001[Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Yeah. Heat. Yeah. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Guide [Music] god. Heat. Heat. [Music] Yeah. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Hey, Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Do [Music] you feel me? Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. N. [Music] Hey, [Music] hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. [Music] down. He danc [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. N. [Music] Down. [Music] Down. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. N. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] into
002order. Roll call. >> President Mr. Nishi E. >> I'm here. Vice President Mr. Nyola, clerk, Mrs. Yokayyamai. Board member Mrs. McCaten here. >> Board member Mrs. Mendoza >> present. >> Board member Dr. Rios. >> Board member Mrs. U. >> Here. >> This evening we'll be discussing uh the following items in close session. Public employee discipline dismissal release evaluation. Three matters. Government code section 54957. Uh we're going to be having a conference with the labor negotiator. update negotiations with ABCFT, AFSCME and CSEA pursuant to government code section 54957.6. We will be having a discussion with our uh real property negotiator one matter. It'll be pursuant to government code section 54956.8. We'll also be discussing existing litigation special education settlement agreement OAH number 2025070913 that will be pursuant to government code section 54956.9. Um, I will appoint
003Sue Yu as the temporary uh close session clerk. Is there any public comments on close session items? >> There is none. >> Great. May I have a motion to close session? >> Second. >> All in favor say I. >> I. >> Motion passes 4 to zero. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. N. [Music] Heat. Heat. N. [Music] Heat. Heat. N. [Music] Hey. Hey. Hey. [Music] Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. [Music] Down [Music] hey down down hey feel down. [Music] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Hey, heat. Hey. Heat [Music] up [Music] here. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Hey, [Music] hey, hey. [Music] Hey. [Music] Hey. Hey. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Are you [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music]
004[Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] N be [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Applause] [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Hey. Hey. Hey. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Hey, Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. N. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Hey. Hey. [Applause] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music]
005down. [Music] Nah nah. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. N. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] I don't [Music] know. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. [Applause] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Hey, hey, hey. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Hey, heat. Hey, heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Hey, [Music] hey, [Music] Hey. [Music] Hey. [Music] Hey. Hey. Heat. [Applause] [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Tonight [Music] in close session, the board discussed public employee discipline. Oh, I'm sorry. The the board is back in open session.
006Can I have a motion? >> Second. >> All in favor say I. >> I. >> Motion passes 70. Please silence your cell phones. If anybody's in need of translation services, we have somebody in the back to help you with that. Close session report out. Tonight in close session, the board discussed employee discipline, dismissal, release, evaluation, three matters pursuant to government code section 54957. We had a discussion with conference with the labor negotiator updated negotiations with ABCFT AFSCME and CSEA pursuant to government code section 54957.6. We had a conference with our real property negotiator one matter government code section 54956.8. We discussed existing litigation in close session. and the board discussed and approved a special set education settlement agreement in the amount of 21,715 in parenthesis if the student qualifies for special education and if they
007don't 15,895 if they don't qualify for special education attorney fees of only $6,000 compensatory education of $3,395 or 9,215 if again the student qualifies for special education independent education ational evaluation of 6,500 for OAH case number 2025 070913. This passed by a vote of 70. Pledge of allegiance. Today we'll have a pledge of allegiance by Bragg Elementary School who are accompanied by their principal Dr. Hilda Flores and their teacher Miss Julie Lawrence. Good evening, President Nishi, Vice President Nyola, Clerk Yokohama Buouie, distinguished board members, Superintendent Dr. Zitlo, and community members. My name is James Tucker. My name is Camila Espinosa. My name is Alexandra Ille. My name is Arjun Patel. and my name is Dominic Shear and we're here to represent Mary Bragg and to lead you in the pledge of allegiance. Please stand. Put
008your right hand over your heart. Face the flag. Ready? Begin to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> You may be seated. >> Thank you. Next, I'd like to introduce Camden Jacobson to talk about our Green Ribbon Schools Awards for 2025. Hello, my name is Camden Jacobson and I have been a member of the Green Team for 3 years. Have you ever noticed the trash on the beach and the pollution in the air? Green Team helps the best we can to eliminate all that. We are very proud that Bragg Elementary was named a California green ribbon school by the California Department of Education. We celebrated our school's ongoing commitment to s sustainability, environmental education,
009and student leadership. We have pollinator gardens so that animals and insects such as hummingbirds and bees can help grow plants around the world. Our green team also hosts beach cleanups to pick up all the trash along the beach to prevent it from going in the ocean. Additionally, our team plants trees to help ensure that oxygen levels remain sustainable. At Mary Bragg, we developed a trash-free lunch station. The process requires that students separate milk, milk cartons, recyclable recyclable materials, and compost from the regular trash. This process reduced our daily lunch trash to only two bags. The compost is donated and provides food for two pigs and a parrot. In conclusion, the Mary Bragg Green Team grows pollinator gardens, hosts beach cleanups, plants trees, participates in trash-free lunch, and helps feed three animals. All of these things
010are done with the hope of making life on our beautiful planet more comfortable. Thank you. [Applause] >> Is there any other pro um presentation? >> All right, then. Uh I'll take questions from the board. Um board member Mendoza. >> Thank you, Mr. President. So, welcome back. Are you guys enjoying your first days of school? >> Yeah. >> Yes. Yeah, >> I heard you guys practicing outside. You did a really good job. You did a really good job. I have some stickers for you. Um there's seven because I think someone's supposed to show up. These are special stickers. You can't get them anywhere else except here at the at the boardroom. So, can you send someone to come pick them up so you guys can share them? You guys can put them Don't put them on
011like your books at school. I don't think your teachers will appreciate that, but you can put them like somewhere that's appropriate. And I just wanted to thank you guys. It sounds like you guys are doing such a great job. But I heard you guys you do enough composting for two pigs and a parent. Like is Oh, >> yeah. >> What? Like like you do we actually give them to the pigs or it's just like the amount that we save? >> Oh, we give them to two pigs and one parrot. Yeah. >> Where? >> Um it's a a friend of m Mrs. Flores. >> That is so cool. And it's all free, right? >> Yeah. >> And we're we're composting. and you guys are doing an awesome job. I look forward hopefully I can come over
012and see all the work that you guys are doing. So have a great year. Okay. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Um board clerk Tatiaka Yokoyama Bui. >> Great job you guys. That was so well performed, well rehearsed. Um you should all be very proud of yourselves for coming here today. Uh I did want to congratulate you as well on your um composting program. You are role models not only for all the kids in our school district um at all the elementary schools, junior high high schools, but for us as a community because um I believe they just started composting this year in our our city. So it's it's um I whenever I think of composting, I don't lie. I think of the Brag Kids because I know you guys do it every lunch. Um, I
013follow you guys on Instagram. I was so pleased to go to your environmental symposium last year. Will you be having one again this year? And if you do, please extend an invitation to all the board members so we could join you because I did see a picture of the pig that you you feed that you adopted and you feed. So, um, are you guys enjoying your newly renovated school? >> What's your if a few of you want to say what's your favorite part about your newly renovated school? Maybe some kids who've been there for a few years and see a change from before to after. >> Go ahead. >> Well, we have like new furniture, new desks, um all the new stuff to help the kids grow and learn. >> Awesome. Thank you. Thank you
014for sharing that. Anyone else want to share? >> I really like the new bathrooms. They're just way cleaner. >> Yes. I you know, bathrooms are very big for me, too. So, thank you for mentioning that. And thank you to Dr. Flores for being here. Thank you for always welcoming us to your school. Please invite us to all your events this year. All right. Make sure you send an invitation to board. Thank you. >> Um let me actually make a quick comment also. So uh um yeah. So what's great about this is you know you don't have to grow up to make a difference in this world. That's the the key lesson I hear. We have these great parents out here that are training their kids to say, "I'm not helpless. I can make a difference.
015I can not throw away the trash. I can and I can compost and make something grow at any age. It doesn't matter. These kids are going to make a difference now and they're going to make a difference in the future." I want to have the parents who uh raising these people, probably drove them here or walked them here, please stand or did they just drive here and themselves? Don't be shy. So, this there's only one parent in this whole group. >> You're welcome. >> Come on out. Come on. Stand up. No, I really appreciate we can't have an excellent school district. We can't have an excellent kids. We can't have excellent leaders without excellent parents who are involved. So, it's part of your partnership with the teachers, the principal, the the uh the custodian. Everybody
016is part of making these kids part of our great future. So, thank you so much for being there and doing this for your own kids and our country. Thank you. [Applause] Do you have any questions for us? >> I threw a softball at you guys, right? >> Well, I'll see you guys again. >> Thank you. >> All right. I'd like to have some introductions with our new 2025 2026 student board representatives. Dr. Zitlo, who are these people? >> Well, at this time, I'd like to ask our student board reps for the 2526 school year to come on and line up at the podium. Um, we're going to have them introduce themselves to you. Um, we'll just line up in order. Artisia, Cerrito, Scar, Tracy, Whitney, and adult school. Um, we'll be working with our student
017board reps next week doing their training and getting them prepared so that they're ready to come and present and participate in terms of the process for the board. But we'll start with our representatives from Artisia High School. Please introduce yourselves. >> Um, hello. I'm Jada Lopez. I am the ASB president. >> Hello. Um, I'm Kimberly Santos. I'm Renaissance president. >> Thank you. And Cerritos High School. >> Good evening everyone. I'm Anushka Zumallay. I'm the commissioner of community relations. Good evening. My name is Cara Chin and I'm also one of the community relations commissioners from Cerritos High School. Thank you for having us. >> Thank you. And Gar High School. >> Hello everyone. My name is Kamaya Sadderfield and I'm a sophomore at Gar High School as well as the vice president of class of 28.
018>> Good evening everyone. My name is Amoa Rukmar. I'm a senior at Gar High School and I am one of the director of academics. Thanks you. Thank you for having us. Tracy High School. >> Hi there. My name is Eugene Kim. Uh I'm the current peace club president at Tracy High School. Thank you. Hi, my name is Aumi Arada and I am currently part of the ASB leadership of Tracy High School. >> Thank you. And Whitney High School. >> Uh good. Good evening everyone. My name is Aren Jane. Uh I'm a junior and ASB's treasurer this year for Whitney High School and the board rep. >> Good evening all. I'm a junior at Whitney High School and I'm the commissioner of public relations. >> Good evening. My name is Ami Seth and I am a
019part of the parent education at ABC Adult School. I also am teaching uh Zenangle art classes for ABC Adult School. >> Wonderful. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> So, we're just thankful we have board reps for this year and um we're planning to have a mixer and get to know them better next week. Um but wanted to introduce them to you and to our community so they would know who our board reps are. So, thank you so much for being here this evening. Thank you for volunteering your time. [Applause] Okay. Uh our next item is spotlight on teaching and learning. We'll now have presentation on the 2025 summer school programs. Dr. Castro. >> Thank you board president uh Mr. Nishi. As our screen comes down, I'd like to introduce a few of our wonderful directors.
020Our summer school program is really a highlight emphasis in goal one of our LCAP to improve our academics but also goal three which is to improve college and career opportunities and goal four which is our special education focus goal. So here with us this evening is our director of elementary curriculum Dr. Christine Bwena our director of special education Dr. Soo Verdusco and our director of secondary curriculum Dr. Greg Francois who will provide you an overview of the many summer school opportunities that occurred this past summer. >> Dr. Bwin, >> thank you. Good evening, board president Nishi, Vice President Nyola, clerk Yokoyama Buouie, our distinguished board members, superintendent Dr. Zitlo, cabinet, and our community members. We are very excited to be here again this year to give a summary report of our summer programs. First, you
021can see here and this is good information for our community to see the alignment to our local control accountability plan. So, in addition to having summer school programs in our LCAP, we also align our programs to goal 3.1, which is to expand career technical education pathways and goal 3.4 four, which is to implement early college and dual enrollment offerings to increase access for our lowincome students. We just want to give you a little recap of our summer learning structure. We shared this last year and last year was the first year that we sort of restructured things. We It was important to us to be able to expand to more campuses, particularly in elementary, whereas before we would have three campuses, now we expanded to six. Expanding to campuses allows us to offer program to more
022students. We also extended to more days pre in previous years we had 10 days of summer learning this year. Last year and this year we have 20 days of instruction for elementary and middle school, 25 days at the high school level and then with our ABC Excels program we're able to offer programming for 30 days during the summer. One of the things we want to mention is that really our primary goal and our purpose, our emphasis for summer learning and that's really to present what they call the summer slide. We really want to uh prevent the learning loss that happens during the summer and so that's why those you know 20 days or more are very important. If we look at research, we can see that at least 20 days of instruction is what is
023needed during those summer months to help, you know, continue to impact learning and to prevent that learning loss. Also, we have an equity goal, which is to expand the opportunities for our English learners, our students with disabilities, our homeless and foster youth, as well as low-income students, and a goal um surrounding engagement, which is why we've combined our academic programs with STEM and art enrichment. Before we go any further, we do want to take time to thank our um teachers and administrators who help with this effort. um summer programs are humongous. It's a beast to put it together quite frankly. And so it really is a team effort. So we want to thank the administrators and teacher leaders as well as all the teachers who were present at our elementary summer programs as well as
024our excels administrators who really helped to work with our community-based organization to provide programming and our secondary administrators as well. All of these individuals help to provide, you know, a a wholesome, nurturing, robust learning environment for our students. So, the first thing we're going to do, I'm I am going to turn it over to Dr. Verdusco because she is going to talk a little bit about our program enrollment. >> Thank you. >> Okay. The ABC um summer program served um 4,889 students. I'd like to um highlight some of our programs. For example, the extended school year served 513 students. 239 of those students were elementary um school students. 44 were middle school. 71 were high school. Adult transition students, 44 early intervention, those are the three to five years old. um 83 students and Tracy
025infant center the um 18 months old to um three years old we had about 32 um the dual enrollment um program 436 students those are the high school students enrolled in college courses and we also had um 1,598 students in the ABC excels program which uh 487 of those students attended both the summer learning academy as well as the ABC um excels program. Um the migrant education program, despite the challenges that we experienced during the summer, we had 160 students attend the program. Now I'm going to hand it over to Dr. Francois. >> Sorry, Dr. Sorry, it's my turn. We need the bragg students back here because they did a great job presenting and I was half wishing I could just give them my presentation. Okay, so we do want to talk a little bit
026about our learning academy focus. So just a couple of highlights. So this year we brought back the scholastic lit camp. A lot of robust reading that takes place using those materials. But one thing we added was UFFLI foundations and UFly stands for University of Florida Literacy Institute. This is an evidence-based supplemental curriculum that we also use during the in our instructional day during the year. We're going to expand the use of that. we are seeing a lot of positive results with our primary students and so it was important for us to be able to add that to our summer learning focus. Additionally, instead of looking for a different math program, we thought it was very important to continue using our core curriculum. And so we used the SAS um bridging up materials as part of
027the summer learning for math. We continued with our STEM enrichment using uh a curriculum called Galileo. Uh what was really neat is again this summer we had some of our the teachers who did the STEM enrichment were um secondary science teachers. I thought after being with TK students last year they would say no way but they actually called us and said can we do this again this year? And so it's really exciting to have those content teachers providing that instruction for our elementary folks. And then for our art enrichment, we leaned into our own visual performing arts teachers to be able to put together some lessons, enrichment, um, art lessons for our students this year. Additionally, I want to note that all of the students who participated in the elementary programs, that's in our general
028education program, our extended learning program, which is our students who receive special education services, and students in ABC Excel. They all went home at the end of the program with a back backpack full of books. So anywhere from 10 to 15 books, new books because we also know that research says that, you know, students need upwards of, you know, 100 plus books in a home library to really continue to help with their reading growth. And so it has been our aim the last couple of years to continue to add to their home libraries. And part of our hope was that they could continue their learning even beyond um summer summer program. And so included with those with that backpack was a summer um writing journal that they could use to write about some of the
029reading that they did. Um I would like to believe that maybe some of those parents that woke up the day after summer school was over said, "Where's that backpack? Let's get those books out so we can continue some of that learning." One of the things that we want to do next year is really be more intentional about giving parents um something that they can use to help leverage those materials. We don't expect parents to go home, have their kids at home in the summer and become the teacher, but we know that our parents are the our best first teachers and so we want to be able to equip them as much as possible to say here are some materials, here are some practical ways that you can use them so that we can continue to
