School Board listens to kudos and concerns

Salvation Army Director Sandy Chavez appeared at the Feb. 12 TUSD School Board meeting to express her appreciation for the partnership the Salvation Army shared with the school district. She thanked them for the food donations for their pantry and coats from the elementary school Lost & Founds. The Salvation Army was able to provide 350 families with Thanksgiving dinner and Chavez said that they could not have done that without the school district. Superintendent Kaminski said it was reciprocal as the Salvation Army helps the district with tutoring and after school programs.

Tompkins Elementary School will be receiving a new flag pole. Richard Oldenburg of the Bear Valley Springs veterans made the presentation at the Feb. 12 Board meeting. Oldenburg emphasized that although he was making the presentation, the flag pole is a donation from all the Tehachapi veteran groups.

Superintendent Kaminski told the Board that district attendance was down a disappointing 155 students from the same time last year. He also reported that chronic absenteeism is still a problem throughout the district. He said that statistics show that 83 percent of kindergartners who are chronically absent will not be able to read at grade level by the third grade and are among those most likely to drop out of high school. It has been proven that absenteeism markedly decreases following parent conferences. The district recently sent out 1,826 parent communications regarding chronic absenteeism adding that the District sends out three notifications to get parents to come for a conference.

The Board will be interviewing applicants for the position of Superintendent during March and are planning to make a decision in April.

So far the District has used three of their Snow Days, so school attendance days will now include May 10, 13 and 24.

Bonny Porter, Instructional Services, announced that at the Feb. 8 District Spelling Bee, Cian Morgan from Golden Hills Elementary was the first place winner and Mason Cyr from Cummings Valley came in second. Cian will be representing Tehachapi Unified School District at the Kern County Spelling Bee on March 4. Congratulations Cian!