He implemented a stronger, more structured program. He has energized both students and families. He regularly participates in booster meetings and remains deeply invested in the program's growth and success. Most importantly, Mr. Bergen has built me meaningful, supportive relationships with his students. He encourages them, holds them to high standards, and inspires them to excel. Under his guidance, an advance advanced band students who began with him in 2024 to 2025 are performing at levels comparable, if not surpassing first and secondyear students at Cypress High School. This kind of progress doesn't happen by chance. It is a direct result of consistent leadership, expert instruction, and a director who genuinely cares about his students futures. Our children are not only learning music, they love it. They're motivated, confident, and proud of their achievements. This enthusiasm and pride reflect the positive environment Mr. Brian has created. Introducing a new director now would cause a necessary disruption for both students and families after experiencing instability in recent years.
Um when I started doing this um we were litigating a lot of cases um concerning children who presented with autism. And in fact in the 1990s there were educators who made the argument for example what we what we used to call aspberers. um they would say, "Well, wait a minute. This student is very bright. This student is getting all A's or B's and therefore we're educating them." And the court said, "No, this child presents with difficulty in the area of social interaction, social communication, understanding just because of their disability, understanding facial expressions. And the court said, even though this child is getting straight A's, this child may need special education because it is not just about a letter grade. >> It is about trying to help the person be successful in the community. And so, um, I it it really would take probably a couple of hours to fully flesh out, um, what you're talking about.
Our students observe continuity. The district itself emphasizes how essential stability and consistency is and removing the director who's restored trust and rebuilt morale and elevated performance would be at odds with those values. Such change risks harming not only students progress but also their emotional and mental well-being. I'm going to stop there, but I have letters from students and parents. you guys can uh read them and consider uh this decision. Thank you. >> The next speaker is Adam Wagner. Wagner. So, I'd like to thank uh superintendent, board of trustees, and everybody. Um, I'm on here on behalf of uh Mr. Barrian. Um, I'm a parent of a current senior at Kennedy High School. Um, I was the or currently I'm the current uh co-vp of the pit crew and got to work hand in hand with Mr. Berkin for the two years that he was the assistant band director.
I will say though that I've heard this this concern for many many years. The courts have been very clear and in fact I'll finish with this. The ra the the Rachel H case was actually a student um who was significantly intellectually disabled. Mhm. >> When you read the case, you'll see that when um people went in to see how she was doing in class, she was holding a book upside down. And yet the court said, "No, she needs to be in general education more because of the intangible effects of being around her neurotypical peers and the effects of her neurotypical peers dealing with somebody who's different. So it is not just about a letter grade. It is education is much broader than just academics and that's something that is really wonderful about the idea. >> I'll leave with that. >> If I and maybe I can try to just ask a question to to try to get to the heart of what you're asking regarding the um >> Thank you, Jack.
Um, I grew up band and playing instrument my whole life. And my band director was one of the most influential people I've had in my entire life. and he shaped who I am today. Um, Mr. Buran is one of those people. Um, in the two years that I was able to work with Mr. Beran, he showed leadership, dedication, inspiration, and empathy for his students. Um, I could go on, but I want to keep that list short and not take too much time here. Um, my daughter had many obstacles with some other students and Mr. Mr. Bergen made it a priority to rectify the situation immediately and um be fair with all the students involved. Um upon hearing his acceptance of the position at Lexington, um I inquired with him and pretty much pleaded with him to stay at Kennedy um because I knew that that the influence he had on the students and how much they enjoyed being with him.
>> Yeah. Don't go too far. I may need you. All right. because I think I understand part of the question is in a in a situation where student has an IEP and for a certain subject the agreement of the team is let's say the subject is language arts in that subject the student is u the minutes are going to be served in an inclusion model where the student will be in a general education classroom with some kind of a support. The question I think we have for Jack is must that support be a credentialed teacher who follows that child into the classroom who has a special ed credential or can that support be a pair educator under the direction of a special education teacher. >> I can tell you right now that a par educator does not possess the credential the teacher possesses. I agree with so we want the par educator to be a support person for the child but not the person that will assign the grade on behalf of that child.
Um and as you can see from the students that spoke earlier and the parents that have spoke about um from Lexington um he has made an incredible contribution to not only Kennedy but also Lexington and not just the music program but the students involved and I feel it would be um an extremely disappointing for the district to not renew his contract. Um, and it would be um just due to his incredible caliber of teaching that he deserves to have his contract renewed. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> The next speaker is Greg Spooner. Greg Spooner. Oh, thank you. Next speaker will be Kimberly. There's no LESS to create a better world through you. That is your vision. And what does this phrase mean? I will address three impacts to this vision. Cypress community, as you can see from the audience, when there is a pressing matter, the community and parents will join together to show solidarity.
