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Board approves community‑schools conference attendance after debate over costs and trainer model
Summary
Trustees debated sending seven principals and other staff to a national community‑schools conference under a grant; some trustees urged a train‑the‑trainer approach to save funds while staff said grant rules and capacity building justified attendance. The board approved the item and later continued remaining business to Jan. 15.
Trustees discussed item 502 (conference participation) at length after community members and trustees asked questions about cost and scale. Trustee Adriana Quinones and others suggested sending a smaller delegation and using a trainer‑of‑trainers approach to limit expenses; Trustee Quinones asked whether the district might send fewer staff and have them share learnings later. Director Dr. Isaiah and other staff explained the National Community Schools and Family Engagement Conference attendance is supported by the community‑schools grant and is meant to build principal and leadership capacity across 17 community‑school sites. Dr. Isaiah said sending seven principals is part of a grant‑funded plan to build leadership for a five‑year model and that attendees will return to share learnings.
After discussion that balanced fiscal caution and program fidelity, the board approved the conference attendance (roll call vote passed) and later approved a motion to continue remaining consent business at a subsequent meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. Trustees emphasized they would be "hawkish" on expenditures and asked staff for executive summaries in advance on future items to aid oversight.
