[Welcome and Opening Remarks]
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UM, I'M DR. RIVAS, CHAIR OF THE GREENING SCHOOLS AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE COMMITTEE.
I WELCOME YOU ALL TO OUR FEBRUARY MEETING.
TODAY'S AGENDA REFLECTS THE FULL ARC OF CLIMATE LEADERSHIP AND LUSD FROM ADULT LEARNERS, BUILDING THE GREEN WORKFORCE OF TOMORROW TO SCHOOL YARDS BEING REDESIGNED AS CLIMATE RESILIENCE EDUCATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
TODAY WE'LL BEGIN WITH A PRESENTATION
[II.1. Climate Literacy and Green Job Pathways in Adult Education]
FROM THE DIVISION OF ADULT AND CAREER EDUCATION ON CLIMATE LITERACY AND GREEN JOB PATHWAYS, INCLUDING SOLAR, ELECTRICAL, AUTOMOTIVE, HYBRID TECHNOLOGY, AND WORKFORCE PARTNERSHIPS ALIGNED WITH CALIFORNIA'S CLIMATE GOALS.WE WILL THEN HEAR FROM LIVING SCHOOL YARDS COALITION ON WHY GREEN SCHOOL YARDS MUST BE TREATED NOT AS ENHANCEMENTS, BUT AS A CORE EDUCATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE ESSENTIAL TO STUDENT HEALTH, OUTDOOR LEARNING AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE.
AND WHAT BARRIERS REMAIN TO FULLY REALIZE THE BOARD'S GREENING COMMITMENTS.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT MUST CONNECT TO FACILITIES, INVESTMENTS.
BOND RESOURCES MUST REFLECT BOARD POLICY AND CLIMATE LITERACY MUST TRANSLATE INTO TANGIBLE IMPROVEMENTS FOR STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY IN COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCED, THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE GREATEST ENVIRONMENTAL BURDENS.
UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AGAIN, AND WE'LL BEGIN OUR COMMITTEE MEETING.
WE'LL START WITH THE FIRST PRESENTATION, UH, CLIMATE LITERACY AND GREEN JOB PATHWAY IN ADULT EDUCATION.
WE, UM, I LIKE TO INVITE OUR PRESENTERS, MR. MATTHEW OBERLANDER, UH, FROM ADULT DIVISION OF ADULT AND CAREER EDUCATION TO PRESENT.
AND WE HAVE AND YOU HAVE A CORE PRESENTER.
I'M SORRY, WHAT IS YOUR NAME? OH, MICHELLE COHEN.
SO, MR. OBERLANDER, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
MEMBERS OF THE GREENING SCHOOLS AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE COMMITTEE.
UH, MY NAME IS MATTHEW OBERLANDER.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF EQUITY AND INSTRUCTION FOR THE DIVISION OF ADULT AND CAREER EDUCATION.
UH, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY WITH YOU TO SHARE SOME OF THE EXCITING WAYS OUR DIVISION IS, UM, EXPANDING ONLINE, EXPANDING CLIMATE LITERACY, AND INCREASING STUDENT ACCESS TO GREEN JOBS.
SO CLIMATE LITERACY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP START AT THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL.
UH, EDUCATION PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN SHAPING THE CHOICES PEOPLE MAKE AS CONSUMERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
THE DIVISION OF ADULT AND CAREER EDUCATION IS COMMITTED TO INCREASING CLIMATE AWARENESS BY PROVIDING OUR TEACHERS WITH ACCESS TO OVER A HUNDRED LESSONS AND INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS, UH, INCLUDING RECYCLING, CLIMATE CHANGE, GREEN CAREERS, AND WATER CONSERVATION.
THESE RESOURCES WERE CREATED AS A LABOR OF LOVE BY DAYS TEACHERS, AND HAVE BEEN DELIVERED TO OVER 2000 STUDENTS AND COUNTING.
IN ADDITION TO THE TEACHER GENERATED CLIMATE LITERACY RESOURCES DAYS, ALSO DEVELOPED A LEARNING MODULE ON ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, SPECIFICALLY FOR OUR ESL STUDENTS.
THIS MODULE IS PART OF THE FEDERAL WORKFORCE, UH, AND INNOVATION, WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT, ENGLISH LITERACY AND CIVICS PROGRAM, OR EL CIVICS PROGRAM.
THE EL CIVICS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT IMMIGRANT INTEGRATION BY PROVIDING LEARNERS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD LANGUAGE SKILLS, UH, WHILE ALSO LEARNING ABOUT CIVIC DUTIES, PRIVILEGES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
OUR ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY MODULE, WHICH HAS BEEN COMPLETED BY OVER 9,000 STUDENTS, UH, INSPIRES LEARNERS TO BECOME CLIMATE SCHOLARS, ADVOCATES, AND CHAMPIONS IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES.
SPEAKING OF CLIMATE CHAMPIONS, UH, DACE IS PROUD TO SUPPORT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION'S CLIMATE LITERACY, UH, RESOLUTION BY HOSTING CLIMATE CHAMPIONS AT OUR SCHOOLS.
AT EIGHT OF OUR 11 CAMPUSES, STAFF MEMBERS HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO SERVE IN THESE POSITIONS AND ARE MAKING AN IMPACT THROUGH A WIDE VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING ORGANIZING EARTH DAY EVENTS, PROVIDING TEACHER TRAINING, COORDINATING FIELD TRIPS FOR STUDENTS, AND AS YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT LATER, UH, TRANSFORMING EMPTY SPACES INTO BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY GARDENS.
SO, ONE EXAMPLE OF THE WORK THAT OUR CLIMATE LITERACY CHAMPIONS, UH, ARE DOING IS AT NORTH VALLEY OCCUPATIONAL CENTER, UH, OUR CLIMATE CHAMPION NAMED BARRY BEKIN.
UH, HE CREATED A CLIMATE LITERACY ACADEMY THAT PROVIDES ESL STUDENTS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO RESEARCH ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, EXPLORE SOLUTIONS, AND PRESENT THEIR FINDINGS TO THEIR CLASSMATES.
IN ADDITION, UH, AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE ONE OF OUR CLIMATE CHAMPIONS.
UM, SHE IS A TIRELESS ADVOCATE FOR BOTH ADULT EDUCATION
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AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, AND SHE IS DOING AMAZING THINGS AT LA TECHNOLOGY CENTER, AND SHE'S GONNA TALK ABOUT IT.I'M EXCITED TO SHARE WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AT JUST ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS.
UM, I'VE BEEN ASKED TO TALK ABOUT JUST TWO OF THE THINGS WE'VE DONE.
UM, THE NEWSLETTERS THAT I'VE WRITTEN FOR MY SCHOOL, WHICH ARE ALSO DESIGNED TO BE SHARED WITH ANY OTHER SCHOOL IN THE DIVISION OF ADULT ED AND ALSO THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, AMONG THE DIFFERENT CLIMATE CHAMPIONS, I SHARE A, A VERSION OF IT THAT THEY CAN EDIT AND CHANGE TO FIT THEIR OWN STUDENTS.
UM, SO FIRST ABOUT THE NEWSLETTERS, UH, SO FAR I'VE COMPLETED SEVEN, AND I'M WORKING ON NUMBER EIGHT.
AND BASICALLY THESE ARE WRITTEN, UM, TO BE UNDERSTANDABLE BY, UM, UNDERSTOOD BY MOST OF OUR STUDENTS.
WE CAN'T REALLY GO DOWN TO THE VERY BEGINNING LEVELS OF ESL, BUT, UM, THIRD GRADE LEVEL BASICALLY.
UM, SO THAT THE MOST STUDENTS CAN GET A BENEFIT FROM LEARNING ABOUT IT.
UM, USUALLY I TRY TO ALIGN THEM WITH CURRENT EVENTS OR TOPICS THAT ARE REALLY PRACTICAL AND IMPORTANT FOR ADULT STUDENTS.
'CAUSE AS YOU KNOW, ADULT STUDENTS, UM, SOME OF THEM ARE, ARE THERE JUST FOR THE JOY OF LEARNING, BUT MOST OF OUR ADULT STUDENTS ARE VERY ORIENTED TO PRACTICAL NEEDS OF THEIR LIVES AND THEIR FAMILIES.
SO I THINK ABOUT IT LIKE THAT.
UM, THE FIRST ISSUE WAS CALLED CLIMATE CHANGE, GREEN JOBS.
AND YOU TO FIRST OF ALL, MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS, AND THEN TALK ABOUT WHAT GREEN JOBS ARE.
SECOND WAS OUR CLIMATE CHANGING AND OUR HEALTH.
UM, THIRD CAME AT THANKSGIVING.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT THANKSGIVING, OUR CLIMATE AND EARTH FRIENDLIER FOOD WAYS.
AND THEN FOUR WAS LIVING WITH FIRE BECAUSE THAT CAME OUT IN JANUARY OF 2025, BEING PREPARED AND THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN, UM, WILDFIRES AND CLIMATE CHANGE.
YOU CAN SEE THE IMAGE UP THERE.
UM, FIVE DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH WAS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND BLACK HISTORY.
UM, SIX WAS A MISHMASH, BUT BASICALLY WE INTRODUCED THE IDEA OF, UM, HEALTHY FOOD, LOCAL FOOD COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY GARDENS, AND HOW THEY CAN SUPPORT YOUR HEALTH AND BUILD COMMUNITY.
UM, WE HAD A FAIR THAT MONTH WHERE WE BROUGHT GUESTS WHO PRESENTED ABOUT SOME LOCAL PROGRAMS. AND THEN SEVEN WAS, UM, THE REVIEW BECAUSE IT WAS THE NEXT THANKSGIVING.
AND WE FOCUSED ON WHERE TO FIND AFFORDABLE, HEALTHY FOOD WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THE NEWS WAS ALL ABOUT THE, UM, THE REALLY HIGH FOOD PRICES AT THAT TIME.
AND THE ONE I'M WORKING ON NOW, I THINK WE CAN ALL UNDERSTAND, UH, THE IMPORTANCE IS ABOUT, UM, THE IMPORTANCE OF GREEN SPACES AND NATURE FOR MENTAL HEALTH.
YOU KNOW, OUR WHOLE SCHOOL COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW IS BEING TRAUMATIZED BY MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.
AND SO IT'S REALLY GREAT THAT WE HAVE THE GARDEN TO TAKE A BREAK IN AND GET INVOLVED IN.
SO I'LL TRANSITION NOW TO TALK ABOUT THE GARDEN QUICKLY.
UM, IF YOU CAN SEE THE, THE FIRST PICTURE THERE, UM, IN 2019, WE GOT, UM, WE HAD A INTEGRATED EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY IET CLASS, WHICH IN ADULT ED, THAT MEANS THERE'S TWO TEACHERS WHO TEAM TEACH.
ONE WHO'S A CTE TEACHER, ONE WHO'S TEACHING THE ENGLISH SKILLS.
AND SO OUR ESL TEACHER AT THE TIME WAS AN AVID GARDENER.
SO WE HAD THE IDEA TO HAVE THE CONSTRUCTION CLASS, UM, BUILD RAISED BEDS BECAUSE WE HAD THIS UGLY, UNUSED CORNER.
I THINK MOST SCHOOLS HAVE ONE LIKE THAT, RIGHT? OH, USED TO BE SOMETHING.
OR THEY TRY TO GARDEN 15 YEARS AGO, AND IT FAILED.
AND SO, UM, WE GOT IT STARTED.
THEN COVID, WE WERE SHUT DOWN.
THEN IT, THE AREA BECAME THE COVID TESTING ZONE FOR WHAT, A YEAR AND A HALF
SO FINALLY, AND COINCIDENTALLY, RIGHT WHEN THE CLIMATE CHAMPIONS PROGRAM STARTED, UM, WE GOT IT GOING AGAIN.
AND, UM, THE CLIMATE CHAMPIONS PROGRAM THAT I'VE BEEN PART OF HAS BEEN GREAT BECAUSE IT HELPS GET BUY-IN FROM THE ADMINISTRATORS.
THEY FEEL THAT THERE'S SUPPORT FROM THE DISTRICT, UM, FOR IF I ASK, HEY, CAN WE, UM, GET THIS OR THAT, THAT WE NEED FOR THE GARDEN, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO DO IT.
UM, AND SO AT THIS POINT, WE'VE GOT A BEAUTIFUL BLOOMING GARDEN.
ANYBODY FROM THE SCHOOL'S INVITED AND PEOPLE FROM ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT CULTURES, JUST THEY SHARE WHAT WERE THEIR PLANTS THAT THEY REMEMBER GROWING BACK HOME? WHAT DID THEY USED TO USE FOR TRADITIONAL MEDICINES? ALL KINDS OF GREAT CONVERSATIONS HAPPEN THERE.
SO IT'S HELPING THE STUDENTS DEVELOP THEIR ENGLISH SKILLS, THEIR NEW WORDS, INTERACT WITH PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT PLACES.
AND AGAIN, I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH HOW WONDERFUL IT IS TO HAVE THIS PLACE TO JUST GO OUT TO AND BREATHE.
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I'M PROBABLY OVER MY TIME, I DON'T KNOW.BUT, UM, AS I WAS OKAY,
OH, I JUST HAVE TO TELL YOU, I REALLY NEEDED TO GO OUT INTO THAT GARDEN TODAY AND DO SOME BREATHING.
UM, AND SO I TOLD HER I WOULD SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
UM, AND, UM, I THINK THAT'S ABOUT ALL I HAVE TO SAY, BUT I HOPE THAT EVERY SCHOOL AT SOME POINT CAN HAVE A SPACE LIKE THIS, BECAUSE IT REALLY IS AN INCREDIBLE, AN INCREDIBLE THING.
AND I WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU ON THE COMMITTEE FOR HELPING TO MAKE IT HAPPENING AND SUPPORTING IT TO CONTINUE.
UM, AND THAT GARDEN REALLY IS BEAUTIFUL.
I INVITE YOU TO COME VISIT AT SOME TIME IF YOU'D LIKE TO.
UM, I REMEMBER VISITING ON A SATURDAY AND HELPING TO SHOVEL DIRT, AND IT'S COME A LONG WAY FROM WHAT IT WAS BEFORE.
UM, SO IN ADDITION TO INCREASING CLIMATE LITERACY THROUGH OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, D IS ALSO ACTIVELY AND CONTINUOUSLY UPDATING CAREER TRAINING PROGRAMS TO ALIGN WITH ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS AND TO SUPPORT GREEN ECONOMY CAREERS.
WE'RE GONNA HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THOSE PROGRAMS. FOR EXAMPLE, WE RECENTLY DEVELOPED AN ELECTRIC AND HYBRID VEHICLE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM AS PART OF OUR AUTO TECHNICIAN PATHWAY.
UH, THE PROGRAM INITIALLY DEVELOPED TO HELP UPSKILL.
L-A-U-S-D MECHANICS WAS OFFERED AT TWO CAMPUSES LAST YEAR WITH OVER 50 STUDENTS SERVED.
THIS YEAR, WE ADDED ANOTHER CAMPUS, AND WE'VE ALREADY SERVED 70 STUDENTS.
UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO EXPAND THIS PROGRAM TO SUPPORT CALIFORNIA'S CLIMATE GOALS.
WE ALSO HAVE A PROGRAM THAT TRAINS STUDENTS TO WORK IN THE FIELD OF RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL SOLAR ENERGY SOLUTIONS.
LAST YEAR, WE ENROLLED OVER 280 STUDENTS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO ENHANCING AND EXPANDING THIS PROGRAM IN ALIGNMENT WITH INDUSTRY NEEDS.
FINALLY, UH, WHEN WE THINK OF RENEWABLE POWER SOURCES LIKE SOLAR AND WIND, UH, WE ARE ULTIMATELY TALKING ABOUT ELECTRICITY.
ELECTRICIANS PLAY A KEY ROLE IN OUR LOCAL AND STATE EFFORTS TO TRANSITION TO CLEAN ENERGY.
THE DIVISION OF ADULT AND CAREER EDUCATION IS PROUD TO OFFER AN ELECTRICIAN PROGRAM THAT INCORPORATES CUTTING EDGE GREEN TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS FROM LEADERS IN THE FIELD, LIKE THE INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS.
UH, LAST YEAR WE SERVED 245 STUDENTS THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
AND THIS YEAR WE'VE ALREADY SERVED OVER 270.
IN ADDITION TO OUR CTE PROGRAMS. I'D ALSO LIKE TO QUICKLY SPOTLIGHT A FEW OF OUR GREEN JOBS PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, SO FIRST WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE PORT OF LOS ANGELES TO HELP IT REACH ITS ZERO EMISSION GOAL.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HELP THEM UPSKILL AND RE-SKILL OVER 175 EMPLOYEES IN PREPARATION FOR THE TRANSITION TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT.
