Board of Education — October 20, 2022

Overview

The board ratified new contracts with its teachers' and classified employees' unions and extended the same 8.75 percent raise and 2 percent one-time payment to management, the cabinet and the superintendent 1 2. A proposed 5 percent increase in the board's own compensation drew no motion and failed 2. Andrew Cruz and James Na were absent during closed session 3, and Na remained absent when President Christina Gagnier reconvened the open session at 6:00 p.m. 3.

The meeting fell 19 days before the November 8 election. Two people who addressed the board that night, Sonja Shaw and Lisa Greathouse, were candidates 1 1. Shaw went on to unseat Gagnier for District 3, and Greathouse lost District 4 to Jon Monroe 4.

Closed session report

The board reported appointing Cynthia Palacios as assistant principal at Cattle Elementary School, effective date to be determined, with Bridge, Gagnier and Schaffer voting yes and Cruz and Na absent 1.

Labor contracts and raises

Teachers. After a public hearing, the board ratified the tentative agreement with the Associated Chino Teachers (ACT), effective July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025, on a motion by Don Bridge seconded by Joe Schaffer, with Na absent; the student representative's preferential vote was yes 1. The staff report says the parties reached the agreement on September 28, 2022, and the association finalized it by a unit vote on October 12 5. The public disclosure lists an 8.75 percent on-schedule increase and a $2,205 one-time bonus 6, with a total cost change of $17,058,683, or 11.32 percent 7.

The minutes record one speaker at the hearing, Lisa Greathouse, and do not record what she said 1.

ACT president Brenda Walker, speaking earlier during employee representative comments, addressed the ratification 1. In the recording she said, as captioned, that 90 percent of the membership had backed the agreement and that members hoped the board would vote for it 8.

Classified employees. After a hearing with no speakers, the board ratified the tentative agreement with the California School Employees Association and its Chino Chapter 102, effective July 1, 2022, on the same motion and second, with Na absent 2. The staff report says the parties reached the agreement on September 30 and the chapter's members accepted it on October 11 9. The disclosure lists the 8.75 percent increase and a $1,000 one-time bonus 10, with a total cost change of $5,634,174 11.

Management and classified confidential employees. Sonja Shaw and Misty S. addressed the board on this item 2. The minutes do not record what they said. The board approved an 8.75 percent on-schedule increase for 2022/2023, a 2 percent off-schedule one-time payment and a revised salary schedule, on a motion by Bridge seconded by Schaffer, with Na absent 2. The staff report puts the cost at $2,076,108 ongoing and $472,636 one-time 12.

Cabinet. The same terms went to the two associate superintendents and three assistant superintendents on a motion by Bridge seconded by Schaffer; Cruz voted no and Na was absent 2. The staff report puts the cost at $110,012 ongoing and $25,146 one-time 13. The oral report required under Government Code section 54953 14 gave the new schedule's top step, as captioned, as $231,720 for an associate superintendent and $198,076 for an assistant superintendent 15.

Superintendent. The board approved the same increase and one-time payment in an addendum to Superintendent Norm Enfield's contract, with Na absent 2. The staff report puts the cost at $28,843 ongoing and $8,496 one-time 16. The oral report gave his 2022/2023 annual salary, as captioned, as $329,629 15, the figure the Champion also reported 17.

The board's own compensation

The agenda proposed a 5 percent increase in board members' compensation effective October 21, 2022, which Board Bylaw 9250 allows once a year, at an ongoing cost of $2,540 for the year 18. The minutes record that the item failed for lack of a motion and no action was taken 2; in the recording the item was declared dead when no motion came from the board 19.

Recognition and reports

President Gagnier presented Kris Ives with a certificate for being named by Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez as an Educator of the Year from the 52nd Assembly District 1.

Student representative Maya King reported on high school sports, college applications and career center resources 1. Barbara Bearden, president of the administrators' association CHAMP, spoke about Red Ribbon Week and drug use and announced that open enrollment for 2023/2024 begins in November 1.

