August 25, 2021
REDWOOD CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Redwood City, California
APPROVED MINUTES OF BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING
August 25, 2021
REGULAR BOARD MEETING VIA TELECONFERENCE
1. Call to Order
President MacAvoy called the Closed Session meeting to order at 5:01 p.m. via Zoom Teleconference Meeting.
Present at the Closed Session Meeting: President Alisa MacAvoy, Vice-President María Díaz-Slocum; Trustees Cecilia I. Márquez, Janet Lawson and Mike Wells; and Superintendent Baker.
Others present at the Closed Session Meeting: Peter Ingram, consultant; Clarissa Canady attorney at Dannis Woliver Kelley.
2. Oral Communication on Closed Session Items Only
None.
3. Closed Session – 5:00pm
3.1 Conference with Real Property Negotiators Property: 750 Bradford Street, Redwood City, CA 94063 Agency Negotiator: John Baker, Superintendent; Peter Ingram, Property Consultant; and Clarissa Canady Attorney for District Negotiating Parties: The Sobrato Organization and Redwood City School District Under Negotiation: Price and terms of payment of property exchange 4. Reconvene to Regular Session at Approximately 7:00pm 4.1 Roll Call 4.2 Report Out on Closed Session from August 26, 2021 President MacAvoy reported that the School Board heard from Superintendent Baker and attorney, Clarissa Canady. President MacAvoy commented that the School Board provided direction on next steps for the Workforce Housing project.
5. Welcome
5.1 Welcome
President MacAvoy welcomed those present. The School Board dispensed with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Others Present During the Regular Board Meeting: Wendy Kelly, Liz Wolfe, Priscilla Aquino-Dichoso, Don Dias, Will Robertson, Erin Kekos, Jorge Quintana, Antonio Pérez, Kyle Brumbaugh, Itzel Ramírez, Gonzálo Cordova, Catherine Stuart, Eliana García and 45 other attendees.
6. Changes to the Agenda
Trustee Wells requested that Information Items 17.1 and 17.2 be moved to after Action Item 15.1. Trustee Wells also requested to move Action Items 15.2, 15.3, 15.5, and 15.7 to Consent.
7. Approval of Agenda
The board approved the agenda as amended, (Wells, Díaz-Slocum; 5-0).
8. Oral Communication
None.
9. School/Community Reports
9.1 Update on Summer School 2021
Liz Wolfe, Assistant Superintendent; Michelle Griffith, Director of Community Schools and Partnerships; and Susana García Fernández, Assistant Principal at Roosevelt provided the School Board with a presentation on the summer school program for 2021.
The 2021 summer school program was centered on enrichment opportunities and high-quality science and math curriculum for students. In the general education summer school program, the Redwood City School District partnered with the Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula to provide classes at Taft, Hoover and Roosevelt schools. The General Education program offered either FOSS science units, Silicon Valley Education Foundation (SVEF) units or teacher written units of science investigation. The students experienced a full day program that included RCSD teachers and Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula (BGCP) mentors teaching science investigations in the morning, and BGCP mentors providing enrichment and physical activities in the afternoons. Extended year summer school was offered for qualifying students at Adelante Selby. Two classes of SVEF Elevate Math were also offered virtually.
10. Bond Program Consent Items (Action Required)
The board approved the Bond Program Consent Items (Lawson/Márquez; 5-0), taking the following action:
10.1 Recommendation re: Approval of Bond Program Consent Items
10.2 Recommendation re: Approval of Temporary Parking Lot Expansion Proposal for Garfield Community School with Rodan Builders, Inc.
