February 7, 2024
REDWOOD CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Redwood City, California
APPROVED MINUTES OF BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING
February 7, 2024
REGULAR BOARD MEETING
1. Call to Order
President Lawson called the Closed Session to order at 5:01 p.m.
1.1 Roll Call
Present at the Closed Board meeting: President Janet Lawson, Vice-President Mike Wells; Trustee Cecilia Márquez; and Superintendent Baker
Others present during the Closed Board meeting: Chief Business Official Rick Edson, Peter Ingram, and Clarissa Canady
2. Oral Communication on Closed Session Items Only
None.
3. Closed Session - 5:00 PM (Closed to the Public)
3.1 CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS (Gov. Code, 54956.8) Property: 750 Bradford St, Redwood City, CA 94063 Agency negotiators: John Baker, Superintendent, Peter Ingram, Consultant, and Clarissa Canady, Legal Counsel, Negotiating parties: Redwood City School District and The Sobrato Organization Under negotiation: Price and terms of payment of Property Exchange Agreement
Trustee Weekly and Trustee MacAvoy officially joined the meeting.
3.2 Public Employee Performance Evaluation, Title: Superintendent (§ 54957)
Deputy Superintendent Wendy Kelly and Assistant Superintendent Anna Herrera officially joined the closed-session meeting.
4. Reconvene to Regular Session at Approximately 7:00 PM
The School Board reconvened for the regular session at 7:03 p.m.
4.1 Roll Call
Present at the Regular Board meeting: President Janet Lawson, Vice-President Mike Wells; Trustees Alisa MacAvoy, David Weekly, and Cecilia Márquez; and Superintendent Baker
Others present during the Regular Board meeting: Assistant Superintendent Anna Herrera, Deputy Superintendent Wendy Kelly, CBO Rick Edson, Antonio Perez, Jorge Quintana, Michelle Griffith, Liz Calderon, Elsa Aispuro, William Gomez, Jocelyn Morales, Eliana Garcia, Nathan Edelman, Gonzalo Cordova, and many others.
4.2 Report Out on Closed Session from February 7, 2024
3.1 No action was taken.
3.2 No action was taken.
5. Welcome
President Lawson welcomed those present.
6. Changes to the Agenda
President Lawson requested to move action items 13.2 and 13.3 to consent.
7. Approval of the Agenda
The School Board approved the agenda as amended (Wells, Weekly; 5-0).
Trustee Márquez (Ayes)
Trustee Weekly (Ayes)
Trustee MacAvoy (Ayes)
Vice-President Wells (Ayes)
President Lawson (Ayes)
8. Oral Communication
Brian Cagle and Erin Washburn, RCTA representatives, addressed the School Board to provide information about the upcoming negotiations and the specific articles that will be opened.
9. Bond Program Consent Items
The School Board approved the Bond Program Consent Items (Márquez, Weekly; 5-0), taking the following action:
9.1 Recommendation re: Approval of Bond Program Consent Items
9.2 Recommendation re: Approval of Measure T Bond Program Tracking List of Items Under $20k
Trustee Márquez (Ayes)
Trustee Weekly (Ayes)
Trustee MacAvoy (Ayes)
Vice-President Wells (Ayes)
President Lawson (Ayes)
10. Bond Program Action Items
None.
11. School/Community Reports
11.1 Information on Financial Audit Report for RCSD for 2022-23 School Year
Nathan Edelman, CPA with Eide Bailly LLP, the District’s independent external auditor representative provided information to the school board on the 2022-23 Financial Audit Report.
Vice-President Wells, Trustee MacAvoy, and President Lawson voiced their appreciation for CBO Edson and Mr. Edelman for the audit findings and the information provided.
11.2 Communications Update: RCSD Logo Redesign Project - Completion Report
Jorge Quintana, the Director of Communications, updated the School Board on the recently completed RCSD Logo Redesign project. The collaborative effort successfully revitalized the district's visual identity, with the final choice of the RCSD logo representing the conclusion of a thorough and collective process.
Trustee Márquez extended gratitude to everyone involved in the RCSD Logo redesign project.
Trustee Weekly asked if the School Board needed to officially adopt the logo, and it was clarified that the logo does not require formal adoption.
Vice-President Wells thanked Mr. Quintana for his vision in the logo redesign, highlighting the cohesion between the district logo and those of individual schools.
Trustee MacAvoy also expressed being happy to see the new school logos and inquired whether the “Meet, Choose, Love” tagline would be retained. Mr. Quintana explained that the tagline would be retired with the introduction of the new logos.
President Lawson, who participated in the Logo Redesign Committee, praised Small Hat Studio for their collaboration. She inquired about the absence of the established date on some school logos, and Mr. Quintana explained.
Superintendent Baker expressed admiration for the logos and thanked the committee for their dedicated work.
11.3 Report on the RCSD THRIVE Manual as part of the Homeless Innovative Practice - HIP Grant
The RCSD T.H.R.I.V.E. team presented to the School Board a manual to document the work carried out by the Upstream program.
Trustee Márquez thanked the RCSD T.H.R.I.V.E team for their tremendous help in supporting 280+ families.
