San Ramon Valley Unified School District Board - Observer Report

San Ramon Valley Unified School District Board - Observer Report

School Board
Type: 
News
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Board Meeting 12/13/23

Meeting Summary:
  • This was an in-person regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting with all Board members present.
  • New Board President Laura Bratt presided.
  • This meeting was Brown Act compliant.
  • Reports to the Board Items included:
    • School Highlight of Rancho Romero Elementary School
    • Kindergarten - Grade 3 Report Card Changes
    • CCR College and Career Readiness Plan
  • Action Items/Public Hearings included: unanimous adoption of Committee Reports and unanimous adoption of staff recommendations.
  • Informational Items: Presented without opposition.
  • Consent Items: All consent items approved unanimously.

San Ramon Valley Unified School District - Meeting Information

Press Coverage: None noted

*Brief Observer Comments re: Public Statements: This 3 ¼-hour meeting included public comments to the Board. Community speakers included a PFLAG representative thanking the BOE for supporting all students and families, and a representative from AAUW DAW thanking the board for their thoughtful selection of books selected for inclusion in classroom curricula. Five community speakers elected to read sexual content from books they said are found in district high school libraries and to argue that “pornographic library books” should be removed, the BOE should be “ashamed”, and families with the financial means “should remove their children from the district”. The BOE does not and cannot respond to either compliments or criticisms made during the public comment for non-agenda Items portion of the agenda.  
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Board Meeting 11/14/23

by Laurinda Ochoa, LWVDV Observer       

Meeting Summary:
This was an in-person regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting with all Board members present. 
  • This meeting was Brown Act compliant.
  • Reports to the Board Items included:
    • School Highlight of Los Cerros Middle School
    • Strategic Direction: Deep Learning and Innovation (Including CAASPP)
    • Strategic Direction: Equity
    • Human Resources Department, Annual Update 
  • Action Items/Public Hearings included: unanimous adoption of Committee Reports and unanimous adoption of staff recommendations. 
  • Informational Items were presented without opposition. 
  • Consent Items: All consent items approved unanimously.

SRVUSD Board of Education Meeting 11-14-2023 (YouTube Video of public session)

Press Coverage: None noted

*Brief Observer Comments re: Public Statements: This 4 ½ hour meeting included Public Comments to the Board and Public Comments during the agendized reports to the Board on district strategic direction programs on “Equity” and “Deep Learning and Innovation”. The majority of comments from the community were supportive of the BOE and their Equity and Deep Learning programs. Several community members spoke as “persons of faith” representing “Interfaith of San Ramon Valley” to thank and support the BOE for programs supporting all children and all families. 

Resources
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Board Meeting 10/10/23

by Laurinda Ochoa, LWVDV Observer

Meeting Summary:
  • This was an in-person regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting with all Board members present. 
  • This meeting was Brown Act compliant.
  • Action Items/Public Hearings included: unanimous adoption of Committee Reports, revisions to specified Board Policies and Administrative Regulations. 
  • Reports to the Board Items included: School highlight of Dougherty Valley High School
  • Public Comment on Non-Agenda Item
    • Fourteen public speakers included students, teachers, parents and community members speaking in support of trans-gender students, against prejudice, and in support of the need to create a school culture of kindness and inclusivity for all students. Several speakers also addressed the BOE and spoke in support of a SRVHS Choir teacher who was the subject of a critical Facebook Chat comment that was picked up and appeared in local and national press reports criticizing the teacher and district. 
  • Consent Items:  With the exception of the approval of one school “textbook” for an AP English class, all consent items approved unanimously. (See *comment below.)

YouTube Video of public session of Board of Education Meeting

Press Coverage: None noted.

*Brief Observer Comment regarding Item 13.7, Consent to 11.5 under Action Items: Discussion of work of fiction “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow.”

District staff explained: the process used by SRVUSD when a book is proposed for classroom use, how district teachers approach sensitive topics raised in books, and how the BOE sets the policy for approving classroom materials. This discussion was triggered by the opposition of one BOE member to a work of fiction made available as an elective selection for a 12th grade class book club in an AP English course. The Board approved the use of the book in a 4-1 vote.

