No changes needed.

Stacey joined at 6:20pm

Olivia appreciated Anna related to the back to school evening
Loren appreciated Anna and Krishna related to the back to school evening, and the parents and teachers who attended!
Krisha appreciated Anna who helped all the parent host volunteers, and to all those host parent volunteers, too!
Davis thanks everyone! For all the work everyone is doing.
Jan appreciated Daniel and Krishna for the data at Academic Committee. And Daniel reciprocated.

Greg acknowledged the non-amended agenda that looked like it was amended. Just us working out the quirks of the new system, and no material changes were indeed made to the agenda -- the platform made that update when a public document was attached in the wrong place. There was no material change to tonight's agenda whatsoever.

Jan encouraged everyone who can to vote!

Loren commented about work with the FAC now happening to do further updates on the Discipline and Student Grading/Promotion and wanting those to come back on a future agenda.

No public comment on non-agendized items.

Krishna shared her Head of School report.

Upcoming and important dates, including conference week 11/16-11/20. Afternoon distance learning won't happen to support conferencing instead.

Daniel shared from the Hummingbird Classroom, sharing on behalf of Ms. Chelle (happy birthday!) about the great work she's seeing her Primary students completing. Daniel shared examples of anonymous student work from the TK/K classroom, and showcasing how teachers, students, and families are getting creative with home materials to approximate Montessori materials.

Krishna shared attendance and chronically absent data from a few days ago. 4-8th grade are having superb attendance above 98% and chronic absence below 4%; and younger kids who may have more trouble with distance learning, have slightly lower attendance and higher rates of chronic absence.

Daniel shared how this data is used with data from the social-emotional wellness screener to build individual plans around students and to partner with families.

Ongoing anti-bias anti-racist training with Rachelle Rodgers-Ard, focusing on policies at the school and their impact and what updates will be needed.

Hae-Sin arrived at 6:43pm.

Jan asked how staff are receiving and experience that ABAR training. Krishna shared that the training was something that staff asked for, that it's optional, and that it was well attended. More feedback coming after this four week process/cycle is completed.

Loren asked why it's not mandatory. Krishna responded that there is mandatory work around data analysis and supporting students equitably. This specific set of work is above and beyond the teachers' regular duties related to policies, and that folks have a lot going on. All staff are invited and encouraged to participate as they wish and are able.

Loren asked how the policies selected are chosen. Krishna shared that the folks who show up get to voice what policies are prioritized, and Admin is there to help shape the conversation too if needed. Will be on going for years, and will ultimately need to touch every policy. Daniel commented that the Middle School program is also reviewing our discipline policy.

Stacey left at 6:52pm.

Krishna shared the work to reopen safely in phases. Phase I is what we're in now -- all distance learning. Phase II changes with safe in-person learning for targeted students -- very small number of students. Phase III would be hybrid for younger students, and Phase IV would be hybrid for all students.

Reopening requires staff readiness, family readiness, facility readiness, and COVID-19 data requirements.

Stacey returned at 6:55pm

Lots of surveying to do, lots of facilities updates and operational readiness work still do.

Hae-Sin shared that all of the things to be figured out, have to be solved for each phase.

Greg commented that it's a lot of work to get all of this done safely, and requires listening to staff, to families, and to professionals who can upgrade the facility.

Amy (Parent) asked if there was something families could to help with attendance for younger students. Krishna responded that now with opening school year data, work can be done with teachers to support individual families.

Jan invited Amy to the Academic Committee meetings.

No other public comment.

 

Stacey shared this month's finance committee report.

Operating income now over $230k in the forecast, and cash stays positive all year.

Greg commented that new expenses related to reopening are not yet in the forecast, so it will decrease as we invest.

Stacey shared how it's one-time dollars that are putting us over this year, and our goal remains to be operating our core program on publicly-recurring revenue.

Stacey shared that our Measure G1 Audit showed no findings.

Hae-Sin asked HVAC improvements, and Krishna responded that those are exactly the expenses that are not yet in the forecast. Hae-Sin shared more about how high tech filters may work to attack the virus.

Davis shared that the school is in financial position to do the work to do these upgrades. Asked about a second bid on the work. Hae-Sin also shared that it's important to have baseline strong HVACs that these solutions then layer onto. Also about student checks, and monitoring students, and the potential for need for new hiring to support new operations.

Greg commented on the importance of spending designated dollars to make the campus safe.

Krishna commented about the success of the Readathon! Made our goal of $25,000 and kids read so much!

Greg shared about work to apply for grants to meet our grants fundraising goal.

No public comment.

Hae-Sin shared about the committee looking at a lot of data, and appreciated Daniel and Jan for bringing it. Invited Measure Education as we consider getting more data analysis support. Engagement is lowest right now with youngest students -- not alarming, but high enough to inform reopening plans in terms of who might be prioritized.

Hae-Sin shared about focusing instructional resources for students who are furthest from standard, and ensuring we are tracking growth to support students. For example, students who qualify for Special Education have data to support the later decision to exit them or not, or a student who is a language learner has data that later informs whether or not they get redesignated. For African American students who may be lower performing, for example, there is not such exact designated data, so we do that work locally, and get students in need more direct instructional time.

The committee looked at fall NWEA assessment data. There is not currently an achievement gap in the percent of students meeting their target growth (fall to fall), but still need to help students meet accelerated growth targets to get all the way to standard. The committee asked Admin what other ways we could invest to help even more -- and Daniel shared that it's probably not more Zoom time.

Davis asked about the trends in attendance and that ours seem to have flipped with younger and lower students, and would that stay back in times of in-person learning. Krishna's not sure we have precedent to provide an answer. Jan commented about learning whose attendance has improved and what barriers may have been removed.

No public comment.

Olivia shared the FAC report this month.

Readathon: over 33% of students participated, and raised $25,000. Thank you readers, supporters, and organizers.

FAC nominations: just finished. Elections coming soon.

Learning Everywhere Community Event happened, and again, big thank you to Anna for leading! Hosted by teachers and community volunteers. Krishna and Daniel started, and used fun survey questions. Opportunity to hear from teachers, fellow parents, gather questions.

Olivia shared this year's focuses for the FAC.
1) facilitating communication between the community and the school (Communication Working Group)
2) supporting academic accountability and the reduction of the achievement/opportunity gap (Academic Working Group)
3) community members who join the Community Working Group will focus on bringing greater equity and inclusion to UMCS events and community meetings. 
Other areas of focus may emerge based on the priorities of the people who join the FAC.

Krishna and Greg shared appreciation.

No public comment.

Christina shared the committee report. Need to continue board recruitment. Christina asked about sending in Form 700s and Krishna shared to mail it to 4551 Steele Street or drop off to Krishna or Daniel if you reach out ahead of time. We remind Board members at every meeting to make sure that annual process is done.

Greg shared about the committee's work to put emergency contingency plans in place in case administration isn't available or gets sick -- just trying to plan for a future we do not want!

No public comment.

No changes needed. Tabled.

Hae-Sin encouraged everyone to go vote.

Hae-Sin shared about UMCS has been participating #OaklandUndivided to help families. Working with FIA to help get out the vote. Greg commented to go vote.

Christina shared that other schools are going up for renewal right now.

No public comment.

No specific new business items collected.

Davis motioned, Stacey seconded, and the Board voted unanimously to accept the Evaluation for the Head of School for 2019-2020.