February 18, 2021: Chino Valley Board Talks Through Reopening Elementary Schools and Calls a Vote for February 23

Chino Valley Unified's board spent most of this meeting discussing a return to in-person instruction for TK through sixth grade. It took no action, and asked the superintendent to schedule a special meeting on February 23 to vote on reopening elementary and secondary schools 12. Earlier, the board adopted a resolution releasing temporary certificated employees, held a bargaining hearing that drew no speakers, and filled two seats on the Measure G bond oversight committee 345616.

About this record. This page's record is the draft minutes of February 18, 2021, printed in the board's March 4, 2021 agenda packet (packet pages 11 to 17) 37. The board approved those minutes on its March 4 consent calendar, and the March 4 minutes record the approval with no amendment 8. People are named here only where those minutes name them, and remarks from the recording are attributed to a named person only within the subject the minutes give that person.

Opening and closed session

President Joe Schaffer called the meeting to order at 4:20 p.m. with Bridge, Cruz, Gagnier and Schaffer present in the Board room; James Na arrived at 4:32 p.m. Closed session ran from 4:20 to 5:27 p.m. on anticipated litigation (one possible case), labor negotiations with A.C.T. and CSEA, public employee discipline/dismissal/release, and the superintendent's performance evaluation, with no action requiring public disclosure 33. Board member Andrew Cruz led the Pledge of Allegiance, and student representative Justin Rendon was not present via Zoom 3.

Employee representatives

Brenda Walker, A.C.T. President, said the work done on COVID-19 vaccinations was appreciated, spoke about federal, state and county guideline changes, and said she looked forward to the discussion item. She confirmed that the association does not have a vote on the item but will keep working with the district to provide instruction to all students in any scenario. Emily Lao of CHAMP said administrators had been working on site all year and finding new ways to connect with students, families and the community 3.

Reopening TK through sixth grade

From the dais, the board was told the item was for discussion only, with no action that night, and staff reported receiving 24 email comments on it 9. The minutes list emailed comments regarding reopening in-person instruction from Kevin Butscher, Scott Rosen, Tina Gackstetter, M R, Jennifer Laddaga, Christina Salazar, Bobi Worthing, Irene Udo, Shannon Gomez, Humberto Lopez, Jenny Yee, Alina Ashurov, Michelle Escobar/Mrs. Guyer, Kristen Kim, Flory Welsh, Nicole Aguayo, Bomani Ora, Michelle Covarrubias, Lisa Fraga, Krystal Northover, Carri Schott, Tiffany Mc, Gina Crawford, Kristi Meyerd, and Christina Pranuik 1. The minutes record who wrote but not what each said, so this page does not describe individual letters. The Champion reported that numerous letters pleaded for schools to reopen, some saying children were suffering emotionally and academically, and that some parents blamed the teachers union for keeping schools closed 10. After the discussion, the board was asked whether it wanted to hear the two or three emailed comments not read in the first 30 minutes 2.

The minutes record that the board discussed in-person school reopening and asked the superintendent to schedule a special meeting for February 23, 2021, to vote on reopening elementary and secondary schools; no action was taken 1. On the recording, the item closed with a reminder that it was a discussion only, and a special meeting was called for Tuesday, February 23 at 4 p.m. 2

The Champion reported that Superintendent Norm Enfield told the board that, although the county was still in the purple tier, grades TK through six could return on a hybrid basis once new cases stayed below 25 per 100,000 people for five consecutive days; the paper noted that Thursday marked day four. It reported that he expected the red tier by March and that state and county health departments had already approved the district's reopening plans. It also reported that Board President Joe Schaffer recommended that TK through second grade return on March 3 and grades three through six on March 8, and that the superintendent said the special meeting's resolution would include those dates 10.

In a letter to families the next day, the superintendent wrote that the board had discussed reopening elementary schools as soon as March 3 for in-person Blended Learning, that the county now met the five-day requirement, and that the board had asked for a second action item on reopening secondary schools once the county reached the red tier. Families who chose Distance Learning would stay in it for the rest of the school year 11.

