No public comment was given during the meeting or in advance via the Google Form.

Charlie Speiser, the student representative provided the following updates on student activities and events:

• ASB has organized Digital Valentine's Day Grams for the school community.
  Multiple grade levels are coordinating special events, with the junior class recently hosting a successful event at SkyZone.
• Senior students are particularly excited about upcoming milestone events, including Senior Breakfast (held at the Greystone Mansion), Senior Night, and Prom.
• The Associated Student Body continues to provide support for athletic programs during this challenging time.
• Virtual Spirit Days are being planned and will be announced soon.
• The Palisades Girls Water Polo team was recognized for their achievement in winning their first round of CIF state finals.

No new updates.

No new updates. 

Classified staff are now housed out of Pali High East located at 11800 Texas Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90025. Please come by and visit!

The faculty representatives raised several concerns and provided updates on faculty activities:

Professional Development Concerns:

• Faculty members expressed concern regarding the numerous professional development offerings, which often conflict with scheduled office hours due to the extensive time already spent on Zoom for instruction.

Classroom Access Questions:

• Teachers continue to inquire about when they might be permitted to return to their classrooms, when safe, to photograph lesson plans and retrieve other teaching materials.
• Questions were raised about whether remaining items in classrooms would be discarded.
  It was noted that faculty members had completed inventory forms detailing items left in their rooms, and they seek clarification on the retrieval process.
• Particular concern was expressed for teachers whose classrooms were located in the completely destroyed section at the back of the building.

Safety Inquiries:

• Faculty sought information about toxicology reports addressing facility safety and requested more detailed updates regarding campus safety and access concerns.

Student Support Activities:

• Faculty members reported attending students' sports games as a way to maintain in-person connections with students during this challenging period.

Planning Participation:

• The representatives expressed hope that teacher representatives would be included in planning discussions regarding the return to in-person instruction.

Stands as submitted.

The Director of Operations provided a comprehensive update on recovery efforts:

Pali Campus Status:

• Buildings J, U, and W have been removed by the Army Corps of Engineers, with areas now ready for future construction. No contaminants were detected in these areas.
• A layer of wet mulch has been applied to the sites of removed buildings.
• All trees on campus have been tested and tagged.
• Hazardous materials have been successfully removed from the site.

Cleanup Timeline:

• Clean-up and decontamination procedures will commence in March, with an estimated duration of 40-60 days.
• The administration is collaborating with LAUSD, TAFU, ATI, and Clean Air Inc. to coordinate cleanup efforts and develop protocols for faculty classroom access and material retrieval.
• The pool and all building exteriors and interiors will undergo thorough cleaning.
• Pali insurance funding will be utilized to restore the pool to operational status, including repairs to pumps and chemical treatment systems.
• A separate funding sources have been designated for cleanup expenses (LAUSD, FEMA, etc.), distinct from the ten million dollar allocation referenced in the discussion.

Security Measures:

• Security personnel are present on campus from 6:00 AM to midnight to ensure site safety, prevent theft, and assist contractors.
• The campus remains closed to the general public and is designated as a hard hat zone for all authorized personnel.

Temporary Facility Planning:

• Negotiations are in the final stages with the City of Santa Monica to obtain regulatory permits and approvals for a temporary facility at the former Sears property located at 4th Street and Colorado Avenue.
• The school is working with city officials to ensure cleanup, safety, and security of surrounding areas.

Rebuilding Coordination:

• LAUSD and Palisades Charter High School have initiated discussions regarding the reconstruction of buildings J, U, and W.
• As the property owner, LAUSD has established standards for classroom specifications that will guide the rebuilding process.

Additional Facility Updates:

• Building J has been cleaned, while Building E is undergoing testing for smoke damage.
• Guardrails and handrails on the second level of Building E are being replaced.
• Tree cleaning and removal operations have been completed, with unaffected trees preserved and cleaned.
• Future irrigation needs will be considered in rebuilding plans.
• "Pali East" will be established at the former University High Charter continuation school at 11800 Texas Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90025.
• The pool may undergo re-plastering snd deck repair while drained, as the Aquatics Director had previously deferred this maintenance to avoid revenue loss. Assessment of plastering needs and other improvements will consider soot, algae, and other damage.

Discussions regarding return to the main campus are ongoing, with concerns noted about water pressure and fire hydrant capacity potentially affecting the placement of modular classrooms on the baseball field.

Stands as submitted. 

The Chair provided an update on behalf of the Director of Development: 

Fundraising Progress:

• The "Raise Pali" campaign has successfully generated $135,000 in donations to support recovery efforts.
• The school has been awarded three fire relief grants, including a significant FireAid relief grant ranging from $100,000 to $500,000.

