Mar 21, 2024 School Board

[1. CALL TO ORDER IN PUBLIC SESSION]

[2. PUBLIC COMMENTS – CLOSED SESSION ITEMS:]

[3. CLOSED SESSION]

[4. RECONVENE INTO OPEN SESSION/CALL TO ORDER]

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WE WILL NOW RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION AT 5:58 P.M. . WE

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>> TONIGHT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION DISCUSSED THE TOPICS

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EXPULSION CASE 24-17-0006 . >> THANK YOU COULD REPLACE A PAGE FOR 12.5 IS ON THE BACK TABLE APPEARED TONIGHT, WE DO NOT HAVE A REQUEST ADDRESSING AGENDA AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS. DO WE HAVE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THE AGENDA THIS EVENING?

>> WE DO NOT HAVE ANY CORRECTIONS.

WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE TECHNOLOGIST SUPPORT MANAGER STEVE TO LEAD US IN THE OF ALLEGIANCE .

>> MR. PRESIDENT, IF I COULD GIVE MARK ENCLOSED SECTION, PROPERTY -- WAS ALSO DISCUSSED BUT NO ACTIONS WERE TAKEN.

>> GOT THAT. DO I HAVE TO SAY IT? PROPERTY NEGOTIATIONS BUT NO ACTION WAS TAKEN.

>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL. THE FLOOR IS YOURS .

[6. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

>> THAT EVENING. PLEASE STAND AND JOIN ME FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. PLACE YOUR RIGHT HAND OVER YOUR HAND AND BEGIN.

>> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE 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.

[7. PRESENTATIONS FROM STUDENTS / STAFF / COMMUNITY]

OKAY. I DO NOT SEE HER. WE DO NOT HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM THEM TONIGHT. MR. VICTOR SANCHEZ AND MR. -- FROM THE

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THE BOARD. WELCOME. >> AND PRESIDENT, I BELIEVE THEY ALSO HAVE HILLARY SHERMAN WICKS WHO IS JOINING THIS

EVENING . >> YES WE'RE THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING , BOARD PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD BUT IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU THIS EVENING.

>> THANK YOU FOR THE CORRECTION , SUPERINTENDENT THAT I WANT TO TAKE A QUICK LITTLE MOMENT TO INTRODUCE MYSELF. YOU KNOW, I AM FAMILIAR WITH THIS COMMITTEE. I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN BELLFLOWER AND BEEN INVOLVED IN VERY ACTIVE. ONE OF THE THINGS I CARE MOST ABOUT IS OUR CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WE ARE TRANSFORMING THEIR LIVES. I AM A PROUD EMPLOYEE OF COMMUNITY FAMILY GUIDANCE ON A PRINT OUT OF THE CHILDREN MENTAL HEALTH NONPROFIT. WITH ME TONIGHT I HAVE OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND HILLARY SHERMAN WICKS WAS IN CHARGE OF OUR PROGRAM'S . SHE SUPERVISES ALL OF OUR MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING I WANT TO HAND IT OFF AND SAY THANK YOU FOR

HAVING US THIS EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING. IT IS AN HONOR TO BE HERE BUT I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR OUR KIDS HERE IN BELLFLOWER AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE . ALL THE TIME AND EFFORT YOU PUT IN IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. LET ME SEE IF I CAN FIGURE THIS OUT.

THERE WE GO. IT IS WORKING. GREAT! I LIKE TO START WITH TALKING A LITTLE ABOUT THE AGENCY AND GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND. THE AGENCY COVERED THE MISSION STATEMENT FIRST.

OUR MISSION IS TO HELP SOUTHEAST LOS ANGELES COUNTY WITH UNDERSERVED CHILDREN HEAL FROM FAMILY, ABUSE, EMOTIONAL , BEHAVIORAL, AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES THROUGH COMPASSIONATE GUIDANCE. WE SERVE A LOT OF UNDERSERVED KIDS . THAT IS ALL WE DO. IT IS THE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY. OUR HISTORY IS SUCH THAT WE, OKAY. THERE WE GO. THAT IS MOVING NOW, VICTOR.

THANK YOU. THERE WAS A REAL NEED BACK IN THE EARLY 1970S FOR MENTAL HEALTH THERAPY FOR KIDS IN PARTICULAR. ESPECIALLY IN THE HAWAIIAN GARDENS AREA FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WAS GETTING A LOT OF PHONE CALLS FOR SERVICES BUT THERE WAS NOT AN AGENCY AND THE AREA THAT COULD HANDLE THOSE THINGS.

SO THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH CONTACTED THE CLOSEST AGENCY WHICH WAS UP IN WHITTIER. THE INTERCOMMUNITY GUIDANCE CENTER. THEY ASKED IF THEY COULD OPEN UP AN OFFICE IN THE HAWAIIAN GARDENS AREA WHICH THEY AGREED TO DO BUT THEY SENT FIVE STAFF MEMBERS TO THAT OFFICE IN HAWAIIAN GARDENS. THAT OFFICE WAS QUICKLY OVERRUN WITH CLIENTS.

THIS WAS BACK IN THE STONE TABLET AGE WHERE THERE WAS NO EMAIL OR INTERNET OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFICULT FOR INTERCOMMUNITY TO MANAGE BOTH. THEY HAD THEIR OWN THING GOING ON. THEY SUGGESTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH THAT AN AGENCY IS FORMED IN THIS AREA THAT CAN SERVE THIS AREA AND THE SOUTHEAST LOS ANGELES, AREA THAT IS HOW WE WERE BORN IN 1976, WE GOT OUR NONPROFIT STATUS. 501C 3 PAYMENT FROM OFFICE IN HAWAIIAN GARDENS AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS TO OUR MAIN OFFICE THAT IS LOCATED NEXT TO THE AUTOMALL. AND WE STARTED SERVING THE COMMUNITIES IN THE SMALL SEVEN AREA WITH THE DEPARTMENT MENTAL HEALTH CONTRACT SERVING MOSTLY MEDI-CAL KIDS AGES ZERO THROUGH 21. WE ARE OUR SPECIALTY MENTAL HEALTH. ALL OF OUR CLIENTS OUR CHILDREN. WE DO NOT SEE ADULT.

>> COMMUNITY FAMILY GUIDANCE CENTER TODAY IS 70 STAFF MEMBERS STRONG. 53 ARE CLINICAL , 17 OUR SUPPORT STAFF. WE HAVE ONE CERTIFIED CHILD PSYCHIATRIST WHO HANDLES OUR

MEDICATIONS. >> WE HAVE 16 VOLUNTEER BOARD MEMBERS. WE ARE NOW PROVIDING 30-40,000 CLINICAL HOURS PER YEAR TO THE PEOPLE WE SERVE. WE ARE SEEING 450-500 KIDS PER WEEK. WE ARE DOING ALL THIS OUT OF TWO OFFICES. ONE IN CERRITOS AND ONE IN THE CITY OF DOWNEY. A LOT OF THE WORK IS ALSO BEING DONE IN THE FIELD. WE'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK AT THE SCHOOLS AND IN THE HOMES OF CLIENTS AS WELL. WE ARE SERVING ABOUT 28 CITIES IN THE SPA SEVEN AREA. OUR SERVICES INCLUDE PREVENTION , EARLY AT IT IS ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS IN EARLY INTERVENTION IS DIRECTED AS TO CHILDREN WHO ARE HAVING THEIR FIRST -- IF YOU WILL. MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM. WE ALSO HAVE OUR OUTPATIENT UNTIL HEALTH SERVICES PROGRAM WHICH TYPICALLY, ONE SESSION PER WEEK IN THE HOME OR IN THE COMMUNITY OR AT OUR OFFICE IS BEING UTILIZED TO HELP THESE INDIVIDUALS . INDIVIDUAL, FAMILY COLLATERAL, AND GROUP

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THIS IS FOR THE MORE CRISIS CASES, IF YOU LOOK AT IT IS FOR CLIENTS ARE EXPERIENCING SEVERE EMOTIONAL, BEHAVIORAL, SOCIAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES -- CHALLENGES THAT THEY MAY BE EXPRESSING HIGH RICK BEHAVIOR SUCH AS SELF-HARM. I WOULD LIKE TO DETOUR A LITTLE BIT AND SAY PRIOR TO COVID, THE NUMBER OF CRISIS CASES WE ARE HANDLING WAS ABOUT 22% OF OUR CASELOAD. COVID AND THIS LAST YEAR, IT WAS ABOUT HER SCENT. COVID REALLY DID AFFECT OUR KIDS OUT THERE.

I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT. TYPICALLY, A GOOD PLACE TO HELP AVOID ALL HIGHER-LEVEL OF CARE, EITHER IN THEIR LIVING SITUATION OR THEIR EDUCATIONAL PLACEMENT , WE ARE USUALLY THE PLACE THEY SEND THEM TO TO TRY TO KEEP THEM FROM BEING COMMITTED TO A HOSPITAL IN THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM WE ARE CATCHING THEM WHEN THEY ARE COMING OUT OF THE HOSPITAL. SESSIONS ARE FREQUENTLY DONE MULTIPLE TIMES PER WEEK OUR STAFF DOES A LOT OF THESE SESSIONS IN THE HOMES.

