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September 25, 2024

REDWOOD CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Redwood City, California

APPROVED MINUTES OF BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING

September 25, 2024

REGULAR BOARD MEETING

1.    Call to Order

President Lawson called the Regular Meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. 

1.1    Roll Call

Present at the Regular Board meeting: President Janet Lawson, Vice-President Mike Wells; Trustees Alisa MacAvoy and Cecilia Márquez; and Superintendent Baker

Others present during the Regular Board meeting: CBO Rick Edson, Assistant Superintendent Anna Herrera, Deputy Superintendent Wendy Kelly, Ana Paula Garay, Jenny Tran, and others.

Absent during the Regular Board Meeting: Trustee David Weekly

2.    Welcome

President Lawson welcomed those present. 

3.    Changes to the Agenda

None.

4.      Approval of the Agenda

The School Board approved the agenda as submitted (Wells, Márquez; 4-0).

Trustee Márquez (Ayes)
Trustee Weekly (Absent)
Trustee MacAvoy (Ayes)
Vice-President Wells (Ayes)
President Lawson (Ayes)

5.    Oral Communication

Cynthia Meek, a teacher in the Redwood City School District, raised concerns about the priorities in the Facilities Master Plan, advocating for Kennedy Middle School and Hoover School to be given higher priority. Meek highlighted the issue of high classroom temperatures, which are affecting both students and teachers. She urged the district to address the problem promptly to create a better learning environment for students and a more effective teaching space for educators.

Trustees Lawson and MacAvoy acknowledged Meek’s concerns, confirming that steps are being taken to cool classrooms and reduce excessive heat. Trustee MacAvoy added that, unfortunately, the process will be slow due to the technical and logistical challenges, but it is actively being addressed.

6.    School/Community Reports

6.1    Mental Health Report

Ana Paula Garay, Lead Mental Health Specialist, along with Maryann Nakhla and Diane Gutierrez, gave a presentation to the School Board on RCSD counseling services, results from counseling surveys (completed by students, teachers, and parents), and updates on the Mental Health program. Dr. Kristin Geiser (The John W. Gardner Center) and Dr. Apurva Bhatt (Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing) highlighted the district’s partnerships with Stanford in the ongoing development and delivery of mental health services across the sites.

Trustee Márquez expressed gratitude for the presentation and appreciation for the partnerships with the John W. Gardner Center and the Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing. Márquez noted that peer relationships were the most common reason for check-in referrals and asked which grade levels this applied to. Ana Paula clarified that it applied to all grade levels across all schools. Márquez also inquired whether teachers had been given resources to help students directly, rather than referring them to clinicians. Additionally, she referenced slide 14 of the presentation and asked why 3rd grade had the highest number of students in group therapy. Ana Paula provided responses to Trustee Márquez’s questions.

Vice President Wells expressed appreciation for the presentation. Wells requested an overview of what the different therapy services look like, and Ana Paula responded. Moreover, Trustee Wells referenced the survey results, noting that approximately half of the families were uncertain about their ability to find or afford medical counseling outside of school. Additionally, students expressed in the survey that they wished for more availability of counselors, as some reported that counselors were often busy. Wells asked whether the district is prioritizing students most dependent on school-based services and how the district is addressing the needs of these students, for whom school-based services are likely the best option, and Ana Paula answered.

Trustee MacAvoy expressed gratitude to Kristen and Dr. Bhatt for their contributions and highlighted the valuable partnership with Stanford. She acknowledged Ana Paula’s leadership, as well as the work of the district's counselors and clinicians, in providing a wide range of services at schools. MacAvoy emphasized the importance of school-based services, particularly for students needing early intervention, noting that without these services, issues could escalate to crises. She supported the idea of teachers incorporating more SEL (Social-Emotional Learning) into their classrooms. However, she raised concerns about future funding, especially with Stanford's financial support ending and COVID relief dollars diminishing.

