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SCHOOL BOARD NAMES BAUMGARTEN SUPERINTENDANT, RAISES FEES

The action agenda before the Morongo Unified School District Board of Education occupied perhaps 10 minutes of the Board meeting Tuesday, including unanimous approval of a 3-plus year contract for Tom Baumgarten to serve as the Superintendent of Schools. Reporter Dan Stork says that the bulk of the meeting consisted of presentations on secondary school STEAM programs and statutory fee increases…

STEAM Presentations

At the beginning of the MUSD Board of Education meeting, the Board got an overview of the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) programs at Twentynine Palms Junior High and High Schools. It began with a robotics demonstration and faux newscast by Twentynine Palms Junior High School students, under the tutelage of science teacher Jason Schmit. Then TPHS Principal Justin Monical gave a long list of initiatives at the school, including both field trips and on-campus activities and classes, that further education in technical fields.

Statutory Fee Increases

Facilities Director Ron Smith explained that as state and bond funding for facility expansion has dried up, the state has directed school districts to seek funding locally, through impact fees on new residential and commercial construction. Consultant Jeff Mozikawa led the Board through a study that supports raising MUSD’s levy on new construction to $3.36 per square foot for residential projects and $0.54 per square foot for commercial, which is the most that the state allows. The District last raised fees in 2006. The Board approved the fee increase without further discussion.

Public Comment

Parent Patrick Crowe, while supporting teachers’ desires for a pay raise, took teachers’ union members to task for their behavior at the previous Board meeting, at which they enthusiastically applauded characterization of the District’s opening offer in salary negotiations as “an insult.”

Ami Davis gave the Board an update on the Crossroads program, which focuses on students at risk from problems such as truancy and alcohol, and for which she has been leading programs at several District schools.

Policy, Bylaw, and Course reviews

The Board deferred for further consideration policies on facility naming and student regulations, a bylaw on communication with attorneys, and a course outline for English Honors. Ed Will and Chris Proudfoot found the constraints on Board members in consulting with District attorneys to be too restrictive. Superintendent Tom Baumgarten said the intent of the rule was to hold down consultation fees.

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