Brief General Observer Comment re: Public Statements:

The SRVUSD BOE meeting was held at the same date and time as the Sunol Glen Unified School District meeting. At the Sunol meeting, speakers opposing the display of a Gay Pride flag on school property appeared and spoke. The Sunol Glen USD affirmed their vote to prevent the display of any flags other than the state and federal flags. 

Some of the public speakers who have been attending and speaking critically of school board policies at SRVUSD over the past few years did not attend the SRVUSD meeting, but did attend the Sunol BOE meeting.

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Board Meeting 9/12/23

by Laurinda Ochoa, LWVDV Observer

Meeting Summary:
  • This was a 3 hour in-person regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting with all Board members present. 
  • This meeting was Brown Act compliant.
  • Reports to the Board included Resolutions for School Safety and Bullying Prevention.
  • Public Comment for Non-Agenda Items included both community members supporting district policies and others criticizing staff. 
  • Action Items/Public Hearings included: unanimous adoption of Committee Reports; Revisions to specified Board Policies and Administrative Regulations. 
  • Consent Items: All consent items approved unanimously.

Video of Public Session

Press Coverage: none seen 

Brief General Observer Comments regarding Public Statements:
Regularly appearing district critics were not in attendance at this Board meeting, but were appearing at the Sunol-Glen School District in Sunol where the BOE voted to no longer fly the Gay Pride Flag or any flag other than the US and CA state flags.
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Board Meeting 8/15/23

by Laurinda Ochoa, LWVDV Observer

Meeting Summary:
  • This was an in-person regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting with all Board members present.
  • This meeting was Brown Act compliant.
  • Action Items/ Public Hearings included: unanimous adoption of Committee Reports, revisions to specified Board Policies and Administrative Regulations.
  • Consent Items: All consent items approved unanimously.

YouTube Video of public session

Press Coverage: (Additional articles may be added later)
Brief Observer Comment:

This was a 4 ½ hour Board of Education meeting with public education supporters and anti-LGTBQ+ activists (including Moms for Liberty speakers) speaking during Agenda Item # 9.1 Public Comments for Non-Agenda Item and on Agenda Item 10.2 Consideration of Adoption of the 2023-2024 Annual Resolutions 1 - 26. The two Annual Resolutions that the anti-LGTBQ+ speakers opposed were Gay Pride Month and The Day of Silence. All 26 Resolutions were passed as one item by a unanimous vote of the Board.

This meeting was covered by both local print and television media outlets.
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Board Meeting 7/25/23

by Laurinda Ochoa, LWVDV Observer

Meeting Summary:
  • This was an in-person regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting with all Board members present.
  • This meeting was Brown Act compliant.
  • Procedural Agenda item included unanimous approval of agenda.
  • Reports to the Board Items included Superintendent’s report.
  • Action Items and Public Hearings included: unanimous adoption of reports and discussions on the annual approval of membership of committee on assignments, and a discussion of the current 2023/24 Board Member School Liaisons.
  • Consent Items: All consent items approved unanimously.

YouTube Video of public session

Press Coverage:   

I did not find any press coverage of this meeting.

Public Comments:

Two public members addressed the BOE. One claimed that children in California are being taught gender dysmorphia and are being forcibly sterilized. The second criticized a BOE member for politicizing the Board by supporting political policies the speaker disagreed with.

Observer Notes:
This was a brief SRVUSD BOE meeting with little public comment.
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Board Meeting 6/13/23

by Laurinda Ochoa, LWVDV Observer

Meeting Summary:
  • This was an in-person regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting with three of the five Board members present.
  • This meeting was Brown Act compliant.
  • Procedural Agenda items included: approval of agenda and previous board meeting minutes.
  • Action Items and Public Hearings included: unanimous adoption of Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) and the 2023-24 District Budget.
  • Consent Items: All items remaining on the consent calendar approved unanimously.

YouTube Video of public session     

Press Coverage:

There was no press coverage on this meeting.