030have kids reading over the summer. We do want to share some of our enrollment data with you. This is really exciting for us as you can see in terms of total numbers. This is part of our goal in expanding our campuses and adding ABC excels as part of summer learning academy because you can see that we were able to increase by a little bit over 400 students um enrolled in the program. Um if you look at the percentages of some of our subgroups, these were this was a our target groups to make sure that they could be enrolled in the program. I want to call out that our students with disabilities, that's 64%. That's not just the students who are in the ESY program, but we also have other students who receive RSP services, speech
031and language services, any student that has an IEP for any purpose. We really wanted to make sure that we were providing those opportunities as well. Um, what's exciting is that we looked at our attendance rate. We had a high average attendance rate of 83%. Um that's you know 20 days of summer 20 days of summer when kids would probably rather be doing something else. The truth is some of the students in the learning academy said I want to go to excels but then some kids in excels were like I want to go to summer school. So we tried to provide a lot of different opportunities for kids to really make it robust learning and Dr. Franco will share a different experience that we also provided to to elementary. One of the things that we often
032ask ourselves is how do we know that this works? You know what's the data? And I know that's always been an ask to say we want a progress monitor. We want to make sure that we have a return on our instruction. And so we don't to be full transparency, we don't have a full picture yet because one of the metrics that we are using is our benchmarks. And so we do have the benchmarks from the uh benchmark three ending last year. Uh right now the um initial screening window has just opened for uh teachers to pro to provide the assessment to students. So we're going to look at their initial screening data, try to analyze that to see if we can see what was the rate of retention and we can have see if kids
033maintained. Now the truth of it is that there was still over a month of time that there was no learning that was taking place. And so we might see some slide and so we've already been having conversations in our department to say how can we get a little bit more granular so that we can really say you know we want to provide an opportunity. That was the biggest thing. How can we provide a learning opportunity in the summer for kids? How can we get kids continually be engaged in learning? So, that's why we provide the STEM, we provide the art because we want to get them there, right? But we do really need to see like are is are the things that we're doing as part of the instructional piece working. So, we will look
034at that data and we'll share that we'll put that together and we'll share it as part of Thursday notes to the board at a later date. But but I do want to just let you know that part of our conversation already is to say what are some of the target skills we want to look for and how can we do a better job of making sure that we are equipping our teachers with the resources to provide the instruction for that and then how can we do a better job of looking at that data to see did students meet those target skills. So that is something that you know as we want schools to show you know continuous improvement we want to show continuous improvement as well and so those are conversations that are already happening
035um in our department and now I'm going to turn it now I'll turn it over to Dr. Fensaw and one of our major goals for secondary summer school is be able to meet the needs of all of our students. So, as you can see that we have a traditional offering of credit recovery. We also did some things a little bit different. One of which offering some courses for original credit. And you're going to hear about that in just uh just a few more slides. As you can see, we serviced another over 1,800 students again for summer school. Um, and we had a great great summer. And you're going to hear some of these highlights in just a few seconds. So what was new? So one of the things that we targeted, we asked ourselves, what
036are some ways that we could better meet the needs of our English learners in particular and one of which we thought about offering piloting a program where we offered a year of physical education during the summer which would free up a whole line during the fall and spring for the students to be able to take an elective of their choice. So with our pilot, we were to have 10 students that were able to do that this summer, which we're very happy and grateful for and something that we'll continue to build upon and advertise for next year to have a larger group take advantage of that opportunity. Another thing we looked at were the supports. What are some ways that we can better support our graduating seniors? There's a phenomenon out there called summer melt which
037nationally shares 10 to 40% of seniors that have been accepted to a college have thrown the party have bought the sweatshirt but something happens in the summer where they don't enroll. And so one of the things that we did so we we had a counselor in place to help support students during the summer. So we had 244 students identified for this initiative. We had students that self-identified themselves as well as we went to counselors and and went to them and says, "Please share the names of information of 10 students that you're most worried about making it to the finish line." So, that was a a really unique initiative that we had sort in place uh that we had meetings for parents as well as students, 37 in total that were in person and virtual. One
038of the things the data points I really want to highlight 244 student check-ins weekly. So one of the biggest things that we saw in the research students get out of habit of checking their email especially their new college email and miss key deadlines. The way it's competitive now students don't attend orientation they are dropped. And so this is an initiative that we started, we'll continue to build on to further support our students, our graduates for next year. Another thing that we're very excited about that was new, we expanded CTE offerings down, not just to middle school, but down to elementary school as well. Well, each of our elementary schools had a CT experience. We had six CT middle school industry aligned experiences that included general ed students as well as special needs students. We had
039six new original credit CT offerings for high school students and we had eight field trips that we we took middle school and high school students this this past summer. Here you can see a plethora of our vendors that were utilized to offer highinterest, high engaging CT experiences that students had a choice to sign up with their what they're most passionate about. And you could see the offerings range from coding, career exploration, drones, and digital media as well as entrepreneurship. Some of the pictures here highlight our programs taking place at Willow Elementary for our long-term English learners, our CT ST STEM Academy, down to the bottom with our Gar High School stage and event technology, which one of their culminating events were putting together the stage and organizing that space to host our summer school graduation.
040So that came from the students. This slide um is one of the most impressive slides I've seen for a summer school offering. And we've talked about ways that we can prepare students for college, career, and life. We had 51 students that earned CTE industry recognized certifications during the summer from welding, patient care, and also our automotive students as well. This slide here highlights our various offerings, our summer field trips and experiences. And once again, that included um general ed as well as special needs students. And so, and we talk about special students, we're talking about mod severe students were included in these field trips as well, a group that has not been included in the past. So ranging from automotive museums to Faulk mobile um health training facility where the students left with certifications with
041those field trips as well as well as a very unique um experience at Sofi Stadium, a behind thescenes look and exposure to the various um innovative new careers that are out there for our students. So we're very happy to have that experience for our students this past summer. And so this here, this slide highlights some of our other data points. So we had 19 additional summer graduates this past summer, which was awesome to see. Over,300 dual en dual enrollment college credits earned, more than 12,000 high school credits earned in our summer school program. Our pass rate was 90.6%. Our students did very well. our teachers uh did a really good job engaging and motivating our students and our total student enrollment. We we we saw this earlier um 1,254 students taking advantage of our of
042our programs. >> Thank you. Okay. So moving forward, we will continue to collab collaborating to ensure all students, including those students with mild, moderate, and severe disabilities continue to be uh to enjoy a safe, inclusive, and equitable uh experience during the summer programs. Thank you. Board comments. Uh, Miss McChatten, board member maten all >> at this point. Yes. However, we we do have an agreement that was uh supported by the board for the last meeting that will include Cal State Long Beach, but for the summer dual enrollment, correct? It's with uh CTO's College. >> Okay. And what types of classes are they taking? So it it ranges um from health classes we from world language classes. So it it's it's a it's it varies. >> And then my other question was about the PE program
043like how many hours a day do they have to do PE to get because that that sounds like something I'd want to do in high school. Like I don't want to take PE. So give give me that. >> Yeah. So so the way this the students um so typical high school summer school there's a part A and part B. class one, class two. However, for physical education, the whole time was physical education. So, they were in that class from start to finish. So, you know, from 8 to approximately 12 um for the duration of our time. And so, students that were able to get those credits um were very pleased and excited. Those would impact their schedules. This will do wonders for them as they start the fall. Thank you >> board member Yu. >>
044Thank you President Nishi. Uh thank you for your presentation and thank you for all the service uh during the summer that so many students 4,891 students were able to benefit from the program and I just wanted to point out highlight this summer CT certifications. I remember when I was in middle school in LA, LA USD, middle school and high school, I took those uh you know, we took 10 weeks of each um trade classes like sewing, automotive and welding and you know so forth. I know that in high school I took automotive you know class as well. So we got to learn how to uh change tire in case of emergency right. Um >> you know having this auto class >> auto service excellence stop the bleed test the shield metal arc test B gas
045metal arc welding where was this uh training took place locationwise >> so the the training takes place um at our facilities. So there at Artisia High School >> uh we have a really renowned uh facility. >> Wow. >> Um for for welding which is which is >> topnotch. M that's great because you know uh there's always been since I started on the board the community has always shared their expressed their concern to bring back the trade you know so that we can equip our students. uh we want all of our students to be collegebound too but along the way this having this kind of tr uh training can open doors to many students and I would love to highlight in the future uh you know president uh to learn about what's there at Artisia High
046School because maybe some of the students may choose to go to Artisia High School for that program and also to promote it to students outside the district as well because not all the high schools can be equipped with the facility but if our teacher like I've known about it has the facility it would be great to highlight it and even offer during the school year too not just in the summer. Thank you very much. >> Thank you Dr. Rios. >> Yeah, I think a lot of these programs are offered throughout throughout the school year as well. I know I've seen firsthand the welding welding program at Artisia um which I want to talk to about talk about but I'll wait. I want to really praise the ideas of um really focusing on the long-term English
047learners. I know that catching them as early as possible and getting them reclassified is really important. So, I hope the program went well and I hope to see a lot of success in that. Um college support, oh my goodness, I cannot tell you how incredibly happy I was. Um, my daughter graduated eight years ago and I every year we would see this issue with our first generation college students just missing a deadline, missing, you know, turning in that last FAFSA and missing out on a college opportunity. So, I'm super happy to see that our students have access to that. Um, I hope we continue it. I hope we actually target our first generation college um students because again not that I mean anybody can use that support I'm sure but I I will I know
048that um there are they're a little bit more vulnerable. Um the last thing I want to do is talk about the CTE and this is going to be a Tuan question. Do we have funding and our superintendent are we funding our CTE programs well because I know that um they do provide a pathway to college and career career particularly and I yeah just talk a little bit about the funding and how we make sure that the kids do have access to quality products to do their CTE pathways. >> I will discuss the funding and I'll turn over to Dr. Francois to talk about the programs I need to our funding for the CT programs are both in the LCAP and also in the CEC grant. So we have and we set aside sufficient funding to
049support any pathways that we determine that you know the school would need or after research that there's interest from students and that they would provide I want to say well-paying jobs as as at completion. So for example, depends on the needs of the schools, right? Uh I want to say Artisia has about 40 sections at least 40 sections of CTE on top of the regular um FTE to support the school. So Artisia has the highest number of CTE sections and of course our uh program director work with the principles uh to investigate pathways if if the school's interested in in one or another. And we, you know, we have data to monitor, right? Students interest in the program, the completion rate, you know, whether it's a two-year, three-year program, and then um after that um
050hopefully uh job placement. So, so that would uh it's a component of the ALCAP. It's it's a focus uh from the state and ABC. We work with the school. Uh uh we never hear that, oh, we have we want a pathway, but there's no funding. That's not the issue here. the issues, right? The proper pathway that there's enough students interest in it, but also um you know on the industrial side there there's it, you know, there's jobs out there. Just because they like something doesn't mean that we we want to offer it if there's no jobs. So it's a balance of everything. So >> So the schools are not expected to fund these CT programs. Support comes from the district. >> That is correct. 100%. Thank you, >> Vice President Nyola. >> Uh, thank you,
051President Nishi. I just wanted to also thank you guys for presentation and all the hard work. I know summer school, like you said, it's it's a big undertaking and I want to thank all the vice principles, counselors, teachers that step up and, you know, really make the summer fun. Uh, I wanted to um highlight the inclusivity that I heard a lot about. um not just our kids but all the students on campus that you know are being included in enrichment and you know every classroom. So that's that's great to see and the continuity. I heard last year a lot that a lot of students with impacted schedules want to take some CTE classes or dual enrollment but because they have you know a very very you know limited schedule openly that I'm glad that we're
052offering PE in the summer so they can have that flexibility and you know support the graduates. I think, you know, college uh websites are, you know, probably one of the most complicated, you know, tools to navigate. So, I'm glad that we're supporting kids and we're celebrating them with summer school. So, thank you guys. >> Thank you. Uh board clerk Tatiana Yokoyama Buouie. >> Thank you, President Nishi. Um again, congratulations on a successful what it sounds like a successful summer. Uh thank you to uh district, thank you to our educators and administrators for um I guess sipping skipping a nice break and um contributing your time to our kids. Uh it sounds like again it was very um educational but also fun. >> Uh I know that we're going to be looking at data to figure
053out whether the programs we've had, how successful they were. Are we also meeting with the teachers and the staff and the people who were actually at the schools to figure out what we can do better for next year? And does district visit the programs during the summer to kind of assess and see if what we're doing works? >> Um, so we do a survey at the end of the summer. We survey also our the administrators that are on site so that we can determine what are some things that we can do that that teachers might have in mind that we can do differently. And so even I would say within the first few days we're already taking copious notes about some things that we would like to see happen differently. I just made a note
054myself about some other supports that I think that we'll be able to add into um our summer learning. Um so and we do visit the sites. It's really important for us to to know that the things that we planned are happening the way that we visualize them. And so we do visit all of the sites and try as much as possible to get into different classrooms as well as our enrichment, our excels to really make sure that we are doing the thing that we said we're going to do. >> Thank you. And um as a mom of two >> uh anything I can enroll my kids on in where they are not looking at a device or a screen is very important. So these options for our families um I I really truly hope our
055families take advantage of them. Uh something though and and it's completely uncharacteristic of me to bring this up but what I am hearing what I am reading is that some of the jobs that are out there for our kids deal with um AI. So graduates those who are wellversed in AI are you know these bigger companies are wanting them. So I did not see any of that in our listings. I know that when I've attended conferences within our district, um I believe the the most recent um professional learning, there are always AI workshops for our our teachers and our faculty and our staff. And it would be interesting to see what potentially we could bring next summer to get our or even, you know, in the school year to get our high school kids, junior
056high kids competitive because um you know, if we're exposing it to them in a safe way that's that's not threatening, you know, what what um what else is out there, but something that they can use it well, um they could be very competitive in the future. So, thank you. >> Thank you. Good ideas. Uh, board member Mendoza. >> Thank you, Mr. President. I just want to echo my colleagues. I um I think I I got a chance to visit um the programs at Ferguson, Neimis, and Burbank, and because of the social climate that was happening during the summertime, I I said this at my last board meeting, it was so nice to see the kids just being kids. They were having fun. Um and thank you to all the staff who were out there during
057the summer. you know, you could have been everywhere, you could have been on vacation, but you chose to be with our kids. You chose to keep them safe. You chose to feed them because while they're there, they were getting fed. Um, but yeah, I do um I do like that we're going to have data to look and see, you know, did the 20 days um support I I'm going to I'm going to say yes, it did it did support them because if they're there, they're learning, right? Um they had books. I I got to pass out the books. They may not read them the next day or the next week or the next summer, but at least they're building the library at home. So, but I I would be really interested to see the benchmarks
058and I guess it would be the end of the year would be their pre and then the beginning of the year would be their post to see. And of course, we are going to see the summer slide because, you know, they're home. But I think in the long run, it is going to be very helpful and beneficial to our students to have those 20 days of extra learning. and just congratulation to the 19 students who continued their learning and graduated um at the end of the summer. So, congratulations to them and thank you guys for doing all the work. Thank you, Mr. President. >> Thank you. So, yeah, I'd like to thank uh the teachers and the staff and administrators that you know, usually at the end of the year, you're doing the countdown like,
059oh, I survived the and these teachers says, no, no, I want to do more. I want to keep on going. So to those teachers and administrators that uh volunteered to do more, uh thank you very much for doing that. We can't do this without you guys. We're just sitting here. If we didn't have you guys, we would not be a school district. So um yeah, the some of these creative ideas like the the books, I remember giving away the books and the kids just loved it. You again, I don't know if they got them, but they certainly when they received it, it looked like they really enjoyed getting them. I looked at the books, they said, "I'd like to read that book, too, actually." Um, and it's not just the boring Jane meatstick or whatever.
