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)).

The Board will consider approval of the minutes from the September 12, 2018, Regular Board Meeting.

The Board will consider approval of the minutes from the September 19, 2018, Special Board Meeting.

This is an opportunity for members of the public to speak to the board on non-agenda items.  Comments on items that are on the agenda will take place during the discussion on that agenda item.  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 3 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)).

All consent items are enacted by the Board in one motion, unless a Board member requests that an item be removed and discussed separately.  

The Board will consider approval of absent Board Member(s), if necessary, due to illness, jury duty, or 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 August 31, 2018, through September 13, 2018, for a total of $2,632,665.19. 

Staff is presenting the Warrant Register List for Board Approval.

Financially significant vendor warrants that highlight the largest check or invoice paid to a particular vendor:

Warrants (Current): August 31, 2018, through September 13, 2018 = $2,632,665.19
Warrants(Total 18/19 Fiscal Year): July 1, 2018, through September 13, 2018 = $17,133,766.59

Approved by vote on consent agenda.

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 September 13, 2018 = $36,086.25
District-wide donations year to date = $89,010.51

Approved by vote on consent agenda.

 The Board will consider approval of the contracts submitted.

Staff is submitting contracts on behalf of schools and departments for specified services to be performed by individuals, contractors or consulting firms.  For fiscal and learning impacts, see the attached summary sheet.

Total value of contracts = $131,696.80.

The California Department of Education has authorized requests for applications for the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grant Program. This grant opportunity, which we would like to apply for, could provide at minimum $500,000.00  to support elementary music in Santa Rosa City Schools. 

Purpose

In the 2018-19 school year, the Teaching and Learning Department began implementation of a program designed to increase music instruction in our elementary schools. This program, based on a blitz model used in other districts will ultimately provide one hour of instrumental music instruction to all intermediate students in our elementary schools and target that instruction by grouping the students by a specific instrument (woodwinds, brass, strings, plus a fourth option). A program such as this requires all students have an instrument to take home, necessitating the district have a large inventory of musical instruments. If we are successful in acquiring this grant, we could fully implement the blitz music program for all 4th through 6th graders by the 2019-20 school year. 

Consideration

Since 2016, Elementary Music Teachers have been meeting to discuss and create a model that would increase Elementary Music offerings. 

On September 14, 2018, a meeting was convened of the VAPA Department chairs to consider the intention to apply for the grant and focus on elementary music.

In the spring of 2016, a committee was convened to explore ways to increase the amount of music instruction offered in our schools. Music programs at the elementary level were not equitable nor provided adequate time: during the school day, 1st through 6th-grade students received 30 to 60 minutes of music instruction per week. 4th through 6th graders could participate in a band if they stayed after school which is not possible for many students.  The limited amount of elementary music instruction was leading to the erosion of secondary music with middle school music programs not being robust enough to feed high school programs.

The committee was comprised of elementary music teachers, administrators, a district administrator, a district TOSA and a secondary music teacher. The group researched music programs in other districts such as Berkeley Unified, Sonoma Valley Unified and Clovis Unified. 

This fall the Blitz Music program began at all nine non-charter elementary schools in our district. Through this program, all 6th graders are now receiving one hour of focused instrumental music instruction per week during the school day. The goal is to add 5th graders in 2019-2020 and 4th graders in 2020-21. If we receive the grant, we will be able to implement the music program to all three intermediate grades in 2019-2020 as well as provide more music instruction to 1st through 3rd grades by including professional development for teachers in arts-integrated instruction.

Fully implementing the blitz program will require additional music teaching staff. As this is not funded by the grant, this would be a district expense. It is estimated that one to two music teachers will be needed in the coming school years to provide this level of music instruction in the Blitz program.

The Board will consider approval of a Specially Designed Academic Instruction in CTE Dance (SDAIE) Variable Term Waiver Request with the State of California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) for Tanya M. Tolmasoff.

This SDAIE Variable Term Waiver will allow the district to fill a CTE Dance teaching position at Santa Rosa High Schools Art Quest program for the 2018-2019 school year with hiring Tanya M. Tolmasoff, who is currently enrolled in a CTE credential program.