Trustee MacAvoy thanked the team for their presentation and for all the work they are doing. Trustee MacAvoy inquired if the state or county would be open to supporting schools for doing this work to which Antonio Perez, William Gomez, and Elsa Aispuro responded.
Trustee Weekly thanked the team for the presentation and for all the work being done to address student needs.
Vice-President Wells expressed gratitude to Michelle Griffith, Antonio Perez, Will Gomez, Liz Calderon, and Elsa Aispuro for their presentation on the T.H.R.I.V.E. Program. He inquired about the expansion status of the program with the CCSPP grant, specifically if it was in the process of expanding to additional schools or if the expansion had already taken place to which Michelle responded.
President Lawson praised the team for the preventative and proactive work in helping families.
Superintendent Baker expressed gratitude for all the work being done.
12. Consent Items
The School Board approved the Consent Items (Wells, Weekly; 5-0), taking the following action:
12.1 Recommendation re: Approval of Consent Items
12.2 Recommendation re: Acceptance of Donations
12.3 Recommendation re: Approval of January 10 Board Meeting Minutes
12.4 Recommendation re: Approval of January 17 Board Meeting Minutes
12.5 Recommendation re: Approval of January 19 Board Retreat Meeting Minutes
12.6 Recommendation re: Approval of the Second Amendment between the
Redwood City School District and Maxim Healthcare Services for the 2023-24 School
Year
12.7 Recommendation re: Approval of the Agreement between Redwood City School
District and Aequor Healthcare Services for a SPED Teacher for the 2023-2024 School
Year
12.8 Recommendation re: Approval of the 2023 School Accountability Report Cards
(SARCs)
12.9 Recommendation re: Approval of Personnel Report
12.10 Recommendation re: Approval of Additional Personnel Needed for the 2023-24
School Year
12.11 Recommendation re: Acceptance of Redwood City Teachers Association's
Sunshine Proposal
12.12 Recommendation re: Receipt of Governing Board's initial proposal for
negotiations with the Redwood City Teachers Association for the 2024-2025 School Year
12.13 Recommendation re: Ratification of Warrant Registers, January 1, 2024 - January
31, 2024
13.2 Recommendation re: Acceptance of California School Employees Association Chapter V Sunshine Proposal for 2023-2024
13.3 Recommendation re: Receipt of Governing Board's initial proposal for negotiations with the California School Employees Association, Chapter V, for 2023- 2024
Trustee Márquez (Ayes)
Trustee Weekly (Ayes)
Trustee MacAvoy (Ayes)
Vice-President Wells (Ayes)
President Lawson (Ayes)
13. Action Items
13.1 Recommendation re: Adoption of Resolution No. 6, Determination of Order of Employment for Certificated Employees for Elimination of or Reductions in Particular Kinds of Services for Fiscal Year 2023-2024
No questions or comments.
The School Board adopted Resolution No. 6, Determination of Order of Employment for Certificated Employees for Elimination of or Reductions in Particular Kinds of Services for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 (Márquez, Weekly; 5-0).
Trustee Márquez (Ayes)
Trustee Weekly (Ayes)
Trustee MacAvoy (Ayes)
Vice-President Wells (Ayes)
President Lawson (Ayes)
14. Board and Superintendent Reports
14.1 Report from Board Members and Superintendent
Trustee MacAvoy shared that she, along with Assistant Superintendent Herrera and Superintendent Baker, attended a meeting with the Burlingame Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent to discuss the topic of dyslexia. Additionally, she reported a meeting with Drew from Sonar, a mental health platform, and attendance at the CSBA Board Meetings which had a brief focus on the AI Committee.
Trustee Weekly reported speaking with an acquaintance who works at T-Mobile who reached out about Project 10 Million stating the potential offer of devices. Trustee Weekly also toured KIPP Excelencia.
Vice-President Wells reported attending the CSBA dinner.
Trustee Márquez reported attending the CSBA dinner. She noted that Paul Bocanegra discussed the school-to-prison pipeline.
President Lawson reported attending a Wellness Committee meeting, and a Bond Committee meeting that focused on the solar power project.
Superintendent Baker attended the Chamber of San Mateo meeting and shared key updates. It was discussed that individuals aspiring to become teachers will no longer be required to take the CBEST. Furthermore, retirees will no longer face a six-month waiting period to return to work. Additionally, Assembly Member Diane Papan is actively collaborating to include Workforce Housing under school facilities when a bond is approved. The meeting covered various other topics as well.
15. Information
15.1 Information on San Mateo County Investment Fund - December 2023
No questions or comments.
16. Correspondence
Trustee MacAvoy reported receiving a few phone calls from a community member regarding Measure T and Workforce Housing.
Trustee Weekly reported receiving an email from an NSA parent.
17. Other Business/Suggested Items for Future Agenda
Trustee Márquez requested to bring up the School of Choice Policy for discussion.
Trustee MacAvoy requested to bring up the policy on meetings and public comments for discussion.
18. Board Meetings Calendar
18.1 Changes to the Board Meetings Calendar
Antonio Perez requested a closed session meeting on February 28, 2024 at 6:15 p.m.
19. Adjournment
The School Board adjourned the meeting at 8:40 p.m. (Weekly, Wells; 5-0).