001Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the Colton Joint Unified School District Board meeting. Today is Thursday, May 7th. Welcome, everyone. We are going to call the meeting to order and I would ask Joanne Medina if you can please take roll call. Mr. Flores? Present. Mr. Ibarra? Present. Mrs. Haro? Present. Mr. Fuentes? Present. Mrs. Sandoval? Present. Miss Dorina Heda? Present. Mrs. Flores? Present. Thank you, Joanne. Okay, we uh are going to uh do the renewal of the pledge of allegiance. I am going to ask our CSEA president Guadarrama if he would lead us in the flag salute. Thank you, Anthony. Okay, I just would like to announce that we do have an interpreter, Cynthia Bueno. She is available for Spanish-speaking persons wanting assistance. Cynthia, you want to come up? Thank you, Board President Flores. Good evening, all.
002Muy buenas noches a todos. Gracias, Cynthia. Okay, we are moving to item 1.3, the adoption of the May 7th agenda. There are no amendments [snorts] to this agenda, correct? So, we would do not need to take action on that. Item 2.1, Grand Terrace High School. I would like to invite Principal Neighbors to the podium. >> [applause] >> Okay. Okay. We can do that. Um Okay, public to the public, we are going to skip Grand Terrace High School for right now. They are stuck in traffic and so we're going to come back to them when they get here. So, that's perfectly okay. The uh we are moving forward with the special presentation. We have the transportation department business services division. I would like to invite Superintendent From, Assistant Superintendent, I have gave you a uh promotion
003here. Assistant Superintendent From to the podium. Good evening, Board President Flores, Board Members, Dr. Miranda, members, audience. I would like to invite up our Director of Transportation, Jessica Oahu, as we're going to celebrate three bus drivers today in the special event that they won. Uh come on up and some We have some gifts for them, too, as well. We're going to shout them out for their spotlight on excellence for what they're doing for the district and the department. >> [applause] >> Good evening, Board Members and everyone in the audience. I also want to introduce to everyone right now our transportation manager, Ms. Regina Parks. >> [applause] >> I am honored to stand before you today to celebrate a major victory for our department. Recently, our team competed in the Chapter 1 Rodeo, a grueling competition
004that tests the absolute limits of safety, technical skills, and precision. I am thrilled to announce that our team didn't just compete. They dominated. Our agency took home the top honors in both categories proving that our commitment to training and safety is second to none. First, I want to recognize the trio that brought home the first place team trophy. Success in our field is rarely a solo effort. It requires communication, shared standards, and mutual trust. Please join me in congratulating Miguel Espaton, >> [applause] >> An- Andrea Sandoval, >> [applause] >> and Herman Cardenas. >> [applause] >> Together, their combined scores outperformed every other school district. I also want to make a special mention Herman Cardenas. In addition to the team win, Herman reached the pinnacle of the competition by taking home first place individual. >> [cheering
005and applause] >> Out of dozens of elite bus drivers, Herman proved to be the most precise and knowledgeable driver on the field. To be the best in chapter one is a massive achievement that speaks to his master level and dedication. To the board, these three individuals represent the gold standard in what we do. The skills required to win a rodeo, it takes extreme spacious awareness, rigorous safety inspections, and staying calm under pressure. All of this and their skills keep our community safe and efficient every single day. The journey doesn't end here. Because of their performance, Herman, Miguel, and Andrea have qualified for the state competition on May 24th. >> [applause] >> Bring the trophy home. They will be heading out to compete against the best drivers from across the entire state of California. Bringing even
006more recognition back to our department and our school district. We wish them the best of luck as they prepare to represent us on the state stage. Congratulations. >> [applause] >> So, this year we started a recognition program where employees recognize for excellent. We call it spotlight on excellent socks. That's why you're going to get a pair of Colton Joint Unified socks. We're going to give you a wristband, serving with purpose, part of our vision mission here at Colton Joint Unified, and a certificate. I'm going to read The certificate proudly presented in recognition of exceptional dedication, creativity, caring approach in the service to colleagues and the community. Thank you for putting our transportation department on the map. The end of this month, we're going to go home and get another award and we're going to bring
007that trophy home. So, I want to congratulate you. Miguel, thank you. Here's your certificate. Here's your socks. Wear them with pride. Serving with purpose band. Andrea. Thank you for winning and taking us to the next level. Here's your socks. Wear them with pride. Serving with purpose. Jermaine. Herman. Herman. We'll just call you the big German. How about that? >> [laughter] >> Terminator. Try that. Socks, wear them with pride. Serving with purpose. Thank you for what you do, Herman. Well, real quickly, one one >> [applause] >> Sorry. Real real quickly, I also want to shout out and recognize the support system in the transportation department. We had drivers, trainers, instructors, sub drivers go out and volunteer their time to be judges, to be cheerleaders on their Saturdays when they really didn't have to. These guys are
008so amazing. They train on their own time. They practice. You'll see them in the yard once everybody is gone and they're practicing for this competition. So, they do stand out and in the past Colton Joint has held this particular championship trophy for years. So, to bring it back home has been amazing. I'm going to give it over to Regina. >> [applause] >> Again, we just want to thank you guys for your dedication, your volunteering of your time, everything that it takes to put to be a part of the rodeo team. Our department has been without one for a few years. So, thank you Miguel for heading that up and creating a team. Thank you guys for the volunteering, keeping me updated and included even though I did not get a shirt. But, >> [laughter] >>
009we will next year. So, thank you guys for your time and we did want to recognize you two individually from management. We do have pins, certificates, and I do have a card for you guys, okay? >> [applause] [applause] >> Do you want to get a picture? Come on, we can take a picture. Make it official forever. >> [applause] >> On behalf of the Board of Education, Transportation Department, you make us extremely proud and we can't wait for what you're going to accomplish next. And you exemplify, by the way, the theme of serving with purpose when you have all those little ones in the in your bus every day. So, thank you again so much for your dedication. Okay, I believe our Grand Terrace High School team is here and we are going to invite them
010up and Mr. Neighbors, take the mic. >> [applause] >> Good evening. Right here. All right. Good evening. Uh thank you for your patience. You know that train in Grand Terrace it always catch us, so. So, it's my pleasure to introduce our ASB student pre- presenters. ASB Vice President Jayden Bell, Senior Class President Deanna Sandoval, ASB Secretary Jayden Marcia, student leaders Macy Gustafson, Tristan Kearney, and Diana Martinez to present our student showcase. Thank you, Board President, Board members, as well as our community. Good evening, Board President Bertha Flores, Board members, Superintendent Dr. Miranda, and members of the audience. My name is Jayden Bell, and I am this year's ASB Vice President. Hello, my name is Deanna Sandoval. I'm this year's Senior Class President. Good evening, everybody. Uh my name is Jayden Marcia, and I'm this year's
011ASB Secretary. I'm Diana Martinez. I'm the 2026 ASB Freshman Representative. Good evening, members of the Board. My name is Macy Gustafson, our program Sound and Spirit Captain, and we are very excited to present our Grand Terrace High School Showcase. It's been really busy in Titan Town. The school year has been filled with many great events and activities. With that being said, here are some highlights since our presentation back in September. We'll begin with academics. On September 25th and February 12th, we celebrated the academic achievements of hundreds of freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors during our fall and spring academic award ceremonies. Students were recognized for accomplishments such as GPA improvement, honor roll, principal's honor roll, Titan Aces, [music] math testing scores, and PVIS awards. Each ceremony was filled with pride as award recipients were cheered on
012by their families and their peers. And following the events, families had the opportunities to take photos, celebrate, and create lasting memories with their Titan scholars. On October 8th, AVID classes researched, created, and presented college boards in the amphitheater during lunch, sharing information on various colleges and universities while also promoting post-secondary education. In October, dozens of GTHS students were recognized and celebrated for earning the State Seal of Biliteracy. We are incredibly proud of our Titans for this outstanding achievement. Congratulations to sophomore Ava Ferncos for earning a gold medal in the CJUSD Science Fair and being named a sweepstakes winner. On April 20th, school administrators celebrated with celebrated student success by serving loaded street hot dogs along with water and chips to seniors who earned a score of three or higher on their MAP test and their
013CAST test. This event recognized students' academic effort while encouraging continued participation and excellence in statewide assessments. On April 29th, our counseling department hosted its annual honor guard lunch, recognizing the top 20 juniors and the top 20 seniors from the class of 2026. On October 3rd, under the direction of the choir teacher Ms. DeLeon, our choir program hosted its annual coffee house concert in the theater. The event was especially meaningful as it marked Ms. DeLeon's final concert before her move to Spain. Many GTHS choir alumni returned to attend and perform a tribute together. And Ms. DeLeon shared an emotional farewell along with the heartfelt words of encouragement and advice. On November 13th and 14th, our Link Crew program, led by our Link Crew advisor Ms. Gray, hosted incoming freshman days, welcoming over 400 future ninth graders
014to Titan Town. Students enjoyed performances from band, guard, and cheer, participated in spirited spirited mini rally hosted by ASB, and toured the campus with Link Crew leaders to explore electives and get a preview of life at Grand Terrace High School. On November 14th, our school hosted incoming freshman night, welcoming future ninth grade students and their families to explore all that Grand Terrace High School has to offer. Guests learned about academic academics, [music] athletes, career pathways, counseling services, and more while meeting staff and asking questions, becoming to and becoming be- beginning to feel connected and prepared for high school life. Incoming freshman also had the opportunity to meet our principal and spin the wheel for Titan-themed prizes. Since our last student showcase, our talented thespians have delivered [music] two outstanding performances, most recently on May 1st