The Board will consider approval of an application for the  California Department of Justice Tobacco Grant. Santa Rosa City Schools, Department of Student And Family Engagement (SAFE) proposes to make a grant application to the California Healthcare, Research and Prevention Tax Act of 2016 (Proposition 56). This grant provides local public agencies with funding to promote a healthier California by reducing illegal sales and marketing of cigarettes and tobacco products to minors.

Purpose:

The Office of the Attorney General makes these annual funds available to local law enforcement agencies through the California Department of Justice Tobacco Grant Program. This grant is to provide prevention and early intervention for youth and provide support for local agencies to enforce tobacco-related statutes and ordinances, including the illegal sale of tobacco products, which include vape products to minors. These funds are now being made available to school districts by means of a competitive grant. Based on the criteria in the grant, Santa Rosa City Schools may be eligible for as much as $3,000,000.00.

Considerations:

Grant monies awarded would be used to provide prevention and intervention educational programs for our K-12 youths.   After surveying our educational stakeholders, these programs would be developed and implemented by a Tobacco Grant Coordinator, in cooperation with a specially assigned SRO/SRPD educator, to provide universal strategies including age/grade appropriate classroom curriculum designed to prevent our youth from smoking and vaping.  

Students experiencing behavior, academic and attendance challenges are more likely to engage in risky behaviors such as smoking or drug use.  Mental health, counseling services, and restorative practices would be key components in prevention, early intervention, and in providing intensive supports for our youths. These services are of great importance since Sonoma County has had to drastically reduce suicide prevention as well as drug and alcohol intervention and rehabilitation resources.

No general fund dollars are required for the grant. There is no in-kind funding required.

The Board will consider approval of elementary, middle and high schools’ Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) for the 2018-2019 school year.

Purpose

Each year, school sites are required to develop/and or revise their school plans. California Education Code requires that a School Site Council (SSC) develop the Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) along with any applicable school advisory committee. The SSC’s responsibilities include:

• approving the plan,
• recommending it to the local governing board for approval,
• monitoring its implementation, and
• evaluating the effectiveness of the planned activities at least annually.

Consideration

The SPSA is the blueprint to improve the academic performance of all students.  School districts must assure that the SSCs have developed and have an approved the SPSA for each school participating in programs that are funded through the Consolidated Application.

The SSC is developed at each school with a representation of staff and parents. The SSC meets during the school year to provide feedback to the site administration as they monitor their SPSA goals.

In the spring of 2017-18 school year, the 2018-19 school plans were developed and presented to the SSCs for approval. The SPSAs are a connection not only to the new funding system, the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) and the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP), Title I funding, but also to site allocated LCAP funds with greater resources for English Learners, Foster Youth and Low Income students.

The SPSA plans brought forward in this report are in a constant cycle of revision. The 2018-2019 SSCs, with input from English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC), may make revisions to this plan and thus require some SPSAs to come back again to the School Board at a future meeting.

Board Policy

BP 0420 Philosophy, Goals, Objectives and Comprehensive Plans
AR 0420 Philosophy, Goals, Objectives and Comprehensive Plans
BP 0460 Philosophy, Goals, Objectives and Comprehensive Plans

Previous Board History

Board Report August 9, 2017 Item F2
Board Report June 22, 2016 Item E-6
Board Report June 22, 2011 Item E-17
Board Report June 25, 2014 Item E-2

The Board will consider approval of Resolution 2018/19-021, recognizing October 2018 as Filipino American History Month in Santa Rosa City Schools.

Purpose:

To adopt a Resolution recognizing Filipino American History Month.

Consideration:

The Filipino American history month began in 1992, done in recognition of the contribution, culture and heritage that Filipino Americans brought to the United States from the Philippines when they arrived in October of 1587.  California is home to over half of the Filipino population in the USA and the location of historic Filipino communities such as in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Stockton, Vallejo, Delano, San Diego and Salinas among others.

Memorable facts about Filipino American history:

• Filipino-Americans are the second largest Asian-American group in the United States.
• Filipino-Americans are the largest Asian-American group in 11 out of the 50 states.
• Filipino-Americans are one of the fastest growing immigrant groups in the United States.
• Filipinos were the first documented Asian people to arrive in the United States.
• The Philippines is the only country in Asia to have been fully colonized by the United States.
• A quarter of a million Filipino-Americans are veterans of World War II.
• Filipino-Americans contributed significantly to the American labor movement, particularly with the United Farm Workers movement in the 1960s.
• Filipino-Americans have been a part of many advocacy movements throughout U.S. history.
• Filipino-Americans have a significant presence in the arts and in hip-hop culture.
• One-fifth of the Filipino-American population is multiracial.
• Many Filipino-Americans also choose not to identify as Asian or Asian-American, often due to a history of exclusion.
• Filipino-Americans have unique experiences with racism.

