May 21, 2026: Superintendent's Raise Approved as Speakers Fault the Canyon Hills Assembly

An independent community summary of the Chino Valley Unified School District's public records. It is not an official district document.

The open session ran from 6:00 p.m. to 6:57 p.m. 12. The board approved a raise for Superintendent Norm Enfield, adopted the 2025/2026 Transportation Plan and set substitute and summer pay rates 3. On consent it re-awarded part of the Ayala High School Performing Arts Center after the original low bidder withdrew 45. Public comment was sharply critical of the board, including over the May 8 History Rocks assembly at Canyon Hills Junior High, which two board members praised in their closing remarks 677.

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💼 The superintendent's contract

On a motion by Andrew Cruz, seconded by John Cervantes, the board approved an addendum to the superintendent's employment contract 3. It gives a 2.25% raise or the state cost-of-living adjustment, whichever is greater, for 2026/2027 and 2027/2028, plus a $2,000 one-time payment for being in paid status on August 31, 2026 8. The staff report, prepared by Deputy Superintendent Grace Park, ties the raise to the district's ratified agreement with the Associated Chino Teachers and puts the cost at $11,042 ongoing and $2,000 one-time 8.

An oral report read before the vote, as captioned, gave a 2026-2027 base salary of $408,191, a 4% longevity stipend, a 4% doctoral stipend, and 24 vacation and 24 sick days a year 99. No board member commented 9.

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🏛️ Closed session and a new HR director

Reporting out of closed session, the board appointed David Ries as Director of Human Resources, effective July 1, 2026 1. The closed-session agenda listed six existing cases, among them three Public Employment Relations Board cases titled Associated Chino Teachers v. Chino Valley Unified School District, along with the superintendent's performance evaluation 1011.

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🎭 Ayala Performing Arts Center re-awarded

The consent calendar passed on a motion by James Na, seconded by John Cervantes 3. It awarded Bid Package 26-01 of the Ayala High School Performing Arts Center to Southern California West Coast Electric, Inc. 4. Per the staff report, the board had given the package to Mel Smith Electric, Inc. on May 7. That firm asked to withdraw over a mathematical error, so the package went to the next responsible bidder at $10,189,000 55. Champion Newspapers reported that the board approved the $43.6 million center on May 7 without discussion, using Measure G bond money, with completion expected in late 2028 12.

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✅ Other actions

Transportation Plan. On a motion by Andrew Cruz, the board approved the 2025/2026 Transportation Plan, which state law requires be updated each year 313. The minutes identify the seconder only as "SS", initials that fit both Shaun Smith and Sonja Shaw.

Substitute and summer pay. On a motion by John Cervantes, again seconded by "SS", the board set substitute psychologist pay at $400 a day, with a $425 long-term rate applied retroactively once a substitute reaches the eleventh consecutive day in one assignment, and a $280 daily rate for summer administration stipends 314.

Also approved on consent 37:

• Cortez ES waterline, rebid, to The Nazerian Group for $1,915,000 415.
• Asphalt repairs at five elementary schools to Universal Asphalt Co., Inc., with site bids from $440,000 to $755,000 416.
• Fresh produce to Sunrise Produce, LLC, at $862,850 416.
• Don Lugo High School: eleven change orders and notices of completion for the administration building, kitchen and pool renovation 34.
• A rejected claim alleging wrongful termination after the claimant raised concerns about unequal treatment of athletic teams 717.
• A piggyback IT contract resolution, a Verizon Wireless lease amendment, the May 7 minutes, a $4,019,477.94 warrant register, a $3,296,418.83 purchase order register, an expulsion case, personnel items and an affiliation agreement with Biola University 33771819.

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📋 Complaint rules, for information

The board received the county's third-quarter Williams report and a review of Board Policy 1312.1 with revised regulations on complaints (AR 1312.1 and AR 4144), without comment 720. The marked-up AR 1312.1 requires complaints in writing, notice to the employee within five working days, an attempt to resolve within 30 working days, and appeals within 10 calendar days 2121. The regulation the district now posts carries a May 21, 2026 revision date 22. Earlier, the public comment instructions had pointed speakers to Board Policy 1312.1 for complaints against an employee 23.

