Lake Tahoe Unified School District board meeting wrap-up

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) board meeting on October 26 had a full agenda with everything from grant funding, Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe (BGCLT) information, staff development, and Career Technical Education (CTE) news.

The LTUSD Director of Financial Services Amber Smith and Accounting Specialist Marimar Perez Banuet reported that the district will receive about 30 percent of its funding for the fiscal year 23-24 (FY2023-24) from grant awards totaling nearly $21 million. Grants are awarded for CTE, COVID funding, Food Services, Special Education, student and teacher support, and other important programs supporting student learning and engagement. LTUSD also receives multiple local grants annually from grantors including the El Dorado Community Foundation, the City of South Lake Tahoe, Sierra-at-Tahoe straight A program, Vail Resorts EpicPromise, California Tahoe Conservancy, American Century Championship, Lake Tahoe Education Foundation and Gift of Literacy.

Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe (BGCLT) Executive Director Jude Wood presented a report on the Club’s current state to the Board. Ms. Wood noted that 347 children participated in the 2023 summer programs. Children were able to go boating on Lake Tahoe, go on field trips, boating, and much more. Wood noted that most BGCLT club members who were born and raised in South Lake Tahoe had never been on a boat on the lake before. She expressed gratitude for the strong partnership between LTUSD and BGCLT and highlighted a few new programs. BGCLT is now the vendor for meals for LTUSD preschools and Mt. Tallac students. Mt. Tallac students use BGCLT facilities for weekly yoga and art classes. Ms. Wood also discussed some of the challenges facing BGCLT which include having 132 children on the waitlist and struggles finding qualified staff. She announced that the club will launch a capital campaign to upgrade the Al Tahoe Playground. Superintendent Dr. Cutler thanked Ms. Wood for her efforts to improve the playground and hoped that the community would pass the bond in the future so the playground could be upgraded.

K-8 CTE Specialist Alissa Zertuche and South Tahoe High School CTE Department Chair Isaiah Tannaci highlighted the opportunities for students to explore their own unique path through CTE programs. CTE provides a connection between academics and careers. Ms. Zertuche and Mr. Tannaci partner with local businesses and organizations to provide students with interesting relevant experience so they can prepare for their future.

Students mix and match between taking classes and training within the four pathways: allied health; engineering; hospitality and tourism; and arts, media, and entertainment. Local hospitality and tourism businesses report that they are looking for students who are prepared for entry-level management positions. The CTE program is helping students prepare for these jobs. The K-8 program reaches 2300 students and the high school program offers 800 opportunities for students. Materials, supplies, and equipment are grant-funded, and LTUSD recently applied for a grant to fund a food truck for work-based learning.

LTUSD Education Services invited board members to attend the professional development day scheduled for Tuesday, October 31. LTUSD leadership, with input from the South Tahoe Education Association, created a day of learning for teachers and staff. Elementary and secondary math teachers focused on math due to the new math framework. Secondary teachers (except math teachers) focused on building an inclusive classroom with a diverse population as well as high-yield engagement strategies. Student Services provided options for LTUSD psychologists, counselors, special education teachers, and aides to learn about legal updates, crisis prevention, and evidence-based practices for special education aides.

The Board discussed the September and October Special 2023 California School Boards Association board policy and administrative regulation updates. If there are no changes to the proposed updates, the Board will vote to adopt the updates during the November 9, 2023 Board meeting. Trustee Turnbull suggested that the board consider a system-wide alignment regarding Board Policies 5131.9 (Academic Honesty) and 6163.4 (Student use of Technology) and artificial intelligence. Dr. Cutler agreed and will discuss this in the future.