WHWC NC Education Cmte Special Teleconference Meeting

This is a public special meeting of the WHWCNC Education Committee on  Oct 29, 2020 (Click for Revised Agenda with supporting documents)  (click on date to access the full agenda)

AGENDA – WHWCNC EDUCATION COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING

29 October 2020, 6:30 P.M.

VIRTUAL SPECIAL MEETING BY TELECONFERENCE

VIRTUAL MEETING TELECONFERENCING and PHONE NUMBER FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

In conformity with the Governor’s Executive Order N-29-20 (MARCH 17, 2020) and due to concerns over COVID-19, the Woodland Hills-Warner Center Neighborhood Council meetings will be conducted entirely telephonically.

Every person wishing to address the Neighborhood Council must dial +1 669 900 6833, and enter Zoom ID No. 930 6239 0507 and then press # to join the meeting. Instructions on how to sign up for public comment will be given to listeners at the start of the meeting. The public is requested to dial *9, when prompted by the presiding officer, to address the Board on any agenda item before the Board takes an action on an item.

GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS

THE AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT – As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and, upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to its programs, services and activities. Sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices and other auxiliary aids and/or services, may be provided upon request. To ensure availability of services, please make your request at least 3 business days (72 hours) prior to the meeting you wish to attend by contacting the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment by email: NCSupport@lacity.org or phone: (213) 978-1551.

PUBLIC ACCESS OF RECORDS – In compliance with Government Code section 54957.5, non-exempt writings that are distributed to a majority or all of the board in advance of a meeting may be viewed on  our website at : www.whcouncil.org  or at the scheduled meeting.  In addition, if you would like a copy of any record related to an item on the agenda, please contact Joyce Fletcher at (818) 639-9444 or email: j.fletcher@whcouncil.org

PUBLIC INPUT AT NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL MEETINGS – The public is requested dial *9, when prompted by the presiding officer, to address the Board on any agenda item before the Board takes an action on an item. Comments from the public on agenda items will be heard only when the respective item is being considered. Comments from the public on other matters not appearing on the agenda that are within the Board’s jurisdiction will be heard during the General Public Comment period.   Please note that under the Brown Act, the Board is prevented from acting on a matter that you bring to its attention during the General Public Comment period; however, the issue raised by a member of the public may become the subject of a future Board meeting. Public comment is limited to two minutes per speaker, unless adjusted by the presiding officer of the Board.

SERVICIOS DE TRADUCCIÓN – Si requiere servicios de traducción, favor de avisar al Concejo Vecinal 3 días de trabajo (72 horas) antes del evento. Por favor contacte a Joyce fletcher de la Mesa Directiva, al j.fletcher@whcouncil.org o por correo electrónico  avisar al Concejo Vecinal.

Notice to Paid Representatives – If you are compensated to monitor, attend, or speak at this meeting, City law may require you to register as a lobbyist and report your activity. See Los Angeles Municipal Code §§ 48.01 et seq. More information is available at ethics.lacity.org/lobbying. For assistance, please contact the Ethics Commission at {213) 978-1960 or ethics.commission@lacity.org

PUBLIC POSTING OF AGENDAS – Neighborhood Council agendas are posted for public review as follows:

• Council website – whcouncil.org and go to the calendar page and click on the date, then meeting and agenda
• You can also receive our agendas via email by subscribing to L.A. City’s Early Notification System at https://www.lacity.org/subscriptions

 AGENDA

1. Call to Order
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Roll Call
4. Approval of Minutes, September 1, 2020 and October 6, 2020 Committee Meetings
5. Public Announcements – (2) minutes per speaker
6. Public Comment Period (on items not on the agenda): (2) minutes per speaker

___________________________________________________________________________________________

7. Items for discussion and possible action:

 Item No. (1):  Neighborhood Purposes Grant for the Foundation for Pierce College earmarked for the sole purpose of supporting the Brahma Pantry

Discussion and Possible Action:

Over the past year the Education Committee has explored ways to support the work of the Brahma Pantry, a food pantry on the campus of Los Angeles Pierce College. The Brahma Pantry serves students by helping them meet their basic needs, but the pandemic-related campus closure has made it difficult to help alleviate food insecurity among the student population. Meeting food costs was difficult for many students before the pandemic and has become increasingly difficult because of employment loss and the looming threat of evictions. The committee’s fact-finding activities include several conversations between committee member Gina Thornburg and the pantry manager, as well as a visit to the pantry; a tour of the pantry last fall by three committee members; research on the plight of California community college students by committee member Dan Chernow; and a Q&A with the pantry manager, D’arcy Corwin, at the August 2020 Education Committee meeting. Therefore, the Education Committee finds that:

WHEREAS a recent research article in Ed Source (https://edsource.org/2020/community-colleges-struggle-with-students-food-needs-as-pandemic-increases-demand/634155) reports that 26 of 46 California community-college campuses responding to an EdSource survey continue to distribute food to needy students despite campus closures, while 21 reported an increase of applications for food and/or an increase in the amount of food being requested; and

WHEREAS rolled-over funds in the Brahma Pantry account are not being replenished by the state after Governor Newsom removed $11.4 million for food pantries from the California Community Colleges 2020–21 budget (https://www.google.com/search?q=California+Community+Colleges+may+
revision+budget&oq=California+Community+Colleges+may+revision+budget&aqs=chrome..69i57j33.12646j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#); and

