The Presiding Officer will call the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. before the Board Recesses to Closed Session.  The Regular Meeting will convene by 7:00 p.m. 

The Board may recess into Closed Session before or after the public meeting under the authority of the Brown Act (including but not limited to Government Code section 54954.5, 54956.8, 54956.9, 54957, 54957.6, as well as Education Code section 35146).  Under Government Code section 54954.3, members of the public may address the board on an item on the Closed Session agenda, before Closed Session.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO:  Board of Education
FROM:  Brent Stephens, Ed. D., Superintendent
DATE:  December 16, 2020
SUBJECT:  Election of Officers

The Board will elect three of its members to serve as a president, a vice president and clerk in 2021. 

POLICY CODE: 
BB 9100 / Ed Code 35143

FISCAL IMPACT:
None

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 

TO: Board of Education
FROM: Brent Stephens, Ed. D., Superintendent
DATE: December 16, 2020
SUBJECT: Board Meeting Calendar for 2021

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The proposed Board meeting calendar for 2021 includes 21 regular meetings and 3 Board retreats. The meeting dates have been determined with the consideration of major religious holidays as well as major school events and breaks. 

POLICY/CODE:
BB 9100 / Ed Code 35143

FISCAL IMPACT: 
None

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the regular Board meeting calendar for 2021

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO: Board of Education
FROM: Brent Stephens, Ed. D., Superintendent
DATE: December 16, 2020
SUBJECT: Committee and School Assignments for 2021

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: 
Board participation on the various committees, workgroups and schools serves to create and maintain a collaborative relationship between the District and the community while supporting Board policies and mutual objectives. 

Proposed school and committee assignments for 2021 are attached. 

POLICY CODE: 
BB 9100 / Ed Code 35143

FISCAL IMPACT:
None

Board members and the Superintendent are given the opportunity to address any issue.  

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 

TO:        Brent Stephens, Ed.D., Superintendent
FROM:      Samantha Tobias-Espinosa, Assistant Superintendent, Human Resources
DATE:        December 16, 2020
SUBJECT:      School Year Calendar 2021-2022 - Revised

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

The District Staff is recommending approval of the revised calendar for the 2021-2022 school year. An error was made in the scheduling of the High School Back to School Night and Open House. Bargaining groups have been consulted to mitigate any foreseen impact. This calendar has no fiscal impact on the district.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO:                Brent Stephens, Ed.D., Superintendent
FROM:          Pauline Follansbee, Interim Assistant Superintendent
DATE:           December 16, 2020
SUBJECT: Approval of Budget Development Calendar for 2021-22 Budget Adoption

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
It is customary to approve a budget development calendar, which calls out the significant milestones during the development of the budget. Staff has prepared the attached budget development calendar and is submitting it for Board approval. Staff will update the Budget Calendar for the Board if there are significant changes made to the proposed timelines.

The dates included in the budget calendar can always be moved earlier if the various committees are ready for staff to present their recommendations. The dates cannot be moved back due to the statutory deadlines for LCAP and approval of the adopted budget. The only committee meeting dates listed are critical dates for actions required to ascertain key information and data for the adopted budget.  In addition, all committee meeting dates for P & O (BSEP), parent advisory committee (PAC) and education advisory committee (EAC) are included in the budget calendar.

POLICY/CODE:
FCMAT Financial Management Standard 6.2

FISCAL IMPACT:
None

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the 2021-22 Budget development calendar 

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO:             Brent Stephens, Ed. D., Superintendent
FROM:        Pauline Follansbee, Asst. Superintendent of Business Services
DATE:        December 16, 2020
SUBJECT:  Approval of Contracts/Purchase Orders for Services Contracts

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The District contracts with consultants or independent contractors who can provide valuable and necessary specialized services not normally required on a continuing basis. The following contract services are requested. Expenditures are within budget.

         1.      Increase in contract, PO #210538 to Palak Shah to provide services as consultant related to the District's Distance Learning Plan & Hybrid-Learning Models.  The contract was originally for $9,750.  The additional amount needed is $15,000 for a total of $24,750.  To be paid from General and ESSR Funds.  Requested by Michelle Sinclair.

