MVUSD Special Board Meeting Board of Education 2/25/26

001Good evening. The board of education opened the special meeting at 5:04 p.m. Miss Luna. >> Oh, roll call. >> Thank you. Roll call, please. Joanna Lea, present. >> Roads Williams, present. Sammy Luna present. >> Brandy Clark present. >> Alejandra present. >> Susanna Lopez present. Esparonza Arce present. >> Thank you. Trusty Luna will lead us in a pledge. Everybody please rise. Place your left hand over your heart and begin. >> I'm sorry, right hand. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. >> Good evening. Today we are here to interview candidates for their provisional appointment to fill the vacancy for trustee area three. We have three eligible candidates with us

002this evening. Jennifer Gisham, Justin Jackson, and Martha Ruiz. To ensure a fair and equitable process, each candidate will be asked the same set of 15 questions by our chief business official, Susana Lopez. This will enable the trustees to listen actively and take detailed notes. We have allotted approximately 30 minutes per interview while we allow some flexibility to ensure a complete dialogue. I ask candidates and the trustees to be as concise as possible to respect the time for all participants. As a matter of fairness, candidates are encouraged to remain in the human resources conference room while other candidates are interviewed. Once your interview is complete, you are welcome to remain in the boardroom with the audience. Schedule and public comments. The interview phase will run approximately from 5:10 p.m. to 6:50 p.m. The trustees will take

003brief recesses between candidates. To maintain the integrity of the process, we ask that the audience not approach the trustees during these breaks. Public comments will follow the interviews approx at approximately 700 p.m. or thereafter. If you wish to speak, please submit a public comment form to Claudia no later than 6:45 p.m. Only comments regarding tonight's agenda items will be accepted. Following public comments, the trustees will begin open deliberation and voting. We will now begin the interview process. The first candidate to be interviewed will be Jennifer G um Gisham followed by Justin Jackson and the final candidate will be Martha Ruiz. At this time we invite Jennifer Gisham to the podium. The remaining the remaining candidates please um wait in the human resources conference room across from the boardroom. Are all trustees ready to start taking

004notes? Miss Leva? Yes. Okay. Miss Lopez, thank you. Question number one. What specific professional or community experiences make you a viable candidate for this board seat? And how will those qualities directly translate into better outcomes for MVUSD students? There we go. Better. Um, thank you so much. Um, so I think my professional experience as a realtor and a property manager is going to be important when looking at things like budgets, um, understanding contracts, things like that. Um, but I really think my experience in the district is more important to my philosophy of why I would like to serve on the board. Um, I have students who range from mild moderate special ed in a self-contained classroom, general ed with special education services and gate. I have seen a lot of student experiences within what the

005Marina Valley School District offers. Um I have a lot of experience both as a parent and then I've also served in um parental capacities on um other boards. I'm currently a booster club president at my child's school. Um I have served on the board of the CAC. Um I've been involved in school site council and parent advisory council. Um I have learned a lot by going to those meetings. um been able to um form opinions not just as a parent but really see what direction our district is going and um I really want to be involved in that process. Now question two, as a prospective board member, what is one specific achievement or program within the Mareno Valley Unified School District that you are most proud of and how would you work to sustain or

006scale that success? Um, I don't think there's any one particular program. Personally, as a parent, I have seen the school district work towards better inclusion for special education students. That is um something that I hold near and dear to my heart. As the parent of a special education student, I have gone from thinking that he might be totally reliant on me for the rest of his life and then through the programs and services that he's received through the school district, seeing his exponential growth, he is now um 50% in an SDC class and 50% in general ed. We're looking towards the future of him actually maybe being able to be independent as an adult. And that is something that I think the school district has um done that is very strong. I know that the

007district's inclusion numbers aren't as high as we would like them to be, but I think the services they're offering are going in the right direction. So that is one thing that I am um particularly proud of and that my own family has benefited from. >> Question three. As a board member, what are the top three goals you would like to accomplish during your term? Of those, which is your highest priority, and how does it align with the district's current strategic plan? >> So, I've been thinking about this a lot, and um I I figured a top three of something question would be asked. I don't really have a top three. I've narrowed it down to a top two. There's two that uh I would really like to see some changes within the district. Um the

008first is I know this something the district is aware of and that's our um our numbers on suspensions and behaviors. Um I know that those numbers haven't been great. I would really like to see some innovative programs put into place. Um right now I know that budget is a concern and we've had some problems laying off support staff, um instructional aids, counselors, things like that. I really think there could be some creative solutions like working with local nonprofit community groups to give our kids the emotional supports, the behavioral supports that are needed. Um, that is something that translate to student safety to teacher safety. You know, we can't have students who think there's no consequences when they do something wrong because when it's acting out in class as a second or third grader by the

009time they become a middle school or high schooler, that can sometimes lead to, you know, more violent outcomes or more aggressive outcomes. Um, and so that's really a safety issue. And I know education and academics are important, but if our kids don't feel safe at school, then they're not going to have successful academic education. So that is one thing that I really would like us to find some good solutions for. Um, and the second is I would like to see some changes to curriculum. New teaching research is showing that the apps and digital education software that is being used not just in our district but throughout many districts, you know, everyone thought that technology was the solution and it turns out that that's probably not how kids really learn. Um, I've been very happy with

010some of the curriculum um in helping my kids with their homework and getting to learn these things. I love TCI for history. I've been really happy with the elementary school math programs, but some of them just fall short. They're clunky to use. They don't really reach the kids in any meaningful sort of way. And so I would really um like to re-evaluate how many apps and electronic systems were using versus some old school more hands-on teaching methods. >> Question four. In your view, what is the most pressing unmet need currently facing our district? and what evidence have you seen that confirms this is a priority? >> So, this is going to circle right back around to my top priority, which are those behavioral issues. Um, once I decided to apply for this position, I started

011talking to teachers at different school sites, the ones that I know that I've been in contact with. Um and surprisingly when I asked them what is the number one problem that teachers are facing unprompted without me telling them what anyone else said they all gave me the same answer which is the behavioral issues. um they are also struggling with how to manage those behaviors um without having it negatively impact our scores and and reporting and data and things we have to send into the state. Um so I would um definitely call that the most pressing issue. If every single teacher I talked to has identified that as a problem, then it's a problem. And like I said, I would really like to find some creative solutions that um don't necessarily have huge impacts on the

012budget, but something that can be a meaningful change for our students. Question five, how would you describe the relationship between the LCAP and the district strategic plan? As a board member, what is your specific role in ensuring the LCAP effectively serves our high needs student populations? Well, data is great. Obviously, a lot of our decisions are data driven. Um, but I really think getting out there and talking to teachers, talking to parents, seeing what they feel like is missing. You can't serve a high-risisk population without knowing what their struggles are outside of the classroom and outside of the school setting. Um, you know, I know we've started the wellness center and we're trying to deal with food insecurity. We're trying to deal with those high-risisk students not having access to clean clothes. We've tried to

013better serve the Spanish- speakaking population. You know, parents can't help their kids with homework if they don't understand the homework. the district's been good at implementing those programs. Um, and so I think as a board member, one of my roles is to talk to the student population, talk to the parents, find out what is needed. I can't help build uh a good three-year plan without knowing what direction we need to go in. Question six, how do you define equity in an educational setting? And how would you apply that definition when making difficult decisions regarding the allocation of resources or the implementation of district-wide policies? So, this one's touchy for me. Obviously, having a student in special education, equity is a big issue for me. Um, because there is a huge difference between equity and equality,

014right? We can't give every kid the exact same education. Um, I would love to have an unlimited budget and have unlimited instructional aids and unlimited speech therapists and occupational therapists, but obviously I know that is not the city we live in. That's not the situation that we're facing. Um, there are a lot of equity gaps. Um, and unfortunately I know laying off staff is sometimes a difficult decision that has to be made, but in the staff shortages for speech therapists and occupational therapists and impacted programs like RSP, um, that directly impacts students when they're trying to do speech therapy on Zoom because, you know, we can't get anyone into the school sites. That's a problem. Um, so I would definitely like to see how I can prioritize more funding towards services. And it's not just

