Chino Valley Unified Board of Education: June 20, 2024

The board adopted the 2024/2025 budget and Local Control and Accountability Plan, ordered the November trustee election, and approved an assistant superintendent's contract over one member's objection 121. Out of closed session came a $2.4 million settlement of the district's lawsuit against the Chino Development Corporation 3.

President Shaw called the meeting to order at 4:40 p.m. with Bridge, Cruz, Na and Shaw present, reconvened in open session at 6:00 p.m. with Monroe also present, and adjourned at 7:11 p.m. 34.

⚖️ Closed session: a $2.4 million settlement

The minutes report that the board's offer to settle Chino Valley Unified School District v. Chino Development Corporation for $2,400,000 had been accepted, and that the district had received the settlement 3.

The Champion Newspapers reported on June 29, 2024 that the district had sued the developer, which it identified with Lewis Operating Corporation, in January 2023 over school fees tied to Cal Aero Preserve Academy, and had declined a $1,006,859 arbitration offer 5. Citing a district spokesperson, the paper said the money arrived June 14 and went back into the developer fee account for growth projects in The Preserve 5.

The board also reported appointing Yvette Taylor as principal of Woodcrest Junior High, effective July 8, 2024 3.

💰 Budget, LCAP and the election

• 2024/2025 budget: adopted for all funds on a motion by Na seconded by Cruz 1. The staff memo described a May Revision proposing to fully fund a 1.07% cost-of-living adjustment and said the proposed general fund budget through 2026/2027 meets the minimum statutory reserve 66.
• Local Control and Accountability Plan: adopted on a motion by Na seconded by Cruz 1, after a June 6 public hearing; the memo lists a fiscal impact of $54,911,711 6.
• Election order: the resolution ordering the election for board members whose terms expire December 13, 2024 was adopted on a motion by Na seconded by Bridge 1. The county superintendent's office had notified the district that the consolidated election would be held November 5, 2024 2.
• Meeting calendar: revisions approved on a motion by Na seconded by Bridge 1, marking June 19 as a legal holiday and changing the meeting address to 13461 Ramona Avenue 7.

During communications Don Bridge asked Dr. Enfield to explain where the July meeting would be held; the minutes record that it would be at the District Office on Riverside Drive 8. On the recording, the reply was that the board had hoped to hold the July meeting at the district office but the technology might not be ready, so that would wait until August and July's meeting would stay "here" 910.

📝 The Hackney contract and a severance objection

The board approved the employment contract for Lewis Hackney as Assistant Superintendent, Curriculum, Instruction, Innovation, and Support, effective July 1, 2024, on a motion by Na seconded by Bridge; the minutes record Jonathan Monroe voting no 1.

The packet contract runs to June 30, 2028 at a starting salary of $190,777 11, with $550 a month for vehicle use and 24 vacation days 11. The board may end it without cause on 10 days' written notice, paying the remaining salary up to the equivalent of 18 months, plus health benefits for the same period 12.

In communications, Monroe clarified that his opposing vote on contracts concerned "the clause he spoke about before," that it was not negative toward the assistant superintendent, and that he believes he is the right person for the job 8. On the recording he identified the clause as the severance package, saying the district offers the most time the law allows and then adds to it through written notice, which he called unnecessary 13.

🏫 Charter school facilities

The board approved the amended Proposition 39 facilities memorandum of understanding with Allegiance STEAM Academy-Thrive for 2024/2025, on a motion by Na seconded by Cruz 1. The memo says it covers the charter's use of the former El Rancho Elementary site, with a 3% oversight fee and monthly utility charges over a five-year term 14.

🗣️ Public comment

The minutes list ten people who addressed the board on items not on the agenda: Amanda Swager regarding retirement; Paul Griffin regarding correcting the record and information for Mr. Na; Glory Ciccarelli regarding Black excellence; Sara Omari regarding School Board President unethical behavior; Mayor Eunice Ulloa regarding City events; Marisol DiPaolo regarding counselors and the mental well-being of students; Jenny Truong regarding after school childcare needs; Richard Wales regarding governance; Naomi M. regarding student health; and Steven Yoder regarding NIH and WPATH studies 3.

