001President Davis, the live stream is now in progress. You may start the meeting. >> Good evening and welcome to the July 16th regular board meeting of the Capistroni Unified School District. The meeting is now in session. The time is 5:01 p.m. Mrs. Hayes, please call the role. Trusty Castianos. Trusty Castianos is currently absent. Trusty Pritchard >> present. >> Trusty Zinger >> here. >> Trusty Adnams >> here. >> Trusty Jones. Trusty Jones is currently absent. Trusty Bulicus >> here. >> Trusty Davis here. May I have a motion to adopt the agenda? >> So moved. >> Moved by Trusty Bullus. Seconded by Trustee. >> Second. >> Adams. Mrs. Hayes. Do we have any speaker cards regarding the adoption of the agenda? >> There are none. Okay. All those in favor of adopting the agenda, please say I.
002>> I. >> Any opposed? The motion carries 502 to adopt the agenda. Mrs. Hayes, before the board recesses to close session, is there anyone who'd like to speak to a close session agenda item? >> There is none. >> Okay. See, being that there's none, this board will now recess to close session to address the following agenda items. Student expulsion, one case. Student readmissions, two cases. Students expens expungement one case, conference with labor negotiators, CUEA, CSSEA, Teamsters, KUMA, and UP unrepresented employees. Liability claims three cases. Conference with legal counsel anticipated litigation, two cases. Conference with legal counsel, existing litigation, four cases. Public employee employment appointment principal, elementary school, multiple sites. Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction, General and Special Education, 6 through 12, and the Adult Transition Program. The board will now recess to close session.
003President Davis, the live stream is in progress. You may start the meeting. >> Good evening and welcome to the July 16 regular board meeting of the Capistron Unified School District. The meeting is now in session. The time is 6:03. Mrs. H, please call the role. >> Trusty Castianos >> here. >> Trusty Pritchard. >> Trusty Zolinger >> here. >> Trusty Adams >> here. >> Trusty Jones >> here. >> Trusty Bulacus >> here. Trusty Davis >> here. >> Thank you. The Pledge of Allegiance will be led by Mevis. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. >> Mrs. Hayes, can you please read the report from close session? On agenda item
0043A, student expulsion, trustees voted 70 to approve the following case 2025019. On agenda item 3B, student readmission, trustees voted 70 to approve staff recommendation on the following cases. Case number 2025008 and case number 2025 012. On agenda item 3 C, student expungement, trustees voted 70 to approve staff recommendation on the following case. Case number 2025 012. There may be an error there. Can we go to the agenda listing on the screen? Yes. 3C and then go back to, if you will, please 3B. and it is the same case number. I just want to verify that. Okay. Going on to agenda item 3D, conference with labor negotiator, labor negotiators, no reportable action. On agenda item 3E, liability claim, trustees voted 70 to approve staff recommendations on the following cases. Rejection rejection of government claim number 2412552.
005Claim number 2513591 and claim number 2513592. On agenda item 3F, conference with legal council, anticipated litigation, trustees voted 70 to approve staff recommendations on the following ADR cases. Case number 2025 0616 and case number 20250620. On agenda item 3G, conference with legal council existing litigation. Trustees voted 70 to approve staff recommendation on the following OAH cases. Case number 2025011 060. Case number 2025 0330 0. Case number 2025309 52. And case number 2025 0931. On agenda item H1, trustees voted 70 to appoint Mindy Davis Brown, principal Lobo Elementary, effective July 17, 2025. and Yenia Hogan Campamamp, principal, Palisades Elementary, effective July 17, 2025. On agenda item H2, trustees voted 70 to appoint Jeff Jones, executive director, curriculum and instruction, general and special education, grades 6 through 12, adult transitions program, effective July 1, 2025. And that
006concludes my report. >> Thank you, Mr. Hace. I'd like to recognize Dr. Brown who will present his opening comments followed by any trustee comments. >> Good evening everyone. Welcome to the first official board of trustee meeting for the 2025 2026 school year. U I'll be very brief this evening as I hope everyone's having an amazing summer. I get asked a lot why do you go in in the summer? What's going on? I thought schools were closed in the summer. Um summer's planning and prep time. CFC staff are working really hard to prepare our sites for the return of our students. They're cleaning campuses, making repairs, moving teachers classrooms, analyzing data data, onboarding new hires, making sure we get new hires for principal ships as we just saw, finalizing grants, preparing trainings, uh dealing with budget
007changes, etc., etc. Um, and and all the while our sites are still hosting summer sports camps, extended school year programs, summer academic camps, um extended learning opportunities. So, the kids are still here. Um it's just not the regular school year. So, it may only be mid July, but our principles are actually returning to their campuses next week to start final preparations, to have our opening management meeting, and to get ready for staff and families and students to return. And in just a little over a month, we will return to school. And I do enjoy the first day of school, but but no rush. We get to take a break. So, uh that concludes my comments for the evening. >> Thank you, trustees. Any comments? Okay. Um happy summer. It is like uh Dr. Brown mentioned,
008it's an exciting time as that we anticipate the start of next year and what that looks like. So, and I would like to just acknowledge the retirees listed on this month's agenda for certificated employees on this month's agenda. Um, and the classified employees on this month's agenda. So, certificated or sorry, let me start with Yeah, certificated. We have a teacher, elementary school teacher that's been with us. We have two teachers that have been with us for 39 years and um then and that's Kelly Basher and Lisa Wazinger and an elementary school and a middle school teacher and Jill Oonnell Bogle executive director has been with us for 37 years and we have 36 years 34 years 32 years 28 years 25 24 23 20 just to name a few for those that are retiring this
