This wasn't bargaining. It was brinkmanship. And this is not how you build trust. The district often came to the table unprepared while gaslighting us, acknowledging our concerns, yet choosing to ignore them. We asked for reassurance in the form of a permanent equity clause as a show of good faith, which they also continually ignored with no good explanation, reason, or intention to hear us out. Time and time again, the district has stood at this forum while at the bargaining table, and they also claimed to care about all employees. But it came clearer and clearer as they manipulated timelines, withheld information, and changed the rules of engagement. This is not respect. This is not partnership. This is not leadership. Let me say this clearly so that there's no misunderstanding. Majority of us within CSEA have lost our faith and trust in UA Valley Unified School District. This is not directed at our school board.
Okay. I looks unanimous. Uh next item of business is public comment. This is an opportunity for people to speak for up to three minutes. Please call 888-788-0099. Enter meeting ID 954-34739065. To raise your hand, press nine. To un unmute, press star six. City staff will select callers who have raised their hand one by one using the last three digits of your phone number. When speaking, please move to a quiet area and state your name and address at the beginning of your comments. There may be a delay up to 30 seconds before a connection is established. Aaron, do we have callers? Um, yes, we do. Um, caller ending in um 326. Go ahead. Uh, you can unmute by pressing star six. Hello, this this is uh Jeff Kroka. Can you all hear me? Yes. Um, since 1980 I have lived at 506 East Kingsley and have been the communications officer of the 04th Ward Historic District Association.
Oh, that's right. You all skipped out on my public hearing. And Rebecca, right? Yeah. And you had my 17. Yeah. And we'll have Sarah from She wasn't here for All right. Perfect. Uh, presentations, Mr. Lee. All right. Good evening, everyone. Thanks for coming out on this beautiful night we have here tonight like so many we've had. Um it is the best part of the board meeting for sure where we get to recognize our students of the month from both JFK and DDE. And these students are being recognized tonight because they are outstanding students and just kids in general. Um and um if you're here with them tonight, it's it's partly because of how you raised them. So thank you for doing such a great job. Um, all right students. What I'm going to do is I'm going to call I'm going to do JFK first.
Uh these minor technical issues are being addressed by College Board and makeup testing will take place on the 16th. In recognition of the tremendous athletes our high school helps develop, CS hosted a signing day on May 19th. We saw senior athletes from our football, cheerleading, lacrosse, track among other programs, committing their clip and grown talents to institutions across the world, including brand, Ramapo College, and Miffer Academy to name a few. On May 24th, 21st, excuse me, Clifton High School's art department hosted an art show to highlight our school's brightest artists. Um, the event brought together staff, family members, and members of our Clifton community, allowing for the sale of several students arts, helping sustain our high school's art program and the talent that it cultivates. Occurring on the same day was the orchestra concert where students uh Clifton's musicians performed in front of the Clifton community.
We're recognizing over a 100 students tonight for different accomplishments across the arts and academics. We're going to start with some performances and the first performance is behind the curtain up here. We're going to have Mrs. Smith come out and uh tell us a little bit about what we're going to hear. [Applause] Thank you, Dr. Smith. Good evening, everyone. My name is Sarah Smith. I'm the orchestra director at Deacy Middle School, Deacy Elementary, and Jagard Elementary. On stage with me, I have students from the Demi Middle School Orchestra who are actually all going to be recognized later tonight for making it into higher level ensembles. So, we figured that we would play a piece for you that we actually played at our spring concert, which is called Plink Plank Plunk. And it is entirely in the orchestra world, we call this piticado, but here it's just plucking.
And I look [Music] back and I say on track I won't [Music] [Applause] [Music] accept but I want to go distance and my sh [Applause] [Music] truth be glory is the highest for you. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Like a [Music] shing I will go the distance. I will search the world. I will face his heart. I don't [Music] care. I can go the distance to my go. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Good evening. Good evening. My name is Caitlyn Kaufman and I am the very proud principal of Morirana High School. Please join me in recognizing our Morirana High School choir. Go ahead, Miss [Music] Brandruff. Amazing [Music] your beautiful. Thank you. I'd also like to recognize our band directed by Mr. James Adterbury. This is Mr. Adterberry's last graduation with us after over 20 years. So, I'd like to give a big thank you to him for celebrating thousands of students over the years.
