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)).

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.

Approved by vote on consent agenda.

The Board will consider approval of the vendor warrants submitted.  The attached warrant register lists all vendors for the period September 27, 2019, through October 10, 2019 for a total of $4,255,115.39. 

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): September 27, 2019, through October 10, 2019 = $4,255,155.39
Warrants (Total 19/20 Fiscal Year): July 1, 2019, through October 10, 2019 = $27,715,669.64

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 October 10, 2019 = $32,619.87.
District-wide donations year to date = $98,511.78.

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 = $63,650.00

The proposed revision to the Project Manager/Behavior Specialist position is to modify the minimum qualifications required for position: licenses/certifications. The change to the licenses/certifications will foster an applicant pool with a wide range of experience, expertise and education. We anticipate a significant increase in qualified applicants with various levels of experience.

Purpose

Change the criteria to address candidates Licenses/certification to be reflective of “one of the bulleted items”, rather than all required. This change is reflective of the District's Mission, Vision and Strategic Priorities. Specifically, in Priority 2-Balanced Education and Priority 3-High Quality Staff. Students will have highly qualified staff to support them with behavior interventions necessary to access educational opportunities. 

Considerations

The previous criteria has limited the number of applicants and thus we have unfilled positions. This change will support staffing to meet the needs of students requiring behavior intervention practices at school to access educational opportunities. 

Board Policy
AR 6159.4   Behavioral Interventions For Special Education Students  

Education Code
 Education Code Ch. 5.5. Behavioral Interventions

Previous Board History
D4 June 12, 2013

There is no financial impact to the General Fund. 

Approved by vote on consent agenda.

The Board will consider the approval of the removal/recycle of approximately 4,500 unusable, outdated and/or damaged instructional materials and textbooks that have been removed from sites and stored in the Warehouse in accordance with District policy and State law. 

Purpose

To remove/recycle unusable, outdated and/or damaged instructional materials and textbooks.

Consideration

For several years, the District has been replacing textbooks due to the availability of State funds and the requirement that all such instructional materials and textbooks be aligned with State standards.

As new instructional materials and textbooks have been acquired and implemented, due to new curriculum adoptions, previously used instructional materials and textbooks have been put into storage at various sites and at the District Warehouse. The quantity of stored books has grown to the point that continued storage in no longer practical. Staff will therefore, after 60 days of this notice, recycle or donate the material as delineated in Santa Rosa City Schools' Administrative Regulation 3270. 

Board Policy 
BP 3270
AR 3270

Previous Board Activity

September 11, 2019 (Item E-8) (Item was pulled from the agenda in order to amend 2018-19 Obsolete Instructional Materials List)

Approved by vote on consent agenda.

The Board will consider approving the Emergency Permit for Indy Monday for the Interim Principal position at Brook Hill Elementary School.

Rationale

Brook Hill Elementary School is in need of an Interim Principal for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. Brook Hill will benefit from further stable, consistent leadership to strengthen the current instructional work of teachers and staff, promote coherent student and staff safety practices, and to provide intensive support to its Special Education program.

Ed Code 44861 "allows a credentialed teacher to substitute as a principal for up to 5 months if the teacher’s credential is for the same grade as the school to be administered." The employing agency determines the definition of “emergency” for this section.

Issuing an administrative permit under Ed Code 44861 is similar to issuing a PIP for a credentialed teacher.

Considerations

Using Ed Code 44861 ensures that there is a smooth transition from one leader to another during the school year. Ms. Monday is currently a 4/5th grade teacher at Brook Hill Elementary and a seasoned veteran and leader of the campus. She is well-respected by colleagues, students, parents, and the community. She holds a Masters Degree Educational Leadership and is in process of completing her Administrative Services Credential Program, after which she will be fully eligible for an Administrative Certificate of Eligibility (COE).

This short term permit will allow her the legal authority to perform principal job duties (discipline, evaluations, etc). Without the permit, the assignment authorization, the placement would be flagged in  CTC's CalSAAS system and reported as a mis-assignment on the various data dashboards.

As would any interim administrator, Ms. Monday will also receive additional support and mentoring from Teaching and Learning Staff, Student Support Services, Human Resources, and Business Services. 

