Recognition & Regular Meeting - June 04, 2026

001Hello. Good evening. Can you all hear me? >> Okay. We had a little microphone start challenge yesterday. Um, I'm going to welcome you all back. I'd like to reconvene this meeting. Uh, this is the uh June 4th uh Laguna Beach Unified School District uh secondary recognition and regular meeting. Uh we called the meeting to we're reconvening the meeting at 6:00. Uh we have no report out of close session. Pardon me while I juggle here a little bit. Everything's a little different than normal. So um first of all, we would like to thank um uh Mr. Steve Wade. I think he's still here somewhere. And Glenn Warren for our beautiful arrangement and the accompaniment. [applause] We'd also like to recognize and thank our um all of our performers, our singers that were performing. I don't see

002them now, so I'm not sure where they went, but thanks to them. It was wonderful. [applause] Okay. Um we are um there, as I said, there was no report out of open session. We have one agenda item before we get to our staff recognition, and that is um public comment on non-aggenda items. So, I'd like to ask Clerk Perry if we have any comment cards. Sure, we do. And that music was wonderful. What a great start. We have six public comments. I'll read them. Um we have Randy Beckley first talking about the lead budget. Then we have Taylor Bennett. Then we have Lesie Elliott. then Ketta Brown, >> then Theasa, and then Chris Clue. >> Okay. I don't know who to face. >> Are we ready? >> Okay. Kind of here. I'll just I'll just

003go like this. Okay. Hi, board. Um, I'm here to speak to you guys tonight in my capacity as the coordinator of the lead summer program. It's a role that I have proudly held for the past five years. At the last board meeting, a statement was made by President Morgan and affirmed by Mr. Roy Chowry indicating that the lead summer program costs the district $600,000. I would like to offer a clarification about that number. [clears throat] The $600,000 line item in the budget is not the actual cost at all. It is a projected budget ceiling. It's like a hold that you put on your credit card when you check into a hotel. It is money earmarked in the budget to allow for growth in the program representing a buffer rather than actual spending. The point is

004we have never spent $600,000 on lead. The actual expenditures for the past four years in the program are as follows. Summer of 22, $181,844. Summer of 23 5,480 24 $425,910 summer of 25 >> [clears throat] >> $390,000 $55. As these figures show, the program has consistently cost less than below, sorry, significantly below the $600,000 mark referred to on May 14th, despite our student enrollment going up and up every year. The reason I think it's important to clarify this on record is because if you're talking about making changes to the funding of this program or passing the burden of funding it on to parents, you should first gather accurate data and have actual costs before making such critical decisions. I also want to point out that our program is in direct service to the students of

005our district and in service to goal number one of our LCAP related to developing college and career readiness skills through meaningful collaboration, creativity, communication, critical thinking, problem solving, and stewardship. LEAD is where the heavy lifting happens. This summer, 610 students, which is 50% of our K8 population, is already enrolled in the LEAD program [clears throat] with more enrolling every day. I cannot overstate the importance of offering this equitable, inclusive, face-to-face program during the summer summer months. The students benefit greatly from LEAD as they are safest when they are in school off screens interacting with the role models of this community, our beloved teachers. What makes LEAD so special is that staff from all four schools come together to put on this program, including secondary CTE teachers who, [clears throat] excuse me, engage students in early

006career exploration. LEAD is a huge point of connection with >> [applause] >> Thank you. I do want to um add to that that we um received information from our transportation committee that there was a need for another bus so that more students could participate and within a day and a half we had another bus going out to the autobond so that we could serve those students so they could participate in the program. So thank you for everyone's attention to that. Taylor Bennett. >> Hi, my name is Taylor Bennett. I'm a parent of two little girls in this district, one in kinder and one in third. I attended my first board meeting on May 14th because I simply wanted to understand or have a better understanding of what was happening. Like many people in this community,

007I had heard things here and there, different perspectives, different opinions, and different versions of events. But I wanted to see it for myself. I wanted to listen. I wanted to understand. And once you see something, you cannot unsee it. Since that meeting, I paid very close attention. And what has stood out most isn't the controversy itself, it's the response to it. Because moments like these reveal character, they reveal priorities. And they reveal leadership. What I've witnessed is a board majority that seems far more interested in defending its actions than understanding why so many people are concerned by them. Parents have asked questions. Teachers and students have spoken up. Community members have shown up week after week. And yet the response has too often been the same. Explain, defend, dismiss, rinse, and repeat. At some point,

008leaders have to stop asking why people are upset and start asking what they may have missed. Because this community is not reacting to one article or one meeting or one decision. People are reacting to a pattern. A pattern that has left many wondering whether they are getting the full story and whether the voices of families, teachers, and staff are truly being heard. One example is this superintendent search process itself. Many of us are asking a simple question. Why are we not following the same level of openness and engagement that was used when Dr. Glass was hired? Sherry and Howard, you both ran on promises of good governance, transparency, and restoring trust. Yet throughout this process, many of us have felt confused, shut out, and left in the dark. Being told that information will eventually be

009shared after decisions are made does not change the fact that during the process itself, this community was asked to simply trust without being included. Trust is not built that way. It's built through transparency during process, not explanations after the fact. And what strikes me most is that so many people who have stood at this microphone were not looking for a fight. Many of us started in the same place, watching, listening, trying to understand and then reaching a conclusion based on what we saw for ourselves. That should matter because when people who come from different perspectives consistently arrive at the same concerns, leadership should pay attention. Tonight, my message is simple. Stop trying to convince this community that what they are seeing isn't happening. Stop treating concerned parents as an obstacle to overcome. Stop managing the

010narrative and start addressing the cause. Because credibility is not built through statements, it's built through actions. And once people begin to question whether they are getting the full story, every future decision becomes harder to believe. You were elected to serve this community tonight. I truly hope you start listening to it. Thank you. [cheering] [applause] Lesie Elliot uh Keta and I uh want to talk about what's been circulating in the community following the protest at the last board meeting. In the days after that meeting, we've seen an effort by some people, some of the people Howard has called colleagues to reshape what happened on platforms like Next Door and the Indie. A lot of that conversation has focused on Deep Perry's experience entering the library, which let's be honest is an attempt by colleagues to pull

011attention away from why so many people showed up in the first place. Community frustration with the board majority has been building for a year and a half. People have raised concerns about board overreach, how a agendas are controlled, limits on public comment, the vote of no confidence from staff unions, the staff march, transparency issues, the sudden full-time apparent appearance of an attorney, Mr. Pearl, decisions that have taken authority away from individual schools, and for many, the tipping point was the announcement of Dr. glasses mutual separation which everyone knows is code for firing with no real transparency beforehand. That's what led to the protest at that meeting. But in order to deflect and avoid addressing those concerns, some colleagues of the board majority have attempted to change the narrative and assert that the protesters were out

012of control, hateful, angry mob and made claims that Derry was assaulted, pushed down, blocked from entering or intimidated by an unruly crowd. One even suggested that the incident was so egregious that it might warrant legal action. Those claims just aren't accurate. First, the protest was families, students, and community members who showed up with signs, pompoms, and chants. It was visible. It was energetic, and it was peaceful. It was frustrated citizens asserting their democratic rights. Keta and I were both there standing the first two people in line. When D came up, we saw exactly what happened. D, who had a pre-existing knee injury and had seen a doctor earlier that day, appeared unsteady and visibly anxious as she approached the entrance. However, there was no physical contact with protesters, no crowding, and there was a clear

013path to the door. As she walked up the step, she appeared unsure on her feet and had a very, very small stumble, not a fall into Eva. No one was sure what was going on with her. Kata then helped her in a calm and supportive way. In fact, there are videos circulating online showing what happened. Anyone can see from the videos. There was no blocked path. There were no scary mean people and no hate. Sherry walked the same path with a bold with a look of bold defiance while D exhibited anxiety. We would all have different reactions to the situation. I make no judgment on De's mental state, but to make >> [applause] [applause] >> An interview with DE ran in the Indie on May 22nd in which she explained that as she attempted to

014enter the building, a crowd of protesters was chanting, "Shame on you," and yelling for her along with other board members to resign. She said that the level of hate that was directed at her was horrifying and out of proportion for the issue at hand, stating, "As I walked up, no one parted to let me get through. I was very stressed and saddened by the children's signs and chanting and yelling by adults and and I was surrounded." Attempting to step back from the anger, she explained she somehow fell. Her knee, which is an existing medical issue, did not contribute to her fall. Furthermore, Perry said she was unable to walk as she was shaking so much and was fearful of being assaulted. Okay. I received the following email on the morning of May 15th. Ketta, thank

015you very much for helping me tonight. I just went to the doctor yesterday about my knee giving out. Getting an MRI and plus I hadn't eaten anything and was really nervous. No one pushed me or anything. It was just my knee in fear of being shoved. My fault. I really appreciated your assistance. Thank you, D. And you're welcome, D. Let's be crystal clear about this. You did not fall. You were not assaulted. You were not being barred from making your way into the meeting. What you were experiencing was constituents exercising their First Amendment rights and your own guilty conscience. You reap what you sow. [applause] Good evening. My name is Thea Zuziak. I am the president of the classified schools employees association, the classified employees that work here. Tonight, I am here to honor one

016of our members who we lost. We lost Jose Hernandez, 25 years old on May 24th. He started here at Thirsten during COVID, wiping everything down constantly to keep our students safe. He came to the high school three years ago and was part of our high school family and part of our LBUSD family. Anyone that you talked to that knew him would say he was a big teddy bear. How do you take in the fact that a 25-year-old is now gone? I want to thank Joan for her wonderful words to our maintenance staff and I want to thank Mike for making it happen that tomorrow our maintenance staff is allowed to go to the memorial. We have a family who is missing their son and we have a LBUSD family who is missing one of their

017own. It is so hard to think that he won't be there every day with his smile to say, "Hi, Miss Thesa. Hi, Miss Amy. How can I help you? What do you need?" He was the sweetest person. I am grateful that our staff got to spend some time today together with the maintenance team and the high school staff to remember him because a lot of us can't go. I will be in negotiations unfortunately, but his maintenance team and brothers will be there. So, please take time to say a prayer for his family. And I just want a moment on this night of recognition to remember our big teddy bear. [applause] We have one more speaker, but we're going to pause for just a moment and take a moment of silence and thank you, Thesa, for

018making that um wonderful tribute. Thank you. Thank you. Please hug your loved ones. Every day is a gift. Uh, our last speaker is Chris Clug. Is that right? If I've mispronounced that, I'm sorry. Chris Clug >> Clue. K L U I O U. Is there a Chris that submitted a card? >> All right. Uh hello everyone. Thank you for giving me the time. My name is Chris Cluey. Um a candidate for Assembly District 72. So hopefully some of you voted for me in the primary. Um, and I'm here because uh I've been informed by the community that they are very concerned about the lack of transparency uh with this board uh particularly with the firing of the former uh superintendent and then the appointing of a new one um with no community oversight, no reasoning

019given. And as a wouldbe public official, it is very important that we are transparent and that our community trusts us. Our job revolves around trust. It it revolves around people being able to know that we will act in their best interests and that we have reasons for what we do and that if they want to know those reasons, then we give them those reasons. And so I would just urge all the members of this board, please be transparent with your community because that's what our democracy is built on. We have to be able to trust each other. We have to be able to trust the social contract and to know that the the decisions that our elected officials have have made are decisions that are in our best interest, particularly when it comes to our

020children's education. So that really that's all I'm here to say is please don't corrode our democracy by making backroom deals and trying to keep your community in the dark. Just let people know. Give them the reason. And then if they don't like your reason, they'll tell you about it. But at least you'll have let them know and that transparency will be there. So, thank you so much for allowing me the time to speak and uh thank you for allowing me to be late. So, all right, have a good one everyone. [applause] Okay, thank you everyone. Um this is a celebr celebration evening. Uh the first part of our meeting is a celebration and so we are going to uh move into staff recognitions and I'm going to turn it over to the staff and they'll

021run the show from here. Mr. >> Thank you, President Morgan. If I could please have uh Denise Selby and Daffhne Hammer please come join us. Dr. Almond and Mr. Vidal, please as well. >> All right. Good evening everyone. My name is Mike Conland. I'm the assistant super HR here in Laguna Beach. So, we have uh Denise is our current district athletic administrator, been with the district for 5 years, and she's going to be retiring this August. And then Daffhne Hammer, the assistant principal at Thirstston for the last four years, will be retiring in August as well. So, I want to invite we'll do Denise first. Jason's going to share a few words to celebrate Denise. >> Good evening, everyone. There are educators who simply fill positions and then [clears throat] there are educators who leave

022a lasting imprint on every person and community they serve. [clears throat] Denise AD Selby is unquestionably the latter. Throughout her remarkable career in education, Denise has impacted students, families, and colleagues in every role she has held from teacher, counselor, and principal to assistant soup and ultimately district athletic director of LBUSD and Laguna Beach High School. While her titles have changed over the years, one thing never did, her unwavering commitment to people. As LBUSD district athletic administrator, RAD Selby brought far more than organization and leadership to the role. She brought humanity. She brought us a formal and robust middle school athletics program at TMS. At LBHS, she dedicated herself to building genuine relationships with coaches, staff, students, and parents, always making people feel seen, heard, and valued. She understood that athletics are not simply about games

023and competition, but about mentorship, growth, accountability, resilience, and community. One of Denise's greatest gifts that I have grown to appreciate, although it took me a while, was she's always been able to speak directly, truthfully, all while still making people feel respected, supported, and uplifted even during some of the most difficult conversations. This is an incredibly rare quality in leadership. She has consistently modeled how honesty and compassion can coexist and how difficult decisions can still be handled with dignity, empathy, and care. People trust Doc Selby because they know where they stand with her. They know her words come from experience, integrity, and a sincere desire to help others grow and succeed. Whether advocating for students, supporting coaches, navigating challenges, or celebrating accomplishments, she has always led with both strength and heart. The impact AD Selby leaves

024behind cannot simply be measured by the numerous league and CIF championships during her tenure or the schedules of season of sport or running our sports programs in general. Her true legacy is in the countless relationships she's built and the people she's helped shape along the way in [clears throat] including me. LBUSD and our high school is stronger because of her leadership and so many of us are better because we've had the opportunity to work alongside and learn from her. While her pending retirement marks the close of this chapter, the influence, wisdom, and care Denise has brought to our school community will continue to be felt for many years to come. So, thank you Adelby for your honesty, your compassion, your leadership, and your heart. You'll always be an important part of the LBHS family. [applause]

025Oh, Daphne. All right. There are certain people who leave such a profound mark on a school. It is kind of hard to imagine what life would be like without them. And for Thirsten Middle School, that person is definitely Daphne Hammer. Tonight, we celebrate Daph's retirement after a remarkable career spanning numerous decades in education. And while she has been a part of the Thirstston family for the last chapter of this journey, her impact on her school has been extraordinary and far-reaching. Daphne came to Thirsten with a wealth of experience, but most importantly with the deepest belief in people. From the moment she arrived, she helped create a culture where students, staff, and families felt seen, valued, and connected. Whether it was a student having a difficult day, a staff member like myself needing encouragement, or a

026family looking for support, Daphne always showed up with compassion, optimism, and what I love about her, her open heart. What makes Daphne such a special leader is that she understands the fundamental truth about all schools. People thrive when they feel like they belong. And she has spent a career here building relationships. and that gaff that gift has had a lasting impact on thirsten. During her time here, student connectedness has remained a priority. Our positive school culture has flourished. Suspension rates have been at historic lows. Chronics absenteeism is the lowest in our district and beyond. And those out outcomes don't happen by accident. They happen because leaders like her create environments where students feel safe, supported, and known. But when I think about DA Daph's legacy, I definitely don't think about all of that data. I

027think about the students who sought her out when they needed someone to talk to. I think about the staff members that she celebrated, encouraged, and lifted up. I think about the countless moments of kindness, laughter, sarcasm, and teasing, and joy that she brought to our campus every single day and to my life. Daphany has a remarkable gift for making people feel important. She remembers all of the little things, and I mean all of them. She celebrates others before she celebrates herself. She brings warmth, positivity, and humanity to every room that she enters. And on a personal level, she's been much more than assistant principal. She's been my administrative co-partner and my sounding board, my co-pilot, and one of my very best friends. The work of leading a school can be challenging, but having somebody beside

028you who leads with integrity, compassion, and unwavering opt optimism makes all the difference. And the truth is that thirst will never be the same without her daily presence. Her fingerprints though will be all over our campus and our school culture. The kindness and care she modeled has become a part of who we all are and who I am and will move forward with. So, thank you for pouring your heart into this profession and into our community. Your legacy will live on in the countless lives that you've touched, and we're all better because of you, including myself. We wish you nothing but the very best in the next chapter, and we hope that we're a part of it in some way or another. Congratulations and celebration to you. [applause] Yeah. >> Okay. Fine. All right, Denise

029and Daffany, congratulations once again. We have a number of other retirees who were not able to be here tonight. We just want to take a moment to recognize them as well. U we have Jeremy Chung, retiring from the high school, music teacher for the last 16 years. >> [applause] >> Sarah Hopper, speech and language specialist for 21 years. [applause] Stacy Johnson, middle school enrollment and office assistant, has spent her last 10 years with us. [applause] Agnes McManis, instructional assistant with for 19 years. [applause] And last but not least, Brett Fleming, who spent 39 years with us as a coach or a PE teacher. [applause] >> And now I'll bring back Mr. Joe Vidal. >> Thank you. All right. So, I have the privilege of recognizing some amazing students tonight. And but first, I would just

030like to mention that last night we had an opportunity to recognize all of our fluent English proficient reclassified students. And tonight, we're going to be starting with our ASB officers. So, Thirstston's ASB leaders are the heartbeat of student life on our campus. These students dedicate their time to organizing events, creating inclusive experiences for our students, and amplifying their peers voices in so many different ways. Whether leading rallies, managing logistics, or advocating for schoolwide initiatives, they approach their work with integrity, collaboration, and vision. Their efforts have created such a welcoming environment and a spirited campus that have had a lasting impact this year and beyond. For that, I would like to call up Van Liston, our ASB president, [applause] Sebastian Zamora, our ASB secretary, [applause] Eevee Hogan, our ASB treasurer, [applause] >> and Billy Kolak, our

031ASB vice president. [applause] Okay, I think [applause] Okay. And students, as you come up, please shake all of our members hands. All right. The next recognition is for the Coast Film Foundation Story Lab. This year, Then Middle School launched Story Lab, a new afterchool program developed in partnership with the Coast Film and Music Festival led by doc docu documentary filmmaker Darius Lean. The program helps students build foundational skills of effective storytelling through hands-on learning and creative collaboration. Throughout the course, students explore the art of observation, practice building trust with the team, and learn how the curiosity, empathy, and attention to detail contribute to a compelling filmmaking opportunities. for that. Tonight I would like to recognize Rostine Arshotti, Lillian Aian, [applause] Carson Shabbo, Callie Choy, Bella Crowe, [applause] Tina Crowe, Aiden Dwight, Leo Fosce, [applause] Jani

032Goodman, Carter Hudek, Anwin, Isaac Crraman. Wow, this is awesome. [applause] Finn Lidstone, Suite, Dylan Nash, James Nash, Kian O'Brien, Laya Robertson Berry, Ford Rena, Sydney Sweet, and Lynn Walton. [applause] [applause] All right. Ready? >> [applause] >> All right. Next, I have an opportunity to recognize our eco club. So, Thirstston Eco Club, led by Emily Couch, is part of LBUSD's district-wide green team ecosystem, which empowers students to take action on environmental issues through hands-on learning, community partnerships, and civic engagement. Please join me in recognizing these following students. Grace Adair, Clark Alden, Zia Bell, Abigail Denny, Kira Dye, Yana Goodman, Liam Hater, Georgia Jones, Miller Kil, Martin, Billy Kolax, Sophia McN, Brooks Miller, Mia Moss, Marie Moyer, Leila Robertson Berry, Arya Rotabi, Katherine Xanquist, Macy Shear, Llaya Simpson, [applause] Jack Stevens, and Jocelyn Zingali. [applause] >> Okay.

