Board of Education — March 10, 2026

The Redlands Unified School District Board of Education met on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, opening at 3:31 p.m. with an LCAP workshop presented by Patricia Buchmiller, Assistant Superintendent, Educational Services, and Kristi Hubbard, Coordinator, Categorical Programs & Educational Support, which reviewed the 2025-26 LCAP goals and actions and possible Board priorities 1; the board returned to open session at 6:03 p.m. 2. Two threads ran through the night: the negotiated settlement of a long-running dispute over what district employees may display in their own workspaces, and the layoff notices district staff had begun receiving that same day.

🏳️ The BP 6115 agreements

The board approved an agreement between the district and the Redlands Education Support Professionals Association (RESPA), effective March 11, 2026, with Jeannette Wilson and Candy Olson voting no 3. It then approved a matching agreement with the Redlands Teachers Association (RTA) on the same effective date, with the same two members opposed 4. Both were carried as Human Resources action items 18.a and 18.b 5.

The two documents are dated February 2, 2026 and run three items long. Unit members "shall have the right to place personal items on their work desk even if such items fall outside the parameters of BP 6115, consistent with historic practices", while personal items displayed anywhere other than a work desk or an alternative designated workspace "shall be subject to BP 6115" 6. Each closes with the same paragraph: "This Agreement resolves the impasse related to the implementation of BP 6115. This Agreement does not constitute the Association's agreement with the policy itself and does not preclude the Association from pursuing any and all other courses of action in regard to BP 6115." 7. The RTA version becomes Appendix E of that unit's collective bargaining agreement 7; the RESPA version becomes Appendix G 6.

The policy behind the dispute, BP 6115 – Ceremonies and Observations, states that "No flag other than the United States of America and State of California may be displayed on school grounds or in classrooms, unless it is a country, state, or United States military flag used solely for educational purposes within the adopted curriculum" 8. KVCR reported in August 2025 that the Redlands Teachers Association had filed an unfair labor practices charge against the district with California's Public Employment Relations Board over the flag ban 9. Community Forward Redlands covered the board's approval of the two agreements the following week 10.

Discussion before the first vote turned on whether a display at a teacher's desk is meaningfully different from one on the wall, with one line of argument holding that teacher spaces should stay neutral because a desk display reads as "a personal endorsement of that teacher's beliefs" 11. Before the second vote, a member of the board asked how the agreement would be enforced if an employee decided to "go all out in decorating their desk with lots of different flags" 12; the answer from the dais was that accountability would follow "in the same way that there is for any policy that is broken", with "draping your desk with any specific flag" offered as an example of what the agreement does not cover 13.

✂️ Layoff notices

Superintendent Juan J. Cabral reported that 27 certificated, 21 classified and 12 administrative staff members had begun receiving layoff notices following the March 10 deadline, and that those figures represent the number of individuals directly impacted rather than the total number of positions reduced 14. The minutes also record him describing ongoing visits to school sites through office hours to answer staff questions directly, and urging the board to prepare for final action on the recommended layoffs at the May 10 meeting 14. Community Forward Redlands put the combined figure at 60 employees and reported that most of the positions identified are student-facing 15.

Stephen Caperton, reporting for the Redlands Teachers Association, thanked the bargaining teams, the board and district leadership for reaching a tentative agreement, then raised the layoff notices and what he described as their disproportionate impact on counseling staff, urging that those positions be preserved 16. For the Redlands Education Support Professionals Association, Liz Huerta-Brewster tied the cuts to a standing shortfall in Professional Crisis Management training — 150 trained staff members out of 2,000 — and asked the district for equitable, hands-on training rather than passive PowerPoint presentations 16.

🧠 A mental health regulation denied, a companion policy pulled

Item 16.i, a first reading of new Administrative Regulation 5141.5 – Mental Health, was denied: Patty Holohan and Melissa Ayala-Quintero voted aye, and Michele Rendler, Jeannette Wilson and Candy Olson voted nay 17. The companion Board Policy 5141.5 at item 16.j was never voted up or down. Instead a motion to pull the item carried, with Rendler, Wilson and Olson in favor and Holohan and Ayala-Quintero opposed 17. Both had been agendized as first readings 18.