015kids in SDC like my son. Obviously, there is a huge amount of kids in general education that need the same kind of support. Um, if a student doesn't get that support in the elementary grades, they're not going to feel successful. They're going to give up. They're not going to try. we see a lot more kids falling off in middle school and high school when they haven't been successful in elementary school. So, um definitely kind of prioritizing those early years and making sure that we can stay fully staffed to give kids the services that they need. Question seven. If you were given the opportunity to reallocate 5% of the budget to an overlooked district need, where would you direct it and why? I think changing the curriculum would be a great place to start with that

0165%. Like I said, some of these apps I really don't feel like are serving our students well. I really think that needs an overhaul. Um, I'm not sure I would put the whole 5% to that. Like I said, my other priority is definitely the behavioral issues. Every single teacher I talked to mentioned that as a problem. So, um, you know, I would I would want to figure out I mean, I really don't know how much curriculum costs. I will be honest. I don't have access to any of those resources. So, um I would like to maybe see if some of that could be put toward curriculum, but then I really think that if the if every teacher I talked to said behavioral challenges, then we need to kind of look at where some money can

017solve some of those problems with extra support staff, extra um you know, counseling services, things like that. Number eight, beyond standardized test scores, what specific qualitative or quantitative metrics should this board use to evaluate the health of a school? How would you use that data to ensure we are serving students who are often hidden in the averages? I love this question because I hate standardized testing. I know that's not a popular answer because we love our data. Um, but I I really hate standardized testing. As a parent who sees my kids standardized test scores, and I have twins, one of them, it fully matches their ability. It's a very clear picture of what they're capable of. Um, the other one has some learning disabilities, some social disabilities. Um, she gets great test scores, but that

018does not translate to the classroom. Um, and I think you have kids that are opposite, too. kids who are not great test takers, but they have phenomenal practical ability and things like engineering, working with their hands, common sense, logic, things like that. Um, I am not sure if my personal opinion on what makes a school successful is quantifiable with data. I think the school system should be set up to get our kids successful for life. And that means making them college and career ready, whatever that means on their level. For a special ed student, it might be work experience out in the community. For a gate student, it might be an engineering program. For a general ed student who struggles in reading or math, it will be something like the high school CTE programs. But

019those concepts are not introduced early enough. By the time the high school students get to CTE, they already might feel inferior. They already might feel like they can't be successful if they've had poor grades, poor test scores, things like that. I really think that the college and career readiness needs to start earlier with the career portion. You know, we push college, we have college week where they wear their shirts on Wednesday. I see all of our college shirts over here. Um, and I don't think we're pushing alternatives as early as we should. Not pushing, that's not the right word. Um, I don't think we are giving our students as wide a view of what is available to them until maybe it's already too late and they feel like they've been left behind by the school

020system. So, I would really like to see our vision of college and career readiness apply to all grades, not just to the CTE pathways in high school. >> Question nine. As a trustee, what do you see as your primary purpose? Specifically, how do you balance your role as an individual advocate for your community with your legal obligation to act only as a member of the unified governing board? Uh I don't really see that as a difficult balancing act. I think in wanting the best for our students and wanting the best for our community, then that is my role on the board is to be able to take our limited resources and use them creatively, use them to the best of our ability to give our students in our community the best education possible. And to

021me, that is not necessarily a balancing act. Um, that kind of comes back to when I was a realtor. Even though yes, maybe I represented the seller of the home, I'm not dishonest. I'm not trying to get every little penny from the buyer. My goal is to create um satisfaction on both sides. I don't want to leave anyone dissatisfied in a real estate transaction. And it's the same thing for the board. I'm um have a obviously fiscal and legal responsibility to the board, but the board should serve the community and the needs of the students. So that is not a tough thing to balance. Number 10, the board of education is a single legal entity that speaks with one voice. If you find yourself in the minority on a high stakes 4 to1 vote, how

022do you handle your personal disscent once the meeting is over and you are speaking with parents or staff? I I am fairly diplomatic. I would like to think um as the president of the booster club at Northridge, um obviously I disagree with administration sometimes. I disagree with teacher decisions sometimes. Um and it is more productive in the long run to be diplomatic than to be polarizing. Um when everyone can come together and work together then that is the most effective and um just like any of my other roles on the CAC or on school site council we are not all going to agree all the time. That's uh not something that I can even fathom that everyone who wants to do the best for our students will think that going about that the same way.

023We're just not going to do that. So, um diplomacy is absolutely important in this or any other position in the community. Question 11. The Mareno Valley Unified School District Board of Education operates under a high level of public scrutiny. Beyond following the law, what does it mean to you to lead with ethical transparency when the community is divided on an issue? I am a firm believer that everyone's opinion has value, but that doesn't necessarily mean that um everyone's opinion needs to be fueled whether that's online in social media or in person. Um you know, we can politely say agree to disagree. Um we can reasonably explain our position. I think that's it is important to not just on the Marina Valley school board but anytime everyone's forming opinions about you. You don't know who you

024might come into contact with later. Um you know when I came into the room and told Dr. Rubakova nice to meet you he said oh we've met before at the Shine Awards. I was not assuming that he would remember that. Um so I think again professionalism, diplomacy, decorum is um important for being out in the community at any time whether you are on the schoolboard or not. Number 12. With limited capital funds, how would you prioritize competing facility needs such as safety upgrades, deferred maintenance, and modernizing classrooms for 21st century learning? What criteria would you use to ensure these investments are distributed equitably across the district? >> I will admit to having limited experience with this. I've obviously seen our district is making huge improvements all across the district, new buildings, new modernization and things

025like that. But I don't have a lot of personal experience with seeing those kind of budgets. Um I will say in this list here, safety is obviously first. Like I said before, if our students are not safe, then they are not uh actively engaging in learning. So safety is number one priority. Um deferred maintenance I would say is more of a priority than modernization. Uh maybe it's, you know, the Gen Xer in me. I think that a little bit of an old classroom isn't going to kill you. Not having fancy shiny uh new whiteboards isn't going to kill you. I I think that um safety and maintenance should be a priority. Obviously, modernization is important to move our academic programs forward. Um but what something looks like is not on the forefront of how good

026of an academic experience you're having? Question 13. Which segment of our district population do you feel is currently being underserved? And how would your presence on the board help bridge that gap? >> I am always going to advocate for special education. I can't not. It is too close to my heart. Um I have my own child that's going through special education. Obviously being at Northridge um with the booster club, I have gotten close to the teachers there that do special education. And I really do think that the current academic system or how public school is modeled is great for the average student. The higher excelling students will probably be fine on their own. They'll find their way into the world. The average student, everything's kind of built around them. And where we really need to

027support and prop up are our students in special education. And that means either the students in SDC or the students who are in general education but receiving special ed services. There is so much potential there for them to grow and move into a better general education setting. If they're in SDC, there's more chances for inclusion. Um if they're in general ed, there's more chances for success. um technology. I know I've said I don't want the technology in the curriculum, but the Chromebooks, every student having a Chromebook has been great for that. Um you know, with the voice to text and the um reading text functions on the Chromebook, those have really given students um a lot better access who have learning disabilities. So, I would really like to see students who are needing some special

028support and services um have a really good plan to get them to a point where they can feel successful, where they can be independent as adults, where they can um I hate to say not be a drain on the system, but it's realistic. you know, if if my son did not get the services that he is getting through the district, he would be not able to support himself, not able to work, and now he has a chance to do that. And um if our goal is to get every student ready to be independent um then those special education students need a little more help getting there. But it is possible that we can help them um become thriving members of our local community. Question 14. How do you view your role as an ambassador for

029MVUSD both within or local community and at the regional or state level? Specifically, how would you advocate for our district's needs with city officials or state legislators? I would love the chance to advocate for our district needs. Um when I was with the CAC, they do that legislative day where parents get to go up and talk to the legislators and I never got to go and um during the pandemic uh they did it via Zoom instead and that was really thrilling to be able to have someone's ear for just a moment to hear about what um topics are they are voting on, what topics they're writing new legislation on. Um, just like when I said I think I need as a board member to go out to the district and talk to people, I think

030those legislators need to hear from us. They are writing legislation that will directly impact our students, our budgets, our uh processes, the way we handle everything. And they really need to hear how that directly impacts us. Um because sometimes something sounds good on paper and you realize that when it's implemented that it is going to backfire or that is going to have huge underlying costs or things like that. Things that sound good on paper and things that we need are not always um legislated in a way that will actually be helpful. So I would love to be an advocate with legislators. Question 15. If appointed to this vacancy, do you plan to run for election in November 2026? Why or why not? I do, and that is a decision I've made in the last week.

