Volunteer finance committee meets with interim superintendent

Pleasant Valley School District Superintendent Luis Villegas met with a parent group finance committee last week. The group, comprised of parents who volunteered earlier this year to help the district find alternative financing sources, had been meeting with Assistant Superintendents Barbara Davis and Jan Maez.

But Davis and Maez recently left the district. Last week's meeting was the first time Villegas had met with the group.

The committee told him that in previous meetings, they didn't feel the district staff was willing to explore new avenues of income, such as selling advertising space in a school newsletter.

"That's been the most frustrating thing," Rick Christensen said. "I challenge you to mix it up a bit, challenge your staff."

The parent group also asked Villegas to find out whatever became of the city's offer to help the district. Mayor Jan McDonald said at a March school board meeting that the city may be able to help the district search for additional funding sources that could save schools from closing.

Villegas said he would present the groups' concerns at the next school board meeting.

- Michelle Knight