(Education Code 35149, 48918(c), 72122) Administrative Hearing Officer: Sharon Roddick, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources

(Education Code 35149, 48918(c), 72122) Administrative Hearing Officer: Sharon Roddick, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources

(Education Code 35149, 48918(c), 72122) Administrative Hearing Officer: Sharon Roddick, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources

(Education Code 35149, 48918(c), 72122) Administrative Hearing Officer: Sharon Roddick, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources

(Government Code 54956.95(a))

Existing Litigation

Number of Cases: One (1)

OAH Case No. 2017020355

(Education Code 54957.6) District Negotiator: Debra M. Hendricks and Sharon Roddick
Employee Organizations: One (1) Group

Title: Employee Assignments

It is recommended the Board of Trustees approve the recommendations of the Administrative Hearing Panel in the matter of Student 2016/2017 - AH# 64.

It is recommended the Board of Trustees approve the recommendations of the Administrative Hearing Panel in the matter of Student 2016/2017 - AH# 65.

It is recommended the Board of Trustees approve the recommendations of the Administrative Hearing Panel in the matter of Student 2016/2017 - AH# 66.

It is recommended the Board of Trustees approve the recommendations of the Administrative Hearing Panel in the matter of Student 2016/2017 - AH# 68.

This is the Board's second review of the newly updated Superintendent Evaluation Tool.  All revisions since the first review at the April 11, 2017, Regular Board meeting are highlighted in yellow.

The Board of Trustees to be presented with a Spring update on the 2016-2017 Executive Leadership Strategic Goals.

The Board of Trustees to be presented with a draft of the District's LCAP.

Florsheim Homes is working on a new residential property in the Village One neighborhood west of Ustach Middle School.  Modesto Irrigation District (MID) is requiring an easement in order for the development to proceed.  The developer is requesting that the district allow the dedication of a 10' easement on the westerly boundary of the school site, for a distance of 200'.  

In order to facilitate the process, Ryan Carroll, Civil Engineer has indicated Florsheim will complete the following tasks:

• Florsheim Homes will grant to the Sylvan Union School District, by separate document, a strip of land 10’ in width for the full length of the school property frontage adjacent to the project site (see the attached sketch for reference).
• Florsheim Homes will prepare an easement document for the dedication of a new 30’ wide easement from the School District to the Modesto Irrigation District (encompassing the 10’ strip from Florsheim Homes and 20’ from the original school property).
• Florsheim Homes will remove the existing chain link security fencing in the easement area and will install (matching) chain link security fencing around the west side of the easement area, as required to enclose and secure the school property.
• Florsheim Homes will infill the remaining easement area with matching playground turf and will modify the school’s landscape irrigation system accordingly.
• Florsheim Homes will pay all costs necessary to complete this work to the satisfaction of the School District.
• The Sylvan Union School District will not incur any costs in order to implement this plan.

See attached:

1) Email dated March 8, 2017

2) Easement Exhibit

3) MID Easement Drawing

The Board of Trustees will consider a request from Floresheim Homes for a MID Easement at Ustach Middle School.

At the February 21, 2017, Regular Board meeting, the Board of Trustees was given a "preview" and received policy binders for the 2016 policy updates.  The Board of Trustees agreed to review the updated board policies in two (2) sections.  The first section, pages 1-224, were adopted at the March 21, 2017, Regular Board meeting.   The Board of Trustees and staff conducted a "first reading" of the second section of policies listed on pages 225-554 at the April 11, 2017, Regular Board meeting.  The Board of Trustees and staff is scheduled to conduct a "second reading" at the May 9, 2017, Regular Board meeting and final adoption at the May 30, 2017, Regular Board meeting.

The Board of Trustees and staff to conduct a "second reading" of the policy updates and minor revisions from January through December 2016. 

At the March 21, 2017 Budget Study session, the Board was informed of 2015-2016 Title 1 carryover that must be expended by September 30, 2017. Plans for the expenditure of these funds include ongoing support of the Professional Learning Community (PLC) process in the Sylvan District.  In the Board Update on April 28, 2017, plans for two (2) days of professional learning to take place in June 2017 were outlined and included details related to the ongoing partnership between SUSD and Solution Tree.  On June 5 and 6, Kim Bailey, author of Common Formative Assessment: A Toolkit for Professional Learning Communities at Work, and one of Solution Tree’s most respected associates in assessment, will host a two-day workshop for approximately 100 teachers.  In addition to teachers, workshop participants include site administrators, induction mentors, and instructional coaches.  The purpose of this professional learning opportunity is to engage our PLC practitioners in a deeper understanding of the PLC process, specifically the critical role of common formative assessments, and provide collaborative teacher teams techniques for designing effective common formative assessments.  At the end of this training, we will have established a district-wide protocol for identifying essential standards, unwrapping those standards into student learning targets, and designing assessments that measure student progress toward mastery of these targets, ensuring that all assessments align to the rigor called for in the state standards.  We believe that this training will prepare our collaborative teacher teams for more accurately answering the four (4) questions of a PLC as well as providing the foundation for ensuring that both concentrated instruction and convergent assessment are addressed as we design our tiered support of Response to Intervention (RTI).