Brief General Observer Comments re: Public Statements:
Three of the regularly appearing public members spoke to criticize SRVUSD for teaching children to be gay and for sexualizing children. A critic promoting his political website urged all parents to protect their children by removing their children from the school district.
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Board Meeting 5/16/23

by Laurinda Ochoa, LWVDV Observer

Meeting Summary:
  • This was an in-person regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting with all Board members present.
  • This meeting was Brown Act compliant.
  • Procedural Agenda items included unanimous approval of: prior meeting minutes, current meeting agenda, and all consent agenda items.
  • Action Items and Public Hearings included: unanimous adoption of committee reports, revisions to specified Board policies and administrative regulations.
  • Reports to the Board included school report on Walt Disney Elementary School, technology department update on security of systems used in classrooms by staff and students, Special Education Annual Report, student Board member’s report; and Superintendent’s report.
  • Resolutions included a presentation on LGBTQ+ Pride Month of June by the SRVUSD DEI Director. [Item 10.4]
Public Comments
  • One hour of public comments followed the presentation on Pride Month, with community members largely critical of LGTBQ+ positive messaging. Students, staff and family members supporting Pride Month thanked the BOE for supporting all students and all district families.
  • Critical comments focused on accusations that SRVUSD is exposing students to pornographic books, sexualizing elementary school children, committing child abuse by supporting trans students, and is violating of community members' religious and political beliefs by celebrating GayPride Month.

YouTube Video of public session

Press Coverage:

LWV Observer did not find any press coverage of this meeting.

Brief General Observer Comments re: Public Statements:
The community members who spoke in opposition to the District’s Pride Month appear and speak at every SRVUSD BOE meeting. Some of these members are open supporters of the national Moms 4 Liberty campaign to change public education and are actively recruiting members and local candidates for the 2024 BOE elections.
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Board Meeting 4/25/23

by Laurinda Ochoa, LWVDV Observer

Meeting Summary:
  • This was an in-person regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting with all Board members present.
  • This meeting was Brown Act compliant.
  • Procedural Agenda items included: Student Recognitions, Report of Closed Session Actions, Acceptance of Minutes, Agenda Approval and Consent Action, and Reports to the Board.
  • Action Items and Public Hearings included unanimous adoption of Committee Reports, Revisions to specified Board Policies and Administrative Regulations.
  • Reports to the Board Items included a School Highlight of San Ramon Valley High School, an overview of the SRVUSD “Strategic Direction: Shared Leadership” Program*, and District Resolutions for May honoring Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, Day of the Teacher, Classified School Employee Week and School Library Month.
  • Consent Items: All consent items approved unanimously.

Video of 4/25/23 Board Meeting

*Brief Observer Comment on Item 10.2 Report to the Board on Strategic Direction-Shared Leadership program: (found at 18:18 - 59:00 on video)

Three District high school students addressed the Board and offered suggestions on how the Board can do a better job combating discrimination (particularly anti-Semitism and racism) by creating more opportunities for students to be involved in discussions and decisions in high schools AND elementary and middle school grades. The students advocated for the need to create change within the community by involving students in the district because “discrimination is a learned behavior.”

Based on this discussion I believe there is an opportunity for LWVDV to engage with SRVUSD student leaders in the areas of voter registration and voter education, and the role of informed citizens in society. 

Brief General Observer Comments re: Public Statements:
  • There was one regularly-appearing non-parent member of the community who asked the BOE to remove five “Pornographic Books from the District’s high school libraries” or if the district did not, suggested parents remove their students from the public schools. (This speaker always shows a link to his private website.)
  • There was a group of three parents from an elementary school who spoke about their concern that elementary students should not be exposed to the fact of non-traditional families with same sex parents. They believe any mention of gender or LGTBQ terminology in elementary school is teaching inappropriate sexual topics to their children.
  • The student member of the BOE reported that she attended several formal district meetings of high school students where the students asked for more books in the high school libraries written by LGTBQ authors on LGTBQ topics. And that during these meetings students also were asking the district to incorporate facts about gender in their general education courses rather than as an isolated topic in health sciences or social studies.
  • At the conclusion of the meeting Dr. Malloy, the District Superintendent, summarized the positions of all speakers and repeated the district’s commitment to working openly with everyone to address issues of concern.
I included the above observations because it shows there are District students opposing the opinions of the more conservative public speakers who are consistently calling for the district to restrict discussion of racism, discrimination, sexuality and gender issues. These students were telling the Board that District students want to participate in the district’s discussion and decisions on these educational issues affecting them.
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Board Meeting 3/14/23

