Board Meeting - September 23, 2025

001Hey, did you know that SMUD is now paying Sacramento homeowners thousands of dollars up? But Good evening. I'd like to call this meeting to order at 5:00 and announce that the board will meet in close session to address items one through four. Mr. Superintendent, do we have any uh blue cards on items one through four? >> We do not. >> Then I will close close public comment and recess into close session. test All right. Good evening, everyone. Thank you. All right. I'd like to call this meeting back to order at 6:01 p.m. and announce that the board met in close session and no action was taken. Good evening and welcome to the Elkrove Unified School District's board meeting. Live streaming of full in-person board meetings is available to the public by using the link located

002on the district's website. Today's meeting is being video recorded and will be available on the district's YouTube channel. We encourage you to attend meetings and share your feedback with the board. Your active participation is valued and contributes to the decision-making process. Some quick comments on public comment before we get started. During regular board meetings, the public may make public comment on items on the agenda or items not on the agenda. Requests to make public comment will be accepted for an item up until the board president introduces the item. Generally, board member, excuse me, members of the public will be given three minutes to address the board. If there are 15 or more comments on a specific item, the board will reduce individual comment time to two minutes each. If there are 30 or more comments

003on a specific item, the board will reduce individual comment time to one minute each. Individuals may not defer their time to another individual speaker to increase their total speaking time. Please be mindful that district students may be watching. You are encouraged to address the board and the public in a respectful manner such that all those observing from children to adults are made to feel safe, welcome, and valued. The board shall not permit any disturbance or willful interruption of board meetings. Persistent disruption by any individual or group shall be grounds for the board president to provide a warning and then to terminate the individual's privilege of addressing the board. All right. For our land acknowledgement, Mr. Jean, we acknowledge that the Elkrove Unified School District administrative facilities and our schools occupy the unseated territory of the

004Miwok, the original people of the skies, land, and waters where we work and learn. The Miwok have cared for these lands since time immemorial. They continue to teach their traditional knowledge that comes from and responds to the needs of the pe land and people who share it. May our daily lives and work teaching, learning, leadership, and community engagement. Support the evolving vision of the Miwok for their community and these lands. May we strive strive to acknowledge the past for the betterment of our future generations. May we look to our tribal partners, the Wilton Rancheria, the descendants of the original people of this land, to assist with the successful education of our community. >> Thank you very much. And now for our pledge of allegiance, I'd like to welcome up Jeff and Tessa Scott and hand

005it off to Mr. Yang who has some words for them. All right. Perry Elementary School is honored to recognize Mr. and Mrs. Jeff and Terasa Scott as a our education partners. We are proud to recognize the Scott family for their outstanding dedications and involvement in the par elementary community. Mr. and Mrs. Scott have been involved parents at the school since 2022. They have two children who attend Perry's Turret in fifth grade and Sienna in first grade. Mr. Scott gorgeously volunteers his time and talents as DJ and MC for the annual fund run, bringing energy and excitement to the event each year. For the past three years, he has also been the DJ for the beloved to school family dance, creating fun and or more memorable events for students and their families. Mr. and Mrs. Scats

006are consistently positive, presents on campus. They engage with students and support school activities and enthusiasm. In addition to his volunteer efforts, Mr. Scott has served on the school site council, contributing thoughtful input to help guide school decisions. The commitment of Mr. and Mrs. Scott has be has gone beyond classroom and school events. They also both coach the Perry flag football team, modeling teamwork and sportsmen for the student athletes. Whether it is attending events, cheering on students, or leading a helping hand, the Scott family exemplifies what it means to be active, caring members of our school community. We are deeply grateful for their continued support and spirit. Thank you. [Applause] Pledge. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible,

007with liberty and justice for all. [Applause] All right, thank you very much. Next up, we have some recognitions. Uh, our 2024 25 employees of the year, Miss Buckmaster. Evening community members. It's great to see you here tonight. Trustees, colleagues, members of uh Superintendent Hoffman and cabinet. It's an honor today to recognize some of the most amazing folks who work with our students and families in our community. We're here tonight to celebrate our employee of the year event. Um, so trustees, before we begin, we'd like to have you come down and stand here in this curve in the center because we will have uh the employees come up and shake your hands as they get their awards. So, as they're doing that, let me explain how this will go. Employees who are being honored tonight, we're

008going to call your name and you're going to come up along this side. We have our uh HR directors who are here. Go ahead. Come on up. Our HR directors are here and they have their awards for you. After you receive your award, we'll shake your hands and then you can come on over and stand with our trustees as we read about the good work that you're doing in our district. We'll also have opportunity at the end for all of our our employees being recognized to come up together as a group to take a group photo and um families can also come up at that time to snap photos as well. All right, let's go ahead and begin. So, our first employee of the year is in the ask me category. So, I'd like to

009invite Sarah Camura up along with her ask me represent representative and Rudy Ortega Jr., her supervisor. Come on up, Sarah. Come on up, Sarah. So, Miss Sarah Kimura is being recognized as employee of the year because of the incredible impact she's had on our student, staff, and community. Through her leadership, creativity, and deep commitment to student success, she's played a major role in transforming the library into a true hub of learning and support. From launching a peer tutoring program that's so popular it feels the library daily to partnering with staff to tackle academic challenges like math 1, Miss Kamira brings people together, find solutions, and always puts students first. Her work is a key part of what makes Elgrove High School a stronger and more supportive place for everyone. Thank you, Miss Kamira. Thank you.

010So, next up, we'd like to call Kevin Wen and his ATU representative, as well as Ken Black, director of transportation. Come on up. Kevin came to work at Elgrove Unified School District in 2018 as a school bus driver. Kevin is an excellent school bus driver and has demonstrated his ability to engage with students in a kind and caring manner. He is also a very safe bus driver and consistently run school bus routes on time and is always willing to cover additional routes when called upon. In 2023, Kevin became a scheduling technician. He quickly learned the many tasks involved in building school bus routes needed to transport the students of Elgroveve to the many schools in the district. Kevin is currently specialized in special needs routes and is passionate about setting up the best routes possible

011to transport students as safely and as efficiently possible. While being a schedule is a full-time job, Kevin still drives a school bus route every morning and every afternoon in order to get students to school and back home in the most timely manner possible. and he still manages to find time to route students and to take care of scheduling needs as and does so with a positive attitude. He is just very wonderful to work with. Kevin is deserving of this recognition. He is generally a great worker. He's very skilled at both driving and scheduling. He collaborates well with staff, students, site personnel, and students families. Congratulations, Kevin, and thank you for what you do. [Applause] Okay, next up we have Marissa Wimbley. Marissa's joined by Tommy Almatari, who supervisor as well as her CSEA representative. So,

012we'd like to congratulate Marissa. The title of employee of the year falls short of all the amazing work you do. You are one of the hardest working, most knowledgeable, competent, flexible, and capable people in health services. You are also one of the most welcoming and understanding people with the kindest heart who cares deeply for all students and does what's best. Every school that you have worked at has asked to keep you and you are able to make connections with all staff, students, and families. Even when others find it difficult, you are trusted amongst everyone in health services, especially with all school nurses who are not always the easiest group. I hear I didn't write this just for the record. [Laughter] Love you school nurses. We are excited you are continuing your education and getting your

013bachelor's in nursing in hopes for you to be a school nurse in EGUS EGUSD one day soon. We can help with that. Congratulations again, Marissa. We appreciate all that you do. [Applause] So, our next um uh person is Ellen Byron. She was not able to come tonight. Um but we do just want to take a minute to read about Ellen. We have her award and she is going to be uh receiving that as well. Ellen Byron always showed her deep love for our students and a passion for their academic success. It's what drove the work she did as a coach. Ellen's work as a math coach at our site began from that student perspective. From there, she worked collaboratively with teachers, not only to provide them with the tools to better their craft, but also

014the motiv motivation to grow as educators, professionals, and as people, all for the benefit of student learning. Ellen would go above and beyond to be the coach that would come alongside teachers to provide skills and encourage and to motivate. In addition to her great work as an educator who was who she it was also who she was as a person. Her approachable manner, her personal style, and her genuine care for people shown through in every interaction and conversation she had with people. She will truly be missed as she moves on in retirement. We wish her the very best. We can give a round of applause for Adam. So, next up we have Bethany Hancock, who is our EGA teacher of the year. Miss Hancock is joined by Jill Jones as well as her EGA rep.

015Miss Hancock is the embodiment of what it means to be an exceptional educator and she is deeply deserving of the honor of teacher of the year. Her classroom is a place where every child feels seen, heard, and valued thanks to her unwavering compassion and genuine empathy for her students. Miss Hancock not only meets her students where they are academically and emotionally, but she also models and instills empathy in them daily, teaching by example how to listen, care, and support one another. Her nurturing presence creates a safe and inclusive learning environment where kindness is just as important as academics. Miss Hancock's impact extends impact extends far beyond the classroom, shaping her students into thoughtful, empathetic individuals who who carry those values into the world. And I also want to highlight that Miss Hancock has recently been

016awarded teacher of the year for the Sacramento County Office of Education. [Applause] So, we also want to congratulate her for this additional award tonight. Thank you, Miss Hancock. [Applause] So, next up, we'd like to welcome Steven Ramsey, who is EGA teacher of the year as well. And we'd also like to welcome Mark Benson, his principal, as well as his EGA rep. Lagona Creek High School would like to highlight the incredible work of Steven Ramsey. What stands out most about him is his deep care for his students and his extensive experience in scientific research. He brings a nurturing and compassionate presence to the classroom while maintaining a structured and consistent approach that allows that allows our Cardinals to thrive. In his classroom, learning is alive and active. Mr. Dr. Ramsey engages students with innovative strategies, whether

017it's through thought-provoking discussions, rigorous lab experiments, or relevant real realworld presentations. He intentionally aligns his teaching with the IBLearning philosophy and our school's mission, guiding students to be inquirers, thinkers, and global citizens. Our Cardinals not only master the technical side of science, but also examine its ethical implications and its impact on both local and global communities. Mr. Ramsey blends the both the art and the science of teaching. He models instructional excellence, creating a classroom culture where students feel safe to be curious, caring, and open-minded. He embraces innovation, ensuring that his students receive an e exceptional education experience. Laguna Creek High School is proud to have Mr. Ramsey on our team. He inspires a love of science and prepares our Cardinals for future success. Congratulations. [Applause] Next up, we'd like to welcome Todd Barber for EG

018Teams. Come on up, Todd. And Todd's current supervisor, Superintendent Hoffman. While our previous CTO transitioned to a new opportunity, Todd immediately stepped up with unwavering commitment. He leaned into the challenge with humility, eager to learn, quick to listen, and thoughtful in building connections across the tech services team and other departments, keeping projects moving forward. His leadership over the years through his previous roles as manager and director and now as CTO has been a steady blend of professionalism and empathy, recognizing the complexities of change while guiding us with care and confidence. With over 27 years of dedication to EGUSD, this is a perfect moment to acknowledge just how fortunate we are to have him leading our department and the district in all things technology during this pivotal time. Congratulations, Todd. [Applause] So, our next employees and

019also one of our retiring folks who is not able to make it tonight, Robin Riley. Um, Miss Riley was a principal in our district and it's impossible to overstate the incredible impact Robin Riley has had over her 35 years of education. Leading with both heart and clear vision, her unwavering commitment to students and families has been truly inspiring. Robin's tireless efforts in fostering inclusive and thriving school communities where every students feel seen and valued have created a profound difference. Thank you, Robin, for your extraordinary dedication and the lasting warmth you've brought to the Elkrove Unified School District. And we'll make sure Robin gets her award as well. [Applause] Iette Bugs was awarded uh from EG Teams admin support. Her supervisor Brian is Brian McNil. Iette unfortunately was also not able to make it this evening,

020but we also want to recognize her and we will get her award to her as well. Ivette is the queen of Irene Best Irene B. West Elementary. She is a model school secretary that others work to emulate. What separates I bet from the pack is how seamlessly she wears all the different hats she owns in her work life. Ivet is all of our caretaker, detail manager, relationship massager, problem solver, and community liaison. Iette is so knowledgeable and wise that other secretaries come to shadow her. Just the beginning of this year alone, she went to other school sites, even on her own free time, to mentor and train folks new to the position. Iette has a way with the community. She reaches out to families to support them and resolves concerns before they grow. She seamlessly

021supports 140 staff and very in a very large school budget while never complaining or a tur word. Ivette even has a way with kids like none of the rest of us. she can calm and soothe an upch upset child like no other. Congratulations to Queen Evette Bugs and finally earning egg employee of the year for 2025. [Applause] All right, next up we have Corey Chadwick from NUW. Her supervisor is Katie Thomas and we'd like our NUHW rep to come down as well. Corey is an exceptional school-based mental health therapist known for her ability to foster strong, trusting relationships with all members of the educational community. Her unwavering advocacy for students is evident in her commitment to addressing urgent needs and in her thoughtful, comprehensive approach to care. She consistently asks insightful questions to ensure that

022each student's needs are met in a well-rounded, holistic manner. When crises arise, Corey remains calm, poised, and reflective, always taking the time to consider the most ethical and compassionate response. Her support not only empowers students to thrive socially, behaviorally, and academically, but it also contributes to a positive educational environment where every student feels valued. Beyond her direct work with students, Corey stands out as a leader within the mental health team, offering guidance, mentorship, and support to her colleagues. Her leadership coupled with her dedication to student well-being makes her an invaluable asset for the Alprov community. Congratulations, Corey. [Applause] All right. And last up, but definitely not least, we have Tina Smith from PSWA and her supervisor is Amri Singh. Come on up. Tina Smith has been a school psychologist in EGUSD for 25 years for

023which she was recognized earlier this year. Tina has been an active member of PSWA and over the years has served as vice president, president, and negotiator. She has served the Samuel Kennedy Elementary School community for over 20 years and has also covered students who attended level programs. In her private time, she and her husband own a WNBF natural bodybuilding organization which put on comp puts on competitions throughout the country and the world. Tina is a highly valued member of our school psychologist team and wholeheartedly deserves to win this award. Congratulations TN. Thank you. All right. So, at at this time, we would like to go ahead and call back all of our employees who were um winners this evening. So, they can come and take a group photo up here in the front. And families,

024once they get up here, this is also a great time for you to come in and snap a a family shot as well. Yeah, we had him just in case. All right, let's go ahead and give them one last round of applause. Congratulations. You're welcome. Congratulations. Thank you. All right. As we transition out, we do have one public comment on this item. So, Mr. Yang, hit us on the blue cards. Okay. Maybe. Thank you. Okay, we have one blue card on this item. Crystal Malli. >> Is your mic on? >> No, now it is. Good evening. Thank you, Chairman Vargas, Superintendent Hoffman, ladies and gentlemen of the board. My name is Crystal McGee Lee. I'm the president ATU Local 256. And I just want to say just to get up and all ATU can you

025please rise for our our employee of the year and give him a hand. I just to say thank you Kevin and that's all I wanted to say. Thank you very much. >> Thank you Dian's blue car and this item board president Vocus. >> Thank you very much. All right with that we have a number of resolutions tonight. The first up is week of the school administrator Miss Buckmaster. I'm looking to see if some of our admin come on over. Some of our members of our administrative team are coming up to stand in recognition of this. So, the board is requested to approve resolution 27 recognizing the week of October 13 through 19th, 2025 as the week of the school administrator in the Elkrove Unified School District. Research has demonstrated that district and school leadership is

