BACKGROUND:      

On August 30, 2005, a special election was held for the purpose of continuing the existing parcel tax including the ongoing annual 5% inflation factor.  The tax will be used to maintain and improve quality education, improve reading and mathematics, enhance technology and science programs, preserve small class sizes, and attract and retain quality teachers in the elementary and high school districts.

The ballot language specified that an independent Parcel Tax Citizens Advisory Committee be appointed by the Board of Education to ensure that special tax proceeds are spent for their authorized purposes and to report to the Board of Education an the public regarding the annual expenditure of such funds.

The Committee’s legal charge is to inform the Board about the expenditure of Parcel Tax proceeds.  The Committee will report directly to the Board and will be subject to the Brown Act.  The Committee is not granted any powers to determine how Parcel Tax funds may be spent.

CURRENT CONSIDERATIONS:    

The Parcel Tax Citizens Advisory Committee has met this year to review the revenues and expenditures for both the San Rafael City Elementary School District and the San Rafael City High School District and has produced its report for review and approval by the Board of Education and for distribution to the community on the financial information from 2006-07 through the 2013-14 fiscal years.  This is the final report as the 2005 Measure A & B ended June 30, 2014.

The committee will be reconvened for the 2013 Parcel Tax with some ongoing members and applications for new members will be submitted to the Board.

The District extends is appreciation to the members who served on this critical committee.  The current committee included:

This agenda item presents for Board approval the Administration's recommended personnel transactions for the Elementary School District, as shown on Exhibit A (Certificated) and Exhibit B (Classified).

All changes to personnel since the previous board meeting including resignations, leaves of absence, retirements, reassignments, new hires, changes of contract, returns from leave, releases and short term assignments are included for Board approval.

This agenda item presents for Board approval the Administration's recommended personnel transactions for the Joint School District, as shown on exhibit A (Classified).

All changes to personnel since the previous meeting including resignations, leaves of absence, retirements, reassignments, new hires, changes of contract, returns from leave, releases and short terms are included for Board approval.

BACKGROUND:  Board Policy BP  6111  Instruction states:

The Superintendent or designee shall recommend to the Board of Education a calendar for each school that will meet the requirements of law as well as the needs of the community, students and the work year as negotiated for represented personnel.

Each school calendar shall show the beginning and ending school dates, legal and local holidays, orientation meeting days, minimum days, vacation periods and other pertinent dates.

The district shall offer 180 days of instruction per school year.

BACKGROUND:
School districts are required to have an annual financial audit performed by an independent auditor. The independent auditor must express an opinion as to whether the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and results of operations of the district in conformity with generally accepted accounting principals.

CURRENT CONSIDERATIONS:
The firm of Nigro & Nigro has been selected to be the San Rafael Elementary School District’s independent auditor. This year’s audit was supervised by Jeff Nigro, CPA, who along with the entire team did an excellent job in reviewing the district’s internal controls, compliance requirements, and areas of possible weaknesses.

The Financial Audit report has been completed in compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principals and the State of California Audit Guide for K-12 School Districts. It presents information on the financial status of all funds for the San Rafael Elementary School District as June 30, 2014.

BACKGROUND:
School districts are required to have an annual financial audit performed by an independent auditor. The independent auditor must express an opinion as to whether the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and results of operations of the district in conformity with generally accepted accounting principals.

CURRENT CONSIDERATIONS:
The firm of Nigro & Nigro has been selected to be the San Rafael High School District’s independent auditor. This year’s audit was supervised by Jeff Nigro, CPA, who also with the entire team did an excellent job in reviewing the district’s internal controls, compliance requirements, and areas of possible weaknesses. 

The Financial Audit report has been completed in compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principals and the State of California Audit Guide for K-12 School Districts. It presents information on the financial status of all funds for the San Rafael High School District as of June 30, 2014.

