BOARD MEETING
Santa Rosa City Schools
May 10 , 2023
4:00 p.m. – Closed Session
6:00 p.m. – Open Session
Hybrid: Zoom/Santa Rosa City Hall Council Chambers (100 Santa Rosa Ave.)
*** streamed ***
A live link will be posted on the SRCS website (link).
Please take time to review the following abbreviated version of the agenda. Click here to see the entire agenda. It has live links on many items with more information. If you want to comment to the board about any upcoming items, email agendacomments@srcs.k12.ca.us. Please CC wearesrta@gmail.com on your comments.
Closed Session Items:
A.1. Public Comment On Closed Session Agenda Items. To comment, email Melanie Martin at mmartinsrcs.k12.ca.us.
B.1. Public Employee Performance Evaluation (Title of employee being reviewed: Superintendent, Associate Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Principals, Vice Principals, Assistant Principals, Directors, Coordinators)
B.2. Public Employee Discipline/Dismissal/Release
B.3. Conference With Labor Negotiator (Name of designated rep attending: Michael Shepherd (SRCS); name of organization: SRTA/CSEA
B.4. Conference With Legal Counsel – Anticipated Litigation (Number of potential cases: 2)
B.5. Student Readmissions (Case Nos: 22/23-08, 21/22-16)
B.6. Student Expulsions (Case Nos: 22/23-10, 22/23-40)
C. RECONVENE TO REGULAR OPEN SESSION (6:00 p.m.)
C.7. Special Presentations for Student of the Month and Certificated/Classified Employees of the Month for Steele Lane Elementary School and Ridgway High School
Steele Lane Elementary School
- Linda Vasquez Udave, Student of the Month
- Reggie Misa, Classified Employee of the Month
- Matt Mensch, Certificated Employee of the Month
Ridgway High School
- Gladys Vasquez Jimenez, Student of the Month
- Lucero Garcia Martinez, Classified Employee of the Month
- Kathy Vyenielo, Certificated Employee of the Month
SRTA extends a special invitation to SLES and RHS to come out and support their honorees!
C.9. Public Comment on Non Agenda Items
SRTA members are invited to complete ‘blue cards’ in person or raise their hands and provide voice only comments if attending online. Please put SRTA at the start of your online name. Please be prepared to observe the recent practice of a two minute limit. Only items not on the agenda are addressed at this time, so safety items would be addressed here.
Comments are requested at the board meeting to bring a member’s perspective and share real experiences of the impact of district policies and practices. There is an invitation for comments on specific items during each item, so they need to be held until then.
Please commit to watching or attending at least one board meeting this year, and speaking to an agenda item that impacts you or your students. Speakers are most impactful when they are well spoken, composed and reasonable.
Article IX of the California State Constitution says, “All public-school students shall have the right to a high-quality public education that provides them with the skills necessary to fully participate in the economy, our democracy, and our society.” What policies can SRCS enact to protect the rights of all students to not have their learning environment destroyed by bad choices and behaviors of a fellow classmate?
Steele Lane Elementary’s staff held a listening session where concerns were aired about many topics around school safety and learning loss and how current district policies and decisions are impacting safety and learning at our schools. Examples of concerns raised are
- Learning is regularly disrupted for multiple classrooms due to extreme behaviors of one student. That current district policies and discipline decisions are accidentally teaching students that it is normal and ok to stay in an abusive relationship as students with extreme behaviors such as throwing furniture and injuring adults are not given appropriate consequences. Other students are forced to remain in a class with students who frequently exhibit extreme behaviors while no observable consequences are given to the student for their behavior.
- Parents are not being informed when extreme, violent behaviors require their child to be evacuated from class in order to protect them from harm caused by these behaviors. Sometimes evacuations are required multiple times in the same week, or even the same day. Parents are also not informed when their child witnesses acts of violence in their classroom so that they can help deal with the trauma inflicted by these incidents. Students don’t inform their parents because they are worried about getting in trouble.
