BOE Meeting for March 9, 2004
Oral Comments:
There were three speakers from the teacher's union who spoke on negotiations. Susan Gill from Alameda High School, requested unencumbered prep time be included in the new contract. Glenda McDowell, AEA President, pointed that the contract expired over 250 days ago and the teacher were paying up to $400 a month for health care coverage. She further stated that teachers would gain respect if the contract provided for the passing on of monies from the state for wages, health care coverage and changes to prep time. Jeff Smith from Encinal High School, did not want unencumbered prep time taken away and would like to see the union proposal to redesignate sick days as personal days. The three speakers were supported by crowd of approximately a dozen teachers.
1. Proclamation: Week of the Public School Administrator, March 1-5,2004
Background: The week of March 1 to March 5, 2004 has been proclaimed the Week of the Administrator, in honor of the many ouststanding contributions and services by the administrative teams.
The Board approved the proclamation.
2. "PowerUp for Learning" Project Update
Background:
"Alameda PowerUp for Learning" is a unique partnership with Alameda Power & Telcom (AP&T) and the Alameda Education Foundation (AEF) to raise technology funds for the benefit of Alameda students, teachers, classrooms, schools, and the community-at-large.
PowerUp for Learning funds will be collected by AP&T, through customer billing contributions. AEF will distributed contributions to projects designated by the District.
Alameda PowerUp for Learning will officially lanuch on Tuesday, March 16 at 11am with a joint announcement at Haight Elementary School. Bank of Alameda will be supporting the marketing effort with as insert in the March customer statements. Dell will provide funds to send a mailing to 12,000 Friends of Alameda education identified through the Measure C campaign.
Fiscal Implications: Depends on how many Alameda residents contribute
3. Bay Area School Collaborative (BASRC) Update
Background:
Several years ago, Paden Elementary School (K-8) was selected to participate in the initial work of the newly formed Bay Area Reform School Collaborative(BASRC). In 2001/2002 Chipman Middle School joined the Collaborative, while Woodstock Elementary (K-5) and Encinal High School joined in 2002/03. In addition, Alameda Unified School DIstrict was one of four other school districts selected to join the Collaborative as a District. Each year each school develops a Review of Progress that identifies key issues for the upcoming year.
As the current BASRC grant comes to an end, student achievement evidence shows that the work is successful. We're in the process of looking for new funding sources to implement district wide practices from the BASRC schools.
4. Alameda Science & Technology Institute (ASTI) Update
Background:
On September 30th, the College of Alameda and the Alameda Unified School District held a press conference to announce the receipt of a five year $400,000 grant to create an early college high school program.
At the October 14th BOE the Board approved the agreement creating the Alameda Science and Technolgy Institute.
Between October and December, presentations were made to the staffs of COA and AUSD district personnel about the ECHS progam. Orientation meetings for middle school staff, and middle school parents were also held in October. In Janaury, all eighth graders from Lincoln, Wood, Chipman and Paden visited the College of Alameda campus to receive information about the program. On February 23, 2004 over 100 parents attended an Information Night. As of the deadline of February 27, 2004 a total of 63 applicants have been submitted. The breakdown by school is as follows: Chipman (33) Lincoln (17) Paden (3) Wood (5) and Oakland Attendance area (5).
Although open to all students, low-income young people, first generation college goers, English language learners, and students of color as well as students who are unsuccessful academically and need an alternative education to excel are encouraged to apply.
Ideally, each year 100 students will be added to the program until it reaches a maximum of 400 students, 9th to 12th grades. In the 9th and 10th grades, students will be taking predominantly high school courses, transitioning to college level courses in the 11th and 12th grades. The college courses will emphasize four career tracks: Engineering, Information Technology, Transportation (Diesel and Aviation Technology), and Education (Teacher Preparation).
The College of Alameda's Alameda Science and Technolgy Institute is supported by a grant from the Foundation of California Community Colleges' Early College High School Inititiative which is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grant in partnership with Carnegie Corporation of New York, Ford Foundation, W. K. Kellogg Foundation.
5. Revised Board Policy Regarding Comprehensive Local Plan for Special Education
Background: Due to federal mandates Board policy needs to be revised. The revisions were presented at the previous Board meeting for Board review.
The Board approved the policy change.
7. Resolution No. 04-3836 Non-Reelection of Probationary Certficated Employees
Background: California Education Code Section 44929.1 requires that the Governing Board shall notify a probationary employee in a position requiring cerfiication qualifications of the decision to reelect or not reelect the employee to such a position for the succeeding school year.
The Board approved the non-reelection of three employees.
8. PUBLIC HEARING: Re-Openers - Public Employees Union, Local One
Background: The District and Local One have a current contract that expires on June 30, 2004. The openers submitted by Local One will be presented for public comment.
After another Public Hearing at the next meeting, the Board will accept the openers.
9. Oral Reports from Board Members
Board Member Guenther asked for information regarding the Spanish textbooks for Encinal High School. District staff indicated that recent changes in State law does not make it possible to fund the requested textbooks this year. In 2004/05 the completion the adoption for grades 3-5 literacy program will be done first. Staff will then recommend adopting a foreign language textbook for the State approved list for middle schools. Should there be any monies left after that, Spanish textbooks for the high schools will be requested.
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Last modified: March 10, 2004
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