The draft regulation sets referral criteria and a triage process, and in a crisis requires that "Site administration and appropriate mental health personnel shall be notified without delay", with parent/guardian notification to "occur as soon as practicable" 19. It also defines when a professional may proceed without involving a parent, saying the district "defines inappropriate as the outcome of the professional's assessment indicating that the notification may cause significant psychological and/or physical danger to the student" 20, and directs the superintendent to develop referral protocols for high-risk pupil groups including foster youth, homeless youth and "Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning pupils" 21.

The floor discussion ran past the board's ten-minute limit for an item 22. It centered on the ordering of the crisis-referral steps — one suggestion from the dais was that a parent should be the first phone call when a student is in crisis 23 — and on whether the draft's examples of when parental involvement may be inappropriate — which include "retaliation, domestic violence, or displacement from the home" 20 — were specific enough. The options were laid out as voting the motion up, voting it down, amending it to include the suggested edits, or pulling the item 24. Community Forward Redlands reported that the regulation was pulled for revisions after a lengthy discussion among board members 25.

💵 Second Interim Financial Report

Kirtan Shah, Director of Fiscal Services, presented the Second Interim report, covering revisions since the First Interim, the Governor's January 2026 proposals, and actual revenues and expenditures through January 31, 2026; the recommendation was for a positive certification, meaning the district can meet its financial obligations for the current year and the next two fiscal years 16. Figures presented that night put the current-year deficit at about $21.7 million and the projected ending fund balance at $68.8 million, with enrollment down roughly 182 students year over year 26. The board approved and certified the report, and adopted Resolution No. 21, 2025-2026, acknowledging due diligence and committing General Fund reserves 27; both sat under Business Services action items 28 29.

📚 Curriculum, transportation and safety plans

Two public hearings were held on instructional materials for the Dual Language Immersion Kindergarten Program. The Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Go Math! hearing drew no speakers; the McGraw Hill ELA Maravillas hearing drew one, Mark Laird, who welcomed the curriculum updates but raised staffing levels, the potential cost of unreturned materials, and whether the program authentically embraces culture 30. The board later adopted Go Math! 31 17 and Maravillas 17 for the 2026-2027 school year, both taken up under Policy 6161.1, Selection and Evaluation of Instructional Materials 18, which asks that district materials "as a whole, present a broad spectrum of knowledge and viewpoints" 32.

The board also approved the 2026-2027 Transportation Plan and the Comprehensive School Safety Plans for each district school site 33.

🙋 Volunteers

The board approved first readings moving Board Policy 4229 – Volunteers to Board Policy 1240 – Volunteer Assistance, and the matching move of Administrative Regulation 4229 to Administrative Regulation 1240; the regulation passed with recommended edits, including clarification on parent volunteers versus employee volunteers and a required annual training 4. In discussion, the draft's reference to workers' compensation was flagged for removal, on the ground that volunteers are not covered by default and that leaving the language in would bind the district to providing it 34.

🧾 Consent business, discipline and closed session

Business Services consent items 13.a through 13.m were approved together 14, including a $47,950.00 surveying agreement with Epic Engineers for McKinley Elementary 14, a $15,790.00 land surveying and mapping agreement with Kelsoe & Associates for Kingsbury Elementary 35, acceptance of the San Bernardino County Superintendent's Williams settlement report 36, and payment transmittals totaling $7,475,615.03 27.

Educational Services consent items 15.a through 15.g were approved with item 15.b removed 33; the agenda lists 15.b as travel for seven Redlands High School Family Career and Community Leaders of America members to a state conference in Riverside 37. The items that stayed on included a $200,000.00 amendment with the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Redlands-Riverside for spring and summer ELOP sessions 38 and a $134,400.00 agreement with the Sacramento County Office of Education using Bridge Grant funds to establish wellness centers at three district sites 39. Educational Services action items 16.a through 16.f — six stipulated student expulsions, students 2025-2026-017 through 2025-2026-022 — were approved as a group 39 31, as were Human Resources consent items 17.a through 17.d 3.

In closed session before the open meeting, the board approved the appointment of Benjamin Uribes as Assistant Principal of Citrus Valley High School, effective March 16, 2026 1, and the release and reassignment of employees 2025-26-16 and 2025-26-17 for the 2026-27 school year, with Patty Holohan voting no on the first of the two 2.

