April 4, 2022
Assistant Superintendent Randy Kenyon and district architect Lisa Gelfland presented an updated 5-year plan to address facility maintenance. Existing funding sources include the $300,000 annual deferred maintenance fund, $2.8M in unused rental income from the 10th site, and $1.4M in unencumbered future rental income. These funds gave the board confidence to approve plans to address the two most pressing maintenance items. The first is lighting replacement in Almond, Springer, and Blach classrooms (estimated cost: $480,000) to be completed in 2022. The second is a new HVAC system and roof at Covington Elementary (estimated cost: $4M) to be completed in 2023. Lighting, HVAC, and roofing construction are desired at all 9 campuses in the district, but the board does not wish to proceed until additional funding is secured. Ms. Gelfland will come back to the board with a completed master plan containing more details about costs. The board will use this information to discuss putting a bond measure on the 2024 ballot to raise money for this purpose. As part of the master plan, proposals will also be made to convert the two junior high campuses (Blach and Egan) to middle schools (adding 6th grade).
Due to higher than anticipated costs to operate the Universal Meals Program, LASD has put out a Request for Proposals to consider additional vendors beside Mountain View Whisman School District. It is the district’s hope that other vendors may even be able to deliver the food, thereby obviating the need to purchase refrigerated vans.
The board also voted in favor of increasing developer fees and commercial / industrial fees to their maximum allowable amounts ($3.37 / sq ft and $0.78 / sq ft respectively). This increase is a routine process that occurs every other year, and the most recent increase is expected to generate an additional $400,000 in revenue.
April 25, 2022
The LASD board of trustees announced their decision to hire Sandra McGonagle (current Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction) as the new Superintendent of Schools. She will be replacing Jeff Baier after the end of the current school year (2021-22). The board also approved the 2022-25 Employment Agreement with the new Superintendent.
Stella Kam, Observer