001I keep wanting Save me a tip, right? Yeah, I say hi. Yeah. Yeah, weird. Thank you all for joining us this evening. We'd like to begin begin the evening with a special presentation from the Lion Dancers at Bulsa Grande High School. Where's the money? [laughter] [music] Heat >> [music] [music] >> up here. [music] >> [music] >> Heat. Heat. [music] Heat >> [music] [music] >> up here. [music] [music] >> [music] [music] >> Heat up here. [music] >> [music] [music] >> Heat up here. [music] Heat up >> [music] [music] >> here. [music] >> [music] [music] >> Heat. Heat. [music] Heat >> [music] [music] >> up here. [music] [music] >> [music] [music] >> Heat. Heat. [music] Heat. [music] Heat. [music] >> [music] [music] >> Heat. Heat. [applause and cheering] [music] >> [music] [applause] >> Take a few photos.
002Don't leave. >> Don't leave yet. Okay. Happy new year. There you go. There's space over here. [laughter] Ready? [applause] >> [applause] >> Thank you to the Bulsa Grande High School Vietnamese Students Association and the VSA Advisors, uh, Miss Mary Wyn and Miss Trisha Kamargo, uh, for bringing us this special treat this evening. It's always fun. [applause] >> So, now back to our regular order, which would be the salute to the flag, the pledge of allegiance, and then I'd ask you all to remain standing after the pledge as we offer remembrances for a couple of members of our GGUSD family. Please stand for your right hand over your heart. Ready? Begin. >> I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible,
003liberty and justice for all. >> Remain standing. We're saddened to hear of the passing of breakfast and food service worker Lisa Nwen. Lisa joined GGUSD in 2003 and dedicated 23 remarkable years of service to the district, including the last 11 years as a cherished member of the Cook Elementary School kitchen team. To students, staff, and families, Alisa was far more than a food service and employee. She was a warm and caring presence whose kindness was felt the moment she greeted others with her smile. She approached her work with pride and purpose, often greeting students by name and ensuring they felt welcomed, cared for, and nourished each day. Her joy was evident in all she did, including the way she participated in school traditions, most memorably joining in a holiday video lipsync of Mariah Care's All
004I Want for Christmas Is You. Outside of work, Lisa enjoyed music, gardening, cooking, and singing in the church choir. But above all, she cherished her family and took great pride in being a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She lovingly cared for her grandson each day and was eagerly anticipating the arrival of another grandchild. She has survived by her husband Danny, her children Kathy, Jennifer, Kim, and Jimmy, and her grandson Parker. Her kindness, dedication, and generous spirit left a lasting impact on all who knew her, and she will be greatly missed. In light of our 60th anniversary, which Abby will be speaking about in a few moments, I also thought it'd be good nice to offer remembrance for someone who was a part of our team on in year one and actually prior to year one.
005Once a Marine, always a Marine was a favorite saying of Cypriano Sip Castillo Jr. For 22 years, Sip spent weekends and summers serving in the US Marine Corps Reserve, where he retired with distinction as a lieutenant colonel. But he was much more than a Marine. When he wasn't serving his country, Sip was serving his community as an educator. first as a teacher and then assistant principal at Peter's Intermediate, followed by two tours of duty as principal at Rosita and Evans, where he retired in 1989 after over 30 years of service in GGUSD. Growing up on a farm in New Mexico, Sip learned the value of hard work, perseverance, and humility. and he spent decades passing those values on to the students that he encountered every single day. He survived by his wife of 70 years
006a Stella along with five of his six children, two of whom I went to high school with and one of whom I coached in flag football back in the day, 13 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren, 14 and counting. We are saddened to hear of Sip's recent passing, but we know his legacy of faith, leadership, and love continues continues on through the many lives he touched. We extend our deepest consol condolences to the families and friends of Lisa Nin and Cypriano Castillo Jr. and we will now observe a moment of silence in their memory. Thank you. You may be seated. >> Student trustee Christy Gatichu >> here. >> Thank you. Trusty Dina W. >> And Dena is not with us due to due to illness this evening. >> Thank you. Trusty Walter Munaton >> here. >>
007Trusty Terry Roco >> here. Trusty Lenwin. >> Yeah. >> And chairperson Bob Harden >> here. >> Thank you. >> Next up, I believe um we have Abby Abby Broy, our public information officer. >> [snorts] [laughter] >> Okay. Good evening, uh, board president Harden, trustees, Dr. Mafy, staff, and guests. It is my distinct honor to share all that our district is doing this year to commemorate our 60th anniversary milestone. 60 years represents far more than a number. It reflects decades of growth and shared commitment to serving our students and community. This anniversary gives us the opportunity to honor our past while celebrating the people and progress that continue to shape our district today. First, I would like to show a short video that provides an overview of our history and the impact that we have had
008in the communities we serve. This video was shared during our 2025 State of the District event to announce the beginning of our 60th anniversary year. [snorts] Maybe. Nope. We practiced, didn't we? [snorts] Sorry, we practiced this earlier and it played fine on this. in Garden Grove dates back to 1874 when a handful of students attended a single schoolhouse purchased by Alonzo Cook known as Garden Grove's founding father. The city remained a small rural community until the arrival of the Pacific Electric Railroad in 1905, followed by the postworld war II real estate boom. As the city began to grow, so did the need for quality education. As a result, multiple school districts were formed to serve the blossoming community. In 1965, the three remaining school districts, Alamos Elementary, Garden Grove Elementary, and Garden Grove Union High
009School, merged to create the Garden Grove Unified School District. From 1950 to 1973, over 40 elementary [snorts] schools, 10 intermediate schools, and six high schools were built to educate the fast growing population. Today, GGUSD proudly educates approximately 37,800 students across 67 campuses in five cities, making us one of the largest and most dynamic districts in Orange County. The district's board of education reflects tremendous stability with current members dedicating 9 to 30 years of service and sharing a commitment to put students first and work as a team to [music] provide every student with the opportunity to succeed. Throughout its 60-year history, GGUSD has had seven superintendent with four of those serving in the last 51 years, creating a high standard of consistency. That stability has led to impressive outcomes highlighted in Michael [music] Fullon's book, Coherence.