WHEREAS LA Pierce College is the sole community college in the Woodland Hills–Warner Center Neighborhood Council district; and,

WHEREAS members of the WHWCNC Education Committee have conducted due diligence in understanding the need for monetary donations to support the hunger-alleviation work of the Brahma Pantry; and

WHEREAS the Foundation for Pierce College is the fiscal agent responsible for receiving and paying out donations to the on-campus Brahma Pantry;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the WHWCNC Education Committee recommends that the board of the Woodland Hills–Warner Center Neighborhood Council APPROVE the following Neighborhood Purposes Grant:

According to the Office of the City Clerk Neighborhood Council Funding Program, issue a Neighborhood Purposes Grant in the amount of $2,500 to the Foundation for Pierce College, earmarked solely for the purpose of supporting the Brahma Pantry’s hunger-relief activities, including grocery-store gift cards for students during the pandemic and/or the purchase of food items for the physical pantry once the campus is reopened.

Item No. (2):     Neighborhood Purposes Grant for Hi-SET Exams for Students of the West Valley Occupational Center

 Discussion and Possible Action:

WHEREAS, the West Valley Occupational Center (WVOC) in Woodland Hills is part of the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Division of Adult and Career Education, preparing students for academic advancement and an array of careers, and

WHEREAS, the HiSET exam is a critical milestone for WVOC students to graduate from their respective High School Diploma or High School Equivalency programs, and

WHEREAS, WVOC students in career tracks must also have a high school diploma or its equivalent to qualify for future employment, and

WHEREAS, the HiSET exam costs $185 per student, and

WHEREAS, the LAUSD does not have the funding to cover the cost of the exam, leaving this cost to the students, and

WHEREAS, not all WVOC students can afford the cost of the exam, and

WHEREAS, approximately 200 WVOC students take the HiSET exam annually, and

WHEREAS, the community of Woodland Hills benefits when its stakeholders are better prepared academically and technically for future careers,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the WHWCNC Education Committee recommends that the board of the Woodland Hills–Warner Center Neighborhood Council APPROVE the following Neighborhood Purposes Grant:

According to the Office of the City Clerk Neighborhood Council Funding Program, issue a Neighborhood Purposes Grant in the amount of $925.00 to the West Valley Occupational Center for the purpose of defraying the cost of more than five or paying for the total cost of five HiSET exams for enrolled WVOC students in the 2020–2021 academic school year. The number of students to benefit from this grant shall be determined at the discretion of the administration of the WVOC.

Item No. (3):    LAUSD Hygiene Project: Draft Letter of Interest for Sisters on the Street Pilot Project at Taft High School

Discussion and Possible Action:

WHEREAS, Sisters on the Streets is a non-profit organization serving the San Fernando Valley with a variety of programs, one such aimed at providing access to feminine hygiene products free of charge to the homeless and to the economically disadvantaged, and

WHEREAS, according to California AB 10 passed in 2017 and in effect as of January 1, 2018, free feminine hygiene products must be provided to students by all schools whose poverty to pupil threshold is a minimum 40%, and

WHEREAS, according to figures for 2019 published on the California Department of Education’s, California Schools Dashboard, some 63.3% of William Howard Taft High School students, approximately 1,480 in number, are economically disadvantaged, and

WHEREAS, Sisters on the Streets co-founder, Laura Rathbone, spoke to the WHWCNC Education Committee at its 6 October 2020 regularly scheduled meeting, describing a possible pilot program for William Howard Taft High School which entailed providing three feminine hygiene product dispensers and an initial supply of 3,000 feminine hygiene products,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the WHWCNC Education Committee will provide a letter to Sisters on the Streets articulating the Committee’s interest in supporting said William Howard Taft High School pilot project, with text as follows:

Laura Rathbone

Co-Founder

sistersonthestreet@gmail.com

Dear Ms. Rathbone,

Thank you for your recent visit to the 6 October 2020 meeting of the WHWCNC Education Committee. The Committee found your presentation compelling. As such, we are extremely interested in finding a way to support the possible pilot program for William Howard Taft high school that you described, the dispensing of free-of-charge feminine hygiene products.

As you outlined it, said pilot program would include the installation of three feminine hygiene product dispensers at William Howard Taft High School and providing of an initial supply of 3,000 feminine hygiene products.

Please keep us informed as to your progress in creating the Taft pilot program. The student peace of mind and the increased attendance that is sure to be realized from the program, is a benefit to all.

Best regards,

Bill Anderson

Area 4 Representative / Chairman Education Committee

Woodland Hills Warner Center Neighborhood Council

Item No. (5): Discussion of Possible Zoom Meeting with Local Principals, re: Long Distance Learning

Discussion and Possible Action:

1. Parents LAUSD Lawsuit
2. Next Steps

Item No. (6):   Possible New Projects

Discussion and Possible Action:

1. Optimist Youth Homes Pacific Lodge Girl’s Home, Area 6
2. Parents, Educators / Teachers & Students in Action (PETSA) Possible NPG

Item No. (7):  New Business

Adjournment of meeting:

 *RECONSIDERATION AND GRIEVANCE PROCESS – For information on the WHWCNC process for board action reconsideration, stakeholder grievance policy, or any other procedural matters related to this Council, please consult the WHWCNC Bylaws. The Bylaws are available at our Board meetings and our website at www.whcouncil.org