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 address 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.

To comment on non-agenda and/or agenda related items, please complete the Public Comment Form or, if you are unable to access the form, please email lkolacek@srcs.k12.ca.us to submit your comment prior to the start of the meeting. All comments received prior to the start of the meeting will be shared by staff during the meeting.  Staff will make all attempts to share comments received after the start of the meeting. Comments are limited to three minutes each. 

The Board will consider adoption of Resolution 2019/20-61 recognizing May 4 through 8, 2020 as Teacher Appreciation Week.

Purpose

The important contribution that teachers make to students is recognized officially this week as part of Teacher Appreciation Week. 

Consideration

Teachers are responsible for educating and encouraging students to become the next generation of inventors, entrepreneurs, public officials, first responders, professionals, and service providers so that our community continues to grow and flourish.  Teachers help build the country’s future by providing quality education to all students. During Teacher Appreciation Week, we urge all schools, centers, departments, parents, businesses, governmental and community agencies and the entire community to participate in the celebration of the significant role teachers play in shaping the lives of our students and the future of our great nation.  

In many professions, it’s easy to overstate the importance of the job. But in the case of our teachers, it’s more likely that people will underestimate the importance of teachers in our society. 

For those who have dedicated their lives to teaching others, it’s good to reflect on the vital importance well-educated, quality teachers play in shaping the world around us.  

Taking on the task of shaping young minds is a big responsibility. To say that teachers can change lives is not an exaggeration. Consider some of the following vital roles that truly illustrate the importance of teachers. 

Importance of Teachers as Role Models 

It’s interesting that so much public debate centers around celebrities, athletes and even politicians serving as role models. The truth is, outside of their own home, one of the biggest role models in a young person’s life is standing at the front of the classroom.  

Teachers are people to look up to and emulate. Nearly everyone has a teacher (in many cases, quite a few teachers) who they admired and who provided them with an example of how to conduct themselves. 

Power of Education 

Teaching students information in a way that they will remember and put to use is one of the greatest gifts anyone can give to another person. Doing so opens students’ eyes to new ways of looking at life. While so much emphasis today is on learning the hard skills necessary to excel in a certain profession – particularly in the postsecondary environment – much of the “life-changing stuff” happens in the younger years as children accumulate knowledge at the hands of a good teacher. 

Guidance 

Almost every teacher will find themselves approached by students in one way or the other. They seek advice on everything from academic interests to issues related to their personal lives. Within the classroom, teachers also serve as a sounding board for students’ thoughts on everything from historical events to the meaning found in a literary work. Teachers also provide guidance on pursuing higher education and participating in events that encourage growth in a young person. The importance of teachers as guides for children as they consider furthering their education is immeasurable.

Dedication 

The best teachers also inspire their students to work harder and push themselves. They encourage students to understand the importance of dedicating themselves to passion projects or endeavors. And success builds upon success. The more a student pushes themselves to accomplish their goals, the more they realize what they are capable of doing. Invaluable.

Teaching can be a tough, complex job. As with any profession, there are days that are hard to get through. But for those who have committed their lives to the profession, they are joining the ranks of some of the brightest minds – and most important people – that students will come across in their lives. 

Previous Board History
04/24/2019 (Item F-1)
04/25/2018 (Item F-5)

Adopt Resolution 2019/20-61 recognizing May 4-8, 2020 as Teacher Appreciation Week.  

The Board will consider adoption of Resolution 2019/20-62 recognizing Substitute Teacher Appreciation Week.  

Purpose

National Substitute Teacher Appreciation Week is five days dedicated to the hundreds of thousands of wonderful individuals that fill in for permanent teachers every day in the United States. This week is meant to be celebrated in conjunction with Teacher Appreciation Week.  The dates coincide with the first full week in May. 

Consideration

Classroom teachers will, on occasion, be absent, we recognize the continuity substitute teachers bring to our students’ learning environment and educational agenda.  Maintaining the usual level of discipline and tranquility in the classroom is crucial to every student, and substitute teachers do not face an easy task each time they must replace a classroom teacher.  Every substitute teacher must be very flexible in order to adapt to different teaching styles and planning, as well as command the respect of the young people he or she may be teaching on a given day.  

Previous Board History
04/24/2019 (Item F-2)
04/25/2018 (Item F-6)

Adopt Resolution 2019/20-62 recognizing May 4-8, 2020 as Substitute Teacher Appreciation Week. 

The Board will consider adoption of Resolution 2019/20-63 recognizing May 6, 2020, as National School Nurse Day.  

Purpose

Since 1972, National School Nurse Day has been set aside to recognize school nurses and was established to foster a better understanding of the role of school nurses in the educational setting. 

