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)).

The Board will consider approval of Resolution 2019/20-51 recognizing March 2020 as National Women’s History Month.

Purpose

To adopt a Resolution recognizing March 2020 as National Women's History Month.

Consideration

This year marks the centennial of passage of the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution guaranteeing women’s right to vote. California women had already won that right in the state election of 1911. Another historic event in California – what is believed to be the first women's suffrage march in the nation – was held in Oakland in 1908, co-organized and co-led by women leaders of San Francisco’s Glen Park neighborhood.

Emboldened by their civic activities, Glen Park women concurrently pursued the preeminent right of citizenship in California and beyond – the right to vote. On August 27, 1908, some of these new suffragists, including Johanna Pinther of Glen Park, Jeanette Pinther of San Francisco’s Noe Valley, and Lillian Harris Coffin of Mill Valley, Marin County, as representatives of the California Equal Suffrage Association, helped organize and co-lead possibly the first march in support of votes for women in the U.S. in Oakland, California. Their march to the California State Republican Convention to demand suffrage be added to the party’s platform, is an event poorly documented in the annals of American history.

We reflect on the extraordinary accomplishments of women and honor their role in shaping the course of our Nation's history. Today, women have reached heights their mothers and grandmothers might only have imagined. Women now comprise nearly half of our workforce and the majority of students in our colleges and universities. They scale the skies as astronauts, expand our economy as entrepreneurs and business leaders, and serve our country at the highest levels of government and our Armed Forces. In honor of the pioneering women who came before us, and in recognition of those who will come after us, this month, we recommit to erasing the remaining inequities facing women in our day and honor the women of the California Equal Suffrage Association.

Previous Board History
February 27, 2019 (Item F.1)

Approve Resolution 2019/20-51 recognizing March 2020 as National Women's History Month. 

These school reports will coincide with the awards for students, certificated and classified staff, and the parent organization reports for each school.  Presenting at this board meeting will be Brad Coscarelli (Hidden Valley Elementary School), Ed Navarro (Rincon Valley Middle School) and Katie Barr (Maria Carrillo High School).  

Purpose

The Board of Education approves the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) and the Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) each year. The purpose of these school reports is to provide an opportunity for the Board to hear how their approval of these plans at the policy level manifest into the goals, actions, and impact for students and staff at the sites.

Consideration

Increased student learning and social and emotional well being are at the core of Santa Rosa City Schools' work.  This work has involved systems change and a tremendous amount of professional learning by SRCS educators. Changes to the system and institutionalized practices and the investment in our students and staff are beginning to show growth in learning and engagement in many areas.     

The vision and goals of the district are clear, however, the question arises about how that district focus aligns with impact on student learning and social-emotional growth at the sites.  Michael Fullan's Coherence Framework continues to be the guide to assists staff in making sense of the various programs and initiatives taking place in the district which then creates meaning (why") for students and staff. 

The Coherence Framework (Michael Fullan and Joanna Quinn): 

Making the complex more simple, "simplexity".  Initiative overload and fragmentation have kept the best plans from becoming a reality.  It is about leading differently. The key to bringing about successful and sustainable change is through the Coherence Framework which is a dynamic roadmap made up of four essential components:

• Focused direction to build collective purpose
• Cultivating collaborative cultures while clarifying individual and team roles
• Deepening learning to accelerate improvement and foster innovation
• Securing accountability from the inside out

Inquiry Cycle of Instructional Leadership (Center for Educational Leadership [CEL]): 

Improving teaching and learning is the most important task of school leaders and in conjunction with creating coherence, principals are using the Inquiry Cycle for Instructional Leadership to begin to collaboratively engage in a continuous process of instructional improvement and analysis consisting of four phases:

• Phase 1 Analyze Evidence: Gather and analyze evidence to identify student learning problems and problems of teaching or leading practice      

• Phase 2 Determine a Focus: Teachers and leaders analyze evidence to identify an instructional focus area

• Phase 3 Implement & Support:  Teachers and leaders engage in study and learning and then take actions centered on an area of focus

• Phase 4 Analyze Impact:  Teachers and leaders analyze the results of the instructional inquiry and reflect on the process and new learning    

Theory of Action:

If we improve the quality of practice through the continuous development of Leadership capacity to:

A.  Assure warm, safe, dry schools and facilities
C. Confront and address issues of equity and access
E. Engage in problem-solving through an inquiry cycle for growth
F. Facilitate the development of a sense of purpose
L. Lead and guide focused professional learning
P. Provide and strengthen social and emotional supports
R. Recognize and implement quality instruction
T. Target and align resources
U. Utilize data to inform the inquiry cycle for growth

Then, we have much work to do as a district.  No longer will student outcomes be predicted based on race, differently abled, socioeconomic status, and/or the language spoken at home.  

