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Westview teachers and parents press Poway Unified for review of evaluation process
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Summary
Multiple speakers urged Poway Unified trustees to review personnel and evaluation processes at Westview High and Sunset Hills Elementary after teachers and families left midyear; speakers said the issue affects vulnerable special‑education students and asked the board to ensure fairness and transparency in the PPAP process.
Several community members told the Poway Unified School Board on March 12 that personnel and governance failures at Westview High and Sunset Hills Elementary have led to families leaving and teachers stepping away midyear, and they urged the board to examine whether evaluation processes were applied fairly.
"Families are leaving before the school year ends," a Rancho Penasquitos community speaker told the board, adding that kindergartners would finish the year without their teacher. The speaker said the pattern was not an isolated staffing issue but a signal of system failure.
Multiple speakers followed with testimony on behalf of a Westview special‑education teacher identified in public comments as "Mr. Dylan" or "Shane," praising his classroom practice, work with students with extensive needs and impact on campus life. "He is an exceptional and thoughtful teacher... Westview Special Education would experience a significant loss without him," said a Westview special‑education aide.
A community member asked the board to examine the process itself rather than individual personnel details, saying: "This is not about interfering with personnel decisions. It is about accountability, transparency in the systems that affect our teachers and most importantly, our students." Another speaker asked why final evaluations or PPAP documentation had not been used or shared in the way the community expected.
District staff responded with an explanation of the Poway Professional Assistance Program (PPAP). A district presenter said the PPAP provides structured support during the first two years of eligible certificated teachers’ employment, with a trained consultant and a governance board (including teacher and management representatives) that reviews documentation and recommends outcomes based on the totality of information. The presenter noted that personnel evaluations are confidential and said the board cannot discuss specifics of individual employees.
Board members recognized the limits on commenting about personnel matters but said they had asked staff questions and reviewed processes based on public input and emails. Several trustees asked staff to ensure follow‑up with concerned speakers and to return with relevant process clarifications that do not violate confidentiality.
Next step: Board requested staff follow up with community members and bring nonconfidential process clarifications about PPAP and evaluation timelines; no change to personnel decisions was announced during the meeting.
