[00:00:16]
>> I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THIS REGULAR ORDER AT 5:15 P.M. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
>> GRANT ABSENT. HARDEN. >> PRESENT .
>> MORA. >> THE LIFESTREAM IS AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING AT NATOMAS UNIFIED.ORG AND RECORDINGS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING THE DAY AFTER THE BOARD MEETING. THOSE IN ATTENDANCE SHOULD EXPECT THAT THE MEETINGS WILL COVER ALL ACTIVITY AND DISCUSSIONS BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE MEETING.
BOARD TODAY WILL BE GOING INTO CLOSED SESSION FOR TWO ITEMS. THE FIRST IS CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATOR REGARDING NTA AND DISCUSS TWO STIPULATED EXPULSIONS. I SEE THAT WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR THE CLOSED SESSION ITEMS SO WE'LL CALL THEM IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY WERE RECEIVED. SO THE FIRST ONE IS JESSICA WILSON FOLLOWED BY MAXINE SARMIENTO. JESSICA? PLEASE. YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES WHEN THE LIGHT STARTS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING ME MY TWO MINUTES. AND JUST REALLY OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, I JUST FEEL LOST AS A PARENT. I FEEL THERE'S A HUGE DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE CONVERSATIONS AND AS A PARENT, BUT ALSO AS A STUDENT.
I STARTED MY JOURNEY IN NATOMAS UNIFIED IN 1988.
HAND, BREAKING GROUND FOR OUR FIRST HIGH SCHOOL IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND AGAIN AS A PARENT I'M LOST. THERE'S NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION FROM EITHER SIDE, SO I IMPLORE BOTH SIDES. I NEED TO KNOW MORE INFORMATION. I NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE DISPARITY IS. I NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE FROM BOTH SIDES. MY HUSBAND IS AN EDUCATOR. WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THE CLASSROOM. WE'VE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS WORKING CHEST MEETINGS AND PROCTORING FOR SCULLY. WE ARE NOT SO FAR REMOVED FROM EDUCATION BUT WE REMOVED FROM HIS UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. IT AFFECTS MY SON, WHO IS A FRESHMAN. I DIDN'T MOVE OUT OF THE DISTRICT. I'M STILL HERE AND I'M LOST, AND I'M ASKING FOR THE BOARD TO GIVE US AS PARENTS MAYBE A LITTLE LESS BIASED INFORMATION AND MAYBE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK AND TO SIT AND TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT BOTH SIDES ARE ASKING FOR, BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT THE TEACHERS ARE ASKING FOR. I CAN SEE ON PAPER WHAT MAYBE THE BOARD IS SAYING IS POSSIBLE AND NOT BUT WHERE'S THE DISCONNECT, AND HOW IS THAT AFFECTING OUR STUDENTS? BECAUSE THAT IS THE PRIORITY, SO
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. MAXINE SARMIENTO?
>> HELLO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. MY NAME IS MAXINE SARMIENTO AND I AM A FIFTH YEAR TEACHER AT NETTLE ACADEMY, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE ONGOING CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS AND THE URGENT NEED TO PROVIDE OUR EDUCATORS WITH A LIVING WAGE. I WANT TO BEGIN BY SAYING SOMETHING SIMPLE. TEACHERS IN NATOMAS UNIFIED DO NOT MAKE ENOUGH TO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY THEY SERVE. I KNOW THIS NOT FROM THE NEWS ARTICLES OR STATISTICS BUT FROM WHAT I SEE EVERY DAY. THE REAL IMPACTS ON REAL PEOPLE, MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES, PROFESSIONAL, DEDICATED EDUCATORS, ARE RELYING ON THE FREE FOOD PANTRY JUST TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES. THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MOMENT. THE PEOPLE THAT TEACH OUR CHILDREN TO READ, WRITE, THINK CRITICALLY AND DREAM BIG, THE PEOPLE WHO STAY LATE TO TUTOR, COACH, SUPPORT CLUBS, MAKE SURE EVERY STUDENT FEELS SEEN, THE PEOPLE WE TRUST WITH THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF THOUSANDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE EVERY SINGLE DAY, THESE EDUCATORS CANNOT AFFORD SIMPLE GROCERIES. NO ONE CHOOSES A CAREER IN EDUCATION TO GET RICH, BUT NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN BUYING GROCERIES AND PAYING RENT. WHEN TEACHER SALARIES FALL BEHIND THE COST OF LIVING, WE LOSE EXPERIENCED EDUCATORS TO NEARBY DISTRICTS THAT PAY MORE. ALSO I'D LIKE TO ALSO HAVE TO PAY LUMP SUMS. THE STUDENTS FEEL THE IMPACT DIRECTLY AND LESS STABILITY,
[00:05:05]
MORE TURNOVER. FEWER PROGRAMS. ANOTHER THING THAT I WITNESSED, THOUGH, IS THE NEED FOR MODERN SPECIAL EDUCATION. I KNOW SEVERAL STUDENTS THAT UNFORTUNATELY HAVE FALLEN BETWEEN THE CRACKS. THEY'RE NOT SEVERE ENOUGH TO GO INTO SPECIAL ED, SEVERE, BUT THEY'RE NOT -- THEY ARE IMPAIRED INTELLECTUALLY AND CANNOT FUNCTION IN A REGULAR MAINSTREAM CLASSROOM. SO THEY'RE BEING A DISSERVICE AND WE NEED THAT PROGRAM HERE IN NATOMAS.THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU. SEE NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS, THE BOARD WILL GO INTO CLOSED SESSION, AS I PAUSE DRAMATICALLY TO TURN THE PAGE, AND WILL RECONVENE AN OPEN SESSION AT APPROXIMATELY 6:00 P.M. OR
>> OKAY. WE ARE RECONVENING OPEN SESSION AT 6:02 P.M. WILL YOU
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> DOSICK.
>> PRESENT. >> GRANT ABSENT. HARDEN.
>> PRESENT. >> A QUORUM HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED AND WE ARE MOVING ON TO THE PLEDGE. ESMERALDA, ARE YOU HERE? WOULD YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE TONIGHT?
>> 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. NO ACTION WAS TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION THIS EVENING. BEFORE WE MOVE ON, JUST A REMINDER FOR THOSE IN ATTENDANCE THAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH BYLAW 9320 CONVICT INDIVIDUALS WHICH TO ADDRESS THE BOARD MUST SUBMIT A COMPLETED PUBLIC COMMENT CARD PRIOR TO THE CONSIDERATION OF THE ITEM AND NO LATER THAN THE FIRST ACTION ITEM ON THE AGENDA. INDIVIDUALS WILL BE ALLOWED TWO MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD AND THE BOARD SHALL LIMIT THE TOTAL TIME FOR PUBLIC INPUT ON EACH ITEM TO 20 MINUTES. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENTS, PLEASE FILL OUT A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD AND HAND IT TO THE STAFF MEMBER AT THE TABLE OUTSIDE THE BOARD ROOM. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE MEETING WE ASK MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO REFRAIN FROM APPROACHING THE DAIS, TO PROVIDE MEMBERS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO GRAB BELONGINGS, SIGN DOCUMENTS AND SECURE ANY CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. ABOUT BUT THE BED DAIS AND AREA FOR AUDIENCE SEATING. WITH THAT, IS THERE A
MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF AGENDA? >>
>> MOVED BY MORA, SECONDED BY MEHTA. CALLED THE ROLL, PLEASE.
>> THAT, WE WILL MOVE ON TO CELEBRATIONS. I'D LIKE TO BRING UP THE AMAZING DEIDRA POWELL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT WHO WILL JOIN OUR CELEBRATIONS THIS EVENING AND RECOGNITION BOTH OF TWO -- WE'LL START WITH NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH AND GOOD EVENING TO ALL OF YOU, TRUSTEES, STAFF AND COMMUNITY. IT IS MY PLEASURE TO WISH ALL OF YOU A HAPPY NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH AND THIS YEAR STUDENTS OF ALL OF OUR ELEMENTARY AND K SCHOOLS, THEY RECEIVED A COPY OF THIS BOOK. IT'S CALLED POWWOW DAY AND THEY LEARNED ABOUT NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE AND THE MEANING OF POWWOWS. HERE'S WHAT SOME OF OUR STUDENTS SAID THEY LEARNED ABOUT THE BOOK.
>> ALL RIGHT. POWWOW DAY. >> WHAT DID YOU LIKE ABOUT THE
BOOK? >> THE MAY RIVER FEEL BETTER.
>> RIVER, WAKE UP. TODAY WE READ POWWOW DAY AND IT TALKS ABOUT A LITTLE GIRL NAMED RIVER WHO IS RECOVERING FROM AN ILLNESS.
>> I SIT UP TALL AS THEY COME CLOSE.
>> WHY DO YOU THINK READING IS SO IMPORTANT?
>> SO WE CAN LEARN AND GROW. >> IT'S IMPORTANT JUST TO BE AWARE OF DIFFERENT CULTURES THAT ARE OTHER THAN YOUR OWN, THAT THE WORLD IS MUCH BIGGER THAN WHAT WE SEE EVERY DAY AND AROUND US, JUST TO GIVE A BROADER SCOPE OF PEOPLE.
>> THE DRUM'S HEARTBEAT SOUNDS, SURROUNDS ME.
>> I LIKE HOW SHE SAID AT THE END THAT SHE WOULD DO IT ANOTHER
TIME. >> I CAN'T DO THE HEALING DANCE
TODAY. >> WHY DO YOU LIKE READING?
>> BECAUSE READING IS GOOD. >> I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE FOR THIS AGE GROUP. I THINK THEY DID A GOOD JOB ABOUT SHOWING THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF
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DRESS, THE DANCES WERE INCLUDED, THE DRUMS WERE A BIG PART OF IT.FEELING THE DRUM IN YOUR HEART SORT OF THING, AND ALSO MADE IT RELATABLE BY DOING IT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A LITTLE GIRL.
WHAT DID YOU GUYS THINK OF THAT STORY?
>> THIS IS ONLY A SMALL PIECE OF NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE. IF YOU GUYS WANT TO LEARN MORE I DO HAVE BOOKS FROM THE LIBRARY
ABOUT IT, OKAY? >> AND SO, FAMILIES ALSO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET THE AUTHOR OF POWWOW DAY SO TRACY ZARRELLA, SHE WAS ONE OF OUR GUESTS FOR FAMILY LITERACY NIGHT AND SHE READ ALOUD THE BOOK, POWWOW DAY. SHE ALSO PROVIDED ACTIVITIES AND ENGAGING QUESTION'S AND ANSWERS FOR THE KIDS. WE HAD ABOUT 29 FAMILIES ATTEND WITH MULTIPLE CHILDREN, SO IT WAS A VERY FULL HOUSE ON ZOOM AND EVERY FAMILY THAT ATTENDED, THEY RECEIVED THEIR OWN PERSONAL COPY FOR THEIR HOME LIBRARY. ALSO WE WANT TO JUST MAKE NOTE THAT STUDENTS CAN CHECK OUT THE BOOK AT THEIR LIBRARIES BECAUSE THIS BOOK, AS PART OF OUR READ TO SUCCEED INITIATIVE, IS MAKING SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE CULTURALLY DIVERSE BOOKS, IT'S BEEN SENT TO ALL OF OUR ELEMENTARY AND OUR K- 8 SCHOOLS SO WITH THAT I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO TAKE TIME TO LEARN ABOUT THE MANY CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR NATIVE AMERICAN UNITY AND CELEBRATE WITH US. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU MS. POWELL. PUT THE MIC ON. THANK YOU, MS. POWELL.
