SRCS Board Meeting Agenda Analysis - 10/23/19

BOARD MEETING
Santa Rosa City Schools
​October 23, 2019 6:00PM 4:00 p.m. - Closed Session 6:00 p.m. - Open Session Santa Rosa City Hall - City Council Chambers 100 Santa Rosa Avenue, Santa Rosa
Please take time to review the following abbreviated version of the agenda.  Click here to see the entire agenda. It has live links on many items with more information.  If you want to comment on any items, email agendacomments@srcs.k12.ca.us. Please CC wearesrta@gmail.com on your comments.

Regular meetings are televised on local cable channel 27 and re-broadcast the following Saturday at 7:00 PM and again Sunday at 9:00 AM.  Videos of the meetings are also live-streamed and posted on the SRCS YouTube Channel. Link to livestream and videos of prior meetings

Closed Session Items: 
A.1. Public Comment On Closed Session Agenda
B.1. Public Employee Appointment/Employment: Position to be filled: Principal, Vice-Principal
As demonstrated at the last board meeting, students, parents and SRTA members are very concerned about the plans to relocate administrators. Doing this part way through the year is extremely stressful, especially for high school sites that are in the midst of the WASC accreditation process. Site staff values institutional knowledge, which these movements severely hamper.  It takes a great deal of time and energy from a great many people to help administrators orient to new sites. The reasoning behind all these shifts has not been shared with staff. 
B.2. Public Employee Performance Evaluation (Title of employee being reviewed: Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Principals, Vice Principals, Assistant Principals, Directors, Coordinators)
SRTA supports an evaluation process that includes many perspectives.


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B.3. Conference With Labor Negotiator (Name of designated rep attending: Diann Kitamura; Organizations representing employees: SRTA, CSEA)

B.4. Conference With Legal Counsel - Existing Litigation (Case name: Deirdre Solar v. City of Santa Rosa and Santa Rosa City Schools; Sonoma County Superior Court Number SCV-262527

B.5. Conference With Legal Counsel - Anticipated Litigation

C. RECONVENE TO REGULAR OPEN SESSION (6:00 p.m.)
C.11. Public Comment On Non Agenda Items
SRTA members are invited to complete blue speaker cards to speak to the board for up to three minutes, as are all members of the public.  Items not on the agenda are addressed at this time. Items on the agenda are addressed during discussion of the item, using the same blue card.

Speakers are needed at the board meeting to put a face to the messages contained here, and share real experiences of the impact of district policies and practices.  Please commit to attending a board meeting, and speaking to an agenda item that impacts you or your students. Speakers are most impactful when they are well spoken, composed and reasonable.

E. CONSENT ITEMS

E.2. Approval of Personnel Transactions
EdJoin has 200 (40 more than last month) jobs currently posted for SRCS: 28 certificated (1 less than last month), 170 classified (41 more than last month), and 2 management (equal to last month). 37 of the current classified positions are for coaches, and 58 are for classroom student assistants (8 more than last month.) Special Services account for 64 of the current openings in the district (an increase of 7.) 

SRTA hears that the recent Job Fair resulted in 18 potential classified employees.

SRTA celebrates that Genevieve Lilligren (SRMS) has had her part time resignation rescinded for acceptance of a Leave of Absence.  

SRTA welcomes new hire Kimberly Cook-Fallon (LCMS), and welcomes back six rehires Katherine Cauvin (SPSV), Mary Jo Dailey (SPSV), Michael Adams (SPSV),  Rainbow Ashton (LCMS), Julia Horne (EAHS), and Catherine Hallahan-Doran (SPSV). We extend a special appreciation for those coming out of retirement to benefit students for whom we are having a hard time hiring staff to serve.

SRTA acknowledges the resignation of four members: Lisa Cass (HSMS), Ann-Marie Izaba (SRMS), John Sterling (LCMS), and Robert Bryden (SRHS). They leave us with eleven years of service. We wish them well in their future endeavours.

SRCS is welcoming four new classified members. SRTA hopes they can be retained, and find a fulfilling career with SRCS.

We bid farewell to four resigning classified members who leave with four years of service. We thank them all for their service to our staff and students and wish them all the best. 

E.5. Approval of Contracts
Teachers at ABES, HSMS, HCMS, and MCHS, if you are aware of a student experiencing grief, please get them connected to the new SAY Grief Group at your site.