SECOND, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF JOINING THE CALIFORNIA HEAT PUMP PARTNERSHIP, UH, WHICH WILL PROVIDE ELECTRIC HEAT PUMP EQUIPMENT FOR OUR HVAC CLASSROOMS. UH, THIS UPDATED EQUIPMENT ALIGNS WITH THE STATE'S GOALS OF TRANSITIONING AWAY FROM, UM, GAS APPLIANCES.
AND THEN FINALLY, THROUGH OUR WORK WITH THE LA CLEAN TECH INCUBATOR, WE ARE COLLABORATING WITH LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS AND COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO STRENGTHEN GREEN JOB PATHWAYS THROUGHOUT LOS ANGELES.
UH, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM TO DEVELOP A BRIDGE COURSE FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT WILL SPECIFICALLY FOCUS ON GREEN JOBS THROUGH THE DREAM IT ACHIEVE IT, UM, PROJECT.
SO THE DIVISION OF ADULT CAREER EDUCATION IS COMMITTED TO EMPOWERING ITS STUDENTS TO REACH THEIR CIVIC, ACADEMIC AND CAREER GOALS.
UH, EVERY ADULT SCHOOL IS A PLATFORM FOR SOCIAL CHANGE AND A SANCTUARY FOR PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION.
WE BELIEVE THAT, UH, WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL TO BE PART OF A DISTRICT THAT'S FULLY COMMITTED TO CLIMATE JUSTICE.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT OF OUR PROGRAMS, AND WE THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT OUR WORK TODAY.
THANK YOU, MR. AND THANK YOU MS. COHEN, FOR YOUR, UM, PRESENTATION AND, UH, WHAT YOU'RE DOING, UM, TO BRING ABOUT CLIMATE LITERACY AND JUST A SPACE LIKE YOU MENTIONED, JUST TO BREATHE OR JUST TO, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT FLOWERS OR JUST TO BE RIGHT AMONG NATURE.
UM, SO I'M GONNA OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR ANY COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT MIGHT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR OUR PRESENTERS.
IT'S HARD FOR ME TO REACH WITH MY SHORT ARMS. UM, THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION.
I'M REALLY EXCITED, UM, TO HEAR THAT PEOPLE ARE RECEIVING THIS INFORMATION AND TECHNICAL SKILL.
I WAS JUST CURIOUS, THE AUTOMOTIVE, UH, BATTERY,
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UM, TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM ARE, IS IT CONNECTED ANY WAY TO LIKE THE L-A-U-S-D GREEN, UH, BUS FLEET, OR IS THERE ANY CONNECTION THERE? YEAH, SO, UM, IT ORIGINALLY WAS DESIGNED TO HELP UPSKILL, UM, TECHNICIANS WHO ARE L-A-U-S-D EMPLOYEES AS THEY TRANSITION TO WORKING MORE CLOSELY WITH ELECTRIC VEHICLES.SO A LOT OF THE TRADITIONAL MECHANICS, THEY, THEY HAVE A GREAT UNDERSTANDING OF, YOU KNOW, TRADITIONAL ENGINES.
BUT AS WE MOVE TO HAVING MORE, UM, GREEN VEHICLES, UH, THERE NEEDS TO BE THAT TRANSITION AND RE-SKILLING.
SO THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL, ORIGINAL DESIGN AND WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES DIVISION TO CONTINUE TO OFFER THAT SERVICE AS NEEDED.
THIS IS LORENA KIM FROM LANE AND I, UM, WAS CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT, 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU ALREADY HAVE GREAT PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE LA AND ORANGE COUNTY BUILDING TRADES, THE MC THREE AND THE MC THREE PROGRAM TO HELP CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE, UM, TO POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION TRADE APPRENTICESHIPS.
AND YOU MENTIONED ANOTHER COLLABORATION WITH IBW 11.
UH, WHAT DO YOU FORESEE WOULD BE NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND EITHER THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS OR THE NUMBER OF SITES THAT WOULD BE POSSIBLE, UM, WITH THAT, IN THAT PROGRAM? BECAUSE I KNOW LIKE THAT THERE'S ONE AT EAST LA OCCUPATIONAL CENTER AND PARTNERSHIP WITH, UM, UH, ANTI RECIDIVISM COALITION.
AND SO WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS? THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION.
THOSE PROGRAMS ARE VERY POWERFUL AND IMPORTANT TO US.
YOU MENTIONED LA ORANGE COUNTY BUILDING CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL.
SO THEY HELP US TO DO NOT ONLY, UM, APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS BY HELPING US CONNECT WITH UNIONS, BUT THEY ALSO ARE A PARTNER WITH THE, UH, PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM WE OFFER, WHICH IS THE MULTI CRAFT CORE CURRICULUM, OR MC THREE.
UM, AND THAT'S WHAT WE OFFER AT EAST LA WITH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ARC.
SO IN ORDER TO EXPAND THOSE PROGRAMS, I MEAN IT'S, IT'S KIND OF THE SAME CHALLENGE WITH A LOT OF CTE PROGRAMS IS FINDING FACULTY, UM, AND THEN FINDING THE RESOURCES IN TERMS OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND EQUIPMENT.
UH, WE TRY TO PRIORITIZE THOSE TYPES OF PROGRAMS BECAUSE THEY HAVE THAT STRONG CAREER CONNECTION.
ONCE YOU FINISH THE PROGRAM, YOU BASICALLY HAVE A, A STRONG, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO GO INTO A PRE-APPRENTICESHIP OR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.
UM, SO WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THEM.
WE HAVE, UH, IDENTIFIED WHERE WE COULD POTENTIALLY LAUNCH A NEW ONE, WHICH IS IN NORTH VALLEY.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE NEXT ONE.
AND SO NOW WE'RE LOOKING FOR A TEACHER, WE'RE LOOKING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, COME TO VISIT THE SITE, MAKE SURE THAT IT, IT'S APPROVED.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, WHEN, WHEN WE SET UP THESE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS, WE HAVE TO BE VERY CONSCIOUS OF LIKE THE ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE AND OF THE AGREEMENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE BETWEEN UNIONS, UM, AND THEN ALSO THE NEEDS OF THE UNION.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM AND A UNION DOESN'T HAVE A NEED FOR APPRENTICES, THEN IT'S VERY HARD TO SUSTAIN IT.
SO WE HAVE TO WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH THEM.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE FACTORS, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY A GOLD STANDARD PROGRAM THAT WE WANT TO EXPAND.
AND THAT IS ONE THING THAT I'VE UNDERSTOOD IS THAT THE PAY SCALE CAN BE DIFFICULT IF IT'S NOT COMPETITIVE WITH WHAT A JOURNEY PERSON WOULD MAKE IN THE FIELD.
AND SO THAT, THAT IS AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION IN TERMS OF TEACHER AVAILABILITY, IT SOUNDS LIKE TOO.
AND JUST, UH, APPRECIATING AGAIN, THE, THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING IN THAT PROGRAM.
'CAUSE LIKE YOU SAID, THOSE ARE, ONCE PEOPLE GET PLACED AS APPRENTICES FOR ANYONE WATCHING WHO DOESN'T KNOW, THEN IT'S A PAID POSITION AS AN APPRENTICE.
AND SO THEY REALLY ARE AN, IT'S AN EXCITING PATHWAY AND OPPORTUNITY.
AND ALSO REALLY APPRECIATE MICHELLE, FOR YOU SHARING.
MICHELLE WAS ALSO PART OF THE CLIMATE LITERACY TASK FORCE THAT AT L-A-U-S-D AND DOING A LOT, UH, IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
SO REALLY APPRECIATE THAT PRESENTATION.
LET ME JUST ADD ONTO YOUR COMMENT.
I WAS GONNA ASK MORE OR LESS THE SAME QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, WHEN THINGS ARE POPULAR, UM, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DIRECT ALL OF OUR, WELL, NOT ALL
BECAUSE THAT'S GONNA JUST BLOOM.
AND THAT'S HOW WE BUILD ENROLLMENT.
NOT THAT YOU DON'T NEED ESL CLASSES, I GOVERNMENT CLASSES, CITIZENSHIP CLASSES, BUT WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS TAKING, IT'S ON FIRE.
WE REALLY HAVE TO CONCENTRATE ON THAT.
SHE, ANDY NEWVILLE, UM, QUESTION WITH THE, UH, CLIMATE LITERACY CHAMPIONS, IT SAYS THERE'S EIGHT OUTTA 11 CAMPUSES.
ARE THEY ONLY ON THESE TYPE OF CAMPUSES OR CAN THEY BE WITHIN OUR TRADITIONAL, UH, HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS? SO THE, THE CLIMATE LITTER, I'M SORRY, THE CLIMATE CHAMPION, UM, INITIATIVE, I THINK IS BROAD.
I THINK IT COVERS ALL SCHOOLS, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN,
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BASED ON THE ORIGINAL RESOLUTION.BUT WE ONLY FOCUS ON THE ONES THAT ARE IN THE DIVISION OF ADULT AND CAREER EDUCATION.
AND THEN I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE, UM, THE COMMUNITY GARDEN, WHICH I THINK IS AMAZING.
AND I KNOW YOU SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, ALL, WE ALL HAVE THESE LITTLE CORNERS THAT WE CAN, UM, WANTING TO KNOW WHAT IS THE CRITERIA TO KIND OF START IT OR WHAT TO LOOK FOR, KIND OF TO THE QUESTION, HOW DO YOU EXPAND? HOW DO WE, UM, FIRST SAY, OKAY, THIS IS GREAT, WE WANT IT, WE HAVE THAT LITTLE NOOK AND CRANNY.
WHAT WOULD BE THE NEXT STEP FOR A SITE? WELL, I'M GONNA ASK, UH, MICHELLE TO MAYBE JUST SHARE KIND OF THE ORIGIN STORY OF HOW SHE WAS ABLE TO TRANSFORM THAT AREA.
IN MY CASE, IT WAS JUST THINGS CAME TOGETHER.
YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS TEACHER WHO WAS THE ESL TEACHER IN THIS ESL AND CONSTRUCTION TOGETHER CLASS, LOVED GARDENING AND ALSO HAD A WHOLE WORKSHOP.
AND HE AND I WOULD JUST TALK ABOUT GARDENING.
WE SAID, WOW, WHAT IF WE JUST ASK OUR PRINCIPAL, UM, IF WE COULD HAVE THE CONSTRUCTION CLASS BUILD SOME RAISED BEDS AND WE CAN DEVELOP A GARDEN HERE.
AND, UM, SHE SAID SHE WAS THRILLED.
IN OUR CASE, THERE WAS NO RESISTANCE WHATSOEVER.
UM, I THINK THE, UM, THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE, UM, CLIMATE CHAMPION PROGRAM HAS BEEN GREAT BECAUSE THAT SHOWS ADMINISTRATORS WHO MIGHT NOT BE SO EXCITED ABOUT IT THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO DO.
UM, AND SO IF THEY FIND PEOPLE AT THE SCHOOL WHO ARE EXCITED TO DO IT, THEN IT SHOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM.
UM, THERE ARE SOME HITCHES, THERE ARE SOME ISSUES THAT COME UP.
ISSUES WITH, UH, THE BUILDING AND GROUNDS DEPARTMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, WE WERE LUCKY THAT WE HAD A HOSE RIGHT THERE ALREADY IN THE AREA.
SO NO PLUMBING NEEDED TO BE DONE, NO HARDSCAPING OR ANYTHING.
THE SPOT WAS ALREADY JUST THERE.
AND ALL WE HAD TO DO WAS BASICALLY BUILD THESE GREEN BEDS.
UM, AND WE'VE, WE PURCHASED SOME SOIL.
I ACTUALLY RECENTLY GOT AN INCREDIBLY GENEROUS DONATION OF A BUNCH OF SOIL TO REPLENISH OUR SOIL.
UM, AND I LEARNED ABOUT THE, UH, DONATION PROGRAM THROUGH BEING A CLIMATE CHAMPION.
THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY USEFUL INFORMATION, REALLY ANYTHING ANYBODY COULD NEED IS SHARED, UM, AMONG THE CLIMATE CHAMPIONS THROUGH OUR NETWORK AND OUR MEETINGS AND OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTS.
UM, 'CAUSE I THINK IT'S AMAZING, AS YOU SAID, SOMEONE WANTED TO GO AND SIT THERE TODAY AND THEY MIGHT BE THE ONE THAT TEND TO IT, BUT THEY BENEFIT FROM IT.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE, THE WIN-WIN IN THIS SITUATION.
AND, UM, WOULD LOVE TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, JUST FOR FOLKS THAT, HOW DO I START IT? HOW DO I, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID, WATER IS AN ISSUE.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE JUST A PERFECT STORM
AND WE'RE IN YOUR DISTRICT, SO WE WANNA INVITE YOU TO COME AND VISIT.
UM, 'CAUSE AS I'M IN THE COMMUNITY, I KNOW THAT THERE'S, UM, DIFFERENT CENTERS THAT, UM, FOLKS HAVE MOVED TO.
UH, AND THEY WOULD LOVE TO COME AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER TO A GARDEN BECAUSE THEY MAY LIVE IN A FACILITY NOW, THEY DON'T HAVE A GARDEN ANYMORE.
AND SO SOME OF 'EM ARE MORE MATURE.
THEY DON'T, THEY LOVED HAVING A GARDEN AND THEY DON'T HAVE IT.
AND THEY WOULD LOVE TO KNOW IN OUR COMMUNITY WHERE COULD THEY GO TO BE ABLE TO HELP, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO KEEP THIS GARDEN GOING 'CAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THAT ACCESS ANYMORE.
A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS TALK ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW, IN MY COUNTRY WE HAD A WHOLE, YOU KNOW, FARM AND NOW I LIVE IN A LITTLE APARTMENT.
I DON'T EVEN HAVE A PATIO WHERE I'M ALLOWED TO HAVE PLANTS AND POTS.
AND SO I TELL THEM, THIS IS YOUR GARDEN.
YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, DO WHATEVER YOU WANT HERE.
THERE'S SOME THINGS WE'RE NOT GROWING, BUT YEAH.
THAT'S A REALLY BIG THING BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE LIVE IN CROWDED APARTMENTS.
AND WE WOULD WELCOME, UM, VOLUNTEERS FROM THE COMMUNITY, UH, WHO WANTED TO COME AND HELP.
I I WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO YOU MORE ABOUT THAT.
'CAUSE I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT PARTNERSHIP TO KEEP IT GOING.
'CAUSE I'VE BEEN ON THE OTHER SIDE WHERE THEY'VE BUILT GARDENS.
AND THEN THEY'VE, YOU KNOW, NO LONGER AT THE SCHOOL SITE, SO THAT A, A LOT OF SCHOOLS HAVE THOSE SAD EMPTY BEDS WITH WEEDS.
SO WE WANNA BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT A PARTNERSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY TO DO THAT.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
I WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK, THANK BOTH OF YOU, MR. LANDER, AND, AND MS. MICHELLE COHAN, THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING ON THE CLIMATE LITERACY TASK FORCE AND HELPING US OUT ADVANCE THAT WORK, BECAUSE NOW, UM, I THINK IT'S NICE THAT YOU BRING INTO LIGHT ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AND MICHELLE, THE WORK THAT YOU DEVELOPING OUT OF FOR, UM, FOR TAKING A SMALL TASK AND MAKING A BIGGER TASK TO ENGAGE STUDENTS.
AND, AND THEN LOOKING AT THE ACTUAL PARTNERSHIPS AND THE ENGAGEMENT YOU HAVE WITH LACY, UH, WITH THE LAY PORTS AND ALSO LOOKING AT STATE MANDATES.
I THINK IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT BECOMES
[00:25:01]
A, A SAMPLE FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW.AND I'LL GO BACK TO THE CLIMATE CHAMPIONS THAT WE'VE, UH, THAT WERE DEVELOPED A FEW YEARS AGO AND NOW HAVE ABOUT 250 THROUGHOUT OUR SCHOOLS.
AND YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE, UH, ABOUT A DOZEN OF YOURS.
AND IT'S NICE TO SEE THE WORK AND THE COMMITMENT THAT THEY HAVE TO ADVANCE THE WORK THAT WE HAVE.
WE'RE HERE TO HELP SUPPORT YOU AND WORKING, COLLABORATING WITH OUR FACILITIES TEAM, A LOT OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING NOWADAYS IS THEY ALWAYS HAVE A CT COMPONENT AND THEY HAVE A, UM, ALWAYS A LEARNING AND EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT.
SO WE'LL ALWAYS WELCOME YOU TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE PROGRAMS AND, AND HELP ENGAGE OUR STUDENTS AND DEVELOP MORE PARTNERSHIPS.
