SCHOOLS, RECREATION, BUILDING RENOVATIONS, CITY MASTER PLAN, PUBLIC SAFETY AND MORE –

On Thursday, September 23. 2021 at 4:00 p.m.. the Piedmont Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee will meet via Zoom to consider a recommendation to the Piedmont City Council on how to spend $2,663,729, Piedmont’s COVID funds. 

To participate and view the meeting see the Agenda link below.

Of the $2,663,729 allocated to the City, $2,382,545 is tied to lost revenue and can be used in category 3 which, as noted in the full staff report linked below, may be used for any governmental services, including infrastructure projects. The remaining $281,183 must be used in accordance with the provisions of the other four categories.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:

By motion, recommend that the City Council allocate the City’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funds as proposed by staff:

A. Devote lost revenue funds to address urgent facilities projects, prioritized as follows:

1. Dispatch Center Relocation\Remodel

2. Initiation of Master Planning Process for the Future of Police, Fire and City Hall

3. City Hall Basement: Digitization of Residential Property Files and Remodel Office Space

3. Fire Department Living Quarters Renovation 3. Recreation Department Building Renovation

B. Devote the remaining more restricted funds as follows:

1. Cover the City’s direct COVID related expenses incurred after March 3, 2021

2. Provide premium pay to Recreation Department personnel who were exposed on a daily basis to critical health risks while interacting with the public due to the nature of their jobs

3. Provide COVID-19 specific support to the Piedmont Unified School District by providing funding toward a temporary full-time school nurse to assist PUSD in its COVID-19 response. Such resource would be available to support the City’s Recreation Department COVID response needs as well.

AGENDA >2021-09-23 Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee Agenda

READ  FULL STAFF REPORT >2021-09-23 ARPA Funding Direction – BAFPC

 Piedmont Unified School School District Board Meeting

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2021 – 7:00 pm PUSD District Office Board Room

– Join Zoom Webinar 760 Magnolia Ave., Piedmont, CA 94611  Click on notice below for full details on participation and backup information.

 The Board of Education will discuss and may take action on the following items. Public comment will be invited before action is taken.

● Second Reading, Revised Board Policy and Administrative Regulation 5141.31 – Immunizations – Read full background.

● Approve and Adopt Resolution 09-2021-22 – Temporary Borrowing from the Alameda County Treasury Department

● Approve and Adopt Resolution 10-2021-22 – Annual Public Hearing on Sufficiency of Instructional Materials

● Approve and Adopt Resolution 11-2021-22 – Assignment Outside of Credentialed Area

● Approve Substitute Teacher Rate of Pay Increase – Read full background.

● Conduct Public Hearing on First Reading of 2021-22 Contract Openers between the District and the Association of Piedmont Teachers (APT) – Read full background.

● Conduct Public Hearing on Second Reading of the 2021-22 Contract Openers between the District and the California School Employees Association (CSEA) – Read full background.

● Approve and Adopt Resolution 12-2021-22 – Declaration of Surplus Property

This summary is provided for the community’s information and convenience. Read the full agenda and instructions for joining the meeting webinar below:

> What’s Coming Up – 9-22-21.docx

Complete Agenda > https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/SB_Meetings/ViewMeeting.aspx?S=36030373&MID=8386

Piedmont Unified School District Board Meeting Summary – September 14,  2021

Enrollment in schools throughout California has been on the decline, including in Piedmont. 

For the 2021-2022 School year under the current policies 41 approved Interdistrict transfer students enrolled in TK -5th grade and 12 approved Interdistrict transfer students enrolled in 6th -11th grade as of 8/37/21. Interdistrict transfers are students enrolled in Piedmont schools who originate from another school district.

In order to mitigate the loss of what could be considerable funding for our
schools, District staff recommended that the Interdistrict transfer policy be revised:

1. Permit the option of accepting the Interdistrict transfers of students at all grade
   levels.
2.  Allow for more flexibility in accepting the Interdistrict transfers of families whose grandparents reside in Piedmont.
3.  Reflect language that adheres to recent changes in the Education Code.

