South San Francisco Unified School District

This document outlines Alta Loma Middle School's School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA), guided by five district priorities: Exceptional Instruction, Engaged Students, Purposeful Partnerships, Empowered Educators, and Equity-Centered Systems. The plan aims to increase student performance in math and ELA, ensure staff support for district initiatives and a positive learning environment, and enhance instructional delivery through professional development, with key goals set for achievement by Spring 2027.

The meeting commenced with the Board of Trustees' Reorganization, during which Trustee Patricia Murray was elected as Board President in a 3-1 roll call vote, despite objections regarding equity in the nomination process. Following the election, Trustee Amy Lam was elected as Clerk, and Trustee Dr. Chialin Hsieh was elected as Vice President. In administrative actions, Resolution No. 25-67 honoring outgoing President Amanda Anthony was adopted. The Board also confirmed appointments for various subcommittees: the City-School District Subcommittee (President Murray and Trustee Lam), the Board Policies and Bylaws Subcommittee (Vice President Hsieh and Trustee Anthony), and the Facilities Subcommittee (Vice President Hsieh and Trustee Richardson). Remarks from staff associations included congratulations on the reorganization, and the meeting concluded with good and welfare discussions focused on the upcoming break and continued commitment to student success and equity.

The meeting convened with a closed session to discuss public employee discipline/dismissal/release matters, followed by open session proceedings. Key informational presentations included the SSFUSD Equity Definition, a Land Acknowledgement Statement, and reports from staff associations and student trustees. Teaching & Learning item 'b' featured a student presentation on Athletics and Physical Education credit eligibility, followed by a detailed report from South San Francisco High School Principal Balisi on educational priorities, data trends (including attendance, graduation, ELA/Math performance, and mental health needs), and cultural restructuring based on the Portrait of a Graduate. Business Services presented staff recommendations for the Los Cerritos Elementary School Modernization Project, favoring Option #2 (One-Story) involving $34 million in projected costs and the use of the Baden site for interim housing. The Consent Agenda covered approvals for previous meeting minutes, travel requests, curriculum adoptions (UFLI Foundations Curriculum, NWEA MAP Growth Assessment agreement, and a new Tagalog course), various Personnel Assignment Orders, declaration of surplus items, warrant registers, cash receipts, gifts, fundraising events, professional services agreements, a resolution regarding Westborough Middle School improvements, and amendments for inspection services and A/V system upgrades. Separately, a memorandum provided information on exploring pathways for athletics to count toward PE credit. Another memorandum sought action on the Los Cerritos ES Modernization Option #2. A separate memorandum provided information regarding the Physical Education credit for Athletic Sports, outlining two potential future pathways for implementation or policy revision. The January 22nd minutes review included discussion on the January 5th staff development day, recognition of student awardees for the 2025 Career & College ePortfolios Competition, and updates on curriculum implementation walks. The Annual Audit Report for FYE June 30, 2025, was presented, receiving an unmodified opinion.

The Board of Trustees convened, including a Closed Session for Superintendent evaluation, followed by an Open Session. Key discussions included reports from the PTA Council and Staff Association Representatives, with the SSFCTA President offering a tribute to her late father. The Superintendent's Report covered the success of the January 5th Staff Development day, recognition for student awardees in the SMCOE ePortfolio competition, updates on curriculum implementation walks showing progress in math instruction, and recognition for the outgoing Student Trustee. The Board also discussed the SAASA Region 5 award recipients. Student Trustee reports detailed recent activities at South City High and El Camino High, including Culture Week, Club Rush 2.0, and winter sports updates. Public comments addressed reinstating Grad Night and concerns about emergency credentialing costs for teachers. Information presentations included a detailed report on South San Francisco High School's educational priorities, data on demographics, attendance, graduation, ELA/Math outcomes, and mental health needs, aligning their internal values with the District's Portrait of a Graduate. Business Services presented the Annual Audit Report for FY 2024-2025, noting an unmodified opinion but a persisting documentation deficiency related to Title I funds, as well as clean audits for Measure J and Measure T Bonds. The Board approved the SSFUSD Strategic Plan 2029 Targets and Measures. The Consent Agenda included approvals for numerous student travel requests, personnel assignments, warrant registers, and the approval of the ML Master Plan. Action items also involved adopting resolutions for African American History Month and School Counseling Week, approving applications for Preschool and Child Care programs, reallocating the Special Education budget, approving agreements for O-1A teacher visas, and approving modernization project amendments for Monte Verde ES, Spruce ES, and El Camino HS. A Public Hearing was held for the appointment of Reem Nasrah to the Personnel Commission, which the Board approved. Business Services also provided an update on the Governor's 2026-27 State Budget Proposal, noting it is largely a workload budget with risks and proposed block grants.

This document proposes a policy change to award physical education (PE) credit for student participation in school sports. It highlights that the current district is one of the few in the Bay Area not offering such credit, leading to unnecessary stress and coursework duplication for athletes. The proposal cites strong student support, successful models in other Bay Area districts, and numerous benefits, including promoting health and fitness, reducing scheduling conflicts, saving district funds on summer PE programs, and supporting student well-being. The core objective is to align with California PE standards and implement a system similar to those successfully used elsewhere.