001Tuesday, August 19th, 2025. Then we will roll on to uh Terry. >> Roll call, please. Terry. >> No, Miss Shehab is not present. >> Thank you. Please rise for the flag salute. Okay. At this time, we'll uh move on to the uh Is there a motion for approval of the agenda? >> I motion to approve the consent agenda. >> This is the uh the full agenda. >> Oh, the full agenda. Sorry about that. >> Thank you, Sher. and a second. >> I second to approve the agenda. >> It's okay. Roll call, please. Terry. >> Mr. Johnson. >> I. >> Miss Noble. >> Hi. >> Miss Grace Velasquez. >> I. >> Agenda approved. And we'll move on to the provisional appointment section of our agenda. Let's see here. We can't. >> You want to make a
002motion to do that? >> Okay. >> I don't know cuz she because it goes along with uh with um >> with Kim's >> superintendent report. So, I think we should let's just leave it let's let's leave it where it's at. >> Okay. So, uh uh the board this evening will be considering a candidate to fill the provisional vacancy in trustee area 3 on the board of the San Valley Union High School District. We appreciate the interest that the candidate has expressed in joining our board and we are excited about the opportunity to make this important decision. For b for the benefit of those in the audience, please allow me to review the process that we will be following. I will be reading the following information because I want to make sure that I don't have
003leave anything out. Under the California education co code, the school board has 60 days from when a vacancy is created on the board to fill the vacancy. Tonight, we consider making a provisional appointment to trustee area 3 within the 60-day time frame. The appointment is made based on a majority vote of the school board. This appointment will become effective immediately. The term of the person appointed to the board depends on the term of the person who vacated the board position. In this case, the term of the former board member, Mr. Jose Wanabara, was set to end in late 2028. Therefore, the person selected for this provision board vacancy will hold the office until the until the seat is filled at the next regular election for district board members, which will be November 2026. During the
0042026 election, a person will be elected to fill the subsequent two-year term of office. The California Education Code recognizes the appointment as provisional appoint as a provisional appointment that can be challenged if a sufficient number of individuals submit a petition calling for an election because of the cost of a special election. We hope that such an election will not be necessary. Tonight we will be we will be interviewing one candidate who has expressed interest in being appointed to trustee area 3 on the board. The interview process will proceed as follows. We will start with public comment requests on agenda item B1 the board received prior to start of the meeting which we do not have any at this time. The board will ask candidate to make a brief statement about their qualifications and why they
005are seeking to be on the board and then interview the candidate immediately after their statement. After a full discussion by all board members present, a board member can make a motion and vote will and a vote will be taken to make the appointment. Again, we thank the candidate for his interest in serving on the board of the San Valley Union High School District. Let's begin with the public comment on agenda B1, which we have no public comment. so we can move on um to the interview. Uh Todd, could you step up and uh give us your opening statement, please? >> And could you pronounce your your last name? >> Yeah. Todd Lethamin. Can you give us a statement on uh Well, thank you for applying for the provisional seat, by the way. It's uh uh
006it's a duty that uh has a calling and we all had that calling. So, we appreciate you being here. Uh please make a brief statement about your qualifications and why you're seeking to be on the board. >> Um I'm not a public speaker, so this is not my forte, so I apologize. Um, I'm a community member. Um, I I serve our community. So, I've spent over 22 years with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department. Um, prior to that, 13 years of service with the military. Um, as my kids have gone through the school system, I've served on Oak Valley School Site Council as well as Hanoa School Site Council. Um, as now my kids are in high school, I help drive uh team buses or volunteer to vol uh drive team buses. Um, so I
007I think I stay connected to the school. I think it's important. Um, and that's why I want to serve. I I think my two terms on the school site council would help me catch get up to speed quick. I I know when I first went on the school site council, I was kind of swimming with all these acronyms. Um, education wise, I don't have a teaching degree or or that, but um I have a undergraduate business administration. I have a graduate degree in emergency management. Um, again, three kids. I got one that'll eventually come through the the high school, one freshman, one senior. Um, yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. I'm, you know, again, I'm I'm willing to serve, make myself uncomfortable, do the uncomfortable things for the community. Um, yeah. >> Thank you, Todd. Um, so
008we can uh we'll now move on to some interview questions that uh we've put together. And I will start if I can find them. You already kind of summarized this a little bit, but I'm going to ask it again anyway. Uh, please summarize the strengths you would bring to the board as a member. Why do you want to serve on the board? You don't need to reiterate that, but the strengths and what is your time commitment to this position? Um, I think my strength is I have two endusers at home. So, I get a probably a lot of feedback from them and and where their sense of feel or how the school's going. So, I think having that knowledge would help serve on the board. Um, time commitment. I I'm Yeah, I understand It's it's
009a monthly meeting. Uh I'm here for it. Again, probably would have to excuse myself in relation to sheriff employment. Uh but other than that, I'm just a parent. >> Thank you for that. >> Yeah, there it's it's interesting because the time the time you need to a lot can be a fluid thing. um depending on how much reading there is to do, what's going on with the school, what's going on in the community and stuff like that. So um >> I I think it would be similar to the school site council. We did a lot of the school policy and the budgeting and uh I I was able to serve under a lot of strong principles that had great packets to hand out to to get to to refresh and get get up to speed
010on what we were >> That's great. you had you had more uh you have more experience than I had when I got on the board. So that's that's awesome. Um so we'll go to number two. >> Okay. Um Todd, as a member of the board, what do you see as a primary purpose and a primary role? And the second part of that question, which I can repeat later too, is how will you go about working with other board members to make meaningful change? read the first part again. >> Yeah. As a member, I know here I have Oh, we can just >> I'll give him this. >> I know. A written copy. What a good idea. >> Yeah. I think as a board is we work with the superintendent and work in the direction and
011budget the the direction of the school and where it wants to go. So whether it's capital improvements or whether it's athletics and I think as a parent I attend athletic events and so I think having that close relationship to other parents as well as teachers um as a board member I think it's important to hear get feedback again having the enduser living in my house and hearing how they're enjoying the school or not enjoying a certain class or curriculum or something. I think again I guess that's an asset and I feel that bringing that is my role on the board is is is to have these open discussions and and and again working with board members just being open and honest and and I guess if there's a disagreement reaching out to that that other
012board member and trying to come to the agreement or or where the un the misunderstanding or or or just give my point of view. >> That's great. I appreciate it. >> Thank you, Todd. >> Thanks. >> We can do number three. >> Um, first off, uh, thank you for being here and sitting in that seat. This is much tougher. I mean, just kudos to you because I would not want to be you, honestly. Um, >> but you're doing great. And, um, I want to first thank you also when you said working with board members, just being open and honest. I think right there you sold me on yourself on that one because that's all we can ask for from someone else working. We all have our own, you know, thoughts and feelings and that's all
013we can ask for. But now I'm going to go to my question. Um uh careful attention is required main a lot for on the board as a member are fiduciary um uh looking at the district's financial situation. So what process would you engage in to prioritize spending in the district? Yeah, going back to my with service in the school site council again, I had a strong principal that kind of I guess mentored us and this is the direction. This is what we want to do. We want to invest in a computer room. We want to um a science room and and educated us. So I I guess I would feel I would look towards a superintendent who's I guess kind of like the bus driver and we're kind of like there's her supporter and and
014who's closest to the teachers and the students. Um so I I I mean I think that's where I would draw my guidance with the budget. Um I don't have any personal priorities. I think I think personally I think this is you guys have been doing great capital improvements. I'm sure there's still some areas that you would be looking at um expansions. I mean I am now two water polo players and I think everyone can agree the pool is kind of small. So I mean if you're ask I mean that's where I would be like hey when can we upgrade that? Great. Thank you, Todd. Um, one of our members is missing, so I will Did you Did you want to um add anything in, Kathy, before I go to number four? >> No. >> Okay.
