At a packed Wiseburn Unified School District board meeting on Nov. 20, teachers, classified‑staff representatives and parents urged trustees to address chronic staffing gaps, low substitute pay and shortages of basic classroom supplies that they said are affecting instruction.

Labor relations representative Levi Barria Wells, speaking for the California School Employees Association’s Wiseburn chapter 486, said CSEA stands "in solidarity" with the Wiseburn Faculty Association and urged the board to adopt accurate, specialized job descriptions for special‑education instructional aides so the district can recruit and retain staff rather than rely on third‑party contractors.

"We need accurate, specialized job descriptions that reflect the unique responsibility of special‑education aids," Wells said, arguing that a single, district‑wide aide classification makes hiring and retention difficult.

Second‑grade teacher Kathleen Espana told the board there are not enough qualified substitutes, describing frequent days when classes go unfilled or teachers must cover colleagues. She said one intervention teacher was pulled to substitute 11 times last month and that substitute pay in Wiseburn is "$20 to $50 per day lower than neighboring districts," a gap she said is driving substitutes to schools that pay more.

Bonnie Oleguin, a kindergarten teacher at Holly Glen Elementary, asked the board for more consistent instructional and special‑education aide assignments, better training and predictable schedules so aides can effectively support instruction. Maria Rodriguez, a Holly Glen kindergarten teacher, described running out of construction paper and paint early in the year — materials she said account for roughly "50 to 75%" of how TK–2 lessons are delivered — and said the shortage forced teachers to divert PTA funds intended for enrichment into basic supplies.

Veteran teacher Deborah Davis contrasted teachers’ stagnant pay with reported upward adjustments for some administrators, noting that the deputy superintendent received an "11.8 percent raise" this year. Davis said teachers’ pay has not kept pace with the expanding responsibilities they shoulder.

Board members and staff thanked speakers and said they would take the comments under advisement. Trustees also used the meeting to hear school‑site presentations on reading and math diagnostics, curriculum pilots and report‑card redesign work, and to recognize district and site achievements.

On actions, the board approved a slate of routine items and specific measures by unanimous votes. The consent agenda (items 8.2–8.13) was approved. Action item 9.1, a memorandum of understanding between Wiseburn USD and CSEA chapter 486 to formalize additional library clerk hours and scheduling, was moved, seconded and approved. Action item 9.2, the Single Plan for Student Achievement for the 2025–26 year covering multiple schools, was approved on a roll call vote (5–0) with trustees asking for follow‑up presentations tied to the California Dashboard and mid‑year diagnostics.

Facilities items (10.1–10.3), including Amendment No. 8 for transitional kindergarten playground architectural design services paid from Measure EE funds, were approved after a roll call. A fiscal item to approve additional funds for RCM health care services also passed, 5–0.

Superintendent Blake provided updates on partnerships (including work with Arizona State University and Da Vinci Schools), safety training plans and facilities work: he said the Del Aire high‑school baseball field is progressing, the larger sports complex was delayed by rain (target moved from late January to mid‑February), and charging‑station installations are roughly one‑third complete with a realistic completion target of February–March.

The board scheduled its next meeting for Dec. 11, reviewed upcoming winter concert dates and adjourned to a closed session. Trustees wished the community a happy Thanksgiving and said they will continue to consider the staffing, pay and supply concerns raised during public comment.