001We're live. Oh, one moment. Sorry. Go ahead. Call to order the April 22nd, 2026 meeting of the Santa Rosa City School Board. We are currently on item A1, public comment [clears throat] on closed session agenda. Is there any public comment? There is no public comment. All right. Then we'll be recessing to closed session to consider items B1, public employee appointment discussion position superintendent. Item B2, public employee discipline dismissal release. Item B3, conference with labor negotiators, name of the designated rep attending Dr. Vicky Zands for the organizations as listed. And item B4, public employee performance evaluation for the positions listed. We are now recessed. All right, the board will now reconvene to open session. We're going to move to the Pledge of Allegiance and Territorial Land Acknowledgment. The Territorial Land Acknowledgment will be presented by Sarah
002Imprado and Gabriel Gabriella Mendoza Torres. So, please rise. One second. All right, please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance and stay standing for the Territorial Land Acknowledgment. >> Hello. I acknowledge that Santa Rosa City Schools is on the traditional territory and homelands of the Pomo people, traditional territory and homelands of the Coast Miwok people, and I honor with gratitude the land itself and the people who have stewarded it throughout the generations. This land acknowledgement calls us to commit to continuing to learn how to be better stewards of the land we inhabit. By offering this land acknowledgement, we affirm indigenous sovereignty and will work to hold Santa Rosa City Schools more accountable to the needs of American Indian and indigenous peoples. >> Thank you both. When I move to item C3 report of actions taken in
003closed session, there are none and we'll move to item C4 items considered in closed session for action in open session, there are none. Statements of abstention, any board members need to abstain from any items. I don't see no abstentions, we'll now move to item C6 adjustments to the agenda. And I'll go to trustee Jenkins first. I'd like to pull F5 and that's it. The any other adjustments to the agenda? I don't see none, then we will move to reports and we're going to start with item D1 our California School Employees Association Santa Rosa 75 report. Good evening. Can you hear me? Okay. Um, good evening President Caston, trustees, interim superintendent August, teachers, staff, the community here and online. CSEA represents classified employees. Tonight, we are in solidarity and support SRTA in their protest. Their salary
004contract negotiations are going nowhere. We're working with the district on MOUs for the impact of classified layoffs, layoff rescission and some new job descriptions. Good news about the second interim approval letter from SCO, but we have lost trust. Under California Ed Code 42131, positive means the district can meet the obligations for this year and the next 2 years on paper. On paper is the key phrase. Positive with grave concerns means the deficit is not up solved, the budget is not stable. We are hesitant that this plan will actually work in practice. The plan balances the budget on paper, but not in our schools. We have major staffing cuts and no clear plan for how those cuts will be implemented. We still have structural deficits and reserves not met. Looking at the warrants tonight, we see
005hundreds of thousands of dollars continuing to go to outside providers. Even as the staff who serve students every day are being laid off. These should be classified positions instead of outside agencies. Many teachers, staff, and admins are leaving the next few months. How many years of service and knowledge are we losing? The teachers will be moving with their students to the new locations, but the classified are not. Where is the equity? Our libraries are suffering, our school staff are overworked. The staff in payroll department and HR have been reduced, but the work has not. Surprise! 30 days away from the end of the school year. Graduation and summer school fast approaching with multiple major site transitions, construction to begin, schools closing, programs moving, and construction deadlines like James Monroe. Will schools be ready to receive
006students and staff the first day? Still juggling staffing with enrollment predictions. Classified staff are still waiting to hear, waiting for clear direction on timelines. When to pack, when to move, when moves will happen, and whether sites will actually be ready. How are these transitions being coordinated? Where is the timeline? May we hold on with courage and compassion. Thank you for your report. We'll now move to item D2, report from Teamsters Local 665. Can you hear me? I'm Mike Stanford, I'm the shop steward for Teamsters Local 665. Uh just about an hour or so ago emailed tonight's report in to you all. Please take a read. And I yield the rest of my time to my sister from SRTA. My name is Mike Stanford, I'm the shop steward for Teamsters Local 665. Oh, that's fine. That's
007fine. I uh tonight's report was emailed to you all about 30 minutes ago, so please take a read to it. And I yield the rest of my time to my sister from SCTA. Mhm. We will now move to our report from the Santa Rosa Teachers Association. Good evening, uh President Caston, Superintendent August, members of the board, educators, students, families, community members in the room and outside. Um Just a few minutes ago I addressed a really amazing rally just outside this meeting. I marched alongside our growing community of allies, all of us fighting for the schools our students deserve, and I let our community know that I appreciated every parent, every student, every educator, and every community member for sticking with this fight. It hasn't been easy, but we have shown up, and we will keep
008showing up until the district shows up with real solutions for our students. We've been saying again and again the cuts, the closures, the consolidations, the layoffs, and other destabilizing measures will not serve our students and our community. We pushed back against the terrible decision to close and consolidate schools that cost us students and cost us families and did not save the money that you said it would, just like we told you it would not. And now we are here to say no to the devastating cuts to our mental health and special education supports. Who's going to bear the brunt when there are no elementary counselors to support a student in crisis? Where will the high needs elementary students go when elementary SDC classes no longer exist? Who will guide middle and high school students toward
009the futures they deserve when college and career and other supports are cut? We don't have the answers and the district doesn't either. Because we know what you don't want to say. There will be no replacement for these reports supports and our educators will be asked to take on more work. And our students with the highest needs will lose the most. This is unacceptable and we are tired of leadership at the top continuing to make decisions that do not center students, that do not center teachers and do not center parents and community. We've been saying seven since September, ask for help. You've been saying since September, we don't need help. You refused. We've been saying cut from the 5,000s. As of last month, Luz Cazares said she had not finished her analysis of the 5,000s. Yeah.
010This is unacceptable. You've passed cuts that will devastate opportunities for our students without understanding what's possible in our budget. So today we are here in the midst of this continued fight and sadly for the second time in two years to say to our leadership, we demand better. Nearly all Nearly all of our 800 members were able to vote. Of those voters, 98.7% voted no confidence in interim superintendent Lisa August-Holm. 98.1% voted no confidence in the board president Nick Caston. And 97.3% of our voters voted no confidence in Sonoma County Superintendent of Schools Amy Carter. We thank and acknowledge the Teamsters who voted a majority of no confidence in these three leaders. We thank and acknowledge CSEA. CSEA who supports our protests and actions. And I have to say in recent conversations with administration, it's clear
011that there's not much confidence in leadership from our site and district administrators either. We are clearly at a point where a great majority of the people that work for you don't believe you, don't trust you, and don't think you can fix these problems. We don't take these votes or statements lightly. In fact, we need them to be taken very seriously. Our district and county leadership have not had our students' best interests at heart. They have not had their best interests in their minds when these decisions are made. When you decide to cut elementary special day class, to cut our home and hospital program for medically fragile students, to cut restorative supports and counselors in all of our schools, we cannot trust leadership that will make these cuts. We see these reckless cuts, and who do
012they affect the most? Our most vulnerable students. These cuts are not might you might be saying these cuts are temporary, but they're not temporary for our kids. They're going to impact and follow these students for the rest of their education. This is not just a bump in the road for them. It is a serious destabilization of their educational futures. Nearly all of our schools qualify for title one funding. This means the majority of our students come to us with needs for extra supports. We receive these funding dollars that must be used to support our students. Yet somehow our leaders don't understand our students or their needs or have a commitment to invest these dollars in the future of those of this community. All we've seen lately is decisions that divest from our students' futures. The
013time is now to reverse the cuts on the table. And if our current leadership can't make the right decisions, then it's time for new leaders. To our board members, the future of our students is in your hands. You can direct district staff to do better and you need to. We've heard from district staff that they are so proud to be in a better financial position. How can you be proud of this when you are stripping opportunities and resources from our most vulnerable students? How can you brag about arts and music programs while laying off nearly a dozen VAPA teachers? How can you brag about athletic programs when our middle school students have had their athletic spaces taken away from them. Our district desperately needs leadership that can lead us out of these years of destabilization
014and into an era for Santa Rosa City Schools that reestablishes trust and a common vision for schools where all of our students can learn and thrive. Lisa August is not that leader. SRTA SRTA demands through this no confidence vote do not make Lisa August our next superintendent. We need safe and stable schools now. We demand a board that prioritizes students, stops closing schools, and reverses the damaging cuts to our crucial programs. And we won't stop until we win the schools our students deserve. Thank you. Thank you for your report. On my only item D4, Superintendent report. Thank you. I want to acknowledge the strong emotions in the room this evening. While each of us has a different lens and perspective, we are all here for the same reason. Our students. We knew that we would
015need to do what that what we would need to do coming into this year would be difficult. Our students and those that will come after them need us to stay the course and face our current fiscal reality. We can't be everything to everyone. We simply can't afford it. We can't say that we want our want to support our students and not acknowledge that fact. I share our community's frustration. Our schools deserve full and fair funding. This is not just our fight. It's a struggle through in school districts [clears throat] across California. We will continue to advocate for supports that our students need like mental health, like more robust programs, and smaller class sizes. And we ask our community to join us. Our students deserve to have all of Santa Rosa working together to support them.
016I was encouraged to hear from the Students First Coalition, a group of community members who are committed to moving forward with our budget solutions to secure fiscal stability and identify revenue streams to benefit our students. I want to thank the members of our team that are facing uncertainty for their integrity and their professionalism. Our community needs us to continue the vital work that we started to right the ship. We want to ensure that we are working with our staff to do this work and that starts with collaboration with our passionate association partners. We have made progress on specific items including our instruction instructional calendar and our memorandums of of understanding on bell schedules. I do look forward to continuing this work with our associations. Thank you. Thank you for your report. Now we'll move to
017item five, the board president report. So, I just want to uh start by acknowledging know, got to spend a significant amount of time um at Art Quest last week uh with our coordinator there, Brooke, and it was incredibly beneficial to hear about the multiple different efforts and ideas going into uh how to keep that program within the budget reality. And I appreciate everyone who's been working on on that solution. Um and then I got on Monday to join the superintendent's student council. Um our student trustee Fitzsimmons, who's not here tonight, was part of the tour that we took of the Piner campus. And we had a robust conversation including around the new cell phone policy, uh some of the impacts on students, especially ones that might also be running their own business uh businesses, which
018was really exciting to talk to a student that has their own business um going on. And there's a lot of other questions that came up which were really valuable. So, I appreciate their time and um and dedication to stay that late after school in order to participate. Uh I want to acknowledge the letter from SRTA. The profound frustration um from our educators, families, community members. I I hear it and and I I have that anger as well. The the anger over these budget cuts is is one that I share. Um and I feel these reductions personally. I'm a I'm a parent of three children who are either current or future students in our district. And I want nothing more than to see our students thrive with robust academic and enrichment opportunities, arts, athletics. Uh our
019students deserve those programs and that support. When when I joined this board 18 months ago, I did so because I wanted to be part of the solution. The financial problems our district faced were monumental then, and they remain incredibly challenging today. Our recent decisions have been painful, um and while they've been painful, achieving a positive certification for our budget, and now moving to executing a plan that will financially right-size the district, are absolutely necessary steps. I have to be honest with the community. Simply reversing these cuts, as is being demanded, is not feasible. The alternative to making these hard hard choices is far worse. If we become insolvent, we risk failing to meet our payroll expectations to our employees, and we invite a state takeover. Under a state administrator, these exact cuts would likely be
020made along with many others. And that reality would be executed without any local voice or consideration from the parents and the community members sitting up here and out there. We wouldn't have these opportunities for discussion. I firmly believe that we have made progress towards a more collaborative working relationship among our teachers, parents, and the community. I intend to continue my work on behalf of this district, and my door is always open to anyone who's willing to sit down and look for viable solutions. Simply going backwards isn't an option. But how we go forward is a choice that we all get to make together. So, thank you for your time, and I'll now go to my colleagues' reports. Trustee Daletory. Thank you, President Caston. Um, my report is short tonight. I just want to thank the
021site leadership and design team for having me. Um, and getting a little bit more of an insight on the build and design work that's going into place uh, for next year's 7th through 12th programs on both planners and LCL's campus. The work that's being done, um, is commendable and respected and appreciate every ounce of effort that's being put into providing more opportunities for our students to the best of our abilities. To the community, to the room, thank you for your continued communication and your passion and your shared emotion of how serious these issues are. I echo the concerns and I echo the need that it's one thing to say on paper we're okay. It's another to ensure that implementation is done accurately, with fidelity, and we must plan appropriately, collaboratively, to ensure that we can
022still provide these opportunities and serve all of our students to the best of our abilities, even amidst the devastating cuts that have been put into place. So, continue to communicate with us. Continue to communicate your needs and your concerns so that we can continue to address it with staff and do the best we can to put the best opportunities forward possible. These are bleak times and I also share SCO's grave concerns of how we continue to guide this and move this forward. It's one thing to say we've gotten close. It's another to say that we've executed and pulled it off. So, there's a lot more work ahead for all of us and we are engaged and committed and looking forward to filling a seventh seat, so there'll be seven members on this board to be
023part of those decisions moving forward. Trustee Prack? Hi. Um I just want to give you an update on what I've been up to. Two weeks ago I visited Monroe Elementary and Ridgeway High School in the Independent Study Program. I enjoyed my visits and the work the sites are doing for their staff and students, and I just want to say thank you for welcoming me onto your campuses. Last week I volunteered at Pioneer's Bite of Reality, which that was a really great experience for our seniors. Redwood Credit Union and Miss Kase organized the event where seniors participated in an interactive exercise that gave them first-hand experience at budgeting and financial responsibilities. Looking, you know, thinking back my high school years, I was like, "Oh, that would have been great." because I didn't know what a credit
024card was, or what credit meant. Um and I hope every high school takes advantage of that opportunity. Uh the highlight of my weekend happened on Sunday when I attended the Sonoma County Best Buddies Prom at Epicenter. That was such a great event, and I kept telling Margaret what a wonderful opportunity that is for our students, or just everyone in Sonoma County. It wasn't only exclusive to Sonoma um Santa Rosa City Schools. Uh what was it? Oh, so but it was really meaningful for me to see such an a an event where kids can feel so inclusive, and it's a fun experience for our students and with intellectual and developmental disabilities, so I would like to go back next year. Um and oh, and this Saturday I will be attending a governance and budget workshop at
025SCOE to continue learning and growing as a board member. And lastly, when I joined the board in August, I committed to visiting every school in our district, and I'm almost there. So but there's still what, seven weeks of school left? Well, I got five more schools to visit, which ironically is almost all of the charter schools. So, Santa Rosa Charter of the Arts, the new French American Charter School, CCLA, Comstock, and Lewis Early Learning Academy. So, I'm be contacting your principals. I got to visit you on Fridays. So, that is all I have to say. Thank you. Trustee Medina. Thank you. Um I think what I really wanted to say is that we're in this situation because of a largely dysfunctional system at many levels, and we're not alone. Um but I think what what
026I do like seeing is that everybody is fighting and passionate for our students. We're all here because we care about the future of our students, and I think that is something beautiful regardless of the chaos that we're in. Um the decisions that we have to make are unfortunately a part of a complicated web of laws and timelines and things that we have to meet, and unfortunately it creates this chaos. But, I am hopeful I get to be a part of seeing a lot of what people are doing in terms of caring and wanting to invest in our youth. Um a lot of the nonprofits and and businesses that are wanting to invest um uh the CT Foundation, for example, had a very successful fundraiser this week where a lot of our students were featured. Um
027you brought up Bite of Reality with Redwood Credit Union. I want to highlight Ms. Thompson back there who does a good job organizing it at L C A L N as well. And their investment, not just with that, but also with Schools Rule and investing in our schools. So, I think despite the the difficult situation we're in, I have hope in all the work that's being done with different organizations in our community to address the the issues that we're facing from a different perspective because we do need the help. At at the core of it all, we all care of ours for our students and the impacts that these deficits will have on them. Um it's not just on them, it's on our community as a whole. And I think as long as we all
028keep fighting and working together, um despite whether we agree or not on how it's happening, we just got to keep moving forward. So, thank you all for continuing to advocate and and I say keep uh keep giving us a hard time if you think we're not doing um a good job. All right, Trustee Jenkins and then Trustee Kirby. Um so, I am trying to keep it short tonight. Um I attended a few events, a spectacular carnival fundraiser for SRFACS a couple Saturdays ago. If you can ever get tickets in the future as they do sell out fast, um I highly recommend you do it. I also attended a college and career night, um which may have been one of the most beneficial evenings I as a parent have been to. Uh highly recommend high schoolers
029and their parents utilize the college and career counselors in this final stretch as those roles are shifting next year. And lastly, I attended the Best Buddies prom also for a bit this last weekend. Huge congratulations to Margaret Boone and her team for yet another impressive safe evening for students of varying levels of vulnerability. Dancing, bowling, games, food, laser tag, um and with folks from all over the uh all over the county. Very well done. Uh coming up, tomorrow is the first board policy subcommittee meeting at 5:00 p.m. Um it's hybrid. Do note the SELPA meeting is at 5:30 in the same suite, different room. So, those of you planning on attending the SELPA meeting, please be aware of the room you enter. Uh Saturday SCO as uh Trustee Prack mentioned is holding another training for
030trustees and superintendent superintendents. Um, this one is on the budget, so I'll be attending that. Um, and whomever ends up joining us tonight, um, it'd be great if we could figure out a way to get them there as well, if they're available. And then, what else is happening? Monday evening, I'm registered for the first part of the CSBA Masters in Governance training on school finances. I just haven't had time to do that yet. Um, and then next Thursday are some parent info nights for secondary. I've seen Piner is having theirs. Thank you, um, Piner and Monroe principals for including us on your parent notices, and I believe Montgomery is having theirs as well. Um, finally, I do want to say publicly to those of us here at the dais, the amount of work and heart
031that goes into our roles every single day, which infiltrates our personal lives, our separate professional lives, and structurally changes our interactions with the community members, is huge. I appreciate that hard work. I fully see that it comes from a place of wanting to make our community the strongest it can be in such trying times, and I implore all of us to continue to do the very best we can with the resources and and information that we have. Unfortunately, so much of the relationship building work is being completely ruptured tonight, which really sucks for the students. I encourage everyone in the room and at home to practice leading by example. We all choose how we deal with situations that do not go the direction we're hoping for. What part of each of us played in this?
032Before we continue pointing fingers and and playing the blame game, uh, think about the outcome of those actions. Are you expressing your anger to the most effective person or people? This goes for myself, too. I am still in this community. We just have so much work to do and are working towards the same goal of ensuring the young minds in our community receive a good education. Thank you. Trusty Kirby. Thank you. Um, I just also want to echo what uh Trusty Jenkins and Trusty Medina were saying uh regarding all of us being up here, you out there, people protesting outside. We're all here because we're passionate about our students, our staff, our community. We all want the best for everyone. Um On Monday, uh I was able to uh tag along and attend the visit
033that uh some of our uh staff uh uh when we went and visited uh Bellflower Middle and High School uh down in Los Angeles. Uh we got to meet with their administration, tour the campus, see classrooms, um Just wanted to say that it was uh it was really nice to see an established 7 through 12 campus in action. Um now, they have been doing it for about 40 years. So uh uh again, uh they've got a little uh little time ahead of us uh on that. Um but it's going very well for them. Um They are currently fully staffed and fully funded for this year, but their cuts are coming also, up to 50% for them. And they're So, they're very um nervous about how that's going to impact them in the coming years. Um
034They're also dealing with continuing declining enrollment. So, they lost about 200 students from this previous year. So, uh they're uh again, it's all across the state. All the districts are dealing with this issue. Um some of the takeaways that I wrote down, um number one, probably one of the strongest things they have going is the stability of of administration on their campus. You know, they they had uh Now, they did just uh turn over their principal, but the previous principal had been there for 12 years and you could really just see that their their staff really flourished under stable administration. Um Secondly, um Oh, also, their their campus was very safe and secure. Um they had already they completed their fencing project many years ago. Um it was completely uh enclosed campus, a closed campus.
