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Ventura Unified trustees approve release of certificated employee, deny student readmission and award Balboa Field contract
Summary
The Ventura Unified Board on its first 2026 meeting carried a set of personnel and facilities actions: it announced the release/non-reelection of a certificated employee, denied a student readmission request, approved a contract funded through a literacy grant, and awarded a renovation contract for Balboa's field. Votes were unanimous on recorded motions.
The Ventura Unified School District Board of Education reported several formal actions at its first 2026 meeting, approving personnel and facilities measures and rejecting one readmission request.
In a report after closed session, Board President James Forsyth announced that a certificated employee identified by employee reference number 2025034 "will be released from the certificated position and non-reelected from all district employment effective 01/14/2026." The board recorded that the motion was made by Trustee Sabrina Rodriguez and seconded by Trustee Calvin Peterson; the roll call vote was recorded as ayes 5, nays 0.
On a disciplinary/expulsion-related agenda item, the board considered a readmission request for student number 2502. A motion to deny the readmission carried on a 5-0 roll call vote.
Business services presented a single contract for approval (a Center for Teaching for Biliteracy engagement) identified in staff materials as supported by literacy/reading specialist grant funding tied to LCAP priorities. Trustees asked staff whether the scope would be offered beyond the single participating TWI (two-way immersion) school; staff said the grant was designed for specific multilingual-learner emphasis and that participation was limited to the eligible school(s). The board moved and approved the contract, 5-0.
The board also awarded a specialty landscaping contract for the Balboa Field renovation (phase 1). Staff described the scope as installation of an irrigation pump and controller, regrading, hydroseeding and establishment of new sod, and an anti-gopher system covering roughly half the field. Staff said phase 2 — options including possible turf installation — is being deferred pending the district's school-closure review and community considerations. Trustees approved the award on a unanimous vote.
What happens next: staff will finalize contract documents and proceed with preconstruction scheduling for Balboa Field; the personnel action is effective per staff announcement; the district will post further public notices as procurement steps progress.
Quotes and attribution: All direct quotations in this article come from the meeting transcript and are attributed to speakers who self-identified or were introduced on the record.
The board did not return to closed session and adjourned after routine board reports.
