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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-05-20 City Schools Liaison Committee Agenda PacketAMERICANS WITH DISABILITY ACT (ADA): Persons with disabilities who require auxiliary aids or services in using City facilities, services or programs or who would like information on the City’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact (650) 329-2550 (Voice) 24 hours in advance. BIG CREEK ELEMENTARY Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) City of Palo Alto Shounak Dharap, President Patrick Burt, Vice Mayor Jennifer DiBrienza, Board Member Greg Tanaka, Council Member Staff Don Austin, PAUSD, Superintendent Chantal Cotton Gaines Assistant to the City Manager 1.Oral Communications 2.Approval of Minutes From the December 17, 2020, March 25, 2021, and April 15, 2021 Meetings 3.Updates a.Superintendent’s Comments and City Manager’s Comments b.Review of Recent City Council Meetings and PAUSD Board Meetingsc.Update on Cubberley Ad Hoc Group 4.City and Schools Collaborations Follow Up Discussion 5.Future Meetings and Agendas 6.Adjournment Thursday, May 20, 2021 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM ***BY VIRTUAL TELECONFERENCE ONLY*** Click Here to Join Meeting ID: 739 622 589 Phone: 1-669-900-6833 Pursuant to the provisions of California Governor’s Executive Order N-29-20, issued on March 17, 2020, to prevent the spread of Covid-19, this meeting will be held by virtual teleconference only, with no physical location. Members of the public who wish to participate by computer or phone can find the instructions at the end of this agenda. City/School Liaison Committee Regular Meeting Agenda Memo AMERICANS WITH DISABILITY ACT (ADA): Persons with disabilities who require auxiliary aids or services in using City facilities, services or programs or who would like information on the City’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact (650) 329-2550 (Voice) 24 hours in advance. Public Comment Instructions Members of the Public may provide public comments to virtual meetings via teleconference or by phone. 1. Spoken public comments using a computer will be accepted through the teleconference meeting. To address the Committee, click on the link below to access a Zoom-based meeting. Please read the following instructions carefully. A. You may download the Zoom client or connect to the meeting in- browser. If using your browser, make sure you are using a current, up- to-date browser: Chrome 30+, Firefox 27+, Microsoft Edge 12+, Safari 7+. Certain functionality may be disabled in older browsers including Internet Explorer. B. You may be asked to enter an email address and name. We request that you identify yourself by name as this will be visible online and will be used to notify you that it is your turn to speak. C. When you wish to speak on an Agenda Item, click on “raise hand.” The Clerk will activate and unmute speakers in turn. Speakers will be notified shortly before they are called to speak. D. When called, please limit your remarks to the time limit allotted. E. A timer will be shown on the computer to help keep track of your comments. 2. Spoken public comments using a smart phone will be accepted through the teleconference meeting. To address the Committee, download the Zoom application onto your phone from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and enter the Meeting ID below. Please follow the instructions B-E above. 3. Spoken public comments using a phone use the telephone number listed below. When you wish to speak on an agenda item hit *9 on your phone so we know that you wish to speak. You will be asked to provide your first and last name before addressing the Committee. You will be advised how long you have to speak. When called please limit your remarks to the agenda item and time limit allotted. Click Here to Join Meeting ID: 739 622 589 Phone No: 1-669-900-6833 Page 1 of 7 Special Meeting December 17, 2020 Chairperson Collins called the meeting to order at 8:31 A.M. on this date via virtual teleconference. Present: City of Palo Alto Representatives Greg Tanaka, Council Member Lydia Kou, Council Member Chantal Cotton Gaines, Deputy City Manager Palo Alto Unified School District Representatives Jennifer DiBrienza, Board Member Todd Collins, Board President (Chair) Don Austin, Superintendent, Palo Alto Unified School District Oral Communications None. Minutes Approval 2. Approval of the November 19, 2020 Meeting Minutes. MOTION: Council Member Kou moved, seconded by Council Member DiBrienza to approve the minutes as presented. MOTION PASSED: 4-0 Agenda Item Number 6 was heard at this time. 6. Project Safety Net Update. Eileen Altman, Board Chair of the Project Safety Net, announced that Project Safety Net was no longer a City program. She introduced the new Board Members which included two young adults who had graduated from Palo Alto Unified School District schools. Mary Cheryl B. Gloner, Chief Executive Officer of Project Safety Net disclosed that Project Safety Net started as a Task Force and over time evolved into a non-profit. The work of Project Safety Net was to facilitate ongoing City/School Liaison Committee Special Meeting Draft Minutes DRAFT MINUTES Page 2 of 7 Sp. City School Liaison Committee Meeting Final Minutes: 12/17/2020 collaboration, coordination, and communication; enhance evaluation and shared measures; and build a backbone of sustainability for collective impacts for youth suicide prevention and mental wellness. The most challenging issues that were causing hardship among youth was the Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19) and racial inequality. With help from the School District, the City, and Youth Community Services, Project Safety Net adopted the Collective Impact Framework 5-years ago which brought community leaders and stakeholders together, in a structured way, to achieve social change. Included within the framework were key principles of practice. Design and