001direction of the There we go. There it is. A recording is being made at the direction of the board and that the recording may capture sounds of those attending the meeting. I see that all trustees are here other than trustee Profetta and she texted us and said she's running a few minutes late just before the meeting. Um so we can begin. We're going to start with item three, the approval of the agenda. If there's any member of the public online who would like to speak on this item which is solely about the agenda, please hand a blue card or use the raise hand feature on >> none. >> Okay, seeing none, um board, I'm going to ask that we approve the agenda with two modifications. one uh to add an item under reports again 9F
002comments from the Sunnyville Education Foundation and additionally so that I don't have to deal with numbering um to add a number 9.5 because um this agenda also left off public comment because initially it was posted as a governance meeting and >> it's a special board meeting. So special board meets did not have a separate public comment section only only the items on the agenda were spoken on. Is that is that correct? >> That's correct. >> Yeah. It's not a regularly scheduled. >> Okay. All right. So then let's just go ahead and add 9F if that's okay. If we can modify it to read 9F. Um is there a motion to approve the agenda with an addition of 9F or without it? >> I move to approve the agenda with 9F included. >> Is there a
003second? >> A second. >> Great. Um discussion. All those in favor please say I. >> I. >> Great. Chair I and the motion passes. Um right now we're on item four, public comment for close session. Tonight's topic is public employee performance evaluation government code 54957. Superintendent. Um if there's any member of the public who wishes to comment on close session, please use the raised hand feature. >> Okay. Um, seeing none, uh, it is 6:04 p.m. We will recess for a close session. We will take a 5m minute break after the closed session and we return to the boardroom at or about 6:30. Thank you. >> You made it. >> Perfect. Yeah, >> perfect timing. >> That's well pretty close. Pretty close. Hello. Hello. >> Hi. How are you? >> Good. Nice to see you. >>
004I don't know why I have my computer cuz I arrive like right at 6 o' to see you. Yes. Happy Thursday. >> Wednesday. >> Don't do that. >> I'm good. How are you? >> I was ecstatic that it's only Wednesday. >> Usually it's the opposite. It's a cozy girl wearing cozy jackets kind of day. I never consider >> that now that I am aware of >> all good. All good. >> I can just borrow one of these. the ideal. I'm thinking this is actually >> we can take them home. Can we take them home? >> The Chromebooks. >> Yeah, >> I believe I think Jesus likes to keep them just in case. >> Well, if I'm going to do board stuff, I could do it all on here and then not on my personal stuff.
005>> I would suggest >> we could do a device that they get to take home. >> Yep. >> And then here >> they can have a separate one or an iPad. But the one they use here would stay here. >> Okay. >> I can just keep Okay. Like >> No, I think that's fine. But I think you would like to systemize. >> I hear you. I hear you. But I don't need a separate device. Please don't get me another device. >> Yeah, I'm good. >> Please don't do that. >> Don't do that. No. No. I would just like to borrow and spend the money on the kids. >> I'll put something together. I hear what you're No. Not like in that way, right? Thank you. >> Okay. >> All right. >> Okay. Thank you. >>
006Oh, okay. Thanks. So many security questions. Okay. Um, great. All right. It is now, um, Okay. It is now 6:41 and p.m. and we will re Oh, sorry. Uh, I'm reconvening this regular board meeting of the board of education. All members are present. Uh, no action was taken. Please join me uh for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. Um or would anyone like to uh read number eight, the living land acknowledgement? I didn't ask anyone. >> Okay. Thank you. San Easort District is located on the ancestral and unseated land of the Morma tribe who have peacefully honored and cared for this land for
007thousands of years. We recognize that every member of the Sunnyville community continues to benefit from the use and occupation of this land. We acknowledge our responsibility to learn from the wisdom of the loving people and to consider how we might work to repair injustices and to move forward in honorable ways. Thank you. Okay. Um item nine is reports. Uh tonight we don't have any student reports for coming next week or next time. >> Yes, it'll be. >> Excellent. So now to item 9B, superintendent report. Dr. Pres. >> Thank you, President Watson. Good evening, everyone. I just want to start off by thanking everyone uh for their support of our inaugural state of the district. It was just amazing opportunity to highlight our students. Um and and they were really the star of the show. So,
008thank you to everyone who came out to support and um looking forward to continuing this annually. Um but again it's also an opportunity for us to address some of the challenges that we have as an organization which is are not unique to Sunnyville school district and also to garner support because we cannot do this work alone. So again just thank you to everyone who was able to attend yesterday's event and support as well. And then let's go to the next slide. And so we want to also share with you an update regarding AI here in our school district. >> Thank you superintendent CrossFit. um board of education, it's my pleasure to give a brief update on our work um in Syale of AI and how where our theory of action is and how we're meeting
009the challenges and opportunities presented by AI that's facing public school districts and I guess let's face it, humanity. Um in alignment with our strategic plan, our uh foundational philosophy is a human-centric approach to the deployment of AI throughout the Sunnyville School District. Um I think the best way to describe this is from a quote uh by a Stanford computer scientist and professor named Fhe Lee who states I often tell my students not to be misled by the name artificial intelligence. There is nothing artificial about it. AI is made by humans intended to behave by humans and ultimately to impact humans lives and human society. So we're taking an AI literacy and an AI readiness approach. So humanentric and AI literacy and AI readiness. So you're noticing that I'm not saying that we're launching a particular
010um application at this time. We're really focusing on that human human aspect. What do I mean by AI literacy? Uh AI literacy is the collection of skills and knowledge a person needs to confidently understand, ethically use and critically evaluate AI tools in the real world. And that is forms the foundation um into AI readiness which is the ability and underlying skills to apply AI literacy to one's lives. An AI ready person understands AI's impact and can leverage their human advantages, things like collaboration, creativity, self- advocacy alongside with the evolving technology to reach their full potential. So, you can see how there's many um aspects that overlay with our strategic plan with our core principles um the portrait of a learner as well as the Sunny Bale promise. So, we've spent the last 14 months building
011this foundation. Um, we've held workshops, a board presentation at the end of last spring for the board. We've connected with our employee associations and our work has focused heavily on impacting our staffs because in Sunnyville School District, given the age of our learners, we really want the adults in the system to be well primed in order to guide our youngest learners. And I know that that was a a concern from the board from our board presentation. So I'm pleased to report that we have been building our foundation required us requiring excuse me required to move us into the AI readiness phase of our work. Uh next slide please. So what is driving this AI readiness? It is our AI staff task force. So we've successfully selected 20 staff members from a highly competitive pool of