Consideration

School nurses advocate for students’ health and safety at district and state policy levels.  Students with chronic and acute health conditions can have their health needs met at school because of their school nurse’s clinical assessment, judgment, and planning. 

School nurses optimize student health and learning every day of the year. But, on National School Nurse Day, we take special time to celebrate and recognize the contributions that school nurses are making to the health and learning of our nation’s 50 million children. 

SRCS School Nurses:
Nicholo Atup (Lincoln, CCLA/Cook, Elsie)
Cheryl Closser (Hidden Valley, Maria Carrillo)
Amanda Sessoms (Lehman, Accelerated Charter, Rincon Valley, Arts Charter)
Laura Hudgins (French Charter, Santa Rosa Middle, Proctor)
Jennifer Rodriguez (Brook Hill, Montgomery)
Sangmo Witzman (Biella, Comstock, Piner)
Heather Ginnever (Monroe, Steele Lane, Pre-School Program, Slater)
Beth Munns (Burbank, Santa Rosa High)

Previous Board History 
04/24/2019 (Item F.3)
04/24/2018 (Item F.7)

Adopt Resolution 2019/20-63 recognizing May 6, 2020, as National School Nurse Day.  

A second update to the Board of Education will be provided by the Superintendent and Cabinet members  regarding the next phase for continuity of operations and distance learning in Santa Rosa City Schools as a result of the Shelter in Place Order and COVID-19.

Purpose

To provide a second update to the Board of Education regarding the next phase of activities and actions of SRCS during the Shelter in Place and COVID-19.

Considerations

Governor Newsom and the Sonoma County Public Health Officer have issued orders for shelter in place for the remainder of the school year. These orders have designated essential businesses and services of which K-12 public education is authorized as essential.  For SRCS, our essential services are to maintain continuity of operations to provide meals for students. Custodial services for facilities and equipment, and distance learning. As we continue to stabilize and progress during this phase of the Shelter in Place, the need to begin planning for the summer and start of school will be the next phase for SRCS.  

SRCS created a Distance Learning Plan as a condition of the order to provide distance learning.  It is a living document that has changed several times as we work through the delivery of distance learning while implementing it at the same time.  We have developed an IEP meeting protocol and Guidelines for attendance, grading, and assessment. Both of these documents were developed with teachers, principals, directors and SRTA leadership.   The Distance Learning Plan has been updated with these protocols and guidelines and can be viewed HERE.

The following departments will highlight the next phase in the continuity of operations and services and access to learning activities for all of our students as we prepare for the end of the school year, summer, and the beginning of next school year. 

Business Services (Fiscal, Technology, M&O, CNS, Purchasing, Data, Facilities, Communications)

Selected highlights ensuring business continuity and operational sustainability: 

• Fiscal Services

• Preparing for Third Interim Report

• Site Budget Development
  
  

• Information Technology

• Chromebook and Hotspot Distribution

• Preparation of Laptops/Hotspots for Staff

• Approximately 4,000 Chromebooks distributed or ready to distribute

• Approximately 1,200 Hotspots distributed or ready to distribute

• Maintenance and Operations (M&O)

• Site Custodial support and Grounds support

• CNS Meal Support
  

• Child Nutrition Services

• Responsible for providing approximately 71,000 meals to children age 0-18 in Santa Rosa from 3/23 to 4/15

• Change from Daily to twice a week: Monday - two (2) Breakfasts/two (2) lunches and Wednesday three (3) Breakfasts/three (3) lunches resulting in fewer trips to pick up meals for staff and community safety. 

• Staff is now preparing bundles at school sites to maximize social distancing

• All staff are wearing a mask to prepare and distribute meals.

• Operating 9 locations from 11:30-1 for Monday & Wednesday pickup of lunch and breakfast. 

• Brookhill Elementary School

• Burbank Elementary School

• Cook Middle School

• Elsie Allen High School

• Lewis Education Center

• Lincoln Elementary School

• Monroe Elementary School

• Piner High School

• Santa Rosa Middle School
  
  

• Purchasing

• Mailed all elementary learning packets for each elementary school and some middle schools.

• Procuring items as necessary to support all areas of SRCS.Processing of Emergency Purchase Orders (Chromebooks, hotspots, laptops, mailing, and cleaning supplies)
  
  

• Data

• Assisted with Staff Development Day including the coordination of additional training for software applications used for Distance Learning.

• Coordinated Chromebook/hotspot distribution data, including call lists to notify families

• Processed and sent 3rd Quarter middle and high school grades
  
  

• Communications

• Built Distance Learning pages on the SRCS website in coordination with multiple departments.
  