060It was more like the goosebumps type of stories. It was really good. Um, and you guys thinking about the summer melt. You know, my daughter was telling me about how uh some kids they just miss all the deadlines because they don't have a history of it. They're, you know, I I'm there to tell her, "By the way, GRE, you got to take these tests because you don't just don't waltz into graduate school." and uh to be there to hold their hands to say, "By the way, here's your financing deadlines. Here's this thing here. Thank you for identifying those kids that are specifically they may say, I'm going to go into college, but then when they actually go to the date, they're like, whoops, I missed it." And then life goes on. And so for you
061to identify that, that's really good. I like how uh you have metrics here. I like how um you have the elementary group, you doubled the kids with students with disabilities. That's pretty amazing thing. Over two years, you more than doubled it from 23 to 64. You doubled the English learners and in the elementary group. Now, the high school, I kind of get they don't really want to necessarily go to summer school. Um, I like the metrics that you have here and you don't say it's all unqualified success. There are some issues. So, the students who are low income, I noticed that there wasn't as great of an increase. what is what are the strategies you're thinking in terms of u um addressing that particular issue. >> So one of the things that we do in
062recruiting for summer schools we actually give every school a list and we give um priorities for how we want them to be rec recruited. So this summer our first priority of recruitment was our students who are um considered homeless or foster youth and then we build the priorities from there. And so really because it's summer, it really is um it really is a parent choice to do so. But we really start those recruitment efforts as early as February. We start to give them the list. We talk about it. We say, "Okay, let's start talking to families." And that is a a a recruitment that happens at the school level. So we don't just send out mass um emails to say, "Hey, sign up." We really are trying to be very intentional. we give um the
063schools some metrics to look at in terms of how and we really let they know their students best. And so depending on those priorities, we really want to try to find those students who we know that will benefit. And so uh we will make more of a concerted effort to to look at that particular subgroup um in terms of our recruitment for next year. >> Yeah. Because I mean you doubled it for disability kids with disabilities. Actually more than doubled it and you doubled it for kids who are English learners. So the only thing is like how do you plan to get the lowinccome kids because those are the we need them to perform and we need to get the only way to get them to perform is to come. >> So if you come
064up some great strategies unique as to something different that you did because whatever strategies you work for those other ones yes >> over the years have done really well. >> Doubling is like an amazing thing. >> Um and maybe it's a starts with a small number. I don't know how it is, but uh um if you can find uh find that extra I'm I'm like uh Captain. I want that extra bit for that the lowinccome group because they definitely need help. >> Absolutely, sir. >> Thank you. I appreciate it. All right, that's a great program. Good summer school. Um I guess we're on to our next item. So to approve our agenda, can I have a motion to approve the agenda for the regular meeting of August 19th, 2025? >> Tatiana motions. >> Second. All
065in favor say I. >> I. >> Motion passes. Okay. I have a motion to approve the minutes for the regular meeting of August 5th, 2025. >> Tatiana motions. >> Okay. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Motion passes. 70. I know. I was very optimist. [Applause] parents US thousand thousand schools out There are 13 talking to anybody. Darn. Did anybody hear it out there? >> No one at home. >> Nobody at home. Do I have to go over this again? >> H. Okay, I'll just make it quick. Whitney was number one. It's about parents, teachers, staff, SIAS, mental health experts. Cerritos, there are 446 nationally. That's out of a thousand and thousands of schools out there, they have improved by over a 100 points over one year. Um, GAR came in 252 and there's
066over 1300 schools in California. So, they're the top quarter. Artisia is like also a star. They moved up 2,000 places in this country. So, out of the thousands of thousand schools, they moved up 2,000 points. The other schools went, wherever they went, we did better. And you know that's we have the principal came back and that kind of makes a difference. We had some kids go to Stanford. We had some kids. So people are saying try to move my kid around. No, stay in the school that you're at because you're going to be successful at whatever school we have in our district. I've seen some great kids come out of Well, heck, we have half our board from GAR. So there we go. Right. Um our new principles are making great change and it's scary
067change, but it's for the better. and change can be for the great. And I think that's that's the the good thing about our district. Um the base of our success is protecting our vulnerable students. So yeah, our first generation students that are out there that are struggling because of some of the law enforcement that's out there. Um I went out to support that because I don't think we should be uh we should try to make schools a safe place for children. So, you know, the first generation kids, they're immigrants, but all of us in this group are actually immigrants, right? At some point along the line, unless you're Native American, and even they were immigrants, we all had that background. And so, um, I felt it was very important that I support that because these
068kids are trying to make our country a better place and they're trying to study and we can't put things in their way. So, yeah, I'm going to stand up for that. I did that as an individual. Um, but I'm sure the board also stands with me as well. Uh, we went to Hawaii city council discuss our budget challenges and discuss partnerships because even if we don't have as much money as we did in the past, we the kids don't need to see that. If we can partner with our civic partners, the kids won't notice that we don't have all the money. They don't care if it comes from the city or the school. It just matters that they have the services that they need. I went to a place, a fireside chat with Janice Han
069and a bunch of other uh women leaders and uh brought my daughter for that and uh so that she could see what influences there are out there, what changes that she can make, what um advantages she can make for our community. And it's it's a good thing that we as a community support women leaders, which is most of our board, I think, right? >> Yeah. Um and uh following our board direction, we will have a study session on September 2nd, 2025 to have uh discussion. We need to go through all of the issues. So to make Whitney the number one school, to make Critos really good, to make Gar great, to make Artisia great, to have great dreams, to have great elementary schools, we got to have a plan. We got to give direction. And
070so we will I will be seeking direction from all of us regarding that. So uh come with ideas because I am open to them. We will make this district a great district. We will continue to succeed and this agenda is proof of that. So that is the end of my president's report. Good evening everyone. Thank you so much um for being with us this evening. Um and I want to thank all of our students and staff and families um our site administrators for just a great opening to school. It was very fun. I was at Wades um the first day and helping little kids decide if they wanted breakfast or if they just wanted to go visit with their friends. um and getting them in the correct line for that. It was a lot of
071fun. Um I also want to just encourage our students and our families with the fact that these first few days of school, our attendance has been excellent and so please keep coming to school. Um that is an important thing for your future. Um, half of life sometimes is showing up every day and learning only happens when you are there with your peers, with your teachers, with staff to be able to engage and so please keep coming to school. It's so important for your future. Um, I do want to also note that we were able to add uh additional transportation pickup locations for our families based on the survey we did before school started. And those bus that bus is full every day. Um, and it's been very helpful bringing some peace of mind to some
072of our families and our students during these challenging times. Um, but I want to reiterate, our district will continue to follow the laws, ensure that all students, regardless of their background, their beliefs, their immigration status, are provided the best possible education in a very safe space. And we will continue to monitor our spaces and help that way. Um, again, if issues come up, we will work one-on-one with families and work to help um provide solutions so that all students can come to school. Um, I was going to share about US News, but the board president beat me and so that's okay. Um, it's just very exciting that all of our large high schools, all four of them are in the top 25% in this state. And so for us that means that we're doing great
073things and our kids are doing great things and we need to keep working that way. Um and so with that I will tell you our focus will continue to be on ensuring every kid learns and grows every year that they have an outstanding educational experience because we want them to be in a position of choice when they graduate. regardless of what they want to do, you should be able to choose to go to college, to go into a technical field. You should have choice. And so we will continue to work toward that end. And with that, I will say welcome back everyone. >> Thank you. Can I have employee representative reports? >> Good evening, board president. Ishi, Superintendent Zitlo, members of the board, members of the cabinet, and all the nice people who are here
074tonight, as well as everybody at home, staff, community, families. Uh, my name is Ruben Mancas. I'm the vice president of the ABC Federation of Teachers. And, uh, I want to echo the comments that were said earlier and welcome everyone back to the 2526 school year. It's always a time of hope and optimism and we all embrace that. that really recharges our batteries and honestly that's what brings us back every year after a a summer vacation whether it's short or long um we always come back with that hope and optimism I am however going to speak tonight a little bit about um some stark reality and that is about the importance of having a plan moving forward so that we can be competitive um I mentioned it during our last meeting and you're going to keep
075hearing me talk about it. Um I too share the pride that our superintendent mentioned that we have uh our our high schools are in the top 25%. Um it should be a goal that our employees are in the top 25% too. Being in the top quartortile has has been a long-standing goal and we need to meet that commitment because all of the gains the wonderful gains that we had during this presentation about summer school and the wonderful gains that we are justifiably proud of those are due to people personnel. People provide those gains and they need to be competitive. We will lose talented people. We will lose talented people. we already have, but we will lose talented people who are making these gains possible if we do not have a plan to be competitive. Ray
076and I, we go to the the budget conferences throughout the summer. Um there is not a huge spike in colas in the projections, right? And a cola only environment is not one that is going to be sustainable for us to be on the path that we need to be on. Unfortunately, I think a narrative has taken place where if it is a bad year, I I'll use the term bad. If it's a bad COLA year, well, there can't be any gains, right? It's a bad year. If it's a good year, well, we need to watch out for a rainy day, so we can't make any gains. When are we going to catch up? And when I say catch up, I mean catch up because we are behind. And that's sad to say. I like to
077think of ABC as a leader, as a vanguard, right? We want to be academically, but we need to match that. We need to to to have that shared commitment when it comes to issues about compensation. Okay. Um, at my undergraduate institution, uh, there was a bit of a stereotype, right? There were uh north pe uh there was north campus that was humanities and south campus was the STEM. Right? So it was the south campus geeks and a north campus freaks. >> Right? I am a proud North Campus freak. Okay? I love words but I respect numbers. And we have gone in enrollment from 22,000 students down to 17,000 students. We need to address that. Okay. I came across a quote and I would like you to consider it. It's the idea that you need to
078be an active participant in your own rescue. Okay? You need to be an active participant in your own rescue. the teachers and nurses of ABC FT. We will of course always be a partner with this district and with this board and with this community, but this community deserves an actionable plan moving forward. We need to be competitive and we need to have a plan together. Thank you. [Applause] >> Thank you. Public comments. >> Persons wishing to address the board should fill out a card located on the table by the door and submit the completed card to the secretary. Speakers will be called in sequence during the public comment section or prior to board discussion on an agenda item. The poor the board shall provide one hour for speakers to address non-aggendaized items. Each speaker is
079limited to one presentation of five minutes or less. Those who have a group concern are encouraged to select a spokesperson to address the board. Should there be 15 to 20 speakers for non-aggendaized items, individual speakers shall be allowed three minutes to address the board on the item. In order to ensure that non-English speakers receive the same opportunity to directly address the board, any member of the public who utilizes a translator shall be provided at least twice the allotted time to address the board. Please remember that the board is unable to directly respond to comments made during the public comment section. In addition, neither the board nor district staff verify the accuracy of the statements made during public comments. Persons wishing to address the board on a specific agenda item at the time the item is
080under discussion are limited to five minutes each and will be called to speak following the staff comments and prior to the board's discuss discussion and taking action. The board shall provide 30 minutes for speakers to address agendaized items. Should there be six to 10 speakers for agendaized items, individual speakers shall be allowed three minutes to address the board on the item. Adverse remarks about a person's race, ancestry, ethnic group identification, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, mental or physical disability, or age may not be made. Please avoid remarks or charges which reflect upon the character, motives, qualifications, or ability of any school district employee regardless if the identification is by name, position, or other reference. Such comments may be presented through the proper administrative channels set forth in bylaw 9323. So um we
081do have a number of public comment. Um so we will be allotting three minutes for each speaker. Uh the first I will I will go through the names. I'll name three names. So please um if you could please line up and get ready once you hear your name. The first is Jillian Ramirez. Second is Narayan Saran Rayan. and Sesh Ghanai. Thank you. Good evening, members of the board, superintendent Yetlo and President Nishi. My name is Julian Ramirez with the Gateway Cities Council of Governments in Paramount and the Southern California Regional Energy Network or SoCal Run. And I'd like to take this time to present on two energy efficiency programs tonight. Unfortunately, I don't have a box to prevent for this first program, but this first program is called kits for kids and is a nocost
082program which provides free energy efficiency item boxes to third or fourth grade classrooms. And the students take kits home and it includes items like LED bulbs, smart bulbs, faucet air raators, and shower timers. And while these are the items in this box right now and may be refreshed for the next year. Um so essentially we help enroll these third or fourth grade classrooms and each individual student in that class receive that free item box and they take that home and if 65% or more of that individual classroom return like a half sheet card saying if they were able to install anything, if they use gas or electric and one other simple question, nothing identifying that classroom receives $1,000. So, that is $1,000 per classroom for third or fourth graders, which is a lot of money
083that can be used towards really anything for the classroom needs. Uh, ideally it would be towards science needs, which I love seeing the brag kids. That was awesome. Um, that was more on like waste management. This is more energy focused, but um really it could be used for anything. And we also provide a 15-minute short webinar for teachers just to kind of brief them on the program. And then also easy to implement lesson plans if they want to take one of our um self-made presentations or however they want to implement it. Um and the second offer was the strategic energy management program and this just helps streamline operations collaboration with regional peers and it has cash incentives of up to $10,000 and that is also a district-wide incentive. Um, one of the main things that
084I thought was interesting was that it provides low to no cost projects and it can help reduce the cost or pardon help reduce the school's energy uses by two or two% annually. Um, and this is also a first come first- serve opportunity. Um, the only real eligibility requirement for these programs is that you're in the SoCal rent service area. So Edison or SoCal Gas, which all of this district is. Um, so if anyone is interested in these programs, either of the two, I have a flyer on each of them and my card attached to it and I'd love to give it to someone if possible. Um, and yeah, we'd love to bring energy efficiency to your school district. Thank you. >> Thank you. I'd like to also recognize uh city council woman Sophia in the
085back there somewhere. Thank you for coming. >> Thank you. The next speaker we have is Narayan followed by Sesh Ganapathi followed by Hemma Kesor. Good evening board members. My name is Narinan Sankar Narin. I'm the school principal for Baradi Tamar Kalvi which is a nonprofit organization dedicated for teaching Tamil as a language. I'm here to request for granting approval to world language elective credits for Tamil language. Classes are conducted by Baradi Tamar Kalvi at Kore Elementary School in Bonapar, California. Students of ABCUSD attend uh to a world language program Tamar outside ABCUSD schools since they are not offered by ABCUSD. The Tamil language classes are conducted on Sundays by Baravi Tamar Kalvi. Barati Tamar Kalvi is a was accredited school and has a program called HSCP high school credit program. The HSCP program is like
086world language curriculum like Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean etc. taught by ABC, USD facility in ABC schools. HSP programs uh follow the international Tamil Academy curriculum and is recognized by several school districts in California and in the nation notably by our neighboring school districts AUSD, Irwine Unified to name a few. A request to ABCUSD for world language elective credit for HSP program was not approved because BTK operates in the neighboring Buuna Park area. Logically the requirement is not explicitly spelled out in in in the application form for the world language elective credit. Other school districts do not enforce this condition since this condition restricts education for the community at large. Additional insurance costs to operate within the ABCUSD boundaries in the ABCUSD facilities are very high which are $11,000 per year for us. This includes the
