June 10, 2020

Summary of the Board of Education Meeting on June 10, 2020

Virtual Meeting

The June 10, 2020 meeting of the Board of Education began with no announcements out of Closed Session.

Next, the Board of Education recognized Student Board Members Joshua Camarillo of Edison High School and Richard Romero of Fresno High School for serving on the Board of Education during the 2019/20 school year.

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

  • Asking parents to take the Parent Survey on Reopening of Schools. The deadline is June 11, 2020. We want to capture the most voices from our parent as feasible. Around 10,000 surveys have been completed and thanks to all of you for your input and help as we make decision about our next school year. To complete the survey in English, Spanish, or Hmong please head to Fresnounified.org and click the main slide that says Parent Survey.
  • Next, the Superintendent shared that we are currently working diligently on our plans to reopen schools in August. We are taking into account the responses from our parents, sending out a staff survey very soon, having cross-functional teams working through options and increased health and safety measures, and there is constant conversations amongst district leadership and our Board of Education. We will finalize input from parents and staff over the next week and are planning to come to the Board next week with our recommendations for school reopening and the return of our sport programs.
  • Superintendent Nelson stated that Summer Academies started on Tuesday, June 9th and on Monday, June 15th our Summer Camps begin. Thank you everyone who has worked so hard to transform our summer learning options to provide as much access and support to our families as possible this summer.  Summer Camps are available to ANYONE and you can find more information on the options for your students at Fresnounified.org by clicking on the main slide that says Virtual Summer Camps. No registration is required, and you will be able to access the virtual Summer Camp content through that same webpage starting on Monday, June 15th.
  • Superintendent thanked all our retirees this year. Your service has been integral to our district’s progress and it is tough to see you go. We are mourning that we could not hold our annual retirement celebration, but we will be posting a recognition video for our retires very soon on our website and social media. Thank you again for your service and I wish you nothing but the best in your next chapter.
  • Superintendent Nelson shared that with nearly 60,000 laptops, tablets, and hotspots now at home with our students, a new Family Technology Support Center is available to support families with their district-issued technology. The support center helps with the use of student services, the ATLAS Parent Portal, password resets, device replacements, and related student technology questions. Families can also replace a lost, stolen, or broken device by contacting the center and making an appointment to replace the device. The center provides support through both phone and email. Support is available in English, Spanish, and Hmong, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, including summer. Families can reach the Family Technology Support Center by calling 559-457-3939.
  • Next, Superintendent shared that this year’s COVID-19 version of Innovation Day – Innovation Day @ Home – was completed just last week. This year students were challenged to create a Sphere Run using household items. For 5th grade: Marcus Laura from Williams took home first place, Madeline Spencer from Manchester GATE took second, and Melissa Estrada and Kasley Huitron from Anthony both tied for third place. For 6th grade; Annahbella Thao from Balderas took first place, Ashley Guerra also from Balderas took second place and Diana Rodriguez from Calwa came in 3rd place. Innovation Day is supported by the College and Career Readiness Department, in partnership with the Lyles Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Fresno State. 
  • Superintendent share that Fresno Unified eSports League just completed its season last week. Sunnyside High School won the Fresno Unified eSports League Tournament – COVID-19 Edition. More than 100 students competed over three days in virtual five-member teams. Edison High School placed second and Design Science Middle College High School placed third. Congratulations to Sunnyside, Edison, and Design Science and thank you to all of the students and staff who participated.
  • Last, Superintendent Nelson spoke to an issue our community has been grappling with — the issue of police on our school campuses. We have heard our community and have had tough conversations internally as well. I will tell you that I don’t believe that either eliminating our contracts with police OR continuing with business as usual is acceptable nor will it solve our problems. And yes, there are problems. We have looked at the data and it is clear that our black youth are disproportionately involved with our SNROs and SROs on campuses, which in turn disproportionately negatively affects our black youth. But this is not solely the responsibility or the fault of our police – we MUST take responsibility as a system that works in conjunction with the police on our campuses. When we look at the disproportionate disciplinary actions taken against our black youth, unfortunately it aligns with suspension and expulsion data. Getting rid of our police contracts – which allow police to be present and swiftly act to protect students and staff, secure our campuses during lockdowns, mitigate school threats, and much more – will not take those disproportionate outcomes away.

Instead, I believe as a system we need to lean into these incredibly difficult conversations and make system changes together with our teams, our police department, and our community organizations.  It is in collaboration that we can work towards better solutions and relationships rather than through division. We must collaborate to make lasting, long-term change on behalf of our students and families. Bisecting our relationship will not lead to lasting change and it is my job as your superintendent to push these conversations and systemic changes for and on behalf of our kids. Expect our upcoming proposals to include opportunities to work collectively and collaboratively with our teams, our police department and our communication as well as ensuring we gather more specific and frequent data regarding our police activity on campuses in order review, learn, and act together. This conversation will continue explicitly and intentionally in the long-term because we cannot walk by what must be fixed, and we cannot fix it alone. 