015and 2nd, our theater and music students collaborated to present Disney's The Little Mermaid. Both productions showcased the hard work, [music] passion, and dedication of our cast and crew, bringing each performance to life. On November On November 21st, our wellness center hosted a wellness fair during lunch in the amphitheater, offering students the chance to explore booths focused on nutrition, mental health, and community wellness resources. On November 11th, a bus full of our spirited ASB members attended the area AS California Student Leaders Conference at the Disneyland Hotel. ASB students from across Southern California gathered to share ideas, collaborate, [music] and gain new strategies to bring back and enhance their home campuses. Several of our ASB members also had the opportunity to serve as workshop presenters. On Friday before Thanksgiving break, ASB hosted a Thanksgiving banquet for each
016class period, offering a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the year's accomplishments. It was a time to express gratitude, bond as one big Titan family, and enjoy a a meal together in in the spirit of the community and Thanksgiving. Our annual winter choir concert on December 12th was a beautiful celebration of holiday music and student talent featuring heartfelt performances by GTHS students from all choir classes. [music] On December 19th, ASB hosted its annual holiday banquet at the Old Spaghetti Factory where all of our GTHS ASB members gathered for a communal dinner to bond and celebrate the first half of the year. Afterward, our group walked over to explore the Festival of Lights at the Downtown Riverside Mission Inn. On February 4th, students in our engineering pathway attended the Disney Youth Series Engineering Workshop at
017the Disneyland Park where they received behind-the-scenes tours of popular attractions and explored engineering mechanics, hydronic systems, and technology that bring them to life. GTHS proudly hosted several APAC events throughout the year. The first in the first a paint night and a vape pen presentation on February 5th in our cafeteria invited attendees to paint a donkey [music] and an animal commonly seen roaming around the local community. Another highlight was the first annual SCUSD the Black History Experience where ASB created a vibrant vibrant backdrop, interaction activities, foyer decor, and an evening filled with celebration, culture, and achievements. Students from across the district took the stage in our theater delivering powerful performances that showcased their talents while honoring the lasting impact and legacy of Black History. At this event, students were also recognized for their academic success celebrating
018their commitment, growth, dedication to excellence. Additionally, APAC, GTHS ASB, and our Black Student Union Club collaborated to host an annual Black History Movie Night in the gym. On April 2nd, our Best Buddies Club with the support from ASB partnered with our special education students to host our first annual Unified PE Day in the football stadium. Our student athletes rotated through a variety of events and relays relays and were proudly awarded medals creating a joyful and exciting event full of celebration. During our district band festival performance, we had some special guests joining in on the fun in an inflatable dinosaur costume surprising the crowd with theme songs. On April 15th, our CJE SD students services department and GTHS admin team partner [music] partnered to celebrate our 9 911 Tomorrow's Leaders student qualifiers by distributing golden tickets.
019Students were treated to trios providing nutrition services along with the ice cream [music] sundae bar hosted by our admin team as a token of appreciation for going above and beyond to meet the requirements for the recognition. On April 15th, our engineering, art, and care pathway [music] teamed up to host their second annual elective pathway carnival giving students the opportunity to explore each program through hands-on activities, creative creative displays. Senior engineering students showcased their capstone projects. Art pathway students presented their collections in a vibrant art show. And the care pathway students offered interactive demonstrations and a hands-on learning experience for all attendees. Congratulations to our winter guard on an incredible season for bringing home bronze medals at the Winter Guard Association of Southern California Championships in Irvine on April 18th. On May 1st, [music] our AVID
020program hosted an AVID Uni Day on campus bringing in Terrace Hills Middle School students and pairing them with GTHS AVID members for a day filled of with collaboration, icebreakers, and a glimpse into what our AVID program has to offer. On May 1st, our art pathway collaborated with Colton High School's welding pathway to create a stunning steel sculpture, the results of years of dedication, creativity, and collaboration. Each month, our PBIS students student store gives students the opportunity to redeem their tickets for a variety of prizes including Titan Gear electronics and other fun items. The store [music] has been a huge success with students excited and engaged contributing to a positive campus culture reinforcing the values of our PBIS program. On October 23rd, we hosted [music] our annual Veterans Night football game in a collaboration with our
021football boosters to honor the military members in our community. The night featured a patriotic theme of red, white, and blue creating a powerful and [music] spirited atmosphere across the stadium. During halftime, our Legacy Regiment marching band and the color guard delivered an outstanding performance on on their on their on their field show showcasing their talents, dedication, and school pride. On February 26th, we hosted our annual Powderpuff tournament and championship game in the football stadium. After 3 days of afterschool practices, players suited up in a custom jersey competed with heart and and determination. This year, the class of 2026 claimed the championship title and earned the earned the honor of having their class added once again to the perpetual trophy. On May 1st, four of our student athletes participated in an athletic signing event celebrating their
022commitments to continue their sports at a collegiate level. Congratulations to Abraham Gonzales and Nick Romo who will both be attending the University of to to play football, and to Vasili Caltis who who also will be attending U of R to play baseball, and Diana Sandoval who will be attending Bushnell University to play soccer. As a part of Hispanic Heritage Month, ASB students created and painted oversized loteria playing cards and hosted large-scale loteria games in the amphitheater during birth lunches, and prizes were awarded to participants. To further enhance our culture experiences, students who um participated were also treated to complimentary bundt cakes and agua frescas, hoping to immerse our community our campus community in a festive and meaningful celebration to our Hispanic culture. On October 8th, the Multicultural Club in collaboration with ASB celebrated National Hispanic
023Heritage Month with a live band that performed in the complimentary agua frescas. The group Sonido Nuevo Delgado featuring GTHS and CHS alumni performed during lunch, creating an energetic and festive atmosphere on our campus. Our folklorico club group at various elementary schools across the district shared their heritage and pride. On October 15th, we hosted our annual quinceañera fashion show in the amphitheater. ASB provided decorations and invited students to showcase traditional quinceañera dresses and chambelana attire. The event was beautiful celebration of our culture and tradition and student pride. As a part of our Día de los Muertos celebration, ASB students collaborated with Spanish classes to create beautiful campus community ofrendas in the library. Students and staff were invited to honor and remember loved ones by contributing photos and heartfelt messages. The display was further enriched with our
024personal mini ofrendas, student-created artwork, tissue paper flowers, hand-crafted papel picado, and spirit animals, creating a meaningful cultural rich in tribute. In addition, ASB designed a memory wall for personal reflections and messages along with a monarch butterfly photo opportunity. On uh February 17th, we celebrated Lunar New Year with a vibrant lunchtime festival honoring traditions and community spirit. Students engaged in hands-on cultural activities including spirit artwork using stamps sign designed by our art lead pathway students, crafting pa- paper lanterns and creating New Year wishes on a on our Lunar New Year blossom themed wall. The highlight of the celebration was a dynamic dragon dance choreographed and performed by our students who brought the legendary creative culture to our to the life of the movement and rhythm. Students also enjoyed a variety of our traditional Chinese snacks offering
025a flavorful introduction to the culture and celebration cultural heritage. On February 20th, our student our Black Student Union hosted a Name That Song lunchtime activity in the amphitheater. Students participated in a fun and engaging music challenge with candy prizes awarded to participants and gift cards given to the winners. On April 29th, we celebrated Arab American Heritage Month in the amphitheater at with music and sampling a variety of our Mediterranean sweets and dates. The event provided an opportunity to show culture and offered students meaningful exposure to new traditions and experiences. >> [snorts] >> On April 30th, ASB hosted an all out an all school out luau that provided tropical luau vibes to our campus. Every student and staff provided free lei and the amphitheater came alive with a live Polynesian dancer that included audition audience participation.
026The event also featured a a variety of food booths run by clubs, pathways to raise funds along with fun games and activities for all to enjoy. It was a colorful memorable day that brought our school community together in celebration. On December 15th, our staff culture club hosted its first annual cookie exchange. The event showcased [music] plenty of creativity and resulted in a delicious and unforgettable experience for all who participated. On December 16th, our staff brought holiday spirit and friendly competition to our gingerbread house building contest. Following our annual holiday luncheon, departments went head-to-head in creativity, teamwork, and plenty of frosting. Awards were presented and lots of laughter was shared along the way. On April 8th, many of our teachers participated in Link Crew's Soak a Teacher fundraiser. We are incredibly grateful for such a caring
027staff who are willing to have fun with us while supporting a great cause. Homecoming week is one of our favorite traditions that we look forward to every year. The night before homecoming was the theme of our week-long celebration this past fall. Festivities included our Tim Burton themed homecoming rally where we presented our royal homecoming court, played rally games, and cheered on student performances from our Titan Pep Squad and dance groups. We continued our tradition of crowning crowning our court members and paraded on Corvettes that and and then we ended the evening with our homecoming game against Paris High School. Over 700 students and guests and chaperones attended our homecoming dance on September 20th. Our Tim Burton inspired theme >> [music] >> dance wouldn't be complete without a chocolate fountain, tacos, photo booth, and much more.