033>> [applause] >> Yes. >> Okay. I've now been told after three awards in to please tell everybody to hold their applause until all the last names. Sorry, missed that note. Okay, so now for the American Math Competition 8. This year, 70 students at Thirsten Middle School proudly participated in the AMC8, a nationally recognized mathematics competition that challenges middle school students with advanced problem solving and critical thinking questions. The AMC8 encourages students to develop mathematical creativity, perseverance, and logical reasoning beyond the traditional classroom setting. We are honored to recognize the students that earn the highest scores at our school for their outstanding achievement on this very rigorous assessment. Their dedication, curiosity, and hard work will represent the very best of academic excellence in mathematics. I am proud to start with our first place winner, Emil Avalon.

034Oh, okay. All right. [applause] Second place, Esme James Newton. [applause] And third tied for third place is Reed Baller and Thomas Sher. Now [applause] >> [applause] >> All right, for our Math Counts competition this year, we had 82 students at TMS who competed in Math Counts, a nationwide mathematics program that engages middle school students in similar uh exercises of problem solving activities. Students competed individually at our school site and then the top performers advanced to represent our school at the Orange County Math Counts Competition held at UC Irvine. We are proud to recognize the following students who place at the top of our school competition for their outstanding performance. I would like to call up at this time first place Esme James Newton. [applause and cheering] Second place is we have Axel Schroeder and Michael

035Washington. [applause] And third place we have Emil Avalon and Ethan Copernick. [applause] >> [applause] >> And now I have the pleasure of recognizing our peer assisted leadership. Um, PALS are trained student mentors who serve as role models and advocates for kindness, respect, and inclusion across our campus. These students are often quiet leaders who uplift others, support new students, and create welcoming spaces in classrooms and social settings. Their work promotes emotional safety, peer connection, and positive behavior. We recognize their compassion, consistency, and positive impact on our school culture. Please join me at the end uh in recognizing and celebrating the following students. Kora Armstrong, Lilia Aian, Reed Ballicker, Riley Brady, Coleman Bryant, Abby Kerry, Kaden Dancy, Gia Daring, Taylor Jones, Bella Little, Victoria Mayor, Harper McConnell, Kennedy McMillan, Harlo Mills, Campbell Nol, Kon O'Brien, Axel Schroeder,

036Vivian Smith, Patrick Steedman, Piper Teio, Haven Welch and Mark Wells. [applause] All right. One, two, three. [applause] Thank you. I'm Victoria Weber, executive assistant to the superintendent and board of education. The next students we will be recognizing um sit on ad hoc committees with the board of education. This is the first year we've had students doing this and they have shown great knowledge, integrity and insight in doing so. They give their time, they give their voices and we really appreciate them doing so. So the two students on our ad hoc arts committee are Ava Mustafi and Danny Kang. [applause] and You you can stay up there for the committee of the committee shoot if you want. There's only three of you. [laughter] It's up to you. For the ad hoc transportation committee, um we have

037Roman Fisk and Fukusang Light. [applause] >> [applause] [cheering] >> Good evening board members, district staff, families, and community members. My name is Shelley Juel O'Brien. Your kids probably know me as J O and I am the art teacher and co-coordinator for FLO at the high school. Tonight, I'd like to begin by recognizing 18 student artists who have been selected to exhibit their work at Lagona Art Affair this summer from June 26 through September 6th. Art Affair is one of Lagouna Beach's premier summer festivals and attracts visitors from around the world. During our recent celebration of the arts, festival representatives selected these student pieces to be displayed alongside the work of professional artists throughout the festival grounds. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to share their creativity with the broader community. Please join me

038in celebrating our selected exhibitors. Lane Young, Yuki Shan, Brighton Welch, Moon Mullins, Cibbore, sorry, Lakeland Welch, Grace Wagner, Stella Mimula, Stephanie Wang, Danielle Brown, Mary Jane Pina, Ariana Na, Leila Hoe, Tessa Durand, Ella Valoria, Leo Whitop, Z Djali, Evie Row, and Eden Shafeld. Congratulations to these exceptional artists. [applause] >> Oh, you guys are so cute. >> You can also just go right into your so you don't have to come up and down. [applause] >> Oh, the publications. Our community partnerships continue to create amazing opportunities for students. This spring, Bond Life Real Estate, owned by district alumni and current LBUSD parent Derek Leon, visited our Celebration of the Arts event and selected 16 student works to be displayed in their downtown office during Laguna's first Thursday's art walk. Located at the prominent corner of Forest and

039Glenn area, the exhibit gave gives our students the opportunity to share their work with residents and visitors throughout the community. Bond Life also sponsored a best of show cash award and hopes to continue this partnership in future artalk events. Please join me in recognizing these featured artists. Finley Dorst, Stella Evans, Lana Wilkinson, Ena Yuan, Jordan Rutled, Bab, Lakeland Welch, Leo Witop, Brighton Welch, Eastston Troac, Sam O'Neal, Ella Valoria, Lane Young, Grace Wagner, Diane Wyn, Eden Shafeld, and Clark Kimble. Thank you to Bondlife Real Estate for their support of our student artists. >> [applause] >> Next. Oh, sorry. [applause] Keep going. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. They may come back up. Uh, next I'd like to recognize an exciting collaboration between literature, science, and the visual arts as part of the sophomore flow program. Students

040created original artwork inspired by their ods to waste poems. We are proud that three English students and two art students had their ocean themed pieces selected from our Celebration of the Arts exhibition to be featured at Kelp Fest, which is this weekend at Maine Beach. It is hosted by the Laguna Ocean Foundation. Kelpfest highlights artistic expression and environmental stewardship. Please join me in recognizing Grace Wagner, Briana Jeffroy, Grayson Carr, Libby Lam, Anderson Curry. Thank you to the Flow team, our English teachers, our community partners, and Lagona Ocean Foundation. [applause] >> [applause] [applause] >> My final Art recognition this evening celebrates a group of talented students whose artwork was selected for the annual OC arts for all student arts showcase. This c countywide program celebrates K to2 creativity and student resilience. The selection process is highly

041competitive with professional artists and college gallery directors reviewing thousands of submissions from across Orange County. Having artwork selected for this showcase is an outstanding accomplishment. Our students work was featured in prominent community exhibits including the Elcad Gallery in downtown Lagona, Crystal Court at South Coast Plaza, and finishing their tour tour at our very own Festival of the Arts. Please join me in recognizing these student artists. Bella Bruns, Stella Dwanis, Charlie Marts, Piper Ranken, Eva Row, Evie Row, sorry, Evie, Ena Yan, Mary Jane Pina, Z Djali, Bana Jeffroy, Brighton Welch, Leo Wet. Congratulations to you guys. [applause] [applause] Good job, Brighton. [applause] For the final recognitions, I'm switching hats from art teacher and flow coordinator to yearbook and newspaper adviser at the high school. Tonight, I'd like to recognize some outstanding student leaders who have helped

042tell the story of our school through journalism and student publication. First, I'd like to recognize these remarkable senior editors from our brush and pallet newspaper. Over the course of their high school careers, these students worked with four different adviserss and adapted to four different leadership styles. That kind of flexibility is impressive in itself. Last year, I stepped into the role of newspaper adviser in addition to yearbook adviser. I quickly realized I had an immense amount to learn and these students truly became my teachers. Through their leadership, dedication, and willingness to adapt, our program published four print editions, maintained a regularly updated website, and showcase student journalism throughout the year. They truly embody what mean what it means to be a breaker, resilient, adaptable, and committed to serving our school community. Please join me in recognizing

043our outstanding editors, Zeland Munzy, June Lifeet, Khloe Faulk. Thank you guys. [applause] Yay. Yay. We did it. We did it. [applause] Oh my. [applause] I'm not crying. I'm not crying. And my final recognition this evening is for three exceptional student leaders, the editors of our Nautilus yearbook. Um, this year a staff of only seven students was responsible for producing 300 and a 320 page book documenting the experiences of more than 800 students. A yearbook is more than a publication. It's a historical record of a school year. These editors understood that responsibility and approached it with tremendous care, leadership and professionalism. From athletics and academics to arts and activities, they worked tirelessly to ensure that every part of student life was represented. I truly cannot imagine completing this book without them. Please join me in recognizing

044our yearbook editors, Isla Agular, sorry, Isla, Adrina, Krisen, Kryineski, Iliana Simon. Thank you guys for your leadership, creativity, [applause] dedication. >> [applause] >> J O said she's happy to be done. She great job. Um I'm Denise Selby and I'm the athletic administrator for the Laguna Beach Unified School District and I get to I to recognize some great remarkable student athletes tonight. So I want the following athletes to come up please. Brody Zadian Reedley Babcock, Gavin Good, Max Jackal, Cade Law, Sienna Lee, Max Sour, Brook Schneider, Daniela, and Branson Wade. And I know some of them clap it up. [applause] Good job last night. Good job. [applause] So, I know there's a board meeting tonight and we've been told to be efficient with our comments, but I'm retiring, so they're not going to give me the

045hook. I'm going to say what I want to say. So, um, the first athlete I want to recognize and he's been here a few times. Gavin, step up. I know this, you know, the you know the gig here. [applause] Gavin is a senior water polo player. He's being honored tonight. He's been honored here before, but he's being honored tonight because he is committed to play water polo with a scholarship to Long Island University going back to the East Coast. It's going to be fun. Gavin was a four-year starter on our water polo team and a big part of the reason that uh we've been so competitive here at Laguna Beach for the last four years. He was a team captain and I think what I was most um proud of him about this year was

046just his reflection and his desire to be a really great great leader for his teammates and it was a really cool thing to see Gavin. Gavin's always got a smile on his face. He was first team open division as I said a team captain and we know that he's going to be a tremendous ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass asset at Lu and bring that program to a higher level. Congratulations Gavin [applause] U Max Jackal also he could not be here this evening but he's a senior water polo player who's committed to play water polo at the University of the Pacific. Super proud of Max, a competitive competitive water polo player, and we're very proud of what he's done here at

047Laguna Beach High School for our program. And then also another water polo player, Max Sourers, who cannot be here this evening. He's committed to play water polo at Accidental College. Um, and just a really tough kid that plays in the center and demands a lot of attention from from our opposing team. And we are very excited about their future. So, congratulations to those water polo players. Go ahead and clap it up for them again. Remember, they're not going to get rid of me. So, [applause] our next person, Brody, is 80. Brody a step forward so they know who you are. Good-looking kid in the middle. Brody is a senior. He played basketball and this year decided to take up, he just thought, "I think I'll throw the shot put in track. Give it a try."

048So, his first and only year as a shot put thrower, he won the league championship. Not only did he do that, but he was named the MVP of field events for the Pacific Coast Conference in in track. Yeah. Great accomplishment. Clap it up. [applause] Brody is a beast on the basketball court. He was first team all league in basketball, a three-year varsity player. Um he is just a tough tough kid. Coach Garvey says that he's so coachable and he's got such a passion for basketball and he will be playing basketball in college at H College in Kansas. Kind of a basketball state there. Good luck, Brody. [applause] Going to miss him. Going to miss him. I'm going to miss him, but I know his classmates are going to miss him as well. Uh, the next

049senior we're recognizing is Kade Law. Kade, go ahead and step forward. Kade loves attention. He's so excited. He asked me if he could give a speech tonight and I told him no, he can't do that. Cade has been a really important part of our boys basketball program the last four years. He's a quiet leader. There's no doubt he is a quiet leader. But I have no doubt that this kid does the right thing when nobody's watching. I know that's a cliche, but I have no doubt. Coach Lam, you don't have to worry about him. I promise. I just know it. Um he is a tremendous role model model for our younger players and he's going to be greatly missed by our our basketball program and our greater Laguna Beach community. Uh he was nominated to

050be one of our team captains this year and he also earned outstanding defensive player award the outstanding defensive player award and because of all of the the way in which he presents himself and relates to coaches and teammates, he was selected as the Laguna Beach High School Pacific Coast Conference Sportsmanship Award winner. Congratulations, Kade. Very welld deserved. [applause] Dan Daniela is another um athlete, water polo player who could not be here this evening, but she was our female Pacific Coast athlete of the year for sportsmanship. So, we're very proud of Daniellea and her accomplishments. Um Brooke Schneider is a senior. She was the recipient of our CF CIF athlete of Character Award winner. She's earned a 4.36 GPA and as balance academics girls water polo captain of the water polo team and ASB vice president

051and she could not be here tonight but I wanted to mention she was first team all all Pacific Coast League and second team all CIF and she's going to attend the University of Pac of Michigan in the fall. So we're proud of Brooke as well. Um Reed Lee Babcock Reed Lee step forward. [applause] Reed Lee was our male CIF athlete of character award winner. This is just a great kid. He exemplifies the six pillars of character through his integrity, kindness, and unwavering commitment to his teammates. As a four-year member of the both the cross country and track teams, Reedley leads by example, consistently demonstrating responsibility, fairness, and respect on and off the course. His role as a team captain reflects not only his athletic dedication, but also the trust his peers and coaches place in

052him. This is just a I know I'm say I found sound like just I'm so redundant. This is just a great kid. I try to say hi to every athlete or student that passes by me. I can never beat him to saying hi. He is he will be the first guy. Hi Dr. Selby. Good morning. How are you? I know that doesn't sound like a big deal. Teenagers don't do that a lot. This is a really great kid. His parents have done a great job and reads listen really well. Um he's also was a member of our athletes of character organization and earned a GPA. It was okay. It was 4.46. Maybe you could have worked hard or got a little better, but we're very proud of you Reedley. Thank you for everything. Ridley Babcock,

053[applause] Sienna Lee. Sienna, step forward. Sienna is our only junior tonight being um recognized and obviously the only female that was able to make it this evening. Sienna earned the most valuable player for beach volleyball for the entire Pacific Coast Conference. Um according to coach Lewis, Sienna is everything you hope for in a student athlete. She combines outstanding performance. She's a great athlete with an incredible work ethic, consistency, and a commitment to getting better every day. She's a great competitor and leads by example. We're hearing that a lot about our student athletes leading by example. And she definitely elevates those players around her and loves to ch to face challenges and she handles those challenges with humility and respect. She competed against some of the best teams in the country and never flinched. She was

054instrumental in helping to create a positive culture while always putting the team before herself. Her future in the sport is limitless and coach Lewis is very excited to have her back next year for her senior year. Congratulations, Sienna. [applause] I apologize again. I know I'm not cutting it short, but I just can't I can't do that to these kids. So, Branson Wade, Branson, step forward. Branson is a senior. Go ahead, clap it up for him. I know we're not supposed to do that, but [applause] Branson is uh was pitcher of the year for the Pacific Coast Conference, and this is the third straight year that he has been named pitcher of the year of whatever conference we're It doesn't matter what conference you're in, the Sunset Conference, Pacific Coast, he's still pitcher of the year.