BACKGROUND:
It has been determined by the district that the purchase of two new replacement copiers is necessary in order to provide support for both the instruction and office staff at San Rafael High School.The school currently has two Kyocera Taskalfa 620 copiers that have extended beyond their useful life (over 5 years old). Both machines consistently break down and are difficult to repair. In working with the staff it has been determined that the purchase of two new Discovery copiers is necessary in order to increase efficiency, provide better support for both instructional and office staff, and be better equipped to handle the increased volume due to significant growth in student population at SRHS . The district will purchase two Discovery Kyocera copier TASKalfa 8000i copiers.  

CURRENT CONSIDERATIONS:                                                    
The District will purchase two Discovery Kyocera TASKalfa 8000is to replace the existing machines. The new digital copiers are significantly faster and have considerably more options for staff. It will increase productivity and efficiency for our instructional staff.

BACKGROUND:
The warrant register reflects the vendor name, date paid, amount of warrant, and budgetary account charged.

CURRENT CONSIDERATIONS:
A copy of the summary of the warrant register of all funds for warrants issued from December 1, 2014 – December 31, 2014, is attached.  

BACKGROUND:
The warrant register reflects the vendor name, date paid, amount of warrant, and budgetary account charged.

CURRENT CONSIDERATIONS:
A copy of the summary of the warrant register of all funds for warrants issued from December 1, 2014 – December 31, 2014, is attached.

Background Information:  iTEAMS is a California Math and Science Partnership (CaMSP) grant led by the San Rafael City Elementary School District in partnership with San Francisco State University, the Exploratorium, and consultant Julie McNamara, Ph.D., that will provide teacher professional development. Gibson and Associates will provide technical assistance. The grant will be evaluated and monitored by Public Works. Molly Todd is the the Project Director for the CaMSP grant. 

The grant will span a three-year period, with $500,000 distribution annually. The three-year program would provide professional development to approximately 50 teachers grades 3-8 to develop skills to successfully implement integrated math and science lessons using engineering and technology activities that develop student understanding of bridges, waterways, and transportation systems. iTEAMS was designed to develop a set of curricular units for each grade that builds sequentially, with opportunity for teachers to develop content knowledge, skills, and refine their lesson delivery through a lesson-study approach. Thirty-three teachers in grades 3-5 and 6-8, from SRCS have signed letters of commitment, and one teacher from the Marin County Office of Education Special Day site, and twenty-four teachers from neighboring Dixie and Ross Valley School Districts will participate, forming a true-regional collaborative.

San Rafael City Schools extended invitations to the community to participated in the Regional Collaborative Partnership. Accepting partners include University of California, SF, California Academy of Sciences, Autodesk, San Francisco State University, Rotary Club of San Rafael, Marin Community Foundation, San Rafael Chamber of Commerce and Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies. The Regional Collaborative Partnership serves in an advisory and supportive role for the Core Partnership to extend and expand the benefits of the project’s work.  This secondary partnership provides community support, direction, and recommendations for continuous improvement. 

Current Consideration: That the Board approves the Independent Contractor Agreements for Special Services between San Rafael City Schools and iTEAMS consultants. San Francisco State to provide the Principal Investigator, Professional Development and coaching; Public Works, Inc., to provide grant evaluation and monitoring. 

Exhibit A: The cost of the services to San Francisco State not to exceed $14,400.
Exhibit B: The cost of services to San Francisco State not to exceed $48,000
Exhibit C: The cost of services Public Works Inc. not to exceed $10,000

BACKGROUND:   The Marin Community Foundation has launched a multi-strategy initiative in Marin County aimed at closing the educational achievement gap for all students. One strategy of the initiative is focused on improving educational outcomes of low-income students and students of color through support of school transformation. A second is focused on early success in school, serving students in pre-school through grade 3.