         2.  Attic Pros to provide cleaning and disinfecting services for the Plant Operations facility for the 2020-21 fiscal year. The cost will not exceed $23, 620.40. To be paid from Measure H. Requested by Steve Collins           

POLICY/CODE

Public Contract Code: 20111

Board Policy 3310

STAFF RECOMMENDATION Approve the contracts with Consultants or Independent Contractors as submitted.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO: Brent Stephens, Ed.D., Superintendent

FROM: John Calise, Executive Director of Facilities

DATE:    December 16, 2020        

SUBJECT: Approval of a Contract with Dialog Architects (formerly BKDW) for architectural services for the Willard CTE Project

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Board approved a project budget for Willard CTE on November 4, 2020 in the amount of $1,000,000.  The scope of the project will include supporting the Growing Leaders program by modernizing the Home Economics classroom which has severe dry rot in the cabinets and countertop.

Architect and engineering services will be provided for Schematic Design, Design Development, Construction Documents, permitting through the Division of the State Architect, Construction Administration and Closeout.

POLICY/CODE

Public Contract Code 10510.4 – 10510.9

FISCAL IMPACT

Contract award by this action: $197,765 to be paid from Measure I Bond Funds.  All costs are contained within the project budget.

RECOMMENDATION

Approve a Contract with Dialog Architects for architectural services for the Willard CTE Project.

To:     BUSD School Board

From:   Brent Stephens, Superintendent

Date:    December 16, 2020

Re:    Discussion of BUSD's Phased Plan for School Reopening

Starting on Sunday, December 6, all six counties in the Bay Area are subject to a the requirements of a new Stay at Home Order designed to halt the spread of COVID-19. These orders do not affect schools, which continue to operate under the rules for reopening established by the state.

In this presentation and discussion, the Superintendent will update the Board of Education on efforts to reopen school in BUSD, and offer a perspective on the impact of the redesignation of Alameda County and the City of Berkeley to the Purple Tier on the timing for this reopening.

As background to this evening's presentation, BUSD has been working over the Spring and Fall to prepare schools, staff, and families for an eventual reopening. Here is a summary of some of the major developments in this process:

The Alameda County Office of Education and Alameda County Department of Public Health, as well as the City of Berkeley, recently announced that elementary schools may open on or after October 13, pending review of reopening plans by ACOE and CoB, and site visits by CoB. Local Shelter-in-Place orders were amended to permit middle and high schools to reopen on or after November 9, provided that schools or districts are able to conform to public health guidelines.

The decision and timing of when to open rests with each school and school district, and schools are not required to open if not ready.

On October 7, the Board of Education voted to approve the "Phase 1" portion of the Superintendent's recommendation, which focuses on the creation of small cohort-based support for students who are nominated by their school's Coordination of Services Team. These programs are scheduled to begin at three elementary locations - Jefferson, Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X - on November 9. Staff for these programs include BUSD volunteers, and instructors from Kids Village (at Rosa Parks), BACR (Jefferson) and the Lawrence Hall of Science (Malcolm X).

On October 21, the Board of Education established that January 13 will serve as the district’s target date for reopening Early Childhood Education programs and grades TK-2 using a hybrid model, with a hybrid version of Grades 3-5 to reopen on January 20.

On November 4 and 18, and December 9, the Board of Education heard an update on elementary reopening plans, including the launch of the district’s first phase of school reopening: a set of small strictly cohorted groups of students on three elementary campuses.

This evening's presentation includes updates on the District's Reopening Readiness Dashboard, COVID-19 testing for staff and students, and collective bargaining.

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO: Brent Stephens, Ed.D., Superintendent
FROM:    Samantha Tobias-Espinosa, Assistant Superintendent, HR                         
DATE:     December 16, 2020
SUBJECT:  2019-2020 Annual Report of the Personnel Commission     

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: 

The Berkeley Unified School District Personnel Commission annually prepares and submits to the Board a summary of the classified personnel activities for each school year. 

POLICY/CODE:

Education Code Section 45266

Merit Rule 20.400.3

FISCAL IMPACT: 

None

BERKELEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

TO:            Board of Education,
FROM:          Brent Stephens, Ed.D., Superintendent
DATE:          December 16, 2020
SUBJECT:    Williams Quarterly Report                 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
As a result of the Williams Case Settlement, every district in California is publicly accountable to ensure that the following conditions are met. 

1)      There should be sufficient textbooks and instructional materials for all students, including English learners.

2)      School facilities should be clean, safe and maintained in good repair.

3)      All classes should be taught by properly credentialed teachers.

Information about the standards is posted in every classroom along with the complaints procedure to follow if there is a concern that any one of them is not being met. 

There were no complaints filed between July and October 2020. 

POLICY/CODE:
Ed Code 35186
Board Policy 1312 

FISCAL IMPACT:
None

STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Receive the first Williams Quarterly Report as information.