001I'd like to call to order the regularly scheduled meeting of the March 10th, 2026 Board of Education. Is there a motion and a second to approve the agenda? >> Second. >> All those in our student advisory vote. >> All those in favor? I. >> Any nos or abstensions? We have two absent. We will recess to close session. Public comment. Uh members of the audience may address the board on any listed close session item. Persons wishing to address the board regarding an item scheduled for close session are asked to submit a request to address the board prior to the start of close session. Comments from visitors shall not exceed three minutes unless the time limit is waved by majority of the board. The board shall limit the total time for public input on each item to
00220 minutes. With board consent, the president may increase or decrease the time allowed for public presentation depending on the topic and the number of persons wishing to be heard. On close session tonight, we have item 3.3, public employee appointment, deputy superintendent of administrative services. Would any member of the public like to speak on this item? Do we have any advanced written requests? >> All right. Is there a motion and a second to recess to close session? So move. >> Second. >> All right. We'll be back in about 15 minutes. All right, good evening. We are reconvened from close session at 5:31 p.m. Leading us tonight in the Pledge of Allegiance is Kathleen Shaw, Paris Principal. >> Good evening. Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Put your right hand over your heart. Ready, begin. I
003pledge 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. >> Right. Thank you. In close session tonight, we had item 3.3, public employee appointment, deputy superintendent of administrative services. It's got something to read out here. It is bittersweet to share this close session report this evening. Tonight, the board accepted the retirement of Dr. Annette Alpern, our deputy superintendent, effective August 7th. Annette's remarkable career spans over four decades, beginning as a social studies teacher and ASB director at Torrance High School in the 1990s. She went on to serve as principal of North Torrance High School before joining RBUSD in 2006 as assistant superintendent of educational services, later becoming deputy superintendent. In 2020, just as the pandemic
004began, Annette transitioned into administrative services where she once again demonstrated her exceptional leadership and steady guidance during one of the most challenging periods in public education. Throughout her career, Annette has positively impacted countless students, staff members, and families. While her accolades are too numerous to list, anyone who knows Annette understands that recognition has never been her motivation. What matters most to her is making a meaningful difference in the lives of others. Her legacy in RBSD is profound and lasting. She has helped shaped our district into a stronger, more compassionate, and more effective organization, and her influence will be felt long after retirement. Although we will deeply miss seeing that every day, we know she is never far away. Congratulations, Dr. Alpurn, and thank you for your extraordinary service. I'm also pleased to share that the
005board has unanimously approved Dr. Wesley's recommendation to appoint Dr. Nick Stephanie as our new deputy superintendent overseeing the administrative services department. Dr. Stephanie has worked closely with Dr. Alpern over the past two years and recently completed USC's school business management official program. He also holds a CASBO chief business official certification. Nick has served in RBSD as the assistant superintendent of human resources for the last three years. In addition, Dr. Stephanie was recently named AXA region 14's assistant superintendent of HR of the year. He will begin in the deputy superintendent role on July 1st and will work alongside Annette throughout July to ensure a smooth transition. A full competitive search and interview process will be conducted for the assistant superintendent of human resources position. Please join me in congratulating Annette and Nick as they begin these
006exciting next chapters. Thank you. Uh moving on. Uh is there a motion and a second to approve the minutes of the February 24th, 2026 regular board of education meeting? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Student advisory vote. >> All those in favor? I. Any nos or abstensions? Motion passes. Brings us to our reports to the board. Starting with starting with Paris Middle School by Kathleen Shaw, principal. >> Good evening, board president, Elder, members of the board, Dr. Wesley, and cabinet. Um, Dr. Alpornne, I'm still going to call you for advice. Yes. Um I'm really honored to be here as the principal of Paris Middle School. I have a wonderful team here with me um that is excited to speak with you as well. Uh what he want we wanted to highlight today are our career
007and technical education electives. Um this is aligned with our postsec postsecary preparedness goal on the strategic plan. Um, we want to expand students opportunities to be prepared for what comes after education and how they are going to apply what they're learning in school. And we're very proud to have expanded um those opportunities for our students. Um, beyond the concrete things that they gain from these experiences and the skills, we also know that when students are involved in school, there are so many benefits. There's a social emotional benefit. they feel more connected and feel that they belong at school. Um, and the electives that we've added really offer this as well. So, um, we will spare you a full spreadsheet, but we do have one data point that we want to highlight that we're very proud
008of, and I'm going to invite our teacher on special assignment, Dr. Frederick's, to talk about that. >> Hi everyone, I'm Sam Fredericks. I'm the teacher on special assignment at Paris Middle School. Um, I'm very excited to share that our fall data has indicated a significant increase in students agreeing with the statement that they participate in clubs and activities at school. Uh, we firmly believe that this is because we've increased the elective offerings at Paris Middle School. Um, and I'm going to pass this on to our assistant principal, Dr. Okihara, who's going to go over our elective offerings. >> Good evening, everyone. Uh part of my role as assistant principal is looking at the master schedule and also looking at what types of electives that we're offering to our students. We have really amazing robust offerings
009that we offer middle school students ranging from languages to art to theater and recently this past year we received a grant and we introduced two new career technical education pathway electives. Um on the left side of the screen you'll see some pictures from our career explorations lab led by Miss Baron. Um it's a very immersive hands-on experience where students can really learn about different career pathways. And in one picture you see a student um doing a welding project with uh 3D VR goggles. And in another picture you see here students are hands-on not a real dog. This is a fake doggy, but um just like what it takes to be a veterinarian and getting that hands-on experience. I'm really excited to share more um you'll hear from our students about the video production class. Um
010the tools and the materials that they have access to and the monthly broadcasts that they get to put on and share with our school students and staff. It's such a hit when they get to see these videos and their advisement. Uh so without further ado, I'd like to pass it on to Miss Konamaru who is our video production teacher and everyone. It is her birthday today and she is spending it with us. Uh it just shows that we have the best dedicated teachers here at Paris. So we all wanted to wish her a happy birthday and thank her for presenting with us tonight. >> Sorry. Okay, here. Let's move this down. All right. Hello. My name is Miss Konamaru. I am the video production teacher here at Paris. I also teach art yearbook as well.
011I like to say that I teach everything creative. Um, as far as the video production class goes, it is the first year. Um, but it it's been a fun one. Um it's really interesting to see what the kids have created. Um the class is great because it engages students in the creative process of film making. So this includes pre-production such as storyboarding and script writing. Um also production, so the filming phase of um creating their their videos and then also post-production, so editing their videos afterwards. Um, this class is great in that it doesn't only teach the technical side of video production. It also teaches world uh real world skills. So, such as collaboration and teamwork because they're working in groups all the time. Um, also time and project management because they are kind of
012working and doing multiple projects at a time. Um, it's just all about them managing what projects need to get done first and at what stage they're at for each project. It also involves creative problem creative problem solving um because they're given a task or a challenge and they have to figure out a way to visually show what that what that challenge is. And then also professionalism. So they create their videos and they have a target audience in mind and so they need to be able to present that um as an end product. So today I brought with me four of my really best students. Um, they're great. I'm gonna start off with Charlie. Uh, hello. My name is uh Charlie Kraken and I'm here to talk about like my story, my um role in the
013video production class. I'm a like storyboarder and I'm tririccast operating which means I'm more behind the scenes and not much on camera. Um, what I've really learned, um, in this class is like that there's so much more behindthe-scenes stuff like the editing and the planning of v of like the video industry and then less of like the actual filming of it. Um, I've learned how to take like take my time and use the resources that I have. Um, I've learned what the tririccaster, which is a a device that we use to make our videos, and how that works. Um, I've learned how to plan and figure out what it takes to plan. Like, I didn't really know much about that before coming to this class, but now I know like how to plan and what
014to plan for. Um, I've learned so much about what takes a good broadcast. You don't just go out there and say some stuff. You really have to plan a lot more for it. Um, and one of the biggest things about that is that you have to have a good script to make a good broadcast. You can't just like say, "Oh, we just have these announcements." You really have to like have a good strip to make it interesting for the viewers. Um, and that's it. >> Hi, my name is Koko Spece and part of my job on in video production is being an anchor or on camera, which is part of the production phase. And I learned how to act on camera and in front of an audience. And instead of just like reading off the
015script, I learned how to interpret it for like the audience. And I also learned many other things that not just being on camera like uh anchoring no editing sorry editing um script writing and storyboarding which is part of the pre-production or storyboarding and script writing which is part of the pre-production phase and editing which is part of the post-p production phase. Hi, my name is Kora Stockwell and in video I like to edit. I learn a lot of things from video about editing like learning how to clip together a video, learning how to film in the beginning of it, how to make my time using the camera flow, and my time management while filming. Hi, my name is Harvey Super. Um, I'm in sixth grade. I'm in the video production class. I like being a
016sports anchor. Um, I am also on camera anchor. Um, there's much other things I learned besides just being on camera. I learned how to edit and how it works. I also learned how to operate a camera. That was very helpful. I also learned how to make a very good script and um how it works. I also learned how to use my time wisely when you planning for a project. All right. And then we have a quick sign off for you. Thank you. That's all for today. Thanks for tuning in on our very first episode. We'll see you same time next month. As always, it for the December broadcast. >> We hope you enjoyed all the updates in this special segment. >> Bye and happy holidays. >> Thanks for watching, Panthers, and have a great January.
017>> That's all for this broadcast, Paris. >> We'll see you next time, Panthers. >> Bye. >> Right now, because that's all for this episode, Panthers. I'm Angelo Espazito. >> And I'm Carter Gil. >> And this was Panther TV. >> Thank you so much. And thank you to our presenters. Do you have any questions for us for the students or any of us? >> Thank you. That that was wonderful. It's always great hearing from our students, but also there's no better place to spend your birthday than at a board meeting. So, thank you for being here tonight. >> That's that's what we said. >> Very much appreciated. Uh, did our incredible students, did they bring any adults with them they'd like to introduce? >> Go ahead, Charlie. >> Uh, yes, I did. I'm here with my
018mom and dad, Gwen and Bob. And I'm here with my little sister, Vivian. >> Um, I'm here with my mom, Allison. >> I'm here with my mom, Haley, my dad, Keith, and my little brother, Zeke. I'm here with my mom Kate and I'm also here with my brother Walter. >> Thank you so much. This is such a wonderful program that our students can be exposed to and then at the high school they have RUV. So, it's it's a great pathway for those who are interested in getting into it and uh just hope you really uh go out and explore everything that's out there. >> Any questions or comments? >> Thank you. And you do not have to stay until the end of the meeting, particularly on your birthday. >> Up next, item 7.2, high school
019math pathways and secondary math adoption presentation by Dr. Allison Garland, assistant superintendent educational services, and Eileen Lechenby, director of educational services. >> Thank you. Got my my people coming on up here. Good evening, President Elder, members of the board. Dr. Wesley, my fellow cabinet members, and our community. We're super excited to share two updates to our secondary math. Uh but before we begin, I'm going to have our incredible committee members introduce themselves, what grade they teach or what grade they counsel, and how long they've been in RBFD. Hi, I'm Emily Robinson and this is my seventh year teaching at RBUSD and I teach math. I am Casey Wadell. This is my 13th year in RBUSD and I teach algebra 1 and geometry. Hi, my name is Sarah Keesler. This is my ninth year in RBUSD
020and I teach algebra 1 and algebra 2 MCR. Hi everyone, I'm Ivy Koaki. I'm a counselor at the high school and this year I have the privilege of being ninth grade counselors and being with the math team. Hi there, I'm Lori Ham. I've been with the district 27 years and I teach algebra 1 and geometry. Hello, I'm Nicole Shapiro. I've been with the district my second year and I teach algebra 2 and AP pre-calc. Hi, I'm Eileen Lechenby. I've been in the district for 10 years and I work in ed services >> and I think Emily wants to clarify what she teaches. So sorry this year I teach AP statistics and geometry. >> We don't have just math in the course catalog somewhere. >> There's a lot of math and I think that I'm almost
021cool enough to get a matching shirt. So I think I've guilted my friends in. I spent a lot of time with these guys. So yes, Ivy, you need one too. I agree. Um so our presentation tonight is actually in two parts. So, we're going to start with the math pathway and the updates for that. So, we're going to start with how did we get here? So, I'm going to do a quick review on our secondary math vision. So, in 2024, a secondary math committee was developed and one of the first things that the committee did was create a vision for secondary math. So, I'll give the audience a moment to read it. In addition to creating a vision, it was added to our three-year strategic plan. So, you'll notice in there that it talks about
022pathways and it also talks about a secondary math adoption. So, I'm going to highlight the committee work that occurred last year. So last year, as you recall, we brought forward a new middle school math pathway which included a new math 6 plus class and a math 78 class. And also we piloted last year a math curriculum. However, there wasn't an agreement on one program. So we went ahead and committed to the next steps which occurred this year which we did identify an additional acceleration point in the high school pathway and we resumed our curriculum adoption after the CD released their updated list. So, the additional acceleration point last year when we um came forward and you approved the middle school um math pathways, we held a parent meeting and through that parent meeting and a
023couple meetings one-on-one with parents, it was really clear that we needed to add an additional acceleration point early on in the high school career. So, we put together this amazing group of people and talked about a lot of different scenarios. And what we're recommending is a concurrent enrollment in geometry and algebra 2. So students will be able to take these two classes together. And so they'd have to miss an elective class in order to do that piece. And Mrs. Robinson is going to come and talk about why are we adding algebra 2 with geometry. >> All right. So we are going to be offering concurrent enrollment with for geometry and algebra 2. And one of the reasons we wanted to do that is because there are acceleration opportunities in the middle school and then later
