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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-05-20 City Council (2)City of Palo Alto City Manager’s Report TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: COMMUNITY SERVICES DATE:MAY 20, 2002 CMR: 262:02 SUBJECT: MITCHELL PARK LIBRARY JOINT VENTURE PROJECT REPORT IN BRIEF The California Reading and Literacy Improvement and Public Library Construction and Renovation Bond Act of 2000 makes $350 million of State bond funds available for construction and renovation of public libraries. This report describes a joint venture project of collaboration with the Palo .Alto Unified School District, the Everyone’s Homework and Enrichment Center (EHEC), as part of the City’s application for funding from the State Bond Act. The EHEC proposal is to establish a place and ,a program providing a familiar and safe location after school for homework and enrichment activities outside the school .library or classrooms at the new Mitchell Park Resource Library: Included are a complete program description, budget and legal agreement to be incorporated in the bond application due on June 14, 2002. CMR:262:02 Page 1 of 4 RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that Council approve the submission of a joint venture project with Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD), the Everyone’s Homework and Enrichment Center project, as part of the City’s application for funding from the State Bond Act. BACKGROUND The California Reading and Literacy Improvement and Public Library Construction and Renovation Bond Act (Bond Act) of 2000 makes $350 million of State bond funds available for construction and renovation of California public libraries. The Bond Act provides 65 percent of the eligible project costs (up to a maximum of approximately $30.8. million) with a local match of 35 percent. There are two types of funding categories for Bond Act-eligible projects, one for new buildings and one for remodeled and expanded buildings, each with different requirements and priorities for funding. After analysis of the options (see CMR 362:01), the Mitchell Park Library/Community Center project was determined to be the most competitive for Bond Act funding of the three Palo Alto library projects currently being considered for expansion. It is eligible in the category of new buildings. The first priority for funding in this category is given to "joint use projects in which the public library and the public school district have a 20-year cooperative service agreement." A joint use project is not limited to a co-located library (i.e. one in which public and school library services are both provided), but maybe a collaborative service. In 2001, Council established five priorities, including Joint Planning with PAUSD. One of the objectives was to implement City/PAUSD library collaboration programs. Potential library collaboration was discussed at several City/School Liaison Committee meetings beginning in Aprii 2001 and culminated at the October 11,2001 meeting in a joint presentation by City and PAUSD library staffs of a common purpose and goals for collaboration. In February 2002, a.draft proposal for the "Everyone’s Homework Center" was presented to the City/School Liaison Committee. DISCUSSION City and PAUSD staffs have cooperated in the creation of a proposal for the Bond Act application that serves the needs of students, carries out the New Library Plan vision for the Mitchell Park Resource Library, and takes advantage of the proximity of the Mitchell Park Community Center. It is also consistent with Bond Act requirements. The result is Everyone’s Homework and Enrichment Center (EHEC). Attachment A details the proposal. This proposal fits neatly with the location of Mitchell Park adjacent to three PAUSD schools (Stanford Middle, Hoover Elementary and Fair Meadow Elementary) and the flood of students now coming across the park to the Mitchell Park Library and Community Center every day after school to address their academic and recreational needs. CMR:262:02 Page 2 of 4 A community needs assessment process was conducted as part of the grant application process. It found that there is currently no consistent communication between the schools and the City staff to address students’ homework and school assignment research needs. Further, the existing homework centers and programs at Jane Lathrop Stanford (JLS) Middle School and the library do not meet the increasing demand. Physical space is extremely limited at the library, which is heavily used, noisy and distracting. Computers and other technology are not specifically designated for homework help and are in high demand by all library users. Through discussion with teens, teachers, school administrators, and the community, the proposal has evolved and improved with the incorporation of the recreation component and the opportunity to include enrichment in addition to homework programs. The EHEC proposal is to establish a place and a program providing a familiar and safe location for homework and enrichment activities outside the school library or classrooms. It will operate year round, targeting children and teens primarily in the 4th through 8th grades. Staff from PAUSD and the City’s Library and Recreation Divisions will plan programs to foster the education of the whole child. Volunteers will primarily provide staffing of the center with oversight at the library provided by City staff. Volunteers will include high school students recruited and trained with the assistance of PAUSD as well as adults. RESOURCE