035They had security guards uh on their in their campus. They also had a private um armed guard on the outside and they everyone was very happy with their security situation. Um They They did note that their what they called their game-changing moment was when uh they actually were able to align their bell schedules uh from the middle and the high schools and that that really helped them and they went to an eight-period block day and that what I did is allowed a lot of their teachers to teach both middle and high school students. Um and they uh obviously it helped them fiscally also because they're getting better utilization of their uh teaching staff. They uh utilized a staggered lunch um and they also staggered their PE classes. Um Lastly, a couple of side notes. Um
036As far as they did wish that they had a more robust uh at program for the middle school students as they currently are only able to offer intermural programs for their seventh and eighth graders even with their very large campus. So, it's hope something that they're hoping to uh be able to grow. And uh one other side note was additionally there uh I noted that their marching band students are eligible to receive PE credit for their um for uh participating in marching band. So, I want to have us look into possibly uh getting that for our uh marching band students as well. Lastly, I will also be attending the SCO budget uh uh workshop this weekend. So, we'll see you there. That's all I got. All right. Thank you. Uh we'll now move to our
037student board member report, Trustee Creo. I only have just a small message that I just typed out right now that I just want to speak out. Just feed to the crowd out here. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who came out here today and who are supporting your guys's cause and especially to our educators and teachers out there. The people who bring to life the spark for hundreds of students to build up their love for education. I wouldn't be who I am today without all those teachers who helped me find helped me find myself and inspired me to get out here today and take this position. I just want to say thank you so much for everything you guys have done. Each and every single one of you are important and amazing
038people. Not only to your family and friends, but all the students who help you helped and shape every day. Even if you're not told this every day, I just want everyone to know that your work is never something that can be forgotten or truly replaced. Never lose faith and never lose hope. I know those words are just empty words right now to many of you, but to me from the mindset of a high school student, it's just what got me through so much in life, and I hope that it'll continue to help me as much as it can. I just hope you will have a rest a nice rest of you guys's night. All right, thank you for your report. Uh we're now going to move to item E, which is public comment on non-agenda
039and consent items. Uh we're going to to make sure we get through the whole agenda, we're going to limit the total comment period time to 30 minutes. Currently, that means everyone will be able to speak that's already turned in a card. Um so, we're going to go ahead and open up public comment. Thank you, President Castaneda. I'm going to go ahead and call three cards at a time. If you can please make your way to the podium. Our first speaker is Rosalva Ramirez, followed by Margaret Boone, followed by Adina Flores. They'll be 1 minute. Okay. Okay. cerrar esa escuela >> Okay, I will be translating her part from Spanish to English. My name is Vanessa Vargas and I am currently a fifth family engagement at Proctor Terrace that comes from Brookhill. Hello, my name is
040Rosalba Ramirez. I am currently a Proctor Terrace parent and former Brookhill parent. I am also the elect president. I am here to talk about the litigation of closing Proctor down. The reality of closing Proctor would be heartbreaking for many reasons. We have became a diverse school about 100 to 115 students came to Proctor Terrace from Brookhill. Students are starting to adjust and love Proctor Terrace. Closing Proctor Terrace will open wounds for these students again. I ask that we don't hurt our students again as they just lost a school they truly loved. We welcome all students and staff and families from Stealing to our community. Thank you. Next we have Margaret Boone followed by Adina Flores followed by Simone Harris. A young man outside spoke about his incredible experience in the Grace program at Piner. He
041talked about what a safe space it was for him and how he credits it with getting him through high school. His speech inspired me to speak out about Grace as well. I teach special ed at Montgomery. In the last few years, I've had the opportunity to have two kids I knew 10 plus years ago show up in my classroom as adult instructional assistants. These two people were among the all-time best assistants I have ever had. Both of them were new to the job, but had a natural talent, overwhelming empathy, and blew all of us away with how incredible they were. I mention them because both of them went through Grace. They both faced huge struggles in high school and were put into the Grace program. Both of them credited Grace with saving them, getting them
042through high school, and providing them with the smart supports and small class setting they desperately need. Both are now working as behavioral aids towards becoming behaviors. It was just a couple years ago after the tragedy at Montgomery that we as a district understood the value in alternative settings and had plans to expand them. Our finances have changed, but our student needs have not. you very much for your comments. Next we have Adina Flores, followed by Simone Harris, followed by Kristen Reed. I'm the former executive assistant to this board and superintendent. I received a $50,000 settlement after being illegally forced out. I'd like to know why you're working with the Press Democrat to cover up rape in the schools. I'd really like to know because in March you wrote a wonderful story about April Santos' departure,
043the principal of Montgomery. What you didn't share is that she is personally being sued, as is her husband Apollinario, who sexually assaulted a disabled student. And your staff is up in my DMs claiming that everybody knew and you guys covered it up. Now, I'm in court because your employment defense firm White Star Group Mark Adams hired me as a PI without a license, which is a felony if it's a wobbler, and I didn't know. So, you guys tried to extort me. I sent this to Chief Cragan. It's being investigated. You've had the recording. So, I'm offered tequila, drugs, and sexually harassed at the table, so guess what? Stop abusing kids. We can see this right here and the system. Thank you. God bless you. Find Jesus Christ. Next, we have Simone Harris, followed by Kristen
044Reed, followed by Mary Watts. Hi, I'm Simone Harris. I'm a Montgomery High teacher. They got money for wars but can't feed the poor. Tupac sang that in 1993. In 2026, we have a government spending billions on war, on ice, on subsidies for billionaires. We have endless money to get young people killed or abducted, but not to learn. You might be thinking I'm at the wrong meeting because this is a local funding crisis and SRCS doesn't control federal or state spending, but if you hold local public office, if you have a public platform, then you have a moral duty at this moment in history to articulate the true scope of the problem and to lead. Lay out a vision for the schools all our kids, no matter where they come from, deserve and fight for it.
045This is not a time for excuses for lazy use of consultants or sleepy platitudes. Your message to our wider community should not be that a quality education for our kids is impossible. You should be energizing them to imagine and claim what is always possible with people power. We teachers, fellow educators, workers will bring this fight for justice to every community in the country where there is a gap between young people's right to an education and the will to get it done. And Santa Rosa City Schools is overqualified for that dubious honor. Thank you. Next, we have Kristen Reed, followed by Mary Watts, followed by Matthew Lee. Good evening. My name is Kristen Reed and I teach at Montgomery. I was going to talk about something else, but was reminded about the cell phone policy decision
046last board meeting and decided to switch it up. I absolutely agree that it is in our students' best interest to keep phones away from school from the start to the end of the day. The improvements we've seen, even with some backsliding, have been beneficial to students' success and focus. However, I also believe that you shouldn't have a rule or expectation you can't enforce. Policing phones during breaks, brunch, and lunch will be impossible, especially when we factor in the decrease in classified staff at sites, because you need to acknowledge that the real the reality that teachers are not and will not be responsible for enforcing the entirety of that policy. We are entitled to a duty-free brunch and lunch, which means I will be enjoying my food and my colleagues' company instead of wandering the halls
047snatching phones. We need to enact policies we can actually implement and follow with fidelity. Otherwise, we simply teach kids that rules may exist, but they are optional, which seems to apply to the district's philosophy about the budget. So, this cell phone policy >> Thank you very much for your comments. on brand. Our next speaker is Mary Watts, followed by Matthew Lee, followed by Alex Yoon. Good evening. I come tonight as a proud Proctor Terrace mom. I'm coming tonight because last meeting there was discussion again brought up about making a reverse decision of which schools to close, and I come here to hopefully have that discussion and not reverse that decision, and really be able to continue to build the trust in the community that you're trying to rebuild currently. Last year I had to make
048the decision whether to keep my kid in Santa Rosa City schools and trust the stability that I was hoping to gain, and reversing that decision will will really will really take a real huge toll on our families. We are now a Title IX school, and it is a rich cultural diversity. When the Brook Hill students came, the staff and community really rallied around that culture, and the PTA has now funded a ballet folklorico program that has grown from 15 students to over 70. That is almost 20% of the whole school that is involved in that program. This is something to celebrate, and we really just want to continue to build that trust, and I respect the decisions you made, and thank you very much. Next is Matthew Lee, followed by Alex Yoon, followed by Angel
049Diego. Hi, I'm Matt Lee, senior at Carillo. I just want to talk about our teachers for a second. Teachers who in spite of their ungodly hours, who in spite of having a workload that would challenge educators with double their time and salary, can still manage to offer a smile and a moment of respite for their students. I know what one point in time you were students at one point, parents with students of your own. We ask that you look back and remember the teachers and staff who stuck with you, who made a developing adolescent time a little bit more bearable, breathable, and how that should be a right for everyone. We understand that there are constraints of pragmatism that you have to work around, that there is an invitation for state takeover, that that's not
050how bureaucracy works. But just as easily as that said, our teachers could have said that, that they have too much work on their plates, that they have too many students, that that's not how the system works. But they don't. They've done their jobs time and time again, more than what's asked. We ask that when you do yours, you keep that in mind. Thank you. Next is Alex Yoon, followed by Angel Diego, followed by Quinn Alexander. Hi, I'm Alexander Yoon from Maria Carillo. I want to talk about the unfair riffs to classroom teachers throughout the district. For example, our school's music director, Matthew Isiah Booker, has been riffed. Not only is he a phenomenal band director, but also is one of the most crucial community builders in Carillo and all of Santa Rosa. For 3 years
051I've been part of his mariachi band at Carillo, which is one of the most diverse and liveliest of all of Northern California. He has exposed maria mariachi to all of Carillo and to many family throughout the city with public performances. Cutting teachers like him will destroy the very source of unity, diversity, and community that defines us as a student body, school, and citizens of Santa Rosa. This sense of community cannot come from anyone else, regardless of musical expertise. And in the current state of society, it is what drives us to work hard every day and become leaders of the future. On behalf of all Santa Rosa, please do not destroy our school, our community, our lives any further in the name of saving money. Your decisions aren't working. And yeah, it's not working. I'm sorry.
052Next is Angel Diego, followed by Quinn Alexander, followed by Chiara Test. Hi. Um I'm Angel Diego, and I was really debating on attending this board meeting. But before I get started, I would like to show appreciation to Mark Kirby. Anyways, I'm not reading off anything off my phone. However, I did want to share an experience that I did experience during my second period last week. Last week, a kid had this 16-oz cup filled with sand and rocks. And he poured it all over my head. Yes, feel super bad for me. And it was in my hair for 3 days. It was really horrible. But after that experience, I did not violate Ed Code because you know, if I if I got suspended, you guys wouldn't get my money. You know, I'm a student. You guys
053wouldn't get my money. So, I was thoughtful. But I did email Vicki Sands and the Board of Education. Mark [clears throat] Kirby should have took that as his opportunity to visit Santa Rosa High to see if I was doing okay, but he didn't. But yeah, and with that being said, Mark, you should really visit me at Santa Rosa High. Yeah. Thank you very much for coming. Next is Quinn Alexander, followed by Kiara Test, followed by Holly Cumby. Hello, my name is Quinn and I'm a student at Montgomery High School and I'm here to speak on music and how music saves lives. Music is not an elective, it is not a special, it is not something that shouldn't be central. I know that's what it says on the schedule and I know that's how it's funded,
054but calling music an elective like I elect to do it is like saying emotional development is optional, which actually now that I think about it is how most people think in general. Music trains the thinking brain, the moving brain, and the emotional brain all at the same time. No other subject in your school does that. When schools cut music, they are not cutting a luxury. They are cutting the one subject that strengthens every other subject. For lots of people, the only thing that keeps them coming to school is their music classes and is the only thing that keeps them sane. When you cut music, it is like cutting mental health resources as most use it as their version of therapy. Never cut the arts, they save lives. Next we have Kiara Test, followed by Holly
055Cumby, followed by Maureen Cecil. I'm Kiara Test and I go to LC Allen. The laying off of mental health workers is something that will affect me as well as many other students who have connections with their school district therapists and counselors. The staff had no choice in this and this will be a very difficult thing for everybody affected. A lot is going on in the world right now and the last thing a student needs is to lose someone they can trust at school. Thank you. Next is Holly Cumby, followed by Maureen Cecil, followed by Cecily Tunde Clay Good evening. My name is Holly Camby and I have the pleasure of being here with our parent club president Gloria Aguilera from Burbank. I'm reading this letter on behalf of a parent who wrote this letter and
056they organized a signature gathering campaign. Dear school board members, I'm a parent in the district. I'm worried about the plan to cut programs and make class sizes bigger. Our children need help to learn. When classes are bigger and there are fewer adults, it is harder for teachers to help every student. Many students, especially English learners or students with special needs, need extra support to understand lessons. The elementary counselor is also very important. The counselor helps students with feelings, problems with friends, and stress. I'm worried that fewer adults at school, students will not get the education, support, and safety they need. Please protect the counselor and keep class sizes smaller so our children can learn and succeed. Thank you for listening. Sincerely, the families of Luther Burbank. And this was signed by 152 families, parents at
057our school. Next is Maureen Cecil, followed by Cecily Tunde Clay, followed by Ola King Clay. Hello. Maureen Cecil here. You know me. I send you emails. I talk to you all the time. I teach French. Please don't cut French. I think all of the arts are really important, like the young man said earlier. But I want to talk about the budget because that's what I was not going to talk about tonight, but everybody keeps talking about it. Well, first, how can we make any budget cuts if we don't have all the information about the 5,000? That's like going to prepare dinner, but not actually having a plan on how you're going to prepare it or what you need for the recipe. One of the recipe issues is that we are paying our district office administrators
058way too much money. You've already heard me say that before. Um Lee Lisa August is making $261,000. That's three four teachers. Um we were given a request on the calendar to change winter break to save $100,000 and yet you're floating the job for the next superintendent at $10,000 more than Lisa August. $14,000, sorry. And it could go up to $325,000. Where's the budget problem? It's >> Thank you very much for your comments. Next is Cecily Tenday Clay followed by Ola King Clay followed by Dell Bhatt. Good evening members of the board. As a former student at Rincon Valley Middle School and an alum of Maria Carillo High School, I can speak from personal experience when I say that both schools are supported by truly exceptional educators and staff. These individuals work tirelessly to ensure that
059every student receives a strong education educational foundation while also nurturing their growth into capable compassionate members of society. Because of the encouragement and support I received throughout my own education, I was inspired to become a teacher myself. That experience showed me firsthand the lasting impact that dedicated educators can have on a student's life. While I may not fully understand all the inner workings of the school board and district office, I do understand the importance of your role in supporting both students and educators. Ensuring that every student has access [clears throat] to high quality education to remain the central priority. I believe that closing schools is not the loose solution. Instead, developing thoughtful sustainable programs that retain these schools by continuing >> Thank you very much for your comments. >> educational experience should be the focus.
060Next is Ola King Clay, followed by Dale Bat, followed by Micah Carlin Goldberg. I've got it. Thanks. Before you start my time, I'd like to thank Del Tori and Frank for coming to Rincon Valley, speaking to my eighth grade history classes. They were truly impressed with you, and you have their future votes. So, keep up what you're doing. Thank you. Good evening, school board president, acting superintendent, and members of the board. My name is Ola King Clay. I'm a seventh and eighth grade history teacher at Rincon Valley Middle School. According to the San Ramon School's uh HR department, I am the senior teacher in the district. I've had a number of years, I believe it's 45, in which I have been had the opportunity to work with thousands of kids. And they were always the
061first priority in my teaching, making them successful US citizens, but also I've had the opportunity to work this the variety of stages in the development of a strong educational system in which our students have partaken. Thank you very much for your comments. Thank you very much. Next is Dale Bat, followed by Micah Carlin Goldberg. Good evening, Dale Bat, Comstock Middle School. I don't have a lot to say, but I do appreciate someone that spoke earlier, a very kind soul that really brought attention to teachers, and that's what I wanted to speak about. We hear it said by multiple people, whether they're district office workers or board members, or just rumors going around that students are doing okay. Students are thriving. They seem like they're all right. But I do want to emphasize the fact that
062they are doing okay is only because we teachers are amazing. And that is really the point that I want to get across to you. Students aren't doing okay because of district office people. Students aren't doing okay because of board members. Students are doing okay because we teachers are incredible. And we have to work through all of the awful things that we are put through. We put on a mask and we fake it every day just to protect them from the things that are going on in our district so that they can be okay. And that's all I wanted to say is that we teachers are amazing. Our last speaker is Micah Karlin Goldberg. Uh good evening. My name is Micah Karlin Goldberg. I'm a sixth grade teacher at Steel Lane Elementary, which unfortunately you have
063decided to close at the end of the year in spite of the data given to the school board by the district office personnel being completely incorrect at the last meeting where this was discussed. Um one of your district office personnel claimed that Monroe was going to have 700, roughly, spaces for students, but the master plan says 608 and all the documentation I've seen since then is well lower than that. How are you going to have space for 154 Steel Lane students over at Monroe? You guys need to start doing your job. We are seeing in our country what happens when an executive branch is not checked and the DO is the executive branch of our school district. You are the checks. We are the balance. You're not listening to the people who are in the
064schools dealing with our students, dealing with the problems created by our district office. Board, you're the boss. Fire the superintendent, clear out the DO, and get people who can do the job. There are no other blue cards for non-agenda public comment. All right. We'll now move to items F. This is the consent calendar. I'm looking for a motion on items F1 through 4 and 6 through 26. Move to approve all of them. Except for Second. Motion by Trustee Jenkins, second by Trustee Kirby. Roll call vote, please. Student board member Correa. Aye. Trustee Jenkins. Aye. Trustee Medina. Aye. Trustee Kirby. Aye. Trustee De La Torre. Aye. Trustee Pratt. Aye. President Castaneda. Aye. That motion passes unanimously. We'll now move to item F5. Trustee Jenkins. Yes, I pulled F5 um simply because of the three contracts, the
065two of them are not complete. Um it I would feel comfortable moving to approve contract number two and requesting one and three come back. Um discussion. I Is there Superintendent Anguiano, do you Do we know what's not complete and why? Yes, so we did have the cover sheet for the with along with the template contract for the CNS uh >> [clears throat] >> I try to remember the shared plate, which Ed Burke is here if there are questions about the contract, but we did we can bring that back next time. The other one is Walker Creek Ranch a field trip and it is funded. It wasn't marked on the second piece, but the information is there, but not on both sides of the docu- of the paperwork. Both of those can come back later um
066for for correction if if that's preferred. So, I second uh Trustee Jenkins' motion to approve Cyber High and bring the other two back, please. All right. I have a motion and second to approve contract two. Uh any further discussion? Seeing none, we'll do a roll call vote. Student board member Korea. I. Trustee Jenkins. I. Trustee De La Torre. I. Trustee Kirby. I. Trustee Medina. I. Trustee Prack. President Castan. I. And that motion passes unanimously. Now, move to our item G for our discussion action calendar. We're going to start with the Board of Education calendar and uh this will start with public comment on uh on the calendar which includes the selection of the trustee area two candidate. Is there any public comment? Yes, we have three public comment cards. I'll go ahead and call those
067three names. If you can make your way to a podium and uh still 1 minute. Our first speaker is Adina Flores followed by Davin Cardenas followed by Esperanza Nunez. Is our first speaker Adina Flores here? I I don't see her. Okay. We'll go to Davin Cardenas. Hello. Hello. Um thank you for the time. I'm actually here just to speak in support of Tiki Medina for this appointment and um Tiki's one of you know what I consider a community niece um and somebody who's constantly curious about the world, willing to ask questions. Um Tiki was raised here. She was raised by many of the teachers in the room tonight and um and I've seen this is a difficult board. What you all do, I'm not even sure why you do it. Um it's it's uh it's
068uh heavy, intense and I actually, you know, I don't know if it's the best place for Tiki, but I do know that her energy is actually what the world needs right now. She's um ambitious and bright and again energetic and curious. And so I do know that I want to support Tiki and her ambitions because I know this world is heavy and what she brings is actually very special and we need to foster that specialness kind of this ray of sunshine in otherwise >> Thank you very much for your comments. Thank you. Next we have Esperanza Nunez followed by Cindy Chung. Good evening. My name is Esperanza Nunez and I am a community member here for Santa Rosa. Our schools are changing, our classrooms are more diverse, more vibrant and more reflective on the real
069world of our children are engaging and happen. But leadership has not been kept pace with the new with the faces making decisions don't reflect the students sitting in those classrooms. We risk leaving voices unheard and needs unmet. Choosing a young person of color for our local school board is not about symbolism, it's about alignment, insight and fairness. It's our bringing live experience into decision-making. It's about insurance that policies are shaped by people who understand the challenges, strengths and realities of today's student body. Representation matters because it builds trust. It tells every student you belong, your voice counts. And when students feel seen, they engage more, achieve more and believe more in their own potential. This is not a Thank you very much for your comments. Thank you. Next is Cindy Chung followed by We'll call
070Adelina Flores one more time. Board members, thank you for letting me speak tonight on this item. I'm here in support of Tiki and I just want to speak a little bit about I know what our schools are facing, what our local governments are facing. It is a really dark time. And what I would say is that what you want is a diversity of view on your board because you're going to have to make some really hard decisions. As you've seen the public show up today, they're passionate, right? But it's equally as many voices that were in this room tonight, there's as many that have not been heard. And if you want somebody who has a spirit of understanding what the disenfranchised understand, then you're going to want Tiki as one of your board members. And
071yes, she is bright and she is lovely, but other than that, she brings balance. And that's sometimes what you need. You need that voice that will shine through when it's difficult. And there may be things like she's younger than some of the other board members, but it doesn't mean it her voice does not have value. And what are you missing? What are you missing on your board? I think it's something that Tiki can bring. So, as you consider this, I support her tonight. >> Thank you very much for your comments. There are no other cards. All right. We'll close public comment. We're now going to move to item 1B, which is the trustee area two candidate interviews. Um With this process, we're going to invite all three of you up. And actually did not clarify.
072We're asking each of them the same question, they'll then answer. And then we go to the next question, correct? All right. So, we're going to ask each Yeah, we're going to I'll and I'll rotate between who's doing it. We're also going to rotate up here about who's asking the question. Um but we'll have each of you answer each question and then uh continue from there. And as a reminder to members of the board, if you take written notes on um the application sheet, make sure to turn those in to Melanie at the end cuz they are part of the public record. Um so, uh Trustee Delatorre? >> [snorts] >> Can I just ask for clarification, um, and public comment so the public hears why we're doing all three at once? So, we're going to interview
073all three at once so we hear their answers in in line for the same question and then we're able to move through that, hear what they're saying, and evaluate it that way. There's a lot of options in how we could do that. But, the rationale is that we hear it all at once for each question instead of having to remember back, um, for the previous questions for the previous interviews. So, >> Question. Yep. Are we giving them each the same question at the same time cuz that's kind of an advantage for the third person going cuz they can copy the other two answers. Correct. And that's why we're going to rotate who starts for each question. So, each each applicant will have an opportunity to be the first person to speak and the last person
074to speak, um, on the rotation. And I'll I'm going to start at the left and go to the my my left and go to the right for who starts. And everyone will We're not going to start with the same person that each time. So, we'll rotate both who's asking the questions and who starts answering them. Okay. For the record, I just wanted to know I don't like this way. Okay. I agree. >> to trusty I'd like to add that every other time that I've seen this done, there's been one candidate and the other two have been I I'm >> I'm okay with changing. This is what was provided to me. So, if it's the board's interest to change this process, we can change it. So, is there an interest in changing to one candidate in
075succession? So, I'm the only current sitting board member that's gone through this process and I can tell you that when I went through the process, it was one candidate interviewed at a time by the board and the others sequestered. If we have all three at the time, it just leads to a disadvantage of these candidates of feeding off of each other's answers opposed to us getting a true identification and answer directly. Now, with that process, sequestered also meant no electronic devices or any communication while they're sequestered. Any of the applicants have any concerns if we were to do each of you in an order? We'd use the order that's on the agenda, so we'd start uh with Mr. Hernandez, then move to Mr. Dufour, say and then move to Ms. Medina. Is any objection? Any
076objections up here? All right. Uh staff could arrange for uh we'll start with Mr. Hernandez and we'll wait until that happens. For the record, thank you. Just waiting for a thumbs up till the door is closed. Yep. I do not because it's going to >> However long you think it's going to take, double that. Yeah. It'll depend on the length of the answers from the applicants, so. Uh Can you give a thumbs up? Yeah. We're going to move as quickly as we can. I'm going to take that as a thumbs up, so we're going to move to the questions. We'll be rotating Yeah, we'll be rotating through each trustee to ask a different question. Um and we are going to start with trustee De La Torre for our first question. Good evening and welcome, Mr.
