Mayberry's 'Cat in the Hat' Reassigned, Kayser Pushing Behind Scenes

We’ve been getting lots of response to our story about Art Avina, the teacher who’s losing his sixth grade class.

We got an update from Art Thursday by email. He said he’s been placed at the Olympic  Primary Center on  South Albany Street in the Westlake area. He will be teaching kindergarten. 

Avina said he’s OK, though discouraged: “Students, parents and teachers called and emailed board members pretty adamantly, but it fell on deaf ears.”

Not so, says Sarah Bradshaw, chief of staff for District 5 trustee Bennett Kayser.

She says Kayser’s been working behind the scenes trying to ensure that there are no staff cuts at Mayberry and several other schools in his district.

Bradshaw also says it’s likely students trying out charter schools will drift back to Mayberry shortly, and push up enrollments.

She couldn’t give us a timeline for an answer.

But we will stick on the case.  Meantime, the clock is ticking for Art Avina and the students at Mayberry School.