Special Board Meeting Minutes

December 9, 2021, 4:30-6:00 PM

Minutes Approved

El Camino Real Charter High School

Minutes

Special Board Meeting

Date and Time

Thursday December 9, 2021 at 4:30 PM

Location

Virtual Meeting

SPECIAL BOARD MEETING

For board meeting materials, please go to the school's main office, or call (818) 595-7500. Some board meeting materials are also posted on the school's website (https://ecrchs.net - click the ECR Board tab).

VIRTUAL BOARD MEETING

VIRTUAL BOARD MEETING The meeting of the Board of Directors will take place via a virtual/teleconferencing environment based on the following:
1. California Assembly Bill 361, signed into law on September 16, 2021;
2. Governor Newsom's State of Emergency Declaration issued on March 4, 2020; and
3. County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health's recommendation that social distancing be maintained in schools.

To join the virtual Board meeting, please register through GoToWebinar at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4614349455125349902; webinar ID 758-838-635. You must register for the event (note you do not need to enter your legal name to participate). Once registered, you can attend the meeting through the online link, or by telephone (a call-in number and audio PIN will be provided after you register and prior to the meeting).

PUBLIC COMMENTS

If you would like to make a public comment during the Public Comment section or during an agenda item, you may do so in two ways: (1) click the "Raise Hand" icon on the control panel; or (2) email your comment to comment@ecrchs.net and your comment will be read on the record.

IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING SENDING IN A WRITTEN COMMENT:

For anyone who wishes to send in a written comment to be read during Public Comments, you are strongly encouraged to email your comment to the aforementioned email address at least one (1) hour prior to the Official Board Meeting start time (e.g., by no later than 3:30 p.m. for a 4:30 p.m. Board Meeting start time). Otherwise, there is no guarantee that your comment will be viewed and read during Public Comments. If your written comment is received and is expected to be read on the record, your name and title/role will also be read on the record. If you wish to not have your name read on the record, please indicate so in your email.

Please note that, in order to conduct an orderly meeting, all members of the public will be placed on mute during the Board meeting, except during public comments. Note that for those who elect to participate through the call-in number, you will not have the option of being unmuted during the meeting.

The Public Comments agenda item is set aside for members of the audience to raise issues that are not specifically on the agenda. However, due to public meeting laws, the Board can only listen to your issue, not respond or take action. The Board may give direction to staff to respond to your concern or you may be offered the option of returning with a citizen-requested item. These presentations are limited to three (3) minutes and total time allotted to non-agenda items will not exceed thirty (30) minutes. A member of the public who requires the use of a translator, in order to receive the same opportunity as others to directly address the Board, shall have twice the allotted time to speak. When addressing the Board, speakers are requested to adhere to the time limits set forth. In order to maintain allotted time limits, the Board Chair may modify speaker time allocations or the total amount of allotted time for an item.

Consent Agenda: All matters listed under the consent agenda are considered by the Board to be routine and will be approved/enacted by the Board in one motion in the form listed below. Unless specifically requested by a Board member for further discussion or removed from the agenda, there will be no discussion of these items prior to the Board votes on them. The Executive Director recommends approval of all consent agenda items.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and upon request, El Camino Real Alliance may furnish reasonable auxiliary aids and services to qualified individuals with disabilities. Requests for disability related modifications or accommodations shall be made 24 hours prior to the meeting to David Hussey, in person, by email at comment@ecrchs.net, or by calling (818) 595-7500.

Directors Present

Brad Wright (remote), Daniela Lopez-Vargas (remote), Danielle Malconian (remote), Linda Ibach (remote), Steven Kofahl (remote)

Directors Absent

John Perez

Guests Present

Alexaramirez7@gmail.com (remote), David Hussey (remote), Gregory Wood (remote), Kurt Lowry (remote), m.clark@ecrchs.net (remote)

I. Opening Items

A. Call the Meeting to Order

Brad Wright called a meeting of the board of directors of El Camino Real Charter High School to order on Thursday Dec 9, 2021 at 4:33 PM.

