A Silver Lining in Other District's Woes

Public schools subject to state funding constraints have been hit hard in the weakened economy.

Chris Reiland, in his classroom at Thurston Middle School, where he teaches math. Reiland is not being rehired and says extensive job searching has been fruitless. At a recent school board meeting, a committee on solvency advised the Laguna Beach school board to also take a cautious budgeting approach, citing a projection by the state Legislative Analyst's Office of a $7.8 billion statewide deficit next school year. Thousands of teachers in Los Angeles Unified School District who have taught for less than two years and lack tenure rights are facing layoffs.

With its funding tied to property tax revenue, which has not dipped as precipitously, Laguna's public schools have so far escaped making major staff cuts and now enjoy a relative luxury: a labor pool of exceptional experience. The school district received a deluge of 580 applications for two teaching positions and one counseling job.

Teaching jobs, already coveted in Laguna due to the high quality of life and schools here, are now more precious than ever.

First-year Thurston Middle School math teacher Chris Reiland will be joining the masses of job seekers as his contract was not renewed for the coming year. "It was a bombshell to me. I was very disappointed and very upset. I'm selling off everything I own to build a reserve of cash," Reiland said.

Asst. Supt. Nancy Hubbell as well as Thurston Principal Joan Culverhouse gave him similar explanations: they believe Reiland is not a proper fit for the community. He pointed out his immediate predecessor was also not rehired after a two year stint, which means she did not gain tenure. Hubbell, citing a state education code preventing her from discussing personnel matters, declined to further explain Reiland's situation.

Hubbell, who oversees the hiring process, has received 183 applications for the math post and the pool has been narrowed to a group of 10 very strong candidates that came back for second interviews last Tuesday. Criteria includes, "well grounded strategies for math instruction at the middle-school level, a real love of teaching middle school students, and the ability to communicate very well with students, parents and colleagues," she said.

More than 300 potential hires applied to replace high school counselor Jan Healy, who departed for family care reasons. The pool has been narrowed to a group of finalists that were to be interviewed this past week.

A third available position is for an elementary Spanish teacher, a more unusual job offered in few districts, according to Hubbell. This is a new position previously taught by an independent contactor. Interviews will take place with the final group next week, and all three of the new positions will start next fall.

At least three other veteran teachers are also retiring this year: Suzie Clapp, an elementary teacher at Top of the World; Art Smart, a health and marine ecology teacher at Laguna beach High School; and Mike McGuire, who teaches U.S. and European history, also at the high school. A fourth teacher who Hubbell declined to identify is also retiring.

At this point, it is unclear if these positions will be re-filled next year, as district administrators predict a drop in enrollment over the next two years.

Four retirements in a single year is unusually high in Laguna, but teachers were offered a socalled "golden handshake," Hubbell said, a financial inducement to retire, which saves the district money by replacing higher salary tenured teachers with lower salary, new ones.