Ms. Kristina Becht expressed enthusiasm for the Da Vinci Schools student members' joining the Board.

Ms. Morgan administered the oath of office to the following students:

• Christian Salinas (11th) Da Vinci Communications
• Daniela Torres (11th) Da Vinci Communications
• Makayla Wilson (11th) Da Vinci Communications
• Mathew Silver (8th) Da Vinci Connect
• Leilah Harper (11th) Da Vinci Design
• Victoria Jackson (11th) Da Vinci Design
• Tania Newman (11th) Da Vinci Design
• Noah Chan (10th) Da Vinci Science
• Carisma De Anda (11th) Da Vinci Science
• Emma Enriquez (10th) Da Vinci Science
• Chiamaka Offokansi (10th) Da Vinci Science

No discussion needed.

Mr. Boston welcomed all the student board members, thanked them for their participation, and hoped they would learn a lot from their experience.
Mr. Meath concurred with Mr. Boston's statement.
Dr. Webber welcomed the students.
Ms. Morgan also welcomed the students and invited them to reach out to the board members with any questions.  

Dr. Wunder commented that a letter will be released to staff and families communicating that Da Vinci Schools would remain in remote learning through the end of Spring Break.  He also shared that the staff is considering all factors and are prepared to be flexible and focused on what is best for students and the Da Vinci community.

He also asked the many presenters for the evening to keep to their allotted time.

Ms. Levenson shared a summary of Career Technical Education (CTE) grants.
CTE is a program of study with a multiyear sequence of courses that prepares students with knowledge and hands-on technical skills. Da Vinci has raised a total of $5.4MM in CTE funds since 2016 with the help of a team of staff and consultants.

Ms. Levenson presented the $1.19MM CTEFP grant for new construction.  The other grants are for reimbursement of already-constructed facilities.

Mr. Wallis, Mr. Andrew McGregor, Mr. Aaron Tostado, and students Miles Valdez, Winston Bird, and Abby Manalang presented the plans for the Outdoor Engineering Workshop/CTE Studio.  The CTE Studio consists of two spaces, the Hangar and the Workshop, on the 201 N. Douglas St. campus.  The outdoor space has been used by Civil Engineering & Architecture students to build Tiny Houses but is hampered by lack of storage and shared space with the dining commons. The Robotics team has outgrown indoor space.  The Mechanical Engineering pathway also needs space to support engineering clubs across all DV sites and the industry program which the robotics program provides.

Student Abby Manalang shared the Architecture pathway's CTE Studio design process. Mr. Brent Freeby, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Architecture professor, spoke about the CTE Studio's design and the need to meet the needs of all stakeholders.  He shared photos of a flexible, multi-use structure on the Cal Poly campus which could be a model for the Da Vinci space. 

Consultant and project manager Ms. Nora Roque spoke of the grant requirements for the CTE Studio, collaborating with Wiseburn, and providing evidence for the grant requirements on planning and bidding.

Consultant Jennifer Gibb spoke of the process, project, and funding timelines. Completion could occur in Fall 2022 with a very aggressive timeline beginning in January 2021. The funding timeline could be met even if construction is pushed to Summer 2023.

Mr. Amato spoke of the financial aspect of the project. The $1MM grant must be matched by Da Vinci Schools for a $2MM total project cost.  $350K in pre-work fees would be spent between 2/2021 and 3/2022.  The grant would be received between May and August 2022.  About $435K of the amount Da Vinci must provide could come from other Round 6 construction grants. In-kind and other discounts and allocated services can also reduce the expense to Da Vinci. Fundraising or reserves would cover the remaining amount. 

Dr. Wunder spoke of sharing the project with the Wiseburn District team, saying that the project will benefit the larger school community.

Consultants Jennifer Gibb and Rob Murray from King Consulting presented additional Facilities Funding opportunities. 

The State School Facility Program, Prop 51, is for new construction, modernization, minimum essential facilities, facility hardship, Career Technical Education Facility Program, and Charter School Facility Program (which funded a large part of the 201 building).

Potential other sources of funds are:

• New state bond for 2022 - AB 75,
• AB 841 School Energy Efficiency Stimulus Program (HVAC, plumbing, electric vehicle charging, etc.)
• On Bill Financing through PG&E - cost savings may be used for funding
• Joint-Use - potential use from outside community
• Federal Emergency Management Agency - due to the pandemic

Projects which could take advantage of those funding sources:

• Cooling towers at the 201 N. Douglas campus (total estimated project cost is $325K)
• HVAC project (estimated project cost of HVAC work is $150K)
• DAS Cell Phone/Emergency Response project (a safety issue that could qualify for facility hardship funding - estimated project cost is $300-600K)
• Soccer Field  (Potential for partnerships with professional athletics and other community organizations also exist. Total cost is estimated at $1.5MM)
• Kitchen/Servery/Coffee Bar/Grab & Go/Seating Area & Restrooms project ($1.4MM total estimated cost)
• CTE Studio (total cost is estimated to be $2.38MM, half grant, half Da Vinci match)
• Sandbox (estimated total cost is $2.4MM)
• Del Aire as a classroom-based program (could qualify for Modernization category funds - Wiseburn or Da Vinci could apply.  The total estimated cost is to be determined.)
• Del Aire Multi-Purpose Room project
• Short/Medium term school site or Connect project (total estimated cost is to be determined.)
• Outdoor Shade Structures for COVID-19 may apply for FEMA 75% reimbursement (but may have to pay a percentage back after the disaster is over. Actual cost to date is $65K.)
• Other projects without identified funding sources are the Skybox, bleachers, etc.

