The William S. Hart Union High School District governing board is expected on Wednesday to appoint three people to administrative positions, one being an interim superintendent.
The board previously met with Leadership Associates, the executive firm tasked with finding candidates for the district’s impending open superintendent position, and decided to lengthen the timeline to allow for greater community input.
“We’re going to get parents, staff, teachers,” board President Linda Storli said in a phone interview on Tuesday. “We’re going to get people from the city. They’ll all have input on what they think we should have.”
The new timeline has a new superintendent starting in January, according to Storli.
“It makes a difference who is at the head of the ship,” Storli said, adding that taking more time to find the right candidate could pay dividends.
In the meantime, the board must choose someone to take over Superintendent Mike Kuhlman’s role as superintendent in an interim manner after Kuhlman announced earlier this year that he will be leaving the district effective June 30.
“It’s really important that we don’t go without a leader,” Storli said.
Also on the agenda for Wednesday’s meeting, set to begin at 7 p.m. at the district’s administrative office, are two other appointments: a principal and an assistant superintendent of student services. The latter role is set to be relinquished by Kathy Hunter, who is retiring.
The board is also expected to look at replacing turf for three high school football fields and hold a public hearing on the 2024-25 local control and accountability plan.
A public hearing is also scheduled regarding providing SoCal Edison with an easement and right of way to “construct, use, maintain, operate, alter, add to, repair, replace, reconstruct, inspect and remove electrical supply systems solely for the purpose of providing electrical power to vehicle charging stations” as the district seeks to shift from a traditional school bus yard to an electric one.
New turf
According to the agenda, the artificial turf that the district uses on its fields typically lasts between eight and 10 years. The turf fields at West Ranch, Golden Valley and Hart high schools are all scheduled for replacement next year, though the district is looking to have the work orders approved now to lock in prices and get on Athletic Field Engineering Sports-AstroTurf’s installation schedule.
“By approving these field replacements now, a year in advance, the district is avoiding a price increase that will take place later this year and allow these fields to get onto AFE Sports/Astroturf’s installation schedule early,” the agenda item reads.
The total cost of replacing the turf at the three campuses would be approximately $2.3 million. The district would not pay for the services until the fields are completed, according to the agenda.
LCAP report
The board is expected to hear a report on the district’s LCAP, which is required by state law for every local education agency to annually update and adopt as part of each district’s local control funding formula.
According to the agenda, the LCAP is required to “describe the actions the LEA is taking to increase or improve services for low-income students, English learners, homeless, and foster youth (referred to as “unduplicated pupils”) as compared to all students, in proportion to the additional funds allocated to the LEA based on the number and concentration of these students.”
Wednesday’s report will include five required components: the annual update to the 2023/24 LCAP, the budget overview for parents, the 2024/25 LCAP, the financial action tables, and the LCAP instructions.
The 2024-25 LCAP is expected to be voted on by the board at the board’s June 26 meeting following Wednesday’s report and hearing.
Electrical bus yard
The governing board approved earlier this year for a public hearing to be held on allowing SoCal Edison to electrify the district’s bus yard. On Wednesday, that hearing is set to be held, followed by the board voting on allowing SoCal Edison to do so.
“The district desires expanded electrical infrastructure on the property to enable the district to charge 17 electric buses,” the agenda reads.
This comes as California legislators are seeking to make the state more economically friendly. In October, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law a target of 2035 for the state to have all school districts have every newly purchased bus be emission-free. Newsom had previously in 2020 signed into law a target of 2045 for all medium and heavy-duty vehicles, such as trucks and buses, to be emission-free.
The district’s bus yard is located at 21429 Centre Pointe Parkway.
Wednesday’s Hart district governing board meeting is set to begin at 7 p.m. at the district’s administrative office, located at 21380 Centre Pointe Parkway. To view the meeting virtually, visit tinyurl.com/yd5xynjs.
