Vice Chair Margie arrived at 6:10pm.

Adrienne, CEO, announced that AMPS received five Families in Action Awards last week.

DCA was recognized with four awards for excellence in math and ELA readiness, specifically highlighting progress among English learners, African American students, and low-income students. OCHS received an award for achieving 100% A-G readiness, meaning all graduating students met the college-preparatory course requirements. She mentioned the state has voted against the appeal, and OCHS will proceed with its closure.

Board member Peter requested for an update on special education services. 

Elly, a new substitute teacher, gave a shoutout to the outstanding work being done by the RCA teachers and staff.

The board returned from closed session at 7:16pm and there were no reportable actions.

Maria, Chief of Staff presented the revised family handbook for board approval, noting that it had previously come before the board on June 30th. She explained that only minimal changes were made, primarily to correct typos. The most significant update appears on page 21, where the dress code policy was revised in response to parent feedback. Previously, students were only permitted to wear black or white shoes, but parents expressed concerns about the difficulty of finding affordable shoes in those colors. As a result, the policy was updated to allow gray and other neutral-colored shoes. Additionally, the revised policy now permits small amounts of color on shoe logos, such as a small red accent, as long as it is purposeful and minimal. Other changes in the handbook include clarification regarding early dismissal times. For example, a standard dismissal time of 1:30pm, while allowing schools the flexibility to adjust that schedule as needed.

Board Chair Rodolfo and Board Member Liz recommended that the staff be more specific about logo size and provide exact measurements to define what constitutes a 'small' logo.

Board member Liz pointed out a discrepancy between the attendance policies on pages 5 and 9 of the handbook. Page 5 outlines strict requirements for students to contact teachers about missed work, which could be misinterpreted as applying to all absences. However, page 9 clarifies, in alignment with the Education Code, that students with excused absences are allowed an equal amount of time to make up work. She suggested either amending page 5 to specify that the stricter guidelines apply only to unexcused absences or moving the clarification from page 9 earlier in the handbook to avoid confusion.

Board member Peter and Board Chair Rodolfo raised a concern about unclear language in the handbook, specifically a sentence stating that staff work traditional school hours but are also expected to support "a different type of public school program." He asked for clarification on what that phrase means, suggesting the wording may be vague or confusing.

Board member Peter noted that the handbook repeatedly emphasizes the role of families in supporting student success, not by doing the work for their children, but by creating conditions that help them succeed, such as ensuring they do their homework, have a quiet space to study, and attend school regularly. He pointed out that this level of family involvement goes beyond what is typically expected or stated in traditional public school handbooks.

Shameka, HR Consultant explained that the handbook was initially presented earlier in the year but was awaiting legal review. Since then, attorneys have reviewed it and made updates to reflect new laws and regulatory changes.

Board Chair Rodolfo stated that now that the board is fully staffed, it's time to formally establish board committees. He proposed creating an Executive Committee, Financial Oversight Committee, Academic Oversight Committee, and Bylaws Review Committee. This aligns with recommendations from the board retreat and a consultant. He emphasized including “oversight” in committee names to reinforce the board’s role and suggested the Bylaws Committee should conduct a comprehensive review to ensure the bylaws continue to meet the organization’s needs.

Board member Davis asked for clarification on whether the treasurer role is intended to be filled by a staff member rather than a board member.

Adrienne, CEO explained that the treasurer role was previously held by Kimberly, who has since resigned. The treasurer duties have temporarily defaulted to her, but she cannot take on the role.

Board Chair Rodolfo stated that this will be a temporary solution until a Director of Finance is hired to assume the treasurer role. He also requested clarification on the treasurer’s responsibilities under these unique circumstances.

Adrienne, CEO stated that she has been holding the board secretary position and recommended appointing Sally as the new board secretary instead.

Adrienne, CEO reported that the MOU was recently approved by the Contra Costa County Board of Education. She noted that it follows the county’s standard template with a few adjustments in Schedule B for RCA, and staff is recommending it for board approval.

Kaela Haydu from YMC resumes AB 1234 Ethics Training.