CSD Board Briefing
Cambrian School District, January 21, 2021
Recognition of Tenured Staff
Dr. Andrews and the Board recognized and celebrated staff received tenured status this school year. We have 13 staff members that have demonstrated their commitment to our students, schools and district as a whole due to their continued service. They are most certainly appreciated and congratulations were given to these wonderful Cambrian team members.
They are:
Margaret (Degie) Hosmer, District Nurse
Michele Brister, Counseler
Jesse Saenz, Emily Cooper, Gayathri Ramakrishnan, Nicole Perotti, Karen Hoch, Alexandria Tomaz, Catherine Lavin, Bhuvana Kannan, Xiaoyun (Sharon) Shen, Nyssa Wickmeyer, and Cassidi Lauck, Teachers.
Return to In-Person Learning and Instruction
Last Thursday, January 14th, the Governor released the COVID-19 and Reopening In-Person Instruction Framework & Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools in California, 2020-2021 School Year.
Dr. Andrews provided an update to the Board as to the recent new requirements and guidelines set out by the California Public Health Department. The framework is intended to consolidate and update prior state public health guidance and orders related to K-12 schools that provide in-person instruction and includes 1) criteria and processes for school reopenings under the Blueprint for a Safer Economy; 2) considerations intended to help the school community leaders plan for and prepare to resume in-person instruction; 3) responses to confirmed COVID-19 infections; 4) practices for providing physical distancing in classrooms; and 5) direction on the implementation of stable groups of students and staff.
The guidance is a public health directive that applies to all public and private schools operating in California, and schools must comply with the orders and guidance issued by the California Department of Public Health to limit the spread of COVID-19 and protect public health.
Cambrian School District will continue with the gradual phased-in approach to return once the County moves to the red tier. A new change in the guidance allows schools (TK-6) to reopen for in-person instruction once Santa Clara County is in the red tier for 5 days. Dr. Andrews shared that when we enter the red tier, we would communicate with all our families the return day and starting with our youngest students (TK-2) will be phased in first to return to school campuses.
Our reopening plan will continue to maintain a degree of fluidity as revised guidance/directives are presented by the state and local health departments. Our commitment is to keep families and staff apprised to changes as we move forward to bring students back to in-person instruction when possible to do so.
2019-20 Audited Financial Statements
Ms. Joyce Peters from the auditing firm of EideBailly presented the audited financial statements for the Cambrian School District as well as the Performance Audit for the Measure I Bond. Ms. Peters reported that the District had a clean audit without any findings of misstatements or non-compliance in State or Federal programs. The Governing Board of Trustees voted to accept the audited financial statements for the District and Measure I for the 2019- 20 school year. Education Code section 41020.3 requires that each school district Governing Board shall review the annual audit at one of its regularly scheduled public meetings.
Click here to view the CSD signed financial report for 2020.
Governor's Budget Proposal (January 2021)
Chief Financial Officer, Ms. Penny Timboe summarized the Governor's Budget Proposal for the 2021-22 State Budget and what it means for the Cambrian School District.
The Budget reflects the state’s highest-ever funding level for K-14 schools – approximately $90 billion total, with $85.8 billion under Proposition 98. The historic investment centers on equity in and for our school communities, especially as they navigate the inequitable impacts of the pandemic.
The Budget continues to expand on the Governor’s multi-year investments for greater equity for students and the broader school community. Targeted investments in special education include $545 million in ongoing funds – building on $1.5 billion over the last two years – and $300 million in ongoing funds for early intervention for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. The Budget also continues to build on the Governor’s long-term commitment to equity for the entire school community – including all school staff – with over $475 million to ensure teachers and classified staff have the opportunities, funding and preparation they need as professionals.
Although the budget proposal reflects a large investment in education, the funding is largely one-time in nature for specific programs. The on-going increases are reflected in the LCFF as a “catch-up” COLA. The COLA would re-pay the 2.31% COLA that was not funded in 2020-21 and then add an additional 1.5% projected COLA for 2021-22. This would provide a total COLA of 3.84% for the 2021-22 fiscal year.