LVWDV Observer: Laurinda Ochoa

Meeting Summary:
  • This was an in-person regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting, with all Board members present.
  • This meeting was Brown Act compliant
  • Procedural Agenda items included: Student Recognitions; Report of Closed Session Actions; Acceptance of Minutes; Agenda Approval and Consent Action; and Reports to the Board.
  • Reports to the Board: Resolutions included Presentations on Day of Silence, Environmental Week, and Volunteer Appreciation Week. 
  • Action Items and Public Hearings included unanimous adoption of Committee Reports; Revisions to specified Board Policies and Administrative Regulations. 
  • Informational Items  and Consent Items All consent items approved unanimously.

YouTube Video of Public Board of Education Meeting

Comment on Agenda Item 10.3:
The majority of public comments during the BOE meeting focused on the district resolution acknowledging April 14, 2023 as the Day Of Silence, a national student initiated movement begun in 1996 to symbolically support LGTBQ+ students. 
  • Several members of the community from outside the district and some community members with no children presently in the district spoke against the Day of Silence. Other community members including current students, SRVUSD teachers and SRVUSD parents spoke in support of observing the Day of Silence.
  • Board members made statements that no student is forced to participate in the Day of Silence and no one is forced to attend any campus events. Observation of the Day of Silence is a student-led voluntary event and is not run by the district.
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Board Meeting 2/21/23

LVWDV Observer: Laurinda Ochoa

Meeting Summary:
  • This was an in-person regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting, with all Board members present.
  • This meeting was Brown Act compliant. 
  • Procedural Agenda items included: Student Recognitions, Report of Closed Session Actions, Acceptance of Minutes, Agenda Approval and Consent Action, and Reports to the Board.
  • Action Items and Public Hearings included unanimous adoption of Committee Reports, Revisions to specified Board Policies and Administrative Regulations.
  • Informational Items included Child Nutrition Update, First Reading of Policy and Administrative Regulations, and SRVUSD Book Acquisition Policies and Guidelines. A community request to discuss issues of school safety to “Make SRVUSD a Safer Place for Students” was dropped when the requesting member of the public left the meeting as the item was to be called.
  • Consent Items: All consent items for running school district approved unanimously.

SRVUSD Book Acquisition Policies and Guidelines summarized on page 108 of Agenda Materials.

YouTube video of Item 12.3 appears at 3:11:46 - 5:41.11.

Press Coverage:
Local press coverage of the SRVUSD meeting include the following:
Brief Observer Comment on Agenda Item 12.3:

This item was on the agenda as an Informational Item for the District to explain to the public their book acquisition protocol and complaint process available to anyone to express a concern over any book in the school.

Board members are able to place this item on the Agenda again as an Action Item to study and change school district policies on Book Acquisition and Parental Complaint Procedures.

Board President Hurd commented at the end of the discussion that existing policy does not need to be revisited without evidence that district policies have been violated or that students are being forced to read books from the library that make them uncomfortable. To date no evidence has been presented to school district Administration or BOE members that any student has been forced to read any library books on LGTBQ+ topics, despite vocal complaints appearing on social media. The stated goal of the newly-elected Board Member engaged in this issue is to have concerned parents ‘at the table’ to review and revise school board policy.

It is likely this issue will continue to appear at future BOE meetings. The impetus appears to be a disinformation campaign appearing on the same social media platforms and expressed by the same individuals and special interest groups that promoted the disinformation campaign during the 2022 SRVUSD School Board Election.
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Board Meeting 2/9/21

by Jan Tomsic 

Topics discussed: 

