Updated - Board Meeting Packs a One-Two Punch

First - To all of you following the blog who have emailed, thank you for bearing with us as we have labored to collect and verify various pieces of information. We have been very heartened at the messages of encouragement and support. Thanks also to the people who continue to help us track down and understand what's taking place within the district, both at the district office and at the school sites. We realize that you do so at some professional risk and that makes your efforts even more appreciated. Your belief in transparency and your willingness to act is inspiring.

Second - Because documents play a central role in things we've decided to start uploading various documents to an "online document repository and embed links to them in our blog posts. This is "tech-speak" to those of us who are not really web-minded, but basically it means that there will be clickable links in the blog posts to view documents.

Third - While we've tried to keep to the main points and avoid being too wordy, this blog post covers a lot of ground. We hope that you find reading it will be worth your while.

April 20, 2010 "regular" board meeting - Missing item numbers mean that we've skipped those boring parts. And if you want to skip the 'somewhat interesting' parts and go directly to the juicy stuff, missing out on our commentary, we recommend items 9e, 9i, and 11j. But reading the whole post will give a better picture. Also, here's a link to the agenda document: http://www.scribd.com/doc/30899358/EUSD-Board-Agenda-April-20-2010

• 3 - Closed Session: As always there was a closed session part of the meeting, mentioned on the agenda as "conference with labor negotiators" and listing both unions. Hope that went well, but in light of the state of the budget it was probably a tough situation. The word is that TOE plans to hold the line, and a similar situation with COE. Undoubtedly more news to come on that topic. If anybody has info to share, feel free to email or comment.

• **Meeting Minutes: A note about the minutes of board meetings: Many people do not realize that the minutes of each board meeting are included for the board's approval in the agenda of the following meeting. So if you're wondering what went on at a meeting you missed, and you want the very abbreviated "official" version of the proceedings, they're in the agenda the following month. The problem is that it's almost impossible to get a full picture of what happened by just reading the minutes, and they have a distinctly "district administration flair" about them, if you get our meaning.

• 6a - Olivenhain Pioneer Faces of Character Program - A nice presentation by the principal and a 6th grade teacher about the Faces of Character program. As usual, nobody could quite figure out how to use the AV system in the board room, even though the district has paid to have it 'upgraded' multiple times the past few years, courtesy of the former superintendent. What's sad is that it's usually teachers or students who are trying to make a presentation to the board and the audience, only to have their big moment stymied by the D.O. staff's inability to master the room. This time the cast of techies was larger than usual, with Mike Guerena there, as well as the new I.T. director, and a tech-savvy principal. They did manage to get it going after some tinkering, but it's comical that the board sits there meeting after meeting watching these Keystone Cops episodes unfold, yet nobody gets it together enough to avoid the same thing 'next time'. Can't somebody be 'in charge' of the AV at the meetings?

• 6b - Teachers, Classified Employees, and Administrators of the Year - A good turnout, though some of the teachers didn't show up. Overall very nice as always.

• 8 - Public Comment - Two ladies spoke passionately about the need to keep Kathie Jenuine in her role as the Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) coordinator, speaking about her contributions and encouragement. Those of us who know her can all agree that she's one of the most energetic and dedicated employees in the district, and it is definitely going to be the death knell of whatever is left of an arts program if/when her position is cancelled. Keep in mind that she is the only district employee whose job is dedicated to keeping the arts present in the schools (all nine of them). This will be a great loss to the students.

• 9a - Rescheduling of board meeting to an earlier date (5/4) in order to accommodate the legally required layoff notice timeline.  Well, that can't be good.

• 9b - Tax and Revenue Anticipation Notes (TRANS) - This boils down to the following statement, as nearly as we can tell: "We're pretty sure that we're going to get this money from tax collection later, so let us sell some notes against the funds now and we'll see how it goes." Apparently districts do this. It's capped at $5,000,000, and the district will pay interest on the borrowed money. It's good that the county office apparently keeps an eye on this kind of stuff. So, borrowing money and paying interest on it, that's normal, and we all know that the budget is terrible and they're laying off teachers and classified, and probably raising class size. So, it must be bad enough to warrant this move, right? Onward...

• 9c - Temporary Loan/Transfer of Funds from the County Treasurer - Ok, times are tough, you need a little advance on your paycheck. Everybody can understand that, as long as everything else is in line with these seemingly 'emergency' measures...