>> YEAH. I'M MOVING ON TO THE NEXT ITEM. SIKH AMERICAN
AWARENESS MONTH. >> WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE TWO MAJOR CULTURAL RECOGNITIONS IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER SO WE ARE RECOGNIZING SIKH APPRECIATION AND AWARENESS MONTH. JUST SIMILAR TO HOW WE'VE BEEN CELEBRATING ALL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR OUR CULTURAL RECOGNITIONS, THIS IS A FEATURED BOOK FOR THIS MONTH. IT'S BASED ON A TRUE STORY. ONCE AGAIN IT IS AVAILABLE AT ALL OF OUR LIBRARIES AND OUR ELEMENTARY AND K8 SCHOOLS FOR STUDENTS TO READ AND TAKE HOME AND READ WITH THEIR FAMILIES BUT WE ALSO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THIS BOOK AND HAVE A READ ALOUD WITH OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL MANDY SINGH FROM PASSOVER DAY. SHE'S GOING TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT AND YOU'LL
HEAR FROM SOME STUDENTS. >> OKAY. GOOD MORNING, SCHOLARS.
TODAY WE ARE GOING TO BE READING A BOOK AND THE TITLE OF THE BOOK IS
STORY TODAY? >> WHEN HE RAN SO FAST.
>> HE WAS 93 YEARS OLD. IT WAS SO EXCITING COMING IN AND READING TO MS. SULLIVAN'S KINDERGARTEN CLASS. I REALLY ENJOYED RELATING THE BOOK, JUST BECAUSE IT REALLY FOCUSES ON NEVER GIVING UP. IF YOU HAVE A GOAL, AND YOU PRACTICE, YOU WILL ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL. FORZA STOOD AT THE START LINE.
>> DID YOU LIKE THE BOOK? WHAT DID YOU LIKE ABOUT THE BOOK?
>> HIM RUNNING. >> EVERY MORNING HE REMINDED HIMSELF, OF HIS MOTHER'S WORDS. IT GIVES AWARENESS OF THE SINKS AND ALSO TELLS YOU THE OBSTACLES FACED BUT HOW WE NEVER GAVE UP.
>> WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT READING?
>> YOU TAKE A BOOK AND THEN JUST IT'S ALL ABOUT IT.
>> HOLDINGTIGHTLY TO HIS MEDALS.
>> I REALLY ENJOYED COMING IN AND READING TO THESE KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS. IT WAS GREAT SPENDING TIME WITH THEM AND SHARING THE STORY. YOU COULD ACCOMPLISH WHATEVER YOU WANT TO
ACCOMPLISH. >> OKAY. THANK YOU.
>> AND WE ARE ALSO FORTUNATE IN NOKOMIS TO HAVE MANY AMAZING SUPPORTERS, COMMUNITY PARTNERS. THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF ONE.
SHE'S ONE OF OUR PARENTS AND ALSO AN OWNER OF ORTHODONTICS. SHE VOLUNTEERED AT TWO OF OUR SCHOOLS AND SHE ALSO READ TO STUDENTS AS PART OF SIKH AWARENESS AND APPRECIATION MONTH. AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS PHOTO, THE STUDENTS ARE VERY , VERY ENGAGED AS THEY LEARNED AND GAIN A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR FRIENDS AND CLASSMATES WHO MAY IDENTIFY AS SIKH. SO WITH THAT , AGAIN, HAPPY SIKH AMERICAN AWARENESS
[00:15:07]
AND APPRECIATION MONTH AS WELL AS NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH , AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. THANK YOU.>> THANK YOU, MEHTA. >> THANK YOU. I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO DEIRDRE AND HER TEAM, CAFE TEAM. YOU JUST SHOWED THIS RIGHT NOW BUT WHEN I WAS FIRST A PARENT, I'M STILL A PARENT IN THE DISTRICT, IN 2018 WE HAD BEEN COLLABORATING WITH DEIRDRE AND DOING PRESENTATION, DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, AND YOUR RIGHT, SHE'S BEEN DOING PRESENTATIONS IN SO MANY NATOMAS SCHOOLS, WE HAVE DONE THAT AND YOU'VE BEEN A GREAT PART, DEIRDRE. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU. I APPRECIATE CLUB DENTAL CENTER FOR DOING SO MANY EVENTS. I WOULD NOT FORGET THE PREVIOUS EVENT THAT WE DID TWO YEARS BACK. THAT WAS REALLY, REALLY AMAZING AND I APPLAUD AND APPRECIATE THE CAFE TEAM AND DEIRDRE FOR DOING THIS FOR US. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> I WILL SAY DITTO AS WELL. HAVING THE PRIVILEGE OF ALL OF US, OF SERVING IN THE SECOND MOST DIVERSE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE NATION, EVENTS LIKE THIS, THESE RECOGNITIONS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE VALUE OF ALL THE DIVERSE GROUPS THAT ARE PART OF THIS DISTRICT AND APPRECIATE THE EFFORT AND YOUR TEAMMATE TO MAKE SUE THAT EVERYONE FEELS SEEN, ACKNOWLEDGED, RECOGNIZED AND APPRECIATED. SO WITH THAT, SPEAKING OF BEING SEEN AND BEING HEARD, LET'S MOVE ON TO COMMUNICATIONS AND FIRST UP WE WILL HAVE CSEA.
>> GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY. MY NAME IS MARISSA LOCKE AND I AM A COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER FOR CSEA CHAPTER 745. AS WE ENTER THE SEASON OF THANKSGIVING, I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT A GROUP WE CANNOT OVERLOOK -- OUR CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES. PARTICULARLY OUR INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS AND BUS ATTENDANTS. THEY SUPPORT INSTRUCTION, CARE FOR OUR MOST VALUABLE STUDENTS, YET MANY HAVE LIMITED HOURS, WHICH CAN MAKE IT CHALLENGING TO FULLY SUPPORT THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. SOME CLASSIFIED STAFF STRUGGLED TO OF THE FORD HOUSING, BASIC NECESSITIES SUCH AS GROCERIES. MANY WORK ONLY A FEW HOURS A DAY, JUST BELOW BENEFIT RITUALS, LEADING TO HIGHER OUT-OF-POCKET HEALTHCARE COSTS AND FOR SOME, RELIANCE ON GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE SIMPLY TO GET BY. MOST OF OUR CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES HAVE A SECOND JOB JUST TO MAKE ENDS MEET. THIS IS NOT JUST A FINANCIAL ISSUE. IT'S A DIGNITY ISSUE. STABLE HOURS MATTER. I ALSO WANT TO ADDRESS ANOTHER CONCERN MANY EMPLOYEES HAVE VOICED -- IN EQUITIES IN HIRING PRACTICE. WE HAVE QUALIFIED, DEDICATED STAFF WHO ARE BEING PASSED OVER FOR POSITIONS IN FAVOR OF CANDIDATES ALREADY WORKING IN THE ED CENTER IN HIGHER POSITIONS. THIS CREATES THE PERCEPTION THAT YOU KNOW MATTERS MORE THAN WHAT YOU CAN DO. THAT DAMAGES AND DISCOURAGES THE VERY PEOPLE WHO MAKE OUR SCHOOLS RUN. OUR EMPLOYEES DESERVE FAIRNESS AND TRANSPARENCY. ADVANCEMENT SHOULD BE BASED ON MERIT, NOT CONNECTIONS. EVERY QUALIFIED APPLICANT SHOULD HAVE A REAL AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY. CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH NTA. DURING THEIR CURRENT NEGOTIATIONS, AND WE WISH THEM WELL IN REACHING A FAIR AND EQUITABLE AGREEMENT. WHEN ONE GROUP OF EDUCATORS IS FIGHTING FORCE TO, RESPECT, AND FAIRNESS, IT IMPACTS US ALL. ALL OF US. AS WE APPROACH THE THANKSGIVING BREAK I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE STAFF WORKING WITH LIMITED RESOURCES TO MAKE HOLIDAY EVENTS MEANINGFUL FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. YOUR EFFORT DOESN'T GO UNNOTICED. THE SEASON REMINDS US TO APPRECIATE ONE ANOTHER BUT APPRECIATION MUST GO BEYOND WORDS. IF WE TRULY VALUE OUR CLASSIFIED STAFF, WE MUST SHOW IT THROUGH FAIR HIRING, STABLE HOURS, AND BENEFITS THAT ALLOW THEM TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILY, OWN FAMILIES WITH DIGNITY. LET'S CONTINUE BUILDING A CULTURE WHERE STAFF FEEL VALUED, RESPECTED, RECOGNIZED FOR THE
[00:20:03]
INCREDIBLE WORK THAT THEY DO EVERY DAY. THANK YOU.>> THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO NATOMAS TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.
>> GOOD EVENING TRUSTEES AND SUPERINTENDENT CASTILLO. I WANT TO BEGIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING, HONORING THE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES OF THIS REGION. SACRAMENTO TRADITIONAL HOMELANDS AND PEOPLE. WE OFFER GRATITUDE FOR THE LAND ITSELF, FOR THOSE WHO HAVE STEWARDED IT FOR GENERATIONS AND WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY, LEARN, WORK AND BUILD COMMUNITY HERE.
WE ALSO THE FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBE IN SACRAMENT ACCOUNT AND ENCOURAGE EVERYONE IN THE SPACE TO ENGAGE IN CONTINUED LEARNING ABOUT THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE WILL WHO HAVE LIVED AND WORKED ON THIS LAND SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL. IN RECOGNITION IT IS NATIONAL NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH AND SIKH AWARENESS AND APPRECIATION MONTH , WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE DIVERSITY IN NATOMAS AND IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING TO CELEBRATE AND RESPECT OUR DIVERS CULTURES AND HISTORIES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY. TONIGHT I'M HERE UNFORTUNATELY TO GIVE AN UPDATE, THE NATOMAS TEACHERS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, SPEECH PATHOLOGISTS, NURSES, COUNSELORS AND SOCIAL WORKERS ARE STILL WORKING ON EXPIRED CONTRACT. WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR ALMOST HALF A YEAR NOW WITH NO INCREASE TO OUR PAY OR INCREASE TO OUR BENEFITS, OR CHANGES IN OUR CLASS-SIZE OR WORKING CONDITIONS. INFECT OUR WORKING CONDITIONS OF GOTTEN WORSE.
