BOARD REPORT for Board of Trustees Meeting July 11, 2006
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COMMUNICATIONS
Monta Vista High School student Kimberly Ang, 2004 grads Jeffrey Shian and Ravi Dev, 2005 grad Danh Trang, and parent Sherry Hsu addressed the Board with concerns and questions about the reasons a popular Monta Vista High School teacher is leaving the District. Several Board members acknowledged their deep concern about misinformation and/or lack of concrete information around this issue.
PUBLIC HEARING
Approval of the FUHSD application for a general waiver to the California Department of Education waiving Education Code Section 52084 (a), the Ninth Grade Class-Size Reduction Program, allowing the District to receive funding for an intensive (double period) Algebra Program for targeted ninth graders in the 2006-2007 School Year - no comment
SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
Deputy Superintendent Polly Bove sat in as Superintendent Dr. Steve Rowley is on vacation. CBO/Associate Superintendent Geoffrey Kiehl stated that he is a member of the Sunnyvale Onizuka Air Force Station Citizens Advisory Committee. This agency will be advising the local redevelopment authority on the reuse plan for Onizuka, a 23 acre site. Kiehl stated that he and two other education representatives on the committee support developing the property in a financially advantageous way to local school districts (proposed completion by 2011). • Ray Ramsey, Manager of Custodial and Safety Services, gave Board Members a packet of information that was distributed at an evening community meeting held at Lynbrook High School on July 5th regarding spraying the chemical Pyrenone 25-5 to kill mosquitoes that carry the West Nile Virus. Tim Mulligan, Santa Clara County Vector Control District manager, reported that unattended swimming pools are the biggest culprit and that they will soon conduct aerial surveillance to help find them. He reported that the first results of the spraying show that the numbers are not as low as they would like and that they have found more mosquito pools and mosquitoes with West Nile Virus in the same area. He suggested that the District notify parents and students (particularly football players who practice at dawn and/or dusk) about the need to use repellents. • Kate Jamentz, Associate Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, acknowledged the extra work done by Bryan Emmert and teachers Susan Takami and Paul Jia in applying for a federal grant for foreign language assistance (Japanese and Chinese).
STATE BUDGET UPDATE
Kiehl reported that even though the state budget was passed in record time, trailer bill AB1802 is still pending which contains key elements for additional funding and restrictions on expenditures. Kiehl stated that the District will have more specific details on the budget in one to two months. He also suggested that the Board and District think of the “probable chunk of one-time money” coming this year in the budget be viewed as a “multi-year chunk of money” as many local experts expect that the next couple years will not be as good financially. Board Member Nancy Newton questioned whether some of the strongest supporters of Basic Aid in the legislature went the other direction in supporting the Governor’s programs. Kiehl acknowledged that he feels the same way pointing out that the large block grant was cut in half with the money redirected to programs that might not involve our District.
TAX AND REVENUE ANITICIPATION NOTE (TRAN) UPDATE
Kiehl announced that the District again received the highest rating by Standard and Poor’s and that this rating reflects our improving financial position, particularly as demonstrated by our increasing year end fund balance.
SUMMER SCHOOL UPDATE
Trudy Gross, Director of Educational Services, reported that a record number (over 2,000) of students are attending our summer school. This is in part due to the District offering additional programs such as the Algebra Initiative (2 sessions of three weeks each), the expanded empowerment program that includes incoming ninth graders who chose to take the class as a transition to high school, and a prep program for the California High School Exit Exam..
PANDEMIC FLU PLANNING UPDATE
Gross reported that the Santa Clara County Public Health Department is creating an influenza preparedness plan with the current concern for the Avian Influenza (bird flu). The County plans to send every household a pocket guide with preparation tips. Our District will also send a letter to each home in our attendance area with a copy of the Pandemic Flu Planning Checklist. This information will also be shared with staff. If there is an Avian Influenza outbreak in the county, the County might declare no public gatherings which would mean schools would be closed. Staff will keep the Board, employees, and community updated.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES...
• Rejected all Bids for Project 915: Monta Vista High School Building “D” Stucco Repair;
staff is considering including this project as an additive alternative to
the bid package for modernization of the administration building and cafeteria next fall.
• Approved the FUHSD application for a general waiver to the California Department
of Education waiving Education Code Section 52084 (a), the Ninth Grade Class-Size
Reduction Program, allowing the District to receive funding for an intensive (double period)
Algebra Program for targeted ninth graders in the 2006-2007 School Year
• Approved Board Policy 4350 – Personnel (language clarified)
• Reviewed written report on the percentage difference in teacher ethnicity from the
2003-2004 school year to the 2005-2006 school year
• Approved job description: Dean of Students (to be piloted at Homestead High School
this school year)
• Reviewed the Transfer of Territory Petition: Brookview Neighborhood, Saratoga, CA;
Shelby Spain, Director of Guidance, Attendance, & Alternative Programs, stated that
she has attended two public hearings on the territory transfer and expects a decision
will be made in late fall.
• Rescheduled the August 15th Board Meeting to Monday, August 14, 2006 at noon
FUTURE BOARD MEETINGS
TUESDAY, July 25, 2006 at ESC — Closed Session 12noon, Open Session TBA
MONDAY, August 14, 2006 at ESC — Closed Session 12noon, Open Session TBA
TUESDAY, August 22, 2006 at ESC — Closed Session 5:30pm, Open Session 6:30pm
TUESDAY, September 5, 2006 at ESC – Closed Session at 6pm, Open Session at 7pm
EDUCATING CAPABLE, CARING, CONTRIBUTING CITIZENS FOR LIFE