01254 applicants. So if you keep that in mind there's roughly 850 employees in the district. We had 54 people apply to even participate. is already 5% of the way there if my math is correct. Um I should have checked that number before that came out of my mouth. So uh but this group is highly diverse um with representation balanced across all grade levels at elementary and middle school uh classified certificated and management staff representation and then also a range of current understanding of AI fundamentals. So there really is five variables that we tried to to pull together. So with only 20 members, we did a pretty good job of spreading across all of those categories for this for this task force. The task force is charged to develop recommendations for implementation and integration and guiding
013our AI initiatives. Key deliverables of the task force include exploration of AI tools for staff, deploying AI tools at scale to staff that impact student achievement, creating recommendations of acceptable use guidelines and policies to bring back to the board for the discussion in the winter and spring of this year. I'm excited to share that we held our first in-person task force meeting a couple weeks ago. The group is already engaged identifying adult focused use cases with Gemini uh Google Gemini which is our secure embedded LLM tool centered on productivity and creative uses by staff and we'll be holding our second meeting on October 22nd um at 4:00. So please come in and join us and see the great work that's happening. Uh next slide please. And then partnering for acceleration um this challenges that I
014talked about is is daunting for any system. um even for a mediumsized district like ourselves. So, we have found two fantastic or several partners to help us with this work. Um I know all of you would like uh me to be able to tell you what the answers are about AI and where we're going and what it's going to look like, but I cannot. Um it's going to take all of us to define this new tool and this new reality. But again, tonight is a is a a glimpse into our approach. But luckily, we to help us figure this problem out, we're leveraging several key partners. The first is a familiar um partner that we presented with last year. It's called AIEDU. They are a nonprofit devoted to ensuring all students are ready to live,
015work, and thrive in an AIdriven world. And they are helping us advance our AI literacy and readiness framework across our system. They do have an AI uh framework for staff and students that we're um uh embedding with our strategic plan so we're not having to reinvent the wheel. Play Labs um is another nonprofit focused on a creating a future where educators and students have agency to not just use AI but to shape it. It is a closed platform that's open-ended. Um and so that's that's uh this um is actually on approval for tonight. Um so they are another great partner. Um there was a question that you might be wondering are they related or similar or what what is the difference between those two organizations? They are two separate organizations and the way I made
016meaning of this is AI EDU kind of operates at a this higher level because they're working nationwide um and trying to influence um policy and at the governmental levels um and working with uh partners across the community based organizations as well. Play Labs is a another nonprofit but it's actually a tool that's open-ended and is allowing staff and eventually students to empower to be able to use AI as as as a productive little tool to enrich their lives. So they complement each other um at two different levels of scale. Um interestingly enough I was talking to superintendent that they they've actually been kind of introduced to each other. I don't want to say because of us but at simultaneously with us bringing those two partners in they are now working together kind of at at
017that other level as well. So we were again kind of on the front cutting edge of that. So that was fantastic to see. Last but not least is digital promise. Um uh as you heard from the announcement, we are now part of the League of Innovative Schools into a couple of the learning um collaboratives. One of the one that interests me, I guess specifically is the AI literacy learning collaborative. And this is designed to help K12 districts um leaders navigate this rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence. And it's basically pulling a together a cohort and cadre to be able to learn from each other and form um that will empower the district to understand, evaluate, and ethically apply AI tools. So we plan to use our partnership in digital literacy uh I'm sorry the the
018digital promise league of innovative schools is to take the work that we're using here again the AI edu framework our strategic plan the play lab exploration and Google gemini and I want to use the work within the collaborative then to see how do we scale this to all 850 employees um bring our parent and guardian um up to speed about what it is how to utilize it and hopefully again be able to um maybe leverage it in their own personal lives and Last but not least, we'll be uh arming our students for the next wave of what's coming so they understand what AI is and how to use it as a tool and not be used by it. So again, in summary, we've established a strong foundation of AI literacy and we are now moving
019into the AI readiness phase of our uh of our operations. So more information is to come. Um and that's just a quick glimpse of what we're doing. >> Clarifying questions. So, if you um you invited us to come and check something out, will you be following up with a >> Yeah, I could I'll continue to put um that information into the weekly um just exactly when it is. You can please join us and be via the fly on the wall and maybe pull in to participate. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. Let's go to the next slide, please. The other thing I want to just let you know is on tonight's agenda for item 11E, there's a item for your consideration for us to potentially expand our after school programs across the
020district. It would give us an opportunity to partner up with think together. We did speak with the Y as well as think together to explore this option. And so if you look at I'm not going to read all the bullets to you, but it's if you look at the same last bullet, it's it's a potential pilot on a sliding scale to be able to expand services for up to 200 additional students. And if approved tonight, uh, Think Together will begin recruiting staff and engaging in the community in conversations about what this potentially could look like. They do already have partnerships in San Jose Unified and the Pita school district actually uses them with the sliding scale to support their after school programs. Let's go next slide. And so again, there's a lot of benefits, but
021one of the major things that I keep hearing from families is just how challenging it is to provide after school programs and the limited options that are available not only within our schools but also within the community. And just it's cost prohibitive for a lot of families to pay up $10,000 a month per child. So if you can imagine you got two or three children at different ages, different schools, it could be quite a challenge. So just some of the potential benefits for families. And then uh next slide please. And then the other item that's up for consideration for tonight is um item 11D approval of contract with Oenda Education. So, as superintendent, I'm recommending that we partner with Orenda to go into a deeper dive in terms of our instructional and organizational systems to