015Um, so we'll go to number four. Uh, describe how you would balance student needs, community concerns, state and federal law, staff considerations, and your personal values and beliefs to determine how to vote on an issue. I I think the most important thing would be to listen to all sides of I guess the argument. So, I guess it would really depend. I mean obviously you have to follow law based based on your voting or whatever we might funds are being allocated. Are we following the law? You know listen to community's concerns. Is there public comment on something that we're voting on? Are we is the community are the teachers are they having a voice in this matter? So that would um weigh in in my decision. And I mean we all have our personal values but
016I think I'm here to serve at the direction of the superintendent, the student, the community, the teachers. So, you know, I might have a personal belief but may have for, you know, for the school vote. Uh, I I you know, I don't I don't think I would have this problem or conflict in beliefs, but, you know, I would vote on what I'm hearing and and the direction we need to go. >> Thank you. I'm I'm going to add a little to that. it's not on the sheet or ask a little bit or maybe some understanding. Have you have you watched board meetings? Have you been involved uh in the last couple of years as things have gone on here? >> Uh >> and how and how have you felt about what's going on, the direction
017we're going? >> I I think the direction is good. I Yes, I was come attending regularly or at least watching YouTube. Um I remember uh asking um Vice Principal Peter Haw at the time like why don't why doesn't this district have a school site council because I think it would have act as a buffer at the time because I I felt the school's direction was going one way but the community didn't like where it was going. Um, yeah. I Yeah, I didn't I again thought about changing my mind on doing this, but again, I I have a sense of of service and to this community and and to the families that go here. I know quite a few. So, yeah, I I like this. I like where the school is at now. Um yeah, I
018remember talking to my daughter and hearing you're at interim principal and you know not knowing what happened and we don't know. So yeah, I I attended a lot of the the coffee with the principles at the time to listen and and just hear what was going on with the school. Well, with that said, I'm assuming you're 12, your senior is a girl, right? Your daughter is >> correct. Correct. >> So, is she happy now or have you seen a difference in her and her attitude toward high school from >> Yeah, I think there was a little bit of anxiety at that time and I Yeah, there's none of that with the school. I would I would say no question regarding staff administration or the direction of the school. >> That's great. I'd love that and
019and to hear that because that was definitely the focus of the board was the students and student centered and I think uh that's should be the main goal of any board in any educator period is the students well-being and and education. So I'd like to hear that. Thank you for that. Okay. So now we can uh discuss among ourselves and how we feel or we can just move on to if somebody wants to make a motion if you have any other questions for Todd or you want to discuss between us >> right here. >> So do we do this? So, so if if if we want to have discussion or if there is a motion, somebody wants to put a motion on the table to uh appoint Todd to the trustee area three position, then
020uh that motion can be made. >> I would just like to I don't know if this is We've never done this either, so >> Yeah, this is new new for us and we're not public speakers either. >> Good drag and throw the coals though, too. >> Yeah. No, I I I really appreciate that um you know, when you're talking about the strengths and that you've had experience, you know, that with with meetings and boards and sometimes they're not they can be long and sometimes they can, you know, go off on tangents. And I think even that experience and that willingness to be involved in something that's not always fun, sometimes I kind of go, what am I doing? and I I I enjoy it more as I dig into it. Um, but it is it
021is a time commitment. It's, you know, it's always more than we expect, you know, on when we get the, you know, the agenda to go through and and do the budget. But I think that that's a good strength of um you know for I'm really kind of talking to you guys too of what you know Todd does bring and that he has children here is has an investment in the school not just an agenda to to do something but I'm sure you you're all three of your children are very different with different needs and um I think that brings a lot to it as well that it's something you probably you know know more of of how the school is um >> is run and and then coming with an eighth grader coming in next
022year I think is um is awesome you know so those are strengths that I see in Todd and that I think you know the financial situation is something we all are always constantly learning we have a very good teacher over here Alisia um who has um even passed board um you presentations she's done would be helpful. I've had to look at some of them again because I need to like I didn't get it the first time. So, um no, I think um and then you know your willingness to serve um in the you've served our country. I honor it. I respect that tremendously. And then serving our community as a first responder is is huge, too. So those are my my comments that I bring that um I see as strengths. >> Thank you for
023that Sherry. Um yeah and one one thing uh is different perspectives are valued and and uh none of us were in the military nor are we first responders. That's a completely different perspective which I what I think is great as well. And uh having kids here does help. I agree with that. Um in some cases and it uh there could be challenges with that as well for you. Um but I uh All good. Well, I I'll just take the lead. I'd like to make a motion to appoint Todd Leam meaning >> meaning to uh uh the provisional seat trustee area three board seat >> and I'll second that but I was going to add before you said that um that that's okay but I had already said but I do appreciate the um open and
024honest because it's what makes a board better I think is having different uh views and opinions and bringing And I really just appreciate having discourse because I think our uh our world has lost that. And so that is appreciated and like said uh service community and just all of that. So I think it'll be very I was going to say fun but maybe not but it'll just be it just makes a good mix to have different viewpoints and um I think so I appreciate it. So I second the motion to um uh to the motion to appoint Todd Leini. Okay, thank you for that, Kathy. Uh, roll call, please. Harry, >> Mr. Johnson, >> I. >> Miss Noble, >> hi. >> Miss Grace Velasquez. >> Hi. >> Congratulations, Todd. Thank you so much. We appreciate
025you. >> We have a little signing ceremony and then the oath of oath of office >> and then you have to sit down. >> Then you can take your seat here. Go. >> Come on up front and then she'll give you the oath and we'll do the whole official like stuff. >> Okay. Should I go over there? >> No, I think you're fine. >> You can just raise your right hand. I'm sure you've done this plenty of times. >> I state your name. do solemnly swear >> do solemnly swear >> that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States >> that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States >> and the Constitution of the State of California >> and the Constitution of the State of California >> against
