Teachers, classified staff and a volunteer urge clearer family outreach and simpler IEP notices

Employee representatives and a community volunteer used the meeting to press the district on family engagement and clarity in special‑education meetings.

Allison White of the Los Altos Teachers Association said teachers are building classroom communities to support deeper learning and noted union priorities for the year, including support for a Prop 55 extension effort. Kim Plutchman of the California School Employee Association highlighted office clerks and secretaries as essential operational staff who manage purchasing, POs and day‑to‑day needs.

Community volunteer Pat Brodke described summer tutoring for six Latino students and cited district figures in the course of his remarks: he said 36% of those students were performing at or above grade level district‑wide and that by middle school only about 20% were at grade level in math. Brodke urged the district to prioritize parent partnerships, saying parents often feel "invisible" and intimidated in school meetings.

During public comment, Brodke asked the board to develop a simple, bilingual supplement to the legally required parental‑rights notice for IEP meetings and recommended that staff contact parents before meetings to explain rights and reduce anxiety; he reported sharing a draft with Dr. Bosco and said the idea appeared worth pursuing. Trustees asked clarifying questions about how language proficiency and immigration status affect the cited performance figures; Brodke said many students he tutors have been in the district since kindergarten and speak English daily.

Next steps: the item was discussion only (first read for policy items). Board members and staff acknowledged the suggestions and indicated willingness to follow up; staff will incorporate any formal policy proposals in the scheduled policy review process.