Summary of the Board of Education Meeting on December 9, 2020
Virtual Meeting
The December 9, 2020 meeting of the Board of Education began with the following announcement out of Closed Session
- The Board promoted Michele Anderson, Vice Principal III to Principal V at Sunnyside High School
Next, Mia Ferguson, SAB representative from Bullard High School, shared that for academics, most schools are focusing on preparing for finals, and grade improvement strategies for their students. In campus culture reports, several schools are wrapping up the semester engaging students through dress-up weeks and highlighting human rights and holiday-based activities. Bullard had a successful canned food drive for the Poverello House, and their Virtual Spirit Week is taking place December 14 – 18.
The School Student Ambassadors from Tenaya Middle School also shared what they love about Tenaya Middle School.
Next, Superintendent Nelson provided a brief report to the Board of Education including:
- Superintendent Nelson started by appreciating our holiday season. Earlier this week our Cabinet team did an icebreaker where we shared some of our favorite pieces of the holiday season, and knowing how different this year is, we shared how we are working to stay connected with our colleagues. I also spent time with our Student Voice Collaborative earlier this week and our students shared the truly tough time they are currently experiencing and the incredible lack of connection they are feeling. I know this holiday season is very different, and safety is our top priority, but I hope that you all take some time to tweak you traditions, ask others about their traditions, and maybe try some new things this year to celebrate and deeply connect with your immediate family. Find ways to connect safely and find your bright spots of gratitude, no matter how dark things may look and feel at times.
- Next, the Superintendent reminded parents that Friday, December 11 is the last day for our elementary parents to have their voices heard through our survey regarding in-person schedule options when we reach the Orange tier as a county. This 2-minute survey is important to ensure your opinion is included as we plan for an eventual return to on-campus instruction.
- Superintendent Nelson shared that all second semester schedules are up on our website. Starting Tuesday, January 12 when our students return from their winter break, we will have more live instruction time with teachers, which we are hoping will lessen the independent workload outside of live instruction time. We have heard from our students, especially our secondary students, that the level of independent work they have been assigned has been quite overwhelming this first semester and we want to address that and support our students in this time.
- Superintendent Nelson then reminded everyone that the LCAP survey is on its way shortly. Our LCAP survey is your chance to weigh in on how we budget and allocate our resources to best serve our students, so keep an eye for SchoolMessengers and Rapid Alert texts, as well as our website and social media for more information on how you can take the survey and how you can get involved in our regional LCAP town halls coming in January and February.
- Superintendent reached out to everyone since the 39th Annual Fresno County Academic Decathlon needs 175 interview and speech judges for their virtual event this year. The event will be held on Saturday, January 30. Sign up by emailing Mike Jones at mike.jones@fresnounified.org.
- Superintendent Nelson reminded our community that the Southeast Asian Family Education Conference will be held virtually next Friday, December 18 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. We will have Renee Ya, Chief Operations Officer of Tiger Byte Studios, and Krysada “Binly” Phounsiri, professional dancer, poet, engineer, and photographer as our keynote speakers. We will have plenty of workshops available for our students and parents in Hmong, Lao, Punjabi and Kher. There will also be resources available, entertainment, and some great raffle prizes including a 50-inch TV, laptop and gift cards. You can register by heading to asianfamily.eventxtra.com or by calling Parent University at 559-457-3390.
- Superintendent also shared that this year we received more than 100 additional nominations for our Excellence in Education awards. You all want to highlight your colleagues going above and beyond more than ever and I am so grateful for that. Thank you for your engagement and we are looking forward to announcing finalists shortly.
- Next, Superintendent congratulated our Food Services team for being awarded a $100,000 grant from Albertson’s Companies Foundation which will allow us to purchase two new vans to help increase our meal delivery services to some of our students in highest need.
- Last, Superintendent Nelson thanked the DEI Praxis Collaborative for another great newsletter that they put out recently. One video they shared, has made its rounds through our district and I want to take a few minutes to share it and express my sincere and deep gratitude for our Fresno Unified Family and the incredible work you all have been doing on behalf of our students, families and communities through this pandemic. We love you. Here is the video.
Next, the Board of Education took the following action on the below consent agenda items:
- Approved Personnel List
- Approved Minutes from Prior Meeting
- Approved Wilderness Outdoor Leadership Foundation Agreement for Sixth Grade Virtual Camp
- Approved Independent Contractor Services Agreement with Amanda Nicolson, LLC
- Approved Independent Contractor Services Agreement with Imagine Learning
- Approved Use of Individual Piggyback Contracts
- Approved Revised Measure M Investment Priorities
- Denied Claim GL20-0924-5107
- Denied Claim GL20-0924-5133
- Ratified Independent Contractor Services Agreement with Collaborative Learning Solutions
- Ratified Grant Application to the California Department of Education – Special Education Alternative Dispute Resolution COVID-19 Grant
- Ratified Change Orders for the Projects Listed Below
- Bid 20-20, McLane High School Library Modernization
- Bid 20-42 Sections A and D, Exterior Painting at Balderas, Hidalgo and Winchell Elementary Schools and Ahwahnee Middle School
- Bid 20-46, Sections A and B, Vinland Elementary School Parking Lot Expansion and Site Access Improvements
- Bid 20-51, Addicott Elementary School Restroom Accessibility Improvements
- Ratified the Filing of Notices of Completion
- Bid 20-42 Section A and D, Exterior Painting at Balderas, Hidalgo and Winchell Elementary Schools and Ahwahnee Middle School
- Bid 20-53 Burroughs, King and Powers-Ginsburg Elementary Schools HVAC Replacement
- Ratified Purchase Orders from September 1, 2020 through September 30, 2020 – Primary Report
- Ratified Purchase Orders from September 1, 2020 through September 30, 2020 – Supplemental Report (Board member Jonasson- Rosas abstain pursuant Board Bylaw 9270)
Next, the Board of Education discussed the below conference/discussion agenda items:
- Public Hearing in the Matter of the Golden Charter Academy Charter Petition
- Discussed and Decided in the Matter of Changing the Fresno High Mascot
- Discussed and Approved the 2019/20 Audited Financial Statements Prepared by Crowe LLP
- Discussed and Approved the 2020/21 First Interim Financial Report and Approved the 2020/21 Budget Overview for Parents
- Discussed and Approved Call for Appointments to the California School Boards Associations’ Delegate Assembly
Finally, the Board of Education received the following Information and Reports:
- Received 2019/20 School Facility Fee Public Information Report
- Received Notice Regarding Appointment of Board Member Voting Representative and Alternate Voting Representative to the Fresno County Committee on School District Organization Elections
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Education will be a teleconference meeting on Wednesday, December 16, 2020. Complete minutes and agendas are available online at board.fresnounified.org