This permit is valid until March 31, 2020. At that time, Ms. Monday will have completed her intern program, and earned her COE, and/or passed the CPACE (administrator exam) to ensure continued placement in the position for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year.

Education Code
Ed Code 44861

Approve emergency administrative permit per Ed Code 44861 for Indy Monday to serve as Interim Principal of Brook Hill Elementary.

Approved by vote on consent agenda.

The Board will consider approval of a Provisional Internship Permit Application (PIP) for Joanna Elizabeth Hakala.

This Education Specialist PIP will allow the district to fill a temporary Foreign Language French teaching position at Montgomery High School for the 2019-2020 school year.  PIPs are not renewable and are issued on a one-time basis per applicant in any credential subject area.  Joanna Elizabeth Hakala is currently enrolled in a credentialed program.  This teaching position has been posted on EdJoin, Facebook and job fairs since March 2019.

Approved by vote on consent agenda.

The Board will consider approval of Resolution No. 2019-20/22 recognizing November 2019 as National Native American Heritage Month. 

Purpose

To adopt a Resolution recognizing November 2018 as National Native American Heritage Month.

Consideration

American Indian Heritage Month is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native people. It is also an opportune time to educate the general public about tribes, to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges Native people have faced both historically and in the present, and the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges.

Indian nations have a tremendous stake in an improved education system. Education prepares Native children not only for active and equal participation in the global market, but also to be positive, involved members of their communities. Equally important, investments in education equip the future leaders of tribal governments. There is no more vital resource to the continued existence and integrity of Indian tribes than Native children.

There are approximately 644,000 American Indian and Alaska Native students in the US K-12 system, representing 1.2 percent of public school students nationally (r1).  Ninety percent of Native students attend public schools, while eight percent attend schools administered by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). States, where Native students comprise the largest proportions of the total student populations, include Alaska (27 percent); Oklahoma (19 percent); Montana (11 percent); New Mexico (11 percent); and South Dakota (11 percent).(r2) 

Native students’ academic achievement and educational attainment lags far behind that of their white peers. Over the past 10 years, Native students have been the only population to have not improved in reading or math (grades four and eight).(r3)  Nationwide, Native youth face some of the lowest high school graduation rates, and even fewer enroll in and graduate from college. On average, less than 50 percent of Native students graduate from high school each year in the seven states with the highest percentage of American Indian and Alaska Native students.(r4)

Providing Native children with a quality education is a central component of the federal government’s trust responsibility to tribes, and this commitment must be upheld. Tribes are deeply invested in improving Indian education, and strengthening tribal control over education is key to Native students’ success. Tribal governments are in the best position to address the unique educational needs of our Native students for a simple but intuitive reason: tribes know their children and communities the best.

In Santa Rosa City Schools we have 147 children who are identified as  American Indian or Alaskan Native.  Santa Rosa has an Indian Education Community Worker, Elizabeth Billy, who leads The SRCS Indian Education Program which is designed to address the unique education and culturally related academic needs of American Indian and Alaska Native students, including preschool children, so that these students can achieve to the same challenging state performance standards expected of all students. The federally funded program is the principal vehicle for addressing the particular needs of Indian children.

References: 

1. Status and Trends in the Education of American Indians and Alaska Natives: 2008 (NCES 2008-084). Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.
2. Id.
3. US Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2005, 2007, and 2009 National Indian Education Studies.
4. These states are Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming. Faircloth, Susan, and John Tippeconnic. "The Dropout/Graduation Crisis Among American Indian and Alaska Native Students: Failure to Respond Places the Future of Native Peoples at Risk." The Civil Rights Project. January 2010. 

Previous Board History:
10/24/18 (F.1)

The Board will receive an overview of the Sonoma Corps Pilot program currently being implemented at Piner High School.  

Purpose

The Board will receive an overview of this gap year program, which will include information about the purposes of the program, how the program began, the activities currently happening with the program, and the upcoming phases of the program that will occur moving forward.

Consideration

Sonoma County has a need for retaining locally trained, well educated potential employees.  This need has become even more relevant since the 2017 wildfires. In response, local industries, the Career Technical Education Foundation, and local public high schools and post-secondary institutions have all joined together to implement a program, named the Sonoma Corps Pilot, aimed at achieving this goal.

