Reorganization, COVID Update, Math Curriculum, and 1st Interim Report

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The Monday, December 13, 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, the Board will go through its annual Reorganization.  The Board will elect from its members a President, Vice President, and Clerk.  If all goes well, Steve Taglio will become our next Board President and I will become our next Board Vice President (this is a cyclical process where in any given year the VP, is chosen to become the President, and the Clerk is chosen to become the VP, and one other trustee is chosen to be the Clerk).  This is then followed by a round of musical chairs where we all change our seats at the table.  Next, the Board is asked to approve the 2021 Board Procedures (not much different from years prior) and then discuss memberships on various Board subcommittees. 

We then start regular business with Jeff Baier giving an Assembly Bill 361 Update. This is an action item and there is no presentation attached under agenda I.1. As mentioned in a couple of prior updates, 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 (and still recommends) that public bodies continue to meet remotely and the State of California is still in a state of emergency.  AB 361 requires that any given governing body make specified findings regarding (1) and (2) above and to make those findings every 30 days thereafter, in order to continue to meet under abbreviated teleconferencing procedures.  Because we don't meet again until 1/10/22, Jeff asks that we make the "specified findings" in this meeting to ensure we comply for our next meeting. 

Next, Jeff will give a COVID-19 Update.  This is a discussion item and his presentation can be found under I.2.  Of note, LASD had a pop up vaccine clinic at Almond on 12/9 and will have another one from 3-7pm on 12/13 at Santa Rita done by Santa Clara County.  These pop ups can be used by anyone eligible to be vaccinated (5 and older) or receive a booster (16 and over), and it can be your 1st, 2nd or 3rd shot.  Also important to note is that outdoor masking changed to strongly recommend (from required) at the junior highs this week on 12/6 and will change for our elementary schools on January 10th (after one round of pooled testing after break).  

Then, Sandra McGonagle will present the Educator Effectiveness Fund (EEF) Plan.  This is an action item and it can be found under agenda item I.3.  Ms. McGonagle presented this plan at our last meeting and she is asking us to approve the plan so she can submit it to the state for approval. The EEF is $994,360 in funds allocated by the state to LASD to be expended from 2021 to 2026 to support professional learning for administrators, teachers and classified staff and her plan outlines how LASD will expend those funds.  

Sandra will next present a TK-5 Adopted Math Curriculum Update.  This is a discussion item and her presentation can be found under agenda item I.4. In June 2021, the LASD Board formally adopted the SFUSD TK-5 Math Curriculum for the District.  The curriculum is being implemented/used currently and teachers have been trained and are receiving ongoing training to ensure a smooth transition.  The curriculum was chosen because it was found to be the best for teaching elementary school math concepts leading to strong depth of understanding by our Curriculum and Instruction District Staff and the District's Curriculum Committee.  There has been some misunderstandings raised by parents that LASD may have adopted SFUSD math pathways (the way courses sequence overtime) and framework (guiding, but not required, document that includes essential learning experiences, subject specific skills, values, attitudes, and key learning areas) when adopting the curriculum.  We did not.  We only adopted their curriculum.  I highly recommend you read the presentation to clear up any misunderstandings you may have.

Randy will then present the 1st Interim Financial Report.  This is an action item and Randy's presentation and the report can be found under agenda I.5.  Randy's presentation show we are in a good financial position currently and are projected to stay that way for at least the next couple of years.  We are in a good financial position because (1) receipt of federal and state one time COVID monies, (2) property tax revenues were greater than expected, (3) enrollment decline lead to less teachers, and (4) reduced expenses caused by the COVID related facilities closures.  Randy's presentation also includes several "what if" projections to consider when we are evaluating next year's budget in the Spring and to better understand our financial position under different scenarios.  This is another presentation well worth your read to get a firmer understanding of LASD's financial position and position going forward.         

Next, Randy will present a Consideration of Approval of Findings and Amendment to Joint Use Agreement with Los Altos Educational Foundation (LAEF).  This is an action item and the agreement can be found under agenda item I.6.  The Board is asked to approve this agreement which is essentially a lease to LAEF for office space at the District Office and shared use of other spaces at the District Office.  

Last, but definitely not least, Randy is asking for an Appointment to the Citizens Advisory Committee for Finance (CACF).  This is also an action item and the one application can be found under agenda item I.7.  CACF is officially the District's oversight entity for how we spend our parcel taxes.  Unofficially, they are a whole lot more.  CACF advises the Board and Randy Kenyon on the best ways to expend (or not expend) our resources in the best interests of the fiscal health of LASD.    

Please note, this is just the highlights of what is on the agenda for the 12/13/21 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.