Board of Education Meeting | July 16, 2025

001Okay. All right. Good evening everyone. Welcome to We'll just wait for translation to get set up. >> Good evening everyone. Welcome to the July 16, 2025 regularly scheduled meeting of the West Contraosta Unified School District School Board. The meeting is called to order at 5:31 p.m. To access translation and Zoom, please click on the globe icon at the bottom of the screen. And if you're here in Dejon, you can pick up a headset for translation in the back corner of the auditorium. The board is about to go into close session. But before we do, we are here to listen to public comment on closed session items. Individuals wishing to speak on the closed session items listed. If you're here in the auditorium and you haven't already done so, please submit a WCC USD public comment

002card which you can find in the entryway table or if you are participating via Zoom. Individuals will need to raise their hand in the Zoom app. And if you're accessing the meeting by phone, press star 9. The time allotted for each speaker is 2 minutes. The total time allotted is 1 hour. Speaking time shall not be transferred from one person to another. There is also no substitution of speakers. We alternate between a Zoom comment and an inerson comment. The public comment period is a safe space where diverse viewpoints may be expressed civily without interruption or intimidation. Please listen attentively to each speaker's comment and respect their time as if it were your own. Be open to a different point of view if one is offered. Due to the Brown Act, board members cannot discuss items

003that are not on the agenda and do not usually respond to items presented in public comment. The items listed on the closed session agenda tonight are conference with labor negotiators. That was loud. Conference of labor negotiators. Good. Okay, sounds good. Conference of labor negotiators, WCCUSD negotiator, Dr. Dr. Camille Johnson, associate superintendent of HR for the following groups. Employee organizations, unrepresented public employee appointment, secondary principal, secondary school principal, and KA principal, liability claims, four cases, conference with legal counsel, existing litigation, government code 54956.9. One case, John Doe 7031 versus West Contraosta Unified School District. Is there any public comment on these items? >> There is no public comment. >> Great. Thank you. The board is going to recess into close session and we'll be back at 6:30. Thank you very much, everyone. started to get started.

004Please, can you hear me out there? If you can hear me in the back, can you raise your hand, please? Can you hear me on this side? Can you hear me? Okay, great. Okay, good evening everyone. Welcome to the open session of the regularly scheduled July 16, 2025 meeting of the West Contraosta Unified School District School Board. The board is returning from close session. I'm calling open session to order at 6:49 p.m. Thank you for your patience. To access translation in in Zoom, please click on the Globe icon at the bottom of the screen. If you are here in the auditorium and need translation, you may pick up a headset in the back corner of the auditorium. In a few minutes, we will begin the public comment agenda item. Members of the public are invited

005to speak to the board on any matter that is not otherwise on the agenda, but is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the West Contraosta Unified School District. Please prepare now for public comment. If you're here in the auditorium and you'd like to make public comment, please fill out and submit a WCCUSD public comment card, you can find them on the table in the entryway. And if you're participating via Zoom, please raise your hand in the Zoom app prior to the beginning of this item on the agenda. If you're participating by phone, press star 9. After your comment card has been turned in, the cards are placed in the order received and we will call on speakers one at a time, alternating between a public comment here in Dejon and one on Zoom. Public comment

006generally lasts for 1 hour. The time allotted to each speaker is 2 minutes. In the meantime, we're moving on to the rest of our opening procedures. We're up to B2, Pledge of Allegiance. If you are willing or able, please rise. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. B3 land and labor land labor and body acknowledgement. Land acknowledgement. We recognize that we are presently on the lands of the Chuchcheno Moikma Karkin Aloney peoples and acknowledge them as the first inhabitants of the land we currently occupy. We'll wait. We have noise in the auditorium. labor and body recognition acknowledgement. I acknowledge that the burden of environmental exploitation and systemic injustice falls upon the

007labor of black and brown bodies in the building of this country and its institutions. I remember that black and brown people were born and died working this land against their will for generations. I also acknowledge the continued contribution of the labor of survivors over the centuries to today of all immigrant labor, including voluntary, involuntary, trafficked, forced, and undocumented peoples in the building of what we refer to as the United States. Author Dr. Michelle Rogersar West Contraosta Unified School District School Board anti-racism statement. The West Contraosta School District Board of Education is committed to the work of anti-racism. The conscious and active effort to identify, challenge, and correct racial inequities in the system. and sorry and institutions within our schools and community. Racism, explicit or implicit, stands in direct conflict to the fundamental principles of WCCUSD

008education. To carry WCC education into the future, we recognize that we must continually renew and reflect on the roots of racism and develop new ideas to meet the times. Unjust ideas and policies and the racial inequity they produce have shaped us, our schools, and our society. We strive to uncover unconscious biases and practice anti-racism as individuals and as board members. We challenge ourselves to persist through the discomfort necessary for growth and learning, to deepen our listening and our examination of racism and oppression, and to develop a strong understanding of how our personal experiences and feelings fit into a larger picture of continual oppression. Each member of our schoolboard individually and collectively is responsible for creating and nurturing an anti-racist learning environment where each student, staff member, and community partner is a respected and valued member

009of the WCCCUSD community. We are uniquely positioned and it is our responsibility to identify and dismantle racist ideas and inequitable policies in ourselves and across the district. Therefore, we commit to supporting anti-racist policies, programs, and practices for our children's education and well-being while building strong and inclusive school communities. We commit to holding each board member accountable towards these goals and moving the right the work of anti-racism forward. We also commit to holding West Contraosta Unified School District staff, students, and community to living these standards of anti-racism in our schools. Board approved March 20th, 2024. B5 roll call. Superintendent Cotton, would you be able to take role? Yes, I would love to. [Laughter] >> Thank you. Trustee Guadalupe Inala. >> Good evening everyone. Present >> trustee Demetrio Gonzalez Hoy. >> Good evening. President >> Trustee Cynthia

010Hernandez. >> Good evening. Present >> trustee Jamila Smith Folds. >> Good evening everyone. Present. >> Board President Lesie Reckler. Good evening. I am present. Thank you. I'm sorry. I made a my first roll call. Uh board trustee clerk Guadalupe Inala. >> Good evening, President. >> Thank you so much. We're up to B6. Report ratification of close session. Superintendent Cotton, is there anything to report out of close session? >> Yes. During close session this evening, the board voted unanimously to approve the appointment of Dr. Candace Koffield as principal of Deansza High School. The board also voted unanimously to approve the appointment of Jason Laauo as principal of Betty Reid Saskin School. Regarding agenda item A23, the board voted unanimously to reject claim number five, I'm sorry, 657223 related to an alleged personal injury. Regarding agenda item

011A23, the board voted unanimously to reject claim number related to an alleged personal injury. Regarding agenda item A23, the board voted unanimously to reject claim number related to a personal alleged a personal injury. Regarding agenda item A23, the board voted unanimously to reject claim number related to an alleged personal injury. And finally, regarding agenda item A24, the board voted unanimously to approve existing litigation government code 54956.9D1. Name of case, John Doe 7031 versus WCCCUSD. Thank you for that report. We are now up to B7 public comment. Members of the public are invited to speak to the board on any matter that is not otherwise on the agenda but is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the West Contraosta Unified School District. Public comment will last approximately 1 hour. The time allotted to each speaker is

0122 minutes and should additional speakers remain at the conclusion of one hour, public comment may be extended. The time allotted per speaker beyond the first hour is generally one minute. Individuals wishing to speak, please submit a WCCUSD public comment card or if you're participating via Zoom. Individuals will need to raise their hand in the Zoom app prior to the beginning of this item on the agenda. If you're calling in by phone, press star 9. Speaking time shall not be transferred from one person to another. There is no substitution of speakers. Speakers can also make public comment again for each discussion and action item on the agenda after staff presentations. The public will have 10 minutes per item and one minute per speaker. The same protocols recited above apply. The public comment period is a safe

013space where diverse viewpoints may be expressed civily without interruption or intimidation. Please listen attentively to each speaker's comment and respect their time at the podium as if it were your own. be open to a different point of view if one is presented. Due to the Brown Act, board members cannot discuss items that are not on the agenda and do not usually respond to items presented in public comment. Is there any public comment this evening? >> Yes, there is. Our first public comment is Don Gausny. Good evening. You know, the whole world has changed in the last month or so. You graduated nearly 2,000 seniors. You submitted a budget, and you've demolished a great deal of two schools. I'm no longer into commencement exercises, and I have better things to do than Fred over the budget.

014But what happens to our facilities is something of great interest to me. 15 of the 16 portables of Steie have been smashed into smitherreens flatter than a pancake in the initial stages of the asbestous abatement has begun. Earlier today at Kennedy High, the 450 foot long two-story building along Cutting Boulevard was f is demolished and in a few days extremely large piles of rubble will be Vakavville's problems. The old arts buildings home to Mike Parrots and Mitsy Perez Carol is also just a pile of rubble. How do I know all of this? Could it be because I was informed by the district? Even though I'm chair of the bond oversight committee and the owner of an online newspaper based here in Richmond, I received virtually no information about the demolition work. Nothing from facilities, nothing

015from communications, nothing from the board, and nothing from our superintendent. How did So, how did I learn about what's going on? I learned by forging positive relationships with the project managers, for the contractors, from community members, and from actually being there almost every day. I brought my ladder and shooting over the fence line. and I shot thousands of photos and well over a hundred brief video clips. Most have been shared with the community and in the district and the board. I'm still processing some of them and when finished, I'll share them as well. Wouldn't you think that the chair of the CBOC and someone who has written dozens of articles about our school facilities and the bond program might be linked in? Wouldn't you think that this district would want to take advantage of this

016so they could look good in the community, that they could engender the trust of the community? Why the secrecy? The board is considering putting a parcel tax on the ballot so they can continue to fund counselors, libraries, nurses, arts, drama, and music programs, and of great importance to the community, sports programs. You can't do that when the voters don't trust you. What does it say when one of the district's most fervent supporters no longer has any faith in the district? >> Our next public comment is Kim Chamberlain. Good evening. Thank you very much. I'm Kimberly Chamberlain, IFBTE, Local 21 SSA chapter president. I welcome everybody this evening. We have had a great summer so far. Our staffing is working and kicking it into gear getting ready for our students. I know my maintenance people and

017my office managers. We have LVN's working very hard and special ed. We have our cook managers out there feeding students and our associates in the nutrition center also working hard. I would like to thank everybody out there who is working diligently in our membership to make sure that our administrators, new and old, are going to be kicking it into gear and starting off the 2526 school year in a positive note. Now, I'm going to switch hats real quick and put in my student information services supervisor hat and say I welcome everybody on August 14th to join me and participate in the clerical meeting that kicks off our school year. We turn around and we show up and we learn what we need to do to support. We learn skills. We learn how to make sure

018that we are supported in ourselves and with each other. But we also ask that you support us by making sure that we have the tools out there to support our staff and students and community. So please join us on those days. It will be two sessions 8:30 to 11:30 and 1 to 4. We will be at Penol Middle. they have graciously offered to host us and I hope to see you there participating with us. Please come out. Thank you. Our next public comment is Gandha Nu. Good evening board members. Thank you for hearing the I just want to to express my disappointment. Excuse me. My disappointment in your decision last meeting when you guys voted to not approve the China chip for our district children. 60 students were slated to go and only 20 were

019able to go and that was at the last minute scramble. If you guys, it was on the consent can consent calendar. So, it was assumed that it would be approved and when the item was brought up, it was brought up days before the trip was set to start. In the future, I would expect one more transparency from the from the school board. If you had an issue with it, they should have brought it up at least a month prior so families could do something. And two, you guys gave into fear mongering and didn't really listen or look at facts. And then to that extent, I want to say thank you to President Lesie Reckler for being the voice of reason and for being the only person who actually looked up data and said, "Hey, look,

020China is no more dangerous than going to France or London." So, thank you for that and thank you for listening to me. Good night. Our next public comment is Teamsters 856. Please unmute yourself. I'm going to withdraw my my I'm going to withdraw my public comment. Thank you. >> Our next public comment is Samantha Torres. Uh, good evening, Superintendent Cotton, trustees, and staff. Last week, AB749, Assembly Bill 749, authored by Assembly Member McKiner, passed the state the California Senate Health Committee. This bill calls for the creation of a blue ribbon commission under the Department of Public Health to study the feasibility and regulation of youth sports at the state level. Why? Because the current system is failing our kids. According to the 2024 play equity report, only 47% of black youth and 45% of Latino

021youth participate in structured organized sports compared to 59% of white youth. And twothirds of California parents say they can't afford youth sports. These disparities stem from financial barriers and an unregulated profit-driven pay-to-play system. The state of California has recognized youth sports as a public health issue. So why hasn't this district? I'm not here as a paid advocate. I'm here as a public health professioner professional turned high school science and math teacher with over a decade of experience in population health and policy. Youth sports and recreation aren't just nice extras to have. They're essential to physical, mental, and emotional well-being for children. That's not an opinion. It's proven science. And yet, our own youth are being pushed aside. Right now, at this moment, I just stopped by and said hi to my homies there. The Richmond

022Steelers football and cheer program, a historic and community rooted program, is practicing at Deine Field, which has no bathrooms, no lighting, poor turf, and no goalpost, but they will be there all season. Meanwhile, Kennedy High School has granted over 20 hours a week this fall to a Berkeley based soccer club, a group under league probation for unethical conduct. District staff, including Dr. Moses, have been notified that this club is misrepresenting residency and using false business addresses to take time um field time from our local programs. You've known this since January, and yet another issue a permit was issued. It has now been 167 days since I submitted a public records request regarding Kennedy Highfield. Our next public comment is Alono Torres. Good evening and thank you for to everybody that's here for the safety of

023our children as well as their education. Uh my name is Alonso. I represent Richmond United Soccer Club. We are a an organization that's been in the community for 30 years. We're an allv volunteer 501c3 nonprofit. Um our families consist of over 90% WCCUSD families and in the past year and a half we have been denied access to Kennedy High School twice and within hours it was given to a Berkeley soccer club. Now, we can't compete with a soccer club that has a revenue, annual revenue of about $1.5 million. We can't. We are an allv volunteer soccer club and we provide certain services that we believe are necessary for our children to thrive and uh build certain skills uh supplement their education. ABSC, the Berkeley Soccer Club, represents 33% West Contraosta Unified School District families. And

024we have that information from a public's records public records request that was sent by them to the city of Berkeley. 33% that's below 50% which is needed for prioritization through the handbook facilities handbook. Additionally, they currently have access to Kennedy High School. Again, there have been no other permits that have been granted except for this organization that's from Alama County. We are West Contra Costa County, guys. I mean, come on. If you want data, I've offered it. Please prioritize the the children that you are providing services to. Again, I'm not advocating just for Richmond United Soccer Club. I'm also advocating for all the other sports and extracurricular organizations that are within our community that should be prioritized. Thank you. >> Next public comment is Sky Nelson. Hello. Thank you, board. Thank you, Superintendent Cotton. My

025name is Sky Nelson and I'm a teacher and uh parent in the West Contracasta Elserto High School area. And I want to report uh on behalf of my uh volunteer group, the West WCC community building group on measure T. So this is hopefully information that can be helpful to you all as we plan for measure T renewal. The ballot measure deadline is for the election date of June 2nd, 2026 is an ideal date for the election. Deadline is January 22nd to get it on the ballot. We need to draft language, gather community feedback, and hold town halls, I believe, to start now and continue through the fall to gather information from the community. Uh our volunteer team is growing. We have a small team of of active volunteers who have committed to helping and a

026growing team of people who are interested in helping. We need a collaborative network of everybody in the community to support and work with us. So, you're all invited to support Measure T. This is a parcel tax that supports $10 million every year already for the past 20 years in this district and it's up for renewal next year. We need everybody to be on the same page and working together and we're reaching out to other individuals who have worked on similar e efforts in the past. So, we're basically trying to build the the network right now of people who have already done this before cuz I'm new to this process. Uh community feedback is really important. And so, for me, the next step that we're working on is uh we put out a survey to gauge

027interest in holdingformational uh sessions this fall, sort of town halls in the different regions of the district. And we think this is a crucial part of engaging the community early. I don't want to have us explaining what the measure is when it's time to vote. I want to get buy in from the community early on so that they have input into what we write, what you all write on the measure. I think it's important to have community input from the beginning. And uh finally, I think the next step is to hold five or six or seven sessions around the district in um partnering with you. I want to make sure they're respectful and constructive. That concludes public comment. >> Thank you so much. Thank you to everybody who gave public comment. We're moving now to

028B8, which is standing reports. I believe we have a report from United Teachers Richmond for standing reports. Are there any standing reports tonight? >> Our first standing report will be CBOC. >> Oh, okay. Thank you. Good evening again. You know, just two nights ago, the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee saw something so rare that it still boggles our minds. We had a WCCUSD superintendent of education who voluntarily came before the CBOC to introduce herself and preferred her heartfelt offer to work with us and to assist as best she can. No superintendents, Johnson, Duffy, Hurst, they never came voluntarily. Dr. Dr. Harter was an exception, but he was an exception in a lot of ways. On behalf of the CBOC, I want to thank Superintendent Cotton and look forward to working with her as we move forward.

