By Traci Newell

Responding to requests from many community members, Los Altos School District Superintendent Tim Justus asked the board of trustees to address a name change for Bullis-Purissima School, scheduled to reopen August in Los Altos Hills.

“We have been getting some questions,” Justus said. “With the opening of a new school, many times comes the opportunity for a new name.”

Board members were receptive to discussing the change, and thought it was pertinent due to the requests they have received.

“I am very much in support of choosing another name for the school,” said Trustee Margot Harrigan. “I would be pleased to be rid of the old connotation. I think it’s exciting to have a new name and to start with a new history and move forward.”

Citing Bullis-Purissima’s controversial closure in 2003, some board members thought that resurrecting the name might continue some negative undertones. There is also the problem of confusion between Bullis-Purissima School and Bullis Charter School, others said.

“After you decided to end the full-day kindergarten program, we felt we needed to be here to look at a name change,” said Crysta Krames, member of the nominating committee for the PTA of Bullis-Purissma School. “There have been a lot of comments in the last three meetings. We would like to differentiate ourselves – Purissima Panthers, Pandas, Polar Bears, Fremont Falcons. You have the support of the parents attending there.”

Preserving the history of the campus raised one concern. There was discussion about whether the land was donated by Gardner C. Bullis, a noted attorney from Los Altos Hills.

“I think it’s correct to continue to name (the school) after (the person) who donated that land,” said Vice President David Pefley.

As of Friday, district officials said board minutes report the district purchased the land in 1956 for $65,000, therefore the land was not donated. The school originally was named in honor of Bullis in response to requests from Los Altos Hills families and students.

President Mark Goines said to make this a swift decision, the board will discuss the name change again at Monday’s meeting.

Sixth-grade committee

Jeff Baier, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, said the sixth-grade committee, formed to ensure that sixth-graders are appropriately placed throughout the elementary schools in the district, has been meeting throughout the school year and will present their recommendations at the May meeting.

The committee consists of fifth- to eighth-grade teachers, four principals (elementary and junior high levels) and the assistant superintendent.

Baier said that sixth grade has rigorous content standards and teachers have less class time to teach and prepare. District sixth-graders have less instructional time compared to junior high students. The difference is approximately 23-25 minutes a day, 4,100-4,500 minutes a year, which is about a semester of instruction. The committee is weighing a possible transition toward a middle-school program in the district.

“We are talking about teachers teaching more minutes,” he said. “We are talking about students having more access to teaching minutes – that all comes down to preparation.”

Budget update

Randy Kenyon, assistant superintendent for business services, updated the budget. The district currently faces a $650,000 deficit for the 2008-2009 school year.

In an effort to save money this school year, the district has not filled a vacant custodial position, postponed staff development projects, unplugged unnecessary appliances, saved on substitute costs and reminded parents that the district receives state funding only for days children attend class.

District officials are not planning to increase the teaching staff next year. The district will support an energy-savings incentive program. According to Kenyon, the district may also reduce school allocations by 50 percent. Currently each campus receives approximately $40 each year per student from the district for supplies.

Kenyon said he is examining other areas for cuts, citing all programs as “fair game.” Examples of cuts could include library programs, advanced math programs (elementary) and fourth- to sixth-grade class sizes.

Other board business

• The board unanimously approved a resolution declaring its opposition to the governor’s possible suspension of Proposition 98 (which requires a minimum percentage of the state budget to be spent on K-14 education). The resolution and letters will be submitted to local state officials, as well as the governor’s office, Justus said.

• The board agreed to offer Bullis Charter School the Egan Camp site to house its program next year. Kenyon reported an analysis, which proved Egan Camp school the most appropriate location, with one extra classroom space and 1.5 units of extra lab space.

• The board continued to discuss the timing of a possible parcel-tax-increase election, narrowing the dates to focus on a March or June 2009 ballot date. They will review a possible survey and conflicts with other local elections.

Contact Traci Newell at tracin@latc.com.