January 19, 2023: Board of Education Regular Meeting

This page takes names only from the adopted minutes, which the board approved on February 2, 2023 1.

Closed session and opening business

President Sonja Shaw called the meeting to order at 4:25 p.m. with Bridge, Cruz, Monroe, Na, and Shaw present, and the board went into closed session on litigation, anticipated litigation, student discipline, labor negotiations with A.C.T. and CSEA, two appointments, and personnel discipline 2. Reconvening at 6:00 p.m., the board reported that it had appointed Kathy Casino as Director of Purchasing, effective January 20, 2023, and had voted to ratify the initiation of litigation against Chino Development Corporation, Chino Preserve Development Corporation, and Chino Holding Company, LLC 2 2. The Chino Champion later reported that the suit concerned the developer's "duty to pay school fees" related to Cal Aero Preserve Academy and was settled for $2.4 million, announced in June 2024 3.

Student representative Maya King reported on winter sports, the return of Sadie Hawkins dances, student advisory council work on mental health, and the community's tribute to a coach who had died 2. The minutes record CSEA President Danny Hernandez acknowledging retirees' years of service, though the CSEA speaker heard on the recording introduces himself by a different name 2 4. Barbara Bearden of CHAMP congratulated Kathy Casino on her promotion, thanked a district team for its work through the storms, and urged parents to complete the site surveys 5.

Public comment on items not on the agenda

The minutes list seven speakers and their subjects: Aiden Flores and Tony Flores regarding Boy Scouts of America; Max Ibarra regarding student safety; Caity Martinez regarding special needs issues; Virginia Renteria regarding the new board; Jim Gallagher regarding school safety and active-shooter scenarios; and Lisa Greathouse regarding campaign finance caps 5. The minutes record subjects but not what was said, so individual remarks are not summarized here.

Character-education books: pulled

The first action item was a memo from board member James Na recommending that the board approve providing copies of Kirk Cameron's As You Grow and John Wooden's Pyramid of Success to school libraries, with an emphasis on youth character development; it listed the fiscal impact as unknown 6. Juan Villalba, Naomi Minogue, and Caity Martinez addressed the board in opposition 5.

Answering questions from the board, a speaker on the recording described current practice: library staff or students suggest titles, the principal vets the list, and sites buy books mostly through fundraising because the state no longer funds library books 7 7. The same exchange said no policy governs the board itself adopting library books, but that bringing an item forward is within a board member's purview 7. Discussion heard on the recording raised the risk of setting a precedent if titles came to the board one book at a time 8, and acknowledged that the library policy was outdated 8. Procedural advice said a motion to refer the item to a committee was too far removed from the main motion, and that pulling it would let a board member bring it back later 9 9.

Na moved and Cruz seconded to discuss the item. Bridge then moved and Monroe seconded to pull it, and that motion carried with Cruz and Na voting no; the student representative voted yes 5.

Naming Preserve School #2: Louis W. Moreno School

The staff memo said the board had opened a 30-day window for public suggestions on November 3, 2022 under Board Policy 7310, and that nobody spoke at the December 15 hearing; the suggestions ranged from versions of Louis W. Moreno's name to Wayne Joseph, Dairy Land, and "Schoolie McSchoolFace" 10.

Phil DuBois, Mike Garcia, Yolanda Holguin, and James Holguin addressed the board in favor of naming the school after Louis W. Moreno 5. The Champion described Moreno as a former Chino Police Department captain who served on the school board from 1981 to 1989, grew up in The Preserve, and founded several community groups 11. Before the motions, staff reminded the board that the campus is a K-8 school, so names ending in "Elementary" do not fit, and asked it to avoid a STEM or STEAM title because such programs take years to staff and build 12 12.

Cruz moved and Bridge seconded to open discussion. A motion by Cruz, seconded by Na, to name the school Louis W. Moreno Academy failed, with Bridge, Monroe, and Shaw voting no. Bridge then moved and Na seconded to name it Louis W. Moreno School, which carried with Monroe and Shaw voting no 5. The Champion later reported that Monroe voted no because he said a school should not be named after a person, and that Shaw preferred "Louis W. Moreno Dairyland Academy" 11. In her closing comments Shaw said she had first recommended the name Dairyland Academy and, after hearing the community, had planned to suggest Lou Moreno's Dairyland Academy 13.

