At its meeting this week, the School Board was delighted to learn about the Apache Fire Creation story enacted by four 5th graders – Julian Roth, Elsa Tschantz-Hahn, Sophia Kim and Rohan Asare – during the Educational Showcase. Rounding out the presentation on Social Studies at Kent were three eighth graders – Nathan Morales, Wyatt Turkington and Will Stephenson – sharing their “Shark Tank” pitch – including a rap – about the colony of Massachusetts.

The District’s equity initiative was presented to the Board, along with an overview of last year’s CAASPP scores and a sampling of Youth Truth survey responses from our English Learners at Kent. Next steps were discussed, and this data will frame LCAP goal review and development in the Spring.

The Trustees discussed a request received from a parent to make dismissal later on Wednesdays. Staff pointed out that all Marin districts dismiss early on Wednesdays and that the time is used by teachers to collaborate, learn, plan, and reflect, all in service to students. Information was provided showing that Kentfield’s dismissal times are earlier than neighboring districts. The Board also learned that our instructional minutes, while in excess of the state requirements, trail our comparison group in the early grades but exceed them in the upper grades. A suggestion was made to bring this discussion to the next strategic planning session where a decision about whether or not our program needs additional time to accomplish its instructional and social-emotional goals is best agendized.

A proposal to install a system of closed circuit security cameras at Bacich and Kent was approved by the Board. Safety and security were two of the areas of focus for our Measure D Bond projects, which this proposal partially addresses. Additional fencing and gates are another measure we are pursuing to ensure we have made our campuses as secure as possible.

• View Board Presentation: District Equity Initiative

School will be closed on Friday, November 16, 2018 due to the smoke. We will monitor air quality forecasts for Monday, November 19, 2018. We will be in communication if school needs to be closed on Monday.

Precautionary Recommendations from Marin’s Department of Health and Human Services to protect your health:

• Minimize outdoor activities
• Stay indoors with windows and doors closed as much as possible
• Do not run fans that bring smoky outdoor air inside
• Run your air conditioner only if it does not bring smoke in from the outdoors
• Consider leaving the area until smoke conditions improve if you experience symptoms related to smoke exposure.

In our schools:

• When air quality is unhealthy, activities such as athletic events or practices should be cancelled or rescheduled. Unhealthy is defined as an Air Quality Index (AQI) above 150. See below for local AQI information.
• Outdoor activities will be limited
• Windows and doors will be kept shut as much as possible
• Students with asthma should follow their asthma action plans and keep their quick-relief medicine close at hand.

For up to date information about air quality in the Bay Area go to: www.baaqmd.gov and airnow.gov. For up to date information about fires in California go to: www.calfire.ca.gov.

Parent Partners is a group for parents of students with learning differences.

The group meets three times per year with the primary goals of providing parent perspective and feedback to the school districts, supporting children with exceptional needs by increasing knowledge and acceptance of learning differences in the community, and supporting other parents of students with exceptional needs.

• December 4, 2018, 4-6 p.m., District Office

School Board Information

Next Meeting: December 11, 2018 at 5 p.m. in the District Office.

• The Agenda will be posted by 5 p.m. the Friday before the meeting.