Special Meeting

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[447] Bowen Zhang: you Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the September 21st special meeting of the Newark Board of Education. Roll call, please. Meeting is called to order at 5.03 PM. Roll call, please.

[491] SPEAKER_37: Member Grindel.

[492] SPEAKER_22: Here.

[494] SPEAKER_37: Member Hill.

[495] SPEAKER_22: Here.

[497] SPEAKER_36: Vice President Nguyen. Here. President Zhang.

[500] Bowen Zhang: Here.

[502] SPEAKER_36: All present.

[504] Bowen Zhang: Next, approval of the agenda. I move that we approve the agenda as it is. Can I get a second?

[509] Phuong Nguyen: I second.

[510] Bowen Zhang: Member Grundahl, how do you vote? Yes. Member Hill? Yes. Member Nguyen? Yes. My vote is yes. Motion carries with four ayes. Does the student member vote on approval of the agenda? I'm sorry. Student board member, how do you vote?

[528] SPEAKER_14: Yes.

[529] Bowen Zhang: Motion carries unanimously. Next, we move on to the core topic of today's meeting, interview and appointment. Candidate interview. Superintendent, can you explain the interview process for the candidates?

[543] Mark Triplett: Yes, my pleasure. So good evening board members, staff and community and candidates. Welcome. I'm Superintendent Triplett. We're very delighted to have candidates here for this process. I'm going to read the rules and procedures before we begin. So a little background, board members, staff, and community. On July 28th, member Martinez entered her resignation to the NUSD Board of Education. On August 5th, the board decided to proceed with an appointment process. On August 23rd, the applications were made available to the public with a closing date of September 1st, 2021. Within that week, four applications were received. Due to an administrative oversight, the application process was reopened from September 3rd to September 10th. No additional applicants were received during that week. Out of the four applicants, three made themselves available for tonight's special meeting and interview process. The candidates interviewing tonight are Alicia Marquez, Casper Knoop, and Jason Miguel. So I'm now going to read the opening instructions. Tonight, three candidates will be interviewed by the board. In the interest of fairness and transparency, and as agreed by the board, the candidates will each be asked a series of the same questions and will have two minutes to answer each question. The time will be tracked on the timer behind the dais and the timer on the front table. The timer will commence after the board member has finished asking the question. One candidate will be interviewed at a time and the remaining candidates will wait in the board library. Once the candidate being interviewed has answered all the questions, they may sit back with the audience and the following candidate will be called to come out to the boardroom. The same process will be repeated with all candidates. And I will say the candidates who are in the board library, we will ask that they turn off their cell phones are not on their phones or computers while there's a wait for the interview process. After the interviews have concluded, the board will call for public comment. Persons who are in person and have requested to make a public comment will go first. And then we will continue with the virtual comments. Following public comment will be the scoring and selection of the final candidate. Per board direction, the past practices will be followed when scoring and selecting the candidates. Traditionally, candidate selection consists of two rounds. Normally, in the first round, the board members will each select their top three candidates without a number, scale, or grade, and no more or no less than three will be selected. Per guidance from the board vacancy subcommittee, The first round will be bypassed due to there only being three candidates who will be interviewed tonight. In the second round, the board ranks the three candidates using a 3-2-1 number scale. Three for the first and top choice, two for their second choice, and one for their third or final choice. Last choice, excuse me. All board members will rank the candidates using a 3-2-1. Each candidate must be given a 3, 2, or 1 score by each board member. So no zeros can be given. Each candidate must be given a 3, 2, or 1 by each board member. After a sum of the scores provided by the board, the candidate with the highest score will be selected to move forward as the candidate selected to join the NUSD Board of Education. A motion and a second with approval from the majority of the board will affirm the selection. Finally, the newly appointed board member will be administered the oath of office. And if there are any questions, we will begin by selecting the order of the candidates. If there aren't any questions, excuse me. We will begin by selecting the order of the candidates that will be interviewed. This will be determined by pulling names from a jar. And Vice President Nguyen will hold the jar while President Jun pulls out the names. But first, are there any questions? Okay. Ms. Gutierrez, can we have the jar?

[828] Bowen Zhang: So, in the jar, there's... Do I have to be the one that pulls the jar? If anybody else wants to pick somebody's face, you can go ahead.

