Escondido Union School District Board of Education Meeting - May 22, 2025

001Doug Paulson: Order this regular meeting of the Board of Education. We are looking for any comments on closed session items. Seeing none, we will repair to closed session and reconvene at 7 p.m.. All right. Well, we thank you all for coming tonight. Apologize for our tardiness. And we are really looking forward to several presentations this evening. So we will be reconvening this regular meeting of the Board of Education of the Escondido Union School District. And if we could please ask Central School fifth grader Alexander J. Ortiz to come up and lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Alexander Ortiz: Put your right hand over your heart. Ready? Begin. All: I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with

002liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Doug Paulson: Outstanding job. Roll call. All members of the Board of Education are present, and we do have a report out of closed session. Mark Olson: Thank you, President Paulson. In a matter of item B1, in the matter of existing litigation, Special Education settlement case number 2024-25-03, the board voted to approve the Special Education Settlement Agreement by a vote of 5 to 0. Regarding item B2 in the matter of conference regarding waiver approval for non certified Special Education Placement at Out-of-state Residential Facility, [unclear] Tyler, the board voted to approve the placement by a vote of 5 to 0. Item B3 in closed session, the board took action to approve the recommendation for appointment of Christina Meglich as middle school principal beginning July 1st, 2025 by a vote of

0035 to 0. In closed session, the board took action to approve the recommendation for appointment of Jason Hoff as middle school principal beginning July 1st, 2025. By a vote of 5 to 0 in closed session, the board took action to approve the recommendation for appointment of Christina Carrera as School community schools Coordinator beginning July 1st, 2025. By a vote of 5 to 0. Doug Paulson: She is in Italy at this point, so if we could wave hello to her on zoom and congratulations. Mark Olson: In closed session, the board took action to approve the recommendation for appointment of Jo-Ann Fox as Coordinator of Expanded Learning beginning July 1st, 2025, by a vote of 5 to 0. And I believe Miss Fox is here. Jo-Ann Fox: Good evening board president Paulson, trustees, doctor Ibarra and cabinet.

004I'm honored and excited to take this step into the role of Coordinator of Expanded Learning. I'm deeply committed to ensuring that every student in EUSD has access to enriching, engaging, and equitable learning opportunities beyond the school day. I'm grateful for the trust you placed in me, and I look forward to continuing to serve our students, families, and schools in this new role. Thank you. Mark Olson: Congratulations. No, I got one more. And finally, in closed session, the board took action to approve the recommendation for appointment of employee 218752 as Project Specialists III beginning July 1st, 2025, by a vote of 5 to 0. That concludes the closed session report. Doug Paulson: All right. Thank you very much. Moving on to item C five, approval of the agenda. Does anybody have any changes to the agenda

005for tonight? Need a motion and a second. Mark Olson: Motion to approve as presented. Joan Gardner: Second. Doug Paulson: Mr. Olson moves. Miss Gardner seconds. All in favor? Please vote. Motion passes by a vote of 5 to 0. Moving on to the approval of the minutes of the last meeting. Any changes? Zesty Harper: I move approval. Frank Huston: Second. Doug Paulson: Miss Harper moves. Mr. Huston seconds. All in favor, please vote. Motion passes by a vote of 5 to 0. Moving on to item D one. Recognitions doctor Phylia. Dr. Laura Philyaw: So once again, we are so happy to have an opportunity to recognize students from across our district. And we're going to begin this evening with Central Elementary School. We're going to we have a highlight video to share. Sharill Cortez: Hello, my name

006is Sharill Cortez. I am honored to serve as the principal of Central Elementary, home of the Cheetahs. As the most historic school in Escondido, it lies in the heart of the city. I welcome you to visit and meet our caring teachers, our dedicated staff and wonderful students. Come join us. Narrator: Central elementary was established in 1938, in the heart of Escondido's historic downtown community. Home of the Cheetahs, it is very much a neighborhood school serving TK through fifth graders, and offers state preschool and special education programs. Good job. You did it! Thanks to proposition E, the preschool and kindergarten programs enjoy state of the art playground facilities and classrooms. The sound is made inside. Children are building a strong foundation for reading and writing. Our teachers utilize the Orton-gillingham model of instruction. I said it.

007And the results speak for themselves. It's made a huge difference in their writing and their reading, so I love it. It's my favorite part of the day. And remember, you're just giving the impression. Creative learning thrives in every classroom and grade level. I think doing art kind of encourages problem solving. Making their own decisions about what they do in their art. And I think that's what you do in life, isn't it? You learn to make your own decisions. Central's youngest and oldest students are surrounded with science. In 2020, a school wide grant introduced the aquaponics program. It helps teach the concepts of conservation and sustainability, and students see food production in a whole new light. What way does he go first? Here a TK class learns coding while playing with beebots. At Central. Our kids

008are all Suzuki -strong. Hustle. Coach Trent Suzuki has a reputation for teaching a love for fitness and team values. It's we, not me. And we make no excuses. We tell the truth. Act like a champion. So we have class values that are really life values. The music program here is growing, which is really great to see. Students can read and play music beginning in the third grade. A certified instructor teaches the recorder. Then fourth and fifth graders can join the school band. The Central School community believes in creating an atmosphere that develops self-esteem, to promote a lifetime desire for learning, and to help children achieve their maximum potential. Dr. Laura Philyaw: All right. And next, we'll invite up Principal Cortez. Sharill Cortez: Good evening. Board president Paulson. Board members, cabinet, family and guests. My name

009is Sharill Cortez, principal of Central Elementary. Thank you for the opportunity to celebrate and recognize three outstanding students from Central Elementary this evening. It is a true honor to highlight their accomplishments and share how they exemplify the values and spirit of our school community. Their leadership, character, and commitment reflect the very best of Central, and we are incredibly proud of the way they represent our school. Domingo. Domingo is a thoughtful and responsible student who plays an important role both in the classroom and at home. As the oldest sibling, he serves as a positive role model for his younger brother and sister, consistently demonstrating maturity and leadership. He is an active participant in the YMCA after school program and is known for prioritizing respect, kindness, and safety in all situations, whether in the classroom or during

010recess. He treats others with care and leads by example. His favorite aspect of school is learning and helping others understand the value of mutual respect. Domingo's strong character and commitment to doing what is right make him a valued member of the school community. Next is Alexander J. Ortiz, known as Jay. He is an exceptional student who consistently demonstrates high achievement across all academic areas. He is a natural leader who is responsible, dependable, and maintains a positive attitude in all that he does. His passion for reading is evident. His reading level is at a 12th grade level which reflects his dedication and love for learning. Jay is also deeply involved in both school and community activities. He contributes meaningfully to programs such as Pay It Forward, Steam, and Invasion Games. Last year, he was elected as

011the fourth grade representative for Student Council, a role he fulfilled with commitment and integrity. Outside of school, Jay continues to demonstrate discipline and teamwork through weekly basketball practice and his participation in the Escondido Police Activity League, known as PAL. For the past two years, Central is fortunate to have such a dedicated and well rounded student. [applause] Dr. Laura Philyaw: All right. And next up we're going to be highlighting North Broadway Elementary. And they also have a video. Cherry Moore: Hi, I'm Cherry Moore, the principal at the NB Ranch at North Broadway Elementary School, home of the Broncos. We are a PBIS Platinum school and have led the district's efforts in redesign. Let's take a look at our Broncos in action. Narrator: At NB Ranch. We celebrate our Broncos achievements in scholarship and citizenship. During Friday

012flag ceremonies students and entire grades are recognized and awarded valuable coupons. R oom 11. Our school store is unique. Kids can redeem their rewards for special experiences like playtime in our game room. Or ... There's a good girl. ...like this visit with special service dogs from Love on a Leash. Yeah. Good boy. Experiences are something that you don't lose. And it will be a memory that they'll take with them when they leave our school. And it's also something that they really look forward to. They get so excited about having these experiences with their peers. N B ranch is advancing learning model by providing enrichment time for students that coincide with collaboration time for teachers. This TK class is taking a drawing lesson from a visiting art instructor while their teacher meets other staff. It helps