- Restorative practices are ineffective because they are not implemented with boundaries and logical consequences which are a normal part of implementation. These consequences are part of how an individual repairs the damage they caused to others. The lack of sufficient staffing such as a full time restorative specialist also severely limits RP effectiveness. Having a restorative specialist Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday means that any issues that they could help resolve starting at around 11am on Thursday have to wait 4+ days until the following Tuesday to be addressed.
- Unsafe conditions in classrooms because support staff are not available to help address them. This regularly happens due to six or more people being tasked with supporting one student when extreme behaviors are exhibited.
- Behaviorists being assaulted by a student multiple times and being told to “be ready to be hit [by students], it is part of the job”.
- The process for getting students through the SST/IEP process to move them to an appropriate placement is broken as it regularly takes more than six months during which the student is not learning as much as they could because they are not receiving appropriate supports, and the learning environment for all other students is disrupted.
- Massive class sizes and combo classes having severe negative impact on behaviors, student learning, and the ability to implement restorative practices.
- This year SL has two 4th grades, one 5th grade, one 5th/6th combo, and one 6th grade. Next year we are scheduled to have the same allotment of teachers.
- Class sizes:
- 4th – 19 and 22
- 5th – 32
- 5th/6th combo – 31
- 6th – 32
- One additional teacher to remove the combo brings all class sizes below 24 students per class.
- This year SL has two 4th grades, one 5th grade, one 5th/6th combo, and one 6th grade. Next year we are scheduled to have the same allotment of teachers.
- From a staff member, “This is my school of residence and I am going to have a hell of a time convincing my [spouse] to let my kids come here. I want the diversity and inclusion and our staff for my child. But they want safety and it is going to be a fight to walk our daughter [the short distance] to this school. She deserves having the resources and the kids here right now deserve the resources right now.”
- From a different staff member, “Why can’t we be a staff focused district as well as a student focused district?… I am tired… due to all the other worries I have about our students, our staff, our school. As we say with our kids, ‘my cup is empty’ [and I don’t have anything left to give].”
From our middle school members: Only 1-day suspensions are being implemented. There are no consequences for cutting, dress code violation or cell phones. The tardy bell is a suggestion. Discipline needs to be a collective effort from parents, admin, and teachers.
From our high school members: Substitutes are necessary for Administrator and Campus Supervisor Absences for site safety. Montgomery reports a positive impact from extra administration on campus.
D.3. The Superintendent’s report will include an update on the Safety Advisory Round Table (SART)
This item is intended to include the first concrete steps that are suggested by the committee.
E. DISCUSSION / ACTION ITEMS
E.1. (Action) Resolution for Mental Health Awareness Month
Mental wellness is essential to learning, overall health, and well-being. This school year we also appreciate our Tier 1 mental health supports: our school staff. We thank our staff for their awareness, empathy, and willingness to meet students “where they are” so we can support students in their education: classroom teachers, Restorative Specialists, Student Advisors, Campus Supervisors, and all the staff in our system that support positive, humanizing, engaging, and safe environments every day.
SRTA members are appreciated for the work they do to support our students’ mental health. Please acknowledge those on your campus who provide this support.
E.2. (Action) Resolution Recognizing National School Nurse Day (May 10)
Summary
School Nurses work with students with chronic and acute health conditions and health needs met at school, school nurses are also strong advocates on behalf of school and children at the district and state policy levels.
SRTA appreciates our nurses: Nicholo Atup, Amanda Arend, Cheryl Closser, Heather Ginnever, Elizabeth Munns, Alison O’Herlihy, Jennifer Rodriguez, and Sangmo Witzman .
Members are encouraged to share their appreciation!
E.3. (Action) Resolution Recognizing May as the Month of Better Hearing and Speech
Summary
Students are better able to access their education and their lives are changed for the better as a result of what Speech-Language Pathologists in the public-school system do. Better Hearing and Speech Month highlights the tremendous impact that Speech-Language Pathologists can have in helping students achieve improved communication for school success and life.