Superintendent Enfield said the district was recruiting Cal Aero parents for a boundary committee, since the Cal Aero attendance area would have to be divided, and promised a presentation on the process at the next meeting 14; the February 2 minutes record that presentation 15. The name did not last: on March 2, 2023 the board rescinded its January 19 action 16, a reversal the Champion covered 17.

Bargaining hearing

Shaw opened and closed the public hearing on the district's initial bargaining proposal to the Associated Chino Teachers at 7:12 p.m., with no speakers 5. The district proposed to reopen Article 8 on evaluations and Appendix C on choosing grade-level and department chairpersons 18, and to continue integrating psychologists and behavioral counselors into the contract 18.

Consent calendar

Na moved and Bridge seconded the consent items, as amended, and the motion carried; the student representative voted yes 5. Among the items:

• A revision of Board Bylaw 9100 5; its memo, from Andrew Cruz, said he had asked in November 2022 for officers to be elected by rotation, and that the revision also reflected AB 486's new dates for the organizational meeting 19.
• Payment for legal services to Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo; Margaret A. Chidester & Associates; and Tao Rossini, APC 5, whose November invoices the packet totaled at $55,097.37 20.
• The 2023 Supplemental Summer Instruction Program and Special Education Extended School Year 21, estimated in the packet at $805,000 22.
• Revisions to Board Policy 6143, adding the AB 132 requirement that each 12th grader complete a federal or California Dream Act financial aid application or an opt-out form 21 23, and to Board Policy 6146.1, restoring under AB 185 the option of a career technical education course in place of the arts or world language requirement 21 24.
• A purchase order register the packet put at $10,462,244.44 21 25; a vehicle bid award to A-Z Bus Sales, Inc., the only bid listed, at $89,874.28 21 26; and a revision of Board Policy 3430 on district investments, meant to capture higher yields for longer while keeping access to funds 21 27.
• Routine items including three student expulsion cases, construction change orders 21 21, and personnel items 28.

Audits and information items

Scott Bradach of Eide Bailly LLP (printed "Eidie Bailly" in the minutes) presented the 2021/2022 financial audit and the Measure G financial and performance audit 28. On the recording he described unmodified, or clean, opinions on the financial statements, federal programs, and state compliance, with no findings 29 29 29. For Measure G he said, as captioned, that the sample covered about $26.6 million of roughly $111 million in bond spending, with no deficiencies or noncompliance 29.

The board also received revisions to Bylaw 9220, adding a section on recalling a board member under AB 2584 30, and Bylaw 9223 on filling vacancies, plus the quarterly Williams complaint report 28 28. A revision of Bylaw 9323 on meeting conduct was pulled 5 28.

Board and superintendent communications

Don Bridge said he was pleased to see Louis Moreno nominated, reported touring the ROP facility in South Ontario, and extended condolences to the family of former teacher and principal Sharyn McCharles 28. James Na asked Dr. Enfield to follow up on special education and SELPA concerns raised by a speaker, thanked Chino High Principal John Miller for coaching a game so it would not be forfeited, and discussed letters from Canyon Hills Junior High students on social media and school safety 28.

Andrew Cruz spoke about officer selection returning to the rotation method, read a letter from a Canyon Hills Junior High student, read pages from As You Grow, and spoke about the spike protein in relation to vaccination and health 28. Jonathan Monroe invited anyone to meet with him and promoted a basketball rematch and the February 4 Russ Miller 5K 14.

Shaw praised a Canyon Hills Junior High teacher who taught students to write advocacy letters and said she wanted a resolution on the next agenda for a letter to Sacramento opposing the new SELPA extension 14; on the recording she described the proposal as extending, for two more years, the time districts trying to leave are locked in 31. She also asked Dr. Enfield for briefings on special education litigation 14.

Shaw adjourned the meeting at 7:42 p.m. in memory of Riverside County Sheriff's Deputy Darnell Calhoun 14.