Dr. Wunder thanked Ms. Gibb and Mr. Murray, adding that he and the team would work with both Da Vinci and Wiseburn boards to determine which projects if any would be pursued.

Dr. Wunder introduced lobbyist Mr. Kevin Gordon, whose expertise in school funding makes him a valuable contributor to Da Vinci Schools' projects and programs.

Mr. Gordon spoke of the State's proposed deepest cuts to education funding in May 2020 due to the government's fear of pandemic-induced economic crisis, and the three main state revenue sources (personal income tax, sales tax, and corporate tax).  The State also delayed tax payments from April to June.  But because the taxes received in June were for the previous non-pandemic year, the amount of revenue has outstripped the State's very conservative poor revenue forecast.  The estimates were under-projected by $13B.  Current revenue is 9% higher than revenue of a year ago.

He spoke of a K-shaped recovery. Those at the top of the economy are gaining more, and they are the ones paying more in personal taxes, while those at the bottom are paying much less.  California taxes the wealthy a much higher rates than others. The hot stock market correlates with the higher-than-expected revenue.  Mr. Gordon described the State's summer announcement of deferred payments to schools, and how the State realized enough revenue to pay not only the deferrals but to have $4.2B in new funding.  He expects the Governor to retract the cuts in the estimated budget.  

The moratorium on enrollment growth may be rescinded.  The Governor may use one-time funding for targeted use such as addressing the opportunity loss for students who are falling behind.  Da Vinci has more diversity, and could fight for funding in that category.
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The state used a poverty index to determine school funding.  But California is chronically underfunded in terms of school funding compared to other states.  In Mr. Gordon's opinion, the state revenue this year is not new money but a reversal of deep cuts or borrowing from students that is now not necessary.  If the funding cuts hadn't been made, the state's schools would be where they were last year:  chronically underfunded compared to the national average.

Mr. Gordon's goal is to sharpen the focus on advocacy for Da Vinci Schools.  

Mr. Gordon shared that the California legislature operates in two-year cycles.  The new two-year session has just begun.  One of the very first bills introduced, AB 10, would mandate that on March 1, any county not in the purple tier would open for in-person instruction (full in-person, hybrid, small cohort, or elementary school waivers). However, nothing in the bill requires school employees to return to work or provides resources to help with safety. The Governor supports more local control; school districts want the Governor to lead so that schools are not caught between community desires to open and employee's reluctance to return.

Ms. Morgan thanked Mr. Gordon for his presentation and sharing his knowledge. Mr. Gordon commended Da Vinci Schools for providing a great model of what public charter schools should be.

Mr. Amato reviewed the consolidated balance sheet and profit & loss data for the year-to-date ending in October (the First Interim Financials), saying that everything is as expected. Even if the State's deferrals occur, Da Vinci would not have to borrow any funds.  There are no real overages:  $6.6MM in expenses and a net income of about $600K through October. 

The final $4.194MM surplus in the revised budget is slightly less than the $4.2MM that Mr. Amato had projected in the budget shared with the Board at the previous meeting.  This budget includes PPP funds, learning loss mitigation funds, and other grants and donations.  Expenses are reflective of salary increases and other spending that is expected through the rest of the year.

Multi-year projections for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 years are conservative; the totals reflect grants and known revenue.  Mr. Amato projects a $1.1MM surplus in 2021-22, and $500K 22-23.

Mr. Amato briefly spoke of the LCFF budget overview for parents which were presented at the School Site Council meetings, which recapped the schools' projections and LCFF spending.  They are a subset of the information presented to the board in the revised budget.

Mr. Bravo shared that Da Vinci Schools request to be placed in a different CIF league has been granted.  The larger league (26 schools, as opposed to the previous league's 8 schools) will provide more opportunities for Da Vinci athletes once sports are allowed to operate.  The start of the Fall sports has been postponed due to the COVID surge.  Boys' Volleyball may be pushed back to the Spring. The partnership with UCLA EXOS for conditioning will continue.  

Regarding technology, headsets have been distributed.  The IT team has supported staff and students extraordinarily well during the pandemic closure.

Canopies have been received for future use.  The indoor air quality program, with solutions for measuring, monitoring, and improving air quality across all Da Vinci sites, including RISE High, is continuing.

Closed session entered at 7:54 p.m.

The board reconvened for public session at 8:53 p.m.
Dr. Brann reported that no action was taken in closed session.