The Santee School District Board of Education met at 6 p.m. November 19, 2024. Meeting highlights included:
Reports and Presentations
- Spotlight on Education: Rio Seco staff provided the Board of Education with an update on student assessment and survey results from the 2023-24 school year as well as site collaboration plans for the 2024-25 school year.
Public Hearing
- A public hearing was held for the use of Government Code 4217.12 to utilize CalSHAPE Funds for improvements of ventilation systems districtwide. The CalSHAPE Ventilation grant will provide electrical, gas and other thermal savings of an estimated $46,630 annually.
Discussion and/or Action Items
- The Board approved an agreement for consultant services with Leadership Associates, LLC, to facilitate a workshop for the Governance Team and Executive Council to work through common governance topics such as setting vision, dealing with leadership transition, and design strategies and services that best meet the District needs.
Board Policies and Bylaws
- The Board Approved Revised Board Policies (BP):
- BP 6000 – Concepts and Roles: Policy updated to align concepts with other sample policies and incorporate concepts of social, emotional and behavioral needs. Additionally, policy updated to reflect new guidance from the California Department of Education, including the importance of coordination, collaboration and alignment between the school, parents/guardians and the community, and district support for innovative programs and practices that promote student engagement, growth, understanding, achievement and career exploration.
- BP 6112 - School Day: Policy updated to reflect new law (SB 291, 2023) and new law (SB 153, 2024) which require districts that maintain any of grades K-6 to provide at least one or more periods of recess that total at least 30 minutes on regular instructional days and 15 minutes on early release days. Additionally, policy updated to add availability of equipment to the list of considerations when the Superintendent or designee is establishing the instructional schedule for secondary schools in order to account for sufficient technology and other equipment that is integral to the instructional program.
- BP 6142.92 – Mathematics Instruction: Policy updated to incorporate the, "2023 Mathematics Framework for California Public Schools: Kindergarten through Grade 12," including the framework's goal of removing barriers to students' mathematics success and ensuring access and opportunity for all students to receive high level mathematics instruction.
- First Reading for Revised Board Policies (BP):
- BP 6141.2 – Recognition of Religious Beliefs and Customs: Policy updated to reflect new guidance from the U.S. Department of Education regarding constitutionally protected prayer and religious expression in public schools and Appendix F of the California Department of Education's History and Social Science Framework which offers guidance and support for educators regarding the recognition of religious beliefs and customs.
- BP 6159.2 – Nonpublic, Nonsectarian School and Agency Services for Special Education: Policy updated to reflect a December 2022 Davis Joint Unified School District Resolution Agreement with the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, regarding the use of seclusion and restraint as it relates to a free appropriate public education for students with disabilities placed in nonpublic schools.
- BP 6144 – Controversial Issues: Policy updated to provide that parents/guardians may be given an opportunity to opt out of instruction on controversial issues only when required by law, not at the discretion of a teacher or administrator. Policy also clarifies the district's right to limit teacher expressions of personal opinion when teachers are in the classroom and therefore acting on behalf of the district.
The next regular meeting of the Santee School District Board of Education will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday, December 3, 2024, in the Educational Resource Center, 9619 Cuyamaca, Santee. Meetings can also be live-streamed at santeesd.net/LiveBoardMeeting.
Note: These are not official meeting minutes of the Board of Education but rather a brief recap of the Board’s actions. For meeting recordings and official meeting minutes, click here.