  

Human Resources Phase Two: continuity of operations

• Staffing: 

• Continue the reduction in force, bumping and Transfer Window process for certificated staff

• Conduct interviews for bilingual math, science, and Special Education staff from Mexico through our CDE Partnership

• Conduct interviews for administrative site vacancies to ensure continuity of leadership

• Reach out to SSU Math/Science Interns and USD Counseling Interns to interview for “hard to fill” vacancies

• Continue the Classified Staff Job Analysis Project

• Operations:

• Continue to share information and resources for staff to work safely and effectively from home

• Continue to monitor Accident Reports, Workers Comp filings, and unemployment claims to look to reduce liability and exposure

• Revise and update policies and guides as a result of dynamic changes in labor and personnel management, laws, and policies due to COVID and communicate such accurately and clearly to staff

• Finish recommendations to bring fingerprinting and TB Testing in house to reduce length of time for access and processing and the use of EdFiles for electronic data and file storage to reduce personnel costs

• CalPERS Transition:

• Modify the transition plan to account for working remotely, addressing issues of confidentiality and determining how to move a paper oriented, in person process (from the providers) to on-line

• Support: 

• Continue to assist sites in staffing to meet the learning and program needs in their Master Schedule

• Continue to assist sites in budget development pertaining to staffing

• Continue to assist with staffing information for the LCAP process

• Continue to assist T&L and SAFE/SPED for planning Summer Learning/Credit Recovery through Distance Learning

Student and Family Services

• Special Education

• Case managers have attempted to contact every one of their Special Education families to check in about their access to technology and their devices. 

• Policy and procedures are in draft form of development on how to hold an IEP meeting, how to respond to articulation and transition meetings and how to respond to Triennial and Initial evaluations.

• Special Education teachers have developed appropriate Distance Learning to meet their students’ needs for the students they teach

• “Related Service” providers such as Speech and Language have also reached out to attempt to continue services as “teletherapy”

• Families have been sent a letter from the Director Sonya Randrup outlining our attempts to continue to provide services in a flexible manner.

• Principals will be meeting with new families remotely to begin the “transition” plan  for next year 

• Homeless and Foster Youth

• Staff has reached out to each foster and homeless designated student to ensure their access, their needs have been forwarded to the Principal. Anyone not responding will be followed up with a personal visit as possible.

• Sydney Smith has been in close contact with Debra Sanders (SCOE) regarding needs and services for both McKinney-Vento students and Foster Youth students.  Together, they have been in contact with SAFE and school staff to ensure that student needs are being met.

• School-Based Therapy

• The Integrated Wellness Center has been receiving contacts through its “warmline” and is working with our partners, SAY, Humanidad and Lifeworks to connect their referrals for immediate action.

• Secondary students have access to therapeutic services through a google form that they can fill out to have a school-based therapist schedule telehealth services.

• Students that were already receiving therapeutic services have been contacted and clinicians are meeting with them virtually.

• School-Based Therapists have been supporting staff through online Crisis Specific Self-Care Support Groups. These groups were developed by the International Trauma Center to support staff capacities to engage in positive self-care.

• SRCS Staff have access to telehealth psychotherapy through a contract with SOS Community Counseling. 

• Counselors

• Elementary Counselors have made resources available through google classrooms met with students and parents through Zoom, google hangouts and email. Additionally, they have provided a social-emotional curriculum to teachers to support student lessons.  

• Secondary Counselors are working through their Principal and have distributed resources through google classroom sites set up as counseling centers with information on managing social-emotional health, credit recovery, Santa Rosa Junior College enrollment, and course completion. Additionally, support for students with correspondence to postsecondary institutions regarding Fall admissions as well as contact with students and parents over the phone, through 

• Zoom and with google hangouts have been happening across sites.  

• Migrant Ed

•  All Students have been contacted

•  Tutoring is continuing

• Indian Ed

• All Students have been contacted

• Attendance Monitoring

• Weekly attendance is now being recorded and monitored on a weekly basis

• TK-12 teachers will be taking attendance from the prior week based on students submitting assignments, joining a live session with the teacher, or communicating via e-mail or other means at least one time for the week.

• After Monday April 20th, the SAFE team will use that attendance as a last data point and students without any documented contact, the Team will send registered mail and possibly home visits to validate if anyone has moved.

• District Transfer

• Inter-district transfers have continued to move forward with final approvals as parents are requesting to come into our district. 

• Intra-district transfer approvals have also been approved as requests come to the SAFE office since space is still available for many of our sites.