Previous Board History:

9/27/2017 (Item F.2)

The Board will consider approval of Resolution No. 2018-19/022 recognizing October 8-14, 2018 as Week of the School Administrator.

Purpose:

Administrators are among the hardest working, yet often least recognized individuals in education. Administrators set the academic tone for their schools, departments, and divisions and it is their vision, dedication, and determination that provide the mobilizing force for students having equitable access to educational programs and achieving success. Santa Rosa City Schools and the Board of Education seeks to honor these unsung heroes for their tireless efforts in pursuit of excellence in education for ALL students.  The Board annually is asked to approve a resolution recognizing these contributions.

Consideration:

California Education Code Section 44015.1 states: "In observance of the importance of educational leadership at the school, school district, and county levels, the second full week in the month of October of each year shall be designated as “Week of the School Administrator.” Schools, school districts, and county superintendents of schools are encouraged to observe the week with public recognition of the contribution that school administrators make to successful pupil achievement."  A school administrator consists of principals, vice principals, assistant principals, program managers, behavior specialists, coordinators, directors, and assistant superintendents.  

We would like to recognize the following individuals:

Principals:
Jeanine Wilson, Abraham Lincoln Elementary School
Aida Diaz, Albert Biella Elementary School
Guadalupe Perez-Cook, Brook Hill Elementary School
Alisa Haley, Helen Lehman Elementary School
Brad Coscarelli, Hidden Valley Elementary School
Katheryn Stoural, James Monroe Elementary School
Julian Szot, Luther Burbank Elementary School
Kathleen Olmsted, Proctor Terrace Elementary School
Dan Noble, Steele Lane Elementary School
Rebekah Rocha, Cesar Chavez Language Academy
Ed Navarro, Santa Rosa Accelerated Charter/Rincon Valley Middle School
Kristen Vogel, Santa Rosa Arts Charter
Lori Flanagan, Santa Rosa French-American Charter
Laura Hendrickson, Hilliard Comstock Middle School
Vicki Zands, Lawrence Cook Middle School
Jason Matlon, Santa Rosa Middle School
Mitchell Tucker, Herbert Slater Middle School
Valerie Jordan, Ridgway High School
Gabriel Albavera, Elsie Allen High School
Dr. Kimberly Clissold, Santa Rosa High School
Randy Burbank, Montgomery High School
Katie Barr, Maria Carrillo High School
Tim Zalunardo, Piner High School

Vice/Assistant Principals:
Jean Walker, AP Hidden Valley Elementary School/Santa Rosa Accelerated Charter
Trish Delzell, AP Hilliard Comstock Middle School
Hector Soto, AP Lawrence Cook Middle School
Amy Sather, AP Rincon Valley Middle School
Allegra-Anne Buschman, AP Santa Rosa Middle School
Jessica Romero, AP Herbert Slater Middle School
Andy Lieberman, VP Elsie Allen High School
Casey Thornhill, AP Elsie Allen High School
Sarah Cranke, AP Elsie Allen High School
Amy Wiese, VP Maria Carrillo High School
Richard Aistrope, AP Maria Carrillo High School
Albert Ettedgui, AP Maria Carrillo High School
Eduwiges Llama, VP Montgomery High School
Aaron Harkey, AP Montgomery High School
Monique Luke, AP Montgomery High School
Andrea Correia, VP Piner High School
Ryan Thompson, AP Piner High School
John McGurke, AP Piner High School
Allie Greene, VP Santa Rosa High School
Karolina Gage, AP Santa Rosa High School
Casey Shannon, AP Santa Rosa High School
Norma Vasquez, AP Santa Rosa High School

District Office Administrators
Diann Kitamura, Superintendent
Stacy Spector, Assistant Superintendent Human Resources
Rick Edson, Assistant Superintendent Business Services
Steve Mizera, Assistant Superintendent Student Services
Dr. Anna-Maria Guzman, Assistant Superintendent Teaching & Learning
Joel Dontos, Executive Director
Cindy Brennan, Director Human Resources
Rand Van Dyke, Director Data & Assessment
Adrian Bica, Director Technology