UH, BUT WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
AND WE APPRECIATE YOU INVITING US TO BE PART OF THE WORK AND PART OF THE TASK FORCE AND EVERYTHING.
WE, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
SO, UM, I LIKE TO SEE RESULTS.
SO, UM, IT SAYS THAT THE ESL STUDENTS ARE EMPOWERED BY IDENTIFYING PROBLEMS AT HOME OR IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A QUESTION FOR MS. COHEN OR NOT, MAYBE, MAYBE I'M GIVING YOU A HINT TO, TO COME UP.
UM, CAN YOU GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF WHEN A STUDENT HAS APPLIED THESE REAL WORLD LESSONS? CAN YOU THINK OF ONE TO THEIR COMMUNITY, TO THEIR HOME, ALL THIS THAT THEY LEARNED? I HAVE A FEW STUDENTS WHO AFTER, OH, SORRY.
AFTER WE HAD THE EVENT IN THE GARDEN WHERE WE INVITED, UM, REPRESENTATIVES FROM LOCAL COMMUNITY GARDENS, UM, SEVERAL STUDENTS CAME UP TO ME AND SAID THAT THEY WANTED TO, THEY, THEY WANTED THE ADDRESS AND THE TIME WHEN THEY COULD GO MEET THE PEOPLE WHO RUN THOSE GARDENS TO GET INVOLVED AND HAVE A PLOT THERE.
THAT'S FIRST THING THAT COMES TO MY MIND THAT IS BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE WE DON'T GROW FOOD IN OUR GARDEN.
IT'S A PLACE TO RELAX FLOWERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
BUT THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY REALIZE THAT THERE'S THIS WHOLE AMAZING NETWORK OF COMMUNITY GARDENS IN THE CITY THAT ARE WELCOMING PEOPLE TO COME.
AND SO, I'M, I HAVEN'T FOLLOWED UP WITH THEM, BUT I'M HOPING THAT THEY ARE DOING THAT ALL OVER.
I WON'T SIT DOWN IN CASE THERE'S
I WAS GONNA MENTION YOUR NEWSLETTERS, RIGHT? YES.
YOUR NEWSLETTERS ARE JUST, UH, FULL OF INFORMATION AND TOPICS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY COULD RELATE TO OR DO SOMETHING FROM RIGHT.
SO I THINK I LIKE THE TOPICS THAT YOU MENTIONED, SO I THINK THEY WERE GREAT.
I ALSO SHARE, THERE'S OTHER THINGS I DO, BUT I WAS ASKED TO SHARE ABOUT THESE TWO THINGS AT THE SCHOOL.
SO, UM, THERE'S A LOT MORE EDUCATIONAL PIECES THAT KIND OF SUPPORT IT.
LIKE WHAT, CAN YOU MENTION WHAT, YEAH, SO WE HAVE, WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THE, UM, SCHOOLOGY COURSE.
YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT GO AHEAD.
SO, UM, WHEN ADULT ED TEACHERS BECAME PART OF THE CLIMATE CHAMPIONS PROGRAM, WHICH WAS THE SECOND YEAR OF THE PROGRAM, UM, WE STARTED A SCHOOLOGY COURSE, UM, WHERE WE HAVE UPLOADED ALL KINDS OF LESSONS, LESSON PLANS AND RESOURCES, UM, THAT ARE SHARED AMONG ALL OF OUR ADULT ED CLIMATE CHAMPIONS.
AND SO PEOPLE CAN GO ON TO THE SCHOOLOGY COURSE AND FIND ESL LEVEL ONE A, HERE'S LESSONS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THAT LEVEL WHERE THEY CAN LEARN ABOUT A VARIETY OF TOPICS RELATED TO SUSTAINABILITY AND CLIMATE LITERACY.
UM, MY NEWSLETTERS ARE THERE AND ALL KINDS OF OTHER STUFF.
SO THERE'S, YOU KNOW, ALL KINDS OF LESSON PLANS READY TO GO.
AND OF COURSE, WE KNOW ABOUT ALL THE GREAT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE SUBJECT TO CLIMATE AND OTHERS THAT ARE OUT THERE, UM, PROVIDING CURRICULUM THAT'S JUST READY TO USE.
SO I GO THROUGH AND FIND ONES THAT ARE GOOD FOR ADULTS AND SHARE THOSE.
AND LOTS OF THE, THE CHAMPIONS AT THE OTHER SCHOOLS ARE DOING A LOT OF THE SAME THINGS.
SO WE HAVE A, A SCHOOLOGY COURSE AND A GROUP IN OUR GROUP.
WE SHARE IDEAS AND NETWORK, AND THEN THE COURSE IS WHERE IT'S ALL PUBLISHED.
UH, MY QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE REGIONAL GREEN JOB PARTNERSHIPS, UM, WITH THE LA PORTS.
UH, WHAT IS THE AGE OR CRITERIA FOR THOSE PARTICULAR PARTNERSHIPS? HOW DO THEY WORK? HOW DO WE ADVERTISE TO GET MORE FOLKS INVOLVED? YEAH, SO THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PORT OF LA, WE KIND OF HAVE A, A THREE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE'RE INTERACTING WITH THEM.
THE ONE THAT WE MENTIONED HERE IS THE UPSKILLING FOR THE CURRENT EMPLOYEES AT THE PORT.
UM, SO THAT'S THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WHERE REALLY WE HELP THEM TO DEVELOP CURRICULUM AND WE HELP TO TRAIN THEIR TEACHERS IN TERMS OF, UM, OUR CAREER PATHWAYS THAT LEAD TO THE PORT.
WE HAVE AN MC THREE PROGRAM, THE ONE WE MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, WHEN, UH,
[00:30:01]
LAUREN WAS TALKING, UH, AT THE HARBOR OCCUPATIONAL CENTER.AND SO THAT PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO HELP PEOPLE PREPARE FOR JOBS AT THE PORT OF LA.
WE MEET WITH THE PORT ON A REGULAR BASIS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALIGNING, UM, THE CURRICULUM WITH THE NEEDS OF THE PORT.
UH, AND WE ADVERTISE THAT IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS.
ONE IS, YOU KNOW, THROUGH OUR WEBSITE.
THAT'S THE, IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE WEBSITE, ADULT ED DOTD.ORG.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE BROAD BASED MARKETING, YOU KNOW, TV, RADIO, INTERNET, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, BUT THEN THE THING THAT WE'RE DOING MORE NOW IS KIND OF PARTNERING WITH OTHER DIVISIONS.
SO WE'LL GO TO LIKE THE REGION EVENTS AND WE'LL MEET WITH PARENTS, WE'LL MEET WITH STUDENTS.
UH, AND THEN EVEN MORE SPECIFIC AND EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE IS WITH THE COUNSELORS.
SO NOW WE'RE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELORS, LIKE AT BANNING AND SAN PEDRO IN DIFFERENT HIGH SCHOOLS.
UH, AND WE'VE CREATED, UH, THROUGH THE DREAM IT ACHIEVE IT PROJECT, UM, THE, UH, SUMMER LOGISTICS COURSE.
AND SO THE STUDENTS WHO CAME TO THAT COURSE WERE FROM SURROUNDING SCHOOLS IN THE AREA.
THEY WERE, UM, UH, THE ADVERTISEMENT WENT THROUGH THE COUNSELOR TO THE PARENTS.
THEY PARTICIPATED, THEY WERE ABLE TO VISIT THE PORT.
THEY WERE ABLE TO MEET PEOPLE WHO WERE DOING THE WORK.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE'RE TRYING TO, UM, MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS AT DIFFERENT LEVELS.
AND THEN WITH THE OTHER TWO THAT YOU HAVE LISTED HERE AS PARTNERSHIPS, WHAT EXACTLY, HOW DO WE ADVOCATE TO ELEVATE THOSE SO THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THEM ON A CONSISTENT BASIS? YEAH.
WELL, THE SECOND ONE, UH, WHICH IS ABOUT THE, THE NEW HEAT PUMPS, THAT ONE REALLY IS JUST SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE SIGN UP FOR.
AND THEN WE WE'RE ABLE TO GET THAT EQUIPMENT AND WE UPDATE OUR CURRICULUM.
IT'S PART OF A CALIFORNIA INITIATIVE, UM, SO THAT WE'RE JUST REALLY WORKING DIRECTLY WITH TEACHERS.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE MAKING SURE THEY ALL KNOW THAT SO THEY CAN HELP, UH, BE PART OF THAT PROJECT.
AND THEN THE LA CLEAN TECH INCUBATOR, UH, IS JUST A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION THAT BRINGS TOGETHER, OR, UH, AGENCIES, NONPROFITS, UM, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES AROUND THIS IDEA OF HOW DO WE STRENGTHEN THESE PATHWAYS TO GREEN JOBS.
AND THERE IS ALSO A FOCUS ON, YOU KNOW, UNDERSERVED OR UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES HAVING ACCESS TO THESE JOBS.
SO FOR THAT ONE, REALLY IT'S, UM, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, WHAT WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO IS, IS CREATE THIS, UM, BRIDGE PROGRAM IN THE SUMMER.
IS DREAM IT, ACHIEVE IT, THAT'S FOCUSED ON GREEN CAREERS.
AND THEN IT'LL BE GETTING THE WORD OUT IN THE SAME WAY THROUGH COUNSELORS, THROUGH OUTREACH EVENTS.
AND THEN BROADLY, UM, THROUGH THE MEDIA.
WOULD IT BE AN AGE REQUIREMENT FOR THIS? WHO WOULD BE THE TARGET AUDIENCE? THE TARGET AUDIENCE FOR THIS ONE, FOR THE SUMMER IS TYPICALLY, UM, SENIORS WHO ARE, UM, GRADUATING OKAY.
BUT HAVEN'T NECESSARILY ELECTED TO, TO GO TO COLLEGE.
SO THEY'RE KIND OF IN THAT PHASE WHERE, UM, THEY NEED TO MAKE DECISIONS AND THIS IS A WAY FOR THEM TO BRIDGE INTO EITHER CAREER TRAINING OR A PRE-APPRENTICESHIP OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED, 'CAUSE WE'RE DOING A WHOLE TOWN HALL ON THIS SOON, SO OH, NICE.
WANTING TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE CAREER PATHWAYS THAT WE CAN ELEVATE.
'CAUSE OUR FAMILIES ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN DO? FAMILIES ARE LIKE, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT EXISTED.
LIKE, YEAH, IT'S RIGHT HERE IN LA UNIFIED.
THEY'RE LIKE, IT'S RIGHT HERE.
SO, WANTED TO JUST BE ABLE TO ELEVATE MORE AND MORE.
AND, AND YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB HELPING US TO KIND OF THINK THROUGH WHAT OUR MARKETING STRATEGY IS.
AND IF YOU WANT US TO HELP SUPPORT WITH THE TOWN HALL, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
UM, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS, UM, ON THE, UM, CONTINUING ON WITH THE GREEN JOBS PARTNERSHIP.
SO I'M, I'M GLAD TO HEAR OF THIS, UH, THE BRIDGE COURSE IN THE SUMMER FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO NEED, YOU KNOW, SOME EXTRA HELP IN, IN FINDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM, PARTICULARLY IN GREEN JOBS.
SO, UM, I ALSO KNOW THAT DAYS PARTICIPATES AND, UH, THE GREEN JOBS PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, LACEY, UM, TO INCREASE UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS IN GREEN INDUSTRIES.
HOW IS THAT PARTNERSHIP, AND YOU MENTIONED, YOU ALLUDED TO IT RIGHT NOW.
HOW IS THAT PARTNERSHIP TRANSLATING TO EXPANDED ACCESS, UM, AND MEASURABLE OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED AND MAKING SURE THEY ARE PLUGGED INTO THESE NEW GREEN JOBS? SO ONE OF THE WAYS THAT IT'S REALLY HELPING US IS IT'S HARD TO SOMETIMES FIND INDUSTRY PARTNERS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY FROM LIKE GREEN JOBS INDUSTRY, BECAUSE GREEN JOBS IS SORT OF AN UMBRELLA TERM.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, AN ELECTRICIAN THAT'S A GREEN JOB, BUT IT'S NOT THE SAME AS LIKE A PERSON WHO INSTALLS A CHARGING PORT FOR A HYBRID OR ELECTRIC VEHICLE.
RIGHT? SO IT'S KIND OF A BROAD, UM, DEFINITION.
SO GOING TO THESE MEETINGS HELPS US TO MEET, UH, SPECIFIC COMPANIES THAT SEE THEMSELVES AS BEING PART OF THE GREEN JOBS INDUSTRY, AND THEN NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE LIKE A MISSION THAT ALIGNS WITH OURS IN TERMS OF SUPPORTING UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES AND ALSO ALIGNING WITH, UH, GREEN JOBS.
[00:35:01]
HELP US MOVING FORWARD IS, SO WE'RE IN DISCUSSIONS NOW OF WHO, OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE MEETING THROUGH THESE, UM, THROUGH THE COLLABORATION WITH LACEY IS GOING TO BE OUR PARTNER FOR SUMMER.SO IF THEY BECOME OUR PARTNER, THEN STUDENTS WHO GO TO OUR PROGRAM WILL THEN VISIT THEIR COMPANY OR HAVE A, A PERSON FROM THEIR COMPANY COME AND DO A, A PRESENTATION TO THEM.
SO THEY GET DIRECT ACCESS TO EMPLOYERS AND THEY UNDERSTAND HANDS-ON KIND OF WHAT THE WORK LOOKS LIKE.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S A BIG PART OF IT.
AND THEN BECAUSE THE, THEY'RE SO MISSION BASED, THEY REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY TIME WE HAVE A DISCUSSION OR WE CREATE A PROJECT, THAT WE REALLY PUT THOSE, UH, VALUES FIRST ABOUT WHO'S GONNA BE PARTICIPATING.
I, I, I, WE HAD A, A PANEL DISCUSSION AT LACEY, SO WE WENT TO THEIR, UM, TO THEIR SITE, TO THEIR HEADQUARTERS AND REALLY IMPRESSED BY ALL THE WORK THAT THEY DO.
SO I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE CONTINUING WORKING WITH THEM.
UM, MY LAST QUESTION IS, LOOKING AHEAD, WHAT ARE THE KEY GROWTH AREAS FOR THESE GREEN PATHWAYS? AND WHAT SPECIFIC SUPPORT DO YOU NEED, UH, FROM LABOR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, FROM THIS COMMITTEE AND THE BOARD TO SCALE EFFECTIVELY? BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE GROWING ONE SCHOOL AT A TIME, BUT RIGHT.
HOW DO WE STRENGTHEN THAT INFRASTRUCTURE? ABSOLUTELY.
SO, UM, BECAUSE IT IS SORT OF A BROAD IDEA, RIGHT? GREEN CAREERS AND GREEN PATHWAYS, UM, IT'S REALLY OUR CTE PROGRAM.
OUR CTE PROGRAM IS BEST, UH, POSITIONED TO HELP US IMPACT THE GREEN ECONOMY.
AND A LOT OF THEM ARE THE, UH, BUILDING CONSTRUCTION TRADES CLASSES, LIKE I MENTIONED, LIKE HVAC, UM, ELECTRICIAN IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.
PHOTOVOLTAIC, ALL OF THOSE ARE IMPORTANT.
WE'RE GONNA TRY TO EXPAND THE AUTO PROGRAM BECAUSE THERE'S A PUSH TO HAVE MORE ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
UM, AND ALSO WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK FOR OTHER PROGRAMS WE DON'T HAVE YET, LIKE THE EV CHARGER INSTALLATION PROGRAM.
UH, THAT'S ONE WE'RE WORKING WITH LACEY ON SO THAT WE CAN FIND A PARTNER SO WE CAN CREATE NEW PROGRAMS. SO REALLY FOR US, IT'S, IT'S JUST THE CONTINUED SUPPORT BECAUSE YOU GUYS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE IN TERMS OF OUR CTE PROGRAM.
UH, AS MENTIONED EARLIER, THE REALLY TRICKY PART ABOUT CTE RECRUITMENT IS IF AN INDUSTRY IS IN DEMAND, THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THAT INDUSTRY ARE MAKING MORE MONEY.
SO IT'S LESS LIKELY THEY'RE GONNA WANT TO TEACH.
SO YOU NEED THOSE PEOPLE IN ORDER TO HAVE A STRONG PROGRAM.
THEY'RE THE HEART AND THE LIFEBLOOD OF ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS, OUR CTE TEACHERS.
SO THE, WE HAVE, WE ALREADY GET IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, AS MUCH HELP WITH RECRUITMENT AS POSSIBLE WOULD BE GREAT.
