Capistrano USD Board Workshop | 3-4-2026

001We're ready. >> Good evening and welcome to the March 4th, 2026 board workshop meeting of the Capistron High School District. Meeting is now in session. The time is 504. I'd like to remind everyone that this is an informal workshop for the board of trustees. Mr. Swinky, can you please call the role? >> Trusty Costanos >> here. >> Trusty Pritchard, absent. Trusty Zinger >> here. >> Trusty Jones >> here. >> Trusty Adams >> here. >> Trusty Bulicus >> here. >> Trusty Davis >> here. Will you please lead us in the pledge of allegiance? Moved by Trustee Jones, seconded by Trusty Zinger. All those in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion carries 601 to adopt the agenda. The board will now recess to close session to address the following agenda item. public security. The board will reconvene

002to open session approximately 6 p.m. The boardroom will be closed to the public during the close session portion of the meeting. present the instruction material adoption cycle. >> Thank you, President Davis. Meg and Brad will be presenting the next item, the instructional materials adoption cycle. This presentation is going to provide you with some background information regarding the process as well as a proposal of a three-year textbook adoption plan in addition to the financial implications for that plan. Please again, as always, stop us at any time if you have questions. Uh Brad is going to continue on and get us started. Good evening, trustees. So, our agenda Whoops. Let me go back. Wrong way. the back. >> Oh, it's down below. This is the tricky one. >> Okay, almost there. Okay. Um, so good evening, trustes.

003Our our agenda, we're going to um first take a look just at the state's curriculum adoption process, which sort of sets um the context for our process. Then we'll take a look at our district process, and then we'll make some recommendations for our timeline for the adoption of instructional materials going forward. um really over the next 8 to 10 years is sort of what you'll see evening. I don't know that all of us will be here in the next 10 years, but >> yeah. Yeah. So, our um conrict curriculum instruction and administrative team is here on the board and they're also in our audience to this evening. So, Dr. Irvvis and I leading um curriculum instruction for both secondary and elementary. Mr. Jones, our executive director for secondary curriculum and uh Karen Gatier and Rihanna

004Stores are supporting our four core adoption areas. So uh science and math being the two key areas for um Miss Gatier and then ELA and history for Miss Sarus. So um so as we look at our the three entities at the state that sort of guide curriculum adoption process there are kind of three key groups. The first of course is the California Department of Education and that is um where we can find resources such as the standards, frameworks, materials recommended um but they don't actually guide the adoption process that actually falls to the instructional quality commission which is actually a body that um convenes review committees to review instructional materials that then a recommendation is made to the state board of education. So ultimately the state board of education that's making recommend it's it's determining

005curricular materials that they are recommending to districts to use that they believe are well aligned to state standards and the state framework. Um so then the road map is typically the state will develop or update their curriculum framework and that it's going to align to state standards and support instruction grounded in re research. Um it's not always the case that the state will um revise their curriculum frameworks ahead of a new adoption cycle. In fact, what's interesting is for the ELA adoption cycle coming up, there's no change to the 2014 curriculum framework with the exception of some additional guidance documents that they've added to the framework. Specifically, kind of really wanting to address the importance of the science of reading and addressing the need for strong instruction and reading foundational skills, which is good. So,

006that but there's no material change to the 2014 framework in this example. Um, publishers are then evaluated by that state instructional review committee, that instructional quality commission, and a list of p of publishers is then selected by the state board to be on the state's approved list of curriculum. When they did a math adoption recently, there was quite a few that they recommended um that they felt met the criteria. So, we don't know how many they will select for the upcoming ELA adoption, but it could be more than just a few. It was few years ago. Those of us have been around a few years, there was a time when it was very few that they recommended. Um I think at one point it was only two. Um so it's changed since then. Yeah. Um

007I they haven't finished yet. So the ELA is is they haven't completed that process yet. Um they will have um that will be announced to the public we hope by November of this coming year. So that would be the anticipated timeline. Um and then of course we can then begin the process of selecting our materials once. >> Can we make a clear distinction between recommended and approved? Uh because we couldn't as I understand it take the US history curriculum that's approved by say Vermont um and start using it because it is not approved for use in California. >> Correct. Yes. Uh so there's recommend there's recommendations along the line but you then are either approved or you're not >> correct >> and for some subjects you know the electives and such often there's no uh

008no approved or but but the basic the core subjects are pretty much all approved right >> so there's a distinction between K8 and high school so the state recommends or approves material to be used by districts K8 and it's tied funding. So you could go off list, but you would lose certain funding streams. So in K8, school districts almost entirely select from the state list because it would be a loss of resources. There isn't the same process in high school. There are rules about adopting, but it's not from an approved list. >> Could I ask a quick question about on page 21, the state governance? Um, under CDE it says, uh, curriculum frameworks and instructional resources division manages the public website, collects fees, facilitates, and the rest of it. What collects what fees? I was

009just curious if you know. >> Yeah, I know we added that. Dr. Do you know what that's referring to at this minute? >> Yeah, I had a guess. I would say publishers, but we can look into it. Yeah, that's what I was wondering. >> Not us. >> And then not us. >> Not us, >> right? >> Well, that would be interesting like just from the publishers point perspective >> and they're collect that. Sounds a little shady. >> Like I said, I said it was an assumption. We will check. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Let's not get too far. >> And also on the same page, um, IQC is an advisory body that recommends schedules, etc. [clears throat] >> Who is that made up of? who makes up the advisory body. >> So, um I mean there's

010there's state the the board obviously um identifies key members of that commission, but then they actually reach out to to um teachers and administrators throughout the state. So, when there's a an instructional materials adoption process, and my wife has actually served on this actually. So, they they will um invite people educators to actually be part of review teams that will review curricular materials. Okay. So interesting that you mentioned that. >> What was that Adams? Because one of our members is actually on the review committee. So Miss Sarus is actually >> Yes, I saw that >> on the um in the state ELA instructional materials review committee. So she'll be reviewing a set of materials, probably not all of them, but she'll be assigned to one publisher or two and be asked to review those materials.

011And the the value that that brings to us because Rihanna is going to assist us in our process is that she'll have that insight >> right >> from from the state in terms of the rubrics they're using and the questions they're asking about materials which is which is going to be very helpful to us. >> It's usually a pretty broad-based committee. I mean I was on it many many years ago. So the fact that they asked me as a relatively new teacher at the time broad-based >> Okay that's great. >> Yeah. When my wife served, we got pallets of materials that were delivered to my garage. Um, which stayed there for at least seven or eight years. And then I don't know why I kept them, but it was open court actually. Yeah. >> Back

012in the day. >> All right. So, I'll turn it over to Dr. Irvvis. So for our adoption timeline, it is developed in sync with the state's adoption timeline. So as the state either adopts a framework or updates recommendations for an existing framework, that generally triggers our intention to adopt materials. And as Brad mentioned, it's roughly on an 8 to 10 year cycle. It used to be back in the day almost consistently on a seven-year cycle and it's been pushed out and pushed out as there there are more opportunities to give feedback to frameworks, you know, just based on where we are in the world with technology and the ability to gather input from a variety of sources in new and different ways. There's a lot more to updating a framework and so we're roughly on

013that 8 to 10 year cycle um with the state. So, as Brad mentioned, the example now is ELA. The framework is the same, but there are additional recommendations. And so, we're entering into an adoption phase. Then, as a district, we establish for any curriculum we're considering adopting a steering committee made up of teacher leaders who have particular understanding, knowledge of that curriculum area. and they initiate the process of identifying our look fors, our priorities. What is it that we as a district need to ensure we include in an adoption? So, we want to make sure that it's hitting our our priority students uh our students with a variety of needs and addressing the district's model for whatever curriculum implementation we're going to do. And they create the rubric that lets the committee know our look

014force. So then it goes to the M. Oh, I'm supposed to be clicking. Sorry about that. So that was that one. And then material review and evaluation. So the steering committee, the subcommittee as it's named in the um board policy reviews and narrows the selection. So if for example the state approves eight different vendors for elementary ELA, it is not realistic to pilot eight different material. So we're going to have the steering committee narrow the focus so that we're putting fewer options in classrooms and we can really delve into the curriculum. We generally want um as we move into a pilot teachers to pilot generally two different uh selections could be three that's a lot within a school year and provide feedback. So in that pilot process the steering committee is generally also piloting but

015we expand it to include a a greater number of teachers. So we want teachers from across the district, uh teachers that teach different types of students. So we would want teachers who teach students with IEPs, students who are English learners, students who are gate identified and at different grade levels and different schools. We want the intention would be to have broad representation so that we can make the best choice that works across our district schools. >> Can I ask something about that? Of course. Um is how how uh easy or do you get a lot of teachers that volunteer for that? >> Generally, yes. >> Yes. >> Do okay. >> Um there's generally a strong interest in having a say in the curriculum. and what sort of the intention would be if I know that

016Brad's on it and we have the similar viewpoint on what we're looking for then maybe I wouldn't feel as compelled to participate and so I would say the participation at elementary is more broad multiple grade levels um secondary it's slightly less but still passionate individuals who want to have a say in the curriculum that's chosen >> that's good >> and as a compar For anyone who might have been around a long time ago, we used to pilot. So Brad would pilot one and I would pilot the other. And that was a really difficult model because how do we compare when we've only seen half of the options? So anyone who's participating in the pilot process in Capistron Unified for a long time now is agreeing to pilot any material up for consideration so that they