087sexual abuse and molestation liability coverage required requirement of $2 million and general liability for 2 million called as 2 million4 million coverage. Additionally, additional annual premium cost of $11,000 would be paid to an insurance company and not to the district. Though we operate only 9 months and one day per week, the annual premium is still $11,000 per year. Additional cost per HSAP student of $550 per year. HSAP students in the ABC USD currently pay $350. This is an additional increase. Students pay a nominal amount for the course material and the facilities of $350 per year. Teachers are graduates and working professionals who are volunteers that are not paid. By contrast, Corey Elementary under AUHSD offers the school facility to Bari Tamar Kalvi for a nominal fee. Fees only for the maintenance person which is again
088very nominal for the strength of 90 plus students. About 20 kids from ABCUSD attend the HSCP program. ABCUSD by contrast charges a nominal fee and maintenance fee understandably. Um >> yes. Uh >> thank you sir. Thank you. >> So um >> um next we have Sesh Ganapathi. Please line up. Hama Kashor and Nikil Rahhat. >> Good evening members of the podium. It's my pleasure and honor to be here. Uh I'm a parent of a student at Carminita sorry uh Critos High School. Uh so he is one of the students at the HSCP program uh in the Parati Tamil Kalvi. Um so uh we we applied for the world language credit accredititation uh for the Tamil language. Tamil language is spoken by 70 million people across the world. It's spoken largely in South India and then
089it's one of the official languages of Malaysia, Singapore and a few other Southeast Asian countries. Uh 70 million is a lot of population and then we have a school that teaches that and then uh if you could imagine the origin of the word rise, it comes from Tamil language Arisi. So it's more like many of the English words have a root in Tamil. So it's a very renowned rich uh language with pro pros poetry and then literature that is uh spellbound. So we applied for world language credit accredititation and then the form uh it is a four-page form. It took like possibly 40 hours to fill it because it requires a lot of information regarding curriculum, how many uh students are there. So we have 20 plus uh students that uh that are enrolled in
090from ABC school district that are enrolled there but they do not get the credit because we do not operate within the boundaries of ABCUSD. Uh for 10 years the school has been operating and then out of the nine years we were operating from Gonzalez Elementary. We were kind of moved out because of this insurance requirement which is like $11,000 by my previous speaker that spoke. So $11,000 adds up to like $550 additional uh fee and then we are just operating for three hours within a week within uh uh within this school. So really speaking uh logically speaking the form doesn't say you have to operate the school within the ABCUSD boundaries and then AUHSD on the other hand so they were the ones that pioneered the way and then they offer up to 10 credits
091per year for our HSP program. HSP program is uh recognized by all the school districts in California, many of the school district in California and then they award up to like 10 credits per year up to four 40 credits uh in four years and then it's across the nation and then uh it follows the international Tamil academy curriculum and then it's more like a fasttrack curriculum like Korean or Spanish that start within the school bonds. So we would request you to approve our application uh without this geographical boundary condition or else we would like to come back to the facility provided this insurance uh coverage requirement is waved. So I would really appreciate if the approval because the school has already started so we really appreciate your approval on it. Next, next we have Hema
092Hemma Kashor followed by Nikil Rahhat and Nashant Rahhat. Is Hema Kashor here? >> Yeah. Good evening uh board member and good evening to everyone. So I'm here to talk about Bardi Tamil Kalvi as well. Sorry it seems to be repetitive but I'll make it short. Uh but I'm just trying to talk about the impact that uh for the students right I I'm a first immigrant to this country first generation immigrant. I have three boys. All the boys went to ABCD. My first one graduated in Mor this year. The second one go to Perdue and everyone did this HSC program. And uh you know I really uh you know see that struggle the kids has to go through after going through all the structured program for all these years even though they go to a good
093college they represent themselves and very proud to be here in the ABC USD but they have to repeat the credit in the school in the in their college and it's like too much for them and I can clearly see my elder just finished everything except you know he has to take Korean uh two two semester of Korean there even though he had this credibility my the second one you know just graduated last year from Serritos Z and is in Purdue and and I'm so happy to say that our kids takes are very take the pride in the language uh that you know we talk and and because it's one of the oldest language and I'm very happy to teach my kids uh that language and my third uh kid is in the row. So I
094don't want my third kid to miss be that opportunity but but the two two other kids miss it right uh and we are here to uh provide all the information the school needs except for the boundary that we talk about and even if you have to come back here we'll be happy to do but you know I don't think the insurance eating up all the money is the right thing for us and we are here to out of our own time to support all this all the kids and I don't want other kids lining to lose this opportunity That's what my messages. Thank you. >> Next we have Nikil Rahhat followed by Nishant Rahhat and Ashwani Rahhat. Hello respected president and board members. I'm Nil Rahhat, ninth grader at Whitney High School. I'm here to
095talk about the world language subject selection in high school through a private institute. When I was in sixth grade, I started learning the language Sanskrit. I became interested in this language because it not only dates back thousands of years, but also because its wealth and knowledge is extremely vast. The literature covers science, technology, mathematics, astrophysics, astronomy, medicine, and more is encoded in this language. For example, the black hole theory proposed by Einstein was already mentioned as a Krishna viewer or black whirlpool in Sanskrit scriptures which dates back thousands of years. Another example, the creator of the atom bomb, Mr. Oppenheimer knew Sanskrit very well. So when he saw the first explosion of the first atom bomb, he described the blast by giving an example of a similar destruction caused by another weapon mentioned in Sanskrit
096scriptures. So I decided to pursue a PhD in physics unravel these mysteries in this ancient language so the world does not have to reinvent the wheel and further build upon which which was already discovered thus making exponential progress in the future but in my journey to pursue sunscript um has had two hurdles one our district didn't offer sunskrit and had no policy to take it from a private institute two I didn't know any private institutes who was offering offering Sanskrit. So after some research I found a Bay Area based private school called private institute called Sanskriti who is offering this language. It has all the required credentials to be recognized as a world language. There are 500 students in the United States 100 from California who are already taking this language as a world language
097at high school level including in Irvine and in Anaheim. about the second problem. My parents and I worked with the former board presidents, Mr. Brad Beachch, Miss Sophia, Miss Sophia Say, and Dr. Gray. They helped to get the policy approved. So, this summer when we applied to get the language approved, it got rejected on the grounds that the private school should be in the ABCUSD area. Thus, my dream of learning this language crashed before it even took off. Therefore, the bureaucratic process that we started in sixth grade is not complete for me as a ninth grader. Mr. President, our school district is extremely diverse and we have students who have heritage from around the world, ranging from big groups to minorities with just one or two students. Is it even possible to find a qualified
098language school within the ABC unified area for every single student with different backgrounds? Most probably not. The state created this world language option for a private institute. So even if just one student from the entire district decides to take a language from any part of the world, he should not be denied his right. Other students from different school districts already taking the benefit in learning the language of the choice around the world. >> Thank you. Thank you so much. We have your letter. Thank you. >> Ne next we have Nishant Ashwin. Ashwini followed by Al Ma will be third. Respected president and board members, my name is Nishantraate, a fourth grader from Gonzalez Elementary. My mother tongue is called Maratti. Marati is spoken by 125 million people around the world mostly in India, Israel, Maitius,
099UK, US etc. It is the 13th most smoke spoken language in the world as per United Nations. I started learning Marati since I was in kindergarten. My school's name is MMLA Torrance Marati Shara. The exams are conducted ma by Maharashtra state school board from India which has 1.4 million students just in 12th grade. My language school has all the required certifications to qualify as world language from a private institute. Many school districts from California have already recognized it as world language for high school. When I go to ninth grade, I want Barattachi as a world language. But I can't take it now because the language school is in Torrance. Our current policy won't recognize the school because it is not in ABCUSD area. I request you to remove the condition so I can take Morati
100as a world language in 9th grade. Mr. President, you may think that I am here a little too early, but my brother Nikil Rahhat started his process in sixth grade. He is now in 9th grade and his language is still not recognized. So I suggested my parents that I start process now. So hopefully just before 9th grade it gets approved. Mr. President, my Hispanic, Chinese, Japanese friends can take their language, but currently I can't take my language. So please give me an equal opportunity given right given by the state to learn my mother tongue marathi just as my Hispanic, Chinese, Japanese friends can learn their mother mother language. Thank you. [Applause] We have Ashwani Atul followed by Hares Vancat respect respected president and board members. My name is Ashwini Rahhati. My kids are passionate about
101Sanskrit and Marathi language. Language is very important to any society. It is not just a medium of communication be but it also opens a channel to po pass on culture, heritage and traditions which may be thousand of years old. uh if you don't learn the language then that continuity ends and all the culture heritage and traditions related to that society comes to an end and me as a mother of two kids I'm very passionate that my kids should learn my language and my culture California is a very diverse and have at least one student with heritage from every country of the world. Hence, the state made a world language program for high schools so that these students can connect with their heritage and make our state even culturally richer. But since it was it was
102not practically possible to employ a teacher for every language, they made guidelines so that kids can learn language from a credited private institute and get credit as world language in high school. Due to this if there is only even if there is uh only one student in the entire school district who wants to learn a particular language he can do so. Many thanks to our former president Mr. Brad and Mrs. Sophie Tay who helped us to have this opportunity provide by the state. But when the time to get approval came an additional rule was added that private language institute should be in ABC school uh school district area and our application got rejected. Everyone knew all along that Sunkrit school was not in ABC area from the beginning. This does not seem to be fair
103as Sanskrit course is recognized by many school districts including in California Anaheim and Arwine school district. So why not in ABC school district? Um on one hand school district has employed Spanish, Chinese and Japanese teacher for world language. On other hand, it introduces dra uh draconian rule making it impossible to get approval for other languages even though parents are paying for its tuition fees. Mr. President, our school district is very diverse. We have student with heritage from India, Korea, Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia. Uh just like those mother want. >> Thank you so much. We have your letter. Thank you. >> Okay. >> Thank you. We have Atul Harish Venat please line up as well as Keshor Jaya Paul. >> Is it 3 minutes or 5 minutes? >> We have three minutes. >> Okay. Thank you. Yeah.
104Good evening respected president and board members. Thank you for your leadership and dedication to helping all students succeed in our schools. Picture this. Your child asks, "Why aren't we learning the language I speak with my grandmother at school?" It's heartfelt question and one I struggle to answer. I want to begin by acknowledging something important. The board has express expressed support for adding Indian languages to our district's language offering that acknowledgement matters. It tells families like mine that board sees the value of linguistic and cultural diversity. But here is the challenge right now that support exist in words not in practice. The district has said yes but only if it exists within our geographic boundary. On the surface that sounds reasonable but in reality it creates a dead end. We all know currently there are no
105AC accredited programs for Indian languages within our district. So this restriction does not open doors. It quietly shuts them down. our student. The truth is geography should not be a barrier to opportunity. Our students already take online AP classes. They dual enroll in colleges outside our district. They collaborate in virtual classrooms across time zones. If we embrace innovation everywhere else, why are we drawing an arbitrary line when it comes to language learning? This is not about convenience. It is about fairness. A student who wants to study French or Spanish has a clear path. But a student who wants to study the language of their family, their heritage, their identity is told there is no place for them. That is this is not an equal opportunity. And by the way, our other communities have already solved
106this problem. In Arlington, Colorado, a Spanish heritage program runs on Saturdays inside school facilities, but it's organized and taught by the community, not by the district staff. The lesson is simple. Where there is a will, there is a way. Geography did not stop them and it shouldn't stop us. So my request tonight is clear. Lift the geographic restrictions. The talent exist, the passion exist. What is missing is permission. ABC school district has always been forward thinking and this is our chance. And India is fourth largest economy right now. It is going to be second largest in economy in 2030. So it's about time we introduce this. >> Next we have Hares Venat. Please come forward. Next will be Kashor Gyopal. Then followed by Jacob Gutierrez, Hares Venat. If you are not here, we will move
107to Korea, Jacob Gutierrez. Good evening, Superintendent Dr. Zitlo, Mr. President Nishi, Mr. Vice President Oyola, board clerk Miss Yokoyama Buouie, and distinguished board members. My name is Jacob Gutierrez, and I am the same senior at Richard Gar High School who gave a public comment at the last board meeting. I want to first begin by thanking you for all you do for our district. Superintendent Dr. Zitlo, thank you for your continuous leadership, ensuring our district sees success after success. Mr. President Nishi, thank you for keeping ABCUSD strong through collaboration with teachers, administrators, and families. Mr. Vice President Nyola, thank you for your commitment to empower families facing challenges so students can exist in a safe place and successful learning environment. Board clerk Miss Yokoyama Buouie, thank you for believing parent and family involvement in the in
108the dedication and commitment of teachers and staff. Board member Miss Hatton, thank you for your lifelong service to education and the future educators of our generation. Board member Miss Mendoza, thank you for ensuring parent, teacher, and student voices are always heard. Board member Dr. Rios, thank you for your advocacy for students success, ensuring we are college or career ready. Board member Miss UI, thank you for your guidance in preparing students for college and beyond. As you can all tell, these commitments have one thing in common. Each of you has placed students, families, and teachers at the forefront of your work. Would you not agree? And despite this, Gar has continued to face a disruption that not that has not only affected me, but the students, parents, and teachers you sittings you see sitting before you
109tonight. The same students, families, and teachers you promise to keep at the forefront of your work. Gar is no stranger to change. We have adapted to new policies, new programs, and new leadership before. But change has never and should never come in the form of removing or reassigning the very people who are the foundation of our growth as students, our teachers. They are not pawns to be shuffled on a chessboard. They are the steady roots that allow us to grow. They have laid down the foundation of programs that have changed the lives of students. The recent situation with Mr. says has created confusion, frustration, and fear among students and staff alike. His removal has left a void and continued lack of clear communication has only deepened the situation. We've been told time and time again
110that the main reason behind Mr. Veles's removal is low enrollment. Gar is not pulling enough students. That's a simple fact. Yet, yes, and our school and school district might worry about the decline, but here's a contradiction. You cannot solve low enrollment by cutting away the very heart at our school. The district prides itself on collaboration, valuating educators, and keeping students at the center of every decision. But right now at GAR, that promise feels broken. I urge you tonight to not look overlook the pain and disruption happening at GAR. Thank you. >> Thank you. We have Gia Sadana, Nicholas Arzate, Myella Amador. If we could please have Gia come up. Nick Ellis Arzate and Myella Almador. Be ready. >> Good evening, district um and board members. My name is Gia Sadana and I'm a senior at
111Gar High School. I've been an ABC unified student all my life. I attended Nixon Elementary and then Carmenita Middle School. And each thing each of these schools has taught me one thing that I have a right to speak up for myself and be a leader to the students and my peers. That being said, many of my peers have faced some criticism after speaking up about what they what they feel is right for the school and right for the students and their peers. I'm still I'm here standing today to have my voice heard about um a certain issue of our lockers at school. Last year during registration, we had the opportunity to purchase a locker for $10 um and alongside a contract that we must sign in order to keep up with um upkeep and and
112regular um responsibility. That being said, lockers were not distributed and as a student who takes AP classes and honor honors classes, I do have to carry my books. Additionally, some of my student some of my peers who are student athletes have to carry their gym equipment as well as their books which can take a lot um take a big toll on a student's body. Additionally, I would like to address our lack of enrollment. As was mentioned before, we need to be competitive in order to keep up our enrollment. And my question my question arises when we have such competitive and interesting programs at all of our schools and we're not highlighting them. For instance, Gar has a wonderful aviation program that I haven't seen anywhere else in the district. We also have a wonderful flag
113football team who I believe went to CIF and went undefeated last season that have that hasn't gotten their flowers. Additionally, so many of our baseball students have been committed to colleges as early as sophomore year. I would also like to say that we have the opportunity to address uh district-wide programs like our MUN program at most of our high schools and some of our middle schools. I would just like to say and reiterate that we have great respect for the district and the district board members as well as so many of our staff that are here today. And through that, we would also like to give some respect to the students who make our schools so great. Thank you. Next we have Nicholas Arzate followed by Myella and Fallon Robles. >> Good evening Superintendent Dr.
