RUSD Teachers Need YOUR HELP!!!

RUSD has been hit hard by the California budget (or lack there of). The district has cut class size reduction in grades K-3 for the next school year. K-3 classes will now have 30 students in each class. As a result, they are laying off hundreds of teachers. This is clearly not in the best interest of our kids!

The board are currently discussing increasing class sizes in 4th-8th grades that are now at 34 students per class. I have 34 students and my classroom is packed. I have kids and parents telling me that they can't see the board. There just isn't any more room for them. I can't imagine a class of 40 students. I would spend the majority of my day on crowd control and classroom management rather than meeting their individual academic needs.

Don't get me wrong, I know that everyone needs to cut back due to the deficit, including RUSD, but the district is laying all these cuts on the students rather than across the board. I have trouble accepting the cuts proposed for next year when Mike Fine (the money man who makes 6 figures), still has his car and cell phone paid by the district each month and supplies like toilet paper and hand soap are being rationed at school sites, and when the cabinet took a 9% pay increase last year and I'm being asked to take a pay cut. There haven't been any substantial cuts made to the departments in the district office. The union and the district have been meeting to create an early retirement incentive for those higher paying teachers and save some of the pink slipped teachers. However the district can't just offer the ERI, they are trying to sneak in a change to the contract that would allow them to transfer teachers wherever they see fit. I feel so ashamed at RUSD and how they are treating their teachers and students. I really hope they get it together soon.

If possible, please contact the RUSD board members to voice your opinion, since they don't seem to care about ours. Help save the education of our students. We need your support!


Richard L. Miller, Ph.D.District Superintendentrmiller@rusd.k12.ca.us

PRESIDENT
Mr. Vanderzyl can be reached by e-mail at lvanderzyl@rusd.k12.ca.usor by phone at 951.784.2016.

VICE PRESIDENT
Tom Hunt can be reached at 951-565-8006 or thunt@rusd.k12.ca.us .

CLERK
Mrs. Gayle Cloud can be reached by e-mail at gcloud@rusd.k12.ca.us or by phone at 951.778.9081.

MEMBER
Mrs. Kathy Allavie can be reached by e-mail at kallavie@rusd.k12.ca.usor by phone at 951.684.2349.

MEMBER
Dr. Beaty can be reached by e-mail at cbeaty@rusd.k12.ca.us or by phone at 951.787.8984.

While I was blow drying my hair.......

I found my little one fast asleep on the couch like this! He loves to suck on the ends of his blanket (gross.) Bill and Luke are at Irene's working on the counter tops so..... the house is quiet and Mommy has a few minutes to catch up on DVR!

The Saga Comes To An End

Today, unexpectedly, we purchased a new couch and love seat. The couch had not survived the stench from Kai's throw-up despite our best efforts. Baking soda, vinegar, professionally cleaning - twice. They looked amazingly clean (especially for how old they are.) But....... we just couldn't get past it. So out to the curb they went for FREE. They are GONE!

Las Vegas

Last week myself and the boys flew out one way to visit Bill in Vegas. He has been working out there. What a disaster. Kai threw a 50 minute knock down, drag out fit at the airport. Luke was amazing. He unfortunately had to be patient and wait it out with me. I basically made sure Kai was safe as everyone else could hardly help but stare at us! We finally made it there - exhausted! The Spatz family joined us for the night. We mostly hung out, shopped at the outlets, and walked around. All in all a quick trip. We drove home all together as a family. That wasn't much fun either. I don't really for see too many trips in our immediate future. Sometimes is may not be as much fun, but is simply easier to stick closer to home!

Watching our airplane arrive at the gate.

Excited about the upcoming flight!
Kai was so interested in Sponge Bob.

Believe it or not the sink was big enough for Kai to bathe in. There was no tub - only a shower.

Luke is now big enough to shower on his own!

Luke decided out of no where to show me how he can salute. I love it! I swear I didn't teach him this......only the ma'am part!

Meeting Minnie for the 1st time

Yesterday we headed over to Ali's mom's house to meet her new puppy. She is a 8 week old little Shih Tzu named Minnie. Luke LOVED her. Kai giggled a lot around her, but was very jumpy. Kayden was walking all over the place trying to get a hold of Kai's shirt! Friends forever!

My Valentines

I got lucky.......

I found out today that I was one of the 12 NOT recieving a pink slip. Thank you Lord.

Teaching Job Update

Well, it's that time of year again. The school board has voted and they will be giving out 160 pink slips. We heard they were going back as far as June 30, 2005. So.....I met with my principal today to hear the doom and gloom. Sort of. PLEASE SAY YOUR PRAYERS FOR ME! :0) There were 13 people hired on the same date as me. As of today the board has not determined what they are going to do in order to rank us. In the past, it has been a lottery as well as earning points for various things like a Master's Degree, ect. Out of the 19 of us, the top 12 will NOT be getting pink slipped. The bottom 7 will. I do not know where I stand as of yet. If I do indeed receive one then it is a process of waiting to see if there will be retirements, leaves of absences, etc. The district does not have to be notified until June 30th by that teacher so it could be long wait! As they (the district) are notified each person on the list will received a rescinding letter stating they still will have a job for the 2010 - 2011 school year. It is probable that those 7 will be fine, but also may not get to stay at their current school site. I LOVE where I teach and would be yes grateful for a job, but so devastated to move to a new school. I will keep you updated as I hear any news.