[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6079075,"mediaKeyId","2956438-f6f8b4a2fff92a5873968b7c0788b8ed","parentId",2956438,"title","Board approves La Mirada seventh-period MOU, declaration of need for fully qualified educators and other routine items","audioSeconds",588,"startMs",8412000,"endMs",9000000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2956438-f6f8b4a2fff92a5873968b7c0788b8ed&start=8412&end=9000","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2956438-f6f8b4a2fff92a5873968b7c0788b8ed/thumbnail_8412000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6079075/California/Board-approves-La-Mirada-seventh-period-MOU-declaration-of-need-for-fully-qualified-educators-and-other-routine-items","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6079075-ecb73a2eacb808c0422fe5dcdaafbdbb/orig.mp4?Expires=1776580761&Signature=S-5a61QVnn6sOG2Mgnp0d~2uqsfzbhlK~NPFb0oTdzFj7OBgH2Zx13yv81qDCtacX7IdOOjW31RQ47g5Ox6j~LYDvTf5VMCvXYEd5IheKRu8dMiu6G-qfgPiGmrWFPPWth38ymdCJF64drcQ2DSiWKKGMkqQWXU3ko1mCCaGAowSTKgMh7qVcMFn~Wu~oOfFc4cs3lpZ6zh1yp4m-Z9v9t--w28O1ri-saZOwVxhKwqjoCa6wRnVn3vV-exbJXhXgRYqw3jlZ2uccx7DwOTh3bAQ1bzWLfvwJiX0oORpGhBxB1mdIwHkX1KisvUXSfL-Fu0gWOsdwvybRgKhNECaww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","San Marcos Unified School District","date","2025-04-11T04:36:18.283Z","article","The San Marcos Unified School District Board of Education took votes Thursday on several administrative items and labor disclosures.

The board approved a public disclosure and later the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the San Marcos Educators Association (SMEA) related to adding a seventh period at La Mirada Academy. District staff said the MOU would cost approximately $30,000 and affect the 2025–26 budget only; the MOU is for one year. The board approved the disclosure required by Government Code before voting on the MOU. Member Meehan moved the MOU, Member Carlson seconded, and the board adopted the item by voice vote.

The board also approved the annual declaration of need for fully qualified educators — a routine item that allows the district flexibility to hire interim-credentialed teachers where state credentialing gaps exist, particularly in special education and sometimes in math and science. That measure was approved by voice vote.

In a separate action, the board appointed a member to the San Diego County Educational Facility Authority (Facility Authority No. 2), which governs the North County Regional Education Center where the meeting took place. Board member Meum was nominated and approved as the district’s representative; the authority typically meets once per year.

Other consent and routine agenda items were approved as presented in the consent calendar.

