Tehachapi School Board Update
On Aug. 22, Tehachapi Unified School District held its second board meeting of the month. With the starting of the 2023-24 school year and the surprise visit from hurricane-force storms, there was much to discuss.
TUSD's custodial team did a fantastic job at both mitigating and cleaning up the aftermath of tropical storm Hilary experienced by Tehachapi on Aug. 19 and 20. The team spent all day Monday meticulously inspecting each and every room at each school to assess damages and make sure the rooms were safe for instructional use. By Tuesday, the schools were reopened. Many people expressed their gratitude and amazement at the team's rapid and organized effort.
Earlier this year, the custodial team's structure was altered to add a lead custodian position at each school as a liaison between the custodial team and administration. The administration, leads and their teams all stood to impress on the board how satisfied they were with the new arrangement. The better communication and organization makes for a much faster and smoother operating team, as clearly demonstrated by TUSD's custodial team's response to the recent storm.
Snargg and Plory, an adorable blue and orange pair of alien friends who visit elementary schools to encourage children to be excited about learning, dropped in at the meeting for an introductory dance. The pair also teach children via online courses by i-Ready, an online instructional resource.
The board reminded parents that while each school has slightly different rules on cellphone use, none of them allow cellphone use in the classroom, except in case of emergency or by admin approval. Tehachapi schools continue to struggle with keeping cellphones out of the classroom.
The next board meeting will be Sept. 12 at 5 p.m. at the Claude E. Wells district offices, 300 S. Robinson St., Tehachapi. Stop in on Sept. 5 at Kohnen's Bakery, 125 W. Tehachapi Blvd. Ste. D, from 7:30 to 10 a.m., for the opportunity to meet and chat with your superintendent at TUSD's Sipping with the Supe.