001Hey, uh, good evening everybody. It is 710. I will be calling the regular session to order. We apologize for being late. Um, the regular session is beginning. Hey, interpre. This meeting is being recorded or broadcasted. Images and sounds may be captured of those attending the meeting. We will start with the pledge of allegiance. Everyone, please stand to the stands one nation with all. We are on to item 3B, approval of the agenda. Can I have a motion? >> A motion to approve. >> I'll second. >> All in favor? >> Any opposed? Thank you. And then we are on to item 3C. We have general public comments. We have quite a few of them. We will start with Fabiola Bataz and then followed by Michael Arttowski. There you go. Can you guys hear me now? Okay.
002Start now or you guys. Okay. My name is Fabula Vatas. I am a mother of three kids. Uh, two from Morgan Hill, one from here. Well, he goes to the school here. Uh, he's at he is at Gateway translator. You guys do. Um, you guys are moving a lot of things too fast. I don't need translator. They do. You can translate into them over there. >> I need a translator in the microphone here. >> I'm not stopping. Um And I'm not going to stop coming back until this changes. Not changing everything at the last minute because it benefits you guys, not the students nor the teachers. Okay. with our kids. Before you choose anything, you let us the parents know and not tell the teachers not to tell us what's going on at the last
003minute. Get a letter that doesn't explain what's going on. What needs to be done is ask the parents opinion if we want this. The district does not help when it comes to disabled children, the classmates, the teachers, the aids, the therapy. You guys are not going to be able to do that. The reason the county is there is for that purpose. Keep it that way. Keep the class small because it not only protects the children, but it protects this the other students that don't have disability. Because if once you guys get a kid that is disabled that lashes out and hits another kid that is a normie or a normal kid, what are you guys going to put that kid on and label them under an aggressive child? First thing you guys do is suspend
004these kids. Now then the record is going to be tainted by saying that their behavior is unacceptable. When you're knowing from the beginning that their civility is also considered behavior issues, it's in their IEPs. You guys do not go by the IEPs. You go by what benefits you guys. I'm sorry. Thank you. Following Michael will be Andrea High Totower. >> Hi, my name is Mike Barkowski. Um, the district of residence for my daughter is Gilware Unified while attending SECCOE programs. Let me rephrase that. Gilware Unified is responsible for the services provided to my daughter. Yet, the district has never engaged with me directly about the decisions that are made for my daughter. While I'm not surprised that Gilware Unified made the decision to take back programs located at GSS and the annex, I'm dis disappointed
005that Gilward Unified refuses to include SEC parents in pro in the process that impact our child's education. Let's call it for what it is, discrimination. We understand there are impacts from Trump's big ugly bill, but that does not mean that this district administration should behave like Trump's. Practice what you preach. Diversity, equity, and inclusion. Let's work together to develop solutions. Hold off on the decision of taking back these programs that include us parents in the decision-making process. Thank you. >> Following Andrea will be Kyle Dory. >> My name is Andrea High Totower. Gilroy Unified is the district of residents and responsible for the education of my daughter through SECOE programs. A few years ago, my daughter was impacted by a decision that was made by SECe and Gilroy Unified without any input from the parents.
006In fact, we were lied to. And at least Skoey had the courage to come and sit at a table with us to correct those issues and fix the trust. Gilroy Unified has yet to do that with us. I understand that there's impacts that are happening from the HR1 budget, but from our perspective, the district is looking at our kids as a cost-saving numbers without looking at their needs. Refusing to inform the SECO parents about committees and councils who are making advisory decisions on behalf of our children is discrimination. I don't think it's too much to expect that this district administration not act on the same manner as our federal administration. Your LCAP reports want more involvement from parents of the children with disabilities. It is what we are asking is for you to include us
007in the decision-making processes. We don't even get the coffee chats with Anisha. We don't even get parent square. We don't get any information of what the the decisions that the district is making. It's not too late to hold off on the decision and take back to take back the SEC programs at Gilroy High School, the annex, and you should do that by properly going through the process with the parents. It may not change the actual decision, but sometimes it's not about the destination, it's about the journey. And I don't know how you all plan on staffing these programs if you don't give your teachers a fair contract now. >> Hey Kyle Doria and then Haley Sana. >> Okay. Hello. Good evening Dr. Munchchi. President Fak, board of trustees, you interact with me a lot, so
008I can understand how sometimes it can be easy to forget that I am one spokesperson for a union of over 500 educators in our community. So here's your reminder. Some of you have seen many negotiation cycles and what becomes familiar threatens to become mundane and a level of cynicism can creep in about how real this is. For some of you, this is new. and what is new can seem like a trick or an overreaction. I'm speaking here to help reframe what is going on. I've had conversations with all of you and the best parts of those conversations have been when we've discovered that we share a lot of the same priorities. We want to prioritize equity in our schools. We want to do right by our students. We care about this community. We are here
009this evening because we are advocating for those priorities. You're going to hear more details from my fellow educators and I'm asking this board to weigh those words heavily. In every conversation we've had, you've expressed your belief that compromise is necessary and we don't disagree. If you ask anybody in this union whether what we have proposed is the Cadillac version of proposals, they'll all say no. and they'd be right. In the spirit of collaboration, we came in with the compromise. It would take a 14% salary increase for us to be average in Santa Clara County. We are asking for seven. Our proposals on class sizes and case loads would not exceed the averages in the county. It would finally after years just get us there. We came in with the spirit of compromise and the management
010team did not have anything on salary and benefits during an affordability crisis, during a housing crisis, during insurance hikes. Nothing prepared. They rejected every single class-size and case load relief proposal which would get our students the learning conditions they need. Management is not compromising with us. And when that happens, you cannot be surprised with our frustration. We have an opportunity to make historic investments in our schools. We have an opportunity to give our educators a livable wage and give our students the conditions in the classroom they need to thrive. So in the spirit of collaboration, in the spirit of compromise, we are asking that the board listen to educators. What is discussed abstractly in this space is the day in day out lived experiences of our educators and students. Please don't forget that. Please take
011action. Thank you. >> Next up is Haley and then Sheila Monger. >> Good evening, Superintendent Dr. Munchie board president FAK board trustees members of cabinet GTA >> and Gilroy community members. My name is Haley Salana and I serve as the lead negotiator for Gilway Teachers Association. In December 2025, GTA brought proposals to management with the goals of building effective classroom communities, ensuring supports for our most vulnerable students, and making sure Gilway educators are making a livable wage. Effective classroom communities are classrooms where educators can meet the needs of all students. We currently have anou in grades 1 through three ensuring that class sizes are following the 24:1 ratio as prescribed by the law. When thatouou expires, our class sizes will inflate to among the highest in the county. In grades four through five, we brought
012a proposal that will ensure our class sizes are comparable with county averages. In middle to high school, nearly all districts in our county have a period cap for class size. GTA also brought a proposal to ensure that EDC code case loads were enshrined in our CBA for our RSP educators. that ed code law states that an RSP educator should have a case load of 28 students. We are asking for equity and for the protections afforded by the law. Our Gilway students deserve the best, but right now they do not even have average. We brought proposals to bring a livable wage to our educators and move educators salaries in Gilroy closer to the county average. It would take a 14% increase to bring our salaries to average. With our current salary, some of our educators qualify
013for lowincome housing. This is not a livable wage and this is nowhere near average. In Santa Clara County, nearly twothirds of districts have salary settlements for this year. We do not even have a salary proposal from management. Right now, Gilroy is at the top for class sizes, but at the bottom for salaries. I'm here tonight to urge the board to direct management to build a strong Gilware Unified community where we strive to meet the needs of all students with effective class sizes, supports for our most vulnerable students, and salaries that will allow our educators to afford to be a part of this community. Thank you. Next up is Sheila and then Alexander Fab. Good evening. I'm Sheila Monger, a member of our GTA. I work daily with our most vulnerable students. And speaking from that
014perspective, I want to talk about the theme this year of cultivating community. When talking about cultivating community in special education, we are talking about safety, dignity, and the ability for students to be known and supported. Community does not happen by accident. It is built through intentional structures that give educators the time, space, and capacity to meet the students needs. GTA has brought proposals to support special day class educators and speech pathologists by ensuring they receive an equitable amount of release time compared to their RS colleagues. These release times are not a perk. It allows educators to complete assessments, write legally required documents, and meaningfully participate in our IEP meetings. Without it, the system will rely on unpaid labor, burnout, and rush decision-making. That is not how we cultivate community and it is not how we
015serve our students well. We have proposed limiting the number of grade levels and special day classes. Neighboring districts in our county, including San Jose Unified and Campbell Elementary Cap SDC classes at no more than three grade levels. And when a teacher is expected to teach four grade levels in a single classroom, even the most skilled educators struggle to meet the needs of students. Our students deserve classroom where instruction is responsive and relationships are strong, not environment stretched so thin that everyone is just trying to get through the day. Right now, our SDC case loads align with the county averages. Yet management is proposing increasing those case loads to some of the largest in the county, further overcrowding our classrooms, serving the students who need stability, predictability, and individualized supports. Increasing class sizes, broadening grade spans,
016and denying release time does not cultivate community. It undermines it. Let's be clear about our proposal related to RSP case loads. Education Code section 56362 requires case loads to be stated in policy and prohibits resource specialists from serving more than 28 students with limited waiver language allowing up to 32. Resource educators are currently experiencing case loads that exceed those limits. The law is clear and students with IEPs deserve the level of support that is only possible when educators have manageable case load. We are asking you to direct management to truly support our most vulnerable students by doing three things. Follow the law, provide equitable release time, and ensure safe class sizes and case loads. These are not abstract labor issues. These are safety issues. These are dignity issues and community issues. Our most vulnerable students
017are counting on you to get this right. We have Alexander up next and then Kim Manzo. >> You guys hear me? Okay. >> Yes. >> Good evening, Superintendent Dr. Munchchi, Board President FIAK, Board of Trustees, members of Cabinet, GTA, and Giler community members. My name is Alex Taves. I'm a fifth grade teacher at Luigi Ara and spend my ample free time serving on the negotiations team of the Gillery Teachers Association. Class size is critical at all grade levels from our youngest students to our seniors in high school. We have brought proposals to management that will support effective class sizes for all Gilroy students. When teachers have effective class size, they can differentiate for students vast needs. They can build relationships, intervene early and often, and offer supports that our students need to grow. In grades
0181 through three, when ourou expires, elementary class sizes will increase up to 28 plus students in a classroom. When students are just learning to read and write, these large class sizes will not support students. In grades four through 5, we have proposed a class size of 30 to1, which is average for our county. We are currently above average in class size for fourth and fifth graders. This is a critical grade span for students who are preparing for middle school. As educators, we want to be able to intervene and provide supports for our fourth and fifth graders before they leave elementary. GUSD is one of five districts without perclass period protections at the secondary level. Out of 32 districts, 27 districts have period student contact language for middle school, high school, and continuation high schools. GTA
019is fighting to achieve comparable learning conditions for our students. We are urging the board to support our proposals around class size. If we are above average, we certainly do not want it to be for class size. Thank you, >> Kim Manzo. And then Riley McBride. We have Riley McBride up next and then Janet Lee. >> Good evening everybody. My name is Riley McBride and I am here to speak with you all tonight about the topic of a livable wage. In the board's recent comments regarding bringing new jobs to our area with new businesses during last week's joint city and district meeting, we heard you say that people cannot stay in Gilroy without a job that pays a livable wage. We are asking you to support us in directing management to improve salaries so that our
020educators can live where they work. Currently, our salary ranks in the bottom for Santa Clara County. Our educators cannot afford to live in the community they serve. Couple this with rising health care costs that hit our members in January. And this essentially amounts to our members taking a pay cut. When our newer educators come to Gilroy and earn a starting salary in GUSD, this is not a livable wage. Most apartments and homes for rent in Gilroy require two and a half to three times the rent in income to qualify to move in. Many of our members, especially our newer educators, are unable to afford this and cannot meet the income qualifications to rent an apartment or house. Some members do, however, meet the qualifications for lowincome housing. Looking at Alexander Station Apartments in Gilroy, a
021single parent or single income family of three would qualify at 50% of the average median income from Santa Clara County or $90,450. How long would you need to work as an educator in Gilroy to reach that income or exceed it? Well, if you have a bachelor's degree and an additional 75 units of education, that would be 6 years. If you haven't reached the final column, however, on our salary schedule, that could be anywhere between seven years or more. Our members cannot wait seven years to make a livable wage, nor should they have to. Our members need to be able to afford housing, health care, and the basic necessities they need today so they can continue to serve our students. Now, you made a request of the city of Gilroy to stay in communication with you
022in regards to livable wage jobs for our students, which we fully support. We are requesting, however, that you also make it a priority for your employees. Thank you, >> Janet Lee. And then Ela K. Uh hello, my name is Janet Lee. I'm a science teacher at Gilory High School and I am speaking as an individual. I've worked in Gilory for my entire teaching career in the same classroom at the same tight site where I teach anatomy, biology, biotech, and sometimes even physics. As a scientist, I love data and I like spreadsheets even more. Through my work with the negotiations team, I've done a lot of research and every management proposal puts GSD going backwards. from cutting prep time in elementary to being in the top half to being to tied to third last and class
023size proposals that would make our class sizes some of the largest in the county from elementary to SDC. As my colleagues have told you, we also have some of the lowest pay. We do not deserve the largest classes with the lowest pay and our students do not either. Our students deserve educators who are treated fairly and respected for the work they do. How does anyone expect our educators to do more when being given less? GTA's proposals are based on member needs and supporting students. Management's proposals are based in the need to avoid grievances and squeeze more out of its employees. This past year, Keenan training was nearly seven hours. Management has proposed members do that in their available work time. What available work time. Would you work an extra seven hours just because members of
024this board have said the director of HR does a lot of work resulting in a pay raise. Our SRO's do a lot of work, but what about our educators? Our educators do a lot of work. Unseen and unthanked work. Using the information from a recent restorative practice training, here are some effective statements. I feel disrespected by management's proposals, I feel disappointed that here we are again fighting for our students and fighting for educators to stay in Gilroy. Do we have the trust to move forward? Don't insult us with proposals based on underestimated revenue and overestimated expenditures and telling us the sky is falling when the reserve is two and a half times what board policy says and nearly eight times what the state minimum requirement is. The time is now to invest in our students,
025our educators and our community. Gilroy Unified is the largest employer and Gilroy and GTA is the largest union. GTA stands amongst others in CTA and ENA, UESF, UTLA, the United Teachers of Richmond, San Diego Educators Association, SoCal Educators Association, Oak Grove Educators Association. All of us are fighting for a livable wage and effective learning conditions for our students. If the largest employer in Gilroy cannot provide a livable wage for its workers, the workers must demand it. Thank you for your time and consideration. Oh, Lane K and then Adam Gamer. Good evening, Board President Fak, Vice President Nelson, Trustees, and Dr. Munchie. I come to this meeting as a teacher who has proudly dedicated 14 years to this district, its students, and its community. I am also a parent of two GUSD students and a Gilroy
026resident. Our primary responsibility as educators has always been to provide meaningful and effective instruction to our children. This becomes increasingly difficult as class sizes grow. As an example of why this is a concern, at GEKA, we are planning for two sections of juniors next year with 76 students. This means our junior classes are projected to be 38 students each. Compounding this issue is the fact our current contract caps average class size, not individual class size. This means we could potentially have one class of 44 students and another of 32, which is a scenario that has happened before. Our GUSD courses rely on discussion, close reading, writing, feedback, and individual academic support to ensure adequate rigor in learning. A class of 38 students is already unsustainable. A class of 44 makes it nearly impossible to deliver
027the rigor and responsiveness necessary for adequate student learning. If students are below grade level or struggle with the material, a large class means less time for teachers to support them. Further, increased class sizes mean more time devoted to behavior management and therefore less time for important academic activities. When class size determines the quality of instruction a student receives, we are no longer providing equal access to education. We are instead creating uneven learning conditions within the same program. We need to ensure that all students, regardless of which class section they're placed in or what school they attend, receive equitable access to a highquality education. >> Adam and then Gregios. >> Hi, thanks for having me tonight. I thought I was going to be a singleton here, but it sounds like everybody has the same speech going
028on. Um, I teach at Mount Madonna. I teach English, math, economics, but my subjects science. Um, thank you. Anyway, I've been working for uh Mount Madonna and Gilroy Unified for the past 20 years. Um, I'm here to teach teach about student uh learning conditions and class sizes at Mount Madonna. GTA has proposed limiting our class sizes to 20 students per class. We believe the smaller classes will foster achievement and creating more personal and supportive environments, fostering stronger teacher student relationships and increasing engagement. Smaller C class sizes obviously contribute to a safer and more positive school climate. We know this is probably a a priority to everybody. This year, we've had multiple violent incidences on our campus that have highlighted the challenges of our students. We hope that the smaller class sizes that we propose will
029help support those students and what they need. GTA's proposal isn't unique, and it's long overdue. compared to other school districts in our area. Cap sizes for um other continuation schools. For at risk youth at Gilroy, providing the same opportunity is critical. The district has so far rejected class sizes of smaller students at Mount Madonna, but we believe the board shares our commitment and student success and campus safety. Thank you. I'm Greg Felios. I'm speaking for the public on public comment. fortunate. I was fortunate to on January 31st, Saturday before to attend what was what essentially was a mini retreat uh for the Gary High School board members to bond and to uh to to get together and and share what was going on with them. It was a time for introspection for the board members
030and it was wonderful because they had a chance to express themselves and form what what they're thinking and what they care about and what they care most about is the students. So I'm listening I'm so supportive of this. I I think teachers are the most important. I I think what whatever else you spend money running on if if you can what somehow do for the teachers great. The thing is there's only so much money that is available. There the idea you heard Kyle say collaboration and compromise. This is the the board wants the board is with you. And it almost hurt because I being that I know I've had a chance to be with the board members. The board is with you. The board wants to do the same thing that that theory teachers association.