026one of the significant dynamics of schools and districts where high achievement occurs for all students regardless of socioeconomic factors, home language, or ethnic diversity. Therefore, in recognition of the dedicated efforts of school and district administrators to make a difference in the lives of children and to support the work of the teachers and the support staff who work in our schools, the state of California has identified the week of October 13 through 19 19th, 2025 as the week of the school administrator. The Algor Unified School District of Board of Education has asked to approve the attached resolution. I apologize. Uh, Mr. Yang, are there any blue cards on this item? >> No blue card on this item. Board President, >> thank you very much. Then I will entertain a motion to approve resolution number 27 recognizing

027the week of October 13th through the 19th, 2025 as the week of the school administrator in the Elkrove Unified School District. >> So move. >> Moved by Mr. Yang. >> Seconded by Miss Ballerini. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries unanimously. >> Thank you very much. [Applause] >> Next up is our United Way campaign. Uh, Miss Gerber 32. >> Good evening, members of the board, Superintendent Hoffman and Miss Aalos. With me here is Tiffany Bus. She is representing the United Way. Thanks for being here, Tiffany. I'm going to briefly go over the resolution and then I'll turn it over to Tiffany to talk more about the events that United Way does in coordination with Elgroveve Unified. The United Way is an organization dedicated to public service in the

028fields of education, health, rehabilitation, family, youth, and aged counseling, legal aid, and emergency assistance. We ask the board tonight to adopt resolution number 24 and proclaim the period of October 1st through October 31st, 2025 as the United Way campaign for the Elkrove Unified School District. Good evening, members of the board. My name is Tiffany Bus. I am the resource development manager at United Way California Capital Region. For the past three years, I've had the privilege of coming here and speaking to you about how important the employee giving campaign is. And you guys already know that because you guys have been doing one for over 30 years. So, thank you for your continued support. United Way strives to mobilize communities to action so that all can thrive. And we aren't able to do that without your

029support. I could go on and on about all of the amazing programs that we have and other nonprofits have, but I want to talk about two in particular tonight. Our Dolly Parton Imagination Library is a program that provides free books for children from ages zero to five. They get a free book every month. It is addressed to them and it is the cutest thing when they go to the mailbox and are able to open their own mail. So that program originally started in Yolo County and in August we announced that we had mailed our 100,000th book and earlier this month we are expanding we expanded into Sacramento County. Our other program that I'd like to talk about is our Kinder Camp program. This one also started in Yolo County, but in summer of 2026 it'll

030be expanding in Sacramento County as well. This is a four-week kindergarten readiness program for those children who were unable to go to preschool. During these four weeks, they were learn how to hold a pencil, how to read, how to spell their name, how to stand in line, how to share books and toys, and just get all of the little things that might they might have learned at preschool. So, we really appreciate your support and I hope that you will approve the the continuing the continuation of the employee giving campaign. Thank you so much. [Applause] >> Excellent. Mr. Yang, are there any blue cards on this item? >> No blue card on this item. >> Excellent. Then I will entertain a motion to adopt resolution number 24 which proclaims the period of October 1 through October

03131st, 2025 as the United Way campaign. >> So moved. >> Moved by Miss Baldwin. >> Seconded by Miss Moore. All those in favor, please say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Thank you very much. >> Thank you so much. [Applause] >> Next up, National Bullying Prevention Month. Mr. thing. >> I'll take this one if that's okay. Um, good evening members of the board, Superintendent Hoffman, Miss Avalos, President Vargas, and members of the community. Uh, today I am here to request that the board adopt resolution number 21 recognizing October as National Bullying Prevention Month. October is National Bullying Prevention Month, a month-long event to prevent childhood bullying and promote kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. The Pacer Center is an national organization focused on the principle of parents helping parents, supporting families, promoting a safe environment for

032all children, and working in collaboration with others. In 2006, the Pacer Center developed the initial campaign, National Bullying Prevention and Awareness Week, to raise awareness about bullying. Historically, bullying has been viewed as a childhood right of passage that makes kids tougher. But the reality has always been that bullying can leave devastating and often long-term effects such as loss of self-esteem, increased anxiety and depression for those who are involved. The National Bullying Prevention and Awareness Campaign reaches out to communities, schools, and families around the world to educate the need to keep kids safe in schools. This campaign is a catalyst for involving a nation to take actions at the local level to create safe and supportive schools. Sharing information about the issue through news media, social media, video, and print publications. Promoting dialogue between educators, parents,

033and students on their roles in addressing and preventing bullying. inspiring everyone to unite for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion, and helping to create a world without bullying. I respectfully request that the board of education consider adopting resolution number 21 recognizing the month of October as National Bullying Prevention Month. >> Thank you very much, Mr. Yang. Do we have any blue cards on this item? >> Yes, board president. There is one blue card on this item. calling on Jensy Ferrero. >> Sorry. Good evening board and uh Superintendent Hoffman. Uh my name is Jensie Ferraro. I'm the director of advocacy with EG Speaks. This is Amanda. She's our president CEO. Um we are always delighted to see a resolution for anti-bullying and as um representatives of parents and the community of students with disabilities. Um I would like

034to take the time if to read something that I read today from Miss Rachel. If you don't know who Miss Rachel is, you may not have little kids, but I highly recommend looking her up. She said, "Hi autistic friends. As my hero Mr. Rogers would say, I like you just the way you are. You are a gift to your family and a gift to the world. Many of you will write poems, play baseball, go on dates. If you don't or can't, that won't make you any less wonderful or worthy. I see the unique gifts that you have and the joy that you bring just by being you. I'm sorry that there's a stigma and that may you may be treated in ways that hurt you. I'm sorry that you may not have access to the

035support, accommodations, and inclusion that you deserve. That breaks my heart, too. It doesn't mean anything about you and your autism. And we will work to make things better for you and your family. We will work with you. We will listen to you. And you will lead. I see you and I adore you. And I'm amazed by you. Love, Miss Rachel. And we're here tonight because we have come to the district repeatedly asking for a comprehensive framework to change the culture and climate of abbleism within this district. We hope that as you take a moment to reflect on bullying prevention that you consider what the district could be offering to communities to ensure that our students are safe, included, and cared for. And we're here to support that in any way. >> Thank you very much.

036All right. With that, I will entertain a motion to adopt resolution number 21 recognizing the month of October as National Bullying Prevention Month. >> So move. >> Moved by Mr. Yang >> Seconded by Miss Ballerini. All those in favor, please say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Thank you very much. >> Next up is walk and roll to school day. Dr. Coats. >> All right. Well, good evening, President Vargas, members of the board, Superintendent Hoffman, staff, and community. I'm excited to speak on Walk and Roll to School Day. One of my favorites um coming up. Walk and Roll to School Day is an international celebration held each October engaging students and families in communities across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. On Wednesday, October 8th, 2025, elementary schools throughout Elkrove Unified School

037District will once again participate in this annual event. With coordination from school staff, community partners, and the district's safe routes to school program, campuses will host activities designed to encourage safe, active travel, students and families are encouraged to walk, bike, or roll to school rather than drive. Many schools will organize walking school buses and bike trains along with classroom lessons highlighting the health, safety, and environmental benefits of choosing active transportation. Beyond a one-day celebration, the event helps foster lifelong healthy habits, builds community connections, and inspires year-round participation in safe and active travel programs. Um, you are warmly invited to join our students and staff in walking, rolling, and celebrating at school sites on October 8th. Uh, and we are kindly asking to approve resolution 23 designating October 8th, 2025 as walk-in roll to school day.

038>> Excellent. Thank you very much. Um, Mr. Yang, are there any blue cards on this item? >> Board President, there's no blue card on this item. >> Thank you very much. Then I will entertain a motion to approve resolution number 23 designating October 8th, 2025 as walk and roll to school day. So moved. >> Moved by Mr. Yang. >> Seconded by Miss Baldwin. All those in favor, please say I. I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Thank you very much. >> Next up, we have Safe Schools Week. Dr. Coats again. >> All right, here I am. Um, we are also asking the board to consider adopting resolution 26 recognizing America's Safe Schools Week to observe for the week of October 19th through the 25th. America's Safe Schools Week is held during the third full week

039in October. It serves as an opportunity for schools, families, and communities to join in promoting safe, secure, and supportive learning environments for every student by highlighting prevention strategies, positive school climates, and partnerships with families, law enforcement, and community organizations. America's Safe Schools Week underscores the importance of vigilance, respect, and responsibility in ensuring the well-being of students and staff. Through education, early intervention, and collaborative action, schools can reduce incidents of violence and other threats, helping every child to thrive academically and socially. In support of this mission, the Elkrove Unified Communications Department conducted a comprehensive safety campaign during August and September. This campaign addressed critical topics such as getting to school safely, stranger danger, heat safety, checking in at the school office, bus safety, familiarizing the community with the role of campus supervisors, and more. The Elkrove

040School District is proud to support this national effort and calls on students, staff, parents, and community members to participate in activities and initiatives that build awareness and strengthen safety across our schools. >> Thank you very much, Mr. Yang. Do we have any blue cards on this item? >> President, there's no blue on this item. >> Thank you. Then before we get before we move forward, I do want to add some color to this this item. Uh this resolution is part of a longunning conversation that the superintendent and I have been having uh this year uh about how we talk about school safety. Um we are doing incredible work uh to keep our schools safe, but our community is also inundated with stories about violence around the country. uh the anxiety they feel is justified and

041it's our responsibility to not only create uh safe school campuses that are safe for all of our students but also to reassure our community that this is a top priority for us. This year the board has had a presentation on school safety. We have had the opportunity to observe the annual training drill with the Elkrove PD and the sheriff's department. And this has become a regular topic of conversation during our talks with the city of Elkrove for which I want to thank council member uh Sergio Robas and Elkrove PD Chief Bobby Davis for their continued support. In addition, we may ha we uh you may have seen the comprehensive campaign about uh campus safety coming out on the district's social media pages. Uh we take this responsibility very seriously, but this is a team effort

042and we rely on the public to be vigilant and vocal. If you have questions, please reach out to us and if you have specific concerns, say something. Help us keep our kids safe. With that, I will entertain a motion, see a motion to adopt resolution number 26 recognizing America's safe schools week to be observed the week of October 19th to 25th, 2025. >> So move. >> Moved by Mr. Yang >> Seconded by Miss Baldwin. Is there any further discussion from the board? >> All right, then >> I'll say something. >> Miss Moore. Yes. >> I would just like to say that I also value safety um for our staff and students. Um and I know that that is a big concern for many of our our um parents every day as they drop their kids

043off at school. And I recently um visited with the safety team, our district safety team, and I really appreciate their work and their feedback um regarding things that we can do better to support them. And so um I appreciate their work and I hope that we can continue to make this a priority for our students and families because they do um our students and staff do deserve to be safe every day at school. So thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Yang. Did you have I was also wanted to um echo what uh President Vargas was saying. Uh I to um care deeply about the safety of our students and our um staff. I I have uh numerous time talked to our staff about our protocol and so forth. And of course it's not, you know,

044perfect, but we have done a lot of improvement over the years. I've been here five years and uh I'm very pleased of what we have done so far and continue to improve. So, thank you. >> Thank you very much. Then I will uh take the vote. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Thank you very much. Next up, digital citizenship week in the Elgrove Unified School District. Mr. Barber. Good evening, President Vargas, members of the board, Superintendent Hoffman, and Miss Avalos. Uh, last but not least, tonight the board has asked to approve resolution number 22, which proclaims the period from October 20th to October 24th as digital citizenship week. The California Department of Education designates the week of October 20th as digital citizenship week. Digital Citizenship Week

045strives to assist students in gaining the tools to be safe, productive, kind, responsible, and respectable respectful members of online communities and build capacity for students and families to make safe, smart, and ethical decisions in the digital world. >> Thank you very much, Mr. Yang. Are there any blue cards on this item? >> President Vargas, there's no blue card on this item. Then I will entertain a motion to approve resolution number 22 which proclaims the period from October 20th to 24th 2025 as digital citizenship week. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Moved by Miss Ballerini, seconded by Mr. Yang. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Thank you very much. >> Next up, we have student expulsion and involuntary transfer recommendations. Um, is there anybody wishing to address

046the board in close session regarding a student expulsion? Then I will entertain a motion to approve the recommendation for student expulsion. >> So move. >> Moved by Mr. Yang. >> Seconded by Miss Ballerini. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. >> Request for return from student expulsion. I will entertain a motion to approve the recommendations for students seeking readmission from expulsion to the Elkrove Unified School District. >> So move. >> Moved by Mr. Yang. Second. >> Seconded by Miss Moore. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Thank you very much. Next up, we have public public comment for items not on the agenda. So, we have a unique situation tonight where um we have an item later on the agenda

047that is likely to be of interest to many of the people here. Um we want to offer you this opportunity as well to speak on that item. if you have other obligations tonight, um, need to get home or have other family uh, things going on. So, you are welcome to speak now or you are welcome to stay until the item later on. But, uh, if you submitted a blue card for the item later on, just let us know and we will have your name here so that you can come up and do it. But with that, I will hand it off to Mr. Yang. >> Yeah, good evening. regard to that uh we do have four blue cars for the N uh items. However, for this particular public comment item, we have 33 blue cards.

