Board keeps district evaluation tool, approves student-council and teacher out-of-state travel

The Blue Ridge Unified School District board approved continuing its existing "strong" teacher and administrator performance-evaluation system and approved two out-of-state travel requests that the district described as educational and professional-development opportunities.

Mr. Roloff recommended retaining the district's current evaluation system to preserve continuity amid staff turnover. "If you see great schools, you'll see great teachers," Roloff said while explaining the district's preference to keep a familiar evaluation framework and add a special-education compliance rider. The board approved the recommendation by voice vote.

The board then approved a student-funded travel request for up to 10 high-school student-council members to attend a leadership conference at Disneyland, described by the presenter as a half-day conference followed by recreational activities. The presenter said students would pay their own costs; transportation will be coordinated so parents carpool to Phoenix and the district's transportation department would provide airport-to-school transport. The board approved the trip with the revision that the district's transportation department arrange airport transport for liability reasons.

Separately, the board approved travel for Robert (Rob) Lafont to attend an Adobe Express teacher academy and the Samsung "Solve for Tomorrow" event in New York/New Jersey. Lafont said the district is a semifinalist for a $10,000 video-production award tied to a search-and-rescue drone proposal, and that the district would provide a $1,250 reimbursement for his travel costs. "They are giving us a $1,250 stipend, or reimbursement," Lafont said. The board approved the request.

These approvals were presented as professional-development and student-leadership opportunities; the board asked staff to coordinate transportation and logistics and to ensure proper documentation for reimbursements.