Chino Valley Unified Board of Education, May 2, 2024

President Sonja Shaw reconvened the regular meeting at 6:00 p.m. with Bridge, Cruz, Monroe, Na and Shaw present 1. Nearly every action item was about pay: two union reopeners, matching raises for managers and the cabinet, new contracts for the superintendent and two senior administrators, and a 5% raise for the board itself.

Two union reopeners ratified

The Associated Chino Teachers had declared an impasse in February 2024 after bargaining since April 2023, seeking a wage increase, better health benefits and special education resources that included more prep time 2. The district and the union reached the tentative reopener on April 5, and the union finalized it by a unit vote on April 19 3. Its disclosure describes an 8.22% on-schedule raise for 2023/2024, effective July 1, 2023, plus $3,000 annual stipends for speech-language pathologists and a new Step 6 for psychologist and behavior-intervention classifications 4, at a total cost change of $13,758,931 5.

Shaw opened the hearing at 7:14 p.m. The minutes record Oscar Avila and Jackie Cortes as its two speakers but not what either said, and the board ratified the agreement after the hearing closed at 7:20 p.m., on a motion by Na seconded by Bridge 6.

The CSEA Chino Chapter 102 reopener, reached April 9 and backed in a membership vote April 16 7, drew no speakers at its 7:22 p.m. hearing and was ratified 6. It sets a 7.16% on-schedule increase, with the chapter putting 1.18% toward longevity steps that rise from 6% at 10 years to 15% at 30 years 8, at a total cost change of $4,493,295 7. The Chino Champion's review of 2024 listed both raises among the year's local events 9.

Raises for managers and the cabinet

Citing its practice of extending bargaining-unit increases to unrepresented staff 10, the board approved an 8.34% on-schedule increase for certificated and classified management, and 7.16% plus a longevity change for classified confidential employees, effective July 1, 2023 6, at an estimated $2.2 million 10. It also approved contract addenda giving the associate and assistant superintendents the same 8.34% schedule increase and extending two of those contracts through June 30, 2028 6, at a cost of $115,000 11.

The superintendent's contract

The board approved a contract for Superintendent Norman P. Enfield, Ed.D., running July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2027. Na moved and Cruz seconded. Monroe then moved, seconded by Bridge, to pull the item; that motion failed, with Cruz, Na and Shaw voting no. After discussion the contract was approved with Bridge and Monroe voting no, and the student representative's advisory vote was no 6. Eric Shamp was the one public speaker on the item; the minutes do not record what he said 6.

The contract sets a salary of $367,833 with an annual step of not less than 3% after a satisfactory evaluation 12, plus the same across-the-board raise other employee groups receive 12. The board may end it without cause on 30 days' written notice, paying up to 12 months' salary 13. Staff put the fiscal impact at $35,000 14.

A concern raised from the dais centred on that language: that 30 days' notice followed by 12 months of severance amounts to a 13-month package 15, and that a "me too" raise tied to other groups' increases and a raise tied to the evaluation are rarely used together 1515.

Deputy and assistant superintendent contracts

The same sequence followed for Grace Park, Ed.D., as Deputy Superintendent and Tracy Freed, Ed.D., as Assistant Superintendent, Curriculum, Instruction, Innovation, and Support, both through June 30, 2028. Monroe's motion to pull, seconded by Bridge, failed with Cruz, Na and Shaw voting no, and the contracts were approved with Bridge and Monroe voting no 16. To correct the record under Government Code section 54953(c)(3), Shaw then gave the required oral summary of salary and benefits and the board voted again, with Bridge and Monroe again voting no 16.

Staff described the contracts as the outcome of a cabinet reorganization that eliminates the associate superintendent posts for CIIS and Human Resources, saving $62,000 a year 17. Salaries are set at $261,087 for the deputy 17 and $190,777 for the assistant superintendent 18, and either contract may be ended without cause on 45 days' notice with up to 18 months of salary 1920.

A 5% raise for the board

The board approved a 5% compensation increase for its members, effective May 3, 2024, on a motion by Cruz seconded by Na. On the roll call, Cruz, Monroe, Na and Shaw voted yes and Bridge voted no 16. The packet cites Board Bylaw 9250, which allows a raise of up to 5% a year under Education Code 35120, and estimates an ongoing cost of $400 21. Lisa G. was the one public speaker; the minutes do not record what she said 16.

