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Meeting Information



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MINUTES

Thursday, October 9, 2003

6:00 P.M.

1800 Oakdale Avenue

San Francisco, CA 94124

Commission President Millard Larkin called the Thursday, October 9, 2003 meeting to order at 6:17 p.m. in the Alex L. Pitcher Community Room at 1800 Oakdale Avenue.  Commissioner Larkin read the Sunshine Ordinance aloud and welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Present:            Commissioner Millard Larkin, Commissioner Bobbrie Brown,
                        Commissioner Louise Jones, Commissioner Willie Kennedy,
                        Commissioner Ronald Person, Commissioners Kim Nguyen

                       Staff Present:            Robert Bryan, Deputy City Attorney; Toye Moses, Exec. Dir.
                       SECFC; Annette Price, SECF Commission Secretary.

Commissioner Larkin announced that Reverend Kenneth Sampson of New Hope Baptist Church

was sworn in on October 8, 2003 as SECF Commissioner replacing the late Commissioner Enola

Maxwell.  He will begin his tenure effective October 22, 2003. 

Commissioner Jones moved and Commissioner Kennedy seconded to accept the minutes of Wednesday, September 24, 2003.  Motion passed to accept minutes with one addition (5-0).

 

  1. There was no public comment at this meeting.

 

  1. The Executive Director stated the following correspondence letters have been sent as directed by the Commission:

  2. Presentation

Commissioner Larkin welcomed and introduced Ms. Elois Brooks, Chief Academic Officer for SFUSD, who will update the Commission on school budget cuts, new educational activities, and plans for a safe school environment.  Ms. Brooks thanked the Commission for the opportunity to come before the Commission and give an update on recent activities in the district. 

Ms. Brooks stated that although the school district has been affected by budget cuts, the greater issue affecting students today is the issue of achievement, which is not only confined to San Francisco but is a nationwide issue predominantly affecting African American and Latino students.  She stated one reason students are not achieving is the lack of a “collective will”.  High expectation for certain students to achieve is not there.  An example of that is in many of the STAR schools, students are being taught below grade level.   

The other issue that affects students is that many teachers in the educational system lack experience.  To remedy that, staff development has been initiated to improve teaching skills to help teachers become better teachers by placing master teachers in classrooms. More resources are being put in these schools, i.e., permanent placement of substitute teachers, social worker services, nurse services, and advisors who work on truancy.  Also instructional walkthroughs are performed in which a team of instructors go into different classes and observe how teachers are performing and how students are achieving. 

Addressing new educational activities, Ms. Brooks stated the “Reads Reading Program,” which is an intervention class for all students below the 40 percentile has been instituted in all high schools.  Also being offered is an intervention program called “High Points,” which is a reading program that targets ESL students in middle school.  Both programs began last year and much improvement has occurred in those areas.  Another program being instituted called AP Support is for those underrepresented students who are at the 60 percentile to give them support in 9th thru 10th grades to raise their academic level preparing them to enroll in advanced placement classes by 11th grade.  In this program, tutors, parent liaisons, and extra test prep is provided. 

Ms. Brooks reported safety is a serious concern in public schools, especially high schools.  Schools are on high alert with the escalated gang violence starting this summer.  She stated there has been two shooting this year and that violence usually occurs not on school grounds but near bus stop areas.  She remarked that due to all of the controversy surrounding SRO officer’s presence in schools, they will probably not return next year because the City has stated it will not renew the MOU.  Other measures that are being taken to improve school safety relate to conflict management.

Commissioner Nguyen asked what discrete action could be taken from the community with regard to “collective will”?  Ms. Brooks responded around the first of the year the school district will lead a kick off of public grants and the district will ask support from various organizations to hoist meetings around diversity, school expectations, etc with the superintendent, which will coincide with the 50th Anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education.

Commissioner Jones reminded there was a program two years ago at McAteer where parents/students had the opportunity to choose schools they would attend once they left McAteer.  A support system was put in place for those students.  She questioned whether the support system was still available to those students?  Ms. Brooks responded that three central counselors were hired to follow those students, tutoring was offered and students were tracked to ensure everything went well.  Ninety-nine percent of those students graduated on time.  Unfortunately, those counselors were not brought back due to budget cuts; however, the remaining students do have a contact if problems arise. 

Commissioner Jones stated that during the presentation it was generally stated that security guards were present in all high and middle schools where needed.  However, she reported on a couple of her visits to George Washington Carver there was no guard posted.  She commented this has caused a serious situation with traffic, etc.  She questioned whether funding would be provided in future to place a security guard at that school?  Ms. Brooks responded the District provides security in all high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools where needed.  She stated there was discussion of Carver needing security and that she believed funds were approved for a security guard to be posted there but that she would need to verify that.  Commissioner Jones remarked that she does hope that is carried out because it is truly needed. 