TEMPORARY SOLUTIONS GIVEN BY THE DISTRICT ARE JUST THAT. ONLY TEMPORARY. BECAUSE THE REAL LONG-TERM SOLUTION IS OFFERING COMPETITIVE WAGES AND BENEFITS AND WORKING CONDITIONS SO OUR SCHOOLS ARE NOT UNDERSTAFFED AND OVERSTRETCHED. GIVING TEACHERS A FAIR CONTRACT THAT GIVES SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR WORKING CONDITIONS. I WANT TO ADDRESS THE NARRATIVE THAT WE ARE SPREADING MISINFORMATION ABOUT WHAT AN USD IS CAPABLE OF INVESTING IN OUR STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS. PUZZLES FOR COMPETITIVE SALARY AND FULL HEALTH BENEFITS WON'T CREATE FINANCIAL HARDSHIP FOR OUR DISTRICT BUT WILL REQUIRE RE-PRIORITIZATION OF A CLASSROOM OVER THE CENTRAL OFFICE AND OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS.
WE ALL KNOW THAT THERE IS A FINITE AMOUNT OF MONEY PROVIDED FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND NTA HAS WORKED HARD TO ENSURE THAT OUR PROPOSAL IS FISCALLY ACHIEVABLE IF YOU , THE SCHOOL BOARD, PRIORITIZE SPENDING DOLLARS WHERE THEY CAN BEST IMPACT STUDENT SUCCESS. UNFORTUNATELY OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, NUSD HAS PRIORITIZED INCREASING SAVINGS RESERVE BY OVER 20 MILLION TO 45 MILLION DOLLARS OR 22% OF THE BUDGET WHILE OUR SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS SUFFER. NUSD NOW SPENDS MORE OF ITS BUDGET ON TOP ADMIN THAN ANY OTHER SURROUNDING DISTRICT AND PAYS OUR SUPERINTNDENT MORE THAN SUPERINTENDENTS IN DISTRICTS THREE TIMES AS LARGE.
NUSD GAVE CERTIFICATE STAFF AN 18% RAISE OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS BUT GAVE THAT SAME PERCENT RAISE TO TOP ADMIN IN JUST OVER TWO YEARS. THIS YEAR ALONE TOP MANAGEMENT RECEIVED RAISES EQUALING OVER $575,000. THOSE DOLLARS COULD'VE HIRED SIX ADDITIONAL TEACHERS ARE 16 ADDITIONAL CLASSROOM AIDS INSTEAD OF FURTHER ENRICHING STAFF WHO ALREADY MAKE WELL OVER $300,000 AND REALLY INTERACT WITH STUDENTS. WE DON'T NEED A BLOW TO CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF AND COSTS $13 MILLION. OUR SUPERINTENDENT SHOULDN'T MAKE MORE THAN THE GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA. MANY LARGER SIZE DISTRICTS ARE ABLE TO MANAGE WITH A MUCH SMALLER CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF AND PRIORITIZE HIRING PERMANENT STAFF AND CLASSROOMS. BOARD NUMBERS, YOU MAKE THE CHOICE ON HOW NUSD'S BUT IT IS PRIORITIZED. WE ARE ASKING FOR FULLY STAFFED AND STABLE SCHOOLS. THAT MEANS PRIVATIZING SMALLER CLASS SIZES, MORE RESOURCES, AND MORE INTERVENTION SUPPORTS FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS ARE TO STAFFING RATIOS FOR SERVICE PROVIDERS AND COMPETITIVE WAGES AND BENEFITS WILL KEEP TEACHERS HERE. YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO PRIORITIZE ALL OF THOSE THINGS BUT SO FAR YOU HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO. WE NEED YOU TO CHOOSE NATOMAS SCHOOLS, CHOOSE NATOMAS TEACHERS, CHOOSE NATOMAS STUDENTS. TONIGHT I BROUGHT A COPY OF OUR STRIKE READINESS PETITION. OVER 90% OF OUR MEMBERS HAVE ALREADY SIGNED THIS PETITION. THERE'S MULTIPLE PAGES TO THIS. WE THE MEMBERS OF NTA ARE SENDING A MESSAGE THAT WHILE WE DO NOT WANT TO STRIKE, WE ARE READY TO STRIKE IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES WHEN WE PRIORITIZE NUSD'S BUDGET FOR OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR STUDENTS. I'M URGING THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE AND PRIORITIZE THE NEEDS
[00:25:02]
OF NUSD STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS. I'D LIKE TO GET A COPY OF THE STRIKE PETITION TO THE BOARD.>> THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO BOARD MEMBER COMMUNICATIONS, STARTING WITH TRUSTEEMORA.
>> THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST RECOGNIZE, ALWAYS RECOGNIZE THE BOARD REPORTS, REPORTS TO THE BOARD THAT HAVE COME ALREADY. I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE SIKH AWARENESS AND APPRECIATION MONTH AS WELL. WE HAVE OUR MANY -- SOME MIGHT NOT KNOW WE HAVE OUR FIRST EVER SIKH WOMEN SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER IN TRUSTEE MEHTA SO THANK YOU FOR CONSTANTLY TEACHING US ABOUT YOUR CULTURE AND MORE ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO SIMILARLY RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH AND ALSO REALLY EXPLICITLY STATE THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO US MOVING FORWARD WITH ADOPTING A LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT AFTER STAFF HAS SUCCESSFULLY ENGAGED WITH THE LOCAL FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBE OF FULTON RENTERIA. SO I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE A PLAQUE IN THE BOARD ROOM. I THINK IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT THING THAT WE NEED TO DO SO I'M VOCALLY EXPRESSING THAT, AND THEN LASTLY I'D LIKE TO ACTUALLY -- LET ME MAKE SURE I'M NOT MISLEADING YOU, NOT LASTLY, BUT ALMOST LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE STAFF AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN OUR DISTRICT MAKE JOEY'S FOOD LOCKER HAPPEN. IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, NEARLY 2000 PEOPLE WERE SERVED BY THE FOOD LOCKER IN ITS LAST DISTRIBUTION AND THOSE ARE NUMBERS COMPARABLE TO THE THANKSGIVING FOOD DISTRIBUTION. AND SO THE NEED IS REALLY HIGH.
WE ARE HOPING FOLKS CAN SHARE THAT THERE IS A THANKSGIVING FOOD DISTRIBUTION ON FRIDAY AROUND MIDDAY. THE DETAILS ARE ON THE DISTRICT'S WEBSITE AND OTHER WAYS TO COMMUNICATE AND TO SHARE THAT THAT WILL BE A RESOURCE THAT'S THERE AT NATOMAS HIGH SCHOOL. ABOUT 70% OF THE PEOPLE WHO ACCESS THE FOOD LOCKER ARE FROM THE NATOMAS AREA. AND AGAIN, THANKS TO THE STAFF AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT MAKE THAT HAPPEN. AND NOW, LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS AS OUR BOARD'S REPRESENTATIVE TO THE CALENDAR SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION, TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND THE VALUABLE TRAININGS AND THE VALUABLE OPPORTUNITIES TO TALK TO COLLEAGUES FROM ACROSS THE STATE. IT WILL BE IN SACRAMENTO.
THAT'S PART OF MY STRONG RECOMMENDATION AND KIND OF MOTIVATION TO MY COLLEAGUES, IS THAT THERE IS A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION, AND ESPECIALLY DURING A TIME WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF FEDERAL AND STATE ACTIONS HAPPENING AROUND EDUCATION, THAT IT WILL BE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE THERE IF WE CAN. AND WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO CONCLUDE MY BOARD
REPORT. THANK YOU. >> TRUSTEE MORA . TRUSTEE
HARDEN? >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU TRUSTEE MORA. ACTUALLY TOOK CARE OF ALMOST EVERYTHING I HAVE TO SAY SO I, TOO, WANT TO RECOGNIZE YOU, TRUSTEE MEHTA. THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS KEEPING US INFORMED AND WHAT I PLEASURE IT IS TO SERVE WITH YOU. CONGRATULATIONS ON OUR NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH. IT'S A VERY EXCITING TIME. I APPRECIATE, TOO, THAT ALL YOUR STAFF DOES FOR US. LET'S LOOK AT -- I HAD A CHANCE TO GO OUT TO A FEW SCHOOL VISITS IT'S BEEN QUITE A MONTH. I HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT HERON SCHOOL MULTIPLE TIMES. ENJOYED THE SECOND GRADERS. MY KNEES ARE STILL ACHING FROM THE KINDERGARTNERS SO PUT A LITTLE ARTHRITIC SPRAY ON THEIR NEXT TIME AROUND. WENT TO NATOMAS HIGH, HAD A CHANCE TO GET TO BRANDON CREEK AND AMERICAN LAKES. I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE FIRST PTA INFORMATIONAL NIGHT IN NATOMAS HIGH THAT WAS QUITE SUCCESSFUL. THEY HAD A FOLLOW-UP MEETING FOR OUR BYLAWS COMMITTEE THAT I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND, SO PRAISE GOD, IT LOOKS LIKE NATOMAS HIGH IS GOING TO BE DOING A. ESSAY AGAIN SO ANY AND EVERYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME OUT AND JOIN AND PARTICIPATE, ALWAYS WELCOME. I'M GOING TO BE SPONSORING THE FIRST 15 PEOPLE THAT WANT TO JOIN SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO PEOPLE COMING OUT TO THE NEXT MEETING. JOEY'S FOOD LOCKER. NOTHING WE CAN SAY
[00:30:02]
ABOUT THAT BUT WHAT A BLESSING IT HAS BEEN TO SACRAMENTO COUNTY AS A WHOLE. I HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT THEIR TODAY AND BAGGED SOME GROCERIES AND HANG OUT WITH SOME OF THEM, WATCH THE STUDENTS AND THEIR JOY AND DELIVER 192 BOXES OF MASHED POTATOES BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL IN NEED BUT WE ARE DOING GREAT THINGS AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. WHAT ELSE DID I DO? DID NOT GET TO THE WELLNESS CENTER BUT AM LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING ABOUT THE STUDENT WELLNESS BECAUSE I WAS OUT OF TOWN BUT HOW AMAZING WAS THAT YOU HAVE THAT RIGHT NOW BACKYARD? OUR STUDENTS ARE SO BLESSED AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. THANK YOU.>> THANK YOU TRUSTEE HARDEN. I WILL KEEP MY COMMENTS BRIEF TONIGHT. WANT TO FIRST SHARING MY ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND THANKS OF HAVING TRUSTEE MEHTA HERE, EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO TO KEEP US INFORMED AND ENGAGED SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I WANT TO KIND OF JUST GO WITH A LITTLE QUOTE HERE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN VERY FRUSTRATING I THINK FOR ALL OF US, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF US IN ELECTED OFFICE, IS HEARING SOME FOLKS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COUNTRY CAN KEEP REPEATING THE SAME LIES OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AND THEN EXPECTING US TO BELIEVE THEM BECAUSE IF THEY REPEAT THE LIE ENOUGH, THEY THINK THAT EVERYONE STARTS TO THINK IT'S THE TRUTH, EVEN WHEN WE KNOW IT'S NOT.
