PUSD: PMA gets $2.4M boost
Military academy on track to open in Aug.
Porterville Unified School District’s goal of establishing a military academy got a major boost last week with the release of Governor Jerry Brown’s 2018-19 budget, in which he allotted $2.4 million from the state’s General Fund to aid in hiring staff and obtaining equipment for the school.
Brig. Gen. James Gabrielli, director of the California Military Department’s Youth and Community Programs, made the announcement in person to board members and the public at the PUSD board meeting last week.
“What this means to the community is we will be bringing 11 soldiers or airmen to help start the Porterville Military Academy, led by Maj. David Archer,” said Gabrielli. “Along with that, we’ll be bringing some additional resources for the cadets that enroll in that program. In other words, we’ll be providing them a dress uniform, a Class C working uniform and physical training uniforms, along with tremendous training opportunities throughout the state for them to interact with other cadets in our California Cadet Corps.”
The announcement was met with a round of applause from all in attendance, and the board meeting was briefly adjourned to take photos of the occasion.
“We are very appreciative of the efforts of Governor Brown and his staff to help our students,” PUSD Superintendent Dr. Ken Gibbs said. “We believe the Porterville Military Academy will be a tremendous addition not only for our district, but for our community.”
The PMA is scheduled to open in August for the start of the 2018-19 school year as part of PUSD’S Pathways program.
The first PMA class will consist of seventh, eighth and ninth grade students, and the academy will eventually educate students from grades 7-12. As a charter school, the PMA will be able to provide free transportation for students.
PUSD representatives said the district had budgeted for staff and equipment regardless of the announcement by the state, but the $2.4 million contribution allows them to expand services at the PMA as well as other PUSD sites.
In the process of hiring active military teachers, the district might be able to utilize those with teaching credentials in other areas to expand the subjects being taught at the academy.
The creation of the academy concludes several years of planning, hoping, and waiting for the California Cadet Corps as well as PUSD. Gibbs said the district began meeting three years ago with Cal Cadet Corps to start planning the school.
“I was inspired by the inspiration and dedication of this community several years ago when this concept of the PMA first came to fruition in the district,” said Gabrielli. “Each and every year behind the scenes we were working to become full partners in the establishment of PMA, and when Governor Brown released his budget, Cal Guard and the PMA were in his budget.”
Gabrielli said that the California Cadet Corps currently numbers 6,000 cadets, but Governor Brown has also funded them to increase to 20,000 over the next five years.
Jason Pommier, public information officer for PUSD, said that the district was very pleased, but not entirely surprised by the Governor Brown’s announcement, given his commitment to developing military academies throughout the state. When he was mayor of Oakland in 2001, Brown founded the Oakland Military Institute — the first charter ever sponsored by the state, the first public military school, and the first school sponsored by the National Guard.
“Our existing military academies have tremendous results — best in the state, best in the country, and so we expect that same level here once we get the program up and running,” said Gabrielli.
“This is a special program, and we’re expecting great things. I believe Dr. Gibbs when he told me this is going to be a flagship program that the Governor, the state of California and all of us can be very proud of.”