Votes at a glance

- Disclosure of collective bargaining agreement (SMEA): approved (public hearing held; no public speakers).
- Memorandum of Understanding with SMEA (La Mirada seventh period): approved; estimated cost approximately $30,000 for 2025–26; moved by Member Meehan, second by Member Carlson; voice vote recorded as \"aye.\"
- Declaration of need for fully qualified educators (annual): approved; staff noted priority areas such as special education.
- Appointment to San Diego County Educational Facility Authority No. 2: Member Meum appointed as director; unanimous voice vote.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","April 10, 2025 Regular Meeting of the Governing Board","oneSentenceSummary","The district board approved an MOU to add a seventh period at La Mirada Academy and several routine administrative measures, including a declaration of need for fully qualified educators and an appointment to the county educational facility authority.","taxTitle","San Marcos Unified, School Districts, California","taxId",14495,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6079086,"San Marcos Unified tells public policy update aligns with state penal code; board and residents debate public notification and safety",400,6640000,7040000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2956438-f6f8b4a2fff92a5873968b7c0788b8ed&start=6640&end=7040","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2956438-f6f8b4a2fff92a5873968b7c0788b8ed/thumbnail_6640000.jpg","/articles/6079086/California/San-Marcos-Unified-tells-public-policy-update-aligns-with-state-penal-code-board-and-residents-debate-public-notification-and-safety","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6079086-a8cf6ca845035f4f9283a8d988cdcafd/orig.mp4?Expires=1776580761&Signature=Y1xFF7XpvHXyU8zI2e8Kl0bdYUe6EOGr7-5XL09CDAmB2sJTVDXY15zwp6D718gqnraQtap9Z1OIu1uPJfhQiVzeKbu8c8HJGGxU7IX~oZxds5ej238hKRT8D-CtCsTj4RA7OZCa26LqrTP7MLOB5lKuzsmw2ZgAVKyzC3kiYd-e2X5JuXgDcWw6ATQ2dg0tkI7YeryZBnguF8Q~oOn9XEJ0SPzxZU9rDZNUKWUjAjh66Pb8jjo9LE5HXpOdZdwqG7b8dgUMewCcKUIUPNgEoFvKLLHAkApybct7z6WrKdXbp9XeEHlxBGJoEGwG-87oah-dRtdsGO-mGSoquz5yxA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A group of public speakers pressed the San Marcos Unified School District Board of Education on Thursday about how the district shares information about registered sex offenders and how it checks visitors on school campuses. The questions followed a staff-led update that the district is revising its policy to align with state law and a California School Boards Association model policy.

“Under California Penal Code 290.45,” Superintendent Andy Johnson said in response to repeated public questions, “a district employee to whom *** offender information is disclosed by law enforcement may only disclose such information when authorized to do so through the law enforcement entity.” Johnson told the board the district’s policy had not been updated since 2005 and that the proposed update clarifies the district must align with penal-code requirements and law-enforcement discretion.

Johnson and staff outlined specific legal limits cited in the proposed update: law enforcement may share a registrant’s name, address or photograph, but a 2019 state law restricts public disclosure of Internet identifiers (social-media handles and email addresses) to only three investigative circumstances — a sex-related crime, a kidnapping, or human trafficking.

Several speakers in public comment said they feared the proposed policy would withhold information that families need to keep children safe. One speaker who identified herself as Audra said she feared that information about predators could be hidden and that “that is actually putting people in danger.” Other commenters urged the district to be transparent with parents when there are on-campus risks.

District staff said campuses already use a visitor-management system, IdentiKid, that requires visitors to scan a driver’s license at the front desk and will flag registered offenders in the screen to office staff. “Any visitor must swipe their driver’s license through the system,” Johnson said. “It will automatically pop up to the office staff to identify, and it specifically checks Megan’s Law. So it will flag on the screen, and notify the school staff that that person is on the registry. So that person would never be allowed on campus.”

The district also described its hiring and onboarding checks: all employees undergo fingerprint-based background checks through the Department of Justice and the FBI, and personnel who have a qualifying offense are barred from employment or may be terminated if new information arises.

The board did not adopt a final policy during the meeting; staff said the policy presented to the board reflected guidance from the California School Boards Association and state penal code and that the board’s recommended update is intended to mirror current law and law-enforcement practice. Johnson said the district will defer to law enforcement guidance in individual cases and will publish a board policy that clarifies that requirement.

Public commenters included residents who defended inclusive school policies and others who called for more transparency; the board and staff took questions from multiple residents and reiterated that the district will follow law enforcement on what information can be publicly disclosed and that IdentiKid is used at entry points to flag registrants.

