001Good evening. The board of trustees meeting for March 24th, 2026 is called to order at 5:32 p.m. Please let the record reflect that all board members are in attendance. What are the wishes of the board on the agenda? Thank you. I have a motion by Vice President Sers. Is there a second? I have a second by trustee Kirk. Uh all in favor please say I. Any abstensions? Thank you. Motion carries unanimously. Uh we will now take any comments from the public on any of the close session items. Any member of the public wishing to address the board on close session items should come forward now or call the number 559-2763150. We will allow 30 seconds to pass before we adjourn to close session. board president. 30 seconds have passed and there's no callers at this
002time. >> Thank you. We will now adjourn into close session and return to open at 7 p.m. Thank you. Heat. Hey, heat. Hey, heat. Are you ready? Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Hey, heat. Hey. Heat. Heat. Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Oh, hey. Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Hey, heat. Hey, heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey. Hey. Hey. Heat. Heat. anymore. Heat. Heat. Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. Heat up here. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.
003Heat. Heat. Hey, Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, heat. Hey, heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. Oh, hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Oh, hey. Come on, Yes. I'm a Heat. Heat. N. It's not Heat. Heat. Thank you. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, Heat. Hey. Oh. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. behind me. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Yes. Good evening. The board reconvenes to open session. Items to report from action taken in close session. The certificated personnel report was approved unanimously by a motion by trustee Kirk, a second by trustee Sadu. The classified personnel report was also approved unanimously by a motion by trustee Nandep Singh and a second by trustee
004Sadu. Uh the board also took action unanimously to deny claim number GHC000092524 by a motion by Vice President Sers and a second by Trusty Keron. The board also took action by unanim also unanimously took action uh to deny claim number GHC000093821. A motion by vice president Sers and a second by trustee Sadu. Um with that we will move on to the pledge of allegiance. If I can please have board vice president sellers lead us. Thank you. We move on to our community engagement information. And if I can please have our interpreter translators provide that information. Good evening. If you wish to address the board, please call 559-276-3150 or fill out a request form provided on the table near the entrance and submitted to the clerk of the board prior to the meeting. If you wish
005to speak on an item on the agenda, please do so when that item is called. If you wish to speak on an item not on the agenda, you may speak during the public comment section of the agenda. The district welcomes other language speakers to the board meetings. Anyone planning to attend and needing an interpreter for a language other than Spanish should call 559-274-4700 extension 10150 by noon on the Friday preceding the board meeting or at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting so arrangements can be made for an interpreter. Thank you. Thank you. So or not Translator meeting translator. Thank you. We move on to our next item, presentations. We will first uh hear from school activities presentation assistant superintendent mlennon. >> I'd like to ask Marcy Bre to come to the stand as
006well as Paul. I'm at the podium, not the stand. I got all excited there. Good evening, President Coreo, board trustees, and Dr. Marshall. On behalf of ED services, it is an honor to invite you to our 2025 2026 multilingual celebration taking place on May 29th and June 5th from 5 to 7:00 p.m. This special event is dedicated to recognizing and celebrating our students who have achieved reclassification as English proficient. This year we are proud to honor approximately 50 students who have already successfully reclassified during the 2526 school year based on their 25 alpac performance. In addition, we have a potential for over 300 English learners currently performing at a proficiency level of a high three who are on a strong trajectory toward English language proficiency and reclassification. The multilingual celebration is a meaningful opportunity to
007highlight not only the academic accomplishments of our English learners, but also the perseverance, commitment, and partnerships with their families. We would be deeply honored by your presence as we recognize these students and celebrate the collective effort that supports their success. Madame President Curo, Vice President Sers, Trustee Singh, Trustee Kurfon, Trustee Kirk, Trustee Sidu, and Trustee Singh, and Dr. Marshall. We sincerely hope you are able to join us for this inspiring event and thank you for your continued support of our students and our multilingual community. Thank you. >> Thank you. And if you're able to make it, you get to participate in giving the students a a medal that they received to commemorate their accomplishment. U may I just request, and you're probably already doing this, um ensure that we have enough interpreters for the event
008for our families. Thank you very much. >> Thank you for the invitation. >> Thank you. We move on to student recognition. We will have uh Dr. Lopez. Good evening, uh, board of trustees, President Killo and Superintendent Dr. Marshall. In recognition of ArabAmerican Heritage Month, we have our Central High School resource specialist teacher, Rana Aesh, who will provide a video presentation created by students. Good evening, Superintendent Dr. Marshall, members of the board, and student trustees. My name is Rana Aesh. I apologize for not being able to attend in person tonight. Central Unified is proud to acknowledge Arabameans during the month of April. With the ever so growing numbers of ArabAmericans residing within our district boundaries, April has become a time to celebrate the diverse cultures, histories, and voices of Arab-American communities. Arabic speaking families come from
009many regions across North Africa, Southwest Asia, bringing with them unique traditions, languages, and stories. This video from Central High School West Campus highlights and honors that diversity through the voices and experiences of students, recognizing the richness they bring to our school community. We do have another video Hi, my name is Yousef and I'm from Palestine. My family is Palestinian. Our culture is known for the depka dance embroidery called and tradition central around family and olive trees. food. for sure. foram. My name is Abd Rahman and my family is from Morocco which is located in Northern Africa. Morocco is known for their beautiful art, colorful mosaics and traditional clothing like kafan and we are also known for amazing food such as couscous and tajine. >> Arabameans are part of our schools, our community and our future.
010Happy ArabAmerican Heritage Month from Central Unified School District. Thank you. We move on to employee association highlights. Do we have a representative from the Central Unified Teachers Association? President Laura Bolton going once, going twice. Uh, next we invite the California School Employees Association. Do we have President Agiri? Hearing none, we'll move on to our next items. >> Did I miss something? Oh. Um, we move on to superintendent board communications. First, we will hear from Dr. Marshall, our superintendent. >> Make sure mic is on. >> I have a few things to share this evening. I want to first start with just a summary of our LCAP meetings. We've been getting input as far as our current LCAP and kind of getting a a check on what our community feels about what we offer. And one thing
011I want to point out, I'm glad that Norah is here. One that I've heard consistently at every um session that I've gone to, they love the FOSs. I mean, that's across the board. So, I just wanted to just commend you uh tonight. So, I'm glad you're here. >> And what are FOSs? >> Family outreach leazison. So that's uh but that's every group I went to when we talked about the way it was set up. What do you want to keep and at every session the FOs? So I really wanted to just um and I told you this I was going to give uh publicly uh state that uh we started our master facilities plan update at Central High School. And as you can see from the picture that you you see there, it was a
012group a good way to kind of kick off the process. Uh, one thing the architect pointed out was that he was there for the master facilities plan, but that he would be back to talk about as far as an aquatic center over at Central High School that you approved as far as a feasibility study. So, that was stated. Uh, you have a copy of the final report. I think I emailed it, but you'll have a printed copy of the uh updated uh APU study. That's assigned personnel unit. I want to uh highlight a lot of our student athletes. Uh at Central High School, we have a student that finished first in a freshman that finished first in the state. We also some of our local teams, Mckenley, Liddell, and Hernand Barstow. They're district wrestling champions.
013Uh Tilly and Central Elementary, they were crowned the track uh track and field champions. Our Central East girls basketball team, they took uh second place in the CIF uh state division championships. uh our student center east students uh Sophia Lopes she's ranked first in the state in the uh 300 hurdles and 100 hurdles and then center east student Jaylen Jackson is ranked second in the state in 200 hurdles we have some very talented students moving right along next one thing that I started as far as to kind of get more in touch with the students is my lunch with students series and I started at center east and it was good to just talk about with the students about what impacts them our student trustee was there and uh it it was a great conversation
014and they they really kind of shared you know the good things and things me to work on. So what I'm going to do is try to go to all the secondary sites and really just hear from the students and one thing that they promised they want me to bring them all together to have like a collective meeting. So we're going to do that. Uh some student highlights from the month. I attended the uh last week the uh CASA statewide professional development um session that was in um Anaheim and what was interesting is that a couple things happened. Uh one thing I noted was that one of our students from Central High School was a featured speaker a presenter and I mean her session was packed. So we had a one of our students was leading
015one of the most popular session. Another thing that I want to highlight because I we often I like to highlight staff members but the whole conference I got to hear about Dr. Lopez this presentation that she did for Axa Midsouth on on the MTSS system that we have here in Central and it was like a thou you know it it had to be about 20 people you know basically uh do you work in Central and I'm like uh yes do you know Dr. Lopez? like yes, I know her. And I mean, so I wanted to just give you public accolades as well. And I and I have another accolade for um Dr. Lopez moving forward. Uh a couple community events. Uh we had the Roosevelt School Carnival and then there was the uh Run for
016Roots um Highway City, the 5K run at Kernney Park. Now what you see, you'll see a picture of Dr. Lopez and I, you know, in the corner there. That was the last time that I saw Dr. Lopez because I got smoked as far as in the run. I mean, she really I mean, she outran me. By the time we got to the finish line, I when I got there, she was eating breakfast. I mean, that's how that's that's how bad it was. But, uh, you know, I wanted to just commend her for that. Uh, looking ahead, uh, we've been, um, having our negotiations with our labor partners and it's been going well. I've talked to both labor groups and I mean, I want to say to our both teams, um, thank you for your work.
017Uh, we start the staffing process for next year. our student assessment system is upon us and then like as I said previously uh more connection with students but in the interim have a safe spring break and we'll see you at the break. >> Thank you. We next will hear from student achievement engagement and wellness subcommittee. I don't know who your chair is. Okay. Well, there's got to be a chair. So, >> in the meantime, I'll just share an update. I don't I am not the chair. So, uh we had a opportunity, a wonderful opportunity to speak with our uh director of uh special ed as well as uh Dr. Lopez uh repres our assistant superintendent. Uh I I think what was uh really important, it was uh attended by Trusty Sidu and I. What was
018really important was I guess laying down a uh kind of system for us to obviously understand all of our different interventions, when they take place, how they take place, uh and just what are the types of student supports we have. I think um what was most illuminating uh for for me was um Director Henle actually provided uh a dashboard to actually really understand what are what are some of the what are some of the largest concerns where we really have to make movement especially for our our special ed students. Um and I think going forward as like I I would probably definitely suggest uh increasing the frequency so that we could actually do more more sort of data dives and possibly providing like a one pager the day before and so uh acronyms granted we
019we may have like new uh trustees at that time but I think it's important for us to take uh the time to do a little bit extra homework because then our conversation could be really just going into the data per site per school, what are the supports need and just really understanding. So, I think it was a great uh start. I I think uh uh all of us really enjoyed the conversation, but I think we're very excited about um what the implications can be for all of our students. Whether we're talking about wellness, student achievement, which we didn't really get to go into much, we focus much more on on on wellness and our special ed students. >> Thank you very much. and we will agendaize an item for our April 28th board meeting so
020we can get um trustee Harmon Singh appointed to some committees. Student trustees, would either of you like to provide a report or both? >> Um just a real quick thing. Uh we got to meet Ken Jennings at Soroan Theater and that was an awesome opportunity. um two of the two of our seniors got um selected for a scholar but didn't unfortunately win it. And lastly, I would like to recognize a student. Her name is Eevee Singh. You guys probably all know her. She was um selected by Dr. Coper um as superintendent of school superstar out of all of Fresno County schools. So, congratulations to her. I have a quick thing to say too. I wanted to say um speak up on our clubs at East just to shout them out cuz we noticed we have
021a lot of abilities and opportunities for students to get involved. And we're al I wanted to shout out Justin Garza's in the highest performance. It was wonderful. And I also wanted to shout out our meeting with Dr. Marshall the other day at principal round table. It was we were really happy about the outcome and we were glad to be able to speak on issues and things we were grateful with the school. >> Thank you both. I'll open the floor for any of our board members. Anyone have a report they would like to provide? >> Trusty Kuron. >> Thank you, President Singh. I just want to share that last week I was able to attend the uh Roosevelt uh school carnival. Had a great time. uh the uh events that they put on as a team,
022their PTA is great. Uh have not heard back yet if I won the raffle, but fingers crossed. Uh and then I just want to share that on uh the fact that we're celebrating ArabAmerican Heritage Month. I'm proud that we have this resolution again this year. Very few school districts or cities in our region acknowledge this month. Um and some of us have uh been here for generations. some are new neighbors, but we still have ties and families um in our original countries. So, just sharing in light of the wars plaguing the region, especially uh in Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, Iran. Um praying for peace and justice and that your family stay safe and healthy. >> Thank you, Trusty Geron. Uh Trustee Harmon Singh. >> Thank you, President Ko. Uh yeah, just wanted to share uh
023in my short time on the board so far, I've had the opportunity to uh recently go uh with uh Dr. Marshall to the master's facilities uh update at Central High School. It was nice to uh go to some go to my old stomping grounds um and meet Principal Lori, I believe, uh correct. and uh yeah uh looking forward to being more involved uh with the community and uh within our district. Thank you. >> Thank you. Hearing no other comments, we'll move on to comments from the public. How many speakers do we have? >> Uh President CO, I have two comment cards. Not sure how many online. >> None. Okay. Um so each member will have three three minutes to address the board. We have a timer. Please be respectful of the time. uh please make
024sure that you press the push button and that the green light is on. Otherwise, it's really hard for anyone that is uh watching remotely um to to hear your comment. If there are any members in the audience now, if you haven't completed a comment card, uh please do so or you may come forward. If there's anyone watching us remotely that would like to provide a comment uh under comments from the public, the number to call is 559-276-3150. Clerk Keron, please call the first individual. >> Thank you, President Ko. Our first comment is from Dr. Saul Selenus. >> I will now take three minutes. Uh, good evening members of the board. President Kario, Superintendent Marshall. Uh, we are friends on Facebook, but that's about it. But it's good to meet you. Uh, my name is Dr.