The pilot program began at Piner High School with student recruiting in 2018-2019.  The program is now fully underway as of September 2019, with 13 seniors taking part in work readiness classes and industry partner site visits through the 2019-2020 school year.  In July 2020, students successfully completing the work readiness classes and site visit activities will begin working in paid internships with industry partners. These partners are:  E&J Gallo, Keysight Technologies, Labcon, SMART & Straus FamilyCreamery.

The overview will provide an update to the Board of education on the program and its current progress.  It will allow the Board to understand the program more deeply and clarify any questions regarding it.

There is no financial impact for Santa Rosa City Schools.  Funds to support the work readiness classes, industry site visits, and other aspects of the program are provided from entities outside of the school district.

The Board will discuss and provide direction on the recently approved amendment for the use of the Fir Ridge Property.

Purpose

An amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Santa Rosa and Santa Rosa City Schools to allow alternative to the construction of affordable housing or school facilities on Fir Ridge Ridge Drive, Lot "F" (APN 173-620-030) was approved on October 14, 2019 at the joint meeting of the Santa Rosa City Council and Santa Rosa City Schools Board. 

This item will be the first discussion on the possible uses of the land. 

Considerations

SRCS has previously investigated the feasibility of providing employee housing at the Fir Ridge location. Through multiple attempts, it was determined that development of the site per the original agreement would not be feasible or provide a benefit to SRCS employees. Additionally, SRCS conducted an employee housing survey to identify preference and need for housing. Through the survey, approximately 80% of the respondents noted that Down Payment Assistance would be desirable.

This information was used to negotiate new terms with the City of Santa Rosa in order to provide additional options for the use of the Fir Ridge property. Through the amendment to the MOU, SRCS now has options for the Fir Ridge property to consider as outlined below. 

1. Sell the Site and use Proceeds to develop housing or to create a down payment assistance program

The District may sell the Site with the requirement that the District will deposit all proceeds (“Proceeds”) received from the sale, less any customary fees or costs required to close the transaction, into a separate account to be used for financing the construction or acquisition of housing for District employees or, as another option, to create a Loan Program for District employees. Each of these options is described in more detail below.

a. Development or Acquisition of Housing Off Site

The Proceeds would be used for financing the construction or acquisition of housing units for District employees in alternate locations within the City limits. This could involve partnership with a developer to create the units or to obtain units in an active development project.  Initial conversations with proposed development projects in the downtown have indicated that there is interest in this approach to support new transit-oriented development projects.

b. Down Payment Assistance Program

The proceeds would be used towards the creation of a revolving fund loan program to provide down payment assistance to District employees. During the October 1, 2019, study session, the Council provided direction for the District to determine the eligibility criteria based upon what the District identifies to be the greatest benefit for their employees. The following are the terms should the District pursue this option:

1. District would create and implement the Loan Program, including:
   
   
   1. Establishing qualification criteria for assistance under the Loan Program, which would comply with all Federal, State and Local laws and be limited to District employees; and
   2. Ensure that the units and/or Proceeds remain a viable resource for District employees through a Resale Restriction Agreement recorded against the property which outlines the occupancy requirements of the unit, and the disposition of loan proceeds in the event of the sale of the property, default, or payoff of the loan. 

Next Steps

Prior to the Board making a decision on the use of the Fir Ridge parcel, staff will continue to work on the following items to ensure the chosen option can be implemented.  

1. Creation of a Surplus Property 7-11 Committee
   
   
   • Prior to the sale or lease of District-owned property, the Board of Education must appoint an advisory committee consisting of no less that seven (7) members and no more than eleven (11) members in accordance with the criteria set forth in Education Code 17389.  The committee's purpose is to advise the Board of Education in developing District-wide policies and procedures in the use or disposition of school buildings or space not needed for school purposes (Ed. Code 17387, 17388).
      
     The 7-11 Advisory Committee has the duty of reviewing projected District enrollment to determine the amount of surplus space and real property; establishing a priority list of surplus space and real property that will be acceptable to the community; causing to have circulated throughout the attendance area the priority list and provide for hearings of community input the community on acceptable uses; making a final determination of limits of tolerance of use; and forwarding a written report recommending a determination of whether real property is surplus and recommending uses of surplus space and real property (Ed. Code 17390). 
      
