001Good evening. I'd like to welcome Is there some feedback? Okay. >> Okay. Good evening. I'd like to welcome everybody to this evening school board meeting. It is uh September 10th and it's 7:01. Roll call. Trusty Chavez. Trusty Jacobson >> present. >> Trusty Lan >> here. >> Trusty Andradi Zuniga >> presented. >> Okay. And I'm present. Tonight we have a team from Hannah interpreting as our Spanish interpreters. For those who would like to attend the meeting virtually in Spanish, that option is available. Hannah interpreting, would you please communicate that for us this evening? Thank you. >> Good evening. In order to provide language access, this meeting will have simultaneous interpretation in English and Spanish. To enable the interpretation, if you're using your laptop or desktop, please locate the icon shaped like a globe at the bottom
002of your screen. Click on uh language interpretation and then select English. If you're your phone, iPad or similar device, then locate the three dot menu in the upper right corner of your screen. Click on language interpretation and select English. Spanish. Thank you. >> If you wish to view closed captions of this meeting, please view the meeting on the SMU HSD board meeting YouTube channel. The link to the YouTube channel can be found on our website. You may view the captions in English as we live stream our meeting tonight and you may view the captions in a variety of other languages if you choose to watch after this meeting has ended. Viewers may request additional accommodations by calling 650582201. For our deaf and heart of hearing community, we have a team from Hannah interpreting services and
003they will be interpreting our meeting this evening. We would like to ask everyone to speak at a clear and reasonable pace for our interpreters. Okay. Before we actually have the pledge of allegiance, um I'd like to open the meeting with a moment of silence in memory of the victims of uh 911. um disaster. Uh thousands of lives were lost. Uh countless others were impacted. I know in my church there's a woman who was there and was a survivor and she told us the story and it is you know to hear it from a person is such a harrowing story and she her life was just totally changed. I want to also f recognize the first responders for their bravery. Um I think that uh we should work toward a future rooted in peace. However, having
004said that, I think we need to be uh vigilant and prepared to prevent such an event from ever happening uh on our our territory ever again. Please join me now in a moment of silence. Thank you. Okay, I'll ask our welcome our student board members and ask you to uh lead us in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay. Uh report of actions taken in close session. In close session, the board upon motion of Trusty Jacobson and seconded by Trusty Chavez move to approve the postpone to to postpone the expulsion hearing of case 2526-2 with a vote of 5 to zero. Okay, we're going to move
005on to item J, adopting the agenda. The board of trustees may either adopt the agenda as presented or make a change to the agenda through a motion, second, and majority vote. The Brown Act prohibits any additions to the agenda without a 72-hour public notice. Are there any questions or comments from the board of trustees or superintendent with respect to the agenda? Okay. I want to make a motion to move W1 approval of specific board policies and administrative regulations June 25 2025 updates part one to right after the consent agenda. >> I'll second that. >> Okay, we have a motion and a second >> two and two seconds. >> Any discussion? Any public comment on that? Any online? Okay. >> Okay. All in favor? >> I >> Okay. And the student board voted I also. Thank
006you. >> Okay. Reporter as superintendent. >> Thank you very much. Good evening everybody. Uh welcome. Uh first I want to remind our community that tomorrow night is our back to school night across uh all of our campuses except for Middle College. they had theirs um prior. Uh but this is an incredible opportunity to get firsthand experience in our classrooms, meet our educators, visit our sites, and uh continue to build community. So, I encourage uh all of our community to attend if they can. Uh it's really fun and uh it's just a like I said, a great opportunity to see our educators really shine and to learn about our priorities and the things that we're uh doing in our classrooms for students. So that's uh tomorrow night. Uh also just to um reiterate what Trustee Griffin
007had mentioned, September 11th is Patriot Day, a national day of remembrance. It's a time for us to pause to remember and honor the nearly 3,000 lives lost in the tragic events of September 11th, 2001, including first responders, service members, and everyday citizens who showed extraordinary courage. And I want to express my deep gratitude to those first responders and me members of the military and countless others who continue to protect our communities and uphold uh our freedom freedoms. Patriot Day reminds us of the importance of coming together as a nation, setting aside differences to support one another with compassion, resilience, and a shared commitment to community. And as educators, we carry the responsibility of teaching our students not only about this day in history, but also about the values of service, empathy, and unity that define
008the best of our nation. Additionally, we have Rashashana and Yam Kapoor. I want to acknowledge those two upcoming important holidays in the Jewish calendar and acknowledge their significant uh their significance to the members of our community who observe them. This year the high holy days of Rashashana are observed uh from sun sundown on Monday September 22nd through nightfall on Wednesday September 24th. Rashashana means the head of the year and it's the Jewish new year and it's a time of inner renewal and atonement. This year, Yam Kapour will be observed beginning at sundown on Wednesday, October 1st until nightfall of Thursday, October 2nd. Uh students and staff observing these holidays may be absent on the days following these nighttime celebrations and we as a district will be supportive to the needs of these individuals. Families out
009there if you have questions. Please make sure you contact directly the school sites, your your your child's teachers, counselor, and administration. Additionally, September is suiciderevention month, a time to remind ourselves that mental health is as vital as physical health. In our schools, we want every student and staff member to know you are not alone and that it is always okay to ask for help. Our district is committed to providing safe spaces with trusted adults and clear pathways for support. From wellness centers to staff trainings, we are investing in systems that help every member of our community know where to turn when they or someone they care about needs support. Suicide prevention isn't only crisis response. It's about connection and belonging and hope every day. By talking openly about mental health and supporting one another, we
010build a culture where seeking help is a strength. And as we recognize suicide prevention month, consider taking one small step. Check in with a student, colleague, friend, or family member. A simple conversation can be life-changing. Together, we can cultivate a community where every person feels seen, supported, and valued. And additionally, for immediate 247 crisis support, please call the Sonteo County Crisis hotline at 650-579350 or call and text 988, which is the suicide and crisis lifeline or chat 988 liifeline.org. You can visit our website to learn about other resources available to our community at smuhsd.org slash know your resources. Additionally, uh Cappuccino High School will be holding its 75th anniversary, which is really exciting. Uh, this is will be held on Saturday, October 25th from 11:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. All are welcome to join us
011in honoring this milestone and taking a walk down memory lane. For 75 years, Cappuccino has been a proud pillar of the San Bruno community, and this celebration will highlight the students, alumni, staff, and community members who've helped shaped who we are today. The day will feature an opening ceremony, food, campus tours, and live entertainment, including performances by the Cappuccino High School band and drama department. Mark your calendars and come celebrate Cappuccino's 75 years of history, tradition, and community. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Reporter of the uh district teachers association, representative. >> She's on her way. She got caught in traffic. Um, so we have CSCA online ready if you want. >> Oh, hello everybody. Um, good evening, President Griffin, members of the board, Superintendent Booker, district leadership, student board members, and everyone
012else joining us tonight. Looks like a packed house in there. I want to start off tonight by taking a moment to thank our IT department. Recently, when the district faced widespread internet issues, they worked diligently and quickly to identify and resolve the problem. Their efforts ensured that disruptions were minimized and that our staff and students could stay connected. We truly appreciate their dedication and responsiveness. Tomorrow, CSEA will um CSA will be meeting again with the district for negotiations. We are looking forward to hearing back regarding the overall proposal we submitted in August, and we remain hopeful for meaningful progress. A key part of these discussions will be around healthcare. The district has always taken pride in offering strong, reliable benefits as a way to support our staff and retain great people. This isn't just a
013budget issue. This is a staff retention issue, a morale issue, and most importantly, a student success issue. We believe that the district and all unions working together can find solutions that protect employees and strengthen our district. High employee contributions could create unnecessary hardship and we know that collaborative planning can prevent disruption and provide stability for the people who serve serve our students every day. We are committed to working in good faith towards agreements that reflect respect, fairness, and the shared values of this district. Thank you. Have a good evening and here's to a successful back to school night tomorrow. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. report of Sam Hill teachers, district teachers. Not the adult school. Sorry. >> Not >> they don't have report. >> Okay. The report of student board reps. >> Good
014evening. My name is Zoe Center and I am a student district representative of Brilling Game High School in back to school night tomorrow. Our robotics team is showcasing the robot. And some other updates are that the students are extremely grateful and happy for the new gym and are very appreciative of the open space. The school play Rumors is in full kickoff with school rehearsals. And the new mock trial team has been announced with me as a new member on the team. And as a Panther PAL ambassador, I helped run the I helped run the freshman orientation and the new freshman um events that are kicking up this school year to help welcome the new members of our school. Catherine, >> good evening. My name is Katherine Sao and I am one of the student district
015representatives for Aragon High School. I work closely with Aragon's music department, volunteering to help assist the music students and teachers needs. I am also an aspiring graphic designer, picking up volunteer design jobs when I can. The student board representatives are working together to help edit and design, sorry, edit and draft next month's proclamations and are looking forward to seeing our work being published. As a collaborative, the members of the board help edit the National Hispanic Month proclamation and are hoping to summarize it for you all here today. National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed each year from September 15th to October 15th to celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of those living in America whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. And the term Hispanic is used in the name