009year. And then our classified we have Karen Scott who is a director to information systems 27 years. Monica Simpson a para educator 26 years and Julie you office manager for 26 years. People like to stay with us. We're doing great things. So congratulations to all those retirees and um thank you for all your service. Okay, we're now moving on to oral communications. The total time for oral communications shall be 20 minutes. Mrs. Hayes, do we have any speaker cards for oral communications? >> We do. We have six speaker cards. So, they will be allotted three minutes each. I ask you to line up and we'll in the order that I call your name. Lisa Meyers, Michelle Blanchard, Matthew Hamilton, Jamie Linda Moore, and Angie Gutierrez. Lisa, go ahead. Okay. Um, it is summertime. Um, and
010I appreciate your comments, Dr. Brown, and um, that is exactly why I felt like it was so important that I come here to um, talk about what actually has been going on this summer. Our Orange County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Stefan Bean, himself, an immigrant to the United States, said, "Our responsibility to support every student in our schools is both a legal and moral imperative, and our commitment remains clear and unwavering." He also emphasized ensuring schools remain safe and supportive environments where every student can thrive. We have about a month before school returns and our Latino students have spent their summer watching in horror as ice has spread widely over Southern California. One of the most egregious incidents was when Narcisso Barono, a landscaper and a father of three United States Marines, was violently taken
011by ICE while he worked. I cannot imagine the trauma that our Latino students who have seen such violence repeated over and over again on social media this summer. What that um has made them feel and how that feels seeing the violence perpetuated on their community. Approximately 30% of all the high school students in this district of our are of Hispanic or Latino descent. My Mexican-American mom friend has spent the summer watching. in her words, inhumane treatment of her fellow Mexican and she feels so deeply distraught and her daughter is a high school student in our district. What is this school board doing to ensure a warm and welcoming return to school for these students? Are there communications in the works ensuring parents and students will feel welcome and supported when they return to campus? Have
012the counselors been provided training on how to support our students who have spent the summer under enormous stress and fear? Have you considered how our Latino students learning might be impacted when they are worried that family members not might not be home when they return from school because they've ar been arrested by ICE? These students deserve the top-notch education that Capo Unifi provides, and they need to feel welcomed, wanted, and supported through this difficult, historic time. >> Our next speaker is Michelle Blanchard. Hi. Okay. Nervous. is much more empty than I thought it would be. Um, my name is Michelle Blanchard and I live in uh Trusty Bulock's district and I work in Trustee Davis's district as an ELMT um for the last two years. Um, so work working 17 and a half hours um
013a week. Um, I'm here today to speak to the board regarding the critical role of the library staff and ask that they approve the recommended 5% wage increase. Um, we're still in negotiations. I'm just here to speak on behalf of the hardworking library staff. Although I've only been working two years as an elementary library media tech. Um, I began uh volunteering at my kids school at Castile in the library. I actually um began as a teacher before that. um not at Castile but um in Anaheim City School District but then was home with the kids and working in the library was a great gig and um at the time then the library staff was only there once a day and they completely relied on the parent volunteers to do everything. So, I'm very grateful that
014um I was fortunate to jump on that negotiations that now we have since 2024 a library on staff at the elementary five days a week. Um but I have witnessed just in my two years the the hard work that all the librarians put in. I volunteer at New Hart Elementary or New Hart Middle School um regularly in the library when I can after I work and um I see how often the library staff every time I'm there doesn't matter when there's at least one student in that hour period that comes in with a Chromebook issue. Um I am fortunate on the elementary level that my issues are not as traumatic as the middle school and high school that I see. They had deal with a lot of damage with their Chromebooks. But to give you
015an example of a typical day for myself as an ELMT, um I work three and a half hours a day. Um I'm responsible for classes coming in, um reading to the the classes, which I enjoy choosing books for the kids, um ordering books, and a lot of other things. But for example, I often have a lot of the younger elementary first grade and second graders coming in. recently um one particular class this class of uh actually 28 kids she can't manage all the issues so she's often the teacher is often sending the student to come to me to ask what is going on their screen is blue they don't know how to get to the next screen um and I can't not deal with that I mean I'm going to help them in the best
016way I can even if it's interrupting my class to get them back to class um so that they can continue their work um so I deal with that on a daily basis on top of my other duties. And I just hope that you'll consider um the increase in wages and help support the library staff so we keep people like myself. Thank you. >> Our next speaker is Matthew Hamilton. >> Hello, I'm Matt Hamilton. I'm a parent of four, a business owner, and I am a product of the California public school system. I went on to get degrees at Brigham Young University and Duke uh University as well. And I've usually just sat idly by and kind of let things happen. I recently read a book. I would recommend it to everyone in this room, anyone