077Hernandez. My first question for the evening, why are you interested in serving as a board member for Santa Rosa City Schools? On now? Yeah. Okay, cool. So, I would like to be a board member because I have three minorities in one. Um I'm on the spectrum. Um I'm half El Salvadoran and I'm gay. And I feel that a lot of people in Santa Rosa are being put into one kind of situation. And I did watch last board meeting to get a a sense of what would be asked of me. And I want to first say how impressed I am with all of you because you all have different personalities. And I see myself in all of you bizarrely enough. And the cell phone you know, I um I've been a teacher off and on for
07830 years and I'm that fun chubby teacher that the kids don't use their phone in my class. I was very lucky that they didn't cuz you know, I teach Spanish and if you teach it the right way, it's like I don't know if any of you took Spanish in high school, but it's one of the funnest classes to take. And >> [sighs] >> I just feel you all made the right decision last last last board meeting. But what I want to do is I want to stress Alateen. I was a drug abuser. I'm getting a little emotional here. I was um Alateen was very important for me when I was in high school back in the day in the 80s and I'm really discouraged that because of COVID the six bigger high schools in Santa
079Rosa, only Montgomery has that program. And it's a free program. And it should not be eliminated because of COVID. Ridgeway had a really successful one, but the counselor retired last year. And I can't believe the other counselors didn't pick it up. Because Alateen saves lives. Okay, I've been clean and sober 35 years. On May 1st, I will have 35 years and I will have 49 years on April 25th and Al-Anon and Alateen. Long time. But I'm very lucky that I caught it right away. I grew up in San Francisco where, you know, back in the 80s programs were were all over the place. And I know I'm being um What's the word I'm looking for? I'm I'm uh Your an- the answer to your question is because I would love to make sure Alateen is
080in all the high schools, not just Montgomery. Piner got approved for September, but Ridgeway, come on. And Santa Rosa and Elsie Allen and Maria Carrillo, they need Alateen. We don't really talk about it much in these board meetings, but if I were to be lucky enough to join all of you, I'd make sure that it would happen. It doesn't take much to do it. We need two counselors from the high school. We need two volunteers from Al-Anon. Octavio's in in the house somewhere and he just went to Montgomery yesterday and observed it and it's um well attended. Um the night time meetings are there's only one left because nobody will give them a ride to that meeting. It's at St. Luke's on Mendocino. My friend Paula runs it and there's only two people at that
081meeting because why would an alcoholic parent drive their child there? You know, and how are they going to get a ride there? It's a very safe space for them. And if a high school can have one a week, then that's what should happen and that's what my agenda is on on why I want to be a board member. And of course every there's a lot of other things too, but that's what I'm really I'm passionate about. Thank you for that answer. We'll move to trustee Medina. Señor Medina. Hola. >> [laughter] >> So my question is as a trustee, what do you see as your primary purpose or primary role? And the second part of that is what is your highest priority and why, but I think you just gave us that. >> Yeah. So yeah,
082my highest priority is to make sure that Alateen is in every high school and um you know, it's important and like somebody said earlier, I think it was Miss Sarah Jenkins. I don't know if you address this Miss Jenkins or Sarah, but I don't know. Um uh it's very important to go to these um one of us, whoever gets chosen should go to that Saturday meeting to know what the budget's all about. I mean, every city's different. I grew up in San Francisco. Dianne Feinstein loved me because like I said, I was on the spectrum and I wrote an essay to be able to go to lunch with her in eighth grade and um and Mia Claus got really upset that I won cuz she was the you know, whatever, but um I won and
083I got to hang out with Dianne Feinstein and I got to know her for the rest of the time she was in office, which was a long time. Again, I'm I'm What's that word I'm looking for where you talk about 500 things at one time? Um I don't know, babbling. I don't know. But anyway, yes, um Mr. Medina, I do I I do want to make sure everything gets into all the high schools. I also want to help all of you with whatever, you know. And like someone said earlier, this girl is adorable. That she's 19, she wants to be a part of this. Um like I said, I am El Salvadoran, and then there is a need for the Hispanic community, um to be heard. Uh the gay and lesbian bisexual community, that definitely
084needs to be heard. And I think um I was very impressed with the special needs teachers over the last few months as they come in and talk. You guys have very good teachers in the Santa Rosa, and I'm very excited about that. Um Thank you, Mr. You know, you're actually moving into the next question. So, if I could let let Trustee Praca ask it. >> Okay. I love you, by the way. You're doing well. Trustee Praca. Uh what do you see as your role as a board member in defending the rights of historically margina- marginal- marginalized students? What is your understanding of equity and excellence? Well, like I said, I've been a Spanish teacher off and on 30 years, and I've had to deal with um a lot of things I really don't want to
085talk about or deal with, but in this situation, if I were to join your board, I would have to. Um and I think yeah, I mean, everyone should be treated equally, and I think that the teachers in Santa Rosa do do that. Um there was that riot outside. Uh I just do I do want to address that you guys are not the responsible people that what's happening. You guys are have all been in this board not that long. And um you know, I I would be joining something to deal with that, or one of them will, and I think I'm I'm prepared to do that. Trustee Jenkins. Could you support a board decision you didn't vote in favor of, and how would you handle that? That's a very hard question to answer because, like I
086said, you guys are so different. Sometimes one of you do disagree with the others. But, if I think it will help the students, like that's one thing that everybody is at the same page on is that it's for the students. And if it's for their benefit, and I kind of disagree with it, but I think it's going to help them, then I will support the board's decision. Trustee Kirby. You would be the board representative from your trustee area. Um how does that inform your work, and how do you view your responsibilities as a board member representing uh your area versus all the students in Santa Rosa City Schools? Well, I'm in the area where where Monroe is. I've done a lot of tutoring for um Hispanic kids who can't afford it. And I'm not tooting
087my own horn, but um I'm on a sliding scale, so if they can't afford I do it for free. And there's a lot of young people in my district that cannot afford tutoring. And I will not stop tutoring if I do join the board. Um I will make sure that um people her age who are passionate also start tutoring. There's a lot of young people, and again, kids love talking to kids kind of their age, you know, like um I have some twel- But I I am like on the spectrum, and I I am 56 years old, but I act like I'm 20 sometimes. But there are a lot of younger people who can start tutoring, and I would make sure in my district that would start happening at different um places. All right. I
088have a long one here. Um the next question is, we've made a series of difficult financial decisions to ensure we balance the budget, including layoffs of over 100 people, campus closures, and other difficult reductions. Can you please share your thoughts on our fiscal stabilization plan moving forward? Since we are past the legal timeline for personnel reductions, how would you ensure we take the necessary actions to maintain a balanced budget going forward? Again, like I said earlier, I would have to learn about that, so I definitely want to go to the Saturday session. Um, but like I said earlier about the I know I keep on talking about Alateen, but Alateen is a free program. And there's a lot of free programs we can implement into the the schools that would include some of the cuts
089that will would that had to be made, you know, and I went to School of the Arts in San Francisco. And we had lots of budget cuts while I was there. And we had people in the industry who would come in for free to teach the classes that some of the um younger students no longer had. So, I'd have to come up with some creative ways for that to happen for the schools here because we have a lot of like I said earlier, we have a lot of amazing teachers. And they have had to merge some of their grades. And like Little House on the Prairie, if you remember, she had to do that from kindergarten through eighth. I don't know how they did it back then. But um they did, and I'm sure we
090can come up with some creative ways to do that here. Thank you, Trustee Creo. All right. Hi. Um last question for this. What is your vision for the Santa Rosa City Schools community? Well, Santa Rosa City Schools is huge, you know, we have like I said earlier, we have six amazing high schools all over the place, and I just think that with some creative visions that all of you would would come up with, I think it would be a better situation. I think the parents that were protesting out there will be impressed with some of the ideas that you guys are going to have in the next few years or whatever. And I think that again, the students number one. I think that's what everyone is striving for, especially the people that were out there,
091and of course all of you up here, and everyone in in the in the audience here. So, yeah, I think it would be a really awesome experience. Excellent. Thank you very much for your application and your time. Uh we have a [snorts] process to finish here, but we appreciate you being willing to stand up. Okay. Mr. Dufourcy, welcome back. I just want to start by thanking you. Uh thank you for being willing to come here, uh step up for this open position, and uh be interviewed by us. We'll each be asking you a question. Um you know, we'll give you some time. You should have the questions available to you. And then, as we go through each of them, uh we look forward to hearing your responses. So, I'm going to start with Trustee Delatore.
092Good evening, Mr. Dufourcy. Thank you for your time and being here this evening. Why are you interested in serving as a board member for Santa Rosa City Schools? Yeah, great question. Um part of it uh was responded to the written questions we provided, but I want to say that in all honesty, our schools are the foundation of the community and the community's future, and every decision that's made uh at the table that you all are sitting at has a direct impact um on the opportunities available to our children, the support provided to our educators uh and the trust we build uh with the families. Um I believe that strong schools uh you know, we build them on transparency, accountability, and decisions built on solid information with logic and reason and meaningful engagement with everyone in
093the community. And having all that in mind, um and having a fair amount of experience um in large organizations and organizations, having three children a 4 and 1/2 year-old, our COVID child, Henry and TK, and uh two uh twins that are 12 years old uh that both have IEPs uh that will all be going through the Santa Rosa system at some point um motivated me to uh throw my uh hat um in the ring. And besides the family angle I worked for uh 32 years for the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office uh in the detention division, retiring as a sergeant. And I saw firsthand what happens when uh we fail or we lack an education. The jail is full of it. Some people are just that way, but many are not. And it's because of opportunities
094that aren't given or presented uh in their schooling that contribute uh more than anything else to our criminal justice problem. So, having that background uh and seeing kind of what's going on, I said, I I need to I need to run. Mr. Medina. Thank you. Um so, my question is, as trustee, what do you see as your primary purpose or primary role? And what is your highest priority and why? So, the I I view my primary purpose and role as providing uh stability uh and guidance to the district to uh make informed decisions, to give a vision that will be implemented by uh senior manager or executive management of the district, uh and to make sure that the vision uh is followed. Um highest priority now is to get uh that stability back. Um A
095lot of that is based on the budget issues that the district uh is having. But, sometimes I feel that we lose sight that our primary goal is to educate the children and to prepare them to enter society that we're all going to need them to be doing the best they can when they get there. And uh uh that uh is my highest priority is getting good educated kids out into the community. Trustee Pratt What do you see as your role as a board member in defending the rights of historically marginalized students? What is your end What is your understanding of equity and excellence? >> [snorts] >> I think that uh the buck stops with the board. Uh again, uh the board provides the vision and the guidelines for the district. Uh rights of historically marginalized
096students uh up until the mm beginning of the '70s uh special education students many of them get to go to school. They were institutionalized. So, you want marginalized, there's a huge huge group of students. Uh and having two students with IEPs, uh that hits super close to home. So, equity and excellence, equity is provide a living Well, living a level playing field for uh our students. Uh and expecting ourselves by example uh to the highest standard and demanding that of executive management of the district. And then that should we hope, percolate down and having the best staff we can and providing that educational experience for the students. Trustee Jenkins. Could you support a board decision you didn't vote for? Vote in favor of, and how would you handle that? So, the short answer is yes,
097I can support that even if I'm not in favor of. Again, as I uh stated or alluded to earlier, I have served on other uh boards, um labor organizations, a credit union board, uh and uh I wasn't always in the majority of votes that were taken. Um I believe that you should have robust discussion. Um put it all out there on the table, uh but when a decision is made, it's the decision of the body, and you have to support that. Trustee Kirby. You would be the board representative from your trustee area. How does that inform your work, and how do you view your responsibilities as a board member representing your area versus all the students in Santa Rosa City Schools? Sure. Uh knowing that uh we have a current policy that uh the trustee
098uh doesn't act as a liaison to their area, uh I I I'm imagining that was because we wanted people to be more well-rounded. Coming from a labor union perspective, I had been elected by certain segments of the association, but you have a fiduciary responsibility to the whole organization, in this case the district and all students. Um Having said that, you though need to be the conduit from your area for the folks that are electing you to make sure that they're heard and you know, prior to coming here this evening, I had the privilege and to uh have a tour of the Pioneer High School campus, the Comstock campus, Helen Lehman campus. I was unfortunately not able to connect to the Monroe campus. I had been in communi- have been in communication with the principal, but
099we weren't able to get a time because I wanted to eyeball first hand the layout of the land. And I wanted to hear from certainly the principal. I also spoke for quite some time to the Spark, the leader of the Spark program at Pioneer. I've been invited back to their May festivities, which whether I'm on this board or not, I plan on attending anyway because it's an amazing program. But I understand being a fiduciary to the whole. I understand that we all have to move in the same direction. I understand that we're all in the same boat and hopefully moving in the same direction. And thank you. Have your next question. We've had a We have made a series of difficult financial decisions to ensure we balance the budget including the layoffs of over 100
100people, campus closures, and other difficult reductions. If you could please share your thoughts on the fiscal stabilization plan moving forward, and since we're past the legal timeline for personnel reductions, how would you ensure we take necessary action to maintain a balanced budget going forward? Yeah. Um, I haven't uh had the pleasure to um boil the entire budget down to the nth degree. I have been looking at it. Um, I will say that uh I'm perhaps fortunate in that area being a uh my real job, for lack of a better term now, is as a labor consultant for a uh law firm in Sacramento. I my primary job is to negotiate contracts. So, I deal with cities, counties, and special districts. And so, I deal with a lot of budgeting. Um to keep us on track,
101I would still need to understand some of how we got here, some of the decision-making that's gone on that isn't always uh forward-facing to the public that is being done. Uh and I need to sit down and uh kind of crunch through the numbers myself. I I'm one of those trust but verify people, so I have no problem uh going through numbers, cuz that's what I do. I do salary surveys. I do um we do financial analysis of counties and cities uh to make sure that when we're asking for things that we're asking for, that we know where the money is. It doesn't mean we always get it, but at least we know where it is and what is available and what is isn't. So, um that needs to continue. Trustee Creo. All right. >>
102[clears throat] >> Lastly, what is your vision for the Santa Rosa City Schools community? Well, the more immediate vision is to uh get us help us assist be a voice, a part of uh getting us through this financial um disaster, frankly, that we've found ourselves in. That's more the immediate. But, also having said that, uh to not lose sight that no matter what the financials are saying, and I understand uh you know, that's always foremost in folks' mind, we're here to educate children. Uh that is what we need to be doing. And we need to be mindful that when we make decisions and then we lose 600 students, uh that that is a significant problem. So, we need to make sure that we talk those decisions through and have that vigorous debate uh and have
103all options on the table. Uh all [clears throat] options on the table. And so, I view part of the job as uh a trustee to make sure we're asking those questions. So, short-term budgeting, long-term, what programs are we going to put in place to ensure that we in Santa Rosa are giving the best education in the state far as I'm concerned as far as the country as far as I'm concerned. It's a wonderful place to live. We have the resources. Um we should be the top dog. All right. Thank you very much for your answers and stepping up to potentially leading this position. We have one more interview and then we'll announce our selection. Everyone please we need folks in the audience to not be talking while we're doing the while we're while we're in
104our meeting, so. >> I'm Ms. Medina. Thank you for your willingness to come here and apply for this position and be considered. Up here on the board, each of us is going to have a question for you and we look forward to hearing your answers. I'm going to start with Trustee Delatorre. Good evening, Ms. Medina. Thank you for your application and for taking the time to be with us this evening. Your first question this evening is, why are you interested in serving as a board member for San Ardo City Schools? Um well, I thought about a lot of things when I was first applying. Um I think the biggest thing right now is that school board members are not the most popular and that's cuz of the ongoing budget challenges, just a many things going
105on, but I think the biggest thing is that we that you guys have all lost the trust of the community and I think it is very important that you guys work together and continue to repair the trust that was lost. And I want to be a part of a community and of a team that continues to not stop and that continues to fight for what's right and continues to support our students and our families. Ms. Medina, thank you. Um First off, um you're blessed and maybe in the eyes of some, maybe cursed having my last name. This is already getting confusing. The the question for me is, as a trustee, um what do you see as your primary purpose or primary role and what is your highest priority and why? Actually, before you start that,
106if if I can ask that you take the conversation out, I'm able to hear it from all the way up here, so May I please proceed? If you want us to repeat the question, we can. Yeah, I just need the question again. As a trustee, what do you see as your primary purpose or primary role? And what is your highest priority and why? As a trustee, I believe that it's important to have transparency, honesty, and continuing to continuing to um sorry, communicate effectively. As one of my highest priority would be to continue to give and help all the students, even with the limited resources. All right, Trustee Prack. What do you see as your role as a board member in defending the rights of historically marginalized students? What is your understanding of equity and excellence?