029Since I last reported to the board and the public, we've had three applications for volunteers wishing to serve our community by overseeing what's left of the bond program. One has already been interviewed and the other two will be interviewed next Friday afternoon. On behalf of the CBOC, I'm asking I'm begging you that you agendaize these applications so you can address them as quickly as possible on August 6 so we can take advantage of what they have to offer. If there's any kind of glitch in the system, they can always be pulled from the agenda. We need these people, but we need even more for the board to help us. If approved, this would be the first time in a great many years that we would have had a full complement of CBOC members. We once

030had 28 CBOC members and a lengthy line waiting to join. We're now only allowed 11 and we have a very difficult time getting our neighbors to step forward to serve and an even greater difficulty getting the system to get the applications before the b board for action. Which leads me to the next issue. Like so many other committees and employees, the CBOC hasn't felt the love from the district in a great many years. It's as if this there's an us versus them mentality and we are definitely not one of us. To be blunt, many of us are not feeling the respect we deserve. For the record, this does not apply to Melissa Payne and Ellen Mijia Cooper Hooper who oversee the bond program in the CBOC. On the CBOC, we actually have a pretty good

031idea about what we're doing, but getting individual board and staff members to listen to us seems non impossible. All too often, it comes across as personal. As an example, starting back in 2017, I made at least six reports to several boards of education, several variations of the CBOC and two superintendents reporting on the exposed asbestous estie, about the lead-based paint inside and out, about the holes in the exterior walls so the rats could more easily come and go, and even about the lack of a sink to wash hands in the food prep area, the locked up fire extinguishers and the brown sludge oozing out the floor grates when the toilets were flushed. I even brought photos to illustrate these problems, but I was ignored time and time again, not because of the message, but because

032of who was delivering the message. It was only after an employee lawsuit was filed that the district paid attention. Whether it's district staff or the board members, past and present, when we when we email or call, do we get a response? Do you ever talk and listen to us to what we have to say? And how many times do you fall flat tell us that we're wrong by insulting our intelligence and experience? I'm begging the district to please strive to turn this around. Shut down the us versus them mentality and and consider working not only with the CBOC, but every other committee, every parent or resident, and every employee. I'm betting that your lives will actually be calmer and smoother when you consider working with us instead of against us. Just a few months, I'll

033be asking for you to return to the CBOC, the person who has worked on the bond program continuously for the past 27 years. The person who has served longer on the CBOC and served as a chair longer than any other person. So this volunteer can continue to serve this his community. That person will be me and I expect to submit my application in about five weeks. I just hope that this time around the best interest of the district and the community will be the priority instead of personal animous due to reports such as this one. Okay, rant's over. Once we get our new applicants approved, I plan to host several training sessions so our CBOC members, both new and old, can be properly trained to understand not only what the role of the CBOC is,

034but how the CBOC actually works. It's important for everyone to also understand what we are required to do, but also what we cannot do. This we will also train them on the Brown Act, the CBOC bylaws, and board policy 7214.2, the policy governing the CBOC. If there is ever another newspaper article about the WCC USD bond program, I want to be sure that it sings the praises of the community-based oversight as well as the cooperative nature between the CBOC district staff and the board of education. As I've repeatedly mentioned to the CBOC, what we have is a three-legged stool where the board, staff, and the sta and the staff each represent one of those legs. We have a s symbiotic relationship where we each need each other. When one of those legs gets wobbly, the

035whole stool collapses, and we all suffer. Lastly, effective with our October meeting, our meeting dates will change from the second to the third Monday of the month. Our goal is to provide staff an additional week to get the financial reports prepared for review. And as always, I close my report inviting everybody to attend our next CBOC meeting on Monday, August 11th at 6:15 p.m. Meetings are held at 1400 Marina Way South here in Richmond. Be there. Thank you. And that concludes standing reports. Okay. Thank you to everyone who gave a standing report. We are up to B9 now. Agenda review and adoption. Any comments from the board on the agenda? Seeing none, we'll proceed with what is printed. We're going now to resolutions uh B10. So, Trusty Gonzalez tried to contact you on these resolutions.

036Are there any that you'd like to read? Uh we have um Michelle out this evening and so are there are there any that you'd like to read the resolve clauses for? Thank you for the request. Um all of them have quite extensive further resolve clauses. Um, so would you like me would you like me to read all of them if I choose to read one or >> you? It's I understand that it's up to you. >> Just the first one has I think 10 resolve colosses. So, uh, all really good ones, but >> up to you, but I I tried to reach out to you to see if there were any that were part that you were partial to and if you wanted to read any. Um, yes. Let me look at the second or

037the third. Would you like to start with the first one? >> Okay. You'd like me to start with that one? Okay. Thank you very much. Just give me a moment. Okay. Okay. So, I'm beginning with I'm beginning with uh number 10, resolution number 2526-16, anti-semitism resolution. Therefore, be it resolved that the West Contraosta Unified School District, School Board of Education condemns and denounces the rise in the anti-semitic and anti-Jewish rhetoric and hate motivated crimes and incidents as well as violent anti-Semitic attacks in our schools and at school sponsored events, including instances of bullying and harassment and commits to establishing an environment free from discrimination and harassment in which all students including Jew Jewish students have unfettered access to educational programs. activities and benefits. Can be it further resolved that the West Contraosta Unified School District

038adopts anti-semitism as an official spelling of Jewish hatred over anti-hymitism to avoid the legitimate legitimization of semitism as there is no such thing as a seemetic peoplehood and to avoid the use of a divided term stripping it from its meaning of opposition and hatred toward Jewish people and further align with current and emerging style guides And be it further resolved, the board of education declares the need for updated curricular and instructional resources and training for teachers, staff, administrators, students, and parents to address and prevent anti-semitism and respond when anti-semitic vandalism, bullying, harassment, or violence occurs either on campus or in the community, including specific reference to anti-semitism in the training at the start of each school year. It further resolved that the West Contraosta Unified School District School Board of Education is committed to protecting

039Jewish students from discrimination and harassment and will investigate parent, student, and staff complaints fully in the same way we respond to allegations of race or sex-based discrimination and harassment. And be it further resolved that a West Contracasta Unified School District School Board of Education affirms the importance of free expression in public education, including criticism of Israeli policy is speech that is protected provided it is germanine to the subject being taught, that it is discussed in accord with board policy 6144, controversial issues, and does not disrupt educational activities, nor include anti-semitic acts or speech. And be it further resolved that the West Contraosta Unified School District School Board of Education is committed to striving for balance in academic integrity in programs of study designed to educate the student body about the Holocaust and the modern state

040of Israel. And be it further resolved that the board of education affirms the rights of Jewish students, staff, and families, and will commit to update and revise existing curriculum, board policy, instructional resources, and the reading list to ensure they are inclusive of the recommendations contained within the Biden Harris administration's national strategy and reflect best practices and the full diversity of Jewish people, including those in California, the West Contraosta Unified School, school district, provide training for teachers, staff, administrators, students, and parents, and to address, prevent, and respond to anti-semitism. And be it further resolved that the West Contraosta Unified School District School Board of Education instructs the superintendent to transmit a copy of this resolution to every school principal within our district's control for distribute for distribution to teachers and staff members and to be posted

041in a prominent public location. Board question. Board questions. Public comment on the resolution. >> No public comment. >> Is there a motion? >> President, I move that we approve resolution number 2526-16, anti-mitism resolution. >> Thank you very much. And if it's okay, I'll second this one. Comments from anyone? So, I have comments. I want to thank you very much for bringing this forward. Um, it means a great deal to me and you did an amazing job. I made just a few corrections on it and it's very meaningful to me that you did it and you did it so well. So, I really appreciate it and I'm going to stop because it's a very emotional subject for me and I'm done. Are there any other comments? Okay, we we'll go to a vote. Oh no, no

042students. I can start over there. >> Trusty Galosy. >> Yes. >> Trusty Smiths. >> Smith Falls. Yes. >> Trusty Hernandez. >> Yes. >> Clerk Inana. >> Yes. >> And I'm a yes. Motion passes unanimously. Thank you everyone. Okay, we are up to B11 resolution number 2526-17 condemning Islamophobia and anti-Arab hate and discrimination in the West Contracasta Unified School District. >> Do you want to do that? >> Thank you, President. Therefore, be it resolved that the West Contracasta Unified School District Board of Education condemns and denounces the rise of Islamophobia and anti-Arab hate and rhetoric and hate motivated crimes and incidents as well as Islamophobic and anti-Arab hate including instances of bullying and harassment and commits to establish an environment free from discrimination and harassment which all students including Muslim and Arab students have unfeted access

043to educational programs, activities and benefits. Be it further resolved that the West Country Unified School District Board of Education is committed to protecting Muslim and Arab students from discrimination, harassment, and will investigate any parent, student, and staff complaints fully in the same way we respond to allegations of race or sexbased discrimination and harassment. and be and be it further resolved, the board of education reaffirms its commitment to upholding the rights of all students and staff and to foster an educational environment where diversity is celebrated and all individuals are treated with dignity and respect. be it further resolved. The West Concert Unified School District Board of Education affirms the importance of free expression in public education, including criticism of policies of Arab majority and Muslim majority among nations with speech that is protected protected provided that

044it is gerine to the subject being taught that it is discussed in accord with board policy 6144 controversial issues and does not disrupt educational activities nor include Islamophobic or anti-Muslim hate. acts or speech be it further resolved the bus board of education affirms the rights of Muslim and Arab students staff and families and will commit to review and revise existing curriculum board policy instructional resources and reading list to ensure they are inclusive of the recommendations contained within the Biden Harris administrative administration's national strategy to counter Islamophobia and anti-air of hate and California Department of Education curriculum frameworks reflecting best practices and the full diversity of Muslim and Arab people including those in California and within the west contested school district be it further resolved as we as recommended in the Biden Harris administration US national

045strategy to counter Islamophobia and anti- Arab hate and to foster inclusive learning environments the west country unified school district directs the superintendent to provide training for teachers staff and administrators students and parents to recognize address and prevent Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hate and be further resolved that as recommended in the Biden Harris administration's US national strategy to counter Islamophobia and anti-air of hate and in accordance with board policy 6141.2 two rec recognition of religious beliefs and customs that schools accommodate religious practices and foster inclusive environment educational environments. And be it further resolved that in accordance with California Assembly Bill at code 51240.5, the West Country Unified School District shall provide accommodations for any K through2 students participating in religious fasting during physical education classes. Upon written notification from a parent or guardian or from the student

046if the if they're with 18 years of age or older, the district shall ensure that such students are excused from physical activity during PE and are offered alternative assignments or activities that full fulfill instructional requirements. Therefore, upholding students rights to rel religious observance without academic penalty. Be it further resolved that the that the board of education directs the superintendent to encourage school sites to to be cognizant of schedules and events to accommodate fasting students and avoiding whenever possible major exams or deadlines during fasting hours. Be it further resolved that the West Coast Unified School District Board of Education instructs the superintendent to transmit a copy of this resolution to every school principal within our district's control for distribution for teachers, staff members, and to be posted in a permanent public location. Thank you. >> Thank

047you so much. Are there any board questions? Is there public it comment on the resolution? >> There's no public comment. >> Great. May I have a motion? to approve. >> President, I move that we approve resolution number 2526-17 condemning Islamophobia and anti-Arab hate and discrimination within the West Country Unified School District. >> Smith seconds. Great. Thank you. Are there any comments? >> Um, I want to thank you for bringing this resolution forward as well. Um, I think that you did a really exceptional job as well as I only added a few things. I also want to uh appreciate uh Trusty Smith Falls because she did provide me with some thoughts as we were having discussions on this resolution. Um so thank you so much to the both of you. Are there any other comments? I

048would also like to thank Trusty Smith Foss for bringing this forward and I'd like to encourage everybody to read the Biden Harris National Strategy both on anti-semitism and islamophobia and anti-Arab hate. Unfortunately, I believe that the Trump administration took those down off the website, but I do have them in PDF and maybe there's a way to attach them to this board's agenda, but they're great documents with great ideas and great advice about how to make the world a safer place. So, we'll see if we can get those out and get those distributed. Any other comments? Okay, I'll go to the vote. Trusty Gonzalez. Yes. >> Trusty Smith Falls. >> Smith Falls. Yes. >> Trusty Hernandez. >> Yes. >> Clerkana. >> Yes. >> And I'm Yes. Motion passes unanimously. >> We're now up to B12 resolution

049number 2526-18 condemning anti-Asian hate and supporting the Asian-American and Pacific Islander. AA in short. AAPI community. Do you want to me you >> I'll let you read this one, President. >> Okay. Now therefore, there therefore be it resolved that the West Contraosta Unified School District Board of Education strongly condemns anti-Asian hate, xenophobia, racism, and discrimination in all forms and affirms its commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of AAPI students, staff, and families. Be it resolved that the West Contraosta Unified School District Board of Education strongly condemns the racist and discriminatory remarks made and reaffirms its commitment to fostering an inclusive and a respectful environment for all students and staff. And we have further resolved that the board directs the superintendent to implement comprehensive anti-racism education and training programs for student staff and parents and

050to review, reconfirm, and reestablish and communicate clear protocols for reporting and addressing incidents of discrimination and harassment for any and all WCCUSD activities. Be it further resolved that the superintendent and district staff shall review and update curriculum and instructional materials to ensure inclusive representation of AAPI histories, voices, and experiences. Provide professional development and training for educators, administrators, and staff on cultural competency, implicit bias, anti-racism, and the impacts of AAPI hate. Establish safe and confidential mechanisms for students and staff to report incidents of racial discrimination or harassment, including those targeting AAPI individuals. Collaborate with AAPI community organizations, students, and families to develop culturally responsive practices and policies. Integrate the needs of AAPI students into mental health and student support programs with a focus on affirming identity, belonging, and resilience. Be it further resolved that the board

051directs the superintendent to communicate this resolution and its commitments to all schools and ensure it's visibly posted at district sites, shared with students and families, and upheld through actionable steps. Are there any board questions on the resolution? Is there any public comment? >> We have no public comment. I'll accept a motion to adopt the resolution. >> President, I move that we approve resolution that we approve resolution number 2526-18 condemning anti-Asian hate and supporting the Asian-American Pacific Islander community. >> Smith. >> Thank you. Second by trust uh by Trusty Smith holds. Thank you so much. Any comments? Okay, seeing none, we can go to vote. Trusty Gonzalez White. >> Yes. >> Trusty Smiths. >> Smith Falls. Yes. >> Trusty Hernandez. >> Yes. >> Clerkana. >> Yes. >> And I'm motion passes unanimously. Thank you everyone. We're

052up to see business items. Consent. Are there any items that board members would like to pull? Trusty Smith Falls. >> I'd like to pull C6. C6, summary of payroll and vendor warrant reports. Any others? Okay, consent is approved with pulling CS6. We're up to D, superintendent communication. And when we're done with this, we're going to step down for a picture. Okay, superintendent Cotton, first superintendent communication. very first one. Thank you. Let's thank you everyone. Is the PowerPoint available? Thank you. Excellent. Thank you. Next slide, please. I am so glad to be home. What makes a house a home is family. And I'm joined this evening by my family. And I want to thank and acknowledge them for standing beside me and supporting me throughout my entire life. My family has helped to shape the person

053who I am today. First, I must acknowledge my parents, Shirley and Charles Cotton, for their unwavering love. Both of my parents are retirees from the West Contraosta Unified School District. My mother, a 42-year teacher and curriculum guide, and my father served as a second career as a parent liaison. I also want to recognize my son Kaden Cotton Blake who many of you may recognize. He served as a student board trustee um during his senior year of high school when he was at graduated from middle college. My sister and brother-in-law Christina and Byron Deadweiler are also here to show their support. As you know, I grew up in Richmond. I graduated from Elsto High School. for your awareness. I have over 26 first cousins on my dad's side alone, just so you know. Um, and a

054host of family members and friends who are here and those folks who are friends who are really family um, are also here tonight to show your support. Do you mind please standing so we can see you? Thank you. The pictures that you see on this slide, uh, they're small. Um, the picture at the bottom is a picture of me at Broadway Elementary School in the first grade. My mother was my first grade teacher at Broadway. And we are there. I'm in the front row with the little red pants on and the the white turtleneck. And somehow mom was wearing her red shirt and white p I don't know how we're coordinating mom but I see that um the two top pictures one is a picture of me as a first year teacher in my classroom.