017themselves can compare the two plus and and make recommendations >> and do they I'm sorry do they pilot two in the same year? or do they >> generally? Yes. So the the the minimum expectation typically is that they would take a a sample curriculum through an entire unit of study from introducing the unit until the final assessment because within textbooks each unit or chapter depending on how they're chunking it has the same components just a new set of standards that those components are covering. So generally we try and time it that they can at least get through an entire unit and then they do an entire unit of the other curriculum. Okay. >> Um additionally in that pilot process we are gathering feedback from students and parents in addition to the teachers participating. So we

018use survey models um to gather information from parents and students who are experiencing the pilot from that perspective. >> Okay. Yes. >> So you probably try to get this teacher is going to do unit one, unit two, so that because nobody's piloting the entire curriculum. Correct. >> Correct. >> Yeah. >> They'll review the entire curriculum, but they're only actually teaching a chunk of it or a piece of it. >> I have a question. I've been around long enough. I remember the days of the year before all that science had come in. Um it was a real issue between elementary and secondary because a teacher in secondary could get new curriculum and you know generally they're teaching in the same subject matter or maybe two but when all of a sudden we'd have English and math

019you know the same year for elementary it was daunting you. >> So I get personally I get our process here at the district. What I want to ask, do you happen to know when it comes to the state framework and a 10y year 8 to 10 year are other states as slow as we are? Because to me an excellent example is and we've got the ladies in the front here. Let's talk AI. if we wait 8 to 10 years before we have curriculum and they were steadfast and we had Stephanie Aa actually on the CSBA committee guiding that um we're ahead of most school districts on that and so when we have our mission statement to prepare our students to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world we are so freaking slow in California

020do you know how we compare to other states I don't know how we compare to other states, but one of the changes having been around for a really long time myself um is that because at this point really anything we adopt has a digital component and that is updated regularly and so back gone are the days where that textbook is as it is and it's not going to change. the resources that we have that accompany the textbook do change and get updated throughout the adoption and that's part of the package >> as long as we've approved the vendor >> right so that's the the part of approving the vendor and that's one of the things we would look at when looking at a vendor is is it going to be static for 10 years or

021is it going to be change the other thing I would say is is >> where we get to do our work so is I would say pedigogy versus curriculum right curriculum is the standards you're going to teach and the book you're going to adopt but ped pedigogy becomes the instructional strategies that the teachers are using. So you might be using instructional strategies that didn't have AI for those standards and now we're going to support our teachers and give them an AI training and then they're going to use instructional strategies that do leverage AI um as an instructional strategy without the curriculum change because the California standards didn't change, right? The standards for the spiral reading standards and the spiral writing standards. So, um, >> we do get to speed ourselves up provided we have the

022resources to do so on the instruction side of the house, even if we can't speed up the the curriculum side. I mean, we'll talk about it later, but but curriculum adoption is prohibitively expensive. Um, and so, while it has taken longer for the state to produce frameworks ever since the shift to Common Core before it was on a seven-year cycle, many districts did not adopt on a seven-year cycle because they simply couldn't afford to. They couldn't afford to reby every seven years. So many districts were already on a 10 or 12 year cycle even though the state had a faster cycle. So that's the other I think part of it that comes at that middle ground of 10 years. Like we don't have to do an adoption. We're going to propose some options. Um but

023we don't have to do one. Can you give me an example like reading what's going on in elementary and all of the talk now in terms of like some revolutionary reading now the science of reading? >> So break it down for me. I'm not an educator. >> Okay. >> Um but we're trying to help make decisions here. >> Well um so and interesting tomorrow I'll be at Wood Canyon. We'll be talking about it. So um so essentially um we have to make sure that we are teaching kids um to effectively decode the text on the on the page in order to comprehend the text. Right? Um I've been around a few years and when I first started as a sixth grade teacher at a K6 school, I had kids who in sixth grade couldn't read.

024And the methodology we employed at the time which was whole language um was not helping kids learn to read. So there was a whole methodology for teaching reading that wasn't serving students and it wasn't based on anything that the science was saying. But there was a concern that teaching kids explicitly how you connect the sounds of the English language to print was somehow low and ineffective and wrote memorization and wasn't actually helping kids, you know, pull the words from the page. that if you you surrounded them with print and gave them comfortable settings around and put a lot of books in the classroom that they would discover how to learn to read the same way that you acquire the ability to speak. So children naturally learn to speak. They don't naturally learn to read. And

025so we have to explicitly teach them to read by making the um the code that is our sound spelling system explicit and clear to them. Now the challenge is always that some children um seem to have u um deciphered the code before they even get to us. Right? Parents read to them a lot. They seem to be able to read words. They come in, they they're reading and they it feels like teaching them phmic awareness or teaching them phonics is taking something away from them or slowing them down, which really isn't the case. I had one of those. Uh my son was an avid reader reading Harry Potter at grade two, but he wasn't a very good speller because he couldn't he didn't connect sound spelling sounds and spelling, right? He didn't connect the patterns

026of the English language initially. him he's fine now, but he didn't initially um have that in place. And if he'd received more explicit direct instruction on this on foundational reading skills, he would have been more successful. And so the common core really did address that. It did say foundational reading is important. Um but I think our initial curriculum adoptions um were still hanging on to some old teaching strategies that were even evident even in our the current adoption. Right? So, our current option is much better than what was before. Um, but it one of the reasons I'm excited about the possibility of adopting new materials is that we can get all on the same page in terms of how to teach reading. Um, so that some of the coherence we've established in math instruction um

027with our more recent adoption across the district, we can employ in elementary reading instruction as well. We have we're much better. we with all the Orton Gillingham training and the Heggerty and we're supplementing our core program quite a bit. It would just be nice if it was all coherent and in one program and so that would support um a more coherent approach to teaching reading which I think would then help accomplish your goal of reading by third grade. Um because we're we're okay. we 70 to 80% of our kids are reading by third grade, but that means there's 30 to 20 to 30% that are not. And and it doesn't matter what your background is, you can learn to read. So, we need to help all kids learn to read. That's sort of my mission,

028too. And I know it's our superintendent's mission, it's your mission. So, I I just think that this will be helpful. I think our teachers also want it, too. They would love to have something that we're all using and that we're all on the same page. So I I you know >> so we would like to you'll see as we go through that that we would like to start next year. We'd like to actually pilot materials next year. We'll be kind of in step with the state. So we'll obviously need to watch to see what the state recommends by November. We'll be right in the middle of our process and so we might have to make some shifts like if we were going down a road with something that wasn't state recommended, we might have to

029adjust. Um I don't think we will, but um we would hope to bring um uh curriculum to you again if it's supported by by all of you and we have the resources to do it. Bring something to you a year from now um for option for the 20 uh 728 school year. Yeah, >> I'm sorry to have to sidebar this, but uh it's it's pretty important to me um because I know there were teachers in some of our two-way schools who were very disappointed in the adoption last time >> and my understanding is that the primary primary complaint was that the literature provided in Spanish was not authentic. It was translations of Okay. Um, and I just want to make sure we don't make that mistake again because we're either going to teach two-way immersion

030or we're not. And if we are, we need to be doing it right. Okay. >> Yeah. Yeah. And we will be calling this a language arts adoption. So, it our my goal it would be to have a Spanish language arts align with our English language arts and be of both of equal quality. Right. >> Okay. Thank you. So that's and we will have LI teachers on our committee to make sure we're looking for those very things. So >> you may have answered this already. I can't remember. Do we know which ELA curriculum publishers were piloting for next year? We don't know yet. >> Okay. >> I mean I know a little bit but it's >> no for 26 27 >> we don't know which hasn't identified them yet. >> Yeah. The state hasn't even approved

031a list of vendors yet. >> Okay. We're we're going to be kind of sailing with them a little bit, but we will, you know, we're we'll I think we'll know which ones are on the list by the summer and then that'll guide our process. And like I said, if we if they come out with a recommendation of something that, you know, or didn't recommend something that we were looking at strongly, we'll have to make a shift. But I doubt that's going to happen. And it's usually some pretty clear programs out there that that we tend to be looking at and and they're likely to be approved and we have our inside person on, you know, can kind of guide us as well with Rihanna being on that committee. I think that's going to help. So,

032>> so continuing with our district adoption timeline. So um we'll be in a pilot phase and then once the pilot is concluded we've gathered feedback from students, parents, teachers bringing it back to the steering committee. All of the participating teachers review that data and come to consensus on materials to recommend for adoption. At that point, that recommended adoption goes to the IMRC. The instructional material review committee reviews the materials and also the process that that committee used to arrive at those materials. And then if they are in support, they vote to send those materials forward to the board. Because as you know, but I'm stating for the public, it is the school board who ultimately votes to select materials for our classrooms. >> Yes, of course. >> Um I'm just curious about the teachers piloting.

