president mendoza: good evening, everyone. welcome to this meeting. our apoy poll jis for starting late -- our apologies for starting late. commissioner fewer: here. mauf commissioner murase: present. commissioner norton: here. commissioner wynns: here. vice president yee: here. president mendoza: here. >> here. >> here. men men if you'd like, please -- president mendoza: if you'd like, please join us for the pledge of allegiance.

thank you. the approval of the board minutes. we have no approval tonight. the presentation to the board of education, the superintendent's report. >> good evening. first of all, i just want to give a big shoutout there of congratulations to the san francisco school of the arts for being named 2010-2011 california distinguished school and we really want to, you know, we're really proud of their efforts. there's only -- yeah. there's approximately 97 middle and high schools that are given this award this year and so to be in that top group, that shows that they're really work withing on closing the achievement gap. i think it's really exciting. the other item i wanted to mention is that obviously yesterday the district was closed and i'm sorry to say because it was another one of those fur low days that we all dread and that's not dish don't see it as a good way to solve

all of our problems but unfortunately last week we had a committee of the whole and we talked about the budget. it was outlined ow bleak our picture looks. we all know that we all think things are really bad right now and what's coming at us really shows that it's even going to get worse. that we're going to be moving from, you know, we're planning right now to cut $349 pursuant to and if you include health care costs and inflation costs, by next year a we're going to be looking at cutting $485 pursuant to in order to just maintain this school district and that's not going to be an easy thing to do when you look at, you know, we just finished cutting $113 million for two years and for the next two years it's very clear that we're going to have to cut another $84 million.

so -- and when you have a budget of about $500 million and you keep chopping $118 million, $117 million and then $80 million some more, pretty soon that budget's disappearing quickly. those are the realities that we're facing and i'm really sorry that we still have a lot of employees out there. i guess that's why i wore my pink shirt. all the pink slips that are out there. it's just a tragedy that we have to, you know, put that on the back of our great employees who are doing all they can do and i hope that this state gets its act together and starts addressing the issues before our young people end up having to pay the price. that's not a good situation. later on this evening, you know, we're going to be congratulating lisa spinali and giving her accommodation. i really think that that's important because she's worked so closely with us. also this evening i'm excited the principal center collaborative, you're going to see some great students during

that presentation this evening and hopefully having a good discussion. i think it's exciting to see that we're doing something about some of our students who have been in aging bungalows who are the most beat up bungalows in the school district and i want to thank them for being housed there so long. here's an opportunity to do something right for them and i welcome and am looking forward to their presentation. we have a lot of tough things ahead of us in the next year or two but i do think that the home way we're going to get through all of this is that everybody start working, especially pushing sacramento to make the right decisions because otherwise no matter what we do at a local level and we're lucky here in san francisco that we have people who support our initiatives, to fund arts, music and all those things, but if you look across the entire state, all those things are going being just eliminated across this state of ours and i think that pretty soon we can't solve our

way out of this issue by just cutting programs for children. i think it's unfair. so we have a lot of work ahead of us but we're in a city and in a place where we do have the attitude that things can be done and we hope that all san francisco ans stand up for our children because if we don't no one else will. thank you. president mendoza: thank you. and i actually just want to piggyback on your announcement about the horrible budget crisis that we're in the california teachers association and our very own local united educators will be conducting a week-long sitout in sacramento and there's a variety of different activities that will be coming up including legislative activities, staying in contact with every one of our parents, appreciating our educators, talking more about the revenue and declaring a state of emergency for our public schools. and so stay close in touch with the california teachers association united et katers as this crisis really -- educators as this crisis really does

become a reality for us. item c is recommendation of things. >> one of the good things is the fact that we do these rave reviews. we go out and recognize there's so many unsung heroes in our school district that we get a chance to celebrate with some of the great things that they do. and this evening i want to ask the principal at fairmont elementary school to come up and do our first award this evening. >> good evening. i was going to do this from memory but then i realized that these board meetings are on television. i figured i'd prepare something in writing. good evening. my name is jeremy helinski. i believe that one of the most important responsibilities of an administrator is to identify and

recognize the remarkable talent that exists within a staff and community. it's a pleasure and privilege to introduce to you our k-2 literacy specialist. so say that she goes above and beyond for our school and district would be the sincerest of understatements. in fact, i remember our first two conversations when i first accepted the position back in july of this past school year. the first conversation was an inspiring dialogue where we talked about reading assessments in which reading assessments would best support our teachers' planning targeted instructions and the second one was when she told me i better learn to load toner into the xerox machine. now, i'm pretty good that the now thanks to monica. there's nothing that monica won't do for our school and our community. when she went on maternity leave we attempted to create a list of her job responsibilities for the substitute and after about the