IMPACT Attachment B is a budget identifying one-time expenses to begin operations and projected on-going expenses for the EHEC, distributed between the City and PAUSD. For both parties, some of the expenses are existing expenses and some are new. In June, staff will be preparing a complete, projected budget incorporating these expenses and others for operation of the new Mitchell Park library, to be authorized by Council for submission of the Bond Act application. POLICY IMPLICATIONS !n approving this proposal and the legal agreement, Council is establishing a policy to continue an agreement with PAUSD for a minimum of twenty years and to operate the library for forty years. See Attachment C. TIMELINE This CMR addresses the first official step for the City’s application for Bond Act funding. The PAUSD Board will also address this proposal in May. Staff will return to Council June 10, 2002 for approvals of the conceptual design of the Mitchell Park Library and Community Center, the Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND), and a resolution certifying the project construction budget, the commitment of the local funding match for project and the operating budget for the Mitchell Park Library upon a successful award by the State Bond Act Board. The application will obligate the City to provide matching funding if the proposal is successful, whether or not there’s a CMR:262:02 Page 3 of 4 successful bond measure in November. Council action on all of these items is required in order to comply with Bond Act requirements and for Palo Alto’s submittals to meet the deadline for the first round of funding, June 14. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW In accordance with Bond Act guidelines and other requirements, this project is being reviewed per the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Staff has prepared a. MND for the project, which will be provided to Council for action when the Mitchell Park Library and Community Center project is reviewed in its entirety by Council on June 10, 2002. ATTACHMENTS Attachment A: Attachment B: Attachment C: Everyone’s Homework and Enrichment Center proposal Homework Center Proposed Budget Joint Use Cooperative Agreement for Development of "Everyone’s Homework and Enrichment Center" PREPARED BY:i" .,t :,7 c/ (..LEVY Director of Libraries DEPARTMENT HEAD: ~’PAUL’~HIL~F,~t~N Director of Community Services EMILY ~ARkI~’-0N Assistant City Manager Cc:Library Advisory Commission CMR:262:02 Page 4 of 4 Attachment A EVERYONE’S HOMEWORK& ENRICHMENT CENTER (EHEC) A Joint Venture Project with Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) Palo Alto City Library (PACL) Palo Alto Recreation Division (PARD) A.WHAT IS EVERYONE’S HOMEWORK & ENRICHMENT CENTER (EHEC)? EVERYONE’S HOMEWORK & ENRICHMENT CENTER (EHEC) is a program providing a familiar and safe location for homework and enrichment activities outside of the school library or classrooms. The EHEC program will operate year round.for use by children and teens primarily in the 4th through 8th grades. EHEC builds on an existing program, by leveraging the resources oflibraries, schools and recreation programs to meet.growing demands with greater efficiency and effectiveness. EHEC will " 1 Provide a physical space and program in the public library ¯Support elementary and middle schonl curriculum needs and enrichment ¯Supply multi-format collections, electronic resources and equipment ¯Provide paid and volunteer staff ¯Be open after school, evenings, weekends and all summer long ¯Partner with the City’s Recreation program for after-school, summer school and camp curriculum related activities ¯Utilize the adjacent Library Technology Center for additional computer and technology homework help needs ¯Reach greatest number of Palo Alto children through active promotion B.WHY DO WE NEED THE EHEC? Current programs only link the City’s libraries and recreation divisions. A school partnership needs to be included for curriculum and enrichment consistency, and the program needs to be expanded to meet demand. School homework programs do not meet the qrowinq demand. ¯Elementary schools adjacent to EHEC have no formal program. ¯Middle schools programs have limited hours. ¯Some children want to leave the school setting Where they’ve spent all day. ¯Some students don’t have access to enrichment programs. ¯Study schedules conflict with organized sports activities at the same time. ¯Program capacity has been reached. ¯There is no homework help for summer school students. Public library homework proqram does not meet the qrowin~ demand. ¯There is lack of space. ¯Limited resources support the program. ¯The program operates independent of schools. ¯The program is informal. ¯Computers are not designated for homework help. ¯Program runs only during school year. ¯There are no on-going enrichment activities. Over 100 students use the homework centers each school day. The middle school homework programs currently serve between ’40-50 teens from approximately 3:15 -5:00 p.m. at the homework help centers located at two PAUSD middle schools. At the Mitchell Park Library and at THE DROP (recreation program for upper elementary and middle school age kids), located in the Mitchell Park Community Center, there are 50- 60 upper elementary students and teens that need assistance every day after school. Most of these children are "latchkey" or unattended. The numbers have been steadily growing over the last 10 years. In September 2001, Library staff created a "Homework Help Program" through a pilot grant from the Friends of the Palo Alto