033How many teachers participate that in that? And do all the teachers who want to participate have an opportunity to or is it just a number? >> Yes. So it depends on which it is. If it's a a subject in high school, if it's biology, we invite all biology teachers to participate. Maybe we would get 70 to 80% in elementary. We need representation K TK5. Yeah. Across the district, across schools, the only thing I would say is the only reason we might not have somebody on would be if we have too many of one and not enough of something else. Right. So if I if I have all these fifth grade teachers want to be on the pilot, but I have don't have enough second and I would want to have a representative group of all

034those grade levels and and all of those groups, right? Because we're ultimately going to vote on something. And so if it's upper grade heavy or primary heavy, that would be a problem. So that would be the rationale for maybe saying no to some just so that we can get some. >> Totally understandably. I'm I'm wondering like how many teachers do you typically especially elementary have to say no to? >> We had 90 last time. What was it for math? >> 83 in the math adoption. So >> nice. >> Pretty good. >> And is the consensus at the end usually pretty like do do most teachers usually agree on or is it >> No. Okay. >> No, not always. >> I haven't I haven't participated in this yet. >> I think in the math adoption it

035was like 8020. >> Yeah, it was strong. So strong. That's what I want. But you still have 20% who No, I want that one. And and >> yeah, >> um >> you know, like you hear me say often, unfortunately, there's nothing we're going to do that is universally everyone's like, "Yep, that's the right decision." >> Right. >> We what we would do is we would that's why the rubric's going to be so important. What we establish is this is the rubric we're using to evaluate the materials. >> And then as we come to that consensus process, if there's people that are feeling like, well, I don't think this maybe the majority feels some way, but somebody's not feeling that way. The process I would want to employ is I would want to hear from those

036people like because they may be sharing something that's a blind spot for the rest of the group. We need to hear that group out and then go back to our rubric and look and see and then maybe we revote or we we look for consensus again. Um and I'll be very much a part of that with Miss Sarus so that you know we'll make sure that we can get to that consensus because we don't want to adopt something that people where there's if there's a major problem with it you know we want to make sure we have the right materials. Well, it's good to know that the pool is so large, though, too. And I understand you're never going to get everyone to agree, but I just wanted to >> But you also want to

037get kind of a cross-section of the district. Some title one schools, some to immersion schools, some non-title one schools, etc. Okay. >> Question. Uh, do teachers get stipens for participating in this? Um if we we not a stipen but if we hold after school meetings we're going to compensate them for their time uh being part of it and then we might have to have them here during the day too. We would obviously cover with subs that would but that's what we'll budget for >> because we always want to have our experts. Do we ever ask principles for recommendations for those who um have offered their services? Yeah, we're going to um our plan for the ELA is to put out a survey to all teachers if they want to express interest, but we'll also get

038feedback from principles as well um as we look because we'll have a steering committee that won't be quite as large as the large as the whole pilot. So, we'll need feedback from principles on that and when principles will be on that steering committee as well. They obviously can't pilot the materials, but we want site administrators to be part of our committee as well. Um, once the materials are sent to the IMRC and approved, it says then they're made available for a 30-day public review. Can you describe that process for the public? >> Absolutely. So, moving into that slide. So, but you No, that was the perfect handoff. I appreciate it. It's like we planned it. Um so yes we have the the materials sit out for public review for a minimum of 30 days. It

039is generally longer than that and we that is managed by our um instructional materials center which we call the IMC. So tonight we're using two acronyms IMRC that's the 15 members who move curriculum forward to board. IMC is the language we use to describe the center that houses all of our curriculum. So there is a public review process and that is um part of the board packet will say that those materials are on review and any member of the public can come and see those materials here at the district office and we can make arrangements um if there's any difficulty with that and like I said it's generally more than 30 days and then once the materials are adopted so assuming that trustees vote to adopt the materials they remain available for public review indefinitely.

040For as long as we're using those materials, they're housed in the IMC and available for public review. They're also on school sites available for public review as well. So board approval and then they go into the IMC indefinitely and then as once they are approved for use then we go into our implementation phase and that includes professional learning assessment alignment ongoing monitoring. We're doing professional development, staff trainings, bringing teachers back to learn the new material. And for example, with math in both elementary and middle that teachers all receive training prior to the start of the school year and at the beginning of the school year and then again throughout the school year to support a strong implementation in an ongoing way. Um, is there, this is might be a funny question. Is there any kind

041of mechanism once we begin implementing a curriculum and it's kind of like, oo, this isn't what we thought it was or this isn't as great as we hoped it would be. Is there any kind of like fix or all sales are final? [laughter] Right. The books are ours once we purchase them. If there was a fundamental issue, we would expect the publisher to provide updates in the form of a supplemental booklet depending on what it is. if they suddenly realize we are missing something or in the online resources and over time as research comes out um it is dynamic and so we bring in supplemental materials when needed when we find that there is a lack in a curriculum. I would also add that because we control the timeline on our side. Um it would

042not be unheard of to say um we have two two or three that we're piloting, we've discovered that really one or two of them is not going and we would extend the pilot another year to bring in other vendors, right? Like so we're not going to just well we have to finish in one year of a pilot so we'll we'll take one of these two because we have to. If if the teachers pilot both and are like these are unacceptable, we would start over and repilot. So, the goal is not to just rush to the finish and just to select something, but to make sure they get something we like. In fact, we've recently done a two-year pilot with materials to make sure that that happened. We have done that. So, so we control the

043timeline, so we don't have to finish at the end of the first year if the materials are unacceptable. I believe we had something akin to that with our physics pilot where the initial when we did bio and chem we weren't happy with the physics options and so extended that and continue to look for better resources for that particular subject. Okay. So here is a general plan um of when we would consider adoptions um around that 10-year cycle. there are a lot of things that go into developing the plan. So I think uh this was brought up earlier part of that is staggering the implementation. So what is unique for example in elementary school is all teachers teach all subjects and so it would be unwise to do a math adoption and a science adoption in

044the same year for elementary because the same person is teaching that material. In secondary, it's by subject. So that impact is not the same. However, it's also the capacity to support. And so we have an amazing humanities coordinator and STEM coordinator, but it's a small and mighty K12 team. And so we want to stagger implementation both on the sites side and on the district side so that we can fully support each of our pilots and adoptions. And then the cycle that we have on this piece of paper is very likely to change based on changes at the state. So if the state delays the history framework, we're going to be waiting for the aligned materials to come out. So this is a general guide for us. we have a a fairly solid idea of what's

045coming in the next three years, but then we would adjust the overall 10-year plan based on state actions, budget, and other factors at the time. So, that leads us to what's coming next, our recommendation for consideration if restricted funds are available. And what we're using for our adoptions are restricted funds. Um we're recommending a 26 27 elementary ELA EL pilot and adoption. So piloting throughout the year coming to consensus moving it to the IMRC moving it to the board. So we're recommending that process in 2627 for ELA EL and those are adopted in conjunction >> at Spanish as well. So I probably should have said language arts there. So language arts, elementary language arts. >> So then in 2728 while we're implementing that adoption, so doing professional development and support and teachers are utilizing that

046curriculum in the classrooms, we would initiate a high school math pilot and adoption. And when we speak to high school math pilot, we're we're specifically talking about algebra, geometry, algebra 2. Um when we get into in high school other off like AP Calc, there is a different timeline because the those are more driven by the test changes. So when they redo a test, we look at our materials to see if they're aligned to support preparation for that exam. But so when I say high school math, we're specifically focused on algebra, geometry, and algebra 2 and 2728 for a pilot. And then those materials would be implemented in 2829. And we would initiate a secondary language arts and EL adoption um in that year for middle school and potentially high school depending on what's available. So,

047that's our three-year focus. >> Oh. Oh my gosh. I'll be allowed to be in charge of it. >> Oh, I have a question about uh math, secondary math. Um, it seemed to me that last time there was a lot of conflict and I may not really be remembering this well about integrated VA math versus the algebra one, geometry, etc. And I I am not a math teacher. I am the farthest thing from a math teacher. But um my sense was that a lot of people who had worked in both systems felt that for students, integrated math really worked better. But it seemed as though teachers in this district who have never worked in with integrated math fought against that. And I'm I guess I'm just I I don't want to throw anybody under the bus,

048but I'm a little concerned that we could get that same response this time. And and I I don't have a dog in this hunt. I just felt like I was hearing from people who whose opinion I respected and seemed to know a lot about this that students benefit from integrated math and that we were not getting acceptance from that idea. So it is more common to have the model that we have in place the algebra geometry algebra 2 right and both models can serve students because ultimately it's the quality of instruction and that's what we would be focusing on there are some challenges to shifting in the middle of a student's pathway because we have done standard alignment for an algebra course a geometry course and algebra So to go into an integrated math model

049where those standards are taught different taught in a different order combined differently that's a significant shift. We can look at the time we're doing that in two years to see what the state has available as potential curriculum and how it would work best for our district. But the more common model is what we have here in Kappo. >> Okay. The state has tried multiple times to do integrated math and integrated science. I don't if you guys remember integrated science from the early 2000s um and and it has not gotten widespread adoption um either time in either math or science because it's just a not the historical context, b it's um hard pedagogically on teachers who've done their entire career in one sort of model to switch to an entirely different model that they were never