implement the initiative with priority placed on equity, including community members in the collaborative, recruit and co-create with cross-sector partners and use data to continuously learn, and build a culture that fosters relationships, trust, and respect across participants were among the key principles. For the year 2020-2021, the Collective Impact Priorities included being a convener and collaborator; education, training, and outreach; policy and advocacy; and evaluation and shared measurements. After separating from the City 6-months ago, Project Safety Net has accomplished securing the 501c3 IRS Tax exemption and the Project Safety Net Board approved a budget of $281,000. For operations, the group has hired new employees who served as the backbone support and the group developed a 9-month scope of work. The City was committed to contributing $100,000 annual to Project Safety Net for the next 5-years and the group continued to build partnerships within the community. Meghan Singh, Board Vice-Chair of Project Safety Net disclosed that she had graduated from Gunn High School in 2019 and was now attending college at the University of Michigan. She gave a summary of how she became involved with Project Safety Net. In terms of Community engagement, Project Safety Net had signed a proposal with the County Behavioral Health Department to secure the Mental Health Services Act in hopes of launching a community-based mobile health crisis team as well as to conduct conversations among various groups to discuss a community-wide community mobile response program. For community outreach, a suicide postvention response was conducted in July of 2020 which promoted safe, consistent, and unified messaging from all stakeholders. In June of 2020, the group worked with a committee of youth to learn more about youth mental health in the COVID-19 environment, sources of support, and self- care tips. In October of 2020, a discussion was held with Gunn High School students and Palo Alto High School students to identify opportunities for youth advocacy and suicide prevention. In terms of nation-wide statistics, 1 in 6 adolescents experienced a mental health disorder each year and suicide are the second leading cause of death among ages 10-34. After a 3-year decline of suicides within Santa Clara County, the rates increased in years DRAFT MINUTES Page 3 of 7 Sp. City School Liaison Committee Meeting Final Minutes: 12/17/2020 2018 and 2019 and during the current pandemic, 1 in 4 young adults have considered suicide. Shashank V. Joshi, Project Safety Net, briefly summarized the formation of Project Safety Net from the formation of the task force to its now self- sustaining non-profit organization. The key focus of the early task force was to promote conversations among youth and highlight available resources which resulted in the formation of the K-12 Toolkit for Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention. Through the City and School District partnership, the People Suicide Prevention Policy was signed into law that mandated that all schools have a policy that teaches about what stress is and how to deal with it. He invited Palo Alto Unified School District Trustees and City Council Members to attend future Project Safety Net meetings and collaborate, inform, and participate in high profile activities. Board Member DiBrienza thanked Project Safety Net for their work within the community. Council Member Tanaka concurred with Board Member DiBrienza’s sentiment. He disclosed that there were discussions about using funding from Project Safety Net to fund the Palo Alto History Museum. He called for thoughts on that idea from the Project Safety Net group. Kristen O’Kane, Community Service Director indicated that the City Council would have to make that decision. Council Member Tanaka agreed but restated if Project Safety Net needed the funding from the City or if the group was financially sustainable. Rob George, Treasurer of Project Safety Net expressed that there is a need for funding. Project Safety Net still needed to fundraise the remaining $160,000 for the budget that was approved by Project Safety Net’s Board. Chair Collins wanted to know why Project Safety Net decided to become a separate entity from the City. Ms. Gloner explained that after the second suicide clusters, the community had indicated that suicide prevention should be long-term work. The group’s goals were not only to educate but to advocate and shape policies and under the City those efforts had constraints. Also, many Project Safety Net partners served youth not only within the City but outside the City as well, and becoming a separate entity provided flexibility to expand into other communities. DRAFT MINUTES Page 4 of 7 Sp. City School Liaison Committee Meeting Final Minutes: 12/17/2020 Chair Collins noticed that the School District had no representation on Project Safety Net’s Board and it did not provide funding to the program. Ms. Gloner shared that former Trustee Terry Godfrey had served on the Executive Advisory Board and several School District Board Members attend meetings. The School District has provided small amounts of funding for community meetings in the past. Chair Collins felt that it was a missed opportunity to not have the School District formally involved with Project Safety Net. He suggested having an Ex-Officio seat on the Board for a School District member. Mr. Joshi declared that the School District was on the leadership team as well as the stirring counsel before Project Safety Net became a 501c3. He indicated that the group called Partner’s Council was an avenue that could be used to engage the School District more. Ms. Gloner agreed that the School District should be involved more and suggested that involving the School District more formally should be a priority for Project Safety Net. Chair Collins felt that there were governance, direction, and role in the community relationship that required more engagement. Council Member