SRTA extends appreciation to all our SLPs: Tamara Baganz, Sarena Bailey, Tina Boaz, Tessa Bonner, Kate Connor, Amanda Call, Peter Lounibos, Anna Lundborg, Jamie Mariscal, Mark McLay, Koa Morgan, Jennifer Nevolo-Alwood, Jill Pettit, Nora Pike, Patrick Pike, Macey Roehrick, Steve Schultz, Angie Thompson, Danielle Ullyott, and Taylor Van Bebber.
E.4. (Action) Trustee Area 7 Candidate Interviews to Select a Board Member Due to Vacancy
Summary
The Board will conduct interviews of two candidates and vote for the person to fill the Trustee Area 7 vacancy created by the resignation of Laurie Fong. The two candidates who will participate in the interviews are as follows:
1. Jeremy De La Torre
2. Deanna Olivarez
E.5. (Discussion) Update on Facilities Master Plan
Summary
The District has awarded Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) the update and revision of the 2016 Facilities Master Plan. TOp impact items include covered eating areas, upgrade and reconfigure restrooms, perimeter fencing and access control, Kinder and TK classrooms, maintenance items, address portables, support staff spaces and outdoor learning spaces.
Indicators of Quality values will be assigned to all projects to inform board.
SRTA members are encouraged to participate in the Facilities Master Plan meetings at their site. The best outcomes are possible with engaged participation.
The site meetings that have taken place so far have gone well. There are plans for each site committee to reconvene in the fall to review the summative work of the architects, and provide input on prioritization.
We still await the process for choosing projects for the bond funds. The new Superintendent’s Advisory Network is expected to play a role in this.
E.6. Action) Approval of Memorandum of Understanding Regarding 2023-2024 Classified Employee Calendar
Summary
The classified work year calendar for 2023-2024 includes a total of 242 workdays divided as follows (based on 260 days):
- 12-month, 11-month, 10-month and School Year employees beginning and end work year dates.
- Two (2) Professional Development Days on:
- Classified Professional Development Days/Collaborative (non-student) – November 1, 2023, and January 26, 2024.
- 10 Legal Holidays, 4 Local Holidays, 3 Paid Holidays as part of the CSEA 75 contract, and 1 additional Paid Holiday due to Leap Year.
- Two (2) Emergency Closure Days (non-workday, non-student if not used) – Friday, April 12, 2024, and Friday, May 17, 2024.
SRTA supports this MOU which aligns with the certificated calendar agreed to in December.
E.7. (Action) Declaration of Need for Fully Qualified Educators
Summary
Staff is requesting approval of the applications for the Declaration of Need for Fully Qualified Educators for the Santa Rosa City Schools Elementary and High School Districts which will be submitted to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. These declarations allow the district to hire up to 100 interns because of the expected inability to attract and hire fully qualified candidates. Last meeting SRCS contracted with NSCOE for 107 interns which would seem to include new hires as well as those continuing in the program.
Declaration of secondary need for 30 single subject (15 math and 5 each Spanish, Science and PE) and 25 Special Ed teachers
Declaration of elementary need for 20 multiple subject, 10 single subject (PE and Music), and 15 Special Ed teachers
Attracting new candidates to the profession while not working to improve our ability to retain folks is a zero sum game at best.
How to Increase Teacher Retention in 2023 – Qualtrics states that retention saves money, benefits less privileged students, enables policy development and keeps valuable knowledge. Teachers are leaving because of testing initiatives, lack of support, challenging conditions and feeling undervalued.
Can we work to reduce overly large class sizes where students do not get the attention they need? Can we hire enough campus adult support such as Campus Supervisors, Student Advisors, Restorative Specialists and Family and Student Engagement Facilitators? Can we lower caseloads for our counselors and SPED teachers, and address unsafe environments for both students and staff, which increases mental health stability for everyone on campus?
