July 16, 2026: A Farewell to the Board's Longtime Security Officer, and Pointed Public Comment Over a Departed ASL Teacher

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

This was a short summer meeting. The board came out of closed session at 6:00 p.m. 1 and adjourned at 6:41 p.m. 2. The consent calendar passed on a single motion 3, and when the presiding officer asked for comments or questions on the three information items, none came 4. Most of the open session went to two recognitions, a retiring security officer and a church's donation for student Christian clubs, and to public comment, where three of five speakers protested the departure of an Ayala High School American Sign Language teacher.

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🔒 Closed session: five administrators appointed

The board met in closed session from 4:15 p.m. to 5:39 p.m. on litigation (one anticipated case, five existing), student readmission and discipline, appointments, an employee discipline matter, and the superintendent's evaluation 1. The agenda identifies the existing cases; two of them are Public Employment Relations Board cases titled Associated Chino Teachers v. Chino Valley Unified School District (LA-CE 6974-E and LA-CE 7106-E), the second allotted 30 minutes 5.

Reporting out, the minutes record that the board appointed 1:

• Elise Yerkey, Coordinator of Special Education (effective date to be determined)
• Amber Fellows, Assistant Principal, Briggs K-8
• Sarita Lopez, Assistant Principal, Canyon Hills Junior High
• Amparo Covarrubias, Assistant Principal, Chino High
• Mark Ware, Assistant Principal, Chino Hills High

The four assistant principal appointments were effective July 17, 2026. The board also upheld the superintendent's decision on a complaint filed against employee No. 29826 1.

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🎖️ Thirty-seven years: Security Officer Donald Schenkel

President Sonja Shaw presented Security Officer Donald Schenkel with a plaque at his final board meeting, in appreciation of 37 years of service to the district, including more than 30 years supporting Board of Education meetings 1. The tribute read aloud traced his career from 1988 in risk management, assigned to Don Lugo High School, to Buena Vista High School from 2000 on 6. Accepting the plaque, he thanked the board and staff and said he would miss the work, though not the early mornings 66.

The superintendent said Schenkel did a great deal of work behind the scenes, would phone him with a heads-up about what was coming at a board meeting, and had served as the district's lead security through some very difficult ones 777. The board president recalled first meeting him when she attended a board meeting as a parent, and said he had always made her feel protected as board president 888.

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🙏 $10,000 from Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church for Christian clubs

President Shaw presented Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church with a plaque in appreciation of a $10,000 donation to benefit the district's Christian clubs 1. A church representative told the board the congregation prays for the district at its Friday and Saturday prayer meetings and services and praised board members' faithfulness "based on the biblical teaching," with a reference to parental rights 99. The representative described the gift as money "to support the Christian club" 9.

The church has given before. Earlier board minutes, reproduced in the September 18, 2025 agenda packet, record it being recognized for a $20,000 donation supporting students, the Hope Center, and Christian clubs 10.

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🗣️ Public comment

The minutes list five speakers: Lisa G, Kristi H, Jim Gallagher and Jei R on non-agenda items, and Lucky Zeng on a consent item 3. Before the first speaker, the presiding officer read the ground rules that Board Bylaw 9323 11 sets for public comment, along with the Government Code and Penal Code provisions on disrupting a meeting 1212. Speakers had up to three minutes and could not donate time 12.

The departure of an ASL teacher

The personnel report the board approved on consent 3 lists the resignation of Natalie Cooney, a secondary teacher at Ayala High School, effective June 30, 2026 13. Three speakers addressed her departure. Their accounts are summarized below as what was said; this page does not verify them.

• One speaker said the teacher had been targeted after speaking out against district policies and advocating for students, including as adviser to the school's gender and sexuality alliance club 14. The speaker said a complaint "with unsubstantiated allegations" had put her on administrative leave and cost her students about 10% of the year's instructional time, that she had been publicly called a groomer at a board meeting, and that the California Teachers Association had filed suit over what the speaker called retaliation 1414.
• A parent said their daughter would start her junior year in three weeks with no ASL teacher 15. The parent said the complaint had been "ultimately determined to be unfounded" 15, that students who completed four years of the teacher's program could earn 16 college credits 15, and that almost 200 students and families stood to lose those opportunities 16.
• A third speaker said the teacher's class sections had been reduced despite strong student interest, and called the result a loss for students and for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community 44.

The minutes record that Superintendent Norm Enfield said he would look into the concerns raised during public comment, and that President Shaw acknowledged them 17. In the recording, the superintendent's commitment is addressed to the student who spoke about the Chamber of Commerce (below) 2.