028It was a great night in Titan Town. On November 21st, we hosted [music] a lively fall festival in our amphitheater featuring 24 booths run by various clubs, pathways, [music] and programs. The event was filled with delicious food, great music, and a fun festive atmosphere that brought our school community together to celebrate the season. On Halloween, a competitive costume contest was held in our amphitheater featuring a variety of fun categories including scariest, funniest, most creative, and best group costume with prizes awarded to the winners. ASB transformed the space with large spooky paintings and festival inflatables creating [music] a lively and spirited atmosphere adding to the excitement. Our engineering pathway students showcased their Halloween themed animatronic projects impressing the crowd with their creativity and technical skill. A lot of our Titan staff also were appreciated. participated. On
029senior since senior night fell on Halloween, ASB partnered with clubs and programs to organize a Titan campus candy walk beneath the scoreboard prior to the game allowing young children in attendance to not miss out on our super fun trunk-or-treating. On December 4th, the city of Grand Terrace held its annual tree lighting ceremony and our Avid program along with our ASB program teamed up to host a fun arts and crafts booth for kids. The event was filled with festive performances from our band, cheer, and folklorico club adding to the holiday spirit. ASB also brought an extra magic with artificial snow machines. On December 12th, we celebrated Festive Friday on campus encouraging everyone to wear ugly Christmas sweaters, holiday headwear, or any festive attire. ASB added to the fun by providing artificial snow, holiday music, and a
030free hot chocolate to everyone. Students and staff who brought their own mugs were treated with an extra whipped cream and a specialized gingerbread cookie making the day even more festive and cozy. On January 30th, we hosted a Marvel-themed winter sports rally kicking off with an impressive skip performed by our ASB sound and spirit team. After the performance, we recognized our winter sports teams for their achievements, presented the winter formal court, and wrapped up the event with some fun rally games and a countdown video. It was memorable, action-packed events [music] that brought everyone together in celebration. On January 31st, we held our winter formal at the Sterling Natural Resource Center. The event's theme matched our winter rally's Marvel theme. Students enjoyed a superhero-themed dance with photo booths, a dessert bar, baked treats, video games, and dancing.
031During Valentine's week, ASB made a heart for every student on campus and displayed them in the A building. We encouraged students throughout the week to find and keep their heart. On February 13th, our Best Buddies Club hosted a district-wide Best Buddies Valentine's Day dance in the gym bringing together special education students from across the district for a joyful celebration. The event was filled with dancing, photos, heartfelt moments. GTHS teacher Mr. Moran and served as the DJ and ASB contributed with beautiful decorations making the day extra special and memorable for all who attended. On April 10th, we held a Toy Story-themed spirited spring sports rally in celebration of our in-season athletes. The event featured an exciting student performance from our winter guard, rally games, the presentation of our prom court nominees, a countdown recap video, and
032the highlight of the event was our traditional senior commitment parade. We are proudly honored for the future plans of our graduating seniors. It is exciting to see our seniors pursuing post-secondary educational opportunities. On April 18th, we hosted prom at the Desert Willow Golf Resort in Palm Desert. The theme being the Great Gatsby. Over 500 students, guests, and staff chaperones attended this elegant red carpet event. The evening featured stunning terrace views, a grand dance floor with games and entertainment. The prom court winners were announced, and attendees enjoyed a memorable night filled with dancing, laughter, and celebration. On April On April 24th, the high school High School Nation [music] and Wienerschnitzel teamed up to provide every student and staff member at GTHS with a free $5 gift card to Wienerschnitzel. Shout out to our ASB students for
033the theme decorations and our admin and support staff for helping scan the students and distribute the coupons. Eat great, graduate. >> [screaming] >> We are not letting our foot off the gas just yet. ASB has several more upcoming events for the remainder of the month, including our Avid Stole Ceremony, our Senior Awards Night, our College and Career Commitment Signing Ceremony, our Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Activities, our Spring Band Concert, our Sadie Hawkins Dance, our Senior Elementary and Middle School Walks, Senior Sunset, Graduation, and Grad Night at Disneyland California Adventure. >> [applause] >> On behalf of the students at Grand Terrace High School, thank you for your time. We welcome any comments and would happily answer any questions you may have. Thank you. I'm going to ask our board to see I'm sure
034they would like to say a few words. Uh board member Fuentes. I always have some words to say. Congratulations first of all. You guys did an awesome job. Great presentation in Titan Town. >> so much. You're welcome. Titan Town, there's always something happening and I kind of missed a few of those this year, but next year for sure I will be there. Marco is going to count on that. Uh I miss my Santa Claus and going out there. But, congratulations to each and every one of you. I see that you guys are First of all, academically you guys are doing great. Uh and to have these activities is what also brings the spirit, the morale into every student. I see you guys have a career day, college days and all of that. So, it's all
035there. So, congratulations. That's just just a quick comment. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And keep doing what you're doing. I would like to say a few words. Um one thing that comes to mind as you were doing your presentation was the word inclus- inclusive. You are inclusive of and I'm going to say all capital letters A L L L all students. Uh whether it was students, you know, with special needs, whether whether it was, you know, even your teachers you included. You know, how awesome is that? So, um that that is just a word that comes up, you know, when in my mind when I when I see and when I visit your school. So, it's a very uh it's a fun place to be. It's It's full of pride. You know,
036you the pride of culture, the multi-culture. You You celebrate everyone. Everyone's beautiful culture in your school. So, I I think you are a model school to demonstrate that Of course, yes. And keep doing what you're doing. We really enjoyed your presentation tonight. And I'm looking at your upcoming events. Wow, you you guys have a busy busy month. Yes. So, okay. Well, thank you so much. I would also like to thank Mr. Neighbors and Marcos and the staff for all their work. They really >> [applause] >> So, thank you so much for your presentation. Excellent. Excellent. We know come up and shake our hands. And thank you to you guys for having the time to hear us out. It does take tons, countless hours for our ASB program and multiple other clubs and organizations at our
037school to put on these events. And we're super grateful that we're able to put on this presentation to show you what we're about. So, I appreciate you guys hearing us out. Thank you so much. Absolutely. >> [applause] >> And just one just something I would like to I know I'm talking for the board. Um you are why we're here. You're the students. And you just make us so proud every day, but you are our why. That's why we're here. So, congratulations again. >> [applause] >> Okay, moving on. We are going to 3.2 employee recognition. And let's see. There they are. Enciso and uh Director Cervantes. Good evening, Board President Flores, board members, Superintendent Dr. Miranda, and members of the audience. Today, we have a good one for you. So, my name is Eric Enciso, Director
038of Human Resources Classified. Um I am proud to be up here to um recognize our April and May recipients of the month employees. So, our very first person is a classified person, and they are the administrative assistant at Woodrow Wilson. May I please have Marissa Hernandez come on up. >> [applause] [cheering] >> So, >> [applause] >> just yeah, hang out right here. >> [laughter] >> Marissa, um recognizing Marissa tonight is going to be Dr. Lisa Mendez. Come on up. >> [applause] >> Okay, don't be nervous. Good evening, Board President Flores, Board Member Superintendent Dr. Miranda, and members of the community. On behalf of the Wilson Wildcat team, it's truly an honor to stand before you today and recognize someone who represents the very best of who we are in our school community, Marissa Hernandez. At
039Wilson Elementary, our theme is superheroes igniting minds and inspiring futures. And I can say with complete confidence that Marissa is our real-life superhero. She began serving Wilson community back in 2007. I was proudly part of that administrative team that hired her. Over the past 19 years, she has humbly and quietly served our community with pride and joy. Staff often describe her as the heart of Wilson. And that couldn't be more true. Marissa embodies trustworthiness, caring, responsibility, and respect in everything she does. She is the person we all rely on, the one who ensures that the school runs smoothly each and every single day. Her professionalism, integrity, and attention to detail create a sense of stability not only for our staff, but for our students and our families as well. But what truly sets Marissa apart
040is that she really goes above and beyond in ways that often go unseen. She greets every student with warmth. She listens when they need someone to talk to, and she supports staff however she can. Recently, she learned of a family in need of beds. And without any hesitation, she donated her own bunk bed set and personally delivered it during her lunch break. She didn't share this story for recognition. In fact, >> [laughter] >> I only learned about it because she wanted to make sure that she returned from her lunch break on time, which she normally doesn't take. That quiet act of generosity speaks volumes about who she is. Marissa leads with compassion. She takes [snorts] ownership of her of her responsibilities with pride. She treats every person who walks into our office with dignity and
