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Board recognizes migrant speech team, approves academic partnerships, calendar and after‑school contracts; district outlines staffing and attendance efforts
Summary
Trustees recognized migrant speech and debate students, and approved agreements with CSUMB and Concordia, the 2025‑26 district calendar, an after‑school mural contract, and other items 4‑0. Staff reported staffing shortages in special education, summer program dates, Prop 28 arts funding and new attendance materials and outreach plans.
Trustees recognized students from Gavilan View and John Gutierrez Middle School who competed in the regional Migrant Education speech and debate tournament; the board presented certificates to participating students and praised their public‑speaking work.
District staff provided multiple instructional and staffing updates. Claudia Arellano, chief human resources officer, said the district faces staffing shortages, particularly in special education; staff are recruiting domestically and exploring international recruitment channels and visa options, including J‑1 and H‑1B, to fill difficult‑to‑staff positions. Arellano said the district is partnering with teacher‑preparation programs, referenced a teacher residency partnership with Alder University, and expects to bring a fuller staffing report with vacancy counts to the next meeting.
Somer Prather Smith, director of engagement and school climate, described arts and expanded‑learning programming funded by Proposition 28. The district will host two mural projects at John Gutierrez Middle School through Artist Inc (Yoli Arts) and will run special education preschool art, music and movement classes starting in early summer; staff asked the board to help recruit bilingual judges for the state speech and debate tournament the district will host in Monterey County. Prather Smith also outlined summer offerings: elementary summer academy at New Republic, middle‑school summer programming at John Gutierrez, a full‑day migrant summer program at Santa Rita and enrichment ELOP summer camps. Staff said summer programming is scheduled for June 2–June 27 (dates as presented) and that summer registration will be announced soon.
Assistant Superintendent Becky Moore reported curriculum inventory work with school library media specialists and principals, early‑ELPAC administration exceptions for newly enrolled students and upcoming decisions by the district curriculum council about a reading difficulty screener that must be implemented beginning in August.
On family engagement and attendance, staff distributed an attendance guide for families in English and Spanish and a pamphlet describing the truancy abatement process with the district attorney’s office. Staff emphasized a multipronged outreach plan—phone calls, printed materials and short social media videos—to increase participation and shared an example framing of lost local funding when students are absent to encourage attendance.
Votes at a glance • Approval of Sunshine Proposal Letter from Santa Rita School District to Santa Rita Teachers Association regarding 2025‑26 bargaining negotiations — Approved 4‑0 (Agenda item 10.1). • Approval of university agency agreement with California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) for service‑learner placements — Approved 4‑0 (Agenda item 10.2). • Approval of memorandum of understanding with Concordia University Irvine for educational field experiences — Approved 4‑0 (Agenda item 10.3). • Approval of the 2025‑26 district calendar (start date presented as August 5; end date presented in meeting materials) — Approved 4‑0 (Agenda item 10.4). • Approval of Artist Inc (Yoli Arts) contract for Gavilan View after‑school mural projects — Approved 4‑0 (Agenda item 10.5). • Approval of contract with Premier Builders Incorporated for six classrooms at John Gutierrez Middle School — Approved 4‑0 (Agenda item 10.6).
Board members commended staff for outreach and curriculum work. Several trustees noted appreciation for the governance‑handbook workshop held earlier in the week. Public comment on the agenda and non‑agenda items was reported as none.
Staff said they will return with more detailed staffing numbers, finalized summer registration materials and a scheduled community engagement session for LCAP input. The district also encouraged community members to volunteer as bilingual judges for the upcoming state speech and debate tournament.