022look at any disparities systemically, but at the same time, how do we continue building capacity across the organizations with our site and district administrators in terms of proper use of data? uh the next steps in terms of looking at our systems including our master schedule course of study. Uh let's go to the next slide and um again it's a outside eyes coming in giving us additional feedback in terms of some recommended uh steps. Uh I did invite eight out of the nine principles to attend some of these events for them to get firsthand experience about what this potentially could look like uh for Sunnyville School District. We did have four of the uh principles able to attend as well as an assistant principal. So the 10 schools we had representation at f from five of
023our schools with Arinda events and they are also working with some of the neighboring districts here in the Bay Area. But it's another opportunity for us to again look in the mirror, reflect on our current systems, and ask ourselves what else can we do to make a bigger impact to support our students and at the same time build up our capacity across the organization. And then lastly, I apologize. I take responsibility for this, but I want to make sure I do this right, is on tonight's agenda, we were supposed to do a data presentation. I didn't include it when we posted the agenda, and I'll take responsibility for that. we're moving forward. I want to make sure because I heard some of our families yesterday who mentioned to me, hey, the uh wasn't, you know,
024posted. So, I want to make sure we do it right and post our data presentation in advance for the public so that they can be engaged in those conversations as well. So, thank you for your patience, learning and uh thank you. That concludes my presentation. >> Thank you. So, we'll go to item 9 C which is board members report. We can uh start with trustee for would you like to start today? I'll start with today. Um so I went to school sites with Jeremy. Thank you Jeremy for that. That was fun. Um but I had to leave home my um fifth grader and my college student had to skip class to take care of her. So that was nice of her. um and my fifth grader missed her um speech for the campaign for her
025student council, but her teacher was able to read her speech. That was good. Um uh and then I was late coming here because I had to find someone to come home to to watch her because she's sick and made dinner and all that stuff. But um also I enjoyed yesterday's state of the district. That was really fun. It was really nice to see everyone and I'm glad that I was there for the first one and I can't wait for the next one. Um, we had our Alliance board meeting yesterday um a couple weeks ago. Um, superintendent brought me to Cherry Chase in Cumberland for a school site visit. That was a good one. Um, and I also did my ethics training. I just need to find out. >> And for Fairwood, um I've just been
026busy working on getting silent auction donations for our holiday craft fair next month. >> I think for um for the ethics training, I think you can just email that to Dr. Cross and they can y >> they just need it. Just email it to them. >> Oh, great job. Well, actually, I don't have much to report. I will be sending my activities to the school later. And I really enjoyed yesterday's state of the district. It was very nice. I didn't know we had room. That was awesome. >> And it was very a very happy celebration. Not yet. Say the only comment I was going to make is also about the state of the district yesterday. I just want to thank everyone. There's lots of people involved with it to make it a success. So I
027just appreciate um everyone who came, but also especially everyone who participated to help it. Um so it's it's been about a month. It's been a very busy month. Um something that I really want to highlight this time around is um we had our um parent teacher conferences and I really want to call out like the love and um support that my like when I met with um my daughter's teacher um she's a first year teacher and she had these amazing slides is like oh what's what are the diagramraphs Andy cannot pronounce yet or like what are these made up words that she's not able to just say and like there isn't this interactive slide and it was just so informative and it was clear that both her and then my um my son's teacher just
028like really do know my kids like and by by name strength need right which um was really lovely and I want to just honor um our teachers here um something that I am also hearing from teachers um is that it's a lot like I And there's a lot of um stress in the system from the teachers and um it feels like they are not supported in the ways that they feel like they need to be in order to be successful and also feel like they are not um not in a position where they can ask for help and support in a way that's not going to be like counted against them. And so um I've been hearing that repeatedly as well. So like both honoring that we have amazing educators but also making sure that
029we have systems that can support them. Um that is a constant theme. Um I attended the b bullying pre prevention um seminar from project cornerstone and it was really great. Um, and they had a lot of other workshops that I think we already paid for and we could also use. Um, but there's a lot of trauma in the system and in terms of like parents as well in terms of like bullying behaviors and um, this is something I'm hearing from a lot of different angles in the district is just these type of behaviors that impact the school experience. And um, so it's made me think about how we can be supportive of um, behavior as well. um for like I think maybe supporting the adults in the system so that we can be supportive of
030the students and not being punitive with behavior is is just kind of a common theme that I've been hearing, you know, supportive um and not just punishing. Um I attended my first ever science camp um information um information um night and it's in person at Bishop which is really awesome. Um we are the first school to go for the whole district that is on the week of December 8th. Um there is a bit of an issue where um we don't actually have high school counselors enough. It seems like all the high schoolers are like um taking finals at that time. So, if anybody listening knows of high schoolers that might be able to attend and support in this way, I'd really like to make sure that our our um December 8th, the week of December
0318th. Um and the other thing um regarding science camp is um that it's a real opportunity for our students to really socialize and get to know each other. And so, um I know that Fairwood and Lakewood both meet into Columbia Middle School and they go together and that's like a really amazing, lovely community. And those teachers are really tight with each other. And so, um, I think it would be really great if we were more intentional. Like Bishop never goes with, um, Bishop as far as I know has never gone with another Sunnyville School District school, but we could go to with like San for example, be in Columbia. Um, Barus Cumberland go together, you know. So there are um, Chase and Alice or you know, anyway, you get the point. I think there's some
032great opportunities and that would be supportive of our students as well. Um, and just finally coming back to the state of the district, I felt like that was just like such a wonderful event. It was student centered. Um, I heard from a lot of the community members that it felt very honest and real and not not just rough. And um and something that really stood out um my friend told me, you know, I really like how Dr. Crosby said that, you know, we know the what, we know the why, and now this is the how and we're going to go with the how and this is something that together as a community we can do together. So again, feeling a lot of hope and optimism and opportunity here. Thank you. >> Thanks. Okay. Um I