041respect, and she does it all with humility and grace. She doesn't seek recognition. She absolutely deserves it. Marissa Hernandez is not only the heart of Wilson Elementary, she is a shining star, an example of the impact that one person can have on an entire community. It is with immense pride and gratitude that we celebrate her as our classified employee recognition award recipient tonight. Thank you, Marissa, for everything that you do for our students, our families, and our school. We are better because of you. >> [applause] [cheering] >> Oh, gosh. I was like, I don't even know. I talk a lot all day long, and then I'm here and I don't even know what to say. But >> [laughter] >> I want to say thank you probably to all my Wilson Wildcats because they taught me
042a lot of stuff, not just being an office person, but how to help them in school. And I think more of like, if I help them have a good day, it makes me have a great day, and I have a great day every day. >> [cheering] [applause] >> Let's give Marissa another round of applause. >> [applause] >> Our next award is for our certificated employee of the month and um unfortunately our person couldn't come tonight because they had other obligations and I promise this time I'm not going to let the cat out of the bag. We'll wait for the next board meeting to share uh who that is and I also like to take this time to recognize our educational partner and unfortunately they couldn't make it and so we'll be presenting them um the
043next at our next board meeting on May 21st. And now our management um certificated management uh employee of the month is director of SIA Joda Murphy. >> [cheering] [applause] >> And presenting her is Dr. Peterson, Assistant Superintendent of Ed Services. >> [applause] >> Good evening Board President Flores, Board Members, Superintendent Dr. Miranda and member of the audience. It is truly an honor to recognize Joda Murphy, our Director of School Improvement and Accountability of Employee of the Month. I've had the privilege of working directly with Joda for over 10 of her 30-plus years in the district. Uh we were colleagues as site principals transitioning into district leadership roles and today I have the honor of um serving with her in Educational Services. Across every role and every year, one thing that has remained constant Joda's unwavering
044commitment to do what is best for students and supporting those around her to do the same and having fun while doing it. Joda exemplifies what it means to lead with both excellence and heart. She is known for in her incredible work ethic, her ability to truly listen, her collaborative spirit, and her constant question, "How can I help?" That mindset has made her a trusted coach, a respected colleague, and a go-to leader across our district. And you can see this from everyone that is here to support her tonight. Her scope of work is extraordinary. She's the driving force behind professional learning in our district, including her outstanding work on professional learning framework, as well as her leadership in designing meaningful and impactful principal meetings. In addition, she supports every principal in the development of their SIPs
045and plays a critical role in our LCAP. And oh yeah, she coordinates district compliance and is responsible for an insane amount of money in budgets. One nominate One nominator shared that Joda exemplifies what it means to go above and beyond, noting her noting her relentless dedication to improving student achievement, and her ability to create a culture of continuous improvement and shared accountability. Another nominator described her as a trustworthy, caring, and respectful leader, highlighting her rare ability to communicate honestly, while always maintaining respect and support, something that truly sets her apart. What resonates most with me is that Joda not only holds high expectations, but She meets them with equally high levels of support, care, and integrity. When Joda comes into my office with an issue, usually she prefaces her conversation with "I need to talk
046to Tina the assistant sup, or Tina the coach, or Tina the friend." So, as the assistant superintendent, Joda, um So, as the assistant superintendent, Joda, you are exceptional at your job, and I'm so glad you're on our team. From the coach, it's been a privilege to see you grow in this position and watch you coach others to grow in theirs. And as a friend, I appreciate you for the listening ear, the advice, and the fun that you bring to the job every day. I can say without hesitation, you're one of the professionals I and your colleagues respect most in this district for your work, for your leadership, and for your genuine care you show our employees and our educational services division. Joda, thank you for all you do. We are incredibly fortunate to have you
047and it's my honor to recommend or recognize you as employee of the month. Congratulations. >> Thank you, Dr. Peterson. Can [cheering] I ride in the front seat this month? I just want you to know that Dr. Peterson said I can ride in the front seat this whole month and it's graduation month. Um I think those words are really kind that you said and I always like we when I was at Terrace Hills, we talked about what kind of dog we would be if we could be and a person said collie and I always think like if I could be a dog, like I would want it to be a ser- a service dog so I could support other people around me. So to hear you say that, I thought was very kind. But I also
048think that my colleagues would kind of describe me as like a Jack Russell terrier because I'm like I'm like a Labradoodle but I just like I kind of sometimes get animated and get excited but like I I want to be serious for a moment and just think about there was a time like I was working with a group of people and like I started to like freak out as I sometimes do and have this internal thing going on and I was like, "Oh my god, I'm the weak link of this group. Like I'm going to drag this group down." And so rather than listening, I would like had this internal debate. And I thought, "You know what? Why don't you just listen to the people around you and why don't you just ask questions and
049just calm down?" Um and that's what I did and I was so happy when you referenced the professional learning plan um because I used to say like that was my baby and I would get really angry at them for saying that. Um and now it like it is my baby and tomorrow we're doing our first cross school inquiry share. But if you look at the professional learning plan, it talks about recognizing the expertise that's within our district and not having to go outside the district and that's what we want to do first and I feel like if people start not if people start like if we all recognize like we have that wisdom and we have that expertise within us and we just have to trust it and that's when I learned like just calm
050down and just like trust all of that around you. So like I really am grateful that I've gotten to work in the three different communities in the district and that I can get to to continue to to work and to serve them and just work with really wonderful people and it's just really been a privilege and it really is fun every day to come in. So thank you so much for that. So could I I would like to introduce my family if that's okay. All right, Dr. Peterson mom, could you please stand up? My mom is so supportive. And she's such a great role model and a great leader and she gives a great spanking um because she knows I respond really well. >> HR didn't hear that, right? No, no, no. Okay, good. Oh,
051maybe I shouldn't have said that out loud. But I learned she knows my learning style, too. Um uh if I could the ESD the I really appreciate the ESD family. Um and I appreciate what they're doing right now even though they know I don't like it. Um but like I really have like so much trust and so much value and so much wisdom and that like I can go and I can cry to them and I have my sister Rhoda and like we now invited Rhoda into our group so we can all be talking and thinking alike. And just like my SIA team, like just thank you guys so much because when I get really animated I'm not very pleasant all the time and they really tolerate it. So thank you. I really appreciate this.
052Sorry. >> [cheering] >> So Joda, I have a question for you. Yes. Um besides all these wonderful people are here for you, do you have anybody else you want to introduce? I'm a sad, lonely woman other than my work husband. Are you sure? Her son is on FaceTime to see her. I'll call you later. Okay. Thank you. I love you. I'll call you later. Joda >> proud of a partner Joda, if I could uh Joda, you share a little bit because you're not just an amazing administrator and educator, you are an amazing mom. There's a good reason why your son couldn't be here. You want to share what he's doing and obviously his educational background where you helped shepherd him cuz I think it's worth noting. Uh it happens to be a rival of Georgetown,
053I believe, too. [laughter] It's okay. Um he he got himself to Duke. Um and he he got a full ride into Duke, which I'm extremely grateful for the money he saved us. Um yeah, and he lives and he's still he's still able to to fulfill his passion and be a an athlete. Professional athlete, yes, which is yes. Quite an accomplishment. Thanks. [laughter] >> [applause] >> You want me to hold that for >> One more resounding round of applause for Joda. >> [cheering] [applause] >> And if I could just end with um I have to put my HR hat on and Marissa, you must take your lunch breaks. That concludes our presentation. Thank you so much. This is always so much fun. Congratulations to all of our employees of the month. Okay, we're moving on to
054public comment. For public comment, each speaker will be invited to the podium and should begin by stating his or her name and residing city. So, first part Sorry. Ms. Lisa Via. Good evening, members of the board and members of the audience. My name is Lisa Via and I reside in Colton. Since the last time I spoke, the superintendent did reach out to me and we had a conversation and I do appreciate that and I want to acknowledge that and I do hope that you do know how important it is that you make us feel the community feel heard. And I do appreciate that. And it's a start. The reason I continue to speak up for my community I'm not going to never mind. The concerns I bring forward are not simply my are not simply