Teaching and Learning

• Distance Learning

• Continue to build upon the work until the end of the year

• Continue to support teaching and learning through this new paradigm and supporting the attendance and grading rubric for all stakeholders

• Re-vamp Summer School to an online platform

• Credit recovery will be through an online platform to support students in Math and ELA as long as shelter in place is in effect.

• Addressing the Ag Summer Programs

• Working with our ag programs and their animals to support a virtual auction

• Begin thinking about the transition and needs for starting school regarding instruction and social distancing

• Continue to monitor the Governor’s orders and work with both SRTA and CSEA as parameters become more clear

• Working with Secondary sites on Senior Events: Prom, Graduation, Grad night, 

• Work with each site to assure our seniors can have these opportunities once the shelter in place is lifted.  Each site has created a group of stakeholder for this purpose.

• Progress Reports and final Semester Grades

• Ensure we follow the Distance Learning Plan Guidelines

• Supporting Attendance

• Continue to support and ensure the implementation of the Distance Learning Plan

• Essential Staff, round 2

• Partnering with principals and cabinet to backwards plan the need of staff from the opening of school to our current needs

• Master Scheduling

• Continuing to work with Vice Principals to ensure Master Schedules reflect an equitable student driven Master Schedule

• Implementation of Board Policy and Graduation Requirements

• Working and meeting with counselors to ensure the new requirements are implemented and stakeholders are informed.

• LCAP development

• Continue to monitor the CDE regarding the new dates and requirements for LCAP dates and template

• SPSA development

• Continue to align the site SPSA and LCAP under the guides of the new MVP

• Supporting site budget development

• Supporting sites to prioritize funding

• Supporting hiring

• Continue partnering with HR to make sure our hiring is supporting the needs of program

The Board will receive an update on the Elementary Collaborative Curriculum Design Units of Study.

Purpose

The California adoption of the Common Core State Standards in August of 2010 necessitated SRCS consider the materials and methods of instruction that would support students in meeting these new standards and correlating teaching and learning paradigm shifts.  In recognizing the standards’ focus on an integrated model of literacy anchored on cross-disciplinary literacy expectations, Santa Rosa City Schools reviewed how literacy is integrated across content areas such as social sciences and science. The Collaborative Curriculum Design Team was formed in 2016 and the work of developing multidisciplinary units of study by SRCS teachers for SRCS students began. These units focus on teaching English Language Arts standards through the content of science and social studies and represent one component of a comprehensive language arts program that includes the other recent elementary curriculum adoptions of Wonders and Lucy Calkins Writing.

Considerations

As the SRCS Common Core Network concluded in 2014/15, the next logical step was to utilize SRCS teachers’ professional capacity to begin designing a curriculum aligned to the state standards which had been adopted in 2010. In lieu of adopting a traditional textbook program similar to previous adoption, SRCS began to contemplate a curriculum development process that would include teachers from our district creating literacy units through the content of science and social studies built with our students and community in mind.  In 2015, Dr. Connie Kamm was invited to partner and provide professional development and structure to this process of developing curriculum. 

The Elementary Collaborative Curriculum Design teams were officially formed in February 2016 following meetings with principals and teacher leaders. After initial informational meetings, the commitment to this work was made together and these teacher teams began developing multidisciplinary units of study in grades Kinder Academy through 6th. Grounded in the CCSS standards and teaching strategies, the KA-6th grade teams began their work determining the ELA standards that would be the foundation of their units.  This was a critical piece of attending to vertical articulation and the coherence it brings to a multi-grade curriculum.  

Since spring 2016, these teams of passionate, dedicated teachers have created and shared with their colleagues 5-8 integrated units of study that guide learners to higher levels of rigor and sophisticated thought.  These dynamic units of study, through many of the elements below, support the District's Mission and Vision to send students into the world who are empowered to work together, find purpose, think critically, embrace diversity, and adapt to our changing planet. Some of the units' highlighted features include: 

• Engaging questions to support inquiry and critical thinking

• Collaborative learning experiences

• Rich literature and informational readings

• Opportunities for hands-on learning experiences

• Formative learning/assessment 

• Opportunities for student voice, choice and reflection

• Differentiation to support ALL learners

• Connections with our local community

These units of study are housed on a Google site accessible through the Staff Hub. Units are reviewed and discussed at district grade level meetings where collaboration and feedback is a priority. As new resources, strategies and ideas for implementation are shared, so too will the units evolve with a focus on supporting our SRCS students to achieve personal, academic, and occupational success.

Next Steps

• Display CCD Units of Study on District website for public viewing and feedback

• Continue to use public, teacher and student feedback to inform modifications to the units of study

• Present CCD Elementary Units of Study to the Board for formal adoption with a public hearing and after the public viewing process.