  • February was recognized as Black History Month.
  • During the public comment section, a group of 1500 students, former students, parents, and staff presented a petition for Social Justice. (Background: In June 2020 the SRVUSD Board passed a resolution recognizing that people of color in our district, experience micro-aggressions, profiling, hate, and bias. The resolution stated that the board would increase awareness and engage in the challenging work of change.) The group presenting at the meeting does not feel this work has been done and presented this petition to help/encourage the board take action.  A detailed, 7-step petition was presented by 7 members of the community.  A recording of the complete presentation can be seen on the SRVUSD YouTube channel, Live Stream recording 2/9/21 (advance to the 26-minute mark hear the presentation).
  • Dr. John Malloy announced; that the district has met the requirements to reopen our schools, has worked with the partnering groups, and the COVID-19 numbers in our county are moving in the right direction. The return to the classroom will begin 2/10/21.  It will be a process - much time was spent reviewing all the details.
  • Other topics discussed: District Mission Statement and Strategic Directions, 3 new courses were proposed, declining enrollment, and resuming the service of the Traffix Program.
Motions
  • A motion was made to accept Dr. Malloy’s recommendation that covers a return to the classroom for TK through 6th grade students and to have President Orway write a letter to the Department of Health and the State to prioritize educators in the rollout of vaccines. The motion was passed unanimously.  
  • A motion was made to accept Dr. Malloy’s recommendation of the presented process to renew the District Mission Statement and Strategic Directions. The motion was passed unanimously.
  • A motion was made to add 3 new courses: XR (Extended Reality) for Social Good, Data Science, and My Story, Her Story, Hxrstory. The motion passed unanimously.

The agenda and minutes from the meeting can be found on the SRVUSD Website.

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Board Meeting 1/12/21

by Jan Tomsic 

Topics discussed:
  • The SRVUSD modified their remote meeting process to allow the community to speak at the meeting. There were MANY comments both positive and negative shared. 
  • The Board spent a long time (3+ hours) hearing public comment, a presentation from the Superintendent, and then discussing the return to school plans.
  • A cease-and-desist request was presented for consideration.  The request questioned if the Brown Act was violated at the 12/15/20 Board meeting.  The complaint was that an agenda item about school reopening was not properly agendized therefore not informing the public what action might be taken.

Legal Counsel, Harold Freeman reviewed the request and announced, based on rules set forth by the Brown Act, that no violation took place.  The Brown Act states that public meetings need to present an agenda to the public that lists the items that will be discussed.  The agenda items should be general and brief in nature. Mr. Freeman shared the specific language from the 12/15 agenda and concluded it met the requirements of The Brown Act. 

Note: the agenda item in question was an action item to review and discuss the reopening of school. The agenda item detail included the statement that this agenda item may be used to make any motions or votes related to the reopening of school.  Mr. Freeman said the agenda item was consistent with what took place in the meeting and as result it was his conclusion that there was no Brown Act violation. The Brown Act does provide the opportunity for change in agenda language going forward.   This is not an admission of guilt but rather the chance to improve communication and limit legal exposure. The complainant spoke to the Board and expressed dissatisfaction about how her complaint was interpreted. She said that she wanted the Board to reverse their decision about not reopening schools and therefore called for a cure.  Legal counsel stated again that the Brown Act was not violated.

Motions
  • A motion was made to accept the proposal to modify future agenda language to ensure the public receive full and complete notice regarding discussions about school reopening.  This acceptance to make a change is not an admission of guilt or wrongdoing.  The motion passed unanimously.
  • A motion was made to accept the Superintendent’s recommendations to continue to study and work on a plan to return to school. To continue working within the CDC guidelines, the limitations of the state and county, and with a specific call out to have the county recognize the school districts geographic location and not accept being included in the county as a whole. The motion passed unanimously.
The agenda and minutes from the meeting can be found on the SRVUSD Website.
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Board Meeting 12/16/20

by Jan Tomsic, Observer 

Topics discussed: 
  • New board members Laura Bratt and Shelley Clark were sworn in.
  • There was a lengthy presentation about the path to returning to the classroom, with a focus on the science and social and emotional impact of the pandemic.
  • A survey of the SRVUSD teachers reported only 6% of the teachers felt it was safe to return to school on 1/5/21.
Motions
  • A proposal was made to:
    • Postpone the move to a hybrid schedule that was planned for 1/5/20 until the county moves into the red tier
    • Rearrange classes on 1/5 to be prepared to move quickly when return to the classroom is allowed
    • Return the SDC/ELL classes back to on-line
    • Suspend the current small groups.
  • The proposal was unanimously accepted.
  • Additional proposals were made in line with the running of the school district. They were traditional with no surprises. All were passed.  Details can be found on the SRVUSD website as seen below.
The agenda and minutes from the meeting can be found on the SRVUSD Website.
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Board Meeting 11/17/20