In addition, Cambrian from other proposals in the areas of Special Education base grants under AB 602 and early intervention grants for preschoolers, expanded learning grants for interventions and learning loss mitigation and potentially the grants for returning to in-person instruction. Next steps for this budget proposal is the negotiation process with the legislature over the next few months and then the follow-up of the May Revision.
The full Governor’s Budget Summary is available at www.ebudget.ca.gov.
Technology Plan Update and Measure R Technology Options
Dr. Andrews thanked the community for approving the Measure R Bond, which will directly support our technology and facility needs. Mr. Matt Hill, Director of Educational Technology, and Mr. Mujtaba Rauf, Director of Informational Technology, presented the Governing Board of Cambrian School District with a recommendation for a 5 year Infrastructure and Student Device Programs spending plan using Measure R funds based on the Cambrian School District Technology Plan.
The staff recommended option #2, which expands the student:device ratio for grades 2-5 from two devices per student (2:1) to one device per student (1:1). Grades 6-8 remain at 1:1 and grades PK-1 remain at 3:1 per the Cambrian School District Technology Plan.
In addition, the District will explore a Take Home Program model for grades 6-8, which will be implemented pending evaluation of pros/cons with Middle School stakeholders. Estimated five-year total expenditures for student devices is $718K. Please click here to view Student Device Program Options. The five-year total estimated cost for all technology equipment replacements; including classroom standard teaching equipment, infrastructure and student devices is at $1.542M. This expenditure budget will be allocated with Measure R Bond funds.
Resolution 20-21-13: Authorizing the Sale and Issuance of Measure R Bonds, Prescribing the Terms and Related Actions
The Board of Trustees adopted Resolution 20-21-13: Authorizing the sale and issuance of the first series of Measure R Bonds for within the stated parameters. On November 3, 2020, 61% of voters within the District voted to approve Measure R. At the December 17th Board meeting, the Board received an information presentation on bond financing plan and bond sale process from the District’s municipal advisor, Government Financial Strategies.
The Board adopted the Resolution authorizing the sale of the first series of Measure R general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $15,000,000.
In addition to the Resolution, other required financial forms were approved as follows:
- Form of Paying Agent Agreement: prescribes certain terms and conditions of the Measure R Bonds, including principal maturity dates, interest payment dates, and how Bonds may be refinanced in the future. The paying agent is also responsible for paying various professional invoices from Measure R Bond proceeds for services rendered in connection with Bond issuance.
- Form of Bond Purchase Agreement: (to be completed on the day of sale) Identifies the purchase price that the District will receive as well as the interest rates and resulting debt service due on the bonds. It also outlines the documents that are required to close the financing.
- Form of Continuing Disclosure Certificate: Outlines the District’s responsibilities for updating the municipal market and investors with information after the Measure R Bonds have been issued.
Preliminary Official Statement: This is the offering document containing material information for an investor to make an informed investment decision.
Click here to view Resolution 20-21-13.
Click here to view the preliminary official statement draft from January 13, 2021.
Click here to view CSD’s Bond Purchase Agreement, drafted December 16, 2020.
Click here to view the CSD Continuing Disclosure Certificate, drafted on January 11, 2021.
CSD Sunshine Statement for Negotiations with CSD Teachers’ Association- Public Hearing
The Governing Board of Trustees approved Cambrian School District’s Sunshine Statement. Cambrian School District officially informed the Cambrian District Teachers Association of its desire to modify and/ or amend:
Article 6: Benefits and Added Compensation
In the Contract Bargaining Agreement between the Cambrian School District and the Cambrian District Teachers Association/CTA/NEA, which expires on June 30, 2021. The District and CDTA will review the contract language in the following articles: Article 6: Benefits and Added Compensation Appropriately compensate and provide affordable health benefits to employees while maintaining a fiscally balanced budget. To view the Initial Bargaining Proposal from CSD to the CSD Teachers’ Association, please click here.
Next Board Meeting
CAMBRIAN SCHOOL DISTRICT
Email: klavond@cambriansd.com
Website: www.cambriansd.org
Location: 4115 Jacksol Drive, San Jose, CA, USA
Phone: (408) 377-2103
Facebook: facebook.com/CambrianSchoolDistrict
Twitter: @CambrianSDist01