All Board reports can be found on Agenda Online.

Loma Verde Kindergarten to Fifth Grade students shared with the Board their love of reading and the new Lucy Calkins Reading Workshop curriculum.

And Novato High Physics Teacher Hank Seeley and students shared the PBL project Novato Science Journal that he initiated this year.

RESOLUTIONS:  Two Resolutions were unanimously approved by the Board:  Certificated Teacher Appreciation Week, May 6-10, 2019, and Classified Employee Appreciate Week, May 20-24, 2019.  Item 13.a. and b.

NOVATO FEDERATION OF TEACHERS AND NUSD NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE 2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR:  The Board approved the initial proposal of negotiations for 2019-2020, mutually agreed upon by the Novato Federation of Teachers and Novato Unified School District.  Please see Item 13.c. for more information.

SEVEN TO FIVE TRUSTEES:  The Board initiated a discussion on changing the composition of the Board from seven to five members. All Board members commented. This topic will also be on the May 7 Board agenda. See Item 13.d. for more information.  The contract for Cooperative Strategies, demographer who will draft the district maps for community input, was also approved.  Consent Item 15.g.

2019-2020 BUDGET ASSUMPTIONS AND DISTRICT RESERVE OPTIONS:  Yancy Hawkins presented the budget assumptions for next year’s budget which included the $1.8 million in reductions approved this spring.  The challenges of a $2 million structural deficit, declining enrollment, increase in retirement plans and slowing state funding remain.  For more information see Item 14.b.  The Board also asked to hear about options for a District Reserve Policy.  Item 14.c.

DATA MATTERS:  In October, the Novato Unified Board of Trustees previewed the new data management system Data Matters, created by Alex Perez, IT Data Supervisor. Since then the platform has not only expanded significantly but has been refined to optimize the user experience.  Alex Perez and Jen Larson, Director Curriculum, demonstrated Data Matters. See Item 14.d.

DIFFERENTIATED ASSISTANCE REPORT:  Districts that show red on two or more of the suspension rates, graduation rate, and academic indicators within the California School Dashboard qualify for Differentiated Assistance under the California Accountability system.  NUSD qualified in 2018 for showing red on African American student’s dashboard for both the areas of Discipline and Chronic Absenteeism. Foster and Homeless Youth fell into red in these areas as well.  In partnership with the Marin County Office of Education, the district identified and addressed key challenges and root causes, to better serve students most in need.  See Staff Report Item 14.a.

Recordings of Board meetings can be found on NCTV’s YouTube Channel and NCTV reruns meetings on Comcast local Channel 30.

Next Board Meetings:     May 7, 2019 7 pm, Regular Board Meeting

May 21, 2019 6 pm, Regular Board Meeting