Bonsall cuts transportation from budget

The Bonsall Union Elementary District school board met in special session Monday morning, March 10, to approve the second interim budget for their 2008-2009 year.

This budget will “cure” the deficit anticipated as a result of the Governor’s budget cuts for education, said Superintendent Jeff Felix.

The greatest cure comes from eliminating all transportation except for students who require special education.

Parents will have to find ways to get their children to school, said Felix.

“I don’t think it’s fair to have a child in the classroom pay [for the deficit],” he stated.

Classified employees were notified a year ago that the district intended to eliminate regular transportation within the next two years, Felix said. Because of the extreme budget cuts, the timetable was moved up.

The district will also lose an instructional assistant and a bilingual assistant as well as an assistant principal at Sullivan Middle School.

With these changes, the district will be able to keep all of their teachers, many of whom, Felix said, are new and doing a great job.

By keeping the teaching staff intact, the district will be able to continue its 20-to-one student-to-teacher ratio in kindergarten through second grade and no more than 25 to 30 students in grades four through eight.

While parents will most likely be surprised at this change, Felix hopes they will call him with any questions.

Further, he added, parents are encouraged to attend board and budget meetings.

The next budget meeting will be March 25 at 6 p.m.

“We are trying to be as open and transparent as possible,” Felix said.