033will also send my activities in. I did want to mention that there's a lot of things going on with our heritage months this month. So today's the last day of Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15th to October 15th. It's also LGBTQI plus history month. And I'm was so excited that I saw on social media that um we we showed that we were raising the flag for um National Coming Out Day on October 11th. Uh we have raised the flag for at the district office before, but this way it was just felt more public and more affirming. So I really appreciated that. Uh October 13th was Indigenous People's Day. I was trying to explain that to my high school district adult school class. They had questions. So um it it was an interesting conversation. Um and also
034October is Hindu Heritage Month and FilipinoAmerican Heritage Month. And on our website, um there are active links for from our teaching and learning and library the library for um if you want to do activities at home or for our teachers um about the history of those months and about you know different books to read and ways to celebrate. So I thought that was interesting. Just a couple things to note. Uh Peggy and I or Trusty Shen Brster and I both went to the health and wellness meeting uh in different ways virtually and in person, but the news, you know, just because when I send my activities in, I don't know if you actually ever read them. So, this is a little different. I'm just trying to report out. So, there is going to be a
035walk and roll uh tally of how people get to school. Again, this this um ne at the end of the month and this is one of those things where public safety took over. It's part of the safe rout to school. Um and so what they do is once a year they send out the survey. Um and there's some incentives for walking and some schools take it farther. I mentioned that we have they said well there are kids riding the bus this year that one of the things I'm really proud of from that state of the city is that three years ago we didn't have a home to school transportation system and now we have 700 uh students riding the bus so they will be included in the incentives because they're they are carpulling in their
036own way by riding the bus and there the group is also bringing to all the schools Ruby Bridges walk to school day which is November 14 and the Ruby Bridges Foundation supplies incentives for that. And the idea at the committee, you know, a lot of the partners that used to come to the committee meetings no longer come because their funding has either dried up or has just diminished and and they're gone or they've diminished in such a way that they they've only they have less schools and districts that they can go to. So, for example, there was a group that came in and did the hula hoop contest every year at every school and the people who ran that are gone. Five 5210 that that program is no longer being promoted at all of our
037schools. Those are things that we could pick up internally. But other things we can pick up a little easier like a play day using playworks. But um one of the things that the committee was talking about was trying to find something at each of their quarterly meetings to uh support like a wellness activity they could bring back to their school sites or a um physical activity like a game or something. So at the next meeting we'll have some more that'll be happening throughout the year and they're going to ask public safety about bike rodeos and some other things that they've done in the past. But public safety has said they explicitly want to be invited to campuses. They don't want to just show up. They don't want anyone to be uncomfortable. Um and then they
038are going to do a staff incentive thing that's very similar to to coincide like the first one will be match up with what Kaiser does. So it will be an incentive program for staff to work on as a team and get their steps in. Um, and then and then I had asked and we're going to get more information about in Cambrian School District, Idupric Middle School does a mental health and awareness um week and as part of it they do a fundraiser for a suicide prevention organization called NAMI and the the most of who attends there's a couple of teachers but it's a a fair amount of the PE coaches and they're a little nervous. about touching on the the topic of teen suicide. Um, however, I think that the Cambrian school districts have been
039doing this for a number of years and they're getting reports back from the high school district that the students who are freshman that are coming from their middle schools um are much more comfortable with finding help for a friend who might be going through something and and understanding that support is out there and it's even socializing mental health support for the parents. So, we're going to have them give a little show and tell about what they're doing in that district to see if we can bring it here. And then the other thing I just wanted to highlight was uh to save the date for the success symposium through the Santa Clair County School Boards Association. You know, even with declining enrollment countywide, the the student homelessness, Mckin Vento students, that number students experiencing homelessness, that
040number is rising. So last year it was around 7,000. This year it's around 8,000. And so for districts that are really heavily impacted like Morgan Hill, they have declining enrollment. They used to have 9% of their student body was unhoused. Now it's now it's at 11%. Like it's just because their numbers are going the wrong way. So this is a this is going to be for trustees and superintendent. School staff is invited. And then it's also there also going to be some providers there. and it's a deep dive and talking about desiloing. So, I hope people can attend. It will be November 15th um 8:30 to 12:00 p.m. It's 10 bucks. There's waiverss available. And so, if you're an advocate or you really care or want to learn about what's going on with student homelessness,
041you can go there, too. Um and then I'll send in my other activities for the minutes. So, thanks for your patience. Um, okay. So, we are on to item gosh, it's so many things there. Uh, 90, which is the Sunnyville Education Association. Do we have an official representative online who's like to speak? Okay, at this time 9E is the California School Employees Association. If there's an official representative online, please use the raised hand feature if you wish to speak. No. >> Nope. Okay. And we did add item 9F, which is for the Sunnyville Education Foundation. I see someone here. Um, welcome, President Eugene. Thank you. 9F has a nice ring to it. Um, first I want to thank you. I'm Michelle Eugenie, president of Central Education Foundation. First, I want to thank you all of
042you and the organizers behind the scenes, uh, the the people behind the curtain, so to speak, for including Seth in the state of the district event yesterday, as was already mentioned. Uh, it was such a fantastic event, but it was for for us, for our community. It was such a wonderful opportunity to share and connect with the community. I can't tell you how many people came up to me afterwards um seeking to be introduced to talk, folks that I've crossed paths with in other settings and that didn't occur. So, thank you. That that really was a fantastic opportunity for us to engage all of our community. Uh I'd like to invite you all. We have our own events. Well, it's going to be in this room, so it's in partnership with the Sunnyville School District.
