for entertaining at the District Office and Adult and Community Education holiday luncheon. Traditionally, a choir group from one of our high schools performs, but this is finals week. So, to the delight and pure enjoyment of everyone, ACE instructor Bob Yee and his students Bonnie Burke, Mako Imamura, Noella Levy, Chuck Couchman, Gail Uyeda, Frank Vernon, and Tom Yamashiro strummed, sang and danced to at least six numbers, including some holiday favorites.

Bob Yee has taught ukulele in Adult and Community Education since 1994. Over the years, his classes have spawned at least four different bands. These groups entertain in the community at weddings, anniversary parties and  sing-alongs at the Sunnyvale Senior Center. For more information about Bob and his classes, contact Susan Maki , coordinator of the Older Adult Program in Adult and Community Education.

GENEROUS!  REMARKABLE!  Words cannot describe the donations collected by students and staff at our five high schools for West Valley Community Services and Sunnyvale Community Services. Donations collected include cash, gift cards, canned goods, boxes of cereal, oatmeal, pop-top canned food items, pop top fruits, flour, sugar, oil, clothing, towels, household items, toys, and even bicycles. Many student-run clubs donated their time to help feed the needy at local churches, neighborhood halls, and food kitchens.

Employees in the District Office and Adult and Community Education participated in fun projects in the spirit of holiday giving. Staff made fleece cuddle blankets for local foster children. This project came from the California Association of Directors of Activities Conference that 200 District students attended last month. District Office employees also adopted five families, each with a student in one our schools, from West Valley Community Services. Employees banded together and purchased needed gifts for each member of the families. This year more than ever before, families are struggling to make ends meet and everyone was happy to help our community.

STUDY SESSION
MULTI-YEAR FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS/FIRST INTERIM REPORT
CBO/Associate Superintendent Christine Mallery and Director of Business Services Jason Crutchfield reviewed revenue and expenditure assumptions for the District for this fiscal year and the following two years. The District’s multi-year projections for local property tax revenue show a 1% increase in 2009-10 and 0% growth in the following two years. The District’s current parcel tax revenue of $5.2 million is in place through the 2010-2011 school year. General fund expenditure assumptions include 10% increase in utilities cost and a reduction of 4.4 certificated staff from 2008-09. Salaries and benefits remain the same at about 81% of the total budget, but staffing is projected to increase by 2 certificated staff in both 2010-11 and 2011-12. In the 2009-10 school year, the District received one-time federal stimulus funds of $1.4 million to offset state reductions but is also participating in the basic aid “fair share” revenue reduction of $2.5 million this year and $3.5 million next year. The projected ending balance for 2009-10 is $1.3 million, for 2010-11 is zero, and for 2011-12 there is a shortfall of $10.6 million. The District is very conservative in making these projections. Staff will be closely monitoring utility bills based on actual usage and analysis by month and by season as the District begins to recognize the savings from solar power, which is not built in these budgets. Renewing the parcel tax of $5.2 million per year before it expires in 2011 and realizing property tax growth would help mitigate the shortfall in 2011-2012.

ANALYSIS OF COUNTY PARCEL TAX SURVEY
Ruth Bernstein, EMC Research, and Jared Boigon, TBWB Strategies, presented their findings and recommendations based on a telephone survey conducted of 900 randomly selected likely 2010 voters in Santa Clara County to explore attitudes regarding funding for local schools, and particularly opinions about parcel taxes. Some of their key findings include: voters are concerned about schools and in improving education; vast majority of voters support increasing local taxes but reaching the two-thirds supermajority of support required to pass a parcel tax is difficult; “tax-skeptical” voters want to hear that the District has sound fiscal management; voters will support core academic classes like English, math and science; and voters strongly support keeping experienced and highly qualified teachers.

ANALYSIS OF ELECTION AND RECENT SURVEY RESULTS
Brad Senden, Center for Community Opinion, provided an overview of the District’s November 3 parcel tax election results. Highlights include: there were nine school tax proposals on the ballot in the Bay Area in November 2009 — seven won and two lost, both in Santa Clara County. Santa Clara County has significant economic problems with unemployment that has more than doubled from 5.4% to 11.9% since our June 2008 bond election. Voter turnout was very low with the Election Day “yes” vote weaker than the absentee “yes” vote. Analysis also showed that there was a very low turnout of parent voters: only 35% of likely elementary parents and 38% of likely high school parents cast a ballot. Senden conducted a survey of 401 completed telephone interviews with randomly selected registered voters in the District early this month. The survey results show that voter support to renew the current parcel tax at its current rate of $98 per parcel for six years or less is very strong, especially after providing the voter with key information. Further discussion will be needed at upcoming Board meetings in order to determine the District’s best course of action.