024in your high school career, but there was not an acceleration opportunity earlier for freshman and sophomores, for example. Um, we chose not to use algebra 1 as a concurrent enrollment course because it is so critical. Um, and you need algebra 1 skills to be successful in geometry. So we didn't feel that that made sense. So we want to approve geometry and algebra 2 concurrent enrollment and there will be placement indicators for students in order to enroll. Um and that is because this will be a rigorous schedule for students having two math classes. Um, and so we wanted to have students h have a score of four on their most recent CASP test, a score of at least 238 RIT score on the MAP test that that current year, and an A minus or better in
025algebra during semester 1. And if students do not meet those readiness indicators, they can still wave into the course. So, here's a visual of our new pathway. There a lot of arrows on there. Um, so I'm going to just indicate what we added from last year. Hopefully my little pointer works. There we go. So, see there's geometry right here in nth grade. So, either students start in algebra 1 or they start in geometry. And then in 10th grade, there's geometry right here. So, the three arrows indicate an opportunity for acceleration. So it's within that arrow and then there's a remark right here. So opportunity to concurrently enroll in geometry and algebra 2. So that's the only piece we added. Well, we added data exploration because we just approved that. The board approved that as an
026additional math elective a couple months ago. Um are there any questions? I know you probably need to look at this for a minute. Are there any questions about the new pathway? I have some questions. First of all, thank you guys very very much. I know this was >> um been talked about for as long as I've been on this board. I know I was one of the first things when I got on the school board talking about math and ways that kids could get to the highest math that's offered at the high school because I do know that if anyone wants an engineering field, not that that was mine or my children's, but that the universities look for kids to take the highest math offered at Roondo. And if you weren't in the old program,
027if you weren't in middle school compacted math, you had to do a summer school program. So people didn't like always having to give up their summers. So I love that this is an you don't have to. You could still do a summer school acceleration point, >> but this allows you to do it part of the school year. Yes, ma'am. >> Within that, which is amazing because it felt like that was a problem we couldn't solve, but it doesn't require you to take two math classes. And this would be very specific to those kids who are interested in pursuing math. It's not like everyone will be taking algebra 2 and geometry, >> but not everybody has developed their passion in middle school. So, I love love that this is possible for our kids. It's all about
028making more opportunities for them. Will we be adding anything at the middle school level to where someone might be able to finish geometry, say, in 8th grade? >> We do have some students that are ready for geometry in the eighth grade and they will be taking that course. Since we added the mass 6 plus class, we're use we're working on identifying students that we could accelerate even more. So, we're um using the MDTP, which we talked about last year, as as one other data point for preparedness. So, we are working on that. It's one of our our passion projects is to really look at data to say, hey, we have some kids that are ready to accelerate. Let's push them. So, yeah, that is a goal of ours as well. and they can opt in
029even if they maybe don't have all the requirements that are met >> uh for middle school or for high school? >> High school. Yes, they can. >> Okay. >> And just really quickly, Dr. Goen, are there zero period options in case they don't want to give up their elective and take it concurrently? >> Do you guys know? >> Or is that a year-to-year master schedule? >> Zero period. >> Do you want to? >> Yeah. >> Um, just to answer that question, right now geometry is offered as a zero period. So the student could enroll in geometry as their zero and then their elective would be the algebra 2 which they could take periods one through six wherever that fits. Did that answer? Yeah. >> No, they wouldn't still have their elective in that model. >>
030Right now we also offer algebra 2 zero period. So it could be flipped. They could take algebra 2 and then geometry a different period as well. >> So for >> so they still are giving up their elective even if they took it as a zero period. You can >> they decided to take seven classes. >> You can take seven classes. >> Okay. >> My name is Bjang Cho. I've been with the RBU West for 13 years as a parent. I do not teach math, but I am the biggest math um cheerleader and and and everybody. We're all mathematicians. And I I'm so pleased to be part have served on the math committee both 23 24 no 24 25 26 I'm so glad we took the time we listened to community feedback we listen to you
031teachers and we listen to our students and when we test it out didn't work we didn't give up we went back let's do this again we did it again so I just want to thank you for your commitment and care for the students uh well-being and your patience We did we did a lot of work together. Um not just our sessions but at home we read lots of things. Lots of things didn't make sense. Had to ask a lot of questions. I did mostly asking questions because I didn't understand what was happening. But thank you for being patient and but most of all putting students well-being in the center of everything we did. So thank you. >> So just a clarifying question for those following along at home. All we're doing is giving students an
032additional option at this point. We're not taking anything away. we're giving another acceleration point uh which is wonderful. Um you know students aren't ready for things at the same time and we do have a great summer pre-calc program. Um so it's great that we have opportunities like that for our students but this is another opportunity. So it's giving them another opportunity to succeed if this is what they want to do. So I know it's a lot of work >> making all this happen. Thank you to everyone who is part of that um because yeah it's it's this is what our students deserve. Thank you. >> Thank you. And I for all the parents that are listening out there that I met with uh that asked for an additional opportunity in the freshman and sophomore year
033because like they were saying maybe my child doesn't realize how much they love math yet and they might have to grow into it. So they felt like it was really limited. So parents, >> you got your acceleration point. So okay, if if we're finished with questions on that, we're going to move to the second piece. One question. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Um >> students who do not meet ARRI can wave into the course. Can you just share with with us what how do they wave into the course? >> Yes, ma'am. I'll actually have Ivy who created the waiver and we worked on that together talk a little bit about that piece. >> So, if a student's interested in taking both and they don't meet all the criterias, then we'll we have a waiver form that
034we'll give to the student, they could come talk to their counselor. Um, right now we are going through scheduling right now and so if we've already met with them and once this if this information goes out then they could come to speak to their counselor. Well, we just want to make sure that they have an informed conversation with their current math teacher just to say, "Hey, I don't meet all these requirements. However, I'm still really interested in taking these classes." Because we don't want to limit them because of maybe like a CASP score that you know or a writ score. And those are all important, but again, we don't want to limit them if they really want to take this on. We want them to have an informed uh make an informed decision. Talk to
035their math teacher. They'll come talk to us, have a parent sign it, teacher will sign it, counselor will sign it, and then we'll give it on to an administrator for the administrator to approve, and once it gets approved, we can have them take both classes. Yeah. Thank you. Um, I wasn't on the board last year, but I had a lot of feedback from parents, especially at the middle school, about comp. They thought compacted math was going away, and then there's the 78th math course that came in. So, I just want to really thank all of you. It's a lot of work and um I love that it says opportunity for acceleration. That's all we're trying to do is provide these opportunities for our students who love math, who may not have discovered their love for
036math along the way. And for the parents out there who are so worried about, well, what what if my child isn't there yet um on this grid? It just shows so many different ways that they could get to that uh that pathway. So, thank you so much for all of your time and efforts in putting this together. And before we move on, I just would want to point out that it's so nice that we offer this dual enrollment option now with El Camino. Students can earn college credit and take a higher level calculus course. So, people didn't notice that, that's the additional option starting this year. >> Sorry, one quick follow-up question. From a procedural standpoint, for a student who's interested in pursuing this next year but has already submitted their their course selections, would
037they reach out to their counselor or what's the appropriate way to, you know, if they meet all those thresholds or if they're trying to to work? >> They would reach out to their counselor and there will be a letter going out to appearance um probably Friday that's going to explain >> the steps they need to take. >> Great. Thank you. Okay, ready for the second part of the presentation which is just as exciting and these guys are going to stick around with us too because they sat on that committee as well and that's our new math adoption. So Mrs. Luckenb is going to come and talk about that. >> All right, good evening everyone. I am really excited to be here to tell you a little bit about our adoption process this year. Um so
038these are our committee members and we have some of them here with us tonight. We went out in 2024 and 2025 to find a really great math curriculum that was going to serve our students needs and there was a pilot that was conducted and ultimately we just didn't land on a clear choice that everyone felt strong about. Um and so the committee made the difficult decision to wait and to try again. Um and we knew that the CDE was going to release a new list of approved curriculum and we wanted to make sure we had all of the information and know what was coming before we made a decision. So this school year we reinstated our pilot and implementation committee. Um we added new members and we made a lot of adjustments to the pilot
039based on how it went the year before. So one thing was we got very clear on like what is it that we're trying to land on here for our students math experience so that we had really a lot of clarity about what our adoption goals were. Um we made it so that the pilot was an opt-in because there's a huge lift for teachers to pilot and we did not want every single teacher to feel like they had to do it. as long as we had a representative group um and people were happy with the committee composition, we felt like we could move forward and any teacher who wanted to pilot was able to join us. Um we did make sure that every secondary math teacher, even if they chose not to pilot, still got to
040give us input on the options that were out there and we shortened the pilot window because we wanted to make sure that our students in our classrooms were getting the best possible math experience they could this year and not feeling any disruption to their typical math class. So, we met early this school year and reviewed what CDE came out with in September. Um, so first we looked at the CDE list, which was about 30 programs. Um, and we looked at how each program aligned to the California math framework, which we've studied as a committee. Um, and then because we have really rigorous expectations, we want nothing but the best possible highquality instructional materials for our students. We also cross-check those programs with Ed Reports, which is a third party that vets curriculum options. Um, and
041we only continued on in the process the ones that were rated green for being high quality. Um, and then we narrowed it down even further by looking at our district look fors, which uh Casey is going to speak to in a second. Um, and we really looked for a program that could offer us a coherent and consistent student experience from middle school into um, algebra, geometry, and algebra 2. And so from that initial list of 30, seven programs were advanced to our secondary math teachers for their input. Um, so up here I have Casey who's going to speak to us a little bit about what our teachers were looking for in a curriculum. >> Okay. So, you can you can read that. It's um I think for us couple things that stood out to the
042parents that were on the board. We had parents that were also on the board with us. It wasn't just teachers. It wasn't just board members. Uh, one of the biggest things was they don't want students on technology all the time. And we don't want to learn math solely with technology. And so something we um we'll talk more about what we loved about what we chose was we wanted tangible resources that they could have to take home similar to the elementary schools um and also tech experiences because we are secondary and that is important that they are able to do things on the computer and we are testing with CASP and different things on the computer. Um a couple other things balance of inquirybased and direct instruction. We looked at a lot of programs and we
043piloted for two years and this what we ended up choosing this was I think one of the highlights of that was the balance of inquiry. Students will give up if it's too hard right away. So we really wanted them to have rigorous expectations but also allow them to get into the material and understand it and feel confident. That was really important. Uh and then also kind of the last one up there, flexibility in assessments. We as teachers wanted to have a little bit of flexibility on how we're assessing, how we're grading. Um, and also there's a lot of options out there for different types of assessments with what we chose. And it's editable, which is great. And we can assess on technology, but also on paper, which was really important. So, I'm going to talk
044about the milestones that we hit. So, as Eileen mentioned earlier, we came away with seven curricula that we looked at. That curricula was presented to all secondary teachers, high school and middle school in October at the PD day. Um teachers then gave their assessment. Do I think this will work for my students? Um and we were able to narrow it down to four clear choices. Those four choices went to the pilot implementation committee and we used a uh rubric to grade those four choices. So we looked at each of the four. How does it align with our RBUSD vision? How does it align with accessibility for students, accessibility for parents, and accessibility for teachers? From there, there were two clear winners. Um, so then those were the two that the teachers piloted. So, in December,
045you can see we all got trained on the two curricula. In January and February, we did the two week pilot. We piloted one in um end of December, early January for two weeks. Then we piloted the second one in the end of January, early February for two weeks. After those pilots, students submitted um surveys online. Student focus groups were always also collected at both middle schools and the high school where students were asked questions and kind of could discuss in a group. Teachers submitted um online surveys. Families were sent online surveys to commit or to submit and all of that data was collected. And then um in February the pilot implementation committee met and uh we looked at the data from the students and families and teachers um and there was one clear winner and
046that's what we would like to present to you guys today. All right. So here are just a little of the numbers. We had a lot of stakeholder input. I think our community is very invested in our students being successful in math. And so we had over 1,700 students submit a survey, 80 families and 30 teachers because they submitted it, one for each program. Um, and we also did student focus groups, which was really fun. And we brought them pizza because you have to bribe middle school and high school students with pizza. Uh, but they sat with us and talked about which program they liked and for which reasons. And so based on that, we met in February 17th. We reviewed all of the data, discussed our experiences, and envision emerged as the very clear recommended
047secondary math curriculum. And so I'm really excited because Nicole Shapiro was one of our teachers who piloted this program. And her love of the program just shines through when she talks about it. And so I'm going to have Nicole come up and not read you these comments, but just tell you a little bit about why we're so excited about this. Hello. Yes, I could probably talk about it for 10 minutes here, but I only have a minute, I've been told. So I'll just highlight a couple things. Um, the resources amazing for students and teachers. teachers, you can feel empowered to like pick and choose the resources that work best in your classroom. And students, there's a plethora. There's board games, video games, online, you know, enrichment activities, um, kids that need extra help. Just so