031I did not ever have any long-term plans to be on the school board. I've never um really had this as a goal of mine. the more I get interested and involved in our district, the more that I'm on school site council and parent advisory council and all of these other things that have gotten me involved, um the moment I saw that this position was available, it just felt right in my heart that this is what I wanted to do. Um and so I put in my application and the next day I was like, "Oh my god, what did I do?" But over this week of talking to parents and talking to teachers, um I really am much more confident that that was the right impulsive decision. This has been uh an amazing opportunity to um

032really get out in the community and feel like the things that I was passionate about all of this time talking to the school site councils and the parent councils and all of that um that I can actually be a part of instituting those changes and um you know helping the students get what they need really is what it comes down to because if we're not here for the students then what are we here for. So, yes, I would absolutely love to run in November. >> Thank you, Miss Christian. Just one second. Let me make sure. Great. So we will now take a brief fivem minute recess while we prepare for our next interview. For the public's information, our next candidate is Justin Jackson and recess is beginning at 5:35 p.m. Thank you. Thank you. Board

033of Education reconvened at 5:44 p.m. At this time, we invite Justin Jackson to the podium. >> Hi, Justin. >> Hello. Good evening. >> Thank you. Question one. >> Okay, let's get into it. >> Just Just one second. Just one second. Are you guys ready, sir? Okay, we're ready. We're good to go. Miss Lopez, >> sorry about that. Question one, what specific professional or community experiences make you a viable candidate for this board seat? And how will those qualities directly translate into better outcomes for MVUSD students? >> Thank you for the question. I'll start with my professional experience. Um, when I graduated from Valley High School and went off to UCLA, I had the goal of returning to my city, but before I did, I wanted to make sure that I had a good governing governing

034background and experience. So, um, I had a checklist. I wanted to work at the city, the county, the state, and the federal levels, all to understand the different levels of government and how they interact with one another. I think that would be a strong benefit to MVUSD because as I sit next to you all as a board member, I'll be able to strongly advocate at each level of government for resources for MBUSD and making sure that our students, our staff, and our faculty have those resources here. And I'm happy, more than happy to advocate alongside you all in Sacramento and Washington DC if given the opportunity. So my governance background I think provides a good professional experience for me. Now, community experience. I currently serve as a city commissioner for Reno Valley on the environmental

035historical preservation commission. And that's really allowed me to step into a strong a strong place of public service. Every single week, multiple times a day, I'm out in our community giving back, making sure that I not only provide opportunities for others, but I'm also giving the opportunity to um build up a knowledge base and bring those resources and those opportunities back to MUSD. So, I hope to do that. Question two. >> As a prospective board member, what is one specific achievement or program within the Marino Valley Unified School District that you are most proud of? >> My goodness. >> And how would you work to sustain or scale that success? >> The advance via individual determination program. AVID. Um, I was a seven-year student in AVID. I was able to become regional AVID president. Um,

036in my senior year, our AVID float won homecoming, by the way, as well, 2015. Um, the AVID program is near and dear to my heart. Miss Jimmerson um was my teacher in AVID 6 through 8. And then I went on to have Miss Schwah, Mr. McClean, and other AVID teachers in high school. And if I could, I would give AVID my college degree. AVID is the reason why I was launched into UCLA. AVID was the reason why I was able to stay at UCLA and be prepared for UCLA. the number one public university in the country. Um, AVID is a program that I would love to strengthen and provide even additional resources. I am so proud to see that we now have the AVID program even in our elementary schools. That is incredible that we've

037put those resources into that. So, I would love to continue continue to see that program grow and college and career readiness is going to be a strong a strong a strong advocacy point of mine if I'm able to serve alongside you all on the board. Um the CTE programs that the board has put resources and allocated resources to expand are phenomenal. So that's another area of advocacy that I want to expand as well. I recently was at the state of the district and to see from cosmetology to arts to culinary um that we have those opportunities for our young kiddos here in MBSD is incredible. It's incredible. Um so I look forward to being a strong and fierce advocate for those programs along with the AVID program if I'm selected as a board member. Question

038three. As a board member, what are the top three goals you would like to accomplish during your term? Of those, which is your highest priority and how does it align with the district's current strategic plan? >> Thank you for that question. The top three goals I would say is going to be um the first the first and the top priority would be college and career readiness and our graduation rate. Um the school board is already excelling at seeing those increase and I would love to continue to see those grow um at our high school levels. And uh secondly, I would say preparing our students for the digital and financial landscape of the world today. I look back at my time as a student and sure I had government and economics, but to understand and have

039strong financial literacy is something that a lot of our students are asking for. Our parents know that our students need and so that's one area I think we could grow as a board and make sure that we're preparing our students when they graduate to have that. And third, one thing again looking back to my time as a student, campus life and campus belonging. I think that's a huge area and goal that I would like to prioritize. Um, I already see great things that the district is doing like expanding sports to the elementary school students. That's another way of sense of belonging for our students. So, um, there's a whole host of ideas and programs I would love to facilitate alongside you all, but the board is already doing a great job. And the elementary school

040or the elementary sports is one example of that. Question four. In your view, what is the most pressing unmet need currently facing our district? And what evidence have you seen that confirms this is a priority? I won't say the need is not being met, but I think we can all agree that there's a lot of competition for our schools, for our students and their attention in today's age, not just digitally, but also the school choice that they have. So, having the opportunity to make sure that we continue to increase our enrollment to prepandemic levels and higher is going to be a strong priority. We understand that having students allocates more resources to our school district and ultimately benefits all of our students as well. So, if there's opportunities to grow our school, our school body

041and our membership beyond what we're currently at, that's somewhere um I would love to spend a lot of time just working with the board, the superintendent to figure out how we can make sure Marino Valley Unified School District is the top choice in Marino Valley, Riverside County altogether. Again, there's a lot of competition out there. Um, parents have the right to school choice and we have to make sure that Marino Valley Unified School District is that number one top choice. Question five, how would you describe the relationship between the LCAP and the district's strategic plan? As a board member, what is your specific role in ensuring the LCAP effectively serves our high needs student populations? >> That first question, I would say the LCAP advises the school district strategic plan. Um, I was just reviewing

042it this this morning and this afternoon. There's no way I got through all 195 pages of that LCAP. Um, I remember seeing that huge binder that you all have with you last time. Um, and so, actually, I have a plan. my first 45 days I want to make sure that I'm well a breast of the LCAP the whole 195 pages of it to make sure that when I do serve alongside you off given the opportunity I'm prepared that LCAP plan that sets up our that that sets up the budget more more than anything but also again it guides our strategic plan so working with the cabinet the executive staff to understand what's in that dense document what those numbers mean where we're allocating our funds I want to in the first 45 days have a

043strong understanding of that so I can continue through the rest of this temporary term knowledgeable about where we're allocating our resources and ultimately the goals of our district. I understand we're in year two of that LCAP. So, if given the opportunity to serve longer, seeing how the board can be instrumental in devising and in advising the next LCAP for the next three years, I would love to have a strong say in that. And then the last part of your question, ensuring that the LCAP effectively serves our high need student population. Um, again, I would just say I would I would want to have an in an an in-depth role in making sure that the LCAP is implemented to make sure that we are serving our student population as best as possible and those resources are

044going to where they need to be Question six, how do you define equity in an educational setting? And how would you apply that definition when making difficult decisions regarding the allocation of resources or the implementation of district-wide policies? >> Yeah, we we have to be mindful that resources and the allocation of those are scarce. No. Um if we could have resources for everyone, for every student group, every population, um that would be an ideal world. I understand the school district, their operating budget, the finances, the surpluses that you all have. Um, and so again, when it comes to the allocation of resources, we have to be mindful and scarce and those are the tough decisions that this board has to make um, meeting after meeting, day after day. My definition of equity is making sure