There's another aspect of that. >> Go ahead, Chad. >> Um, because the answer is yes. >> How can I say this? >> Well, let me let me preface what I'm going to say with with something I comments I was making at AXA in January of this year. Um in my view all teachers are going to heaven and all teachers should be willing to teach all children. >> Correct. >> Teaching is teaching. It's for the IEP team to determine how much time a student will be in a particular area. And it is weighing those elements in terms of the particularities of how a student's disability or our confluence of disability affects them, how the assessment data plays out, what we've seen in terms of how they learn. And our hope is that by putting all those things into the mix, we'll come out with an IEP that will never be perfect, but all teachers should be willing to teach all children.
We are here to support Mr. Bergan continuing his musical career and work which will prioritize stability, student growth, and continue success of this program. board. Please don't limit the community, the Cypus community, Lexington School. If Lexington's vision is to create a better world through unlimited you, then why remove one of the best teachers who is making the best unlimited music experience for students. Music is a creative outlet for some students who are too shy, have no hobbies, or need something to keep them busy. board. I urge you to reconsider the vital impact Mr. Beran has on these students and not aboot his students growth by disrupting the stability and success he has provided the students and parents band students board there are 230 band students this year the removal of Mr. Beran will affect 123 eighth graders next year. Uh who already are familiar with his effective and creative teachings, his technical expertise, and his tireless work habits to ensure collaboration and advancement.
Thank you and thank you for the questions that led to this and maybe it maybe it yields a need for further discovery. >> Well, I do I do I'm so interested in this discussion because special education is my passion. I'm passionate about it. I came into the district as a special education person. So special education continues to be where I sit and I want to be absolutely clear as we are moving forward as a district that we continue to service the students and not service a program. So the students are the people that make us have a special education program within the district. So, and I look back to the students who are in our achieve and our success program and I want to be sure that those particular students who are not collegebound that we continue to prepare them to be independent learners. And if we continue to peel away at the uh support that we have in the room to be able to help them to be successful members of the community just because we're trying to give people support inside the general education classroom and then we forget the 15 students in the class with one one teacher and you move the assistant who should be there to support the 15 student.
Mr. Bergen has also worked with music directors from both elementary and high schools. One of our coaches right here who does both junior and high school for drum line. and um he has a clear transition in and out of Lexington. This shows you that Mr. Berin not only cares for students at Lexin, but future students, Lexington students and parents, please stand up. Please stand up. All Lexian parents and students, please stand up. board. We need you to exemplify the spirit of learning to help Cypress community lexing parents and future and current and IEP students to keep music director Mel Beran. Thank you so much. Thank you. >> The next speaker is Annie Yu. Good evening. Um, I just wanted to start with that I really do appreciate the board speaking about the importance of attendance and life skills that are developed in school. Um, as well as the role of parents.
you move them to go and support a general education classroom, then you have deprived the 15 students who do need the support in their special education classroom. So the reason this conversation came about is not because of what Jack has pre presented. I've heard from Jack since the the 70s 80s. >> Oh, good lord. Thank you. >> So I do remember. So I can say he knows his stuff, but his stuff is different from what we deal with in Apple Valley School District. So I want to be sure that we addressing the Apple Valley School District issues. Not you know I can put the the special loved forever because I that was my major. But I want to be sure that when we are servicing our students in Apple Valley that we tune it to Apple Valley and not tune it to what's happening all over the world.
Um, I will now highlight how Mr. Beran embodies this mission and he should continue to be the band director at Lexington. I am the parent of a student in the Lexington Junior High School band program. I was recently informed that our band director, Mr. Marcel Beran, will not be returning for the 2026 27 school year due to a nonreelect notice. Like many other band families, our family was surprised and deeply concerned about this decision. Last year was our child's first year attending school in the Cypress area. He arrived at Lexington without any friends to help him with the adjustment. Soon after, the previous band director was suddenly dismissed. This created significant uncertainty during an already challenging uh transition. When Mr. Mr. Beran assumed leadership of the Lexington band program. We saw the many hours of dedication and professionalism that he brought to his musicians. He built trust with students and families while strengthening the program's culture and musical standards.
