Board approves consent items, student reinstatements and personnel actions; closed-session hires announced

At its Jan. 21 meeting the Desert Sands Unified School District Board of Education approved multiple consent packages, student-case recommendations and personnel items in a series of roll calls and voice votes. Most actions were carried unanimously (5-0) as recorded in the meeting transcript.

Key outcomes recorded in the meeting record: - Approval of minutes: The board approved the minutes of the Dec. 17, 2024 regular meeting (motion recorded as "Motion carries 5-0"). - Approval of the Jan. 21, 2025 agenda: Motion carried 5-0 with one preferential vote noted in the transcript. - Business services (items 18.5'18.10): The board approved these items as a group (motion carried 5-0). Trustees discussed a planned meal-reimbursement update and staff said a recommendation would be brought to the next meeting, effective Feb. 1, 2025 if adopted. - Items 18.1'18.4 (resolutions requiring roll-call votes): Each item was moved and seconded; roll calls recorded unanimous ayes and motions carried 5-0. - General functions ' educational services: Fourteen items were approved as a group on a unanimous vote (5-0). - Personnel services and student support consent packages: approved as grouped items (5-0). - Student reinstatements: The board voted to accept the recommendation of reinstatement for multiple student case numbers; each motion carried 5-0. Case numbers recorded in the transcript included (as read): 23/24-11; 23/24-22; 23/24-32; 23/24-40; 23/24-43; 23/24-51; 23/24-64; 23/24-71; 23/24-704; 23/24-75. - Stipulated expulsions: The board accepted stipulated expulsion orders for multiple cases; motions carried 5-0. Case numbers read by staff included: 24/25-4; 24/25-05; 24/25-11; 24/25-13; 24/25-14; 24/25-20. - Business-services consent group (ten items): approved 5-0. - Certificated retirements announced and approved: district announced retirements for Karen Capriati (Van Buren), Tricia Capwell (Midyo Middle School), Tracy Lee (Early Childhood Education Center) and Shaw Zadeans (Palm Desert High School); the board approved related personnel actions on the consent calendar. - Classified retirements announced and approved: retirements for Kelly Reinhart (paraeducator, Glenn Middle School) and Jesse Smith (custodian, Early Childhood Center) were announced and approved.

Closed-session actions reported out: The board reported that in closed session it approved administrative appointments and an employment action. Specifically, the board approved the appointment of Julio Zuniga to assistant principal at Reagan Elementary School and Apollonio Del Toro to director of transportation (motions made by trustees and recorded as unanimous). The board also placed a certificated teacher (employee number 211079) on compulsory leave pursuant to Education Code Section 45304, effective Jan. 22, 2025; the board directed the superintendent or designee to send required legal notices.

All recorded votes in this meeting transcript showed unanimous support where a roll call was called; motions were typically introduced by trustees Porras (or "Porus" in the transcript), Alvarez, Pierce, and Duran and seconded as recorded in the minutes. Where the transcript does not name a seconder, the record reflects a second was made on the floor and the roll-call tally is recorded.