013us focus on our kiddos and plan out our weekly lesson plans and just help each other collaborate and work together. And what would life on a ranch be like without baby ducklings? Cute alert! Isn't that cool? Coding, programing, and electrical engineering are all included in this Stem lesson. Was that your code? Teachers from the Enrichment Wheel team bring highly engaging Activities like these Ozobots. Students get to use this time to be really invested in their own learning with hands on activities. That way they can be more prepared for the outside world once they graduate. It's really a win win situation. The students are getting enrichment in areas that we normally couldn't provide, and we are also getting a chance to beef up our teaching, get together and collaborate with our colleagues. North Broadway teachers think

014outside the box. So as I'm reading, I want you to visualize. Or in this case, outside the classroom. So page 52. With special chairs and desks, lessons can happen anywhere. This fourth grade teacher sees many benefits to taking learning outdoors. I feel like the participation increases incredibly, and the social emotional part of it is that they just enjoy being outside. What do you see? What is that? Well, these plants produce seeds or bear fruit? In our secret garden these questions are investigated and answered with a life science scavenger hunt. Evidence of pollination. So they are looking for flowers. They're looking for pollen. The garden is flourishing thanks to the generosity of our PTA, who saw the space as an opportunity for educational growth. This is so much fun. I love it when they get to

015come outside because they love it so much. Students will sell the ripened fruit and succulents at a farmers market, raising money for the school and learning real world experience. We went out to the Secret Garden, got these materials. This sustainable art project connects kids to nature, inspired by Andy Goldsworthy. The temporary pieces are meant to leave a lasting impression without an environmental footprint. Using their imagination, being creative and just falling in love with the process of just making something. The importance of art at North Broadway is seen everywhere. Each grade focuses on an artist or style and exhibits their work for our end of the year art night event. Tag them, tag them, tag them. Our PE program is about more than fitness. PE. It just brings out the best in people. Teamwork and inclusion

016help build a sense of community when our special needs classes join in on the fun. A good PE class is supposed to be inclusive. Everybody should be active, engaged, and that includes our special needs students. North Broadway Elementary School cultivating curious and empowered learners. At NB ranch, our Broncos are the future. Dr. Laura Philyaw: And principal Cherry Moore. Cherry Moore: Good evening cabinet and board members. President Paulson. Doctor Ibarra, and family and guests in the audience. We are so happy to be here to present our Broncos at North Broadway. We are helping our students explore their talents and skills, cultivate relationships, connect with nature, as you saw. We want them to achieve their personal best and know their impact on the world. And tonight, you're going to see that some of our Broncos are making

017quite the impact on our world. So I'd like to call up my Broncos. Come on up. Amy. Elizabeth. Irving. I'd first like to introduce Amy Garcia. She is a second grader in Mrs. Nack's class. Here's a few words that were written about Amy. Amy is an outstanding student who consistently demonstrates empathy, perseverance, and a strong commitment to learning. She serves as a positive role model to her peers by encouraging others and maintaining a growth mindset, even when faced with challenges. Amy's dedication and leadership have been evident throughout the year, and her recent reclassification as a second grader is a reflection of her hard work and determination. We are proud to recognize her achievements and celebrate her bright future ahead of her. Congratulations, Amy. Next, I'd like to introduce Irving Bautista Salgado. This is Irving. Irving

018is a fourth grader. And Mrs. Mullins class Irving exemplifies the values of integrity, perseverance, and leadership that define the Broncos spirit. He is a dedicated student who approaches his learning with focus and consistently produces high quality work that is thoughtful and well done. Irving's positive attitude, kindness, and ability to lead by example make him a respected role model with his peers. We are honored to recognize Irving for his outstanding contributions to our school community. Congratulations, Irving. And finally, I'd like to introduce Elizabeth Armstrong. Elizabeth is a fifth grader in Mrs. Winn's class. Elizabeth is a kind and respected and responsible student who consistently leads by example. As a member of the girls on the Run and Safety Patrol, she demonstrates leadership, teamwork, and a commitment to serve. Her integrity and positive attitude make her a

019role model to her peers. We appreciate her. We are proud of her, and we're proud to honor Elizabeth for the meaningful impact she has made each and every day at her school. Thank you. Elizabeth. Congratulations. Dr. Laura Philyaw: And next we'll be showcasing Orange Glen Elementary . Hi, I'm Lisa Pittard, proud principal at Orange Glen Elementary , home of the owls. Here at Orange Glen , we strive to maximize the students learning experience by providing a safe and nurturing environment. Come see how our owls are respectful, safe, responsible, and scholarly. Narrator: At Orange Glen Elementary , students engage in rigorous learning through an education rich in diversity and creativity. What number are you building? This tactile lesson, using clay, makes learning number basics fun. This kindergarten class is building a strong foundation for math. Using

020that kinesthetic activity, which helps them to connect it in their brain and last a little longer. In the reading lab. E says exercise 'eh'. Small group instruction ensures every student is learning to read. It's the thing I love about my job. You come in, they'e struggling to read. The dough. When- They leave me at the end and they're reading really well, it's the most rewarding thing. Do different kinds of lava mean different types of volcanoes? You are going to be using this straw to blow bubbles in your lava. This science experiment encourages fourth graders to draw their own conclusions. So they're trying to come up with that answer on their own as they experiment, which is cool. It's not just going to be told to them. All right scientists. When students visit the San Elijo

021lagoon. What do you guys notice? They're engaged in scientific discovery. We're going to be heading towards that bridge where we're going to be doing some recording of our ecosystem. Our school district and the Nature Collective are the perfect partners. The Escondido Creek feeds this coastal habitat. The students that come here to visit us, they can feel that sense of connection because of the fact that the watershed leads right down into the San Elijo lagoon. Hello. Hello. Hello. We know that Orange Glen is well equipped to support Escondido students with moderate to severe special needs. We have a lot of help for our blind students, support with our specialists, our speech and language therapists, our adaptive PE teacher. When it comes to lunch, recess, assemblies, any field trips, we're always included. C'mon, you want to play

022basketball with us? On safety patrol, caring and responsible students help the littlest ones stay safe and have fun. What I love is I love seeing the kids happy and enjoying their time playing. At Orange Glen, we like to move it, move it. Follow the leader. And on a rainy day, a quick walk around the school's track followed by some indoor fun helps teach a love for healthy habits. My philosophy is to make exercise as fun as possible. If you get that love of movement early on, hopefully it stays with you. Hop like a frog. Slither like a snake. Walk like a crab. These students are learning balance and coordination on Orange Glen 's sensory path, designed and decorated by our multi-talented P.E. teacher. A lot of times it's the highlight of their week. They get

023really excited when I say we have reading buddies. It gives these fourth graders a chance to be mentors. See what I mean? Like this. And to be leaders in the school. At Orange Glen, our students are the future. Dr. Laura Philyaw: And next principal, Lisa Pitard. Lisa Pitard: Good evening, President Paulson, Doctor Ibarra, board members, cabinet, Orange Glen families and staff. I am Lisa Pitard and I am honored to be the principal at Orange Glen Elementary School. Would my owlets please come forward? Let me introduce you to Kian. Kian is a bright, humble, and uniquely gifted student. His way of thinking amazes us. He thinks differently, learns in his own style, and always tries his best on anything he does. He is responsible and full of heart. Kian reminds us that being yourself is a

024superpower. We are so lucky to have him at Orange Glen and so proud of all that he's achieved. Right over here we have Nadia. Nadia is a scholar who demonstrates outstanding academic performance, leadership and character throughout the year. She has shown exceptional dedication to establishing a positive influence on our classroom community in a variety of variety of ways. She is committed to integrity and personal growth. Nadia has an ability to balance academic responsibilities and extracurricular involvement, thus setting a powerful example for others to follow. We commend Nadia for her resilience, as well as for embodying the very best of what it is meant to be a model citizen. We are certain Nadia is on her way to becoming a transformational positive change agent. And finally, there's Sophia. Sophia is a humble scholar who personifies the