[839] Mark Triplett: Student board member, would you be willing to do that?

[841] SPEAKER_14: I would.

[842] Mark Triplett: Okay, very good. So, we have our transparent jar with the names of the three candidates in them. This is to select who will go first. Student board member, who's our first name?

[859] SPEAKER_36: Oh, the excitement.

[863] SPEAKER_42: The first name is Jason Megan.

[865] Mark Triplett: All right, very good. So Jason Miguel, you will go first in the interview process. The second person?

[872] Marie dela Cruz: The second person is Casper Knoop.

[877] Mark Triplett: All right, Mr. Knoop, you'll go second. And then, just to be sure, we have the right names in here.

[885] SPEAKER_14: The third will be Alicia Marquez.

[887] Mark Triplett: All right, Ms. Marquez, you will go third. So at this point, if Mr. Knoop and Ms. Marquez could join our executive director, Ms. Ingham-Watters, in the library, that'd be wonderful. And we can go ahead and start with the interview process of our first candidate. Ms. Gutierrez, could we also provide water to the... Never mind, I got it.

[947] Bowen Zhang: Good evening, Mr. McGill. I want to first thank you for putting yourself out there. This is not an easy thing to do. And my first question for you is an opening statement. Please tell us about yourself and why you want to be an NUSD board member.

[963] SPEAKER_45: Is there a time limit? I know in previous appointments, it was a three-minute limit for opening. Are we?

[968] Bowen Zhang: Just like with the superintendent's day, it will be two minutes time limit for each question.

[972] SPEAKER_45: OK. Good evening, board members. My name is Jason Miguel. I'd like to take this time to acknowledge and thank my parents, my mom and dad, and my older brother, Josh. Without their guidance and support, I would not be the person I am today. I'm a proud product of the Newark Public School System. I'm a proud alumni of the now-closed Louis J. Malani Elementary School, home of the Dolphins, Newark Junior High School, and Newark Memorial High School, Class of 2017. After graduating from Newark Memorial, I attended the University of California Merced to study environmental engineering, and I recently graduated in May of this year. The sense of leadership and politics and public service came to mind in junior high with special thanks to Miss Barbara Casey, my eighth grade social studies teacher. If not for her, I probably would not be here today because I wouldn't have the same passion for politics and public service. In high school, I served as a link leader, junior class vice president, student body vice president, and one of two student representatives the high school sent to the Alameda County Office of Education Tobacco Use Prevention Education Youth Advisory Board, that's a mouthful, during the 2016-2017 academic year. And this service followed me in college at UC Merced, where I served as the undergraduate student representative on the Chancellor's Advisory Council on Campus Climate, Culture and Inclusion and Student Conduct Board. I'm here to provide a voice, sorry, a voice to help transition and transform this district into a more transparent and fiscally responsible one. During my time as an NUSD student, I never saw a board member other than my junior high promotion and high school graduation, so I want to change that. In addition, I'm here to bring competency to this board. Just last year, the board approved a $200,000 settlement due to this district's fault in error with the California Public Records Act. Shouldn't have happened. The district is out of money. It's in a deficit. I hope I'm wrong, but since I was in high school, it was in a deficit, so we have to change that projection. Can you wrap up? And that's all. Thank you.

[1106] Bowen Zhang: Thank you. Next question.

[1114] Terrence Grindall: Yes. And again, thank you for participating in this process. Please describe your understanding of the appropriate role for the school board in regards to guiding the superintendent in the day-to-day operations of the school district, and in particular, in regards to personnel decisions.

[1133] SPEAKER_45: school board should work hand in hand with the superintendent in all terms of policy matters when it comes to employment. And do you mind going back to the question? Or.

[1152] SPEAKER_37: If we may, I apologize. Because I had to switch back and forth to the screens, I'll keep time. So I'll make an announcement at 30 seconds, so then I'm not swapping back and forth. Just give me a second. I'll restart the timer.

[1166] SPEAKER_36: OK. And. Go back one question.

[1186] Terrence Grindall: Back one question.