The minutes do not record what each person said, so the recording is described here without names and not in speaking order. At least one comment took issue with remarks Shaw made in a podcast appearance, saying she had wrongly asserted that educators do not inform parents when students exhibit suicidal tendencies 15. It described students at risk being reported to school staff and parents and not released to go home until their parents arrived 15. These are a speaker's characterizations; Shaw answered the criticism during communications 16.

🎙️ Board communications

Lea Fellows' retirement ran through the closing remarks. James Na said her retirement party felt like a birthday function and thanked her for her service 8; Jonathan Monroe spoke about the positive impact she made on the district 8; Andrew Cruz said she is sweet and consistent with her emotions 16; Superintendent Enfield spoke about her 34 years (33 at CVUSD) and said the district got it right when it hired her 16; and President Shaw echoed him 16. The personnel report lists her retirement effective August 30, 2024 17.

Na also described a letter from Thomas Stift, a Fullerton College student, about "someone from 400 years ago in Greece" and that era's way of learning, and asked Dr. Enfield to take it to a curriculum committee 8. He said that at the HOPE Center's 10-year anniversary he was told the number of unhoused students had risen to 1,600 8. Cruz spoke about undocumented families struggling and shared a family experience of being sponsored 16.

President Shaw answered the podcast criticism 16. The minutes record that she clarified she appreciates counselors, does not appreciate people spreading misinformation, and spoke about what was said on the podcast regarding parental notification and kids with the highest rate of suicide 16. On the recording she said her words had been taken out of context and that she had been describing the state's position and counselors who oppose parental notification for the students they say have the highest rate of suicide 1818. She also spoke about going to testify before Assembly members and the education committee on AB 1955 16, a trip she said on the recording would come the following Wednesday 19.

CalMatters Digital Democracy's record of the Assembly Education Committee hearing of June 26, 2024 shows Shaw testifying against AB 1955 as president of the Chino Valley Unified board 20. The bill was enacted on July 15, 2024, and the district and seven parents sued state officials in federal court the next day 21. On July 18, 2024 the board adopted a resolution opposing amended AB 1955 22.

🏆 Recognition and routine business

President Shaw presented Superintendent Enfield with an award recognizing that Daily Bulletin readers had voted Chino Valley Unified the Inland Valley's Favorite School District 3.

The consent calendar, moved by Bridge and seconded by Na, included 1:

• Legal bills: payments to Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo; Margaret A. Chidester & Associates; and Tao Rossini, APC 1. April invoices totaled $109,501.68, bringing 2023/2024 spending with the three firms to $858,232.01 23.
• Construction and supply awards 24: portables at Fun Club sites, six bid packages to five contractors with low bids totaling about $13.4 million 25; Don Lugo High multipurpose room sound and lighting to Vandert Construction for $225,000 26; asphalt safety repairs at four campuses to Universal Asphalt Company for $195,000 26; a Chino Hills High pool heater, where the minutes name no contractor and the packet shows a single bid, from Horizon Mechanical, for $150,585.10 2427; and nutrition services food distribution, with proposals from three vendors and an estimated cost of $1,717,205.47 2727.
• Claims: two claims were rejected, one for an employee's wagon lost from a bus on a field trip and one alleging a Glenmeade Elementary student was injured by exposure to nuts in class 2428.
• The rest: the June 6 minutes, warrants, fundraising, donations, two budget resolutions, a readmission and three expulsion cases, school trips, the School Plan for Student Achievement, purchase orders, contracts, surplus property, change orders, a piggyback contract, and personnel items as amended 12424.

Received for information: the local indicators report, rating all five indicators Met 2429; revisions to Board Policies 5127 and 5144 on discipline for senior activities and graduation 2930; and nine new courses, eight of them "Fundamental" courses 2431.

An independent summary of public records, not affiliated with Chino Valley Unified School District. Every pairing of a name with a statement, motion or vote is grounded in those minutes; recording detail is added only within the topic the minutes give that member.