025qualities that define excellence. She has a calm and natural ability to incite curiosity and others, thus resulting in going above and beyond, demonstrating discipline, enthusiasm and a passion for learning. She is very articulate in her communication abilities and is an inspiration to her peers. Sophia also reflects a character of integrity that sets her apart. We are confident that she will continue to achieve great things in the future, and we are so proud and honored to be, to have you here today. Sharill Cortez: Wonderful young man, Nathan Navarro. Nathan is a dedicated and well rounded student with a strong interest in athletics. He actively participates in soccer, has played rugby, and regularly engages in basketball during recess. His involvement in the YMCA afterschool program has been marked by outstanding behavior, sportsmanship, and the willingness to help

026others. He was recognized with an award for his positive attitude, reliability, and readiness to assist staff and peers. Nathan demonstrates kindness, honesty and respect in all his interactions. His consistent efforts, both academically and socially, reflect a student who is committed to excellence. Any teacher would be fortunate to have him in their classroom. Yeah Nathan! Dr. Laura Philyaw: And next, we have a couple more people to recognize. We're going to be inviting up our director of special education, Doctor Patrick Newton to help us recognize the recipients for the Community Advisory Committee Awards. Patrick Newton: Thank you. Good evening, President Paulson, board members, Doctor Ibarra and cabinet. Tonight I have the honor, the distinct honor, of celebrating two of our stellar special education teachers through the North Inland Special Education Local Planning Area Community Advisory Council's Excellence

027in Special Education Award, which is a mouthful, so I'm glad I got that out. Every year, the CAC and our SELPA in San Diego County Office of Education seeks meaningful and wonderful candidates in the field of special education from parents, students, colleagues, administrators, teachers, and support providers of teachers who go above and beyond to serve the unique needs of our students with disabilities. An overwhelming number of applicants came from the Escondido Union School District, and I'm happy to report that two of our stellar teachers, Angelica Bautista from elementary school and Ramon Guzman from Bear Valley Middle School are this year's award winners. Let me tell you a little bit about Angelica. So to be in Angelica Batista's class at Miller Elementary School is truly inspiring. Angelica works in our social emotional academic success program. Lovingly

028referred to in EUSD as our SEAS program. She serves a range of students with unique and exceptional needs in a compassionate and caring manner. Her blend of rigorous academic instruction paired with social emotional instruction, social emotional learning ensures our students make undeniable and remarkable progress. But on those tough days when some of our students need a bit more compassion and attention, they know that Miss Bautista is there to hear them out, support their challenges and get them back on track. EUSD is incredibly lucky to have a special education teacher like Angelica Batista. Join me in congratulating her. For many years, education at Bear Valley Middle School was known for honor, pride, and respect. I can't think of three better ways to describe Ramon Guzman, the special education teacher in our extensive-support needs classroom in room

029one. Ramon takes pride in meeting the unique needs of his students through personalized strategies, unwavering patience, and a deep belief in every student's internal capacity. Ramon creates a learning environment where every student feels valued, respected, capable, and empowered to grow. It's an absolute honor to work alongside special education teachers like Ramon Guzman. Join me in congratulating him. Doug Paulson: All right, everybody. Well, thank you all so much for staying. We would like to ask you to stay for two more very important recognitions tonight. We say farewell, but not goodbye to someone who's been a cornerstone of our district success. Leonard Levine, our chief technology officer. Yeah. You gotta come up. Leonard. Leonard stepped into leadership during the Covid pandemic. The most challenging of times, and thanks to his vision, dedication and calm under pressure, our

030students and staff stayed connected, engaged and supported when it mattered most. He didn't just meet the moment he built the infrastructure that carried us beyond it, from remote learning rollouts to long term tech upgrades. Leonard has helped future proof our schools and create real equity in our access. And while we're sad to see him go, he is moving on to the San Diego County Office of Education, where he will have an impact on many more students. Leonard, thank you very much for your dedication to our district and our kids. You got to stay up here. And next, we also say goodbye and thank you to someone who has made a lasting impact on our district, Deputy Superintendent of Educational Services Laura Philyaw. Laura, your dedication to our students, your leadership, your unwavering focus on equity

031and excellence have shaped countless lives and helped move our schools forward in powerful ways. Your commitment to serving students with integrity and heart has set a standard we will carry with us. Though we're sad to see you go. We're excited for what lies ahead of you as you continue your journey with National City. They're lucky to have you, and we know you'll continue to do incredible things. Things. Things. Dr. Laura Philyaw: Thanks. Doug Paulson: Thank you all so much. All right, everybody, thank you all so much. Congratulations to all of the students. Congratulations to all parents here tonight. Thank you for trusting your children with us. Thank you for everything that you are doing to make your children and all children successful. Teachers, administrators, everybody else, thank you so much for being with us and

032being with our community. We are going to have an eight minute break so that people can decide whether or not they want to stay for the remainder of the evening, which I think the answer will be no. But thank you all so much, have a wonderful evening. Alright everybody, thank you all so much. We are going to ask the congregation in back to break up, and we are going to move on to public comments. And we have one public, public comment tonight and that is Miss Leila Sackfield . Leila Sackfield: Hello, President Paulson, cabinet members and staff. I am Leila Sackfield. I think you probably know that I am a former employee, a current citizen, and most importantly, an eternal supporter of this organization. And I'm here tonight to speak because I felt that I

033could not let this moment go by and I know that you recognize these individuals, but they were my colleagues. And I just have to say that in losing Leonard, you are losing probably one of the human beings of most integrity that I ever had the honor to work with. And I wanted him to hear that publicly from me . And Laura we went through a whole lot together. Coming into the role that you were and me being placed in a different role that was unfamiliar to me in a time when this district was and the world was, quite frankly, in crisis was something to be, to be had. And those experiences cannot be understood really, by anyone except those who went through it. I think Leighangela Brady is an, is an amazing leader, and I'm

034really happy that you will be there. I think it is so important in times of change that we all stop and take a moment to breathe. It's as I was sharing with one of my friends back here, your equilibrium becomes very strange and we tend to rush into things when it's really important to stop and reflect. And so I hope that the two of you, when you enter your new positions will do that, and that you will take with you the knowledge that you absolutely had an impact and made a difference. I had the opportunity today to, before I came here, to go to the 20th anniversary of the FAVE Festival at Reidy Creek, where I was the founding principal, and seeing part of your legacy live on is something very special. And that will

035happen for, for both of you. And I brought a gift for you, made by the students of Reidy Creek at the FAVE Festival, so thank you so much. Doug Paulson: Thank you. Leila. Next up, we have no public hearings tonight. CSEA. That's why we sent her first. Noemi Navarrete: Give me one second. Okay. So. Hello, everyone. On a lighter note today we held the luncheon to celebrate those who participated in the ACE program, which is appreciating classified employees. This is an opportunity for those in leadership positions to shadow classified staff. I would like to thank the classified staff who signed up and the leaders who stepped up out of their roles to step into their shoes. I hope that this continues to bridge the gap and the understanding of the diverse roles, classified staff hold

036. This second part, so just bear in mind I've never been in this position before where there is so much movement over here. So in the role that I'm in as a representative of classified staff, concerns have been posed. People are scared. People are you know, they're, they're worried as to what's going to happen. What is it going to look like? Right? Because we've become accustomed to these faces. We've become accustomed to how they've run EUSD and in the safety net that is there. And the relationships that have been built. Okay, so this message is directed to the school board, as we all know. Doctor Ibarra will be retiring at the end of the 2526 school year. Over the years, he has demonstrated how his experience as an educator has shaped our district to what

037it is today. Our question to you is how will you go about finding a successor who matches Doctor Ibarra's understanding and experience in education? It is crucial that this individual has a clear understanding of the needs of our school sites . And is more, more importantly, the relationship that is built right? All the positions here present, including your own, are very important and they play such a big part into how our classified staff and our students interact. And we just want to make sure that we are holding, not you accountable but more like, that we have an understanding of how it's done. Because for those of us who are new, we've never seen this. This has not been a thing. So, so I just, I guess our question is what happens now? So thank you.

