Minutes of the Governing Board

Minutes of the Arvin Union School District Board of Trustees Special Meeting held on October 27, 2010 at Haven Drive Middle School Gymnasium, 341 Haven Drive, Arvin, California.

The meeting was called to order by Mrs. Rubio at 6:02 p.m.		Call to Order

Members Present: Mrs. Anabel Rubio, President Mr. William Stoner Mrs. Joycene Tarver, Clerk Mr. Tim Owens		Members Present
Members Absent: None		Members Absent

Staff Present: Dr. Michelle McLean, Superintendent Mrs. Laurie Bowden, SV Vice Principal Mrs. Kathie Kouklis, Assistant Superintendent Mrs. Aurora Moran, BME Principal Ms. Geneva K. Banks, Administrative Secretary Mrs. Georgia Rhett, ECR Principal Mrs. Ludim Llanes, District Receptionist Mr. David Bowling, HD Principal Mr. Chris Davis, District Accountant		Staff Present
Others Present: Total of 380 persons in attendance.		Others

Mr. Owens led the Pledge of Allegiance.		Pledge of Allegiance
No changes to the agenda. Mrs. Rubio asked that we take a moment of silence in remembrance of Teresa McKenna, a teacher at Haven Drive Middle School who passed away October 21, 2010. No comments. Mrs. Barbara Grimm-Marshall gave a presentation regarding the Charter School petition. Mr. Ernesto Garcia provided translation for Mrs. Grimm-Marshall. Grimmway Farms has been in Kern County for 30 years. During this time we have always believed in and actively supported local schools and education programs including sports, music and the arts. We have also supported many community organizations and projects such as the Arvin Public Library. In 1998 we established a scholarship program for the children of Grimmway employees. These last twelve years we have been disappointed with the low number of applicants each year. Mrs. Grimm-Marshall stated that many children living in the rural areas of Kern County were leaving high school unqualified to attend college. In addition she found that there is a large gap between English learners living in rural areas and other students in Kern County. The proposed charter school, Grimmway Academy, will address this critical problem by striving to meet three important goals. First, to provide a setting where every child can thrive in school. Second, to close the achievement gap experienced by children living in rural communities. Third, to offer children and families of Arvin a choice in public education. Grimmway Academy will function as a non-profit organization governed by a board of directors and will be in full compliance with all state laws and regulations. They identified Rocketship Mateo Sheedy an Elementary Charter School in San Jose which has a student population that is very similar to Arvin. It is 90% Hispanic, 81% eligible for free and reduced lunch and 81% English learners. This school is having tremendous success with a 2010 state API score of 925 with a similar school ranking of 10 and a statewide ranking of 10. Compare this to the Arvin Union School District with a 2010 state API score of 706 with three elementary schools posting similar school rankings that range from 3-5 and statewide rankings that ranges from 1-2. In recognition of the Rocketship success they have modeled the educational program after theirs and they have agreed to assist with the development and oversight of the school. The Grimmway Academy will stand out in five important ways. First, extended day for every student. Second, a block schedule. Three, teachers that are multi-subject credentialed but specialize in subject areas. Four, an Avid parent participation program and finally individualization for every student. Grimmway Academy will be a no excuses school with high expectations from everyone. The students, parents, teachers and staff will all work together to create a nurturing environment where every child can thrive in school. We are proposing Grimmway Academy as an independent elementary charter school but we intend to work closely with the Arvin Union School District in the following areas: transportation, pre-kindergarten readiness, after school tutoring, edible school garden, teacher training and parent education programs. We want to encourage teachers throughout Kern County to apply to our school and especially teachers of Arvin because their experience in working in Arvin with the children and families of Arvin will be a very positive benefit to the school and to the community of Arvin. Our goal is simple, we want to provide a choice in public education for the children and families of Arvin, and working together we can eliminate the achievement gap and ensure a brighter future for everyone in Arvin especially the children. Dr. McLean began with a presentation of the accomplishments of the district. Our district grew forty-nine API points, anything three or more points is considered statistically significant growth, and the state requires us to make a five to 7 point growth. We are number one in the county for academic achievement growth, with Bear Mountain Elementary growth at thirty-one points; they were twenty-five out of one hundred fifty-five schools in the county. El Camino Real Elementary grew sixty-two points; they are number two for highest point gains in Kern County and also made AYP in all subjects and all student groups. Sierra Vista Elementary grew fifty-eight points; they were number four in Kern County and Haven Drive Middle School forty-five points; they had the second highest growth in junior high middle school in Kern County, and also made their AYP in Reading Language Arts for their English language learners. All schools made AYP for mathematics Mrs. Kouklis stated that all of our classes are taught by 100% highly qualified teachers, 130 in total. Also, all of our classes and programs are assisted by 100% highly qualified instructional aides of which we have thirty-eight. We are also very proud of our special education program; we have seven special day classrooms two of which serve severely handicapped children, we have three Speech Pathologists including a Speech Pathologist who serves the preschool in the community and two Psychologists on staff. We also have three Resource Specialists teachers; one of which travel between schools so that all students are served. We have six teachers and aides on staff with an autism certificate from the county and we try to instruct as many special education students here in our district as we can. Dr. McLean stated that we are very proud of the many programs and opportunities we offer for our parents and our families. We have our Family Resource Center that made over 1000 home visits last year. We serve the entire community of Arvin through the Family Resource Center, not just our students. We