Dec 11, 2025 School Board

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GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO TONIGHT'S MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. THE MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER AT 4 P.M.

[1. CALL TO ORDER IN PUBLIC SESSION]

PRESENT. MISS CINTRON, MR. CRITCHFIELD. PRESENT.

MRS. GARZA, MISS STEWART. PRESENT. TONIGHT WE DO HAVE REQUESTS ADDRESSING CLOSED SESSION AGENDA ITEMS. WHILE MEETINGS OF THE GOVERNING BOARD ARE NOT PUBLIC MEETINGS, THEY ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. INDIVIDUAL SPEAKERS WILL BE ALLOWED THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ON EACH AGENDA ITEM. THE BOARD WILL LIMIT THE TOTAL TIME FOR PUBLIC INPUT ON EACH ITEM TO 21 MINUTES, AS PER BOARD BYLAW 9322.2. CAN WE HAVE JOHN PAUL JR.

WELCOME. THE AGENDA ONLINE AND IT SAID LIKE SO OPEN SESSIONS FIVE BECAUSE IT PUTS DOWN.

I THOUGHT THE CLOSED SESSION WAS GOING TO START AT FIVE BECAUSE IT SAID ON HERE, BUT I GUESS THAT'S FOR OPEN.

IT JUST WASN'T CLEAR IF YOU USE YOUR PHONE. SO.

BUT I JUST MADE IT HERE IN TIME. I HOPE THAT THE OTHERS WILL COME HERE SHORTLY SO YOU CAN HAVE A FULL BOARD TO DISCUSS ANY OF THE IMPORTANT EXPENSIVE ITEMS BEFORE YOU FOR CLOSED SESSION.

WHEN I WAS A BOARD MEMBER AT THE COLLEGE, SOME OF MY BOARD MEMBERS WOULD ABANDON US ON LATE INTO THE NIGHT DURING CLOSED SESSION, AND WE COULD NOT RESOLVE THINGS. AND THINGS WERE ALLOWED TO LINGER ON AND ON, AND I HAD TO WORK TO STOP A STRIKE.

AND SO I HOPE YOU HAVE A FULL COMPLIMENT AND THAT YOU LOOK AT THINGS CAREFULLY, LIKE HOW CAN YOU PREVENT FUTURE LAWSUITS OR EMPLOYMENT ISSUES, TO THINK FORWARD HOLISTICALLY WITH THE BUDGET? WHEN YOU LOOK AT EVERYTHING IN THE PARADIGM OF CLOSED SESSION, BECAUSE THIS IS MOST THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE MEETING TO ME AS A FORMER BOARD MEMBER. AND I WISH YOU GOOD LUCK AND HOPE THE REST OF THEM COME SOON.

THANKS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD WILL RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION.

[2. CLOSED SESSION]

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

IN OPEN SESSION. THE BOARD THEN ADJOURNED TO CLOSED SESSION AND WILL NOW RECONVENE THE MEETING IN OPEN SESSION AT 5:06 P.M..

BOARD CLERK CRITCHFIELD WILL UPDATE US ON CLOSED SESSION TOPICS.

THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THE TOPICS DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION WERE STUDENT MATTERS, ANTICIPATED LITIGATION, PUBLIC EMPLOYEE DISCIPLINE, PUBLIC EMPLOYEE APPOINTMENT FOR PRINCIPAL AND THE BOARD TOOK NO ACTION IN CLOSED SESSION.

THANK YOU. TONIGHT, OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE IS GOING TO BE LED BY OUR PRINCIPAL, MR. SAM PARIS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. IT'S NOT ON.

SORRY. ARE WE GOOD? OKAY. IT'S MY PLEASURE TO LEAD EVERYBODY IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

IF I CAN HAVE EVERYBODY RISE. PLACE YOUR RIGHT HAND OVER YOUR HEART.

READY? 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.

ME TOO. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE DO NOT HAVE REPLACEMENT PAGES TONIGHT, AND THERE ARE NO AMENDMENTS TO THE AGENDA.

SO WE ARE GOING TO START OUR RECOGNITIONS ON HERE.

[6. PRESENTATIONS FROM STUDENTS / STAFF / COMMUNITY]

SO WE'RE GOING TO BRING BACK MR. PLATAS TO DO OUR STUDENT SPOTLIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. OOPS. THERE WE GO. THANK YOU EVERYBODY.

GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY AGAIN. SAM PLATAS, PRINCIPAL AT INTENSIVE LEARNING CENTER.

BOARD PRESIDENT STEWART, VICE PRESIDENT GARZA, SUPERINTENDENT, DOCTOR SIMON AND CABINET MEMBERS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. IT'S MY HONOR TO INTRODUCE OUR SPOTLIGHT STUDENT, ELENA SANDOVAL.

ELENA IS A REMARKABLE FOURTH GRADER WHO REMINDS US EVERY DAY WHAT STRENGTH, HEART, AND TRUE LEADERSHIP LOOK LIKE.

SHE APPROACHES EACH DAY WITH ENTHUSIASM, DETERMINATION, AND A SPIRIT THAT INSPIRES EVERYONE, EVERYONE AROUND HER. AND OF COURSE, SHE ALWAYS GIVES HER PERSONAL, PERSONAL BEST IN THE CLASSROOM AND ON THE PLAYGROUND.

ELENA STANDS OUT NOT ONLY FOR HER COMMITMENT TO LEARNING, BUT ALSO FOR HER GROWTH MINDSET.

SHE ALWAYS GIVES HER BEST EFFORT. SHE EMBRACES NEW OPPORTUNITIES AND SHE ENCOURAGES OTHERS TO DO THE SAME.

EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE IS ELENA'S KINDNESS. SHE NOTICES OTHERS, SHE LIFTS THEM UP AND SHE TREATS EVERYONE WITH COMPASSION AND RESPECT.

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AT ILC, SHE INSPIRES US TO BE BETTER, TRY HARDER, AND BELIEVE IN OURSELVES.

PLEASE JOIN ME IN CELEBRATING OUR SPOTLIGHT STUDENT, THE WONDERFUL, EXCELLENT ELENA SANDOVAL.

IF YOU COULD HAVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

AND OF COURSE, GREAT STUDENTS GO ALONG WITH GREAT TEACHERS TOO.

SO TONIGHT WE HAVE MR. ZAVALA. WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE HIM FOR HIS EXCEPTIONAL, EXCEPTIONALLY TALENTED BEING AS EXCEPTIONALLY TALENTED FOURTH GRADE TEACHER.

EVERY MINUTE, EVERY DAY, MR. ZAVALA BRINGS AND EXPECTS EXCELLENCE AS WELL.

HE HAS A REMARKABLE ABILITY TO BRING STRONG, TO BUILD STRONG, GENUINE RELATIONSHIPS WITH HIS STUDENTS, HELPING EACH OF THEM FEEL SEEN, VALUED AND CAPABLE.

HIS CLASSROOM IS A PLACE WHERE WARMTH AND HIGH EXPECTATIONS GO HAND IN HAND, CREATING A NURTURING YET RIGOROUS LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT INSPIRES STUDENTS TO GROW ACADEMICALLY AND PERSONALLY. UNDER HIS GUIDANCE, STUDENTS THRIVE.

THEY TAKE RISKS AND THEY DISCOVER DISCOVER THE BEST IN THEMSELVES.

SO I PRESENT TO YOU, MR. ZAVALA. ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR MR. ZAVALA, PLEASE. NICELY DONE, PRINCIPAL FLORES.

IT IS AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO BE HERE. BOARD MEMBERS, FAMILIES, PRINCIPAL LOVED ONES.

TODAY IS A DAY THAT WE HONOR AND RECOGNIZE A TRULY WONDERFUL STUDENT, A STUDENT THAT IS KIND, LIKE MR. PLATT SAID, THAT IS INTELLIGENT, THAT WORKS HARD IN THE CLASSROOM, JUST AN EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT ALL AROUND.

I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE. AND TODAY WE CELEBRATE HER AND I'D LIKE TO GET STARTED.

YEAH. TODAY WE PROBABLY RECOGNIZE ELENA FOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, EFFORT AND A GROWTH MINDSET. THANK YOU. HER PERSEVERANCE AND RESILIENCE ARE SEEN EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND SHE CONTRIBUTES TO OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY IN MANY, MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. NOW, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A SPOTLIGHT STUDENT? SPOTLIGHT STUDENT CAN MEAN SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS. ONE SUCH WAY IS AN EXEMPLARY STUDENT AND A PEER IN THE CLASSROOM.

ELENA IS THE FIRST STUDENT TO BE READY. SHE LISTENS ATTENTIVELY.

SHE WORKS HARD IN COLLABORATION WITH PEERS. SHE'S RESPONSIBLE AND CAN BE TRUSTED, AND SHE MAKES HER CLASSROOM A POSITIVE PLACE.

EVERY DAY I WALK INTO THE CLASSROOM, ELENA GREETS ME WITH A SMILE.

THANK YOU. ELENA OFFERS HELP. ELENA HELPS OTHERS IN THE CLASSROOM, HER PEERS, AND SO WE VALUE HER FOR THAT, FOR BEING WHO SHE IS NOW. BEING A BILINGUAL SCHOLAR IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT BILINGUAL SCHOLARS.

WE READ AND WE WRITE IN BOTH LANGUAGES, IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH. IT'S INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT, BUT SHE LEARNS IN TWO LANGUAGES AND SHE THINKS IN TWO LANGUAGES, AND SHE EXCELS AND SHE WORKS HARD.

AND SO BEING A BILINGUAL SCHOLAR IS A RECOGNITION THAT IT'S VERY WORTHY AND VERY IMPORTANT.

AND I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT FOR ELENA. NOW, BEING A CRITICAL THINKER AND PROBLEM SOLVER IS EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT HER IS HER CURIOSITY TO LEARN NEW THINGS.

WHEN I GO TO HER AND I TALK TO HER AND I'M COLLABORATING WITH HER, SHE'S ALWAYS WELCOMING.

SHE SMILES. SHE IS RECEPTIVE TO INFORMATION AND SHE DOESN'T GIVE UP WHEN THINGS ARE HARD.

OFTENTIMES WHEN THINGS ARE HARD, I TAKE A MOMENT AND I THINK ABOUT THINGS AND I SAY, WOW, THIS IS REALLY DIFFICULT. WHAT CAN I DO? AND SO I AM INSPIRED AND I GO TO ELENA AND SOMETIMES I CAN ASK HER, HEY, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS ELENA? HOW CAN YOU SOLVE THIS PROBLEM? WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS SITUATION? AND SO SHE ALWAYS SHARES HER THOUGHTS AND IDEAS IN CLASS, ACADEMICALLY, ABOUT THE PLAYGROUND, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, EVEN ABOUT TODAY.

LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT IT TODAY IN CLASS. AND SO SHE'S A CRITICAL THINKER AND A PROBLEM SOLVER.

HAVING A GROWTH MINDSET IS SUPER IMPORTANT. IT MAKES US WHO WE ARE.

IT MAKES US RESILIENT. AND ELENA ALWAYS TRIES HER BEST.

SHE KEEPS WORKING TO GET BETTER. SHE DOESN'T GIVE UP WHEN THINGS ARE CHALLENGING.

SO WHEN I LOOK FOR INSPIRATION AS A TEACHER, I THINK ABOUT STUDENTS THAT ARE EXCEPTIONAL AND HAVE THAT GROWTH MINDSET.

AND I THINK ABOUT ELENA AND I'M INSPIRED BY HER.

WORK ETHIC AND RESPONSIBILITY AS WELL. IT'S IMPORTANT WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT RESPONSIBILITIES.

THE MORNING. IT'S SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO WAKE UP.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HOMEWORK. WE HAVE LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON. BUT ELENA IS VERY CONSISTENT IN TURNING IN HER ASSIGNMENTS. WE HAVE AN EXCEPTIONAL AIDE, MISS LEWIS, THAT WORKS WITH HER EVERY DAY. I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE MISS LEWIS AND GIVE HER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE RIGHT NOW,

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A PARTNER THAT SHE TRUSTS, A PARTNER THAT SHE LOVES, A PARTNER THAT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE THERE FOR HER. AND SO I'M INSPIRED BY MISS LEWIS AS WELL. AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE THE RELATIONSHIP THAT THEY HAVE IN THE CLASSROOM.

AND ELENA ALWAYS SHOWS ALSO, YOU KNOW, PRIDE IN THE QUALITY OF HER WORK.

IF THINGS ARE DIFFICULT, I CAN GO TO HER AND SAY, HEY, LET'S REVISE IT A LITTLE BIT.

LET'S CHANGE THIS UP A LITTLE BIT. WHAT DO YOU THINK? AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALWAYS BE MINDFUL ABOUT HOW TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN READING OR IN WRITING OR IN MATH.

AND SO THAT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT THAT GROWTH. NOW CHARACTER.

CHARACTER IS REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT. CHARACTER IS HOW PEOPLE SEE US OFTENTIMES THE FIRST TIME.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE KIND AND RESPECTFUL AND TRUSTWORTHY IN THE PLAYGROUND.

SHE'S A VERY LOYAL AND SUPPORTIVE FRIEND. I SEE THAT WITH A LOT OF THE PEERS IN THE CLASSROOM WHEN THEY'RE PLAYING TOGETHER OUTSIDE OR JUST HAVING CONVERSATIONS.

AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO BUILD STRONG, POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS AT SCHOOL. I HAVE FRIENDS FROM COLLEGE AND MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND I REMEMBER THOSE TIMES WE WERE PLAYING IN THE PLAYGROUND OR WE WERE WORKING IN THE CLASSROOM, AND I REMEMBER MY PRINCIPLES AND MY TEACHERS.

AND SO BUILDING STRONG, POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS IS IMPORTANT. AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALINA'S FAMILY THAT'S HERE TODAY.

THEY'RE EXCEPTIONALLY. THEY'RE HERE FOR HER TODAY, WHICH SHOWS A STRONG BOND WITH HER FAMILY.

A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THEIR FAMILY, PLEASE. NOW, CREATIVITY AND POSITIVE ENERGY.

OFTENTIMES, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT LOOK AT A STANDARDIZED TEST.

WE MIGHT LOOK AT A READING ABILITY AND SAY, WOW, YOU KNOW, SHE PASSED THE SPAC.

SHE'S AT A LEVEL THREE. SHE'S READING AT GRADE LEVEL. THESE ARE ALL ACADEMIC STRENGTHS.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, ALINA'S VERY ARTISTIC. WHEN WE'RE DOING ART IN THE CLASSROOM, SHE COMBINES DIFFERENT COLORS.

WE'RE DOING DIA DE LOS MUERTOS, AND SHE'S JUST STANDS OUT IN TERMS OF HER CREATIVITY, HER WAY TO SEE PATTERNS AND AND EXPRESS HERSELF ARTISTICALLY.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHEN WE'RE IN THE CLASSROOM IF THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON, SHE MIGHT MAKE A LITTLE JOKE AND MAKE OTHER PEOPLE SMILE.

SO SHE'S VERY GOOD AT MAKING HER CLASSMATES SMILE, AND SHE JUST HAS A LOT OF POSITIVE ENERGY TO HER AND IT CONTRIBUTES TO A VERY POSITIVE CLASSROOM ATMOSPHERE. NOW, STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY AS WELL. IT'S IMPORTANT TO SHOW COURAGE EVERY DAY AT SCHOOL.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE BRAVE AND STRONG IN ANY CHALLENGE THAT WE FACE.

WE'RE HERE TODAY TO HONOR HER. I'M SURE I'M A BIT NERVOUS HERE TODAY.

AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW ELENA'S GOING TO DO REALLY WELL IN A BIT WHEN SHE MIGHT, YOU KNOW, CONTRIBUTE TO HOW SHE FEELS.

BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE OPEN AND TO EXPERIENCE NEW THINGS, EVEN IF IT'S DIFFICULT.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO FACE THAT CHALLENGE WITH ENTHUSIASM AND WITH BRAVERY.

AND I SEE THAT RESILIENCE IN HER. IN CONCLUSION, WHY DO WE CELEBRATE ELENA TODAY? ELENA WORKS HARD AND ALWAYS TRIES HER BEST. SHE IS A KIND, CREATIVE AND GREAT FRIEND AND STUDENT AND DAUGHTER, AND SHE INSPIRES OTHERS WITH HER THEIR STRENGTH AND POSITIVITY. I'D LIKE TO CLOSE THIS OUT BY SHOWING A FEW PIECES OF ART FROM THE CLASSROOM.

THIS IS FROM WHEN I WAS IN THE CLASSROOM AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT CELEBRATING ONE OF OUR CLASSMATES.

STUDENTS REALLY HAD TO THINK ABOUT REASONS THAT WERE, TO THEM, IMPORTANT.

AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE REASONS AND SOME OF THE PIECES OF ART.

SO, ALINA, YOU ARE KIND, YOU ARE CARING. YOU ARE FUN AND PLAYFUL AND HARD WORKING.

YOU'RE OPTIMISTIC, RESPONSIBLE, RESPECTFUL, CREATIVE, AND ARTISTIC.

YOU ARE VERY DESERVING OF THIS AWARD. WE ALSO HAVE A WAY OF STUDENTS SHOWING THEIR LOVE FOR ALINA IN DIFFERENT WAYS. WE HAVE ART, WE HAVE PARAGRAPHS.

WE HAVE A THINKING MAP HERE, A CIRCLE MAP. WHY IS ELINA DESERVING OF THIS AWARD? SHE'S VERY COOL AS WELL. SHE LOVES RECESS. SHE LOVES CATS.

SHE'S RESPONSIBLE. SO WE'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

AND EVEN THOUGH I ONLY KNOW ELENA FOR THREE MONTHS, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO GET TO KNOW HER AND HER FAMILY, I KNOW THAT SHE'S DESTINED FOR GREATNESS. TODAY IS JUST A SMALL MOMENT IN HER CAREER.

I'M VERY PROUD OF HER. HER FAMILY IS VERY PROUD OF HER.

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AND SO WE ARE VERY HAPPY AND HONORED TODAY THAT ELENA IS OUR SPOTLIGHT STUDENT OF ILC AT ILC.

OKAY. AND WE'RE SO PROUD OF ELENA. YOU TALK ABOUT HAVING COURAGE.

SHE SAID THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS AS WELL.

AND THIS IS REALLY THIS IS THE THE BEST PART OF THE SHOW, SO TO SPEAK.

SO, ELENA, YOU TAKE IT AWAY, MY FRIEND. OKAY? YOU WANT ME TO HOLD IT? YOU WANT TO HOLD IT? OH, I GOT IT. YOU GOT IT.

HOLA A TODOS USTEDES. MUCHAS GRACIAS POR ESTE RECONOCIMIENTO.

ESTOY MUY FELIZ. THAT IS THE PREMIOS. OYE. GRACIAS A MI FAMILIA POR TODOS.

YO TAMBIÉN. MUCHAS GRACIAS. MR.. MR.. MR.. AND MR. ZAVALA, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT.

I'M GRATEFUL AND HONORED TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD.

THANK YOU. AMAZING. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

WOULD YOU MIND COMING AND TAKING A PICTURE WITH US, PLEASE? YES. LET'S GET THE WHOLE FAMILY UP, PLEASE.

YES. YES. YES. OKAY.

OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH.

ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS FROM BELLFLOWER.

WE HAVE KAITLYN. VERA. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

OKAY. GOOD EVENING. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. BOARD PRESIDENT AND SUPERINTENDENT.

DOCTOR SIMMONS. MY NAME IS CAITLIN VERA, OBVIOUSLY.

AND I'M GOING TO BE REPORTING ON THE THE BOARD REPORT FOR DECEMBER.

SO STARTING OFF THIS PAST NOVEMBER, OUR ASB HAS BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE CANADA CONFERENCE AT THE DISNEYLAND HOTEL IN ANAHEIM.

THIS CONFERENCE IS MEANT FOR ALL ASB'S IN CALIFORNIA TO COME TOGETHER AND TO REALLY JUST EXCHANGE KNOWLEDGE AND EXCHANGE WHAT WE'VE LEARNED AS AN ASB, OUR STRENGTHS OR WEAKNESSES. AND ESSENTIALLY IT'S JUST WAYS TO GET BETTER.

IT STARTED OFF WITH A MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER, AND WE WERE REALLY PUT TO THE TEST IN THAT WAY, WHERE WE WERE SORT OF PUT INTO A SPACE WHERE WE HAD TO GET TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER, WE HAD TO INTERACT WITH KIDS OUR AGE AND BE IN WORKSHOPS AND REALLY TRY OUR HARDEST TO COME TOGETHER. AND, YOU KNOW, KEEP IN MIND THAT WE'RE HERE FOR OUR SCHOOL AND WE'RE HERE TO REPRESENT OUR SCHOOL. WE ALSO DID THAT WITH OUR ASB PRESIDENT, ZULEMA CASTRO.

SHE ACTUALLY PRESENTED AT A MEET THE MASTERS WORKSHOP SHE PRESENTED ON FALL FEST, WHICH IS OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL EVENT, AND SHE GAVE INSIGHT TO OTHER SCHOOLS ON HOW WE RUN SUCH A BIG FUNDRAISING EVENT.

AS YOU GUYS REMEMBER, WE ROSE OR WE RAISED OVER $10,000 FOR OUR SCHOOL.

SO YES MOVING ON, HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL, THIS WAS OUR THEATER PRODUCTION FOR THIS SEMESTER.

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WE HAD A LOT OF TURNOUT FROM OUR STUDENT BODY AND FROM OUR STAFF.

HONESTLY, OUR STAFF WERE SO EXCITED FOR THIS.

SO EXCITED TO BE A PART OF IT. WE ALSO HAD OUR OH, I FORGOT WHAT HE IS.

HE'S OUR MUSIC TEACHER. HE ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED IN FILLED IN FOR ONE OF THE ROLES FOR ONE OF OUR THING.

IT WAS A LITTLE BIT WEIRD, BUT HE WAS. HE WAS OUR CHAD.

HE HAD THE SPIRIT. BUT, YEAH, WE REALLY HAD A HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL MOMENT.

WE HAD STUDENTS FROM, LIKE, ENTIRELY DIFFERENT BRANCHES.

WE HAD BASEBALL PLAYERS, WE HAD BASKETBALL PLAYERS, SOCCER PLAYERS, AND THEY ALL CAME TOGETHER AND REALLY GAVE IT THEIR ALL TO BE A PART OF IT. AND IT WAS JUST IT WAS AN AMAZING PRODUCTION.

I'M PERSONALLY A STAGE MANAGER, SO I AM IN THE PRODUCTION AND JUST SEEING IT AND SEEING THE COMMUNITY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO BUILD, IT WAS JUST AMAZING. IT WAS MY FAVORITE PRODUCTION BY FAR.

MOVING ON, WE HAVE OUR COMMUNITY WORK. OUR CANNED FOOD DRIVE HAS BEEN TAKING PLACE THIS PAST MONTH.

IT ENDS TOMORROW, AND THIS PAST WEEK WE DELIVERED ABOUT 1200 CANS.

AND OBVIOUSLY WE'RE HOPING MORE THIS WEEK. IT'S IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY OF BELLFLOWER, AND THESE CANS OBVIOUSLY GOES TO PEOPLE IN NEED.

AND IT'S REALLY IT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR COMMUNITY WORK.

ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE OUR HOLIDAY TOY DRIVE. THIS IS WITH SKILLSUSA AND MY FAMILY'S PERSONAL NONPROFIT, WHICH WORKS TO GIVE TOYS TO CHILDREN IN SAINT OR NO.

IN MILLARD CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL IN LONG BEACH.