Kou agreed with Chair Collins that the School District should be more engaged. She predicted that the intention all along was to transition Project Safety Net to a separate entity. Ms. Gloner confirmed that was correct. Council Member Kou shared that not focusing on politics was very important and she wanted to know how that would be handled. Ms. Gloner explained that the Collective Impact was not a mental health model but a social community organization. She mentioned that the Collective Impact was to foster discussions with different opinions rather than have sidebar conversations among different groups. Council Member Kou advised Project Safety Net to reach out to the program called Screen Agers as well as have discussions and education with specific ethnicities who struggle with mental health stigmas. Mr. Joshi added that several initiatives were studying the impacts of screen time across a person’s lifespan. Santa Clara County had initiatives regarding cultural engagement and adaptation. DRAFT MINUTES Page 5 of 7 Sp. City School Liaison Committee Meeting Final Minutes: 12/17/2020 3. Superintendent and City Manager Comments. Monique Ziesenhenne, Assistant City Manager highlighted that Foothills Park Reserve has opened to all members of the public. Kristen O’Kane, Community Services Director added that the City has been working with other partners to ensure that the park was opened successfully under current pandemic conditions as well as ensuring the protection of the natural resources. Ms. Ziesenhenne announced that free COVID-19 testing will continue through February of 2021 and that the testing site will be moved to the El Palo Alto Room at Mitchell Park starting January 8, 2021. Upcoming testing dates were January 8, January 22, February 5 and February 26, 2021. California Avenue, as well as University Avenue, have been reopened to vehicular traffic. City Hall was closed on December 24, 2020 and reopened on January 4, 2021 due to the holiday season. Chantal Cotton Gaines, Deputy City Manager disclosed that a meeting will be held with the School Board regarding the easement request from Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E). Don Austin, Superintendent of the Palo Alto Unified School District reported that the Palo Alto Unified School District was the only school district open to students in the entire Santa Clara County. On January 25, 2021, middle and high schools will begin to bring students back to campus for in-person teaching. 4. Review of Recent City Council and PAUSD Board Meetings. Chair Collins shared that the Palo Alto Unified School District Board meeting was an organizational meeting that resulted in the election of a new President and Vice President of the Board as well as farewell to Deputy Superintendent Karen Hendrix. Board Member DiBrienza added that the meeting also focused on equity issues and concerns. Council Member Tanaka disclosed there were discussions at City Council regarding the overcharge to residents on their utility bill. The Council had passed an Ordinance regarding Firearms Safety. He asked if the School District was tracking how kids were performing in distance learning. Chair Collins explained that the School District had a report called the DF Report that tracked how many students were going to receive a D or an F in DRAFT MINUTES Page 6 of 7 Sp. City School Liaison Committee Meeting Final Minutes: 12/17/2020 a class. The report that was received in late October/early November of 2020 did not indicate any substantial changes when compared to the prior year. Don Austin, Superintendent of the Palo Alto Unified School District agreed and disclosed there is still work that needed to be done to capture the small percentages of students who were struggling. Council Member Kou expressed the Palo Alto History Museum was a topic of the last City Council meeting and that the museum will provide many benefits to the community. The Palo Alto History Museum has put together a program that will involve youth within the community. 5. COVID-19 Coordination Update. Council Member Kou urged the community to support local businesses and retail. 7. Updates on Ongoing Matters. a. Connecting Palo Alto (Grade Separation) Update Chantal Cotton Gaines, Deputy City Manager shared that the Expanded Community Advisory Panel (XCAP) expected to finish their final report in January of 2021 and present it to City Council in February of 2021. Staff plans to bring another update to the February 2021 Committee meeting. The City has sent a letter to Santa Clara County Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) regarding their proposal to not provide funding from Measure B for grade separations. Due to the overwhelming push back from other cities as well, VTA drafted a process with assistance from the cities to determine the region's priority. Chair Collins believed that the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Counsel had sent a communication to the City regarding their perspectives on grade separations. Ms. Gaines confirmed that the City/School Traffic Liaison Committee will be discussing the topic at their meeting. Don Austin, Superintendent of Palo Alto Unified School District confirmed that the School District had sent a letter to the City Manager. Chair Collins emphasized that the process the City was following had been a difficult process for the School District to engage in. He felt that the School District would have strong opinions regarding grade separations. DRAFT MINUTES Page 7 of 7 Sp. City School Liaison Committee Meeting Final Minutes: 12/17/2020 Ms. Gaines articulated that another opportunity for folks to weigh in on the topic will be when the final report is presented to Council and that the process is nowhere near completion. Chair Collins said that with the current circumstances of the pandemic and school closures, the School District did not have the bandwidth to provide comments earlier in the grade separation process. Future Meetings and Agendas Chair Collins announced that Alcove will be presenting to the Committee in the new year of 2021 and there will be no meeting in January of 2021. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 A.M. Page 1 of 8 Special Meeting March 25, 2021 Chairperson Burt called the meeting to order on this date in virtual teleconference at 8:31 A.M. Present: City of Palo Alto Representatives Patrick Burt, Vice Mayor Greg Tanaka, Council Member, arrived at 9:50 A.M. Chantal Gaines, Deputy City Manager, Staff Liaison Palo Alto Unified School District Representatives Jennifer DiBrienza, Board Member Shounak Dharap, President Don Austin, Superintendent, Palo Alto Unified School District Absent: Oral Communications Rebecca Eisenberg shared that other jurisdictions have helped their school districts with resources and legal resources to help the school districts come into compliance with various laws. She mentioned that Palo Alto schools are not as open as other jurisdictions which is resulting in high levels of mental health issues among kids. Minutes Approval 2. Approval of Minutes From December 17, 2020 and February 18, 2021 Meetings. Chair Burt asked if the December 17, 2020 minutes can be approved by Committee Member who were not on the Committee at that time. Board Member DiBrienza believed that the new Committee Members should not vote on them. She inquired if herself and Council Member Tanaka can approve them or if a majority vote is needed. Chair Burt predicted that a majority vote is needed. City/School Liaison Committee Special Meeting Minutes FINAL MINUTES Page 2 of 8 Sp. City School Liaison Committee Meeting Final Minutes: 03/25/2021 Board President Dharap indicated that he would review the video and the minutes for December 17, 2021. Then they can be approved at the next meeting. MOTION: Chair Burt moved, seconded by Board Member DiBrienza to approve the February 18, 2021 minutes. MOTION PASSED: 4-0 3. Superintendent’s Comments and City Manager’s Comments. Don Austin, Superintendent of Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD), reported that all hybrid students are returning to full in-person teachings in the elementary grades. PAUSD is the most open school district in the entire region. He agreed that the 3-feet social distancing requirement has helped schools to return to in-person teachings. He noted that for the 2021-2022 school year, with the 3-feet requirement, there will be no issue opening all the schools for all grades. Ed Shikada, City Manager stated that the City will be moving to the Orange Tier soon. Indoor activities will begin at several libraries but they will be limited in capacity. Testing has been increased for community members and is available at the City Hall Plaza. City Council has recently passed a resolution about anti-Asian hate crimes and tied to that is training for all Boards and Commissions and raising awareness of inclusion. Chair Burt continued to think that the School District downplays the great work that has happened in terms of the physical changes they have done to classrooms and air quality. He encouraged the School District to continue to share all those changes with the community. Board President Dharap shared that Governor Newsom visited the schools and has declared that PAUSD is the school district that other school districts in the state should model their reopening plan after. Rebecca Eisenberg disagreed with the statement that PAUSD is the most open district. She agreed with Chair Burt that the district has made great strides in improving the buildings. She requested that Chair Burt meet with the School District to discuss financing strategies that can be used for future building improvements. 4. Review of Recent City Council and PAUSD Board Meetings. a. CITY: Recent City Agendas Recap. b. PAUSD: Recent Board Agendas Recap. FINAL MINUTES Page 3 of 8 Sp. City School Liaison Committee Meeting Final Minutes: 03/25/2021 Board Member DiBrienza restated that hybrid elementary students will be returning to in-person teachings 5-days a week. In terms of secondary schools, the schools are waiting to see how many kids returned before opening the schools to full in-person teachings. The School District has entered into a contract with a company to conduct Staff and student COVID- 19 testing. Considering the City’s efforts regarding equity, the School Board has formed a Board Equity Committee to fill the gaps other equity work has missed. The Free Lunch Program has been extended through the end of summer/beginning of fall. Discussions continue on how to spend the one- time funding that the City and the School District have received through the federal relief packages. Board President Dharap added that the Board Equity Committee will be collaborating with the City’s Human Relations Committee (HRC) to move forward on equity concerns. Chair Burt asked if the School District has preliminary estimates of how the latest federal relief funds will be used. Board President Dharap confirmed that the School Board has reviewed the school’s budget assumptions as well as reviewed the one-time federal grants it will receive. The School Board discussed how those funds can be spent to make changes that are sustainable for years to come as well as provide essential items to students to help facilitate their learning. Chair Burt shared that Council has been discussing the Castilleja School expansion proposal. In terms of the grade separation project, the Council has had one meeting thus far with another meeting to act on the project to be held in April of 2021. He mentioned that the Expanded Community Advisory Committee (XCAP) has recommended that Churchill Avenue be closed to vehicular traffic with expansion of bicycle and pedestrian crossing capabilities. Those crossings are proposed to be at Seale Avenue and Churchill Avenue. In preparation of the City moving to the Orange Tier, the City has been working on up grades that enhance the air quality in City facilities as well as how to encourage