E.8. (Action) Approval of First Read, and Potential Waive of Second Read, of Board Bylaw 9320
Summary
The Board will consider approval of the revised Board Bylaw 9320 Meeting and Notices adopting the provisions within Assembly Bill 2449 will allow for more flexibility of Board member attendance.
E.9. (Action) Form a Board Subcommittee in Relationship with the City of Santa Rosa
Summary
The purpose of the subcommittee will be to build a relationship between Santa Rosa City Schools (3 board members) and the City of Santa Rosa (3 council members), including a focus on safety and security. The term of the subcommittee will be for up to two (2) years, and a report schedule from the subcommittee will be determined once the subcommittee convenes.
President Manieri will select the School Board members to participate in the Subcommittee, as well as the chair or facilitator. Together with Superintendent Trunnell, any additional members will be selected in consultation with the City of Santa Rosa.
F. CONSENT ITEMS
F.2. Approval of Personnel Transactions
EdJoin shows a total of 125 current postings for 230 job vacancies for SRCS.
There are 88 certificated openings (thirty eight more the last meeting), and 9 certificated management openings (four more than the last meeting). There are 133 current classified openings (six less than the last meeting), and no classified management positions (one less than the last meeting.)
Credentialed positions have completed the internal posting window and are now available for public applications. This late posting date has eliminated several worthy candidates from consideration, as they have already completed the hiring process for other districts.
SRTA bids farewell to those two members resigning at the end of the year taking four years of service and experience between them: Sandra Cortes and Karyna Gomez-Guevara both from CCLA. We wish you well with your future endeavors. To date there are 44 certificated resignations.
Congratulations to those retiring in June after 45 years of combined service to our students: Elaine Stone (SRHS) and Beverly Barron-Stolcz (SLES). To date there are 28 certificated retirements.
Covid Coordinator Jonathon Jones is being reassigned as Coordinator of Safety and Risk Management. Patty Turner is being reassigned from Director-Risk Mgmt and Safety to Administrator on Special Assignment.
Administrative resignations include HLES Principal Amy Wegener-Taganashi and PTES Principal Amanda Davis.
This month changes to classified staff include one new hire.
F.5. Approval of Contracts
Summary
| # | Provider | Cost | Description |
| District | |||
| 2 | Tovi C. Scruggs-Hussein | $11,000 | Fall Admin Launch speaker who is about professional spirituality and leading by BE-ing instead of DO-ing. |
| 3 | SCOE: Behavioral Health Department | $0 | Continue optional Classified employee PD with SCOE behavioral health department via a Behavior Health & Justice grant to learn to respond to students behaviors in ways that reduce calls to SRPD. |
| 4 | Curriculum Associates, LLC (Ellevation) | $238,334 | Three year extension of this English Learner management platform that organizes data, supports critical meeting and monitoring processes, enables accurate reporting, and supports instructional planning for multilingual students. |
| Secondary | |||
| 1 | SportsNet | $11,500 | Online platform for managing eligibility of secondary Athletes and Coaches |
Total value of contracts = $260,834
F.6. Approval of New Ethnic Studies Courses (Ethnic Studies English 11/12 HP; Ethnic Studies U.S. History; Ethnic Studies Drama; Ethnic Studies Mariachi; Ethnic Studies Spanish for Spanish Speakers)
Summary
These courses will continue to support the implementation of Ethnic Studies across SRCS and facilitate the successful completion of the Ethnic Studies graduation requirement. The courses were written as a collaboration between Ethnic Studies trained teachers and Ethnic Studies trained Educational Services personnel. They were reviewed, critiqued, revised and approved by the Ethnic Studies Steering Committee to ensure the courses have integrity and fidelity to the discipline of Ethnic Studies. These courses have been approved by the appropriate department chairs and by site principals. The estimated total cost for all Ethnic Study courses is $14,375, to be paid out of LCAP and Lottery funding.