031So somehow we you have to you know the teachers have to do some introspection as well as the and the as just just like the school board did their introspection and decide what are the priorities what is most important what do we need most to do what is best for students for the optimal learning environment. Yes, it's hard to say, oh, you know, the compromise. How much? There's only so much money we have. What what do how much do we spend on this? How much we spend on that? That's hard for the Put yourselves in the position of the board members. What is it that really is really needed? If we spend it on the teachers, do we do we miss, you know, do we miss out on something? Yes, we'd like to we like
032spend it on teachers. Yes, we'd love to reduce class size, but to reduce class size means more teachers. Do we have the money for that? I don't know. I don't I don't know. >> Well, that'sing on ourselves because every time we get a raise, I'm sorry. Excuse me. >> Please. Excuse me. This is not a conversation. He gave you the the He was polite enough to hear you out. Please do the same for him. No, >> he is addressing the board. >> I'm just saying I'm just I'm just saying again again and you money is the issue. So again I don't and so I don't know I don't know how much money is available and I don't know how it is. So how much how much is each side going to compromise? I don't know.
033That's I'm just saying the public is up time is up. You want to make your comment before we go on? So, I before um Vice President Nelson wants to say something, I do want to note that board policy does allow us to make a general uh response to public comments, but this is not a dialogue. So, she'll just make her comments and then we'll go on to the next section. >> Please don't throw tomatoes at me, please. I like this shirt. So, yeah, this is unusual. I'm just speaking for myself. Uh, some of you know me from before I was very involved in the union from 1989 till when I retired. Uh, 12 years president, 25 plus years in negotiations. And I I understand. I hear you, but I'm on this side now. Um I
034understand that each side presents arguments representing their respective points of view. And sometimes we we don't agree and it takes us a long time to reach an agreement. I do have a favor to ask of of all of you, you know, the leadership, but I'll get to that in a few minutes. The board received emails from several members of GTA, maybe about 20 people, regarding livable wages and the need to increase the wages in Giler Unified. I sympathize with the affordability problem in Santa CL County. It's expensive here. Um, GUSD, regardless of what you think, has put a lot of effort into increasing the the salaries. I was looking at when I retired versus, you know, about five years in, my salary would have been $30,000 more. So, darn it, I should have kept teaching.
035Um, I understand that a beginning teacher in particular faces the challenge of not making enough money to get a particular apartment. Um, I used to work with somebody who rented a room in a house. I mean, she's literally in a little little beer room. Uh when I when I started teaching in 1980 before some of you were born um I stayed home the first year saved a lot. Second year I moved to Gilroy. Um I was fortunate that the rental things weren't ridiculous back then. They were more reasonable. Now you need like two and a half to three times what the rent is and your wages. I checked back in 1982. Yes, I do have records. Um my apartment rental was 18.6% 6% of my gross pay. Uh so it's increased a lot a lot
036since then the percentage required. I lived on macaroni and cheese 39 cents a box craft inflation has increased that. I don't like that. Um so what I'm getting to the emails that we received referenced that the area median income in Santa Clara County was $195,200. I said, "Whoa, is that right?" Um, so I I did some digging. I googled what is the area me, you know, median income in Santa Clara County and South Silicon Valley atome.org came up and it came up with this chart. I said, "Ah, there it is. $195,200." But then it it says four four people. So I thought, "So does that mean that it's a household of four?" So I tried to reach them and there's no number. I said, "Okay." So where'd you get your information? So I looked up
037this source and that was a state. There you go. That's the state or um information. But it says the same thing. The uh median for Santa Clara County is 195 200,000. So it says right there that's the highest in the state. We're in Silicon Valley. Those tech people are to blame. Um but again, it's for for four. Um what wasn't in the email is it looks to me as if the median income for a single person is 136 650. Can you see that? No. So um so a beginning teacher here 69 run it up to 70. That's very low income. You're right. It's very low income. I look just looked at my SDRs earnings. I'm low income. What? Okay. Anyway, so yeah, I we hear you. Um, but I want to assure you, at least
038from my perspective, that the board has has really tried given our limited resources to make improvements to the salary schedule. Um, like I said, I had the advantage of getting in early. I bought property in 1985 when prices were reasonable. They're not reasonable anymore. Um, we live in the most expensive area in the state. We live in the most expensive state, I believe. Um, but my my favor to to you is, um, yes, this was accurate. You're very low income, but provide a little bit more context when you put something out. Um, I think this was right. I tried to reach these people, too, but nobody answered. And then I sent an email. I said, "Well, check the website." I said, "You're not being helpful." So, just make sure that you you put, you know,
039the whole context. Maybe I'm not directing you. I'm just asking. I'm asking. Uh, for a single person, it's 136 650 for the median income, which is still double. Um, I checked beginning salary in Morgan Hill, it's the same problem. They're they're also low income. Anyway, I I just I hope we can come to an agreement without animosity or or um anger. I hope we can we work together. That's just me. I'm not speaking for anybody else. And um yeah, go try that mac and cheese. Yeah. Okay. We are on to item 3D, report of action taken in close session. um on it or >> Yeah, sure. That was so easy. All right, we are back to um our what are we? Report of action taken in close session on the expulsion of um student or
040case number 2026-8. Do I have a motion? >> 2026. >> Sorry. Can you just just start just start over just one more time? >> No problem. >> It was kind Yeah, it's a lot. >> Okay. Sorry. >> Okay. So, we are on to a report of action taken in close session and we have um an action item for expulsion case number 2026-8. Do I have a motion? >> Move to expel? >> I'll second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? Um case number 2026-9. Do I have a motion? >> Move to expel. I'll second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Under uh agenda item 2C, anticipated litigation. The board voted to approve a settlement agreement to resolve a students educational claims. The motion passed 7 to zero with trustees
041Delbono, Fiat, Kim, Moreno, Nelson, Piseno, and E. Baker voting yes. And now we are on to a little bit more light-hearted stuff. We have our student board representative, Mackenzie Mendoza Mal Maggalanes from Christopher High School. Hi everyone, my name is McKenzie Mendoza and I'm a part of Christopher High and I'm here to report on Lasanimas Elementary and Christopher. I wanted to start off by Lasanimas had a snow event, snow much love event sponsored by the home and school club. It had a lot of families which with their kids they had making crafts. They also were taking pictures with the photo booth and with Ted the Bear. As you can see, they also had a sensory raft night which was, if you don't know, a nonprofit which is offers free resources to teachers which has hands-on
042steam kits and recycled to like enhance their learning. It they built cars and they also created puppets and they just engaged on a lot of hands-on activities. Moving on to Christopher, I wanted to recap on some of our past events from before break, which was from October to December. We had our Mediterranean homecoming along with our parade and our football game, which was pretty successful. Our hockey and our murals, which got pretty intense between all of our students during lunchtime. We also had our senior dinner dance, which I obviously was my favorite event. We went under the Golden Gate Bridge and we had lots of amazing food memories and it'll definitely be for the books. Moving on was also we had multicultural week and I want to have to I have to say this year
043it was pretty successful. We had, as you guys can see in our picture, we had a little fashion show on Friday, which we had students representing their different cultures and we had multiple c cultures that we represented each day like the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, and Africa. During lunchtime, we had different activities which correlated with each different culture. And we had a big map for students to interact with. Moving on, we also had a canned food drive. Um it was in it was to like make and support with the confusion of SNAP benefits and the struggling families during this moment. So we just wanted to support that. And then moving on we had our holiday movie night which was the first time we've ever done anything like this. And for it being the first
044time it was quite successful I have to say we showed the movie Home Alone and we had lots of movies. We had lots of students show up in their comfy PJs etc. Moving on to our return from break, we had Cougar Palooa and this is basically where we introduced all of our incoming freshmen. We had over 20 clubs, all of our sports teams representing themselves. We also had a cheer and dance performance and ASP and leadership had a warm welcome with a gauntlet um introducing just allowing all of the students and their families to have a nice little welcome. Freshmen had many opportunities to meet and get to know all of our amazing programs. We also had our winter ball which had an increased attendance. Um we had a little over 400 students and my
045favorite part we had a taco truck which was the first time a lot of students loved it. We also had a giveaway which parent club was gracious enough to give away a ninja creamy uh dig Stanley's JBL speakers and along with some northeast backpacks. We also included winter royalty which was new this year. We had a photo booth which is obviously many students favorites to make those memories and we had lightup decor. Moving on to last Friday, more recently, we celebrated our principal's picnic. Um, it was just all of our students just to celebrate all of their amazing accomplishments from last semester. Parent club was also gracious enough to donate some pizzas, cookies, and chips, etc. We had a lot of games which got pretty intense like spikeball, volleyball, uno, and cards. Um, we just
046really wanted to highlight all of those students to celebrate their hardworking achievements. I wanted to quickly recognize all of our winter sports. They've been doing amazing. We had boys and girls wrestling, soccer, and basketball. And I have to mention at GlassCo, which was the Gilroy High versus Christopher High boys soccer game, and Christopher did win 5 to zero. Moving on to some of our upcoming events. We're going to have our basketball inter murals coming back from break, which is going to include a three-point contest, a five versus five tournament, and then we're also going to have a bumpfest car show. We had one last year, and we're excited to keep it going where we have our students bring in any like cool cars in all different shapes, colors, and forms. And one of my favorite
047events that I'm looking forward to is prom. And this year we're going to hold it in Monterey in a hotel. And then we're also going to host our first ble which is a Spanish dance. And we're looking to have a lot of attendance. Thank you for listening. >> Yes. >> Go for it. >> Could you go back to the bumping cars? Okay. >> Oh, yeah. >> So, yeah. Yeah. Just just one. No. Forward. There you go. Are these real cars? >> Real cars? >> Where? In the parking lot? >> Yeah, we have it on our basketball courts. We drive them in and at least last year we had some like old style cars. I'm not a big car person, but I can tell you they looked pretty cool. They were like a cool competition, too.