025Saul Selenas. I'm an assistant professor at Freso Pacific. And tonight, I brought my class. Uh this is uh these are a group of individuals who are studying to be social workers and they're in my school social work class and thank you. Last year we were able to come uh thank you for opening up your doors. Uh but I do have something I want to mention about a student of Central East, Lenia Greenberry. In my day job, I got to be part of the Freso County Superintendent Schools lead program at Freso State. It's it's part of Bulldog Bound. And Lenanisha and I met today and uh I was able to be part of a mock interview with her and she and I was like a panel member interviewing her and she was phenomenal. Uh she was
026outstanding. She had positional authority. She was she was very articulate and I said, "Where do you go to school?" And she says, "Central East." And for me that made me proud because I know the work that's happening here. Uh you got really good friends of mine on staff now. you got individuals here that that are making a difference. So, uh thank you. Thank you for opening up your doors to allow my students uh their part of their last presentation or their uh final u project is they're going to have to present to a school board. Now, that's going to be a mock school board. Uh but I'm telling them there's going to be times where you're going to have to go and advocate for your programs. there's going to be times where you're going to
027have to justify why your program program exists and why it's making a difference for students. So that's what I'm doing with their final project at Freso Pacific. Thank you. Appreciate you all. God bless. >> Thank you. Uh President Korea, I have a mistake. The other card was for the consent agenda, not for unscheduled communication. >> Okay. Thank you. >> We'll come back to them. >> No others. Okay. We move on to our consent agenda. Um, we can take the public comment now. >> Sure. Our comment comes from Samuel Molina. >> All right. Good evening. President Karo, board trustees and superintendent Dr. Marshall. My name is Samuel Molina. I'm a Central High School alumnist and founder of the Academy of Financial Education, a local nonprofit based here in Fresno. And I'm speaking on the financial literacy
028resolution. Uh first I want to begin by thanking you all for recognizing the important role financial literacy plays in the health and well-being of students and their families. This resolution is not just about finances, it's about student success. The connection between financial health and mental health is clear. When mental I'm sorry, when families are experiencing financial stress, whether it's housing instability, debt, or the rising cost of living, that stress does not stay at home. Students carry it in the classroom. It can impact their focus, attendance, behavior, and overall academic performance. When we talk about supporting the whole student, we must also consider the financial realities that shape their daily lives. Financial literacy gives students and families more than just knowledge. It gives them confidence, stability, and the ability to make informed decisions. It helps reduce
029stress, strengthens households, and creates an environment where students can truly thrive. Uh through my work in the community, I've seen firsthand how empowering individuals to build a healthier relationship with money can transform not only their finances, but their mindset and their future. By adopting this resolution, you are taking an important step toward addressing a root cause cause of stress and supporting long-term student success. Thank you again for your leadership and commitment to the students and families of Central Unified. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Molina for your comment and for bringing the item to our attention as well. We appreciate that. In addition to the uh resolution for finance literacy, we also have a resolution 2526-37 declaring April 2026 as ArabAmerican Heritage Month. As we heard earlier, we also have resolution number 2526-38 declaring April
0302026 as Autism Acceptance Month. And we have resolution number 2526-40 declaring April 11th through the 17th as week of young child. And since I mentioned each resolution number, I will also say it for financial literacy month. Resolution number 2526-44 recognizing April 2026 as financial literacy month. Uh with that, what are the wishes of the board on the consent agenda? >> Motion to approve. >> Thank you. I have a motion by trustee Keron. Is there a second? >> So moved. I have a second by Vice President Sers. Student trustees, how do you vote? >> I. Thank you. Board members, all in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Any abstensions? Motion carries unanimously. Thank you very much. We move on to action items. Our first action item is student discipline. We have four cases.
031I would like to pull uh case number 2526-011 to have an individual vote. Uh is there any other request to pull the others? Okay. So what are the wishes of the board on case number 2526-006 25-26-012 25-26-013 >> so move >> second >> thank you so I have a motion by trustee Nandep Singh to approve the recommendations for the three named cases and I have a second by trustee Keron student trustees how do you vote >> I thank you board members all in favor please say I I >> any oppose? Any abstensions? Motion carries. Uh now for case number 2526-011. Trusty Keron. >> Thank you. President 111. I would like to motion to reject the recommendation and require that they must complete community service and participate in restorative justice exercise as determined by administration. >>
032Thank you. I have a motion for case number 25-26-011 to reject the recommendation uh and require the completion of community service and participation in uh restorative justice as determined by administration. >> Is that correct? Okay, I will second your motion. >> Student trustees, how do you vote? >> I I thank you. Board members, all in favor, please say I. I. >> Any oppose? Any abstensions? Motion carries. Thank you. We move on to our second action item and I will assume that our clerk and our staff will tell me if I have any comments from any of for any of these items. Uh accept gifts to the district. Assistant Superintendent Ekba. >> Good evening. We have two gifts to the district. The first one is Central Elementary School received a donation of $1,000 from Central Elementary
033PTA for the first and second grade field trip to transportation. And the second is Justin Garzo received a donation of $500 from Gordon Park for the track team administration recommending the board accept gifts to the district. >> Thank you. Any comments or questions from the board? What are the wishes of the board on this item? >> Motion to accept. >> Thank you. >> I have a motion by Vice President Salers to accept the gifts. I have a second by trustee Sadu. >> All student trustees, how do you vote? I >> I >> uh board members, all in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Any abstensions? Motion carries unanimously. >> Uh next we move on to item three, approve Corine Compose and Associates contract. Dr. Lopez. >> Good evening. In order to continue
034the work in alignment to the California Community School Partnership Program, this item is returning for approval. I am happy to answer any questions you may have. >> Thank you. Are there any questions or comments from the board on this item? What are the wishes of the board? >> Uh, President Ko, I actually do have a quick question as that um why is it that this contract comes back uh does not come back later after the year expires to the board for approval. >> So, it can I believe the language should have aligned more to the grant. So more in alignment to the five-year grant kind of like the way we did the standard operating procedure for the teachers, for the coordinators because it is a grant item. It's the line 5000. So if we ever
035were to revise it, we need a committee vote, you name it, from the California uh the CCSP committee that we have to have the district advisory committee and submit the revision to the state for a grant for the grant to be revisited. So I the language can definitely change >> even even um would you have to send that if uh for each year? >> So if you're if you're changing the grant anything that was approved by the state we because it's a full line that we would change rather than just 15% change you would have to submit it to the state for a revision and that would have to be approved. My my only concern is that I feel like this board has expressed multiple times over multiple issues that we wanting to have more
036accountability for all of our external contracts that we like to have them come back for approval uh rather than uh um delay that uh right as a board. >> That's my only hesitancy >> and I and I get it and we can change that language um definitely. I've been bringing them to the board every year so I don't plan on changing that. Yeah. Trusty Kirk. >> Thank you. Dr. Lopez, if we talk about accountability, like Trusty Eric Fon said, >> I'm not quite sure what to expect um from Miss Campost over this year. I know we have some um some areas she's supposed to be supervising, but as far as deliverables, is there a more detailed idea so that when we do look at this again that we do have some type of comparison of
037not just kind of what >> we were hoping to do, but we what we expect and what was delivered on specifically? >> Uh is there an opportunity for that? >> Yes. So, and that'll be also in the report. So, I'm working on making sure that whatever we submit in the report is I'm going to create a presentation for you guys to submit to you. Uh, just so you understand everything that was submitted to the state in compliance to to the grant. One of her components is she does weekly meetings on Tuesday. Accountability to the grant like making sure our community uh coordinators are actually anything they do has to be align in align um it has to align to the grant and that compliance piece. She's coaching our current supervisor. She was just hired a
038month and a half ago. So, she's been coaching her up. She also completed all her PD and alignment to the grant for the time that I didn't have anyone this year. We just hired the position. So, she's being compensated for that. She's held a total of about 28 professional development sessions already with all our coordinators. And uh in addition to that, she is pursuing grant funding. So she's currently working on four grants for us making sure that we have that um that sustainability piece. We don't have a grant person in our district and that is tough. I my department is the one that I'm going to be honest holds most of the grants that we've been acrewing over the past two years and I am constantly looking out for grants and I'm excited to apply
039for them because that's free money to our district. But then with that comes accountability and making sure that we are compliant because we don't want to lose the grant and she supports with a lot of that. So I don't think I answered one question. She would be I I highly collaborate with her and I'm just letting you know like I call her a lot because anything I do I don't want it to be out of compliance. So I constantly call her even about other grants like she supported me with the ELOP grant as well. >> So in in addition to that so I I understand that we are missing a position. So do do we need to have a a supervisor for every grant that we have? Would it in the long run behoove us
040to have a grant >> supervisor instead of having this built into the grant so that we have a bunch of supervisors supervising our supervisors? >> No. So the supervisors carry out the work like for example the supervisor of community schools as a professional development for FOSs because our agreement was that the community school shouldn't just live at six sites. So all the FOs where you guys heard a lot of the work including what was presented at the AXA mid-state conference shows that t three tiers of support we're providing for families in our district for interventions even down to um housing right and food services. So our supervisor trains our FOSs how to be proactive and that is why we were able to get that hope hub grant because we are ahead of the game and
041our FOs are not just like homeschool leaison translating they're actually providing services but they need training. So she and Na provide a lot of the training to build their capacity. uh they also are going to be working with hope now uh in alignment to getting their certification for our FOs to be able to do the 21 pathways that we discussed. So she's providing a lot of training around that. She collaborates with Serena Dohi around all the food distribution components for the district, our FOs, the parent nights. So there's a lot of work. It's not just the six community schools. Um, she also provides professional development for our coordinators, but right now she's getting that coaching from Corine because she just got started a month and a half ago. So, she's been learning a lot. >>
042And so, this is not um a type of supervision that we'll need the entire length of this grant because she's training the supervisor. So, after this year, we may not need that level of supervision >> within the grant. >> That level of supervision I agree with. And please know this was this was written long ago before I even started. It was submitted to the state. It was approved. As of now, we found her. We needed her. Uh last year, we had a new supervisor. She trained her. She supported us. Uh she completed the reports even o over the summer because then we lost the position over the summer. So, she's done a lot of work around that and submitted to the state, supported me with that. Um this year, she's been leading the work in
043reality with me. um and put providing the the everything we need in alignment to the grant which is due next month and in addition to that she's helping me apply for grants. >> So my last question >> if we had a district grant compliance officer then we wouldn't need any more consultants to oversee the grants. Is that correct? >> That would help us a lot especially because I have multiple grants. However, as you just mentioned, this grant was written in such a way and and I think trustee Nandep Singh and I are the only board members that are still on the board to in to include a consultant and so I think that that's part of the concern as well and we were very clear at the beginning when this was developed to say we
044want them to be able to train our employees so that it is self- sustainable because that's the only way that the model's going to survive and then we have to be able to invest the money into their community schools >> because >> the state probably won't anymore. So >> yeah, if I can say something to that, I what my understanding is with the consultant is they looked at multiple districts all around us and how it was self- sustained and the the co the I keep on wanting to say coordinator. The consultant was used to build the outside partnerships. So she's helped a lot with that. We have 98 we started with three partnerships. So it's uh uh supported us a lot in the work. Uh however, I do see your un what you just mentioned
045around sustainability and we can definitely revisit but just know any revision right now will have to go to the state because it's a full line. >> Trusty Kuron, >> thank you. President CO, I just want to agree with uh Trustee Kirk. Uh this is not a knock on our the vendor that we're discussing right now, but I do believe that it would benefit our district long term to have a grant writer or a grant uh manager in house that can also do that work you're talking about of training our staff um and overseeing that all of our grants are in compliance, not just the community schools grant, but many others across different areas. Mhm. >> And again, while uh the vendor is doing good work, I do just believe that the board should have that
046approval over uh those large grants, making sure that we are uh staying in compliance and being responsible with our tax dollars. So, I would uh entertain a motion to approve with the amendment that the claw the contract does come back to us annually. We have a motion to approve the Corine Compost and Associates Associates contract uh with the requirement that it returned to the board on an annual basis. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Um thank you. I So I have a question. Um when we're talking about having it returned because I'm searching through these documents and I can't find the language that you guys are all citing or that Trusty Kon you're citing to. Is it what is the reason for having a return annually? Because as I understand it, we are for
047lack of more eloquent terms, we're stuck. We can't make any changes or we risk the state saying we're not going to approve this and you're not going to get any more funding. My understanding oversimplified, but is that correct? >> We run the risk. We don't know what they'll decide if we can submit it. We would have to wait and see if they approve it or not. >> So, um, Dr. Lopez, LA, this is not the first time this contract has come to us. Um, was it $90,000 before or was it a different amount? >> It's always been that amount. Okay. Well, by having this, it keeps the board in the loop if it comes back to us, whether there's any change in cost, whether there is um any uh changes in the services provided and
048also allows us as an agenda item to ask questions to discuss how the grant is going and the performances. So, it's more accountability for us as trustees, which I believe is our duty. >> Okay. So I would encourage us that we properly agendaize because the item that Trusty Kurfon is mentioning would not enable us to ask questions about the progress and the success of the contract. Um so just just so that the record reflects the item should be not just approval but perhaps an additional information item that provides a report on the accountability. This is why I'm asking because I want to make sure that you all know what to request and that we make sure that language is properly written for our agenda. >> So if the uh item approved corine compost and associate
049contract comes back for approval that does not inherently give us the ability to ask questions or updates about the contract >> about the contract. Yeah. But not the progress and the effectiveness of the services being provided through the contract. If I am approving a contract that that's probably when I would ask is this contract effective and then they would say yes. >> Again, I'm not trying to debate or spend any more time. I want to make sure that we properly agendaize. I'm not saying we're not going to talk about that, but under the Brown Act, there's a potential that that would not be covered. And that's my concern. So, I want to make sure that what we want is clearly articulated and that our staff, Dr. Lopez is prepared to provide us that information when
050it comes back. >> Can I suggest something? I know that there was um need for us to get a report as to how the grant is going. I can do that yearly and just bring the the the item back uh April May every time the report is due to the state so you guys know the outcome. >> Yeah, that'd be great. >> So long as it complies with the motion, assuming it's successful. >> That's been me. Okay. >> Thanks. So we have a motion u by trustee kurfan a second by trustee nandep singh to approve the karine compos and associates contract uh with the amendment that it return to the board on an annual basis. Student trustees how do you vote? >> I I board members all in favor please say I. >> I. >>
051Any oppose? Any abstensions? Motion carries. Thank you very much. Item number four, approved memorandum of understanding between Central Unified School District and C Central Unified Teachers Association chapter 961 regarding autism spectrum disorder addited authorizations added authorizations. Dr. Childs. >> Uh yes, thank you uh President Kado. So due to the student population trends, staffing needs and legal requirements, Central Unified School District must employ a requisite number of special education teachers who have added credential authorizations for autism spectrum disorder. So we have reached anou with our uh with our CUDA central unified teachers association chapter 961 regarding tuition reimbursement for special education teachers who secure this added authorization. It would cost $2,200 per teacher up to $2,200 per teacher uh for a tuition reimbursement for a total of 16 teachers. Administration is recommending the board approve theou
052between Central Unified School District and Central Unified Teachers Association. >> Thank you Dr. Charles. Any questions or comments from the board? >> Motion to approve. >> Thank you. I have a motion by Vice President Sers. Is there a second? I have a second by Trustee Kirk. Uh student trustees, how do you vote? >> I I >> Board members, all in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Any abstensions? Motion carries unanimously. Thank you. We move on to item number five. to approve bid schedule and award for housing kernney parking lot reconstruction and expansion and bid schedule and award for 2026 school painting projects. Director Rodriguez. >> Thank you board president, board of trustees and superintendent Dr. Marshall. Tonight I'm bringing uh forward two construction projects for formal award, both of which were presented
053as information items on March 10th. U if you look at your attachments, bids were open on March uh 11th of 2026. the Hton Karnney uh parking lot reconstruction and expansion. The lowest bidder is Wararez Brothers at uh $377,046. The engineers estimate was uh 455,200. On the exterior painting projects, there were four sites, Teague uh Elementary, River Bluff Elementary, Biola Elementary, and Persian Pathway School campus. The lowest bidder was Applied Finishes Incorporated uh with a bid amount of $445,635. Uh the architect estimate was $810,750. And administration is recommended that the board app award these projects to the lowest biders and I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have on these projects. >> Thank you. Any questions or comments from the board? Vice President Sers, >> before these went out to bid, did we go
054through with a fine tooth comb and make sure that the plans are up to date and there's no anticipated change orders? >> Can't say there would be no anticipated change orders, but we did we did uh go through it extensively like we normally do. >> Okay. >> Although by its own definition of a change order, it's not anticipated. So >> I understand >> your question you are correct. We do not anticipate change orders. >> Uh and then for the uh the projects is there an estimated time of completion? >> We're hoping uh at the end of summer I think the bid schedule uh mentions uh yep the the timetable is this summer because uh the Hton Karnney they can't do without their parking lot. We don't want to relocate them. the painting projects. We don't
055want to interfere with the uh school operations. So, we want to get going uh hopefully maybe spring, late spring break might uh roll out one school to get going. >> Are are we working on any contingency plans in the off chance that the projects are not complete? Yes. Where staff will park and how kids will be? >> We can do that and and yes, not a problem. Usually, we're always looking forward ahead anyway. Yeah, >> thank you question. >> Any other questions? Um, so actually I had the same question because the bid schedule doesn't include a completion date. It's TBD except for the notice of the award will be issued by Friday, April 3rd. Um, so can we just have an update once that is and can we actually >> rather than having a contingency
056problem, can you ensure that the projects get done before we return for the academic year? >> Yes, it it it says the notice of completion. It's in durations. That's typically how our construction documents are usually is 110 calendar days. >> Okay. >> But I can put a date for you if you'd like. I mean, if you would like because then we're going to hold you accountable to that date. So, I I just want to make sure that this is not interrupting our academic year and it there's no interruption. So, if the the timeline is the summer, that's great. I don't think any of us are going to object and I'm not going to tell you when to do it. But my expectation is that then you're monitoring and ensuring that that gets done over the
057summer >> and that we always make provisions if it does have a delay or some sort. Okay, >> just keron. >> Yes. Thank you, President Ko. Quick question. Is this a multi-prime bid? >> Uh, no, it isn't. This design bid bill. >> Want to clarify. >> Okay. What are the wishes of the board on this item? >> Thank you. I have a motion by Trusty Kirk. I have a second by Trustee Keron. Okay. Uh, student trustees, how do you vote? >> I. Uh, board members, all in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Any abstensions? Motion carries. Thank you very much. Uh item number six, adopt resolution number 25 uh 26-44 to authorize change order number three for Central High School Well number 1415-105D. Director Rodriguez. >> Yes. Thank you again. So for
058your approval tonight is a change order number three and it's resolution authorizing the change order for Central High School well project. The increase to the project is due to the impact necessary changes that the civil engineer of record has made uh that were implemented after the project was originally bid. Uh the project is now complete and is in f in a final stages of closeout and it's not very often that we do as see as a district uh change orders that exceed the statutory limits set by law. However, the California courts have allowed public agencies exceptions based on previous case law. Uh staff has consulted with legal counsel and has reviewed the change order and recommends that the board approve and adopt the resolution authorizing this contract change order. And I'll be happy to answer
059any questions you may have on this item. >> I have a few questions about any other board member. >> Can I start? >> Yes, you may. >> All right. Um thank you uh Director Rodriguez. I think the first question my assumption is probably for all of us is you know we started this project in 2022 we're sitting in March of 2026 I I think many of us might have or a few of us may have even gone on a a field trip to to go visit us h how is how did how are we in a position four years later where >> well and I would add previous admin administration in particular previous superintendent or superintendent informed us that project was done. So >> that was my followup to >> and I'd like to clarify
060that one. >> So go ahead >> if I may. So this project was four uh phases. Uh we are in the last phase which is phase D. So previous administrations have yes told you that certain phases of that project was complete. Uh because the existing campus was always on a well that was original to the site. >> I'm going to um my my next is more of a comment then I'll follow by a couple more questions. So, uh, one I want to just, uh, make sure, and this is just a concern that we're using stale, uh, language. Um, uh, AB 2192 amended PC22032 to raise a formal bidding threshold to $220,000. Normally, this would just be like a small thing, but if you could make note because I'm I worry that as a district, we're
061just using old stale language and not actually keeping up with uh, new new law and state statute. So, that's just one a minor one. I wanted to to raise. >> Mhm. >> Um I I think my bigger concern uh a third one is around our uh shade structure being obviously the the largest cost. Um I I'm just wondering in terms of the like obviously with the I mean the the heat of Fresno wasn't new. So, so in terms of whatever the length of time that this would have taken, you know, did why why do we not believe this was um how was this unforeseen, I guess? So, we had multiple agencies. Wells are very uh difficult. They're they're very complicated uh especially when you have consumption of water and you're trying to mitigate uh contaminants.
