March 4, 2024
Mr. Spenader, principal of Blach Jr. High, and Ms. Cullimore, principal of Egan Jr. High, shared their recent experience running workshops for 7th and 8th graders using materials from the Anti-Defamation League. These workshops were held in response to recent incidents of antisemitism and Islamophobia in the student populations.
Superintendent Sandra McGonagle provided information about the impact of campus sharing with Bullis Charter School (BCS) at both Egan and Blach Jr. Highs. These include overcrowding and increased traffic, coordination challenges and restrictions due to shared facilities, and the inability to accommodate 6th graders on campus due to limited space. The district would like to move to a middle school model so that 6th graders can benefit from specialized teachers, electives, daily PE and after school sports, as well as more developmentally appropriate social activities.
Mr. Walukiewicz, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services, presented the 2nd Interim Financial Report. Since the budget was adopted last May, there has been an increase in local revenue of $781,580 due to PTA donations and interest income. In addition, a lower than estimated cost-of-living adjustment reduced the district’s transfer to BCS by $212,200. Actual expenditures were less than budgeted in several categories, including the cafeteria fund and Special Education. While the district still expects a slight budget deficit over the next two years, multi-year projections are now showing district reserves to remain above 20% into 2025-26.
A contract with Atlas Technical Consultants for geotechnical engineering at the 10th site was approved by the board with a 4-1 vote. Vladimir Ivanovic objected due to the contract’s failure to specify which employees would be working on the project. The total proposed fee is $29,250 for boring and penetration testing, which are necessary to meet the requirements set forth in the California Building Code and are subject to approval by the Division of the State Architect (DSA).
The board voted unanimously to approve the elimination of classified services for the 2024-25 school year. Custodians will be reduced by 1.5 Full-Time Equivalents (FTE) due to the loss of COVID funding. The District Wellness Coordinator will be reduced by 1 FTE due to insufficient work to justify a full-time position.
March 18, 2024
Superintendent Sandra McGonagle shared an inventory of portable buildings currently being used to house Bullis Charter School (BCS) students. At Egan Jr. High, the district purchased 4 portables costing $135,431 and rents another 49 for a total of 53 portables. At Blach Jr. High, the district rents 22 portables, which also cost the district approximately $8 million to install due to DSA requirements in a flood zone. The total rental cost is $858,135 per year, while BCS reimburses LASD only $58,000 of that amount.
The board voted unanimously to increase developer fees to the maximum allowable amount of $3.44 per square foot for residential and $0.56 per square foot for commercial/industrial developments. These fees help pay for portables to meet the facility needs of the district. A developer fee justification study completed by Burke Consulting in February 2024 found that “The existing facility capacity of the Los Altos School District is 3,434 TK-8th grade students. The District's 2023-2024 October enrollment of 4,383 students shows the District is currently operating at 128% of capacity.” The study included BCS students in the enrollment total and only counted permanent buildings, not portables, toward facility capacity. Inventories at each school show that nearly every site is currently using portables to meet facility needs.
Stella Kam, Observer