AND JUST UNDERSTANDING THE UNIQUE VALUE OF CTE TEACHERS AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND TRY TO EXPAND THESE PROGRAMS WOULD BE HELPFUL.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND YOU WILL DEFINITELY GET CONTINUED SUPPORT FROM ALL OF US HERE.
[II.2. Green Schoolyards are Educational Infrastructure]
OUR SECOND PRESENTATION, UH, CENTERS ON A CORE QUESTION OF GREEN SCHOOL YARDS, IMPROVE HEALTH, SAFETY AND ACADEMIC OUTCOMES AND, AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE.WHY ARE THEY STILL TREATED AS OPTIONAL? WE HAVE, UH, WONDERFUL PRESENTERS HERE TODAY.
WE HAVE, I BELIEVE, POSSIBLY FOUR PRESENTERS.
UM, MS. MCKAYLA RANDOLPH, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF GREEN SCHOOL YEAR AMERICA, WHO'S ALSO ONE OF OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS, MS. UH, ROBIN MARK, DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS, SALT LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS, CALEB HIRSH, ATTORNEY, UH, ATTORNEY SHOOT, MAHALEY AND WEINBERGER, LLP AND MS, UH, TORY JUROR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LA NEIGHBORHOOD LAND TRUST.
SO THEY WILL BE, UM, GIVING US, UM, INFORMATION ON THE PROGRESS MADE ACROSS CAMPUSES AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BOARD'S, 30% GREENING METRIC AND ONGOING CHALLENGES RELATED TO DISTRICT COSTS, BOND ACCESS, AND VALUE ENGINEERING REDUCTIONS.
IT'S INTERESTING TO BE ON THIS SIDE OF THE MIC.
UM, MY NAME IS MCKAYLA RANDOLPH AS, UH, BOARD CHAIR REVIS MENTIONED, AND I'M WITH GREEN SCHOOLYARDS AMERICA.
I'M ALSO A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE LOS ANGELES LIVING SCHOOLYARD COALITION.
AND AS MENTIONED, I'M JOINED BY MY AMAZING COLLEAGUES, ROBIN MARK TORY CHAIR, AND CALEB HIRSCH.
SO THE LIVING SCHOOLY YARDS COALITION IS A COALITION THAT, UM, IS MADE UP OF PRACTITIONERS, ADVOCATES, NONPROFIT PARTNERS, PARENTS WHO ARE ADVOCATING FOR GREEN SCHOOLYARDS, UM, IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
WE HAVE, UH, DECADES OF EXPERIENCE TRANSFORMING SCHOOLYARD SPACES INTO GREEN NATURE RICH OASIS.
AND WE REALLY DO THIS WORK AS A COALITION AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DISTRICT.
AND WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR SAFE OUTDOOR EDUCATION, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL WELLBEING, CLIMATE RESILIENCE FOR ALL OF LA COUNTY'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS, NOT JUST
[00:40:01]
L-A-U-S-D.AND AS A COALITION, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO, UM, OR HAVE EITHER GREENED OR IN THE PROCESS OF GREENING, UM, 52 CAMPUSES USING, UM, A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES.
AND WITH THAT, WE, UM, UH, PLANTED OR ARE PLANNING TO PLANT OVER 1700 TREES, WHICH HELPS TO INCREASE, UM, TREE CANOPY FOR STUDENTS.
AND THEN LASTLY, WITH OUR COLLECTIVE WORK, WE, UM, HAVE REMOVED OR PLAN TO REMOVE OVER 942,000 SQUARE FEET OF ASPHALT, WHICH IS REALLY JUST COLLECTIVELY AS AN, UM, COALITION.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE THIS IMPACT WITHIN THIS DISTRICT.
SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DISTRICT, AND I DO SAY THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP.
WE WORK REALLY CLOSELY WITH SEVERAL DISTRICT OFFICES AS WELL AS EDUCATING BOARD OFFICES WITHIN THIS WORK.
AND SO, UM, SOME OF THAT IS, AS I'VE SAID, WE'VE TRANSFORMED SPACES SCHOOLS WITHIN LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR DECADES DOING THIS WORK.
UM, IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS ALONE, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO, UM, SEVEN ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RAISE OVER $57 MILLION, UH, TO GREEN SCHOOLS ACROSS BOARD DISTRICTS, 1, 2, 5, 6, AND SEVEN.
SO REALLY SPEAKING TO OUR IMPACT ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT WORK, WE'VE BEEN REALLY, UM, WORKING IN LOCKSTEP WITH THE DISTRICT AND DISTRICT LEADERS TO, UH, PASS BOARD OR SUPPORT BOARD RESOLUTIONS, I SHOULD SAY.
SO WE'RE INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING, UM, SUPPORTING THE GREEN SCHOOLS FOR ALL RESOLUTION, WHICH ESTABLISHES THE 30% GREENING METRIC FOR SCHOOLS ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
IN ADDITION, WE'VE BEEN SUPPORTING THE MOST RECENT, UM, RESOLUTION, THE, UM, COMMUNITY CENTERED GREENING INITIATIVES RESOLUTION, UM, AUTHORED BY BOARD MEMBER REVA AND BOARD PRESIDENT MOLSEN.
AND THEN MOST RECENTLY WE'VE BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF A $1.2 BILLION SET ASIDE FOR SCHOOL YARD GREENING, UM, WITHIN THE DISTRICT AS PART OF MEASURE US.
AND SO, AS THIS, AS WE CONTINUE THIS WORK, ONE OF THE, OUR MOST RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS IS, UH, WE RECENTLY THE DISTRICT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DISTRICT COMPLETED, UM, ONE A SCHOOLYARD FOREST AT 120 SECOND STREET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND WE HOPE THAT THIS PROJECT EVEN, UM, WE INVITE YOU TO COME VISIT THIS PROJECT AS BOARD MEMBERS AND AS A COMMITTEE SO THAT YOU CAN, AND WE HOPE THAT THIS PROJECT BECOMES A JEWEL IN THE CROWN OF THE DISTRICT AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH MORE GREENING PROJECTS.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ROBIN.
UM, SO, UM, MIKAYLA GOT TO TALK ABOUT ALL THE SUCCESS, AND THEN I GET TO TALK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, DESPITE THE RESOLUTION THAT BOARD MEMBER REVIS AND BOARD PRESIDENT SHAMON PASSED LAST YEAR, UM, WHICH ALLOCATED THE $3 MILLION TO COVER DISTRICT COSTS, UM, AND THEY ARE WORKING, DISTRICT COSTS ARE BEING COVERED BY, UH, THOSE DOLLARS, THERE'S STILL SOME BENEFIT FROM THAT RESOLUTION THAT WE ARE NOT ACTUALLY SEEING.
UM, THE PARTNERS HAVE, UM, HAVE NOT BEEN REIMBURSED, WHICH IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS CALLED FOR IN THE RESOLUTION.
UM, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE RESOLUTION, WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE $3 MILLION.
WE KNOW THAT THAT MONEY IS GOING TO COVER COSTS, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE WAS A SECOND PIECE TO IT THAT HASN'T BEEN ACHIEVED YET, AND IT'S BEEN A YEAR SINCE THAT WAS PASSED.
UH, THE SECOND THING IS, UM, THE BOND FUNDS AND ACCESS TO THE DOLLARS $1.25 BILLION IN BOND FUNDS THAT WERE ALLOCATED SPECIFICALLY FOR GREENING IN MEASURE US.
UM, AND AS YOU, YOU KNOW, THIS COMMITTEE KNOWS THE LIVING SCHOOLYARDS COALITION HELPED TO ADVOCATE TO GET THAT $1.25 BILLION, UH, ALI, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFIED SPECIFIC LANGUAGE AROUND GREENING IN THAT RES IN THAT BOND.
UM, AND SO WE WANT TO WORK WITH YOU ALL, AND ACTUALLY TOMORROW WE'RE GONNA BE PRESENTING TO THE BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN ACTUALLY MAKE USE OF THOSE DOLLARS FOR THE PROJECTS THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON.
UM, AND THEN THIRDLY, AND THIS IS PART OF ACCESSING THOSE BOND DOLLARS, IS THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE, UH, PROJECTS MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE STRATEGIC EXECUTION PLAN.
AND SO AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND HOW THESE PROJECTS CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO THAT PLAN.
SO, UM, THE NEXT SLIDE, AND ACTUALLY YOU ALL HAVE A PRINTOUT OF THIS.
I MADE IT A LITTLE BIT LARGER SO YOU COULD SEE ALL THE NITTY GRITTY DETAIL.
UM, BUT THIS IS HOW SORT OF THESE CHALLENGES ARE IMPACTING CURRENT GREENING PROJECTS.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A PROJECT OF ONE OF THE COALITION PARTNERS TREAT PEOPLE.
IT'S MILES AVENUE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND YOU CAN SEE FROM THE IMAGE ON THE LEFT, OBVIOUSLY
AND REALLY, UH, WHAT HAPPENED HERE IS THAT, UM, THE SCOPE NEEDED TO BE REDUCED BECAUSE OF ASPHALT
[00:45:01]
PAINT THAT CON CONTAINS LEAD AND THEN NEEDS TO BE REMOVED IN A VERY PARTICULAR WAY.UH, THE ASPHALT ITSELF CONTAINING ASBESTOS, AND THEN THE SOILS THAT HAD LOW LEVELS OF LEAD THAT NEEDED TO BE REMOVED IN CERTAIN WAYS.
AND SO BECAUSE OF ALL THE HIGH COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS CONTAMINATION, THE PROJECT SCOPE HAD TO BE WHITTLED DOWN.
AND SO IT IS NOW JUST THE FIELD, UH, AND SOME TREES.
AND YOU CAN SEE ON THE STATS THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED, THE DIFFERENCE IN SQUARE FOOTAGE IS IN ASPHALT REMOVAL AND TREE CANOPY AND THESE OTHER BENEFITS THAT WERE PLANNED FOR THE SCHOOL, WITH THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY.
UM, I, I THINK IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THERE'S A STARK CONTRAST, AND THIS IS NOT A UNIQUE EXAMPLE, IT'S JUST ONE OF MANY EXAMPLES OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING RELATED TO COST ASSOCIATED WITH BUILDING THESE PROJECTS.
AND ACTUALLY AT THE HUNDRED 22ND STREET ELEMENTARY OPENING YESTERDAY, WHICH WAS WONDERFUL, UM, AND I CONGRATULATE GREEN SCHOOL YEARS AMERICA FOR THEIR WORK.
UM, WE HAD A, A CONVERSATION WITH CHRISTOS TO REALLY TALK ABOUT THERE WERE THINGS THAT HAPPENED ON THAT CAMPUS, UM, IN TERMS OF THE GREENING IMPROVEMENT THAT ARE, UM, THERE WERE REQUIREMENTS THAT WERE WAIVED, UM, TO MAKE THAT PROJECT HAPPEN FOR A REALLY LIMITED BUDGET.
UM, AND WE WOULD LOVE TO WORK WITH YOU ALL TO MAKE THAT ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL OF THESE GREENING PROJECTS.
WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE SO MUCH FASTER AND GET SO MUCH MORE DONE, UM, IF WE'RE ABLE TO USE THAT PROJECT AS AN EXAMPLE.
UM, LAST THING I'LL SAY ABOUT THIS SLIDE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FIRST ITERATION, UM, IS HOW WE HELP THE DISTRICT GET TO THE GOAL OF 30% GREEN.
IF WE'RE ONLY ABLE TO IMPROVE WHAT YOU SEE HERE ON THE SLIDE ON THE RIGHT, WE'RE NOT REALLY IMPACTING CHANGE AT THE LEVEL THAT WE ALL KNOW IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AND THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THE DISTRICT TO GETTING TO.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, I WILL PASS IT TO MY COLLEAGUE, CALEB.
UM, I THINK I MAY BE OF THE, THE FOUR HERE.
UM, THE ONLY PERSON, UH, THAT YOU'VE NOT, UH, HAD PRESENT IN FRONT OF YOU OR BEEN SITTING
I'M AN ATTORNEY AT CH MAHA WEINBERGER.
UM, THE COALITION HAS, UH, THE COALITION, UM, WE'VE BEEN ADVISING THE COALITION, UH, ON A PRO BONO BASIS FOR THE PAST YEAR OR SO, BECAUSE AT THE TIME THE COMMUNITY CENTERED GREENING INITIATIVES RESOLUTION WAS PASSED BY THE BOARD, UH, LAST YEAR, THERE WERE SOME RUMBLINGS, UM, ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE BOND LAW MIGHT ACTUALLY PROHIBIT THE DISTRICT FROM COVERING SOME OF THESE COSTS.
SO THE COALITION ASKED US TO LOOK INTO THAT AT LEAST TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY POTENTIAL LEGAL BARRIER.
AND WE, I MEAN, THE RESULT, WE SUMMARIZED, I THINK, OUR ANALYSIS IN A LETTER TO THIS COMMITTEE, UM, IN BACK IN JULY.
BUT WE LOOKED AT THE, THE BOND LAW, WE LOOKED AT THE TEXT OF BOTH MEASURES, RR AND US, AND WE REALLY DIDN'T THINK THAT THERE WAS ANY ISSUE SPECIFICALLY TO USING BOND FUNDS AND, UM, TO COVER SOME OF THESE, UH, COSTS THAT ARE, HAVE BEEN PASSED TO THE COALITION MEMBERS AS, AS INTERNAL FEES.
UH, AND THAT'S PARTICULARLY BECAUSE BOTH THE COALITION'S PROJECTS ARE OFTEN EXPLICITLY DESCRIBED AS THE TYPES OF PROJECTS IN THE BOND AUTHORIZATIONS THAT THEY'RE INTENDED, UM, FOR THOSE DOLLARS TO BE USED FOR.
UH, AND THEN ALSO THE FACT THAT COSTS SUCH AS A DA UPGRADES AND TESTING AND INSPECTION ARE THOSE, THOSE SORTS OF ANCILLARY COSTS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED ONTO THE COALITION MEMBERS ARE DESCRIBED IN THE BOND AUTHORIZATIONS AS INCLUDED IN THESE LARGER PROJECTS.
SO I THINK THAT WHAT THE COALITION UNDERSTANDS IS THAT THE DEVIL'S GONNA BE IN THE DETAILS AND ADDING THESE SORTS OF BOND ELIG FUNDS ELIGIBLE GRADING PROJECTS TO THE STRATEGIC EXECUTION PLAN.
BUT IT, IT IS REALLY READY TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH DISTRICT STAFF.
UH, AND, AND I THINK SEES ITS PRIMARY, UH, THE PRIMARY BARRIERS, YOU KNOW, AT, AT BELIEVES ITS PRIMARY BARRIERS ARE, ARE JUST PRACTICAL AND, AND, AND MAKING, KIND OF PUTTING EV PUTTING EVERYONE'S HEADS TOGETHER TO, TO, TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THIS WORK, UH, RATHER THAN, THAN, THAN, UM, THEN WHAT THE DISTRICT IS PERMITTED OR, OR, OR NOT PERMITTED TO, TO, TO DO.
UM, AND SO I THINK THAT'S, UH, I'LL KEEP MY PIECE VERY SHORT, UH, AND TURN IT OVER, UH, TO MY COLLEAGUE TORI.
UH, BUT I JUST WANTED TO, UH, TO ADD THAT AND TO SAY THAT I'M, I'M AVAILABLE FOR, FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE COMMITTEE MIGHT HAVE.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON GREENING COMMITTEE, DR. RIVAS, UH, AND BOARD MEMBERS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
IT'S VERY NICE TO SEE EVERYONE.
I'M GOING TO WRAP UP OUR PRESENTATION.
SO, AND I'M TORI CHAIR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE LA NEIGHBORHOOD LAND TRUST.
SO JUST TO SUM IT UP, WE AS A COLLECTIVE, AS THE LIVING SCHOOL YARDS COALITION AND OTHER NONPROFIT GREENING PARTNERS ARE ON TRACK TO REMOVE A MILLION ACRES OF ASPHALT.
WE ARE GREENING OVER 50 SCHOOLS AT THIS
[00:50:01]
TIME WITH AT LEAST I KNOW ON THE LAND TRUST SIDE, 10 OTHERS THAT ARE IN THE BEGINNING OF THE PLANNING STAGES.SO WE WILL BE REACHING A HUNDRED I'M SURE VERY SOON.
WE HAVE RAISED SO FAR, ALMOST $58 MILLION OF PUBLIC FUNDING AND BROUGHT THAT TO THE DISTRICT TO SUPPORT ALL OF THESE GREENING PROJECTS.
WE FEEL A SENSE OF URGENCY ON THIS.
WE FEEL THAT IT IS ONLY GONNA GET HOTTER.
THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE DAYS WHEN CHILDREN ARE NOT ABLE TO SAFELY PLAY OUTSIDE.