THESE TOYS GO FOR THE HOLIDAYS. IT'S ESPECIALLY SADDENING TO SEE CHILDREN IN THE HOSPITAL, SO GIVING THESE TOYS AND BEING ABLE TO GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY IS SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY APPRECIATE AND WE REALLY HIGHLIGHT AT OUR SCHOOL AND MOVING ON.

WE HAVE OUR FOOTBALL CIF SEMIFINALS. WE WERE HONORED AND HONORED.

WE WORKED HARD ENOUGH TO MAKE IT TO THE CIF SEMIFINALS.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE WERE TAKING IT OUT OBVIOUSLY IN THE SEMIFINALS THE LAST I THINK QUARTER THEY WERE ABLE TO THE OPPOSING TEAM WAS ABLE TO MAKE A FIELD GOAL THAT WE WERE UNFORTUNATELY JUST NOT ABLE TO RECOVER FROM.

BUT OUR OUR FOOTBALL TEAM HAS WORKED SO HARD, I THINK ESPECIALLY THE IMPROVEMENT FROM LAST YEAR.

WE SUCKED. WE LOST OUR HOMECOMING GAME LIKE THERE WAS JUST SOMETHING, SOMETHING THIS YEAR THAT THESE BOYS DID TO REALLY TRY AND GET THEIR OKAY. LIKE IT WAS JUST IT WAS IT WAS VERY PRIDEFUL.

LIKE WE HAVE A LOT OF PRIDE FOR OUR FOOTBALL TEAM NOW, ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.

OKAY, SO OUR FINALS WEEK, WE HAVE OUR WINTER RALLY AND OUR SPIRIT WEEK.

OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A STRESSFUL TIME FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.

SO AS ASB WE TRY OUR HARDEST TO MAKE THIS SORT OF FUN SORT OF SOMETHING THAT'S NOT AS STRESSFUL.

AND WE'RE HONORED ENOUGH TO HAVE ORGANIZATIONS ON CAMPUS WHO ALSO WORK TO DO THE SAME.

SO WE HAVE A WEEK FILLED WITH ACTIVITIES. ON MONDAY WE HAVE OUR WINTER RALLY.

WE HAVE ORNAMENT DECORATING ON THE 17TH. COOKIE GIVEAWAY.

WELLNESS ACTIVITIES WITH THE WELLNESS CENTER. I THINK THE COLLEGE AND CAREER CENTER IS ALSO DOING THE ORNAMENT DECORATING AND THEN THE CANDY CANE GIVEAWAY.

LIKE WE WE DO TRY TO MAKE THIS SOMETHING FOR OUR STUDENTS WHERE IT ISN'T SUCH A HARD TIME TO GO TO SCHOOL FOR.

LIKE YOU HAVE AT LEAST SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO EVERY SINGLE DAY. OBVIOUSLY OUR SPIRIT WEEK GRINCH VERSUS SANTA ALL WRAPPED UP.

WE WEAR BOWS AND SCARVES. WINTER WONDERLAND. OBVIOUSLY, LIKE THE COLORS, IT'S VERY THEMATIC AND TACKY.

OH, OKAY. TACKY. THURSDAY. WE'RE UGLY SWEATERS.

OH. THAT'S SMART. OKAY. AND THE NIGHT BEFORE WINTER BREAK.

OBVIOUSLY WEAR PAJAMAS. BUT YEAH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO TRY TO DO FOR OUR STUDENTS.

AND I THINK, YEAH, WE JUST HAVE OUR UPCOMING EVENTS, OUR FINALS WEEK, OBVIOUSLY.

AND THEN IN JANUARY, WE WERE HAVING OUR BUCK BLAST OFF, WHERE WE INVITE ALL OF THE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS TO COME AND SORT OF EXPERIENCE THEIR FIRST RALLY. OBVIOUSLY IT'S SPECIAL FOR ME BECAUSE I AM A SENIOR AND I DO GET TO GIVE AWAY MY CLASS COLOR AND MY CLASS PRIDE, I GUESS. AND WE REALLY HOPE TO GIVE A POSITIVE VIEW OF BELLFLOWER TO THESE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLERS WHO ARE COMING INTO OBVIOUSLY SUCH A DIFFICULT TIME IN THEIR LIVES.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO A BIGGER CAMPUS, YOU'RE WITH BIGGER KIDS.

LIKE, IT'S JUST IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HOPE WE ADD LIKE A LEVEL OF COMFORTABILITY TO THE STUDENTS AS THEY TRANSITION FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL OR FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO MIDDLE SCHOOL. BUT YEAH, THAT IS THE END OF MY BOARD REPORT.

SO THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME AND HOPE TO SEE YOU IN THE NEXT ONE.

THANK YOU CAITLIN. AS AN ALUMNI AND A FOOTBALL FAN, I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAID.

[00:25:03]

GOOD EVENING, SUPERINTENDENT DOCTOR SIMON. PRESIDENT STEWART.

BOARD MEMBERS, DISTRICT COLLEAGUES. THIS IS MAYFAIR'S DECEMBER BOARD REPORT.

SO ON THE 17TH, WE GOT THIS REALLY COOL OPPORTUNITY TO BE COVERED BY CBS NEWS.

IT WAS A IT WAS A VERY EARLY MORNING. I THINK WE GOT THERE AROUND 6 A.M., BUT IT WAS SO WORTH IT.

IT STARTED RAINING IN. WELL, THAT RAINBOW PICTURE RIGHT BEFORE THAT STARTED RAINING.

BUT WE KEPT SHOOTING. KEPT FILMING. IT WAS IT WAS A SUPER COOL OPPORTUNITY.

DOWN HERE, ACTUALLY, SKILLS USA WASN'T GOING TO GET COVERED.

BUT NAAMAN, WHO'S OUR PRESIDENT, I BELIEVE OF SKILLS USA.

SHE WALKED UP TO THE REPORTER AND SHE INTRODUCED HERSELF AND SHE GOT HER GROUP COVERED.

SO THAT WAS A SUPER COOL MOMENT. AND YEAH, THEY JUST COVERED A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT GROUPS ON OUR CAMPUS AND THAT WAS A GREAT DAY.

COLLEGE APPLICATIONS ARE FINISHED. THERE'S LINUX, OUR AMAZING ASB PRESIDENT.

SHOWING THOSE PEARLY WHITES. BUT YEAH. SO IT'S WRAPPING UP.

THERE'S A COUPLE MORE THINGS TO DO, BUT WE'VE HAD A LOT OF HOPE AND ALL THE SENIORS ARE REALLY GRATEFUL, AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THEM FOR FINISHING THAT AND FINISHING THIS SEASON OFF STRONG.

SO UNFORTUNATELY, IF YOU DIDN'T GET TO ATTEND, BOTH BAND CONCERTS HAVE ALREADY PASSED.

MAYFAIR HAS GREAT HOLIDAY CONCERTS, AND THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT CHOIR'S CONCERT IS NEXT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16TH IF YOU GUYS CAN MAKE IT. WE HAVE TWO SHOW CHOIRS AND ONE CONCERT CHOIR.

IT'S GOING TO BE A SUPER COOL TIME AT THE BELLFLOWER CIVIC CENTER.

MAYFAIR HAD THE FIRST ANNUAL HOPEFULLY TREE LIGHTING.

IT WAS A IT WAS A SUPER INTIMATE MOMENT. YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T A HUGE TURNOUT, BUT IT WAS REALLY NICE.

THE PEOPLE THAT WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT ASB WAS THERE HANDING OUT HOT COCOA, AND WE HAD A COUPLE PERFORMANCES, A COUPLE OF STUDENT SPEAKERS AND IT WAS A GREAT NIGHT.

THE UNIFIED BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT WAS ON THE FIFTH.

ALWAYS A GREAT DAY EVERY TIME WE HAVE IT. WE HAD SOME PERFORMANCES FROM THE CHEER TEAM, THE UNIFIED CHEER TEAM, AND THE GAMES GOT PRETTY INTENSE. BUT THAT WAS AN AWESOME EVENT.

IT ALWAYS IS. THE AP SCHOLAR CELEBRATION WAS EARLIER THIS WEEK.

ALL OF OUR AP STUDENTS WHO PASSED THEIR EXAMS LAST YEAR GOT CELEBRATED WITH A CERTIFICATE AND SOME NICE WORDS.

AND THAT WAS A MORNING EVENT AND SUPER BIG SHOUT OUT TO THEM.

HONESTLY, THOSE TESTS ARE PRETTY HARD SO THEY WORK HARD FOR THAT.

WE HAVE A COUPLE HOLIDAY EVENTS WEBB IS PUTTING ON, OR THEY PUT ON THE HOT COCOA EVENT ON THE SEVENTH WHERE THEY GAVE HOT COCOA TO THE SEVENTH GRADERS AND THEY JUST HUNG OUT. COCOA AND CRAM WAS TODAY.

LINK CREW PUT THAT ON. AND IT'S WHERE THE LINK LEADERS GET WITH THEIR FRESHMEN.

AND OVER SOME HOT COCOA. THEY HELP THEM STUDY AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THEY MIGHT HAVE, HELP THEM WITH THEIR FINALS.

SO THAT'S A THAT WAS A SUPER GOOD EVENT TODAY AND IT'S BEEN OUR HOLIDAY SPIRIT WEEK.

SUPER FUN SEEING ALL OF THE SPIRIT AROUND CAMPUS.

THE ESPORTS TOURNAMENT IS COMING UP ON THE 13TH, AND WE ACTUALLY JUST FOUND OUT THAT THEY'VE BEEN NAMED THE THE VARSITY TEAM HAS BEEN NAMED THE LEAGUE CHAMPIONS AGAINST, I THINK 255 OTHER SCHOOLS.

SO OTHER TEAMS. SO THAT'S HUGE. HONESTLY BIG SHOUT OUT TO THEM.

THEY YEAH PRETTY DOPE. COMING UP WE HAVE THE HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR CONCERT ON THE 16TH.

THE MONSOON OF THE MONTH CELEBRATION ON THE 15TH.

FINALS ARE FROM THE 17TH AND 19TH. SO GOOD LUCK EVERYONE ON THAT AND BREAK WILL BEGIN ON THE 22ND.

THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TONIGHT, AND I HOPE YOU GUYS HAVE A GREAT BREAK.

I ACTUALLY HAVE ONE MORE ANNOUNCEMENT, THOUGH. I JUST FOUND OUT THAT IT'S CAITLIN'S BIRTHDAY TODAY, SO CAN WE JUST.

LET'S ON THREE. WE'RE GOING TO SING TO CAITLIN.

Y'ALL READY? ONE. TWO. THREE. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR KING.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, GIL, FOR SINGING IN THE MIC AND OVER ALL OF US. AND FROM LAS FLORES, WE HAVE JOSE TORRES.

WELCOME AGAIN. HI. I THINK THE. OKAY, I WAS GOING TO SAY, I THINK THAT WAS THE WRONG SLIDE.

HOLD ON. OKAY. GOOD EVENING. BOARD PRESIDENT AMY STEWART.

BOARD MEMBERS, DOCTOR SIMON, CABINET MEMBERS, TEACHERS AND STUDENTS.

I'M GLAD TO BE BACK FOR THIS MONTH'S MEETING AND SHARE WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING AT LAS FLORES SINCE THE LAST VISIT.

OKAY, SO THIS WEEK ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9TH. OUR I AM THREE.

[00:30:04]

SO FOR EXAMPLE, YOU CAN SEE I THINK UP THERE ONE OF THEM DID LIKE A HIGHWAY OR A FREEWAY.

AND THEN YOU CAN SEE SOMEONE ALSO DID LIKE A WATERFALL, WHICH OR A WATER SLIDE, WHICH REALLY ISN'T IN NATURE.

BUT I MEAN, EVERYONE HAD THEIR OWN INTERPRETATION OF THE PROJECT.

BUT I MEAN, EVERYBODY DID REALLY GOOD. YEAH. THE I MEAN, THE PROJECT CHALLENGED STUDENTS TO SHOW THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS BY SHOWING ACCURATE MATH ALONG WITH THEIR MODEL.

SO, YEAH. OKAY, SO THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS ALSO HAD THE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS ALSO HAD THEIR SCIENCE FAIR PRESENTATIONS IN THE CAFETERIA ON NOVEMBER 21ST, WHERE THEY SHOWCASED A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT HIGHLIGHTED THEIR CREATIVITY AND STRONG PRESENTATION SKILLS.

ALSO THANKS TO MRS SON'S LESSON ON PUBLIC SPEAKING, WHICH DEFINITELY MADE THEM MORE CONFIDENT AND YOU COULD REALLY SEE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY THAT THEY THEY JUST PRESENTED THEMSELVES. SO NEXT, ASP HELD OUR FIRST SCATTER BALL TOURNAMENT.

SCATTER BALL IS A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFICULT GAME TO DESCRIBE, SO I WON'T DO THAT.

BUT IT'S IT'S IT'S REALLY SIMILAR TO DODGEBALL.

BUT EVERYBODY HAD FUN. EVERYBODY THAT PARTICIPATED HAD A GREAT TIME AND WE ALL ENJOYED THE COMPETITION BECAUSE IT CAN GET REALLY LIKE, YOU KNOW, BUT EVERYBODY HAD A GOOD TIME. AND THEN ALSO FOLLOWING THE MONTH OF ALL THE FUN ACTIVITIES WE HAD, WE ALSO RECEIVED OUR 2025 CA DASHBOARD RESULTS WHERE WE PERFORMED AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL, WHICH IS BLUE IN ELA, MATH AND SCIENCE. OUR SUSPENSION RATE IS ALSO AT THE SECOND HIGHEST LEVEL IN GREEN, WHICH IS CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM.

WE'RE PROUD THAT LAS FLORES CONTINUES TO DEMONSTRATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR ALTERNATIVE LEARNING PROGRAM SYSTEM WHILE SHOWING STRONG GROWTH.

YEAH. AND THEN COMING SOON, WE HAVE OUR STUDENT OF THE MONTH AND STUDENT TO STUDENT SLO AWARDS.

WE ALSO HAVE WINTER FESTIVAL SLASH NO HOMEWORK NIGHT, PAJAMA DAY AND THEN WINTER BREAK.

AND THEN FINALS ALSO WILL BE HAPPENING NEXT WEEK.

BUT YEAH THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU JOANNA.

AND FROM SOMERSET WE HAVE ARIANA ARMENTA. WELCOME.

WHEN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE JUST PRESS THAT ONE. THIS ONE, THIS ONE.

GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT STEWART. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT, DOCTOR SIMON AND GUESTS.

MY NAME IS ARIANA ARMENTA AND I AM A JUNIOR AT ASB.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE A QUICK UPDATE ABOUT SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES HAPPENING AT SOMERSET HIGH SCHOOL.

ON THURSDAY THE 20TH OF NOVEMBER, WE CELEBRATED OUR ANNUAL TURKEY DAY.

THANK YOU TO THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE.

FUNDS RAISED AT TURKEY DAY GO DIRECTLY TO SCHOLARSHIPS FOR SOMERSET SENIORS, AND THE FOOD DONATED WAS DELIVERED TO A LOCAL FOOD BANK.

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT. STUDENTS IN OUR ORIENTATION CLASS PARTICIPATE IN A BITE OF REALITY WORKSHOP SPONSORED BY THE DOWNEY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION. THEY ARE GIVEN A BUDGET AND PROVIDED TIME TO DECIDE HOW THEY WANT TO SPEND THEIR MONEY.

THIS TEACHES THEM ABOUT THE COST OF GOODS AND SERVICES AND HOW TO PLAN ACCORDING TO THE LIFESTYLE THEY WANT TO LIVE IN THEIR FUTURE.

SOMERSET HAS BEEN USING THE THRIVAL PLATFORM THIS YEAR.

WE USE THRIVE DURING OUR TWICE A WEEK ADVISORY CLASS AS A WAY TO LEARN ABOUT OUR STRENGTHS, INTERESTS AND ASPIRATIONS. WE ALSO PARTAKE IN LESSONS TO BUILD UP ADDITIONAL STRENGTHS.

STUDENT STRENGTHS ARE CELEBRATED ACROSS THE CAMPUS IN VARIOUS WAYS.

THROUGH THE STRENGTHS PROFILE, WE LEARN THAT THE STRENGTHS OF STUDENTS AT SOMERSET ARE RESILIENCE, FLEXIBILITY, ASSERTIVENESS, ANALYTICAL, SOCIAL ATHLETICISM AND CREATIVE THINKING.

SOMERSET HAS PARTNERED WITH CERRITOS COLLEGE TO OFFER THREE DUAL ENROLLMENT CLASSES THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

STUDENTS HAVE ALREADY EARNED COLLEGE CREDIT BY TAKING COLLEGE COUNSELING A AND B THIS SEMESTER, AND THEY WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A FULL SEMESTER BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS CLASS NEXT SEMESTER.

STUDENTS TAKING THESE CLASSES ARE WORKING TOWARDS EARNING THEIR FIRST COLLEGE DEGREE EVEN BEFORE THEY FINISH HIGH SCHOOL.

NEXT WEEK IS OUR ASB WINTER SPIRIT WEEK. ON MONDAY, WE WILL BE DRESSING IN OUR HOLIDAY PAJAMAS TUESDAY.

WE ARE WEARING HOLIDAY COLORS. WEDNESDAY WE ARE GOING TO WEAR HOLIDAY HATS.

THURSDAY WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR ORIENTATION CLASS WITH A HEALTHY BARBECUE, AND FRIDAY WE WILL BE WEARING OUR UGLIEST HOLIDAY SWEATERS.

[00:35:06]

ONE LAST THING WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK PRESIDENT STEWART FOR SERVING AS OUR PRESIDENT THIS PAST YEAR.

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE FOR THE BELLFLOWER UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THANK YOU. HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. AND AS ALWAYS, WE KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE OTHER THINGS.

ACADEMICS, FAMILY. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.

AND YOU GUYS CAN GO. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO MOVING ON TO OUR EMPLOYEE REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS. CAN WE HAVE A PRESIDENT JOHN YOUNG.

OH. JAMIE. GEORGE. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT STEWART, VICE PRESIDENT GARZA AND BOARD DOCTOR. SUPERINTENDENT, SUPERINTENDENT, DOCTOR SIMON AND CABINET COLLEAGUES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON BEHALF OF THE BTA.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THIS REPORT.

THE ASSOCIATION LOOKS FORWARD TO CALENDARING BARGAINING DATES WITH THE DISTRICT NEXT MONTH.

ESTABLISHING A CLEAR SCHEDULE WILL SUPPORT A FOCUSED AND EFFICIENT PROCESS, AND WE APPRECIATE THE DISTRICT'S CONTINUED COLLABORATION AS WE PREPARE TO ENGAGE IN THIS NEXT PHASE OF WORK. UNDER SLIGHTLY NEW TEAMS LEADING THE WAY, BTA IS ALSO PLEASED TO SHARE THAT WE ARE HOSTING AN INAUGURAL RETIREMENT PLANNING PANEL IN MARCH AT OUR UNION OFFICE. THIS EVENT IS DESIGNED FOR MEMBERS WHO ANTICIPATE RETIRING WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS OR SO, AND WANT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CONSIDERATIONS, OPTIONS AND TIMELINES THAT SHAPE A SMOOTH TRANSITION.

WE APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP OF THOSE WHO ARE CONTRIBUTING THEIR EXPERTISE FROM CTA, AS WELL AS RETIRED BISD TEACHERS, WHO CAN ENSURE MEMBERS RECEIVE HIGH QUALITY GUIDANCE AS THEY PREPARE FOR THIS IMPORTANT MILESTONE.

FINALLY, I WANT TO NOTE MY APPRECIATION FOR THE CONSTRUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS DOCTOR SMITH AND I HAD REGARDING CTA CONFERENCES.

WE WERE ABLE TO REACH A MUTUAL CLARITY ON WHICH CONFERENCES ALIGN WITH SALARY ADVANCEMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR OUR MEMBERS.

THIS SHARED UNDERSTANDING BRINGS HELPFUL CONSISTENCY TO THE PROCESS, AND WE VALUE THE COLLABORATION THAT MADE IT POSSIBLE, AS WELL AS THE PLAN TO STREAMLINE THIS INFORMATION FOR MEMBERS IN THE FUTURE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP.

THANK YOU. WE DO NOT HAVE CTIA TONIGHT, BUT WE DO HAVE PTA.

SO CAN WE GET THE AMAZING PRESIDENT ALEXANDRIA CORTEZ.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OH, YOU GOT A CLICKER.

YAY! WE GO THIS WAY. PERFECT. OKAY, SO GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.

SO OUR GOOD EVENING, MRS. AMY STEWART, SUPERINTENDENT OF EMPLOYEES, COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

SO OUR COMMUNITY REPORT, WE'RE GOING TO START OFF WITH A RED RIBBON WEEK. SO THIS WAS ACTUALLY OUR RECOGNITION NIGHT.

WE HAD ALL OF THE UNITS THERE WITH THEIR PRESIDENTS ALONGSIDE THEIR PRINCIPALS.

WE HAD SOME OF THE DISTRICT OFFICE MEMBERS THERE, EVERYBODY THAT WAS ON THE BUS.

WE TRIED TO GET SOME OF THEM THERE SO THAT THEY COULD GIVE THEM WHAT THEY FELT ON THE BUS.

SO BESIDES GETTING A RECOGNITION AND AN AWARD, THEY GOT TO HEAR THE EXPERIENCE, WHAT IT WAS TO GO FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL.

IT'S LIKE AN INDESCRIBABLE FEELING BECAUSE ONCE YOU GET TO ONE SCHOOL, IT'S LIKE YOU ARE LIKE ASTONISHED.

AND THEN YOU GET BACK ON THE BUS AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IT AND YOU GET TO THE NEXT SCHOOL AND YOU'RE LIKE, WOW. AND IT JUST KEEPS GOING AND KEEPS GOING.

SO IT'S A GREAT EXPERIENCE. HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS ALL GET TO EXPERIENCE IT AT LEAST ONCE.

BUT RED RIBBON WAS A GREAT TURNOUT AND THE MESSAGE GOT OUT THERE.

OUR KIDS ARE KNOWING ALL ABOUT WHAT TO STAY AWAY FROM, AND THE MESSAGE IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND NEXT YEAR AND MOVING FORWARD ALMOST EVERY DAY. AND THEN WE HAVE RAMONA.

SO RAMONA DID A VETERAN'S. MR. YOUNG SCHOOL. SO THEY DID A VETERAN'S DAY EVENT.

[00:40:02]

FAMILY MEMBERS BROUGHT IN PICTURES OF LOVED ONES.

THEY GAVE LITTLE SPEECHES. THEN THEY ALSO HAD A KINDNESS DAY WHERE THEY ALL PAINTED A NICE LITTLE ROCKS WITH MOTIVATIONAL STUFF FOR EACH OTHER, AND THEY GOT TO TAKE THOSE HOME. SO THIS IS RAMONA ELEMENTARY.

AND AND THEN THIS IS BELLFLOWER MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOL.

THEY HAD A GINGERBREAD HOUSE DECORATING PARTY AND PTA ASSOCIATION MEETING.

SO THEY COMBINE BOTH THEIR BUSINESS AND SOME FUN IN THERE.

THEY HAD GINGERBREAD HOUSES THAT THEY WERE MADE OUT OF, GRAHAM CRACKERS AND FROSTING.

SO THEIR OWN DIY ONES. THE PTA. THEY THREW THEIR ASSOCIATION MEETING.

IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL, AND THEY HAD A GREAT TURNOUT.