President Lawson inquired about the process for determining whether students receive services from the district's clinicians, One Life, or Star Vista once they are referred. She also asked if students who complete therapy because the school year ends are automatically picked up again when they return in the fall. Additionally, Lawson acknowledged the importance of billable services, crediting Dr. Baker's vision and foresight in establishing mental health services in the district before the pandemic, which enabled them to be part of cohort two and effectively use COVID funding for these services.

Dr. Baker thanked Ana Paula, Dr. Bhatt, and Kristen for their contributions and referenced a panel he participated in for the Stanford School of Education collaborative. He noted that involvement in such panels can open doors to new opportunities, mentioning that Amy presented with him and they identified key funders in attendance. Dr. Baker discussed his conversation with Dean Schwartz about integrating discussions on Long-Term English Learners (LTELs) into the presentation, connecting their needs with mental health services. He emphasized that several people were interested in the district's mental health partnership with Stanford, which could lead to future collaborations. He concluded by praising the data shared during the presentation and expressing appreciation for the ongoing work and collaboration with Stanford’s team.

7.    Discussion Items

7.1    Discussion of Year End Assessment Results for the 2023-2024 School Year

Jenny Tran, Coordinator of Data and Assessment, presented to the School Board an overview of year-end local assessment results. Her presentation included CAASPP performance data, highlighting English Language Arts and Mathematics scores for students in grades 3-8.

Vice President Wells recalled that pre-pandemic academic performance was showing a positive growth trajectory. With three years having passed, he emphasized the need to return to that upward trend and asked what was being done this year to get back on the growth trajectory. Dr. Baker and Anna Herrera briefed on the purpose of Educational Rounds and other measures being conducted to improve school academics. Moreover, Trustee Wells asked what was being done to measure interim success and Herrera responded.

Trustee MacAvoy expressed appreciation for the presentation, noting that it highlights which student groups need additional support, particularly those facing opportunity gaps. MacAvoy reflected on how the pandemic interrupted previous trajectories of student achievement and observed that while some students, especially those from higher socio-economic backgrounds, are showing growth, others are still struggling. She acknowledged the ongoing work of educators and expressed her commitment to monitoring progress in the coming years. MacAvoy thanked teachers, principals, and school leaders for their efforts in supporting students.

Trustee Márquez expressed concern about certain student groups not performing well but remained hopeful for improvement, particularly with mental health support. She emphasized the need for increased parent involvement and guidance, especially for English Learner families. Márquez suggested better communication methods, like making phone calls instead of relying on emails, to ensure parents are informed and able to support their children. She also highlighted the importance of teachers' role and effective communication during parent-teacher conferences. In conclusion, she thanked the staff for their efforts and stressed the need for continuous improvement.

President Lawson expressed gratitude for the data but voiced concern over the impact of the pandemic on students, especially multilingual learners, asking why their performance dropped significantly. Superintendent Baker acknowledged the lack of a clear explanation but referenced discussions at Stanford about the effects of COVID-19 on multilingual learners, particularly the challenges of remote learning. He mentioned ongoing research in Texas focused on multilingual students, noting the lack of similar studies in California. President Wells suggested that cohort data could help track progress over time, to which Lawson agreed, highlighting that the trend is not unique to their district. Baker reiterated that more research is needed to understand the issue fully.

The School Board recessed at 9:00 p.m. and resumed the meeting at 9:04 p.m.

7.2    Update on the Process for Appointing a New Trustee for Area III

The Board of Trustees and Superintendent Baker reviewed and discussed the process for appointing a new trustee. The Trustees agreed that candidates will give up to 10-minute presentations addressing questions 4, 7, and 8. The interviews will begin at 4:00 p.m. in the district office boardroom.

