March 7, 2018

The March 7, 2018 meeting of the Board of Education began with the following announcements out of Closed Session:

  • Reported on non-reelection employees

Next, Sharhonda Mahan, a parent who has had a positive impact at Williams Elementary School, led the Pledge of Allegiance.

The Board of Education recognized North Yosemite League Unified Sports Soccer Co-Champions: Hoover High School and Sunnyside High School.

The Board of Education recognized Mr. John Lawson for his contributions to the Fresno community.

Student Spencer Jarocki from Bullard High School provided a report to the board.  At the SAB meeting, students discussed the potential for a student walkout but decided the most effective plan of action was to encourage students to work with site leaders to create on-campus student voice opportunities. Spencer thanked the district for recent new construction on Bullard’s campus and for providing buses for the Bullard Basketball Valley Game.  He also shared recent news from Bullard High School including approximately 500 students turning out for the annual Sadie Hawkins Dance, a successful blood drive and a new outlet to provide student voice on campus called a “TOWN HALL” discussion. Seniors are excited to be receiving decisions from colleges and are thankful for counselors for pushing them to succeed.  Currently, Bullard has 68 potential valedictorians.  Also, students from Baird Middle School shared with the board the extracurricular activities they are involved in and what they love about their school.

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

  • Recognizing National School Social Work Week (March 5-9).  The district appreciates all of our school social workers who make an impact on students, families and staff every day. School social workers enhance our district’s ability to meet our academic mission, especially where home, school and community collaboration is key to achieving student a success.  School social workers treat the whole child.  This year’s theme for School Social Work Week is “United to Make a Better World” and every day in our schools, Fresno Unified social workers make a better world for our students, their families and staff.  They are vital, valuable and visible on our campuses.
  • Recognizing Kings Canyon Middle School landscape students who swept the top three awards in the high school division at the 9th annual Mini Landscape Competition at the Fresno Home and Garden Show.
  • Recognizing Bullard Knights basketball team who gave it their all this past weekend in the Central Section Division I Boys Basketball Championship at Selland Arena.  Nelson says he enjoyed watching the game and the team played like champions.
  • Recognizing Unified Sports League teams for giving students in special education an opportunity to play sports alongside students in general education in a competitive environment.   Soccer teams from Roosevelt, Fresno High, Hoover and McLane all had an opportunity to play against one another.  As we prepare to kick off the Unified Sports League for basketball one week from today, Nelson then shared a short video on Unified Sports.
  • Commending the district’s Transportation team, headed by Reggie Ruben, for safely transporting all sixth grade students at Muir Elementary School home from Calvin Crest during last week’s extreme weather and snowy road conditions.  Our bus drivers also took charge and shuttled Madera Unified students who were stranded to meet their buses in Oakhurst.  Thank you for your professionalism and putting students first!
  • The Communications team has been hard at work sharing success stories of students and staff in our district.  We recently launched a new video series called “Faces of Fresno Unified.”  Every Monday, the weekly series highlights one of our many dedicated employees and the work they do on behalf of our 74,000 students.  You can find the videos on our district website and social media pages.  This past weekend, Fresno Unified’s Building Futuresnewspaper won an Award of Merit for Excellence in Communications from the California School Public Relations Association or CalSPRA.  Building Futuresis published 11 times per year and distributed to 155,000 residences and businesses in Fresno.  Thank you to Anne Ellis, Community Relations Officer who facilitates and writes a majority of the stories you see in Building Futures.
  • Thanking Joel Baum from Gender Spectrum for facilitating workshops at the Education Center on the Foundations of Gender Inclusive Schools.  The workshops were designed to establish a basic understanding of gender diversity, approaches to apply to professional practice in schools, basic gender concepts and terminology as well as provide resources and tools for working with students, parents and colleagues.
  • Encouraging all district employees and community members interested in becoming a teacher to attend the Aspiring Teacher Expo on Tuesday, March 20 at McLane High School.  Find out about the district’s teacher pipeline programs and opportunities to connect with university representatives.  Registration is available at www.fresnounified.org.

The Board of Education took the following actions on the below consent agenda items:

  • Approved personnel list
  • Adopted findings of fact and recommendations of the District Administrative Board
  • Approved minutes from the November 15, 2017 regular meeting
  • Approved the proposed Board of Education meeting dates for the 2018/19 and the 2019/20 school years
  • Approved the independent contractor services agreement with Fortson Consulting, LLC
  • Approved agreement with Wonder Valley Ranch (River Way Outdoor Education)
  • Approved addendum to independent contractor services agreement and new independent contractor services agreement with California Teaching Fellows Foundation
  • Approved award of Bid E21001, Point to Point Connection for load-balanced FCOE Internet Connection
  • Approved award of RFP E21002, Network Equipment and Optics for Internal Network Connections
  • Approved adoption of Resolution HR 17-40 Food Service Operator – Education Center Position, Job Description, Designation as Classified, Non-Exempt
  • Approved submission of grant applications to the California Department of Education Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Grant Program
  • Approved award of Bid 18-16, Kings Canyon Middle School Underground Water Piping Replacement
  • Approved award of Bid 18-20, Gaston Middle School Portable Classroom Relocation and Infrastructure.  Trustee Ashjian abstained pursuant to Board Bylaw 9270.
  • Ratified California State University, Fresno Foundation Sub-Award Agreement
  • Ratified amended agreement between Fresno Unified School District and State Center Community College District for Adult Education Consortium Staff Reimbursement of Costs
  • Ratified the CalEd Grant Application: Helping School Districts Address the Demand for Credentialed Teachers and Highly Qualified Administrators
  • Ratified Change Orders for the projects listed below (Trustee Ashjian abstained pursuant to Board Bylaw 9270):
    • Bid 17-27R, Section A-B, Edison and Roosevelt High Schools Tennis Courts Improvements Rebid
    • Bid 17-30, Design Science High School Portable Campus Addition
    • Bid 18-02, Adult Transition Program (ATP) Modernization Project
  • Ratified the Filing of Notices of Completion for the Following Projects (Trustee Ashjian abstained pursuant to Board Bylaw 9270):
    • Bid 16-31, Turner Elementary School New Classroom and Administration Buildings
    • Bid 17-24, Centennial, Del Mar, & Roeding Elementary Schools Chiller Replacements
    • Bid 17-30, Design Science High School Portable Campus Addition
    • Bid 17-39, 2017 Summer Portable Relocation and Infrastructure

Next, staff made presentations to the Board in the conference/discussion section of the agenda as follows:

  • Provided opportunity for Public Disclosure and ratified the 2017-2018 reopener Negotiated Collective Bargaining Agreement between Fresno Unified School District and California School Employees Association and its Fresno Chapter 143 Food Service
  • Provided opportunity for Public Disclosure and ratified the 2017-2018 reopener Negotiated Collective Bargaining Agreement between Fresno Unified School District and California School Employees Association and its Fresno Chapter 125 White Collar
  • Presented and discussed the 2018/19 Strategic Budget Development
  • Discussed and approved the 2017/18 Second Interim Financial Report with a Positive Certification

The Board of Education received no information or reports.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Education is Wednesday, March 21, 2018 at the Fresno Unified Education Center, located at 2309 Tulare St. in Fresno. Complete minutes and agendas are available online at https://go.fresnou.org/board.

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