045that the least of us are always taking care and but that we don't also shortch change those students that need and deserve our attention. Um, I think equity and equality are two different things. Equity is making sure that everyone starts from the same opportunity, have the same opportunity. Um, and I would, you know, I've been afforded to have very equitable opportunities in my life. Um, so I would want to make sure that as a board member, we we we lift up and support our students that didn't have, you know, the opportunity to start on first base. um that we're able to make sure that they eventually hit that whole home home run and get to college and career career readiness and hopefully graduate from our high schools. Question seven. If you were given the opportunity

046to reallocate 5% of the budget to an overlooked district need, where would you direct it and why? >> Let me take a minute with that. 5% of the school district budget is is good is is quite a considerable amount if you don't mind. I was just talking with some of our classified and union members yesterday and the um the special needs and alternative needs program came up. I think that's an um that's a that's an area where I think 5% allocation would do the best the be the best work. um you know, our students that have exceptional needs, we want to make sure and going hand inand as I was mentioning with equity that we provide them the best resources, the quality resources and the direct one-on-one attention that they need to thrive and and

047succeed. Um I have members of my family that have gone through the alternative needs programs and I love to see them independent living beyond high school and able to really take life um take take life in a path where they can thrive. My sister and my mom, they both work in MV USD working with our special needs. And so I know the resources that they need um very personally. Um my mom, she's always want to call me after work and say, "Justin, you know, I wish the board could do this. I wish we had more support in these areas." So I think 5% allocation to our um special needs program will go a very very long way. question eight. Beyond standardized test scores, what specific qualitative or quantitative metrics should this board use to evaluate

048the health of a school? How would you use that data to ensure we are serving students who are often hidden in the averages? >> Question eight is imperative. Um I would strongly focus on qualitative metrics. We do there are there's there's no lack in testing. There is no lack in testing at all. Um this school board I've been to several of your all meetings. There are metrics on metrics on metrics. But how do we how do we how does a student show that they're a leader in, you know, in the theater program, in the AVID program? Those opportunities to shine a spotlight on those students to make sure that each one the great CTE programs that we have, my goodness. Um, you know, what makes you a leader in the cosmetology department at your school?

049Are you giving the most haircuts? Do your, you know, clients say you're the best, you have four stars or whatever it is. So the qualitative metrics would be something that I would love um to focus on to focus on a lot. Again, there's no lack in testing. We're understand um the benchmarks that our students need to hit. Those are set at the state and federal level. So um I think we're good there. But the qualitative areas, the leadership opportunities, if you're a good peer, how do we measure empathy in our students? Um those are opportunities that I would love to see grow and working along this board and the superintendent to figure out how we measure those. Um, I I would also love to take that on as a pri as a as a priority

050as well. Number nine, as a trustee, what do you see as your primary purpose? Specifically, how do you balance your role as an individual advocate for your community >> with your legal obligation to act only as a member of the unified governing board? >> I I think it's an incredible honor to be a board member. Um I think it's something that should not be taken lightly. Um the board if appointed myself will be entrusted with the future and also the financial health of this school district. Um the number one employee of the school board is the superintendent. So making sure that we have a good working relationship with the superintendent and that we collaborate as well. Um I'm a team player. I understand that I will be, you know, if given the opportunity representing one

051trustee area, but we all work together. So to answer your question specifically, I understand that the fiduciary responsibilities of a board member are going to be most germanine. Making sure that the school district has strong financial health so we can en so we can charge our superintendent to allocate the resources and provide the programs that we need for all of our kiddos around MBUSD. And also, you know, that goes to um our unions and our and our staff and faculty making sure that um we're get we're in good financial health that our employees can start and retire um in NUSD. I was just talking with um Miss Santiago and she's been in the school district for 15 years. She's looking to retire in the next 5 years and that's beautiful. That's a beautiful opportunity to

052have. And so making sure that we're financially sound, that our staff, our unions are also getting a fair shot at the bargaining table. I think that's the that's a strong role of a board member. And again, it goes back down to the foundational level of making sure that we have the fiduciary responsibility to have a successful school district, a strong school district. Question 10. The board of education is a single legal entity that speaks with one voice. If you find yourself in the minority on a high stakes 4 to1 vote, how do you handle your personal disscent once the meeting is over? and you are speaking with parents or staff. >> Sure. As I mentioned in my previous answer, this board should always strive to work as a team and collaboratively. Um, I did start

053by saying I have, you know, experience, professional experience working at each level of government. So, I understand what it means to um advocate and lobby for your positions um very strongly amongst your colleagues. So before we even get to a 4-1 decision, I would love to have the assurity that the board is moving together unified on some of those more contentious um topics that may come to the board. That's not going to happen all the time. We have to face reality. Um each one of us is appointed or elected in you all's position in you all's case to serve the specific needs of your constituency and I have to respect that as well. So, if there is a situation where it's 4 to one and I'm that lonely one, I'm going to respect I'm going

054to respect my board members privately and publicly, um, and hopefully have another opportunity to advocate for that particular perspective later down the line. Um, one thing I try to remind myself very often not to let perfect be the enemy of good. And so if this board is unified on a 4-1 decision and I am in that minor minority, I'm not going to I I won't be a board member again that um doesn't respect the the decision and the trust of this board and again hopefully advocate down the line for that specific position. question 11. The Mareno Valley Unified School District Board of Education operates under a high level of public scrutiny. Beyond following the law, what does it mean to you to lead with ethical transparency when the community is divided on an issue? Ethical

055transparency. Um, and sorry, I need to be more mindful of time. I hope I'm good on time. Um, when it comes to ethical transparency, stepping into an stepping into a position of elected office, appointed office in this case, we need to be models for our constituents, but also specific to the school board, for our students, um, for our teachers and our staff. Ethical transparency is going to be prime for any candidate, for any person serving in public office. So, I would hold myself to the highest of standards and I'm 100% sure that if and willing stepping into this role, there is going to be courses, trainings, um things to better refine my understanding of what it means to be a public servant and and have a good standing and ethical um ethical clarity. And I

056also want to be a member that Marino Valley, all of our residents can trust, that they can have open communication with. Um, I I've I've served in public office before um prior to I've ran for public office as well. And so, um, I'm not afraid of public scrutiny, but I understand it comes with a territory. Um, you all serve at the pleasure of our residents. You all are each elected, um, appointed in this case. So, at the end of the day, we have a right to our constituents, and I want to make sure that I'm accessible, available, but don't sherk away from public scrutiny. question 12. With limited capital funds, how would you prioritize competing facility needs such as safety upgrades, deferred maintenance, and modernizing classrooms for 21st century learning? What criteria would you use

057to ensure these investments are distributed equitably across the district? >> Well, I think in with question 12 that kind of goes almost hand inhand with question 11. Making sure that we're operating with transparency. If there are competing resources that we need in our district and we only have scarce resources, as we mentioned before, we need to be transparent with the public, with our faculty, with our students and staff and let them know essentially what we're able to do and what we're not able to do. And that doesn't mean we won't ever get there. There's a timeline for a lot of these things that we can do. Um, you know, if there's extra advocacy that we need to do, if we need to go to bond measures or whatever that looks like, working with our executive

058staff, we just need to be transparent about that so no one feels like the rug is pulled from under them. When it comes specifically to what criteria I would use, um, I would first and foremost love to listen to our educators, our parents, and our principles. If there is a germaine need at one of our facilities, at our elementary, middle, high schools, and that's crowdsourced amongst our educators, our principles, let's tackle that need first. I personally believe that safety is always paramount. Always paramount. My nephews go to some of our schools here in USD, and I always want to make sure that when my nephews go to school, they feel safe. They feel like that's a place of home away from their own home. I think of I'm not a parent myself, but again, I'm

059an uncle. And when you send your baby off for eight to sometimes 10 hours a day if they have extracurriculars after school, you want to make sure that they're safe. You want to make sure that um you know, their facilities are quality facilities. And my background is in environmental advocacy. So, we also have to think of not just our physical infrastructure, but our environmental infrastructure as well. Making sure that our students um are are not exposed to anything environmental hazards. I was really happy to see that the board had grant funding um this previous cycle to to have electric school buses. That's going to be huge. So um specifically back to the question, the criteria would be first listening to our educators. Question 13. Which segment of our district population do you feel is currently