[1190] SPEAKER_45: So the role with the school board and the superintendent is to work hand in hand. I think this body, the Board of Education should work together with the superintendent and all personnel positions. We should work cohesively so that way the community knows that both the board members and the superintendent are working together. It shouldn't be a unilateral decision made by the five board members and or the superintendent. So I believe that the board and superintendent should have constant communication work together every single day, so that way the school district is operating functionally, so that way our students succeed. A successful district has successful board members and a superintendent that work hand in hand and together. We need to show the community that the board members who are elected are also taking advice from the superintendent that's been appointed. Thank you.

[1252] Aiden Hill: Thank you, Mr. Miguel. So the third question is, the board position you are applying for is up for re-election in November of 2022. Please tell us if you plan to run, and if so, what would your campaign platform, e.g. goals, for the 2022 through 2026 term would be?

[1273] SPEAKER_45: Yes, it's my intention to run for re-election in November of 2022, and my platforms for the next term would A, be to eliminate the deficit as hard as we can. We have to take a liberal approach to reduce our deficit and get out of debt, because debt is the one thing that's preventing our students from succeeding, either from lack of resources to the arts programs or sports programs. Education is important, but also we need to have an approach for arts and sports. That's another alternative for students to take so that way they can get out of poverty or make a better life for themselves. So once we make the decision, because we are in debt and we've run out of time and we're going to cut the arts and the sports, we're somewhat ruining the decisions that our students should make. If they want to go into the arts field or sports field, it should be their choice. It shouldn't be the choice of the board members because of decisions made years and years and years ago to continue deficit spending. So A would be to reduce the debt as much as we can so that we can go in the positive. Another platform, another goal of mine would be improve or retain our current enrollment. The district has seen a decline in enrollment ever since 2000. I saw a statistic, one of my high school teachers. 30 seconds. And enrollment's declining. So we need to find a way to make sure our students are staying in Newark and those living in Newark aren't going to outside schools. We need to solve that decision so that way we can have our enrollment up and positive from years before. Thank you.

[1390] Phuong Nguyen: Good evening. So for question four, how does an effective school board ensure opportunities for parents and community members to express their diverse range of views to inform board deliberations on important policy issues?

[1406] SPEAKER_45: Well, I think the school board with its constant meetings for the public, that's important so that parents and the community, they get to voice their opinions regarding certain topics on the agenda or other topics that may come to mind. So just having a platform for parents and the community to come here either right now in person or constant communication on email, I think board members we should have that access for parents so that way they can email us, email you, and we can respond appropriately. And if it's a complex question, ask them to come here in person to ask it because it's too complex for an email. So I think that constant communication in the public setting is important to hear these ideas. Thank you.

[1466] Bowen Zhang: Next question is, more than 80% of the students are minorities in the district. What can a district do to better serve these students?

[1476] SPEAKER_45: Well, I would say the district can look at its faculty demographics as well as those in higher positions in the district office. The saying that I've heard constantly in college is we want people in power to look like us and I think if we have those individuals in those positions of power, either principal, assistant principal, dean of students, counselors, as well as the superintendent, and any other higher executive member in the district, as well as board members, that's a great way to serve the minority members. Because when I was in college, there was, or when I was in high school, rather, there was only, at most, two people at a time who looked like me, and I think, That kind of gave me a chilling effect through my spine because we need more representation and those people of color in the positions of power so that way there's a different perspective for the students. Thank you.

[1539] Bowen Zhang: Thank you. We're moving on to closing statement. You have two minutes to present your closing statement.

[1547] SPEAKER_45: Well, like I said in my opening, I'm here to provide a voice to transform this district so that way we communicate with our students so that way they can see who the people in power look like. We need to have constant communication with those that we were sent here to serve. And that's one thing that I'll do. if appointed to visit our elementary schools or junior high and our high school so that I can interact with the students and listen firsthand at what issues are happening in their campuses. And I think it's important to realize that students are a number one priority. And then we also have faculty and staff, but students are number one. Without students, there'd be no schools and there'd be no school district. So we have to communicate with the students, meet our students, and work hand in hand and listen to their ideas so that way we can recommend it in the board if it's feasible. And I'd also like to note that I do not think there's ever been a Filipino-American on the board. Correct me if I'm wrong. The high school has, I believe, an 18% Filipino-American demographic, and there's yet to be any Filipino-American. That shouldn't be the sole reason to appoint me, but again, with that previous question of how do we better serve our minorities, it's to consider what they want, and if you'd ask a student, a minority student, what they'd want to see on the board, it's that they want to see people who look like them. So with that being said, thank you for your time, and thank you for your questions.