Public comment

The minutes list the speakers on items not on the agenda and their topics. Sonja Shaw, Wayne M., Misty S. and Oscar Avila expressed concern about a junior high school teacher in-service focused on gender identity issues and the breakdown of parental rights; the minutes print Misty S. twice in that list. Michael Sherman spoke about COVID vaccine recommendations and motives for outside support in local elections, Cindy Foisy about CSBA and NSBA, policy issues and the COVID vaccine, and Caitlyn about board policy interpretation, application and loopholes 1. The minutes record topics, not remarks, so this page does not summarize individual comments.

Consent calendar

The consent calendar was approved on a motion by Schaffer seconded by Bridge, with Na absent 2.

Preserve II School. The board awarded the new-construction bid for the Preserve II School to 18 contractors, including Bogh Engineering 20. The staff report puts the total at $50,586,995 from Building Fund 21 and notes that the apparent low bidder for finish carpentry and casework withdrew over a mathematical error, so that package went to the next-lowest bidder, David M. Bertino Mfg. 21. On November 17 the board approved a correction: Bogh Engineering's package had been listed as demolition when it was the concrete, reinforcing steel and masonry package 22 23.

Air quality. The board approved a Phase 2 energy services contract with PacificWest Energy Solutions for improved air quality measures 20. The staff report says the work will replace HVAC units past their useful life, following a $3,642,000 round-two CalSHAPE grant the board accepted on October 6 24, and lists $7,670,605 from AB 841/CalSHAPE, ESSER II and ESSER III funds 24.

Emergency Operations Plan. The board approved the district's Emergency Operations Plan 20.

Policies. The board approved revisions to Board Policy 6142.7 on physical education 20 25, which the staff report says reflect federal recommendations for moderate to vigorous physical activity in children 26, and to Board Policy 6146.1 on graduation requirements 20. That revision reflects AB 101, under which career technical education no longer substitutes for the arts or world language requirement, and AB 181 on exempting eligible students with disabilities from local requirements beyond the state's 27.

The consent calendar also covered two student expulsion cases, a Don Lugo High School trip, change orders and notices of completion at Canyon Hills and Townsend junior highs and for a safety and security project, and agreements with National University and Eastern New Mexico University 20 20. It rejected a claim and referred it to the district's insurance adjuster 20. Four policy revisions, including the facilities master plan, were received for information 28.

Board communications

Joe Schaffer and Superintendent Enfield made no comment 28 28.

Don Bridge said he attended the Music in Motion tournament at Ayala High School and the Don Lugo High School college fair, where he would like to see more STEM and technical schools, and he acknowledged the retirement of Pilar Sevilla, a paraprofessional at Woodcrest Junior High who served the district for 47 years 28. In the recording he said, as captioned, that more than 60 schools attended the fair 29.

Andrew Cruz said he attended the funeral of former Chino Hills High School student Addison Conely and commented that she had not been able to take part in certain treatments because she was under 18 28. CBS Los Angeles had covered her early graduation ceremony in March 2022 30. Cruz also said the COVID vaccine had not been tested against transmission, spoke about the CDC's recommendation to add COVID vaccination to the children's schedule, questioned the purpose of the controversial-topic teacher in-services parents had raised at the meeting, and spoke about Critical Race Theory and a gamma ray burst from 2.4 billion light-years away 28. A CDC advisory committee had voted that day to recommend adding COVID-19 shots to the immunization schedule 31.

President Gagnier announced the Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce's Kids Entrepreneur Fair and Pitch Competition on November 5 at the Shoppes at Chino Hills, and adjourned the meeting at 7:08 p.m. 28.

In the press

The Champion covered the raises in its October 29 edition, quoting Walker as saying ACT "will continue to seek respect for teachers and staff" and CSEA Chapter 102 president Danny Hernandez as saying, "We all do better when everybody does better." 17

Notes on the record

The minutes say the board adjourned to closed session at 5:05 p.m. but met in closed session "from 5:00 p.m. to 5:20 p.m." 3. For the superintendent's contract, the minutes print Bridge as mover and Schaffer as seconder, while the recording, as captioned, credits the motion differently and no second is heard 19, so this page leaves that item's mover unstated.