     The Committee's recommendation is advisory only and need not be implemented by the Board.  At a future meeting, Staff will present a resolution for approval authorizing the formation of a Surplus Property 7-11 Committee.
     
     
2. Appraisal of Fir Ridge Parcel (APN 173-62-030)
   
   
3. Analysis of the available options for further discussion/approval by the Board. 

Information from Joint Santa Rosa City Council and SRCS Board Meeting 

The City of Santa Rosa ("City") and Santa Rosa City Schools ("District"), are parties to an Agreement regarding development of the Fir Ridge site, Lot F ("Site"), located in the City of Santa Rosa (APN 173-620-030). Pursuant to the original subdivision approvals, the Site is designated for development of either an elementary school or low and/or moderate-income housing.  In 2016, Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) to extend the term of the First Agreement to allow the District to continue working toward developing affordable housing on the Site. However, in the aftermath of the October 2017 Tubbs and Nuns Fires, the area surrounding the Site sustained significant damage which led the City and District to discuss alternatives to construction of affordable housing or school facilities on the Site. These alternatives include:

1. City and District extending the 2016 MOU to allow the District additional time to fulfill its obligations under the 2016 MOU;
2. District transferring title of the Site to the City for City’s development or facilitating development of affordable housing;
3. District selling the Site to a third party and using proceeds to develop or participate in a low and/or moderate-income housing project for District employees on a different site within the City limits; or
4. District selling the Site and using the proceeds to create a revolving fund Loan Program to provide down payment assistance for District employees to purchase homes in the City.

The Board will consider approval of the First Amendment to Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Between the City of Santa Rosa and Santa Rosa City Schools to allow an alternative to the construction of affordable housing or school facilities on Fir Ridge Ridge Drive, Lot "F" (APN 173-620-030). 

When the Fir Ridge North at Fountaingrove Subdivision was approved in 1987, a condition of its development was the dedication of an approximately 7-acre site for development of either an elementary school, or low and/or moderate-income housing, pursuant to the Fountaingrove Ranch Planned Community District Policy Statement adopted by the Council in 1981 (Fountaingrove PC Policy).  A 6.03-acre site on Fir Ridge Drive was ultimately set aside for the purpose and identified as Parcel “F” on the subdivision Final Map recorded in June 1988 (Site). The Site is adjacent to Parcel “E” on the Final Map (highlighted below), a neighborhood park site now developed as Fir Ridge Park.

In April 1988, the City and Braewood Development Corporation (Braewood) entered into an agreement that, in lieu of Braewood receiving a fair market value payment for dedication, the Site was exempted from reassessment of the 1983 improvement bonds. The agreement provided for a Holding Agreement to be recorded in conjunction with the Final Map, which would allow time for the Santa Rosa City Schools (“District”) to determine whether it wished to acquire the Site for development of an elementary school and to negotiate purchase of the Site from Braewood.

The Holding Agreement was subsequently executed by the City and Braewood in May, recorded in August 2, 1988, and included the following terms:

• Transfer of the Site from Braewood to the City upon recordation of the Final Map.
• A four-year negotiation period expiring August 1, 1992, for the School District to purchase the Site from Braewood for a maximum price of $237,000.
• If the School District did not acquire the Site during the negotiation period, the City was to offer dedication of the Site to the School District, which would have until August 1, 1993, to accept the dedication offer, subject to Braewood’s right to bring action to seek higher compensation.
• If the School District did acquire the Site during the negotiation period, it would then have until August 1, 1998, 10 years after the date of the Holding Agreement, to begin construction of a school, or determine that the Site is not needed for school purposes.
• If the School District did not acquire the Site and begin construction of a school by the 1998 deadline, the City would have the right to use the Site for low- or moderate-income housing, provided that the City or one of its agencies entered into a binding agreement within five years for construction of the affordable housing.
• Braewood had the right to ultimately recover title to the Site if the City’s five-year time period expired without entering into an agreement for construction of affordable housing. Braewood would then have no further liability for dedication of the Site and would be permitted to use the Site for an alternative use compatible with the abutting residential uses as provided by the Fountaingrove PC Policy.