038Okay. I'm done. Doug Paulson: Thank you. And of course, you will get that information. Triple E-A Andrea Sema: And not to belabor the point. Good evening, President Paulson, school board members, Doctor Ibarra and cabinet members. First, even though it's the third, let me appreciate Laura Philyaw and appreciate that she's going to be going to her new role. Congratulations. We will miss you. And Leonard Levine. I've already said it, but you can never be replaced. You will definitely be missed. And you have left, will leave in a couple of days, very huge shoes to fill. So good luck. We will miss you. With the announcement of Doctor Ibarra's retirement at the end of next school year, our teachers and parents have been reaching out regarding the search for our new superintendent. Clearly, there is time to

039go through this process, and there is time to choose someone for our district that can revolutionize the district and move it forward in a direction that is solely focused on our students. We still have yet to actualize the unlimited potential of every learner. It's a great plan. We don't want to lose that. At this time, we have heard nothing about a search, and the concern is that an internal promotion will result in our district moving forward on the same path we have been on, which we don't see as making the adequate changes needed to promote student success as of yet. Our concerns are still present. Our district has been preaching collaboration, the need for community participation and voices being heard to positively impact the success of our district. Choosing to select someone without this valuable

040input shows that our school board has no interest in what our stakeholders think. EUSD board members were elected into positions with the expectation that they would represent the voices of their constituents, not push forward their own personal agendas. It is to represent the voices of your constituents that you were elected. It is already disappointing that most of you do not visit classrooms, and you do not speak with teachers about their experiences. It is clear that many of our school board members vilify our union publicly, yet we are a union that has been focused on student success. We are a union of educators who devote our time to this community, often at the expense of our own families. It is disheartening to hear school board members say, I have no report at the end of these

041meetings. When it is your responsibility to visit the schools in this district. Those of you with jobs outside of this are authorized release time to visit schools and fulfill your duties as school board members. It is really unfortunate that it appears you are only interested in what the district cabinet has to say, as opposed to those that are actually in the classrooms or on our school sites. We want change. We need change. We cannot thrive without change. We want decisions that come from our district to be student focused. We have sat through years of top down micromanagement with wasted time spent in meeting after meeting, when our time could be better spent on improving our craft. How can this be collaborative when the most important decision in our district isn't open to input from our

042most valuable stakeholders? Where is the community voice? How many times do you have to stand here? How many times do we have to stand here? How many times do I have to stand here and tell you we told you so. And the decisions you make could have been successful if you had just asked us for support. By us or we, I mean your community that lives, works and breathes in this community. First and foremost, we need a leader, as already been said. Thank you. So I'm saying it for the third time. Who has been on the front lines of teaching. We need a leader who understands the struggles and successes that teaching brings to the staff in this district. We need a leader who knows how to navigate contract language and how the impact of

043the contracts created by the people of this district are more than just the paper they're written on. That they impact our entire staff from CSEA, you management, and the teachers. We need a leader who can respect the input that we bring and not just gaslight us. A new word, 'gaslight us', into thinking that he or she is listening. Allow the community you are serving to have input and a voice in this enormous decision. Please conduct a search. We need the best. We deserve the best. And the decision is ultimately yours. The students depend on you. Thank you. Doug Paulson: All right. All written communications have been distributed. Moving on to item F, consent items. Looking for any items to be pulled. Zesty Harper: I just had a comment. I didn't have anything to be pulled.

044But speaking of ACE day and I'll get to it in my report, but a couple of the items we have on the consent agenda are from Nutrition Services, and I shadowed Dawn there, and she is the one that puts these bids together and these contracts together that we vote on. And, you know, it only takes 30s for us to vote. But there are hours and hours and hours of time put into these contracts and thousands of pounds of meat and goods and milk in here to feed our students. And I just wanted to give recognition to that of how much goes into it. And we, you know, we just see it as a line item. But it's a, it's a lot more than that. And so I'll move approval of the consent items. Doug Paulson:

045Thank you. And, Miss Gardner, seconds. Please vote. And just to echo that, every one of these consent agenda items, there's a lot of work behind it by a variety of people. Zesty Harper: Yeah, but Dawn's my favorite right now. So fed you well. Yes she did. Doug Paulson: All right. Motion passes 5 to 0. And moving on to our presentations, Doctor Philyaw. Dr. Laura Philyaw: Alrighty. Well. Good evening. This evening we are very pleased to be able to share an update on our first year's implementation of the community schools grant at 16 of our schools. And before we begin, I do want to acknowledge the close collaboration that we have had with our partners with CSEA and Triple E-A on this work, as we look to ensure that we're supporting the needs of all of

046our EUSD students. So I'm going to go ahead and invite up Kimberly Israel, our EUSD coordinator of the community schools . Kimberly Israel: Thank you, President Paulson, and board trustees Doctor Ibarra and cabinet, and those in the audience this evening in person and virtually, who have taken the time out of their already extremely busy schedule to listen this evening. It is an honor and privilege to stand before you tonight representing the students, staff, parents and community members who work tirelessly each and every day to create school experiences. That are engaging and welcoming and that reflect and respond to the strengths and needs of our beautiful community. As your storyteller this evening, I'm keenly aware of what Brene Brown would say is the sacred nature of a story. Thank you. One that is deeply rooted in

047and with a very deep respect and care for those whose story it is truly about. For our community school story this evening, I stand here with recognition and deep appreciation for the fact that the foundation of community schools in EUSD started long before we received a California community schools Partnership Program grant last May. And while tonight's story is truly about our community schools journey over the last nine months, what I have called the official start of the community schools era in EUSD, it is also with a sincere hope that the story continues well beyond the five years of this grant funding. And while I will be mostly focusing this presentation tonight on the design structures, programs and activities associated with EUSD's community schools work at the district and site level, I would be remissed if

048I did not remind all of us of the deeply personal and challenging nature of creating meaningful, sustainable, and impactful learning and life experience for students each and every day at our schools. This work has not and will continue to not be easy. There has not been, nor will there be, any simple one size fits all program that can do it all, especially in a community as beautiful and with as much potential as as can be. For me, it has been. For me, it has been a 25 year journey of trying to find the unique combination of systems, processes, spaces and people who, when combined together with passion and purpose, can create schools that are welcoming, where all staff feel a sense of connection and cohesion, where the varied needs of students and families are met

049without barriers such as cost, transportation, insurance and where our teams could actually experience meaningful changes in student outcomes, both as shown by data and more importantly, by the experiences they have at all of our schools. Only then would we know that we would be providing a true foundation for our students that would lead them to a lifetime of academic and personal success. And I will say, without a doubt, during my last public presentation as an employee of this district, and after more than two decades of listening to the needs of our incredible students, families, community members and staff, I think we have found it. It's not one program, but it is the synergy and coherence of all of the systems coming together at once that has allowed us to feel the energetic shift at our

050schools. That's what will provide us the biggest impact for our community. It is through the true integration of community school strategies within the context of what already is and has been in EUSD, integrating the very best of the science of learning, belonging and engaging together with a focus on instructional access and extended learning programs. All of that into one coherent whole and adapting it to what our community is asking for. It is all that that will make the biggest impact. Although not exactly as powerful as a Taylor Swift Eras Tour concert. Thank you. The collective effervescence of being part of a district of 24 schools that are all working collaboratively and collectively towards the same goal, with similar values and priorities, has truly been awe inspiring. This is almost unheard of for a first year