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📹 Public comment

The minutes list Paul Griffin, Jeff M, Jackie Cortes and Lisa G. as speakers, without recording what each said 1. The recording reports six requests to speak and carries five comment turns, one speaker apparently using two of them 2324. Their comments are summarized without names, as what was said, not as verified fact.

• A presidential remark. A speaker asked every board member to condemn as false remarks the speaker attributed to President Trump about people with learning disabilities, saying the board serves "our community, not whoever's president in Washington, D.C." 2324
• Contract and conflict-of-interest claims. A speaker accused the board president of misinformation about the teachers' contract, "And that's why the union sued" 24, then claimed all five members were linked to a private school Calvary Chapel Chino Hills had broken ground on, called it a conflict of interest and urged them to resign 252525. The claim is unverified.
• The First Amendment. A speaker said removing people from meetings blocks their right to petition, and that the board had "failed four out of the five clauses of the First Amendment" 2626. The board's meeting-conduct bylaw lets it clear the room during a disturbance 27.
• A failing grade. A speaker gave the board and its president an F for not providing translation at meetings and for failing LGBTQ+ students, and called the History Rocks event's backers "extremist groups" 26266. The same bylaw gives a speaker using a translator at least twice the allotted time unless simultaneous translation equipment is used 28.
• The Canyon Hills assembly. A speaker said the president had questioned the patriotism of those who protested the May 8 assembly 6, objected to the U.S. Department of Education's ties to groups such as Turning Point USA and Hillsdale College 29, and asked why parents got no opt-out 29.

Champion Newspapers had reported that the Department of Education chose Canyon Hills as the only California school to host the assembly, and that about 25 parents protested at the school beforehand 30.

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💬 Board communications

• Shaun Smith spoke about graduations and band students, raised parent notifications for school assemblies, and called the 250-year anniversary event a positive celebration 7. On the recording he asked whether the district normally notifies parents about assemblies and was told "No, we do not." 2020 He called the event "a very simple celebration", not the "fascist rally" protesters had predicted 20.
• James Na recalled graduation speeches by Heather Post and, in the minutes' words, "SRO Miles", and students admitted to Harvard, Stanford, UC Berkeley and UCLA 7. On the recording he called his faith, family and friends "not for sale" 31.
• Andrew Cruz reflected on immigrant families and described the Canyon Hills assembly as lively and educational 7. On the recording: "As immigrants, we call America our only home," and "there was truly nothing controversial" about the event 3131.
• John Cervantes spoke about the 250th celebration and congratulated the Class of 2026, stressing that how one finishes matters more than how one starts 7; he recalled adult-school graduates earning diplomas "at 40, 50 years old" 32.
• Superintendent Norm Enfield thanked staff and thanked the board for approving his contract 233.
• President Sonja Shaw thanked staff, parents, security and law enforcement and praised a week of graduations and promotions involving more than 2,000 students 2.

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🥁 Recognitions and employee comments

President Shaw recognized the Ayala HS and Chino Hills HS percussion ensembles for first and third place at the 2026 Winter Guard International Percussion Scholastic World Championships 1; the Ayala remarks noted it had won "2 years in a row" 34. John Cervantes led the Pledge of Allegiance 1. Yvette Bookout of CSEA thanked classified employees and reported on the City of Chino's Corporate Challenge, where the district took top honors in bowling and horseshoes 1; on the recording she noted it was the district's 35th year taking part 35.

The meeting adjourned at 6:57 p.m. in celebration of the Class of 2026 2.

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Where this summary says who spoke, moved or seconded, it follows the district's adopted minutes. Recording passages supply quotes and detail, and speakers the minutes do not tie to their remarks are described without names.