055Um he's the ultimate competitor. He's super eventempered. This is why he can pitch so well in those big moments. He's just seemingly unflapable. Um, he's put his name all over the Lagouna Beach High School baseball record books over his career. Um, here we go. He holds the school record for strikeouts in a single season, strikeouts in his career, lowest erra, over 212 innings pitched, and tied for wins in his career. Branson was also selected for the Orange County North versus South All-Star game where he pitched last night a perfect ninth inning and earned the save in a three to one win for the South. So, good job on that. I saw some tape. [applause] I know I'm probably not allowed to say this, but I I'll put a lot of money. We're not betting, but

056I would put a lot of money on him being selected first team all CIF when those selections are made in the next couple of weeks. Um, I'm betting that his parents are most proud of what a great young man Branson is. Always kind and always humble. We're going to miss him and Branson's going to continue his academic and baseball career at LMU. So, congratulations, Branson. [applause and cheering] I told you they wouldn't pull me off stage. Thank you for um humoring me and making sure we listen about all these great athletes. I'm very, very proud of them. [applause] All right. One more. [applause] Good evening. We're also proud to recognize our California State Seal of Civic Engagement honores this evening. These students initiated the California State Seal of Civic Engagement through Pathway B, which allows

057students to demonstrate their civic growth through individual reflection on meaningful civic engagement experiences. This year's students reflected on a wide range of impactful work, including promoting inclusion and belonging for students with disabilities, reducing the stigma surrounding special education, ocean conservation, food insecurity, voter registration efforts for all LBHS students, and global water access initiatives. Others highlighted entrepreneurial efforts that raised funds for our local food pantry and additional projects that address community needs. Through their reflections, students demonstrated a deep understanding of civic responsibility, empathy, and the power of individual action to create positive change. In recognition of this achievement, these 11th and 12th grade students will receive the California State Seal of Civic Engagement on their diplomas. Please help me in congratulating Isla Agalar, Anakah Velikoup, Annabelle Holdsworth, Jack Pew, Brighton Welsh, Georgia White, Olivia Han, Emma

058Berg, Kiana Amino, and Emily Phillips. [applause] >> [applause] >> Our [applause and cheering] next recognition is the California Youth Climate Policy Ambassador Program. We're proud to recognize LBH LBHS students Hadley Melo and Genevieve Dasherry for their selection to the California Youth Climate Policy Leadership Program Fellowship. This highly competitive statewide program led by 10 Strands and the Sierra Club brings together some of California's most engaged and promising young climate leaders through learning focused on climate policy, advocacy, leadership, and environmental justice. Fellows gained the knowledge, mentorship, and hands-on experience needed to create meaningful change in their communities. As part of the program, Hadley and Genevieve collaborated with peers from across the state, developed advoc advocacy campaigns, and strengthened the leadership skills needed to address some of California's most pressing environmental challenges. Together, they drafted an LBUSD board

059resolution, if you all remember, to increase our district's tree canopy by 30% in 2030. Congratulations, [applause] Continuing on, really am excited to honor our junior citizens of the year nominees. The title of junior citizen of the year is recommended based on high achievements in athletics, community service, leadership, and scholarship. Estella Newton, a coding and data enthusiast who founded a coding club on campus, volunteered as a youth STEM volunteer, and was accepted to Harvard to study applied mathematics. She is a National Merit Scholarship Program semi- finalist and was recognized as one of the top academic scholars in the United States, placing her in the top 1% of high school seniors nationwide. Zachary Mentor, an aspiring nuclear engineer and recipient of the prestigious Mandarin language and cross country track, I'm sorry, Mandarin language and NOTC scholarships. He

060is an accomplished student, LBHS class of 26 validictorian and also cross country and track athlete who a community leader who also plans to study Mandarin immersively in Taiwan and attend Georgia Tech. I imagine both of them are home studying right now. [applause] At this time, I'd like to welcome Dr. Cannonberg to the podium. >> Good evening everyone. It is my privilege tonight to recognize our student LCAP advisory committee and panelists. This extraordinary group of students joined our diverse stakeholder group to share their voice, perspectives, experiences, and recommendations to make LBUSD even better. We appreciate your honesty, vulnerability, and real talk. Students, your voice matters. Please join me in recognizing Ela Aguular, Ivan Salgado, Alvarez, Keon Arshotti, Danielle Brown, Kading Cummings, Bellan Gonzalez, Elizabeth Gonzalez, and Nara Herring, Ava Keani, Cyan Lynch, Logan Marshall, Hadley Melo,

061Eastston Perez, Juliana Pitoski, Jasper Ramsay, Graham Richland, Warren Routtley, Sami Sadal, Izzy TR, Brilan Velmier, Emily Williams, and Lzette Zingali. Thank you students. [applause] All right. >> [applause] >> I would now like to introduce Dr. Katie Treat. [applause] Good evening. My name is Dr. Katie Treat and I am the very proud district coordinator for career education at Lagona Beach High School. Our students have access to eight different CTE pathways and we are growing to 10 CTE pathways for next school year as well as many additional pathways through our partnership with College and Career Advantage. These students have demonstrated exceptional dedication, creativity, technical skill, and perseverance as they pursued advanced coursework and hands-on realworld learning experiences aligned with their potential career interests. To complete a CTE pathway, students must complete a sequence of CTE designated concentrator

062and capstone courses within the same pathway with a minimum of a C minus or higher. Tonight, we are elated to recognize our 95 total students who are projected pathway completers for the school year. We have one animal science pathway completer, Audrey Caiff. We have 49 um pathway completers for design, visual and media arts. Cole Otterbert, Shore Barry, Oliver Bernard, Cash Bea, Elijah Broing, Danielle Brown, Jacob Bystrom, Brooks Carter, Hayden Crane, Henning, Quentyn Diamo, Stella Dixon, Trisha Duhal, Tessa Durant, Zoe Edelman, Stay, I'm sorry, Stella Evans, William Golden, Phoenix Gracie, Lars Ha Haskins, Landon Hutchenden, Hutchin Hutchian, Oliver Keller, Noah Kebell, Daniel Cruz, Libby Lam, Ivonne Lazo, Dylan Lee, Kellen Marryman, Kurt Mowen, Malaya Mullen Seabore, Tyler Wyn, Joshua Pence, Mary Jane Pena, Hudson Corales, Piper Rankin, Evelyn Row, Gray Searandrand, Yuke Shan, Sloan Shear, Coulter

063Steris, Elise Taber, Eric Torres, Salgado, Zachary Vaner, Brillain Belmir, Miles Walsh, Alec Watson, Brighton Welch, Lakeland Welch, Robbie Wolf, Shagen, Mia Giannis, and nine performing arts pathway completers, Isabella Badran, Parker Brian, Luke Donaldson, Varity Foster, Anakah Haskins, Taylor Peterson, Lyra Ramosan, uh, Marina Stro, Strombom, Callen Wheaton, eight engineering design pathway completers, Reedley Babcock, Henry Day, Zade Cavver, Rishad Lina, Liam McCrae, Sasha Riyah, Lucas Rose, David Tosti, two fashion design and merchandising completers, Nichollet Cohen, Charlie Jerbeck, 18 software and systems development completers, Brady Arison, Yiyang Chin, Logan Dialman, Deacon Demers, Nadia Dimler, Parker Ford, Nick Ry, Gazi, Jonah Goldstein, Leo Laborando, Soka Maltini, Gonzalo Mononttoya, Diane Wyn, Douglas Notage, Alexander Ratabuk, Eric Roselle, Mason Sprinkle, Isabelle Tran, Landon Viveros, seven patient care completers, Andrea Billy, Elizabeth Gonzalez, Olivia Han, Gage Lee, Ella Moroski, Mity Ostrich, Julia

064Winton, and one product innovation and design pathway completer, Dorian Dequilian. Congratulations to all of our CTE pathway completers. [applause] Perfect. Sure. [applause] All right, one more. [applause] Let's give it up for Dr. Treat for reading all those names. That was a pretty impressive. [applause] At this moment, I'd like to honor the daughters of the American Revolution recipients. They reflect qualities of dependability, truthfulness, loyalty and punctuality, service, cooperation, courtesy and the consideration of others. This student was the Rotary Club of Laguna Beach Student of the Month representing the social sciences. She is the founder of the Women in Business Club and has held multiple leadership roles in LBHS's Model United Nations. She was also a four-year varsity lacrosse player and team cap team captain who earned the team's coaches award. This year's Daughter of the American

065Revolution Good Citizen Award recipient is Stella Hendris. [applause] At this time, I'd also like to highlight our LBHS green team students. The LBHS green team is led by teacher Moya Mitchell is a student leadership group that develops and implements solutions to real world sustainability challenges. During this year's sustained SoCal Sustainable School Challenge at Epson, students conducted a campus sustainability audit and created a solution plan focused on waste reduction and energy energy comp conservation. Their proposal included partnering with a dishwashing service to reduce single-use cafeteria waste and installing installing solar tubes to bring more natural light into campus spaces, supporting both energy savings and student well-being. The students presented their recommendations to a panel of sustainability professionals demonstrating their leadership, innovation, and commitment to making LBHS more sustainable. The re the honores are Zoe Bartles, Rita

066Kapano, Roman Fisk, Luca Greg, Marlo Johnson, Hadley Melo, Anna Sanquist, Penelopey Wade, Grace Watzgi, and Ariana Gan. [applause] What's that? >> I already did that. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Finally, before I get off the stage and welcome Miss Megan Marshall for theater award recipients, I'd like to also highlight our student support collective. We're incredibly proud at Laguna Beach to follow to celebrate the following seniors for their work in the student support collective. As the passionate student leaders behind this program, these senior leaders have the heart and soul of our mission. They've trained in mental health. They've been trained in mental health awareness. They've dedicated their time to fostering a safe, supportive network and leading wellness initiatives across our campus. They have helped build a thriving school community where every student feels welcome, accepted, and empowered

067to navigate social emotional challenges. Thank you to these seniors for leaving a lasting legacy of care at LBHS. We hope you can, if you're here tonight, we hope you continue to lead with compassion, advocate for mental health well-being, and uplift those around you in your next chapter. And those students are Tatum Brennan, Carly Liieber, Mallerie Keller, and Megan Manion. [applause] [applause] All right. At this time, I'd like to welcome Miss Megan Mingz Marshall. [applause] Hello everyone. For those of you that don't know me, I'm the theater director at the high school. And tonight I'm here to recognize our theater students for their accomplishments at the state and local level this year in our play, musical, and in their individual competition pieces. The following students were recognized at the California State Thespian Festival for their competition

068pieces. Earning superior scores qualifies them to compete at the international level. And I'm going to preface this by saying a lot of these students are not here tonight because we had a couple performances this week and we also have our banquet tomorrow evening. But I think it's important for all of you to celebrate them even if they're not with us. for superior scores in musical theater solo performance. Laya Tackland and Parker Bryan [applause] for superior scores in musical theater duet performance and for being selected to perform on the main stage in the finale number. Taylor Peterson and Luke Donaldson [applause] for superior scores in duet scene and selected to perform on the main stage. Amaly Ford and Ariana Cunningham [applause] [cheering] for superior scores in contrasting monologues. Marina Strombom, Mallerie Keller, and Ariana Cunningham. [applause]

069For third place at the state level for duet scenes, Llaya Tackland and Taylor Peterson. [applause] For second place at the state level for costume construction, Arlo Ramon. [applause] And lastly for our state recognitions, second place at the state level for contrasting monologues, Sam Doshi O'Neal. [applause] Moving on to our Orange County Cappies Awards. OC Kappies is a theater journalism program where students attend plays and musicals of local high schools in the area, review the shows and they are published online and at the end of the season they award winners in various technical and performance categories. Our commandees this year were Marina Stromb, Llaya Tackland, Taylor Peterson, and Rita Compano. [applause] Our nominee for senior critic and also for featured actress in a musical was Tatum Brennan. [applause] Our nominee for featured actor in a play

070and also for supporting actor in a musical was Sam Doshi O'Neal. [applause] Our nominee for male vocalist was Luke Donaldson. [applause] Our nominee for female dancer in a musical was Elelliana 7 Merritt. [applause] Our nominees for costumes in a musical was Laya Tackland, Arlo Ramazan, Alexis Ross Howitt, and Leo Witop. [applause] Our winners for best marketing in a play and also winners for best marketing in a musical were Tatum Brennan, Marina Stromb, Mallalerie Keller, Georgia White, and Sam Doshi O'Neal. [applause] And lastly, our winner for best comedic actress in a play was Marina Stromb. [applause] Moving on to our Macy's awards. Macy's is an organization that recognize excellence in local high school musicals specifically. And we just got the results of some of these two weeks ago. So I'm happy to announce a couple of

071things that weren't on that list. So we knew that we had nominees. So we knew that our nominees for best actor and best actress were Luke Donaldson and Sam Doshi O'Neal. [applause] At the Macy's, we found out about these other special recognitions. We found out that Sam O'Neal was nominated for best comedic actor. [applause] We also found out that our bright spot winners were the following students: Marlo Johnson, Elelliana 7 Merritt, Marina Strombbomb, and James Jordan. [applause] And our highest achievement winners were Luke Donaldson, Sam Doshi O'Neal, Amaly Ford, Taylor Peterson, Mallerie Keller, and Laya Tackland. [applause] And we also found out that Elelliana 7 Merritt was nominated and won best female dancer in a musical. [applause] And lastly, I would like to acknowledge that the cast and crew of our spring musical, Yurin Town,

072took home the spirit of the Macy Award this year, which signifies second place out of 57 schools from LA to South Orange County. This is a historic win for our theater department. A lot of these programs are double, triple the size of ours. Uh we were actually the smallest cast that competed this year. We had a cast of 22 really awesome, amazing students and we were able to take home second place. So these students, these four that you see up here, we're all a part of Year in Town. Please give them a wonderful round of applause. [applause] Thank you all. That's all from me. Come see the theater shows. [applause] >> [applause] >> So, this is the last part and um I get to do it. I absolutely love my job, but this is my

073absolute favorite part, working with students. I don't get to do it much, but when I do, it reminds me of why we're all here. So, um, at this time, we're going to recognize the students who participate in our superintendent student advisory council. These students dedicate their lunches, um, and beyond at least six times out of the year. We get to keep them for an hour and a half to two hours and excuse their time while they stay with us. Uh, they build the agenda starting at the beginning of the year. They bring up four to five topics that we focus on and every meeting is focused on the topics they have brought up and they drive the agendas. Um they bring authenticity, speak candidly about issues such as academic rigor, mental health supports, equity, facilities,

074and access to opportunities. We value their contributions, civic engagement, and advocacy efforts. And I bribed them with ice cream a few meetings back and they promised to be here tonight to be recognized. And I do see some of them. So I'm glad that they're here. Um, our first is Kian Arshotti Heating Elizabeth Cummings, Ivy Dabs, Marlo Johnson, Jack Lon, Logan Marshall, Mason McKenzie, Hadley Melo, Cameron Mustafi, Graham Richland, Samia Sadal, Isabel Tran, and Lette Zingal. >> [applause] [applause] >> And Graham cannot be here tonight, but he also serves on our safety committee. He is the only student student currently serving on the safety committee four times per year and he is recruiting two additional students to serve on this next year that we will be interviewing. Um and so we're really proud of that. Uh

075our final recognitions tonight are for for our student board members. So I would like Ivy and Logan to step forward please. [applause] [cheering] >> [applause] [applause] >> For those of you who watch board meetings and keep in tune with what's going on, you you know how involved um Ivy and Logan are. Their advocacy for the students of Laguna Beach uh are amazing. They keep advised of everything going on. They speak to students at all of the schools. They talk to all the principles at all the schools to find out what's going on. Um they've they've been a pro part as you've heard in many many of our committees and we are really really proud of all everything they've done and I'd like the board members to have an opportunity to say whatever they'd like as

076well. And then that will conclude our evening here. [applause] You you'll have an opportunity on Monday too for them because that's their last meeting. >> Okay. They're going to say their words on Monday so they can prepare because I didn't tell them they could do that. Well, congratulations to all of our students and all of their hard work. You are an integral part of our school school community and we are grateful for everything that you contribute. Thank you so much. Um, thank you so much for being here and celebrating our students and our staff. We are grateful for all of you. And that's going to conclude our presentation and our awards for our students. We're going to take a 5minut break so that we can reset the room and get ready for the rest of

077our meeting. So, thank you so much. Travel safe and enjoy the last week of school and congratulations to our seniors. Check check check check. There we go. Hey. Hey. Check. Check. Good. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> [laughter] >> Victoria, >> where Oh, no. Right back here. This is Victoria. >> Do you want the stansion? >> Do I? >> Yeah. >> No. Yeah, [laughter] I know. >> Okay. It looks kind of weird. >> Yeah, it looks very weird. >> Okay, >> but I think we have to have a safety [laughter] plan. But, you know, those are a little much um >> cuz we don't want them to come. >> Yeah, I agree. But >> um >> want to be on here. >> How hard what >> Howard says whatever Sherry says. >> Um do you

078feel safe? Yeah. I Well, I I I think those look like a little much. >> Yeah, they look like a little much. I'll probably have to agree. Maybe just one. >> I don't know. >> Um I appreciate it. I'm really grateful for it. >> Yeah, I am too. I know my husband would like it, but [laughter] thanks for >> Right. I don't know that they will. I think that's But I think we should take them down. Maybe we should take them down. I don't know. They're going to mock them whatever we do. So maybe we should take him down or just don't put them just keep the stansion. >> Yeah, that might work. >> Yeah, I mean I appreciate the plan that you put in place. I did not know these were going to be

079here. So um but I appreciate it. >> Yeah, most of the meeting that I have them. Oh, okay. He says most of them they go they have them. Most of them Test test Good evening. We are readjourning our meeting at 7:48 and we are going to continue with our agenda. We have just completed our recognition event which was item um 8, 7 and 8 and we are on item nine governance action item. Um this is the discussion and applicability of board policy 2120 the uh superintendent search. Hang on one second. I'm looking for my notes. Here we go. Okay. Okay. On May 14th, the board appointed Dr. Austin as superintendent effective July 1st. Since that date, there have been some questions about the applicability of board policy 2120, which addresses the superintendent search process. Approximately

080one year ago, the board conducted an extensive superintendent search using an outside firm that was vetted and interviewed and chosen by a 50-0 vote. That firm was directed to pursue community outreach, identifying the district's needs and desired leadership qualities, carrying out a detailed candidate vetting process. Dr. Austin has stated that he was a part of that process. There is no statute of limitations. There's no expiration date on that search process from less than one year ago. Restarting that process and redoing that work is not required by law or policy. By appointing Dr. Austin, we were able to secure a superintendent that has led one of the top performing districts with a demographic profile, funding model, and educational approach meaningfully meaningfully meaningfully, excuse me, meaningfully comparable to our own. Additionally, in recent months, our own staff

081has traveled to PaloAlto to study and participate in learning walks of the PaloAlto Unified School System, which further underscores the excellence of Don Austin and his experience. repeating a search process that was finished less than a year ago that cost the district over $50,000 and took four months, particularly when a fully vetted candidate became available, is fiscally irresponsible and would not serve in the best interest of our students, employees, and the district. I am confident when the board appointed Dr. Austin that they if they wanted more process, they would have voted against the appointment motion. So, with that, I'd like to open it up for um board discussion. And I'd like to start with my to my right, to my left with um Dr. Maltesky, comments or questions, whatever. I want >> so I was

082in charge of hiring at New York University in Columbia um university uh in my administrative role uh in as a a member of the dean's office. I was the assistant dean for faculty and the titles don't matter but I did that in both places. So I have a lot of experience with regard to ensuring that su search processes are followed before people are hired. It's important to note that at a fundamental level these processes exist so that institutions can pro protect themselves from the weaknesses of individual decision-making. They are not designed to produce a good outcome. They're designed to produce a legitimate one. They protect against bias. They generate better information. They protect the institution. They create governance roles. They create buyin. And they protect the person who is being hired. So given that, I

083would like to thank President Morgan for agendaizing this item and calling everyone's attention to the fact that we do have a board policy that outlines process for hiring a superintendent. And we spend a lot of time in these meetings, countless hours hearing from member Hills in particular, how important board policies are. So, I'm just so delighted that they're bringing this up tonight so that we can address it. So, the first thing is um the statements from President Morgan implied that we followed a process a year ago and if we did that again, we wouldn't be able to hire Don Austin. I disagree. We didn't have to hire a search firm. We didn't have to spend a year getting uh community input, but we could have had a process. Instead, I'm just finding out that we

084had visits to PaloAlto to see what was happening there. But nobody told me on the board that we were considering Don Austin. I would like to know, President Morgan, when was I told that Don Austin was a candidate for this position? >> I actually would like to address the staff going up and visiting because they went on a learning tour. I'm not really sure. I didn't coordinate it. It's also something that I learned about. Excuse me. It is something that I also learned about. Um, it was not part of the vetting process. It was not part of the hiring process. It was actually our staff coordinating a trip to Palo Alto to do a learning session from that district and all of the things that they do up there and what they would like to

085bring down here. It was not part of the hiring process, but our staff is very familiar with Palo Alto because they went up there to look at their best practices to incorporate them down here in Laguna Beach. >> Well, thank you for clar clarifying. So, when was I told that Don Austin was a candidate? >> When were you told that Don Austin was a candidate? >> I May 14th, I guess, and he we discussed it. >> Um, yes. I went into close session. >> Order, please. >> And that was when I was met with a motion to hire Don Austin having no idea that any conversation. >> You cannot disclose close session discussions. That is a violation. reported it as a motion out. I'm not disclosing anything. You however disclosed in letters to people in

