THOUSAND OAKS : Board Restores Cuts for Health Clerks
Conejo Valley school board members restored $13,574 in funding for elementary and intermediate school health clerks whose hours had been reduced due to budget cuts.
The Conejo Valley Unified School District’s four intermediate schools--Colina, Los Cerritos, Redwood and Sequoia--will each receive $2 per student to increase hours among health clerks whose workdays had been cut in half over the last two years, to 3 1/2 hours a day. Health clerks are trained in first aid to assist students.
The district’s seven largest elementary schools--Banyan, Ladera, Manzanita, Park Oaks, Weathersfield, Westlake and Westlake Hills--will each receive $2 per student to help increase the hours of their health clerks.
The total cost at the intermediate level is $5,426; the elementary schools will run $8,148.
Board President William H. Henry Jr. and board member Mildred Lynch voted against the plan, saying they didn’t agree with restoring funds in tough financial times.
“None of the principals have indicated this isn’t something they can’t absorb,” Henry said at Thursday night’s school board meeting. “We’re batting at flies to try to fix something.”
However, board member Richard Newman said that the health clerks are important to the schools and that funding should be at least partially restored.
“It’s the best we can do under the circumstances,” he said.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