civic and cultural participation. Chantal Cotton Gaines, Deputy City Manager suggested Chair Burt review the Community Economic Recovery program. Chair Burt mentioned that the City has seen a large decrease in it’s Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) and Sale Tax. The TOT is the primary funding source for an increase in the City’s capital projects beyond the traditional baseline level. Council has been discussing and will continue to discuss more strategic budgetary changes that will affect the next several years. FINAL MINUTES Page 4 of 8 Sp. City School Liaison Committee Meeting Final Minutes: 03/25/2021 Rebecca Eisenberg noted that Council has discussed dropping the third stage of bicycle improvements for South Palo Alto. She expressed concern that the School District was not given a chance to response to that concept prior to the Council meeting. She concluded that the School Board is currently in a lawsuit regarding an Asian student who was brutally bullied and that the School District is not willing to settle on the matter. Ed Shikada, City Manager specified that Council did not act to eliminate the third phase of bicycle improvement for South Palo Alto. Council instructed Staff to find a $2.5 million savings in all 18 Capital Improvement Projects but there is no plan to differ any of the projects at this time. Chair Burt added that the City anticipates receiving $12 million from the federal relief bill. 5. City and Schools Collaborations (Initial Discussion). Chair Burt explained that the document provided to the City/School Liaison Committee is to be used to initiate discussion. He encouraged input from the Committee on the context of the document, if a mission statement is needed, and the topics within the document. Board Member DiBrienza specified that the Committee did work on a mission statement already. Chair Burt responded that previous work on a mission statement was for the Committee and not the City/School collaborations. Board Member DiBrienza stated that the School District, in working closely with the Human Relations Commission, will move forward the social equity initiatives. She requested City input regarding students who live in the safe parking lots and their transportation to school. She felt that the list is very comprehensive. Chair Burt noted that the City does hope to expand and provide more safe parking lots as well as Santa Clara County is providing social services. Board Member DiBrienza requested input from the City regarding the Cubberley Center collaboration and if the City/School Liaison Committee will be deferring all Cubberley discussions to the Cubberley Ad Hoc Committee. Chair Burt believed that the Cubberley Ad Hoc Committee will be the body to handle all Cubberley work. FINAL MINUTES Page 5 of 8 Sp. City School Liaison Committee Meeting Final Minutes: 03/25/2021 Rebecca Eisenberg appreciated the comments regarding expanding the safe parking programs as well as the need to assist the growing population of unhoused and vehicle dwellers. She urged the City to apply for funding from the Home Key Program. She shared that LifeMoves has indicated interest in creating in Palo Alto temporary homeless shelters. She declared it is very important to have the School District be involved in the Castilleja School expansion project. Chair Burt suggested that the Committee take each topic one at a time. He shared that the City has approved an initial study for bicycle improvements on East Meadow Drive and Fabian Way. He disclosed that the City over the years has used its bulk traffic calming resources on traffic calming on the Safe Routes to School routes. Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, the City was forced to eliminate the City’s shuttle system which was used heavily by school children. Board President Dharap expressed that the School Board will have to discuss the elimination of the City’s shuttle buses. Chair Burt confirmed that the City lost the Caltrain Grant for the shuttle system. He shared that transportation agencies have received large amounts of funding from the federal relief packages, and he predicted that the City may have opportunities to solicit for funding. He shared that now that he sits on the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Board, he plans to advocate for funding for a local shuttle program that the community and the school district can use. Board Member DiBrienza encouraged Chair Burt to strongly advocate for funding for transportation, but she predicted that the School Board will be discussing the topic at length. She wondered why teen leadership was listed under transportation. Chair Burt mentioned that it is a typo. Board Member DiBrienza asked if Project Safety Net will be completely independent from the City once they become a non-profit. Chair Burt confirmed that the City will continue to provide funding, but the City will not be providing Staff resources. Ed Shikada, City Manager concurred with Chair Burt’s explanation. Chantal Cotton Gaines, Deputy City Manager noted that Director O’Kane is on the Board for Project Safety Net. FINAL MINUTES Page 6 of 8 Sp. City School Liaison Committee Meeting Final Minutes: 03/25/2021 Board Member DiBrienza appreciated the City’s continued support for middle school athletics and she encouraged the City to explore expanding the program due to its popularity. Chair Burt mentioned that many of the topics listed in the document have cross overs with many City projects. He asked for more information regarding crossing guards. Mr. Shikada disclosed that the City is paying for crossing guards but there has been a reduction in that program. Chair Burt believed that these topics are one of the important topics that warranted follow-up discussion. He predicted that further discussions regarding financial responsibilities for certain programs will need to happen. In terms of recreation, he wanted to look at additional opportunities utilizing the School District’s playing