Prop 39 and Normal Business

This week closed session begins at 5:00pm. The board will reconvene for open session starting around 7pm in the LASD Board Room.  The entire agenda can be found here.  

Every year, representatives from each LASD school presents at a board meeting.  Covington Elementary School will present this week regarding how collaboration leads to better student outcomes. 

Next up, Sandra McGonagle will update the board regarding the Junior High School Math Pathways.  At a prior board meeting, and at my board office hours, concerned parents whose children would be effected by the change in the math pathways stated their misgivings.  After hearing their concerns, the board directed staff (Sandra) to come back at the next meeting to see how we could address these parents' concerns.  This week Sandra will present us with her prospective changes to the math pathways and her reasoning for the changes.  This is a discussion item and no action will be taken.  Her presentation can be found under agenda item I.1 using the link above.  Please note, the math pathway changes will be delayed a year in order to ensure it is implemented in an even more thoughtful manner with all parties (teachers and children) more prepared for the transition.  

Before she sits down, Sandra will next present the results of the Teacher Survey. This is a discussion item and no action will be taken.  Her presentation showcasing the results can be found under agenda item I.2 using the link above.  The presentation highlights the satisfaction teachers have toward new curriculum initiatives and their comfort level in teaching the same to the children and modeling for other teachers. 

Now, for the moment you have all been waiting for, the next item agenda is starts a discussion regarding Facilities for Bullis Charter School.  This is a discussion item, and Randy's presentation can be found under agenda item I.3.  BCS submitted a facilities request pursuant to Proposition 39 on November 1st showing an enrollment growth to 1,058 in-district students (with a total of 1,100 in and out of district students) in the 2019/20 school year and requesting exclusive use of Egan Junior High.  On December 1st the Board informed BCS that we did not object to their enrollment numbers, but asked that they receive approval for their growth from their chartering authority (the County).  Our facilities discussions on Monday and our special meeting on Wednesday, January 16th are in anticipation of and in preparation for our Preliminary Facilities Offer to the charter school due on February 1st.  In response to BCS's unilateral growth without community input, I find it imperative and the Board's duty to make decisions in the best interest of the entire Los Altos School District community and with that same community's input.  That being said, I also believe a negotiated long term agreement with BCS is in the best interest of the District, BCS and the entire community and will work with the reality BCS has presented us with to come up with that agreement.  I truly look forward to not only Randy's presentation on Monday, but the public's engagement and input in this matter both on Monday and Wednesday.  We have some tough decisions ahead of us that will involve giving students that attend LASD schools and BCS the same consideration and will most definitely lead to difficult compromises on both sides.  I hope you can attend and be part of the process!

Following the Prop 39 discussions, we actually have other business to attend to.  Next up, Tamara Fagin has been nominated to the Citizen's Oversight Committee (Bond Oversight) to fill a vacant seat specifically for a member of a taxpayer's association.  This is an action item and the Board is asked to approve her appointment.  Her application can be found under agenda item I.4. 

Last, but not least, the board is asked to review a draft of the 2019-20 District Calendar.  The calendar is always drafted to be consistent with the MVLA High School District's calendar.  This is a discussion item and will be approved at the next regularly scheduled meeting.  The draft calendar can be found as an attachment to agenda item I.5.  For those of you planning summer camps, the first day of school is August 21, 2019. 

Please note, this is just the highlights of what is on the agenda for the 1/14/2019 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.