8.    Consent Items

The School Board approved the Consent Items (Wells, MacAvoy; 4-0), taking the following action: 

8.1    Recommendation re:  Approval of Consent Items
8.2    Recommendation re:  Approval of the September 11 Board Meeting Minutes
8.3    Recommendation re:  Approval of Addendum to Garfield Community School's 
2024-25 Measure U Application
8.4    Recommendation re:  Approval of the Agreement between the Redwood City 
School District and After School Music Academy, LLC for the 2024-2025 School Year
8.5    Recommendation re:  Approval of the Agreement between the Redwood City 
School District and Air Education Inc. for the 2024-2025 School Year
8.6    Recommendation re:  Approval of Amendment No. 1 to the Agreement between 
College Advising Prep (CAP) and the Redwood School District for Increased Tutoring 
Services for the 2023-24 School Year
8.7    Recommendation re:  Approval of Joint Use Renewal Agreement between the 
Redwood City School District and Building Kidz Family LLC at the Hawes Community 
School Site
8.8    Recommendation re:  Approval to Purchase a Web-Based CUPCCAA 
Management Service with PQBids

Trustee Márquez (Ayes)
Trustee Weekly (Absent)
Trustee MacAvoy (Ayes)
Vice-President Wells (Ayes)
President Lawson (Ayes)

9.    Action Items

9.1    Recommendation re:  Adoption of Resolution No. 6, Approval of Education Code and Title V Options for Teaching Assignments for the 2024-2025 School Year

No questions or comments.

The School Board adopted Resolution No. 6, Approval of Education Code and Title V Options for Teaching Assignments for the 2024-2025 School Year (MacAvoy, Wells; 4-0). The Education Code Options and Title V for Teaching Assignments were approved for the following teachers:

Name:

Location:

Grade:

Title:

Title 5:

ASTROFF, CORINNE E

DISTRICT OFFICE

K-8

RLC TOSA

T5 80020.4

GRULICH, MEG

DISTRICT OFFICE

 

PROF DEV COACH: MATH/SCIENCE

T5 80020.4

ISAAC, SOPHIA

CLIFFORD

 

STUDY HALL

T5 80005 (b)

MINOR, GWEN

NORTH STAR

3-8

INTRODUCTION TO ORNAMENTAL HORTICULTURE

T5 80005 (b)

NGO, FRANCOISE M

DISTRICT OFFICE

K-8

RLC TOSA

T5 80020.4

 

Trustee Márquez (Ayes)
Trustee Weekly (Absent)
Trustee MacAvoy (Ayes)
Vice-President Wells (Ayes)
President Lawson (Ayes)

9.2    Recommendation re:  Approval of 2023-24 Unaudited Actuals Financial Statement

The School Board approved the 2023-24 Unaudited Actuals Financial Statement (MacAvoy, Wells; 4-0). 

Trustee Márquez (Ayes)
Trustee Weekly (Absent)
Trustee MacAvoy (Ayes)
Vice-President Wells (Ayes)
President Lawson (Ayes)

9.3    Recommendation re:  Adoption of Resolution No. 7, Resolution to Adopt the Gann Limit

No questions or comments.

The School Board adopted Resolution No. 7, Resolution to Adopt the Gann Limit (Wells, MacAvoy; 4-0). 

Trustee Márquez (Ayes)
Trustee Weekly (Absent)
Trustee MacAvoy (Ayes)
Vice-President Wells (Ayes)
President Lawson (Ayes)

10.    Board and Superintendent Reports

10.1    Report from Board Members and Superintendent

Vice President Wells had nothing to report.

Trustee MacAvoy reported that she, along with Trustee Márquez, attended the Superintendent’s Advisory Committee meeting. Moreover, Trustee MacAvoy reported she would be attending a CSBA Board meeting over the weekend.

Trustee Márquez reported attending the DELAC meeting at Hoover.

President Lawson had nothing to report.

Superintendent Baker reported attending a Stanford presentation, meeting with the Mexico Delegation and Mayor Jeff Gee along with Anna Herrera, and participating in the Redwood City Together Executive meeting and the Orion Growth Plan meeting.

11.     Information

11.1    Information on San Mateo County Investment Fund - August 2024

No questions or comments

12.    Correspondence

The Trustees received emails regarding AC at the schools.

13.    Other Business/Suggested Items for Future Agenda

None.

14.    Board Meetings Calendar

14.1    Changes to the Board Meetings Calendar

None.

15.    Adjournment

The School Board adjourned the meeting at 10:04 p.m. (MacAvoy, Márquez; 4-0).