fields. He inquired of Staff if there are any current issues or future issues that the Committee should be discussing. Kristen O’Kane, Director of Community Services reported that the City has just renewed the contract between the City and the School District in terms of field sharing. In terms of middle school athletics, she explained that kids are only allowed to participate in the program that is associated with the school they attend. Staff continues to discuss if the program should be restructured. She noted that the City funds elementary music programs, arts, dancing schools, theater, and science programing. Board Member DiBrienza requested that the Committee discuss programs that the City funds for school aged kids. Ms. O’Kane disclosed that Staff will provide a summary for the Committee. Chair Burt supported that recommendation. He mentioned that the Junior Museum and Zoo will be opening soon. He wanted to see an in-depth discussion on the middle school playing fields because he has concerns about the program being portrayed as an after-school program for the schools. His other concern was making sure that the programs have equity among all the students. He asked if the program is cost recovery. Ms. O’Kane confirmed that it is close to cost recovery. She concurred that there should be a discussion about the programs and possibly having the School District investigate establishing an athletics booster program that would support the sports programs. Chair Burt mentioned that his understanding is that the sports programs should be following the same model as the high school’s athletic programs. FINAL MINUTES Page 7 of 8 Sp. City School Liaison Committee Meeting Final Minutes: 03/25/2021 He wanted to see the program morph into a program that is both more compliant to the current legal mandates and more inclusive. Board President Dharap suggested that the School Board and the City each draft a matrix that shows where there are areas of overlap and the amount of funding that each body provides. After discussion about the matrixes, he suggested that the topics be prioritized monthly. Chair Burt supported that suggestion. Ms. Gaines noted that because this is a special meeting, Staff may need a little more time to prepare the City’s matrix. Board Member DiBrienza confirmed that the School Board will not be meeting until April of 2021 and appreciated having extra time to work on the School Board’s matrix. 6. Update on Ongoing Matters: a. Grade Separation (Rail Crossings) Update. Chair Burt invited Mr. Bhatia to provide a report on how the grade separation discussion relates to the School District. Ripon Bhatia, Senior Engineer of the Transportation Department restated that Council has received and is reviewing the Expanded Community Advisory Panel’s (XCAP) recommendation. He encouraged the School District to provide any feedback they have on the project. In the interim, the City is moving forward with safety improvements at the Alma Street and Churchill Avenue crossing. Board Member DiBrienza asked if the School District had representation on the XCAP. Chair Burt confirmed that there was one member from the School District but that member could not continue to the end of the XCAP. He mentioned that XCAP has recommended that several entities, including Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD), be involved in the process moving forward. He emphasized that each grade crossing will have multiple years of disruption and be potentially closed for years during construction. The grade separation project and the North Venture Coordinated Area Plan (NVCAP) has elevated the need for a bicycle and pedestrian crossing at Loma Verde Avenue. The City is investigating if Measure B funding can be used for those improvements. Council Member Tanaka left the meeting at 10:00 A.M. FINAL MINUTES Page 8 of 8 Sp. City School Liaison Committee Meeting Final Minutes: 03/25/2021 Future Meetings and Agendas Board President Dharap requested that the City and the School Board confirm that all discussions regarding the Cubberley Community Center will be handled by the Cubberley Ad Hoc Committee. Also, how long will those discussions be held with the Cubberley Ad Hoc Committee. Chair Burt requested a follow-up discussion on how the City and the School District are handling the reopening of the City and schools. Ed Shikada, City Manager mentioned that the City is updating the Housing Element and there is a designee position open for the School District. Chair Burt disclosed that he will add the Housing Element update to the comprehensive collaboration list. Chantal Cotton Gaines, Deputy City Manager confirmed that several parents from the district have applied to be on the advisory committee in drafting the updated Housing Element. Board Member DiBrienza asked what position does the designee have to hold within the School District for the Housing Element update. Ms. Gaines believed the position is for a School Board Member but she will double-check that. Board President Dharap shared that at the next School Board meeting the appointment for that position had been determined. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 10:06 A.M. Page 1 of 6 Regular Meeting April 15, 2021 Chair Burt called the meeting to order on this date in virtual teleconference at 8:32 A.M. Present: City of Palo Alto Representatives Pat Burt, Vice Mayor (Chair) Greg Tanaka, Council Member arrived at 9:20 A.M. Chantal Gaines, Deputy City Manager, Staff Liaison Palo Alto Unified School District Representatives Shounak Dharap, Board President Jennifer DiBrienza, Board Member Don Austin, Superintendent, Palo Alto Unified School District Absent: Chair Burt announced that Agenda Item Number 5 will be heard before Agenda Item Number 4, and Agenda Item Number 2 will be heard after Agenda Item 6. Oral Communications Rebecca Eisenberg requested that the School District address the matter of Castilleja School. She urged the School District to provide comments regarding the underground garage that Castilleja School was proposing to install. She concluded that the School District needs to address the matter of Town and Country Shopping Center converting retail space to office space. Minutes Approval 2. Approval of Minutes From the December 17, 2020 Meeting. (This item is continued to the May 20, 2021 meeting.) 