048much for every different type of learner. So, that's really amazing. And it also really, really focuses on the standards of mathematical practice, which I think a lot of curriculums don't do so good at. And so it's getting those students to see like the structure and the repeated reasoning and ma you know thinking like mathematicians like you said. And um it's it has a really good level of rigor. You know it's not super rigorous that the kids just get scared but it does keep them engaged. It's approachable and it has good like problems that are worth solving. So overall loved it. Okay. So, what's next is we're going to implement year one of our three-year plan that we developed along with our committee members. We're going to begin curriculum training this school year and of course
049into next school year. As I stated earlier, there's going to be a letter that's going to go out to families and we will be ordering the materials in time for them to be here in the fall and we will be using committed funds and it'll be over a million dollars, just so you know. So, it'll end up on a warrant report coming up soon. I do want to also mention that um there are consumables. The kids were very excited about the consumables. So, they all have workbooks. So, instead of taking the time because Eileen and I walked around and talked to kids when they're in classrooms using the materials and the students mentioned like instead of writing everything down that's on the board or or whatever the student was doing, they have it in front
050of them already so they can annotate. We saw one student had like stickies and highlighters and she was really making the consumable her own. So, that will cover all of the eight years of the adoption, all of the materials um in that time. So, are there any other questions for the team? I'm grateful that you guys took your time. I know it was a lot of work and if you didn't find the one that you liked, you waited and were patient to find the one that you all seem really excited about. And I love that because sometimes there's a rush to fulfill a goal and this is way too important >> to do that. So, um I really want to thank you for sticking with it for that long and waiting for the right um
051pro right balance to come along. I'm excited for this to to be happening. Absolutely. >> Thank you. >> As board member Flynn just mentioned the discussions, the work that went in by the committee members was finding that balance. We wanted to make sure every student was encouraged. We didn't want to scare them away. It was those initial questions were they inviting enough and at the same time do these does this curriculum provide enough rigor for the students that may be achieving you know accelerating you know excelling in all this but it was I wish you can sit into one of the community meetings. the passion was just amazing and I was so grateful that we have these teachers are so committed to student success of all levels. So, thank you. >> Um, thank you. I
052I was my kids were part of Common Core. Um, and so I just want to say how proud I am of this district for reaching out and above that and making the changes that we all saw were were going to be necessary to move forward. Thank you. >> Um I don't know if this is appropriate to say, but um seeing one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Well, sorry, I can't count. Clearly, I need to go back to math. Um nine women talking about math. Super exciting. So, thank you. >> I just echo what others have said. It's so important to get this right and the feedback last year was very mixed and divided and people had different favorites. Um, so I know it was an incredible amount of work. Thank you all for doing
053it and taking the time to get it right because you know this is giving our teachers the best tools possible to teach our kids. So it's so important that we picked the right one. Um, what does it look like from a teachers standpoint to adopt this? Because new curriculum takes some time to digest. I know you talked about it briefly, but if you just don't mind sharing maybe what that looks like from your perspective. Um it's easy for us to say here's new curriculum, go make magic. But for a teacher, what does that entail? >> Absolutely. Um definitely looking at the sequencing and really understanding the curriculum design of um how are we teaching the students the concepts so that they can understand what is the goal in like the intro, the warm-up, what is
054that sparking that we're supposed to use down the line. Um so it is going to take some like reading of the curriculum and looking. What's nice is this curriculum has a ton of resources. They have videos for students and um teachers to look through so we can kind of see that. Um it's also going to take a ton of collaboration. Um so far I know like I was like, "Oh my gosh, it taught it this way. Did that work with your kids? Oh no, I I made this small adjustment. I found this resource." So um I think we have a great team who's like excited and willing and ready to collaborate. Um so it's going to take a lot of us, you know, we're going to do it wrong one day. It's not going to
055land perfectly, but the hope is after teaching the same content to multiple periods and then multiple years that we'll be able to get this content down. >> Thank you. Yeah, I just want to make sure we're doing everything we can to set you up for success that you can set our kids up for success. So, thank you. I know it's a lot of work getting to this point, but really appreciate it. >> And you all represent the high school, which is great. Um, just Dr. Garland, will you just clarify that the curriculum is for which grades or classes? >> Yes. So, it's grade six, and we did ask some some of our middle school friends to come, but they weren't able to make it um here tonight, but it's sixth grade all the way through
056algebra 2. >> So, I think that's helpful because, as you know, we offer algebra at the middle school and the high school. So, everyone's agreeing on the same curriculum, which is great. There's same level of excitement from what I hear at middle and high school. So that continuity exists >> and it's important that the high school is aligned with what math is being taught at the middle school level. And I know when this first came out, this was right after the pandemic or during the pandemic, the new California math framework, there was a lot of concern and conflicting information out there that this somehow was going to give make math easier or like a dumbing down of math, which I don't see that at all. I see it as a way of making math more
057accessible for everyone and so that you can excel and not just about like lowering standards but just making sure that we are meeting kids every kid early on in math and allowing them to be successful. I sat through a presentation at this of this exact curriculum at another school I might be involved with and had to do some of the questions and I am not a math person but it was um the ones the examples that they gave were um stu early questions so that kids could get the right answer so that they would stay engaged in the math concept as opposed to tune out as soon as you've just gone right over my head because usually when math happens. So I I'm excited to see how it works with our kids. So, thanks for
058being willing trying something new. >> Thank you. >> Great. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. And no one's birthday tonight. >> This is Megan's favorite math teacher. Casey. Uh, up next, item 7.3, the 202526 second interim budget financial report presentation by Dr. Annette Alpern, Deputy Superintendent Administrative Services. >> Thank you. Um, so I get to retire just in time for all the special help of AI. Uh, I I have to say that when I started this job, um, I would spend hours putting these board presentations together. Um, Notebook LM worked with me for about 15 minutes last week and I'm happy to present. I think it's it's actually a much more clear presentation. Um so regarding where we are in the cycle um you know the education code requires that the school district reports
059not just once a year or twice a year on the status of the budget but that you know the board adopts a budget in June usually before the state legislature adopts and as a result we often will in July um have to adopt another budget a revised budget. which like we did this year. Um in September, we go through the process of reviewing the previous year. So that's the the light blue there, the September. We do our unodudited actuals by September 15th. In December, we do our first interim report, which is a snapshot of where the district's budget remains relative to uh from July 1 to October 31. And then in March, we do our second interim report, which is a status of the district's financials between July 1st and January 31st. So that's tonight's
060presentation. And then um and then in um June, we'll be looking at adopting a budget. Okay. Um that went too fast. Uh so the main differences between the first interim report that we took care of in December and the second interimm report um there are kind of four factors. One was that um we received some additional special education funding um between that the first and the second interim. The second is that we are um have a better picture of our year-to-ate staffing versus, you know, the more projected staffing or the interim sort of staffing that we have in the early fall. Um back in December, most of our um labor partners had approved um the negotiation for salary increases. CSEA had not. So in the first interim report, CSEA salary increase was not included. Whereas
061in the second interim report, we have included the CSA salary increases embedded in the report. And then as well, we received a one-time refund of um taxes that we had paid to the state, but we shouldn't have paid to the state. So basically like I filed for um a rebate. So we got two years of taxes that we had paid um improperly for um unused sites that we own um as schools. So that was nice. Uh the um the the interim reports as well as our actual adopted budget includes assumptions. So some of those assumptions we make um we make determinations at the local level and some of those assumptions we build from um report from data that is produced by the state. So for instance the cost of living adjustment is based on seven
062economic indicators they pop out a formula this is the formula. So this year we re we saw a 2.3% cost of living increase. Next year we are anticipating a 2.41% cost of living increase. We'll know the actual number by the end of April. Right now we're projecting it to be 2.41 but again like there are still some economic indicators that are not in yet in Sacramento and so it will adjust accordingly. And then again the um projection is a 3.06% increase in cost of living for 2728. And since we're required in all of our reports to not only report on our current year, we have to also report on two outy years um we have to build it based on assumptions and it's you know based on the best knowledge that we have at the
063time that it's produced. So it will be different in a month. our student enrollment this year. Um we we continue to decline in enrollment. So we are at 9,412 students this year. Um we are conservatively assuming a reduction of 75%. So less than a 1% reduction in enrollment. Um but that's like a real number of human beings um that we see less of. And so the difference between this year's enrollment and next year's projection is 9,341 and then in 2728 9,271. I've talked about this when I go and do the budget road shows. Um we have our TK program is fully implemented at this point for age eligibility. So um this coming year and the year after we will see what our TK enrollment numbers look like. um and that and that will really give
064us a better picture of enrollment going forward. It's also why we're pushing real hard to um build out a plan to implement a full day TK program hopefully in the fall of 27. Um and then as you know during CO um there was kind of a pause in how the state determined what your funded level was and then after COVID um they built in a three-year rolling average to kind of help like it's so you're you're not ripping off a band-aid and having uh funding levels here one year here another year and then back up again. Um, so what happens is we take the three-year rolling average of our enrollment and that is determined that's that is what determines what our funding level is. Um, so if you if you hear me talk about we
065receive $12,000 per student then and you multiply it by the number of students that we have. So the number is always smaller than the number of students we have enrolled. And that's because all of our students don't attend school every single day. If they did, then your ADA number, your funded ADA would be the same as your enrollment. But since enrollment ranges to about 95%, the funded ADA is usually about 95% of the enrollment number. Any questions on that? Okay. So, um again, we built in the labor agreements. Um and for the first time, I think in my 19 years here, we um had a successful 2-year agreement to um to salaries. And so, that allows the business office to be able to better calculate and better project in the outy years um what the
066increases will be. So this year we agreed to a 2.5% salary increase. Next year we have an onschedule salary increase of 2%. And it's already fully accounted for in our multi-year projections. So we are prioritizing like the staff and the high cost of living um while also maintaining fiscal prudent. So let's talk about what that means. So what does that mean? Well, in 2526, you can see um in our second interim report, we're looking at a 13.54% um reserve. And you know, um your stated goal, your board policy, um is an 8%. That's your goal to ensure we don't go below 8% since that is one month of operating costs. Um, we're at 13.54%. Um, with the state budget and the rules, we we shouldn't have more than 10% when you adopt your budget in
067June. So, right now, we're looking at the 2627 school year of a reserve of 12.03. So, if we're still at that point of 12.03, 03 will need to make some determinations. You will have to decide whether you take that 2% which is about $3 million and you commit those dollars um in the expenditure lines or whether you take those dollars and commit them like you have in previous um era when we had over a 10% reserve. And again, this is this has to do with the way um the state economy rules work with the budget. It's it's um it's challenging. It's challenging because they don't want you to have too much money, but then if you do have a large reserve and then you have a major decline in enrollment, you're you're in a situation
068that some of our neighboring districts are in and you know, we just we don't want to be there. So uh the board has taken conservative measures to approve salary increases. So we know that we are engaging in deficit spending in order to do that. But we are engaging in deficit spending at a conservatively low pace such that when we met with our representative from LA County um he said that they were ranking the school districts in the county and we fall into their lowest category of concern. Um so congratulations but yes we are deficit spending and our reserve is planned to go down. So upcoming statutory milestones tonight um you're considering our approving our second interim with a positive certification. the governor will um produce his budget revision in May, which used to mean a
069lot more than it means under Governor Nuomo. And the reason I say that is because the previous governor, um Governor Brown, his May revisions were almost like foolproof. Like 99% of what he he predicted or he recommended in May would become law the next month. Um, Governor Nuomo has not had that level of success. Just, you know, regardless of your politics, it's just factual. He has not had that level of success. So, when he comes out with his May revision, those are his recommendations. Now, when we build them, because of the timeline, we then have to kind of take those recommendations, build them into our budget assumptions. And because we locally have the same timeline to approve the budget by June 30th as the state legislature, we are usually um you know it's it's a
070it's very tight. We're like every day we're checking have they passed, what did they agree to? What should we address? So again, just prepping you for um the June adoption. We'll see whether or not um we adopt ours before or after uh the state legislature does. And then lastly, um we do have a positive certification and um which means that based on our current projections for this year and for the two out years, we'll meet our financial obligations um for by law. Congratulations Is this a new list the county is putting out ranking schools and areas of concerns? Where would that list be found? Because >> it's not produced yet. >> Wow. >> It's going to be a thing. >> Yes. So, what's happening is um again, you know, I showed this year and then
071throughout years, >> it's not that districts are necessarily in a lot of trouble this year or even next year. It's that second Yeah, it's the second year out >> um where they're having problems. >> Thank you, Dr. Alurn. This you've really boiled down the most complicated school funding formula to where most people can understand. And thank you to your AI for >> Notebook LM. I've been it's part of our Google suite. Thank you, Susanna. Um, and I do want to put in a plug for anybody who's more of an auditory learner. Um, I have taken our budget, uh, the adopted budget from last July and I use Notebook LM to create a podcast. Yes. And so the podcast is on our district website and um so I said to people if you don't want to
072you know sludge through 200 pages of budget documents you might want to listen to a 10 or 15 minute podcast. >> Okay that's it. >> Thank you so much. >> Dr. Wesley you coming up here? Well, um you can have take a seat because I asked if we could just go out of order because we have young children here and um is that's okay with the board that we go out of order and let RBTA um have their comment section. We can come back to them again, but they're pres >> We've already approved the ordered agenda. I move to suspend the rules and take up item 9.1A and we need a two-thirds majority. >> Uh all those in favor? >> I. >> All right. Uh sorry, I will read the blurb really quickly as well.