010In 2004, the district was recognized as the top urban school district in the US, earning the prestigious Broad Prize for Urban Education. Over the last six decades, GGUSD has earned numerous prominent accolades for excellence, including being named the first California exemplary district in Orange County and earning 66 California Distinguished School Awards. GGUSD students defy odds, consistently outperforming the county and [music] state average in state test scores, high school graduation, advanced placement, and college readiness rates. This excellence extends beyond the classroom. Our student athletes have claimed over 160 CIF championships, Olympic gold medals, World Series titles, and spots in prestigious halls of fame. And it's not only the students who shine. Our success is a direct result of our hardworking teachers and staff, hundreds who are homegrown, having graduated from the district and returned to work
011here in the communities where they were raised. From its humble beginnings to now the third largest district in Orange County, our story is one of growth, achievement, and an unwavering commitment to student success. As we honor our past, we will continue to forge ahead, preparing generations of students to be lifelong [music] learners and world changers. If the past is any indication, the future of GGUSD is looking bright. Happy 60th, GGUSD. Let the celebration begin. [applause] Just you can just All right. Okay. So, the video portrayed the evolution of education in Garden Grove from a single schoolhouse in 1874 into a dynamic, forward-thinking school system, growing alongside our community. We have continually adapted to meet the needs of our students. And today, GGUSD is recognized as a model of innovation and excellence that school districts across
012the county, state, and nation strive to emulate. So, our story is one of excellence. Year after year, we're gaining new awards and outperforming districts across the county, state, and nation. And we never get tired of sharing our successes, including our distinction as the first California exemplary district in Orange County with 11 California Distinguished Schools in 2025, the most of any district in the state, except LUSD, which is 14 times our size. So, [laughter] we're especially proud of our two newest awards you see here in black. The 2020 2016 Trailblazer Visionary Board Award from Cababe and the California, which is the California Association of Bilingual Education and the 2026 Lynn Aoki Multiple Pathways to Biliteracy District Recognition Award from Californians together. We are so proud to be recognized as a leader in bilingual education for all
013that we are doing to empower our students to be prepared and thrive in a global society. Our accomplishment slide may be getting a little crowded, but um it proudly celebrates the remarkable achievements of our staff, students, and families. Next, we'll focus on how we've honored the legacy through meaningful celebrations and reflections throughout the year. At the start of the school year, we proudly unveiled a special 60th anniversary commemorative logo, marking a milestone year for our district. The logo has been featured [snorts] um on district publications, graphics, and even email signatures, serving as a unifying symbol of our shared history and comm continued commitment to students. To further celebrate this moment, we installed vibrant 60th anniversary fence banners at the entrances of all 67 campuses, ensuring that families, staff, and community across Garden Grove immediately see
014and share in celebrating this special occasion through a QR code that encourages encourages them to share their GGUSD memories with us. Throughout the year, we've implemented engaging social media campaigns to involve the community in celebrating our 60th anniversary. Features such as then versus now. You see David Moira up there. Uh photos and and our homegrown badge which highlights employees who began their journeys as students in the district and later returned as staff members. We also shared a fun did you know and [snorts] what's in the name features showcasing interesting historical facts and the stories behind our school names. [snorts] We provided our schools with 60 fun ideas to celebrate the 60th anniversary, and many embraced the opportunity by hosting special events on the 60th day of school. This year's annual report, which was printed and
015mailed to all families in the district and shared with all employees, features historic photos to showcase our rich history and highlight our anniversary throughout the community. In addition, our state of the district, our largest and most high-profile event of the year, designed to showcase our success, will incorporate a celebratory 60th anniversary theme in a variety of ways, including through our goals video, which is currently in production. Finally, I'm excited to share a save the date for our 60th anniversary celebration, which is currently being planned by our public information office team alongside a dedicated committee of hardworking, homegrown employees, including Trusty Terry Roco. This group has been meeting for months, thoughtfully mapping out the details of what we hope will be a truly memorable celebration. We invite you to save the date for Friday, May 15th,
016and join us at Bulsa Grande High School Stadium for an evening designed to bring the entire community together. The event will feature student performances, food trucks, a mini car showcasing vintage vehicles from past decades, a history walk, games for our young youngest attendees, a photo booth, giveaways, and plenty of opportunities for meaningful connections. And we might even extend it to 8:00, but um more another flyer to come. So, this celebration is open to all and we look forward to welcoming our community for an evening that honors our past and celebrates our future. [snorts] At this time, I would like to call up some special guests who have joined us tonight um to to uh provide certificates and take a photo with the board. Um I'd like to call up Mayor Stephanie Coffency. [snorts] [applause] Uh
017good evening board president Harden and trustees as well as student representatives Dr. Mafy and staff. It is such an honor to be here mayor of Garden Grove Stephanie Kloppenstein to be able to share in the excitement, the achievements and the celebration of 60 years of exceptional academics and education as well as supporting and honoring the social and emotional health of the students. Uh myself, I'm a proud alumni of the district. My daughter's in the district and I have decades upon decades of family attending Garden Grove Unified Schools. So, it is wonderful to be able to just thank you uh and be a part of the celebration. We have so much to to really celebrate. Um I have brought a certificate of recognition on behalf of myself and the city council. Uh it says, "For six