055Um the other is later in New Haven Unified School District I believe with one of my uh classes as well. So I just wanted to share a little bit of that about me. I I I've told you before I am a teacher at heart. Uh and I look forward to sharing all of my experiences, my knowledge, my resources to ensure the success of all of West Contraosta's students. It is so good to be home. Next slide, please. I also want to take a moment um and actually maybe a moment of silence. we lost one of our principles um over the um Fourth of July holiday and I just want to take a moment to first let's just remember Principal Pierce. It is with deep sorrow that we share the passing of Christopher Pierce. He served

056as principal of Deansza High School. He also served as a substitute teacher uh uh history teacher at Kennedy High School. He worked at the district office in our our state and federal program office as well as serving as assistant principal and then principal at Dansza High School. Principal Pierce was recently appointed to become principal at Saskin Middle School. We held a vigil. Well, I say we, the district supported, the students ran and organized and put together a beautiful vigil for Principal Pierce last Friday evening. I just want to acknowledge him, his family, the students and staff from Danza High School. Uh the Dons really pulled together to support each other and just want to acknowledge the powerful and lasting legacy of Principal Christopher Pierce. Next slide, please. Summer school is well underway. Actually, we're almost

057getting to the close of summer school. Um, I just wanted to acknowledge that we've got thousands of West Contraosta students across the city that are getting both a very enriching um academic program, but also some fun this summer. Learning is fun and we are making sure that our students are engaged in some outstanding opportunities uh this summer. Also opportunities for our secondary students around credit recovery ensuring that they will be graduating on time. That is our goal as well. Um and so and al also um our special education students um are receiving an outstanding outstanding summer program as well. And so we are keeping our students not just engaged, but we are making sure that they are learning and that they are thriving and they will be ready for school in the fall and to

058continue their goals. Next slide, please. I had a chance to visit a few. I think I had the well, I had a lot of fun in all of my my spaces. There was one where I got to uh strut my stuff at Freedom School. If you have not been to a Freedom School site, you are missing a good thing. Um, and parents, think about getting your kids to Freedom School next summer. It's amazing. Um, yes, they made uh Superintendent Cotton Dance. Um, I do also want to acknowledge that we had a chance to I had a chance to visit our schools and see our community schools in action, both with food distribution. Uh, I ran into a teacher at Saskin who was actually a student of mine many years ago that I've I've told my

059age now. This is the the the young man um on the the bottom left. Um but having a chance to talk with students, talk with staff, talk to parents has been uh enlightening and we look forward to continuing our summer programs and improving on our summer programs. Next slide, please. I do want to uh remind the community that summer graduation will be held on July 24th at 6 PM at the Richmond High Theater. Next slide. There will be a little bit of rest and then school resumes on Tuesday, August 19th. So get ready. Next slide. We are preparing our back to school attendance campaign. And there's some things that I want uh the board that I want the community to know. One, know that when students miss school, it doesn't just impact their learning. It

060also results in millions of dollars lost in funding for our classrooms, for our programs and resources for our kids. We must have students in class. Please be sure to share. Our campaign is already in motion. Student services has already started outreach. We will be uh moving forward focusing on students who were chronically absent last year. We want to make sure again that families know, students know school is a safe place for them to be where they will thrive and we want to continue to support them in their goals. And then do help us reach 95% attendance across West Contraosta. Our campaign starts with belonging. We want students to feel like school is their home. It's their their safe place. Um, we will be also be focusing on attendance month in action in September. Next slide.

061I've listed and shared some information about how to prepare for the start of the new year. Unless you've got a phone or laptop in front of you, I won't drag this all the way out, but I do want to lift up that parents need to make sure that they're downloading P school either on their desktop or downloading the app. Once they've done that, they'll be able to access their annual forms. Once that's completed, you can move on and and get on to Parent Square. That's where you will get information both from your school site, from me, from the district as well. Um, so please make sure Oh, make sure to turn on your parent square notifications. Next slide, please. As Mr. Gosny lifted up. Um you can come out and see your tax tax dollars

062at work and we encourage you to join the citizen bond oversight committee. Uh they will be meeting again this summer August 11th. Is that correct? Uh 6:15 until 8:15. They meet at the FOC building on Marina Way. They meet also you can uh join the meeting virtually. So, we encourage folks to come out and participate, know what what we're doing with our sites, with our our properties. Next slide, please. I want to lift up and remind folks, if you want to get it on your calendar now, back to school night for our elementary schools will be held on Thursday, September 11th. Middle schools on Thursday, September 25th, and high school back to school night will be held on Thursday, October 2nd. Next slide. I do want to give a just a very brief budget update.

063Um the West Contraosta community must collaborate to address budget uncertainties including the potential loss of federal grants and federal funding as well as continuing to attend to our structural deficit within our current adopted budget. I encourage uh families, I encourage community to consider coming this fall and joining and being a part of our bud district budget engagement committee. That is where you will learn more. More information will be available on parent square. So we've talked about that. Get on parent square. So you've got that information, but we encourage folks to come be a part of our district budget engagement committee. Next slide. Finally, I I want to lift up students every chance I get. Every chance. And I just want to highlight um our students from Middle College High School. Uh Sudinma T and Emily

064A. Um they were first place winners for the statewide Mesa Challenge math engineering science achievement. Um they created a let's see they won for innovative dual system an emergency decontamination tool for chemical crowd control agent exposure paired with a protester mobilization app. Huh. I'm impressed just reading that. Let's give them a hand clap, please. Very proud of them. Excellent job. And each each each time we come together, we should be lifting up students. And I just want to acknowledge the good work of those students. I do also Oh, next slide. Um to the board, do you have any questions? This concludes my report. >> Thank you so much. Does anybody have any questions for Superintendent Cotton? >> Thank you. See, seeing none, we're gonna seeing none, we're going to step down just for a minute

065for a picture. And where they'll step down, we'll be back in just one moment. Can I call board members back please? We're starting again. Starting now with item E1, action items. E1 public hearing 2526-15 support of applications for eligibility determination and funding designation of authorized district representatives. So tonight I am going to open a public hearing on this item. Under education code 101460B1A, before approving a project or project seeking funds from the state allocation board, the district board of education shall hold at least one public hearing to solicit input from members of the public regarding the project or projects being proposed for submission. The district intends to file applications for eligibility determination, file applications for funding and or certify information under one or more SAB administered programs. District staff has prepared an attached resolution 2526-15

066with authorizes district representatives to physically sign documents and papers associated with SAB administered programs or submit documents via the office of public school construction online. So now at 7:57 I am opening the public hearing. Members of district staff will make a presentation. Board members will ask questions. We will have public comment. We will then vote on the item and I will close the public hearing. So now it's 7:57. Miss Payne, the item is yours. >> Thank you very much. Um tonight we recommend a approve approval of this resolution um in accordance with the new requirements of Prop 2 which was approved in November. We are currently standing in line with the Office of Public School Construction for more than $16.7 million in applications and that is within the funding authority. Um, with this resolution tonight,

067we will be in compliance with Prop 2 and we will be able to submit future applications for sites like Siege, Kennedy, and Richmond where there is eligibility. And so tonight, we recommend approval of this item, which will allow us to continue to seek state dollars to extend our local dollars here so that we can bring as many state dollars as possible here to uh, West Contraosta. Thank you so much. Does that conclude your presentation? Do you have anybody who's going to present any? No one. Okay, great. We'll go to board member questions. Does anybody on the board have questions? So, I just have one question. So, is funding guaranteed or we're just getting in line for it? So once you have a application approved by the division of the state architect for a project that

068meets specific criteria, then you can go submit a grant application and stand in line. So we currently have a number of applications that have been submitted for some of the projects you'll hear about a little bit later like Shannon and Hercules and Lake. Um, so we are currently standing in line with applications that total more than 16.7 million. When it's our turn in line, then we'll work really closely with the state to try to see if we can increase those grants amounts. The way that Prop 2 was authorized, we believe that we may actually be able to get even more dollars. Um, a recent example was with the Penol Valley High School application. When we submitted it, we submitted it at the moment in time when we could and it was a $16 million application.

069When it was our turn for funding and we worked closely with the state to make sure that we were receiving every possible dollar, we were awarded over $23 million. And so we would follow that same process for the applications already submitted. And then as we have the ability to submit new applications for projects that we currently have going through the design process that meet eligibility criteria with this resolution. We would be able to then submit those to the state and we would accompany our application along with this resolution showing that we did hold the public hearing um and that we have the authority to submit them. >> Great. Okay. Thank you. Do any other board members have questions? Okay, we'll go to public comment. Is there public comment on this item? >> We have no

070public comment. >> Thank you. Uh, I'll accept a motion to approve this resolution. >> President Reclar, I move that we approve resolution number 2526-15 for support of applications for eligibility, determination, funding. >> Great. Thank you. Is there a second? >> I second. >> Hernandez is the second. Are there any comments from the board? Go get the money. That's my That's my comment. And we'll go to the vote. Trusty Gonzalez. >> Yes. >> Trusty Smith Falls. >> Smith Falls. Yes. >> Trusty Hernandez. >> Yes. >> Clerk Anyana? >> Yes. >> And I'm a yes. Motion passes unanimously. And I am closing the public hearing at 8:01 p.m. Moving on to E2, Education Code 442583, variable term waiver. Miss Johnson, I believe, Dr. Johnson, I believe that's you. >> Thank you, President Reckler. Ed code 44258.3 allows

071the governing board of a school district to authorize the holder of credentials in the following areas multiple sub subject standard elementary single subject and standard sec secondary with his or her consent to teach departmental classes in grades K through 12 provided that the teacher has adequate knowledge of the subject matter. >> Thank you. Do any board members have questions on the item? Is there any public comment on the item? >> There's no public comment. >> I will accept a motion to approve the item. >> President Regular, I move that we approve the variable term waiverss. >> Thank you. Is there a second? >> I second. >> Fernandez is second. Are there any comments from the board? >> If not, we'll go to the vote. Trusty Gonzalez. >> Yes. Trusty Smith Folds. >> Smith Falls. Yes.

072>> Uh Trustee Hernandez. >> Yes. >> Clerkyana. >> Yes. >> And yes. Motion passes. Moving to E3. Provisional internship permit. PIP. Dr. Johnson, your item. >> Thank you again, President Reckler and members of the board. The provisional internship permit allows our newly hire hired teachers to enter an internship program within our school district. >> Thank you. Are there any board questions? Is there any public comments on the item? >> We have no public comment. >> Thank you. I'll accept a motion to approve the PIPS. >> President, I move that we approve the provisional internship waiverss. Excuse me. Internship permits. >> Is there a second? I'll second it. >> Oh, okay. Clerk in the second. >> Are there any comments from the board? >> We'll go to the vote. Trusty Galoy. >> Yes. >> Trusty Smith

073Falls. >> Smith Falls. Yes. >> Trusty Hernandez. >> Yes. >> Clerkyana. >> Yes. >> And I'm a yes. Motion passes. Moving now to number four, teacher consent authorization. Dr. Johnson, I believe this is you again. >> Thank you again. Lastly, the teacher consent authorization allows a school district to assign teachers based on their subject matter. >> These are so brief. I don't have time to turn off my microphone. Uh, do boards do board members have questions? Is there public comment? >> We have no public comment. >> Okay. I'll I'll accept a motion on the item. >> President, I move that we accept the teacher consent authorization. >> Is there a second? >> I second. >> Second from Hernandez. Are there any uh comments from the board? And we'll go to the vote. Trusty Gonzalez. >>

074Yes. >> Trusty Smith Falls. >> Smith Falls. Yes. >> Trusty Hernandez. >> Yes. Clerkyana. >> Yes. >> And Amy, yes. Motion carries. We're up to number five. SSA if local 21 ratified tentative agreements. Dr. Johnson, your item. >> Yes. Thank you. Um, we are pleased to announce and I want to give a special acknowledgement to Kim Chamberlain. Um we are pleased to announce that today um we are bringing forth the collective bargaining agreement tentative collective bargaining agreement to the district between SSA IFPTE local 21 and West Contraosta Unified School District. We have reached an agreement for the 2025 to 2028 collective bargaining agreement. This agreement reflects a collaborative effort and a shared commitment to addressing the interests of both parties. Thank you. Do any board members have questions? Is there public comment on the item?