048So, board president, we're going to go to our policy as far as uh numbers of blue cards that we have. Yes. Which will decrease the number of times that we give to our speakers. So, consistent with our handbook and our school policy, that means that each speaker will have one minute to speak. So, please adjust your comments accordingly. >> With that said, um I would like to uh say that there's a few names here and if I mispronounce your name, please uh feel free to correct us when you come to the podium. So when I call your name, please come to the podium and I will also uh announce the second speaker and then prepare yourself to come to the podium. All right. First up is uh Shaia Thomas followed by Sylvia Garcia. Just a

049second. Let me adjust the time. Come on up. Uh the first one is uh Chakia Thomas. Okay. Okay. Well, we'll come back to that individual later on. Okay. Uh, next up, Sylvia Garcia, followed up by Edgar. Good evening, board. Sure you guys remember me from last time. Sylvia Lopez Garcia, school bus driver for eight years. I'm here to ask you guys to come to the table with a fair offer. We We've given several offers and we keep getting them back basically not even looked at. You guys know what we do. We're out there. We get to work at 5. We don't leave until 6. Many of our drivers go home and go to bed and roll over and come back. We are driving all day. We're losing drivers. When I read the report that you

050guys sat there and told the news, we're hiring 15 people. Guarantee we're only going to maybe keep one. And that's if we're lucky. They might stay for a couple years and go, you know, this is I'm out. I get better offer. I am loyal to you guys because I am from Elkrove. My kids go here. I went here. I love my kids here. I love this staff. And it's not fair what you're doing. >> Thank you. [Applause] Next Echarto followed by Kurt Thompson Ecker. He's coming. Uh, good evening board, Superintendent Hoffman, community, fellow bargain units, and peers. Uh, for several meetings, ATU has stopped before you asking for support on pay, benefits, educational credits, and protections around contractual language. I want to acknowledge something. The district has improved pay and recognize the transportation department. We

051appreciate those steps. Uh but be clear, we're still behind on negotiating better pay, better benefits. Uh we're still finding financial hardships and inequity. So tonight, ATU gives you a bit of a homework as we are part of the educational system. Create a permanent line in the budget for classified employees. Allocate consistent funds so bargain units are here not fighting uh for pay, but celebrating our kids in our community. Strengthen the system and process so employees aren't left waiting for pay, benefits, and earnings. And don't be fooled by the perfect picture or the polished numbers that can be manipulated. Real fairness is about the daily reality. Our employees live. The bargaining units are ready. The funds exist. The president is there. Decision is yours. Ours is clear. We will not settle. >> Thank you, sir. Next,

052Kurt Thompson followed by Shaya Kavia. So, I want to talk about the reports of students in our school celebrating Charlie Kirk's murder. We have our student rep here. Is this the culture that we have in our student body? One that cheered the death of a 31-year-old husband and father. I really hope these are just isolated incidents. Now, kids deserve grace, but teachers, at least two teachers in this district publicly celebrate an innocent man's murder. They spew that bile in their classrooms. Would they celebrate my murder in front of my kids? They've lost the trust of any sane parent and must be disciplines. And bargaining reps, when those teachers cry about free speech, tell them you celebrated the murder of the let's have a discussion guy. You're dealing with the other guy now. And if it's

053okay for you to murder, celebrate murder, and that's your free speech, don't be surprised when you're fired for yours. And to the people who like to inflame this stuff and call and label people like me racist or fascist at these meetings, you have no idea how much I crave your disapproval now because I've seen what makes you cheer. So, I'm done for now. I'll be back later. >> Thank you. >> Next. Shizir Kelvia followed by uh Yoda K. >> Good evening, board members and the community. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak tonight. I'm here to urge you to keep our campus supervisors and our counselors in schools. Our campus supervisors are the eyes and ears of safety. They build relationships with students, prevent conflicts, and create a secure environment where learning can

054happen. Our counselors provide critical social emotional support and guide students through challenges that directly affect their academic success. If we lose these roles, we risk compromising both student safety and student success. Please invest in the people who protect guide and lead our kids every day. Make our schools safer, stronger, and better for all students. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. [Music] [Applause] Next, Emily Owens. I'm sorry. Yada. Right. Okay. >> Followed by Emily Owens. Hello again. My name is Yalda Kakar and I'm a school counselor at John Heart Elementary and Charles Mack Elementary. I spoke last board meeting about me feeling nervous to speak here and the steps I took to prepare myself. I never got to finish, but I just wanted to say my story wasn't just about me. I wanted to

055share through modeling and storytelling the work we elementary counselors do every day for every child. It's not as simple as playing a breathing video for them. It's unique to each individual and that is what each one of us represents. that pillar of unconditional love and support in their lives, their safe space when nowhere else feels safe. It takes time, relationship building, and lots of love to fully know and understand each child. Not just those dealing with grief or feeling unsafe at home, but every single child. At both my sites, I can confidently say most, if not all, children in every grade level know who their counselor is and why their feelings and thoughts matters because we all have them. Thank you so much for your time today. >> Thank you. [Applause] Up next, Emily Owens,

056followed by Karen Hemon. >> Good evening. My name is Emily Owens and I'm the school counselor at David Reese and Arthur Butler elementary schools. I've always admired this district and I love being a part of this community. To me, this district represents inclusion and a commitment to the success of every student. I'm proud to be part of that commitment. My role here has been both rewarding and challenging. I serve two schools with a combined 1,800 students. The recommended ratio is one counselor of every 250 students. We are not the only district that struggles to fund counselors. Dr. Loretta Witson, the director of the California Association of School Counselors, spoke to this by saying, "Calcs have no roots in adequately funding student support services. So, we don't know what we don't know. What's possible under a

057fully staffed school counseling workforce is simply unimaginable. But in our district, we do know. Instead of cutting counselors, let's continue to build on our successes. We can be leaders in student support services. I know this because of the amazing colleagues that I have here. Please invest in us and see what a fully staffed school counseling workforce can provide. Thank you. >> Thank you. [Applause] Up next, Kevin Karen Hemon, followed by Danielle Medish. Thank you for your service and for giving me a chance to advocate for the continued support of elementary school counselors. I'm Karen Hamilton and I work at Lauren and Maria Mix elementary schools. I don't share this with my students, but I came to work in children's mental health after a career as a deputy state public defender. As an attorney, I filed

058appeals for the lives of condemned murderers on death row. I saw firsthand the pain and suffering of the victim's families and also that typically endured in the childhood by those who grew up to commit these heinous crimes. Every day I wondered how did it come to this? Where were the helpers during the childhood and school years of my clients? Why didn't anyone show up for that child? I became an elementary school counselor because I wanted to show up and make a difference. my colleagues and I show up and make a difference for all the students, teachers, and parents in our school communities. I hope you'll find a way for us to keep doing so in the years to come. >> Thank you. Next, Danielle Medish, followed by Jennifer Sinclair. >> Good evening. I'm Danielle Medich,

059school counselor at Jackson and Sims elementary schools. Elgrove is my home. My sons attend Markoffer. My husband teaches and coaches at Valley High School and I'm a proud K through2 graduate of EGUSC. Three years ago, I took the first step to change careers and serve the future of my community. I'm one of 15 counselors serving 30 elementary schools representing over 23,000 students. Last year, we provided tier three individual counseling to 355 students, conducted 101 risk assessments, and referred 106 students to outside agencies. 1,18 students received tier 2 group counseling. We taught 93 SEAL classroom lessons and 23,374 students received our tier one PBIS support. These aren't just numbers. They're the lives of our youngest, most vulnerable students, navigating anxiety, trauma, and so much more. They matter. They deserve school counselors to help build their social,

060emotional, and academic foundation for long-term success. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next, Jennifer Sinclair, followed by Marilyn U. >> Good evening. I would like to share the perspective of an instructional coach who has been able to collaborate with two of our incredible equity coaches. We have collaborated on multiple projects together, including grading for equity, data, and site engagement teams to name a few. Brin, a coach I share two sites with, brings a different lens to help ensure equitable practices, not just in classroom spaces, but in staff spaces as well. Her knowledge and skill set has made a huge impact on our schools, teachers, and ultimately our students. Similarly, Robert, who I share a site with, has also been a change agent in shedding light on common practices and why we may want to rethink them.

061Our equity coaches are helping our district move the needle in the direction that I believe we all would like to see. Keep them and we can keep moving forward. >> Thank you. >> Marilyn U followed by Ryan Lamb. >> I'm an EGUSD teacher of 34 years at David Ree at our site. Losing our counselor, VP, campus supervisor, and AIT will be detrimental. Recent studies, the media, and communities across the nation prove more and more students need these key positions on campus to meet the students and families needs. The counselors alone address the more serious trauma students now bring on a daily basis, issues teachers and other staff are unable to deal with. If these positions are cut, there will be more disciplinary referrals, more mental unwwellness, and very little learning. Families trust us to uphold

062the district's mission statement. Every student learning in every classroom and every subject every day to prepare college career ready graduates. But this will not happen if these positions are cut, especially with our marginalized communities such as Ree. This is not equitable. The David Re staff personally invite each and every one of you to come and visit us and see what it's like at our school and why these positions are so important and critical to our school and to our students. Please come and see. >> Thank you, ma'am. Thanks, Brian Lou. Ru followed by Wendy Wayne. Uh good evening. My name is Bin Lum and I'm like incredibly moved by my colleague who just said so many wonderful things about the work that we do. Uh I'm a proud resident of Elg uh and I have

063two children here in Elkrove Unified Schools and the work that we do really supports all students but especially those that are the most marginalized in our communities. The last four years, we've provided professional learning on the topics of bias, microaggression, systemic racism, equitable grading practices, compassionate dialogue, culturally responsive pedagogy, and many book studies to support individual teachers, grade level teams, and administrators with coaching and co-planning and demo lessons that build community in the classroom and increase students sense of belonging. We've built lesson plans, resources, and newsletters that bring awareness to underrepresented groups in ways that can be shared with students. And all of this is in service of all of our kids. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Next, Wendy Wang, followed by Zeba Andrea. [Music] Uh, good evening, superintendent, ladies and gentlemen of the

064board. My name is Don Kulie Davyy. I'm in my 26th year here at transportation. I've spoken in these meetings before. The definition of negotiation is a discussion aimed at reaching an agreement. My hope is that we can do that. I would like a better future for my brothers and sisters that are coming up in this industry. We work in a community in this community that this board, staff, and administrators claims to be fair and equitable to all. We deserve better treatment, better pay, and better support from our leaders. I could run down a list of all the licenses and certifications that I must carry and all the entities that we must abide. There are too many. I've only got one minute now. I love this job. I have served this community's children, staff, teachers, and

065students, as well as my fellow brothers and sisters for almost three decades now, and I'm very proud to do so. I believe it takes a special person to do what we do. We are not hauling cattle. We are literally transporting this community's future daily. Over the years, myself along with a handful of my co-workers, images have been used by the district in ad campaigns, posters plastered in every school for recruitment, training videos, and online videos for bus driver appreciation day on the district website. And most recently, a broadcast television recruitment commercial >> to come join our team up. Yes. >> Okay. Um, our value cannot be diminished by this district's inability to see our work. >> What is your name? I didn't hear her name. You don't look like Um, Wendy Wayne, did you come

066up? >> Okay. >> Hi, my name is Wendy Wang. I'm a 17-year teacher at Oakrove Unified and I'm here on behalf of our Abbiscowi leaders and I will begin. AVID has changed the lives of countless students at Ruer and Floren High School. and has helped students access a future they may not otherwise have the opportunity to. With the support of our district Abviscoy leaders, RER opened the first and only AVID excel class in this district and region which has helped countless students get redesated and push them towards the dreams of going to college and reading reaching higher education may not have otherwise had a chance to attain. Many eel students get tracked into EEL support classes and higher education often feels out of reach. Countless students from our region have become the first generation college

067students and a staggering 80 to 92% of Floren High AVID students have gone into four-year colleges. The impact of AVIDS is measurable for students who deal with high poverty and challenges beyond their control. In the words of one of my former students, I'm running out of time to say her father had cancer last year. She survived and went by because of AVID. Because of AVID, she was able to get through the school year and face what she could. She became the speaker at James Ruter Middle School. She's now transferred schools and high school to a school that has AVID simply because she thrived so well at AVID. >> Good times up. Thank you. >> Okay, just for clarification, um the lady earlier cut our speaker just got done. So I just want to make sure

068that we didn't skip anybody. Uh SA. Okay. So, she did cut. So, come on up. Followed by Tissa. Go ahead. >> Hi, my name is SA. I'm an Elkrove resident, mom, and teacher of 17 years. I even taught some of your own kids. It's been an honor and a pleasure to teach in this district. I'm here in support of AVID. Um, four years ago, I was invited to teach and coordinate AVID at Laguna Creek High School, and it's been a amazing eye openening experience. I think the specifically structured curriculum of AVID supports our program and our students in such a way that helps them excel in their other classes, college and career and beyond. It's been amazing to witness and see. And it's really not about those 270 students at Laguna. It's about those AVID

069trained teachers, not just those five elective teachers, but those advocacy teachers and the dozens of other teachers who then help use AVID strategies throughout the throughout the entire campus. And I really just want to advocate on behalf of, you know, the budgets to come 2026 27 and the AVID coaches. Without the AVID coaches, I would have floundered as a coordinator. I wouldn't have no clue what to do. They walked me through the steps. I appreciate everything they did. So, just thank you for everything we can do to support our AVID programs in our district. And shout out to the bus drivers because we can't get to our AVID field trips without you guys. So, thank you. >> Thank you. Next, Tissa Roenoric, followed by Oelia Club. >> Good evening, board members. Hi, my name is

070Tessa and I'm a fifth grade student at Arlington High Elementary. My journey began last year in fourth grade, and my teacher was so enthusiastic about it. At first, I just thought the cheers were fun. Things like truck driver, roller coaster, and Oreo. They got everyone excited and energetic. But AVID is about so much more than just fun. I used to be very disorganized. If you ask my teachers, my friends, or my family, they would all tell you the same thing. But AVID gave me tools to get organized, which helped me feel more in control. It also helped me feel more confident when speaking, which is a big difference. You can probably see that in my speech today. Avid has helped my grades, too. My My grades in reading, math, writing, and history have all gone

071up. But it's not just about grades. AVID has also helped me make friends and communicate better with others. In our AVID class, we get to share our ideas and hear from you. >> Thank you. Next, Olivia Club followed by Mutton. Hello. >> Just play to the mic, sweetie. Yeah. Make the mic go down a little bit. Thank you. Yeah. >> Good evening. My name is Olivia Club and I am a student at Arlene High Elementary. I'm only in I'm only in fifth grade, but I have a big opinion about something that has made a huge different in my life. Avid. Three years ago, I didn't think about college or how to be organized, but I have an AVID backpack and an organized desk. AVID has helped me get my grades up and gave me new

072ways to study and to take tests. I was even more prepared for my state test and my grades went way up. One of my favorite strategies for test are one pagers. This helped me with some of the hardest tests. The one pager is something where you take notes on paper and you get to utilize that for test. Before Abbott, I wasn't always ready wanting to go to school, but now I'm excited to wake up and go. Abbott got me in the right mindset. Abbott has helped so many kids from elementary school down to high school or from high school. It has helped me go from having bad grades to getting a new way to learn and study. And >> thank you. That's Mag Madden followed by Don Ellooie Mag sorry Me Madden Cause Californians united

073for sex-based evidence in policy and law under title nine the only way to permit boys to take the place of girls on the girls team and compete against girls is to redefine sex to mean gender identity. This erases sex as a protected class which is the most profound discrimination possible and that is the goal of gender ideologues. It is the project of queer theory to erase in law the material reality that sex is real, sex matters, sex is binary and it is immutable. Those arguing against putting this resolution on the agenda know this and they know there is no rational supporting argument for allowing males and female sports causing this profound discrimination against women and girls. I hope the board puts the resolution on the agenda because I would love to see those opposed try

074to justify this discrimination against the female students of the Elk Grove Unified School District. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next, John Ellooie, followed by Rick Eckinson. >> Okay, thank you for clarifying that. Great. All right. Then up next is Rick Ankinson followed by Diaong Zang. My name is Rick Atinson. I just want to remind the board so they can be encouraged to put this resolution on the agenda of the executive orders um that prevent transgender girls and women from participating in female sports. That means men and boys. participating in female sports. Um this this executive order 14201 titled keeping men out of women's sports. It was signed by the President Donald Trump on February 5th, 2025. And this defines sex. The order relies on a previous executive order 14168 that defines sex as an individual's