026all enemies, foreign and domestic >> against all enemies, foreign and domestic. that I will bear true faith and allegiance >> that I will bear true faith and allegiance >> to the Constitution of the United States >> and the Constitution of the State of California >> and the Constitution of the State of California. >> That I take this obligation freely >> without any mental reservation >> or purpose of evasion. and that I will well and faithfully And that I will well and faith >> I will well and faithfully >> discharge the duties upon which I am about to enter. >> discharge the duties >> upon which >> I am about to enter. >> which I'm about to enter. >> Congratulations signature. >> So um >> we're gonna sign. >> Okay. So, you sign here where it
027says a pointy signature >> and I sign that >> and the board members >> and you can go ahead and take your seat. You're right. Sign up. >> And then he's coming. >> This is Terry's, I think. Um, let me get him. Does he have a packet? >> Take a little bit. >> Uh, the agenda. >> Do you have an agenda in front of you? Okay, good. Okay. I just want to make sure. >> Yeah, I think >> Yeah, he has a packet in front of him. Perfect. This is for Terry. >> Terry. >> Okay. So, now we can uh >> the fire, >> Todd. Thank you. >> Thank you. We really appreciate you stepping up. Um, do you have >> here? >> And now we can move on to the superintendent reports and presentations.
028Um I would first like to introduce um Casey Kaplan who will be our student board representative this year and each um month she will become she will be coming leading our flag salute and reporting out um from the student perspective what's happening in school. So welcome Casey. So you can go ahead and give your report. >> Hi everybody. I just want to say I'm excited to be giving my first board report today. Um, starting off with ASB, we have had two successful events already, which has been freshman orientation and senior sunrise. Even if we couldn't see the sunrise, it was still a great event. Um, for homecoming, planning has been coming along really smoothly. We have decided on four themes for the dance which would is going to be Rio, Arabian Knights, Visa or jungle
029and the school is currently voting on them. Voting will close Friday. We are also currently in the process of planning and organizing the fall sports assembly and it's coming along greatly. At the fall sports assembly Thursday the 21st, 480 students who have a 90% or better attendance are getting water bottles. 256 students are getting slides for having a 3.5 GPA or better during the 24 to 25 school year. Last week, seniors got Kona ice at lunch because we raised our state test scores for English by 14% and math by 8.5%. At football games, we are planning on moving the student section and possibly getting a DJ. For small sports, I reached out to all the captains of each of the varsity sports to get their outlet and goals for the season. I'm the girls golf
030captain, so we are excited to start a new season and are hoping to make it to CIF and perhaps three repeat as CI CIF champions. I hope that we all improve and overall have a great year. Girls Waterpo said that they are really looking forward to a new season in a new league and sending off seven seniors. They hope to make CIF again this year and be league champions for the fourth year in a row. Girls volleyball said that they are looking forward to having fun and playing tough teams this year as they believe they can win with a strong team and some goals for them are to win league and CIF division 3. Girls tennis said that they are hoping to have a great season in division 2 and their goal this year will
031be to make it to the quarter or semi-finals for CIF and work their hardest to repeat the championship title. As for clubs, the club fair is Tuesday the 26th and is a great opportunity for students to get involved. A few clubs have already started doing stuff such as FFA had their first social today at lunch and are having a meeting tomorrow at lunch. Over the summer, we had 22 FFA members exhibit animals at the Santa Barbara County Fair and we were very successful. Um, I won advanced KV showmanship reserve and reserve KV. Aubrey Jensen won champion bread and fed rabbit. Thomas Rodriguez run won advanced pygmy goat and poultry showmanship, small stock round robin and large stock round robin. I got second place in small stock round robin. And then Cooper Haw won reserve champion
032AOB market steer and loc local local Brad Champion. Ansley Haw won reserve champion novice beef showman. And overall we just we did were very successful and sold all our animals. Um that concludes my report. I can't wait to see all of you guys next month to talk about all the great things us pirates have planned. Thank you. Wow, Casey, that was awesome. Thank you. Appreciate that. >> And Casey, you don't have to stay with us. You're welcome. >> Um, thank you, Casey. Amazing student representing. I love that she went out and um solicited information from some of the different clubs. That's like going above and beyond. Fantastic. Um, my superintendent report is just a little bit longer since we haven't had a board meeting since June. We will start student of the month starting next
033year, but I just really want to say that we're off to a great start already this year. The students are unbelievably unbelievable here. Um the Valley families and community members should be so proud of the students at San Nez because they're respectful, they're kind, they're hardworking, and they're just overall really, really good citizens. um when you work with students here and you see them every day that you know that they have very promising futures and that our students are really leading the way and you can see that on campus. They're doing such a great job and Casey's an example of that as are all the students that come to our board meetings. I want to thank Arts Outreach who was on campus in our theater this summer and as always they are amazing partners and
034promote promote the arts on our campus and in our community. They performed anything goes this last summer and I was really blown away by the talent of our graduating seniors, our current students and our incoming freshmen as well as our little future pirates who participated in it as well. The talent was endless and the production was really spectacular. I was shock I mean not shocked but their voices are so great. Um, the Fossomal Dance Studio was also on campus this summer and held their performance in our theater and we'd like to thank them for their partnership and we loved seeing all the talented dancers and um, performers on campus. If you look outside now um, you'll see our little SY pirate football and cheer groups on campus and it's fun to have their energy here
035after school and see all the orange on our future pirates. Um, scholarships. A few few of our seniors have already received scholarships. So I wanted to bring that to our attention this summer. The global leadership connection scholarship and awards are for aspiring student leaders to develop spiritually, morally and socially. The Global Leadership Connection is a nonprofit leadership organization in Santa Barbara County. During their junior year, students are nominated by their schools or community based on their leadership qualities and they complete an application with an essay. They receive a personal interview and they partake in a two-day interactive seminar. Senior Riley Ryland Agen received the ambassador scholarship and see senior Keegan Winthro was awarded the Jamie Hartner Youth Leadership of the Year and will represent our school in the global leadership in October in Washington DC.