30th item we decided that there was no way on earth a substitute was going to be able to do half of what we were putting on this list. she goes so far above and beyond for our community. i'm originally from upstate new york, we're huge hockey fans and the biggest commendation we can give a goalie is if we say that the goal where ay would stand on his head for his teammates. i truly believe that monica would stand on her head for our school, for our community, for our staff members. she's just that good. and from being an active member of our school council to helping our elac make sugar cane skulls, there's pretty much nothing she won't do, organizing our orientation, running incredibly engaging literacy groups for our struggling and emerging k-2 readers, she's a reals a tote this school and it's a pleasure and dmb -- she's a real asset to this school and it's a pleasure to introduce her to you. a big round of applause for monday carks our literacy specialist -- for monica, our

literacy specialist. >> i just want to dedicate this to the students because they are why i do what i do every day. and also my team members. thank you very much to the board for so few chances where teachers get kudos. we mostly get raspberries so i accept this on behalf of all the teachers out there that accept their conditions and come to school with a smile everyday and a lot of love for kids. >> next i'd like to calm up co-director jordan smith.

are there any of jordan's staff here this evening? >> do you guys know where he is? >> no. [inaudible] >> maybe we'll wait later on and if they come in we can give it to them or something. you're the ones receiving? then why don't you come on up? >> san francisco unified wishes to honor the school for being a great group of teachers and mentors. education is a people business and we're only as strong as the people who work with our children and keep our schools open and running everyday.

thank you for all you do and congratulations on receiving this well-deserved special service award. >> thank you very much and on behalf of my two co-workers and brent albert who is actually not here, we try very hard everyday and we give it our all. president mendoza: this evening we have with an action item. i need a motion and a second, please. >> so moved. >> seconded. president mendoza: thank you. this is in commendation to lisa

spinali authored by commissioner murase. commissioner murase: in accommodation to lisa spinali, for the past five years lisa spinali has led the san francisco school volunteers and the combined san francisco education fund, san francisco school volunteers as executive director, focusing work on tackling the barriers to academic achievement by partnering with people. whereas her career is dedicated to expanding community investment in public education since she graduated from the harvard business school, beginning with the position at american express where she was on loan to meche corps, the pioneering program to engage young people as teachers in public schools nationwide. whereas in 1963 san francisco volunteers has promoted volunteerism among community members in our public schools and since 1979 san francisco education fund has created important private sector

partnerships to expand resources to classrooms. drawing from the distinct strength of each organization, under the leadership of ms. spinali, the two respected organizations were merged into a single san francisco education fund. therefore be it resolved that the board of education for the san francisco unified school district commends lisa spinali for her distinguished tenure at the san francisco education fund and wishes her its best on her future endeavors. congratulations, lisa. >> thank you for that reading. president mendoza: before we present there this to you, we'd like to invite any public comment on this. so if there's any public speakers on behalf of lisa you're welcome to come up as we all stare at your staff. you don't have to. and then any comments from the board or the superintendent. commissioner norton. commissioner norton: i would just like to ask the author if i could add my name onto her

resolution. commissioner murase: of course. president mendoza: i just want to -- i'm obviously going to support this resolution. but i have to say that lisa has just been an outstanding partner, not only for san francisco unified, with many of the organizations that we work with and we're really going to miss having you at the fund. you've been a real stellar and solid support and we wish you the very best in all of your endeavors. you always know where to find us and you're always welcome to come and help any time as a fabulous volunteer which you continue to promote throughout our school district. thank you so much for your years of service, lisa. >> thank you. i i would just like to also add my voice to the chorus of kudos

to lisa spi nell -- spi naly. i will tell you as far as keeping children always first, lisa spi nalia has always been first and -- spinali has always been first and foremost of keeping the children of this district first and foremost. she's been a true partner to the principals and teachers and staff members at our schools and as it relates to our work in social justice, she's been a true thought partner and although we're sad to see her leave her position, we're very, very fortified and very happy by the fact that she will remain a san franciscan. so we're all going to benefit from her expertise. so i just want to say thank you on behalf of all 55,000 kids in our school district, thank you, lisa, for all you've done. president mendoza: thank you. roll call, please. commissioner wynns: yes. commissioner fewer: yes. commissioner maufas: yes.