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

  • Approved Personnel List
  • Adopted Resolution, Order of Election, and Specifications of the Election Order for the November 03, 2020 Election
  • Approved Minutes from Prior Meetings
  • Approved the Special Education Annual Budget and Service Plans and Service Descriptions for 2020/21
  • Approved Agreement with Central Valley Regional Center, Inc.
  • Approved Learning Genie 5-year Agreement
  • Approved Amendment to the Agreement with Delta Health Systems
  • Approved Amendment to Agreements with Claremont Partners
  • Approved Renewal Agreement with Pinnacle Training Systems
  • Approved Award of Bid 20-37, Edison High School Athletic Track Replacement
  • Approved Award of Bid 20-39 Sections A and B, Hydration Stations for Elementary Schools Multipurpose Rooms: Anthony, Ayer, Bakman, Balderas, Calwa, Centennial, Dailey, Edison-Bethune, Ericson, Ewing, Forkner, Greenberg, Heaton, Hidalgo, Homan, Kirk, Lane, Leavenworth, Lincoln, Lowell, Mayfair, McCardle, Muir, Olmos, Pyle, Robinson, Storey, Thomas, Turner, Vang Pao, Vinland, Webster, Williams and Winchell
  • Approved Award of Bid 20-42 Sections A – E, Exterior Painting for: Anthony, Balderas, Hidalgo, Homan, King, Leavenworth and Winchell Elementary Schools; Ahwahnee and Scandinavian Middle Schools; and Buildings at the Ventura and 10th Site
  • Award of Bid 20-48, Computech Middle School Parking Lot Improvements and Modular Classroom Infrastructure
  • Approved Award of Bid 20-49, Juan Felipe Herrera New Elementary School
  • Approved Award of Bid 20-52, Fresh Juice and Dairy Products
  • Approved Award of Bid 20-54 Sections A and B, Modular Classroom Infrastructure for Ayer, Jackson, Lawless, Lincoln, Malloch Elementary Schools and Sunnyside High School
  • Approved Award of Bid 20-55, Modular Classroom Infrastructure for Centennial, Eaton and Pyle Elementary Schools
  • Approved Award of Request for Qualifications 20-13, Architectural/Engineering Services, and Request for Qualifications 20-14, Professional Services – Construction Related Consultants
  • Denied Claim GL20-0128-4726
  • Denied Claim GL19-1101-4892
  • Ratified Amendment No. 5 to the Agreement with Delta Health Systems
  • Ratified Amendment No. 3 to the Agreement with Envision Pharmaceutical Services, LLC
  • Ratified Independent Contractor Services Agreement with The Foundation FCOE, Inc.
  • Ratified Independent Contractor Services Agreement with Lightbox Collaborative, LLC
  • Ratified Independent Contractor Services Agreement with PPL Studio, LLC
  • Ratified Independent Contractor Services Agreement with The Lustig Group
  • Ratified the 2020/21 Grant Applications to the Fansler Foundation
  • Ratified Grant Application to California Department of Education 2019 Inclusive Early Education and Expansion Program Grant and Acceptance of Grant Award
  • Ratified Change Orders for the Projects Listed Below
  • Bid 19-51 Sections B and C, Mechanical Improvements for Malloch Elementary School and Tehipite Middle School
  • Bid 20-10, Cambridge High School Student Services & Administration Office Improvements
  • Ratified the Filing of Notices of Completion
  • Bid 19-20 Section A, Multipurpose Room Improvements for Roeding Elementary School and Cooper Middle School
  • Bid 20-02, McLane and Roosevelt High Schools Ballfield Scoreboard Installation (Board member Jonasson- Rosas abstain pursuant Board Bylaw 9270)

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

  • Discussed and adopted Fresno Unified School District’s 2020/21 Proposed Budget, Education Protection Account and ADOPT the COVID-19 Operations Written Report Presented and Discussed the State’s May Revised Budget Proposal 
  • Discussed and approved the 2020/21 School Plans for Student Achievement
  • Public Hearing for Resolution 19-41 Authorizing the Increase of Level I School Facility (Development) Fees on Residential and Commercial/Industrial Construction Projects (Pulled from agenda)
  • Discussed and provided direction on Board Member Requests​

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

  • Received Proposed Revisions for Board Policies
  • BP 1250 Visitors/Outsiders
  • BP 1312.3 Uniform Complaint Procedures (UCP)
  • BP 5141.52 Suicide Prevention • BP 5144.1 Suspension and Expulsion/Due Process (NEW) BP 6120 Multi-Tiered System of Support
  • (NEW) BP 6142.91 Reading/Language Arts Instruction
  • (NEW) BP 6157 Distance Learning​

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Education will be a teleconference meeting on Wednesday, June 17, 2020. Complete minutes and agendas are available online at https://go.fresnou.org/board

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