3. Superintendent’s Comments and City Manager’s Comments. Ed Shikada, City Manager acknowledged that there are three projects ongoing near Churchill Avenue. One was the grade separation project. The second project was a bikeway project located between Castilleja Avenue and El Camino Real that required property acquisition from the School District. The third project was a traffic safety improvement project related to the rail crossing at Churchill Avenue and Alma Avenue. City/School Liaison Committee Regular Meeting Minutes DRAFT SENSE/ACTION MINUTES Page 2 of 6 City School Liaison Committee Meeting Final Minutes: 04/15/2021 Chantal Cotton Gaines, Deputy City Manager added that the City released its Workplace Reactivation Plan which addressed how the City plans to open back up. Board President Dharap announced that the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has followed the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and revised the social distancing requirements to 3-feet. The School District can return to in-person teachings for 5-days a week with these social distancing requirements. The School District has taken a phased approach to in-person teaching so grades three through five will return first, then K through second the following week. Sixth graders are already on campus 4-days a week and grades 7 through 12 are in a hybrid model. As of March 2021, 90 percent of Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) faculty are partially or fully vaccinated. Also, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District granted PAUSD $800,000 to purchase two new electric school buses and supported infrastructure. Rebecca Eisenberg clarified that PAUSD was currently operating on 60 percent of instructional minutes. In terms of grades 7 through 12, students were allowed to be at school twice a week for a few hours each day. She expressed that PAUSD was still among the most closed district in terms of high schoolers. She voiced frustration that the money that the School District received from the federal government was spent on books and building improvements, not mental health professionals that students most desperately need. 5. Status Report on Crossing Guard Program. Benjamin Becchetti, Police Lieutenant reported that the City has had crossing guards staffed by All City Management Services since 1999. Throughout the City, 30 locations staffed with crossing guards are being managed. Guard locations are determined through collaboration and there have been challenges with school times and schedules. Chantal Cotton Gaines, Deputy City Manager mentioned that the item was before the Committee because there was interest from Committee Members to discuss the different collaborations between the City and the School District. Board Member DiBrienza asked, what is the biggest challenge. Mr. Becchetti restated that scheduling is the biggest challenge and providing coverage for the middle portion of the day. The additional hours have affected the budget but those costs were being offset by savings that were collected when school returned in October of 2020. DRAFT SENSE/ACTION MINUTES Page 3 of 6 City School Liaison Committee Meeting Final Minutes: 04/15/2021 Board Member DiBrienza mentioned that the School Board anticipates full- time, in-person teachings in the fall of 2021. Mr. Becchetti acknowledged the City’s Office of Transportation and the Safe Routes to School Team and how helpful they have been. Ms. Gaines asked Staff if they wished to provide any information regarding safety education that was provided to students. Sylvia Star-Lack, Transportation Planning Manager shared that Safe Routes to School Staff have had to convert all in-class education to virtual education. Board Member DiBrienza inquired what grades receive online education from the Safe Routes to School Staff. Ms. Star-Lack shared that 3rd grade received one in-person class but there will be an opportunity during the summer for them to participate in a Safe Routes to School Rodeo. Middle schoolers also received virtual lessons. Chair Burt emphasized that outdoor interactions carry a lower risk of catching the Coronavirus and he anticipated there being very few restraints on outdoor activities moving forward. Ms. Gaines noted that another reason to share the information regarding the crossing guard program was to bring awareness that the item will be discussed at the City’s budget hearings. Chair Burt confirmed that the City will have to balance programs and funding when the budget comes before Council. Rebecca Eisenberg disclosed that the City has chosen not to enact an emergency Business Tax which has resulted in the City having a deficit. She wanted to know why the police were reporting on the crossing guard program. Chair Burt clarified that the police department oversees the crossing guard program. 