Um so back then we had Gear Up and so Gear Up along with um Chapman University and you'll know why we have Chapman University on here. Um we came together because we wanted to come up with ideas on how we could um better uh engage our families and increase parent presence on our campus. So as a group it was parents, teachers, uh staff, we came together and we brainstormed ideas. So during that session um Claudia Ruiz who's now at Anaheim and Poppy Hill who who's now at um Kennedy um were part of the Savannah family and um Claudia was a counselor and she was a Chapman University parent. So she said, "You know what? At Chapman University, we have an ambassador program, a parent ambassador program. So, that's how we kind of stole the idea. Please don't tell Chapman University. We don't want to get sued.
CSEA stands ready to participate fully in that process. Our negotiation team is prepared to meet and work with the district to examine options and ideas. Our approach will be constructive and solution focused. We believe that when both parties engage sincerely in negotiations, it creates opportunities to find responsible paths towards forward even during difficult financial times. Our commitment is simple. We will show up. We will participate and we will negotiate in good faith. We believe that maintaining a respectful and productive bargaining relationship benefits not only employees at the district but ultimately the students and the community. we all serve. CSCA looks forward to continuing that dialogue and working together through the negotiation process. Thank you. In solid solidarity, Shalon Bright, thank you. Apple Valley Unified Teachers Association, ABUTA, Karen Sabers. Should I give these to Kylie now to pass I think I only made five. I can make another copy.
So, this is our why. Okay? You'll see some some famous people here. Okay? The biggest why is our students. Okay? We all come together um as a school with our families to make sure that we support our students to be college, career, and life ready. Oh, Karen, you're in there, too. So, why get involved? You know, there's so much research as to the importance of being involved, right? Increase in grades, uh, better attendance, uh, better behavior, but at the end of the day, the biggest benefit that our that our parents see along with student achievement is that um improved relationship with their students. So this is Savannah High School's um mission and again it wasn't something that I created or that Mr. Cologne created or Dr. Freed created. It was a group effort. We had parents at the table. We co-created. So it wasn't a you know doing too.
Oh, did I? Okay, maybe I did. Oh, gotcha. I can't add or subtract now. Okay. Good evening, Superintendent Nelson, board members, cabinet, and audience. My name is Karen Sabers, and I am the president of the Apple Valley Unified Teachers Association. I will be speaking on several topics tonight. First, I'd like to address our tenative agreement and factf finding. The tenative agreement that was signed on February 12th during the factf finding was not included in tonight's board agenda. So, I've provided you with a copy and the district has also provided copies in the back room on the back table for um members of the community. This agreement not only this agreement outlines not only the items that were settled during factf finding but also additional items that the factfinder included to help us move forward with interestbased bargaining or IBB. One of those items is additional IBB training specifically focused on how to use the budget knowledge to help drive informed interpace solutions related to compensation.
It was a doing with. So, our mission statement, and I would love for one of our executive parent ambassadors, Miss Marisa Loris, to read the mission statement for us. Yes, read it. Let me see. I'll go. Our mission at Savannah is the parent ambassador program will support the school community in order to meet the needs of our families and students. Parent ambassadors will understand the education systems with great detail and depth to ensure their child is college, career and life ready for the 21st century. That is it. So, thank you. Okay. Okay. And now I pass it along to Karen. Alrighty. And so for our purpose of the parent ambassador program, um do you see some key words here? It's to increase family engagement and also to increase that parent presence on our campuses, making it a space where families feel welcomed, a space where families want to be involved on their school campuses and also creating that strong parent network where parents can lean on each other.
Mr. Rasin state the state factfinder recommended Wendy Lockhart from CTA to assist with this training. He also recommended bringing in a representative from school services to help provide budget training. In addition, we will be forming a health and welfare committee that will include equal representation from a Buddha CSEA and unrepresented employees. This committee will serve in an advisory role to the union and management bargaining teams which were one team. We will also explore training options related to health and welfare. I do want to point out that many employees in the district would not have the insurance rates that they currently have if a voodoo would not have a work would not have worked with CTA insurance expert to deliver to develop the 90% Kaiser rate models. Avooda brought forward the idea of using 90% Kaiser rates instead of the hard caps that pre previously existed and the other bargaining teams were able to benefit from this work.
