January 13, 2021
JANUARY 13, 2021
REDWOOD CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Redwood City, California
APPROVED MINUTES OF BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING
January 13, 2021
REGULAR BOARD MEETING VIA TELECONFERENCE
- Call to Order
President MacAvoy called the regular board meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom Teleconference Meeting.
Present at the Regular Board Meeting: President Alisa MacAvoy, Vice-President María Díaz-Slocum; Trustees Cecilia I. Márquez, Janet Lawson, Mike Wells; and Superintendent Baker.
- Welcome
2.1 Welcome
President MacAvoy welcomed those present. The School Board dispensed with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Others Present During the Regular Board Meeting: Wendy Kelly, Linda Montes, Priscilla Aquino-Dichoso, Don Dias, Will Robertson, Jorge Quintana, Antonio Pérez, Kyle Brumbaugh, Liz Wolfe, and many others.
- Changes to the Agenda
Trustee Wells requested that Consent Item 10.1 be moved to Action.
- Approval of Agenda
The board approved the agenda as amended, (Díaz-Slocum, Lawson; 5-0).
- Oral Communication
None.
- School/Community Reports
- Kennedy Middle School Art Show
President MacAvoy addressed the School Board, Superintendent Baker and members of the public by stating that it would be great to start board meetings with student inspiration.
The first of many future series, started with showcasing Kennedy Middle School’s Art Show. Students from Mr. Jesse Silverman’s class shared many beautiful and talented art pieces.
All School Board members and Superintendent Baker commented that the art pieces were great! School Board members and Superintendent Baker expressed how incredibly talented students are and how wonderful and positive it is to start board meetings with showcasing work from students’ district-wide.
- Bond Program Consent Items (Action Required)
The board approved the Bond Program Consent Items (Lawson/Díaz-Slocum; 5-0), taking the following action:
7.1 Recommendation re: Approval of Kennedy Middle School Modernization Project with Cal-Pacific Construction, Change Order #6
7.2 Recommendation re: Approval of Taft Community School New Buildings, Modernization and Sitework Project Bid Package G with Beals Martin, Change Order #4
7.3 Recommendation re: Approval of Orion Alternative School (Formerly John Gill Elementary School) Modernization and New Building Project Bid Package G with Sausal Corporation, Change Order #1
7.4 Recommendation re: Approval of Orion Alternative School (Formerly John Gill Elementary School) Modernization and New Building Project Bid Package A Duran & Venables, Change Order #3
7.5 Recommendation re: Approval of Roosevelt Elementary School Modernization Project Calstate Construction, Change Order #3
7.6 Recommendation re: Approval of Security Guard Services Amendment #1 for All Active Construction Sites with Metro
7.7 Recommendation re: Approval of Additional Furniture Consultant Proposal for New Construction Sites with Donna Muller
7.8 Recommendation re: Approval of Interim Housing Building Pad Removal Proposal for Roosevelt School with Dryco
7.9 Recommendation re: Approval of Soil Off Haul Proposal for Orion Alternative School (Formerly John Gill School) with Duran and Venables
7.10 Recommendation re: Approval of Administration Building Furniture Purchase Proposal for Roosevelt School with RDI
7.11 Recommendation re: Approval of School District Requested Additional Scope Proposal for Hoover School with Beals Martin
7.12 Recommendation re: Approval of Additional California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Air Monitoring Project Authorization Form #31-3 for Orion Alternative School (Formerly John Gill School) with Ninyo and Moore
7.13 Recommendation re: Approval of Utility Relocation and Upgrade Proposals for Garfield School and Orion Alternative School (Formerly John Gill School) with PG&E
7.14 Recommendation re: Approval of Measure T Bond Program $20K and Under Items Tracking List
7.15 Recommendation re: Approval of Domestic Water Line, Irrigation Line, Sewer, and Storm Drain Proposals for Garfield School with MK Pipelines
7.16 Recommendation re: Approval of Pressure Release Valve (PRV) for Water Main Line Proposal for Orion Alternative School (Formerly John Gill School) with MK Pipelines
President MacAvoy (Ayes)
Vice-President Díaz-Slocum (Ayes)
Trustee Márquez (Ayes)
Trustee Lawson (Ayes)
Trustee Wells (Ayes)
8. Bond Program Action Items (Action Required)
None.
9. Discussion Items
- Discussion on Covid-19
Superintendent Baker and the School Board discussed COVID-19 testing and the future availability and distribution of vaccines for staff in the education sector.
Deputy Superintendent Wendy Kelly expressed that a survey for the purpose of helping local authorities to better understand the supply needs for a COVID-19 vaccine would be sent to staff on Thursday, January 14th.