036Um GLC sums up their mission by saying we believe that young people are the greatest natural resource and positive relationships that make make enhance that are made enhance their lives and they are our hope for our future. So really congratulations to Ryland and Keegan on already receiving scholarships in their senior year um this summer. JC Dingman, she's a rower. So although it doesn't we don't have rowing on our campus, I just when I hear about kids in the community or things going on in the community, I like to highlight them because it's not just what happens at our school, it's how they give back to our community. JC um Santa Barbara Community's rowing, JC captured first place at the Women's U7 um rowing Southwest Youth Championship. She's she was a 10th grader or she is
037a 10th grader who competed in the US Rowing National Championships in Florida this summer. She came home from the 2025 US Youth National Championships as the seventh fastest um scholar in the nation. So congratulations to her. Um she's a fantastic girl on campus. Um we also all always have a lot of kids roto um and rodeo. Um Kendall herll um she competed in the nationals in Wyoming in July. She participated in pole bending and won um in June won um first place in the California um pole bending um in Bishop. So she went to the nationals and competed um at the national level. So that's impressive. Um, on another front, we have several new teachers on campus, although we're very fortunate because none of our teachers are brand new to teaching. So, that's always a
038a plus that they have come to us with some experience. Ian Pendry is teaching art and focus on success. Jason Heimerdinger is teaching digital design yearbook and film. Michael Daniels is teaching geometry, physics, and AP physics. Corey Withers is teaching a um bio a mechanics and advanced a mechanics. Shannon Montanes is teaching English. Taylor Magdalenus, he was a long-term sub last year. He was our athletic trainer and now we are so happy that he has um gotten his CTE credential and he is teaching sports medicine and kinesiology. So that is an amazing um tribute to him. It's kind of one of our grow your own here, which is great. We are still looking for a music and PE teacher. So, those two are have been difficult to find, but we're still looking. Yes, ma'am. >>
039I don't mean to interrupt. That's fantastic because I know it's very challenging to get people to come to our they don't know how wonderful our school is to work here, but it's challenging because it is kind of cost prohibitive for a teacher that to live in our area. And it's such a wonderful place. So if there's teachers out there, it is a wonderful place to work. And so it's wonderful that you're able to get fantastic teachers with experience also. So that's wonderful. >> And physics, which we've been trying to hire for years. >> Yes. And so good on the staff being able to get people. >> Yeah. Um, I'd also like to um let everybody know that we are doing we are partnering with the book loft and the San Friends of the Library and
040all students at Pirate Check-in received um the book The Five Wishes of Mr. Marie McBride and that was compliments of the San Friends of the Library. Um, and they're hoping that their hope and our hope in partnering together is that everybody will read the book, pass it on to their parents, their neighbors, because the author will be in town for three days in November. He will be spending an entire day on our campus November 4th, signing books for kids, talking to them about becoming an author, talking to them about the writing process and things like that. And then he will be spending November 5th and 6th in the community. And we will be sending both flyers home to families and there's a Q QR code on the community one where people can QR code and
041then they'll be updated on the events that are happening in the community through friends of the library. Um if you need a copy of the book, borrow it from a student. The book loft has them or the friends of the library may even have more. Um so I really hope that everybody reads it. It's a very sweet story. On another great news, our library student center opened and it is very popular with the kids which is fantastic. We want students enjoying that space and utilizing that space. I wanted to thank two students um Oliver Dub um Derbaniano and Brody Fiser. They spent many hours this summer putting together all of the furniture that you see in the library. So, they did a really good job. their two a students who worked really hard on doing
042that and their contribution I didn't want it to go unseen. I know that um last week in the library um there were 97 students in there at lunch during one of the days. So it's a super popular place and we're happy to have that. We also knew this year have the career the college and career center um that's also going to be serving the community. Heather Clement and Jan Jen Rasmusson are sharing that role. They're teaching 50% of the time and they're working in that um in that um role for the other 50% of their day. A couple of things that they're doing is they're helping all of our um students that need to be signed up for Allen Hancock or concurrent enrollment or what we're calling CCAP. They're getting them signed up. They're helping
043with John jobs, internships, community um service opportunities. They are arranging guest speakers and they are working with our pirate pathways. So already on August 29th, AMR will be on campus as part of our health pathway um talking to kids at lunch and getting them interested in health careers. We are hoping September 2nd to open our pirate academic center which last year served many many many students. Um, it was open from four o'clock until 7 o'clock and it was very popular and it had free tutoring in all the higher level math classes. And like Casey said, many of the AP teachers go in there and give extra support to the AP students and um really having access for all students when tutoring in the valley is hard to find and it's expensive. So, um it's a
044free opportunity and that is supported by our pirate education foundation and they are helping find the funding to fund that t those tutoring opportunities again and it's any day now we should be hearing if that funding is coming through. Um master schedule just a little bit about the master schedule. Um we have 18 courses this semester for concurrent enrollment with our different community colleges including Alan Hancock. We have 24 courses on our career um technical education pathway. We have 16 AP courses. So we have a very robust um that's just some of our master schedule. We also really want to thank our feeder districts, Bulein, Ballard, Salvang College, Los Alivos, and Vista for partnering with us on a math math initiative in the valley to push towards comprehensive math courses where students in our schools
045are ensuring rigor for all students in the valley. Um, we are we currently on our campus have four eighth graders participating in our first period algebra class. And those four eighth graders, three of them are from Buen and one is from Solving. And then um Sanz College School District has six students taking algebra um this semester on their campus. And we're just hoping to expand that and eventually have algebra and geometry available at the middle school so that our all of our students have the opportunity to reach those higher level math courses. And it challenges the younger students who are really gifted in those areas. So, we're excited for that. We rolled out and reminded students because they did know last year, but we reminded students at our expectations assemblies about their pirate privileges and