073Communication guidelines. This section provides an opportunity for the board of education to hear reports and communication from our employee associations and the community support organizations listed below. All reports are listed to 5 minutes are limited to 5 minutes. Members of the public may address the board of education concerning this section. Each speaker will be permitted to speak for three minutes per item. The board may limit the total time for public input on each item to 20 minutes starting with RBTA. >> Hi everyone. Yeah, come on in. And yeah, thank you. >> All right, first grader. So against the wall. >> Yeah. >> Remember I want to talk to you guys about the readers in our school district. >> This is them right there. Can you say hello? >> Sure. I love it. I'm gonna make
074>> All right. Hi everyone. Okay. Good evening, President, Elder, school board members, and cabinet. My name is Jennifer Bell, and I'm a proud teacher who has had the privilege of only teaching at Toledita for 28 years. Uh, this year, we relaunched our PBIS program, and I'm excited to briefly share it with you. When it was first launched, it just was it was okay, but it was just too much. And it focused more on the external motivation of giving tickets or prizes, but it really truly should be intrinsic. Um, so PBIS stands for positive behavioral interventions and supports. It's an evidence-based tiered framework used in schools to improve student behavior. Are you behaving? >> Yeah. >> And create a positive school cult culture. It focuses on prevention and teaching expectations rather than punishment. Do I punish
075you? >> No. >> Our amazing principal, Mrs. Glenn and our fabulous second grade teacher, veteran teacher Angelique Nitsotus has attended the PBI PBIS trainings throughout the school year and has helped guide this relaunch. Together they introduced a new slogan. They gave us two, but we voted on one, which is rise with the tide. Um, rise represents the core expectations we want our students to demonstrate every day. What does R stand for? >> I, integrity and responsibility. S stay. >> Excellent effort. So to support this work, we created a new PBIS matrix which thank you very much wherever Enus is doing her work. Um so you could see the updated matrix that we're using and we are slowly implementing um in our school. Um it outlines behavioral expectations for the many areas on campus including playground,
076hallways, classrooms, lunch tables. Each grade level helped contribute by creating behavior expectation slides for different areas of our school as well as slides for the arrival and dismissal routines. What time should you be up on the playground when the bell rings? Yep. Mhm. Um these slides are shared with classes and then can be reviewed throughout the year when reminders about positive behavior and expect expectations are needed. For example, like right after winter break or right before winter break or with spring break upon us soon, we will be reviewing our expectations. My fabulous friend and dear colleague who I have taught for many years with, Gabby Vega, used AI to create a song that embodies all of our rise expectations called Good Morning Toita. And um one of her family members created this uplifting and catchy
077music. Almost every morning, Miss Vega will play this song when kids are arriving, and it's just it just gets you in that mood. It makes you feel like you want to go to Jamaica. Um, and it begins the day in a positive way. Would you say it makes your day off to a good start? Yeah. So, tonight I'm excited to share my wonderful first grade students. And one of these kiddos is not in my classroom, but I wish she was. The twin of Sophia. We have Miss Stella joining us from Miss Vega's classroom. So, raise your hand when I call your name. Ava K. Sophia. Sophia with an F. Sophia with a PH. Violet. Zoe. Ezra. Stella. BRENLEY. IZZY. YES. DID I MISS ANYONE? AH. JOCELYN. Go like this. That's me. That's me. She's new
078to Toita this year. Yeah, we're very lucky to have her. So, please enjoy. Here we go. Let me make sure. and the fabulous Kelly responsibility. Woohoo! >> Move your bodies. Here we go. Rise up. Rise up to lead us strong and kind. Rise up. Rise up. Ready in our mind. We learn. We care. We do our part. Rise up to a great day. Walking in the hallway and we go straight to the track. We follow the rules. We got each other's back. We show responsibility. We lead the way. We are every day. Rise up, rise up to leave us strong and kind. Rise up, rise up in our mind. We learn, we care, we do OUR PART. UP to a great day to school, right where we belong. working together all day long. Rise up
079to lead a proud and true. Rise up. Rise up. There's nothing we can do. We learn. We grow. We shine so bright. Rise up. Hands up. Oh. How was it? Are your nerves gone? >> See, you're rock stars. Thank you so much for bumping us up. And thank you to all of the amazing parents that brought their kids tonight. Thank you. I'm one lucky teacher. Toita is an amazing campus. We're truly blessed with these parents and these kids. All right, say goodbye. >> Goodbye. >> Thank you so much for coming. That was awesome. We'll see you guys tomorrow. >> Yeah. So, Dr. Stephan here, you need to find a way to combine the interim budget with that level of energy. Uh, no, no pressure. Um, all right. Back to our regularly scheduled items. 7.4 Bond
080architectural drawings and summer project presentation by Dr. Nicole Wesley, superintendent, and Dr. Net Alpurn, Deputy Superintendent Administrative Services. >> Will there be music for this? Rise up. Rise up. Okay. Get my groove on in here. That woke me up. Um, that was awesome. So, Dr. Alpern and I are here. Um, we're really excited to share with you u the board um sort of where we are with architectural drawings with a lot of the projects we've been working on. Also, just want to acknowledge that we have um some of the team with us here as well. For instance, we have Fred Nell um our director who's been supporting the bond. Um, Ellen Ri Alan Rising, our DAG bond consultant. We couldn't do it without him. We are learning a lot from him. And Trevor Perry, our
081construction manager. So, um, they they keep us on track, that's for sure. Yes. Okay. I'm controlling this. Um, first we want to again thank our community for passing Measure S. Thank you for your support. Um, and also want to give Mr. Brandt, Mr. Brandt actually uh kudos for coming up with the idea for putting out a banner on every school with a QR code that links to our Measure S web page. So these this is a um the banner that will go up at all of our schools thanking our community for Measure S. So you can at any school click on the QR code and stay up to date on where we are with our projects. So those will be coming out soon. Okay. my favorite part of the bond project, the playground modernization. And
082I, as I've been saying, this is not an apparatus. This is an experience. No other district will have this experience. And it all started with our student advisory council who said, "We need to change the monkey bars, etc., because our hands are getting blistered." And then we went down this amazing rabbit hole as you can see and have created an second to-none experience. You won't see any more of the black fall pads. Um now I'm not going to get too much into the playground modernization because we actually are going to have a presentation at the next board meeting that's nothing but playgrounds. So you'll get to see more of the playgrounds. But this is just a little sneak peek of what we are planning. um and just really excited about what this is going to
083look like at our elementary schools. Um we are using um a product from we're using Earthscape. That's the name of the company. Um you know, we went on their website and I just fell in love personally. But we're really excited to put new playgrounds in all these play all of these uh schools here, upper grades, lower grades. So again, more to come about the playgrounds, but wanted to just kind of uh wet your appetite for what's to come. And eventually all of the elementary schools will have the new playgrounds. Um there were some missing. Um and the reasons that they're missing is because we're doing other projects or planned projects and that those will be part of uh an integrated project. Uh but I'm going to move you over to the Seahawk Bowl at our
084UHS. Um safety and improvements are well needed. if anybody's been uh at the stadium, you know, it's it's really unsafe. I mean, just quite frankly. So, um this summer uh we will be engaged in concrete repairs and um seating repairs at the stadium. So, those should be ready to go for fall sports. And then um next school year after football season um you will start to see improvements with the um upper area where you enter um as well as replacing the Do you have an issue? Replacing the um the bathrooms up above. Do you want a move? No, I just wanted to show that um right here, these are the existing bathrooms that would be removed to allow more space on the concourse level. >> Um and they would be moved over to this area
085here. >> You want to do a next because I won't be able to see it. >> Um yeah, so those are the that's the timeline. Um, and then here are some samples that literally hot off the presses because we just reviewed this in our meeting today with the architects for um, some possible upgrades to an entrance. Um, obviously on Vincent and just ensuring that there's no question that you're entering Seahawk Bowl right now. Sometimes you could just walk by it and not necessarily know what you're walking by. Um, just to point out again, we've talked about it, but single occupancy restrooms here, uh, they would be on the far left side. Um, just to alleviate the lines, um, and any other shenanigans that may be going on in the restrooms with our students. Um, but
086these these restrooms would be on the far left side. Okay. So, we also have um a number of turf fields that are included as part of our bond um project and it's more about turf replacement. And so um actually the oldest turf we have is at the high school both um at the stadium at Seahawk Bowl as well as um the practice fields. And um so this is just a mockup of um the of what a new Seahawk Bowl turf field could look like. Um we do have a couple of elementary schools who do not have turf and so um there's been interest expressed uh at Toita um in talking to Miss Glunt about surf about new turf at that school. I just want to be clear that we're we are getting a quote to
087investigate the possibility of having the turf at Toita. they'd be coming to you um for approval before moving forward, but just wanted to be transparent about um the fact that we are looking to see what the cost would be. Um the the company that we would um we are recommending working with is Tinkat and they have come out with new turf that doesn't have the feel. So, uh the black feel. So, as you know, if you are at the high school and you're walking on the practice practice, so you can see that feel. And so, um, we would be replacing the high school and any turf that we already have without the the new product. We did drop off a sample with Miss Glunt, so anybody who's interested can see can actually see it, touch
088it, and confirm. Um and I just put some information um from Tenad about um the the ways in which they're reducing plastic pollution um and making it PFAS um safe. So for those who are have those concerns um this is new new turf, new and improved. Okay. So, um, as you know, one of the other projects is the, um, new removing the quote unquote bingo room on Diamond Street and creating a new innovation and design building is what we're calling it. Um, I want I want to just be clear that these are um, architectural concepts. Um, this is where we are with the architects. Things could change. For instance, even today, um, you'll see some new renditions where those solar panels are more flush with the ceiling. Um also want to share that we're still
089waiting on um schematic bud budgets for these schematics. So we once we get those budgets which should be coming in the next week um we have a better understanding of do we need to reduce the size of this project. So u we're really excited to share where we are with these architectural drawings but things could change based on the budget. Um the former bingo room as you can see is about 16,000 square ft. And so, um, here's an idea of what that building would look like. I want to share that, uh, Mr. Brown has been part of these meetings. We've also had the ability to meet with the CTE department a couple of times and talk to them, um, about what the classroom space would look like. Um, what you're looking at on the left,
090so just so you know, this is the Diamond Street view. Uh, that's Diamond Street. Uh, so if you're driving by, that's uh, sort of what it would look like at this point. Um, as you can see, there's a balcony that comes out on the second floor from one of the classrooms um on the second floor. Now, on this one on the far left, you're actually looking at it from the quad area. You're on campus. You're probably uh in the quad or you're near the 500s and you're you're looking at it from the inside. And this is you're looking into the second floor. Uh there would be a mural that you would see at the second floor all the way down. Um the right picture is um the right now the the concept of what the
091second floor would look like. Um the far right we there is a new concept that uh schools are creating where there's like a shared uh steps or staircase which can also serve as a meeting place. So it would be large enough for the entire staff of the high school to have a faculty staff meeting there on the far right side um with a a little stage area. So, it's another place to have meetings that isn't the auditorium. Sometimes auditorium feels really big and kind of swallows you up. So, it's a little more of an intimate space. Um, you'll see um two classrooms on the right and the left. In the middle is what we have is a flex space. So, it could open up for kids to go in and work on their projects together,
092etc. Um, or another space for a classroom to come in like the aerospace class, etc. the two um more beige, those are called collab spaces. Um and there's glass um you can kind of Oops, sorry. There's you see these partitions here. So these are like glass um doors that slide back and forth to allow that flexibility of the space. And then same with here. So students could go in and actually work on presentations together or collaborate together. That's what these two spaces are. uh because these classes are um where kids are creating uh like the game design class and the computer science class. Um they would have the ability after direct instruction to go in and actually work together on projects and their assignments etc. Um so we'll obviously share more as we refine these
093concepts but this is where we are with these concepts until we get the budget. You can ask any questions at any time, but um just wanted to give you an idea of the types of class that would be in this building and and where we are in terms of looking at it. We are looking at um demoing the bingo room in the summer of 2027. Um the idea now is to finalize the architectural drawings. Um so that's going to take uh probably another month or so. And then once we do that, we would be submitting to DSA and then we wait. So um we would wait a year and we would do the demolition. So once DSA is approved, we'd be able to start the building and we're doing other things as well simultaneously which
094you've approved in terms of doing the the testing of the soils and whatnot. So u we're trying to move forward with action so that we can get the building going as soon as we have DSA approval. Here's just some more architectural schematics to kind of give you an idea. Again, if you look at the top left, u that's from the diamond side where I explained that things have kind of evolved with the um instead of having, for example, the solar panels at the top, you can see here, um just maybe making them more flush, more of a a more modern look. Um so, we've had a lot of conversations about making sure this building matches um other buildings on campus. And now I'm going to turn it over to Dr. Alpurn. I'd like to share
095some information about some of our elementary um school designs. And as you recall on the the list that we developed around the bond project, we had a number I believe 19 portable classrooms um on various elementary school site campuses. all of which have long passed their useful life. And um the goal of the plan of the B of the bond program would be to place modular buildings um which are like prefabed. They're permanent buildings. They're prefabed which means we can get them in place more quickly than new construction but they're customdesigned for us. Um so that's kind of the idea of it. So, at Madison Elementary School on the souththeast portion of their campus, they currently have it's um near their solar panels, they currently have very old portable classrooms that are utilized by the