107As a young female of color, I feel like it's an important and I was taught that every no matter what to always speak up for the ones who can't, for the ones who are unable to, for the ones who are maybe monolingual Spanish speakers, who maybe are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, or just who are afraid to speak up. And I would continue to advocate for any members that have trouble. My understanding of equity is that we all start somewhere. We all start at different paces. And it's important It's important to continue to help each other. So, everyone has access to success. Excellence is continuing Sorry. Is continuing to help others to strive for the best. Trustee Hawkins? Almost forgot it was my turn. Um, could you support a board decision you didn't vote
108in favor of? And how would you handle that? When I would be voting, I would be voting for the people in my community. I wouldn't be voting for the popular vote. I'd be voting for what I feel is right and what best serves our community. Uh, Trustee Curry? You would be the board representative from your trustee area. How does that inform your work? And how do you view your responsibilities as a board member representing your area versus all the students in Santa Rosa City Schools? I would be representing not only the board, but the district, the families in my community, and I would continue to carry myself with the in a respectful in a respectful manner. So, as a board we've made a series of difficult financial decisions to ensure that we have a balanced
109budget. This includes layoffs of over 100 people, campus closures, and other very difficult reductions. Can you please share your thoughts on this fiscal stabilization plan moving forward? And since we're past the legal timeline for personnel reductions, how would you ensure we take the necessary action to maintain a balanced budget? In all honesty with you guys, I do not understand what is going on. I have I feel like I've been left with so many unanswered questions, and I would want to take the time to learn and understand what is going on and why, and what we have benefited from from these different budgetary challenges. Trustee Creo. Lastly, what is your vision for the Santa Rosa City Schools community? I would like to bridge the digital divide between families and the schools. I understand, yes, and I've
110done my research that there is the SRJC providing classes, but it's also very difficult sometimes for our community to find transportation, child care, or different things to help in that manner. But I would just continue advocating for our students and families and really create a deeper connection that we would need. Thank you very much, and thank you for your time and your willingness to step forward to serve. Uh we're going to excuse you, and then we'll move to our deliberation. Thank you. We are checking to see if they will all join us or if they all stay away. Anyway. write them down. Okay. So, when they all invite them all to join us, sorry we changed the process midway, so what legal counsel gave us is a little different than what we're doing. Um So,
111once they all join us, we'll move to deliberation. Uh we'll then see if there are nominations, and then we'll act on those nominations. And while we're waiting for our last um applicant to join us, I do want to ask the board's uh consent uh after we're done with this item to adjust our agenda to take up item 3B, the public hearing, since we have students waiting. Is there any objection if we do that after this item? No objection. Okay. Seeing no objections for everyone out there, uh that way you know the public hearing um 3B, which is on the CCLA charter, will be the next item. I appreciate how patient the children are being. I know, it's getting late. Can we just start? Let's just follow up. Is there an update on ETA? Did he
112go home? Uh All righty. Well, I just wanted to once again thank each of you for applying and willing willing to step up for this position. Uh we're going to go into discuss amongst the board based on your interviews and then I will seek nominations from the board. So, first, is there any discussion? Can you go a little more detail on what you'd like our discussion to look like and be about, President Castaneda? Um it's any discussion that we would like to have prior to making nominations. So, I I it's not for me to limit it. Uh it's it could be about any any component of the applicants or the decision before us. Um that you believe would contribute to or potentially uh persuade the other members of the board in your particular direction. So,
113um so, I'm going to trust Medina then trust Delatorre. Um, I feel like overall I've I've heard enough and I just like to make a motion to appoint um, Teresa Medina as the new trustee for area two. Okay, I will take that as a nomination. Um, is there is there a second? There'll still be room for deliberation and we can still make other nominations. Well, well just to be clear, it's not a nomination process. We appoint. We're voting to appoint. Correct. It'll be an action of the board. What I mean is there is still an opportunity for other members to suggest a different motion. So, uh, we have a motion. Is there a second at this time? All right, hearing no second we'll move forward with further deliberation. We can still come back to All
114right. Um, did you wish to give comments? Sure. Um, I think well, first off, I was I was impressed. Um, I think one of the things that stood out for me, um, from the application, um, specifically on uh, on Ms. Medina, is the a recent graduate of Murrieta Valley High School. One of the criticisms that we received as a board as of late is that we have these students on our board that are that serve in an advisory role and some have said, well, why do you even have them up there? Um, and so I think that connection to being a recent graduate of the school, um, provides that recent connection to what students are experiencing. Um, also the responses were surprisingly good in my opinion, um, relatively speaking. And also the fact that there
115was a community support, um, I think what Mr. Gotovina um spoke out about um Miss Miss Medina being kind of a ray of sunshine and this being kind of what we need to inspire and and the idea of bringing new leaders, of developing new leaders, all stood out to me. So, it's that breath of everything collectively that um makes me want to support um Fresen Medina. And it's not just cuz of the last name, no blood relation, no marriage relation as far as I know. Um coincidental. But maybe there's significance in that. All right. I'm going to go to Trustee Delatorre and Jenkins. Um first and foremost, I want to thank all three of you for filling out applications and stepping up for the opportunity. Um I for one was in your position 3 years
116ago. Um so, I understand the weight that comes with that and the weight of that decision to step up to a very important role and position. Um for the rest of us to consider. Um this essentially is a 7-month term. So, being appointed to this seat, it will be on the ballot in November. Um if someone is appointed tonight and they choose that they enjoy what they're doing, they have the right to apply to be on the ballot for another term. Um and the and if others feel they would like the seat, they have the right to apply for that seat in November and it would be up to the constituents of that district to determine who that board member be moving forward after November. Um for the applicants, it's kind of a nice short-term
117way to see if this is for you um for this board. Um this is a very crucial position to get filled. We're missing a vote right now and it's really hurting not to have that vote. Um but it's also something that um we're appointing through November at this point. So, I just want to make sure we're all aware of that and considering that through this process. Um, I'm also curious if there's a process um, if there was not a consensus of one of these three to appoint. Um, just so the whole board understands what that process is and how we best move forward this evening. So, the the answer on the process question is that we would continue to seek a motion until we appoint. Um, if we fail to appoint, then there we are
118at the time limit and it would move to a special election. Which has us which we can get to the conversation what that means if we get there. Um, but I'd like to hope that we might solve that before we get to that conversation. But, it's really important that you mention that and you make the rest of the board aware that a special election does have a hefty price tag attached to it. Exactly. All right, I'm going to go Trustee Jenkins, Pratt, Kirby, and then myself. Yes, and mine actually is not deliberation. It's just a thank you, um, following up on what uh Trustee De La Torre just said. I appreciate the three of you applying, um, and keeping in mind that this is a short-term. If you do not get appointed tonight, I encourage
119you to continue to follow our meetings and see uh if that's something that you want to do. Um, but then also uh go sign up at Voters Registrar to get on the ballot. Steve Pratt. I think Thank you for applying. I was really worried that nobody would want this glamorous position. Um, I do appreciate your fighting spirit, Teresa. You remind me a younger version of me and I was doing the math and I realized that I'm old enough to be your mother. So, then there was that other reality that was hitting me. Um So, for me there I appreciate you applying. And I want I think you're going to do a lot of good in our community and we need people like you. I do have concerns with how young you are. Not that I
120think that's a a problem, but with age comes experiences and wisdom. And there's a lot of difficult decisions that are going to be on here. And so, you know, I have a lot to think about while we're up here. Shawn, I do appreciate that you went to visit schools and to connect with the principals and the staff and um it shows that you're really interested and invested. Don, I appreciate you bringing up drug abuse and how uh we need more opportunities to have safe places to uh overcome addiction. Thank Trustee uh Kirby and then I'll give my comments. Yeah, I also want to uh just give my appreciation for you three. Uh most of us are up here, we end up running unopposed. Uh so, it's nice that we actually have a choice. Uh and
121just seeing the diversity in our in the just your area of our of uh the small uh of that trustee area. Um again, not only age, but just uh the whole range of uh of ideas and uh it was great to hear from all three of you. Um yeah, and if again, I echo if you're if you're not selected tonight, please put your name on the ballot in November. Thanks. And for my comments for each of you, thank you for applying. Mr. Hernandez, your experiences, your life experiences, your concerning care that you've expressed for the folks that you've served both in education and throughout the community, I really appreciate that perspective and it's really important. Mr. DeFazio, we've been around in similar circles for many, many years. I'm aware of your strong reputation and the
122work that you've done to bring diverse groups together in many of your experiences. For someone with your experience to be willing to join us at this point in time, I it's it's I appreciate you being willing to stand up. And Ms. Medina, thank you for putting yourself out here. Recent experiences, both Trustee Medina and I share past student and youth leadership positions where we were always the youngest in a large variety of things that that we did and it's people like you that you know, continue to motivate and inspire and give us that fresh vision. So, for each of you, thank you for being willing to step forward and your contributions. Now that we've all had a chance to speak unless Trustee Curiel wants to I mean it's but Trustee Curiel? Just just a quick,
123you know, like how everyone else said, thank you so much for applying for this position. It was amazing to hear all you guys' responses. You guys are all very professional. So, just really great job and you guys are doing amazing for yourselves. Thank you. And I'm now going to go to Trustee Del Toro and then to Trustee Medina. Um [snorts] one more piece that's really weighing on me and and what tonight's decision and whatever way it goes and just ensure the rest of my colleagues hear this is um we're in the unfortunate position of recently needing to appoint um Ms. Prack to her seat and looking to fill District 2 seat tonight because both of those board members needed to exit to position due to health concerns. This is a very heavy role and I
124wish there was opportunity ask more questions because that's stuff that we have to weigh on ourselves and our conscious of trying to make judgment calls on the ability to um what's your self-care? What's your ability to compartmentalize and not be defined by the position and still be the individual you are to your family as in your community? Um with the amount of intense pressure and passion and comments that we we receive from the community. Um this is a position. We are a team. There are seven votes. Um none of this is on any one of our shoulders individually um and trying to find the right piece to add to that collective is really important. But uh mental health and self-care um are extremely crucial in roles like these. Trustee Medina. Uh thank you. Um and
125yes, [clears throat] stress within this is definitely something to consider. I stress eat, so. Um I think one thing that um I did want to highlight because the idea of being young has been brought up and I think a significant person that stands out to me um is a young man that at 19 started on the school board and now is in the state senate and that's Mike McGuire. He started on the school board at 19 um moved on to city council, board of supervisors, and the state. And so I think that um it's a great place to learn but you do have to have a thick skin. And I think um that's important to recognize but I think um from my perspective I'm always advocating for youth and and I think that young leaders
126is something that's really important. And I think it was brought up by someone, I'm not sure where, but that that idea, I think it was Ms. Nuñez um that we need those young voices, those young perspectives to provide further balance. Um and so I think I'm I'm strongly advocating for Ms. Medina because of that. Any other comments? I and I'll end by saying I think one of the things I value the most about the work that we have had chance to do up here in the last 18 months is that we've all been able to openly engage in policy disagreements without any of us There's there's no clear place where those votes land up. And I think that's been a very healthy behavior and I look forward to welcoming one of you to join us.
127I we do need to make a decision though. So I'm going to look for a motion. Trustee Jenkins. Um I Do I say I move to appoint? I move to nominate? Move to appoint. Uh I move to appoint Mr. Dufossé um with the understanding I really really really encourage both of you to um put your name on the ballots cuz this is a short-term situation. We have there's just a lot. Is there a second for the motion? I'll I'll move to appoint um Ms. Medina again. All right. I'm going to for Trustee Jenkins' motion, let it fail without a second. We have a motion from Trustee Medina. For Ms. Medina, is there a second? All right, that motion will fail for lack of a second. Is there any discussion that is necessary or that would
128help? My other alternative will be to move the agenda to 3B, recognizing that we will return to this item as this meeting progresses cuz we have to take action tonight on this item. So, uh if there are no comments, that's what I'll do, but I would encourage us to have comments. All right, Trustee Jenkins. So, I have comments. My comments are that I fully recognize that appointing you up here will make the board a little bit unbalanced all right now. I fully recognize that, and it's one of my big things about being on the board with the structure of the board with McNally, too, was that it it has been so balanced. And I do think that you are the best person for this role right now. I don't know what that looks like in
129the future, but with all that the district is going through, your experience both in governing and the community and as a parent is a connection piece, and it's also a piece that we need to drive forward right now and continue to We need to rebuild absolutely our connections, our relationships. We need to continue to rebuild those. But we need to drive forward. And there's like we meet so much. There is so much work to being on the board. Um and I I want your your voice up here, the younger voice. I want it so bad. So bad. And your experience, your life experience. But for right now, that is that's the reason why I would like Mr. DuFosee up here. I don't know how that weighs on others or if people have more to that
130conversation. Um but I do recognize that we definitely need to make um we need to do something tonight. >> you have an opportunity to prove that you want that young experience up here so bad by voting for Ms. Medina. Um but but I think I would also counter and saying that um that community relationship um that you mentioned in Ms. doesn't necessarily mean that um Ms. Medina doesn't have it looking over her application, you know. Uh she talked about um her work with the Boys & Girls Club, um the work with the Sonoma County Lowrider Council. Um I think that's large engagement. Um there's that's a huge community, right? That we need to connect with um and that exists out there. So I think just because there's a lack of years in age doesn't mean
131that there isn't any type of connection. And I think there's an opportunity. So keep pushing. So just and and a lot that um I I don't know, but I do have concerns um with Mr. DuFosee. I I don't know any engagement, so maybe this could be addressed. Um potential conflicts of interest in um representation of organizations that we may interact with or So I don't know what exists in terms of labor unions, contracts and stuff like that. So um that's something that I don't know, but it's something that I worry about. So, for right now, I do want to make sure we stick to the information that's been presented to us and is before all of the board members. Um just to be clear on what I view as the process. If we do not
132get a motion and a second to install the past, I'm going to move to my item 3B. That'll give staff time to prepare some information for us on what the consequences of a special election would be. Um and so, we come back to this item after we took up item 3B. I'm I'm going to make the motion again to approve Ms. Medina. I think We need to take action. So, I'm making the motion. I think it's our responsibility to take action. So, let's step up. Do your jobs. That's all I'm going to say. Do I have a second for the motion? All right, hearing no second, then I'm going to proceed with Oh. Trustee Prack. My motion is for Shawn DeFosse. All right. So, you're going to move in for Shawn DeFosse. All right, so
133we have a motion from uh Trustee Prack and seconded by Trustee Jenkins for Shawn DeFosse. Uh any further deliberation? I would ask if if we can ask about potential conflicts of interest. Because we selected a process that required each candidate to be sequestered during the questions, um I I we can't directly ask those questions there. Um Well, and doesn't when they get the applications in or when Melanie receives applications, don't they screen them? Uh not >> Not a question I'm allowed to ask. It's not that you can't ask. It's not It's the It is the responsibility of each of us to know what our conflicts of interest are. Um if we if there was a conflict through contracting that would disqualify the entire board from acting. Um that's something that would get disclosed at the
134time it was brought forward, but um until they file their form 700 for taking office like we all did, that's really their responsibility is to make sure that they don't act in conflict. Which is similar to discussions and issues we've had about some of us as well. And there's only till after you're appointed that you would have to do that. Exactly. Would that not be the case with Boys and Girls Club as well? So these are questions that it's best that I know I mean I know the answers to like a nonprofit or a government employee contract, so you know, if you're a nonprofit employee or a government employee you just need to excuse yourself versus it, but I'm also not We all take the ethics trainings, so I'm just repeating what comes in those
135ethics trainings. Um if if we want to go down the road of this full conversation before we engage, then we should move to the next item, request that legal counsel join us and answer our questions. Can we do it the other way and appoint and then deal with this I mean, I'm assuming there's nothing on tonight's agenda that's going to be conflict of interest. There's only We we do not know and it's not our responsibility. We'd ask them if they need to abstain from anything when when they join us. But you know, the So if this legal question's a concern, we should get legal counsel to join us. And so I have a motion and a second, so unless there's any objection, I'm going to move to the vote. The fact that just legalities have
136been questioned, I believe those need to be verified before we can duly move forward. So I'll take that I appreciate the motion and the second and I'm ready to vote, but if there's any legal uncertainties, we definitely need to ask. So then I'll ask if there's any objection to us moving the agenda to item 3B while we have legal counsel join us. I'm fine with that. Everyone's fine. I apologize, but we are going to do that. So. We really are a functioning board. Scratch this. We It's healthy conflict, I promise. Um so, with that, I'm going to move us to item 3B, while our superintendent secures us legal counsel. You're welcome to stay, but we also understand your time. So, please have a seat, and I'll welcome down our presenters for the public hearing on
137the CCLA charter renewal. All right. Director Mendoza Torres, I'll have you introduce your presenters along with Dr. Castro. Um and I do I I do have some clarifications for everyone on our charter renewal process. If you've been following, we have considered independent and dependent charters. Um our dependent charter process is slightly different than our independent charter process, and that's because we are also the board of trustees for the dependent charters. So, for the independent charters, we have a two-meeting process. For the dependent charters, we're going to have a three-meeting process. This meeting is us acting as the board for the charter to review, receive comment on the on the petition, and also have the ability for us as the board of for the charter to suggest or provide things that we wish to see changed
138or, you know, comment on the direction. The second meeting that we will have for each of our dependent charters is us acting as the authorizing entity for the charter, which is where we will receive public comment on that finalized charter application. And then the third meeting that we will have on the dependent charters is where we will take action on either approving or denying that petition. Um so, I know it's confusing and that's why I'm going to reiterate that for each of these meetings as to where we are. So, for our uh public hearing on the CCLA charter renewal, this is our hearing acting as the board for CCLA. And I am hoping that that long explanation gave time for the technical uh issues to get perfect. We're getting close here. All right. I tried
139to add more words to my introductions each time and uh we do have a 10-minute time limit for the presentation and we'll move to opening for comment. Did it. Good evening, Superintendent August Hue, President Caston, members of the board, students, staff, and community of Santa Rosa City Schools. We're here tonight uh for the public hearing, first of three meetings for the very important charter renewal for CCLA. Presenting tonight are um the community of CCLA and to start us off is interim principal Gabriela Mendoza Torres. >> [clears throat] >> Good afternoon, Superintendent August and board's members. Uh my name's Gabriela Mendoza Torres and I am the proud interim principal here at CCLA. I have with me a couple of our chair or of our charter renewal members, um, Maestra Ackerman, Maestra De Vasu, and Maestra Brown.
140Um, next slide, please. All right, so who we are. I know I only have about 10 minutes, but this is going to go fast and I know that some of you have some questions, so here we go. Um, we are a TK eight dual language program, meaning that we teach Spanish. Uh, we start off with all of the students understanding and learning Spanish as their first language in the primary grades and then moving towards um, acquiring English at the later grades. Um, we are a 90/10 model, meaning that every school year we increase our English English language by 10%. We are bilingual, bicultural, by choice, and biliterate. I messed that up. And we currently serve 761 students, um, that are currently enrolled at our school site. So, this here is just a timeline of all
141of the work that we have done. By me, we I mean all the work that y'all have done because this process of having this charter happen actually started back in 2013 and actually way before that, right? I believe um, we started all of that work prior to 2013 when the first charter uh, was actually here and a, um, y'all took action on the first charter and then with that it has been evolving into um, what is currently right now, where we are looking to continue serving our students and looking to expanding our offerings from not just a TK eight, but going on to a TK 12. Here Here we are by the numbers. This is just us as who we are currently. We serve 761 students, 49 certificated staff. So, that is just looking at
142also our specialty specials, our RSP, speech speech and language pathologies, our 31 classified employees from our custodial staff to our um IAs, so our instructional assistants and our, you know, yard duty and supervision staff as well. Um Yeah. Those are just some numbers. Um here some of the charter updates. So, there's two charter updates in our programming. And one of our charter updates is with our offerings in our seventh and eighth grade. Currently, we have two two strands inside of our seventh and eighth grade offering or program, where we have our bilingual track, where students take three three classes in Spanish, which is currently their Spanish class, their math class, and their history class. And then the rest of their classes are in English. And then we also have a strand of students who don't
143take any classes in Spanish and also have the opportunity to take an elective class in Spanish or take the Spanish class. What we're trying to do with our new update is to be able to offer the all of our students the capacity to take a Spanish class. So, making sure that the language acquisition or the the language academy portion of our name is actually truthful by them being able to access a a Spanish class and have that be part of their seven period day. Um also, we have students that are the exception like our students who are recent arrivals, who are taking their classes they're part of the dual language strand, but we would like to make sure that that opens up for all of our students who have the capacity of being able to
144take the classes or the core curriculum classes in Spanish as well. So, not just English, but Spanish and kind of opening it up to our 7th and 8th grade school population. So, that's one of the changes in our charter. And just you know, cuz I know it's not up there, you have about 3 more minutes. Yep. Um the next the next big charter update is our 9th through 12th expansion, which looking at an offering of virtual classes and also the possibility with hybrid hybrid offerings where we partner up with the high schools where students can take some classes online, which right now we were looking at ingenuity as our platform and then some classes in person. With that, being able to partner up with our with our community, so partner up with our our Santa
145Rosa JCs and Sonoma State to be able to create those dual enrollment opportunities, but that's something that we're we're working towards. Um parent advocacy and bilingual workshops, especially with the college and career um pathways or just ready information for the students and for our community to have. So, this is some of our timeline that we have used and some of the that we had yeah, that we've done in renewing this charter. Also, our charter committee here, these are a couple of parents that have been here and teachers and community members and counselors, but I really want to say that this isn't something that I started, it's something that the entire community, um, prior to me arriving and being in front of y'all have started doing this work. Um, so I'm just honored to be here
146to be able to present um, the evolution and explain to y'all the evolution of this. Okay. Thank you. So, for the board, we're going to move to our questions next and then we'll move to the public hearing for us acting as the board of CCLA um, and then we'll move to discussion um, if there is any direction discussion that we want to give. Want to emphasize for the public that the uh, petition as it is presented today may change between today and the next meeting. The next meeting is where we would receive the public comment on that final petition and then the meeting after that is where we would take action. Um, so just re-emphasizing the process. So, for questions we'll start with trustee Dale La Torre and then we'll go trustee Medina. Thank you
147so much for the presentation. Um, so just a couple clarifications. Um, CCLA's current model or future attempt is not a true full dual immersion program. Dual language immersion program. Uh, yes and no. So, we are dual immersion school. However, when we hit grade seventh and eighth, that's when we start to differ. So, we have two strands. We have our dual immersion strand so our students who have been with us from TK all the way through. And then what we did when we merged with Lawrence Cook Middle School is we included an English only strand so that because we got rid of our feeder to LC, we it was important to us that we still served our community on the west side and to do that without them having the bilingual background, we allow them to
148enter at seventh grade. So half our school is elementary and half our school starts right at seventh grade and they we only have them for two years. So that leads me to my next point that I have a lot of concerns of of with LC Allen going 7th through 12th next year, how are we and we're got declining enrollment and we're struggling for students, how do we foresee supporting both campuses with a 7th and 8th grade student need? Thank you for asking that question. We had the same concerns our middle school teachers did. I have emailed um Lisa August, she came her and um um assistant soup Castro came and they assured us we have nothing to worry about. Dr. Tora, would you like Not necessarily the answer I'm looking for. So if we can
149get some clarification as to what that means cuz as a board that sets policy and direction and as a board that will be part of the process of um approving a renewal for this program, I really need to know what our vision is for 7th 8th grade students with Santa Ana. Thank you for the vote of confidence but um I think the specifics around that and um uh we don't have uh Dr. Bardelli here or uh Superintendent August Hume but the specifics around that have to do with what we expected where we expect to be pulling the students from um for LC Allen High School versus CCLA. And um I don't want to speak um to the exact I have an idea in my head of where the 140 something students that were supposed to
150be pulled to LC Allen for next year coming from the two different schools than from CCLA but and I'd like I said 90% certain what those schools are but I'd hate to speak incorrectly right now on the record so I can wait for Miss August Hume to come back and speak to the specifics of that but you are correct we did assure you of that when we went and visited the school that they would be drawing from different campuses. That's the projected plan for both of the schools. You you are right to have that concern but that is the the current plan right now. Let's see Medina and then Prack. Thank you. So I have a few questions. First off thank you. Um love the Garcelle's all the work y'all do. Um love the marching
151band and all the cultura y comunidad. Um one question on page 69 um is the geographic preference, right? And um I'm wondering if that section is still necessary with L C Allen moving to 7-12. So page 69 you're referring to our lottery and admissions process, correct? Remember that section. And so one of the pieces that we need to re-look at and actually intentionally re-look at with our with F3 our lawyer the lawyers is this a specific section. Um this section was the section that was done when 2018 when y'all renewed and finished the merger. Um so this is the this is the same language and this is something that um uh F3 the lawyer from F3 has said we need to make sure that we re-look at um to make sure that it's up to
152date. So this is a portion that we still need to look at. I think I I'd like to say that I appreciated with when meeting with folks from CCLA about this that um they don't want to have any adverse action on what's happening in El Segundo. Um but this this specific portion was put in when Cook was closed and there was no school there. But now there is at 7-12, so my recommendation is that this geographic preference item be um taken out cuz I don't think it's needed and I think it it just um makes it fair overall for the bigger picture. Um we actually discussed that at the charter or at the charter renewal and we as a group we recommended that that be taken out. Cool. So that's done. >> And we'll get
153uh our suggestions for changes after we take the public comment. >> My my next question is around the um the virtual high school component and how it's kind of being presented as maybe um potential placements with other schools, other high schools in the question revolves around funding. Um who gets the ADA if the students are at let's say, I don't know, Montgomery High School but they're a CCLA student. Um um how does that work? Does the district bill CCLA for that or does Montgomery I I I don't know. I don't understand that financing component. Could that be kind of explained? What does ADA mean again? Average daily attendance. Thank you. Superintendent Rounds? Sure. Thank you. So the students >> [laughter] >> the students would be primarily enrolled with CCLA, which is where they would need
154to why they would need to be participating in at least the minimum day as part of their schedule um with in in the case of independent study through Edgenuity. And so the ADA goes to CCLA and then CCLA would pay if if the student is choosing to participate in, you know, say a CTE class where they have access to specialized, you know, equipment and and facilities at a at a campus. Say they were taking a class at Montgomery, it would be that that CCLA would pay Montgomery the portion the prorated cost of the student participating there. So, my Can I just clarify? My understanding for >> Your microphone. Oh. I just have to get closer. My understanding is cuz on page 30 of the senior high program here, I specifically placed a minimum of four
155academic courses online. And that's when we're looking at the minutes equivalents to an online course. It's um an ADA. It it needed to be at least four classes online. So, the majority of the school day for the students will be online. BSCCLA's program. Um And And the the other question is how And I don't know if I missed it. Probably did. Um is the the dual immersion part playing out in that secondary level? For the high school? That is definitely something that we talked about right now. And in conversations with um actually uh one of our Mr. G Galligan. Um he walked me through Ingenuity and the platform. And so, Ingenuity has the ability to be able to translate um and allow students to translate into toggle back and forth in in a different language.
