Take a look at this. The slide talks about and shows the percent of poverty in the city of Clifton. One more. Yes, Commissioner S. I just want to touch base on this too because I've gotten multiple emails and messages on this and there's certain things I can't respond to because just like Commissioner Basser says, I can't speak for the board. Even if I say I'm not speaking for the board, somebody screenshots something, guess what? I'm speaking for the board. Even if I say I'm not. So, it's a lose-lose situation. I'm going to tell you right now, this is a drop in the bucket of the budget. If somebody's saying we're in a budget crisis and you know, you shouldn't be feeding kids, it's pennies compared to our budget. And I'm going to tell you right now, if you come up with a summer program to feed the kids that can't eat, I'm voting on that because the kids need to eat.
So we appreciate coming them coming out from their spring break to join us for that. I had the pleasure of being uh recognized as one of the assemblywoman Sharon Kirksova's women of distinction. Uh along with my colleague Andrea Rodriguez who is Anaheim High School's community schools coordinator. I um also attended the RO awards to recognize our students attended High School's dance show beyond the limitations uh with uh Trusty Hosshi and Trusty Rand Tjo. I had the opportunity to uh go back to our roots and speak to NIM High School's alumni association breakfast. So I want to thank them for the invitation to join them. Also attended Steiposa which is one of my favorite events. Um and I love that you called it uh AHC's wedding uh because a lot of work goes into it and I just want to thank staff um from the morning to setting up from cleaning up into the uh afternoon.
Any discussion on that? If not, we need a motion to approve. I do have some discussion. Okay. Rene. Um I think we have the motion to approve first. Okay. Go ahead. And do I have a motion to approve? Maria, a second by uh Amanda. Okay. U we'll start with Rene. She raised she spoke up first. Okay. Thank you. Um, as a private citizen, I have a right to access public records according to public California public records act and government code section 7920.0000. In reference to the governance handbook, as a board member, I am expected to ask permission from the body. On Monday, March 24th, I verbally requested data from our business office and per their request, followed up with an email the following day. When I did not receive a response to the inquiry, I requested the information from our superintendent and was informed that the superintendent takes directions from the board as a whole.
It's ridiculous that anybody's bringing this up as a negative. If you're not donating the food afterwards, it's going into the garbage. And I want to say that Nate is doing an amazing job with what he's doing, going out and finding people that don't have meals and giving them meals. That man goes above and beyond besides the sweatpants, underwear, and socks. Underwear and socks, underwear, and socks. The homeless need that more than anything else in the world. I am constantly collecting them at my office with the power of one, but just bring them to the health department because that is the number one um necessity that they really need. Um so once again, that was those messages that I was getting was really bothering me. And once again, if you bring up a summer program, guess what? The guy that's saying, "Hey, don't raise taxes." is going to vote on that to feed the children.
Thank you so much. and then um also attended Anna Persy's building dedication ceremony at Lexington Junior High School. And then last night I had the opportunity to attend the fentanyl awareness workshop hosted by our PTA. So just want to thank them for hosting that and thank um our district and play Adela Cruz for being there to answer some questions for my parents. And that concludes my report. Uh it was very nice probably like 30-ish uh parents um and they received uh free resources from the OC healthcare agency. Thank you. Um I attended as we all did the study session across the street at ROO. So I want to we thanked RO for using their facilities but also it was a wonderful beginning of our program that we're of our bonds. So I'm really looking forward to seeing as it as it lays out what you know the progression what we're going to be doing when we're going to be doing it and where we're going to be doing it.
Therefore, requests for generation of reports of information must be placed on a meeting agenda for board consideration and approval. Governance handbook page 10 and board bylaw 9200 for reference. The board of quote the board of trustees recognizes that the board is a unit of authority over the district and that a board member has no individual authority unless agreed to by the board as a whole. Individual members of the board shall not exercise any administrative responsibility with respect to the schools or command the services of any school employee. Just to be clear, I'm not exercising any administrative responsibility in asking for data. It is my duly elected job to help make decisions for the good of our district. In order to do that, I must be properly informed. Um, I'm going to ask real quick, what is our district's hesitant hesitancy in honoring a request for information more quickly than waiting for the next board meeting?
