Chino Valley Unified Board of Education: December 14, 2023

At its annual organizational meeting the board replaced the officer rotation in its bylaws with a yearly election, then re-elected Sonja Shaw as president. Bridge and Monroe abstained on both the bylaw and the officer elections 12. A proposed 5% raise for the board itself was pulled during discussion 1. Teacher bargaining ran through the evening 13.

🏫 Opening business

President Shaw called the meeting to order at 4:25 p.m. with Bridge, Monroe, Na and Shaw present; Mr. Cruz was absent from closed session. All five were present when the board reconvened at 6:00 p.m. 4. Out of closed session, with Cruz absent for the vote, the board appointed Jami DeVoe as assistant principal at Legacy Academy, Thomas Rummell at Canyon Hills JHS and James Newcomb at Ayala HS. It also authorized notices of non-reelection to two certificated administrators 4.

Student Aliyah Kaylor led the Pledge of Allegiance, and the mayor of Boys Republic presented the Della Robbia Wreath to the board. Student representative Chloe Kubeldis congratulated students on reaching the end of the semester 4.

🪑 From rotation to election

Item III.A.2, a revision of Board Bylaw 9100 (Organization), came from President Shaw; the memo said it was being updated to match CSBA-recommended language 5. The redline strikes the rule that the board "identify its entire slate of officers on a rotating basis", with the rotation order, and substitutes: "THE BOARD SHALL EACH YEAR ELECT ITS ENTIRE SLATE OF OFFICERS" 55. The bylaw's most recent listed revision was January 19, 2023 6.

Amanda Swager, Lisa G and Sara Omari addressed the board opposed to the item. Jonathan Monroe pulled it from the consent calendar for separate action. Shaw moved and Cruz seconded the revision, and the motion carried with Bridge and Monroe abstaining 1.

Under Board Organization, James Na nominated Sonja Shaw for president, Jonathan Monroe for vice president and Andrew Cruz for clerk. There were no other nominations, and each was elected with Bridge and Monroe abstaining. On a motion by Na, seconded by Cruz, Superintendent Enfield was appointed secretary to the board 2. A motion by Na, seconded by Bridge, approved the liaison and representative assignments as a slate 2.

KVCR reported that Shaw would serve another year as president, and quoted a critic from the group Our Schools USA who said Shaw had proposed it to keep the office 7. The Champion reported Monroe, who would have been president under the rotation, saying he saw "a definite benefit of keeping the rotation," and Bridge asking, "It hasn't even been a year and we're changing it back?" 34.

💵 The board's own raise, pulled

Staff recommended a 5% increase in board compensation effective December 15, 2023, under Board Bylaw 9250 and Education Code 35120, at an ongoing cost of $209.00 a month 8. Glory Ciccarelli addressed the board opposed to the item. Cruz moved and Shaw seconded approval. During discussion Na moved, and Monroe seconded, to pull the item; that motion carried, with Shaw and Cruz voting no 1.

In the recording, the board heard that its last increase came in July 2018, at 2% 99, and that board pay can rise by no more than 5% a year and cannot be made retroactive 910. Concerns from the dais included how a raise would look during employee negotiations, and a suggestion to wait for a settlement with the teachers 1010.

🤝 Teacher bargaining

A.C.T. president Brenda Walker said the association wants a contract that reflects its members' work, credited them with the district's PBIS awards, and named its priorities: more support for special education students, and higher salary and health and welfare benefits to keep up with the cost of living 11.

President Shaw opened the public hearing on the A.C.T. initial proposal for a reopener effective July 1, 2024, at 7:36 p.m. Bobby Omari addressed the board in support, and the hearing closed at 7:39 p.m. 1. The current agreement runs to June 30, 2025 12. The proposal reopens Article 14 (Hours), seeking more preparation time and pay for after-school IEP meetings, and Article 17 on compensation and benefits, and addresses stipends 13.

Later, Don Bridge asked Dr. Enfield to explain why the hearing was on the agenda 2. The superintendent said that each year of the three-year agreement the association may reopen two articles plus Article 17, on salary and benefits, and the hearing makes those public ahead of next year's talks while this year's were still under way 1414.