046the letters and sample contracts were sent home to parents via email. Um, and I will be available on back to school night from 5 to 5:30 where I'll do be doing a brief presentation and open it up to any Q&A for parents that have questions about the privilege points. Um the pirate points um kids are really responding. Typically when we um Miss Day showed me the list of kids for detention for tardies and there were five. Usually it's close to 13 pages of stu and so kids are getting to class on time which means they're learning and they're not disrupting the other students in the class by that constant role of like kids coming in at all different times throughout the class. really getting there. And it just shows when you like set an expectation,
047the kids in the valley, they and at this school, they really rise to those expectations. And I really think that will make them better community members and better prepared for their future because they're going to be on time. They're going to be the ones that people want to hire. And so we're really trying to set them up for those expectations beyond high school. Just a quick wrap up about sports. um from last year because we didn't get to do that. Again, about 72% of our students play one or more sports. And academics is super important to be an athlete. You know, you're a student first. That's why they call you a student athlete. And our athletes really do a great job. In the fall, the cumulative GPA of the athletes was a 3.55. In the
048winter, it was a 3.5. And in the spring, it was a 3.4. Boys volleyball was undefeated mountain league champs, CIF division 2 champs, and state semi-finalist. Um, girls golf went back to back as Casey said earlier. Um, CIF champions. The boys went back to back. Girls tennis um won the division 2 championship. Girls beach volleyball went to the semifinals. Um, NCIF. They also had the highest GPA in the county for a spring sports, the girls beach volleyball team. So, that's huge. girls basketball team were CIF Division 4 runner up. Water polo was backto-back ocean league champs. Boys wrestling were ocean league champs. Coach generass was the all area girls basketball coach of the year. And then we had lots of individual awards including um Malia Ortiz backto-back division 2 CIF pvalter. Santino Alvaro backto-back division
0492 wrestling champion. Brianna Co. um Cotay was division uh mountain league dive champion and then Bryce was our tennis singles champion and I went to see him play in Fresno and he was great and he worked really hard. Back to school night is Wednesday, August 27th from 5 to 7:30. DAC will meet in the library at 5. The pirate privileges little question and answer and presentation will be at 5. First period starts at 5:30. So, it's not like a it's not like an eb and flow like kind of an open house. It's like first period starts at 5:30, 10 minutes, first period ends, there's a passing period, second period starts so that we can get parents to all the different classes. Um, 7th period ends around 7:15. So, parents should plan to be here from
050about if you don't want to come to the theater or the DAC, be sure to be on time at 5:30 and you'll be out of here by 7:30. Um, you can find your students schedule on the portal and we'll have maps of the campus around. Um, I really want to thank our PTO and our pirate foundation. They really unselfishly give of their time to make our school a better place for all of our students. I attend both the PTO and foundation um meetings and the mission and the talk is always always always student centered with them with both groups. This is one another one of the reasons why the valley is really such a special place to live and attend school. The adults are committed to ensuring that the students are supported in their academics,
051their athlet athletics, their activities and their arts. I really encourage all adults to get involved in one of these groups. It does not take a big effort. It takes a group of people like John Wooden said doing the little things so that the big things can happen. So if you can only do a little thing, the PTO will take you doing that little thing. They will they will embrace you and they will look they will enjoy your help in any way you can support. So I just really want to thank them for doing all the little things that make Sanz such a wonderful place to work and go to school. And I know the PTO will also have a table at back to school night. So if you're a parent and you're interested, please visit
052the PTO table and they will find a little way you can tr can contribute or a big way if you if you so choose. And that is my report. >> Thank you, Kim. It's a great report. And we're in two weeks, right? School. >> This is our third week. >> Third week. Yes. Well, yeah. Two weeks done. Third week on first football game this week. first away football game this week. >> Yeah. >> And we will have a new student section. ASB is really doing a good job at moving their student section. I believe they're calling themselves the ship rats. And uh they will have a DJ. >> The ship rats. >> Ship it. >> Ship rats. Yes. They were throwing around a bunch of names. I think that's what they landed on and I
053think it's hilarious. I think it's awesome. >> That's awesome. Thank you, Kim. Uh, so we can move on to com board comments and correspondence. Um, does anybody have anything? >> I have a bunch and probably overkill. So, I had the pleasure of riding my bike onto campus when the kids, the seniors were painting their parking spots with other several bike riders and I and it was so fun to see all the parents painting. Oh, no, I mean the students painting the spots out there and it was beautiful to watch that the beginning of the year and then moving forward. Um, I just want the public to know how much Dr. Shehan, Alisia, Terry, and everybody else in all of the offices on this campus, what they really do. I was talking to some community members
054throughout the summer about um you know, things going on, perceptions, just different things. And um the amount of Todd, you may want to leave now, the amount of paperwork we got the beginning of the school year that Dr. Shehan sent to us. I read everything. All of her powerpoints because I love PowerPoint presentations and all of her slides. They're just tremendous the amount of information. Not that it's overboard, but it's um for the staff what they need so that they are so well prepared coming in. It's so positive. Alicia, the numbers, no offense Alisia, can tend to be a little boring. She presented in a way that it's manageable. And I don't think that maybe people do understand, but the transformation from the few years that we've been here, it's astronomical in my opinion over
055one year of what's gone on here. And I really want to say you said that unselfishly and student centered. This is what you guys have done. The acronym pirate pride, what you've put on that, I just loved it. Everything you've done, she has a little thing I'm going to share. um the Atomic Minute. She had a little video for the staff where if everybody puts in 1% more and I was watching this little silly video, it was tremendous. I thought, "Oh my gosh, I went through a list of what I could do by adding a percentage more of giving to my family, to myself, my health, to my job, to everything else." And I thought, gosh, if the staff gave us a percentage more and how the world could do better by just picking up
