So, that's to be determined. You will see at the bottom of our summary, our prek account as of April 30th has a balance of $58,15962. And our 10248A account has a balance as of April 30th of $417,883.78.
And then we worked really hard last year because we learned what we what was needed to help our students succeed. And we had phenomenal growth last year. So phenomenal that last year we exited 75 students which was the equivalent of 22% of all tested ESL students in our school which was a 70.8% increase from the 2022 2023 numbers which were 43 exited students and because well we compete against ourselves and pretty much everybody else we did it again this year. So this year in fact we did one better. We got 76 students. While it was not as large of an increase because we killed it last year, we did exit again 20% of all of our ESL students. So, we have an amazing uh staff of ESL bilingual teachers who know deeply what students need and they do everything they can to help students acquire a second, third, sometimes fourth language and do it well and exceed in their core contents as well.
I motion to approve. Is there a second? I second. Any discussion on this? I'll just say I love that whole program. I think it's awesome. Bl's here. He was here last month where we did the um public hearing for the petition um to renew the charter school, the the renew renewal of the charter school. And so um if it's approved that'll run through June 30th, 2029. And then I also attached um if you remember last meeting I let you know that we would have a separate memorandum of understanding for the special education services. And so that is here for you to look at. Of course um I'm authorized to sign off on that per the board. Um but I thought you would want to look at that. So that's there. Glenn and I have discussed it and we both agreed to it. So, we will be signing that and then um Glenn was so gracious.
I am hoping that you know the district will reconsider this decision and provide an environment that fully support the student um the unique need of the specialized student. Thank you. Thank you, Miss F. Next speaker is Mr. Joe Herman. Okay. Good evening trustees and cabinet. My name is Joe Herman. I have been an elementary teacher in Beressa for 29 years at Brookree Elementary School and I'm the president of the California Teachers Association of Beressa or CAB. CATAB has two really important issues to talk to you about this evening. First, we're coming to you again to talk about site readiness for classrooms for the special education special day classes and for the special ed prek classes as you've heard parents speak about that are moving due to school closure. We have engaged with management to address our concerns and we are hopeful that we can have clear commitment that our most neurologically diverse students will have classrooms that meet their special needs for next school year.
When I got to Shasta, I didn't know the Shasta way and she sat me down and told me, "No, this is how things go around here." And it has served me very well. So, thank you very much. Thank you very much, board. I hope to see everybody here next Friday for our 50th grandparents day. If you get there early, I've got two parking spots reserved for you. But if you get there late, good luck. Thank you. All right. Thank you, Mr. Bayard, and all of Shasta. Thank you for being here and uh supporting the kids and your amazing staff. We're going to transition just a little bit under the superintendent report and uh I think as everybody is aware we did have a fire at Pleasant Valley High School. We want to give you just a brief update and Jacqueline Krueger is going to do that right now.
Thank you for the honor of being your president. And for one last time, bacon [Applause] out. Thank you class presidents. I would now like to introduce the Discovery Canyon Campus High School Varsity Choir performing for good from Wicked composed by Steven Schwarz. [Music] I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason. something we must learn. And we are [Music] help for orbit as it passes the sun like a stream that meets a boulder halfway through the wood. You can say I'm changed for the better because I knew you. I have been changed for [Music] good again. So let me say before we made [Music] you like a handrint on my heart and now our stories I know you have written mine by being my Like a ship blown from it by a wind off the sea. Like I can see by a skyird in a distant wood.
In your program, you will find a list of honor chords in their corresponding honor societies. Students earning accord have met a requirements of the national organization and have excelled in areas of leadership, community service, and academic achievement. If you're wearing an honor cord, please stand and be recognized. [Music] [Applause] and you may be seated. This next honor is especially significant to me as I have a son who's been deployed in the Navy for the last two and a half years. Seniors wearing a special red, white, and blue cord signifying that they have parent who has been deployed in the military during their high school career. Please stand so that we can honor you and your family for your sacrifices and services to our country. Thank you. You may be seated. We have one more special group of students. those wearing the Flight of the Eagle medallion today.