Contract #
Provider
Cost
Description

District Wide


1
Soliant Health/Voco Vision
$63,000
Remote Speech and Language services for unfilled positions @ $99/hour.

Serving Elementary Students


3
The Salvation Army
$0
Provide volunteer tutoring at BHES, SLES, ALES, and JMES.

Serving Secondary Students


2
The Imaginists
$0
An after school theater program for Piner Students supported by a grant from the Community Foundation of Sonoma County.

4
Dana Preston
$650
piano accompaniment for PHS, for $100 less than last year.

E.6. Approval to revise the Project Manager/Behavior Specialist Job description
Since this position has been so hard to fill, SRCS is lowering the requirements. 

E.8. Approval of Employment of Substitute Principal Permit for Indy Monday for Interim Principal at Brook Hill Elementary School 
Ms. Monday will step up into this interim roll from the classroom. This permit expires March 31, when she is expected to qualify to continue to serve through an intern program.

E.9. Approval of Provisional Internship Permit Application (PIP) for Joanna Elizabeth Hakala 
SRTA acknowledges the difficulty SRCS is having attracting and retaining qualified Special Education teachers. This PIP is to allow a credential candidate to teach in place of their student teaching experience. This PIP process places high demands on teachers who are not fully prepared. SRCS must ensure these PIP credential candidates are carefully supported.

F. DISCUSSION / ACTION ITEMS

F.1.  (Action) Resolution Recognizing November 2019 as National Native American Heritage Month  
This is to recognize the rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories; to acknowledge the important contributions of Native Americans, ; to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges Native Americans have faced, both historically and in the present, and to honor the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges. One hundred and forty-seven  students in SRCS are identified as American Indian or Alaskan Native.  

Teachers are invited to browse these ready-to-use lesson plans, student activities, collection guides and research aids for possible incorporation into their classrooms in November.

F.2. (Discussion) Sonoma Corps Pilot Program Update
This is an update on the pilot Piner High School gap year program which is currently serving 13 current seniors.  

F.3. (Discussion) First Amendment to MOU Between the City of Santa Rosa and SRCS Allowing An Alternative To the Construction of Affordable Housing or School Facilities On Fir Ridge Ridge Drive 
This discussion is for the board to provide direction for staff. Fir Ridge (Fountaingrove) property was intended to be used by the district by 1998, for construction of a new school or for much needed affordable staff housing. The agreement has been  extended multiple times. This MOU Amendment allows the district three years to (a) develop affordable staff housing or (b) sell the site, and within one year acquire staff housing or create a revolving loan fund program for staff downpayment assistance or (c) return the property to the city (which would have 5 years to develop affordable housing, or sell the property and use the funds to finance affordable housing.)
SRTA supports a transparent conversation about the future of this property and the state of supporting housing for staff.
In the presentation attached to the agenda a slide states “Development of site – not feasible or provide benefit to employees.” This requires some explanation, because at the special board meeting in June of 2017, it was stated that Fir Ridge housing would be the equivalent, if not better than, recently built Santa Rosa Class A rental housing and that the preliminarily two scenarios appear to be feasible, meaning they would be cost neutral to the district.
To date SRCS has invested ‘significant’ monies into this project. Would those funds be recouped from the sale of the property, or would all proceeds go into the loan program?
In the staff survey, notable numbers of people showed an interest  in below market value housing, and were willing to live in close proximity to other SRCS staff. The survey did not include a long term lease option, or ask if staff would be willing to live in Fountain Grove, just downtown. Specifically, what conclusions are being drawn from this survey for which about 20 percent of staff participated?
SRTA asks for a seat on the Surplus Property 7-11 Committee, should one be established. We ask that the board make this recommendation to staff.
From prior board presentations it was clear that with the definition of low income used, many classified staff could benefit from this program, but very few certificated staff will qualify to participate. What definition of low income will be used as a requirement for the loan program? How many staff are expected to qualify, and how many staff are expected to be included in the program?

F.4. (Discussion) Presentation by the Santa Rosa City Schools Board Members on the Ad Hoc Foundation Incubation Committee About the Formation of a Santa Rosa City Schools Foundation
The board ad hoc committee will report on creating a district wide foundation, with seed money from unrestricted donations to SRCS in the wake of the Tubbs fire. 