I ACTUALLY PREFERRED BECAUSE IT ALLOWS THEM TO GO IN AND SEE THE ENVIRONMENT THEY ARE LIVING IN AND MAYBE ADDRESS SOME THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IN THAT PARTICULAR ENVIRONMENT. ALSO, OUR CLINICIANS IN THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM ARE ON-CALL 4/7 FOR THE CLIENTS WE SERVE IN THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM. THE DIAGNOSIS AND THINGS WE TREAT INCLUDE ANXIETY, DEPRESSION , OPPOSITIONAL DEFIANT DISORDER, CONDUCT DISORDER, ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER, OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER, POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER, AND I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE WE ARE KIND OF KNOWN FOR OUR TRAUMA WORK. REALLY -- WE ARE REALLY GOOD AT WHAT WE DO WITH TRAUMA. A LOT OF OUR KIDS ARE INVOLVED IN SOME KIND OF

TRAUMA. >> I WANTED TO COVER THE CITIES THAT. NOT THAT BELLFLOWER , THE BELLFLOWER UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT STATS THAT YOU QUICKLY PUT EYES USE CAN -- AS YOU CAN SEE, THROUGH THE YEARS FROM 2015-2020, WE HELD BETWEEN 11 AND 13% OF ALL THE WORK WE DID. CLIENTS WERE FROM BELLFLOWER. IF YOU NOTICE IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, THAT IS -- IT HAS BASICALLY DOUBLED TO 20% OF OUR CASELOAD IS COMING FROM THE CITY OF TRAUMA. BELLFLOWER IS OUR NUMBER ONE CLIENT DRAW CITY OUT OF ALL THE CITIES WE SERVE. IN JULY 2021, WE ENTERED INTO A CONTRACT WITH BELLFLOWER UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT TO MEET THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF THE STUDENT WITHIN THE DISTRICT HERE. PART OF OUR TASK WAS TO CREATE A WELLNESS PROGRAM, WHICH WE DID. WE DEDICATED THREE LICENSED ARABESQUES TO THE PROGRAM. IN THIS PAST YEAR, WE HAD EIGHT INTERNS AS PART OF THE PROGRAM AS WELL HELPING OUT. THESE THERAPISTS THAT ARE DEDICATED ARE HERE FULL-TIME. THEY ARE SEEING STUDENTS AND OFFICE SPACE PROVIDED BY THE BELLFLOWER UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT . THE STUDENTS WE ARE SEEING ARE REFERRED TO AS BY THE STAFF. AT THIS TIME, I WILL HAVE THE DIRECTOR OF THE WELLNESS PROGRAM, I WILL HAVE HER COME UP AND PRESENT ON THE ACTUAL WORK WE DO IN THE

DISTRICT. >> HELLO. AND THANKS AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE OUR PROGRAM AND WE'VE BEEN VERY EXCITED AND IT HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP. REALLY FEEL PRIVILEGED TO SERVE CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS AND REALLY TRY TO HELP THEM BE SUCCESSFUL AT SCHOOL. JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF. I AM A LICENSED MEDICAL SOCIAL WORKER FOR MANY YEARS. I'VE BEEN AT THE AGENCY FOR MANY YEARS AND WORKING WITH KIDS , CHILDREN, AND FAMILIES. IN CHARGE OF OVERSEEING THE PROGRAM, PROVIDING SUPERVISION AND THE COORDINATION AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL. WE'RE REALLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THREE REALLY AWESOME THERAPISTS. THEY BECAME LICENSED DURING THE PROCESS. -- SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE MET HER. SHE IS THE COORDINATOR FOR THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS. SHE DIRECTLY SUPERVISES THE INTERNS. WE HAVE INCREASED. WE STARTED OUT WITH THREE INTERNS AND OVER THE YEARS, WE HAVE INCREASED SO NOW WE HAVE EIGHT 22 SUPERVISES

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THEY ARE BUSY AND THEY ARE BOTH BILINGUAL. THEY HELP PROVIDE SERVICES ALL THREE YEARS. BOTH OF THEM HAVE HELPED WITH THE TRAINING TO IN TERMS AND HELPING TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED. JUST TO KIND OF DO HIGHLIGHTS OF SOME OF THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE. AT THE BEGINNING, WE ARE DOING A LOT OF OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT.

WHEN I GET REFERRALS, WE ARE REACHING OUT TO PARENTS AND FAMILIES, EXPLAINING OUR SERVICES, ANSWERING QUESTIONS.

WE ALSO HAVE BEEN GOING TO THE OPEN HOUSES AND BACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHTS JUST TO BE VISIBLE AND LET PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT WHAT WE DO. ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND GET TO MEET THE COMMUNITY. THAT IS BEEN REALLY NICE AND WE ALSO DO SOME MENTAL HEALTH SCREENINGS AT THE VERY BEGINNING. THAT INCLUDES PARENTS AND STUDENTS AND STAFF TO REALLY IDENTIFY WHAT THE MAIN CONCERNS ARE. AND ALSO TO BE SURE THAT OUR SERVICES ARE REALLY GOING TO BE A GOOD MATCH. IF IT LOOKS LIKE WE MIGHT NEED SOMETHING OUTSIDE, THEN WE DO OUR CASE MANAGEMENT AND WHEATLAND FAMILIES TO APPROPRIATE OUTSIDE RESOURCES.

THE BULK OF WHAT WE DO IS REALLY INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING.

WE DO SOME GROUP, BUT WE REALLY FOCUS ON SKILL BUILDING AND REALLY TRY TO BOLSTER STUDENTS THAT OFTEN SOME OF THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL CHALLENGES THEY HAVE ARE GETTING IN THE WAY OF THEIR SUCCESS. OUR GOAL IS TO REALLY SORT OF BUILT THOSE SKILLS THAT WE BUILD ON THE STRENGTHS THEY DO HAPPEN THE MOST COMMON THINGS TO GET REFERRALS FOR WOULD-BE GENERALLY WITH REGULATIONS, MANAGEMENT, ANXIETY AND A LOT OF STRESS. DEPRESSION. RECENT LOSS. THAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST AND THEN SOCIAL SKILLS. -- THAT IS IN THE FOCUS. WE HAVE SOME SMALL GROUPS AT SOME OF THE SCHOOLS. WE REALLY TRY TO TAILOR TO WHAT THE SCHOOLS NEED. AND WE WANT TO SUPPORT PARENTS. I'VE DONE SOME PAINTING SEMINARS. BASICALLY, THIS IS THE TOPICS WERE REQUESTED AT DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.

WE HAVE DONE ON GRIEF AND LOSS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH. ON STRESS MANAGEMENT . HAPPY -- HELPING SUPPORT STUDENTS. AND ALSO, GENERAL PRESENTATIONS ON OUR SERVICES.

ALSO, WE HAVE DONE CONSULTATION . WE HAVE STUDENTS IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING REFERRALS. WE WANT TO REALLY ORDINATE WITH SCHOOL STAFF SO WE WITH TEACHERS AND SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND CASE MANAGERS. THAT IS TO REALLY PROVIDE SOME SUPPORT AND IDEAS ON INTERVENTIONS AND REALLY ANSWER EVERYONE HAS ALL THE INFORMATION THEY NEED TO BEST WORK WITH THE STUDENT BID WOMEN AVAILABLE FOR ANY TEACHER PRESENTATIONS OR TRAININGS WITH SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL ISSUES THAT I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE AND SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND HOW TO BEST SUPPORT STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM.

WE HAVE DONE SOME CLASSROOM PRESENTATIONS. I KNOW AT -- WE HAD A SCHOOL LIKE PRESENTATION ON STRESS MANAGEMENT. TWO ABOVE THERAPIST PROVIDED THAT BID LAST YEAR, SOME OF THE INTERNS DID PRESENTATIONS ON GROUP AND RESILIENCY. THE TOPICS, CURRENTLY ONE OF OUR INTERN IS DOING PRESENTATIONS ON EMOTIONAL REGULATION. AND STRESS MANAGEMENT AS WELL. IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE STUDENTS ARE REQUESTING. WE HAVE THE OPTION FOR SORT OF MORE IN-DEPTH SERVICES. REALLY LOOKING AT THINGS ON A DEEPER LEVEL AND REALLY LOOKING AT -- A BIT MORE THAN -- WE HAVE THAT OPTION FOR INDIVIDUAL BE OR FAMILY THERAPY WITH THE STUDENT FOCUS. CURRENTLY, WE ARE IN 13 SCHOOLS. WE HAVE ALSO PROVIDED THE BASE CENTER AS WELL. 13 OF THE 14 . OVER THE YEARS, REFERRALS HAVE DEFINITELY INCREASED BE RESTARTED OUT THE FIRST YEAR , AN INTERESTING YEAR. THIS IS THE WAY CAME BACK FROM THE PANDEMIC. EVERYTHING WAS, LOTS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THE NEEDS ARE GOING TO BE. SO THAT WAS A REALLY INTERESTING YEAR. I THINK IT WAS REALLY HELPFUL FOR US TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICES OVER THE YEARS , THAT IS INCREASED. LAST YEAR WAS 174. CURRENTLY, TO DATE, WE

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OVER TO BILL. >> I KIND OF WANT TO SUMMARIZE WHAT WE ARE DOING IN THE DISTRICT HERE. WE SUCCESSFULLY PUT TOGETHER A PROGRAM FOR THE DISTRICT. WE IMPLEMENTED IT AND WE HAVE BEEN RUNNING IT. ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANTED TO DO WAS MAKE SURE THERE WERE NOT ANY BLEED OVER. IN OTHER WORDS, IF THEY HAD MEDI-CAL WE WOULD TAKE AND SERVE THEM UNDER THE AGENCY MEDI-CAL CONTRACT AND THAT UNDER THE CONTRACT THAT BELLFLOWER UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS PROVIDED.

OBVIOUSLY, WHY DO THAT, RIGHT? LET THE COUNTY PAY FOR IT. AND SO WE MADE SURE THAT WAS A PRIORITY . WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THAT GOAL OVER THE THREE YEARS WE HAVE BEEN DOING IT. AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE NUMBERS AND THE STATS HAVE PROVEN THAT. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS IS, WE HAVE HAD CONTINUITY. I HAVE HAD THE SAME THERAPIST FROM DAY ONE WORKING ON SITE. THAT HAS BEEN APPOINTED -- A BIG PLUS FOR THE PROGRAM AS WELL.

WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WE SEE. WE HAVE CONTINUED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PRESENTATIONS WE ARE DOING. IT HAS BEEN A REALLY GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP. WE LOVE BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT THE DISTRICT AND THE GOALS OF THE DISTRICT. THAT IS WHAT WE ARE HERE FOR. WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU GUYS AND BE A HELP TO YOU GUYS AND BRING SOME PROFESSIONAL MENTAL HEALTH THERAPY INTO THE DISTRICT THAT MIGHT BE UTILIZED BY YOU ALL. I WANTED TO JUST ASK THE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I WILL PULL IT HILLARY BACK UP HERE. SHE CAN ANSWER THINGS CLINICAL BETTER THAN ME PROBABLY.

>> THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR OUR KIDS. I WANTED TO FIND OUT FROM A BEHAVIORAL PERSPECTIVE, PORT SELF-REGULATION, OUT OF OUR KIDS AND TEACHERS OFTEN ASK, THAT IS WHAT A LOT OF BEHAVIORAL ISSUES STEM FROM. DO YOU USE BIOFEEDBACK FOR

THAT? FOR SELF-REGULATION? >> NO, WE DO NOT HAVE BIOFEEDBACK DEVICE. WE REALLY WAS A LOT OF MIND-BODY CONNECTION IN TERMS OF RELAXATION AND SELF-AWARENESS.

WE DO NOT HAVE A SPECIFIC MACHINE.

>> NOT NECESSARILY A MACHINE. FOR STUDENTS LEARNING TO IDENTIFY TRIGGERS BEFORE THEY KIND OF ESCALATE?

>> WE ARE DEFINITELY HELPING THEM TO IDENTIFY INTERNALLY WHAT IS GOING ON AND ALSO EXTERNALLY. THAT IS DEFINITELY A BIG PART TO FIGURE THINGS OUT A LITTLE EARLY BEFORE IT

REALLY ESCALATES. >> DO YOU YOU DO A LOT OF CBT WITH KIDS? WHAT AGE GROUPS ARE YOU MOSTLY THINK?

>> IT IS REALLY OUR RANGE. FROM KINDERGARTEN AND WE HAVE ALL THE WAY UP TO SENIORS. WE PRETTY MUCH COVER THE WHOLE

RANGE. >>

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, DR. BID WE DID NOT PUT IT ON THE AGENDA AS A DISCUSSION ITEM, BUT I WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU ARE DOING. I'M AMAZED AT THE WORK YOU DO FOR THE KIDS BUT I'M ALSO AMAZED YOU ARE ABLE

TO WORK WITH THIS GUY. >>

>> I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS BUT I WILL GO AHEAD AND EMAIL THEM

OVER. MS. GARZA? >> THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU. FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART THAT OUR KIDS ARE IN A BETTER PLACE WHERE DEFINITELY HAVING THOSE GAPS FILLED THAT WERE NEEDING TO BE FILLED. I CAN SAY THAT.

AND THE DISTRICT I WORK OUT, THIS DOES NOT OCCUR. SO I AM VERY APPRECIATIVE THAT OUR BOARD MEMBERS HAVE DECIDED TO DO THIS. THAT WAY, OUR KIDS HAVE THE SERVICES. THANK YOU.

THE BOARD TO BRING IN A 48-YEAR-OLD MENTAL HEALTH -- WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING. YOU BROUGHT US INTO HEALTH AND THAT IS AWESOME. NOT ALL THE DISTRICTS ARE DOING THAT.

YOU'RE AHEAD OF THE GAME AS FAR AS I CONCERNED.

>> I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP. THANK YOU, GUYS.

>> THANK YOU. >> BEFORE YOU MOVE ON TO SUPERINTENDENT REPORT, I SAW CARRIE MCDANIEL . IF IT IS OKAY, COUNCIL, COULD WE STILL FIT IN -- CARRIE, DID YOU HAVE

, YEAH? >> I JUST SNUCK IN SORRY. GOOD

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>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. IT IS NOW TIME FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT

[8. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT]

REPORT. >> THANK YOU. TODAY, WE HAVE INCLUDED IN OUR BOARD ITEMS, A RESOLUTION TO CELEBRATE AND RECOGNIZE OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL IN -- SCHOOL VOLUNTEER WEEK. I WANTED TO SHARE THAT LAST WEEK I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF PARTICIPATING IN THAT COUNTY CONNECTIONS COLLABORATIVE MEETING. THAT IS A GROUP DEDICATED TO SERVING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH THE ORGANIZATION IS COMMITTED TO ENHANCING STUDENT ATTENDANCE AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT WHILE OFFERING VITAL COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND SUPPORT TO THOSE IN NEED. MANY INDIVIDUALS THAT WORK WITH THE VARIOUS MEMBERS OF THE COLLABORATIVE OUR VOLUNTEERS.

THE COLLABORATIVE OFFERS AN ARRAY OF ESSENTIAL SERVICES , INCLUDING ACADEMIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, CRISIS SHELTER RESOURCES, ACCESS TO MENTAL AND DENTAL CARE, NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT, AND TRANSPORTATION SERVICES. WHEN IT THINK THE BREADTH OF THE AGENCY PRESENT ALONGSIDE OUR DEDICATED BELLFLOWER UNIFIED CASE MANAGERS WITH INSPIRING .

THAT IS A LARGE CORPORATE BUSINESS ACTIVITY PARTNERS PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT PROVIDING SUPPORT TO OUR FAMILIES AND ALSO TO OUR STAFF. THEY ASSIST OUR STUDENTS. THEIR COLLABORATION INJURES STUDENTS RECEIVE THE CRITICAL RESOURCES NECESSARY FOR THE SUCCESS WHICH MIGHT BE OTHERWISE BE LACKING WITHOUT SUCH INTERVENTION. I AM THANKFUL FOR THE 93 ORGANIZATIONS LISTED IN THE COLLABORATIVE RESOURCE GUIDE FOR THEIR UNWAVERING SUPPORT IN OUR MISSION TO EQUIP STUDENTS WITH THE SKILLS AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO THRIVE AS GLOBAL COMPETITIVE CITIZENS WITH THANK YOU TO OUR MINISTRY TO OBTAIN WHO PARTICIPATES WITH THIS COLLABORATIVE AND MRS. BONNIE CARTER , AS WELL AS THE CARING CONNECTION EXECUTIVE BOARD AND THE PRESIDENT, NICOLE -- I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO REMIND OUR FAMILIES THAT SPRING BREAK IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.

PLEASE ENJOY A RESTFUL TIME WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS MARCH 29 THROUGH APRIL 5. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU . RIGHT BACK TO YOU. IT IS NOW TIME FOR

DISCUSSION ITEMS. >> YES. THIS EVENING WE HAVE A DISCUSSION ITEM ON THE CALIFORNIA VOTERS RIGHT ACT.

>> AT THIS TIME, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO LEGAL COUNCIL .

[10. DISCUSSION]

>> THANK YOU. THIS EVENING WE WILL HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM NDC. THEY'VE BEEN INTERMITTENTLY HELPING CITIES THROUGH THIS PROCESS. I WOULD QUALIFY THEM AS THE PREMIER EXPERTS IN THIS PROCESS. IN MY CITY OF MAROTTA. WE USE THEM FOR BOTH OUR INITIAL DESECRATIONS AND -- AFTER THE CENSUS. THEY ARE HERE TONIGHT TO PROVIDE A PRESENTATION FOR THE BOARD AS TO THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE CITY AND THE POSSIBLE NEED TO GO TO A DISTRICT BASED ELECTION. WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO DR. JUSTIN --

>> GOOD EVENING EMBERS OF THE BOARD AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR THAT INTRODUCTION. MY NAME IS DR.

JUSTIN LEVITT WITH THE NDC . I WANTED TO MENTION WE ALSO WORKED WITH THE CITY OF BELLFLOWER AND MAKE GOOD ON THEIR TRANSITION IN DISTRICTS AND WITH BELLFLOWER ON THEIR -- WE HAVE A COMBINED TOTAL BETWEEN ME AND MY FELLOW EMPLOYEES AT NATIONAL DEMOGRAPHICS, HUNDREDS OF HOURS. WHAT WE ARE HERE TO DISCUSS TONIGHT IS LOOKING OUT

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THAT IS WHERE -- HAVE TO LIVE IN AN AREA BUT ALSO THE RESIDENTS VOTE ON THAT POSITION. THAT IS STILL CONSIDERED AT-LARGE FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE CVRA. MOST CANNOT IMPLEMENT THE ALTERNATIVE SYSTEMS WE PROPOSE LIKE RANKED CHOICE VOTE. THAT INCLUDES LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

UNDER THE CALIFORNIA VOTING RIGHTS ACT, IF YOU USE AT-LARGE ELECTIONS, YOUR POTENTIALLY VULNERABLE TO A CHALLENGE. IF YOU HAVE A MY DISTRICT OR BY TRUSTEE AREA ELECTION SYSTEM, YOU ARE IN A SAFE HARBOR FROM CHALLENGE UNDER THE CALIFORNIA VOTING RIGHTS ACT. THE CALIFORNIA FIGHTING RIGHT ACT IS A LAW SPECIFICALLY WRITTEN CONCERNING PROTECTIVE CLASS COMMUNITIES. LIKE THE FEDERAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT TO ENSURE THAT GROUPS THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY FACED DISCRIMINATION OF VARIOUS REGISTRATION AND VOTING HAVE THEIR VOTING RIGHTS PROTECTED. HOWEVER, UNLIKE FEDERAL LAW, IT ACTUALLY MAKES THE STANDARD FOR GOING TO COURT AND DEMONSTRATING THE PRESENCE OF THE ISSUES A LOT EASIER. AND FEDERAL LAW, YOU HAVE TO SHOW AN INTENT TO DISCRIMINATE. YOU HAVE TO SHOW AN EXTENDED HISTORY OF DISCRIMINATION, BOTH AT THE INSTITUTIONAL AND AT THE SOCIAL LEVEL. THE CALIFORNIA VOTING RIGHTS ACT REDUCES THIS TO A MATHEMATICAL FORMULA.

