By MONICA ZUÑIGA
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com
Major changes to the enrollment for pre-kindergarten students in the San Benito Consolidated Independent School District have occurred due to cuts made to offset a $3 million budget shortfall.
Although the changes will have an impact on approximately 140 students, SBCISD Planner/Evaluator Ruben Franco reported Thursday there will no longer be open-enrollment for pre-k students; instead, approximately 730 students will have to confirm their eligibility to attend pre-k. All children must be four years of age by September 1 and meet at least one of five requirements.
Since pre-k is considered a non-compulsory year in students’ education, school districts do not receive state monies to fund open enrollment for students who do not meet said requirements. “We can’t afford to subsidize the pre-k program anymore,” Franco said.
For more on this story, pick up a copy of the August 5 edition of the San Benito News. Or view our E-Edition by clicking here.
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All I can say is this is so sad. If parents would go back to raising their kids at home until kindergarten age then the pre-k thing would not be an issue at all. I do agree that pre-k is a class because I have 12 years experience teaching pre-k children. I do think though that many people these days have become so used to getting everything free that it really shocks them when they may have to pay for “day care” or “preschool”. Pre-K is not a necessity nor is it required that children attend. The problem is many parents just want a free babysitting service! I would also like to say that SBCISD definitly has their priorities out of line…4.3 million dollars on Bobby Morrow Stadium and HUGE salaries for administrators seem to be top priorities. Not only has bouncing babies day care been recently closed at the HS campus but police officers have been cut and security guards have been cut. Maybe if parents would take more responsibility for the way they are raising their kids we wouldn’t have such a need for police and security in all the schools. These men and women put up with so much disrespect from the middle school and HS students…they DO NOT get paid enough and they do not deserve to be cut! Let’s see how the schools do when they are all gone! God help us!
To Voice of Reason: The breeze sure blew and the trees sure swayed! Janie Gonzalez got fired! haha
@ “Voice of reason” Haha!!! nice Jaine Gonzalez, good respond on your self….Your same words you use on the insurance Workshop Meeting. I like how you Talk so highly of yourself….”Jaine Gonzalez is held by the rest of the management community As one of The Best” (Haha)LMAF!!!!! Let’s see identical words us in the meeting ” I can not believe you would question her integrity” same words that can from Jaine Gonzalez at the work shop right around the part where she was crying!! (HaHa) she said “I can not Believe you would question my integrity and I have a reputation and to be making charges that I am making deals
with vendors..Wow!! Don’t you have better to say about yourself…Love the cheap
acting “Crying”….Oh!! And On the meeting you did say “I highly recommend because it’s good for the District..& for the employees” so pay attention to your nervous,crying part where you are talking about everything you just posted on your self..”Voice of reason” Jaine Gonzalez your such a Fake, lying, Crook just like Yliana Rodriguez…Nice!!! “I was given a directive” Yiliana Rodriguez is Not the only Boardmember, plus you have a supervisor Emma Mcall and Mr.Limon “remember he is the Superintendent” but no you knew what you where doing and believe me you knew it wasn’t right but you still did it anyways…Without your supervisor authority and Mr.Limon authority. You had choices to do the right or wrong way and Obously you choice Wrong and iligel way. How Desprete are you to post commites like it’s someone else when very obvious it’s You…(HaHa) Once again… LMAO!!!!!!!
To “Voice of Reason” I too hear the breeze blowing, and the breeze is blowing a lot of hot air. See the mess Yliana has gotten us into. Don’t blame me, I voted for Bob.
Chonito: Thank you for posting that video. What a mess! Who in the world elected these people that allowed this huge mess to happen?
To Voice of Reason: The employees of SBCISD do not work for the board president or any other board member for that matter. The only BOSS in the district is the superintendent.
So your statement “When the board president ask you to draft a letter you do it” is completely wrong. I strongly suggest “YOU” get your facts straight.
Wow “Voice of Reason”; you must not be a business person that has to always question ones work and actions when necessary. Am I am saying necessary because if you had to do it all the time then that person doesn’t belong there.I didn’t know who this Janie G. until I saw the video. Why did she work hrs. and hrs. on the project when the district pays the consultant? The consultant that admitted leaving out some facts. You heard him didn’t you? I wonder why this employee “Janie” never picked up the phone and tell Mr. Medrano “It was I that sent out that letter”. If she took instructions from one board member why couldn’t she have informed another one. TEA spoke; but not Janie.