156I know that they have Spanish so that they can be receiving um their online portion in Spanish. That is something that we would need to be looking for and actually actively asking and having a conversation with Ingenuity on whether or not that's something like how would that work for our program programming specifically with our language allocations. So, just to be clear, this isn't core subjects being taught in Spanish. They're using some translation service. All right, for questions, Trustee Prack, and then and then Trustee Jenkins. And then we'll go from there. Hi. Uh okay. So, for the charter renewal updates, thank you for the presentation. Um for the Virtual Academy with the at least four online courses, so does that mean that they're not taking four classes in person? Like it's just they're reducing their school
157schedule, so it's kind of like independent study? Okay. And then um with the incl- in-person classes through uh the dual enrollment with SRJC, is that similar to um uh Piner's dual enrollment? So, Piner or Santa Rosa Junior College pays for the book or the books are free? I would want to Or who pays for the textbooks? That's a great question, and I would need to get more information and get back to how who would be paying for the textbooks. Okay. Cuz then I think we lose the FTEs, right? I think we're confused over >> I think I'm confused with the language. So, dual enrollment assumes that you have a professor from the college who teaches on the high school campus and offers. That's one one way you can view it. Uh definition, the other definition
158of dual enrollment is a student is taking classes at the JC. And unfortunately, in the state of California, they're used interchangeably, which causes lots of confusion because how that works out is completely different depending on which model you go through. Right, because my kids are in the early college magnet program at Pine Heron, so we don't pay for the textbooks, but I have to pay for the health fees. Uh Okay. And then is there talk of Well, with the presentation, with the English only track, there's no discussion to move that to LC so that they can have more of a comprehensive middle school? And is bussing still happening at at CCLA? No? No. Okay. Bussing bussing This is our first year of not offering bussing. So, students have not been bussed over to CCLA. Okay.
159>> And at this at this time, we for 7th and 8th grade to our community and to our our target community and to the parents, um it is important for them to have a comprehensive 7th and 8th grade 8th grade school. Mhm. Therefore, the conversation of having our students be moved over to LCL and Just the English only track. >> Just the English only even just the English only is not something that we we would like. We would like to make sure that we keep our students to be able to continue to serve our 7th and 8th grade students. Clarification. We would like in an ideal world for us to stay how we are and to stay on this campus. That being said, we the middle school teachers feel that we need to do what's
160best for our students. The majority of the middle school students our teachers are open to that possibility. LC has also indicated that they would welcome us and they are also open to that. Thank you. All right. I have trustee Jenkins, Kirby, myself, and then I'll go around for a second round. Um two questions, one is short, one is not. The first one is I know um related to the high school Edgenuity Edgenuity Edgenuity, however you say it, and the on campus classes, if they are like um the CTE classes and the band and things of that sort, how does that play I guess this may be a question for you. How does that How will that play into um class size? It would depend be dependent on on space availability. So the first >> that
161be like a a not a launching point, but um like if if kids are enrolled from CCLA and the numbers at like 32, but then CCLA has two kids, and so now it's 34, that may change if a class flies or not, right? Or whatever our numbers are. So when we get into the specifics of scheduling, it's just like any anywhere else when in any other school or class that when a class I when a class is full, some they need to pick another choice. Um you know, we wouldn't be able to add to go over necessarily depending on what that what the teachers overages are, you know, because it's a 165 is >> But would it be counted in the ability to to offer a class? The minimum instead of the maximum. >> Yeah.
162Yes. Okay. That's something that we would have to look at through HR through our our processes the way that we do on anything else. >> Yeah. It [clears throat] It's the the piece about like being able to go to to a different school and how how we're as a district dealing with classes being eliminated I just how that play together. The other piece was the budget piece. I asked it, I got an answer, but could somebody explain it? I have a feeling Roderick may have this information or maybe it's superintendent. About the um fund balance. >> fund balance. Yes. Do you have it there in front of you? Go ahead. Well, I have it here in front of me, but I'm now looking at our end fund balance. So, remind you the question was of
163whether or not we meet our 3% reserves. And if we in this budget we are able to. Right? That was the question. Yes, and like how that applies with it. I didn't I wasn't quite sure if it applied the same way for a charter versus a whole district. Are you guys supposed to be at the 3%? My understanding is ideally it would be 5%, but how does that play into your current budget? Yep. Yes, so the 3% still applies to us as a charter, even though we are a charter. Um and I will pass it over to Superintendent August. So, charters aren't set in law the same in Ed Code the same way as as districts. The best practice is for charters to have 5%. However, as they are a dependent, it is ultimately if
164they don't have a have the funds available, then it does impact the district's general fund versus as an independent it wouldn't as long as we're doing the oversight. So, that's why we work really closely between our fiscal department and and the charters. In the past, we have subsidized um you know, different programs. It hasn't been There hasn't been the clarity between charter budgets and district budgets and what's been paid for. So, that's the piece that we've been separating out and working on that transparency to make sure charters are self-supporting. They're not necessarily an extension of all of the district programs, but we do have partnerships. They currently don't have a fund balance, or is that >> They They do have a fund balance. >> Okay, great. Is it close to 3%? Beautiful. Yes, when I
165asked um Joel and we looked through it, yes, we do have a fund balance of 3% and it's actually a little bit over. So, I'm going to Trustee Kirby and then I'm going to come to myself. Um I do want to remind all of our trustees that we have some kids waiting to comment, so we can also ask more questions after public comment, but I want to get our first round. So, Trustee Kirby. Yeah, I'll I'll wait until I have to comment then. All right, I'll I'll also wait if everyone's okay with us moving to the public comment. We can because we have three meetings, we can still ask questions after that. So, Let the kids talk. All right, with that I'm going to go ahead and open the public hearing and the public comment.
166Thank you, President Caston. I'm going to call three names at a time. You have 1 minute if you can make your way to the podium. We're going to do the students first. The first name is Olina Diaz, followed by Brianna Poling, followed by Lily Roman. Good evening. My name is Olina Diaz and I am in second grade at Santa Rosa Language Academy. At my school, I get to learn in English and in Spanish. I feel really proud that I can speak in two languages. Being bilingual is import is important to me because I can talk to more people and help them there and help when there is a language barrier. I like being able to step in and help my community. My school is very special to me and I know what to say to
167stay and I want to stay there all the way to eighth grade. Please renew our school's charter so we can stay at our school and keep learning and growing as bilingual students. Thank you. Next we have Brianna Poling followed by Lily Roman followed by Lisa Reed. Hello Brianna. I'm in third grade in CCLA. My teacher is Miss Antive my maestra Antive. We and I like art and math and I love our school. Please support CCLA. Next is Lily Roman followed by Lisa Reed followed by Magdalene. Oh, sorry. Go ahead. Hello. Hello. Hi. Good evening. My name is Lily Roman. I'm a mom [clears throat] of three kids who have attended and are currently in Santa Rosa City Schools. I also served on the CCLA Cook Merger Committee and currently sit on the Charter Renewal Committee.
168I'm here to support our Language Academy Charter Renewal. I have a kindergarten at our school and my older child was part of the very first group of students when the school shared an overcrowded campus with Comstock. Back then, we faced real challenges, limited classrooms without reliable heating or AC, small recess play areas, non-working water fountains. Despite that, what stood out to me was the commitment to building something meaningful for our kids. What I love about our school is it gives all my children access to truly bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural education. During my time on the merger committee, families came together to advocate for a true, sustainable, comprehensive K-8 model. And a key priority during that was ensuring that access to our school for local neighborhood students existed. Today, our school is deeply rooted in Southwest
169Santa Rosa and thank you for continuing to support it. Next is Lisa Reed, followed by Alma Magdalen, followed by Alyssa Keeney-Roe. Good evening. Lisa Reed, I'm the proud superintendent of the Wright Elementary School District. As a Sonoma County educator in year 34 of my educational career and as an equity-driven leader, I appreciate, I understand the research, and I fully support strong and robust dual language immersion programs. As you know, CCLA currently exists and operates within the Wright Elementary School District boundaries without the approval of the Wright Elementary School District Board, which is required. The revised charter renewal petition on tonight's agenda is a 102-page document proposing a TK-12 dual immersion, dual language immersion school that would move the school out of the Wright ESD boundaries and into the Santa Rosa City School high school boundaries.
170Of the 102 pages, there is only one short sentence and a few bullet points on page that describe the entire proposed 9th through 12th grade senior high program. Thank you very much for your comments. Thank you. Next is Alma Magdalen followed by Alyssa Keeney Foot Row followed by Brenda Davalos. My name is Alma Magallon and I'm a proud parent at Santa Rosa Language Academy. Our school is not just teaching Spanish and English. It is shaping thoughtful, culturally grounded students who will give back to Sonoma County guided by a philosophy of being bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural by choice. Biliteracy takes time. It is built over a full TK through 8 pathway where students develop academic language, confidence, and fluency. Without those middle school years, that process is cut short. We understand that the changes in state
171law and district boundaries after our move to comp- to co-campus have created new constraints that would could require our school to relocate. While this board cannot change those laws, it does have the authority over the charter renewal and the material revisions before it including the opportunity to support a thoughtful path forward that allows us to remain and continue serving students. I hope you will consider the impact of this decision and thank you so much for your time. Next is Alyssa Keeney Row followed by Brenda Davalos followed by Dylan Poling. Hello, my name is Alyssa Keeney Row and I am a proud parent of two children at two different charter schools at Santa Rosa City Schools and I'm very dedicated to Santa Rosa City Schools. I've sat on the charter renewal for both SRE and here
172at Santa Rosa Language Academy. It is really important to me that the people in our Santa Rosa community have access to the skills and the teachers and the bilingual bicultural bicultural community that is created here. And it's so important that we can continue to be able to provide our students with this in so many different ways. I wanted to um give a shout out to Rincon Valley Schools for allowing um SRE writing a letter to allow SRE to stay over on the Rincon Valley Middle School campus, and I really encourage Santa Rosa City Schools to collaborate with Wright on this as well. Next is Brenda Diablos, followed by Dylan Polling, followed by Jenna Johnson. Buenas noches miembros de la junta directiva. Mi nombre es Ethan Chavez y hoy estoy aquí como estudiante para hablarles de
173algo que realmente importa para nosotros. Porque es importante que Santa Rosa Language Academy continúe ofreciendo los grados 7 y 8 en nuestra comunidad de Santa Rosa. Algo que nos llena de orgullo no es nuestra banda de música en conjunto con Alcíadan. Es una de las mejores y eh eso demuestra lo que los estudiantes pueden lograr cuando tienen acceso a programas fuertes y consistentes. Mantén mantenes los grados 7 y 8 en Santa Rosa Language Academy permitirá que más estudiantes sin >> Thank you for your comments. Good evening, board members. My name is Ethan Chavez and I'm here as a student to talk to you about something that's truly important for us. Why is it important to keep Santa Rosa Language Academy continuing to offer grades 7th and 8th in our Santa Rosa community? Something that fills
174us with pride is our musical band together with LC Allen. It's one of the best and it shows that students can succeed when they have access to programs that are strong and consistent. To maintain grades in 7th and 8th grade 7 and 8 in Santa Rosa Language Academy will allow students to integrate and develop their abilities since from from this point is is strengthening even further our our program. For Lastly, I'd like to celebrate the importance of bilingual education and biliterate education in Santa Rosa Language Academy and then you're out of time. Thank you. Next is Dylan Poling followed by Jenin Johnson followed by Pat Bailey. Hello. My name is Dylan Poling. And I am currently a ninth grader at Santa Rosa High School in the ArtQuest Instrumental Music Program. But before that I went
175to CCLA for 10 years, all the way from TK to 8th grade. Because of this, I'm now fluent in both English and Spanish, and this has also allowed me to take AP Spanish as a freshman. The dual immersion education I received at CCLA has opened so many opportunities for me, and hopefully will continue to do the same for many others. Also, CCLA's great band program, led by Mr. Thompson, was an amazing experience that helped enhance my musical career. How many people can say they've marched down Main Street, Disneyland? Clearly, CCLA is a great school with unique, important programs, and so should remain open. Thank you. Gracias. Next is Jenna Johnson, followed by Pat Bailey, followed by Veronica Jordan. Go ahead, Jenna. Hi, my name is Jenna Johnson, and I have three children who have attended
176CCLA. Um, I've gotten to see the elementary school grow from five classes to the exceptional program that it is now, but what I'm really thrilled and want to talk about is how I've seen my kids thrive in our middle school. I didn't I thought that was an oxymoron, but both of my children, who are wildly different, I think had the best years of their K through 8 years in 7th grade at CCLA. Um, my oldest took all the art classes that CCLA offered, and he was handled with grace and wisdom when he got creative outside of class. And my, uh, middle son played every sport that he could, and played four instruments before settling on one that he's now taking less private lessons from. All that wouldn't be possible without our comprehensive middle school, which
177is an essential part of CCLA, and we need to keep it. Thank you. >> Next is Pat Bailey, followed by Veronica Jordan, followed by Andrea Rojas. Good evening. My name's Pat Bailey. I'm the proud parent of fourth grader at CCLA. I'm a frequent volunteer at CCLA. I was prac'd 6 years ago. You can ask Donna what that means. And for the last 2 years I've been a frequent substitute teacher at CCLA. It's obvious to me that the problems we face as a district, a city, a state, and a nation are the result of a shared language, a a shared ability to communicate, shared experiences, etc. We can't solve district, city, state, or national problems if we can't share experiences and we can't communicate. CCLA brings a lot of people together. It brings cultures together and
178removes language as a barrier. My Chinese, Japanese, Irish kid is bilingual and bicultural. I'm not there yet, but I'm working on it. Being a CCLA parent has moved me in the right direction. Lots of events, lots of communications, lots of birthday parties. This one isn't trivial, actually. Lots of of delicious food. Please renew the charter. Thank you very much. Next is Valerie Jordan, followed by Andrea Rojas, followed by Catherine Howell. Veronica Jordan. Uh good evening. Uh my name is Veronica Jordan. I've been with the CCLA community for 11 years and I have six more by my third child. Um I just want to say we've been building this vision for 13 years now. We finally made it to K-8 a few years ago amidst a lot of obstacles. And what's happening what happens at CCLA
179is true desegregation of our schools in our system today. We We that Santa Rosa City Schools has long been segregated as is our city educationally. Um, you can't find a place in the city of Santa Rosa where you can stumble upon 700 bilingual biliterate humans. Not at our JC, not at any of our high schools, not at any of our hospitals, not at our county offices. And can you imagine if you had 760 bilingual individuals working here in this community? Um, it's also I think the only place where white privileged people like myself are buying for the same spot as uh newcomer families and uh Spanish language speaking. So, it's pretty unique and special and we need to keep thriving. Thank you. Next is Andrea Rojas followed by Katherine Hall followed by Maria Salgado. Good
180evening. My name is Andrea Andrea Rojas. I am a former employee of CCLA, but most importantly, I am the mother of a fifth grader and a soon-to-be TK-er. Since our merge with Cook Middle School, the CCLA community has grown to its double. I have had interactions with neighborhood students in which they have shared with me that they love our comprehensive middle school. Since the merge, we have always maintained a wait list making our school of high demand. As a mom, I believe it's important for our dual immersion students to be able to share classes with students that are in our English only track. It promotes inclusiveness inclusivity. I am currently the treasurer for the CCLA Foundation and we work very hard as a committee to create enrichment opportunities and activities for both elementary and middle
181school students to create a sense of community from the beginning of the school year. In the past 3 years, our school has reclassified over 150 students. Thank you. Next is Katherine Hal, followed by Maria Salgado, followed by Kathy Hayes. Good evening, Katherine Hal, former Cook teacher. I just want to say that SRT absolutely supports this charter. We believe in the work that it does. My hesitation is in supporting the way that this charter is going to be allowed to continue by creating a 9-12 school that has no details, has no implementation plan, and is from what I understand really no intention to actually staff it or make sure that it exists at all. And I'd also encourage this board to talk to the middle school teachers. I think creating two programs, two 7-8 programs that
182close together without any kind of comprehensive implementation plan of 7-8 on that part of town is they are going to end up competing with each other. They will not coexist and be comprehensive both of them. There is no possible way for that to happen. There just simply aren't enough 7th and 8th graders. And I think that needs to be taken into consideration when you're looking at this charter renewal. Thank you. Next is Maria Salgado, followed by Kathy Hayes, followed by Manny Morales. Good evening, everyone. >> Thank you very much for your comments. Thank you. That was Maria Salgado. She's the proud mother of three children, Atsiri 16, Aaron 14, and Axel 10, who are enrolled in Santa Rosa Language Academy, CCLA by by its letters that it which it's known. Uh has has provided shaped
183their education identity and the way that they move through the world. All three of my children are fully bilingual in Spanish and English. And they carry proudly carry our traditions from both cultures. That kind of deep cultural and linguistic connection is something only a school like CCLA can nurture. She also threw in that they her children have been reclassified and that was a proud moment. Her two older, Atsiri and Aaron, are now thriving in high school because of the strong foundation they built here. And Atsiri especially is an example of what this community makes possible. She's now fully enrolled in Sonoma State University. And that's where we ran into time. Next is Kathy Hayes, followed by Manny Morales, followed by Jenna Becker. Good evening. Um first and foremost, I'm absolutely a thousand percent supportive of
184the Santa Rosa Language Academy. Um I wish my sons were a little bit younger because this is probably where they likely would have gone, but we didn't weren't given that opportunity to participate because of their age. Um, just a couple points. There's been a lot of collaboration over the years between LC Allen and Santa Rosa Language Academy. And I anticipate that some of those relationships and collaborations will continue. However, in this document it doesn't seem like that those collaborations or opportunities for mutual um, collaboration seem to have any value and that saddens me. Um, I also do have a concern about continued reliance on neighborhood students to support the middle school program. >> much for your comments. >> And um, would like to see something change. Thank you. Next is Manny Morales followed by Jenna
185Becker. Hello, good evening. I'm Manny Morales. I am the parent of four current uh, SRLA students, Santa Rosa Language Academy students and one future um, student. Um, and I'm here um, in support of the approval of the charter, the extension of the charter. I think that um, SRLA um, has and will continue to provide an educational program that addresses inequities um, for our neighborhood students that have historically been present um, in our community and have been detrimental to the education of our youth. Um, it also SRLA also promotes equitable access to education and it's rooted in bilingualism and celebration of culture. So, I urge you to support the renewal of the charter and keeping SRLA on the former um, Lawrence Cook Middle School campus. And I just want to say viva los estudiantes, viva los
186maestros y viva la comunidad. Thanks. Our last speaker is Jenna Becker. Hello. My name is Jenna Becker and I'm a teacher at Comstock Middle School. Um I have a couple questions about this charter renewal process. Um we're closing Comstock, which is a secondary school in the district that is in our elementary and secondary lines just to keep Cook open, which is not in both of our districts. It's a little bit confusing to me as to why CCLA would not move to this campus as it would be officially not in a violating the right district. Um secondly, the secondary program of 7 through 8, um we're creating a 7 through 12 model at LC Allen High School. I think we would all say all staff and all SRTAs would like to say that we would like
187to see that program be robust and fulfilled and great. And so I'm not quite understanding why we're not putting the secondary portion of CCLA at LC Allen High School to make it the best it could possibly be. >> very much for your comments. Thank you. [clears throat] Those are all the cards. All right, we received the comments. I'm going to close comment. Just a reminder, there's two more meetings after this one. Um so when we come back to the board, we'll be able to ask questions as well as give our comments at this point. We're acting as the board for CCLA tonight. So there may be changes in the charter that has been presented based on the feedback that we give, um and which will be posted again for our next public hearing at a
188future meeting once that's been adopted. Um because of how we ended the questions ahead of time, I'll start with Trustee Kirby, go to myself, and then I'll move through the rest of the trustees so that we all have a chance to comment. Uh trustee Kirby. Thank you. Thank you. Um so, my questions uh kind of mirror a few of the comments that that came out in the public comments there. I had questions on page 30 about the uh 9 through 12 program. Um particularly just looking at So, it says if the student's in person that they'll they'll have the option to take in-person classes through a through a SRCS high school. Um How how does that work? Uh I mean, if the schools if they, for example, want to attend Maria Carrillo and it has
189no room I mean, do they are they going in person to the school and if that school doesn't have room for them in the class? I Help me understand how how the in-person portion works. Superintendent August. So, just like any of our other students, it would be as like a transfer. If there's not space, that wouldn't be the the school that they would have an option for that class at. Okay, and if if none of our schools had any room? I guess >> So, it it would depend on SRJC I guess with a Yeah, it would it would depend on what the class is that they're look that they're looking to take. And there is the option for us for SRJC just like any any school, if you have a full class a full class,
190there needs to be a second choice. Okay. They do have the option to take fully virtual though also. Director Kirby, um if I may talk. Um one of the reasons why it was important to connect it to an SRCS high school um as well as the JC was because if it is not connected to an in-person high school, they cannot take any sports, they cannot participate in any extracurricular activities, prom's out the window, all of that. With our current independent study program with the district, they are still aligned and registered as a student enrolled in a high school, which allows them to do the virtual part as well as the high school experience. So, that's where we're coming from when it comes to why we would put that in there. Fair enough. Um the the
191virtual academy, so is there a teacher that's running is there a program manager? >> No. And is there's It doesn't exist today, right? >> Correct, cuz the program doesn't exist. >> Superintendent August? So, there would need to be staffing for that. So, if if the charter is approved as as presented, there is um there are are two hours that are in process that would be done through the the process that we have with our with staff um at the appropriate time. And that would need to be negotiated with SRTA if that's a new brand new position, correct? It would not be a position that doesn't already exist. Perfect, thank you. And let me see, I think my last question, hopefully. Um Oh, so this student these students that are going to attach themselves to a
192high school, it is that maybe this is to you, Barry. Um is this part of the uh the transfer I didn't is that on our priority list? Do they Yeah, like it it Just like with our other um independent study programs, it wouldn't be a transfer necessarily. So, it's going to depend on where the residence is, what space is, all of those pieces. It's a current extension of how we've revamped our independent study program. We call it a VESPA, and it's basically it would be an extension of that where students basically attach themselves to a school so that they can have a compre the closest thing to a comprehensive experience as they possibly could. Okay, thanks Ed. There's a uh little bit, thanks. Oh. Thank you, everyone. I saw one of my comments and we'll
193go for another or questions and we'll go for another round. Um first I want to recognize the significant amount of work that you've put into this charter renewal process. Um and I know it's been challenging with a lot of the different variables. So, you know, especially Victoria, thank you for the work that you've put into this and the entire committee. Um we do have two other folks that have joined us. Maestras, if if you could actually just provide your comments on the uh the renewal and I want to give you an opportunity to talk about the uh about what's before us. Sure. Um so, I'm I said the Vasayo Liyats Vasayu fourth grade Spanish teacher at CCLA. Um so, I think that our charter renewal process um was a very thorough process in terms of
194all stakeholder we had all stakeholders. We were very fortunate. We have a very involved parent community. Um so, we had plan we had parents, we had counselors, we had teachers, um both secondary and elementary teachers. Um and we went through various meetings um and processed through this. And I think the the most I mean, as a teacher, I think the most powerful voice that we kept hearing was that our parents wanted a TK-8 experience for their students. Um that was definitely something that from the very beginning of CCLA when it started, it was very much something that parents wanted for their kids. Um and all the research and dual immersion shows that that is what's appropriate to acquire a second language. Um and I think that parents really want the comprehensive middle school experience for
195their students. Um because we they have we have a great band program. We they have art, they have a variety of electives. So that was definitely a huge part of the charter process that that was kind of a big part of our conversation. Um I would say to sum it up, the other part that was a very strong part of our conversation was that um we've been at our Southwest Santa Rosa site now for years and we see that as our community. So I have peer tutors that come to help me in my classroom from the element from the middle school who are in the English only strand. And they sit in my classroom and listen to my Spanish lessons and they say, "Wow, I'm learning so much Spanish in your classroom. I don't speak
