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Dr. Jennings wished everyone a happy holiday.

Dr. Wunder commented on the Del Aire campus facilities work being done in order to move the RISE High Hawthorne site from the 13500 Aviation Blvd. location. The move is slated to take place in the summer of 2020.

Dr. Johnstone requested a tour of the Del Aire campus. 

Dr. Wunder thanked Ms. Morgan for her work on both Da Vinci and Da Vinci Schools:  L.A. County boards.

Dr. Wunder mentioned the January 1, 2020 requirement to have videoconference capabilities at every site.

Dr. Mary Ring presented the Suicide Prevention Training Plan, saying that the Da Vinci Schools and Wiseburn Unified School District in partnership, had jointly applied for a $12,000 equipment and training grant to be a trainer of trainers on suicide prevention.  Los Angeles County has taken leadership with a broader grant to disseminate information.  This allows Da Vinci Schools and Wiseburn to become part of this training initiative.  Six staff members across RISE High and the Da Vinci K-12 have participated. 

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among teens and young adults across the country, showing an increase since 2007.  A more complex world, anxiety, mental health needs, social media, and other issues contribute to the increase in self harm, suicidal ideation, and suicide.  These rates of suicide are being studied by experts.  Training across the Da Vinci Schools organization is critical to support saving lives.  The RISE High team is well-trained in crisis and student post-trauma.

Da Vinci Schools is going to all stakeholder groups to bring information and awareness, link up agencies, and deliver training on the resources and treatment available to students, and providing a crisis team available to RISE, Da Vinci, and Wiseburn Unified School District.  If counselors at school sites see a need, they can reach out to the crisis team for support.

Guiding principles of the crisis team are:

• Treatment exists
• Suicide is preventable
• Everyone in the school plays a role in suicide prevention

Los Angeles County is the broader organization that supports Da Vinci in a high risk need.  Dr. Ring spoke of establishing policies and supports for families, and the probable increase in inter-agency collaboration over the next decade.  Schools are the natural place for early identification. 

A Da Vinci K-12 and Wiseburn community suicide prevention task force is providing training between now and April.  RISE High has already conducted a training to their staff.  Da Vinci Schools has created a task force to help disseminate prevention training to RISE APCH partners, South Bay Association of School Psychologists, Del Aire Homeowners Association, Holly Glen Homeowners Association, PTA/Wiseburn Education Foundation, Da Vinci Schools staff meetings, etc.

Dr. Jennings asked to be invited to a training.

Ms. Morgan asked about the role of students in suicide prevention.  Dr. Ring commented that while there is a peer training program, students may not have the skill set to manage a fellow student in crisis, however, they are great reporters.  The focus of the mental health team at Da Vinci RISE High, and counselor/Administration and school crisis teams is training of adults and families.

Ms. Montes Rodriguez asked if there was an increase in suicidal ideation.  Dr. Ring responded that there is an increase in severity of ideation and actual action on ideation in the last few years.  The counselors now meet regularly to discuss threat assessment, which had not been the case previously. The harm caused by cyber bullying, privacy issues, social media, etc. has contributed to the increase.

Each school has a dissemination plan for all groups of staff and governing boards.  

Ms. Croft was absent, but had provided a printout of a presentation, with the intention of updating everyone at the next meeting.

Dr. Ring mentioned that the Fall Intersession was attended by 58 students, a good turnout.  Intersession allows students to work on credits and to access services.  

Mr. Miles Denniston of Charter School Management Corporation (CSMC) gave a presentation on the First Interim Financial report, which is required by all schools to be submitted quarterly to the County.

The original budget from June, the Board-approved operating budget, the actuals to date, and the projected year totals, and the updated 2019-20 totals were presented.  The report is a way to make every school regularly update their budget.

The latest update shows a $148K surplus.  Local revenue increased between the June approved budget and the latest update.

Dr. Wunder asked about ADA.  Mr. Mayotte responded that attendance was being adjusted previously (August and September 2019), so he looked at it again, as well as historical figures and meal counts.  The conservative result was 140 students for ADA; 10 below the original budget.

Mr. Mayotte confirmed that about half of the requested XQ funds have been received so far.

Dr. Johnstone pointed out two revisions of the wording of the section on Automated External Defibrillators (page 2 of the policy; page 54 of the packet), where the word "Superintendent" should read "Chief Executive Officer."  The changes were noted prior to the vote.

Ms. Montes Rodriguez asked if law enforcement and DCFS are often on the RISE High campuses.  Students aged 18 or older are considered adults.  Dr. Ring said that often, law enforcement seeks to speak to students who may be witnesses to crime in the community.  This policy delineates students' rights, including that of having another adult in the room during questioning.  All school staff have been trained in these practices; the policy cements the practices already taking place.