075>> We have no public comment. >> I'll accept a motion to approve the item. President, I move that we approve the verification of the tenative agreement with SSA if local 21. >> Is there a second? >> I'll second. >> Clerkyan is the second. Uh are there any board comments on the item? >> Thank you. I want to uh just extend my thank you to our partners in SSA um especially their leader uh Kim Chamberlain for uh all the work. Uh I know tentative agreements are not easy. Um I also want to thank our HR team and our negotiations team for bringing this uh forward to us. >> Are there any other comments? I'd also like to extend my congratulations and thanks to the district bargaining team and to SSA. Congratulations to both of you. Very

076glad to see TA negotiated. So congratulations and thank you. Okay, with that we'll go to the vote. Trusty Gonzalez Hoya. >> Yes. >> Trusty Smith. >> Smith. Yes. >> Trusty Hernandez. >> Yes. >> Clerky, >> yes. >> And I am a yes as well. Motion carries. Okay, we're up to E6. I'll take this one. Delete district specific policy 6153.17 district school sponsored study trip. This was held over from the June 25th meeting. The Ivy League Connection was a privately financed summer scholarship program. The Ivy League Connection no longer operates and therefore this district specific policy can be eliminated to streamline the policy book. Deletion of this policy was discussed and approved at the May 20th, 2025 governance meeting and the board is asked to vote to delete the policy at this meeting and wave a

077second reading. Are there any board questions on the item? Is there any public comment on the item? >> We have no public comment. >> I'll accept a motion to delete this district specific policy. I'll move it. So I move to delete district specific policy 6153.17 district school sponsored study trip and is there a second? >> Second. >> Great. Are there any comments on the item? Seeing none, we'll go to the vote. Trusty Gonzalez. >> Yes. >> Trusty Smiths. >> Smith. Yes. >> Trusty Hernandez. >> Yes. Clerk Kana. >> Yes. >> And I'm a yes. Motion passes unanimously. >> Hold for one second. Okay. Thank you for that. Uh, okay. We're moving to number seven, approval of contract addendum for interim associate superintendent maintenance and operations. And I have something to read here. The board is

078being asked to approve an addendum to the employment agreement of Melissa Payne to extend the term of her employment agreement to December 31, 2025. The addendum to the employment agreement has been attached to the agenda item online for review. I hope Oh yes, it's been attached. Thank you. The employment agreement provides the agenda provides for an extension of the December 4, 2024 employment agreement to December 31, 2025. No other changes are made to the employment agreement. Okay, that concludes the statement that I have to read. With that, I will ask board members if they have any questions. Seeing none, I'll uh accept a motion to approve the contract addendum for the interim associate superintendent maintenance and operations. I move the approval of the contract addendum for interim associate superintendent of maintenance and operations. >> Thank

079you. Is there a second? >> I second. >> Okay. Hernandez is the second. Are there any comments from board members? Go right ahead. I just want to publicly thank you for the great job that you did when you were tapped on the shoulder and you stepped in to this role and you have been absolutely learning and growing at a crazy speed and it's just very impressive your leadership in this um capacity and this is not one of our easy positions. Maintenance and operations of all of our schools is a big lift and you do it well. I am complete Thank you. Are there any other comments? I also just want to extend my thank yous to Melissa. I know this has been something that sometimes you are elected to sit in a position, but I

080thank you for taking this on and for all your dedication and growth through this process. So, I appreciate the work that you're doing. I appreciate the work that you will continue to do and I appreciate the partnership that we have established. So, thank you, Melissa. Thank you. I'd like to extend my thanks as well. Great to work with you. Really enjoy it. And with that, we'll go to the vote. Trusty Gonzalez. >> Yes. >> Trusty Smith Falls. >> Smith Falls. Yes. >> Trusty Hernandez. >> Yes. Clerk Canyana. >> Yes. >> And I'm a yes. Motion passes unanimously. >> Okay, we're moving now to item F. Um, >> president. >> Yes. >> Sorry to interrupt. Um, I was wondering if we could do a quick change with your approval on the rest of the board. I

081was wondering if we could um move item F8 to the first item in action and then I also know that UTR is present to do their report. So I was wondering if they could do their report and then we could go to voices since there's a lot of families and students present. >> Thank you for so much for reminding me about UTR. She just said it to me in one ear, not the other. Okay. So why don't we have Utr make their report and then we'll go to U voices. Everybody okay with that? Great. Okay. Good night, Teachers of Richmond. Are they online? Okay, great. Yeah, go ahead. >> Mr. Ortiz, can you please unmute yourself? >> Good evening. Uh thank you President Reckler and uh Trustee Gonzalez uh for the uh recognition that we

082are here in the room. We're on a different time zone, but appreciate the board's flexibility for including our report into this uh meeting. Um, want to start off first by appreciating Superintendent Cotton for meeting with uh myself last week where we were able to uh share our short our shared um journeys in West Contra Costa, but also our shared vision for um the best education for our students and communities and um where she was able to listen to the concerns, issues that are impacting our students and communities and um the educators who are tasked with serving them and educating them every single day. So, thank you Dr. uh Superintendent Cotton for that. Um also, I know that a lot of our students and our families are really scared and are um being impacted by the

083national immigration policies. And so if we can come out with um a really strong visible statement as we start off the uh upcoming school year, Utr is willing and um ready to partner with the school district to support um a welcoming campaign for our students so they know that our schools, our district is a safe and welcoming space for them to um receive an education. I'm also um excited and um glad to report that UTR is partnering with the district, with HR, and with the um Department of Educational Services to provide a new employee orientation. Um more of an interactive session that includes also uh teachers um that would support our new educators so they could get on boarded. We're um working through the logistics of that, but we're happy that that is um in

084the process and that we are in the development of that um stage. Um, additionally, uh, today we're also glad that the district has acknowledged that all extensive special needs classes, um, regardless whether if they are in the extended school year or summer school should extend or should, uh, abide by the 11 student max, uh, per class. Um, so I appreciate uh, uh, director Fleman and, um, Dr. Greenwood for acknowledging that and moving forward with supporting those uh students and the educators who have been tasked to um support them during the summer. Um one other thing that um is on the agenda today is the um uh 2025 2026 plan for recruitment and retention of certificated educators. Um, one of the things that's striking is there that the folks who were exiting our district, uh, 50%

085of them cited um, going to other districts or because of higher pay. And so that should really inform the district's bargaining team moving forward in the fall as we are negotiating new contract knowing that we are 18th out of 19th in the county in pay. And so we really want to um, ensure that the board focuses on that as well. Lastly, um or not lastly, but also on the charter school report, over 7,000 of our uh West Contraosta students are attending charter schools. And um we really have an opportunity to bring a lot of those families back by strengthening and honoring the community schools network, the community schools implementation, so we can offer families and students a different approach that is really tailored to their specific needs. And so I really want to encourage us

086to continue to partner and build out our community school structures, especially our action collaborators, um, and how we're really engaging with our families and our caregivers to provide them with the education that their students deserve. Thank you everyone. >> Thank you for that report, Utr. And now we are going to move up F8 voices material revisions charter to add an additional site first public hearing. Okay. So tonight, let me get my little script here. Please hold for just one second. Okay. So, tonight I'm opening uh we're having a public hearing. Um, I am now opening the public hearing regarding Voic's material revision to charter to add an additional site. Um, tonight the petitioners are asking to add a site. They will make a presentation of 10 minutes. The West Contraosta Unified School District, do you

087have a presentation as well tonight? All right. So, and do you want to go first? Okay. So, the West Contra Costa Unified School District staff will go first. It will be for 10 minutes. It will be followed by voices that will go for 10 minutes. We will then have uh public comment. Board members will ask questions and then we will proceed from there. So, now at 8:19, I am opening the public hearing. Um Dr. Moses, it's your item. Go ahead with your presentation. Thank you. >> Thank you. Good evening, President Reckler, board trustees, Superintendent Cotton. This evening we have Margarita Romo from business services and Douglas Pelton from Edmetrics to introduce this uh item brought to hearing today. Thank you, Dr. Moses. >> Good evening, President Reckler, Superintendent Coten, board members, and members of the

088WCCUSD community. My name is Margarita Romo, and I serve as a business services coordinator here in the district. I'm also a proud graduate of WCCCUSD and of Middle College High School. I've been with the I've been with the district for eight years. Prior to my work in the district, I worked at a well- reggarded accounting firm here in the Bay Area providing outsourced accounting services and then at a national firm providing financial audits for clients across a range of industries. This experience continues to inform my work in the district. I currently lead a team of five responsible for charter oversight, student body fund oversight, instructional time monitoring, and the district's annual audit, and budget support for a school site and departments, among other responsibilities. Joining me this evening is Mr. Douglas Pelton from Edmetrics, who

089partners with our district to support charter oversight efforts. Tonight's presentation is for the initial public hearing of a material revision submitted by Voic's collegebound languagemies. The purpose of this hearing is to provide a space for public input regarding the petition to add a second school site. This is an overview of the item. Voices has submitted a material revision to their charter to request the additional the addition of a second school site. The new location is proposed at Andrade Avenue in Richmond. The request was formally submitted on May 27th, 2025. Tonight's hearing isformational only. No vote will be taken. A board decision is is um planned for uh August 6th. Next slide, please. Here you can see both the current school site and the proposed new location. Their current campus is on 28th Street in Richmond,

090and the new site they're seeking to add is on Andrade Avenue. Tonight's hearing helps us gather feedback and consider the implications of operating two schools within the district. Next slide, please. Adding a new school site requires a material revision to the charter. Once submitted, it's recommended that the district take action within 90 days. Approval is based on specific criteria. The program must be educationally sound. The petitioners must be capable of implementing it. The revision must meet the statutory requirements and it must serve the interest of the community. Only the board has the authority to approve or deny the request and the decision must happen at a public meeting. Next slide, please. This concludes my presentation, our presentation on the material revision request. I'd like to acknowledge that Voic's collegebound languagemies will also provide their own

091presentation later in the meeting. At this point, I'll turn it over to the board for any questions or comments. Thank you. >> Thank you. Would board members like to ask questions now or do you want to wait until after the voices presentation? >> I'm f I'm fine waiting just in case voices answers my questions. >> Great. Okay. Thank you. We'll have voices come up now. Representative from voices with your presentation. >> Thank you. Welcome. You have >> I'm sorry. >> You have 10 minutes to make your presentation. The starting time now is 8:24. >> Thank you. Next slide, please. >> 8:25. >> Good afternoon, President Reckler, Trustees Smith, Folds, Enana Ernandez, Gonzalez, Oi, and Superintendent Cotton. Thank you for the opportunity to address you today. My name is Carrie Shmanky, and I am in the

092principal at Voices WCC. I'm here today with Haime Mata, our COO, Aldor Ramireth, our CEO, and many of our voices staff, families, students, and some of our community partners. As our school continues to grow into a full model outlined in our original petition, we are committed to maintaining high quality instruction and a supportive learning environment for all of our students. In response to our increasing enrollment and in order to continue meeting the diverse needs of our student body, we are requesting permission to add an additional location to our existing school. This step is essential to ensure we have the space and resources necessary to serve our students effectively and sustainably. Next slide, please. Our school currently serves students and families in TK through 8th grade across West Contra Costa County. As highlighted in the most

093recent district charter oversight report, and I quote, "The school has shown consistent enrollment growth over the past 5 years with projections for continued growth. In response to this growth, we seek to meet the needs of our students and families by opening an additional location to better house our students. This request does not reflect any change to the integrity or design of our educational program. Rather, we are adding a new location that will be fully staffed to continue providing a high quality education and supportive learning environment our families expect from our current site. With the board's approval, we plan to open the additional location at the start of this upcoming school year beginning August 12th, 2025. We respectfully ask for your support to move forward with this timely and necessary step in our school's growth. Next

094slide, please. We are expanding to the Andrade location to provide more space and better serve our current TK through 8 students. This is not a new or separate school, but rather an extension of our existing program. The Andrade location will allow us to maintain the integrity of our educational model while ensuring students have equitable access to quality facilities and resources in a supportive developmentally appropriate setting. During listening sessions with families and discussions with WCCUSD leaders, space concerns were raised. Expanding to the Andrade location directly addresses those concerns and is aligned with our long-term network goals. Next slide, please. Our expansion also reflects our commitment to access and family centered planning. You will notice campuses are only 1.5 miles from each other. It's approximately a six-minute drive. Our Andradi campus will ultimately serve TK through lower

095elementary students. Initially, our 28th Street School campus will serve as the temporary home for all students across K through 8th grade. During the construction and developmental development of Andrade once Andrade is complete, the 28th Street School will transition to serving upper elementary and middle school. Next slide, please. The educational program at Enrade will remain fully aligned with our current TK through 8th grade model. There will be no changes to curriculum structure or expectations. Our goal is to expand capacity, not to modify the core of what has made our program successful thus far. The Andrade site will include a staff model for lower elementary that will follow all statemandated studentto adult ratios, ensuring our students receive the personalized attention and support necessary for their development. We will ensure a full complement of support staff at the

096Andrade site, including full special education services that will meet the needs of our students. Next slide. In line with our student or school's value of shared leadership, we propose a shared administrative staffing model for both locations operating under a unified and aligned leadership structure. staffing priorities prioritizes both operational efficiency and instructional excellence. The Andrade location will operate under the same governance structures as our existing campus, remaining fully under the umbrella of voices WCC. It will fall under our current charter and board oversight. Parent and community engagement structures like ELAC and our parent advisory committees will remain the same across both locations. Next slide, please. Voic's collegebound languagemies is committed to ensure that all students and families in our community have equitable access to highquality education resources and support. Our recruitment strategy is designed to attract

097and serve students from all demographics across West Contra Costa County in alignment with our mission of equity and inclusivity. We are committed to intentional outreach efforts that reflect the diversity of our community. Recent initiatives have included participation in events and partnerships we trust and local organizations such as go public schools, the PAL, Junth community celebration, Cinco de Mayo festivals, schools value and academic program and ensure that all communities have access to enrollment opportunities. Additionally, our projected enrollment numbers for the upcoming year are primarily based on rollover from existing students and families, reflecting our continued satisfaction and commitment to our program. We remain focused on inclusive grassroots outreach and providing equitable access to our families, ensuring our school community continues to reflect the rich diversity of West Contra Costa. Next slide. As we build the facility

098out to scale, there will be an operating loss of 186,000 the first year. By year two, the site is projecting an operating income of 149 and by year three that would grow grow to 228. Nonetheless, our overall fund balance is maintained over 26 yearover-year. Next slide. Our school sites have consistently received a good repair rating through the fit process for more than five consecutive years, reflecting on a strong commitment to ongoing maintenance and proactive facilities management. This achievement demonstrates the district's dedication to providing safe and supportive learning environments for students and staff and highlights the importance of investing in facilities excellence. Our school sites have been rating a in good repair for over 5 years. Consistent high ratings indicates well-maintained facilities and effective management. Next slide. Okay, this is our legal compliance slide. It assures

099and is a statement of con confirming compliance with ED code 47605 and applicable laws and assurances that public notice and procedural requirements have been met. Next slide. In closing, we are proud of the growth and impact Voices West Contra Costa since our founding in 2018. As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we are seeking your approval to expand to the Andrade location, not as a new or separate school, but as an extension of our current TK8 program. This expansion will allow us to better serve our existing students, respond to the needs expressed by our families and community, and ensure that every student has access to the space, resources, and support they need to thrive. Rooted in our commitment to equity, community, and district partnership, and academic excellence, this next step reflects our continued journey

100of soaring to excellence. We respectfully ask for the board's approval to move forward with opening the Andrade site for the 2526 school year beginning August 12th. Thank you for your time, for your partnership, and continued support of our students and families. We would be open to answering any questions now that the board might have. Thank you. >> Thank you. Do board members have questions? Go right ahead. >> Thank you. My first question is for our team and then my next four are for you guys. So, please don't go too far. >> Thank you. Um, could you just provide me with some clarity? So my understanding is that we're just doing a revision because of adding the second site, but we are not adding we're not changing enrollment projections as of what their petition was previously.