Other actions

• Gabriella Segoviano of Don Lugo High School was approved as the 2024/2025 student board member, and Shaw administered the oath of office 22. The Champion later profiled her as Don Lugo's incoming ASB president 23.
• From closed session, the board voted to appoint Anthony Nequette as Director of Maintenance and Operations, with Bridge, Cruz, Na and Shaw voting yes and Monroe absent 1.
• The board adopted a resolution ending the services of one classified employee 16; staff said the Nutrition Services Eligibility Program was being discontinued, saving $84,542 a year 24. It also adopted resolutions for the Day of the Teacher and Classified School Employee Week 16 and a National School Nurse Day proclamation 25.
• The consent calendar was approved on a motion by Na seconded by Monroe 25. It included legal-services payments to three firms 25, whose 2023/2024 invoices reached $748,730.33 year to date 26; fire-alarm testing awarded to Time and Alarm Systems 25, the sole proposer 27; and rejection of all bids for the Don Lugo HS MPR sound and lighting project, to be rebid 28, because its April 18 award of $241,363 exceeded the $200,000 limit for informally bid projects 29. The Dickey ES fencing bid was pulled from the agenda 25.
• A revised Board Policy and new Administrative Regulation 5030 on student wellness, updated for federal USDA wellness-policy requirements, were received for information 2830.

Presentations and reports

Chloe Kubeldis, Jacob Velasco of the City of Chino Hills and chairperson Priyana Jhaveri presented the Teen Advisory Board of Chino Hills 1. Dr. Grace Park gave the annual Teaching and Learning Task Force update and Dr. Tracy Freed reviewed its survey results 1.

Public comment

The minutes list these speakers on items not on the agenda, each with a topic: Curtis Burton, city of Chino information; Molly Large, AAPAC; Glory Ciccarelli, SPEAAC; Misty S., concerns on banning parental rights; Oscar Avila, prayer; Bridget Ayres, a successful field trip; Shaun Quiñones, education on antisemitism and Jewish culture; Mindy Shamp, AAPAC; Eric Shamp, SPED; Bobby Omari, budget; Naomi M., the student representative; Judith M. Eckert, Pixel Pandemic; Jackie Cortes, Teacher Appreciation Week; and Biomedical Science and Technology Academy students Lawrence Kim and Carlo Sierra, an AI in education forum debrief 22. Because the minutes pair each name only with a topic, individual remarks are not summarized here.

Board communications

• Don Bridge noted all four high school softball teams in the CIF playoffs and Ayala HS's U.S. News ranking of 1,425 out of 17,655 high schools 28.
• Jonathan Monroe said he wanted to put to rest any rumors regarding the contracts, and said it was specifically the wording of the contracts 31. He reiterated special education concerns about periods being taken away and hoped collaboration with the district would be a springboard to positive change 31.
• Andrew Cruz said he agreed with the resolution against death row prisoners coming to Chino, and that watching what Dr. Enfield went through during COVID was a big part of why he voted for his compensation 31.
• Shaw spoke about being grateful for a board majority that stands up for parents' constitutional rights, and about death threats and harassment 32. She spoke about a resolution from Nicole Neily, president of Parents Defending Education, that she would ask Dr. Enfield to bring forward in opposition to the Biden administration's Title IX overhaul, and about the district making a resolution on the prisoners, saying Chino's prison is not equipped to hold condemned inmates 33.

Both items returned: a resolution on the condemned inmate transfer to the California Institution for Men on the May 16 agenda 34, and one opposing the Title IX overhaul on the June 6 agenda 35, each packet saying Shaw requested it at this meeting. In April, local officials had objected after 26 condemned inmates were moved from San Quentin to the Chino prison 36.

Shaw adjourned the meeting at 8:38 p.m. 33

This is an independent, community-maintained summary of public records and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Chino Valley Unified School District. The adopted minutes are the authority for who spoke, moved and voted; the meeting recording is cited only for what was said, never for who said it.