001Testing 1 2 1 2 test. >> [music] >> Mhm. >> Good evening, everyone. The time is 5:32. I'll be calling the regular meeting of the Alvord Elementary School District to order. We'll start with roll call and quorum establishment. Ms. Levine. Trustee Kraus. >> Kraus, present. Trustee Kyer. Kyer, present. Trustee La Frenz is not here. Trustee Stewart. Stewart, pre- present. Trustee Soto. Soto, present. We have a quorum. Moving on to the Pledge of Allegiance. Um, VP Kyer, would you please lead us? Yes, if I could please have everyone stand, place your right hand over your heart. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> [clears throat] >> Thank you. Moving on to
002number two, adoption of the agenda. Are there any proposed additions, deletions, and adjustments in the order of business? Uh, no, there are not. All right, moving on to the adoption of the agenda. I move that we approve. Is there a second? Kyer, I second. Any discussion? Trustee Kraus. Trust- uh, Trustee Stewart. VP Kyer. None. I have none. We'll take the vote. Ms. Levine. Trustee Kraus. >> Kraus, I. Trustee Kyer. Kyer, I. Trustee Stewart. Stewart, I. Trustee Soto. Soto, I. Motion passes 4-0. Moving on to public testimony. Uh, public comments. Um, before we do that, we'll have our VP read the public speaker card. All righty. The public comment period is administered by state law and is the point in the meeting set aside for members of the public to share their opinions with the board.
003Open [snorts] meeting laws do not permit the board to engage in dialogue or answer questions. Any person [snorts] who wishes to address the governing board on closed session agenda items only must complete and submit AASD speaker request form 5 minutes before the meeting is called to order. Public comments will only be taken on agenda items during the discussion of those items. The board values public comments and although the board of trustees cannot take action or discuss items not on the agenda, the board of trustees listens carefully and appreciates input from the public. Additionally, a public speaker can be cut off for exceeding the allotted time or for willfully causing an actual disruption to the meeting. Before cutting a person off or removing someone, the board will give at least at least one clear warning. If
004you were cut off or warned the last time, please consider that your warning. Individual speakers are allowed 3 minutes to address the board on each closed session agenda item. The board limits the total time for public input on each item to 20 minutes. With board consent, the president may increase or decrease the time allowed for public presentation, depending on the topic and the number of persons wishing to be heard. The president may take a poll of speakers for or against a particular issue and may ask that additional person speak only if they have something new to add. Thank you. Do we have any We'll We'll move to public comments. Ms. Levine, do we have any representatives from ADTA? Uh, yeah. Uh, uh President Soto, Trustee La Frenz arrived at 5:35. Just want to document that.
005And from ADTA, I believe we have uh, Mr. Tapia. Good evening, Trustees, cabinet members, Dr. Viegas, Board President Soto, CSEA, and ADTA members. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Dr. Best for holding an open and honest conversation with our sped teachers, um, as well as working with us during the bargaining process. I wanted to thank Mr. Shiplett for handling all situations with me with respect, understanding, and a desire to work together. I appreciate that. Also wanted to thank Dr. Lee for holding the E lot meetings where a collective uh, where a collective of stakeholders lends their experience and problem-solving skills to task. As we look as we take a look at the RFPs or the RFP for superintendent search firm, it is important to take a look at optics into consideration. This
006board, this entity, this district has a long history of being accused of giving contracts to friends, family members, or business associates. We must never fail to hold integrity as paramount. And I would hope that when the final selection is made, any appearance of bias, nepotism, or conflict of interest is avoided at all cost. Thank you for this opportunity to speak, and I look forward to the future developments. Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker, please. Um, I'll call on CSEA. I don't see her Anyone representing for CSEA, Diane Lynn? And that should do it for tonight's speakers. All right, moving on to new business. Review of the RFP for superintendent search firm. I motion that we approve. Is there a second? Kraus, I second. Okay. Um, before we open up for discussion, uh, Dr. Viegas, would