Board Policy
BP 6142.91 Reading/Language Arts Instruction
BP 6141      Instruction: Curriculum Development & Evaluation

Previous Board History
October 26, 2016: The School Board received an update on the work of the Collaborative Curriculum Design teams, including a summary of the work and next steps.

Funding for the Collaborative Curriculum Design work as well as the instructional materials has been outlined and approved by the School Board over the course of the past 5 years in the District’s LCAP.

The Board will consider Resolution No. 2019/20-064 to designate certain public works projects as an essential government function as defined in the County of Sonoma Health Order No. C19-03. 

Considerations

On March 31, the Sonoma County Public Health Officer revised the County's shelter-in-place order, to state that the exemption to the Order for public works projects applies only if such projects are designated as serving an “Essential Governmental Function” by the “lead governmental agency.”  This means that ongoing and projected construction in our District must be delayed, or the project must be designated as an “Essential Governmental Function.” 

The order does not define "Essential Governmental Functions," and the District has the discretion to determine which projects are “Essential Governmental Functions.”

Each of the projects are described in detail on Exhibit A to Resolution No. 2019/20-064.

If the Board does not take action to designate these projects as Essential Governmental Functions, they will not be exempted from the shelter-in-place order, and would be delayed.  If a project is allowed to continue, Social Distancing Requirements must still be followed to the greatest extent feasible. 

It is recommended that the Board determine whether any or all of the projects listed on Exhibit A to Resolution No.2019/20-064, are Essential Governmental Functions.

The Board will consider approval of Board Policies 4113.5, 4213.5, 4313.5 - Working Remotely, and 6157 - Distance Learning.

During the COVID-19 school closures and the implementation of distance learning, policy that reflects the needs of this pandemic is being bought forward for approval. CSBA has created two new policies, BP 4113.5/4213.5/4313.5 - Working Remotely and BP 6157 - Distance Learning, both of which are designed to be used during the COVID-19 closures and beyond in order to provide flexibility in educating students and structuring work schedules for district staff.

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 March 27, 2020 through April 9, 2020, for a total of $2,163,852.44. 

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): March 27, 2020, through April 9, 2020 = $2,163,852.44
Warrants (Total 19/20 Fiscal Year): July 1, 2019, through April 9, 2020 = $64,436,770.24

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 April 8, 2020 = $6,880.06.
District-wide donations year to date = $228,768.68.

The Board will consider approval of the revised Plan Document 501 for Supervisory employees.

Purpose

Flexible benefit plans offer employees benefits that are paid for by salary contributions on a pretax basis. These plans give employees choices of which benefits they would prefer to take. When an employee takes and makes a contribution toward a benefit, such as a payment for the employee portion of an insurance plan premium, that contribution is deducted from wages and is not subject to taxation at the federal level. This is one of the biggest benefits of a flexible benefit plan and one of the key reasons Santa Rosa City Schools provides such a benefit option to Supervisory employees.

Considerations

American Fidelity administers our Flexible Benefit Plan for Supervisory employees and consults us on this plan. For this 2019-20 year, this Flexible Benefits Plan remains in effect with updates applicable to this year for Supervisory employees as of July 1, 2019 and is brought forward for annual approval. 

Furthermore, the Plan is amended, effective April 15, 2020, to include changes in the definition of medical expense related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).

Previous Board History
July 25, 2018 (E.6)
September 27, 2017 (E.6)

The fiscal impact of participating in the IRC 125 Plan is relative to employees only. There is no cost to SRCS although the District could be subject to taxes and penalties without an approved Plan Document.

The Board will consider approval of the MOU between the the Sonoma County Office of Education (SCOE) and SRCS for Data Sharing Services.

Purpose

This MOU will allow the Sonoma County Office of Education (SCOE) to assist SRCS in the sharing of data between disparate data systems, establishes roles for SCOE and SRCS, establishes ownership of data, and ensures all data is protected under various State and Federal laws.

Considerations

Exchange of data is a vital part of providing relevant and timely education. SRCS and SCOE use a number of disparate data systems including student information systems (Illuminate Ed), state student information systems (CALPADS), staff information systems (Escape), and a multitude of other ancillary systems (National Clearing House-used for monitoring post graduation data, Sports Net-used my middle and high schools to aid in establishing student athletic eligibility, Titan School-manages Free and Reduced lunch status for Child and Nutrition Services as well as tracking of student accounts, SEIS-management of Special Education data) all require data to be electronically transmitted.

Moving data between these various systems requires clear roles and guidelines.