086the community that Don Austin was in the search last year. So you that was a Brown Act violence. >> No, my statement was that Don Austin he was okay. Well, we're going to have discussion. We're going to allow public comment and then we can have further discussion. So, please be >> okay. So the next question I have is prior to the appointment of Don Austin, the there was some decision made that board policy 2120 was not applicable to the appointment of Don Austin. Could you tell me who made that decision? Because when I read the board policy, it says I just lost it, but the board policy actually says that the board shall work diligently to ensure that uh it's, you know, we get the right superintendent. We should include consideration of the district's current

087and long-term needs, the desired characteristics. It kind of spells out how how we do a search. So, at some point there was a determination made that we were not going to be held by board policy 2120. Who made that decision? Did you personally make that decision on behalf of the board? Because there was no direction from the board to do that. Did you and Mr. Hills make that decision? How did we come to a decision that 2120 wasn't applicable? >> This is a board discussion. This is not an interrogation. I would be happy to note the questions and I will answer them when it's my turn to speak again, but I'm not going to go back and forth with you and debate you on this podium. So, please make your statements so that we can

088open the floor to public comment. Okay? >> And the other board members can have a chance to comment. Thank you. >> If you're not going to answer, then I'll turn it into a discussion. I was not informed at any point that Don Austin was a candidate. I was given a motion with no prior information about Don Austin, no information that negotiations had been ongoing. In fact, there was a negotiation for a start date. And as a member of the board, I was not told that there was a negotiation happening for a start date, nor was I part of that determination. So, I'm very curious who made that determination and why individual board members are making decisions on behalf of the entire board or if they thought they had a majority vote to go ahead and

089do it. we have a clear Brown Act violation. Um, so I also understand that um, so uh, sorry I got sidetracked for a second. So I I did not know that Don Austin was being considered. I had no idea till we went into close session. There have been negotiations going on. I have participated in other searches and as part of those that search process there is a discussion among the board about possible um items that will go into the contract including salary ranges, start dates, all kinds of things that are part of a normal contract. There have been no discussions that have included me about that. somebody is making decisions and negotiating on the pa be on behalf of the board with no direction from the board. So as a board member I am completely

090outside of that process. This has nothing to do with Don Austin. We have a process for a reason. It ensures legitimacy. It wasn't followed. I also have a side concern that has nothing to do with Mr. Pearl. He's just doing his job. But I do think I am concerned that um his work here in the district is gerine to this appointment. I know President Morgan and member Hills met at length with Mr. Pearl in November after there was a decision to appoint him in a closed session, but at that point only President Perry as president of the board had the authorization to um you know contract with an attorney or to work with an attorney. That's what our bylaws say. The president of the board speaks with our attorneys on behalf of the board. So,

091I'm curious why two board members were speaking with the new attorney and not the president and how that decision took place and what the directive was. Um, that bothers me. Um, so I'm not sure who authorized President Morgan to participate in that meeting, who determined the agenda, how we arrived at the selection of Jonathan Pearl. He is the attorney in PaloAlto. I would have liked to have known that Jonathan Pearl was being appointed to be our board attorney while he was appointed to be an attorney in the PaloAlto school district. So to the extent that there's any conflict of interest, I'm quite sure Mr. Pearl could speak to that, but nobody informed me. um particularly as we moved into a pattern of bringing our current board or current superintendent under review and then terminating him

092and then hiring Don Austin from >> we do need to move on. So let's wrap it >> from I don't have to wrap it up um from from PaloAlto. So I would like to know who recommended Mr. Pearl and were we ever informed of a potential conflict of interest? With all due respect to you, Mr. Pearl, I just have a lot of questions about process. And I'll stop there. I have a lot more to say, but I think we can move from there. >> Thank you. Uh, member Perry. I was board president and we when Mr. Pearl was hired, we we had no idea that we were going to be looking for another superintendent. I mean, there was no >> My question is he he was at PaloAlto, but two members of the board were

093meeting with him. >> I'd like I will address that because I was one of those members. >> Board president. >> No, hang on. I understand. I understand. We're not going to do a huge Q&A, but this is something that you've now mentioned a couple times. So, I would like to remind you that at a meeting, I don't have the date because this is not a question that I was that I was looking to have an my information for. Um, we had a governance committee that we formed and was approved by this board. We invited you to be on it multiple times. You declined. >> Okay. Excuse me. >> Excuse me. The meeting that you were referring to was with Howard. It was with myself. It was with Dr. Glass. And it was with um M

094do Mr. Pearl. It was a governance >> Well, neither were you. So, it was a governance meeting. [laughter] >> It was a governance Excuse me. >> It was a governance committee meeting and that was all. >> Thank you. Member Perry, please continue. >> Okay. Um, I also was a little bit in the dark, but when I found out at that meeting that um, Dr. Austin might be available, I was thrilled. I thought it was great. And I thought it would be wonderful to not have four, five, six months of turmoil. and we had just I felt like it hadn't been that long that we'd gone through all those interviews and we didn't need to do that all again and that he was a great candidate. I was really happy with it. >> That's beside the

095point. >> Excuse me. Member Perry. Okay. Um Dr. Kelly, do you have any um comments or questions? >> Member Hills, do you have anything to say or questions? I guess questions and comments. I'd like to go then open it to the public and then we can wrap up our discussion. >> Yeah. Uh [clears throat] first of all, I think a lot of people have gotten into the habit of referring to quote Brown Act of violations unquote. And um I think that the decision about what is or is not a Brown Act violation and what provisions of the Brown Act are applicable in this situation or in other situations is either far more complicated and/or different from the references that are being made. There's no issue of a Brown Act violation here. As far as the

096bylaw goes, the bylaw is not mandatory and it's not compulsive. It states that the board in hiring a superintendent um can take into consideration the various elements that are set forth in there. That doesn't mean the board has to follow uh uh and it's considered Excuse me. Could we please have order here? >> I did I I didn't agree with anything you said, but I didn't interrupt you. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, um the the bylaw is really not the issue. Um what is the issue is that um the education code uh says that the board can't appoint a superintendent and the board can do that actually any way the board wants to do it um and uh any time and there can be urgent uh urgent circumstances and there can be routine circumstances. I think

097that um if we want to talk about due process and having people informed and having the public informed, this problem that we had with appointment of a superintendent goes back to November 21st uh 2024 when the board without notifying anybody, without telling anybody there was going to be a a transition, without any transition plan, you know, the state legislature passed a law section 35150 50 that provided for a transition in the position of superintendent. It provided that um if there's a new board elected and there are new board members elected um that the it actually says the board cannot uh terminate a superintendent until after the new board has been installed and a cooling off period of 30 days is passed so that you can see whether or not the the new board and the

098superintendent can work together. And that was a decision that the legislature made to avoid the very situation that the board created of not having a transition plan, not having a transition process. And so when the board terminated the previous superintendent without a transition plan, uh that put the district in a position that the council that you you you know, you talk about Mr. Pearl and his law firm. Um the council that you all hired um they um uh they advised us to proceed exactly how we proceeded and they had um allowed the termination without any transition plan. So um so then as everybody knows that's been following this uh we then struggled to get through the transition period without an interim superintendent. We had an acting superintendent and then we went through a a very

099um a complete um uh search process for superintendent and um this board is the as the president pointed out voted 50 to hire a search firm. that search firm did. We did all the community consult consultations and all the uh community meetings and I think that the action that the board took uh at this time is really a continuation of that process. That process did not end. What happened is that process did not really reach culmination. It was not really successful and the expectations of the parties to that u process were not um were not realized. And so uh I don't think that um going back and u repeating um the same process that by 50 vote we undertook is uh you know is necessary at all. In fact, I'm half tempted to make a

100motion to wave confidentiality on the search process and the selection process so we could divulge to the public everything we know about Dr. Austin uh and about his past and his experience. And if if if it is uh the case that he's stated that he was a candidate at that time, if that is the case, um I don't see why we couldn't just wave confidentiality and really tell the public what happened. But the it, you know, if we want to go down this road of making a lot of accusations that are not based on fact or reality, then we could just disclose uh uh everything that happened in that search process. The point is uh as far as I'm concerned, the the bylaw is not compulsory. It's not mandatory. Section 35161's give the board gives

101the board authority to uh pick a new superintendent. And nobody knew what you all were doing on November 21st. You didn't tell the public. You didn't give the public any opportunity to participate. and you didn't follow the uh process that the legislature created in 35150 for the public to witness an actual interaction between the former superintendent and the new board. It might have been uh we might have there might have been a successful outcome in which um there was no reason to terminate the uh uh the um the former superintendent. The last thing I'll say is this. It raises questions about exactly why the board decided to terminate the former superintendent um instead of following the 35150 procedure of allowing a cooling off period. Instead, you terminated the superintendent and that created a crisis. In

102fact, your former council said that by what you did and the way you did it, you created legal incapacity on the part of the district. So now you're coming along and you're holding us to a standard that you didn't follow and you're your your standard that you're trying to hold is more exacting than the law and it's more exacting than the bylaw. So I'm not really um uh persuaded that we should do anything other than proceed in an orderly manner. >> Make a motion to disclose all of the uh information on Dr. Austin that was done by leadership associates. President Morgan, >> it was expressed to me by um Miss Weber that even though we're not selling on the DAS, we're still able to offer our opinions in discussion. >> You can and I apologize

103for some of the confusion on how the room is set up because it was a um recognition meeting first followed by there's there's been some confusion is who's supposed to be where and um so I appreciate uh you speaking up. I'll call on you next. I'd like to go um back here. >> Is there a second for my motion to >> Can you please repeat your motion? I was actually coming to you for a for conversation or or questions or discussion. >> Mr. Hills said that he was going to make a motion to disclose everything about Dr. Austin that was found out in the process and I'm making that motion for him and I hope he'll be in second on it. >> That's not what I said. >> Okay, Howard, don't Howard don't turn it

104off. Excuse me. Excuse me. Excuse me. >> I can wait. >> Okay. Um, this is a business meeting and you all are here because it is a public business meeting and you are allowed to attend and you are allowed to participate. It's not a play. It's not a dramatic situation where everyone can, you know, the gasping and everything else. It's very disruptive and we would really I would really like to ask that you respect the process. Thank you. So, there's a motion on the floor to disclose. Can you [snorts] please repeat your motion? >> It's Mr. Hill's motion, and it is to >> discuse me for excuse me. Okay. I'll be happy to make my own motion to disclose all the information on Dr. Austin that was found during the search process [clears throat] >>

105to the public. It's I'm not sure exactly what you mean about all the information. >> Yeah. Right. >> So, >> well, I think it would >> We have a motion on the floor to just to um wave confidentiality of the interview process. >> Is that what you're So, you're asking about Dr. Austin, but are you asking specifically about the interview process? >> Right. That's what Mr. Hills was talking about. Is not what I said. >> Not what he said. >> Okay. You got a good laugh coming out of the audience, but that's not what I said. the confidentiality. >> That's not what I said. >> Okay. >> Well, there's a >> Excuse me. Excuse me. Okay. Okay. Excuse me. Excuse me. Thank you, >> Mr. Pearl. >> Trustee Kelly has the right to make the

106motion that he chooses to make. Whether he paraphrased Trustee Hills correctly doesn't really matter. It's his motion. So, there is a second on that motion. Um and the next step would be um discussion but I actually think there's a procedural problem because this item has not been agendaized and it's a heavy significant issue. >> This is just 2120 >> and before the board actually made a decision to wave confidentiality or privileges that might apply to that process. It's not just Dr. Austin that's an issue. It's other people as well. and I would want to opine on that before the board waved that. So if you do want to come back to it, I think it should be agendaized. Um but without that I I would be very concerned about proceeding at this point. >> Okay.

107So how would we how would we remove that motion from the floor then? >> I would I would table it and consider it potentially at a future meeting. >> Okay. So we're going to table that motion. >> We're going to have discussion on it. >> We're we're not going to No, we're going to table that motion. We're not discussing it because we're not we're not exploring that motion. >> And then I would remind the board that the issue on the agenda is actually the superintendent search process and the applicability of that policy. >> That's it. Okay, that's it. >> Can I give my comments now? >> So, as long as it's on 2120 and the search process, I would like you guys to help keep this meeting in line by staying on topic on just

108the process of 2120. Okay. That's what we're talking about. >> Then we have a later item on on the contract. So please keep this just to the process and not to the whole >> Okay. >> There is a contract item later in the agenda and we can discuss the contract then. Nobody has seen the contract because we haven't presented it yet because we're going to look at it in close session and then come out and present it. Thank you. Did you have a final statement before we go to public? >> I'm going to make my statement. No. I've been a president of a college which is in the Palo Alto area. So I'm quite familiar with u what goes on there. I've been getting nothing but emails and telephone calls from members of that community.

109I've also uh spent 27 years in Cal State system uh on three different campuses and I probably have overseen 500 searches. Uh no search would ever be done the way this one is being done. It even doesn't pass the smell test. Um, I got a quote from uh one of the leading search uh firms in the country and it was, "How did they not violate the Brown Act?" Uh, terminating Dr. Glass on a Tuesday and appointing Dr. Austin on a Thursday. And this is from an objective third party who just can't believe that this is going on in this this district. Uh, I'm concerned about litigation that this is going to open us up to in the future. And um I think that's probably um it for now. >> Thank you, Logan. >> Yeah, I

110think that we definitely should clarify just I mean for me one of the things I immediately came up to when you were speaking Mr. Hills about [clears throat] uh what Dr. Malchesy was saying is that I don't think that it was ever insinuated by her at any point that and you can totally jump in and correct me if I'm wrong, Dr. Meski, that anyone was questioning the board's ability to pick a superintendent. She's been advocating for their ability to do that the whole year. I think the question that was raised and it was really a separate two questions was one [clears throat] was there a Brown Act violation regards to a district staff visit to PaloAlto? I also think it should definitely be clarified um President Morgan if you could on which staff went on

111this trip. Well, I think then we would I think we would all love to know that answer. Um, and then the second question that is raised is certainly not about the ability of Don Austin or the ability of his legitimacy as a candidate, but just having the rest of of the board or certain members of the board, we don't know if it's entirely the rest, not being aware of his candidacy until the point of voting on it. It just seems a little bit unusual. And you can correct me if I'm uh wrong, Mr. Pearl, but I don't know if you've seen from a legal perspective how this works in other districts, but it seems to me a little bit unusual. Could we get some guidance on is this is it a traditional a way to

112go about things? But there >> No, no, no, no, no. [laughter] >> I'm asking him to repeat the question just to make sure I heard it. >> Can we have some order? and a little respect. >> Yeah. >> No. Okay. >> Thank you. >> Okay. I I'll repeat the question. No problem. >> I think the [laughter] I think the question was is this a a typical search process? Well, more or less is it has you seen from a from a standpoint of I assume you've had more experiences in this than I have, but have you seen a it to be very common where there's a district staff um visit to the district in which a candidate for a superintendent is is >> Well, that's a that let me let me take that one on cuz

113any the way to [clears throat] find out President Morgan said she didn't know who was on the trip, but were any board members on the trip. >> I learned that our staff >> No, no. I mean, I'm just Are there any were there any board members on the trip? >> No. >> Then that that really eliminates the issue because the Brown Act applies to elected officials. So, the fact that there were staff members or other employees on the trip eliminates a Brown Act issue. They're not subject to the Brown Act. >> Well, is it also not true that under the Brown Act, it's the search of whether they had intent behind it? So it it's not >> no because you have to first figure out who is subject to the Brown Act and the board

114members were not there. The board members did not go to PaloAlto is what they're telling us. >> Great. >> Thank you. >> So that clarifies the one the one issue that we had Mr. Hills in regards to the second issue. Mr. Pro, maybe you could give me some guidance on is it traditional or in any sense very typical for there to be it some amount or just like is there is it typical at all for there to be a superintendent who is hired at such a quick pace after firing another superintendent? >> There are I think it's going to be hard to generalize as far as how search processes proceed. There are many different kinds and and forms of them. The fact that makes this one a little different as some of the trustees were

115pointing out is that within the past year you had established a search process. So the fact that this one might have gone a little faster than others might have if you had a sitting superintendent for 5 years or 3 years a little different. So it really does depend on the circumstances. The next question I have is even though they their board members may not have been present on a trip, do they then be this is just a question I'm asking you for legal guidance on because I'm unfamiliar with the statute, but if board members had knowledge regarding of a trip and then and made a decision based on the knowledge they had gathered from others who attended and made a decision in private regarding the information that they had then received about a potential candidate.

116If they had had, and I'm not saying that this happened, I'm just saying that just from a theoretical perspective, it's interesting to me. Would they then be subject to a Brown Act violation? >> That's a that's a lot of different assuming that and what if this. So, I'm going to I'm going to pass on that one. >> Okay. I'm really only >> I'd like to clarify since you're asking about this trip. I have zero knowledge of who went on the trip. All I know is that we had a contingency of staff that went did a list did that did a learning walk at PaloAlto. That is all I know. I don't know who went. I know it was in the spring. I know that um they went up there because they were looking at the

117different programs that they have. That's all I know. I have no idea who went. And one has absolutely nothing to do with the other. I only mention it because of the fact that we have appointed not hired. We have we're looking at the contracts next and I would like to get us to that because there's a room full of people that want to present our facilities plan which is a requirement as well. Um I only mentioned it because our staff sought out as the number one district in our state and went up there to understand what they do and how they implement their programs, teach and everything else. Therefore, our community of our school community has knowledge and has respect for that district. Okay, I can go ahead and answer on on um availability. It's

118kind of like um December 2024, January 2025. This is a very small community and many people have been here for a very long time. We have different relationships with different people all over the place. um in January of 2024 when we were in January of 2025 when we were needing an interim superintendent with the conversation that we had then Joanne Cloverhouse's name was everywhere. It was a common knowledge that she was interested and wanted to pursue interest in this position. We all got a letter from her at the same time expressing that interest at like I think it was like 4:00. So, this in this community, we have staff, we have principles, and I'd like to welcome Dr. Austin and his wife that are here tonight. Um, we have community members that have deep relations

119with different people in different places. We have at least three active superintendents. I I know two for sure, uh, three active superintendent in our community. And so that like anything, right, an industry is somewhat small the longer you're in it. And so this community has kept Don Austin's name out there all the time. I hear it all the time. And do you know him? And oh, he's up at Palo Alto. You guys should go up there and see what he's doing. Um, it was in the news that there was that there was a separation, another mutual separation. And what was added was that that contract was extended till July 1st. So when there became clear there was a need it was a conversation and a question and so by appointing all we're basically doing is

120putting a pin in and an opportunity to secure a candidate. We have a contract 2120 is very clear. It states the board the board working through their president andor designate and advised by the district's employment law firm will finalize the language of the superintendent's contact contract with the selected candidate. There has not been any we appoint by appointing we expressed our interest there was an interest returned and that was it. And so, yes, that happened very quickly because it's a candidate that had been vetted by the search process that we had just done less than a year ago. It took us 4 months to get through that process and [clears throat] it was very clear that we needed an interim plan which is also outlined in our policy 2120. >> I understand perfectly with all

121due resp I don't understand why you feel such a need to defend yourself. >> I'm not defending. >> I made I made I made it very clear. I did I was not accusing you of having any knowledge of this trip or um the only question I had for the remainder of the question I have for Mr. Pearl. You said it was too many. >> We'll have public comment. Thank you. I would like to simplify the what if I was trying to to propose as would it be a violation of the Brown Act if the board members had knowledge about an incoming candidate and had made a decision between themselves without being in front of the board about that knowledge that they had received. >> Yeah, there there a lot of questions that I have based

122on your questions. So, I'm I'm happy to advise the board if they want an opinion letter on that, but I'm not an open session going to speculate on that one, but I appreciate the question. >> Okay. >> I'd like to move to final comment and then um I'd like to open it up to the floor. Um we have a very full agenda the rest of the night and we have people here waiting to present and we still do need to go into close session to um be presented the contract. Thank you. If you can make a brief >> two points, one is that leadership associates would conducted the search for free since the superintendent left within 10 in 10 months instead of a year. And um number two, um that's it. >> Thank you, Howard.

