Members of the public may address the Board on items listed on the closed session agenda. Speakers are limited to three minutes each (Board Bylaw 9323(5)).

Ekube v. Santa Rosa City Schools

In celebration of the Week of the School Counselor (Feb. 6-10), SRCS would like to thank our school counselors for being actively engaged in helping students examine their abilities, strengths, interests and talents; for working in a partnership with parents as they encounter the challenges of raising children in today's world; for focusing on positive ways to enhance students' social/personal, educational and career development; and working with teachers and other educators to provide an educational system where students can realize their potential and set healthy, realistic and optimistic aspirations for themselves. Professional school counselors are certified, experienced educators with a master's degree in guidance and counseling. The combination of their training and experience makes them an integral part of the total educational program.

Members of the public may address the Board on matters within the subject matter of its jurisdiction. Please submit a Speaker Card to the Board Secretary prior to the meeting being called to order. Upon recognition by the Board President, please approach the podium. The Board shall take no action or discussion on any item not appearing on the posted agenda, except as authorized by law (BB 9323(2)). Speakers are limited to three minutes each (BB 9323(5)). Should a member of the public have comments that pertain to a complaint against an employee of the District, the Board advises that the matter should first be pursued using the appropriate district complaint procedure (BB 9323(6).

The Board will consider approval of the absence of Board Member(s), if necessary, due to illness, jury duty, or due to a hardship deemed acceptable by the Board in accordance with Education Code Section 35120.

The Board will consider approval of the personnel transactions submitted. 

Staff is presenting Personnel Transaction items for Board approval.

The Board will consider approval of the vendor warrants submitted.  The attached warrant register lists all vendors for the period 12/23/16 through 1/12/17 for a total of $2,465,293.75. A summary by fund is located at the end of the vendor warrants.

Staff is presenting the following Fiscal Services’ items for Board Approval:

1.  Warrant Register Summary
2.  Warrant Register List

The financially significant vendor warrants include:

Warrants for the period December 23, 2016 through January 12, 2017 total $2,465,293.75. Total warrants paid from July 1, 2016 through January 12, 2017 for the District total $36,479,879.93.

The Board will consider approval of the donations and gifts submitted.

Parents, students, community members, and businesses make donations and give gifts to the schools on a regular basis. Donations come in the form of money, goods, or services. These donations are appreciated and welcomed by the schools and departments.

Donations received since the last Board report on January 11, 2017 is $26,957.00. This brings the year to date total for donations District-wide to $285,711.52.

 The Board will consider approval of the contracts submitted.

Staff is submitting requests from various schools and departments to hire individual contracts or consulting firms to provide specified services.  For fiscal and learning impacts, see the attached summary sheet.

The Board will consider approval of Resolution 2016-17/038 to declare approximately 940 non-operable electronics and miscellaneous items as obsolete and of insufficient value and authorize staff to sell and/or dispose of the items.

All of the equipment identified in the Disposal of Obsolete Computers, Related Equipment and other Electronics document is over three years old (most of it much older) which is the generally accepted threshold for determining whether it has any resale value.  The identified equipment has predominantly been used for instructional applications and has been replaced by newer equipment during the last two or three years.  With the exception of some old units that were relocated from school sites to the District Warehouse, most of the units have been stored at school sites that can use occupied space for other purposes.  The quantity of items at each site could increase slightly between preparation of this agenda item and actual disposal since new electronic items are arriving daily to replace the obsolete equipment.

From time to time, the Board acts on recommendations to declare old equipment as surplus and to authorize disposal by the appropriate means, most recently was on July 27, 2016.

Electronic waste will be picked up and removed from the District at no cost. Items that are not picked up will be disposed of at the District’s expense.

 The Board will consider approving a Specially Designed Academic Instructional (SDAIE) Variable Term Waiver Request in Career Technical Education (CTE) Dance Teacher to the State of California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) for Tanya Tolmasoff.

This SDAIE Variable Term Waiver Request in CTE Dance Arts will allow the district to fill a .40 FTE Art Quest dance teaching position at Santa Rosa High School for the 2016-2017 school year with Tanya Tolmasoff, who is currently enrolled in a CTE credential program.

This .40 FTE position will be funded by a CTE Foundation Renewal Grant Award.