050trained for. Um so the the training load is hard. It's hard for kids to move in and out of districts as they move. So for parts of the state that have high migration rates, um that's really tough on kids to move in and out of districts of different models. Uh and it's uh not necessarily always dual enrollment friendly, um it doesn't match our Saddleback partners and the classes they're going to offer. So there's been a lot of logistic challenges to it. So it's one of those things that's been a great idea on paper. Um I taught integrated science for years, uh but it didn't actually work for non for non-academic reasons. >> Another quick question. Um, in sixth grade as a parent, I only knew what my school was for my kids. So, at New

051Hart, Jeff Jones time, um, they had for sixth graders, they would have a teacher that they would have twice. And I think the combo is usually English and history that they would have the same teacher. Do we still do that? >> Right now, we don't have that model. We have um ly math teachers teaching math history teachers teaching but that occurred when we shifted to the middle school model. So when we I don't know the exact timing for you, but when we brought sixth graders onto the campus, we had a lot more of the block period of ELA social studies and math science. There are some uh challenges with that as well. And so we have been for a long time now having those classes taught. Um I I can't say it would never happen

052again because if we decided that was what was best for our students, we could look at that. But right now that is not a model we have at any of our sites. >> And sorry, we were having a sidebar here just to kind of talk a little about that. Part of that's credentiing, right? So when we move six into seventh middle school, you can theoretically teach sixth grade with a multiple subject credential, an elementary credential. And so actually some districts went to what was called self-contained sixth grade where it was just like K through five where the teacher taught all subjects. Um, but in a world of declining enrollment and smaller things, you might have a sixth grade math teacher who also teaches seventh grade math. Uh, and that seventh grade math cannot be a

053multiple subject credential, right? So, when you talk about it's a math teacher and a science teacher at the middle school level, especially for some of our small K8s and small middle schools like Hanky, there's no way they can have a sixth grade math science teacher. So, they have to be able to teach multiple. So, so that that uh kind of changes it. And I may not have understood it uh correctly at the time, but I think I was told that it's a way to ease a grade school child into middle school without as many, you know, bouncing around. And the only reason that it made me think of it is to see that English and science while they were adopted at different years were looking to implement the same year. And so that's what made

054me think of it. >> Yep. >> I have another question. Sorry. Um, I would love to find out. I just want I'm so grateful to understand the process. So, thank you for this presentation for sure. I I do get a lot of complaints about our math curriculum that was just recently adopted and a lot of teachers tell me they have to supplement it with previous um years of curriculum they had. Some of them are even going back like 20 years. They're pulling things to get um some of the pieces that they feel like are missing. just just so I understand the process. Would it be possible for me to pull like what the committee said during that adoption period and just what the numbers were? I'm just I'm curious what the discrepancy was and maybe

055there wasn't a program that everyone was going to be happy with. Maybe just our choices were limited. >> Absolutely. We we maintain those records so we can get you feedback that was provided for. Is it specifically elementary or middle? >> I get more middle, but I hear it in elementary, too. And maybe it's just a new curriculum that they're getting used to, but I still I don't know. I've heard I've heard enough from enough different teachers in different sites that I'm like, I would love to see how that went down. So, um, we absolutely can provide that feedback to you. We do have that and I know that Erin's getting her to-do list right now. Um, additionally, it isn't uncommon when we implement a new curriculum. It is generally also tied to some shifts in

056pedigogy. And so, math is different now. And so, that's sometimes a heavy lift for a teacher. And so it may feel like it's the curriculum that is clunky, but really it is different. >> And so it can take time for a teacher to learn the curriculum and find all the pieces where they knew where that was in their previous curriculum, how to, you know, how to put it together, where the students were likely going to struggle, how to supplement that. So it is a common process. It's like growing pains. But when if we did become aware of true things that were not available, we would add additional resources to and have those available through Canvas for teachers. So, we can definitely get you that information. >> So, much I've also heard similar conversations with middle

057school teachers in particular, and I think standards have changed somewhat in math. >> They have. um they've changed where they're being taught and the rigor of the classes. So there there are just a lot of shifts and moving away from the kind of I do we do you do model where it's it's been provided in a different way and it's more um of a a kind of a discovery model and a focus on problem solving, a focus on critical thinking and math. So, it's really a shift in so many ways. And so, the curriculum is designed to support that shift, but the shift is challenging and we're providing support for that as well. And ultimately, that material when we do a pilot um we don't have we don't vote. We're not part of the process.

058So, it is the teachers who piloted the material who ultimately move it forward for adoption. But then I don't know, I can't think of an adoption we've had in my time that didn't come with the growing pains we're experiencing right now with math because it's the newest. >> Well, perhaps we in our training we can share that if we don't like either and we bring it back next year and especially now that we are hopeful to have more options moving forward that that would be that that would be a better piece. said, "Math has not changed. Clark's job in math has not changed. His his addition, his his everything that he's going to calculate for our budget, that has not changed." And I hope we're preparing our students to have Clark's job someday. >> Yeah,

059I would say that. >> So, there's some pieces to math that math doesn't change, >> right? I think what has changed though is that historically, math has only worked as taught for about 20% of the population. And the goal is for it to work for far more than 20% of the population. So what's changed is the understanding of how people learn math. Not saying people didn't learn math before. They absolutely did about 20% of them. The other 80% would say I'm just not a math person, right? And the reality is anybody can be a math person, but it takes a different style kind of like that uh phmic awareness and reading. Turns out whole language. Yeah, some kids still learn to read that way and can comprehend and decode, but it was fewer of them

060than if they had done phonms and and decoding and those types of things. It's the same with math, right? So, this is aligned to research which has shown that more students will be able to do better at math if they understand the core underlying concepts. Um, which is a huge shift for someone who's taught it for 20 years one way. Um, and definitely not an easy shift and and it's a challenge, but we we have to get more than 20% of our kids historically to know math. So% we do not have 20% of our kids that are are >> we do not but they definitely didn't research just cappo like historically or statewide it's still only like 30%. Right. So and nationwide it's really low as well and we're one of the lowest scoring nations

061uh in the world in math historically. So so that sort of historic way of teaching math has not worked well for the American public in general. And so this is a switch >> well and and teaching math facts needs to continue so that you can then build right if you don't know your math facts it is very difficult to move on especially sixth grade that is it is a critically important spot that they come in with those solid skills but um common core was also rolled out that it was the newest latest greatest. So some things we have to navigate carefully and we need to make sure teachers are trained properly and that they have the they need and as things as it rolls out and may or may not exactly work well then we

062we have to pivot and make sure the support is happening >> and I would encourage if a teacher is giving you a specific complaint complaint to please refer them to Karen. like what is that specific thing as opposed to a general I don't like it but if there's a specific it's missing this particular piece of content that our kids need to move on um then then we really need them to to share that with us so that we can make a changes um so if they're only talking in one area not another that's not super helpful for us >> just to add to that on that subject real quick is is the training but then I assume it's on the principle to ensure sure that their teachers are comfortable. when we switched over uh in

063elementary to and I believe it was fourth grade the history book and it was the workbook versus and I don't remember now at this point the the names and I had a teacher at Bathgate that voted for the one but the the workbook was approved and then complained about it and then I inquired about it and then learned well there is a way to go online to do and when I told her about that and I said check that out um Oh. So, so my thing is what do we do? We train and we hope they've got it, but like do we ever go back and field questions? Are you good with this? Where do you have questions? It would just be helpful if we could have a a recheck. >> I I think that

064I agree uh Trusty Bul because I think when with our um the elementary level at least with our math adoption, we've you know, and I'm sure there may be some teachers that tell you something different, so I acknowledge that. But I feel like we've done things pretty uh in a in a pretty smart way this time. We obviously got training to teachers um and but then we also spent we've spent quite a bit of time educating our principles on this curriculum. So we um the last two years, Dr. Stewart and I with Miss Gotautier have um instead of meeting here for principal meeting three times a year, we go to school sites and we walk in cohorts and we look for um what we're expecting the curriculum to look like, the instruction to look like.

065Um not to evaluate the teachers per se, but more to learn with the teachers because the teachers got a new curriculum. They're learning it. And whenever you get a new curriculum, it's got a hundred thousand different bells and whistles, right? and you don't know what it has and what it doesn't. And sometimes, unfortunately, all we can afford is a couple of days of training. And so there's, you know, and you've got to hit the ground running at the classroom. You know, you come in, you get trained, and you you're you're, you know, I was a teacher, I understand how hard that is. So, we keep learning about the curriculum and we keep learning about what works for students. And I've been pretty proud of what we've done. We've we've actually just recently videotaped a number

066of our teachers teaching our elementary math curriculum. We just shared that with our teachers through my newsletter. It goes out three times a year. Um they can now see their peers teaching the curriculum and the and using the approaches that we're recommending because it it it was a shift. It was a big shift for elementary teachers because I taught elementary math all you you you model the problem. You have kids copy what you did. You then assign problems 1 through 33 odd, right? And then kids go home and do it. But then we do something. we do a new skill the next day and we do a new skill the next day. We buil and so instead of helping the students truly understand conceptually what's happening by solving problems and then having to apply their

067conceptual understanding to those problems. Like you think back to the old way of teaching math, what was always optional at the end of the the the math series? Well, the word problems, right? You might assign problems 1 through 33. Oh, and maybe you can do word problem on number 35, right? And how many times would the kids skip it or oh that was too hard and they wouldn't do it. Well, our new math curriculum actually starts with a word problem and the kids actually have to solve math and apply the math to something that actually matters, something real. And they're now taking their conceptual understanding. They're building their understanding based on that. They talk to one another. It's and a lesson in Ire math or the California what's the official title? >> Math. >> Thank

068you. Classroom mathematics California is um is a week. it's not a day. So, we're learning a concept over the series of a week, not a single day. So, mastery is going to happen over the course of that week, not necessarily just in one day. I've learned something. I've memorized what um what Dr. Merwin told me, and now I move on to something else. Because see, what happens for elementary kids is that they they seem to do okay in elementary. They build all these skill concepts in their brain or these skills, but then they get into algebra 1, algebra 2, and all of a sudden all of these tricks or strategies that they learned don't have any they don't sit in anything. So, I can't really solve a real problem. Now, can some kids do it?