These courses will need A-G approval by the UC Office of the President.
Ethnic Studies Spanish for Spanish Speakers 2PP
Ethnic Studies English 9-10 HP
SRTA honors the member work involved in creating these course descriptions. The acceptance and implementation of these courses provide for dramatic growth of options for students to explore Ethnic Studies in SRCS.
F.7. Approval Refrigerated Delivery Vehicles for CNS
Summary
The current aging fleet of delivery trucks will be replaced with new delivery trucks. The current CNS fleet of delivery vehicles has exceeded their useful life, requires excessive repairs and, due to vehicle breakdowns, presents safety risks to staff. Five trucks at $150,774 = $753,870. The delivery trucks will be purchased using Fund 13 (Cafeteria Fund) Reserves from the 2021-22 school year.
F.8. Approval of Code Rev Kids, Inc. Contract for SRFACS
Summary
Code Rev Kids provides an Adventures in Coding course and a Rev Robotics course giving students an opportunity that will support their academic growth in mathematics and begin building abilities that could become valuable career technical skills. The cost of the summer computer sciences program is for 120 students is $57,000 to be paid by the SRFACS Extended Learning Opportunity funds in support of the growth of SRFACS students.
F.9. Approval of Revised Job Description for Coordinator of State and Federal Programs
Summary
This revised job description better ensures that there is coordinated development, implementation, monitoring and assessment of state and federal programs that demonstrate improved learning and achievement for all students. The revised job description also clearly calls out the skills, knowledge, and disposition required of this position to be a knowledgeable instructional leader who demonstrates a belief and commitment to equity, and not just as a “compliance coordinator”. The position is being moved from SAFE to Ed Services and will include coordination of the Superintendent’s Advisory Network.
F.10. Approval of a CMAS Proposal with KYA for the Remodel of Main Restrooms (one male and one female) at PHS, EAHS, SRHS, and MCHS
The facilities team has been working diligently to find the best solutions for the restrooms at our high schools. The team has partnered with KYA Group, as they have a proven track record of remodeling high school restrooms and locker rooms. This CMAS contract uses our project stabilization agreement for its labor.
This project will include a completely new epoxy surface on the floors, walls, and ceiling. This product is beautiful, extremely tough, and easy to keep clean. KYA will also be installing all new plumbing fixtures, including toilets, urinals, and sinks. New hand dryers and soap dispensers will be recessed in the interior walls to help deter vandalism. Finally, KYA will install new beautiful yet durable privacy stalls and urinal dividers.
Funded from Measure I $913,900.77
PHS Proposal $242,395
EAHS Proposal $245,032
SRHS Proposal $235,908
MCHS Proposal $190,564
With limited funds available for great facility needs, SRTA members wonder how this million dollars of work meshes with item E5 Facilities Master Plan? While SRTA members appreciate the student call for upgrading restrooms, what will be the impact of these upgrades? It seems reasonable for a dedicated effort to redesign high school restrooms to be gender neutral as part of our long term FMP. If these restroom upgrades are performed now, will the IOQ score of bathrooms be lowered, as they have been made more suitable, and then the redesigns be delayed? Or will we be committed to the restroom redesigns and replace the upgrades in these contracts long before their lifetime expires?
F.11. Approval of Legal Services – Retainer Representation Agreement
Hires HARBOTTLE LAW GROUP to advise Board of Education and administrative panel regarding student expulsion hearings and perform related legal services at $275 per hour for the period April 1 to June 30, 2023.
The special board meeting on Feb. 15 included Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost, LLP presenting on suspensions and expulsions. This appears to provide additional legal resources around expulsions for the panel and board.
SRTA members are concerned about the impact to the learning environment that disruptive students are causing for non disruptive students and staff. Current disciplinary practices are in need of revision to effective plans that can be embedded into Site Safety Plans and be applied with integrity district wide.