055opinions. They are facts. These are real issues that need attention. Our schools do need stronger safety and security measures. We need leadership in school security that includes true law enforcement background, plain and simple. During my conversation with Dr. Miranda, we spoke respectfully and kept things cordial. While there were there were things I did appreciate and the conversation ended with the understanding that there were no hard feelings and that I would continue to be welcomed at public comment time. He told me I could still express how I feel openly with no hard feelings. So, here I am. Because it is it is graduation season and my priority right now is improving the graduation experience for families across the district. I truly hope some of my concerns and ideas are taken into consideration so that graduations can
056become more family-friendly, welcoming, and community-oriented. One suggestion I would like the district to consider is working with the Valley College Police Department to learn how they safely manage large events while still creating a positive environment for families. At all three district graduations, families should feel welcomed, not rushed out or pushed away immediately after the ceremony. If we are using our home fields, I am asking that the district allow the families to remain on the field or at least in the parking areas for a reasonable amount of time. Even just 1 hour, so families can take pictures, celebrate, and congratulate their graduates together. Graduate graduates together. Graduation should be a joyful memory for students and families, not an experience that feels cold, rushed, [snorts] or overly overly restrictive. Again, I look forward to working with you
057and I appreciate your time. Thank you so much. Thank you, Lisa. We are now moving on to item 6. Actually item 6.0. We have 6.1 through 6.67. Oh oh. I'm so sorry. I skipped over something very very important. I apologize. Administrative presentations Umoja presentation. I would like to invite Dr. Peterson to introduce Dr. Mooney from the Ed Services Department. Board agenda tonight are two courses. Umoja courses and so Dr. Mooney is here tonight to present on this program and how we how we are supporting our students at throughout our district and then Grand Terrace High School with our dual enrollment and our opportunities that we provide our students at our high schools. Come on up, Dr. Mooney. Thank you, Dr. Peterson. Good evening, Board President Flores, board members, Superintendent Dr. Miranda, executive cabinet, and members
058of the audience. Tonight, I'm presenting an overview of the proposed Umoja program at Grand Terrace High School along with how this work connects to our district broader dual enrollment and early college efforts. This presentation highlights what Umoja is, what implementation requires, the benefits for students, and how we see this work expanding over time. Our goal is to strengthen belonging, access, and post-secondary opportunity for students across Colton Joint Unified School This next section focus specifically on Umoja and why it is important strategy for student engagement and success. I want to begin with the purpose behind the program before moving into the operational details. Amoja is much more than a program name. It is a structured statewide network centered on improving educational outcomes for students of African-American ancestry ancestry and other historically underserved student groups. At Grant
059High Terrace High School, joining this network will connect our staff and students to a proven framework grounded in culturally relevant instruction, student empowerment, and a stronger sense of belonging. For us, this matters because belonging and achievement are closely allied. When students see themselves reflected in the educational experience and have adults intentionally supporting their growth, we create stronger conditions for persistence, connection, and academic success. To launch Amoja with fidelity, there are several minimum requirements we must have in place. First, the staffing structure includes a program coordinator, who's going to be Dr. Dr. Nari Clark, and a program counselor, Taisha Holloman. They will help anchor the academic and relational support students need. Second, professional learning is essential. All Amoja team members attend the summer learning institute, so implementation is aligned with the model. Finally, the student experience
060must include intentional entry points such as orientation, a welcome ritual, and a rite of passage event, because this program is designed to build community from the very beginning. Beyond the startup requirements, the program also includes clear expectations for curriculum, facilities, and accountability. Each semester, students must have access to at least one Amoja supported course taught by a trained instructor, which helps ensure the work is embedded in teaching and learning and not limited to extracurricular participation. The model also calls for a dedicated affirming space for students and routine submission of program data at the end of each term. That combination of instructional access, physical space, and data review supports both student connection and continuous improvement. The benefits of Emoja are both academic and developmental. The model The model is designed to improve retention, course completion, and
061overall student success, while also giving students access to scholarships, conferences, and regional learning opportunities. Just as important, students gain access to curriculum and experiences that build identity, confidence, and leadership. The connection to historically black colleges and university is especially meaningful because it expands college awareness and creates tangible pathways that many students may not otherwise experience. One strength of the Emoja model is that it is intentionally inclusive. A student does not have to fit a narrow definition to benefit. Instead, the program recognizes participation across multiple entry points, including coursework, counseling, educational planning, events, and leadership experiences. That matters because it because it allows us to serve students in a flexible and responsive way. In practice, this means Emoja can function as both a structured program and a broader support system that invites students into community and
062keeps them connected over time. The second part of tonight's presentation shifts to dual enrollment and early college opportunity. This is an important connection because our vision is not only to help students feel that they belong, but also to ensure they are accelerating toward college and career readiness while still in high school. Through this partnership, students participating in Amoja will also have access to classes classes and resources at San Bernardino Valley College. That includes courses such as college success, history of hip-hop music, and introduction to black studies, as well as supports like tutoring, mentoring, transportation assistance, HBCU tours, and student events. This is a strong example of how we are aligning identity affirming support with college access. Students are not only being encouraged to think about post-secondary pathways pathways, they are also actively experiencing college-level coursework
063and the wraparound supports while still enrolled in our district. This slide presents and provides a snapshot of early college enrollment by site for 2025-2026. District-wide, we currently have 67 ninth graders, 65 10th grade students, and 18 11th grade students, totaling 150 students participating with Bloomington, Colton, and Grand Terrace each contributing to the to those totals. One important takeaway is that student participation is already strong, especially in grades 9 and 10. This tells us that there's both interest and momentum, and it it reinforces the value of providing and building additional aligned supports such as Amoja to help students persist and proceed and succeed in these college-connected opportunities. Our timeline is intentionally phased so that we can implement with quality. We are targeting September 2026 for the Amoja launch at Grand Terrace High School. While during that
064same year, we will also use that that will also be used to prepare for additions to Bloomington High School and Colton High School. By May of 2027, Bloomington High School will celebrate its first graduating cohort of early college students. Then in September 2027, we anticipate expanding AVID to Bloomington and launching Puente at Colton High School, creating a broader network of culturally responsive college connected programs across the district. As we move forward with this work, our focus remains centered on four areas: equity and access, curriculum and instruction, community integration, and supports and resources. These are not separate initiatives. They are the core conditions that help students engage, persist, and achieve. From a district perspective, this framework gives us a practical way to align program design with student outcomes. It ensures that we're not only adding opportunities,
065but also building the structures necessary for those opportunities to be meaningful and sustainable. Earlier today, our district team met with the director of programs and two regional directors of AVID to formally recognize Terrace High School as the first official high school in California to launch AVID, making Colton Joint Unified School District the second district in the state to host AVID on one of its campuses. So, tonight for your consideration, as Dr. Peterson mentioned, we have two courses: an English 9 Honors AVID course and an English 10 Honors AVID course. These courses were developed by our very own teachers here in CJUSD with direct support from our CPS, Rosemary Miller, after an extensive book study by Dr. Goldie Muhammad's book entitled Cultivating Genius. Again, Cultivating Genius. The visit to Centennial High School in Corona-Norco Unified School
066District provided our team with the opportunity to observe implementation in practice. Seeing a functioning pilot program helped us better understand the importance of student-centered space, staff collaboration, and the intentional culture building that makes Amoja effective. Site visits like these are valuable because they allow us to learn as we shape our own approach. Rather than starting from scratch, we are using observation, partnership, and the planning to build a program that reflects both the Amoja framework and the needs of our Colton Joint Unified School School students. I thank you for the time and attention this evening. We are excited about the opportunity to launch Amoja at Grand Terrace High School and to continue expanding dual enrollment pathways that increase student access, belonging, and post-secondary success across the district. I welcome any questions or comments from the board.
