Celebrations

Fullerton Elementary School Management Association (FESMA) President Mike McAdams presented Kids Fish On art awards. Kids Fish On is a nonprofit organization offering all children the chance to learn and experience sports fishing. Through art contests, education, and hands-on experiences, Kids Fish On brings fishing to new generations while respecting fishing cultures and preserving healthy water ecosystem sustainability. Superintendent Dr. Bob Pletka is a board member. https://kidsfishon.org

Insurance Enhancement Discussion

The district presented an enhanced insurance option protecting against sexual harassment and predatory behavior from outside contractors who interact with students during school activities. The upgrade includes monitored online training for contractors with additional guarantees. This discussion item will be revisited to see if the district wishes to upgrade the basic ASCIP coverage to an enhanced level.

Agreement with Delta Sport Group

The trustees were presented with the modified contract with Delta Sports Group to utilize a portion of Parks Junior High School field and a classroom during school hours to run an advanced sports training program. Delta offers programs for 6-8 grade elite athletes focusing on strength training, football, baseball, basketball, and soccer. Delta agreed to provide scholarships to qualified FSD athletes, offsetting the $1000 monthly price to participate in the program and other district requirements.

Trustee Hanchett believes bringing Delta to FSD school sites during the school day would create an expectation of universal student participation, while the program’s high qualifications and expense compromise the district’s goals for student equity. Outside contractor access to students during the school day posed another concern for Trustee Hanchett, who said students’ safety is a top priority. Dr. Pletka said Delta welcomed program participation for girls and students with disabilities who train at elite sports levels.

Trustee Sugarman saw the Delta agreement as an expansion of FSD student opportunities, continuing the district’s broad view, providing parents with different options for their children to experience, such as the theater groups and other 3rd party contractor programs already offered optionally for FSD families. She agreed that student safety came first. After making it as safe as possible, it did not really offer opportunities for bad situations to occur. The vote was 4-1 to partner with Delta Sports, and Hanchett voted against it.

The Delta Group is contracting FSD transportation to access bussing from Rolling Hills Elementary to Parks Junior High with optional transportation to their other facilities. The trustee vote was 4 – 1, with Trustee Hanchett abstaining.

Expansion of Elite Athletic School Schedule

The trustees voted 4-1, expanding district policy for the elite athlete independent physical education allotment from one to two periods and creating the possibility to expand elementary school participation from the sole participant, Rolling Hills Elementary. Dr. Pletka said he would bring the trustees into discussions (and a board vote) before expanding this program to additional elementary schools. This board policy change modifies the amount of time and makes the release time earlier for qualifying 6th-8th grade students to participate in an advanced physical education program.

Twenty-eight students districtwide participate in advanced sports training, and all participating 6th-grade students attend Rolling Hills through the I Connect program. I Connect provides students with core subjects in in-person instruction while allowing early release for advanced sports training. In a recent FSD family outreach to expand elite sports training program offerings, 71 families responded with interest in participating. Trustees voted 4-1 for approval, with Trustee Ruthi Hanchett voting against it.

Trustee Reports

The trustees attended the opening ceremony for Nicolas and Parks Junior High Schools’ collaborative Tiny House Project. Trustee Hilda Sugarman listed community organizations that donated money and specialized services to help the students finish the home.

Mr. Jeremy Davis, Assistant Superintendent of Innovation and Instructional Support, found a hospitable site to locate the tiny house close to Orangethorpe Elementary for an FSD family in need of transitional housing to utilize it starting late this summer.
Trustee Sugarman thanked the Phelps Foundation, OC United, New Dimension, Home Depot, and Ganahl Lumber as supportive community partners for getting this project funded through the Fullerton Education Foundation.

Trustee Bev Berryman shared how Sunset Lane Elementary 6th grade teacher Monah Chung coordinated with Vans Shoes, holding a “Walk a Mile in Someone Else’s Shoes” project where one hundred and twenty 6th graders shared their challenges and life stories by creating individual wrap-around shoe designs. Vans made unique pairs of shoes and offered a chance for ten students to keep their pairs while the others would be donated to Crittenton House, where unaccompanied minors are housed and supported in Fullerton. All students voted to donate their shoes and enjoyed sharing their stories with each other while passing the shoes forward to students in need.

The next FSD regular board meeting is June 11.