060being underserved? >> And how would your presence on the board help bridge that gap? There are I I first and foremost I believe there are several populations of our student body that we need to focus an attention on. I mentioned our special education um program. I would also look to our immigrant population. We live in a time where unfortunately our students and parents don't often feel safe to send their kids to school. Um I'm happy to have advocated outside of my professional capacity to make sure that immigrant justice is top priority in our community and that our students our students and our parents feel fa feel safe. And I also think that has a lot to do with enrollment numbers as well. Um, but what I personally to me I think when we outreach to

061those graduating those graduating seniors giving them also a sense of belonging to want to come back to our school district and serve in any type of capacity. Um, I think that's a population I would like to look at more. How do we stop the brain drain that so many of our cities, small communities like Marino Valley, growing communities like Marino Valley, we lose great talent to Los Angeles, Orange County, Sacramento, DC. I myself, I made it a priority to want to come back to Marino Valley. Um, I again, I go back to my nephews. I want them to have more opportunities to see young black men in their lives, if that's in the counselor's office, that psychology office, the school teacher. Um, personally for me, I only had one black teacher throughout all my time

062at MBUSD. So, having that visibility in the classroom is so vital. So, how can we focus on that brain drain when we're our graduating seniors that graduate that go to Stanford, they go to, you know, incredible colleges. How do we attract them back and give them opportunities to serve right here? Question 14. How do you view your role as an ambassador for MVUSD both within our local community and at the regional or state level? Specifically, how would you advocate for our district's needs with city officials or state legislators? >> Thank you for the question. Locally, I want to be a fierce representative and advocate for MBUSD. I want our students to know that board member Jackson is accessible. He's fun. um he's not one that is going to, you know, try to micromanage but also

063lead with integrity. I think there's a I I just look at the fellow board members. I see them oftentimes at a lot of our community events working and speaking with our parents. A lot of our parents in school and and school educators know you all by first name and that's a great relationship. So, I hope to fit in that right next to you. Regionally, I already have a great great working great working relationship with a lot of our other local elected members, all of our city council members, our state senator Sabrina Cervantes, Corey Jackson, our state assembly member, and also Congressman Martano. So, advocating and working with them in tandem again to bring resources back to MUSD. That's going to be the topic of my conversations now. Before it was nice to meet you, sir.

064You know, you're doing excellent work. Now, it's advocating for MUSD and making sure that our school district has a shining light. There are so many opportunities outside of just a local level, so many different boards and associations that us as board members can sit on to bring spotlight and attention and ultimately resources back to MBUSD. And I look to do that fiercely. I'm very um my background makes me very apppropo to do just that. Question 15. If appointed to this vacancy, do you plan to run for election in November 2026? Why or why not? >> Thank you for the question. I do. I wholeheartedly do. I do intend to run for reelection for this position. I know if given the opportunity when I sit in that seat, there's going to be a lot that I

065learn. So, I'm sure that will advise my future decision. But in this current moment, I think it's an incredible and awesome opportunity to have the fiduciary and also the personal responsibility to guide this school district. This is the school district that I started in elementary, middle, and high school. And it's the school district that launched me to UCLA into the young man I am today. Um, I'm just 10 years, 11 years removed from our high school graduating seniors. And I think standing here in front of you all at this podium, it truly is the promise of our school district. I want to make sure that those opportunities are not only still robust for our students, but that we grow those opportunities. So, I'm not the last Valley View High School graduate from class of 2015

066or beyond to sit behind that dis alongside of you all. Um, I'm completely invested. I'm never a person that likes to start something and not finish it. That's the one thing my mom um if anything the one thing that she underscored into me um never half do anything never start something and not finish it. So I would intend to run for reelection for this position and continue the great work of this board. >> Thank you Justin Jackson for your responses. We will now take a break for five minutes um while we prepare prepare for our next interview. for the public's information. Our next and final candidate is Martha Ruiz. Recess begins at 6:13 p.m. Thank you. ation reconvened at 6:22 p.m. At this time, we invite Martha Ruiz to the podium. >> Good evening. Question

067number one, what specific professional or community experiences make you a viable candidate for this board seat and how will those qualities directly translate into better outcomes for MVUSD students? Um the specific uh professional experience that I have is that I worked uh 21 years for the school district. Um in October um I resigned because I wanted to pursue um my entrepreneurship, my my business. So um I was a school bus driver. So I have a little um knowledge of of working in the in the schoolboard system. Question number two. As a prospective board member, what is one specific achievement or program within the Marino Valley Unified School District that you are most proud of? And how would you work to sustain or scale that success? Um, I believe that the the biggest achievement uh that

068I have that could um that I could be proud of is actually working for this district. I am a product of this district. I was born and raised here. Um I went to uh the schools here in Mareno Valley. My children went to all the schools here in Marino Valley. And I've been in this district I've I've been in Marino Valley for 45 years. Question number three. As a board member, what are the top three goals that you would like to accomplish during your term? Of those, which is your highest priority and how does it align with the district's current strategic plan? One of the goals that I would like to see is I see a lot of working in the district I saw a lot of um student enrollment decline right where throughout the

069year we had a decline in picking up students. So finding out the reason finding out the reasons why our students are leaving uh the district and uh just trying to understand the policies of the district. I'm not fully aware of all of the policies. I was a school bus driver. I I have the knowledge of working in the district and I'm willing to learn and and ask for help and advice anywhere I can to make this district success successful Question number four. In your view, what is the most pressing unmet need currently facing our district? And what evidence have you seen that confirms that this is a priority? I think the most unpressing I mean the pressing unmet need currently facing our district is maybe um working more with different departments. um having a lot

070more communication with our departments in the school district. Question number five, how would you describe the relationship between the LCAP and the district's strategic plan? As a board member, what is your specific role in ensuring the LCAP effectively serves our high needs student populations? Well, I believe um the LCAP is uh uh a plan, right, that we're supposed to follow um as a board me as a board member uh ensuring right these specific plans are and the policies that the LCAP provides for our district. Following through following through with with the LCAP plan that goes that has um that in it's supposed to ensure that our our district follows the policy and is transparent. Question number six, how do you define equity in an educational setting? And how would you apply that definition when making

071difficult decisions regarding the allocation of resources or the implementation of district-wide policies? Well, I think uh defining the equity in in this setting um implementing the policies, right? I'm not I'm not aware fully of all of the policies because I don't I'm not, you know, aware of the policies. I'm I worked as an employee and my my knowledge of the policies I'm not 100% aware of. So I'm eager to to ask and to learn about these policies. Question number seven. If you were given the opportunity to reallocate 5% of the budget to an overlooked district need, where would you direct it and why? Given the opportunity with the experience that I have in transport in the transportation department, I see how important uh special education is and um ELA, right, where we kids need more

072Hope. Question number eight. Beyond standardized test scores, what specific qualitative or quantitative metrics should this board use to evaluate the health of a school? How would you use that data to ensure we are serving students who are often hidden in the averages? I think uh using data, right? Trying to get as much information that we can to to ensure that students are met with what they need. Question number nine. As a trustee, what do you see as your primary purpose? Specifically, how do you balance your role as an individual advocate for your community with your legal obligation to act only as a member of the unified governing board? I think my purpose is going to be um helping um pass uh policies. Um, how I would balance that role is in my community and obligation

073is working with my community, working with my constituents, listening, advocating, working with the board, communicating, having discussions. question number 10. The board of education is a single legal entity that speaks with one voice. If you find yourself in the minority on a high stakes 4 to1 vote, how do you handle your personal disscent once the meeting is over and you are speaking with parents or staff? If I was a four to one vote, I would like to communicate and and speak right to the parents, to the to the staff, right? Make sure that we all are that we all have an opportunity to have a voice as well as as the parents and the community that we serve. Question number 11. The Marino Valley Unified School District Board of Education operates under a high level

074of public scrutiny. Beyond following the law, what does it mean to you to lead with ethical transparency when the community is divided on an issue? I think all we can do is be transparent with our constituents and our community with anything that that may divide the board to our constituents. Is try to be transparent and have open communication and between the board have dialogues and and communication. question number 12. With limited capital funds, how would you prioritize competing facility needs such as safety upgrades, deferred maintenance, and modernizing classrooms for 21st century learning? What criteria would you use to ensure these investments are distributed equitably across the district? I believe we would have to follow the LCAP plan um to to ensure that the funds are distributed properly. Question number 13. Which segment of our district