Between 1988 and 2015, the Holding Agreement was amended twelve times (see Attachment 4 for the full timeline of the Amendments), and in or about 1994/1995, the District acquired all of Braewood’s remaining rights and interests in the Site including, but not limited to, the right to regain title to the Site in the event District and City did not use the Site for school or for low and/or moderate-income housing purposes.  In or about 2003, District and City entered into the “Fourth Amendment to Holding Agreement” (“Fourth Amendment”) to allow District to use the Site to develop affordable housing for its employees.  The Fourth Amendment further provided that if District did not develop affordable housing on the Site, and the City exercised its right to use the Site for low and/or moderate-income housing, the City would make reasonable efforts to provide a preference to qualified District employees for at least fifty percent (50%) of any residential units it constructed on the Site.

On June 28, 2016 City and District entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (“2016 MOU”) to extend some of the deadlines set forth in the Twelfth Amendment to Holding Agreement (“Twelfth Amendment”) for an additional three years, such that the deadline by which the District must commence construction of affordable housing for lower income District Employees on the School Site is June 30, 2020. The 2016 MOU states that the City Manager shall have the authority and discretion to act on behalf of the Council to extend these milestones further if the project is progressing substantially. Should this situation arise, the City and School District agreed to execute and record an agreement that effectuates this extension. Furthermore, in the event the District fails to meet the agreed upon milestones set forth in the Twelfth Amendment, such failure shall “make the title to the School Site recoverable by the City through the exercise of the power of termination in the Holding Agreement.” See Attachment 3 to review the full terms of the 2016 MOU.

Since the approval of the 2016 MOU, the District has been unable to commence construction on the Site. In addition, the 2017 Tubbs and Nuns Fires significantly damaged the Fountaingrove neighborhood surrounding the Site, adding additional complexities in development of the property. The District initiated discussions with the City to discuss alternatives to developing the Site with affordable housing for District Staff and to aid in fulfilling the District’s goal of attracting and retaining teachers and classified school staff members during a state-wide teacher shortage.  During a study session with Council on October 1, 2019, City staff presented the following proposed alternatives for Council’s consideration and direction in determining what options should be pursued on the Site.

1. City and District extending the 2016 MOU to allow the District additional time to fulfill its obligations under the 2016 MOU;
   
   
2. District transferring title of the Site to the City for City’s development or facilitating development of affordable housing;
   
   
3. District selling the Site to a third party and using proceeds towards:
   1. the development or acquisition of low and/or moderate-income housing units for District employees in alternate locations within the City limits, or
   2. funding a revolving down payment assistance program for District employees who wish to purchase housing within the City 

Analysis

During the October 1, 2019 study session, the Santa Rosa City Council directed City staff to allow the District the most flexibility in fulfilling the intent of the original Holding Agreement and to work collaboratively with District staff to revise the conditions and extend the term of the 2016 MOU for an additional three years through June 30, 2022.

Terms of Proposed First Amendment to MOU

Pursuant to Council direction, the First Amendment to MOU includes the following options: 1) the District may pursue building housing units on the Site as defined in the 2016 MOU, or 2) the District may sell the Site and use the Proceeds towards a) financing the construction or acquisition of housing for District employees, or b) creating a down payment assistance loan program (“Loan Program”) for District employees. 

Under either scenario, if the District decides to not use the Proceeds to finance the construction or acquisition of housing for District employees, or to create a Loan Program, then the District would be required to provide 100% of the Proceeds to the City within 12 months of the District’s decision.  If this were to occur, the City would use the Proceeds to finance construction of low and/or moderate-income housing units and would make reasonable efforts to provide a preference to qualified District employees for at least fifty percent (50%) of any residential units constructed. 

Development on Site pursuant to 2016 MOU

The District may continue to pursue housing construction on the Site and would be required to notify the City of its intent to develop the Site with low to moderate-income housing for District employees within the three-year term. 

The tentative subdivision map associated with the previously proposed housing project on the Site and all related land entitlements have expired.  Any future development proposal on the Site must acquire the appropriate land use and development approvals as defined by the City Code, General Plan or any applicable specific plans.  In addition, development proposals on the Site shall pay any applicable application fees associated with the development proposal, as well as any required impact fees.