056a piece of paper off the ground. And this is what she's giving to the staff. And it's not that everything is roses and balloons all the time, but it's done in such a positive way in my opinion. High school is challenging because high school kids, that's a time for us to grow and learn to be who we are. And I just want to thank Dr. Shehan, what you've done, Alisia, Terry, and everybody else. Uh when I went into uh Alisia's office because I came by yesterday just to tell them what a wonderful job they are. The library is unbelievable. Every parent needs to go in there. The artwork is just a beautiful place. The kids, it's such a There's tall tables, low tables, there's floor. It's just a beautiful center. Went to the Alicia's office
057and the women in there. It's just everybody smiles, you know? They're and they're talking numbers in there. I mean, no offense, but they're so happy. You go into Terry's office, people are talking and they're working, but it's happy. And I don't know what it was five years ago, six years ago, but it was just it's just I want to thank all of you and all the people you work with. The community that you've created here is completely tremendous. So, I hope with your children starting your freshman that I know it's it's seen and and oh, and the team back there in the back row I just you're all hidden behind little heads back there, the leadership team of the women back there as well. And Jose in the far back, the best translator ever. Um,
058so I just want to thank all of you. It's it's a pleasure to be on this board and the time it is really a joy to be here. So, thanks to all of you. >> Thank you. I I did want to thank the assistant principles. Um we had pirate check-in this year. It was different than we had ever done it before. And our goal was to make it efficient and effective for the students. And I just really want to thank the counselors, um business services, all the tech people and the front office who made that pirate check-in really effective. And and I don't know how I skipped over this one, but um our facilities and grounds people at this school, they are a small but mighty group and they did twice as many projects this
059summer than they had ever done and killed it. Like they are amazing and work so hard and really it starts with a clean and safe campus and they do a tremendous job. So, if anybody ever sees anybody from grounds or custodial or facilities, like they really are the true heroes that kind of start the ball rolling as the school year kicks off and all the teachers come back to their clean classrooms and the kids come back to clean rest, you know, everything's clean. But the leadership team here, thank you for acknowledging them because they're tremendous. So, thank you. Well, I think it starts with the school's beautiful. So, there's respect in facilities, then there's respect in people. and like uh Miss Day her tardiness because respecting of going into classrooms and it just filters and
060like you said then they're going to be ready to go out into the real world respecting themselves and respecting others and responsibility and it just becomes our hopes and dreams of what our whole mission statement you know which our values and everything that's all right here so I think it's >> Thank you Kathy that was amazing you said everything that could be said, "Yeah, the the uh I agree. The administrative team has done an amazing job and that trickles down to everybody else that's involved in the campus." And a the workspace is a huge thing that you brought up that I try to teach people that I surround myself with that that that are employed by me that when I walk on a job site, everything should be in its place because if it's there
061at the beginning of the day in its place from the end of the day the day before, you're ready to go. It's a it's a safe place. It's clean and there's there's no incumbrance. So that's that's huge. So kudos to them for taking care of that as well. Okay. Um, we good. So, now we'll move on to public comment and we have Mr. Brian Rob Robinson. Uh, thank you, Brian Robinson with the PTO. Uh, welcome to the new board member. I'm not going to butcher your last name until you get a name name plate. Um, appreciate you stepping up. It's really important. Um, yes, we are going to be at the, um, open house. Um, we'll have a booth for that. Um, but the really big news is the pirate store is open. Um, to
062a lot of hard work from a lot of people, but I want to give Jackie Wagstaff a big shout out. She has just jumped in. It's fully stocked. We intend on having it open for all events that are happening out on the field, not just football. Um, volunteers, you know, of course will be needed to do that, but soccer and and YFL and other things. So, super exciting. Uh, we did have we had a great board meeting in the library. It is so awesome. Thank you guys for that. The kids just must love it. Uh, ASB I put my parent hat on here for a second because I have a parade of teenagers coming in out of the house all the time. And pirate check-in, big success. A lot of like, oh, why are we
063doing this? And when they came back home, it was really positive. So, keep that up. And then, um, excuse me. Um, Senior Sunrise, huge success. ASP is just hitting it out of the park and it just feels really good to be a parent this year. So, thank you. >> Thank you, Brian. Appreciate that. Appreciate all you do on the PTO as well. Yeah, it's amazing. Oh, and I forgot to mention the I did get to go into the uh library and it it it the one thing that I that dawned on me was it felt like on a smaller scale of course, but when I got to Kalpali that the walking in that library had all these different spaces that you could go and study and at some point you end up seeing the same
064people and then they then it kind of breeds that and it becomes a social deal and they all and to learn any to help each other uh to move forward in classes and stuff like that. I think the space is going to be such a huge s uh breeder of success at the school as well. So I just wanted to add that. Um that's it on public comment. So now we'll move on to uh the consent. Is there a motion for approval on consent or any discussion? >> A motion to approve the consent agenda. >> Okay. A second. >> I'll second uh motion to approve the consent agenda. >> Okay. Roll call, please. >> There's one, >> Miss Noble. I mean, Mr. Johnson. >> That's all right. Hi. >> It's okay. >> Miss Noble. >>
065Hi, >> Miss Grace Velasquez. >> Hi, >> okay, here we go. Mr. Mr. Lefam >> Lefier. Okay. >> Consent is approved. So now we can move on to action which we don't have any action items tonight. Wow. But we do have discussion. So uh we can does are there any there is one discussion item which is the annual tax data. Alicia. >> Yes. So thank you for letting me take up some of your time this evening. We don't normally bring the prop property tax data before the board outside of budget iterations. However, there was a change in pattern that we thought we'd bring to your attention. And we want to start by saying the sky is not falling. This is not like an emergency situation or anything like that. It's just a a change in
066pattern that warrants discussion and identification. Um we get property taxes three times throughout the year from the county assessor's office. the first time P1, second time P2, and we don't get our property tax totals for the current fiscal year until after the current fiscal year is over. So, we are just now receiving believe it was this week, it might have been last week. I think it was last week. Everything's mushing together. So, last week we received the annual property tax totals for the 2425 fiscal year. The estimate at P1 is normally pretty good. The estimate at P2 is always good. It's it's pretty much always right on. If there's changes, it's within the like $20, $30. It is nothing crazy. Our P2 property tax difference from P2 to our annual is a reduction of $51,310.
