Board approves series of student reinstatements, bond issuance resolution and facility agreements in 6-0 votes

The Santa Clara Unified School District Board of Trustees approved a series of personnel, student reinstatement and facility-related actions at its Aug. 14 meeting, with routine motions passing unanimously by a 6-0 roll call (Trustee Kathy Watanabe absent).

The board voted on multiple student reinstatement requests, approved the appointment of an assistant principal, adopted a resolution authorizing the final sale of Measure BB bonds, accepted a first addendum to the City of Santa Clara facilities agreement for the district's youth activity center, approved a fee-waiver request from the Santa Visits Alviso Foundation, and accepted several consent and information items.

Why it matters: The actions finalize administrative appointments, restore several students under suspended enforcement of prior expulsions, and authorize the final financing step for Measure BB, which the district says will fund school modernizations and new construction. The votes also formalize operational arrangements with the City of Santa Clara for the youth activity center and related facilities and continue community event support through fee waivers.

Most important outcomes

- Student reinstatements: The board considered a set of reinstatement motions (items K1–K7). Six reinstatements were approved with continued placement at various district sites; one reinstatement (K2) was denied with direction that the student may apply for reinstatement in December 2025. All reinstatement motions that passed did so by roll call votes recorded as 6-0, with Trustee Watanabe absent. Motions were typically moved by Trustee Rotterman and seconded by Trustee Ratermann (transcript spelling varies) or Trustee Fairchild depending on the item. The record shows each vote as recorded by roll call with individual trustees voting yes when present.

- Appointment: The board appointed Michelle Odo as assistant principal for Ponderosa Elementary School (Item J1). The appointment was approved in a vote recorded as 5-0 with Trustees Fairchild and Watanabe absent for that vote.

- Measure BB bonds (Resolution No. 2,547): The board adopted a resolution authorizing the sale and issuance of Measure BB series 2025 bonds and related actions, establishing a not-to-exceed issuance amount of $190,000,000. The motion passed by roll call, 6-0, with Trustee Watanabe absent. District staff stated the bond proceeds will fund projects including Laurelwood construction, modernizations at Bracker, Briarwood and Westwood, a new New Valley High School facility, and athletic facilities.

- City agreement addendum (L2): The board approved a first addendum to the agreement with the City of Santa Clara concerning the district's youth activity center, teen center and skate park. Under the addendum the district will handle facility leases (via its Facilitron system) for the youth activity center and gym; the city will no longer occupy office space in the youth activity center but will continue use of teen center and skate park spaces. Vote: 6-0 (Watanabe absent).

- Fee waiver (L3): The board approved a full fee waiver request from the Santa Visits Alviso Foundation for its annual event. Staff noted the district previously picked up a one-day insurance cost when the organizer could not secure coverage. Vote: 6-0 (Watanabe absent).

- Consent and information items: The board approved consent blocks H2–H6 and I2–I44 and received multiple information reports including the Proposition 28 arts-and-music annual report (Item K8) and bond and facilities reports. Many consent votes were passed by 6-0 roll call votes (Watanabe absent) or, in one posted appointment vote, 5-0 (Fairchild and Watanabe absent).

Details and vote records (selected items)

- K1 — Reinstatement of expelled student 031424B. Motion: accept reinstatement off expulsion with suspended enforcement and continued placement at New Valley High School. Mover/Second: motion and second recorded. Vote: Canova yes; Fairchild yes; Muirhead yes; Rotterman yes; Ryan yes; Board president yes. Outcome: approved 6-0 (Watanabe absent).

- K2 — Reinstatement of expelled student 031424C. Motion: deny reinstatement with suspended enforcement; student may apply for reinstatement in December 2025. Mover/Second: motion and second recorded. Vote: unanimous among present trustees. Outcome: denied 6-0 (Watanabe absent).

- K3–K7 — Additional reinstatements (041124A, 042524A, 042524B, 042524C, 061324A). Motions to accept reinstatements with continued placement at New Valley, Santa Clara High School, Wilson High School, and Santa Clara High School respectively. Votes: each passed 6-0 (Watanabe absent). Mover/Second typically Rotterman/Fairchild or Rotterman/Canova depending on item.

- J1 — Appointment of assistant principal, Ponderosa Elementary (Michelle Odo). Motion to approve. Vote: passed 5-0 (Trustees Fairchild and Watanabe absent for this vote). Background provided by Dr. Jose Gonzales noting Ms. Odo's 30 years with the district and relevant degrees.

- L1 — Resolution No. 2,547 (Measure BB bonds). Motion: adopt resolution authorizing sale and issuance of Measure BB Series 2025 bonds, not-to-exceed $190,000,000. Vote: passed 6-0 (Watanabe absent). Staff explained projects funded under the measure.

- L2 — First addendum to the addendum with City of Santa Clara (Youth Activity Center). Motion: approve. Vote: passed 6-0 (Watanabe absent). Staff explained the city restructured certain recreation functions and the district will now manage leases for the youth activity center and gym through Facilitron.

- L3 — Fee waiver request from Santa Visits Alviso Foundation. Motion: approve full waiver. Vote: passed 6-0 (Watanabe absent). Staff noted prior years where district covered one-day insurance when organizers could not secure coverage.

What the record shows

The meeting transcript records that most formal motions were routine and passed unanimously among trustees present, with Trustee Kathy Watanabe noted as absent for many votes. Several student reinstatement items included staff recommendations that the board accepted or declined in specific cases; where the board denied reinstatement the motion explicitly directed when a student could next apply for reinstatement (December 2025 for the denied K2 item).

Next steps

Approved bond authorization moves the district toward final bond sale and the associated project procurement and construction planning. Reinstated students will continue placement at the sites specified in each motion; the denied reinstatement was given a future application date. The district will proceed with lease administration for the youth activity center and continue existing partnerships supported by fee waivers.

Sources: Santa Clara Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting transcript, Aug. 14, 2025.