B. Record Attendance and Guests

Quorum established with six (6) members present via remote.

Board Member John Perez was absent.

Board Member Alexandra Ramirez's attendance shows under "Others" due to pending change to her status to "Voter."

C. Pledge of Allegiance

Ms. Malconian led the meeting panelists and attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S. Flag.

D. Public Comments

Public comments included those provided via email and those provided verbally at the meeting, as follows:

1. Anonymous email from parents in support the vaccine mandate going into effect in January and not waiting until July. Claimed that a schoolwide parent survey should have been sent out prior to vote.

2. Alpa Patel (Parent) spoke in support of vaccine mandate, especially for those 16 years and older. Also wanted to know what the consequences are for students not wearing masks.

3. Gail M (Parent) spoke in favor of vaccine mandate and stated the 4-3 vote is not representative of the school community. ECR had not sufficiently advertised the opportunity for parents to be heard.

4. David Gonor (Parent) spoke in favor of vaccine mandate and the two previous parents' views.

5. Jill Connolly (Parent) - Not available

6. Michelle Kasik (Parent) stated that the Board needed to reconsider its vote against the vaccine mandate.

7. Jill Connolly (Parent) - 2nd attempt; Not available

8. Tracey Heimlich (Parent of anonymous email) - supported vaccines; husband also spoke in support of mandate and against ECR Board

9. Jill Connolly (Parent) - 3rd attempt; Not available

10. Piruz Parumyan (Parent) - Thanked Board for voting against vaccine mandate; stated LAUSD is going against the country and predicted LAUSD's vaccine mandate policy will be overturned;

11. Vardit Ozeri (Parent) - Not available

12. Sarah Cohen (Parent) - Thanked Board for hearing all parents last month; stated all parents had the opportunity to voice concerns; parents have choices to move kids to other schools.

13. Jill Connolly (Parent) - 4th attempt; Not available

14. Claudia V. (Parent) - referenced low school COVID-19 rates; stated that mandates are being blocked in courts; cited parents' rights to choose to vaccinate or not.

15. Email from Jill Connolly (Parent) - I don't understand why the Board voted against the vaccine mandate; urged the board to reconsider its vote.

16. Alpa Patel (Parent) - Opportunity number two; informed Pfizer has FDA approval.

17. Vanessa Cox (Parent) - Spoke in opposition to the vaccine mandate; wonders why some are attempting to overturn or challenge the Board's vote.

18. Jon Durbin (Parent) - Spoke in favor of a parent survey for vaccine mandate feedback.

19. Email comment Vardit Ozeri (Parent) - spoke against vaccine mandate and wonders why people are trying to revisit and challenge the vote the Board had cast.

20. Peruz Perumyan (Parent) - asked parents to be respectful and not shame other parents and to cite appropriate evidence and sources. Equality is the key.

21. Jessica Nordahl (Parent) - We followed vaccine mandate because that we had no other education options; now we feel that we have been pushed to vaccinate our daughter and I now feel guilty because of the side effects I feel that might happen to my daughter.

II. SCHOOL BUSINESS

A. Public Review of School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA)

Mr. Hussey provided a brief introduction of the SPSA item before introducing Administrative Director Minita Clark who provided a brief overview of the SPSA and who then introduced ECRCHS Mathematics Teacher Brian Wilson, and ECRCHS School Counselor, Lynsey Shano, who reviewed various aspects of and adjustments made to the SPSA ahead of the December Regular Board Meeting scheduled for next Thursday, December 16th, 2021.

Discussion highlights included the following:

Ms. Clark noted that this SPSA is predominantly the same as that of last year, with some changes, too, based on Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) formative assessment data that evidenced some areas of decline and that informed the writing of newly proposed Goals 1 and 2 as well as strategies for how to meet the goals. Highlights of this discussion included:

* SPSA Goals 1 and 2 focus on increasing learning opportunities for all students and closing achievement GAPS. Scores indicated are specific to MAP (Measures of Academic Progress).

