Remote Meetings, 10th Site, and SCCOE/BCS

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The Monday, October 4, 2021, LASD Board meeting will start its open session at 7:00pm and public participation will continue to happen using the Zoom webinar platform. The LASD Board will be meeting physically together following COVID safe protocols in the LASD Board Room. To register in advance for the meeting, click here.  The entire agenda and supporting documentation for this week's meeting can be found here.

First up on the agenda, Jeff Baier will give a Remote Public Meeting Update.  This is a discussion item and his presentation can be found under agenda H.1.  In March 2020, the Governor declared a state of emergency and executed an Executive Order allowing for suspension of certain Brown Act requirements, thus allowing for remote meetings.  AB 361 suspends and supplants that Executive Order.  AB 361 allows for remote meetings and same suspensions of the Brown Act that the Executive Order allowed WHEN (1) a state of emergency has been declared AND (2) one of the following has happened:  (A) state or local officials recommend social distancing measures, or (B) local agency (LASD BOARD) determines meeting in person would present "imminent risks to the health or safety of attendees."  On September 21, 2021, Santa Clara County Public Health Department recommended that public bodies continue to meet remotely and the State of California is still in a state of emergency, therefore, LASD Board meetings will continue to operate with remote participation. 

Next up on the agenda, Randy Kenyon will present a 10th Site Master Planning Update.  This a discussion item and his presentation can be found under agenda item H.2.  Randy will present to the Board a progress report on the master planning done so far between LASD and Mountain View City Staff, specifically focused on the mutually agreed upon location of exclusive use City of Mountain View park purchased by Mountain View as part of the land deal when LASD purchased the 10th Site.  Staff from LASD and Mountain View consulted with city stakeholders from Planning, Parks and Recreation and the Public Works Department.  Mountain View and LASD staff agreed to a couple key principles for the site layout when determining where the city park should be placed. 

1. School buildings and outdoor open space must be adjacent to each other
2. Mountain View residents must be able to visit their park without passing through school buildings or grounds
3. Traffic in and out of the site should be safe for walkers and bikers and not create significant adverse impacts on surrounding streets

With those key principles in mind, there was only one site for the 2 acre park that met that criteria.  Please read the presentation and watch our board meeting to hear more.  

Then, Jeff will present a Santa Clara Office of Education (SCCOE) Letter of Concern to Bullis Charter School Update.  This is a discussion item and Jeff's presentation can be found under agenda item H.3.  On May 21, 2021, the SCCOE sent BCS a Notice of Concern Letter that stated they determined that "BCS is demonstrably unlikely" to meet the requirement of their charter renewal because "BCS is not serving all pupils who wish to attend." In that same letter the SCCOE warns BCS that if they "fail to cure the violations set forth in this Notice ..., the SCCOE may deny BCS's renewal."  In order to remedy the violation the SCCOE requires BCS to develop, submit, and implement a corrective action plan with details and explanations on how the plan will remedy their violations.  On 10/6 BCS will present a proposal to the SCCOE to add a secondary preference, behind siblings of BCS students who reside in LASD, to “children who qualify for free and reduced priced meals and reside with the boundaries of the Los Altos School District, limited to 10% of the total openings at each grade level” and a seventh priority to that same group that reside outside of LASD, but within California.  The Board is asked to discuss our responses to these developments.  

Last, but not least,  the Board has another round of Board Policy Updates to discuss.  The Board Policies can be found under agenda H.4. As stated in prior updates, the California School Boards Association (CSBA) frequently advises local school districts on updates and deletions to board policies, bylaws and regulations based on recent changes to Federal and California state law and regulations and our Board is gradually going through a backlog of such updates.

Please note, this is just the highlights of what is on the agenda for the 10/4/21 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.