MEMBERS OF A PROTECTED LOAD -- VOTE AS A BLOCK. TO THEIR CANDIDATES TEND TO EITHER NOT WIN OR PERHAPS, DO THEY NOT VOTE THE SAME MARGINS? AS THOSE OF OTHER CLASSES OR GROUPS WITHIN THE DISTRICT? LIABILITY BECOMES MATHEMATICAL FORMULA.

I REALLY SIMILAR -- A MATHEMATICAL FORMULA. BECAUSE OF THIS, TODAY, NO JURISDICTION HAS EVER SUCCESSFULLY ONE BACK OF CALIFORNIA VOTING RIGHTS ACT CHALLENGE. AS A RESULT, THERE'S BEEN A STATE MIGHT SHIFT AND HOW WE ELECT MEMBERS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ALL THROUGHOUT THE STATE. AT CURRENT TIME, YOU KNOW, CALIF ACT, JUST 39 CITIES HAD BY DISTRICT ELECTIONS. THAT INCLUDES CITIES LIKE DOWNEY THAT HAD A PARTLY BY DISTRICT SYSTEM AND PARTLY A -- AN ART LIKE CITY. TODAY, 180 CITIES HAVE SWITCHED IN THE LAST 20 YEARS BECAUSE OF THE CALIFORNIA VOTING RIGHTS ACT. AT LEAST 300 SCHOOL DISTRICTS , ALMOST 50 COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICTS, AND OTHER SPECIAL DISTRICTS, INCLUDING AIRPORT DISTRICTS, WATER DISTRICTS, HEALTHCARE DISTRICTS, AND MANY OTHER KINDS OF SPECIAL DISTRICTS HAVE MADE THIS TRANSITION AS WELL CAN THE LITIGATION HISTORY ON THIS IS , AT THIS POINT, IT IS KIND OF AN INTERESTING CASE. THERE BEEN MANY SETTLEMENTS AND MANY LETTERS SENT TO JURISDICTIONS. THERE IS ONLY BEEN A HANDFUL OF CASES THAT HAVE BEEN TRIED IN COURT. OF THOSE CASES,

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THEY SENT IT RIGHT BACK TO THE LOWEST LEVEL OF COURTS IN ORDER TO DETERMINE WHAT LEVEL OF DISCRIMINATION YOU NEED TO SHOW IN ORDER TO PROVE A CALIFORNIA VOTING RIGHTS ACT CLAIM. I'M HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT SANTA MONICA IN MORE DETAIL. THE TAKE WAYPOINT IS SANTA MONICA DID NOT WIN THAT CASE. NO JURISDICTION HAS SUCCESSFULLY CHALLENGED A CALIFORNIA VOTING RIGHTS ACT CLAIM. IN PLACE, WE SEE THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON THE RIGHT-HAND COLUMN. THAT ILLUSTRATES SOME OF THE SETTLEMENTS THAT HAVE GONE TO TRIAL OR GONE TO COURT AND HAVE THE JUDGE IMPOSE AN ORDER.

THE REASON WE DO NOT SEE MORE IS BECAUSE IN 2017, THE LEGISLATOR PASSED 82 50 WHICH SET A CAP ON SETTLEMENTS. IF YOU MADE THE TRANSITION TO DISTRICTS VOLUNTARILY , AFTER RECEIVING THE DEMAND LETTER IN MOST JURISDICTIONS AND SINCE THEN HAVE DONE SO. THE CAP TODAY IS ABOUT 40,000. IT STARTED AT 30 AND HAS INCREASED EVERY YEAR WITH INFLATION. THIS REALLY BRINGS US INTO OUR ANALYSIS OF THE DISTRICT. EVERY DISTRICTING PROCESS BEGINS WITH THE LATEST CENSUS RESULTS. IN OUR CASE, WE HAVE OUR 2020 CENSUS RESULTS.

HAVE A POPULATION OF 84198 . WE BREAK THAT DOWN DEMOGRAPHICALLY. THE DISTRICT , AS A WHOLE, TOTAL POPULATION.

IT INCLUDES EVERYONE CODED AS PART OF THE CENSUS COUNT , INCLUDING CHILDREN AND NONCITIZENS . PEOPLE NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE. IT WAS JUST A MAJORITY OF LATINO, 51% LATINO. IT ALSO HAD 90% NON-HISPANIC WHITE , 16% ASIAN-PACIFIC ISLANDER, AND 12% AFRICAN-AMERICAN. BELOW THAT, VOTING RIGHTS , FOR THE CITIZEN VOTING AGE POPULATION.

THE CITIZEN VOTING AGE POPULATION OF THE POPULATION OVER 18 U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND THE COURTS OFTEN REFER TO THIS AS THE ELIGIBLE VOTER COUNT.

FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE FEDERAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT, OFTENTIMES A LOOK AT CITIZEN VOTING AGE POPULATION. IN THIS CASE, WE HAVE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT NUMBERS. THIS REFLECTS THE DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHICS OF EACH COMMUNITY. LATINOS AS A WHOLE GENERALLY TEND TO BE YOUNGER AND LESS LIKELY TO BE U.S. CITIZENS. WE SEE THE 51% TOTAL POPULATION BECOMES 46% LATINO POPULATION. A SMALL DROP, BUT NOT A HUGE ONE, COMPARED TO SOME OF THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS

IN THE STATE. >> WE SEE THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND NON-HISPANIC WHITE POPULATIONS TEND TO BE A LITTLE BIT LARGER. THAT'S BECAUSE BOTH GROUPS HAVE VERY HIGH CITIZENSHIP RIGHTS. THE ASIAN-PACIFIC ISLANDER ALSO DROPS FROM 16 TO 14%. I WOULD SAY THE WHITE, BLACK, AND ASIAN AMERICAN NUMBERS ARE VERY CLOSE TO THE MARGINS OF ERROR BETWEEN THE DATA IN TOTALED AND CITIZEN DATA AGE BUT YOU CAN SEE THERE ARE SLIGHT DIFFERENCES IN THE POPULATION.

WHEN WE LOOK, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT THE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE. WE ALSO INCLUDE A LOT OF OTHER FIELDS. WE CAN TALK ABOUT THOSE IN MORE DETAIL. ONE OF OUR KEY TAKE AWAY POINTS IS IF WE HAD TRUSTEE AREAS, EACH OF THE FIVE AREAS CONTAIN APPROXIMATELY 16,840 RESIDENTS. NO WE USE THAT TOTAL POPULATION TO DIVIDE EQUALLY AS THE SUPREME COURT REQUIRES TODAY ONE PERSON ONE VOTE REQUIREMENT. ALL THE OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC DATA WE USE AS PART OF OUR ANALYSIS, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE GET INTO THE PROCESS TO HELP US UNDERSTAND COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST TO YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT NUMBERS HERE. A LOT OF INFORMATION HERE DID DEPENDING ON THE CITY OR DEPENDING ON THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE JURISDICTION, SOMETIMES DIFFERENT FACTORS ARE RELEVANT. SOME CITIES AND SOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS , RENTERS VERSUS OWNERS OR SINGLE-FAMILY AND MULTIFAMILY ARE RELEVANT. IN OTHERS MUCH LESS SO. PLEASE HELP US PROVIDE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMMUNITY.

AS PART OF OUR VOTING RIGHTS ANALYSIS WE DID AS PART OF THIS PRESENTATION, WE LOOK AT THE DISTRIBUTION OF EACH GROUP ACROSS THE DISTRICT. ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE LOOKING FOR IS AREAS WHERE A PARTICULAR GROUP EITHER PREDOMINATES AS SHOWN IN THE PINK AND YELLOW , THE BRIGHTER COLORS.

[01:05:07]

IN THIS CASE, LOOKING WHERE RECEIVED LATINO ELIGIBLE VOTERS, WE SEE THAT PARTICULARLY THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF BELLFLOWER, ESPECIALLY NORTH OF THE 91 FREEWAY, LATINOS MAKE UP A MAJORITY THROUGHOUT MOST OF THAT AREA.

WE SEE AND THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE DISTRICT, LAKEWOOD, CERRITOS, AND SOUTH OF THE 91 FREEWAY, LATINOS MAKE UP A LESSER PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION. LOOK AT THE ASIAN AND AFRICAN AMERICAN NUMBERS, WE SEE IN THE SOUTHEAST CORNER WHERE WE HAVE LAKEWOOD AND CERRITOS COMING TOGETHER, WE SEE A SLIGHT CONCENTRATION OF ASIAN AMERICANS. WE ALSO SEE THERE ARE AFRICAN-AMERICAN POPULATION TENDS TO BE CLUSTERED AROUND THE 91 FREEWAY IN PARTICULAR IN THAT CORRIDOR . THAT IS AROUND A FLOWER, FOR EXAMPLE.

THIS IS NOT TO SAY THIS IS REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL OF THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES OR NEIGHBORHOODS. THIS IS JUST A NUMERICAL LOOK AT THE DATA. FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE KNOW ABOUT HISTORY COMMUNITIES , FOR EXAMPLE, THE ASIAN COMMITTEE.