051community schools grant. Thank you to Doctor Philyaw, triple E-A, CSEA, the steering Committee at services ISS, all of our school principals, our MTSS site specialist, family liaison , school social workers, counselors, classroom teachers, classified staff, parents, community members, and students. Without all of you, the true story of community schools year one would not be possible. And so now I will start with my presentation and I will go through quickly. So our story of community schools year one. We're going to go over a quick overview of community schools . We're going to talk about our unique model that we have in our district, our year one story. And I will give you the opportunity to see some of our community schools in action. Very excited. So as you know, last year we were awarded a $22.8

052million community schools grant, providing $1.425 million for each of our 16 school sites. For over the next five years to do this really powerful work. You all learned about last year what a community school is, but I will just very quickly summarize that according to the Alameda County Office of Education. The current technical assistance center for the CCSP grant, which I'll call it a community school, is both a place and a set of partnerships between a school and community resources. It's integrated focus is on academics, services, supports and opportunities meant to lead to the ultimate outcome of improving student learning, creating stronger families and healthier communities. The strategies that are at the cornerstone of community schools is having shared commitments, understanding and priorities. Collaborative leadership where all education partners have a voice. Centered community based

053learning, sustaining staff and resources, and community partnerships. In addition to that, there are four cornerstone pillars of community schools , which may look familiar and speaks directly to my earlier reference about how our EUSD community school story began before May 2024. Having services and programs already in place in each of these pillars has allowed us to move quicker than most districts in synergizing and aligning our practices. Those four pillars include integrated student supports, family and community engagement, expanded learning and opportunities, and collaborative leadership and practices for educators and administrators. And so what is our community schools design? Our community schools design is about true integration and elevation of our systems and practices to ensure we are actualizing the unlimited potential of every learner community school strategies support, add to and complement and integrate the work

054of the framework for the future student engagement and attendance, positive behavior interventions and supports, and our incredible expanded learning program. All science based learning strategies that have been proven to make significant impacts on outcomes for students. Our EUSD community schools design also leans heavily on the implementation of a multi-tiered system of support. Although not a new framework for EUSD, it's strengthening the system that has been in place and continuing to be one of the core strategies that we will lean into for all five years of the funding for, just as a review, the multi-tiered system of support is a framework for organizing programs, services and resources at a school to ensure all students receive what they need to be successful. It is proactive and data based. This year's focus has been on strengthening tier one

055and two strategies that are school wide and classroom based in all areas attendance, social, emotional and behavioral supports, community and family engagement, and academic. And thanks to our community schools grant, 16 of our sites now have the support of an MTSS specialist to guide and co-lead this incredible work. They are pictured here with the family liaison Team at a community school summit this fall. And wow, this new group of MTSS specialists are truly rock stars. The dedicated group of former classroom teachers served the role of ensuring community school strategies are integrated at their school sites, helping to coordinate the sites MTSS process and working to support all three tiers of the MTSS strategies at the site, with a specific focus on the academic domain. Some of the things that they've been doing is using data

056for decision making and sharing, best practices for differentiation and effective use of universal access and personalized learning time. Oh, what a privilege it has been for me to work with this beautiful group of humans in this photo this year. I'll share with you a little bit of the process behind the scenes at schools receiving the CCSP grant. The principal now has the MTSS specialist to support their schools MTSS system and help to ensure alignment and synergy of each pillar. The school social worker and counselor at the middle school and the family liaison are also key to this integration. Members of the planning team along with, there we go, students, certificated and classified staff, parents and community members make up the site's community schools advisory committees. These committees provide ongoing input into priority setting at the

057site. During our year one all sites community schools advisory committees were invaluable to the process of gathering and analyzing feedback from all education partners in determining how to spend the remainder of their community schools funding. Members of the planning team, along with teachers and other certificated specialists and or classified staff, serve on our school's comprehensive student assistance teams. The Student Engagement and Attendance Teams, otherwise known as SEAT and the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Teams. All three team processes have shifted significantly this year to be even more inclusive of staff input and feedback, as well as focus more on proactive and early intervention strategies. If we liken our year one community schools journey to preparing for a concert with our EUSD concert go live date set for August of 2025, then I would have considered

058my role this year as the producer of the fabulous concert to come. The fall was the time for me to help our site set the stage and make sure everyone had the correct instruments, equipment and sound system to perform. This meant leaning into helping all of our team members understand community school strategies, the MTSS process, and district initiative integration. The winter spring was my time to help our schools do sound checks and rehearsals, taking the information from their needs assessment and turning them into pilot programs, coming up with priority lists, and continuing to check with their education partners at their school site to see if the design resonated and would meet their specific site needs. Our MTSS specialist, family liaison s, and student service teams each had structures for ongoing shared sharing of practices. Principles

059had set aside community schools principals, meeting to talk about grant management and share out on common needs and best practices . And behind the scenes, this year I was busy creating customized EUSD materials and trainings to support our systems and our teams. The highlight of my year was my time at the sites with over 60 visits. The meetings with the planning teams offered me an opportunity to model the strategy of deep listening and thought partnering. It was truly soul filling. Before we spotlight outcomes and vision for our community schools grant funded work and provide some examples from our school, the most important part. I want us to pull back for a second to remind ourselves the impact of community schools across all 24 of our school sites because like we did with our first grant

060that I supported back from 2009 to 2014. We could leverage the information and strategies learned through a grant and really be able to apply those strategies across the district. So you'll see here a couple of just examples of what has already been and continues to be elevated in our district. In terms of community partnership. We have a new partnership with Health and Human Service Agency to bring our Live Well on Wheels van to our campuses. That just was finalized a couple months ago, so we had a few campuses have that. We continue with ESCO partnership, our neighborhood healthcare dental clinic partnership with over 800 students seen this year. We continue to work our family liaison team with our assistance league. We had over 1000 students receive new clothes and shoes. Our Feeding San Diego and

061San Diego Food Bank partnership that's at six schools across our district. And just as an example, again, lots and lots of partnerships. But our Vista Hill prevention, early intervention, mental health treatment programs, their team I've been working with for 25 years, provides just a whole continuum of support of mental health services at our school sites. And then I do want to point out that, again, that whole piece of MTSS process alignment, our trainings and meetings we've had were not only with the 16 schools, they were for all 24 schools representatives. And we continued to lean into our incredible rock star team of folks from ELOP to continue to engage in really great conversations and expanding wonderful opportunities for our kids through that program at all of our schools. So a little overview of this year

062taking a closer look at the strategies and goals of community schools . This year alone, the 16 sites had over 2400 parents and family members, 1100 staff, and 4500 students providing direct input into their school priorities. All 16 schools spent a lot of time really leaning in to looking at data on an ongoing basis. In addition to the district steering committee, 16 school, community schools school advisory committees were formed, each meeting at least four times during the year. What makes this community. This this committee different from others is that they actually include not only administrators, staff, classified and certificated, but also include students, parents and community partners. We've had representatives that span from Kiwanis to Rotary Club, Universities, faith organizations, nonprofit organizations sit on those site based committees that are helping to make decisions and

063build programs specific to that school's needs. And we've worked again to garner even more voice from education partners to continue to evolve our continuum of community partners, our districts framework for the future, and the work of our school leaders and educators. Exploring alongside the Learner Center Collaborative really is the foundation to which our sites are ensuring our students are learning and engaging with their community. One of those community schools strategies. Again, things like whole school redesign and micro schools implementation and design of community focused lessons is exactly the type of leaning in to this community based model that community schools is trying to move across the state. And of course, conversations on sustainability. Thank you for calling out what happens behind the scenes for contracts. You will see on the agenda tonight some really exciting

064new partnerships with the Department of Health Care Services, with the multi-payer fee schedule and our capacity grant, really hoping that that serves as a foundation for this district moving forward, to be able to move our social workers and counselors into a sustainable model for years to come. And again, that's not uncommon for those conversations on sustainability to happen within the first year of a community schools grant. But we wanted to make sure we were planning ahead. How will we know if the work that we're doing is making a difference? Let me start by saying this is not a research study because we don't have a control group, because so much is happening at our sites that are not funded for community schools grant. That being said, we can track the outcomes of our work by

