September 7, 2023 Regular Meeting

Chino Valley Unified School District Board of Education

About this record: Names, motions and votes on this page come from the minutes of this meeting. The copy on file is the draft printed in the September 21, 2023 meeting packet. The board approved it on September 21 1, and its final page carries the president's and clerk's signatures 2.

Overview

President Sonja Shaw called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m. with Bridge, Cruz, Monroe, Na and Shaw present. The board adjourned to closed session and reconvened in open session at 6:00 p.m. 3. The day before, a San Bernardino County Superior Court judge had granted the state Attorney General a temporary restraining order halting the board's July parental-notification policy 45. A new administrative regulation written to support that policy, AR 5020.1, had been placed on the agenda as an information item 6. It was pulled from the agenda, and the minutes give no reason 3.

Closed Session: A No-Fee Defense of the State's Lawsuit

Reporting out of closed session, the board said it had directed the superintendent to bring a recommendation to a special board meeting to retain a law firm that will defend the district without charging attorney fees in The People of the State of California, Ex Rel. et al. v. Chino Valley Unified School District (San Bernardino County Superior Court Case No. CIVSB2317301). The minutes record Bridge, Cruz, Monroe, Na and Shaw voting yes 3. Five days later, CBS Los Angeles reported that the district had hired the Chicago-based Liberty Justice Center to represent the board pro bono 7. The Champion reported that the board retained the firm at a special meeting on Monday, September 11 30.

Meeting Conduct: New Speaker-Time Ranges

On a motion by Cruz, seconded by Na, the board approved a revision of Bylaws of the Board 9323, Meeting Conduct. Bridge voted no; the student representative voted yes 8. The staff memo said the bylaw was being updated "to correspond with the practice of conducting meetings in an orderly and efficient manner" 9.

The redline allows speakers "UP TO" three minutes. It lets the president, with board consent, adjust speaking time by fixed ranges: three minutes each for up to 18 speakers, two minutes for 19 to 30, and one minute for 31 or more 10. It strikes two sentences: one requiring that any such adjustment be made equitably to allow a diversity of viewpoints, and one letting the president ask people who share a viewpoint to pick a few speakers to represent it 10. The bylaw's rules for warning and removing disruptive individuals appear in the packet with no revision marks 10.

Emergency Fire-Alarm Replacement at Liberty Elementary

The board adopted Resolution 2023/2024-14, asking the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools to let the district award a no-bid emergency contract to replace the fire alarm system at Liberty Elementary. Na moved the item and Monroe seconded it 11. According to the staff report, the fire alarm control panel failed during the school's first fire drill of the year, on August 29, and could not be reset. The system and its parts are no longer manufactured, and the district must hold a manned, 24-hour fire watch until a working system is in place 12. The estimated cost was $190,000 12. The Chino Valley Champion reported that the system was installed when the school was built in 2004 and that the district expected the new one in place by December 31 13.

Legacy Academy Moves to a Multi-Track Year-Round Calendar

President Shaw opened a public hearing at 6:44 p.m. on notifying the California Department of Education that Legacy Academy would open on a multi-track year-round schedule. There were no speakers, and the hearing closed at 6:45 p.m. The board then adopted Resolution 2023/2024-11 on a motion by Na, seconded by Cruz 8. The resolution says the school, at 16450 East Preserve Loop 14, is scheduled to open in 2024/2025 for about 1,200 students from transitional kindergarten through 8th grade, with TK through 6th grade on the continuous multi-track program 15. The board also received the school's multi-track attendance calendars for 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 as an information item 16.

New Assistant Superintendent

The board approved the employment contract for Dr. Hilda Flores as Assistant Superintendent, Curriculum, Instruction, Innovation, and Support, on a motion by Na, seconded by Bridge 11. Before the vote, the salary and fringe benefits were summarized aloud 17. The contract runs from September 11, 2023 to June 30, 2027, at Range 12, Step 4, or $198,076 a year, with a doctoral stipend of 4% of salary 18. It adds a $550 monthly vehicle allowance, dues for the Association of California School Administrators, 24 vacation days and 22 days of sick leave a year 19. The Champion later reported that she came from the Whittier City School District 20.

