West Contra Costa Unified School
District
Parent Advisory Committee (PAC)
April 19, 2004
Facilitator’s Meeting Notes
The meeting began ten minutes later to allow for late arrivals. Cathie and Vince opened the meeting and covered points 1-5 on the Agenda. Cathie presented the power point presentation. Anita Madrid was introduced as the PAC facilitator, describe her role, and identified the three tasks for the evening:
1) Clear understanding of the Role and Charge of the Parent Committee:
a. Advisory Role
b. Task1: Analyze district data
c. Task 2: Make revision recommendations and adjustments that benefit entire district
2) Agreement on PAC future meeting dates and times
3) Agreement on the PAC decision making process: voting or consensus
Clarity and agreement was reached on the role and task of PAC after clarifying questions were posed. Questions that were outside the charge of the committee were posted on a separate sheet. Staff committee members answered parent questions and clarified their comments. The parent committee members wanted to know:
a. If their role could be expanded beyond the stated role.
b. If the community values were the only values and how they were reached.
c. If and how Board Policy on redistricting could be a topic for the committee. Can we question board policy
d. If PAC could deal with grade reconfigurations
e. How the initial five parents on the staff committee were released
f. If the staff and consultants could provide PAC with their thinking and recommendations to guide PAC discussions and recommendations
g. If school closures could be discussed and recommendations made
Staff answered the questions and concerns above satisfactorily and put some of them on hold for the May 3 meeting presentation. The list to be included in the May 3 meeting is as follows:
After the role and charge were understood and agreed upon PAC decided on a meeting schedule. Cathie Kosel presented the larger proposed calendar below:
2004
April 19 First Pac Meeting
May 3 Demographer generates draft boundaries
May/June Pace suggestions for revisions
October Hold Public hearings at high schools
Nov. 3 Committee presents recommendations to BOE
Nov. 17 BOE decisions
Deadlines
Dec. Reconstruction Planning
2005
Jan. Transfer Office
March 15 Human Resources
July Fiscal Budget
Sept. Implementation of new boundaries
After much discussion the group decided to meet every two weeks and have the staff send them the appropriate materials in advance of the meetings and presentations. If they have comments or questions they would forward them to Cathie. The Group decided upon the following schedule:
April 26 Mtg #2: Relevant materials mailed to PAC
May 3 Mtg #3: Presentation by Demographer and Staff
May 17 Mtg #4
May 31 Mtg #5
June 7 Mtg: #6
June 21 Mtg #7
If Necessary:
July Mtg #8
July Mtg#9
August Mtg. #10
August Mtg #11
The final action of the committee was to decide on the decision making process.
There was a concern expressed that a paper trail be made available as part of the record and whether the consensus process could provide this. A compromise was struck that would allow the number of members to show on the degrees of consensus and for dissenting opinions to be documented. Anita will provide handouts on the consensus process.
The members were thanked for their work and participation and the meeting was adjourned at 8:00 p.m.