016of the national recognition of this month. The Sanonteo Union High School District uses the term Latino to describe the diverse residents of the United States with cultural or ancestral ties to Latin America or the Caribbean. For many, the term Latino also creates room for acknowledging black, indigenous, Asian, and other heritages on terms on equal terms with European ancestry. The term Hispanic is used to signal a connection to Spain or the Spanish language. This month includes the int independence day of several Latin American countries including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Chile, and bellies. The Latino community is exceptionally diverse and includes indigenous people from throughout America. The Latino community compromises the second largest racial or ethnic group in the United States with the largest population living in California and represents 24.8% nearly a
017quarter of San Monteo County's total population and 38% of students in Sonteo County Public Schools. and Sonteo Union High School District celebrates and uplifts members of our Latino community who have immigrated to Sonteo County, adapting a to a new culture, language, and customs and developing resilience and flexibility that strengthens our community. Thank you. >> Thank you. Is it district teachers? Okay. Good evening. >> Hello, President Griffin. Your microphone's on. Yep. Go ahead. >> Not yet. You guys don't really need me to use the microphone. Let's be real. >> That's a curse for you guys. Hello, President Griffin, board of trustees, student board members, superintendent, cabinet members, and our community members. It's my honor to represent our district's teachers association as our vice president for another year. And although there are many really important things on
018the board agenda today, I am focused on one thing, and that is supporting our members with healthcare. For years, I've had the honor to stand before you and express how amazing this career is. We are truly lucky to be able to do something we love and are passionate about every day, like supporting our young humans. I've also told you time and time again how lucky we are to have such incredible educators in our district. I love that Superintendent Booker reminds us that we are all educators. All of the employees in this district are educators. I could not agree more. We have the responsibility, all of us have the responsibility to love, mentor, and guide our young scholars. And we have the best of the best in this district. We can attract the best educators in
019the state and country because of the strong relationship between the district and the teachers association, our high salary and fully covered healthcare. Of course, our teachers have other options when it comes to looking for high-paying districts. They could go to Sequoia, PaloAlto, Mountain View for comparable salaries. What sets us apart from everyone else for a very long time is our access to fully covered healthcare. Our district has had a long-standing philosophy of supporting employees by covering health care and protecting their health over the course of their career. We've had a strong relationship with the district because for a long time, we've had a shared vision and value system. But when we stop supporting members with health care, we will become fragmented. There will be something that some people get and others don't. If we were
020all if we are all educators, we should all be provided the same support to be able to thrive and live in the communities we work in. Going in this direction will necessarily move us away from this position and people will leave. We believe the district has the funds to provide our health care and a salary increase. We should not have to choose between the two. I know you've read many emails from our members about how how health care affects them and their ability to do this amazing career. There are many members that depend on our health care to be able to live and work here. If we lose it, we will inevitably lose incredible educators. We believe the district has the money to offer us a modest salary increase while also helping take the edge
021off some health care plan changes by increasing the amount of premiums they cover. For each of the past six years, our unit has represented a smaller and smaller percentage of district spending. This cannot continue. If we assume that a budget can reveal a district's priorities and values, our district is not prioritizing us or valuing us. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Governing board comments, Rusty Chavez. >> Well, this is the first time this has happened. all all three items I was going to comment on. Uh Superintendent Booker covered all three. Um I had the um invitation up for Cappuccino 75 year anniversary. So you've already mentioned that October 25th. That's exciting. Um and also the back to school night. That's going to be really exciting. That's why we have our board meeting tonight instead of
022tomorrow. So that everybody in the community can go participate. All of our school sites. It's it's pick a school, pick where your child or your niece or your grandchild attends. Uh and go to another one as well. Um it's going to be exciting tomorrow night. I love our student ambassadors when they're there helping out everybody find the right building and the classroom. We have so many students that are volunteering. So we'll report out after that happens. And then lastly, um just as you had already talked about, Superintendent Booker was it's it's today is it's actually not only is it National Suicide Prevention Day on September 10th, but it's also World Suicide Prevention Day. So, just as uh Superintendent Booker's already mentioned, um you can call or text 988. Um and it's 24 hours a day,
023absolutely free. The languages are English and Spanish. I'm sure if you ask for another language that they can find somebody that could do the translations, but but the as of right now the call up 24 hours a day, you'll have e both languages available. Um that's really important to get that message out to everybody. Everybody's um because yeah, it's important. Um those those are my comments. I know I could I could elaborate longer, but you've already covered everything. Thank you, >> Trusty Jacobson. >> Uh I'll be brief. Uh just to add on to the recognition of September 11th, which is a national day of service, um I would invite anybody who's looking for a volunteer opportunity tomorrow to come to the Hillsdale Peace Pantry um and garden at tomorrow afternoon at 3:30. They're they are
024in the height of harvesting fresh fruits and veggies. um yeah to um distribute on Friday morning and so all are welcome to come. Uh my church I uh is you know acrewing 911 hours of service uh throughout this month in honor of that. And we have um an early morning scripture study class that uh many students in our district attend who are members of our church. And last Friday they um provided volunteer support at the peace pantry on Friday morning in lie of their class to support that. So, I just wanted to highlight that effort and um show support for um Empower San Mateo and and the Hillsdale Empowerment Through action program. Thanks, >> Trusty Land. >> Um I just want to thank the student board for doing such a great job with acknowledging Hispanic
025Heritage Month in our proclamation. I think that's awesome and thank you for doing that. Um I'll keep it brief. I'm looking forward to back to school night. I hopefully I get to one of the schools at least one. Um and that's it for me. Trusty Andrade Zeniga. >> Yes. Thank you. I'm going to read um a land acknowledgement that was written by some of the cappuccino students a few years ago. Our community acknowledges that all of our campuses lie on the ancestral homeland of the Rometo Alone. The Rome Tush are the original inhabitants of the San Francisco Peninsula whose land was stolen from them and whose native language was lost because of Spanish colonization. As settlers on the stolen land of the peninsula, we should be alongside the Romeous remembering and honoring their ancestors and
026relatives. We thank the first people, the Rometo Aloney, for taking care of the land we use now for education and activities. Our responsibility of caring for the earth is is unique and personal to each of us but should be rooted in allyship with the rama shalom so we can work together to protect and preserve the land for future generations. Um last night I attended a workshop on IEPs independent educational plans for uh students through parents helping parents. Um, it's really important if anybody needs to know about how to acquire an IEP or even a 504 plan or anything like that, um, you can reach out to Par parent parents helping parents or go on to our district website, um, through special education. There's some resources there as well. Um, tomorrow, uh, Superintendent Booker and I
027will be attending the California Latino School Board Association conference until Sunday. So, that'll be kind of a nice way to to start um well, start Latina uh um heritage month for us. And so, that'll be neat. Um, there's a lot of different celebrations going on throughout the community. I know at all the school sites. I know the students are going to be celebrating with the different clubs, so please uh support them and participate. Um, yes, this is suicide prevention month. Um, I just want to remind everyone that first and foremost, we're here to serve our young people, our our school community, and our educators. Um, I think we all need to remember that we need to be there for each other and support each other as human beings and as all as members of the
028same community. Um, a few years ago, my nephew was uh 16 and he died by suicide. Um, and it was because he was so disconnected from his community and from having that type of support. And so I just urge you to please um just even in light of the things we're going to be talking about today in our agenda um we have to remember that everything we do here affects people. It affects our students people um over ourselves. So, um, lastly, um, I just want to also remind everyone that CO is hitting hard. Um, I think there's supposed to be there's like a huge huge surge, especially right now with all of the schools starting. Um, so just please be mindful if you're sick, stay home. if you um you know be mindful of your
029neighbors, folks that are around you that may not be able to um bounce back as quickly as you can. Um and then just thank you to our ASL interpreters, our language interpreters, our IT folks, and the folks that we have keeping our room clean and beautiful and set up. Um that's it. Thank you. >> Okay. Well, I quick comment. Um, you know, I can tell who my friends are because a couple of it was almost two weeks ago we had the dedication of the Samale was an athletic training center, a beautiful building and none of these trustees I don't think were there but my old gang the last the last group of trustees and the last superintendent all showed up. >> Well, yeah. And and and superintendent Yeah. But uh it was good to see
030them at >> Hey, we were at >> Yeah. Okay. Okay. Okay. >> Good in a row. >> Anyway, it was it it was it was a nice it was a really good ceremony. I'm sure the Berling game one was equally as good. Well, you know, some of us that work for a living have jobs. >> That's why we couldn't go to both dead. Anyway, I couldn't make all of those, but uh I did make the salmon tail and I enjoyed it and I capped off the evening sitting out there in those hard cold bleachers watching Samale beat I think it was Los Altos. Yeah. So, it was it was a great day. So public comments. If you are joining us in person and wish to make a comment about a agenda item or during the
031public comment section at the beginning of the agenda, please fill out a request to address the board form and submit it to the secretary. This form should be given to the secretary before the agenda item begins. If you are joining us virtually, use the raised hand feature on Zoom to be recognized. When invited to do so, your camera must be on before you are called upon to make a public comment. We will call on you to begin your comment once you we have promoted you into the meeting. If your camera is not operational, please email your comments to the board of trustees at boards smuhsd.org. Please note that comments are limited to 3 minutes. The board president may increase or decrease the time allowed for public comment depending on the topic and the number of