[1646] Bowen Zhang: Thank you, Mr. McGill. Thank you for your time, for going through this process with us. Superintendent, I think we can bring the next candidate.

[1662] Phuong Nguyen: Thank you so much, Mr. McGill. Thank you.

[1665] Terrence Grindall: Yes, thank you. Thank you.

[1721] Bowen Zhang: First, I want to say thank you, Mr. Newell, for putting yourself out there. This is not an easy thing to do. And are you ready?

[1729] Cary Knoop: I'm ready.

[1733] Bowen Zhang: So we'll first go with our opening statement. Please tell us about yourself and why you want to be an NUSD board member.

[1740] Cary Knoop: Board of Education, Superintendent, staff, and members of the public. My name is Kerry Knoop. I've been living in Newark for 23 years, and I currently have two children attending Newark Unified School District. My son, Nico, is a fifth grader at Kennedy Elementary, and my son Alex is a freshman at Newark Memorial High School. Since the first day my oldest son attended kindergarten, I have been involved with Newark Unified. I have volunteered in the classroom. I've been a member of the school's head council at Kennedy for several years. I've been a member of the LCAP committee, as well as several superintendent-initiated committees. I also was a member of the CBUC for six years and have served on the Alameda County Grand Jury. Now, I would like to offer my services as a board member in order to finish the remaining term of former board member Martinez. I believe it is important to serve the public and I want to step up and do my part. With the knowledge I have gained by my involvement with Newark Unified and my passion for data analysis, I believe I can quickly become an effective board member. I have followed the Newark Unified Board and committee meetings quite closely for the last five years and have been analyzing the financial reports, the warrants, the various contracts, board policies and resolutions that are placed on the board agendas. 30 seconds. As a board member, you can expect me to be a team player. who will listen to other members, stakeholders, and the public at large to help our organization continuously improve. I want to work with you and the district in finding ways to improve our academic scores for all socioeconomic groups and increasing students meeting ADG requirements. Also, I believe we need to seriously work on increasing our enrollment and improve communication, both in English and Spanish, with parents. Finally, ensure an easy transition for our sixth graders to the middle school. Thank you for your consideration. Thank you. And sorry for going over time. Thank you.

[1880] Terrence Grindall: So please, please describe your understanding of the appropriate role for the school board in regards to guiding the superintendent in the day-to-day operations of the school district, and in particular, in regards to personnel decisions.

[1894] Cary Knoop: Well, the superintendent is the equivalent of the CEO in the private sector. The superintendent runs the ship. He runs operation, he runs the administration. Board members are more like, you know, flag admirals. They don't are really involved in the operations day to day. But they set out broad policies. and they make sure that the fiscal, that the district does act fiscally responsible. With respect to personal decisions, it is entirely up to the superintendent to hire who he wants to hire. Where does the board, where the board might get involved is in a situation of policy. If the board says, Well, we want to have a particular procedure implemented to do a sort of an hiring schedule. That would be up to the board. But who is going to be hired is entirely up to the superintendent. Thank you.

[1970] Aiden Hill: Thank you, Mr. New. So, question number three. The board position you are applying for is up for re-election in November of 2022. Please tell us if you plan to run, and if so, what your campaign platform for the 2022 to 2026 term would be.

[1990] Cary Knoop: You know, I want to step up to fill the term of board member, ex-board member Martinez. That's what I'm focusing on. Whether I will run or not, that entirely depends on the public of Newark. So that's all I want to say about that.

[2018] Phuong Nguyen: Hi, Mr. New, how are you?

[2020] Cary Knoop: I'm fine, thank you.

[2022] Phuong Nguyen: Okay, so for question four, how does an effective school board ensure opportunities for parents and community members to express their diverse range of views to inform board deliberations on important policy issues?