048>> So, they were like those beat up cars because >> they were they were classic nice cars. >> Then why does it have the name bump? Um, you know, just it's appealing. You know, it got your >> it caught your attention. >> It did. Okay. All right. Thank you. >> Thank you for that wonderful report. Now, we are on to item five, the superintendence report. >> Thank you for that report. Uh, Mr. Mesa is very intrigued by the bumper car. I'm sure he's going to follow up on that tomorrow morning to see what that's about. All right. So, I do have a rather longish report today. I'll try to uh get through it uh quickly. Um I'll start with January 21st where um I attended the South County Task Force uh policy team meeting. Also
049on January 10 22nd, I attended the county schools collaborative retreat. This is a new uh group uh or uh where four five or six districts with high needs have been identified and uh the county office of education was facilitating and they invited the county uh behavioral health and all the other services that the county provides and the purpose really was to uh have everybody in a room to see how districts can connect with them directly. Uh I think one of the things the the county realizes that they're so large often they um the services there's a duplication. Uh and so at the end of the day uh what what was decided is that they need to go back and look at all of their own departments to see who's providing what. Uh because what the
050districts often said is we don't know who to call. So when when there's a need at our end, there's so many so many departments at the county. uh we kind of sometimes struggle and I know Anna's over here. We've often had to struggle like which director or which department uh addresses this. Sometimes there's duplication. So they agreed that they need to go back and figure out what's uh who's going to be the one point person at the uh county site that districts can contact and then they will decide where that request will go. So a pretty uh productive meeting I thought. Uh on the 23rd we had staff development day. On the 24th I attended the Gilroy Rotary 100 years celebration. Uh it was a great event and again as the board knows um the
051Gilroy lunch rotary. This year they have um supported us with the trees to read under project. U so that was the highlight for the evening. Um, and we obviously uh appreciate all the support that we get from all the Rotary the Gilroy the Rotary uh groups. On the 26th um and this was a several of you were there with me. Um uh I attended the Andrew and Stacia Stewart remembrance celebration at Los Anonymous. Uh it was a very thoughtful um celebration of life that their parent club had put together. um lot of engagement, lots of tears, um just a lot of community coming together for something uh that's just very painful. Uh I attended the access superintendent symposium 27th through the 30th. It was really exciting because Anna and I uh were able to present
052with one of our partners um about the work that we are doing in our district um tied to MTSS and services for our students. Uh it was wellreceived. Uh we are hoping to do it again at an another upcoming conference um at Kappell. So um Anna did a really nice job. Um on the 31st as was stated earlier uh we had the board retreat. Uh all of us were here in the boardroom from 8:30 till 2:30. I think it was a a pretty productive day. I thought uh on February 3rd um we had our YAK meeting. students are now at a point where starting to design the prototypes for the projects. Um it's this is a really cool group of kids to work with. I I love uh just how they come together to talk
053about the projects. I actually was able to see them in action as I was visiting uh Christopher earlier this week and they were talking to their leadership teacher to uh discuss how they could roll out the project on their campus. Um, February 4th, 100 days of school. Always a fun event. Uh, so the picture on the left is outside uh, it's in the the Lasanimus parking lot. And then on the right is Glen View. And the kids are just adorable. And I remember um, telling one of the little boys in that picture, you look 100 years old. And this little girl looked at me like I had lost my mind. And she said, he's a kid. Okay, I get it. They were just adorable, having a lot of fun. Um, February 4th, um, this was
054again a great event. South County, uh, Calope Edwendia's educator of the year award this year. Um, it was Carmina Salgado. Welldeserved award and we were all there to, uh, celebrate her um, announced. She she was completely surprised. She had no idea uh, she was going to be receiving this recognition. And of course, Mr. Diaz was there in person. Uh on the 6th uh we had our ghs. Um this is something I've been doing and I no we I haven't been able to visit Christopher. I had to reschedule that. But uh youth voice is something that is really important to me and I think the board has heard me say this. We often make decisions about students without really listening to their voices. So um I have been um at school sites. I've been talking to
055a lot of kids and I decided to attend the leadership class and um our kids are amazing. I'm just so proud of our students um and just how smart they are and how they think about the world and how they share their thoughts in a Yeah, I I I just came back really inspired and I I was joking. I like maybe I need to go back to a classroom. Uh I miss the kids a lot. I really do. uh that's that's what drives the work that I do every day. That's what inspires me every day. And being around them and listening to them about things that matter to them uh is very meaningful. So I look forward to attending the Christopher High um class in a few weeks. Uh on the 9th, um no, yes,
056it's been a busy week. So on February 9th, uh we had the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce educator of the year presentation at Gilroy High School. Uh Bria Dor Lorenzo uh again she was very surprised and we got to do it at the staff meeting and uh she she got the recognition in front of all her colleagues. Um on the 9th uh we also I also attended the new uh Gilroy city administrator meet and greet. I know Tresy Nelson was there with me. Uh on the 10th we had the cookies in conversation with the superintendent uh Trusty Moreno. Uh it was good to see over there. Um and that same night after that event actually both of us ended up at Solarano to attend Capacito uh with the counselors. Um Trustee Moreno got to pull out
057raffle tickets and I think we had six prizes so he got to >> uh do the honors. Um I I have to say our counselors are doing an amazing job of uh this is the first year that they're planning these capacititos. They're well attended. They always have a workshop uh engage parents and teach them something new. Uh and that night they parents were learning how to log in um for I forget the what is the name of the program uh maybe Miss Flores you would know where the students take the interest like their career interest. Yes, it's a career interest survey. So uh parents were also getting login and um they were learning more about that um program on the 12th um which was was it today? Trust your fact it was today. Gosh, it's
058been quite a day. So as you see 12th I've been go go go. Uh today earlier today we got to um this is really um great. Uh it's sad but it it's so good that South County is getting these resources. Um, Trusty Fak and I were able to attend the Children's Advocacy Center opening in Morgan Hill. Uh, and I don't know if you will share something later. It is staggering that last year there were 320 children and this is sexual abuse, physical abuse and now uh these children don't have to drive to San Jose where in the past families had to drive there for the interviews, for the treatment. Uh this is now close by in Morgan Morgan Hill. Um and the year before that it was 470. It is just staggering to know that
059we have uh such high needs and there's so many children in our community that need this help. Uh so happy to see it's closer to home and our families and children will u be able to use this. Uh later today after that event I uh was able to go to Christopher High School uh to recognize uh students for again it's a spice of life they call it the Susan Valenta youth leadership award and this is the first time that the chamber said that they had such a hard time picking selecting a student so they actually gave out two awards. So we recognized Madison Dutra and Chioma Okiki U. Uh so they will all be attending the spice of life um dinner. Um we will be sharing that with you as well. Uh and then after
060that we had the district spelling bee here which is why you see all these balloons. So there's a picture um and I which one this one this uh balloon over here. I didn't realize it till later. It actually has a B at the top the top balloon. And Melanie had done such a nice job of uh so if you see the top two finalists, they had the little bee uh toy and then they had little bags that the kids were able to take home with just goodies filled filled with them. So these two students will now go to the county uh spelling bee championship. >> I'm sorry. What was that? Oh, okay. kind of blended in. But this is really great because do you know even two years ago I think we only had two
061of our elementary schools or maybe even just one that participated. I know Rucker was doing it. So now all the schools are participating all seven. So it's it's really exciting to see that. So we did that and then of course we have our board meeting tonight. So here we are uh for our upcoming uh I just want to remind the board we have um oh in addition to this uh in the last two weeks I have been able to do site visits uh to Lasanmus several times Gilroy High Glen View Rod Kelly Christopher High and Rucker uh we have spring visits and um I'd like to extend an invitation to the board to join me on February 25th Rod Kelly Elementary March 5th is Luigi Elementary and then other upcoming events. We have no school
062for students next week. It's the February break. On the 27th, uh some of our team members will be going to Sacramento to um receive the cash design awards in Sacramento for South South Valley Middle School, the design for that school. Um I will be at a Kappell conference where again I'll be presenting with Anna. Um March 1st through 4th. Uh March 2nd through 6th we have read across the world week and March 11th we have the GUSV reclassification ceremony which I know um all of you love to attend. So we'll send you the invites for that as well. And then March 13th is Rock the Mark at Gilroy High School. I wanted to give the board a quick update and the community as well on um just some safety measures. As you know, we had
063a very tragic incident in our community uh 3 weeks ago and there's been a lot of conversation since then about school safety. We have been uh working with the city to figure out um how do we keep our not just schools but the larger community safe uh around schools. What do we do with traffic? How do we share that responsibility? How do we uh as a community including the adults and the students? how do we um follow all the traffic laws so that everybody stays safe. So I just wanted to share some things that the district has done in the last uh week or so and some other steps that we will be taking. So for one we have purchased 40 speed limit signs that will be installed uh at various uh school sites including
064the high schools their parking lots because as you know we have a lot of teen drivers there. Um we also will be uh get putting up signs for entry exit signs so that there's a clear clear entry and exit point that uh drivers who are entering the school can see uh next week depending on the weather. Um I know we are expecting some rainfall but what we had planned is for um just a fresh coat of paint for crosswalks and curbs at all the school sites. So again that project depending on the weather we'll either complete it next week or um we may pick a weekend or some other time to do it. Um Aurelio will be working with all the principles and he's already met with some I know Lasanimus I was there every
065single morning to look at the traffic patterns and around dismissal too. Um, and sometimes it's even just something as simple as pull pull up all the way instead of stopping by the gate and families were stopping by the gate and holding up all the traffic in the back or sometimes then drivers were going around them creating unsafe conditions. So just reminding everybody to pull up all the way putting some orange cones um to direct traffic and split the lanes just things like that. Aurelio will be working with all the principles um to look at the traffic patterns. We had a principal meeting earlier today and uh the principles will all be uh taking their school maps and um sending those to families with arrows about you know what is the traffic flow, where's the drop
066off point, where is the entry point, which gates to use in the morning. So principles will be working on that. Um earlier today u during our principal meeting we also had a uh we had uh somebody from impact teen drivers here and officer um Odell u to talk about safety assemblies or safety um whether there'll be assemblies or how they'll do it. We'll let the uh the school sites decide because every school is unique. but they offer um training for elementary, middle and high school. In addition to that, our SRO's and our traffic officers will be providing um pedestrian safety directions for um elementary school students. So, this is more about driving habits. Um, it was we used to do it many years ago where it also talks to students or children about when you
067are in a car with an adult and you see some something that's unsafe, do you speak up or not? You know, it's okay to say mom, dad, or whoever is dropping them off, you just jump a light or you know, you you didn't pay attention to whatever was happening around you. So it uh really empowers the children to be participants in that safety protocol and and when they whether they're driving or not. And then the traffic police and SRO's will be doing more of the pedestrian one. This is back in the days make eye contact before you cross the street. Simple things like that. But sometimes uh we all need reminders and most importantly you have seen me over and over and over in all my newsletters and I reminded the principles to do that
068too is just remind our community also and and the parents that to slow down around school campuses. Um so those are some of the things. Uh the other thing we are doing is um I know at our joint meeting safe routes to school came up. Um, I just want to share a little bit about safe routes to school. The This was a grant that came through that was given to the county and they worked with the city of Gilroy and um, GUSD back in the day. I think Trusty Pasano, you were probably on that committee. Um, so you may remember because I saw your pictures on their website. So that's how I know you and Hime Rosa. So that that's how I know you were on that committee. the funding for that ran out and
069then COVID also happened. So, safe routes to school kind of just disappeared. I also spoke with Dr. Flores. I gave her a call and I said, "Tell me a little bit about this." And she said, "Some schools implemented it, some did not." Um, Sharky, the day Sharky came to town, everybody walked their kid to school or rode their bikes to school and then next day everybody hopped back in the car and we were back. So, twice a year we did all of that. I know there was also mention of some maps uh which are um which were developed by safe routes to school. A parent actually yesterday pointed out that the maps were not correct. Uh the the one map that they pulled up was not correct. And I think you may remember at the
070joint meeting I said that that without reviewing the map they were made in even if you look at just South Valley Middle School we completely flipped that school the the entry point and everything. So I'm not sure that those maps are still current. U so we are actually not uh recommending for principles to use those maps unless they have been revisited. uh we have carefully we have a like the city engineer and our staff or somebody from our side is looking at every single map to see what's accurate or not because I I worry about um misleading the community and saying here are some maps that were developed in 20189 when our community we know has almost doubled in size. So, uh, again, maybe they're accurate, maybe they're not, but given that we don't even
071know what's on in those maps, uh, I worry about sharing them. So, uh, we are still trying to figure out who is at the county to do the safe routes to school, um, and what that would look like. But in the meantime, our principles will be sharing the site maps. The one last thing I wanted to share, I know there was a lot of discussion about uh crossing guards um crossing guards and whether they're volunteers or whether they're employed by employed by the city or the school district. I've spoken with several colleagues of mine in other school districts. um at least six or seven of them stated that in their districts it's the city that um employs they hire train um and they are the employers of crossing guards u so I know we are
072still working with the city to figure that part out u I you've heard me say this at the joint meeting and I I will repeat it I feel it is irresponsible to put somebody in the middle of the street without giving them proper training an orange west and a stop sign does not make you an expert on traffic safety. Uh so we we really need to be thoughtful that the people that and I know we already have some campus supervisors and yard duties that are doing that but that they're only doing it on the crosswalk next to the school not out in the wider community. Um I don't know we need to talk we'll work with the city on what that partnership looks like but I just wanted to share we had uh Dr. Winslow
073had also posted the position. As of today, we have only one applicant uh for that uh for a crossing guard position. Uh we are still waiting. Um uh Chief Smidy sent an email today uh sharing that somebody at the county sharing a contact that somebody at the county trains. But again, I haven't this was late in the afternoon. I don't know who trains what they train like. So that that that's all TBD uh who does the training uh who these people are uh whether they're volunteers or employees. Um but I I think as a district we have a responsibility to make sure uh whoever that person is is has the tools and has the training to to be in the middle of the street and direct traffic and the authority as well. So, I told
074you my report is rather long today, but that uh concludes my report. >> Yes. >> Um, so we purchased we purchased 40 speed limit signs, entry and exit signs, and supplied a fresh coat of paint for for crosswalks. Did we pay for all that or >> we did? Even though >> since it's on a school district property, uh we just decided to move forward with that. We there's some things that we can move on quickly. Um this is urgent. Safety is always a priority for us. So we I know Mr. Mesa is sitting there nodding, but this was something we jumped on right away. Things that we can address right away, we're doing it. >> I I thought the crosswalk was city. So, Mr. Mesa, do you want to >> and speed limit sign? I
075>> thank you. >> Parking lot. I I >> Thank you, Superintendent and Trusty Nelson. We're not touching the crosswalk. That is strictly city. We're touching our parking lot. So, 5 miles per hour is in the parking lot. So, that included here in the district office. I think the high schools are already done, but we're focusing on the drop off area. So there's additional signs that we're going to be put up, but it's contained within our parking lot inside. >> Some of our schools have crosswalks inside. Do you remember like Lasanimas, they have the fence and they have another fence and they have a little walkway. So things that are on our property, we just making sure that we have clear signage and everything. Trusty Dalbano, >> I was just going to say I was like,
076um, uh, Trusty Nelson, I assumed when you said 40 speed limit signs, I thought was wondering why are we putting up city speed limit signs as well as painting crosswalks. So glad to hear that it's on our property. >> So, thank you for that update. That's I I love that we're we're looking at all the things that we can do, right? the lowhanging fruit and the things that are we can just move on very quickly and then utilizing our SRO's to to support with those presentations and that education around safety looking back into sober um not sober grad I'm sorry safe routes to school but it does remind me about sober grad night and really wanting to emphasize the um and support the the high schools and being able to have those this year because
077we did have a loss last year. So, I just want to make sure that we're um not supporting I mean it's not ours to do but just like ready and if they need anything to help them move forward with their sober grads I would love to know about that at the high schools. And then um also just want to just bring to your um attention that after meetings like we'll get phone calls or emails or texts about things that we said or um people wanting to have conversation and I engaged in with conversation with at least three people about um the conversation about traffic and enforcement traffic enforcement. And it just brought to my attention again how important it is for traffic enforcement. That's not ours to do. Right. That's the that's the cities to
078do. And in the absence of it, it creates a culture um it creates a culture of poor driving habits within a city and how you can really start to measure the impact of that work by how many citations are given within a month. And so, um, I'm really trying to just cut this short because it was a really long conversation with many people in law enforcement. Two people in law enforcement and one person who went to the, um, the, um, the police department, um, training for community where they shared, yeah, we don't really do a lot with traffic enforcement because we don't have staff to do it. And so, um, I did request to understand how many citations, traffic citations, there are within a month to get an idea. Um, and that can really tell
079us something if there's a need to really ramp that up so that we have a culture um within our um our community that really enforces traffic safety and then promotes um overall safety for everyone. >> Now we are on to our item six, our consent agenda. Do I have a motion? Move approval. >> Is there a second? >> I'll second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Motion passes. We are on to items 7A. Update on the governor's January budget proposal for 2026 27. >> Thank you. Good evening board. Good evening, superintendent uh members of the public. I do know how to clear a room. It seems like Um, tonight I'll be covering the state budget development process and quick overview and highlights of the January budget proposal and of course what
