New Santee School Board Trustee Takes Oath of Office

The December 18 Santee School District Board meeting welcomed a new board member, Elana Levens-Craig, to join returning board members Ken Fox, Barbara Ryan, Dustin Burns and Dianne El-Hajj.

Administered by the , Levens-Craig, a former Santee schoolteacher, took the oath of office along with returning board member El-Hajj in front of family, friends and supporters.

“We have a very caring community that supports great schools and a board that values their personnel,” Levens-Craig said. “As a teacher you can’t ask for anything better than that.”

During the meeting a proposal to improve the data system used to organize everything from finance to payroll to personnel, which according to assistant superintendent Karl Christensen should be “replaced and no one is disputing it,” would cost an estimated $533,000 plus a $50,000 annual maintenance fee compared to the $250,000 paid for the current data system.

“The district will also continue with the modernization and facilities programs,” Levens-Craig said. “The state budget, and specifically the Governor’s January budget update and Weighted Student Formula, will have a profound effect on what can be done next year and in the years to come.”

The County would be financing the estimated cost and it would share 50 percent of the cost to facilitate the big transition. This proposal will be further discussed in the first board meeting of 2013 on Jan. 15.

To welcome the year and the new district’s superintendent, the school board will hold a meet and greet community breakfast on Jan. 23 at 7:30 a.m. inside the Educational Resource Center (9625 Cuyamaca St).