Anonymous: Due to the rumors that many parents want a VA designation on a VA student's transcript, I am here to respectfully disagree. VA students take A-G courses that align with State Standards, and work extremely hard to mange their time, learn on their own, and do well. They are PCHS students. This program is a PCHS program. My children both went to strong UC's after VA allowed them to pursue their professional sport. They both were high achieving college students as well. If we are all PCHS, why create a potential bias just because they are learning differently. We are a progressive school

Peter Houghton: I can only speak for my student and our personal experience, and I would encourage the critics to do the same. It’s hard to imagine why people would find it necessary to criticize and potentially penalize one group of students, except perhaps to benefit their own interests? Or is this a money and resources issue?

Our student requires VA due to high-level involvement in her sport. In addition to covering the requisite course material, the nature of the VA program has required her to take personal initiative and be diligent in order to perform well. Although the personal interaction with teachers and other students is inherently lacking, this puts an even greater burden on the student to learn the material. We do miss the social interaction with other students, but in our situation the trade-off is for social interaction with professional athletes and trainers.

The comments against VA strike me as highly subjective and biased. What empirical evidence is available? Shall we look at test scores?

Rainer Mack: I strongly disagree with any proposal to mark Virtual Academy student transcripts as different from those of in-person student transcripts. If Virtual Academy is an approved academic path that has the same value as the normative in-person path, then it must be given the same status on official documentation. Otherwise, Pali is in the position of offering a two-tier track to graduation, a "separate but equal" arrangement that would rightly invite skepticism. Attaching a special mark to one set of students also invites bias. Surely we know already - from literature and history - that this is not a path we want to follow.

Sara Houghton: I am the parent of a student in the Virtual Academy program. This program actually requires and inspires a higher level of academic performance which is more broadly focused on independence and skilled learning - students are teaching themselves and learning material on their own. Whether or not this is identified on a transcript as "VA" or otherwise differentiated from in-person attendance is irrelevant. In fact, if anything, it should be assigned a weighted grade similar to AP classes.

Anonymous: As a virtual student who is currently taking 5 AP classes (7 classes in total), as opposed to the two I took last year, I strongly disagree that "VA" should be put on the transcripts. Not only have I been working more hours and understanding the material better, but I am getting much better grades, despite the material being much harder than what I was assigned last year.

Although my teachers have sometimes not been attentive, it is no different than the overlooking that I got when I was in-person. I do not believe there is any reason for the colleges that students are applying to see "VA" on the transcript, as it is not equivalent to "less work." The grading system is no different in Virtual Academy; therefore, you get out of it what you put in. If a student is not working as hard as one of the in-person students, it will reflect on their grades, as it would with any student. There is no reason to subject EVERY virtual student to a potential bias because of the belief of a few students that are not working hard.

Furthermore, our absences and tardies are judged more harshly, and we have to be more diligent about deadlines, as any late assignment can be marked as an absence, when that is not the case for in-person. As with every high school, you often have to take your studies into your own hands, and therefore your transcript is a reflection of the time and effort the student is willing to put in, not the teachers. Even if it were based on the teachers, I have done a year in person and a year online, and I have not been subject to any different methods or attention from Pali teachers. The only result that could come from having "VA" put on the transcripts would be to subject a large number of hardworking and independent students to potential bias that admissions officers might have for virtual academies.

Although I am a virtual student because I am afraid of gun violence, many students have to go online because of mental health, social anxiety, money issues, etc. To put "VA" on our transcripts would give potentially disqualifying information to colleges without allowing students the chance to explain their circumstances and how they have used this program as an opportunity to work harder, without the social distractions or anxieties.