075population do you feel is currently being underserved? And how would your presence on the board help bridge that gap? working for the district. Um I I never saw a u a place where it was underserved. I want to be a bridge to be able to help in any way. When I worked for the district, I absolutely loved my job. So, I I know I worked for transportation and I know people in other areas of the district, but um I think there there can be room for improvements. I don't know what they would be because I'm not on the board yet. So, I just think um using my experience, I can help be that bridge. question number 14. How do you view your role as an ambassador for MVUSD both within our local community and at

076the regional or state level? Specifically, how would you advocate for our district's needs with city officials or state legislators? I view my role not as an employee, right, but as a member of this community. I am I've been part of this community my whole life. I would love to be an advocate for our constituents, for our employees, for anything regarding our district. I'm a product of this district and I want our our students from the district to have the same opportunities as I did. question number 15. If appointed to this vacancy, do you plan to run for election in November 2026? Why or why not? >> I do plan on running in November and I want to run because I want to be a bridge between the school district and our community. I've been in

077this community my entire life. I worked in this district for over 20 years. I love my community. and I want to keep working. And if I'm not appointed and I don't win, I'm still going to keep working with my community. Thank you, Martha Ree, for your response. This concludes the interview portion. I want to thank all three candidates for their time and their clear passion for MBUSD. So, thank you guys. We will now take a 10 minute break to recess to organize our um to organize and get ready for public comments. Okay, so recess begins at we'll probably take what a 20 minute break. Let's we're going to start at 7. So, recess begins at 6:40 p.m. Thank you. ation reconvenes at 7:00 p.m. One second. All right. Anyone wishing to speak on agenda items

078may do so now. Individual speakers may speak for three minutes on the agenda item. The board of education shall limit the total time for public input on an agenda item to 21 minutes. Board bylaw 9323B section 5 per board bylaw 9323. A member of the public who utilizes a translator will receive twice the allotted time. Miss Claudia, do we have any public speakers? >> Miss Clark, we have a total of nine speakers. So, nine speakers at three minutes takes us to 27 minutes. If with consensus of the board, would you like to lower the time to two minutes or keep it at 3 minutes for 27 minutes versus 21? >> I'm fine with keeping it at three minutes. >> I agree on that, too, Mr. Williams. >> Thank you so much. We will go to

079the first public comment. Would Maria Perez please come to the podium? She will be speaking on behalf of Jennifer Gisham. Okay, sorry. Good evening. My name is Maria Perez and I'm here to speak to the incredible dedication and commitment to the students and families that Jennifer Gisham has shown throughout the years that I have known her. To my family and to myself, the guidance and friendship that she has provided provided is immeasurable and it is the reason my children are succeeding today. She is a figure that is admired and respected. It is beyond words how much she cares and what a valuable asset she has been to the school groups that she has been part of. As president of the booster club at Northridge, I have seen how she appreciates and takes into consideration the

080input of children and families. Her constant work towards inclusion of families is undeniable. You always see her at school, whether it's running the student store, organizing student events for organizing events for staff, children, and families. She does so much behind the scenes that so many people don't realize the hard work and dedication she puts into everything that she does. She is an awesome mother and wife and friend and works endlessly to ensure the success of ch of her children and the children that surround her. I know that she will put the same effort and dedication into the role of school board trustee. Her dedication is beyond measure and her dedication is an investment to the future of the students of Morano Valley Unified School District. I know that she would be a valuable asset and

081I have no doubt that she will continue to put the same heart into the position. Thank you. >> Thank you. Riley Peak to the podium who will be speaking on behalf of Justin Jackson. Hello everyone. Hope you're all having a great night. I just wanted to speak on Mr. Jackson for a minute and I've known him as a commissioner for the last couple of years after he started on our environmental and historical preservation commission and I've known him before and he is just a phenomenal public servant. A question I'm all often asks and the public often asks is are you a public official or a public servant? And the difference between those two I have learned is very huge. Every public every public servant is a public official but not every public ser not every

082public official is a public servant. He truly knows what it means to be a public servant. He knows how to serve the public and put the public above yourself and he truly does that in his role. He has brought out of the box thinking to the city of Marino Valley and he has made it to where we are innovative alongside of his board of commissioners and our city has been able to thrive and he will help our students and our school district and all of our stakeholders shine bright. I just thank you. >> Thank you. Fred Ben Wiggles to the podium please. Speaking on behalf of Justin Jackson. Well, hello everyone. Um, I like Justin, but I'm not here because I like him. Um, who um, this young man I've seen I know we don't

083agree on things and I know he stands up for what he believes in. I've seen him at a lot of meetings and I respect uh, Justin. What what I see from him is he has common sense. You know, he's committed. He's put in the effort. Um, and he would be a great asset to this board. He has great presence. You know, I go to a lot of meetings and every meeting that I go to, he's always there. I could respect somebody that I'm seeing out there putting in the work, being educated, learning things, and I think that he'd be great as a board member here. Um, I know there's going to be times where there's decisions that I'm gonna I'm not going to like that you guys make. And and I I was trying to

084watch his interview before I came up here and one of the questions that you asked was something like that where if he was four to one and he'd be the one. You know, I like I said, I see them out out there. He has respect. I have respect for him and uh I'd like to see him be up here. um he wants to do what's best for the city. He ran for council. Uh he he came in, I believe, third, but there was a lot of people that liked him and I was hoping that he would win that spot. Um I think he's a great choice. I hope he gets it and u I I support Justin. Thank you. >> Thank you. Laura Lener to the podium, please. She will be speaking on behalf of

085Martha Ruiz. Hello. Good afternoon board members. Um I am here to speak about my mother. Um I just wanted you guys to know who she is beyond the questions that you guys had asked and the answers that she gave. She is the heart and soul of our immediate family. She has given so much back to Marino Valley. She had spoke a lot about her time as a bus driver, but she has given so much more than being just a bus driver. We are part of a church here, St. Christopher Catholic Church. She gives all of her time into that. Um, she had mentioned about her business. She uses her business to give back to it, not ever wanting anything in return. And with that, she showed our entire family. She has brought students from our

086church, students from different schools to help with events like that. Um, I feel like she didn't speak a lot from her heart because she was trying to give um the correct answer and it didn't speak volume to the woman that she wants to be for this school district. She loves Marino Valley so much. As she said, she was born and raised here. We have all been born and raised here. her children. She has four children and one grandchild. And she shows us every single day what it is to work hard. She is the most hardworking woman I know in my entire life. And our entire family works just as much as she does because of how she showed us. Um I just wanted you guys all to know how how a woman like her can

087be such a great influence in this community. She doesn't want to do it for herself. She wants to do it for her community and for everyone that she can help. She She's always looking to support the community and to uplift it. She's not just looking for a way to make herself look better. It's for Marino Valley. She always wants Marino Valley to look better and she wants to give back to it as she has been, as she said, as a school bus driver, but now outside of that. And I feel like if she's a board member, she's going to be able to do that in the schools, which is where we need it most because the kids are our future. We are the future of Marino Valley. And if she's the one pouring into us,

088hopefully we can all make Marino Valley better because of somebody like my mom. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Blackert. To the podium. I can see we've learned nothing since I went through this process seven years ago when there was nine of us that applied and I was the last speaker and Daryl Pu eventually won was uh came up to me now afterwards and said I wish I had the ability to see things you did and be able to articulate them. And that comes from the sixth grade educated ditch bank oi from Edgemont. So what I didn't see, and this is what breaks my heart. I didn't see the reality of what's going on and what the issues are. You ask who is underserved is our students in MUSD. every one of them. And that's

089the responsibility of everyone on this board, in this audience, and in this community. We've taken the once great spirit, the winning spirit we had. It's not there. Just like I was so proud of both of our US hockey teams, men's and women's. Is it just about winning? That's what's not emphasized. That's what we're not doing. And that's what we're not hearing. Our education, however, whatever metric you want to go, 27,000 per student, three times more than it was 12 years ago. and education results are declining. No less if this doesn't scare the hell out of everyone at UCLA at the finest medical school as JJ mentioned. The professors are saying healthc care is going downhill because we're not help we're not holding the students coming in to the standards we once did. that permeates through