018decades, the district has inspired learning, fostered opportunity, and positively impacted countless lives through its unwavering dedication to students and educators." Congratulations on 60 years of excellence and on the legacy that continues to grow. And that's true of all of you and your leadership as well as the administration and our amazing teachers. So, congratulations and thank you so much. [applause] I don't want two. >> [applause] [applause] >> Um, we have the city of Westminster as well, but we're going to come back to them because we think the mayor will be here any moment. And, um, call up, um, we have a representative from Supervisor Serento's office. So, we'll go ahead and take a photo [snorts] with Rosemary. Excellent. Thank you. [applause] We also have a representative um Miss Paulina from Congressman Derek TR's office. [applause] >>
019[applause] >> I'll say something quick to you guys. Hi everyone. Hi Trustee. Thank you so much for all the hard work you guys put into Garden Unified School District. You guys are amazing. I love attending all your school events with the dragon dance for a T parade and everything. You guys are phenomenal. You guys are doing a great job. I'm so proud of you guys as a council woman in Westminster. I'm waiting for the mayor to bring the certificate, but you know, we honor you guys and all the hard work you guys are doing. And congratulation on 60 year anniversary. God bless you guys. Take care. [applause] [applause] >> [applause] >> That's it. So, I don't know if we want to take a photo. >> That concludes my presentation. Thank you. >> [applause] >> So,
020thank you to our distinguished friends for coming this evening. Mayor Cloffenstein, Amy Fon West from the Westminster City Council, the representatives from S Supervisor Siento's office, Congress, Congress, Congressman Derek Tran. Uh thank you for coming this evening. Um we're obviously happy to be celebrating the the anniversary. We're happy to have you here c beginning a celebration with us. Uh and hopefully you'll be with us for that 60th anniversary bash in May. Thank you for being here tonight. Uh next up we have Jason Bvakqua, the assistant superintendent of personnel services with our employee of the month presentation. >> Great. Good evening, Board President Harden, Board of Education Trustees, Dr. Mafi, staff, and community. I am pleased to recognize our February employees of the month. As you know, our district is filled with amazing employees, but these
021two definitely stand out. GGUSD's employee of the month program is designed to recognize employees who put others first, go above and beyond to make a difference in their role, carry out each day with a positive attitude, strong work ethic, and demonstrate innovation, leadership, and passion for their job. Our our first employee of the month is uh Suani Baltazar and she's Yes. [applause and cheering] [applause] Sue Annie is the clerk too for the office of 712 instruction and as our classified employee of the month. Um she joined the district in 2019 working as a health assistant at Walton Intermediate until 2023 when she advanced to her role as central office clerk 2 at the office of 712 instruction. Suani was nominated for this award by colleagues who truly appreciate her exceptional customer service and the care
022she brings to every interaction. She consistently supports the office of instruction team and our tossas with professionalism, kindness, and can do attitude, making everyone feel welcome and supported. From staff to every parent and visitor who walks through the annex doors, Suani goes above and beyond to be to ensure people feel heard, helped, and valued. She does all of this with genuine humility, always putting the needs of others first and never seeking recognition for the difference she makes every day. Congratulations, Sandy. [applause] Our certificate employee of the month is Jackie Novak. She is a Yes, [cheering and applause] Jackie is a teacher at um Coreo Elementary. Um Jackie joined the district in 2003, excuse [clears throat] me, serving as a teacher at Rosita Elementary until excuse me. [clears throat] Uh a little tight, I guess. Uh
0232022, excuse me. Uh she transitioned to Creo Elementary where she continues to teach today. Jackie was nominated for this recognition by a parent and a student. The parent shared that Jackie is patient and kind with all students and demonstrates in sec exceptional teaching skills. A student echoed these sentiments, noting that Miss Novak's kindness and effective teaching help students strengthen their skills and improve their test performance. The student also shared that she is always finding new and fun ways to motivate students and support their success at school. Jackie's dedication to her students and her passion for teaching make a lasting impact on her community each and every day. Congratulations to Jackie [applause] as well as Suani who are joined here tonight by family, friends, and colleagues. And we're now going to take the opportunity to watch
024a short and quick video uh to spotlight so you can see all the great things these exemplary employees do at their respective uh locations. And then after that, we'll take some photos with the board. All right, ready for the video? I'm thankful to Jesus for giving me this opportunity to serve our district. It is a great [music] privilege to work alongside and support our secretary Joan Tossas and our director Sandra. I always look forward to seeing the employees of the month and I can't believe I'm employee of the month. [music] I'm so honored to have been chosen. I work with the most admirable group of people. I started at Walton Intermediate and learn from Sher Williams. Although I no longer work at the school site, our office makes a difference in our students lives [music]
025every day by providing the best academic experience that motivates them to meet high expectations for long life success. I love the people I work with and the difference we make in our students lives. I'm so grateful for the relationships I build and I'm so blessed to be a part of such a great team. We truly all care for our student success and the Garden Grove way. >> Congratulations to Suanni. We're thrilled [music] that she's being recognized and is receiving this award as classified employee of the month. Suani [music] is a constant source of positivity in our office. She's the first person everyone sees when they walk into [music] the annex and she greets every single person with a warm and welcoming smile. That sets the tone for our office. She's an incredible hard worker with
