Summary of the Board of Education Meeting on March 17, 2021
Virtual Meeting
The March 17, 2021 meeting of the Board of Education began with the following announcements out of Closed Session.
- The Board took action on two workers’ compensation claims.
- The Board appointed David Jansen, Executive Officer at Equity and Access to Executive Director at Information Technology Services.
Next, Sonny Sapien SAB representative from Hoover High School, shared that they are holding Senior Town Halls on the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month to keep seniors updated. The school will reveal their Valedictorian on April 8and the school administration is planning a virtual luncheon on April 30 for them. The week of March 22-26 the school will have their Fun in the Sun class competitions with weekday giveaways and a grand prize for the entire class winning at the end of the week. Sonny also shared that they are celebrating women’s history month by having Women’s History Month Wednesday activities every Wednesday at lunch on Instagram.
The School Student Ambassadors from Hamilton K-8 School also shared what they love about Hamilton K-8 School.
Next, Superintendent Nelson provided a brief report to the Board of Education, including:
- Superintendent Nelson started by sharing that our plan is to return to in-person instruction in the hybrid model in in the red tier on April 6 for our pre-k trough second graders, as well as grades 7, 9 and 12. On April 13, we will welcome back the rest of our grades. We are grateful to the 95 teachers throughout the district who are piloting instructing their students in-person and through distance learning at the same time. When we return to campuses. All our teachers will be employing simultaneous teaching.
- Next, the Superintendent also shared that last night at midnight, our Parent Selection Form process closed. This was our way of gauging whether families wanted their students to return to in-class instruction or continue with distance learning from home. I am pleased to say we heard from 58,276 of our students – 82 percent – who responded and shared their plans for April instruction and 39 percent who wish to remain in distance learning at home. We did not hear from 17 percent of our students. A special shoutout to Heather Allen, and our team from IT and Equity and Access. This is a complicated undertaking with lots of moving pieces behind the scenes to ensure siblings and students from shared households are kept in the same hybrid group district wide as well as class size leveling to ensure physical distancing. As always, keep checking fresnounified.org for ongoing updates. We will be communicating with text messages and phone messages to families. For parents who responded that their students will return in the hybrid model, know that by this time next week, you will be hearing for your school site regarding your child’s specific hybrid group and return to school plans.
- Superintendent Nelson shared that as part of our safe return, we are piloting random surveillance COVID-19 testing at the Hoover High School parking lot through a partnership with United Health Center. Thank you to the hundreds of district employees who have already participated, please watch this video to see the process.
- Superintendent shared with everyone that this has been the strangest of years for all of us, so there is no better feeling than when I can share great news about our students excelling, despite all that they have had to overcome in the past 12 months. Once again Sunnyside High School has multiple seniors named as Dell Scholars. This prestigious program awards $20,000 in scholarships, laptops and personal support to students who demonstrate a unique “GPA” of grit, potential, and ambition. Seven Sunnyside Wildcats have been named Dell Scholars. In addition, Sunnyside reports that 405 of 409 seniors who applied to Fresno State were accepted.
- Last, Superintendent Nelson took a couple of minutes to shared that we received 244 applications for the Fresno Unified Scholarships, which are supported by our employees and he community. We will notify winners during the week following spring break.
Next, the Board of Education took the following action on the below consent agenda items:
- Approved Personnel List
- Adopted Resolution Proclaiming April 2021 as “Remembrance of the Existence of the Armenian Genocide
- Adopted Resolution to Honor the Life of Activist Dolores Huerta
- Adopted Resolution Proclaiming April 2021 as School Library Month
- Approved Minutes from Prior Meetings
- Approved Property and Liability Insurance for 2021/22
- Approved Award of Bid 21-28, Sunnyside High School Boilers Replacement
- Approved Award of Bid 21-30, Leased Lit or Dark Fiber Point to Point Connection
- Approved Award of Bid 21-32, Hamilton and Wawona K-8 Schools Safety and Security Camera Improvements
- Approved Award of Bid 21-33, Multipurpose Room Audio/Visual System Upgrades at Various School Sites: Burroughs, Centennial and Sunset Elementary Schools; and Ahwahnee and Scandinavian Middle Schools
- Approved Award of Bid 21-34, Ventura and 10th South Campus Site and Tenant Improvements, Buildings C and D
- Approved Proposed Revisions for Board Policies
- BP 1340 Access to District Records
- BP 5131 Conduct
- BP 6145 Extracurricular and Cocurricular Activities
- BP 6146.1 High School Graduation Requirements/Standards of Proficiency
- Ratified Grant Application to the California Department of Education
- Ratified Grant Application to the 2021 Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
Next, the Board of Education discussed the below conference/discussion agenda items:
- Presented and Discussed the 2021/22 Strategic Budget Development
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Education will be Wednesday, April 07, 2021. Complete minutes and agendas are available online at board.fresnounified.org