Conejo Valley Unified School District August 16 Meeting Highlights

Closed session:

• Two cases of Public Employee Discipline/Dismissal/Release were discussed.
• An insurance award was granted.

Open session, there were three public comments:

• Lana Clark, executive director of Conejo Schools Foundation, gave an update on the Charity Karaoke fundraising event.
• Brian Farrell on behalf of para-professionals for CSCA. Employees worked in summer school. Payroll had an error, and the employees were not paid on July 31 or August 10. The district said it wouldn’t pay until the end of August. Brian said that was unacceptable.
• Christina Taylor – standing with two other women, spoke on behalf of at least six para-educators, saying they were still not paid. She has worked in summer school for eight years, and this is the first year the pay period was changed and missed. This problem has caused her and others to consider not working in summer school next year.
  • Human Resources Director Shauna Ashmore said the time sheets for affected employees were not submitted by administrative staff by the required deadline. Process and communications are being reviewed to improve the system for payment. She also said the County board of education removed the district’s ability to write individual checks to employees, as it had been able to do in years past.
    
    

Action items:

• A declaration of Need for Fully Qualified Educators, specifically, 8 CLAS/English Learner instructors, 2 Bilingual teachers (Spanish), 1 Resource Specialist and 1 Librarian Services teacher. Emergency permits (previously called emergency credentials) are issued when no credentialed person is available for a position or when those available do not meet the specified employment requirements for the position.
• A proclamation recognizes September 15 – October 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Month.
• September was declared “Attendance Awareness Month.”
• Contract approved with Secural Security Corporation to provide security at school board meetings. Hourly rates vary from $38-$58/hr per officer.
• Personnel Assignment Orders increased hours for nutrition staff and custodians.
• Alliant International University will continue to provide practicum students, student teachers and teacher interns through December 2026.
• $10,848 Addendum approved with EdFiles for an electronic storage system.
• Contracts Under $5,000 below approved.
• $5,665 Renewal of Licensing Agreement with Nearpod, Inc. for Westlake High School. Nearpod provides online interactive lessons, interactive videos, gamification, and activities.
• $9,100 Contract Renewal for Leader in Me by Franklin Covey, a leadership academy.
• $10,600 Contract Renewal with Zoom Video Communications, Inc.
• $53,982 Contract with Camarillo Ranch House for Thousand Oaks High School Prom in May 2024.
• Annual Review of Glenwood Elementary under Quarter 4 Williams Report by the Ventura County Office of Education.
• $19,500 Contract Amendment with Secural Security Corporation for services at the Conejo Valley Adult Education.
• $20,000 Renewal Contract with Music, Memories, and More for Westlake High School event production at rallies, dances and graduation.
• $85,000 Renewal Contract with Conejo Recreation and Park District (CRPD) for up to 50 students at Acacia Magnet School to participate in after-school care and instruction.
• $600,000 Renewal MOU between the County of Ventura Behavioral Health Department and Conejo Valley Unified School District for Special Education Mental Health Services.
• $6,000 Renewal Agreement for Vision Screenings performed by the Ventura County Office of Education.
• $50,530 Contract for student #20-23/24’s special education placement at Casa Pacifica.
• GASB 75 Actuarial Valuation from Total Compensation Systems, Inc. values liability at $22,136,721.
• $5,500 Agreement with Bay Actuarial Consultants to provide the Workers’ Compensation Fund Actuarial Study.
• $150,000 Workers’ Compensation Claim approved.
• $14,999 Ad Hoc Maintenance Agreement underground helium leak testing performed by Helium Leak Testing, Inc.
• $28,662,820 in purchase orders exceeding $5,000 were approved.
• $995,537 in purchase orders under $5,000 were approved.
• Surplus and obsolete equipment disposed of.
• MEASURE I Notices of Completion (see sidebar)
• $340,000 Contract with Scott and Sons Electric for a new fire alarm system at Weathersfield Elementary School.
• $269,265 Contract with EverFence for safety-security gates at 11 Thousand Oaks schools.
• $371,549 revised contract with Ardalan Construction Co. Inc. for a pavilion at Westlake Elementary School.
• Acceptance of Donations/Gifts totaling $126,851 for the month of June and $1,636,909 for the 2022-23 year; $117,938 for 2023-24.

Funding for Fiscal Year 2023-2024

• $5,500 fee for Annual Workers’ Compensation Actuarial Report from Bay Actuarial Consultant.
• Approval of Resolution #23/24-05: State of California in the Matter of Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Procedures.
• Mental Health Board Policy 5141.5 requires posters to be created and displayed prominently regarding mental health services. Requires training for staff to identify mental health concerns. Mental health services may be provided via telehealth technology.

Measure I Projects Completed

Contracts Under $5,000

Contracts Over $5,000

Total $28,662,82.
Textbooks $38,108; Approved textbooks and materials $169,830; Materials and supplies $74,337; Gasoline $11,500; Non-capitalized furniture $105,623; Professional Transportation Services $3,017,295; Travel and conferences $11,619; Dues and memberships $27,400; Liability and property insurance $3,777,243; Contracts and repairs $63,729; Cap & gown rentals $11,809; Various types of “Other Services” such as software programs, partnership organizations, online services $4,523,952; Elevator/wheelchair lift $7,500; Transportation contracts $125,000; County technology contracts $257,081; Non-public school tuition $5,463; Audit $11,700; Attorney fees $12,225; Elections $35,299; Settlements $57,347; Recruitment expenses $103,525; Telephone $638,875; Postage $20,000; WHS Scoreboard $45,933; Buildings and improvements $88,601; Capitalized maintenance vehicles $46,785; Other tuition expenses with VCOE $335,715; Property Taxes Transfers for MATES and Bridges Charter Schools $4,811,167; Kelly Paper and Waxie Sanitary Supply $43,242; US Bankcard prepaid $12,651; Prior year liability clear $96,775; Prior year liability set up $7,650; Other services $77,029; Business mail postage $11,000; Smart & Final and Discount School Supply $19,400; The Gas Company $5,750; SoCal Edison $15,007; City of T.O. Water $8,500; Kindersystems center track software $6,007; Frontier telephone service $5,600; Food service supplies $270,000; City of T.O. van gasoline $15,000; Food $3,455,000; Kitchen repairs $81,250; Other kitchen services $14,683; Capitalized kitchen freezer $52,288; Pool pump rebuild $159; Non-capitalized pool pump repairs $20,728; Pool, gym and stadium repairs $133,219; Materials and supplies $166,605; Non-capitalized furniture $583,675; Other services $349,444; State architect fees $9,390; Outdoor improvement of sites $1,066,639; Buildings and improvements $1,267,426; Chromebook chargers and screens $28,235; Security gate hardware $1,997; Non-capitalized furniture $11,194; Security tinting film $10,340; Other services $104,807; State architect fees $4,695; Gates $260,820; Improvements $118,646; Excess Workers Comp $107,708; Claims fees $210,607; Paid claims $1,394,790; Anthem Blue Cross employee assistance $6,200.