114Zitlo, President Nishi, Vice President Nyola, all board members, and all community members listening today. I'm here to present a summary of a meeting that occurred with Dr. Moore and assistant principles. On Friday, August 8th, eight students met with administrators to share our concerns and hear their perspective about the recent staffing changes involving Mr. Vez and Mr. Mson. We began by explaining that our goal was to have our voices heard. Students spoke about the impact Mr. Veles and Mr. Mson have had. Mr. Mson through his years of dedication to yearbook and Mr. Vez through more than two decades of leadership in ASB and retreats. We expressed that the removing them without a proper transition was wrong and we asked whether alternatives such as co-advisors could have been considered. We also asked for a direct explanation of
115why Mr. Vez was removed since reasons seemed unclear. Administration responded by explaining that staffing decisions are largely shaped by budget and low enrollment. They emphasized that no one was quote pushed out due to performance or behavior. Yet, when asked if other routes could have been considered and solutions brought up like co-advisors, the admin team were reluctant to respond. They stated, quote, "How would the new adviser feel if Mr. Vez and the new teacher were co-advisers?" But if our concern is about the students, how would the students feel when someone who dedicated their life to Gar's culture and spirit is abruptly removed from his role without proper transition? Another route that we asked about was why couldn't Mr. Vez been given an emergency credential to teach a history section, but the administration stated that in the
116state of California, emergency credentials are only given to special education sections. However, previously a teacher was given an emergency credential for another academic subject. Um, please see attached for print on the second page, there's a picture of it. I'll give you guys a moment to look at it if you'd like. In closing, the meeting was an opportunity for students to express how these teachers shaped their experiences, to question how decisions were made, and to request more communication and a solution moving forward, one that would allow for a better transition for both the new adviser and the ASB class as a team. Thank you. [Applause] Next, we have Myella Amodore, followed by Fallon Robas and Kaylee Amador. Hello staff and board members. I just wanted to say um thank you for having me here today and
117um I'm so grateful that I get to be here. I'm I was a I'm a product of ABC school district. I went to Horus Elementary, Ross Middle School and Gar High School. And I had the pleasure of having Dr. Seedlo actually be my ASB adviser. And it was amazing to have her as my ASB adviser and my English teacher as well. So, it's amazing to be to have that opportunity and for my children to now have her as a superintendent and see that women can do anything as long as they put their mind into it. And that's something she taught me as well. So, I'm very fortunate that I get to be here to speak to you guys and share this. I'm actually reading a statement that um a teacher unfortunately um is a little
118too afraid to come up and speak on on their behalf. So, I'm here on their behalf because they do feel like they would be retaliated against and um possibly get fired. So that's the reason I am here as a former teacher of ASB a an as ABC school district who is involved with in student activities at the high school level. I have the absolute pleasure of working with Mr. Valz on numerous school activities in the past in every situation and circumstance. Mr. professionalism, dedication, and enthusiasm at his work was in full display each and every time. Beyond his clear passion for the leadership and empowering young people to achieve success, Mr. Veles's infectious positivity raised the spirits and morals of all that are around him. In the role as activity director in high school, the
119setting, it's not easy. It's not an easy task as some of you guys already know that. But when it's the right person leading the way, it can make a complete task seem effortless. I believe this has been the case with Mr. Veles. Time is as his time as activity director at Gar High School. He has been able to install instill his work ethic and professionalism and his demeanor into the students who have worked with him and to turn his this into the best work out ever. In my opinion, it is exactly what the school and community should expect and receive from the instructors and accept nothing less. I was very disappointed to hear that Mr. Vles's recent demotion and sincerely hope that he can be reassigned as his role as activities director at Grower High
120School sooner rather than later. It would be a huge mistake not to have him continue in this role as he has worked tireless tirelessly year after year to grow and evolve the student leadership program. Trust I trust the administrators at Gar High School will do what's best for the culture in the community of uh Gar High School and keep the students morals and engagement high. Given the trivial times that we have been living in, it is more important that even more that we maintain more positive atmosphere and maximize the educational experience for our students. Thank you. Next, we have Fallon Robas followed by Kaylee Amador and Jesus Mendoza. Good afternoon, Superintendent Dr. Zitlov President Nishi Vice President Nyola all board me board members and community president and listening. My name is Fallon Robles. I'm the
121I'm a current senior and ASB treasurer at Gar High School. And while I do have my own concerns, I'm going to be representing a student who couldn't be here today. As a returning ASB member, I'm expressing concern with the changes made in such a short time since school started. Long-standing traditions that define our school's culture are being dismissed. New clubs are being placed in roles meant for ASB and events have been cancelled due to overlooked communication. This is wasting student effort and causing disappointment. I for one do not feel the support of admin, the support that they promised, but rather feel their urge to change and control our items. I understand that we are students who don't have authority to everything on campus, but we do have a big influence as we are the voices
122of the student body. How is this a school? How is this a district that represents its students and employees when they themselves don't follow their words? Does a handbook mean nothing? We have no clear explanation for the reappoint of our adviser, Mr. Vez, and meetings with district staff have been unproductive. Students deserve respect, transparency, and the pre preservation of our role in shaping school life. Our voices and traditions must not be ignored. Thank you. Next we have Kaylee Amador followed by Jesus Mendoza and Benjamin Yokoyama. Good evening. Good evening staff members and members of the board. First off, I would like to thank each and every one of you for offering programs like the CTu um summer auto programs. um I participated them in this summer and it gave me valuable real world experiences and
123skills that I can use to build a scer connection at school and in real life work. That said, I'd like to address the recent gate closures at GAR. There are many gates that were closed, not just that were not just convenient, but they were necessary. This allowed students to arrive on time. It reduced it reduced congestion and it allowed safety when entering and exiting campus. Without them, students are face delays. They face safety concerns and unnecessary stress. As someone who still participates in the CTE program as a second year auto student, I have experienced this firsthand in the first week of school. Um, how these closures have made it that much more difficult to attend class promptly, even while reaching and waking up earlier to attend these courses. Um, I would also like to address
124the accessibility that directly impacts all of the student success. This gate closure does not just affect CTE auto students, but it also affects students who are nu in mun and other classes that are just too far to reach this early in the morning. That being like 7 in the morning when we're trying to get there for a zero period. It's very difficult. Um, but I again appreciate the programs that are put in place, but would like to rebr up this statement. Um, and I would please respectfully ask the board to reconsider the glo the gate closures um, and explore safer alternatives that allow our campus to be remain accessible and safe. Thank you for your time and your commitment to student success. [Applause] Next we have Jesus Mendoza followed by Benjamin Yokoyama followed by Kashave
125Rahhat. >> Good evening board members and um president or Dr. Zilo and President Nishi. Um first I just want to kind of briefly I retired from the state of Hawai and um unfortunately this year they weren't able to budget um our pow-wow and that's why I'm here. I'm here to invite you guys to see if you guys um could um attend, but at the same time, I was I was trying to see if we could encourage I know that the fourth grade classes um do a project on Native Americans. And obviously, if you guys didn't know, this belongs to the Tonga U that Gabrielos that we would call it. And uh we're we're planning on doing totally different this year. Um it's being run by the committee by natives uh and myself. Um we we're
126planning to start at 10:30. So we're asking if any anybody from ABC students are are willing or can attend at at that time between 10 and 10:30 we would give them a small lecture and actually introduce them into the pow so that way they could kind of see what it goes. Um it's something that I this is the first year. Um we're doing a program just like when you go to the missions there's a program that actually will go like a little bit of of the history of it. So it's the first time ever and I think that in the future because the city told us almost like in June so we had like 10 weeks to come up with the budget. But we're fortunate enough that um we've had a good turnout from a
127lot of people um a lot of assistance obviously um from both the school district and also from the city that helped us to get to that point and I think that from years to come it's going to be even better um within those 10 weeks like I said we have a good program that'll show that history and not only that but they'll be able to use it for their classroom. Um, and we could tie it in with I know when um Dr. Gary Smutz when they did the trail. I was in charge of Fetty since it was it was built the complex. Um, and I was there when they did that and where they did the remains and everything. So, I think I'm the perfect person to be able to to put that all to
128together and um, we could tie it in. So hopefully by next year the program will show more of the history of it and then that way we could use it even more for the classrooms and it give us a little bit more time for all the principles to encourage their fourth grade. Okay, appreciate it. It's going to be this weekend on the 23rd and the 24th, but I encourage everyone if you've never seen one to go on the 23rd. Uh we're not allowed to advertise, but we have a a ceremonial bear um dance and it's very it's a healing dance, but we're not allowed to take pictures or video or actually advertise. So, thank you for your time. I appreciate it. >> Can I ask a clarifying question? >> Yes, >> Jesus. Before you leave,
129no relations. Okay. No, we're not related. Um I know it you said Saturday 10:30. uh 10:30 in the morning um for they could be there like at 10 so that way we could kind of get an estimate because what we want to do is we built we did two different programs a small one >> can you make the I just want to know the place so we can tell everybody >> oh at Fetty at Fetty right across from the from the church >> okay >> by the baseball fields >> okay so Saturday 10:30 Fetty complex >> yes all the students going here thank you >> next we have Benjamin Yokoyama followed by Kashav Rahhat Good evening respected council members and um president. After meeting with Dr. Moore, the students met with Dr. Fraser who received
130all the information from the prior meeting and decided to investigate the situation further. The students raised concerns about the emails sent to ASB presidents which stated that the administration would be removing Justin VeZ as ASB director and replacing him. The word removing gave a negative impression as if Mr. Valles had done something wrong which was unfair to his years of dedication. The district acknowledged that his communication was poorly handled that this communication was poorly handled. In fact, Dr. Fraser said him himself stated, "I would not have sent that email recognizing that the wording was inappropriate and gave the wrong message about Mr. Furthermore, stating that the communication was handled poorly by the current administration. As students, we asked Dr. Moore to consider alternatives rather than outright replacement. Options such as a co-advisor role could provide
131a balance while still allowing us to benefit from the mentorship of someone who has such a positive impact. However, moving forward, Dr. Dr. Fraser stated that he would discuss upcoming events such as retreat and homecoming as well as the possibility of a co-advisor role with Dr. Moore and the new adviser. Thank you. [Applause] >> Next we have Kasha Brahhati. >> Uh respected president and board members, my son Nikil is ninth grader in Whitney. He wants to learn Sanskrit as world language from private institute. So this summer when we applied to get the language approval it get got rejected on the grounds that that private school should be from ABC school district area. So his dream of learning this language and making scientific discoveries crashed even before it took off. The bureaucratic process that we started
132when he was in sixth grade is still not complete by as he's a nth grader. Mr. President, our school district is extremely diverse and we and we have students who have heritage from from around the world ranging from big groups to just one or two students. Is it even possible to find a qualified language school within ABC area for every student with different backgrounds? Obviously not. Given the fact that ABC area is such a small, it's not Los Angeles or New York. The state created this world language option from privacy institute so that even if there is one student in the entire district who decides to take his take his language which is from any part of the world he should not be denied his right other students from different school districts are already taking
133this benefit and learning the language of their choice from around the world but this condition of within this ABC area is taking away his right and right of every student of learning this language anguage uh or of learning language of the choice. Mr. President, he has taken Spanish in nth grade now and he has really very limited time to switch to Sanskrit. So I respectfully urge you to remove this condition of condition of within the school district area so that his uh application so that his language gets approved and he can continue on his career pathways dream. He's fighting against time to get it approved. Hopefully hoping to get a positive response at the earliest. Thank you very much for your time everyone. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Are there any more public comments?
134>> No public comment. >> Thank you, >> Mr. President. Point of order. I have a question. >> Sure. >> Um we had a lot of public comments about world language. Can we get some background information in our um Thursday notes? >> So, that is what normally happens whenever we have uh a public comments. We will get uh specific answers and usually the superintendent will address each of the speakers >> and then you'll be following up with the Gar High School students. This is the second time they've come to the board meeting. >> Yes. Okay. >> We'll follow up on both. >> Thank you so much. >> And and that is standard board policy. I just want to make sure that the community understands that we're doing this because there may be some some new people
135viewing our board meeting on, you know, YouTube. They they may not know the process. So, I want to make sure that we're being very transparent and very clear with the the community. Thank you. >> Thank you. All right. Can I motion to approve the consent calendar? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Does anybody wish to remove any item to be considered separately? Uh, board member Mendoza. >> Yes. I'd like to pull item consent item 3.1C. >> Okay. Would you like to ask some questions? Yes, if I can have staff um just give some more information about the seesaw learning. >> Is there a specific question or you just wanted me to give you some information regarding what we use Seesaw Learning for? >> Yeah, I'd like some information in how we're going to use Seesaw
136Learning because on the bottom usually in one of the items it'll have like the schools that are requesting it. So, this one doesn't have any schools. So, I'm just wondering how we're going to use this. Um, is it districtwide or is it just for certain schools? >> Uh, I can provide that information in Thursday notes. We have used it districtwide. I just have to double check if we've provided funding for all of our schools. This particular item is to do a follow-up virtual professional learning session so that our teachers understand the access. Uh, Seesaw is used for our uh for our uh primary grade uh students. It's a virtual platform that allows for students to interact in similar ways as Google Classroom. It's also a way for them to access different materials through that platform
137and our elementary curriculum director works with the school sites to make sure that we're implementing the platform as necessary. >> Can we get can can I get some more data on it to see how many schools are actually using it? I know during virtual learning we use this a lot. It was it was an application that was widely used. Um I'm I'm not sure how we're going to be using this now that I know we have different platforms. So I'd like to get more information on it during >> I can provide implementation data. >> Thank you. >> Board member uh Mendes, would you like to return it to the consent calendar with the provisa that you get additional information or do you want to take it out separately? >> I I'd like to take it
138out separately if we can. I mean it's it seems like there's not a lot of information. >> Okay. So we will keep we'll vote on that item separately. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> All right. Uh board member McChatten. >> Uh yes. I have a couple questions. um on 3.5C uh renew contract for advanced communications. >> 3.5 C >> um it's a renew contract. I I think it's being funded um it says extended learning opportunities. Is that after school program >> monies? >> Yes. >> Okay. And um since it is a renewed contract, have we have we seen success with this program? >> This is an enrichment program. So this is for students to be able to engage in a speech competition is not intended to be an intervention support. So we offer just like
139we offer a chess club and we offer dance. This was offered as a uh speech opportunity for students to engage. It's also a way to help them prepare for uh other activities in the district such as model United Nations. And actually uh we thank our board member President Nihi for introducing us to uh the speech competition idea for our ABC Excels program. Um and it is based on student interest. So it is not offered at every single program because it's specifically for those schools that request this as part of their ABC Excels program based on student and parent survey. >> Okay. And it's just for grades four through eight. Is that correct? >> Correct. >> Okay. Um and then on 3.7 C again this is a renewal um funded out of uh learning recovery black
140block black grant is that is that co funding is that >> yeah that's the onetime funds >> okay and um again same question it's a renewal is the program successful have we have we seen um that it does um positive things with the group that's targeted >> so I have some uh data for for you. The um project kinship has provided services across the district at several school sites. This one is specifically to uh help support Artisia High School as Artisia has uh really utilized the partnership with Project Kinship to the maximum. Uh they have uh conducted 122 community building circle tops. They've had 56 leadership meetings. Um they've had nine uh sessions on women empowerment. They had seven session on arts and healings and a total of 196 uh restorative practice interventions at Artisia
141High School. Some of the metrics that we look at uh in terms of whether a program is successful or not is our attendance and suspension rates. We still are u waiting to get final confirmed numbers from the state as we've just submitted our data. It looks like the data is a little bit flat, but there were some unique situations that occurred at Artisia High School in the past year that may be unrelated to whether project kinship, you know, caused an increase in suspension or attendance. So, it's something to consider, but uh based on student survey, based on our principal's request, and I actually spoke to him today that he is happy and relieved that this item is coming in front of the board as he sees it as a strong partnership for his school site.