🗣️ Public comment

Comment on agendized items ran heavily to the two union agreements. Rachel Eugley urged a singular focus on academics and asked the board to respect parental responsibility 30. Valerie Zavis asked the board to adopt a policy prohibiting advocacy symbols so classrooms stay neutral and professional 30. Dale Broome urged the board to reject the negotiated agreements 30. Douglas Houser urged the board to minimize the scope of any personal displays if allowed 30, suggesting a limit of a single symbol no larger than five inches by three inches 40. Joshua Hall asked for strict consequences for teachers who advocate personal ideologies 40. Eriko Grossman called the effort to restrict teacher speech a waste of resources, said the pride flag represents living people and causes no harm to students, and criticized the layoff of school counselors 40. Aaron Fernando voiced support for the mental health policy and urged approval of the agreement between the district and RTA 40. Peter Hall described the proposal as a workaround for existing bans on specific flags and urged the board to reject it 40. Lawrence Hebron said the negotiated settlement defeats the purpose of the original policy 40.

Kate Applebee asked whether the mandated cultural competency training for secondary staff is the state-provided Prism training, and noted that the protocols for high-risk student groups rely on the mental health professionals and counselors currently facing cuts 41. Valerie Taber asked how cultural competency would be defined in the referral process for LGBTQ, homeless and foster youth, questioned how the new wellness centers would be staffed after counselor layoffs, and described the ongoing flag debate as a waste of time and resources 41. Mark Laird criticized the management of Measure D projects and questioned recent salary increases for the board while support staff face layoffs 41. Greg Brittain asked for clarity on the academic goals of the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program run with the Boys and Girls Club 41 and argued the proposed mental health policy could create a loophole around parental rights 14.

The later community input period ranged wider. Michael Paisner raised statements a board member had made on social media, alleging they were discriminatory toward the LGBTQ community, and asked board leadership to respond and take appropriate action 4 42. Jean Saglam addressed the board on diversity as a strength of the community 42. Aaron Perez said a complaint filed with the California Department of Education produced findings of noncompliance and corrective directives that have not been followed 43. Karin Starr described a student with a chronic illness whose accommodations were delayed or denied, with no meaningful re-integration plan for hospitalized students 43. Kate Applebee returned to argue that the layoff of classified library staff will effectively close elementary libraries and limit services at secondary sites, and reminded the board president of the responsibility to uphold governance protocols 43 — the district's 2025-26 Board of Education Governance Handbook states that "An individual board member has no authority outside of a legally convened board meeting" 44.

Valerie Taber said distributing layoff notices shortly before the board meeting appeared disrespectful to affected staff 45. Craig Johnson said a Title IX investigation involving the molestation of family members at Franklin Elementary has been unresolved for nearly two years and asked the board and administration for immediate answers 45. Mark Laird returned to say the Board President has not lived up to her pledge to actively listen to all stakeholders and to ask that disabled social media messaging channels be restored 45. Antonio, representing "Rainbow Rose and RUSD Against ICE," described a recent student-led walkout and repeated demands that the district protect students from immigration enforcement 45. Brian Seghers reported that their child was strangled by a classmate and received no adequate response until the issue was raised on social media, and advocated a "standardized violent incident protocol" 45 46.

💬 Board and superintendent comments

Candy Olson supported establishing a standardized violent incident protocol and a step-by-step contact guide for parents at every school site, and asked the board to update the bullying policy to clarify notification requirements 46. Michele Rendler thanked the Odyssey of the Mind program and reminded PTAs about a $1,000 literacy grant available from the county 46. Melissa Ayala-Quintero marked Women's History Month and thanked district librarians for their role in Read Across America 46. Jeannette Wilson described an AAUW STEM conference for eighth-grade girls and said she is coordinating with Cal State San Bernardino on internships for district support services 46. Patty Holohan thanked staff for the State of the District event 46. Superintendent Juan J. Cabral announced that the board intends to consolidate public comment for agendized and general items into a single session at the start of the meeting, likely by the next meeting, promoted the first annual SEPTA "Walk and Roll" disability walk and resource fair set for March 28 at Citrus Valley, and congratulated Principal Kamper and her staff on being named a California Distinguished School 46.

The meeting had opened on a lighter note: President Rendler introduced Angelynn Domingez, Aldo Marioni, Emilio Castro, Alezae Tapia and Malak Almahrooq, with teachers Robin O'Brien and Karen Burk, from the Elementary Odyssey of the Mind program, whose train team placed second and mechanical frog team fourth in regional competition, both advancing to the state competition 47. The board returned to closed session at 10:14 p.m., took no action there, and adjourned at 10:43 p.m. 48.