This being the first of my updates, this entry is to let the students and anyone interested about what’s going on after each school board meeting. They’ll be posted a day or two after each meeting (website construction delayed this one).
[divider]
So, a lot of important things happened at this last board meeting on July 18, 2012. First and foremost, let me list the main things:
- The Board approved the Facilities Needs Assessment and Improvement Plan (FNAIP, as I pronounce, F-nape), also known as “the bond.”
- The plan to increase meal prices by 25 cents at the schools, also passed
- The Purchase of Network Infrastructure Equipment (Internet Upgrades) was authorized
FNAIP
The bond. Definitely one of the biggest things that will be happening in Temple City this year. The whole purpose of the entire project is simple: to improve all of the seven schools in the district (the four elementary schools, Oak, TCHS and Doug’s Learning Center, commonly known as CLC). It basically means modernizing the schools to make them nice, pretty and, most importantly, much more functional and efficient. Given the whole thing passes, we will have nice science classrooms, art classrooms and even a brand new auditorium, track and pool at the high school. In a nutshell, our schools will look new. They’ll sort of look like Arcadia’s high school (only better), which, if you haven’t seen it, is very very nice.
So how much will it all cost? About $128.8 Million dollars. And where do we get all of this money? From property taxes of the properties in the TCUSD boundaries. But with most tax increases, the voters need to vote on the measurement in November. All this approval from the bond did was say O.K. to put it on the November ballot. If the board said no, voters would not get to vote on it in November.
So far there has been a huge support from the community for this bond. Several members of the community came up to speak in favor of it. It really is something our district desperately needs, and we will for sure hear more about it when election time approaches.
Meal Prices
The big thing with the meal price increase isn’t just another quarter per lunch (which adds up to about an extra $45 a year, given a student buys lunch every day), but it’s that school lunches will be a bit more nutritious. Per recently updates to regulations, school lunches will now contain less fat and sodium and be more nutritious overall, which explains the increase in cost.
Network Equipment
Purchasing of network infrastructure equipment is basically the first step for making the Internet at the schools public. This means that, after the upgrades, the schools will be able to support the students latching on the Wi-Fi and using it (as, currently, it is very slow and crashes often). Upcoming in one of the next meetings, there will be a resolution to approve a new policy that allows for students at the high school to use cell phones and other personal technological devices during school hours, just so that it is not utilized during instructional or “class time.” I have confidence that will pass, and for all of us to use the Internet, the infrastructure must be upgraded. So the first step in the right direction.
Kyle Evanko
TCUSD Student Board Member