BOARD MEETING
Santa Rosa City Schools
April 10, 2024
4:30 p.m. – Closed Session
6:00 p.m. – Open Session
Hybrid: Zom / Santa Rosa City Hall Council Chambers (100 Santa Rosa Ave, Santa Rosa, CA 95404)
*** streamed ***
A live link will be posted on the SRCS website (link).
Board of Education / Video Board Meetings
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 email.
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. Conference with Labor Negotiator (Dr. Vicki Zands ; SRTA/CSEA)
B.3. Conference With Legal Counsel – Anticipated Litigation (Number of potential cases: 1)
B.4. Student Expulsions (Case No.: 2023/24-17)
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 (Ridgway and Maria Carrillo High Schools)
Luther Burbank Elementary School:
- Sophia Orellana, Student of the Month
- Yurira Coria Mauricio, Classified Employee of the Month
- Guy Cottle, Certificated Employee of the Month
Santa Rosa High School:
- Rodrigo Licea Cazares, Student of the Month
- Dallas Johnson, Classified Employee of the Month
- Emma Zavala, Certificated Employee of the Month
A special invite goes out to the staff of LBES and SRHS to attend this meeting to honor your own.
D.6. Safety Report
Recently, public comments have been welcome during this item.
D.7. Migrant Ed. Report
(This summary and attachments are from the agendized item that was skipped at a prior meeting.)
Focus on Academics Intervention with tutoring using SRCS teachers
Elementary
In person and virtually at home or The Boys & Girls Club
Springboard
Secondary
SRHS Night School – 75% participation
Cyber High with Targeted Support
AB1806: 130-credit for Graduation Option
Parent Advisory Committee (PAC)
Mini-Corps Program (SSU student tutors)
Adelante 6-12 Summer 2023 111 students
Goal: 40% of Ss ages 3-5 will attend 15 hours of school readiness
ELA Goal: 30 hours of tutoring during the school year
Fall 2023-24 (ELA) 85 students participated
K-10 State and Regional Results: 10%
K-8 SRCS District Results: 17%
9-12 SRCS District Results: 4%
Goal: 20 hours of tutoring during the summer
K-10 State and Regional Results: 17 & 20%
K-5 SRCS District Results: 44%
6-12 SRCS District Results: 36%
MATH Goal: 30 hours of tutoring during the school year
Spring 2023-24 (Math) 68 students participated
K-10 State and Regional Results: 9%
K-8 SRCS District Results: 30%
9-12 SRCS District Results: 0%
Goal: 20 hours of tutoring during the summer
K-10 State and Regional Results: 13 & 10%
K-5 SRCS District Results: 43%
6-12 SRCS District Results: 38%
Presentation (from prior agendized item)
Presentation (Spanish) (from prior agendized item)
Is the Migrant Ed TOSA position being eliminated?
What metrics are used to evaluate the effectiveness of these measures?
E. Public Comment on Non Agenda Items
SRTA members are invited to complete ‘blue cards.’ Online comments have been suspended. Please be prepared to observe the three minute time limit or the imposition of a possible two or even one minute limit. Only items NOT on the agenda are addressed at this time.
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.
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 limited to those in person. Comments are most impactful when they are well spoken, composed and reasonable.
Members are encouraged to share personal understandings of how these pillars are essential to improving the student experience with SRCS. There is appreciation that the last round of negotiations was productive. SRTA members expect to end this school year with a ratified new contract. This requires prompt resolution to remaining outstanding items.
SRTA is standing firm on our Four Pillars:
Safe Schools for All
Our schools must be safe for all students and staff.
- Provide adequate trained security personnel at secondary sites.
- Create a District Safety Committee. to adopt a comprehensive “School Safety Plan” and an “Injury and Illness Prevention Plan.”
- Arrest and expel students that have weapons on our campuses.
- Provide First aid equipment and walkie talkies to all staff
- The District will provide a procedure for reporting alleged unsafe and unhealthy conditions to management.