026a [music] high level of professionalism. She takes care of everyone in this office and does it naturally. She's selfless, [music] thoughtful, and always willing to help. She's a true team player who goes above and beyond for [music] anyone who needs a support. She stands out because of her attitude, her positive attitude. She does not complain. Even with the most challenging tasks, she shows up with professionalism and grace. She is a critical [music] part of the 712 office of instruction. And I truly do not know what we would do without her. Suani, congratulations. You're an incredible, deserving person of this recognition. We're so grateful for you. And congratulations. So, it doesn't [music] surprise me that Suani has been nominated and selected as the employee of the month because she is the epitome of all that is
027good in an employee. When you walk in, you're always met with a [music] smile. I looked up the meaning of her name, Suannie, and it actually means flower or lily that brings [music] joy. And that is who she is. In fact, you can't say Suani's name without a smile. Sue Annie, she is the best. [music] >> I [applause and cheering] just want to say thank you for the nomination and the selection [music] of employee of the month. I'm super grateful this district working in Garden Grove. I'm [music] surrounded by so many amazing educators and it's just an honor to have been chosen. I think what I love most about teaching is the relationships [music] I've built with both my students and the people who I work with. At the beginning of the year, we're essentially
028handed this roster of [music] strangers. And I think, you know, you have the ups and the downs, the struggles, the successes, the making mistakes, learning from mistakes. And it's just [music] so nice to be a part of that journey and by the end they become your family. I love working with other people. Collaboration is super important to me. [music] I love sharing ideas, hearing new ideas, trying new things, and just trying to be better every day. I try to instill that in my students, that idea of better every day. You know, Kobe Bryant kind of gave me a little bit of that and I kind [music] of live that way in my own life and I try to really show that to the kids and do it myself as well. I'm super [music] grateful, too.
029I've worked at both um Rosita and here at Coreo and I've been able to work with some amazing people who've really shaped me for who I am as a teacher. They've pushed me, helped me grow, and I'm [music] so thankful for each and every one of them. Congratulations, Mrs. Novak, on earning the employee of the month for the month of [music] February here in Garden Grove Unified School District. Welld deserved from a teacher who just does so much [music] for all of our students, not only to our students, but our staff too as well. Really looking out for many here. I appreciate that. I know [music] I can speak of just times visiting your classroom and you taking the time meeting individually with our students. Something I [music] share often with parents about reassuring them
030that their child does [music] receive that individual care and attention from their teacher. Uh you model that every day in your classroom. Congratulations [music] once again to a wonderful teacher who leads by example for many to look at um with humility [music] to as well willing to share anything that she has to [music] offer. Uh I love the collaboration she has too as well for her teams. Always [music] looking out for everyone. It's uh something we appreciate and I love being [music] a part of it. Miss Novak is special because she's a great listener and she helps with a lot. She's deserving to be employee of the month because she listens to like my daily activities and stuff like that. And I guarantee you she's helping her kids now. [music] Congratulations, Miss Novak. I'm proud
031of you for being named employee of the month. [applause] >> [applause] >> And now we'll break for some photos. Here we go again. [clears throat] family. >> Come on up here with her. Sorry. >> Yeah. Sorry. >> Yeah. Here. Put it between us. We're used to [laughter] >> I don't want to >> [laughter] >> One, two, three, four. [laughter] >> [applause and cheering] >> Nice job. You were all We're going up our tippy toes. All the short ones back. >> Hey, I'm white. >> I'm also st >> You're like Amazon purple compared to us. >> Just suck it in. >> True. >> Is it weird with us back here? [laughter] She's on the court. >> Do you want me to take a picture with your phone? >> Oh my god. [applause] Yeah, definitely. We're gonna
032break just a minute for just a couple of minutes here. I know I know some of you would love to stick around and listen to us read through the audit findings, but [laughter] but uh trust me, you don't. And so we we want to give you an opportunity. We know you all have places to go, things to do. Um thank you for being with us this evening. Make that third I haven't forgot. Oh boy. >> Are we live streaming right now? Everyone, >> I know this is in the comments. Okay. Okay, let me go out very quick. >> Okay, I think we're ready to go ahead and reconvene here. Uh, next up is public comments. Uh, any anyone from the public can come and address the board and you have three minutes. Uh, clock up
033on the wall. We'll let you know how the time is passing. Uh, and you'll start to hear some warnings when you get close to the end of your time. First up is Bergam Madison. Um, good evening. My name is Madison Berga and I really appreciate the opportunity to just speak briefly tonight. and I'm here to share my son's story and the story of so many kids like James. James is actually the third generation in my family to attend GGUSD. And my family and I decided to keep our roots here in Garden Grove because we know that GGUSD is known for giving amazing opportunities to its children. And I know I wouldn't be where I am today without the head start that GGUSD gave me. However, I didn't realize that the amazing opportunities don't always easily
034apply to special needs kids like my son. He was funneled through the system from early intervention straight into a moderate severe setting. And I, like so many other parents, trust the school to know what is right for our kids and to provide them with an appropriate and ambitious education. Imagine to my surprise my frustration when [snorts] he continuously comes home with work that is easier than stuff he's done last year and a lot of the work that he comes home with in his month severe class or arts and crafts [snorts] and it's he's in first grade now presume competence the biggest issue that I have seen is the lack of faith in our special needs children. It has been a gauntlet trying to get James an appropriately ambitious education and it has caused so much
