BOARD MEETING
Santa Rosa City Schools
May 8, 2024
4:00 p.m. – Closed Session
6:00 p.m. – Open Session
Hybrid: Zoom / 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 Appointment/Employment (Position to be filled: Principal; Executive Director; Superintendent)
B. 2. Public Employee Performance Evaluation (Title of employee being reviewed: Superintendent, Associate Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Principals, Vice Principals, Assistant Principals, Directors, Coordinators)
B. 3. Conference with Labor Negotiator (Dr. Vicki Zands ; SRTA/CSEA)
B.4. Conference With Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation (Case name: In Re: Social Media Adolescent Addiction/Personal Products Liability Litigation; 24CV-00520; 23CV-00397 )
This Complaint is filed on behalf of children who suffered personal injuries—and, in cases of death, the personal representatives of their estates (“Plaintiffs”)—due to their use of Defendants’ products and, where applicable, their parents, guardians, spouses, children, siblings, and close family members, who suffered loss of society or consortium and other injuries as a consequence of the harms to Plaintiffs (Meta, Snap, Byte Dance, TicTok and Google.)
The resulting ubiquity of Defendants’ products in the lives and palms of our kids, and the ensuing harm to them, is hard to overstate. Today, over a third of 13- to 17-year-old kids report using one of Defendants’ apps “almost constantly” and admit this is “too much.” Yet more than half of these kids report that they would struggle to cut back on their social media use. Instead of feeding coins into machines, kids are feeding Defendants’ platforms with an endless supply of attention, time, and data.
B.5. Student Expulsions (Case No.: 2023/24-14 and 20)
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 Santa Rosa Middle School and Hilliard Comstock Middle School)
James Monroe Elementary School
- Beverly Santos Ramayo, Student of the Month
- Collette Howell, Classified Employee of the Month
- Jamie Mariscal, Certificated Employee of the Month
Montgomery High School
- Ryan Woodard and Valeria Reyes Osquera, Student of the Month
- Devaughn Jenkins (Willie Jenkins), Classified Employee of the Month
- Jim LaFrance, Certificated Employee of the Month
A special invite goes out to the staff of JMES and MHS to attend this meeting to honor your own.
D.6. Safety Report
Recently, public comments have been welcome during this item.
D.7. Schools Plus Report
SRTA is grateful for the support of Schools Plus.
D.6. DELAC Report
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 celebrating agreements with SRCS on Article 8 (School Safety) as well as Articles 6, 9, and 11 and a conceptual agreement on student caps. We are hopeful that a Tentative Agreement can be reached this week so a new contract can be ratified before we go into summer break.
SRTA’s 4 Pillars:
Safe Schools for All
Mental Health Support
Prevent Violence
Relevant and Engaging Schools
F. DISCUSSION / ACTION ITEMS
There is a clear system for honoring special days and months with resolutions. There is no system for encouraging action to back up these resolutions. Only a fraction of stakeholders tune into board meetings, and their hearing a resolution has little impact.
SRCS has a limited budget. SRCS has limited manpower. It is time to hone our focus and energies to establish systems for implementing identified essential actions for the district.
“How can I create time for the most important things instead of trying to do as many things as possible?”
― Angela Watson, Fewer Things, Better: The Courage to Focus on What Matters Most
F.1. (Action) Resolution Recognizing National School Nurse Day
SRCS School Nurse Team. They are:
- Nicholo Atup
- Amanda Arend
- Cheryl Closser
- Heather Ginnever
- Elizabeth Munns
- Alison O’Herlihy
- Jennifer Rodriguez
- Sangmo Witzman
Please take a moment to thank your school nurse for all they do! Next year we are starting SCOE take backs of medically fragile students. Our nurses wonder how this will be supported with only 1 district LVN and even utilizing staffing agencies is not enough to meet our current nursing needs. The district has no plans to add additional nurses to support these new students. Nurses also want staff serving these students CPR trained.
F.2. (Action) Resolution Recognizing May as the Month of Better Hearing and Speech
SRCS Speech-Language Pathologists:
| Tessa Bronner | |
| Guillaume Burel | |
| Amanda Call | |
| Macey Lomeli | |
| Peter Lounibos | |
| Anna Lundborg | |
| Jamie Mariscal | |
| Mark McLay | |
| Koa Morgan | |
| Jennifer Nevolo-Alwood | |
| Jill Pettit | |
| Nora Pike | |
| Patrick Pike | |
| Steven Schultz | |
| Angie Thompson | |
| Danielle Ullyott | |
| Taylor VanBebber | |
| Anna Weston |
Thank you to our SLPs for the work you do with our students. We are currently short staffed with regard to SLPs and have had to move to using telehealth online speech services with an outside vendor through a zoom like model at many of our sites.