 SCOE's roles

• SCOE will assist with the automation of any processes required for the exchange of Data between the Parties to the extent possible.
• SCOE will ensure any systems it develops with such Data to serve the needs of SRCS or public agencies will have appropriate levels of security, as further detailed in Section 11 (Data Security) of this MOU.
• SCOE shall help ensure Data available can only be viewed or accessed by agencies legally allowed to do so, and as agreed upon by SRCS and SCOE.
• Should it be deemed necessary, SCOE will specify and assist in allowing network access to resources, in a controlled and secure manner.

SRCS's Roles

• SRCS shall provide system linkages or necessary Data extracts or permission access from SRCS's student information or other systems on an agreed upon or pre-defined schedule between the Parties. Any such schedule agreed upon in writing (including email) between the Parties shall be deemed incorporated herein and made a part hereof upon such mutual agreement.
• Data extracts will be provided electronically by SRCS to SCOE.
• SRCS will be responsible for providing the data needed to integrate SRCS's Data into SCOE’s data repositories as needed to perform the required tasks.
• Data provided by SRCS shall include Data relevant to the purpose of this MOU or specific system requirements.
• SRCS shall be responsible for determining which of their staff has access to system and communicating to SCOE the roles and responsibilities of each person with said access, including the person who is responsible for maintaining SRCS's main and sub-accounts.
• SRCS shall designate those individuals who can: (a) transmit Data to SCOE; (b) request release of Data to SRCS or third parties; or (c) request extracts or analysis of SRCS's Data.

Additional Major Guidelines

• Both SCOE and SRCS may employ third-parties provided those parties also adhere to this MOU.
• Both SCOE and SRCS will follow any and all applicable State and Federal laws related to student and staff data.
• Both SCOE and SRCS will maintain ownership of their respective data.
• SCOE shall not data except as otherwise permitted by the MOE.
• Both SCOE and SRCS will work together to provide access to student data to parents, legal guardian, or eligible student seeking to review and or correct erroneous information.
• Both SCOE and SRCS will maintain appropriate security protocols for transmission and exchange of data.
• Both SCOE and SRCS will notify the other should there be a breach in security and shall maintain appropriate insurance covering data.
• Both SCOE and SRCS shall cooperate with outside agencies related to subpoena or other lawfully issued order and shall inform the other as needed.

SRCS's participation in this MOU will ensure SRCS student and staff data is uploaded in a timely fashion with local assistance as needed to the various data systems used by SRCS and SCOE.

Board Policy
BP 3312

The Board will consider approval of ParentSquare as the parent, student, teacher, and staff communication tool.

Purpose

In light of the current pandemic and the shelter in place orders, the need to easily facilitate two-way communication between our schools and our families is greater than ever. Adopting ParentSquare as our primary tool to communicate between all school stakeholders; the district office, school sites, parents, students, teachers, and all staff helps to close this gap. ParentSquare allows for auto-translation services for communicating in the language most familiar to our families while also giving families the ability to communicate with teachers and administrators in their native language through the auto-translation capabilities.  

The Superintendent has determined this to be a necessary software application to provide enhanced communication options to reach the widest audience through text, phone, email, and other supported forms of messaging. 

Considerations

Communication is a vital component of education to keep all parties informed. Recent events have highlighted the need to consider alternate tools for school to home communication in Santa Rosa City Schools. Currently, the district office and our school sites use an autodialer/email system by Blackboard, which is commonly known as Parentlink. Parentlink allows one-way communication to parents, students, staff, and other targeted groups. 

Standardized communication across the district is non-existent. Many teachers use various apps to communicate with their students such as Remind, Class Dojo, and SeeSaw. Some of these allow the student to reply, and with others, it is still one-way communication only. Teachers do not have access to Parentlink as a classroom communication tool.

ParentSquare

ParentSquare allows SRCS to unify many of the communication and parent engagement tools used across classrooms, school sites, and the district office, with real-time language translation, oversight, and powerful reporting metrics.

ParentSquare's software allows for the district, school site, and/or teachers to interact with parents and students in the manner chosen by the parent or student: phone, text, email, social media, and/or the ParentSquare or StudentSquare free iPhone or Android app in the language of their choosing. 

Due to the integration methods with the student information system, parents and students can initiate messages to their teachers directly including real-time language translation in the manner of their choice and teachers can do the same as a group-to-one or a one-to-one message. This removes the need to have multiple communication platforms, thus standardizing for parents and students how they receive vital district, school site, and teacher communication.

ParentSquare's apps interface is simple to use for all users. On the parent and student side, it is as intuitive as the apps they are already using. For teachers and administrators, ParentSquare will provide extensive training to support the initial roll-out as well as ongoing support. ParentSquare's expertise also includes distance or remote training. ParentSquare will conduct online training for administrators and teachers, provide recorded lessons, and provide electronic support documents. Training will continue through the life of the contract as needed. 