017with children, nieces, nephews, or in some sort of teaching capacity, The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Hate. And I feel it's important that we acknowledge the damage that smartphones are doing to our children as well as other forms of screens that we believe are assisting their education but in fact harming their mental health and their social well-being. I grew up in a generation with no smartphones, limited computers. We solved problems hands-on. We were forced to make friendships face to face. And today I would urge the board to consider to uh adopt no phones in school, go back to a bell-to-bell engagement, ban Chromebooks or do no Chromebooks, and do an end of block scheduling. I know that's a lot, but I really feel strongly that this will help assist our young people to mature in ways
018that they are not maturing today. And as I mentioned, I have children in three of our St. Clemeni schools right now. and uh four children total. And so I feel strongly about this. The research is astounding. Uh analysis shows smartphone use lowers test scores. Um studies show that s scores dropped even by 14%. Mental health is up. Mental health crisis is up 51% in teens that use social media for four hours of day. Uh especially in young women. Um I have three young women. Uh smartphones disrupt dopamine. They fuel irritability. We all know this. We all see this and it ultimately tanks GPA and outcomes in their life. Many schools are banning smartphones. This is not an anomaly. This is a trend across the United States. 40% of education systems across the United States. 79
019systems have banned smartphones specifically in private schools, which tells you if someone's paying college like tuition to send their child to a private school, they are insisting that there are no smartphones. and that is creating tremendously positive results, improving test scores, improving outcomes for these young people. I could go on, my simple urge is to open up an agenda item and look into this and that we should take the time to analyze the harm that this is doing to our young people and ultimately give our children a chance to excel in school. Beyond that, out of time bell-to-bell engagement, I have personally taught young people. I teach a religious Bible study every morning at 7 a.m. I know how hard it is to engage young people for an hour, but simply letting them resort to
020their phones for the last 20 minutes of class is not education. And lastly, uh I really know the value that Chromebooks presented during pandemic and how they have allowed us to streamline things, but ultimately that is unfettered access that our children have. Uh >> we'll go on to the next speaker. Dr. Brown, are you able to respond? Uh, >> the trustees don't, but um, could we make it that we could ask someone from our administration to share um, the cell phone policy we have going forward? >> Yes. So, the state of California is requiring all districts to have a cell phone use policy or no use policy in place by June of 2026. We will be bringing our policy forward this fall. We've been piloting in many of our schools um to reduce cell phone
021usage during the day at our school. So, the board will be considering a policy and looking through policy this fall. >> Thanks, Jamie. Please go ahead. >> Thanks. Hi, my name is Jamie and I'm a parent of a almost fifth grader at RHDana, one of our dual immersion Spanish English programs. I'm here tonight because many families, including my own, are feeling uncertain and anxious. And in this moment, I believe our district has an opportunity to lead with transparency, care, and courage. Back in March, a board member used a racial slur from the dis. Since then, members of the NAACP have come to this very room month after month respectfully asking for cultural competency training and policies that can help prevent future harm. I want to echo that ask tonight. Please consider meaningful, proactive training for
022board members, staff, and educators so that our schools can be places of true belonging and respect for all of our students. We also know that fears around immigration enforcement have intensified in recent weeks. As Lisa shared, particularly for our Latino families who make up nearly 30% of our district. Families are scared. Children are anxious. I'm anxious. I ask this board to provide clear, up-to-date communication about how our district plans to respond if ICE activity increases near or on our school campuses and what supports will be in place for students impacted by this trauma and fear. And finally, with the looming $6.9 billion in federal education cuts and the restructuring at the Department of Education, families need guidance. How will these cuts impact our special education programs or afterchool services and teacher support? I respectfully ask
023for transparent communication about what's ahead and what the district is doing to protect the rights and learning opportunities of all students, especially those who are the most vulnerable. These asks come from a place of care, not just for my own child, but for every family in this district. We all want safe, strong, inclusive schools and that takes leadership, communication, and a willingness to listen. Thank you for your time. >> Our next speaker is Linda Moore. >> Hello. I'm a um retired CUSD teacher and all of my 30 years teaching have been spent teaching in title one schools which focuses on usually on immigrant children. So I have a lot of experience working with those children and the programs involved in such and the teacher training that's required of it. it it's very important. We can