080it means to us in Gilmore Unified. For the second time in a row, um the uh director of finance Joe Stefenshaw delivered the governor's um proposal. Obviously that the proposal will change by the time the May revision comes around. Um, and then it continues to evolve until uh June 15th when it becomes an enacted budget. It's important that we recognize that it's for the second time in a row the governor does not present the proposal. This being his last true budget before he terms out. Uh the department, the director of finance um highlighted this particular volatility in what he calls the big three, everybody calls them the big three revenues. He refers to that as personal income taxes, the sales and use tax, and corporate taxes. Meaning that the big three generating uh most of
081the revenue in the state. Personal income taxes account for about 66% of that. So, it's the big boy out of the three. And then he noted that the light blue bars are recessions. So, anytime that there's a a correction uh to the big three, it's quickly followed by a recession. and he noted that that happened here uh between 22 23 basically saying you know we're overdue for a recession if you remember Governor Brown that was Governor Brown's every single year he said that there was going to be a recession and one didn't come but you know we're I guess overdue and the legislative analyst office really looked at this um and made a series of assumptions that are different uh from the department of finance anyway he pointed out that the trajec tractory um is
082still below 5.3 on terms of annual growth for the big three. Um which begs the question of what is the California's deficit, right? It's a math problem. It's it should be simple, but it it's not. Um primarily because they're both looking at quantifying um the deficit at different points in time and more importantly making different assumptions about uh the revenues. So the legislative analyst office um looks to the economy and they're worried about a bubble uh related to the artificial intelligence and then for the first time that I can ever remember they have economists that are actually calling the bubble. They've never called the bubble and then subsequently embedded calculations reflecting that. They've always said there's risk associated with any budget. any budget has risk and those risks are a reflection of the assumptions that
083you put in, but they're actually calling a bubble in um quantifying that in in the revenues that they forecast. The Department of Finance is being true to what they always do. They say there's risk, of course, there's risk and they tell you what those risks are, but they don't proactively embed a bubble or a bursting of revenues or slower revenue growth. So that's how effectively we get um the timing is key. That November estimate from the LAO came in November. The department of finance had a whole month and a half more worth of data in which the actual revenues are outperforming um their estimates. So they have that additional time is always great. Uh but they're also do not assume an economic downturn. Um a slow but not an economic downturn like the LEO. This
084is the disappointing part of that though. the Department of Finance um had about $40 billion more in revenues over a three-year period. Um and they chose to do this with Prop 98. Um they're basically saying, "Look, we absolutely agree with the LEO. There's risk associated. Um we're going to lower the minimum guarantee, which is the minimum guarantee by the California Constitution, and we're going to withhold 5.6 6 billion this year, 2526 in the budget for next year. Cuz remember, Prop 98 gets recalculated. I know it's a little bit confusing, but when they're working on the 2627 year, at the same time, they're recalculating this year and the prior year. So, they will close out my 2426 allocation in May. It takes almost two full cycle years to then go truly with the TR. That's what
085they call settle up or true up. That's what they do. and they basically um adjust that going forward. Ultimately, it truly says they will never allocate more than the absolute minimum. And what's worse is they're giving themselves credit for paying us back $1.9 billion that they reduced the same little trick in 2425. You're not paying back anything. You triple the amount you owed us. And then you're patting yourself on the back saying you paid us. You have not paid us a dime. That's me telling the department of finance by the way. So $5.6 billion is such a big deal because to us to quantify that Gilroy Unifi will get over $8.5 million this year if they had allocated the minimum that would be paying us back $ 8.5 million. We can't budget for that. We
086don't have it. And it's a proposal that he will may at one point or another pay us back in later time. Remember, it takes three years. So, what's to say that this 5.6 doesn't become 15 billion next year? He has three years to roll this out effectively, right? So, the the 1.9 he's got a a pony up in May, but then the 5.6 he can do it again next year in 2627. Bottom line is the constitution says Prop 98 funding should happen. It's a minimum and it's it's disregarding that formula altogether. And remember, we're the fourth largest economy in the world and we're playing tricks and gimmicks with funding public schools. If you take away anything from this presentation, just look at this slide, please. Um because this is the really what it means to
087give Unified. That $5.6 billion of withholding from the minimum is $ 8.5 million that we don't have for our students, for our staff, for our teachers. $8.5 million. It's not a small amount. and it would have been ongoing, right? $8.5 million. And remember, it's a minimum. It's the minimum. We're owed that by the Constitution. We're not getting it. Um the cost of living adjustment has decreased. It was at 1 point over 3% in November. The LAO came in with that 2.51. It's now even lower. It's 2.41. It will get finalized in May. Um and the positive thing is because they're playing gimmicks, uh and spending that $5.6 6 billion somewhere else. Um they have to they have to because revenues are higher than what they have projected have to at least allocate one-time funds. So
088we are expecting um an additional round of student support and professional development discretionary block grant. That's how he chooses to allocate the one-time money. It doesn't have to be in this format, but we are owed onetime money. Uh and that's about $2.8 8 billion of onetime money he's allocating that would yield roughly about $4.7 million to us. Again, this is a proposal. It may change, but for right now, it's about $4.7 billion. The positive thing is that year-to-year revenues and um uh actual revenues as compared to the January budget proposal has already outperformed those January levels by $6 billion. So, we're looking good in terms of is the budget going to hold up, at least from that uh perspective. Something new and significant that he's proposing that's $1 billion is uh an expansion of this
089California Community Schools Partnership Program. It's a billion dollars. It's a lot. That may change. It's all available through grants. This is more uh creating about a hub, a school hub that would it's just more about um the social emotional needs but also providing support for families. This is a more inclusive school model. It's not the community day school model that we had early back in the 2000s. It is not that. And Gilroy Unifi to my knowledge has never had that kind of model of a program. Um but that's a $1 billion investment that he's proposing. That may change. That may change because again he's not paying his bills. How can you expand something when you're not even paying your bills? Uh, and then there are other smaller um proposals. The one other one that I
090want to highlight is remember he cut the learning recovery block grant as part of the inactive budget for 2425. Um, this year we got another round and next year he's proposing to fully pay that cut back and restore those cuts that he made and that would be an additional 757 million. um which for us we were told that we would just double what we currently get this year and it'll be about a million dollars uh for next year if it's still in the budget as well. Um, and something that I won't get into a lot, but he is proposing a shakeup in the governance of the state. Um, with the state board overseeing the California Department of Ed, and then the state superintendent of public instruction being a voting member of the state board, but
091not uh in the current capacity that he's in. Seemingly, the roles would be a little bit more diminished if you were the state superintendent of public instruction. Um, so this is the next step slide. I try to make this shorter than my usual presentations, but it's the bottom line is it's not how we or how they uh begin. We hope that this is drastically different by the May revision. We hope that Prop 98 gets fully funded uh in the May revision. We hope that the legislature pushes back on this proposal because one one thing is $ 1.9 billion in the current year, but $5.6 billion, that's three times the amount. and it just set as a dangerous president for all of us in public education. So we will be working and are already have started
092working on the second interim financial report which we be brought to the board on March 19th and we'll continue to watch any developments uh with the May revise and proposals and trailer bills etc. And obviously we'll revise the multi-year projection as needed particularly as it deals with our bargaining work and working with our bargaining units. That's it. Questions >> board. Are there any questions? Yes, Trusty Peno. >> So, one of the things I went to the capital advisors uh workshop and I strongly recommend that board members go. I've tried to go every January and May because January is the initial one and then May is the sort of final one before June. What I learned from this is this is really a dangerous precedent for a governor who theoretically, as they said, this is the
093governor that's a friend of education. >> And we get a new governor in November. So, what are they going to do? Um, and every year I hear, you know, the media says, "Oh, well, the media reports from the governor saying, uh, public education has received more money than ever before." And we've heard that several years. I have to tell you, my first year on the board in 2014, Jerry Brown did the same thing. gave us back money that he had taken from 2008, gave it back to us in 2014, patted himself on the back, and giving us all the money. It's like, wait a minute, that's money that you owed us from six years ago. How dare you take credit and say what a good guy you are for giving public ed money that you
094owed us for six years. So this is they took 1 >> five no one >> 1.9 less >> 1.9 billion and no one said much the big three CSBA CTA AXA didn't say much last year when that happened CSBA was concerned about it but couldn't get the coalition together to say hey guys they they could do it legally by literally suspending Prop 98. They could go to the legislature and do that. No one is going to do that. So, they don't bother. They just take the money. And so, now they're going to give us back 1.9 billion, but take 5.6 billion. and CTA and AXA and CSBA are now pulling together because this is the friendly this is the governor friendly to education doing this and what's going to happen in the future and to
095just take it without doing it legally by suspending Prop 98. This is a very dangerous move. Um again somebody at the I was talking to somebody and other board members are there. It's very frustrating to be the fourth largest economy in the world and to be 16th in per pupil funding in the nation. But when you take our cost of living into account, we're 28th in the nation, which is just incomprehensible for me that that level isn't there. And you know, this is I'm starting and ending my 12th year on the board. And Sacramento still pats themselves on the back and telling us how much money they give us. And yet we're sitting here, as you saw, today scrabbling over the pennies that they give us. I've gone to uh ledge action in in March
096trying to get money out. Remember Prop 98, we all thought that great, we're finally going to get the funding that we need. And Prop 98 is supposed to, it is this the floor. It's they give us at least that much money. It has become the ceiling >> and the ceiling now has holes in it. So public funding or funding of public schools in California is really an issue. Uh you know we've got we're looking at next year already. Our deadline for any kind of cuts is March 15th for personnel. And we don't even have a budget. And I say this every year. It's kind of crazy. We don't even have a finalized budget from the state until June. And yet we have to make decisions for three years out. Be in the black and make
097decisions about personnel by March. This is really this is our world and this is what we're dealing with. when he gives a block grant to support and professional development 2 billion $2.8 billion. Okay, take that 2.8 and decrease the 5.6 billion you're taking away from us to begin with. And where is that going? That 5.6 billion that he's taken from education to other promises that he's made to other groups in the state. So, it's not just going into some kind of a savings account. It's Oh, well. So, and remember this is the governor who's friendly to education. So, um you know, I'm off the board in November, but whoever >> Governor, >> no, thank you. So whoever comes in November, be very very careful because we don't know what's happening in 2627 if if our
098friends do this to us. Okay, off my soap box. >> Any other questions or comments? >> I guess I have a comment. I I do appreciate that and I see it and I get it and I I just um there are a lot of people who benefit from this, right? Not us, you know, beyond the governor, if you will. A lot of people benefit from schools not being fully funded. So, I think I would hold a lot of people accountable and not just one person. Okay, now we are on to item 7B, the monthly district cash flow update for December 2025. >> Hi, good evening, Superintendent Dr. Mucci, President Fak, and members of the board. Tonight, I'll go over the district's monthly cash flow summary. We'll start with the month of December. With a cash
099balance of 57.7 million, we received approximately 27.5 million in revenue and spent approximately $15.1 million. We ended the month of December with a cash balance of approximately $70 million. And at the bottom there you can see that 82% of our expenditures were spent on salaries and benefits there is just another way to look at that information. Are there any questions? Thank you. Now we are on to item 7 C the 2026 2027 Gilroy Unified School District Local Control Accountability Plan Midyear Review and this is an information item. >> Good evening, President Fiat, Vice President Nelson, Trustees and Superintendent Munchie. This evening uh Miss Flores and I are very pleased to present our midtercap um fondly also known as the local control and accountability plan. The LCAP is a three-year district level plan that describes the
100goals, actions, services, and expenditures to support positive student outcomes that address state and local priorities with a focus on equity and meeting the diverse needs of all students. The LCAP, if you remember, is a three-year cycle that allows us to plan our goals, actions, services, and expenditures to support positive student outcomes that address these local priorities. in our LCAP. Um, if you remember, we talked about our SIPs. They are a one-year plan, but they align with those goals over the three years. So, while they may make some changes from year to year, our plan stays consistent um with a few small tweaks based on our stakeholder input. The mid-year report is a requirement for all school districts. It must be completed and presented as a non-consent item to our board on or before February 28th
101of each year. The update must include outcome data as we measure our progress on our goals as well as our expenditures up to this point. The purpose is to provide updates on the progress toward achieving the goals outlined in the LCAP. This includes reviewing available data on key metrics identified within the LCAP, reviewing our current expenditures, identifying areas potentially needing adjustment, and gathering feedback from our community members as we work on developing the 2627 LCAP. The 2627 LCAP, which we'll present to you this spring, will complete the three-year cycle, after which time we may look at new goals, actions, and allocations that can be considered in developing that new cycle. This year we have colorcoded today's update where green indicates those metrics that are in progress and blue indicates those metrics that are known. Items
102that could be in progress are our current attendance rates, suspensions rates, local assessments. And known items are all of the items that we will see on our dashboard. Things like our LPAC and our CASP results. As a reminder, Gilroy Unified LCAP is built around five overarching goals that are aligned with the eight state priorities. The eight priorities include student achievement, student engagement, school climate, basic services, common core standards, access to a broad curriculum, parent involvement, and other student outcomes. I'm going to hand the mic over to Miss Flores, who will talk all about the California dashboard for 2025. Evening trustees. The California dashboard is the state's accountability tool that shows how schools and districts are performing in key areas like academics, attendance, graduation, college, and career readiness, etc. Its color-coded systems highlight strengths and areas
103for improvement to help guide decisions that support student success. This slide shows our most recently released dashboard data based on our district's performance in the 2024 2025 school year. So very much a lagging indicator. Looking more closely at each of these indicators with regard to academic performance, we made gains with our college and career readiness indicator moving from yellow to green and we maintained our status in orange with our English learner progress indicator. Further, we dropped in the area of performance on ELA and math standardized assessments, moving from yellow to orange in both categories. While our chronic absenteeism dropped from yellow to red most recently, we made huge gains with our graduation rate moving from orange to blue and some gains with suspension rate moving from yellow to green. The English learner progress indicator on
104the California dashboard measures how well schools are helping English learners make annual progress towards English proficiency based on their summitive ELPAC results. It focuses on growth from one year to the next, not just whether students are proficient and reports the percentage of students who progressed at least one level, maintained proficiency, maintained lower levels, or decreased a level. Based on the data presented, you can see that about 40 to 42% of students are progressing each year, showing relatively stable growth over time. The midyear update also focuses on the LCAP allocations and expenditures to date and not the expenditures from our one-time funds, even though those one-time funds contribute to meeting goals outlined in the LCAP. I also want to note that we are almost entirely spent out with a lot of our one-time dollars. Here you
105see the LCAP allocations as well as what has been spent um and or encumbered to date regarding our progress towards LCAP goal one which is focused around creating vigorous rigorous and innovative learning spaces that deepen students conceptual understanding. You can see how the dashboard data presented earlier translates with our metrics on English language arts, math, and the college and career readiness indicator. We have highlighted these areas in blue as these are all again lagging indicators with the data that we know. Despite this most recent drop in student outcomes on the CASP, we still remain focused on meeting our goal of ensuring that 50% of our students meet or exceed the standard in English language arts and 40% meeting or exceeding the standard in math. This slide also reflects our growth on the college and career
106readiness indicator thanks to our growth with the percentage of students who have met the UC CSU A throughG entrance requirements moving from 45.8% 8% to 51% this last year. This is important to note as our students A throughG completion has historically helped our district's levels on the college and career readiness indicator. As for our metrics around rigorous expectations, our overall parent survey results show that we have made growth in this area, moving from 76% of parent responses indicating their belief that students are held to high expectations to 84% most recently, thereby surpassing our target of 82%. Though our recent 5-year cohort graduation rate shows that we dropped, you saw that our overall graduation rate significantly improved from 85% to 91.2%. We also see some improvement with the percent of students who are completing a CTE
107pathway and have completed their A throughG requirements. The key strategies for each of the LCAP actions that we have implemented so far this school year are captured on this slide for LCAP goal line. With the approval for the CTE advisory committee, we now have a drafted three-year plan. With regard to our edtech actions, we have an AI policy in place to guide our teachers with AI integration, which the teachers also receive uh professional development on. We continue to work with Apple's professional learning team to support iPad integration at the lower elementary levels. And we continue to provide an edtech boot camp for newly hired teachers. Our numerous release days and our inservice days continue to focus on implementing research-based strategies and our administrators conduct regular classroom walkthroughs to monitor implementation of those strategies while simultaneously
108teasing apart the trends at their data. The implementation of our professional learning communities or PLC's across the district also support ongoing and collaborative learning at all of our school sites. Finally, coaching and mentorship are provided through our district level TOSAs for math and English learners. Literacy facilitators in elementary schools, instructional specialists at the secondary schools, and new teacher mentors across all levels support teachers directly at their sites. Moving along to goal two, which focuses on maximizing resources that provide equitable student support. You can see the metrics in green are in progress and not a final data point for our annual progress measurement. We are making gains with math math passing rates and with star reading scores. However, we still have a way to go to meet our growth targets for year three in these areas.