035stress on our family and we are fighting against the assumption that kids like James can't excel or meet more challenging work. He has had to climb up the ladder and jump through hoops [laughter] to prove that he is capable of learning more to access education. And it shouldn't be this hard for families like ours. [snorts] We can do better for our special needs kids. We need to presume confidence and give these children opportunities to learn and grow. We need to not only meet the kids where they're at, but help them ex excel and succeed and design a variety of appropriate programs and settings and not just a one-sizefits all because every kid is different. And it all starts by shifting the narrative and perspective to presume competence. Thank you. >> Thank [applause] you. >> Next
036up, Charlene Quay. >> Good evening, President Harden, trustees, Dr. Mafy, and all the administrators here and present. I just want to first just um say thank you to my my fellow friend my friend Madison Berga for speaking tonight and also to congratulations for the staff and employees. Um, my name is Charlene. My name is Charlene Quayar and I'm a parent and in trustee area 2 and I'm here tonight to share gratitude and a story that has stayed with me over the past year through meetings at GGUS uh, Garden Grove High School, excuse me. Um, through the parent leadership academy and most recently through the honored Argos program at Grove. I've had the privilege of meeting so many families for our um from our school communities and have had who um have had the privilege of
037working with them um who quietly and consistently show up um for our schools and for our families and for our students. Um there is one um parent in particular that I want to honor um without naming her because she u because her story represents so many others just like her. And I first met her early in the school year. She was wearing a headset using our district's translation services and I noticed she had her baby stroller with her. Then she was there at the parent leadership academy again with her baby stroller, still learning, still engaged, and still showing up. And then there she was again volunteering to support the honored Argos tradition by volunteering. And once again, um was was there once more, our support was supported by our incredibly incredible community liaison and translation
038services. What inspires me the most is not just that she came, but that our district made it possible for her to participate through translation services, community liaison, and welcoming school spaces. Barriers were lowered because of those instances. And because of that, a parent who may might otherwise be left out became fully engaged and was included. I want to express my deep gratitude to GGUSD staff, teachers, and support teams who make that um inclusion real and not just in policy and practice. And I want to say to that parent and to all the parent volunteers, your presence matters. You are part of the fabric of our schools and you give me hope just not just for our schools and our district, but our culture, our community, and for democracy. Thank you, GGUSD. Thank you, Miss Square.
039Next up, we have the approval of the minutes from our regular board meeting of January 20th. Questions or comments related to the minutes as presented. Let's call the vote, please. >> Student trustee Christy Gatichu. >> Hi. >> Trusty Walter Mun. >> Hi. Trusty Terry Roco. >> Hi. >> Trusty Lenwin. >> I chairperson Bob Hartin. >> Hi. >> Next up, item four, administration. I need a motion. >> Move item 4 a land wind moved a second. >> Back starting in uh about 2014 2015, we began working on governance standards with CSBA. Um by 2018 we had adopted a full set of government governance standards and we re review those each year and this is our annual adoption of the board governance handbook for the 2026 calendar year. Questions or comments? Let's call the vote. >> Student
040trustee Christy Gatichu. >> I trust Walter Mun. >> Hi. >> Trusty Terry Roco. >> Hi. Trusty Lenwin. >> Yes. >> Chairperson Bob Harden. >> Hi. >> Item five, programs and instruction. >> Walter, I moved by items 5 A through C. >> D Roco. I uh I move that I second the motion. Sorry. >> 5A is acceptance of the midyear local control and accountability plan update for 20 2526. Item 5B is the Filomaric Society Strike Up the Band Grant Program. The purpose of the grant is to enhance and grow existing music programs by providing new instruments and materials to schools to replace aging instruments, create new music programs, or serve a growing music program by providing an infusion of additional instruments. Staff recommends the board approve the application to district schools that wish to apply for
041the strike up the ban grant and to accept funding if chosen by the filmonic society of Orange County 5C. We have one out of district event uh Pacifica High School 21 color guard members attending the Winter Guard Association of Southern California Las Vegas Championship in Henderson, Nevada at the end of March. Questions or comments on any of those? >> Call the vote. >> Student trustee Christy Gatichu. >> Hi. >> Trusty Walter. >> I. >> Trusty Terry Roco. >> I. >> Trusty Lenwin. >> Yes. >> Chairperson Bob Hartin. >> Hi. >> Item six, business. Need a motion for 6 A through F. >> Trusty Roco. I move we approve items 6 A through F. >> Len win. I second it. 6A is our annual audit. Uh board's being asked to accept the financial statement and report
042of examination prepared by Christy White, Inc. for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 2025. 6B is measure P, financial and performance audits under Prop 39. Annual independent performance and financial audits are required to ensure that bond proceeds have been expended only on the school facilities projects listed within the measure. Staff recommends that the board accept the performance of financial audit reports for measure P prepared by Christy White for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 2025. Item 6 C is a school readiness grant audit. The district is required to provide an audit of the school readiness grant funds. The audit considers internal controls and accounting policies as well as is evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Staff recommends that the board accept the audit report for the school readiness grant prepared by Christy White,
043Inc. again for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 2025. for those three audits. Um the quick overview of the findings from Christy White. Um we have audited the accompanying finan accompanying financial statements of the governmental activities and the aggregate remaining fund information uh the garden school district school readiness grant agreement as of and for the year ended June 30th, 2025. In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly in all material respects the respective financial position of the governmental activities and the aggregate remaining fund information of the school readiness grant as of June 30th, 2025 and the respective changes in financial position for the year then ended in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. So, it's good audit report. um they could probably create a new revenue