also have monthly parent meetings at each school site; we have monthly Migrant parent meetings and parent project parenting classes which is a fifteen week course. Mrs. Kouklis presented information about the curriculum and programs in the Arvin Union School District. All of our site administrators are trained in RTI (Response to Intervention Programs). Our Inside program is newly adopted program. It’s a daily intensive reading intervention program for grades fourth through eighth and designed to help bring our English language learners to grade level within two years. We also have the standards plus program that we just began this year on October 11, 2010, which are daily designed twelve minute lessons to help reinforce the California State Standards and further prepare our students for the CST exam. We have math intervention providing daily targeted individual instruction in grades Kindergarten through eighth and this is instruction outside of the core that is provided in math during the day. We also have California Treasures English Language Development and the Avenues English Language Development program, targeting students to become proficient through the stages of English Language Development from beginning to proficiency. Dr. McLean presented information regarding the daily instructional minutes our students spend every day with our highly qualified teachers. Kindergarten 402 minutes; first and second grades 382 minutes; fourth through sixth grades 392 minutes and in addition we have bi-monthly collaboration meetings to review student assessment data and plan instruction for individual students in small groups. Mrs. Kouklis presented the after school opportunities and programs. We have the Arvin Advantage Program that runs until 6:00pm each day; we currently have 393 students enrolled in this program. SES (Supplemental Educational Services) is tutoring provided for students; we have 188 students enrolled in this program. We offer Migrant Extended Day Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for an hour after school taught by certificated teachers; 157 students currently enrolled. We also have Migrant Saturday School; 189 students enrolled and also taught by certificated teachers. We have a Migrant Pre-K program with 206 students. We just began ELL Saturday School for English language learners this year with 120 students enrolled in this program. All of our school sites have teachers working after school to tutor students in small groups of eight to ten; approximately 180 students currently enrolled. As a total we have 1,433 students being served. Dr. McLean stated we have many other programs with opportunities for our students such as Advancement Via Individual Determination Program, after school and during school sports programs, Friday Night Live, Operation School Bell, Toys for Tots, field trips, band and community service opportunities. Mr. Davis presented on potential student percentages. In year one if 25% of our students went from our district to the charter school it would be a total of eighty students and 100% would equal 320 students. Based upon these numbers, the potential funding loss if only 25% of the students left our district would be $4.7 million after five years; if 50% of the students left from our district the loss would be $9.4 million; if 75% of the students came from our district the loss would be $14.2; and if 100% of the charter students came from our district, the loss would be approximately $18.9 million after five years. Dr. McLean stated that a lot has been said lately about the lack of student achievement and high school graduation rates in our community so we closed by sharing a PowerPoint of Arvin’s success stories. At this time a slide show was presented of those who have attended the Arvin Union School District and Arvin High School. At this time Mrs. Rubio announced this was the time for public comment for those who want to speak in support of or against the charter petition. Those who wish to speak will have three minutes including translation. Opened hearing at 6:40pm. The following persons spoke against the charter petition: Martha Loya, Arvin, Antonio Calderon, Arvin, Mrs. Sweeney, Arvin, and Scott Cole, Arvin. The following persons spoke in support of the charter petition: Jose Flores, Arvin, Heidi Ramirez, Arvin, and Hector Gonzalez, McFarland. At this time Mrs. Rubio asked for a show of hands for those in support of the charter petition and those that do not support the charter petition. Continued with the public hearing. Mrs. Rubio stated that people who were standing in line to speak could have a seat and keep their place in line. She also stated that we have approximately forty-five minutes left for this hearing so if there are family members or community members that would like to group their questions/concerns together we will have a chance to hear everyone’s concerns. The following persons spoke against the charter petition: Robert Ruckman, Arvin, Petra Villanueva, Arvin, Josefina Perez, Arvin, Leticia Prado, Lamont, Maria Hernandez, Lamont, Jose Garcia, Arvin, Tim Prado, Weedpatch, Gabriela Velasquez, Arvin, Beatriz Campos, Bakersfield, Rebecca Pennington, Arvin, Ginger Hemingway, Arvin, Michelle Davidson, Arvin, Robert Rangel, Arvin, Jennifer Johnson, Arvin, Sonia Olivo, Arvin, Antonio Perez, Arvin, Laurie Bowden, Arvin, and Dan Gyll, Arvin. The following persons spoke in support of the charter petition: Dagoberto Pardo, Arvin, Antonio Gomez, Arvin, Zulema Ela, Arvin, Dawn Ellisen, Digorgio, Jose Garcia, Arvin, Pablo Morales, Arvin, Manuel Pantoja, Arvin, Adilene Benavidez, Arvin, Martha Contreras, Arvin, Guillermina Quirhrte, Arvin, Norma Pardo, Arvin, Nicolas Escutia, Arvin, Romeo Agbalog, Delano, Congressman Kevin McCarthy, Bakersfield, Assemblymember Jean Fuller, Bakersfield, Shannon Grove, Bakersfield, Pete Parra, Bakersfield, and Lisa Corr, Bakersfield. Hearing was closed at 9:00pm. Mrs. Rubio announced the board will meet again on Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at a time and location to be announced at which time place the board will receive information from staff and make a decision on the charter petition. On motion of Mrs. Tarver, seconded by Mr. Stoner, the board unanimously adjourned the meeting at 9:00 p.m. Clerk_______________________________ Secretary____________________________		Adoption of the Agenda Mrs. Anabel Rubio Communications from the public Mrs. Barbara Grimm-Marshall Dr. Michelle McLean Mrs. Kathie Kouklis Dr. Michelle McLean Mrs. Kathie Kouklis Dr. Michelle McLean Mrs. Kathie Kouklis Dr. Michelle McLean Mr. Chris Davis Dr. Michelle McLean Communications from the public Adjournment