Sandra Bartoldus

The merged School Site Council (SSC) and English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC) meeting covered required legal topics, including Uniform Complaint Procedures and the School Safety Plan. Discussions under DAC-DELAC reports included parent engagement, reading intervention, schedule changes due to budget reallocations, and student readiness. The committee discussed the application of Uniform Complaint Procedures, noting covered areas such as federally funded programs and discrimination, and processes for filing and appeal. The School Safety Plan for 2026-2027 was presented and approved, focusing on emotional and physical safety, drills, and perimeter security. New business included an OPAL visit report detailing growth in curriculum rigor and student interaction, and scheduling updates for a Math Festival, Holiday Boutique, and the next SSC meeting.

The meeting included both closed and open sessions. Closed session discussions covered public employment, public employee discipline/dismissal/release, conference with labor negotiator regarding AEEA and CSEA, and anticipated litigation. In open session, the agenda was adopted, followed by a special order of business featuring the Anaheim Star Choir District Student Performance. News and updates included reports from the Parent Leadership Group concerning LCAP midyear updates and Family and Parent Engagement Policy review, and general District News. Public speakers addressed legal service costs, Superintendent contract timing, spending priorities, and family support related to immigration enforcement. The Superintendent's Report covered the Governor's Proposed Budget, enrollment, support to schools, and School Board Appreciation Month, along with the LCAP Mid-Year Monitoring Report Update. The Consent Calendar involved numerous approvals, including memberships, adoption of revised Board Policies and Administrative Regulations (related to Visitors/Outsiders, Student Records, and Response to Immigration/Harassment), receipt of the Second Quarterly Williams Litigation Settlement Report, approval of School Accountability Report Cards (SARCs), various agreements for services like Lion Dance Performance and Family Math Game Night, funding acceptance for the ASES Program, and approval/ratification of significant commercial warrants totaling over $18.6 million and payroll warrants for December. The Action Calendar included the adoption of Resolution 2025-26/33 declaring February as Make Kindness Contagious Month, approval to increase work days for certain leadership positions effective July 2026, and approval of a new job description for Specialized Student Support Clinician. Board members reported on recent activities related to various school events and visits.

This document outlines current district priorities, focusing on fiscal solvency, special education, and CoST Teams (Community of Support Team). It details a fiscal solvency engagement timeline from March to May 2026, which involves gathering initial input, continuous community engagement, and reviewing feedback to develop recommendations. This process is guided by principles of transparency, inclusivity, equity, and collaboration.

The merged School Site Council/English Learner Advisory Committee meeting focused on legal requirements and budget development for the following year's School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA). Key discussions included the ongoing evaluation of the current SPSA goals based on LCAP Survey Results and School Climate Survey data, and the review of 2025 California Dashboard data, focusing primarily on reading proficiency. Regarding the following year's SPSA budget development, ideas were solicited for allocating remaining funds. Suggestions included increasing childcare funds for parent classes (which was unanimously approved to increase from $500 to $1000), supporting after-school reading and math tutoring (Pathways program), and purchasing more Spanish books for the Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program. Discussions also touched upon student interest in ELA materials and strategies for increasing student engagement with Accelerated Reader (AR) incentives.

The merged School Site Council/English Learner Advisory Committee meeting included discussions and actions on several key legal requirements. The Needs Assessment focused on gathering input for supporting attendance and math initiatives, following recent literacy learning walks. The Uniform Complaint Procedures were presented, detailing formal complaint processes for various issues (e.g., discrimination, bullying) and clarifying topics handled at the site level (e.g., staff evaluation, curriculum selection). The School Safety Plan was reviewed, covering Social Emotional Learning data, action steps like Second Step Lessons and PBIS incentives, and physical environment preparations including emergency drills. The committee discussed current student attendance rates (94.64%) and brainstormed ideas to improve attendance, such as health-focused parent discussions and adjusting incentive criteria to emphasize being present all day. An update was shared regarding district efforts to recover lost attendance through student work packets.