069Yeah. But not the majority. And so you know I mean again personally saw my own personal child struggle in algebra 2 and he was fine in elementary school. So it wasn't he it wasn't no it wasn't a practical way of approaching. So but it was a big shift. I mean the shift in what we asked ele and I've every time I've stood in front of elementary teachers I have tried to tell them we are so proud of you because that was a big shift and it still is a big shift in teaching math in a different way. So we we hear you and we'll keep responding to whatever you need like we'll you know the resources um but you know we would it's it's I and we didn't see we saw test scores go up

070so actually the kids are doing better which is what we want and if you >> take the common the sorry the smarter balance assessment it's full of word problems you don't get very many problems that just tell you to solve this these numbers that are lined up in this nice little row and solve it. So you actually really do have to apply it. And so I think we are serving our students well and I think it's going to be beneficial for our our secondary colleagues and they're doing more in innovative things in math as well. We were just at high school the other day and seeing some good approaches to how math is taught there. And it's sorry, >> go ahead. >> Similar to thank you for the reminder because you know what actually taking

071on the tour and going to see different classes, it kind of provides them a tossa without tossas that we don't have anymore. >> Teachers love to learn from other teachers. Yeah. >> And to apply it. So thank you for sharing that. >> Everything whatever we can come up with to to break down those classroom walls so they can peer into each other's practice and learn from one another. That's obviously what we want. >> And similarly, we've done um the learning walks at secondary and um and also there have been a variety of ways we've been supporting teachers with the curriculum and including staff development. But then also I know um after an adoption we host Zoom happy hours where teachers can join and ask questions about the curriculum. Where is this? I'd like support with

072that. So, it's not um the best practice is not to have a oneanddone type of a training. The best practice is to have ongoing support. As teachers, you know, you're starting your year, you're just getting through it and then when you're ready to learn a little bit more, we provide a little bit more. And so, that's been the strategy K8 with this most recent adoption and it continues on to this point. want to talk just one second about change and teachers are human beings. Human beings do not like change. Um when we had the workshop where we talked about the um standardsbased grading, there was a teacher who mentioned that uh he had this wonderful activity that he had done for years and years and years. It was one of his favorite activities in his

073subject. And once he started piloting the standardsbased grading and it was an amazing group of teachers who were very open to the standardbased grading, he realized that there was no standard being taught in it. I thought that was so profound. I will never forget that. And and I think that that's one of the adjustments that teachers are having to make with standardized grading. Um when we brought in the new social studies curriculum, I can't remember now what it's called. Um I remember talking to Mrs. embarrassed out there in front one day and I told her about something that a teacher said to me about something that was not in this curriculum. It was just not available. And and she said, "Well, but there's this." And I went back and I told the teacher and they

074said, "Oh." And and when I talked to Peggy about that again, I picked up my phone and I said, "How many things are there on this phone that you don't know how to operate?" And that's really what we have in a lot of what we do these days. I mean, I'm learning I've had my car for like eight years. I'm still learning some of the things that it does. I'm like, "Oh, I didn't know it did that." And there's so many more things these days that have so many options and curriculum is is a very good example of that. Uh where there are there's this kind of thing and there's the one in in Spanish and there's all these other things and teachers don't always know and it's hard for them to find out. again,

075you were saying we maybe only have uh the money for a few days of training so they don't learn this one feature that was really great. Anyway, I just I I I I'm I'm sympathetic to people's objections, but I also understand some of human nature and some of the world we're in where we don't really know the all the options and we are sometimes learning that something that we thought was so great is actually not great. Anyway, I just wanted to throw that out. I'm going to a different topic as we're looking at this implementation here. Um I I actually I mean I understand the excitement around adopting next year, but I wonder if we consider waiting a year or two to see how some of the quirks kind of maybe work themselves out and

076uh see if we can turn a good curriculum into a greater curriculum and and allow other districts to go through some of the learning process and we jump in a year or two down the road. I don't know if that's something I mean obviously we're facing budget cuts. Obviously there's money that has to be there's only so much money in the pie. Um, and so I don't know if that's something that that we would want to consider, but I I would for cert certain be interested in pushing this whole calendar down a year or two to allow some of the allow some of and the um building on the best practices that would just kind of emphasize continuous feedback from as we watch other districts and see because it's been a long time since we

077had more options. I'll chime in. Super excited. So, thank you so much for the presentation. That was a very good explanation of science of reading, Brad. Very good. Um, so, uh, when I first, um, started on the board, one of my very first, um, concerns was our ELA adoption. And I'm concerned because I have concerns for children who do not learn to read. So that 20% who um our kids are doing amazing, we have amazing test scores and we're doing amazing things in this district, right? But there is that group that are really struggling. And when we had our last adoption, when we adopted two programs for our K5, that led me down a pathway of grave concern because I think the only child that that hurts or struggles with reading is a child that

078doesn't get consistent curriculum A5. And so I've been waiting very calmly because I've been told this timeline's coming, right? We're going to do an adoption, Krista. We're gonna do an ad adoption. And so I'm excited because I think for those kiddos aligning what they're learning in K2 transitioning to 35 with the with our um combo classes now. That's another huge concern for me because now you're asking a 23 combo teacher to teach not just two, three, but you have two reading programs. No, ultimately they would have to pick and they don't have resources. If you're teaching third grade, you're not you don't even have resources for second graders because you're teaching a whole another curriculum in third grade as you know and probably encountered this struggle with your combo teachers in two three, right? That's

079the real struggle where you want to go from learning to read to read to learn. So that for me this is I'm excited for this to timeline to start going. Of course, the concern is funding because when the funding is not there, then that's when these timelines do automatically get pushed. Yeah. I mean, we saw with open court, we taught it for um 12 years or whatever. And so that was like, >> are we ever going to adopt? And then finally we got to adoption and everybody was like, yay, we're finally adopting. And so now we have all kinds of things happening with reading like science of reading. And so that's also shifted our focus. But another thing I think for educators as I sit in the classroom every single day and for 26 years

080like the pendulum likes to swing. And I think we're learning that um like you spoke about Brad of whole language um concept. I was taught in whole language classroom as a kid and really struggled through the reading process because no one ever introduced me as a first grader that there was actually phonics. Had no idea, right? until I became a teacher. And then they were like, "Chrisissa, there's sounds to these letters." And I was like, "Who knew, right? I had no idea." Um because I was literally taught whole language. Like you look at the word and you'll figure it out. Um and so reading for me has been memorization. >> And um did I get there? Yes. Can I do it? No. Pro? Yes. I'm successful at reading. But it took me a very long

081time to get there because as we all know now whole language takes longer than phonics based instruction, especially explicit phonics based instruction. And then two years ago I was doing another happy dance because as um Greg remembers we adopted Hagerty which I was blown away by and super excited as I teach it every day and believe that that is truly like the golden hour of my day with TK. And so that has been phenomenal adoption that this board has done as well. So I'm excited for alignment. >> Yeah, >> truly. Um, and we've learned a lot about reading and I think we're we're we're coming up to the top like of a mountain and like we're going to get there, but we're not fully there because we haven't adopted yet. And so I'm super excited

082excited about that. And then um I I know that you know I'm just going to put this out there and because I have to do plug for TK obviously um I would love TK alignment with K5. Um I know that you know they're adopt they just adopted right >> and so they're on a they have a different program down here in Kappo. I am aligned with K5 in Santa Ana. And the only reason why I think it's helpful is because as we're teaching foundational skills, my kids are transitioning into a kinder classroom. Well, then all of a sudden all the sound spelling cards change on them. That's not fair to a four and 5-year-old, right? Consistency from TK through five is really building something for children specifically who are struggling in the reading process. the

083kids who are getting it and grasping it and can move on from different sound spelling cards, no problem, right? They got it. But it's that group that we struggle with as educators, like we want everyone to get there and how can we um stack the decks for them and create a system that it just makes it easier. So, I think um I obviously this is my wheelhouse. I'd love it. I I sit in this every day and um this is great and I hope I really hope that we follow the timeline and we can get there because I think we've got some things that we could change in this district that would only benefit students. So, thank you. >> Adding on to that, let me let me ask are these are we are we do

084we really have a TK separate adoption? >> We do. Yeah. >> They don't have a TK through five adoption for the state of California when they created TK. >> They will for these upcoming resources. There will be >> but not these >> and I think whatever you have Steve Castianos but they but >> yeah they adjusted yeah >> they have TK curriculum now but it's only really come down the pike in the past past couple of years >> the other thing Trusty Davis is that the current TK I might get this wrong um it's more comprehensive so the curriculum it's it's all the subjects into one versus just being an like we don't It's integrated. Yeah. So, you get math, you get science, social studies in in one. Yeah. >> But is there a a

085movement to move it to TK5? >> Well, the I think most of the resources we're going to be looking at that are becoming >> It's not there yet. >> Yeah. Like all the guidance from the state for this next round of adoption is to include TK. >> Yeah. So, so I will say that >> but our adoption here does not show that. >> We're not planning on it, but this is a great conversation. >> New slides. >> It' be cost us more money. >> Yeah. So, so that'll be something we explore based on No, go back to where you were. Nope. Go back to where you were. Keep going. Keep going. Nope. Keep going. Keep going. There you go. Uh the last sentence um will determine sort of how broad that adoption can be, right?

