None

Dr. Jennings commented that she and Ms. Aurea Montes-Rodriguez had interviewed board candidates, but would like to modify the application and reopen it to capture other professional and personal perspectives in a new member, as the candidates thus far had very close ties to RISE High.  

Ms. Montes-Rodriguez added that the candidates were great, however she would like to see the geographic location of the new site represented on the board via targeted outreach in the area as well as demonstrated understanding of the RISE High student population.  She would also like to see included on the application an explanation of the relationship of Da Vinci RISE High to the Wiseburn Unified School District, since it is difficult to understand.

Dr. Jennings will ask for input from the board for other edits to the application, and will then work with Dr. Mary Ring to get the application re-posted. 

Ms. Morgan thanked Dr. Jennings and Ms. Montes-Rodriguez for their work on the process.
Dr. Ring commented that she will work on pushing out the application to the board.

Dr. Johnstone appreciated seeing everyone and wished them well.

Dr. Jennings thanked Ms. Montes-Rodriguez, Dr. Ring, Ms. Croft, and Ms. Wohlwerth for their assistance with the  board applicant process.

Dr. Wunder commented that at the last Da Vinci Schools Board meeting (not DVLAC), he spoke about freezing salaries for the 2020-21 school year in light of the pandemic-induced financial uncertainty, revisiting the issue as the situation changes.  

He went on to say that RISE High faces similar financial uncertainty.  The difference is that RISE High is supported in part by XQ Institute's grant.  Dr. Wunder recommends keeping the salary schedule the same for all staff; he apologized for getting ahead of the board and communicating the salary freeze to all staff, including those at RISE High.

Discussion on the topic ensued, with the following key outcomes.

• Dr. Ring will discuss the issue with LACOE to ensure there is no impact to/from the charter and bring the information back to the board.
• XQ funds are not restricted; however, Ms. Montes-Rodriguez would like to discuss with XQ potential use of grant funds to support staff if necessary
• Dr. Johnstone supported the salary freeze and shared his opinion that issuing stipends with one-time monies would be preferable than changing the salary schedule, which would require ongoing revenue.
• Dr. Wunder acknowledged that while the DVLAC Board is independent, the RISE staff is also part of the Da Vinci staff.  Potential morale issues should be considered if some Da Vincians were compensated differently from others, although there is no legal basis to require every staff be compensated the same.
• The need to issue letters of employment to staff precludes tabling the issue at this time.
• The financial team clarified that the topic could be revisited at the September board meeting, after enrollment settles and State tax revenue and budget are known. 
• Dr. Wunder cautioned that proper messaging would be critical.
• The Board members agreed that salaries would be frozen, and the topic could be revisited in the future after the summer data is in and the board can make a more fully informed decision..

Dr. Ring shared that she and Mr. Vicente Bravo had been attending weekly meetings with LACOE.  Dr. Debra Duardo, L.A. County Superintendent of Schools, has been working with a task force of superintendents on the Planning Framework for the 2020-21 school year.

Dr. Ring, Ms. Croft, Mr. Whalen, and Dr. Robertson will be meeting to plan.  With its independent study model, RISE High had a jump start, but the team will have to look at delivery systems and health and safety issues.  Social & emotional support systems, family engagement, and operations will be key in the planning work.  The framework provides helpful LEA planning templates.

Ms. Croft shared in her update that an additional 5-6 students have enrolled in the past month, and 10 more are in the process of enrolling for summer school.  Foster, homeless, and probation youth numbers are increasing.  A stable 25% of RISE High students have IEPs.  Referrals are continuing.  If approved, the new Culver City site would add about 50 more students.  

Holistic support continues in the pandemic.  Ms. Croft credited the work of the counseling staff, who have created additional virtual forums for students to receive support during the pandemic.

All seniors have benefited from personalized learning plans to help them complete the work needed to graduate. This has made a difference to students who may be struggling under the pandemic stay-at-home order.  Senior workshops covering Humanities, quarantine conversations, and documentary seminar have enjoyed increasing attendance.