GEORGE GOBEL ONCE SAID THE FURTHER SOCIETY FOR US FROM THE TRUTH, THE MORE IT WILL HE DOES THAT SPEAK IT. SO I WILL ENCOURAGE EVERYONE AT THIS DEUS, EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE TO CONTINUE TO SPEAK TRUTH, MAKE SURE THAT IT'S THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH THAT IS GETTING OUT THERE. IT'S OKAY TO HAVE DIFFERING OPINIONS BUT IT'S NOT OKAY TO WHY OR --
>> TREAT OTHERS WITH RESPECT, SO WITH THAT, I WILL WISH EVERYONE -- WITH THAT, I WANT TO THANK ALL DISTRICT STAFF, TEACHERS, CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO, DAY IN AND DAY OUT, FOR OUR STUDENTS, AND I HOPE THAT EVERYONE HAS A PHENOMENAL THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY BREAK. WITH THAT, TRUSTEE MEHTA?
>> THANK YOU . I DON'T THINK I'M GOING TO BE SHORT BUT I HAVE A FEW SHOUT OUTS TO GIVE. FIRST SHOUT OUT IS TO ONE OF OUR TEACHERS, MS. STEPHANIE STOLE. SHE SHOWED A VIDEO IN HER CLASS CELEBRATING DIWALI AND IT REALLY MADE ME FEEL HAPPY, SEEING HER SECOND GRADE CLASSROOM KIDS TALKING ABOUT IT, AND LAUGHING AND SMILING, AND I COULD HEAR THEM SAYING, CAN YOU PLEASE SHARE IT WITH OUR PARENTS, SO THANK YOU MS. STOWELL FOR DOING THAT. AND I WANTED TO THANK ERIC JONES, CASSANDRA POHL, MARCY DODD AND SHARON MANCINI FOR HAVING SOMEBODY COME OVER TO THE CLASSROOMS AND GIVING PRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE SIKHISM APPRECIATION AWARENESS MONTH. IT'S MORE ABOUT TALKING ABOUT BULLYING AND KINDNESS THAN ANYTHING ELSE. SO THANK YOU FOR THESE TANGIBLES, FOR LETTING US BE PART OF THAT, AND I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO DEIRDRE FOR COLLABORATING AGAIN.
EIGHT YEARS IS NOT A SHORT TIME. SO THANK YOU, DEIRDRE. THANK YOU, HE WAS THE FIRST SIKH ELECTED TO THIS DEUS AND ALSO TO THE DENTAL CENTER FOR SPONSORING SO MANY MORE SHOUT OUT IS FOR OZZIE AND EVERYBODY ELSE WORKING AT THE JOEY'S FOOD LOCKER. AND I KNOW TRUSTEE HARDEN HAS BEEN HELPING HIM AND FROM WHAT I KNOW SINCE AFTERNOON THAT THEY ARE IN NEED OF MASHED POTATOES, SO IN CASE ANYBODY IS WILLING TO DROP IT OFF BY TOMORROW, 1:00, THAT WILL BE GREAT. AND THE LAST SHOUT OUT IS FOR VANESSA, FACILITIES, FOR HELPING AND COLLABORATING TO GET THESE INCENTIVES SO MR. DOUG, IF YOU COULD SHARE THAT. SO THANK
YOU. >> THANK YOU TRUSTEE MEHTA .
SUPERINTENDENT. >> GOOD EVENING. AS I OFTEN STATE, ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS IS GOING OUT AND VISITING SCHOOL SITES AND IN THE LAST MONTH I WAS ABLE TO GO OUT TO INAUDIBLE ] HI, AMERICAN LAKES, HERON AND HL AND HEIGHTS, AT HERON I GOT TO SEE A LOT OF EARLY LITERACY LESSONS IN ACTION SO IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE THE WORK THAT THE TEACHERS ARE DOING WITH THE STUDENTS IN THEIR CLASSROOM AND AT H ALLEN HIGHT I HAD THE MOST FUN VISITING THE PRESCHOOL . THEY HAD THE STC PRESCHOOL AND THE JEN ED PRESCHOOL MEETING TOGETHER. THEY READ THE STORY, THE DOORBELL RANG. THEY MADE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES AND THEY HAD STATIONS THAT WERE ALL ABOUT PIECES OF THE STORY, SO THEY HAVE THE STORY UP AND THEN THE ACTIVITY THAT THE KIDS WERE DOING. AND SO IT WAS SO MUCH FUN JUST TO TALK WITH THEM, AND HEAR ABOUT THE - LEARNING THAT THEY'RE DOING.
THE TEACHERS ARE AMAZING. THEY PUT A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT INTO THAT DAY SO JUST THANKING THEM FOR THAT. A FEW EVENTS THAT
[00:35:01]
HAVE COME UP, I VISITED THE LEROY GREEN D A DAY LOS WHERE TOES AND REALLY ENJOYED THAT. TRUSTEE MARA WAS THERE WITH ME, ALSO. WE HAD OUR SECONDARY SHOWCASE NIGHT SO IT WAS GREAT TO SEE ALL OF THE OFFERINGS THAT WE HAVE AT OUR SECONDARY SITES, WITH THE IB, AP, CAPSTONE, ALL OF OUR CTE PROGRAMS, SO IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR FAMILIES TO SEE WHAT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE IN OUR HIGH SCHOOLS AND OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL AS THEIR STUDENTS MATRICULATE UP. ALSO AS TRUSTEE HARDEN SPOKE ABOUT, I DID GET TO GO TO THE RIBBON-CUTTING FOR THE WELLNESS CENTER AT NATOMAS HIGH. SO THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO WENT INTO PUTTING THAT TOGETHER. IT'S A GREAT ROOM IN THERE WITH THESE GREAT BEANBAGS, AND LIGHTS, AND SOUNDS, AND JUST CONSTANT SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS TO GO IN, AND THAT SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SUPPORT IS SO IMPORTANT. AND TO SEE A SPECIAL PLACE ON CAMPUS DEDICATED TO THAT WAS VERY EXCITING. ATHLETICS-WISE, I HAD A REALLY FUN TIME ATTENDING THE FLAG FOOTBALL GAME OF INTERCOM VERSUS NATOMAS HIGH AND A SHOUT OUT TO COACH T. HE DID A GREAT JOB OF BRINGING BOTH TEAMS ONTO THE FIELD TO TAKE A NATOMAS COMMUNITY PICTURE BEFORE THE GAME. SENIORS WERE RECOGNIZED SO IT WAS A REALLY NICE EVENING. I ATTENDED THEIR PLAYOFF GAME.ALSO SENIOR NIGHT E-GAME BEFORE. SO IT WAS GREAT TO SEE OUR SENIORS RECOGNIZED AND THEIR ARE QUITE A FEW OF THEM, AND THEY JUST HAD A REMARKABLE SEASON SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM. AND THEN LAST NIGHT I ATTENDED THE HOME OPENER FOR THE NIGHTHAWKS OVER AT NATOMAS HIGH WITH THE BOYS AND THE GIRLS WHICH BOTH HAD BIG WINS SO LOOKING FORWARD TO WINTER ATHLETICS. WE HAD OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY SO THANK YOU TO THE STAFF MEMBERS WHO ATTENDED THAT. THERE WERE SO MANY GREAT OFFERINGS WITH EARLY LITERACY, HIGH-QUALITY FIRST INSTRUCTION, PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES, AND SO THANK YOU TO THE PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED THOSE THINGS. THIS MORNING WE HAD OUR SUPERINTENDENTS PARENT ADVISORY SO IT IS ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE THESE CONTACTS WITH OUR PARENTS TO TALK ABOUT ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT IN OUR DISTRICT AND TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK. AND THANK YOU TO TRUSTEES FOR TALKING ABOUT JOEY'S FOOD LOCKER, THAT IT'S A GREAT RESOURCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND LASTLY JUST WISH EVERYBODY A VERY HAPPY AND THANKFUL THANKSGIVING AND HOPE YOU GET A LOT OF REST AND RELAXATION.
>> THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT CASTIGLIA. MOVING ON TO CONSENT, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? WE HAVE ONE PUBLIC COMMENT, MS. THURMAN.
>> GOOD EVENING. I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR BOARD. I KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOOD LISTENERS. WHAT I HAVE TO SAY REVOLVES AROUND OUR RECENT CANCELLATION BY THE SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT OF THE $2.1 MILLION
>> TRY NOW. >> I'M WONDERING IF WE CAN USE THAT $2.1 MILLION FOR OUR TEACHERS. I'M WONDERING IF WE CAN USE SOME OF THE EXTRA FUNDS THAT WE WON'T HAVE TO EXPEND FOR THAT LEVEL OF SAFETY IN PUTTING TOGETHER A REIMAGINED SAFETY PLAN. THE SAC CITY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT IN 2019 TOGETHER SUCH A PLAN, THEY WENT THROUGH ALL OF THE STEPS NEEDED.
THEY USED SOME OF THE COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE SAFETY FOR OUR SCHOOLS AND WE COULD FOLLOW THAT SAME PATTERN. EVERY PENNY THAT WE SAVE IN THE AREA OF SAFETY CAN GO INTO THE CLASSROOMS TO HELP OUR TEACHERS, WHO ARE CRYING FOR HELP. EVERY PENNY THAT WE SAVE CAN HELP OUR CHILDREN BE SAFER, BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE ADULTS ON THE CAMPUS THAN ANY THREE OFFICERS COULD EVER BE, AND THEY CAN PERUSE AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH OUR CHILDREN, AND INTERVENE BEFORE SOME INCIDENT HAPPENS. SO AGAIN, MY PLEA, AS YOU ARE ABOUT TO APPROVE A NEW DESCRIPTION OF THE POSITION FOR A SAFETY RESOURCE OFFICER, IF YOU WILL TAKE THE TIME TO CONSIDER IMPLEMENTING A BRAND-NEW, REIMAGINED SAFETY PLAN FOR OUR SCHOOLS. THANK YOU.
>> SEEN THAT THERE ARE NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR?
>> MOVE APPROVAL. >> SEEING AS THERE ARE NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENTS, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD ON THIS AGENDA ITEM. IS
THERE A MOTION -- >> SO MOVED.
>> MOVED BY TRUSTEE HARDEN. IS THERE A SECOND?
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>> SECOND. >> MOVED BY TRUSTEE HARDEN AND SECONDED BY TRUSTEE MORA. CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.
>> MOTION CARRIES 4-0. MOVING ON TO ACTION . FIRST ITEM WILL BE APPROVING A VENDOR LIST OF CORE PROVIDERS FOR THE LEAP ACADEMY.
NEW PRESENTATION ON THIS ITEM? OKAY. WE DO HAVE TWO PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM. THE FIRST ONE WILL BE CAROLYN JACKSON AND MS. THURMAN. TWO MINUTES EACH. COME ON UP.