062So we had one of the agencies in uh that was uh had jurisdiction over our project was the local fire authority. So the local fire authority uh north uh north central had requested that the uh that the equipment had shade uh especially around our fire pumps uh because of the of the heat that you just mentioned. Uh so that wasn't included in the original design. Um this uh all of these changes are are going to be uh reimbursed by the state water resources board control board. >> Okay. If we could get a report that those haven't and um absolutely two two quick followups who prepared the original bid documents was do we have an in-house type engineer or an outside firm? >> It was an outside firm. It was a Quadnoff uh go by they're
063known also as QK Engineering. >> Okay. I'll look for I I guess my major concern, Director Rodriguez, is and most of us aren't experts. I because I knew this item was coming, I actually just got information from an expert. What they claim in terms of the air district is probably far more um defensible in terms of changes of the law. What they definitely made uh noticeable to me was for the state water resource board that which is being discussed especially on cross connection control and backflow prevention requirements. None of these are new. In fact, the new statute actually just um makes those requirements more clear, but these have always been there. And that was a major thing is like often times people are using this language because most of us are not experts and often
064times overstating the regulatory changes. But any engineer designing a portable water well for a school in 2022 should have known that cross connection surveys, backflow prevention, and bacterialological testing. These are standard SWRCB requirements for bringing new well into service. I think my concern is none of us are experts. You can it's very easy to kind of share new regulations with us. Um and many of our eyes will probably glean over but but for anyone that actually knows like they they were pretty shocked that they were saying that they are deferboard ones are more defensible. But the ones that they're claiming in terms of the state water resource board, most of these are actually have in statute for far longer than 2022. >> Trusty Kon and then Vice President Sellers. >> I I'll yield to uh
065pre uh Vice President Sers. >> So you have no further questions? >> I do have questions, but I will let him go first. >> Vice President Sellers, >> is the well operational yet? >> Yes, it is. It's been in operation for five months. >> Five months. Okay. Uh my my concern that because I thought the uh echoing the feeling that this project was done was the a barn. I know the discussion around the fire suppression systems for that new construction was told that it was done. That's how we passed the fire inspections. And I want to confirm that the fire suppression systems were up to date and operational before we start putting kids in that that new building. we as a district would need to uh go back and because pre previously all of those
066fire suppression systems uh and hydrants mainly hydrants because I don't think that that site is has fire sprinklers but the hydrants did not meet the flow requirements on the old well it is on the new well now we have adequate pressure to my knowledge we have not done a fireflow test yet so Okay, I would double check on that. I'm quite certain that any new building, it's fire code that has sprinklers and can we please ensure that the fire suppression system is operational and there's no issues there? >> Yes. >> Thank you, >> Mhm. >> Trust. >> Thank you, President CO. So when this well, the original well first failed and the state said the water was not safe to drink, the superintendent at the time said it would be two to five years for
067the water to be safe to drink. That was nearly 11 years ago. We've now reached a point where students have gone to Central, graduated, graduated from university, got a job in in Fresno, and are now on our board that have not had clean drinking water at Central High. So I am really concerned how long this is taking. I'm also concerned that at our last at the facility subcommittee meeting you told us that the water the well was done and now the state is saying it's not done. So that brings concern to me because what I'm reporting out after those committees is different than what is actually being said there. So how come you and the state are saying different things on whether the well is done? >> The state is not saying it's done. I
068I'm just kind of confused because I I've been in constant contact with him and I I I don't understand that we're GSA has already signed off this well. So this is already signed off. We're we're closing it out. This is the last change order for this contra for this particular contract. >> My understanding of done means that there are no more change orders that were >> the last one. So, so what happens is the way this works is the the general fund was contributing or had a contribution to this project and they were being reimbursed to the state water resources board as claims. Right? So, we had not submit all of the claims. This change order will be a claim to to get reimbursed. They've got the state water resources board has allowed us a
069window for to December of 2026 to submit all the claims. There may be some other uh such as water t testing that we might be able to qualify for under this particular grant. >> So when will the water be safe to drink for students, faculty, and the animals on campus? >> It is safe to drink now. What we're doing now as as a district is this spring break, we're going to just ensure consumer confidence. We're going to uh test the water to campus and then the halfmile wack facility is also going to be tested >> the drinking fountains. >> So we're testing it over spring. So when will we be able to tell the community that this water >> I get the results back? >> Okay. >> Mhm. >> And then the state the state
070water will also clear us for that too. >> They've already cleared the project because the water was already tested at the well site. We know that it's good there. The problem is is that the drinking fountains were shut off for a long period of time and so I opted to ask the state water resources board would they cover that. Uh so they went ahead and had me submit that in in I have a vendor now is going to test uh that those two facilities. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Mhm. You're welcome. >> So we actually anticipate another change order. >> No. >> Or would that not come back to the board for approval? any testing fees to submit for reimbursement? >> It's uh No, it won't come back to the board. It would be submitted
071as a claim because this is not the contractor isn't doing this. I'm using a a third party vendor. >> Okay. Um I'm not going to repeat what my colleagues have already shared, but I share the same sentiment and frustration that the there was a misrepresentation. Um, and when I looked at this, even just with my basic knowledge of of water wells and the requirements by the state water resource control board, I mean, I'm concerned whether we can faithfully approve this resolution um when some of these things are I would consider basic for such a project. Um, I think we just need to make sure that moving forward information is accurately presented to the board on these projects. Uh can we also uh so after the board takes action for this resolution ensure that we get
072a report either bring it back as information or we send it actually let's bring it back as information uh a report for the reimbursement and the actual completion and certification that the well has um portable water. >> Yes, we can do that. >> Any other comments on this item? >> Okay. What are the wishes of the board on this resolution? Motion to approve. >> Thank you. I have a motion by Vice President Sers. I will second the motion. Student trustees, how do you vote? >> I. >> Board members, all in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Any abstensions? Motion carries. Thank you. >> Uh, our next item is approved bid for roofing repair at Persian Continuation High School. Director Bath. Uh good evening board president Curio and Superintendent Dr. Marshall. Uh tonight
073uh for action administration is bringing forward the approval for the roofing repair at Persian Continuation High School. So on October 15th, 2025, the district open bids for roof repairs at Persian Continuation High School, project number 2526408. The original scope of that project was to do the cafeteria building. Uh that project was also part of our 2020 5 2026 deferred maintenance plan and was approved. Um um and then the board did approve that. Uh but on uh on the November 18th board meeting uh the board of trustees awarded that project to Nation's roofing who was the lowest apparent bidder. Um the lowest bidder subsequent subsequently withdrew their bid due to a clerical error uh leaving Nation's roof as the lowest responsive bidder. Uh during that bidding process, we added a addendum to allow the contractor to
074provide a second price for the remaining work at Persian Continuation. Um so every contractor was able to give us two prices, one for the original bid of the cafeteria and a second price for the remainder of the Persian Continuation High School. Uh the additional scope was included with an addendum and structured so that it was additive and the district could evaluate that uh completing the remainder of that work. Uh during this process, we knew that I was going to put it on the 2026 2027 deferred maintenance plan. So what I was trying to do was get out a little ahead of it so I could get the bid done under the as an addendum and then if we did have the funding to do it, we can move forward with it without having to go
075back out to bid. So under public contract code uh uh PCC10126 when there's an additive bid that is more than the base bid uh we have we can award the project to the lowest total which is the base and the additive. So in this instance the lowest uh would still be nations which came in uh lower than everybody else. Um I know it's a little convoluted so I'm trying to do my best to explain it but I'm happy to answer any questions the board may have. Um and administration is asking this item to be approved. >> Thank you director. Questions or comments from the board? Trusty Nand Deep Singh. >> So more more a comment. It's less aimed at you uh director bot and just more um probably in general. So there's a big part
076of me that doesn't want to uh support this. Not because of the the need isn't there is because there's a fundamental belief I have and I'm just hope all my colleagues on the board hear me. Our students should not be at that site. if you get a chance to go visit that site. That site in terms of its location, it our students and especially our most marginalized and vulnerable students should not be there. Um I am going to support tonight because they are there and and and that's something that I but I think I just want to use this opportunity to ask again for to and you know for the president and and for uh the superintendent administration to bring us a a plan uh to to to move move the students because that site
077is not fit for for any >> trusty Gon. >> Thank you. President Creo, can we get clarification as to um what uh what months the uh roof repairs would be completed or under construction? >> Uh the current project or the the proposed project? >> The proposed project here in this item. >> So uh if this item is approved, uh their timeline is about 30 days and they would like to we can start that project right away during spring break. So the project >> will be done during spring break. >> Yeah. So the project would start with the majority of the demolition uh depending on if we can get approval and start it soon enough. Yeah. So the goal is to get the majority of the loud work done before kids come back. >> And how
078old is the building being demoed? >> Don't have the age, but one of our oldest buildings. Yeah. So that's another concern I have is that uh not only is this the area unsafe, it's one of the most uh impacted when it comes to uh air quality um traffic, you know, congest uh pollution, but also if we are demoing a very old building, I worry about all the chemicals we're kicking up in the air that could affect the students on that site. >> Yeah. So um we have already done the demo at the cafeteria. We did our asbestos testing and lead testing. So we demoed it the appropriate manner. Same steps would be taken for that. One thing I will say about the um not only the age of the building but Persian High School as
079a as a general statement. You know I saw the pictures of when they demoed the roof and you can see the wood underneath. The what we did not see is the amount of uh broken wood that we thought we were going to see. Uh it was actually in pretty good shape. The number of boards that were broken were a lot less. Um, I'm not too surprised just because they built buildings different back in the day and used different wood that same quality is not here. But the same concerns that you have, we kind of have built into our bid already with the asbestos and lead testing and they have to do it in the approved manner. >> Thank you. Yeah, I'm not I'm not knocking the uh 80-year-old contractors from way back when they built
080the site. I'm more concerned about potential asbestos, lead, other chemicals in the air getting on the ground, in the drinking water, in the students lungs. That's my concern. >> So, we are taking the protect the correct measures. >> Yep. We have the testing done and that's part of the demolition. >> Okay. >> They have to do it the approved manner. >> Okay. And they're not doing the demolition during class, right? >> Uh this one they will not know. >> Thank you, >> Trusty Kirk. >> Thank you. I'm looking at the picture. So what building is being demoed? The one that says base bid or the one that says on? >> So the base bid has already happened. That's what we approved back in November. That was the original bid. So part of the bid the
081bid project was two phases. Uh one was the base bid and then the addendum that I'm bringing tonight. The addendum would be the remaining buildings which is uh just I'm not looking at drawing. I apologize, but just north of the cafeteria building and then the long classroom building and then the one additional building to the south. It's kind of like a U. >> So, where are the students going to be while >> Well, they're not demolished. >> They won't be in class if we get this approved at night. The goal is to get it done over spring break. The demolition >> demolished and back up. >> Uh demolished. They have given me a 30-day timeline. Um >> Okay, let me let me rephrase. So, spring break's two weeks. Yeah. >> A month 30 days is
082four weeks. So a as the building is torn down just so I'm understanding where are the students going to be while this building is torn down. >> So the building when it's torn it's not going to get torn down in that sense. Yeah. It's not they're not >> not a demolition like I'm thinking. >> This is just the roofing material. >> They're pulling off the roof. >> Roofing material. Yeah. >> Okay. That's not going to have any impact on their instruction. No, no, no. Because school will be out of session and then that work is done around the school time if it has to. There is a big push to try to get it done during those two weeks, but I don't want to I told them that, but we're being a little realistic of
083what can get done and what can't. And the 30-day timeline is what we're going to try to shoot for with working with the site to work around that bell schedule so we're not impacting classroom. >> Okay. Vice President Sers, >> I understand the the reasoning trying to get this done as soon as possible, but uh is there a contingency plan for inclement weather that if you know we have the roof off and it's not quite quite through the rainy season yet? Is this better to push this off until summertime? >> Um so with this being our I think third time doing a roof project, we have run into some stuff like that. Um, we've had really good contractors that know if they take our roofing material off, I kind of want to stop saying demo
084because we're not >> Thank you. >> taking anything apart. Um, but they understand that we need to be watertight. So, they make sure we're watertight. So, if there is a a concern about rain, I looked at it very briefly. I think there's one day with possibility of rain. I I don't remember the day, but the day before and day after, they would make sure they're watertight the day before so that way there is no damage. >> Okay. My only concern is based on a previous change order for I believe it was JSK that there was a roofing issue that caused water damage um created a change order just to making sure that we're doing everything possible to prevent any unexpected damage. >> Yeah. So when we did this walk and we did walk those buildings.