032persons wishing to be heard. I will call on in-person comment request first. These are are on non-aggenda items. Marvin Jyn. Good evening. You have three minutes. >> Thank you. Um my name is Marvin Jyn. I'm a parent of a child who receives special education services in this district. I'm here tonight to respectfully request clarification and action regarding the district's trans transportation policy for students with special needs. Currently, my child is not allowed to ride the regular school bus with their peers, even though there's no document reasons such as safety concerns that would prevent them from doing so. I understand that alternative transportation can be necessary in some cases, but this decision appears to be made as a blanket policy rather than based on individual needs. This concerns me not only as a parent but also
033as someone who values inclusion education. Social interaction starts the moment a child leaves home in the morning. Being separated from peers on the way to and from school can isolate children with disabilities and deprived them of important social experience. More importantly, this practice may violate both the American with Disabilities Act and section 504 with which prohibits discriminatory practices. It requires that students with disabilities be served in the least restricted environment appropriate to their needs. It is also important to note that under board policy regulation 3541 transportation route and services, my child should be provided access to a regular school bus when appropriate. This policy supports individual considerations, not automatic separation. According to that that same policy, it is up to the superintendent who is responsible for designing transportation routes and services within the district. I'm
034asking the board to ensure that transportation decisions for students with special needs are made on a case-bycase basis with meaningful input from families that there is a clear process to request or appeal transportation arrangements. Um, I've been bringing this up to Superintendent Booker. I left the messages. I Elizabeth Blackwell, she called herself a program manager. Um, she's not helping. I asked for policies and it's like a secret, you know, nobody knows the policy. Nobody knows where it is, but it's hearsay, right? So, I found the policy, right? These people, the school district seem like they every time I ask for a policy to back up what they're saying, they're not providing it to me. Thank you. >> Thank you. The next speaker is Kevin Baltima. I I apologize. You must be a very learned doctor
035or something because your handwriting is illeible. >> I'll take that as a compliment. >> My goodness. >> Good evening. My name is Kevin Bolton. I serve as the deputy superintendent for business services at Sanonteo County Office of Education. Uh, I'm really here this evening to express our appreciation for the work that your administration and support staff endeavored over the last 16 months to implement a new financial system. Um, we view this as a success. Um, I have not received calls in my office with complaints and our name is not in the paper. So, at this point, we think we're successfully through the implementation itself. Um, I would say that your staff already had full-time jobs and yet we asked your um your people to do more work to make sure that this implementation went well
036and make sure your staff more most importantly got paid correctly. So um our office paid about $5.6 million for this implementation. Um we hired additional consultants and overtime of our staff, but we know it also um had a lot of sacrifice for um your district as well. So, I'm really here again just to thank your entire business service staff, your human resource staff. Um, they were really wonderful to work with. I would acknowledge there were some difficult days and there were some times that we were all overwhelmed. Um, but as a team, we kind of worked through that whole process. So, at this point, we've completed the implementation, but we are moving forward with enhancement and improvement of the system. And ultimately, we hope that your district will find the new ERP system to be
037a valuable tool to pay employees correctly, report their retirement accurately, account for employee leaves, provide timely financial reports, develop and track budgets, purchase items with proper control procedures, and do the general accounting of the school district, and maintain um an accurate accounting of the um resources that your community has provided for your district. So, it's just a thank you. We appreciate the work. >> You know, you might forward all that information to uh San Francisco school district. I understand they were having payroll problems. So, >> you said it, I didn't. >> Well, I think they're getting better, too. So, but thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Communications to the board of trustees. Are there any >> President Griffin? You have two raised hands online. >> Okay. Sorry. Marilyn Hollinger, I'll promote you now. >>
038Okay, I think I'm on now. Yes. Okay. Um, so my name is Marilyn Hollinger and I reside in the unincorporated area of South San Francisco. I have two adult children, one transgender male and the other transgender non-binary. Um, both of my children attended and graduated from Mills High School in 2015 and 2018, respectively. >> Is this on an agenda item or is this a general >> It's on an agenda item relative to agenda item W on the on the agenda. >> Yes. >> We um what we'll do is call on you when that item >> uh I'm sorry. I I read the agenda. I didn't know there was going to be another opportunity for public comment. My apologies. I'll I'll I'll hold off and wait on that. Thank you. >> Okay. You want to bring
039the second one up. >> The other hand went down. So, >> Okay. Uh are there anything? >> I'm sorry. There is still a hand up. I'm sorry. >> Okay. >> Dan Carlos girl, I'm promoting you now. Okay. Sorry, it took me a minute to get off of mute. My apologies for that. >> May I ask if you're going to speak on a non-aggenda item or >> non-aggenda item? >> It's on an agenda item. >> Nonaggenda item. >> Okay. Okay. You may begin. >> Thank you. My name is Stephanie Shootes and I would just like to let everyone know that Charlie Kirk represented you. What he was doing, what Charlie Kirk does every day, debating, using ideas. His last action on earth was picking up a microphone to rebute something that he heard from one of
040the people. He debated ideas. He wanted to hear your ideas. And San Monteo County needs to encourage debate, political debate peacefully and to understand the other side. The violence must end. And you people are leaders and you are supposed to be representing our children and encouraging our children for polite debate. Let's just see you do it. Thank you. >> Thank you. Okay. Um, communications. >> None this evening. >> Okay. Recognitions >> also none this evening. >> Okay. We're going to move on to the consent agenda. Um, do any of the trustees wish to pull an item for discussion? Okay. Is there a motion? >> I'll make a motion to approve the consent agenda. I'll second that. >> Okay, we have a motion and a second. Is there any discussion or comments there? No cards or
041anything on this item? Okay, we have a motion in a second. All in favor? >> I >> the item passes 50. Okay. And we're going to move to uh board operations and actually we're going to end up with the approval of specific board policies and administrative rags June 2025 updates part one. Superintendent. >> Thank you very much. Uh just be before I start or as they put the presentation up, I want to remind the community that uh the district developed a memo attached to the board agenda. I think we have some copies um paper copies here on the on the table. Uh for those at home, I encourage you to take a look at that um board memo. U tonight's presentation really just tries to give a very high level executive summary of the points
042that were made in the memo and the recommendations uh from the district to uh the board of trustees. Uh I I also want to preamble by saying that uh the this topic and the policy shifts specifically in AR-5145.7 and 5145.3 uh it's not they're not easy to parse out. Um there have been uh a number of legal cases um that have driven policy changes. uh and I appreciate the board uh postponing this topic to give us an opportunity to uh work with legal counsel uh on helping to identify where the changes came from and and why they are precipitated. Uh so with that said, I want to jump in uh to this brief presentation. Uh basically like I said earlier, it gives an outline of the board memo and our recommendations uh moving forward. All
043right. So, background. Uh, our current, uh, administrative regulation 5145.7 uh, currently and has for a while includes protections for transgender and gender non-conforming students under our sexual uh, harassment policy. CSBA or otherwise known as California School Boards Association. Um they are a body that provides school districts with um board policy and administrative regulation updates, recommended updates typically um provided due to changing laws in the whether in the state or federal government, court cases, things like that to help keep us protected and out of litigation. uh CSBA relocated these protections or this language to AR 5145.3. So I want to be clear, it's not as if we didn't have this language on the books prior. CSBA recommended a relocation of this language to AR5145.3, otherwise entitled non-discrimination and harassment due to recent title 9 court rulings.
044Specifically, the case Tennessee versus Cardona in January of 2025 vacated 2024 Title 9 regulations limiting inter interpretation to sex only. Now, on the other side of the coin, California state laws still protect gender identity and expression unaffected by the federal ruling. So, you can see where the is some of the issues lie here in the sense of trying to administer all of this. We have the federal government saying one thing and the California state government saying another. Our goal is to align with CSBA specifically for consistency statewide while adhering to California law with a couple of edits and I'm going to outline those this evening. So our approach has been to adopt as we have in the past adopt CSBA language revisions where possible to ensure alignment with other districts. We want to have consistency
045because it strengthens statewide legal defense of district policies. Uh we like I said earlier, we recognize the ongoing tension between federal rulings and especially in this particular instance which are narrower and state law at least in California which are broader and we want to avoid speculative changes. It's hard to predict the future. Title 9 may change again and again and again. Uh we need to adopt now and adjust later if legal guidance evolves. And my guess is it will uh so we you have a very large packet attached to the board agenda. It's like 87 pages and it contains a number of policy revisions as um promoted by CSBA. The push and pull is really around AR 50 uh 5145.3 and what was 5145.7. And so the memo focuses entirely on those that push and
046pull. The memo to the board does not address all of the others because all of the others um we didn't have large discussion on. Uh they aren't controversial. Uh I didn't get feedback from the board or community on uh but this particular policy we did. And so we looked at eight particular points of the policy. Acceptance of gender identity. Number two, use of names and pronouns. Number three, access to facilities, programs, activities. Number four, dress code, uniforms. Five, equal access to educational programs and activities. Six, right to privacy. Seven, re student records. And eight, prohibited conduct. And I want to remind everyone that all of these issues, all of these points were already addressed in AR 5145.7. So, let me be clear. These are the areas where the district is recommending no revisions to the
047CSBA proposed language. Areas 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8. We do not recommend revisions to the CSBA proposal on those 1 2 3 4 5 uh topics. But we do recommend revisions to three of the items listed in the CSBA proposal. Again, this is a highle summary. So if you want to see the details and the rationale, read the memo. It's all in there. Um, so in item five under equal access, CSBA removed uh a reference to parent and and and guardian communication. We recommend restoring that language to recognize family involvement as appropriate. The language that we propose indicates that and we think there are times when it is appropriate to have family involvement and there are times when it's not appropriate. And uh you'll see in the memo that that is hard to define.