007you like to introduce the item? Absolutely. Uh, good evening, everyone. It's really my pleasure to talk about this particular piece as it's sometime incoming. Uh, the the idea today is is to examine the proposals that have been submitted by the various firms. Just as a reminder in terms of the uh, timeline, uh, the there was an RFP that was that was put out in the middle of February, and then at the March meeting, we were able then to extend it and open it for a little bit longer period of time to make sure that we had the appropriate amount of of people that were able to submit. Uh, and in addition to that, there was added a rubric and uh, the more explanation just to make sure that all the the firms understood what we
008were looking for as a district for the firm. And the there was an one additional firm that submitted, and that's what we have in what you have in front of you now is is the actual um, proposals. Uh, part of the process was that on April 1st uh, actually on April 2nd, we we had a group uh, that was included administrators. Uh, you had some site um, principles. Uh, you had uh, the Mr. Tapia was part of that, and uh, there was a CSEA representation as well uh, to look at all these proposals and to provide a ranking in terms of uh, really the scores of of based on the rubric. Uh, that was also offered to the board so that they could see uh, what was the um, you know, how they ranked them
009and what was their actual scores. Uh, they understood that that was just part of the process, but the board would have examined all of them and have a make a decision as to what firms would then come back and that's next week's meeting to uh, actually to do a presentation in open session to the board so that they could hear more details about the firms that are invited back. So, the intent is today to identify what which firms uh, would the board be interested in bringing back. Uh, I just in highlighting one of the things that was asked stated earlier related to, you know, connections and you know, I also got an email from from one of the board members asking, "Does anyone know anyone that's connected to the firms? You know, do we have
010any Has anyone on the committee that that was part of the selection um, or that is somehow connected to the firms?" I didn't at the time when I got the email, I didn't have the answer, but I went and researched it recently just in the last hour or two, and I asked the people that were in the committee and there was no knowledge of of anyone. There's one firm uh, is the Cosca Group who has an employee a former employee that works for the the the that group who's actually retired from public education but is is a representative of that firm that's of the Cosca Group. And so that that person worked here years ago probably maybe 12 13 years ago and and that I have that bit of knowledge just that then I think
011the committee was aware of that as well when when they when they talked about it. They they knew that she had worked in in the district and that she was putting in the proposal. And I you know just one of the things that's for full transparency but as we know that happens sometimes you have folks that may have worked in the district in the past and they move on to do other things and and sometimes they do that because they feel they know the district and they're able to to put in an application and a proposal for that. So that didn't bar them from being placed in as one of the potential candidates. And so I did want to be transparent and share that but related to anyone else there was no other relationships or
012no other um perceived conflict that I can tell or that anyone was able to tell me. So that's where we are. Awesome. All righty. Thank you, Dr. Viegas. We'll open up for discussion. Trustee Kraus. Yes, good evening everyone and thank you Dr. Viegas and Mr. Tapia for uh bringing to the forefront the requirements in my mind that we have to be completely transparent. We have to be accountable not only with ourselves but to these organizations that we're potentially considering to make sure that we are following a very neutral and unbiased process as we move forward. So again, Dr. Viegas, I appreciate your comments and Mr. Tapia of you bringing that up as well. And I hope that as we move forward with whichever firm that we involve all of our stakeholders including our students and
013our parents and all of the stakeholders in the Adelanto community but not only just Adelanto but since we have schools in Victorville that we also consider ensuring that there's a representation from Victorville. For example, I'm in area one and all three of the schools in area one are in the city of Victorville. So and several parents have reached out hoping to be part of the process related to the next superintendent search. So I do appreciate the opportunity to go through these this evening. And then finally for clarification and and in all sake of transparency I have never worked for any of the 11 firms here. I do not know anybody in any of these firms. The person you spoke to that used to work here was before my time when I was here, Dr. Viegas.
