LAFSD April Governing Board Meeting Recap

4/22/2024 9:10 pm

APRIL BOARD MEETING RECAP

In case you missed the Governing Board meeting on April 17, 2024, here are some
highlights. If you want to take a deeper dive into any of these topics, slide
presentations as well as an audio recording of the meeting are available on the
Lafayette School District website.
● Students from Springhill Elementary joined the meeting along with their
teacher, Melissa Thormahlen, to share the highlights of their week at 5th
grade camp. “Camp was so much fun - I wish it never ended!” one student
shared.
● This month, we were excited to celebrate the 2024 Classified Employees of the
Year: Jimmy Ngo (Burton Valley), Dana Beck (Happy Valley), Rachel Willis
(Lafayette Elementary), Val Paschall (Springhill), Jen Stone (Stanley), and Aish
Raja (District Office).
○ We were thrilled to hear that Jimmy Ngo was chosen as the Contra
Costa County Classified School Employee of the Year in the Custodial &
Maintenance category, and will go on to represent the County in the
State program!
○ The Board also read an Employee Recognition resolution recognizing
certificated, classified, and administrative staff for their contributions to
our schools and students.

● Assistant Superintendent Betsy Balmat and other staff members
demonstrated work that is taking place at our sites related to Culturally
Responsive Curriculum, including sharing an overview of Culturally Conscious
Classrooms, two sample student lessons, and perspectives from site
administrators. There were several public comments in support of this work,
and the board unanimously agreed that the work is valuable and should
continue.
● Melissa Dodd, Chief Business Official, along with Marilyn Sibley and Monette
Hagopian, members of the District Budget Advisory Committee (DBAC),
reported on the DBAC’s recommendations for revenue and savings for the

2024-2025 budget as part of its work to ensure a balanced budget for the next
three years. Highlights of the DBAC’s recommendations were:
○ Minimize direct impact to students.
○ Increase fees, where possible, to generate revenue and keep pace with
the industry.
○ Prioritize hiring district staff to move away from agencies.
○ Spend smarter through changes in practice to realize savings.
○ Prioritize ongoing savings & reductions to the unrestricted general
fund.
No action was taken at this meeting, and the DBAC requested that the
Governing Board approve the recommendations at its May Board meeting.
● Both the District and the Lafayette Education Association (our teachers’
union) “sunshined” the articles that they plan to open as the parties begin
negotiations for the 24/25 school year. In addition to pay and benefits, the
parties will open the Work Year/Work Day article, and the Preparation Period
and Adjunct Duties article. The parties haven’t yet set a date to begin
bargaining, but it will likely be after the school year ends.
Our next Governing Board meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 6pm
in the Stanley Library and streamed via Zoom. Hope to see you there!