LIKE THE JAPANESE COMMITTEE IN A PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD BUT THAT WOULD CERTAINLY ENTER THIS PROCESS AS A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST, SPECIFICALLY THAT NEIGHBORHOOD . HERE WE CAN TALK ABOUT MORE OF OUR LEGAL LIABILITY UNDER THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT. NO METHOD DID AN ANALYSIS OF OUR ELECTION HISTORY. WE WENT BACK ALL THE WAY TO 2003. AS PART OF THE PROCESS , WE WOULD WANT TO LOOK AT WHETHER OR NOT CANDIDATES OF VARIOUS COMMUNITIES OF COLOR HAVE RUN FOR OFFICE AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL AT RUNNING FOR OFFICE. SO WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE PAST 20 YEARS OF ELECTION RESULTS . WE COULD GO BACK FARTHER. I TELL YOU, WE DO NOT SEE A LOT OF CANDIDATES OF COLOR RUNNING BEFORE 2003. IT APPEARS THAT , AS YOU KNOW, WE DO OUR BEST JOB WORKING WITH THE DISTRICT TO IDENTIFY THE ETHNICITY OF THE DIFFERENT CANDIDATES WERE RUNNING. IT APPEARS THAT LATINOS APPEARED ON THE BALLOT SEVEN TIMES , WINNING FIVE TIMES. THAT INCLUDES ONE LATINO CANDIDATE WHO RAN AND WON FOUR TIMES. A FILIPINO CANDIDATE RAN IN 2003 AND 2005, LOSING BOTH TIMES.

AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN CANDIDATE APPEARED ON THE BALLOT FOUR TIMES, WINNING TWICE. THAT KIND OF IS OUR BRIEF HISTORY .

OUR BRIEF WINDOW INTO THE ELECTION HISTORY OF THE DISTRICT. NOTE THAT A PLAINTIFF WOULD BE ABLE TO BASICALLY YOU CAN CHOOSE WHICH ELECTIONS THEY WOULD WANT TO LOOK AT TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS RACIALLY POLARIZED VOTING.

ELECTIONS WITH A PARTICULAR CANDIDATE OF A PARTICULAR ETHNICITY ARE GENERALLY THE ONES THEY WOULD LOOK AT FIRST.

SO OUR OVERVIEW , OUR RESULTS, IS THAT THE DISTRICT IS VERY DIVERSE. IT IS ALMOST NEAR A MAJORITY OF LATINO POPULATION.

IT IS A MAJORITY BY TOTAL POPULATION, THE MAJORITY BY CITIZEN VOTING AGE POPULATION. WE ALSO HAVE SUBSTANTIAL AFRICAN-AMERICAN, ASIAN-AMERICAN, AND NON-HISPANIC WHITE COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE DISTRICT AS WELL.

THE ELECTION HISTORY DOES OFFER OPPORTUNITIES TO LOOK AT ELECTIONS BUT WE HAVE NOT DONE ANY SORT OF RACIALLY POLARIZED VOTING ANALYSIS BID WHETHER OR NOT WE WOULD WANT TO PRESENT THAT OPENLY OR WORK WITH YOUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY IN ORDER TO DISCUSS THOSE RESULTS -- RESULTS, THAT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT QUESTION. THERE ARE CERTAINLY ELECTIONS WE COULD LOOK AT TO SEE IF THERE WAS RACIALIZED AND POLARIZED VOTING. WE LOOKED AT SOME TEST MAPS THAT WE WOULD DRAW TO DETERMINE VOTING RIGHTS ACT COMPLIANCE. WE CAN SAY IT IS POSSIBLE TO DRAW A MAJORITY OF LATINO TRUSTEE AREAS. THE THREE MAJORITY LATINO AREAS IS LIKELY. A MAP THAT WOULD MEET STATE AND FEDERAL GUIDELINES. THE MAXIMUM ASIAN-AMERICAN OR AFRICAN-AMERICAN PERCENTAGE IS ABOUT 25% THAT WOULD NOT MEET THE FEDERAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT REQUIREMENTS. HOWEVER, THAT DOES NOT PRECLUDE DRAWING AREAS THAT HAVE A DISPROPORTIONATE INFLUENCE BASED ON COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST. BASED ON FEEDBACK.

I KNOW A LOT OF THIS IS TECHNICAL. I WANT TO CONCLUDE, IF WE WANTED TO LOOK AT DRAWING DISTRICTS FOR THE 2024 ELECTION, WE ARE WORKING UNDER A SLIGHTLY TIGHT TIMELINE. THIS IS DRIVEN EITHER STATE REQUIREMENT WE HAVE THE DISTRICT LINES INTO THE REGISTRAR EARLY ENOUGH THAT CANDIDATES IN NOVEMBER AND FILED PAPERS TO RUN FOR OFFICE

[01:10:04]

UNLESS -- THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE IN JUNE. WORKING BACKWARDS FROM THAT, WE WOULD WANT TO GET THIS PROCESS STARTED PROBABLY IN APRIL AT THE LATEST. APRIL AND MAY . WORKING ON GOING THROUGH THE REQUIRED HEARINGS. I CAN SPEAK TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PROCESS AND SEE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT . TO SUMMARIZE, YOU'LL HAVE TO HAVE A MINIMUM OF FIVE PUBLIC HEARINGS. SO WE CAN THROUGH APRIL AND MAY TO DO THAT IN ORDER TO APPROVE THOSE BY JUNE TO GET THOSE TO THE COUNTY COMMITTEE WITH ENOUGH TIME TO GET THEM ESTABLISHED FOR NOVEMBER.

HOWEVER, THAT TIMELINE IS A LITTLE TOO CRUNCHED, IT IS POSSIBLE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION OF INTENT AND MAKE THE CHANGE FOR 2026 TO ALLOW FOR MORE ENGAGEMENT AND MORE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION. THE RESOLUTION OF INTENT IS THE IMPORTANT PART BECAUSE THAT SIGNALS TO THOSE ATTORNEYS OUT THERE WHO SENT THE DEMAND LETTERS THAT THE DISTRICT IS ALREADY IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING THIS TRANSITION.

AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS. IF YOU HAVE ANY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. WE MET CUPID QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? NO MISS GARZA?

>> THANK YOU , PRESIDENT CRIHFIELD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. IT IS VERY THOROUGH. MY QUESTION IS, OH, GOODNESS. WHICH OPTION WOULD YOU RECOMMEND WE TAKE? DO WE TAKE THE SHORT OPTION? WE ARE GOING TO DECIDE, BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR THE NEXT PART IN THESE MATTERS, WHAT IS YOUR OPINION? ABLE TO TELL THE BOARD EXACTLY HOW TO DECIDE. I THINK THAT THE TRADE-OFF IS OBVIOUSLY IF WE GET STARTED NOW, WE HAVE 90 DAYS TO COMPLETE THE PROCESS UNDER WHICH NO GROUP CAN SEND THE DISTRICT A LETTER. WE HAVE TO FINISH WITHIN 90 DAYS ANYWAY IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE 2024

ELECTION. >> EXCUSE MY METAPHOR. THAT WOULD RIP THE BAND-AID OFF AND GET THE PROCESS COMPLETED.

HOWEVER, THIS IS A TIMELINE THAT MAY REQUIRE ONE OR TWO SPECIAL MEETINGS. IT MAY REQUIRE , IT CERTAINLY REQUIRES GETTING STARTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND GETTING THE GO-AHEAD AND WORKING AT THE CALENDAR OF MEETINGS AND ALL OF THAT.

IF WE DO NOT DO THIS FOR THIS NOVEMBER, THAT GIVES YOU EXTENDED TIME. ONCE YOU'RE OUT OF THE 90 DAYS, YOU ARE OUT OF THE SAFE HARBOR. EVEN IF YOU HAVE A STATED PLAN, YOU'RE IN A LITTLE BIT OF A GRAY AREA. YOU KNOW, BETWEEN THE END OF THAT 90 DAYS AND WHEN YOU WOULD COMPLETE THE PROCESS. IT IS UNLIKELY THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO GO INTO COURT AND SAY, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING BECAUSE YOU HAVE STATED WE ARE GOING TO DO IT FOR THE STATE AND GOING TO GET STARTED. HERE IS OUR SCHEDULE. AT THE SAME TIME, THAT IS ALWAYS A RISK.

CHANGES MADE WITHIN THE TIMELINE YOU ARE SUGGESTING?

>> I CERTAINLY THINK DISTRICTS DO IT FASTER THAN THIS.

ESPECIALLY UNDER COURT ORDER. SOMETIMES WE HAVE HAD, YOU KNOW, SIX WEEKS FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END OF THE PROCESS. NOT EVEN TWO MONTHS. ON THE OTHER HAND, I HAVE SEEN DISTRICTS CHOOSE TO WAIT AND DO A MUCH MORE ENGAGED PROCESS BY WAITING. -- DID THAT , FOR EXAMPLE.

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I WAS CURIOUS TO FIND OUT, HOW DO YOU WORK WITH THE BOARD? THE MAPPING PROCESS? PUTTING THAT INTO

DIFFERENT SECTIONS? >> THE DISTANCING TIMELINE ACTUALLY REQUIRES US TO HAVE TWO SEPARATE SECTIONS OF THE PROCESS. THE FIRST SECTION IS HEARINGS ON THE CRITERIA AND EDUCATION WHERE WE KIND OF LAYOUT THE CRITERIA AND THE REQUIREMENTS . WE LOOK AT THE NUMBERS IN MORE DETAIL. AT THAT POINT, THE BOARD AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS RELATED TO WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE MAPS. AT THAT POINT, AFTER THOSE FIRST TWO EARRINGS, WE GO AWAY AND DRAW SOME MAPS . GENERALLY, THERE ARE THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT OPTIONS BASED ON BOARD AND COMMUNITY TESTIMONY. WE COME

[01:15:03]

>> CAN YOU GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT VARIABLES YOU LOOK AT

IN REGARDS TO THAT? >> I WILL GIVE YOU A QUICK RUNDOWN OF THE CRITERIA. NOW MAPS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE EQUAL POPULATION FIGURES ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH THE FEDERAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT. IN THIS CASE, THAT WOULD APPLY RELATIVE TO THE LATINO COMMUNITY IN PARTICULAR. WE WOULD ALSO HAVE TO, WE WOULD BEGIN WITH THE STATE CRITERIA AT THAT POINT FOR THE STATE REQUIRES DISTRICTS BE CONTIGUOUS. THAT MEANS THEY HAVE ONE OUTSIDE PART OF IT YOU CANNOT HAVE A LITTLE BIT, YOU CANNOT TAKE CERRITOS AND DOWNTOWN BELLFLOWER AND PUT THEM IN THE SAME DISTRICT WITH NO PHYSICAL CONNECTION. THAT IS WHAT CONTINUITY IS. THEY REQUIRE A LOOK AT COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST IN NEIGHBORHOODS.