Anonymous: All courses are aligned to California State Standards and A-G California guidelines. The VA has made it possible for my student to not only work harder, but more efficiently. The workload is incredibly challenging and equivalent to or maybe even harder than most first year college schedules. VA has taught my student how to time manage, focus and achieve independently. In school, my student endured a learning environment that was detrimental. Classes that were disruptive, teachers burned out, disorganized and the opportunity to have a class with a really good teacher was few and far between. In contrast, VA teachers are easily accessible. Whether it is through email, zoom or in person. This is positive learning environment. If you have not been in a VA class and taken the workload for a year you have no idea what it is like, and to think that something is easy just because it is a different learning environment is incredibly prejudiced. SOME students learn better in different situations and the public education system has a responsibility to help everyone. We live in a world where it is becoming more the norm for people to work from home, hybrid, or both. Are employers so trivial to actually denote who works where and how? Do you really think the employer is going to put a Scarlet letter on those who work differently? Maybe, they might actually have more respect because it does require so much more focus, than gossiping around the water cooler. They understand the world is different, the way we live and work is different. Yes, the way kids learn, take in information is so much different than when we grew up. (Class of 1984) What is the real reason people want VA on a students transcript? Do you think it is going to give your kid an advantage on college applications? Do you really think it is going to matter in the first year of college ? Do you think it is going to matter in a job? There are billions of people in the world and everyone learns differently. Why should someone have a “mark” on their transcript to penalize them or make them feel not good enough just because they learn differently than the traditional way? Seriously. Does it make you feel good to argue about VA when there are so many challenges our kids have to face. Look at what is going on in the world right now. Look at what our kids have to deal with on a daily basis. Depression, suicide, drug and fentanyl overdoses and death. The fact that this is even on the agenda is ludicrous. There are so many more problems in the world than delineating VA or not. My student is a PCHS student, and thrives learning through VA and we are so grateful for this opportunity. It is a relief to know that there are options for kids. In a world where everyone steers away from labels and discrimination, it sure seems like a giant step backwards to even be having this discussion. Thank you Randy and Dr. Lee for all that you do, we sincerely appreciate the positive and progressive approach that you take to learning and the understanding that not everyone should be put in a box and labeled different if they don’t fit in the box. A VA student is a PCHS student. There is no justification for having any kind of designation on the transcript period. My student is a PCHS student and does not deserve an asterisk on their transcript because people cannot open their mind that kids who learn in non traditional ways should be labeled and discriminated against. That is what it is really all about. Parents trying to think of ways to give their kid an opportunity over another just because they “think” they aren’t working hard, when in reality it might be harder than they can even imagine. Funny, my kid works so hard, he doesn’t have time to think about others or judge who might not be working hard enough.

Thomas Lin: Being a Virtual Academy (VA) student is difficult. The success of VA depends on young teenagers taking on the challenge of truly adult learning with self motivation, individual responsibility, intensive time management, and mental fortitude against tremendous stressors from multiple angles. As a student who has taken 9 AP courses and exams, I can tell you just how much we are disadvantaged. Because many traditional teachers refuse to teach virtual students, I have had to spend money out of pocket to pay for supplemental learning materials and am still behind anyway. Teachers in VA who do embrace the role of educator but do NOT typically teach certain classes need to take on 100+ more students because their traditional colleagues oppose VA and refuse to help out with an innovative educational method. The rules of each AP exam are hardly covered or graded. Because of these disadvantages, we have to work at least twice as hard to achieve similar grades and AP scores. For the parents who believe that VA inflates grades, I have to ask why your child is not in VA. For VA students like myself, trying to represent and promote the United States, there is no other way to achieve success in our fields. The necessary training and travel cannot be done while attending an in-person, traditional school setting. Rather, VA is part of the reason Pali is so great. Pali offers multiple ways for students to learn. We thank Ms. Tenan-Snow for leading VA, we thank the dedicated educators who embrace and facilitate VA, and we thank parents of traditional students for refraining from making baseless accusations about grade inflation and how easy it is to be a VA student.

Thank you for your consideration.

Thomas Lin
US Open Nationals Silver Medalist in Speed Climbing 2023
Palisades Charter High School ‘24

Anonymous parent by request of the student: Virtual academy is a wonderful resource and has made all the difference in the world for my student. It is not ‘easier’ than regular class, as my student has experienced both and has to undertake a great deal of independent study to stay a rest of the class demands. It is perfect for the motivated student that wants to be part of the Pali community yet cannot attend class for a variety of reasons. For my student that is the ongoing risk of gun violence on campus as evidenced in multiple drills, threats, and social media posts concerning the school. Logical or not that is the felt experience of some students today. Virtual academy gives students the opportunity to step away for a while, get support and still be part of the community. However, penalizing students by putting VA on transcripts is punitive and incurs a penalty simply for choosing to remain at the school, thereby in my instance saying ‘you are less worthy if you take care of yourself while still undertaking your obligations.’ This is a dangerous and unethical position. The classes are not worth less. In some aspects they are worth more since they require a level of commitment beyond simply showing up and sitting in class. Please keep the virtual academy as an option for students.