085So, we have people on the from the contractor, our staff, because there are things that we're going to do that are part of our normal day-to-day, cleaning up old electrical stuff like that. We're looking at the HVAC to see if we need to move anything around. We need to do anything with the curbing, uh, stuff like that. So, we anything we need to do, we already know what we need to do to make sure it's a seamless process and it's a lot smaller scale. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Uh, go ahead. >> Uh, thank you, Director Bot. I wanted to ask you when you're saying students learning won't be disrupted with the roof off, how does that work? >> So the roof is not really off. It's a roofing material. So on
086that roof is like a plastic membrane, a rubber membrane. So that comes off. Um if there's any broken pieces of wood, we're going to fix those during that part. That's part of the project. But yeah, sorry. I feel like I started saying demo and we're not. Yeah, there's not. that the roof's not going to be demoed off. Sorry. I think that was my fault. >> So, the roof is being replaced. >> The roofing material, >> right? >> Yeah. >> I mean, yeah. I don't necessarily think of, but maybe everyone does. I don't think of actually removing >> the what would be the the beams and the structure. It's replacing the top layer that protects it against the elements. >> Yeah. It's a PVC membrane. Um Yeah. >> Okay. Um, any other questions? Okay, to sum
087it up, students will not be disturbed. We will ensure everything is clean and safe and hopefully it's done during the spring break. And you're going to do everything you can to >> Yep. >> make sure they do. >> Yeah. I'm sorry. One thing I just I I'm just want to make sure I do it like I do every time. I did not say the price. I do want to tell you guys the cost of the addendum for the additional roof repairs was $780,277 and that did include the material for this phase. That's how we bid it out. Um, and this project again is on our 2627 deferred maintenance project list. >> What are the wishes of the board on this item? >> I'll move. Go ahead. Go ahead. Trusty. >> Thank you. Who was who
088made the second? Okay. I have a motion by trustee Kirk. I have a second by trustee Sedu. Student trustees, how do you vote? >> I. >> Board members, all in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Any abstensions? Motion carries. Thank you. Um item. >> Oh, did you oppose? I >> Oh, okay. During the vote when it counts, you did not oppose. Um, okay. The next two items I did actually the last kind of three four items um are coming before us as action items just for time management and cost effectiveness. So the next one is item eight approve replacement of PA bell system at Liddell Elementary. >> Uh thank you again board president and Creo and uh good evening again board members. So at Liddell Elementary our current PA bell system has
089a failure and needs to be replaced. Uh staff has tried to repair the system but the part uh that failed is no longer available. Um we did have a replacement part uh because the system that is Liddell was used at previous school sites. So when those school sites were uh changed out, we do keep those parts and try to use them. Unfortunately, that replacement part did not work. Uh so Liddell will get their clock speaker combo devices or their clocks and speakers changed out to the new devices just like the rest of our school sites that we've been doing. Um and they'll get the same new software that is being used. Uh the new system, like I said, is already being used at other sites. Uh staff is recommending we use the global CTI CAMASS
090uh which is the California multiple award schedule number 3251010008 and 326 310 or 107 for the replacement. The cost of this replacement will be approximately $187,49.98 uh made from the general fund. Administration is recommending the board approve this uh replacement after answer any questions the board may have. >> Thank you. Any questions or comments from the board? Trustee Sellers, huh? >> Uh, is this the last of that generation of of Bell systems throughout the district? >> Unfortunately, no. Uh, we do have, uh, five other school sites that still have a Boan or Rollins system, which is the older style. Um, it's Harvest, Soyan, Central Elementary, Hound Kernney, and Riverbluff. There has been some work done at some of these sites. Um, like I can say at Hound Kernney, we did run wire already, but we
091kept it the old Bogan system. Uh, this was probably like 12 years ago. Uh, but we've done some stuff, but they all will need to get changed out for the newer. >> Okay. Um, knowing that we've had multiple failures with these systems that they're kind of at that point in their lifespan, uh, have we identified a replacement plan yet for the others? >> Well, we we did. uh Rio Vista and Liddell kind of didn't play to that plan unfortunately. But so the goal is right now uh one we can only do as much as we can within a certain certain time frame. So we're trying to go as fast as we can. Uh the goal is to try to get one more because we know they are failing. Uh but it's it's really going to
092be work I'm working with uh Mr. Ball and trying to figure out a way to get these funded throughout the next couple years um as fast as we can. Um, I would say a realistic goal is probably within the next two to three years. >> Okay. >> Hoping everything stays the way it is and doesn't break. >> Fingers crossed. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. I mean, that was going to be my concern is these are failing and unfortunately sounds like we have to wait until they fail and are not operational. >> Well, we're trying to address lesser of the two evils. We have roofing, flooring, PA limit fund. So we address trying to juggle everything possible. >> Definitely not perfect, but we are looking at these systems that are still running and we're
093trying to identify any potential issues so that way we can try to get out ahead of them. >> Um the goal is not to have I mean PA and bells are paramount for student education and if we don't have that safety issues and we have major issues so we're trying to stay ahead of them. I would recommend to the rest of the board that as these items continue to happen that they be brought as action rather than having them come as information and action. But that's for you all to decide in in the future as they continue to happen. Um any other questions or comments on this item? Otherwise, I will move to approve the replacement of PA Bell system uh for Liddell Elementary. Is there a second? I have a second by Trustees Sedu.
094Student trustees, how do you vote? >> I I board members. All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Any abstensions? Motion carries. Number nine, approve purchase of roof material for Harvest Elementary. >> Good evening again. So, as part of the 2026 2027 deferred maintenance plan, the board approved on January 13th, 2026, we're bringing forward the purchase of the roofing materials needed for the Harvest Elementary roof repair. Uh the uh the material will be um owner supplied uh and the labor will be bid out at a later time. Uh the material will be use uh be purchased using CAMASS contract 42056006B and um the roofing material cost will be 1 million24 thou uh761.74 and will be paid out of the deferred maintenance fund. Um a couple things about this project. We've done, this
095is, like I said, I think our third project we've done with roof repairs where we buy the material and then bid out the labor. Um, we try to do that just because I that gives us a little edge to take out anywhere that unfortunately contractors try to raise their prices. Um, the savings aren't um I'm not going to lie, the savings aren't extravagant. They're about maybe two to 3% savings that we've seen. Uh, but we still try to do it that way. Um but during times like the purging project we understand timing constraints and then going back out to bid and additional cost there. Um and the bid we're looking to go out in April. So just here in about a week and a week and a half we're hoping to go out to bid
096and get that back to the board in either end of April or the beginning of May for approval and hopefully start the project over summer. So again we can get the majority of the heavy work done over summer break and the light work during school time. administration is sorry administration is recommending the board approve this after answer any questions we have >> any questions or comments >> thank you for being proactive in purchasing the material I'm trying to save us even if it's 2 to 3% it adds up >> it's a portion of another bell system >> okay motion to approve >> thank you I have a motion by vice president sellers is there a second >> second have a second by trustee keron student trustees how do you vote >> I I board members
097all All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Any abstensions? Motion carries unanimously. Our final action item for tonight, approve replacement of Rio Vista gym floor. >> Good evening again. So, the Rio Vista Middle School gym floor is in need of replacement. The existing floor is original to the building uh which opened in 2002. Uh it has far exceeded its life expectancy and due to the age and wear um repairs are no longer feasible. Uh staff is recommending that we do the same rubber athletic flooring system on the sport flooring that was used for the Elcapatan middle school gym floor that was done about two years ago. The cost of the new gym floor will be $344,187.38 which will be funded through deferred maintenance. Administration is recommending um the board approve this
098replacement of the Rio Vista gym floor after answering any questions the board may have. >> Thank you. Any questions? Trusty Sue. Um just like a information uh so uh you said like from 2002 to now we were able to like just like repair it as needed. >> So there it's a rubberized floor so there really isn't too many repairs. You can sometimes patch them back depending on the the material and how that vendor or or manufacturer was making them. Uh but they're meant to be kind of you put them in you do very little maintenance to them and they last a long time. I mean that that was just my question like do we have an idea of how much just like the repair costs are over the years but not minimal I guess. >>
099Uh very ne negligible. I can't I can only talk about another gym Glacier Point. That one has like welds in between the rubber flooring and we usually have to repair that but that's maybe uh $2,000 every other year or something like that. Very minimal. >> Okay. >> Trusty Kirk. How is the floor at Del Capitan holding up after? >> Good, good. Um, there's always going to be some issues. I I don't know if you guys saw the Al Capitan floor before we replaced it. Uh, but we did have, you know, like to people like to pick out stuff and they made designs out of the paint, but that's part of our routine maintenance. We will have to go and continue to touch those areas up. >> Thank you. Uh, Trusty Herman Singh. >> Um, so
100in the contract it says exclusions include gamelines and logos. Uh does that mean that uh you know because I remember back when I went to Rio there were uh multiple sports using the the gyms uh for sports whether it be volleyball, basketball, etc. Does that have the the exclusion of the game lines? Does that have does that affect sport usage? >> No. And I apologize. I should have had them take that out. I think they just left that. Typically they don't. But if you look down at the bottom, painted gamelines, lettering and logos, it is included in the bid for the total price. So, um, it was very similar to LCAP 10 and we had to do it after the fact, but this time we knew that we missed it, so we made sure we
101included it into the original bid. >> What are the wishes of the board on this item? >> Thank you. I have a motion by trustee Sadu. I have a second by trustee vice president sellers student trustees how do you vote >> I >> and uh board members all in favor please say I >> I >> any oppose any abstensions motion carries unanimously >> thank you very much we move to our information items uh I am told that we have students that are going to present are they here okay so um I'm going to move item three to be heard first which is receive information regarding revised board policy 5131.8 8 mobile communications devices. Dr. Lopez. >> Good evening. Board policy 5131.8 must be updated to reflect new law AB 3216, which requires a governing board
102by July 1st, 2026 de develop and adopt and update every 5 years a policy to limit or prohibit student use of smartphones while at school sites or under the supervision of control of district employees. Additionally, the policy will be updated to add options which offer different approaches to regulating the use of smartphones and other mobile communication devices. Lastly, the policy will be updated to clarify language related to the search of students personal electronic devices. We do have a presentation for you tonight. However, I do want to give a shout out to our CAD uh students right behind me. Uh and thank you to Diljot uh Singry because um we needed student voice and how do we get student voice if we don't even know how to present to students. So I felt like we needed
103to hear from our students uh and create a presentation together with our students to ensure that we reached our students and that they understood the importance of this policy. >> Hi, I'm Bonnie Kbo. Um I'm in ninth grade and I go to Justin Garza High School. Go ahead. >> Hi, I'm Herman Tali and I'm currently a junior at Justin Garza High School. >> Hi, I'm Ashley Joal and I'm a I'm currently a freshman at Justin Garza High School. >> Hi, I'm Jabine Delon and I'm also I'm a senior at Justin Garza. >> Hi, I'm Har Greywell and I'm a freshman at Justin Garza. Okay. So, I'm gonna explain a little bit about what KD is. >> Totally fine. I think the board knows me at this point. Um, I'm Bill Jolt Singh Ry, an alumni
104from alums of Justin Garza High School. >> Okay. So, what is KD? We are an internship hosted by um sick honor service society um or SHSS um and it is called KD. Um, we focus on harm reduction, especially for high school students. We educate our peers to the best of our ability and teach them ways they can facilitate conversations and create change. Okay, good afternoon everyone. Today I want to talk about something that not only touches every one of us especially in our younger generation, the engaging and sometimes consuming world of our cell phones. We've all seen it, perhaps even experienced it ourselves. That compelling need to check our devices, the anxiety that we cannot, the way our social lives, and even school work can sometimes be put off on the side. For high school
105students, this is very critical as their developing minds are highly sensitive to these digital rewards. CAD is a drug reduction program focuses on harm reduction and is it is um relevant to understanding and addressing cell phone addiction. It's about finding that healthier balance, promoting mindful engagement with technology, and ensuring that there's no connections don't overshadow real world well-being. Thank you. So, the CAD team worked to create a presentation at Puzzle to make sure our students were well informed about the proposed options for the cell phone policy across the central unified schools. Before the students were surveyed of their input on options one and two, they were told about what op what both options would mean to them and how they would take into effect during the upcoming 2026 to 2027 school year and so on.