• 9e - Contract with Isom Advisors
• During the brief discussion about this topic Mrs. Muir questioned the spending of money on a survey in the midst of the ongoing budget problems. Tim Baird outlined that the survey would a phone poll of the district population, would be mathematically and statistically correct, etc. 
• Then Mrs. Muir said something that seemed to be a question about a tax or a bond, and the superintendent answered in the affirmative. It was apparently impossible to determine what this interchange was about because it was brief and somewhat quiet, so we had to track this down elsewhere after the fact, and we received a helpful email from concerned employees who did some Googling. As it turns out, the survey is primarily geared toward gauging support for a bond measure on the November ballot that would generate funding in the many millions of dollars to build a preschool operation on land that the district owns on Quail Gardens Road. This has apparently been discussed by the superintendent with various individuals and groups over the past few weeks. 
• What is so stunning about this is the astoundingly poor choice of timing. The district is financially in the hole, is seeking to beg and borrow money - see items above - yet wants to embark on a new business venture: a fee-based preschool. As one emailer pointed out, this is the era of TEA Party rallies and anti-tax movements, so whether or not one thinks it would be a good idea, it's almost certainly a non-starter in this political climate. Duh! And it will cost the district a pile of money to do what's necessary to get a bond on the ballot in the first place. Some of us are old enough to remember Prop. O, which was a well-timed and worthwhile bond, and it cost some money to pull off. But that was then, this is now. And that was to fix crumbling schools, while this would be to build an untested business venture that has stiff competition in the form of the YMCA preschool and just about every church preschool around. 
• Also, as one emailer pointed out, this would essentially be "Let me tax you now in the form of a bond, and charge you later to use the preschool you paid for with the tax." If it could be assured of passing, and of making money, it would be a good use of that land, which is a nice chunk of property in the heart of Encinitas. But it's unlikely that it will pass in this economy, and uncertain if it can make money or even break even. 
• As yet a third emailer suggested, why not do something obvious, like make that property temporarily into sports fields and charge the soccer, little league, YMCA, and everybody else to use it? The district makes a bundle off of the rental of the school fields, so why not make use this Quail Gardens land that's currently growing weeds? How much can it cost to 'build' a field? We're guessing it's a lot less than a preschool - and certainly a lot less than would be required for a ballot measure. Then later, when the timing is better, maybe the property can be further improved and turned into something that actually does generate revenue.
• It has become obvious that the preschool is the pet project of certain board members. This seems like a very expensive way of leaving a legacy behind.
• Anyway, the point is that an agenda item as innocuous sounding as "a feasibility study/survey to explore possible revenue generating avenues" can actually be a prelude to some kind of walk through Financial Fantasyland, all while people are being laid off and there will be more students in a classroom.
• In spite of all of that seemingly obvious logic, the board approved the contract with ISOM by a vote of 4 to 1, with Mrs. Muir voting against it and the other four board members giving their normal rubber stamp to it, and asking almost no questions.

• 9i - Technology Infrastructure Follow-up Report - And now for the truly bizarre. The new technology director presented the second part of his report on the district's technology needs. Nobody seems to have a sense of this guy yet, but if his first presentation was completely bland, this one was a mind-blower. He was apparently introduced by the Superintendent who gave him a very approving lead-in. Mr. Delacalsada then proceeded with a powerpoint that talked about the importance of technology and a strong network. He did a good job of dumbing down the techie talk, and basically said that everything is old, and that most things are on the brink of collapse. He outlined his ideas for a five-year plan to purchase all new equipment for the network, including new phone systems for the whole district, and all new technology infrastructure equipment. 
• Then came the money slide. As it turns out this plan will involve a lease-purchase plan for a BUNCH of equipment, almost $1 million dollars of it. Yes, no typo, almost one million dollars of technology equipment. Then, when you add in the lease finance charge of 4.73%, plus tax, shipping, and maintenance, the grand total of the whole package is $1,775,937.11.     Seriously.    
• As he was discussing this various stuff Mrs. Strich asked for a clarification about how much of this money and equipment would actually reach the students directly, since none of it is for actual computers in classrooms. The answer was that none of it would actually end up in classrooms, and that it was all the behind-the-scenes stuff. Mrs. Strich seemed agreeable with that answer, and she and Mr. Parker then cited several examples of money that 'had to be spent' in order to keep things running, such as a structural beam at La Costa Heights that cost $50,000 to fix. So, they agreed, sometimes you have to spend money on non-student stuff to keep things running.
• Mr. Delacalsada passed out a printed summary of his presentation and as the board members were leafing through it Mrs. Muir, who seemed a little shell-shocked by the numbers, said that it was a lot of money and that there was no detail as to how it was all going to be spent. Mr. Delacalsada then said that he could provide a list of specific equipment. 
• Mrs. Muir said something to Tim Baird about getting input from the district technology committee before making a decision of that magnitude. He replied with another stunner. He said that the technology committee was a parent group and that they probably didn't have the technology expertise required to give input on this kind of thing, so he really didn't want to involve them. We did some follow-up research on this point and it turns out that the superintendent must have no idea who is actually on the technology committee since it includes, among others, technology people from the county office of education as well as several other, much larger districts, including some district technology directors (like Poway USD, San Diego City Schools - you know, those small, out-of-the-way places that probably don't use technology). 
• Then Mrs. Muir asked where the money was going to come from and Mr. Baird deferred to Abby Saadat, who apparently said something like, 'I've already contacted my contacts at the county office about that.'  He said that there might be some money from grants, or something along those lines. Mr. Baird, perhaps having a moment of feet-to-the-fire clairvoyance, said that whether or not any special money showed up, it was very possible that come June they would be deciding to get this money out of the general fund.  That is, out of the same fund that pays for salaries, pencils, VAPA coordinators - that kind of stuff. 
• This discussion apparently went on for a few minutes and then Mr. Parker, currently making the most of being board president, cut the discussion short by going ahead with the voting. 
• Here's the $64,000 Question (remember that show?): How did the board vote? In a year when teachers are being given layoff notices, classified staff will be losing their jobs, and class size will likely rise, how did the board vote on a $1.7 million dollar item to spiff up technology infrastructure that seems to be working fine? 
• If you guessed that the vote went 4-to-1, you are a winner. Muir voted against, the other four voted in favor. Motion carried, item passed. Once again, we're trying not to become the pro-Mo blog, since we're an independent-minded group of mixed-history voting, but honest to God, there seems to be not one other board member interested in asking questions, getting discussion going, or governing in any manner aside from being patsy figureheads for the administration.
• Here's a link to the presentation document that discusses the details: http://www.scribd.com/doc/30418030/EUSD-Technology-Infrastructure-Presentation-4-20-10
• As a group we've talked about this at length, some of us parents, some district employees, and while there are some instances in which technology is sometimes a challenge, it's definitely available and it seems to work. If anything, the teachers don't get enough training to use what already exists, or not enough time to make use of it with students. As an example, the district under Lean King poured a ton of money into SuccessMaker as if it was a panacea for whatever ails a school, but didn't purchase the computers to give access to all. As a teacher in the group pointed out, even the company that produces it says it only works if a student can use it three times per week for at least 20 minutes each time. Guess what? All of us who have kids in the district checked it out and only one kid is possibly getting that much time on SuccessMaker. 
• So, it sounds like what we need is more student access to technology, not more behind-the-scenes stuff. There has also been a fall-off in classroom tech support, very clear to all. Teachers are frustrated because simple requests go unanswered or are long delayed.
• So it seems to us who are 'on the ground' and 'in the trenches' as though the administration is wandering away from the prior focus on technology in the classroom and into some kind of techie nerd spending that nobody will see. Will it be helpful somehow, somewhere? Probably so, but this particular year, of all years?