Other Action and Consent Items

On a motion by Na, seconded by Bridge, the board approved the 2022/2023 Unaudited Actuals Financial Report 8. The same pair moved and seconded the consent calendar, which the board approved 11. Highlights:

• Board compensation: Resolution 2023/2024-12 pays Sonja Shaw for the August 17, 2023 meeting she missed 11. The packet's resolution gives the reason as a "Hardship deemed acceptable by the Board" 21.
• Legal services: Payments went to Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo; Margaret A. Chidester; and Tao Rossini, APC 11. The packet lists $47,903.25 in July invoices across the three firms 22.
• Gann limit: Resolution 2023/2024-13 sets the actual 2022/2023 limit at $185,127,755.94 and estimates the 2023/2024 limit at $191,452,623.51 11.
• Programs and facilities: The Expanded Learning Opportunities Program 11 and Chino High reconstruction change orders 16.
• Human resources: A claim was rejected and referred to the insurance adjuster; the Coordinator, Security job description was revised; and a speech-language pathology assistant practicum agreement with Chemeketa Community College was approved 16.

Recognition and Reports

The board recognized Ayala High business entrepreneurship students Brady Smith, Ryan Chao and Shawn Choi, who finished in the top 14 in Sports and Entertainment Management at the National Leadership Conference, and their teacher, Art Boren 3. Student representative Chloe Kubeldis reported on the first meeting of the Superintendent's Student Advisory Council, Ayala's back-to-school night and rally, and the coming Battle of the Bone game against Chino Hills High 3.

Brenda Walker, A.C.T. President, spoke about concerns facing nurses and Fun Club staffing 3. On the recording she said nurses were "juggling a lot" and doing more than their share because of a nurse shortage 23, and that Fun Club was "bursting at the seams" and needed more staff 2323. Emily Lao, CHAMP President, said 32 district schools had earned recognition that week for their PBIS work 3.

Public Comment

The minutes list nine people who addressed the board on items not on the agenda, with these subjects: Glory Ciccarelli, Black erasure; Misty, supporting the board's action on parental notification; Eric Shamp, board purpose and function; Wei Yeh, issues at school sites; Byron Gonzalez, supporting the board; Art Bennett, Chino Hills City Council, an event update; Noah, teacher shortage; Lisa G., teacher shortage and parental notification; and Rachael Reyes, Legacy Academy boundaries 3. Their remarks are not summarized: the minutes record subjects alone.

Board Communications

• Don Bridge welcomed Chloe as student representative, encouraged people to attend upcoming football games, and congratulated Annalisa Contreras, Elena Rossen, Amy Dinh and Kaitlyn Uesugi on their selection for the 2023 Girls State Delegate program 16.
• James Na spoke about community member Eric Keltner and read "four quadrants of education" 16. As heard on the recording, they say the district exists to provide the best quality education, and that students, parents, teachers and staff need open communication 2424. They also call for a safe learning experience in which children are treated with love and discipline 2525.
• Andrew Cruz shared a student's artwork, spoke about attending a high school game, spoke about booster vaccines and masks, and donated a book about people coming together to Woodcrest Junior High 16. On boosters, he said there was no clinical data to recommend the fall booster for ages six months and up 2626. On masks, he said the masks handed out to children carry a label saying they will not protect against COVID-19 2727.
• Jon Monroe thanked Mrs. Yarboi, Ayala High principal, for inviting him to campus. He thanked Don Lugo High's counseling staff for meeting with him and said he looked forward to the rivalry football games 16.
• Superintendent Norm Enfield made no comments 16.
• President Sonja Shaw thanked Mrs. Yarboi; thanked three schools for hosting her and Dr. Enfield on site visits; spoke about staff behind the district's daily business; acknowledged the security team and Chloe; and urged the community to attend student events 2. On the recording she said the goal this school year was to visit every classroom 28. She also said the district had moved from four security guards at every site to a staffing formula 2929.

President Shaw adjourned the meeting at 7:15 p.m. 2

An independent, community-maintained summary of public records, not affiliated with Chino Valley Unified School District. Who said or did what comes from the minutes; recording detail for a named person stays within the subject the minutes give them.