10.3 Recommendation re: Approval of Classroom Furniture Proposal for Orion Alternative School (Formerly John Gill Elementary School) with Virco
10.4 Recommendation re: Approval of Library Furniture Proposal for Garfield Community School with Campbell Keller
10.5 Recommendation re: Approval of Administration Furniture Proposal for Orion Alternative School (Formerly John Gill Elementary School) with Campbell Keller
10.6 Recommendation re: Approval of Robotic Floor Scrubber Proposal for Hoover Community School with Tennant
10.7 Recommendation re: Approval of Office Expenses Allowance for Bond Program Office with RGM Kramer
10.8 Recommendation re: Approval of Maker’s Space Furniture Proposal for Kennedy Middle School with Campbell Keller
10.9 Recommendation re: Approval of Measure T Bond Program Tracking List of Items Under $20k
10.10 Recommendation re: Approval of Modernization and New Building Project Change Order #6 for Orion Alternative School (Formerly John Gill Elementary School) with Sausal Corporation
President MacAvoy (Ayes) Vice-President Díaz-Slocum (Ayes) Trustee Márquez (Ayes) Trustee Lawson (Ayes) Trustee Wells (Ayes) 11. Bond Program Action Items (Action Required) None. 12. Discussion Items
12.1 Presentation Regarding Trustee Area Redistricting Requirement
William Tunick, attorney at Dannis Woliver Kelley, provided the School Board and Superintendent Baker with a presentation on the Trustee Area Redistricting Requirement.
In 2018, the Redwood City School District moved from an “at-large” Board of Trustees elections system to a “by trustee area” elections system. Voters now elect their Trustees based on the specific area in which the voter lives. When the School District made this change, it adopted a boundary map for these trustee areas that was based on the census data available at that time.
The United States Census Bureau recently began the release of the data from the 2020 data. For school districts using trustee area elections to elect their governing boards, the release of this data triggered the need to examine, and potentially re-draw, the trustee areas based on population changes. Unlike the process to transition from at-large to by-trustee area elections, the procedure for adjusting trustee areas following release of the census data does not require a specific process, although it must be accomplished by March 1, 2022.
Mr. Tunick presented a potential schedule for the Redwood City School District to follow. Mr. Tunick commented that in August, the School District needed to contract a demographer and in October-November, the demographer would present an initial analysis to the School Board and if no changes are made, the School Board would have to adopt a resolution. Furthermore, in December and January the demographer would present map options and in January and February, the School Board would approve a Trustee Area map.
The School Board and Superintendent Baker thanked Mr. Tunick for his presentation.
12.2 Discussion on the 2021-22 School Year
Superintendent Baker, Deputy Superintendent Kelly provided a brief presentation to the School Board about the first week back to school. The presentation highlighted students who are part of the independent study program, student and staff vaccination, updates on testing, tracking, and tracking, and the continuation of safety protocols district-wide.
13. Consent Items
The board approved the Consent Items (Díaz-Slocum/Wells; 5-0), taking the following action:
13.1 Recommendation re: Approval of Consent Items
13.2 Recommendation re: Approval of Membership to the Citizen’s Oversight Committee for Measure U
13.3 Recommendation re: Approval of School Assignments and School Committee Assignments for Board Members for the 2021-22 School Year
15.2 Recommendation re: Second Reading and Approval of Board Policy 3513.4 – Drug and Alcohol Free Schools
15.3 Recommendation re: Second Reading and Approval of Board Policy 4033 – Lactation Accommodation
15.5 Recommendation re: Second Reading and Approval of Board Policy 7140 – Architectural and Engineering Services
15.7 Recommendation re: Approval of Teachers Gaining Tenured Status
President MacAvoy (Ayes) Vice-President Díaz-Slocum (Ayes) Trustee Márquez (Ayes) Trustee Lawson (Ayes) Trustee Wells (Ayes) 14. Public Hearing 14.1 Public Hearing on the Proposed Board Policy on Independent Study Superintendent Baker opened the Public Hearing at 8:36pm. Deputy Superintendent Wendy Kelly commented that there were no questions or comments from members of the audience. At 8:37pm, the Public Hearing adjourned. 15. Action Items (Action Required) 15.1 Recommendation re: Second Reading and Approval of Board Policy 6158 – Independent Study The School Board approved Board Policy 6158 – Independent Study (Lawson/Márquez; 5-0). President MacAvoy (Ayes) Vice-President Díaz-Slocum (Ayes) Trustee Márquez (Ayes) Trustee Lawson (Ayes) Trustee Wells (Ayes)
17.1 2021-22 Budget Update
Priscilla Aquino-Dichoso, Chief Business Official provided the School Board with a PowerPoint presentation on the 2021-22 budget.
CBO Aquino-Dichoso provided updates on the fiscal impact of the state enacted budget, change in unemployment insurance rate, adjustments in property taxes due court orders, projected growth in property taxes, and Covid-19 resources updates.