142>> Okay. Thank you so much. >> Board member Manhattan, would you like to return it to the consent calendar? Yes, please. >> So, these two items are returned to the consent calendar. >> Uh, thank you, board clerk Buy. >> Thank you, President Nishi. I I did have a followup for 3.5C. Um, I understand it's for interested sites. Um, how who is expressing the interest? Is it the actual program facilitators or is it the parents and the kids? Because I don't recall um seeing a survey for that. So I would like if parents or families are interested in the future for future years, how can they express interest to that to the excels program or to the school? >> Uh it's a it's a anonymous annual survey that's conducted. Um and they they don't actually say
143I want advantage because we don't select um consultant groups, right? We don't select companies, we select experiences. And so one of the experiences that they have is debate type of programs. And so if we see that that percentage is higher for certain school sites, that's where we target that. If other school sites say we want more dance, we want more arts enrichment. So it just depends on the number of people that respond and also, you know, what the survey results come out to. Certainly, our program coordinators are always in communication with our school site principles and so if there's a need at a school site and a PTA wants to speak with their school site principal to express that need. We have monthly meetings with our uh Excel program coordinators with our school principles and
144that would be the best way to share that communication. So then our coordinators can adjust as needed throughout the year and that is part of the flexibility that we offer with ABCXL's. >> Thank you. Um okay. So then I am aware of that survey because I did participate it participate in it. Um also for past Excels programs specifically and I think I brought this up at an a prior meeting related to um students at Warz who are offered the food uh the culinary class for after school. Um, I want to ensure that the students who it's available for can participate because because the student basically said, "Oh, I did not participate in the program wasn't offered to me." So, I just want to make sure it's fair and equitable on how we're choosing the kids
145to participate and to ensure that all the students who want to or would would um benefit from from the offerings have the chance and and make it very uh open to them. Yeah, we actively uh continue to do that to make sure it's open and accessible to our students and families. I think one of the things as I uh personally worked with our coordinators to investigate that is uh sometimes students get picked up earlier than the ex than the limited time frame and so activities occur after the homework hour and if a students cannot commit to being present for the time of the activity for the six weeks. We prioritize students who are going to be present for that program and whose parents have committed to having the child stay all the way till six
146o'clock. So there's some variances that tend to happen sometimes. We also require parent permission slips for some of that especially as you can understand with something like cooking where they might be involved uh you know in an activity like that and so if we don't receive forms back that's another reason why a child may not be able to participate but other than that they are available for the students who are able to participate and stay for the duration of the program. >> Thank you so much and opportunities like this make me very excited for our kids so thank you. Thank you, Clerk Buoy. Would you like to return 3.5 to the consent calendar? >> Yes, President. Thank you. >> Thank you. So, with the exception of 3.1, um I'll call for a vote for the
147consent calendar. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any nays? The eyes have it. Uh 70. So, item 3.1 C is pulled from the consent calendar. We can have further board comment on that particular item. Um is there any public comments on 3.1 C? >> I see none. >> Are there any board comments on 3.1 C? Uh, go ahead. Uh, board member Mendoza. >> Yes. So, just a follow-up question. Um, this is just like we're just putting it out to to to teachers if they want to use it. It's there for them to use it or are we is it mandatory? I I'm I'm just a little bit confused. >> So, it's a platform that we have provided our teachers so that they can use it with their students. Uh, >> no, I I
148understand that. But I I understand the platform. I'm just I'm understanding if it's mandatory or if it's just something that we offer as optional. >> We offer it as optional for our schools. At this point, it was something that was, you're right, it was something that was heavily utilized during our um I'm sorry, during the pandemic area. As we transitioned back, some teachers really enjoyed working with it and wanted to continue. Some did not. And we continue to offer licenses across the school site as needed. The item in question that you have in front of you is specifically around the professional learning for that. Um, as the licenses are already distributed to our school sites, it is about the actual professional learning sessions to help the teachers and equip them with using the Seesaw uh
149platform. >> So, we already pay the license for Seesaw. We're just doing training, professional learning that they can take on their own. It's not mandatory. >> Correct. We we we pay them. So, we we provide hourly pay for the professional learning. and Seesaw was also part of the featured workshops during the summer professional learning on August 8th. >> Okay, that's that that I like that more information. And then in the future for this item, I I mean it's not a lot of money, but still um I just like to have more information like you know which schools are using it. Um just a little bit more information. It was just really vague. Thank you, Mr. President. >> Thank you. Anybody else have comments and questions? So in relation to this specific item, I have a
150few questions and I might as well. So um this is in conjunction with all the other uh things that we have in relation to seessaw learning, right? This is just one component of many components that we have with Seesaw learning. >> Yes. >> Thank you. And if we uh do not vote on this today, they will not get the professional learning to deal with the materials that they have on this particular item. >> Correct. We would have to pause on any scheduled professional learning until we could uh bring this back for a future meeting date night. >> Okay. So it be like we gave them the books, we gave them the materials, we gave them the curriculum, but we decided not to train them on it. Correct. Like I said, we we did provide some
151training already. This is because not everybody goes to the summer professional learning and so it's another opportunity. We always try to provide multiple avenues for our teachers and follow-up sessions as well. so that you know nobody ever learns I think in just one session especially our newer teachers because we have a number of new TK uh and you know TKSTC TK teachers to our district and so it's an opportunity for them particularly to get some followup from the August 8th if they attended that as well as providing uh the other teachers that were not able to attend on August 8th uh the time to attend on their own. Well, thank you for uh doing the analysis and seeing that we have an additional need beyond just the standard what we already offered. So, um I'm
152ready to call for a vote. I think it's a um yes, actually. Um it's pulled from the consent calendar. So, uh do we want to have a motion to actually have this approved or does anyone want to make a motion? >> I will make a motion. >> Okay. Uh all in favor say I. >> I. I those will be passing 70. Thank you. All right, we have some time items to follow these consent items. We have the enrollment and budget update. Mr. Nuin, thank you board president Nishi. Good evening. Today is day five of school. >> So what is that? 75 days left. Um, tonight I would like to give provide the board an update of our enrollment and our budget. Um, so as you are aware, we have been inclining enrollment. So everyone is
153watching our enrollment as school began uh to see where we are and to see if it's the within the projection and uh this is on page two of my report. So I'll wait for the screen to come down. Okay. So as of the second day of school which is August 14 when I prepared this slide uh we had um 17,215 students. So that is a decline of about students from last year. So of the 17,215 students are from outside the districts. 16% of our students are from outside the district. Without those students, as you can see, will be a lot less than that. The good news uh for this year, we were very concerned about attendance due to the difference activities uh during the summer. Uh we as mentioned by uh the superintendent we provide
154additional bus routes to support our students and our attendance rate on the second day of school um was 97.98% which is um I'm very proud of that right uh students have to be in school to learn and students have to be in school for the district to receive funding. So that is the data for last Thursday. Today there's an update of the data so I want to give it to you today. Our enrollment is at 17,225. So we going up by about 10 students. Of course we have to clear out those that have decide uh to move or not enroll. Uh so the net gain is about 10 students and we hope to see you know steady increase from now until probably by November. That's when it's we peak and today our attendant is at
15516,881 which is about 98.14%. So that's also has improved attendance on average throughout the year through nove November I'm sorry through April that's when we call the P2 or that's when the state determine the average daily attends for school district is about 96%. So, we are having a good start of of of of of the school year. There there's one school I like to point out. I'll give them a shout out is Tracy. S Tracy as of today has 72 students enrolled, but 70 of them showed up. That's 97% attendance at Tracy. That is very high for Tracy. So I guess the point here is we still declining. It's within the range that we projected up 337 students. Um our attendance is um coming in higher than we expected. So that's that's a very positive
156news. Uh students are uh going to school. So um this page provide you a more detailed information school by school um with resident students right and then school of choice students and intra district permit and out of district permit students and that will provide you a total number of students. So the top line I'll start with that and you can read across right Aloha has 254 students in the current year. So last year they had 302. So they are declining about 48 students. So on the second day of school their attendance rate is 95.67%. So that that's where we are. So for elementary schools uh in total we declined about 166 students and they have the average attendance percentage of 97.54. Our middle schools, we actually have a gain, a net gain of 37 students
157at the middle school with an attendance rate of 97.5. And then at the high school, we have a decline of 208 students and our high school students have the highest attendance rate of 98.81. So, uh, they can't wait to to come to school. So as you can see the bottom line here is that we are declining. It's confirmed uh by this data. We are hoping to see that 17,215 students will keep gradually going up as we that's the pattern right we we are enrolling more and more students uh throughout the year uh and it's usually level up by by November and that's when the data that we report to the state the cowpats data is something the official enrollment data is is uh by December that's when we report our enrollment to the state and
158we'll know, you know, at that time our exact enrollment uh for the year. What we know now is that um it it's we still down about 337. Hopefully we'll keep going up to close that gap. So that is um my update on the enrollment. I will pause if there are any question from the board. If not, then I'll just move forward with the budget update. Board member McKaten. >> Um, thank you so much for this report and um, great attendance rates. Yes, thus far. So, that's a real plus. Um, and also thank you for providing the bus for those students that um, needed it to get to school. Um, but ultimately looking at this, we're still in decline and um, I'm really concerned about the high school enrollment. um any explanation for why that has
159gone down so much? >> Yeah, that's the normal pattern. As we um graduate or students graduate from from our system, the seniors classes at about 1,400 and the incoming freshmen is lower. So, you will see that work through the system and what you will see in the next few years, our high school group will become smaller and smaller. And at the next meeting, I will have a report by grade level for you. As you can see, our kindergarten class coming in at a thousand or less, but our graduating class is about 14,500 students. So, that's the decline you see right there every year. Uh the positive um again this year is our TK. We are at um more than 600 students in TK now which is uh it's a net gain of about 133 students
160from last year. Now that this year is full implementation of TK. So we eventually we hope the TK will go up to about 750. That's our goal which is about 75% of our K class which is about thousand students. So eventually um as we work through the enrollment system um per grade level there'll be about 1,000 students right with TKS at about 750 meaning that ultimately we will land at about 14,000 students if if the numbers you know if if enrollment keep coming in at 1,000 per grade level. So you have TK to uh 12th grade, okay to 12. That's 13 grade spans, right? That's 13,000 students plus about 750 hopefully. Uh so so we're going to be unfortunately around below 14,000 students when this work through. So you will see the declining at the
161high school every year because the incoming freshmen will be smaller than the graduating seniors. >> I have an additional question. Um do we have some classes sitting at very small enrollment numbers that you're going to have to combine to make um combination classes? >> Yes. So we were are we working through that with the schools right now? We have not made that decision. Usually we don't until we know because they still enrolling kids. So we did staffing back last December. We did um provide an update with them in June. Uh but we are working with them right now. But as you can see uh school by school when you have um such small enrollment throughout you know the six seven grace spans um you will have combination classes. So I will have uh more detail
162in report at the next meeting at the study sessions by school and and which com which school has combination classes and where that that detail breakdown so the board can see and the staffing uh by school but that's going to be inevitable and I don't want to say that it's going to happen at every school but most likely but we'll have that information for you. So, we still not finalizing staffing just yet, right? Because we don't know where the where the final number is going to be and we want to give school, you know, some time to to have the numbers settled before we we, you know, have to make any staffing adjustments. Yeah. >> Thank you, >> Bo. You >> Yes. Thank you. Thank you, President Nishi, and thank you, uh, Tuan, for providing
163this information. I know that you did provide this information, this data to us in May and June as we were um given the presentation of the consultants regarding the declining enrollment and um school consolidation. And uh I just want to also shout out to uh our uh union partner Ruben Mancas for uh kind of you know shedding some light of what's going on and the situation because you know we're not in the district every day. We're board members and uh we were elected to make uh decisions for the future not just one year but you know four years five years down the road. And here according to the number we had about 2% decline but 2% decline times five let's say let's just suppose that we're going to have 2% decline every year five years
164from now that's 10%. 10 years is 20%. So from 2,200 uh 22 22,000 to uh 17,000 that's already what's the uh percentage of decline >> that 25% >> 25% already right so ABC have already reached that statistics because LA times uh remember like four years ago five years ago that by 2030 the entire California average will have about 30% decline but we were almost there our ABC district. And so there are things that we cannot really control such as uh lower birth rate, uh young families moving out of state and you know um we have let's say you know 1,400 students graduating in sixth grade but we only have 10,000 kindergarteners enrolling. Those statistics is something that we cannot really control. And I think it is very important for us to look at the numbers
165and I see how um what I was you know contemplating in May when I saw the stat first saw the statistics the elementary schools in Cerritos I'm just going to name few if you can turn the page with me on page three of this that chart right there. Cerrito's elementary school has 293 students who are residents attending that home school but there's 27 students attending through intra district permit that's within the district and 97 students who come from outside the district so total is 5 597 Gonzalez has almost equal number of students right it's almost like 40% or more also that's coming from within the district but that they do not live in the home district. Leo is also 40%. Uh Stars almost 40%. A little bit less than 40%. Is it just all the
166schools which means uh the elementary schools in Cerritos their total enrollment would be would be less than almost everything is like less than 40%. Right? So some of these elementary schools like Cerritos, Gonzalez, Alers, and Whitman, if you drive, they're all within five minute driving distance. So when we think about consolidation is not necessarily closing one school. Is it consolidating the schools so that we can address this declining enrollment to um prevent programs from closing from h discontinuing the programs and also um to be competitive to attract strong teachers good teachers and to keep up with the rep uh you know reputation right so I'm just using that as an example and I think that our board members uh you know We're not all necessarily really good with numbers, but we do need to pay
167attention and especially the consultant. Uh what was the name of the consultant? Sorry. >> School works, right? And school works. I'm sure that's all they do is look at the statistics and the data and the enrollment trend from other districts too. And that's why we paid you know good amount of money to hire them to do this study and give us the advice right so you know we have a study session coming up in September and I think it would be helpful if we have more data so the board members can study uh before we have that meeting such as I know that some of the questions that came up uh and the public you comments too is that some of our board members were interested in for example cerrito I'm going to just use
168cerritos because it's c 293 students attend school from home they walk or they live in that district and then 207 students from within that district come to cerritos through school of choice um maybe we should have the statistic which 207 students you know like which home district are they which is their home school uh you know which who comes to ser elementary school just to see the breakdown and then I think that we need to also uh look at the board policy too because for me personally I think parents have the choice if they want to send their students to certain school in the within the district that's uh parental rights because they want what's best for their kids maybe it's through the work it's they live closer or they like the certain program or
169whatever and I think that I want to respect that and also uh my concern was um Tracy High School. So that that number was kind of shocking for me today. It's the first time I'm seeing this number 75 students. You know, it's like oh wow that's pretty tough to to manage a school with u you know this number. And I know that there there were some um somewhere along our board meetings, I heard how uh Artisia High School has a program that could kind of uh absorb this program. So I don't know if I'm getting in trouble to mention this, but all these things we could look at, right? And as a board we do have to uh board members we do have to make the tough decision for the future welfare of this uh
170you know district because the next five 10 years is on our we are responsible and I do feel a tremendous um responsibility for the future of this district and thank you for sharing that uh our district reputation is what number one Whitney number one ranked and yet We only have like two two students from outside the district, right? 11 11 students from outside the district. And as we are uh competing for students now, which we didn't have to 15 years ago, but now that we are uh Oxford, they are, you know, Oxford Troy, you can totally um you know, students can come from other districts outside the district. They have a lot of space for that. And I think that we when I saw the schoolworks report, I was pretty blown away. Wow, that's very
171creative. And if we can attract students from other district, I think that's great, you know. So, a lot of things to think about, but I would ask Tuan and Dr. Is it allowed to give us more data, more detail before the study session so that the board members you know everyone have a job very busy and like we have like educators who start work very early. We need to have the data early on you know so that we can study them so that we can uh through the study session we be more informed and make the you know direction for the future something to address it right. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Okay, let's get to the next board member. Uh, Dr. Rios, >> I just wanted to point out that I'm
172very pleased with the data. I was very happy to see that our efforts, you know, are yielding positive results. Um, I know it's not easy to maintain this. So, I'd be interested just to continuously revisit this attendance data and efforts that are continuing because I mean, it's not surprising, right? We usually start the year off on a high note and then attendance starts to to kind of dip and then we get to the holidays and it really dips. So I I'd really like us to continue the efforts. Um I had mentioned let me see shout out to Burbank 98.81 that's fantastic. And then in our middle school and high school GAR like way to go GAR 99.45 45. That's very impressive. And it's nice to see that our overall average is 97.98, which is 98%.
