Follow-Up on Board Discussion Regarding TIDE Academy -- Classified Staff(1 messages)

Dear Chris - AFSCME Union President,

I am writing to follow up on the Board meeting held this evening, November 12, and to make sure you have clear information about the Board's possible action related to TIDE Academy and what it does -- and does not -- mean for classified staff.

At tonight's meeting, a Board Committee reported on its review of enrollment, program offerings, and the District's long-term fiscal health, including TIDE Academy. Following that report, the Board directed the Superintendent to develop a plan for how the District will discuss and consider a possible closure of TIDE Academy, including communication and community engagement. That process plan is scheduled to be shared at a Board meeting on December 10.

This work builds on several years of the District examining its structural deficit and monitoring enrollment at TIDE as part of a broader review of small schools and long-term sustainability. TIDE's very small size and the District's structural deficit are creating difficult tradeoffs that affect both program offerings for students and how we use our resources.

I also want to be very clear about what this means for classified staff at this stage:

• No decision has been made to close TIDE Academy.
• No decisions have been made about classified staffing changes or assignments.
• The current step is about designing a transparent process for discussion and engagement, not about implementing any changes.

If, at some point in the future, any proposed actions were to affect classified positions, the District will adhere to all applicable provisions of the collective bargaining agreement, including any notice, assignment, displacement, layoff, and timeline requirements. Any such conversations would occur in consultation with you and in accordance with our established labor-relations processes.

I know that even the possibility of closure can be deeply unsettling for your members, particularly classified staff who support students, families, and school operations day in and day out. I do not take that impact lightly, and I respect the role you play in advocating for them.

As we develop the December 10 process plan, I want to ensure that classified staff and their union leadership are included as key stakeholders.

TIDE Academy Staff Meeting with the Superintendent
Date: Thursday, November 13
Time: 4:00-5:00 p.m.

Or

Date: Tuesday, November 18
Time: 2:45-3:45 p.m.

Location: TIDE Academy Cafeteria

At this meeting, I will:

• Recap the Board Committee's report from November 12.
• Explain what I have been directed to bring forward at the December 10 Board meeting.
• Share what we know now about the proposed process and timeline.
• Answer as many of your questions as I can, and identify where we will need to follow up with more information.

I strongly encourage you to attend if you are able.

In the meantime, if you are hearing specific questions or worries from your members, I would appreciate you sharing those themes with me so that we can address them as directly and as early as possible in our communications.

Thank you for your partnership and for all that you and your members do in support of students and schools across our District. I know this is a difficult topic, and I am committed to ensuring that our conversations with you are candid, respectful, and timely.

Sincerely,