096CDC program. So, what we envisioned there um was using these Gen 7 modular classrooms. Um and you can see some visual some design of of the classrooms. Um, and we would be creating three classrooms. Um, let me do the let's see. So, this area here is kind of the visual at Madison. So, you'd have two classrooms on one side, one classroom on the other with a new playground area in the middle. Um the idea at Madison where currently their kinder and TK are sharing a playground. Um this would move the kinder program to the southeast portion of the campus. And so they would have their own drop off and pickup and um their own playground and then the TK um playground would remain the TKK current playground will become the TK only playground. Yeah. And
097that will allow us to go full day. Yes. And then here's a larger an enlarged picture of that. Um, so this is the playground area. Classroom here, classroom here, classroom here, and then here you have like a smaller classroom. It's not a classroom. It's actually a restroom. um an area for the tricycles to be stored and a custodial closet. Um so we do plan to have added greenery and we also plan to have shade. Okay. So let me talk to you about Lincoln because um Lincoln currently has five portable classrooms. Three of them are in one portion of the campus and two of them are in another portion of the campus. So the area where there are three portable classrooms which is the on the north playground side of the campus. um that will be
098replaced by two those three classrooms will be replaced by two modular classrooms general modular you know generic kind of classrooms you know standard classrooms but the area where we currently have two portable classrooms which is near the CDC buildings um those will be demolished and we will be replacing them with three three new classrooms. And so what you see here is um are the three classrooms. One, two, three. This green area is um the um yeah, the hillside grass area, which we're going to be utilizing to kind of incorporate as part of the playground. This playground area here will be the northern portion of the playground. And the current TK playground, CDC playground area will become one large mega playground, which will be like the best playground in the school district. Shh, don't tell. But
099it's it's going to it's going to be amazing. Um, and again, like Dr. Wesley said, we'll be using Earthscapes equipment and u we'll be integrating the new playground and the older playground to create kind of a seamless space. Here on the right is also a building like at Madison where they'll have outdoor bathrooms um and a storage area for tricycles and a custodial closet. And then again here's an another view of um the new playground experience. And then also ensuring that we have you can see around the edges ensuring that we have tricycle pathways because that's very important for our four and 5-year-olds. Also as a part of the link is we're looking at whether or not we can remove the wall between the existing TK classrooms so that those would instead of being four
100rooms would be two rooms with a larger space for the TK um teachers. Uh this is the restroom modular that Dr. Alpurn was was talking about with um tricycle storage a single stall restroom custodial another restroom. So this is for outside the teachers have expressed that they would prefer to have classrooms on the outside because when they're supervising it's hard to keep that somebody has to go in with the student in the classroom. So this allows um for outside um making it easier. Okay. Inside the classroom um Dr. Alpert and I have had an opportunity to meet with the TK teachers at Lincoln and the kindergarten teachers at Madison twice to um bring them along on this journey and ask for their input because they are the first schools they're helping us to create the
101norm for the rest of the district so that there's continuity. So, where we've landed um with their input is that there would be two student restrooms inside each of these classrooms along with a teacher workroom with a lot of cabinetry space for their storage. Um also a little work area if they needed to. Um also you'll notice that there's two student sinks at the low a lower level sinks for the students and a a teacher adult sink here. Again, some more cab uh some more counter space and then um some built-in cabinetry along this wall. That's where they would have their whiteboard, any technology, etc. Um the composition of the classroom, this is just an example. It it could be very different based on how the teacher wants to set it up, but the standardization
102is the two restrooms, the work room, the where the sinks are and where the cabinetry falls. These are the entrances into the classroom. And then there's that window here that you saw. So, um, just wanted to and so you can kind of see in this 3D there's the sinks, there's the the three doors, one the work room and the two restrooms. Um, so that would be standard in the modules that we put in at other campuses as well. And you know, as Dr. Wesley was mentioning, you know, the planning stages, um, it's not, you know, a month or two of planning, right? there's a lot that goes into the schematic designs and the cost estimates and everything before things even get sent to the DSA for approval. So to go through a process, you know,
103it takes a few years to go from like our initial planning meetings to actually see the work done and completed. And so with that in mind, uh we already began looking at Jefferson Elementary School as the next phase after Madison and Lincoln. And so um a team of us went out there. What we're looking at doing, they currently have six portable classrooms, again, all of which have outlived their natural life. And um so what we're thinking about doing, we're looking at space on the campus um projections for enrollment and we're looking at replacing those six classrooms with four classrooms. Not doing a six for six, but taking that maybe extra money for two classrooms that were originally in the bond plan and instead utilizing this space. You can see in the upper right hand side
104the location um which is the southeastern corner of the campus where we currently have um a couple of county programs that are run out of that space and uh actually converting that space into a kindergarten playground. Um, so what we would be doing is moving the fifth graders out to the new um the new modular classrooms like closest to the playground um which is kind of a district standard now like the upper grade or the fifth grade class tends to be closest to the playground on a lot of our campuses. Um and then move the kindergarten students into the spaces those larger classrooms that are currently utilized by the fifth grade at Jefferson. And um I believe we have another visit there tomorrow with architects to take a look. Okay, I'm not going to go
105into detail, but just wanted to remind you that while all that's going on, we're still working on technology upgrades at our school sites and these are all the different projects that are occurring. Um but I think as um interesting is just to share that the campuses on the left are the campuses where we've completed these technology upgrades and currently the campuses on the right are where we are presently working on the upgrades. Um so just wanted to give you an update on on that and that includes our cameras, our uh PA systems, the wiring um all that goes the the buzzin systems etc. So that's where we are with the technology. And uh overseeing all of this is our lovely group of of volunteers um seven of them who serve on the citizens bond oversight
106committee. Um all of the work of the citizens bond oversight committee is housed on the district website. So all the agendas, the minutes, um um the audits that we do for is is all listed on the website. Uh they the role of the oversight committee, they don't approve any expenditures for the school bond. That is the role of the school board. The only thing that the oversight committee does is it they review the expenditures of the school districts of the school district's projects to ensure that they're aligned with the language that the voters approved. So that's their sole role is to review and they basically ask a lot of questions. We um went on a field trip yesterday and uh we went to Lincoln and we saw the um the work that has already been
107accomplished. Susanna Garcia provided them a lot of information about the technology that is already in place now um since Lincoln was our first first of two schools um to get the upgrades and then we walked to the campus and also looked at the planned um improvements out at the TK site. And then just to what you're going to see in the next two board meetings are a lot of requests for board approval for work projects this summer. Um that includes gutter replacement at every school site. Um roof restorations at many school sites. Um HVAC installation and school libraries. I think there's four libraries that don't currently have working in working HVAC. Um we are installing modular bathrooms at Madison and Washington. Those are the permanent bathrooms. And then um as I said earlier, the Seahawk
108Bowl bleacher and concrete repair and replacement. >> Do you have any questions for us? >> I do, but I'm concerned about the interest of time and our board policy of how long our board meetings can go and where we are in the agenda. >> But just for clarification, the only items that'll be coming to us are the ones you just mentioned, not the turf or the um buildings, the the great renderings you showed us. That's just preliminary. >> That's correct. >> Okay. >> All right. Thank you very much. A lot of exciting stuff coming. >> Up next, item 7.5, student board member report by Key. >> Thank you. RHS Performing Arts proudly presents Something Rotten, featuring 120 RHS students on stage, backstage, and in the orchestra. Journey down to the RHS auditorium March 20th, 21st,
10927th, 28th at 7 PM, and March 22nd, and 28th at 2 PM. Tickets can be purchased online at rhsdrama.com for $10 to $20. The RHS library invites students to take this take on the spring reading challenge. Students must read a book, write a review using the online library book review platform, and will be entered to win prizes. For more details, visit the library. We just had an the most amazing spirit week and spring rally last week and our Seahawks had a lot of school spirit. We had performances by ROC, cheer teams, band, dance, salsa club, and choir. Our ASB spent two months playing it and it was a huge success. We also recognized our wrestling team who won their first ever CIF title and we celebrated our varsity cheer game day team for winning a
110CIF state title. Our juniors are getting ready for their CASP testing and this weekend we are hosting the big Nike track meet at Roondo. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> That brings us to our hearing section. Members of the audience may address the board on any topic regardless of whether it is listed on the agenda. However, due to Brown Act regulations, the board cannot engage in public discussion on items not on the agenda. Topics not on the agenda which are brought to the board's attention may be investigated by the administration and a report made to the board either publicly or privately at a future meeting. Comments from visitors shall not exceed three minutes unless the time limit is waved by majority of the board. The board shall limit the total time for public input on
111each item to 20 minutes. With board consent, the president may increase or decrease the time allowed for public presentation depending on the topic and the numbers of persons wishing to be heard. We do have advanced written requests. So, we'll start there with Andrew Aor. Uh, and after that will be Wilin Lee. Hello board members and Annette and Nicole. Uh my name is Andrew Oor. U many of you don't know me, but you know my emails. I've been emailing you for about six months requesting u some direction on uh special education for my daughter at Brooklyn. Um, so I'm here tonight to request uh formally request from the board to conduct an independent investigation into the failure surrounding the implementation of my child's special education services, including the collection of progress data, the provisions of appropriately
112trained staff, and the removal and replacement of assisted communication supports. Okay. So, um I'm really excited to be here to see all the exciting things that's going on and all of you that are so um supportive and energetic about um the success of the rest of the school. And I think that's wonderful. But, and I'm sorry I'm getting emotional, but this is about my daughter. She's been at Lincoln for a year and a half. And I was told when she went to Lincoln that she was going to have an RBT. She still does not have an RBT. Okay. Um, she's had, I think, seven, um, aids. She comes home with bruises. She comes home with cuts. Um, the special education department is failing. It's failing my daughter. It's failing other other special education students. So,
113I really really uh am begging the board to do an investigation, a formal investigation, and really evaluate what's going on because that's not fair. Okay? We're t we're taxpayers. I voted for all of you, you know, and the thing is is we're in this together. I love what all the other kids are getting to do. It's amazing. My I had to take my son out of uh out of Redondo because um he his needs were not being met. Okay? And so the thing is is the failures are within the special education department. Okay? And I've asked I mean I've emailed all of you for six months. Not one person have replied. Uh, Annette, I reached out to her personally and she said she wouldn't talk to me because I I had an attorney. I don't
114have an attorney. I'm appealing to you before it gets to that point. I've documented everything, but I don't want to go there. I want to work with you. I plan on being here through my daughter's entire education, but I need you to work with me. No one has reached out. Not one person. I've been ignored. I've got not gotten any data. No data. I've asked for a lot of data. you guys are not providing the anything to me and you're just completely ignoring me. So, I'm begging you to work with me to work with other other families and who have special needs kids and help us work with you. What can I do to help you to help us? I don't want to keep coming to these board meetings. I really don't. But I want
115to support you and I want to support my daughter and I want you to support my daughter. So, please tell me what I can do to help you help me. I would really appreciate someone reaching out to me. Okay, so I'm gonna leave it at that, but thank you for letting me speak. >> Thank you. >> Up next, Welcome Lee. Good evening, Dr. Wesley, President Elder, board members, and cabinet. My name is Winley. I am currently serving as the honors and AP chemistry teacher at IUHS. And tonight, I'm speaking in behalf of the IUHS science department uh regarding the grading policy that um it will be talked about later on. The IHS science department would like to address our concerns with the proposed grading policy. We want to begin by stating that we are in
116complete agreement with the district goals of course alignment. Every student regardless of the teacher they are assigned to deserve consistent and equitable experience on the same course. True alignment happened when teachers align their practices in creating a learning environment where student cognitive engagement is supported not merely a uniformal grading scale. The CP chemistry course can serve an example of this. More than six years ago, our CP chemistry course was not aligned. We have three different teachers using exactly the same district approved grading scale in power school. The same category waiting and a common pacing guide. On paper, it looks aligned. However, student get different experiences depend on which teacher they had. teacher rarely use the same quizzes on and exams and to measure the student growth and their evaluate and their lab experiment were graded
117differently. So how do we fixed it? It happened through intensive teacher-led collaboration. Our department requested two days in the summer uh to organize a new pacing guide based on district and state standard when new chemistry teachers were coming on board. After two days of collaborations, the new team met weekly, sometime even twice a week outside of our designated collaboration time to align labs and assessment. Today, the result is the start of align instruction in chemistry. The team did not change the grading scale but agreed to use the grade uh same grading structure and rigor of the course. As the team continued to work together, adjust pacing and rigor of the course using formative assessments such as quick check and exit ticket as well as student feedback on their progress in conceptual mastery. Pacing is reworked
118to ensure all student meet the common goals of the unit and the course. All changes are agreed upon by all the members on the team. We acknowledge that different teachers deliver identical lessons according to their own voice and style um to effectively run their class. However, labs and assessment which compos of 90% of the final grades are aligned. Each teacher uses similar rubric and grading and had the right to modify a maximum of two questions to better support their students learning in their class. Through this work, the CP chemistry team did not just align their grade. They align the student experience. They continue to adjust their waiting and practice today not because the system forced them to, but because they understand the importance of course alignment. Can I finish one paragraph extend by 30 seconds?