The Board will consider approving a Specially Designed Academic Instructional (SDAIE) Variable Term Waiver Request in Career Technical Education (CTE) Drama/Theater Arts to the State of California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) for Sheri Miller.

This SDAIE Variable Term Waiver Request in CTE Drama/ Theater Arts will allow the district to fill a 1.0 drama teacher position at Santa Rosa High School for the 2016-2017 school year with Sheri Miller, who is currently enrolled in a CTE credential program.

 This 1.0 FTE position will be funded by a CTE Foundation Renewal Grant Award.

The Board is being asked to approve the publication of the 2015-2016 School Accountability Report Cards (SARCs) for all district school sites on the Santa Rosa City Schools' website. 

Pursuant to Board of Education Policy 0510, the District will publish the SARC on or before February 1^st of each year after the Board formally approves the publication of the documents. SARCs are hosted by the California Department of Education at http://sarconline.org. The current SARC is linked for each school on the SRCS website in addition to the two previous years’ SARCS.

Historically, the California Department of Education (CDE) has pre-populated the majority of data into the SARC template including class size data. On January 10^th, 2017, the CDE notified all school districts that the class size data would not be available in time to meet the February 1 SARC posting deadline. CDE indicated the data would be available after February 1 with no definite date. CDE also stated it is up to the individual school districts to accurately populate all data. Based on SRCS data, staff calculated class size data. Using historical data from the CDE for comparison purposes, it is unclear the algorithm they use to make their final calculations of this particular data set. Once the official data is released from the CDE via the Data Quest website, staff will update the SARCs if needed and resubmit to the Board for approval. Per CDE, this is an acceptable method to ensure correct data is published. All other data was populated as expected

Due to the excessive volume of printed documents, a link has been provided for review of all schools’ SARCs: http://www.srcs.k12.ca.us/District/SB/Documents/SARC_Previews/

The Board will consider approval and award of the Bid for the CTE Culinary Mobile Food Truck to support the culinary arts program at Maria Carrillo and Piner High Schools. 

On November 9, 2016, the Board approved a Request for Bids for a food truck (now referred to as the Culinary Mobile Unit) for the Culinary Arts Programs at Maria Carrillo and Piner High Schools. The Board was advised that funds for the purchase of the truck would come from the $950,000 Career Technical Education Incentive Grant (CTEIG) grant that was accepted by the Board on May 11, 2016. 

A request for bids for the purchase of the Culinary Mobile Unit was advertised in The Press Democrat, on the District's website and on a Food Truck Website Forum. The two (2) bids received were from Vending Food Trucks, Inc. and California Food Trucks Inc. The bids were opened by District Staff on December 12, 2016. 

The results of the bid were reviewed and evaluated by District Staff (CTE Director, CTE Culinary Program Teachers, Director of CNS, & Director of M&O). Vending Food Trucks, Inc. was not selected. District staff in consultation with legal counsel found that there was improper submission of key elements related to the bid. Staff determined that the most responsive and responsible vendor was California Food Trucks, Inc. for a number of reasons including:

• Management of Workload / Timeline 
• Warranties

Upon award of the bid, District staff will obtain signed contract documentation from California Food Trucks, Inc. In addition, staff will work with California Food Trucks, Inc. on the design of the full custom exterior truck wrap (a component of the bid). The estimated completion date of the unit is June 1, 2017. 

$149,243.99- The Career Technical Education Incentive Grant (CTEIG) 

The Board will consider approval of the issuance of a Request for Bids (RFB) for the purchase of one truck for the Santa Rosa High School Ag Program, one truck for the Elsie Allen High School Ag Program and two vans for District-Wide CTE Programs. 

The Career Technical Education Incentive Grant (CTEIG) is a state initiative with the goal of providing students with the knowledge and skills necessary to transition to employment and post-secondary education upon graduation.  On May 11, 2016, the Board accepted the CTEIG funding in the amount of $950,000.  CTEIG funding will be utilized to purchase the following:

• A 2017 heavy duty type truck for the Elsie Allen High School Agriculture Department
• A 2017 heavy duty type truck for the Santa Rosa High School Agriculture Department
• Two 2017 passenger wagons/vans for the District CTE Programs

The estimated cost of all four vehicles is $170,000.

