Poor timing at KVHS


Published on Tuesday, August 17, 2010 11:11 AM PDT

For years now the Kern High School District/Kern Valley High School have been underfunded by the State, with no end in sight. This has created a crisis at our school and has resulted in classified/certificated staff “non-administrators” being terminated, programs/positions lost, and the cutting of periods being offered, especially in the electives area (Wood/Ag).

In spite of all this the principal is spending thousands of dollars doubling the size of her office and moving the staff room. This is an added expense with many tradesmen moving the original entrance from the office hallway to the front office. This means everyone using the new staff room will walk by the secretaries’ area. I’m sure they are happy about that.

With the new changes it seems that the principal is isolating the office hallway and all the offices in that area, and is in a position to control staff. This renovation has probably been in the works for awhile, and had to be approved by the District, but not all renovations were necessary.

It seems that the principal’s office was large enough for all the former principals, and the staff room was perfect at the back. I do not see our students benefiting by the principal having a larger office, and the staff room being moved to the front, especially when our school is struggling, people are losing their jobs, and our students are doing without. This is very poor timing, and someone needs help with their priorities!

As a retired former teacher from Kern Valley, I can say that the current one and two administrators have a top to bottom administration, this statement is part supported by the extremely high staff turnover rate during this administration. Because of this, and other issues, I have great sympathy for the staff there.

Patrick Townsend

Mt. Mesa

Copyright © 2012 Kern Valley Sun

Comments

11 comment(s)

    Risa Bletcher wrote on Sep 10, 2010 9:38 PM:

    " In response to Sandra Hughes regarding this topic, are you joking? This is your quote,"secretaries did not have their own storage space and had to store faculty graduation gowns in the 'Gasp'.. brand new, huge,under utilized Fine Arts Building? "And out of Your building?" "I am pleased by this,"? Really? Your building? You are pleased? Who the heck hired you? Dr Brasher? "

    Lorie Ary wrote on Sep 9, 2010 5:32 PM:

    " Well I for one am totally surprised that with this renovation money available that the high school hasnt't been renamed "Jeannie Brachears High" yet !!!!! "

    Sandra Hughes wrote on Sep 9, 2010 3:58 PM:

    " I am a current teacher at KVHS. Part of the reason for the office renovation is that our secretaries did not have their own storage space so they were having to store things like the faculty graduation gowns in the Fine Arts Building. The secretaries now have the needed space and the gowns are out of my building, where they did not belong. I am pleased by this.
    We have not had to lay off any teachers because of the budget crisis. Our school is getting smaller and that's not Dr. Brachear's fault. "

    knows all wrote on Sep 2, 2010 7:52 AM:

    " Renovation money spent on a new air conditioner for the east wing, rather than on a WW2 bunker would have been more appropriate. "

    Former Employee wrote on Sep 1, 2010 12:30 PM:

    " To Former student knows all: Actually 'former student' is correct. There is state appropriated monies allotted for the purpose of renovation. There ARE rules in place to keep people like this principal from spending wrongly. If in fact this principal did or does misappropriate funds, there are consequences. As for this principal and her regime, it will end at some point. As for me, I am a former employee and I resigned before her take over, as I am sure other employees saw this coming as well and they too left. Have a picket and call Bakersfield news! "

    former student knows all wrote on Aug 31, 2010 5:15 PM:

    " How would a former student be familiar with categorical funding? The principal's budget can be spent on whatever SHE desires. Mr. Townsend's point is that she spends the money on herself, not on students, and in a time of educational financial difficulty, it is a poor choice to beef up her office and isolate herself from the staff. I agree with Ms. Ruth. Get her out of there! "

    former student wrote on Aug 30, 2010 3:12 PM:

    " For the most part I agree with Mr. Townsend. But there is a good chance that the money that was used for the remodeling came from a fund that was only for such a thing- it's called categorical funding. Schools receive money from the state for all kinds of things and if they get money for building and remodeling- that's just what it has to be used for. Whether the admin is good or bad- they probably didn't have a choice as to where that money could be spent. "

    Brittany Ruth wrote on Aug 29, 2010 12:48 PM:

    " I have repeatedly agreed with the folks that dislike an incompetent administrator. Inability to make sound financial decisions is in alginment with all of the poor decisions made at the KVHS administrative level for the last 6 years!!! Get the community together and unite! Refuse to be 1beaten down by "idiotic leadership!" "

    isabella reader wrote on Aug 24, 2010 11:33 PM:

    " KVHS IS consolidated with bakersfield. KVHS is a part of the Kern High School District. it is the largest high school district in the state. the comment "we are to small to have our own schools makes no sense. should we buss all our students to bakersfield? "

    Consolidate with Bako wrote on Aug 22, 2010 2:54 AM:

    " It makes NO SENSE to have these little tiny districts like Kern and Isabella. Merge them all with Bako and run it out of central office. Fewer principals. Fewer admins. Do it NOW and save us a lot of money in the long run. We're too SMALL to have our own schools. "

    A former employee wrote on Aug 18, 2010 11:17 AM:

    " Mr. Townsend its this type of leadership that has caused alot of our teachers and staff to leave early, the current principal has been bathing herself in her quest for power at the expense of the high school and its students, my only question is when is the District going to wake up!!

    I will remember their oversite come election time. "

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