The Theory of Action has been 6 years in the making, it encompasses the intentional and explicit work currently happening in our district and the promise of the future for our students and the community. The Theory of Action is another source of guidance that aligns with the Coherence Framework as it emphatically focuses direction and holds accountable the entire school community to attain equitable access and equal outcomes for all of our students.

Board Policy

BP 0420 - School Plans/Site Councils
AR 0420 - School Plans/Site Councils
BP 0460 - Local Control And Accountability Plan

The Board will review Board Policy 6146.1 with additions to address the one-year waiver for Math and LOTE and the Graduation with Industry Concentration.

Purpose

To provide an opportunity to review Board Policy 6146.1, which includes a new language regarding Graduation with a Concentration and a one year waiver for Math and LOTE.

• Waiver: A waiver is a process that intentionally excuses a student from specific graduation requirements based on certain factors.  By waiving Math and/or LOTE course(s), students will remain on track toward graduating with a Santa Rosa City Schools diploma; however by utilizing a waiver, students will not be eligible to apply directly to a CSU or UC college because the “a-g” requirements have not been fulfilled.  A waiver is initiated by specific paperwork that must be completed by a student, the student’s guardian, and school personnel.

• Graduation with Concentration Language:An industry concentration is defined as taking courses that fit under a CDE recognized industry sector.  A student may meet the requirements of an industry concentration in three ways:
  

1. The student takes a series of 2 or 3 sequential courses that are aligned within a CDE recognized industry sector in a CTE designated pathway.

2. The student takes a series of 2 or 3 sequential courses that are aligned within a CDE recognized industry sector in a school site designated pathway.

3. The student takes, at minimum, 2 non-sequential courses that are aligned within the same CDE recognized industry sector AND completes a component of work readiness.

Considerations 

In the Spring of 2018, the Board of Education voted to change the graduation requirements by adding a year of Math and Language Other Than English (LOTE). The change was needed to address the disparity of students who are college and career ready in Santa Rosa City Schools were not equal among subgroups. At the time, the data shows the percentage of students who were meeting the a-g requirements were trending down, while the state and county were trending up. Additionally, Superintendent Kitamura brought forward the idea of the "Certificate Specialist" as an additional opportunity for students to achieve the new graduation requirements.

On January 29, 2020 study session, the Board directed staff to come back with waiver options.

After the February 26, 2020, Board Meeting, each high school counseling team came together with the district Counselor on Special Assignment to give feedback on the "Waiver" and "Graduation with Concentration." All high school teams except Santa Rosa High School were able to meet.

On March 5, 2020, a meeting was held for all SRTA/CSEA members to provide feedback and ask clarifying questions to the Waiver and Graduation with Concentration. Seven SRTA members and 1 CSEA member were in attendance. Feedback from the meeting is attached. The feedback generated at this meeting and prior meetings are reflected in the attachments. Red equates language that was removed and yellow represents language that is being added as a result of this consultation.

Teaching and Learning will attend the Counseling Department Chair meeting on March 12th to continue the opportunity for feedback.

Teaching and Learning will be meeting with World Language and Math Department Chairs on March 12th to gather feedback. 

Board Policy
BP 6146.1

Education Code
Ed Code 51228

Previous Board Activity
February 26, 2020 -Item E.3
January 29, 2020 - Item D.2
November 13, 2019 - Item F.3
May 22, 2019 - Item F.4
June 13, 2018 - Item G.3
April 25, 2018 - Item F.1
April 11, 2018 - Item F.1

California Education Code
Ed Code 35330

The Board will consider approval of Resolution No. 2019/20-38 to decrease the number of certificated employees due to a reduction or elimination of particular kinds of services.