048It is a case-bycase situation. oftentimes it has to do with direct evidence. If we understand that there may be abuse in the family or it could put the student in physical harm, uh we consult often with district staff, attorneys at time uh when we are making these decisions, but it's a case by case. Number six, right to privacy. CSBA in their proposal expanded private information to include sex and gender and removed parental references. The district recommends aligning with California education code and this is what we had before in the previous policy. Sexual orientation, gender identity and expression as private and reinstate the option for involving parents, guardians as appropriate. And the last one, item number seven, student records. CSBA unilaterally removed the custodial parent role in in student record uh discussions. The district recommends reinstating
049that for minors. Uh and official record changes require proper documentation and guardian approval like we had in our previous policy. I have some implementation notes. education code still exists and we still follow and we have for a while now uh with regard to all gender restrooms uh our compliance officer responsibilities there eligibility rules for athletics or other programs remain in place under this policy there's no changes there uh and district policies must balance student privacy rights legal compliance and parental roles so our recommendation summary adopt CSBA revisions across AR5145.3 except for items 56 and 7. For those items, uh we've provided recommended language in the memo or I call district modified language as outlined. Uh under item five, equal access, item six, privacy align to California law, and item seven, student record changes which require
050custodial parent approval for minors minors. Uh overall this ensures our compliance. It protects student students rights. It involves families and remains adaptable to legal changes moving forward. And I added a little appendix here. Um uh Miss Aino, is this presentation posted to the agenda as well yet or not yet? Okay, we will post it. Uh so uh for the community members, we'll make sure you have access to this presentation. You have access to the memo. This is like I said again just a high level. So, I created this little appendix that shows what was CSBA recommending and what were the district recommendations. And lastly, I want to say one of the frustrations we have and and I'll be contacting CSBA next week on this is that they made certain recommendations without providing clear rationale for
051them. There was no case law necessarily attached. There was no you better do this or you're open to exposure. Like there was no real rationale. uh and and that gave me significant pause around some of these issues. Um we want part of my job is uh to ensure all of this. Yes. Yes. Yes. But also to ensure as the best I can to keep the district solvent and out of court uh because these are dollars that I would rather be spending on students. Um and and so I I will I will want to get clearer understanding from CSBA why they're making the policy recommendations they're making. Um, so ultimately what I'm saying is what we had in the past I think we should have in the future. Uh, and if they recommend because of court
052cases we need to shift it from AR 51457 to AR 5145.3 to be consistent with the rest of the state. Fine. All all good. I think that's that's wise practice. There is strength in numbers when dealing with these issues across the state. Um, so that's my recommendations moving forward. I'm happy to answer as best I can questions if we get too legal ease. I'll have to take notes and and connect back with you because I'm not an attorney. I just play one on TV. So, >> okay. Well, >> the board have any questions or comments right now? >> Please. Just wanted to say thank you to Superintendent Booker and your staff for for I know this was a as we dug in the into the details a little bit in our last meeting. Um I
053think it's great that we have this recommendation of course but that you out you outline different areas and and certainly the C to compare the CSBA revisions versus the district recommendations and to compare the difference that that really helps helps me out. It helps others out. So so thank you for doing that. Thank you. Is that it? >> Any other questions or comments? >> Uh, I have a question, >> please. >> Um, Superintendent Booker, can you help us understand what the current protocol is for um contacting parents if a student wants to transition? >> Be more specific about transition. Talk to me about what that >> uh like >> what are they communicating to the teacher? like a name change >> that they want to change their gender identity. >> Okay. So, sometimes that looks
054like and I'll give an example like a name change. So, they may want to be uh referred to a different name from the teacher or a substitute or a coach or any adult on campus. And so, we have a process for a student to do that. Uh it's an alias process in our ARIES student information system. It doesn't change their legal name on their transcript or any official documents. It'll add their, let's say they have a preferred name of Logan. I don't know, I'm making this up. >> That would show their their their legal name would show up in the system. Attendance, transcript, report cards, any of those kinds of things, but specifically on attendance as the teacher is talking to the student or we have a substitute or a coach, Logan would show up
055in parentheses next to the name. So that it shares with the um uh educator the preferred name. Parents have access to that shift. So that is not hidden from parents. Parents have access to see that that request has been made to the student uh by the student. Excuse me. >> And is >> that's just one example. >> Yeah, sure. And is there any um conversation with the student at that time about um concerns for their mental health or well-being or or why they're seeking this change or what resources they might need or anything like that? >> Yeah. Absolutely. Yes. And that's actually built into the policy recommendations that I drafted. So on page eight of the memo, at the very top of the memo, but the bottom of that first paragraph, it says the district
056may offer support services such as counseling to students who wish to inform their parents, guardians of their status and request request assistance in doing so. So we do work with our mental health therapists and our school counselors in providing that kind of support to our students when they come to us and ask when they, you know, are requesting that kind of support. Sometimes we even push in and encourage it anyway um across our district. I don't know if district staff that's kind of what I wanted to know is is what effort is made on the district's part to encourage the student to um involve the parents in the in the transition process. I >> think we want to know from the student how that relationship is going with the family, right? how is the family
057going to take it from the student's point of view? Obviously, it's just one side. It's just the student's point of view. Um, and so we want to make sure we're we're supporting that student in that conversation. If we start getting evidence or if we have previous evidence of abuse of any kind, um, any of those kinds of things, then, you know, that's going to support the way we counsel that student. We don't want to put a student in harm's way. We want to help the student through that process so they're not putting themselves necessarily in harm's way. But that's what why it reads in the policy is as appropriate. And let me just say as appropriate is not great legal language. It's it's not and and you're going to find as appropriate all over the
058place in legal language. And it's this kind of concept of what would a reasonable person think is appropriate? And if you're ever in court, that's what they will like try to judge. what is reasonleness and it's it has to do with past practice or consistency of practice. Uh but it's not well defined. You're not going to find and that's why there's I didn't put language specifically in here because there is no such language that defines that kind of appropriate. It's just not there. And so that's why I said earlier on that when we go down this path with students, we often want to check in with one another, that we have counselors talk to one another, mental health therapists talk to their clinical supervisor, like I want to get help on here's the history. This
059is what I'm thinking I'm going to do. What do you think? Talk to an administrator. It's not just one person handling this case by itself. >> It's not a great answer. It's the answer we have. Yeah. Can you get give me any sort of uh idea of what percent of the time uh parents are involved? >> Yeah, I would I would actually say most of the time. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, I would. I mean, I guess why I say that, one of the reasons I I think that is because at least in my three years here, we haven't had a uniform complaint, a grievance or a lawsuit from a parent in the community saying we did this wrong and that could come. I mean, people do litigate over those things, right? So, we haven't
060had, knock on wood, we haven't had one of those things. Um, and we're and a lot of the edits that I made in this policy to the CSBA policy to bring back some of this what I would consider reasonleness >> is to try to prevent that. We have a track history in our previous policy that had this language that has protected us in many ways and protected students and protected educators. I did not want to shift this policy in a way that I at least from my professional experience thinks it would open students up to harm, prevent that student family connection, and least of all, but it's important, open us as a district up to litigation. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Any other questions? Okay, we start with public comments and um you know
061we went through this last time and we normally allow a maximum of three minutes and there's a board policy that says any one agenda item has a maximum of 20 minutes of public input. So, I'm going to ask that people distill their comments down to 90 seconds, a minute and a half of what is really important in that. And I'm doing that to try to allow as many people as possible to speak. I mean, that that is it's a balancing act of how many can get up here. You know, we've heard people la at the last meeting. Uh we have 20 minutes and I would ask that you be considerate when you get to the end of your time. Uh and I'm taking them in numbered order. So you turn them in and if you
062you know if somebody has already, you know, said your piece, acknowledge it and move on so we can get some other people. And I am looking for as much diversity here as I can. Uh, Eristlla Hansen. Eristlla Ever. >> Forgive me if I missed your name. >> Eve Stella. Close enough. Yeah. >> As a district educator, when a student enters our school doors each day, the most important thing we can offer is an environment that is safe, secure, and where they are valued for being who they are. This policy, which I urge you to adopt, is not about giving our trans and non-binary students special rights. is about ensuring that they have the same dignity and privacy that every student in our district deserves. As educators, our hope is that school is just one of
063many places they feel safe. But as educators, we know that in some instances, school is the only place they feel safe. This policy respects students right to share with their parents on their own timeline. It allows our students the safety to explore who they are at their own pace without compromising their privacy. And as someone who went through my own transition a few years ago, I know firsthand how life-changing having agency over own timeline is. This policy respects our students privacy rights to decide for themselves when they share who they are with classmates. By adopting 5145.3 with these extra protections, we make it clear to students. You will not be outed by being forced to use facilities that do not match up with your gender identity. Adopting this policy shows every student that this district
064is committed to dignity, equality, and their right to learn in safety. It tells them school is a place where you can feel safe. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Stephanie Waznjak. >> Good evening. Um, I am the drama teacher at Sanonteo High School and in my seven years working in this district, I have witnessed a real shift in the experiences of our trans students. When I started working here, I was meeting with my trans students very regularly uh to discuss how hard it was to be misgendered in class or the weight it felt on that first day when they were being deadnamed over and over. Uh there were instances of self harm and anxiety so intense that weeks of school were missed. I am happy to report that now I see examples of trans students
065feeling welcome, included, and joyful on campus every day. Just the other day, I had a freshman approach some of my students and me to ask about our tech theater program. And one of my students asked about their pronouns and this freshman just looked shocked and delighted and said, "I nobody in middle school asked me my pronouns. They're they're they them. And I loved that moment of inclusion. We have developed a reputation as a district that flies the rainbow flag, that has a non-binary gender option in our enrollment system, and that listened to students when designing a new gym facility, making sure there was a genderneutral locker room option. But most importantly, I no longer hear daily knocks on my door from my trans students who are feeling alienated, judged, or scared. Our trans students can
