Highlights – School Board meeting of August 24 and September 14, 2005

The Menlo Park City School District Board of Education held regular meetings in August and September. Highlights of the August 24, 2005, and September 14, 2005, are presented for your information. The next School Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 11, in the Board Room at the District Office, 181 Encinal Avenue, Atherton. (The text of Official Minutes is posted to the District Website following Board approval.)

Highlights of the August 24, 2005, Board Meeting:

• In preparation for the Special Board Meeting regarding the Integrated Master Planning of Facilities and Operation scheduled for October 25, 2005, Superintendent Ranella presented a projection of what the Board should expect for the Operational Master Plan. Components of the report will include a demographic analysis of projected enrollment at each school; an update of residential developments under consideration in Menlo Park; a projection of needed classrooms and other facilities to accommodate enrollment; a projection of certificated, administrative and classified personnel needed to accommodate enrollment for existing programs; cost assessments of infrastructure facility projects for school campuses, facility projects to accommodate instructional programs at the schools, and costs associated with the operation of new facilities.
  
  
• Information was presented by Superintendent Ranella on anticipated enrollment and projected class sizes for the opening of the 2005-06 school year. District enrollment was anticipated to be 2,176 with an average class size of 19.4 for K-3^rd grade and 23.6 for 4-8^th grades.
  
  
• Student Services Director Olivia Mandilk highlighted plans for the 2005-06 school year, which included the provision of services by the District that were previously NPA (nonpublic agency) provided, i.e., occupational therapist, and the development of a preschool program that would address needs of preschoolers with autism, including specialized language, behavioral and occupational therapy services.
  
  
• Following review of final budgets for the restrooms, arbor and District Office projects, the Board voted to authorize the filing of Notices of Completion on these projects.

Highlights of the September 14, 2005 Board Meeting:

• JoAnn Arneson, Oak Knoll School librarian for the past fifteen years, received a Special Resolution from the Board in honor of her retirement.
  
  
• By consensus, the date of the next Regular Board Meeting was changed from October 12 to October 11.
  
  
• Hillview Middle School Principal Mike Moore was congratulated on being honored by the Menlo Park Chamber of Commerce as Public Servant of the Year.
  
  
• Superintendent Ranella presented the 21^st Century Classroom Project funded in part by the Menlo-Atherton Foundation through the Excellence in Teaching Initiative.
  
  
• Superintendent Ranella reported on the planning process for facility development over the last several months which has included assessment of conditions and needs of school campuses, consideration of options for facility development, exploration of financial options for funding facility projects, and a demographic study to project challenges of anticipated growth in student enrollment. The results of each of these planning processes will be addressed at the October 25 Special Board Meeting. Public meetings will be conducted thereafter to provide the opportunity for input regarding needs as well as for reaction to preliminary planning.
  
  
• An initial discussion regarding development of policies for class size, assignment of schools, and intradistrict transfers took place with the Board. A draft policy will be presented at the October 11 Board Meeting for consideration and further discussion.
  
  
• An allocation of $30,000 from the designated unrestricted fund balance account, “District Grant,” was approved for administrative support to Laurel and Encinal Schools.
  
  
• The Board approved the 2004-05 Unaudited Actuals.
  
  
• Resolution # 05.06.5 Establishing the Gann Appropriations Limit was approved by the Board.
  
  
• Filing of the Declaration of Need for Fully Qualified Educators with the Commission on Teacher Credentialing for the 2005-06 school year was approved by the Board.
  
  
• A Public Hearing was held regarding the increase of developer fees as authorized by Education Code 17620. The Board unanimously adopted Resolution # 05.06.6 Increasing Developer Fees as Authorized by Education Code 17620.