Agenda: HSD weighs seeking full-day kindergarten grant

The Hollister School District Board of Trustees will meet Tuesday for a regular meeting.

The meeting is set for 4 p.m. Tuesday at the district office, 2690 Cienega Road, Hollister

The following is a summary of key items on the agenda along with descriptions from the agenda:

Report on District Goals at Ladd Lane, Rancho San Justo

The board will hear separate reports on progress at the two schools.

Report on Low Performing Students Base Grant

The Low Performing Students Base Grant (LPSBG) provides funds for districts serving students identified as low-performing on state English language arts or mathematics assessments, who are not otherwise identified for supplemental grant funding under the Local Control Funding

Formula (LCFF), or eligible for special education services. The number of students above was calculated from 2016 – 2017 data, and reflects: 1) Unduplicated Students (not English Learner or Free/Reduced Lunch) 2) Non-Special Education Students 3) Students who scored lowest on the CAASPP (1 & 2) The grant plans should dovetail well with our LCAP, and are designated to address the persistent achievement gap in our schools. It is intended to provide resources and evidence-based practices to initiate and sustain authentic systemic change with our lowest performing students. HSD must submit a report by March 1st to the CDE with a plan for using the funding over a three-year period. The grant funds need to be spent by the end of fiscal year 2021, and a final report of results be submitted to the CDE by November 2021.

Report on Federal Program Monitoring Review

Federal Program Monitoring is a process whereby a team of representatives from the California Department of Education review processes and procedures at districts to support compliance to state and federal regulations. The process is supportive and aimed at supporting district personnel in understanding and maintaining compliance. The review process is lengthy and complex. In an online and in-person visit by the FPM review team, HSD received only 14 findings out of the many areas under review. The district will be addressing the findings in order to maintain state and federal compliance.

Report on English Learner Writing Rubric

HSD Teachers use a specialize writing rubric in order to monitor the academic language progress for English Learners. During this presentation, a description of the rubric and its implementation will be provided for your information.

Report on Instructional Coaching

HSD has a cadre if 13 instructional coaches who work at nine of our schools. They support teachers with instruction and curriculum planning for language arts, math and technology integration, as well as differentiated instruction, classroom management and any other instructional practices that teachers want to improve. Coaches work with teachers and teams, identify areas of focus and then plan, teach observe and give feedback on lessons in the classroom. Coaches are supported with a one week PD institute for training and a monthly professional learning community. They are coached and supported by Partners in School Innovation, and supervised by the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services in partnership with school principals. Coaching is one of our district’s four core strategies for meeting district goals.

Contracted special education services

Contracted services are used to support special education students when district employees are not available. Nancy Denton will provide speech and language assessments and compensatory time for our students. The cost is estimated at $22,500 through June.

Full-day kindergarten grant

Full-Day Kindergarten Facilities Grant Program Assembly Bill 1808, the Education Finance: Education Omnibus Trailer Bill was approved by the Governor and Chaptered on June 27, 2018. This bill appropriated $100,000,000 in General Fund dollars from the 2018/2019 fiscal year to the State Allocation Board (SAB) to provide one-time grants to school districts to construct new school facilities or retrofit existing school facilities for the purpose of providing full-day kindergarten classrooms. A “full-day kindergarten classroom,” for purposes of this program, must satisfy the design requirements required for new kindergarten classrooms as specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (h) of Section 14030 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR). The program establishes eligibility requirements for a school district to receive a grant, including that the school district provides 50 percent of the cost of a new construction project and 40 percent of the cost of a retrofit project. The program requires a school district that is awarded a grant pursuant to these provisions to use grant funds only for specified costs. At the October 24, 2018 SAB meeting, the SAB approved regulations, forms and the Grant Agreement for administration of the program. The SAB requires a resolution, approved by the governing body, in support of Full-Day Kindergarten Facilities Grant Program applications and identify authorized individuals to sign all documents and papers associated with the applications for funding. If the Board approves Resolution No. 13:18-19, the Hollister School District will submit Full-Day Kindergarten Facilities Grant Program applications for the following school sites: Calaveras Elementary School – 4 classrooms Cerra Vista Elementary School – 5 classrooms Gabilan Hills Elementary School – 5 classrooms R.O. Hardin Elementary School – 4 classrooms

Naming of new facilities

Per Board Policy 7310, the Governing Board shall name district schools or other district-owned or leased buildings, grounds, and facilities in recognition of: 1. Individuals, living or deceased, and entities that who have made outstanding contributions, including financial contributions, to the school community 2. Individuals, living or deceased, who have made contributions of statewide, national or worldwide significance 3. The geographic area in which the school or building is located The Board encourages community participation in the process of selecting names. A citizen advisory committee shall be appointed to review name suggestions and submit recommendations for the Board’s consideration. (cf. 1220 – Citizen Advisory Committees) Any name adopted for any new school shall not be so similar to the name of any existing district school as to result in confusion to members of the community. Before adopting any proposed name, the Board shall hold a public hearing at which members of the public will be given an opportunity to provide input. Also, per the Agreement for Purchase and Sale of Real Property and Joint Escrow Instructions for Santana Ranch, Section 4.9 (D) Name of School – The buyer shall encourage community participation in the process of selecting names of the school to be constructed on the Property. The buyer shall appoint a citizen advisory committee to review name suggestions and submit recommendations for the buyer’s Governing Board’s consideration.