During the initial ParentSquare onboarding, teachers, parents, and students will choose how they want to receive their messages whether via phone, text, email, and/or the ParentSquare app, including which of the 100 language translations available they prefer. These settings can be updated as needed.

In addition to the various methods of spoken and/or email communication, SRCS will be able to utilize a completely new tool called Secure Document Delivery which will allow secure delivery of any electronic copy of any document including verification of delivery. This could be an electronic copy of the Information Handbook, the Superintendent’s Letter outlining the district response to an emergency, report cards, progress reports, unofficial transcripts, as well as site-specific information. In all cases, this can be used where proof of delivery is needed.

The following is a list of selected key features:

• Mass Notifications and Urgent Alerts: SRCS can share logistics, short parent reminders, attendance messages, and other routine notices with custom groups and individuals using Smart Alerts over mobile phone text. 

ParentSquare found that parents react to text messages more than phone calls, so they designed Smart Alerts to be text first, and if the delivery fails, to send the notification with a phone call. 

In an emergency, SRCS can send an urgent Smart alert immediately to all modalities. Push alert messages can be sent to families via their preferred method: social, school website, voice call, mobile phone texts, email, or app. The ParentSquare website widget is ADA compliant (color contrast, audio description, keyboard navigation). 

• Teacher & Classroom Communication: Teachers can communicate frequently and effectively with two-way group messaging and private conversations. Families can also RSVP and sign up to volunteer directly from the platform. 
  
  

• Direct Messaging & Chat: Using the direct messages function, parents can send messages to teachers or staff members. Teachers can also contact one or both parents or a group or parents. Teachers are contacted through the app without giving personal phone numbers or other identifiable information for communication. All methods to reach a teacher are contained within the application.
  
  

• Secure Document Delivery: A completely new tool that will allow us to deliver an electronic copy of any document with verification of delivery. In all cases, this can be used where proof of delivery is needed.
  
  

• Distance Learning: Teachers can share notes, files, handouts, videos, presentations, and more with ParentSquare’s Resources & Folders feature.

• Social Media & Website Sharing: All content that the district would like to share with the community can easily be linked from inside ParentSquare. No more duplicate posting efforts to the website and/or social accounts.
  
  

• Volunteer Sign Up & Tracking: Sites and teachers can have families sign-up to volunteer on the web version of ParentSquare or in the app. ParentSquare can also track the number of hours volunteered by classroom, site, or throughout the district.
  
  

• Administrative Oversight and Archiving: ParentSquare’s analytics dashboard allows administrators and teachers to view per-user data on parent reach and aggregate data on participation and engagement, as well as compare engagement across different grade levels within the school.
  
  

• Language Translation: All messages are two-way translated. A teacher can write a message in English and it will get delivered in Spanish and vice-versa. ParentSquare supports real-time language translation with over 100 languages supported using Google and NMT.
  
  

• Forms & Permission Slips: Teachers can send forms and collect parent signatures securely online. Student and parent information is auto-populated on these documents, encouraging ease of use.
  
  Teachers and administrators can use this feature on forms such as field trip permission slips, after school class authorizations, electronic use policies, receipts of the parent handbook, and dress code agreements.
  
  

• Parent-Teacher Conference Sign Up: An online conference sign up can be created in under five minutes. Parents receive an email, a text or an app notification and can sign up for an open conference slot from their smartphone or desktop. Families are automatically reminded the day before their conference.
  
  

• Photo & File Sharing: Teachers can also reach students and parents with pictures,  file-sharing, polling features, comments, wishlists, signups, and more. Parents can easily find all information and participate in everything happening at a school from one convenient place.
  
  

• Notifications—Attendance etc.: With ParentSquare’s auto notices, the district can send automated, customized notices home with student-specific information. Parents can receive messages via email, voice message, text or app notification. 

Messages can be focused for any purpose, such as tardies/absences, honor roll recognition, student-athlete physicals, etc.. 

• Directory: Users can search by name, email, phone, or student. The complete list of school staff (including teachers) are displayed alphabetically by last name. Admin, staff, teachers, and parents can click to view the directory for a specific grade level or class.
  
  

• Calendars & RSVP: Users can integrate their Google, iCal, or Outlook calendar and RSVP for events directly from the platform.
  
  

• Student/Parent/Staff Surveys and Polls: ParentSquare can facilitate online polls and surveys.
  
  

• Newsletter Templates: ParentSquare gives SRCS access to pre-defined or customized templates for the newsletter and enables distribution to a targeted audience. 