109We can celebrate the improvement of the percentage of students scoring three or better in advanced placement assessments. Additional key metrics for goal 2 are math benchmark test results, the percent of EL students making progress on ELPAC, as well as our EL reclassification rate. You can see that we're making progress in most of these areas with our reclassification rate and percent of students meeting or exceeding on the I Ready benchmark in line to achieve our goals in these areas by year three. We believe that these key actions have supported the growth in the specified areas. Namely, our state and federal programs team increase outreach and connection to resources for from for some of our student subgroups. We continue to conduct professional learning communities and collaboration across all sites. Our district early learning and EL administrator continues
110to move the district literacy goals forward, working alongside literacy facilitators at the elementary level and ensuring the implementation of the new academic language development or ALD curriculum at the high school level. Finally, our expanded learning team continues to increase and expand services specifically offering targeted intervention and support at our elementary and middle schools. LCAP goal 3 is all about building inclusive and safe schools that prioritize mental health and so social emotional well-being being of all. Our actions around LCAP goal 3 include a focus on attendance, behavior, climate and culture, family engagement and wellness. All of these metrics are in progress, but you can see here a slight improvement in the area of chronic absenteeism rates, attendance rate, and suspension rates. And these were data as of December. Our attendance collaborative meetings as well as our
111pilot using the raw wee attendance platform is how we continue to support our attendance improvement efforts. We provide safety care training to staff supporting students with disabilities and we continue to provide professional development to our academic coordinators and administrators around multi-tered systems of support. We are continuing to pilot character strong curriculum at the secondary level and we continue to implement and refine STE second step at the elementary level. We continue staffing our three school link service coordinators and we have a positive behavioral interventions and support and climate and engagement coordinator who supports those efforts. Our schools and districts have been hosting events such as school functions, community resource fairs, student performances, presentations, and so showcases and PK the parent advisory workshops as well as utilize ELOP funding provide family engagement opportunities. And the district wellness
112administrator coordinates support services for all sites, working with all of the social workers across the school district, further supporting student mental health needs and ensuring the success of our wellness centers. LCAP goal 4 focuses on providing equitable and highquality basic services such as materials, staffing, and facilities. To align our reported metrics with what you see on California dashboard, we are using the states and federal program monitoring definition of an appropriately credentialed appropriately credentialed teacher. We continue to be at 84% in this area. We maintain 3% as our routine restricted maintenance fund and we are happy to report that there have been no complaints regarding facilities. All right. And further our common core and English language development materials are available for all students and we continue to support our principles with identifying and addressing any needs
113that arise throughout the year. We continue to ensure all students have the standards aligned textbooks for their classes. We continue to pilot and adopt instructional materials per the state release timelines. Specifically, this year we are piloting math textbooks across the school district. The salaries and benefits of our certificated classified and management positions support our ability to hire, train, and retain highly qualified staff. We believe that maintaining a stable teaching staff has the greatest impact on English learners, foster youth, and low-income students. And to ensure the hiring of effective staff, Dr. Mr. Winslow and Miss Fjo continue to attend recruitment fairs while focusing on hiring effective staff at all levels. Our district offers the induction program and a peer mentorship program for our new teachers and our HR department ensures we have the appropriate training to
114meet state compliance requirements. As previously mentioned, the district's budget maintains a 3% match for routine restricted maintenance. and to ensure equitable and well-maintained facilities. Our district is completing and updating its facilities master plan. Finally, the district facilities subcommittee continues to meet monthly to review the district's facility related needs. LCAP goal five again is the equity multiplier goal to support Mount Madonna High School. I want to highlight that the state um added the equity multiplier funding as part of the LCFF allocations. Um, it is a state funding program that provides additional funds to school sites, meaning non-stability and socioeconomically disadvantaged student thresholds in the prior year. Um, so Mount Madonna qualified for these funds. The equity multiplier funds are used to provide targeted support to Mount Madonna High School to further their college and career readiness
115indicator, English learner progress, suspension rates, and mathematics achievement for the following student subgroups whose scored as very low or in the red on the California dashboard. All students in the area of suspension, English learners in the areas of English learner progress and college and career readiness indicator. Long-term English learners on the EL um progress and college and career readiness indicator. Socioeconomically disadvantaged students um with regard to suspension rates, college and career readiness indicator and graduation rates and Hispanic students for suspension rates and graduation rate. Though our EEL's were uh read on the 2024 California dashboard, we know that the percentage of ELEL's making progress on the EL E L E L E L E L E L E L E L E L E L E LPAC has also improved significantly. And we have also
116seen promising results on the lagging indicators of uh CASP for both English language arts and math at Mount Madonna High School. These funds have supported Mount Madonna as the staff there remain focused on improving post-secondary opportunities for its students through its partnership with Gavlin College, Rebecca's culinary arts program and Cal soap college and career advisoring. Instructional technology also continues to be leveraged for differentiated instruction and the funds ensure that wellness center the wellness center is staffed with an effective school solutions or ESS therapist or social worker. schools qualify for TSI or ATSI, which stands for additional targeted support and assistance or targeted support and intervention. When a majority of students in a specific subgroup such as special education, Hispanic, English learners, f foster youth, etc. are in the red um in all red and orange
117for two consecutive years on the California dashboard. With improvements on the dashboard in CASP, chronic absenteeism, and suspension rates, we've seen how a number of our schools have exited ATSI from 2023 to 2024. With continued improvements in graduation rate in our elementaryaries improved outcomes, even more school sites have exited ATSI from 2024 to 2025. And differentiated assistance is a support process in California's accountability system. A district qualifies when one or more student groups do not meet state performance standards on the California dashboard. The county office and our state partner with the district to identify and connect supports that may be available. Through actually differentiated assistance, we have been able to participate in some of our PLC training for district level implementation which has supported our sitebased implementation efforts. Differentiated assistance categories from the state can
118change from year to year based on the California dashboard results and performance indicators. The boxes are empty in the categories we did not qualify for differentiated assistance. So that's a good thing. But those marked with the X indicate where we qualify for differentiated assistance. For example, based on the 25 dashboard results, students with disabilities qualified us for the category of mathematics, college, and career readiness, and absenteeism. And you can also see that our English learners, we continue to qualify in the areas of academics um based on the performance on the CASP for ELA, math, and then absenteeism. Um, our midyear LCAP report is just part of the process. We are as we are creating this, we are also in the development of the 2627 LCAP. We are across the district, we're collecting qualitative feedback from
119school site councils and various community groups as we work to refine our LCAP for next year. So we here we are in February and March. So looking ahead, April and June, we will be after we've gathered that input, we've analyzed it, we've looked at the priorities, we have an idea what our budget looks like, we'll create our final um plan. We will bring it back to you in June for adoption and then it goes to the county office. So this should start to feel like a familiar cycle um as we work through this. So thank you for listening to our presentation this evening. >> Thank you for the presentation board. Are there any questions or comments? >> Trusty Delono. >> Yes, thank you for the presentation. Um, and I appreciate mostly when I get to
120see the slides that have the metrics where we can see the mid the the midyear updates, right? And I guess I when I look at this, I still don't get a sense of where we are right now with our metrics for English, ELA, and math. And I know um last year when we had this presentation, I'm pretty sure we asked to, you know, see that information broken down. Um, and I guess I just um I just I wonder about that because I think we had we had a really good conversation wondering about how valuable CASP is when we don't get to have the results in real time versus the real time metrics that the schools are using, departments are using, um they're using that information in their PLC's. How is it that we can get
121a sense as to what the progress looks like in real time about the things I think that matter the most? For me, again, it's I'm looking at students being able to read at grade level by the end of third grade being a a huge marker that has a impact for the trajectory of their academic career and graduation. you know, these are the things that are the way upstream efforts that we can really be focusing on to give us our biggest bang for our buck for the future. Um, so I'm just curious about that. I'd still would love to I don't have a sense walking away what the midyear update looks like for ELA or math. >> So I think there's two ways to answer that. The first is our midyear update is really about the
122metrics within the LCAP. So if you went to that giant 200 plus page document that's probably in a binder or on your drive somewhere um those are the metrics that we're looking at. So those are the things that we're required to report on. The other are indicators as you said that our teachers are using our our principles are using we're looking at. Those have set windows. So we just closed our second benchmark window. Well tomorrow closes. So that data will become available after tomorrow. So I think we've shared in other reporting sort of what how we were at the beginning of the year. As we hit this midyear, our those benchmarks align more with our report card season. So again, the second trimester for elementary has just closed. Secondary is a little um different as
123they have the semesters. And so I know that that data is coming to you um at some point soon. Are there any other questions or comments? Yes, Trusty Mono. >> Yeah, thank you. Um, you know, we we focus so much on plans and policies and trainings and um hiring the right staff and doing all these things. Goal three, seeing that our students are in class more or working towards being in school has got to be one of the biggest wins because none of it matters if they're not in the class. So, I just was really happy to see that we're moving really quickly to that target. Trusty Pizzau, >> I was at another workshop about leadership and um one of the retired superintendent said that we focus on reading at third grade level that kids
124be at grade level and he mentioned a Ginsburgg study that said it's actually a a better predictor to see where kids are in math at third grade that that's a better predictor of their academic success. So, I just Googled it and um yeah, that's kind of what he says. So, um we know that our math scores have been depressed for a long time. Interesting that I use the word depressed because they depress me. But, um so in for all of my career, you know, I've been associated with Gro Unified for almost 51 years now. We focus so much on reading. I'm not saying we shouldn't focus on reading, but it was an aha to hear that math is we don't talk about being at grade level in math and that that is equally as important
125if possibly not even more important. So something to think about and thank you for the presentation. I appreciate it. >> Any other questions or comments? Yeah, it's it's nice to see this progression. So, I'm looking forward to seeing what, you know, next year is going to look like. So, um thank you for the staff, the teachers, everyone working together to really uplift our students and move move our students towards you know uh these goals that we have. So, thank you. Okay, now we are on to item 7D, amendment of contract with Solen Health for one registered behavior technician for Los Anmus and Rucker Elementary School for the remainder of the 2025 2026 school year and increase of $36,400 and this is an action item. >> Uh good evening trustees. Dr. Muchi, I'm bringing forth this
126amendment um to expand our contract till the end of the year to support students at full schools. Again, um uh we're really trying to serve our own students in our district, keep them out of um out of district placements, and this will help support that initiative. Are there any questions or comments? Seeing none, this is an action item. Do I have a motion? Move to approve. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion passes. Thank you >> so much. >> Now we are on to item 7E. Santa Clara County Committee on School District Organization Members Election. And this is an action item. Um, honestly, when I was reading this, I didn't quite understand what it was. It says it an action item, but then the letter is saying that it's recommending
127that we advocate for people to run. So, I don't know exactly what the action item is. >> I think we are supposed to um vote on those people as a board. >> That's a different one. >> That's a different >> I don't know because I got a letter from somebody saying I see that you're going to vote. >> Yeah, that's item seven. 7H. >> Yep. >> Yeah. >> So, um yeah, I I'm honestly I don't know. There's four. It's just saying that there's four seats up for election. And I know that I think we on our end I thought we assigned it, but then I don't know why they're asking to vote or people to run to vote. And I don't even know what the duties of it is either. >> So what options do
128we have in this situation? >> Can can I can I guess at this? >> Yes, please do. >> Um second paragraph uh is it second paragraph? Uh it says each local school board annually selects one of its members to serve as a voting representative. Is that what we're voting on? that what the action is >> that we've actually that's an assignment >> or historically it's been an assignment. >> So I I think what they're saying is to vote on it formally the the assignment that's >> okay >> what it is. >> Okay. >> So I know we kind of took action in December when we did the reorg and everybody gets the duties but maybe this is a formal uh voting process where you nominate somebody and then actually go through a vote. >> Okay.