F.3. (Action) Resolution for Mental Health Awareness Month
Panorama Data has been shared with staff. What are the expectations for reviewing and using this data and the resources available on this platform? Without a clear vision and an implementation plan supported with time and training, these efforts reap far less impact than they could.
F.4. (Discussion) Safe Routes to Schools Program Update
Elementary programs: 2nd Grade Pedestrian Safety, 4th Grade Bike Basics, 5th Grade Mapping & Communication and Bike Rodeos.
Sites participating: CCLA, HCMS, HLES, JMES, PHS, HVES, PTES, SRCArts and SRFACS.
Wednesday May 22 from 10:30 – 12 there is a Zoom meeting for SRCS to give feedback to the Santa Rosa’ City Safe Routes to School Task Force.
This program relies on a volunteer Champion Teacher at each site. This is not a sustainable model for running a program. If this program is worth having, it is worth supporting in a sustainable way with paid staffing.
F.5. (Discussion/Action) Parcel Tax Next Steps
Parcel taxes may be structured as a flat rate per parcel or on a square footage basis. There are exemptions available for certain populations and a maximum assessment can be set when square footage is used as the basis.
Parcel taxes must pass by a 2/3 vote. Additionally, the funds may not be used for administrator salaries, and an oversight committee is required, similar to general obligation bonds.
If the Board wishes to move forward with a potential parcel tax measure, additional polling would be recommended. Additionally, a resolution would need to be presented for consideration in June 2024 in order to meet election timelines.
A neighboring district recently passed a bond measure for which the priorities were clearly specified prior to the vote. How much of the parcel tax could be guaranteed to raise salaries to attract and retain the highly qualified staff our students deserve? It is much more difficult to support a Parcel Tax when all the details are left to be worked out later, when historically the decisions for bond spending are made lacking transparency.
If a set percentage of the parcel tax would go to equitably raising CSEA 75 wages/benefits, and a set percentage would go to equitably raising SRTA wages/benefits, etc. it would be easier to garner significant support for these efforts.
F.6. (Action) Declaration of Need for Fully Qualified Educators
This declaration must be approved at a regularly scheduled public meeting before Limited Term Assignments and Emergency Permits are issued to certificated staff for the 2024-2025 school year.
Elementary 35 positions (10 Multiple Subject, 10 Single Subject, and 15 SpEd teachers.)
High 42 positions (5 Multiple Subject, 17 Single Subject, and 20 SpEd teachers.)
This is very confusing. The next item is for the layoff of 17 certificated teachers, while this item says we are in such high need of teachers we expect to hire non-fully qualified staff to meet the demand.
F.7. (Action) Final Recommendation for Reduction or Discontinuance of Certain Particular Kinds of Services for the 2024-25 School Year
Prior approved recommendations to reduce or discontinue current, certain particular kinds of services for the 2024-25 school year included:
Elementary
19.2 FTE Classroom Teachers
13 TOSAs
Secondary
10 FTE Middle School Classroom Teachers
22.15 High School Teachers
Other
14.3 Administrators
These positions were eliminated by board action to ‘right size’ our district.
This item states following the guidelines of the approved prior resolutions we have determined that at this point in time, 17.0 FTE classroom teachers and 8.3 FTE administrative positions are the final numbers recommended for reduction or discontinuance. The resolution includes names of people being released. The 8.3 FTE Admin is actually 6 FTE (see below.)