In her communications, President Shaw asked Dr. Enfield several questions clarifying the negotiations to date 3. In the recording he said the board had directed staff to bargain fairly 15. Answering her questions, he confirmed that A.C.T. brought only a partial proposal to the first session on May 11, 2023 16, and its full proposal on September 28, which the district countered that day 1717. A.C.T. made no counterproposal on October 30, then countered on November 27, and the district responded 1818. A December 7 session was postponed to January at A.C.T.'s request 1818. This is the district's account of the talks.

In February 2024 the Champion reported that A.C.T. had declared an impasse 19.

📉 First interim report

Sandra Chen, associate superintendent of business services, presented the 2023/2024 First Interim Financial Report. On a motion by Bridge, seconded by Monroe, the board approved it and authorized the president and superintendent to sign a positive certification for the current and two following years 11. The memo said the report reflected a balanced budget through 2025/2026 20.

In the recording (figures as captioned), Chen described a $26 billion state revenue shortfall 21 and a Legislative Analyst's Office projection that next year's cost-of-living adjustment would fall from 3.94% to 1.27% 22. The budget included the district's latest bargaining proposal as of November 27, 2023 2323. Under the lower projection, she said, the district would still end positive under both scenarios, but its third-year ending balance would fall by about half, to roughly $20 million 24.

🛡️ School safety

Whitney Fields, director of risk management and human resources, updated the board on security staffing, drug education, emergency preparedness, single-point entry, cameras and WeTip anonymous reporting 4. Fields said security staffing had been increased at the high schools 25. Every school site has Narcan 2626. Measure G work has given each site a single point of entry, and new cameras will send real-time alerts on motion 272728.

CSEA president Danny Hernandez told the board that security officer Don Davis had saved a 14-year-old's life at Don Lugo HS using the newly implemented Narcan. He recognized senior security officer Leonard Washington for 42 years of service, and Fields presented Washington with a plaque 11.

✅ Other actions

On a motion by Na, seconded by Bridge, the board approved the 2024/2025 meeting calendar 11. Nominations for the CSBA Delegate Assembly died for lack of a motion. After a public hearing with no speakers, a motion by Na, seconded by Bridge, approved the Phase 4 energy services contract with PacificWest Energy Solutions 11, funded by $6,000,000.00 in CalSHAPE grant money 29.

The rest of the consent calendar was approved as amended on a motion by Na, seconded by Cruz 1. It included roofing awards to Bligh Roof Co., San Marino Roof Co. and Letner Roofing Co., a track resurfacing award to Beynon Sports Surfaces, and rejection of all bids for the Ayala and Chino Hills aquatics scoreboards 30. The board rejected the claims on the agenda and referred them to its insurance adjuster 31.

🗣️ Public comment

On items not on the agenda, the minutes list Glory Ciccarelli on SPEAAC and Lisa G on board members' attendance at the CSBA conference 11. Their remarks are not summarized here: the minutes record only each speaker's subject.

🏛️ Board communications

• James Na thanked Carl Hampton for his long service to the district and acknowledged district staff 2.
• Don Bridge spoke about attending the CSBA conference and said he believes it is incumbent on board members to take part in such conferences 2.
• Jonathan Monroe explained why he did not attend the CSBA conference 2; in the recording he said he had started a new job and had no days to take off 32.
• Andrew Cruz presented Dr. Enfield with a wood carving made by an 8-year-old student, said he had attended CSBA conferences since 2012 except the most recent, and admonished previous board members for having children wear masks 2.
• Superintendent Enfield thanked Bridge for acknowledging Dr. Park's CSBA presentation and said other educational organizations had also recognized the district 3. In the recording he named Policy Analysis for California Education as one 3333.
• President Shaw spoke about Ayala HS receiving a Golden Bell, said it was irresponsible to hold the CSBA conference in a location where safety is a concern, and thanked staff for handling investigations being conducted against the district 3.

President Shaw adjourned the meeting at 8:53 p.m. 3.

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An independent, community-maintained summary of public records, not affiliated with Chino Valley Unified School District. Names, motions and votes come from the adopted minutes; the recording is used only for detail within the subjects the minutes assign.