LTUSD School Board: Immunizations, pay raises, improvements and Nevada student plan

The agenda for the Lake Tahoe Unified School District Board of Education on Tuesday, March 8 is a full one. Board members will be addressing the new state law concerning immunizations, new lights for the soccer field at South Tahoe Middle School, a conditioning room and new flooring at South Tahoe High, student privacy, finances, a 4.5% raise for employees, and discuss a tuition agreement with Douglas County Schools. The meeting begins at the District Office at 5:00 p.m. with closed session, with the public portion beginning about 6:00 p.m.

Immunizations

Starting in January, 2016, the Lake Tahoe Unified School District was required to adhere to a new law known as SB 277. Schools in California can now no longer exempt children from vaccinations based on personal beliefs. Those children who already have an exemption on file may use that until their next immunization checkpoint which is at either kindergarten/transitional kindergarten or 7th grade.

At Tuesday's LTUSD School Board meeting, school nurse Margaret McKeen and Superintendent Dr. Jim Tarwater will present the district's plan to communicate to parents, especially as Kindergarten round-up draws near. Nurses and school staff are prepared to answer questions and inform parents of the new law.

In a letter to parents, Tarwater wrote, "SB 277 provides that a student can go without vaccinations if he or she is enrolled in a home-based private school or independent study program and does not receive classroom-based instruction. LTUSD’s Independent Learning Academy (ILA) will not be an available option for families because it does include some classroom-based instruction, however, the District’s Online Learning program is available for students wishing to enroll without vaccinations."

School Improvements

The new conditioning room at South Tahoe High and the lighting on the soccer field at South Tahoe Middle School are also on Tuesday's School Board agenda.

Since being presented to the Board a month ago, STHS has gathered $57,000 in donations from the community to go towards the facility which will be staffed and full of equipment to help reduce injuries. With over 60 percent of the students participating in sports, staff feels the conditioning room will not only help strengthen students, but it will be an added benefit to the school's Sports Medicine program.

The room is expected to cost $97,571 for equipment and supplies, with $95,000 needed for a specialist to work in the room, equipment and items needed to finish off the walls and ceiling in the old cafeteria which is where the proposed room will be housed.

South Tahoe Middle School is slated to receive new lighting which is part of the plan to improve the fields used by the community. The cost of the Musco Sports Lighting system for the STMS Stadium Renovation is $246,357, including sales tax and delivery. This project will be funded by Lake Tahoe Community College Measure F Bond Funds so will be no cost to LTUSD.

South Tahoe High is also planning to replace the hardwood and 32-year-old bleachers in their Blue Gym. The floor will cost $37,950 and the bleachers $169,624. While the gym was renovated in 2012, these two items were not changed.

Nevada Students

For years, students from Douglas County schools at the lake have been able to attend schools in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., at a cost to the parents but now there is a plan to allow students to attend STHS for classes not offered at Whittell High School and not have to attend the school full-time, and Douglas County will pick up the tab.

This agreement will allow Whittell students an opportunity to enroll in elective classes at South Tahoe High School not otherwise offered at Whittell High School. These opportunities provide Whittell's students access to Advanced Placement and Career Technical Education classes which will better position them for college or university admittance.

Under the agreement, upon available space, elective classes would be available to Whittell students in grades 9-12 for regular education and special education. Students will be able to take one class in the fall or spring term on a pro-rata, tuition reimbursement, basis. The current tuition at LTUSD is $5,228 per year, not including transportation. The fall term tuition estimate for one class is $333.96 and spring term is $319.44, which will be paid by Douglas County School District.

Bob Grant, Career Tech/VAPA Coordinator for LTUSD, will also help the Whittell students wanting to attend Lake Tahoe Community College at the same time, which matches the new LTUSD program with the college.