Letter: Open mind about school budget

EDITOR,
In the interest of staying informed about the budget woes of Scotts Valley and California schools in general, I attended the Scotts Valley School District budget meeting on Feb. 2.
Let me begin by saying how impressed I was with Karen Jelcick’s ability to unravel and explain the complex funding and budget process that California school districts grapple with on a yearly basis.
Second, I must say how impressed I was with the community attendance. The 100-plus people who were there were sincerely concerned about the future of our schools, asked relevant questions and were willing to offer ideas and do what they can to help maintain the quality of education our district provides.
As a teacher in the district, I understand that I, and all district employees, serve at the pleasure of the public. If the desire of the public is to retain teachers and keep class sizes as low as possible, I feel it is the district’s obligation to provide a forum where ideas and suggestions can be offered and sincerely heard. We must not lose this opportunity to capture the energy and community desire to help that was present at the budget meeting.
Let’s be open to new ideas, be prepared to think outside the box and keep the welfare of our children as our focus. We must think globally — yes, write to Sacramento — but act locally!