Staff recommends the Board of Trustees approve the purchase agreement with Solution Tree for two (2) days of Onsite Professional Development services on June 5 & 6, 2017.

It is recommended the Board of Trustees approve the purchase agreement with Solution Tree for two (2) days of Onsite Professional Development services on June 5 & 6, 2017.

Total Title I: $13,000

With the ratification of the Sylvan Educators Association (SEA) bargaining agreement and the addition of one-day of professional learning to be included at the beginning of the year, we are preparing to launch the 2017-2018 school year with two (2) days of onsite professional development services to be delivered in partnership with Solution Tree.  Plans for the commencement of the 2017-2018 school year were also outlined in the Board Update dated May 5, 2017.  Solution Tree is experienced in implementing best practices in a wide variety of settings and is positioned to support our District.  Solution Tree has the resources, tools, and first-class associates to ensure success and better learning for all.  Costs associated with these professional development services will come from 2015-2016 Title 1 carryover that was presented to the Board at the March 21, 2017, Budget Study session.  These funds must be expended by September 30, 2017.

Educators in a district who function as a Professional Learning Community (PLC) benefit from clarity regarding their shared purpose, a common understanding of the school district they are trying to create, and working collaboratively to help move all of the schools in the desired direction by focusing their efforts on answering the four critical questions of a PLC.  The Response to Intervention (RTI) at Work model builds on the foundation of the PLC at Work process by using team structures and a focus on learning, collaboration, and results to drive successful outcomes.  On August 7 and 8, Richard Smith and Dennis King, two (2) highly-respected practitioners in the field of PLCs and RTI, will provide two (2) days of Onsite Professional Development in both whole group and small group settings.  The content of this professional development will focus on the following:

• Understanding why RTI is most effective when implemented on the foundation of a PLC

• Ensuring all students have access to Tier 1 essential, grade-level curriculum and highly effective instructional practices to prevent most learning struggles

• Learning how to create three tiers of intervention - from basic to intensive - to address student learning gaps

Staff recommends the Board of Trustees approve the purchase agreement with Solution Tree for two (2) days of Onsite Professional Development services on August 7 & 8, 2017.

Staff recommends the Board of Trustees approve the purchase agreement with Solution Tree for two (2) days of Onsite Professional Development services on August 7 & 8, 2017.

Total Title 1: $26,000

As part of our District’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that all students learn at high levels, we have actively engaged in the Professional Learning Community (PLC) process for several years. During this time, we have continued to allocate resources to further develop the process and build the capacity of both our administrative, certificated, and classified staff in meeting our moral obligation to provide a quality education to every Sylvan District student. Onsite school coaching, to be provided in partnership with Solution Tree, is one component of a comprehensive District plan for providing the necessary professional learning to support the deepening of the PLC process and was highlighted during the Budget Study session held on March 21, 2017, and also detailed in the Board Update dated May 5, 2017.  Costs associated with onsite school coaching to take place during the 2017-2018 school year included information to the Board regarding the use of 2015-2016 Title 1 carryover funds that must be expended by September 30, 2017.

The underlying premise of Response to Intervention (RTI) is that schools should not delay providing help for struggling students until they fall far behind enough to qualify for special education, but instead should provide timely, targeted, and systematic interventions to all students who demonstrate the need.  A robust RTI system involves all teachers at a site, working authentically with the PLC model.  To support the combined efforts of practitioners engaged in the PLC process, the next step in our District’s PLC journey is provide onsite school coaching for both the administration and teacher teams as they implement the RTI at Work model.  This expert guidance ensures that teachers and teams attain the desired products of collaborative teams and focus their work on ensuring support at all levels.  Each of the thirteen (13) Sylvan Union Schools will receive four (4) days of RTI at Work onsite school coaching during the 2017-2018 school year.  Each visit focuses on work from the previous meeting and provides differentiated professional development within the team structure.

Expected outcomes of onsite school coaching include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Implement RTI at Work within the framework of a high-functioning PLC at Work

2. Review structures that support successful RTI programs

3. Use of Common Formative Assessment to drive intervention

4. Strategies and practices to support all learners

Staff recommends the Board of Trustees approve the purchase agreement with Solution Tree for four (4) days of onsite professional development services at each of the thirteen (13) Sylvan Union schools during the 2017-2018 school year.

It is recommended the Board of Trustees approve the purchase agreement with Solution Tree for four (4) days of onsite professional development services at each of the thirteen (13) Sylvan Union schools during the 2017-2018 school year.

Total Title I: $338,000

Keeping job descriptions current supports clarity for employees and supervisors in the workplace.  While job descriptions do not need to be updated frequently, the Staff Secretary I has been in need of revising to address current work needs across a variety of environments.  This revision identifies skills, knowledge, and categories of representative duties that can be applied to meet specific needs of various environments.  Attached is a mark up of the Staff Secretary I job description.  Strikeouts indicate language to be removed and red indicates revised language.