F.5. (Discussion) Continuation of Strategic Plan Stakeholder Feedback Summary Analysis
The Board intends to complete their rewrite of the Strategic Plan based on review and analysis of stakeholder feedback begun at the last board meeting. The intention is that it can be adopted at the next board meeting so that an inclusive  LCAP writing process can begin.
Strategic Plan - Current Version

F.6. (Discussion) First Read of Revised Board Policy 4151 Employee Compensation
This adds the statement that initial salary schedule placement for certificated employees shall be based upon Salary Placement Guidelines on the basis of education, training, and work experience.
The new policy appears to be built to help with our ability to attract certificated employees by raising the level they start on the salary schedule, which will help our attraction problem. 
This policy is not retroactive, so it does nothing to help with our ability to retain employees. Theoretically, if some members were to quit, and be rehired, they could gain placement on the salary schedule.

F.7. (Action) First Read (and Optional Approval) of Revised Board Policies

BP 0420.42 - Charter School Renewal 

BP 1100 - Communication with the Public

BP 3290 - Gifts, Grants and Bequests  All cash donations will become the property of the district, to be distributed as they see fit. All athletic sponsorship must be approved by the board. Clarification of these definitions and processes will have to be provided to staff if they are to follow a new procedure.

BP 5141.6 - School Health Services As the district moves to providing School Based Therapists they have the ability to charge medical insurance for these counseling services.

BP 5148.3 - Preschool/Early Childhood Education 

BP 6145.2 - Athletic Competition New addition of defibrillator regulations. The districts system for regularly servicing and replacing the pads on defibrillators is not clear.  

BP 6170.1 - Transitional Kindergarten This policy states that SRCS wants a strong program for these students. The preschool curriculum frameworks developed by the California Department of Education (CDE) are to be taught to these students. PK students can be commingled with 4-year-old students from a California State Preschool Program as long as the classroom does not include students enrolled in TK for a second year.  Similarly, this policy states that students may be placed in the same classrooms as kindergarten students when necessary, provided that the instructional program is differentiated to meet student needs. It is not possible to differentiate two different programs simultaneously with the high transitional needs of our youngest students in these combos. SRCS must decide which programs are worthwhile, and adequately situate them for success, not set unreasonable expectations for the classrooms of these precarious students. A requirement is added that all TK teachers who started teaching TK after 2015 have at least 24 Early Childhood Education units or comparable experience by August 1, 2020. 


BP 6178 - Career Technical Education  This establishes a CTE advisory committee to develop recommendations on the district's CTE program and to serve as a liaison between the district and potential employers. SRTA requests a seat on this committee.

BP 6190 - Evaluation of the Instructional Program The Superintendent shall conduct an evaluation of any new instructional program implemented in the district and shall regularly assess district progress toward increasing student achievement in all subject areas taught in the district. The findings shall be reported to the board, so they can make adjustments as needed. Because of the importance to stakeholders, SRTA requests that these reports be part of the boards public meetings, not reports provided exclusively to the board.

BB 9110 - Terms of Office 

F.8. (Action) Second Read (and Optional Approval) of Board Policy 6174 - Education for English Learners
The policy requires a thorough annual board report on EL programs in the district, as well as regular reports from site ELAC and district DELAC committees. Because of the high concern for the success of our EL students, SRTA expects these reports to be included in board meetings, not through updates exclusively provided to the board.

G. INFORMATION ITEMS

G.1. Future Board Discussion Items

• Lease / Lease Back Montgomery High School
  
• Academic Progress and De-tracking
  
• Parcel Tax Update
  
• Board Policy Review and Adoption
  
• 19/20 First Interim Budget Report
  
• Online Enrollment and Meal Application After Action Report
  
• 18/19 Audit Report
  
• Certificate Specialist Update
  
• SAFS Student Attendance and Behavior Update
  

SRTA looks to the future scheduling of the following tabled items:

• Special CCEIS Update (Disproportionality in Special Education)
  
• Strategic Plan Approval
  
• Update on SBAC, ELPAC
  
• A-G Update
  
• Culturally Responsive, Sustaining, and Humanizing (CRSH) Education and Ethnic Studies
  
• CTE Update
  
• Student Voice Policy
  
• Dress Code
  
• Financial Aid Awareness Month
  
• T & L K-12 Update
  
• Illuminate Update
  
• Emergency Preparedness Discussion
  
• BEST Plus Update
  
• PE update
  
• Goal 2 update: Suspensions, Wellness Center, intras/inters, toolbox
  

G.4. Williams Settlement Quarterly Report
There were thirteen HVAC and one instructional material issues reported and resolved. It appears that filing a Williams Act complaint is the most effective way to get HVAC concerns addressed.


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