173Very, very good. So, um, I'd like to see us really continue continue this fantastic trend. Thank you. >> Thank you, Clerk Buy. >> Thank you, President Nishi. Um, thank you. Um, Mr. I um one of the numbers that I'm interested in um for the future study would be the change. Um so I see that there are some uh I guess kids leaving right these schools and I'm interested to know why they're leaving. I know at my son's school kids are moving out of state whatever his friend wasn't there because he moved to Florida or something. Right. So, so you know, are we doing exit interviews? Why why are these kids leaving? And or because we're looking at adjustments at certain schools, has the district limited what number administrators can bring in and so that has
174an effect too. So, for example, you know, I I'll show a number that I was surprised by Gonzalez, you know, a decline in in Gonzalez attendance. Why? Right. I'm sorry, not in attendance in enrollment. I'm just curious and and I think it it's important to know if if these kids are leaving to go to other schools or or what's going on um in our district. And additionally, something that uh you know, I know um board member you touched upon our elementary schools are are our middle schools for me and I think this came to light in the studies the the report by school works a few months ago is the middle schools the numbers are going down. they'll continue to go down and we need to find a way to save our middle schools because
175um unlike our our elementary schools, they are not a five-minute drive away from each other. Um we we do have two that are relatively close to each other, Haskell and Tets, but you know, very different programs at both. Um the bond money has been spent to improve make make uh uh improvements at both. So I want to ensure that we save our middle schools all five and find a way to do that. I know the schoolworks report was shocking to me in proposal of the 6 through 8, but I believe that will be an opportunity to save middle schools across the district and provide equitability across the district. So that is something that um in reviewing what what you know board member you has stated I I don't want our our district to lose sight
176of that because yes we have you know a number of elementary schools. It's easy to say hey let's just cut some but but we need to think about our middle schools too and our middle school kids. So thank you. >> Thank you uh board clerk. Uh board member Mendoza. >> Thank you Mr. President. Um I just had a couple questions. Um what are we doing to recognize the students who have I mean the schools who have really good attendance. Are we are we promoting? Are we going out there? Are we making a big deal? Because >> kids like rewards. >> Yes. So each school have their own recognition programs when it come to attendance whether it's monthly whether it's um there was times that we even give out a bike for those students or um
177who who have um I want to say perfect yeah per perfect attendance for the month. So each school have uh they know this is important. So they they understand the community. So they work with with you know either um the the PT PTA to promote this and to recognize the students. So when we have that we can provide the board of what every school is doing in term of uh to attract students and and to have them come to school not attract but reward students. So we can have that school by school for you. Uh number two, our child welfare attendants um work closely with every school uh to ensure that those schools that have um students who are chronic absentism uh to work with them and to do home visits and to make sure
178that they come to school uh we have at um and you can see here uh when when there's concern about attendance uh they never before get an an email from me saying that I want to make sure each family was contacted on the first day if they don't show up to school. And not only that, some of our school contact every family uh some of our schools already start doing home visit on the first or second day to make sure that student to understand what happened and you know you enroll how come you're not in school. So we're doing that so we can have a a comprehensive report for you on what each especially elementary on what they do. uh but our CWA our child and attendance department work closely with every school. We also
179uh provide support in um a position called parents liaison or community liaison and those are the personnel usually understand and know the community and know the families and to work with with them to um you know uh on in addition to our attendance clerk contacting the schools. uh so they contact the schools and also encourage uh families to bring their kids to school. >> Can we do something as a district? Can we have some kind of certificate um that we could do like maybe the first month that we can present to the schools that have like GAR has 99%. I I would love to do that because I think we need to do our part as a district. We expect our schools to do this but we as a district it doesn't cost us money
180to have a little certificate. we can have I know it's going to be it puts you know work for someone but to go out there present them with a certificate take a picture and let them post it on social media let them post it let Scott post it but I think we as a district need to need to promote it we need to do our part we ask our schools to do that and do our part um the other one is we had bragg students today talk about the improvements at their school and they were really proud of it um I think our community needs to see that we have improvements our schools are amazing. They look refreshed. They look new. But our community, like our community knows it, but outside um so that we
181can get more kids out of the district who want to come to our schools because eventually they're going to be going to the best high schools in California. And I think that's a great promotion. You bring your kids in elementary school, they have the opportunity to attend one of the best high schools in California. We can brag about that because you just the board president just reported that. Um and it's a great way to show communities that our schools are looking amazing. We have bond projects that are completed. Um our elementary schools, our middle schools, our high schools are looking really good. And I think that's a great PR piece that we can we can do that. And I don't know what the district calls it here. We call it norm day. It's I guess
182for your staffing. When is that? What do you guys call it here? The day where it's the cut off and that's where we do all our staffing. >> Yeah. uh >> reorganization. >> Yes, we we do have that. What's in the contract? Um it's it's it's it's the um it used to be October, but since we start it's four weeks after school or something like that. >> September 12th. >> Yeah, we have it written. Yeah. >> Do you guys have a name for it? What do we call it here? >> No, >> we don't have a name for it. >> We call it norm day. We call it like norm day. That's your That's the cut off. That's >> Yeah, we just we have we have it set in the contract so many days after
183the start of school. >> Okay. Yeah. >> So, se around September, midepptember, correct? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Basically, a final class. I'm sorry. It escaped my mind. What do we call name? >> Yeah, I know. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. President. >> Thank you. Uh, thank you, board member Mendoza. You know, I I'm an optimist. Uh, I'm part of the optimist club. I love to think of things positively, and I love how Dr. Rios and Dr. uh not Dr. the um board member Mendoza are very optimistic about um enrollment and in fact doc when um board member Mendoza was on the board previously Dr. who had this great program called the uh enrollment program and not enrollment it was an attendance program and she got like the highest ever enrollment ever and she had
184the highest attendance ever. I don't know if she gave out awards or how she got all the principles to do that. That was a really great program. Um, but between 97 and 98% or 98% to 99%, that's a lot of kids. Don't get me wrong. But I'm going to just look at the elephant in the room. One school went from 302 kids to 254 kids. So, if they had 100% attendance, that still doesn't make up the difference in the loss of the students that are there. Um, and that's true of all of these numbers down the line. If we increase it by 1%, that's great, but that's not going to make up the difference. I I did a quick quick number and thank you um uh Rey for giving me these numbers because you gave
185me all the salary numbers and all the monies that we get from each student. And so what does uh it mean? So I don't think we're going to be 337 students lost. I'm pretty sure it'll be something less than that. I'm sure it's going to be because things get bigger when you start in the middle of the school year. Of course, it's a sport in the middle of school day or week, it's going to be low. And so, we are showing that it's increasing by 10 or so. Um, but what is 300 students really mean? And by students, that's about $4.5 million, give or take. It could be off by a certain amount. Uh, that's a lot of money. $4.5 million is bait. That's the raise essentially. That's the cola. That's uh everything. So, um
186you know, I always say that uh um and also I'm looking at this statistic. This is great. We had 1,600 out of district kids, but according to Davis Demographics, and I could be reading it wrong, but it predicted that we would have 2,887 out of district kids. Um, and that they they kept on going with that same number throughout. I'm not sure why, but that's a lot less than we're currently getting, 1,600. I I think it's great how much we're getting. That's really awesome the the number of kids that we're getting through this through out of district, but it's um obviously doing the same thing that all the other numbers are, which is going down. I want to be an optimist, of course. Um, but I want us to remember that it's we're making a
187choice. When we make do these things, we're making a choice. We can't have everything. I would love to have a program where we invested millions of dollars into better paint and making our schools shiny. And that's what we did with the bond. And those are great, good ideas, but we're at the lowest number that we've ever had in our reserve, in our unrestricted reserve. and we're going to spend down all of our restricted reserve within three years. So that n money is not there. I would love to make our schools pretty, but everybody else is thinking of the same thing. They're trying to make their schools pretty. And we spend all money on pretty property. But pretty property doesn't educate kids. People educate kids. People are part of the programs that create a great education,
188not the property. The property is where we sit and it has memories and it has hopes and dreams, but ultimately it is the people and you got to pay the people what they're worth. Otherwise, we won't have a great Whitney with at number one because the great teachers will go to the places that pay that much better. We have to compete. We have to be as good as them. So, I'm hoping that um uh that at this next session that we come up with realistic solutions because I keep hearing let's spend more money and let's spend more money. Let's spend more money. And that was me at the very beginning seven years ago when I first started. So, it's like yeah, forget this thing about cutting. Let's let's invest and put more money into students.
189And I love the word investment because, you know, I like business. I want money. I want people. I want greater, better, stronger. But also I have to look at reality. And so when we come to this next board session, we can't pin our hopes on dreams as much as we have to go to we hope is not a strategy, right? It's not a strategy. We have to think of how specifically can we address education. So I am definitely looking at those ideas. I need bold leadership from all of us to think of how we can address this issue and provide the best education going forward. And maybe it it is that our district is going to continue to contract. So we have to think of that future. It doesn't mean it's only sad. It means
190an opportunity for us to be more efficient, to be better. We can do better than the other districts if we make the right decisions. So, I'm hoping that we can think of those innovative solutions that are realistic. So, I've thought about somebody said, "Let's let's pay the kids to come to our school district, right? I I've heard that. Let's pay a bounty for the kids." Um, but that doesn't it's not backed up with numbers. Let's let's it's got to be backed up. Um, and it's got to be something that's achievable, something within a time span that we can actually achieve. Better than a speech, better than being populist and saying, "I'm going to be the most popular person." I want us all to consider that it may be a point where we need to be
191unpopular and that might be the true leaders that we have here. Um, of course we must listen to our public. That is who elects us, but also they elect us to um to make the decisions that that that's very difficult for them to to make themselves. So anyway, thank you very much for your report. Um, let's move on to the next item. This is not an action item, right? >> Oh, >> there's still the budget. >> You're not done. >> No, sir. >> I'll make it quick. >> Keep on going. So the board approved the budget the district budget in June. After that the state adopted the budget. So this is a reporting out of what the a recap of the state final budget adoption and at time the assumption that we use in adopting
192the budget is different from the finals adopted budget but uh but for this time it um it came in exactly not almost exactly but um very close to what the board adopted. So I want to report out that cola is 2.3% for this year. So that was official back in June. So that hasn't changed. Fully funded. Um the TPK program now is uh full implementation and full funding uh with a 10 to1 ratio. I want to make sure I explain this real quick. By September 1st, if your child turned four, by September 1st, you can enroll in TK, right? Even though if the child is three, August 12th, you can enroll them as long as they turn four on September 1st. The ratio is 10 students per adult. If you have 10 students, you got
193one teacher. The 11 students show up, you have to add another adult in there, a full-time pair educators up to 20, right? The 21st students show up, there's a third adult in there. A class cannot legally exceed 24 students. So, there's a hard cap per class at 24 students. But on average, it's a 10 to one ratio adult to students. So that's that's the TK program. A universal meals. Again, full funding for the program. All students must be offered a free breakfast and lunch. All students. Um we also received the full funding for the ELOP program, which is our afterchool program. We talked about that, you know, with the summer school. This program will grant quickly extend the school day to 6:00 and add additional 30 days of of of summer school. Not only that,
194this year the state moved the funding from for ABC or not for ABC in particular, but all districts that above 55% UDP to a tier one uh funding, meaning that we'll get additional funding per student of about another $4 million. So, this program alone will bring in about $14 million, but it's all restricted, unfortunately. Um, the student support and professional development block grant, this is a onetime block grant, 5.2 million for ABC, and the learning recovery block grant, 1.2 million in one-time funding for ABC. So, these programs hopefully will use to support our students. um the student support and professional government block grant there's a there's a flexibility in how the district can use that funding to address any unexpected rising in cost. So that's that's that's the guideline from the state. So this is
195the budget recap from the state. So again uh what were the decline in last year about 512 students in term of funding uh our hair healthcare costs went up by 3.3 million our insurance our liability insurance because of AB218 also have gone up last year went up by a million this year's went up by half a million now it's about $3.5 million just in insurance premium alone used to be $2 million a few years back so we have the usual stepping column So we still have a structural deficit as the board approved our um reduction plan at in June. We still need to address this uh this year um going forward. This is our recap real quick in the federal programs. These are the programs that if you recall on July 1st um the federal
196government held back the funding. They released them after a few weeks after them. So we are safe for 2526. This is what we received in 2425. We expecting to receive a similar amount in 2526. So the the the federal government released this funding for 2526. However, all these programs all these programs on page sevens are at risk. It is unlikely that the federal government will fund this program in 2627. So I want to say that for the records. There's a very good chance that all these programs you see here will not return in 2627. Title 1 C this is our migrant education program. We have a very vibrant if not largest program in LA County about $1.8 million. Title 2A which is a um basically uh teacher quality program to to train our teachers. There's
197program to support our English learners, our immigrant students. There's program for student support um a whole child title 4 funding and then the adult school. So it's about $3 million uh of federal funding that most likely will not return in 2627. It doesn't seem a lot against a $300 million budget, but there are people, like you said, 90% of our um budget goes toward personnel. There are people, many people that are uh funded out of these programs to support our students that may not most likely won't return in 2627. So, there's the other the rest of the federal programs that are what we call safe. Uh we know that most likely these four will return uh and and have permanent funding uh the title one uh part A program to support low-income students special education
198uh IDEIDA head start uh Carl Perkins CTE and the Nashville school lunch program. So about $18 million in federal funding will be safe um ongoing but about three will not most likely won't return. So we are preparing for we have a year to prepare uh and to to react to that. Uh we will adjust and we have to adjust and unfortunately um some of the services will not return. That is the end of my budget update. Mr. President member uh Dr. Um, and I get it. You know, ever since the pandemic, we keep dreading the worst and then we get more money than ever. So, I'm going to continue to be optimistic. Um, I'd like to talk about the $5.2 million on page five that are going to be for student support and professional development.
199Is this all new money? >> Yes, ma'am. This one-time block grant for this year 2526. >> I expect to see new programs. I expect to see new positions that are going to indeed help our students improve. Um, I want to see new professional development. And that's a lot of money. And I know it doesn't sound like a lot, but it's a lot of money. Um, and so I really want to I don't know if you plan on giving us an idea of how this money is going to be spent. Um, but again, I I hope that we don't end up seeing the same. Um, and then, you know, being told that it got spent on professional development and student support. I I I really want to know, you know, are we going to do high
200impact tutoring? Are we going to bring in BCBAs to help with the behavior issues that we're dealing with in the schools that ultimately help instruction in the classrooms? Um I was at the event at the transcend event or no actually this was from the other meeting where they told us that 70% of our teachers are saying that they want more support um in behavior and so you know we want great instruction in the classroom. We need to support our educators um with things like behavior. So very excited about this money. Even more excited to see how we're going to spend it. >> Thank you. Thank you board member you. >> Thank you. So um on page um so so the structural deficit can you elaborate a little bit for us to understand? >> Thank you
201for the question. The structural deficit mean our budget structurally >> our expenditure is higher than revenues by 3.3 millions. Mhm. >> So, one way to address that is just to spend down the reserve, right? You you going to spend more than than your expected revenues. So, you will have a deficit spending. You can spend out your reserve. Um and when you run out of that, then the county will require you to make cuts. That's just the bottom line. So, they would um >> expect to see, you know, a fancy term called fiscal stabilization plan, meaning a budget reduction plan. >> Yeah. Eventually, we'll have to address that. Mhm. >> So that's something that's uh the county will require for us to do. >> Correct. >> Okay. So are we doing anything for reduction in expenditure
202for this year? >> Yeah. So last, if you remember the budget you adopted in June, you addressed about 5.7 million of that. >> Yeah. >> Already. >> So this is on top of that. So event so we'll monitor it. uh and when we bring the budget for you for next year, >> we we will have to address this. >> Yes. So that's something that we cannot avoid. >> And then for page seven for the federal programs that will be not coming back, but this affects like English learners for this. I trust that in the past it seem like the the district have been pretty creative about using other funds. Should we have this cut some of these programs? >> Yes. >> Are we like for example the 5.2 million some will be used to cover
203that? >> Yes. >> So, so we will have to bring a budget for to the board for approval on how to use the money, right? >> Uh keep in mind that the 5.2 million is one time. >> Yes. >> So, you only have it for one time and and you don't see it again. So whatever you do, you want to make sure that you spend it one time and not commit to anything ongoing. Right? Again, uh uh the direction from the state is this is the grant. It's a block grant. You can use for student support. You can use professional development. You can use it to address any unexpected rising in cost. >> So we'll have a plan for the board. >> Thank you. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Thank you. Uh board clerk Buouie. >>
204Yes. Um, thank you >> Mr. President and thank you Mr. W. Um, just as a followup and um to chime in on what Dr. Rios has mentioned related to the student support and professional development. I've had numerous conversations in the past um couple weeks both with educators in the district and outside the district um you know regarding the the new behavioral issues that are arising in our schools whether it's you know um lingering effects of COVID or uh you know the new again rise in electronics and and what the kids are being exposed to and using when they're not in school maybe at home. um and figuring out ways that we can address those issues because it can be a distraction in the classrooms. Um if if you know our teachers are are asked to
205kind of handle that. Um we want to make sure we take care of our kids and give them the help they need, but we also need to support uh our our our educators who who are um observing that daily. So, uh, I I you just listed more ways that we can utilize this money, but but again, whatever we can do to support our teachers. Thank you. >> Thank you, board member McCaten. >> So, that 5.2 and um student support and professional development, does that have to be used in this year? >> It does not. >> So, usually with this block grant um I don't say usually this block, we have three years to spend it. >> Okay. Thank you on that. And then um looking forward like to um 2026 27 our um our budget's
206not looking particularly great and um with the cuts in the federal funding um and matching that with our decrease in enrollment. Um I think we're going to have to look carefully at um how we move forward and how we continue to be a successful district. Yes, ma'am. >> Thank you, board member Mendoza. >> Thank you, Mr. President. I just listening to my colleagues. I I know it's three years for the 5.2 you said um student support professional development. Are we going to ask our staff a survey? Because I can tell you right now, beginning of the school year, I am I'm done with professional development. I'm like like my brain is like, >> you know, so I know at some point you know, our teachers are doing a lot of professional development. Are we going
207to give them a survey and ask what they would like to have professional development on? And is there do we have to spend it on both or can it be heavy on one side and less on another? >> It's a block grant, so there's a lot of flexibility uh for for the local school board. So, we will bring forward the guidelines from the state and the allowable expenditures and the recommendation in terms of budget and the timeline for that. That's how we normally do it. So, and of course based you know uh we'll get feedback from different groups. That's our our normal process is um you know we usually have a budget uh session with all of our um employee groups uh and then we we discuss all these things with them. >> Okay. Okay.