Fund Allocation:

• Funds raised through the "Raise Pali" initiative will be directed toward fire relief efforts and supporting the temporary location.
• Some donations have been specifically designated by donors for particular programs, including STEM initiatives and athletic programs.

Stands as submitted.

The EDP provided a status update, noting that the administration is working through some details in the recovery process as well as the temporary location. The EDP assured the board that all necessary arrangements are being addressed, and more comprehensive updates will be provided to the board and school community in the near future.

No update submitted.

The Budget and Finance Committee reported two key items:

• The budget calendar for the upcoming fiscal year has been reviewed and approved.
• All committee minutes and meeting agendas have been updated on the school website.

The Chair provided information regarding upcoming board position elections and seats that are up this cycle: 

• Two Community Representative seats, currently held by Kiumars Arzani and Sara Margiotta.
• One Parent Representative seat, currently held by Kristina Irwin.
• The Represented Classified Staff seat currently held by Andy Paris. 
• One Faculty-elected Faculty Member seat, currently held by Minh Ha Ngo, who was previously elected to complete the remaining one year of the term.
• The Student-elected Teacher seat, currently held by Maggie Nance.

The Chair will coordinate with ASB advisor Rob King to align board elections with student body elections. Additional information regarding nomination procedures, timelines, and voting processes will be communicated once these arrangements are finalized.

Grade Appeal: The committee chair reported that they will contact Chad Greendale regarding previously submitted grade appeals to ensure proper review and resolution.

Audit: Not met. 

Survey: Not met. 

The board discussed the 2025-2026 school calendar:

• The proposed calendar maintains alignment with LAUSD's schedule and has received UTLA approval.
• It was noted that spring break has historically been scheduled in relation to Easter, resulting in varying dates from year to year.
• Discussion included the possibility of establishing a more consistent spring break timeframe in future years, though current practice follows LAUSD policy.
• The administration will continue to coordinate with LAUSD on calendar planning to maintain consistency for families with students in multiple schools.

No additional update from what was presented earlier.

The Chief Business Officer presented the proposed budget calendar for the upcoming fiscal year:

Timeline Structure:

• The calendar establishes a comprehensive timeline designed to ensure the budget is fully approved and implemented before the June 30th deadline.
• Specific milestones have been established for the finance team to collaborate with department heads in reviewing, planning, and finalizing departmental budgets.

Technology Planning:

• The timeline for technology refresh planning has been accelerated to ensure new equipment can be purchased and deployed before the start of the school year.
• This adjustment addresses previous challenges with technology arriving after the academic year had begun.

Departmental Budget Process:

• Department heads will receive their previous year's Instructional Materials Account (IMA) estimates and budgets to use as reference points for developing their 2025-2026 budget requests.
• A distinction was made regarding replacement of fire-damaged items:
  • Materials lost in the fire that need replacement will be categorized as "recovery expenses" and funded through appropriate emergency or insurance funds.
  • Standard annual needs and new items will continue to be funded through the regular IMA allocations.

Next regular scheduled board meeting will take place on March 18, 2025 via Zoom.

The student representative was dismissed at 6:02 and the board entered closed session at 6:03.

Upon returning from closed session at 7:38pm, the Chair provided the following update regarding temporary relocation efforts:

The board reported that the pursuit of the former Sears building continues, though progress has been delayed due to unforeseen permitting issues. Final approval will be subject to appropriate construction costs and timeline considerations. The board will reconvene to finalize a decision on this site or explore alternative options if necessary, with the primary goal of resuming in-person instruction as quickly as possible.

The board expressed sincere appreciation for the patience demonstrated by the Palisades Charter High School community and acknowledged the significant challenges this situation presents for families. Board members affirmed their commitment to working diligently on behalf of all students, families, and the entire Pali community to resolve these matters as expeditiously as possible.

In closed session, the Board took action to issue layoff notices to employees whose positions will be eliminated as a result of the expiration of a categorically funded ESSER III Grants, Resource Codes (3214, 3218, 3219), which expired on September 30, 2024. Employee(s), identified by Employee ##s 101094, 40722, 91422, and 101022, will be released pursuant to Education Code Section EC 45117 (g), effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year, and the board directed the Executive Director/Principal or designee to send out appropriate legal notices.

In closed session, the Board took action to issue notices of non-reelection to probationary certificated employee(s), identified by Employee ##s 72371, 33096, 6753, 122969, 100783, 122879 pursuant to Education Code Section 44929.21(b), effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year, and directed the Executive Director/Principal or designee to send out appropriate legal notices.