044stream by marketing it as a sleeping aid. Um but but our for our financial folks, it's a good audit report. 6D uh request for proposal number 2025 or excuse me 256. uh expanded a learning program for culinary arts uh before and after school and summer program. Um due to strong student interest uh RFP was completed in order to expand the culinary arts enrichment offerings with and it within BGC and at individual school sites as part of their afterchool programs. It's recommended the board accept the bid from Rainbow Chefs Academy as the most responsive and responsible bidder meeting the specifications, terms, and conditions of the RFP. 6E is rejection of a liability claim. And 6F is purchase order and checks totaling 14,851,97427. Questions or comments on any of those items? Call the vote. >> Student trustee
045Christy Gatichu. >> Hi. >> Trusty Walter. >> I. >> Trusty Terry Roco. >> I. >> Trusty Lenwin. >> I. >> Chairperson Bob Hartin. >> Hi. >> Agenda item 7C. We had a closed session prior to this meeting to conference with our labor negotiators and with the superintendent Jason Bvakqua, assistant superintendent personnel services, Tonnie Fawn, assistant superintendent business services and Roxanne Linds, director of business services. Uh, no action taken during that closed session. I need a motion for 7 A and B. >> Walter, I move 7 A and B. >> L seconded. Questions or comments? Hearing none, let's call the vote. >> Student trustee Christy Gatichu >> abstain. >> Thank you. Trusty Walter Mun. >> Hi. >> Trusty Terry Roco. >> Hi. >> Trusty Lenwin. >> Hi. >> Chairperson Bob Hartin. >> Hi. >> This point
046before we go to board comments, we want to pause for a moment and welcome Mayor of Westminster. [applause] Okay. I >> think you have a presentation for the board. >> Yes. board president, uh, board members, uh, superintendent and, uh, everyone here tonight. Uh, my name is G. Charling. I'm the mayor for city of Westminster, and I am also, um, board president for Midway City Sanitary District. That was the reason why I'm late today. I just like the board president, I have, we have the meeting tonight. So, the meeting start at 5:30. I didn't expect that the meeting go that long but you never could you never tell can tell. So that's why you know I tried to hurry myself to be here. Um at this point here I my apologies for being late. The second
047thing is I want to represent the city of Westminster uh to um present you with a certificate of recognition and present it to Garn Unified School District in celebration of your 60 um anniversary and in recognition of your commitment in providing exceptional education and your remarkable contribution to our city uh to our community. And uh this is dated on Thursday of February 26 by me and Ching went on this date uh with along with our council member. So I would like to present this one to you. Thank you. [applause] One, two, three. [applause] brings us to the board com board member comments portion of the meeting. We'll start with our student board representative Christy Gachu. >> Hello everyone. I first want to begin by expressing deep appreciation for the many families in our district celebrating
048the Lunar New Year as the incredible lion dancers brought so much energy, joy, and cultural pride into this space. I hope this season reminds you all of the power of tradition, renewal, and shared hope and continue to use it to enrich our community in meaningful ways. As a young black woman and the student representative, I'm proud that our district is also honoring the 100th anniversary of Black History Month. What began in 1926 as Negro History Week, founded by Carter G. Woodson expanded into a month-long celebration in 1978 and continues to ensure that black history is taught, valued, and never erased. Together, these celebrations reflect who we are as a district, diverse, unified, and committed to equity and belonging. Thank you all, and I look forward to sharing more updates next meeting as we continue our
049work across the district and celebrate Women's History Month in March. >> Yes. Thank you, President Harden. Good evening everybody. Um, couple of things on my uh list today. You're going to make it uh try to make it as smooth as possible. We might actually get out of here by 8:30 today, which is uh really cool. Um, really quick, I do want to ask our superintendent, when is our next board meeting? >> March 3rd. >> Okay, gotcha. Um, so want to talk a about a little bit about some of the events I attended. Um, some of uh them I attended with my colleagues. The imagine this art exhibit uh was a really nice one where I saw some of my colleagues there and uh getting to see the artwork of a kindergartener or a transitional kinder
050kindergartener and then seeing it uh reimagined by an artwork um of a high schooler. I thought that was really like a cool unique concept. So kudos to the the team for for having that really nice um exhibit. Uh I also attended the uh Anyong uh welcome from uh the city of Garden Grove sister city association partnership that they have uh out there with Terry and and vice president. So that was really nice to get to see all the students that come. Um that was neat. Um and then looking forward to some uh events that are coming up. I'm going to be attending the city of Santa Ana's celebration that's going to be happening this Saturday. Um, and this is their third annual uh one. So, it's really nice. I recommend the community to check it
051out. It's not as as as advertised as a lot of the other test celebrations, but obviously it's very very nice and one of our largest partners. And speaking of the city of Sana, I'm sure some of the council members would have been here to also uh congratulate us with their 60th, but they are also currently having a Sana city council meeting. And if you ever seen the Sana City Council meeting, they go up until 2 to 3:00 a.m. in the morning. So, uh I definitely don't think they'll they'll be able to make it, but I'm sure they send their uh regards. Uh another event that I'm going to be debuting, first time I ever attended, will be I'll ever attend. It'll be my first time attending the um Westside Pony Baseball Parade. Um and so
052it'll be nice to go to Terry's side of town and and uh wave to all the wonderful people out there. So it'll be really really neat to go first time. I'll be going um as a supporter of of Yenya. So it'll be it'll be nice to go with the kiddos. Um, and then lastly, I do want to just give a quick community shout out to a local um, run club that's been established here in the city of Garden Grove. It's called Mother Runners Run Club. Actually, Charlene is a is is an active member and this is a group of moms who uh, decided to come together in the city of Garden Grove and participate in running. And these are some of our parents, some of our community members. Uh so they meet pretty much weekly