066reach their academic potential because we have made them feel safe. protecting LGBTQIA plus students should not be up for a debate. I urge you to vote yes on the proposed changes for the BPA 5145.3. >> Thank you. Quick question. Do we have to have a a full name or can we just go by first names? >> That's how it was turned in. So you can you can go by first name. >> Let's checking Gabe. Hello. I am I'm a student here in the district and I'm a member of my school's GSA. And I'm here because I want to keep my friends safe. The trans and non-binary students that you're debating about. My friends, they're just kids. And I see them struggling every day with things that no kid should have to struggle with. I've seen
067them skip school because they couldn't handle their teachers and classmates seeing them as someone they aren't. I have seen them avoid drinking water so they wouldn't have to use the gendered public restrooms. I've seen one of my friends spend the entire school day crying because he thought that he would be okay using the girls locker room for PE, but he wasn't. I see my friends going through things that no one should have to go through, and I'm not sure how much of it they can handle. I want to keep them safe and to make everything okay. To keep them close so that no one can hurt them, but I can't. I need your help. The longer you postpone your decision to support your students, the more I lose faith in our district and in the
068adults who are supposed to be doing everything they can to protect us. Please don't keep pushing this off. Stand strong and show us that you're still here for us. Please help me keep my friends safe and help me make everything okay. Thank Thank you. Chris R. >> Hi, I'm Chris. Uh, good evening board. Thank you for having us. Thank you for your comments about 9/11. I fought in some of those wars. And um part of what I was fighting for was people's right to express themselves kind of like how Gabe is. And um I think that's really important. It's really important to protect those kids. I have a kid like that. And uh I I want them to feel safe at school to express themsel and and maybe if they don't feel safe at home,
069I want them to at least feel safe at school. I think these are important and I uh support the superintendent's recommendations. Thank you. >> Thank you. Arie, >> thank you. Um, I don't think I have anything to add to what Gabe said except that I am I really deeply um admire and was moved by your words about uh inclusion, about how this day is important to remember how it is important for students to feel seen and heard. And I support you keeping this language in. It's extremely important for everybody in your district. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Jessica. >> Hi, thank you. Um, I'm here to ask you to adopt the policy updates um outlined by Superintendent Booker. I'm a district parent and a P Flag volunteer. At the last meeting, misinformation was shared
070that was misleading and damaging to our LGBTQ students sense of safety. And you should know the current context. Since this year began, these families living extreme fear. The federal government subpoenaed over 20 hospitals for their children's medical records. The military is expend expelling transgender personnel, including decorated officers. Museums are censoring transgender history. One family told me that their adult transgender child once attempted suicide during their difficult journey to acceptance and they don't want to imagine doing that under this circumstance. The speakers at the last meeting lost the state capital. So they came here with outside pressure and hurtful language to try to bully you. We love our school. The students feel supported and happy here because staff care deeply about all the students. Please stop stalling the updates. They have one goal, ensuring all children
071feel safe so they can learn and thrive. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Michelle Costilly. I am sorry. >> Yes, my name is Michelle Costcella. I have a current student and a former graduate in the district. Um, I'm happy about some of the policy changes, particularly keeping parents in the equation. I'd actually prefer it to be a little stronger. My relationships with the uh teachers have always been great and if there's ever been an issue with any of my kids, they we work in a partnership and I think that should continue particularly with difficult decisions. Um however, I do think the district is playing with fire and um risking lawsuits and loss of federal funding um with allowing students to access sports bathrooms and locker rooms on the basis of gender identity instead of sex,
072which is clear in Title 9. Um, in fact, last week, uh, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon put on Twitter that if a school athletic association or school district wants to continue receiving support from the federal government, it must abide by title N, plain and simple. And there have been school districts in Virginia that have been particularly singled out by the Trump administration for loss of federal funding. There's no reason to think Sano could not be one of those schools. Um, I don't know if there's currently boys participating in girls sports. I do know they are using boys girls facilities and um locker rooms in the district. Um that opens you up to lawsuits. If you don't care about the privacy, the safety, the dignity of girls, if that's not enough to make you act on
073this, maybe the loss of federal funding will be enough because I don't know how you're going to explain to parents if billions of dollars are millions of dollars in the district are lost. um because you're clinging to a radical ideology that isn't supported by the vast majority of people even here in Sonteo County. >> Thank you, >> Beverly Talbot. >> Good evening. Your policies continue to deprive girls of the equal opportunities they are guaranteed under Title 9. Meanwhile, the US Department of Education now targets school districts that allow boys to play girls sports and access access their locker rooms. Five Virginia school districts recently lost DOE funding and must front their own costs with reimbursement depending on compliance. This penalty comes on the heels of the DOJ's Title 9 suit against the state department of
074ed and CIF. Female athletes say enough. Santa Rosa JC volleyball players filed an office of civil rights complaint. San Jose State players sued their school. Tmacular middle middle schoolers staged a walk out to protest boys in girls locker rooms. Even children know this is wrong. Aligning board policy with Title 9 will not exclude trans athletes from playing sports. Boys who identify as girls can play boy sports. other boys and especially the adults who coach them must welcome these athletes rather than gaslighting girls into competing with boys, which we know is unfair and unsafe. Please ignore those who say this issue is the refuge of right-wing bigots. 80% of Americans and 67% of Democrats agree that protecting girls sports and spaces is not bigotry. It is the very promise of Title N. >> Thank you. Amanda
075Kavatana. Hello, my name is Amanda Kovatana and I am a longtime lesbian activist in the Bay Area and a member of Women are Real. The California law AB1266 introduced gender identity to schools in with an uninformed public. No one understood the impact it would have. That is no longer true. We now know from the discomfort and sac sacrifice of girls and women in sports locker rooms and prisons that giving rights to boys and men to declare a female gender means taking rights away from girls and women and from lesbians in dating apps and for social spaces online on and offline for women all over the world. The trans identity is a personal and cultural belief. Some say a religious belief attempting to be affirmed as reality by school policy. Thank you for restoring family involvement.
076This is now a time to consider what we are doing to the rights of girls, to women's sports, and to evidence-based reality. I urge protecting these majority rights. >> Thank you. [Music] You know, one thing I will ask and and we have a and it not as bad as it has been at some meetings, but we've had meetings uh where, you know, we had to adopt a civility um policy. and would ask that as people speak we be respectful of you know of or considered of when they're making time you know making their comments just as you'd like them to be respectful of your your comments. So anyway we're going to keep motoring through this. Aaron Freddy. >> Attorney Aaron Friday and a mother of a daughter who used to believe that she was a
077boy but no longer does. The changes the uh district is proposing violates the laws as does the original one. Federal law trumps state law and receipt of federal dollars requires schools to abide by title 9 which prohibits discrimination based on sex, not gender identity. Therefore, you must return all the federal funds. The federal government is investigating Europa Unified San Jose State for Title 9 violations, and my contacts in the DOE and DOJ uh confirm that they are focused on California schools that violate Title 9. Tennessee versus Cardona, the case that you referenced in your memo, also held that forcing teachers to use names and pronouns based on gender identity violates the First Amendment as compelled speech. Teachers with religious beliefs had have an addict ground to refuse to participate in the social transition of children.
078Even if you return the federal money, which you must, students can file federal lawsuits for discrimination under the equal protection clause because three justices in the recent Supreme Court case, Scrati, said that that sex is immutable and is afforded high protections whereas gender identity is not. There are two lawsuits that were again filed in Europa and Riverside school districts and the Supreme Court is hearing two sports cases involving transidentified students. Your policy still >> Thank you. Arianne Adam Chikova, >> you got it right. My name is Arian Adam Chukova and I am a mother of a formerly transidentified son, a longtime lesbian and gay rights activist in both the San Francisco area and in Madrid and a Spanish teacher in this district. I urge the board to approve future updates absolutely requiring parent and family
079involvement in any changes to school records involving gender and social transitions. I also call for continued open dialogue on adolescent trans identities. Over the past decades, many of our educators have taught students the colonialist, regressive, homophobic, and sexist ideas that we should constantly think about our own gender performance and so-called identity. This type of narrow thinking causes those of us who are gay, bisexual, creative, gender non-conforming, or struggling with body issues to believe that we were born in the wrong body and that sex change is possible. This belief can have terrible consequences for young people navigating puberty and first of romantic attractions. In my son's case, school of affirmation of his transgirl identity by peers and teachers harmed him and worsened his already fragile mental state and made him believe that his sensitive qualities made
080him a girl. A bully's message that his school affirmed. >> Thank you. Angela Zinc. >> Hello. Welcome back or I'm welcome. I'm back again. Sorry. Uh good evening, President Griffin, members of the board and district staff. I am humbled and honored every day and especially tonight by our students brilliance and commitment to creating a more just and inclusive comm community for us all. And that can only happen when they feel safe and supported. At a time when there is so much uncertainty in the world, school should be a positive and inclusive part of their day. And I hope not the only place or part of their day where they are seen and appreciated for who they are. I want to voice my support for our students and especially our LGBTQ plus students in their ability
081be in their ability to be without fear their full selves at our schools every day. Thank you. >> Thank you. How many minutes have we been on this? >> 17. >> You have about uh four and a half minutes left to the 20. >> Okay. Well, we're just going to keep plowing through this. So, Sarah Larson. Good evening. I'm Sarah Larson. I represent P Flag San Jose Peninsula. Please pass the updates today. The importance of upholding our freedoms includes the freedoms of LGBT people and that includes LGBT children and that includes transgender children. This ought to be a community where every person feels seen and valued. The LGBTQ plus world needs our support. That's where P Flag comes in. Transgender students are students like other students and they must be afforded all the same protections.
082This is about health, safety, and education. It is not about sports. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, >> Katie. Thank you, Superintendent Booker. Thank you, President Griffin and board of supervisors. I support the CSBA promoted California state aligned move of the existing language protecting students rights and protections with minimal changes as proposed to AR5145.3 since it already existed and already supported inclusion for students including trans, interex, non-binary, and gender non-conforming students. The modified language emphasizes the option for parental and family involvement. I would just unders underscore the importance of not requiring parent and family involvement. Indeed, for some trans and gender non-conforming children, including family, can put those children at risk. So opting first for only child involvement and not prioritizing parent and family invol involvement over child safety would be ideal. Thank you.