So we want to recognize her. She's already moved and gone back to the Midwest. Um and we have given her her uh her apple and thanked her uh for everything she she's done for the district. She was 19 years of service with our district. So she's watched our district grow. And then Bob Anderson who is our director of support services uh recently went underwent some surgery. He's doing fine but he couldn't be here and we've had a chance to recognize him too. So we want to recognize and thank all those people. This uh this is a calling. Uh when you work in public education it's a calling. It's it's about making a positive difference in the life of a child and the years go by fast and the difference is immense. And I don't know that we always recognize the difference that these people make, but we do want to thank them because they have made a tremendous difference.
some of the interesting winners I thought were interesting. Um, they voted well the one the three that I came to mind that one schools should require uniforms. I thought that was an interesting one for a high school too. I'm going college education should be totally funded by public funds and self-driving cars are safe. um interesting comments and uh just interesting to um hear the the informed and educated input from the students. Um they all at least all the ones I seen were really good and um as some of the other members were saying last night I attended the um Maroba High School um honors graduation class. Um again a lot of impressive students. I think it was just over 34 million in scholarships for seniors that are seniors um actually achieved this year. Um a lot of money, a lot of happy parents out there.
So, there's takeout options and delivery options from all of our downtown businesses. They're seeing more traffic. Um, even an a restaurant like Erica's is seeing a lot more traffic because people are going to and from the the brewery, take home. Absolutely. Yeah. And so it really is it really is like um you know this is this is why we invested in our downtown and we are able to still um save the historical nature of some of our buildings and the things that make actually Ashlin unique and still add the vitality and and to our businesses. So on that note because um I think I think there's still no one I mean you mentioned some of the policies that we've already done right specific policies or strategies that you would implement to maintain the balance and on top of that um how can we manage our population growth and again encourage those businesses right we keep hearing from different people we need more people in in the downtown to support the businesses that are there.
So, yeah, I definitely agree. I think a lot of the people who have signed up to um show interest in the trip next year have already gone on the trip in the past, like showing how much like it really impacts you and how it's not just like a one-time thing. Like I think all of us would want to go every year if we had the ability to. So, it's a great trip. Yeah, I I guess we obviously have supported this for 11 years. It's been a great trip and uh but I say this to all uh all all the groups that come uh and probably uh this might be the first time you're hearing me say this. So I know Michields you do this u but what we always talk about here is equity and making sure that anybody who has a desire to go on the trip because there is a financial cost um that they do uh express that interest and and we at least get them in the door of wanting to express that interest and so uh as you talk about it I know Mich you've done a lot of work on on this this past as well but uh ensuring that we make sure that anybody body that wants to have an opportunity to go will will do that.
And um you know now the work can really begin in earnest. Uh there we anticipate additional grant opportunities through this and start rolling it out as soon as next fall. It is a a grant that allows us or a program that will build one year onto the next. So next year we'll start with likely a handful of ninth grade students and then that will be the first cohort and anticipate growing that opportunity and looking at other innovation career pathway opportunities down the road. But credit to the innovation career pathway team. Um we've worked really hard over the course of the year and had been waiting patiently on this designation. um and it was announced at a STEM event late um middle of last week. Terms of professional learning, we're we're planning our final district uhwide professional learning day, which is next Friday. It's a half day for students and teachers will engage in professional learning um for the second half of the day.
And um you know now the work can really begin in earnest. Uh there we anticipate additional grant opportunities through this and start rolling it out as soon as next fall. It is a a grant that allows us or a program that will build one year onto the next. So next year we'll start with likely a handful of ninth grade students and then that will be the first cohort and anticipate growing that opportunity and looking at other innovation career pathway opportunities down the road. But credit to the innovation career pathway team. Um we've worked really hard over the course of the year and had been waiting patiently on this designation. um and it was announced at a STEM event late um middle of last week. Terms of professional learning, we're we're planning our final district uhwide professional learning day, which is next Friday. It's a half day for students and teachers will engage in professional learning um for the second half of the day.
Any questions? Okay. Right. So, I move that the board of education accept the report of expenditures and adjustments to the 2024 2025 operating budget through April 30th, 2025. Any additional questions or everybody's good? All right, then call to a vote. All those in favor say I. I. I. Opposed extensions. All right. No unfinished business. So new business. We are moving on to policy, right? Policy committee met on April 8th and are recommending the following. Now, do I read this or is this is all Sue? I can turn it over. Good. It's all you. Okay. First, I want to say we uh the uh the June meeting got cancelled for policy committee because there was some scheduling conflicts and first K is scheduling conflict and then we tried to work it out and then then got a lot of family visiting at this time. So, you know, we canceled the meeting, but hopefully we can put something together um for August so that uh we can keep a pattern going and uh let's see moving on from there.