053and uh at Steelcraft at Morning Coffee Garden Grove is one of their supporters and they run anywhere between one miles to two miles to three miles. So any parent of ours, any community members um that like to attend is completely free and open to the public and they have a really good time. I'm there as a as just a supporter. Uh but I really do um enjoy what they're about and what they are doing. I'm a for those that don't know, I'm a big runner myself. actually just ran a half marathon this Sunday, so I'm completely tired. Uh so if I'm a little bit out of it, that's the reason why. Um but yeah, other than that, I do just want to uh note and I know that Dr. Mafi is already on it for
054the parent that spoke if we can just get staff to follow up and then if they can just get a report back to the board. And that's all I have for today. Thank you, >> Christy Roco. >> Yes. Good evening. Uh first of all, I want to thank the Bulsa students for kicking off our Lunar uh new year celebration as we'll have many at many of our schools and with out in the community. Uh congratulate our outstanding employees of the month and thank them for their service to our district as well as their outstanding contributions. Um I attended as uh Walter said the uh uh reception for the Korean exchange students. Um so we are hosting Korean students and then some of our students will be going there. So I just think this is a
055remarkable experience for both groups of students and for our city as well. Um, I had the opportunity to attend getting cozy with inclusion uh at Lawrence where students wear soft cozy pajamas as well as the staff and uh bundled up on blankets on the floor. You walk into the NPR, the lights are low, twinkle lights around and a um fireplace projected on the uh screen. It was a very inviting atmosphere and the uh older six I think it was sixth grade uh students were reading to TK and kinder students uh both gened and special ed kids and everyone was very engaged and it was just very heartwarming to see. I was very impressed by the leadership of the uh sixth grade kids. We have some very good prospective teachers in there who were so engaged
056with the younger kids, reading to them, holding the book up so they could see the pages, asking them questions. It it was very impressive. Um, so I enjoyed that very much. Uh, let's see what else. I went to Bryant uh FRC to present help present certificates to parents who completed a parented course called the 10 essentials education essentials. I really enjoyed sharing that proud moment with the parents and [clears throat] looking forward to seeing some of them as future leaders, parent leaders. Uh hair had his open house that I went to and uh kudos to Lydia Machado and the hair staff um who did an amazing job of providing a very warm and welcoming atmosphere for not only the parents but the students and their younger siblings. It was a family event. They had hot
057dogs outside, came into the MPR, and instead of going to each teacher's room, the teachers were all in the NPR around the tables. It was very informal and very I think this brought the stress level down. Sometimes for some of our parents who come to events or sometimes they can't make them and this might be the one they come to and they don't know if they know people or what to expect. And especially at a continuation school where um sometimes it's challenging for our families to get there because they live far away. They have different things going on. Everybody was there like it was a a community event. It was just brought everybody together. I really really like the way that they thought outside the box to provide this event and the teachers and and
058the parents were talking very informally and and uh mingling and uh I I think they had their attendance was probably the best they've ever had for that event. So kudos to them. Uh, as Walter said, we went to the uh, Imagine This Art Show and uh, it was an amazing display of of our kids, our our little ones and our older kids, their creativity and their talent that they have. And I think that this theme was my favorite. It was aliens. and uh attended the PTA council meeting and I really enjoy these meetings, all of our parent meetings, our CAC, our PTA, uh uh DAC, uh parent leadership academy. Um I see our district collaborating more and more with our parents and working as true partners. something I thought of only as a dream 20
059years ago is um come to fruition and um I think that parent engagement and the leadership what I saw was at its finest. So thank you. >> Thank you. >> Um thank you very much. Uh first of all for last few last week I was able to attend the imagine art. I mean together with trustee uh Minan and and Roco that was amazing really uh we should somehow make that uh imaginering stuff just the kids just imagine how they connected all together to the teach thesis that showcase a lot of creativities in our students and then always impressive seeing their creativity together especially when you have the the two really uh uh very uh diverse uh spectrum of uh the im imagineering stuff the the high school kid and the kindergarten that were amazing to
060see their artwork in as presented there. Um and also I also congratulate this the district to do continue to do more work on a pan education. Last week I was able to to attend the educa parent education. I saw we still doing strong uh do the community uh the pan outreach. I keep calling that um now that it's sort of uh pan education stuff because we we all had to learn how to to help our student help help our children u prepare for school and the strong work the commitment that our district has been doing for the the pan outreach has been uh remember the first time first year I came in you was at the for fun of it and we now rip the harvest the food from the work they invest in for
061that many years. Uh we now still do going strong on that and I I commend the districts uh the district still commitment of doing a panelation. We do more than that. Do more education do leadership. We do engagement. We do uh empowerment. We do all kind of thing just for the purpose of engage uh our parents. So that is uh from day one when it came to the board. I strongly believe that the parent will be the partner in our education system. one they help the children, they're able to help the children. That take up a lot of workload for our teachers and by doing that the partner or the partnership will will flourish to that where we all rip the benefit that we have seen so many years and thank you to the parent.