067So, what that means is not that we did not get more money than we got last year. We in fact did get over 6% more in property tax revenue than we received in the 23 24 fiscal year. The reason that this is something to bring to your attention and something to call attention to generally is it is a change in pattern is a shift in pattern. It is a shift in pattern because it is a downward trend and also because it is actuals that do not meet or exceed P2. What we've normally seen is our P2 property taxes come in. there's still a conservative estimate and by the time we get to P annual the the difference is usually an upward trend. It's not millions, it's not hundreds of thousands, it's within, you know, $20
068a year or $50 a year, but it's always been upward for the last 10 years um from P2. Not always upwards from the year before, but our P2 to our annual has always been an upward shift. This is the first downward shift we've had in at least the last 10 years. So again, we received more revenue than we did the prior fiscal year. The revenue increase was over 6%. So it's still a healthy increase. It's just a change in pattern that warrants attention. And what it means for us in terms of um planning is that when we take our P2 property taxes because those are the last known official property tax estimates for the end of the year and when we have to create our original budget for 2526. What that means is that our
0692526 budget we already know it's going to be wrong at first interim because it's an estimate. But our estimates are based on higher numbers than what we actually received. Again, it is not the end of the world. It's not a humongous, it's not millions, but our original budget increase is based on a higher number that we had at P2 than the actual number we received at the end of the year. So, when we come to first interim, we'll be adjusting everything, which we always do. We know original budget is the least accurate, but we wanted to call to your attention that all of the future planning that we made and based everything off of in 2425 was based on higher numbers than we actually received. >> Yes. >> Question. Oh, go ahead. >> Okay. I
070I always hesitate asking Lisa a question. Um because I might not have listened correctly. Um, so you said you're going to make an adjustment on the next interim report or for the entire >> We're not going to wait until the entire year. >> No. No. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yeah. >> So P1 and P2. So you get two per year, right? So there's like a a P1 is like first half of the year. >> We get three. >> Three. Okay. >> Two that actually come to us during the fiscal year that we use for planning. the P1 and the P2. Okay, we get the third one for that year after that year has ended if that makes sense. So the year ends in June and we are now in August and we are just
071now getting the final totals for that prior year. >> Okay. So we just got the P3, >> correct? Yes, you could call it P3. >> P3. Okay. All right. And then um so planning forward we're going to have to assume the pattern potentially would be flatlining or maybe going down. >> No, I would say that we have we have maintained a conservative increase in our budget. We never budget the 6% ever ever because we just aren't sure that that's what it's going to be. And if you look at like the five-year average or the seven-year average, it's not 6%. The three-year average is 6 point something, but when you start getting to five or seven, it reduces quickly to like a 4% or so. So, in the last 3 years, we have increased our actual
072budgeted projections to I want to say the most we've done is 3.5%. because we maintain a conservative balance. We do not update what the actual um property tax numbers are until first interim when we have numbers to go on. So when we build our original budget, we are always conservative. So our original budget has at most 3.5% but we know realistically we're in the at least five to maybe 6%. So we budget less on purpose. >> So do the we get the P1 numbers like in October, Novemberish. >> Correct. >> So um and and that's kind of just so I understanding it it it's kind of an arbitrary number. It's it's real but not real, right? Still it's kind of an estimate so to speak. >> It is a very solid estimate. What they do
073to estimate these things is they look at their secured and unsecured roles and then they go through like who has waivers, who has you know all those different things. It is fairly stable. But by you like sharing this with us, it's not um as like trying to scare the board as that we're losing money, but it's just to show that there's indicators that the the that we may not have as large of a increase in um property taxes. it may slow down and that there is a trend that may not be going up as high as we've seen in the past and that it might be somewhat leveling off and it may be closer to the more conservative number going down is what I'm hearing. >> Correct. And it won't happen overnight. It it rather
074than how we've been slowly increasing our budgeted revenue on on original budget to like 3.5. I wouldn't keep doing that. I would stay at 3.5. I wouldn't move to 3.75. I wouldn't go upwards. I would maintain the 3.5 until we actually see leveling or lower increases year-over-year. Well, and like you've recommended in the past since we've been here um like uh building our reserves and you've also we've I know the teachers have uh been in due diligence of you know uh not spending so readily being more thrifty because we're trying to um mimic what is going on in our economy on a bigger scale >> to be realistic that there might be oops some kind of pattern change. So that's what we're kind of looking at overall. trying to implement implement our deficit reduction plan
075while at the same time maintaining the programs we have by uh proactively underspending budgets where possible. Not not getting kids the materials and stuff they need, but looking at what needs really are, utilizing what we have on hand rather than just buying new right away. And just being conscious about what we're spending and being picky about what we're spending. And then looking at like you said needs like if we needed a uh teacher in a specific field of interest that that the students are maybe we don't have maybe because it's hard to get teachers with um certain um um note certificates right so that maybe you have to find someone who has two different um certificates or something like that that it's tricky that way so you have to plan I mean you guys do
076a good job you said you were able to hire some this year but it's hard with us here, but you still have open positions. So that's what I'm saying. So we have to take all this into consideration as far as the money, >> right? >> Being um smart about how we do this because >> I mean ultimately we talked earlier, it's about the kids and getting them the because of how fantastic the school is, giving them the best um potential for them for their success. Is that what I'm hearing then too? Yeah, it's basically a recommendation to maintain the more conservative nature of our budgeting. It's also um just the caution to recognize patterns and understand what the patterns mean to us. Like I've said before, we're fairly insulated in our county for, you know,