1. Sell the Site and use Proceeds to develop housing or to create a down payment assistance program

The District may sell the Site with the requirement that the District will deposit all proceeds (“Proceeds”) received from the sale, less any customary fees or costs required to close the transaction, into a separate account to be used for financing the construction or acquisition of housing for District employees or, as another option, to create a Loan Program for District employees. Each of these options is described in more detail below.

2a. Development or Acquisition of Housing Off Site

The Proceeds would be used for financing the construction or acquisition of housing units for District employees in alternate locations within the City limits. This could involve partnership with a developer to create the units or to obtain units in an active development project.  Initial conversations with proposed development projects in the downtown have indicated that there is interest in this approach to support new transit-oriented development projects.

2b. Down Payment Assistance Program

The proceeds would be used towards the creation of a revolving fund loan program to provide down payment assistance to District employees. During the October 1, 2019, study session, the Council provided direction for the District to determine the eligibility criteria based upon what the District identifies to be the greatest benefit for their employees. The following are the terms should the District pursue this option:

1. District would create and implement the Loan Program, including:
   1. Establishing qualification criteria for assistance under the Loan Program, which would comply with all Federal, State and Local laws and be limited to District employees; and
   2. Ensure that the units and/or Proceeds remain a viable resource for District employees through a Resale Restriction Agreement recorded against the property which outlines the occupancy requirements of the unit, and the disposition of loan proceeds in the event of the sale of the property, default, or payoff of the loan. 

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378.

Previous Board History

October 14, 2019 (Item A-3): Approval of First Amendment to memorandum of understanding (MOU) to allow an alternative to the construction of affordable housing or school facilities on Fir Ridge Ridge Drive, Lot "F" (APN 173-620-030)

June 22, 2016 (Item E-23): MOU Between SRCS and The City of Santa Rosa 

June 28, 2017 (Item D-1): Fir Ridge Workforce Housing Feasibility Study Review

The Santa Rosa City Schools Board Members on the Ad Hoc foundation incubation committee will present the discussion and agreements of this committee, and provide direction to the Superintendent.  The SRCS Board Members on the committee are Ed Sheffield, Laurie Fong, and Jen Klose. Community members on the committee include Tracy Kline, Magali Telles, and Adriana Arrizon.  Superintendent Kitamura is also on the Ad Hoc committee.

Rationale

Santa Rosa City Schools provides a summary of gifts and donations presented to each school in the district.  Evident in these monthly summaries was a clear discrepancy in the amount of donations received at each school.  In the 2018-19 school year, elementary and middle school donations to an individual school site ranged from $600 to $40,000. To balance the donations received by some schools and not others, an incubation team was formed by the Santa Rosa City School Board to explore creating a foundation. 

Considerations

The Ad Hoc Committee considered many aspects of forming a foundation to assist in serving the needs of elementary and middles schools that often receive minimal donations.  A sample mission and vision were created along with ideas to provide financial support from a foundation that could be accessed by a school site. A working foundation name is the "Made in Santa Rosa Foundation."

• Mission: To provide equitable opportunities for all of Santa Rosa City Schools’ elementary and middle school students by supporting the educational and enrichment programs that they need and deserve
  

• Vision:  We believe in the transformative power of education to close opportunity and achievement gaps in our schools. Our goal is to build a bridge between the school district and community resources, ensuring equitable access to schools where such transformation is possible. Transformative schools strive to develop the whole child, set high expectations and provide the support needed to achieve them.

 Each of our schools will have the assets to provide its students with:

• On-site tutoring

• Access to Gardens and Environmental Studies

• Engaging field trips that expand students’ experiences and encourage community engagement

• Opportunities to develop a passion for music and art

• Science facilitators and hands-on experience in the sciences
  

• Relevant 21st Century technology

• Programs that teach and encourage healthy lifestyles and physical fitness

• After-school enrichment opportunities, such as chess club, video production, and foreign language classes

• Programs that help create or nurture a college-going culture for students

Initial funding of $150,000 for the "Made in Santa Rosa Foundation" is provided by the unspecified district donations from the 2017 fires. (These were donations to Santa Rosa City Schools without a specified purpose.)

Fiscal Sponsor 

A fiscal sponsor is required to manage the funds of the foundation until the "Made in Santa Rosa Foundation" receives its 501(3)(c) status. Selection of a Fiscal sponsor will be presented at a future Board meeting.   

