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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNovember 6 Los Altos Hills Education Committee Minutes November 6th, 2009 1. Meeting was called to order by Chariman Carey. Committee members present: Bart Carey, John Radford, Anne Marie Gallagher, Susan Stark, Irena Halsey, Lee Hartley, Tracey Stewart. Also present by phone Eric Ramberg, and Duncan MacMillan. In addition, Council liasons Dean Warshawsky and Ginger Summit were present. Newest committee member Tracey Stewart was welcomed to the committee. 2. The meeting began with a discussion of local elementary school enrollment data. The largest concentration of LAH students within LASD are at Gardner Bullis School, Bullis Charter School, and Loyola School. It was estimated there are 129 LAH students at GBS (of total of 245 students), 125 LAH students at BCS (of total of 340 students), and 61 LAH students at Loyola (of total of 569 students). (Note these numbers were presented as estimates, with some variability according to source.) 3. The Education Committee intends to compile formal enrollment data, which analysis is pending for the ’08-’09 and ’09-’10 school years. The last compilation of this data was performed for the ’07-’08 school year, and a summary of this data was presented to the Committee. It was decided that the pending analysis for subsequent school years should be in same form as the table of ’07-’08 data, and a copy of this table will be included with these minutes. 4. Discussion turned to the upcoming BCS 7th grade open enrollment. It was proposed that the Committee should recommend to Council that LAH send a mailer to LASD-LAH residents to make them aware of this educational offering and open enrollment. It was envisioned that a postcard similar in style and cost to that previously sent to PAUSD-LAH in regard to enrollment opportunities at GBS be considered. 5. Points in favor of sending above postcard included that one task of the Committee should be to make residents aware of public education opportunities. It was also noted that as above a similar card was previously sent in regard to PAUSD matriculation at GBS. 6. Points against sending above postcard included concern that the BCS 7th grade was already adequately publicized in the Town Newsletter, on signs around town, and in local media. In addition there was concern that any students attracted by such a mailing would not be able to enroll in BCS 7th grade since all spots might be taken by continuing 6th grade students, especially since BCS has requested only 25 7th grade slots (though it might be possible to increase this number). Some committee members expressed frustration that more specific information was not available from BCS in regard to 7th grade class size. 7. Concern was further raised that the agenda for current EC meeting was not specific enough to allow vote on motion in regard to above mailing. 8. Despite above, the following resolution was passed: The LAH Education Committee recommends that the LAH City Council approve and fund (in amount not to exceed $1500) an informational postcard mailer to LASD residents of LAH to make them aware of the upcoming open enrollment period for the new BCS 7th grade. Committee members Carey and Gallagher were tasked to design and approve a proposed mailer to be presented to Council at their next meeting. The above motion was approved 6-3 with Carey, Radford, Gallagher, Halsey, Hartley, and Stewart voting yes and Ramberg, Stark, and MacMillan voting no. 9. Duncan MacMillan next described pending issues concerning access to Gunn High School via the Miranda Ave entrance, which handles approximately 44% of total Gunn drop-off traffic. Public input is requested by 11/19/09 regarding a CEQA document concerning pending construction projects at Gunn, but ignoring the issue of access at this point used by many LAH families. It was decided that a sub-committee of the Education Committee (consisting of Duncan MacMillan and Tracey Stewart) would be appointed to represent the EC in meetings with Gunn/PAUSD officials to express our concerns. Further, the EC would draft a letter to be approved by Council and forwarded to PAUSD regarding our concerns, including that the issue of Miranda access be addressed now, rather than waiting until a future phase of construction. 10. It was discussed that a long time goal of the EC has been to add a member from PAUSD, with a child at GBS, taking advantage of the MOU between the districts. Jennifer Carlstrom (with these credentials, and who was in attendance at the meeting) expressed a desire to apply to become a member of the EC. 11. Presentations From the Floor—none 12. Old Business—none 13. Future Meetings—the EC plans to continue to hold regular bi-monthly meetings. 14. Meeting was adjourned.