Board approves its second interim budget report as speakers protest an 18-month retiree sit-out and the president reports a cease-and-desist letter

Meeting: Regular meeting, District Board Room, 13461 Ramona Avenue 1
Present: President Sonja Shaw, John Cervantes, Jon Monroe and James Na; Andrew Cruz was absent 2. Student representative: Gabriella Segoviano 2.

The decisions

Second interim financial report

The board approved the 2024/2025 Second Interim Financial Report and authorized a positive Certification of Financial Condition for this and the next two fiscal years 3. The staff memo says the report uses actual data as of January 31, 2025 and shows a balanced budget for 2024/2025, 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 4.

The minutes name Jon Monroe as mover; the seconder they print, Andrew Cruz, is recorded as absent, so no seconder is given here 3.

Health benefits for classified confidential employees

The board approved a higher maximum district contribution to health and welfare premiums for classified confidential employees for 2025/2026, plus a one-time, off-schedule payment of $1,350 for 2024/2025 3. Staff said it mirrors management's raise, paid as a lump sum because contributions cannot change mid-year 5; the general-fund cost was $9,450 5. The minutes again name Monroe as mover and print the absent Cruz as seconder 3.

Hearing on the district's opening proposal to the teachers' union

President Shaw opened a hearing on the district's initial bargaining proposal to the Associated Chino Teachers (A.C.T.) at 6:44 p.m.; with no speakers, it closed the same minute 3. The current contract expires June 30, 2025 6. The district proposed to open three subjects:

• changing its financial contribution toward the union president's full-time release 6;
• flexible time for secondary special education teachers 6;
• changes to the athletic director position, possibly including title, duties, work year and pay 6.

Consent calendar

The consent items were approved as amended 3. The minutes name Na as mover and Monroe as seconder 3. Notable items:

• Glenmeade Elementary kitchen remodel: the bid was awarded to nine contractors "as amended" 7, after a change was read into the record: the item had been yellow-sheeted 3. The original packet listed nine bid packages totaling $1,759,490 from Fund 25 8 9. The record does not say what the change was.
• James Na's missed meeting: a resolution compensating Na for missing the February 20 meeting 3, which the staff memo attributes to illness 10.
• Legal bills: payment to Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo; Margaret A. Chidester & Associates; and Tao Rossini, APC 3. The invoices totaled $188,067.03, bringing the year-to-date total to $689,829.19 11.
• Transportation plan: approval of a plan titled the "2023/2024 Transportation Plan" 7. Staff noted it was first adopted March 21, 2024 and must be updated by April 1 each year 9.
• Other items: five student expulsions 7; rejection of four claims 7 12; and a clinical affiliation agreement with West Coast University 7.

The board also received, for information, student attendance calendars for 2026/2027 through 2028/2029 7.

Closed session

The board met in closed session from 4:20 to 5:31 p.m. 2. It reported two actions:

• a special education due-process settlement, under which the district, without admitting fault, will fund services and attorney's fees up to $56,000 2;
• a 30-day notice of dismissal to a district employee identified by number 2.

The agenda's closed-session list included A.C.T.'s labor-board case against the district 1, a Liberty Justice Center case 1 and possible litigation involving Advocates for Faith & Freedom 1.

Reports

LCAP priorities 3 and 6. Assistant Superintendent Luke Hackney and staff reported that the district met state priorities for parent engagement and for school climate 2. The presentation said 88% of school-quality survey participants agreed or strongly agreed that schools welcome all families 13.

Student representative. Gabriella Segoviano described Student Government Day, at which she served as police chief alongside Chief Menson 2.

Employee groups. Steven Frazer, A.C.T. president, called the 18-month waiting period for retired substitutes and coaches a logistical hurdle and spoke about the role of the union 2. On the recording he called the waiting period "a clear message to our most seasoned and dedicated educators that their expertise is no longer valued" 14. Eric Dahlstrom of CHAMP announced the CHAMP scholarship and said Newman Elementary is hosting the Chino Valley Soccer League 3.

Public comment

The minutes list twelve people who addressed the board but not what anyone said 3, so this page attributes no comment to a name. These themes come from the recording, grouped by topic, not in speaking order.