119>> The desired outcome, sorry. The desired outcome of the district initiative is to ensure that all student receive a similar experience and a fair grade in any given course. Adhere to a one-sizefitall grading scale may not indicate it may indicate equality but not equity. True equity requires alignment in pacing, rigor, expectation, and most importantly, assessment. Thank you for your time and attention. Thank you. Up next, uh Lucy Koy. >> Hi. Good evening, president, board members, and members of RBUSC community. Thank you again for the opportunity to speak tonight. So, my name is Lucy Co. Hi, I'm back. So, I am from Nihow Cultural Arts Center. Um we've been around for over 13 years. We've partnered with Mandarin dual language immersion programs in both public and private school districts. We provide curriculum support, teacher training, language
120enrollment programs. And we've spent many years supporting the dual language immersion programs in districts such as West Cavina USD and LAUSD. So our goal is very simple to help Mandarin immersion programs be successful and sustainable over the long term. Since the program is just getting started in RB at USD, I wanted to briefly share a few common challenges that we've seen in the early years of new dual language programs. So, first, dual language classrooms often include students with a very wide range of language backgrounds and learning needs. Um, that diversity is wonderful, but it also means teachers must balance instruction for both native and non-native speakers. Experienced educators and strong program support are really critical to helping classrooms remain flexible and effective for all learners. Another challenge that often emerges over time is maintaining strong
121enrollment across grade levels. As man immersion programs in many immersion programs class sizes may gradually decline over the years as families move away or students drop out or transfer out. districts sometimes face difficulty filling these spots in later grades because new students feel like they've fallen way too far behind to be able to join the program in those later years. So, one possible way to address this is by creating additional opportunities for students who may not initially get into the program to gain exposure in Mandarin. I know last meeting we talked a lot about how we have a big weight list. Um, so for example, an after-school enrichment program can allow weight listed families or interest interested students to begin building foundational language skills and if a spot later opens in the emergent track, those
122students can feel much more prepared and confident to step in. So this program, this approach can support families who are eager to participate and help maintain a strong full graduating class come five, six years down the line. So I know I only have a few minutes tonight. Um these are just a few examples of the ways organizations like ours have supported immersion programs in other districts but um NIH is always flexible and works with schools to tailor support based on their specific needs. We are excited about the potential of the Mandarin immersion program here in RBUSD and we look forward to continuing to be part of that conversation as it develops. So, thank you again to RVUSD members and your community for your time and dedication to supporting language learning opportunities for all students. 5
123seconds left to spare. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. Uh there are no other advanced written requests. Would any other member of the public like to speak on an agenda item or a non-aggenda item? >> Come on up. Hello again board members and cabinet members. My name is Emily Robinson. I'm a teacher at RUHS and I wanted to speak on the proposed board grading policy. I urge the board to ensure that there's a clear understanding of standardsbased grading before implementing implementing to all middle schools. In a traditional standardsbased grading system, students are often evaluated on a scale from 1 to four, where two out of four, which would be equivalent to 50%, can be considered passing. I know a majority of middle school teachers currently use that form of um grading system, like a
124majority. Um, but I believe educational policy decisions should be guided by strong research and evidence demonstrating benefits to student learning and outcomes. For example, the only study I found comparing traditional grading with standardsbased grading from Arkansas University showed that there was no statistically significant difference in state assessment scores between the two systems. Additionally, I'm concerned about the grading policies that exclude work habits from students grades. Work habits can include behaviors such as completing homework, meeting deadlines, and maintaining academic integrity. If a student fails to complete assignments or cheats on a test, should those behaviors have an impact in their overall grade? I also wanted to raise a question um if there is an academic dishonesty policy with the board already um is um and if so how would it be reflected in a grading system
125where work habits and behaviors are not factored into a student's grade consequences for academic dishonesty are important to maintain fairness accountability and trust in the learning environment and should have academic consequences finally I believe there should still be opportunities for students to earn extra credit in many in meaningful ways is for example attending a board meeting like tonight. I believe there are some students um in participation here um and they are participating as a citizen that can be valuable that can be a valuable learning experience. However, the proposed grading policy suggests that activities like that would no longer qualify for extra credit um because they are not considered direct demonstrations of academic knowledge in that course. If a concern is that extra credit might overly influence a student's grade, the board might consider allowing extra
126credit opportunities but limiting their impact. For example, the math department ensures that extra credit can only change a student's grade for up to 1 or 2%. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else like to address the board on anything on the agenda or not on the agenda? All right, moving on to communication guidelines. I'll go through this quickly again. This section provides an opportunity for the board of education to hear reports and communications from our employee associations and the community support organizations listed below. All reports are limited to 5 minutes. Members of the public may address the board of education concerning the section. Each speaker will be permitted to speak for three minutes per item. The board may limit the total time for public input on each item to 20 minutes. Uh RBTA has
127already come up. Uh anyone from CSEA, AFTD, uh Ronda Beach Parent Teacher Association? I think that was us. Good evening everybody. Um, just thank you guys so much for all you do for the schools, the district, the kids. Tonight has been so much fun. Amy's going to be sad she missed the kids and thank you for making me not immediately follow them. Um, I just want to remind the community that Adams PTSA is hosting the Thrivefest, which is both their west wellness festival and camp expo combined on March 21st. So, that's the majority of my report. My pleasure tonight is introducing Angela Gaines, who is the PTSA president at Paris. Thank you. I'll keep this short and sweet because we have cake waiting for us at home. Um, my name is Angela Gaines and I'm
128the PTA president at Paris Middle School and I'm here today to talk to you about the programs that we have uh brought into play at Paris Middle School. This year we were so fortunate to bring in Hardy Brown. Um he's a chairman of the Black Voice Foundation and uh with the help of Adams Middle School, we brought him for our eighth graders assembly and I could tell you from having an eighth grader uh it's changed a lot of their perspective on after he was there. He spent the whole day with us. He brought in a quarter of his collection, had them touch, feel, look at everything. And these kids were pretty impressed, especially when they found out one of the flags was worth $75,000. Um, we also this year incorporated Battle of the Books, which
129on a middle school level, it was huge. We've been trying to do that for a few years now, and we had 44 students sign up this year to uh compete in Battle of the Books. But of course, we can't do it without um a driven, dedicated parent volunteer. Um, another program that we always um are bringing up in our school is community. Pro community for me is huge. I come from Alta Vista Elementary School where, as everybody knows, I've been through elementary school. You drop off your kid at the gate and then you're standing outside the school for 30 minutes chatting with other parents, talking, having fun. That doesn't happen at middle school. It's barely if you slow your car down enough for them to jump out, that's pretty much the amount of time you're
130spending in front of our school. So, we try to build community and we did it this year in our WhatsApp program. We have a WhatsApp program and it's designated for parents to ask for advice, have questions. Um, my favorite is always the reminder of don't forget it's an early release day. Pick up your kid at 12:25. Um it's a great way to build community because parents are helping parents and that's what we try to strive for. Um another program that we are incorporated from our PTA board is strengthening our bond with admin and Paris teachers. Um we have a great teacher appreciation program every year and teachers are always coming up and saying thank you. And one of the teachers said his favorite part of teacher appreciation is always bringing the teachers back into the
131lounge to be together and have lunch together. So, we started um having games for the teachers. Um they're coming up shortly. We'll be doing teacher bingo um that any staff member aid can join into. Um, I wanted to tell you when I was asked to be PTA president, of course, everyone either raises their hand really fast or they hesitate. And you know, why would you become a PTA uh president with a two-year commitment, non-paid? All right. And I was ready when I was asked to be like, "Okay, I'm going to have to like answer a lot of questions and, you know, fight with these parents." And that was not the case. the support that our community and our board members give to our parents comes back to us tenfold. We still have the issues with
132the sign up genius struggle as I call it, you know, where we have at least five or six emails go out before that signup genius gets filled. But for our school community was one of the programs that we as a board felt really highly about, you know, not just for the kids but for our parents to feel part of the school. Um, and in closing, I want to say, and what am I always saying to all of our back to school nights when I talk to 400 parents is always that I ask them to be present. Be present and be involved in your child's school. My mom never was. She was born and raised in Italy and she just stayed home and sent us to school. I have been in the school since day one.
133And my kids will always tell me, "Remember the time this happened? Remember the time that happened?" So what I want to say to you is that this is a great school district and it's goes beyond like we had struggles before and the district came and helped us and got us through many different hard times with my kids with future kids that I see. So I want to thank you for having me here tonight. Um there's definitely gratitude amongst our PTA members and you guys for what you do for every day. Thank you so much. Thank you. Anyone from Rodondo Beach Educational Foundation? Any superintendent comment? >> All right, that brings us to our general consent calendar. Uh, as a reminder to the board, we have a little over an hour left in our regularly scheduled
134meeting before we either have to vote to extend or adjourn. Uh, are there any items anyone would like to pull from general consent? >> Yes, I'd like to pull 10, please. four. Uh, anyone else? >> Motion a second to approve items 10.1 through 10.3 and 10.5. >> So move. >> Student advisory vote. >> All those in favor? I. Any nos or abstensions? All right. Moving on to item 10.4. Motion please to begin discussion to approve field trip extracurricular activity request during the 202526 school year. Uh this is outdoor educational science camp programs. >> Some moved. >> Second. >> Thank you. Um I just wanted to point out that the we have a wonderful um educational foundation that help pay for these wonderful camps. In this case they're paying for our transportation so our kids can
135get there and come back safely. So I want to say thank you for wonderful that foundation. Thank you. >> Any other comments or questions? Student advisory vote. >> All those in favor? I. Any abstensions? Motion passes. This brings us to our action items starting with 12.1. Uh motion in a second, please, to adopt the 202526 second interim budget financial report. >> Second. >> Any additional questions anyone has? >> All right. Student advisory vote. All those in favor? I. Any nos or abstensions? Motion passes. >> Motion a second, please, to approve uh sorry, approve revisions and fee increases to facility use rates. >> Some moved. >> Dr. Alpurn. >> Before you um is a very small revision to the facility fees um charges. Um they're really just in a couple of categories. what we charge for
136custodial costs, campus supervision, um some of the auditorium usage, and it's really just an increase of either like $10 or something of that nature, 10 $15 per hour difference. Um really to cover the increased cost of staff over the last five years. Uh we last adopted the board last adopted an increase in fees for our facility usage back in 2021. We had not increased facility fees um in 10 years. So my recommendation to the board is to not wait 10 more years. Um so tonight this is the fiveyear mark. Um, and I'm recommending um to you all that in the next 6 months um that you look at a whole analysis of of other districts and um that that you consider increasing fees beyond just those that that were being asked to approve tonight. But
137tonight um just a few adjustments to our current fee schedule. >> Thank you. I think we've seen since CO how inflation has driven the cost of everything up. So that makes a lot of sense. Any other comments or questions? Student advisory vote. >> All those in favor? I. Any nos or abstensions? Motion passes. Motion in a second, please, for item 12.3, approve budget to initiate a Mandarin dual immersion program beginning in the 2627 school year. >> Second. >> Dr. Harland. >> Thank you. Uh this action item aligns with our strategic plan goal 1.8 and basically it ensures a strong roll out of our MandarinDI program for the fall of 2026. So we're proposing the attached budget of 61,000 and that's for kindergarten curriculum, some professional development for the teachers and then also some collaboration time.
138Um, we are going to mirror the same process that we used when we rolled out the Spanish DI program where we included some seed money in order for the program to begin and grow successfully. >> Thank you. Questions or comments from the board? >> Are are we just doing the kindergarten roll out next year? >> Uh, thank you for that. So, we will be opening the enrollment um March 20th. If we do get enough uh folks interested in a first grade class, we can look at opening a first grade class as well. We'll know probably at the end of April. >> Okay. So, on on our approval tonight, we're approving the program and then you'll decide based on the applications whether or not we roll it out as a K or as a K and
139a one. >> Yes, ma'am. And then on the proposed bun budget summary, so for example, the $50,000 per class, if we did both, I want to make sure I understand it right. If we did a kinder and a first grade, that would double. >> Yes, ma'am. And it's just for the purchase of the Mandarin curriculum. >> Okay. And if we did a kinder and a first, but we had a 50-50 split program. Would one teacher, one Mandarin teacher be able to handle both those classes? >> So, we're still looking at that. We're um we're doing the second round of interviews to look at the skills of the teachers. So, the working group is still determining what that's going to look like. And once we do, we'll of course um communicate that with the board. >>
140Thank you. >> Yeah. >> So, the 66,000 is just for the one class. You'd come back and ask for additional funds if we have two classes. Um, we we had put already in here that additional classes would be approximately 50,000 because that would be for the curriculum. So, if we added a first grade class, it would be an additional 50,000. >> Okay. >> And this is for Yeah. Go ahead. >> I I don't think I want to make sure you we understand clearly. You would not have to ask they would not have to ask the board for approval. Again, we're approving the program tonight >> so that if a class is started, those funds are approved for the classrooms. Each each class is 50,000. Each grade level, >> each grade level is not to exceed
14150,000 depending on what curriculum is purchased. Right. >> So, we want to make sure that we're it says it in there clearly 50,000 for each class for each grade level up to fifth grade. And so we that's what you're approving. You're approving 61,000 for up to not to exceed for the inaugural class. And then and then we're going to decide which curriculum is going to be used, but it'd be up to 50,000 for each additional grade level up to fifth grade. >> And they've been working with my office um for budgeting. And so just like other new programs that we have used the committed funds for that like from your your strategic plan we are building in whether it's one class or two classes we have committed funds to cover that. So it's just the
142seed money to begin a program and that's what the funds are covering >> and that seed money is coming from committed funds correct not from the general fund. >> Correct. And this is only for grades kindergarten through fifth grade. At the moment, we're not discussing expansion into the middle or high school. >> We're too far. We're we're nowhere near that. So, we'd have to revisit beyond fifth grade. It depend on enrollment interests, etc. We do have Mandarin classes, as we shared at the last meeting, 7th through 12th. So, it could be the DI program, K through five, and then those who want to take um Mandarin in middle school could start at 7th grade. If there was more interest, we could build it out. But right now, we're only asking for through fifth grade. So,
143we would need to come back and talk to the board about where we go from here in three to five years. >> And also, when we open enrollment, it'll just be for kinder and first on March 20th. >> Okay. So, we'll just say it's for kinder and first right now. Yes, ma'am. To see what the numbers we get for first grade. Any other questions before? >> All right. Student advisory vote. >> All those in favor? I. >> Any nos or abstensions? Motion passes. Motion in a second, please, for item 12.4, approve and or ratify between RBUSD and Reach University. >> So moved. >> Second, >> Dr. Stephanie. >> All right. This is an exciting uh program uh with Reach University. they want to uh we would like to partner with them to provide lowcost um
144university classes to for classified employees to earn their bachelor's degree. Um they can do this for $75 a month um in order to earn a bachelor's degree. The only requirement is that the classified folks are working with students for uh 15 hours a week in an academic setting. Um they've have been successful in other states and now they're trying to bring their program to to California. Um, so we are very excited to uh partner with them and move forward. >> Thank you. It's great that we can give our staff the opportunity to be lifelong learners as well. Any questions or comments? >> Student advisory vote. All those in favor? I. Any nos or abstensions? Motion passes. Motion to second, please for item 12.5. Approve the leading resources incorporated strategic plan and LCAP survey agreement. Some
145>> moved. Second. Uh, sorry. >> Um, this Dr. Wesley, this is Yeah, this is a request out of supplemental funds. We used LRI three years ago when we began um the first strategic plan and we are at the end of the three-year plan. I'm looking forward to um presenting that to you in June. All that we've accomplished in three years. Woohoo. Um but we want to build out another three-year strategic plan and use the same um consultants. Um, and really what they would be doing is helping us develop the survey that would go out to all of our staff and students and and families like last time. Um, and we would also be able to use this for um the LCAP because the LCAP next year is going to have a is starting their three-year.