","A group of public speakers pressed the San Marcos Unified School District Board of Education about sex-offender notification and campus visitor checks; staff said a proposed policy revision aligns district practice with California Penal Code 290.45 and law-enforcement discretion.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6079090,"San Marcos Unified outlines middle school redesign with small learning communities, restorative accountability and expanded supports",844,3144000,3988000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2956438-f6f8b4a2fff92a5873968b7c0788b8ed&start=3144&end=3988","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2956438-f6f8b4a2fff92a5873968b7c0788b8ed/thumbnail_3144000.jpg","/articles/6079090/California/San-Marcos-Unified-outlines-middle-school-redesign-with-small-learning-communities-restorative-accountability-and-expanded-supports","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6079090-cef6f3ddd7427147c147453c297296b9/orig.mp4?Expires=1776580761&Signature=VOtkkIlNSDc-4F3qVSGjedkC0uneJFvluTLWGQAt3Bb3jCrzGBxClP2ze~Gy2Ag5H2Wu~b~EqXD0FYk0IxvR~b0k8oOk8fd-OqtBWWvIvC-RwqjlwCLMlujhOV7ZrS2MVHMiXpAxkqGxSiInDulxCMAxDY97Dz4IGSGSyKK68HTcdpzPAwd7pAoVhFX-kgLBWtSwWn87YwstK3PYAdDeh4QyMttHc9LF1t-p--Owp9Gs1o4AhF7riCwwV7bpUGLNXcvv7EiwDuU0P6yrgHaO8IEXOKCLx~m4NG3VEWQOURoO2uJAIh7H-IUwJS1m~~0AAFAIGwRUt9-m3n7H8iW-qg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","San Marcos Unified School District officials on Thursday described a multi-year effort to redesign the middle school experience that district leaders say aims to improve student connectedness, attendance and outcomes.

The district’s director of curriculum and instruction, Nikki Geronner, told the Board of Education that the middle-school redesign centers four learning “pillars”: community and connection, personalized and flexible learning, shared power with students and skills-driven, relevant instruction. “When we ask our middle school site admin and our teacher leaders to engage in this work, each and every student is at the forefront of their thinking,” Geronner said.

The presentation highlighted three San Marcos middle schools that piloted components of the redesign and shared early practices and data. San Marcos Middle School principal Nikki Scott described structural changes at her campus, including small learning communities (SLCs) that group five teachers around approximately 156 sixth-grade students to strengthen relationships, and a den-style home base each morning to build belonging.

Counselor Marissa Sanchez presented attendance work tied to the redesign. The school set a goal to reduce chronic absenteeism from about 18% to 13% and reported progress toward that target. The district shifted routine outreach to weekly “wellness visits” in which staff make in-person home visits to learn the reasons behind absences, follow up with families and leave information and “goodie bags” when they cannot meet a family. Sanchez said the in-person approach and Monday SEL lessons have helped increase student connections and attendance.

San Marcos Middle also described a new restorative discipline model called the Restorative Accountability Project (RAP). Lead campus supervisor Ramon Torres explained that students who commit significant infractions participate in structured accountability workshops — two after-school sessions of about 90 minutes — where they prepare a 6–10 slide presentation that explains the infraction, who was affected, real-world consequences and a plan to repair harm. Families, staff and any victims are invited to the final presentation. “You see the impact in their faces,” Torres said of the presentations, which the school says are followed by a reintroduction of the student to the school community.

District and school staff emphasized that the approach is meant to replace punitive responses that have not reduced repeat infractions. Scott said the redesign requires “perseverance and leadership” and that the changes are intended to center the whole child — academic, behavioral and social-emotional supports — rather than rely solely on sanctions.

Staff also detailed social-emotional interventions and group work. The school runs roughly 10 evidence-based groups during the year, some in Spanish; one program, “Rising Together,” was designed to increase belonging and was delivered in Spanish to serve students with linguistic or cultural barriers. Practicing social workers from Cal State San Marcos join the school’s staff to run those groups.

Board members asked about safeguards for students who are victims in incidents addressed through restorative practice; staff said counselors and social workers provide reentry support and safety planning for any affected students. Board members also asked about scaling: staff said the SLC pilot will expand to serve the full sixth grade next year, after testing with a five-teacher cohort.