In particular, I'd like to thank Miss Patricia LaRuda and Miss Kimberly DS Santis, as well as our incredible student council led by Miss Heather Anderson. Thank you to our teachers here today, both past and present. And to every parent, coach, grandparent, aunt, uncle, neighbor, and all those who've supported our students in ways both big and small. Thank you. You've helped make today possible. Now, we'll get the chance to hear from three very impressive members of the class of 2025. Our student body president, Gabrielle Morales, will open this commencement ceremony with the first speech. [Applause] Class of 2025, I want you to look down at your shoes that you're wearing today. Are they your finest heels, your nicest dress shoes, sandals, flip flops, sneakers? I want you to think about the bottom of that shoe, where you've stepped with it, and what the ground imprint is where you've walked.
above. Attendees shall register their intention to participate in the public portion of the meeting upon the arrival to the meeting. Participants shall be recognized by the presiding officer and shall be requested to preface their comments by an announcement of their name, address, group affiliation if and when appropriate.
Respectfully, please help us push back before it's too late. Um, I don't know if anybody has any questions for me, but that that's that's my feeling. Thank you. Thank you, Joan.
You may not like hearing this, but you need to hear it because we cannot rebuild collaboration on broken promises. We cannot be one team when classified staff are treated like secondclass employees. We were told negotiations would resume after May revise, but with cola coming in at just 2.3%. Let me warn you now, if the district refuses to stand by its word, if you attempt to bury your obligations between bure beneath bureaucratic spins, then we will return to the table. but not to submit to you, not to capitulate or conduct the district's business. We will come armed with every tool in our arsenal, every grievance, every fact, and every voice. This chapter has been patient. We've bent over backward to meet the district halfway. But I promise you this, we will fight hard before we allow you to back us into a corner again. This fight is not just about wages or benefits.
In 2021, I helped to form a group called the Green Team to create native plant gardens downtown to attract pollinators and address our concern that the downtown was a native plant desert. We approached the DDA and got permission to create two gardens on plots of land that boarded the library lot. In 2022, we got permission to expand to four gardens. And in the attachment I send, you will see a map of that along with people who are involved. It was meant to help begin the transition to an urban park that was promised to voters in 2018 with the passage of Proposition A. Since that time, uh, our group has spent many hundreds of hours of volunteer time at no cost to the city. In the spring of, uh, 2023, we added murals to the gardens. Uh, and I have attached a a picture of that, um, uh, in my email.
So, I'm going to call you up. When I call you up, you have to stay up here with me. It's real awkward, but you have to stand up here with me the whole time, and then we'll get a picture together. Okay? All right. So, we will start with our students from JFK. First, we will start in preK. Our preK student of the month is Tyrone Williams. looking sharp. Congratulations. There you go. Thank you. You're welcome. Ty, stay right here. Tyrone, you got to hang out with me. All right. Uh Tyrone is a hard worker and determined to do his best. He is compassionate and kind. He always helps others and cares so much uh for others. He follows classroom rules and expectations and always tries his best. Congratulations, Tyrone. Uh, our kindergarten student of the month is Addison Townsen. Congratulations, man. Either one, doesn't matter.
Currently, the student council is hosting a spirit event um to help catalyze student expression and cohesion within the high school. Monday saw students bringing in white shirts and a marker so peers could leave their mark on graduating seniors. Um Tuesday encouraged students to wear summer attire. Wednesday was character day. And today we saw tremendous participation in throwback Thursday where students and teachers dressed up in the year in which they were born. Um, tomorrow is culture day where we hope to see a large majority of our student body demonstrate the diversity we offer here at CHS. Um, and finally, the dance team will be hosting their dance showcase on May 30th at 7 p.m. at the high school. Thank you very much for your time. Thank you so much, Mr. President. May I? Yes, absolutely. Uh, Lamar, I got to put you on the spot for a minute.
So, there is no bow, but it's really catchy. And we hope you enjoy it. That was fantastic. And we're going to see all these amazing students soon when they get their certificates. For now, we're going to plink plank plunk. That was incredible. Great. So cool. So cool. Yeah. No, no, take your take your time. In the meantime, we are going to prepare for our second student performance. So, if I could have our theater MMS Mustang theater group come up. [Applause] It's been amazing to watch this program grow and grow and grow. Um, and I'm it's so exciting that this is the historic first uh ever board meeting performance by the MMS theater group. I'm going to turn the microphone over to Mrs. Anry to tell us a little bit more. Hi, good evening. Um, we're excited to be here. Um, we actually have two shows that we do here at Marlson Middle.