THEY DO FIND THAT AS SOCIOECONOMIC OR GEOGRAPHIC AREAS THAT SHOULD BE KEPT TOGETHER FOR THE PURPOSE OF THEIR REPRESENTATION. THAT CAN BE EVERYTHING FROM ATTENDANCE AREAS TO AREAS THAT HAVE A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF WINTERS OR MULTIFAMILY HOUSING. AREAS THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN DEFINE OR BOARD MEMBERS CAN DEFINE AS A WELL-ESTABLISHED TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY THAT PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD IDENTIFY WITH.

AFTER THAT, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT CITY BOUNDARIES. WE HAVE TO THE COUNT FOR THE MINIMIZING BLITZ OF BELLFLOWER, LAKEWOOD, AND CERRITOS. AFTER THAT, WE HAVE TO CONCERN OURSELVES WITH FOLLOWING NATURE ROADS. LASTLY, COMPACT MINUTES. THE LAW DEFINES THAT AS NOT BYPASSING ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE TO GET TO A MORE DISTINCT GROUP OF PEOPLE.

>> OKAY. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY CERTAIN ETHNIC GROUP OF PEOPLE, LIKE -- AN NORMALLY, WHEN WE LOOK AT THAT, WE TALK ABOUT NOT JUST THE ETHNICITY ITSELF. THAT ACTUALLY IS A POTENTIAL VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW. WE TALK ABOUT ALL THE FACTORS THAT MAKE THAT A COHERENT AND COHESIVE COMMUNITY. FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF MY FAVORITE EXAMPLES IS IN THE CITY OF ANAHEIM, LITTLE ARABIA HAS NO OFFICIAL DESIGNATION. BUT EVERYBODY COULD POINT TO MANY FACTORS THAT CREATE A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST, GENERALLY ALONG -- FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS. OR TWO MILES.

IT WAS BUSINESSES AND MOSQUES AND OTHER PLACES OF WORSHIP.

IT WAS WHERE THEY SEND THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL. THAT IS WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR WHEN IT COMES TO COMMUNITY. MANY FACTORS THAT KIND OF WORK TOGETHER TO FORM A COHERENT AND COHESIVE COMMUNITY. I RECENTLY WORKED WITH THE CITY OF IRVINE. ONE OF THE THINGS THEY WERE LOOKING AT DISTINGUISHING WAS A TRADITIONAL KOREAN COMMUNITY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE CITY VERSUS A CHINESE COMMUNITY IN A NEIGHBORING PART OF THE CITY.

AGREEING THEY HAD TWO SEPARATE COMMUNITIES. THEY POINTED TO FACTORS LIKE SUPERMARKETS , THE CHURCHES, THE CULTURAL CENTERS , AND OTHER FACTORS THAT CREATE THOSE COMMUNITIES. WHAT I GENERALLY SAY IS, A LOT OF TIMES ETHNICITY IS THE SHORT END. A LOT OF PEOPLE , AND THEIR MINDS, THERE ARE NUMBER OF OTHER FACTORS THAT REALLY DEFINE THAT AREA. WHETHER IT IS IN LIMIT, CULTURAL, EDUCATIONAL, OR JUST SHARED ISSUES AND HISTORY , PATTERNS OF IMMIGRATION TO THE UNITED STATES. ALL OF THOSE ARE VALID FACTORS TO CONSIDER. I WILL SAY WE DO NOT HAVE A CRITERIA SLIDE IN HERE. DURING THE FIRST TWO HEARINGS, WE REALLY GET MUCH MORE INTO COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST THAT I DO IN GIVING THIS PRESENTATION.

>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTIONS.

>> I HAD ONE QUESTION FOR THIS WEEK I'M TEACHING IT IS GOING THROUGH THIS RIGHT NOW. ONE THING THEY CONSIDERED WAS BOTH LIKE INCUMBENCY AND THINGS LIKE THAT. HOW WOULD THAT WORK IF

WE CONSIDER THINGS LIKE THAT? >> THAT IS A REALLY INTERESTING POINT. I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THE DISTRICT YOU WORK FOR TO THIS BEFORE OR AFTER THE NEW YEAR. STARTING JANUARY 1ST, THERE IS A NEW LAW THAT CAME INTO EFFECT. IT PROHIBITS THE USE OF INCUMBENT THE. ALSO, PARTISAN SUPPORT POLITICAL CHALLENGES OR CANDIDATES FROM BEING CONSIDERED AS A FACTOR IN THE DISTRICTING PROCESS. THAT IS A NEW LAW. THE AN ACT OF 2023. IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE, THAT HAS CHANGED THE NATURE OF SCHOOL REDISTRICTING BUT THREE SCHOOLS TAKE THAT INTO THE COUNT, BUT WE CAN OFTEN BALANCE IT WITH ALL THE

[01:20:01]

-- CITIES AND COUNTIES DO AS WELL.

>> THANK YOU. >> I HAVE ONE QUESTION. WE HAVE A VERY COHESIVE AND LOVING PORTRAIT THE LAST THING I WANT TO DO IS SEE THAT NOT EXIST. I HAVE SEEN DISTRICTING NOT GO TOO WELL IN SOME AREAS. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH

AT-LARGE GOING TO DISTRICTS? >> WHAT I WOULD SAY IS I AM CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, LIKE EVERYTHING, THERE ARE TRADE-OFFS. THERE ARE DEFINITELY , YOU WILL DEFINITELY HEAR FROM NEIGHBORHOOD TO FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE NOT HAVE REPRESENTATION. THEY NOW SAY THEY HAVE SOMEBODY FROM THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD I DO NOT KNOW FOR THE RECORD WHERE ANY BOARD MEMBER LIVES.

SOMETIMES WE HAVE SEEN THAT A PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD OR COMMUNITY IS UNDERSERVED BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT HAD BOARD MEMBERS COME FROM THAT AREA. THAT IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. IN MANY CASES, THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE DIVIDED THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT. DISTRICTING DOES NOT ACTUALLY CHANGE THAT WHATSOEVER. ONE THING I HAVE SEEN WITH A LOT OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS DO IS WORK ON BYLAWS AND RULES TO HELP MAKE SURE TO LOCK IN ANY SORT OF ISSUES THAT MIGHT STEM FROM DISTRICTING. LIKE ONLY CONCERNING THEMSELVES WITH ONE PARTICULAR AREA OF THE DISTRICT. IN PARTICULAR, I KNOW THAT LIKE MAGNOLIA AND CYPRUS ELEMENTARY, THEY BOTH PUT NEW BOARD STRUCTURES INTO PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT ON CERTAIN TYPES OF SUBCOMMITTEES THERE HAS TO BE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN DIFFERENT AREAS. DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE DISTRICT.

>> THANK YOU. DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION, DR. ELHESSEN? QUESTION. YOU MIND IF I GO AHEAD AND ASK IT?

>> GO FOR IT. >> RECENTLY, WE HAVE HAD, BECAUSE OF IMMIGRATION , LIKE YOU MENTIONED. KIND OF LIKE YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. LITTLE ARABIA. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN CHURCH AND THEIR OWN STORES. THEY HAVE REALLY INTEGRATED WELL IN OUR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY. SO DOES THAT COUNT

OF PART OF WHAT YOU SAID? >> HOW DO YOU DISTINGUISH THE EXAMPLE YOU GAVE? HOW DOES THAT BREAK DOWN TO OUR DIFFERENT

GROUPS ? >> YEAH, YEAH. WE USE, SO THESE THINGS, THE DEFINITIONS USED ARE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED IN THE ORIGINAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT AND THE FEDERAL COURT DECISIONS INTERPRETING IT OVER THE LAST 50-60 YEARS. AND SO WHILE, YOU KNOW, WHAT I SAY IS PEOPLE FROM THE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA , FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE CENTER FOR VOTING RIGHTS ISSUES, THEY HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED TO DATE AS NON-HISPANIC WHITE. THEY'RE COUNTED IN THE NON-HISPANIC WHITE PERCENTAGES IN NUMBERS. YOU KNOW, THAT DOES NOT PREVENT THOSE COMMUNITIES HAVING A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST. AND WE KEPT LITTLE ARABIA TOGETHER IN ANAHEIM BECAUSE THE RESIDENTS IDENTIFIED IT AS A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST. JUST BECAUSE IT DOES NOT RISE TO THE LEVEL OF LITERAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT SECTION 2 CONCERN, DOES NOT MEAN IT IS NOT SOMETHING WE NEED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION AS PART OF OUR PROCESS. AND SO IF THERE IS A NEIGHBORHOOD OR AN AREA WHERE WE KNOW THESE BUSINESSES ARE LOCATED AND WE KNOW THE CHURCHES AND A LOT OF IMMIGRANTS ARE SETTLING, THEN WE WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE TO DEFINE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND KEEP IT TOGETHER.