067Thank you, Dr. Mooney. That was This is really amazing. Uh board member comments. Okay. Um board member Flores. Dr. Mooney, thank you for the presentation, of course. Uh I can't tell you how excited and proud we are not only to be um one of the first or the first in many ways, but uh what this is going to do for our students and and for our school for our high schools. I wanted to talk a little bit about um your reference tours and access for students to learn about our HBCUs that are here in the country. Uh admittedly, I didn't know much about them myself until I was well into my adulthood. And even that, I don't think I truly understood the significance and importance of those institutions historically and today. Uh and part of
068that is geographic, right? Here in California, we don't have much of that history that you see in the south or in in on uh in the east. Um but having had the opportunity to visit and learn and work with alumnus from those incredible institutions, um it's so important for our kids to be exposed, I think, to college in general cuz so many of our students are going to be first-generation. I was one of them. I didn't see a single campus of any of the schools that I applied to when I was a senior. I had to go based on and really I mean we had the internet back then, wasn't that long ago, but >> [laughter] >> it was like dial-up, right? So, it's not like you had 360 view of everything. Um it it
069today it's so important that our kids can see things so that they can understand that it's attainable. Can you talk a little bit about what we're doing? You mentioned helping with tours, there may be some opportunities for visits. What does that look like um for our students? Yes, so we'll be working with Dr. Clark. Um she's already have reached out to Fontana Unified. Our surrounding districts are already doing these types of HBCU tours. So, um she'll be working with some of the the lead people in those other districts to get ideas of how we can develop our own CJUSD tours. But our students because they are going to be in the program and they're going to be connected with Valley College who already performed those tours, they'll be students at Valley College and they'll have
070access to those tours from them as well. So, the plan is to again to collaborate with both Valley College to to get insight from other districts who are surrounding that are doing these tours already. And as a proud uh alumna of a HBCU as my myself, Alabama State University, um those are it's a great opportunity when our students uh for myself, I went to predominantly white schools in the south and being able to be on a campus where I have professors who look like me, uh other students um that had advanced degrees uh that came out of those institutions, it means a lot when you see excellence uh within your own culture as well. So, those are the things that we would want to our students uh to see as well. So, we heard a
071little bit about that today at um in our in our meeting with our students over at Grand Terrace. Um now obviously there's a cost associated with going to to these tours that sometimes the families um Well, there's a cost to participate. I'm just curious, speaking out loud, we now have uh I'll say a burgeoning foundation in the Tomorrow's Leaders Foundation, and this potentially could be something that that foundation may be able to assist with, I wonder. Dr. Miranda War, if there was uh fundraising and scholarships to help um provide uh offset some of those costs for students based on need, of course, cuz not every family can afford, even if it's a reduced price and you get a great deal, you know, a couple hundred dollars or a few hundred dollars. I mean, flights alone
072and travel alone can be expensive. I would hate uh for a student to not have that opportunity um simply because of finances. So, we want to eliminate those barriers, but just a thought, maybe we can partner and have a conversation with the Tomorrow's Leaders Foundation to see if there's a way that we can help make it possible, that dream to visit and see and step foot on campus um these in incredible institutions that were just founded uh at a time when uh education was not accessible to to black students and and in this country. They were born out of a movement to bring forth an educational opportunity, and and it is the stories that you hear on the campuses and the founders and the history, it's incredible. It was moving. It really was. So, I
073would love an opportunity for students um to see that firsthand. So, thank you. Board member Ibarra. Thank you, Bertha. First of all, I want to say thank you to you, doctor, for your uh report and uh you know, the the fact that uh we're going to be the first school district to to implement this program is incredible. Uh because for the years that I've been on this board, uh this school district has always been the progressing school district. The the district that has brought variety of different programs and opportunities to many of our students throughout throughout all these years. You know, I can name uh several. ROTC is one, Avid is another, and we I could go on and on and on. Uh as we started to explore and took a look at what can
074we do to bring opportunities to all our students and I and I emphasize all our students. And with this uh program that we're going to start implementing and then also taking it uh to our other high schools, it's going to be a great opportunity for all our students and for us to be in the forefront of this is just something that I think that you know, not only will our students, but our uh community, our staff, everyone will get an opportunity to experience what that this type of program has to offer within our district and I just commend uh Dr. Clark, I commend you for for the hard work that you and the staff put together to get this implemented because opportunities, you know, we need to make sure that our school district provides those
075opportunities. And I agree with my colleague Dan here that, you know, we need to see what we can do to make sure that no student goes without that opportunity. And when things uh present themselves, I think we need to step forward as a board and make sure that you know, the students can participate. Uh working together with Valley College, I think that's always a win-win for many of our students. And uh I just love where this is going. And I just thank you for both of you for bringing it here and so that we can start implementing it and we're going to do it in September. And it's just around the corner, so you know, we need to make sure that we market it this well. Make sure that the parents >> [snorts] >> know
076that this is available cuz I find out that or I know that a lot of our high school students, the parents are what drive some of their decisions. You know, as it it does for the elementary, middle school, but in for programs like this, we need to reach out to the parents. We need to make sure that they understand this is available. And so that their students can take advantage of this. So, I once again, I just want to say thank you. I'm pleased to hear that we're doing this and that our district is headed in this direction, you know, and I have 100% support of this. And thank you very much. Thank you, Board Member Ibarra. Anybody else? Okay, um what I would like to say about this is, you know, that in September,
077uh the launch is for Grand Terrace High School. But but you also mentioned the launching of Puente at Colton High School in in 2027. Can you give us a little bit of information on what Puente is? Absolutely. So, Puente is a very similar program. It's actually a two-year high school program and is centered on all of the same things, a sense of belonging, connectedness. Uh they do a Puente focus a lot on English development as well for our English learners, our male multi-English learners. And so, because of the the the same sense of belonging, the the affirming spaces, um leadership supports, it is very much like Amoja, but it's then done from a a Hispanic Latino studies focus. That's that's wonderful and we're looking forward to to both programs to to be launched. We're excited
078to see what you guys are going to do in September. Thank you, Dr. Mooney, and thank you, Dr. Clark, for everything you do. And we're looking forward to this. Thank you. Okay, we're moving on to action items. Item 6.1 through 6.67. Are there any items that the board would like to consider separately? If not I'll pull 6.66 just for a quick question. Okay, very good. Okay, uh is there a motion to approve item 6. 1 through 6.67 with the exception of 6.66? So moved. Second. I have a motion from board member Haro and second by board member um Ibarra to approve action item 6.1 through 6.67 with the exception of 6.66. Uh all those in favor? I. Opposed? Okay. Very good. On motion by board member Haro and board member uh Ibarra and carried on
079a 7-0 vote the board approved action item 6.1 through 6.67 with the exception of 6.66. Okay. All right, we're bringing up uh item action item 6.66. Is there a motion to approve? >> I'll move the item to approve. And a second? I'll second. Okay, I have a motion by board member member Flores and second by board member Ibarra to approve action item 6.66. And do we do this the Yeah, I'll ask my question. Yeah, I'll make my I'll share. >> Um thank you for the opportunity. Just this is the SRO contract the agreement with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department which absolutely love. We um have uh had a great relationship with the Sheriff's Department. Um they predominantly serve our schools that are in the unincorporated areas that we have. So, whether it be Bloomington
080um mostly the Bloomington area, but also the city of Grand Terrace who contracts their law enforcement with the Sheriff's Department and it lists the schools that'll be served. So, thank you at very very supportive of it. Uh just got me thinking we do have a contract a comparable contract with the city of Colton Police Department to serve our Colton schools. Um we do have since we have schools in so many different locations uh just curious with respect to Fontana. We have two elementary schools that are in the city of Fontana proper. To my knowledge we haven't had a uh a contract with Fontana Police Department or um another organ- another agency law enforcement agency for those schools. When when or if we do have issues or questions or concerns that may come up on that
081those campuses uh DRC or Rubidoux Vista, how do we normally handle that when we need some assistance with law enforcement? Or Sycamore. You're correct. We have Sycamore that's also in the city of Fontana proper. I wanted to defer to Dr. Ortiz uh in uh Yeah, thank you. Uh great question, Mr. Flores. So, Deputy Alvarez is assigned uh to Bloomington High School. Deputy Ramirez is assigned to Slover. Both of those deputies cover schools within the Fontana station area which is both DRC and Sycamore Hills. Uh the one school that is kind of the outlier is Joe Baca Middle School. Um so, that that that's the outlier. However, uh we were just had a meeting, John. Uh we meet monthly with all the SROs in our uh safety supervisors. Um, when in need, we they will report
082to Joe Baca, but that really falls in Rialto PD area. >> Uh so there is some partnership. John has many connections with Rialto. So, uh the school can call Rialto PD and they will respond and have responded, but our SRO, uh I think it was uh Baca, did did report to Joe Baca when there was an incident with CPS. So, the the that's the nice thing is when we all meet, there is collaboration between the law enforcement agencies. Uh so every school in our district is covered. We uh let me add a little bit to that. Uh when uh even though we mentioned sheriffs, when they don't respond, I know our schools in Fontana call Fontana PD, and they will respond. Even though we don't have a contract with them. >> Okay. Right. There there
083is that. So, as you mentioned uh Berman Flores, uh our district can Well, you mentioned this. We we service seven cities. Two counties. >> And two counties. So, >> Technically. Yeah. So, that's uh what we have to build relationships with uh our our good uh fo- our good sheriffs partners. And Fontana PD, which is uh sheriff, uh or Well, they're >> They're they're their own jurisdiction. Yeah. Yes. But they Fontana Unified School Police as well. Yeah, I was going to ask if if we have connections with We do. Yeah. Please. So so those >> We absolutely do. Uh good. Fontana schools, also uh we do get help from Fontana School Police, but also Fontana PD. So, when we were having the walkouts, there was collaboration with Fontana Unified School District Police and their city police.