123Uh yeah, I'd like to just since this record is being created say that I never heard anything about anybody going up to Palo Alto until you mentioned it here. And when you mentioned it here, I construed it as that subsequent to the decision we've made, you came uh you um found out that that had occurred and you were just adding that information to bolster the fact that there's uh uh that there's support in the school community. There are teachers who are really happy about Dr. Austin's appointment and there are teachers who and there are people that went on that trip that have spoken. I didn't know about it until just now. First of all, second of all, member Malchesky uh raised the question as if it was probitative that um somebody other than the president

124talked to an attorney. Well, if she was familiar with uh 9124, she would know that the what the bylaw says is that the president or the design of the president can confer with counsel. And it's the same with the superintendent. The superintendent or a design of the superintendent can confer with counsel. So, that was another uh fake issue. But the the fact is that um what what the audience doesn't know and you know some interesting uh um gimmick arguments and questions are being presented um is that we're constrained in what we can say about what happened in the last search process. Uh, and so what I said was I would be tempted to make a motion to um wave confidentiality so that we could tell the audience here what we know about that process. But

125with respect to um uh Logan's questions, um if it turned out that three members of this board knew either knew Dr. Austin or knew about um uh if if he participated in the last search process and if he stated that is the case and if we knew about that it would be because we participated in that last process in which he was a candidate and that's how we would know that and so the idea that because we know that that there's a Brown Act violation as as councils advise that's just asking the question of is That's like asking if you've committed a crime or if you've done something wrong on a basis of a hypothetical. There's no evidence of a Brown Act um uh violation here. And if you were to look at the preponderance

126of the evidence, the best explanation for the fact that the board was the board majority was receptive to the appointment of Dr. Austin is that if he participated in the process, last process, we would know how he was ranked in that process and we would know that he was a candidate in that process. And so when we were told that the president and and uh member of the board were uh going to bring him before the board for appointment, then we would be happy about that and it would not be a Brown Act violation. >> I can't believe I >> Okay, let's have final comments so we can open the floor, please. So, I just want to reiterate, I am well aware the board does not have to follow board policy 2120. We can determine

127which parts of that policy should be enacted in order to select a superintendent. My point is that there was a decision that we didn't have to do that. Somebody on the board made that decision on behalf of the board. Either it was President Morgan acting by herself, not as a board member, or she knew she had a majority. I don't know which, but there were a set of decisions made about a process or not having a process that did not include a board discussion. The second thing is yes, the president of the board can uh allow someone designate someone else to speak to an attorney. There was a meeting with an attorney for some time with two people without Dr. Glass and without D. Perry. So that sounds like three people were involved with that.

128And finally, you're the only one I know who can relate any of this to the termination of Jason Valor. It is completely nonsensical. Um, and yeah, I'm going to I'm going to leave it there. >> Okay. >> I have one last point. >> Thank you. The s the reference check on Dr. Austin was done over 11 months ago. During that time, he has been separated from his job and has caused a major uh volcano up in the Palo Alto district. Uh yes, they may have uh given him a uh a extended his contract through July, but that's with staying at home and not and being paid. But I think at least we should have the right to have a ref a new reference check that's current. [applause] Thank you. Order, please. [applause] Order, please. Thank

129you. Okay. No, we're going to go to public com. We're going to go to public comment and we're going to come back for final and we need to go. >> Thank you. >> This is true. So to that point right disc um employment discussions are confidential um and when you do a reference check it's are they employed did they work here that period of time etc. Um I so it's it's um okay thank you. All right enough thanks please. Thank you. Um again um let's move to public comment. Um Derry. >> Okay. Please make a last comment then and then I'll u move to public comment. >> Uh just that um this situation to me was similar to the one with our previous superintendent. I told the district that I had to come late to

130the close session and I was completely blindsided when he wanted to remove himself from the district. Um so it isn't like that hasn't happened before. Um and I yeah it was only that was a bad situation. Anyway, um I was thrilled that Dr. Austin was available. I think he will be great. And when I was very worried that we would h be in disarray like we were for months when we didn't have a superintendent and this happened and we had already gone through interviewing him thought he was a great candidate. I thought we were really lucky to get him. >> Thank you D. Um and thank you everyone for your comments. Uh let's move to public comment. Um, and to those that are here to present the FMP, my apologies. We are running a little

131behind. Um, we're going to have our public comment and then we need to adjourn to close session to to um be presented the contract and then we will bring it back and uh continue [clears throat] on. >> Okay. Um, Ketta Brown, Vivian Tran, and Kathy A. There are no questions about the applicability of this policy. A board policy is a board policy. Just because it becomes inconvenient for your purposes does not mean you can suspend it on a whim. Howard, you of all people should know this. And it's not a bylaw. It's a policy. Whether or not it's legally required is not the issue. Transparency is. [applause] >> Please. Please. Thank you. >> Good evening board members. I urge you to slow down and conduct a thorough public vetting of Dr. Don Austin before finalizing

132this appointment. Many in our community have heard that Dr. Austin can unite people and restore trust. However, there is also public publicly available information from prior districts raising very real concerns about his leadership style, relationship with board members, interactions with students, and the circumstances surrounding his departure from previous pro positions. Public reports from his time in Palo Alto also indicate that hundreds of parents and community members signed a petition calling for his resignation, citing concerns about district leadership and decision-making. These individuals also took the time to write in public comments for our board meeting tonight. Whether one agrees with those concerns or not, the existence of such significant community opposition warrants careful consideration as part of any thorough review. Whether those concerns are ultimately justified or not, they deserve careful review before this district commits

133to another superintendent hire. LBUSD has already experienced significant leadership turnover. Our district cannot afford another rush decision. We need stability, credibility, and confidence that every candidate has been fully evaluated. The question is not whether Dr. Austin is qualified. The question is whether this board has done the work necessary to assure the community that all relevant and current information has been reviewed and that concerns raised by former community members have been investigated. The last superintendent trans transition created deep divisions in this district. Rebuilding trust requires transparency, patience, and diligence, not speed. I respectfully ask the board to demonstrate that due diligence has been performed, publicly explain the vetting process, and ensure the community has confidence that this decision is based on a complete and objective review of the candidates's record. Thank you. [applause] Okay, please keep

134in mind, we do not applause after somebody speaks. This is a business meeting. I know some teachers let students applaud in their class after they give a presentation. Um, you are addressing the board because this is a board meeting. So, please address the board. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um, I simply want to echo Dr. Kelly's sentiment that [snorts] you know this search process do you say you're you're you're thrilled but the interviews with him the the information that would have been brought to you by our search consultants and that team that information at this point is a year old and has been has been shared by Dr. Kelly and prior speakers. New information has come to light regarding his behavior in PaloAlto and the concerns in that district. And I mean, I would think

135that Mr. Pearl would respect it as a lawyer when new evidence comes into play. You certainly want to weigh that in your decisions and not look back at interviews and information that at this point is well over a year old, a year and a half old at this point. So, you know, the other the other issue is he was interviewed and passed over for a better candidate. And my question is to you, you you shake your head. No, you you you it was 50 unanimously. You voted for him. You believed that Dr. Glass was the best candidate. And and what you are not allowed to respond to public comment. You believed that Dr. Glass was the best candidate. You presented him to us as the best candidate. You interviewed Dr. Austin and passed him over.

136We are now a year and a half later into this. Who's to say that there isn't a better candidate than what you have so hastily decided in less than 48 hours after hiring an incredible superintendent that our district was blessed with who simply was fired because he did not bend to your will or your will. and you played along which broke my heart D because I will say in front of everyone here I voted for you in the past. I sat here with the no D sign last the last meeting because the hurt is real. I have seen in you the heart for the students. I you talked about getting on a bus a couple months ago on your own dime on your own time to go take a route for students to see what

137that path would be like for them. I see something in you that I don't see in the people you have aligned yourself with and it is very upsetting to me and many others I know who voted for you. I am asking you to please realign yourself with your values that I believe are in your heart and I don't believe that supporting a candidate that these two surprise the entire board by making backroom deals that is not something we should go along with. Thank you for your time board. [applause] >> [cheering] >> How many more speakers do we have? >> Erica Rule and Heather Hansen. >> Perfect. Thank you. >> So, after this discussion, I actually had to pretty much throw away my entire pre-written comment. I learned a lot. Uh, one of the things I

138want to put on the record here is that the separation happened on February 20th and the first review of Dr. glass happened February 26th and that feels a little too close as a coincidence and especially as we are looking to wave 2120 which obviously the legal floor is you guys can hire whoever you want whenever you want. Sure. Right. But Lagouna Beach has guard rails in place that means that we go through a process that the whole community can support that is not happening right now. So instead you are literally deciding that that policy is not like not applicable because of some situation that you put yourselves in. Right? The reason why Dr. Glass isn't here, the reason why we separated a superintendent after 6 months is because of this board. And I will say

139a lot of times the Brown Act is going to be brought up and I think some people on this board think they're smarter than the rest of us. And so what I'd like to say is that Howard pushes, Sherry follows. >> Please address the board >> and D just follows along. She doesn't have to know what's going on because she's going to vote with him. Thank you. [applause] The last speaker. >> Hi. Uh, I'm Heather Hansen. I'm a teacher at the high school. I usually teach or I usually speak in that capacity, but recently there was a full page ad in the indie paid for by Howard Hills which said teachers union members recently crowded board meetings loudly arguing uh board is creating stress affecting teacher performance in classrooms impacting learning and well-being of students.

140Any teachers admitting politics of school governance is allowed to impact student uh students should get professional counseling andor retraining and be held accountable if that actually is true and not just political rhetoric. So tonight, I think instead I will speak as a community member because I'm also a taxpayer in this district uh without any children in this district and that appears to carry a lot of weight around here. So um the newest board members ran on a program of fiscal responsibility and criticized the salary of the former superintendent. Uh he was encouraged to move his entire family here across the country. That was made easier by a stipen for moving expenses and $60,000 in rental subsidies. And his family and he moved here to make this their home. And yet the board majority refused to

141let him do his job. And less than a year into his tenure, you rece you reached a separation agreement with him after months of closed door discussions which began one week as Erica mentioned after Paulo Alto reached a similar separation agreement with their superintendent. Um who then you announced as your pick less than 48 hours after separating from Dr. Glass. And as far as I'm aware, we still haven't seen the contract which is extremely unusual. Um, while I can't say whether or not this was a Brown Act violation, as public officials, uh, and particularly as public officials charged with imparting [snorts] to our students what it means to be a citizen in a democracy, you should avoid even the appearance of a Brown Act violation. And now faced with the outrage of a community, the

142board majority says it's time to restore order and stability. But what the board majority confuses critique of power with incivility. And when I try to make sense of these decisions, I can't. It doesn't make financial sense after running on a program of fiscal responsibility. It doesn't make political sense as you have a community that is outraged. So the only thing it makes sense as is as an expression of power. And I'm reminded I'm reminded of the great Robert Caro, one of our greatest observers of power, who said that power doesn't so much corrupt as reveal. And it has been a revealing period of this board majority. [applause] Order, please. [applause] >> El hyper. >> Order, please. Thank you. >> Is this our last speaker? Okay. >> Good evening, board members. Um, thank you again for

143your volunteerism. I really appreciate all the time you give. But I just want to be frank with you. Number one, again, Sher, when you say business meeting, I sit here in awe because this doesn't feel right. Again, I don't think this board is taking the most important job in the entire school system very seriously at all. I don't understand why Dr. Glass was removed before graduation. It must have been something extremely egregious to upset this town to that degree. I don't understand it. Maybe someday we'll all know what it was. In the meantime, I'm so grateful. Dr. Kelly, you said something that as far as I'm concerned is the only reasonable thing that we can consider tonight. We hired a search team. We paid them $50,000 or more. Who knows? And they failed because we

144didn't keep our staff for a full year. So now for completely no money, they're able to continue to find us the best possible candidate. So why would we throw away that opportunity to have another search or to go back? Maybe it is Mr. Austin or Dr. Austin. I don't know. But we have now these head hunters for free because they didn't fulfill their job. So, thank you, Dr. Kelly. I'm so grateful for you pointing out this very important factor for the most important job in probably our entire town. And I don't think we should take it so lightly. And it seems like we are two days later. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Okay, that concludes our public speaking. Um, we have um I can I was going to go through and see if there were

145any final comments and then I actually wanted to inquire about I hate to ask this question. Um, because we have a large group of people here to present the FMP if we could potentially move close session after the FMP presentation. The close session um item is um conference with labor negotiators uh superintendent regarding an interim superintendent regarding their the contract. Uh they are in draft form. So when a contract is in draft form, it is not a public document until after it's approved and signed. Uh and once that happens, they will be available just like they have been in the past. Um >> I would like to say please don't put it to the end. I'm losing energy. Uh, and I will not be able to stay till the end, but I >> Okay, we'll

146finish. Let's finish our comments and then we're gonna I apologize to the FMP committee. We're going to have to um adjourn to close session um and and uh look at the contract and then come back out of close session. >> Thank you. So, are there any final comments on this item? Yeah, I just want to reiterate that um this is not about Don Austin and as I said in my initial comments, the reason that you follow a search process is to protect against bias, generate better information, protect the institution, reinforce governance roles, and protect the candidate. It gives them legitimacy. You don't end up with this and that is not fair to Don Austin. Thanks. That's it. >> I [applause] um I'd like to recognize Dean. Do you have any final comments? >> Uh does

147our student board reps have any final comments? I don't know where they are. Dr. Kelly Howard, any final comments? >> Just a couple of quick ones. Um, one is that uh >> order please >> reiterate that um if we could divulge the process that we went through what seems like a few months ago um then the positions that were taken by the different members of this board could be disclosed to the public. The positions if Dr. Austin um was a candidate in that process. Um how he was ranked and and the thorough complete um review that was undertaken in that process would be a matter of public record. Um it's the same thing with these discussions about Brown Act violations in order you know what is a Brown Act violation. The only Brown Act violation

148uh that relates to a board member is section 54959, which says that anytime three members of the board attend a meeting with the intent of depriving the public of information, then that's a misdemeanor crime. And um uh but the the the idea that um just a just a comment, you know, that uh the by the the board policy here um and the idea that referring to it as a bylaw is somehow um a problem. The fact is both bylaws and policies are interchangeable and they're both adopted through the same procedure. And um the fact is this is not a compulsory bylaw. So we're not suspending it. We're not setting aside. We are acting actually consistent with it. And we're act acting uh taking into consideration those elements of the policy that we think are relevant.

149And we're acting in a continuation of the process that was rigorous that we've already been through. And um it would not be responsible to delay um getting new leadership here. and it would not be responsible to spend money repeating a process that we've already done. And um the fact is that this is the uh member Malchesky's objections are exactly this is the same tactic she used after they summarily released a superintendent without a transition plan. And we came up with Dr. Culver House um as a appointee. She did exactly what she's doing tonight. She intervened and opposed it on specious grounds and effectively as and I got to hand it hand it to her. She successfully torpedoed and sabotage that appointment. And as far as I'm concerned, uh if I can do anything about it,

150she's not going to she's not going to torpedo this appointment. >> Dr. Clever House was presented to us as a faded complete that someone had talked to her and uh made her an offer and uh I had never met her. I I've heard of her and it was uh >> stay on topic please. >> But I'm just I'm trying to respond to to Howard's thing that it's not true that Joan has done all the right things and uh I I commend her for it. Thank you. >> Thank you. Okay. Um, okay. Thank you. Um, just a final comment before we um adjourn to close session. And again to the FMP committee, I am extra extremely sorry um that we're running behind. Um, I appreciate that there has been recognition in this community um that u

151the the board, you know, can can hire a superintendent um when necessary. Um it is the responsibility of the president to ensure that there is a smooth transition and that is the that is exactly what was done and I am very um well so the appointment was made on May 14th. We are going to adjourn to close session to look at the draft of the contract and we will adjourn uh we will return as soon as we're done. I need a motion to adjurnn to close, please. >> All in favor? Thank you. >> [laughter] >> Okay, thank you for coming back together. Uh we agenda. Okay. Okay. Thank you for coming back together. Uh we are uh coming out of close session. There was no action taken on either contract. Action is required by law

152to occur in open session. There was no discussion on public appointment. We're going to move to item 12A. The appointment or the approval of the contract for the interim superintendent. uh Manoj uh Roterie and I'm going to read the following um uh oral summary. This item is related to the board's consideration of and the recommendation the recommended approval of an employment agreement for Manoj Roachchowie to serve as interim superintendent of Laguna Beach Unified School District. Prior to taking final action, government code section 54953 requires an oral summary of the recommendation for approval on the salaries, salary schedule or comp compensation paid in the form of fringe benefits on a local agency executive during open excuse me of a local agency executive during open session of a regular meeting in which the final action is to

153be taken. Here's the summary of the recommended financial terms of the interim superintendent employment agreement. The district and the interim superintendent are entering into a short duration employment agreement which may be terminated by either party at any time and will automatically terminate upon the appointment and employment of a new superintendent. Effective May 13, 2026 for performing the additional job duties and responsibilities of the interim superintendent. Mr. Rochadri shall be paid a perdium rate in addition to his regular salary as the assistant superintendent of business services. The pdeium rate is 1,783 and is retroactive to May 13th. Upon termination of this agreement, Mr. Rochowry will return to his regular full-time position and salary as assistant superintendent of business services. Thank you. Okay, I want to move on to questions of the board. Are there any questions