101Is that correct? >> That's correct. Yeah, >> that's correct. That um their enrollment submissions are within what was previously approved when they established the school. >> Got it. Thank you so much. Okay, now my questions are for voices. Um, thank you for your presentation. Um, so my first question is for uh the principal. I'm so sorry. Could you please remind me of your name? >> I'm sorry. Carrie Shamansky. I often say long in Polish. So >> Shamansky. Thank you. Um, my So with that with what I just heard from our staff, you mentioned in your presentation to grow capacity. um is that just a physical capacity to be able to provide the program some of the things that you mentioned but not particularly to grow the numbers further than what's been discussed. Correct. >> That's

102correct. We have a maximum capacity of 504 students. Our current projection for the next school year is around 421. >> Thank you for that. Uh my next question is that you mentioned in your presentation long-term network goals. Could you talk about those a little bit for me? Do you want to? Yeah. So, ultimately we would like to have one site again in the future. However, with we know with construction, budgeting constraints and things that are happening in the in the district that right now it's not possible to have one specific location. So, our long-term goal would initially be to reunite the two schools under that 504 umbrella. In the meantime, to answer our growth goal, we need to expand to this additional school site. >> Thank you so much. Uh my next question is for

103uh uh your CBO. Would you h >> Yes. >> Thank you for being here. Um could you please uh share with us on your slide about the budget? You mentioned the deficit for the first year. Could you talk about how you overcome that deficit that first year? How do you pay for that $186,000 in the red? >> Yes. So let me uh clarify that the deficit the deficit um that model is for the site specific to that site but it actually does not create an overall deficit for our overall budget. So it's just for that site. >> Got it. That makes sense. >> Our overall rate reserves are continued. They are uh year after year. uh 26. There's a little dip like a 1% dip goes from 26 but then it con consistently grows uh

10426 27 year overyear. So it doesn't um impact our our overall budget. >> Thank you for that. And my next question is also for you. Thank you. Um and and from the first year to the second year, I do see a large growth really also for the third year on compensation and benefits uh by a third of your of your current projection. Why are we seeing such growth in compensation and benefits? Not saying that's a bad thing. I'm just curious why are we seeing such uh increase in year after year? Um we were just trying to be really conservative and with the cost of what benefits are going up um we were just uh trying to project like worst case scenario. So the in the increase could be a little inflated but we purposely did

105that just planning for worst case scenario. >> Got it. Or best case scenario for your employees if it's a salary increase. So yes. Uh okay great. Uh, thank you. That was my last question. I appreciate it. Thank you, president. >> Does anybody else have questions? >> Okay, I have some questions. So the first is I want to again just come back to you are you're going to operate two buildings and you're going to eventually move all students to to the Andrade site and you're no and your enrollment your max enrollment is going to be 504 students for both for both sites. >> Good evening. Uh madame president uh superintendent got cotton trustees. So let's go back to the first the first question you asked. Um so for right now our enrollment has been increasing because

106our program h is a a dual immersion program and we started in in kindergarten and first grade and slowly grew the grade levels. Uh what happened was COVID happened and then there was there was some shifts in attrition and student numbers in our upper grades. Um but as we've come out of CO our enrollment has gone back to what was planned um a little bit quicker than we had anticipated. And so what we're doing right now is figuring out uh a good way to solve our space issue by adding this this additional location to to for the midterm house our early elementary students. And our long-term plan is to figure out how we can get them all back together. Uh so we're looking at different solutions, maybe a construction project or something. Um but that

107takes quite a bit of time and so this is our in interim solution to that and so and then the second part of your question was the so the total combined enrollment of the two sites will be 504 >> and do you intend to stay at 504 as your petition of 2017 uh as was in the original position petition of 2017 >> pretty much so. So later on in the year we'll do our our renewal petition for for voices and we do plan to stay within that range. >> Okay. How many students does the Andrade location hold? What's its maximum capacity? >> So the maximum capacity is less than 200. And with the current space the way it is now, um it would only hold about 160 students if if nothing was done. >> Is

108it zoned to be a school? >> Uh it's zoned right now to be a TK. And so that's why the students that are going to start at that site will be TK TK only. >> And it's looking from the papers, do you own this building now? Yes, we do. >> So, you've already bought the building, >> correct? >> So, tonight we're doing is this just performative or are you asking permission or I mean you've already bought the building so >> we are asking for permission. >> Okay. Okay, hold for just one second. So, we we had an opportunity to to find a location and to honor the requests of our families and to honor the requests of uh the staff in making sure we had ample space for our students, we did purchase the building.

109If for whatever reason you all decided not to approve us being able to do this, we do have a plan B and being able to house our current students in our current location. It's a tight fit, but we can house them and we would put the building up for sale if we are unable to use it. >> Okay. And so you own it. There's no lease agreement. You own it out. You own it outright. >> Correct. And uh so you said it's zoned for operating a school. Um does it meet all applicable local building, fire, and health code requirements in order to demonstrate the school's ability to successfully open a second location? >> Yes, it does. >> Okay. Thank you. Um, is there a way that we can get a full MyP multi-year projection, three

110years, beginning balances, all your revenue, all your expenses, all your capital, so that we can see your ending balance because you're only giving us a piece of your finances right now. >> Yes, th those have been submitted. And the uh the budget that we submitted actually had had the projections for the new site. Th those were in in the budget. >> Okay. So, do I have those? I It didn't look like I saw that. I don't know. >> You You don't have them, but we could get them to you. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> All right. Thank you. I'd appreciate that very much. Any other questions? >> Go right ahead. >> I have a couple of questions based on some of the things that you said. You said that you have you have two campuses

111in your in the vision. You have two campuses. You have one that you have right now, one in the building that you just bought. The number of people that are in the current campus is how many? >> Last year we had 350 students. Next year's projection is around 420 maximum. I'd have to double check exactly what our current enrollment is, but the projection would be for 420 students. So 420 total in this building. And then you're going to take some of that 420 and move them over to this other building. >> That is correct. >> And then your goal is to eventually smash them back together in one building that you don't know where that's going to be yet. >> That is correct. For 504 students maximum. >> Okay. And then what's your projection for

112where So you're going to eventually go up to eighth grade, correct? >> We just currently graduated our first eighth grade class this past year. Where did they go? Um, Richmond High School, >> majority or all of them went to Richmond High School. >> Uh, we only had seven. >> Okay. So, seven of them went. >> So, they they did go to public schools and um some of them went out of state. Um, transferred out of state. Two of the students transferred out of state. One of them went to Richmond P. And I think two I believe two are in Invictus or one is Invictus. And one of my last questions is could you break down your demographics for me? >> Um >> I can get that for you. I do have Hime. Did you have

113that chart? >> No, just the enrollment chart. >> Okay. I can get that for you. Um we do have it in I believe in the actual material revision, but I can get that to you. That's fine. >> And then let's see. You go you just graduated your eighth grade class. You told me where the ninth graders went. And then do you have a building in mind right now when you want to bring them back together? >> No, we do not currently know. >> Thank you. I'm complete. >> We are looking though. >> I mean, you can go ahead and answer, friend. I'm just complete. Go ahead. You said >> No, no, that's fine. We are looking, but no, we don't have the current location for bringing them back together. >> Okay. Thank you. I'm complete.

114>> Anybody else? >> Is there public comment on this item? How many can I ask how many of that you have because we'll get them we'll get people to line up. >> We have no public comment for this. >> No public comment on this item. Oh, okay. Okay, then I guess that completes our public hearing. I'm closing it at 8:47 p.m. Thank you very much. Okay, we're going back to now F1 board policy 5145.13 response to immigration enforcement first read before the board. So, Trusty Gonzalez, hi once again. and I didn't get a chance to touch base with you. Do you want to do any of these? Do you want to talk about them? >> Um, thank you, President. No, it's okay. I'll I'll let you take a >> No problem. >> Okay. So, tonight,

115um, board, it's the first read for a few policies coming forward for policies. Um, the first one, five, uh, what we did in >> President Reckler, I'm so sorry to interrupt you. I was wondering if you could take a five minute recess so that as people exit setting we'll take recess. We'll come back in five minutes 854. Thank you. >> Promoting a safe and secure learning environment for all guidance and model policies to assist California's K12 schools in response to immigration issues. Personally, I'd just like to thank this board, the work of previous government governance committee. I'd like to thank previous uh boards that did work in this area. The district was in really good shape in immigration uh policies that relate to immigration. Really, they they're pretty solid. So, we went through all the

116policies and with the attorney general's guidance and we made some small adjustments. Really, not a lot of things needed to get done, but we went through and did what we needed to do. So the first policy F1 board policy 5145.13 um we have some small updates to this and the update is that the superintendent or appropriate designate is going to ensure administrative staff receives training on how to respond when presented with judicial warrants. Um it's been reviewed in governance a number of times superintendent cabinet and appropriate staff and is recommended for approval. We are bringing it to the board for your questions and comments. >> Are there any questions from the board on this item? >> President, may I just I just add one thing? >> May I add one thing to your comments? Thank

117you. Um I also want to mention that we are uh Mr. Booker's team is also creating signage uh for the front of the schools so that uh families, students, staff um and law enforcement know our procedures. Um we're copying San Francisco uh with our signage a little bit. So I wanted to just lift that because it was also a request from community um which I appreciated that came up during the process. Thank you. >> Thank you so much for mentioning that. So, anything from the board on this? >> Correct me if I'm not doing this correctly, but I want to see if we can add like additional I have an additional recommendation. >> Yeah, sure. What we're here for? >> Yeah, I can go ahead. Um, I'd like to propose that we formally include language

118in the policy that requires the district to provide annual reminders and tools to families about the importance of having an emergency plan. Uh this should include guidance on updating emergency contact, preparing caregiver affidavits and storing important documents in case uh sudden family separation. So providing the guidance to our family especially at the beginning of the school year uh that just that friendly reminder like hey make sure you come into the office and update your emergency contact. >> Thank you for that. Um, do you know if it would go here or if it would go somewhere else? Is there another >> the addition of the language? >> Yeah. >> Um, I think because we're not taking action, Trustia Hernandez can just send it to you to review and add for the governance meeting on Friday. >>

119Okay. All right. Well, thank you. Oh, she Do we have a Do we have an answer? I was just going to offer that um that would likely live in a in an AR a regulation rather than the policy because the AR is what gives the direction to staff. >> Okay. Thank you. So, we're going to find out where that goes and make it happen. That's a great idea. It may actually even exist somewhere, but we will find out. And >> Oh, your mic isn't on. >> Sorry, I keep forgetting. I If needed, I can email you. Yeah. >> Specific verbiage. >> Yeah. >> And then you you let me know the direction. >> Yeah. Perfect. Thank you. Anything else? >> Okay. So, that concludes the first item. The second one is um board policy 6116.

120>> President. Uh we need to public. >> Yeah, you're right. I'm like, uh okay, let's go to uh is there public comment on this? >> Yes, we have one public comment. Uh Mr. Sky Nelson. >> Thank you for that. Uh I appreciate all the uh confirmations that were made today. I'm a person of Jewish descent and I spent a day at the Jewish Holocaust Museum in Frankfurt, Germany this past summer reading every story of persons harmed. I'm currently concerned about the targeting of immigrants without due process fanned by a 247 24-hour news cycle with no factchecking. I know we're all concerned. I'm grateful for the work of this board. I want to read two quotes by Ellie Wisell, a survivor of the Holocaust. The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of

121art is not ugliness, it's indifference. Opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. The opposite of life is not death, it's indifference. And second, there may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to pro to protest. And tomorrow, uh July 17th is John Lewis Day. I'd like to urge everyone to go to a protest or get out in your community for the good trouble lives on. There's one at Richmond Bart at 5:00 p.m. There's one at uh the overpass in San Pablo at 5:00 p.m. tomorrow. And if we fail to look at the the similar thank you for your comment. Okay, so now I think we're done with this item. Any more public comment? That's it. Okay, moving now to board policy 6116,

122classroom interruptions. The attorney general's guidance on promoting a safe and secure learning environment for all guidance and model policies to assist California's K12 schools in responding to immigration issues recommends that policies that limit classroom interruptions be updated. The updated the updates are based on attorney general guidance and the California school boards association sample policies but we modified them to fit our needs. This policy has been reviewed by governance committee superintendent cabinet and appropriate staff and it is recommended for approval. Are there any board questions on what we have in front of us? Okay. Is there any public comment on the item? >> We have no public comment. >> Okay. Comments. Guess that's it. Okay. Moving on to board policy 1250, visitors outsiders. The attorney general's guidance on promoting a safe and secure learning environment for

123all guidance and model policies to assist California's K12 schools in responding to immigration issues recommends that policies related to visitor visitors be updated. The updated the updates are based on general guidance and the California schoolboard association sample policies but are modified to fit our needs. This policy has been reviewed by the governance committee, superintendent, cabinet, and appropriate staff and is recommended for approval. Are there any board questions on the mods? >> Okay, none. Is there any public comment on the item? >> We have no public comment. >> Any comments? >> President, I can introduce the next one if you would like me to take a break. Thank you. >> Of course. Uh board policy 5131 conduct cell phone policy pursuant to ED code 48901.7 phone free school act. All school districts must stop policies to

124limit the use of smartphones while pupils are at school sites or while pupils are under the supervision and control of employee or employees of the school district. The policies adopted must be updated every 5 years. Policy 5131 conduct is updated to reflect the new law. This policy has been reviewed by the governance committee sprinted at cabinet and appropriate staff and is re recommended for approval. If I may, I also would like to add that we surveyed the community staff students specifically. We got a lot of feedback. Um, I think it's one been one of our most extensive surveys where we've gotten answers especially from young people about the our move to a cell phone free uh district. And I did want to point out the policy itself because we have gotten a lot of questions

125about this. Um, this is not a complete removal of cell phones. Students can have cell phones but they have to be in their backpacks or stored. Um, and that's where the cell phone free policy kicks in. Um, does not mean that in emergency situations, um, staff would wouldn't allow students to use a cell phone. We got that question a lot about whether in an emergency an emergency um, still students wouldn't be able to contact their families. That's not the case. It's just that cell phones cannot be seen on campus, but they can be stored in their possession. Also, there are exceptions for students um where their IEP specifically calls out the use of a cell phone. Um and also there are a couple additional small exceptions, but overall all of our campus would be cell

126phone free. Uh cell phone free, smartphone, smartwatch. I'm trying to think of Lori and all the uh things that she brought forward. smartwatch, smartphones, uh glasses which now have a cell phone on them, um and anything else that might be considered in this criteria. Um and one thing that we did review is also data around this um mental health of students and how self constant cell phone use at school has not just increased mental health issues but has increased suicides specifically in our district. It has also increased fights um and um um harassment online uh during school hours which we hope this will deter some. Um that's that's it President. Thank you. >> Thank you very much for that great introduction. Anybody have questions? Is there public comment on this item? >> Yes, we have

127one public comment. Mr. Sky Nelson. >> Hello. Thank you for taking public comment on this. I'm a teacher in Elsto High School and I have a a method for collecting phones which has worked really well for me. I'm very supportive of this measure, this this motion. I I reached out to one of my volunteer students who's on my group who was a student rising nth grader to ask him, you know, what should I say about this because what's your experience? He wrote the following which I thought was really brilliant. I'm not sure. I think it's definitely a topic that needs both sides to so students and educators to be at the table to discuss the policy, not just the district making an overarching opinion. I also think the district should prioritize policy imple implementation so

128that whatever the cell phone policy will be, ensuring that it doesn't vary classroom to classroom or school to school and make sure it's a district-wide policy being imple implemented everywhere. So I love this this this reminder that we should make decisions together, top down, bottom up, altogether uh with more buyin from everybody. So thank you. >> Thank you for that comment. Any comments from the board? >> President Rickler, may I add one thing? Sorry, we should have mentioned Mr. Uh Skyler also mentioned this piece which is that staff also went to the student governing body which is our um all student congress to get their feedback. Uh we also heard feedback from schools that have piloted um a no phone uh school um like uh Greenwood Academy um and and others. Um so we did

129gather quite a bit of input from students. So I just wanted to point that out because we we agreed in governance that we couldn't be just adults making this choice especially when students it's really for students not having the cell phones. Uh and overall I actually think that the feedback we got from students was that they agreed on not wanting to have phones at school um but there's social pressure for them to have them right so if others have them. So, uh, it was actually good to see that a lot of the student feedback we got was in agreement to this vision of no cell phones. So, thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Go ahead. >> It's not a question on this one, but it is one on the previous um policy that

130we were talking about. May I ask it about the previous policy? >> Sure. The question was in there's a little paragraph that says, "No electronic listening or recording device may be used by students or visitors in a classroom without the teacher and principal's permission. The use of recording devices without prior approval is prohibited. Did we just limit it to the classroom?" Because the scope is so big when you're talking about the Halloween parade, right? or if you're talking about the PTA performance on campus at night when students are doing the holiday sing along. Uh when you're talking about graduation that are on our sites when it's did we limit it to the classroom because that is more controllable and manageable because the scope of what happens at schools is so large like how are we