065looking at some key indicators. So for our program as a whole, we'll be looking at indicators of multi-tiered system of support implementation. We'll be looking at student and family engagement measures, attendance, chronic absenteeism and numbers of families attending our activities at our sites, school climate and culture. And we'll look at the academic growth indicators of ELA and math growth as well. And those will be tracked across all of the schools throughout the five years. And so our story tonight is going to end where it should. With examples from our school sites. And so here's one just very quick example from Oak Hill Elementary. This shows the outline from a community schools needs assessment that shows four areas that they looked at as needs. That needs came up within those conversations, meeting after meeting and how

066they put together a plan for addressing the needs that was coming through their community. Those will have helped them to make decisions on what is going to be prioritized and funded for the next school year. You will have access. If you can't click on it now, you'll be able to tomorrow to specific implementation plans from each of the schools. They're pretty robust documents that reflect the current school year's program as well as all of their growth indicators, metrics, all of that specific. They will also all be ADA compliant. Thank you, Mark, for masterclass. And they will be linked to everyone's school website by the end of next week. And they will be submitting annual performance reports. The teams will have the site that will include a link to those implementation plans. You will also have

067access to spotlights from all of our 16 schools. Again there's no possible way that I could share in, in other than having you see it and be at a site which we did get a chance to do at two of our sites Farr and Hidden Valley last month. To, to conduct a site visit and be there not only to see it, hear it, hear the story from the students and the teams. But you can get a little glimpse or what I call spotlight at each of the schools program and the things that they really think resonated for them this year, that we're able to really make the most impact. All of our site teams are to rock stars and are eager and excited to come back in the fall with their new creative strategies to

068start the next school year. And so to end tonight's story of EUSD's first year with community schools , it is my pleasure to introduce you to two incredible, incredibly energetic members of our community schools family. Principal Cortez is going to come back for her third time, which is lovely. You can never get enough of Sharill. And Dannie Hampshire, her incredible MTSS specialist. And they're just going to share a little bit about their community school story over at Central Elementary. Sharill Cortez: We should just stay here. Good evening again, Board President Paulson, board members and cabinet. In case you've forgotten, within the hour, I am Sharill Cortez, Principal of Central Elementary. Dannie Hampshire: And I'm Dannie Hampshire, the MTSS site specialist at Central. Sharill Cortez: Thank you for the opportunity to highlight central as an example

069of community schools in action. Our site's transformation is deeply connected to the powerful, district wide commitment to the community schools model, where we work collaboratively to meet the unique needs of our students, deepen family engagement, and foster strong community partnerships. At Central, the launch of our Community School initiative marked the start of something deeper than a new program. It marked the beginning of a shared commitment to doing school differently, centered on the whole child, and built the relationships. As we began this work, we brought together a leadership team that aligned our efforts with key priorities already underway, like micro school attendance systems and the district's learner framework. This team consisted of certificated and classified staff, parents, students, and community members. Ensuring that a right excuse me, ensuring that a range of voices and perspectives guided

070our direction. So we rooted our approach in three pillars of academics, engagement and culture. And from the beginning we focused on building something collaborative, intentional and responsive. A key part of this journey was listening, not just once, but consistently. We collected feedback at every stage, and one of the most meaningful spaces for this was our community School Advisory Council, known as our CSAC. Our CSAC meetings became meaningful space for connection and collaboration. They gave families, staff, and community partners a chance to come together, listen to one another, and share real perspectives about what's working and where we need to grow. The conversations were honest and hopeful, rooted in a shared desire to make central stronger. The feedback shared in these meetings helped us focus on what truly matters. Creating a school where every child and

071every family feels like they belong. Over time, CSAC became more than a committee. It became a space where belonging was built, where community members felt seen and valued, and where their ideas directly influenced decisions. So nearly every member expressed interest in continuing next year. An affirmation of the trust and purpose the group has cultivated. Dannie Hampshire: In parallel with these meetings, we conducted a comprehensive needs and assets assessment, a deep dive into our school's strengths and areas for growth. We also launched a school wide survey for students, families, staff and community members asking what they loved about central, what improvements they hoped for, and how connected they felt to our school. From all this feedback, CSAC conversations, survey results and the assessments, We built three clear goals that now guide our community schools work. To

072increase, increase student, family and community engagement by reducing chronic absenteeism and building stronger partnerships across our school. To foster a more positive, connected school climate where every student feels safe, seen, and truly like they belong. And to improve academic progress in ELA and math by ensuring every student has access to meaningful, high quality learning opportunities and the support they need to thrive. Every one of these goals was shaped by community voice, by what we heard, what we learned, and what we committed to together, and they reflect the kind of change that is only possible when we build with, not just for our school community. This year, through the collaboration of students, Families, educators and partners. We also defined a clear sense of who we are and who we're becoming. We see Central not just as

073a school, but as a community, a place where learning is active, leadership is nurtured, perseverance is encouraged, and every individual feels a deep sense of belonging and purpose. Everything we built this year was co-created, shaped in true partnership with our community. That's what makes community schools powerful. They transform schools into places where people come together, feel heard and move forward as one. Our experience is just one example of what's happening across our district, schools becoming hubs of connection, care and possibility. We're proud of the foundation we've laid, and we're energized by what lays ahead as we continue growing stronger together with purpose, with partnership, and as always, with love. Thank you. Sharill Cortez: Thank you everyone. Kimberly Israel: Thank you. Any questions? Zesty Harper: Thank you for the presentation. I really appreciate the summary of

074what the tremendous amount of work you have done and your team and everyone in this district has done in this last 12 months. I mean, I don't think it's even been 12 months, has it? It's incredible. I'm excited for the collaboration that has happened so far, and you've taken so much feedback and really put that into the program and made positive changes. For example, you know, one of the things I hear when I'm out on the sites is that they wanted to be the CSAC team, like to be more teacher included. And you made that happen. And that I hear there's weekly CSAC meetings which weren't happening before, and it's including the teacher and who knows the students best and what they need. I mean, that's just one example. And I just love that we

075are creating a central hub for our community that they can get the resources they need. It's tough for everyone out there. And if we can provide hope and stability and services to our community, I think that's number one. And we can if we do that, we create a solid foundation for our students to come and learn, and then they can learn and then they can grow. But without that foundation, they can't be here. So I wanted to just thank you. I really appreciate all you've done. Best of luck in the future for sure. Your legacy is long lasting here. I hope you will come back and see us and check in on us. But again I appreciate being on the steering committee with you, but again, I, your ability to take input from everyone and

076really make positive change is incredible. So thank you very much. Kimberly Israel: Thank you. Doug Paulson: And Kim, obviously our district is way ahead of the curve on this way ahead of the curve, way ahead of the state curve. I don't know that anybody else has hit this level of organization in the first year. On a personal note, I want to make sure you know how many, how many children you have positively impacted during your career here. And I want to make sure that you know how much better a place this district is and this city is because you were here. Thank you. Dr. Laura Philyaw: Again, we're so grateful to Kimberly. We just wanted to make sure to have that opportunity to acknowledge you for all of your work, your effort, your commitment, your

077passion for the work, your your legacy that you're leaving behind has really touched the lives of all of us. So we thank you. All right. Doug Paulson: All right. And here we go. Item N-1. Now. Now it's a little. Yeah. Item N-1 Business Services, resolution 24/25/26. Community facilities district establishing annual special tax for fiscal year 25/26. Mr. McGuire. Andrew McGuire: This is the item that authorizes the county to collect the taxes from the previously approved community facilities districts. This is not a new CFD. This is just to collect the taxes on the previously approved. Doug Paulson: So these taxes have already been paid. They are in the county coffers. This gets the money from there to us. Correct? Andrew McGuire: Correct. Doug Paulson: Thank you. Do we have a motion to approve? Mark Olson: Motion