>> I SEE. WHEN YOU DO THE -- YOU CONSIDER THAT? I'M SORRY.

COMMUNITY OF INTEREST. VERY HIGH ON OUR LIST TO MET THANK

YOU, DR. ELHESSEN. >> ONE LAST QUESTION THAT OUR CITIES ARE PRETTY MUCH ALL THE DISTRICTS UP AND WE LOOK AT THEIR CITY LINE WE CONSIDER OUR MAPS TO KIND OF ALIGN THEM? OR ARE THEY COMPLETELY SEPARATE?

>> SO WE CERTAINLY CAN LOOK BUT I CAN TELL YOU FROM OUR NUMBERS , ABOUT 20% TO THE DISTRICT POPULATION IS IN LAKE WOOD.

ABOUT THREE TO 4% IS IN CERRITOS AND THE REST IS IN BELLFLOWER. SO WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IS THE BELLFLOWER COUNCIL DISTRICTS MIGHT OFFER SOME GUIDANCE.

>> LAKEWOOD ALMOST CERTAINLY MOST OF LAKEWOOD WILL END UP AT LEAST IN ONE DISTRICT IF NOT ALL OF IT.

>> THANK YOU BUT I ONE MORE QUESTION. WENT OVER IT AND I WAS FOLLOWING IT. BUT THE TRUSTEE AREA AND BY TRUSTEE AREA, CAN YOU SEPARATE THOSE ONE MORE TIME FOR ME?

>> SO IN AT-LARGE, EVERYBODY LIVES EVERYWHERE THEY WANT IN THE DISTRICT. ALL THE VOTERS CAN VOTE FOR THEM. IN FROM

[01:25:03]

>> I FEEL LIKE THAT IS , THAT IS PROBABLY MORE COMMON, RIGHT?

THE BY TRUSTEE AREA? >> YES. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF AREAS AND OF TRUSTEES FROM LEGACY SYSTEMS THAT HAVE RECENTLY SWITCHED. BECAUSE OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT. DOWNEY IS ANOTHER. THEY USED TO USE SOME FORM OF THE FROM TRUSTEE AREA SYSTEM. THEY SWITCHED TO THE BY TRUSTEE AREA SYSTEM. WE INCLUDED THAT BECAUSE WE HEAR ABOUT IT FROM TIME TO TIME FROM PEOPLE WHO KIND OF MADE IT WORK OR KNOW SOMEBODY IN ONE OF THESE PERIODS WISE THAT THEY ARE SWITCHING FROM TRUSTEE AREA

TO BY TRUSTEE AREA? >> UNDER THE CALIFORNIA VOTING RIGHTS ACT, ELECTION IS HELD AT LARGE, IT IS CONSIDERED AN AT-LARGE SYSTEM. THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT IS NOT THE SAME AS BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND. SHE MET GOT IT. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING. I APPRECIATE IT. VICE PRESIDENT

STEWART? >> I DID NOT CLEAR IT.

>> OH. STUDENT BOARD MEMBER LYNCH? ANY QUESTIONS?

>> NO QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE INFORMATION. WE TRULY APPRECIATE IT.

THE BOARD IS NOW BACK FROM A BRIEF RECENT . IT IS 7:05 AND WE WILL CONTINUE ON WITH DISCUSSION. DOES THE BOARD HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION?

>> ARE GOING TO BE MAKING A DECISION AT THIS TIME?

>> AT THIS TIME, I THINK WE WOULD BE OFFERING DIRECTION TO

COUNCIL. >> DIRECTION TO COUNCIL AND BASED ON THAT DIRECTION WE WILL EITHER ENGAGE WITH NBC -- NDC TO CONTINUE THE PROCESS AND WHATEVER IS MADE, THERE ARE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES BUT IF A DECISION IS MADE TONIGHT TO PROCEED, THE TIMELINE WOULD BE SLIGHTLY ACCELERATED. I WOULD NEED TO SCHEDULE WITH THEM. CREATING THE PROPER TIMELINE. IF A NOTICE OF INTENT IS PUT FORTH , AT THAT TIME, AGAIN, WE CARRY THAT FLIGHT RISK OUTSIDE THAT 90 DAY WINDOW. IT IS THE BOARD DECISION, BUT WE NEED DIRECTION ON IT IN ORDER TO PROCEED , DELAY, OR NOT TO MOVE FORWARD.

HE MET THANK YOU. MS. MAYRA GARZA?

>> THANK YOU. JUST TO CONFIRM, WE WILL HAVE TO ADD ON SPECIAL MEETINGS TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITHIN THAT TIMELINE, CORRECT? THINK THAT IS 100% NECESSARY, BUT IT CERTAINLY EASES THE PRESSURE ON NDC TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO DELIVER THE RESULTS THE DISTRICT WOULD BE LOOKING FOR AND ALLOW FOR PUBLIC INPUT.

>> WHAT WOULD THAT -- WHAT WOULD THAT PUBLIC INPUT LOOK LIKE? WOULD THAT BE ENOUGH TIME?

>> ONE OF THE BIG REASONS FOR SPECIAL MEETINGS, ESPECIALLY IN CERTAIN STATES OF THE PROCESS, IS TO REALLY FOCUS THE CONVERSATION IN ON THE DISTRICTING PROCESS. EITHER BY HOLDING THE FIRST TWO HEARINGS BACK TO BACK OR CLOSER IN TIME IN A TYPICAL BOARD MEETING TO KIND OF RELEASE OF THE PROCESS MOVING WITH NOW IT IS COMING OUT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

OR DURING THE DYING PROCESS TO ALLOW ANOTHER ROUND OF REVISION IF NEEDED BEFORE THE FINAL MAP WAS SELECTED AND SENT TO THE COUNTY COMMITTEE. THAT ALLOWS US THE FLEXIBILITY IN ORDER TO DO THAT. AND TO SCHEDULE A TIME THAT IS MAYBE MORE CONVENIENT FOR RESIDENTS IN THE DISTRICT AS WELL. WE DID WORK AT A TIME LIKE WHERE I THINK YOU CAN DO IT WITH THE REMAINING HEARINGS IN APRIL AND MAY. CERTAINLY, THAT IS DEFINITELY USING UP EVERY HEARING WE HAVE FROM NOW UNTIL

JUNE. >> THANK YOU.

>> I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION. YOU THINK THERE IS ANY

[01:30:01]

>>

>> SORRY, THAT IS JUST WHAT I WAS THINKING.

>> YOU KNOW, HAVING DONE SOME OF THESE MEETINGS DURING THE DEBATES. DOING THE REDISTRICTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT, I CANNOT IMAGINE ANYTHING GETTING AS HIGH ATTENTION IS THAT. I WOULD SAY, I DO NOT THINK IT IS GOING TO DO TOO MUCH BUT HOPEFULLY, DURING THIS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION YEAR, PEOPLE WILL BE A LITTLE BIT MORE ATTUNED TO THE FEDERAL PROCESS AND BE MORE INTERESTED IN WHAT IS GOING ON AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS AS WELL. YOU KNOW, BUT EITHER WAY, I

WILL SAY THIS. >> IN TERMS OF ELECTION, THE SAME NUMBER OF DISTRICTS WILL BE UP AS PHYSICIANS AT-LARGE .

WHETHER REDO IT NOW OR IN 2026 ?

>> EXACTLY. >> THANK YOU. MS. MAYRA GARZA? MORE VOTER TURNOUT DURING THESE ELECTIONS, CORRECT? SO IT WOULD BE BE GETTING A LARGER SPECTRUM OF PARTICIPANTS WITHIN THOSE QUESTIONNAIRES AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT?

>> I THINK IT CERTAINLY IS POSSIBLE THAT PEOPLE ARE MORE PRIMED BECAUSE OF THE GENERAL DISCUSSION GOING ON THAT THEY MIGHT BE LOOKING FOR THIS. WHEN WE SEND OUT OUR NOTICE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING , WHEN WE SEND IT HOME WITH THE KIDS IN THEIR FOLDERS AND APPEARED SEES IT, THEY MIGHT GIVE IT A SECOND LOOK NOW. THEY MAY NOT AT THE BEGINNING OF 2025.

C MET THANK YOU, MS. GARZA. MS. STEWART?

>> I LIKE THIS IS INEVITABLE. FOR ME, I WOULD WANT TO PROCEED AND MOVE FORWARD. THAT WOULD BE MY DIRECTION.

>> THANK YOU. DR. ELHESSEN? >> I AGREE.

>> MS. GARZA? >> AGREE AS WELL.

>> I DO AS WELL. MOVING FORWARD TO NEXT STEPS.

>> THANK YOU. WE WILL GET WITH NDC AND BEGIN PREPARING THAT SCHEDULE TIMELINE AND NOTIFY THE BOARD OF ANY SPECIAL MEETINGS THAT MIGHT NEED TO TAKE PLACE. WE WILL ALSO

[11. PUBLIC HEARING]

>> AT THIS TIME WILL MOVE ON TO OUR PUBLIC HEARING. PUBLIC HEARING ON SUNSHINE INITIAL PROPOSAL SUBMITTED BY THE BELLFLOWER TEACHERS ASSOCIATION. I WILL START BY DECLARING THAT PUBLIC HEARING WILL OPEN . WHEN ANYBODY -- I HAVE TO DO THIS. HOLD ON. I WILL START BY DECLARING THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN . WHEN ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM?