[2037] Cary Knoop: Well, this is something that I believe that our district can improve on. Communication is a very important item, especially for a diverse community like we are. Not everybody speaks the same language. Not all parents were raised in the United States. They may not be familiar with the educational model that we have over here. And so we need to really make sure that we reach all parents. And there are different ways of doing that. The board has to be the lightning example. We have to be professionals. We have to do everything the right way. Because if the board doesn't do things impeccably, how can you expect anybody in the organization to be at a higher standard than you set for yourself? Translation is important, and also using technology. You know, I'm familiar with the fact that there's now a new website, and I'm sure there's going to be a lot of new things to expand that, where we could, for instance, if parents have questions, we could also already, you know, have forms and things like that, and already channel it to the right department, so you have a better control. You don't have a single point of reference who has to answer all the questions. So that's basically the thing. But the most important thing is we need to reach out. We need to understand we have a very diverse community. And we have a community where not everybody is familiar with English. And we have to make sure that, you know, we have that 100% correct. Thank you.

[2141] Bowen Zhang: Okay. Our next question is more than 80% of the students are minorities in the district. What can a district do to better serve these students?

[2154] Cary Knoop: Yes, good question. And my children are part of that too. You know, my children are mixed and certainly a minority in that sense. Communicate. Be open. We do have channels for that. We have DLACs, ELACs, but I would like to see more initiative from the parents from different groups so that they can truly feel that they reach the district. And we have to understand what are the stumbling blocks. You know, is it the language? Is it, you know, the way in which things are presented? But we have to reach out, and I think this is one of the critical items to make sure that all our parents and all our students feel First, at home, but also that parents feel that they are listened to.

[2206] Bowen Zhang: Thank you. Thank you. We're moving on to the closing statement. You've got two minutes to present your closing statement.

[2215] Cary Knoop: Things go very fast. As I mentioned earlier, I have two children currently enrolled in Newark Unified High School District. I have attended most board meetings over the last five years and have voiced my opinion during public speaking because I care for the district. I have knowledge of the district's finances, operation, bond oversight, school site councils, and LCAP committee. I believe my knowledge of the various facets of the district, along with my familiarity with board practices identified in the governance handbook and board policies will help me quickly become a productive board member. As a productive board member, I would have the opportunity to assist Newark Unified achieve its strategic imperatives, mission and vision statement, so all students can achieve their full potential and be responsible, respectful, and productive citizens. I want to work with you and the district in the areas I mentioned in my opening speech to make that happen. I kindly ask for your vote. Thank you very much.

[2280] Bowen Zhang: Thank you, Mr. New, for spending the time with us and going through the process with us.

[2286] Terrence Grindall: Yes, thank you, Mr. New.

[2287] Phuong Nguyen: Thank you, Mr. New.

[2288] Aiden Hill: Thank you, Mr. New.

[2354] SPEAKER_26: I appreciate that. Thank you very much.

[2362] Bowen Zhang: First, good evening, Ms. Marcus. Thank you for putting yourself out there. And it's not an easy thing to do. So we really appreciate it.

[2370] SPEAKER_26: Well, thank you. Are you ready? I'm ready.

[2377] Bowen Zhang: So we go with opening statement. Please tell us about yourself and why you want to be an NUSD board member.

[2384] SPEAKER_26: Well, first of all, good afternoon to everyone. My name is Alicia Marquez. Some of you may know me by my actual maiden name, which is Gonzales. My family has been in the Newark town or in the area since the early 60s. When it comes to the size of our family, we're often recognized by the 60 plus because there are almost 60 of us that live here in Newark currently. When it comes to me personally and professionally, hold a teaching credential in multiple subject. I am currently a board member for the Bay Area Bridge Baseball League, which has been in existence for 11 years. I've served on Newark National Little League for four years, Kiddango board three years, as well as Newark Girls Softball League volunteer for three years. When it comes to why I want to be a board member for the Newark Unified School District, first and foremost, because I always feel that it's time to give back. I'm a strong believer that it's one thing to sit and complain and watch the parade go by versus participating and being fully involved. So what drives me today is my highest priority for running would definitely be to exercise effective strategic planning skills in the meetings, as well as improving our academic performance with our students. And that's what drives me here today.

[2470] Phuong Nguyen: Sorry, can you speak a little louder for me? Of course. Thank you.