CBO Aquino-Dichoso expressed that the LCFF concentration grant did not have a net impact on the total Redwood City School District funding. Also, the unemployment insurance had a savings of approximately $500k.
17.2 2020-21 Spring i-Ready Results
Jenny Tran, Coordinator for Data Analysis and Accountability, addressed the School Board by providing the School Board and Superintendent Baker with a brief overview of the 2020-21 spring i-Ready results.
Ms. Tran mentioned that the iReady is an integrated math and reading program that consists of iReady Assessment, which is a K-12 adaptive diagnostic with standards mastery and growth monitoring) and iReady Instruction, a K-8 personalized learning program. In 2020-21, the iReady diagnostic exam was administered three times, October, February, and May.
The presentation offered an overview of the growth in student results in language arts and math, compared to the September administration of the exam.
15.4 Recommendation re: Second Reading and Approval of Board Policy 5141.21 – Administering Medication and Monitoring Health Conditions The School Board approved Board Policy 5141.21 – Administering Medication and Monitoring Health Conditions (Wells/Díaz-Slocum; 5-0). President MacAvoy (Ayes) Vice-President Díaz-Slocum (Ayes) Trustee Márquez (Ayes) Trustee Lawson (Ayes) Trustee Wells (Ayes) 15.6 Recommendation re: Approval of Local Assignment Options in Areas of Special Skill and Preparation Outside of Credential Authorization The School Board approved the local assignment options in areas of special skill and preparation outside of credential authorization for Ariana Baltay (single subject English credential), Zena Fadel (multiple subject in math and social studies), Jacob Havey (multiple subject), and Bruce Robinson (multiple subject, single subject social studies) (Márquez/Díaz-Slocum; 5-0). President MacAvoy (Ayes) Vice-President Díaz-Slocum (Ayes) Trustee Márquez (Ayes) Trustee Lawson (Ayes) Trustee Wells (Ayes) 15.8 Recommendation re: Approval of Provisional Internship Permit The School Board approved the Provisional Internship Permit for Lindsey Houseman, an art teacher at Kennedy Middle School (Lawson/Wells; 5-0). President MacAvoy (Ayes) Vice-President Díaz-Slocum (Ayes) Trustee Márquez (Ayes) Trustee Lawson (Ayes) Trustee Wells (Ayes)16. Board and Superintendent Reports
16.1 Report from Board Members and Superintendent
Trustee Wells reported attending the Hoover Community School Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.
Trustee Lawson reported attending a Workforce Housing Committee meeting and also attended the Redwood City Together Retreat. Trustee Lawson attended a Policy Committee meeting and also attended the Hoover Community School Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and commented that the new gymnasium looks beautiful!
Vice-President Díaz-Slocum echoed the comments of her fellow board members. Vice-President Díaz-Slocum added that the Hoover Community School’s new gymnasium is absolutely beautiful! Furthermore, Vice-President Díaz-Slocum, together with President MacAvoy and Superintendent Baker attended the 2x2x2 meeting and commented that they met the new Sequoia Union High School District Superintendent.
Trustee Márquez attended the California School Boards Association Masters in Governance workshops for board members and also attended the Hoover Community School new gymnasium Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.
President MacAvoy reported attending a few meetings in the month of July and commented that she met with the Safe Routes to School team a few times to discuss safety in busy intersections. Furthermore, President MacAvoy also attended a few Workforce Housing meetings, in addition to Board Policy meetings.
Superintendent Baker attended many of the same events as School Board members. Superintendent Baker reported that he visited schools on the first week of school.
17. Information
17.3 Information on San Mateo County Investment Fund – June 2021
There were no comments and/or questions from the School Board and Superintendent Baker.
17.4 Information on San Mateo County Investment Fund – July 2021
There were no comments and/or questions from the School Board and Superintendent Baker.
18. Correspondence
President MacAvoy reported receiving a few emails from parents.
19. Other Business/Suggested Items for Future Agenda
None.
20. Board Agenda Calendar
20.1 Changes to the Board Agenda Schedule
Superintendent Baker reminded the School Board that the School Board Retreat was scheduled for the upcoming Friday at 9:00am.
21. Adjournment (Action Required)
The board adjourned the meeting at 10:00 p.m. (Díaz-Slocum/Lawson; 5-0).
Cecilia I. Márquez, Clerk