106um to help our students really be fully informed about this policy, we first started off by explaining the assembly bill that necessitates the creation of this policy and then going into the options for the district as well as explaining both positive and negative impacts of um restricting cell phone use in school including positive impacts like increasing um focus in schools and taking away distractions as well as some negative concerns that students may have such as limiting their ability to communicate with students. After that, they were better prepared to take a survey on the issue. To wrap it all up, my colleagues and I were are happy to be happy to make sure that students voices were heard and informed in this process of the new cell phone policy. The care team personally wants to thank
107Dr. Lopez for including us, including us in this project. We hope this helps our board make an informed decision as we move forward with the facilitation of the assembly bill. Thank you very much. Sorry, >> I will also say that the um CAD students went ahead and compiled an EDP puzzle video with their uh slideshow presentation. So that was presented to the students in a more engaging manner than just like going through a slideshow from a teacher. Um and this was I believe it was time set aside from uh SEAL, social emotional learning that the students went ahead and did this in their home room periods. Um, and we had like over 2,000 responses to the survey as well. So, yeah, great job guys. >> If we can please give them a big round of
108applause cuz they invested a lot of time in this and they really were great at reaching our students. We did get more than 2,000 responses. Um, so I appre and I learned how to create a net puzzle. So, I learned a lot. Might be using that that in our next professional development. Um, so I want to start with our presentation. Oh. Oh, because I'm item number three. Oh, there it is. Thank you. So, it is important for us to understand that the assembly assembly bill is grounded on research. There's a lot of research out there that supports the fact that our the communication devices our students are using. Social media has a big impact not just on discipline but on mental health. It is also important for us to understand that there is a current
109board policy that prohibits the use of cell phones in schools and that is a policy right in front of you right now. Um however this new board policy will change in a few ways and this is what it looks like. So we created a vin diagram. All the similarities between the two policies are in the middle and as you can see there's quite a bit that is similar. Those remain in the new policy. The current policy to the left that's the difference. It allows for search uh the search of communication devices for safety purposes. It doesn't require a parent consent. Uh and number two devices shall be turned off during class. doesn't specify that the district can can create a structure or a system for collecting the devices or for limiting the use. To the
110right, you have the new additions. First, it it adds language that you need consent from parents to search a device. However, you don't need it if they if it's causing uh if there's a a reason or a suspicion that violates the law or put students at risk. The second component is it provides two options. Option number one, devices can only be used during non-instructional time and in accordance with school rules and laws. And option number two, devices should not be used while at school or under the supervision of district employees at all. Number three, this the third item uh is also uh the policy has to be reviewed by the governing board every 5 years. So here are the survey results and I know it's quite light large so I'm going to go quickly. I
111know you had a time to already take a look at it in advance. So these are we'll start with the student survey data for middle school and high schools. These are the students that participated in it. We had a total of 291 responses by the time I pulled this data uh to upload to the board agenda. However, we have more now. One of the questions we asked is how much do students cell phones heard or help learning environment? So, as you can tell, the middle ground, they're undecided. To the left, you have more of the hurt, and it does um cause harm, and to the right, uh is more of the positive. So, we are leaning towards the positive side. How much do uh do you feel students cell phones heard or help school safety?
112Again, um students are leaning more towards the right side of it. A lot of the responses for that, the narratives were around accessing QR codes for safety at schools, reaching out to parents in case of emergencies. So, those kinds of examples were provided. How often do students use cell phones to create conflict? So, as you can see now, we're leaning more towards the left. So, students are identifying the use of cell phones as oh, so sorry, it was flipped. Almost never causing these issues. However, you're going to see something interesting. How often are cell phones used to access supports to the right? But when we get to conflict, oh gosh, wait, is it in there? It's not in here. There's a slide missing for conflict. So, there's a slide where uh the data shows that
113um students are using the devices to cause harm or to in hurtful ways. And that was leaning more towards the left. You'll see that in the in the parent responses as well. These are so we use AI but there was a lot of narrative data. So I had to use AI to come up with the themes that were collected from the narrative responses and these were the top uh narratives. um they feel like uh the feedback that they provided around the use of cell phones uh they it allows the students to access information and resources in classrooms such as chat GPT for assignments, accessing online textbooks, educational apps that they use on on the smartphones. Organization and school management is another reason why they use their cell phones like Google classrooms and canvas. Hall passes,
114Minga, communication and safety was another reason. Uh they're critical for communicating with parents uh especially for emergency contacts, updating the schedules, changes, and you name it. Focus on emotional regulation. Many students uh use music uh listening to music as a way to cope. Uh additionally, phones can serve as a break or a reward for completing tasks. Uh they mentioned that it's being used that way. And practical uh practical classroom tools. Phones are necessary for specific class activities such as scanning QR codes or for surveys, attendance or assignments, filming videos for a specific class. And we asked is there any additional feedback relating to how communication devices may harm? So we asked the opposite as well and they explained these top these were the top um five themes that arose from the narratives. Distraction and reduces
115focus. most frequent concern is the in the communication devices is particularly cell phones are a significant distraction in the classroom um leading students not pay not to pay attention utilizing apps like Tik Tok and Instagram that was mentioned quite often academic dishonesty and misuse of technology was another one many respondents noted that devices facilitate cheating specifically through the use of AI tools um photo math to get answers or texting friends answers uh for assignments which ultimately prevents the students from learning Social conflicts and safety concerns were the amongst the top themes as well. Communication devices are seen as contributing to social issues including cyber bullying, spreading rumors, starting drama, and enabling the recording and posting of school fights. The impact on social interactions as well, excessive device use during breaks, lunch, and passing periods is
116observed as a limit face-to-face social interaction. Individual responsibility and exception was another one. A recurring theme is that uh the harm is not inherent to the device themselves but rather caused by students who lack self-control and abuse the privilege. So amongst the students option one was the one selected which means they can't and we had to phrase it more in kid language because we were providing the survey all the way down to seventh grade. So they can't use the cell phones during class but can use them during school and during breaks and that's what that was selected. We did want to know what is it, what supports would they need if we selected option one or option two. These are the top themes that arose. We said if option one were to be implemented, what
117supports or resources would be needed to help ensure the policy is implemented effectively. So they said classroom phone storage and enforcement. The most frequently suggested was this um the resources providing a secure location or for the phone such as a box or lockers or the pouches. The staff consistency and strictness was another top theme. Uh the policy effectiveness heavily relies on cons consistent enforcement and clear communication and uh consequences implementing the rule effectively was another one. Student parent contact emergencies. Many respondents emphasize the need for accessibility to the phones for certain emergency reasons. Uh and that is stated in the board policy that we would be able to provide access to them if that's needed. Alternative engagement. Some responses suggested needing more simulation or engagement activities during lunchtime if we were to prohibit them. We
118also asked what if we select option two? What would we need to provide to you? What resources would you need? uh they mentioned so that's a more um stricter policy they mentioned secure storage and collection system the most frequently mentioned again was a resource to be used pouches like yonder uh or secure lock boxes uh they mentioned structures as well um like entering through one gate to make it easil easil easily accessible to access the the the unlocking mechanism that would be installed of the schools emergency communication. Schools would need to implement an easier and faster method for students to contact parents and guardians if they if the students don't have access to their phones. Increased staff supervision and enforcement was another big topic. Strict and consistent enforcement of the rule is necessary, requiring staff
119teachers to be more vigilant. Student engagement and alternative activities again mentioned and financial and logistical concerns. Implementing a full day ban would be expensive requiring significant funding of purchase lockers and um logistical components associated to the cost. The next survey was a community survey that reached a total of about um 980ome participants. Um the percentage is here for our English. I broke it down in language because we provided it in Spanish, Punjabi, English and Arabic. Arabic we did not get any responses. So that's why you don't see it here. Um the majority of the respondents here were parents highly. Uh 69% for the English, 92% for the Spanish and 70% for the Punjabi. Uh we did have some teachers that completed and that was 8.9% of those respondents. Um some students did take it and
120what uh we did is we visited some schools and the par the principal advisory committees reviewed it uh and that's why you see some students completing this specific survey. We have administrators 7.2% of the respondents were administrators classified staff 4.2% district management.3% uh and so forth. We did have some community based organizations such as Central La Familia and other entities that we're working with completed as well, so they can give us their input. Question number one, um, how much do students cell phones hurt or help learning uh, in schools? Uh, parents also explained that it helps them and I think some of the respondents um, mentioned things like, I notice my kid accesses to submit homework at home. So, they know they're using their cell phones to take pictures and submit assignments. So those were
121some examples they mentioned. Uh for the Spanish respondents they were highly on the negative. They felt that it hurts a great deal. For the Punjabi respondents also towards the left it hurts. How much do students cell phones hurt or help school safety? Um English we were h higher on the right side which is it helps. For the Spanish, we were higher on the left side, which means it hurts the learning environment or safety and Punjabi is towards the left as well. How often do students use their cell phones to create conflict? Uh for this one, we got uh more on the almost always for parents. So they feel the cell phones are being used often to create conflict by students. uh for the Spanish responses we are also higher on the right side which is
122it's almost always by a tad bit more Punjabi uh there was a a large component in the center neither there neither right or left but we also have about equal amounts of almost never used to for conflict and almost always how often are communication devices used to access supports and these are the percentages So the always is in blue and the sometimes is in red. So the sometimes and always you have about 70% in each of the groups saying that they use the communication devices to access supports. So thematic coding through the use of AI was also used to identify these themes. And please know I also read through the comments quite a bit to try to see if they matched and yes it it matched what they were writing. safety and parent guardian communication
123uh was one of the feedbacks provided that technology is used highly for that the most that was actually the most significant frequent point that the parents made like we use our cell phones to get a hold of our kids uh for emergencies when we're running late when we need them to pick up their siblings so that was mentioned quite a bit um the other one was redundancy with school provided technology Chromebooks many respondents particularly teachers and staff uh were the ones that mentioned this the most feel that uh phones are not as necessary for the learning environment because they have access to the Chromebooks, the one-to-one devices. Academic and research tools were also mentioned. Cell phones can be used for various academic purposes including quick research, accessing Google classrooms, using the calculator function, etc. Learning
124support for specific needs. uh phones or smart devices can assist students with learning deficiencies, textbooks to speech, uh visual features, special needs, non-verbal communication tools, distraction and negative impacts. Um that was also mentioned as a top uh item. A large number of respondents um emphasized that cell phones are a major distraction in the classroom, hindering social and emotional development, enable cheating, and create conflict between students and teachers. Many believe they do they do harm more harm than good. For our Spanish um respondents, we noticed this these um five themes. Access to information and resources. Technology facilitates access to information and resources helping students complete tasks and research. Language learning support. Technology specially translation tools are important for English learners and their used communication. Cell phones can be necessary for parentto child communication. Similar to the
125English responses, distraction over reliance, technology can be a distraction when students have access to Chromebooks and excessive use can hinder critical thinking and proper use technology is beneficial when used appropriately for educational purposes. Uh for our Punjabi respondents, the top themes were device usage suggest limiting technology use specifically allowing only school devices and pro prohibiting cell phones. Uh they also mentioned negative impacts of the use of technology. Concerns were raised that excessive or general technology use could disturb students education and cause future danger including physical harm. For options we again provided option one or option two to our parents. Uh this for option one students can't use cell phones during class but can use them before school uh during breaks as well. And option two is they can't use them at all uh throughout the
126day. So as you can see our parents highly feel that option one is the best choice. We ask this question of our community. Uh agree or disagree during school no recording audio video nor posting content on social media unless allowed for educational purposes. As you can see the majority feel like that should be the case. Nobody should be recording uh taking videos or anything else re unless it's rel related to educational purposes. We also asked this question. Students cannot listen to music with earbuds since it obstructs the ability to hear directions or emergency announcements. As you can see, largely the community feels that they should not be using them to listen to music. So, the reason why we ask this question is because I feel like uh sometimes our community understands the need for communication
127devices to get a hold of our students, which is what I'm noticing with the themes for safety reasons. But what they're um what what we wanted them to think about is okay so if we only need access to our students for emergency reasons and get and get a hold of the student the board policy already allows that. If there's an emergency they should have access to it regardless of which option you select. However, what I'm noticing is they are mentioning that they do cause safety concerns. They are mentioning in our surveys that they are hindering their ability to learn. They are mentioning that they don't want us to allow them to video record and to listen to music. So they are they are mentioning a lot of restrictions that would be hard for staff to
128be able to um manage during a school day if we went with option one because then you can't control if a student is doing a Tik Tok video during lunchtime or right so so that's why we wanted to ask these questions to understand okay what is the major concern with with option one or option two and we're realizing as more accessibility to their children while they're at school for safety concerns. So we did ask this question to understand what choice they would want uh for us to enforce uh and from the community uh to help enforce a policy. Do you recommend smartphone devices be picked uh any of the of the following options? They highly suggested stored in students backpack. Um understanding that it could be collected and confiscated. That is our current policy. That
129is our current structure and as you know that is not really working right now. The other two top options were clearly the locking it in um student pouch or in a case with similar numbers 24%. To help enforce the policy, do you recommend smartphones devices be picked um any that you would like for the Spanish option? As you can see, once again, they picked the storing it in a student's backpack, but as you know, that's not working in our district currently. The second top one was in the case inside each classroom. And for our Punjabi community, uh again, highly keep in the backpack. However, um the next two top choices were equal. Uh the lock in the case or and um pouch. This one they selected another option, but there was no follow through with
130what option that would be in the comment section. So, we did ask what steps should be followed when a student repeatedly violates. And this was more for my feedback. So, I'm using a lot of the responses to help us draft the AR. This policy doesn't come with an AR, but we are going to create one just because we feel it's necessary um to ensure consistency across our schools. Um parents and community highly mentioned the top one was progressive discipline and consequences. Uh so that's why we feel the need for um for us to create guidelines of discipline and leaning more restorative and understanding that we want to just help the students cope with the without the use of a cell phone during the day. It is more of a mental uh health kind of component,