- Upon notification, the District shall eliminate or correct unsafe or hazardous working conditions
Mental Health Support
The mental health and social-emotional needs of students and staff must be cared for.
- Decrease school counselors ratio
- Limit School Psych caseload
- The District shall offer mental health and trauma support services to students who experience assault, battery, or who are witness to a traumatic event
Prevent Violence
Preventing violence before it occurs must be a focus for all schools.
- The District shall provide professional development on a voluntary basis to unit members wishing training on how to subdue assaultive students, break up fights between students, and to use conflict intervention skills
- Create and maintain a Site safety plan at each site to address the prevention of school and worksite crime and violence and that promotes safety, a positive school and worksite climate, has high standards of student conduct, contains school-wide expectations, and contains progressive discipline plans for student behavior.
- The district will follow ed-code regarding discipline and suspension.
Relevant and Engaging Schools
Schools must be relevant and engaging. We must be able to attract and retain the best teachers to connect with students.
- Reduce K classes to 26
- Cap combo classes at 20 K-3 and 26 4th -6th
- Increase salary to $6000 per cell in 24/25 with 4% increases in 25/26 and 27/28
- Increase health care contribution to 100% for individuals, 65% for employee plus one and 55% for families with additional increases the following years.
- Increase pay for elementary Lead Teachers who keep students safe while site admin is absent
F. DISCUSSION / ACTION ITEMS
F.1. (Action) Resolution in Support of National Sexual Assault Awareness Month
The Board will recognize April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month with an official resolution reflecting the Board’s continued commitment to work within the community to effect change and communicate support for survivors and encourages all faculty, staff, and students to increase their knowledge of the many types of sexual violence and promote an environment of mutual respect and dignity in and outside of their campuses.
F.2. (Action) Resolution Celebrating Child Nutrition Services (CNS) Professionals week of April 29 through May 3, 2024
The District will celebrate School Food Hero Day on Friday, May 3, 2024. This is a chance to showcase the difference child nutrition professionals make for every child who comes through the cafeteria. School Food Hero Day and School Nutrition Employee week provides the perfect opportunity to recognize the hardworking professionals in our school cafeterias. This resolution is for Santa Rosa City Schools Child Nutrition Services (CNS) Professionals for the week of April 29 through May 3, 2024.
F.3. (Discussion) Update on Child Nutrition Services (CNS) Department
Goals for the CNS program:
- Hire and retain excellent staff.
- Prepare and serve from scratch food that meets students’ needs and reflects the community we serve.
- Invest in infrastructure to prepare and serve meals that meet students’ needs. (This is bond funded.)
- Nutrition Education and taste testing
- Increase farm-to-school agreements and the amount of food grown on or near campus.
This report would benefit from including statistical evidence to demonstrate the progress of the department. In reviewing the personnel reports, CNS has hired seven people this year while having two retirements. There have been no resignations. They have also been able to promote two people within the department to lead positions.
The report does not explain how the millions of dollars of new equipment will support the department in meeting their goals.
There is also no information on how CNS will continue to feed students during the bond funded work at the District Office site.
Hopefully SRCS will include students at all levels in the meal planning and taste testing. There is significant room for improvement in student satisfaction with meal choices and quality.
SRTA encourages the CNS leadership and the Board to visit sites often and eat the currently available meals with our students.
F.4.& 5 Public Hearing and Approval: SRCS District “Sunshine” Proposals for Contract Reopeners with CSEA for 2024-2027
The Board will conduct a legally-required Public Hearing on the proposed Santa Rosa City Schools District “Sunshine” proposal with the California School Employees Association Chapter 75 (CSEA 75) for contract re-openers for 2024-2027. SRCS and CSEA have both opened nine of the same articles of the contract. CSEA has opened an additional two and SRCS has opened an additional three, leaving three articles unopened for this round of negotiations.
SRTA encourages a quick and productive resolution to bargaining impacting the workforce that keeps our schools functioning.