083>> Thank you Alexander Dove. >> Hi everyone. Long time. Um hi. I am very proud to be an educator in this district for 18 years, especially due to the fact that we center our students and their needs in our work. As Superintendent Booker can attest, much of our professional development is focused on making our students feel safe and connected on our campuses. Our work consistently reflects that and I stand unequivocally in support of adopting the board policy changes that protect our transgender and gender gender non-conforming youth. At the heart of this policy and so many others, is the safety of our students. Having trusted adults on campus centers their lived experiences in a way that is humanizing and vitalizing. This is important for all of our students and especially those in marginalized communities such as
084the LGBTIA plus students. Additionally, all our educators on our campuses are mandated reporters. We take this role incredibly seriously and work with our students and their caring and trusted adults, families, and or guardians when they are in danger or experience harm. This policy does not impede this work as has been fearfully alleged. It does not empower teachers and staff to encourage students to pursue alternate identities. Nor does it radicalize our interactions with our students. It gives students a safe place to process their lives and experiences as they develop and grow as young adults. This process can at times be messy or difficult. It can be uncomfortable and it can be unpredictable. And as such, our students need to have safety and security to go through these processes. This board policy, as it stands, supports myself
085and my colleagues to be those safe spaces for our students. And when students are in greater need of support, our schools have additional resources to provide targeted assistance such as our wellness counselors, therapists, and other tier 2 resources who work with families, guardians, and trusted adults. And isn't that what we want for students to be safe to be safe and connected and trusted? Thank you so much. So sorry. Bye. Edmonong Longo. Is that historical moment? The need to articulate our fundamental values and principles as a community couldn't be greater. To affirm that trans students exist and are deserving of rights isn't controversial. What rings as controversial, however, is the notion that young people adopt trans identities as a result of social contagion. The discussion of online chat rooms brimming with confused and mentally ill teenagers
086who encourage one another to mutilate their bodies for social acceptance represents straw man thinking at its best and dangerous discourse at its worst. More specifically, the suggestion that an increasing awareness of the trans community seduces hordes of young people into a harmful fascination with trans identity actually undermines trans people's right to exist in the first place. This kind of rhetoric not only detracts from the very legitimate debates that our society needs to have around young people and medical transitioning, but also obfuscates the very real risk and violence that many young people face when first naming themselves as trans to others. While a vocal minority would have us think that around every corner lies a child seeking to become trans and endanger us in restrooms or at sporting events, the reality is that trans people remain
087one of the most invisible and persecuted groups in our society. I urge the board of trustees to adopt the proposed revisions in AR 5145.3 so we can be remembered in the annals of history as a community that not only resisted a viciferous anti-trans movement but also sought to protect the safety and freedom of all our students. Thank you. >> President Griffin. President Griffin. >> Yes. >> You're a little over 20 minutes. >> Okay. Well, we're going to we we the the two people that are left here and I hope they're not that many there. I mean, we've been respectful. We've been to the point. Let's try to >> if the board doesn't beat me up too bad. Let's go. >> Go Eard. >> Kate Eard. >> My thing here is um just kind of responding
088to what I'm watching. Um I'm a Um, could you use your the microphone, please? >> I'm just responding to what I'm watching. I'm a parent um from in San Carlos. And you guys, thank you for the mention of being respectful. And when it was mentioned that Charlie Kirk was assassinated, this side was upset that we would mention that we're mentioning an assassination of a really good man. And what's horrifying is that you have to go somewhere else with it. These people have to go somewhere else with it. It wouldn't be any different if any one of you were assassinated. We would be upset. It doesn't matter who. You got to be upset. Now, real quick, there's no discipline here. There's no discipline expected of the children, the parents. Everybody has a free fall. I mean,
089you have to remember children are minors. Parents are important. Now, I understand that you can be involved when there's um you know, some child saying there's danger in the home, but you know how many children say that all the time because they think that you know their mother's not going to like them or they want something from the father and they're going to get one or the other in trouble. They do this all the time. There's a lot of acting out. So, you have to be really careful that you don't become CFPB, which is, you know, children protection services, which I have seen do horrific things. So don't think yourselves >> God. And so we have a um message here. Also, >> your time is up. >> I'm leaving. >> But we have another person
090that had a card in >> Elizabeth Starks. >> By the way, I'm I'm going to say I'm very proud to be an American and I'm also in God with trust. This is very important. I don't make any difference on transgender people, but I have problems with my friends who committed and had surgeries and they were submitted by the school teachers and the transgender surgeries and they are now on poverty blockers and they are castrated and they will never be having a baby again. So my thing is I'm going to tell you you are the the teachers. You supposed to take care of the mental issue. You supposed to support the children. I have a granddaughter who by the way my kids graduated from Bowling Game High School and they four of them are professionals and
091they have good jobs but I am the mother and the mother the kids belongs to me. You don't take care of the kids. you don't separate the kids because your uh your assistants are telling, "Oh, your kid is a transgender. He wants to change the sex. He's going to commit suicide." That's a lie. It's your responsibility. >> Your time is up. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> So, Miss Aino, how many online comments are there? We have four hands raised. >> Okay. 90 seconds is this. >> Okay. >> Marilyn Hollinger, I'll bring you back in now. Uh thank you and my apologies for coming in at the inappropriate time before. As I I'll repeat again, my name is Marilyn Hollinger and I'm in the unincorporated area of South San Francisco. my two adult children
092um one is transgender male the other transgender non-binary and they both attended and graduated from Mills High School in 2015 and 2018. Uh my son transitioned while attending Mills legally changing his name and his gender and at that time it was critically important to his physical and emotional well-being to be in a supportive environment and for the most part the staff at Mills were accommodating navigating what to them was a first time thing and very difficult for them to understand. They involved me. They honored his name and provided appropriate access based on his gender identity. I want to encourage your continued support of these kids like mine, like my kids survived this and to approve these changes that support these students and support parents like me. We must allow our kids to learn and thrive
093in our schools without fear or discrimination. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Weisner. You can start. Thank you. My name is Craig Weezner and for 10 years I served. [Music] He's still on Zoom. I can see that he's still on. Let's try to repromote him. >> Sorry about that. I hope I'm on now. >> Yes. >> Thank you. My name is Craig Weezner and for 10 years I served on this county's LGBTQIA plus commission. During that time, I was grateful to the city of San Monteo and the K through2 schools for their commitment to making our community a safe and welcoming place for all people with policies and actions that demonstrated that commitment. Today, some people are demanding that we revert to the past when LGBTQA plus people were marginalized, demeaned, disparaged, sidelined, silenced,
094and disappeared. Please don't give in to those forces. Lives literally depend on it and you to hold those lives, the quality of those lives, your children's and your neighbors lives in your hands. Thank you. Please vote for this policy. Miss citizen, you may go ahead. You're on mute. You can unmute and begin. >> Thank you and good evening. I urge you to adopt the CSBA recommended modifications to AR5145.3 as written. Allowing all students to participate in activities and use facilities according to their gender identity is the safest option for transgender, cisgender, and gender non-conforming students. Earlier this year, the UCLA School of Law published a study examining the risk to all occupants when transgender people are allowed to use gendered facilities according to their gender identity. They studied states and counties across the United States
095with and without and before and after the enactment of non-discrimination laws. The study found no evidence that transgender people's access to facilities aligned with their identity has any negative impacts on the safety of those facilities for cisgendered people. In contrast, the study and several other studies have documented negative impacts on transgender youth from not being able to access facilities aligned with their gender. The harm they experience ranges from verbal harassment to tardiness and absences to physical assault. In addition, exclusive facilities policies are harmful for cisgender girls who faced increased harassment on the basis of their gender presentation in locations where such policies have been implemented. Supporting transgender students fully participating in all activities and resources aligned with their gender is the only way to fulfill your vision of a safe and equitable environment. >> Thank
096you, ma'am. Your time is up. >> Thank you. And our last speaker, Miss Magari. >> Hi, good evening board members and superintendent Booker. My name is Angela McGari and I'm a teacher in the social studies department at Samonteo High School. I want to share my support for the alignment of our district policy with the CSBA. Starting in their 9th grade ethnic studies classes, we teach our students to be proud of their identities, their racial identity, and their gender identity, among others. As students move through their world history, US history, and US government and economics classes, teachers in our department do their best to highlight the pivotal roles that people of color, queer, and trans people have played as leaders and contributors to important social and political movements over time. We do this at least in
097part so that our students can see themselves reflected in the curriculum and feel both safe and validated in their identities as they learn, grow, and reflect on how they too will contribute to society. Students identities do not simply start or stop evolving at our doors. But while they are inside our classrooms, we treat them with dignity, which means respecting their identities however they look at any given time. It seems that a small step our board can take to similarly support our trans and gender non-conforming students is to ensure that our policies are aligned with the CSBA. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. before we uh actually move on to board and student board uh considerations, you know, I really want to um and I've been listening to debates and arguments and people yelling and
098cat calls for I hate to say it 30 years and this actually is given the issue, given the sides and the emotions, this actually was a very good uh session and I was glad people listened uh and we were able to have that those share those comments. So I thank you in the audience for your uh your consideration. So anyway, let's go on. Does the board have any comments? Do our student board members? [Laughter] >> Miss Jacobson. >> Thanks. I do have um some comments prepared. I want to first acknowledge all of the thoughtful comments and letters we have received from the community on this issue. I also appreciate the legal analysis from our county council and the revisions the district is recommending on the CSBA's language. Both California law and furpa which is federal
099give clear legal basis for many aspects of this AR and to the extent that the language aligns with current law I support it on those grounds. I believe in the rule of law and as a district it is prudent to comply with state law at present. I want to be clear about some things. This AR does does raise concerns for me when it comes to specific ways we as a district support LGBTQIA plus students and their families. Dozens of people have written to us with the statement, "Protecting LGBTQIA plus students should not be up for debate." Let's be clear that we are not debating whether to protect these students, but how. While gender dysphoria has been around for a long time, the exponentially increased rate of rapid onset gender dysphoria is a newer phenomenon. With