Highlights of the Current Interdistrict Transfer Policy :

1. The Superintendent or designee may approve interdistrict transfer requests when
   capacity within the District exists. Students whose requests are denied solely
   because of lack of capacity within the District will be placed on a waiting list, and
   their application will be considered if space becomes available.

The decision to admit out-of-District students is discretionary, when capacity
exists; applications may be approved based on the following priorities:
1. Parents Constructing or Remodeling a Home
2. High School Juniors and Seniors Who Have Moved Out of the District
3. Children of Piedmont Unified School District Employees
4. Children of the City of Piedmont Government Employees
5. Children of the Piedmont Educational Foundation Director
6. Children Residing on Calvert Court
7. Residences on Approved Piedmont Split Parcel Properties
8. GrandParent – Grandchild of an Individual(s) Who Lives Within the
Boundaries of PUSD

9.Approved Split Parcels with Oakland and Adjoining Minor Piedmont Parcel

10. Other Applicants

Outdoor Masking:

Superintendent Booker reviewed the District’s requirements regarding outdoor masking. At its last meeting, the Health & Safety Steering Committee was asked if there was an ‘off-ramp’ where the District could consider rolling back or eliminating the outdoor requirement. Discussion centered around that being outdoors is not a cure for COVID – aerosol transmission is still possible. Suggestion was made to wait until Alameda County falls to below five cases per 100,000 residents (currently at 13.5) before considering any changes to requirements.

Vaccinations:

The Committee will be asked if the rules should be different for vaccinated vs. unvaccinated students at its next meeting on September 29th.

As of September 13th, 83% of families had responded that 74% of eligible students  were fully vaccinated.

Revised Board Policy and Administrative Regulation 5141.31 – Immunizations

– Revised policy would add the COVID vaccination to the existing list of
vaccinations required for enrollment in PUSD. All age-eligible students would be required to show proof of vaccination or submit a medical exemption and be tested weekly. Questions to be answered before Board approval would be: what dates should be chosen as deadlines to show proof of vaccinations, how much time should students be given to become vaccinated once becoming age-eligible, and should the mandate be for students 12 and older, or 16 and older to fall under FDA approval for the Pfizer vaccine? Board will discuss and take possible action at its September 22nd meeting.

Next Regular School Board Meeting – Wednesday, September 22nd, 7 pm

Where are we now?

Back by popular demand – please join the League of Women Voters Piedmont to hear the latest on Covid-19 from our all-time most viewed speaker, internationally renowned epidemiologist and Piedmont resident, Dr. George Rutherford. As we are all aware, Dr. Rutherford has been instrumental in helping the Bay Area contend with Covid and is quoted frequently in the media.  He will address the latest findings, the status of delta and other variants and the likely effectiveness of boosters and therapeutics.  He will also speak about Covid safety for schools.

Date:  Wednesday, September 15, 2021
Time:  4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.

>Register for Zoom Link

Dr. Rutherford leads the Global Strategic Information group within UCSF’s Institute for Global Health Sciences. He is the Salvatore Pablo Lucia Professor of Epidemiology, Preventive Medicine, Pediatrics and History; Head of the Division of Infectious Disease and Global Epidemiology in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics in School of Medicine at UCSF and Professor of Epidemiology and Health Administration in the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley.

Educated at Stanford University and Duke University School of Medicine, he is board certified in pediatrics and in general preventive medicine and public health. He has worked extensively in public health, with an emphasis on the epidemiology and control of communicable diseases, both domestically and internationally and has held a number of positions in public health agencies, including having served as State Health Officer and State Epidemiologist for California, Director of the AIDS Office for the San Francisco Department of Public Health, Director of Immunizations for the New York City Department of Health and an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer at CDC.

Register above to receive an email with the Zoom link information.

This program will be recorded, and you can also watch it live  or at a later date on LWVP  YouTube channel.

What’s Coming Up . . at the

8-25-2021, 7 pm

School Board Meeting?

The Piedmont Unified School District has a new Director of Communications & Community Relations, Brian Killgore,      bkillgore@piedmont.k12.ca.us. 