* Most recent MAP scores August/September 2021 show a 10-20 point RIT decline with regard to subgroups. Learning loss for African American students was the highest of all subgroups.

* Our expectation for all subgroups is a combined increase of 5-10 RIT points for the 21-22 winter and spring administrations.

* Further discussion of MAP revealed that the Math Dept. currently uses MAP data to instruction. Data-driven instruction is a goal for all departments.

Ms. Clark then introduced Ms. Shano, School Counselor, and Mr. Wilson, Math Department Chairperson, to present proposed goals and strategies, with changes as follows:

Mr. Wilson, Math Dept. Chair, presented Goal 1 (Math) and Goal 2 (ELA) Changes:

* provide formative assessments, providing additional professional development; purchasing

classroom materials to support teaching of common core (CA Standards in Math); Purchase of textbooks; Creating tutoring opportunities.

* Mr. Wilson noted that Goal 1 and Goal 2 have budgets of $375,711.00, respectively.

* Mr. Wilson then solicited questions, and there were none.

Ms. Shano, School Counselor then presented Goal 3 (Developing Partnerships with Parent Community) Strategies and Changes:

* Develop a Parent Advisory Committee with a representative who comes to the School Site Council Meetings

* ELAC Coordinator who also interfaces with parents and SSC, etc.

* Increase in communications and outreach to support at-risk students (cited intentionality)

* Increasing communications and outreach to parents

* Ms. Shano then solicited questions, and there were none.

Ms. Shano, School Counselor then presented Goal 4 (Professional Development) Strategies and Changes:

* Implemented the Professional Learning Communities (PLC) model (meet once per week to meet in collaborative teams to review data, curriculum maps, plan lessons, discuss student progress and performance, academic and other interventions, etc.).

* Prof. Dev. Advisory Committee (PDAC) to be added (meet once per month to discuss types of professional development offerings based on student needs

* Psychiatric Social Workers (PSWs) investments to address students' social-emotional needs

* Ms. Shano then solicited questions, and there were none.

Ms. Shano, School Counselor then presented Goal 5 (Provide Targeted Student Support to Counter Learning Loss) Strategies and Changes:

* Implemented a study skills class ( academic and social-emotional - 6-7 sections of this class)

* morning tutor hours added

* additional support in classrooms

* increased PSW and Counselor support for students (academic and social-emotional needs)

* Ms. Shano then solicited questions. Board Member Kofahl asked the presenters to consider slowing down the speed with which the information had been presented due to the number of acronyms included and due to the fact that Board Members do not deal with the information on a day to day basis.

*Mr. Hussey invited questions ahead of next week's vote on the SPSA.

B. Public Review of Educator Effectiveness Block Grant (EEBG)

Mr. Hussey provided a brief introduction of the EEBG item before introducing Administrative Director Minita Clark who provided a brief overview of the EEBG and who then introduced ECRCHS Mathematics Teacher Brian Wilson, and ECRCHS School Counselor, Lynsey Shano, who reviewed various aspects of and adjustments made to the EEBG ahead of the December Regular Board Meeting scheduled for next Thursday, December 16th, 2021.

Discussion highlights included the following:

Ms. Clark shared the changes, as follows:

1. Strategies to include inclusive practices: PD for special education paraprofessionals on Non-violent crisis intervention; $20K to support this effort.

2. Language changes in Goal 1 - no budget or dollar amount changes.

Ms. Clark solicited questions, comments, and feedback, now, and ahead of the next week's board meeting at which the item will be voted on.

Board Member Daniela Lopez-Vargas suggested that it would be helpful to break up the expenditures per year, to which Ms. Clark agreed to add to her notes.

Mr. Hussey invited questions and comments ahead of next week's board meeting vote on the matter.

III. Closing Items

A. Adjourn Meeting

Steven Kofahl made a motion to Adjourn the Special Board Meeting.

Danielle Malconian seconded the motion.

Motion Passed to adjourn the meeting by unanimous voice vote.

The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 5:29 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,

Kurt Lowry