100the recent testimonies, lawsuits, and activism of brave dransitioners and whistleblowers combined with new quality research, there is not enough evidence to declare that gender affirming care is the best practice for adolescents. The Cass report, which is the most comprehensive review of research on the topic to date, concluded that there is not a reliable evidence base upon which to make clinical decisions or for children and their families to make informed choices. Its recommendations include standard evidence-based psycho psychological and psychopharmarmacological treatment approaches should be used to support the management of the associated distress from gender in congruence and co-occurring conditions including support for parents and siblings as appropriate. People may be asking, "What does it hurt if we affirm a student who wants to go by a new name or pronouns?" There is reason to believe it
101can cause harm because a majority of youth who experience gender dysphoria will grow out of it or desist over time. Changing names, pronouns, and/or presentation significantly decreases desistence. It can also lead to leveling up intervention to invasive hormone therapy which has been shown to make desistence extremely rare. There is evidence to support a social contagion with rapid onset gender dysphoria with more people changing their gender among peer groups. Social transitions can play a role in that effect. To my knowledge, there is no law that requires the district to affirm its students stated gender identity. At least there is not one cited in this AR. My personal belief is that such a request by a student should trigger a meeting with parents or guardians who are best positioned to support their child and assist them in
102navigating this life change. California law AB1955 prevents our district from having a policy that requires parental notification in such cases. However, the district recommended language in the AR returns inclusion of parents and guardians to encourage family involvement as it should. The choice to socially transition is a therapeutic decision with lifealtering consequences that should not be left to a child alone. These decision these decisions should be made by parents and children together with informed consent and after consultation with competent medical and psychological professionals acting in good faith and who are informed by the highest quality peer-reviewed aggregated research. Social transitioning also presents the complex problem of participation in sex segregated sports and use of locker rooms and bathrooms. There is a tension between federal and state law on this issue. This issue will be adjudicated in
103multiple arenas soon. In July, the DOJ sued the California Department of Ed and CIF for Title 9 violations that discriminate against female athletes. The Supreme Court will hear a case this fall, West Virginia versus BPJ, that will give further clarity on the issue when it comes to the legality of California's law AB1266. I want to say for the record that my position on the matter is that athletes should compete in sports based on their biological sex and polling shows 65% of likely California voters agree. In maintaining this policy, we preserve state funding, but we risk federal funding. We also fail to protect female sports and spaces, which means we fail to protect girls. Just as protecting LGBTQIA plus students should not be up for debate, neither should protecting girls. And I sincerely hope justice prevails
104to trigger changes to this law to reflect that truth. Lastly, I have the concern that in some cases, these guidelines may have tension with freedom of speech and religion rights. Other school districts have been sued on these grounds for policies similar to what we are considering tonight. I also worry that the gamut of plausible scenarios that can create a quote intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational environment," unquote, may put a chill on students willingness to express their valid opinions in class. Is it bullying or harassment to acknowledge reality? In voting yes, I am putting a great deal of trust in the language in the AR that states, quote, "The compliance officer shall consider the rights of all students and how those rights may affect and be affected by the rights of other students." Quote, "I will
105vote yes, not because I agree with everything in this policy, but in order to comply with present law and because voting no will not address these remaining concerns. Thank you. Anybody else wish to comment on anything? >> I just want to thank all the speakers. I think you did a good job of saying it was good to hear it from all sides and and your perspectives and I appreciate it and thank you teachers for being here. I know it's hard having a long day. You know, thank you very much. Um but I would like to recommend to accept the uh recommendation and the um regulations and board policies as outlined tonight. >> Okay. I wanted to make a Oh, go ahead. Go ahead, Trusty. Go ahead. >> Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't hear. Think I
106just was going to make the motion a second, but I I'm hoping we can still keep talking. >> Okay. Trusty Lan hijacked the motion. Is there >> Oops. Commenting. >> Yeah, you still have a comment, right? You still have a comment, right? >> Yeah. Go ahead. >> Okay. Yeah, my comments uh short, actually. Um, I just want to thank everybody um online and everybody here in person and thank you everybody for the civility for listening to each other and um because sometimes we just have to agree to disagree but letting everybody speak and thank you uh President Griffin for letting everybody speak. You know, I like to hear I talk a lot some been more quiet but I'm known to talk too much. So when we have a stack of cards like this I say
107let them speak. I kept nudging him. There's only a few left. A few left. Let's let everybody speak. So, thank you everybody for coming all the way out here to to speak um and express your opinion. Um I'm in favor of uh the policy as uh the district has made uh the amendments, the suggestions. Um that I just want to say that I have one one one concern about uh female sports and that's because not just because I have two daughters. Um one of them played um varsity sports at Cappuccino High School. Um they they were actually in uh AAU club level for a number of years about eight years and then they played um varsity cappuccino and I just want to give a shout out. They got the CCS trophy for the first time
108in Cappuccino's history. But I will say that that came with a lot of um a lot of hard work. These girls were together for about 10 years because they played together at middle school in San Bruno um Parkside and they also played in AAU. They traveled around. But I want to mention that some of them had um just playing. Women can get really aggressive, right? And they had bruises, they had scratches, they had a broken nose, they broke uh what is it? You twist You had a boot on uh Trusty Land. They had they had um whatever fractures they had. And and I just um it's not about my daughter, it's about all female sports. Um all women playing girl or girls are playing. So, I I just get a little concerned thinking that, hey,
109is there going to be a biological athlete there who's 6'2? Uh, and I'm not saying that the everybody's always taller who's who's a guy by I mean a biological guy. I'm saying it I'm saying it wrong. I'm trying to express my concern over the height and just the this the just the known strength that that um biological boys would have compared to biological girls uh in high school. So, and and also in any any level of sports, whether it's middle school or high school. So, that's my concern is is to make female sports in our schools safe. Um, that's my only concern here, but as long as we keep that in check, you know, I'm I'm totally in in favor of of this uh policy. Thank you. Sorry, I was a little bit tongue twisted
110there. Sorry about that. >> Trusty Andrad Zenigga. >> Yes. Um I am going to second the motion that Christy Land had made. But I I also just want to remind us here on this dis that what we say means a lot. There's weight behind our words and there's weight behind how we make our students feel and that should be our number one priority is our students. Um, like I mentioned earlier about suicide prevention month, um, we need to we we need to really be mindful about who in our district is struggling and why they're struggling, who is seen, who is not seen, who is being respected, and who is not. And right now, I just listen, I appreciate all of the comments and I appreciate people coming out and expressing what they think. But one
111of the things that really alarms me is some of the just some of the comments that have been made and how our students are going to feel. Um so that it that's just I think the most important thing for me is how are our students going to perceive and and re well receive what we are seeing at this meeting tonight. So um like I said I will second that motion. Thank you. You know, I um we looked at this policy for three weeks at least and we've had in-depth analysis and I wasn't necessarily sold and I was parsing it out and we did get um you know a lot of I'm sure we all did a lot of research. We read a lot of materials that were provided. Uh, I really like the modifications that
112were put in there and I particularly I'm a parent. I'm a grandparent and uh I think family involvement uh is you know it's it's your family and you know you need to be involved in the upbringing whether it's my grandchildren or my kids and I think it's also important that we have um employees teachers that have really good judgment and they know you know I think biblically and I I think it's discernment you know, as to when the appropriate time to involve others and how to involve them in in this process. Um, you know, we have really good teachers, we've got really good employees, uh, and the administration really, you know, guide guides them. So, I hope that we'll we will use, you know, use that, uh, wisdom to, um, to, you know, to to
113care to nurture our students. Um, I like the modifications. You know, this thing, I guarantee you this is not the last time we're going to visit this policy and you know, court cases are coming. Uh, there's evolving case law. I think at at best and we we we spent most of this evening talking about duct tape. I think we you duct taped the duct tape this policy together uh and it will work because everybody who ever has duct taped anything you know it lasts for a long time then when it wears out you wrap some more duct tape around it. So uh um you know we'll I'm going to vote for it. I am sympathetic, you know, and and I think Trusty Jacobson quoted uh the percentage of people that were concerned about female athletes
114in the competition. Uh I am concerned about that that dilemma. I think we all follow it. Certainly my daughters both played soccer, you know, they played soccer in college and um you know and I'm sure you know they you know they they had a difficult time and certainly there are times when the playing field might not be fair. Now I think the CFI CF CIF has is trying to in their own way uh build some parity or some fairness into some of the the rules we have. But you know we'll uh we'll see if we can make this work. We'll watch closely and I'm sure if nobody you know when we go to CSBA there better be a session on this. That's all I mean, you know, and start presenting on it. >> Yeah. You
115know, that that's >> that's the educator trade show for board members and administrators and they usually have lawyers and other people explaining current events and current >> I did attend a they had a session at the last one that I did attend. >> Okay. I didn't >> did help me understand. >> Okay. >> I I have a question though. When I was in high school, two of my friends identified as female. They they were biologically female and they played football. They were on the football team. And it wasn't no one I don't know. It it I don't see it the way that maybe that maybe my perspective is different because of that reason. But I I just don't I don't know. I just don't understand what you're saying. and um because of that experience that
116I had with my friends. Um so I don't know it's like the flip side, you know what what if what if there are uh people that identify as female wanting to play a male sport? Are we not going to allow that either? I mean what is it going to be? So I don't know my question my that was my question to you all. But I mean, I don't know. We can keep going with the motion. I don't know. I >> I can respond to that from >> my >> Excuse me. You're >> partial. >> Excuse me. after I complimented this. What a great session. You have to be called on, sir. And I didn't call. I'm sorry. >> I'd like to call the question. >> Okay. We've got a motion and a second on a
117>> question. >> No, he called. >> It's parliamentary procedure. I'm calling the question to take the vote. >> Oh, I see. >> Okay. >> That's what's important. >> We got a motion and a second. All in favor? >> I. >> Motion passes. I zero. Okay. It asks that you leave the room quietly, please. Special reports and Oh, student board reps, how do you vote? Okay, thank you. Sorry. Special reports and appearances. Are there any special reports and appearances? >> No, not this evening. >> Okay. Uh construction, any construction? >> Not this evening. >> Okay. Division of human resources uh personnel consent agenda. >> Yes. Recommend approval. No formal uh recognitions on the personnel actions. Trying to get back to my agenda. >> Okay. Any questions on the consent agenda? >> Consent or >> Personnel consent.