131not so much a disciplinary. So that is why we're leaning towards creating a guideline of discipline for our district around the smartphones, the use of smartphones. Uh the next one was confiscation and parent pickup which we agree staff also mentioned that as well. Restriction from bringing phone to school. Uh parent guardian involvement as well was another one in alternative methods. Some suggested using locked pouches system. So that's when they mentioned the yonder and uh so even though we see a large number saying keep it in the backpack, they said well an option that we can use to restrict it is the yonder pouches. Yeah. What steps should be follow? The Spanish one also mentioned confiscating the phone, parent involvement, suspension prohibition. That one went a little further in alternative disciplines. And for our Punjabi summary,
132phone confiscated, disciplinary actions, um suspension included, parent communication and decision-making body. So the board the staff option. So I wanted to so I pulled the data from the from the Excel document that was downloaded and only focused on staff for this specific data that included administrators, teachers, classified staff and the option that our staff feels is uh more doable and better for our district is option two which is restricting all day. The staff feedback uh is summarized into these two bullets. Teachers, administrators, and classified staff mostly described technology, especially cell phones, as a distraction that reduces attention, lowers engagement, and interferes with instruction. They also repeatedly said phones can uh contribute to cheating, social media conflicts, and bullying. Teachers most often said cell phones reduce academic focus and eat into instructional time because staff must
133con um constantly redirect students. Uh many noted that phones are usually unnecessary because students already have Chromebooks. Um recording was also mentioned. Additional staff feedback. Administrators generally generally echoed the same concerns with technology. Um that it can hurt the learning when it is not tightly managed, especially during instructional time. Their comments emphasized the need for clear expectations, consistent enforcement as well. So, it mimics some of the things that the students said that would be needed. Classified staff largely reported that phones interfere with uh concentration, classroom order, and student safety. They describe students using phones for recording fights, uh coordinating misconduct, bullying through social media, and avoiding academic work. A small number noted that technology can help certain students or support learning when Chromebooks are unavailable. I'm happy to answer any questions today. This is coming
134to you for information. We did take this to cabinet and I was able to receive some feedback from our cabinet group and I am here to receive also some feedback from you. I would like to hear your thoughts uh because when it comes to you next time we would like to bring it with one of the options selected option one or two. >> So at this time do you have a recommendation? As of now, based on the feedback and based on the data that we were able to collect from their feelings around safety and around the use of technology to for conflict purposes around the feeling of um having to have guidelines and strict rules around monitoring that will be very hard if we don't have staff everywhere with eyes on kids. Uh so we
135are selecting option two as a cabinet. We felt that was a better option where we can create a structure and be able to create a system of how kids are able to pick up the pouches and return them. We also have visited Madera Unified. We were able to examine how they rolled out um that effectively. Uh that still continues up to this date. They use the pouches. Um the only com the only pieces that you need to be aware of is the cost. Uh there is going to be a cost associated to the pouches that is higher than buying the boxes for the classrooms. Um but there's pros and cons to to both, right? Uh Madera Unified also explained the fact that the pouches you have to add cost on an annual basis to upkeep
136them. Uh they break, right? Students are finding ways to break them. So then we have to figure out what is that going to look like in regards to budget. >> Okay. Comments or questions from the board? Uh, Trusty Sadu. >> Yes. Um, so this could actually probably turn into a Socratic seminar. Um, I feel I feel everybody's eyes, you know, >> inner and outer circle. How do >> Yeah. But um, so um, with my experience with um, kids like uh especially like um when we dance and stuff, uh, a lot of the central students attend um, and when they're dancing, they're not using their phones and it does allow for higher learning. Like um if I were if I were to say you know you can have your phones on like they have to put
137put it away but if I were to say you have to have it uh like it's it's like I I do the same thing. It's like I could be just sitting here and then you don't even realize when it's in your hand and suddenly you're swiping away, right? So I like option two. I mean um like uh and I'm doing that out like I'm just thinking out loud here but um I understand like p uh parents concern safety. Um, so like I mean I was like uh spitballing with a couple of my friends. Um, and uh like my solution would be um kind of like what we did. Um, we had flip phones back in the day, you know, uh, like non-in uh, so like if you if you're concerned about safety or getting a
138hold of kids, I just looked it up right now. Walmart selling from 20 bucks and Target's 25 or whatever. So it's manageable and you can get a plan. you can do like a 24-month plan for $2 a month basically. So what I'm saying is like there's ways uh to accommodate safety. Um and then I also uh did research um there's been Australia has banned uh phones and uh I think it said 95% of the principles saw drastic improvement in uh focus among their children and u 86% said it's you know they want to keep doing this. So, um I think >> like I mean I understand like if like um what I would be curious about is how many uh like what percentage of students per grade level start to get phones now? Like is
139it like fifth graders or like 30% of fifth graders have it and then like as we climb higher and higher and then like how do we like implement it stricter to where it's like you know like second grade nobody has cell phones. Let's let's start there and then like we can be a little more lenient with people who have already have the phones but then like the students who don't have phones just start it there so we can stop that problem from ever increasing in the future and then the students who do have phones we can be strict but we do understand that you know for kids who grew up with phones it's going to be harder for like if you took this away from me I wouldn't know what did myself either but like
140like be more lenient with the students who are used to them but at the same time like those first, second graders, let's protect them all the way through. >> So know that that is some of the feedback we got from cabinet too as we discussed it and we did were talking perhaps utilizing the boxes in elementary and they're locked away and then in secondaries more of the yonder pouches. >> Thank you. Trusty Sadu, I failed to open the floor first to our student trustees. So go ahead whichever one of you wants to go first. >> Okay. I am a student so my opinion matters >> indeed. Okay, that was kind of but as much as I want to go with option one, I know option two is better for all of us students because it's
141just better cuz when I see like our at West there's like barely any fights, but when I see people recording it, I'm just like this is a learning environment and it's like distracting others cuz the first ever fight I saw at West was in my classroom during a test And that was so disruptive. That was the worst score I ever got. But yeah, but I feel like as a student, I know that option two was going to help us the best. Um, everyone as students, they chose option one as they wanted it because they wanted it for their benefit, not everyone's benefit. So yeah. Um, I was speaking about this in like the school this entire week kind of with some other teachers, but me personally as a student at Central East, I think option
142one is like I know this kind of seems great. I feel like it's com like it's what's the word? It's unreasonable or like like unbelievable with our like students these days cuz I also noticed I have classrooms where they enforce the lock box. Like my second period math teacher since the beginning of the year, she's been constant with it. And students don't do anything. Like if they do like don't agree to put it in the box, they get marked as tardy and they get sent to the office. Like I think implementing rules like that early on is a lot more realistic for students. um just kind of throwing like I I don't know how to explain it, but it's a big shock to kids when you all of a sudden lock up their phones after
143they got used to being able to have them hands-on and everything. And knowing kids, they're going to rebel. They're going to find ways to open up them. I went to Bullard where they had yonder pouches for about a month and students would cut them open. And students would find out students would put fake phones in it. And it also disrupted so much of class time because of just first period we'd have to do checks like take up 20 minutes of class making sure they're all locked and then at the end of sixth period it's like opening them. And it just I found it as unreasonable because when we have teachers when if we could tell teachers to enforce those lock boxes and pouches in the beginning of class and being able to earn them after
144it helps like finish work like you're more motivated to complete your work and it's kind of like a reward system in a sense. >> I think you can definitely join our AR team to create the the policy. Okay. Okay. The administrative reg regulations especially because you've been at a school that enforced some of the pouches. >> Vice President Sers, I'll just go down the line. Thanks. >> I've got a lot of thoughts on this. >> You have three minutes. >> First of all, the uh the data, can we get that broken down a little bit more uh because it's too generic as it is right now. I I need to see sight to sight to sight and then breakdown of grades because a seventh grader at Rio's opinion is going to be far different than
145that of a senior out at Central High School. The experiences are completely different and I'd like to take that into consideration. Um >> can that be done pretty quickly? >> I to be honest I would need REA support with that because it's 2ome responses and I this is what I was able to manage using Google. So, I would definitely reach out to REA to break it down further. >> Then, if that's the case, then I'm going to have a hard time utilizing that data to paint a picture because it's there's too many variables in it. >> Um, >> I'm kind of surprised that the district is proposing option two based on the general feedback from students and parents seem to be overwhelmingly supporting option one. Um, I've got a couple different thoughts on that. Um,
146when it comes to option two, one of the things that stood out to me right away is, uh, any doctor's notes. Um, is a district ready to have 5,000 doctor's notes turned in that, you know, my student is, uh, needing to carry this phone because they have XYZ condition. >> Um, how are we going to enforce that? because the district, >> you're going to have a list of students who can have it, list of students who can't have it. Who is it? How long are they allowed to? It's going to be a logistic >> nightmare. And to to be fair, I did start off with saying that we went to cabinet and we had a an opinion on one. We are not saying that's what's coming next time. That's why I want your input and
147I'm writing all of these down. the the data what I can tell you is I broke it down as much as I could and the thematic coding is for all. So I do agree like if we split it up I would like to see how middle school responded compared to high school I can do that further and submit to you in a Friday report after working with our other department. Um, regarding um the responses for parents, what I explained earlier is yes, they're telling you they want this option, but the other responses regarding safety and the fact that they don't want them to record and the fact that they do cause issues, those were highly on the negative side. >> So, the option did not align with what they're telling us that the phones are
148being used for. Uh however uh the option was also selected based on how we can manage those restrictions from the policy without have for example I talked to Madera Unified today to understand how is it going with the pouches and they said well you know some districts I guess I had visited Modesto attempted the no pouch no uh lock boxes and what they're hearing is that they're having a difficult time because now the teachers are upset at the fact that that enforcement is being put on them and they can't that's not part of their job description. Madera Unified also went through that and they said our teachers also felt that the the following through with the restrictions should not be fall on on fall falling on them. >> So then there's pros and cons to
149to both sides. Right. >> Well, that that's one of my my things here that um >> before I even approve any >> option one or option two, I I want to see what the uh enforcement plan is going to be. um clearly outlined what this process and steps are. You know, do you get warnings? How many warnings do you get? What's the next step? So that that information is then conveyed to all students, all teachers, all parents. So that everybody is very clear in understanding why am I getting a phone call from the principal saying that my kids student or my students phone was taken away from them? >> What do I do to get it back? whatever the district comes up with that needs to be outlined ahead of time. >> Uh so that
150and it needs to be enforced across all of our campuses from class to class. And I think that's one of the reasons why when I look at this and see uh most of the faculty option supporting option two because that's the easiest just to say don't don't have it here. But when it really comes to practically enforcing it, it it's not. And then also like to see kind of the roles of who in a classroom the teacher's responsibility would be to say put your phone away there's your warning. After that there needs to be administrative support. It cannot fall completely on the teacher to confiscate the phone to contact the parent and that sort of thing. So there needs to be uh outlines for what the teachers responsibilities are, outlines for what the administration's responsibilities
151are, and then support from the district and the board that this is our policy, we are adopting it. So when I get 50 phone calls from upset parents because they their students aren't allowed to have their phones out in class, we can clearly articulate and say, "Well, this is the policy." >> Um the biggest thing that I've got is that these things aren't going away. I bet everybody in this room has one or at least one. I've got two. >> So, when we teach our kids, just put it away, you can't have it. What are we teaching them? We're not teaching them how to manage their time and be responsible with it. Where I know at my kids school at Garza, they're piloting the um every classroom, they have to put their phones in the
152sleeve. I hear that some kids have two phones. They put the dummy phone in there. There's a m, you know, kids are going to be creative and find the way to to be sneaky. It's it's going to happen. >> Uh, but seems like the majority of the feedback I've heard from my kids, their friends, and just other students there is that it seems to work >> and they like having the phone for their personal time during their break. Um, it gives them that sense that, hey, I can escape from school. I can do what I want to do. Um, also from parent side, you know, I I need to be able to know when my kids's done with athletic practice, hey, practice is over. Come pick me up. If they if we take away their
153communication device, then we're going to have a problem. And I highly doubt that the each school site's office is ready to handle and field all the phone calls from parents saying, "Hey, can you tell my kid I'm going to be late? Can you tell them to pick up their sibling from school, except whatever it is?" Mhm. >> Um I I just think this this needs a lot more thought before we start jumping into anything. >> I'm going to take a break and recollect my thoughts. >> If I can just explain one point. So the AR is going to help us with that. But in order for me for us to create an AR, I'm I'm including including the behavior task force. They actually started already this discussion around guidelines for discipline for this. Uh but
154we need a direction. So, I need to know if we're going option one or option two. And like I said, nothing is set in stone. All the conversations I've been having with you, including the feedback we got from cabinet, none of that is final. You make that decision as to the board policy. And that's why I wanted your input, too. >> So, put simply, it's not realistic to demand an AR. I understand that's your opinion. That's your request um before we even have direction because quite frankly, it's a waste of time. You're asking administration. We would be asking administration to develop two ARs for each one of them and they already have plenty of things to do and quite frankly I'd rather have them spend more time on academics than developing an AR for implementation
155of this policy. But >> and the difference is that this one doesn't come with an AR. So all other policies do. So it's easy because then we just adapted. So this one we're creating from scratch beginning to closing. I don't know that the policy the the discipline is going to be too different though regard option one or option two if I show up with a phone and I'm using it when I shouldn't be what are the steps going to be >> so if you for example to hippity I did a no phone all day policy we had ziplocks bags they had to put a sticky if it was collected from the child uh we had less fights less recording less incidents people kids interacting during lunch >> Dr. Lopez, let me interrupt you. I want
156to hear from the rest of the board and then we can come back and you can provide any response to generally the questions because this is just feedback. And I I do just want to point out we have one of our vendors that's waiting to provide information on one of the information items. >> Um Trusty Kirk, did you have any comments at this time? >> Okay. Uh Trusty Nandep Singh, >> I do indeed. >> You also have three minutes. >> I'll do my best. Um, thank you for this item. Uh, so I'm going to go on the record tonight clearly and without reservation in full support of an all day no access fund policy for our students. I hear all the reservations that trustee sellers I do want to just say option one is what's
157happening now like so so option one is our is essentially our default. The teachers say please don't use it. Please please please don't use it. Please please please don't use it. That's that's sort of what's sort of happening. As a board member, I believe this is the most important decision that we can make for our children in our district right now. Um, and I want to be direct in why. For me, this is absolutely an equity issue. Uh, when we allow phones in our school, we are not being neutral. We are choosing to let the achievement gap widen. The research on this is uncontested. There's peer-reviewed studies that found that banning phones raise test scores, but highest amongst our lowest achieving students or higher higher achieving students, strangely enough, are actually unaffected. So, it shows