Erik Oden, Director Maintenance & Operations
Mike Braff, Director Facilities
Kelley Cook, Director Purchasing
Kelley Dillon, Director Teaching & Learning
Aracely Romo-Flores, Director Teaching & Learning
Debi Cardozo, Director Teaching & Learning
Lori Fletcher, Director Teaching & Learning
Chris White, Director Teaching & Learning

Rani Goyal, Director Teaching & Learning
Patty Turner, Director Student and Family Engagement
Mary Ann Ayala, Director Student and Family Engagement

Beth Berk, Coordinator Communications
Elizabeth Evans, Coordinator Teaching & Learning
Kaesa Enemark, Coordinator Student and Family Engagement
Sonya Randrup, Coordinator Student Services
Tracy Bailon, Project Manager/Behavior Specialist
Brian Wilk, Behavior Specialist
Inge Helderweirt, Behavior Specialist
Noelle Anderson, Program Manager
Tamarah Pallingston, Program  Manager
Janel Plack, Program  Manager
Julie Promes, Program  Manager
Julia VanderVennet, Program  Manager
Cathy Wisor, Program  Manager 

Previous Board History:

9/27/2017 (Item F.3)

The Board will receive information regarding the multi-agency active shooter training at Piner High School in July and August 2018.

Purpose

To discuss the multi-agency training drills at Piner High School to deal with the threat and management of an active shooter scenario.

Considerations

The July/August active shooter drill was attended by multiple agencies including Santa Rosa Fire and Police Departments, CHP, Rohnert Park Police, Petaluma Police, Graton Fire, and American Medical Response.

The purpose was to have an operational drill that would test the capability and compatibility of the participating agencies. In previous drills, the agencies had talked about tactics and strategy in a classroom setting; the ability to put the practices to use on a school campus was invaluable. 

Several of the tactics that were assumed to work during classroom discussion proved to have deficiencies when applied in the actual school setting. In addition, local agencies were not aware of many of the active shooter systems that our schools already had in place like warning systems, lock down notification through the bell/clock/speaker systems, and procedures for active shooter incidents.

All agencies that attended the drill said it was a positive learning experience, and they feel more prepared and ready to face an actual active shooter incident. 

In the future, it would be invaluable to continue to use our local schools for these types of drills as each agency begins to correct any weaknesses that were discovered through the training. Ideally, the multi-agency event would like to do large scale drills similar to what was completed at Piner twice a year utilizing other local high schools.

Sergeant Rob Reynolds will attend the board meeting to go into more detail and answer any questions. 

BP 0450: Comprehensive Safety Plan
BP 3516: Emergencies And Disaster Preparedness Plan 

Previous Board Activity

July 25, 2018 (Item F-2): Approval to conduct multi-agency training at Piner High School

Each year the office of Student and Family Engagement produces information about the inflow and outflow of students through the Open Enrollment and the Interdistrict enrollment windows. The results for this current school are summarized.

Purpose:

The Open enrollment and Interdistrict enrollment windows are an opportunity for families to apply to schools other than their school of residence. This movement has a specific time frame that allows for a balance of family choice, yet an opportunity to plan appropriate budgeting and staffing. Through a process of enrollment projections, projected budgeting and staff allocation, each school is determined to have an appropriate “capacity”. The SAFE office matches these requests with the available spaces at the schools and determines, through the Board adopted priorities, which requests are filled.

Considerations: 

Over the last three years, the Open Enrollment process has reflected values and goals related to District LCAP Goals. Two years ago the policy was modified to allow for a priority given to feeder schools and last year in recognition of the Tubbs Fire, a priority was added to reflect this impact.  Those priorities remain for this next year. Those results are reflected in this report. The next cycle of Open Enrollment requests begins October 1st and ends on November 16th.

Interdistrict requests (requests from families that do not reside in the Santa Rosa City Schools attendance boundaries) are processed after the transfer requests from residents are completed.  This timeline line begins February 1st and ends April 15th. Through this process, Interdistrict requests are used to fill any remaining space at a requested school.

