Board Briefs: Sept. 24, 2024

Here are a few highlights from the Sept. 24 board meeting (the agenda packet is available):

Update provided on the district’s attendance improvement initiative

Staff provided an update on the district’s attendance improvement initiative for the 2024-25 school year. Attendance data post-pandemic clearly shows students are missing more days of school than pre-pandemic levels, both locally and statewide. Attendance patterns created during the pandemic, exacerbated by external factors such as weather emergencies, natural disasters and social media threats, have impacted student attendance.

The district's attendance improvement initiative is based on a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) framework. A major focus of the initiative is to promote tier I universal actions throughout the district, with schools creating welcoming, culturally responsive environments and building back overall student daily attendance and connections to school. Strategic tier II and intensive tier III strategies are effectively employed for chronically absent groups and individual students who are most in need of support. 

Update provided on steps taken to develop a land acknowledgment

The board discussed the steps taken to develop a land acknowledgment for school and district use. Staff shared information about the purpose of land acknowledgments, the process implemented to develop a land acknowledgment collaboratively in partnership with local tribes and the district’s American Indian Education parent advisory committee, the product developed and recommendations for the next steps. Action on this item is anticipated at the Oct. 22 board meeting.

In other news…

• The board held a public hearing to discuss and adopt a resolution stating that each pupil in each school in the district has sufficient textbooks and instructional materials.

• The board adopted a new board policy on political practices.

The next regular board meeting will be held on Oct 8 at 6:30 p.m. Visit www.sanjuan.edu/boardmeeting for details. You can also view videos of prior board meetings at www.sanjuan.edu/boardvideo.