All right. Okay. Okay, so we're done with new business. Next week we will have executive session this evening. We do have some items to discuss relating to personnel, student and legal matters. Um action will be taken and it will take approximately how long do you believe? No more than uh 30 minutes. No more should be no more than 30 minutes. Okay, I'm going to say 45 because I know this group. So approximately 45 minutes. We'll be back. Motion. Motion to second. Motion right here. motion by commissioner. Five minute recess, Mr. President. Five minute recess. Mia and Mr. McConey. Oh, Frankie had the game, so I wanted to go too. Thank you. It sound like it was so awesome. ready when you are, boss. Welcome back from executive session. Uh, roll call. Mr. Shada Miss Batford here. Mr. Proteek here. Mr. Kenova here. Dr. Danny, Mr.
So look forward to that. uh RO board meeting again. Scott Rendell was was it was a wonderful representation there that um I attended seven open houses and the PTA uh administrator's dinner um at the NSbury Farm Hotel. I had the privilege, the honor of attending Anna Pery's uh building dedication where she taught art for many many years. Uh that was very well attended and fortunately was part of the open house. So there were a lot more people there so they got to see it. I attended my uh second graduation meeting and we're getting really close now. So I know there's another meeting coming up and there a lot of complex little pieces of the puzzle that it's a mindboggling to say the least. So but it sounds like it's coming together very well. Uh attended the celebration of success uh at RLP where uh Mr.
Anybody want to respond to our next question? Um, Panita, do you have No, we don't. Well, I'm it's for discussion. So, we'll start at the botto. Maria, you raise your hand or I I I don't have a a response to that that question, but it seems if we need information to meet together, I realize as a board member, an individual board member, we have absolutely no power. But as a group we do and as we we get together to discuss things sometimes having information is helpful to make our decisions or bring forth information and just to do our job. Okay. Maria, anything? Well, we have a board a board handbook for for a reason and the reason is so that we can follow it just like we follow uh what's on the ed code. Um when we make a request to the district, the the challenge that we tend to have is that the the request is now going to take somebody away from whatever assignment they are supposed to have to be able to meet our request.
Mia here, Mr. Here, Mr. Wararez here. Vice President Santiago here. President Paris here. We have a Okay. Looking for a a motion uh to approve under executive session items 2 through 7. Motion. Second. Second. Motion by Commissioner Ciano, seconded by Commissioner Suarez. Roll call. Mr. Shahada. Miss Bazard. Yes, yes, Mr. Kenova. Yes, Mr. Mia. Yes, Mr. Ciano. Yes, Mr. Warz. Yes, Vice President Santiago. Yes, President Paris. Yes. Motion carries. Motion to adjurnn. Motion. Motion by Commissioner. Uh, Commissioner Mahia, seconded by Commissioner Suarez. Have a lovely evening. Thank you, Commissioners. Vortex.
Entre and I got to interview, but we also attended the the u uh awards and a lot of scholarships and I think they said last night what $20,000 was awarded at that at that event. So that was very nice. Steam ploo I thought was probably the best that we've had so far. The best best attended uh more booths. It was just very well done. So, I've really uh enjoyed that capstone showcase at Kennedy, which is always a pleasure hearing what the students have have done over their years and making their nervous presentations to us. So, that's uh always an enjoy an enjoyable morning. Uh I attended the uh Cypress every 15 minutes uh presentation and that's always a sad event but also it's a happy event thinking that maybe just one life could be saved just by by putting that on. Hopefully more than that are saved and then um I visit a couple schools during my during that time.
So, if I have to suggest, I would say make the request, send it out in writing so that somebody can begin to address it um quicker. Um but I don't think we should wait for another board meeting to make a decision to get the documents. I think if we can send the paperwork or the request in writing, then we can get the information quicker. uh I'm kind of concerned that if we begin to ask for information every time that people will will not be able to do the work for which they are supposed to be doing at that on that particular day. Um but we can do it in a very systematic systematic way. Uh so that we can have whatever is required for that board member to do what they need to do because sometimes a question a board member is asking is not a question all five of us are asking.