Library. This program can provide only one homework helper each weekday afternoon. The library’s program requires more space, materials, curriculumlguidance and helpers. The Homework Help Program is squeezed into already tight space, in the midst of conflicting use by adults and younger children. (An average of 813 people of all ages and information needs use the Mitchell Park Library each day; seven days a week.) Student needs have outstripped the space available in the library for collections, equipment access, programs and services. The library is noisy and crowded and thus not conducive to lquiet work. C.WHERE WILL THE EHEC BE LOCATED? The EHEC will be located in the new Mitchell Park Resource Library and Community Center. EHEC will have a space of 700 square feet. This location was selected because of its proximity to three PAUSD schools (one middle school and two elementary schools), several private schools and to the Community Center, which houses the teen drop-in center everyday after school. 2 The site is also near bus lines and the City’s free shuttle that brings teens from two other middle schools in town each day after school to the library and community center. D.WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT?. The PAUSD is an important partner in this cooperative venture. The PAUSD’s collaboration ensures that the children who use EHEC will have their scholastic needs coordinated with an integrated program all year long. Through a formal, written plan, this program will promote the PAUSD goal of commitment to educate the whole child, including intellectual, physical, emotional, ethical, and social development and education for citizenship. To ensure success, staff from the three groups (the Palo Alto City Library, City of Palo Alto Recreation Division and Palo Alto Unified School District) will collaborate on objectives of the EHEC program and potential projects. Here are the proposed objectives: Create an area in the new Mitchell Park Resource Library and Community Center that provides children and teens with a "sense of space" where they can make homework a priority. Develop the 24/7 concept. While the center’will have prescribed hours for in- person help, there will also be access 24 hours a day, seven days a week through electronic resources or through an ability to leave an e-mail or voicemail question for reference staff and teachers. Establish a team of school, public library, recreation staff, students and others dedicated to enriching and expanding the learning experiences and recreational needs of children and teens in Palo Alto through collaboration. ¯Here is an example of who might be on the team: From the Libraries: Volunteer Coordinator, Website Manager and Teen and Children’s Librarians from the Mitchell Park Resource Library From the District:~ Teachers, Administrators, and Librarians from neighboring schools, Instructional Technology and Curriculum support staff From the student population: Representatives from the recently formed Junior Advisory Board (JAB) made up of middle school age students, the City’s Youth Advisory Council made up of high school age students, and middle and high school student tutors. From the Recreation Division: Recreation Supervisor(s) and support staff Here are some potential projects for the collaborative program: Plan and implement activities that integrate the public library’s resources and services into the daily environment of the classroom and link school resources to the library setting Develop collaborative training programs and information sharing workshops to keep the EHEC both vital and viable for the staff of the City, PAUSD, volunteers, and most importantly, the students Plan special events during the school year, summer camps (’Survivor Camp" and ~Camp at ’The Drop’") and summer school that connects the curriculum with special recreational and educational programs Develop the staffing component that includes recruiting and training paid and volunteer staffing Provide a variety of activities to develop reading and literacy skills 1 Develop opportunities for leveraging community financial support for EHEC programs. E.WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF THE EHEC? ¯It directly supports the missions of the City, libraries, and school district ¯It provides a place for students to go for homework help when the school is closed ¯It offers an alternative environment to school where students have been all day ¯It is recognized by parents as a setting for learning and enrichment ¯It extends and enriches communication between teachers and librarians ¯It locates the program adjacent to a viable recreation program. ¯It expands the classroom into the community ¯It operates all year long ¯It provides access to all the services, programs, materials and staff of the public library ¯.It provides opportunities for peer-to-peer tutoring 4 F. SUMMARY Current homework and enrichment programs are unable to meet growing demands. This proposal focuses the collaborative effort of schools, libraries and recreation staff on vulnerable 4thl8th grade students who need a safe study environment. Funds will provide staff and resources to meet the needs of more than 100 students and leverage the combined resources of organizations committed to serving youth populations. APPENDIX Mission Statements CITY - The government of the City of Palo Alto exists to promote and sustain a superior quality of life in Palo Alto. In partnership with the community, our goal is to deliver cost-effective services in a personal, responsive, and innovative manner. LIBRARY