Maria Stockton (3min) — Spoke on behalf of classified employees, asking the board to more openly recognize and acknowledge the exhausting essential work classified staff have done during the pandemic, and expressing that a simple 'thank you' is insufficient without meaningful compensation or recognition comparable to what teachers have received.
Item details
Rationale: No action is recommended for the School Board to take as this is a discussion item to update the Board of Trustees. On June 26, 2019, the Redwood City School District (RCSD) Board of Trustees approved for the school district to move forward with a feasibility study that would turn the current District Headquarters, located at 750 Bradford St. in Redwood City, into affordable housing for teachers and staff. The School Board's unanimous vote took place to support all RCSD teachers and staff in light of the Bay Area's high cost of living. With a high number of RCSD employees commuting to Redwood City for work, the district wants to provide to employees a quality work-life balance by shortening their commutes and helping them be part of the community in which they work. Since the School Board's vote, the school district has completed the following steps: - June 2019: The school district created the RCSD Workforce Housing Committee, which includes two Trustees: Alisa MacAvoy and Janet Lawson. Trustee. Lawson joined the committee in January 2021 after the retirement of former Trustee Dennis McBride who had initially joined the committee with Trustee MacAvoy. - December 2019: Initial meeting between RCSD and The Sobrato Organization (TSO); - February 2020: Follow-up meeting between RCSD and TSO; - March 2020: Update to the RCSD Board of Trustees and Joint Preliminary Project Application submitted to the City of Redwood City Planning Department; - August 2020: Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) discussions; - September 2020: Update to the RCSD Board of Trustees and presentation to the Redwood City City Council; - October 2020: City Council Vote: Joint Development Gatekeeper Request approved; - November 2020: RCSD Housing Needs Assessment Survey. During the School Board Study Session on April 14, 2021, the School Board will hear results from the assessment survey. In addition, the School Board will be updated on next steps for the remainder of 2021. Financial Impact: None. Submission for Approval Prepared by: John R. Baker, Ed.D., Superintendent Approved by: John R. Baker, Ed.D., Superintendent §