>> THANK YOU, TRUSTEES, SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF. MY NAME IS CAROLYN JACKSON. AS AN AMBASSADOR WITH THE NATOMAS BLACK PARENTS UNITED I AM HERE IN SUPPORT OF THEIR APPROVAL OF FREEDOM SCHOOL AND THE DIRECTION OF ROBERT'S FAMILY DEVELOPMENT CENTER AS AN AFTERSCHOOL PROVIDER. BUT NOW THROUGH 2028.
WE BELIEVE, JUST LIKE TRUSTEE DOSICK MENTIONED EARLIER THIS YEAR DURING THE VOTE, WITH SUMMER PROGRAMS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO SEE FREEDOM SCHOOL AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM AND TO EXPAND. WE CONTINUE TO HEAR ABOUT THE LAST YEAR PROGRAM AND THE READING ABILITY OF THE SCHOLARS WHO PARTICIPATED IN FREEDOM SCHOOL, AND WE WANT TO SEE MORE SCHOOL BENEFIT. OUR FAMILIES APPRECIATE THIS LITERACY FOCUSED CULTURALLY MEANINGFUL PROGRAM AGAIN. THANK
YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOU. >> MS. THURMAN.
>> AGAIN TO OUR ESTEEMED BOARD MEMBERS AND THE PRESIDENT IN HIS ABSENCE, I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE NATOMAS BLACK PARENTS UNITED GROUP AND YES, WE ARE APPRECIATIVE FOR FREEDOM SCHOOL BEING OFFERED, AND WE NOTICED THAT THERE ARE NINE OTHER CORE PROVIDERS AND 36 ENRICHMENT PROVIDERS THAT ARE BEING APPROVED TONIGHT. WHAT I WOULD ASK IS THAT BEFORE THIS SCHOOL YEAR, BEFORE THIS YEAR ENDS, IF THE DISTRICT COULD POST WEBSITES FOR THESE VARYING PROVIDERS SO THAT PARENTS CAN BEGIN TO PLAN THEIR SUMMER NEEDS FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND KNOW WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE. OFTEN THOSE PARTICULAR ITEMS AND OPTIONS ARE GIVEN CLOSER TO POST SPRING BREAK AND MOST PARENTS DO START PLANNING THEIR CHILDREN'S SUMMER EARLIER THAN SPRING BREAK, IN TERMS OF, WILL KIDS BE GOING TO GRANDMOTHERS HOMES OR WILL THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO ONE OF THESE WONDERFUL ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE OFFERING. SO THE REQUEST IS SIMPLY THIS. PLEASE POST THE OPTIONS THAT PARENTS WILL HAVE FOR AFTER SCHOOL AND SUMMER EARLIER THAN SPRING BREAK.
>> THANK YOU. >> TRUSTEES, ANY COMMENTS ON THIS AGENDA ITEM? SEE NONE, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEM 14 A, THE VENDOR LIST OF CORE PROVIDERS FOR THE 26-27 AND 27-28 LEAP ACADEMY AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS?
>> MOVE APPROVAL. >> MOVED BY TRUSTEE HARDEN, SECONDED BY TRUSTEE MEHTA. WITHOUT OBJECTION, FIRST LET'S
CALL THE ROLL PLEASE. >> DOSICK.
>> . >> MOTION CARRIES 4-0. MOVING ON TO 14 B, AGENDA ITEM TO APPROVE THE PREQUALIFIED ENRICHMENT VENDORS FOR THE SCHOOL YEARS 26-27 AND 27-28 LEAP ACADEMY PROGRAMS. PUBLIC COMMENT? NO PUBLIC COMMENTS, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? SEEING AND HEARING ON, IS THERE A
MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 14 B? >> MOVE APPROVAL.
>> LOVELY. >> AND I GET A SECOND?
>> SECOND. >> MOVED BY TRUSTEE HARDEN, SECONDED BY TRUSTEE MORA. WITHOUT OBJECTION, ROLL CALL? MOTION CARRIES 4-0. MOVING ON TO ITEM 14 C, APPROVE THE VENDOR LIST OF CORE PROVIDERS FOR THE 26-27 LEAP ACADEMY SUMMER PROGRAMS. WE DO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM. WE WILL START WITH ISAAC BISHOP AND THEN CAROLYN JACKSON AND THEN SHARON
THURMAN. >> HI, I'M MS. ISAAC. I'M ACTUALLY -- I WORK FOR ROBERTS FAMILY DEVELOPMENT. I'VE EVER SEEN THE FREEDOM RULES PROGRAM IN THE NATOMAS DISTRICT THE PAST TWO YEARS. I'M CURRENTLY OVERSEEING THE AFTERSCHOOL
[00:45:01]
PROGRAM AT H ALLEN --. I WANT TO SERVE YOUR STUDENTS AND GET TO KNOW THEM ON A DEEPER LEVEL AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING PARTNERSHIP AND WORKING WITH THE KIDS, AND INVITING YOU GUYS TO BE GUESTS FOR THE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM THIS YEAR.>> MS. JACKSON? >> MS. JACKSON FIRST.
>> ACTUALLY IT'S STILL A THANK YOU FOR THE FREEDOM SCHOOL, TO EXPAND IT OUT INTO THE SUMMER. WE JUST APPRECIATE IT, BECAUSE THE KIDS ARE GETTING A DIFFERENT PRSPECTIVE ON HOW SCHOOL IS FUN AND YOU KNOW IT GIVES THEM MOTIVATION TO KEEP ON AND TO EXPAND THEIR HORIZONS WITH READING AND MATH, AND DIFFERENT OTHER AVENUES. SO WE JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR EXPANDING
IT ONCE AGAIN. THANK YOU. >> MS. JACKSON AND NOW MS.
THURMAN. >> THIS TIME I'M ASKING IF OUR DISTRICT WILL CONSIDER, FOR THOSE SUMMER PROGRAMS THAT DON'T OFFER ANY TYPE OF LITERACY, INTERVENTION, IF IT'S WITHIN THE BUDGET TO HIRE A READING SPECIALIST TO SERVE THOSE CHILDREN WHO HAVE A LOWER THAN GRADE LEVEL READING, WE KNOW THAT IN THE SUMMER KIDS CAN LOSE SOME OF WHAT THEY EXPERIENCE BUT ESPECIALLY IN THOSE PROGRAMS THAT ARE NOT GEARED TOWARD LITERACY, IF THE DISTRICT WOULD FUND ONE PERSON TO SERVE AND INTERVENE AND HELP THOSE CHILDREN WHO ARE NOT READING AT GRADE LEVEL, SO THAT WHEN THEY RETURN TO SCHOOL, ESPECIALLY FOURTH THROUGH 12TH GRADERS, FOURTH THROUGH 11TH GRADERS, THEY WILL BE AT A LEVEL WHERE THEY CAN ACTUALLY LEARN.
SINCE WE KNOW THAT CHILDREN WHO ARE NOT READING AT GRADE LEVEL BY THIRD GRADE ENTER FOURTH GRADE SUPPOSEDLY BEING ABLE TO READ TO LEARN BUT IF THEY CAN'T READ THEY CAN'T LEARN AND SO WITH THIS CRISIS THAT WE ARE HAVING, IT APPEARS THAT WE NEED A DIFFERENT APPROACH, NOT JUST THE SAME STANDARD, OKAY, YOU GO TO FOURTH R AND THAT'S WHERE YOU'LL BE . WHY NOT GO TO FOURTH R AND RECEIVED TUTORING INTERVENTION ONE ON ONE, WHICH HAS BEEN PROVEN TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN SOME OF THE OTHER APPROACHES. AND AT THE END OF THE SUMMER, THOSE STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO THEIR GRADE LEVEL AND ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO READ IN ORDER TO LEARN. THANK YOU.
>> COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD ON THIS ITEM? SEEING AND HEARING ON, LOOKING FOR A MOTION. SO MOVED.
>> BY TRUSTEE MEHTA. WITHOUT OBJECTION, ROLL CALL, MOTION CARRIES 4-0. MOVING ON TO ITEM 14 D, APPROVE AGREEMENT FOR CONSTRUCTION AND REHABILITATION AT NATOMAS CHARTER SCHOOL CAMPUSES. ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? NONE. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD. SEEING AND HEARING ON, LOOKING FOR A
MOTION ON THIS ITEM. >> SECOND.
>> MOVED BY TRUSTEE MEHTA, SECOND BY TRUSTEE MORA. WITHOUT OBJECTIONS, SUBJECT TO ROLL CALL. MOTION CARRIES 4-0. MOVING ON A WONDERFUL TRIP TO ITEM 14 D, APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF ELECTRIC BUS THROUGH THE SACRAMENTO METROPOLITAN AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT RANT. PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? NONE. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS FREE BUS THAT WE ARE GETTING? EXCELLENT. WE LIKE FREE. WE LIKE ELECTRIC BUSES. WE REALLY LIKE FREE ELECTRIC BUSES. I'M LOOKING FOR
A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ITEM. >> SO MOVED.
>> SECOND. >> MOVED BY TRUSTEE HARDEN, SECONDED BY TRUSTEE MORA. WITHOUT OBJECTION , ROLL CALL.
MOTION CARRIES 4-0. THANKS TO STAFF CONTINUOUSLY SEEKING OUT THESE OPPORTUNITIES. WE KNOW THAT ELECTRIC VEHICLES ARE MUCH CHEAPER TO OPERATE. THEY HAVE CHEAPER MAINTENANCE COSTS AND THEY'RE JUST THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND AIR QUALITY FOR OUR STUDENTS AND RESIDENTS OF THE DISTRICT SO I SAY THANK YOU. WITH THAT, MOVING ON TO ITEM 14 F, RESOLUTION NUMBER 25-41 ADOPTING ACCOUNTING OF ANNUAL AND FIVE-YEAR DEVELOPER FEE REPORT. SO AGAIN, THIS IS, IF I UNDERSTAND IT, IS APPROVING THE REPORT. WE ARE NOT APPROVING ANY DIFFERENT OR NEW FEES AT THIS TIME . THAT ONE WAS FOR YOU, TRUSTEE GRANT, IF YOU ARE ABLE TO WATCH US. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? SEEING AND HEARING NONE, COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? SEEING OR HEARING ON, LOOKING FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE.
>> SECOND THAT MOTION. >> MOVED TRUSTEE MEHTA, SECOND BY TRUSTEE HARDEN. WITHOUT OBJECTION, ROLL CALL MOTION CARRIES 4-0. EXCELLENT. MOVING ON TO ITEM 14 G, APPROVING RESOLUTION NUMBER 25-42 RECOGNIZING NOVEMBER 2025 AS NATIONAL NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH.
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>> MOVE APPROVAL. >> I WILL SECOND IT.
>> NO PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM. MOVED BY TRUSTEE HARDEN, SECONDED BY TRUSTEE MEHTA. WITHOUT OBJECTION, SUBSTITUTED BY UNANIMOUS ROLL CALL. MOTION CARRIES 4-0. MOVING ON TO ITEM 14 H, APPROVE RESOLUTION 25-43 RECOGNIZING NOVEMBER 2025 AS SIKH AMERICAN AWARENESS AND APPRECIATION MONTH. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ITEM? TRUSTEE MEHTA?