196Spanish at home anymore." Um and to me as a person of color who's educating future kids, if I can give them back their heritage language in this community, I think it's such a powerful thing. And so when I think of CCLA, I think of those students in our community that we're serving. We're not just serving the dual immersion students in our community. We're really serving Southwest Santa Rosa students that see people like them teach them. They hear their language everywhere they're walking on campus. Um and if you're a person of color, you know what that feels like. Like to be walking around your school and hear your language, hear people that speak your language, feel um equal to people that don't look like you because you leverage your language and you speak both languages. So
197I think that was another part of our renewal process that was very strong where we're like, this is our community, Southwest Santa Rosa. We want our neighb- we want kids that live in this area coming here. We want them to see teachers like them, and we want to stay here. Uh hi, thank you for having us tonight, and thank you for moving the um agenda item up. The lots of students we have here have a field trip tomorrow, so we appreciate that. Um I was also on the committee. I've been at CCLA for the last 7 years. Um it's an amazing site. I have not I'm a monolingual, but um and it makes me teary-eyed because seeing the kids come through the program, um working on their English, becoming truly bilingual students, our reclassification rate
198has gone up. Um we see pride in both languages. Um it's an amazing site. It's an amazing school, and it's um you can see the pride that's coming through. The uh 7th and 8th, we as teachers um in elementary and middle have really grown as a community in supporting what's best for students, looking at having all students learn at grade level. We do a lot of work on the PLT process, PLC process, best practices. How can we vertically align the kinder experience all the way to the 8th grade experience? Um amazing things are happening, and we don't want it to stop cuz we feel like in many ways we're just getting started. So, thank you both. Um I'm going to combine my comments uh cuz I recognize that there's this come back a couple more
199times, so my my sentiment, and and I really appreciate the community. My son spent 6 years um at CCLA, and being monolingual myself was a high priority for us as a family to to introduce bilingualism into our family. Uh it's a really dedicated community and the support is significant, so I appreciate that. I I think the proposal changes that you have in here, especially around incorporating Spanish into both tracks, is really important. I think it provides a unity of mission um, that is going to make the culture of the school even stronger because everyone will actually attend the language academy and be learning multiple languages, which I think, you know, is is really important for solidifying this. Uh, to one of the questions at hand, I I support the removal of the neighborhood preference language
200because I think that unity of purpose um, around the language education is the draw that's going to bring the families together, uh, whether they're entering in the later years or at TK, um, and that the geography is is not the part that we're looking for for pulling the community together. Um, so, you know, from my perspective, it's about that that educational mindset. Um, I do believe the TK-8, uh, for the in-person is an important option and model. I think we need to be looking to how our dependent charters can offer alternative options to serve our community, and I think maintaining that's important. And I'm also very in having grown up, as many of you know at this point, I I was an independent study student after 6th grade, and so I very much, although, again,
201Manila envelopes and payphones, um, but I understand the concept of the independent study and how effective it can be, and being able to deliver that with, uh, two languages is going to add another really important option for students to be able to access it that need that option. So, I see the vision of it. Um I join some of the comments from earlier of I would like between now and our next uh meeting to see the uh the expression of the uh 9-12 independent study include more detail that articulates why that's important. Um but the the articulation of that is self-evident to me because I grew up in that experience and I see I see the vision of how that will work. But we need to add more details for folks that didn't do independent
202study for most of their uh for most of their growth. So, those are my initial comments. We'll go around one We'll go around one more time and then I'm actually going to start with uh Trustee Jenkins and then I'll go to uh Medina and De La Torre. So, Trustee Jenkins. So, I do have um a comment. I also wanted to just be sensitive of the time. Um is it okay to pause and make a motion to extend to 11? Yes. Uh there's a motion. Is there a second? Um I second. All right. It's been moved by Trustee Jenkins and seconded by Trustee Kerby to extend to 11. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? One uh one opposed. Uh Trustee De La Torre, uh the motion passes. We'll extend to 11. Uh
203Trustee Jenkins, uh your comments on the item? Yes. Um I am fully in support of this type of program, your program. I have been following it since uh I guess since 2013. Um my concerns are more relational with our community. Um I want to be very respectful of Wright District um for a variety of reasons. You know, we're all in the community together. They feed into our secondary. Um and I and that's something that the district that Santa Rosa City Schools needs to continue to be better with. Um and then so I'm in favor of everything and we need to work on our relationships with um districts next to us as well as our internal relationships when we talk about the secondary stuff with LC and the how that's all fitting together the comprehensive one
204of the last ones if it stands that's also a really big point of conversation. Um so I look forward to our continued conversations around this um but would like some of those things to be addressed. Trustee Medina then Dale La Torre. Thank you. Um a lot of things to bring up. Um first off um I think what you brought up about students and keeping students at the center of this is really important. And there's been so much work done over the years. Um back to what was called I believe the new school model. Right? Where there's a lot of work with Cesar Chavez and LC Allen and about bringing dual language immersion there. And so this idea of back then it was not necessarily tied to um the charter but but what you brought up
205about um kind of I think you said maybe co-locating at LC Allen. And and I feel like some of that work was kind of being done back in the years back before and I'm wondering why [snorts] um why aren't we doing that because I think what you said about it being best for the students in terms of that experience that they have makes sense and if and and admin staff could confirm that The can have multiple locations. So, like the back I don't know, 7 to 12 part of it could be, for example, co-located at LC, and that would potentially work. Um, so I'm wondering at what point did we get away from that new school model update work where we'd have other classes, I think it was called PE, Spanish for Spanish speakers, other
206classes that were going to be taught in Spanish at that 9 through 12 level. Um, where did that disappear? Um, and is that going to continue in one of these models? And secondly, with the wait lists, um, from the TK to 6 part, I think it's been my understanding that there's been a large wait list. And if that something like that were to happen where the 7 to 12 were co-located, would that allow for some of those wait lists to Well, for classes to grow at the current campus. So, I'll start there. And I do want to be cautious of the time and the number of uh things. So, if you need to return with the full data to any of our questions, please say that. I just have a clarifying question. Um, I and
207I could have misheard you, but I thought I heard something about best practice for like best for students with the moving to like an LC experience, the 7 12. And I think that we need variety for students. And offering this K8 model is allowing for variety. We have a lot of students and families that have multiple siblings that cross the range, you know, the ages and and so I think with that's kind of a judgment piece of what's best for kids, and I want it to be really clear that both options create a lot of opportunity. And And I think just on on that part, I think I don't I don't know if I heard right, but I thought it was something about like we need to keep in mind what's best for students. I
208Is that what you mentioned? And I'm wondering in what context um are we talking about? And And I don't know if that was from the 9th to 12th perspective, from the 7th to 12th perspective, and and how that related to this co-location conversation that you mentioned. So, um couple things. So, when I'm saying what is best um for students, it has to do with opportunity, availability of classes, um being able to have a mix of students in classes that um bring out the best in people. When you're trying to run a comprehensive school, where you switch classes for every content area, the less students you have, what happens is you end up tracking them. And so, instead of having a wide variety of kids in each different class, you you almost essentially have a same
209core group of students that go from class to class to class together. In addition, the less students you have, the less elective opportunities you have. It's harder to get highly qualified teachers cuz you're going instead of having a teacher with um who is certified a single subject in one area, you're going to rely more heavily on uh teachers who are a multi-subject or have more than one um authorization to teach more than one class. So, things become a little bit more complicated. It's much easier um to run an ideal comprehensive secondary program if you have more students. Does that make sense? That makes absolute sense. And I feel like your question had like four different questions in it. So, I was like, okay, that, that, and then I think the dual language piece cuz you
210asked about what happened with the partnership and the work that was being done at LC Allen and to develop the bilingual strand. >> Yeah, and that's also very complex because it's a combination of uh trying to identify consistently teachers that have the authorization or the bilingual um authorization on a regular basis in different subject areas. And then on a consistent basis, we didn't staff central office staff at like the DLI TOSA. That was eliminated. So, being able to staff and support from the central office and also having the teachers at the site both at LC Allen at at CCLA, you have to have those consistently for a number of years to be able to build up a strand and maintain it. And we haven't been able to do that in at least the four last
211four years that I've been here. We began to eliminate positions at the central office. And at the same time, it's really difficult to have certain position um identify on a consistent basis the number of bilingual teachers that we need across the board. So, both both of those things, we actually just began to the the DLI program just began to kind of wither. And they've done their best and they've maintained it as best as they possibly can. I think it's pretty um strong as it is considering. Yeah, and and I think Go ahead. The other thing I would say about this um training dual immersion teachers, we um at our site are partnered with Sonoma State. And um we've had residents. Um I've had a resident in my classroom the last four four years. I think
212we've had the residency program for maybe five or six, where we actually have students uh Sonoma State students that are looking to get their B clad and teaching credential and they're partnered up with us and they're working in our classrooms all year. Um, and then with the hopes of you know, working through for Santa Rosa City Schools. That's the partnership and kind of agreement. So, we've been able to really support more bilingual teachers. Not only having students who want to be bilingual teachers, but also having, you know, young um beginning teachers coming up. Our area of growth though is we need to work on getting single subject teachers with a bilingual authorize or who can teach in Spanish. And that's where it's it's really tricky, especially when it comes to literacy because language acquisition classes
213are very different than a literacy class where you're writing essays and reading novels and stuff like that. And it's different training. And also quickly with the board's consent, I want I need to limit the rest of our discussion uh cuz there's no action on this item to 15 more minutes ending at 9:50 to give us the time we need for other items. Um, that means each of the remaining board members, we need to keep our comments and questions about 3 to 4 minutes. Um, and we can send emails, we can ask questions and provide additional feedback. And we have this item coming back at least two more times. So, Trustee Melendez is Can I May I move to another trustee or do you have a Um I I would like to see that idea, that
214concept brought back, the the work that was being done on the new new school model update because it wasn't under the the idea of a re-charter in this method. And I think that opportunity brings up the potential of the the DLI TOSA or whatever. So whatever is needed. I think that's something that could work especially with the way the funding was explained and the >> Clarification, are you looking at an alternative high school program? I I think what you talked about what it could look like if some of that was co-hosted um I think the LC Allen campus That's what I'd like y'all to maybe look at and maybe come back if it's reality possibility or not. And the other part is I didn't hear anything about the waitlist where we're at and is there
215opportunity for growth or what's restricting growth at the TK to sixth or eighth level whatever. Yes, waitlist. We have a wait We've for the last 5 years I have data on our waitlist numbers. Um in the dual language program, what is really difficult is the majority of our day or the majority of our instruction is in Spanish. So if we're looking at moving somebody in in third grade to be able to enter, we currently do an assessment on their Spanish because the majority of their instruction all of their math instruction all of their reading and speaking and foundational uh foundational speaking yep, foundational um is in Spanish. So in order for them to move in to and order for us to move in any student past first grade, we want to make sure that they
216do have a level of Spanish where they will be able to be successful because the academic Spanish rigor is very high. Um so I think that's one of the pieces that is hindering us from and able to move some of those students into and we continue to have a waitlist because of our program needs and what would students starting in TK foundation already have that makes it difficult to accept those students um because we want them we want them to succeed we want them to succeed. When what we're looking at here is looking at facilities. So one of the things that we have is we know that for TK and kinder and I know we have a facilities master plan so I might be saying more. Um we know that for TK and kinder our
217classrooms need to be a certain square footage and there needs to be a bathroom. That currently does not exist at CCLA. Um our bathrooms are are somewhere else and we are currently in portables. So as of right now in order for us to grow which I do think that that is a a place where we can grow um at the lower grades so that we can continue to have more students going up and articulate um we need to have the facilities ready and in place. Um I know that we've had conversations about the monitors modernization projects of a two-story building happening at possibly at CCLA where it will add as six fully ready TK kinder um classrooms that I know Mr. Odin might be talking more about but our facilities are there. And and pretty
218sure the answer I am going to have to move to make sure we get um the rest of our trustees. Uh trustee Creo did you have any questions or comments? No and trustee Prack? Mhm. Thank you. Oh Sorry. Trustee De la Torre sorry. Trustee De la Torre then Prack and then Northmore. So I am going to try to make this brief and it's mainly because um Lisa you weren't in the room when I asked these questions. Um we can't have our cake and eat it, too. And I'm really concerned about this proposal because we are not properly seeding and giving the LCL and high school 7-12 program an opportunity to grow and blossom if we attempt to have comprehensive 7th through 8th on two different campuses within the same residential area. Um the really painful
219decisions that were made and harsh route we went through is if they The only reason we closed Slater and Santa Rosa Middle we did not have enough students to keep those 7th and 8th comprehensive campuses open. They were not operational. They were not We were operating with under capacity students. So, now we're saying that we don't have a true dual immersion K through 8. I'm being told that TK through 8 is required for a great dual immersion and I love Language Academy. I love everything it's doing, but we also want to keep a comprehensive 7th and 8th program because of community. And we're going to charter a 7-12 program in Elsie Allen, but we don't now we're pulling from the same residential boundaries both campuses. How is that feasible? How is that possible? I'm pretty
220sure the Southeast Santa Rosa community would say they'd love to keep their Slater campus because it meant a lot to them and it was important to them. But, we weren't able to keep that going because we didn't have the opportunities. So, we need to be very real about this conversation. I also have concerns about a 9th through 12 virtual program tied to the CCLA, I'm sorry, Santa Rosa Language Academy Charter program if it's an extension of the Santa Rosa City School District's independent studies and we have five high schools to tie those to. How does the Language Academy become one of the high schools to tie that program to? Is the Language Academy going to have a problem? Do they have a football team? Do they have a basketball teams? Do they have athletic programs
221for those high school students to participate in? If that's the reasoning behind an independent study and virtual program is those students have an opportunity for full comprehensive extracurricular activities. Um it just feels like we're grasping at straws and I want this lake community to thrive and have its opportunity, but I'm really concerned of us trying to have our cake and eat it, too, by keeping two 7-8 comprehensive programs operational in Southwest Santa Rosa and not fully supporting LCLA's opportunities to grow and thrive. And I don't have need any answers tonight. It's just stuff I want to make sure you heard. Um so, because we are seeing this a few more times, we get some of that stuff figured out. Josie Prack. And then Kirby. You're good. Okay. Josie Prack. Hi. Um it's so great to
222see all the work that's been going on since my kids have been out of the school system at CCLA. Um especially with how we started, like Lily brought up, we were fighting for a water fountain. Ah, the good old days. Um I do have questions. Uh how many classes in the middle school level are uh in taught in Spanish? Is it just Mr. Guzman? What are they? They have Spanish literacy, they have history in Spanish, and they have math in Spanish. Uh okay. Thank you. And then um what Do you know the percentage of your Is it interdistrict transfers from outside the district? I just wanted to know. >> It's not a transfer for a charter school. Right, but but how many attendees from from outside of the district? Do you know? So, at TK
223kinder, and I have that, is 78% 78.8% of our students are outside of our district. >> Outside of our district. Yeah. At seven at TK at TK kinder. I don't have for the rest of I don't have the whole total population. Okay. >> Um but I do have the TK kinder number. Well, I mean, and that's when there's the lottery system. And do you have any on the wait list? Um currently we have 60 TKers on the wait list and zero Kinders because we moved up our class sizes from 24 to 26. And do you know how many um how many kids can we actually take in when you're not considering the legacy families that are already in the system with Kinders? Or does that make sense? Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense. >> Yes, and
224I see the number and I think it was 120 24 students. Mhm. A third. So yeah, a third. Thank you. Okay. But I will double check cuz I I remember I remember asking that question. Okay. But I don't have that specific number. And then I've never heard of Edgenuity. Is there a way I can see what that is? Online class. Yes. Okay. Between now and the next meeting. Yeah, yeah. Not right now. Not right now. >> [laughter] >> I don't need a demonstration right now. I was just wanting to know what that was, what that looked like for our students. And then I think um I had concerns, and Jeremy asked those questions, so I don't think I have anything else. Right. So and I do want to rec- I think Jeremy was good on
225his comments. Yep, and okay. So and I do want to recognize that some of the questions that came up around having a boundary would be resolved by removing the boundary from the charter and having it exist as a countywide charter without that preference. So I think you know, just I know that was a specific question about the neighborhood preference. If it's not in there, you know, I mean, we're on the highway 12, there's a big access place to to the full community. So none of this was direction or decisions. You've gotten feedback in order to be able to incorporate it into the charter petition and then bring it back to us for our next hearing. So. The The part in the charter that you were concerned about with the the the neighborhood boundary, that only
226applies in cases of a lottery and we have never had a lottery at the middle school level. So, literally it's a pointless thing at this point. >> I Which is why I'm acknowledging that it probably shouldn't be in there when it comes back. Oh, I did have one more question. Real quick. It's late. Uh for the um for the virtual high school with the I don't know if it's right, like a coordinator position that's needed to run the What did we talk about? About program manager? Something that you said SRTA would need to negotiate or something with that position. Only if it's a brand new position, but >> position was it? >> it was coordinator. >> study teacher. And then That's not what you said. You said a program director. Did you mean independent study
227teacher who is going to organize all of that? All I All I said was when somebody Somebody said program coordinator and I said no, it would be an existing position cuz you asked about negotiations and a position. I said it would be an existing position. So, to clarify, it would be an independent study teacher position. >> But the independent study teacher would not organize the virtual academy, correct? No, that's we have that service at the district office. Okay. I just wanted to make sure that we were being sensitive if we were hiring a position for something that we couldn't even give to another school. Okay. I'm okay with that. All right. On that note, we're on time on this one. There's no action on it. I'm going to move the agenda. We're going to move
228back. Thank you all very much. I will see you We will see you multiple more times in the next few weeks. Uh we are going to be in a little bit of a hurry. I want to remind folks that we only have the ability to extend our meeting once, so we will be ending at 11:00 and I'll be required by law to end us then wherever we are at. Did you get an answer for the thing? Yes, that's what we're about to do. So, I'm going to move us back to item G1B. Um I'll invite our candidates back down to the Uh Yeah, and then whoever's here. Um and you know, just to clarify uh Superintendent August did speak with legal counsel. Um they're not going to be available to give us advice at this
229point in time other than to reiterate that it is uh first to be our action to take action on an appointment, and then it would be up to the individual trustee to abstain um if there is a conflict. So, to confirm kind of what I had been saying at the beginning, but that has been confirmed as that advice. Um So, board, uh we we unless there's any objections, we have the motion from Trustee Prack and Trustee Jenkins uh for Mr. Dufossé. Is there any discussion before we proceed? I object. Yeah. All righty, with that uh roll call vote, please. Student board member Correo. No. Student uh Trustee Prack. I. I. Trustee Jenkins. I. Trustee Kirby. I. Trustee De La Torre. I. Trustee Medina. Nope. President Castan. I. That motion passes with five eyes. Trustees Prieto
230and Medina voting no. All right. Thank you for your service and thank you for your application, Ms. Medina. Um I am now going to be administering the oath of office. You sit at the table. Okay. I need to pull up here. So, he'll be set at the table now. Teresa, I want you to apply to run, okay? Good. All righty, and I'll be um administering the oath of office. Uh so, you can repeat after me. Raise your right hand. I, please state your name. I, Sean A. DuFosse. Do you solemnly swear or affirm? I solemnly swear that I will support and defend that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California the Constitution of the State of California
231against all enemies, foreign and domestic against all enemies, foreign and domestic that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the United States I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California the Constitution of the State of California that I take this obligation freely I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion without any any mental reservation or purpose of evasion and that I will well and faithfully and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon which I am about to enter. Discharge the duties upon which I am about to enter. Congratulations. >> All righty, and I'm going to move as quickly as we do have time constraints. Uh, so we will now
232move to item B, uh, G2, the business service calendar. We're going to open up public comment on the business services calendar. Are there any public comments? Yes, we have one public comment card. There's first speaker is Margaret Boone. Turning my phone on, hold on. Dying. Maybe it's not turning on. Um, I just wanted to say that that as a union rep, it's been brought to my attention that a lot of our, um, support providers don't go to facility master plans committees because they don't have home schools, and they not only don't have anywhere to park at our schools, especially at the elementary schools, which are going to have even less parking, but they also don't have anywhere to work when they get there. You know, some of them have offices like the nurses and some
233of the SLPs, but not at every site that they work at. And like our APE teachers, they if they have a student they have to work one-on-one with and it's raining or something, there's nowhere for them to go. If they have to attend an IEP, they're sitting outside, you know, at a picnic table, things like that. And so, as we close sealing and bring even more kids to these schools, I don't know where we're going to put these people. That's it. Thank you. I don't think I do. No, we're back onto the regular calendar. We're going out of order, so we're moving in order. So, we're now on item two. We're going to we were just on 2A, public comment on the business services calendar. Now, we're going to move to item 2B, which is
234a presentation on the Snohomish County Office of Education's second interim approval letter. Lose. Sorry, we have one more public comment card. >> we'll take that as Lose comes in, so. Yeah. Dale Batt, please. Uh Dale Batt, Kamiak Middle School. Um I'm going to be talking about the SCO letter that was given back to you guys uh in response to your positive certification. Just four points, see if I can quickly get through them. Uh four things that I thought were were worrisome from SCO's report back to you guys based on current activity. Encumbrances and expenditures exceed available balance balances in the bond funds by approximately 25 million, so we're still overspending. The county requests that purchase orders and expenditures be reviewed and aligned by May 1st to prevent over-commitment of bond resources. Point number two, as
235presented in the second interim report to the board, the district anticipates the need for to secure a line of credit in the fall of 2026 to address intra-year cash flow shortfalls. That's also worrisome. Point three, additionally, the 2027-2028 projections assume secondary ADA decline of 98 as opposed to a historical 300 so that could mess up the budget furthermore and number four is not going to be enough time to talk about but these are worrisome things from SCO. Thank you very common and I anticipate they will talk through all of the things that were in the letter from SCO in this item. So are there any other public comments? Seeing none we'll move to item 2B and I think I'll just three of us here but we'll move to Luz Cazares presenting. Let's keep it in
236there. We have very limited time so let's >> Good evening everyone. I'm going to run us through some of the information happy to take some some comments and thoughts at the end but I do want to respect time and I know we've got a big item coming up after this fine. Um so just a quick refresher on where we started if you can go to slide two. Um but that's a quote there from the the letter from from the Sonoma County Office of Education. This is where we started the year. Um and I highlighted there the portion that I think is most pertinent for us to really think about that they determined that we were a lack of going concern that essentially means is we think you're going to go bankrupt. We think you're going