078to approve as presented. Frank Huston: I'll second. Doug Paulson: Mr. Olson moves. Mr. Huston seconds. Any discussion? Joan Gardner: So the money is there in the county treasury? Doug Paulson: Yes. Joan Gardner: If we don't claim it Doug Paulson: It will go to the county. It, I don't know what would happen. What would happen? Andrew McGuire: So okay, technically speaking, this authorizes the collection of the taxes in October and April that are already authorized for us to collect from the previous CFD, but the county requires us to say yes again every year. Joan Gardner: And every year I say no. Zesty Harper: You say yes every year. Doug Paulson: To this one. Andrew McGuire: I'd have to. I'd have to consult the record. Zesty Harper: That's what I'm getting at. Yes. We don't we don't

079like the new ones, but the the ones that we have already. Joan Gardner: We might as well take the money. Zesty Harper: Take the money because it's already been approved. Joan Gardner: Even though I feel sorry for those who are paying that money. Zesty Harper: It's a lot. Joan Gardner: It is . More than, more than it would have been if it had been paid upfront and worthless. But okay. Thank you for clarifying that, I just wanted to make sure what I'm voting on. Doug Paulson: Okay so all right, let's vote. Let's see. All right. Motion passes 5 to 0. Moving on to item N-2. Mark Olson: Regarding reinstatement case 2023-24-22. Approve as recommended. Zesty Harper: I'll second. Doug Paulson: Mr. Olson moves, Miss Harper seconds. Please vote. And motion passes 5 to 0. Item

080N-3. Mark Olson: Thank you, Mr. President. Regarding, Reinstatement case number 2024-25-03 approved recommendation as presented. Zesty Harper: I'll second. Doug Paulson: Mr. Olson moves, Miss Harper. Seconds. Please vote. All right. Motion passes, 5 to 0. Moving on to item N-4. Audrey Frank: I'm asking the board to approve the expiration of the following temporary contracts for our personnel. However, note that as we continue to approve retirements and resignations, some are, and many of these individuals will be rehired and placed on upcoming personnel orders. Doug Paulson: All right. Looking for a motion to approve. Joan Gardner: So motion. Frank Huston: Second. Doug Paulson: Ms. Gardner moves, Mr. Huston seconds of as for discussion, I would just like to say thank you to all of our temporary teachers. They go through this every year. It is very difficult

081and we just want them to know how much we appreciate them. Motion passes 5 to 0. Moving on to item N-5. Audrey Frank: I'm seeking approval of the revised permit teacher job description as presented. Zesty Harper: I move approval. Mark Olson: Second. Doug Paulson: Miss Harper moves. Mr. Olson seconds. Please vote. Motion passes 5 to 0. Moving on to board and staff reports, Miss Gardner. Joan Gardner: Well, as you know, May is a very busy month, and so I do have a lengthy report. Good thing it's still early. First of all, I represented the board and along with you, Mr. Paulson, at the design team latest design team meeting, where we had a presentation on the first years of our school redesign from Lincoln, Bear Valley, Rose, Rock Springs, and Felicita. I was very impressed,

082Particularly with the presentation from Lincoln School, where the principal, Mr. Hoff, talked about a grant from the, from the county, a five year grant for the site to, to implement the science of reading. And it's very heavily phonics based, which of course, you know, is my love and, and always my advice that that's what we should be going back to. And so I'm very excited about that. And again, Mr. Hoff told me that it seems to be really doing special helping the kids early on, and that's what's important to get them by first and second grade, so that by third grade they're reading on, on grade level. That's my dream and my hope for, for all of our kids. So maybe we have we'll have something to pass on to other schools for experience. And

083they're only in the, the first, I think this was the second year of their, of their implementation. So they have time yet to, to continue on. So there's a competition I guess between that and the, the other phonics program that we're using, the, the Orton-Gillingham. Yeah. Well and that's, that's good. It's good to try out different methods that and see what works the best and what fits each individual student as well. And then I was pleased to attend, along with Mrs. Harper, the, the honoring employees, our employees recognition where we honored our site CSEA and certificated employees of the year, 20 and 30 year team members who've been with us for that length of time and also our retirees. And good luck to them all in in their retirement, which is something we all look

084forward to in life. In any case, we have some amazing, amazing teachers and employees in our district because of course CSEA is a great support for for our students as well. And we all work together so well. As I've always said, Escondido is like a family and people tend to stick around, so that's very pleasing. Then I also attended the school services May revision workshop and there the future is a little bit cloudier as far as planning for, for our financial future, but we're being very proactive and, and having a good plan so we don't get caught unawares. I also attended the insurance committee meeting, and our next meeting will be in August, where we'll be getting an idea of the rates to come in the following year. And we're waiting with bated breath for

085that. But that, again, is not until August. So we'll see what that, surprise that brings. I also had the great pleasure this morning of attending the surprise of our wonderful new county, newly named county teacher of the year for elementary school, Corina Martinez, and there were so many people who turned out to congratulate her. There was a room full in her classroom, beginning with her, her students who shared. You could tell how they loved their teacher, and you could also tell how she loves her students. And it was no wonder she, she's truly deserving that, that award. And she, of course, shared the credit with her students and with all the support that she has at that school site. So typical of, of a teacher of that caliber. And this morning yeah, that was this

086morning. And what else? Oh, I guess that was it. Oh. Oh, gosh. Yes, I almost forgot, because I, that wasn't even on my list because I only attended this afternoon the, the first edition of a history fair history and an inventive fair at Del Dios Middle School. And it's kind of like a science fair where all of the kids made, what do they call those boards that they set up with a display, and they all chose, well, the ones that really impressed me were the ones who chose characters from history and told their story. And there were some students that were so well versed they could tell you the the life story of a particular person without even looking at notes. Of course, they had note cards too. But every one of them learned something

087from history. There was Davy Crockett, and there was. Oh, I should have written the one I had never heard of, but quite a heroine of the past. And there was Dolly Madison. People like that. So I learned some things I didn't know. I didn't realize that Benjamin Franklin died of pleurisy, but, but that student had, had discovered that and, and shared that with, on his board and in his, in his talk. So I hope they will continue that because I think it's important to, to know our history. And that's my report. Thank you for that. Doug Paulson: Thank you. Mr. Huston? Frank Huston: And I have no report. Doug Paulson: Mr. Olsen. Mark Olson: Just a few things. Like Joan said, May has been a busy month. I'm sorry I wasn't able to get out

088to any of the events, but I'm looking forward to being on campus next week or a couple of weeks for promotions. That's always a wonderful time. It's great to see the teachers and all the hard work they put into those events. So I'm excited to to engage with our community and with the students that will be moving forward. Also, you know, again, congratulations to Corina Martinez. That's a great representation of our district and just one of many teachers that do outstanding and go above and beyond what's required or what's expected. And so I'm grateful and I believe this is our last meeting. So I just want to say thank you to all of the staff those here, those that are in the classroom, those that support the campuses. I hope that this next few weeks

089is uneventful as possible. I know sometimes things get a little wild the last couple of weeks. So I hope that you know how much I, as well as the board members, appreciate all the hard work, and I'm looking forward to kind of being at the next, next couple of weeks. There's a lot of events going on. And so I look forward to kind of being around. I've been traveling a little bit, so be here for a little bit. That's my report. And again, just say thank you to Doctor Philyaw and to Leonard. I know, you know, it's been mentioned a couple times, change is difficult and change is sometimes scary. And I can certainly attest to that at this time. But, you know, with that comes opportunity, and we'll be grateful for the legacy that

090you've laid and look forward as its been mentioned, it's big shoes to fill, but certainly we look forward to building upon the legacy that you guys have established and wish you all the best in your new endeavors. That's the end of my report. Zesty Harper: Thank you, Mr. Olson. Someone asked me to be quick, but I don't think that's possible, so I apologize in advance. We have until 9:00, so. And I'm going out of order so, but I attended the Triple E-A banquet which was lots of fun, and I won a lot of fake money, so I did really well this year. So I can't wait till next year. I also went to Bear Valley for their esports championship night, which was fantastic. It was very, well, well controlled chaos, Mrs. Fox. It was very