075immutable biological classification solidifying the administration stance that women's sports are reserved for those assigned female at birth. So, you have to be a girl or a woman to participate in girl or women's sports. This is ridiculous that we have to say this and also remind you that it threatens to withhold funding, federal funding from educational programs and institutions, including athletic associations that do not comply with this policy. >> Thank you, sir. Abdex Ding Zang. D A I X I N. >> Okay, come on up, miss. Feel free to uh >> uh >> That was your name. >> Yeah, it's >> Thank you. Go ahead. >> Good evening. My name is Dining. As a conserved parent, I want to thank the board for considering the resolution to uphold Title 9 protections and ensure the safety and

076fairness of girls sports in our schools. In recent years, there have been troubling incidents that show clearly what can go wrong when girls are forced to compete directly with boys whose strength, speed, size, or power put them at risk. In 2022 in North Carolina, a 14-year-old girl was struck in the face by a spike from a transgender athlete during a volleyball match. The force of that that injury was catastrophic. She suffered a brain bleed, partial paralysis on the right side, ongoing vision impairment and still lived with consistent symptoms two years after. And this and others are not just hypotheticals. These are young women whose health, safety, and opportunity to participate have been harmed. Title 9 was passed to protect female athletes to give them equal opportunities. So, I urge you to vote yes. >> Thank

077you. Next, Kathy Houston, followed by Gray Burch. Kathy Houston. >> Hi, good evening board members. My name is Katie Houston. I'm a licensed mental health therapist and a board certified behavior analyst. I work as a mental health clinician for a local county office of education. I'm here to address agenda item 12, a proposal for a resolution on girls sports. That title hides what this really is. a resolution to push transgender children out of sports and into harm. As a clinician, I see how depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideiation rise when students are cut off from belonging. The antidote is building resilience through one trusted adult who believes in them, a coach who stands by them, a te a team who welcomes them. These are protected factors that save lives for all students. I urge you to

078move I mean to not move this resolution forward. Instead, let us invest in what we know works. Supportive coaches, inclusive teams, and school communities that affirm every student. >> Thank you. [Applause] >> Next, Greg Bert, followed by Mindy Fu. >> Thank you. Uh uh trustees. My name is Greg Burch. I'm a resident here in El Grove. I have uh three kids. Uh I'm also a vice president of the California Family Council. It's a Christian organization committed to advancing God's design for life, family, and liberty. And we are proud to support this resolution. Just last March, Governor Gavin Newsome admitted to the late Charlie Kirk that it was deeply unfair to allow biological males who identify as females to compete against girls. Now, why did he say that? It goes back to why we separate the

079sexes in sports in the first place. Male bodies carry an undeniable biological advantage with no uh that no amount of training or effort on the part of girls can overcome. That's why girls sports exists to give girls equal opportunities. The public is on uh twothirds of the public uh is actually believes in the same thing. Um, and we bear no ill will towards the body, but this is about truth. We urge you to support the resolution. Thank you. >> Thank you, sir. Your time's up. [Applause] Next, Mindy Fu followed by Kurine. >> Good evening. I'm a parent in this school district. I'm here tonight to express my strong support for Title N. which was created to make sure girls have the same opportunity as boys in school, especially in sports. Title 9 is about fairness,

080safety, and equal opportunities. We all know biological differences between boys and girls are real. They and they are matters in sports. On average, boy are stronger and faster even with hormone treatment. That is why we always had separate teams to make sure competition is fair and to reduce the risk in all injury. Letting biological boys taking sports in girls team or win girls championship is not inclusive. It is unfair. It hurts our daughters and every girl who work hard to follow this rules. >> Thank you ma'am. Your time's up. >> Okay, up next is Annie Kuzi. I hope I pronounced your last name correctly. >> Okay, no one doesn't. >> Followed by Dr. Trishan Bazini. >> Good evening. My name is Annette Kunzie. I'm actually a school board member in a neighboring community just down

081the road. I'm also a CSBA delegate, but I'm actually here today in my individual capacity. Um, I wanted to support the Title N resolution and also thank board member uh Moore for having the courage to bring the topic forward. So, um, just this morning on a local radio show that's nationally syndicated, the host praised this board for doing the right thing. I think they had already assumed you were going to be voting yes for this resolution. So, I'm hoping that you will join 15 other uh districts and also uh vote for the resolution. So, in a recent Ninth Circuit case, um it was stated requiring students to share restrooms and changing facilities with members of the opposite biological sex undermines privacy and safety objectives. And I did hear you say recently that you were you're

082very much a fan of safety and Barry that's very paramount to you. So, I'm glad to hear that. Um, and also, uh, a recent brief with the United States Court said schools that adopt these mandates are exposed to liability. So, thank you. I urge you to vote yes. And thank you very much. >> Sorry, ma'am. Your time's up. >> Thank you. Okay. Calling Dr. Trishan Bazini followed by Pascal. >> Good evening board. My name is Dr. Tristan Bzini. I am a licensed clinical psychologist. I also serve as a commissioner to our Elgrove diversity and inclusion commission. I am here today to address agenda item 12. Let us be clear. The proposed resolution is overt discrimination against transgender and gender diverse children. Denying any child access to athletics harms physical health, deteriorates mental health, and strips

083away critical opportunities for teamwork, friendships, and a sense of belonging. This resolution does not align with Elkrove's community pledge that our city is no place for hate or Sacramento's sanctuary city commitment or California's law protecting students rights to participate in activities consistent with their gender identity. Mission of EGUSD is to prepare every student for college career and life readiness. That mission, the mission you have been elected to lead, cannot be fulfilled excluding or marginalizing any child. Transgender students lives matter just as much as any other child's. I urge you to reject this resolution and affirm Elk Road Unified School District as a district where every student is safe, supported, and celebrated. Do not stand for hate. >> Thank you, sir. Your time's up. >> Up next, Corvette Pascal, followed by Sue Spellelman. Good evening. Um,

084I'm curious if anyone who is supporting this resolution actually knows personally a trans person. I do not believe that they do. Or we would not be engaging in this very hateful, factually inaccurate pantoime that we care about girls safety and sports. I'm calling it a pantoime because of the six million students in California, 10 are estimated to be transgender athletes. 10. And we are adults with power and influence bullying children by not allowing them to do normal things like go to a bathroom and play on the sports teams they want to play on. Also, if you were really concerned about safety, perhaps we could do something to address the fact that California is the only state that doesn't regulate athletic trainers and over 51% of our schools do not have them, which has shown to

085greatly reduce injury. If we actually cared about their safety, we might use our resources and money to address the fact that 49% of sexual assault survivors are under the age of 18. Or perhaps we could address the socioeconomic status and racial inequalities in sports, the two factors of which are the two major determinants of health disparities in the top 10 leading causes of death in the US. I don't see any of us doing anything about that. Also, PS, we're also trans men as you were. >> Thank you. >> Followed by Sue Spellelman, followed by Daniel Russell. Good evening, um, President Vargas and board members and Superintendent Hoffman. I encourage you to vote yes on the resolution resolution to have only girls participate in girls sports put on the future board meeting agenda. Our girls deserve

086to have equal opportunities and not to have to compete against biological boys who have inherent biological advantages over the girls. God created people in his own image. He created male and female. And if it's good enough for him, it's good enough for our kids. Thank you. >> Thank you, man. All right. Please be respect. Please be respectful. Daniel Russell >> followed by Eva Zoo. >> President Vargas and Vice President Yang. May I defer till the end of the meeting so that I might share just an extra minute if I wait till article 12 comes up? >> I think that's fine. >> Okay. I'll wait till the end. >> Okay. Thank you very much. >> Okay. Sure. >> Okay. Uh up next, Eva Zoo. >> Eva, >> followed by Rachel. >> Which one? >> The small

087one. The small mic. Yes. >> Okay. Good evening, members of board. My name is Eva Dao. I'm here today as a parent to support the resolution to protect girls sports. I have two lovely daughters. They're both in a volleyball club. Um, back in May this year, my older daughter's volleyball team were faced a very unexpected situation. They were match up against a team make up entirely of boys in the tournament. When the match began, it was immediately clear how different the game would be. The boys were hitting the balls with incredible force, spiking it so hard that the girls had a hard time even keeping their arms steady to block or return the shots. Boys and girls are built differently. This isn't just opinion, it is biology. Boys typically have greater muscle mass, higher bone

088density, and stronger upper body strength. This given them a clear and undeniable advantage in many sports especially in one like volleyball. >> Thank you ma'am. Your time's up. Next racial assuri followed by Lindre wheels. Yes. followed by Lindro Wills. >> Um, good evening. I'm here to support the resolution to support Title 9. Um, I'm also here to um ask the board to acknowledge biological sex. It's important that we are honest to our children. I would say to lie to a child is not to love a child. Um, the gender ideology that is taught in Elkrove Unified School District is very disturbing to me. And I just thought I would mention since there was a talk about counselors, I wasn't sure that that was going to be addressed today, but um as far as my knowledge,

089if you go to a counselor at Elgrove Unified School District and you have entered any gender confusion, they will affirm you. They will change your name, they will change your pronouns, and they will hide that from your parents. So, this is a big deal, and we need to nip it in the bud and support women, support our children, and support truth. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next, Lindra Wills, followed by Craig Dulu. Good evening. My name is Leandra. I played competitive volleyball for 12 years and now a girls volleyball coach. Title N was created to give girls equal opportunities. Allowing male athletes to compete in girls divisions undermine that promise and it's not fair. I've spoken with other coaches in this district and many feel the same way I do. but they're afraid to speak

090up, worried about losing their jobs. That shouldn't happen. Coaches should be able to protect their players without fear. The average height of a girl is my height, 5'2. Males are taller, stronger, and jump about 25% higher. Males serve third 30% more powerful than women's. That's why men's and women's leagues have different net heights for good reason. Girls work hard for every point and deserve the same chance to succeed. Allowing boys on girls teams takes that away. If we fail to uphold the truth that biological differences matter for fairness and safety, the day will come when not a single girl can earn a spot on her own team. I will not stay silent and watch that happen. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next, Craig Doo followed by Damon Cuffins. Hello, uh, board president, uh, superintendent, members

091of the community, board members. My name is Craig Dooz. I'm a member of the ele roba elementary uh school district board of trustees. Normally I am uh loathed to go to another board uh and and present to them or talk to them about an issue and I would never come before you and tell you how you should vote on an issue. Instead I'd like to offer a little bit of experience a little bit of advice from my 20 more than 20 years of experience on the board. Uh, I know that this is a very divisive issue and you're going to get caught up in you could potentially get caught up in the idea of the emotions of it, but the fact is is that you've had a number of people come before you present both

092biological facts, present legal facts, present facts of rights and opportunity uh on and how important it is to protect our young girls. not just from not just for opportunities to be able to fairly compete, but also physically to protect your schools when it comes to funding, whether it's from the executive order that was recently signed or whether it's from uh uh recent decisions that impact the definition of Title 9. I think that you would find if you would take up this resolution, >> you could find support from even the people who support the resolution. >> Your time is up. Well, if I could just say one last thing, you would find support from them to allow students to participate in sports. But okay, next Damon Collins followed by Nate Lee. Good evening. Good evening, board

093and uh Mr. Hoffman. My name is Damon Collins. I've been a bus driver for nine years, almost 10. Um, just want to say that it's a it's a pleasure working for the district. I love working for the families, for the students, and uh, it's just a fun job to be at. The only thing that we are missing, like my fellow employees said, is the um, pay and the benefits. They did go up a little bit, but we do need more a little bit. Um, we're struggling. Um, every time you look around, you see that uh garbage men and uh other school districts, they're higher than us. And we're low. We have a big district. You know, we service a lot of areas from G to Rancho Marietta to um Rancho Cordova, all that. So, we're

094just asking that you uh just help us out a little bit. Thank you. >> Thank you. Last but not least, Kate Lee. >> Nate Lee. >> Yeah. Come on up. >> Last car, >> guys. I've waited all day for this. You guys ready for it? >> The other mic, sir. The other mic. >> The other mic. >> Is this the mic? >> No, the one on the right. The small one. >> This one. Okay. I would like to face my audience. I'm here with you for the community of Elgroveve. Uh I hear signs of equity, fair pay, and I'm with you guys. And I'm going to make this really short. I have access to billionaires. If it takes voting you guys out to do what's righteous for girls sport, that's what I'm going to do.

095Mark my words on it. I'm a messenger of God and your jobs might be on the line. Vote righteously. Thank you. [Applause] President Vgas, that ends our blue card on this item. >> Thank you. Thank you everyone. Appreciate your comment. >> Thank you very much, folks. We appreciate the feedback from everybody. >> Oh, did are you is is your blue card included in the one from >> Blue? What is your name, ma'am? Okay, she has it here. >> Yeah. Okay, go right ahead. >> Board members. Um, I need to address something that was said earlier by one of the speakers. Um, we have no idea how many boys are competing in girls sports in California. I submitted a public records request to CIF. They responded. Um, their attorney said that they keep no records. They

096they have no data. Um, I know because I've traveled around California, we have boys competing in volleyball, cross country, track and field. Um, all across the state, there were three boys at Davis High School competing in girls sports in 2021 and 2022. These boys took away spots on the girls varsity team. These boys won uh broke school records in the high jump in pole vault. Uh these boys also were using the girls locker rooms. You have no idea how many boys are competing in Elkrove Unified School District because uh CIF doesn't track it and you won't hear from the coaches and the girls are terrified about what's happening to them. >> Thank you. [Applause] All right, board president. That ends our blue car in this item. Yes, ma'am. You You also submitted blue car. Okay.

097What is your name? I'm sorry. What is your name? No, I don't see it. Oh. Oh, yeah. Okay. You were first up earlier. Okay. Welcome back. you that kind of hard to follow. >> Um, >> okay. So, this is about parent volunteering. >> I'm a parent volunteer as sen of a senior at Monterey Trail High School and have proudly served as an active volunteer for the past three years. Throughout this time, I have been deeply committed to supporting all students and contributing to a positive school environment. Recently, I was disheartened to learn that I am no longer being allowed to volunteer without clear justification or due process. As we all recognize, parent volunteers play a vital role in student success. Yet, opportunities for involvement remain limited. It is concerning when dedicated parents are excluded, particularly

098when it appears personal differences may be influencing such decisions. I have always acted as a strong advocate for all students with the sole goal of helping Monterey Trail be the best it can be for its learners. I respect I respectfully ask the board to look into this matter and support the development of a fair and trans process managing volunteer participation. >> Thank you. >> Okay. And that ends the blue car. >> Okay. One last call. Is there anybody else who wants to speak early? >> We got about four blue cars. >> Oh, >> okay. Uh, what is your name, ma'am? Okay, just a second. You did you turn a blue card in? Yeah, just a second. Yeah, I do have you your blue car here. I'mina, come on up. >> You already said my name.

