DOWNEY - In an otherwise subdued Downey Unified School District board meeting Tuesday, perhaps anticipating challenging days ahead because the budget Gordian knot in Sacramento for one promises to remain uncut practically indefinitely (district funding depends on state apportionment), the board disposed of routine matters more speedily than usual even as boardmember D. Mark Morris lauded Kaiser Permanente for donating $20,000 outright to True Lasting Connectios to start the second half of the school year.Board president Barbara Samperi noted it too, saying that even though school was in summer recess a total of $35,000 in donations from a variety of sources (including Kaiser) was received benefiting the TLC Family Resource Center. Boardmember Willie Gutierrez commented that he was gratified at the return of the teachers and wished them "phenomenal success" the rest of the year. In other action, the board: *Acknowledged receiving other cash donations on behalf of Carpenter Elementary School; *Ratified/approved usual district business, including: the payment of convention and conference expenses and other fees; special education placements; purchase orders by the purchasing department; the issuance of payroll orders for hourly, overtime and Civic Center work performed by classified personnel, Adult School and Food Services; B warrants covering the month of July; the agreements between the Downey Adult School Career and Education Center and several clinics/medical groups to furnish practical dental or medical assistant training to its students, as well to its medical billing and coding students, and other disciplines (nursing assistant, pharmacy technician, and phlebotomy technician programs); change order with a contractor; in reference to DHS' modernization of Bldgs. J/K/N & L; the purchase of equipment in accordance with established purchasing policies and regulations; various bids on food as well as concrete products submitted by wholesalers and a contractor; and routine personnel items until subsequent action is taken by the Board of Education; *Approved the deletion of AR3111.1, Adult School calendar; *Ratified the Workers' Compensation self-insurance service agreement with York Insurance Services Group; *Approved agreement with SMART Business Advisory and Consulting, LLC for participation in GASB-45 actuarial valuation services program related to district-offered postemployment benefits other than pensions; *Ratified contract with the Los Angeles County Office of Education for consultant services related to the California School Monitoring Group, Los Angeles area, for purposes of water issues analysis and monitoring; *Approved the abolishment of one vacant position of maintenance supervisor and changes to the duties of facilities/construction manager; *Approved the establishment of two new limited-term positions in the clerical area for the food services division; *Ratified contract for participation in the Los Angeles County Regional Occupational Program (ROP) for fiscal year 2010-2011; *Approved the renewal of refuse/recycling system contract for the 2010-11 school year with CALMET Services of Downey; *Approved the piggyback use of the Santa Clarita Valley School Food Services Agency as a co-op commodity purchasing, commodity tracking and volume food service purchasing agency for the district and other purposes; *Awarded consultant services contract to a couple of qualified parties to administer the "Network for a Healthy California" multi-year grant for the food services department; *Accepted as complete fencing, concrete, and electrical work performed by various contractors; *Reviewed the slight changes in the proposed Downey Adult School course of study; *Approved the Title I schoolwide programs for Carpenter, Imperial, Lewis, Unsworth, Ward, Williams, East, and Griffiths, schools with a poverty level of at least 40 percent and thus eligible for needs assessment and corresponding student achievement plan and Title I funding; *Approved the schedule for elementary school bus stops for the 2010-11 school year; *Ratified the memorandum of understanding between the California School Employees Association, Chapter 248, and DUSD regarding proper procedures in the case of layoffs; and *Endorsed the actions of the superintendent on a couple of student cases, considered in closed session. The next regular pubic meeting of the Board of Education will be at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 21 at the Gallegos Administration Center, 11627 Brookshire Ave.

********** Published: August 26, 2010 - Volume 9 - Issue 19