THEY DID SOME RAFFLES, THEY HAD SOME MUSIC AND SOME DANCING, WHICH WAS A GREAT NIGHT. AND OUR UPCOMING EVENTS.

JANUARY 22ND IS OUR PTA LEADERS AND ADMINISTRATORS CONFERENCE.

WE'VE ALREADY INVITED THE SUPERINTENDENT, AND SHE'S PUTTING OUT THE MESSAGE OUT THERE TO THE PRINCIPALS TO HOPEFULLY ATTEND ALONGSIDE THEIR PTA PRESIDENTS.

THAT'S JANUARY 22ND, THEN FOUNDER'S DAY, PTA TURNS 129 YEARS.

SO THAT'S OUR ANNIVERSARY. IT'S A BIG DAY FOR US.

SO YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF PICTURES ON SOCIAL MEDIA OF ALL THE SCHOOLS CELEBRATING THAT DAY.

THEN MARCH 3RD HERE IN THE BOARDROOM, WE'RE GOING TO BE HOSTING OUR REFLECTIONS NIGHT AWARD NIGHT.

SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT NIGHT. THAT'S 6 P.M.

MARCH 3RD AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ALEXANDRA REAL QUICK WHO WON THE THE. SO THEY ALL GOT A RECOGNITION THERE WAS DIFFERENT TITLES.

IF YOU GO ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THEM ALL. THEY ALL HAD A DIFFERENT ONE.

IT WAS REALLY CATERED UP TO THE WHAT YOUR COMMENTS WERE BASED ON THAT SCHOOL.

SO THAT THAT WAY THE THE DESCRIPTION OF THEIR TITLE THAT THEY WON WAS VERY CATERED TO THAT SCHOOL.

THANK YOU. SO THEY'RE ALL WINNERS. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. MOVING ALONG TO OUR SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT, DOCTOR SIMON.

[7. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT]

THANK YOU. IT HAS BEEN A MONTH OF CELEBRATION, COMMUNITY AND CHAMPIONSHIP SPIRIT ACROSS OUR SCHOOLS, AND I'M HONORED TO SHARE A GLIMPSE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS.

SO AS OUR AMAZING STUDENT JILL FRIEDMAN FROM MAYFAIR SAID ON NOVEMBER 17TH, WE WERE FORTUNATE TO HAVE KCAL AND CBS NEWS.

OUT HIGHLIGHTING THE AMAZING THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AT MAYFAIR HIGH SCHOOL.

THE ENERGY ON CAMPUS WAS ELECTRIC, WITH ASB LEADERS, SPORTS TEAMS, ESPORTS TEAMS, CONSTRUCTION STUDENTS, CHEERLEADERS, COACHES, AND ADMINISTRATION ALL COMING TOGETHER FOR A POWERFUL SHOWCASE OF SCHOOL PRIDE AND ALSO UNITY.

A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER.

I BELIEVE SHE'S HERE TONIGHT. MISS ESMERELDA CISNEROS.

AND ALSO OUR COMMUNICATIONS CLERK, MELISSA LLAMAS, FOR PREPARING FOR SUCH AN UNFORGETTABLE, JOY FILLED DAY. YOUR PLANNING AND LEADERSHIP MADE A LASTING IMPRESSION ON OUR STUDENTS AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

ON DECEMBER 1ST AND SECOND, I HAD THE JOY OF VISITING A NUMBER OF OUR CAMPUSES ONE INCLUDING LINDSTROM ELEMENTARY, BELLFLOWER MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL. LAS FLORES, AND ALSO MAYFAIR MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOL.

THE VISITS ARE ALWAYS THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY DAY.

IT WAS INSPIRING TO WITNESS FIRSTHAND THE COMMITMENT OF OUR TEACHERS, THE CURIOSITY OF OUR STUDENTS.

IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE DOCTOR ROBINSON AND HER STUDENTS, AND THEY ALWAYS GREET ME AND ALWAYS WANT TO TAKE A PICTURE.

IT'S JUST A HIGHLIGHT. THANK YOU. AND THE POWER FOR LEARNING THAT TAKES PLACE EACH DAY IN OUR CLASSROOMS. OUR TEACHERS CONTINUE TO RISE TO THE OCCASION, CHALLENGING AND UPLIFTING OUR YOUNG SCHOLARS TOWARD EXCELLENCE AND IMPACT.

TO EACH EDUCATOR, THANK YOU FOR BEING THE DIFFERENCE MAKER IN OUR SCHOOLS.

FROM DECEMBER 3RD TO THE FIFTH, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF ATTENDING THE CSBA CONFERENCE IN SACRAMENTO ALONGSIDE OUR AMAZING BOARD MEMBERS.

TOGETHER, WE EXPLORED POWERFUL INSIGHTS AND PRACTICES TO STRENGTHEN GOVERNANCE, EQUITY, AND SUCCESS ACROSS OUR DISTRICT.

UNIFIED SPORTS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT AT MAYFAIR.

JUST WHAT AN AMAZING, AMAZING DAY. JUST SEEING OUR OUR TEAMS OUT THERE DOING EXCEPTIONALLY WELL.

I TOOK THE EARLY FLIGHT BACK TO CHEER OUR INCREDIBLE SCHOLARS FROM CSBA THE FRIDAY THE FIFTH, AND I WAS JOINED BY A BOARD PRESIDENT, STEWARD AND BOARD CLERK.

CRITCHFIELD. IT WAS A MORNING FULL OF INCLUSIVE COMPETITION IN OUR CABINET MEMBERS AS WELL.

EXCUSE ME AND SCHOOL SPIRIT, WITH MAYFAIR BATTLING IT OUT ON THE COURT WITH TEAMS FROM LOCKE HIGH SCHOOL, MY MOTHER'S ALMA MATER, PARAMOUNT HIGH SCHOOL, AND WILSON HIGH SCHOOL IN LONG BEACH.

OUR TEAMS, OUR BASKETBALL TEAMS COMPETED VERY HARD AND OUR CHEERLEADERS, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, CHEERED VERY HARD AS WELL. YESTERDAY I MET WITH ONE OF OUR AMAZING SCHOLARS AND HER NAME IS BREE.

[00:45:08]

SO REMEMBER, WE HAD A OUR AT OUR IN OUR STEAM BUILDING.

WE HAD A MAYFAIR JUST A TOWN HALL TO TALK ABOUT THE FIELDS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

I REMEMBER SHE POSED A QUESTION TO ME AND THAT WAS, HOW CAN WE HAVE A SPORTS DAY THAT HIGHLIGHTS, RIGHT, THE ATHLETICISM, THE THE COMPETITIVENESS, BUT ALSO BRINGS COMMUNITY TOGETHER WITH THE SPORTS DAY.

SO YESTERDAY WE MET WE BOTH STUCK TO OUR WORD AND SHE HAD AN AMAZING IDEA SHE PRESENTED.

SHE WALKED UP TO THE SCREEN. SHOW ME SOME IDEAS.

IF PTA, OUR PRESIDENT. MISS CORTEZ, I NEED TO REACH OUT TO YOU BECAUSE THERE'S SOME IDEAS SHE HAS ABOUT BRINGING PTA, OUR PE TEACHERS TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS A REALITY SO SUPER EXCITING.

WE HAVE OUR SCHOLARS ADVOCATING AND PRESENTING FOR FOR CHANGE AND MORE OF AN EXPERIENCE RIGHT IN OUR DISTRICT.

SO THAT WAS SUPER AMAZING. AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING THE 16TH ANNUAL BELLFLOWER MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL INSTRUMENTAL HOLIDAY CONCERT LAST EVENING, ALONG WITH OUR CABINET MEMBERS.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OMAR MADONNA, THE DIRECTOR OF BANDS AT BELLFLOWER MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL, FOR THE INVITATION. I WAS GENUINELY IMPRESSED BY ALL OF OUR BANDS, ESPECIALLY MARIACHI BAND, WHICH CLOSED THE SHOW ON AN EXHILARATING NOTE.

THE SINGING FROM OUR STUDENTS, RIGHT? ALMOST PROFESSIONAL LEVEL GRADE SINGING WAS SUPER AMAZING.

AS YOU WALKED THROUGH THE CROWD, MOVING MANY OF THE ATTENDEES TO TEARS.

VERY BEAUTIFUL. AND AS WE ENTER THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, I WANT TO SEND A MESSAGE FROM MY HEART TO EACH MEMBER OF OUR BELLFLOWER UNIFIED COMMUNITY, TO OUR STUDENTS, OUR STAFF, OUR FAMILIES, AND THE COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTS US SO DEEPLY.

MAY THIS SEASON BRING YOU PEACE, RESTORATION, AND CELEBRATION.

MAY EVERY MOMENT FROM QUIET LAUGHTER AND SPIRITED TRADITIONS WITH LOVED ONES, RENEW YOUR HEART AND DEEPEN YOUR HOPE FOR THE BEAUTIFUL YEAR AHEAD.

WE HAVE SO MUCH TO BE PROUD OF AND EVEN MORE TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN THE NEW YEAR.

I LOOK FORWARD TO ALL WE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD TOGETHER.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT STEWART.

THANK YOU, DOCTOR SIMON. ALL RIGHT. COMMITTEE UPDATES.

[8. COMMITTEE UPDATES]

THE ONLY ONE I HAVE IS I ATTENDED THE ATHLETICS COMMITTEE.

AND JUST TO GIVE YOU GUYS A FEW THINGS, WE REALLY JUST DISCUSSED THE NEXT STEPS FROM THAT COMMITTEE AND A FEW THINGS THAT I LEARNED IS ONE, NEXT YEAR WE HAD A TWO TIER LEAGUE WHERE WE HAD BASICALLY TWO DIVISIONS.

NEXT YEAR WE'RE MOVING TO A SUPER LEAGUE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THREE DIVISIONS AND I BELIEVE 20 TOTAL TEAMS IN THE LEAGUE.

SO THAT WAS KIND OF AN INTERESTING THING. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS AND HOW WE CAN START TO DO BETTER FOR OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY IN THE SPORTS AND THE EXTRA ACTIVITIES THAT THEY NEED.

SO WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THAT. AND SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT, WHICH IS REALLY NICE.

AND WE TALKED ABOUT STUDENT ENGAGEMENT. HONESTLY, THE MAYFAIR STAFF WAS A LITTLE FUNNY.

WE DECIDED WE'D PROBABLY HAVE TO GET RID OF THEIR PHONES FOR LIKE TWO WEEKS TO GET SOME STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AT THE SPORTS EVENTS BECAUSE THEY ALL WANT TO JUST BE HOME. BUT IT'S JUST IT'S REALLY SAD SOMETIMES LOOKING. I GREW UP IN A GENERATION WHERE PEOPLE WANTED TO COME TO FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAMES, AND THEY WANTED TO BE INVOLVED, AND THEY'RE JUST NOT THERE.

SO WE WERE JUST DISCUSSING SOME WAYS THAT WE CAN TRY TO ENGAGE MORE STUDENTS AT OUR ACTIVITIES, AND THAT WAS REALLY IT FOR THE ATHLETICS. ANYTHING ELSE?

[9. PUBLIC COMMENTS – AGENDA/NON-AGENDA ITEMS]

WE DO HAVE REQUESTS ADDRESSING OPEN SESSION AGENDA ITEMS. WE WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT WILL BE LISTENING, CAREFUL TO CAREFULLY TO EACH PUBLIC COMMENT.

HOWEVER, WE WILL NOT BE PROVIDING RESPONSES DURING THE MEETING.

THE SUPERINTENDENT OR DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE WILL CONTACT THE PARENT GUARDIAN AND OR COMMUNITY MEMBER IF THE COMMENT MAY CALL FOR A FOLLOW UP.

WHILE THE MEETINGS OF THE GOVERNING BOARD ARE NOT PUBLIC MEETINGS, THEY ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. INDIVIDUAL SPEAKERS WILL BE ALLOWED THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD, AND THE BOARD WILL LIMIT THE TOTAL TIME FOR PUBLIC INPUT TO 21 MINUTES, AS PER BOARD BYLAW 9322.2, UNLESS OTHERWISE WAIVED BY THE BOARD. ALL RIGHT, SO OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS JOHN PAUL.

I KNOW YOU HAVE TWO AGENDA ITEMS, 10.1 AND 14.2.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK AT THEM BOTH AND GO FOR SIX MINUTES.

I'M ASKING IF IS IT POSSIBLE I COULD SPEAK AT 14.2 BECAUSE PART OF MY PRESENTATION IS IN ANOTHER ROOM ACCIDENTALLY.

SO JUST ONE. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? I'M SORRY.

YEAH. COULD I JUST, I JUST, I MR. SO ANY PUBLIC SPEAKER CAN SPEAK ON ANY ITEM, BUT THEY HAVE A CUMULATIVE TOTAL OF THREE MINUTES.

NOT FOR EACH ITEM, NOT FOR EACH ITEM. OKAY. SO YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

[00:50:01]

OKAY, WELL, I DESIGNED SOMETHING SPECIAL TO HONOR PRESIDENT AMY STEWART.

AND I THINK YOU ALREADY GOT IT. DID YOU SEE IT? I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SAY YOU'RE NOT OR IF IT WAS ON HERE.

I DID TAKE IT BACK TO THE BACK, BUT I DIDN'T OPEN IT YET.

BUT THANK YOU. OKAY. IT WASN'T WRAPPED. OKAY.

I DON'T KNOW, I'M CONFUSED. OKAY, WELL, I MADE SOMETHING SPECIAL WITH MY COLORS.

SINCE WE'RE BOTH. BOTH ARE HIGH ALUMNI TO HONOR YOUR TIME AS PRESIDENT.

I MET YOU HERE ALMOST FOUR YEARS AGO IN THIS BOARDROOM WHERE WE SHOOK HANDS.

AND I JUST REALLY BEEN AMAZED BY YOUR ENTHUSIASM FOR THE JOB.

AND AS A BOARD MEMBER AND AS A BOARD PRESIDENT YOU'VE HELPED US SO MUCH AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS, TO LISTEN AND TO ACT UPON OUR CONCERNS. AND ONE OF THE MOST I GUESS I CAN'T FIND THE WORDS. I'M SORRY THAT YOU REALLY LISTENED AND PUT THINGS FORWARD INSTEAD OF JUST SLOUGHING IT OFF LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE DO.

YOU TOOK ACTION, AND I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, AMY.

AND AND BRINGING ALUMNI TOGETHER FOR HOMECOMING.

AND ENCOURAGING THAT. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

SO MAYBE YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET, SO YOU'LL BE SURPRISED WHEN YOU SEE IT, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

BYE BYE. ALL RIGHT, NEXT, WE HAVE DOCTOR ROBINSON. WELCOME.

I'LL START THE CLOCK. IS IT ON? GREAT. LEADERSHIP IS AS BASIC AS TO LEAD.

YOU JUST HAVE TO HAVE TO BE SOMEONE OTHER PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO FOLLOW. BUT THEN THAT'S HIGHLY NUANCED.

IDEALLY, BY WHO YOU ARE AT THE CORE AND HOW YOU SHOW UP AT THE HELM WITH STRENGTH, INTEGRITY AND VISION.

DISCIPLINE, RESILIENCY, COMPASSION, CONSISTENCY.

YOU SET AN EXAMPLE AND OTHERS FOLLOW YOUR ACTIONS.

BEING ON THE BOARD REQUIRES YOU TO SHOW UP WEEK AFTER WEEK AND DO THE BORING, UNGLAMOROUS WORK NOBODY EVEN KNOWS ABOUT.

AND LIKE ICEBERGS, WE ONLY SEE THE TOPS OF THE SUCCESS OR WHAT WE DEEM THE ATTEMPTS AT SUCCESS OR FAILURE.

FEW OF US EVER SEE OR EVEN KNOW WHAT GOES ON BEYOND THE THURSDAYS.

YOU SIT ON THE DIOCESE AND THE COUNTLESS HOURS OF UNSEEN EFFORT, LIKE A GAME IN A SPORT.

THE WORK IS NEVER REALLY JUST ABOUT THE WORK ANY MORE THAN IT'S JUST ABOUT THE GAME.

IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT SOMETHING MORE, SOMEONE MORE, THE SILENT AND THE UNSEEN.

PICKING UP WHERE THE ONES WHO CAME BEFORE YOU LEFT OFF GOOD, BAD OR INDIFFERENT, AND MOVING FORWARD TO THE HANDOFF. WHERE THE ONES WHO COME NEXT WILL ADVANCE OR QUELL OR DESTROY ALL THE WORK YOU DID TO THAT POINT.

THE EXPERIENCE OF THE JOURNEY IS CERTAINLY IN PART ABOUT THE REWARDS THAT COME AS A RESULT OF THE EFFORTS, SACRIFICE AND INVESTMENTS THAT YOU MADE. BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT BECOMING THE PEOPLE WORTHY OF THE REWARD.

WE TRANSFORM OR WE STAGNATE. EVERY ACTION HAS AN EQUAL AND OPPOSITE REACTION.

THAT'S JUST SCIENCE. BUT THE MYSTERY OF THE UNIVERSE IS HOW EVEN THE LEAST OF US, WITH THE BEST INTENTION, CAN SET IN MOTION A SHIFT THAT CAN, IN FACT, CHANGE THE WORLD.

THE WORK YOU PUT IN, THE SUFFERING YOU ENDURE, THE JOY YOU EXPERIENCE IS ALL WORTH IT, EVEN WHEN IN THE IMMEDIATE IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT. I WANT TO REMIND YOU TONIGHT THAT IT IS WORTH IT, THAT WE ARE WORTH IT.

SERVANT LEADERSHIP COMES AT GREAT PERSONAL SACRIFICE.

YOU AREN'T ACTUALLY IN CHARGE. RATHER, IT'S ABOUT TAKING CARE OF THOSE IN YOUR CHARGE.

LEADERSHIP IS ABOUT SEEING THOSE AROUND YOU RISE AS THE BOARD YOU SERVE, IN SUBMISSION TO THE DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS OF STUDENTS AND PARENTS AND TEACHERS AND STAFF. FINANCIAL GOALS AND METRICS, MOST OF WHICH YOU DON'T CONTROL, BECOME THE PROOF OF A DISTRICT'S VALUE.

BUT AT THE CORE, IT'S THE PEOPLE AND WHAT BECOMES OF THEM IN THE MIDDLE AND AT THE END THAT MATTERS MOST.

IT COULD BE SAID THAT HELL IS THE PLACE WHERE THE PEOPLE WE ARE, THE WORK WE ACCOMPLISH, THE DIFFERENCES WE MADE, MEETS THE PEOPLE WE COULD HAVE BEEN, THE WORK WE COULD HAVE DONE, AND THE DIFFERENCES WE COULD HAVE MADE. AND FOR A VERY LONG TIME, THIS PLACE HAS FELT LIKE HELL. WE OBVIOUSLY CAN'T BE FOOLISH OR STUPID AS A DISTRICT, BUT WE HAVE TO BE COURAGEOUS AND LIVE WITH AN ABUNDANCE MINDSET, EVEN IF WE HAVE MRS, EVEN WHEN THE WINDS AREN'T QUITE AS LARGE AS WE HOPED OR INTENDED.

TAKE THEM WHATEVER THEY ARE WHEN THEY COME. WE CALL YOU OUR LEADERS BECAUSE YOU GO FIRST, YOU SACRIFICE YOUR TIME AND YOU COLLABORATIVELY MAKE DECISIONS SO WE FEEL SAFE AND PROTECTED. THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE GAIN ALL OF US.

I'M SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOU AS OUR BOARD. SO TONIGHT, BEFORE WE DO THE MUSICAL CHAIR SHUFFLE AND YOU ALL TRADE PLACES AND NAME TAGS, I WANT YOU TO BRIEFLY REFLECT BACK AND REMEMBER THESE THREE THINGS.

FIRST, THERE'S AN ART AND A SCIENCE TO EATING ELEPHANT.

[00:55:04]

ONE BITE CAREFULLY CHOSEN, CHEWED SLOWLY AND INTENTIONALLY AND DIGESTED WITH PURPOSE.

SECOND, YOU, OUR BOARD AND OUR SUPERINTENDENT ARE BASICALLY OUR INVISIBLE UMBRELLA.

YOU PROTECT US FROM WHAT COULD SATURATE US AND WE CLUSTER.

UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP. WE WILL NEVER CLIMB HIGHER THAN YOU REACH, AND WE CAN ONLY FALL IF WE SLIP OUT FROM UNDER YOUR CAREFULLY CURATED PROTECTION.

AND FINALLY, CHOOSE ONE THING FIRST IS YOUR PRIORITY AND LET ALL THE OTHER THINGS FALL IN SUBJECTION TO IT.

MADAM PRESIDENT, THIS YEAR THAT ONE THING THAT HAD TO BE THE PRIORITY OF YOUR LEADERSHIP WAS FILLING THAT SEAT OVER THERE.

AND LEST ANY OF YOU BE TEMPTED TO FORGET HOW IMPORTANT THE WORK YOU DO IS, LEST YOU, MISS STEWART, ADD UP THE LEDGER AND FEEL LIKE IT IS LACKLUSTER IN LIGHT OF YOUR ONE YEAR AGO GOOD INTENTIONS.

THAT SEAT IS WELL FILLED BECAUSE YOU FIVE CHOSE HER.

THAT'S THE WIN OF YOUR PRESIDENCY AND THE GIFT WE AND YOUR TENURE ARE ALL BEING BLESSED WITH.

NOW, I DO HAVE TO ADD THAT BECAUSE SHE DOES SHOW UP AT SCHOOL AND YOU GUYS SIT IN GLASS HOUSES ON A HILL, SO YOU CAN CHANGE THE PICTURE. BUT JUST SO YOU KNOW, MY CHILDREN RECOGNIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT IN THE PICTURE.

SO I GAVE YOU A PICTURE OF ALL OF YOU THE FIRST NIGHT THAT YOU LIKE VOTED HER IN.

BUT NEXT YEAR YOU CAN TAKE THE BOTTOM OFF AND YOUR WIN FOR NEXT YEAR CAN BE CHANGED TO A NEW PICTURE.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE, ALL FIVE OF YOU, BUT ESPECIALLY THIS YEAR.

THANK YOU, AMY, FOR THE LEADERSHIP THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED FOR US.

THANK YOU. AND I DON'T HAVE IT FOR THE CABINET BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION IN JANUARY ABOUT A RAISE.

I ONLY GOT THE FIVE OF YOU AND OUR SUPERINTENDENT, AND THEN, AMY, YOU GET SOMETHING SPECIAL, BUT I DON'T WANT THEM TO. I DON'T CREATE CONTENTION.

SO THIS IS FOR YOU. YOU CAN SHARE THAT WITH THEM.

THANK YOU SO MUCH I APPRECIATE IT.

ALL RIGHT. SO WE ARE MOVING ON TO MAJOR ACTION.

[10. MAJOR ACTION ]

BOARD PRESIDENT STEWART, AT THIS TIME, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR CBO MRS FOR A BRIEF PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME EVERYONE HERE TONIGHT.

BOARD PRESIDENT STEWART AND BOARD MEMBERS, CABINET, MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES, SUPERINTENDENT DOCTOR AARON SIMON AND OF COURSE, THE COMMUNITY IN OUR BOARDROOM. WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE YOU HERE TONIGHT SO I CAN GO OVER THE 2526 FIRST INTERIM.

A LITTLE REMINDER FOR THOSE WHO DON'T FOLLOW ALONG WITH ALL OF MY PRESENTATIONS.

THE FIRST INTERIM IS OUR FIRST FORMAL REPORT OF YEAR TO DATE REVENUES, EXPENDITURES AND FUND BALANCES AS COMPARED TO THE ADOPTED BUDGET.