G. CONSENT ITEMS
G.2. Approval of Personnel Transactions
EdJoin shows a total of 96 current postings for 173 job vacancies for SRCS.There is still an issue with the Santa Rosa Catholic Diocese openings showing within the SRCS certificated search this month that are actually for St. Vincent DePaul School. There are 23 certificated openings (seven more than the last meeting.) There are six certificated management openings (three more than the last meeting.) There are 144 current classified postings (sixty-three more than the last meeting), and no classified management positions (the same as the last meeting.) Seventy-eight of these positions are for assistants and paraprofessionals.
SRTA bids farewell to three folks who are resigning at the end of this year. Christopher Riske (PHS), Cassandra Slagle (CCLA) and James Hart (MCHS) leave us with a combined twenty-six and a half years of service. Thank you for all you did for our students, and know you will be missed.
SRTA congratulates Diane Redalia (SPSV), Timothy Christenson (PHS), Erick Roldan (MHS), Matthew McClellan (HSMS), Nicolas Mancillas (SRHS) Holly Toomians (ALES), Guy Cottle (LBES) and Barbara Gay (HLES) who have announced their retirements at the end of this year. They have a combined one hundred sixty seven years of service to our students. We wish you a splendid retirement!
This month’s changes to classified staff include one new hire, one resignation and two retirements. Thank you for your forty and a half years of service.
G.5. Approval of Contracts
Summary
SS = Summer School program
| # | Provider | Cost | Description |
| District | |||
| 4 | Pyramid Educational Consultants | $10,000 | This two day training is designed for educators of children on the autism spectrum encourages creativity and innovation on the teacher’s part and utilizes a broad spectrum of behavior analysis principles. |
| 5 | San Joaquin County Office of Education (Codestack) | $16,000 | This three year contract covers the two-way data exchange between SEIS, a student special education management platform maintained by SJCOE/Codestak, and Aeries. |
| Elementary | |||
| 7 | Community Matters | No Direct Cost | The Waking Up Courage Assembly is a powerful, student-centered experience that enlists, unites, and empowers students to take a stand and speak up when they see bullying and violence. For BHES on 4/18 |
| Secondary | |||
| 1 | Sonoma County Office Of Education | No Direct Cost | A workgroup will curate and/or develop ethnic studies resources posted on a HUB. SCOE will pay $42,000 for this. |
| 2 | Community Responsive Education | No Direct Cost | For a customized Ethnic Studies workshop specifically for Art teachers in the district. SCOE will pay $17,000 for this. |
| 3 | Santa Rosa-Sonoma County NAACP | No Direct Cost | Provide a student panel for teacher development. The goal is to deepen awareness of Native American History and Activism and understand the intersectional needs of socio-economically impacted youth through Afro indigenous identities. SCOE will pay $500 for this. |
| 6 | Cardea | $2,500 | Up to two two-hour workshops for high school teachers on strategies for to support questionand answer sessions for students (How to Answer Sensitive Questions in the Sex Ed Classroom) and One, one-hour, Q&A webinar for current seniors. |
| 8 | Career Technical Education Foundation Sonoma County | No Direct Cost | The CTE Foundation (CTEF) was awarded an $1.1 million American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant to support EAHS. Initially, $337,383 grant was awarded to EAHS for Phase I. This Addendum is for Phase II of the grant (April – December 2024), which awards an additional $217,617 to EAHS. |
| 9 | Rosa Buck | $900 | Will teach SRMS students Krump, Hip Hop and freestyle dance in 1-hour sessions @$150/hour. |
| 10 | Sonoma County Fair & Exposition, Inc. | $2,590 | April 4th rental of Hall of Flowers for 8th grade Career Day. |
| 11 | Sonoma County Office of Education | No Direct Cost | SRCS will join a consortium for a K12 Strong Workforce Program (SWP) Round 6 Grant. The new SRCS pathway will provide students with relevant, rigorous learning experiences that incorporate Work-Based Learning (WBL), a pre-apprenticeship, and early college credit at Elsie Allen High School. |
Total value of contracts = $31,990.00
What is the plan for ongoing support of Ethnic Studies in SRCS?