131going to control a football game, right? They're going to videotape a football game or a basketball game. There's going to be video that happens by our visitors and students at rallies, right? Or when they are doing a PTA or a PTO event. Is that the reason why it just says classrooms? >> President, may I answer? >> Yeah, go ahead. >> Thank you. >> Um, we limited because of ED code. Ed code specifically calls classroom only. >> Okay, so that's that. Thank you for that answer. um because we're limited because through ed code, because of just classroom only, we're not going to reach anything else, right? We're just going to stick to the boundaries of what the ED code says. We're not going to go out and try to um mitigate or legislate outside events outside

132of the classroom. Is that correct? >> I think we should actually look into that and see what else the ED code says because it might say something else. Um, and you're bringing up an excellent point and I don't know what the answer is. But for this one, this is spec that that was specifically in the ED code, but I think your other issue does need some research. >> We only looked at that one ED codes. So, the president is right. There might be additional ED codes about events or classrooms, you know, districts, I mean, excuse me, schoolwide. We did not look I did not. Maybe Mr. concept of a process can answer uh because they did kind of that research but we just looked at uh uh at code uh 51512. >> Uh I don't

133have that information now but we will research it and see what we can find. >> Thank you. And was I clear was I okay so it was clear about what just the question. It was just a curiosity of mine, but yes, I would love to know the answer and if there's further ed code that would be included under this umbrella or if this is just the ed code just states to classrooms. Thank you. I'm complete. >> Thank you. Uh, anything else on that one? Nope. Okay, we're moving on to number five. Thank you all for that. We're moving on to number five. annual bond facilities master plan and quarterly project update. Ms. Payne. >> Good evening. Um, tonight it's my pleasure to introduce our director of facilities planning and construction, Miss Mahia Hooper. As she

134often reminds us, every time we touch a building, we have an opportunity to improve learning. And so while she sets up, I want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to her for her dedication, expertise, and passion for creating environments where learning can flourish. She's going to walk you through our annual um report. And uh I'll pass it over to you. Take it away. >> Okay. Uh it looks like Rosa is sharing for me, so we'll just move ahead with that. Um good evening everyone. Uh thank you for having me tonight. My name is Ellen Mahia Hooper. I'm the director of facilities planning and construction for the school district and we're bringing forward the uh annual facility master plan update. So these are our bond projects. Uh the agenda tonight is to review which projects have been

135completed as well as which projects are in process. And I want to spend just one moment uh before we get to all the really pretty pictures uh acknowledging that these are complex structures that we are building. They're technology rich. They're environmentally um cognizant of the amount of water and electricity we use. They are insulated uh to be provide thermal comfort and air quality. There are a lot of different requirements that go into every building we build. uh structural fire life safety, accessibility are our core key components. Uh but there are so many others that are part of it. I I just wanted to not be remiss when we only show what's outside the walls and what everybody sees every day, but the parts and pieces behind the walls that make the building actually function. I'd

136also like to appreciate the architects, engineers, and builders uh that are involved in all of our projects. uh we manage it but uh they are the ones that make the magic happen. Next slide please. So we are coming to a point in our facility master plan where the we have completed most of the funded projects within the uh 2016 master plan and starting to look ahead to what's next. Uh and so the first step is updating the facility master plan. We have gone out for proposals to different architects uh to request uh a proposal from them and are reviewing that as we speak. This is an important part of the process to understand where the uh baseline of our facilities are right now to evaluate what's going on with our programs uh and how they're

137accommodated within our buildings such as transitional kindergarten which has been a new uh addition to uh our school systems in recent years as well as um being in compliance with Prop 2 where you have addressed that earlier this evening. Uh so we will be bringing that forward to the board in a future meeting. Next slide. The other part that we want to highlight in a background is how to find out about our projects. So there's many different avenues for outreach. Uh few of them are listed here and you can see them cycle through. Please do sign up for a newsletter if you're in and if you are interested in a particular project. That is the best way to know about any events, any input sessions uh as well as construction photos um every month during

138construction. Next slide. So, we've completed a couple projects. Uh Hercules High School, uh we were proud to have a ribbon cutting ceremony to open this facility. Next slide. and it brings forward uh eight new science labs for the Hercules Middle High School uh campus and support spaces. And so it was it's a beautiful project that is in use now and we're always excited to see how uh students and staff move into the space and make it their own. Next slide please. So designs in project in progress and under construction. lake is kind of passing over both of these um and it's partially complete. It's a multi-phase project. Next slide. Where uh we've completed the first half which was the administration library as well as the first through six classroom buildings. We are moving on to

139the kindergarten complex which we are super excited to open uh this fall. So for first day of school, we will have new kindergarten classrooms as well as the playground. And following uh later in the fall, early winter, we will be opening the cafeteria as well as the main playground space. Next slide, please. Uh we did have a ribbon cutting for the uh first phase and we are uh looking into a ribbon cutting for the second phase once we have all the components complete. Next slide. And so this is the new front entryway for those uh that haven't driven by. The construction fencing is down out front and the animation should be Try one more click. There we go. Uh this is the front. New kindergarten classrooms. This is the playground in process. Another shot of

140the playground. And this will be our new um NPR once it's complete. Uh again, probably in that October, November time period. Next slide. Shannon Elementary School is one of the critical needs projects uh that were dictated in the 2016 master plan. Next slide. And so this is replacing Next slide, please. Uh this is replacing an existing portable uh that is currently being used as a cafeteria and kitchen. This has a full kitchen associated with it. Um and a lovely dining space that has a lot of natural light and access to indoor outdoor dining. That's been our theme since Michelle Obama has really been an an important uh part of enhancing our our community uh spaces. Next slide, please. Kendi High School modernization. This has been a big one. All right, next slide, please. Uh, you're

141going to notice a common theme through the next three projects. We are breaking them up into multi-phase. This is really to try to expediate the schedule as much as possible. We're doing either nonDSA or a small package to DSA to be able to do demolition and utility placement while the design continues for the main construction projects here. We have phase 1.1 and 1.2 under construction as we speak, which is really exciting because I've come to this board and I say, "It's coming. It's coming. It's coming." And guess what? It's here. It made it. Um so we are under construction for those two. Phase 1.3 is a new classroom building as well as a new um combination building that you'll see in just a second. Phase two and three will modernize the remainder of the buildings

142as well as the field space. Next slide please. So we did say goodbye to the 10200 building. We had a great celebration to do that. But now next slide. And I yeah I think you have to click on the video. We are full-fledged in demolition mode. Um so pieces and parts of the building have come down. Uh there is one little wall left. I've I added a bonus slide uh to the end of this presentation of a time lapse. Um, but we are taking all of the necessary safety procedures to make sure that this is done uh safely and it will be completed before school starts at least the structural demolition phase. Next slide, please. And we're making way for the new. So, this is the new classroom administration building. We have a student entry

143lobby, many classrooms as well as some flexible learning areas and a new public li lobby. And the last picture is uh coming from the what we're calling the steam quad uh which will be the new quad outside of the uh science building that will be supported by the two CTE buildings on either side as well as this space of the um new two-story building that'll be coming in. Um so this will be the view from inside the campus. Next slide please. We also have a combination dining and performance arts space. This would be the public lobby in this is the transformation from dining to theater. Uh and this is from the press box or the lighting controls box at the top. Um so we will have a full-fledged stage with the appropriate acoustical treatments and

144operable wall to protect that space during lunchtime. Next slide. STE Elementary School campus rebuild. We are um really excited. This this design is moving forward nicely. If you go to the next slide, please. We do have three phases. We are currently under construction for phase zero. So, it's happening. Uh the portables have been uh mostly removed. The last one is maintaining because it has our temp power in it. Um but we are moving forward uh with preparing the other buildings for demolition and they will be um coming down in the next several months. Uh phase one is in design and will be the full um utility package uh for the site. Again we are doing this separate package to try to accelerate the schedule. Phase two is the real construction of the new building. Next

145slide please. We are debuting a few. Oh no. First we have the demolition. We had to have a demolition slide here. This is sped up. We did not rip off this roof in 3 seconds. Um just for everybody's clarity. Um but it was really fun uh video and I couldn't help but share it. Next slide. All right. We are debuting tonight some exterior renderings that have just been completed by the uh architects. Um so different areas around the edge of campus including the classroom building as well as the new uh cafeteria library area. And this is the look to the new front door office space. Next slide please. Richmond High School modernization. Uh for this next slide to be able to start the first phase, we are going into the staff parking lot and around

146the existing theater. So, we don't have anything to tear down here yet. Uh don't worry, it's coming. Um but so phase 1.1 is a utility make ready package. Uh we were in communication with DSA today and they accepted our back checked comments today. Uh so we still have CGS but once CGS comes through which is the California Geodologic Society we will be um we will be cleared to start construction on what we're calling the utility and site preparation or utility make ready package. And so that will start bringing um and rerouting all of the utilities so that it'll stay operational. We'll have water, sewer, electrical, and low voltage uh to all of the buildings while we're under construction. Um which is a good thing. Phase 1.2 uh will be the completion of the new construction

147for the new two-story classroom building. Phase two includes modernization of the um parts of the main building, the two-story classroom building, parts of the gym, and then we have a little bit of new construction around the gym as well as a new administration building um which uh also includes site work in phase three. Next slide, please. Uh so this is a quick tour of the new classroom building. Maybe. No. Could we go back real quick? See if phase 1.2 wants to play. Well, we plan on making a video of this and posting it on our social media. So, here's the plug for WCCUSD facilities as our handle. Um, you'll be able to see any of the renderings that didn't play tonight. Next slide, please. Well, let's go to phase two. So, phase two, this is

148the new administration building out front. Uh, as well as, um, we're putting on a new lunch shelter on the side outside of where the new cafeteria space will be. Um, next slide, please. And that concludes our presentation. Miss Sikney. >> Great. Thank you very much. Do any board members have questions? >> Thank you. Thank you for the presentation. I love the videos, especially the 30 second one. Um my first question actually goes back to I think your second slide uh which is uh the prop to money specifically you mentioned we need to do a new master plan so that we get some of those funds that's a requisite um and you mentioned how we are now waiting to get bids on that work for someone to do that work um so I was wondering if

149you guys could talk a little bit about what would that what would that work look like how long would that take and how would our engagement of community uh be >> excellent. Uh so there are um we outlined in the RFP uh to have something that were would take around 6 to 8 months to complete. Believe it or not, that's somewhat close to lightning speed for a facility master plan. Uh especially for a district this size. Uh, one of the things that we need to have further discussion on is the the outreach component and what that wants to look like uh, across the district. Uh, part of that really wants to be dictated also on the uh, the changes recommended by the the master plan itself. There's a lot of scale and scope that could

150occur in a facility's master plan. Uh and so that would really want to be additional conversations um with district leadership and the board about where and and how far we want to look at um adjusting our current operation style. Uh form follows function is a very um well-known saying in the architectural world and it's absolutely true for education. uh we need to uh be aware of what we're asking for on the operational side and the utilization of our schools to ensure that the buildings are are meeting those needs as best as they can. >> Thank you for that. I only have comments. Thank you. >> Just did you have any questions? >> Anybody else have questions? Is there any public comments on the item? We have one public comment, Miss Michelle Jackson. Thank you to

151Superintendent Cotton and to the board of trustees and staff that are present here tonight. This is a wonderful, wonderful time to come be for you. We just simply want to say thank you specifically to Melissa Payne and Miss Cooper and that team that comes out to the community and explain things so simply and understandable. They're warm. we have input and we are very thankful to the way that you lead this team and we just have one recommendation and I know it's something that will probably happen as we move further uh into this process. We would like to secure uh an outreach team some stakeholders that can work closely uh with the team as we move forward and some of the uh details uh as the Steve school get rebuilt. I also want to thank Dr.

152Moses and all of those who started this Are there any comments from the board? Thank you. Thank you so much uh Miss Pay Miss Hoopa for all your work or your team on this. Um I have heard really good things from community about the work you're doing with those specific um impacted communities with the reconstructions of STE and uh Kennedy and Richmond High. So thank you. Um and I wanted to just touch on the piece about the new master plan. Um I do think that I would love to have a larger conversation as a board on what should that look like. Um, we all know the 2016 master plan was a huge deal. Um, and um, for those that was that remember, I know Mr. Gosy definitely does. Um, and it was actually a very

153robust uh, engagement. Now we were it was a very different time, right? My worry about starting a master plan now is the expectation of community that okay great now we're going to rebuild some of the other schools that haven't been rebuilt which at this point we don't really have that money yet right so I think that we have to do it really well right and get people's feedback throughout the community because we have a lot of work that needs to be done but then we also have to continuously mention expectations because I als I also don't want people to think that we're again making empty promises as we hear all the time that oh previous board staff whoever made empty promises and sometimes they mentioned the master plan right because we've changed that uh it's

154changed at certain points um because of lack of funding. So, I just wanted to put that out there because I do think that like we have some big schools that do need additional funding and then it could create this imbalance, right, of people coming and and asking for like, okay, my school should be rebuilt. Um, and Prop 2 won't I don't think will give us a chance to do full rebuilds of, you know, the 12 schools that still need that work. I'm making up that number. I know it's quite it's quite a bit. It's not, you know, one or two. Um, and and there's a lot of need, right? I mean, we were talking about like uh uh Highland, Grant, Valley View, Saskins, um Fairmont, B Reed, right? Like there's a lot of schools that

155need a lot. There's many I left off, but uh there's a lot of work. So, I just want to share we we have a robust engagement process, but also that we have expectations really uh put forward. Thank you. >> Go ahead. Trust folks. I think this gives us an opportunity to get zip coding out and get standards in. What do we want all schools to have, no matter where you're located in the district? And we have to develop a base. All students deserve blank when it comes to facilities. And with that base, we have to stick to it because that's what we're saying. One of the issues is we're zip coded. One of the issues is you can go from one zip code to the next and find a school that looks like a college

156campus and one that looks like it's been neglected, right? And all of these kids are our kids. So, I think that when we're having this robust conversation, when we're having this uh development of who we are, that's the question we have to ask. What do all children deserve when they are looking at facilities? Is that green space? Is that proper whatever? What does everybody deserve? And then how can we reach that goal? How can we reach that outcome? Because that will take away the biases because it's like, well, we want and we need and we have Yep. We got it. What's our standard? What's the thing that we're going to build upon to make sure that every student has the basic needs that it has to have that they deserve and should have when they

157are WCCUSD students. So that's the conversation that I'm looking for is the clarity and the definition about what this district says is our floor and then how we reach to the ceiling. But we have to have some type of leving agent. I'm complete. >> Thank you. Anyone else? >> Well, I just want to thank you for the updates. I think it's been really different this time around to use that word because I think um we have had more more communication especially around some of the projects than we formally have around projects. Um so I just want to echo that. So thank you for that. But I also want to take time to really put out there that this is a perfect time to establish systems, systems of community buyin, systems of communication and engagement and

158not just to our to our families within our education system, but really to the whole wide community that supports some of these um changes, right? I think that sometimes we tend to like do informational sessions and it just happens to be within our local families, but I think we really need to have that community buy in as well. We are moving to into that community schools model. So, I really want to see more engagement out into the community. you know, making sure that we're presenting to like our city councils of stuff that's really happening within our schools and having, I think, more outreach to those people that we really don't communicate, you know, on an everyday basis. So, I want to thank you for the outreach that we have, but I think we could still

159go a little bit over and beyond what we're doing to really set the tone and the standards of what we can do moving forward when it comes to any kind of community engagement or participation. So, thank you. Thank you. Okay, great. Thank you very much for the presentation. Moving on now to number six, human resources recruitment plan presentation. Dr. Johnson, I believe this is you. >> Yes. Thank you, President President Reckler, members of the board and superintendent Cotton. This year, our human resources department has embraced a fundamental shift in our approach, moving from isolation to collaboration. This change isn't just a departmental goal. It's an intentional decision that strengthens our entire WCCCC community. Our commitment to collaboration extends beyond our department walls. We're working to build bridges with our labor groups, support school sites, strengthen