024see that CUSD has put a lot of money and effort into teaching our immigrant children and now we have um a Congress that has passed a budget that will take 6.8 billion. It'll take it away and approve school funding from 33 states including California. A large part of that is title one money. This money was already promised and budgeted by local school districts for the upcoming school year. It was supposed to be paid starting July 1st, 2025, as in this this summer. Um, it's pretty apparent that this is a Republican project 2025 goal. They really are seeking to eliminate public education. So what I ask of our board is for the immediate release of the public schools funds that have already been appropriated by Congress and our schools because our schools will really be in
025crisis now. We had we've always had funding problems in CUSD. It's only going to be worse now. I hope you'll all make a plan and do the best you can for our title one schools, our title one children. I thank you for your time. >> Thank you. Our next speaker is Angie Gutierrez. Good evening, Superintendent Brown, President Davis, and members of the school board. On behalf of the CSEA bargaining team and members of our chapter, I want to extend my sincere gratitude for approving our contract. Your support not only validates the vital work of classified employees, but also reflects a shared commitment commitment to the students, staff, and community of CUSD. As this was my first experience participating in negotiations, I'll admit I felt a little intimidated walking into the room for the first time.
026However, that feeling quickly gave way to admiration. The collaboration, mutual respect, and tireless effort displayed by both the CSEA and district bargaining teams was truly inspiring. I was so impressed by the professionalism and dedication shown throughout the entire process. It was clear that everyone at the table was committed to finding solutions and working together in the best interest of the district. I'm incredibly thankful to all who played a role in reaching this agreement and I'm excited to move forward with optimism and a shared focus on what unites us, ensuring the continued success of CSD for our employees and most importantly for our students. Thank you once again for your leadership, partnership, and continued support. >> Thank you. >> Okay, moving on to 11A. May I have a motion for board action to adopt initial reopener
027contract proposal from California School Employees Association Capistrono chapter 224 for negotiations for the 2526 fiscal year. >> So moved. >> Moved by Trustee Jones, seconded by >> second >> by Trusty Bulus. I'd like to recognize Bob Presby, associate superintendent, human resources, who will introduce the item. >> Thank you, President Davis. staff presents item 11A, the initial reopener proposal for CSEA chapter 224 for the fiscal year. The district's initial proposal was approved at our last meeting and if this item is approved, the negotiation teams can meet to uh come to a tenative agreement for the 2025 2026 fiscal year. Staff recommends approval. >> Thank you. Miss Hayes, do we have any speaker cards for this item? Okay, there are none trustees discussion comments. Okay, all those in favor >> I >> any opposed? Okay, motion carries
02870. Moving on to 11B. May I have a motion to approve the declaration of need for fully qual qualified educators 2526. >> So moved. >> Moved by trustee Adams. Second by trustee Salinger. I'd like to recognize Bob Presby, associate superintendent, human resource service, who will introduce the item. >> Thank you, President Davis. Staff presents item 11B, the declaration of need for fully qualified educators. This item was previously presented and approved by the board in April on the consent agenda. However, the California Commission on Teaching Credential has indicated they need this declaration approved as a discussion action item. So, we're bringing it back this evening. That recommends approval. >> Thank you, Miss Hayes. Do we have any speaker cards for this item? We have one speaker card. Bradley, please come forward. >> Go ahead. >> Hi,
029my name is Bradley. I am an alumni of uh San Clementia High School as well as Bernice ARS Middle School and I uh support this motion to uh uh en ensure that we have highly qualified educators for our schools. I've been the gracious recipient of the education of many highly qualified educators in the past and um I am concerned that with the current political climate right now that doing so will be extremely difficult particularly with the advancements of uh Trump's uh federal gestapo ICE agency uh which is already shown taken moves to interrupt public school uh activities such as graduations and uh providing an increasingly anxious climate for educators who are uh you know I most cases simply want to do the best job that they can to uh teach their students and are now
030having to be afraid of potential backlash from the administration with regards to DEI policies or the immigration status of their students. And uh in addition to not only um stating a need for highly qualified educators at our schools, I would like the board to take proactive action to speak out against the actions of this administration and provide a more uh safe and uh welcoming climate to prospective educators who would be feel protected and secure in working at our schools. Um, such actions include preventing ICE agents from entering non-public areas of the school, uh, such as classrooms or anywhere that requires a visitor pass. Um, this would give both students and teachers the security they would need to, uh, teach and learn in the classrooms. Um, I would also like the board to enact DEI policies
031that ensure that all students in the school and teachers are going to be welcomed and uh um included in the uh teaching and education and learning process at our schools. I think these policies among others that I have not enumerated will uh increase the likelihood of qualified educators uh seeking interest in teaching at our schools and will um alleviate some of the troubles of us finding them. So um I appreciate your time and hearing my comments on this matter and um I support your movement to pass this measure or whatever it is. Thank you. >> Thank you. Trustee discussion, comments. Okay. All those in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? A motion passes 70. Moving to 11C. May I have a motion to approve trustee renumeration. Moved by trustee Zinger. >> Seconded by trustee Adams.