DIVISION - To enable people to explore library resources in order to enrich their lives with knowledge, information, and enjoyment. RECREATION DIVISION - To enrich people’s lives to create a sense of personal growth, physical challenge and fun. PAUSD - Our mission is to enable all students to: strive for academic excellence; acquire the knowledge and skills that support learning; value creativity and life- long learning; demonstrate respect for self and others; participate meaningfully in our democratic society and interdependent global community.. II.References CREATING THE FULL-SERVICE HOMEWORK CENTER IN YOUR LIBRARY. Chicago: American Library Association, 2001, by Cindy Mediavilla TALL TREE INITIATIVE (Readers Digest Foundation), Available at URL: http://www.wls.lib.ny.us/talltree/about/backqround.html III.Joint Use Project Committee Members Marie Scigliano (PAUSD) Ann E. McQueen (PAUSD) Lois Kershner (PAUSD) Mary Jo Levy (PACL) Diane Jennings (PACL) Katy Obringer (PACL) Mary Minto (PACL) Marilyn Gillespie (PACL) Patrick Larkin (PARD) Martha Schmidt (PACL) Melinda Wing (PACL) Members of The Sub Committee - Joint Venture (EHEC) Documents/Planning: Mary Jo Levy, Marie Scigliano, Melinda Wing, Lois Kershner, Martha Schmidt, Patrick Larkin, Marilyn Gillespie IV.Projected EHEC Hours: School Year: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: Wednesday: Sunday: 3:30-7:00 pm 2:30-7:00 pm 1:00-5:00 pm Summer School: Monday - Thursday: 1:00-500 pm Revised, 05/08102 7 JOINT USE COOPERATI’VE AGREEMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT OF "EVERYONE’S HOMEWORK & ENRICHMENT CENTER" IN THE PROPOSED SOUTHRESOURCE LIBRARY AT MITCHELL PARK This AGREEMENT is entered into this ~ day of , 2002, by and between City of Palo Alto and Palo Alto Unified School District, hereinafter referred to as "City" and "School District". RECITALS I. The City and School District wish to enter into a joint use cooperative agreement in order to develop and coordinate physical space and activity programs that make homework, and enrichment activities a priority for children and teens who are enrolled, primarily, in the 4th through 8th grades, after school year round. 2. The City and the School District also have power to assist each other under Education Code sections 17051(a) and 35275 and Government Code section 6500, et seq. which authorize and empower public school districts and municipalities to cooperate with each other and to that end enter into agreements with each other for the purpose of organizing, promoting and conducting such programs of community recreation and education for children and adults of the state. 3. The City~ and School District intend this Agreement to support the City’s application under the California Reading and Literacy Improvement and Public Library Construction and Renovation Bond Act of .2000 funding pursuant to California Code of Regulations, Title 5, section 20440. NOW, THEREFORE, the City and School District agree as follows: A. Definition of Roles and Responsibilities I. Funding. City and PAUSD will jointly, support the Center through development of an annual project budget. 2. Staffing. City Library staff will hire and train Homework Center staff who will staff the center during open hours. 3. Supervision and Management. The City will supervise all staff, paid and volunteer, at the center site. 020516 sd10053031 4. Operation.The City will be responsible for establishing the rules, regulations and procedures for operation of the center. B. Description of Joint .Library Services and How They Will Be Provided. The EHEC will establish a place and a program providing a -familiar and safe location for homework and enrichment activities outside the school library or classrooms. It will operate year round, targeting children and teens primarily in the 4th through 8th grades. Staff from PAUSD and the City’s Library and Recreation Divisions will plan programs and provide resources to foster the education of the whole child. Volunteers will primarily provide staffing of the center, and will include high school students and peer-to-peer tutors recruited and trained with the assistance of PAUSD,. as well as adults, with oversight at the library provided by City staff. There will be a jointly prepared written annual service plan. C. Library Hours of Service for Students and the Public. The projected hours of operation are: School Year: Monday,.Tuesday, Thursday:3:30-7:00 pm Wednesday:2:30-7:00 pm Sunday:1:00-5:00 pm Summer School: Monday - Thursday:1:00-5:00 pm D. Staffing Resources. EHEC staff on duty during scheduled hours includes a Homework Advisor and volunteers. City staff will provide planning, promotion and evaluation assistance,. Center program coordination, collection administration and reference services. PAUSD staff will participate in annual planning, promotion and evaluation activities, recruit and coordinate student tutors and provide library, reference referral.PAUSD teachers will provide expert training for Homework Advisors. Specific resources will be identified in an annual budget. E. Proposed Use of Volunteers. Volunteers will be recruited and trained by City and School District staff. Volunteers will be supervised by City staff. F. Location. Everyone’s Homework Center will be located in the City’s South Resource Library at Mitchell Park. 020516 sd10053031 2 G. Site, Fixture and Library Materials Ownership. i. The City owns and will retain ownership of the site, buildings and equipment. 