With the growth of the Agriculture programs at both sites, a third vehicle is needed to transport students to FFA Leadership Conferences and Career Development activities. Additionally, the truck will be utilized by program teachers for Supervised Agricultural Experiences project visitations and to transport student FFA projects to the fair. The transit wagons are being purchased for all CTE programs to use to transport students to work-based learning opportunities, Career Technical Student Organization events, and other CTE program activities. 

The anticipated release date of the RFB is January 30, 2017. Bids will be due to the District Office no later than February 13, 2017. All bids will be reviewed and a successful bid will be presented to the Board for approval on February 22, 2017.

Career Technical Education Incentive Grant Funds will be used to purchase the vehicles.  

The Board will consider the approval of the proposed Part-time Interim Chief Business Officer (CBO) Salary Schedule while recruiting for this open position.

While recruiting for a new Chief Business Officer, the interim will provide the necessary support to continue the operations of the business office.

The Board will consider approval of Resolution 2016-17/039 Recognizing February 6-10, 2017 as Week of the School Counselor.

National School Counseling Week, sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), will be celebrated from Feb. 6–10, 2017, to focus public attention on the unique contribution of professional school counselors within U.S. school systems and how students are different as a result of what school counselors do. National School Counseling Week highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career.

Santa Rosa City Schools is fortunate to have a strong base of School Counselors. Through LCAP funding under Goal 2, The Santa Rosa School Board has recognized the need for additional support in the area of Elementary Counselors, College and Career Counselors and our Support Our Language Learners (SOLL Counselors). Together their positive impact on the lives of students and staff has been tremendous. We take a moment to recognize them tonight.

The Board will consider approval of Resolution No. 2016-17/040 in opposition to Betsy DeVos, Nominee for Secretary of Education.

President Trump has called for the nomination of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education of the United States, a candidate without any credentials or practice as an educator or in the administration and management of public schools, whose children did not attend public educational institutions, who has demonstrated a lack of knowledge regarding the rights of students with disabilities under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and who has exhibited a predisposition against funding for public schools, including a well-documented advocacy for school voucher programs, which by their very nature eviscerate free and appropriate public education for specific economic, social and racial groups.

Ms. DeVos has been at the forefront of the establishment of the Detroit charter school initiative, by all accounts an abject failure which hurt students, particularly those of certain socioeconomic and ethnic/racial backgrounds, and enriched the coffers of private companies.  

We recommend that the Board oppose the confirmation of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education, and until such time as the Trump administration presents a formal vision for the future of public education in the United States of America will continue to oppose such a nomination, and calls upon the United States Senate to stand firm by opposing this nominee and affirming this serious need.

The Board will consider approval of Resolution No. 2016-17/036 declaring February as Career Technical Education Month for Santa Rosa City Schools. 

Career Technical Education (CTE) Month is a public awareness campaign the Association of Career and Technical Education holds each February to celebrate the achievements and accomplishments of CTE programs. CTE Month serves to recognize the importance of CTE programs in every student's education, and builds awareness among policymakers, business leaders and the public of the high-quality educational experiences available in CTE programs. CTE Month also recognizes the ongoing leadership and excellence from classrooms across the country, and raises awareness around the crucial role that CTE has in readying our nation for economic success and workforce competitiveness.

The Board will consider approval of Resolution 2016-17/037 Authorization of Personnel to Sign Orders on District Funds.

This will authorize, empower, and update the signatories for District banking. This resolution delegates to specific officers of Santa Rosa City Schools the authority to sign orders for the payment of lawful expenses of the District on funds of the District.

The Board will consider approval of Resolution No. 2016-17/035 proclaiming February 2017 as African-American History Month in Santa Rosa City Schools.

During National African-American History Month, we pay tribute to the contributions of past generations and reaffirm our commitment to keeping the American dream alive for the next generation, and we celebrate the rich legacy of African-Americans and honor the remarkable contributions they have made in perfecting our Union.  In honor of those women and men who have paved the way for us, and with great expectations for those to follow, let us continue the righteous cause of making America what it should be -- a Nation that is more just and more equal for all its people. 

