Thida Cornes and Esmeralda Ortiz were officially sworn in to their positions as trustees for the Mountain View Los Altos High School District during a meeting Dec. 15.
After the newcomers took their seats on the dais, the MVLA board conducted its annual reorganization, unanimously electing veteran trustee Phil Faillace to succeed Catherine Vonnegut as board president.
Traditionally, board leadership roles are rotated by year, with the previous year’s vice president ascending to the presidency and the clerk to the vice presidency. Because former vice president Debbie Torok did not run for re-election and retired from the position last month, last year’s clerk, Faillace, assumed the presidency.
Returning trustee Sanjay Dave took over as vice president, while Ortiz, nominated by Cornes, was elected board clerk.
The role of board president is certainly not new to Faillace, who was first elected to the board in 1996 and has served as president multiple times since.
Upon the transition, Faillace commended Vonnegut – the top vote-getter in last month’s election – for her successes as board president.
“You did a great service to the district,” Faillace said. “You have done so much in four years and the public recognized it by re-electing you.”
Superintendent Nellie Meyer presented Vonnegut with a keepsake gavel to commemorate her stewardship.
MVLA looks to be on steady footing regarding its financial situation, especially given an influx in federal and state funding amounting to $7.265 million. The funding’s primary purpose is to offset impacts from the pandemic, with the district receiving $1.8 million in federal relief funds and $1.6 million in the form of a state-provided Learning Recovery Emergency Block Grant, with the remaining state funds coming from an Arts, Music and Instructional Materials Discretionary Block Grant, which provides flexible funding for art programs, instructional materials, professional development and operational costs.
The report revealed that MVLA is finally expecting a drop in enrollment, joining many Bay Area districts in experiencing the downward trend. The report projects a decrease of 88 students next year and another 32 the following year, and as a result is projected to decrease certificated staff by four full-time-equivalent positions.
The general fund budget saw an increase in expenditures in the amount of $1.5 million due to salary and benefit costs for additional staff hired at the beginning of the school year, mostly the result of unanticipated employee departures and increased costs for substitute teachers.
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