237to become insolvent. That's what the designation means to have a lack of going concern. It sounds odd a going concern. If you have one it's a good thing. If you lack it it's a bad thing. Um and what they very specifically told us it was very explicit. They're concerned with our persistent structural deficit our unsustainable expenditure pattern and our declining cash position. That was very important for us to know because one it aligned with our own concerns and what we were working on and two it's what we solved for. We solved for the persistent structural deficits with the ongoing budget solutions. We solved for what was the result of that unsustainable expenditure pattern where we saw our reserves eaten up and ended up with that negative ending fund balance. We solved for that with the
238one-time budget solutions um and our declining cash position just put cash on our radar in a way that's just different from what our experience was before then. And we've done some good work to become a bit more um standardized in in how we approach cash flow. Um I I want to note like that get we've moved far enough away from it that it's it's hard to remember how bad it was not that long ago. And I just want to note it is still fresh. Um like some of the things we did because it was so severe, right? We we stopped spending in the middle of the year. Right? Stopped spending. We told folks you cannot spend any longer in your budgets. We put in a position a hiring freeze. And the biggest one that we
239did, right? We don't do this lightly, we asked employees for concessions. And our leadership unrepresented confidential employees answered. That's how that's the position we were in. We were worried that we were going to be running out of cash by the end of the fiscal year. The county was worried, Fic Mat was worried, the state was worried, and that's what we have now solved for. If you go to the next slide the we did certify positive at second interim. The county has agreed with us and I just want to highlight some of the work that the district did to get to that positive certification and just note, right, some of that work started well before I arrived here. There was the collaborate collaboration that was done with this Sonoma County Office of Ed, the six key
240projects in six months. We had the Board Finance Committee that was established and is going strong. Like we've got the we've got a rhythm down. There was the Fiscal Stabilization Advisory Committee that we've got going. We've got the we had the Fiscal Health Risk Analysis that was done. I'll highlight that Fiscal Health Risk Analysis in that it's an external party that came in, reviewed us, and we're now responding to what they've identified. We've had in special education, um we had the review done. We had the task force created. We have we're in the process of reviewing and renegotiating our non-public school and non-public agency contracts. We have a standing agenda item that now comes to the board on that item. Um and we had a board approval of having our own Santa Rosa City Schools
241SELPA. Um I'll note way back when, as we when we first started approaching this idea, I had a conversation with Mike Fine over at Ficmat about it. We talked plusses and minuses, what do we see, what do we want to be mindful of. And at the end of the conversation, he let me know that single SELPA single district SELPAs are his favorite. And that's what he thinks most of our SELPAs should be. That's noteworthy. We'll be a two-district SELPA, but we're still unified. Um cash, I noted, right, we had Ficmat come in. We have Now, we use the Ficmat product called Projection Pro. We've standardized that. That started also last year. Um and we are looking at how we can standardize the way we borrow from the county to make it a little bit more
242aligned with what industry standards should look like. Um, that I'll note is not that's not just us. That's the way the county works, but even though that's the way the county works, we want to we want to do better because we recognize it is um it's different from from best practice. Um, when I think of the county agreeing with the positive certification, for me what that breeds, what it tells me is they have developed a comfort and confidence that we take the work seriously, we're willing to make the hard recommendations, make the hard decisions, and they have comfort and confidence that we will implement with fidelity and discipline. Right? This could have gone in other ways, but they've concurred with us because they can see that we've been consistent and mindful and thoughtful about the
243work. Um, I also want to to note that one of the things that they noted as an an area that they're they're mindful of is that there there will be transitions in leadership. Right? Transitions in leadership happen, and it's something that they're they're watching for. Um, with that, right? The I I will be exiting um you know, at the end of the fiscal year is the plan. Um but I'm not going you have my phone number, you have my email. I am happy to always answer questions. I'm happy to like you get that report and you're not quite sure what to ask. I am here for you. So, I'm not falling off the face of the planet. You always have access to me. I am tell people that I I treat people like I'm going
244to know them forever. And so, you have access to me forever. If we go to the next slide, just want to highlight some of the concerns that the that the county pointed out. And again, they're aligned with our concerns, which is for me a just that's a great place to when our areas that we're focusing on align that way. So, enrollment and ADA projections, absolutely. Um, the county actually supported us in doing a demographic report. Um, think we'll have an annual update that we'll probably ask to be another part of our process in the years. Um, when you have changes, it typically for a demographic report, you want to have one done every 5 years. When you have lots of changes happening, you want to look at annual updates, and I think that's where we
245are. We want We want to look at annual updates. We will be revising this for third interim to show a couple of years out in enrollment projections, so that we're we're just really forthcoming and transparent about what we where we think our projections are going. It's going to be a standing agenda item for our finance committee to discuss it and really interrogate the assumptions. At the interims we presented, we don't always have the time to interrogate. At the finance committee, we'll have that opportunity to really interrogate the assumptions for ADA, average daily attendance, and for enrollment. Um, and then um, last piece on this one is I think one of the one of the gifts that I want to I want to leave on this one is just taking some of the things we know
246and practice that we do and put it in writing. Right? Having those those desk manuals that say this is the way we do it, so that when somebody exits, we still have the plan, we still have the process, we still have the procedure, we can be consistent is important. And so, that's something we'll be looking to refine here as well. If we go to the next slide, special education, right? This is the area that's received a lot of love and attention as it should. Um, I think it should continue to be another place where we continue to talk about it both at the finance committee and as part of our interim reports. Just some of the things I noted here, we've got one of the big pluses I think of this year, we have our
247special team and our fiscal team, they meet every week now. Like they have Tuesday meetings. Like that is a big plus. It shows how we're operationalizing the improvements that we want to see in our system. I tell them, eventually you'll get to the point where you can meet every other week. Maybe eventually every month, but right now they're on an every week schedule to ensure that we're we're able to tick and tie what's happening with the budget and what's happening in special education program. Um [snorts] another place you'll see we've made some changes is in the MYP assumptions, right? We specifically call out what that contribution is and what the growth is from year to year. And the next slide, we've got our cash flow projection. We had the external folks come in. Not only
248did we ask them to help us with projections for the general fund, but we included other funds as well. And so that was a big plus. Um we're now using Projection Pro. One of the big pieces about that is we can actually allow the county to have direct access to our projections, which makes it easier for them to be able to really dig into um into our projections and check our assumptions. Um the next slide, um I am a silver lining person. Um I have to find what we what we can take away. And those the I don't again, I never want to sugarcoat this, right? Those budget solutions that staff recommended that the board approved that we are currently implementing were hard. Right? No sugarcoating. They were hard. They're impactful. Those are meaningful services
249that we will no longer be able to provide. Um but my silver lining is we can now, like that time, that energy, that focus, that brainpower, that heart power that we have been spending not just this year, but in prior years discussing fiscal solvency, trying to find budget solutions, trying to keep the county at bay, right? All of that time and energy can shift over to student outcomes, right? We're not seeing the student outcomes that we want to see. We know that we can do better for kids, and we can now focus on what are their needs and how, given the resources that we have, do we refine them? Do we tweak them? Do we look at literature and best practice and real research to identify how do we meet the needs of our students
250to get them to better outcomes? And actually, before I take up anything, um superintendent, um if you want to talk a little bit about the the repurposing of the fiscal stabilization advisory committee, I think that's exciting. Thank you very much, Luz. Um So, we've talked about the plan and how we evaluate and make sure that when when we are at a point to be determining what new we are going to do or what we are going to bring back or what may be reinstated, we've talked about what's the vehicle that that goes through first to make sure it's not just cabinet or it's not just the superintendent. Um so, we've talked about repurposing the fiscal stabilization advisory committee. Um our thought is that it would be repurposed from a primary focus on a identifying reductions
251to advising the superintendent on proposed new, revised, or reinstated programs, services, positions, and initiatives, as well as evaluating and informing recommendations related to potential revenue-generating opportunities, including grants, partnerships, and other funding strategies. The work of the committee will be aligned with the board's strategic priorities and will help inform the superintendent's recommendations to the board supporting resource decisions that are educationally sound and responsive to student and community needs as part of the budget development process. Formal processes will be developed to guide how proposals and opportunities are brought forward, reviewed, and considered by the committee. And the committee will also be will also expand stakeholder participation to include student voice, DELAC, and CAC representation, and community-based organizations bringing an equity lens to its advisory work. The shift reflects an evolution from a reduction-focused charge to one that
252supports informed planning, collaboration, thoughtful investment recommendations, and exploration of opportunities to strengthen the district's long-term fiscal stability. So again, reiterating that focus, shifting towards what we do in the future instead of always looking to reduce. Thank you for that. We are going to move to questions. I want to start with a big one and then we'll move through individual questions and it's around implementation. I think that is the biggest concern shared throughout the entire spectrum of the opinions that exist around the budget and I mean, if you could discuss both the confidence in our ability to implement the things that have been adopted and what risks and how we can most effectively monitor to make sure that implementation is happening. The So, I'll start with the end. So, in terms of the monitoring piece, I
253think the finance committee is a great vehicle for that and our interim reporting are great vehicles for that. Um particularly with the interim ones because those are public and those are public and open this way, right? Full board, not just the the finance committee. We get a bigger audience this way. Um having that be an automatic piece of the assumptions discussion. Um it's not uncommon for school districts to go through the process of saying I'm going to reduce this much and then when push comes to shove, they can't you know they they do things like I'm going to reduce $10 million out of contracts without actually providing the list of contracts. We didn't do anything that way, right? We didn't do anything speculative. We were solid in every single one of ours. But it's not
254uncommon when that happens to be able to come back to the board and say, "And we said we were going to do 10, we only got to 9 and 1/2. Here's how we're going to make up the difference." And so in that same way, we should be able to have that conversation. Um I'll give you an example. Um we've got some some of the one-time shifts that we're going to be working on. Um we made an assumption that it would be for for one of the solutions, half this year and half next year. I expect that when we bring to you to third interim, we'll be reporting it looks like it's going to be more like 80% this year and 20% next year, right? So we'll be able to get more of that bump of
255the benefit of the shift in the current year than we thought we were going to. So those are still updates that should be coming to the board both at the finance committee as well as at uh full board during the interim piece. Um as far as the solutions go, there is not a single solution that I do not believe will be implemented or could be implemented, right? We were very rigorous up front in ensuring that what we were bringing to the board was going to be real. Um there was nothing speculative. Think um as I'm talking as I'm I'm thinking as I'm talking, there was we did have some items there on the one-time list that were speculative items that we didn't assume the savings, but we understood we needed to do more work to
256be able to bring. We should add that to the list, right? As we continue that work, bringing forward to you as we're developing the budget and where we've used the modified zero-based budgeting approach for the 5,000 contract and services and the 4,000 supplies, being able to bring to you, and here's what it's looking like so far, department by department. I'm going to go through the board on questions. Uh Justin Medina. Thank you. First off, thank you, Luz, for the all the work you've put in. Um I really appreciate it, and I feel that you've helped me understand a lot. And you've also been honest and up front, you know, no sugarcoating, so I appreciate that as well. Um one of the things that keeps coming up is the 5,000s which you just talked about. And
257I'm wondering what point um we continue to dive deeper on that because we're expected to have the same educational outcomes with much less resources, which means much more work for the few people that are left, right? And so I think we have to be more efficient, and is there opportunity to look deeper into those so that we could be more effective and more efficient? And potentially is this some of the work that that new committee could potentially do? Um cuz either either there's stuff there that we're not doing well, or we're doing a bad job at communicating what's in there and how it works. The So, as I'm thinking about the the results of what we'll have as part of that the the for budget development for the modified zero-based budgeting, that's going to right,
258we're going to have a list of the things that we are going to be looking at. Um I can definitely see a process where we would identify some of those and then figure out a way to make use of the committee, right? So, we know, for example, we have to have a student information system. We can talk about what that contract looks like, talk about other options, and then determine, do we want to go through a competitive process to be able to see, you know, what's the most cost-effective and high-quality student information system that we have. Student information system isn't something you would likely change, so that was probably not a good example. It was just one that was top of mind. The other part is, um, you talked about writing thing that things down.
259Well, I appreciate I imagine that the context you were speaking of was protocols or manuals for staff, which is something that Vic Matt has asked for us to do effectively in the past. But I'm wondering, is there also something that can be done for a future board members? Because the constant changes in leadership isn't just at the admin and staff level, but also at this level. And I think something that could maybe have some four points, that is, board members, um, come in, um, they could keep track of what all this work has resulted in, what they need to be paying attention to or understand. I I love that. I've written it down. I definitely can I'm happy I love the teaching side of the work, so I'm happy to think about what is that
260what might that look like to have some tools, some cheat sheets, some 101s and 202s ready for for a new board member. Superintendent Nolas, and we our board actually started that work with our handbook and the board train training policy that's in there, which we will have additional items to support that that are specific to SRCS. We can add that there. Any other questions? Right. Trustee Kirby. Um, I also wanted to acknowledge all the work that Superintendent August started. You helped come in, finish, Joel and the team. Everybody, I know you guys put a lot of hours in uh helping us get to this point. The work's not over. We're going to keep keep pressing on with it. So, again, uh thank you for everything. I Like you mentioned though, these are very hard decisions
261that were made and not pleasant, obviously, with all the cuts that we've had to go through. Um particularly with the letter itself, um I just wanted to follow up. I noticed that uh again, on the bond expenditures, they gave us uh May 1st uh that they they wanted a uh Let's see. It said purchase orders and expenditures be reviewed and aligned by May 1st. Are we working on that? Are we Is that in progress? Are we on track to get that to them? Yes, we were this close from being done when they were hitting print send on the letter. So, we were almost there. Okay. Um I know we in our finance subcommittee, we also went over some of the 5000s that have been brought up and I know you and your team are still
262working on particularly the one about the insurance uh costs, everything. Is Is that ongoing or do we know when we'll maybe get some resolution on that? Um I don't have when, but we can aim for an update on the Friday memo. Perfect. Thank you. Um You know, the rest I can do. That's good. Trustee DeLeontory? We are not worthy to the fiscal team and all the work that went into this. The fact that we were able to certify positives and that SCO approved that certification, brave concerns or not but still agreed to it. So I really appreciate all the effort the entire team's put in to get to this point. That being said we cannot emphasize enough what President Caston brought up brought up about implementation. It's all well and good to say we have
263a plan and say these are numbers that we're going to cut and this is what we're going to save but unless it is implemented to fidelity then we will get ourselves right out of that positive certification rather quickly. Um as Director Medina brought up as far as information and how that is retained and shared is extremely crucial through attrition. We do have a superintendent position that's posted. Whether that position um is filled with somebody different, whether an interim continues, whether we hire, we don't know yet but that lead position including other leadership positions within the district do have the opportunity to change rather quickly. So we worked really hard to build this plan and get us to a point and we may have a new team we're asking to implement that. Um as these we
264have a new board member taking a seat tonight. Welcome Mr. Fassi. Appreciate your expertise and time to this but he may have ideas and concerns of what's near and dear to his heart and to bring that to this dais and share that. We want to be able to retain all the information, all the hard work that's got us to this point and not have a new board say, well, this is really important. I want to do this and it completely flips the script on whatever potential savings we are hoping to have. So we have to be diligent and stick to this plan as difficult as it is. Um I'm sorry but historically this district has struggled with implementation. So, how are we best insulating ourselves to ensure that we have quicker monitoring systems or things
265do not get too far down the road and we don't get in trouble again. We We've got to be on things a lot quicker. Not quite sure what that looks like. I really love the idea of the fiscal stabilization stabilization committee having a stronger voice, especially throughout the community and keeping an eye on things, but we have to be able to respond so much quicker than we had the opportunity to in the past. Trustee Jenkins. Thank you. Oops. Thank you, of course, for all you've done. Um I So, as has been mentioned, there's still so much work to be done in the implementation part and I understand that we as a board can only do so much of that, um which is good, thank goodness. Uh and what could we expect see see in if
266I can talk, it's late. Since we have a positive certification currently, what can we expect if something were to go awry? If we changed our minds on something, what does that look like? Um what are the possibilities of what that could look like? I know there's there continues to be conversations about like, "Oh, well, let's change this. Let's go back on this decision." There is all sorts of levels of those. There's things from school sites, programs at schools, even just like teacher positions. Um so, what can we expect if if we go back on what we said we were going to do? I would expect that you'd hear pretty promptly from the the county office of Ed with that observation and what it's going to mean the one of the benefits of having that positive
267self certification that the counties agreed to is that we've regained local control. So I'm I'm a big fan of local control, right? It's why I came so that we could keep it. The fiscal advisor who had stay or ascend authority has now been um transitioned into a fiscal expert role. Fiscal experts do not have stay or ascend authority. They are folks who know the the work deeply and in the conversations with the county about it, what they shared was, you know, they've they've got a lot on their plates and this is someone who could continue to watch the count the the district closely. So I'm going to guess, I don't know, but I'm going to guess the fiscal expert's probably going to be pretty regular in looking at our agendas. Probably will be pretty regular
268in watching board meetings and reporting back to the county whenever um they observe something that maybe starts to indicate that we might slip. Right? Like we are that positive certification like it is meaningful. It is meaningful because the county has agreed and said that where we feel our comfort and confidence, they feel that comfort and confidence. And so I would I would urge you to to hold that, to honor it. Um I have been known for telling boards that governance is serious work for serious people. And I think you've demonstrated that, right? And I haven't been there here that long, but in the time that I was here you have demonstrated that and think so long as you continue down that path I think the county office of Ed will continue to have that comfort
269and confidence that we are going to do the work and we're going to ensure that we continue to implement with fidelity and discipline. So then I guess um would it be safe to say that as a board our role in that implementation is to move forward with the decisions that we make as a board? Is that because I we talk about implementation all the time, but really like as a board we're not boots on the ground. We're not giving the directions to the boots on the ground. We're like several layers removed. This is our implementation. You can't see my screen, but Lisa's sitting next to me. Um And so I just get confused by that by the implementation piece as a trustee because I like in Is it safe to say that the implementation piece
270on us, the work that continues to that we need to do is to continue to lead as a board, not individuals, and that when we make a vote that is our that is how we move forward. Yes, even when it's a 4-3, it's still the decision of the board as a collective, right? I that Often times the hardest lesson for a board member to learn is you don't matter as an individual. You matter as a collective. I know that's hard to hear, but that is it. You are a collective and that's how you run. So even in those 4-3 votes, you make a decision, that's what we implement, and that support and implementation of that decision is what we what we look for. Can I add one more point? Yes. It's the um in the
271role of the board, right? You have a fiduciary duty to the organization. Right? You have a fiduciary duty, an ethical duty to the Santa Rosa City Schools. Not to the community you represent. Not to the people who voted for you. Not to your employer, not to your family, right? We have all of those responsibilities and obligations to them, but you have a fiduciary duty as a board member to this organization and ensuring that we continue to stand so that we can serve the next generation of students. I appreciate that comment, Trustee Breck. Hi, Luz. One question. Um with being in uh second What do you call it? Interim. Thank you. Uh we still can't go back and reverse decisions that we've made with school closures, correct? Or consolidating schools. You are the board. And so
272to lose our certification. To lose your certification if you undid and nothing else comes of it, yes, you we would be right back in the in the negative, right? Okay. >> be able to meet our reserve for economic uncertainties in the next year and the year after. Thank you. All right. So, Trustee Villatoro and then we I am going to try and make sure we get our absolute action items in tonight. So, Trustee Villatoro. So, I really appreciate these questions and answers and direction and advice for us to be responsible. I also need it said cuz it keeps coming up. The decisions have been made, votes have been taken that have no fiscal impacts tied to them yet. So, those could be revisited. Those could be discussed and those would not be turning the tide
273of our fiscal stabilization plan that is currently in effect. All right. Trustee Medina. Yeah, I think I just also wanted to um touch on that part um based on what you said is that um the board makes decisions at points in time based on data that's presented, right? But as the data and information potentially changes, because I think there's a lot of information that we're still unclear on um projections that may not happen as things change, there's a potential to change decisions as long as it's within that interest with the responsibility of the district wide. Does that make Is that the right the we will get with every passing day we get better information and we will tighten the assumptions based on that. Um by tightening those assumptions with every passing day, you can see
274what the impact is to the bottom line. Um right a good practice um if there's something that's on the mind of of the board, right singular mind of the board, um asking staff to play out a scenario. If we were to look at starting a program, what does it look like? How does that impact the MYP and taking those opportunities to explore that, so you know full well what it is we're doing before we we take any action. And actually because of that answer, if you could expand and touch on the finance committee's current work on how agenda items will be structured for identifying funding or costs associated with decisions. The transparency work that's been having at the finance committee. Yes, so we are looking at just how do we standardize things to ensure that
275when something comes to the board, um in my mind the way I I translate it is you've got it front and center, right? So you don't have to go digging to the the third page or the fourth page, right? That's not a lot of pages, but that way it's front and center, so you know whether it's being funded, what the dollar amount that's being impacted, whether it's coming from a one-time source or an ongoing source, whether it's restricted or unrestricted, um and specifically which of those, um so that when you're making decisions about spending, you've got all of the information front and center. Any other questions on, uh, this item? All right, then we're going to go ahead and move Thank you very much and thank you for all of your work. I Thank you,
276Luke. >> Thank you. Thank you for all of your work. And thank Joel, uh, for us as well. >> [laughter] >> And cabinet, uh, I don't know what I would have done without them. Yeah. Um We're now going to move to item 2C, which is actually on the facilities master plan. I want to note the time and recognize that our other items are not must pass action items and I'm going to say now I respect each and every one of you that's here for it. And if we don't get to it, it'll be on the next agenda. I know I'm getting lots of eyes from our folks, so I appreciate the work you've put into the items before us. Um, there is a low likelihood we're going to get too much further past the facilities
277master plan. Um, but thank you for sticking with us. Um, I have no power to overrule state law on having to end it at 11:00, so um, we're going to do our best. Can we just let them go home? I'm happy to let them go home. I That's kind of what I was saying there with less with more words, so unless there's any objection for it, um, folks are here for items after this one, um, you know, please please enjoy your evening and we'll see you again at the next meeting. Yes, please enjoy your evening at 10:30. Yes. Can they be moved to the first item of the next agenda or how does that work? It They they can be, but it'll depend on the necessity of the action items that are on there. Right.