They can have that support system. They can be that mentorship and that sense of belonging for all of our families. And so for commitment, this does vary by school site. Um every um school will have different um set of hours. So at a high school, typically you'll see a 50 hour um requirement per school year. Um and we'll talk about what that looks like on the next slide. But there is a minimum two-year um requirement for those who want to qualify for senior benefits, which we'll talk about later, and also those who um qualify for the executive board who want to go for a position. And then also other commitments for all ambassadors is to attend ambassador meetings throughout the school year and also to be able to log regularly those um participation hours. All right. So, participation, this is like the fun part where our families get to experience different levels of participation and engagement at our school sites and also at the district level.
I also provided you with our factf finding presentation. It's the thick packet. You may review it at your convenience as it contains a great deal of helpful information. In addition, I've included several pages from the district's presentation. While reviewing both presentations, I would like to point out that our district that point out that the districts we used comparables are different from those used by the district. The district used many comparables from districts down the hill with the rationale that they are about 35 miles the way the bird flies. Another thing I would like to bring to your attention is the pages showing reserve balances if proposed if the proposal had been accepted. It is remarkable to see the difference between those projected ending ending balances and the new ending balances that appear on the second interim report. That leads me to my next topic, the second interim report.
So, on this slide, you'll see different kinds of engagement levels. There's events, there's workshops, there's leadership positions, there's so many different things that parents can get involved in, and this is all based on their interests and needs and really for them to support their student at the level they're at. when you have a a parent at the seventh grade level compared to someone who's at the junior level or senior level, right? The needs can vary. So, this is a limited list, but there's so many more opportunities for our parents to be engaged on our campuses and at the district. So, it's such a um joy to see. And so, for the onboarding process, so we usually have anformational session for our parent ambassadors at the very beginning of the school year. And this is where we go over all of these logistics, this information. And afterwards, what we do have them is to make it official, a commitment.
When comparing the first interim report which was presented in de in December to the second interim report, we are again surprised to see such a such a significant difference in ending balances. However, we're glad to see that the district found additional 14.9 million in funds and that we can now not only meet the required 3% reserve, but also the board recommended, though not required, 5% reserve. That is amazing how much the reserves increased. I'm also glad to see that enrollment is up and that this increase is not solely due to TK enrollment. unlike we were told in factf finding presentation. Next, I would like to address agenda item eight and nine, which involve the hiring of consultants to mentor students. While I believe these individuals may be valuable resources to our students, and I understand that they are being paid through a different funding source.
We have them sign an ambassador contract every school year. And if they haven't done so already, we make sure that they do the volunteer clearance process so that way they're approved to be on campus. They're approved for any volunteer opportunities. Um, and also as a parent ambassador so that we can have consistent communication. We have them join our communication platforms. Um, Maria and I, we both use Remind. So you'll see like a lot of messages through there and flyers, events, um, and also we have them >> Even today, sorry it we we're almost there. >> So they're very patient, but they're always awaiting different messages so that it's a two-way communication. Um, and then also like we mentioned is them logging their hours. We do a Google form system where they log every event. So we do have them try to consistently submit them so they don't get behind.
It is difficult to reconcile this with the fact that class that classified staff received yes riffs notices just yesterday. The amount being paid to these consultants is comparable to the salary of a classified employee. At a time when classified staff are losing their jobs, this decision raises concern. I now want to speak about a uniform complaint appeal that was presented to the board in close session. It is upsetting that this board did not care enough to hear from a teacher in this district. We were appealing this case based on the fact that the interviews conducted during the investigation were with indivi individuals who had nothing to do with the complaint. The individuals who were interviewed were the same ones that had been previously interviewed for an upper campus complaint while the complaint involved the lower campus. None of the individuals who names were provided by the complaintant to the attorney for the interviews were actually interviewed.
So these are just some of the respons Oh gosh I can't I see closer here. Um these are some of the responsibilities that our parent ambassadors have. So once once they are identified as a parent ambassador and they get pinned and you'll see an image of of a parent being pinned by their student. Um they um they represent our parent community. They're seen as leaders. They lead and um represent not only leadership on our campus but in our outside you know here at the district and in our communities. They're community leaders and um they are leaders and they are connect the the connection for other parents to get involved. So one of the things that we have seen at Savannah is that organically those all of our parent ambassadors are that critical link to bring in families that otherwise weren't engaged for a variety of reasons.
Because of this, we move forward with the appeal. It is disheartening that the board would not even allow 15 minutes for a teacher to speak on her own behalf. This decision speaks to the culture and morale of this district and the school site. My next topic is regarding an email that was sent out concerning an 84 year old male. I'm not sure whether this email was sent only to district personnel or if it went out to others. Regarding regardless, it was upsetting. This email stated that there is currently no criminal investigation and no perceived threat to anyone's safety. In my opinion, sharing this information, especially including pictures of his car parked in front of his h home with his license plate visible is an invasion of privacy and creates unnecessary fear among staff. at a time when many employees are already already feel fear of retaliation and when their current and when the there are current reports of alleged retaliation.
