Parents urge clearer 504 plans and push for healthier school meals and a district kitchen

Two parents spoke during public comment at the Oct. 14 board meeting about student safety and nutrition.

Magdalena Taliva'a described ongoing problems securing care for students on 504 plans and asked the district to adopt clear plans of care and training. She recounted an incident involving her daughter, who has diabetes, and said staff at a football game would not allow a bag containing medication into the venue, leaving medication inaccessible in a car; she asked the board to ensure resource officers, nurses and staff receive appropriate training and written protocols so medications are accessible in an emergency.

"It's about safety, keeping our kids safe," Taliva'a said, urging the board to "come up with a safe plan of care for our students." Board President advised Taliva'a to follow up with the site contact and district staff for a meeting to address the specific concerns.

Another speaker, Gloria, representing a parent-led nutrition committee founded after the pandemic, said the group has gathered more than 600 signatures supporting healthier food and described past district partnerships and examples from neighboring districts. She said two options discussed in May 2025 for an industrial kitchen were Creekside or Grasslands because of available land and referenced a $3,000,000 grant used elsewhere to establish cafeteria infrastructure.

District staff acknowledged the comments and indicated staff (including the nurse and site administrators) would be points of contact for follow-up. The board did not take action during the meeting but suggested the speakers meet with relevant administrators to develop specific next steps.

Next steps: Parents were directed to coordinate follow-up meetings with site and district staff; the board asked staff to report back if policy or structural changes are recommended.