The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District will have a board meeting this Thursday, February 1 in Malibu. Highlighted on the agenda’s docket are proposed termite treatment and inter/intradistrict transfer residency checks:
Establishing a Standard for Termite Treatment
This item will determine a standard for eliminating termites in its schools. The District wants to use non-toxic/low toxic method spot treatments as well as whole-building treatment when justified.
According to the report, Roosevelt was infested and subsequently fumigated, with more schools in line to be fumigated as needed.
After receiving backlash over the use of toxic pesticides during fumigations last year, the district used a heat-based treatment at Webster Elementary School in Malibu. The District then hired experts to compare the two treatments.
According to the staff report, the indications are the heat treatment was not totally effective with new signs of termites appearing since the treatment. The report also said there was no evidence the gas treatment left any residue.
“The staff recommendation is to establish fumigation as the district standard for whole-building termite treatment,” said the report. “Heat and non-toxic/low-toxic localized/spot treatments will still be used between major treatments and in cases where it is justified.”
The report said Spring and Summer treatment is proposed for Franklin, McKinley, Point Dume, Muir/SMASH and Malibu High School.
Intradistrict Permits, Interdistrict Permits, and Residency Checks
This item will provide info to the Board and public concerning how the District goes about conducting its intra/interdistrict residency checks.
Intradistrict permits let students attend schools within the same district other than their nearest neighborhood school. Interdistrict permits let students attend schools in other districts.
State law requires children attending public school to attend a school in the district where their parent or legal guardian lives unless they receive transfer approval.
Staff said it is the District’s responsibility to verify residency.
“The need to verify residency is prompted in various ways that include, but are not limited to, returned mail, high tardiness, and absenteeism, reports from other parents and community members, reports from individuals who previously signed affidavits, and student self-reports,” said the report.
If parents are unable to prove their student’s residency via documentation they will be questioned. If for some reason the line of questioning concerning residency fails, Campus Security Officers could physically go out to observe if transfer students are at their place of living.
Campus Security Officers will verify students residencies by “knocking on doors and/or ringing apartment codes” as well as talking with “on-site property management and/or neighbors,” said the report. The District notes that Campus Security Officers will identify themselves and provide business cards.
The district adds that residency checks “often are” inconclusive.
Other items on the agenda include English Learner program review findings, track and field replacement for Lincoln Middle School, updates to student wellness programs and campus improvement projects.
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