Purpose

To approve Resolution No. 2019/20-38 to initiate a reduction in certificated employee services pursuant to Education Code sections 44949 and 44955.

Considerations

During the last five years, Santa Rosa City Schools has reduced deficit spending and returned to a Positive certification due to a more strategic deployment and use of resources, and the re-alignment and or elimination of goods and services that do not best support the district's Mission, Vision, and Strategic Priorities. These decisions have created more effective and more efficient services, programs and staffing.

However, in the last year, SRCS' certification status has changed to "Qualified" because the district cannot guarantee it can meet its financial obligations three years out, without further significant budget reductions.

The costs of goods and services continue to outpace the revenue received by the district, and along with declining enrollment, creates a situation where the structure of the deficit must be addressed. 

Additionally, with staffing costs making up the majority of the expense for SRCS' budget, the overstaffing as a result of fewer students enrolled in our schools, and the need to meet contractual obligations for daily total student contacts, a reduction of staff is necessary.

Multiple stakeholder groups have been consulted during this process and their input applied to the final recommendations considered in this agenda item.

Input and consultation with SRTA regarding PKS timelines and process happened during scheduled SRTA-SRCS Weekly Collaboration meetings on January 9 and February 27, 2020.

Regular and on-going input from principals and administrators regarding PKS timelines and process also happened in several forums:

1. Logistics and Operations (LOOP) meetings on December 19, 2019, and January 16 and February 2, 2020.
2. Administrator meetings on August 26, December 4, 2019, and January 21, February 11-14 and February 18-21 (one-on-one meetings)
3. Super Cabinet meetings on December 12, 2019, and February 13, 2020.

Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) meetings on January 23, February 13, and February 20, 2020 also provided an opportunity for input and feedback from SRTA, CSEA and the broader community for PKS as it related to the district's Fiscal Stabilization Plan, which included the reduction and or elimination of certificated staffing.

As appropriate, the PKS timeline and process has also been shared with our parents and families through ELAC and DELAC.

SRCS has previously engaged in necessary reductions in force to ensure continuous, quality instruction and maintain fiscal solvency. Most recent previous reductions occurred in:

1. 2016-2017: 8.6 FTE
2. 2017-2018: 22.6 FTE
3. 2018-2019: 23.5 FTE
4. 2019-2020: Proposed 25.6 FTE

The Particular Kinds of Service recommended for reduction are based upon program needs and student enrollment. During the PKS process, staff with the least seniority district-wide in the Particular Kind of Service are noticed that they may be released from their employment at the end of the school year. 

Between March 15 and May 15 a process will occur in which vacancies due to attrition are filled, credentials and seniority lists are reviewed, and potential bumping and skipping might occur to reduce the sections identified in this Resolution and to fill vacancies as needed.

Board Policy
4117.3 Personnel Reduction

Education Code
Section 44949
Section 44955

Previous Board History
F.4 and F.5 March 13, 2019
D.2 March 7, 2018
C.2 March 8, 2017
March 11, 2015

A specific financial impact will occur as we implement the PKS process. There may be changes to the PKS as a result of attrition through resignations, retirements, and non-relects. 

The Board will consider approval of the 2019-20 Second Interim Report with qualified certification.

Purpose

As part of AB1200 state legislation that outlines the fiscal reporting requirements for every school district with oversight by their County Office of Education, the Board is required to review the district’s financial condition at Second Interim by March 15. The Board certifies that the district meets one of the following conditions while continuing to maintain a minimum of a 3% reserve for economic uncertainty:

• Positive: the district is able to meet financial obligations for current and two subsequent fiscal years

• Qualified: the district may not meet financial obligations for a current fiscal year or two subsequent fiscal years

• Negative: the district will not meet financial obligations for the remainder of the current fiscal year or one subsequent fiscal year

The Second Interim report focuses on updates since the January 2020 Governor's Budget proposal and 1st Interim including revenues and expenditures through January 31 for the current fiscal year plus two future years.