A student asks the district to re-sign with the Chamber of Commerce

Lucky Zeng, introduced in the recording as a rising junior at Ayala High School, described a career-readiness initiative the student is starting with the Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce to offer high school students internships, mentorships and job shadowing 18. Zeng said the district had signed a contract with the chamber before but had not renewed it, and asked the board to sign it again 184. An undated page on the chamber's website (copyright 2024) describes a formal memorandum of understanding with the district 19.

Meeting-room complaints

Another speaker, addressing the superintendent directly, renewed a request for a podium or lectern for public speakers and said the sound system makes it hard to hear the dais, both in the room and on YouTube 161616. The speaker also said the speaking timers are hard to see, objected to the practice of taking all public comment at the start of the meeting, and suggested legal counsel attend meetings during an election year 181818.

Employee representatives

Danny Hernandez, CSEA president, who also led the Pledge of Allegiance, recognized classified staff preparing for the 2026/2027 school year and congratulated Schenkel on his retirement 13. In the recording he listed technology, maintenance, transportation and warehouse crews readying classrooms, and HR staff working to fill positions 12.

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✅ Consent calendar

On a motion by James Na, seconded by John Cervantes, the board approved the consent items 3. The larger pieces:

• Contracts. The board approved/ratified the contractor and consultant agreements 3. Among them: a three-year CDW agreement for Google Workspace for Education Plus at $402,128.82, and a $242,462.32 Imagine Learning online platform 2020; a reduction of the City of Chino school resource officer contract from $1,125,712.43 to $1,098,019.46 to correct a city clerical error; and $85,875 for emergency management training and consulting 2121. The purchase order register totaled $10,515,740.13 22.
• Legal services. The packet recommended paying May invoices from three law firms, totaling $70,442.20, and put the 2025/2026 year-to-date total at $887,886.72 23. The minutes record approval of payment to only one of the three, Tao Rossini, APC 3. The record does not explain the difference.
• Measure G oversight committee. The board appointed Melba Yarbrough (at-large), Maira Llamas (business representative) and Lee Kemble (senior citizens' representative) 3, chosen from seven applications 24.
• Piggyback contracts. The board adopted Resolutions 2026/2027-01 through -03 3, which use other agencies' contracts with Gold Star Foods for USDA food distribution and for bread and tortillas, and a state contract with Lenovo for computer equipment 2525.
• Claim rejected. The board rejected a $3,198.65 claim from Coastline Travel Advisor Inc. over hotel cancellation charges on reservations made for the Chino High School Boosters, and referred it to the insurance adjuster 1726.
• Also approved: the June 18 minutes, warrant register, fundraising, donations, a student readmission and an expulsion, school trips, surplus property, small-project change orders, personnel items 33, and student teaching agreements with Point Loma Nazarene University 17.

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📋 Received for information

• Williams complaints. The quarterly report showed zero Williams complaints for April through June 2026 2717.
• School day policy. Revisions to Board Policy and Administrative Regulation 6112 align district rules with Senate Bill 328 and the school start times the board adopted on February 3, 2022 28. The revised regulation states that the middle school day begins no earlier than 8:00 a.m. and the high school day no earlier than 8:30 a.m. 2929. The BP 6112 now posted in the district's policy library carries the revised wording 30.
• Debt report. The annual report under Board Policy 3470 lists $740.6 million in general obligation bond principal outstanding as of June 1, 2026, from $808.9 million issued 31. It estimates about $362.9 million in remaining bonding capacity and says the district is watching a chance to refinance its 2017 bonds 3232.

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💬 Board communications

• Shaun Smith thanked the church, Schenkel and classified staff, and promoted the City of Chino's Concerts in the Park 17.
• James Na thanked Pastor Ko and the church's leaders for their prayers, support and donation 17, and commended President Shaw for her leadership and for representing the district beyond the local community 17. In the recording, the part about representing the district refers to her run for state office, which he described as "taking our name to Sacramento" 33. Shaw led the June primary for state superintendent of public instruction, KVCR reported 34.
• Andrew Cruz made no comments 17.
• John Cervantes thanked attendees for their public comments, recognized the church's donation, congratulated Schenkel, and thanked teachers and staff as the new school year approaches 17.
• Superintendent Norm Enfield congratulated Schenkel and said he would look into the concerns raised during public comment 17.
• President Sonja Shaw thanked the church and Schenkel, acknowledged the concerns raised during public comment, and wished everyone an enjoyable rest of the summer 17.

The meeting adjourned at 6:41 p.m. 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.