090the employers, through the community, and we all live the results of it. If you want things to change, we're going to have to stand up and deal with everything honestly. We're not. I'm sure they're all fine people, great moms, great leaders in the community or whatever, but look at the community. Look at what's going on. We're going to have to deal with it tomorrow night. When do you stop? When do you stop complaining? When do you start articulating or standing on your record? Because I've given every one of you the opportunity to do it and you refuse and it will never get solved unless we get all these issues out on the table honestly. Here we are seven years later. You talk about transparency, you can't even watch it because you wiped it out. And

091that's what the problem is. Until we change that, it will continue on the discourse it has been. >> Thank you. Nancy Jimenez to the podium speaking on behalf of Justin Jackson. >> Good evening, governing board, superintendent, executive cabinet, and community. I am proudly here. Well, once again, I was here when Sammy was um sworn in. That was amazing. Um, big shout out to Sammy. I'm here because I absolutely can can attest to what a wonderful human being and a public servant, Justin Jackson, the one and only Justin Jackson, who would be an exceptional governing board member for your school district. his ability to navigate um hard situations with grace and integrity is one of the standouts for me. I think it's often um overlooked that the leadership behind a dis is somewhat uh older and

092I and and I I can attest to myself, but when students look and see that someone that's not so much uh older than them, it it's just um it really is thoughtprovoking and I and I welcome that opportunity. He's a wonderful role model to uh his organizations that he serves on. He is able to work collaboratively, positively. Justin Jackson is the standard and I am here to just bear witness to that. Uh for what it's worth, I look forward to seeing him uh behind that dis. So, thank you so much for your time. Thank you. Annabelle Rubakaba to the podium please to speak on behalf of Justin Jackson Rubakawa Diego Lanerys to the podium to speak on behalf of Martha Ruiz Peace. Hello. Um, I'm I'm Diego Martha's son. I wanted to take this time

093for you guys to be able to understand who Martha is. Um, when it comes to my mom, you get raw. That's that's what you get when you see her as a person is you get raw. What what she is, what you see is what you get. And what I've what we grew up understanding is the importance of this community because of what my mom has passed down to us, of the importance of not only her legacy, but of my grandpa's legacy. um Romelo Ruiz, he's at the he's in this office as a statue. So when it comes to integrity, when it comes to leadership, when it comes to knowing how to be uh a face of a community, my mom has that in her. I know she might not have the education and she might

094not have the the fancy words that you guys might like, but when it comes to my mom, like I said, what you see is what you get. And her integrity speaks for itself. If she says she'll do something, she'll do it. if when it when there's a problem in the community, she will come to you guys and explain to you guys that there's something really wrong in the community. Not not just looking for what's going to make you guys happy and she will stand up to you guys. She will let you guys know that there's certain things that shouldn't be done and there certain things that should be done. But her focus on being a leader in this community would be to hear the voices of our students, of our teachers, of our staff, and

095as well as anyone who's in this community because that's what the role is that she is applying for is to be the voice to be the voice of this community. to be the voice of what it is to be uh um to to be a voice of what it is to be part of the the board members, you know. Um, there's not really much else I could try to sell to you guys or try to tell you guys about her, but when it when it comes to knowing who Romelo Ruiz is, um, if you guys don't know already, he was a big factor in this community. you know, he started the student exchange program and he was um he worked selflessly. Everything he did was for this community and my mom has taught us to

096continue that and that is what she is. >> Thank you Justin Jackson to the podium to speak on behalf of Justin Jackson. >> Good evening board. I won't belabor more of your time. Thank you for giving me the opportunity earlier to interview with you all. Um, and I believe you've also received public comment via email from other folks that weren't able to make it tonight. So, I hope you had the opportunity to review those. Good evening, Board President Clark, Vice President Luna, Board Clerk Williams, and Board Trustee Member Joanna Leva. Um, as well as our superintendent, executive staff, and members of the public. I just briefly want to say and introduce myself to the members of the public. Uh, my name is Justin Jackson and I would truly appreciate the opportunity to serve as your

097governing board member for Trustee Area 3. I'm a proud product of this school district. I sat in these classrooms. I walked these halls and I was fortunate to graduate from our high school. My teachers were the ones who shaped and challenged me and believed in me. Specifically, my AVID teachers, my third and fourth grade teachers, my geometry teacher who's now principal of Valley High School, Mr. Gilead. I've had incredible fundamental teachers that gave me the opportunity to stand behind this podium before you. I stand here today because of the foundation of Marina Valley Unified School District. When I see that seal behind you, Vice President Luna, um it's it's a lot more personal for me today. U because now here I am on the other side of the journey that I started as a third

098grader in Miss Sutherland's class. Now, Miss Crane, um, Miss Crane was the first teacher to really focus my attention. She put a book in my hands and the rest was history for me. Um, she really gave me the opportunity to excel. She believed in me and as I mentioned, my teachers challenged me and I give them all the glory and grace for allowing me to have the opportunity to speak articulately before you all today. Professionally, what I look to bring to this board is my experience in governance. As I mentioned before in my interview, I've worked at the city, the county, the state, and the federal level. And I hope to bring that experience and advocate for our students um alongside you all, if that's locally, regionally, or at the federal level as well. I

099understand governance. I understand fiduciary responsibility and the difference between oversight and management that you all have to deal with on a daily basis. My commitment is simple and true. Students first, strong collaboration, and responsible government. As I mentioned before, I once was the student that this board works for in every meeting, in every decision that you make. Now, I want to ensure the next generation receives equal and greater opportunities than I had. This is both a pursuit of gratitude and responsibility for me in a full circle moment. So, if given the opportunity, I would love to sit next to you and work collaboratively alongside you for the betterment of Marina Valley Unified School District. Thank you immensely for the opportunity. Um, and I'm incredibly humbled to stand before you all. Thank you. >> Thank you.

100>> The trustees will now deliberate. Deliberate. We will discuss each candidate's qualifications and responses. No decision has been made yet. Our goal is to reach consensus that best serves the district's 31,000 students. Before we proceed, we will give the trustees time to review their notes, organize their thoughts. We are looking for um a trustee who demonstrates the role, role clarity, fiscal responsibility, and a collaborative temperament. And at this time we will review our notes. Yeah. Okay. Well, after listening to all of you, I'm sorry, Leva, Trusty Leva, can we get a minute to review our notes and then when we're all we have consensus and you guys are ready, let me know and we will start with you, Trusty Lea. But please organize your thoughts. All right. I will now invite comments from the trustees

101starting with trustee Lea. Thank you, President Clark. Um, having the privilege to listen to the three of them, you know, seeing that um The three of them have attended schools here on MBUSD. They are product of our district. To me, that's important. Um, I heard from Miss Rishim that she has been a very um active and engaged parent and served in different committees. Um something that I like that she said is that uh when we asked her um her top three goals, one of the ones um that I hear from her is numbers. the number of suspension and behaviors that could be that we can create you know have creative solutions for students and support them in you know different ways. Also, when she was asked, "How do you define equity?" Um, I like that

102she said she would like to prioritize support for students as early as elementary that it's, you know, I like to hear that. And um when she was asked um beyond following the law, what does it mean to you to lead with ethical transparency when the community is divided on an issue? Um she responded that everyone's opinion has value, but that doesn't mean that we will that she will agree with everyone. um and that she will be respectful with people's you know differences and from Justin you know he has a lot of experience as he mentioned you know um he has this background in county state and federal and city you know it's that's important too um also he explained about his experience with the Abbott program and how you know to him it's important that

103our students um have that experience too and he um also talk about the CTE programs you know and the importance uh of it um also uh when he was asked about you know what is the most pressing unmet need currently facing our district. His response was increasing enrollment. He wants Marino Valley Uni School District to be the number one choice for our students not only within the Marino uh Valley City but within you know other districts. Um and um from Miss Martha Ree um she understands the importance of creating a bridge between the district and the community. Um having that open communication with our community is important uh to her. And when asked what are the top three goals um she would like to accomplish um during her term um finding the reason why students

