A study session meeting for elementary attendance boundaries and dual immersion program location will be held Feb. 5

PASO ROBLES—After an extended closed session, the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District regular meeting came to order around 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 25.

As requested during the Jan. 11 meeting, staff has been developing information about two options for consideration for the elementary attendance boundaries and dual immersion program location. Staff has been working with a demographic consultant and an architect to provide details within these two options. They are recommending a study session to review this information. 

The Board agreed to schedule a study session for Feb. 5, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. This study session will include an opportunity for public comment.

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The Board held a public hearing regarding the redistricting process and proposed map boundary adjustments. The first hearing was held on Jan. 11. The Board motioned to adopt resolution No. 22-09 with Scenario 2 map (also known as Appendix A in the resolution) attached. 

Resolution No. 22-09 says, “The Board of Education of the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District Approving Adjustments to the Boundaries of the District’s Trustee Areas Pursuant to Education Code Section 5019.5”

In the 2022 election, trustee areas 1 (now held by Chris Arend), 2 (no current trustee), and 4 (now held by Frank Triggs) will be up for re-election.

Trustee Dorian Baker voted no on the resolution with the following statement: “I read the California Voting Rights Act of 2001, and I don’t see how it is constitutional to break people down into protected classes like this. The whole thing is absurd and junky laws like this get passed at the State and Federal levels with little or no pushback at local levels. Yet, we are supposed to be governed from the local level up, not top-down. This is why we are buried in bureaucracy, and it’s a bad bureaucracy at times. My constituents are asking me, ‘why are you doing this?’ Well, I am not doing it. I do not support it—we cave. We cave on things that matter all the time. I vote no.”

Board President Chris Arend responded, “We have no choice in this. The courts in California have been very clear. I agree this is foolish, but we are not the ones who make the call. In this case, it was the courts in the State of California that have made the call. That’s the way it is with the separation of powers.”

The motion passed with a 6-1 vote (Baker, no). 

Erin Haley, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, provided a progress update on three out of number District’s Goals following and actions that have been taken to meet them:

Goal 1: All students and families will be connected to school and engaged in learning

  • Mental Health therapists
  • Family Advocates
  • WEB training of staff – 4 middle school teachers and admin
  • PRHS LINK CREW training of staff- 4 teachers and admin
  • Elective Expo at PRHS for students and families
  • Additional counselors at elementary and high school
  • Exploring community partnership options for afterschool VAPA opportunities on elementary campuses
  • 1:1 Counselor meetings 6th -12th grade
  •  Chromebook/hotspot distribution to students/families

Goal 2: All students will be college and career ready

  • 1:1 counselor/student meeting with EVERY incoming 8th, current 9th, 10th, and 11th grader – PERSONAL CONNECTION
  • Funding AP tests to encourage more students to test
  • Online Scholarship application
  • Consider addition of American Sign Language for language requirement
  • Paper Education Company 24/7 tutoring
  • Afterschool tutoring in-person
  • Real-time Algebra support in class
  • Rebuilding of AVID program district-wide
  • Algebra support classes (2 year algebra)
  • More expansive EL support with bilingual paras, leveled classes, new curriculum, and Rosetta Stone

Goal 3: All students will be prepared to take algebra by the end of 8th grade 

  • Math TOSA sections at FMS and LMS
  • Map Accelerator – adaptive math program to close learning gaps
  • Paper Education tutoring company
  • Bilingual paraeducators
  • Before/Afterschool tutoring
  • Math intervention sections in master schedule
  • Professional development opportunities for best mathematical practices with middle school teams

The next regularly scheduled school board meeting will be on Tuesday, Feb. 8, at 6 p.m.