086Because the goal is to use restricted funding to the extent possible because obviously as you saw me present last week, our unrestricted funding is uh declining. Um so this would be areas where we could try to so if we have enough, we would try to do TK. I would say that we aren't the only district that did a differential TK K2 35 adoption that that exists in a lot of places and most of those districts are trying to get aligned. They did that. There was a belief for a while that well this curriculum is is great for primary grades and this curriculum is great for the secondaries. Um and and a lot of vendors sort of specialized that way. Um, I came from another district that had done the exact same sort of split um

087and was already trying to figure out how to fund to accelerate their adoption process to get away from the split to get back to an aligned curriculum. So, there is that piece for us as well is how can we at least get K5 alignment and in a perfect world could we get TK5 alignment? Um, so that'll be something we look at as we move forward. >> Well, that even even supports my thought on pushing it down just a little bit. That might allow us to do a TK5 alignment there. >> Depends how the restricted funds come and when they come. >> Yeah. >> What if we stop high quality materials need adjustment? Even high quality materials are going to need adjustment. So it to allow other districts to go through that adjustment. I'm I'm definitely

088in favor of that and allow data from early users to play out only benefit. And I'm wondering if we could supplement like if because it seems nuts to me that we would have different word cards. I mean that does it seems like pulling the rug from some of these vulnerable kids that are um that need more help. >> Yes. So I'm wondering could you take like for example the TK program or let's say we let's say we find this incredible program next fall or implement it for the 27 year. Um, could we take that program and just supplement with their cards and kind of switch kind of push some things in or no? >> I mean, I don't think there's anything keeping us from buying some more cards and then and they're going to be

089short vowels and consonants in TK anyway, but it it's it we wouldn't have the lessons that came with those or there be some other things that would, >> right? I mean, remember a teachers I mean they're following a framework in a standard in a standardsbased curriculum. So, they're they're teaching by standard, right? But the curriculum is like their resource book. So when you take away all their stories and and their themes and TK it's very thematic and so um I mean yeah can you align sound spelling cards? You you could definitely align sound spelling cards but you couldn't really take away >> uh you know the resources. Being cognizant of our timeline and our agenda, I will tell you that this remember this was just a early sort of primmer into an hour and a

090half primer into what could be happening uh in terms of curricular adoption. So obviously more information will come back as we get closer as we hear from the state of the summer as we know what the approved vendors are, right? Is it is it tweaks to vendors that exist or are there new vendors coming in? So that'll be all stuff that we bring in as we get closer to determining if, when, how much, all of that. So, this was just to get you your your interest going in what could be happening. >> And we're still >> Yes. We might end up doing a workshop in the fall just on this. >> No, no. >> Okay. >> All right. >> Thank you. Thank you very much. >> Okay. And we will move on to 52, reading

091board policy 3515, campus security, formerly school safety and security. I'd like to recognize Greg Murwin, associate superintendent to present the policy. >> Looking to make sure Darren's here. All right, Darren, come on up. So, this was last this was first um adopted in 1996, revised in 2019. We're looking for your direction, feedback, and any questions you have on board policy 3515. >> Trustes on the let's see one two three we're under the paragraph that says surveillance systems on page 33 um talks about these systems let's see systems are not designed nor intended to protect individuals from being victims of violent or property crimes nor to detect illegal activities however However, information can be used um in a disciplinary action. Um my question is what is so that okay it was the next it was actually

092the next paragraph that talks about um we are not using these systems to monitor areas where there's a reasonable expectation privacy. So, I've I've had a lot of parents talk to me about high school bathrooms and um what is what is the surveillance of bathrooms because obviously >> so area of privacy? >> Yeah, we cannot put nor will we put >> so how do we serve how do we monitor the bathrooms? What is >> So the administrations have walkth through rotations that they vary so that they're not always the same, but you know, as they go around in their supervision, male [clears throat] administrators will walk into male bathrooms to check. Female administrators will walk into female bathrooms. Same with campus supervisors. Um they can go in and out and um same with custodians actually

093can go in and out throughout the day. So, the idea is that it's uh visual inspection >> uh by administrators and then they kind of vary that up so that it's not always like, well, at 10:02 that we know they're there, right? No, it's we mix and match. >> Do we do we have surveillance cameras on the outside of the bathrooms? Like, so we can >> in most cases, yes, >> not at all. >> We we don't have cameras ubiquitously across the system, >> right? >> Okay. I have a question, but it kind of goes to Colleen Hayes um that I had submitted in regards to um page 33 um third paragraph, first line that um it has a comma after parents and guardians. Reading it separated in every other policy that we're reviewing tonight

094and I think across the board, it's parents slashguardians. And so >> you don't >> I know and she wrote me back but I >> know what the thought process was but I don't know what the outcome is. Thanks. >> So I'm I'm kind of a a grammar nerd on occasion. And so when I looked at that I looked at it as a list and that we including all these groups. And so I put a comma. I get hung up on that slash and I want to go with the standard and I want to I'll remove the comma. We'll go back to the slash. So I'm I'm for consistency. >> Oh, okay. It just >> So it wasn't reprinted or whatever. So I just wondered if that was, you know, going to become consistent. >> It's

095a tickytacky thing. >> Yeah, it will be. So when you're looking at a list, we're we're including these list of groups and it's more than two or it's more than one. So it in the grammar world it could be argued that it should be a comma. In our world when we're doing policies, we look at our parents and guardians as one group and so I need to stick to the slash. So my thought process may be flawed in this circumstance and um it's kind of a habit when I go through I'll stop and I have to stop myself from doing >> it will be parents/guardians. Yes. >> I'll put it in our stand. >> Um yeah grammatically incorrect but functionally correct. >> Agreed. I just wondered if it was going to be changed. We'll fix

096it. Thanks. >> Any other comments, questions? Okay. Thank you. All right. We'll move on to question about >> 5B1. I'd like to recognize Clark Hampton, Deputy Superintendent, Business Support Services to present the first reading board policy 3260 fees and charges, formerly student fees. >> Thank you, President Davis. So, we're going to do some uh staff swapping here at the table, >> but so uh B1 5B1 is bringing the board policy up to date with current ED code. And one thing I would like to point out is on line or page uh 40 uh under collection of debt these this would uh uh would not apply to debt owed for vandalism or loss or dam willful damage of textbooks. Um so this is only for if you owed other fees >> that didn't pertain to that.

097Is that in here, Clark? That that it does not pertain to that. It feels like >> Well, I read it. >> Yeah, >> it's in it's in board policy 5151 that >> but not in but not in this policy. >> It's not in this policy. >> But should it might there might need to be some We'll probably have some clarification after this to say I would say I would love a line in the collection of debt section that just points to that other board policy. >> Yeah, >> agreed. >> Right. So, we'll just point over to that one. >> Yes. Thank you. I would as well. So, uh, can you go back then because I the convers conversation confused me a little bit. So, I and I also wanted to know about this because it

098says that we're we're we basically we'll try to recover these debts but but some of them we can't. So what so uh if if a student um just you know like throws their textbook in the swimming pool um >> that would be excluded. That'd be willful damage. So we would be able to recover that. >> And then these you can you know withhold transcripts and apologies for that. So, um, so if the student says that they didn't throw the the book into the, uh, uh, swimming pool, their friend did, uh, it's somebody else's will will for will for damage. Um, I, you know, I I guess I'm just not sure about >> we would have to have evidence of that, right? So, I mean, we're going to go with it's your book, it's in your

099possession, okay, >> and it's being willful. That's different than let's say, you know, I I I I accumulated fees because I didn't turn it in on time. Like we wouldn't recover those fees. Exactly. Right. But but Right. >> Um >> fees for damage or textbooks less frequently than Chromebooks. But you know, like the kid who stomped on the Chromebook now whether I stomped on it or my little brother stomped on it, it's it's sort of irrespective like yeah, >> we're going to go with it. It was in your possession and it got willfully destroyed. Therefore, we can recover the debt as opposed to it just stopped working due to use. We're not going to worry about that. I I understand that. Okay. So, there are circumstances where we can recover uh uh debts that uh