Kelsey Clark: How many hours are students actually learning in person daily, Maybe 3-4 hours of actual instruction. Think about a school day from early morning wake up, getting ready, travel time to campus, passing periods like lunch, nutrition, or maybe disruptive noise in classes. VA is Similar to those working from home and not going into an office anymore. Are you working less or not as hard as your coworkers who are in the office? Should you get paid less or no longer be an employee? No, you’re more productive and can multitask, organize your time and prioritize. All skills that VA students are gaining. Some would argue you work harder from home.

As a rowing athlete my son opted for a hybrid schedule 3 in person, 4 online VA courses junior year of 2022. Given his strenuous 40 hour a week training. VA gave him more time to isolate on academics and prioritize his time each day. All skills that are helping him in college thanks to his VA experience. Honestly, he worked much harder than my other two high schoolers in tradition classes. Many times he had to research and reteach himself without the in class support. He needed to lean more on tutoring. 

If we all have learned anything during the pandemic, it’s that everyone learns and works differently. Some students thrive with online learning without all the noise and added disruptions or social pressures. Some work better from home and can get more done. Shouldn’t students have an option without being penalized? If no longer students, can they participate in clubs, sports teams, theater or the Pali Community? How would it change attending a game as a student or walking in graduation. It would change so many things if you no longer recognize VA as Pali High students. 

VA isn’t new, it has been in place for years at Pali. Originally for Athletes or maybe an actor learning online while focusing on goals. Since the pandemic it has grown more popular because many learned to thrive online. It has given students with anxiety, health issues, transportation conflicts or just online learners an option to still be a part of the Pali High community while learning online. Options like VA courses for these students is such a blessing and they can still participate in clubs and sports on campus. Just as working from home is a game changer for so many families. 

At the end of the day VA students are taught and graded by the same Pali teachers as in person students. If anything, VA students are at a disadvantage because they have less in person FaceTime with their piers and teachers. No study groups, shared notes, discussions or a way to raise a hand when they don’t understand. All advantages that in person students are given. For these reasons I believe VA students are considered Pali High students and should appear on Pali transcripts. 

What a gift this program and Ms Tenan-Snow have been supporting so many students through the years! Thank you so much for all the love and support and giving students another option to thrive and succeed.

Anonymous - Pali High Student Parent: I have come to understand that some parents of Pali High students are raising concerns about Pali High's Virtual Academy program. This is surprising, considering the program is approved by PCHS, the state of California, and the University of California system. Furthermore, it appears these parents are urging the PCHS Board to single out, or effectively "segregate," these students by adding a "qualifier" to their official high school records and transcripts.

I wholeheartedly disagree with this viewpoint and am taken aback by the audacity of these individuals, especially as society today is teaching us to promote diversity, equity and inclusion ... not further encourage exclusion! Moreover, it is extremely disconcerting that these parents are attempting to discriminate against a group of children - who they have never even met.

Undoubtedly, high school plays a significant role in shaping our children's academic and social development. However, we must also recognize that this environment can sometimes, regrettably, foster damaging social behaviors, such as bullying and school violence, which can have lasting impacts on a young person’s self-esteem, mental health, and overall perspective on life.

Several students I know in Pali High's Virtual Academy have chosen this path precisely to avoid such issues. Pali High’s Virtual program also imparts essential life skills on these students – ones that will prepare them to succeed in college, including time management, self-reliance, and self-confidence.

These students should not be further penalized, or discriminated against, for choosing an approved, safe option to pursue their education. 

Lastly, I would like to remind everyone that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Are we now considering "discriminating" against our children based on their preferred mode of learning? Especially when modern technology potentially offers a superior learning environment for them!
 

Anonymous: Thank you for taking the time to listen to my comments. I am a father of of a PCHS Virtual Academy graduate. My son experienced serious medical procedures at his last 2-years at PCHS. The Virtual Academy program allowed him to complete his High School education and go on to be a successful college student. Having to learn independently was difficult, but it gave him the skills to navigate his college studies.
Thank you.

