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PGUSD approves extended calendar for licensed mental health therapists to cover ESY; vote 4-0 with one abstention
Summary
The Pacific Grove Unified School District Board approved a revised work calendar for licensed mental health therapists that extends the work year to cover extended school year (ESY) services for students on IEPs, keeping annual pay unchanged. The motion passed 4–0 with Trustee Atmar abstaining.
The Pacific Grove Unified School District Board of Education voted to approve a revised salary schedule and extended work calendar for the district’s licensed mental health therapist positions so they can provide services during the extended school year (ESY) for students on individualized education programs (IEPs).
The change extends the position calendar from 185 days to 217 days — of which 14 are recognized local holidays — leaving 203 workdays. Chief Human Resources Officer Buck Rogemann said the district will still classify the positions as classified employees who earn one vacation day per month (up to 10 vacation days), which means the maximum number of days actually worked could be about 193 in a given year. Rogemann told the board, “In the past, we've been under contract with Monterey County Behavioral Health. And now that we are going to have our own mental health therapist serving the special education needs of our students, this extended calendar is necessary.” He added the annual pay rate remains the same and that there is “no fiscal impact as the annual pay for the licensed mental health therapist remains the same.”
Why it matters: Bringing mental health therapists on staff is intended to close a service gap for students who require therapy during ESY after the district’s contract with Monterey County Behavioral Health ends June 30. The district says the change will let PGUSD-employed therapists provide continuity of care for those students during the summer program.
Board discussion and public comment focused on staff workload and family communication. Trustee Atmar asked whether therapists had accepted the change and said she wanted to “make sure that our mental health therapists are feeling solid about the increase in days that they're working because I want our mental health therapists to be mentally healthy.” Rogemann said he had spoken with some therapists and would share additional feedback with trustees. Trustee Shamas urged staff to notify families whose services will shift from county-contracted providers to PGUSD-employed therapists, noting the June 30 contract end date and saying, “I want to make sure we're closing that gap and making sure they understand, that they will still continue to receive services, and it will be from a PGUSD employed therapist.”
Votes at a glance: Motion to approve the salary schedule and extended calendar for licensed mental health therapists — mover: Clerk McNary; second: Trustee Shamas; roll-call vote: Dr. Hazen: Yes; Clerk McNary: Yes; Trustee Atmar: Abstain; Trustee Shamas: Yes; Trustee Wax: Yes. Tally: Yes 4, Abstain 1. Outcome: approved.
What happens next: Staff will post the positions under the revised calendar and proceed with the district’s hiring process.
Sources: presentation and discussion by Buck Rogemann, Chief Human Resources Officer; trustee remarks during the April board meeting.