SO IN JUNE, WE WERE GIVEN THE TASK WHERE WE ARE ALWAYS GIVEN THE TASK OF DEVELOPING A BUDGET THAT WILL HOLD TRUE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR.

HOWEVER, AS YOU KNOW, MAYBE EVEN WITH YOUR OWN PERSONAL BUDGETS.

THINGS CHANGE AND WE NEED TO REFLECT THEM AS BEST AS WE CAN.

SO COME IN DECEMBER WE HAVE OUR FIRST REVIEW, WHICH IS CALLED THE FIRST INTERIM, WHICH I'M BRINGING HERE TONIGHT.

THE FIRST INTERIM IS ACTUALLY A USUALLY A PRETTY MINOR ADJUSTMENT, BECAUSE WE'VE ONLY BEEN IN SCHOOL FOR ABOUT TWO AND MAYBE A HALF MONTHS.

AND SO A LOT OF THE ACTIVITIES, BECAUSE WE REPORT ACTUALS THROUGH OCTOBER 31ST, ARE YET TO COME.

SO MY FISCAL STAFF AND MYSELF DO A BIG JOB OF LOOKING AT WHAT'S COME SO FAR AND WORKING ON WHAT IS TO COME AND PRESENT YOU SOME CHANGES FOR THE FIRST INTERIM.

DON'T WORRY, I WILL BE BACK IN MARCH WITH THE SECOND INTERIM, WHICH GIVES A BETTER PICTURE OF THE FINANCES.

BY THAT TIME WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN INFORMATION ABOUT OUR ENROLLMENT.

WE ALREADY HAVE OUR ENROLLMENT NUMBERS, BUT WE HAVE A BETTER PICTURE OF OUR ATTENDANCE REPORTING.

ATTENDANCE REPORTING IS DUE TWO TIMES DURING THE YEAR AND ONCE ONE TIME IS IN LATE DECEMBER EARLY JANUARY, SO IT CANNOT REALLY BE REFLECTED IN THE FIRST INTERIM.

AND THEN I'M BACK AGAIN BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE YOU GUYS HAVEN'T SEEN OR HEARD ME ENOUGH TO PRESENT IN JUNE.

THE ESTIMATED ACTUALS WHERE I THINK WE'LL LAND AND THEN COME AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER.

I WILL PRESENT THE FINAL UNAUDITED ACTUALS OF WHERE WE ACTUALLY LANDED.

SO LET ME GIVE YOU SOME KEY HIGHLIGHTS ON THE FINANCIAL STATUS OF THE DISTRICT SINCE YOU LAST HEARD ME UP HERE.

LACO, WHICH IS OUR LA COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION, HAS APPROVED THE DISTRICT'S 2526 BUDGET THAT WE PRESENTED, AND THEY'VE ALSO APPROVED THE 2425 UNAUDITED ACTUALS.

THAT MEANS THAT THEY'VE SENT THEM ON TO STATE FOR FURTHER REVIEW.

BUT THAT IS A PRETTY GOOD SIGN THAT WE HAVE PRESENTED BOTH OF THOSE THINGS FAIRLY AND AS ACCURATELY AS THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAD AT THE TIME.

THE RECENT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN HAS CAUSED A SIGNIFICANT DELAY FOR FEDERAL COMPLIANCE.

[01:00:05]

BUT THAT IS DELAYED DUE TO THE FEDERAL COMPLIANCE.

AND WE WILL HOPE TO HAVE THAT IN JANUARY. OUR ENROLLMENT DECLINED MORE THAN ANTICIPATED WITH A DECREASE OF OVER 3% THIS YEAR.

AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT IN THE UPCOMING SLIDES.

WE HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING A LITTLE BIT AROUND 2% OF A DECREASE, AND THIS CAME AS A LITTLE BIT OF A SURPRISE.

AND WE'RE WE'RE WORKING THROUGH SOME ACTIVITIES THAT WE HOPE WILL IMPROVE THOSE NUMBERS.

OUR UNDUPLICATED PERCENTAGE OF PUPILS, SO THAT REPRESENTS PART OF OUR PAYMENT FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, IS BASED ON THE ENROLLED AND ATTENDING STUDENTS, AND IT'S ALSO BASED BASED ON THE POPULATION OF OUR STUDENTS.

SO WE HAVE AN UNDUPLICATED PUPIL PERCENTAGE OF ABOUT 70% OF OUR POPULATION FALLS INTO FREE OR REDUCED LUNCH SERVICE.

THEY CAN BE HOMELESS, FOSTER YOUTH OR ENGLISH LEARNERS.

THE REASON IT SAYS UNDUPLICATED IS YOU CAN'T COUNT SOMEONE THAT HAS ALL FOUR OF THOSE QUALITIES TWICE.

SO WE HAVE A POPULATION OF ABOUT 70%, AND THAT IS A BIG FACTOR IN OUR FUNDING, RISING COST PRESSURES.

I DON'T THINK I'VE LEFT THAT OUT OF ONE PRESENTATION SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE HASN'T FELT THE RISING COST PRESSURES IN THEIR OWN LIVES IN SUPPLIES, SERVICES, INSURANCE AND UTILITIES CONTINUE TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE MONITOR AS A DISTRICT, LOOKING FOR WAYS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE ANY OF THOSE THINGS, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

TONIGHT, I WILL BE ASKING THE BOARD TO CERTIFY US AS POSITIVE, MEANING WE CAN MAKE THIS YEAR'S FINANCES AND THE NEXT TWO YEARS FINANCES.

SO POSITIVE CERTIFICATION IS THE GREATEST CERTIFICATION YOU CAN HAVE.

I PROMISE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR STUDENT ENROLLMENT DECLINE.

THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST IMPACTS OF OUR REVENUE.

THIS IS HOW WE GET OUR MONEY. AND I FELT IT PRUDENT TONIGHT TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME ON THE REVENUE SIDE OF THE HOUSE.

AS I SPEAK TO, A LOT OF THE TIME, WE'RE SPENDING TIME LOOKING AT EXPENDITURES, HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY.

BUT REALLY, WE'RE COMBATING A BATTLE OF A LOSS OF STUDENT POPULATION.

THAT'S PRETTY SEVERE AND PRETTY DISTINCT TO CALIFORNIA IN GENERAL, AND ESPECIALLY MAYBE EVEN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MORE DISTINCTLY.

I WANT TO DO, YOU KNOW, THE BEST LAID PLANS. THE FIRST BULLET POINT IS WE'VE HAD A 20.2% PERCENT REDUCTION FROM 11,671 TO 9314 OVER THE LAST SEVEN YEARS. SO I WANT TO BE THAT DOES SAY TEN AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT IN MORE IMPORTANTLY, AND I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GOOD POINT, JUST IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WE'VE LOST OVER 13.14% OF OUR STUDENTS.

AND THAT IS A TELLING, TELLING NUMBER. WHEN I PLANNED FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, I LOOKED AT THE PAST COUPLE YEARS HISTORY, AND WE HAD A LITTLE BIT WE WERE STILL DECLINING, BUT WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF IMPROVEMENT.

BUT THIS 3% REALLY WAS QUITE A DROP. AND WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE CAN START TO HOPEFULLY IMPROVE UPON THAT.

SO PROJECTIONS NOW WITH THOSE NEW DROPS IN NUMBERS INDICATE THAT WE MAY BE AT 8766 STUDENTS BY FISCAL YEAR 2829.

THAT WOULD BE A TEN YEAR SPAN OF DROPPING FROM 11,671 STUDENTS TO 8766 STUDENTS.

THE DATA REFLECTS A CONTINUING TREND IN THAT DOWNWARD.

AND I HATE TO DO IT BECAUSE THIS 1% DECREASE CAN CHANGE DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH THE COLA IS FROM THE STATE, THE COST OF LIVING. BUT I FEEL LIKE EVERYBODY DESERVES TO HAVE SOME KIND OF NUMBER OR PARAMETER TO PUT AROUND A 1% DROP, AND IT'S ABOUT $1 MILLION OF FUNDING. AND REMEMBER, EACH TIME THAT YOU LOSE THAT FUNDING IN THE YEAR, THE NEXT YEAR THAT STAYS, AND THEN THERE'S ADDITIONAL DROP OF FUNDING BASED ON THAT.

SO MANY OF YOU THAT HAVE FOLLOWED EDUCATION FUNDING KNOW THAT WE ACTUALLY GET PAID ON OUR AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE.

THAT'S HOW MUCH STUDENTS ATTEND SCHOOL. AND I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO SHOW YOU THIS SLIDE.

AND THIS SLIDE IS A COMPARISON OF OUR AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE FROM 2223 TO 2829 AND A REFLECTION IN THE CHANGE IN STATE FUNDING.

AND IMMEDIATELY, ANYBODY'S EYES THAT ARE DRAWN TO 2223 AND 2324 SAID, WAIT A MINUTE.

HOW IN THE WORLD WERE DISTRICTS FUNDED FOR MORE ATTENDANCE THAN THEY ACTUALLY HAD STUDENTS ATTENDING? AND THAT WAS COMING OUT OF COVID. THE STATE CHANGED THE LEGISLATION AND ALLOWED US TO DO A THREE YEAR AVERAGE ON ATTENDANCE.

[01:05:05]

AND WE WERE ACTUALLY GETTING PAID ON A HIGHER ATTENDANCE THAN WE HAD STUDENT POPULATION.

BUT IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING AND ESPECIALLY STARTING IN 24, 25, WE HAD A COUPLE THINGS HAPPEN.

THOSE COLAS WENT WAY DOWN. THOSE COST OF LIVING INCREASES WENT WAY DOWN.

IN REGARDS TO HOW MUCH THE STATE WAS GIVING US ADDITIONAL FOR STUDENTS, FOR STUDENTS.

IN ADDITION, THE NUMBERS STARTED TO MOVE AND OUR FUNDED ADA STARTED TO FALL BELOW OUR ACTUAL ENROLLMENT, WHICH IS A MORE COMMON ACTIVITY, BUT IS NOW WHAT THE DISTRICT IS COMBATING WITH.

SO THIS IS INDICATING OUR STUDENT LOSS. OUR FUNDING IS DECREASING FASTER.

AND HERE'S WHAT WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE. THE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE IS LOOKING AT TARGETED ATTENDANCE STRATEGIES, WAYS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE ATTENDANCE, WAYS THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO RECOUP ATTENDANCE, AND HAS GONE ON AN ENROLLMENT RECOVERY STRATEGY THAT I KNOW DOCTOR SIMON HAS SHARED ABOUT IN HER SUPERINTENDENT REPORT AND WILL CONTINUE TO SHARE ABOUT, IN ALL HOPES OF GETTING SOME OF THAT ENROLLMENT AND THEREFORE ATTENDANCE BACK.

AS A COMMUNITY, THE BEST THING WE CAN DO FOR OUR DISTRICT IN REGARDS TO REVENUE IS GET OUR STUDENTS TO SCHOOL.

I KNOW WE WANT STUDENTS TO BE HEALTHY WHEN WE COME TO SCHOOL. WE ABSOLUTELY DO, BUT WE NEED OUR STUDENTS TO COME TO SCHOOL.

SO WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING TO OUR PRINCIPALS AND OUR STAFF ABOUT WAYS THAT WE CAN GET THAT PROJECT GOING.

AND I KNOW WE DO A LOT ALREADY. WE'RE GOING TO DO MORE.

SO THIS THIS HAS BROUGHT ME TO MY FIRST INTERIM SUMMARY.

TONIGHT I'M GOING TO CONCENTRATE ON THE GENERAL FUND UNRESTRICTED FOR MY PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION.

I REALLY WANT IT TO BE KNOWN THAT OBVIOUSLY THE DISTRICT HAS ADDITIONAL FUNDS AND ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES THAT WE DEAL WITH.

THE GENERAL FUND UNRESTRICTED IS OUR IS THE LARGEST PORTION OF FUNDING FOR OUR GENERAL OPERATIONS.

AND SO THIS IS WHERE I WANT TO SPEND TONIGHT MY PRESENTATION.

BUT WE DO HAVE THE ENTIRE REPORT OF THE FIRST INTERIM AVAILABLE FOR ANYONE THAT'S INTERESTED IN ADDITIONAL AREAS OF THE OF THE DISTRICT.

SO OUR PROJECTIONS FOR OUR DECREASE TO FUND BALANCE THIS YEAR AT THE FIRST INTERIM IS ABOUT 37.9 MILLION.

AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT IN MY NEXT SLIDE.

IT'S AN IMPROVEMENT FROM THE BUDGET AND WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH OUR FUND BALANCE, WHICH IS NOW 48.4 MILLION, IS WE BROKE IT UP INTO DIFFERENT AREAS AND COMPONENTS, CERTAIN THINGS THAT THE BOARD HAS COMMITTED TO, WHICH IS DEFERRED FACILITIES AND TO TO CARE FOR OUR PROJECTED PROJECTED DEFICIT SPEND AND OTHER THINGS THAT WERE REQUIRED, SUCH AS OUR REVOLVING CASH OR INVENTORY. THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING WE HAVE TO KEEP MONEY SET ASIDE FOR AND THE REQUIRED 3% FOR ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY.

SO HOW DOES THIS COMPARE? I TOLD YOU THAT WE HAD AN IMPROVEMENT TO OUR BUDGET, AND I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU.

WE IMPROVED REVENUES BETWEEN THIS FIRST INTERIM AND OUR ADOPTED BUDGET.

WE LOOKED AT SOME OF THE CALCULATIONS BETWEEN MOSTLY RELATED TO INTEREST, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR DOLLARS IN THE BANK.

WE'RE HOPEFUL FOR SOME ADDITIONAL INTEREST DOLLARS.

AND WE'VE UPDATED OUR OUR REVENUES TO REFLECT THAT.

AS FAR AS OUR EXPENDITURES, WE DO TWO THINGS.

AROUND FIRST SYNDROME IS WE LOOK AT OUR SALARIES AND BENEFITS BUDGET, AND WE LOOK FOR AREAS WHERE MAYBE WE HAD A VACANCY THAT WASN'T FILLED DURING THAT TIME, SO WE MAY HAVE BUDGETED FOR A POSITION FOR THE WHOLE YEAR, BUT SOMETIMES THAT CAN TAKE A LITTLE LONG TO GET OR WE HAVEN'T GOT IT STARTED.

AND SO WE START TO REDUCE SOME OF THAT THOSE EXPENDITURES FOR OUR SALARIES.

WE ALSO LOOK AT OUR NON-SALARY EXPENDITURES. AND THIS YEAR THE LARGEST PORTION WAS ON OUR NON-SALARY EXPENDITURES.

AND THAT IS A MOVE ACTUALLY. SO IT IS COMING OUT OF THIS YEAR AND IT IS FOR OUR MAYFAIRE FIELD PROJECT.

WE HAD BUDGETED AND WE WHEN WE DEVELOPED BUDGET IN APRIL MAY, WE HAD INTENTIONS OF STARTING THE MAYFAIR FIELD MORE LIKELY IN JULY AND AUGUST, BUT WE HAD SOME DELAYS, WHICH MEANT WE STARTED IN OCTOBER.

AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS TAKE THOSE EXPENDITURES FOR THIS YEAR, TAKE THEM OUT OF THE PROJECTIONS AND PUT THEM INTO NEXT YEAR.

SO THAT'S WHERE YOU SEE A MAJORITY OF THE CHANGE OF ABOUT 6.7 MILLION.

SO THOSE CHANGES WHAT THEY WILL DO IS IMPACT OUR MULTI-YEAR UNRESTRICTED GENERAL FUND.

SO WHAT WE HAVE IS A NEW ENDING FUND BALANCE, WHICH I SHOWED BEFORE IN 2526 OF 48.44 26, 27 OF 30.2 3,000,027 28 OF ABOUT 20.84 MILLION.

[01:10:02]

THOSE ALL START TO CARRY THROUGH TO ALL OF THE PROJECTIONS, AND IT BEHOOVES ME TO SHARE THOSE NEW NUMBERS WITH YOU TODAY.

SO IN ALIGNING OUR MULTI-YEAR CONSIDERATIONS WE HAVE OUR STAFFING ALIGNED TO OUR ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS.

WE'VE INCLUDED WHAT'S CALLED A STEP AND COLUMN INCLUSION, WHERE SOME STAFF MEMBERS ARE STILL MOVING OVER ON THE SALARY SCHEDULE, AND WE'VE INCLUDED SOME EXPENDITURES FOR THAT.

WE HAVE OUR ONE TIME CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT RESERVE, REDUCED RESERVE SIGNIFICANTLY, AND THAT'S OUR MAYFIELD FIELD PROJECT.

WE'RE STILL AWAITING THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET, WHICH WE WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT IN JANUARY, AND WE ARE STILL A LITTLE UNSURE OF POSSIBLE FEDERAL FUNDING REDUCTIONS, BUT WE'RE KEEPING AN EYE ON ALL THE LEGISLATIONS IN REGARDS TO THAT.

SO THE KEY RISKS TO A BUDGET LIKE OURS IS A COLA COST OF LIVING BELOW FOUR AND A HALF FAILS TO COVER THE COST OF GROWTH BECAUSE AS YOU LOSE STUDENTS AND LOSE FUNDING IF THEY DON'T GIVE US A RAISE, BASICALLY WE LOSE.

WE DO LOSE THE THE FACT MORE REVENUE TO COVER THE ADDITIONAL COSTS.

THE COLAS THAT WE'VE USED IN PROJECTIONS FOR THIS YEAR, ABOUT 2.6 AND IN THE NEXT ABOUT 3.02 AND ABOUT 3.6% IN 27, 28. SO WE HAVE A STRUCTURAL DEFICIT PROJECTED FOR 25, 26 TO 2728.

AS A REMINDER, 2425 WAS THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE ACTUALLY HAD A DEFICIT SPEND.

AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT EXPENDITURE REDUCTIONS IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN OUR FISCAL STABILITY.

FINALLY, I ALWAYS LIKE TO REMIND EVERYBODY ABOUT OUR NEXT CYCLE.

AND WHEN YOU CAN SEE ME NEXT, BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S A PRETTY EXCITING PRESENTATION THAT PEOPLE LIKE TO BE HERE FOR.

SO I HAVE THE BUDGET. THEY'RE LEAVING NOW. I'LL BE BACK IN MARCH.

SO IN JANUARY, WE WILL BE BACK WITH OUR 2425 AUDIT REPORT, AND WE WILL HAVE A RELEASE OF A BUDGET PROPOSAL. WE WON'T TALK ABOUT IT IN JANUARY. WE'LL BE STEWING ON ALL OF THAT NEW INFORMATION.

FEBRUARY AND MARCH WE'LL START PREPARING. SO THIS IS AN OVERLAP.

WE'LL START PREPARING OUR BUDGET AND FEBRUARY AND MARCH LOOKING AT THINGS.

AND IN MARCH, WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT TO YOU THE SECOND INTERIM. AS PROMISED, WE'LL WORK WITH SITES AND DEPARTMENTS.

WE WILL COMPILE ALL OF OUR BUDGET, AND I WILL BE BACK AGAIN HERE IN MAY AND ESPECIALLY IN JUNE, FOR SOME PUBLIC HEARING ABOUT OUR LCAP BUDGET, LCAP PROPOSED BUDGET AND OUR ESTIMATED ACTUALS.

I WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE THIS EVENING TO MAKE SURE I THANK THE BUDGET TEAM, WHICH IS RACHEL DO, MY NEW FISCAL DIRECTOR, WHO IS SHY BUT IN THE BACK OF THE AUDIENCE THERE.

SO WELCOME TO BUSD AND THANK YOU FOR SUCH AN AWESOME SUPPORT IN THIS FIRST INTERIM.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK JESUS MEDINA AND CHERISH TOLENTINO.

THEY ARE BOTH SUPER HELPFUL IN THE BUDGETING PROCESS.

AND A SHOUT OUT TO MY FISCAL SERVICES TEAM. WITHOUT THEM, THE ACTUALS THAT WE SEE FROM OUR PURCHASING DEPARTMENT, OUR PAYROLL DEPARTMENT AND OUR ACCOUNTS PAYABLE WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE.

AND THESE PEOPLE WORK EXTRA HARD TO GET ME THE NUMBERS THAT I CAN COME PRESENT TO YOU GUYS TODAY.

SO AGAIN, I'M GRATEFUL FOR MY CABINET SUPPORT, MY BOARD SUPPORT, AND REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE TEAM THAT I HAVE.

SO THANK YOU AGAIN. AND NOW WE HAVE A LITTLE TIME FOR ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. YOU'VE MADE THIS SO MUCH EASIER FOR ME TO PERSONALLY UNDERSTAND.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBER CINTRON.

THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU. BECAUSE AS A PARENT AND PART OF THE COMMUNITY, AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER, I DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, WEARING OTHER HATS, I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND OUR DISTRICT AND THE UNIQUE THINGS THAT OUR DISTRICT IS GOING THROUGH AND IN THE NUMBERS. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS AND IT'S MORE INSPIRED BY THE COMMUNITY THAT WE SERVE.

SO IS THERE ANY POSSIBLE WAY AND I'M SURE THE TEACHERS ARE GOING TO BE LIKE, I KNEW THIS.

BUT FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, IS THERE ANY WAY TO ADD TO OUR UNRESTRICTED DOLLARS? SO IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ADDING REVENUES, SO THE MAJORITY OF OUR REVENUES COME FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

SO I SPOKE A LOT ABOUT THE ATTENDANCE INITIATIVE.

OUR UNDUPLICATED PUPIL COUNT IS REALLY ALREADY THE PUPILS WHO ATTEND OUR SCHOOLS.

SO MY BIGGEST POINT OF EFFORT IN, IN INCREASING REVENUES FOR THE DISTRICT IS GETTING KIDS TO SCHOOL.

[01:15:08]

PRE-COVID, WE WERE IN THE 95.5% RANGE. AND SO THERE'S STILL WORK TO BE DONE.

I KNOW THAT WE STILL HAVE SOME YOU KNOW, SOME MAYBE FALLOUT FROM THE COVID ERA, BUT GETTING KIDS TO SCHOOL IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF CHANGING THE STATE ALLOCATION NUMBER AS FAR AS OTHER UNRESTRICTED DOLLARS, MOST OF THEM ARE ATTRIBUTED. THERE ARE ALSO STATE REVENUES.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, A LOT OF THEM COME FROM WE HAVE ONE SECTION THAT COMES FROM LOTTERY SALES, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR INTEREST, WHICH IS DEPENDENT ON THE DOLLARS IN THE BANK.

SO REALLY GETTING KIDS TO SCHOOL, PLEASE, FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO HEAR IS GOING TO BE ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT.

ANY OTHER ARENAS SUCH AS LOOKING FOR OTHER WAYS THAT A BOND INCREASES OUR CAPACITY TO MAINTAIN OUR SCHOOLS. BUT DOES NOT COME FROM GENERAL FUND DOLLARS.

SO THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE TO MAYBE WORK ON SOME OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS TO SCHOOLS WITHOUT IMPACTING GENERAL FUND DOLLARS.

THANK YOU. I LOVE THAT SHOUT OUT. ALSO ONE OTHER QUESTION IS WHY IS IT JUST SO IMPORTANT TO TO LOOK AT THE PROJECTED IN THE IN THE BUDGET BECAUSE YOU WENT FROM TO ALL THE WAY TO 27, 28.

WHY IS THAT SO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE GRAPHS AND THINGS LIKE THAT WHEN IT COMES TO BUDGETING AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THAT MONEY IS GOING AND WHAT IT REALLY DOES LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE.