043But I want to invite you and the public listening to a roundt event that Seth is hosting in partnership with the district. The theme is beyond the classroom, the magic of gardens, field trips, and touching grass. If you haven't touched grass lately, go do it. It is It sparks something in the brain that feels good. Um, and with this recent rain, it's fresh. It's beautiful. Um, and students should have that joy as well. So, join us. It's October 28th right here in this room starting at 5:30 p.m. and we're going to hear from some experienced program providers. We're going to share ideas and insights and more people listening, sharing, um, hearing things, asking questions makes for a livelier discussion. So, help us spread the word. We appreciate that. It is posted on our FA Facebook
044uh, as an event. All right. And then one other thing that's recently happened we wanted you to be aware of is that we're proud to um uh be looking further into science camp and we we love the collaboration with the district including the commitment to sending all fifth graders to science camp without requiring individual fundraising. Uh this approach has removed a major barrier to participation. However, we became aware um which is one of our our special talents sort of having eyes and ears and hearing things that are happening and and asking questions um in order to find creative solutions together. But we were hearing that um there's still a challenge out there to participation and that is uh the struggle to provide supplies needed for several nights at sleepweight camp. things like sleeping bags, warm
045jackets, appropriate for being out on those night hikes, um, and some things like soap. If you live in a house of, you know, a bunch of people and you're all sharing the big bottle of soap, well, what do you take when you go to camp? You're not taking that big bottle of soap, right? And these are just very practical little things that uh that we heard from teachers and um and outreach coordinators and individuals at the schools. In fact, um we in order to understand more about this, we surveyed fifth grade classroom and SDC teachers. Uh we um also included administrators and the outreach coordinators. Um and we were really pleased to get more than 50% of those who we reached out to responded. Um we also heard from every elementary school about uh their
046needs. They they shared things that we kind of predicted, but they also shared some things we hadn't thought about. And uh the incredible responses indicated a clear and urgent need. Responses um helped us identify the most critical ones. So based on those results, we have um approved $2,000 from internally from our special projects fund, which we're going to use for an initial purchase of items that will be available to schools to distribute to students and families who struggle to provide science camp supplies. Starting with Bishop and this is an opportunity that we've been exploring. Thank you to Jeremy as our district liaison and thinking through logistics. Um we if you don't know we have a storage area over there in the Adair room where we store some of our event supplies, sensory tent and so
047on and that'll be also where we store the science camp materials, check them in and out. So we're going to be working on that and growing that. But we think it's really awesome opportunity. So I just wanted you to be aware of that. And then last but not least, I come tonight with a donation. Money is always good. Um, I said it over there in Arthur's place, but Arthur is invisible tonight. Um, so I'll get that back to uh whomever accepts a check. And uh that is the second of our third rounds of our fall school grants. I see you over there grabbing that check. Thank you. Um, this is in support of enrichment programs at four school sites this particular round. Uh, that's Bishop, uh, Cumberland, Vargas, and Columbia Middle School. Um this is
048part of our more than $100,000 for the 10 schools this fall that is part of what we call school grants. There will also be um in the future I'll be bringing you news of a special project for this year uh for which we will be accepting requests midy year. So more money to come. Just wanted to drop off check tell you about those great opportunities. Thank you >> and appreciate you here. >> You could but I have a meeting at 7:30. Could we do it now? >> Yeah. Okay, let's go. >> Good thing I changed out of my garden clothes out. >> I know. We've talked about it. Just one of those like >> everybody's got to do it. >> Yeah. Or those big checks. >> We get everybody around. Yeah, you guys are all
049wearing coins. >> No, it's all right. >> Friends. Three, two, one. Three, two, one. Okay, thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> And I'm sorry to the translator who um I was talking fast. >> I'll endeavor to go slower next time. >> Thank you. All right. Thank you. >> So, we are on to number 10, which is the consent agenda items. Any item on the consent agenda is subject to review and discussion prior to being approved by the board. If necessary, any items may be removed for separate action. The public may address the board regarding any items on the consent agenda. Is there any member of the public here who wishes to make a comment on the consent agenda? Uh if there's someone online who'd like to make a comment on the consent agenda,
050please use the raised hand feature. >> Okay. Uh seeing none, uh board, uh we need a motion or would anyone would anyone from the board like to pull anything or to make a motion? >> I move approval of the consent agenda as listed. I say then Okay. Any discussion? All right. All those in favor, please say I. I. >> I. >> Chair votes I. And the consent agenda passes. Um, great. There were lots of things on the consent agenda. So, we're on to item 11, which is action items. Uh, the first one is item 11 A, approval of resolution 2610, support of measure A. Dr. Crossley. So this item, excuse me. So this item here is a resolution for your consideration uh given the challenges that are happening across the country and impacting here sanitary
051county as well. This is a resolution that would provide support for measure A to increase um a 62 institute a 58 of a 1 cent 5-year tax to preserve critical county services specifically access to healthcare emergency response and behavioral supports. Um we know that our families are struggling and uh particularly our most vulnerable families. Uh but this obviously impacts everyone as well. >> Okay. First it's time for public comment. If I'm sorry if there's any member of the public who would like to speak on this item, please use the raised hand feature. Okay. See none. We're reading a motion. Um I move we approve resolution 2610 and a matter of resolutions support Santa Cl members any discussion measure >> um so I just wanted to share similar to uh last meeting with prop 50 um
052I don't think this is in our purview and I don't think this is something that we should be >> okay. Um well, I do know that uh well anyone else I mean I can share is I can share that we had some discussion at the Santa CL County Schools Association legislative action committee. Um and there was a trustee there from Gilroy. We can share a little bit about that deliberation that would be helpful. Do you want to share also about our we also put out a measure for approval for the LAC? >> Yeah, that's what I was saying like we we discussed it at the LAC and and the the Santa Clair County Schoolboards Association, the Legislative Action Committee weighed in on it because it meets the priorities and I really believe that it's the
053the legislative priorities of our district as well. Well, we get a half a million dollars from the county. And so even though measure a is mostly earmarked for hospitals and um you know um health care and they will lose the only emergency room in South County um if they don't get measure A. It also that funding is also some of the funding that is going to be that is earmarked for schools and the behavioral health in schools. So like we get a half a million dollars. Almost every district in the county gets some money from the um from the county for like it says in here this is for our behavior behavioral health grant. Um and you know mental health is just such an important thing for all of our students right now. Uh so
054I think it actually does directly impact our school district and also um you know we're trying to remove barriers to learning and one of the things that we talked about in the legislative action committee meeting at least was that you know our most socioeconomically disadvantaged students, most underserved students are the ones who are going to be the most impacted by the cuts. So, we can we can state that we as a body um support it and call for it. Um but we're not asking people to directly vote for it. So, it's a little different. We're not we're not telling people to vote for it, right? We're just endorsing it ourselves. Is that correct? >> That's correct. You're just uh encouraging people to go out and vote, but not necessarily to vote for against it. Um
055and all of all of the whereases here are really talking about um the the basic um you know how it would directly affect our students. So I know Isabelle do you want to add anything from the discussions? No, just that we had a meeting with supervisor Ellenburg where we discuss about how this directly affect our districts and how important it was. Hence, we decided to put out our solution. >> I just want to share two quick thoughts and then I don't really want to spend a long time because it's gonna go different and that's totally fine. But two things I do want to and I just want to share like personally I am currently planning to support measure A right so similar as the other one I just don't think it's more space uh measure
