No public comment

Director proposed adding a second conference day in Spring per Board feedback.  This allows all families to have the opportunity to meet with their teacher, not just those invited per past years.  This added conference day in April is now a non-student contact day.

Working with the same broker who helped with original building purchase.  There is no cost if we do not lease or purchase a building.

• Great turnout at Saturday's park playdate.
• PTO will also be at meet the teacher event on Friday, along with the uniform exchange
• Chalk the Walk on Sunday from 1-5pm.  Info has been sent out.
• PTO visited teacher orientation on Monday, delivered gift baskets
• Spirit wear ordered for tie die items
• Several volunteers started painting games in the playground area this past weekend.
• PTO calendar should be complete by end of the week.

Academic Updates

• Focus this School Year (SY 24-25):
  1. As a result of new data and new learnings, we are focusing on increasing current ways we are supporting our students, so that a higher percentage of them meet or exceed grade-level standards by end of year (see SLP SY 24-25 for percentages):
     • How will we increase support for students? As mentioned above, we now have more current data about our students. Having current data available from the beginning of the school year is important. In tandem, we are embedding practices that will support our students academically and with their social and emotional development (SED) with new schedules that include interventions and practices tied to our Responsive Classroom approach which is how we teach SED skills.
       • These two components (data and schedules) will allow us to continue working on strengthening our interventions (called “Workshop” at Arco Iris) and supporting our students. 
         • Interventions help us provide targeted small group instruction guided by data, and with preparation (training) guided by our external partners from Singapore Math and HMH. 
         • Internally, we will be offering additional training via our Reading Specialist, by sharing best practices during the school year via modeling, as well as our Specialist partnering with the leadership team to continue conducting data analysis during the year in 3-4 cycles.
         • Starting the year with relevant data will help us support students who didn’t meet grade level expectations from the beginning of the school year rather than waiting for our fall assessment data that usually comes by the end of October and/or November.
         • Jesus shared on example of a document that will track student interventions and growth
       • Board and Executive Director clarified details on what data is reported to the Board
• Reflections: Revision of School Learning Plan based on SY 23-24 learnings (for Academic Pillar).
  1. Since we now have data providing us with information that informs us where our students are currently in terms of meeting grade-level standards, we are recommending some updates to our SLP. In short, the percentages (or academic goals) that were part of our previous School Learning Plan (SLP for SY 23-24) are being revised. 
     • We are using current data to have more intentional goals for our students and school, moving forward. We have a draft of our new SLP for review today with changes in bold letters. We would appreciate feedback by the beginning of next week via an email to Jesús. (We will also make sure there is alignment between the SLP and SIA grant agreement.)

Staff Training and Retention

• Team support for SY 24-25
  • Learnings: 
    • We analyzed our end of year (EOY) team survey. As a reminder these are the results:]
  • Focus: As a result of this survey (and student test scores), we are providing intentional teacher training before school starts. Training includes:
    • Training on new SLA/ELA program:
    • More robust Math training:
      • More intentional Singapore Math training, so that we commit to maximize and utilize all resources purchased.
    • Data analysis (Academics):
      • Training on data analysis, which helps to support students in need of interventions based on assessment results.
    • Data analysis (Behaviors):
      • Training on Responsive Classroom approach to continue creating a positive and joyful learning environment in classrooms since day 1 by following “The First Six Weeks of School” book (we are condensing the length and use this resource for the first four weeks of school). 
      • Focusing on supporting students with highest behavioral needs from day 1 via Student Success Coach (Luis Samayoa).
    • Training on teacher and school-wide communication. More specifically:
      • Providing support and clarity for teachers to commit connecting with families via newsletters.
      • Finding ways to increase family awareness around their students’ progress throughout the year. This means, defining how student progress can be shared more frequently with families.
      • Sharing DEIB and SEL resources with families in advance and via our newsletters. This effort is to raise awareness and provide tools to all families from day 1, around student support and/or important school-related topics tied to our mission (SED and DEIB resources).
    • Reflection on SLP: No changes to percentages, and/or goal.
• Hiring efforts SY 24-25
  1. To recap, during SY 23-24 we had the highest team retention rate in the past five years.
  2. Two (2) new homeroom teachers and two (2) new IAs have joined us for summer training.  
  3. Contracts for board approval:
     • Marta Torralba-Sanchez - 1st grade teacher (salaried)
     • Maria del Rosario Garcia - 5th grade teacher (salaried)
     • Jordi Majo - moving from IA position to internal substitute (salaried)
     • Mariana Cruz - Martinez - new Kinder/1st IA (hourly)
     • Isabel Gamboa - new Kinder / 1st IA (hourly)

