forums, but to help us to shape what questions we should be asking and what we should be thinking about, especially around school climate and some of the curricular pieces. i know very little about what is happening on a day-to-day basis at the school. maybe members of the parent advisory council are working more closely with the student advisory council. commissioner: i think that is great. all i am asking is that you look more closely and probably report to us on a different level -- if you do report to us about and this process, that, you know, unless we are totally wrong, and everything seems exactly the same that we be careful. >> sure, sure. so in terms of the timeline for

the community forums, you would adopt a new system for assignment in may. working backwards, we know that we would need to present to you our findings and recommendations to inform that decision in april, and so, we are looking at conducting the community forums in february and march, and maybe if somebody is really wearing to go, -- really anxious to go, we will look at february. drafting the assignment patterns for people to look at in an initial place of discussion also looking at setting up the forums themselves, framing the discussions, in trading the facilitators to conduct them. basically, we are in that planning phase. february and march will be

forums, and then in april, we will have reports for you. we plan to hold a forums at 15 middle schools and encourage families of the current students and also elementary school in families who may be feeding into those schools to participate. we also know that in some communities, it is less likely for people to go to an event at a school that they really do not have a connection with, so we are trying to think strategically about where we might want to conduct what might be smaller forums, so we are thinking about that and think, too, about some of the relationships we have built and how to extend that. the format will be different from the community conversations we have had over the past years that were focused on student assignment in were more like the budget forum -- and were more

like the budget forums, to give the principles also the chance to showcase their schools. they could talk about specific things happening at their schools and then break into smaller discussion groups that are focused, so the small groups would focus more on some issues, and some of those issues could include changes in special education services, looking at language pathways, dual immersion pathways, but others, to note -- others, too. talking about after-school programs and in curriculum issues, like enrichment programs, more or change, and preparing students to meet the new graduation requirements, so we are thinking that those would be really important topics for

parents given the experience we have had with conversations in the past, and then we know some communities will really want to focus on how the student assignment process would work, so we are looking at trying to make as many of these small- group conversations happened in all of the forums, but there might be fewer of them, or there might be different issues because of special programs or things happening at a given school. commissioner: so are you suggesting that the way that it would work is that the group would break out according to what job they were interested in discussing? >> yes. commissioner: ok, i like that better. breaking up into smaller groups is kind of hit or miss. that is actually a great idea.

>> yes, i think we are really looking at people's health selecting to those, which makes a complicated to organized, because we have to be prepared for all of them versus a random, average-ish number, so it will be different. it actually worked well in the budget forums. everybody had a chance to talk. it was much more interactive. people could share comments where questioners and get some -- comments or questions. it was great, rather than people going home with a question that never got answered, or factual inaccuracies that never got corrected, so vot-- so, yes, its going to be interesting. we may have to adjust how they

go depending on our. -- " depending on how they are. -- depending on how they are. chair wynns: commissioner? commissioner: a policy around language acquisition proved meeting that if parents, because i think what i have seen -- a policy around language acquisition? meaning that is parents, because i think what i have seen, they leave and middle school, but i think part of the problem is that we have not articulated as a district a language policy, meaning that we are having these pathways because it helps the

facilitator as a vehicle for which we get by 12th grade every student who is in a path away will be at this language level by the time they're in the 12th grade. we were doing these pathways because by 12th grade, your child should then be bi-literal, bi-cultural, and bi-lingual, so they can test into that for college. they can see the purpose of not only developing the pathway but the purpose of continuing the child in the past away, you know what i mean? we have found out for kindergarten that parents say, "i have to be locked in now, forever?" yes, that is the commitment, because our language pathways will not work if they do not

stay, you know? so i am wondering, i do not know, i always thought we needed a language policy petco so that when you go out, you can tell parents that this is why we are doing it, right? and then another thing, also, i think it would be interesting to actually ask students who have continued the pass away, so have gone from one to another and found out sort of what was helpful, what was not helpful in that transition, you know, and we can also chargedchart -- chart. i think is what was their experience, it is true we do not

know. we can set policy, but we do not know what it is like to be in the classroom or to go not to a high school of your choice but to a high school that has a program. it may not be the one you want to go to, but you go to it. are we reaching our policy goals? i do want to say that conducting these groups, these focus groups, i think it is so important, and i just want to say thanks to you guys for doing it. >> i am almost done. i do want to say in terms of the format, this report on community engagement was when we all thought there was going to be a committee last week, where u.n. staff will talk more about positions for the k-8 pathways,