Considerations

Key assumptions and notable updates from 1st Interim and with the January 2020 Governor's Budget proposal included in the 2nd Interim:

2nd Interim General Fund 01 projected ending condition:

Assumptions for Charter Fund 09 (Accelerated, Arts, CCLA, & French-American):

2nd Interim Other Funds projected ending conditions:

Charter Schools Special Revenue Fund 09

2019/20 Projected Ending Balance $4,076,930.26

Child Development Fund 12

2019/20 Projected Ending Balance $4,298.03

Cafeteria Special Revenue Fund 13

2019/20 Projected Ending Balance $0.77

Deferred Maintenance Fund 14

2019/20 Projected Ending Balance $718,616.18

Special Reserve Fund for Other than Capital Outlay Projects Fund 17

2019/20 Projected Ending Balance $550,659.32

Building Fund 21 (Bond Fund)

2019/20 Projected Ending Balance $38,766,114.48

Capital Facilities Fund 25 (Developer Fees)

2019/20 Projected Ending Balance $4,805,626.95

Approve the 2019-20 Second Interim Report with Qualified Certification. 

The Board will consider approval of revised Board Policy 7310 - Naming of Facilities.

 Purpose and Considerations

The purpose is to update the district's policy.  Director Medina is requesting: 1) the language, "No school will be named for a living person," be stricken; change the language, "A citizen advisory committee shall be appointed ..." to "A citizen advisory committee may be appointed ..."; and adding the word "memorial" in paragraph 1b under Memorials. 

Previous Board History
This policy has come before the Board on the following dates:
4/22/15 (Item F-7)
6/10/15 (Item F-13)
1/27/16 (Item F-4)
12/11/19 (G.3)

Approved revised Board Policy 7310. 

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 February 14, 2020, through February 27, 2020, for a total of $3,864,765.72. 

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): February 14, 2020, through February 27, 2020 = $3,864,765.72
Warrants (Total 19/20 Fiscal Year): July 1, 2019, through February 27, 2020 = $56,935,584.42

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 February 21, 2020 = $16,229.03.
District-wide donations year to date = $212,378.86.

 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 = $5,822.00

This contract is created to support Ridgway High Staff with access to mental health services that are more effective and responsive to staff needs than existing Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or Kaiser mental health services. This is a new service model that will be used as a pilot for potential future services to staff.

Purpose

This board item will establish a pilot to determine the effectiveness of providing mental health services to school staff through a contract with a local mental health service provider. 

Considerations

Staff mental health and stress level concerns are becoming common and are causing increases in staff absences, workman’s compensation claims, complaints, performance problems, and turnover.

School Staff is regularly expected to work with students who have experienced very high levels of trauma. Vicarious trauma is a real concern and it is normal to expect some staff will suffer due to exposure to student trauma. Many of our staff have also experienced direct trauma through local community violence, disaster, and school lockdowns.  

The staff has consistently reported frustration with the current employee assistance program and our EAP utilization extremely low. Staff also reports that they do not get their needs met through their health insurance carrier. 

This contract will provide staff access to weekly, high-quality psychotherapeutic services in a convenient location. SOS has a clinic located at 319 E Street in Santa Rosa. They hire high-quality licensed and associate licensed staff who are well situated to support the mental health needs of our staff. Staff who seek services will be paired with a therapist and scheduled for a first session within one week.

This contract is being entered into in order to address staff mental health at Ridgeway High school. The expected outcome of mental health services in the improved mental health of the people who participate. The program will provide up to 5 staff members up to 12 sessions. 

This contract will be evaluated through surveying participants. Surveys will be done at the beginning and end of services. (Attached Appendix A). The contractor will provide survey data report at the end of the contract period. Survey data will include time to schedule appointments and customer satisfaction.

Board Policy 
BP 4140 Bargaining Units
BP 4200 Classified Personnel

Funding for this program will come LCAP mental health budget that is unspent.  The total cost for this pilot will not exceed six thousand dollars ($6,000.00).

The Board will consider approval of the amended 2020 board meeting calendar.  The November meeting date is being changed due to the original date falling on a holiday.  The December meeting date is being changed pursuant to the unavailability of of the City Council Chambers at City Hall.  

The Board will consider approval of the Living Earth Honors course for the 2020-2021 school year.