4. Review of Recent City Council and PAUSD Board Meeting. a. CITY: Recent City Agendas Recap b. PAUSD: Recent Board Agendas Recap DRAFT SENSE/ACTION MINUTES Page 4 of 6 City School Liaison Committee Meeting Final Minutes: 04/15/2021 Board Member DiBrienza stated that the focus of discussion has been on how much Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) can open currently as well as in the upcoming 2021-2022 school year. PAUSD has sent out a survey to poll parents on who would be interested in returning grades 7 through 12 to 4-days a week of in-person teaching. Board President Dharap added that the School District will be purchasing modular furniture to facilitate different teaching and learning. Chair Burt shared that the Council discussed the Castilleja School expansion project at the end of March 2021. Council did not accept the proposal and provided several modifications to the proposal. The project has been sent to the Architectural Review Board and Planning and Transportation Commission for further review. Council also discussed updates to Impact Fees for parks, libraries, and community centers. After discussion, Council adopted the proposed fees but opted to have another update later in the year. Council appointed members to the Community Advisory Committee for the Housing Element Update. The City has been assigned 6,000 additional housing units for its Reginal Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). In terms of the City’s last Housing Element, the City was on pace to meet the market-rate allocation but below pace on low- and moderate-income housing. He mentioned that the City has depleted its affordable housing resources. Board Member DiBrienza inquired if there is a plan to build more low-income housing and what must happen to facilitate that. Chair Burt answered that zoning changes, resourceful land availability and funding are all components that facilitate low-income housing development. He mentioned that the state is mandating many new subsidized units to be funded. Council has expressed a strong interest in exploring higher Impact Fees and a Business Tax to help replenish affordable housing resources. He concluded that even if the City triples its affordable housing funding, the City would still fall short of the state mandates. Board Member DiBrienza mentioned that the Cities of Mountain View and Redwood City have built far more affordable housing than Palo Alto. Chair Burt disclosed that the Cities of Mountain View and Redwood City fund their affordable housing projects through development agreements which added a significant amount of new commercial development. He shared that Palo Alto has a far greater absolute number and percentage of housing units that are affordable than any other nearby City. He stated there is no representative from PAUSD on the Community Advisory Committee for the Housing Element Update. In upcoming Council meetings, the Sustainability DRAFT SENSE/ACTION MINUTES Page 5 of 6 City School Liaison Committee Meeting Final Minutes: 04/15/2021 and Climate Action Plan will be reviewed, a follow-up on the grade crossing project, and a discussion regarding economic recovery. Council Member Tanaka mentioned that Council Member Kou and himself are organizing an antiracism rally on May 2, 2021. He encouraged all Committee members to attend. Board President Dharap proclaimed that the School Board has formed an Equity Committee who will be meeting within the next few weeks. In terms of PAUSD not being represented on the Community Advisory Committee for the Housing Element Update, he suggested that the City/School Liaison Committee agendize a discussion on process and how processes differ between the Council and the School Board. Rebecca Eisenberg clarified that Chair Burt voted for no School Board members to be on the Community Advisory Committee for the Housing Element Update. In terms of the new Fee Schedule, it is designed to inhibit affordable housing. She emphasized that the City has only completed 4 percent of its very-low-income housing for the current RHNA. She concluded that neighboring City’s tax their businesses to pay for their affordable housing projects. In terms of the School District, there has been no movement to hire more teachers and there has been no push to provide more mental health services to teens. Chair Burt clarified that Council Member Tanaka, Cormack and himself opposed the Motion that was adopted regarding the Community Advisory Committee for the Housing Element Update 6. Update on Ongoing Matters: a. Cubberley Update. Kristen O’Kane, Community Services Director provided a brief update on the Cubberley Concept Plan that was previously called the Cubberley Master Plan. The Concept Plan has been completed but during the drafting of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) document, the laws that govern how transportation and traffic impacts are assessed were changed. Staff had to reassess the traffic impacts using the new method which resulted in an additional $18,000 charge to adjust the scope with the City’s CEQA consultant. Board President Dharap announced that the Cubberley ad hoc committee met and the first true meeting will be held on May 5, 2021 with City Staff and School District Staff present. DRAFT SENSE/ACTION MINUTES Page 6 of 6 City School Liaison Committee Meeting Final Minutes: 04/15/2021 Rebecca Eisenberg requested that reports be attached to the agendas. She commented that the Cubberley Community Center is a wasted asset and is draining funds from the City and School District. She suggested the City use money from the Home Key Program and install temporary shelters at Cubberley. Council Member Tanaka left the meeting at 9:34 A.M. Future Meetings and Agendas Chair Burt affirmed that there will be a follow-up on the strategic relationship of City and School District initiatives. He asked if all Cubberley- related issues should go to the Cubberley Community Center ad hoc committee. Board President Dharap agreed that the Cubberley ad hoc committee should handle all Cubberley Community Center-related issues. Board Member DiBrienza wanted a standing item on the agenda that discusses formation of City and School District committees. So, that the City/School Liaison Committee can discuss what benefits there are to have either Staff or PAUSD members serve on those committees. Chair Burt agreed. Chantal Cotton Gaines, Deputy City Manager informed the Committee that a third of the Community Advisory Committee for the Housing Element Update are parents. Board Member DiBrienza confirmed that the elimination of the City’s shuttle has impacted students. Chair Burt stated that the next City/School Liaison Committee meeting will be on May 20, 2021. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 9:41 A.M.