LIST OF CERTIFICATED EMPLOYEES
WHO SHALL RECEIVE FINAL LAYOFF NOTICES
1. Aranda, Maria Theresa
2. Briceno, Mark
3. Cager Gayowski, Liovinia
4. Carlos, Juana
5. Carrillo Gomez, Maleni
6. Garcia-Kohler, Lisette
7. Hamilton, Kenneth
8. Keller, Anna
9. Lee, Isabelle
10. Mangabay, Jasmine
11. Miller, Abigail
12. Montalvan, Angelica
13. Prohoroff, Samuel
14. Reed, Meredith
15. Solari, Alexis
16. Vera Mejia, Beartiz
17. Wynn-Gould, Celia
Administrators:
1. Laura Hendrickson
2. Patricia Turner
3. Alexandra Dido
4. Isaac Murrillo Estrada
5. Ryan Thompson*
6. Tanya Pearson
7. Kathryn McLaughlin
8. Carolina Castro Ballard*
9. Kim Craven**
10. Johanna Koehle**
* Took another position in the district
** Has another position in the district
This item is listed as Particular Kinds of Services, but the resolution is for particular employees, not positions. There were nearly 79 positions that were eliminated by board action in February and March. Which of those positions are actually eliminated?
SRCS sent RIF notifications to 71 certificated employees. To date the district has rescinded all but the above 17 of these. This over notification of 54 SRTA members caused a great deal of unnecessary chaos, extreme stress, and hard feelings.
The district signed a settlement providing released SRTA members with 3 months of medical benefits for which we are grateful.
Several of those notified rightly went and found jobs in other districts. Some of these have yet to notify SRCS of their resignations. This loss was preventable.
Those people who received RIF notices (that were not rescinded) are the first on the list to be rehired should an opening occur. This placement is done in order of seniority, offering positions that folks are credentialed for.
SRTA feels the pain of our members impacted by this, and the pain of their students at their loss at our sites.
F.8. (Action) Resolution No. 2023-24-68 Reduction in Classified Work Force Involving California School Employees (CSEA) Chapter 75 for the 2024-24 School Year
This is for the elimination of 3.2 Classified FTE. Included in this list is the Child Care Supervisor Position.
SRCS provides childcare through the Boys and Girls club, supported by federal funding. SRCS also has run a fee for service childcare program. Childcare remains a crucial issue for Santa Rosa, per the Metro Chamber of Commerce. SRCS is uniquely situated to help provide necessary high quality childcare to families in our community. Recently the SRCS program has run at a deficit because they have undercharged for this service, failing to adjust their fees to cover rising costs. It is prudent to adjust the fees for this program. Does eliminating the Supervisor indicate eliminating the pay for service childcare program, putting a further burden on our community?
G. CONSENT ITEMS
G.2. Approval of Personnel Transactions
EdJoin shows a total of 107 current postings for 168 job vacancies for SRCS. There are 25 certificated openings (two more than the last meeting.) There are three certificated management openings (the same as the last meeting.) There are 107 current classified postings, and no classified management positions (the same as the last meeting.) Fifty-one of these positions are for assistants and paraprofessionals.
There is still an issue with EdJoin showing Santa Rosa Catholic Diocese openings within the SRCS search this month that are actually for St. Vincent DePaul School.
SRTA bids farewell to two folks who are resigning at the end of this year. Brenda Johnson (RVMS), Margaret Scherfee (ALES), Rocio Miscio (EDSERV) leave us with a combined seventeen years of service. Thank you for all you did for our students. Know you will be missed.
Administrative movement includes Daryl Coryell appointed as Interim Principal of RVMS as of the end of April. Resignations include Timothy Zalunardo Executive Director of Educational Services who leaves us for SCOE, Superintendent Anna Trunnell who leaves us to be the new Superintendent of Galt Joint Union High School District, and
Principal of Brook Hill Indy Monday who is moving to another district. They take thirty-six and a half years of institutional knowledge with them. SRCS Thanks them for their service, and wishes them well with their new endeavors.
There is one supervisory resignation for a School Based Therapist.
This month’s changes to classified staff include two terminations, two releases, one new hire, eight resignations, and one retirement. A combined nearly 36 years of service and institutional knowledge leaves us with these changes. Thank you for your service.
G.5. Approval of Contracts
Summary
SS = Summer School program
| # | Provider | Cost | Description |
| District | |||
| 1 | Sonoma County Office of Education | No Direct Cost | SOCE will provide fieldwork trainees to provide counseling to students. SCOE will provide onsite Supervisors for these trainees. |
| 2 | Hewlett Packard | $4,109 | Server support |
| 4 | Wine Country Radio | $4,500 | 135 radio promotions for summer school across three stations from April 29 through May 17. |
| Charter | |||
| 5 | Document Tracking Services | $1,100 | Provide service to charter schools for their SARC, SSP, LCAP and other documents identified as needed. |
| Elementary | |||
| 3 | Lawrence Hall of Science | $1,200 | 70 minute Parent/Student science night for 3rd to 6th grade ALPS students May 28 |
| Secondary | |||
| 6 | Jordan Bell | No Direct Cost | SCOE will reimburse the $30,000 cost for PD around Ethnic Studies from May 8 to July 1. |
Total value of contracts = $10,909.04
How does this Ethnic Studies PD work with the contract with Acosta? Were the instructional rounds beneficial in building capacity?
