Summary of the Board of Education Meeting on August 26, 2020

Virtual Meeting

The August 26, 2020 meeting of the Board of Education began with the following announcements out of Closed Session

  • The Board took action on two workers’ compensation claims

Next, Superintendent Nelson provided a brief report to the Board of Education including:

  • Superintendent started by congratulating Sunnyside High School for being named as a top school in the state for the Race to Submit campaign, sponsored by the California Student Aid Commission. For three consecutive years, Sunnyside has been among 24 high schools with the highest financial aid application completion rates in the state. The commission has certified that 86.24% of Sunnyside seniors completed the FAFSA or the CADAA.
  • Next, the Superintendent shared that Duncan Polytechnical High School physics teacher Bouakham Sriri-Perez was named the National Schools Physics Teacher Education Coalition (PhysTEC) Teacher of the Year. Throughout her 20-year career, Sriri- Perez has consistently made physics an accessible and exciting subject and has helped to build and grow the physics department at Duncan. In addition, Bouakham’s intentional recruitment efforts increased female enrollment in physics from 10% to 40%.
  • Superintendent Nelson congratulated Lisa Nichols and Tressa Overstreet for both being named one of the Marjaree Mason Center’s Top Ten Professional Women this year. These two women lead incredible work in our district and always have their hearts and minds tuned to what our students and families need the most.
  • Superintendent also congratulated our A4 Afterschool Reading Summer Program for another great year. Pivoting to a fully online model, the team served 329 students at 9 sites with100% of students completing their action plans, 92% of parents engaging, and 83% of students exceeding their reading goal.
  • Superintendent Nelson shared that 104 students participated in our Teacher Academy Summer Program where Juniors and Seniors helped support students and staff of our A4 Summer Program and our English Learner summer programs. This pipeline program starting in high school prepares the next generation of amazing teachers in our system. They are recruiting now for their 2020/21 Teacher Academy Saturday Program so make sure to get your online application in by August 31st if you’d like to participate. We are also currently recruiting for our 2020/21 Leadership Academy. Staff with administrative credential who haven’t stepped into formal leadership role are encouraged to join this cohort. The program will hold a virtual informational session on Monday, August 31 from 4:00-5:00 p.m. Please contact Melanie Koons in Leadership Development to RSVP.
  • Next, Superintendent reminded staff to make sure to complete the Cultural Competence Needs Assessment by September 11. Staff should have received an email from the Communications Office with a link to complete the survey. Your participation in the survey helps our DEI Praxis, which you heard about at our last board meeting, to plan learning opportunities that best speak to the needs of our district.
  • Superintendent stated that we still need help getting all of our 7th graders up to date with their required immunizations. We have made huge strides moving from 65% compliance to 86% compliance in the last couple of weeks, but that still means that 14% of our 7th graders need their immunizations. You can find a list of immunization clinics at our website and get those immunizations as soon as possible as they are still required to participate in online learning. 
  • Next Superintendent Nelson shared that we are still enrolling for our early learning programs including our dual immersion programs. If you’d like to have your child registered, you can enroll online at our website or call us at (559) 457- 3862.
  • Last, Superintendent Nelson shared a video highlighting our return to school that shows the great job teachers and students are doing. 

Next, the Board of Education took the following action on the below consent agenda items:

  • Approved Personnel List
  • Adopted Minutes from Prior Meeting
  • Adopted Variable Term Waiver
  • Adopted Variable Term Waiver for Bilingual, Cross-cultural, Language and Development Authorization
  • Adopted Variable Term Waiver for Career Technical Education Credential Holders
  • Approved 2020/21 Year Salary Schedules for All Employees Classifications and Prior Years 2012/13 through 2019/20 Certificated Nurses 200 Duty Day Salary Schedules
  • Approved 2020/21 Spring Release Consolidated Application to the California Department of Education
  • Approved Award of Bid 21-04, McLane High School Career Technical Education (CTE) Classroom Improvements
  • Approved Fresno County Cradle to Career Partnership
  • Approved the Naming of Edison High School Football Filed
  • Denied Claim GL20-0624-5037
  • Ratified Purchase Orders from June 1, 2020 through June 30, 2020 and Zero Dollar Contracts

Next, the Board of Education discussed the below conference/discussion agenda item:

  • Presented and Discussed Strategic Initiatives to Connect Students, Parents and Families During the 2020/21 School Year.

Finally, the Board of Education received the following Information and Reports:

  • Received Fresno Unified School District’s Fourth Quarterly Investment Report for Fiscal year 2019/20

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Education will be a teleconference meeting on Wednesday, September 09, 2020. Complete minutes and agendas are available online at board.fresnounified.org

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