099Amina. >> Small mic, please. >> Oh, small mic. Okay, there's so many mic in here. Okay, sorry. Okay, good evening. I am Amilina and I'm here to ask the board to approve action item 12. Um I think this issue has not been resolved. In fact, there are numerous concerns that are being ignored under the disguise of inclusion. It is critical that you bring this topic of girls sports to public awareness and listen carefully to the safety, privacy, and fairness concerns girls and parents may have. I want to trust in your good judgment as I hope this item will be approved as a future agenda item for discussion and resolution. The key question to ask here is, is this about feelings or fairness? There are many things I can say about this issue growing up with

100four brothers myself and also having four girls, but I'll just save that input for now. Let's not be afraid to do the right thing. It's important to have empathy for people who are struggling with gender dysphoria. However, let's make decision rationally based on objective realities. >> Your time's up. >> Yes. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Anyone else? Men a blue card for item 12. >> All right, turn it over to you, board president. >> All right, thank you everyone. We appreciate the feedback as always. Next up is our consent agenda. Mr. Yang, are there any blue cards on the consent agenda? >> President Vargas, there's no blue card in that. >> Thank you very much. Then I will entertain a motion. Uh before I do that, would any board members like to pull

101an item from the consent agenda? All right, seeing none, I will entertain a motion to approve items 1 through 29 on the consent agenda. >> So move. >> Moved by Mr. Yang. >> Seconded by Miss Ballerini. All those in favor, please say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries unanimously. >> Bargaining units. Would any bargaining units wish to address the board at this time? I see somebody right. I got ask me. >> Hello uh school board. Um thank you for the time. Um it may look like I just came from Hawaii. However, I want to caution us that the future of the employment for our Elkrove Unified School District employees will be no vacation. Okay? And I did not wear this shirt for that intent. It just happened to be what I was wearing. But I

102am I understand the motion to approve the medical increases. However, I am disappointed. a six a 5% medical increase to WHA, 16% medical increase to Kaiser, and an astounding 24% medical increase to Sutter is insurmountable for many of the employees of the school district. I represent ASME, but I know ATU is here in force. We got CSEA here as well. We have people who are paid $16.84 84 cents an hour. We have people who will not be able to recover from these. Their paychecks will literally be going backwards. Now, I understand that Elkrove Unified School District only has so much control of those things. But we have to find something that is better when costs of everything are increasing across the board. Our purchasing power is low right now. Our people are struggling and we

103all know this. I don't know why we continue to put it in a closet and hide it. But this is a problem right now. Our raises are not going to keep up with the inflation. They're not keeping up with the medical increases that we're seeing. 24%. Doesn't that seem astronomical to anybody else other than me? I mean, am I just speaking into an echo chamber here? But that is a problem. We have raised it. ATU has raised it. My brothers and sisters right here are here in force. I am inspired by these people. I see them. Last board meeting. I wish I could have been here to speak then. But this is a problem. And I know it's not just Elro Unified School District. Trust me, I'm full aware of that. But this is a

104problem. And it's up to us as leaders. I am a leader here. These are all leaders here to speak up on their behalf. And I hope and I know and I know all of you and I trust that you guys will not become desensitized to the things that people are saying because these are real world issues that everybody's facing. But our negotiations over the last few years when we're getting 2% increases does not keep up even with the medical. It's a problem and I know it's a complex problem. I'm not saying it's an easy one to solve, but we have to dig into this. We have to lean into the work that needs to be done to find a better solution to what is going on right now. In what world is a 24% increase

105to your medical coverage, okay? In what world do I have to make a choice per what we're being told to go to WHA when I have been with Sutter my whole life or Kaiser for example. We understand that it's not just an Elkrove Unified School District problem. Trust me, I get that. But we are all in charge of what we do here. That is our charge. That is why everybody is up there. That is why I am here because I am here to represent my people and I'm also here to speak on behalf of everybody else that is in labor. This is a labor issue right now and it is a problem and we need to start looking at some real solutions. I don't know what that is, but I am down to roll up

106my sleeves and get into the dirty work with you. But someone has to start doing it because it's gone on too long. two years of double-digit increases in the past two years and now we're looking at this. It's a problem. We have to find a way to solve it. On another note, I appreciate all the parents, all the counselors, everybody that's come out to speak on behalf of certain positions that we know are up for decisions per er funds and things like that. I think it's very telling and apparent that not only are we talking about safety and took a resolution today about that, but our campus supervisors at elementary schools are on the chopping block potentially. We hope not, but we understand how they're funded. We've known that all along. But in our prospective

107surveys, at least since I've been here, which I've been representing for about eight years here, safety has been one of the top five, if not the top three priorities on every single one of those perspective surveys. Every single one without fail. Now, I would love to see this next perspective survey come out. I'm really excited to see it because hopefully with the addition of these campus supervisors, we'll see maybe that's taken a step down. But do not be fooled by that. if that is the case because that is a result of something that this board has taken action on and implemented that has helped. So let's keep that in mind when we look at this perspective survey and don't discredit the fact that that took action if it does move down to get it to

108move down a little bit. It is still a major priority as a parent of student as all the parents here we know that safety has been a high priority and look at what's going on around the country we need to consider these things and I know you are trust me I know you guys are is not easy decisions for you are pulled in many different directions many different priorities we understand that but from the labor side these are a few of our priorities that we would love to have further discussions on I know we're limited in how we can do that. But we would love to have further discussions on these. Um, like I said, everybody here knows me. Every single person here knows who I am and I am down to not just speak

109from a pulpit, but to dig in, roll my sleeves up and get the work done to figure out what we can do to find better medical, better pay for our employees. We need them. Without them, we would cease to exist. So, I appreciate your time. Again, I not trying to come across in any way other than with a quite a bit of urgency really is what it is because before we know it, next year's medical increases are coming and we need to start doing the work now and we are ask is down to do the work. I know CSEA, ATU, PISWA, EGA, every single labor group here is down to do the work. So, let's get together. Let's figure out what we can do and let's really put the time in and get something done

110because our people are going backwards in their paychecks. So, thank you very much. Appreciate it. >> Good evening, President Vargas. You can. Superintendent Hoffman, lady and gentlemen of the board, ATU asked me, all my brothers and sisters. Um, I wanted to once again thank Kevin. You gave him that award tonight. And, uh, he was in service. He was a scheduler. He was a bus driver and then he was a scheduler. and we stood up here and we gave shouts out and claps and and um it's amazing that we're doing amazing things and we have amazing people in this school district. We really do. With that being said, I didn't realize that we had a uh your agenda item where you have so many people who are in speaking on on this bus drivers have a

111very unique position. We see those children who are transitioning. um we take those children to the you know to the ball games uh bus drivers talk to that that maybe that girl who might be transitioning or that boy what have you. So we have a unique very unique role. I'm not here to speak on that but I want you to know how instrumental these people are that we even touch on that. With that being said, I think we need to be sensitive to everyone. We as role models, uh, adults in positions of authority, these kids, whether you, whatever side you on, they're looking for us as role models. And so, I think we still need to be sensitive to that. Um, with that being said, my brother threw out a lot of numbers to you,

112but the one number that he did say correct is that our our medical was going up. As you know, we're in negotiations. We have been working with Elkrove. We have been working with them. I I'm the kind of person that when you do right, you do good. I acknowledge it. Mr. Ken has been coming to the plate. I don't know if it's because we've come here. I I assume that we are trying to find a way to to meet because the ends meet at this time doesn't meet. And so with that being said, I don't want you to think that every time you see us coming up, we're coming to bash you. We're coming to bash you. We're not coming to bash you. We're coming to tell you, hey, we've done a lot of work

113for you. We pick up your kids. We we we protect them. We get them their home safely. We have people on the freeways and cars that don't know how to drive in Sacramento. Sometimes we do a lot of defensive driving with your precious cargo. I truly truly truly believe that when you have precious cargo, you treat the ones who take care of them preciously as well. That's what we're doing. We're not here to bash you. We're just asking you see us. Hear us. We're not trying to stop the wheels from turning. I'm not here to threaten you either. I'm not here to say I'm not we're not going to pick up your kids. We're not I'm not here to say that the drivers and the attendants aren't going to still love on your kids. They

114are because that's who they are. That's what they do every day. With that being said, we will be back next month to speak with you again until we finish this and that's where we are. So, I want once again I want to thank you and I want you really really you have a hard position in regards to that in regards to this this uh resolution. Not only am I the ATU president business agent of 256, I'm also the vice president of the ATU Pride Caucus, which is the international ATU International that has 200,000 members as well as in United States and Canada. So I can I speak on two hats. I'm also a minister. I heard somebody in here and speak in their integrated praise spiritual center who's open and loving and affirming. I'm about

115spirit, not color, not Republican, not Democrat, not nothing. I'm about spirit. We need to get back to that. And remember, these kids, regardless of who they identify, they are looking at us for leadership. They are looking for us. Thank you. Any other bargaining units? Come on up. Good evening, board president Vargas, members of the board, Superintendent Hoffman, Miss Avalo's colleagues and community members. My name is Crystal Jones and I'm the current president of the Psychologist and Social Workers Association, PSWA, otherwise known as Piso. PSWA represents the PPS credentialed school psychologist and school social workers. I'm speaking tonight for two reasons. First, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the district for working together with Piso to come to an agreed upon tenative agreement. Both parties displayed creativity and flexibility to meet the

116interests on both sides. The TA is on the agenda tonight and I would like to thank you in advance for your consideration and pending approval. The second reason I'm speaking tonight is to advocate for the 14 social work positions that are on the budget priority list. Elgroveve Unified School District made a wise decision bringing school social workers on board several years ago. School social workers are master level professionals who earn a PPS credential to work specifically in the school systems. It is common practice that most schools in the United States typically employ PPS credentialed school psychologists, PPS credentialed school counselors and PPS credentialed school psychologists and and social workers. I applaud EGUSD for deciding to add school social workers to our team of PPS credentialed staff members. School social workers were initially hired in 2019

117as part of the learning recovery block grant. The district saw the value of the school social workers and continued to fund their positions with ESSER funds. Unfortunately, the ESSER funds are set to expire in 2026. Currently, 14 of our 21 social workers are working in our secondary schools at the middle and high school levels, providing essential direct services to our students and families. I have seen firsthand as a middle school psychologist how valuable the school social workers are to the framework of our schools. In the few years that I have worked with my school social worker, she has coordinated our MTSS tier 2 process. And this year, our school is aiming for the highest PBIS platinum status. This year, she's led counseling groups ranging from friendship, social skills, and grief groups. She's done crisis risk

118assessments and participated in re-entry meetings for students just discharged from psychiatric facilities. She's provided individual counseling to our highest need students. We even obtained a grant to distinguish our school as a grief sensitive school and show a suicide prevention doctor documentary screening. She facilitated mental health week on campus and she's an available resource to student staff and families two days a week. In case you are not aware, school psychologists are one of the few staff that bill medical for direct services to students to generate money for the district. We've been doing this process for years. And just as an example, we've generated over $1.4 million as a collective group for the school district this year alone. We recognize that the district is in dis difficult financial position right now, which is why our school social

119workers recently agreed to participate in the children and youth behavioral health initiative, which will allow them to bill medical and private insurance for their services. In a few short months, school social workers will be able to generate thousands of dollars in revenue for the district. Of more than two of the 200 vital school personnel whose funding sources are at risk, school social workers hold a uniquely critical position. Unlike many other professionals in the education system, their specialized training and credentiing mean that they cannot easily be reassigned to classroom teaching, guidance counseling, or other district roles. Their expertise is tailored specifically to the complex social, emotional, and behavioral needs of students, particularly in the middle and high school level. If we eliminate school social workers, we are simply not cutting a position. and we're removing an

120essential support system for our students and families. Eliminating these positions could create a ripple effect across the district, leading to increased disciplinary issues, decreased attendance, and unmet mental health needs, all of which impact academic performance and school climate. The district and the school board have a heavy decision and responsibility to decide how to allocate funds for our 200 plus positions on the budget priority list. I know this is not an easy decision and no one's taking it lightly. As we navigate this hard work together, I ask that the board consider the implications of letting these 14 PPS credentialed school social workers go. The MTSS PBIS programs that are integral to the district would fall apart at the secondary level. there is no soft landing or other position for them to fall back on and we

121would miss out on the revenue that they could bring into the district for billing for direct services. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. Any other bargaining units? I am not seeing any hands. All right. On that note, it has been two hours. So, let's take a 10-minute comfort break and we'll be back at 8:10. All right, board members, let's take our seats so we can get started again. All right, let's bring it back. Like to call this meeting back to order at 8:11 p.m. And next up, we are getting into our reports. F first up is student n student board member initial report, Miss Ay. Board President Vargas, members of the board, Superintendent Hoffman, and Miss Avalos. The Elkrove Board of Education places a high priority on engaging students and leveraging student voice and

122input, feedback, and decision-making opportunities. The seating of the student board member, Zong, during the 2025 26 school year has been in direct alignment with this priority. Part of Mr. Zong's responsibilities as a student board member is to represent the students in the Elkrove Unified School District. Tonight, the board is asked to receive an initial report from student board member Jeang to learn about his goals for the 202526 school year and how he plans to provide student voice at the board level. And here you go. Good morning uh members of the board and members of the community. Tonight I will be presenting my initial report for my student board member term for Elgrove Unified School District for um the purpose of this presentation is to address my goals, my collaborations, my initiatives and how to get

123in contact with me and social media for the student board member. The goals for my term this year are civic engagement, mental health and awareness, well mental health and wellness, equity, inclusion, leadership, strengthen communication, collaborative partnerships. Another goal of mine is to amplify student voice and to promote student success. In addition to that, this has been a goal for all of our student board members in the past as well and is to promote the student board member position. In addition, I want to collaborate with schools on a wide range of grade levels as I represent not only high school students but students from K through K through 12. An example of this is through my lovely student voice committee with representatives from each of our high schools, schools site councils, and ASBs at the secondary

124level. some collaborations that I um the collaborations that I'll be doing during my term is with the superintendent student advisory committee, the SBC also known as our student voice committee as I mentioned earlier, FACE, our family and community engagement, student equity council, psychological services, associated student bodies, better known as ASBs, work with our educational equity program specialists, work with and work with college and career connections program specialists. Moving on into my initiatives for this term, I would like to introduce my healthy mind strong futures campaign which the purpose of this campaign is to promote awareness of mental health resources, reduce stigma, and prepare students for success in school and beyond. And in order to achieve that, I would like to partner with our psychological services and student support. Uh the second major goal of mine

125is to introduce a student wellness charter where we have an open assembly with a com amendment convening followed by board approval and launch. In addition to that, ongoing engagement to support the charter. Here are some findings from school visits and student interviews. Strengthen and direct engagement with students to give them voice. Acknowledge and highlight students expressed needs and develop a framework for activities. Collaboration with the SVC representatives from each high school site. Gathering data, feedback, concerns, and ideas across all high schools. formalize meetings to discuss meetings uh to discuss findings and subsequent actions. Our student success framework is to increase awareness of district mental health facilities and options by enhancing access to counselors, wellness programs, and proactive resources across all schools. to integrate student input into program design to ensure initiatives address real challenges and

126support overall well-being and achievement and visitations throughout EGSC and workshops on mental health, student readiness, leadership and resources. To conclude my presentation, this is how you are able to contact me. My um district email is zzzong egsd.net. My social media for student board member is EGSD SBM on Instagram and on the Instagram I will be posting summaries of student um of board meetings and policies, student family and community resources, scholarship information, my healthy mind strong futures media campaign and my student wellness charter and just general opportunities, events and updates. Thank you. [Applause] >> All right, Mr. Yang, are there any blue cards on this item? >> President Vargas, there's no blue card on this item. >> Excellent. And Mr. Jeang, welcome back. Uh, board members may have questions and comments. So, uh, board members, we