Administration emphasized the long timeline and iterative nature of the redesign. The district said the middle-school work is research-informed, drawing on adolescent development and universal design for learning, and that principals will continue to run improvement cycles to adjust practices and measure effects.

The presentation did not include a board vote; staff asked for the board’s continued support as the redesign moves from pilot to broader implementation.

","District leaders and San Marcos Middle School staff presented a multi-year middle-school redesign that centers small learning communities, restorative discipline, targeted attendance outreach and expanded social-emotional supports.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6079080,"Board appoints six members to Measure JJ Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee; staff to seek a seventh taxpayer representative",302,5338000,5640000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2956438-f6f8b4a2fff92a5873968b7c0788b8ed&start=5338&end=5640","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2956438-f6f8b4a2fff92a5873968b7c0788b8ed/thumbnail_5338000.jpg","/articles/6079080/California/Board-appoints-six-members-to-Measure-JJ-Citizens-Bond-Oversight-Committee-staff-to-seek-a-seventh-taxpayer-representative","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6079080-1542f083d047fb6d55dc153f60432e46/orig.mp4?Expires=1776580761&Signature=WGg9rZsDt7V5O22XIMZviH0ha8ZAqJTeHvDbN5bYc5BJHrrDp0NKsQoCbrcii~ZyCPjU2WxN7YUmznCuK4mncSlg8U4FEvSA8IvDSyd0T8P74Mf7HcSwRzdNpzeD~Ns3cuuanI9U6LLUoG1Bj9p10~PT6j9MNL~DSgCnMhMhSvqOHTmfiYXiOQpTU7nDPck6xpVj1~-lySc5VXXbiqyrh5BX71mHPaXPHi25lC10a50HKt~HUdMMutyOhNuKGJGQ5pwJwXkXuESmOgsB449EMwA5cxUoS~mTIQfNiGl5dChYI9QfhJTw2pnvSjZstnppjD9qZeW0hTA0sC3lXqLZog__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The San Marcos Unified School District Board on Thursday appointed six community members to a new Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee to oversee expenditures from Measure JJ, the district’s facilities bond approved by voters in November 2024.

Erin, a district staff member who led the oversight selection process, told trustees the district received 23 volunteer applications. After reviewing applications, staff recommended six community members: Eric Hall, Robert Redfield, Vanessa Smith, Jamie Chamberlin, Stephen Kildew and Paul Soss. The board approved the appointments and designated Eric Hall as the committee’s initial chair.

Erin said the committee will meet quarterly, review bond-project expenditures and publish an annual report for the community. The first committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 13 at 3:30 p.m. at the district office. Committee members will serve two-year terms and may be reappointed for up to three consecutive terms; staff said the committee is expected to remain in place until the last bond dollar is spent, a process that could take up to 10 years.

Staff also reported that no applicant identified as a representative of a bona-fide taxpayers association, a seat the Education Code recommends for oversight committees. To address that vacancy, board members instructed staff to reach out to an additional parent applicant, Stephanie Carroll, and ask whether she will serve and — if she is willing — to consider joining an appropriate taxpayers association so the seat can be filled.

Board members discussed geographic and school representation on the committee. One trustee asked that parents from schools in the first phase of construction be included; staff replied that the committee’s main role is financial oversight and expenditure review rather than design input.

The committee will receive independent audits and facility staff updates and will produce an annual public report on bond spending and project progress. The board approved the appointments by unanimous voice vote.","After passage of Measure JJ, the board appointed six community members to the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee and designated Eric Hall as chair; staff said they will ask an additional parent candidate to fill the taxpayer-representative vacancy and set the first meeting for May 13.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves La Mirada seventh-period MOU, declaration of need for fully qualified educators and other routine items

San Marcos Unified tells public policy update aligns with state penal code; board and residents debate public notification and safety

San Marcos Unified outlines middle school redesign with small learning communities, restorative accountability and expanded supports

Board appoints six members to Measure JJ Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee; staff to seek a seventh taxpayer representative