FOLSOM-RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - At the FCUSD Board Oct. 5 meeting Ebone McNeil candidly related how her five-year-old son Eceon, a special needs “non-verbal” student at Williamson School, was reported the victim of being held and slapped by his teacher on Sept. 11th. He was later found wandering off campus soaked in his own urine, unable to ask for assistance. The parent later received a call from the school telling her they had lost her son.

Ms. McNeil spoke to the Board on how she experienced the whole environment around the school from when her son first enrolled. “Everyone was extremely unknowledgeable; that’s the only way that I can say it.” Giving extensive background on his experience, Ms. McNeil asked for termination of the teacher who is on administrative leave. “I was notified of the incident three days later in a message “written in haste” but none of the other parents were notified that their child witnessed an assault, and was still in a classroom where that was done. Would any of you like to know if that happened to your child? Those are the type of things we would like to see implemented.”

Superintendent Dr. Sarah Koligian commented it was a common goal for all concerned that this student “be safe, that an active investigation was ongoing, and that "we are committed to stay in contact and dialogue with you, and for Eceon’s placement.”

A number of speakers requested the Board at its following Monday meeting revisit the pay amounts offered to teachers. It was stated that the Rancho-Cordova schools were treated as “step-children” not receiving equity but only hand-me-downs from Folsom where some of its students have now chosen to attend, and that the next school to be built in Rancho Cordova would be between 2034-39 but bond money will run out by 2029.

The recent 20-Day Challenge initiative to keep attendance up and not be late achieved 96% of its overall goal.  Get early intervention was a conclusion. Under the program a child cannot stay at home without a phone call to home, and it was commented “no child wants that.” $10K incentives were offered and every school added incentives to their plan, with added funding for additional hours. “Attendance can be overwhelming, and is the No. One indicator for graduating high school” was a conclusion. 

Notable was that growth outpaced the average for the categorized Black and Hispanic students but there was no break-out on Asian or Indigenous students. It was asked how to make the point to students as to how much District funding is affected by one student missing one day of school. 

A motion was passed unanimously to expel a student.

D.T. Martin and David Stone covered priority updates on the new Raptor System, which is geared to security, and is a check-in and badge dispersal technology tracking who is on campus, and the total time they are there. Raptor applies to contractors as well.

On approving a financial consulting firm to help with a bond issue, there was discussion on the need for it, was it due to Prop 46, what would be the scope of work and whether the potential $200,000 bond would have to go to Ballot. Motion passed.

Minga is a hall pass monitor program for Campus Communication and Engagement. It is linked with Pure Data and PowerSchool that focuses on Lates.  Vista del Lago HS, Folsom, was given as an example that Lates drastically reduced from last year.  Data is being tracked, and it keeps parents involved as well as teachers.  Discussion was on kiosks and their locations for tracking students.

The Thought Exchange program, a survey tool that serves 200 languages, was discussed and it was shown that 16% of participants are actually school employees. It was described as “qualitative but bucketed into summaries and themes.” More involvement was recorded from Folsom than Rancho Cordova. 

A report was given that some students wish to have more of a summer break, followed by discussion of standardizing Spring Break so families could better plan for time together.