127now welcome questions or comments on the presentation. I'll start down that side with Miss Bowwin if you have any. >> Yeah, I was just curious how we could be helpful to you. For one, I know that all of our board members represent a area or um rather district where you guys are able to get into more insight onto um not only just students but members of the community such as parents as well and as teachers because you guys have a greater overview and more nitty-gritty on each district's um functions, I questions. Miss Moore, >> uh, I would like to thank you for the presentation. I did just have one question. Um, you mentioned that there's representatives at each high school. How do they g gather feedback from their students? for our um for the student

128voice committee. We are still currently um what is it workshopping ways to get in touch with their high schools because as representatives the student voice committee is put together by um candidates for the current student board member position. So they were already chosen through a popular vote at their respective high school sites. So I believe that they will have a a lot of insight onto their school but more on the ways that they um gather insights throughout their schools, current ways that we are currently um implementing our student surveys, but also each of our student um representatives for our SVC will be working with their ASBs and their school site councils. Okay. Yeah. I was just curious about that because, you know, we're a very large district, um, 63,000 students, and so I was just

129curious how we're gathering feedback, especially at our secondary schools. Um, so I would love to see, um, continued improvements with that. So, thank you very much. >> Thank you, Miss Bellerini. >> I just want to thank you for being here. Every time you're here, you have a nice smile on your face and you always have good things to say and I appreciate your time. Thank you. >> You miss Yang. >> Yeah. I also want to say uh thank you for the presentation and thank you for your service. Um I uh am curious. All of these um goals are great goals and um the school visit and student interviews. I just wanted to know um the the engagement as far as the number of it. Um did you can you can you tell if um the

130engagement and the the involvement uh represent uh I would say good amount of uh the students that uh represent this uh school district as uh you know we have a huge school district and I just curious if that represents you know sizable for our school district. >> Um to answer that um question for um as far as I know our school site councils are put together with diverse individuals from um not only just students of different uh backgrounds but also our last student board member Seline. One of her initiatives was to um start a school a student advisory advisory committee at each school. And at each school that process varies differently, but each there will be students from each um class period or um certain time in the day where they're pulled through for um

131during class to discuss issues at their school. and that's a time for them to address that um their concerns from a student point of view and not just from a supervisor point of view but from a student point of view. And to add on to that, as I was saying earlier for our um school site councils, our school site councils are um using the word for this, but they're consisted of parents, students, and also teachers where the teachers are selected I believe by random to serve on the committee to serve on the council and the students are again chosen through a popular vote where I believe a popular vote is an equal way to gather opinions because you won by a majority. So you represent a majority of students. But I also do understand the

132concern of how do we represent all students of Elgrove Unified, not just one com um community that might be very outgoing, but also the communities that are often underrepresented. >> Yeah. And um I think that it's um it's it's in your um in your interest and and and tactic how to really uh get the folks uh really engaging because I think that um engagement and that uh um the feedback that you um could get from it the the more of the students the better it is. And uh um And then I also curious um because your position is very I think um very I wouldn't say powerful but it's very impactful right? Um, so do do you do you have any like um like I just want you to share uh with me and and

133us here. Um with you being here half of a year, did you feel like um you know our students has come together to really um kind of give feedback to one another and have like um um I guess some tangible goals to to really um attack going forward um because of all the stuff that we dealing with uh safety and whatnot. There's some other stuff out there, but I'm I'm not going to list because there's a lot of them. But I just curious if you guys really sit down and have that uh face to face um talk for our student voice committee. We are still we've had monthly meetings every month since June and we are still in the pro uh process of gathering um tangible dates for everyone to meet together because everyone on

134the student voice committee is um very busy with other obligations that they do have as students themselves. But we are definitely working towards a way to create goals that are tangible and will move closer to what I'm trying to promote. >> All right. Well, thank you again for uh participating and uh we value your work a lot. So, thank you for your service. >> Thank you, Miss Davis. >> Thank you for the presentation. Um, I was wondering if you could expand on the student wellness charter just a little so I could understand what that is. for the student wellness charter. Um, for me, when I went into planning the well, planning the student wellness charter, what I had in mind was a way to hold our um, district accountable for achieving the goals and keeping

135the progress that we will make during my term. sort of similar to how Seline has created the student bill of rights and that has kept um it's written into our district to keep those student bill of rights and I believe that mental health is just as valuable as this as the student bill of rights and I believe that mental health dramatically affects your performance at school as a student and how your community how it goes from It's goes from individual into how those individuals make to make up a community and how that community can be affected because of mental health. >> Thank you. I look forward to seeing the work. >> Thank you very much. And um I also want to thank you for the presentation and I am also really looking forward um to

136hearing more about the student wellness charter as as we continue in the year. So, appreciate it. >> Thank you. All right, you're all done. All right, next up is a one-time funds update. Uh, Miss Watkins, trustees, Superintendent Hoffman, Miss Avalos, colleagues, and community. Get this deck open for you. Tonight, I'm here to provide an update on our one-time funding sources. it. There we go. So, decisions regarding budget priorities should be grounded in a foundation that balances sustainability as well as student success. We have agreed as a board and um a district to these five principles in this order. One, remaining fiscally solvent, maintaining and evaluating what we've built over the past few years. being competitive in attracting and retaining the best and brightest employees who reflect and identify with our students, building upon existing programs

137and services, and considering adding new programs and services. Over the last five years, we've received significant state funding in support of students and staff. Our objectives this evening include reviewing these funding sources, providing an initial projection of where we expect to end 2526 in these funding sources, and talking about allowable uses and funding expiration. The slide has a lot of information, and um don't fear, I will go into more detail on further slides, but I have a few callouts um here. This slide um summarizes the district and this is not inclusive of our charter allocations but the district's original funding allocations for these four funding sources. The starting balance for the current fiscal year as was reported in the unodudited actuals that I presented at the last board meeting and our estimated available balances at

138the end of the current fiscal year. So by June 30th of 2026. So on the first column with educator effectiveness funds. This is our last year of educator effectiveness funds. We've had a board approved plan to support professional development. In June, it was last June of 25, we had a balance of $6 million. Our current balance is approximately $4 million. And to maximize our use of the remaining available funds, we plan to bring a plan amendment for board approval at a future board meeting as we've done in past with other uh plans that we've brought forward. In the column for our arts, music, and instructional materials block grant, the board approved to support two years of continuence of the previously esser funded non-personnel expenditures as well as to support our visual and performing arts curriculum

139and programming outside of our Proposition 28 arts and music in schools ongoing funding and it will be fully spent at the end of the current fiscal year. our learning recovery emergency block grant. While we um did not we were not required to have original plan adoption, this has been used to continue to fund our previously er funded positions. Our estimated ending balance considers vacancy savings as well as a new award that we received in the current fiscal year. The final column calls out our student support and professional development discretionary block grant. This was new to us in the current fiscal year and um our budget that was approved in June considered the expenditure of about $14 million of those funds already built into our existing budget that the board has approved and that was expected

140to be pl uh spent over the next two fiscal years. To dive a little deeper into the educator effectiveness funds, these were funds that we had for five years. This is our final year and these funds can be used for coaching and mentoring, improving literacy practices and strategies that re-engage pupils and lead to accelerated learning as well as practices to create a positive school climate. The original um plan was approved back in December 14th, 2021 by the board if you'd like to refer back to that. And like I said, I it expires at the end of this current fiscal year and we plan to expend it all. We'll receive a a revised plan at a future board date and I've included a link to the California Department Ed uh website for each of these funding

141sources for more information. Arts, music, and instructional materials block grant. This was completely discretionary and the board took action back on May 28th of 2024 to fund a couple different areas of the $36 million. The board committed to $18 million for visual and performing arts which included $4 million in VAPA curriculum as well as an additional $18 million on the non-personnel expenditures for two years. And these were uh expenditures previously funded by ESRE funds. It includes um about 70% of that 18 million is dedicated towards Chromebooks and technology. We also uh fund recess support and K1 level foundational reading skills support that also expires at the end of the current year. I'll spend a little more time on the learning recovery emergency block grant. Um I've got two slides dedicated to this. These funds um

142are being used presently to continue funding our one-time funded positions uh that previously used the ESSER funds following the expiration of the ESRE funds. The original re award was fiscal year 223 and learning recovery initiatives that at a minimum support academic learning recovery and staff and pupil social emotional well-being are some of the ways that we can use these funds. Now, important to call out with the current year's budget act, we uh received some additional funding. And I wanted to explain why. For those of you that are new to the conversation or new to the board, um back in 2324, the state budget act took back about 10 million dollars of our original award. Um this happened for all districts receiving learning recovery emergency block grant. And so the 2526 budget act attempted to restore

143partial funding and so we got about a third of that back with the current fiscal year and that's the $3.4 million award for 2526. There is intent language in the budget act that does not guarantee funding but there is intent language that should the budget be able to afford it that over the next two fiscal years we could receive those additional thirds. Um so comparable to the same 3.4 4 million over the next two years. The uh original funding did not require plan adoption, but with the new funding um and new requirements starting in 2526, the district must develop a needs assessment regarding the funds for the next three years and requires that be included in the LCAP, which it is. So, the board had approved an LCAP back in June that includes a call

144out of all of our expenditures of our learning recovery funds. I apologize for my voice. As you can hear, I'm fighting a cold or something. Fighting something. Um, so please bear with me. So, our expenditure deadline, as I have shared, is June 30th of 2028. So, we've got a few years to continue to spend. And as you recall from my previous slide, we're expecting to have about nine and a half million at the end of this fiscal year. And we'll continue to monitor that throughout this year. But we do have a few more years to spend the funds. The last call out is the student support and professional development discretionary block grant. And so this is the latest in our series of one-time state funded block grants. The final budget act appropriated 18 nearly 18.6

145million for the district. Um, as I previously mentioned, we've already included 14 million of that in our adopted budget and particularly to offset rising costs over the next two years and to support our board commitment for retention strategies equivalent to $1,000 one time for every district employee. Those funds are available for expenditure through June 30 of 2029. Some challenges we currently face are evaluating our positions, programs, and services, and prioritizing our ongoing needs with limited available ongoing resources. Solutions include right sizing our one-time funded positions, balancing the various available funding sources, evaluating existing programs and services, considering leveraging alternative allowable funding sources such as our ongoing restricted funds, and identifying current one-time funded expenditures that can be sort supported within existing budgets of ongoing funds. Our next steps include any board discussion this evening. This

146Thursday, we will be presenting the same um presentation to our LCAP collaborative which consists of district staff and labor partners. On October 7th, um during our board workshop, you will receive information on our perspective survey as the next step in this conversation. And following that, we will meet two times again with our LCAP collaborative to con continue discussions with our plan to come before you on November 4th with a staff recommendation for use of the remaining funds and board discussion and uh currently um targeting November 18th for board action concludes my presentation. Thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. Yang. Are there any blue cards on this item, >> President Vgas? There's no blue card on this item. Right. >> Then we will move to board member questions and comments. I'll start on this side.

147Miss Davis, >> thank you for the presentation. On page four of um your budget with the student support money, the 11.5 million. Did I understand that that's what's being used to cover the health care costs that the thousand dollars were given all employees? >> Yeah, it's um built into the budget to offset rising costs and allow for the commitment and ending fund balance in the general fund to to pay for those >> and that full amount is what's being budgeted for that. Okay. Thank you. >> Okay, Mr. Y. >> Thanks Amari for the presentation. Just a couple questions. Um this uh we we fund our reserve fund yearly, right? >> There is um available reserve at the end of each year. Um we call out different areas of the reserve. I'm not sure if we

148expressly fund it, but we do identify different components of our ending fund balance. And we do have a required 2% reserve of economic uncertainty that we set aside. >> So, what does that look like this year? >> Our component of it, our ending >> balance. >> Off the top of my head, I want to say it's around 60 million. >> Okay. of the total ending fund balance from the um what I presented at the last board meeting. >> So what is our reserve fund? Is that the total reserve fund that we have currently >> for our unrestricted general fund? >> 60 million >> start starting the current fiscal year. Yes, I'm probably off some millions, but I want to say it's in like the $65 million range. >> Okay. So with the inflation and everything's

149going out, do you foreseeing that we be needing to tap on that reserve fund? >> We like to think that our budgeting is as good as the information we have in that moment. Um so we continue to evaluate that and we will be back at first interim to identify our progress with that. Um but potentially um things could change and demands could change but as it stands we've planned um to try to maintain that and we have a very small unavailable or available unassigned ending fund balance. >> So just just a quick note u Mr. um just to be clear, we are we are deficit spending um in the current year and in the out year um you know into our reserves and that's part of what we've done to be able to um cover

150the agreements that we have with our with our employees. Um so but so that it's always the careful balance of how do you take care of the expenses today without creating what you know some people would say fund balances that are too large. We're not in that boat right now. We're we're we're in a spot where we've really committed the funds that we have available um trying to prioritize um our um our employees and also paying really close attention to um contracted costs and that's so you see that information built into all of the agreements that we've done with our employees. So, a lot of work around it but as tight as we've ever been with regards to um any fund balance um in my tenure. >> Okay. Thank you. You're welcome. >> Thank you,

151Mr. Jones. >> I have no comments. >> Thank you, Miss Balerini. >> Thank you again for this detailed report. I appreciate it. Um, I do have a question. Are there any additional grants that would be new this year that we've applied for that will help with our budget situation? Um there are different pots of smaller uh funding sources that we receive and we report. Um it's a part of the consent agenda um in the grant award notification document. So each board meeting includes those and um there's certain various small pots of dollars but just a reminder most of those are one-time funds or limited term. They're not commitments of ongoing dollars. >> Okay, that's what I thought. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't some other pot of money out there that we had.

