Tuesday's JUHSD Board Meeting: Student of the Month, Immunizations, and Tax Extensions

Tuesday’s JUHSD School Board Meeting was a 30-minute whirlwind that celebrated the student of the month, introduced a resolution for tax extensions and discussed new policy for high school immunizations.

• Jobel Salubre, senior at Oceana High School, was named student of the month at JUHSD. As well as having 4.0 GPA, Salubre is a polyglot and a volunteer advocate. Currently, she has logged over 375 volunteer hours, more than three times of the required amount. She is on the newspaper staff and is president of the Asian Club. In the future, Salubre wants to pursue nursing, specializing in neonatal care.

• Steve Fuentes, associate superintendent of business for JUHSD, asked the board to continue to participate in the 2011-2012 California School Cash Reserve Program. This program gives a cash lump to schools to help make ends meet. The amount given to the schools is unknown until it is approved.

• Richard Boitano, associate superintendent of education, asked the board for formal consent for 2010-2011 categorical funding. These funds are traditionally used to help maintain small class size and assist special education programs. This is about $850,000 of JUHSD's budget.

Boitano also presented a second resolution to the board to support placing a revenue extension on June’s ballot. This resolution would support Governor Jerry Brown’s advice to school boards to try to extend current taxes by putting them on local ballots. In presenting the resolution, Boitano stated, “This resolution is vital to JUHSD. Without this measure on the ballot, who knows what will happen.”

Lastly, Boitano presented a policy change regarding immunizations. This policy update would state that all students entering and continuing at JUHSD would have to get a pertussis, or whooping cough booster. When asked about help in delivering the vaccines, he said that the health center and county health facilities would hopefully assist the district in the mass vaccination. This policy change would also include an update regarding sexual health, HIV, and sexual health information.

The meeting ended with thanks. Laurie Frater, school board member, commended the Terra Nova High School Boosters and PTO for the Pasta and Crab Feed on February 12. Tickets sold out quickly, with 185 people finishing over 570 pounds of crab, raising several thousand dollars.