Chino Valley Unified Board of Education: February 1, 2024

The board turned down a rewrite of its own bylaw on hiring lawyers. Bridge, Cruz, Na and Monroe are recorded voting no, Cruz having moved the item 1. Much of the evening went to teachers' concerns: the A.C.T. president and a long run of public speakers pressed the board on pay, vacancies, special-education workloads and speech-pathologist caseloads as contract talks continued 11. The board adopted a schoolwide Title I program for Rhodes Elementary and approved the consent calendar 1.

🏫 Opening business

President Shaw called the meeting to order at 4:45 p.m. with Bridge, Cruz, Monroe, Na and Shaw present 2. Out of closed session, the board appointed Kitt Madkin as assistant principal at Glenmeade Elementary, effective date to be determined 2.

Student Shaant Puri led the Pledge of Allegiance. President Shaw recognized Ayala High's Entrepreneur team, and security officer Don Davis and bus driver Yicela (Gigi) Davila "for their actions to save the life of a student in distress" 2.

Student representative Chloe Kubeldis reported on school sports and leadership applications and thanked educators 2. In the recording she thanked educators "as negotiations continue" for their sacrifices "despite the wages that they are being paid" 3.

🍎 The unions at the microphone

Brenda Walker, A.C.T. president, spoke about the district's respect for its teachers, about vacancies, and about special-education and speech-pathologist workloads. She said the association wants its members compensated for the cost-of-living increase without putting the district in financial distress, and is anxious to bargain in good faith 1. In the recording she put the vacancy count at 20, as captioned, and said the cause "all boils down to a lack of respect" 33. She noted that districts must hold 3% of the budget in reserves while the district's percentage is "in the double digits" 44, and closed: "accolades Kudos and trinkets are nice but those won't help us to pay our bills" 4.

Emily Lao, CHAMP president, shared highlights from a day working with sixth-grade teachers, principals, coaches and district administrators alongside a mathematics expert 1.

Talks did not settle. Later in February the Champion reported that A.C.T. had declared an impasse; the union had been negotiating since April 2023 for a raise, better benefits, smaller special-education classes, more prep time and caseload support for speech-language pathologists 5.

🗣️ Twenty-four speakers from the audience

The minutes list these speakers on items not on the agenda: Kristi Hirst, Lance Preston, Edgar, Nick Wilson, Katherine Gardner, Bree R, Bridget Ayres, Ashlee Peters, Darlene Berg, Mindy S, Sara Omari, Kelly Stuart, Elder Cashey, Misty S, Sarah Palmer, Bobby Omari, Claudia Cruz, Xavier Guzman, Cathy Lopez, Byron Gonzalez, Lauren Andruska-Heyen, Brooke Tierney, Kristal and Wei Yeh. The minutes give each a subject, and list one speaker in support of the board 1. Names come only from the minutes, so the themes below come from the recording without names and not in speaking order:

• Special-education workload. At least one speaker said secondary special-education teachers do three jobs and are "only given one 49 to 55 minute prep period" 6, and that seven special-education positions were open, as captioned 7.
• Speech-language pathologist caseloads. The recording includes the statements that state law caps the average caseload for language, speech and hearing specialists at 55 while the bargaining agreement sets no limit 8; that current caseloads include 67, 85 and 97 students 9; that neighboring districts had adopted caseload caps 9; and that 72% of the district's speech-language pathologists report they cannot finish essential duties during the workday 99.
• Pay and vacancies. At least one speaker urged the district to "engage in good faith negotiations" 10. At least one said a school had twice been turned down by English-teacher candidates "because our pay is too low" 1111.
• Criticism of the board. At least one speaker said the board's policies are "targeting specific students" 12.
• Support for the board. At least one speaker praised the board's leadership 13.
• Other subjects in the minutes include apprenticeships and board members attending Glendora school board meetings 1.

⚖️ The legal-services bylaw fails

Board Bylaw 9124 (Legal Services) came to the board from the superintendent "to correspond with CSBA recommended language," after a first look on January 18, 2024 14. The redline would have made a request for proposals optional when the district seeks counsel, and changed the board's annual evaluation of its lawyers to a periodic one 15. The bylaw as last revised on May 18, 2023 15 requires an RFP and an annual evaluation 16.