Director Killgore has already made a significant difference in providing information on the School District to the community.

Piedmont Unified School School District Board Meeting Wednesday, August 25th, 2021 – 7:00 pm PUSD District Office Board Room – Join Zoom Webinar 760 Magnolia Ave., Piedmont, CA 94611    Agenda > here.

Presentation –

● The Piedmont Education Foundation will present a donation of $2,750,000 to the District.

Discussion –

● District staff will provide the Board of Education with an overview of the District’s COVID-19 Staff Testing/Vaccination Program.

● District staff will provide the Board of Education with an overview of the PUSD Health and Safety Steering Committee.

● District staff and the Board of Education will discuss issues and options regarding student vaccinations.

Action –

The Board of Education will discuss and may take action on the following items. Public comment will be invited before action is taken.

● Approve and Adopt Resolution 06-2021-22 – Authorizing The Establishment of Fund 08 Student Activity Special Revenue Fund.

● Hold First Reading, Revised Board Policy/Administrative Regulation 1312.3 – Uniform Complaint Procedures.

● First Reading, Revised Board Policy/Administrative Regulation 5141.4 – Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Procedures. * * * * *

This summary is provided for the community’s information and convenience. Read the full agenda and instructions for joining the meeting webinar here. The PUSD Board of Education values community input and welcomes public comment during its meetings and comments via email at any time.  See link below.

READ the full notice with links to information and participation  SCHOOLS What’s Coming Up – 8-25-21 (1)

August 11, 2021  School Board Meeting:

Received Overview of School Reopening and COVID FAQ Development – Superintendent Booker recapped the first days of the school year and provided an update of recent developments regarding COVID including:

– Last week, families and staff were notified that masks would be required outdoors while on campus. This decision was not mandated by the state but is highly recommended. Supt. Booker explained the District wants to do everything in its power to protect the community and ensure in-person instruction can continue. COVID remains a presence in the Piedmont community and the wearing of masks is the best defense other than vaccinations.
– The District’s Health & Safety Committee will be reinstated as an advisory group to the
Superintendent. The Committee will be charged with examining and discussing all issues
regarding the safety of students and staff, and will develop recommendations for the
Superintendent to bring to the Board. The re-establishment of the Committee is a
proactive way to prepare for scenarios without relying solely on state guidelines. The
Committee will consist of two Board members, District Administration and local
medical/health professionals. First meeting will hopefully take place in early September.
– Daily screening continues for all students and staff. Each site is conducting its own screening to assist with contact tracing. Background information was provided to explain quarantine guidelines for both the vaccinated and unvaccinated.
– Cleaning/disinfecting, increased ventilation and CO2 monitoring continues in all
classrooms and facilities.
– Visitors to campuses will be limited. Volunteers will be allowed on campuses at the discretion of the site principal. Meetings with families will be conducted virtually whenever possible.
– The District’s COVID FAQ will continue to expand and adjust as conditions change.

Received Overview of Testing/Vaccination Protocols – Supt. Booker addressed Governor
Newsom’s announcement that all public education workers in California will be required to be vaccinated or submit to weekly COVID testing.

– Before this decision, Supt. Booker met with Board members, APT, CSEA, and District
Administration to partner on a plan for all District staff to be vaccinated or undergo
testing twice a week. The plan was announced to staff and families last week.
– The District’s plan – now affirmed by the state – provides an extra layer of protection for
younger students and anyone else not yet vaccinated.
– The District has applied with the County to bring a mobile vaccination clinic to Piedmont in the near future. Will announce any details as soon as possible.
– Information regarding the percentage of District staff currently vaccinated will be
provided at the August 25th Board meeting.

At its August 11th meeting, the Piedmont Unified Board of Education:
Observed a moment of silence in memory of the Piedmont community members killed and injured in a tragic automobile accident July 25th in Minnesota.