What does Phase II include for EAHS?
What was the overall cost for the 8th grade Career Day? Are there specific changes that will be made to the event for next year?
G.6. Approval of Contracts – Bond
| # | Contractor | Project | Amount | Description |
| Charter | ||||
| 2 | HY Architects | Cesar Chavez Language Academy TK Classrooms | $1,171,600 | Architectural & Engineering Services for the TK Classroom/classroom project at Cesar Chavez Learning Academy. |
| 15 | John Stocksdale | Solar Array | $18,100 | Project Inspection Services for the installation of the solar array at Cesar Chavez Language Academy |
| District | ||||
| 5 | CPI | SP-Suite 150 | $3,333 + $1,053 | Additional work required for set up of Stony Point Suite 150 |
| 10 | CPI | SP-Suite 105 | $12,348 + $3,899 | Moving HR from 211 Ridgway to 110 Stony Point Road, Suite 150 |
| Elementary | ||||
| 1 | HY Architects | Abraham Lincoln ES TK Classrooms | $398,800 | Architectural & Engineering Services for the TK Classroom project at Abraham Lincoln Elementary School. |
| 3 | HY Architects | Helen Lehman ES TK Classrooms | $540,900 | Architectural & Engineering Services for the TK Classroom/classroom project at Helen Lehman Elementary School. |
| 7 | Brelje & Race | Abraham Lincoln ES Fencing | $8,500 | Survey Services for the Fencing Project at Abraham Lincoln Elementary School |
| 8 | Brelje & Race | Helen Lehman ES Fencing | $4,800 | Survey Services for the Fencing Project at Helen Lehman Elementary School |
| 9 | Quattrocchi Kwok Architects | Hidden Valley ES MPR to Office Conversion | $457,500 | Design services to convert the existing MPR to a new administration building, and convert the existing admin/office to new classrooms. |
| 13 | John Stocksdale | Solar Array | $11,100 | Project Inspection Services for the installation of the solar array at Abraham Lincoln Elementary School |
| Secondary | ||||
| 4 | RGH Geotechnical Consultants | Montgomery HS Classroom Building | $35,130 | Geotechnical Construction Observation & Testing for the New Classroom Building at Montgomery High School |
| 6 | Grassetti Environmental Consulting | Montgomery HS Classroom Building | $1,080 | CEQA Consulting Services for the Montgomery High School New Classroom Building |
| 11 | John Stocksdale | SRMS Solar Array | $14,100 | Project Inspection Services for the installation of the solar array at Santa Rosa Middle School |
| 12 | John Stocksdale | MHS Solar Array | $22,100 | Project Inspection Services for the installation of the solar array at Montgomery High School |
| 14 | John Stocksdale | SRHS Solar Array | $22,100 | Project Inspection Services for the installation of the solar array at Santa Rosa High School |
| 16 | John Stocksdale | PHS Solar Array | $24,100 | Project Inspection Services for the installation of the solar array at Piner High School |
| 17 | John Stocksdale | HSMS Solar Array | $15,100 | Project Inspection Services for the installation of the solar array at Herbert Slater Middle School |
Measure C = $1,338,010.59
Measure G = $1,427,631.76
Total = $2,765,642.35
G.7. Approval of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) exemption for the Montgomery HS 2 Story Classroom Building Project
The Board will consider approval of the CEQA Notice of Exemption for the Montgomery HS 2 Story Classroom Building project.
G.8. Approval of School Services of California Contract
Approval of an agreement with School Services of California to assist in creating and facilitating a committee that will be charged with developing criteria and recommending school(s) for consolidation or closure.
SSC proposes the process would encompass approximately seven two-hour Committee meetings as follows:
- Organizational Meeting – Discuss the purpose of the Committee and the roles of participants, District staff, and facilitators; and review proposed criteria and scoring methodology
- Demographic and Capacity Analysis – Present and review District demographic data and facilities capacity
- Facilities – Review school sites, including site information, proximity to other schools, age and condition, proposed or future improvements, etc.