146So, we're working with Roy and the whole ED services team so that it's dual dual service at this point. So, Roy would be able to Mr. Dr. Lopez would be able to use this data with the LCAP committee as well. And then they would come and present to the board the findings of the survey which would help instruct um some of the goals of the next three-year plan, three-year strategic plan and LCAP plan. >> And when we did this before, what was the response rate and the depth of data gathered versus our normal LCAP survey? >> Um it was much more in depth. We had about 1,400 students. Um we were able to um get an we were able to learn that students had interests such as in sign language. Um parents um had interests
147in um having counselors more counseling. So we've increased counseling time. So we were able to really have a a more depth understanding of what our community believed the needs were. And we also looked at test scores and other data as well to create the plan. Um but it it is the LCAP is based on um the the four measures of the LCAP. So this is a little bit beyond that. Um while there's a lot of overlap um I think just really understanding if we are meeting the needs of our students and where we'd be going based on stu based on interest obviously funding as well but it would be nice to know um how well the comm community we the community thinks we're doing and um if they have any thoughts or ideas on how
148we may be able to better prepare them and this we'd be hearing from our staff our students and our families. >> Thank you. And this is supplemental funding. So againeneral fund >> supplemental funding um is been used for LCAP as well. It's a parent engagement. So u family engagement. So this is not general fund. No. >> When would this go out? >> Um hopefully before the end of April. So if this is approved then we would have a meeting um to develop the survey and then we'd like to get that out soon after spring break as soon as possible. But we sent it out last time 3 years ago about the end of April and we were able to use that data to develop the strategic plan by the fall. So we're I think we're
149on schedule. >> Any other questions or comments? Student advisory vote. >> I. >> All those in favor? I. >> Any nos or abstensions? Motion passes. Motion and a second please for item 12.6 Six receive for second reading and adoption board policies, administrative regulations and exhibits. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Dr. Wesley. >> Um so um as a part of our procedures here, the board had the opportunity to discuss these board policies at the last meeting and this is now where we'd be asking for your approval on the board um adoptions with revisions. We did red folder the grading policies because based on feedback um most of the changes are just moving things around so that they make more there's more clarity on how you read it and less confusion as to what's high school,
150what's middle school, what's elementary school. So it's just rearrangement of the information uh is primarily nothing substantive. So, um the recommendation is for the board to approve the adult school and the grade evaluation student achievement board policies with the um stated revisions and changes. >> Well, to begin, I'm not sure how this works because we just either approve all or we don't. That in the past, that's how we've done it, right? >> We can make modifications. We can approve. We can not approve. make an amend. >> Well, no. I mean like we're looking at four tonight. So, the motion is just to approve either all four or none. >> To make a substitute motion. >> You can amend the motion. >> Yeah, amend it. >> You've done that before. >> Okay. So, then I'm going
151to move first of all to amend it to separate the adult education those two from the grading policies. >> Want to have a vote on those now? >> Yes. Wait, wait, which ones? >> The adult education. >> Yes, we can vote on those now. >> Okay. So, there's a motion to approve the adult education uh board policy 6200 and AR6200. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Uh, anyone want to make a substitute motion? Student advisory vote? >> All those in favor? I. >> Any or extensions? >> Two policies down. >> Look at that. Um, and then do we have to move to open the other two? >> I think we already did. >> We did, right? >> Yeah, it's already open. >> Okay. Okay. Um, so coming back around to where we were from
152the last time, thank you for the revisions. I think the revisions, whether it goes through or doesn't go through or wherever I stand on this, they're definitely helpful. They provide some clarity to what I think was a little confusing and complicated between what was happening per each level of school we have. Um, and we want to make sure that no matter what we do, um, this board has always been conscious about making sure that we are clear for students, parents, and teachers. And so I think that was important. So I really appreciate that. Um, I've obviously spent a lot of time on this. Um, and academic achievement is kind of in my heart. That that's where things for me as a school board member are. and I want what's best for our students as they
153move from elementary to middle to high school. Um, and I'm having personally a really difficult time with us saying that we are going to do standardsbased grading strictly at the middle school and without defining it further without providing um a little more clarity I guess is what I would be asking for. Um, and I I want to say I really appreciate the committee's work on this and um, Mrs. Lechen, we've had some amazing conversations. So, you know, I understand both sides, but I have to go with my heart on this. Um, and for a lot of reasons that Emily Robinson said, I don't think it's appropriate at the middle school. Um, I prefer that we align the middle school to the high school so that our middle school students are fully prepared when they go
154into high school that they're not on a different grading scale. They hit nth grade when grades matter and they know what to expect. Um, and I feel there's too much disconnection there in preparing the kids for things that matter. Um, and I have I have concerns about in terms of standard-based grading. A lot of what we're talking about is really a policy that goes towards citizenship and not towards grading. Grading in the standardsbased grading scale is on the standards period. So, a lot of things that are important in middle school to me are not um I'm afraid that we lose some control and some ability to um guide our middle school students at that point. Um so, this could go I'm not going to do that because this can go on forever as we have
155experienced this past week. Um, but with all my immense, I am so grateful. I love the work that was done. I really appreciate all of that. So, I just want that said done. >> Thank you. Questions or comments? >> Just a point of clarification. There's still citizenship grades that are given at the middle school level with standardsbased grading. I just want to make >> Yes, ma'am. and and it could be the behaviors that could be possibly affecting that would be included in the citizenship grade. So there is a place where it's identified >> and that includes academic dishonesty or integrity. We do have a board policy with regard to academic integrity and it wouldn't be that you can violate the academic integrity policy and still pass if you made the standard. >> Correct. >> Not
156I don't believe well if it's standards based student, let's say, cheats on a test, a teacher that's policy can give that student a zero. They haven't demonstrated their understanding of that test aligned to the standards. Um, and so I I think saying >> so they're still having a concept, >> right? So saying that that that there's no academic integrity in terms of the grades is a little bit misleading, but we don't need to go down that rabbit hole. um and if a student later demonstrates mastery of that standard um without cheating then their grade would be based on that demonstration of that mastery. On the flip side if they went down you know the grade went down then they you know they regressed then the grade would reflect that. So that's that was how and
157academic integrity would play a part but also could be citizenship may also address the the extra credit piece. So extra credit is allowed and in the AR there is a piece in there and it talks about the languages teachers may issue extra credit at their discretion provided that credit is earned for academic measures that reflect learning. So one of the examples was our students that are here tonight. I'm pretty sure it's probably a government class, I'm assuming, right? Something I didn't teach government. I taught math and science, but my assumption is they are going to be connecting it to something that you're learning in class. So, they're connecting it to their learning. So, that would be absolutely appropriate. When we talk about extra credit where you know, if you attend an open house night, >>
158if you bring a roll of toilet paper, if you >> Yes, you bring paper towels to pieces that don't connect and show that you've demonstrated learning to some sort of standard in a class, which again, coming to a board meeting is absolutely appropriate. So, that is in here. So you can still earn extra credit with standardsbased grading. >> Standards based grading, the standardsbased grading is just based on how the students are learning the standard. So if they are connecting something and somehow demonstrating a standard, yes. But if it's simply just like I said, just being here but not making a connection, but if they're demonstrating what they're learning on the standard based on standards, yes. >> The the answer, Miss Flynn, is yes. >> Thank you. And that's I think where I lose a little
159bit of my understanding and where I wish that I understood it better before we were doing this because the way I've read in the research I've done extra credit is not a standard. You you can't everybody has to be equal. This is equality that we're talking about. So you can't offer some students an extra credit opportunity that you're not offering to everyone. >> Isn't it offered to everyone? >> It is offered to everyone. You would have to offer it to everyone. Yes, ma'am. >> But everyone would have to do it in order for it to meet a standard to be assessed as part of the standards. >> So I I think >> I think that's okay. I I think that's fair for Miss Silverman Neoth to have her um her doubts about it or her
160her want alignment with the middle and the high school. I I think that's a fair desire and I think she's clear with that and I appreciate her sharing her rationale um for why she has some some second thoughts about it and and and that's fair and she's asked a lot of great questions all week. She spent time sitting down with Mrs. Lechen. Um she's done her homework. She is the reason why I think we've bringing more clarity. um she's really helped us clean up the language and um regardless of how she votes on it, she has really helped us clean it up so it is more clear. We haven't we haven't revised it in 10 years. So I just want to acknowledge that and and respect her opinion on this matter. >> I think one
161of the things that helps me a lot is that this isn't happening right away. We're giving teachers, you know, till the 2728 school year to really figure it out and and do the time to, you know, really invest in this and make it happen. So, um, this will come back. We're not going to just leave a oneline, uh, middle school definition here. There's going to have to be a lot of meat to that. Um, but we want our teachers to work together and come up with what does that look like? Um, so that we can do this right because you it's it sounds like the vast majority are already there with standardsbased grading. There's still some more pieces to figure out. Um, so yeah, again, the goal is always to do something right um, not
162rush it. And that's why I like this timeline, but I don't know if that helps at all. Um so one of the first things I noticed um and I asked was it was originally adopted in 2010 and it's you know 2026 and in this period of time we've had a lot of curriculum adoption. We've got a lot of new teachers and there probably could be even a refresher on on teachers that are doing um standardbased. So I I I don't think it's um we're it's due. We need to work on this. Um I agree that there is going to be time for our teachers to adjust and to get supported. So that was a big thing for me uh to know that. Um something that was pointed out to me when we had some additional
163um meetings with Dr. Garland and U. Miss Lechenby was the fact that standardbased actually is supporting our students growth mindset in that they can identify specific uh units within standard base that maybe the student is not performing well but they are performing in other areas and it from what I can understand it was that um a a student isn't being punished um in the essence of if they were not performing well across you know all four they were still getting um good scores or grades in the different subsections of each of the standards. So that was an important part for me to understand. Um we are if I'm also understanding this, it's standardbased. This is just an initial um board adoption and that at some point all of our teachers have the autonomy to get
164together and determine what that scale looks like at the course level as well as determining whether or not all the teachers at that course level will allow extra credit resubmits, test resubmits, etc. Like we're not dictating how our teachers are going to establish the the grade scale or what they're going to accept as missed assignments, makeup assignments, and extra credit. And that if one teacher at that course level is allowing extra credit, then all teachers must allow extra credit. So, it's streamlining this. It's kind of giving us direction. But I do expect that we are going to be presented with something down the road once our teachers have had the opportunity to collaborate. Is that correct? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. Um the other thing that I I noted was um we were going to
165support and wanted to make sure that we were giving our teachers the support and the time and the grace to make the adjustment from whatever um whether it's traditional or the ones that are doing standardbased already that perhaps needs a refresh. um all the new teachers maybe, but also the ones that we're asking to transition over that we are supporting them, that we're going to give them all the time and the support they're going to need to do this. >> Yes, ma'am. You'll see at the next board meeting, we already have plans to bring in a PD for our teachers, and we have dates. >> We're just ready for the go-ahhead. >> Okay. And and with that in mind, I know that at the last board meeting, um there were comments that potentially surveying whether
166or not we're going to make this move at the high school. Um I I would say no to that and that I would like to see efforts and support being given to our middle school teachers. Um if we're going to do this lift of transitioning over to standardbased >> and from the initial survey results, 84% of the middle schools were already on standardsbased. So, it shouldn't hopefully be too drastic except for some departments um which are going to need some extra time and support. >> And just for clarity, that was core classes. >> Core classes. Yes. Sorry. Yeah. Not PE. Sorry. Yes. Good clarification. Uh but I know the question comes up a lot about what does it look like going from middle school with standardsbased grading to the high school traditional grading because our
167students are already doing it. But how do we make that, you know, as seamless as possible? What kind of what does that look like for them? So, as far as um the seamless going up into the high school, we're really preparing the students for high school with standardsbased grading because the students are aware of the areas that they need to grow in and then the areas that they're already validated and they're doing really well. So, by the time they get to high school, they're ready for that rigor because they know where they're at. >> Our students are experiencing various grading scales at this present time. So I think by moving to our recommendation they are going to have less variety in the grading scales. Um so if they at least have some continuity at the
168middle school and we're focusing on the actual standard and what it is they're thriving in and what areas where they need to additional support by the time they get to the high school. they will then also be met with continuity in the traditional grading scale as opposed to what they're experiencing now, which is it really could be there's 11 different grading scales. So, >> um it's not perfect, but we're tightening it up in terms of allowing for staff members to collaborate on the course and how they grade. Um but right now there would be a different grading scale once they got to the high school. But again, there would be continuity among this the course >> and the courses. >> And just to clarify again, there is no change in this policy for the high
169school grading scale. >> Correct. We haven't >> there's nothing that is in there. Some slight wording, but >> we just cleaned up the words. We haven't touched the scale. It's been that way since 2010. >> Any other comments or questions? >> Student advisory vote. >> Oh, sorry. Sorry. My mic was not coming on. Didn't like me today. Just for the public's benefit, um you you probably noticed that my colleagues have mentioned we had a lot of questions beyond the board meeting last time and and it is important policy that that we're asked to um adopt. So our leadership provided tutoring session for each one of us and we got to ask lots of questions. We're given additional information to read which led to the clean up clean up excuse me cleaned up versions of these.