G.6. Approval of Contracts – Bond
| # | Contractor | Project | Amount | Cost |
| District | ||||
| 2 | T & R Communications | Data Installation | DO | $20,000 |
| 3 | Golden State Electricity | Power installation for cubicles | DO | $9,700 |
| 4 | CPI | Cubicle Installation | DO | $8,900 |
| 15 | TLCD Architecture | Design work for furniture standards | All | $3,824 |
| 16 | Bay Cities Fire Protection | Fire Flow Testing | DO Warehouse | $3,500 |
| 17 | CPI | Moving Services | DO | $9,563 |
| 18 | CPI | Cubicle Delivery & Installation | DO | $18,240 |
| Charter | ||||
| 6 | Brelje & Race | Underground Utility Survey for new TK classroom | CCLA | $24,100 |
| 13 | Ninyo & Moore | Geotechnical Evaluation | CCLA | $21,700 |
| Elementary | ||||
| 1 | NorBay Consulting | Haz material Inspection | HVES | $4,040 |
| 5 | Brelje & Race | Underground Utility Survey for new TK classroom | HLES | $16,800 |
| 7 | Brelje & Race | Underground Utility Survey for new TK classroom | ALES | $17,200 |
| 12 | Ninyo & Moore | Geotechnical Evaluation | HLES | $21,300 |
| 14 | Ninyo & Moore | Geotechnical Evaluation | ALES | $17,400 |
| Secondary | ||||
| 8 | HUR Flooring | Refinish and Restripe Gym Floor | PHS | $52,359 |
| 9 | HUR Flooring | Refinish and Restripe Gym Floor | EAHS | $50,324 |
| 10 | HUR Flooring | Refinish and Restripe Gym Floor | MCHS | $51,128 |
| 11 | HUR Flooring | Refinish and Restripe Gym Floor | HCMS | $43,038 |
Measure C = $1,429,818.90
Measure G = $443,252.18
Total = $393,046.06
G.7. Approval of Sonoma County Office of Education MOU for Mentoring Services Appa Health
May 17, 2024
Twelve week digital course for up to 70 secondary students at $720 per student plus $10,000 administrative fees . Includes virtual mentoring through the App.
Cost covered by SCOE. Expected to continue next year.
How are students identified for this program? When do students complete this course?
G.8. Approval of 2023-2024 Unscheduled Management Salary Schedule
This retroactively provides the Superintendent with a 4.5% salary increase effective July 1, 2023, to match the raise given to all certificated personnel.
Salary Schedule for Unscheduled Management
H.1. Approval of Minutes
April 24, 2024 Minutes and Supporting Documents
J1. Future Board Discussion Items
SRTA Members are encouraged to prepare for the upcoming agenda items.
- Governor’s May Revise (5/22/24)
- Superintendent’s End of Year Report (5/22/24)
- Third Interim Report (5/22/24)
The Financial Stabilization plan will be included with the first interim report next year.
- Resolution Reaffirming support for LGBTQ+ Curriculum and Instruction (5/22/24)
- LCAP Public Hearings (6/12/24)
What is the plan for including bargaining units in the development of this new three year plan?
- Public Hearing on 2024/2025 District Budget (6/12/24)
SRTA looks to the future scheduling of the following items:
- 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.
- 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. The potential of the funds diminishes as time passes.
- 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. School Site Reports
- JMES
- HCMS
J.5. Site Safety and Security Fencing
Fencing is estimated to be $200 per linear foot plus $1,500 per gate.
One side of Lehman to separate it from the park is estimated to cost $56,900.
One side of Lincoln to separate it from the park is estimated to cost $127,000.
To secure elopers, fencing would be required on all sides.
When will we get a complete timeline and list of sites that will receive fencing? Will the entire campus be fenced in or only sides adjacent to public parks?