056A I want to correct something you said measure A is not earmarked for anything so people are saying what they want to spend on but it's actually totally open the county can use the money right >> however they want and there's like a max amount of money this like that can be used so the county is using the rest that money so I just want to like clear that up that it's not actually they're advertising it as it's going to a certain area. It could be, right? But it's actually allowed to go anywhere. And then also, from my understanding, the half million dollars that we get that like comes from the county, it's actually not it's from a state thing. And so it actually that money is not affected by federal. So again, I think
057we can vote on it. I don't really want a longer discussion. I just want to clarify those two things. Um, so I think in when there are threats to social services like we see federally now and we see that there will be an impact for us locally and we think about our responsibility as a school district to care for. So basic care which is something that we highlighted in the state of the district um for our students. Um I do feel like we have responsibility here to um support this for the county as well and in support of all the schools in the county. Um and frankly in terms of like defending our democracy, this is something I feel strongly about. And if um if there are threats to funding, if there are threats to
058what we have um have committed ourselves to doing in terms of um providing public education to all students um regardless of who, where, what, what they bring to the table or not, where they come from. I do think it's something that we need to support it permanently and I will >> I do want to acknowledge that I I was not aware about the state funding mechanism for for the grant, but I would like to say that the county leans Oh, sorry. The county has leaned in pretty hard about um mental health in general. They're a little even overs subscribed on behavioral health because they invested so heavily and they're basically being penalized for create having created such a wide support network. But we do have some significant needs in our area. And we when we
059go even as individual trustees and we go and we meet with Supervisor Lee or we go meet with Supervisor um Ellenburgg or any of the other people who other who either represent us or who have like children and families committees and things like that. We're asking them to like, hey, help help us support our underserved families. Like we're supporting them at school. you need to support them in your lane. And so I think this is just one of those situations where we can stand with them just like we would hope they would stand with us, you know, to meet the needs of these same families. So that's where I see the alignment. I see the alignment because we are constantly asking them to better support our schools, better support our families and our our students
060and you know what can you do? So, they're saying right now, we're we're going to lose a whole bunch of funding. This is the only thing we can do. Um, will you will you scan with us? And so, I'm I'm willing to say, "We support the effort. Um, I appreciate that they're that they're doing something. They could just sit there and go, "Oh, well, we lost the money. You know, we can't do anything for you." And just start closing everything. and and that would be a disaster for all the families who depend on the county for healthcare and other services. So, and they even though you know it's not it isn't earmarked for healthcare that that's primarily that's probably what they see as the most urgent need. So, um Evelyn did you want to say
061anything? I want to make sure we get to you. >> Okay. Well, why don't we vote? Um all those in favor >> wait sorry my thing I do I think this is a moment for unity and to stand in solidarity with our county and with our community partners as like Bridget President said um we would want others to do for us and and this is a moment to stand up and I appreciate you bring it to us Dr. Crosby. >> Okay. Um all those in favor please say I. I >> I all those against please say >> nay. >> Okay. Um chair votes I. The motion passes. Thank you. >> Okay. Um next item is item 11B approval of membership in the digital promise of innovative schools. Dr. Crossweight. >> Hi. So this is an
062opportunity for Sunnyville school district to be able to join. Let me start that again. So this is an opportunity for Sino school district to join the league of innovative schools under digital promise and as you heard a little bit from Mr. Nishihara earlier the benefits include potential opportunities to network and learn in collaboration with other uh districts not only in the US but also from around the world. Um the Leo schools has been around for about 20 years now and has about 145 or so 153 school districts in the country who come together. So the opportunities are one convening in the fall to go to DC to lobby and advocate for public schools and then there's a spring con and that one is only restricted for superintendent and then there's a spring convening where we
063get opportunities to visit each other's school districts to engage in collaborative conversations with other superintendent and school leaders and visit classrooms and engage with students staff and family members as well. Um the cost is $2,500 and superintendent are reimbursed for that in when they attend the convenience or the fall lobby in DC. >> Thank you. If there's any member of the public who would like to comment on this item, please use the raised hand feature. >> Okay. See none board. Do we have a motion to approve? I move to approve the membership in the digital digital promise league of innovative school. >> Do we have a second? >> I second. >> Great. Okay. Um for any comments or thoughts on this? Yeah, I'm really excited about this um opportunity to partner with others um to
064think innovatively about how together we can support each other and do better, especially in terms of um closing those those gaps in literacy and math outcomes um and really honoring student voice and learning from other people. Um this is something that I I um just I'm excited about um our district in general, collaborating and partnering with others. Um being thought partners and working together for the common good. So thank you for bringing this to us. Um I also want to mention I enjoyed the you had the world literacy what was that the purpose >> world language. Yeah. The influence of like multiculturalism and multilingualism. um and the richness that it brings to us as as um humans, but also I feel like um the responsibility we in education have also to prepare our students um
065to be you know world citizens um in that way and um so I appreciate all these efforts for partnership. Thank you. >> I just wanted to point out that I think this is a move in the right direction. I think about two years ago or a year ago, we did talk about giving everybody an innovation card in the district. I don't know how much we actually that was actually used but this is a a long time goal of us in the board that we represent the the heart and the spirit of Silicon Valley with innovation and help our kids moving forward in in many ways academically. Thanks. One more thing. Um uh I also um really appreciate the aspect of building capacity within our organization as part of their mission here. Um I believe that's
066something that we I mean we really really strongly need um because we have so many of the right um foundations to really just thrive and do so well. um and we have it here within our district. Um so this is just really exciting to have more structure around this partnership um and to learn from each other. >> Yeah, I think it's exciting to have a nationwide network as well. I mean that's really unique opportunity. So we we do things state countywide and statewide and um and this is just like is next level. So it's pretty exciting. Okay. Uh, how about we vote? >> Um, all those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Chair votes I. And the motion passes. Thank you. And item C, um, oh, whoops. Sorry. Item D, >> right? C.
067C. Okay, I skipped ahead on my, um, document. Item C, approval to participate in the do pajara. >> Correct. >> Fellowship seminars. Dr. Crossley. >> Yeah. So this is an opportunity that um came to me prior to coming to Southern School District. Uh Bahara Fellowship is an opportunity that brings together um public school leaders, not excuse me, leaders in education with a successful and um record of impacting students and families um historically underserved by public education system but also with a strong desire to take action towards future impact. Um so there's an opportunity to bring leaders from around the country uh for three week long for three week long seminars. No seminar is that correct? For three weeks throughout the year and so I did the first week I got two weeks coming up. Um
068again it's a national uh there's no cost to Sag School District. Um but the network is also an opportunity for me to engage in and build relationships with philanthropy and other school leaders from around the country. um and just belong to the network and there's a lot of potential to bring in some additional resources and supports to uh Sanville school district and it's a very what I would say is that it's not easy for a public school superintender or public school leader because it does tend to geared more towards uh philanthropy nonprofits and charter schools just so you are aware too. >> Thank you. Uh if there's any member of the public who'd like to comment on this, please use the raised hand feature now. >> Okay, seeing none, board, can we have a motion?