Commissioner Kennedy voiced concern regarding the lack of parent participation at a recent PTA meeting she attended and also with regard to the issue of substitute teachers refusing to teach in certain districts.

Commissioner Brown complimented Ms. Brooks on the work that is being done in SFUSD and remarked that with regard to celebrating the anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education, hopefully that can take place in the Alex Pitcher Community Room.

Commissioner Person asked Ms. Brooks’ opinion as an educator with regard to charter schools.  Ms. Brooks responded by saying there are a few good charter schools in San Francisco, but by and large most of them do not provide the education that children get from improved academic schools. 

Commissioner Larkin asked who the monitor would be with regard to the decent decree.  Ms. Brooks stated Stewart Bogal would be the monitor over the decent degree and noted the diversity index, which is a court ordered way to bring diversity into schools, will certainly change the way people do business in San Francisco.  Commissioner Larkin asked what makes up the instructional walkthrough teams.  Ms. Brooks stated an academic assistance team that is comprised mostly of staff from the chief academic office, no parents.

Director Moses offered his assistance in making the use of the Alex Pitcher Community Room available for SFUSD’s kick-off event that will take place next year and asked that Ms. Brooks consider hoisting it at Southeast.  Director Moses also reported that Dean Hunnicutt has a very successful high school program, Scholars for Success, and remarked that he hopes it will continue to be a long and lasting relationship.

Reverend Sharp, Church of Christ, stated he was prompted to attend the meeting tonight to get feedback as he is having a difficult time reaching children as well.  He questioned how can we prevent danger to our children on school campus and should we look at a much higher standard, i.e., something more forceful other than security guards.  Also, how much allocated funding is going directly to public schools vs. those that are going to charter schools.

Ms. Brooks responded money follows students.  If a student is lost to a charter school, that money follows that student to that charter school.  Regarding safety, there are many programs in our schools to teach children nonviolence, conflict resolution programs.  However, student safety must also be ensured, which is why the need for security guards.   Ms. Brooks reported the biggest danger when school is on highest alert is at 2:30 or 3:00 when kids are let out.  The District has begun placing stationary people at bus stops.  Reverend Sharp also asked how can the message get out to parents that their involvement is crucial?  Ms. Brooks stated there are many parents who do not know how to advocate for their children -- lots of very young parents.  There are many reason for the lack of parent participation, but we try to train parents how to be better parents, how to advocate.  We have an office of parent affairs with a staff of six people whose job it is to get parents involved.

Directors Report

  1. Exe. Dir. Moses reported:  A call was received from the Foods Co. representatives canceling their presentation date due to conflict with schedules and no new date has been set.     
  2. Staff has been assigned to go to EPM on Tuesdays to ensure things are going well.
  3. Staff called Mr. Juan Monsanto, SFHA to confirm the October 9th date to update the Commission regarding the RFQ.  Mr. Monsanto stated that he would be unavailable and that his executive office would be in contact but that has not happened.
  4. There was a fire on Parcel E at the Naval Shipyard recently. 
  5. A community meeting was held with Police Chief Fagan and Supervisor Maxwell to discuss ways to end the recent violence in BVHP, i.e., recent shootings.

    Commission Brown movedand Commissioners Person secondedto accept the Director’s

report.  Motion passed unanimously to accept report as presented (5-0).

  1. Commissioner Brown requested an update from Captain Puchenilli of Bayview station re: Interaction police have with the BVHP community; and update from Chief Fagan regarding recent violence in BVHP.  She also requested that staff send a letter to upper management of Foods Co. corporate office to get a representative to present before the Commission since all other correspondence has been disregarded.  Commissioner Larkin agreed and advised the Commission entertain what other steps should be taken should Foods Co. not respond in a timely fashion. 

  2. Announcement
    Commissioner Kennedy announced that the Mayor’s Hunters Point Shipyard Citizens Advisory Committee, et al., will hold a community forum on the Disposition Development Agreement (DDA) for phase I of the Hunters Point Shipyard Redevelopment on October 18, 2003 from 9:00 a.m to 2:00 p.m. at Burnett CDC Gym, 1520 Oakdale Avenue. 
  3. Adjournment

Commissioner Brownmoved and Commissioner Person seconded to adjourn the SECF Commission Meeting.   Meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.




  Respectfully submitted,


  _____________________

                                                            Commission Secretary