014So I want to make sure that that's on the record as well and that I have no conflict of interest in my mind but I welcome anyone to always question the process and question me if they feel at any point in time that there perhaps would be. I do appreciate that feedback and that input as we move through this process. So thank you, President Soto. That's the only comments I have this evening. Trustee Stewart. So I did have a question. So on I believe Dr. Viegas you said that on April 2nd there was a group that met with the rubric and they put in their input when they looked at the RFPs. Did did you email the results of that cuz I don't I was checking my emails and I didn't see it. Yes, it's
015part of the the board update. There's a link in in there not only of you you were able to see these and the also the results that that was offered but I can ask you I can certainly get a copy of that for you right now. I think that'd be very useful in case we don't have it. And so maybe we can Oh, here it is. No, I have it. I have it. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Trustee Le French. I have no comment. VP Carr. Okay, for clarification purposes, Dr. Viegas, tonight's agenda is to give direction on the companies that we would like to come back for presentation to the entire board. That's correct. Our group that met and went over all of the proposals there are three top ones just just remind
016me cuz I do not have my computers HYA, the Cosca Group and Aryan Associates. >> Aryan Associates. And it was was actually first. Okay. And >> Sorry, I memory. Yes. I'm trying, guys. And then HYA followed by Cosca Group. Okay, perfect. All righty. And then have you been able to speak to any of the proposals at this point in time or or is this the first coming to us? It's first coming to you. I believe this is the the you know the board's really should be the one to decide on this one and so we had the way the process was outlined that you know we I would be collecting them. I would be asking the committee to give their input and then we'd bring it to the board for for further examination and direction.
017Okay, perfect. All righty. And then just just to be clear, these are the three that have been recommended to the board to look at. Well, >> [snorts] >> they they were asked to rank them and they were asked to give their top three priorities. So those three were were given as priorities. Again, it was understood that the board didn't necessarily have to pick out of those three but that was when they had a conversation and they they would they they picked those three based on the scores. Okay. And then tonight the district is seeking the direction to for the presentations to come back to the board. Yes. So at this time I would like to throw my support between the three top contenders that our committee has in fact outlined as their priorities. And have
018those three Aryan Associates the Cosca Group and then the HYA to come back for further presentation to the board. I concur with Vice President Carr on the top three recommendations. Trustee Stewart. Any any input any comments? No. Trustee Le French. No. Okay, I agree. Um So we made already made the motion to approve this agenda item. Is was it clear enough for you, Dr. Viegas, in terms of direction? It was that those it looks like those will be the the ones that come well maybe we can spend a couple moments getting a little more direction in terms of the idea that as I understood would be that they would come and they would present and they would be given an allotted time maybe five to seven minutes to present to the board in in the
019opening portion of the session and they would you would be it would be heard and then there would be an opportunity for the board to ask questions clarifying questions and and then you know then there would be some opportunity for this to be discussed in in closed for a minute as part of um potential litigation you know as as these matters do involve that and then the board would then give us a recommendation and we would have that as an action item. If if if in fact the board was prepared to make a recommendation for what firm at some point in the in the board meeting. President Soto, I did have a question based on Trustee Kraus. Dr. Viegas's comments. Thank you, Dr. Viegas, for those comments. In in [clears throat] all three there is
020a timeline for recruitment. And our next board meeting is on the 14th. If we're thinking about bringing them back on the 14th that their timeline started around around this time. So would they be able to then alter their you know, timelines based on when we potentially would approve one of the firms? I believe they would be. I I haven't spoken with them about that. I I was hoping that as soon as I would get the direction. So tomorrow I would make a phone call or I'd have staff contact the firms and let them know that that would be the request and I believe that they would be able to adjust. Great, thank you. I just I appreciate the clarification on that. Just looking at those timelines. I know they're pretty tight from what all three
021had submitted. So just want to make sure we're not going to whichever firm we select, we don't want to rush them into doing the work that they need to do to be thorough and I know they're experts at it but just that that timeline. So I appreciate it. Thank you. VP Carr. Just an additional question. So with the presentations being set for next week's board meeting would we be reviewing contracts or would we wait for an additional meeting for that? The the hope would be that for there to be an additional meeting since we right now we wouldn't know who's going to get selected. So at that meeting if if it all goes well, there would be a selection. Okay. And then on the 28th we would then have a fully executed contract to for
022for the board's consideration. Okay, perfect. That thank you so much for that clarification. I have no further questions. Anything else, colleagues? All right. Um So we've given direction to Dr. Viegas. The direction is that well the top three firms will come back to present to the board and then the board will deliberate and choose the the firm. All right, I I now we're moving on to the adjournment. [clears throat] I motion that we adjourn this special meeting. Kyer, I second. Um Ms. Levine, for vote, please. Trustee Kraus. Kraus, I. Trustee Kyer. Kyer, I. Trustee LaFrench. LaFrench, I. Trustee Stewart. Stewart, I. Trustee Soto. Soto, I. The time is 5:50. We are adjourned. Thank you. All right.