[2474] SPEAKER_26: So my highest priority and reason for running would definitely be to exercise. 30 seconds. Effective strategic skills in meeting and improving our academic performance, as well as student goals. I feel that it's important that we give back to our community, and I'm in a position where I can do that wholeheartedly and effectively.

[2496] Bowen Zhang: Okay. Thank you.

[2499] SPEAKER_26: Okay. And if you need me to say anything in Spanish, I can do so. I'm fluent.

[2507] Terrence Grindall: Thank you. We do have a translator. Oh, perfect.

[2509] SPEAKER_26: Thank you to the translator. There's a channel. Difficult job. Thank you.

[2513] Terrence Grindall: Indeed. So please describe your understanding of the appropriate role for the school board in regard to guiding the superintendent in the day-to-day operations of the school district, and in particular, in regards to personnel decisions.

[2538] SPEAKER_26: As a board trustee, I feel that the primary role is to uphold and to support the goals that we have made strategically as well as effectively with great research and thorough planning. Above that, the strategic plans and goals should be clearly reflective of the current needs of our school district with the focus and the vision of the future, what's to come. Then I believe that we should work with my, we should work as fellow board members to accomplish those goals with direct supervision through the vision that is laid out the school district. When it comes to the appropriate role of the school board, it is one, and that appropriate role is to designate or to assign our superintendent. When it comes to that, we have one employee as a board. The superintendent is the person that takes care of the hiring process of the employees, as well as working with the day-to-day operations while they still report to the board of directors. We as a board should focus on the implementation of what we are trying to accomplish when it comes to our approved policies and adhering to those policies within the relationships of hiring. We as a board cannot give specific direction, neither can we influence of any means or any way of instruction that would lead the superintendent to vote or make a decision in a certain way.

[2637] Aiden Hill: Thank you, Ms. Marquez. You're welcome. So question number three. The board position you are applying for is up for re-election in November of 2022. Please tell us if you plan to run, and if so, what your campaign platform for the 2022-2026 term would be.

[2660] SPEAKER_26: In re-election of the November 22nd of 2022, my goal is to run. What I plan to run on is, or what my platform will be is to maintain myself as an effective board member. By doing so, I promise and I commit to myself that I must maintain informed, that I need to study our district and other districts in comparison and look at all the commonalities, why we strive to overall improve and build on new strategies. Furthermore, I feel it's important that as a board in whole, that I will support my fellow board members in accomplishing these goals as we together work to directly accomplish the vision of the Newark Unified School District Board.

[2718] Phuong Nguyen: Hello, Ms. Marquez. Hello. For question number four, how does an effective school board ensure opportunities for parents and community members to express their diverse range of views to inform board deliberations on important policy issues?

[2738] SPEAKER_26: Oftentimes we hear the term transparency. And when it comes to a business, to be transparent is that those that are watching the everyday operations of that business and organization, whether in a negative or in a positive production stance, that there's always a team working together, striving for one common goal. And in this case, the Newark Unified School District should have the common goal of student achievement and retaining the students that we have here within Newark Unified School District's boundaries. When it comes to our community and the parents and the involvement that we should strive to have, it's holding meetings, making them available to the public during hours where we know that the people that live or the residents that live within Newark boundaries are able to attend so that we do have packed houses, so that we do have availability and that we are transparent in maintaining what it is that we are trying to strive and accomplish.

[2801] Bowen Zhang: Okay, moving on to the next question. More than 80% of the students are minorities in the district. What can a district do to better serve these students?

[2819] SPEAKER_26: Most importantly is understanding the numbers. What do these figures represent? When we say 80% of the students are minorities within the district, what do we mean when it comes to the word minority? Are we working with cultures? Are we working with specific immigration from certain areas and learning and adapting to the needs that are specific to both the cultures as well as the generations of the students to come within those families? Secondly, when it comes to the representation of what we can do better is to lead by example. It is one thing to speak on or to present or discuss or to provide information, and it is another to actually put it into play and show the family. So outreach is most important, as well as accountability.

[2873] Bowen Zhang: Thank you.

[2874] SPEAKER_26: You're welcome.

[2878] Bowen Zhang: Moving on to a closing statement. You have two minutes to present your closing statement.

