Shalhoub succeeds Clegg as Coast Unified board president

After five years as board president, Del Clegg declined a nomination to continue in that role at Thursday night’s meeting of Coast Unified School District trustees.

Clegg instead nominated Samuel Shalhoub, who was elected to the position in a 5-0 vote, while Clegg took over as board clerk, also on a unanimous vote.

In their last meeting before the holiday break, trustees heard a report from Cambria Grammar School Principal Jill Southern on the school’s Response to Intervention literacy program.

Southern said that 40 percent of students at the Grammar School met or exceeded expectations in English, with 12 percent of English Language Learners (ELL) falling into that category.

She added, however, that 84 percent of former ELL students who had been reclassified as proficient met or exceeded expectations. This figure was all the more noteworthy, she said, because it surpassed English-only students’ 74 percent.

Southern said the program “isn’t just reading. It’s a comprehensive language arts delivery, so there’s a lot of writing happening.”

In other business, the board heard a budget update that showed district reserves declining from 5 percent in 2017-18 to 2.37 percent in 2019-20. The board, faced with rising retirement costs, will address budget issues and consider potential areas for savings at its next meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11, at the Old Cambria Grammar School.

Also on the district’s upcoming calendar, Cambria Grammar School will host a discussion with a panel of experts on how students interact with technology. That session is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17, in the multipurpose room. Child care and translation will be provided.

This story was originally published December 14, 2017 at 9:01 PM with the headline "Shalhoub succeeds Clegg as Coast Unified board president."