Gary Moskowitz
Behind every teacher, principal and administrator are school district
employees like Rita La Face.
La Face is an account clerk for the Student Support Services
Department at the Glendale Unified School District. In recognition of
Classified School Employee Week, district officials treated La Face
and about 170 classified district employees to a free lunch on
Thursday.
Classified employees are district personnel like maintenance
workers, custodians and clerical staff who do not have teaching
credentials.
"If you don't have people doing things like typing up forms,
answering phones and making purchases, things wouldn't happen," La
Face said. "You have to have the support. That's an important role in
everything that needs to happen here."
Supt. Michael Escalante was joined by several district officials
in serving employees hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, corn and baked
beans during Thursday's luncheon at district headquarters.
School board Vice President Mary Boger and other officials
referred to classified employees as the backbone of the district.
"It's a well-kept secret that without our school secretaries, very
few of our teachers and administrators could their job as well as
they do," Boger said.
Earlier this month, board members approved the elimination of five
classified positions, effective July 1. Those positions are a typist
clerk, an education assistant and three warehouse worker/drivers.
Those employees will be moved into other positions.
Because of state budget cuts, the district has cut about $7
million from its 2004-05 school year budget. Classified employees and
teaching staff will not be laid off this year, but vacant positions
are not being filled and many administrators and classified staff
will have different job assignments next year.
