Welcome to the Plum Canyon website! Here you will find website and email links for teachers, the latest Panther Press, educational links, information about our new NASA program, useful calendars, and more! Please keep the site bookmarked so you can easily get the latest and greatest information!
Upcoming Events
5/18 2:09 Dismissal for All Grades K - 6
5/22 Young Authors Day 5/24 Open House 6:30PM Minimum Day 12:35 Dismissal for All Students 5/25 NO SCHOOL 5/28 Memorial Day No School 5/29 Book Fair All Week 6/1 Parent Picnic - Track and Field Day 2:09 Dismissal for All Grades K - 6 6/5 Underwood Farm Field Trip 6/6 Awards Assembly 1st & 2nd Grade 8:30am Riley Farm Field Trip SCV Field Trip 6/7 Awards Assembly 5th Grade 8:30am Science Center Field Trip 6/8 Awards Assembly 6th Grade 8:30am Minimum Day 12:35 Dismissal 6/11 Awards Assembly 3rd & 4th Grade 8:30am Magic Mountain Field Trip 6/12 6th Grade Softball Game 6/13 6th Grade Promotion 8:30am Last Day of School Minimum Day Dismissal 12:35 Bell Schedule
8:15 Classes Begin
2:10 Primary Dismissal 3:00 Upper Grade Dismissal Visit the Plum Canyon PTA website!
Click on the logo to visit PTA's Plum Canyon site. Get your latest updates on PTA happenings, events, fundraisers, and more.
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State Budget F.A.Q.
How much funding does the district receive per student annually?
The Saugus Union School District is the lowest funded school district in Los Angeles County based on a formula instituted in the 1970s. The district currently receives $4,930 per student based on attendance. The state reports $6,210 per student but then deficits the amount by 20.6%. In addition, no Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) has been given in four years. Why doesn’t the district lobby for a higher amount? Although equalization efforts have been made over the years, the current state and federal economic downturn has effectively squelched all efforts. How much would the district receive if fully funded? Full funding in Saugus would result $64 million instead of the $51million it receives, a difference of $13 million annually. Why does the district have a $6.7 million dollar budget shortfall? The state continues to reduce funding as well as defer funding from one year to the next. The costs of good and services continue to increase. The governor’s proposed budget also includes a $370 per pupil funding cut in November should the ballot initiative fail. The district has a $3 million shortfall and then also must plan for a loss of $3.7 million dollars that necessitates severe budget reductions. Does the district receive funding when a student is absent? The district only receives funding for each day a student actually attends school. The district attendance average is 96% which means we do not realize approximately $2.1 million in funding annually due to absences. The state does not take fixed operational costs into consideration in their calculations. What cuts has the district already taken? Over the past five years, the district has reduced many expenditures, including teacher layoffs, five assistant principal positions, closed Bouquet Elementary, relocated Emblem Elementary to Highlands, increased K-3 class size to 25:1 (current class average 22.4), swept state designated categorical program funds, reduced balances in Deferred Maintenance and other contingency funds, did not fill open positions, eliminated bus routes, summer schools and contracts for the front landscaping at sites, and negotiated employee concessions. What cuts are planned for next year? With an anticipated $6.7 million shortfall and 86% of the budget being personnel costs, the district must reduce the number of teachers, increase class size, sweep additional contingency and program funds to remain fiscally solvent. Negotiations with employee groups will also continue. Why are so many teachers receiving layoff notices? The law requires that the board take action and notify certificated staff by March 15 if their position may be eliminated. The state budget is not final and further reductions from the state must be taken into consideration. Final notifications are made by May 15 once staffing for the 2012-13 school year is complete. Seventeen of those notifications account for decreased enrollment from 2011-12. Increases in student enrollment and attendance will decrease the number of layoff notices. Teachers who receive notices have first rights to substitute teaching in 2012-13 and will be reinstated based on seniority if student enrollment increases. What are current class sizes? Classes in grades 4-6 are staffed at 30:1 with a district average of 28.7. Yes, there are some classes with 33 or 34 students, however, the district average cannot be more than 31.4 students. Classes in grades K-3 are staffed at 25:1 with a district average of 22.4. The class size reduction program funding does not cover the total cost of reduced class size. Will class sizes increase? Classes in grades 4-6 will be staffed at 31:1, however, the district average cannot be more than 31.4 students per class. Classes in grades K-3 will increase to 30:1, however, the district average cannot be more than 30 students per class. |
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Suggested School Supplies for 2011-2012
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Plum Canyon Documentary by Plum Alum, Jacob Charton
This beautiful video was featured at a Saugus Union School District Board Meeting in 2010. It captures moments and thoughts about our beautiful school.
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Contact the school:661-294-5365 Contact Webmaster