by Jan Tomsic 

Topics discussed: 
  • Recognition of out-going board members Greg Marvel & Mark Jewett. Welcome new board members Laura Bratt & Shelley Clark.  
  • In light of the recent change of COVID-19 restrictions (due to new purple status), the reopening plan of the SRVUSD was discussed. With specific permission of the county health officer, the district will continue with their reopening plans.  Phase 2 happened today as planned and Phase 3 will take place 1/5/21.
  • There was a lengthy presentation about all the details of Phase 3.
  • Interesting fact: 60% of elementary and 72.5% of secondary students have chosen to remain 100% remote for Phase 3.
Motions
  • There were no motions.
The agenda and minutes from the meeting can be found on the SRVUSD Website.
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Board Meeting 10/27/20

by Jan Tomsic 

Topics discussed: 
  • Reopening update.  They are on track for the planned 3 phase reopening (10/27, 11/17, & 1/5).  They addressed the biggest challenge of having to change teachers or schools when the 1/5 phase of hybrid begins.
  • There was a presentation from the Social and Emotional Learning Team. There are many programs in place with more being added every week.
  • The SAT has been administered to over 700 students this week.
  • The district will be celebrating National Heritage Month in November.
Motions
  • There were no motions.
The agenda and minutes from the meeting can be found on the SRVUSD Website.
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Special Meeting 10/6/20

by Jan Tomsic 

Topics discussed: 
  • A group of parentsand staff presented (in writing) a No Vote of Confidence in the SRVUSD Superintendent and the SRVUSD Board of Trustees.
  • More detail on the return of students to the classroom, with a target return date of 10/12/20 for phase one.
  • Red Ribbon Week & Digital Citizenship Week.
Motions
  • A motion was made to adopt the Annual Resolution 38/20-21, Statement of Assurance for 20-21 sufficiency of pupil textbook and instructional materials grades K-12. The motion passed.
  • A motion was made to adopt the Annual Resolution 37/20-21Approval of Provisional Internship permit requests. The motion passed.
  • A motion was made to approve the PSAT testing dates for the inclusion of 10th grade students.  (Target date in April). The motion passed.
The agenda and minutes from the meeting can be found here on the SRVUSD Website.
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Special Meeting 9/29/20

by Jan Tomsic 

Topics discussed: 
  • Consideration of Adoption of the 2020-21 Learning Continuity Plan.
  • SRVUSD application for a waiver to open early was denied.
  • SRVUSD’s Path to Re-Opening. (3 + hours of discussion)
Motions
  • A motion was made to adopt the presented 2021 Learning Continuity Plan. The motion passed.
  • A motion was made, that as long as the county remains in the red zone; the SRVUSD will start phasing in a return to school, starting on Nov. 27th with the Special Day Classes; Dec 17 with phase 2 of the Special Ed Students; and Jan. 5, 2021 with TK – 12.  Families will be given a choice of Hybrid or Distance Learning.  There were a lot of details associated with this motion. The motion passed.
The agenda and minutes from the meeting can be found on the Danville Website.
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Board Meeting 9/15/20

by Jan Tomsic 

Topics discussed: 
  • SAT/PSAT updates
  • Announcement that October is Dyslexia Awareness Month & National Bullying Prevention Month
  • Recap of a recent large survey of parents and students
  • Presentation by Dr. John Malloy about re-opening the SRVUSD schools
  • Resolution #30/20-21 about refinancing the debt of the SRVUSD.
Motions
  • A motion was made to complete and submit the application for a waiver to open SRVUSD now. The motion passed.
  • A motion was made to accept adoption Resolution #30/20-21. The motion passed.
This article is related to which committees: 
LWV Diablo Valley Observer Corps
League to which this content belongs: 
Diablo Valley