069>> A move to approve um participation fellowship center. >> I see. Okay, board. Any discussion? Have discussion. Um so congratulations on being accepted first of all. Um it's um quite a program. Um I really personally appreciate the the focus on um self like on mindfulness and on grounding and identity and having those dialogues with others. Um, I appreciate that it's outside and it's not just um, you know, public school leaders um, and calls on us to think in in um, like a bigger way in terms of how can we make a difference um, and also appreciate that there's this kind of the urgency and the call to action within this. I think it's a great move for us. I'm excited. I I see this um aligned with the really good innovative schools that kind of
070mindset. What can we do? How how can we work together? How can we get out of our silos and um really support each other? So um congratulations. I I agree with Peggy. Everything Peggy said, I agree. >> Anyone else? Any other comments? Okay, let's vote. All those in favor, please say I. I I >> chair votes I. It also unanimously passes. Thank you. We are on to item uh D approval of the agreement with Orenda Education for equity baseline system study and leadership development. >> Yes. So, as I mentioned earlier in my report, it's an opportunity to bring a partner to help us in looking at our systems and where we have opportunities for improvement, but also about building capacity amongst our site and district leaders in terms of data analysis and um making sure
071that we have systems and support of equity and access for all of our students. >> Okay. Uh if there's any member of the public online for this item, please use the raised hand feature now. >> Seeing none board, uh could we have a motion? I move to approve the agreement with Education for Equity Bance system study and leadership development. >> Is there a second? >> A second. >> Okay. Um discussion floor is open. >> Okay. I am you know I've seen Orena for years in different conference and I'm very glad that we're actually getting to work with them and I think this is a great opportunity for us who are talking about system change systematic change and how to make positive change for students from the system up and I really love her the presentation
072of Orlando was very inspiring and I really hope that this is the beginning of great things happening >> trust you Richard >> sorry I think >> I still have this book like I still have the where equity lives um book I I've heard Dr. um I've learned this I'll speak twice now is just um so inspirational to know that there are people that have been thinking about how to change systems that have not served all of our students well in the past and to know that we could be part of this um is very exciting. I do want to address it's a high cost so I was wondering if Dr. Crossway you can talk more about what we are expecting to see from them. >> Yes. So the the they'll be coming in and doing
073a deep dive. Um they're going to be for example setting up focus groups to engage in conversations with our staff, looking at our documents and resources that we have. But separately, they'll also be doing things like shadowing students. And so this agreement is uh allowing us to have a deep dive into our school sites and then give us recommendations in terms of what are some of the immediate things that we need to address. but at the same time providing professional development for again site and district administrators um in terms of what those system changes can be. An example of that is revisiting our master schedule uh our course of study and looking at where students are placed regardless if they have a 504 if they're English learners and ensuring that they have equal access to
074a rigorous curriculum. Michelle, did you want to say anything? You saw her speak or >> No, I mean like I was just gonna say ditto to what? >> Yeah. Is that >> Yeah. And I think um when Nancy Newkerk and I were on the um in the equity cohort for CSBA a couple like when I first got on the board um you know one of the things that they recommended then was that CSBA recommended was doing a baseline study of like what your systems are and um you know it was something that we had we had talked about like let's get an inventory let's let's see what we let's see exactly how we're doing. So, I think having someone from outside doing that is going to be very helpful. And then the additional support of
075like shadowing students and and working working with our teams is also like very exciting to help us redesign it. So, um because we need to we need to make sure that we're serving our kids as best we can. So, thank you. Anyone else? Go ahead. >> Yes. Um so in our state of the district yesterday is that yesterday um Dr. Crower you showed us um some graphs that had the border lines that had different um our students that are broken um into different ethnic groups and this is something that we've seen Dr. present that's that's like the reason that she has the X there. Um what do you think we can um I mean we know that that's already something that's within our system. Um besides building leadership capacity what um and identifying system change
076like what could we do with this assessment here? >> Well this baseline study what I want to also emphasize is that this is not coming out of our general funding. So we actually have um additional funds coming through um from the state. It's a professional development discretionary block grant that allows us to use these funds to support um ELA math for example. Um but one of the things that we can anticipate through this report is again as u shared is is having baseline data in terms of a starting point um acknowledging that we have some gaps. Then how do we then better use our capital, right, our fiscal and human capital to target those gaps, those disparities, and then think about how do we reimagine a public school system that wasn't designed for our kids?