• The retiree sit-out. Parents and a student asked the district to reconsider a waiting period they said was new 15. They said a golf coach who founded Ayala High's girls program 15 had completed a 180-day sit-out after retiring 16. He was then told he must wait 18 months, a rule "which was never previously communicated" 16 17. One speaker implored those in charge "to reconsider this sitout period" 18. The district's regulation, last revised in 2015, sets a 180-day minimum: "No retired member of the CalSTRS defined benefit program shall be hired by the District" for 180 days after retiring, absent an exemption 19.
• LGBTQ students. One speaker said inclusive schools "reduce discrimination" 18; another said there is "no place for anti-LGBTQ hate" 20. A statement read on behalf of an absent colleague 20 faulted what it called the board's lack of response to reports of ICE on campuses 21.
• The federal Department of Education. A speaker described department funding, including Title I 22, and asked district leaders for their mitigation plan if it is dismantled 22.
• Special education. A parent said the family had been "in a fight with the district for almost 2 years" with the district on behalf of her disabled daughter, who is bullied at school and on the bus 22. Another speaker said the child needed a female aide to take her to the restroom 23. That speaker also said her IEP was not being implemented 23.
• Ayala cross country. A speaker alleged that the Ayala High cross-country head coach spent $9,000 on a booster debit card for a trip to Alabama against district instructions 24. The speaker also alleged that boosters were asked to withhold the information "to avoid a scandal" 24. These claims are unverified.
• Other topics. A speaker thanked "whoever hired" a coach 17 and raised concerns about dance-team songs seen on social media 17 17. The same speaker said students at games are "very friendly with each other" 17.

Board communications

• John Cervantes spoke about Woodcrest Junior High's career day, Student Government Day, the Festival of Arts at Magnolia Junior High and an AI forum at Chino High 25.
• James Na remembered former district administrator Shawna Dinkins 25. He cited the survey finding that 86% of district students feel safe, compared with more than 60% of Los Angeles Unified students who feel unsafe 25. He asked staff to look into "the restroom use situation" and an issue with Ayala High's athletic program 25.
• Jon Monroe spoke about the AI symposium at Chino High, how to incorporate AI into curriculum, and some of his concerns 25. He announced that the California Department of Education is looking at putting together an AI group 25, and said on the recording that applications were due April 11 26.
• Superintendent Norm Enfield made no comments 25.
• President Sonja Shaw asked for follow-up on the parents' concerns raised at the meeting 25. She asked for a resolution on the next agenda supporting AB 89, Kate Sanchez's bill on girls' sports 25. She said she had received a cease and desist from the mother of an athlete over her social media posts about biological males in girls' sports 25. She said her job is to advocate for safety and fairness for girls "not only in sports, but in locker rooms and restrooms," and spoke about her First Amendment right 25. She also said the state's number-two athlete was an Ayala High girl behind a biological male, and that she would file a complaint on that student's behalf 25.

The meeting adjourned at 6:58 p.m. 25.

Coverage and what followed

• The Champion Newspapers reported that the letter came from the mother of a transgender track athlete at Jurupa Valley High School and accused Shaw of cyberbullying her child. It added that the ranking Shaw cited was a list of season marks, and that the two athletes had not competed against each other 27.
• AB 89 was heard on April 1, 2025 in the Assembly's arts, entertainment, sports and tourism committee, and CalMatters' Digital Democracy lists it as failed 28. The April 17 agenda listed a resolution "Supporting Title IX and Fairness in Girls’ Interscholastic Sports," submitted by Shaw 29. KVCR News covered that meeting's girls'-sports resolution and complaints against the state 30.
• The district's Board Bulletin summarized the meeting 31; and the advocacy group Chino Valley Defenders of Public Education highlighted the legal bills and Na's compensation 32.

Notes on the record

• Seconders. Both action items print Cruz as seconder, though the same minutes record him as absent 2 3 3. This page names no seconder for those two motions.
• Spelling. These minutes print "Dalstrom" 3; this page uses "Dahlstrom," and "Jon Monroe" for Jonathan Monroe, as in the May 15, 2025 minutes.

Independent community archive; not affiliated with Chino Valley Unified School District. For the official record, see the adopted minutes and agenda.