The Tuesday, September 5, 2023, LASD Board meeting will start its open session at 7:00pm and contemporaneous public comments may only be made in person in the LASD Board Room. We use the Zoom webinar platform for community members to follow our meetings at home. If you cannot attend in person, and have a comment that you would like the LASD Board to consider in its decision making, please email all of us at [email protected]. To register to watch the board meeting from the comfort of your home, click here. The entire agenda and supporting documentation for this week's meeting can be found here.
First up on the agenda, Erik Walukiewicz will present the 2022-23 Unaudited Financials. This is an action item and his presentation and the financials can be found under agenda item H.1. Erik asks the Board to approve the unaudited actuals so that he can file it with the County of Education (SCCOE). With our books closed for the 22/23 school year, our bottom line looks healthy but the unfunded mandate of Transitional Kindergarten and the underfunded mandate of Universal Meals, and paying our staff a living wage continues to chip away at our reserves. Next, Erik will present a Resolution Adopting the Gann Limit. This is an action item and the resolution and backup materials can be found under agenda item H.2. Erik asks the Board to approve this resolution which is basically procedural and sets an appropriations limit on the District based on last years actual appropriations and expectation for this budget year. Then, Erik will present an Agreement to Prepare Utility Impact Study. The rationale for the agreement and the agreement itself can be found under agenda item H.3. Erik asks that the Board approve this agreement because the City of Mountain View requires us to determine the projected water demand and sewer generation of the 10th site for the Environment Impact Report. Erik will next present the Annual Developer Fee Report. This is discussion item and his report can be found under agenda item H.4. Every year the state requires school districts to file an annual report of the income received from developers fees and how those fees are expended by the district (which can only be expended on Capital Facilities projects). Almost every year we expend more in that category than we receive in developers fees. Last, but not least, Sandra McGonagle will present a Resolution for Single Subject Teaching Credential. This is an action item and the resolution can be found under agenda item H.5. Approval of this resolution will allow teachers credentialed in another subject matter, teach a different subject as long as they completed a certain amount of classes in the new subject matter. Please note, this is just the highlights of what is on the agenda for the 9/5/23 meeting. You can inform yourself about the rest of the agenda at the link provided above. As always, feel free to email me with any questions.
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The Monday, August 21, 2023, LASD Board meeting will start its open session at 7:00pm and contemporaneous public comments may only be made in person in the LASD Board Room. We use the Zoom webinar platform for community members to follow our meetings at home. If you cannot attend in person, and have a comment that you would like the LASD Board to consider in its decision making, please email all of us at [email protected]. To register to watch the board meeting from the comfort of your home, click here. The entire agenda and supporting documentation for this week's meeting can be found here.
First up on the agenda, Superintendent Sandra McGonagle will give an update on the Opening of the 2023/24 School Year. This is a discussion item and her presentation can be found under agenda item H.1. LASD students went back to school this week on Wednesday, 8/16. Earlier in the week, teachers and staff started their week with an all staff meeting at Egan where Sandra welcomed back new and returning staff, celebrated teachers who achieved permanent status (tenure), and reviewed the LASD Student and Staff Experience. Furthermore, PTAs and school sites hosted community building experiences such as s schedule days at the Junior Highs, and back to school picnics and playdates at the elementary schools. Next, Dr. Carrie Bosco and Greg Drummond will give a Professional Development Update. This is a discussion item and their presentation can be found under agenda item H.2. Professional Development this summer and going forward will center around the LASD Student Experience, otherwise known as the "Wheel" shown in the illustration above. It focuses on the science of learning and centers upon each student individually. Other professional development this summer and into the fall includes transitional kinder (TK) training, special education training, TK, K and literacy aide training, and science curriculum training for our 6-8th grade teachers for the newly adopted science curriculum. It is important to know that professional development in LASD happens all year and every day. While there are definitely days fully focused on professional development, there is are also coaching and mentoring and leadership team training happening all year round. Then, Laura Wiley will give the Board a 2023 Summer Programs Report. This is a discussion item and her presentation can be found under agenda item H.3. LASD had 3 programs this summer, Extended School Year (ESY) for those students with an IEP, Summer Intervention for those students behind grade level in reading and/or math, and summer camp for those students who qualify for the Extended Learning Opportunity Program (ELOP) (low socioeconomic, English language learner, and foster and homeless students). I look forward to hearing how these programs went this summer. Erik Walukiewicz will next present a Notice of Completion with Best Electric. This is an action item and the notice can be found under agenda item H.4. This summer, much needed lighting maintenance/upgrades were done at Almond, Blach and Springer. The Board is asked to approve this to certify that the project has been completed. Erik will then present an updated Employment Agreement for Consulting Services by Randall A. Kenyon. This is an action item and the agreement can be found under agenda item H.5. The Board is asked to approve this agreement to continue to engage with our former CBO to consult on matters related to the complicated 10th site project. Next, Erik will present a Board Policy Update regarding Design Build Contracts. This is an action item and the board policy can be found under agenda item H.6. The Board is asked to approve this policy that outlines how the Board can award Design Build Contracts when designing and building facilities. Last, but not least, Sandra will present a 2023-24 Mentor-Tutor Connection (MTC) Memorandum of Understanding. This is an action item and the memorandum of understanding can be found under agenda item H.7. The Board is asked to approve this agreement with MTC for them to continue to supply the district with much needed, well trained volunteer tutors for our students needing extra help. Please note, this is just the highlights of what is on the agenda for the 8/21/23 meeting. You can inform yourself about the rest of the agenda at the link provided above. As always, feel free to email me with any questions. The Monday, August 7, 2023, LASD Board meeting will start its open session at 7:00pm and contemporaneous public comments may only be made in person in the LASD Board Room. We continue to use the Zoom webinar platform for community members to follow our meetings at home. If you cannot attend in person, and have a comment that you would like the LASD Board to consider in its decision making, please email all of us at [email protected]. To register to watch the board meeting from the comfort of your home, click here. The entire agenda and supporting documentation for this week's meeting can be found here.