VOICE OF REASON: What is it about “Janie Gonzalez wrote the letter” that you don’t understand? The lady made a deal with the vendors, the president and went circumvented the board and Mr. Limon to hire the Salazar Insurance Group…and violated school district policy. You call that integrity? The best in the risk management community?? Give me a break!!! Her immature actions might actually be a crime and are clear grounds for immediate termination! The lady even admitted it on TV and cried like a baby!!! So please unfog your thick eyeglasses and open your eyes, because believe me the trees will be swaying and you will be biting your tongue! Looks like Voice of Reason was another one in cahoots with this lady licking their chops hoping Salazar Insurance would get the contract!! Like the saying goes….”don’t count your chickens before they hatch!!” hahaha!!! DENIAL! DENIAL! DENIAL!!!
Hey voice of reason: I think you are in denial and should accept the fact that these individuals were all involved in trying to hire Salazar Insurance Group without notifiying the superintendent and the school board. The only problem is that they were caught. This is a clear violation of school district policy and yes grounds for termination. Would you do business with a company who has a history of bad business and illegal doings? Of course not. I believe the right decision was made here. And if people need to get fired for this, well so be it! Making deals with insurance vendors is against the law!!! And these people like Janie Gonzalez the Risk Manager and Glenn Hillyar should be held accountable! I hope Mr. Limon does the right thing and takes action swiftly. Otherwise it will be the taxpayers and employees who lose! By the way, I saw the Insurance workshop video. Looks to me that Mr. Leal, Mr. Medrano and Mrs. Cruz are the only ones with common sense on this board.
WOW,
It is so typical, that you would spend eleven lines of diatribe with out one shred of fact submitted in your response. Once again for the people with little space between the ears including you on your last rodeo. The Superintendent and the board were notified and educated on the entire spreadsheet of the products. Check the facts, as far as you or anyone else that questions Janie Gonzalez, I almost at a loss for a response on this, Janie Gonzalez is held by the rest of the risk management community as one of the best in the business. She routinely works for the District and for the District and employees alone. I really cannot believe that you would question her intergrity, and to make the charge that she is making deals with vendors, is irresponsible at best. I hear the breeze blowing but the trees aren’t swaying. Why don’t you and choncito bring the facts.!!!!!!
Years back city hall never questioned the integrity of Francis Flores, a former JP. She stole thousands and thousands. Look up the stories if you are tooooo young to recall those facts. I believe she stole close to $700,000.00!!! And you comment that you can’t believe that they would question this lady’s integrity?
Mr. chonito,
First things first. When the board president ask you to draft a letter you do it. It was not Janie Gonzalez intent to fire Bob trevino, that is beyond her authority. As for Ms. Gonzalez the reason she was so upset is that she had spent hours and hours on this project only to have the board authorize the same products which resulted in HIGHER premiums and lower benefits for all the employees just what they needed. If you objectively look at what she and the consultant recommended was a mixed agent product that allowed the School district to select any agent they wanted and still to offer BETTER BENEFITS AND LOWER COST. At no time did the consultant or Janie Gonzalez recoomend Salazar group. I suggest before you criticize anybody you get your facts and numbers straight. As for the purchasing agent, why would you fire a man for doing his job, sometimes you have to disagree in order to do your job correctly.
Have you all seen the video on the Insurance workshop held by the school board?? What on earth is going on? It is very evident that the insurance consultant, the Gonzalez lady, the purchasing agent and the president of the board all are hiding something. The Gonzalez lady even cried on television and admitted that she had written the letter and that it had been approved by President Yliana Rodriguez! This is immediate grounds for termination if you ask me! And I also think Yliana should be removed or resign from the board for her participation in all this mess! THESE PEOPLE HAVE NO SHAME!! The purchasing agent should also be fired along with the insurance consultant. These men were way out of line!!! I applaud Ms. Anna Cruz, Mrs. Huerta, Mr. Medrano, and Mr. Leal for not allowing this Salazar insurance Group to be hired. Thanks for looking out for us! And why on earth do we have to hear about this in the Valley Morning Star?? Why aren’t you reporting on this San Benito News?? Are you in cahoots with Yliana Rodriguez too?? hmmmm….
I encourage everyone to see this video and open their eyes!! RESIGN YLIANA RESIGN!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/user/sanbenitocisd?feature=results_main
I am tired of all this talk about retire-rehire. It is no body’s business why they retired. This superintendent was allowed to rehire them. That’s it and nothing more. Double dipping? What in the world are you talking about? They are getting their own money every month that they put away for retirement. It is not your business. You people need to move on. If it was your family member, I bet you would not be saying what you are saying. Enough about this already.