208No, I don't want to presume anything. All right. Just uh just want to make a quick comment regarding the federal programs that are slated to potentially uh be cut. So, I'm proud of ABC for in the past where the federal government did uh stop funding those programs and we actually presumed that they would fund those programs and we spent the money, advanced it, and we continued our programs the best we could despite the many challenges. So, I'm hopeful that we can um find a way from some source of funds that we have to prioritize migrant education, which is a great program that we have that helps uh the parents teach their kids. I want to encourage these English learners and the immigrant students because we all were immigrants at one point. Student support and academic
209enrichment, all these things add up to uh $2.8 million. Um and instead of putting it into paint or a building, I'd rather put it into these these kids, these people. This is more important to me. If you were to ask me what my priority is, although this is not what it is, there's no vote on this particular item. I would prioritize whatever losses we had from here rather than um a paint job. So, thank you. Uh any other comments on this? I will allow it. Seeing none, let's move to the next item. All right, action items. Can I have a motion to approve committee member and student appointees to the board advisory committees? >> Tatiana moves >> second. >> Okay, thank you. Uh, Mr. Nyola, Vice President Nyola. >> Uh, thank you, President Nishi. I
210would like to present my uh representative for the strategic planning, uh, Miss Sanchez Cruz. I think she's been waiting very patiently. So, I want to thank her for for being here with us. I don't know if you um I'll say a few things. Um Miss Sanchez Cruz has been, you know, a model for parents. they she is a very strong advocate for students with special needs and she has been an advocate in our community for parents and I think she's going to bring a voice to the strategic planning committee that you know isn't that wasn't there before. So I'm very proud to present her for you guys to vote and I'll let her say a few words and then we'll have some translation too. So is more important. Gracias. Do you guys want me to
211translate once she's done and then I translate in English or do you guys want to >> Okay. It's an honor for her to be here and give her the opportunity to be here with you guys to participate in this moment. Okay. Her name is Sada Sanchez and she has a privilege to incorporate to this to this um program with the purpose to bring all her experience and her knowledge and to compromise to the service of all the community um for the education. So I'm just going to be reading what she's reading, but in English. She's an engineer on telecommunications and she is a licensing on science of computers and she is a professional on social work and she has experience helping everybody with um disabilities and their families. along on her trajectory. She has worked
212really close to the community um doing as a coordinator with programs and like helping the community and having a compromise. Um, and helping uh with inclusion. Oh gosh, that was quick. Okay. She has the ability on planification with the programs and participating with the community and she has been successful helping all the families to navigate all the services on the regional center and all the educational programs. where she completed her tech or her classes of um technology and she had a masters on telecommunications um and she has um professional academic that had help her to develop on different sectors. ERS um to bring solutions and answers of high impact and innovations. She's deeply compromised um with her community. She wants to push all the actions and pro promote the access um so everybody can have
213an equity and the services and representing all the voices and all the decisions they're taking so they can um have a better um bread off of of the aooo I the or just ABC. She says she feels um deeply identify with the mission of the district um unified ABC and she visualized her participation as an opportunity to push more um projects that it could be like in inclusive for all the students and resilient um try to bring all the diversity and the innovation for all the knowledge um permanent for the students and it will be a privilege for me to be a part of this group. >> And he she wants to bring and collaboration um a lot of services that could make it better and the inclusion for the community and she's Thank you.
214>> Thank you. [Applause] Thank you. Uh, do we have any public comment on this item? >> None. >> Do we have any board comment on this item? >> Board member Mendoza. >> Thank you. I just want to say um I'm really glad to see that we have community members who who want to participate in our committees and who are coming and speaking in their native language and feel comfortable doing that. My question is, will we have support with translation? Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh, clerk Buouie. >> Yes. I want to echo uh board member Mendoza's comments. Um, it's a I I feel an immense sense of appreciation to the community members who volunteer their time to attend meetings. Um, to our student representatives who also do the same. And um you know I'm
215I'm honored to have five appointees, two of whom are parents in the community who are doing this probably, you know, um to help their kids and to help their children's experience here in the district. I uh believe three of my other appointees are are alumni. So they're coming and giving back to their community. So again, I'm I'm I'm honored and privileged to have them uh represent their voices. So thank you so much to to everyone who who participates in that. >> Thank you. So like to call for a vote. All in favor say I. >> I. A. The eyes have it. 70. Thank you. Next item. Can I have a motion to adopt the strategic plan for the 2025 2028 school years? >> Second. second vice president. >> Okay, Dr. Zilo, >> thank you. So,
216we have for you um the document um as we presented previously, we did add on page nine the phrase that had been repeated about enhancing academic outcomes for all along that road. Um and I think um it will set a nice uh trajectory that one vision for all students that we're looking for every kid to grow and every kid to have opportunity when they leave us at the end. >> All right. Do is there any public comment on this item? >> None. >> Is there any board comment on this item? And I'll call for a vote. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any naysay? The eyes have it. 70. Thank you. Item 4.4. Uh, can I have a motion to accept the gift report 25001 totaling 100,224,40? >> Thank you, Mr. Nuin. >>
217Thank you, Bo President Nishi. Usually you see this as a consent item but from now on we will um bring it forward as an action item so that we can recognize it the different um donors um uh from throughout the school. So for the um month of July we receive donations totaling $110,2240 uh from various u families and and organizations supporting our schools. and um we are bringing it forward to the board for approval. >> Thank you. Are there any public comments on this item? >> None. >> Is there any board comments on this item? >> Uh board member Mendoza. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Again, I just want to echo Mr. Dwin that I I asked for this to be action item because I think it's really important to recognize the people who are
218supporting our schools. You can look and see that PTAs all over the district are supporting. We've got booster clubs. We've got foundations who are really supporting our schools. um setting up the schools, getting ready for the beginning of the school year. I'm pretty sure they're probably homework folders and and you know, stuff that's going to support our schools because, you know, kids kids like to have nice things. I like to have nice things. And so, just a big thank you, a big abaso, a big hug to really really thank you and I know it's going to continue through the school year. So, I I I'm glad to see this as an action item. Thank you, Mr. President. >> Thank you. And thank the community for being so generous to our district and having faith in
219our uh in our schools. and you don't donate to something you don't have faith in. So, thank you. That's all I can say. All right. Uh having said that, uh all in favor say I. >> I. >> Better not hear any nays. Motion passes 70. >> All right. We're on the last item or last two items. Uh board members reports. Thank you. Uh board uh clerk Buouie. >> Thank you, President Nishi. Um, happy uh, fifth day of school to all the kids. I can't believe it's only five days. It feels like feel feels like a month, but um, I'm enjoying it. Um, it's good to have a routine again for the kids. Uh, I was able to attend that two Cerritos girls volleyball games, one in Garden Grove. They won uh, JV, sorry, Frost, JV,
220and varsity. and they had another game today. Um I was not able to watch the other games. I did watch junior varsity and they won. They swept. So congratulations to um you know the girls and I continue to support um you know all all our student athletes who are out there who've prepared all summer and now they're showing off their uh hard work. So thank you. >> Thank you. Uh board member Dr. Rios. >> Thank you. I just would quickly want to um again I guess I feel like I'm in a mood of celebrating but really praise the district for the direction that I think we're moving in. I was really super excited to have attended the transcend event. I think that the stage has been set um for us to continue to do the
221great work um to really focus on all students um succeeding and I think that now it's really up to the site leaders to continue to continue the work and to really take it from here to provide the environment that our schools need um that support our teachers um that provide you know I know we talked about staff development and you know a lot I remember being a teacher and sitting through a lot of it but At the same time, challenges come up throughout the year and I think it's on our site leaders to provide ongoing professional development. Um, I know we even had a speaker remind us of the that we need to focus on the how. We want our teachers to be successful with their students. A lot of them, you know, have pointed
222out they need support with behavior. They need support with um I think at one point one of the surveys told us that they wanted more strategies on how to work with the English learners. So, I know the needs there, the needs are there and it sounds like the money's there, too. So, yay. Um but again, you know, we really I really want to to celebrate the fact that we again have all the elements um that make for for a successful year. Um because ultimately we entrust our teachers to do what they know how to do and what they can do best, which is to provide that effective instruction so that all our students can in fact succeed. Thank you. >> Thank you, Vice President Nyola. >> Uh thank you, President Nishi. I just wanted to
223share that I got to attend Hawaiian Ferguson and Melbourne's first day of school. I was, you know, going from school to school. So, it was uh it was fun seeing all the kids celebrated, you know, having a good time. It, you know, it reflects in our attendance that school is a welcoming, fun place. And I think our kids, you know, see that, too. I also got to uh grab some lemonade at Palms Park and I'm glad to see some Leo students um you know, were marketing and and you know, developing their business strategies and you know, they convinced me and I got two lemonades that day. um this morning or this afternoon, I got to uh revisit uh Ferguson with some parent meetings on how to how to work collaboratively to engage more parents to,
224you know, maybe form a PTO or get more involvement. And lastly, I will be attending the POW this Saturday. So, if you guys are welcome to attend, it's a great event. You know, get to learn about some indigenous groups, a little bit of the history of, you know, what came before ABC. and um yeah, and lastly, I just wanted to give a a shout out to MOT and our bus drivers um for adjusting and finding this route to help support Hawaiian Gardens uh students and families. Um you know, this week we've had uh you know, full buses going to Arda. So, thank you again. >> Thank you, uh board member Mendoza. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Um, for me it's the fourth day of school and last time I told you I was ready to
225go back to work, but now that I'm there, I'm tired. I'm just tired. Um, I have 20 first graders and there's no tired like the beginning of the school year, but it's a good tired. Um, and I I know there's hesitation for our families to to send their kids to school. We have it in our school district. in my school. Um we went down a little bit in our enrollment and it's understandable with everything that's going on in our communities. Um but just let to let our community know schools are safe. Please send them every single day. Thank you to our district for supporting with transportation. Um thank you to our staff for being there and every day welcoming our students um making sure they know that they belong there at our schools. Um thank
226you board member Dr. Rios. I went to the lemonade stand. I went to the one in Costco, I can't remember what the the the group's name was. Um, but the parents of the of the little girl that was doing the lemon, they're actually teachers and they're actually Ali USD teachers. So, it was nice to see and we just talked about starting the new school year. So, that thank you so much for that. Um, just a couple of things that are coming up in Artisia. the historical the Artisia Historical Society is having their 19th annual gala. It's called School Days. It's so stinking cute. If you would like to go, you can uh reach out to them. Um it's going to be um it's called Celebrating 150 years of education in Artisia. It's going to be
227on Saturday, September 27th at 5:00 PM. It's at the Albert O. Little Community Center in Artisia at Artisia Park. Um you can reach out to them. And look, look how cute this is. If you want to go and buy one ticket, you're gonna you're a student. You buy two tickets, you're an athlete. Four tickets makes you a valid Victorian. Six tickets makes you a teacher. H I'm have to buy six. A gets you a dean and 10 tickets gets you a principal. So that's super cute. That's coming up if you'd like to go. Um our city is also having the state of the city is presented by our mayor, um Alage. It's going to be Thursday, August 28th, 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Artisia DS hall. Um, if you can go, you can
228register. It's $30 per person. Unfortunately, I won't be able to go because I'm teaching, but if someone from the board or superintendent can go, thank you so much. Thank you. Um, and just thank you. Thank you. I know we're going to have a great year. I know there's challenges like we always have, and I I'm glad we're having the study session so we can have a discussion um to move forward. Um, that concludes my board report, Mr. President. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh, board member. >> Um, I think we're off to a great year. I love the transcend um professional learning at Artisia High School. Um very well planned by Mr. Lawrence and his team. U congratulations to the district on Calpad's information being turned in on time with no errors and um I
229really loved that um we had such um a huge amount of of teachers going to the AVID inservice in both um at at USC and at Anaheim. I love the program. I think it does wonders for kids. Um, congratulations also on the increase in number of students um, taking AP um, tests and getting a score of three. Um, I also went to the lemonade um, event as I was saying to Mr. Nyola. Um, I think it's a really good program. It teaches financial literacy to young kids. I think that whole piece is really great, but I'm not quite sure why they all have lemonade stands. I mean, why don't they have, I don't know, Coke stands or whatever. Um, but they all have they all have lemonade, which um I I would like a variety,
230but other than that, I think it's it's great that they're teaching them financial literacy. Um, and I helped on Saturday with the Garban boosters serve lunch to their ever growing band. Oh my god, really getting huge. Thank you. >> Thank you, board member. you. >> Thank you, President Nishi. Um, I just wanted to, you know, mention about the world language, um, and how, you know, uh, we have different groups and I remember some the Chinese school. They also mentioned about the the difficulty of using the ABC facility because of the liability insurance. And I think that it would be good to explain to the public the reason for the increase in the the cost because our district is paying the insurance the premium went up from 2 million to 3.5 million in this last how
231many years was it few years right yeah so I think that it might be helpful to explain to the community and I wonder if we can find a way to have these groups um different organizations use the facility at a lower cost. That would be really good because you know the the families are willing to use Saturdays to educate their children and that is um you know we need to applaud they're sacrificing their Saturdays and these are our ABC students and we need to find a way to support them and also um secondly oh I I would like to request and see if um between Dr. Sue and uh Dr. Zitlo and Tuan to send our board members the the report that the school works made because uh the data was pretty pretty uh extensive.
232It was very detailed and I thought that uh for us before the study session in September for us to you know review that would be helpful because he that data that report kind of broke down and I didn't get to really understand the entire um reasons for choosing certain schools and you know so forth. So I think that this will be um good time for us to uh revisit and study in addition to your data. I'm sure you know that data had more. So you know I I'd appreciate it if there's any other explanation that'll be helpful too. Thank you. >> Thank you. Announcements. Special study session will be Tuesday September 2nd 2025 at 6 p.m. at the district office boardroom. Please come with ideas, suggestions. We will try to make it more interactive. So,
233uh, w public is definitely welcome to come and give us ideas. Our next regular board meeting will be Tuesday, September 16th, 2025 at 7 p.m. District office boardroom. We have some committee meetings, so please come to those, too. Uh, strategic planning board advisory committee will be Tuesday, August 26th, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. Uh, these will all be at the district office boardroom. Legislative Policy Board Advisory Committee will be Wednesday, October 27th, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. Different District Conference room. Of course, the next one's a wrong different place. Uh, citizens oversight committee will be Wednesday, September 10th at 6 p.m. Location will be the district conference room. The diversity, unity, equity program due board advisory committee will be Thursday, September 18th at 5:30 p.m. at the district office boardroom. The Finance and Audit Board Advisory Committee
234will be Thursday, September 25th at 6 PM. District conference room. Dates to remember legal holiday. Don't come here on Labor Day, September 1st, 2025. I won't be here. Second, public comment section. Do you see anybody out there? >> Press that button. >> None. >> Thank you. Um, adjournment. Can I have a motion to adjurnn in the memory of Mr. Mario Orosco, >> Gar High School wrestling coach. >> Second, >> uh, Mr. Vice President Noyola. >> Thank you, President Nishi. Uh, tonight we close in our meeting in memory of Gar High School wrestling coach uh, Mr. Mario Rosco. He began his wrestling uh, coaching at Ingar in 1993 when one of his sons became a student and played football and was a wrestler. He continued coaching at Gar after his son Brian graduated and he was
235the head coach of the wrestling team for 10 years and he was my coach during that time. Uh he took a leave of absence from coaching at GAR when he was officiating wrestling for CIF, but his love of coaching brought him back to the mat and he continued coaching until he moved in July of 2024. During his time as a coach, he had several wrestlers make it to CIF state tournament. Um, and he was an encouragement to the women's wrestler at Gar when the team was co-ed and Gar did not have a full girls team. Uh, Coach Arasco graduated from Gar High School in 1971. While attending GAR, he earned varsity letters two times in football and three times in wrestling. And he was given the lineman of the week in 1970 and all-American award
236as a center in 1970 as well. In addition to coaching at GAR, he coached youth football, little league girls softball, and high school football in the area. He also supported high school athletics through his work as an umpire referee for girls softball, football, and wrestling in the area. Uh, Coach Arasco was an example of an alumni who gave back in many ways to his community and was a blessing to his family and friends, and he will be missed deeply. So, thank you. >> Thank you. So, all in favor of closing in his honor, say I. >> I. We are adjourned. [Music] of all the money that I spent. I spent it in good company. [Music] And of all the harm that I've done, unless it was to none but me. And all I've done for
237want of it to me I can't recall so filled to me the parting glass. Your light and joy be with you all. [Music] He fall.