so this is a little before that conversation, but we thought it was important that you know, particularly about the timeline part. interestingly, part of the reason for the format that we're doing is for the parent advisory council and for parents -- we do not actually do pr for the district exactly. we are trying to build communication and trust between the community and the district, so our job is not really to sell anyone on why this is happening, but we help bring parents to it and lead parents, and the district's staff are those who are going to present the rationale and sort of why we are doing this stuff, so that is part of our partnership. it is on staff to manifest that vision in a way that is

appealing to people, so we are planning to conduct a forums, and then we will bring you our findings -- to conduct forums. we try to refrain from presenting a partial findings, because we want to make sure that we hear from everyone. i do want to really strongly encourage board commissioners to go to any or as many of these education, because i think that while i think we do a great job of consolidating information and presenting the, nothing compares to the experience of being in the room and hearing what people have to say. to hear it directly is a very powerful experience, and i think that builds trust in the community that you are there. chair wynns: i want you to tell

me where they are scheduled and where the information can be accessed, at what time, because there is a member of the public here, who is my mentee, so i want her to know how to find out about it. >> ok, that is a perfect segue. are very first one is on communication. so we know that since the middle school feeder patterns were delayed for earlier this fall, pretty much parents across the district have no idea what is happening with it, so we have been developing a one-page info sheet that is almost done, and it will be translated, inequal posted as widely and as in as many divots kinds of places that possible to let people know about the community forums, and i know it will be on the district website and on other websites vote in three languages, -- and on other

websites in three languages. we will work to get the word out. chair wynns: when do you plan on having the schedule completed? >> it will be constantly updated. we are meeting with a middle school principals the first week after we come back from break, and we are hoping and asking that they come with some ideas about when they would like forum to occur. chair wynns: a week in january? >> by mid january, for sure, we have to have a draft preliminary schedule. chair wynns: again, by that time? >> yes, that is reasonable. chair wynns: mosby february and march, and maybe in january.

>> they have to be done the last week in march. we're also trying to meet with an elementary school principals as soon as possible, because we're going to count on them to get the word out to their communities to know about the forums they should go to. this is a little different than the student enrollment. everybody is going to be more involved, and people will be more inclined to motivate their communities to go. we are also meeting and talking with community partners so people know this process is happening, and to the extent that they want to be involved, they are welcome to help. chair wynns: commissioner norton? commissioner normaton: this woud be a jumping off point.

i am already being contacted by parent groups that are saying, "oh, we have a solution. we had a meeting." how set in stone is that plan? people will automatically say, "oh, my god, it is already on paper." >> this is the project manager, but i would say that you commissioner are the people to set things in stone, so, no, things are not set in stone. it is all the draft right now. chair wynns: we need to recognize that when something was put in writing, everyone was in a panic, so that is what commissioner norton is referring to. however, what i am looking for and what i think this committee has discussed in the past is

that we want this process to be important and also that we are looking for ways to half inch from discussions without any proposal being made. >> ok, i am going to address this with more after i finish my short par, because it is a great segue to the next point we will make. we are looking to improve transparency, and that includes the transparency of our work as a parent advisory council. we have heard the district staff are holding conversations with the buena vista elementary community and with a middle school about the idea of a point of these to becoming a -- the idea of buena vista becoming a

k-8, and we were talking about this as a concern because we think it is great for constituents to come together and think through solutions, but we're also very concerned about a decision making or promises better outside of the overall process of thinking it out. not just which elementary schools feed into which middle schools, but there is also a teacher assignment and all of those questions, so we feel these discussions have to be transparent, and the decision making has to be done in a larger context, so we want to make sure that there are no deals being cut better outside of this wider context, so we urge the district. does that mean district staff? the board of education approved

-- board of education? not to make any specific determinations until the whole discussion happens and it is all decided, and i know you have to think through, you have to think through preliminary things. if we do this, then it means that. it cannot all be figured out in one or two board meetings, but just to make sure that there are no deals being cut, which includes the pac not determining who will be in a discussion group and who is not, so, with the, i want to turn your question over tomorrow in terms of how set in stone things are or how the proposal process works. chair wynns: one, commissioner mendoza is trying to get out of here, and if she leaves, we will lose our quorum.