We should be talking about why no raises for ALL EMPLOYEES and about WHY DID WE CUT PRE-K? Can we have a discussion about this ? No explanation at all. I can’t believe that no PRE-K parent has spoken up about this to the whole school board. Only one person spoke at the school board meeting and he doesn’t even have a child in PRE-K. SPEAK PARENTS!! Your VOICE means something!! Make it HEARD!!
Just because the Superintendent was allowed to rehire them does not make it OK!
“Why they retired” is none of our business but “why they were rehired” is our business because we are talking about tax dollars. If they are retired, retire for good and give the newly certified teachers an opportunity to begin their careers.
I know of recently certified teachers being told that the open positions are being given to retire/rehire teachers from within and outside the school district!
When taxpayer dollars are involved, it is “our business”! You should tell “your people – the retirees” that they should just “move on” and give others a chance!
Double dipping is they are getting paid their salary and somebody else salary who was not hired because of the rehire.
Enough about this retire/rehire!!!!! We are tired of this retire-rehire!!!!!
Incidentally, PRE-K is not a class, it is “Day-Care”!
Why should the taxpayers subsidize somebody else day-care for their kids?
Pay for your own “Day Care”!
To Anita Bath: “Pre-K is not a class, it is a “Day Care”… when was the last time you visited a Pre-K class? Before you throw stones, how about you visit a class. These children deserve the same education as everyone else. The parent’s financial situation is not their fault. The Pre-K program is the foundation for all schools. It takes a special kind of teacher to teach these children. If you do not want to “subsidize Pre-K programs”, then you might as well move out of state….. oh I forget, most states have Pre-K programs. Good luck with that……
Anita Bath: You might want to look up the definition for “double dipping”. You are way off the mark.
“Tired of this retire-rehire”… I agree.
We should be talking about why the EMPLOYEES are NOT getting a RAISE.
Look at surrounding districts as they are giving raises. Something is not right with this picture here in San Benito.
I hope the employees show-up at the budget meeting so they can be heard.
If they do not speak for themselves, then who will?
EXACTLY. 110% behind your comment. Susie,When a family member of yours(son,daughter,grandkid,ect)graduates,gets a teaching degree and wants to work here BUT cant because you have people sitting in our classrooms after 30+ years cruising it and then getting another check ..that wouldnt bother you ? Double dipping ,yes it is. Get someone enthusiastic .fresh ideas ,give new grads a chance. And you may get them at less salary than the other.
@senior analyst-get an outside consultant? No way!! That is why we hire a superintendent to make those decisions and by the way, paid very nicely. He has been on the job for something like 8 years. He has the knowledge to fix this mess. A mess that should not even be here if they had planned their finances out last year. I wonder if he is listening or asking his Business Manager who oversees finances?? Every district has one. I hear she is a sharp lady, just wondering if he is even asking for her advise.
We have not heard anything about all employees getting a pay raise. This board will have to adopt their budget by the last day in August. I hope all employees show up at that meaning. If they do not stand up and speak, then no one will hear them.
The school district needs to start with ALL the Retire Rehires, they retired for a reason, the retire rehires all have restrictions due to their age or reasons the retired in the first place so why are we still keeping them around, because administration has several retire/rehires, that are double dipping. Where are the schools priorities..?..
@ Wera: on Anna Cruz; She is Smart, at least she thinks twice on doing something “Corrupt,Unlawful,Dirty or which sounds Better “Crook’s” like The Board President (Y.Rodriguez) along with Risk Manager Jaine Gonzalez (Haha)!! Oh!! Don’t for get June Aguilar…That’s what you call “STUPID” Not very Smart at all…. OMG!!!! I’m gonna Cry..
Since you bring up the board president, can someone tell her that when she attends district functions, can she at least show some school district pride and wear PURPLE and not wear jeans. Have some professionalism….
Hello… You are a school board member!! Have some SCHOOL SPIRIT!! we got what we VOTED for unfortunately.
Could it be that since the make up of the school board has really totally changed since the last two elections that the superintendent no longer takes pride in leading the school district to it’s best potential? I agree with “That Girl”, we should have been more careful when we voted last May, or in May 2011.
And “That Girl” and myself are just two voicing our views, their are a lot out there very displeased with the city and school. Just because one member votes along with another member doesn’t make them a puppet. It’s teamwork when it’s for the best of the district or community, and vengence when it’s for personal, selfish reasons.