THANK YOU FOR ASKING. IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT TASK THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY YOU KNOW, REQUIRED TO DO AS PART OF OUR REPORTING.

TO ME, IT'S PROBABLY EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO HAVE THOSE EXTRA TWO YEARS, BECAUSE IT'S EASY TO LOOK AT ONE CERTAIN YEAR AND LOOK AT A BALANCE OF BUDGET THAT WE INTEND ON HAVING IN THAT YEAR AND SAYING, HEY, MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO WITH THAT BALANCE.

BUT REALLY LOOKING AT A THREE YEAR ANALYSIS AND I MEAN, I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF AT SOME POINT THE STATE DOESN'T ASK US TO TRY TO GO A LITTLE FURTHER THAN A THREE YEAR ANALYSIS, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE TIMES AND THE STATE BUDGETING REQUIREMENTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE UP AGAINST IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR BECAUSE THINGS CHANGE YEAR OVER YEAR, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO DO AN OUTLOOK TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.

AND THAT'S WHAT OUR FINANCIAL TEAM DOES. WE TAKE THE ESTIMATED ATTENDANCE NUMBERS, WE TAKE THE ESTIMATED ENROLLMENT OF THE TYPE OF STUDENTS WE HAVE.

WE TAKE OUR UTILITY BILLS NOW AND ASSUME THAT THEY'RE GOING TO INCREASE BY A CERTAIN AMOUNT.

WE TAKE SOME CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE MULTI-YEAR, THAT HAVE INCREASES IN THEM.

WE TAKE STEP AND COLUMN FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL MAKING A DIFFERENT DOLLARS EACH YEAR, AND ALL OF THOSE ARE IMPACTFUL TO THE BUDGET WITHOUT ANYTHING ELSE CHANGING. SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY TAKE ALL THREE YEARS AND LOOK AT THEM AS A WHOLE AND NOT JUST CONCENTRATE ON THE YEAR WE'RE IN. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M SURE I HAVE OTHER FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS, BUT JUST IN CASE MY COLLEAGUES HAVE QUESTIONS, I WANT TO GIVE THEM TIME TO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YOU'RE WELCOME. STUDENT. BOARD MEMBER. YES. ARE THERE ANY I GUESS SPECULATED ARE THERE ANY SPECULATED CAUSES FOR ENROLLMENT DECREASE? SO ACTUALLY WE HAVE THERE ARE A COUPLE THINGS GOING ON.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S BIRTH RATES. SO AS PART OF THE PROCESS, WE LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF WE CAN GET DATA IN REGARDS TO THIS IS NOT A JUST A BELLFLOWER UNIFIED THING. THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA HAS LOST PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AMOUNT, PERCENTAGE, MAYBE A LITTLE LESS THAN US IN STUDENTS. AND THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE MULTI YEAR, WE IF WE HAVE FAMILIES WITH THREE, 4 OR 5 KIDS AND NOW FAMILIES ARE BEING BUILT A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY WITH MAYBE TWO KIDS, THAT'S A REALLY BIG IMPACT TO WHO'S COMING INTO OUR COMMUNITY.

ANOTHER COST OR ANOTHER WAY THAT WE LOOK AT ENROLLMENT AND ATTENDANCE.

WE USE A LOT OF THEORIES IN REGARDS TO LOOKING BACKWARDS TO LOOK FORWARDS, LIKE HOW HAVE WE BEEN DOING? BUT SOME THINGS THAT WE ALSO INCORPORATE INTO THAT IS THE COST OF THE COMMUNITY.

SO HOW MUCH IS IT HERE TO BUY A HOUSE, OR TO RENT AN APARTMENT, OR TO LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY? VERSUS IF SOMEONE AGAIN, I, I'VE BEEN BRINGING UP A LOT ABOUT THE PANDEMIC, BUT IF SOMEONE WAS ABLE TO GET REMOTE WORK AND NOW THEY CAN LIVE IN A DIFFERENT PART OF EVEN IF THEY WANTED TO LIVE IN CALIFORNIA STILL, BUT MAYBE THEY CAN BUY A HOUSE FOR A LESS AMOUNT OF MONEY.

THEY CAN MOVE THEIR FAMILY TO A DIFFERENT COMMUNITY WHERE THE COST OF LIVING IS CHEAPER AND THEY CAN STILL REMOTE WORK.

[01:20:01]

SO THERE'S A LOT OF IMPACTS, NOT JUST THAT WE LOOK AT IN REGARDS TO PAST, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF PRESENT THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE LIVE IN THAT CAN IMPACT OUR ENROLLMENT. SO IF YOU HAVE FRIENDS AND THIS IS A SHOUT OUT THAT I DON'T WANT OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO HEAR.

TELL THEM HOW GREAT BELLFLOWER IS BECAUSE WE WANT THEM TO COME TO BELLFLOWER.

WE WANT THEM TO COME TO MAYFAIR. I SAY BELLFLOWER UNIFIED, BUT BELLFLOWER AND MAYFAIR, THOSE SCHOOLS ARE SCHOOL SYSTEMS. THEY'RE FABULOUS. THAT'S WHAT OUR ENROLLMENT CAMPAIGN IS GOING TO DO.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO START SEEING VIDEOS.

YOU'RE GOING TO START SEEING A BILLBOARD TALKING ABOUT HOW GREAT WE ARE.

AND IT'S YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO GET YOUR FRIENDS TO LOOK AT THOSE, TO TALK ABOUT THE NEW BELLFLOWER FOOTBALL TEAM AND WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING, AND GET THESE KIDS TO COME TO OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.

WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GOOD THINGS TO OFFER. THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME. CLARK CRITCHFIELD THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.

I LIKE THAT PLUG AT THE END. YOU'RE WELCOME. THAT WAS GOOD.

FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF PUT INTO THIS. I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. ONE ONE QUESTION I DO HAVE WHEN WHEN WE MET AND A LOT OF MY QUESTIONS WERE ALREADY ANSWERED, BUT I, I WAS EXPECTING TO SEE RESTRICTED AT LEAST A SLIDE ON RESTRICTED BECAUSE AS I MENTIONED THIS, THIS BOARD I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WOULD WANT TO CONDENSE AND KEEP IT SIMPLE WITH THE UNRESTRICTED.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE QUESTIONS ON THE RESTRICTED AND RESTRICTED SIDE. SO A BRIEF SLIDE ON THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL GOING FORWARD.

UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU. ONE QUESTION I DO HAVE ON THAT.

SO I MEAN, I WAS HOPING FOR A KIND OF A SUMMARY ON THE RESTRICTED, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STOOD OUT WAS THE THE LEVEL OF CONTRIBUTION, THE 39 MILLION IN CONTRIBUTION. THAT CONTRIBUTION COMES FROM THE UNRESTRICTED SIDE.

CORRECT. THE CONTRIBUTION IS EXPENSE ON THE RESTRICTED SIDE THAT EXCEEDS THE AMOUNT THAT THE STATE OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND COMES INTO THE UNRESTRICTED SIDE.

SO IT REDUCES THE UNRESTRICTED SIDE. I'M NOT SURE THAT MAYBE THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID, BUT I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR.

SO IT GOES FROM THE RESTRICTED SIDE TO THE UNRESTRICTED SIDE.

YES. WE GIVE WE GIVE. THE EXPENSE COMES OUT OF THE RESTRICTED SIDE AND MOVES OVER TO THE UNRESTRICTED SIDE.

OKAY. THE EXPENSE IS THE 39 MILLION. WHAT HAS IT BEEN THE PAST TWO YEARS? IT HAS BEEN I THINK WE WERE AT ABOUT 35 MILLION THE YEAR BEFORE.

AND I'D HAVE TO LOOK TO BE SURE TO GIVE YOU THE PROPER ANSWER FOR THE YEAR BEFORE THAT.

AND IT'S MADE UP OF TWO PIECES. MOSTLY IT'S IT'S MADE UP OF OUR ROUTINE, RESTRICTED MAINTENANCE.

SO THE, THE GOVERNMENT REQUIRES THAT WE GIVE 3% OF THE 3% OF OUR GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES NEEDS TO BE GIVEN TO OUR MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT TO RUN THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT AND MAINTAIN THAT.

AND THE REMAINDER IS RELATED TO THE UNDERFUNDING OF OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION POPULATION.

GOT IT. THANK YOU. ANOTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS ON THE RESTRICTED UNRESTRICTED SUMMARY PAGE.

THERE WAS A IT WAS BUDGETED FOR 7500 DOLLARS, BUT THAT WAS FOR THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, BUT IT WAS PROJECTED TO 700.

I HAVE A GUESS TO WHAT THAT'S ABOUT, BUT I'M CURIOUS WHAT IT IS.

DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THE, THE US BRINGING INTERNAL BUSSING? IS THAT WHERE THAT COMES FROM? WE DID. WE HAD A CHANGE IN OUR.

IS IT ON THE UNRESTRICTED SIDE? YES. WE HAD A CHANGE BECAUSE WE WOULD REDUCE CONTRACTS AND BRING IN PERSONNEL.

SO THERE WOULD BE A CHANGE IN PERSONNEL TWOS AND THREES, CLASSIFIED SALARIES AND BENEFITS REALLY RELATED TO A REDUCTION NOT EQUAL TO BUT A REDUCTION OF THE CONTRACT, IS IT? AND I REMEMBER WE HAD TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE, BUT IT'S PRETTY CLOSE AS FAR AS THE BREAK EVEN POINT THEY ARE.

YES. IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE TO HAVE AN INTERNAL TRANSPORTATION, BUT IT'S FAIRLY CLOSE. OKAY, GREAT. AND LAST QUESTION FROM ME GOING OVER THE, THE, THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES IN THE BUDGET, THE ADULT ED BUDGET ALWAYS SEEMS SO BARE. CAN YOU JUST BRIEFLY EXPLAIN HOW WE'RE FUNDED FOR OUR ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAM AND WHAT WE'RE DOING THERE? SURE. I WOULD PROBABLY ASK SOMEONE ELSE TO TALK ABOUT THE EXPENDITURES RELATED TO IT, BUT THE FUNDING CHANGED A FEW YEARS AGO RELATED TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA PROVIDING FUNDING TO DISTRICTS.

AND THEY WERE OFFERED IN SOME CASES TO SHARE WITH COMMUNITY COLLEGES.

AND SO, IN OUR CASE, THE FUNDING LEVEL THAT WE WERE PROVIDED IS THE DOLLAR THAT YOU SEE, I THINK IT'S ABOUT 39,000.

YEAH, I'M GUESSING I DON'T HAVE IT UP ON MY SCREEN. BUT ABOUT THAT.

AND SO HONESTLY, THAT IS THE FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVE TO SERVE OUR ADULT EDUCATION POPULATION.

[01:25:04]

AND THAT COMES OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND DOLLARS TO FUND PART OF THE RESOURCES THAT WE GIVE TO THE ADULT EDUCATION.

BUT AS FAR AS THE EXPENDITURES WITHIN THAT PROGRAM, I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT WE DO.

SO AS FAR AS THE REVENUE GOES, THOUGH, 39,000 JUST SEEMS SO LITTLE.

IS IT. SO IT'S NOT THE SAME AS OUR STUDENT. WHAT WE GET FUNDED, IT'S NOT BASED ON STUDENT POPULATION OR ANYTHING RELATED TO THAT.

OKAY. SO DOES THAT PROGRAM COULD MAYBE IN THE FRIDAY MOMENT JUST GET A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON ON THAT AS FAR AS BUDGET GOES.

AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL THE WORK. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU.

BOARD MEMBER ARMSTRONG, THANK YOU SO MUCH, PRESIDENT STEWART.

AGAIN MISS HARKNESS, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I KIND OF LIKE THE THE BUDGET STUFF, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF STUFF.

I LOVE READING ALL THESE PAGES AND ETC. SO THANKS FOR ANSWERING ALL MY QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE.

BUT I DO WANT YOU TO KIND OF LIKE EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC IF IF, YOU KNOW, DO YOU FORESEE ANY REPORTS THAT WOULD KIND OF LIKE, SAY THAT WE WILL BE IN DISTRESS AND AND IT'S ONLY BECAUSE OF THE HISTORY THAT WE'VE, WE'VE HAD. SO DO YOU DO YOU FORESEE ANY, YOU KNOW, REPORTS OF, OF DISTRESS IN WHAT WE'RE DOING? AND COULD YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT DEFICIT SPENDING IS? BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE, THEY THROW THAT AROUND AND THEY DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS.

THAT'S GREAT. LET ME START WITH THE DEFICIT SPENDING QUESTION, BECAUSE IT'LL LEAD ME INTO THE OTHER QUESTION. SO DEFICIT SPENDING IN REGARDS TO A DISTRICT OR A PUBLIC PUBLIC ENTITY MEANS THAT YOU'RE SPENDING MORE.

YOU'RE SPENDING MORE ON EXPENDITURES THAN YOU'RE RECEIVING IN REVENUE EACH YEAR.

SO AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, 24, 25 WAS OUR FIRST YEAR THAT WE HAD A DEFICIT SPEND.

THEN PROBABLY ANOTHER CONNECTION TO THAT IS THAT WILL HAVE A FUND BALANCE, WHICH IS THE BALANCE OF FUNDS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR ACCOUNT.

AND EVERY TIME THAT WE DEFICIT SPEND, THE FUNDING FOR THAT COMES OUT OF OUR FUND BALANCE.

SO AS FAR WE ARE ABLE TO SELF-CERTIFY AS POSITIVE THIS YEAR, AND I AM POSITIVE THAT WITH THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING TO WORK ON RECOUPING ATTENDANCE AND THE WAYS THAT WE'RE GOING TO WORK TO INCREASE ENROLLMENT, THAT WE ARE VERY HOPEFUL TO HAVE.

INCREASED BETTER NUMBERS, MAYBE A DECREASED DEFICIT SPEND.

AND FOR NOW, I COULD SAY THAT WE ARE CERTIFYING AS POSITIVE FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS, BUT WE ARE USING THESE NUMBERS AS A GUIDE TO HELP SUPPORT OUR NEXT STEPS AND THE EXPENDITURE PATTERN THAT WE'RE UTILIZING SO THAT WE CAN IMPROVE ON THAT IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. I JUST HOPE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND IT A BIT BETTER NOW.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBER ARMSTRONG.

VICE PRESIDENT. GARZA. THANK YOU. PRESIDENT STUART MY QUESTION IS, ARE THERE OPTIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS TO INCREASE THEIR OWN REVENUES ON THEIR CAMPUSES? THE REVENUE COMES IN INTO A CENTRAL POT. AND WHEN WE ALLOCATE TO SCHOOLS, WE ALLOCATE ON A VARIETY OF REASONS, SUCH AS ENROLLMENT AT THAT SCHOOL, THE POPULATION AT THAT SCHOOL.

SO IN A WAY, WE'RE ALREADY ALLOCATING BASED ON THE AMOUNTS THAT THEY HAVE AVAILABLE TO THEM.

OF COURSE, ANY SCHOOL HAS A DONATION ACCOUNT, AND THEY CAN GO OUT AND RECEIVE DONATIONS FOR SPECIFIC THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO DO WITHIN THEIR SCHOOL. THAT'S A WAY OF MAYBE LOOKING FOR SOME OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO DO DIFFERENT THINGS THEY WANT IN THEIR SCHOOL.

BUT OBVIOUSLY ANY INCREASE TO OUR BUDGET AS A WHOLE DUE TO THESE ATTENDANCE IMPROVEMENTS AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS WILL EVENTUALLY REFLECT ON THE SCHOOL BUDGET AS A WHOLE, BECAUSE THAT IS ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE ALLOCATE RESOURCES TO THEM.

OKAY. AND SO IF THERE IS A SCHOOL WHO PERHAPS IS WILLING TO RENT OUT THEIR FENCE SPACE FOR MAYBE COMMERCIAL ASPECTS IN THE COMMUNITY IS THAT A POSSIBILITY FOR THEM? WOULD THAT BE AN OPTION, AND IF SO, ARE THERE PROCESSES IN PLACE TO HAVE PRINCIPALS SUBMIT THOSE? YEAH, WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT A PROCEDURE TO PUT IN PLACE FOR LIKE REVENUE GENERATING.

THAT WOULD INVOLVE PUTTING THINGS ON OUR FENCES.

RIGHT. THERE HAS TO BE SOMEONE THAT LOOKS AT THOSE TO ENSURE THAT THEY KIND OF THEY'RE WITHIN SCHOOL DISTRICT GUIDELINES AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO IF THAT IS A, YOU KNOW, AN INTEREST OF, OF SCHOOLS THAT WE COULD DEFINITELY LOOK INTO A PROCEDURE THAT WOULD, WE COULD CONSIDER FOR THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THAT'S MY QUESTION. OKAY. THANK YOU. VICE PRESIDENT GARZA, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?

[01:30:03]

ROLL CALL PLEASE. STUDENT MEMBER I. MISS ARMSTRONG.

I MISS CINTRON. I MISS GARZA, I MISS STEWART.

I, MR. CRITCHFIELD, I. ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.

[11. CONSENT AGENDA]

ROLL CALL, PLEASE. STUDENT MEMBER I MISS ARMSTRONG, I MISS CINTRON, I MR. CRITCHFIELD, I MISS GARZA, I MISS STEWART, I.

ALL RIGHT. WE'RE MOVING ON TO BOARD. REPORTS.

[12. BOARD COMMUNICATIONS]

SO IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN AN EVENTFUL TIME. I WANT TO START OFF BY HIGHLIGHTING THAT I THINK JUST WAS IT JUST KNOW, NOVEMBER 13TH, I BELIEVE COLLAPSE, CULINARY ARTS AND BAKING AND PASTRY WERE INVITED TO THE MOROCCAN CUP OF CULINARY EXCELLENCE AT CERRITOS COLLEGE.

IT WAS A COOKING COMPETITION SPONSORED BY MOROCCAN AND THE RICE VINEGAR, WHICH PITTED, I THINK, 16 STUDENTS, COLLEGE STUDENTS AGAINST EACH OTHER FOR A MONETARY PRIZE.

AND IT WAS JUST AN INSPIRING AND INSPIRING EXPERIENCE.

WE GOT TO SEE THE CHEFS DISCUSS THEIR DISHES, THEIR INSPIRATIONS.

LET US GO INTO THE BACK TO SEE TO SEE THE ENTIRE OPERATION.

I ACTUALLY GOT TO SPEAK TO ONE OF THE WINNERS ABOUT THEIR PROCESS BECAUSE THEY WERE MAKING THEY MADE BRISKET IN TWO HOURS, WHICH HAD SURPRISED ME. BUT THEN AFTER HEARING HER PROCESS AND HOW SHE BASICALLY ALLOWED IT TO STEAM IN THE POT WHILE SHE PREPPED OTHER THINGS, IT WAS JUST SOMETHING I NEVER WOULD HAVE EXPECTED, BUT IT JUST SHOWS THE LEVEL OF CREATIVITY AND I WAS JUST SUPER GRATEFUL TO SEE.

I WAS JUST SUPER GRATEFUL TO BE INVITED THERE AND BE ABLE TO WITNESS SOMETHING THAT I'D BEEN PASSIONATE ABOUT FOR SO LONG IN COOKING.

AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR COLLAPSE FOR GIVING US THAT OPPORTUNITY.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OH, NEXT IS SOMETHING THAT OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE, GIL FRIEDMAN, KIND OF SPOILED. BUT YESTERDAY, ACTUALLY, MAYFAIR MONSOON ESPORTS VARSITY SMASH TEAM WON THE CIF FALL 2025 PRESEASON. WE PLAYED AGAINST RANCHO CUCAMONGA FROM OUR ROOM IN ROOM 728 IN THE STEAM BUILDING, AND IT WAS A CLOSE, CLOSE, CLOSE MATCH, BUT WE ENDED UP WINNING THREE TWO AGAINST THEM.

AND I WANT TO SHOUT OUT THE REST OF MY TEAM MEMBERS.

SO OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS ME. THERE WAS JUNE JUNIORS.

JONATHAN. NO, NOT JUNIORS, SOPHOMORES JONATHAN AND JOSH AND THEN JUNIOR DARIAN HELLER.

WITHOUT THEIR WITHOUT THEIR DEDICATION, WITHOUT THEIR SUPPORT, WITHOUT THEIR WITHOUT THEIR CLUTCH, I DON'T THINK WE WOULD HAVE WON THAT GAME. SO WE HAVE THAT UNOFFICIAL TITLE FOR FALL.

SO NOW WE JUST PLAN TO KEEP THAT MOMENTUM AND CARRY IT ON UNTIL SPRING.

SKILLS USA HAS RECENTLY STARTED THEIR EVENTS.

WE RECENTLY GOT OURS OR MY TEAM GOT OUR PROMPTS ON DECEMBER 5TH FOR VIDEO PRODUCTION, SO WE'RE HOPING TO WIN REGIONALS THIS YEAR AND MAKE IT TO STATE ONCE AGAIN. SO WE PLAN TO WORK DURING WINTER BREAK AND THE TIME AFTER, AND AS WELL AS OUR OTHER SKILLS USA CHAPTERS AND DEPARTMENTS.

AND THEN THESE LAST TWO POINTS I WANT TO DISCUSS ARE ABOUT THE BATHROOMS. OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THOSE, BUT I WAS APPROACHED SOMETIME THIS WEEK BY A STUDENT AND SHE ASKED ME IF I COULD USE MY POSITION AS BOARD MEMBER TO ADVOCATE FOR HAVING FEMININE HYGIENE PRODUCTS IN BATHROOMS. OBVIOUSLY I CAN'T SPEAK ON ANYTHING ABOUT THAT, BUT BASED ON HER, HER TONE AND THE URGENCY TO WHICH SHE SPOKE ABOUT IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT SOUNDS LIKE AN IMPORTANT SITUATION.

SO I'LL HAVE TO DISCUSS WITH MORE STUDENTS TO GET A BETTER GRASP ON SITUATIONS LIKE MAYBE PRESENT AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING.

AND THEN WE'VE PRAISED THE VAPE DETECTORS AT MAYFAIR FOR QUITE A WHILE, EVER SINCE THEIR INSTALLMENT.

AND BEFORE I CONTINUE, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK A QUICK QUESTION.

IS IT ONLY MAYFAIR THAT HAS THOSE VAPE DETECTORS, OR ARE THERE ANY OTHER SCHOOLS THAT HAVE THEM? I BELIEVE BELLFLOWER. MAYFAIR. DOCTOR. SIMON. BELLFLOWER.

[01:35:02]

LET ME SEE. WHAT WAS ON. THERE DECEMBER 3RD I HAD ENCOUNTERED, NOT ENCOUNTERED, BUT I SAW I WAS COMING OUT OF THE BATHROOM AND I LOOKED UP AT THE VAPE DETECTOR AND I SAW THAT IT WAS GREEN, WHICH HONESTLY, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY WORK REALLY, SO I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THAT MEANT, BUT I'M ASSUMING IT MEANS THAT IT DETECTED SOMETHING.

BUT THEN I EXPECTED, YOU KNOW, A SIGNAL OR SOMETHING.

MAYBE SECURITY WOULD COME IN, BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING, AT LEAST FOR A WHILE.

SO THEN I HAD A DISCUSSION WITH ONE OF OUR SECURITY OFFICERS, SECURITY GUARDS.

A FEW DAYS AGO ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO THEY WORK? WHAT'S THEIR PURPOSE? AND THE BOTTOM LINE THAT I GOT WAS THEY DON'T REALLY DO VERY MUCH.

LIKE, IF THEY DETECT ANYTHING, THEY'LL SHOW THE LIGHT, BUT THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.