Superintendent Baker urged all the staff to fill out the survey. Superintendent Baker is thankful that the San Mateo County Office of Education and the San Mateo County Health Department are helping school districts within the San Mateo County.
President MacAvoy, commented that RCSD would provide the community with additional information as it is made available to Superintendent Baker. President MacAvoy added that the plan is a working document as of this moment.
Speaker’s Cards:
Pam Barasch, kindergarten teacher at Henry Ford School, addressed the School Board by stating that she was thrilled that the School District would be offering COVID-19 testing for teachers and staff. Ms. Barasch expressed her concern about the false negative test results reported by Curative. Ms. Barash added that she will now experience more anxiety over the uncertainty of really knowing if her test results are indeed negative and accurate. Ms. Barash commented that she will not return next week to in-person learning in classrooms, but she implores to the School District to look at the facts and to make sure that all the tests administered to teachers and staff receive accurate results.
Michelle Smith, RCSD parent, commented that a lot of her questions had been answered. Ms. Smith asked if teachers agree to be vaccinated, will the School District open more in-person learning hubs?
In response to Ms. Smith’s comment, Superintendent Baker commented that school sites that have the most vulnerable students are at the fore-front of the in-person learning hubs. Superintendent Baker added that it all depends on the survey results he and his administrative Cabinet receive in order to decide whether or not to open additional in-person learning hubs.
9.2 January 2021 Reopening Plan
Assistant Superintendent Liz Wolfe, addressed the School Board, Superintendent Baker and members of the audience by speaking about the January 2021 Reopening Plan for the Redwood City School District.
Assistant Superintendent Wolfe commented that the Redwood City School District began a phase-in model for in-person learning, beginning with a pilot program for in-person instruction that opened in early November. Plans for this pilot program were approved by the San Mateo County Office of Education and San Mateo County Health Department on October 30, 2020. The pilot program began the following week. The learnings from this pilot, regarding both the instructional program and the success of the health and safety protocols will be carried forward into Phase 2 of the RCSD reopening plans.
Furthermore, Assistant Superintendent Wolfe stated that the January return to in-person learning currently consists of 156 teachers or staff at 12 schools who plan to return to in-person instruction or to provide site-based hubs or pods on January 19, 2021, following the model and lessons learned in the November pilot program. Teams from each school have written individual site-specific reopening plans to address the Four Pillars and health and safety guidelines (these plans are posted on each school’s website). As restrictions change, the number of COVID cases surge or decline, and vaccines become available, school administrators, in collaboration with their School Site Councils, will update their plans to either decrease or increase the number of in-person classes that are offered at their sites.
The School Board members thanked Assistant Superintendent Wolfe, Superintendent Baker, administrators and staff for keeping safety at the forefront of the plan and continuing to work hard for RCSD students.
9.3 Update of the Learning Continuity and Attendance Plan (LCP) Update on Activities and Services for 2020-21
Assistant Superintendent Liz Wolfe presented an Update of the Learning Continuity and Attendance Plan, which was adopted last September 2020. Assistant Superintendent Wolfe expressed that the LCP is utilized to assess students’ progress.
Furthermore, Assistant Superintendent Wolfe commented that the update includes information such as: General information (a description of the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the RCSD community; an overview of the stakeholder engagement process, including outreach to specific stakeholder groups); an explanation of any in-person instructional offerings, current or planned; an explanation of numerous facets pertaining to the district’s distance learning program: (continuity of instruction, ensuring adequate devices and connectivity, assessment of student participation and progress, professional development that supports successful distance learning, a description of changing roles and responsibilities of staff members due to COVID-19, a description of the supports for pupils with unique needs (English Learners, pupils with exceptional needs, foster and homeless youth)); actions that RCSD will take to address learning loss; a description of how RCSD will monitor and support mental health and social and emotional well-being of pupils and staff during the school year; an overview of the procedures for tiered reengagement strategies for students who are absent from distance learning and how RCSD will provide outreach to students and their parents or guardians; a description of how RCSD will provide nutritionally adequate meals for all pupils; and several opportunities for input into the contents of these various elements of the 2020-21 LCP were provided to district staff and community.
The School Board members and Superintendent Baker thanked Assistant Superintendent Liz Wolfe for the tremendous work in putting the LCP Plan together. School Board members also thanked site administrators for their site plans.
