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BOE Meeting for February 14, 2006

1. Employee of the Month

Background: Each month recognizes an employee of the month. This month, Nancy Ely, CORE teacher at Wood Middle School was recognized.

Strategic Significance: Goal #12 - Communications and Community Engagement

2. Appointment of Director of Food Services

Background: The candidate for the position was approved by the Board.

Strategic Significance: Goal #2 - Staffing

3. School Assistance Improvement Team (SAIT) Chipman Middle School Update Report

Item Type: Information (20 minutes)

Background: At the Nov 22 BOE meeting. Action Learning Systems presented their initial findings on School Assistance Improvement Team process required for II/USP schools. The team was very impressed with the progress the Chipman staff had made since the initial visit.

Strategic Significance: Goal #5, At-Risk Students

4. Public Hearing: Approval of Algebra 1 Textbook Prentice Hall Algebra 1, California Edition

Item Type: PH/Action (5 minutes)

Background: In 2002, the Board adopted an 8th math book Concepts and Skills despite having Structures and Methods being used by the 9th math teachers. During the past few years, math teachers have realized the need to have the same book for both grades. A committee was formed in 2005, and they have selected Prentice Hall Algegra I textbook.

The Board adopted the new textbook.

Fiscal Implications: Textbook monies used for purchase.

Strategic Significance: Goal #1: Curricular Coherence & Effective Instruction

5. Approval of Bay Area School of Enterprise (BASE) Charter Renewal

Item Type: PH/Action (10 minutes)

Background: On May 16, 2001, Bay Area School of Enterprise (BASE) received approval of its charter petition from the Alameda Unified School District. The approval last for five years. A report wad given regarding compliance with charter policy, regulations and current legislation at the January 31st meeting. The report indicated BASE was in compliance and their charter can be renewed.

The Board approved a five year renewal of the charter.

Strategic Significance: Goal #1 - Goal 5

6. Public Hearing - Approval of Bay Area School of Enterprise (BASE) Memorandum of Understanding

Background: On May 16, 2001, Bay Area School of Enterprise (BASE) received approval of its charter petition from the Alameda Unified School District. The memorandum of understanding was presented for approval.

The Board approved the annual operating agreement for next year.

Strategic Significance: Goal #1 - Goal 5

7. Measure C Construction Progress Update

Background: Measure C was passed in 2004. An update on Measure C projects was given.

Phase I

  1. New School

    • Initial site work has been completed
    • Two classroom buildings and Kindergarten are framedm sheathed and roofed. Interior electrical rough-in work (conduits, boxes) and mechnical duct work currently being installed
    • Administration building is being framed and sheathed
    • Multi Use Room framing will start week of February 13th
    • Additional classroom building will have slab poured February 13
    • Original project is currently on schedule for July completion. Additional building slightly behind due to weather delays throughout Janaury. It should catch up during the framing phase.
    • Alameda Park and Recreation is ready to bid the park portion of the project for completion in conjunction with the school opening
  2. Encinal High School Lights
    • Field lights were completed and ulitized for the Big Game.

Phase II

  1. Lincoln
    • Two story portable delivered and assembled. Final interior connection are in progress. Anticipated occupancy is mid March. This allow upgrade of other classrooms in main buidling.
  2. Earhart
    • Building 2 has been completed and reoccupied.
    • Building 3 now under construction.
  3. Haight, Alameda High School and Miller
    • Drawings are being revised based on revised budget approved by the Board.
    • Final drawings are expected at the end of February. Bid opening in April with construction start in June.

Phase III

  1. Paden, Otis, Edison, Washington and Lum
    • Drawings are being revised due to changes in budget. Projects ready for bid in June, 2006.

Strategic Significance: Goal #10, Safe Learning Environment

8. Spending Reduction Plan 2006/07

Background: AUSD must reduce next year's budget by $800,000 due to a loss of 150 students this year. On January 10th, the Board of Education voted to consolidate two small elementary schools, Miller and Woodstock, in order to generate a savings of $300,000. However, an additional $500,000 must be identified.

The Superintendent's Spending Reduction Task Force prepared a preliminary list of budget reductions. The Superintendent's Council of employee group leaders, and the district's management group reviewed the preliminary list. The Superintendent made modifications based on input received and presented a preliminary list at a February 2nd community meeting. The community provided their feedback at that meeting.

Tonight the Superintendent presented a tiered set of recommendations for Board and direction.

With the reintroduction of consolidating Longfellow School in Tier A2, staff presented a revised set of assumptions and considerations in anticipation of all three moving to the new school.

Listed below are assumptions and considerations from all of the prior consoldation meeting as well as last night's meeting for a three school consoldation scenraio:

November 16, 2005 Workshop on School Consolidation

Scenario Four - Consolidate Miller/Woodstock/Longfellow Straight Rollover Minus Interdistricts with new wing including potential students from Bayport, Breakers and Harbor Isle

Total 591 students occupying 28 rooms with 0 vacant rooms and 21 seats available.