commissioner murase: aye. commissioner norton: yes. vice president yee: aye. president mendoza: yes. >> that's unanimous. president mendoza: congratulations, lisa. >> so i just -- goodbyes are not my thing. so, i'll be seeing you very soon i'm sure in many way shapes or form as i wrote to a couple of you. i'm only a text or an email away. i think that as every job, i've been working for about 25 years now. this has been by far the most important and meaningful work that i've ever had a chance to do. and why it's as important as it

is is for our kids. as a first-generation college-going person, i know the difference education manges and in our city, we can and will be a world class education system for our kids. because we can do it. and how we do that is shoulder to shoulder and if i leave here topped today and it's bittersweet because i've now figured out how things work, it takes a little, while -- a little while, and when i see everybody that i've worked with, that's the rocket fuel that makes this thing go. and there has been no greater honor for me than has been in service to our students or teachers or administrators. because it's an amazing talented group of people and i see gentle and i think gentle, we have to do a better job of telling this story to our collective community because there's so many amazing things happening in our schools and it's based upon the fact that we work shoulder

to shoulder to do that. so, i won't be far away. i am a native so i'm not going anywhere. and call on me me time and -- any time and i promise to always be an advocate because you're doing amazing work at a really, really tough time and i personally thank you for all that you do. thank you. president mendoza: thank you, lisa. our final presentation is to the america scores bay area athletes. we're going to have you two come on up. you guys did a wonderful job last monday representing san francisco in the national slam at the apollo theater in new york city. the m.c. was legendary motown singer and rock and roll hall of

fame artist martha reeves. the kids received a video message from popular recording artist alicia keys and our students made great friends with scores of kids across the country and got to see the sites of new york city. truly a memorable experience i'm sure for the both of you and we're so proud and we're looking forward to your performance this evening. but before you go do that i'd love to invite the society director of the bay area, emily. >> thank you, president mendoza. good evening, everybody. yes, these are our two poets who just got back from new york city and i'm very, very proud of them. we made our debut last year here at the meeting and we're very happy to come back and just to give you a scope of america scores bay area, we are the only soccer and literacy after school program in san francisco with also programs in richmond but of course san francisco is number one. and we play soccer and we write

poetry and right now in the spring season we're working on community service projects. so we're happy to be here and without further ado, my poets. >> the title of my poem is called "i see you." inside my heart i see you. up in the sky i see you. shining in the sunlight, i see you. sparkling with the stars, i see you. in love, i see you. in my happiness i see you. in beauty i see you. so, mom, when i see you, that's your school teacher helping me out. when i see you i see a lion, nice and strong on the outside. when i see you, i see a loving and caring person on the inside. everywhere i am, anywhere i am, i see you. right now i see you.

>> i'd like to comment that lali's mother is here. she didn't come to -- get to come to new york so this is dedicated to her mom. i'd also like to knowledge the principals. so thank you for being here. >> the title of my poem is called "i am." i am in this mexican shirt. i am the rattle of a red-flowered miraca. i am the spinning of the earth. i am the twinkling glitter of a gold necklace. i am the sugar clumped in motionless coffee. mm-mm-mm-mm. i am alive, i am playing soccer with area scores. >> thank you both.

thank you very much. we're happy to be here. president mendoza: before you go, we have a little something for the both of you. ok. i think we're done with our back and forth. item d is the student delegates' report. so -- >> so unfortunately we haven't had an a meeting due to yesterday's furlough day but we will be meeting tomorrow and we're making sure that our high

schools will be having elections for the student advisory council representatives next year. . >> comm commenting on making sure our representatives are trying to get them to elect them through school elections as well as together with the elections of the president of the rest of the classes. and we are producing questions for the surveys of a resolution that we are currently working on for a counseling access for every single student in high school. we thought it was very important and we're trying to help to get into college. and we're also currently reviewing restoretive justice practices and advise how to best implement them on school. president mendoza: thank you. do you guys have an announcement on transition day? frisco day on the 29th?

are you doing that? >> i'm not sure about that. president mendoza: ok. so on april 29, all of our seniors will be going to the various colleges, the city college, san francisco state and ucff and we're going to have about 1,500 students at each of the sites and this is going to be a college transition day and so any of our students who are not planning on going onto college, we're going to sign them up for city college so we can ensure all of our students have opportunity to go onto college. that's an exciting day and that's part of the bridge to success program, compliments of the gateway -- i'm sorry, the gate foundation. superintendent garcia: and they're getting priority registration as well. which is great. president mendoza: thank you both. >> i think we do have a senior that is graduating also, right? and what are your plans after high school? >> i am planning to go to uc-san diego for college as a premed

student. thank you. president mendoza: congratulations. that's great. thank you both. item e is the parent advisory council, p.a.c., report. do we have representation? >> [speaking foreign language] >> good evening, president mendoza, superintendent, and members of the board. this evening i'm going to represent p.a.c. to give you an

update on forums. >> [speaking foreign language] >> in policy with parents public

schools and district staff, we conducted a total of 17 committee meetings, including forums at 12 middle schools and four elementary schools plus a spanish language focus group. we only count on the meetings where we led the same conversations based on our discussion guide. we know some schools had their own meetings about this. over 150 people participated. some people attended multiple forums but not that many. attendance ranged from about a dozen to 200 people. the average being about 50 people. >> [speaking foreign language]

>> we learned a few things over the past five years of leading community engagement in district policy. parents who actively contact education members or parents who come to speak about policy don't always represent the perspectives or persistence of the broader parent community. people who attend large centralizeev