278And the likelihood of students attendance, so that, Director Odin. Thank you, President Caston, Interim Superintendent August, members of the board, for the interest of time. I'm going to go ahead and just introduce Aaron Jobson from QKA, who we hired to help us with this master plan to kind of get through this presentation as kind of quickly as we can. Okay, thank you all for having me here. So, we are going to walk through quickly this agenda of just a very quick kind of reminder of the process, quick overview of the district-wide facilities master plan, and then we can take a few questions on that, and then we want to talk about the implementation plan. We did have the study session about a month ago, so we're not going to go into too much detail here
279on process or or kind of the the master plan specifically because of that. So, just as a quick reminder, our job here is to update the 2023 master plan to reflect the things that have changed since then. Typically, that would happen every five years or so based on the proposition two requirements, but we've had a lot of changes. So, we're early. Community engagement is always a fundamental part of that process. We had 25 site committee and student group meetings. We had over 600 survey responses across the district that informed this process. Another key component of that is capacity analysis. So, we part of this process was to conduct and document a room-by-room analysis of each campus to make sure that we're evaluating the capacity so that we're targeting the investment that we're proposing in school
280facilities to where it's going to have the biggest impact on education, and that we're meeting the requirements of for master planning for proposition two funding at the at the state level through the Office of Public School Construction to make sure that we're setting you guys up to for successful applications for that. We do, you know, do our best to reflect current conditions and programs and sort of balance the the needs of those programs with efficiently using those campuses. Uh and then uh we have included as an appendix each of these sheets showing that work um this time, which is also a requirement of proposition two. Um so overall uh our total estimated facilities need across the high school district is just a little over a billion dollars. Uh our total estimated need across the elementary
281school district is just a little over 400 million dollars when we total up all of the projects that we have identified um through this process updating for 2026. Um you can see those totals here across the high school district. Um uh the the need ranges um pretty widely between the different schools based on those existing conditions if you will remember um part of this process is developing and and updating an educational specifications or an educational facilities guideline that makes sure that we're doing that equitably. So the schools are all hitting the same standard for facilities, but they're in different conditions and different states now. So that takes a different amount of money for each school, but we are planning them to the same uh equivalent standards in this case for all of your um comprehensive
2827 to 12 schools. Obviously Ridgeway has a has a unique program and standards that that are associated with that as well. And then the same applies to all of the elementary schools uh as well. We're planning them to the same standard, but they have pretty wide-ranging sets of conditions and needs. Um and so that's kind of reflected in the range of costs for the overall um identified project need. Uh so comparing 2023 to 2026, essentially the 2026 numbers are just a little bit higher than the 2023 numbers, which on the surface is a little bit surprising because we have uh a fewer campuses that we're including in this master plan and there has been some work that's been completed. So, that kind of um identifies the things the costs that have decreased since 2023. Um
283but at the same time there are a lot of increases in cost. One of those that is is always surprisingly impactful is the cost of construction going up and cost escalation. So, that 10 and 1/2% or so that the same uh thing that we could have built for one cost in 2023 cost 10 and 1/2% more in 2026. That's $150 million right there. Um we also by consolidating the campuses, that does change obviously the projected enrollment on each campus and that has increased new building costs at many campuses due to that. Um and uh it we have increased scope at Proctor Terrace due to some of the fault line issues that were discovered and documented and investigated and that has been incorporated in here. We similarly for uh S- for Santa Rosa French American too,
284that wasn't their facilities needs weren't really addressed at all in the previous master plan because we didn't have resolution on what we could do with their previous site or their I guess their current site still. Um so, that uh those are all things that that drove up the cost at the same time that some of those other things brought it down. Um a key part of our process too is this project prioritization and providing the indicators of quality scores for each project to help give you as the board um some data and some information to help make decisions and guide guide us in proposing um implementation plan and project list and then guide you in that decision-making. Um so, that process uh you can see here there's a lot of different input that goes into
285that including what we got on the community survey including the prioritization exercise that we did in each of the the site committee meetings as well. Uh and all of that is is factored into that and that is one factor that that we will all use to decide which projects get funded. It is not the only factor, but it it's a helpful one. Um the community survey, we want to speak to that a little bit. So, we did get 624 responses. Um we essentially asked for each school for the major projects that were identified how impactful the people think they were on a 1 to 10 scale. So, it's pretty pretty straightforward. Um those priorities vary across the district. You can see the number of responses varied pretty greatly across the district, too. Um and you
286can see the four items there that we kind of identified that showed up pretty highly across um across different schools as far as what was seen as most impactful and most important. Um you can see here the the costs at each school site ranked by kind of a IOQ score band, if you will, with the the darker uh values being the higher uh ranked uh projects or those identified to have the the greater impact. And that varies across each school site quite a bit, depending on the the existing conditions and the age and and and things like that across those schools. Uh as well as the the kind of enrollment projection versus the current capacity. You can see that here at um at the Alvord School District, as well. Um and just as a reminder
287that this is a graphic that we talk to uh almost every meeting. It's just to remind everyone that the facilities master plan is intentionally aspirational. Um this is what we would love the facilities to look like 10, 20 years into the future, and we know that we're not going to get there all at one in one bond, in one implementation plan. And so, the goal is to take some projects for that and and then those feed into the implementation plan for each each bond measure, each source of funding that you have. I don't know if you guys want to just run right into that, or we want to pass into the implementation plan, or you want to pause for questions >> I'll ask the board do they want us to just continue with the Let's
288continue the presentation so we have the content and then we'll move to questions. So yeah, implementation plan. You can move to the next one. We'll skip the niceties. Uh based on what we heard, a lot of it is similar to what we heard last time in 2023, right? Furniture, modernization, safety, security. Uh some changes are some of the new building types, you know, with 7 through 12 now instead of, you know, the the middle schools we had before. So some of those um additions are new. Next slide. So here we This is similar from what our our study session was with with the board a couple months back where we took the projects that were highest listed by site and put them into the implementation plan and kind of spent down funds as well as
289um uh state my matching funds that we are scheduled to receive in the future. So I'm going to keep going to the next one. um Next one. So some of our funding sources uh for facilities, obviously the bond fund is our biggest source of of revenue to spend. Um a deferred maintenance fund that's really not required and there's just a little bit of money left to help with deferred projects. Developer fees are are great when we have builders um funding that. State reimbursements is where we're getting a lot of our state funding back and we've identified over $70 million in matching funds we're eligible from the state. Um fund 40 is well at zero at the moment, but um we're hoping that, you know, with sale of properties potential that will help bolster fund 40
290back up, which will also help us uh with other projects. And last one, this is our state reimbursement that we've already applied for and been approved for through the state through the King Consulting. So this kind of shows that layout across the number of years in the future is when we're eligible to get that funding. So, one more for the questions and I'll stop there. Um, and let me just if you can go back to the state numbers since those are all ones that have already been applied for and approved for. The plan line sets us up to be able to continue applying for the those can tell me about like how that process works, how we identify funds if it's in the plan. Yeah, so what we have listed here is what um, King
291has already identified um, and we've applied for for projects that we've done already. So, we'll be applying for more as we go forward with other projects and we've already we work with King on all of our implementation and what our plans are so that we can get out in front of this and already get our applications ready to go as soon as we have the um, project ready to go through DSA. Questions. Uh, Trustee Dufourcy. Just so I understand your last comment, uh, these aren't funds that have been realized. These are ones you've applied for and we're waiting for the state to bless and send us the check. Well, yeah, it's through state bonds, right? For state facilities bonds. So, as soon as more bonds pass, we will collect those funds. So, yes, they're money's
292we've applied for and approved for. As soon as the funding kicks in, that these are the times we'll start to get them provided the bonds are there. Trustee DeLaTorre. So, is part of these numbers have anything to do with the repairs that have to be done on all the all-weather fields or is that something different? Is that bond money that's going to be fixing them or is it something different? Yeah, we're we have to we approved bond funds to get them done because of our uh, issues of safety to get those done and we're working legally to try to get some money's back from the original contractor. Um, but yes, it was bond funds that was used to to pay for that. Okay. Um, another thing, what are the architectural costs for the new designs
293of the for the facility master plans? So, um, you mean the costs the architectural fees that are associated with a project once it's started? >> rate for the design. So, I'm really curious about was it bond money or is it other money and what did it cost to design what's being called the Maria Chireou Junior Senior High program? You're talking about >> facility master plan. There's new designs. That obviously wasn't free to put that design work in. Is that bond money that pays for those or is that a different fund that pays for that architecture work? If the the the map you see in the master plan is just a an overall 30,000 foot view, right, of the campus but future potential. There's no detail there, but if a project is slated to go forth,
294we would hire an architect to design the specifics of that building or structure. So, who drew that map with the second gym and labs and the new weight room? >> This guy right here. And that was free? No, that's part of our facilities master planning fee and the and so, that was part of that process of coming up with that. >> That's just what I'm curious about. Is that something we're we've already paid for? Is it something that if we weren't going to seventh through 12th model, we wouldn't be paying for? I'm just trying to get a better understanding because these are questions we continue to get and I want to make sure we have the right answers when community members are asking these this information so that we can be as informed as possible.
295So, at this point all we've done is is the the master plan that you've seen in that drawing which is is really just an investment of of, you know, a few hours, really it does an hours maybe to put that that drawing together and and our facilities master plan contract is a time and materials contract so, you're only paying for for that amount of time. So, it's just that initial plan. There's been no design work done on designing, you know, a new gym or a the the NPR monetization. It's really just the real high-level planning work that's been done, and most of that is having the meetings uh with all of your staff and doing those site committee meetings and incorporating that feedback. Thank you. And for this last slide, um Director Olson, you said
296this bond money, when it's once it's available, we've applied for it, it's approved, and once it's available. So, is that part of this current bond, or would this be future bonds we may need to need to apply for to realize these types of funds that are necessary for these campuses? Yeah, I believe Prop 2, which um Aaron spoke about about the capacity studies and things we need to apply for this funding. Um I believe that is out from the state, right? That how many billions that was initially, but um so yes, it'll be the state will put back on the on the to the voters more facilities needs across the state for funding, and those typically do pass. Luckily, we're we're supported by the state pretty well, and as those funds become available, they start
297with where are you in line? And they start going, who already put in, and that's why it's important we stay on top of these applications, and we get them in as soon as possible, so that we're in line. So, as soon as funding becomes available, we get it. I just would like to add, we are also slated to receive funding this fall. So, there are guaranteed funds already that we've been in line for in Prop 2 that will be allocated to the district. And with those funds coming this fall, have we had to redirect those with all the abrupt changes that the district's gone through? Um were those earmarked previously in a former facility master plan, and now that campus no longer exists, we had to redirect those funds to um current projects? Yeah, they
298just get reincorporated into that implementation plan, right? To help with the priorities that came out of those stakeholder meetings. Thank you. Trustee Kirby. All right, let's make it quick. Um the walk-through that you did in all the campuses with the capacity and everything, when did that occur? So, we completed that capacity analysis um kind of late 2025, early 2026. Okay. That's right, cuz we've seen a few differences, I guess, between like what you saw and then some of the reports we get from our Ed Services people. So, I just wanted I'm trying to gauge which is more accurate or Yeah, you know, there those things shift all of the time, too, as far as like classroom utilization, you know, what classrooms are used for and things like that. And we did that analysis based on
299the information that we were given at the time from the district. We didn't walk around and like see what was happening in each classroom, right? We used the information that we were given by the the principals and the staff at each site. But, I'm sure some of that has changed. Um most of that will be relatively minor in the overall scope of those uh calculations. Yeah, I'll add that, you know, programming changes those factors greatly, right? So, we we take the information that is given that year, which is a year ago, by their site principal, um and that's what the information Aaron runs with at that time. That's probably that that was why I was asking when it occurred, just just for that reason. Thanks. Um last thing, I was trying to dig through some
300of this and it's come up at some of our meetings that we had previously and even in our public comments and stuff. If a campus needs has parking concerns, like Luther Burbank and Proctor Terrace and these other campuses, I don't see that in our plan. Does that Does that come up separately? How do we address those? It's come up at like Lincoln. I think the Lincoln plan shows some expanded parking, but typically, you're right, we have a boundary that we're in our property line, and so it usually means we're eating up playground space or some space that the kids use for more parking, and and so it's kind of weighing those trades of whether there's enough space to actually add parking or or not. I mean, Proctor Terrace is a perfect example of a school
301that has really The only way you're going to do it is to take away the space the kids play to add parking. It seems like a a bad trade. Interesting, Jenkins. So, tonight we are voting to adopt this and the implementation plan. So, I'm curious about So, I read through as much of the main thing that I could, and I appreciate all the details. Um however, the cheat sheet, so we call this other attachment, is missing the IOQ scores, but I saw them in the main facilities master plan. So, what are we Like, how is that? How are we implementing? Are you speaking about like the IOQ scores are not on the implementation plan? Yes. Yeah. No, they're separate, but those scores are reflected in that implementation plan. So, those highest need things are what's
302in that. >> That's what's in this. Okay, so that doesn't >> not even all of them. That those highest needs are more than we have dollars for. So, it's Yes. So, then how Okay, that helps. Um so, the implementation sheet, the one-pager, it looks like Is it just like kind of an alphabetical order then? Not really, kind of? There's two pages, I think, on this slide deck, yeah. At least This is the other So, I have a one-pager attached. Yeah, it's broken up by elementaries in alphabetical, and then charters, and then secondary. And that makes sense. Thank you. And so then is it safe to assume that then this is top-down priorities then? No, there's no actual list of like what's first and second and third here. It's just this is and this is a
303living document just like the last one was. I mean, we're doing things now that some weren't on that implementation plan, but you know, consolidation made an adjustment at at the time. So, this is just that same these are all the projects we think we can fund that were listed as high need that we think you should you will agree with and then as we'll start listening to your priorities as well as other things that I know will come up, right? As as definite needs within a maintenance and deferred maintenance process that we might bring back at and that'll help with timing. Yeah, I mean, I don't envy you guys for having to figure out, "Oh, how can we spend this limited amount of money?" And all of the needs that we have. I relate. But
304I guess my concern is like the way that I put it in the piece of the questions was is someone who's the neutral party who's saying what is actually a need and what like what is the most important thing? I mean, it could be us, but we're not seeing all of the things. So, the comparison that I have is like a when people need new shoes and if someone is you know, someone may think they need new shoe shoes when the soles are starting to get worn down and the other person thinks that they need need new shoes when there are actual holes in their shoes. And they don't really know the difference unless they're talking to each other, right? And Yeah, and that's what I do, right? I do I talk with all the
305sites that we have all these meetings together and so I'm kind of that collaborator that right that takes all that I know from the experience I have in the district with maintenance and deferred maintenance as well as the needs of of the changes that have happened in the district working with the sites on what their needs are, going to all these meetings and trying to help plan all this. I'm kind of that middle man. >> Okay, you're the So, And Kathy. Yes, and Kathy, of course. The the like the additional concern that I have then is that we're doing so much, obviously. So, what we do. Um But some things we're still relying on other campuses. I'm thinking about Montgomery right now, obviously, with the athletic stuff. Like we're still relying on the Slater campus.
306So, it seems like that gym situation is so incredibly important so that we can do something with Slater. If if that's the direction that we're moving in. And so, I'm assuming that those things are coming up across the district because of all of these implementations. I know you're aware of this. >> It is. I do have conversations with the athletic teams and and how the scheduling's going to work and and the crunch in the winter, yes. And not just athletics. Like I'm I'm sure these things are coming up everywhere right now. So, that's a a concern. Like I I think that um in my perspective, we need to prioritize the things that will then detach us from other sites. If that's the direction that I assume we're going in. Um and speaking of direction, we
307got 6 minutes. So, we're going to do comments quickly and I'll forego my comments uh to make sure we get to action. So, I'm going to go trusty Medina and then Prack. Real quick. One of the things that I I think has been an issue consistently is capacity measurements. And I'm wondering at what point can we put like in in in another item, there was a nominal versus real world capacity, right? And what I see in the FMP is what I think is the normal capacity. And in terms of this being like a helpful document that kind of helps the board throughout, especially as we've had a lot of conversations around capacity, is there any way to have both of those capacities included within the FMP in some way, or is that an inappropriate place?
308Well, there Yeah, and then the master plan there's two There's the OPSC formula, which is basically if it's a classroom, you fully load it as a classroom. Uh and then there's the formula that Aaron and his team used, which was given by the site what their room use is, which is kind of that true right now capacity that they're using it as. So, that that's your max capacity by the state what the state considers the capacity of the school, and then there's the actual capacity that the site is using it as. Is that So, what's listed here Sorry. >> The The only way I'd I'd sort of add to that is is I don't I don't think it's it's not intended to be a reflection of how the site is using it. Um what we
309do is we do the OPSC calculation, and then we reflect if there are rooms on the campus that the district has decided we're not going to use this as a classroom because we're dedicating this to a different program, then we may deduct those from the capacity. That mostly shows up on elementary school campuses. Uh where you have a PE classroom, where you have an art class that kids are going from second grade, they're going to go into the art classroom, but other kids aren't going into the second grade classroom. Whereas at a high school, when some kids are in art, some kids are in English, and they move around quick more, so it's more flexible to use the capacity fully. So, that's mostly where that shows up. So, this example you see it's a little
310bit lower on the district capacity side for Santa Rosa High School, but you'll see in some of the elementary schools that delta is larger because it it it's has a little bit more impact on how the spaces are used. So, when I go to look at like the school data page, the the section where it says student capacity, Yeah. that's That's the district capacity number that we put in there, which is the one that we've adjusted for a little bit of the district uses. Yeah. Yeah, that's adjusted for the programs that are happening at at the site. Okay. In the interest of time, I need to make sure that we move forward if we are moving forward. Do I have a motion? Trustee Kirby. Sure, I'll make a motion to accept the facilities master plan
311as presented. I second. Moved by Trustee Kirby, seconded by Trustee Prack. Any further very vital discussion? I'd see none, we'll move to a roll call vote, please. Trustee Kirby. [clears throat] Aye. Trustee Prack. Aye. Trustee Jenkins. Aye. Trustee De La Torre. No. Trustee Medina. No. Trustee De Fasio. Uh I abstain at this point. I need more information for myself, sorry. President Castaneda. Aye. That passes with four ayes, two noes, and one abstention. Um we are at 10:58, so with the board's consent, I am going to move us to item eight, which is our minutes. Do I hear a motion to approve? Second. I have a motion to approve by Trustee Medina, and I will go with Trustee De La Torre on the second. I think that's what I heard. Um all of All in favor,
312say aye. Aye. Any opposed? And then Trustee De Fasio abstains. All right, with that >> potential action, do we have to vote on anything tonight of those other two things on the agenda? >> There is nothing else that is vital to vote on. Um I And just so folks know on the delegate assembly, I had put my name in at the point time where no one had stepped up for it. We have three qualified candidates from the feeder districts from our feeder districts and I'm very supportive of one of them taking that spot since there's now interest. So, there's no necessary action on the rest of the agenda. Uh with that, we're at 10:59 and I'm going to move to adjourn. Oh, that's confirmation.