- Consent Items
**Note: Trustee Wells requested that Consent Item 10.1 be moved to Action.
The board approved the Consent Items (Díaz-Slocum/Márquez; 5-0), taking the following action:
10.2 Recommendation re: Approval of December 11th Board Minutes
10.3 Recommendation re: Approval of Board Policy 5131.8 – Mobile Communications Devices
10.4 Recommendation re: Approval of Connect Community Charter School’s Measure U Application for 2020-21
10.5 Recommendation re: Approval of KIPP Excelencia Community Prep Measure U Application for 2020-21
10.6 Recommendation re: Approval of Local Interagency Agreement(s) to Provide Education and Training to Credentialed Candidates
10.7 Recommendation re: Ratification of Warrant Register, December 1, 2020 – December 30, 2020
President MacAvoy (Ayes)
Vice-President Díaz-Slocum (Ayes)
Trustee Márquez (Ayes)
Trustee Lawson (Ayes)
Trustee Wells (Ayes)
11. Action Items (Action Required)
10.1 Recommendation re: Approval of December 9th Board Minutes
Trustee Wells requested to abstain from voting on the approval of the December 9th board minutes because he had not been sworn in as a board member yet.
The School Board approved the December 9th board minutes (Lawson/Díaz-Slocum; 4-0).
President MacAvoy (Ayes)
Vice-President Díaz-Slocum (Ayes)
Trustee Márquez (Ayes)
Trustee Lawson (Ayes)
Trustee Wells (Abstained)
11.1 Recommendation re: Adoption of Resolution 14, Reduction of Certain Classified Services for Fiscal Year 2020-21
The School Board adopted Resolution 14, Reduction of Certain Classified Services for Fiscal Year 2020-21 (Márquez/Lawson; 5-0).
President MacAvoy (Ayes)
Vice-President Díaz-Slocum (Ayes)
Trustee Márquez (Ayes)
Trustee Lawson (Ayes)
Trustee Wells (Ayes)
11.2 Recommendation re: Approval of COVID-19 Prevention Program (CPP)
The School Board approved the COVID-19 Prevention Program (CPP) (Díaz-Slocum/Lawson; 5-0).
President MacAvoy (Ayes)
Vice-President Díaz-Slocum (Ayes)
Trustee Márquez (Ayes)
Trustee Lawson (Ayes)
Trustee Wells (Ayes)
11.3 Recommendation re: Approval of Retirement Incentive Notification The School Board approved the Retirement Incentive Notification (Márquez/Díaz-Slocum; 5-0).
President MacAvoy (Ayes)
Vice-President Díaz-Slocum (Ayes)
Trustee Márquez (Ayes)
Trustee Lawson (Ayes)
Trustee Wells (Ayes)
11.4 Recommendation re: Approval of Personnel Changes for 2020-21 The School Board approved the Personnel Changes for 2020-21 (Lawson/Wells; 5-0).
President MacAvoy (Ayes)
Vice-President Díaz-Slocum (Ayes)
Trustee Márquez (Ayes)
Trustee Lawson (Ayes)
Trustee Wells (Ayes)
- Board and Superintendent Reports
12.1 Report from Board Members and Superintendent
Vice-President Díaz-Slocum did not have a report.
Trustee Márquez did not have a report.
Trustee Wells reported attending a San Mateo County School Boards Association new board orientation for newly elected board members. He thanked Trustee MacAvoy for her part in organizing and presenting at the training. Trustee Wells expressed that he appreciates the support network made available to school districts. Furthermore, Trustee Wells stated that he found it a great use of his time to attend the orientation.
Trustee Lawson reported that she, Trustee Wells and Superintendent Baker attended a virtual Bond Program meeting and commented that the entire Bond Program Team had an opportunity to meet Trustee Wells.
President MacAvoy reported that she, together with Trustee Lawson and Assistant Superintendent Linda Montes, they met virtually with the National Urban Alliance. Furthermore, President MacAvoy attended virtually a California School Boards Association budget webinar. President MacAvoy added that a survey on the Workforce Housing project went out and she hopes to soon have a Closed Session with the rest of the School Board to update them on the progress of the project. Finally, President MacAvoy thanked the Redwood City School District Technology Department for their assistance to families and for helping her setup an additional monitor to facilitate board meetings.
Superintendent Baker commented that he has been working diligently on the COVID-19 testing pilot and vaccines, together with San Mateo County Office of Education and other neighboring districts.
- Information
None.
- Correspondence
President MacAvoy reported receiving emails from parents and staff about Curative and the Plan to Reopen.
- Other Business/Suggested Items for Future Agenda
None.
- Board Agenda Calendar
16.1. Changes to the Board Agenda Schedule
Superintendent Baker requested to add the February 12th Retreat at 8:30 to the Schedule of Board Agenda Items.
17 Adjournment (Action Required)
The board adjourned the Regular Board meeting at 9:24 p.m. (Márquez, Díaz-Slocum; 5-0).
Cecilia Márquez, Clerk