WE KNOW THAT ASPHALT TEMPERATURES REACH OVER 120 DEGREES, EVEN ON A 70 DEGREE DAY.
WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE BROKEN BONES, CONCUSSIONS, SCRAPED KNEES, AND WE KNOW HEARING FROM STUDENTS AT ESPERANZA ELEMENTARY THAT WILL BE OPENING IN A COUPLE MONTHS, THAT MANY CHILDREN HAVE ACTUALLY NEVER TOUCHED REAL GRASS.
SO THIS IS A CRITICAL ISSUE THAT HAS IMPORTANT SIGNIFICANCE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.
WITHOUT THESE GREENING IMPROVEMENTS, MANY CHILDREN ARE GOING TO CONTINUE ON THIS PATH OF NEVER TOUCHED TOUCH, HAVING TOUCHED REAL GRASS AND BEING LIMITED TO PLAYING INSIDE.
SO WE ARE HERE TO ASK, AND WE'LL BE ASKING THE BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TOMORROW.
FIRST, WE'RE ASKING THE DISTRICT TO COVER ITS OWN PROJECT MANAGEMENT COSTS ON PROJECTS WHERE NONPROFIT PARTNERS ARE WORKING.
THAT COULD BE FROM BOND MONEY, THAT COULD BE FROM OTHER MONEY, BUT RIGHT NOW WE KNOW THAT WE ARE EITHER ON TRACK OR CURRENTLY BEING BILLED BY THE DISTRICT, AT LEAST $3 MILLION, PROBABLY MORE.
UM, AND THOSE ARE, THAT IS $3 MILLION.
THAT DOES NOT GO INTO THE GROUND.
IT DOES NOT, IT MEANS SCHOOLS WILL NOT GET A PLAYGROUND OR THEY MAY NOT GET TREES OR YOU HAVE, YOU SAW THE VALUE ENGINEERING DRAWING.
SO THAT'S ONE OF OUR KEY REQUESTS.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT PATH LOOKS LIKE EXACTLY.
AND WE ARE SO HAPPY WE'RE FIRST, I SHOULD SAY WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE COLLABORATION AND WE'RE ALSO VERY HAPPY TO HELP FIGURE OUT THAT PATH.
NUMBER TWO, WE'RE ASKING THAT THE DISTRICT REIMBURSE NONPROFITS FOR THE MILLIONS THAT WE'VE ALREADY PAID TO THE DISTRICT IN FEES, WHICH IS MOSTLY FOR DISTRICT STAFF TIME.
AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE DISTRICT ALSO IS IN A FINANCIALLY DIFFICULT POSITION.
WE DO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A PATH TO USING BOND FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN ALLOCATED FOR PROJECTS TO HOPEFULLY COVER THOSE FEES.
AGAIN, WE WANT TO GET THE PUBLIC MONEY THAT WE'VE RAISED INTO THE GROUND INTO ACTUAL IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, THE NEXT AND FINAL QUESTION WE HAVE IS THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO FIND A PATH TO ACCESS THE BOND FUNDING FOR PROJECTS THAT MAYBE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING TO DO.
COMPREHENSIVE GREENING, IN MY PERSPECTIVE OF THIS PROCESS, ONCE A SCHOOL GETS GREENED, EVEN IF IT'S NOT COMPLETELY GREENED, IT DOES HAVE SOME GREEN.
SO I AM GUESSING THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THE DISTRICT'S GONNA GO BACK AND ADD IN MORE GREENING IS NOT HIGH.
THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF SCHOOLS TO COVER.
WHY DON'T WE MAKE THE MOST OUT OF THIS OPPORTUNITY SPEND THE TIME AND RESOURCES IF WE, IF A, IF A NONPROFIT LIKE THE LAND TRUST BROUGHT IN $3 MILLION FOR ONE SCHOOL, THE TOTAL COST FOR GREENING, ACTUALLY COMPREHENSIVE GREENING IS PROBABLY FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
THE DISTRICT COULD BRING IN THAT ADDITIONAL MONEY.
WE CAN FIND A PATH FORWARD AND THAT SCHOOL CAN GET COMPREHENSIVE GREENING, REAL GRASS PLAYGROUNDS, TREES, STORMWATER CAPTURE, OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS, SHADE, ALL OF THE AMENITIES THAT CHILDREN NEED TO THRIVE.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR.
THIS IS WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR.
WE AS PARTNERS IN THE DISTRICT HAVE FOUND A PATH TO COLLABORATE INSIDE THE DISTRICT, OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT.
WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER ON THE SAME GOAL AND WE ARE ALL VERY MOTIVATED AND SEE THE URGENCY.
WE KNOW YOU ARE ALSO HAVE YOUR EYES ON THIS PRIZE.
SO WHAT WE ARE ASKING IS THAT YOU, THE DISTRICT AND THE NONPROFIT PARTNERS COME TOGETHER AND FIND OUT THAT PATH.
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? HOW CAN WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF RESOURCES INSIDE THE DISTRICT AND OUTSIDE OF THE DISTRICT? WE ARE PLANNING ON APPLYING FOR MORE PROP FOR GRANTS TO BRING IN MORE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO GREEN SCHOOLS.
AND WE ARE EXCITED TO DO IT WITH YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO ALL OF OUR PRESENTERS AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP, UM, ON GREEN OUR SCHOOLS.
SO I WANT TO OPEN UP, UM, THE FLOOR FOR ANY QUESTIONS FROM OUR MEMBER COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO OUR, UM, PRESENTERS.
JUST A POINT OF CLARITY IN TERMS OF DISTRICT, CAUSE I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH WHAT THAT INCLUDES.
COULD YOU ELABORATE IT? A LOT OF TIMES IT'S THE ARCHITECT OF RECORDS.
SO IF WE HAVE A, WE'RE PROJECT MANAGING
[00:55:01]
ESPERANZA ELEMENTARY RIGHT NOW.I MEAN THERE'S TIME FOR THE, LET ME BACK UP.
AND ACTUALLY CHRISTOS, DO YOU WANNA JUST TALK ABOUT IT?
SO, SO TYPICALLY WHEN WE HAVE A PROJECT, UM, THE, WHAT WE REFER TO AS SOFT COST SOMETIMES WITHIN THE DISTRICT, WHICH INCLUDES ANYTHING FROM DESIGN REVIEWS, THE OWNER AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THE PROJECT, THE INSPECTIONS, ALL THOSE ARE COST, THE HEATER PROJECT AND THE ESTIMATE ON THIS TYPE OF PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE FOR THE GREETING PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE, ACTUALLY THEY, THEY KIND OF LOW COMPARED TO OTHER PROJECTS, THEY'RE ESTIMATE AROUND 10% OF THE ACTUAL VALUE OF THE PROJECT.
AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK, UH, THAT'S WHAT, UH, THEY'RE SHARING WITH US TODAY THAT THOSE COSTS, IF THEY CAN BE ABSORBED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
ANY OTHER, I HAVE, UH, A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS.
UM, AND I WAS REFRESHING ON SOME OF OUR EARLIER DISCUSSIONS IN THIS SPACE ON THESE SIMILAR TOPICS.
SO ONE IS AROUND, I THINK IT WAS BROUGHT UP IN AN EARLIER, UM, GREENING COMMITTEE MEETING, THAT THERE'S PRECEDENT FOR BOND FUNDING TO BE CONTRIBUTED TO A THIRD PARTY PROJECT THAT'S ALREADY UNDERWAY.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT'S COME UP AS ONE OF THE POTENTIAL CHALLENGES IS WHETHER IF A PROJECT IS ALREADY, IF A THIRD PARTY GREENING PROJECT IS ALREADY UNDERWAY, WHETHER BOND FUNDING COULD BE CONTRIBUTED TO THAT PROJECT ONCE IT'S UNDERWAY.
UM, AND SO I BELIEVE THERE WAS A EXAMPLE MENTIONED IN A PREVIOUS MEETING WHERE THAT HAD BEEN ABLE TO HAPPEN.
AND SO I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT THE PROCESS WAS IN THAT CASE.
UM, IF THERE WERE SPECIFIC TYPES OF THINGS THAT THE BOND FUNDING SUPPORTED IN THAT CASE, AND THIS MIGHT BE MORE OF A DISTRICT QUESTION.
IF Y'ALL, IF EITHER OF YOU KNOW, I I CAN ANSWER THAT OR CHRISTINA I CAN ANSWER.
BUT, SO TYPICALLY ON THOSE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, THERE'S SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT THERE WAS A REQUEST FOR BOND FUNDING, UM, IF I RECALL FROM A WHILE BACK, UH, I THINK BY MY MIDDLE SCHOOL WAS ONE OF THEM.
AND, UH, THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW A PROCESS.
PRETTY MUCH THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF, UH, MAKING THE REQUEST WITH THE BON OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
THE BON OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE HAS TO APPROVE THAT TYPE OF FUNDING.
AND THEN, UH, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION HAS TO APPROVE AS WELL.
SO, UM, THAT'S THE PROCESS THAT THEY FOLLOW FROM THE BEGINNING, UM, OF THE ACTUAL PROJECT ITSELF.
UM, CHRISTINA, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA ADD ANYTHING ELSE.
NO, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH A PROJECT THAT HAS BEEN MIDSTREAM WHERE WE'VE ALLOCATED BOND FUNDS.
YEAH, A PROJECT ORIENTED, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT MIDSTREAM, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PROCESS OF TYPICALLY WHEN, UH, WHEN SOMEONE, WHEN THERE'S A REQUEST FOR A PROJECT TO ADD BOND FUNDING.
WE JUST FOLLOWED A PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
WE DIDN'T, UM, WE DIDN'T GO BACK AND ADD THAT IN MIDSTREAM.
SO IT NEEDED TO BE AT THE BEG PRIOR TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROJECT BEGINNING THAT IT WOULD NEED TO BE ADDED TO THE BOND LIST.
YEAH, THE ONES THAT I RECALL? YES.
I MEAN THE, THE FEW PROJECTS THAT HAPPENED TO HAVE BOND FUNDING FOR GREENING, THEY JUST HAPPENED FROM THE BEGINNING WHEN THEY WERE, THE PROJECTS WERE SCOPED TO BEGIN WITH AND WE DEVELOPED THE SCOPING OF THE PROJECT ITSELF.
WHAT'S THE PROCESS FOR, YOU MENTIONED SO THAT FOR A PROJECT TO BE ON THAT LIST, THEY WOULD NEED TO GO BEFORE THE BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE FOR APPROVAL.
WHO CAN, IS ABLE TO MAKE THAT REQUEST OR HOW DOES THAT, HOW DOES THAT REQUEST COME TO THE BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE? LIKE IS IT BY THE SCHOOL LEADERSHIP OR BY THE BOARD OFFICE OR BY THE, UM, BY THE DISTRICT ITSELF? IN THE PAST IT HAPPENED THROUGH THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAD.
THE PARTNER MADE THE REQUEST, IT WENT THROUGH THE FACILITIES TEAM, UH, THE FACILITIES TEAM REVIEWED AND EVALUATED.
AND BASED ON THAT, IT WAS THEN, UM, PROPOSED TO HAVE A, A, A PORTION OF THE FUNDING TO BE A PART OF THAT PROJECT.
IS THERE A, FROM YOUR UNDERSTANDING, IS THERE A LEGAL OBSTACLE THAT WOULD PREVENT THE BOND FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO BE CONTRIBUTED TO A PROJECT MIDSTREAM, AS IT WERE? I, I COULDN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
I THINK PROBABLY LEGAL COUNCIL OR SOMEONE, I'M CURIOUS IF IT'S LIKE AN INPRACTICE OR IF THERE'S A, A DIFFERENT OBSTACLE THAT WOULD NEED TO BE ADDRESSED FOR IT TO BE POSSIBLE.
WHEN WE GET INTO THE ELIGIBILITY OF BOND FUNDING, I THINK IT'S, UH, NUANCED DEPENDING ON THE SCOPE OF WHAT IS BEING REQUESTED TO BE FUNDED.
SO I CAN'T GIVE A SPECIFIC, BUT IN GENERAL, IT HAS TO BE DETERMINED TO BE BOND ELIGIBLE.
SO IT REALLY DEPENDS ON KIND OF WHAT THE CONTRACTING MECHANISM IS AND WHAT THAT SCOPE OF, OF WHAT IS BEING PAID FOR WITH THE BONDS IS.
[01:00:01]
WHAT I'VE UNDERSTOOD, SOME OF THE EXPENSES THAT WERE PERHAPS UNANTICIPATED IN THEIR SCALE FROM THE BEGINNING WERE, UH, THINGS AROUND SOIL REMEDIATION AND REMOVAL, WHICH I BELIEVE IT LOOKS LIKE FROM MY LOOKING AT THE BOND, THAT THAT'S AN ALLOWABLE EXPENSE.IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S PHRASED LIKE IN THE PROCESS OF A BOND FUNDED PROJECT.
AND SO I WAS, AND I KNOW FOR EXAMPLE, ALSO LIKE ADDRESSING PATH OF TRAVEL COULD BE, UM, AN ALLOWABLE EXPENSE UNDER THE BOND THAT I KNOW TORI'S MENTIONED BEFORE THAT IF THE DISTRICT WERE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE FUNDING TOWARDS PATH OF TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS, THEN THAT WOULD BE THEN Y'ALL COULD PROVIDE THE TREES AND THE PLANTS THAT, 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT IS A LITTLE TRICKIER FOR BOND FUNDING.
SO I WAS, AND I WAS LOOKING AT THE, SOME OF THE PROJECTS IN THE CAL FIRE GREEN GRANT, I JUST LOOKED AT A FEW OF THEM, BUT THEY'RE IN LISTED IN THE BOND ON THE LIKE PART TWO SITE SPECIFIC PROJECTS AS IN THE LIST OF LIKE, IN THE PART OF THE BOND THAT LISTS SPECIFIC SCHOOLS.
A LOT OF THE, THE LAN UH, NEIGHBORHOOD LAND TRUST PROJECTS ARE ON THE LIST FOR AS BEING ELIGIBLE OR BEING NAMED.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WORKS AS IT RELATES TO THE LARGER POTS OF FUNDING.
UM, BUT I WAS, SO IT SEEMS LIKE THEY'RE, THEY HAVE LIKE A TOE IN 'CAUSE THEY'RE ON IN THE
UM, AND SO IT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND WHAT TYPES OF ASPECTS OF THE PROJECTS MIGHT BE BOND ELIGIBLE, UM, AND THEN WHAT THE PROCESS WOULD BE FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO BE INCLUDED IN THE SEP.
UM, SO THAT, UH, YEAH, IT SOUNDS LIKE SOME MAYBE LEGAL QUESTIONS FOR THE DISTRICT THERE.
THE, UM, AS TO WHAT WOULD BE, HOW IT COULD BE ADDED IN.
I ALSO, UM, I WAS CURIOUS HOW THE REIMBURSEMENTS ARE WORKING.
I THINK IT WAS ALSO MENTIONED IN A PREVIOUS MEETING THAT THERE WOULD BE, UH, THAT THEY MIGHT, THE FUNDING ALLOCATED THROUGH THE THIRD PARTY GREENING RESOLUTION, UM, THAT THE BOARD PASSED, UM, THAT THOSE FUNDS MIGHT BE USED TO ADDRESS FUTURE EXPENSES THAT HAD NOT YET BEEN INCURRED BY THE PROJECT DEVELOPER.
UM, AND SO THAT IS LIKE A WRITING DOWN OF A OBLIGATION, BUT IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN, OR IS DIFFERENT THAN A REIMBURSEMENT FOR AN EXPENSE PREVIOUSLY MADE.
AND SO I WAS CURIOUS TO WHAT EXTENT THE, THAT PROCESS IS ABLE TO BE SHARED WITH THE DEVELOPER, THE PROJECT DEVELOPER, OR LIKE HOW, AND WHAT THE EXTENT, TO THE EXTENT THAT IT'S UNDERSTOOD WHETHER IT'S ADDRESSING THE BUDGET SHORTFALLS OR THE COSTS THAT ARE INCURRED.
YEAH, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO EXPAND ON THAT.
SO, SO THE BOARD APPROVED $3 MILLION AND THE ALLOCATION INITIALLY WAS ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
BUT WE MADE THE, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, SUPERINTENDENT MADE THE EXECUTIVE DECISION TO BE ABLE TO ALLOCATE ALL $3 MILLION FOR THE FIRST YEAR TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE ACTUAL GREEN PROJECTS THAT WE HAD.