APPARENTLY THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO SEND A SIGNAL, AND THAT SENDS THEY SEND A SIGNAL TO AN OFFICE WHICH THEY RELAY TO SECURITY TO SEND THEM TO THE BATHROOMS. BUT FROM WHAT HE TOLD ME, THERE WAS REALLY NOTHING.

THERE WAS REALLY NOTHING THERE. HE CATCHES MORE PEOPLE WITH HIM JUST GOING IN BY HIMSELF VERSUS VERSUS THE ACTUAL VAPE DETECTOR.

AND THEN EVEN THE PEOPLE THAT DO GET CAUGHT FROM WHAT I WAS TOLD THEY WERE, THERE WAS VERY FEW.

THERE WERE VERY FEW CONSEQUENCES. MOSTLY IT WAS LIKE A A DAY SUSPENSION WHICH LOOKING AT IT NOW, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE STUDENTS DO GET TO SCHOOL. BUT AT THE SAME TIME I FEEL LIKE THERE SHOULD BE SOME REPERCUSSIONS TOWARDS SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BECAUSE WE'RE VERY MUCH TRYING TO CRACK DOWN ON VAPING AND IMPROPER STUDENT BEHAVIOR.

SO AND THEN ONE OF THE METHODS THAT HE PROPOSED, IF THEY DO GET CAUGHT, WAS JUST JUMPING JACKS, BECAUSE FROM WHAT HE TOLD ME, SOME OF THE PLACES THEY LIKE TO HIDE IT ARE NOT.

YOU CAN'T REALLY SEARCH THERE WITHOUT ANY LEGAL ISSUES COMING UP.

THAT'S THAT'S THE BEST WAY I CAN PUT IT. BUT HE PROPOSES THAT IF THEY WERE TO DO JUMPING JACKS, THEN ANYTHING THAT THEY WOULD HAVE, WOULD, WOULD JUST COME OFF AFTER A WHILE.

SO THEY WOULD BE CAUGHT AND THEY WOULD BE PROPERLY DEALT WITH.

THIS IS THE BEST WAY I CAN PUT IT. SO I JUST THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE DONE OR MAYBE FINE TUNED THE SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE.

IF I IF I COULD JUST GIVE YOU SOME INSIGHT ON THE SAFETY COMMITTEE, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT.

SO RIGHT NOW INSTALLING THOSE THEY'RE INSTALLED.

BUT THERE'S A CALIBRATION PROCESS. SO THEY'RE NOT OVERLY IDENTIFYING AND CAUSING PROBLEMS. SO THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS OF THE DATA COLLECTING AND CALIBRATING THOSE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WORK.

RIGHT. SO IT'S STILL ROLLING OUT. THANK YOU. THAT WAS MY SO FOR FOR US STUDENT MEMBER TO BE GAY.

YOU AND I CAN HAVE THIS OFFLINE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT YOUR CONCERNS AND THEN WE'LL WE'LL MOVE FROM THERE.

OKAY. GOOD. OKAY. THANK YOU SIR. YEP. THAT'S ALL FOR MY REPORT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. BOARD MEMBER CINTRON. I'LL KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET FOR EVERYONE.

I GOT TO ATTEND IN SACRAMENTO A CSBA. AND I HAVE TO SAY, I WAS ALLOWED TO ATTEND LAST YEAR AS WELL. AND I HAVE TO SAY IT WAS.

I FELT THAT IT WAS MORE FRUITFUL THIS YEAR. I WAS ABLE TO NOT ONLY GO TO WORKSHOPS THAT WERE SOLELY DIRECTED FOR BOARD MEMBERS.

BUT I REALLY GOT TO KNOW THE ISSUES AND SPEAK TO OTHER BOARD MEMBERS ALL OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THAT NOT ONLY HAD THE SAME TROUBLE, BUT ALSO HAVE MADE DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THEIR OWN SCHOOL BOARD AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO LIKE PICKING EACH OTHER'S BRAINS AND TRY TO WORK THROUGH SOME ISSUES AND REALLY ASKING QUESTIONS AND BEING HONEST WITH EACH OTHER.

I REALLY, REALLY THOUGHT IT WAS INCREDIBLE INSIGHT.

SOME OF THE WORKSHOPS I ATTEND, I WON'T GIVE YOU MY NOTES, I'LL JUST SAY THE WORKSHOPS IS THE BOARD MEMBERS ROLE IN IMPLEMENTING THE ENGLISH LEARNER ROADMAP AND WHAT THAT TRULY LOOKS LIKE. I HAVE LIKE TWO PAGES FULL OF THAT STUFF.

AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, BOARD MEMBERS ARE JUST.

WE'RE NOT MAGICALLY KNOWING ALL BYLAWS. AT ALL.

OR EVEN UNDERSTANDING HOW THE IMPLEMENTATIONS ACTUALLY HAPPEN OR OCCUR.

AND THEN NEW LAW AND LEGISLATION THAT'S GOING TO COME DOWN IN 2026.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATED HAVING LIKE THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF ALL OF THAT.

AND THEN JUST AGAIN, REALLY TALKING ABOUT SOME ISSUES IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AND SCHOOLS,

[01:40:06]

AND I'M, I'M, I FEEL VERY EMPOWERED THIS TIME TO ACTUALLY GO AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO FACILITATE THESE CONVERSATIONS AMONGST OUR CABINET AS WELL. SO THAT WAS MINE.

ALSO, I JUST WANT TO SAY HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE.

AND I KNOW THERE'S A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT IS STILL AFRAID TO SHOP FOR CHRISTMAS TREES, TO GO GET GIFTS, TO HAVE A GO TO THE GROCERY STORE TO GET A FEAST FOR THEIR FAMILY.

AND I JUST WANT TO KNOW. I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN.

THERE ARE RESOURCES OUT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WILL DELIVER A TREE, WILL GIVE YOU FREE GIFTS FOR YOUR FOR YOUR CHILDREN SO THAT THEY DON'T GO WITHOUT ANY CHRISTMAS GIFTS. AND THAT WILL ALSO DONATE A FULL FACED TO YOUR DOORSTEP.

SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONNECT WITH OUR COMMUNITY HERE IN BELLFLOWER, BUT ALSO OUR SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES THAT WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU THAT FULL FREE OF CHARGE. SO HAPPY HOLIDAYS. BE SAFE OUT THERE AND THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS AND SHAUN BOARD MEMBER ARMSTRONG. THANK YOU, BOARD PRESIDENT STEWART.

AGAIN, I WENT TO CSBA ALSO. AND I FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.

AND I AM GOING TO KEEP IT SHORT BECAUSE WE HAVE LOTS OF VISITORS.

YOU ARE SEEN AND I KNOW WHY YOU'RE HERE. SO LET'S NOT ABOUT ME, BUT I NEED TO AT LEAST LET YOU KNOW WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING.

SO. SO SOME OF THE SESSIONS THAT I WENT TO I JUST KNEW I WAS GOING TO GET LIKE, LIKE, LIKE A CURRICULUM FOR, LIKE, PRESCHOOLERS. I SAW THIS ONE. IT SAYS COUNTING ON SUCCESS IN MATH.

AND IT WAS A DISTRICT THAT WAS SHARING THEY TALKED ABOUT THEIR EFFORTS TO BUILD A BRIDGE BETWEEN THE PRESCHOOL TO THE THIRD GRADE PROGRAM. AND I WAS LIKE, THIS IS GREAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'M A I'M A PRESCHOOL TEACHER.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO DO OUR MATH. WE GOT TO DO MORE THAN COUNT TO 100, YOU KNOW, AND COUNT BLOCKS.

SO I WANTED TO SEE IF THEY HAD ANYTHING SPECIAL.

AND IT WAS REALLY ABOUT THE TEACHERS DOING THEIR PART TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT THEY PREPARE THE PRESCHOOLERS SO THAT WHEN THEY DO GO INTO TK, THEY CAN TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND THE NEXT LEVEL WITHOUT HAVING TO REVERT BACK.

SO THEY REALLY TALKED ABOUT THAT CONTINUUM OF OF SERVICES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE KIDS ARE ARE ON A ROAD TO CONTINUE PROGRESS. AND THEN I COULDN'T HELP BUT I HAD TO GO AND SEE THE THE, THE CANDIDATE FORUM FOR THE GOVERNORS.

SO I HAD TO LISTEN TO THEM TO SEE WHAT YOU KNOW, WHAT WHAT THEY, WHAT THEIR WHAT THEY WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT AND WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO FOR THE STATE AND FOR THE SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW. SO THAT WAS I TELL YOU, IT GOT EXCITING TO YOU GUYS.

YOU KNOW, WE EVEN HAD SOME BOOZE GOING ON, YOU KNOW.

SO IT WAS. IT WAS INTERESTING. MOVE MY EYES WAS LIKE THAT.

AND THEY ALSO HAD A CANDIDATE FORUM FOR THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, SO THAT ONE TOO WAS A GOOD ONE.

SO IT WAS GOOD TO HEAR HEAR THEM TALK ABOUT THEIR PRIORITIES AND THEIR THEIR POLICY GOALS AND PERSPECTIVES ON THE CHALLENGES THAT WE IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE TRULY FACING AND HOW THEY HOW THEY PLAN TO SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNING BOARDS AND STUDENTS. SO AND HELP US DEVELOP WAYS TO STRENGTHEN OUR DECISION MAKING PRACTICES.

AND BUT MY FAVORITE ONE THAT I WENT TO BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE WE ALL UP HERE LOVE TO LEARN.

WE I TRULY BELIEVE WE ARE LIFELONG LEARNERS. WELL, HECK, WE GOT SO MANY TEACHERS UP HERE.

WE ARE. WE'RE LEARNING EVERY DAY. SO. BUT ANYWAY, MY FAVORITE TOPIC SESSION THAT I WENT TO, IT WAS FOR THE ADVANCED GOVERNANCE. AND THE KEY TOPICS INCLUDED DEVELOPING CLARITY ABOUT PERSONAL PERSONAL PRINCIPLES, VALUES AND EXPERIENCE THAT DRIVE LEADERSHIP PRACTICE AND LEARNING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES THAT CREATE GREATER CLARITY, AND HOW TO MANAGE CONFLICT EFFECTIVELY AND BUILD HIGH TRUST

[01:45:06]

SO LIKE, LIKE WE'RE HAVING NOW. SO THAT'S IT.

I WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, I WISH YOU ALL HAPPINESS WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND PLEASE BE SAFE OUT THERE AND BE VIGILANT WHILE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS. THAT WAS PRETTY GOOD. I REALLY CAN'T SING.

THAT'S ALL I COULD DO, Y'ALL. OKAY, THAT'S IT FOR ME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBER ARMSTRONG CLARK CRITCHFIELD.

THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND SHE CAN SING.

SHE'S ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD. I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH EVERYTHING.

I WANT TO GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD. PLUS, I POST EVERYTHING ON INSTAGRAM ANYWAY.

SO YOU GUYS ALREADY SEE THE STUFF I DO? BUT I WILL SAY, I HOPE YOU HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS.

AND I HOPE YOU GET EVERYTHING ON YOUR LIST THAT YOU SENT TO SANTA.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, VICE PRESIDENT GARCIA. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.

I'M ALSO GOING TO KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET. I ATTENDED MANY OF THOSE SAME SESSIONS WITH MY BOARD COLLEAGUES.

IT WAS A LOT OF FUN. ESPECIALLY ENJOYED MAKING YOU KNOW, NEW RELATIONSHIPS WITH NEW BOARD MEMBERS AND OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BUT ALSO RENEWING AND CONFIRMING THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT I HAVE ON THE BOARD WITH MY COLLEAGUES.

ESPECIALLY WITH OUR SUPERINTENDENT YOU KNOW, AND OUR EXECUTIVE SECRETARIES.

AND SO I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO WENT AND WE HAD A REALLY GOOD TIME LEARNING A LOT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE BRING BACK THOSE THAT INFORMATION FOR OUR CABINET. AND THEY ARE NOW GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET A LOOK AT IT AND SEE WHERE WE TAKE THIS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS. HOPE EVERYONE IS GOING TO TAKE A NICE TWO WEEKS REST.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, VICE PRESIDENT GARCIA. I'M GOING TO KEEP IT SHORT FOR ME.

YOU UNDERSTAND THAT? GOOD EVENING. ON NOVEMBER 14TH, I ATTENDED THE BUFFALO HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAME.

WE PLAYED A PLAYOFF GAME AGAINST COLTON, WHICH WE WON 13 TO 12.

THERE WAS ONLY LIKE 40 PEOPLE THERE. I WAS ONE OF THEM BECAUSE IT WAS RAINING THE WHOLE TIME, AND WE JUST DUBBED IT THE MUD BALL. BUT IT WAS SO AWESOME AND WE DID SUCH A GREAT JOB.

AND THEN ON NOVEMBER 21ST, I ATTENDED THE BUFFALO HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAME AT SANTA PAULA FOR THE SEMIFINAL ROUND.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE CAME UP SHORT. WE LOST IN THE LAST SECOND 17 TO 14, BUT I'M PROUD OF OUR TEAM FROM GOING FROM ZERO AND TEN, AS SOME OF YOU HEARD EARLIER, TO THE CIF SEMIFINALS, AND WE FINISHED EIGHT AND FIVE, WHICH WAS A GREAT SUCCESS FOR US.

DECEMBER 1ST I MET WITH MRS ARCUS AND DOCTOR SIMON TO GO OVER THE FIRST INTERIM REPORT.

YOU GUYS ANSWERED ALL MY QUESTIONS, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. DECEMBER 2ND THROUGH FIFTH, I ALSO ATTENDED THE CSB ANNUAL EDUCATION CONFERENCE.

I ATTENDED THE GUBERNATORIAL, AND I'LL BE HONEST, I HAD TO ASK CLARK CRITCHFIELD WHAT THAT WORD WAS.

BUT IT'S FOR THE GOVERNORS CANDIDATES FORUM THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION FORUM, AS WELL AS WORKSHOPS. AND AGAIN, I'M GOING TO LIST MINE AS WELL.

I WENT TO ADVANCING SCHOOL FINANCE SKILLS FOR BOARD MEMBERS, A SEAT AT THE TABLE AND WHY STUDENT VOICES SHOULD MATTER.

BOARD LEVERS FOR SCHOOL DISCIPLINE CONCERNS, EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICES, AS WELL AS A FEW GENERAL SESSIONS.

IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THE CANDIDATES IN PERSON AND HEAR THEIR PERSPECTIVES, TO ATTEND WORKSHOPS THAT HELP ME BECOME A BETTER BOARD MEMBER, TO NETWORK WITH OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS AND TO BOND WITH OUR OWN GOVERNANCE TEAM, WHICH WAS A LOT OF FUN.

IT WAS REALLY GREAT. I JUST REALLY ENJOYED BEING IN SACRAMENTO WITH OUR TEAM.

DECEMBER 5TH, WE GOT OFF THE PLANE AND WE HEADED TO THE UNIFIED SPORTS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT.

OUR STAFF DOES SUCH A GREAT JOB WITH THAT PROGRAM, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I THINK IT'S JUST A HUGE HIGHLIGHT IN OUR DISTRICT.

AND I KNOW I'M ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT ENROLLMENT CAMPAIGN AND THINGS, AND I FORGET SOMETIMES THAT IT IS SUCH A GREAT PROGRAM.

SO I SPOKE ABOUT IT LAST NIGHT IN PARAMOUNT AND HOW WE PARTNER WITH SOME OF THE OTHER DISTRICTS, AND I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS AWESOME. SO I WOULD ALSO LOVE AND I TALKED WITH THE AP CUNNINGHAM AT MAYFAIR TO LOOK AT EXPANDING THAT TO OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS.

I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT, EVEN IF IT'S JUST ONE TOURNAMENT TO DO THAT FOR OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS. I THINK THAT WOULD BE AWESOME.

LAST NIGHT, I ATTENDED THE OUTGOING PRESIDENT CEREMONY IN PARAMOUNT FOR ALICIA ANDERSON.

THAT WAS AWESOME. I PRESENTED HER A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION FOR OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH PARAMOUNT, WITH OUR CAL APS APPS PROGRAM. AND THIS MORNING I WAS ABLE TO MEET A TEAM FROM MAYFAIR AT MY SCHOOL, ZAMBONI MIDDLE SCHOOL. THEY WERE COMING TO LOOK AT OUR AVID PROGRAMS AND OUR SCHOOLS TO WATCH PROGRAM, AND THERE WAS A BIG GROUP. IT WAS ABOUT 12 TO 15 OF THEM, AND IT WAS JUST SO NICE TO SEE THEM LOOKING AT THINGS AND EXPANDING OUR LEARNING AND LOOKING AT OTHER DISTRICTS AND SEEING WHAT THEY'RE DOING WELL, WHAT WE'RE DOING WELL, AND HOW WE CAN COLLABORATE. SO WE DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF IMPLEMENTING AVID. AND SO I WAS REALLY GLAD TO SEE THAT COLLABORATION.

ALSO AGAIN, HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAYS. HAVE AN AMAZING TWO WEEKS OFF.

I GET THREE WEEKS OFF, BE JEALOUS AND I HOPE YOU GUYS HAVE A.

[01:50:02]

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON INFORMATIONAL ITEMS?

[13. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS]

[14. RECOGNITIONS]

IF HE WILL COME UP HERE. AND I HAVE SOMETHING TO READ AND I USUALLY DO FONT LIKE 18 AND THEY DID 12.

SO BEAR WITH ME BECAUSE I DIDN'T BRING MY GLASSES.

IT'S OUR DISTRICT HONOR TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE AN EXTRAORDINARY PUBLIC SERVANT AND PASSIONATE CHAMPION OF EQUITY, ACCESS AND EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP. ASSEMBLY MEMBER JOSE LUIS SOLIS, JR.

ASSEMBLY MEMBER IS NOT ONLY A TIRELESS, TIRELESS ADVOCATE FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES ACROSS CALIFORNIA, BUT HE IS ALSO ONE OF US. HE BEGAN HIS PUBLIC SERVICE JOURNEY AS A YOUNG SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER FOR LYNWOOD UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, STOPPING OR STEPPING INTO A ROLE THAT DEMANDED TIME, SACRIFICE AND HEART BEFORE MOST OF US HAD EVEN CONSIDERED PUBLIC OFFICE.

HIS LIVED EXPERIENCE GIVES HIM A PROFOUND UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THIS WORK TAKES AND WHAT IT TRULY MEANS TO SERVE.

WITH THE SIGNING OF AB 1390, ASSEMBLY MEMBER HAS BROUGHT LONG OVERDUE ATTENTION TO AN ISSUE THAT TOO EASILY GOES OVERLOOKED THE COMPENSATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEES FOR OVER 40 YEARS.

OUR STATE STATUTES HAVE FAILED TO REFLECT THE IMMENSE GROWTH IN RESPONSIBILITY THE BOARD SERVICE ENTAILS, FROM SETTING BUDGETS TO OVERSEEING EDUCATIONAL EQUITY TO HIRING SUPERINTENDENTS AND RESPONDING TO EVOLVING STUDENT NEEDS.

TRUSTEES HAVE NEVER BEEN JUST VOLUNTEERS. WE HAVE BEEN STEWARDS, STRATEGISTS, SERVANTS TO THE CAUSE AND OF STUDENT SUCCESS.

YET COMPENSATION HAS REMAINED STAGNANT FOR TOO MANY.

AND HAS THAT HAS MEANT OPPORTUNITY LOST? THANKS TO ASSEMBLY MEMBER LEADERSHIP, AB 1390 OFFERS A PATH FORWARD, ONE GROUNDED IN EQUITY, TRANSPARENCY AND LOCAL RESPONSIBILITY.

IMPORTANTLY, IT EMPOWERS BOARDS, ESPECIALLY IN UNDERSERVED AND UNDER-RESOURCED AREAS, TO MODESTLY AND RESPONSIBLY INCREASE COMPENSATION SO THAT THE PUBLIC SERVICE REMAINS ACCESSIBLE TO WORKING PARENTS, YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, CAREGIVERS, AND EVERYDAY CALIFORNIANS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE.

THIS LEGISLATION IS NOT JUST ABOUT DOLLARS, IT'S ABOUT DIGNITY, REPRESENTATION, AND POSSIBILITY.

IT AFFIRMS THAT THOSE WHO DEDICATE THEMSELVES TO OUR STUDENTS ARE SEEN, VALUED AND SUPPORTED.

IT OPENS THE GATE WIDER FOR DIVERSE VOICES, FOR FIRST GENERATION LEADERS AND FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LIVED THE STRUGGLES OF THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE.

ASSEMBLY MEMBER. YOUR VISION, RESOLVE AND COMMITMENT TO LIFTING THE VOICES OF SCHOOL TRUSTEES ACROSS THE STATE HAS NOT GONE UNNOTICED.

TONIGHT WE THANK YOU NOT ONLY FOR AB 1390, BUT FOR ALL THE WAYS YOU REMIND US THAT EDUCATION IS A CALLING WORTH FIGHTING FOR AND THAT LOCAL LEADERSHIP MATTERS. ON BEHALF OF THE BELLFLOWER UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCATION, AND FROM THE HEARTS OF PUBLIC SERVANTS ACROSS CALIFORNIA.

THANK YOU FOR HONORING THIS VITAL ROLE AND FOR ENSURING A STRONGER, MORE INCLUSIVE FUTURE FOR SCHOOL BOARD GOVERNANCE.

LET'S ALL PLEASE GIVE A WELL-DESERVED ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ASSEMBLY MEMBER JOSE SOLIS.

WE APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH. COME TO THE DAIS, PLEASE.

YES.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE HAVE THIS TO GIVE TO HIM. IF YOU GUYS DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS NEED TO COME AND TALK TO HIM.

HE IS SO MUCH FUN AND SO AMAZING. HE'S KIND OF CORNY AND A LITTLE BRATTISH, BUT HE'S EVERYWHERE AND I LOVE THAT ABOUT HIM BECAUSE HE'S SO VISIBLE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS, AND I LOVE THAT AND APPRECIATE IT SO MUCH.

SO IN HONOR OF HIM, WE'D LIKE TO GIVE HIM THIS CARD.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT HE DOES.

AND HE HAS THE BEST REPS AND THE BEST FRIENDS.

SO YOU. DON'T GIVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.

[01:55:05]

I'M A LITTLE OLDER, BUT I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY.

AS A FORMER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER FOR TEN YEARS, I WAS ABLE TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR OUR STUDENTS.

I DID START AT THE AGE OF 23 YEARS OLD AT SCHOOL, REMEMBER, AND I DID THAT FOR TEN YEARS.

I WAS VERY PROUD TO BE HERE IN WHAT I CALL MY BACKYARD.

NOW, I'M PROUD TO REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY OF LAKEWOOD, BELLFLOWER, PARAMOUNT, MY HOMETOWN OF LYNWOOD, SOUTH GATE PARK, MAYWOOD AND WARNER PARK, EIGHT COMMUNITIES.

AND I LOVE TO BE UP HERE IN SACRAMENTO BEING A VOICE IN SACRAMENTO.

I HAVE A STRONG ADVOCATE HERE IN THE COMMUNITY, ANASTASIA, WHICH I THINK THERE'S A.

THERE'S A CULTURAL CONNECTION TO OUR STUDENTS. AS STUDENT BOARD MEMBER, I SAW YOUR LAST NAME, I THINK SO, I THINK I THINK I KNOW, I KNOW. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND OUR CULTURAL CONNECTIONS.

AND I LOVE THAT WE'RE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY.

