No comment.

In closed session the board decided to expel student #90879.

C. Chilcott reminded the board of last years strategic plan as well as how much has been accomplished in this school year.  She advised of the Tk class that was added, the salary scales that have been updated and the PTA, along with other activities done to support student engagement.  C. Chilcott also provided the board a reminder of their year 3 through year 5 goals.

A.Schlenk advised she is excited to see the new steps and to see them come into life.

D. Forbes asked if C. Chilcott was going to present this to the staff.  C. Chilcott advised she was going to share it with the staff but she present it if requested.  D. Forbes advised that this would help with being transparent with the staff.  He also advised that it is always important to accelerate learning.

C. Robie echoed D. Forbes' comment of presenting this to the staff.  C. Chilcott advised she will see if it can be done in a PD or another time.

A. Price advised she would like to know when each is being implemented so that they can be aware of such.  C. Chilcott advised she will let them know.

C. Chilcott presented the impact of absenteeism.  She provided the difference between truancy and absent.  She explained the process of when a student is absent and how sometimes the teacher is the first line of contact and then it will keep going on in the process until you reach a SART meeting. C Chilcott gave examples of how the team at AoA has helped students with truancy issues; ie  buying an alarm clock or wellness check (rare).   Out of 129 students who have met with Gretchen only 14 have received truancy letters giving proof of improvement .  She advised of the benefits of the Gold Medal Attendance Initiative.  She explained the reasons for excused reasons but also made note that AoA does not get paid even if it is excused.   Chronic absentees were about the same between in district and Alameda students.

A. Schlenk said as a teacher she is not aware of which students get the truancy letter.  She also advised that she is thankful that the school spirit has shifted to showing the importance of attendance.

A.  Price said she was curious to know if pre-school takes attendance.  C. Chilcott advised that she believes that the mistake is that the state shows it as a preschool replacement which it is not, it is actual school and the flexibility that preschool has is not here.  A. Price asked if we have fewer students this year than we did last year.  C. Chilcott advised at the beginning of year we did but now we do not have less.  A. Price also voiced her shock at seeing how poverty is the driving force to absenteeism and asked if that last slide can be cross-referenced with race.

J. Laird asked what would be cross referenced between AoA and AUSD that would like to be asked.  C. Chilcott asked about how they deal with certain issues, such as attention deficit or children with disorders that are not known.  Basically ask them for what support they can give us that we may not be doing yet since they have been doing TK for longer than we have.

D. Forbes asked how much of the importance on attendance parents aware of.  C. Chilcott advised that it was mentioned to parents when the students from 6th grade came to take their tests as well as during back to school night.  D. Forbes asked if the open house probably pushed the attendance since we saw an increase after the open house event.  D. Forbes said that 20% of tardies is due to oversleeping and asked if AoA has considered starting later.  C. Chilcott asked if this would fix a problem or if it would enable a problem more so.  D. Forbes asked if we are aware of SED families or if they need to self identify.  He wondered to what extent we have identified that population.  C. Chilcott advised she has tried to identify them but not 100%.

Finance committee- nothing to report

Student success committee-  spent all the time talking about student absenteeism and how to communicate that to parents.  No resolution on it yet.

Governance committee- spoke about new potential board members.  She advised that one is a potential alumni that is now a teacher and asked if they would come in as an alumni or a board member.

D. Forbes asked if there is a date for the August retreat.

The social justice awards will be voted on soon and she will send over the form soon.