118>> Yeah. So, >> sorry it's getting late. >> If there are no questions, I move to approve. >> Second. >> Okay. We have a motion and a second. Are there any comments? No online >> there are none. >> Okay. All in favor? >> I I >> Okay. Then we'll move on to the division of human resources. >> The first item is the addendum. Personal action addendum. No formal recognitions. Recommend approval. >> I make a motion to approve the personnel actions addendum. >> I'll second that. >> Okay. We have a motion and second on the addendum. All in fa uh any comments or questions? >> There are none. Okay. All in favor? >> I >> Okay. Approve. Uh item two. >> Item two is the approval of a job description for the program assistant of uh
119instruction and the manager of teacher induction. We created the manager of teacher induction and prof professional learning several years ago. Since that time, we've been uh approved for a teacher induction program under the CTC. uh you were uh presented that last at the last board meeting. With that comes a uh lot of paperwork, a lot of work, a lot of training, and um responding to the commission and all the different teacher inductees that we have. So, we're proposing a halftime 18 hour assistant program assistant to that position. >> Is there any discussion? Any questions? >> Is there a motion? I move to approve the position. >> Second. >> Okay, we have a motion and a second. All in favor? >> I >> Okay, item three. >> Item three is aou at the Berling game school
120district. Um our our former executive assistant, the student services, um went to the Berling game school district and we are uh proposing anou that would allow her to come back and train her replacement for up to 10 hours until October 31st and we would uh reimburse the Bing school district for her time. >> Any discussion? So who who can we blame? >> I'm going to recuse myself. We're not looking at >> I move to approve theou. I second that. >> Okay, we got a motion and a second. Uh, no any discussion. Doesn't look like it. All in favor? >> I abstain. >> I don't know that it's a real conflict, but >> I don't I don't want to get into it. >> Okay. >> The farther away I am from it, the better. >> Okay.
121Uh, division of student services. >> Not this evening. >> Boy, Division of Instructional Services. >> Broadcasting. >> Broadcast journalism. >> Yes, we're seeking approval for the broadcast journalism course. This course was piloted last year. This is the final course of study that will be submitted to the UC for approval. >> I make a motion to approve the broadcast journalism course. Second. Can I just make a comment really quick before >> this is excellent an excellent course. Um I'm so grateful that our district provides this. I wish that I wish I could go back to school and take it myself. But yeah, I I definitely will support this. >> I second that too even though I made the motion. >> I know. Okay, we got a motion and a second. Is there uh any discussion? Any
122comments? Um, >> sure. Any >> There's none. >> Okay. All in favor? >> I >> business services, Mr. Hawkins. >> All right. Thank you. Uh, tonight we have the uh unodudited actuals for the 2024 2025 uh fiscal year. Um, we'll be pulling up the presentation really quickly. I'm not gonna take it personally that everyone left right before I got to talk. Um, >> may have even lost a board member or two. Uh, so tonight I'm asking for the approval of the uh unodudited actuals. Uh, we'll go over the estimated and unodudited actuals. We'll look at our ending balance trends uh over the last five years. Um just go over really quickly the program carryover um and also go over the step down of one-time funding that we continue to move through. In terms of our
123estimated uh sorry our unodudited actuals um we did run a little bit of an excess of expenses over revenues overall as a district but that is primarily related to the spendown of restricted one-time funds. Um as I always note we focus on the un on the unrestricted side of the budget where we see a small excess of revenues over expenditures. Um um those are um mostly due a change from our estimated actuals in June. Uh mostly due to some one-time factors including uh interest uh income coming in a little bit higher. Uh the good work of our facilities uh use revenue. Uh sorry, our facilities use department. Um and then one important thing to note is that our utility costs came in um about $1.1 million uh below our estimates. So that is very good
124news um on our utility use. Um we also had an accounting entry uh related to the fair market value of our um our our cash that we hold at the county of Marin, but that is an accounting entry only uh and has been reversed in the new year. Um, in terms of our ending fund balance, uh, we've been, uh, pretty steady, uh, since, uh, the last five years after the pandemic, um, with a high of around 18.7% um, and a low of 16.4%. Uh, but we're in that range at around 17.35 uh, percent. In terms of program carryover, I give our sites a hard time sometimes about their carryover. I do want to give them a little bit of credit. They did spend down some of their carryover last year to this year. So, uh
125we're down to about $1.1 million uh in carryover at our sites. Uh in terms of program carryover, this is mostly uh in terms of restricted state grants. Um I'll hit on three main issues. Um we have our lottery instructional materials. Um this is uh primarily for adoptions. Um, so that fluctuates as our adoptions fluctuate uh and our instructional material needs um go into place. Um, the $2.4 million in the arts, music, and instructional materials block grant um is the remaining money that is funding uh those uh COVID positions that we'll talk about in a little bit. Um, and then we also have uh three or more grants related to CTE and dual enrollment um that I know Dr. Kempkkey and her team um are working on. Uh in terms of deferred revenue grants, uh we
126also have um some state and federal federal grants. Uh pretty small at the federal level um but we do have about a million and a half in our restricted local grants. Those are mostly um grants from our PTAs, our foundations, etc. In terms of step down of one-time expenditures, uh this will not be a new slide uh for the board members or folks who have been uh watching our presentation. Um we've we've pulled off the positions that sunseted on June 30th, 2025. Um and we still remain at 10.2 to FTE that are funded uh with uh uh revenue sources that are going away. Um in terms of that, we've looked at our uh the step down procedures uh through the spring. We're now in the fall. Um and what we're doing here is gathering principal
127input. Um we'll be holding a budget study session in uh November. Uh and we're going to also obviously continue to explore other funding opportunities uh for the positions noted before. Uh in terms of next steps, we'll continue to manage one-time funds. Uh we'll monitor our levy letter, which is our final uh our um our county tax letter that says how much money we'll be getting. Um and then as that's updated at P1 and P2, um we'll monitor enrollment. um although uh they were in line with our projections for the year overall. Um we're looking, as noted in some of the comments earlier, we're looking to finalize negotiations for all of our bargaining units. Um we'll monitor staffing um and monitoring special education funding, enrollment, um placements, and settlements as we move forward. With that, I'm
128happy to open it up to any questions um andor um with uh with none would ask the board to uh approve the unodudited actuals for 202425. >> Land. >> Sorry, just a couple things since we're on this one. I just want to say I wish you were work I was your you were my CFO because we get ours swept all the time. So, it's nice to see that money is continuous for sites so that they can look longterm. I think that's great. So, thank you for doing that. Y >> um >> just looking at um slide two. So, ending balances, it looks like ending balance from um estimated to actuals is about 10 million more. >> Yeah. >> Okay. And then lastly, >> I I do want to note though that is primarily 7 million
129of that is on the restricted side. Okay. uh when the board approves um expenditures on the restricted side um we budget for all of them even knowing that some of them won't be used in the current year but since they have been allocated to our sites and departments we budget for them all at once um we usually didn't see those kind of swings when we didn't have the level of um state uh and federal funding that we've had post pandemic I do expect that to slowly um decline in terms of uh you of that portion of our budget. >> Actually, I appreciate yeah defining it between restricted and unrestricted. I I wasn't sure about that. So, thank you. >> Um and lastly, I think my biggest concern is on your next steps number six. Um
130years ago, we had some real upticks in, you know, settlements and funding and we had to make some adjustments because they were so big. Are we worried about that at this time or we are we in line with settlements and things? >> I'll be honest, I'm always worried about that. I am not. There's there's nothing that that we've heard um and our special ed department. I actually want to give them a lot of credit um over the last couple of years. Um I have really um respected um the way they have been monitoring um these cases. When I ask any budget question um they're able to say, "Oh, well, we had a placement here or we were able to bring back, you know, this student or that student." Um, and they're all they're all on
131it and they're really looking after our kids um, and looking after the budget. >> Thank you. Appreciate the report. >> Question or maybe is, you know, the the Fed's got to be poised. You know, the markets, everybody's expecting a a rate cut. Won't that kind of jump start and get real estate out of the doldrums? Maybe get your AV growing. >> Yeah, >> we'll we'll see. I I mean I think the the the part of your question that is most preient is that everybody expects that. So I think there's a little bit baked in right now that everyone expects at least a quarter percent and now I'm hearing that there may even be an expectation of a half a percent. >> Um especially given some of the job numbers that have been revised. Um I'm
132hoping um we have been seeing slowing AV growth. We're lucky to say that we still have AV growth um you know that's still strong but you know the six and a half turned to five and a half turned to four and a half. So um we're hoping that that um uh that we do see positive uh in the real estate market positive signs in the real estate market. >> Any other questions or comments? Yeah, >> I want to thank you and and your wonderful staff for putting this together and I want to echo it. I can't exactly echo what Trusty Lans said because I don't I don't have a CBO like he does, but I mean I guess we do where I work. But I'm just saying that this is wonderful. You always you always
133put it in a manner that we understand and it's very easy to understand and read and it's always accurate. Um so kudos to you and your staff. >> And then I just have one one kind of comment. I think um you know I'm not a fan of the step down because these are really important positions. Um all of our positions in the district are important. I just don't like to see the step down of anything has to do with mental health of our of our students. And so I was just wondering uh Trusty Land touched upon it that the unrestricted um balance increased by the $3.4 million. I was wonder if if anything was earmarked for that or can we kind of tie that to page six? I guess not. Okay. Thanks. >> Uh so,
134uh two things. Uh I I actually failed miserably in my um this I think this is the first time that I've forgotten to do the most important thing. I wanted to say thank you to um Vanessa Castano. Um she does when I say 99% of the work on this one, it's probably 99.9% of the work. So, thank you so much. Um we're incredibly lucky um to have her. um uh um working on the books. Uh in terms of overall our our overall um percentage uh as noted on the slide, it's about 17%. That's about where I'm comfortable with the reserve level. Um uh you know, I think we need to continue to look uh at the procedures that the board I think wisely had us move forward with around looking at those uh the step
135down um as we move forward. But I think at the budget study session, we'll be talking a lot more about that in November. >> Thank you, >> Nancy. You know you what you ought to do, and we're getting ready to ask for agenda items once we get through, you ought to go to Washington and find out what happened to that 911,000 jobs that we lost. >> Yeah. >> Uh I I have a feeling that that information is not uh coming along. So, >> do we need a motion? >> Yes. Yes. >> I make a motion to approve the unodited actual. >> I'll second that. >> Okay, we got a motion and a second. Any discussion or further discussion? Any comments online? >> Okay. All in favor? >> I >> Thank you. It passes 50 and
136um >> board operationals. We did um items to uh future board agenda items. Anybody wish to add to the list? >> Okay, that's it. meaning is