• 9j - Acceptance of Gifts - This is amazing, that in this time of economic hardship there are people giving so generously. It shows that people step up, even when it might not be the easiest thing to do.

• 10a - Financial Report - Brief summary of the current finances - nothing shocking.

• The Consent Items (the 11's) all passed without any noteworthy discussion, but we've talked about some of them below:
• 11c - Ratification of Purchase Orders - $250,812,86  This number seems to vary so widely from month to month that it's hard to say if this was normal or not. It would be interesting to actually see where this money is going (what companies it's going to).

• 11g - Change Order - Additional rolling cabinets for the Media Center at Park Dale Lane to accommodate library books - $5500.  See, now this seems reasonable. It's less than a mathematically and statistically correct phone survey, is tangible, and actually has a functional purpose.

• 11h - Bid modernization for Flora Vista Media Center - Again, possibly not the best year to do it, unless there's some of Abby Saadat's special secret stash money for capital improvements, then it's probably a good thing. That media center has that same dumpy '70's look that they all had at some point.

• 11i - Asphalting - And once again, if it's facilities-only money, sure, steam-roll away. If not, can't they just fix potholes and keep class sizes lower?

• 11j - Out of state travel for I.T. Director - "David Delacalsada, Director of Information Technology, will represent the Encinitas Union School District at a technology presentation sponsored by Intel in Las Vegas, Nevada. This presentation will help develop a technology roadmap for the district."  
• Passed, 5-0. In fairness, it was made clear that the cost of attending the presentation was paid by Intel, and that the district would bear no costs for this trip. There is lost productivity, apparently, because the I.T. Director was gone for those days.
• But the greater concern is that earlier in the evening the board gave the guy $1.7 million, and now he's off looking for a "roadmap" as to how to use it? Cart-before-the-horse? All monied-up and not sure where to go? Maybe the superintendent should reconsider that input from those uneducated folk on the tech committee, as opposed to getting an idea from a company that makes microchips. Sure, Intel is a smart company. Smart enough not to spend money on travel for a bunch of people to Las Vegas unless there's a sales pitch in it somewhere. It might be great, but suppose the 'roadmap' says, 'Turn Right into spending money on neat new stuff'?  All set.

• 11k - CBET participation - A good program, builds community involvement, but is it worth $18K in a year when the district is borrowing and begging money, and laying people off? It's a program for adults. We checked: San Dieguito Adult School has a good set of English Language class offerings. Still, it's not that much money, and the people usually come with their kids. One question: When we last checked, it made us of computers and SuccessMaker. Does that mean that if these adult English Learners were not using the stuff after school that there could be EUSD students using the same equipment for the same purpose? This really is just a question. Anybody know?

• Summarizing - The meeting started out with items that sounded a lot like borrowing money, one method involving interest charges. This is due to the budget crisis. Then things moved toward spending money to put a bond measure  on the ballot that won't pass, for a preschool that may be a financial drain. Then the board approved a $1.7M spending plan for technology 'back-end' to replace stuff that seems to be working. Yet the board majority cries crocodile tears as they talk about how layoffs hurt real people and how education in California is suffering. But, we will have that phone survey. Can we see the results of that when they're available?

The more we watch, the more we see, the more we wonder.

Have an opinion? Let us know!