’s Board meeting.

Avitabile gave a PowerPoint report, which featured numerous charts and graphs. She noted changes since the first interim financial report, which included a slight increase in federal revenues and an increase in expenditures by $1,342,686. There will be no mid-year cuts for the current fiscal year.

CBEDS enrollment to average daily attendance has remained steady, “and should remain flat in the years ahead of us,” Avitabile said. 

The numbers for multi-year assumptions for 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 included 0% growth, 0% benefit increase, 19.608% deficit, 3% utilities and 5% P&L insurance.

Several community members also addressed the Board of Education, and two parents and one student spoke about the Latin courses being offered at Redlands High School. Currently, Latin 4 is an independent study course, and the speakers are hoping that next year, the 30 students who are now in Latin 3 will be able to take Latin 4 during the school day, not as a seventh period. They are also hoping that AP Latin will be offered.

“Districts have been talking about layoffs and dismantling programs,” Superintendent Lori Rhodes said. “So it’s refreshing...maybe a light at the end of the tunnel...where we can talk about expanding programs like Latin.”

Another speaker, Amanda Fry, requested that something be done to the condemned building near the Redlands High School tennis courts. She suggested that it be turned into a locker room or another area to be used by softball and tennis players.

Due to Spring Break, the next Board of Education meeting won’t be held until Tuesday, April 12, at 7 p.m. The Board of Education meets at 25 W. Lugonia Ave., Redlands.