001Okay, I think we're ready to start. So, uh, good evening everybody. Um, so just before we start, reminder, we have translation in the back. Um um so we can start with today's um agenda. Call this meeting to order of a special board meeting for Coachella Valley Unified School District. Um going to start with the pledge of allegiance. Um Trusty Garcia. Thank you. All right. 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, thank you. Uh, Mari, we can have roll call. Yes. President Joselyn Vargas here. Vice President Sylvia Pass. Clerk Valerie Garcia present. Joey Akuna Jr. Trinidad Reo present. Jesus Gonzalez. Thomas Tortez here. Thank you. Okay. If we can uh we
002have 1.4 approval of agenda submitted. Okay. I have um do I have a motion? So move. A second. Second. Uh Trusty Garcia second. Um all those in favor? I I uh post I think everyone's here. Um okay, moving on for uh 2.1 close session public comment. Um close session public comment. Uh this is an opportunity for members of the public to address the governing board regarding any close session items within the board's uh subject matter jurisdiction. Please complete a request to address the governing board form and hand it to the recording secretary. Uh speakers will be limited to three minutes per person with a maximum of 20 minutes per subject matter. And we have two two items for close session. So we have uh Margaret Margaret Quickley. Good evening. My name is Margaret Quigley and
003I thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight. I understand this district is in a period of financial strain and that this is just the first year of a multi-year plan towards fiscal stability. I don't take that lightly, but I urge you to look closely at what's being sacrificed in the name of a long-term solution. I have been rifted, but I chose to exercise my bumping rights and will likely be placed in a middle school math position. But I need you to hear this clearly. While I am credentialed and capable, this is not where I belong. I am an elementary educator. That's where I've spent 10 years building safe, joyful, and academically rich classrooms. That's where I've mentored new teachers, led with vision, and poured everything I have into our youngest learners. It's not just
004what I do, it's who I am. And if my fate is to leave the elementary classroom next year, I will carry out my new role with the same professionalism and care I've always shown. But I'll also be grieving the loss of a piece of myself. Because this is not a shift in placement, it's a shift in identity. And it hurts. This district helped shape me into the teacher I am today. I've embraced every initiative, led through change, and grown into exactly the kind of educator we say we want for our students. And yet now I and so many others like me are being displaced, set aside, or sent elsewhere. It's not just destabilizing, it's disheartening. And it sends a powerful message. Even our strongest, most dedicated teachers are not safe. This isn't just professional. It's
005deeply personal. I chose to bring my own daughters, Josephine and Sophia, to Saul Martinez Elementary because I believe in this district. Josephine is currently progressing in a dual language classroom, and Sophia will be entering the program next year in kindergarten. I believe in the vision. I believe in the promise we make to families, but I can't ignore the painful contradiction of being fully committed to this community and still being told essentially that I'm expendable. If we truly want to retain passionate, highly effective educators, the kind who stay, grow, and lead, we must treat them as people worth keeping. Because when we don't, they leave. and all that training, talent, and heart leaves with them. Please don't let that be the legacy of this moment. Thank you. Thank [Applause] you. Um, next public comment. Um, and
006I realize these are for open session, but we'll do them for close session. Um, I have Mr. Jose Galves Akuna. I think he says Auna and subject matter termination of staff. And good evening, President Vargas and members of the board. Uh, my name is Jose Galveves Akuna. I'm a behavioral support PAR educator in one of our wellness centers. I proudly work for Coachella Valley Unified School District for the past four years. I was also a student here from elementary through high school. This district didn't just employ me, it raised me. First, I want to acknowledge difficult decisions you've all had to make in the face of a significant budget deficit. I understand these aren't easy times, and I genuinely appreciate your commitment to keeping student needs at the center as you navigate these challenges. Tonight,
007I want to speak with respect and clarity about one decision in particular. As part of recent cuts, my position and the positions of seven of my colleagues were eliminated at the time. At the same time, contracted employees in the same wellness centers were were retained as part of recent cuts. I'm sorry, let me be clear. This is not a criticism of those contracted employees. In fact, many of them have been here longer than I have. They've shown incredible dedication to our students and campuses. They are valued colleagues and their work absolutely matters. We are stronger because of them. What I'm asking is not about their commitment, but the structure of the decision. Why were employees working under outside contracted contracts protected while those directly employed by the district union staff were the ones cut? District