one minute is my deadline. >> i have heard that comment around the deal is being cut, and really that phrase in regards to just the rumor mill happening and really getting traction, and from my perspective, as a board member, that conversation is not anything that i have got through, and then hearing you say those words, "deals being cut," i would request that people hearing these kinds of intimations in the community would discourage them and noted that the board has not taken up this matter, -- and note that the board has not taken up this matter. i think this is a

mischaracterization to the highest in regards to how we operate. chair wynns: all right, thank you. ms. moran. >> the deputy superintendent, mr. carranza, is going to be sending something out. we hope to talk to you as a committee as a whole, but that is not happening. parents are already approaching board members and different parent groups, and people are anxious to get involved in the process. we thought it would be good to give the information at least in writing, and then we have something schedules. unfortunate, i think the next meeting is not until the 18th or

a little further into january, but we did want to get that information out to you, and we would like to bring you progress reports. we would like to bring you are thinking as we go through the project, so we just want to think about how we do that, so you will receive something tomorrow. chair wynns: ok, any member of the public wishing to speak? commissioner mendoza? all right, thank you for coming. we appreciate's everybody attendants and work. the meeting is adjourned. -- everybody -- we appreciate every's buddy -- everybody's attendance and work. the meeting is adjourned.

>> good evening, everyone p and thank you for your patience. welcome to the regular meeting offer the board of education on tuesday, december the 14th. my apologies for starting late. president kim will be joining us.

roll call please casco. ms. fewer? >> here. mr. yee? >> here. ms. maufas. >> here. >> if you would like to join us for the pledge of allegiance, please do so. >> thank you. approval of board minutes. i need a motion and a second. >> second. any corrections? >> no. >> roll call, please. >> ms. fewer? >> yes. >> ms. maufas? >> yes. >> ms. mendoza? >> yep, ms. norton, mr. yee and

ms. wynns? >> yes. >> the thoughts for the evening? >> thank you. since the agenda is a little bit long, i'll keep my remarks a little bit short. you might be aware that or governor-elect terry brown hosted a meeting in los angeles to talk about just how bad the deficit is in the state of california. and as you recall, just a reminder of people that before te elections people said that the deficit was somewhere between 15 to 18 billion dollars and after that election went to $25 million. now they're starting to talk about that it's more in the neighborhood of $3 1 billion. i know last year we made humongous cuts and furloughs and we've reduced the school year by four days. we still have a long ways ahead of us. i want to remind the public of

that, as january rolls around it's just around the corner. we're going to need the input of our entire community to speak with our legislators because the cuts will just be tremendous in the future years. just a brief reminder. i also wanted to congratulate and i believe later on she'll be here president kim. as you recall she's no longer going to be with the school board. she's moving on to be a superviser. and we wanted to congratulate her on her election. also want to congratulate some of our own folks here. i want to congratulate vice president mendoza and commissioner maufas for being re-elected. congratulations or my condolences. we know it's a lot of work. and we want to congratulate emily.

another big highlight, i think is that we have a grandmother, commissioner maufas this weekend had a granddaughter. congratulations. that's really exciting. i would like to highlight a good piece of news because we hear all the horrible things. the newspaper highlighted it. when you look at our school year, our drop rate has been declining and the california education has released the drop out rate. our rate declined from 17.9% to 9.4% which is one of the lowest in the state of california. i really want to thank all the great teacher,ed a minutes stray tors, schools and partners. and everybody all the employee who is work so hard to make sure that our kids stay on track and that they successfully graduate.

i want to wish our students and our family, staff and administrators a warm and a really warm and joyful season. good luck to all the student who are in the midst who are taking end of the semester finals. we wish you good luck. do well. we want to congratulate everyone. black friday right before winter break, we're going to finish first semester. big work for everybody and thank you for the great work. and happy holidays. >> thank you, carlos. we don't have any resolutions but we do want to welcome marly to the family. unfortunately our student is ill this evening or taking exams one of the two. our current advisory council so if we could have our pac representative. if there's no objection from the board, we'd also like to move up out of order the

special order of business which is the opponent of four pac members on to on to the pack. we'd like to do this all at the same time. so no objections. michelle, we're going to allow do you do that. michelle? so you can do your pac -- is it nominations or are they the four that are coming on to your pack? >> yes. they've already been chosen? >> yes, they have. >> we have no objection from the board members. so you can do that. >> thank you very much. good evening, superintendent

and members of the public families. my name is michelle, and this is my younger daughter gabriela who attends cotton elementary school. and i'm joined by fellow pack member marco. and we have another pack member who's going to present this evening. she's not here yet. it may be because of the park situation. we'll go ahead and proceed. once we give that then, we'll move into into the nomination of our new members if that's all right. so marco, do you want to go ahead with the transportation stuff? >> yes. >> ok. >> [speaking in spanish]