AND YOUR SUPERINTENDENT, IT'S BEEN NOTHING BUT A NEW A NEW SPOTLIGHT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

SO I'M HAPPY THAT SHE AND HER ENTIRE CABINET ARE ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN.

AND I DID START A MEETING TODAY BY SEEING YOUR BUDGET.

SO I KNOW THAT'S A CONSTANT REFLECTION FOR ME AS A STATE REPRESENTATIVE, THAT WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR DOLLARS FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES, THAT WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO BE CHAMPIONS FOR EDUCATION AND ENSURING THAT OUR TEACHERS, OUR CLASSIFIED STAFF HAVE THE RESOURCES TO SUCCEED.

AND SO, AS A FORMER SCHOOL MEMBER, AGAIN, I DON'T FORGET MY ROOTS. SO THANK YOU.

THIS IS A PERSONAL THING THAT WE DID FOR OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS STATEWIDE MYSELF.

BUT STATEWIDE TO HAVE MORE SINGLE MOMS DADS, YOUNG PEOPLE PEOPLE THAT ARE RETIRED, THAT ARE ON FIXED INCOMES TO BE ABLE TO SERVE ON SCHOOL BOARDS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. AND REALLY, THAT'S ABOUT THE EQUITY PART THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT MORE PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO HAVE A VOICE TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, I WANT TO RUN FOR OFFICE AND THESE FINE PEOPLE RETIRE ONE DAY.

WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE STATE TO HAVE A VOICE. SO THAT'S WHAT 1390 DOES TO ENSURE THAT MORE PEOPLE OUT THERE HAVE A VOICE.

AND NOW, ESPECIALLY WITH THE COST PRESSURES THAT WE MENTIONED TODAY IN THE BUDGET.

IT SHOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM FOR YOU TO BE TO SERVE YOUR COMMUNITY.

I WANT MORE PARENTS, MORE TEACHERS TO SERVE THESE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, SCHOOL BOARD THROUGHOUT STATE, CALIFORNIA AND AB 1390 DOES THAT FOR OUR BELLFLOWER, LYNWOOD AND PARAMOUNT UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT.

OF COURSE, LA UNIFIED AS WELL. SO WITH THAT, PROUD TO BE A FORMER BOARD MEMBER.

AND YOU HAVE AN ADVOCATE FOR EDUCATION ALL THE TIME IN SACRAMENTO.

SO IF YOU NEED ANYTHING OUR OFFICES I'M IN PARAMOUNT AT 7300.

ALONDRA THAT'S OUR SPACE. THANK YOU TO SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT AND OUR SUPERINTENDENT.

AND WHILE I'M HERE, I'M GOING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF BEING HERE.

I WANT TO JUST BECAUSE I HAVE TO RUN TO ANOTHER EVENT. BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE I THANK YOUR OUTGOING PRESIDENT.

SO I'M GOING TO BREAK FOR TWO SECONDS. I'M GOING TO JUST REAL QUICK ON BEHALF OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

IT'S AWESOME TO HAVE A LEADERSHIP THAT IS REFLECTIVE.

I SEE AMY ON SOCIAL MEDIA, TOO. WE FOLLOW EACH OTHER AND WE ACTUALLY HEART EACH OTHER ALL THE TIME.

BUT SHE'S BEING A CHAMPION FOR OUR SCHOOLS HERE IN BELLFLOWER.

SO THANK YOU FOR LEADING THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, WHICH OBVIOUSLY IF DECISIONS ARE MADE AT THE BOARD AND NOT AN INDIVIDUAL, BUT YOU'VE BEEN AN INDIVIDUAL HAS BEEN A REFLECTION OF YOUR SCHOOL BOARD HERE, AND YOU'VE BEEN SUCH AN EDUCATOR BY HEART, BUT ALSO TO OUR SCHOOL MEMBERS HERE IN BELLFLOWER.

SO ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, CALIFORNIA, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR BEING ANOTHER BRIGHT, SHINING STAR FOR OUR COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU TO BELLFLOWER FOR HAVING AMY STEWARD, YOUR BOARD PRESIDENT, AND WE WANT TO THANK HER ON BEHALF OF SEEING FOR ALL HER ALL THE HOURS AND PHONE CALLS AND AND MEETINGS YOU'VE HAD WITH ALL MANY COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ALL RIGHT, SO KICKING IT BACK TO DOCTOR SIMON.

THANK YOU, BOARD PRESIDENT STEWART. SO THIS EVENING, WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF HONORING OUR OUTGOING PRESIDENT, BOARD PRESIDENT AMY STEWART, WITH A MOMENT OF SPECIAL RECOGNITION ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, SUPERINTENDENT, OFFICE, STAFF AND CABINET, WE EXTEND OUR HEARTFELT GRATITUDE FOR HER YEAR OF LEADERSHIP AND THE TIME SHE HAS DEVOTED TO THE BISD FAMILY. AT THIS TIME, WE INVITE YOU TO TURN YOUR ATTENTION TO THE SCREEN AS WE SHARE A VIDEO

[02:00:01]

0000. WE STEPPED IN WITH INTENTION. READY FOR THE HIGHS AND LOWS. DID I KNOW HOW THE YEAR WOULD GO? NO, NO. BUT THE RESULTS ALL SHOW. CAN'T TALK ABOUT A DREAM WITHOUT TALKING BOUT THIS TEAM.

FROM THE PAST TO THE BALLROOM. ALL REPRESENTING THE USD.

OH. IT'S BEEN A FULL YEAR WITH ITS UPS AND DOWNS.

BUT EVERY MOMENT HELPED US FIND OUR GROUND. OH, CAUSE WHAT REALLY MATTERS IS THE WORK WE GIVE.

TO OUR STUDENTS AND THE STAFF WE LIVE. STOP. STOP STOP STOP! PHILIP YOU. HIRED A LEADER WITH STEADY HANDS.

WORK TOGETHER TO BUILD OUT A PLAN AND EXECUTE IT.

OUR MISSION WITH MORE TO DO. IF THEY SAY IT'S EASY.

NO, IT AIN'T TRUE. FIRST OF ALL, TIME STADIUM COMING SOON.

A PLACE TO CALL HOME FOR A MONSOON. TOOK A LONG TIME.

AND WE BROKE GROUND LIKE THE NEW FOUNDATION. PUTTING IT DOWN.

YO! HEY, HEY. IT'S BEEN A FULL YEAR WITH UPS AND DOWNS. BUT EVERY MOMENT HELPED US FIND OUR GROUND.

CAUSE WE'RE REALLY MATTERS. IS THE WORK WE GIVE.

IT WHY STUDENTS AND THE STAFF WE LIVE.

IN WE GOT THE WHOLE CREW SUPPORTING EVERY STUDENT IN EVERY SCHOOL TO SO MANY VICTORIES.

THAT TOOK SOME TIME. BUT WHEN YOU DO BIG THINGS, YOU DO THEM RIGHT.

ALL THE COLLABORATION, COMMUNICATION CAME THROUGH.

THE WORK WAS ALWAYS BIGGER THAN ANY ONE PERSON COULD DO.

IT'S BEEN A FULL YEAR WITH ITS UPS AND DOWNS.

IT'S BEEN A FULL YEAR WITH ITS UPS AND DOWNS.

BUT EVERY MOMENT HELPS US FIND OUR THAT? IS IT THE WORK WE GIVE? TO OUR STUDENTS AND THE STAFF WE LIVE. STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP.

WE'RE GOING TO ASK PRESIDENT STEWART TO COME.

COME DOWN FROM THE DAIS. CAN I GIVE MY SPEECH FIRST? OH, SURE. THAT'S RIGHT. MY APOLOGIES. IT'S OKAY. I JUST WOULD LIKE TO DO IT FROM HERE. THERE YOU GO. YOU KNOW HOW I HAVE TO READ. IF YOU DID NOTICE, BRAD MADE THE SONG, AND IT WAS AMAZING. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK SO MANY PEOPLE HERE.

MY FAMILY, MY DAUGHTER JUST FLEW IN FROM TEXAS, SO I'M EXCITED TO HAVE HER HERE FOR A FEW DAYS.

MY FRIENDS, MY COLLEAGUES, MY FORMER PRINCIPAL, LISA KIRK.

SHE WAS MY PRINCIPAL, BUT SHE WAS FOR MANY YEARS.

BUT THE DISTRICT STOLE HER BECAUSE SHE'S AMAZING.

AND I GET IT. BUT I'M KIND OF SAD. THE ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO HAVE SUPPORTED ME SO MANY PEOPLE.

ASSEMBLYMEMBER SOLIS, I THINK HE STEPPED OUT.

DID HE STEP OUT? ANY EVENT, LIKE I SAID, WAS IS MORE MEMORABLE EVENT TO ALL OF OUR CITY COUNCIL PARTNERS FROM BELLFLOWER, LAKEWOOD AND CERRITOS. I APPRECIATE YOU. I JUST SAW ANTHONY RENDON WALK IN, AND I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.

ANTHONY IS RUNNING FOR THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, AND HE'S OUR FORMER SPEAKER OF CALIFORNIA.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE HIS LEADERSHIP.

YES. I APPRECIATE HIS LEADERSHIP AND ALWAYS BEING THERE TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY.

HE'S PROBABLY THE BUSIEST MAN IN CALIFORNIA. I KNOW HE'S JUMPING IN AND OUT, BUT HE STILL TAKES THE TIME TO SUPPORT US, TO LISTEN TO US, TO TAKE OUR CALLS. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE HIM SO MUCH.

I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I'M APPRECIATIVE OF PTA, PTA, CSCA I KNOW PRESIDENT MICHELLE IS NOT FEELING WELL.

[02:05:02]

PHYLLIS, TWEET, I KNOW YOU'RE HERE. THANK YOU FOR PAVING THE WAY AND BEING SUCH A STRONG WOMAN.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU. YOU'VE BEEN SUCH A MENTOR FOR ME.

AND SHE'S THE ONE THAT GOT ME CRYING. THANK YOU. PHYLLIS, TONIGHT IS VERY MEANINGFUL TO ME.

AND BECAUSE. NOT BECAUSE IT MARKS THE END OF MY PRESIDENCY, BUT BECAUSE IT GIVES ME A CHANCE TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO THE PEOPLE WHO MADE THIS YEAR POSSIBLE. ONE THING I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED IS THAT DURING REORGANIZATION, YOU CHOOSE THE PERSON WHO IS RIGHT TO LEAD AT THE MOMENT.

THIS PAST YEAR, I TRULY BELIEVE I WAS THE RIGHT PERSON TO LEAD AT THE RIGHT TIME.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I WAS SURROUNDED BY THE RIGHT TEAM.

WHEN I LOOK BACK, I DON'T SEE A LIST OF MY ACCOMPLISHMENTS, I SEE OURS.

I SEE A BOARD THAT WORKED TOGETHER EVEN WITH DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.

I SEE A SUPERINTENDENT, A SUPERINTENDENT, A CABINET, EMPLOYEES, PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY OF AMAZING PARENTS AND RELATIVES THAT STAYED COMMITTED TO OUR STUDENTS AND I SEE A TEAM THAT DELIVERED ON ITS PROMISES.

THIS YEAR WE MADE TRANSPARENCY NOT JUST A GOAL, BUT A PRACTICE.

WE ADDED COMMITTEES WITH PARTNERS, HELD TOWN HALLS, GAVE MORE UPDATES, MOVED ALL OF OUR MEETINGS TO YOUTUBE, AND WE STRENGTHENED OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH LACOE.

WE KEPT OUR PROMISE TO BEGIN THE MAYFAIR FIELD PROJECT, AND WITHOUT QUESTION, OUR GREATEST SHARED SUCCESS WAS HIRING OUR SUPERINTENDENT, DOCTOR AARON SIMON. SHE IS EVERYTHING I HOPED FOR AND MORE.

KIND, COLLABORATIVE. GROUNDED IN FAMILY AND RELATIONSHIPS.

AND YES, WE GOT OUR ATHLETE AND THAT'S ALWAYS GOOD.

I BELIEVE WE HIT THE JACKPOT WITH HER LEADERSHIP AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK ALONGSIDE HER.

ONE THING ABOUT THIS ROLE IS IT TEACHES YOU HUMILITY QUICKLY.

BEING BOARD PRESIDENT DOESN'T MAKE YOU MORE POWERFUL.

IT REMINDS YOU HOW MUCH YOU RELY ON OTHERS. YOU'RE STILL ONLY ONE VOICE AMONG FIVE AND 20% OF A VOTE.

YOUR JOB AS PRESIDENT IS TO SET THE AGENDA. HELP MAINTAIN FLOW AND UNIFY PURPOSE.

I BELIEVE OUR MEETINGS HAVE PROVIDED MORE INFORMATION TO OUR COMMUNITY WHILE STILL HANDLING OUR BUSINESS EFFICIENTLY.

TOGETHER, WE ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH. WE STRENGTHENED SYSTEMS BY FORMING A STANDING SAFETY AND SECURITY COMMITTEE, ADDING COMMITTEE UPDATES TO IMPROVE TRANSPARENCY, A LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE TO STAY ON TOP OF FEDERAL AND STATE CHANGES, INCLUDING ALL OF OUR EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS AND UNIONS ON OUR COMMITTEES, AND BEGINNING THE TRANSITION TO IN-HOUSE TRANSPORTATION.

WE INVESTED IN TEACHING AND LEARNING BY ADOPTING NEW WORLD LANGUAGES, AUTHORIZING CAL APPS FOR OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, AND IMPLEMENTING DUAL DUAL ENROLLMENT AT MAYFAIR AND SOMERSET, AS WELL AS EXTENDING CSA'S YEARLY DAYS FOR MORE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND COLLABORATION. WE SUPPORTED OUR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY THROUGH OUR FIRST SPED RESOURCE FAIR, OUR FIRST BREAST CANCER AWARENESS WALK, AND THE INAUGURAL STATE OF EDUCATION, AND WE BEGAN MAJOR LONG TERM WORK, INCLUDING BREAKING GROUND ON THE MAYFAIR ATHLETIC COMPLEX AND PASSING A RESOLUTION TO SECURE A FUTURE BOND.

THANK YOU AGAIN SO MUCH TO CSCA PTA, AND EVERY PARTNER WHO COLLABORATED WITH US, BELIEVED IN US AND TRUSTED ME TO SERVE AS BOARD PRESIDENT.

I APPRECIATE YOU ALL. I HAVE MADE SO MANY FRIENDS BEING ON THIS BOARD, AND I'M JUST HUMBLED TO BE HOLDING THIS ROLE.

SO TONIGHT, AS I STEP ASIDE FROM THE PRESIDENCY, I DO SO WITH GRATITUDE, PRIDE AND HUMILITY.

THANK YOU TO MY BOARD COLLEAGUES. SORRY. GREAT.

THANK YOU TO MY BOARD COLLEAGUES, VICE PRESIDENT GARZA, CLARK CRITCHFIELD, BOARD MEMBERS ARMSTRONG AND CINTRON FOR BELIEVING ME TO PLACE ME IN HERE AND TO LET ME LEAD A YEAR AGO. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR WORKING BESIDE ME. AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SERVE.

I WANTED TO PUT THIS UP BECAUSE I REALLY WANTED PEOPLE TO SEE ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE THIS YEAR, AND TO REALLY LET EVERYONE SEE THAT THIS IS A TEAM.

WE NEED THREE VOTES, AND WE ALL DID THIS, AND WE DID A LOT OF GREAT THINGS THIS YEAR.

AND I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH.

IT WAS HARD. THERE WERE DAYS I WANTED TO QUIT, I'LL BE HONEST.

BUT YOU PUSHED THROUGH. YOU WORKED TOGETHER. AND THIS IS WHY.

BECAUSE OF OUR STUDENTS. SO WE DID THIS TOGETHER.

AND I WILL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. NOW, AS BOARD PRESIDENT, STEWART, I KNOW YOU'RE WIPING AWAY TEARS, BUT IF YOU COULD COME DOWN.

THANK YOU. ARE WE. ARE WE GOING TO MAKE COMMENT? ARE WE GOING TO? NO. WELL, I WANT TO I WANT TO SAY STUFF.

SO ARE WE DOING THAT LATER? AM I JUMPING THE GUN? WELL, WELL, SINCE YOU'RE RIGHT THERE I DO WANT TO SAY.

AND I TELL ALL OF YOU, AMY IS THE MOST ORGANIZED AND PASSIONATE LEADER I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE TO TO BE AROUND AND LEARN FROM.

SHE PUTS IN MORE WORK THAN ANYBODY I KNOW. AND EVEN IN TIMES IN DISAGREEMENT, WHICH I'M PROBABLY A COUPLE AT LEAST COUNT FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS,

[02:10:01]

I'VE NEVER QUESTIONED HER COMMITMENT TO OUR STUDENTS, AND WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER AS A FRIEND.

SHE HAS MY CARE AS A COLLEAGUE. SHE HAS MY RESPECT.

AND AS A PARENT OF TWO STUDENTS IN THE BUSD YOU HAVE MY THANKS FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR STUDENTS.

THANK YOU. AMY. WE ALSO HAVE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE ASKED TO SPEAK TONIGHT, WHETHER IT BE PRESENTING CERTIFICATES OR JUST SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF BOARD PRESIDENT STEWART AND HER PRESIDENCY.

AND SO NOW I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MRS. CARTER.

ALSO, IF YOU ARE NOT ON THE LIST AND YOU WANT TO SPEAK, PLEASE COME UP TO MRS. CARRIE GARCIA SO THAT WE CAN ADD YOU SO YOU CAN SAY SOME WORDS TO BOARD PRESIDENT STEWART.

MRS. CARTER.

THIS EVENING WE HAVE SEVERAL SPECIAL GUESTS WHO WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE MISS STEWART.

WE ARE GOING TO START TONIGHT WITH THE REPRESENTING THE CENTRAL BASIN MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT DIRECTOR, JUAN GARZA, PLEASE COME FORWARD. WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER ON THE LIST.

RIGHT? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I LOOK AT HIS EYES.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JUAN GARZA. I'M DIRECTOR FOR THE CENTRAL BASIN MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT.

I'M ALSO VICE CHAIR OF THE METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

SUCH A TRUE HONOR AND PLEASURE TO BE HERE THIS EVENING, AMY.

IT SEEMS LIKE YESTERDAY, WHEN WE WERE HAVING OUR COFFEE AT STARBUCKS, WHEN YOU WERE THINKING ABOUT RUNNING FOR.

TO SERVE OUR PUBLIC. I KNOW WE WENT OVER ALL THE CHALLENGES AND THE, THE BENEFITS AND ALSO THE THE SUCCESSES AND REALLY THE HOW, THE HAPPINESS THAT WE GET FROM SERVING OUR PUBLIC.

AND IT SEEMS, AGAIN, JUST LIKE YESTERDAY WE WERE HAVING THAT CONVERSATION TO BE HERE HONORING YOU ON YOUR SPECIAL DAY IS TRULY A PERSONAL, A PERSONAL SENSE OF GRATITUDE. YOU KNOW, I, I'M A BIG FAN OF THE PROCESS THAT WE UNDERTAKE UNDER THE CONCLAVE OF SELECTING A NEW POPE.

I SHARE THAT WITH YOU BECAUSE IT ALWAYS FEELS AND SEEMS LIKE YOU PICK THE RIGHT PERSON AT THE RIGHT TIME WHEN THEY'RE NEEDED.

AND AS I LOOK AT THE STATE OF OUR COUNTRY AND STATE OF AFFAIRS, I SEE THAT THAT EDUCATION, UNFORTUNATELY, IS UNDER ATTACK. IT'S UNDER ATTACK DUE TO INTERNATIONAL POLITICS.

BUT WHAT I ALSO SEE IS THAT UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, THIS DISTRICT CONTINUED IN THAT RIGHT DIRECTION, THE RIGHT PATH, WHEN IT COULD HAVE DERAILED AT ANY POINT IN TIME.

AND THAT HAPPENS BECAUSE OF LEADERSHIP AND IT HAPPENS BECAUSE OF VISION.

AND I'M A BIG FAN OF REALLY BELIEVING THAT THIS DISTRICT STAYING THE COURSE IS BECAUSE OF YOU.

AND I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD AND HONORED TO COMMEND YOU AND TO JUST SHARE THAT BECAUSE OF YOUR RESILIENCY AND YOUR PERSISTENCE AND THAT THIS DISTRICT AND OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FACULTY AND YOUR STAFF AND THIS WHOLE COMMUNITY BENEFITS BECAUSE OF YOUR VISION AND YOUR LEADERSHIP.

SO FOR STAYING THE COURSE OVER THE LAST YEAR ON ON BEHALF OF AGAIN, ALL MY COLLEAGUES IN CENTRAL BASIN MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT IS MY DISTINCT HONOR TO HONOR YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. CONGRATULATIONS ON OUR SUCCESSES THIS YEAR.

NEXT, REPRESENTING CALIFORNIA SENATE DISTRICT 32, KARLA CASAREZ IS REPRESENTING ON BEHALF OF SENATOR BOB ARCHULETA.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CARLA CASAREZ, AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF CALIFORNIA STATE SENATOR BOB ARCHULETA.

IT'S MY PLEASURE TO PRESENT THIS CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION TO MISS AMY STEWART, IN APPRECIATION OF YOUR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE.

[02:15:02]

ON BEHALF OF THE 30TH SENATE DISTRICT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO PUBLIC EDUCATION AND EXEMPLARY SERVICE, I EXTEND MY WARMEST WISHES FOR CONTINUED SUCCESS IN ALL YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS.

SIGNED SENATOR ARCHULETA.

FORMER CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY SPEAKER THE HONORABLE ANTHONY RENDON.

THE STAFF AT BELLFLOWER UNIFIED ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO PRESENT A CERTIFICATE.

I BARELY HAVE A JOB, SO MY DAUGHTER AND I TRIED TO DO ONE AT HOME ON WORD AND DIDN'T REALLY WORK OUT.

BUT I WANT TO WANT TO THANK AMY FOR HER SERVICE.

IF I HAVE ONE REGRET IN MY 12 YEARS IN THE LEGISLATURE, IT'S THAT I ONLY REPRESENTED BELLFLOWER THE LAST TWO BECAUSE OF REDISTRICTING.

I GOT TO MEET AMY IN THOSE LAST TWO YEARS AND THE THE EFFORT THAT SHE PUTS IN TO THIS FOR US IN THE LEGISLATURE, IT'S A FULL TIME JOB. I KNOW THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE TONS OF OTHER THINGS TO BE BALANCING AT THE SAME TIME.

IT'S FROM IN MANY RESPECTS, IT'S THANKLESS, BUT I KNOW THE PSYCHIC REWARD.

I KNOW THE COMMUNITY REWARD IS EVERYTHING. I'VE SEEN THAT IN YOU.

WE WERE TALKING RECENTLY. THE OTHER THING THAT I'VE SEEN IN YOU THAT I LOVE, AND THAT AS A GUY WHO PLAYED SOCCER AS A KID THAT I LOVE, IS THAT THAT ATHLETIC, THAT COMPETITIVENESS THAT WE BOTH KIND OF THE FIRST TIME I MET YOU, WE SORT OF JIVED ON THAT LEVEL. I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY COOL.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY ONE MORE THING. I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE.

PEOPLE HAVE HEARD ME SAY THIS BEFORE. WHEN YOU'RE IN SACRAMENTO AND YOU WAKE UP EVERY DAY AND YOU'RE 400 MILES FROM YOUR DISTRICT AND YOU GO INTO A SUPERMARKET OR A PARK, NOBODY KNOWS WHO YOU ARE.