Physical fitness is super excited about this. One of the things that we have done in recent years is change up our schedule and the staff will laugh because we used to change our schedule about every year. I love changing schedules. I love it's like a big puzzle. But we have had now and we will have again for the third straight year the same schedule but it's an hourong class. So where are I know I hear the class where our PE teachers in a 45m minute class the kids come in they got to put their things down. We don't change for PE anymore cuz that took 10 minutes. You ended up with like a 20-minute PE class. Like you're not going to get physically fit in 20 minutes every other day when you're middle school and you're middle school. So in a 60-minute class where you come prepared, you're already in your gym clothes.
Of course, attorneys have to put those together and so um we will be splitting the cost with with Glenn for for that being done. So, we have that in place and everything looks good. Yeah. So, we're still waiting for a permanent teacher. Correct. Permanent teacher. We are we've got we have we put the ad out and we got about 18 applicants and we whittle it down. We've got five or six that look really good. So nice. Wonderful. We're confident we're going to make this work. Oh, perfect. Good. All right. Wonderful. Okay. Any further discussion? Okay. Roll call. I I I I very good. Very excellent program. Thank you, Mr. B. Item 7B, approved reading difficulty screener. Is there a motion to approve this? I'll approve. A second. A motion. I mean, yeah. Words. She motioned. I second it. Okay. Thank you.
In our conversations with management, we were told that there are no funds available to make necessary improvements such as age appropriate toilets, sinks, water, etc. for these students. We ask that you, the trustees, prioritize funding these critical accommodations. Second, we came last month and delivered our bargaining goals petition where over 85% of CATAB members signed the petition in only five days. And you can see our members here tonight and our posters. They represent each site. Uh members spoke to the importance of our bargaining goals uh at our last schoolboard meeting. Tonight, we're back with a bargaining update. Management has offered zero nothing to everything and they have rejected all of our proposals presented at the negotiating table. Instead of engaging substantively with our proposals, management has created a situation non-inducive to labor peace. To reiterate, I'd like to remind you of CATAB's bargaining goals. As deduc as dedicated educators and teachers employed in the Beressa Union School District, we are united to win an agreement in our 2425 reopeners that accomplish the following goals.
All right. Good evening board. Um tonight I am providing an update related to the fire that occurred at the D building at Pleasant Valley High School back on Friday, April 25th. The fire was successfully contained to just the DB building with no fire damage sustained to any other structures. The district wants to deeply are deeply appreciative of the prompt and effective response by both Chico Fire Department and Calire. It is through their efforts that they were instrumental in limiting the fire's impact to just one single building. A cause origin fire investigator was on site following the incident and is currently conducting an investigation. Once his investigation has been completed, we will expect a report within 30 days um to hopefully have the origin of the fire and the cause of the fire. At this time, the debuilding has been deemed structurally unsafe for occupancy. A safety plan is being finalized this week to address the structural integrity, specifically shoring up the roof trusses and the walls, which will allow for interior restoration work to begin.
Who can say I' been changed for the better? Because I knew [Music] you just I forgiveness for the things I've done you blame me for. But then I guess we know there's blame to share and none of it seems to matter anymore. [Music] Who can say I've been changed for the better? I do believe I have been changed for the better. [Music] Because I knew [Music] you knew you. I have been changed for good. [Music] Thank you, Mrs. McGuffin, and our DCC choir students. Special thank you to our senior choir students. Thank you for one last song. Next up, I would love to welcome up Bren Mros. Come on up. Bren is the first student in DCC history to successfully pass legislation at the Colorado State House. It's a big deal. Featured on the front page of the Colorado Gazette, she is the co-founder and president of Women in STEM and Engineering Club.
Flight of the Eagle recipients, please stand and remain standing. Flight of the Eagle. Thank you. The Flight of the Eagle recognition is exclusive to Pine Creek High School and was established with the first graduating class, the class of 2000, to recognize no more than 10% of the graduating class who have demonstrated academic achievement as measured by an overall GPA of 3.75 or higher and who have demonstrated characteristics of integrity, positive attitude, leadership, responsibility, care, and concern. concern for others and the ability to achieve above and beyond as measured by receiving at least five nominations from staff from different areas including curricular departments, individual athletic teams, and school sponsored activities at Pine Creek. Please join me in recognizing these students for being honored as part of this now 26-year tradition. You may be seated. As you can see, this is a highly achieving class. At this time, I am so very proud to introduce the class of 2025's validictorian and saludiatoran.