100students or books, Chromebooks, um any number I guess of. >> So, for example, last spring and then again in the next few months, we talked about transportation fees for students for sports things, right? So, for example, if you participated in the sports team and for some reason couldn't or didn't pay that transportation fee, that would we would not be withholding your diploma to collect that fee. Exactly. >> But if you broke the windows out on the bus, we would be withholding withholding your diploma to collect that fee. >> And and if you are using, you know, I don't know what equipment belongs to schools and what does not, but I assume, you know, there's a lot of pads and stuff in football and maybe those belong to the school. And if they don't return that

101kind of stuff, >> same thing. Uh it's the same sort of deal. We we can recover those debts >> and we can recover any debt from the parents. >> Oh, from the parents. >> Okay. >> Just from a student. >> Okay. >> Clark, I know I read in here somewhere because I question that and it it was in this book somewhere. Is it in a different policy then where it addressed the fact um we can collect for vandalism, destruction or >> that that's in Uh BP 5151 >> 5151 is that in >> it's not in here. >> Okay. But can you >> It's a separate It's a separate policy that references >> how you what you can do to recover those. >> So we're going to add a reference to that here. >> So this

102I mean this pertains to sports and any activities, right? If a child and a family cannot afford it, we will cover it, >> right? Yeah, I mean that that that's slightly different, but yes, that that has to do with if inability to pay is different >> and extracurricular activities. So everything's >> covered. >> So um I had a question on page 39, the third paragraph. It says, "As necessary, the board of trustees may approve fees, deposits, and other charges which are specifically authorized by law. When approving such fees, deposits or charges, establishing fee schedules, or distur determining whether waiverss or exceptions should be granted, the board of trustees shall consider. I don't I don't see determining whether waiverss or exceptions should be granted as a board job. I see that as a staff job. The

103rest of it, yes. But that uh I mean I just don't think every time there's like uh oh we're not going to require >> oneoffs would be staffed. This is more about like established. So so this is more like if we established a new fee >> like are we going to accept waiverss and under what criteria that were criteria that would go with that establishment fee? That is the board's purview. Okay. >> This is not a one-off like should this person be allowed the waiver or not. That would definitely be staffed to vet that. But this is should there be a waiver at all for this type of fee. That's board work. >> Okay. So that should be then uh rewarded to say zermining we're determining whether wavered uh >> we'll we'll work on it.

104>> Yeah. I I just I I don't want us to I don't want it to be thought that we're going to sit down every time someone wants a reduced fee and you're looking at waiver policy for for because this would be if you're choosing. So like I said when we talk later about transportation fees >> when when we vote to approve hopefully approve transportation fees, >> right? that will go within and then this would be the waiver it'll you guys would decide or we would and staff would recommend the same waiver policy that we use for uh AP fee waivers you know whatever would be applied to this as well and you guys would say >> and I'm not thinking so much about student stuff as I am about like facility rental and and you

105know >> that's a different that's a separate >> no this is fees and charges >> but that's not >> yeah but for business noninstructional operation >> curricular and extracurricular activities not for facility use. >> Well, okay. What it says here? Oh, yeah. >> Where does it say for student fees? >> It doesn't say facilities, but doesn't say not facilities. It just says fees and charges. Okay, fine. I just want to make sure that it gets addressed. I just felt like it was >> was taking going away from the board's sort of policy function and into actual individual decision. Okay. >> I'm with you. That needs to be cleaned up. I'd like it. >> Okay. I found the sentence I was looking for. Under collection of debt, it says the superintendent or designate shall in accordance

106with law recover any debt owed to the district as a result of unpaid permissible student fees approved by the board of trustees. >> Yes. >> That that addresses what we >> you collect the debt. You just can't take this uh you can't take action against the student here. >> Yeah. So what this basically Paul's saying is we can collect the debt. However, we can't tell a kid, "We will not give you your diploma until you pay that debt." >> Right. So, ultimately, the kids could still graduate and leave and we could collect the debt without ever collecting the debt, but we just have the right to try. >> Yeah. We'll still take we'll do uh colle take collection measures to res recover the debt. So I don't understand why there's a line that needs to

107be added because this states it >> because the thing like take for example it says we can't for this that deny or withhold grades or transcripts but we can if it's for willful damage, vandalism, lost textbooks, things like that. We that's always been we've always been able to do that. We would continue to be able to do. >> So there's an exception to the exceptions laid out here. Okay. So we're going to point to the other policy that lists that exception. >> Okay. Gotcha. Thank you. Any other comments? Okay, moving on to 5B2, business and sport services. Recognize Clark Hampton, deputy superintendent to present first reading award proceed 3550 food services child nutrition program. [snorts] >> Okay, thank you very much. So, this policy is to bring us up to date uh with some of

108the new nutrition standards uh that are been in place and Kristen Hillman from food services here to answer any of your questions related to the policy. >> Trustees, I submitted a whole, let's see, five questions. Were they given to you? Okay. So, maybe you could just run through them. >> I believe that was on the next board policy on 5030. Oh, okay. >> Oh, the student wellness. Yeah. >> Okay. Yeah. Thank you. >> So, I have a question. I'm going to go to page 50 because it was so many changes that got confusing. Paragraph 1 2 3 4 5 where it starts out superintendent designate. And there's something wrong with this sentence. I I don't know what it is, but it says the superintendent or designate will periodically review the adequacy of school cafeterias and

109facilities food preparation and consumption. So, >> it's missing the word for >> Okay. >> and facilities for food preparation and consumption. So, we have an we put a word there. >> All right. I just couldn't figure out >> Yep. No, it's missing a word. Okay, fine. Thanks. I'm done. Okay. Any other comments? >> We just want you to know we do read this ahead of time. >> So do I. And I still missed that one. >> Let's talk about food. >> And we'll move on to 5B3. Like to recognize Clark Hampton, deputy superintendent, presents first reading of our policy 5030, student wellness. >> Thank you, President Davis. So, um, this is a another policy wellness body has been updated to comply with the latest, uh, uh, ED code, but I'd also like to point out

110and under program implementation evaluation page 54, um, and I'm just pointing this out because it's a plus, I think, in this policy is rather than having just a single individual that's responsible for making sure every everything's compliant with um, the wellness polic, it has it it designates the food site principles to do that along with support from the nutrition specialist and uh nutrition service. But it's always nice to kind of spread out the work on making sure that we're complying with with the wellness policy >> is the official title food site principles >> school. So the campus principal Yeah. >> [clears throat] >> Are you ready, Judy? >> Oh, look. [laughter] >> So, I will say just to start off that the student wellness policy falling under food nutrition services. Um, it it does set

111up weaknesses for for this policy overall. uh because most people view it as just being food and nutrition not all the other factors involved in it. So some of your questions stem towards physical education things like that and your nutrition services does not have that. So we we look to um we defer questions to those in charge of physical education, mental health and any other unrelated food and nutrition uh to to answer to those things. Some of you have joined our wellness council of recent and in past as well and and so we've we've spoken to some of those things. Um, as far as number three and that would be on what is that page 55 in your book. Um, the student participation rates those that information is typically provided in the goals to in

112the board presentations on goals. We tell you how many meals we've served throughout the years, things like that or throughout the school year. this year. Um right now we are at 29.5% student enrollment for our lunch average daily participation and we're at 29.3% average daily participation for breakfast. So we are neck and neck which >> do they have to >> well no it's universal meals so everybody gets to eat for free if they want to come and participate in meals. Um, >> but we don't make a we don't make a meal for every child. It's based on >> there's forecasting that occurs just like at a restaurant. They don't know how many people are going to show up in any given evening. You know, they gauge based on the weather and and just different factors

113that >> we kind of know. >> Okay. >> But we do know how many meals we're serving versus how many kids we have. So, we can get a rate pretty simply. If we serve, you know, 10,000 meals, we have 40,000 kids at lunch. We know that we've served, you know, about 25% of our kids. So, >> we basically prepare for 30% of our students on the average. >> On the dress, >> which is surprising every school, >> right? Exactly. >> Well, our own um student board member after she toured, what did she tell us? I never ate. You know, she figured it was bad food. And then after she toured. Oh my gosh. She been talking about it >> for us. >> Oh yeah. [laughter] >> I had a school lunch this week in Monday.