Um they are the ones I mean I want to give them a big shout out because thanks to them we're able to bring in u more families to be engaged. And so obviously part of um the program is to provide incentives for our families and this will vary again by school site but some things you'll kind of see are opportunities for them to develop as leaders on our campuses district level and then there they get certain perks like if there's um any priority registration or limited seating or spots for an event we send it out to our ambassadors first and a first come first serve. Um so it does um give them an opportunity to um get that exclusive opportunities first. Um other things that you'll see um we do at the very end have a ceremony. Um I did send you all an invitation for next week we're going to have a ceremony.
The fact that something like this could happen to a harmless 84 year old man simply for asking someone about their political views causes certificated staff to question what could happen to them. This is the type of atmosphere that many feel this district breeds and that this board allows. Next, I would like to address the unfair labor practice that Avuda and CTA have filed against the district. On February 18th, 2026, the Apple Valley Unified Teachers Association and the California Teachers Association filed an unfair labor practice with the Public Employees Relation Board, PERB, regarding the conduct of Trustee Rick Raleigh during the December 11th, 2025 board meeting and the district's expenditure reduction meetings that took place January 5th through January 9th, 2026. Finally, I want to address the resolution being presented tonight in support of superintendent. The county letter referenced tonight addresses misappropriation of funds. Avooda has never alleged criminal misappropriation, nor have we ever heard anyone else allege this.
We're same day. So you guys choose which location split yourselves but please come out and join. We're going to celebrate our parent ambassadors at our school sites. Um, but at this ceremony, something that you'll typically see is that we do a pinning ceremony, which is where our parents are able to get a personalized name badge with their name, with their um title showcasing that they're a parent leader on campus. So, here on this in this photo, this is um from last year at Oxford Academy. We did our own pinning ceremony. This was our first year, so we're on to year two. And it's so exciting to see that. And then we also have senior benefits, which is something that our senior parents always look forward to because they we'll talk about it afterwards, but it's really exciting stuff. But all of these perks are cool, right?
Our concerns have been consistently about the fiscal judgment, sustainability, transparency, and the long-term impact of the decisions on the classroom. Educators ask difficult questions because that is what responsible professionals do when reserves decline, when one-time funds are used for ongoing commitments, and when staffing instability affects students. This resolution attempts to characterize those concerns as inaccurate and divisive. In fact, those difficult questions is exactly what the board should be doing. Governance is not about protecting individuals from scrutiny. It's about oversight, accountability, and ensuring the decisions are the best are in the best interest of students, staff, and the community. I also need to speak I also need to address something that speaks directly to the civility referenced in this resolution. Over the past year when I our lead negotiator and other staff members have stood at this podium. The one board member has frequently not looked at the speaker, has remained focused on the computer, rolled her eyes, given dirty looks, text others while people are speaking, pass note and pass notes during public comment.
But the most important and the most valuable thing is that our parents get to be involved in their students education. >> Yes. >> So this is what our VIP grad experience looks like. Okay. Let me tell you, this year at Savannah is our biggest graduating cohort of senior parent ambassadors. We have 21. And so, it's my stress every year because I'm the one who goes and sets all the spots and make sure that no. So, I've been, you know, I've cried a couple times, I'm not going to lie, in the last 15 years. But this year is our biggest graduating cohort of 21 parent ambassadors. and our biggest new parent ambassadors. We also have about 22 new ambassadors that we will be pinning this year. So, um we get VIP seating, get VIP lanyards, you know, we try to make the experience as special as as we can because, you know, they dedicate so much time and effort.
Another board member has also treated us with disrespect. There have also been instances where another board member has been treated not only with dismissiveness but with open disrespect. This is not interpretation. It is observable behavior and the staff and community see it. In addition, it has been increasingly apparent that many items brought before the board result in a predictable 3 to2 vote. regardless of the substance of the issue or concerns raised publicly. This was grossly evident last board meeting when a board member voted no to adjourn the meeting simply because one board member voted yes. When outcomes become predetermined, it undermines public confidence in deliberation and governance. If we are going to site board policy 1313 on civility and governance standards, those expectations must apply equally to everyone seated at this dis. What is concerning is that this resolution appears to single out one one trustee for raising concerns and asking questions.