Chino Valley Unified Board of Education: March 5, 2020

The board approved its second interim financial report and a consent calendar 1, heard public comment on Butterfield Ranch Elementary teachers 23, and closed with coronavirus remarks from two members and the superintendent 45. Andrew Cruz, Christina Gagnier, Irene Hernandez-Blair and Joe Schaffer were present; James Na was absent 2. The meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m., reconvened in open session at 6:00 p.m. after closed session, and President Joe Schaffer adjourned it at 6:57 p.m. 25.

This page follows the board's signed minutes, which the board approved on March 19, 2020 as part of its consent calendar 6. Names, motions and attributed remarks come from those minutes; recording quotes appear only where the minutes already give that subject to the speaker.

💵 Second interim financial report

The report, with actual data as of January 31, 2020, was due to the County Superintendent by March 15; the staff memo recommended a positive certification and says it reflects a balanced budget through 2021/2022 7. Irene Hernandez-Blair moved to approve the report and authorize the board president and the superintendent to sign the positive Certification of Financial Condition, and Christina Gagnier seconded; the motion carried with Na absent, and the minutes record that the student representative voted yes 1. The Champion's school notes column reported the approval the following week 8.

🔒 Closed session

The board met in closed session from 5:06 to 5:54 p.m. on anticipated litigation, a student discipline matter and public employee discipline, dismissal or release 2. Reporting out, it authorized the superintendent or his designee, under Education Code 44951, to release two certificated management employees identified by number, effective June 30, 2020; one is to be reassigned to a teaching position for 2020/2021 23.

📋 Consent calendar

Hernandez-Blair moved and Gagnier seconded approval of the consent items as amended, and the motion carried with Na absent 1. Before the vote, one item was pulled from the agenda: a new job description for an Athletic Director/Dean of Students 34. The packet describes a position to assist principals with attendance, student discipline and supervision of athletics and activities, at a General Fund cost of $132,819 including benefits 9.

• Legal services. The board approved payment to Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo; Margaret A. Chidester & Associates; and The Tao Firm 1. Their January 2020 invoices totaled $81,928.83, bringing the year-to-date total for the three firms to $590,370.31 10.
• Chino High reconstruction. The board approved notices of completion for two Phase 0 bid packages of the Chino HS reconstruction 11. The packet says both contracts were finished on February 5, 2020: Southern California Landscape, Inc. at $1,009,092 12 and New Dynasty Construction Co. at $1,086,463 13.
• Change orders. The board approved change orders for the Ayala HS New Science Lab Building and the Cattle ES, Litel ES and Oak Ridge ES alteration project 114. The packet lists a $21,706.43 wood-framing change at Ayala 14 and a $6,468 net decrease at the three elementary schools, whose revised total project cost is $27,417,877 15.
• Curriculum and trips. The board approved two new courses, Engineering Essentials (PLTW) and Hospitality Senior Project, and revisions to French 3 Honors, Health and Mandarin 3 Honors 11. It also ratified trips for Liberty ES, Ayala HS, Chino Hills HS and Don Lugo HS 11; Ayala's was the Every 15 Minutes program on March 5 and 6, for 28 students at $55.63 each, paid from a California Highway Patrol grant 16.
• Also on consent: the February 20, 2020 minutes, an expulsion case, warrant and purchase order registers, donations, fundraising activities, surplus property and personnel items 1114.

As information, the board received the first-semester expulsion report 4: 33 students were recommended for expulsion, 24 were expelled and 9 recommendations were revoked 17.

📊 Parent and family engagement report

CIIS staff gave the LCAP annual update on Goal 2, parent and family engagement, using the state's self-reflection tool 3. Staff said the ratings drew on written feedback, workshops and district advisory meetings 18, and that the district met the local indicator for parent and family engagement for 2019/2020 19. Asked from the dais what was planned next, staff named training for staff and parents in cultural competency 20.