13 students are on track to earn enough credits by June 5 to graduate, with 11 more in July after summer school.  June graduates will go to campus on June 8 to pick up senior supplies, and on June 11, they will go to campus at assigned times to pick up diplomas and take a senior portrait.  A virtual pre-recorded graduation celebration will be shared on June 12.

The LACOE oversight virtual visit will occur on Thursday, May 28, and LACOE's board will vote on the RISE High charter material revision on June 9.

Dr. Jennings inquired further about counseling.  Ms. Croft spoke of increased student stress during the pandemic due to housing instability, aging out of the foster system, and the latest news.  Dr. Jennings offered the board's support.

Ms. Montes-Rodriguez thanked Ms. Croft and the team for their excellent work.  She inquired about the summer school population; Ms. Croft explained that probation youth have to be in school as a condition of their probation, so the additional two weeks of summer school would be offered to all students.  Discussion of teacher workload with the extra two weeks of summer school ensued. Ms. Croft and her team have worked on balancing the load.

Dr. Johnstone feels that Ms. Croft's plan strikes a good balance, giving students the class time they require and the teachers the rest they need.

Ms. Morgan complimented the RISE team's work in ensuring success for the seniors and all RISE  students.

Mr. Bravo spoke of differentiating between cleaning and disinfecting, and being in the process of determining the number of dollars to be spent on technology and PPE.  A disinfection service will be hired for all sites.

Mr. Bravo thanked Mr. Jesse Corral, IT Director, and his team for getting RISE High students the technology they needed for their studies.

He has been working with Ms. Croft, Mr. Whalen and Dr. Robertson on end-of-year plans for seniors.

Dr. Ring added that when visits to New Earth are allowed, she can help tour the board members, saying that she and the school nurse, Dr. Emily Green, had visited the facility.

Ms. Montes-Rodriguez inquired about the status of APCH.  Dr. Ring had just met with Mr. Jonathan Zeichner regarding preparing for the 2020-21 school year.

Mr. Bravo added that staff have been working to ensure APCH's practices are aligned with RISE High's.

Ms. Morgan asked about a start date.  Mr. Bravo spoke of the complexity due to the different school districts, charter schools, private schools in Los Angeles and the various options each entity may employ.  Public health guidance did not give a date for possible reopening.

Mr. Scott Warner spoke of the April 2020 financials and the budgeting process.
RISE High had received 87% of the budgeted revenue to date.  Revenue is slightly ahead of schedule and expenses are slightly behind, resulting in a better position.

In giving the update on the budgeting process, Mr. Warner spoke of the P2 budget revisions being completed.  P2 ADA was used to update Revenues.  The RISE High principal was involved in evaluating expenses (some savings were achieved due to physically closure of the sites).  

Deferrals typically create a cash flow crunch, therefore RISE High's $1MM bank balance will help. The delay in tax revenues will result in a delay in budget certainty.  The budget must be approved by the Board and sent to LACOE on June 24, therefore it will be presented for approval at the June 17 meeting.  Mr. Warner will be working with Mr. Amato, Ms. Croft, and the financial team to prepare the budget; in light of the pandemic-induced uncertainty in enrollment and revenue.  As discussed earlier, budget revisions are a certainty in late August or early September.

The May Revise assumptions reveal decreases in LCFF funding, flat SPED funding, and probable depressed lottery revenue. 

Summer school cost was discussed.  Dr. Ring commented that the additional two-week summer school cost was worth keeping students in the game, and the expense would go into next year's budget.  She added that students with IEPs would benefit from summer school and so may not require later services, resulting in cost savings.  Ms. Croft added that the planned intersession was instead spent transitioning to distance learning, resulting in cost savings in teacher time.
 

Ms. Croft informed the Board that she will send out information on graduation.
Dr. Ring added that they will keep the Board members apprised of the results of the LACOE board's decision on the charter material revision.