First up on the agenda, Erik Walukiewicz and Sandra McGonagle will give an update on 2023-24 School Preparations. This is a discussion item and their presentation can be found under agenda item H.1. The presentation includes updates on enrollment, staffing, summer construction projects, repairs at Oak, and a visit from Shanghai High School. Next, Erik will give the Board an Overview of the 2023/24 State Budget. This is a discussion item, and his presentation can be found under agenda item H.2. It is always important to remember that LASD is a Basic Aid/Community Funded District. You may ask, what does that mean? It means most of our funding comes from property taxes (71% for 23/24) and parcel taxes (12% for 23/24) with funds only received from the State for categorial grants like Special Education, Learning Recovery Block Grant, Arts, Music, and Instructional Materials Block Grant, and Proposition 28 Arts and Music Education Funding. Furthermore, the state has instituted mandates like Universal Transitional Kindergarten and Universal Meals that were unfunded or underfunded for basic aid districts like our own. That is to say, the states requires us to do it (and it is a great thing to do), but we get little or no funding for the requirement. Then, Sandra McGonagle will lead a Public Hearing Regarding a Proposed Education Parcel Tax on November 7, 2023 Ballot and put forth a Resolution Calling an Election for an Education Parcel Tax. This is an action item and her presentation and the resolution can be found under agenda items H.3 and 4. Staff recommends the Board approve placing a parcel tax on a special November 7, 2023 ballot for Los Altos School District voters to consider. The proposed parcel tax is a renewal of Measure GG ($223 per parcel) passed in 2016, with an increase of $72 per parcel (for inflation) and includes:
Erik will next present a Transfer of Development Rights Agreement with Merlone Geier. This is an action item and the agreement can be found under agenda item H.5. The Board is asked to approve this revised agreement with Merlone Geier. Merlone Geier, along with several other developers, made the purchase of the 10th site affordable for LASD by committing to purchasing developments rights that came with the 10th site for a total of $79.3 million. This agreement revises/extends the term of the agreement. Erik will then present a Contract Amendment with Peter Ingram Consulting. This is an action item and the agreement can be found under agenda item H.6. The Board is asked to approve this amendment for the consultant we use for navigating the complexities of the 10th site and the unprecedented deal that was put together to allow us to afford it. Next, Erik will present an Appointment to the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee. This is an action item and the application of the appointee can be found under agenda item H.7. The Board is asked to approve the appointment of Li Zhang to the committee. Then, Erik will present a Resolution Requesting Santa Clara County Establish the District's Tax Year 2023-24 General Obligation Bond Tax Levy at the Requested Levy of $19.50 per $100,000 of Assessed Value. This is an action item and the resolution can be found under agenda item H.8. The Board is asked to approve this resolution that will merely continue the tax levy the county is already levying for our general obligation bonds. Erik will next present a Resolution Authorizing Applying for California Schools Healthy Air, Plumbing, and Efficiency (CalSHAPE) Program Grant. This is an action item and the resolution can be found under agenda item H.9. The Board is asked to approve this resolution that will allow the District to apply for over $1 million in funding for HVAC related expenses. Erik will finally be able to sit down after he presents a Board Policy Update Regarding Design Build Contracts. This is an action item and the Board Policy can be found under agenda item H.10. The Board is asked to approve this policy that outlines how the Board can award Design Build Contracts when building facilities. Last but not least, Sandra will present a Resolution Authorizing Absences for Religious Exercises or Instruction. This is an action item and the resolution can be found under agenda item H.11. The Board is asked to pass this resolution. This resolution fits squarely within LASD's dedication to anti-bias in education and ensures students of all religions receive excused absences for exercising their religion. Please note, this is just the highlights of what is on the agenda for the 8/7/23 meeting. You can inform yourself about the rest of the agenda at the link provided above. As always, feel free to email me with any questions. |
Jessica SpeiserThanks to your support, I joined the Los Altos School District (LASD) Board of Trustees in December 2016. I finished my tenure as Board President after serving as such from December 2018 to December 2019. I am currently Board Vice President. As usual, I will use this blog to continue updating you on upcoming Board meetings and make you aware of upcoming office hours and community events. Archives
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