Chawanakee Unified board meets in closed session for superintendent evaluation; no reportable action

The Chawanakee Unified School District Board of Trustees held a special meeting on Feb. 11, 2025, at Hillside School in Madera. Board President Seth Waltner called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m., the board adopted the agenda, and at 5:05 p.m. the board voted unanimously to move into closed session to conduct a public employee performance evaluation for Superintendent Jamie Nino under California Government Code Section 54957.

Barbara Bigelow made the motions on all procedural items. Bigelow moved to adopt the agenda (seconded by Jack Thornburg), to move into closed session at 5:05 p.m. (seconded by Thornburg), to reconvene at 5:44 p.m. (seconded by Elisabeth Parish), and to adjourn at 5:45 p.m. (seconded by Thornburg). Each motion passed unanimously (Ayes: B. Bigelow; J. Hutchens; S. Waltner; J. Thornburg; E. Parish). The minutes state there was no reportable action following the closed session.

The board’s use of Government Code Section 54957 is the statutory mechanism that allows public bodies in California to meet privately to evaluate the performance of a public employee. No personnel details, evaluation findings, or public actions were recorded in the minutes when the board returned to open session. The meeting minutes were prepared by Administrative Assistant Melanie Burton and signed/submitted on March 11, 2025.