Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/726969
Teachers Association President Moira McSweeney. "If it had passed earlier, per- haps we could have avoided closing our school and making the kinds of cuts that were devastating to families and kids." While there's no way of knowing what the outcome would have been if Prop. 30 had been in effect previously, one thing is clear, says McSweeney. "We never want to go back to the days of devastating cuts where school districts have to make such very, very hard choices." Prop. 30 funds alone weren't enough to reopen the school, which is now K-8. Vacaville residents had to dig deep into their pockets to pass a $194 million school bond. Measure A, a construction bond for district schools approved by Vacaville vot- ers in 2014, provided $11 million to fix up Sierra Vista, which has a new multipurpose room and new science classrooms. " Va c av i l l e h a s b e e n v e r y f o r tu n a t e and has rallied for three decades around bond measures," says McSweeney. "But it's time for schools to have a stable and reliable source of funding. We can't just keep going where the pendulum swings, making cuts and rebuilding, making cuts and rebuilding. at is extremely difficult and not cost-effective. Once you get rid of programs, it's hard to build them back up." P r o p . 3 0 's t e m p o r a r y i n c o m e t a x increase is due to expire in two years. CTA and school supporters are working hard to pass Prop. 55, which will continue to pro- vide billions for schools without raising taxes by ensuring the wealthiest Califor- nians continue to pay their share. Deo Persaud , the district's associate superintendent, is a strong supporter of Prop. 55. He believes that it's necessary for voters to vote yes because it will provide schools with adequate funding to meet the needs of students. " T h e p re s e r v a t i o n of i n st r u c t i o n a l programs for our students is our highest priority," he explains. "An extension of Prop. 30 — with Prop. 55 — positions us best to accomplish this goal. For this reason, we are in support of Prop. 55." For Kathy Steiert, the reopening of her beloved school was like coming home. She had taught at Sierra Vista for five years. When it closed, she was heartbroken. "It was a very emotional and very sad time," recalls the VTA member, who returned in August to teach second grade. "We were a very close-knit staff and school. In some ways, it was like breaking up a family." When she first heard the school was reopening, she didn't know what to think. She was close to retirement and didn't plan on changing schools again. But when she found out her principal at Callison Elemen- tary School was relocating, she wanted to come along. "I wanted to be a part of the reopening," says Steiert, one of two returning teachers. "e first day of school was special. It was wonderful. Lots of people came in during weekends to prepare for it. We wanted to make the reopening perfect. Everybody was so excited." Steiert is also a strong proponent of Prop. 55. "Obviously, we need stable funding. No children, parents or staff should ever have to go through the closing of a school. It's a huge disruption for student learning. It's awful. We need to make sure these kinds of things never happen again." Facing page: Sierra Vista Elementary celebrates its reopening this year after being shut down during the recession. Left: Kathy Steiert is one of two returning teachers. "We never want to go back to the days of devastating cuts where school districts have to make very, very hard choices." — MOIRA McSWEENEY, Vacaville Teachers Association president 29 September 2016 THE RECESSION YEARS RIFS ISSUED TO CALIFORNIA EDUCATORS Reduction-in-force notices issued by the March 15 deadline from 2007 to 2016, show- ing the massive wave of pink slips during the recession and the big drop after the passage of Prop. 30 in 2012. (Figures are not neces- sarily the final layoff numbers, since many were rescinded.) Compiled by Amy Braden. 29 September 2016 838 March 15 RIFs Year 407 28,478