 The results of the 2018-19 enrollment show that:

• The SAFE office processed 1242 OE requests

• In June, all schools, except for SRHS, were able to accept their OE students on a waiting list there were 79 on the list for SRHS

• Only 20 of the 214 Interdistrict requests were denied

• 9 students less exited and 96 more entered the district compared to last year

• Requests to leave the district fell by 28% at Roseland and 26% at Cotati Rohnert Park

• Bellevue and Bennett Valley had an increase of requests to leave by 36% and 28% respectively

Board Policy:

Board Policy 5116 Open Enrollment
Administrative Regulation 5116

Education Code:

35160.5 Intradistrict transfer
46600 Interdistrict Transfer 

Previous Board History:

June 24, 2015,(G.3)
September 27, 2017,(G.3)
October 25, 2017 (G.2)

No fiscal Impact. This applies to existing Santa Rosa City families who are already residents.

The Board will consider approval of the contract with Miller Pacific to perform geological testing at Proctor Terrace Elementary to gain State approval for the construction and installation of a new restroom facility. 

Purpose

In order to gain approval from State agencies with the construction of the restroom facility at Proctor Terrace Elementary, this geological testing is required to validate a potential fault line partially going through the campus.  

Considerations

As part of this project, an initial soil sample was taken at the site. The results of the soil sample, due to the proximity of fault lines in the area, required further investigation and ultimately sign-off by California Geological Survey (CGS) prior to submitting for approval to the Division of State Architects (DSA) to start construction. 

During the initial review by CGS, it was discovered that the proposed building was sitting on a portion of what is known as the Santa Rosa Quadrangle fault.  SRCS was directed, by CGS, to perform this specific testing to identify any hazard or to prove the project is viable. Upon completion of this testing and with a positive approval, SRCS will submit to DSA the final plans for the restroom. 

Previous Board History

December 20, 2017 (Item F-4): Bond Update/Project Discussion 
February 14, 2018 (Item E-6): Approval of construction and installation of a portable restroom facility at Proctor Terrace. 

Measure L: $85,000

The Board will consider the selection of two representatives to an ad hoc Parcel Tax Feasibility Committee with representatives from SRTA, CSEA, high school and elementary parent organizations, administrators, and key community leaders. 

Purpose

This is to select two representatives from the board for the Ad Hoc Parcel Tax committee.

Considerations

At the August 8, 2018 Board of Education meeting, staff presented an elementary and high school district parcel tax resolution. Through discussion, the Board chose not to move forward to pass the resolutions for inclusion on the November 2018 ballot. Staff was asked to develop timelines and process for the possibility of a May 2019 ballot measure. 

Attachment #1 on this agenda is a DRAFT timeline to meet the requirements for a May 2019 ballot measure. The timeline includes the creation of a Parcel Tax Feasibility Committee to evaluate the process including: 

• Evaluate the possibility of square footage based parcel tax to address concerns about the regressive nature of flat parcel tax structures
  
  
• Budget forecasts, parcel tax opinion polling, potential parcel tax structures and election timing options for discussion and development of consensus recommendations
  
  
• Proposed uses for the parcel tax funds in alignment with district academic goals

it is recommended that the committee is represented with the following membership:

• School Board (2)
• Teachers Association (2)
• CSEA (2)
• High School Parent Organizations (2)
  
• Elementary Parent Organizations (2)
• Site and District Administration (3)
• Key community leaders (4)

Invitation for noted stakeholder group will be sent out the week of September 24th.

This committee will prepare a report of feasibility which will be presented by the Assistant Superintendent of Business on November 14, 2018

The Parcel Tax Feasibility Committee will be chaired by the Assistant Superintendent of Business Services. 

Previous Board Activity

August 8, 2018 (Item F-2 & F-3): Presented Board with Parcel Tax Resolutions
July 25, 2018 (Item A-3): Parcel Tax Polling Results
May 23, 2018 (Item E-11): Approval of Godbe Research to Conduct Parcel Tax Polling to Determine Feasibility 
May 9, 2018 (Item F-4): Approval of Agreement with TBWB Strategies for Parcel Tax Feasibility Consulting
May 9, 2018 (Item F-3): Exploring the Feasibility of a Parcel Tax 

These items are presented for informational purposes only.

The Sonoma County Superintendent of Schools has reviewed the Santa Rosa City School's 2018-19 Adopted Budget and has concluded that the District has met the necessary requirements and therefore approves the District's budget as adopted by the District Board of Trustees.  

Attached for reference is a list of educational acronyms and abbreviations.