Apple Valley is where our focus should be. So when we remove instructional support that is servicing our students in the classrooms and we begin to farm them out, we leave the special education teacher without and we cannot leave them without because they're dealing with the discipline, they're dealing with the IEPs, they're dealing with uh writing the behavior plan, they're dealing with parent contact, but now you've left one adult with all of these kids. And so we as a district need to rethink how we do business so that we continue to give the program the service that our kids need. You know there are some teachers who have special education support people in their rooms that don't need them. >> They don't need them because now they're going to teach their special ed students and now they're going to teach the instructional person in their room so that the instructional person in their room will know what to do.
In a short period of time, he has developed an impressive level of student musicianship and provided quality repertoire and performance opportunities. Our child has thrived under Mr. Beran's guidance and is now involved in advanced band, winter drum line and jazz band. He now plays three instruments because of Mr. Brian and also he does it with his friends. When he came to Lexington he didn't have any friends and through the support of Mr. Brian and the music program he has friends. Sorry I'm emotional. He has created an environment where students feel supported, challenged, inspired to grow as musicians and enjoy the process of making music. Our child's renewed enthusiasm for music is a direct result of Mr. Beran's instruction. The non-reelect decision disrupts the progress and stability that the Lexington band program has achieved. We're also concerned that younger students, including my youngest child, may lose the opportunity to benefit from the guidance, expertise, and experiences that Mr.
And we need to do better. That's all I care about. >> Can I can I just say um I've I've had the pleasure of working with this district for seven, eight years now. Um I can tell you my phil part of the reason I think I've been around is my philosophy is I'm not here to really fight with the community or to fight with parents. I try to help my clients protect themselves from litigation by protecting the rights of children with exceptional needs. That's been my philosophy. I can say very very confidently that your administration holds that belief. That's why I've been around for as long as I have. So I hear what you're saying. I think it would be a really good subject of of additional conversation outside here. >> Yeah. And I think I think what you're suggesting is we analyze program with not just a legal lens but a different practicality.
Bergen provides. Our family respectfully requests that this decision be reconsidered and that district leadership, including the superintendent and board of education, engage with Lexington band families as stakeholders in our child's music education. Our students deserve a strong and stable music program that continues to grow through effective leadership, meaningful performance opportunities, and community support. We want to see Mr. Bergen have an opportunity to continue his leadership in building this program. Thank you. Thank you. The next the next speaker is Bianca Garcia. Evening board members, educators, and community members. Back in October, when most of you first heard me speak about my forever 13 beautiful cousin, Mia Mahia, I didn't share what I lived last March. On March 17th, 2025, at 10:32 a.m., I got the call. The traumatic call. The call I wish I never got. The call that informed me that my precious Mia had passed.
>> Correct. And that's >> that's probably something that you know we can do but the implications there are mean that conversation probably has to happen another time but I appreciate the questions. >> Thank you Jeff. >> All right. Thank you. We're going to move on to section E. Item one, receive Apple Valley Unified Teachers Association reopeners articles for negotiations with Apple Valley Unified School District. >> Mr. >> Thank you. This is where Yes. Uh Mr. Cobbs will look like uh come forward to present the board with um the information regarding the reopeners for this first year of the contract. I'm going to be very quick. Um, here we're presenting our our reopeners of UDUS 2026. Uh, article 14, safety. We want to be able to discuss and add language to it. Um, article 17, class size. We're kind of combining um discuss and add language if necessary.
At 1:12 p.m. the same day, I was on the phone calling every support group available in Orange County. I didn't sleep for three days. I didn't eat for 4 days. I moved into my uncle's home. Since March 17th, I've taken on a role I was never trained for. I became the de facto social worker for my family while trying to process my own heartbreak, my own trauma. I have been the one navigating the systems, searching for every resource, trying to help my shattered family. Prior to Mia's passing, I had registered to interview seniors at Savannah for the annual capstone interviews. I go every year. And last year, though I was grieving and debilitated, I still went because whether or not they are my family, Anaheim Union students matter to me. I reviewed and listened to the seniors with so much kindness and care. The Savannah staff member I was paired with was vile.
Taking a look at that. We're kind of midway through the year already. So, we're just looking at things that we can enhance. And so, those are our two articles for reopening. Thank you. >> Thank you. Item two, receive Apple Valley Unified School District reopener articles for negotiations with Apple Valley Unified Teachers Association. Mr. Conrad or No, >> this will be obviously Jeremiah presenting these. >> I'm going to take just a minute longer because I want to point out later in the agenda, you're going to see the 2528 successor contract that we worked on together as a negotiations team. We're really proud of that. It's exciting to be at that point. Um, a lot of collaborative work went into that successor agreement and so I'm excited you get to look at that in just a few minutes. ABUSD would like to reopen two articles for negotiations.