158the this uh phones uh disadvantages the students that already have the leash runway. The reason I bring bring all this up is um I think we're and and and and probably this has been a little bit of a theme on some of our other topics today too is they're providing the data of how our students and parents feel which generally gets stuck in the middle which so you end up sticking with the status quo because you're like uh there's good for there's good bad. So since we can't decide we let's just kind of stay what we're doing. what they didn't do tonight, and maybe that's that's part of this presentation. It wasn't necessarily part one, but maybe definitely part two, is we are not the ones, as much as I wish Central Unified was a
159leader, we are not the leader in this. There are tons of districts that have been doing this for the last 10 years. So, we have full opportunities to learn from their mistakes, learn from uh their successes. Madera Unified has already had to answer those questions. I don't know what their answers are, but I know they've had to like fig figure it out. Um the the increased calls to their district office, making sure that there's probably a phone in each each classroom and they're going to have to build out an infrastructure for it. We have an opportunity right now. We're not leaping into the deep end. We're having a conversation. We're having a discussion and to put those in place. San Mateo Unified, actually our most affluent districts in California have long done this. So, if
160you're talking about like San Mateo Unified, uh, in the Bay, uh, some of the other ones, I know Rockland, uh, up in up in sack, like these are like they they have kind of already seen that there's a reason for this and they have the data to show why why it matters and and why it's extremely important. It's not just academic. Uh, Dr. Lopez talked, of course, about our uh our mental health crisis and where they actually saw the largest impact is um actually on our African-American youth. Now, what happens in option one where you have uneven uh implementation, it actually usually falls on our young men of color because they get actually blamed more because you just have left to the discretion of the teacher. Sometimes, you know, biases is just there. who who
161do you who do you send to uh for for discipline and who do you give a warning to? So for me it's like where where we can just reduce that and in this this board as we are absolutely really really want to focus on academics and decreasing that academic achievement gap. I think this is a an very important thing. I also want to kind of directly address our our parents. I've heard the emergency access concern. I want to name it. And I want to and also put it to rest in the sense that every district has a front office. Every and every parent can reach their child through that office at the time. That's not new. This is how schools have worked for decades. We will have to rebuild that muscle because it's something that
162we have lost because we've always had sort of direct access. I've been to campuses where I've seen this done very very well, especially in to be honest in the Sacramento and the Bay Area just because they got a lot of these kinks out because they messed up. I and I think uh Amamira your comment about Bullard was whenever I've talked to Fresno Unified they were like folks it was the biggest thing was they took it away from the teach uh students but didn't take away from the teachers so then that kind of created like a a a concern and it was just really uneven. So I I think learning from those will absolutely I would love to see this in a phased way. Maybe it starts off with an elementary schools in seventh and eighth
163grade and then we move it to ninth and tth grade and we move it to to 11th and 12th so that we have a phased way of bringing this in. But I I this is something really close to my heart. I think this is really really an important topic and I'm glad that we're discussing it no matter what our opinions might be. >> Just Kon. >> Thank you, President Creo. So I understand the data says that option two is going to be the best for our students. I just want to make sure that we implement it uh to the best of our ability. So that's why I have a few questions on option two. Uh number one, since we've mentioned uh music a lot in earbuds, would the option two policy ban music players as
164well or just smartphones? Let's say back in our day, we had MP3 players. Are we banning MP3 players as well or is it just the cell phones? >> So this is our cell phone. It would be a cell phone policy. >> Thank you. And um for the snack bars um on our uh secondary sites, do they have mobile pay as an option? >> That I would have to ask >> in in a in a report we get for our next board meeting when this comes to uh action. Um just cuz I'm curious because in that scenario, we would also be taking away students how they pay for food on campus. >> Um and then do some seniors still have the ability to leave campus on on their lunch lunch break? >> Yes. So, for option
165two, would they be allowed to take their phones off site or do they still not have access to the phone even when they're not in school? >> That would depend on what we purchase. Are we sticking with boxes or yonder pouches? If it's yonder pouches, every teacher, every staff member would have something to unlock them before they leave. >> And if we are using the containers in the classroom, how do we prevent uh phone theft? >> So, that is something that we would put in the AR for the collection and distribution of the cell phone policies. That's why it matters which option we go with. >> Yes, I I've seen the uh pouches at Sanger Unified and those they seem very organized. I like how it looks. I'm just worried that if you have 30
166students dashing for them, maybe two students don't like each other, someone takes their phone. >> So, that was something we discussed in cabinet 2. That's why the idea behind the yonder pouch. >> And regards to yonder pouches or other brands, how do the uh pouches get unlocked? Um it has a magnet that is user specific magnet and it even comes um in a way that teachers can hang them on their badges so they can unlock them. So we could provide them to all the classrooms, the office spaces and you name it. >> But they're available in the classrooms in case of an emergency. >> Yes. In an emergency when we discussed with Madera I want to make this clear the way they mentioned is if a student feel like they got to check their phone
167that could be an emergency. They quickly go and unlock it before they leave. They check their phone they put it back. And who cares the cost for replacement if a pouch is intentionally damaged? >> Intentionally damaged. We were talking about a method of scanning them out to students at the beginning of the year when they're handed out. And if they're intentionally damaged, then the student would replace it at their cost, but we would replenish them if they get right normal wear and tear and you name it. >> And how would this impact students with IEPs? So we have specific guidelines and the guidelines they were in the similarities that I presented at the beginning. So regarding doctor's notes, we already have a process. We have to check with the it's almost like an SST that's
168held. They identify whether the need of the device is needed or not. And many times even for kids with diabetes, we've realized that the it's not needed. They just need to check in with the nurse on a constant basis. and uh with that's a good point with diabetes because if we have you know health issues as well they might need a tracker if there's a tracking app on their phone that means we're taking away that from them >> and and that would be provided to them based on an SST process or IEP depending on what they have >> and I'll probably have more questions next time this comes up but my last question is with regards to the safe schools resolution we the board passed last winter if uh certain law enforcement agencies were on
169or rumored to be on campus Would that count as an emergency so that students could access their phones? >> Yes. So any reason why we would even lock and we stated that we would let the community know. So if we have to do a parent score message safe safety related that would constitute one if they wanted access to it. >> Okay. Thank you. No further questions today at least. >> Yeah. Thank you. Um my my only feedback um would be I'm I've done some research not to the extent that trustee uh Nandeep Singh has but there there are a lot of studies that do support um prohibiting the use and and I agree with the inequities that exist and um I'm sure that if I had children I would want them to have access but
170again there's already opportunities and I think we can improve how we're communicating uh emergencies with our community and our families so that they're informed. So I tend to agree um with prohibiting and making sure my concern would be that whatever the AR looks like students should not be penalized um in such a way that excludes them from the classroom when the whole reason for restricting the use of cell phones is to ensure that they are focused and have better opportunities to learn um in the classroom which you know it already sounds like kids get sent to the office if they're being disruptive. So, that would be my only concern. Uh, Vice President Sers, >> can you guys uh bring back information on what other school districts that are utilizing these other programs, what they're spending
171annually to support this pro uh problem. Um, and then >> and sorry, and just to that there is like almost like a 10 15% where they just get messed up. So, please bring back the the reoccurring costs too. >> Yeah. And I have the current cost for our district too depending on the options that we select. >> Okay. Uh and then our our current policy right now of what what is our current policy? >> So our current policy restricts the use and it says your phone should be off and put away um during instructional time. But we know that that has not been effective. >> Is has it been not effective because it hasn't been enforced? >> Well, yes and no. So when you have students that are not willing to put it away, now
172you're relying like Doc uh Miss Koi Kareo expressed that now you're relying on the teacher then having to enforce calling administration to make sure that it's enforced. However, we have situations like this week there was fights and there were recordings and they were posted and there's situations where kids are picking on that student because of the fight now. So then there's aftermath after effects that we're dealing with because of the posting of videos. >> I I I guess my my concerns are that we've created this current system that is too difficult to enforce. So it's easier just to turn a blind eye and ignore it and you know I'm I'm not going to follow the process because there's too many steps and I'm not getting the support that I'm needed. Uh and then when it
173comes to students who are actually doing harm using their so their devices to do that, what is the discipline process for that? And are we actually implementing that and holding kids accountable or is it again it's it's too difficult, you know, I'm not I'm not going to do it. >> Now, uh there's a specific situation of a recording that took place yesterday. We were seeing the video and there's consequences. So the kids are getting consequences and sometimes even up to suspension um depending on the impact >> because I know there's other incidents where it may not be a physical confrontation that is you know made its way to social media platforms but parents call the school site to complain my child's being cyberbullied uh by another student and ensuring that the the district is doing
174our part to to stop that. I I I see the the solution is just to to ban everything across the board. That would be the easiest, but I don't know that that is the the most appropriate. >> Okay. So, we've had a lengthy discussion. We've been talking about the subject for over an hour now. Um do you have what I would like us to do because this item is coming back. >> Uh and I hear us expressing all of our opinions again. um what specific information do we need back when this item returns? So I've heard from vice president sellers, I've heard from trustee uh Nandep Singh, trusty sadu. >> Yeah. Uh so the the main thing that I want back is what is the prevalence of cell phones if that's possible um per grade
175and how does it increase? It doesn't even have to be per grade. You could do per K through six, 7, 8, and then 9 to 12. Whatever is easiest. >> How many students have them? That would be might be a little hard for us to be. So, you want me to ask administrators to get numbers? >> You can have like teachers like, "Hey, like who has cell phones?" or whatever. Or like put like a a handout and then just say, "Do you have a cell phone? Yes or no?" Like just a general idea, you know, if even if some students lie or whatever, we'll have a general number of like this is how prevalent cell phones are in each. We maybe rather than doing that just ask the principles what they would guess and understand
176that it's a guesstimate. I mean if all we're trying to do is just gauge. >> Yeah. >> I mean I don't care. I had a high I had a cell phone in in middle school. I used it for emergencies. So I I think we all have our own anecdotals. You guys have children that can share. You work with kids. I'm sure you know how many of them. So, if we can just get an estimate so we know what what we're considering. >> Um, Trusty Kurfon also had requests for information. So, is there she captured them, so is there anything else? >> Um, that's all I have at the moment. >> Okay. Is there anything missing? Our student trustees, great feedback. Thank you very much. Um, okay. If you guys think of anything else, please direct
177them to our superintendent. We want to make sure that admin is prepared to bring this back. and I would really like us to make a decision rather than tableabling this um once it returns. >> Thank you. >> Okay. And this is expected to return April 28th, 2026 at our next board meeting. >> Thanks. >> Thank you, Dr. Lopez. Uh okay. We return back to to item number one. Receive information regarding update from uh Caldwell Floors Winters, Inc. relating to hardship funding and scope and sequence of facility projects. >> Good evening. We have Mr. Greg Norman from CFW. He's going to present some um information regarding the state allocation board and uh how it kind of works. >> Thank you for patiently waiting >> here. Make sure it's green. >> Okay. >> Well, thank you. No
178worries whatsoever. Uh, Madame President, uh, trustees, uh, Dr. Marshall, good evening. I'm back here uh this evening to provide you with some updated information as it pertains to uh our eligibility uh uh under the school facilities program and more importantly how we can optimize how we can sequence our eligibility in order to achieve the highest aortionment from the state. In other words, how can we as a community, as a district, get as much money from Prop 2 for the capital improvements that are needed uh on our campus. So, that will be uh the goal of the presentation, but wanted to start first with just a very brief uh overview of the school facilities program. uh as I have spoken with you uh previously, this is a partnership uh with the state of California and the
179local uh district. Uh there's two major programs uh new construction and new construction is basically any project that adds square footage. It could be parking structure, an NPR, a library, a kitchen, uh a row of classrooms. So anything that adds square footage would be considered new construction. And the other major program is modernization. This is where your existing campuses, the facilities, the classrooms on your existing campuses. This will give you an opportunity to upgrade, update those facilities, whether it's technology, infrastructure, whatever the case may be. there are certain criteria criteria as it relates to the age of the facility for the eligibility which we've uh covered uh previously. So those are the two major uh programs that the school facilities uh program uh covers. There's some boutique programs that I will be bringing to you
180from time uh to time. uh for example uh career technology CTE. They have uh $600 million for CTE programs. So if there's pathways at your high school uh that you are interested in pursuing, this would be an opportunity to uh pursue a grant for any CTE opportunities pathways uh at your high school. But we're going to focus the conversation uh this evening on modernization and and new construction. So, Prop 2 uh again, as a refresher, passed in November of 24, it uh allocates $ 8.5 billion in several categories with the two major categories being the new construction and the modernization. So, that's just a refresher. And again, this second slide is just the breakdown of that $ 8.5 uh million. Again, as a refresher, the third slide is now we're getting into the nitty-gritty as
181to how we as a district can benefit from Prop 2. The most immediate way that we can benefit is two existing applications that are currently on the workload list uh at the state which means that they're in Q and will be aortioned uh with the proceeds from Prop 2 and these funds will be uh uh uh given to the district via the county office. The first one that uh we can anticipate receiving an aortionment under Prop 2 is the Shields in Broly Elementary School. Uh we should be receiving a 90day letter here within a week or two, which means that the Office of Public School Construction, the OPSC, is processing that application. Now, the the projected aortionment is $14 million. It's not guaranteed. There's a lot of work, a lot of backup information that has
182to be provided. A lot of the assumptions that were part of that application would have to be fleshed out to ensure that we do receive the $14 million. But that is where we come in and assist the district in making sure that you maximize uh the aortionments from the state. So we should be processing that application here uh within the next 2 to 3 weeks and it is anticipated by May June of 27 that the district would realize the $14 million uh in an aortionment. And obviously you can then utilize that for any ongoing projects or any future projects. So it will be needed revenue uh as it relates to any capital improvements that the district is undertaking or will be considering uh to undertake. Right behind that is uh Justin Garza High. Uh another
183$3.5 million probably four or five months after that. So, we're looking at the latter part of 27 before those uh funds are realized. So, wanted to give you a current snapshot as to how the district is going to be benefiting from uh Prop 2 almost uh immediately. The next slide is uh the primary purpose that we wanted to uh be here uh this evening is to provide you with what we believe would be the district's best uh best opportunity to maximize their eligibility as it relates to receiving aortionments from the state. So, what we've done is an analysis of all of your existing school sites and their current eligibility from the largest to the smallest. And so what we're saying is that from a sequence uh sequencing perspective in order to maximize your state aid
184eligibility that the district should consider going in this sequential order in order to re uh in order to receive these aortionments from the state. Now obviously we can we can mix and match we can move it around. There may be political issues. There may be other issues that would cause one school district to be placed uh ahead of another, but primarily from a state aid sequencing perspective, this is what we would recommend with the backdrop that if we wanted to optimize our state aid eligibility and the aortionments from the state. Now, we do have two uh projects that uh staff has already been moving forward on and those are the two that are at the top and so those two have been prioritized because there has been work already done on those two uh projects.