Staff is seeking approval of the Staff Secretary I revised job description.

Reevaluation of the salary placement has been done as part of the revision of the job description and work of the Staff Secretary I.  The level of complexity of the Staff Secretary I would be more appropriately placed at Range 13.  This is a move from Range 11.  Changes to the 2017-2018 Classified Salary Placement is attached and noted in yellow.

Staff seeking Board of Trustees approval of the revised Classified Salary Placement 2017-2018 schedule.

The budget for the Sylvan Elementary Reconstruction Project includes a 5% contingency ($300,000) for unforeseen conditions during construction.

Previously, staff had recommended that all available contingency be used for the Sylvan Elementary Reconstruction Project.

Phase III of the project will be complete by the end of May.  We believe all unforeseen modifications have been identified for this phase.

Expected Changes to Date: $223,452

Additional Abatement Change: $8,700

Additional Architect Fees: $6,000

Total: $238,152

Less: Donation - $50,000 Boys & Girls Club Donation

Total: $188,152

Contingency: $300,000

Balance for Phase IV: $101,848

Items requested from stakeholders as we enter Phase IV (final phase) include:

• Pending COR 27 Window Replacement at Coffee Rd. side $50,161
• Shade Structure for outdoor classroom $60,000
• STEAM style furniture $30,000
• 30 unit Laptop Cart $41,000

Recommendation:

1. Approve Pending Change Order Request No. 27 in the amount of $50,161 to replace the window system on the front side of the school facing Coffee Rd.  A new window system will improve the energy envelope of the school, and improve the aesthetics of the front of the school.
2. Retain the balance of the contingency for Phase IV of the project for unforeseen conditions.
3. Approve the purchase of STEAM style furniture from the general fund in an amount not to exceed $30,000.  Available contingency funds will be used first after project completion.
4. Approve the purchase of a 30 unit Laptop Cart in the amount of $41,000 from the general fund annual technology budget.  Available contingency funds will be used first after project completion.

Staff recommends the Board of Trustees approve changes as presented.

The Board of Trustees will consider requests for additional improvements to Sylvan Elementary School for the Sylvan Elementary Reconstruction Project.

General Fund: $71,000 (LCFF Supplemental) available contingency funds will be used first.

It is recommended the Board of Trustees adopt Resolution 2016/2017 - #21, Ordering a Governing Board Member Election.

In order to fulfill the accountability and reporting requirements of the District's Measure A General Obligation Bond, the Board of Trustees is required to review and accept the Annual Performance Audit and Financial Report for fiscal year 2015-2016 presented by the Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC). 

The CBOC has three (3) specific duties or purposes: 

1.  Inform the Public - The Committee shall inform the public concerning the District's expenditures of bond proceeds. 

2.  Review Expenditures - The Committee may review quarterly expenditure reports produced by the District to ensure that (a) bond proceeds are expended only for the purposes set forth in the ballot measure; and (b) no bond proceeds are used for any teacher or administrative salaries or other operating expenses. 

3.  Annual Report - The Committee shall present to the Board of Trustees, in a public session, an annual written report which shall include the following: 

(a) A statement indicating whether the District is in compliance with the requirements of Article XIIIA, Section 1(b)(3) of the California Constitution; and 

(b) A summary of the Committee's proceedings and activities for the preceding year. 

In satisfaction of Item 3 above, the committee submits the following items for review and approval: 

1. Sylvan Union School District General Obligation Bonds Performance Audit dated June 30, 2016. This report was prepared by the District's auditors, Kristy White and Associates, LLP Certified Public Accountants.     

2. CBOC Meeting Minutes from 2015-2016.  Minutes from the meetings held on June 20, 2016, and November 9, 2015, are attached. 

Staff recommends the acceptance of the Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee's Annual Performance Audit and Financial Report for fiscal year ending June 30, 2016. 

The Board of Trustees to consider approval and acceptance of the Measure A Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee's Annual Performance Audit and Financial Report for fiscal year ending June 30, 2016.

It is recommended that Board of Trustees approve the minutes of the April 11, 2017, Regular Board Meeting and the April 25, 2017, Special Board Meeting.

1. The donation of $4,800.00 in Scholastic Bucks from Crossroads PTA to Crossroads Elementary School to purchase new library books for students.

2. The donation of $1,377.75 from Freedom PTA to Freedom Elementary School to purchase Wednesday and Homework folders for students.

3. The donation of $555.88 from Chipotle Mexican Grill to Standiford Elementary for school supplies and student recognition.

4. The donation of $20.00 from YourCause Corporate Employee Giving Programs to Stockard Coffee Elementary School for school supplies and student recognition.

5. The donation of $2,435.00 from Woodrow PTA to Woodrow Elementary School for student field trips.

6. The donation of $161.00 from Rickey Holcombe and PG&E to Somerset Middle School for school supplies and student recognition.