154by the board? Seeing none, are there any public comments? [snorts] >> Yes. on nine. This is 10. Let's see. >> Isn't it 12? >> 12 A >> 12. Um, Steve Brown. >> 12B. Okay. And Erica Rule >> 12B. Okay. >> Thank you. Okay. Is there a motion to approve? Is there any further discussion? Okay. Is there a motion to approve the employment agreement for Mr. Maninojowy to serve as the interim superintendent of the Laguna Beach School Unified School District? Thank you. I need a second. >> Thank you. Um, any further discussion? No. Okay. Um, I need a roll call vote, please. All in favor? Dr. Kelly? >> Yes. >> Howard. >> Dr. Mountesky. >> Yes. >> Clerk Perry. >> Okay. I vote yes. The motion passes. 5-0. Okay, thank you. Okay. Okay, this is very

155sensitive. I don't like that it hears me breathing. Okay. Um, we're moving on to item 12B, approval of the employment agreement for uh, superintendent Dr. Dr. Don Austin. This item is related to the board's consideration of and recommended approval of its an employment agreement for Dr. Don Austin to serve as the superintendent of Laguna Beach Unified School District. Prior to taking final action, government code section 54953 requires an oral summary of the recommendation for approval on the salaries, salary schedule, or compensation paid in the form of fringe benefits of a local agency executive during open session of a regular meeting in which the final action is to be taken. Here is the summary of the recommended financial terms of the superintendent employment agreement. Number one, the district and the superintendent are entering into an employment

156agreement with a 4-year term. Item two, effective July 1st, 2026, the anient's annual base salary shall be $450,000. Item three, the superintendent is not receiving annual salary steps, automatic salary increases, meto adjustments, or predetermined salary adjustments in the subsequent years. The superintendent is a 12-month employee with 224 work days. He shall not acrew a paid vacation. This is a positive work contract. The superintendent shall be offered the same district provided health and welfare benefits as offered to other district management employees including medical, dental, vision, and life. The board shall continue the board shall contri uh the board shall contribute a percentage of 4% to the superintendent's base salary to a tax sheltered annuity funded selected by the superintendent. Item seven, there are no contractual provisions in this agreement for longevity payments, moving or relocation expenses,

157no housing stipens, no paid sobatical leaves or payments for mentors. Again, no such compensation has been offered to or requested by Dr. Austin. Thank you. Do I have questions from the board? >> Seeing none, let's move on to public comment, please. >> Now, Steve Brown and Erica Rule. Okay, my comments. There we go. My comments this evening are for Dr. Don Austin. We haven't met yet, but I hope we will soon. By way of introduction, I'm Steve Brown, and my family's roots in Lagouna Beach go back to the 1930s. For this reason and many others, a strong city and school district are very important to me and my family. Before this meeting, I looked into your professional background, and you appear not just highly qualified, but exceptionally qualified. The data shows that the districts you've

158led have performed at an elite level. Over many years, those districts have ranked consistently at the very top in California, coming in repeatedly at number one with equally impressive national results. All I can say is wow, and thank you for considering coming back to Laguna Beach to lead our school district. This community has always considered itself fortunate to support one of the top districts in Orange County. Today, we have an extraordinary opportunity for our students and staff to be led by a superintendent with credentials and results that go well beyond that. To those in this room and watching online, based on performance alone, Dr. Austin is the top superintendent in California and certainly among the top tier nationwide. Dr. Austin brings a huge opportunity for our district. For fun, I compared our high school performance

159with one in his district over the past five years. During that period, Laguna Beach High ranked between 113 and 126 in California, while the high school under Dr. Dr. Austin's leadership ranked between number one and number four in all of California. Nationally, the difference is also striking. Lagouna Beach High ranked between 630 and 700, while the school under Dr. Austin's leadership ranked between 35 and 56 nationally. This is our chance to bring an outstanding superintendent back to Laguna Beach where many families fondly remember his service as high school principal from 2006 to 2011. I welcome Dr. Austin back to Laguna Beach and I know many residents who I have spoken to who know him that support him now. We look forward to what Dr. Austin can do to help our students achieve even stronger results.

160Welcome back, Dr. Austin, and a warm welcome to your wife and family. Okay. So, just to have some helpful comparisons and what was going on in our previous superintendent's uh contract, he had things like 24 paid holidays. He did have a moving expense because he did come almost across the country. And in fiscal year 26, he would have made $443,700 per his 4-year contract, which is also standard. And I think to me what this is trying to imply is that this is a fiscally responsible uh decision to have unpaid vacation to not to basically not be paying all these like extra fringe benefits to to a superintendent. Um, I find it again as a way to run away from the problem of this process of hiring a superintendent through the proper channels. So hopefully this

161is something that Dr. Austin wants and I really hope that that works out for him. However, I do think that trying to frame it as a financially responsible decision, it's not uh having unpaid vacation, no matter h you are awful. Um, so I really wish him good luck. >> Thank you. Are there any further comment cards? >> No. >> Okay. Are there any further comments from the board? >> No. Okay. I need a motion um to approve uh I need a motion to approve the employment agreement for Dr. Don Austin to serve as a superintendent of Laguna Beach Unified School District. Think I need a second. Okay. Thank you, Howard. Thank you, Jim. Um any further discussion? Okay. Um all in favor, roll call vote, please. Dr. Kelly, >> Howard. >> Dr. Maltesky. >> No.

162Um, clerk Perry. >> Yes. >> Okay. I vote yes. That's 32. Okay. And the contract is approved. Thank you. Okay. Uh, we're going to move on to item 13. This is the presentation of the facilities master plan to the committee that has worked so hard on this. Thank you so much for u waiting. Um the I'm going to yield the floor to We can Would you like to get a picture? We can do it next time. >> Yeah. Okay. Anakar, do you have a camera or anything here? >> Would you like to say anything? >> Okay. I think it was just a What did you want? >> Oh, yeah. We can take a picture with Yeah. with all of them. Okay. >> Before the picture. >> Okay. Yeah. Yeah. >> That's okay. >> First of

163all, thank you. And um I was just trying to think of what what I wanted to say and I'm going to start with thank you my wife uh 32 years and um when you're a superintendent and a person in leadership positions, you get battle tested and you have to hear things you don't always like and people forget. So does so do the people who are with you. and I really appreciate her. Um, next I'm I want to thank the people who I spoke with outside. I had several I'm going to paraphrase that said they may have disagreed with the process but wish me well and that's fair and and I appreciate that. And while I was outside I was really thinking through some things. This is not the homecoming uh reception I had drawn up

164in my head. Uh but that's okay. It's going to get better. Uh but I had students who came over and I just wrote a friend of mine and said, you know, everything's okay. Because the students reminded me of the work that we really do and the stuff that really matters. And sometimes it's easy to get distracted [snorts] by other things. But when you're looking in the face of sophomores and a freshman and and a junior, the other stuff just matters less. And I really appreciate that. And I'm looking forward to coming back to a place that I loved. And you know that the the funniest thing was not planning on being a superintendent again. and as evidenced by the fact that we're remodeling our home and all of my superintendent clothes are in a pod

165somewhere. So, uh this this this one is special and I'll tell you this isn't a job for me. This is not a job. Uh this one's a calling. This one's personal. And to the five board members, I'm going to be your superintendent and I appreciate this opportunity. To our community, you're going to get my best every day. And some things you're going to like and some things you may not, but you're never going to question my effort or commitment to this school district. My three kids attended here. We lived here in town. I was able to serve for for five years. And there's no place on the planet I would rather be. And I'm just looking forward to getting to know everybody and not trying to reminisce and try to make this 2011 and not

166trying to make it Palo Alto. We're going to be the best Laguna Beach that we can be together. I'm so proud to be your superintendent. Thank you. [applause] On that note, um, do we want to take a quick picture now or do you want to take it after? I don't know what your what the thought is. I don't know. I think Jim asked what what are you asking for? >> Oh, I think we were going to let him go. We could probably get one at the next meeting perhaps. How about that? Because I think you're going to join us tomorrow at the arts committee. And I with that, I did want to add that um prior to one of the comments in this contract for you that um I guess it wasn't on the oral,

167but I want to share it with the community. Prior to July 1st, 2026, without additional compensation from the district, the superintendent may participate in transition activities, including meetings with board members, district leadership, employee associations, staff, parents, students, community partners, and other stakeholders through mutually convenient scheduling with the individuals or group involved. So, I encourage all of you to reach out. I encourage all of you to share your um your um thoughts, your ideas, your visions, your goals. One of the other things in our in the contract states that um prior to August 21st, 2026, um there will be a um visioning session or a board retreat uh for the purpose of calibrating priorities, governance expectations, communication norms, budget assumptions, labor relations strategies, and transition planning. I am grateful to Dr. um Austin and I am

168grateful to Dr. uh to Mr. Pearl for the hard work on this um to make sure that the transition and leadership is smooth to bring in support from Manoj um and to um bestow such a an amazing uh leader on our district. So, thank you so much for all of the hard work. I appreciate it. >> [laughter] >> Jim has to go. He's not feeling well. Okay, we're going to move on to the next item. Um, >> no, we're going to take it to the next meeting. Uh, this is the presentation of the 2026 facilities master plan update. Um, Mr. Mr. Vader. >> Thank you. Good evening, board president, members of the board, and uh our incoming superintendent. Uh it is my privilege to provide this uh present the facilities master plan. The facility master

169plan is a roadmap for the school district for the next 20 to 25 years. Um as as such the facility master plan is a living document. It once it's approved by the board it will support our student achievement or long-term operational excellence. The plan as you will see uh our director of fiscal services is going to start on is a thoughtful plan that has been developed for the last six months. We had several members from the community, from our staff and from the district up go through each and every uh facility that we have the four schools and the district office including the warehouse. Uh we do extensive uh travel to all the facilities looked at the classrooms and kind of thoughtful of what the facilities needs are from a long-term perspective. With that, I'll

170turn over to uh Ryan Zeta, our director of fiscal services. Sorry, director of facilities to go over the facility master plan. Thank you, Mr. Roy Chattery. Um, thank you for the opportunity tonight for us to present to the board. Um, the presentation tonight provides information on the 2026 update to the district facility master plan. Feedback from the superintendent student advisory council will be provided um along with a background on the process taken for the update. In addition, we'll provide a presentation of district needs and prioritization by the community members who participated on the committee by site and also an overview of the total project cost and prioritization list. So, the purpose of the facility master plan is to serve as a long-range planning document like Mr. Ray Try mentioned um it's to meet the district's

171educational goals and objectives. The projects listed within the facility master plan are not approved for design and construction and still require board approval prior to starting work. It's important to note that a current facility master plan is tied to grant funding. It is a requirement by the state for a school district to have a facility master plan that was approved within the prior five years to be eligible to submit an application for state matching funds for a capital improvement project. And with that, I will turn it over to President Morgan, who will discuss the background on the process taken to complete the update to the facility master plan. >> Thank you, Ryan. And again, thank you so much to the committee and all their hard work. Um the uh so this report updates our facility

172master plan that was last approved in December 2023 as was mentioned and is a requirement for participation in the school facility program. This is a board um a board directed committee and um with that we had given leadership the direction to establish an application process so that we could form an ad hoc committee. The committee was formed with six community members. We had uh the members were selected collectively by that represent a diverse range of qualifications, professional expertise and community perspectives. We also included district staff representing a variety of roles and departments and they were also selected to be on the committee including a principal, teacher, maintenance worker and other essential staff involved in the maintenance and operation of the facilities to select the members from the community. Applications were submitted um and the process

173ensured that we had at least a representative. We have an architect. We had um someone involved in process and facilities um a lot of so we made sure we covered all of our bases um I was there with Howard uh to facilitate the process um and we did help we we did not help prioritize but we voted along with all the other committee members which included 15 different people um and they'll get into that process a little bit later. Uh the planning involved extensive due diligence committee meetings and site visits to assess facility commi conditions and evaluate current and future educational needs. The process started with reviewing our 23 um 24 our 23 our 2023 excuse me FMP and our 2024 energy master plan to understand existing project scope and priorities. Following site visits, the

174committee reviewed findings, evaluated needs, and prioritized projects to support the district's educational mission and strategic goals. This inclusive process aimed to gather diverse input and align the updated FMP with the district's vision for future learning environments. We also invited um when we began to discuss each site, we invited additional staff from those sites since they are um actively involved in the campus that they serve. Uh we figured they would have or we knew that they would have a little bit more insight into the daily operations of the fac of the facilities rather than us just going through and observing. The facilities committee used a weighted scoring rubric with eight criteria to evaluate options and establish priorities in descending order of importance. And with that, I'm going to turn it back over to Ryan. I'm going

175to invite up members as our superintendent student advisory council to provide a presentation on some feedback on the facilities at Laguna Beach High School. Hi, we're members of the Super Senate Student Advisory Council and we're here today to kind of discuss the findings that we discussed with the facilities and we're going to be focus on focusing on the concession stand by the vending machines, the math lab, the senior quad and the writing lab and then our feedback and then we have photos afterwards so you guys can see the areas and the issues. >> Yes. So, more specifically, we would like to modernize the concession stand for more productive use. And then we would like to move the math lab from its current location to a more studentfriendly location. We'd also like to enhance the senior

176quad to provide a more usable studentfriendly environment. And also, although the location of the writing lab is good, we think that the size is not the most conducive to serving students. Okay, so here are some pictures of these areas that we've outlined for you guys. So, in the top left corner, that's the concession stand. Currently, it's being used as an ASB storage closet. Um, it's kind of old and run down, so we really just want to kind of renovate it and find a better use for it. We're not sure what yet, but those are our ideas. And then for our math lab, that's going to be in the top right corner. And as you can see, um, there's a bunch of stairs that lead up to the lab. So, it's not very accessible for all

177students, especially those with disabilities or people who might not be able to walk up those stairs. So that's just something to think about and a lot of students aren't able to find it as well because it's in such a remote and random location. In the bottom lefthand corner you can see our senior quad and while this serves as a wonderful grassy natural area on campus as you can probably see a lot of the grass on the green is gone. There's not a lot of seating and I don't know if you can see it in the far right corner there's some wooden tables but they're not safe to sit on and students don't really get as much out of this area as they could if we were to renovate seating add new options and try to

178combat the dampness that usually plagues this area. Um, and then lastly in the bottom right hand corner there, pictured is the writing lab. And although it is in a strategic location, it's at the entryway in the library. Uh, the way that it's tucked away and its overall small size, we think might limit its efficiency and overall the accessibility to students, but we love the function of it and think it should be continued to be expanded for students. Thank you. Well done. [applause] Thank you so much. I I appreciate um the student the students um participating in that. Thank you. >> But at this point of time, I'll invite uh Mr. Steve Mintosh and Miss Laura Jumani who are our community members. A little bit about Mr. Mintosh and Miss Jumani. So as they are coming

179up uh you will see six members of the community couple of things about them. They have lived extensively in this community. Many of them have kids that have gone through this school district. Some have kids that are going through the school districts and we will have a couple of members that will come up that have potential that have kids that will go through the school district. So they have lived in the community pretty long time, extensive community experience, extensive reach out network and it'll be helpful to see what their thoughts are with respect to Laguna Beach High School. >> Mr. Demani and Mr. McKit Dash. >> Thank you Manoj. My name is Steve Mintosh. Been a 45 year uh resident of Lagona. a daughter went through the system and uh lived near the uh high

180school and been involved in construction projects most of my life off and on. So knowledge and I thought I could bring some of that. So >> thank you. >> Hi, I'm Laura Jamani. I've lived in the district for 26 years and I've had two kids go through the district. One still in the district at the high school and she's been here since TK. I have a corporate finance and accounting background. Um what else? And very involved in the community. >> So um at the high school we have uh several different things that we'll get into here, but I'm going to touch on the program needs and project prioritization. Um one of which is a centralizing student support services uh center to improve access to counseling, wellness, and academic support resources and developing new administrative space

181to better support campus operations. Um, and we have general site upgrades to support safe and functional school operations. In addition, we have campuswide energy and infrastructure upgrades to enhance energy efficiency and support sustainable operations. Uh, modernizing career technical education, also known as CTE, and visual arts classrooms to provide flexible technology rich learning environments. In addition, we have uh modernizing the theater to support instructional uh instructional performance arts and community use programs. Proposed improvements include uh upgrades to audiovisisual systems, sound systems, acoustics, interior finishes, and related building systems. We also have comprehensive site utility improvements to modernize campus infrastructure. And last but not least, uh, roof replacements utilizing class A fire resistant materials because fire is an important topic here in Lagona. So Laura can take a little bit more of the details. >> Okay, so

182this chart here lists the projects and we have them sorted in in priority order. So starting with the student services and classroom building um as described in the FMP report handout that was distributed which is quite comprehensive um our our FMP committee members used a waiting scoring rubric criteria for the points calculation with the total average higher score indicating a higher priority. So for example, the student services and classroom building with the admin came in at the high school the highest uh priority level of 109 points which puts it at a tier two and the estimated costs are also shown here. Um we included priority tiers one through three in our FMP. The cost estimates on the right hand column are estimated total cost including soft costs. And this slide is a very high level

183summary by project. The student services center being the highest priority also followed by some of the site improvements and other projects as described by Steve. This first project also aligns with the student advisory council's list and in general addresses all of the needs that they've stated. And then to talk about some of the criteria that went into the committee points average in descending order. There was health and safety, legal regulatory compliance, capacity and enrollment need, educational program alignment, financial feasibility, equity impact, operational efficiency, sustainability and community value and enhancement. So those were all weighted and helped us to calculate this community points which you'll see throughout the slide presentation. And then the next slide, this is the site plan of the high school showing some of the locations of the projects as outlined and the

184the three one the three major ones highlighted. >> Thank you. I do. We want to address now why there's what number one, two, three, and four me mean so that as we continue on they understand what how there's tier two, tier three, tier four. Are you guys doing that? Okay, great. >> Thank you, Mr. Jani and Mr. McIntosh. Next, we have Mr. Matt Gamo and Mr. Tyson Murphy, who are again uh long-term residents, active in the community. They are going to come in and present the updates needs for Thirstston Middle School, the school that we are having. We are in now. Matt, all yours. >> Thank you, Manosh. Um, so [clears throat] I'm Matt Gumo. Uh, I have two kids in the district right now, Henry Neller right there. Um, and, uh, one who just

185recently graduated, Thomas. Uh, I am an architect. I have worked in school facilities uh projects throughout my career early on for the first five years at a firm called Dogerty and Doggery. Um working on very similar facilities that we have here and working on projects that um are the result of bond measures passing uh for for school districts. Um I will touch on the tiers real quick and then I'll let Tyson introduce himself. the tiers, you won't see any tier ones. And the reason for that is um tier one really heavily weights health safety and regulatory deficiencies. And so um the committee felt in their scoring criteria that we generally have um safe facilities. There's no emergencies needed there. and uh regulatory um uh compliance well within reason. Um so tier 2 is not to