SO THEN WE LOOKED AT THE ACTUAL GRANT AMOUNTS THAT WE HAD FOR ALL THE PROJECTS AND WE MET WITH OUR PARTNERS AND DISCUSS THE OPTIONS THAT WE HAD AND WERE ABLE TO, UM, TO DISTRIBUTE THE, THE ACTUAL AMOUNT OF $3 MILLION BASED ON THE ACTUAL GRANT AMOUNT THAT EACH OF THE PARTNER RECEIVED.
LET'S SAY IF THEY RECEIVED A MILLION DOLLARS OUT OF THAT, UH, 35, 30 $7 MILLION, THEY WERE ABLE TO GET A PERCENTAGE OF THAT.
THE PERCENTAGE, IT HAPPENED TO BE AT A, AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF ABOUT 5% OF THE ACTUAL GRANT AMOUNT FOR THE $3 MILLION FOR THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAD WITH THE GREEN PARTNERS.
SO THEN MEETING WITH THE PARTNERS, WE DISCUSS OPTIONS OF HOW WE CAN BE ABLE TO, UM, SUPPORT THE PROJECTS AND, AND, UH, DEPENDING ON WHERE THE PROJECTS WERE IN THE PROCESS, IN THE DESIGN PROCESS OR OR DEVELOPMENT OR CONSTRUCTION PROCESS, WE'RE ABLE TO, IN SOME CASES, GIVE SOME MONEY BACK TO THEIR PARTNERS AND KIND OF CHECK BACK TO THEIR PARTNERS SO THEY CAN BE ABLE TO ALLOCATE TOWARDS OF THEIR PROJECTS OR FUTURE PROJECTS OR, UH, THE OPTION WAS TO PAY FOR THE FEES OR PART OF THE FEES THAT THEY ENCOUNTERED OR THEY SHOULD CHECKS TO THE DISTRICT TO BE ABLE TO DO THE DESIGN REVIEWS OR, UM, LET'S SAY INSPECTIONS OR HAVING AN OER IN THE FIELD.
UH, THE ISSUE WITH THAT IS THAT THE, THE, THE AMOUNT THAT EQUALED TO 5%, IT'S UH, IT'S ONLY 5% OF THE ACTUAL DISTRICT FEES TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT A PROJECT.
SO, UH, IT WASN'T ACCOUNTING FOR THE ENTIRE 10% THAT WERE ESTIMATED THAT BASED ON THE FEES THAT WE HAD FOR THOSE SPECIFIC PROJECTS.
SO THE PARTNERS ARE ASKING THAT IF WE CAN AGAIN, UM, THEIR REQUEST I THINK IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING TODAY AND IN
[01:05:01]
PREVIOUS MEETINGS IS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THOSE FEES COVERED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND IN ADDITION TO BE ABLE TO GET SOME MONEY BACK TO BE ABLE TO OFFSET FOR THEIR ACTUAL SCOPE OF WORK OR THEIR PROJECTS.UM, SO THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE ASK IS.
I CAN JUST CLARIFY A LITTLE BIT FOR ESPERANZA KRISTOS AND I MET A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, THE FEES THAT WE'VE PAID INTO THE DISTRICT, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE CHANGE ORDERS THAT THE CONTRACTOR HAS SENT US THAT ARE DIRECTLY BECAUSE OF DISTRICT CHANGES AFTER CONTRACTS WERE BID, THE TOTAL IS CLOSER TO ABOUT $600,000.
UM, AND RIGHT NOW, I MEAN THERE'S A TRACKER THAT SHOWS KIND OF THE FEES THAT WE'VE PAID DOESN'T INCLUDE THE CHANGE ORDERS.
I THINK THE FEES WE'VE PAID, I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY $200,000, LET'S CALL IT.
UM, SO THAT'S MONEY WE'VE PAID IN OUT OF THE, THAT'S NOT GONNA GO TOWARDS TREES OR LIKE DIRECT HARDSCAPE OR SOFTSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS, THEN WE'RE NOT, THERE'S NO, BASED ON THE CONVERSATION, BUT I THINK IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS.
RIGHT NOW, THERE ISN'T A PLAN TO SEND US BACK A CHECK FOR THAT 200,000 BECAUSE WHAT THE DISTRICT IS LOOKING AT IS THE FACT THAT WE'RE STILL BILLING COSTS BECAUSE THEY'RE CHARGING US FOR THE ARCHITECT OF RECORD.
THEY'RE CHARGING US FOR OTHER INSPECTIONS, OTHER STAFF TIME AND KIND OF ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROJECT.
SO THERE'S BASICALLY A TAB RUNNING THAT SHOWS ANOTHER $200,000 ABOUT THAT WE, THAT WE'RE GONNA STILL OWE FOR THE PROJECT.
SO BASICALLY RIGHT NOW, LET'S CALL IT $400,000, THAT IS JUST GONNA GO OF THAT 3 MILLION THAT'S GONNA GO BACK TO THE DISTRICT, NOT TO THE LAND TRUST BECAUSE THAT'S JUST THE DISTRICT'S COSTS.
SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS THE DISTRICT TO COVER ITS OWN COSTS SO THAT THAT 400,000 OR SO COULD JUST STAY WITH THE LAND TRUST AND GO INTO THE PROJECT.
WE ARE A SMALL ORGANIZATION AND WE HAVE A VERY LOW OVERHEAD, THE MAJORITY OF THE MONEY WE GET FROM THE STATE GOES INTO CONSTRUCTION OF THESE AMENITIES AND THAT'S WHERE WE WANT IT TO GO.
SO FOR US, THERE ISN'T, WE'RE NOT SEEING A BENEFIT OR EVEN A PATH TO RECOUPING ANY OF THE FEES OR CHANGE ORDER EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS, WITH KIND OF THE DISTRICT.
UM, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT.
HOW CAN WE DO THAT? WE KNOW THAT IT'S A NEW PATH THAT WE HAVE TO BLAZE THROUGH THE JUNGLE OF BUREAUCRACY, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS 100% POSSIBLE BECAUSE WE FIGURED OUT HOW TO DO A PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT AND DEVELOP, COME ONTO CAMPUSES AND DEVELOP THESE SCHOOLS.
IT'S ANOTHER KIND OF PATH TO BLAZE, BUT WE HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT CONFIDENCE IN THIS PARTNERSHIP AND THE DEDICATION OF EVERYONE HERE TO GREENING AND BELIEVE IT CAN HAPPEN.
BUT REALLY WE JUST WANT THAT MONEY INTO THE PROJECTS.
SO RIGHT NOW THE 3 MILLION IS NOT A REAL 3 MILLION.
THERE'S NOT LIKE, WE'RE NOT GONNA GET A CHECK, WE'RE NOT GONNA GET REIMBURSED.
IT'S JUST LIKE THE DISTRICT IS ESSENTIALLY PAYING ITSELF RIGHT NOW.
IT COULD CHANGE, WE WOULD LOVE IT TO CHANGE, BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION? I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A DIALOGUE, BUT, UM, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE $3 MILLION THAT WAS ALLOCATED THROUGH THE RESOLUTION.
IT'S UNCLEAR TO US IF THAT MONEY ORIGINATES FROM BOND DOLLARS OR IF THAT HAS COME FROM OTHER, SOME OTHER SOURCE OF FUNDING.
UH, THOSE FUNDS WERE ALLOCATED THROUGH GENERAL FUNDS AT THE TIME.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MR. HIRSCH.
UM, FROM YOUR LEGAL ANALYSIS, CAN YOU GO OVER THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH GREENING PROJECTS AND RELATED SITE IMPROVEMENTS, UH, WOULD MEET THE DEFINITION OF BOND ELIGIBLE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES? SURE.
I MEAN, I THINK WHAT WE LOOKED AT AND, AND AGAIN, UH, WHAT WE LOOKED AT WAS BOTH THE QUESTION OF IS THE SUBSTANTIVE IMPROVEMENT, THE, THE BIG SORT OF THE, THE UNDERLYING GREENING PROJECT, YOU KNOW, THE, I DUNNO, THE CONSTRUCTION OF OUTDOOR CLASSROOM SPACES, THE, YOU KNOW, OF, UM, UM, UM, WE WERE GIVEN A WHOLE LIST OF, OF OF, OF TYPES OF GREENING PROJECTS THAT THAT COALITION MEMBERS WORK ON.
IS THAT CONTEMPLATED IN THE BOND, UH, AUTHORIZATION? AND THEN THE QUESTION OF ARE ALL OF THE SORT OF ANCILLARY COSTS SUCH AS TESTING AND INSPECTION, ARE THEY ALSO CONTEMPLATED BY THE BOND AUTHORIZATIONS? AND IN BOTH CASES WE CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS YES.
I MEAN THE, THE BONDS, UH, THE BOND AUTHORIZATIONS, ALL, BOTH MEASURES ARE RRN US.
THEY SAY, YOU KNOW, ALL THE PROJECTS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING AS NEEDED.
AND THEY SAY, I MEAN, I, I THINK AS MULTIPLE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE HAD MENTIONED EARLIER, YOU KNOW, IN INSPECT THEY, THEY INCLUDE INSPECTION, THEY INCLUDE, UM,
[01:10:01]
ONSITE OR OFFSIDE WORK SUCH AS LANDSCAPING AND EVEN TREES, WHICH I, I KNOW, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS SORT OF A LITTLE BIT OF A QUESTION THERE, BUT, BUT IT'S IN THE AUTHORIZATION THAT THE BOARD APPROVED AND SENT TO THE VOTERS IT'S IN AND THE VOTE THAT THE VOTERS APPROVED IN BOTH CASES.AND SO, AND WE DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING IN THE SCHOOL, IN THE STATE BOND LAW THAT PUT ANY PARTICULAR CONSTRAINTS ON, ON, UH, ON THAT, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF WHETHER OR NOT THOSE ARE CLEARLY CAPITAL EXPENDITURES OR NOT.
I, I THINK WHAT HAS, WHAT WE DID FIND WAS THAT THERE WAS, UM, IF IT WAS A SOFTER COST, IF IT EXISTS BECAUSE OF THE CAPITAL PROJECT, THEN IT IS GENERALLY ELIGIBLE.
AND I MEAN, I, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DISTRICT'S, UH, COUNCIL MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY
BUT, AND, UM, FROM A FACILITIES AND BOND IMPLEMENTATION PERSPECTIVE, FROM YOUR RESEARCH, WHAT BEST PRACTICES EXIST IN OTHER DISTRICTS FOR STRUCTURING BOND FUNDED GREEN PROJECTS, PARTICULARLY REGARDING COVERAGE OF ELIGIBLE PROJECT RELATED COSTS? DO YOU KNOW ANY, UH, BEST PRACTICES FROM, UM, WE, WE DIDN'T.
I THINK THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UH, DR. RIVAS, I, I REALIZE THAT, UH, IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WE NECESSARILY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK VERY CLOSELY AT IN TERMS OF OTHER DISTRICTS, BUT IN OUR EXPERIENCE, I, I THINK IT COMES OFTEN DOWN TO A QUESTION OF PROJECT DEFINITION.
I MEAN IS, UH, IF THE QUESTION IS, WELL, ARE WE DEFINING THE PROJECT AT THE TIME OF SCOPING AS INCLUDING THESE COSTS AND THEREFORE MAKING THEM ELIGIBLE FOR BOND FUNDING? OR ARE WE SAYING, WELL, THIS IS A FOLLOW, YOU KNOW, THE A DA IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE TRIGGERED BY, UM, BY A GREENING PROJECT THAT A COALITION, YOU KNOW, THAT WE GET THE COALITION MEMBERS GET, UH, GRANT FUNDING FOR AND, AND, AND START, BUT THEN THERE IS AN A DA IMPROVEMENT THAT, THAT HAS TO BE MADE.
IS THAT THE SAME PROJECT OR WAS A DIFFERENT PROJECT? SO I THINK ADOPTING THE KIND OF FLEXIBILITY WITHIN, WITHIN THE SCOPING CONTEXT TO ALLOW THE, WHAT THE BOND AUTHORIZATIONS BOTH, UM, BOTH PERMIT, WHICH IS TO SAY THAT THEY ALLOW FUNDING TO COME FROM OTHER SOURCES.
I THINK THAT PROBABLY IS WHAT WOULD PROMOTE THE GREATEST LEVEL OF FLEXIBILITY.
UM, BECAUSE IT, IT COMES OFTEN AND DOWN DEFINITION, BUT WE ALSO DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING IN THE BOND LAW THAT'S SIMILAR TO, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE CQA THAT SAYS THIS IS THE DEFINITION OF A PROJECT, UH, AND THIS IS WHAT HAS TO BE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO DEFINE IT THAT, UH, UH, THAT PARTICULAR WAY.
AND SO THERE MIGHT BE A BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY AS WELL, UH, IN, IN THE ACTUAL, UH, IN HOW YOU SCOPE A PROJECT AND HOW YOU ARE NECESSARILY DEFINING IT.
BUT THAT'S A THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, AND LASTLY, IN IF GREEN SCHOOL YARDS ARE TREATED AS INFRASTRUCTURE, HOW DO YOU THINK THAT SHOULD BE REFLECTED IN, IN THE STRATEGIC EXEC EXECUTION PLANS, PROJECTS, PRIORITIZATION FRAMEWORK? ANYBODY HAVE ANY IDEAS OF HOW IT SHOULD, UM, IT SHOULD BE REFLECTED IN THE SEP? I THINK THAT WE ARE STILL VERY UNFAMILIAR WITH THE SEP AND THAT'S WHY WE DO WANT IT.
WE'RE GOING TO THE BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TOMORROW TO GET FURTHER UNDERSTANDING SO THAT WE CAN AGAIN, BE COLLABORATIVE AND WORK WITH FOLKS TO ENSURE THAT THE PROJECTS GET INCLUDED.
WELL, THANK YOU, UM, FOR THIS, AND THIS WILL DEFINITELY BE MORE, UH, CONVERSATIONS, PARTICULARLY WITH, UH, COUNCIL AS WE TRY TO, UM, REALLY UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THE PROJECTS AND BOND FUNDING AND, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING WHAT YOU ALSO HEAR FROM THE BOND RIVERSIDE COMMITTEE HERE TOMORROW.
I THINK THE MEETING'S AT 12 OR SOMETHING.
WE'LL NOW MOVE INTO PUBLIC COMMENT
[III. Public Comment ]
PORTION OF TODAY'S MEETING.SO WE'LL HAND OVER THE, THE MIC TO MR. MCLEAN.
WE HAVE 20 SPEAKERS LISTED FOR TODAY.
WE WILL CALL ON THE FOLKS WHO ARE LISTED AS BEING HERE IN PERSON FIRST, AND I KNOW SOME FOLKS CHANGED FROM IN PERSON TO REMOTE CALLING, SO IT SOON THEY FIND THAT LIST.
ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S GO WITH EINA SING.
ARE YOU HERE THOUGHT I SAW UR SING HERE ALSO JUST A MOMENT AGO.
UM, HOW ABOUT STEFANO PADILLA RIGHT HERE.
I'LL START CALLING ON THE FOLKS WHO ARE LISTED AS BEING REMOTE SPEAKERS.
[01:15:02]
ALL RIGHT, LETICIA GINO, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? LETICIA GINO? ACTUALLY, I DON'T THINK I SEE YOU THERE YET.ALRIGHT, LET'S GO WITH MONIQUE LUKINS, I SEE YOU ON THE LINE.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
HI AND THANK YOU GEOENGINEERING TRAILS.
I RAISED THE ISSUE OF GEOENGINEERING AND BARGAINING, AND HERE IS THE ASK, PLEASE SUPPORT THESE TRAILS.
THEY AT LEAST 50 MILES AWAY FROM SCHOOL CAMPUSES, THEY CONTAIN HARMFUL SUBSTANCES, ALUMINUM,
THESE ARE REAL, THEY ARE NOT CONDENSATION TRAILS, WHICH DISAPPEAR LIKE YOUR BREATH DOES.
ON A COLD DAY, THE TRAILS LINGER AND SPREAD.
SOMETIMES THEY CHANGE THE WEATHER SAME DAY.
THEY HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO CAUSE WINDS, RAIN, ICE, SNOW, AND EVEN FIRE.
THEY HAVE BEEN SEEN IN GREAT NUMBERS PRIOR TO MASSIVE FIRES, INCLUDING MAUI AND LA.
THESE FIRES WERE NOT SIMPLE WILDFIRES.
I HAVE PHOTOS ON RECORD WITH LAPD, LA CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE, REPRESENTATIVE MONICA RODRIGUEZ, AND SPOKE TO LAFD PRIOR TO THE LA FIRES.
YOU BOARD ALSO HAVE EMAILED PHOTOS OF THEM, THE MATERIALS AND THESE TRAILS ARE HIGHLY FLAMMABLE.
THE STATES, FLORIDA, TENNESSEE, AND LOUISIANA ALL HAVE MADE GEOENGINEERING ILLEGAL.