School Board Meeting Summary – August 11, 2021

Read the full summary with links > Board Meeting Summary 8-11-21

Next Regular Board Meeting – Wednesday, August 25th, 7:00pm

Rates of Covid-19 infection and severe illness have been relatively low among children. However, it’s worth noting that small numbers of children have been hospitalized from the virus, and it can cause long-term side effects like MIS-C and “long Covid-19.” CDC has not yet released data showing delta variant symptoms among children, but some children’s hospitals have reported increases in hospitalizations related to the delta variant.

medRxiv Advisory Board Daily Briefing 8/9/21

Read the complete article here

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS – C) has features in common with toxic shock syndrome and an illness called Kawasaki disease, both of which cause inflammation throughout the body.

“The syndrome is an inflammatory reaction in the body about four weeks after infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The initial symptoms often include fever, rashes, red eyes, diarrhea and vomiting, and may get worse over a few days. The inflammation can affect the heart, blood vessels and other organs, which can make some children very ill and in need of urgent care.”  Johns Hopkins Medicine

Read the complete article here

Delta Variant Surge Challenges Vaccines

A study published in medRxiv indicates mRNA vaccines’ efficacy against infection—particularly the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine—has dropped significantly since the delta variant became widespread in July.  The hospitalized patients reported in the study were in the Mayo system and affiliated hospitals in Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

Specifically, the researchers found that during July, the Moderna vaccine appeared to have an estimated efficacy of 76% against infection, while the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine had an estimated efficacy of 42% against infection.

Both vaccines had similar 21-day hospitalization rates, 21-day ICU admission rates, and 28-day mortality rates.

Venky Soundararajan, a lead author on the study, said based on the data compiled so far, the vaccines’ reduced efficacy likely stems from “a combination” of both reduced efficacy over time and reduced efficacy against the delta variant. “The Moderna vaccine is likely—very likely—more effective than the Pfizer vaccine in areas where delta is the dominant strain, and the Pfizer vaccine appears to have a lower durability of effectiveness.”

medRxiv Advisory Board Daily Briefing 8/11/21

Read the complete announcement here.

See July 29 PCA vaccine article here

Alameda County Information and August 3, 2021 Order:

Strong recommendations for everyone – 

Everyone is strongly encouraged to wear a mask in outdoor crowded settings and in non-public indoor settings, like a private residence, when you are with people you do not live with.

While fully vaccinated people are less likely to require hospitalization and less likely to die from variants, they may be asymptomatic or get infections.  

While COVID-19 cases are increasing and the Delta variant is spreading, everyone is asked to wear masks to help slow the spread of the virus. 

Eligible, unvaccinated persons are encouraged to get vaccinated to help prevent a future, even more virulent mutant.

We appreciate, applaud and encourage the School Board’s and District Administration’s consideration of a requirement that all PUSD teachers and staff to be vaccinated, subject to valid medical and religious exemptions. This will further reduce the risk of COVID-19 infections in our schools, particularly for students under 12 years old, for whom vaccination is not yet available, and staff who cannot be vaccinated for medical or religious reasons.

The University of California, the California State University, and some community colleges already have adopted such a policy for faculty, staff and students.That’s common sense as more children are getting sick with COVID-19, and more of them are being hospitalized or suffering from “long COVID” symptoms.

Although California law currently requires K-12 students to be immunized against a variety of diseases, it currently does not require public school teachers and staff to be immunized against the same diseases. A possible explanation is that the Legislature has not addressed this issue because (a) students must be immunized absent a medical or religious exemption, and so are less likely to get sick if exposed to an infected staff member; and (b) most staff members themselves were immunized when they were children. Neither rationale applies to COVID-19, for which vaccines have just become available and which are not yet available to children under 12 years old.

We suspect and hope that many, if not all, PUSD teachers and staff already are immunized against COVID-19. A PUSD vaccination requirement will encourage any who have not yet gotten the shots to do so. Just as no one wants to be infected with COVID-19, no one wants to be responsible for infecting anyone else with COVID-19. Those who cannot be vaccinated, and even the vaccinated at risk of “breakthrough” infections, will appreciate a vaccination requirement for all PUSD teachers and staff.

Rick Raushenbush, Former Member of the Piedmont School Board

Barbara Giuffre