186be mistaken as lower priority. Tier 2 is kind of where we start. So I just want to clarify that which means also tier three is is not far behind and also important. So >> [clears throat] >> Hello everyone. Uh Tyson Murphy. Uh [clears throat] I'm originally from Lagona, came up through most of the school system here and um I have a daughter at this school in seventh grade. So uh I was very interested to be on this committee and and serve in that capacity and uh offer what I can. Uh I have been working in the clean energy industry for the past 20 years. So I thought maybe um on the [clears throat] energy side of it I might be able to [cough] bring bring some level of expertise potentially. Um so for Thirstston Middle

187School uh quick uh background you know established in 1968 um and then uh buildings BNC constructed in 1996 while the gym and the drama music buildings were added in 2004. Um, so the first thing I want to talk about is the the the main priority project or at least the highest scored priority project for Thirstston was the uh gym expansion and seismic upgrade which the committee identified as the highest priority project and um also the third highest priority project throughout the district uh through this process. And what this project, gym expansion and seisment upgrade, uh it really addresses two critical needs, student safety and facility capacity. Um the project strengthens the building to modern seismic standards while expanding the gym that is no longer adequately serving the student population. Uh one example is the current

188bleacher configuration impedes on court striping. you see the bleachers come out and it covers, you know, at least a third of the basketball court. Um, as a tier tier 2 priority project, uh, represents a timely investment that reduces the long-term risk, supports educational programming, and positions the district to maximize future funding opportunities. So to recap, the project checks the following boxes. Safety enhancements, facility logistics improvements, and revenue generation potential. And I'll pass it to Matt. Second project on the list um in terms of priority comes to uh the tech lab modernization project also referred in the plan. um as the uh uh there was there's another term on the site plan I'll come next multimedia um it comes second I think it's important to note at a time when um jobs are changing technolog is

189changing um and uh opportunities are shifting toward computer and technology enhanced jobs. And so the high school currently enjoys a multimedia space that's preparing many students for um the use of uh digital fabrication tools such as 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines. Um and in middle school, we're finding that students are pushing uh the boundaries as well. when it comes to to technology. So it scores high I think in the equity category to provide that as an opportunity for young minds. The location for the facility would be behind the wall that you sit in front of. And the opportunity um really comes with upgrades to the space around electrical infrastructure, mechanical um and also an interesting topic that came up during our sitewalk was potentially opening the building up so that programming could spill to

190the open air in the back court. I'll go to the next slide. The rest of the projects are listed here by priority. The first two we talked about. Following [clears throat] that are site utilities, blackbox theater upgrades. Understanding it recently went through some upgrades. Um but it needs more roofing uh for fireproofing, lighting upgrades, PV, solar, EV charging stations, HVAC, that all kind of falls under the category of the EMP plan. And I think it's interesting to note that the board has adopted a 2030 goal of carbon neutrality and these projects are important in achieving that goal. And as an architect, I'd also like to point out that 2030 is in four years. And if you haven't started these projects today, then you're already behind the ball. So, um, if we're going to commit to

191that goal, then we need to properly allocate the funding to do so. and with some haste. Um outdoor amphitheater improvements as well as outdoor learning areas and finally playfield lighting which is important to the community. I know having um two kids who played soccer here in the evening time they roll in the temporary lights. I think that covers it all. The next slide is just the site map and um you know I think everybody kind of knows where the those spaces are. Thank you very much. >> Thank you Tyson. A little bit about the tears that we talked about just in case you are following this building or this thirsten Middle School was constructed in 1968. it. So the high school the Laguna Beach High School was constructed in 1930. In four years it will

192come up to 100 years of Laguna Beach High School. So as you understand with buildings and uh infrastructure they have a specific lifespan just like your cars or automoils you can repair and maintain up to a certain point of time. Beyond that, it kind of goes beyond economic repair. So at this point of time, we will need major renovation for some of those buildings that have exceeded their lifespan. A little bit about Laguna Beach history on facilities and maintenance. All the folks that come in, in fact, our prior superintendent, uh, they all said that Lagona Beach maintains their facilities really well. If you look at our facilities and compare to facilities in other school districts, neighboring school districts, our facilities are top class. It is because we invest in facility maintenance, repairs. A little bit

193about modernization project or facility master plan. Facility master plan does not address repairs and maintenance. It is primarily upgrade of facilities where we tear down to the studs or to the entire building and kind of expand it or fit our needs. One of the things that we heard is tier one, tier 2, tier three. Tier one projects are the projects that's immediately needed. If there is over under capacity or over capacity in some building where we have classroom enrollment exceeding the size uh specified for the classroom then that's a tier one project for us. We will go ahead and figure out how to bring in a classroom extra classroom and we have done that during co we have done brought in portable buildings to address our capacity issues so that we can spread out the

194kids. It's good that we don't have tier one priority in this district. That means we don't need immediate action that's required uh for a building. We don't have a active water leak or uh plumbing repair that's needed for any particular school. Having said that, we do have issues just like any other household. We have plumbing, electrical repairs that goes on and we handle it through our regular repairs and maintenance. But tier 2 is the top priority projects for us and tier three a little bit about how it was ranked. It was ranked by individual committee members and then we disagregated the data. Desegregated the data based on whether it's a community member that has voted or is it a board member that has voted or is it staff that have voted. And when we disagregated

195the data, we found very similar pattern. I mean the community voted exactly the same way as the staff voted as the board members voted. So that brings me to some certainty that this was a fair process. Everyone was allowed. We were given parameters as to how we want to rate it as the eight parameters that we have. health and safety, enrollment capacity, equity. So if there is a uh facility in one of the elementary school, we want to make sure that the other elementary school has the similar facility not same but similar facility particularly with respect to kitchen facility infrastructure. So the things I wanted to discuss but I also want to invite our last pair of community members Mr. Walter Bell and Miss Elizabeth Betts. They are going to go over the Elmoro Elementary

196School as well as the top of the world school. Mr. Bell and Miss Bates uh a lot during this process. Uh getting to be at all the schools. The the tour at each facility was really interesting. Uh I went to these schools a long time ago. Things have changed a little bit, but they uh brought back good memories walking around. So, um, where, uh, we were at the Elmoro School, we kind of talked to community members, we talked to staff, we talked to the people who maintain the facility, and we came up with a pretty uh, good idea of what these school the school is going to need to to grow and to to be better for the community in the future. So, um, at Elmoro, one of the big changes that it's going through

197is the growing early learning program. Um, they're putting in a preschool. It's small now. They want it to grow. Uh, they're they're working on the TK area and the kindergarten area. So, uh, that's one one of the changes they have at the school. And then, um, they're also, uh, dealing with some portables that are right in the middle of the black top out there. and those things, you know, nobody wants to be in portables. They want to find a better solution than having portables in the middle of the play area. And then the last uh thing that we heard, especially from the community, was that we want these kids to have good food, right? So, if we can do something to improve the food quality and give uh the people that are providing the food

198service more options when it comes to delivering good food for the children. So, that's kind of what our goals were from the the community and the staff, and that's how we thought about the projects. Um, then here's our list of projects. Uh, [clears throat] there's a lot at Elmoro. We're not going to go through all of them. Some of them are kind of the same as all the other facilities. We want to do the PV solar. We want to replace the roofing. We want to do um improvements to the site. And that those are all necessary, but um that happens as you do some of these bigger projects as well. So right now um that P-08 kindergarten TK classroom that's um currently being worked on. Um it's in the in the beginning processes. So uh

199that was really important. You can see that's a 119. Everybody was excited about that. Let's get it done. Uh and then project 04, that project is removing the portables and um replacing uh a building that is really old. Uh like Minaj said, some of these buildings are really old and it's just better to replace them. So, uh, there's a strip of classrooms that were the original classrooms at Elmoro, and they're talking about taking those out and putting in, um, more more units there, more school classrooms there so they can take out the portables. Um, and then the last, uh, the preschool modernization. um to be in compliance with some of the rules, you uh need to have a restroom for the children in the room and special area for them to play. And so uh

200the idea is that we're going to reconfigure the Elmoro play area, preschool area so that it's all in one zone. So those were our top three uh projects that we'd like to present to the board. I think they'd be, you know, a good use of our time and the community um that we surveyed thought so too. Uh so here's our map. You can see uh the orange on the top is our TK um classrooms and those are the ones that are being reconfigured with the restrooms. Preschool is moving from the yellow area up to the red area. And that's uh that's going to put all the young kids up in that corner and uh help with the with the traffic at drop off pickup because all those kids will be in the same spot. And

201then we're going to remove all those classrooms on the bottom left and then put them where the yellow building is and that'll um give us more classrooms that are permanent. And there is some food service modernization right there in the middle in the lunch area. So those are the projects we talked about and are excited about. Hopefully you guys like them too. Thank you guys for the opportunity. >> Elmor school was established. >> Elmoro Elementary School was established in 1953 and Top of the World is 1966. Miss Bates. >> Hello. Elizabeth Bates here. I grew up here. Um went to Top of the World myself. So I [clears throat] personally asked for this school. It's one of my favorites. I went through thirsten and graduated LBHS 92. Woo! Go artists back then. Um I have

202four children. Uh they've all been through the district 32, 25, 16, and 18 now. And my son will be graduating next week. So super excited. Okie do. So, top of the world, much like my counterpart was speaking about regarding the pre-TK program, uh our highest priority tier 2 um projects was the project 19 um that's UTK and playground improvements. Uh project 17, the food service and restroom building, and project 18, the new lunch shelter. UTK is universal transitional kindergarten. Basically, it's the extra year before kindergarten for our four-year-olds. So, we need spaces that are truly designed for our youngest learners. LBUSD has fully implemented the transitional kindergarten program at each elementary school with two classrooms per site, offering morning and afternoon sessions and serving approximately 80 students annually. Conforming TK classrooms require 1,350 square ft.

203They need an insuite restroom standards at P19 works to bring it to top of the world. Uh P19 upgrades uh the UTK classrooms and playground areas so early learners have age appropriate classrooms and outdoor spaces that meet current educational specifications. P7 relocates food service, so it's adjacent to the lunch and play areas and adds new student and staff restrooms, which were really needed at Top of the World. much of the staff was talking about that uh that better supports daily operations and circulation on the campus. Project 18 replaces the existing lunch area by the MPR and the old dolphin wall um and the restroom area right in the middle and a new centralized lunch shelter and kitchen location which improves line of sight supervision, access, and overall safety for the students. Together, these three projects

204reflect what we saw on the walkth through and move top of the world toward a safer, more functional and more adaptable campus for students and staff. Um, you can go to the next slide. Uh, so you can see the tier two tier 2 that we have the UTK and playground improvements that was the highest scored. Uh, following was the food service and restroom building, which I'm super excited about having a new kitchen at Top of the World. Um, my kids have never wanted to eat the food at the school. Um, so I always had to pack them lunch. Um, so it will be great to have um, a bigger kitchen area for all the schools because then we can have fresher food and um, so I think that'll be great for their health and development.

205Um, and the new lunch shelter um, scored very high as well. It's here too. Um, and that's great for line of sight right now uh, by the NPR room. If you can click to the map, the NPR room, you can see right there with the building, I think it says building A. Um, the lunch area is right there and there's the dolphin bathrooms and they they obstruct the line of sight. So, they want to move the new kitchen to building F. Um, and then that way everyone can keep an eye on our kids, everyone's safe and happy, and that's it for the world. Thank you. from the district office. >> I wanted to share a couple of thoughts um over the last decade or so as you will see there have been various changes in

206school district construction and the features and functionalities that we want. One of the function is more sustainability, more uh conservation about power and making sure we are uh being a little more greener reducing our carbon footprint. So that's something that has come out and you will see over all the schools that's one of our goal is to include uh photovalttic sales or um some of the more uh environmental friendly buildings. The second aspect that have come up in Lagona and all over California are wildfires right as you have seen schools getting burned down. So construction industry have made several changes how to make buildings more wildfire resilient. We want to make sure when the students are in the school they can be safe in a building where we have a uh resilience in the school

207building itself what we call fire rating for 2 to three hours. So if Park Avenue or some areas get blocked off, we would be able to safely house the students, withstand the wildfire for a reasonable amount of time and make sure the students are safe. Third but not the least is also the food services. Uh we are moving towards more scratch cooking. As you heard from one of the parents, there have been several changes in the cafeteria or the food services world where food is becoming more uh attractive for students. We need to maintain the nutrient content and that needs a lot of handling particularly what we call scratch cooking. That needs a bigger kitchen. For us who live in houses back in the 1960s7s the kitchen used to be small and now if you

208are building a new house the kitchen is relatively the centerpiece right the large. So that's the intent. So that's where we're going to move. But let's go with the district office and the warehouse. Matt. >> Excellent. Um, speaking of things from the 1950s and60s that were small, um, [clears throat] the district offices are, uh, um, I like to say that they're the easy thing to forget, especially in a school district when, um, the people who are responsible for the success of the children obviously put the students first generally when it comes to their project priorities. And so what we have with the district office is um buildings that have not been upgraded for a very long time aside from a wing added in 2004 and as a result uh have inadequate accessible features like very

209small restrooms. Um included in the plan is the opportunity to reconstruct the entire facility approximately doubling its size. um adding additional administration and meeting rooms, accessible restrooms, accessible um circulatory features, outdoor spaces, and a boardroom which would take us out of this room. Um important to note early involvement in the early involvement by the community on this facility. uh provided programmatic requirement, a request by the neighbors to keep the height limited to the current height the building is now. And that's the district office. Okay. Last but not least, we have out in Laguna Canyon Road the warehouse facility which also houses the busyard. This property consists primarily of the building footprint of the warehouse and then the paved surface area configured to support the transit bus operations and fleet parking. The proposed project scope includes

210installing the necessary electrical infrastructure and photovalttaic solar power system to fully electrify the active municipal bus fleet which currently comprises 14 82 passenger buses and six 25 passenger vans. Show the next slide. And these are the cost estimates and priorities based on our points that we assessed with the district offices rising to the top as the highest priority on this area followed by the energy upgrades including EV charging stations. um again being able to to have those electric buses in the district which would benefit many students and um some additional site improvements and such. Thank you. >> Heard uh our intent is to move to a complete electric fleet. If you look at our bus fleet now, it's operated by a third party vendor that we contract with. You have seen the Dirham buses. They

211are either gasoline or diesel. We want to move away from them. Before we can contract them out for electrical buses, we need to make sure that we have the electrical infrastructure for charging those buses. Just like for a house, you need the EV charger. We are working on the plan that's different from uh this plan, but it's a part that we have already initiated with Southern California Edison. Now we will bring the best national award-winning school principal. >> Thank you. [applause and cheering] National distinguished principal. Manoj >> national awardwinning distinguished principal who >> teases me about this >> who I promised that this meeting will be at 9:00 and she said 9:00 is my bedtime. But here she is again showing the dedication. All yours, Dr. Hatchel. >> Thank you. With all due respect to

212that 9:00 time, I'm at work at about 6:45. So, there you go. I didn't want you to think it was too early. Anyway, here you go. You'll see the cost summaries for the scope of work for all of the proposed projects at each of our school sites uh and district office buildings totaling just between that 144 and $145 million mark. across the entire district. It's important to note that project costs are based on the 2026 dollars with an escalation factor of approximately 5% each year. Our next steps will include the identification of funding resources for these projects. And closing out the presentation, Brian wants to click on that next slide. Um, we've included the breakdown of the rating matrix within the p the next five slides, noting the breakdown of averages of the entire committee

213as well as the community members and the district members who served on the committee. These numbers serve to prioritize our projects with with most ranking in tiers two and tier three. And I'd like to give a huge shout out to our facilities team, especially to Ryan Zeta, who takes exceptional care of our staff and our students as evidenced by there not being any identified tier one project. So, thank you very much, Ryan. We really appreciate you. [applause] In total, the committee identified 12 tier 2 projects and 31 tier three projects. Thank you. Thank you. That concludes our presentation. So the goal of today's presentation is to have the board accept the recommendation from the facility master committee uh plan. Once the board accepts it, we will uh share it and put it on our website.