Liz Zaret: I am a past PCHS-VA parent, writing in support of VA NOT having to be highlighted on college transcripts. My son Noah graduated in 2022, and is now attending Cornell University. Noah did a combo of VA and regular on campus classes. We first inquired about VA because Noah wanted to be on Varsity tennis which required the kids to miss many of their afternoon classes for matches. Noah wanted to take high level classes and was concerned about falling behind in the afternoon. VA was not at all easier than his regular classes, in fact in a way it was more difficult, as Noah had to be totally self starting, and there were times when he was frustrated because he felt he wasn't getting enough guidance, especially with math classes. Noah worked incredibly hard, pretty much non stop when he wasn't playing tennis. VA was definitely NOT an "easy way to get good grades." Noah took 13 AP classes, got all 4's & 5's on his AP exams and studied and submitted SAT scores. This was not an easy ride, he worked very very hard, and earned his way to college. If Noah's transcripts had been highlighted with "VA," it may have flagged him in a way that the university would not have understood. They might have thought VA meant "easy on line classes" when that could not be farther from the truth. Noah had to be mature and responsible, as he could come and go from campus as he pleased and manage his own overall schedule, class schedule, work schedule, and sports schedule which actually really prepared him for managing college. Noah is thriving, and he finished his first year of college on the dean's list. He landed where he was supposed to land because VA made it possible for him to balance his schedule, and do all the things he wanted to do, but NOT because it made it easier for him to get A's. Noah has a couple of friends when he was on the tennis team who's grades actually dropped when they moved over to VA. VA is not for everyone, but when it works it really works. These are PCHS students just needing to adjust their schedules and the way they are learning to set them up for success (isn't that what we want for all kids...!), but definitely not an easy way out. I question why parents would want to turn this into a negative, why worry about a small group of kids who have found success in VA, to flag their transcripts and possibly make applying to college more difficult!

Maria Roberts: Hearing students at the VA program is not working as hard as in person students is offensive. My older son graduated from the VA program June 2022 and my younger son will be graduating June 2024 also from the VA program. Due to this wonderful program both my boys had the opportunity to take their interest and passion of sports to the next level, with my older one moving to Spain for the spring semester 2021 to play soccer and my younger one spending half his spring semester of 10th grade in Spain playing with a club in Barcelona and last year and this year with a basketball academy in Philadelphia. Both my boys had and have their alarms set at 5.45am so they can start their day studying at 6pm. They spend 3 solid hours studying in the morning before they both have/had a 6-8 hour training program between, court/fieldwork outs, gym and coaches behind the desk lessons on the sport to discuss strategies, plays, mental health, pressure and all the other things an athlete needs to know. Both my kids fit in Pali class material when they had a break, by brining their laptop wherever they went. Weekends are and were also full of schoolwork. Once the basketball/soccer day was done, the school day started and it did not end until they went to bed. Both their days were long and the amount of schoolwork they did was not less than what it was when they went to in person classes at Pali. Changing the VA designation may not matter as much for kids like mine, who clearly must have been in the VA program since they were not in the state, however changing the rules after the fact is not fair. When signing up for the program we as parents were told their transcripts would still say they graduated from Pali. You cannot go back in time and now change that. Parents like us made the decision to allow our kids to follow their other passion because there was an opportunity to do so and being able to still graduate from Pali, with Pali transcripts. Not having a Virtual Academy designation was one of the reasons we said yes to our kids signing up for Pali VA, because it felt it would not limit their chances for college should they decide not to pursue their sport in college. The VA program is an amazing program and gives people the opportunity to experience life in a different way than going in person. I believe the program is an asset to Pali and the students who attend the program work just as hard as the in person students, it just may be different hours and times the work are being done.

Jennifer Todd Messina: As a parent of a VA student this year I can absolutely say the work is as hard if not harder than in person school. My son has to be more organized and has had to learn how to manage his time in a much more significant way. He is in person for 2 of his 6 classes and the virtual are not any easier - they are the same standards and testing as the regular classes. Parents choose VA for a reason - learning issues, medical issues, sports, family responsibilities, etc and I don't see why students should be penalized for that. Why should the parents of non VA students want to punish the VA/Hybrid students? Does it help the in person students to be punitive to the virtual ones in branding them? Don't we have more important issues at hand than this?
Thank you.

