Youth and Family Action Committee

LA VERNE YOUTH & FAMILY ACTION COMMITTEE Minutes of the Regular Meeting June 27, 2023 1. A meeting of the Youth & Family Action Committee was called to order by Executive Board Member Kendrick at 6:30 p.m. Executive Board Members present: Executive Board Denise Fisher, Resident Greg Palatto, BUSD Board Member Don Kendrick, Resident Jason Prows, LVPD Eduardo Burgos, LVPD Hollie Savage, LVPD Joy Lindsay, BUSD Mark Rodgers, BUSD Gamaliel Polanco, Tri-City Mental Health JR Ranells, City of La Verne Erin Beilstein, City of La Verne Robin Carder, Resident Emily Turner, Resident 2. Review of Minutes Minutes for the January 24th meeting were approved. 3. BUSD Report Mark Rodgers shared that State testing results look positive this year. The district is still measuring the learning loss from COVID. They have begun to look into an issue with chronic absenteeism in students (over 18 days a year), recognizing that families are quicker to keep kids home if they’re sick and slower to return them. The District is working on messaging to families on the decision making to keep kids home and the importance of school, especially in the younger grades and looking into running an attendance campaign. Additionally, Mark shared that the district is continuing to integrate the Licensed Counseling Program, working with Tri-City, and bringing in team of counseling interns. 4. Summer Lunch Program JR Ranells shared with the committee that the Summer Lunch Program saw 80 kids on one of the days last week, while last year there was an average of 20 kids a day. YFAC applied for another Community Well-Being grant through Tri-City and was approved for that program. We will likely be a little short with the budget, (potentially $5,000 if we stay around the 60 Youth & Family Action Committee Minutes June 27, 2023, page 2 kids a day mark), but we can address that in the YFAC budget or work on some funding ideas. Recreation staff are at the park with activities and the Community Navigator goes often as well to help people who might need more assistance. 5. SRO Report School Resource Officer Burgos shared that the last six months of the position was a lot of relationship building with the students and staff. Bonita High School graduation went very smoothly from the Public Safety side. Looking forward to the next school year. During the summer, Officer Burgos is attending training to prep for the new school year. 6. School Counseling Program Gamaliel Polanco of Tri-City Mental Health shared that Tri-City is working with the school district to put the pieces together to get more interns in the schools. They currently have interns in four (4) schools but are hoping to be working in all eight (8) elementary schools next school year. The goal is that the Tri-City program will complement the district’s program and help fill the needs for the families. 7. Dan Harden Introduction Assistant City Manager JR Ranells shared with the group that Dan Harden was a BHS teacher, was the founder of YFAC, previous City Council Member, and has been very involved in our group. Dan has an opportunity to provide an ongoing funding source for YFAC through the Ruth Reed Foundation where he serves as President. Unfortunately, he could not attend the June 27th meeting, but the goal is to meet with Dan and someone from the foundation to talk about a partnership between YFAC and the foundation. The foundation is primarily art-focused, so YFAC will have the opportunity to be creative in ways to support the arts for students. In order to receive the funding, the Committee will need to become a 501(c)(3). 8. Public Comment Resident Emily Turner shared with the group about ways in which she is involved with the community, by talking with children and listening to them and their problems and concerns. She wants the group to find ways to provide parents with more resources on how to talk to their children about the issues that are facing them such as participating in a fair and having a booth with resources for both kids and parents. Youth & Family Action Committee Minutes June 27, 2023, page 3 9. Next Meeting The next YFAC meeting was scheduled for August 22nd, 2023. 10. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 7:26 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Erin Beilstein Management Analyst