062Thank you for the staff to make it possible that um uh uh with that partnership with with our parent and today uh the last meeting we get to uh I don't know everyone know on March 6 or 7 I and Terry will uh come to San Francisco to receive another award from CABE for our outstanding work in promoting the language uh education. As you know, our district has been very strong and recognized that the language skill is an assess. I too also believe that having a language skill uh will will make the student feel more confident, feel stronger, new, adaptable to environment they in. So having a language skill will make them actually um academically better in any subject they go. I have seen it myself and I I have seen our student not just
063we're talking about our our data really show that the more that the student uh connect to the community, the more the student can speak the language, the more they perform better in school, the the less they have the discipline problem, the the more they can interact, the more they respect with the community around them. So one day uh they know one more language just just any language they can see the horizon bigger than what what mono language uh people see. So that I strongly believe in the the the language capability cap ability that we have district see that as an assets for that. Speaking of uh seeing the culture and the language and assets, uh we now this the last meeting before of that uh test of the Vietn this year will be on Tuesday,
064February 17. So the day keep moving around. So we can never catch them until one fix years that we had to kind of bear with it. Um that this year will be on Tuesday. So today we have the board meeting very you can see the very special all board member all the staff were out we had the lion uh lion dances before and before the meeting we even have fall too. So thank you to the food service who were very been very creative in uh in in preparing the the fall uh for the district here today. And and speaking of the Vietnamese uh the the death celebration, uh I look forward to the list of the that activity, we have many already. So I'm looking forward to the list so I can see uh how
065we can work out the schedule to attend many of the that celebration. And speaking of Ted, of course, we have uh we our district will be strong in participate in the Ted parade. And it's not a coincidence the mayor from Westminster is the chief organizer of the Ted parade. So he will be there. So thank you very much mayor for for putting up that event and allowing us to participate in that and and every year our student will really uh happy to participate. we have the the the venue where can showcase our district. We can uh we can really enjoy the culture and then recognize uh the people around us and then uh thank you for the city of Westminster for putting up that effort. Uh just let us know anything we can do to
066help and not only that uh but any other event from Westminster and not only Westminster we have many event from Santa Ana too, right? we have from the county and we look forward to that. And I know uh this year on May on February 14, the Valentine day, we also sponsor participate in a flower market here at the main street. So if you haven't seen the beautiful flower on on on a new year, that is the place to see. It's right here on Main Street here in Gandro. And I mean I'm I'm looking forward to hopefully some many of our board member and staff can attend to that and I I look forward to the test parade uh and then uh we will see enjoy it starting normally in the if it was in Vietnam
067the Lat function like a ball meeting people just close out and don't come back until the next year can't do it here. [laughter] So okay thank you. Well then that's how special it is in terms of celebration. We uh this this is the last year before the the new year. So I wish everyone the uh new year with with happiness prosperity uh and more success. Uh this is next next year will be the year of the horse. So all right thank you very much. I conclude my statement. I have two quick items. Um I guess four for four on the imagine this. Um it was pretty amazing. Uh I was lucky I I snuck in ahead of some of the crowds. So I was I had seen everything and was leaving at about the time
068Terry and others were arriving. Um it it's amazing. First to see what some of the kids are imagining if you could just give them a free hand and do something about space and planets andor aliens. Um, okay. There's there was some pretty imaginative stuff there and then to see how those things are reinterpreted was was a lot of fun and there's a lot of talent out there. Um secondly, um this Thursday, um Brian Alcarez's classroom, Brian, one of the biology teachers on the planet has invited a guest speaker to come and bore his kids. Um some of you, some of you know my story about uh finding finding lost family members uh through testing and Brian does a unit every year on a lesson every year on DNA testing. That will be the place to
069be. Periods one through four on Thursday. Next meetings, uh March 3rd will be our next meeting. Uh we'll have two separate closed sessions starting at 4:30 followed by two study sessions that'll get underway at approximately 5:45. Don't don't hold me to that and um have an agenda out with the list of everything that'll be going on that evening um prior to the meeting. Um I will be traveling. I will not be in attendance on March 3rd. So Mr. W Uh then the next meeting uh will be April 7th and we'll have two study sessions that evening starting at 5:00 pm. Uh I want to take just a moment again and thank Mary and Patricia Kamargo VSA advisor and students the lion dance team that came for us this evening. Always a special presentation. >> Good
070evening. We're going to take another photo.