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOUR TITLE IS, BUT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, WATER DISTRICT MEMBERS, PEOPLE KNOW WHO YOU ARE. BECAUSE THE WATER THAT COMES OUT OF YOUR TAP WHETHER OR NOT YOUR KIDS GET EDUCATED, WHETHER OR NOT YOUR SIDEWALKS ARE CLEAN, PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S THOSE ARE THE BUILDING BLOCKS TO DEMOCRACY.

AND IF WE'RE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL AS A STATE OR AS A COUNTRY, IT ALWAYS HAPPENS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

AMY UNDERSTANDS THAT SHE SHE KNOWS PARENTS. SHE KNOWS THE KIDS.

SHE KNOWS THE SCHOOLS. SO I HAVE LOVED GETTING TO KNOW HER.

I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT HER IN EVERY WAY I CAN. THANK YOU.

REPRESENTING THE CITY OF LAKEWOOD COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ARELLANO.

OH, THERE WE GO. I THINK THEY MAILED OUR CERTIFICATE IN.

IS THAT CORRECT? HOPEFULLY THEY GOT IT IN TIME. SO I CAN JUST SAY IT'S IN THE MAIL. OKAY.

BUT I'M ACTUALLY VERY HONORED TO BE HERE. WATCHING YOU AND YOUR PRESIDENCY HAS BEEN A TRUE INSPIRATION.

AND ALSO, KNOWING THE FACT THAT YOU WENT THROUGH THE BELLFLOWER SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND NOW YOU GET TO BE PRESIDENT AND REPRESENT ALL THE STUDENTS,

[02:20:02]

AND I NOTICED I HAVE A LOT OF PICTURES, I THINK ABOUT 6 OR 7 IN THERE SOMEWHERE, I DON'T KNOW.

BUT I NOTICED THAT SO MUCH. AND THERE'S THINGS THAT STAND OUT THE MOST.

I GET TO GO TO A LOT OF EVENTS AND I FEEL LIKE I'M A PART OF THIS FAMILY, THIS BSD FAMILY.

AND IN YOUR PRESIDENCY YOU HAVE A NEW SUPERINTENDENT WHO IS AMAZING.

EVERY TIME I SEE HER, SHE'S HARD WORKING. ALSO, THE GROUNDBREAKING FOR THE NEW STADIUM.

THOSE ARE UNDER YOUR PRESIDENCY. AND THEN I SAW THAT BIG LIST AND I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOODNESS.

LIKE, I CAN'T EVEN EXPLAIN WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HARD WORK. AND I'M ALSO GOING TO REPRESENT THE CITY OF LAKEWOOD FOR FRANK YOKOYAMA, AURELIO ARELLANO, BECAUSE I'M GOING TO BE DOING BOTH.

SO HE HAS SOME SOME PROCLAMATIONS. I'M NOT GOING TO READ THIS BECAUSE COMPARED TO BRAD, I CAN'T READ.

SO I'M JUST GOING TO SAY THIS IS FROM THE CITY OF CERRITOS, HOURS IN THE MAIL.

AND THEN WE HAVE ONE FOR BRAD AND THEN. ALSO ONE FOR MYRA GARZA.

SO THESE THREE ARE FOR YOU. SO I'M JUST ONLY GOING TO TAKE THIS FOR HIM SO I CAN GET A PICTURE.

CAN I COME UP? NEXT FORMER CERRITOS COLLEGE TRUSTEE JOHN PAUL DREYER.

I ALREADY GAVE MY SPEECH, BUT WE FOUND THE GIFT.

REPRESENTING PARAMOUNT UNIFIED BOARD PRESIDENT EDDIE CRUZ.

BOARD MEMBER. I'M JUST A BOARD MEMBER, AND I'M OKAY WITH THAT.

PAST PRESIDENT YES, WE ALL WANT TO BE BOARD PRESIDENT ON DAY ONE, AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO GIVE THE GAVEL THE NEXT BY THE END OF THE TERM.

SO YES, GET READY FOR IT. VICE PRESIDENT GARCIA, YOU'RE NEXT.

ALL RIGHT. SO GOOD EVENING, BOARD. GOOD EVENING.

EXECUTIVE CABINET. IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH SOME OF MY PARAMOUNT CREW TO RECOGNIZE AMY STEWART.

AMY, I REMEMBER THE FIRST DAY THAT WE MET AND YOUR YOUR QUESTIONS WERE ABOUT CAMPAIGNING.

AND WHAT I HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR WAS THAT YOU LOVE BELLFLOWER, THAT YOU CARE ABOUT OUR STUDENTS.

I SAY OUR STUDENTS BECAUSE I'M NOW PART OF THE BELLFLOWER FAMILY.

VERY PROUD TO BE AND THIS BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY.

AND IT'S IN THE FIRST TERM IN OFFICE THAT WE DISCOVER WHAT KIND OF LEADERS WE ARE GOING TO BE.

AND YOU STAYED TRUE TO FORM. AND I CONGRATULATE YOU.

CONGRATULATE YOU FOR THAT BECAUSE IT'S A TOUGH BUSINESS.

AND SOMETIMES WE GET PULLED IN MANY DIRECTIONS.

BUT YOUR NORTH STAR WAS ALWAYS THE STUDENTS OF BELLFLOWER, THE TEACHERS OF BELLFLOWER, AND OUR CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES.

SO FOR THAT, I CONGRATULATE YOU ON A GREAT YEAR AND THE CERTIFICATE IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE STUDENTS, STAFF, AND FOR YOUR TENURE AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE BELLFLOWER UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT AND AS A TEACHER IN PARAMOUNT UNIFIED.

WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND LOVING OUR CHILDREN SO MUCH.

THANK YOU.

[02:25:40]

AMY, IN MY SHORT TIME IN THIS NEW LEADERSHIP ROLE WITH THE UNION, IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE GETTING TO KNOW YOU.

AND I'M GOING TO ECHO SOMETHING THAT I HEARD FROM PARAMOUNT.

THANK YOU FOR SAYING YES TO BEING THE PRESIDENT OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ADMIRE ABOUT YOU IS THAT WITH YOUR SUCCESSES THAT YOU'VE HAD BOTH AS A STUDENT, AS AN ATHLETE IN BELLFLOWER, BEING A HOMEGROWN PRODUCT, YOU RETURNED TO YOUR ROOTS AND NOT JUST TO PAY IT BACK, BUT TO PAY IT FORWARD. SO THANK YOU FOR DOING WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR SCHOOLS.

REPRESENTING CALIFORNIA SCHOOL EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION VICE PRESIDENT JOANNE CHANG.

HI, AMY AND ANGELA. OUR SECRETARY IS ALSO HERE WITH US.

WITH ME AS MICHELLE TALKED TO YOU. SHE'S SORRY SHE COULDN'T MAKE IT, BUT SHE'S NOT FEELING WELL.

SO ON BEHALF OF CSEA CHAPTER 32, WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT YOU WITH THIS PLAQUE TO RECOGNIZE YOU OF YOUR UNWAVERING, UNWAVERING DEDICATION AND TIRELESS EFFORT DURING YOUR PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD.

YOUR LEADERSHIP HAS MADE A PROFOUND IMPACT ON OUR DISTRICT AND WE TRULY, GRATEFULLY.

WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL FOR THE HARD WORK, VISION, AND COMMITMENT YOU HAVE SHOWN.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR OPEN AND HONEST COMMUNICATION WITH US, WHICH HAS FOSTERED TRUST AND COLLABORATION IN EVERY STEP.

THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE. WE ARE EXCITED TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH YOU AND BUILDING A FOUNDATION YOU HAVE HELPED ESTABLISH.

REPRESENTING BELLFLOWER COUNCIL PTA PRESIDENT ALEXANDRA CORTEZ.

HELLO AGAIN. JUST GETTING TO KNOW YOU THIS YEAR.

AND ME STARTING AS PRESIDENT IN JULY. I ACTUALLY WANT TO CALL UP THE REST OF MY BOARD THAT'S HERE BECAUSE THEY'VE KNOWN YOU PROBABLY A LOT LONGER THAN I HAVE.

SO COME ON UP HERE. THAT WAY THEY CAN TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH YOU, BUT I'LL START WITH MINE. THE DAY I MET YOU WAS AWESOME.

IT WAS MY FIRST EXPERIENCE HERE. PERIOD. EVER.

I'VE ONLY BEEN WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TWO YEARS, AND IT WAS THE MOST ENTERTAINING THING.

I HONESTLY BROUGHT MY PARENTS ALONG, AND I STARTED GETTING THEM THE YOUTUBE LINK BECAUSE IT WAS THAT MOMENT WHERE YOU REALIZE THERE'S A LOT MORE THAT IT TAKES FOR THE PRINCIPALS TO DO WHAT THEY DO AT SCHOOLS AND THE TEACHERS TO DO WHAT THEY DO.

AND IT STARTS IN HERE. JOINING PTA AND LEARNING ALL ABOUT PTA, I LEARNED HOW WE ALSO HAVE A VOICE TO COME IN HERE,

[02:30:04]

I THANK YOU FOR BEING ON THAT BUS THAT DAY THAT WE WENT OUT FOR RED RIBBON.

YOU WERE SUCH A DELIGHT TO LIKE, LISTEN TO. YOU'RE SO ENTHUSIASTIC AND JUST YOUR LOVE FOR SPORTS.

IT JUST SHINES THROUGHOUT AND YOUR LOVE FOR BELLFLOWER ALSO, LET ME PASS IT ON TO SOMEONE ELSE.

OKAY, WE'LL START HERE. OH. HI, AMY. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE THIS PAST YEAR.

TO HELP THE STUDENTS AND THE FAMILIES OF BUSD.

IT'S TRULY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

HI, AMY. SO I HAVE REPRESENTED AMY ON CITIZEN TASK FORCE FOR A FEW YEARS, AND WE'VE HAD PLENTY OF CONVERSATIONS, AND SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN SO WELCOMING.

SHE ANSWERS ALL MY QUESTIONS. SHE ADVOCATES FOR ANYTHING THAT I ASK HER TO DO.

SHE'S JUST SUPPORTIVE AND I FEEL LIKE SHE HEARS ME.

SHE LISTENS TO ME AND I FEEL LIKE I MATTER IN THIS COMMUNITY.

SO I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU, THANK YOU FOR THE COUNTLESS HOURS OF SPEAKING TO ME AND MAKE ME FEEL LIKE I MATTER, LIKE MY KIDS MATTER. AND I WILL ALWAYS SUPPORT YOU.

AND ANYTIME SHE SAYS YOU WANT TO BE ON THE CITIZEN TASK FORCE, I'M LIKE, OKAY YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO I'M JUST GOING TO SAY WHAT I FEEL.

SO SHE'S ALWAYS ON BOARD WITH THAT, AND SHE GIVES ME MY MOMENT TO EXPRESS MYSELF.

AND I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY.

I'VE BEEN TOLD I NEED TO SPEAK FOR THE PEOPLE BEHIND ME BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO. AMY.

WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING OPEN TO LISTENING TO US.

THE REASON MOST OF US GOT INTO PTA WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS THAT WE DID IT FOR THE KIDS, AND WE FEEL THAT THAT WAS YOUR FOCUS AS WELL.

YOU WERE OPEN. YOU WERE YOU'RE AVAILABLE. IN FACT, THE WHOLE BOARD HAS BEEN.

BUT AS THE PRESIDENT, AS WE KNOW, IF WE'VE ALL BEEN PRESIDENTS OF SOMETHING OR OTHER, YOU YOU'RE THE LIGHTNING ROD.

SO THANK YOU FOR HANDLING THAT WITH GRACE, FOR ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS AND FOR HELPING US ADVOCATE FOR CHILDREN.

THANK YOU. NOW GO AHEAD. YES. HI, AMY. I JUST WANT TO SAY I KNEW A LONG TIME AGO BEFORE ANYBODY ELSE IN THIS ROOM, THAT YOU WOULD MAKE A GREAT BOARD PRESIDENT AND BE A GREAT ASSET TO THIS COMMUNITY.

SO I'M SO PROUD OF YOU AND I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU.

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE. THANK YOU.

SHE IS THE REASON I'M HERE. I HAD A CONVERSATION AND SHE'S LIKE, YOU SHOULD RUN.

I'M LIKE, I'M GOING TO RUN. AND SHE IS. SHE SWORE ME IN BECAUSE I APPRECIATE HER.

SHE IS THE REASON I'M HERE. OH, OKAY. SHALL WE GO AHEAD? SO ON BEHALF OF BELLFLOWER COUNCIL PTA, WE APPRECIATE YOU AND THANK YOU.

YOU. REPRESENTING THE BELLFLOWER LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT TEAM, OR BLAST.

PRESIDENT ELECT DOCTOR ANGELICA MONTELONGO.

OKAY. GOOD EVENING. AMY. SO ON BEHALF OF BELLFLOWER LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT TEAM, ALSO KNOWN AS BLAST, WE WOULD LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR US THIS YEAR.

AND SHOWING US THAT YOU CARE AND THAT YOU CARE ABOUT US AND THAT YOU CARE ABOUT THE DISTRICT.

YOUR COMMITMENT MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THE STUDENTS, THE FAMILIES, AND IT IMPACTED THE SCHOOL SITES.

AS YOU CONCLUDE YOUR TIME AS BOARD PRESIDENT.

WE WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE DEDICATION AND ADVOCACY YOU'VE HAD AND EVERYTHING THAT IT BROUGHT TO OUR SCHOOLS.

TO HONOR YOU. MEMBERS OF THE MANAGEMENT TEAM SHARED WORDS THAT BEST DESCRIBE YOUR LEADERSHIP.

[02:35:01]

THE LARGER WORDS REFLECT THE QUALITIES THAT WERE MENTIONED MORE FREQUENTLY.

I'M NOT GOING TO READ THEM ALL, BUT I'LL READ THE ONES THAT ARE THE BIGGER ONES.

SO WE HAVE SUPPORTIVE, PASSIONATE. ADVOCATE. DEDICATED.

COMMITMENT, COMMITTED AND FEARLESS. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE.

WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT MISS STEWART WITH CERTIFICATES FROM JANICE HAHN, REPRESENTING THE FOURTH DISTRICT ON THE LA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AND CONGRESSMAN ROBERT GARCIA. THEY WERE UNABLE TO ATTEND THIS EVENING AND WISH TO EXTEND THEIR CONGRATULATIONS AND APPRECIATION TO MISS STEWART FOR HER SERVICE TO THE STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY.

MISS STEWART, IN CONCLUSION, WE'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR DEDICATION TO THE STUDENTS, STAFF AND COMMUNITY OF BELLFLOWER UNIFIED. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE.

SO DON'T LEAVE BOARD PRESIDENT. DON'T LEAVE. ONE MORE THING.

RAN. THERE WAS A SEATED BOARD MEMBER. IT'S REALLY ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO UNSEAT A SITTING BOARD MEMBER.

AND BEFORE WE MET HER, I SAID THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO WAY WE CAN EVER GET HER ELECTED.

AND THE WOMEN AT LINDSTROM SAID, COME MEET THIS PERSON AFTER MEETING HER.

OUR WHOLE CONVERSATION WAS, THERE IS LITERALLY NO WAY WE CANNOT GET THIS WOMAN ELECTED.

SO WE ARE LUCKY THAT WE'RE SO LUCKY. AND THIS IS BEFORE REDISTRICTING.

SO I THINK SHE LITERALLY KNOCKED ON EVERY SINGLE DOOR IN THE BELLFLOWER UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT TO GET THIS JOB.

SO WE'RE SO GRATEFUL YOU'RE HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

AND AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO ASK BOARD MEMBERS TO JOIN PRESIDENT STEWART. SO THIS EVENING, WE ARE HONORED TO PAUSE AND RECOGNIZE A REMARKABLE CHAPTER OF LEADERSHIP ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, OUR OFFICE, STAFF AND CABINET, WE ARE PROUD TO PRESENT TO YOU, MRS. STEWART, WITH A TOKEN OF OUR DEEPEST APPRECIATION.

I'M GOING TO BRING IT OUT TO YOU SHORTLY. A SMALL SYMBOL OF OUR IMMENSE GRATITUDE AND A LASTING MEMENTO OF YOUR DEDICATED SERVICE AS BOARD PRESIDENT.

YOUR LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN A GUIDING LIGHT WITH AN UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO THE STUDENTS, STAFF, AND BROADER BISD COMMUNITY. YOU HAVE LED WITH INTEGRITY AND PURPOSE, CONSISTENTLY PUTTING OTHERS BEFORE YOURSELF, ALWAYS STRIVING FOR IMPACT. YOUR PRESENCE HAS LIFTED VOICES, INSPIRED PROGRESS, AND SHAPED A PATH THAT PATH FORWARD THAT REFLECTS THE BEST OF WHO WE ARE AND WHO WE ASPIRE TO BE.

[02:40:25]

THANK YOU AGAIN SO MUCH YOU GUYS. THAT WAS REALLY AMAZING.

I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU. ALL RIGHT, SO IT'S TIME FOR THE ELECTION OF BOARD OF EDUCATION OFFICERS.

[15. BOARD REORGANIZATION]

MR. SARAGA. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AS IS CUSTOMARY, EVERY YEAR, THE BOARD MUST UNDERTAKE THE ELECTION OF NEW OFFICERS FOR THE COMING YEAR.

AND AT THIS TIME FOR THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT.

I WILL GO AHEAD AND OPEN IT UP FOR NOMINATIONS.

I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE MISS MYRA GARZA. SECOND, THERE IS A FIRST AND A SECOND.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS HEARING? NONE.

ROLL CALL. PLEASE, MISS ARMSTRONG, I MISS CINTRON, I MR. CRITCHFIELD, I MRS. GARZA, I MISS STEWART I CONGRATULATIONS, PRESIDENT GARZA.

SIR.

SORRY. I'M GOING TO HAVE TO ADJUST THAT NEXT TIME.

THEY SAY THAT THE SECOND TIME IS EASIER, BUT IT REALLY ISN'T.

THANK YOU, BOARD COLLEAGUES, FOR YOUR TRUST. AND THE SECOND OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD OUR DISTRICT YOU KNOW, IN OUR WHOLE COLLECTIVE VISION. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH OUR CABINET AGAIN AS I HAVE HAVE BEEN AS A BOARD MEMBER, BUT ALSO TO GETTING TO KNOW OUR NEW SUPERINTENDENT A LITTLE BIT BETTER AND IN A DIFFERENT ROLE.

SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT AND ALSO CONTINUING TO REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY THAT HAS PLACED ME IN THIS POSITION.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING. SO LET'S CONTINUE.

NOW DO I TAKE OVER OR DO YOU CONTINUE? UP TO YOU, I CAN CONTINUE OR YOU CAN GO WITH IT.

IT'S YOUR CHOICE. OKAY, I'LL GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE, IF YOU DON'T MIND.

THANK YOU. SO THE NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR THE OFFICE OF VICE PRESIDENT.

AND ARE THERE ANY NOMINATIONS? I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE BRAD CRUTCHFIELD FOR VICE PRESIDENT.

I SECOND ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS HEARING? NONE.

THE NOMINATIONS ARE CLOSED. DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO YOU HAVE THE NOMINATION. JUST NEED A SECOND AND ROLL CALL, MISS ARMSTRONG.

I STILL, I DON'T THINK THERE WAS A SECOND. IF WE CAN GET A SECOND.

AMY. OKAY. THANK YOU. I NOMINATED IT, MYRA SECONDED IT.

PRESIDENT GARZA, SECOND IT. YES. SO THEN I TAKE A ROLL CALL.

MISS ARMSTRONG, I MISS CINTRON, I, MR. CRITCHFIELD, I MRS. GARZA, I MISS STEWART, I OKAY CONGRATULATIONS.

VICE PRESIDENT CRITCHFIELD. SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO OPEN NOMINATIONS FOR OFFICE OF CLERK. AND I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE MARINA CINTRON FOR BOROUGH CLERK.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? I THINK YOU NEED A SECOND OR TWO NOMINATIONS FIRST.

SO IF THERE'S A NOMINATION A SECOND WOULD FOLLOW AND THEN A QUESTION FOR ADDITIONAL NOMINATIONS WOULD COME SECOND.

ARE THERE ANY NOMINATIONS? OTHER NOMINATIONS.

HEARING NONE. NOMINATIONS ARE CLOSED. AND. EXCUSE ME.

[02:45:04]

BOARD MEMBER. CINTRON AS BOARD CLERK. THANK YOU.

NOW I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE NEW OFFICERS OF THE BOARD.

SO NOW DO YOU WANT ME, GENERAL COUNSEL? I'M GOING TO TURN THIS OVER TO YOU.

SO AT THIS TIME, IT WOULD ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD TO ITEM 15.2, WHICH IS THE APPOINTMENT TO ANNUAL REPRESENTATIVE TO VOTE ON THE MEMBERSHIP TO THE LOS ANGELES COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL DISTRICT ORGANIZATIONS.

AND IT WOULD FOLLOW THE SAME FORMAT AS THE PREVIOUS ONE.

OKAY. SO THE FIRST IS THE APPOINTMENT OF 2026 REPRESENTATIVE TO VOTE ON THE MEMBERSHIP TO THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY COMMITTEE.

COUNTY COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL DISTRICT ORGANIZATION.

ARE THERE ANY NOMINATIONS? AM I READING THAT WRONG? I'LL NOMINATE MARINA.

SECOND. I KNEW THAT WAS COMING. JUST. I JUST LOOKED AT EVERYBODY.

I KNEW THAT WAS COMING. DO. SO I GOT A SECOND.

THANK YOU. ROLL CALL, MISS ARMSTRONG, I MISS CINTRON, I, MR. CRITCHFIELD, I MISS GARZA, I MISS STUART, I. CONGRATULATIONS, MISS CINTRON, YOU ARE NOW THE APPOINTED 2026 REPRESENTATIVE TO FOR THE LA COUNTY COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL DISTRICT ORGANIZATION.

NEXT IS THE APPOINTMENT OF ANNUAL REPRESENTATIVE TO THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY TRUSTEES ASSOCIATION, 2026. ARE THERE ANY NOMINATIONS? I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE.

RENEE ARMSTRONG. SECOND. ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? HEARING NONE. NOMINATIONS ARE CLOSED. ROLL CALL, PLEASE, MISS ARMSTRONG, I.

MISS NEY. MR. CRITCHFIELD, I. MRS. GARZA, I MISS STEWART.

I. CONGRATULATIONS, MISS ARMSTRONG. YOU ARE NOW OUR REPRESENTATIVE, OUR REPRESENTATIVE FOR 2026 AT LANCASTER. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND NOW.

THE FINAL ITEM IS A SELECTION OF A OF A MEMBER OF THE BELLFLOWER UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCATION TO SERVE AS A REPRESENTATIVE TO THE CALIFORNIA ADVANCING PATHWAYS FOR STUDENTS BOARD FOR A TWO YEAR TERM BEGINNING JANUARY 2026.

ARE THERE ANY NOMINATIONS? I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE AMY STEWART.

I'LL SECOND. ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? HEARING NONE.

NOMINATIONS ARE CLOSED. ROLL CALL PLEASE. MISS ARMSTRONG.

I MISS CINTRON. I. MR. CRITCHFIELD, I. MRS. GARZA, I MISS STEWART.

I. CONGRATULATIONS, MISS STEWART. YOU ARE NOW REPRESENTATIVE OF COLLAPSE BOARD FOR A TWO YEAR TERM. SO I BELIEVE WE WILL NOT BE GOING BACK INTO CLOSED SESSION. CORRECT. OKAY. SO THEN AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING.

TO TUESDAY, JANUARY 6TH AT 4 P.M.. YES.

FOUR 3430, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. 430. HAVE A NICE EVENING.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.