129>> Got it. I think I want to say I assigned Trustee Baker. Um, >> do we want to nominate her? Do we want to nominate her and vote? >> Yeah. >> Oh, I absolutely think you assigned that to her. >> Yes, I do. >> But I think I mean the >> No, no, no, no. >> Yeah. Um, but I think this is only when like they don't have regular meetings. It's only when we're talking about uh like as a county uh redistricting, I think. Okay, this is also confusing because if you look at the last paragraph, it says candidates must submit a letter and resume by 5:00 p.m. on February 17th. So, we we got a letter, but my computer's shut down. I'm looking at what Lucy just shared with me. the letter that the
130district got. Uh in the second paragraph, it does say that the purpose is to ask for your help in identifying and encouraging qualified candidates to stand for election to the county committee. No employee of a LE public school district or the county office may serve, but members of school boards may serve. If you know of someone who meets this eligibility requirement, then um you can nominate them. And the application should consist of a brief letter of intent. I think this might be different. So what we can do is maybe we'll we can call the county office of education to find out what exactly they're asking for >> because the way I was reading it I we we do have one of our members assigned >> and then out of those I I don't know if
131because they are looking for four seats. So you're a voting member. >> No, it's different. This is different because this is actually an election there. Further in down the letter it says candidate materials and election ballots will be made mailed for the first week in March and must be returned by March 13th. So that is for I think one of our board members to go >> attend the meeting. >> You're the voting member of our district. I think that's what it is. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you. >> Every year and we get confused every year but >> voting for >> that one I don't remember getting last year. I don't know >> received it in the past. >> What action are we taking? >> We're not taking it. >> No. No action yet. >>
132No action. >> Yeah. No action. >> Follow. >> Yes. >> Okay. So now we are on to item 7F. the immigration related board policy updates January 2026 CBS CSBA board policy updates and this is >> these are brand new policies these are not revisions these are all new policies tied to immigration so far what we have received from the state in the past was more guidance uh this is a formal uh board policy that uh we just received a week 10 days ago it's been vetted by our legal council And so all of these um are to be voted on together and then they will be formally part of our board policies. U I think as a district we have done uh work on immigration. The board last year passed a resolution. Um I we
133also last year if you remember I had shared with the board that our staff has received training twice from our legal council and they have also um several of our administrators and office staff um and other staff members have received um gone for additional training at the county office. uh we have uh very clear policies on uh I shouldn't say a board policy but just protocols more than policy on uh who's allowed on our campuses and what that protocol looks like. So everybody's really clear through that training process. Um in addition I know we have some strong board policies that already exist tied to um safety of students. Uh, board policy 5142 talks about safety of students. Board policy 5145.9 talks about hate motivated behavior. Board policy 5145.7 is tied to sexual harassment and board
134policy 5145.3 is non-discrimination and harassment. So we have a lot of board policies but this one is more specific to immigration. Um also as uh I had shared in an email there we will have only one read for these board policies because we do need to um meet the guidance from um CDE um from the state. Thank you Trusty Pasano for pointing that out. It wasn't CSBA. Um so we will have time only for one read which is why I had said if you have any questions please send them to me. So this is the first and the final uh read today. Are there any questions or comments? Yes, trustee uh Trusty Nelson. >> So, um I I did uh some background, you know, I've looked at what what he had done in the in
135the past because of the students walking out and so forth, and I wanted to just review what we had done. Um so, we had a meeting on January 16th, 2025, and we adopted the resolution. Um, if anybody wants to watch that, the video starts at 1 hour and 18 minutes. Um, was about safe haven. Kenny had, sorry, Trusty Mareno had asked, "Is this an annual thing that we put something out like this about um, immigration and response was no. The previous resolution was in 2017, which was quite a while ago. Um uh President Fak asked um about um the fact that not all families will have internet access or you know they don't necessarily check parent square. Can we print it and send it home? So I um called trusty Kim today just to talk
136about this you know trying no quorum here. Okay. So, she had some suggestions because it can be uh expensive to print and send home. So, I thought maybe we can make it an annual thing just as a reminder. This is what our policy is and we have a safe place in our schools. Um even though it was out there, we just do it out and then maybe um have it in the principal's newsletter because there's more of a connection with the principal. Maybe the principal can reference it or you know click you know have a click you know they click on this for the superintendent's letter and maybe share in class you know bullet points this is some policies that we have like pick an English class at the secondary level and just go you
137know this this this is our policy about the walkouts and so forth you're you know before it happens just you know if if this if this if the current administration continues for for a while and then we could have it out there and have an education piece for the students. You like five minutes like we have bullying um school rules. This is another school rule. So anyway, I'm asking if if we can maybe do that an annual thing, maybe um put some a reminder in the principal's new newsletter and maybe review it um with a designated staff to review what the protocols are. Can I ask um a clarifying question? What are you wanting to do on on an annual basis? Are you asking to do the resolution on an annual basis? >> Yes. And
138then maybe shorten it so that it's not three and a half pages because people Oh my god, my eyes are glazing over, you know, just to make it short and sweet like the strategic plan was the page. No, no, no. >> Okay, >> cut it down. >> Yes, Trusty Jabono. >> Um, so thank you for bringing this up. I and I don't so what I w what I learned today was that um we do a lot around this area. We were very proud last year to pass the resolution all of us to ensure that our students and and families felt safe to come to school and knew that we supported them. Um what I learned today though that it's important just to reaffirm that. So, I don't know if it's a new resolution, but to
139reaffirm, right, our our beliefs, our stance, and I also learned um well, I was reminded of that we had public comment um by a community member who requested that we share more information, maybe even differently, with the families that this impacts most because they're not getting the information in our traditional. I mean, we share a lot of information and they still don't yet get the information and I was reminded of that when students were um mentioned that they were demanding things that we already have in place and I thought, "Oh, they don't know. They don't know." Got it. So, um it's upon us to make sure they know. I wonder if we could use our South County Youth Task Force partners to disseminate information because they meet very um closely with families at Sanu Cedro,
140with NWEA visa, at Kadas, and lots of other places. Ask them to support in the dissemination of information so that I was just, you know, these students who are walking out, I want them to know that they're not alone. You know, they we're with them. And I want them to know that and not and I just I hated that feeling of thinking that they thought they weren't with us, you know, that we weren't supporting them. So, a reaffirmation would be my my my request. >> Uh, Trusty Kim, >> um, I guess I want to backtrack a little bit. Um, I just want to emphasis we're we're talking about board policy, but the six different things on this board policy that we will be voting on. And what we're talking about um is board policy 1445,
141response to immigration enforcement, and board policy 5145.13, response to immigration enforcement. That's what that's kind of like a background for people who don't have this in front of them. Um yes reaffirmation share this information um there however we can if it's I suggested um a principal principal's newsletters just because usually principles um parents see them more than Dr. Mucci and no offense but maybe they'll read it. Um if it's or and send it both ways. Um this is something that is important to our community right now. Um and so let's share it. I mean this is something that we should not be proud of but >> proud of and make sure our families know. >> Trusty Penel, >> I agree. you know, we send out um information on the district every year in August because
142why? Because people need a reminder. So, this is the same way we, you know, we did it a year ago and um I don't think any of us thought, okay, we're done, you know, because it continues. And so in any way that we can um promote what we have done and that we do support our community, I think that's really really important. And if um clearly kids don't know, so I'm assuming their parents also don't know. So we need to continue to uh be assertive and and let them know what we're doing. And I know that sending it out is expensive, but I wonder, you know, we have it in the uh what do we call those calendar things? Hello, help me. Secondary. Oh, in the secondary things, they have the calendars thing. Well, it's
143a handbook, but >> yeah, planner. Thank you very much. I knew there was a name for it. Um, >> we have a lot of information in there and maybe this is something for next August that we also include in that because they keep those all the time theoretically and so that would be something that would be helpful to have. Just an idea. >> Any other question? Yes. >> Um, I looked up the views from the board meeting in January 16, 2025. We had a grand total of 209 people watching. >> Oh, that's a lot. >> Wow. >> Not exactly the entire parent population of Gilroy though. >> I get some clarity. So, are we bringing a resolution back? I just want to get some guidance from the board. What are we saying? So, um can
144I first um uh on the board policy 1445 response to immigration enforcement? There's a sentence there that um I like doesn't make sense that it's been crossed out. Um it's uh >> page uh is it 15 >> trustee? What what number? What board policy number again? >> Board policy 1445. Response to immigration enforcement. Um I think it's page 15 or page I have two page numbers. Page 15 or page 38. That's 1445. Okay. So, let me read it out. Can I read it out? >> So, it's the second paragraph. Unless required by state or federal law required to administer a state or federally supported education program or presented with a valid judicial subpoena judicial warrant or court order. And this part is crossed out. District staff shall not do any of the following. So when
145I'm reading this, we should have that on. So I'm just wondering why that has been crossed out. >> Yeah, >> I think we could read that as unless required by state or federal law, required to administer a state or federally supported educational program or presented with a valid judicial subpoena judicial war or court order, solicit or collect information or documents or seek. So there's maybe should be a colon right here. Well, no, because all these things, the numbers one, two, three, and four are things that we and five we should not be doing. >> But >> that should be there that's been crossed out. >> Yeah. So, so the this the phrase that's been crossed out should not be crossed out. But then it's saying that we are doing these we should be doing these
146things. because we shouldn't like without that sentence, it's kind of assuming that we're going to solicit or collect information or documents regarding the citizenship or immigration status of students. >> So, I read that too and I read it three or four different times and I agree with you. So, maybe instead of that whole entire um phrase that was crossed out, we just really need district staff shall not >> Yeah. Yeah, that I'm good with that. >> That makes sense to everybody >> because >> any of >> do any of the f district because it's clear district staff shall not solicit shall not seek shall not and that makes it clearer I think. I'm surprised I caught something that you didn't. >> Oh my god. Letter day. Somebody write this down. Make sure you get that
147in the minutes. >> Recessing researching her giant display. But that's >> But is there a reason why she crossed that out or was it just a >> might have been the error? I I'll check with her one more time. >> Okay. >> So, >> with that change, what we're making that change though? >> Yeah. >> But you're going to check with her tomorrow. >> But we're approving it now. >> We can always change it later. >> Okay. All right. >> Yeah. >> All of it. We can always come back next time and say >> yes. >> So, um, do I are there any other comments or questions just regarding the policies, the board policies? Do I have a motion? >> Move approval with the uh 1445 change. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I.
148>> Any opposed? And then the second piece is as uh part of our um our norms, incident policies. Um we will uh reaffirm our resolution um and our commitment to protecting our immigrant students and find different ways to communicate that. And I I don't want to say um I don't want to say we have to do this annually because I want to believe that there will come a time when we don't need to >> as needed. >> I don't know if um if it matters, but I think giving new board members a chance to have some input on that would be important. And if we don't bring it back the right way, maybe we don't allow the new board members to have a chance to com maybe maybe not, but just something to think about.