Mitigations to Miller/Woodstock/Longfellow Scenarios

  • Place the 75 inter district students from Miller/Woodstock/Longfellow at other schools east of Webster where rooms nad individual seats are available.
  • Give the intra district students living east of Webster the option to return to home school. (33 students)
  • Annex part of Longfellow zone to Paden
    • Both sides of Pacific Avemue south to Lincoln from Webster Street west
    • Phase in during 2006-07 school year, Mandatory for kindergarten and all new students to the area
  • Limit Paden's middle school program (2006-07) middle school program to present students rolled over to grades 7-8. No 6th grade students.
  • Close new school to open enrollment for 2006-07 and Paden through phase in period of annexed zone

Cost of the New Wing at New Woodstock - Best Estimate - $2.1 million with monies coming from Longfellow ($800,000), Woodstock ($500,000) Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment ($300,000) and Interim Housing ($500,000).

December 13, 2005 BOE Meeting

Scenario Two - Consolidate Miller/Woodstock/Longfellow with new wing

Total 591 students occupying 28 rooms with 0 vacant rooms and 21 seats available.

Assumptions

  • Inter-district students (75) from Miller/Longfellow/Miller are placed in schools east of Webster St.
  • Straight rollover of remaining students from Miller, Longfellow and Woodstock schools.
  • Use of low generation rate for Breakers (5) and Bayport (48) would result in 53 additional students over the next 2 years.
  • Use low generation rate for Harbor Island (41).
  • Current enrollment pattern for the last three years has generated an average of 105 per grade. If the pattern continues enrollment could increase by 39 students.
  • Place no more intra-district placements (33) at the new school.

Considerations

  • Placement of 75 inter-district students Miller/Longfellow/Woodstock at other schools east of Webster Street where rooms and individual seats are available.
  • Use of high generation rate for Breakers (16) and Bayport (51) would result in 67 additional students over the next two years.
  • Use of high generation rate for Harbor Island (152).
  • Annex part of Longfellow attendance zone to Paden.
    • Both sides of Pacific Avenue south to Lincoln, west from Webster.
    • Phase in during 2006-07 school year. Madatory for Kindergarten and all new students in area.
  • Consider limiting Paden's middle school program (2006-07) to the students enrolled in the 6-8 program.
  • Close the new school to open enrollment for opening year and Paden through phase-in period of annexed attendance zone (except for sbilings).
  • Place no more intra-district transfers or diversions, west of Webster and allow current intra's to return to home schools. This would reduce enrollment by 94 students over time as students work their way through the grade levels.

Facilities Implications

  • Need to construct new wing (8 classrooms) to accomodate projected additional students (a cost of $2.4 million)
  • Potential space needs for universal pre-school
  • Woodstock would temporarily house Haight School during Haight School retrofit project
  • Miller School would temporarily house Island High until Woodstock School is remodeled for Island High occupation
  • Island High housing project can proceed as soon as site is vacated
  • Planning for facility specifics take place from January to March
  • Longfellow site could also be used ROP, Adult Classes and office space for various grant services (McKinney/Vento, Even Start, etc.).

February 14th BOE Meeting

Closure of Longfellow School will be handled as follows:

Highlights

  1. Lincoln/Pacific Corridor will moved to Paden attendance zone with 36 students projected to be moved
  2. 15 Longfellow inter-district would need to be placed at another school in 2006/07
  3. 105 Longfellow stduents are projected to be placed at the new school in 2006/07
  4. Total student population for Miller/Woodstock/Longfellow at the new school would be 488 students using 25 rooms with 3 rooms vacant.
  5. Paden School as K-5 school with the Lincoln/Pacific corridor would be 334 students with 16 rooms used and one room vacant

Assumptions

Working with projected numbers for 2006-07

(Rollover and new Kindergartners)

  1. Lincoln/Pacific corridor is added to Paden zone. The 30 plus students currently living there and attending Longfellow would attend Paden for the 2006-07 school year. New families within Lincoln/Pacific corridor would also attend Paden.
  2. Inter-district students (15) currently attending Longfellow woudl be placed at Washington, Paden or other schools east of Webster Street where there is space
  3. The remaining 105 projected K-5 students will be placed on the new campus
  4. Rollover from Woodstock and Miller schools plus the 105 students would start the new school with an approximate enrollment of 488 students
  5. Paden 6-8 program is disbanded creating classroom space at Paden

Considerations

  • By placing no new inter-district students at the new school, a drop in enrollment of approximately 50 students would be created over a 5 year period
  • By making no intra-district transfers or diversions to the new school a drop in enrollment of approximately 70 students is created over a 5 year period
  • If low generation rates for Breakers and Bayport and Summer House are used, an increase in enrollment of 94 elementary students is created
  • If high generation rates for Breakers and Bayport and Summer House are used, an increase in enrollment of 219 elementary students is created
  • Any student attending Miller, Longfellow and Woodstock schools residing in another Alameda attendance zone, (80 students) would be offered an opportunity to return to the student's home school as space becomes available
  • Any inter-district student attending Miller or Woodstock schools, (54) would be offered placement at other schools where is space is available
  • By limiting inter and intra district transfers to Paden School (approximately 60% of students attending Paden currently live with the Paden zone, Paden's enrollment including the Lincoln/Pacific corridor, could drop top approximately 250 students or less over a 5 year period. This would allow for futher boudnary changes to made if enrollment west of Webster Street warrants such actions

There were a total of three speakers that addressed the Board. The first speaker was a Alameda High School student requesting saving counselors, the second speaker from CSEA questioning the use consultants and the third speaker a parent supporting the consolidation of Longfellow school.