152>> I haven't heard about it yet. Okay. Appreciate it. All right. Thank you. That's all I have. >> Thank you, Miss Moore. >> My questions were already answered. I do want to say I appreciate that um you provided the next steps so we can um plan and look forward to um your u your calendar and and what we can expect. So thank you. You're welcome. >> Thank you, Miss Baldwin. >> Same. Um don't have any particular questions. Just want to thank you for the presentation and just acknowledge that this um is uh something that we are taking um very seriously and um know I hope that the public knows that um we are really mindful about how what decisions are going to need to be made um in order to really prioritize what we can

153afford um to be within our means while also doing what's best for our students and staff to take care of the needs that we have in our district. So, uh, thank you for that. I look forward to engaging in the priorities that are to come. >> Thank you very much. And then the only thing I will add to that is I appreciate the presentation um and I look forward to uh deeper discussion on our VAPA spending and what that's all gone to um at an appropriate at an appropriate time. So, thank you very much. >> You're welcome. >> All right. Next up, we have a couple of public hearings that need our attention. First, we have a public hearing and approval of resolution number 25, 202526, adopting mitigation measures and finding the construction of the

154Arbor Ranch Elementary School is exempt from further environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act, SQUA. Dr. Coats. >> All right. Um, thank you very much, President Vargas. Um we are back talking about Arbor Ranch and um want to bring back and and in short order open a public hearing. Um the city of Elk Grove has previously conducted an environmental review applicable to the construction of the Arbor Ranch Elementary School. In 2004, the city council certified the revised Laguna Ridge specific environmental impact report, the EIR. Um the full development and buildout of the project site is consistent with the use and development standards evaluated by the EIR and the cumulative impacts associated with the buildout of Laguna Ridge specific plan including the project were fully addressed in that uh report. Furthermore, the project is consistent

155with the general plan policy CIF-4-1 regarding specific school site criteria. SQA guidelines section 15183 allows a streamline environmental review process referred to as a 15183 checklist for projects that are consistent with the densities established by existing zoning community plan and/or general plan policies for which the EIR was certified. The analysis attached uh the checklist demonstrates there are no sightsp specific or peculiar impacts associated with the projects. Any potentially significant effects on the environment from the project will be mitigated to below significant environmental effects by applicable mitigation measures previously analyzed by the environmental impact report. So we are asking now that the board open a public hearing um and um approve after that um to adopt the SQA findings. >> Perfect. Then I will open the public hearing. Mr. Yang, are there any blue cards on

156this item >> for President Bas? There's no blue card on this item. >> Thank you very much. Then I will close the public hearing and entertain a motion to adopt to approve resolution number 25 adopting mitigation measures and finding the construction of Arbor Ranch Elementary School exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act. >> Moved by Mr. Yang. >> Seconded by Miss Ballerini. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Thank you very much. >> Next up, we have a tenative agreement between the Elgrove Unified School District and the Psychologists and Social Workers Association, Pisa. Uh Mr. Sang, >> good evening uh board president Vargas, members of the board, superintendent Hoffman, colleagues and community. I'm going to ask the president to first uh open the public hearing with a

157request to see if there's anybody who wants to speak to it and after that close the public hearing and then I will provide the rationale for the uh tentative agreement. >> Very well. Uh then I will open the public hearing. Mr. Yang, are there any blue cards on this item? President Valkus, there's no public on this item. >> Thank you very much. Then I will close the public hearing. Mr. Singh, did you have more? >> Yes, sir. Thank you. The tentative agreement between the Elgrove Unified School District and the Psychologist and Social Workers Association regarding implementation of the comprehensive package proposal has been ratified by a vote of the PSWA members. In addition, education code section 3540.2 two stipulates a fiscal review by the Sacramento County Office of Education of negotiated agreements to determine the

158financial the impact of the agreement on the district budget. The AB1200 report which provides the financial analysis of the tentative agreement is attached and has been approved by Skoey uh for for your review. As such, we are asking the Elgrove Unified School Board to approve the um attached tentative agreement between EGUSD and PSWA. >> Thank you very much. Then I will entertain a motion to approve the tentative agreement between Elkrove Unified School District and the Psychologists and Social Workers Association. >> So move. >> Moved by Mr. Yang. >> Seconded by Miss Bowwin. All those in favor, please say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries unanimously. >> Thank you. Thank you very much. Next up, we have board member and superintendent reports. Mr. Superintendent, anything? >> I do not. >> Okay. Any board members? >> Susan?

159>> Yes. Um, I just want to share that uh yesterday as the CSBA delegate, I was um given the task of going out to validate one of their golden bell um vendors. Um it was uh SAK city and unified school district and it was their safety and security reimagined. It was very very very interesting. I think it's going to be a hard choice for CSBA this year. >> Any other board member reports? >> All right, seeing none, we'll move to consideration of future agenda items. All right, so this is our first time doing this, so let's kick this off. Mr. Superintendent, was there anything otherwise I can jump right in? >> No, I think we're good. >> Okay. All right. So, before we get started, I want to kind of go through the process since

160this is the first time we're all doing this together. Uh, so per our bylaws, the board president and superintendent set the agenda prior to each meeting. Our board handbook provides two ways for another board member uh to add an item to the agenda. First, a resolution can be added in one of three ways. A mandatory resolution can be added to the agenda automatically. Resolutions promulgated by the California Department of Education or other educational entities can be added and discretionary resolutions which go through a subcommittee process that includes input from staff. Second, any any agenda item, not just a resolution, can be added to the first uh by first making a request to the board president or andor the superintendent. If they reject the request, the board member can then request that the full board consider

161adding the item under the consideration of future agenda items part of the agenda. In short, this last method ensures that a majority of the board always has the power to control the agenda and can, if necessary, override the president and superintendent. So, how we got here today, earlier this year, Miss Moore requested that a resolution be added to the agenda titled supporting title nine and fairness in girls in intercolastic sports and she provided draft language. The superintendent after discussing the matter with her determined that this was a discretionary resolution since there was no sim similar recognition at the state level. A subcommittee was formed consisting of Miss Moore, Miss Bowwin, and myself. The committee met and Miss Moore presented her resolution and her reasons for adding it to the agenda. The recommendation from staff was

162to reject the resolution and I will let the superintendent explain their reasons in a moment. By a vote of 2 to1, the committee concurred in the recommendation from staff, but discussed an alternative resolution. At that time, Miss Moore requested that this matter be brought before the full board under the consideration of future agenda items part of the agenda. Consistent with our handbook, the superintendent and I agreed to do so. Before I give Miss Moore an opportunity to present her resolution, I want to go over the procedures here since we're all doing this for the first time. In order to have an orderly discussion, I will operate a little bit closer to Robert's rules. Miss Moore will present her resolution. The superintendent will provide the staff recommendation and then I will add any reason any additional

163reasons I might have had if they are different from the staff recommendation. Then we will open the floor for public comment on the item. After public comment, I will entertain a motion to add the item to a future agenda. If there is no second, we will move on to the next agenda item. If the mo if there is a motion and a second, we will move to board discussion. One last piece we need to talk about before we jump in. I know there's a lot. Hold on. Hold on with me. So, we have this thing called the Brown Act. Uh the Brown Act places some limits on board discussion for this item. What we are considering today is whether to add a resolution to the agenda, not the content of the resolution or any school

164district policy that may or may not be implicated. This is also not an opportunity for board members to discuss their views on Title 9 policy writ large or their political views about current debates involving Title 9 or girls sports. Board members must limit their comments to whether a resolution as described in the agenda should or should not be added to the future to a future agenda for full consideration and then we can have those discussions we may want to have at that time. This more recognizing that you need to explain this resolution I will give you as much leeway as I can in your initial remarks but please remember this is not a full policy debate. So any questions on the process before we begin? All right, Miss Moore, the floor is yours. >> Thank

165you. I just want to clarify that um in my phone meeting with the superintendent today, he said that I could share um the the topic and a rationale. So that's what I prepared. >> That's correct. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. So, um, thank you for this opportunity to listen to, um, my topic or my request to have this item as a future resolution. My resolution is titled supporting title 9 and fairness in girls intercolastic sports and the following is my rationale for introducing this item. I have introduced this resolution to ensure fairness for our female student athletes and to call upon governing bodies and individuals in the state of California to protect female student athletes. I would like to point out that to date at least 15 other boards of education around the state

166of California have passed a similar resolution including two county boards of education. First of the first of these resolutions was passed in June of 2024 and to my acknowledge none of these boards of education have faced litigation to date after passing these resolutions. One of the biggest arguments against my resolution could be that it violates state law. California has enacted laws that blatantly violate Title 9 protections for girls. The US Department of Education's website makes it clear that quote state laws do not override federal anti-discrimination laws and these entities and their member schools remain subject to Title 9 and its implementing regulations. End quote. Let me be clear, this is a civil rights issue. Historically, there were several feminist groups that fought for equality in sports. Even after Title Nine was implemented in 1972, there

167were many advancements that allowed women's sports to be elevated to a status equal to men. I fear that if we do not take a stand on this issue, we will erase the efforts of these women and we will erase girls sports. We essentially have boy sports and co-ed sports when we allow boys to compete with girls. It is irresponsible to ignore the fact that boys have inherent biological advantages over girls. Doing so puts our girls at risk for severe injury. For example, Payton McNab was severely injured during a volleyball injured during a volleyball match after she suffered a forceful blow from a male on an opposing team. She suffered permanent injury, including partial paralysis. There are several examples that illustrate advantages that male athletes have over female athletes. I'll share one. As a male swimmer,

168Leah Thomas ranked 554th, but when he he was allowed to compete as a female, he ranked fifth. Polls show that 80% of Americans and 65% of Californians agree that we need to protect girls sports and that athletes should play on sports teams that match their sex assigned at birth. Even our governor, Gavin Newsome, has stated that allowing boys to participate in girls sports is quote deeply unfair end quote. As we continue to ignore Title 9 protections, the California Department of Education, the California Interscolastic Federation, and California School Districts are opening themselves up to lawsuits. This month, three girls filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the CDE, CIF, and Harupa Unified School District. The press release outlines that the girls not only endured three years of lost opportunities when a male competed in their sports,

169but that they endured unwanted physical touching, including unwanted butt tapping on the volleyball court. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants's policies and inaction have created an unsafe and discriminatory environment. These girls were silenced and ignored by the adults that should have protected them. It's easy to say it's just one boy, but as we have seen in recent uh in many recent news stories, one boy can take away a scholarship, take away first place, take away a podium spot, take away a qualifying spot, or take away a spot on the team. One boy impacts teammates and players on opposing teams. For a district who repeatedly talks about inclusion for all, I would like to ask where exactly are girls included if we refuse to take a stand today. This is about doing what is right for

170the girls who do not have a voice. I am their voice today and I hope you will join me. [Applause] Thank you, >> Mr. Superintendent. >> And your question to me was, >> well, I'm sorry. Um, the staff recommendation from the subcommittee, the reasoning from the staff. >> Okay. from the from the subcommittee work. Okay. With relation the the challenge with the resolution as presented is it is contrary to California state law. Um and so uh we have as a district not brought forward uh resolutions um or asked the board to take action um on any items that would be um against established state law because it puts the district potentially at a um situation where we could be um sued and or um deal with some other type of uh legal action because our

171responsibility is to carry out state law. Thank you very much. And I agree with that. I think um you know the my reasoning for also not agreeing to put this on the agenda um serving in my role as president uh is that this issue is currently before the courts. Um the courts will have the final say. Uh it is entirely likely uh that the courts will say something vague enough where California decides to either redo or stick to their guns on uh what their position is. And so I think it is appropriate for us to wait to have a full policy discussion on this until we get full guidance from uh the not just the federal courts but also the state. So that was my reasoning as well. All right. So, next up, uh we

172will open the floor for public comment. Mr. Yang, are there any blue cards on this item? >> Yes. Um President Vgas, we do have uh some blue cards, but I don't think it reached our um number that reduce our minutes. So, um let's All right, let's call Randy Baker with next Kurt Thompson. and we're going to go back to three minutes. I want to direct my comments directly to you. With all due respect to Mr. Hoffman, the employees, or anyone else associated with EGUSD, you folks are elected officials. You represent the community. You represent the citizens that vote you in. I'm not going to go through the rhymes and reasons of why we're here. Talk about a lawsuit. We're facing federal lawsuits, not state, federal. That's where this is headed. And you guys can play

173hot potato all you want and it doesn't really matter. we're going to get sued one way or another because we're violating constitutional rights and title nine. It's that simple. My suggestion to pass this. Thank you, Miss Moore, for for having the guts to stand up because this should have been done a long time ago. Support Title 9 because if you want to say I support women, you have to support Title N. Otherwise, it's lip service. I suggest you put it on the agenda and all of you that are elected or appointed that represent the citizens, get your butts out in the community. Ask them just two questions. Do you believe it's fair that boys play in girl sports? The second question, do you believe that it is fair that a boy be in girls spaces,

174bathrooms or locker rooms? We can have co-ed sports. We have it after we graduate. We look up CSD. They have tons of that. We're in violation and it is your duty to make sure that we are doing what we can. I get Mr. Vargas's comment about let's wait for the state. Let's wait for the courts. There is no reason to be waiting because one way or another we're going to get sued and the courts are settling it from Scotas to federal courts every day. You read it in the paper. And I'm going to tell you lastly, Font is not going to save you. Not personally and not collectively. He's not. Thank you. Next, Kurt Thompson, followed by Meg Muten. So, in the late 90s and early 2000s, I kept hearing news stories that suggested due

175to how title N had been interpreted, colleges and uh all over the country were cutting successful men's programs like wrestling and men's gymnastics and replacing them with sports like women's rowing, even though there was very little interest in those women's sports. Now, because of these past injustices, I cannot support this resolution. Now is a time for not just talented men, but mediocre men to steal the opportunities this gen of this generation of young women as a form of restorative justice for past wrongs. We're all about equity, right? And hopefully this won't just extend to non-cont sports like track and soccer. As a former competitor, I can see this trend moving to mixed martial arts. I'm sure many men would love to step into a cage and fight women. I mean, after all, it's about time

176we ditch this misogynistic idea that women are too fragile to take a punch from a man and men shouldn't hit women. We should just get rid of that. Right now, if you agreed with anything I just said, you're probably a psychopath. This is a very common sense resolution. What the hell are you even debating? The fact that we're at a point in history where this level of common sense even has to be drafted in the first place is demented. Even our own governor stated publicly that men competing in women's sports is unfair. So your concern about the state is just ridiculous. The governor is says it's unfair. So why is this board dragging its feet on basic decency? Boys don't hit girls and locker rooms are not co-ed because, and I know it's hard for

177you guys to hear this, boys and girls are different. These are things that shouldn't have to be said, but here we are making things way more difficult than they need to be, like my kids getting ready for school in the morning. So, since it seems to be difficult for you, let me make it easy. Vote yes to add this to a future agenda item. And then when it's on the agenda, vote yes again. Stop complicating the obvious. Thank you for your attention to this matter. >> Thank you. Next, Magg Mutton followed by Daniel Russell. Oops. Okay. Hello again, Meg Madden from Cause Californians United for Sex-based Evidence in Policy and Law. I'm going to address some of the lies about gender identity in sports that are typically claimed by those who support boys cheating in

178girls sports. First, as Beth Bourne said, we have no idea how many males are participating in girls sports in California or in this district um or changing in girls locker rooms. CIF does not track it. Do you? Second, requiring students to play on the teams that align with their sex is not keeping any student from participating in sports. School sports participation requires athlete compliance with multiple rules. Playing only on the sex specific team that aligns with the athletes sex should be the most obvious and basic of these rules. Can we please put to bed this ridiculous lie that anyone is for banning any students from any sports? No. We support any student who wants to play sports. We just want boys out of girls sports. Third, we don't know any trans people. out. I certainly

179know very well several people who once identified as the opposite sex or as non-binary, including those who as a result now suffer from great physiological harm from being poisoned with puberty blockers, wrong sex hormones, and by having unnecessary invasive surgeries. This is because gender identity is a lie that convinces people, including school children, that there is something wrong with them, causing them to allow unethical doctors, to profoundly harm their bodies, chasing the impossible. But let me tell you about a teen boy I knew about a decade ago. He's now an adult, or else I wouldn't be talking to him about him, but then he was a teen boy of 14 or so. He claimed to be a girl, used a girl's name, dressed and wore his hair in a way more stereotypically female. And he