It is my honor to welcome you to the commencement exercises of the graduating class of 2025. As we start the celebration this evening, I do have one ask of the audience. We want to make sure that every student and every speaker gets their moment this evening. So, please be respectful as they walk across the stage to make sure every student hears their name. I would also like to introduce Morirana Unified School District leaders. We thank them for the work they do daily to support, care for, and challenge our students. The members of the Morirana Unified School District governing board, President Mr. Hunter Hol, Vice President, Miss Katherine Micronis, members, Mr. Tom Carlson, Miss Kathy Raymond, and Mr. Roy Alexander, Morirana Unified School District Administration, Superintendent Dr. Dan Strereer, Assistant Superintendent, Miss Kristen Rei, Mr. Mr. Mark Galagosski and Miss Denise Linselada. Chief Financial Officers, Mr.
Class of 2025 graduates, faculty, and parents. My name is Gabrielle Morales, and it is my honor to have served as a student body president of Mountain View High School for the 2024 2025 school year. These past four years have been nothing short of a blessing. So, instead of talking about me, I'd like to give a gift to each and every one of you. If you could take a moment to look under your seats, you'll find under your seats. Absolutely nothing. Sorry, guys. One more time. My gift isn't a physical item. It's a metaphorical one. I bet you that all of you in the crowd today didn't realize that for all four years of high school, in the front office of Mountain View, where we spent the past four years, lies a doormat. Now, it's not a vibrant one. In fact, in classic Mountain View fashion, it's a gray one with a black border.
Each statement made by the participant shall be limited to three minutes in duration. And we do have a a clock that will time. No participant may speak more than once. No participant may pass their time to another participant. All statements shall be directed to the presiding officer. No person may address or question board members individually. The presiding officer may prohibit public comments which are harassing, interrupt, warn, or terminate a person's statement when the statement is too lengthy, personally directive, abusive, obscene, or illre irrelevant. Request any individual to leave the meeting when the person behaves in a manner that is disruptive or the orderly conduct of the meeting. request the assistance of law enforcement officers in the removal of a person who is willfully disruptive or when that person's behavior interferes with the orderly conduct of the meeting. Call for a recess or an adjournment to another time when the lack of public decorum so interferes with the orderly conduct of the meeting as to warrant such action.
I don't have any questions, but why don't you feel free to send um any links or any information that you have? I don't remember seeing that in your email, so maybe you could send it to the board as well. I will. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Thank you very much. Have a good night. Thank you. Right. Seeing no other public seeing no other hands raised, we will go on to uh item number four, which is public hearings, um the only one on our agenda this evening is 240 to 260 Pleasant Street. This is the um soccer fields by the Metro West um facilities and that was continued on May 8th and I think tonight we're getting an update on the status of that project. Yes. Right. Uh so we have with us Chris Petti who is part of um the designing team and he will give us a little bit of an update also just on a side note as we'll have a new we have two new board members I will be readvertising this project.
It's about respect. It's about honesty. And it's about dignity in the workplace. And if the district cannot offer this willingly, then we will demand it loudly and publicly before this school board. Members of the schoolboard, the district's negotiations place all the blame on you for not giving them clear direction. I urge you to clear up this miscommunication and give them clear direction tonight during your close session. Take care of your classified employees because we should not be paying more for our healthcare than other units within the district. Numbers don't lie. We also deserve an increase to our salary. That's fair. We are the lowest paid unit. We simply can't afford these costs anymore. In solidarity, JC, [Applause] thank you, Mr. Scott. Up next is Karen Sabers. [Applause] Good evening, Superintendent Nelson, board members, cabinet, President Scott, bargaining unit members, and audience. My name is Karen Sabers, and I stand before you today as the president of Apple Valley Unified Teachers Association.
This year, we have followed the development of the comprehensive plan, hoping that the library lot would be included in the plan. There are some references to natural features in the plan, but the references are primar primarily aspirational. For example, goal ten and infrastructure and services says one balance development with protection and integration of critical natural features to foster a healthy biodiverse ecosystem. And number two, protect, enhance, and manage critical natural features or open space that provide ecological benefits. and three encouraged tree cover and landscaping to help mitigate the urban heat island effect. There is also a reverence in the reference in the plan of the pros plan from 2023 to 20 2027 which clearly indicates that the downtown is significantly underserved with 4.11 acres per thousand residents compared to the citywide ratio of 179.9.6 acres per 10,000 residents. Unfortunately, if passed in August, ballot proposals A and B would eliminate the native plant gardens and replace them with huge residential towers on top of a rebuilt library and a vaguely worded public space.