185So, we will be pursuing those first and foremost. The critical thing to this as as we have spoken before is that there is a district match associated with the school facilities program. The new construction it's a 50/50 partnership and with the modernization it's a 6040 partnership with the 60% being born by the state. So, how do we take advantage of the eligibility that we have when we have limited resources as it relates to the match, the district, the local match? Uh there is I don't believe uh Dr. Marshall the financial hardship slide made it on so I'm just going to speak uh to it. Uh so there is okay. Yeah. Yeah. I don't think it made it. >> I'm sorry. >> Oh, okay. There it is. Okay, it did make it on there. Okay. Uh
186so financial hardship is a way in which the district can secure 100% financing of their project. So instead of there being a 50/50 partnership or a 60/40 partnership as it relates to modernization, if the district can qualify for financial hardship, and currently it does qualify for financial hardship, then there would not be the burden of the district having to come up with a local match uh for their capital projects. Yes. >> Apologies. Can you just uh define uh hardship as per this this grant or or these funds? >> So the the key to get into the room uh for hardship is that a district must be charging the highest allowable developer fee. So they won't even consider or entertain granting you with financial hardship unless you're unless you as a district are charging the highest
187allowable developer fee. Once that has been established in the uh state allocation board January of this year, they updated what those uh developer fees are and I'm quite sure uh you guys are in the process of adopting those new fees. So every even year the state allocation board uh uh updates the developer fee. You have to pass a resolution adopting those new developer fees. then that gets you in the door as it relates to uh financial hardship. Once you're through the door and in the room, there's certain ways in which you can qualify for financial hardship. The way that we qualify uh as a district for financial hardship is that our bonded indebtedness is 60%. And basically what that means is that our assessed valuation or AV is such that the debt that the district
188has is 60% bonded to that. So you then qualify for financial hardship as a district. Once you qualify for financial hardship as a district, then the applications that are submitted, they will then undergo a second level of testing. And that testing is uh the uh office of public school construction will look at your capital accounts, fund 21, fund 25, fund 35, and fund 40 to see if you have quote unquote any unencumbered funds. So those unencumbered means that there's no contract behind those funds. So, say for example, a project is a million dollar and it's a new construction. So, the district would have to come up with $500,000. The state would have to come up with 500,000. If we have financial hardship, the state in theory would give a million dollars, the entire amount. But
189during their analysis, if they see that you have a h 100,000 of quote unquote unencumbered funds, instead of giving you a million dollars, they would give you 900,000 and they would state that you have a h 100,000 of unencumbered funds. So the once we get to the point where we know the timeline of when that analysis is going to take place, we will work uh with your business department to make sure that if possible all of the funds in those capital accounts are encumbered. Okay, so that's the way that it works. So as a district right now, we definitely do qualify for financial hardship. So this is an opportunity for us to make those capital improvements on our campuses. Uh this is an opportunity for us to uh add new technology, new infrastructure, whatever the
190needs are uh capital needs are uh on our on our campuses. Okay, let me go to and the last slide here is the other uh campuses and their eligibility when they become eligible. So the previous slide uh identify the opportunities that we have uh today and this would be a tool uh by which the district can start to do planning to say okay uh let's take advantage of this partnership uh that the state is offering. We have needs on these campuses. Let's start to determine what those needs are and come up with the plans and the designs to address those needs and then to submit applications uh to the state uh for uh aortionments based upon our eligibility. And then the last slide here is the other campuses as to when they become eligible. Okay,
191that's a cliffnotee version of what's going on uh with the school facility uh program uh uh a current look and a look into the future. again with the backdrop that this is an opportunity uh I'm quite sure most of you are aware the lines out the door with uh districts throughout the state uh because uh everyone does see it as an opportunity and it's our chance to get in line and to help uh our campuses. So >> thank you any questions or feedback from the board? Trusty Nand Deep Singh >> just want to thank you and and Dr. Marshall I know you've had experience with the with the team from Los Panos for bringing this to our district after far too long but we're glad we're discussing it tonight. >> Thank you. So what are
192the next steps from here? So we have a list and I have a couple of questions but that's that's the first one. We have a list of what projects um would be eligible. I know you talked about kind of the timeline for the hardship, but what is what is our next step from here? >> Okay, so for the two that are in line is just processing whatever is on that uh 90day letter. For the two priority ones, we have to have both DSA approval, division of state architect approval and CDE approval in order to submit a application for funding. So if at any of the proposed school sites uh let's take uh Central East High if that is uh the number one project after the other two that you would like to pursue because of
193the fact you want to maximize your eligibility and potential aortionment. we would need to engage a design professional to come up with the improvements that we want to see on that particular uh campus. We would then that design professional would then get achieve uh DSA and CDE approval which would then put us in a position to request funding. So that would be the next step. So the first step is to either to go along with this sequencing or to come up with which ones are of most priority uh to the district and then start to work on achieving uh both DSA and CDE approvals. >> Okay. And so I guess this is a question for our administration. What's the next step? Well, we're working on the architect design for McKinley and Basto and then I
194think the other thing that Mr. Norman I just want to add is we need a a proof master plan. >> Yeah. Yeah. Right. >> That's so we so those are three things. Yeah. >> So the other thing I want to try to talk to him about is remember when we when we had the contract before Dr. Marshall came is for the Vapa building we took a loan. >> Yes. So we wanted to kind of address that issue too that here we have a VA building. designed ready to go but we had to take a loan. So that's the hardship I want to also include to see what we can do about it because that was we we have the contract with you like two years ago one and a half years ago. So that's the
195part I want to include if we can get that also going because you know design has been approved we had to take a cop loan. So yeah and that's critically uh important. So Hearnen, Barstow and McKinley, those the reason why they're at the top of the list is e exactly for that for that reason. There has been work already done on those and so uh they should be ready for uh an application to be submitted uh to the state. Now in regards to the certificate of participation or the coop that was taken out for uh that particular project, yes, we can definitely uh submit a application for a reimbursement uh for that particular uh project and as long as we do have the DSA approvals and the CDE approvals, then we will we can submit
196uh for that as well. Now what that will do uh new construction is generated districtwide. It's not sightsp specific. So modernization is generated per site. So with that particular application since it's going to be a large ass it would take some of the uh uh eligibility from some of your other projects in order to to cover that one. So will you conduct an analysis of what's most cost effective as far as if it's taking away from the eligibility? Is it dollar for dollar that we're talking about? >> It is dollar for dollar. Okay. >> So say for example your new construction districtwide is $50 million. So if this one takes first of all if it takes all of the 50 million then then that means that some of the other projects uh would have to
197wait until there's a regeneration of eligibility and the way that eligibility again not to take up too much time but uh just a refresher. So new construction eligibility is generated I call it a three-legged stool. It takes a look at your existing uh enrollment and your capacity to house that enrollment. The state of California uses their own uh student capacity. Uh for TK through 6th grade, it's 25 kids per classroom. 7 through 12, it's 27. Your teacher's contract could be something totally different. But when they look at your capacity, they load the classroom based upon that student loading 25 and 27 to determine if you need new classrooms in order to house your existing population. So that's the first leg of the stool. The second leg of the stool is your historical uh enrollment data.
198Is it trending up or are or is is enrollment going down or declining? So, we do an analysis based upon a 5-year, 10-year, and 18-year projection to determine whether or not the trend is going up. If the trend is going up, then the OPSC will give you funds today in order to build classrooms because you're growing. And the So, that's the second leg of the stool. The third leg of the stool is any commercial developments, any housing developments coming within your school district boundaries. Say for example, there's a 100 unit uh apartment complex coming in. They will give you a student generation of.7. So they'll give you 70 new kids coming out of that 100 unit apartment building. Now that 100 unit apartment building may be built 5 years into the future. they will give
199you the money today in order to build the classrooms in anticipation of those kids uh impacting uh your classrooms. So that's how it's done and then you as a board determine where do you want to utilize that eligibility. >> Thank you Trustee Harmon. Okay, thank you. Um, so then this is really the next steps would be getting the facilities plan completed and if I remember correctly, you're also helping us. >> Yeah, we can we can definitely assist. I don't know if I don't know what the status of that is, but you will need a facility master plan in order to uh to participate in Prop 2. >> Are they not are they not the vendors for that? It's a different vendor. Yeah, it's a an architect. Peter is the architect that we got. So, they
200are all on it because we are started with Central East Central High School. So, they have a schedule and every day they are getting to the master plan. >> So, I'm assuming this vendor CFW will eventually talk to the architect so that then we get a >> Yeah. And then uh Mr. normally is going to do an analysis of how we encumber the money because one of the things is when we have like 10 million we have to find say okay 30 million is going to be encumbered to Mckenley 30 million goes to and Barcelo that way we create a resolution that's what we also we need that too >> can help that way we can say we do have a hardship issue >> yeah the facility master plan is is key uh we can
201submit applications with just a resolution from the board, but the aortionment will not be let until you have a qualified facility master plan >> and and the architect plan to each other. >> Oh, yeah. Yes. the DSA and the >> Well, let's make sure we do this right because I don't want you all and the future board members to be building schools 20 years from now because I think we learned what that what that does when we spend the money and develop plans now and then 20 30 years from now we're we're realizing that doesn't work. Um, Trusty Herman Singh. >> So, just to clarify, so we're gonna first have to have a master plan for all the school sites we want to apply for. Um, do we does I believe it's T Teeter the
202architects? Um, >> are they going through all of the schools or >> Yes, the master plan has to be all the schools. So, the one thing is we have an existing master plan that's going to expire. >> They just have to build on it. They're not going to create a brand new plan. >> Okay. >> So, it should be a little bit faster process because we already have a a plan that was already made. So, they just have to modify that plan. >> When do they expect to finish all the schools? >> I think it's about like four or five months. So, I'll check on that because they have to go school by school. School by school. So >> yeah, if maybe we can get an update just so that we have a full picture
203um and the vendors that's responsible to do whatever the responsibility is because I think I'm having to connect the dots and >> you don't want me doing that. >> We can have a teacher do an update in the maybe the next board meeting just info item. >> Yeah. And then at least a one pager so that we have something to look at and be able to track. um testing. >> May May I suggest out loud uh President Curio after the completion of the master camp plan could we have like a board workshop to actually just >> absolutely go in detail and if we could just note that so that >> No, I I'll have to do like a brief presentation maybe next just to say where are you at, what's going to take and when
204it's going to get completed just a you know 10 minutes that way you get get to hear it and ask questions. Mhm. >> And may I ask sir, for the two schools that we have um pending applications. >> Yes. >> So obviously we're still waiting for the money. We submitted the oldest one at Shields and Barley uh Shield and Broly. So JSK Elementary nearly two and a half years ago. >> Yes. >> What is the general turnaround time for at least for these two two applications? When should we be expecting >> the OPSA? Any application that is received today, the OPSC is communicating it will take 2 years in order for that application to be processed. And and so the current school that we're at probably about almost two and a half years. Is there
205any way that and and the second school we are we'll be approaching two years in in about a matter of weeks. >> Yes. Is there any way to check or just kind of see how other >> Oh yeah, I check I check all the time because uh each project has a OPSC project manager. So it's a telephone call, it's an email to find out what's going on. And what is also delaying the uh the aortionments is that the state has uh instituted what they call priority funding. So before it was they would give out an aortionment every month. Now the aortionments are giving out given out twice a year and it's based upon when the state of California sells bonds. So they say after the spring bond sale all of those applications that have been
206approved by the state allocation board will receive their aortionment. Then they line them up and then they do a fall bond sale and then they uh aortion those applications. So they have slowed it down. Uh but your application will be processed according to the OPSC within 2 years. The aortionment may lag four or five months um behind that. So if I'm understanding your answer, at least for the $17.7 million with regards to the two schools of which we have already applied and two years has or or will soon lapse. >> In the best case scenario, we would be hearing back in spring at the sale of the the the statewide spring bonds. In a worst case scenario, it would be in the fall. Yes. Of of of calendar year 2026. >> Yes. Yes. So, we
207are anticipating uh that 90day letter on the first one uh any day. I'm surprised that it hasn't come. And then depending upon how quickly we provide them with the information that is contained within that letter, we then get what is called an unfunded approval by the state allocation board, which means that those funds are locked in and then it's just a matter of when the state sells bonds before we get our aortionment. >> Thank you. >> And Dr. Marshall, we're going to respond immediately, right? >> Okay. Yes. Uh, and I think one thing that um I want to add is that M and I we met with California Consultant and they do a lot. There's a lot we talked he spoke about about the CT grant money that's out there >> and they specialize in
208that grant for a lot of school districts. So, this time we'll be ready. >> Exactly. >> When when that window comes open, I know you told us about it last year. >> I did. >> And there was there was a lot of money available. So, >> yeah, >> we'll be on it. So October 15th uh round eight of the CTE. So if there's pathways at the high school, whether it's farming, agriculture, we did a uh a farm for the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District, which if you're ever out in that area, it's the most beautifulest farm you will ever see. Stairs and barns and what have you. So it's pretty cool. >> Thank you. Uh this is just for information so I think we provided the direction administration needed. Thank you so much
209and again thank you for um waiting. >> Oh no worries. No worries. Thank you. Good evening. >> Thanks. Uh we move on to item number two. Receive information regarding quarterly Williams uniform complaint procedure. Assistant superintendent Mlennon or area administrator Jeff Garrett. >> Yes Jeff Garrett will be introducing the information. >> Thank you. >> All right. Good evening, President Crew, members of the board, and superintendent Dr. Marshall. This item is presented in compliance with the Williams settlement requirements. The quarterly report provides information regarding three key areas: teacher qualifications, school facilities, and instructional materials. The Williams settlement established in 2004. The ensures that all California public school students have access to these essential educational conditions. Each district is required to conduct quarterly public hearings and submit a report to the county superintendent. administration recommends that the board
210hold a public hearing at the next board meeting and approve the quality Williams uniform complaint procedure report. >> Thank you. Any questions or comments? And we don't have any complaints that we've received so far. >> Not at this time. >> Okay. So, this will be added to our agenda for action on April 28th, 2026. Thank you. Uh and our final item for tonight has information. receive information regarding the 2729 calendars for Centry Unified School District. Dr. Childs. >> Uh yes, the the proposed calendars were created in accordance with article 8.6.6 of our CBA with CUDA um of the between the district and it takes into account what staff members in both CUDA and administration and they even include classified staff are voting on for the 2728 school year and the 2829 school year. So, the
211calendar includes instructional days for students, duty days for employees, and a list of observed holidays. There is no fiscal impact associated with this item, and administration is recommending that this item be moved to action for the next board meeting. >> Thank you. Any questions or comments from the board? Any objection to having this return under consent? And I it can return under consent, right? There's no obligation. Okay, this will be under consent. Uh, thank you very much. uh advanced planning. The calendar should be attached just giving you an overview of the next items uh big items coming before us. Uh our next board meeting oh additional information and closing comments from the board. So this item is on the agenda for any request for information or future uh board items that we may bring. Um
212trustee Nandep Singh and then trustee Harmon Singh and then trustee Sadu. Uh, I just wanted to uh update on the VAPA building. Justin Garza, just >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> I will work with administration to figure out when to bring that back. Uh, Trusty Harmon, >> this is for advanced planning, right? >> Um, yeah. I mean, it goes with advanced planning. >> Okay. Uh so while I was at Central High School uh and I got to you know tour the facilities, I wanted to ask have we uh done any sort of like tree or shade coverage uh study for how much of our schools in Central Unified are actually covered by shade. Is that something we know? >> No. I mean >> I can look into it but >> okay >> uh so I I
213don't know if that's something we can explore. Uh you know trees are the easiest way to mitigate heat. Uh you know black asphalt, dirt, all that is going to attract heat. Trees cover it. You know provide a lot of natural shade uh cooling places for students to hang out. Um that's one thing I wanted to bring up. Another thing, uh, this is just something I I think, uh, both, uh, Trustee Siddhu and, uh, Trustee Kurfan, uh, both probably also remember at Central High School, there's a quote on the wall in front of the, uh, cafeteria. Uh, it's a nice quote. Uh, it says, "Be the change you want to see in the world," or something akin to that. But, uh, it's written by, uh, Muandas Gandhi. That's that's who they quote. Um I just given
214the recent re revelations of Cesar Chavez uh the you know sexual abuse uh that victims faced at the you know hands of whatever predator uh and Muhamad's Gandhi similar similar allegations. Um, I think it'd be good if we can at least have some sort of conversation or uh something to see how we want to proceed further with just even that it's just a quote. We can take it down or we can figure something out uh you know with the involvement of students, the community, teachers. Um but I do want that to be in discussion in the future. Okay. >> Yeah. Let me work with administration and figure out uh when is the appropriate time and how to phrase that item to bring back to the board. Oh, see this is what happens when you all
215just don't respond. >> So, so before we adjourn, I I did want to speak to something our our community is carrying this week and something many of our families and especially our students made time uh to share with me. I especially want to thank the Spanish class for texting me although while in school uh and it is something uh I I am holding deeply. Um, obviously as as Harmon just alluded to or Trusty Singer just alluded to, there's recent reporting has brought forward serious allegations that Cesar Chavez sexually abused children, including girls as young as 12. I want to say that plainly. What has what was done to those survivors was wrong and we believe them. I also want to acknowledge how this lands here. For many in our Latino community, this is not distance
216news. It's grief, confusion, anger, and a some and and a sense that something has been shaken. Central Unified has long been a district of farm worker families. The fields around our schools aren't backdrop. They are biography. This community was built by families who labored here. Black families who came from the south, Armenian, Japanese, Punjabi, Vulga, German, Yemeni families, and most especially our Latino indigenous families, the heart of this district who refused to be made invisible. That is who we are. And that history, the marches, the strikes, the sacrifices does not belong to one person. It lives in our families. It lives in our students. The movement belongs to them. It always has. To our farmworker families, your story is intact. Your children are here because of what you built and we will continue to honor
217that. To the survivors, we hear you. We believe you. You deserve better. I really want to thank, like I said, all this the students, the families that reached out to me to just share how how they're feeling, how this has landed. I think us as a society are all trying to sort of make sense of this, but I just wanted to to just share a few words to just just acknowledge that feeling of of just different emotions right now. >> Thank you. And with that, our next board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28th, 2026, beginning at 5:30. As a reminder, our open session will begin as soon as we conclude close session and we're no longer restricted to 7 p.m. Um we do need to adjourn back into close session. Um so at this
218time we'll adjurnn.