008employees like myself go through CVUSD hiring, district training, and are held to district evaluation standards. We are as just committed to students, families, and schools. Yet in this moment, it felt like we were treated as more replaceable. This raises an important question about equity, not between individuals, but between two systems. If two people are doing the same essential work for the same students, shouldn't the employee directly hired, trained, and evaluated by the district be afforded some measure of protection? As district employees, don't we at least deserve the same consideration and security as those brought in through outside contracts. We're not asking for favoritism. We're asking for fairness, for transparency, for a district that stands behind all its dedicated staff, no matter the employment title. I speak calmly because I believe in dialogue, not division. But
009I also speak with urgency because this because this decision has affected the trust and morale of many who care deeply about CBUSD. We must remember this. Whether the person losing their job is contracted, classified, or certificated, or whether it's a program being reduced or cut, students are always the first to feel the impact. the relationships, the support, the consistency we build with them, those are often the first things lost. That's why it's so important that as a district, as two unions, and as a community, we come together to find solutions. Because at the end of the day, our number one priority must remain and has always been our students. Thank you for your time, your leadership, and hearing our concerns with open minds. Thank you. Other public comment there's one coming. She's filling out the
010form in the back. Okay. For a closed session or open uh Well, we can further we can wait. Okay, we have uh Oh, uh I'm so sorry, Miss uh Damon Huades. It's regarding ref notice. Thank you. Uh good evening board. Uh thank you for this time. Um I just want to say uh thank you for the opportunity to uh serve my community in the capacity as a teacher at CV High School. It's truly been a privilege and it's been an honor to teach those kids. And a lot of times, you know, as you're teaching, you want to make sure that they understand the curriculum. You want to make sure that they're diligent and and and doing their homework and being responsible. But, uh, it goes both ways, man. and they I learned from them and
011it's just truly an honor to serve and I want to thank the board for the opportunity to be able to teach in this district. Um, I live in this district. Um, served in this district and never thought I'd be teaching in this district, but uh, somehow someway it just it came out that way. And it's truly been a blessing. And I just want to thank you guys for hiring me, giving me that opportunity to do that. And uh I know you guys have to make tough decisions and I respect that, you know, and uh I understand that and it's but I just want to come on on behalf of having the privilege to teach in this district and and to serve my community and to see these kids uh get have success. You know, I've
012been truly blessed to watch uh the kids from last year and this year have success and and and let me know about it and be excited to let me know about it that hey, Mr. Wattis, I'm doing good now. And I couldn't have done that if it wasn't for the board uh giving me the opportunity to to become a teacher at at at CV High School. So, I just want to say thank you so much and and I know you guys got some tough decisions and I know a lot of people um it's not easy for us, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there, you know, and uh we we're going to be okay. But I just want to say uh that how appreciative I have to have that opportunity and thank you
013guys so much. And I hoped uh that in the future, you know, this this isn't something that continues that you guys this is the last time, you know, but again, thank you so much. And it's it's been a privilege to serve the district, to serve in the union, and to be a part of this community. Thank you so much. Thank you. Um now we're in communication. Okay. And um I think at this time we have a motion to go into close session. Motion. A second. A motion. Second. Oh, second by Trusty Garcia. Um all those in favor? I uh any opposed and we'll go into close session. We're coming back at um what do we say? Uh about 6:45. [Music] Okay. Uh, do I have a motion to return to open session? A second. That
014was a second. Okay. Sorry. Um, okay. Uh, 3.2. Uh, announce action taken in close session. The board took action during close session to appoint Alisa Gentry as principal of the new projected school in Northshore effective July 1st, 2025. Motion made by uh board member Ardondo, seconded by board member Gonzalez. Motion carried years. Motion passed. Okay. Uh, moving on to action item 4.1. Uh, Dr. Monica Mowitz, approval of the proposed decision regarding resolution number 2025-56 for the redu reduction in force for certain certificated employees. Do you have a motion? Do you have a second? Um, any comments, questions? No. Uh, all those in favor? I I opposed. Abstensions. Uh, motion passes. Um, 5.1 close session. We don't have any close session. Uh, 5.2 motion to adjurnn. Second. Uh, all those in favor? I And um that's
015it. Thank Thank you everybody.