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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-11-16 City Schools Liaison Committee Summary MinutesPage 1 of 4 City School Liaison Committee Regular Meeting Summary Minutes: 11/16/2023 Regular Meeting November 16, 2023 The City-School Liaison Committee of the City of Palo Alto met on this date in the Community Meeting Room at 8:43 A.M. Present: City of Palo Alto Representatives Julie Lythcott-Haims, Chair Pat Burt, Council Member Ed Shikada, City Manager Chantal Cotton-Gaines, Deputy City Manager Palo Alto Unified School District Representatives Shounak Dharap, Board Member Don Austin, Superintendent Absent: Todd Collins, Board Member CALL TO ORDER Chair Lythcott-Haims declared that the meeting would start late and as soon as there was a quorum. She called the meeting to order at 8:43. Administrative Associate III Christine Prior called roll and announced there was a quorum. REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS A. Open Forum/Public Communications Public Comments Ken Horowitz discussed road safety, and he was concerned about students and bicyclists with the time change and inadequate lighting. He hoped there would be more bicycle education for students. He suggested children be encouraged to walk more than bicycle. B. Approval of Minutes MOTION: Council Member Burt moved, seconded by School Board Member Dharap to approve minutes from the October 19, 2023, meeting. MOTION PASSED: 3-0-1 (Collins absent) City/School Liaison Committee Summary Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 4 City School Liaison Committee Regular Meeting Summary Minutes: 11/16/2023 C. City and District Reports City Manager Ed Shikada noted that there had been a storm preparedness workshop last night. He discussed additional catch basins having been installed that should decrease the potential for flooding at Duveneck Elementary School. The Comprehensive Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan was ongoing. Transportation staff was in the midst of gaining public input related to the Safe Systems Approach Safe Systems Action Plan, and there would be additional public engagement opportunities, and it would be brought back to City Council. Regarding Cubberley, the City was organizing with the Ad Hoc Committee and hoped to be in touch with the school district shortly to begin the next round of discussions. Council Member Burt discussed the decline in biking to school, and he thought there should be a reconvening to discuss risks being faced. He addressed bicycle safety training, especially for teens. Though it was not his default, he indicated there may need to be greater safety enforcement by the City, and he mentioned spot enforcement. Chair Lythcott-Haims specified who was on the Cubberley Ad Hoc. Superintendent Don Austin voiced that the Ad Hoc was ready. He wondered if the City should provide lights to bicyclists for their bikes. He stated that the PAUSD Board partnership with Foothill had been considerably strengthened. He thought there was going to be a partnership with Foothill regarding alternative education pathways for students. He discussed high school being considered a preparation for college, and he thought there should instead be a college experience created at the college for students who wanted to attend college. There would be some upcoming presentations concerning Foothill and recruiting efforts around that program. Board Member Shounak Dharap explained the meaning of supporting all students versus supporting every student, and he remarked that the partnership with Foothill would bring them closer to supporting every student. He discussed opportunities that the alternative pathway could provide to interested students. Council Member Burt shared Superintendent Austin and Board Member Dharap’s thoughts. He asked if the Foothill campus was the location. He mentioned that he had been attempting to pursue greater transit access to Foothill College, etc., through VTA. He would welcome a collaboration for that. Superintendent Austin confirmed that the Foothill campus was the location. Concerning greater transit access to Foothill College, he indicated that they would purchase passes for students if there was a direct route. Public Comments There were no requests to speak. Page 3 of 4 City School Liaison Committee Regular Meeting Summary Minutes: 11/16/2023 D. Supporting Youth Mental Health through Greater Career Opportunities Chair Lythcott-Haims applauded the District for strengthening the partnership with Foothill. She spoke of alternative education paths possibly returning a stronger baseline of mental health and wellness. She addressed the past Explorers Program and youth working with the Fire Department for a career pathway, and when she had spoken with the Fire Chief and some of his team about this, they described the strength of those programs and indicated that it would be great if the City restored resources associated with that concept. She spoke of the artist Molly Tuttle and winning a Grammy for the song “Crooked Tree,” which she indicated was a beautiful metaphor. She suggested there be an expo/conference to bring awareness of the opportunity for an assortment of jobs, careers, and trades. Board Member Shounak Dharap loved the idea of an expo/conference, and he thought it would take the idea of a job fair and elevate it to a celebration of community. He suggested it not be just for PAUSD students but for parents and community members who did not attend PAUSD. Council Member Burt supported the idea. He noted that skilled construction trades were high- paying, in-demand career paths that were needed in the community. He recalled the Explorer Scout troops being in collaboration with the Public Safety departments, and he thought the Explorer posts should be revisited and that there be outreach to the Scout Council. Public Comments There were no requests to speak. Chair Lythcott-Haims suggested as next steps, once there was a set of notes of this discussion, that the Superintendent and the City Manager let their staff know that the City and the School District were thinking of collaborating concerning a conference or a festival, which she thought could be done this spring. She asked that a team of two or three be assembled to work on it, which she offered to participate in, and she asked those on the Committee interested in participating to indicate such. Board Member Dharap acknowledged that that sounded actionable. E. Future Business Chair Lythcott-Haims asked if there was a plan for forming an unofficial committee to follow up on the relationship with Beverly Hills. Council Member Burt replied that they were scheduled to meet in a couple weeks regarding the relationship with Beverly Hills. He noted that there would be an annual update report for Safe Routes to School in the spring. He did not know if there should be a discussion separate from the annual report related to ways to add dimensions, reinvigorate, or support it more fully. Page 4 of 4 City School Liaison Committee Regular Meeting Summary Minutes: 11/16/2023 City Manager Ed Shikada replied that that planning efforts were ongoing and there would be opportunities for such discussions. He thought it was part and parcel of bicycle and pedestrian traffic safety. The Rail Committee would be discussing the plans on December 19, and Council should receive an update soon after the first of the year. Council Member Burt thought that would address the physical part of it but not the behavioral part. City Manager Shikada commented that there would be an update on the Safe Systems planning effort later in the evening, which would include shared responsibility of users and the physical space. The report would be distributed to Council, and he suggested it also be distributed to the City/School Liaison Committee and the School District representatives to lay a foundation for the next conversation. Chair Lythcott-Haims requested that a discussion of that item be added to the December 14 meeting if there was time to address it. She was concerned that the Committee was to be reconstituted, and she did not know how that would affect the progress that had been made. Board Member Shounak Dharap explained how they reconstructed on their end so there would be continuity. He explained that it was likely that he would remain on the Committee. Council Member Burt added that greater continuity could be explored if needed. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 9:25 A.M.