077recessions and downturns. We really don't see that. At worst, in the worst of the I think it was the '08 recession, we saw a a leveling off, no increase, but we don't see decreases. So, it's just being mindful and being strategic in how we balance conservative and not because if you're too conservative and you know, you're getting all this, you know, extra money, you are being forced to make decisions with minimum fund balances, with staffing that aren't necessary. you're you're backing yourself up against a wall when it's not necessary. But on the flip side, if you are not >> cautious enough, you're hiring extra people and doing all these things to turn around and have to make cuts. So, it's just being strategic, >> right? And you don't want to have facilities upgrades that you
078can't pay for down the line or or hire people that you can't afford down the line. So, you have to be like like as you said, strategic with how to make it work long term because if you hire people, then they're also they continue. So, okay. just looking at it like long term and all of that. >> Yeah, it's just a pattern to be aware of in terms of moving forward. >> I think that the staff and everybody here it seems like are everybody has a buy in and loves the community. So there it seems to me that everybody wants to make it work in favor for themselves and also I mean overall for the community at large anyway. >> Yeah, I would agree. >> Okay, basic basic econ here. So 6% revenue this last
079year overall. What was the percentage last year? >> It was it was like 6.7 this year and it was 6.4 the year before. >> Um so the average is somewhere right around the six six and a halfish if you're doing like the three-year average. So this >> we are still really good. We are still seeing increases that are very healthy. This is not like hey we're not getting the increases that we think we're going to get. This is just, hey, we had a housing boom when COVID hit and a ton of houses were selling and the market was moving and we were really reaping the benefits of that. We are now seeing that that's cooling. We're seeing more waiverss. We're seeing people contest their property taxes. We're seeing more, you know, back taxes, taxes not
080being collected, and less homes being sold. So, that's what we're seeing. Those market trends directly affect our property taxes. So basically what this tells me is that it's cooling. It doesn't mean that it's going to go down. It doesn't mean that we're going to probably even see 3% for a couple years. It just means the sixes, the sevens, we're not going to see those properly. >> So okay. So 50,000 sounds like a lot to me. >> Less than 1%. >> Yeah. So So that's it is it is, you know. So I'm going, well, if it hasn't changed that much, why are we not, you know, we're going without 50,000 and some odd dollars >> now? That doesn't make sense in my brain. >> Can you It seems like it should be smaller. If the revenue
081hasn't really changed, why are we losing so much money? >> So the the property taxes, the amount of property taxes that they guesstimated they were going to collect is less. They were unable to collect everything that they thought they were going to collect. They had uh more welfare exemption removals. They had more appeals on people saying, "Well, you tell me I owe you $20. I think I only owe you 10." So, it's all of those things. It's also there were prior year negative transactions that decreased. So, every year they have um trueups, so to speak, where it's like, "Okay, we thought we were going to get $50 from this person, but really now they did a waiver and now they only owe 25." So they put those corrections in the next year, but the increase
082always covers them. So we never normally notice that. And now they're >> it's hidden, but it's just it's just showing that it's slowing. It's cooling. >> Thank you again. >> You're welcome. You're welcome. >> So this whole conversation is great and and I think it brings up something that we should discuss and it probably should be an agenda discussion item, but I'm just going to put it out there. Um the financial report in the consent looked great. I did make notice as as I discussed with you the other day that uh our legal fees are way down that those those administrative things are uh that that bottom line was was at 83% of projections which was fantastic and that's kudos again to the administration the staff uh being mind mindful of of what's going on
083at the school. That being said, um we need to be mindful as a board as well. And I I think that uh currently our our uh reserve is set at a $3 million. That's what we're supposed to do as a as a board is keep that for reserves. I know we've had this discussion before and I think that I think there should I know there's a presentation that's been discussed about a percentage that needs to go up. it's not enough reserve and at some point we need to start stepping that up for for uh the school and I I we I'd like to put that on as a discussion item uh for next next board meeting. >> I agree. I agree. >> Okay, perfect. I'll have something prepared for when we go over that and
084I'll just integrate it into our first interim budget discussion if that works for you all. >> Okay, that would be great. Thank you, Alisia. >> You can put it as its own item, but I'll put it in the slide. Yeah. Uh any other I just had a question. So are other districts as well seeing the same trend? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yes. If you look um so you don't have it yet, but our districts are community. >> Correct. They So all of our districts do get property taxes. Um Oh, okay. So you can look at the top that is the P2 and then look at the bottom that's the P annual and you'll notice that all the districts have a similar decrease. it the percentages will change based on their budget whether they're you
085know LCFF or or community funded but yes it was a downward trend for everyone that received revenue. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Okay. Um so we can move on now to the uh uh board matters and I I think we should talk meeting dates because we have a new board member. So, um, and I need to pull up my my calendar. Let's pull up our calendars for next month. So, we have a meeting date set for the 9th, I believe. Do you have any potential conflict with that, Todd? Tuesday, September 9th. >> Tuesday, September 9th. >> Perfect. >> Okay. You may have one. >> Okay. And then uh October, we have the 21st currently set, Tuesday the 21st. October 21. Yeah. >> Okay, that's great. November is set at the 18th currently. >>
086Tuesday. >> Perfect. And then December, we're set for the 9th. And that's believe we have to do that. or some of these we have to do. >> We need to do it before the 15th. So it's that's the Tuesday before the 15th is the >> Thank you for that, Terry. Yeah. So So that's the December 9th date. Good. Well, that was simple. I like that. I think we do. We have one set for January already. >> No. We'll do that during our organiz or organizational meeting in December. Okay. Okay, that's great. Um, perfect. So, now at 6, that's right, 6:45, we'll move on to close session and take a little break in between. Okay. >> And it'll be remember in my conference room.