The Board of Education has been working closely with Dr. Carlos Ayala since February of 2019 to implement a new Strategic Plan for the District.  The plan was presented to the public for input through various board meetings and surveys.  All of the responses from stakeholders has been compiled.  The Board will review and analyze the feedback and apply any changes deemed appropriate. 

Considerations

During the 2012-13 school year, the SRCS Board and the superintendent began a dialog around a strategic planning process. The Board worked diligently with the Superintendent and various experts who helped design an inclusive process to lead the work in SRCS.  The current strategic plan has been in place for four years and it is time to review the current plan and work together with the school community to revise and update a strategic plan for SRCS.

Dr. Carlos Ayala began the facilitation for updating the SRCS strategic plan with the Board of Education and Superintendent beginning in February 2019.  Dr. Ayala worked together with the Board and Superintendent to use the feedback and input from the school community for the previous strategic plan to help inform the development of this updated version of the strategic plan for the district.  

The Board will review the First Read of Board Policy 4151 Employee Compensation.

Purpose

This policy came before the Board for consideration on September 25, 2019, with the updated Certificated Salary Placement Guidelines and Administrative Regulation 4112.1 Contracts (attached).

Considerations

The Certificated Salary Placement Guidelines have been updated to support and enhance recruitment of highly qualified teachers at Santa Rosa City Schools especially in hard to fill areas such as Special Education.  Language has been added to the attached First Read of Board Policy 4151 referencing the Salary Placement Guidelines.

Board Policy
BP 4151

The Board will review the attached recommended revisions by CSBA to board policies and discuss any additional changes they deem appropriate.  If no changes are required, the Board may take action to approve the policies.  

Purpose

In an effort to keep the District’s policies current, staff is recommending these policy revisions pursuant to CSBA's October 2018 revision packet.  Most modifications recommended by CSBA are due to changes in the law when a new state or federal statute has been enacted. 

Consideration

CSBA will periodically recommend policy revisions due to changes in the law, changes in the Education Code, and/or changes to the wording of policies to keep them current and up to date.  The revised policies being presented are:

BP 0420.42 - Charter School Renewal
BP 1100 - Communication with the Public
BP 3290 - Gifts, Grants and Bequests
BP 5141.6 - School Health Services
BP 5148.3 - Preschool/Early Childhood Education
BP 6145.2 - Athletic Competition
BP 6170.1 - Transitional Kindergarten
BP 6178 - Career Technical Education
BP 6190 - Evaluation of the Instructional Program
BB 9110 - Terms of Office

The Board will consider approval of Board Policy 6174 - Education for English Learners.  

Purpose

This policy came before the Board for review on September 25, 2019.  A question was asked about  how reclassification is implemented because there was no mention of it in the Board Policy itself.  Staff determined that reclassification information is found in the Administrative Regulation.  There is no need to further modify this Board Policy therefore it is being brought back for approval.  The Administrative Regulation is also attached for reference.   

These items are presented for informational purposes only.

The following are future board update 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

Attached for reference are the Board's Codes of Conduct and Code of Ethics board policy. 

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

The Board will receive the quarterly report on SRCS Williams Uniform Complaints for the period beginning July 1 and ending September 30, 2019.  The District files with the Sonoma County Office of Education a quarterly report on Williams Uniform Complaints listing the number of complaints that have been resolved, and the number of complaints remaining unresolved.  The attached quarterly report on Williams Uniform Complaints is presented for your information only.

Purpose

To provide the Board with information submitted to the Sonoma County Office of Education;  a quarterly report on Williams Uniform Complaints listing the number of complaints that have been resolved, and the number of complaints remaining unresolved. There were fourteen (14) Williams Complaints submitted during this quarter.

Considerations

During the quarter of July 1 - September 30, 2019, the district received a total of fourteen (14) Williams Uniform Complaints (13 Facilities Condition and 1 Textbooks & Instructional Materials complaints). Following the Williams Uniform Complaint procedures, the District investigated the allegations and immediately addressed the concerns.

The investigation of these Williams Complaints has now been closed. The district appreciates that these complaints have been brought to our attention to assist us in improving our facilities and instruction and to better serve our students, staff and the greater community.

Williams Uniform Complaint Procedures Form