>> THANK YOU, I'LL MOTION TO APPROVE.
>> SECOND THAT MOTION. >> MOVED BY TRUSTEE MEHTA, SECOND BY TRUSTEE HARDEN. ROLL CALL MOTION CARRIES 4-0. MOVING ON TO OUR LAST ACTION ITEM . ITEM 14 I, APPROVE THAT IS A PRETENSE, 2025 REGULAR BOARD MEETING AS THE DATE FOR THE ANNUAL ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING. ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING, BEG YOUR PARDON. NO PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM. NO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? ORGANIZATIONAL ANNUAL MEETING. IT WILL ALWAYS BE A FUN TIME PRODUCING AND HEARING NONE, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ITEM?
>> SO MOVED. >> MOVED BY TRUSTEE MORA .
SECONDED BY TRUSTEE HARDEN. WITHOUT OBJECTION, SUBSTITUTE FOR UNANIMOUS ROLL CALL. MOTION CARRIES 4-0. THOSE ARE THE ACTION ITEMS. WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS. IT APPEARS WE HAVE A PLETHORA OF PUBLIC COMMENTS.
>> OKAY. ALL RIGHT. OUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT. SO AGAIN, PUBLIC COMMENT IS FOR TWO MINUTES UNLESS TIME HAS BEEN DONATED. SO THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE ASHLEY BATTLE. TWO MINUTES DONATED BY CINDY PIPER. HOPEFULLY GOT IT RIGHT SO
ASHLEY, YOU HAVE FOUR AND IT. >> ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE NATOMAS UNIFIED COMMUNITY AND SPECIFICALLY THE TEACHERS. MY NAME IS ASHLEY AND I STAND HERE AS A PARENT WHO IS WATCHING THE DISTRICT LEAN ON TEACHERS TO HOLD UP A SYSTEM THAT IS VISIBLY CRACKING UNDER THE WEIGHT OF ITS OWN CHOICES. I AM ALSO THE PROUD LIFE OF A NATOMAS TEACHER, A TRUE WORKER BE IN THE DISTRICT, IF YOU WILL, AND I CAN SAY WITH CONFIDENCE THAT NOTHING IN NATOMAS UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT WORKS WITHOUT ITS TEACHERS AND ITS CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES. THE FACT THAT WE ARE EVEN HERE FIGHTING FOR FAIR PAY AND BASIC BENEFITS IS UNACCEPTABLE. PARENTS WANT ANSWERS. HOW DOES THIS DISTRICT CONTINUE DEMANDING MORE FROM TEACHERS? MORE HOURS, MORE EMOTIONAL LABOR, MORE UNPAID WORK, WHILE REFUSING TO PROVIDE FAIR COMPENSATION, FULL BENEFITS, AND EVEN BASIC ADDITIONAL RESPECT. AND HOW IS IT THAT CENTRAL OFFICE ADMINISTRATORS, MANY OF WHOM RARELY INTERACT WITH STUDENTS OR CLASSROOMS, MANAGED TO RECEIVE OVER $575,000 IN RAISES WHILE THE PEOPLE DOING THE REAL WORK REMAIN EXHAUSTED, UNDERPAID, AND EXPECTED TO JUST MAKE IT WORK. YOU CANNOT CLAIM STUDENTS FIRST WHEN CLASSROOMS SIT EMPTY FOR MONTHS. YOU CANNOT CLAIM EQUITY WHEN SCHOOLS ARE UNDERSTAFFED AND UNSUPPORTED. AND YOU CANNOT CLAIM TO VALUE EDUCATION WHILE INVESTING MORE IN ADMINISTRATION THAN IN THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY TEACH THE CHILDREN. PARENTS SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING. THEY CAN SEE THIS ACROSS MULTIPLE SITES.
SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS WITHOUT PSYCHOLOGIST OR SLPS, SAFETY PERSONNEL STRETCHED THIN. TEACHERS BURNING OUT AND OUR CHILDREN, THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE PAYING THE PRICE. AND LET ME BE CLEAR, WE'RE DONE WATCHING DEPARTMENTS BLAME EACH OTHER.
WHEN THE SYSTEM IS FAILING, IT DOES NOT MATTER WHO FAILED MORE.
FIX IT. OUR STUDENTS DESERVE FUNCTIONING CLASSROOMS, STABLE TEACHERS, AND LEADERSHIP WILLING TO ACT INSTEAD OF EXCUSE. PUBLIC DOLLARS MUST BE INVESTED WHERE THEY MATTER MOST -- IN CLASSROOMS, IN EDUCATORS, IN THE STAFF WHO SHOW UP FOR THE CHILDREN EVERY SINGLE DAY. DISTRICT OFFICE STAFF CAN GO PICK UP BINDERS AND OFFICE SUPPLIES WHENEVER THEY WANT BUT YOU CANNOT PICK UP A QUALIFIED TEACHER, A PSYCHOLOGIST, A PARENT EDUCATOR, A SPEECH THERAPIST, A SAFETY WORKER, AFTER PUSHING THEM OUT WITH LOW PAY, MINIMAL SUPPORT, OVERWHELMING WORKLOADS. THESE ARE HIGHLY TRAINED PROFESSIONALS, NOT INTERCHANGEABLE PARTS.
>> AND YOUR RECENT ACTIONS OR LACK THEREOF MAKE IT PAINFULLY CLEAR THAT SOME HAVE FORGOTTEN THIS. STUDENTS ARE REAL PEOPLE.
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR. NOT NUMBERS TO PARADE AROUND IN REPORTS , POWER POINTS, WHILE CHOOSING NOT TO INVEST THE MONEY YOU ALREADY HAVE INTO IMPROVING THEIR EDUCATION. SO HERE'S THE REALITY, NATOMAS UNIFIED MUST FACE. SYSTEMS COLLAPSE WHEN LEADERS REFUSED TO CHANGE AND RIGHT NOW THE DISTRICT STANDS AT THAT EXACT CROSSROADS. YOU CAN CONTINUE POURING MONEY INTO ADMINISTRATION AT THE EXPENSE OF STUDENTS AND TEACHERS OR YOU CAN REALIGN PROPERTIES INVESTED IN THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE LEARNING POSSIBLE. TEACHERS ARE THE BACKBONE OF THIS DISTRICT. THEY
[00:55:03]
ARE THE WORKER BEES WHO HOLD EVERYTHING TOGETHER, AND WITHOUT THEM, NOTHING, AND I MEAN ABSOLUTELY NOTHING GETS DONE.IT'S TIME TO PAY THEM WHAT THEY'RE WORTH, GIVE THEM FULL BENEFITS, AND STOP DISRESPECTING TEACHERS, PARENTS, AND STUDENTS OFFERING CRUMBS AND CALLING IT A FEAST. YOU'RE WELCOME FOR MY TIME AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THANK YOU TO EVERY TEACHER WHO HAS DONE ANYTHING FOR THE CHILDREN IN THIS DISTRICT THAT WE ARE MEANT TO SERVE.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE MICHELLE RODRIGUEZ WITH DONATED TIME SO A TOTAL OF FOUR MINUTES. MICHELLE? FOUR MINUTES TOTAL TIME.
>> GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY. MY NAME IS MICHELLE RODRIGUEZ. I'M HERE AS A PARENT AND STAFF. THERE'S NO WAY TO START BUT I'LL START BY SAYING ON A QUALIFIED, EDUCATED, AND DEDICATED EMPLOYEE. THERE'S NO WAY TO START BUT ONE THING IS THE FACT THAT ALL OF YOU TURN YOUR BLIND EYE . THE SPED DEPARTMENT IS A MESS, THE LACK OF SUPPORT NOT JUST WITH SPED BUT EVERYWHERE. THE PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL STRESS, THE VISIBLE, VERBAL AND EMOTIONAL ABUSE BY STUDENTS IN SPED AND JEN ED IS UNACCEPTABLE. IT'S NOT OKAY TO BE PHYSICALLY HIT, PUNCHED, SPIT IN THE FACE AT, EVERY TIME, EVERY DAY. IT'S NOT OKAY THAT THERE IS NO LEARNING AT ALL BECAUSE EVERY DAY THERE'S ALWAYS MULTIPLE BEHAVIORS HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED. IS NOT OKAY FOR STUDENTS TO BE GETTING HURT IS OF THE LACK OF SUPPORT NEEDED, THE INCORRECT PLACEMENT FOR THESE KIDS, THE FACT THAT THERE'S ONLY THAT DON'T BELONG HERE AND BELONG IN BENEFIT FOR INAUDIBLE ] WHERE THEY WILL LEARN AND BE ABLE TO LEARN ACADEMICS BUT NOT IN NO LEARNING. IT'S NOT OKAY THAT CLASSROOMS ARE GETTING DESTROYED OR THAT STUDENTS NEED TO EVACUATE THE CLASSROOMS. IT'S NOT OKAY FOR YOU TO KEEP ADDING MORE STUDENTS WITH HIGH BEHAVIORS WHEN A CLASS IS DROWNING WITH MULTIPLE CURRENT STUDENTS WITH BEHAVIORS. IT'S NOT OKAY TO BE GETTING -- I'M SORRY, IT'S NOT OKAY THAT WE GO HOME AND CRY BECAUSE WE FEEL AND WE KNOW WE ARE FAILING THE STUDENTS THAT ARE CAPABLE OF LEARNING. IT'S NOT OKAY THAT KNOWING THAT STUDENTS ARE IN A HIGHER LEVEL OF BEHAVIORS, THERE'S NO CHANGING IN STAFFING AND SPED. ONE TEACHER AND TWO AIDES IS NO LONGER FUNCTIONAL.
THAT HAS TO CHANGE. THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE SUPPORT AND STAFFING.
IT'S NOT OKAY. WE CAN'T KEEP STUDENTS SAFE NO MORE. IT'S NOT OKAY THAT YOU AS PARENTS, AS LEADERS, AS PART OF THE COMMUNITY, AND US, AND EMPLOYER, ARE LEADING AND SUPPORTING YOUR EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS AND TO THE SUPERINTENDENT, I'M SURPRISED. IT SURPRISES ME THAT HAVING THE KNOWLEDGE AND BACKGROUND IN SPED, WHEN HAVE I HEARD BESIDES TODAY OR SEEN YOU STEP FOOT IN ONE OF THE CLASSROOMS THAT ARE DROWNING IN MULTIPLE BEHAVIORS? I EXTEND -- I'M EXTENDING THE INVITATION FOR ALL OF YOU TO COME TO ROOM 162 AT H ALLEN HIGHT BUT NOT JUST FOR FIVE MINUTES. STAY FOR A COUPLE HOURS SO YOU CAN SEE IT'S NOT OKAY. IT'S NOT OKAY TO TURN YOUR BLIND EYES ON THE STUDENTS AND ON YOUR STAFF PLEADING HELP . THANK YOU.
. VANESSA CORPUS. IS VANESSA HERE? OKAY.
