San Bernardino board approves multiple appointments, school calendars and $206,000 county grant for Pacuma shade project

The San Bernardino City Unified School District Board of Education approved a slate of personnel appointments, adopted multiple calendars and accepted county funding for a campus shade project at its meeting.

Board President opened the session and the board returned from closed session to report the appointment of Cassandra Williams as elementary principal for Lytle Creek Elementary. Dr. Doizan introduced Williams, who thanked the board and district leadership. The board also approved vice‑principal appointments across elementary, middle and high schools, including Alexandra Chapin, Sarah Espinosa Morgan, Kimberly Nieblas, Gail Williams, Gloria Martinez, William Pomfret and Yaira (D’Iara) Durham.

The board adopted the 2026–27 classified work calendar negotiated with CSEA chapter 183 and approved traditional school calendars for the 2027–28 and 2028–29 school years. During calendar discussion, board members asked staff about facilities impacted by routine public‑safety power shutoffs and whether affected sites have or will receive backup generators; district staff said generators are installed at Pacuma and Kimbark and the district is evaluating expansion to additional campuses.

On contracts and funding, the board approved a county agreement to provide $206,000 to support the Pacuma K–8 shade‑structure school‑improvement project. The amount was read aloud and corrected in the record from an initial misreading of $206,000,000 to $206,000 before the motion carried.

The board also approved a resolution to self‑certify an increased federal micro‑purchase threshold from $15,000 to $50,000 and adopted a resolution authorizing contracted speech‑language pathologists to provide services under local assignment options.

After discussion about whether the district’s sponsorship practice should be counted by school fiscal year or calendar year, the board approved a $5,000 sponsorship to Arrowhead United Way’s “Magical Music of Motown” event. Board members debated ticket allocations and whether policy limiting sponsorships to one per organization per year needs clearer language; the matter was referred for bylaw review.

Votes at a glance - Approve appointment: Cassandra Williams, principal (motion carried) — SEG 553–577 - Approve appointments: Alexandra Chapin, Sarah Espinosa Morgan, Kimberly Nieblas, Gail Williams, Gloria Martinez, William Pomfret, Yaira Durham (motions carried) — SEG 626–1016 - Adopt 2026–27 classified work calendar (CSEA Chapter 183) (motion carried) — SEG 359–393 - Adopt 2027–28 & 2028–29 traditional school calendars (motion carried) — SEG 420–483 - Approve county agreement for Pacuma K–8 shade structure, $206,000 (motion carried) — SEG 1536–1556 - Approve resolution to self‑certify federal micro‑purchase threshold at $50,000 (motion carried) — SEG 1558–1570 - Approve resolution authorizing contracted speech‑language pathologists (motion carried) — SEG 1524–1532 - Approve sponsorship: Arrowhead United Way, $5,000 (motion carried) — SEG 1054–1515 - Consent agenda approved, with item 9.23 pulled and one board member recused (motion carried) — SEG 1571–1650

What happens next: The board directed staff to return suggested clarifications to the sponsorship bylaw (one donation per organization per year, and whether that is tracked by school fiscal year or calendar year). Staff will also follow up on generator assessments for campuses affected by regular power shutoffs.