Noah led the Pledge of Allegiance.

The Board Chair acknowledged and thanked the exceptional efforts of students Noah Temple and Mauricio in maintaining the campus. Noting their initiative after school hours, the Chair commended their dedication to keeping the campus clean by collecting trash. Their pride in their school and selfless contributions to their community were celebrated as exemplary.

He also expressed heartfelt gratitude to Ms. Ilyas for her three years of dedicated service to the school. Acknowledging her upcoming departure to lead her own school, the Chair highlighted the bittersweet nature of the transition, describing it as the school's loss but someone else's gain. He extended sincere thanks and warm wishes for her future endeavours.

 

Mr. Hussey gave an update

Mr. Hussey extended warm Thanksgiving wishes and encouraged everyone to stay safe during the holiday season. He recognized the Black Student Union for their impactful annual food drive, which contributed over four truckloads of food to the Canoga Park Family Rescue Center, thanks to the generosity of students and staff.

Upcoming events include performances of The Crucible by the theatre department, scheduled for tonight at 7 p.m., tomorrow at 7 p.m., and two Saturday showings at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Everyone is encouraged to attend.

He also highlighted the achievements of several school teams:

• The marching band will compete in the Division II finals on Saturday.
• The girls' football team, in their first year, has reached the championship, with a match scheduled at 2:30 p.m. at Crenshaw High School.
• The tennis doubles team made history by winning the CIF Championship, a first for El Camino’s girls' team.
• The girls' cross-country team is advancing to the finals this Saturday.
  While the football and volleyball teams ended their seasons with commendable efforts, their contributions were applauded.

The Charter School Division conducted an oversight visit today, with initial feedback being positive, and a favorable report is anticipated.

Academically, the second round of MAP testing is scheduled from December 2nd to 6th, with results to be shared in January. Finals will take place from December 18th to 20th, marking the end of the semester, with the spring term beginning January 14th, 2025, and graduation set for June 6th, 2025.

Finally, Mr. Hussey shared insights from a recent meeting with the Royal Families - parent group, attended by Dr. Clark, Mr. Camp and himself. The collaboration is expected to bring positive changes, reflecting a shared commitment to enhancing the school community.

Mr. Wood provided the update highlighting the following:

Charter School Division Visit: In preparation for the visit from the Charter School Division, the team, including HR and payroll, efficiently managed numerous financial requests. Interviews and financial data reviews conducted during the visit showed promising results, reflecting well on the school’s operations.
Financial Reports: Final preparations are underway for the first interim financial report, which is due to the state by December 15. Work is also progressing on the 2023-2024 audit, with both submissions on track to meet the December 15 deadline.
Franchise Tax Board Status: The school is addressing a flagged status with the Franchise Tax Board caused by missing records from 2018. The necessary documents have been submitted, and a resolution is expected within two weeks, likely restoring the school’s good standing.
 

There were no updates

There was nothing to report

With the approval, salary increases or new rates for employees, will be processed in December. The regular payroll will be run on December 13th, followed by a special payroll before Christmas. Retroactive pay for the period from July through November will also be processed, ensuring that employees receive these funds before Christmas.

 

Mr. Solkovits expressed concerns regarding the structural issue of equal percentage pay raises across all employee levels. While acknowledging the hard work of employees and their deserving of raises, he argued that applying the same percentage increase to both the highest-paid and lowest-paid employees leads to widening disparities, a principle he finds flawed. As a result, he stated he would vote NO on the matter.

 

Mr. Wright responded, clarifying that the approach Mr. Solkovits disagrees with is consistent with practices established by other unions, such as UTLA, which have been in place for years. He emphasized that this system has been agreed upon by the unions, and they have had the opportunity to challenge it without doing so. Mr. Wright suggested that while individual Boards could apply changes, it was important to move forward with approving the raises at this time to ensure fair compensation for employees. As such, he stated he would vote YES.

Mr. Solkovits reiterated his decision to vote NO, citing concerns about growing disparities in compensation between classroom teachers and out-of-classroom individuals. While acknowledging Mr. Hussey’s hard work, he argued that each time equal percentage raises are applied across the board, the gap widens, reflecting a systemic issue in education. He urged the board to consider breaking from this standard practice to address the disparity, stating, “This board could do something unusual in the world of education.”

Mr. Kofahl offered a contrasting perspective, emphasizing the role of supply and demand in determining compensation. He noted that to attract and retain high-performing individuals, whether teachers or executive directors, the institution must offer competitive pay, benefits, and work environments. He stated that rewarding valuable employees is needed for retaining top talent, suggesting that compensation reflects the realities of the job market.