180played on the same sport team as my child, not my daughter. He played on the same team as my son, the boys team, because he was a boy. Yes, he said he was a girl and he played on the boy's team with the other boys and it was fine. Listen to truth, recognize lies, and please advance the proposed resolution. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next, Daniel Russell, followed by Mills Cynthia. >> Good evening, Superintendent Hoffman and uh President Bartis, Vice President Yang, and esteemed trustees. Thank you so much. and principles and teachers, community, and friends. Thank you for letting us speak. And the amazing thing about being almost last is everything's already been said. It's been said by you. It's been said by us. There's just so much here. And so while I do have

181a couple more points to make, I think we should just move forward, put it on the agenda, and deal with it because this sounds like a really serious issue. I mean, whether it's the love and and concern for um trans community, trans kids, or or whether it's the girls that don't want boys, you know, undressing in front of them, or they don't want to undress in front of the boys. I'm just saying this is a serious issue and as much as we would like to say, well, let's wait until, you know, the lawsuits are settled or this or that and the other thing, well, the other 15 school districts and boards, county boards of education didn't do that. And and it tells the girls, hey, um, I'm also known as Papa. Hey, Papa, you care

182for me. Instead of saying to my granddaughters, two of them in the school district, two daughters in the school district, two granddaughters, "No, honey. Um, nobody wants to listen to you. Be quiet. You're a girl. He thinks he's a girl and so he's going to dress in front of you." I mean, these are little kids. Even if she's 13 or 14 or 15 years old, she's my granddaughter. and the hot potato thing. That was the greatest thing because you just hear whether it's our beloved Governor Nuomo who did say to Charlie Kirk, "Hey Charlie, I agree with you. It's unfair." He actually said, "I align with you." Those are the words. You can go back and look at it. I'd listened to it a couple times already. And they they were just honest with each

183other. Charlie and Gavin, Gavin and Charlie going back and forth. And our beloved governor said, "I don't know what to do. He doesn't know what to do." He said to the reporters that interviewed him the next day when he was in trouble. Gavin Newsome was in trouble because he said to Charlie, "I agree with you." And so the reporter said, "Well, Governor, what are you going to do?" And he looked at the the reporter and says, "I don't know what to do. Do you know what to do?" He's asking the reporter. Does the reporter know what to do? That's our leader. So, no, let's not wait for that because then he says, "Well, it's up to CF." And CF says it's up to Department of Education. Department of Education says it's up to the legislature.

184And then the legislature says, "Well, it's Governor Browns." It's like, who's going to take responsibility? Let's put it on the next agenda. God bless you guys. >> Thank you, sir. Next up, may Cynthia followed by Jacqueline. >> Good evening, um, President Vargas and the board. Uh, my name is Cynthia Mills. Uh, this is my first opportunity having to speak to to everyone and, uh, on a very interesting topic. So, I want to share some observations that, um, I kind of saw today. Um I had an opportunity to watch the uh beginning of the board meeting um on my at home because I couldn't get here in time. I had a a conflict. So um obviously very very impassioned conversation has happened today on both sides. Would you agree? Um my question is I'm not really

185sure how big of a problem this truly is and what the resolution is trying to address and resolve. When you look at I think you said Miss Moore 63,000 633,000 students in El Grove and how many of them are actually impacted and affected by this. And if we really are trying to solve issues that impact all of our students, yes. Is this a problem? Yes, it is. But is this a problem that we should be spending all of our time on and have this resolution and discuss? When I listened earlier today, we've had bus drivers that are looking for fair pay and benefits. We've got counselors that are looking to keep their job and have extra support. Is there other ways for us to spend our time with that? Right. Um some of the incidents

186that were brought up impactful, but again, it makes me wonder, is this truly truly the biggest problem that we have to be addressing in this school district? Right. Are our kids being taken care of? Right. The other part is that you have a part of your community that is here today. Again, very impassionate on their beliefs and why they're here. You have a large number of El Grovians. I don't even know if they know if this is on on the school board. Is it fair for them not to have a voice? So I am I impassion you to please kind of keep to what you're you're doing and in closing if you want to leave it up to the state let the state be the ruler of it and then you'll make the decision moving

187from there but if you until then get more of the community's voice on this matter. Okay. The last thing I would say is that it's been brought up about Title N. I played sports in high school myself and if we really cared about women, we would really be looking at um and comparing men's sports to women's sports and seeing is everything equal is the facilities, is the equipment, is the clothing, is all of that are they on the same level as the men and it's not. So if we really care about that, don't bring in the transgender under this Title N. There is a small small overlap. If we care about women and care about young girls, ask them, "Are their facilities up to par with the men?" And thank you for the time. >>

188Thank you, ma'am. >> Up next, Jacquellyn, followed by Chad W. >> Hi, I support the Protect Girls Sports Resolution as a future agenda item. Uh I also do not think we need to wait for this to play out in the courts. My daughters alone have had three biological boys in their dressing rooms. So when we talk about numbers and heard somebody earlier say there are only 10 that are in all of the state. I think she said I I really doubt that Elkrove has 30% of all of them. And and so is it a an item that I care about? Is an item that my girls care about? 100. They do. Allowing biological boys to participate in sports programs that were designed to create protections and access for women and girls in public education programs

189and activities is like turning Title N on its head. The very idea that our girls should need to come up with a very good reason for why they don't want to undress in front of boys is incomprehensible to me. They should not have to defend why disroing in front of biological males feels unsafe for them. It should be apparent. We don't need more examples of what harm can come to our girls when their undressed bodies are made accessible to biological males. even males that have been given access by authorities that assure us that all is fine, our fears are unwarranted, and they are not in harm's way. Enough girls have been harmed sexually and have been left with longstanding physical and mental scars requiring the filing of police reports, forensic interviews, years of cost for

190counseling, and up to including have to face their offenders over and over again. Stories of Mark Schiff andor Larry Nasser and generations of girls in gymnastics subjected to horrible sexual abuse paint an ugly enough picture. Now these biological boys that are entering our girls sports in Elkrove may never do these things, but why take the gamble? It is a necessary risk and well-intentioned adults like I believe this board to be made up of do not gamble. They do not gamble with the lives of the children under their care. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next chat W followed by Bara Wing. >> Hello board. I come before you today to ask you to please approve board uh the board agenda proposed by member Moore on the topic of fairness in girls sports. Now we are sincerely

191having an issue in fairness. That's what I hear from uh Representative Moore's speech and what I hear from women and boys around the world. Uh there are multiple reasons that the board should put this item on the agenda. You can agree that it is an extremely important to um help provide fair treatment to boys and girls around the world, but it is this board's responsibility to provide fair treatment for the boys and girls in Elkrove Unified School District. We are not currently providing that environment for our boys or our girls. But this is specifically focusing on the girls today. I want you to please not ignore the truth. Truth is not subjective. It is not something that I decide or someone else decides on a whim. And one truth that I know to be true

192is that men and women have distinct biological differences. Um those are created by God and those are good. It's a good thing that men and women are different. It's a good thing that they can have their own sports. So, I encourage you to please look into the matter of not just what God says, but scientifically it can be proven that men have more physical body mass, more muscle mass than women. Why do we need to put those in the same space um as women who want to have a place that they're protected and cared for? Spaces like sports and in their locker rooms. Um, why are we allowing these boys to come into a girl's private space, a place that they should be protected and and they know that they're safe in? Instead, they don't

193they don't know that. They can't have that assurance because of this board's inaction to at least talk about this issue. Why do we care about the boys feelings more than the girls lives? In this country, we're we're given the pursuit of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But multiple of these pursuits are being taken away from these women. They don't get to choose whether or not they get to they have to watch or not necessarily watch but be in front of boys that are changing in their locker rooms or to be on a boy in the opposite side uh of a team opposing them to put their body at risk. They don't get to make that choice. Um instead the boys are getting to make that choice for them. They are losing the pursuit

194of liberty and they're losing the pursuit of life. in that same way because of the distinct biological differences of men and women. That's something I am really sad about. So I just ask that you please consider discussing this as a group. Put the item on the agenda. You proclaim protection from lawsuits but by again this inaction choosing to wait to see what happens. It's going to lead to further lawsuits from students and parents and more. Sorry sir, your time's up. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. [Applause] >> Last card for WIN. >> Hello. Thank you so much, Heidi Moore, for your bravery and presenting this item today. Um, I appreciate you talking about P McNab. I was going to talk about her as well. She's one of the many girls who have had

195their career in sports stripped away from them at the hands of biological men and women's sports and spaces. Um that happened in September 2022. Um she was a high school volleyball player and suffered a concussion, neck injury, and partial facial paralysis after being struck in the face by a spike ball from a male opponent. That truly packs a punch compared to a female opponent. Um, in the name of equality, equity, um, we have not created an equal or an equitable space for women in school to engage in sports without risking their livelihood, their entire future in sports, in Payton's case, the risk of lifelong trauma from being sexually harassed, and the risk of being outclassed due to their biological differences between their biologically male teammates. And yes, it is an important topic to address um

196as this affects the way that young women and men view themselves. Continuing to lie about their biological reality only causes confusion and hurt for women who experience loss at the hands of male teammates and opponents. And as a young person, I'm just extremely disappointed to see that we continue to work towards a future that hates the idea of protecting our young women from a physical beating, sexual assault, and just preventing them from the human decency of a private space that they get to share with other women. Um, and it takes an adult, I think, with numb senses or an adult who finds sick pleasure in subjecting women to be forced into these spaces with men to oppose placing this on the agenda. This is a horrible reality that we have to fight for the right

197for women to not be sexually violated. While this board considers this proposal to be a violation of state law and is dragging on this topic, young girls will be violated physically every single day. When we consider the countless points of harm caused to young girls that can easily be resolved by offering an equal and equitable space for biological women, what do we have to lose in addressing this topic? Please consider giving these young women a voice in this topic. Please support Heidi Moore in her efforts to give young women that voice. Thank you >> President. That ends the blue car on this item. >> Thank you very much. Then at this time, I will entertain a motion. Uh, let me get the language right. I will entertain a motion to approve that a board agenda

198item regarding board member Moore's proposed board resolution supporting Title 9 and fairness in girls in elastics. Excuse me. >> Can I ask a question first before we make that motion? >> No, we are we're going to have board discussion after the motion and a second if there's a second. >> If the motion is not passed, that mean we're not going to discuss about it. So, the rule is if we're going to have a motion, I'm I'm sure Miss Moore will make the motion. If there's a second, we will move to board discussion. If there's no second, we will move on to the next item. >> Okay. Gotcha. >> Right. I will entertain a motion to approve that a board agenda item regarding board member Moore's proposed board resolution supporting Title 9 and fairness in girls

199intergalactic sports be added to a future agend future board meeting agenda. Yes, I would like to make a motion to place a resolution titled supporting title nine and fairness and girls intercolastic sports as a future agenda item. >> Thank you very much. Is there a second? Very well hearing. >> All right, Mr. Yang seconds. Next up is board discussion. [Applause] We'll start on this end with Miss Bowwin. Any discussion? >> I don't believe I have any questions um on the topic here. Um but I would just like to say that a resolution that would target our trans students is not appropriate for our district and doesn't align with the mission of what what we stand for that all students reach their highest potential. And so I do not agree with moving this forward. >> Thank

200you, Miss Ballerini. >> Okay. All eight of us school board members up here on the deis, including myself, took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and Cal and the the Constitution of the State of California. If we were to adopt this draft resolution, it would result in EGUSD taking a position on the matter that is currently being litigated. Specifically, the US District Court for the Central District of California is in the process of determining whether California law permitting students to play sports consistent with their gender identities violates Title 9. In my opinion, we as the board should wait until the lawsuit regarding this matter is fully litigated and then take board action consistent with legal precedent and the law. Therefore, I will not be voting to move this suggested

201resolution forward. >> Thank you, Mr. Jeang. I agree with both Miss Baldwin and Miss Ballerini as this as we are a school district in California. As the third largest school district, we I believe that we should abide by school um district laws, but also as the student representative for all 63,000 of those students. I understand that there is a genuine concern coming from um members of the community here, but there are also concerns in the rest of the community and the rest of the students that are um a part of the dis this district. And as a student myself, I when I ran for this position, I we all I believe that we should all abide by state laws and our district values. And by disregarding um trans opinions, I believe that that is not

202what our district stands for and that is harmful for our trans students. Thank you. No, no, no, no. We will respect our board members and specifically our student board member. Thank you, Mr. Yang. I I just want to start saying that I have not read the resolution that was drafted. Um, the reason why I second the motion because I just I believe and I think that the community need to need to hear from us board and that's why I second the motion and I I too um swore an oath to abide in the law and serve the people. So, without having a chance to read the resolution, I'm not sure I'm going to vote yes or no. But I think and I believe that the constituents at least get a chance to hear from us

203board who are elected by our constituents and our constituents came here full room tonight to speak their opinion regarding this. So that's why I second Miss Moore's motion. Uh not to say that I am supporting her resolution because I have not read it. Right. So I just wanted to uh clarify that. And um well definitely um I'm anxious to see uh what's going forward um in terms of the state laws, the court and uh what we as a school district will uh abide with the law going forward. But this is a a a topic or a situation where I believe that not everyone's going to be happy regarding the decision um that's going to be determined or made in the near future. So um that's all I have to say for tonight. Thank you, >>

204Miss Davis. I want to begin by acknowledging the importance of the conversations that we're having around Title N, girls and transgender rights. These are deeply personal, complex issues, and I believe everyone at this day wants to do the right thing by all students and members of our community. That said, I will not be supporting the proposed board resolution at this time. Not because I don't care, but because this issue is still actively being hashed out in the courts. We're seeing evolving legal interpretations and shifting federal guidance. And I believe it's both wise and responsible for this board to wait until we have a clear legal direction before taking a formal stance that could have unintended consequences for our district. I'd prefer to take the time to do this right, wait for the courts, honor the

205legal process, and commit to having honest, consistent conversations that reflect our values across the board. Thank you. Thank you very much. Uh, I made my position clear before, so I will have nothing additional to add. Miss Moore, I will give you the last word before we go to a vote. >> Um, I would just like to thank everyone that came out in support of this resolution. I know that many of my constituents do support it. It's one of the number one things that I heard when I was walking houses um that people do want our girls protected. Um, and it is a big issue that there's a reason the polls indicate that it is. Um, I would also just like to I would like to thank Mr. Yang for seconding and the reality is if

206you want to see my resolution then you could vote it through. That's not saying you support my resolution. And it's saying that we want to have more discussion um and be transparent about what this um resolution is and give the you know the community and board members opportunity to understand it better. Um so um I mean I respect all of your um positions but obviously you can't see my resolution until if you unless you >> look at it >> unless you were to vote it through. But I I thank you all. So, thank you. >> Thank you very much. Then we'll move to a vote. We'll do a roll call. Miss Bowwin, >> no. >> Miss Moore, >> yes. >> Miss Ballerini, >> no. >> Mr. Jong, >> no. >> Mr. Yang, >> no. >>

207Miss Davis, >> no. >> And I am also a no. The motion fails. Seven to one. will be voted out. >> With that, we have no further business to attend to. So, the meeting is adjourned at 9:34. >> Good night. Thank you. You know,