G.1. Approval of Minutes
I1. Future Board Discussion Items
SRTA Members are encouraged to prepare for the upcoming agenda items.
- Resolution Recognizing Administrative Professionals (
5/10/23) - Presentation by Child Nutrition Services (
5/10/235/24/23)- A recent LCAP survey of parents requested improvement to the quality of food. Are there any plans underway to meet this request?
- Technology Updates for Classrooms (
4/26/235/24/23)
SRTA members request equity. Not all classrooms have the same needs. Our technology policies should have flexibility to meet the needs of all. Placing the same equipment in the same place in each room doesn’t account for the variability of the sun impacting visibility. Providing the same equipment in each room, disallowing the replacement of equipment that meets the functional needs of a class and forcing the change to other technology is not an effective implementation plan.
- Ethnic Studies Graduation Requirement Revision (5/24/23)
- Governor’s May Revision Update (5/24/23)
- Can an update on the spending of special Covid monies be included in this report?
- Public Hearing for LCAPs (6/14/23)
- Public Hearing for 2023-24 Budget (6/14/23)
- Site Single Plans for Student Achievement (6/14/23)
- COVID Updates (6/14/23)
SRTA looks to the future scheduling of the following items:
- Safety (board statement on 3/8/23 that this will be a future item)
The California Constitution states, “All students and staff of public … schools have the inalienable right to attend campuses which are safe, secure, and peaceful.” (Article 1, Section 28(f).
What are the steps for intervening when a student creates a disruptive and/or unsafe situation for other students and staff?
Some current practices seem to protect bullies and tolerate intimidation without intervention.
What changes to discipline practices have been put into place since March 1?
What is the current discipline policy and process? When are police contacted? How is SRCS keeping track of contacts with the police in order to be able to address the underlying issues?
What are the consequences for cutting a class? Students not experiencing any repercussions are wandering our campuses instead of attending classes. This can lead to unsafe conditions for other students.
What are the staffing ratios of adult supervisors expected to be on our campuses?
What are the MTSS staffing ratios expected to be on our campuses, including Restorative Specialists, Family Facilitators, Student Facilitators, Counselors, Psychologists, Therapists, Behavioral Specialists, and others ?
An audit of the programs for students with special needs is called for. Have we been able to attract and retain the necessary employees to run these programs effectively?
What anti-bullying efforts are we implementing?
How many students are not coming to campus because they don’t feel safe? It is a hardship on teachers to provide independent study.
- A-G Program Review (board request 8/10/22)
What does the data look like about A-G Completion since this policy was adopted? Where is data on students that are not on track to graduate? How helpful were prior IGPs in allowing students to earn diplomas? How many current seniors (even with the IGP), juniors and sophomores are not on track to graduate? How many of these students are meeting the state requirements for a diploma but not the extra requirements of our district?
What are the systemic measures in place to offer academic support K-12 to increase A-G success? What metrics are being used to evaluate these efforts?
- Parcel Tax survey results
- Results of Developer Fee exploration
- SRACS Accelerated Charter Material Revision Request (delayed)
- Deferred Maintenance Update and Future Planning (
7/27/22 8/24/22) - Approval of Board Policies (
3/9/22) - Review of Math grades and progress including demographic data (board request)
- SCOE Unification/Redistricting Report (on option #1)
- Open Enrollment Policy Update
- Student Voice Policy
- Dress Code Policy
- BEST Plus Update
I.4. Sonoma County Office of Education (SCOE) Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan
This Annex of the SCOE Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (MJHMP) details the hazard mitigation planning elements specific to the Santa Rosa City Schools, as a participating jurisdiction to the 2023 Sonoma County Office of Education MJHMP. This Annex provides additional information specific to Santa Rosa City Schools, focusing on the planning process, risk assessment, and mitigation strategy. It appears that SRCS was not represented in the formation of this plan.
J. School Site Reports