084And then John and his team were So, and the sheriffs. Yeah, it it's a it's a everyone helps one another, which is nice. So, it's always nice to build connections. We even have We had the Sergeant Sandoval, I think, this morning from Colton PD. So, John John invites all the higher-ups when they're able to attend, and we just kind of talk about what are the issues our schools are encountering. So, lots of great collaboration. And just to add, I know uh John Director Sachs he has a great relationship with the Chief of uh Fontana City PD well, the city schools, which is Rich Randolph. And he's our former SRO in our district that served here. And actually, I've had several conversations with him this year after he was named Chief and we went out there
085to see him, you know, uh get the take the the oath and and so, we've had talks and so, it's great relationships. I know they connect with him and two supporters support our team out here. So, So. Oh. >> All right, thank you. No, it does. I appreciate that. Cuz you're right, one of the challenge we have is we cross so many jurisdictions. It's nice to hear obviously, mutual aid is really important in that. I know law enforcement works together typically across boundaries because things may start in one jurisdiction and end in another. But, it's great to know that we have that communication and that we've got systems in place that we can make sure every school has access to law law enforcement services when needed. So, I appreciate that. Yeah, that's great. Okay, well,
086I have a motion by board member um uh Flores and a second by board member Ibarra uh to approve action item 6.66. All in favor? I. Any uh any nays? On a motion by board member Flores and board member Ibarra and carried on a 7-0 vote. The board approved action item 6. 6 Moving on to administrative reports. Item 7.1 through 7.5. Are there any questions or comments from board members? No comments? Okay. We are moving to item 7.6 facilities update. We do not have an update this uh this evening. Item 7.7 ACE update. Uh President Porraschi Please join us at the podium. Good morning. Good evening. I don't know if My name is Christina Porraschi and I have the uh privilege of um leading Association of Colton Educators. As we approach the end of another
087school year, ACE would like to take a moment to recognize and celebrate the incredible work happening across Colton Joint Unified School District. This time of year is always emotional. HR There is excitement, exhaustion, reflection, and gratitude all at once. First, we want to recognize Teacher Appreciation Week and Nurses Appreciation Week. Our teachers continue to go above and beyond every single day for students, families, and our community. They are educators, mentors, counselor, coaches, and sometimes even a source of comfort and support for students who need it most. We also want to recognize our school nurses whose work often goes unseen, but is absolutely essential to keeping our students healthy, safe, and ready to learn. Thank you for your compassion, professionalism, and dedication. We also want to remind our certificated staff that open enrollment is happening now
088to June 30th. I think May 30th, sorry. I think I have the wrong date. This is an important opportunity for employees to review their benefits, make updates for their families, and ensure that they have the right coverage moving forward. As educators, we especially want to encourage staff to seriously look into disability insurance. Many employees are surprised to learn that educators in California are not covered under state disability in the same way many other workers are. Protecting your paycheck and your family matters. Over the past few months, many educators have also been having conversation about women's health and sorry, guys, you have to hear it again. Including menopause and hormone replacement therapy, and I'm going to be screaming about this until it's done. I don't know when it's done. We are thankful that SEBA has worked
089with Blue Shield and Kaiser so our members can access care and treatment to the appropriate specialists. So, ladies, it's covered. These conversations matter because supporting employee wellness matter. We also encourage employees to consider flexible spending accounts and dependable care accounts. These accounts allow staff to use pre-tax dollars for eligible medical expenses, prescription co-pays, child care, after school care, and other family care needs including elder care. To American Fidelity uh CJUSD has a special deal with them. Employees receive a benefit debit card that can be used directly for eligible um expenses, making the process much easier for families managing health care and child care cost. Tonight, ACE is also proud to officially endorse the incumbents for the Colton Joint Unified School District Board of Education, Joanne Toro Ojeda, Berenice Sandoval, Israel Fuentes, and Dan Flores. You
090can applaud. Thank you for your willingness to serve this district and community. School board service is not easy work, and we appreciate the countless hours, difficult decisions, and commitment each of you has given to CJUSD students and staff. ACE looks forward to four more years of collaboration, partnership, continue work together on behalf of our schools, and sometimes hard conversations. Finally, as we close this school year, thank you for Thank you to all certificated staff, classified staff, administrators, and families for continuing to show up for students every single day. We hope everyone finishes the year strong and takes time this summer to rest, recharge, and spend time with loved ones. Thank you, Christina. CSEA update, uh President Badorama. Good evening, Board President Flores, board members, Superintendent Dr. Brennan, and members of the audience. Anthony Badorama, CSEA
091Chapter President, Colton 244. I want to start by taking a moment to say thank you to all of our teachers and nurses as we celebrate Teacher and Nurse Appreciation Week. Personally, I've learned that the best teachers don't just teach subjects like math, science, or history. They teach confidence, patience, responsibility, and kindness. I've long forgotten many of the assignments I've done or tests that I've taken, but I'll always remember the teachers who believed in me and pushed me to succeed, even sometimes against my own will. I wasn't the best high school student, so. To every teacher in our district, your hard work matters more than words can express. You inspire futures, open doors, and make a lasting difference in students' lives every single day. And I know I want to thank you for that from the
092bottom of my heart. Switching gears a bit, on April 20th, CSEA and the district concluded negotiations for the 25-26 school year. I would like to thank my team, Nicole Figueroa, Manny Marquez, Connie Barilla, John White, CSEA labor representative Myesha Kennedy, and lead negotiator David Espinosa. I would also like to like to thank the district negotiation team led by Dr. Dade. This was an open contract year, so it was a bit of an extended process, but thanks to our two lead negotiators, we were able to navigate that process without any tables being flipped or chairs being thrown. I'd like to close by giving another shout-out to our bus drivers, Ramon Cardenas, Andrea Sandoval, and Miguel Espichan on their first place win at the Chapter 1 Rodeo. >> [snorts] >> We are super proud of you because
093that's how we roll here in CJUSD. Get it? Roll with buses. Yeah, my 14-year-old daughter told told me not to put that part in there. >> [laughter] >> She proofreads my updates, so. Um anyways, hashtag dad jokes. Um thank you and have a good evening. Thank you, Anthony. KMAC update. No no update. ROP update? We uh we don't we didn't we don't have a meeting this week with this way, but next week uh on the 13th, Wednesday the 13th at San Bernardino Valley College, uh Cry-ROP is hosting the annual uh Evening with Excellence. And so, everyone is invited, gets an opportunity to go and see all the different programs that Colton Joint Unified School District offers through Cry-ROP, but also Redlands Unified and Yucaipa Unified as well. Um it starts at 5:00. And then there's
094the um scholarship ceremony there at the auditorium. So, uh Pat, anything you you want to add? And Israel? No? I think that's it. Just you're all invited to the Evening of Excellence. It starts at 5:00. Uh starts at 5:00 with in the courtyard and then at 6:00 we will start the award ceremony. And we're going to be giving out about $26,000 in scholarships that evening. So, uh we would love to see all of you there. Thank you. Okay, thank you for that. Superintendents communicate. Thank you, uh Board President. Uh good evening everyone and board members and folks in the audience, virtual and here in uh present. Uh So, first I'm going to start off with my communicate with uh just uh proud of these two outstanding CJUSD leaders that have been selected by ACSA Region
09512 to receive the prestigious Administrator of the Year honors. You guys can clap for that. >> [applause] >> First, uh first we have Adrena Freijo has been selected as the ACSA Region 12 Continuation Educational Options uh Administrator of the Year. And then in addition, we have uh Equity Coordinator Dr. Nari Clark has been selected as the ACSA Region 12 Administrator of the Year in the category of Valuing Diversity. So, both recipients will be honored at the annual ACSA Spring Celebration Dinner on May 18th at the DoubleTree Hilton in Ontario. Ms. Freijo and Dr. Clark uh exemplify the dedication, leadership, and the commitment to student success that makes CJUSD so special. Their work continues to uh not only positively impact students, families, and staff our Crowders district, but they just lead with so much grace and
096confidence and calmness. So, on behalf of the Board of Education and executive cabinet, we want to extend our heartfelt congratulations to both Ms. Frejo and Dr. Clark on this well-deserved recognition. So, can we get a one more time for them? Two awesome leaders. >> [applause] >> So, continuing a more outstanding news, I'm excited to share with with all of you and the board news from Grand Terrace High School. So, Grand Terrace High School has once again been recognized a as a 25 2025-2026 Project Lead the Way Distinguished High School. And we can give a round of applause for that. >> [applause] >> This marks the fourth consecutive year that Grand Terrace High School has received this prestigious distinction. Project Lead the Way Distinguished recognition honors schools that demonstrate exceptional commitment to increasing student access, engagement,
097and achievement in STEM and career-focused learning opportunities. This recognition reflects the incredible leadership of Principal Neighbors, his team, the teachers, staff, classified staff. It takes a village and of course the dedication of the staff to be creative in creating an an innovative and meaningful learning experience for all students. So, on behalf of the Board of Education and executive cabinet, congratulations to Principal Neighbors and the entire Grand Terrace High School community on this outstanding accomplishments. And then my last uh slide here is yesterday we had our and we proudly hosted the ninth annual tomorrow's leaders celebration at Bloomington High School. The event was an incredible celebration of student achievement, perseverance, and positive choices with hundreds of students recognized throughout the evening. We're proud to share that 495 CGA students of our students met the eligibility requirements
098to participate in this year's event. Students received numerous prizes throughout the evening culminating with Colton High School student Mariah Ornelas winning a brand new 2026 Chevrolet Trax. We can give a round of applause for that, too. >> [applause] >> Beautiful car, too, by the way. You see it there in the picture. And it smelled like a new car. It was That was awesome. In addition, the tomorrow's leaders foundation awarded 15,000 in scholarships to deserving students. Events like this are powerful reminder of what is possible when we celebrate and invest in our students. I do want to give special thanks uh to assistant superintendent Dr. Ortiz, director Missy Kingston, and Vanessa Lepe, and that's just a few, but really truly it it takes the whole student services team for organizing and hosting such an impactful event
099for our students and families. It was so well put together Missy, what an incredible job you did last night and we knew what to do and where to go and I just want to thank you for that because you see our kids' faces, you see the families, and then the young lady that won the car is just it's transformational and it truly is. So, thank you and I'm sure that the the board feels the same way and thank you board for supporting this event. It's just It's just what we do in Colton. So, thank thank you everybody and back to you board president. Thank you. It was a really special event and I know it's not easy. You know, also our principal at Bloomington High School. Thank you for all your work you did for
100putting it together and all your staff. Thank everyone. And I know we alternate so next year it'll be a different high school. Oh, she's pointing at somebody. Colton. All right, we're looking forward to that. Board member comments. Board member Thorington Ojeda. I want to say 13 days of school left and I when I was listening to Grand Terrace High School let it events they haven't covered yet. They have 11 and it's like it's amazing. We're so close to the end of the year and there's so much going on in all of our schools. I just wish everyone a really smooth ending to the school year. I know we'll have a board meeting between now and then but and the graduations are really exciting to think about. I will only be at one of them since
101they won't let me ride my scooter out to get out of there before I fireworks so but I'm really excited about to see the kids last night and to know that that's kind of the excitement you're going to see at the graduations. That's just the most wonderful part of the school year because all those accomplishments and their families are so proud and it's just a wonderful event. So, I wish everyone a great end of the year for the rest of the year and the high school principals wish you peace >> [laughter] >> and organization because I know it's a lot to prepare but last night was a great example of great organization so um thank you very much. That's about my comments today. Board member Sandoval. Board member Ibarra. Thank you, Bertha. Uh first of
102all, I just want to say that as the end of the school year comes, you know, I over the years, I've seen our district do an excellent job with all the graduations. From the organization, from our administration and our staff at each one of the high schools, and also including all our security staff as well. Our security has done an excellent job uh throughout uh all these years. You know, I take my hat off to uh uh director Sachs for his his job in doing uh by making sure everything was safe and done appropriately, and all the staff that works with him. So, you know, I just look forward just like my colleagues to you know, the the graduations because I know that everything will run smooth and things will go as as we expect
103it. So, you know, with that, uh I just want to say to every mother that's here, happy Mother's Day. Hopefully, you are spoiled as you should be. Make sure that you are taken care of by that that man of yours, and or your kids, and because you truly all deserve it. And they're fortunate to have each and every one of you because you guys are hard working Conejo Unified School District employees. And you know, you guys do a wonderful job for this district. So, happy Mother's Day again. With that, I'll say Thank you. Thank you, board member Ibarra. Board member Haro. Yes, I want to reiterate uh thank you um >> [clears throat] >> Dr. Ortiz and your team for uh last night's event. Um it was I think it was the best one yet.