160partnerships with our departments, and increase engagement with our community. And this integrated approach ensures that our HR practices directly support student success and educational excellence. So tonight, I'm honored to model this collab collaborative approach by presenting alongside with our two directors, Dr. Sylvia Greenwood and Dr. excuse me, and director Denise Steam. Together, they will provide you with a comprehensive update on the progressive initiatives and vision for the future of our HR department. And I'll now turn it over to Dr. Greenwood and Director Steam to share the specific ways we're putting this collaboration and vision into action as they share an update of our HR department. Good evening, board president Reckler and Superintendent Cotton. Next slide. So, this is a representation of our certificated staffing representing elementary. Next slide. Secondary. Next slide. And special education. And

161this these areas show over the past three years of what our staffing has been. And this year, if you look at the special education slide, this makes up over 10% of our recent staffing exits, which is an area a special area of concern. While analyzing the uh specific exit factors, we are working on targeted recruitment and working with the special education department to support stat strategies to address this trend. Currently, we since July 1st, we have hired 57 new certificated staff, 10 in sped, 18 in secondary, and 29 in elementary 29 elementary teachers. Next slide. Substitutes. Last year we were able to hire almost over 150 substitute to cover classrooms at the beginning of the school year. So that is our current goal to be able to do that as well. Next slide. Separations. So

162we had over nearly a 100 educators depart last year. So we conducted exit surveys to find out what were some of the issues or concerns that some of our um educators had. Next slide. So if you look at the questions we looked we checked um how many years they taught in the district. Next slide. What were the reasons they were leaving the district? Most people, half the uh individuals that took the survey was about 49 participants, they were retiring. Next slide. What we checked their ethnicity. Next slide. And then also we wanted to follow up to see um why did they I'm sorry, put my glasses what would encourage them to remain in the position in the district and majority was because of pay increase and so I know we've been working with the unions

163to try to address this concern and collaboratively with them and so some of the issues that we also wanted to that came up if you check the next slide please um did you receive receive proper um professional development. And so that is some one of the um growing strategies that we have been working on is including coaching and professional development um and making sure that that is one of our key areas for recruitment in the district. Next slide. And so we use our teacher development and support programs as uh a hook, as I would call it, when we're out recruiting. And so it's it's also a way to help a teacher through their journey. Professional learning, mentorship, and coaching programs such as TIP, which is teacher induction program, teacher support and assistance program, and our

164residency programs are ways that we can encourage teachers to come to our district, but also to stay in our district. So this work is really critical to HR department. and I partner with Kristen Lloyd who's our our coordinator of teacher residency programs. Next slide. So our grow our own programs if you take a look at those numbers for this past year. And so programs such as our classified to certificated pathways help promote long-term retention and workforce diversity. Kristen has helped write grants for our department to make sure that this is made possible and this is our multi-pronged approach to help both with um retention and development. Next slide. So, some recruitment uh strategies is that I'm proposing that we all add Edjoin links in our staff email signature so that people can have an easy

165way to click on and apply on edjoin. I think this is simple, easy, and free for us. Um we're looking at new ways to innovate and recruitment plat uh practices. Uh we continue to use u platforms like Edjoin, LinkedIn and Next Door. Um these aims are just to uh simply attract highly qualified teachers and we prepare for the next few weeks. We are using substitutes to help plug those positions if we're not able to find as many teachers as we'd like. But we're hopeful like we've been in the past. We know that we can get every classroom staffed. Um we hope to have more job fairs. We don't have to have large ones, but we can have hybrid ones. We can have virtual ones but we want to have different kind of uh recruitment practices

166and we're looking for everyone to support. Next slide. So sources resources for success um successful recruitment and onboarding depend on our network. We need to staff we need branding. We need recruitment um marketing incentives. So every tool available to help us bring in candidates in the hiring and onboarding process is continued to help. And you know my model has been everyone is a recruiter in the district. So that means you you you and you. And so we also expect to be able to market better and we need everybody's support. And there's different free ways that we know that we can use that. Everything does not always cost money and during these difficult times, but we want to be creative and innovative. So, we take suggestions from everybody, but it's everybody's hand can help us lift

167up this great work in the district. Next slide. So, one way that we support recruitment and retention is the staffing committee. So the staffing committee is consistent of HR, business services, power school and site administrators. And so this process consists of looking at the site data and and they request additional FTE, but this is not just giving away free teachers to sites. This is process is really we review data and they have to bring data. we're very serious about this process and they and if they don't then I'm sorry that will be a no and so therefore we we go look at trends we review we have them come back again if they're not ready and then we go through the process that's stated on the side and business services has the process when we

168go through a personnel requisition and that's how the fund the the new position is funded and then HR processes it and then we let the site No. Next slide. And so finally, because of this process, I've developed a process. Every year, any site that has more than three or more vacancies, they become a high need school. So that that's my high priority. And so these sites that are listed are currently my high need schools. So I make it my priority to try to staff these schools first. So these are the the ones that are currently. And so it becomes my job over the summer, which I don't get a vacation, but it becomes my job to make sure that these schools are staffed. And so I interview personally along with the site administrator to try

169to find teachers to fill these positions. So they these sites currently have three or more vacancies. Next slide. And at this time, I'd like to bring my colleague uh Denise Dean Ford. And before we get to Denise, I just want to add just a few more points. We have there's a clear understanding that we have um some struggles with um recruitment recruitment and retention of our teachers. We've identified some of the some of the pain points in relation to teachers not returning for the previous school year. And our goal this year is to work we have started com um collaborating with ED services more than before. Um, last week in a meeting that we had regarding new teacher orientation with the union involved, we discussed having quarterly check-ins with all of our new teachers to

170check in to see how are they doing, what are they struggling with, what is the additional support that they need, and how can we provide that for them. We also plan to make sure our te our our leaders understand the importance of mentorship at their school sites and the importance of creating even at your school site a new teacher cohort and check-ins that are done because we do know we may not always be at the school sites every day with the teachers but our leaders are. So we want to collaborate together to ensure their success. And we also were identifying with UTR teacher late teacher leaders throughout our district who would not who would be part of this collaborative check-in that they could become mentors that they could be there to provide their own um

171input and experience to help them succeed and also to have them retained for the next year. As Dr. Greenwood acknowledged we have identified the high priority schools. We um are assisting the principles with also interviewing so that we get those um people hired as soon as we can. And for those classrooms, because we know our reality that there may be some classrooms that begin the school year that do not have a teacher assigned yet because we also hire into August. That we are working on identify the most qualified person that we can because last year our commitment was that every classroom would have an adult at the beginning of the school year and we were able to meet that and we want to do the same this year. the more qualified people the better, but

172I never want to um ignore our current reality. Um I am going to stop right there and I'm going to allow um Director Steen to speak and then I probably have a few more talking points and then Director Steen before you start board. It is 9:50. We're supposed to end at 10. Don't think we're going to make it. I'd like to recommend that we end at 10:30. So, we have this. We'll have questions. I know people have lots of questions. And then we have the charter annual update. Or do you want to take that off again? >> Um, I think that if we do both, I don't I don't know if we're going to end by 10:30. Um, I have a lot of questions on this one. Um, and I think others probably do as

173well. So, um either I think we extend to 11 or we move the charter uh report. >> What would people like to do? >> Was that a motion? >> Sorry. No, I gave two options. I don't know what I want. >> I can't stay past 10:30. My husband's alone with the baby. >> Okay. Okay. So, why don't we do this? Let's take the charter off, send Miss Roma home, and we'll just go until 10:30 with with this one. Everybody okay with that? >> Yeah. Then I'll I'll make the motion uh President Regular that we extend until 10:30 so that we can finish the human resources recruitment plan presentation and comments from the board if time allows. >> Anybody wants >> Oh, I'm so sorry. And the consent item pulled. Anybody want a second? I'll second.

174Go to the vote. Trusty Gonzalez. >> Yes. >> Trusty Smith Wols. >> Smith votes. Yes. >> Trusty Hernandez. >> Yes. >> Clerkana. >> Yes. >> And I'm a yes. Motion carries. Okay. So, no charter presentation. You guys can go home. I thought you'd get up and leave. You said like you sound like you're sitting and listening. And you're welcome to. And uh Director Ste, the floor is yours. >> Thanks. Good evening, President Reclair, Superintendent Cotton, and board trustees. I'm Denise Steen, director of classified employees. Let me first say how grateful I am to have this opportunity to lead this hardworking team and how appreciative I am that you trust us to hire, train, and maintain employees for West Contracasta. Next slide. You should know that we do more than hire. We provide customer service. We

175translate help potential employees with assessing the com accessing the computer. We listen to them when they have life stories of illness, death, births. As you can read from this slide, we post, screen, interview, etc. from start to the employment offer. However, what you might not know is that we take care of our employees after the hiring is done as well. We provide new hire orientation, health and safety training and procedures. We process salary increases, steps, promotions, demotions, everything that payroll needs to accurately cut checks each month so our employees get paid. And we do this all year long. But we also get our employees set after hiring. We take care of their benefits. We take care of their resignations, their retirements, their calor calculations. And when our employees are hurt on the job, we do

176all the workers comp processing. We support employees with accommodations and modifications. FMLA leaves so we keep so they can keep their jobs and continue to get paid. We do a lot with a limited staff. We don't even have a front office clerk. Next slide. So I'll let you look at these as I talk. Our resignations were less this year than in the past two years, but retirements were slightly higher. Terminations are down from the past two years. Terminations can be unsatisfactory work performance or a lack of earnings over a year's period for our substitutes. Next slide. Don't let this slide scare you. Don't be frightened. It's a snapshot and it happened to be done on June 30th. As of July 1st, the numbers came down and I don't have those for you. I should have

177pulled them today, but they every day they change. So, as of June 30th, we eliminated 58 PCNS because we consolidated uh Paris in classrooms that had overages. So, every day we're hiring, every day someone's retiring, there's transfers. So, as you know, we've I found out today we have 17 new TK classrooms throughout the district. So, that's 17 new early uh instructional aids that have to be hired. Additionally, because we're moving our Cameron babies out of ESN classroom programs and moving them into RSP programs, we've been authorized to hire 26 more pair professional 3es to support our RSP teachers, the gened teachers, the new TK teachers, and those students in those classrooms that are going to have IEPs. So, the numbers going to tick back up a little bit. I think the last count was 145,

178but in in adding these 40 these 40 staff, it's probably up to 180 at this point. I'm proud to say that we had a really successful turnout on Thursday with the job fair and we received a number of resumes and applications on Edjoin and we hired 12 paras last week and then we have 20 on the books that are about to be processed. So just in two weeks we have 32 potential staff. I've told my staff and I've told uh director Guthrie that my goal is 50 by the first day of school. So I'm working on it. I'm working on we're working on not me. We are. Um next slide. Um as you can see we have work to do. Uh we haven't been able to hire the pair professionals we need as a single

179SULPA with a reputation for good special education services. We need the staff to provide those services. Maybe think about an increase in pay for those folks who are willing to care for other people's children, children with special needs. Of the strategies we are implementing for the 2526 school year, although they are all a priority, there are three of our main uh that are our main focus. First, attend local community events with information tables, tablets, and potential con uh conditional offers on the site. We need to be a better uh presence. We had intended to go to graduations, but they snuck up on us pretty quickly, but we'll do that in the future. Or um events that um Mr. Goya puts on, we should be there. We should be a presence. Secondly, we want to conduct

180our uh interviews in person and start building those relationships with our potential employees from the first moment we meet. And third, make sure that we have a quick turnaround for applicants to hear back from us and to schedule interviews and get the process started. Next slide. As to the retention and support of our employees, we're working to prov to provide training for all of our employees from asbestous and lead awareness and abatement for our skilled laborers to providing CPR training for our pair of threes who provide specific medical care for our most risk students. We are partnering with special education to use our early release days to train our pair professionals on aspects of the care and strategies needed to support our special education students. These modules can be things like behavior strategies, deescalation strategies,

181how to work with students on the spectrum, etc. We have a dedicated staff of trained professionals who care deeply about students and staff in the district. I'd like to add that we would be able to do more and faster if we could just have one and a half more hiring techs and a front office desk clerk. Imagine the presence that we would hold. That's my time. Thank you and peace. Thank you, Director Ste. So, as you can see, um we clearly have um a theme here of support. One thing that was a common theme among our exit surveys was a lack of support. So we are doing our best to provide that support and not just thinking of what that would look like but asking the employees what does that mean to you? What does

182support look like and feel like to you? And then this information needs to be shared with our managers, with our school leaders so that they can then do that same thing. And we have a funnel down approach um and a clear understanding of what support looks like. One thing um that I we in the short time that we have been under the leadership of Superintendent Cotton is that understanding that we are one community. We are one district and what are we doing as a collective group to advance the support, the recruitment and the retention of our employees and we are purposely being intentional about how we do that this year that I think is different from how we've done it in the past. We've realize that it's not enough just for HR to hold that

183information, but that we need to work together to accomplish that task. Um, yes, I think I will pause right there for questions. >> Thank you very much for the presentation and I'm sure you have questions. So, >> I do I do think Lupe raised her hand first though. Sorry, Trusty and Jana. Sorry about that. Clerk Clerk and Jana raise her hands first though. So, I'll let her start and then happy to go next. I have a question. Um, it's around the certificated staff. I know that we have a list of high uh need sites and I wanted to know a little bit more about the process of hiring um teachers and how do we allocate them to those high need sites because I know there's other sites that have um positions available. So, what's that

184process and how are we now shifting them into those high need sites? because some of the principles are gone during the month of July. So, I can kind of move them the the teachers that I'm interviewing direct them to the site or place them personally at this point. Okay. So um no, so when they go on edge join and they apply for a specific site, you're able to manage them from a specific site into one of our high need sites or what does that process look like? >> So if they're interviewing for that specific site, then I can pull their application directly. >> Okay, that's my question for right now. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um I have quite a few, so please stop me anytime. Happy to do a second round. Um, but I

185have six questions are going to overlap mine. So, >> okay. Um, I have six questions. Um, and some of them you kind of already started digging into it in your in your comments. First of all, thank you for the presentation. It's so good to see uh thank you Dr. Johnson. It's so good to see you, Miss Dean and Dr. Greenwood. I appreciate it. Um, so the first one is kind of like a wider district-wide question. Um, so how are we as a district holding ourselves accountable to such a large turnover of 150 educators plus, you know, the 70s something classified from this last year? Um, how are we as a district looking at that and thinking critically about what are we doing that we could have done differently? Thank you for that question and thank

186you for acknowledging what are we as a district doing because I think it's always been what is HR doing and yes we are responsible for recruitment and retention but it is a collective effort and I think it starts first by acknowledging the problem that exists and then coming together to solve the problem with solutions. We don't have all the answers. We have ideas of what we think will work. We have researchbased strategies that have worked but I think it's going beyond and having everyone own the problem starting with um people who have direct impact with our teachers. So with showing up at our principal meeting if we could get time on the agenda and having a collective efforts of what they feel would be successful knowing students. It's all knowing the teachers that we serve.