What came next. At the February 23 special meeting, according to its minutes, the board approved in-person reopening for grades TK-2 effective March 4, 2021, and grades three through six effective March 8 12, and let the superintendent begin in-person instruction for grades seven through 12 when the county meets state guidelines 12.

Personnel resolution and bargaining hearing

On a motion by Christina Gagnier, seconded by Don Bridge, the board adopted a resolution releasing temporary certificated employees, with notice of release effective June 30, 2021 3. On the recording, the motion is announced as carrying before the board moves on 4.

President Schaffer opened the public hearing on the district's initial bargaining proposal to the California School Employees Association and its Chino Chapter 102, for a reopener agreement effective July 1, 2021, at 6:19 p.m. There were no speakers, and the hearing closed at 6:19 p.m. 56

Consent calendar and the Measure G committee

Don Bridge pulled item III.D.5 for separate action. On a motion by James Na, seconded by Christina Gagnier, the board approved the remaining consent items by roll call 56. They included the February 4 minutes, a new course in Agriculture Leadership and Communications, and a 23-member Career Technical Education/Carl D. Perkins Advisory Committee 5, plus a revision of Board Policy 5113.2 on student work permits 5, which the district's posted copy shows as last revised on February 18, 2021 13. Routine business, personnel items, each school's Comprehensive School Safety Plan, and a notice of completion for the Magnolia and Ramona junior high kitchen remodels were also on the calendar 511.

In the separate action, on a motion by Na, seconded by Gagnier, the board approved Adrienne Price as an at-large member and Michael Leeming as the parent-guardian member of the Measure G Bond Citizens' Oversight Committee 16.

Information items

The board received for information a revision of Board Policy and Administrative Regulation 6173 on education for homeless children, the first-semester student expulsion report, and the county's quarterly Williams findings report 1. It approved the Board Policy 6173 revision on March 4 8.

Non-agenda public comment

Email comments were read into the record. The minutes list Shannon McCurry, and Tiffany Mc regarding 2021 graduations; Lissa Fraga regarding Cal Aero Preserve Academy tracks; Sharon Duran regarding her children; and Linda Higgins and Brent Higgins regarding a special education student 3. The minutes do not record what each wrote, and this page does not describe the letters.

Board and superintendent communications

• Andrew Cruz spoke in support of student O. Estrada's return to distance learning, and about vaccine trials 7.
• James Na spoke about the possibility of returning to normal school life, and about being kind during these difficult times 7.
• Don Bridge congratulated teacher Doreen Kim on being named a finalist for the 2020/2021 California League of Schools Region 10 Teacher of the Year, said he had virtually joined the district's Science and Engineering Fair awards, and thanked Senator Connie Leyva for visiting special education cohort classes at Don Lugo HS 7.
• Christina Gagnier acknowledged the work done behind the scenes since the previous March to prepare for reopening, said the district had done a phenomenal job providing testing and vaccinations, and said she hoped to see students back on campus within two weeks 7.
• Superintendent Norm Enfield thanked Dr. Lally for his support in rolling out the vaccination clinic and Dr. Kim, President of Chino Plaza Pharmacy, for additional employee vaccinations, shared a letter from a newly vaccinated employee, and thanked Dr. Sherri Johnson, Nurse Sherry Ma and the school nurses 7. The Champion identified Dr. Lally as Dr. James Lally, chief medical officer of Health Service Alliance 10.
• President Joe Schaffer reported on Baldy View ROP grant awards and a Chino Hills utility box art pilot, said he had watched the virtual science fair, echoed the thanks to medical partners, and thanked fellow members for their input on reopening 7. He spoke about labor groups and reopening and thanked CSEA and A.C.T. members; on the recording he said both unions "want our students back" and had been "nothing but accommodating" 71414. He asked that nutrition staff have time to prepare campus meals and grab-and-go meals for distance learners 7.

President Schaffer adjourned the meeting at 7:43 p.m. 7

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