104are leaving the district and why do we have decline enrollment. Um also um when asked um beyond following the law, what does it mean to you to lead with ethical transparency when the community is divided on an issue? It is very important for her to be transparent and have an open communication. Um also when asked what criteria would she use to ensure these investments are distributed equity equitable um across the district um she talked about following the LCAP plan that the district has and um and then when asked if she was if she was appointed to this vacancy you know she was pling in Toron. One thing that I find, you know, very interesting and, you know, that I like to hear from her that I like, you know, hearing from her was that regardless

105if she gets chosen or not, she will continue that, you know, um, communication and service with the community. So these are my points and notes that I find very, you know, interesting and it captivated me. >> Thank you kindly, Miss Laya. Trusty Williams. >> Thank you, board president. Um, I want to thank all of the candidates for coming uh this evening. Um, I really learned a lot about uh how people in the community view our school board and uh what parents think, what former students think, and uh lifelong residents think. And that's the cross-section of the community. And I was very interested to hear um the responses of the health of a school and um it was it was taken from the point of view uh from all of your experiences and there's a lot

106that goes into the health of a school. um what are some of the unmet needs um in the school district and what is the evidence? And uh far be it for me to continue to look around and and see a short cut here or something not being met here. We're always going to have that. but what are the outcomes? How do we fix it? And I think that's part of the responsibility of a board member. So all in all, I was I was very pleased to hear from the community and here people are interested in trying to make this a better community. Um this is the first time I've done this. So, um, you know, I'm learning as I go along, but I heard some things that we haven't really talked about. Um, Mr. Jackson,

107you mentioned uh digital and financial literacy, and I think that's that's one of the primary um hidden averages of students that nobody's speaking about. But our kids are entering the business world, the work world and don't have a good grasp of uh that that particular uh area of of life. Um, I could speak on all of you and and the different comments, but um I'm going to let uh my other board members uh chime in. And uh I thank you again for being here. Uh it's hard to get up here and answer 15 questions um and uh and hit every mark. Thank you. >> Thank you, Trustee Williams. Trusty Luna. >> Thank you, President Clark. Um, so first I want to extend gratitude to all three of you for being here, for putting your name

108in the hat, for publicly being interviewed. I can attest how difficult that is. I myself, for those that don't know, was also went through this process and appointed by the board. So, I I was sitting where you're sitting and I understand how nerve-wracking that can be. So, thank you all for for that. Um, I want to start off by saying what I heard from all three of you is that you all bring value to this community. you all would bring value to this role as a board member. You all have different insights uh as your roles in this district. It's actually pretty pretty astonishing that all three of you have some experience in this district and can attest to to those stories that that you guys have. Um you all are very community centric. Um

109I was looking at um your applications and um I saw um Miss Gisham uh one of the things that you said that stuck out for me is public education is a vital pillar of a thriving community. Educating youth who can go on to strengthen our community is extremely important important. The MBUSD Board of Education plays a crucial part in ensuring that the education all students receive will propel them for the rest of their lives. That was one of the reasons I wanted to be on this board is because it is so important. Like the impact that you have as a board member in this community is so important. And I don't think I speak for myself when I say this decision tonight is very difficult for all of us. Not only are we picking a

110colleague, but we're picking a representative of the community to represent our students and our staff and it's very important. So, I hope you all know and feel that this is a tough decision for all of us. Um, I'm stressed right now just saying that. Um, um, let me see what else was I going to say. Oh, also, um I wanted to to uh kind of reflect to um Miss Ruiz's 21 years as a school bus driver. I'm sure you have some great insight to the student experience. I know uh me, Trusty Leva, and President Clark all went uh uh on a bus bus ride last year, last school year, and we definitely had a newfound respect. That's a very important role in our in our district. So, thank you for serving. Um and Mr. Jackson,

111very impressive. Very impressive. UCLA, very impressive and a product of our district. That I mean that's you know you're and you're currently serving uh in in the environmental historic preservation board. I actually also served as you know but I left before you came. So, um, thank you for taking on that role because that's also an important role. So, again, all this being said, it's clear that all of you care about our community. Thank you for caring enough to want to step it up and um that's that's all I have to say tonight. Thank you. >> Thank you, Trusty Luna. Um I will share that this was very exciting and I am so grateful to see such passion in our community and I um think all of you did a wonderful job. Um I will start

112with Miss Gisham. She demonstrated understanding of board's the board's role and policy setting governance body including the importance of strategic alignment and ethical leadership. Miss Gisham brings professional experience and professional connection to the special education along with a genuine desire to support MBUSD students. So thank you kindly. Mr. Jackson demonstrated a solid understanding of the board's role as a collective governing body, including the importance of fiscal stewardship, ethical transparency, and supporting majority decisions. The board mindset is critical. Mr. Justin brings a thoughtful thoughtful perspective and a sincere commitment to serving MBUSD students. He demonstrated an understanding of the importance of collaboration and community engagement and I thank you for that. Miss Ruiz brings decades of personal and professional experience with Marino Valley Unified including a deep knowledge of district and a strong connection to the

113community. She demonstrated enthusiasm for serving students with a willingness to learn about policy and governance and I thank you for that. And so with that said um let me see we will now begin the selection phase. Trustees, please write down the name of one candidate you wish to see move forward for a formal consideration on the paper provided in front of you. Once again, we appreciate everyone's um who desire who excuse me, everyone who desired to serve as a trustee of the Marino Valley Unified School District regardless of today's outcome. I hope you will continue to be engaged in this community and in this district and most of all community affairs. So I thank you. Second Miss Claudia, please let us know who is going to be moved forward. The names that are to be

114considered to move forward. I have Justin Jackson, Justin Jackson, and Jennifer Gisham. At this time, I will review instructions for the next phase. If a candidate's name is put forward by a motion and seconded, the board may further deliberate on the motion and vote on whether to appoint the candidate. Votes will be taken by roll call. If three yes votes are cast for the candidate, the candidate will be the new board member. If there is not a majority vote, including a tie, which is not a majority vote, the motion fails. Therefore, the candidate cannot be considered further. There will be an opportunity to put forth another candidate for consideration. If a trustee makes a motion but no second is called, the candidate may be reconsidered for further deliberation. Under the law, the appointment must be

115made by a public vote of the board members and each board member's vote is a matter of public record. Can I get a motion? Please. >> I motion to approve Justin Jackson. >> Can I get a second? >> I'll second. >> Miss Claudia, please call for the vote. Give me one second. Trusty Lea abstain. >> She can, but Please clarify. >> So if you give a no vote, you have to provide a justification for the no vote. Something like I don't think the candidate is qualified or I think there are better qualified candidates. because you're abstaining, you need to give a rationale for the abstension. You don't have enough information enough information to make a decision. You want more time for deliberation, whatever that might be. But an abstension cannot hang on its own. You

116need to have a ration offer. >> I would like to have more time for deliberation. Granted, Trusty Williams. >> Uh, we are voting per candidate. Correct. >> That's correct. >> Uh, I vote for uh the motion. >> I Yeah, >> I >> thank you. Trusty Luna. >> I, Trusty Clark. >> I >> question before we announce if she needs more deliberation time. That's what she needed. That's enough. >> There's a majority. Sounds good. This motion has pass. Three, one extension. By a vote of three with one abstension, the governing board of the Marino Valley Unified School District appoints Trustee or Elect Trustee Elect Justin Jackson effective February 25th, 2026. You will be sworn in and seated at the next regular board meeting scheduled March 10th, 2026. I am sure that I speak for the entire

117board when we congratulate Mr. Justin Jackson and welcome him as a provisional appointee to the governing board of the Marino Valley Unified School District. I would like to thank each of the other candidates for their participation. As I stated before, we encourage all applicants to stay engaged with the district and the community. We appreciate your willingness to serve. President Clark, if I may, >> please. >> Just for clarification, the appointment is effective today, which means you will officially start getting messages from us uh to me to start getting, you know, uh some cliff notes on the LCAP since you have 45 days to learn it by that was your promise to us. Um we're going to hold you to that. >> We do board reviews. >> Yes, we do. >> So So you will start

118getting communication from us immediately. The the swearing in is ceremonial. >> Okay. Thank you. With no further business to come before the board of education, the special session meeting is adjourned at 7:54 Yeah.