🗣️ Students, employee groups and the public

Hailey Oestrich led the Pledge of Allegiance and introduced the Ayala HS JV girls' basketball team, Palomares League champions 3. Student representative Audrey Ing reported on high school activities 3, including Ayala's 16 two-day Every 15 Minutes event, which the report described as "a program that warns teenagers against the dangers of drunk driving" 21.

Brenda Walker, A.C.T. President, thanked educators for completing the LCAP survey, spoke about trust in education, and spoke about educators who will not be with the district next school year 3. On the recording she said educators "submitted more responses to the district than ever before" 22, asked of those notified they would not return, "is it just a numbers game" 23, and asked board members to visit "each and every one of them on the list" 24.

Dr. Molly Large of CHAMP said ACSA would honor district administrators Dr. Kim Cabrera and Trevor Carenzo on April 13 at the Doubletree in Ontario, and thanked Chino HS for sharing its practice field and track with elementary schools before the March 14 Youth Track and Field Meet 3.

Before closed session, Kevin Butscher and Richard Wales addressed the board regarding Butterfield Ranch ES teachers 2. On items not on the agenda, Kevin Butscher, Paulette, and Mary Butscher addressed the board regarding Butterfield Ranch ES teachers; and Don Bridge addressed it regarding the Chino HS jersey retirement ceremony and the Measure G Oversight Committee 3. The minutes record who spoke and on what subject, not what each said, so this page does not summarize the remarks.

Butterfield Ranch had been in the local news since January. The Champion reported that 24 of the school's 27 teachers had asked to transfer, reportedly over dissatisfaction with the principal's leadership 25, and that the principal was removed from the post "indefinitely" effective February 3 26. The Champion reported that about 300 people attended the March 3 jersey ceremony 27.

💬 Board and superintendent communications

• Andrew Cruz said he attended Ayala HS's Every 15 Minutes program; addressed the parents who spoke about Butterfield Ranch ES teachers; spoke about the coronavirus's effects on the community and said he believes it is a bioweapon and that it is causing an economic crisis; and reminded the public about Second Amendment rights for protecting one's family 4. On the recording he raised a "mandatory vaccine" as an example and said "at least you have your Second Amendment to protect your family" 28.
• Irene Hernandez-Blair spoke about the Stepping Up program for girls on March 7; said that after speaking with a high school educator, the district should consider a similar program for freshmen moving from middle school to high school; and spoke about a suggestion for professional development for educators who work with those students 5. On the recording she tied the idea to the "peer pressure that our students experience on a daily basis" 29. She also spoke about Butterfield Ranch ES's School Quality Parent Survey results 5, saying the school's leadership "was highly rated by parents" 30 but calling the parents' responses on fair treatment by race or ethnicity "extremely concerning" 31.
• Christina Gagnier spoke about the coronavirus being declared a state of emergency and asked Dr. Enfield to share district plans for an outbreak 5; she opened by calling it "an elephant in the room" 32. She also announced the Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce's Salute to Public Safety on March 19 at Los Serranos Country Club and its inaugural Pitch 2020 event for budding entrepreneurs on April 23 at Chaffey Community College 5.
• Superintendent Norm Enfield read a statement on novel coronavirus concerns 5. He said the CDC "maintains that the risk to the general population remains low" 33, that to that date there had been no positive cases in San Bernardino County, including the district 34, and that since January his staff had been holding regular calls with county public health leaders 35. He said a coronavirus section would go up on the district website the following week 36, along with a letter to parents, guardians, staff and the community 37.
• President Joe Schaffer spoke about the Stepping Up program at Don Lugo HS on March 7 and the city of Chino's Teen Advisory Committee, and listed six events he attended, among them the Chino HS jersey retirement and Ayala's Every 15 Minutes program 5.

🦠 What happened next

On Thursday, March 12, the board met in an emergency session called that morning and approved an emergency declaration giving the superintendent wide authority to respond; the Chamber's Salute to Public Safety luncheon was postponed and the March 14 youth track meet was cancelled, the Champion reported 38. The next day, Enfield announced that the district's 35 schools would close from March 16 through April 3 39.