104It was just ran so smoothly and um I just want to say thank you for that. Um I agree I want to wish you all luck for the last 13 days of school cuz it's going to be the hardest of things cuz kids are a little bit crazy right now knowing that it's so close. But um and I also uh want to thank you for all you do all year long, not just at the end of the school year. Um we wouldn't be the district we are without you and your support and everything that you do. And [clears throat] I also want to say enjoy your time off for those of you who are not working summer school. Um enjoy your time off. Take time for yourself. Relax and enjoy family because, you know, um
105they give up so much of you during the school year. It's now time to give yourself back to them. So, um and then I have um on a personal note, I just have to um uh uh we have something very special happening in our family um and I want to share it with um I had taught I told uh Dr. Miranda that my son-in-law who works at Terrace Hills Middle School is uh graduating [clears throat] with his PhD uh in K-12 education and equity. >> [cough and clears throat] >> His dissertation is a social relation relational so mouthful approach to specific learning disability identifying barriers to inclusion for students with learning impairments. And um he'll be graduating from Claremont um 2 weeks and we're very proud of him. And I wanted to share that. And
106the last thing I would like to ask the board is when before we go into closed session um we lost a member of the Colton family uh who retired quite some time ago. Um Ignacio Cabrera. And he passed away actually on February 25th of this year. And uh there was a small uh private uh ceremony and a small uh um a small event to honor his life and celebrate it. And um I was honored to attend this event. And I know you know um Tina, you worked with him. And you know that uh he wasn't always the easiest person to work with. But but yes, that's right. Yeah. And and he um you know, it was kind of like you either loved people either loved him or they hated him. And they or both, exactly.
107But the bottom line was um he always did the right thing for kids. Um I was a board member uh I wasn't a board member when my daughter uh went through uh Bloomington High School. But I saw all the great things that we they were doing there. I don't think his record for the most uh passage rates on AP classes has ever been touched. He was a demanding man because he demanded that his teachers give excellence because kids deserved it. And um I wanted to ask the board um if this evening we could close in memory of him. So I I just wanted to let everyone know about his passing. Thank you, Pat. Uh board member Fuentes. Thank you, board member. Uh thank you, board president. Excuse me. Just wanted a couple of thing I'm
108not It's not the first time again. Everybody's like no comments. No, I'm kidding. I wanted to just say uh we had a great great time last night at uh Bloomington High School with Tomorrow's Leaders celebration. Just to see the students' faces as they were getting their names called uh to receive those gift cards, those uh ear pods, or whatever they're called, and all Chromebooks, iPads, whatever it was. Uh to see them celebrate uh the achievement of good attendance, uh their GPA, all of that stuff, and to be able to be part of that, and congratulations to the student from Colton High who won the car. At first, she didn't know if she had won or not. She's looking at her paper, and she was confused. Finally, she she realized I think it was uh uh
109board president uh Flores that said, "No, you you won the car." And she realized that she did. So it was an exciting time to see when a student can actually win something that's going to help them go to college, go to work, go do this, go do that. It and and a lot of times some of these families uh don't have a vehicle. And a lot of times the vehicle that the student wins in the in the I've done for 9 years. I guess the 9 years I've always seen families that don't have a vehicle, that is a vehicle for them to use also. So thank you again to Rotolo Chevrolet for uh giving us that vehicle to Rosa and Leonard Dominguez also for their participation in that. We appreciate that to Tomorrow's Leaders Foundation
110to Dr. Ortiz and his team. Thank you so much for putting it on. I think you're right Ms. Haro. It was one of the best one of the best celebrations that we've had. And again, thank you to the everyone involved in that celebration. Also, just wanted to say earlier that day earlier yesterday, we also had a small little celebration with our teachers from Zimmerman Elementary. And we had a little luau out there with them. We celebrated with them. And you know, Tomorrow's Leaders Foundation also was the host of that celebration with them. We did have the Polynesian dancers and of course Mr. Fuentes and Mr. Ohm and one of the teachers because they only have two men teachers at that school. Two of them. And one of them we did go up there and we
111did some dancing and I'm still sore from that. So, we had to do a little war dancing there that day and do some yelling and sticking our tongue out and all that crazy stuff that they do as a war warrior. So, again, there's many things I could share today, but you know, one of the most important things I wanted to share is thank you. Thank you to all our teachers. Thank you to our nurses for what they do every day. Every day you have a challenge to make sure that these young men and women walk out of there walk off their campus knowing something. You know, because it their future is part of what they learn every day when they come to school. Part of it is being at school. Part of it is giving
112them that love. Part of them is showing them that there is someone that cares and wants them to learn and wants them to achieve. And that is the goal here at CUSD. We want them to achieve. One of our motto's is achievement. We want them to be well when they're in school. We want them to feel secure when they're in school. We want them to feel like they are included in everything. Because it's all about all of them. And so I want to thank each and every one of our teachers. A shout-out to our adult school. Uh well I was out there DJing at one of their events and I got the shirt on today. Wanted to make sure wasn't wearing the polo. I got a hookup. And uh so we shout-out to our adult
113school and I appreciate appreciate everything that's happening at our adult school. And once again, have a great Mother's Day. Mamás, felicidades madres. Enjoy enjoy get spoiled. Ask for anything and I'm pretty sure that man'll give it to you. All right. Have a good evening. Thank you. Board member Flores. No comment. Okay. And for myself I I just want to send a very special message. A special acknowledgement and appreciation to every single teacher that we have in our district and also to every single classified uh member that we have. Whether it's a custodian, an office manager. I mean, we are really appreciative of everything you do. And to our nurses as well. With that we will be closing our our meeting in memory of our uh very beloved Ignacio Cabrera. The board will now adjourn into
114closed session to discuss the items listed on the closed session agenda. Thank you. >> Mhm. >> Yeah, be careful. There's a skunk right outside. Okay. Okay, the the board is back from closed session. We have uh item 11.2. Excuse me, let me back up a little bit here. Okay, 11.1, student discipline. 11.1, there was one student discipline item presented in closed session. Is there a motion to uphold the expulsion order as presented? So moved. And this? Second? Second. Maro? Okay, I have a motion by board member Fuentes and second by board member Harrell to uphold the expulsion order as presented. All those in favor say I. I. Nays? Okay. On a motion of board member board member Fuentes and board member Harrell and on a 7-0 vote the board upheld the expulsion order of one
115student discipline item as presented. Student number 1085435. On a motion by board member Fuentes and second by board member Flores, Dan Flores, and carried on a 7-0 vote the board approved the following positions as listed on the agenda. In closed session on a motion by board member Harrell and second by board member Fuentes and on a 7-0 vote the board appointed the following: Danielle Fernandez, Community Schools Partnership Program Coordinator, Student Services Division. In closed session on motion of board member Harrell and second by board member Fuentes and on a 7-0 vote the board appointed the following: Daniel Morgan, Principal of Joe Baca Middle School. We are adjourning at I'm sorry, did I forget? I'm sorry, did I We're not adjourning in honor of Did I miss it? Not sure. We did before the We did
116before we closed the session. I apologize. Okay, very good. So, at this point, it is 9:04. And we are adjourning. Thank you. Have a good evening.