Community Engagement and Positive School Culture

• Areas to celebrate:
  1. Fundraising efforts for SY 23-24 were very strong!
• Focus:
  1. Fundraising efforts for SY 24-25.  We have begun to share information with our families about the significance of fundraising for schools like Arco Iris Spanish Immersion School. We have shared links in our past newsletters that direct families to our current fundraising page.
  2. Community Engagement: there is summer planning currently underway to bring more cultural celebrations and/or other opportunities to celebrate learning during SY 24-25. 
     • Recently, we met with PTO to define the celebrations for the year and there is a lot of excitement from families, already.
     • During the summer, Arco Iris’s board members, and/or PTO members offered playdates for new families. Thank you all for your support in welcoming our new families!
  3. Reflections around School Culture and Family Survey Results. 
     • Our new community engagement goal for SY 24-25 is highlighted in our School Learning Plan. Our plan will continue with the statement “at least 80% of families will report feeling that their children feel represented, included, and respected at school as indicated by the annual family survey.” ) Please provide feedback by the end of the week via email.
  4. Survey’s Comments:
     • The bullet points below share ways we are thinking of meeting our community’s needs based on feedback, while still in alignment with our values.  Some of these have been shared above, also.
       • Provide more clarity and transparency regarding who to contact for questions about academics, behaviors, attendance, etc. 
         • Organizational charts will be shared with families during BTSN events and in newsletters after. This is an effort to provide more guidance regarding who to contact at school. 
       • More communication from school, including regarding student progress.
         • Regarding family connections/newsletters: we commit to sending school-wide newsletters once a week, teacher newsletters twice a month, and finding ways to share student progress throughout the school year and not just during conferences or when sending report cards.
         • We added an additional day to meet with families for spring conferences.
         • We added a Spanish Coffee with the Principal every month.
         • We have added 2-3 additional year-round school events and celebrations, including an evening event for Hispanic Heritage Celebration night. 
         • We are strategizing with PTO on other opportunities to guide and/or partner with families throughout the year. 
       • Other aspects relevant to our mission. Adhere to using more Spanish across the school:
         • Website has been adjusted to translate to Spanish using computers and phones.
         • Phone messages are being re-recorded to have them in English and Spanish.
         • Coffee with the Principal events in English and Spanish.
         • We continue to commit to using as much Spanish in the classrooms as possible.
     • Reflection on SLP: No changes to percentages, and/or goal. Changes to some deliverables based on feedback.

Financial Sustainability

• Grant opportunities - updates 
  1. Arco Iris continues to partner with FundEd for more grant opportunities this year. 
  2. SIA grant continues SY 24-25.
• Enrollment for 23-24
  1. Total enrollment for the year and current projections:
     • 2024-25: 432 + 4 offered
• Reflection on SLP: No changes to percentages, and/or goals.

Updates to School Learning Plan

• Jesús shared revisions to school learning plan for 24-25.  Board shared feedback.

ADMw received for (Month):    $372,436.00
▪ Total income for (Month): $379,506.01
▪ Cash balance for (Month): $3,100,010
▪ Accts Receivable for (Month): $70,973.74
▪ Net gain/loss for (Month):   $-18,405.77 (this is typical during the summer months as we do not have state income in July and August)

Meeting with Heritage Bank on 8/22 to discuss plans for the CD ladder

• Next meeting on September 12th at 6pm
• Grant company needs a list of all our programs, as specific programs are easier to get funded than money for a general fund.  Erin shared a list of ideas and asked for feedback.  This info will be shared at next meeting with the grant company
• Sarah did complete a grant application for RTX in late July for Singapore Math PD and classroom materials
• Sarah to update September Board meeting to 9/24 at 6:15pm (moved due to Back to School Night)

• Board to provide email feedback to Jesús by Tuesday, 8/27
• Sarah to add agenda item to vote Sarah B. into Development Committee
• Erin to send out note to parents re: volunteering for a committee
• Christa to add Finance Committee meetings to BOT