Lemon Grove board approves moving contract for new early‑learning campus as teachers ask for paid help

The Lemon Grove School District Governing Board on Nov. 12 approved a contract with D3 Construction Services to handle moving for the district’s new Early Childhood Education Center and passed several related memoranda and resolutions, while teachers asked the district to provide paid help for the move.

Debbie Skipper, president of the Lemon Grove Teachers Association, said teachers are “very excited and supportive of the new elementary school campus (Early Childhood Education Center),” but warned that moving a campus creates “a lot of stress and anxiety.” She told the board that the district has planned for packing time but that teachers face a single day to move, unpack and set up rooms for students and that many classified staff do not work the day before students return. “We would like the district to consider making these paid opportunities for teachers and PARAs that support them to actually unpack them and set‑up the rooms as they should be,” Skipper said.

Board members voted 5‑0 to approve a contract with D3 Construction Services to serve as the moving contractor for the Early Childhood Education Center (motion by Cheryl Robertson, second by Jasmin Smith). The board also approved Resolution 2024‑25‑15, a continued funding application for the California State Preschool Program for 2025–26, with a correction to district spelling on page three (motion by Cheryl Robertson, second by Yajaira Preciado). Both motions carried unanimously.

The meeting record shows the board approved two memoranda of understanding related to staffing: one for a Classified School Employee Summer Assistance Program and another updating job titles for Parent Volunteer Coordinator and Site Community Liaison. Both MOUs passed on unanimous votes (motions recorded and adopted 5‑0).

Several procurement and facility items related to the Early Childhood Education Center also appeared on the consent agenda approved by the board, including piggyback purchases for furniture and materials and a change order for playground testing. When approving the consent agenda (items B–V), the board asked district staff to obtain three quotes on large purchases in the future.

The board did not make a decision on Skipper’s request during the meeting record; the transcript records the public comment asking for paid work opportunities but does not show a staff response or a formal directive.

All formal actions recorded at the meeting passed by unanimous votes unless otherwise noted.