APPROXIMATELY 30 ADDITIONAL STATES HAVE SIMILAR PENDING LEGISLATION.
OUR CHILDREN DESERVE TO BE OF BREATHING IN THESE THREATENING SUBSTANCES.
THEY ARE CAUSING EARLY ONSET ALZHEIMER'S AND PARKINSON'S.
FOR RESOURCES, GO TO GEOENGINEERING WATCH.ORG.
PARENTS, PLEASE APPLAUD IF YOU AGREE IT'S TIME FOR THE BOARD TO TAKE ACTION ON BANNING THESE TOXIC TRAILS ABOVE OUR SCHOOLS.
OKAY, LETICIA, GINA, I DO SEE YOU WITH US NOW.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF, AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
YES, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? I CAN.
AND IF, IF FOLKS IN HELLO? YES, AND IF FOLKS IN THE CAMERA BOOTH CAN HEAR ME, THERE'S A NICE LITTLE SIGN FROM THE KIDS IN THE AUDIENCE RIGHT NOW.
THE PEOPLE HOLDING IT ARE NOT KIDS, BUT THE, THE HEARTS THAT THE KIDS HAVE.
OKAY, I THINK DANNY, OH, GREAT.
HELLO, HONOR ROLL BOARD MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE GREEN SCHOOLS AND RE RESILIENCE COMMITTEE.
MY NAME IS ISHA GUINO AND I AM THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL COORDINATOR AT SHARP AVENUE COMMUNITY SCHOOL.
THE DISTRICT'S COMMITMENT TO GREEN SCHOOLS AND REACHING ITS SCHOOL FOR GREEN, 30% OF ALL ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES BY 2035 IS IMPORTANT AND VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.
IN 2023, SHARP ELEMENTARY WAS SELECTED FOR STATE PROJECT FUNDING TO REPLACE LARGE CONCRETE PLAY AREAS WITH GRASSY SHADE TREES.
AT THAT TIME, OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY WAS INFORMED THAT THE PROJECT WILL BE COMPLETED BY MARCH, 2026.
HOWEVER, PARENTS, STUDENTS, AND ADMINISTRATORS CAN CONTINUE TO HEAR ABOUT CHALLENGES THAT HAVE DELAYED THE START OF CONSTRUCTION.
WE ARE NOW BEING TOLD THAT THE CONSTRUCTION WILL BEGIN IN THIS, THIS SUMMER.
IN ADDITION TO THE DELAY START RISING, COSTS NOW THREATEN TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF GREEN SPACE AND THE NUMBER OF TREES THAT WILL BE PLANTED AS SHARP.
WE APPRECIATE OUR MEETING WITH OUR LOCAL SCHOOL MEMBER, TELLES ON FEBRUARY 4TH.
OUR PARENTS WERE ABLE TO SPEAK AND SEEK SUPPORT.
ON THE COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT, WE HOPE THAT WE, WE CAN HAVE YOUR SUPPORT AS WELL.
CURRENTLY, ONLY 6% OF SHARP SCHOOL YARD IS GREEN SPACE WITH APPROXIMATELY 25 TREES AND NEARBY SCHOOLS, NEARLY ONE THIRD OF THE SCHOOL YARD IS GREEN SPACE WITH MORE THAN 100 TREES.
IN THE MEANTIME, SHARP STUDENTS CONTINUE TO PLAY WITHOUT ADEQUATE SHADE OR PROTECTION FROM THIS FREEWAY POLLUTION.
AS WE SIT ALONG THE FREEWAY, AS YOU WILL HEAR IN THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS, STUDENTS AND BARRETT SUPPORT GREENING FOR MANY REASONS, INCLUDING INJURY PREVENTION AND PROVE COURT FIELDS, SHADE, COOLING, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR NATURE BASED LEARNING.
[01:20:01]
CONSISTENT OF COMMUNICATION REGARDING OUR PROJECT.NOW WE ARE ASKING FOR TRANSPARENCY AND FOR A CLEAR, REALISTIC TIMELINE OF COMPLETION.
ALL RIGHT, ASHLEY VILLALOBOS, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT ABOUT THE SITUATION THAT OUR SCHOOLS FIND THEMSELVES IN ABOUT GREEN SPACES.
I'M A MOTHER OF TWO CHILDREN IN SHARP, ONE IN THIRD, AND ONE IN TK.
WHEN YOU STARTED TALKING ABOUT GREEN SPACES IN THE SCHOOLS, I WAS EXCITED BECAUSE WE NEEDED THAT IN OUR SCHOOL WHERE STUDENTS CAN RELAX AND ENJOY.
SINCE THERE'S BEEN AN EXCESSIVE USE OF TECHNOLOGY, IT'S FUNDAMENTAL TO HAVE CONTACT TO NATURAL SPACES.
SO I CONSIDER OUR SCHOOL URGENTLY NEEDING A GREEN SPACE.
WITH THIS PROJECT I HAVE BEEN INVESTED IN FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, SINCE MY DAUGHTER WAS IN FOURTH GRADE, SINCE I WAS VERY EXCITED, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, ESPECIALLY DURING THE VERY HOT DAYS.
AND THIS AFFECTS THEM EMOTIONALLY TOO, SINCE THEY CAN'T REALLY ENJOY SPENDING TIME OUTDOORS DUE TO THE HEAT.
SO AGAIN, GREEN SPACES HELP STUDENTS PHYSICALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY, SINCE THEY HAVE CONTACT WITH NATURE, IT DIMINISHES STRESS AND IT HELPS THEIR EMOTIONAL STATES.
AS A MOTHER, I HAVEN'T STOPPED PERSISTING TO GET THIS PROJECT DONE BECAUSE I WANT MY ELDEST TO ALSO ENJOY IT AS WELL AS MY YOUNGEST EVENTUALLY AND HAVE A BEAUTIFUL SCHOOL.
THIS IS MARILYN VILLANUEVA, WHO IS IN THIRD GRADE AND IS WITH ME NOW.
HELLO? MY, SORRY, WE'RE JUST GONNA RESTART THE TIME.
SO, UM, MARILYN, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND WE'LL MAKE SURE TO RESTART THE TIME.
HELLO, MY NAME IS MARILYN AND I AM A THIRD GRADE STUDENT FROM SHARP ELEMENTARY.
I AM HERE TO ASK THAT OUR GREEN SPACE PROJECT IS COMPLETED BY SUMMER.
I THINK WE NEED GREEN SPACE BECAUSE OUR YARD IS LOOKING OLD AND THE FLOOR IS HARD.
ONCE I FELL AND SCRAPED MY KNEES AND I GOT HURT BADLY, WE ALSO NEED COVERING OF THE FENCE, SO NO STRANGER.
SEE THE KIDS SINCE THE SCHOOL IS NEXT TO THE FREEWAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
MARI MENA MARISOL MENA, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
I'M A PARENT OF TWO STUDENTS THAT ATTEND SHARP AVENUE ELEMENTARY IN ARLETA.
I'VE BEEN A VOLUNTEER AT SHARP FOR THREE YEARS NOW.
I'VE BEEN KNOWING ABOUT THE GREEN SPACE EVER SINCE, A GREEN SPACE THAT IS ONLY IN WORDS, NOT ACTUALLY IN THE WORKS.
THERE'S BEEN TIMES I'VE SEEN PEOPLE AT SCHOOL WALKING AROUND AND MEASURING, BUT THAT'S IT.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE PROGRESS IN OUR SCHOOLS.
UM, OUR SCHOOL NEEDS A GREEN SPACE FOR KIDS SO THEY CAN ENJOY IT, PLAY, AND NOT GET HURT.
OUR KIDS DESERVE THIS BECAUSE, UM, THEY'LL, IT, IT WILL MOTIVATE THEM TO WANNA COME TO SCHOOL AND LEARN, PLEASE.
WE WANT THIS TO HAPPEN SOONER THAN LATER.
WE REALLY HOPE THAT THE GREEN SPACE WILL BE COMPLETED BY THIS SUMMER, SO WHEN THE KIDS RETURN BACK FROM VACATION, THEY'LL SEE HOW BEAUTIFUL THEIR SCHOOL IS.
I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT MY DAUGHTER JESSICA, A SECOND GRADER AT SHARP.
MY NAME IS JESSICA LEON AND I'M A SECOND GRADE STUDENT FROM SHARP ELEMENTARY.
I'M HERE TO SHARE WITH YOU WHY WE NEED A GREEN SPACE ON OUR YARD.
WE NEED GRASS BECAUSE WE WANT TO SEE GRASS AROUND OUR YARD.
L-A-U-S-D HELP OUR SCHOOL GET TREES AND GRASS AS YOU PROMISED.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING, AND I HOPE THAT BY SUMMER THE PROJECT WILL BE COMPLETED.
ALL RIGHT, SANDRA GONZALEZ, I SEE YOU'RE ON THE LINE.
[01:25:01]
TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.I SEE YOU'RE WITH US, MS. UH GONZALEZ, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN SANDRA GONZALEZ.
OKAY, WE CAN COME BACK TO, UH, MS. GONZALEZ IN JUST A SECOND.
NEXT SPEAKER IS ANNISE VASQUEZ.
ANNISE VASQUEZ, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? I DO NOT SEE ANNISE ON THE LINE.
MAKE SURE I'M READING FROM THE MOST UPDATED LIST.
NATHAN CRUZ, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? I SEE CALI CRUZ.
LET'S, UH, AND YOU USED THE SAME NUMBER, SO, UH, LET'S SEE IF CARLI CRUZ IS ALSO NATHAN CRUZ.
NATHAN, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR US? WE SURE CAN.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M PARENT MEMBER FROM OUR LSLC, UH, COMMITTEE AT SHARP AVENUE ELEMENTARY.
WITH EVERYTHING HAPPENING IN OUR COUNTRY RIGHT NOW, TRUSTING INSTITUTIONS IS FRAGILE, AND WHEN GREEN SPACE AT SPART ELEMENTARY IS A, I'M SORRY, THE GREEN SPACE PROJECT AT SHARP ELEMENTARY IS APPROVED BUT HASN'T BROKEN GROUND.
IN THREE YEARS LATER, PARENTS BEGIN TO LOSE FAITH.
I HAVE SPENT THE LAST YEAR TELLING PARENTS THAT THE DELAY WAS NOT FRAUD, NOT SET, NOT BROKEN PROMISES, BUT A MATTER OF LOGISTICS AND PROCESS.
I CHOOSE TO BELIEVE IN THE PROGRESS AND WE, TO BE FAIR, OVER THE FEW MONTHS WE HAVE SEEN MOVEMENT, WE HAVE MET WITH LEBT, WE HAVE MET WITH BOARD MEMBER EZ AND HAVE ORGANIZED, WE HAVE SHOWN UP THIS MORNING.
HOWEVER, MY PHONE FILLED UP WITH MESSAGES FROM PARENTS SAYING, YOU WERE WRONG.
THIS WAS JUST ANOTHER PROMISE.
SOME EVEN TOLD US THE DISTRICT IS GOOD AT PROMISING, BUT NOT DELIVERING.
THAT HURTS BECAUSE TODAY, INSTEAD OF ORGANIZING STUDENTS TO COME HERE AND BEG FOR GREEN SPACE, WE ORGANIZE THEM TO COME SAY, THANK YOU FOR FINALLY MOVING FORWARD THIS SUMMER.
I'M NOT ANGRY, I'M HEARTBROKEN, BUT MY FEELINGS DON'T MATTER.
WHAT MATTERS IS THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE PLAYING IN ASPHALT IN A HUNDRED DEGREE HEAT.
WHAT MATTERS IS INJURIES FROM CONCRETE INSTEAD OF GRASS.
WHAT MATTERS IS WHETHER THE BOARD PROVES TO SHARP FAMILIES THAT PROGRESS IS REAL.
WE ARE HERE TO BELIEVE IN YOU.
PLEASE DON'T MAKE US GO BACK AND TELL OUR CHILDREN THAT ONCE AGAIN, NOTHING HAPPENED.
AND HERE'S MY, UM, DAUGHTER, KELLY CRUZ.
HI, MY NAME'S KELLY CRUZ AND I'M, I'M A, A STUDENT TO ARY AND I WATCH GRASS, A SOCCER FIELD AND WATCH TREES FOR SHADE.
ALENE GONZALEZ, I SEE YOU'RE ON THE LINE.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
I'M LENE GONZALEZ AND I'M A SECOND TIME PARENT, ALSO SPEAKING FOR SHARP AVENUE ELEMENTARY.
OUR FAMILIES RELY ON THE USE OF THE TUNNEL THAT RUNS UNDER THE FREEWAY RIGHT NEXT TO OUR SCHOOL AND MORNINGS AND AFTERNOONS.
THIS SEMESTER, OUR SCHOOL HAD IN THE BUDGET TO PAY FOR SAFE PASSAGE AND IT'S MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN OUR STUDENTS' MORNINGS.
WE WOULD LIKE HELP IN FUNDING THE SAFE PASSAGE PROGRAM FOR THE MORNINGS AND POSSIBLY THE AFTERNOON FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
AS WE'VE SEEN PROGRESS WITH OUR TUNNEL.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THE SAME PROGRESS WITH OUR GREEN SPACE, SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT SINCE 2022 NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
MY DAUGHTER TRANSITIONS TO FIRST GRADE AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE GREEN SPACE BE DONE SO SHE CAN ALSO BENEFIT FROM IT.
LET'S GO BACK TO SANDRA GONZALEZ.
I YOU'RE ON THE LINE AND PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE THE WRONG NUMBER.
THIS IS, UM, FOR ANNISE VASQUEZ.
OKAY, NOW I'M GONNA START MY SPEECH PLEASE.
[01:30:01]
HELLO, MY NAME IS ANNISE VASQUEZ AND I AM A THIRD GRADE STUDENT FROM SHARP ELEMENTARY.I AM HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT OUR PROMISE GREEN SPACE IN ON OUR YARD.
IT HAS BEEN YEARS SINCE PARENTS AND STAFF WROTE THE GRANT GRANT FOR LABT.
MOST OF OUR YARD IS CONCRETE AND IT'S HARMING THE KIDS WHEN THEY FALL.
GREEN SPACE WOULD BE WONDERFUL FOR OUR YARD.
WE NEED MORE TREES TO PROVIDE SHADE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S HOT.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND I HOPE, BUT THAT BY SUMMER THE PROJECT WILL BE COMPLETED.
WAS THERE SOMEONE ELSE ON THE LINE THAT WAS GONNA SHARE TIME? YES, SANDRA, UM, IS ALSO ON THE LINE, BUT I'M NOT SURE WHICH ONE'S HIS NU HER NUMBER.
UM, SHE'S NOT HERE WITH ME THOUGH.
SHE'S CALLING FROM HER NUMBER.
I HAVE, I HAVE THE NUMBER, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S SOME, UH, SOME KIND OF MIX UP, SO WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL COME BACK TO IT IN JUST A BIT.
LET'S GO TO, UH, REMAINING CALLIN FOLKS.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
I'M SPEAKING TO DISCUSS CONCERNS AS A VIRTUAL ACADEMY STUDENT WITH THE UPCOMING GRADUATION FOR THE CLASS OF 2026.
AFTER 12 YEARS OF EDUCATION, I, ALONG WITH MY PEERS, ARE SCHEDULED TO GRADUATE THIS JUNE, I THINK L-A-U-S-U FOR THE EDUCATION I HAVE RECEIVED.
IT HAS OPENED MY LIFE WITH NEW OPPORTUNITIES.
AS HONOR OUR ACHIEVEMENTS, WE SHOULD HAVE AN INTIMATE, PERSONAL, PERSONAL CEREMONY FOR US AND OUR FAMILIES.
INSTEAD, OUR ACADEMY HAS THE CEREMONY WITH FIVE OTHER SCHOOLS.
STUDENTS ARE SEATED WITH OTHER STUDENTS AND TEACHERS THEY HAVE NEVER EVEN SEEN BEFORE.
I'M SURE YOU KNOW, KNOW HOW THAT CAN FEEL VERY ISOLATING NOW BECAUSE ALL SIX SCHOOLS ARE COMBINED INTO ONE CEREMONY.
THE ENTIRE PROGRAM LASTED SIX HOURS LAST YEAR.
MY GRANDPARENTS SUFFERED FROM SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUES THAT MAKE ATTENDING A PROLONGED EVENT A SIGNIFICANT RISK.
THEY'RE PHYSICALLY UNABLE TO SIT STAND FOR THE EXTENDED AMOUNT OF TIME REQUIRED FOR A CEREMONY WITH ALL THESE VIRTUAL ACADEMIES, THEY MAY BE UNABLE TO ATTEND MY GRADUATION THESIS.