Privacy

FERPA Compliant: ParentSquare is fully compliant with Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). ParentSquare does not disclose or use schools’ confidential information, except as expressly required or allowed under the School Agreement. 

Student Privacy: ParentSquare only collects and stores directory style “Student Data” from schools. “Student Data” is any information (in any format) that is directly related to any identifiable current or former student that is maintained by a School. This includes: student ID number, name, grade level, major field of study (courses), contact name, address, email, telephone listing. This does not include any student “educational records”. 

Logging User Activity: ParentSquare generates an audit log for all user access to the system that is securely stored. We save this information for five years as a default, unless otherwise directed by the institution. 

COPPA Compliant: ParentSquare requires that schools obtain verifiable parental consent before disclosing personal information for students under the age of 13 (optional use).

No Advertising: ParentSquare does not do any targeted advertising, and no student profile is built by ParentSquare for reasons other than furtherance of school purposes.

Student Privacy Pledge: ParentSquare is a signatory of Student Privacy Pledge to safeguard student privacy regarding the collection, maintenance, and use of student personal information. 

Security

Data Encryption: With ParentSquare, data is encrypted in transit and at rest to provide protection of sensitive data at all critical points in its lifecycle. All data is transmitted over HTTPS connection to and from the ParentSquare application. 

Credentials only traverse encrypted links using an encryption algorithm having a key length of at least 128 bits. Passwords are stored in a strongly hashed and salted encryption format to prevent rainbow table attacks.

Robust Data and Content Backup Strategy: ParentSquare replicates databases within our production data center so that the loss of any one server does not impact our ability to serve our customers. Additionally, our databases are replicated in near real-time to a set of servers located in a data center in a secondary geographic region. In a worst-case scenario where the live region becomes unavailable, no more than a few seconds of data are lost. 

In addition to live data replication, ParentSquare creates backups of all datastores on a daily basis.

Cyber Security Insurance: ParentSquare maintains Errors and Omissions Liability insurance including, but not limited to, coverage for network security, data breaches, system failure and fraud.

Parent Square costs:

School Year 2019/2020 - $1,500
Setup, training, and full use until June 30, 2020

School Year 2020/2021 - $67,815
Training, and full use until June 30, 2021

Existing communications costs:

With the adoption of ParentSquare, SRCS will drop two Blackboard components at the conclusion of there contract on June 30, 2020:

Blackboard Mass Communication (approximately $35,000)
Blackboard Mobile Communications App (approximately $16,500)

Totaling approximately $51,500

Net additional costs:

School Year 2019/2020 - $1,500
Setup, training, and full use until June 30, 2020

School Year 2020/2021 - $16,315
Training, and full use until June 30, 2021

The increased costs will be covered by Supplemental and Title funds. SRCS will also seek reimbursement from Federal and CA State emergency funds for this service.

The Board will consider the award of bid for the Montgomery HS HVAC/Roof/Skylight Replacement Project. This project is funded through the Measure I Bond Program.

These items are presented for informational purposes only.

The Sonoma County Office of Education has completed its review and has accepted Santa Rosa City Schools' 2019-20 Second Interim Report. The acceptance letter is included for review.  

The Board will receive the quarterly report on SRCS Williams Uniform Complaints for the period beginning January 1 and ending March 30, 2020.  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 seven (7) Williams Complaints submitted during this quarter.

Considerations

During the quarter of January 1 - March 31, 2020, the district received a total of seven (7) Williams Uniform Complaints (6 Facilities Condition and 1 duplicate complaint). 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 and Form

Board Policy 6146.1 was recently updated and this requires an updating of the accompanying Administrative Regulation.  Administration Regulations help specify details necessary to implement policies uniformly and with more direction.  Attached for reference is the revised Administrative Regulation 6146.1.

To allow for review of new language and changes to Administrative Regulation 6146.1 so that it aligns with, and provides clear direction for, the implementation of the recently approved revised Board Policy 6146.1.

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 showed 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 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.  On March 11th, the first reading of BP 6146.1 was presented and the board asked for draft scripts for counselors to engage parents and students in regards to the "Waiver" and "Graduation with Concentration."  Additionally, information was requested regarding a two or three year requirement for CTE courses.  On March 12th, Department Chairs for Counseling, Math, and World Language met to discuss and review the exact language of their discipline's requirements in BP 6142.1.

Board Policy
Board Policy 6146.1

Education Code
Education Code 51228

Previous Board Activity  
March 25, 2020 Item E.3
March 11, 2020 Item E.3
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

The following are future board update items:

• Youth Truth Data / LCAP
• French-American Charter Renewal
• Arts Charter Renewal 
• Instructional Minutes

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.