Inspections on measure-funded facilities

All school projects under the jurisdiction of the Division of the State Architect (DSA) must have a Certified Project Inspector (CPI) on site. As the Measure “M” Bond Projects required a CPI, the Measure “V” Bond – Santana Ranch School Project – will also require a CPI. DSA Interpretation of Regulations (IR) A-8: Project Inspector and Assistant Inspector Duties and Performance provides clarification of specific code requirements related to the duties of the CPI. A CPI is needed to ensure the project is properly constructed per DSA approved plans and specifications. The CPI will be responsible to coordinate inspections with the Otto Construction Design-Build Team, identify any inaccuracies or deficiencies, and provide detailed reports to the DSA and District. The CPI is supervised by a DSA Field Engineer assigned to the project. Bruce Flyn Inspections was the CPI for the HVAC Projects at Calaveras and Cerra Vista, R.O. Hardin and Rancho San Justo Modernization Projects, Sunnyslope Elementary School Master Plan – Phase I Project and HDLA Expansion Project. Bruce Fly Inspections will perform CPI services for the Santana Ranch School Project.

Additional Santa Ranch School work

At the January 22, 2019 Board Meeting, Dr. Barr informed the Board that there are additional items and costs to the project that were included in the Board approved 100% design plans for the new school at Santana Ranch and staff would bring the additional items and costs to the Board at the February 12th Board Meeting for approval. These additional items/costs were incorporated into the 100% design plans that were submitted to DSA on January 4, 2019. If the 100% plans were not submitted on the scheduled date with DSA (January 4, 2019), then the District would have to reapply for a new plan submittal date with DSA, which in turn would delay the project/schedule. Many of the additional items were added to ensure the school/classrooms met District Educational Specifications and support District Programs. Other items were added due to staff meeting with various departments/groups and incorporating some of their requests into the design plans, and lastly costs mandated by DTSC for the naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) present at the site. Additional items were requested by the Board, such as built-in cabinets/storage in each classroom, a vehicle deterrent wall on the western side of the school site along the storm water retention basin, and bus shade shelter. There are two (2) optional items that the Board may want to consider adding to the Project. The current plan/design does not include a barrier to block access under each stairway. A barrier would help to ensure students do not play under the stairwells. Also, the current plan/design includes vinyl composition tile (VCT) flooring, but replacing the VCT flooring with a “no wax” sheet vinyl product would help custodial staff maintain the condition of the floors in the Science, STEAM and Arts classrooms. If the Board approves to increase the scope of work and extra costs associated with some or all the additional, requested, and optional items, then staff will prepare a First Amendment to the Design-Builder Agreement between Hollister School District and John F. Otto, Inc. dba Otto Construction, Inc. to increase the scope of work and compensation for the project. Staff will present the First Amendment to the Design-Builder Agreement at the February 26, 2019 Board Meeting for approval.

Use agreement for Hollister Prep School

On March 23, 2018, the Board approved the Prop. 39 Facilities Use Agreement for the 2018-2019 school year and provided the Navigator Public Schools, Inc. dba Hollister Prep School (HPS) with seventeen (17) classrooms, exclusive access to three (3) rooms for office and other administrative use, exclusive use of the garage for storage and shared use of the multi-purpose room, restrooms, library, outside eating area, play fields and parking lot at the R.O. Hardin Elementary School site. HPS will be responsible for their own custodial services and for all costs associated with routine maintenance and child nutrition services provided by the Hollister School District. The term of the agreement is July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019. HPS offers Kindergarten through seventh (7th) grade with an enrollment of 480 students. The new Prop. 39 Facilities Use Agreement for the 2019-2020 school year is proposed to be effective July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020 and provides the Navigator Public Schools, Inc. dba Hollister Prep School (HPS) with nineteen (19) classrooms, exclusive access to three (3) rooms for office and other administrative use, exclusive use of the garage for storage and shared use of a storage container, multi-purpose room, restrooms, library, outside eating area, play fields and parking lot at the R.O. Hardin Elementary School site. HPS will be responsible for their own custodial services and for all costs associated with routine maintenance and child nutrition services provided by the Hollister School District. HPS plans to offer Kindergarten through eighth (8th) grade with an estimated enrollment of 540 students.