2. The City will select and provide all equipment, suppiies and~ furnishings for the Center. The City will provide a core curriculum-based reference collection and core homework project collection for use in the center and sPace for enrichment activities. The School District will provide core textbooks’ and other appropriate materials that the School District may identify for grades 4 through 8 for use in the center only. The School District may also loan its collection of Summer Reading books for circulation during the summer, provide access to on-line subscription services for students and provide other materials mutually agreed upon. Policies for checkout of PAUSD materials will be determined by the City and PAUSD representatives. 3. The School District will materials provided for use at the center. retain ownership of H. Sources and Use of Funding. PAUSD and City funds will support Center planning, staffing, promotion and services. An annual budget will be jointly developed by staff. Community support will be sought for financial and in kind services. I. Responsibility for Facility Operation, Maintenance and Management. The City will be responsible for facility operation, maintenance and management as provided above.. J. Review and Modification Process for Conditions of the Agreement. This agreement may be modified or terminated upon mutual consent of the parties. This agreement will terminate in the event the facility is destroyed and not reconstructed within 12 months. K. Field Act Applicability and Rationale. The Field Act, Education Code sections 17281, et seq. is not applicable to the center because it is a facility into which neither pupils nor teachers are required to enter, and joint programming activities do not make a facility subject to the Field Act. 020516 sdl 0053031 L. Term of Agreement; Incorporation and Acknowledgment of Education Code section 19999 and California Code of Requlations, Title 5, section 20440(e) (3) (G). i. Consistent with the terms of California Education Code section 19999, which is incorporated by this reference, the term of this Agreement shall be twenty (20) years from the date of commencement of the joint use. The parties understand that this represents a twenty (20) year commitment to provide cooperative joint use areas for programming as described in this Agreement, subject to continued availability of funding sources. If the programs described in this Agreement become impossible to continue operating during the twenty (20) year period because of lack of fundsor other reasons, the parties agree to use their best efforts to find a comparable cooperative project. 2. The parties agree that, pursuant to Title 5, Code of Regulations 20440, which is incorporated by this reference, the Facility shall be dedicated to public library direct service use for a period of forty (40) years following commencement of.the joint use, regardless of any other operating agreements entered into by each respective party for library services with other agencies. M.Indemnification. The City shall investigate, defend and indemnify the School District from any and all claims, demands, actions or damages arising out of the City’s use of School District Facilities to which the School District may be subjected as a direct consequence of this agreement except for those claims, demands, actions or damages resulting solely from the negligence of the School District, its officers, agents and employees. The School District shall investigate, defend and indemnify the City from any and all claims, demands, actions or damages arising out of the School District’s use of City Facilities to which .the City may be subjected as a direct consequence of this agreement except for those claims, demands, actions or damages resulting solely from the negligence of the City, its officers, agents and employees. N.Complete Understanding and Amendments. This agreement and the attached exhibits set forth the complete agreement and understanding of the parties;any modification must be in writing executed by both parties. 020516 sd10053031 4 O..Notices. ~, If at any time after the execution of this agreement, it shall become necessary or convenient for one of the parties hereto to serve any notice, demand or communication upon the other party, such notice, demand or communication shall be in writing and shall be served personally or by depositing the-same in the United States mail, return receipt requested, first class postage prepaid and (I) if intended for City shall be addressed to: City Clerk City of Palo Alto P.O.Box 10250 Palo Alto, CA 94301 with a copy to:Director of Community Services Department P.O. Box 10250 Palo Alto, CA 94301 and (2) if intended for PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL SCHOOL DISTRICT shall be addressed to: Palo Alto Unified School District 25 Churchill Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94306 or to such other address as either party may have furnished to the other in writing as a place for the service of notice. Any notice // II II II II II II II II 020516 sd10053031 5 so mailed shall be deemed to have been given as of the time the same is deposited in the United States mail. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this agreement on the date and year first above written. CITY OF PALO ALTO A municipalcorporation PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Frank Benest City Manager John Barton President, Board of Education- ATTEST:APPROVED: City Clerk APPROVED.AS TO FORM: Mary Frances Callan Superintendent By Ariel Pierre Calonne City Attorney APPROVED AS TO CONTENT: B~ Paul Thiltgen Parks and Recreation Director 020516 sd10053031