So that ends that what I forgot and also you were there too. Uh we both attended the immigration rights um uh um I I can't remember when it was but we were online. Oh yes. Um but I really um I really want to thank um our district for putting this on. It's just really um it's an important um um it's important thing that we're doing. um not many people are doing that and um doing it online is uh is another way that we can get um more students to do that. And then I just wanted to talk about This is two now. I know. I just wanted to talk about the um the breaking limitations uh event at Kennedy with Anaheim High School. And it was really um you know a spiritual experience and the leadership that the students showed um uh putting on those u presentations um you know the choreography and getting all the students to um you know taught all the all the choreography that they taught the students um they really um did a fantastic job and uh thank you for everyone who's supporting them.
So just get the answer to the one that needs the qu question answered. And if it requires that we all get to know about it then find a forest and cut up some trees. That's the way I look at it. Okay, Amanda. Yeah, I'm good, too. I think it's worked so well well for us. I mean, I I understand what you're saying, Maria. Maybe asking a question is one thing, but asking for hundreds of pages of documents um should be um up to this to the board. So, I just believe we leave it as is for now. I think um you know you can pick up the phone and you can call the superintendent say hey you know I got a question about this is you know that's that's our right to do that but to be asking for documents and and work that takes hours to um to do should be left up to the board.
Okay, one more thing. No, I have a mic. Shut off the mic over here. Um 14 advanced planning. You see the dates ahead of us there. Next board meeting is on May 8th. Any suggested agenda items? None. Okay. Number 15. Second. We have a motion and second hesitation there. All in favor say I. Uh-huh.
So I think we should just leave it as is. Any further discussion? Yes. So when we are in d in need of facts that drive decisions in regards to fiscal solveny is imperative that we as the board have access to it. As a board member I should not have to file a public records request in order to access data that properly informs me and my fellow trustees. I also requested information about the inter interd district transfers. It was on a need to- know basis for an agendaized item up for information and discussion tonight. Unfortunately, this practice has delayed it. I believe it is in the best interest of the public that we remove the paragraph. The superintendent takes directions from the board as a whole. Therefore, requests the generations of reports and information must be placed on the meeting agenda for board consideration and approval from the governance handbook.
In doing so, the board will have the ability to access data in the same timely manner that is already granted to the general public. Okay. Any other discussion from any other board members? Yeah, I have. Go ahead, Maria. First, uh, I have I, you know, as I'm listening to it, because obviously I haven't been privy to the information. uh as I listen to it, the only person that we we supervise here is a superintendent. And we don't supervise her or we don't evaluate her individually. We evaluate her as a group, as a team. And and so if if we begin to make evaluative statements on our own, we are now deciding that we are um we don't work as a group. We are one body. All five of us are is one. When you look at five of us, we are one body. And um we all carry one vote.
And so it's very important um that we don't go through that slippery slope. And I have said it se several times. Took me a while to figure out what a slippery slope was because I've never seen one. Um but we're going through a slippery slope where we begin to make those evaluative statements as individuals on a superintendent and the superintendent answers to us as a group, as a body. So if a request is made to a superintendent and the superintendent says I need to get it as from the body as a board. I'm a member of the board but I'm not the board. If she says I need to get it from the board it would I my suggestion will be that the superintendent can put out a memo to all of us which he does on a regular basis. A memo to all of us and say the board member is requesting this.
What do you think to the president? the president will say, "Yeah, put it out." And then we will all say, "Yeah, and and go forward with it." Um, but I just I don't I don't know if I am comfortable with um making sure that the superintendent does everything we ask of her to do when we ask of her because we are individuals asking of her some things. But if we begin to ask our things, we need to ask it as a body, as a a um a general body. I have been a pres president of the board obviously second time around and I know that there are some boundaries that I don't cross. The speaker of the board is the president of of the board. But even then, the speaker of the board does not have the f final say. Five of us have to have that final say.
Um, so I think we need to find, you know, I think we're getting to a portion where we are forgetting the the board is a a what and you are the how. We know what we need done and we pass it on to the management. This is how they're going to do it. Uh, we just need to, you know, find a, you know, happy place to be able to do this job. But I don't believe we should wait for a whole month to have the information. If information is that critical, then just let us know and we'll give you the authorization to give it out. That's in conflict with your board bylaw 9200. So I'm following the board bylaw which indicates that it will be then appropriately agendaized for board direction at the next board meeting. That's California School Boards Association language. So I just want you to be aware that that would be in conflict with our current board bylaw.