Jack Banuelos

The meeting began with a roll call and a land/labor/body acknowledgement statement. The board addressed disclosures, including a conference with labor negotiation, before moving into a brief closed session which was later extended. Key discussion points in the open session included the reading and deliberation of Resolution Number 2526-48, which addresses required budget reductions and revenue enhancements for fiscal years 2025-2028, necessitated by projected costs of tentative labor union agreements totaling $15 million over three years. The resolution outlines specific budget reduction targets for the upcoming three fiscal years. Furthermore, board members proposed amendments to the resolution focused on transparency, equity, and board oversight, specifically regarding the definition of schools with high concentrations of socioeconomically disadvantaged students and ensuring staff reduction plans do not compromise mandated service requirements (like 504 plans). The board also addressed public comment procedures.

Nystrom Elementary School's strategic goals for 2025-2026 focus on nurturing a community of kind, curious, and resilient learners through five commitments: fostering a positive school culture, setting high expectations, promoting continuous learning among staff, developing exemplary citizenship, and encouraging family involvement. The professional development strategy, guided by a 'Theory of Action', specifically targets four areas: word recognition/foundational skills, language comprehension, mathematics, and positive school culture & climate, with the aim of dismantling systemic inequities and enhancing student outcomes.

This document is a School Accountability Report Card (SARC) for John F. Kennedy High School for the 2024-2025 academic year. It provides comprehensive data on the school's performance, encompassing conditions of learning, student outcomes, and school engagement. Key areas covered include teacher assignments, instructional materials, facility maintenance, state assessment results in ELA, Mathematics, and Science, college and career readiness, Career Technical Education programs, physical fitness, parental involvement, dropout and graduation rates, chronic absenteeism, student suspensions and expulsions, and the school's safety plan. The report also details class sizes, student support services, and financial expenditures.

The Governance Committee meeting commenced with roll call and introductions. Key agenda items included a land and labor body acknowledgement. The committee then addressed items for discussion and action, primarily focusing on policy updates. A significant portion of the meeting involved discussing the policy manual development workshop offered by CSBA, costing $1,250, to review and update existing policies. The committee decided to move forward with this offering. Discussions also centered on continuing the discussion regarding the Supreme Court ruling in Mahmud versus Taylor, incorporating feedback from CSBA. The committee agreed to table items related to special education policies and non-discrimination/harassment policies. Furthermore, a presentation from Napa Unified regarding procedures and policies on using LGBTQ+ inclusive books and curriculum, including opt-out processes, was shared and reviewed as highly informative. The committee tasked staff with reviewing policy drafts based on external guidance.

The meeting commenced with initial difficulties related to confirming interpretation services and achieving quorum, leading to the decision to skip agenda items requiring a vote. Key discussion points included the Chair outlining commitments for the year, such as planning the committee's topic arc, ensuring agenda relevance to member interests, setting a goal of eight site visits, committing to representing the committee at board meetings, and developing a relevant and accessible training plan library. The bulk of the discussion involved project status updates for the bond program, including Lake Elementary rebuild (completion celebration scheduled), Shannon Elementary (dining area and stage opening soon), STE (groundbreaking scheduled for January 22nd after DSA approval of Phase 1), and Kennedy High School (Phase 1.1 underground utilities complete, traffic impact is ending). Richmond High School progress was also reviewed, noting DSA comments are anticipated soon for Phase 1.2. Financial reporting was incomplete due to a staff medical emergency, but warrant information was provided.