VUSD board approves new site projects, revises graduation requirements
Looking for more information about what happened during last week’s school board meeting?
Here’s a recap of what you missed:
Visalia Unified board members met for the first time in a month due to a severe storm that swept through the area earlier, leaving many streets throughout Tulare County flooded.
Board members listened to Chief Operations Officer Erik Kehrer give an update surrounding VCIS West.
VUSD held a superintendent’s property advisory committee meeting back in June, where staff determined the property at 649 S. County Center Dr. was surplus; trustees officially adopted a resolution in late February, announcing the district's intent to sell.
Visalia Unified has not received any sealed or oral bids for the property, and will therefore explore other alternatives.
Superintendent Kirk Shrum also gave a presentation highlighting things happening around the Visalia Unified community. He went into detail about this year’s summer opportunities for students, as well as changes for the 2023-24 school year.
Some of the changes include investments in art and music due to Proposition 28 funding.
“It translates into the classroom, it translates into life,” Superintendent of Learning and Leadership Mark Thompson said. “That encouragement that confidence that they build helps them grow.”
You can read more about summer classes here, and the upcoming 2023-24 changes here.
Board members also listened to a second reading of, and then approved, the VUSD Theory of Action — created after district members met with community members in February to discuss how students should learn and what conditions best promote learning.
A full copy of the district’s Theory of Action can be found here, on page 43.
Consent Calendar
Visalia Unified school board members then unanimously voted (with one Trustee Todd Oto absent) to accept the agenda’s consent calendar, meaning no discussion on the calendar’s contents occurred.
Only item No. 6 was pulled from the agenda, due to a potential conflict of interest between councilmember Randy Villegas and the company the district contracts. Villegas has pulled any item relating to the contractor since being elected for this reason.
By accepting the calendar, school board members approved numerous field trips including multiple college visits, state and national student competitions, and grad night.
Board members approved moving forward with a five-year contract for $692,625 with Finalsite. The company provides the district website, application and mass messaging services.
Trustees approved a staff trip for six business services and human resources development employees to a Tyler Technologies conference in May, estimated to cost around $10,000. Staff with the district’s nutritional services department will also attend a conference in July, estimated to cost around $6,000. Three employees with the district's media department will also travel out of state for a conference in July. The trip is estimated to cost $7,500.
Visalia Unified board members also approved an update to its 6Crickets enrollment system to allow for easier student registration. The update will occur the week of June 12 and will be implemented by July 10.
The cost is $50,000 and will come from the Expanded Learning and Opportunities Program fund.
The school district will renew its agreement with the Tulare County Superintendent of Schools and the California Center for Youth Development and Health Promotion. This year’s campaign focuses on gambling awareness at El Diamante High School.
The board approved new agreements between the district and Raptor Technologies for nearly $20,000, paid through the general fund, Solution Tree for $76,600, paid using learning recovery funds, and i-Ready for $805,000, using ESSR III funds.
Board members approved two projects — new roofing for the Mt. Whitney Gymnasium and track resurfacing at El Diamante and Mt. Whitney. The roofing is estimated to cost around $573,900 and will be taken from the district’s restricted maintenance account, while the new tracks are expected to cost a combined $1,383,500 and will be paid using Fund 400.
General Agenda
The board approved a policy revision regarding high school graduation requirements, specifically for students who are on an individualized education program (IEP).
The revision will allow IEP students to graduate by meeting the state's minimum requirements.
The district plans on hosting board workshops to discuss the parent and community member feedback regarding graduation requirements, among other topics.
"When we come together in May we will be able to bring that information back," Shrum said, "along with additional questions and additional insight from this board on what they really want this graduation policy to be."
Board members approved Visalia Unified's second interim financial report, which certifies the district's ability to meet its financial obligations for the current year as well as the next two years.
VUSD currently has a positive certification, which means it meets a 3% minimum reserve and also shows a positive projection over the next two fiscal years.
Board members listened to a second reading of the Visalia Unified Teachers Association's initial contract interests/proposal. VUTA President Greg Price listed some of the interests in the proposal, including teacher safety, classroom size, salary and employee benefits.
Board members then listened to a second reading of the Visalia Unified School District's initial contract interest/proposal.
Assistant Superintendent of the Human Resources Department Ben Dhillon gave a rundown of the district's interests, including student growth, student and staff safety, as well as maintaining district reserves during the upcoming economic cycle.
The board finished the meeting off by authorizing a resolution delegating authority to Shrum to award emergency contracts for public works projects without competitive bidding due to the ongoing emergency due to the atmospheric rivers that have pushed through Central California.
The school district saw some damage following the storms in January; students and parents reported a lack of heat in some classrooms in the aftermath. In total, the storms caused "serious damage" at 17 sites across the district.
In response to the damage, the district contracted work with Pacific West Controls, Central California Electronics, EKC Enterprises and Digitech Integrations for a total of $425,300.
"This will be an ongoing approval of emergency findings until all repairs are completed," the agenda packet reads.
The Visalia Unified school board meets again at 7 p.m. on April 11 in the boardroom at the District Office at 5000 W. Cypress Ave.
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: VUSD board approves new site projects, revises graduation requirements
