The Morongo Unified School District Board of Trustees held their regular 6 PM meeting last night at Joshua Tree Elementary.
With their Proposed Budget and Fund Balance study session going overtime twenty minutes into the scheduled regular meeting, the study showed projected decrease in 40 students in the district and a gradual decrease in funded ADA but is expected to correct in the 2025-25 school year. Various factors are attributed to this decrease, including “stagflation,” the perfect storm of slow growth, high unemployment, and rising costs of living, and the continual path of correction from the pandemic. Assistant Superintendent Sharon Flores said the district is currently at 90% attendance rate, down 3% since pre-pandemic.
Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services Amy Woods called for the Board’s support for Unified Champions P.E. and Unified Champions Leadership; two new courses related to the California Special Olympics Woods says are applying for a Golden Bell Award.
Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Stacy Smallings introduced two new MUSD faculty to the Board: Yucca Valley High School Principal Deanna Skinta and Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education Gracie Guitierrez.
The Board approved the SELPA Local Plan Annual Budget and Service Plan, as well as Resolution #24-22 Order of Election, which orders a school district election for board members whose terms expire December 13th, 2024. On that note, after six years of service on the board, Board Clerk Kerri Condley announced she will not be seeking another term, and said she hopes she’ll be remembered for her commitment to school safety.
One notable change to the structure of the agendas moving forward: Items for Review are now broken into section “A, First Read/Review” and B. Second Read/Review, after board members expressed disapproval on meeting’s tendency to speed through the items without proper time allotted to digest the content.