Prior to the vote, Jason Camp, Administrative Director, presented the RFP Bid award for the Campus Security Services.

After the unexpected departure of the previous security provider, who exited the school security sector on October 20th, a rapid response was necessary. In collaboration with Mr. Hussey and Mr. Guinto, a Request for Proposals (RFP) was prepared, resulting in bids from 6-7 companies. After thorough vetting and review by the finance and investment committee, ALLIED Security Company was selected.

ALLIED stood out not only for their competitive pricing but also because they were the only bidder offering the specific services required for our campus environment. Other companies either lacked school experience or focused solely on nighttime security for larger facilities. The contract with ALLIED includes 10 security officers and 1 manager to oversee operations.

Concerns about campus security gaps were raised during the discussion. Mr. Wright noted issues such as students occupying security desks, running in hallways, and open gates after 4:30 p.m., highlighting the current vulnerability. The expectation is that the new security team will address these challenges and restore a secure environment.

Prior to the vote, David Hussey, Executive Director, presented the California College Guidance Initiative Agreement and answered questions.
The California College Guidance Initiative (CCGI) aims to enhance college and career readiness for our students. Through CaliforniaColleges.edu, this partnership will provide essential planning tools for students to map out their futures beyond high school. The platform supports eligibility planning, particularly for CSU and UC, and integrates seamlessly with the dashboard developed by the counselors and staff.
 

Prior to the vote, Vania Rodriguez, Director of Human Resources, presented the following VAPA Assistant Positions and answered questions: 

VAPA Assistant (Woodwind Coach)

VAPA Assistant (Percussion Coach)

VAPA Assistant (BRass Coach)

The positions are part-time, with work hours capped at 30 hours per week. Any additional hours beyond this limit will require pre-approval. These roles have been included in the budget approved in September and will remain in place until Prop 28 funds are exhausted. This allocation represents only a percentage of the fund as stipulated in the guidelines.

1. Greg Wood, CBO presented the Financial Update for October 2024 and answered questions.

At the end of October, due to market fluctuations, the OPEB account stood at $31.7 million and the General investment account at $7.8 million. Since then, market improvements, influenced by the elections, have increased the OPEB account by $300,000 and the General account by $100,000.

After accounting for retiree payments, overall changes remain moderate, with an approximate 3% fluctuation.

During the last finance committee meeting, the investment advisor, Beacon Pointe, presented a 35-page report. Bill from Beacon provided a detailed summary, confirming that all investments comply with guidelines.

1. Greg Wood, CBO presented the Financial Update for October 2024 and answered questions.

Enrollment:As of the end of Month 3, enrollment stands at 2,937 students, a decrease of 222 students compared to the previous year.

Average Daily Attendance (ADA): ADA is currently at 93.3%, which directly affects reimbursement levels. The budgeted ADA was 2,731, and the actual ADA recorded is 2,745, placing us 14 students above budget. However, attendance traditionally trends downward as the year progresses. The State finalises attendance-based reimbursement in Month 8.

Cafeteria:Despite lower enrollment, cafeteria use has increased. The number of meals served is up by 3%, with 40% of meals falling under free or reduced categories - the highest rate recorded to date.

Greg Wood, CBO and Arleta Ilyas, Director of Accounting and Finance discussed ECRCHS' Fiscal Policies and Procedures

It is standard practice to review fiscal policies and procedures annually to ensure they are current and meet best practices. Several areas for improvement have been identified and updated accordingly.

Travel Policy (Page 17): References to specific airlines were removed to promote flexibility and cost-efficiency. Language now allows for coach class, economy, lowest airfare, or promotional discounted tickets. To avoid layovers while travelling with students, a proposed edit could specify “lowest nonstop cost” instead of just “lowest cost.”

Meal Reimbursements (Page 19):  Updated to align with GSA per diem rates, which vary by city. There are plans to collaborate with HR to ensure employee acknowledgment of these updated policies.

Credit Card Policy (Page 22): Outdated vendor-specific cards have been addressed and phased out.

Title Updates (Page 23): References updated to reflect the current title, “Director of Human Resources” (formerly “Director of HR and Compliance”).

Annual Bid Limit (Page 29): Revised to reflect the new limit of $114,500.

Mr. Wood clarified that this is an open discussion for feedback. A finalized version of the document will be presented for a December vote. No formal vote is required at this stage.