187It's also coming together with our labor groups because our labor groups have even more information than we do because people tend to be more open and share with the labor groups. We already have established weekly meetings with the labor groups. So, we have those conversations ongoing, but I would think it would be a great idea even to have representatives come and speak before our principles and share these are the concerns that we have. These are the concerns that our teachers have. We may not be able to change the salary as of right now, but what are the cultures and the conditions of work that we can work towards and make those different so I think it's collective conversations having a strategic plan but it takes all of us to have a plan. It doesn't make

188sense for just us to do the plan when everyone is involved in the work. And so I'm looking forward to that when we return for the school year. [Music] >> Thank you for that answer. That goes into my second question. Uh so keeping with that thought um if through the exit surveys which I'm so thankful you're all doing the exit surveys um they there are educators and classified members who are citing a school for you know poor culture or poor leadership or poor u you know um support or professional development whatever that looks like. How are we following up with those sites specifically about those concerns? >> Yeah. So when you think about someone who is struggling um in whatever particular area their role is um we have used improvement plans. There's nothing that says

189we can't create an improvement plan for that school site that directs specific steps that will need to be take need to be taken. And then with an improvement plan you have recurring check-ins to see how you're doing. And during that time you say how can we support you? How are things going? what are things that are still a concern and then we address those. Um that is a suggestion that I would recommend something that we could implement by identifying which schools are suffering whether it be regarding culture or whether it be regarding retention and then we create a support plan along with the check-ins along the year to support them. And I will tell you that um WCCCA is really in agreement with supporting in any way that you can. So I know that they

190would be a help with that. I believe that Teamsters and UTR would be on board also with us moving forward in that direction. Thank you for that. Um so now going to the uh item that um Dr. Greenwood mentioned about uh even with all the amazing recruitment efforts that are happening, we might still end up with classrooms that won't have an educator or you know that's support through the classified side. So apart from uh looking for subs, which I did here, that's obviously one of the biggest uh leverages that we're doing right now is recruiting substitutes and long-term subs. What else are we doing to support the classrooms that won't have an educator? And that could be to you all or ed services or whoever would like to jump in. >> So we do believe

191that we will be able to have coverage for all of our classrooms um once we start to move into getting settled. But if not, we always have a plan where anyone who is credentialed, if they are needed into a classroom, they go into a classroom. And we all know at this level, we're committed to that. and the teams of people who work with us are also committed to serving students first. So that is a last resort. But we do believe that we will have coverage for every classroom on the first day of school and moving forward. And as I said, recruitment doesn't start just because we hit August. We are hiring well into the month of August. >> Thank you for that. And following up to what clerk and Jana was asking about the specific

192sites that you have called out as high needs, um apart from obviously wanting to fill those spaces, what are we doing to support those schools knowing that they have a greater number of need or number you know need in total? >> Well, again, it's a collaborative approach. Um Director Stain just um yelled out, well, not yelled out, she said EDS. Yes, it is working with our EDS, but I think it's also time for some honest conversations with leadership as to why is this a recurring theme, especially year after year. We are working closely with um Teach for America and have expanded the sites where they um where they give us um candidates. Um but they have said that leadership matters and makes a really big difference in who they send and where they send them

193to. So when we talk about accountability, it is having those conversations of how do we need to move forward. It's checking in more often, not just the EDS because they have a heavy load upon them, but it's checking in with um I'm not calling out my colleagues, but our sped department checking in with the sped teachers. It is um us checking in with our principles and saying how do we support you with challenges that you may have at the site. Dr. Greenwood and Director Steen already do office hours on Fridays if you weren't aware where principles are allowed to meet with them and ask questions. They open up a zoom and um principles come and get support and help in that way. But I think it goes beyond just focusing on those who are may

194perhaps being evaluated that year and moving into let's touch base with all of our principles more often. Um let's spend more time visiting school sites and meeting with them and seeing what it looks like and seeing what the challenges are that could be prohibiting um the return of teachers for the next year because it's never just one issue. It's always a larger issue and we really get to find that out when we are at a school site visiting. >> Yes. Having just recently been a principal, um I would like to suggest uh I know that the principal meetings and the operation meetings are very intense and there's a lot of stuff that needs to be told, but for me I feel like that's an opportunity for people to be paired with or or grouped with

195likeminded folks where there are suggestions that can happen. If if there's one principal among um a group that is struggling, there's a partnership right there. There's information, there's collaboration, there's support right there in that principal's meeting, but there needs to be time and space to say, "Hey, I've got this kid that's disrupting my school," or, "Hey, I've got this teacher who's being toxic." Those are the kinds of things that when we are isolated in our silos, we are handling all by ourselves. and when and no disrespect to the principal meetings that that's a lot of information coming at us and not a lot of collaboration with us. So that is one thing that I think could um when I had my interview I was talking about training training training and it's impo nearly impossible to

196train because there is no dedicated time. I think going back to when we had our ILTs and each each group, each site had an ILT that went to a full ILT for the district where we could collaborate on the things that were working versus complaining about the things that are not. We grew um our our like-minded practices. I don't want to be on a soap box, but I think um it's really important that our sites have that opportunity to collaborate, which the administrators collaborate with each other. Sorry, I'm complete. >> And lastly, in terms of collaboration, we are um collaborating with WCCA to put together a mentorship program where administrators can support other administrators. >> That's great. Thank you. And due to timings, I just saw I asked my last question. Um, Baby Elementary School

197has been a red flag or has been a high need school now for almost a decade. And this is both for for you, Dr. Johnson, and for Dr. Cotton. Doctor, well, I'm already putting it out there. >> Um, what are we going to do differently for this school? Because to me it's a shame that was still a high need school after a decade. Um I know that because I was a teacher there in 2013 and it was a high need school when the charter schools open up the hill, right? So uh what are we do? I know we have nine, but what are we doing differently for that school? Because some have dropped off that list, some have come back unfortunately, right? But this one has never left it. >> Yeah. So I um if

198I can start I will say one of the strengths of cabinet is that we in the two years that I have been here we have come together many times when there was a school in that same distress and we have created a plan of support for that school. So it sounds like Bay View is the school that needs to be next on our support plan of how we're going to help them achieve. Um there are greater conversations that we would have that are probably not appropriate for this setting. Um, and I I acknowledge, I hear, and I have seen the data related to the school, and I think that is a conversation that we need to bring back to cabinet on what our next steps would be. Um, I will defer to Superintendent Cotton if

199there's anything you wanted to add, but you don't have to cuz we're being questioned. Um, day nine, right? Trustee Gonzalez Hoy, >> just want to lift that up. >> It's okay. Dr. Johnson did a great job. >> But I do the idea of a consult. Oh, thank you. The idea of um hosting some type of consultancy. we're able to talk through what is happening and what we can do not just as a cabinet but as a a district team to address the needs specifically of Bay View as you're calling out but of of our high need schools as well. those schools who are hard to staff. But if there are other issues um that those that we need to really think through and talk through, including the principal in that conversation, including maybe a a

200small cohort of principles in that conversation so that folks are not isolated. I agree um with Director Stain. We want to we want to people say break down those silos, but we it needs to be an action. Um and pulling pulling groups together to really think through what are the challenges that we're seeing. Looking at schools who had been in that place but have moved forward and really tapping into what what's different there? What's different about the culture of the school that's there? What's different about how they're working together? So that would for me consultancy protocols to kind of move this work forward I think would be really helpful as well. But I appreciate the mentorship and again there's so many different systems that are that need our attention in within this school district and

201I I think that we will continue to spin our wheels if we continue to address one system in isolation and another system in isolation. This is all about really the issue is we need supportive uh educators for our students. We need um wellsupported principles um to support those educators. We know that um we know that um teachers leave because not just salary but because of working conditions and teachers leave because of the the type of leadership and support that they're receiving. So what is it that we can do to coach up our principles to support our principles so that they can can lead and support our teachers? So that's that's my recommendation. >> Thank you so much. Thank you. That's my question. President, >> thank you. Anyone else? All right. I have a couple. I

202sent them in. So I'll just ask a few so that we can get to the consent item. I'd also like to see this come back from now through the start of school so that we can just understand where we are in hiring. So when will your graph be populated with 25 26 data in terms especially in hiring? >> When will those graphs be updated? >> Yeah. So like you know like you have prior years but now we're in the 25 26 school year. So you must have information on hiring, what you've hired so far, what you need, how many vacancies for the for rolling into this year. >> Yeah. So again, that's a moment in time. Um HR data changes daily and I would even say it changes hourly. So that's why I struggle a

203little bit with printed documents because it does change. We have a recurring spreadsheet um that updates on a regular basis and I think the team over here has something to add so I'm going to allow them to. >> I'm saying as of today for me I've hired 10 sped 18 secondary and 29 elementary teachers. >> And how many vacancies are there? >> Um 108 >> in total. And that's today but tomorrow can be different. >> Yeah. No, that's fine. I mean, it's just like the budget. The money changes every day. And if you have to put >> current today, July 16th, 2025, >> I'm fine with that. >> Yes. >> But just to get an idea of where you are. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Next is Oh, go ahead. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Next.

204>> We are an open book. We have a spreadsheet that if anyone wanted to view and look at the current changes, they can. It's updated daily. >> Okay. Thank you. Yeah, I'm fine with it changing. Just put down snapshot in time valid today, changes tomorrow. Um the other question I have and then I'm going to stop is um out of the people who responded on the exit survey that they left because of pay, how many were in the one to fouryear block? Do you know? I would I would have to get you that information, but I can >> Okay. Thank you. I'd like to I'd like to know that if possible. Okay. So, if there's anything else you have a comment that you wanted to make on this. Okay. So, that Go ahead. So that

205we can get to Oh, you Oh, you have questions, too. Okay. Go ahead. Sorry about that. I didn't know that. I could have saved mine. Um, I just had two questions. Uh, do we survey the classified staff? >> Yeah, we're going to attach it to the resignation form. So, there's a K12 form that you fill out to resign or retire and we are going to add a survey at the bottom, an attachment survey to that so that we can also collect data. It has not been done in the past but we are going to do that in the future. >> Okay. Thank you. And then my second question um as Dr. Greenwood mentioned uh sped teachers represent 10% of those who have left our district. Um do we know why it's so high? Have we

206do we talked to those individuals? I I'm asking specifically for SPAD. Um or is it just in general? >> No, we're looking into why we haven't. I'm working with SPED on that. >> Okay. Thank you. Sorry, I have one more question. In your certificated exit survey, there's two repeated options of going back to school slashobtain higher ed. We have two different numbers. We have three people answering and then two people answering that question. Um that's just a comment I guess but when they leave to go to another district do we ask them what district or No. Okay. >> Thank you. That's those were my questions. comments. Trustees with folks can go. >> I'm gonna go very fast because I know other board members have comments. Um I would like to see um the check-ins not

207just for new teachers but for all teachers. Um because all teachers hit that burnout at different times. I think new teachers have things that they need to check in about. But I think some of our seasoned teachers also would be like, "Yo, I need to have a little respit or a check-in too." Um, I would like to see us have some sub plans ready to go for that beginning of the year. So, the substitutes that are in those classes already know that for the first two weeks we're doing culture and climate and check-ins and we're not starting the curriculum yet or whatever the case may be. Um, I would also like long-term our long-term subs for them to have specific check-ins. It's a different category, too. So, I'm just looking at some of the subcategories

208of our teaching staff and making sure that they're um covered in the specific kind of like how you doing, right? Because it's a different way of uh conducting yourself. I would also like you to tell us how we can become good recruiters, right? I know that we visit sites, we talk to people, we talk to parents, we have kids in the system. So, how can we become really good recruiters for you as well? That would be something that I would like to know. Um the other thing is some of the events that you said that you wanted to go go to um the back to school nights, the national night outs, the open houses. I think we need to tap our graduates. I think we have a lot of young people that have like that

209kind of gap like what am I going to do while I'm waiting to go to school? Um parents with kids that are finally in school, we need something to do. So, how can you tap us as yard supervisors, as lunchroom supervisors, things that we can do while our kids are in schools, and like you always do, tap in those retirees and say, "Please come back and help us." I think is great. Thank you all for your presentation. It was very, very good, and I'm looking forward to, and I know that we are just heading in the right place and and um on the right path. The other thing that I would love us to have is some sister schools. How do we share a robust PTA with one that doesn't have a PTA? How do

210they become sister schools and share their grantees and share their uh resources and share their events that they have? So, it brings both of the sites together and then they can just increase and balloon out. So, I think that that would also be something too and I think all board members should adopt a school. You have nine on that list. How do we adopt one of those schools and we go help? We go do yard supervision. We go do site plans. We go read the students. or we become PTA members at that school. What can we do as board members to help? I am complete. >> Thank you. Um those were great comments. So I'm just going to add a couple things. I think that um first of all, I appreciate everything you're all doing.

211I mean, I think that answering some of my questions, I was impressed on some of the things that you're all thinking about doing differently moving forward. Uh so thank you for that. Um I know you're all overwhelmed. You have a small staff, so also having to think about outside of recruitment, it's a lot. Uh but I like this thinking about partnering with other departments, right? Because it's not just HR's work to retain educators. Maybe recruit, but retain is different, right? It's more than just HR. Um Superintendent Con, I really liked your response also about how to learn from schools who are having a successful retention of educators and how to replicate that. Um I thought that was a really really good idea. uh if it's not already being done. Um I also wanted to provide

212an idea that I had with um uh Miss Kasto Pasquez and Dr. Moses which is at graduation stapling information about hiring to the pamphlets for the graduation. It's a very simple thing but everybody grabs one right and everybody sees one. Um apart from you know tableabling would be good but that I think will go home. So just one one quick idea. Um, I also think that providing spaces for educators specifically who may uh uh think themselves Latino or African-American also just to learn what are issues that they're facing because we also need to recruit more people of color. Um, so providing that space to for us to hear how we can support them. Um, it might actually make us a better uh to recruit additional folks of color. So, uh, and they themselves might be

213their best recruiters if they feel supported, right? Um, so I just wanted to put that last piece and then just to end, I think that pay obviously is a huge issue. I think that we all agree here that pay needs to be um we need to do something about the pay of of educators and classified, right? I mean, we are losing so many people to pay around us, to districts around us. Um and and we as a board, as a staff, we need to come together and figure out how how we're going to make it work under current budget constraints, but we have to increase pay. Um otherwise, even if we fix some of the cultural issues, uh we're still going to have 100 folks leave a year, if you know, somewhere else literally 5

214minutes away will pay an additional $20,000. It makes a huge difference for people, right? So we will have to have really hard conversations because we're already having hard conversations but even harder because I do think we have to do something right. So but thank you so much everyone that's it president. >> Thank you everyone. Thank you for the presentation C6 trusty Smith vendor. >> I can go ahead and just move it. This is different than what I thought it was. So I'll go ahead and move item C6. >> Okay. Uh they put >> Oh, yeah. Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah, go ahead. We're all over the place. We got a minute. All right. Wait. Let's just approve consent and then before the HR team moves away, we uh clerk has one thing. Comments. >> Wait, wait,

215wait. Let me just get this done so that people can get paid. Um Okay. So, C6, >> I move I'll move C6 for a second. >> Second. Okay. Vote. >> Yes. Okay. That carries unanimously. Clin comments on on the last item. Sorry about that. It was just a comment on the last item. I think some of the things that we can do is, you know, really highlighting those high need schools. So that means like really rebranding them and showing, you know, the great things happening at those schools because I think sometimes our highest need schools have that talk into the community and that's what we go by, right? they have that extra things that happen. So I think really highlighting, you know, the great things that are happening at the sites, you know, what what

216does this school look like, you know, so really rebranding that school and making sure that it has priority and that we are posting these schools into our social media pages or web pages or whatever. And you know something I liked was about how do we find out what teachers or staff you know at sites wanted us to know about. I keep thinking survey surveys but in surveys we tell them what we want to know and then they give us answers to that. I would like to have more of a like talk to us like tell us what you want to see tell us what you want us to know like tell us how we can do better and tell us how we did good right like some of like tell us what you want to

217tell us. So I think having a survey more based around what their needs are versus what we want to hear. I would want to see something like that. Not just for um staff but maybe like parents, you know, having our students and not making it a requirement, but this is your chance to talk to us, right? Like this is something that's available and here email us or something. So that was it. That was my last comment. >> Thank you for that. That was good. I wrote it down. Let me finish writing it down. Good. Thank you. Okay. Moving now to our next meeting is August 6 right here. Lean Do John Middle School and the board has a retreat retreat on July 29th, 2025. Location to be determined. And with that, close us out at

21810:29 p.m. Closing out the meeting in memory of Principal Chris Pierce. And I adjourn us at 10:29. Thank you.