MAY 9, 2019

BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

Student Learner Profile Recognition

Second and third grade Mill Valley School District students were selected by their teachers to be honored based on an attribute(s) of the Mill Valley Learner Profile . Additionally, three fourth grade students were honored who were unable to attend last month's recognition. Please visit our website to view photos of each grade level. Congratulations to these remarkable students!

Golden Bell Award Recipients

The Board of Trustees celebrated Certificated and Classified staff members who are being recognized as 2018-19 Golden Bell Award recipients (see photo above).

Classified :

Leslie Fielder - Edna Maguire Elementary School

Margie Marquez - Strawberry Point Elementary School

Mike Wills - Mill Valley Middle School

Tricia Garlock (not pictured) - Tamalpais Valley Elementary School

Certificated:

Andrew Thompson (not pictured) - Tamalpais Valley Elementary School

Cristi McCabe - Strawberry Point Elementary School

Leslie Bernstein - Park Elementary School

Talia Kaye - Old Mill Elementary School

Tara Ordonez - Edna Maguire Elementary School

Trish Manwaring - Mill Valley Middle School

Honoring Community Financial Advisory Committee (CFAC) Chair,

Steve Sell

Current CFAC Chair and former Board of Trustees Member, Steve Sell, was recognized by the board for his service to the district. Mr. Sell has served on CFAC for the past 14 years and will be stepping down in June. The board celebrated and appreciated Mr. Sell for his commitment to the students, staff, and community for the past 17 years.

Mill Valley Middle School Chamber Orchestra & Bluegrass Band

Phoebe Dong and Lori Adessa, music teachers, presented about a community service performance project with the chamber orchestra and bluegrass band groups. These performances, in collaboration with the Mill Valley Middle School Community First club, have primarily been at retirement, assisted living, and nursing homes throughout the school year. Two students spoke about their experience interacting with residents, stating that they see how music makes us all connect and how orchestra taught them about teamwork. They showed a video clip highlighting a performance and a trailer for a documentary displaying the power of music for people with Alzheimer's disease.

Budget Presentation

Michele Rollins, Assistant Superintendent for Business Services, and Raquel Rose, Interim Superintendent, provided an update on the district's budget, going over specific funding sources and expenses. The presentation is intended to provide a foundation to the Mill Valley School District community about funds received and expended in alignment with requirements and discretionary decisions.

On May 30th, at 5pm in the Mill Valley Middle School Library, the district is hosting a Board Meeting Study Session focused on the 2019-20 Strategic Plan , the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) , and the budget alignment . If you have questions regarding the budget or either plan that you would like to be addressed at the study session, please submit them to communications@mvschools.org .

Interim Superintendent's Report

Superintendent Appointment

Dr. Kimberly Berman, current Superintendent at Lemon Grove School District in the San Diego area, was appointed as Superintendent of the Mill Valley School District. Dr. Berman will begin her role here starting in July 2019.

Dr. Berman expressed that she is excited to join our Mill Valley community, that she is originally from Ohio, her first love is curriculum and instruction, and she is looking forward to see students learning and in action and to hear from the community on how to best support the district.

Edna Maguire "TBD" Area and Park Boiler Pipes Replacement

John Binchi, Director of Maintenance and Operations, gave an overview of the status of the Edna Maguire "TBD" open area in the parking lot. There was a public meeting in February where members of the school community and the public gave feedback on what can be done with the TBD space. Solar panels have been one of the many considerations based on cost savings and a positive impact on the environment. Additional suggestions for the space were discussed, although the project is currently on hold.

Mr. Binchi also requested authorization to bid for boiler pipe replacement at Park School. The piping is severely rusted and needs replacement. The Board approved this request to bid.

Mill Valley School District Personnel Update

At the February 28th Special Board Meeting, the district presented resolutions for staffing reductions. The district met with staff to evaluate the need in specialized programs as well as how to maintain quality programs while being fiscally responsible. Preliminary layoff notifications were provided to 1.5 full time equivalent (FTE) certificated staff as well as release notification to multiple temporary certificated staff. These initial notifications were part of the process of realigning staffing to student enrollment, which has declined substantially since the 2013-14 school year.

The district anticipates finalizing a 0.2 FTE reduction in certificated music based on fewer classes and decreased student enrollment. Additionally, after much evaluation and recognition of potential programmatic impact, the 0.5 FTE certificated librarian will not be reduced. The district will continue to evaluate and adjust staffing needs based on enrollment trends.

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