077>> Because ultimately, we're constrained with systems that are no longer adequate to support our students and families the way we demand or expect and that our kids truly deserve as well. So when you're looking at the graphs that we shared yesterday at the state of the district is very aligned to what Arenda does and holding up that mirror to ourselves, right? And asking ourselves what do we need to do differently, but we got to start with like that those honest conversations about understanding that we have some disparities, we have some gaps and then we have to talk to them. And the other thing is that a lot of people, we know about expectations and how critical they are to student outcomes, but it's easy to say that we have high expectations for all students, but
078what do our resources and what do our system say? And so if you have inongruency there in terms of I'm saying I have high expectations for all kids, but then I'm tracking or not giving all students equal access to rigorous curriculum, we're not congruent. And so that's one of the ways that we look hold up the mirror we ask ourselves what do we need to do differently and we got to start because the data doesn't lie right and so that is a starting point ignored but it's also about school systems have a lot of data but how do we interpret and tell a story and use data in a meaningful way that guides our practices and builds our capacity to do better this urgency that needs to happen often times we feel overwhelmed with data
079but we have to be able to understand it and and disag stagnated in a way that's meaningful, that helps us make an impact. And that's one of the other things that that'll be able to help us out with. >> Okay. Are we ready to vote? >> No. >> Great. They're nodding. You want to keep talking? >> No, I I want to keep talking if that's um >> Okay, one more comment. >> Okay, you got it. >> Okay. Well, I just wanted to know um the integration like the timeline and also the integration with us a strategic plan and our promise like what can it says through June 2026. So how do we see this feeding into um our >> Yeah. So the study of the school sites once approved if if approved they would start
080this month and coordinating the team and uh identifying the school so that we can start scheduling those days and visits and classroom reservations the shadowy students and things like that. But separately it's also this urgency to revisit our master schedule right away. So starting November is beginning to work with our teaching and learning uh team here at the district office as well as our middle schools in terms of what that master schedule looks like. looking at the course of study and if we don't have a course of study is developing a course of study moving forward so that by next semester we have different course placement for students um irregardless of labels and other data or test scores etc. Um and then continuing that lead initial development through the second semester as well but the
081initial report is anticipated to be ready by January No, I'm happy. Great information. >> Yeah, January is great because that still gives time for teams to utilize the data, right? Initial report. Excellent. Okay. Um, are we ready to vote? >> All right. All those in favor, please say I. I. >> Chair votes I. Unanimous. Yes. Um, all right. Uh last one under approvals is item 11E approval to of agreement with think together for expanding learning program services. >> Yes. So this is, as I mentioned my report earlier, this is an opportunity for us to partner with thinking together to engage the community and explore opportunities to expand the number of students that we're able to serve um and and explore the sliding scale model as well so that we can support more families because I
082know the need is great and again this is not going to it's not adequate to cover everyone but we can learn from this and continue expanding potentially our programs for the following school year as Thank you. If there's any member of the public who would like to speak on this item, please use the raised hand feature now. >> Okay. See none. Um, do we have a motion? I move to approve the agreement with together for expanded learning program services. >> A second. Thank you. discussion. Absolutely. Um okay, so um this uh agreement proposes two different sites initially. Um how soon would we expect that to get I know they have to recruit and everything. How soon can we expect that to be in place? Yeah. So, we would anticipate by mid November, end of November
083because aside from recruiting and hiring and training staff, we want them to engage in the community to develop this potential sliding skill. It's similar to what they did already and repeat. And I know some of the other districts already have something similar, but again, we want to engage the community in terms of what that would look like. >> But the start date, January, that's to go. Go ahead, >> Trusty Profetta. I'm I'm excited about this. Thank you for um bringing this to us. Um how do we know which sites um the first two that you mentioned? And then um oh, it says the money part um funded through general fund. Does that mean um it's not um coming out from other sources that it's going to be covered? >> Yeah. So, great question. is the
084the funds that we have to support after school programs like ELOP the ex learning opportunities program those funds are already exhausted we do not have any additional funds um and in terms of so I guess of the general fund but not necessarily the whole amount because we're looking at that sliding scale and award parents can also contribute to that right um and then secondly the schools we I know we have some weight list out there but I also know that some schools and and families have moved on and may not be on an official weight list because life moves on goes on and they have to figure it out too, right? So, it's it's a TBD to be determined, but I'm hearing from every school site that this is a great need, >> but I
085know that one of the schools, which happens to be the largest elementary school, LS, is also one that's most impacted as well. But we would have to come back and give you those updates as well. >> Um can you talk more about like the academic intervention opportunities um that we see? >> Yeah. So one of the things that we discuss with Y and with think together is how do we mirror what happens during the school day? How do we create systems where if third grade is focusing on a particular area in math that it's possible to reinforce it during the after school programs as well and then I know that we have things like coding culinary arts are really popular. I know the sports are really popular but how do we also enhance the after
086school programs to make them fun and exciting but also that are still engaging in areas like coding and other things like that robotics whatever it might be. And so one of the things I would think together is that they're wanting to do is explore what the needs or interests are of the students at that particular school and then cater and develop a program based on those interests as well. Um, I just wanted to add that, um, you know, I've had at least one trustee from the high school district reach out to me and actually I think over time I've had discussions with two of them where they were really assuring me that it would be great to get they really want their high school students not to have to be the childcare provider for the
087family. like it like having this the high school student be the person that is always caring for the the younger child at home um really impacts their access to after school programs, tutorials, school activities um and even just friends. And so it's just how people make things work. But um they there was a plea to help with that because some of those students also um you know also could use some more additional support and then um you know I think that also I looked at think together's program online and it looks pretty amazing and I talked to uh people who in LTA someone from San Jose unified they were really happy with the um partnership and the results so I think I think it'd be great to to try them and I think it's Um,
088you know, there's probably a lot of details to work out along the way, but after a January break, probably like especially if there's a good communication and and um that gives families time to plan and like after that break, they could, you know, if we said to people like we have a location, you know, if we build it, they will come. So, um, you know, I think it's it's just going to be a lifeline for some families. So, I I'm very excited about it. And, uh, and I've heard just so many times like, well, I don't qualify for KAS, so why would I sign up for the weight list because I could be bumped at any time. Like, it makes no sense for me. Um, and then last thing I'll say is that both with
089afterchool care and preschool care, we've heard at different times from the county office of education that they're just there just is a a desert going on in general, especially post pandemic, a lot of places closed. So, um I'm excited a little bit too that there's a sliding scale opportunity because I I want to continue serving uh the underserved families, but I would also like to see if we can like what if there is any revenue capture for us. I think that would be a win-win for everybody. So, we don't have a lot of ways that we can generate revenue >> and um that would be a win. Yeah. >> Yeah. I think this is just going to be um provide security for a lot of families who are really struggling with after school care and
090wanting high quality care um to have it on at the at the sites um will be huge. That's that's wonderful. I'm wondering how we are going to evaluate um like how well it's going whether we will expand what what's that look like throughout the rest of this year. >> Yeah. So in discussing way to think together we that was a topic of conversation and so through surveys and getting feedback directly from parents but also with students and the staff as well but also with our feedback as as well right so doing in a comprehensive way we're looking at it getting student feedback uh parent feedback sites and from our office as well. >> Any other comments are ready to vote? Great. Um all those in favor please say I. I chair votes I and the
091motion passes unanimously. Thank you. >> Great. Well, we are on to item 12, which is just future meetings and adjournment. Our next meeting will be Thursday, October 30th, 2025 at 6 p.m. It's also a special board meeting here at the district office. Um, thank you very much. It's 7:54 and we're done. >> Thank you, Mara. >> Good night. Good night.