Board of Trustees Elects New President

Superintendent Polly Bove administered the oath of office to newly elected Board President Bill Wilson. Other elected officers include: Vice President Barbara Nunes and Clerk Hung Wei. Outgoing President Homer Tong was recognized by Superintendent Bove for his valued leadership this past year.

President Bill Wilson stated, "We live in interesting times with a number of challenges ahead of us. I look forward to working with our strong team of Board Members and District staff with only one agenda in mind...providing the best education for our kids."

ANNUAL ORGANIZATION MEETING
Board of Trustees elected officers for 2010— See Above; Board adopted the 2010 Calendar of Board Meetings.
Board appointed Representatives for 2010: Barbara Nunes, North County Regional Occupational Program (NCROP) Executive Council; Bill Wilson, Board Representative to vote in the 2010 election for members of the Santa Clara County Committee on School District Organization; Nancy Newton, Board Representative to the Santa Clara County School Boards Association Executive Board; Hung Wei, Representative to the Fremont Union High Schools Foundation; Hung Wei and Nancy Newton, to serve on the District’s Audit Committee; and Superintendent Polly Bove, Secretary to the Board of Trustees.

SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
Superintendent Polly Bove announced that U.S. News World Report’s “Best High Schools" list for 2010 shows gold ratings (top 100 schools) for Monta Vista High School at #70 and Lynbrook High School at #98 and silver rating (next 90 schools) for Homestead High School. The magazine analyzed 21,786 public high schools in 48 states plus the District of Columbia. State proficiency standards and college preparation were included in the research. • Superintendent Bove reported on exciting holiday activities at the District Office— See District Bulletin. • Academic Deputy Superintendent Kate Jamentz announced that the District has received the materials needed to send in the Memorandum of Understanding that is required for local educational agencies to participate in California’s application for President Obama’s Race to the Top competition.

BUDGET UPDATE
The District’s multi-year financial projections and first interim 2009-2010 budget report were given in the Study Session. CBO/Associate Superintendent Christine Mallery reported that the District will follow closely what requirements will be required for school districts to participate in California’s application for the federal Race to the Top competition.

FIXED ASSETS INVENTORY UPDATE
CBO/Associate Superintendent Christine Mallery stated that the District hired a company last June to conduct a fixed assets inventory districtwide. This inventory was completed in August and over 5,600 items were accounted for with an original purchase value of nearly $11,000,000. The District is currently analyzing this inventory and reconciling it with our existing fixed assets record. The results will help the District continue to improve its fixed assess accountability.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES...

   • Authorized the Superintendent to award a contract to the Lowest Responsible Bidder for the Installation of Audio
     Video Projector Systems at Monta Vista High School

   • Awarded a contract to Hexagon Transportation Consultant, Inc. to conduct a Site Circulation/Access Improvement
     Study for Monta Vista and Lynbrook High Schools. In the course of meeting with community groups and receiving
     comments associated with the proposed track and field renovation projects at both high schools, community
     members repeatedly emphasized that they are highly concerned about traffic congestion, especially during peak
     hours of morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. Hexagon is doing the traffic studies and impact analysis for the
     Environmental Impact Reports for Lynbrook and Monta Vista High Schools. District staff will leverage the
     work Hexagon is already doing and contract with them to undertake a broader study and analysis, including
     contacting the Cities of Cupertino and San Jose for any traffic studies they might have done.

   • Authorized the Superintendent to finalize negotiations with The King’s Academy for a long-term lease of a portion
     of the former Sunnyvale High School site. The King’s Academy (TKA) was founded in 1991 and has occupied a
     portion of the Sunnyvale High School site since 1994. The District and TKA worked closely together to develop a
     25-year lease that will allow TKA to raise funds for and implement a number of major capital improvements on the
     site. The District will also benefit from the financial stability afforded by a long-term lease. Details addressed in the
     new lease agreement include the possibility of an unforeseen future need by the District to re-occupy the site as a
     public school and approval, liability, insurance and other matters related to TKA making major capital improvements
     on the site. Over the years TKA has made several capital improvements. With the District’s and the City of
     Sunnyvale’s approval, TKA recently installed sports field lighting on the football field at their own expense. The
     King’s Academy Principal Bob Kellogg stated he appreciates the support of the Board of Trustees and District staff
     in making this long-term commitment and for the partnership to serve the youth of this community.

   • Approved Homestead High School Plan

   • Certified that the Fremont Union High School District will be able to meet its Financial Obligations for the
     Current Fiscal Year and subsequent Two Fiscal Years

   • Adopted Resolution #910-10 Authorizing Budget Increases and Transfers between Major Accounts to
     Balance the Budget as Necessary at First Interim

   • Accepted the Santa Clara County Treasury Investment Portfolio Status Report