114It was fantastic. >> You did. You had the the baguette. >> I did. >> Yeah. >> With garlic ioli, which is a new item we are making in the kitchen, the central kitchen now >> for as a commissary item. >> Well, we all know because we've been to your tastings. That's right. Um, so I just wondered because when I'm reading standards from the state about all how we're handling that and and I've seen driving around on the delivery trucks that you know the boxes of oranges that come back and interesting, I can't think of who I was talking to just like last night. Where was I? And they said, and it was someone at working at a school, they don't like to peel the oranges. When you used to do, this was all explained to

115me, the quarters in a baggie, they ate those like crazy. And then I said, "Yeah, but I think the mandarin oranges also that were prepackaged came back, but it was a peeling of the oranges." So you seem to nod and know this. So tell us. So does that like lead us to not do those anymore? No, we still do provide oranges. A lot of it is tactility in all honesty and as students wanting to use their hands, you know, so it it is difficult for some kids to peel and certain oranges are harder because they have >> thinner skin. They're tighter to the fruit, the flesh inside itself. >> The green >> Oh, no. Actually, they were very ripe. They were just grown in the desert and they were incredibly sweet inside. They were organic

116and it it is it's one of those imperfect fruit kind of things like the imperfect vegetable boxes that you can get. >> They were probably some of the most delicious oranges we've had in the last two years. Right. >> Oranges at our next board meeting. We just tried some raspberry oranges recently that are similar to a blood orange, but they have a thicker skin and it's looser to the actual fruit, the flesh inside. So, those are easier to peel. Think of like a clementine or you know a cutie. Those are really super easy to peel and then you have a tighter skinned orange that's like >> I will say we get >> Yes, I I understand the the quartering of the oranges does take more staffing and and time because now you have to baggy.

117>> Yeah. Yeah. So, we're we're you know that that's one of the things plus you know production is a we're trying to figure out ways to do more scratch and and not just quarter oranges. >> Okay. So the answer to my question is working off of last year numbers the number that they've signed up and you know basically predicting um >> correct >> I think my questions other than maybe the number one that had to do with the school wellness all related to the meals >> um >> and I have answers for all of them. >> Okay so keep going. Thanks. >> All right. So Kristen Robbins, who is our newest nutrition specialist, she is our uh school wellness council uh coordinator. So she runs all of our meetings and our next meeting, just for

118your knowledge, is on the 21st of April at 3:45 p.m. here in training room 3. Um we've got two subcommittees now. One is geared towards mental health and one is gear geared towards spe substance abuse and tobacco use. So those have kind of wardened off themselves outside of just the overarching wellness committee. And it's really awesome to see the growth in this. It's the first time in my 11 years at at Capo that we've had this enthusiasm and excitement over, you know, the wellness policy. So it's it's really exciting to me to see it and I'm proud of Kristen for for facilitating um free meals for all students. that's been going on since COVID. Um, and with California universal meals going into effect, we forecast participation based on many factors. Past participation, weather has a

119factor. Rainy days, we end up feeding more kids historically. Um, and then menu liability. So, if the kids like something like on mini ciney day at elementary schools, you got to watch out. You actually need like police officers there because the kids are stealing cinnies. They love them that much. [laughter] >> They love so much. >> The mini cinnis. They're pills buried. Like >> Yeah, they're called mini. >> They call them They call them cine minis or mini cinnis. >> So if you hear that, they're a hot commodity. Fridays every other week. Just saying. [laughter] >> Um there's no daily meal sign up. We don't we can't do any of that. And food waste is tech is really inevitable with the way the regulations are because a student must take a fruit or a vegetable

120with their lunch. They must take a fruit with their breakfast. Those tend to be the things that go in the share stations sadly because we have amazing fruit in our in our district. Um and so we we do work with the school sites one-on-one to create food recovery plans. We have um each school site will do their own or we just have a plan in action within food and nutrition services to bring any of those viable products back into service. They are cleaned and then put back into service for the next meal service. Or the YMCA may come and pick up those items and utilize them in their afterchool programs. We have some teachers that pick them up and take them to a church or food bank, things like that. So it it just differentiates

121school to school. >> Okay. Well, when Cal Prep was in the same building and addressing the need that they were being kind of fed and having to purchase um do we have the ability to give to them or I mean then that's like a whole another trip when you say some of the principles at at schools but because they're on Saddleback right college >> we feed them still. We when the students are on campus with virtual students, if they're on campus, we can feed them. If they're at home, we're not physically allowed to feed them. >> I wondered if since Cal Prep moved, if they >> We take food over to them. >> You do? Thank you. >> Yep. We have a whole Google Sheet system and it's flowing somewhat well. We're trying We try

122to tweak it and figure out better better ways. But yeah, um there are some different research, you know, meth out there is showing that students really only consume about 30% of what's on their plate, especially our youngers. Um but you know, we and and less likely to consume their fruits and vegetables. Of course, they don't have they're they have peer interaction. They don't have adult interaction. Finish your broccoli, eat your But we've had some great success with different things. So those are those are good things. the triannual reporting for participation rates um that was back in 2023. I did bring the copies. There was a board report or that that was provided to you if you were not on the board at that time. So, I did bring copies if you want to see it.

123It is also on our website. Um and we will be doing another trienal assessment coming up soon. And then our central kitchen received dramatic results for changes from our new federal government RFK. Not yet. Um they're coming. The DGA's dietary guidelines for Americans did just come out. There is talk, lots of blah blah, not a lot of action yet. So we're waiting. The state did just come out with something saying that there's more to come. So be patient with our eat certification. We have gone above and beyond a lot of that already. We continue to be more forward thinking than most of the regulations anyway. So I feel like I can positively say rest assured we're going to be ahead of the game. >> Are sure you are? >> I I figured but I just

124wondered if they've figured out something you hadn't already. No, in in all honesty, they're figuring it's it's backing up the things that we're already doing or already pushing towards like we we eliminated chocolate milk this year because of added sugars. We are probably going to have to eliminate the mini cineis going into future years because I know I know I feel the same way. I will say we just did a side by side because they changed the sugar to monk fruit >> in alulose instead of just sugar. So now it has a non-nutritive sweetener versus just plain old sugar. I personally would prefer plain old sugar, not >> they're sweeter. We were hoping they wouldn't be so the kids will like them more. We were like, "Darn it." [laughter] Shocks. But um most of the

125regulations looking out beyond, you know, in the future are going to eliminate non-nutritive sweeteners potentially from school meal program food items. So, those were going to be kicked out anyway, unless Pillsbury goes back and re-reformulates again. So, we'll see. Um, it's a lot of money they put into that stuff. It takes about two to three years for them to finalize reformulation. And then, um, yes, >> lots of protein. There is there is talk about adding additional protein >> uh ounces to school meal programs. That's going to be a hard cell because of the cost factor because reimbursement rates are not high anyway. We did that board workshop last year and yeah, it I I just that would also kick out plant-based meals and there's been a push over the last year's >> meatless Mondays, things

126like that to add in more plant-based options for students who prefer that kind of, you know, um and the final question you had was about garden programs. We haven't done a recent survey, but in 2022 when we were going for a farm-to-school incubator grant, we did ask um our schools how you know who has a school garden only 29 replied and out of those 29 23 had school gardens. So um in our annual wellness policy assessment last year 2425 question number five on that assessment states specifically how is nutrition education provided at your site and 30.8% 8% indicated it is incorporated into their school garden and that was eight out of 26 schools that indicated that and we only had 26 schools that filled out. So we don't have a huge you know participation rate

127sometimes in our surveys but that's that's the data we have right now. >> Thank you. >> And really quick and it's not really addressed here but it's just about this the getting the lunches out. I just Because I've had students at San Juan Hills that don't eat the school lunches and it's not even because they don't like the school lunches. They just say that it takes >> all of their lunch and they're pretty social. >> So they're like, I I didn't want to wait. You know, they come home and they're like, will you take me to Chick-fil-A or will you do this? I'm starving. And I'm like, no, you bring your lunch to school or get school lunch. And they're like, I hear that again and again from other students, too. So, is there a

128way to address that? Like just speed? I I mean, you guys do everything, so I hate asking you. It is no it is something we are challenged with for sure. Staffing is a thing and especially at our secondary sites where we have multiple points of service. >> We have since co we have historically now last few years had probably I'd say 30 positions open at any given time. Um, a vast majority have been at our secondary sites because we want to have multiple points of service open for our students. >> At San Juan Hill specifically, this past year we opened up new points of service up in the like stairs like the top area, upper campus. >> Um, we have a little electric golf cart vehicle that has like wings and does all kinds of

129fancy, you know, food things for hot holding hot food, holding hot cold food. and there's a service space or that's attached to this little vehicle. Um, so they do drive that up every day. I have not seen the lines myself recently, but it did spread the herd. So students who would come down to the main windows area now some of those students will stay up in that upper campus and eat off of the cart. So, we have seen a an increase in participation and and a kind of a a spread of student, you know, instead of them all being bunched up at the windows. Staffing wise, if we had more staff there, we would open up the auxiliary space that is also there, which is an an additional, I think, three or four windows that

130would be available to serve. So, that that's our ultimate goal, and it's our ultimate goal at every school to have more points of service. >> Yeah. Can you have I'm just curious if parent volunteers would be able to help or is that something where you have to have your food and safety and No. >> Yeah. Mostly we have Yeah. >> Yes. >> Oh yeah. We don't want to displace. >> No, we can't do that. [laughter] >> It's a lovely thought and we Thank you. But [laughter] >> but yeah, no, we we're we're interviewing tomorrow actually [laughter] every week. >> Okay. Thank you trustes. Any other comments or Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. Being no further business before the board, may I have a motion to adjurnn? Moved by trust. >> Okay. >>

131Thank you. >> Moved by Trusty Adam, second by trustee Zinger. All those in favor say I. >> Motion carries 601 to journ the meeting. And time is now 7:57 p.m. Have a great night.