CATHERINE BARASH. >> I APOLOGIZE FOR MY BODY LANGUAGE. I'M FIGHTING ANOTHER MIGRAINE. MY FIRST CONCUSSION OF THE YEAR WAS ON 9/29. I WAS ALONE IN THE CLASSROOM WITH A STUDENT UP ON TOP OF THE CABINETS. I RADIOED FOR HELP FOUR TIMES AND NONE CAME. HE HIT ME WITH A HANGER AND A CLIP TOWARD. I COLLAPSED. I DIDN'T GO TO THE E.R. THAN. I PUT SOME ICE ON MY HEAD DURING MY LUNCH BREAK AND I WENT BACK TO WORK. I DID LEAVE ON 10/3 IN EXCRUCIATING PAIN TO GO TO THE E.R. AND BE GIVEN INTRAVENOUS MEDICATION. FOR THE EXTREME HEAD PAIN. WENT BACK TO WORK THAT NEXT MONDAY. ON 10/8 I GOT KICKED IN THE CHEST AND KICKED IN THE STOMACH AND HIT OVER THE HEAD WHILE STILL DEALING WITH MY CONCUSSION. ON 10/21, THE DAY AFTER THEY CLOSED MY LAST CONCUSSION, I GOT HIT OVER THE
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HEAD AGAIN. I COLLAPSED. ENTS HAD TO COME AND IT TOOK NOT JUST MY PRINCIPAL, NOT JUST MY VICE PRINCIPAL, NOT JUST MY SPECIAL EDUCATION DIRECTOR, BUT ALL THREE OF THEM TO DEAL WITH ONE OF MY AGGRESSIVE STUDENTS WHILE THAT WAS GOING ON. I WAS OUT FOR THREE WEEKS AND AN APPROXIMATE AMOUNT OF THE MEDS THAT I HAD TO TAKE WERE 74 TYLENOL, 190 EXCEDRIN, SIX MIGRAINE RELIEF EMERGENCY MEDICATIONS. YOU'RE ONLY ALLOWED NINE A MONTH , PER FDA. I AM IN PAIN AND I AM DONE. THE ONLY REASON I DON'T QUIT ISBECAUSE I HAVE A CONTRACT. >> NEXT IS BEEN MELROSE. KIM
MELROSE. >> HELLO. MY NAME IS JIM MELROSE. I'M ACTUALLY A CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEE AT THE SACRAMENTO COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION. I AM PART OF OUR E BOARD AND OUR NEGOTIATING TEAM. I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE TEACHERS AND CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES TO BE GIVEN A FAIR CONTRACT. ACCORDING TO THE CAL HR WEBSITE AND TRANSPARENT CALIFORNIA, IN 2023 THE SUPERINTENDENT OF NATOMAS MADE $364,000 IN TAKE-HOME. $464,817 IN PAY AND BENEFITS. ONE PERSON.
YOUR SUPERINTENDENT TOOK ALMOST HALF $1 MILLION BY THEMSELVES.
THE GOVERNOR IN 2023 ONLY MADE $224,000. I HEAR YOU TALK ABOUT SUPPORTING YOUR TEACHERS AND THEIR STAFF. IT COMES WITH BEING ABLE TO HOLD YOUR HEAD UP HIGH, SAY I HAVE A JOB THAT I ENJOY, AND I AM RESPECTED AT. SITTING UP HERE AND SAYING WE RESPECT YOU. THAT'S NOT ENOUGH. THAT'S ABSOLUTELY NOT ENOUGH. IT TAKES EVERY ONE OF YOU TO TAKE -- WITNESS A CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEE WHO TALKED ABOUT BEING ASSAULTED, NOT ONCE, NOT EVEN TWICE. MULTIPLE TIMES. IF YOU TRULY CARE AND YOU TRULY RESPECT
THEM, PAY THEM. >> NEXT UP WE HAVE JAY BEN WALLACE. J BANUELOS. J, ARE YOU HERE? OKAY. NEXT, JOVE AND SEND
TO. >> GOOD EVENING TRUSTEES, SUPERINTENDENT AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. I'M JOVE AND SANDY .
I'M A SENIOR AT INDERKUM HIGH SCHOOL. I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT OUR TEACHERS AND THE EDUCATION OF BOTH CURRENT STUDENTS AND INCOMING STUDENTS ALIKE . I HAVE NOTICED THAT OUR SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN LOSING INCREDIBLE TEACHERS WHEN I BELIEVE THE GOAL SHOULD BE TO RETAIN AS MANY QUALIFIED TEACHERS AS POSSIBLE. I'VE HAD MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WITH THE DISTRICT'S INABILITY TO RETAIN QUALIFIED TEACHERS.
DURING FRESHMAN YEAR I WAS MOVED TO A DIFFERENT MATH CLASS DUE TO THE EXCESS AMOUNT OF STUDENTS TAKING THE SAME COURSE, HOWEVER, THEY WERE ONLY ABLE TO FIND A TEACHER AFTER THE SCHOOL YEAR HAD STARTED. THE CLASS WAS MAKESHIFT WITH THE TEACHER, IN ALL RESPECT, BE AMPLIFIED TO TEACH THE COURSE MATERIAL. IN ADDITION TO THIS, HE WOULD MISS TWO DAYS PER WEEK TO WORK A SIDE JOB IN ORDER TO MAKE ENDS MEET, LEAVING US WITH A SUB OR TO OUR OWN AFFAIRS. WAS VERY CONCERNING IS THAT THE STUDENTS IN THIS CLASS WERE SCHOLARS STUDENTS PREPARING TO ENTER THE IB PROGRAM SO PREPARATORY CLASSES AND CLASSWORK WERE ESSENTIAL FOR OUR SUCCESS LATER IN HIGH SCHOOL. THIS EXAMPLE ONLY GOES TO SHOW THE IMPORTANCE OF PAYING TEACHERS FAIR WAGES, WHETHER IT BE FOR RETAINING THEM OR ALLOWING THEM TO FOCUS MORE OF THEIR ENERGY TOWARDS BENEFITING THE STUDENTS. THIS AFFECTS OUR CONFIDENCE, OUR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, AND ULTIMATELY OUR ABILITY TO PASS OUR IB EXAMS, EXAMS THAT DETERMINE WHETHER YEARS OF HARD WORK ACTUALLY PAYS OFF. STUDENTS THRIVE WHEN TEACHERS ARE SUPPORTED AND TEACHERS NEED FAIR WAGES TO STAY IN THIS DISTRICT, TO INVEST IN US AND TO BUILD LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS TO HELP US GROW. I'M ASKING THE BOARD TO CONSIDER THE REAL IMPACT ON STUDENTS WHEN THEY CAN'T RETAIN GREAT TEACHERS. FAIR PAY ISN'T JUST A LABOR ISSUE. IS A STUDENT
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SUCCESS ISSUE AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND I URGE YOU AND FULLY SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS WHO SUPPORT US EVERY DAY.>> THANK YOU MR. SANDO. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TAMIKA PAIN. SHAMIKA
PAIN. >> GOOD EVENING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS SHAMIKA OW AND I'M A MOTHER OF THREE STUDENTS IN THE NATOMAS UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT. A FEW MONTHS AGO I STOOD IN THIS ROOM WATCHING THE BOARD ON HER MY OLDEST SON AND HIS TRACTING FOR THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT THEY HELD FOR THAT SEASON. THAT WAS A BEAUTIFUL MOMENT FOR MY FAMILY.
UNFORTUNATELY I'M HERE TONIGHT WITH A VERY DIFFERENT SENTIMENT , EXCUSE ME. I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF MY YOUNGEST SON, JACKSON, AND FOR THE OTHER STUDENTS IN THIS DISTRICT SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.
JACKSON IS SIX YEARS OLD. HE'S AUTISTIC, HAS DELAYED SPEECH , HE LOPES, IS SENSORY SEEKING AND ALSO HAS ONGOING DIGESTIVE ISSUES. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE PERSONALLY OBSERVED JACKSON WONDERING UNSUPERVISED, EATING ITEMS OFF THE GROUND, DIGGING IN THE TRASH, PLAYING AND EATING DIRT, PUTTING HIS HANDS IN HIS MOUTH AFTER TOUCHING VARIOUS SURFACES, LAYING IN THE WATER FOUNTAINS, AND RUNNING AROUND AIMLESSLY, BEING CHASED BY PARAPROFESSIONAL S. WE HAVE OFTEN HAD TO BRING THESE SAFETY RISKS TO THE STAFF ATTENTION WHILE THEY ARE OCCURRING, AND WATCHING THE TEACHER IN ONE TO TWO AGE STRUGGLE TO BALANCE THE COMPLEXITIES OF A STUDENT LIKE JACKSON IS DIFFICULT AS A PARENT, AND FEELING SECURE THAT MY CHILD WILL BE KEPT SAFE. DURING OUR LAST THREE IEP MEETINGS WE REQUESTED A ONE TO ONE AIDE FOR JACKSON BECAUSE OF A CHILD WITH HIS NEEDS, HE NEEDS INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORT. IT'S NOT OPTIONAL IT'S ESSENTIAL FOR HIS GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT AND HIS SAFETY. THREE TIMES THE DISTRICT DENIED THE REQUEST WITH NO CLEAR VERBAL JUSTIFICATION OTHER THAN THE CLASS-SIZE BEING SMALL ENOUGH FOR THE RATIO OF STAFF, WE RECEIVED NO WRITTEN NOTICE, WHICH IS REQUIRED BY IDA AND THE CALIFORNIA EDUCATION CODE.UNDER FEDERAL AND CALIFORNIA LAW, JACKSON IS ENTITLED TO A FREE, APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND TO SUPPORT AND SERVICES NECESSARY FOR HIM TO ACCESS THE EDUCATION --
>> I NEED YOU TO WRAP UP YOUR COMMENTS, PLEASE.
>> EDUCATION INCLUDING THE PARAPROFESSIONALS. I'M STANDING HERE TODAY AS A PARENT CONCERNED WITH THE STATE OF THIS DISTRICT.
