The Manteca Unified budget is coming back.
Trustees had already approved a $234 budget.
On Tuesday, they agreed to bring back the financial plan for a 45-day revise, voting 6-0 (board President Deborah Romero was absent).
Librarians and class-size reductions — included here would be six kindergarten teachers — were high on list of priorities, not to mention other possibilities.
Boys volleyball, for example, was mentioned at a previous meeting. Staff estimated the average cost of this using a high school stipend at $3,856.
Class-size reduction had already received the OK, according to Deputy Superintendent Clark Burke.
“The state goal for kindergarten through third grade is 24 (students) to one (teacher) per class. We’re at 28 to one but the board had approved kindergarten-only at a 26-to-one ratio,” he said.
Kindergarten teachers are needed for those spots.
School librarians are also needed, according to some past teachers who held that position.
Included was Jennifer Spellman, who is currently an English teacher at Lathrop High.
Once upon a time, she was the librarian at Sierra High. Spellman, who had access to some 250,000 books, was able to use her many resources to help students, especially those struggling with reading and writing.
But her position became a casualty of the 2009 budget cuts. Spellman was placed back in the class room and eventually transferred to Lathrop High.
She’s been none too pleased with the library there.
“It’s like a warehouse. Students go there to get their tablets fixed,” said Spellman.
She did have one positive note on the LHS library: “It has the nicest restrooms on campus,” added Spellman.
The board will go over the 45-day revise at the August meeting.