And I mention the supt. because i recall about 3 years ago the board being very displeased with the employment of an administrator that had a criminal record The supt. I recall it being an oversight. A crucial oversight. Now we have these budget shortages, programs being cut, raises being given, insurance personnel sending out memo’s without his authorization, a suspicous memo being sent to insurance dept. by a national company, an insurance consultant not being upfront with board presentations, a purchasing personnel becomming totally out of line in policy meeting before board and supt. make me wonder what direction the board and superintendent are going to take. Do they need to address the teacher rehire? I think they should. Ms. Cruz had a good idea. Maybe they do need to get an outside consultant to look at budget cuts.
The Superintendent has said that there will no longer be open-enrollment for pre-k students, only the ones that meet the requirement will be excepted. The Superintendent decided upon this because of the $3 million budget shortfall and ur blaming the newly elected members.. Funny! . I truly believe that our superintendent needs to make better decisions in the issues that were already in place for the sake of everyone.
Our Super is “reactive ” and never “pro active” .Why he/school board wouldnt have made these decisions way before school started is beyond me . They new this short fall was comming . But they gave Super a raise anyway?
We need new Super and term limits to these Board members.
To Richard: “A concern all over” … Since when. Each board member allowed the superintendent to cut the PreK Program. They told him to make cuts and he did. Sounds like he did what he was told. Did he use the best judgment? In my opinion, NO! Early childhood education is needed in every school district. The two new board members are to blame along with the returning board members. As a community, we elected each and every one of them. Maybe we should have been more careful this past May when WE VOTED. San Benito got exactly what they VOTED for in May as stated by someone else. How sad for the education of our children.
What a dissapointment on Anna Cruz, and I thought she was smart, too bad she is just Medranos puppet .
@Wera, why? Because she didn’t allow Yliana to tell her what to do? Because she has an independent voice? Because she has enough sense to look into the insurance people Yliana wants, to see if they’re a reputable agency? Which btw, thank god she did, otherwise us teachers and staff would probably have to suffer the consequences with that Salazar group. I don’t agree with everything Mrs. Cruz is about or with the people that she gets advice from, but at least she has made some type of effort to work with all board members and has not formed alliances with board members, like Yliana and June CLEARLY have. This is what it should be like. Board Members working together, Not board members against each other. It’s about the kids. Nothing else.
I keep seeing mentions about certain board members but lets not leave out the others and most importantly Mr. Limon who are also to blame! If we blame one we must blame them all!
I AGREE with Rodeo!…i wonder whats next on their agenda..that will get the ax!!!!!
For all you Pre K Parents that voted for Anna Cruz, Fatima Huerta and Yliana Rodriguez, I hope you are happy now!!! You got what you asked for! NO LLOREN!!!
Board members should be held responsible for letting the upcoming PK students and families down. The voters got exactly what they VOTED for this past May.
What happened to “No Child Left Behind”!!
Did you know that the super is making more than the governor of Texas.
San Antonio is considering increasing sales tax by 1/8 of a cent to pay for PreK in their schools. It is a concern all over.
Seems unwise to cut pre-K, when a variety of studies have shown it has positive impacts on cognition and IQ.
http://www.publicpolicyforum.org/Matrix.htm
FYI, the chief and his assistant were not affected by the budget cuts, not fair IMHO.
Dear Maria, It’s your understanding, so your really not sure, all hear say. That’s ok! we can still agree to disagree. Have a nice day!
Dear Parent, I only brought up that board because you brought up a previous board, that’s all. And the Superintendent works, on some basis, at the direction of the board. My understanding is that Anna Cruz requested that 13k pay raise. As a matter of fact they wanted o give her more. Just ask her. At least we can agree on your last statement. And that is why I voice my concerns and I let people know what is really going on. God help us all!
@Parent, the fact that these individuals are awarded raises during a seriously bad time is the problem here. It sends a bad message to the rest of the SBCISD employees that didn’t get a raise just because they’re not buddies with current board members. You want to talk old boards? Why don’t you talk about the board that brought in Joe D. Gonzalez? They were just as bad as this current board… we could talk for hours! At least the board that brought in Mr. Limon had the decency to give pay raises TO ALL when they could. Which btw, the Mrs. Yliana “I Don’t know how to run a meeting or keep order” Rodriguez voted AGAINST the last teacher pay raises.
@ Maria, Your right! But your current Superintendent was the one that pushed for those individuals to receive raises especially to your administrators knowing the budget downfall. As for Gonzalez that man has long been gone from the district what does the budget downfall have anything to do with him. Were talking about current and present board members. As for Mrs. Yliana, I agree with you, teachers should get at least a cost of living raise at that. I too could talk for hours! I think everyone needs to start working to together and move forward and try and fix what needs to get fixed for the sake of the children and employees.