I'M SITTING HERE LISTENING TO ALL OF THESE TEACHERS --
>> I NEED YOU TO WRAP UP. >> I'M STANDING HERE LETTING YOU KNOW YOU NEED TO TAKE ACTION TODAY. NOT TOMORROW. TODAY.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT, FORGIVE ME IF I MISREAD IT, TO LENA, IS IT
>> HUDSON, I BEG YOUR PARDON. >> GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS TOWING A HUDSON AND ON A DEDICATED EDUCATOR IN THIS DISTRICT. I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT OUR STUDENTS, OUR FAMILIES, AND OUR FUTURE. EACH YEAR WE AS TEACHERS ARE TRAINED BY A NEW CONSULTANT AT OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
SOMEONE BROUGHT IN FROM OUTSIDE, PAID WITH FUNDS THAT COULD BE USED TO DIRECTLY SUPPORT OUR CLASSROOMS IN OUR STUDENTS, AND OUR COMMUNITIES. THIS CONSTANT TURNOVER OF CONSULTANTS AND TEACHERS DOESN'T BUILD TRUST, CONSISTENCY, OR EQUITY. TO ME, IT SCREAMS ELITISM. IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO SHOW UP AND READ CULTURAL BOOKS TO STUDENTS DURING DIFFERENT TIMES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. WE NEED TO HIRE AND RETAIN EDUCATORS TO REFLECT THE STUDENTS THAT WE SERVE. WE CALL OURSELVES THE SECOND MOST DIVERSE DISTRICT IN THE NATION BUT WHEN I LOOK AROUND, I DO NOT SEE ENOUGH TEACHERS WHO LOOK LIKE OUR STUDENTS. OR UNDERSTAND THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCES. THAT DISCONNECT IS WHY WE ARE HAVING STUDENTS FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS AND WHY WE HAVE YET TO CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP THAT WE CLAIM WE CARE ABOUT. THIS PARENT PATH IS NOT SUSTAINABLE AND AS FOR OUR CONTRACT, WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR A HANDOUT. WE ARE THE TEACHERS AND THE CLASSIFIED STAFF, OR THE BACKBONE OF THIS DISTRICT, AND WE DESERVE A CONTRACT THAT REFLECTS OUR BIRTH AND OUR LABOR. LASTLY, OUR EFFORTS TO RECRUIT DIVERSE CANDIDATES ARE NOT WORKING. I PERSONALLY KNOW SUBS OF COLOR WHO DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THE DIVERSE TEACHER PIPELINE PROGRAM, YET LAST WEEK I HAD A SUB IN MY CLASSROOM FROM OUTSIDE THAT DEMOGRAPHIC WHO IS IN THE PROGRAM. MAKE IT MAKE SENSE. WHY
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ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR NOT FINDING OUT ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY? WHY ARE THEY NOT -- WHY ARE YOU NOT SEEKING THEM OUT SO YOU CAN BETTER STAFF AND BETTER REFLECT THE DIVERSITY OF THIS DISTRICT?>> THANK YOU. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. IT'S TIME TO DO BETTER. WE ARE NOT ASKING. WE NEED YOU TO ACT. THANK YOU.
>> NEXT, ASHLEY BATTLE WITH TIME DONATED. SO A TOTAL -- DIFFERENT
TOPIC SO FOUR MINUTES, PLEASE. >> OKAY. SO BEFORE I START, I WANT TO REMIND YOU GUYS OF YOUR OWN POSTED POLICY. BOARD POLICY, REGULATION 0430 REQUIRE THAT THE DISTRICT PROVIDES FREE APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION WITH QUALIFIED PERSONNEL SUFFICIENT RESOURCES, DISTRIBUTED IN A WAY THAT, QUOTE, MAXIMIZES OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO BE SERVED IN THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT. I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT SAFETY.
THERE ARE ONLY EIGHT SECURITY OFFICERS AT INDERKUM HIGH SCHOOL. THERE HAS BEEN OVER 10 FIGHTS AT NATOMAS AND INDERKUM HIGH SCHOOL THAT I KNOW OF AND SOME OF THOSE FIGHTS INCLUDED KIDS COMING FROM ANOTHER CAMPUS ONTO THIS CAMPUS TO FIGHT, UNBEKNOWNST TO THE TEACHERS. AT MY SCHOOL,AT MY CHILDREN'S SCHOOL, HERON ELEMENTARY, WHEN MR. DAVE IS GONE, THINGS FALL INTO CHAOS. YOU HAVE NOW ALREADY OVERWORKED STAFF BEING OVERWORKED OR, TRYING TO PICK UP THE SLACK OF WHICH YOU GUYS HAVEN'T HIRED AND YOU CREATED. ONLINE SCHOOL INSTEAD OF SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION IS A SLAP IN THE FACE TO EVERY STUDENT AND TEACHER. IF THE STUDENTS DON'T FEEL SAFE AND THE TEACHERS DON'T FEEL SAFE, REGARDLESS OF WHATEVER POWER POINTS AND NICE PDFS YOU WANT TO SEND OUT, IT'S NOT FIXING THE SITUATION. THERE ARE NO MORE SROS SO THERE IS NO MORE SAFETY.
YOU CANNOT EXPECT THE CHILDREN OR THE TEACHERS TO BE SAFE IF YOU ARE NOT PROVIDING SAFE PEOPLE. NO SAFETY PROCESSES IN ANY OF THESE SCHOOLS. I HAVE BEEN A PART OF MANY SCHOOLS IN A DIFFERENT WAY IN THIS DISTRICT AND WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT I'VE HAD TO STEP IN ON SITUATIONS WHEN THERE IS NOT ENOUGH STAFF BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT PAYING THEM. PEOPLE WANT TO BE PAID WHAT THEY'RE WORTH. PEOPLE WANT TO BE APPRECIATED FOR WHAT THEY'RE DOING. YOU'RE PAID FOR WHAT YOU ASSUMEDLY THINK YOU ARE WORTH AND I PERSONALLY DO NOT AGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE PAID IN COMPARISON TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WITH THESE KIDS DAY IN AND DAY OUT, BURYING AND OVERWORKING THEMSELVES. THAT WOMAN CAME IN HERE AND SAID THAT SHE HAS BEEN ASSAULTED MULTIPLE TIMES. DID YOU KNOW? OKAY. I THOUGHT SO. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WHY WOULD SHE GO TO AN E.R. IF SHE DOESN'T HAVE FULL BENEFITS AND THE CO-PAY IS ABOUT TO ASSAULT HER POCKETS? WHY WOULD SHE TALK TO YOU WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO TELL HER TO CALL CUSTOMER SUPPORT. NONE OF THESE TEACHERS OUR CUSTOMERS. THEY'RE YOUR EMPLOYEES. IT IS YOUR JOB TO PROTECT THE NETWORK. YOU ARE NOT DOING THAT. BY NOT PROTECTING THEM YOU ARE NOT PROTECTING THE STUDENTS. AN EASY WAY TO FIX THIS IS TO PAY PEOPLE WHAT THEY'RE WORTH, TO PAY CLASSIFIED STAFF, TO PAY TEACHERS. NO ONE WANTS TO WORK IN THIS DISTRICT BECAUSE THIS DISTRICT DOESN'T WORK FOR THEM. SO IN CONCLUSION, I WOULD LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT TEACHERS ARE AWARE OF WHAT HAPPENS AT SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THE SCHOOLS. CLASSIFIED STAFF ARE AWARE OF WHAT HAPPENS IN SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY ARE IN THE SCHOOLS.
SAFETY FOR EVERYONE AT THE SCHOOL IS TANTAMOUNT TO THEM BUT CLEARLY NOT TO YOU. YOU ARE SAFE IN THE DISTRICT OFFICE. THERE IS A BARRIER TO GET BACK HERE. NO ONE CAN GET TO YOU. AT INDERKUM ALONE THIS YEAR, MULTIPLE STUDENTS AT OTHER SCHOOLS AND OTHER PLACES AND RANDOM PEOPLE HAVE JUST WALKED ON CAMPUS. WHY? IS THERE IS NO ONE TO PROTECT THE GATES. THE GATES ARE A LOT.
YOU GUYS DID THIS WHOLE BIG REVAMP, PUT GATES UP AT INDERKUM AND THEY'RE NEVER LOCKED. YOU CAN PUSH IT WIDE OPEN. HOW IS THAT KEEPING KIDS SAFE? HOW IS THAT PREVENTING SITUATIONS FROM HAPPENING? WE ARE PERSUADING A CYCLE DANGER DUE TO THE LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ON YOUR PART. SO PLEASE PAY TEACHERS WHAT THEY'RE WORTH. PAY STAFF WHAT THEY'RE WORTH. INCLUDE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE TRAINED FOR THE JOB THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. STOP WORRYING ABOUT NUMBERS. THE KIDS ARE NOT NUMBERS. THEY ARE PEOPLE. YES THEY EQUAL DOLLAR SIGNS WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WORKS BUT THEY ARE PEOPLE WHO DESERVE TO BE PROTECTED AND IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PROTECT THE KIDS, WHY BOTHER DOING THIS JOB.
>> THANK YOU. OUR LAST PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE NIGHT IS
MICHELLE GIVENS. >> GOOD EVENING PARENTS, I'M A
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PROUD PARENT, GODPARENTS JACKSON. I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU JACKSON IS AUTISTIC AND HIS PARENTS CARE DEEPLY. I SEE THE CONCERN. I GET THE CALLS OF WORRY WHEN HE HAS BEEN AT SCHOOL, DIGGING IN THE TRASH, PUTTING THINGS IN THE MOUTH, THE GUM OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE TABLE, BECAUSE HE DOESN'T HAVE APPROPRIATE SUPERVISION. I ALSO SEE WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT, WHEN HE GETS SICK AND HE CAN'T COMMUNICATE WHAT PART OF HIS BODY HURTS. I'VE SEEN HIM GROW WITH INFECTIONS IN HIS FACE.I'VE SEEN HIS PARENTS CRY BECAUSE THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW AND WHAT IS HURTING AND WHAT IS AILING AND YOU ALL HOPEFULLY ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO HAVE TO DO THAT. NOW LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY GODSON, THE. HE COMES FROM A VERY ATHLETIC FAMILY. MY GOD SONS, ALL THREE OF THEM ARE BUILT LIKE D1 ATHLETES, WHICH MEANS THAT JACKSON IS TALL. HE'S FAST. HE'S SHIFTY AND HE'S STEALTH AND SO KEEPING UP WITH HIM REQUIRES A LEVEL OF ATHLETICISM THAT I'M SLOWLY LOSING AND THAT MANY PEOPLE DON'T HAVE. AND SO TO EXPECT A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER WITH MAYBE ONE AIDE TO KEEP UP WITH HIM, IN ADDITION TO THE REST OF THE CLASS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, IS FEELING THEM. MY FRIEND AND MY GODSON, LIKE THEY DESERVE THE PEACE OF MIND. FAMILIES DESERVE PEACE OF MIND WHEN THEIR KIDS GO TO SCHOOL, THEY'RE GOING TO BE SAFE. THEY DON'T NEED TO BEG FOR AIDS AND RESOURCES THAT THE STATE HAS ALREADY DETERMINED THROUGH OTHER PROGRAMS THAT THE CHILD NEEDS CONSTANT SUPERVISION, AND YET THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DENIES THAT. FRANKLY THE DISTRICT IS CHOOSING TO IGNORE JACKSON'S SAFETY AND YOU SHOULD DO BETTER. YOU SHOULD GIVE JACKSON THE AIDE THAT HE NEEDS AND YOU NEED TO GIVE PARENTS THE PEACE OF MIND THAT THEY DESERVE. AND WHILE I'M TALKING ABOUT JACKSON, THIS APPLIES TO EVERY SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENT. YOUR TEACHERS ARE STRESSED. YOUR KIDS ARE UNDER SUPERVISED AND YOU ALL HAVE THE POWER TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT,
AND I HOPE YOU WILL. >> THAT WAS THE LAST PUBLIC COMMENT WE HAD FOR THIS EVENING.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.