Ashland Incoming School Superintendent Sees No Major Changes Immediately
Incoming School Superintendent Sees
No Major Changes Immediately
4/12/24
By David Runkel
Incoming Ashland School Superintendent Dr. Joseph Hattrick assured the school board last night that he will “not make huge changes right away” and that his first priority “will be to meet the community.”
Although he does not take up his responsibilities until July 1, Dr. Hattrick has already toured all Ashland school facilities and met with administrators, teachers and students. As part of his getting to know Ashland, he stopped in at last night’s Ashland Rotary Club’s annual fundraiser at the Ashland Hills hotel.
Hattrick is coming to Ashland from a smaller school district in Rainier, on the Columbia River west of Portland.
At the school board meeting, several challenges he faces were discussed. Number one being the current budget crisis which has been blamed on overspending. The current estimate of the district’s ending balance this fiscal year dropped to $600,000 in this month’s financial report, from $900,000 a month ago.
In response to a question, Business Services Director Scott Whitman said the district probably “held off too long” before taking steps in the year to rein in spending. The district also needs to take a look at its budget projection process. The school Budget Committee will hold its first meeting on next year’s budget at 7 p.m. April 17 at the district office, 885 Siskiyou Avenue.
Whitman said there was a possibility of some additional state revenue, but wouldn’t put a figure on it.
One proposed budget cut for next year – elimination of school librarians – was decried at the meeting by representatives of teachers and the current library services manager Matt Damon. He argued that in this “age of information” students need the help of trained librarians.
In February, the district cut 23 full time positions, including the librarians at the high school, middle school and elementary schools. Nineteen employees were notified that their jobs are being eliminated at the end of the school year in mid-June and six other positions will not be filled.
On a brighter but long-term side, Board Member Jill Franko said the current high school athletic field at the southeast corner of East Main Street and North Mountain Avenue has been identified as a potential site for affordable housing construction.
She pointed out that units built there could provide housing for “teachers and staff members” who have trouble finding affordable places to live in the city, as well as others in the “missing middle” of the economy.
Franko, who has led a committee looking into ways to reverse the declining enrollment in city schools, is working with a consulting firm, Sunstone, on a Request for Proposal for the non-profit development of the site.
There are more children in multi-family housing units than in single-family homes, she reported. The student population at just above 2,500 is down 300 students from 2017.