This is very unfair to these students, personally my son. He was supposed to enroll and all of a sudden this. So bc im not on welfare or homeless or anything like that he cannot go to school. I thought it was a good thing not to be on welfare..i guess not.. Very unjust to these kids.
I am extremely disappointed with SBCISD and their decision to cut back on the Pre K program. After preparing my son by talking to him about what to expect at school, I had to break his heart by telling him he isn’t even getting the opportunity to attend. Instead San Benito chooses to educate only the economically disadvantaged and the bilingual in Pre K. While this is great, it is unfair to the working middle class. Once again the people flocking from our neighboring country benefit from all the opportunities I contribute to as a taxpayer. I used to work for SBCISD and witnessed first hand as parents drove their children into the US from Mexico through the Los Indios Bridge on a daily basis to cash in on the luxuries this district offers such as free lunches(using someone else’s address to attend school). Our students need to be in school learning as soon as possible. Turning away our native born because their parents actually strived in life for a better life is not the answer to your budget cut dilemma.
As I mentioned in a reply to another comment, my son is deeply saddened knowing that he will not be able to attend school. He was so excited when we bought his backpack and other school supplies. Emphasis in early childhood should be encouraged in school districts, but as an early childhood educator, I also know first hand that this isn’t so. 🙁
Exactly! You said it. “since when does it fall on SBICD,to be an entitlement or nanny state/school. Parenting starts at home,people need to stop passing onto their kids,the idea that as long as its free ,just put your hand out and collect on the freebies. While the rest of us pay and “work” ! Why send kids to school if you dont push your kids to be better and get educated.
School Board : Lead by Example. Expect a committment to finish school and be self sustaining/contributing adults from students and parents . Help is short term . Supporting is longterm.,,,we know where we are at
You are right he should start with his salary…Now why do we need a police chief and all this police offices.They dont do nothing just drive around and sit on there fat a**. Security is the one that doses everything that has to be done.But Mr. Limon doses not care about his students if he did he would not hurt his low paying people cause his students came from low income. But what should he care he don’t has Mr. Limon has to GOoooooooo Take the power Take Control…….. Get on top of it…
Let’s not forget the raise given to our Superintendent by the previous board members. But Please! this has been happening with the previous board members for years. Administrators, Family members getting raises, or opening jobs for friends or family members. Why is there such a surprise! Maybe because it was always kept hush hush. Maybe this is why theirs such a bugdet shortfall. School Police officers making 40 plus a year, have you seen what a City San Benito Police officer makes at an enter level way less then that. I really don’t think some of the police officers have 15 plus yrs. and be making that much at that with the school district. This budget shortfall was already there. Previous board members didn’t have the interest of the children either!
Budget cuts? Why did they approve over a 13,000.00 pay pay raise for Dr. Great a month ago? Yes she works in the admin building and is good friends with Anna Cruz. New Board new problems. These people don’t run for the interest of the children!! It all has to do with who controls the jobs and the money. SMH.
They should not do this to these children. Will someone please tell me what the planner/evaluator does? Why not cut the evaluator’s salary or give that title to another administrator and let them earn all of these pay raises. Administrators get raises while the teachers suffer. That is NOT right.
Telling parents this information right before school starts is unbelievable.
I agree with you. I had already purchased clothes and school supplies for my child.
I agree with you. I had already purchased school clothes and supplies for my child.
These new school board members are worthless!!!!
San Benito CISD is top heavy with administration. The average salary for an administrator in SBCISD is significantly higher than the state average. In comparison, the average salary for teachers in SBCISD is significantly lower than the state average. Maybe if San Benito CISD wants to save some money, why don’t they start looking at some administrative salaries and ask those administrators to make sacrifices for the children of the district. Because in the end, it really is about the education of the children, not pocketbooks. Teachers have been asked to do more with less and have so far done ok. Let’s help them do their job to the fullest potential. Give them the supplies and support that they need to do the best job possible. When we start talking about making cuts to budgets and programs, please look at where they can be made without impacting students and their potential. I urge this board and superintendent to ask the really tough questions and make the really tough decisions about how to overcome this budget shortfall. Those decisions may not be popular but popular doesn’t always have the best interests of students in mind.
THANK YOU!!! Now someone has to bring it up to the school board, but most of us are afraid of retaliation.
He should cut his salary.