149>> Well, if if it's not brought back as as a resolution that maybe everyone should have a chance to weigh in and not just have to, you know, like don't have any any opportunity to to mold it or talk about it. If we bring it back in in a in a way that doesn't allow that, then we're we're just basically putting in concrete right now and it's not going to ever change. It I just whatever comes back or how we whatever we do, I hope it allows new board members to have input. That makes sense. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Bringing a resolution. >> Um >> do we want to make any changes to it? Shorten it. Keep it three pages. What is the will of the board? >> I remember last year and it
150was three pages and that seemed a little lengthy. So, I think we could narrow that down. >> And maybe the resolution can be just more of a reaffirmation of >> of the resolution. Yeah, exactly. >> Yeah. And maybe just have the first paragraph instead of all the therebys. >> That would be good. >> All right. Thank you. All right. Now we are on to item 7G, board policies revision November 2025. This is the second reading and it is an action item. >> Yes, Trusty Nelson. >> Okay. for policy 4000. Um, first page on the the public thing probably the fourth paragraph down online. >> I'm sorry. What was that? >> 4,000 >> policy 4,000 >> concepts and roles. Fourth paragraph down on line for the public starts with as the legal representative of the district
151with me. Okay. As a legal representative of the district in um negotiations with employee representatives, the board shall set goals and guidelines for collective bargaining. I would like more clarification from our legal what that means. >> Yes, I'm not going to say anymore because I'll get in trouble. Um, and take action on any tenative agreement. Additionally, the board in conjunction with the superintendent shall select the district's bargaining team. So, this has never happened. >> Yeah, I don't like that. >> Could we change the wording so that we are designating the superintendent to select the district's bargaining team? And then the second part and maintain communications with the negotiating team. Is that the district's negotiating team during the bargaining process? I know but the it districts negotiating team. So >> change the language >> change. So
152the language you know additionally the board designates the superintendent to select the district's bargaining team and she'll maintain communications with the district's negotiating team. Otherwise I could just call up Jen and say, "Hey, what's up? No, you don't like that. Okay, never mind. Are there any others? >> Are we approving with these changes or are is the board requesting that we bring everything back next time? >> I make a motion to um approve to Hello. I'm sorry. I can't think. Um, I move that we approve with the changes uh, Trustee Nelson suggested. >> Do I have a second? I will second. All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion passes. Thank you. All right. Now we are on to item 7H, the 2026 CSBA delegate assembly election for region 20. Um, and this is
153an action item and we I think there's like six uh six trustes and we need to um vote for four out of the six. Does anybody uh do any of you know any of these? Make have any recommendations. Uh Elizabeth Holidayiday is the one that sent it. >> Well, are you asking if we know? Um Okay. >> Yeah. So typically um we we whoever knows and recommends then we'll vote will submit their names. >> So I um I' I've seen some of these folks that are at various events. Um but um Jessica is the one that I probably have the the most knowledge about. I know that she is very active, very involved. Um she's I believe been on um the school board for several years I think in Los Addis is where she was
154um before she moved over to the county. Um I remember meeting her at the legislative action conference last year and she really um really impressed me. Um I I really uh think that she's someone that is genuinely committed um to serving uh in this position. So my vote would be for her. I >> Oh, we need to do four. Okay, >> I agree. I I >> I don't really know anybody else. >> I like Jessica as well. >> Spicer, >> right? So, she's the last one on the list. >> Oh, there she >> So, um I can talk about a couple of them. Um Isabelle Jubes Flame. Um so, she's really really active board trustee. She's um uh this year she's the vice chair on the um uh CLSBA. It's the California Latino School Boards
155Association. So, she's very active in that. She's also in um she's the vice chair of the Legislative Action Committee this year and will be the chair next year. Um so, I mean she I I my recommendation would be Jessica Isabelle. um Elizabeth and Carol Carol Punka. So these are these are all um uh members that have actually are really active in um advocacy and legislation. >> I was impressed with Isabelle's um bio. I'm comfortable moving forward with your recommendation as I just don't know any of these people. But I was impressed with the email, the effort, you know, was was impressive. >> So >> I agree. >> I have a motion. >> Yes. >> One comment about Jessica Spicer. I don't know her. Her profession is a public servant, which I had a problem with,
156but if you know her and you think she's good and active, I can swallow that one. I move um that we vote for Jessica, Elizabeth, Carol, and Isabelle. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion passes. Thank you. Yes, >> Carol, >> she's the right end. Okay, now we are on to item 8A, new contract with project support services for consultant on closeout projects for division of the state architecture not to exceed $22,425. >> Excellent. Good evening, President Fak, Dr. Munchchi, members of the board. Um, tonight we're going to uh present a uh a quick contract with uh project support services. As you know, this year we're really getting into closing our closing out projects that really predate uh most of us here. Um they are projects that were conducted at the district
157probably circa 1995 to about 2004. Uh what we'd like to do is get those all closed out. um the DSA, which is our governing body, um wants those closed out before we proceed with any further um facility improvements or construction on those sites. So, it's getting really important that we get those done. Uh that's going to be our main focus this year as we wind down the bond, which is exactly kind of as we planned. um project support services is going to assist us with the three most complex projects that we have and then uh most of the other ones are relatively simple so we will be cutting through those ourselves. I will entertain any questions you may have. >> Do I have a motion and then the rest will do the roll call. >>
158Move approval. >> Second. All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion passes. And then could you go through all of them and then we'll take one roll call vote for all of them? >> I believe that'll work. We've done that before. All right. I have three resolutions for you. Uh let's see. Uh resolution 252612 is a master plan resolution. Resolution 2526-13 is a support of applications for eligibility determination and funding uh designation of authorized district representatives. And the last one is uh 2526-14 which is the state allocation board school facility program beyond bond authority acknowledgement. So I'll read you quickly what that's all about. Um, so tonight's three resolutions are procedural requirements to submit uh and process our state school facility program applications. Uh, 2526-12 commits us to provide an updated 5-year facilities master
159plan within 90 days of uh, OPSC processing our notice. Um, uh, confirms the required public hearing for the South Valley Middle School project. Um and it approves uh moving forward with the applications and designates Mr. Mesa and Miss Kimberly Smith as the authorized signers and submitters uh for uh for the district. And the last one is our acknowledgement that the applications are beyond bond authority. Uh so the SFP bond funds are currently exhausted. So funding is not guaranteed and if we proceed with building South Valley Middle School, it's at our own risk which we know. We primarily utilize the bond. This is really a much more of a reimbursement uh application. At this point, I'll take any questions. Uh otherwise, we'll go with a roll call vote. >> Move approval. >> Second. >> Jennifer Delbono.
160Yes. Twin Fak Gabriella Kim. >> Yes. >> Kenny Moreno. >> Yes. >> Michelle Nelson, >> yes. >> Linda Peno, >> yes. >> Honchu Yub Baker, >> yes. >> Thank you. >> Okay, then. Um, we are on to a Can we go A E F NG together? >> We can. I just like to thank Lucy for not making me last tonight. Good evening, President Fak, Dr. Munchchi, members of the board. I'm here seeking the approval of three items. The first of which is uh item E, the ratification of contract with Quovo uh systems for the replacement of the uh alarm at the GUSD annex at Hiasaki. Um it was not supposed to exceed $24,193.15. Uh yesterday morning they came to me with an issue uh with the prior installer uh daisy chaining a bunch of uh
161uh a bunch of motion sensors. Um each one needs to have its own cable. I asked them for a quote to get that fixed. It came in yesterday afternoon. Uh that quote is for $1,26424. Uh, so the grand total is 24, uh, I'm sorry, $29,457.39. So it's an extra $1,264 with 24. Um, any questions on that work >> questions? Can I have a motion? >> Oh, motion to approve. >> Well, we're going to approve all at the end. >> Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you went Remind me does the ratification take a roll call? >> Thank you. >> Did you Okay. Uh item F is for uh the contract with Quo Systems for the installation of access control at the same site. Uh there are 31 doors at that site. Uh uh the director of
162IT is seeking to put access control at six doors strategically. Um, I would imagine that as they continue working there, uh, and as they, uh, uh, figure out what needs they really have, they they may come back later with more needs to, to strategically lock, uh, access to everyone else at other locations of the uh, of the site. Uh, so that contract is for six doors at $27,132.38. Uh item G is for a contract with Quo Systems for the intercom system at the gate at the parking lot entrance to the facility which is approximately 124 ft from the doors of the uh department's uh doors. Um there are very little windows over there. Uh the director of IT, her office doesn't have any windows at all. Uh so anyone that's trying to get in, they
163would not see. Uh, and if they're making deliveries, if they put a phone number there, they may or may not get they may not be there or at least one person should be there. Uh, but by the time they get out, um, they may leave. So, we're asking for a video um, intercom like we have at all our sites so that uh, anyone there can answer the phone uh, answer the radio, I'm sorry, answer the intercom and open the door remotely from their phone. Um unlike the other schools and here uh where we have certain people that answer at their site everyone will have the ability to answer so uh from their desk and that contract is for $13,841.38. Any questions on that one? or >> I just want to remind everybody what a ratification
164is. That means that that money was spent before it came to the board and the reason for that if you look at that it's an alarm and we have computers at that site. So we u at the facilities committee we recommended that they yes please put that in before you put all those computers over there. So, just a reminder, ratification is already spent. The rest of them, they're coming to us for um approval before moving forward. Okay. So, I move approval for items 8 E through G. Right. >> Second. >> I motion. >> Now, we are on to item nine, board member reports. Are there any board members? >> Yes, Trusty Nelson. >> At the request of certain people, I have no pictures to share. >> Try to get over it. But anyway, um I
165attended the Mustang Expo in the beginning and then I went over to Christopher to go to the Christopher the Cougar Palooa. Um and um one of the teachers that Christopher was wearing um a sweatshirt books the original handheld device. Yes. Um I like the science displays. You know the science teacher at Christopher had you know I think it was my torso not not this one but you know like a model with you know you know all the organs. So I it was pretty old. So, um, and then Gilroy, they had a display science and they had a sheep brain. I knew what it was. That's a sheep. Okay. So, they had it all labeled. One thing I liked about Christopher was they had their the big board. What are they called? The viewboard. Think um
166with you like the science pathway and it showed, you know, ninth grade, 10th grade, 11th grade, you know, so the uh the person didn't have to explain everything. And I saw that with world languages, English, you know, this is the pathway and then different samples. So, um just a recommendation maybe suggestion maybe Gilroy High School can do that. Um also they had a a cool um Lego um display that Yeah. So anyway, that was fun. Um, I also attended the city council meeting. I think I'm going to try to go to more of those just to keep informed about what's going on. I was kind of expecting a little bit on safety, but you know, they've been working on it behind the scenes apparently. Um, so and I also attended the remembrance for the parents
167at Los Anmus. So anyway, that's it. Thank you. Um, I attended the arts roundt meeting and um, the first one of the year just got kicked off. The next one is happening uh, next Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Sixth Street um, art studio. I just encourage anybody who enjoys the arts in Gilroy to come. It's a collaborative just anybody in the community. We have students from GEKA who go um but we also had people who received um Silicon Valley creates grants there talking to us about how they're bringing their mariachi training to Gilroy. They used to have it in San Jose, but they realized most of the people who came to the training were from Gilroy. So they got money to host it here. Um it's the gentleman who hosts the Miachi Festival in San
168Jose who's going to be doing the work with youth here. It was just really exciting. and um um folklorico dancing and puppy jasper festival and the um laofrena festival. So everyone was just talking about all the things that are occurring. So I would love for people just to show up again Wednesday 6:30 p.m. at Sixth Street Art Studio. Um went to last Saturday went to the um Sunrise Rotary socks and shoes giveaway. Um about $3,600 were given away and each student there was about 68 children who got $55 a piece to get brand new socks, brand new shoes. It was just really sweet. Um Miss Mai helps with the making sure that all the families know. Sometimes the older kids get overlooked. So she was there and then Nova Viva um organizes all of it
169and they're just so helpful. So I want to thank them for that. Um I went to the Gilroy incoming ninth grader um event too just very quickly and it's just always so nice to see everybody and recruiting um trying to get the you know the tall kid who walked in the door you everyone wanted them for swimming like we want them for volleyball like everyone trying to get the kids it was just really really nice um and then um the children advocacy center I missed the um the grand opening for that so pleased that it's in um South County um the brainchild for that work is a Gilroy parent and two of her wonderful children attend um Gilroy High School. And I've known about this for years, her desire to bring it to South County
170because again the majority of the cases come from Gilroy and the barrier of of distance um really um has an impact. So, it is going to support students and children and families, but it's also going to um increase the number of prosecutions and we want to make sure that the people who are perpetrating these crimes are being prosecuted for these crimes and that then um supports prevention moving forward. So, I'm so happy they're in our area. Um I just wanted to one more thing. I was on the um the panel of readers for schoolboard um the schoolboard association for the Hoffman awards and that's when school districts throughout our county submit just awesome things that they're doing. Um they had I don't think it's a record number but they had a lot of applications this
171year which is wonderful and you get so many to read. I really want to advocate for um our district um submitting uh an application next year. I truly believe that the Romeo and Juliet project that was um piloted at Gilry High School is um something worthy of other board members um in our county reading about um because it has an impact. It's innovative. It's sustainable and it's replicable it. And so I would just love to see that next year and then recuse myself from reading. Right. But um I also want to just let everyone know we have a speech contest coming up that we would love for people to come and see. Sunrise Rotary is ho hosting four GEKA students at the speech contest um on the 19th at 7 a.m. at Old City Hall.