Cook Middle School has implemented a "Mindfulness" program for the 2016-2017 school year. This presentation will outline the development of that program, the assessed needs of the staff and students and the mid-year outcomes of the program.

 The Board will receive an update on various topics related to Career Technical Education.

The Board will receive an update on the Career Technical Education (CTE) programs, which will include information on the formation of a District CTE Advisory Committee, post-secondary partnerships, Career Technical Student Organizations, CTE credentialing, CTE professional development opportunities, and data related to CTE program offerings. In addition, the Board will receive an update on Linked Learning initiatives. 

The Board will consider approval of the appointments of members to the Measure L Citizen's Oversight Committee for the expenditure of Proposition 39 funds. 

Proposition 39 requires that Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee convene to review expenditures of the bond program.  SRCS is actively trying to fill vacant positions in the committee.  

This Board action will place the following individuals on the Measure L Citizens' Oversight Committee:

Jessica Rasmussen - Parent or Guardian Member 

Judith O'Donnell - Parent or Guardian Member / PTA Member

COC Information

• COC consists of at least seven members
• No District employee, official, vendor, contractor or consultant may serve on the COC
• COC must include at least 1 person from each of the following categories
  • Active in a business organization representing the business community
  • Active in a senior citizens' organization
  • Active in a bona fide taxpayers' organization
  • A parent or guardian of a child enrolled in the District
  • A parent or guardian of a child enrolled in the District and active in parent-teacher organization such as the PTA or school site council
    

The Measure L COC is still actively looking for the following to fulfill the vacant positions on the committee:

• Business organization member
• Senior Citizens' Organization
• Taxpayers' Organization

With the appointment of these two members, the committee will meet the quorum requirements to fulfill the duties of the committee as we continue to fill positions. 

 The Board will consider accepting the independent audit report for the combined Santa Rosa Elementary and High School districts. The report has been completed by the firm Chavan & Associates, LLP for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2016.

Independent audits are conducted each year and presented to the Board of Education for acceptance. The audit contained three (3) findings:

2016-1:  Capital Assets

Due to the high degree of personnel turnover and limited District staffing, the District was unable to provide adequate documentation for work in progress, current year additions, and current year depreciation expense.

Response:  The District has purchased California Financial Services and trained staff on its use. This will enable the District to track projects and their status. As projects are completed, they will be added to capital assets.

2016-2:  Associated Student Body (ASB) Accounts

During the testing of the 2015-16 Associated Student Body (ASB) Accounts, they noted the following:

1. Bank statements were not reconciled within two weeks of the receipt of the bank statement.

2. Cash was not deposited into the bank timely. This leads to the possibility of cash being left on-site over the weekend and increases the risk of fraud and error.

3. Clubs are not completing their meeting minutes.

4. ASB inventory is not counted in a routine and timely manner.

5. There are not any written rules or procedures in place for uncleared checks/deposits at MCHS.

6. MCHS un-cleared items are not written off until the end of the school year when more appropriate timing would be at least 6 months.

Response:  The District agrees with the recommendation and will evaluate the immediate needs at each site to determine most appropriate first action based on available staff time and resources.

2016-3: Unduplicated Pupil Counts

During our testing of the FRPM applications and the CALPADS reporting, we noted students who were reported as FRPM eligible who did not have an application on file for the 2015-16 fiscal year, or the student’s designation was not supported. This resulted in an overstatement of FRPM by eligible students. The financial impact is a loss of $7,510.

Response:  The District will review all CALPADS data for accuracy during the adjustment window annually and establish a system of review that provide adequate oversight of this reporting process and ensures appropriate communication between the District Office and various sites.

As required by Education Code 41020, the audit report was filed with the Sonoma County Superintendent of School, the State Department of Education, and the State Controller's Office.

January 13, 2016  Acceptance of the 2014-15 Financial Audit

January 14, 2015  Acceptance of the 2013-14 Financial Audit

January 15, 2014  Acceptance of the 2012-13 Financial Audit

At the School Board Meeting on January 11, 2017, Social Advocates for Youth (SAY) presented information about the services provided to students in Santa Rosa City Schools as a part of the Student and Family Wellness Report. Qualitative and quantitative survey data was gathered, and the reports provided in this information item are a detailed account of the survey data collected by Social Advocates for Youth.