091impressive with the live streamer and everyone knowing what was going on, but not it was a lot of screens and students and a lot of enthusiasm. I attended the recognizing our employees with Mrs. Gardner which is always again, impressive to, you know, have our 30 year team members and staff members is unbelievable to me. And their dedication throughout the years. And, and congratulations to our retirees. That is quite a milestone that I can't even fathom right now. So, but I really appreciate it. And it's always such a nice ceremony and in our newly done garden out there, it was, it was very lovely. And it was really fun. I again went with Mrs. Gardner this morning to pioneer to make the surprise announcement of our teacher of the year for Mrs. Martinez. Again, just a

092great example that we've had five out of the last six years. We've had a county employee, a teacher of the year, again, just shows how, well our students are being served by our teachers because we have fantastic teachers. And I forget who said it today, but not only is Miss Martinez amazing, but she also represents all the amazing teachers we have in this district. And she, she gets to wear the crown this year, but she, I think she said it. She wears it for all the other teachers as well. And I wanted to give a shout out to the girls on the run. They had their 5K, which is a great accomplishment this last weekend. What a fun year to finish up. And I think that's a great event they get to culminate. I saw

093that all the pictures and the early morning. It's that's exciting. So congratulations to them. And I also attended the, quickly, the Del Dios History and Invention night. But it was great to see all the posters and they were really enthusiastic about their topics, which, which is important because then they're engaged in it. And then I had to I wanted to talk about our ace day because I think that's such a valuable program we have here. But I think it's always, because we always try to do it during CSEA week, which is always funny that it comes in Mental Health Month with the Teacher Appreciation week. I mean, I don't know why they put May as Mental Health Month, and then we honor everyone who's trying to keep it together because there's so much going on.

094But it's really special to me. Every time I've done ACE Day to really see the individual impact employees have on this district. And so I chaperoned. I didn't need a chaperon. I shadowed Dawn. She's a nutrition. She's the nutritional specialist. She was a former chef who found a passion for serving our students in this community. And she is now the menu planner and the buyer and everything extraordinaire in that department. She is amazing. And the attention to detail for what she does and all of actually the nutritional staff. We went to Rincon, we saw the new prep kitchen. I went to Mission, saw their prep kitchen and they were finishing lunch. I went to the warehouse. How they pay attention to even the individual student because they know those students need to be fed so

095they, again, can have a solid foundation so they're able to be successful in the classroom, like they even go to the color of the buttons. If a special needs student needs a special bun, they make sure that student has that pink colored bun because they know they will eat that bun. And I think that's truly incredible, when we have 14,000 students and they're still concerned about one, making sure one student is, is satisfied. Joan Gardner: Is that the only, the only difference? Zesty Harper: Yeah, that I think is just a. Joan Gardner: Gluten free. Zesty Harper: No, I think it's just the color they like. They like the color. Joan Gardner: And then they'll eat it. Zesty Harper: Yes, exactly. And then they'll eat it. But I mean just the care they have for our

096students. But again, the amount of time and effort that just one of our employees is taking to keep this operation moving forward, and they do it with such heart and diligence. I really appreciate it. I thank, you know, Amy, for putting that together this year. Again, we have to continue that because again, they all care and they all work hard every day. They come here and give their hearts out for our students. And it really shows. So thank you, Don, if you're watching, I love my new lunch buddy. But again, with the ACE day and we had the luncheon to celebrate it. Again, we can't do it without every single one of our employees. And that's just not talk coming from us. It really is true. And we, and we see it every day. And

097then hopefully next year, I can ride, run the forklift. Doug Paulson: Thank you very much. Yes, I was at the design team meeting. I would just like to say I didn't have a favorite presentation. What I liked was the fact that every one of our schools is getting the the chance to re-imagine themselves and set the tone on their campus that they want. So it was absolutely outstanding. Of course, I probably am partial to Rose, but that's another issue. Just I also watched and read the May revise and I've just got to say muddy waters. And so we've got to be diligent, attended for a while. The nets induction advisory meeting again, just so outstanding what we do to prepare our teachers once they're hired. We've got so much, we've got such a good program

098and just really appreciate everybody there. This morning I went out on a nice day with painter Joe Mendoza, and we painted up at Rincon in the the skate park. And I learned more about painting than, than I really needed to know. And we went around and I learned more about the paint at Pioneer. I learned, yes, I know Zesty, your favorite. I learned more about that paint job than, than I would have ever imagined. And, you know, so, but the attention that they pay, the complexity of their job, understanding, that's one job of the however many classified jobs we have. They're complex. We also went to the Del Dios History Day. Very fun watching the kids speaking in first person or at least making their best effort at it. Absolutely outstanding. And a project that

099I hope continues. And that is my report, Doctor Ibarra. Dr. Luis Rankins-Ibarra: Yes. Just wanted to say, you know, as we're heading into the home run here. And this is our last board, school board meeting before the end of the year. So I want to just publicly acknowledge everyone. Thanks for all the hard work we're about to enter. I know May has been a very busy month, and we've got a few weeks still left in us. Let's end strong. So thank you to everyone. Congratulations to Corina Martinez. It was outstanding. Another San Diego County Office, San Diego County Teacher of the year. It's truly representative of the outstanding teachers and staff that we have here in EUSD. Thank you to Noemi and CSEA for another successful ACE day. I think we really learn a lot

100from walking in other people's shoes. So thank you. And just to my colleagues Laura, Leonard and Kimberly, wishing you all the very best. I know change is upon us, and if that's the only thing that is consistent is change, unfortunately. But wish you all well. And for all those of us that are still, we still have some time together. I think we're going to, we'll build upon what you left with us, I love that. So we will. We will be just fine. Come back and visit us. But we'll be checking in on you guys, too. So that concludes my report and thank you to everyone. This has been a it's, it's, it's been a wonderful year and we've got many more to go. Doug Paulson: Anybody else. Andrew McGuire: So next Thursday at 2:00 out

101in the new garden, we're going to be having a ceremony to dedicate that to Kathy Shirley, someone who's had just made a lasting impact on our district. Her legacy is felt to this day. And I know Leonard and a lot of the work you did, you were a great steward of many of those innovations and carry that forward. And it's going to be hard work for us to continue to carry that forward, too. And I appreciate your efforts and your work here and working with you and you as well, Laura, and working with you in the time that we we got to have together. So next Thursday, 2:00 in the courtyard. Everyone is welcome. We'll have some light refreshments, program. We're going to hear a lot of stories about Kathy Shirley and her time here

102in Escondido throughout her whole life. And so if any of you have any of those stories, come share them with, with your friends, meet some new friends and help us to dedicate the courtyard as the Kathy Shirley Memorial Garden. Joan Gardner: And the promises the fountain will be turned on. Andrew McGuire: Well, that's a surprise reveal. Joan Gardner: Are you serious. Andrew McGuire: We just announced to the public. No everyone can see it, but yes. No, the fountain will be turned on. And during that ceremony. Joan Gardner: Nobody knew that the fountain was going to be turned on. First. Yeah, we've tested it. I mean, when I asked, why isn't the fountain running? It was. Andrew McGuire: The fountain is, is waiting for the dedication ceremony, and once we turn it on, it will then

103run forevermore. Joan Gardner: Well thats an attraction though, isn't it? An inducement to come and see the fountain. Andrew McGuire: Come see the fountain. Joan Gardner: Okay. Andrew McGuire: It's amazing. Joan Gardner: That was my point. Andrew McGuire: Absolutely. Doug Paulson: Any others? Andrew McGuire: We'll see you out there. Joan Gardner: We want to see a great turnout. Doug Paulson: Alright. Thank you all so much. Our next meeting i s on June 17th. Starting at 6 p.m. at the Carolyn Gilbert Education Center, 2310 Alder. Alder Grove Road in Escondido. And we will not be going back into closed session. We are adjourned.