CURRENT CONSIDERATIONS:  That the Board approves the Independent Contractor Agreement for Special Services with Marin Head Start and Bahia Vista for Pre-K to 3rd Grade Initiative. Marin Head Start will provide Bahia Vista with the following:

• Participate in the Design Team
• Hiring of ECE Assistant to support Bahia Vista Preschool Program
• Support for preschool staff to attend GLAD training based on budget
• Shared support and training for ECE Teacher and Assistant Teacher
•  Meeting time with teachers and administrative staff

BACKGROUND:  Board Policy 6153: Instruction: The Board of Education recognizes that school-sponsored trips are an important component of a student's development and supplement and enrich the classroom learning experience.  School-sponsored trips may be conducted in connection with the district's course of study or school-related social, educational, cultural, athletic, school band activities, or other extracurricular or co-curricular activities. 

Requests for school-sponsored trips involving out-of-state, out-of-country, or overnight travel shall be submitted to the Superintendent or designee.  The Superintendent or designee shall review the request and make a recommendation to the Board as to whether the request should be approved by the Board. All other school-sponsored trips shall be approved in advance first by the principal and then by the Assistant Superintendent or designee. 

No field trip shall be authorized if any student would be excluded from participation because of lack of sufficient funds.

CURRENT CONSIDERATIONS: This agenda item presents for Board approval for San Rafael High School Varsity Boys Basketball Team to participate participate in a basketball tournament in Redding, CA. on December 18-20, 2014. The following individuals will most likely participate:

Jordan Troy, Jack Andress, Archie O'Dell, Kevin Lechuga, Isaiah Usher, Riley Kim,
Andrew Szot, Cooper Brown, Garrett Mosher, James Morris, Nick Baker, Cameron Romanik, Ryan Tooker, Rudy Robinett

Adult Chaperones: Scott Springhorn, Lee Chetien, Tony Butler, Mark Baker and Greg Mosher

Accommodations: Students will be staying in a private residence. Each student will have their own bed or inflatable mattress.  Student will not have access to any water activities.

BACKGROUND:  Board Policy 6153: Instruction: The Board of Education recognizes that school-sponsored trips are an important component of a student's development and supplement and enrich the classroom learning experience.  School-sponsored trips may be conducted in connection with the district's course of study or school-related social, educational, cultural, athletic, school band activities, or other extracurricular or co-curricular activities. 

Requests for school-sponsored trips involving out-of-state, out-of-country, or overnight travel shall be submitted to the Superintendent or designee.  The Superintendent or designee shall review the request and make a recommendation to the Board as to whether the request should be approved by the Board. All other school-sponsored trips shall be approved in advance first by the principal and then by the Assistant Superintendent or designee. 

No field trip shall be authorized if any student would be excluded from participation because of lack of sufficient funds.

CURRENT CONSIDERATIONS: This agenda item presents for Board approval for 25 Terra Linda High School 12th grade AVID students to attend the overnight field trip to Clair Trappaan Lodge in Norden California, March 14-16, 2015. 

The purpose of this trip is twofold: It is an opportunity to celebrate finishing the college and scholarship application process, as well as a moment of reflection as the students begin their transition out of high school and into the next phase of their lives.

They have worked extremely hard to get to where they are and they deserve a moment of pause, surrounded by their peers who have helped them through, as well as the restorative properties of the outdoors.

Connection to Standards:

• Students must work collaboratively to problem-solve and raise the necessary funds for the class to go on the trip.
• While there, students will be giving reflective presentations showing cause and effect throughout their academic history.
• Students will participate in team-building and problem-solving exercises.
• Upon returning, students will be responsible for writing an argumentative paper, based on their experience, as to whether or not outdoor/environmental education should be an obligatory part of public education.

Adult Chaperons: Jennifer Little, Erik Stenberg, Angela Camacho, Shadi Nojabaei, Dora Velasquez, Charles Little

Board Policy 3290 Section 1.1 states:

“The Board of Education may accept on behalf of, and in the name of the District, such gifts, donations, bequests and devices as are offered.  Such gifts, cash contributions, donations, bequests and devices may be made subject to conditions or restrictions as the Board of Education may prescribe and/or accept.”  (Education Code 41030-41032)

The following donation(s) was received for the San Rafael City Schools District, as follows:

CURRENT CONSIDERATIONS:    

This agenda item presents the donation(s) from the sources listed above, for Board acceptance.