- Educational and Student Support Services – Review academic metrics; program, course, and student support service offerings; educational alternatives; and educational status (e.g., educational specification, class loading, student-teacher ratios, etc.)
- Fiscal and Other Impacts – Present and review District fiscal considerations, transportation, options for displaced students, etc.
- Analysis and Prioritization – Analysis recap and overview, scoring, discussion of alternatives, and determination of Committee recommendations
- Draft Report Review – Review and seek input on the draft report
$59,700
SRTA Members of the BAC requested that clear criteria be specified before considering sites for consolidation or closure. This contract could provide this structure.
G.9. Approval of Save Your Six Proposal
Title VI was enacted as part of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.
SRCS has identified the importance of implementing and sustaining Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The Save Your Six Title VI Schools and District Training is for educators and administrators who aim to ensure an inclusive, equitable, and Title VI compliant learning environment for all students. SRCS will offer two (2) half-day professional development sessions on April 12 and May 17 to elementary, middle, and high school administrators and district office administrators.
G.10. Approval of Hannah Long Design Agreement
The Board will consider approval of the contract with Hannah Long Designs to provide website development and design expertise in facilitating the migration of the district’s website to the Finalsite platform.
$6,700 Title IV
SRTA Members wonder if further support can be provided to facilitate sites being able to fully utilize the Finalsite platform for school websites.
H.1. Approval of Minutes
March 27, 2024 Minutes (actually only the supporting documents.)
J1. Future Board Discussion Items
SRTA Members are encouraged to prepare for the upcoming agenda items.
- Developer Fee Justification Study (
3/27/244/10/244/24/24) - Panorama/YouthTruth/Attendance/Discipline Data (4/24/24)
- Resolution for May as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (4/24/24)
- Resolution for Classified School Employee Week (4/24/24)
- Resolution for Teacher Appreciation Week (4/24/24)
- Resolution for Guest Teacher Appreciation (4/24/24)
SRTA looks to the future scheduling of the following items:
- Alternative Education Update (
4/10/24) - A-G Math Waiver Decision
SRTA members are hearing that the implementation around the new A-G waiver decision is being stalled and will be returned to the board for reconsideration. Sites need time to communicate with students and families, adjust course requests and change schedules. This impacts the master schedules, which impacts staffing. Delaying this is putting an undue burden on students and site staff.
There was a complete report from the committee, and their recommendations appear to not be enough. No one will serve on future committees if it becomes commonplace to ignore the work done on committees.
- Schools Plus Report (
10/11/23) - Officially Closing Learning House
- MAP Testing (Board request 8/23/23)
At one meeting, the fact that a certain percentage of math and English teachers had given this test last year was presented by SRCS as evidence that the test is good, and teachers supported giving it. This is not logical nor accurate. The legitimate concerns teachers have shared about this assessment have been dismissed. The meeting teachers had with a district representative last year about alternative assessment possibilities appears to have been to no effect.
The longitudinal CAASPP data has clearly identified concerns about student performance. Current efforts could be better spent addressing those academic concerns, instead of collecting more data. This is especially frustrating when the MAP assessment isn’t seen as helpful for students or teachers.
Thank you to Directors Medina and De La Cruz for requesting more information on this assessment. SRTA members look forward to this agenda item.
- Parcel Tax
When will the board officially make a public decision about a Parcel Tax?
- SRACS Accelerated Charter Material Revision Request (delayed)
- Unification/Redistricting Decision
- Plan for Staff Housing support program from the proceeds of Fir Ridge
Until the district makes a decision, the proceeds from the sale are just sitting and losing value as the cost of housing continues to rise. Getting a program started could help SRCS attract and retain staff.
- Student Voice Policy
- BEST Plus Update
- Many staff members have not been trained, and are not aware of what this looks like in practice.
J.4. Williams Settlement Quarterly Report
This report says of five facilities complaints that were received, three were resolved.
J.5. School Site Reports
- LBES
- SRHS