170Just want to say thank you for making that extra effort and um thank you for educating us, making us smarter board members. >> Thank you for giving us the time. It's a it's really great that all five of you made the time to come in and speak with us individually, share your thoughts, ask your questions and um if just helping um share the difference between standardsbased and traditional. So we appreciate that you made that time for us >> teachable moment for us as well. >> Any other comments or questions? Student advisory vote. All those in favor? I any nos? >> No. >> Any abstensions. Right. Motion passes. >> Moving on to information items. Item 13.1, unofficial attendance and enrollment reports. >> Dr. Alen. >> Yay for the dark line on the ground. Um, so attendance
171um, in January equaled December. So we had a really good December and a really good January this year. Um, I know the flu season came late, so I'm going to keep my fingers crossed for February, but um, December and January were really good. >> That's all I got. >> Any questions or comments? All right, we have a discussion item of bond architectural drawings and summer projects. There's a chance to ask more questions, give feedback. >> Yeah, go ahead. >> Oh, was that on the presentation that we have? >> So, we just added a discussion item. So if you and you always always can email us, but um again these nothing is official yet, but we wanted to at least show you where we are so you can kind of other than clean up and maybe
172um reducing the scope of the project once we get the budget. We wanted to at least say, hey, this is what we've been working on for the last few months. So if you have any questions or thoughts, you um we can email the presentation to you. You can look at it even further, but we want to get your input um before we continue to go down this road. We are meeting um bi-weekly with our architects. Uh we we had meetings today with the high school architects and so it's it's like constantly giving feedback. Mr. Brown's on the meetings. We've asked teachers for input and thoughts. So um I've colorcoded my calendar >> um for any any >> of course you have >> for any meetings related to to the bond or bond projects. So, it's
173about half my week >> on a any given week. >> Yeah, >> I would think it'd be great to have that emailed to me so we can look at it further. >> Miss Compost will email it to you tomorrow. >> Great. Thank you. >> And I did have a question about uh the replacement turf at the high school. >> Um that will be of a different caliber and quality of what is there now. Like the little black pellets will be gone. And and when you showed that image of the different colored turf in Seahawk Bowl, I just want to caution against going with a darker colored turf because it absorbs heat >> in a way you have no even in a in a silly in a little stripe. >> Um I'm just want to make
174sure that we're considering that when we're because it is hot. Um the checkers were a request of the athletic director. So we rolled it out just to fulfill that request and we can have the >> We'll be discussing um the budget proposal. >> Yeah. >> That that extra design >> includes >> well and also the practicality of the in the hot summer months or whatnot. It will hold heat in a way that >> a lighter colored turf will not. >> That's fair. Um, I know this wasn't on your presentation earlier. Are there still discussions or architectural rendering of the the turnaround at Diamond? Is that part of any of this? >> That's a great question. >> Um, sorry. >> Um, well, we so we have done uh we've had a lot of conversations about that
175turnaround and every time we have a conversation, it feels like there's more money that's going to be needed for that project. So, we've said to the architects, "We do not want to discuss this project anymore until you tell us how much money this is costing because we feel like we're out of budget." So, once they come back and tell us where we are budget-wise, then we can decide if we're even within the realm of possibility or if we're way out of the realm of possibility. So, >> we were supposed to get the cost estimate this afternoon. It hasn't arrived. >> We're still waiting. So, we just said we're not talking about anymore until we we understand the cost because we were trying to add additional parking along the So, you know, we'll see where the
176budget is and then we'll give you an update. We we might need to walk away. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Walk away from any changes there potentially. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> So, I love all the architectural renderings. One of the things I notice is a lot of glass which is beautiful and makes for wonderful classroom environments and things like that. Are we also looking at from a safety standpoint though um of what types of physical barriers >> Okay, >> we have had many a discussion. Uh again, the design that includes the glass is um a goal to mirror the look right of the when you're going down diamond, right? Because that matches the administration building design and that's where the that glass piece >> the glass is on the second floor like the
177admin. So, like you know, the nest has that glass and the top. Um, so the glass is on the second floor. Um, consistent with the student union. And then if you're at the science building, you'll notice the windows for the downstairs. That's what they're mimicking on the downstairs of the >> the design the innovation design building. The teachers asked that same question. That's why there was a lot of thought about the windows on the bottom that match the science building versus the glass on the top. Now, there is glass on the interior of the campus. Um, but it's uh the glass is looking into the staircase and an open area, not necessarily in directly into the classroom. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions or comments? >> Dr. Stephanie, do you color code your calendar
178based on bond projects? >> I'll work on that. >> Not too late to add it to the cont. That's during our overlap time of the summer. >> Dr. Stephanie's been involved in meeting so he knows all about it. Yes, he has. >> Did you get your superintendent comment? Because we still do have time. >> Oh, we have time for super. Can we go back to superintendent comment? >> Yep. >> Okay. Well, I would like to yield my superintendent comment to Dr. Alpurn. Um, so in anticipation of tonight's um, announcement, um, I decided to bring a few things to Dr. Stephanie that I think you would really benefit from. Why don't you go to the podium so that you have the microphone for those who are still watching our go on up to the podium, Dr.
179Stephanie. >> Okay. First first I have a laminated Excel cheat sheet document for Excel formulas and pivot tables. Thank you. >> I have a professional professional looking document. So when he shows up at conferences and um you know that it's that he you know that he walks in looking the part. >> Uhhuh. I have um some multi-purpose duster because the amount of time that he will be spending with a keyboard in front of him will require the keyboards to be cleaned on a regular basis. Also, Janet Redella when I um became a CBO told me that um I needed to make sure that I was using a pencil with erasers because there are lots of changes. So, he's getting a pencil with the eraser and highlighters >> and then my magic wand because when people
180come and they're looking for budget fairy dust, sometimes the only thing that you need is a magic wand. And last but not least, um I have a little deputy badge for him that he can wear to ensure that everybody understands who is in charge. >> Congratulations. >> Dr. Stephanie, you don't have a presentation for us as the new CBO. HR presentation for the next >> wave. >> Just wave your fairy dust wand. >> It's like I'm waving the wand. >> This is going to be so much fun. >> Thank you for letting me have my super. >> Thank you. >> Excellent. Up next, uh board member reports starting with board member Archer. >> Thank you. Um, oftentimes we get um, presentations by our principles and then we get um, curriculum adoption, but it's so much
181fun to get a to go to visit our school sites and actually see it in action. So, I I got to visit at Barl and Bernie and that was so much fun and I'm looking forward to my visits at Helita and Alta Vista and Jefferson coming up in the next couple of weeks. And then this past uh weekend where I got to see and be a part of keep the esplanade clean with a bunch of our leadership and our board members and cabinet. Um it's just another way that Roondo shows up for our community, not just our students and our campuses, but our community. It's a great morning. It's beautiful out there. So that's it. >> Thank you. Uh board member Silverman Neimoth. All right, >> board clerk Flynn. Um, I I too actually enjoyed
182the keep the esplanade clean this weekend. That was nice to see everybody out there picking up trash and keeping tabs of it. And boy, do we need ashtrays on the esplan. All I came away from. Um, I have time before I have to say what I want to say to Dr. for Alpurn. But I want to talk about the fact that in your time that you've been here, you ran ed services and being the lifelong learner that you are, decided to learn an entirely new element to um schools administration and became a CBO at quite possibly the most challenging time ever to face public education and parents, teachers, and all of that. And that was your beginning to um taking over. And now you have t started your budget road show as the educator that
183you are and been able to make sure that our teachers and our staff people and our schoolboard members and our community members really understand this 200page budget interim budget reports and what they are. And I um what that was no easy feat. I can now explain to people the cycle of a budget and what happens with the January revision to why everything has to happen by March 15th if you have to make any awful decisions with regard to your changes to your budget and how the budget changes yet again in June. And I believe you were the CBO when we had to vote on a $7 million surplus and then a $7 million deficit and then back to somewhere in between a normal one. and that was in the span of three different board meetings
184right after the pandemic. So you have um certainly inspired me and kept me engaged in this school district, inspired many many leaders here and um it will not be the same but the school district is better because you committed your time, talent and treasure to it. And um I just thank you so very much. It's been an absolute pleasure to work with you and to get to know you as a person and I look forward to continuing that even though you and enjoy your retirement. So thank you Dr. Albert. >> Thank you. >> And I would be remiss if I didn't welcome Dr. Stephanie. We're we're confident that you are going to be following in the these amazing footsteps. But you come from an HR background as well, which I think is going to be
185just like Dr. Alurn came from another part of um administration. I think that that's going to be invaluable as you wave your magic wand with the fairy dust and be able to represent um you know our employees and staff members who are so very important in this budgeting process. So I'm excited and appreciative that you too went and became a lifelong learner to become learning. So, thank you. >> Thank you, board vice president Chao. >> Thank you. Um, as mentioned by my colleagues, we've been on u site visits uh last few weeks and will continue on another few weeks and this was meant to be shared last week, but I held back because we ran extra overtime. Uh, one of the visits uh produced this wonderful I don't know if the camera can see this.
186Um, it it's it's it's a I believe it's a lion and my name was spelled correctly and it's been a while since I received one of these for my uh my children and and it was done by and and backside say you're special. I like you by Paula. This just my heart just went. It it was it was I was I was so pleased and it reminded me um how honored I am to be serving in this role with all of you here. And that was on the younger side. On the older side past last Friday, I was able to um be an observer and be a safety person for Mr. Chung's class for project lead aerospace engineering. Um they had um shot up rockets. Um we did check with the city. We did check
187with we did check with the city and and with the help of our city we did have a police and fire present and um coordinated by our assistant principal Miss Rabian who coordinated everything. Thank you. And Mr. Brown who was also there to support and also Mayor Light as you may know he served in the Air Force. He was part of the shuttle program and he helped launching many rockets and space programs. Um it was wonderful um to see um our students learning how to do things and and things did go wrong and they learn had to learn how to correct those on the way. We also had a female student uh who was participating in rocket program. Her rocket was pink. It was beautiful. Um and and Miss Amir Light um also offered to
188take us to uh Vanderville Vandenberg Air Force Space Base if we're interested in as a field trip. It he he did warn us they do cancel launches based on the weather patterns. Um we did have to consider the weather pattern. If you recall last Thursday was very windy day, so we were very concerned. Um but the our one of fire chiefs uh assistant chiefs were always looking at the weather and he gave the green light that the launch window was 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Friday and he said we're going to be okay. So we went ahead with the launches and we did not we had a very light breeze of course that later that day it became a gailwind again. So we're very lucky. Uh but just wanted to say thank you for all the
189educators making this happen for our children as well as our city folks that came in helped and particularly special thanks to our mayor um who made it very special for all our our students. Thank you. >> Thank you. I won't echo what others have said although it's all been fantastic. Um couple of things I would share is the inclusive family fun night at Adams was such an incredible event. I love all the people who were there. Um it was such positive energy. It was great seeing our students and their families and so many people out there just really having a great time. So I'm glad that that event is happening. Um look forward to seeing what they do with it next. Um also the uh the Roondo track festival. I'm excited for that. We've got
190over 100 schools coming from across the country. So um look out um >> Friday and Saturday. Yes. Um and it overflows to West Orange as well. Uh but uh you know we we still have Dr. Alpurn for a while. But uh one of the things I really just wanted to share was um when I first joined this board, you were the only person in leadership I knew um from the bond oversight committee. So it it was really helpful having that one person I could connect with and ask the millions of questions I had all the time before meetings understanding how things worked. Um you're very patient. You were a fantastic teacher. I could see why you got to where you are because you were able to teach me. Um, but you know, I can't thank
191you enough for for helping me make that transition because um, joining a school board during a pandemic when you don't know what's going on in the world is a little bit challenging. Um, and I'm sure it was very easy for you because budgetary and everything else was solid. So, you could spend all your time dealing with me. But, um, yeah, just on a personal note, thank you so much for everything you've done for the district, um, for our students, um, but for me. And, uh, you know, we're we're not going to let you get too far. We'll keep you close. Uh the calendar of events is available on the district website. And with that, is there a motion to adjurnn? >> Second. >> Student advisory vote. >> All those in favor? I. We are adjourned
192at 8:14.