214I also wanted to stress that this is a living document. Just because the board accepts it today does not mean that the board cannot change it tomorrow or community. So if additional needs come out needs come out throughout the year, we will update it. But the goal is to update the facility master plan going forward each year. A lot of questions come up, what's next? And Dr. Hatchel kind of provided me the leeway. So once the board accepts the facility master plan, as you saw, $145 million worth of work as of today, the goal is for the board to work with administration to find fund funding for the same. We usually allocate about 2 to3 million each year from our general fund for facility upgrades. If we keep that doing that, it will take about

21530 to 40 years to accomplish $145 million worth of project. But by that time, we'll also accumulate more than $200 million worth of additional work. Right? So the next part going forward would be to work with the board uh the board president the board members community to find out how do we address the tier two or the tier three but that's the next phase uh what would be a good funding opportunity also one of the thing is facility master plan is required to be adopted by the board so that we can apply to state for the matching funds there are matching funds that's available from the eight there are some funds that are available for electrification of fleet and energy efficiency. So the district will go out and independent of the board uh we will

216go out and apply for the grants and see how much we get. But the next conversation for the board assuming that you will adopt the plan will shift and work with you to figure out how we execute some of the high tier projects tier 2 and the tier three um over the next 5 to 10 years. With that I'll open it up for board questions. Thank you so much, man. Before we go back to board questions, I wanted to also um Ryan, thank you so much. Your work was very thorough and very extensive and very um um adapted for each person that you were working with at that time because we all had different understandings of different things. So, and I also before we I don't want to forget Elelliana Ellia in the back um

217because she did all of this all of this. So, thank you so much and it was a pleasure to work with you both. Um, okay. So, let's open it up for board questions. Um, I can start over here. Howard, do you have any questions? Mr. House. Okay. Um, Dr. Monteski, questions. >> So, fantastic job. Thanks to everybody and the community members for working on this and being here tonight. Um, my main question relates to the um work on sustainability. Um, we had a board motion to be carbon neutral by 2030. And I understand that uh tier three is not that far from tier 2, but by vote I mean and I don't fault the committee for this. There were a whole bunch of factors that were uh that the committee considered and I, you know,

218fully support the committee's feelings about that. But it also, you know, the act of appropriating or not appropriating the money is how you end up either supporting the board policy that we voted in or not. So, I have some concerns about that. that I supported the the uh district's efforts to reach carbon neutrality and I would like to see those um specific expenses move up as something that's a higher priority so that we're not giving up on on the motion in the board vote. >> Thank you, Dr. Meski. Um, clerk, uh, clerk Perry, >> I also really want to thank the committee for all their work and dedication. I know you visited all the sites and you looked carefully and at what the needs were and I wonder some of some of the items are

219really expensive obviously that are the tier 2 some of the tier three are not as expensive like just looking at the um at Elmoro the sounding the sound in the 40s building isn't isn't that expensive to fix. I if we just have if we don't have a whole lot of money, I mean, could we move something like that up? I don't know how important that is to to teachers there. I know it used to be really important because it was it was you heard every time a child got up their chair screeched down below. Um so is there flexibility in moving some lower items for we don't have as much money >> right so I'll I'll address the question it's a board priority board can shift the priorities this is the recommendation from the community

220from the facilities master board in your own right you can say superintendent let's go ahead ahead and execute this lowhanging fruit and the board has done that in the past. Perfect example in the 2023 facilities master plan the Laguna Beach High School swimming pool was in that plan. The board at that point of time said we want to take it out of the plan from a long-term project and execute that in isolation. So the board to answer your question uh board member D is we can do that as well. >> I was really happy to see the gym here at Thirsten a priority the expansion of that and the seismic part. I thought that was something we should do for a long time. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. I was going to ask if you

221could address the solar. So, um, but yeah, that would be my question. So, I just was going to ask if you could address the solar because I I do know that we do have there was a a motion and a resolution made and I know we looked at all that solar and incorporated in here and I don't necessarily know if the tier reflects the importance. But I think there was an approach that was considered by the committee and I don't want to speak for the committee so please correct me if I'm wrong. Um, but I think the idea was in in all of the discussions was that to lay in solar across the district with all of these projects that needed to be done, we would possibly have to do it twice. So, I think

222we took the solar plan and incorporated it by sight. Correct. >> Right. So, let me address the solar piece or the PV piece what we called and address Dr. Maueski's uh requests. There are couple of ways we can address the energy efficiency particularly with respect to electrical power generation battery backup. One is to do it in isolation of the building. That means we'll have to have kind of a solar shade structure parking lots that you see or we can include it on the roof canopy of existing building. It's easier and it's more cost effective if we can integrate when we are reconstructing a building particularly the thirsten gym to have it covered with a roof solar as opposed to installing just standalone solar on the football field. So we will look at this and we

223will look what makes sense if we can if we if the board authorizes to construct a new gym uh or expand the gym for thirsten we will definitely integrate solar on the rooftop as part of the whole building so that it kind of blends in the building plus also it's cost effective. So we'll look at it and where it's not feasible we'll also look at standalone shade structure parking lot cover for solar structure. >> Go ahead. Do you have questions >> and then we'll move to public comment. >> This is just for information. This is not an action item. We'll move on the next item which is an action item which is where we adopt it. >> Yeah. I just wanted to thank you, Ryan, and and I want to thank all the members of

224the committee. Um, I did a couple of the tours with you and then um I had some health problems and wasn't able to go the distance with you to all of the tours, but um uh on the tours I did go on, I learned a lot and uh I followed you all on the internet and and the work that you did when I was recovering. But uh you you all worked really hard and you really got down roll up your sleeves and I had great admiration for the um how conscientious all the members of the committee were and doing the work and I really appreciate your leadership uh on having the and staying on top of everything. Um I just wanted to ask you know if you do a comparison try to get some sense

225of priorities because as the superintendent said this is a living document. It's not locked in. It's it you know it's not a straight jacket. It's just the beginning of uh everybody having a common uh set of assumptions and whatnot. But I in my own mind, maybe it's not a very smart way of looking at it because we we don't have the money to do some of the things that we've committed to do or approved or want to do. We have um you know, we and when we look at the budget review that we just did, the buddy budget study a couple weeks ago, um we uh don't we're we're not our reserves are not where they need to be. We haven't been making the contribution to fund 17 and other reserve funds. Uh we have

226the lease property that we took some of the money out of there and put it in the um in in the some of the reserves and now the lease property is involved in litigation. We don't know where that is leading to. We have other big ticket items coming down the pike including the uh 218 case that we have and and possibly others. So, and then we did the pool as we described. We we took the pool out of the uh out of the overall matrix and we did it by itself. And um so now we still have all these things that we want to do. One of the things that I think is the most important and this is just me personally Howard Hills talking is the electrification of the buses. I if I if

227I as an individual could rule the world, I would give that a very very high priority. And I do that because number one, uh, we all want solar. We all want, um, alternative renewable energies and whatnot. But the fact of the matter is is that there's no safe level of exposure to diesel. And diesel fumes, when you stand on the street and a diesel bus goes by, um, you can't say, well, you know, uh, I'm not going to get cancer from that one bus going by. these kids getting exposed to this diesel every time they're getting on the bus and off the bus really really concerns me. And um so I I just wonder if you look at what uh the risk factors are for kids um uh if if you're talking about doing solar

228for example or the benefits of doing solar and you talk about the benefits of electrifying the bus system. I mean, the the solar technology is what we all want. We all want to get there and everything, but um making the kids safe uh would be something that I would say I would start to move money around to try to accomplish that. The other thing is um I guess uh Superintendent Glass didn't like the um funding arrangement for the solar um the where you would be borrowing money and adding the cost of borrowing the money to the the COP and um uh Superintendent Glass as I understood it and as I think he explained it to the board, he uh didn't think that was the way to go on trying to get there and so the

229the 230 the 2030 thing becomes um uh implicated in that the the the the process of tradeoffs that we're going to have to do. And uh so I just wanted to ask you or anybody in the committee what your thoughts are about prioritizing the electrification of the buses. >> Okay. I'll I'll take the first bigger question and I'll go right into the buses. So I think the facility master plan there's no requirement that that it has to be funded. We're the the the committee comes together and the task at hand is just to come up with a list of facilities based on a needs assessment that's in the best interest of meeting those educational goals and objectives for the district. Um, so it's in essence it's it could be a wish list, it could be

230a fundable list, but it's really we weren't really looking at the funding component. We're just saying, hey, based on where we're at now with our facilities, this is what we need and this is what we need in the future. Um, so it's it's really a great plan to have. It really helps guide us. Um, and if it not everything gets built, not everything gets built, but if something does get built, at least we know we're building something that we've collectively, you know, analyzed and put some thought into and it's in the best interest of what where we put our resources. So, um, I mean hopefully we can build more of the plan than less of the plan. So, that's kind of answers that funding piece there. And then for the electrifications of the school buses,

231I we um I think it was very unanimously um you know talked about that that is a positive thing. That's you know that's that's going towards the goal of carbon neutrality. It's going to electrification and there really is an opportunity to do that at this point in time. There is like like Mr. Richtery said there is grant funding out there. There's a charge ready program. We turned our application intoce um which basically gets you the service in the canyon to the property um all the way to the chargers for the buses um it doesn't get you the buses but you know we contract those bus contracts out every 5 years anyway so it's coming up in a year and a half two years so it's the timing is right for us to do something with

232that so if that's something you know I didn't I didn't rise to the top with the evaluation scoring with the tiers but it was still still scored strong and it's it's based on a lot of criteria So um it it gives a you know a it gives a a good um opinion on where that falls with the projects but then you know it's discretion of the board you know what actually gets done and when and so that project could be you know prioritized and and executed. If if I can add board member Hills, our goal is to get the electric buses by completely move over to electrified buses hopefully with the SE chargers because that's the requirement. Solar is not requirement for electric chargers and we are working with SE chargers. In my prior district,

233it took about 2 years. We have already initiated the process 6 months back. So it's another year, year and a half and we should be able to get uh and we have already in contract with contact with the bus um vendors they are procuring electric buses. So I I'll just end end by saying that that what that tells me if I understand it correctly is that um going to electric buses is part of and is is subsumed within the goal of um carbon neutrality by 2030 or as much carbon neutrality as we can achieve by 2030. >> It's one of the components one of the components we still have our um electrical needs carbon gas needs. So we are trying to reduce that. In fact, Mr. Tyson Murphy was here. We are working with him

234a little bit with his company to see if we can replace the gas uh hot water boilers to electrical so that it will again add to the carbon neutral because there are a lot of funds available for um reducing our carbon footprint and also make sure that uh Miss Victoria does not fall asleep at this late hours. [laughter] Sir, but no, thank you for that question. >> Thank you. >> Okay. So, as I said, this is not an action item, so I want to go ahead and move to >> Okay. And then Yeah. And we also we'll vote on it again, too, so we'll have another opportunity. >> Yeah. Um Ryan, can you talk to us a little bit about um how this facility's master plan relates to the bond that we want to get,

235what that does in terms of timing and state funding that might come? Um yeah, I mean I think it's a very critical component if if we pursue a bond extension or a bond um to have a plan because that re I mean you saw how much time and effort went into this. So we're we're six eight nine months ahead of developing a plan. So having this plan I think it even it helps support the decision whether to go for a bond or not based on the findings of this plan. So we're we're pleased to provide that information to the board for you know for evaluation. Um so it's an important piece. It's a it's a guide and a road mapap. It shows um some needs and facilities that are needed. Um it gives some rough

236orders of magnitude for cost. Um and what what would it do in terms of the timing of getting all this? I mean would we would we would be able to do all of tier tier 2 and all of tier three? >> Um that >> most of tier three >> it would depend. Um but yes and it depends on like the the the funding cycles of the bond. Sometimes there's three, four series. You know, what are you getting in the first series, but there is a state matching component, which Mr. Roy mentioned. Um, it's been over 25 years since we submitted applications for state funding. We've got some applications in some funding like the field here and the the the building D classroom. So, we've we have received some good checks from the state, but right

237now we're we have 17 million eligibility across all four schools. If you added it all up, the swimming pool is going to get about seven back. So we have really good state eligibility which you can go for that right away with that first series on the bond. You can kind of push out that first bond series and get a little more you know you can stretch that out. So there's you know there's some advantages to having an idea going into the first series what you're doing and how you're doing it and the facility master plan gives you that information. >> Thank you. I just want to be a little cautious not to talk about bond particularly in in this particular agenda because it's not agendaized. One thing from a facility master plan as you saw

238it's $145 million. So to execute those or significant amount of those project I will call it the district does not have funds in general fund to execute the projects. So it will need an infusion of fund from outside through some borrowing. There are various tools available to the board uh for borrowing. One of the options that you mentioned was is called certificate of participation coops. Um there are some other bonds QZ bonds and stuff like that. But one of the option is a general obligation bond but that's a separate discussion. I want to separate the two because the bond if we are considering we have to have a bond project list and we are working on some of the um aspect of the bond there is an opportunity we will discuss in a subsequent meeting

239but I just want to make sure that we don't mix the approval of the facility master plan with the bond as such there is no connection. >> Thank you very much for making those comments. Um I have one last question and then um I want to move to public comment so we can keep moving here and try and wrap up because we're almost there. Um I believe if I recall when we started this process one of the one of the reasons why we came together and form this committee is because at some point that you have to have an approved facilities plan to be able to is it was it to apply for the for funding options? So I'm trying to choose my words carefully after you. >> So there was an intersection point and

240there was something that needed to be required that was required to be approved before you could submit for something. >> Right. So the way state matching funds work is Ryan kind of hinted at it. The school district has to execute the project. So if I execute a project for $20 million, the state promises that if it meets a certain qualification, they will match 50% of the funds. So if it's a $20 million project, they will pay $10 million. The thing about state matching fund is the matching fund comes to the district after about four or five years the project is executed. So the state expects us to complete the $20 million modernization for and then apply to apply for the state matching funds. You will need a facilities master plan because the state is going

241to say where is your state ma where is your facilities board adopted facilities master plan. That's a requirement to apply for the state matching funds. Once we apply, as Ryan mentioned, we have lot of eligibility for the swimming pool. We'll get $7 million. The question is we don't know when. It can be in next year. It can be two years from now. >> Um I had actually one other question. So, but it's a funding question. So, I'll wait till the budget comes on Monday. Um because we have our final meeting of the school year is on Monday, June 8th. Um so, I have a couple funding questions about that, but I'll wait. I'll preserve them for then. Um, do we have any other questions from the board or I think we kind of moved into

242comments as well. Okay, let's go ahead and do public comment. >> Um, Gary Kasich. >> Thank you everyone for sticking with us. It was a we knew this would be a little long, but we're almost done. >> Service to the district and the community. Uh, I hope we can stay focused on the issues and have a little less personalization. We all care about the district. Let's just disagree on the right things to do in the right order. Those disagreements are fine. Um, I wanted to hit hard on the uh funding, the state funding and various opportunities, but I think a lot of that's been covered. It just just to be clear on some of the stuff that Ryan and Maninoj talked about, any facility that's more than 25 years old qualifies for funding. So maybe

243that's something we want to add to the matrix of does this particular project qualify for the funding because there's $17 million pending. I mean that's a lot of money by by any sake that we've already spent that we're hoping to get back. And when we get that money back and I don't want to turn this into a budget session, but when we get that money back that happens in a year where we fully budgeted all expenses. So it essentially drops to reserves. and don't want to get into a budget, but that's why some of the reserves in the past got built up so quickly. I'm delighted to see that the uh FMP is now in front. I was somewhat critical that we were pushing for the support of a bond before we knew what the

244projects were. So, I'm absolutely delighted that it's out there now. Uh everybody can look at what's out there, what needs to be done. What happened in 23 I thought was a good idea and I I guess I would recommend it again is we had open houses at each of the locations and we had little charts up to say this is what needs to get done at this location. Not a lot of expense. It got the community involved and it seemed to get a lot of support for the projects when you can be there and see it and see it discussed. So that may be something we want to consider going forward. Um, and I guess lastly, I'm I'm pausing a second because Ryan's got way too many kudos tonight. Um, but he does keep the

245facilities in absolutely great shape. I had the opportunity to work closely with him on the pool project. We spent hours and hours going through page by page of a of the SQL plan to get it done and get it going. And now we're a day away from it happening. I think it was three years ago that it first got teed up. And what I found interesting, I went back to look at some of those documents and the start date of the document back three years ago was June 9th, 2026. And this guy got it all ready and it's going to kick off on June 6, 1926. So he he really does do a good job. And I would be remiss, you're going to hear it from me a few times. He's been great. Um I'm

246very concerned about the safety of that project when the pool gets built. um people who use Park Avenue. So, you're going to hear me time and time again say, "Please slow down. Watch out for kids. K, little kids with headphones on, driving cars, and big trucks and dump trucks don't get along together. So, let's everybody do whatever we possibly can to keep those kids safe during construction." Thanks for your time tonight. >> Want to have another comment, >> Gary? Thank you guys for what you did with Ryan working on the SQA thing and everything to get the pool project done. >> Okay, we don't have any further comments. You had a second card. Oh, okay. Um Okay. Um are there any further comments on this item that we need to discuss? Manoj, are you looking

247on the ne Well, we'll go to the next item in a minute. Um is there any further conversation or comment? No. Okay. So, we are So, okay, we're going to move on to item there's a hole in my number. What number are we on? 13 14A. Um, so this is the adoption of the 2026 facility master plan update. Uh, a dynamic living document that's um board approved on an annual basis and is a planning tool to reflect current and future district needs. Manoj. So it is the official adoption. Um the facility master plan has m facility master planning ad hoc committee has provided the recommendation to the board through the presentation. Uh the request is now for the board to adopt the facility master plan as presented. We will also include some of the presentation

248or the needs from the students that we heard. It's not there right now but as we understand we will have to kind of get a little bit more depth with the students as to what exactly is the modernization of the track or what it looks like and we will include as we go along in the facility master plan. >> Okay. Does anyone have any other questions on this item? >> Okay. >> Yeah. I actually had one more question though. So, how so if we're making a motion to approve this, right, which I think um Dr. Maleski is ready to do. However, we both I think we've all agreed that the the bus depot, right, for example, that's a tier three, not a tier two. And and and I I I will say on a side

249note, one of the really great things is that not not only did we not have any number ones, which means immediate need because they're falling apart or anything like that, we also didn't have any fours or fives. So every project that was identified was deemed important and a priority for our our community. Nothing was deferred or that doesn't matter. So I do think that's important and I appreciate the fact that all of the committee members aligned um in in the identification. So with that, for example, the bus depot and if if um you know having buses by 2029 is the goal, that's not necessarily the first project on that list. So, if we approve this today, how do we move that or any project really? Um, and when does that conversation happen? >> That's a

250good question. The bus depot electric bus is not a facility master planning project. It's more a project with Southern California Edison to install the electric charger. We have to buy the chargers. they will do the infrastructure um and the charger itself is not that expensive for us to be included in the facility master plan. So it'll happen irrespective it's not to be included in the facility master plan. Now the solar in the bus depot that's a facility master planning project but that's not a prerequisite for the electric buses. So electric buses will happen irrespective. >> Okay. So, and I know that the committee was not tasked with designing anything, which was really hard, I have to say, for all of us in the committee at one point or another. We all tried to add our

251two cents of what we thought it could look like or what it could be. Um, so we so you kept us very disciplined. So, thank you. But with that with the bus depot, if we're if we're not t if the bus depot is not in the the facilities master plan because Southern California Edison will do all of the um chargers was then what are are we looking at the structure and then adding to the top of the structure the solar and things like that? Is that something now now I don't really remember that was kind of surprising that it was >> so the chargers will go on the surface on the asphalt surface so it does not impact anything on the building side okay thank you okay um so are there any more questions okay

252public comment >> yes Erica rule >> okay All right, I need a motion to approve. Um, where did it go? A motion to >> Yeah, I know, but this Yeah, sorry. This has got I got something wrong in here. >> Thank you. Sorry, I was reading looking for something and it's not there. Who is our second? Okay, thank you. Uh, all in favor? Roll call vote. Do you approve the Yes. Thank you. >> Okay, I approve it as well. The motion passes for 01. Okay. >> Right. Yeah. Next next motion. Um uh item 10 14B approval of the cal of the cam mass for EKC enterprise. Dr. uh manosh. >> So this is a regular purchase that we do. Uh this is for our audiovisisual uh setup in every school. These are are uh the

253boards that you see on the that's where Dez is working behind him. You see that black cabinet. So those are the components that we buy. This these are about 50,000 not to exceed 50 to $60,000. >> I move that we approve this because the lights are going to go out. >> Okay. >> I mean I believe we should approve it but I'm doing it [laughter] so the lights don't go. >> No, that's okay. I was just more entertained with Dez's uh um Vanna White back there. Um okay, so we have a motion on the floor to approve approve the CES. I need a second, please. I second that motion. All in favor? >> I Okay, motion passes. Okay. Uh our next regular meeting is Monday, June 8th. That'll be the last school meeting of the

254year. That's an important meeting as well because we'll be um approving the uh budget and the the um LCAP And I need a motion to adjurnn. So move. >> All in favor? Seconded by Howard. All in favor? >> I. >> Thank you. Thank you everyone for coming. Thank you for all the hard work on the facility master plan.