OH! >> I WOULD LOVE TO SAY ONE THING. BEING A MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF THE UNION FOR A REALLY LONG TIME, I AM SPEAKING FOR MYSELF. I AM NOT SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF OUR UNION. I LIKE TO BE VERY CLEAR WHO I AM SPEAKING FOR. THIS IS KIND OF MY APPEAL TO YOU ABOUT OUR BARGAINING SITUATION AND YOU. IN YEARS PAST, WE HAVE SHOWN UP. WE HAVE NOT EVER BEEN MET WITH A PROPOSAL FROM OUR DISTRICT. NOBODY HAS COME WITH ASKS OR REQUESTS . WE HAVE GIVEN HOURS. WE HAVE BEEN MADE TO SIT FOR HOURS IN A ROOM TO COME BACK TO BE TOLD THEY HAVE NO AUTHORIZATION OR AUTHORITY TO BARGAIN. IT HAS BEEN A WASTE OF TIME. OUR TEACHERS ARE OUT OF THE CLASSROOMS , KIDS HAVE SUBS.

SO MY ASK IS THAT OUR DISTRICT VALUES THE STUDENTS TIME , THEIR TEACHERS TIME , THE COMMUNITY'S TIME. AND THAT YOU COME PREPARED. WE NEED TO TO COME WITH WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO IN GOOD FAITH BARGAIN FOR.

WE HAVE NOT SEEN THAT EVER. IS A HUGE ASK FROM US BUT OUR BARGAINING TEAM GETS VERY FRUSTRATED BECAUSE WE PULLED THEM OUT OF CLASSROOMS. THEY SPEND DAYS PREPARING. THE IS THEIR OWN TIME, NOT EVEN CLASSROOM TIME. AND TO BE MET WITH ZERO PREPARATION AND ZERO CARING , THAT REALLY MAKES US FEEL NOT VALUED. THAT IS MY ASK TO THE BOARD TO PLEASE ENSURE THAT WE COME PREPARED FOR BARGAINING. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SHE MET THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION FROM THE

[01:35:01]

CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? >> SO MOVED.

>> ROLL CALL, PLEASE. >>

>> AYE AYE . DR. ELHESSEN. AYE. MS. GARZA? AYE .

INAUDIBLE ] AYE. >> HAVE ANY ITEMS TO WITHHOLD FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING? INTERJECT? SO NO MOTION IS NEEDED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. BUT THE MOTION WOULD BE NEEDED TO APPROVE 11.11.

THE MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOT REALLY GERMANE TO IT . WE NEED AN ADDITIONAL MOTION TO APPROVE

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM, WHAT IS THE ITEM NUMBER? DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 11

POINT WHEN? >> I MOVED TO APPROVE ITEM 11

POINT ONE. >> SECOND

>> WILL CALL, PLEASE.

GARZA . AYE.

[12. CONSENT AGENDA]

>> THE MOTION PASSES. MOVING ONTO THE CONSENT AGENDA. ARE THERE ANY ITEMS TO WITHHOLD FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING? HEARING NONE, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT

AGENDA? >> A MOTION TO APPROVE THE

CONSENT. >> DO I HAVE A SECOND?

>> SECOND. >> ROLL CALL, PLEASE?

>> STELLA LYNCH. AYE . DR. ELHESSEN. AYE. MAYRA GARZA.

[13. BOARD COMMUNICATIONS]

>> NOT TO ABORT COMMUNICATIONS. LET'S GO AHEAD

AND START WITH DR. ELHESSEN. >> THANK YOU.

IT WAS A BUSY WEEK FOR ME. MOSTLY WHAT MIGHT WORK ON THE GOVERNOR COMMITTEE AND -- AND PUBLIC SOCIAL SERVICES. I DID A HAND THE YMCA EVENT. IT WAS A GREAT NIGHT TO SEE ALL OF THE SERVICE PROVIDERS AND ALSO THE RECOGNITION THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE YMCA IN REGARDS TO OUR AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS. WHAT ELSE? I ALSO WAS INVOLVED IN , I MET WITH LISA. I WAS INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT ON SOME GOALS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPENING. ALL OF YOU WELL KNOW OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND GETTING ACCESS AND STARTING THE POINT ADVISORY GROUPS, ALTHOUGH STILL TOP OF MY LIST AS WELL IS THE STUDENT SAFETY PROGRAM.

WITH THAT, I LIKE TO WISH EVERYONE A VERY SAFE AND HAPPY EASTER BREAK. WHATEVER HOLIDAY FOR SPRING BREAK. I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE ON A POSITIVE NOTE. IF YOU WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL, YOU NEED TO BE YOUR OWN CHEERLEADER. YOU MUST PUSH YOURSELF BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE IS GOING TO DO IT FOR YOU.

THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT, DR.

ELHESSEN. MS. GARZA? >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT CRIHFIELD. I ACTUALLY DID NOT ATTEND VERY MANY OF THOSE EVENTS BECAUSE THEY WERE SCHEDULED DURING MY WORK HOURS, UNFORTUNATELY. BUT I DO WANT TO WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY AND RESTFUL SPRING BREAK. STAY SAFE OUT THERE AND COME BACK WE NEED TO US SO THAT WAY WE CAN CONTINUE OUR BEST WORK FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR WITH OUR KIDS. I'M ALSO VERY HAPPY TO HAVE CITY COUNCIL . IT IS NICE. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MS. GARZA. >> THAT EVENING. ON MARCH 12, ATTENDED THE CAL OPS MAY BE METABOLIC A PRESENTATION FROM A STUDENT WHO IS GOING TO COMPLETE THE SKILLS USA. HE SHOWED US THE BEGINNING STAGES AND INTEGRATE CERTAIN LOOKS BY PINNING THE PIECES ON AND DRAPING. I WANTED TO WISH HIM AND ILLUSTRATIVE GOOD LUCK IN THEIR COMPETITION IN APRIL. ON MARCH 14, I MET WITH PRESIDENT CRIHFIELD BITTE MARCH 18TH I ATTENDED THE -- MEETING ONLINE. WITH SEVERAL PRESENTATIONS. THERE WAS ONE FROM KIDS ARTISTIC SENSE. THEY

[01:40:01]

THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, VICE PRESIDENT STEWART. DUE TO BOARD MEMBERS? ON MONDAY, HERE IN THIS ROOM. WE WENT OVER SOME TOPICS ON -- BUT WE STARTED WITH AN ACTIVITY THAT HAD US DOING LEGAL PROJECTS WHERE WE HAD A LEAD ENGINEER AND ALSO A NEW BUILDER.

BASICALLY THE PROJECT WAS TO MAKE A LABEL WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT YOU ARE BUILDING, JUST BASED ON COMMUNICATION. AND JUST LIKE HOW BAD CONDITION CAN LEAD TO FAILURE OF BUILDING THE LEGAL PROJECT, I THINK IT SHOWS THE LASTING COMMUNICATION OVERALL. THAT'S IT . I THINK IT WAS VERY

SUCCESSFUL. >> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, THIS LYNCH. FOR ME, JUST THREE THINGS. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT SPOKE BEFORE CLOSED SESSION EARLIER TODAY. OUR PARTNERSHIPS IN THE COMMUNITY ARE VERY IMPORTANT. WE HAVE REALLY GREAT PARTNERSHIPS AND MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A VERY LONG TIME. IT IS IMPORTANT TO HONOR THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND VALUE THEM.

WE HAVE A LOT OF THEM. I THINK AS BOARD MEMBERS, IT IS GREAT FOR US TO HEAR THE GOOD THINGS HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THE THINGS IN THIS COMMUNITY. I WOULD ACTUALLY LOVE TO SEE MORE OF THAT AT OUR BOARD MEETINGS PERIOD. IT IS GREAT TO HEAR THAT IS HAPPENING AND IT IS ALSO VERY EDUCATIONAL FOR BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL TO KNOW THOSE THINGS ARE HAPPENING AND HOW WE CAN SUPPORT AS WELL.

I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY THAT CAME EARLIER.

ONE UPDATE. VICE PRESIDENT STEWART ALREADY TOUCHED ON IT.

IT IS LOOKING AT THE AUDIT AND -- IT GAVE US A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE ARE CAREFULLY CONSIDERING AND

[01:45:02]

IF IT IS OKAY, VICE PRESIDENT STEWART AND DR. ELHESSEN WILL BE ON THAT COMMITTEE TO ADDRESS THE RECOMMENDATION IN THE -- THAT WAY, AT OUR BOARD MEETINGS, WE WILL REPORT EVERYTHING WE HAVE ARE A COMMITTEE DURING YOUR BOARD REPORT, IT IS VERY GOOD TO TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DID AND COMMITTEE KEEP EVERYBODY UP TO DATE. WE CAN DO THAT GOING FORWARD. THANK YOU FOR SERVING ON THAT. I KNOW THERE'VE BEEN A LOT OF CHANGES RECENTLY. IT IS INEVITABLE . I THINK THERE ARE SOME AREAS IN OUR DISTRICT THAT NOT ONLY CAN BE IMPROVED, BUT NEED TO BE IN ORDER TO FACE THE CHALLENGES THAT LIE AHEAD FOR DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE. I LEARNED A LOT SINCE BEING ELECTED TO THIS BOARD. THE THING I'VE LEARNED THE MOST IS THAT WE REALLY HAVE AMAZING, PASSIONATE, AND CARING PEOPLE HERE. I THINK EVERYBODY WANTS TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

SO WHEN WE ARE GUIDED BY THAT, WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS NECESSARY, THERE IS AN ENDLESS WELL OF STRENGTH. I THINK THAT IS WHAT WE NEED TO PULL FROM. WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND BE POSITIVE AND BE THE CHANGE WE WANT TO SEE AND DO THE RIGHT THING FOR OUR KIDS , EVEN WHEN IT IS TOUGH DECISIONS. WELL TO COME TOGETHER AND KNOW IT IS ALL FOR THE KIDS. I THINK WE'RE ON TRACK TO DOING THAT. I THINK WE NEED TO SEE THAT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR. WITH THAT, IF THERE'S AN OBJECTION , THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 7:25 UNTIL THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING TO BE HELD THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2024. THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.