Laura Gianni: I was made aware less than a few hours that this would be a Board agenda item when in fact this was a determining factor in whether my children could attend Pali High’s VA. It is patently unfair to change the rules regarding whether there is a designation without any prior notice. VA students have the same graduation requirements, the same counselors, are held to the same academic standards, behavioral rules, the same fundraising requests are made of VA families, many of them are athletes and changing this practice would draw a distinction where none should be drawn, especially without notice to the families who attend VA. Thank you for recognizing that the designation would unfairly prejudice students who relied on this fact when deciding to attend VA.

Marcus Petoyan: Our decision to have our children participate in Pali Online was in part due to its non disclosure in the school record, as there may be some stigma associated with Online classes. Additionally, it is a benefit for those students participating in the additional rigors of student athletics, and any potential negative consequence of Online courses would be unfairly attributed to this entire group of student athletes, who dedicate significant time to school sports. Finally, if Online classes are truly interchangeable with in person classes, then there is no basis in fact for disclosing its participation, potentially creating two standards for our students. It is bad policy and I strongly advocate for nondisclosure on Online classes.

Anonymous: The Virtual Academy was created at PCHS to provide a progressive alternative to the traditional classroom within the PCHS framework. There is no "special" agenda that is different than the regular PCHS student's agenda. The teachers hold the students accountable, and the students must keep at a certain pace in order to stay in VA. The teachers are the same teachers that have in person classes at Pali. Students schedules are rigorous because in addition to their workload they must also learn how to time manage and focus. The teachers are accessible, and more than willing to help. The curriculum meets all of the California standards. Now all of a sudden a group of people wants to put an * on a students transcript just because they are a part of the Virtual Academy? How is this fair? Pali prides it's self on all the diversity and opportunities for different students, why is this now an issue? Perhaps people need to take a step back and understand VA was not created because of Covid. It was already in existence. If people are comparing this learning experience to the lockdown experience every student had to endure, it is simply not even the same category. That was an unprecedented experience. To penalize students for attending VA because people think it is "easy" is a misconception. Parents who want to make sure they have a leg up on college applications by trying to demean kids who are in VA is really sad. How do you know what it is like to attend VA? What do you know about how students handle the demands and time management? Unless you have been a part of VA I believe you do not have the right to "judge" what is easy. The world we live in is progressive. People work from home, teach from home, and just because this is an alternative way of learning you want to try to demoralize kids? Unfair. VA is PCHS and to say otherwise is not only untrue, but a biased way to try to get some sort of advantage on college applications. There is clearly no other reason. VA should remain as is, and this topic should be null and void.

Zacharie Sergenian: Here on behalf of the TAC. There are many updates for the gender equal restrooms. We request single-stall restrooms that cannot be found in multi-stall restrooms. They increase personal safety for high-risk students. Please take initiative to meet all student needs and install single-stall restrooms.

Maryam Zar: With respect to delineating some sort of "inferior" attribution to the garden or report cards of Virtual Academy students:
First of all there is going to be an agenda item there would have to be enough notice for people to be able to mobilize and speak about it – generally both Roberts Rules of Order as well as the Brown Act require 72 hours of notice. 

Secondly, a change that is substantive like this, and can stand to impact kids’ futures, would not be allowed to be applied retroactively. As a result it would not legally be able to apply to children who matriculate in the virtual Academy this academic year.

Rustin Karrazi: We were very busy in September and October. The Homecoming football game and dance were a huge success. Thank you to the administration and parents that came to help! We have Halloween coming up, as well as Frosh Class President interest meetings coming up. The pep rally was also a huge success, so we are happy about that!

Saken Sherkhanov and Kristina Irwin: Nothing to report at this time.

Andy Paris: Nothing to report at this time.

Karen Ellis: Nothing to report at this time.

Maggie Nance, David Pickard IV, Tyler Farrell: Report stands as submitted.

Points of Pride:

- New teachers are feeling very supported

- Pep rally and school spirit during homecoming has been great

Concerns:

- AI detection software

- Copy clerk vacancy

- Possible online learning platforms have not been properly vetted by the faculty

- There is $100,000 dollar PD budget and only $9,000 has been spent. This is teacher effectiveness grant money that is difficult to access and Pali is essentially discouraging PD by having so many roadblocks.

