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Azusa Unified trustees revisit governance norms, district goals, facilities and student supports
Summary
At a Jan. 28 governance workshop facilitated by CSBA partner Angelina (CSBA), trustees reviewed the district’s vision, goals and board norms; discussed budget, facilities work from recent bond spending, community engagement, safety and nutrition services; and completed a short self‑reflection exercise.
Trustees of the Azusa Unified School District spent the bulk of their Jan. 28 governance workshop reviewing district vision and mission statements, six adopted goals and board meeting norms, and taking stock of ongoing work in facilities, budget, community engagement, safety and student nutrition.
Angelina (a CSBA partner) led a governance refresher for the board and described vision and mission statements as the trustees’ “guiding principles.” She asked trustees to assess progress on six district goals — student learning, human resources, budget and finance, community engagement, facilities, and safety and wellness — and to identify actions they could take over the coming year to support those priorities.
Trustees and staff used the discussion to recognize recent district work. Several trustees praised facilities work, citing school painting, gym floor repairs and curb‑appeal improvements completed after a previous bond program. Trustees said those projects, along with maintenance and site tours by cabinet members, contributed to improved school environments. One trustee described hearing parent feedback that the consolidation and school‑closure decisions made previously were now producing positive program results for students.
Board members also highlighted the district’s food and nutrition program. A trustee who participated recently as a temporary cafeteria worker described scratch cooking, salad bars at elementary sites and efforts to offer lower‑sodium and lower‑sugar options, and praised the district’s cooks and nutrition staff.
On safety and wellness, trustees noted the layered approach introduced in the last two years, including outside security partners and social workers, the district’s well‑being centers, and the new Centegix badge system discussed earlier in the meeting. Trustees and staff stressed that while technologies and partnerships can reduce risk, the district must also communicate safety measures so students and families feel safe on campus.
Trustees discussed board meeting norms, confidentiality and public engagement protocols. Legal counsel earlier in the session reminded trustees that closed‑session discussions are confidential and that trustees should be cautious about social media interactions. The CSBA facilitator asked trustees to commit to board norms and to complete a short self‑reflection form to be revisited at a later date.
Votes at a glance: the board approved the meeting agenda at the start of the session (motion by Trustee Rodriguez Pena, second by Trustee Benavides; recorded as passing with four votes in favor and one member absent at the time) and later adjourned the meeting with a 5–0 vote at 7:47 p.m.
Ending: Trustees completed a brief self‑reflection exercise and said they will revisit the forms at a future governance meeting to evaluate progress on norms and goals.