032I'd like to recognize Chris Brown, superintendent, who will introduce the item. >> Thank you, President Davis. This item addresses trustee renumeration for the 2025 2026 fiscal year. In accordance with board policy 9250 and education code 35120, trustee compensation is reviewed annually and may be adjusted to reflect the average total compensation increase provided to all district employees during the preceding year with a maximum cap of 5%. All employee negotiations for 2425 have been completed and the average increase district-wide for the preceding year of 2324 was.32%. As such, this item proposes a.32% increase to the current monthly trustee stipend of $852, bringing the new amount to $855 per month. The estimated financial impact for this item is approximately $284 annually. This expenditure is funded through the general fund and staff recommends approval. >> Thank you, Miss Hayes.
033Do we have any speaker cards for this item? >> We have one speaker. Bradley, please come forward. >> Speak on 11C regarding funding. >> Good to see you all again. Um, I missed the public comment section, so I'm using the uh agenda items, but I do have some uh some comments about the uh the funding for our trustees, our hardworking trustees. Uh, I do support you guys being paid more. I think it's a difficult job and I think if you guys were able to make a little bit more money. Uh, it would incentivize other, you know, uh, members of the community who may be less able to, uh, take on the the role that you guys do and, um, you know, include some additional parts of the community into these discussions that are so important
034and affect all of the students in our community. So, um I'm not opposed to you guys making more money to start. I am, however, concerned about the general funding of our public schools. As a previous speaker mentioned, the current uh presidential administration is seeking to cut public school funding as much as possible and in the intent of eliminating public education altogether. And I think our district is not immune from these goals by the administration. And I would like to see a comprehensive plan put forth by the board to um counteract and defend against these uh comprehensive cuts that uh have begun to have started to come and will surely continue to come uh in the future. And um I would like to know what it is that they will prioritize in funding into the future
035and what it is that they um are considering to cut if the the funding does not come. And um again, I'm willing I'm okay with you guys making more money as part of that. Uh I want to make sure that uh school lunches and breakfast are uh provided if they aren't already um and will be continued to be provided because that's an important part of student education is being properly nourished. uh after school programs and um extracurriculars I think are very important to uh student education and uh overall mental well-being in the in you know the primary education years um and uh team sports I think are are very important and um I would like to ensure that those aspects of the public education system are uh continued to be funded and as well as
036teacher uh salaries uh continue to be funded if not increased because you know they are the the lifeblood of our public school system and um I don't need to use my full three minutes but uh I think I've got made my point so thank you guys again for listening to me and I appreciate all the work you do >> thank you trustee discussion comments okay all those in favor >> I >> any opposed passes 70. We'll now move to the consent calendar. Mrs. Hayes, do we have any speaker cards for this item? >> There are none. >> Okay. Do we have any trustees that are that have any consent items they'd like to pull? >> Okay. I have a motion to approve the consent calendar. >> So moved. >> Moved by Trusty Bulicus. >> Second
037by Trustee Adams. All those in favor say I. >> I. I. >> Any opposed? >> Okay. The motion carries. Oh, I'm sorry. That's correct. >> Okay. Motion carries 70 to approve the consent calendar. >> Did you have any other comments on Thank you. Have a motion to adjourn the meeting. >> Second. >> Moved by Trustee Zinger. Trust um seconded by Trustee Jones. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> And any opposed? Motion carries. 70 to adjourn the meeting. The time is now 6:36. Ladies and gentlemen, have a great night.