Purpose

Per Board Policy 6140.1, The Assistant Superintendent and the Directors of Teaching and Learning, on behalf of Middle and High Schools principals, submit to the Board of Education courses for approval. If approved by the Board of Education, These courses would be available for all middle or high schools to use in the master schedule pending sufficient student demand and sections available allotted through Human Resources and Business Services. These courses support the Common Core State Standards, District and Site goals, replace existing courses, and do not require additional sections.

Consideration

This course was brought to Science departments, and upon gaining approval by the site, it was then forwarded to the appropriate steering committee where it was discussed, approved and moved forward to the Principals and Teaching and Learning Directors for final review. The course being submitted does not require additional sections as it is a replacement of an existing course (Honors Biology) and is aligned to the NGSS Standards.

Living Earth Honors is a course revision and title change for the Biology Honors courses currently offered at our high school sites.  The course is being revised to align with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and is an integrated course meaning that standards that cover both Earth Science and Biology are taught. This course will be submitted to the UC for “d” Lab Science. The course is appropriate for 9th and 10th graders. 

The Board approved the Living Earth P course in December 2018. This Living Earth Honors course being proposed meets the definition of an honors course as outlined by the UC as well as input from our community in meetings on January 2019, March 2019, August 2019 and December 2019.

Board Policy
BP 6000 Concepts and Roles

Previous Board Activity
The Board of Education annually approves new course submissions in December each academic school year.

The Board will consider approval of Resolution 2019-20-056 declaring emergency and authorizing the contract with Matrix HG, Inc. to install new HVAC controls for classrooms at Rincon Valley Middle School.  

Purpose

The existing HVAC control equipment has failed at Rincon Valley Middle School, and due to the age of the system, only used parts can be obtained if available. Due to the time-sensitive nature of this work, staff is requesting that this purchase is considered an emergency item for approval consideration allowing this work to be completed immediately. 

This item provides equipment and installation of new controls into classrooms at Rincon Valley Middle School and would bring back the system to working order. 

Consideration

As noted, since the existing failed system is aged, only used and unreliable parts are available.  The District has no alternative than to immediately abandon the failed equipment and install new.  Staff notes that this work would have been part of the future Roofing/HVAC project at Rincon Valley Middle School. These classroom controls will be used now and with the new units being installed at a later date. Installing the new control equipment now will result in cost savings from price increases in the future, and labor costs to limp the control system through until the project takes place.

Board Policy
BP 3312

Education Code
Public Contract Code Section: 20113

Previous Board History
April 25, 2018 (Item F.11) Approval of emergency repairs at Montgomery High School for failing HVAC controls.

$268,453.00 - Measure I Funded

The Board will consider approval of A CBEST Waiver being submitted to the CTC for Lynda Veronique Lagrange.

Staff is requesting approval of the application for the Variable Term Waiver for the CBEST Test on behalf Lynda Veronique Lagrange, teacher at the Santa Rosa French American Charter School.  The application will be submitted to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing for final approval.

With the approval of this waiver, this teacher will continue to possess a valid Multiple Subject credential while they continue to study for and pass the CBEST:

The District will continue to support this teacher as they prepare for the CBEST Test. 

Previous Board History

May 22, 2019 (Item B.1.): Santa Rosa French American Charter CBEST Waivers
January 10, 2019  (Item E.8.) Santa Rosa French American Charter CBEST Waivers
November 9, 2016 (Item E.6) Santa Rosa French American Charter CBEST Waivers

These items are presented for informational purposes only.

The following are future board update items:

• SRFACS Charter Renewal
• Arts Charter Renewal
• CalPERS Benefits presentation
• New LCAP goals
• Cook/CCLA Board Requested Information
• Youth Truth Data / LCAP
• Bond Update: Facilities and Technology
• SRCS Openers for CSEA Bargaining 
• Fir Ridge / 7-11 Report 

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. 

Attached for information purposes is the Sonoma County Office of Education School Visitation report for the second quarterly report for the 2019-2020 fiscal year as required by Education Code 1240(c)(2)(G) pursuant to the Williams Settlement.

The Sonoma County Superintendent's January 2020 report presents that there were no visits or reviews conducted this quarter for the period ending January 2020.  All pertinent information was included in the first quarterly report amended December 5, 2019.