The Board Brief November 14, 2024

The Board Brief will be published by the central office following each regular meeting of the OPA Board of Directors. The Brief is designed as a reasonable summary of meeting content to keep the OPA community informed and is not an official record of meetings. To view official meeting minutes, please visit BoardDocs and click on the specific meetings of interest. Each meeting's minutes are presented to the Board for approval at the following meeting. For questions or comments about this Brief, please contact communications@opaschools.org

Dr. Fricker, Executive Director, presented the process and timeline for filling the open Board position. As previously announced, Member Paul Kagoo will not seek an additional term when his current term expires in January.

For additional information on the Board member search, including timeline, please visit our website by clicking on the image.

Dr. Henry, Chief Academic Officer, presented a detailed account of the funding and expenditure background for three grant programs:

1. Expanded Learning Opportunity Program (ELOP) funds before-school, after-school, and summer enrichment programs.

2. Educator Effectiveness Block Grant (EEBG) is one-time funding for professional learning for school staff to promote educator equity, quality, and effectiveness.

3. Multi-tiered System of Support (MTSS) Grant supports the implementation of MTSS and the certification of OPA staff in the MTSS framework and practices.

Funds received as part of a grant program come with specific requirements for qualification and how the funds are allocated for spending. OPA must strictly adhere to these requirements, with no exceptions. As a broad overview, funds have been and will continue to be spent on student learning and enrichment programs, as well as teacher professional development to support programs such as GATE, PBIS, and MTSS. For additional and more specific details on the fund expenditures, please view the presentation by clicking the image.

Congratulations to Mrs. Jaclynn Merlette on being appointed the new Chancellor of OPA-SOC!

Mrs. Merlette joined OPA in 2016, initially serving as an Education Specialist before taking on the role of Dean. Most recently she has served as Interim Chancellor for OPA-SOC. She passionately advocates for all students, ensuring each individual has access to a supportive, inclusive, and equitable educational experience at OPA. Mrs. Merlette is dedicated to collaborating closely with staff, families, and the OPA community to help every student reach their fullest potential.

The Board approved OPA to opt in and receive this grant. The grant provides a one-time allocation of approximately $100,000 to grow capacity in providing and enhancing school-linked mental health services, as well as prepare for a new statewide fee schedule to bill for those services. A report of OPA's plan for fund expenditure will be submitted for review in December.

Each school year, OPA executes a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) Teacher Induction Program to support OPA teachers new to the profession who need to clear their credentials. Through this MOU, OCDE provides professional learning and coaching to support teacher candidates through this process as required by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC).

The location of meetings rotates between the school sites. Meetings can be attended in person, viewed via Zoom, and live-streamed on our District YouTube channel.

• December 12, 2024 - Regular Meeting - South Orange County - 6:00 p.m.
• January 16, 2025 - Regular Meeting - Saddleback Valley - 5:00 p.m.
• February 20, 2025 - Regular Meeting - South Orange County - 6:00 p.m.