172So if you're up, come have bacon. And I know the noon contest is also having their event soon and that's got the Gilroy kids um and the Christopher High School kids. Just so much fun and you have a lot of hope for for the youth when you listen to their speeches. um 19th for sunrise and and Dr. Moonchi can get you um the noon because that's it's coming up. It's all coming up. Um and I think that's it for right now. >> Thank you. >> And other board reports? Yes, Trusty Kim. >> I also went to the Mustang Expo. Um um the the thing I most enjoyed is everyone was in the um Dr. Flores room student center. Thank you. Um and kids were up on stage >> um because kids want to hear from
173kids, families want to hear from kids. So that to me was really impactful. Like the FFA kids were up there just giving their spiel. The dual language kids were up there um too. It was fun. Um, I also participated in the GEKA um, incoming ninth grade interviews, which is always um, fun. I've done that for a couple years now. Um, so you're partnered up with a Gecka student as well as a teacher or faculty member at GEKA and there's a rotation of very nervous um, eighth graders coming in and talking. So, that's great. Um, it's always um, fun again to hear from the youth. And then this new committee I'm on this year, um, we met this Monday, I believe, the superintendent parents advisory committee. Um, this was our second meeting. And it's just a
174really great way to get a snapshot of everything that's happening at the school um, at each school. Um, I think there was six representatives there um, this week. I hear a lot obviously from my kids schools, but it's nice to hear um, everything else that's going on in the district. Yes, we'll just go down the line. >> I just want to say I started in Spack. That's how I got here today. So, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Spack as as Trustee Baker and I were in together. Um, I'm going to go back to January since I don't think we did much uh talk we didn't get to talk about this during our joint meeting. So, uh, uh, I stopped by the the Gary High School for the Midcows wrestling thing. I know you guys
175talked about it. Oh my goodness. >> I was afraid and I was excited. I didn't know what to do. It looked like perhaps people had taken over the school, >> right? >> Um, the hundreds of popups and their like entire kitchens, hammocks hanging from trees. I mean, it was just it was crazy. But um I really enjoyed it. I mean I like sometimes just you know I'm just fitting in the crowd walking around watching the wrestling matches. Um they fit three mats inside the student center and they I think they had four in the auxiliary gym and two in the main gym. People everywhere. Um it was it was crazy. But I really liked it and I felt really bad for whoever has to clean it up because there was so many people. And I
176talked to that was on Saturday and I talked to somebody there and they said we should have seen Friday. I guess it was even more tense and more people. So an incredible event and if you're just driving by go high you're just like what is going on over there cuz you can't quite tell but um I'd say if anyone's interested in wrestling go check it out. It was crazy. I I enjoyed it. Uh also I was there with a few trustees and Dr. Munchchi at the Losanus um remembrance for the Stewarts and that is a snapshot of community right there. I mean it uh from from the the activities the the florist that was there um it was I think it was healing. I think it was um a chance to to talk and um
177I felt really proud for them because it was really uh you know the the homeless school club put it on but um it was about their community and and and the pain that they have because they are you know every school especially elementary schools they're like little families or big families and uh it was really nice to see and and kudos to those guys. Um, I did attend uh a CTA GTA dinner in Militus, the first time leaving the city of Gilroy for an event. Um, that was nice. Got to know a few uh uh um Kyle and Eric um a little bit and had to had broke, you know, break some bread and get to meet some people. Um I'll tell a funny story. The lady sitting next to me, I don't think I
178told you guys this. She leaned over and and they were from PaloAlto school district. She said, "Excuse me, are you you're from Gilroy?" I said, "Yes." She says, "Why are you so tan?" That was the entirety of my conversation. Yes. And I said, "Well, I'm genetically t I guess that way. I don't I mean, I don't know." And it was an odd and it and it was like that was just I I didn't get it. I don't know. I >> I don't know. It was the weirdest thing. I don't know if it was the uh it was a language bear between Powoalto and us. Didn't know what else to say. We don't have much in common with Powalto, I guess. So, anyway, it was very interesting, but I really enjoyed myself. I mean, it was,
179you know, it was a pretty quick drive up there, but it was nice to just to hear a little bit more and get some different perspectives. Uh, also, uh, I did go with, as Dr. MCI said with the cookies in conversation uh small but mighty group that was there with some really good conversations. Uh and then um the cafesto thing. I've never been to one. And um my goodness though the counselors they I guess they put it on themselves. They they create the program. They do whatever. Um it was like they were joyful in their work. I was really it was very impressive and and also as um Lupita who works at Goria High School she is my kids counselor and she said recommend before you leave go try the tumalies they're made with real
180lard and I agree those are good tumalies when they're made with real lard so I did take three home and enjoyed them the next day so um uh I yeah so that's it thanks Yes, trustee was enough. >> So, um yeah, in January, just another plug for capital advisors um budget workshops. Really encourage you to go and I haven't reported on I am the board member for CCS. They have to have the board of managers has to have a board member. And when um Marco Sanchez called me, I don't know, a year and a half ago, two years ago now, said, "Hey, Linda, would you like to be a board member on the board of managers for CCS?" And I just laughed. It's like, "Yeah, right." He goes, "No, really, I'm serious." I said, "Okay,
181so what does it entail?" Well, they have quarterly meetings. And I said, "Sure, totally out of my realm of experience." And I thought, "Okay, new learnings." So, um it is a different world. The good thing is Julie Bergin is there and I always sit next to her and they have a a a um an agenda. Half of it is might as well be Greek to me. you know, they're talking about reorganizing um uh leagues and and you know, tennis is really important and that caused a whole big brewhaha discussion in there and it's at Santa Teresa High at 8:00 in the morning. So, that's kind of a interesting thing for me to get up that early and get there. But it is um there's probably 75 or 100 people in there. >> Oh wow. >>
182Most of them male. It's kind of nice to see a few females in there. Athletic directors and and principles and one board member for the entire CCS. That would be me. So think about that. Um, and the CCS, uh, I don't know what his title was, director maybe, really went on and on about, he was really excited about girls flag football, >> and how it is the biggest growing sport and the um, and I thought, oh, do we have girls flag football? I assume we do. I don't know. We don't. >> No. >> Do we? Anybody know? >> It's a big deal. I mean, those people are really excited about it. So, watch that wave. It's coming. Anyway, it's a new uh experience for me to hang out with athletic directors. >> Trusty Baker. >>
183Yeah. Just very quickly, I also attended the the dinner uh with um uh um a couple of my board members here. I have to say the dinner was pretty fantastic. We had like these smashed roasted potatoes. So, I went home that weekend and I tried to make them myself. They were not as good, but it really inspired me to cook. Um, and then I also attended uh the Cougar Palooa because my son is uh going to be attending Christopher next year and somehow um he got recruited to join their water polo team. Even after all these months, he's like, I don't want to do it. I don't want to do it. And then he did it. So, um but I want to thank uh Paul for helping me because he's enrolled. Yay. We got that
184paperwork done. and I got confirmation. So, I'm very excited. Um, but I'm also just, you know, recognizing where we are in the year. It's at the end of February and oh my gosh, uh, graduation and all these um uh uh major milestones are coming up uh in the next few uh months. So, I'm really looking forward to all of that. I have all the graduation dates in my calendar. I'm hoping to attend every single one this year. So, um also I just wanted to say there is a um uh like a community town hall meeting next Wednesday regarding the um master plan for the civic center in the city. And I I really as a as a um uh ever since I came on the board, I think one of the things I've been trying
185to figure out is how do we make those connections and improve and enhance, you know, the work that we do here in the school. And I do hope that um there is um more conversations. I really appreciated our joint meeting uh last week and and um uh perhaps we can um have them more frequently um so that we can work together in collaboration. That's it. >> Uh trustee, what uh what time is the >> Oh, let me I'll just forward the >> Thank you. >> Um uh Uh we actually used to have the joint meeting twice a year and then we stopped that because a lot of the the city council were not able to make it. So then it's once a year. Oh, sorry. So maybe we can discuss with them if we can
186do it more often if that's the will will of the board. Um I uh I do have um a couple of well sorry this is going to be a little bit longer. Um I did want to give you an update regarding South County Youth Task Force and their diversion program. So unfortunately um the the funding that they were supposed to get uh never showed up. So the city of Gil because it's city of Gilroy is sponsoring it and is like the pass through agency. um they've already spent $200,000 that are is supposed to be reimbursed and so the federal agency has put a stop to any funds even though it was promised. So unfortunately the the city of Gilroy because they're they're already out $200,000 that they paid to you know the CBOS that are
187assisting. Um so unfortunately that program has stopped. Uh luckily I think we have like 14 youth in the diversion program and community solution is just complete instead of just dropping them they're completing them getting them graduated and then uh we'll stop. Um but one of the things that we did that we started was the pre- diversion program at South Valley and that also has stopped but they have some data that I wanted to share with you. Um so the behavior data that they had was 75% of the students enrolled in the the diversion program demonstrated improvement in behavior in 2425 students enrolled in the diversion program was were suspended 45 times. Um in 2526 in first semester only three of the students enrolled in the diversion program have been suspended for a total of 12
188times. So, and it h I don't even think that we've had it for a full year yet. So, I mean, the diversion program works. Unfortunately, it there's no funding right now. So, you South County Youth Task Force is trying to um you know, find other sources to fund it because the their data they're very data driven um which I really data driven and best practices which I really appreciate. um their first semester data in terms of um chronically tardy students who were enrolled in the diversion program have decreased their tardy rates between 20 to 40% per student. Um tardy >> yeah and then due to the reduced suspension rates students were coming to school. So the diversion the pre- diversion program right it it it really works. So, um, hopefully, you know, South County Youth
189Task Force as well as all the agencies and nonprofits can find a way to continue funding that those programs. Yes. >> Is that an afterchool program or what time? How does that work? >> So, at South Valley, they had a late night gym. It was in the evening after school. And I think we discussed, you know, there's lack of things for high school students to do, right? Because they're not going to want to go to an afterchool program like our elementary school. So I think that's like the all a lot of these pro-social programs that get high school kids engaged and you know with mentors and stuff like that is just really really needed. Um, and so I also wanted to bring up um we there's the Santa Clara School Boards Association has a legislative
190brunch March 14th. Um, it's early in the morning. It's it starts at 8:30, but it's in uh at at Fremont Union High School. Um but there so they have uh supervisors Ellenburgg, Abe Koga, they have senators uh Leairard Cortezy, Congressman Sam Licardo, uh Senator um Asia Wahab, Assembly Members Smart Burman, Alex Lee, Ashala, and Gil Peltman there. And then so it's going to be a panel format where um they're going to ask them questions and and a lot of the stuff that um Alfo brought up regarding budget. So those are going to be the questions that are going to be asked, right? >> Um March 14th. Yeah. So I mean I I Yes. We don't like to get out of Gilroy, but I think that we need to because there's a lot of opportunities. Um
191and and so in respect to that um for the legislative action committee um I think last year you received surveys. Everyone all the board trustees receive surveys and based on the surveys they it um determines what their legislative priorities are. Right? So this year's legislative priorities which has been the same for the last four years pretty much is um Yeah. Well, it's funding for Yes. funding, but specifically um for socioeconomic disadvantaged students, special ed, English learners, and mental health. So, you know, part of that is uh you know, they were talking about mental health like some of the questions are okay, you know, you you have all these this money, one-time funds, and many of us have used it and open mental health center. So, how are we continuing to maintain it? how can we
192keep it right because I think everyone agrees across the board that there it's an issue in our students and we need to support them with um you know counseling and all that stuff but then how do we fund it right um and then the um and then I did make a mistake last meeting when I had mentioned that um the the county office of ed I I think I said like 15 million that they have to give back to the state it's actually 52 million. >> 52 million. >> Oh, >> that was last year. This year they're expected to give back 56 million. So, >> yeah. So, yeah. So, part of part of the advocacy is is saying, okay, you know, can they keep those dollars in Santa Clara County and redistribute it to the
193districts that need it? Right? So, um, so that's going to be a qu one of the questions. So, so I think it's going to be pretty interesting, um, to hear the responses, right? Especially since right now it's starting the the legislative season, right? And we have an opportunity to to like hammer into our legislators, don't don't use the Prop 98, you know, whatever you call it. >> Shill. >> Yeah. Shill game. Yes. that we really need, you know, really need it, right? Because they can push back on the governor. >> Question. So, >> to the different districts. >> Yes. Because the county is giving that money back to the state. >> The state u redirects that money to the court system then courts. Mhm. >> Yeah. So that that's monies that you know could easily
194be used in our county. >> Yes. Yes. Um yeah. So um and then I also attended um it might have been on the the news uh but I also attended a press conference. I think it was last Friday by by the tr um trustees across Santa Clara County um in support of students um and and against immigration. Um the two most powerful speakers were two students from Overfelt. Um two students who you know had said that they had mixed um immigration status families. I mean it was just a really really great um uh you know just to see our students and they were nervous but they went up and I mean it was in front of the news right and they spoke so eloquently they were so good um so you know I love you
195know to give more opportunities for our students to speak versus us adults um but it was nice to see that you know that we're leveraging bridging some of our our our political power, right? And I I think that as school trustees, we haven't used it very well. Um we're the largest elected body in the state and if we, you know, came together and really stepped and used our voice and our privilege, we can really shift things. But we don't. Um, so that's why I I highly encourage, you know, all of you any of these opportunities to please please, you know, attend. There's going to be like letterw writing um campaigns to our legislators about budgeting and stuff like that. Um, so I can I'm happy to forward all of that to to you. Um, and
196then, you know, like there's the elect other elected officials don't necessarily recognize us as elected officials. So, it's it's time to like really stand up and stand together and say, you know, we need to fight for our kids. So, that was that was it. >> Yes. >> That was one of the things I thought was the most odd uh about being in Sacramento for the schoolboard association and I think I talked to you about it or some others that we were literally across the street from the capitol yet we didn't have any engagement with them. I feel like that was a really missed opportunity >> to flex a muscle, I guess. >> Yeah. And if you go go to some of the events, um, and you know, they usually recognize elected officials, most of them
197don't recognize school board trustees. Um, yeah. And I know that um the uh Nesa Fleger, the county assessor, so um I didn't attend, but a couple of other um people attended and she said that this is like the largest contingent of school board trustees together that she's ever seen. So like when we show up, it's powerful. I'm sorry. Which one did you want? >> Yes, I can do that. >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> All right. somebody. >> Okay. >> Are there Okay. Did you have something? Trusty Delono, >> you were gonna ask future agenda. >> Yes. Yes. Um and just just an FYI, the one of the administrators of Overfelt is a Gilroy resident and their child attends Christopher High School and is going to be getting a lot of scholarships this year. Okay. Um,
198I would like to share that I still want information about how specifically our SRO's um, practice restorative practices, like what that really looks like. I'd love to know that. And then I'm also, it was brought up and I have it written down here. I'm really curious about how we will staff and fund our wellness centers moving forward knowing that the huge budget cuts around schooling services and behavioral health, it just it's really overwhelming right now. I'm just curious where how we're pivoting Yes. >> Um like information on how often the health and welfare benefits committee meets and uh reviewing Kalpers is still the best option. And yes, Trusty Moreno, >> this meant I fit to the right category, but during our um valuation uh study session, I was somehow added, we created a committee to
199do something. I don't remember what it was. Can we get some information on that, please? >> And I forget who was on it. So, >> wasn't me. >> Huh? Yeah, it wasn't you. But I don't remember know I can't remember the topic or the who was with me and I don't know who's supposed to do what. So yeah. >> Yes. Let me look at the notes. >> Yeah. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Can I also mention I know we mentioned a couple of things for regarding the um the child advocacy center. Um, but for those of you that don't know what it is, um, it it was in San Jose for many many years. And so, um, prior to that, you know, kids that have been abused, um, especially in South County would have to or,
200you know, the the police officers would have to go, everyone would meet in San Jose. um they would have to go to like the district attorney's office and victim services and then the hospital. So like all and then they had to tell their stories multiple multiple times which is what retraumatizes the kids. So with the um child advocacy center it really brings everything in one place. So they have forensic interviews there. They have um the you know forensic exams there and the place is very it's built really warm you know a lot of warmth. Um I think they also have like a a dog there at times. Um and it's also um so you know the sheriff, the police departments, district attorneys, nurses, therapists, advocates too. Um, so there there are advocates there that will
201help the families navigate this system and tell them what their rights are. So it it's a really really important to have it down in South County because um as uh Dr. when she mentioned um you know there was like 400 and some last year 320 this year but less than 3% are using the the the CAC services in San Jose because transportation is a huge issue. >> Yes. And beyond that too I was so impressed I did tour the one in San Jose a while back and it just you know everything is from that child's eyes. everything is is designed for them to be safe, comfortable, and supported. So even when they're in their interview room, they they might have them, you know, tell the story or point to body parts. And so there are
202cameras and things positioned so they only have to say it one time and do it one time. They capture all that. And they've got the the mirror so that the officer is on the other side with all the legal docs and everything and they don't have to tell the story five, six, seven times. And it's a one-stop shop, right? It's a one-stop shop to get it all done. Showering, clean clothes, >> therapy services, too. So, they receive fair therapy services. >> Yeah. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> So, announcements. The next regular meeting of the board of education will be held on Thursday, March 5th, 2026. Closed session will begin at 5:00 p.m. followed by a study session at 6:00 p.m. and the regular meeting at 700 p.m. The agenda will be available on the district's
203website by 5:00 p.m. on February Friday, February 27th. And we do not have to adjourn back to close session. So I will