Amanda Swager addressed the board opposed to the item 1. In the recording, the superintendent told the board the district has used CSBA language for about 25 years, modified where it conflicts with bargaining agreements 1717, and that working with legal counsel he could probably provide policies better suited to the district "at a cheaper rate than what we pay through csba" 18. From the dais, at least one member said CSBA language "does not align with our district" and asked staff to look into when the contract ends 18.

Cruz moved the revision and Na seconded it. The motion failed, with Bridge, Cruz, Na and Monroe recorded voting no; the student representative also voted no 1.

✅ Action and consent

The board adopted the Schoolwide Title I Program for Rhodes Elementary for 2023/2024, on a motion by Na seconded by Monroe 1. Staff explained that a schoolwide program lets a school where at least 40% of students come from low-income families redesign its whole program for all students 19.

No member pulled a consent item 20. The consent calendar was approved as amended on a motion by Na seconded by Bridge 1. It included:

• The January 18 minutes, and a revision of Board Bylaw 9321 (Closed Session) with its two exhibits 1. Staff said the update follows the appellate ruling in Fowler v. City of Lafayette on recorded threats of litigation 2122.
• Payment for legal services to Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo; Margaret A. Chidester & Associates; and Tao Rossini, APC 23. The staff memo listed December invoices of $84,132.78, bringing the year-to-date total to $482,583.69 24.
• Two student admission cases, one expulsion case, school-sponsored trips, contractor agreements, surplus property, change orders and three piggyback-contract resolutions 23.
• Personnel items, yellow-sheeted earlier in the meeting 1, and the rejection of a claim, referred to the district's insurance adjuster 23. The claim alleged vehicle damage and personal injury after a district employee driving a district vehicle collided with the claimant's car 25.

The board also received, for information, a resolution to issue up to $143,500,133.25 in general obligation bonds, the fourth series under 2016's Measure G 2325. It adopted the resolution on February 15, 2024 26.

🗓️ Board communications

• Don Bridge congratulated the Chino High wrestling team, CIF dual-meet champions for their division, and presented a certificate for Ayala High's Golden Bell honor from the county school boards association meeting 27.
• James Na spoke about parental involvement, respect for teachers and staff, safe learning environments and Ayala teacher Art Boren's work with students 27, and thanked Greg Stachura for removing obstacles at Buena Vista High for students who walk 27.
• Jon Monroe spoke about the apprenticeship program a speaker raised and about behavior at meetings, and said he hopes negotiations can be resolved. He thanked Dr. Enfield for the information on CSBA policy language 27. In the recording he asked both sides to "stay in there and grind out this deal" 28.
• Andrew Cruz spoke about supporting teachers for 12 years, an entry-gate issue at Country Springs Elementary and a possible buzzer system, and CRT "that brings the country forward," and shared information on long COVID 27. In the recording he offered to pay for the buzzer himself if it cost under $2,000 29, and said of COVID, as captioned, "this was a bioweapon" 30.
• Superintendent Enfield explained how the new district office is being financed 27; in the recording he said the district used land it owned to get the building built rather than spending money on it 31.
• President Shaw thanked the speaker who presented the apprenticeship opportunity, addressed legal billings associated with parental notification, and defended attending other local board meetings 32. In the recording she said, "I'm embarrassed our state sued us because we want to inform parents" 33.

President Shaw adjourned the meeting at 8:05 p.m. 32.

About the record. The board approved these minutes at its February 15, 2024 meeting 34. They twice call this regular meeting the "organizational meeting" 232.

📅 What came next

The Champion's 2024 year in review listed, under February, teachers and speech-language pathologists gathering at a board meeting to ask for fair wages, lighter caseloads and less paperwork, and said union members had begun "working to the contract" on January 29 35.

An independent, community-maintained summary of public records, not affiliated with Chino Valley Unified School District. Names and actions come from the minutes; quotations come from the recording's captions.