- Albert IO has been discontinued based on the understanding that it was not necessary. DataLinks supported the continued subscription to Albert IO and it seems that the process can be improved.

- We need to look at our processes to be sure everyone is included, especially key people that are part our various on-going initiatives.

Martha Monahan: Report stands as submitted.

Report stands as submitted.

Brooke King: 

- This Thursday is the Great Shakeout. Drop/cover/hold and evacuate.

- Working on a safety and operations plan, which will be presented at the next board meeting.

Report stands as submitted.

Juan Pablo Herrera: 

- Our ADA for month 2 came in at 2842, which is great. Month 1 was 2850.

- We received notice from the LAUSD Charter Division that a section of our LCAP needs updating. It does not require board approval, but want us to address the CAASPP action items and expenditures associated with those items.

Dr. Pam Magee: 

- The updated version of our school-wide goals are included in the board packet.

- The equity task-force is working hard on The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Definition of Antisemitism, as well as a Name Change Policy for Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming students who have different chosen names in order to better accommodate their identity.

- PCHS is in the process of reviewing online learning platforms. The systems being considered are Acellus, Accelerate, and Apex. The systems were most recently reviewed by Curriculum Council. Department Chairs will preview the systems to make recommendations for next steps.

Tyler Farrell: We are in the process of expanding with 15 members now. There are 7 faculty, 4 parents, 2 students, and 1 administrator and we are doing outreach for one more faculty member. We will wait until the next board meeting to approve the Academic Accountability Committee members.

Sara Margiotta: Our overall goal is to be involved in decisions regarding revenues, expenditures, and fund balance to ensure we are fiscally solvent and supporting quality education at PCHS.

The Budget and Finance Committee as of now includes Rene Rodman Daphne Gonich, Saken Sherkhanov, and Sara Margiotta, as well as the ASB Treasurer, Josh Lande. We do have room available for any parents looking to get involved.

David Pickard IV: The Election Committee is made up of one PESPU representative, two United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA) representatives, and no fewer than three Board members (at least one of whom shall be a parent representative and two of whom shall be non-interested, parties that do not have a financial interest.), none of whom are running for election to the Board of Trustees in the next coming election. The Elections Committee is responsible for drafting specific voting guidelines, which must be approved by the Board of Trustees before becoming effective, for facilitating Board of Trustee elections, enhancing voter turnout, counting the votes, and presenting the certified results to the Board of Trustees. We will begin meeting next semester.

The Election Committee is currently David Pickard IV, Sara Margiotta, Kristina Irwin, Robert King, Steve Klima, Shira Berhookim, and a PESPU representative.

Sara Margiotta: We do not have an update because our charter got pushed back one more year, so we are holding.

Annual Resolution of the Board of Trustees for Independent Study has been completed and no action is needed.

Juan Pablo Herrera presented the 2023-24 Budget vs Actuals, which can be found in the board materials.

Juan Pablo Herrea presented the 2023-24 Consolidated Application (CARS App), which can be found in the board materials.

Kiumars Arzani: I am very impressed and want to acknowledge Juan Pablo Herrera for his great work. My question is, what kind of professional development support do we have for our faculty and staff? Are we providing an ability for our Chief Business Officer to support our teachers in their professional development?

Dr. Martha Monahan presented the LVN Option for Health Office, which can be found in the board materials.

Tyler Farrell: If the RN is out, does that mean the Nurses Office will be closed that day?

Dr. Martha Monahan: No, the Health Office would remain open.

David Pickard IV: Are there any potential risks or downsides?

Dr. Martha Monahan: The only one to our knowledge is that there are a few functions that an LVN cannot perform, such as giving a diabetic an insulin shot.

Karen Ellis: What support does the nurse need? I know we have a lot of IEPs and 504s, so how would the LVN be able to support the RN?

Dr. Martha Monahan: Even if we hired an RN, they would need a credential from the CTC.

Maggie Nance: This seems like a win-win to me.

Sara Margiotta: We are doing more research to identify the full job description of the copy clerk position so we are sure the total cost matches the job duties. The administration is going to look more into this and bring this back next meeting.

Date of the next regular Board Meeting: Tuesday, November 14, 2023 at 5:00pm

Return to open session at 7:22 p.m.

Nothing to report out from closed session.