During Board member deliberations, Board member McMahon delivered prepared comments regarding the Superintendent's recommendation. The primary thrust of his comments questioned the long term impacts of some recommendations that may contribute to a further decline in enrollment. For example, how many parents with students currently attending the West End schools will choice to remove their children from AUSD?

Fiscal Implications: To be determined

Strategic Significance: Goal #1-12

9. Public Hearing: Tentative Agreement for New 3-Year Contract with California School Employees Association (CSEA) and Alameda Unified School District

Background: The new three year contract between California School Employees Association and the Alameda Unified School District has been ratified by it members. Staff presented the major highlights of the contract changes and conducted a public hearing.

Article 2 - No Discrimation updated language to current District standard statement for gender, sexual orientation, physical and mental disability

Article 3 - Association Rights clarified unit positions that are allowed under current contract release time to conduct CSEA business

Article 6 - Hour and Overtime agreed to setting "starting and ending dates of 200 day employees to be determined by mutual agreement between CSEA and the District

Article 8 - Procedures for Evaluation agreed that "an employee who has received an unsatisfactory evaluation" cannot apply for another position until the plan of assistance process has been completed and a satisfactory evaluation has been record

Article 10 - Discipline agreed to follow the Education Code process written known as the "Skelly Process" which provides due process

Article 11 - Pay and Allowances "me too clause' allowing CSEA to provide an overall percentage rate increase equal to the greatest percentage raise of bonus granted to any recongized collective bargaining unit within Alameda Unified School District

Article 12 - Health and Welfare Benefits Administration This brings the paraprofessional employee in parity with all other employees in the District by allowing them to be eligible for health and wlefare benefits upon employment

Article 15 - Leaves brings catastrophic illness language up to date and clarifies collection procedures

Article 20 - Layoff clarifies seniority as the first date of paid service in the classfication as a regular employee

Article 21 - Term Agreement to a three year closed/zippered contract through June 7, 2008

Job Descriptions - Updated minimum qualifications in the Paraprofessional Woodstock Child Development Center job description and moved the position of Campus Supervisor, from the parafrofessional classification to the office technical classification

Appendixes - Removed outdated appendix and updated remaining ones, along with new one on the Paraprofessional Evaluation form

Editing - Edited the entire contract to reflect transition from the consolidaiton of the office/technical and paraprofessional contracts.

Fiscal Implications: Unknown

Strategic Significance: Goal #1-12

10. Public Hearing: Alameda Education Association (AEA) and Alameda Unified School District Joint Openers for a COntract 2006-2009

Background: The contract between Alameda Education Association and Alameda Unified School District expires on June 20, 2006. The openers for a new three year contract have been jointly submitted in order to expedite the negotation process.

Alameda Education Association (AEA) Openers

Article 8 - Teaching Hours

  • Calendar
  • Technology

Article 11 - Evaluation

  • Evaluate veteran teachers every 5 years
  • Complaint procedure

Article 12 - Health Benefits

  • Increase district contribution to premiums

Article 13 - Safety

  • Complete draft from 2004

Article 14 - Salary

  • Salary increase
  • Update langauge in the payroll period section

Article 20 - Discipline

  • Progressive discipline

Article 27 - Special Education

Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) Openers

Article 8 - Teaching Hours

  • To review the in-lieu provision in the areas of granting and compensation
  • To clarify what obiligations a part-time teacher has on a pro-rated basis
  • Collaboration time be established with a uniform basis by site throughout the District, with mutual agreement between the sites and District
  • To develop school calendar guideline
  • Add to counselor's job description- "in conjunction with administration, design, implement and evaluate a student master schedule"

Article 11 - Evaluation

  • If an employee receives an overall rating of "needs improvement" or "unsatisfactory" the employee cannot move to another position until a satisfactory evaluation
  • Design "new" evalutaion form specifically for counselors

Article 12 - Health Benefits

  • To provide a fair and equitable health, dental and vision coverage commensurate within the District's financial ability and means

Article 14 - Salary

  • To provide a fair and equitable salary increase within the District's financial ability and means
  • To mutually develop a salary formula that is simple and concise to be applied in order to meet the above for the next three years of a closed contract covering school year 2006/07, 2007/08 and 2008/09.

Article 26 - Effects of the Agreement

  • To have an agreement for a closed contract with a term of three years effective July 1, 2006

Appendixes

To review all appendixes and remove those that are outdated, revise those that need revision and add contract language, if needed.

Fiscal Implications: Unknown

Strategic Significance: Goal #2: Staff Recruitment, Assignment and Retention

 

 

 
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Last modified: February 15, 2006

Disclaimer: This website is the sole responsibility of Mike McMahon. It does not represent any official opinions, statement of facts or positions of the Alameda Unified School District. Its sole purpose is to disseminate information to interested individuals in the Alameda community.