A Rancho Pico Junior High School instructional assistant raised concerns about possible custodial understaffing during a recent William S. Hart Union High School District governing board meeting, saying the issue has negatively affected campus cleanliness, safety, staff morale and the overall learning environment for students.
District officials said staffing reductions were implemented as part of a fiscal stabilization plan adopted during the 2023-24 school year.
During the May 20 meeting, Marisa Caldwell from Rancho Pico Junior High School spoke on behalf of the school’s plant manager, who she only identified as Josh, who has been with the district for over two decades.
“The reality is, the pay from our district is not enough to support for his family, so after working all day at our school, he has to work a second job in the afternoons to make ends meet, like many of our staff,” Caldwell said during public comment at the May 20 meeting. “Rancho Pico is operating with reduced custodial staffing after losing a position and having another custodian out on long-term leave.”
During her public comment, Caldwell also stated that Josh submitted a formal request regarding the custodial staffing crisis at Rancho Pico and was told his request would be taken under advisement, she said.
“Our custodial staff are stretched beyond what is manageable. The district constantly asked us to be team players, yet essential positions continue to be reduced, forcing staff to come here and beg to just be made whole again,” Caldwell said.
Jon Carrino, the district’s assistant superintendent of business services, told The Signal on Tuesday that the district adopted a fiscal stabilization plan during the 2023-24 school year following significant budget reductions. As part of that effort, staffing levels for positions including custodians and groundskeepers were reduced.
Carrino said custodial staffing levels were determined using ratios recommended by the California Association of School Business Officials in conjunction with the Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team, or FCMAT.
FCMAT is a state organization that helps districts when they are undergoing financial hardships, Carrino added.
Carrino said he could not immediately comment on Caldwell’s claim that Rancho Pico has a custodian on long-term leave and was unaware whether the district’s Human Resources Department had contacted the employee referenced during the public comment.
According to Carrino, all junior high schools in the district are staffed with at least four custodians and a plant manager, who oversees custodian operations. Staffing allocations are based on multiple factors, including student enrollment, the number of classrooms, and the overall square footage of each campus.
Because Rancho Pico has one of the district’s smaller junior high school enrollments, Carrino said it may have fewer custodial staff members than some other junior high campuses.