THE VIRTUAL ACADEMY ADMINISTRATION ALSO PUT FORWARD PLANS TO CUT VALEDICTORIAN SPEECHES IN AN ATTEMPT TO SHORTEN THE CEREMONY.
BUT HOW IS THAT RIGHT? THESE STUDENTS WORKED FOR FOUR YEARS TO GET TO THIS POSITION, YET THEY'RE NOT EVEN OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
THIS ADDS TO THE ALREADY ONGOING INEQUITIES, GIVEN THAT SALUTATORIAN HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK EITHER AT PAST CEREMONIES, THIS HAS CAUSED GREATER TO MANAGES STRESS FROM MY PEERS AND MANY OF THE FAMILIES WITHIN THE ACADEMY, LEU WITH'S OWN VISION STATEMENT PLEDGES TO ELIMINATE THOSE EDUCATIONAL INEQUITIES TO GRADUATE ALL STUDENTS READY FOR THE WORLD.
IT IS NOT RIGHT OR EQUITABLE FOR SALUTATORIAN AND VALEDICTORIANS TO NOT BE ABLE TO SPEAK AS WELL AS FOR THE STUDENTS OF THOSE SCHOOLS TO LACK THE RIGHT TO AN INDEPENDENT GRADUATION CEREMONY THAT IS OFFERED TO TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS.
WE REQUEST THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD PLEASE INTERVENE IN THIS SITUATION AND ASK THE VIRTUAL ACADEMY ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDE THE LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC SERVICE VIRTUAL ACADEMY WITH OUR OWN GRADUATION CEREMONY.
AS I AND COUNTLESS OTHER STUDENTS AND PARENTS HAVE REQUESTED THIS DISHEARTENING TO SEE THE VALUES OF STUDENT EXPRESSION AND EQUITY BEING PREACHED YET NOT FOLLOWED, I HOPE THAT YOU, THE MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, PLEASE FOLLOW THESE VALUES AND ALLOW LEADERSHIP, VIRTUAL ACADEMY STUDENTS AND FAMILIES TO CELEBRATE THIS MILESTONE WITH AN INDEPENDENT CEREMONY.
I'M GONNA TRY SANDRA GONZALEZ AGAIN.
SANDRA, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
I HAVE TO DAUGHTER, UH, TWO DAUGHTERS, LEAH AND ASSISTANT ELEMENTARY AND THE SCHOOL YEAR 24 25.
I WAS PART OF DLA COMMITMENT AS I'M A PART OF SSC ILA AND LSLC AND CHARLES.
WHY IS SENT TODAY HERE IS BECAUSE CHAR RECEIVE A GOOD NEWS.
ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, THE CHARTER WILL RECEIVE A PROJECT GREEN SPACE.
AS A PARENT, I WAS EXCITED BECAUSE IN THE VALLEY, I BELIEVE CHARTER IS PROBABLY THE ONLY SCHOOL WITH A GREEN SPACE.
AFTER WE'RE TOLD ABOUT THE PROJECT, WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY ADVANCE, WHICH IS REALLY SAD.
NOT ONLY BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T SEEN, BECAUSE YOU KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THIS PROJECT WILL BE FOR THE CHART KIDS, THE GREENNESS SPACE, WE HELP THEM WITH THE HEAT DURING HOT DAYS.
NOT ONLY THAT, WE HELP WITH THE HELP AS A RESPIRATORY PROBLEM, REDUCE THE STRESS ON KIDS, AND WE HELP WITH THEIR GRADES.
AS WE REDUCE ACCIDENTS FROM KIDS FALLING AND GET HURT.
UH, GREEN SPACE WOULD REDUCE KIDS FROM RIPPING THEIR PANTS.
IMAGINE KIDS READING UNDER A TREE OR HAVING A PEACE SIGN AFTER DIFFICULT TEST.
[01:35:01]
THIS TIME WE'RE TOLD THE PRAYER WILL BE CONTINUED FOR JUNE, 2026, AND WE HOPE WE CAN GET THIS PROJECT DONE.UM, MY DAUGHTER, LEAH
HELLO, MY NAME IS
I AM HERE TO SHARE WHY WE NEED BREATHE, GRASP AND, AND TREES.
WE NEED GRASS BECAUSE PEOPLE FALL ON A HARD GROUND AND GET HURT.
ALL RIGHT, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS ALENE GONZALEZ.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN ALENE GONZALEZ.
I'M DOING A GREAT JOB TODAY,
UH, THANK YOU FOR, UH, BEING SO HONEST ABOUT HAVING ALREADY SPOKE WITH US.
I, I APPRECIATE, I APPRECIATE THAT.
ARE YOU HERE? UR SING, COME ON DOWN.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
BOARD PRESIDENT ROLSON BOARD VICE PRESIDENT, DR. RIVAS, UM, AND BOARD MEMBER.
NEW BILL IS NOT HERE, BUT HAPPY WEDNESDAY.
I WAS ORIGINALLY PLANNING A DIFFERENT SPEECH, UM, BUT I, BY LUCK SAW PSA DUCK MALL AND, UM, MS. CONNIE, UH, BRANSTETTER TO DISCUSS, UH, THE ONGOING SITUATION WITH, UM, OUR GRADUATION.
WE'VE HAD CONCERNS REGARDING GRADUATION IN TERMS OF STUDENTS, IN TERMS OF ALL SIX VIRTUAL ACADEMIES BEING COMBINED INTO ONE SINGLE CEREMONY, WHICH DOES NOT FEEL INTIMATE AT ALL WHEN YOU'RE GRADUATING.
YOU SHOULD HAVE THE CHANCE TO CELEBRATE IN AN INTIMATE MANNER WITH YOUR, UH, PARENTS, FRIENDS AND TEACHERS.
THAT HAS NOT BEEN AN OPTION THUS FAR, BUT, UM, I'M, YOU KNOW, HAPPY TO HEAR THAT.
UM, THERE ARE SOLUTIONS BEING LOOKED AT.
UM, AND WE JUST ASK THAT WE CONTINUE TO BE UPDATED, THAT STUDENTS CONTINUE TO BE UPDATED, THAT, UH, OUR SCHOOLS CONTINUE TO BE UPDATED, THAT, UM, OUR PARENTS CONTINUE TO BE UPDATED.
UM, AND I, I, AGAIN, I THANK, UH, MS. AL AND, UH, MS. BRANSTETTER FOR THE UPDATES TODAY.
TATIANA SINGH, YOU'RE LISTED AS BEING, UH, REMOTE, BUT ARE YOU IN THE ROOM? TATIANA SINGH.
I ALSO DO NOT HAVE YOU ONLINE IN FRONT OF ME.
EINA SINGH, ARE YOU HERE? COME ON DOWN.
YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN EVERYONE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU ONE MORE TIME.
I WAS, UH, PLANNED TO, UH, SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE ISSUE, WHICH, UH, MY SON FACING WITH GRADUATION, BUT IT'S LOOK LIKE THE SITUATION GONNA BE, UH, RESOLVED WITH, UH, SOME OPTIONS AND JUST, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I'M APOLOGIZE THAT, UH, WE PUT OURSELF AND SITUATION JUST, UM, MIRACLE GET RESOLVED RIGHT AT THAT MOMENT.
AND I WISH YOU HAVE A NICE DAY, EVERYONE.
UH, CHRISTOPHER ESTELLA, I SEE YOU'RE ON THE LINE.
CHRISTOPHER ESTELLA, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER STELLA TORES, AND I'M A STUDENT OF THE LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC SERVICE VIRTUAL ACADEMY.
OVER 90% OF STUDENTS WISH TO SEE THEIR OWN GRADUATION CEREMONY.
THIS IS CURRENTLY NOT AN OPTION.
THEY FEEL IT WOULD BE FAR MORE SPECIAL, INVITING AND INTIMATE AS A PROPOSED SOLUTION OF THE GRADUATE COMMITTEE AND CERTAIN VIRTUAL ACADEMY ADMINISTRATORS.
STUDENT SPEECHES HAVE BEEN CUT DOWN.
THIS IS AFTER TORIAN HAVE ALREADY BEEN BARRED FROM SPEAKING PREVIOUSLY.
WE ASK THAT THE STUDENT THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD ENSURE THAT VIRTUAL ACADEMY STUDENTS HAVE THE SAME GRADUATION EXPERIENCE THAT TRADITIONAL STUDENTS HAVE, ENSURE THAT VALEDICTORIANS CAN SPEAK AS WELL AS SALUTORIAN ENSURE THAT THERE IS A SOLUTION THAT STILL PROVIDES FOR AN INTIMATE CEREMONY.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY PLANS FOR AN AWARD NIGHT,
[01:40:01]
BUT GUESTS ARE LIMITED TO JUST TWO.STUDENTS WOULD HAVE TO DECIDE BETWEEN FAMILY, FAMILY MEMBERS BY LIFTING THAT CAP AND ENSURING THAT GUESTS OUTSIDE OF THE STUDENT'S FAMILY, SUCH AS FRIENDS AND TEACHERS CAN BE INVITED.
THIS WOULD ENSURE AND ADD AN EQUITABLE SOLUTION.
PLEASE INCLUDE THE WISHES OF, OF STUDENTS AND PARENTS, WHICH ARE OVERWHELMING OVERWHELMINGLY IN FAVOR OF INTIMATE EVENTS FOR OUR SCHOOL IN THIS PLANNING.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND GOODBYE.
UH, BRIANNA HERNANDEZ, I SEE YOU'RE ON THE LINE.
BRIANNA HERNANDEZ, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN.
YOU JUST MIGHT NEED TO SPEAK UP A LITTLE BIT FOR US.
I'M GONNA START MY SPEECH MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.
I'M A STUDENT AT THE LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC SERVICE VIRTUAL ACADEMY, AS WELL AS A MEMBER OF THE VIRTUAL ACADEMY STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL.
GRADUATION SUPPOSED TO BE AN EVENT WHERE STUDENTS HAVE THE CHANCE TO CELEBRATE WITH THEIR TEACHERS AND PARENTS IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.
HOWEVER, THAT IS NOT AN OPPORTUNITY AFFORDED TO VIRTUAL ACADEMY STUDENTS, OUR STUDENT THAT JUMBLED INTO A CEREMONY WITH FIVE OTHER SCHOOLS, STUDENTS THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE, AND TEACHERS THEY'VE NEVER MET.
IN FACT, SOME STUDENTS ARE ASSIGNED TO FIT WITH TOTALLY SEPARATE ACADEMIES, NOT KNOWING A SINGLE PERSON IN SIGHT FURTHERING THIS EXISTING LINGA ISOLATION TO TRY TO REDUCE THEIR SIZE OF THE CEREMONY.
STUDENT SPEECHES HAVE BEEN CUT TO JUST A SINGLE SPEAKER.
THIS IS ON TOP OF THE FACT THAT HAVE BEEN PROHIBITED FROM SPEAKING PREVIOUSLY.
DESPITE THIS, THOUGH, THE FACULTY SPEECHES REMAIN, THE SPEECHES WILL HAVE NO VOICE IN THE CELEBRATION MET FOR THEM.
STUDENTS AT THAT LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC SERVICE VIRTUAL ACADEMY HAVE MADE THEIR MINDS CLEAR OVER 90%, REQUEST AN INDEPENDENT CEREMONY, DESPITE THIS ARE REQUEST, HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY DENIED FOR FALSE REASONS SUCH AS TRADITION AND THE PLAN ALREADY BEING SET.
WHY THEN DO PLANS KEEP BEING CHANGED TIME AND AGAIN? WHY THEN IS THIS TRADITION NOT FOLLOW? WHEN IT IS CONVENIENT, WE ASK THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD PLEASE STEP IN AND ASK VIRTUAL ACADEMY LEADERS TO RESPECT THE WISHES OF THE LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC SERVICE VIRTUAL ACADEMY.
THE OVERWHELMINGLY MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS SUPPORT AN INDEPENDENT CEREMONY.
SOME HAD EVEN DISCUSSED A WALKOUT.
IT'S PLANNED WITH THE GIANT GRADUATION.
THE STUDENTS AND PARENTS HAVE SPOKEN AND WILL PLEASE REQUEST YOUR HELP.
UH, LUCY GUTIERREZ, I SEE YOU'RE ON THE LINE.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
HELLO, MY NAME IS LUCY GUTIERREZ AND I AM THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVE AT SHARP ELEMENTARY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
I WILL BE SHARING STUDENT PERSPECTIVES ON SHARP'S YARD, WHERE OUR GREEN SPACE WILL BE LOCATED.
WE RECENTLY CONDUCTED A STUDENT SURVEY TO CENTER THE VOICE ON THE SPACE WHERE THEY SPEND THEIR RECESS AND OUTDOOR TIME, OUR SCHOOL YARD.
FOR STUDENTS, THIS SPACE IS MEANINGFUL.
IT IS WHERE THEY BUILD FRIENDSHIPS, PLAY AND DECOMPRESS.
THE FIRST QUESTION THAT WE ASKED IN OUR SURVEY WAS WHETHER THEY HAD ACCESS TO A SAFE OUTDOOR SPACE TO PLAY.
MANY STUDENTS RESPONDED YES, EXPLAINING THAT THEIR SCHOOL YARD IS THE SAFE SPACE THAT THEY USED TO PLAY IN.
WHEN WE ASKED THE SECOND QUESTION WHAT THEY LIKED ABOUT THE YARD HERE AT SHARP, THE SOCCER AREA WAS FREQUENTLY MENTIONED.
EVEN THEN, SEVERAL FIFTH GRADERS ADDED AN IMPORTANT DETAIL.
THEY ENJOY PLAYING SOCCER, BUT THERE IS NO GRASS TO PLAY ON.
LASTLY, THE STUDENTS WERE ASKED, WHAT ARE TWO THINGS THEY WOULD ADD TO OUR YARD TO HELP IMPROVE IT? STUDENTS VOICE ADDING MORE GRAPHS MEANT TO PLAY SOCCER AS WELL AS A GARDEN WITH FLOWERS FOR STUDENTS.
WHEN WE ANALYZED ALL THE SURVEYS, IT WAS CLEAR THAT STUDENTS NEED AND CARE FOR A GREENER YARD.
THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT ONLY 6% OF SHARK'S CAMPUS IS GREEN SPACE.
WITH ABOUT 25 TREES AND A COMMUNITY RANKED IN THE 97TH PERCENTILE FOR POLLUTION, OUR STUDENTS PLAY WITHOUT ADEQUATE SHADE OR PROTECTION FROM FREEWAY POLLUTION.
IN CONCLUSION, OUR STUDENTS COMMUNICATED A NEED, AND THAT'S COMMENCING THE GREEN AT SHARP, ENSURING THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT SUPPORTS THEIR PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL WELLBEING.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THE VOICES OF THE STUDENTS HERE AT SHARP.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE PARTNERSHIP AND A CLEAR PATH FORWARD FOR OUR GREEN PROJECT.
UH, SEBASTIAN HERNANDEZ, I SEE YOU'RE ON THE LINE.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF, AND YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU BEGIN.
UM, WHERE'D YOU GO? MAYBE YOU NEED TO, UH, CALL BACK IN SEBASTIAN IF, UH, IF HE GOT CUT OFF.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT, UM, STEFANO
[01:45:01]
PADILLA, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? STEFANO PADILLA, I CALLED YOU ONCE ALREADY.UM, JAMILA, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? JAMILA NOT HERE.
AND I'LL CHECK AGAIN FOR SEBASTIAN.
YOU WERE HERE AND THEN YOU WERE NOT SEBASTIAN.
THAT CONCLUDES, UH, GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR, ALL THE SPEAKERS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND AS WE ADJOURN, UM, THIS MEETING, I'D LIKE TO UPLIFT TODAY'S THOROUGH LINE AND THROUGH LINE.
CLIMATE LITERACY WITHOUT INFRASTRUCTURE IS INCOMPLETE.
INFRASTRUCTURE WITHOUT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IS UNSUSTAINABLE AND BOND INVESTMENTS WITHOUT EQUITY SAFEGUARDS, RISK REINFORCING DISPARITIES THAT WE ARE TRYING TO SOLVE.
ADULT LEARNERS ARE PREPARING FOR GREEN ECONOMY.
STUDENTS DESERVE CAMPUSES THAT REFLECT CLIMATE SAFETY AND DIGNITY.
AND OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO ENSURE POLICY, FUNDING AND IMPLEMENTATION ARE ALIGNED.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND DEDICATION TO, UM, OUR STUDENTS AND ALL OF OUR, OUR COMMUNITIES THAT WE REPRESENT HERE IN L-A-U-S-D.
UM, AND WITH THAT, OUR NEXT, UH, GREENING SCHOOLS AND COMMON RESILIENCE COMMITTEE WILL BE ON MARCH 25TH.
HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY EVERYONE.