[2892] SPEAKER_26: What exactly makes me proud to be someone from Newark? All right. As you can see in my application for the last four years, I have worked for the Stanislaus County Office of Education. And what I have found in that job placement is the amount of resiliency for such a large district that serves 80%, if not more, minorities countywide, right? The variations in programs. and the information that they provide to the community. So in my mind, when I say it's time to come and give back, now is the time. Why? Because it's at a smaller scale, which allows us the ability to do wraparound services and provide the information, not only at a smaller scale, but that allows us to move forward and think of the future. What will this look like in five years? We have housing that's being developed here in Newark. What about the next generation of students are to come? What will our preschools and our kindergartens look like? What will it look like to retain the students that are moving into these new homes with their families versus having them go to private schools? What will we as a district offer to those students so that we can retain the families that are moving and living within the district boundaries? In my closing statement, what I'd like to accomplish as a board member is to demonstrate that we as a consortium are accountable, that we are clear and that we are committed to the wellness of our students' academic needs. Again, I have to mention that my highest priority and reason for running would definitely be to exercise effective strategic planning skills when it comes to meeting and improving our academic performance along with our student goals. Our numbers are dwindling and we need to increase student population and retention. We need to work hard to attract families not to only reside in Newark, but to enroll their students in our schools instead of private schools. What will we do to make ourselves more attractive?

[3015] Bowen Zhang: Thank you, Ms. Marquez. Thank you for spending the time with us and going through the process. Thank you, Ms.

[3022] Aiden Hill: Marquez. Thank you, Ms. Marquez.

[3024] Phuong Nguyen: Thank you, Mrs. Marquez.

[3050] Bowen Zhang: At this point, we'll be moving on to public comments, given we have quite a bit of audience in the room. Anybody interested in making a public comment, you still get a chance to sign up at the, I guess, at the counter and to make a public comment. So, before we move into the public comment sections, in accordance with Unity Resolution 2034, passed by the board in 2016, the Board of Education will treat everyone equally and not tolerate bullying or any form of discrimination against our students and community. We therefore ask our community to be respectful of all candidates who are members of our community and focus on the appointment process and the qualities you wish to see in a board member. Thank you for your cooperation. Any, then we'll begin our public comment session. Ms. Goldman?

[3113] SPEAKER_37: Oh, sorry.

[3132] SPEAKER_20: Good evening. Tonight I would like to give you something to think about as you cast your vote to appoint a new board member. It's of no secret that our district has been criticized in the past for having a history of cronyism. We've seen many positions filled by well-connected individuals instead of candidates who are better qualified. Of course, this has also happened on the board, with candidates who are backed by current or former board members and then voted in by their buddies when appointments are needed to fill vacant positions. We need to change this practice if our district has any hope to improve. Please, tonight, don't vote to appoint a candidate because they're your friend or a friend of a friend. Do not appoint someone because a district employee or board member, past or present, tell you to vote for a particular candidate. As you consider your votes tonight, remember that you're here to represent Newark residents and whoever you appoint needs to be an independent thinker and not a puppet pushing someone else's agenda. Whoever you appoint needs to be familiar with current policies as well as the problems our district is facing, such as financial stability, declining enrollment, and poor public perception. Tonight, I encourage you to vote for someone who is already active and are advocating for positive change within our district, somebody who spends time volunteering at our schools, and who has been following along with board meetings. Board members, I look forward to finding out who will fill this vacancy, and I hope tonight you do the right thing when you cast your vote. Good luck to all the candidates.

[3221] Bowen Zhang: Thank you. Next, Ms. Cheri Villa.

[3234] Chery Villa: Good evening. My name is Cheri Villa. I'm the elementary director for our NTA. I'm going to be reading our NTA position on the vacancy for the school board. In a typical election of a board trustee, the Newark Teachers Association would interview candidates and publicly endorse the candidate that has our students and district's best interests in mind. In the current situation, we have not been invited to participate or provide our valuable perspective. As a result, NTA would like to communicate our position on the process for filing board trustee vacancies. like the board, NTA wishes to have board members who work for the benefit of our students. Newark Unified's board trustees are some of the most important positions in our district. Thus far, NTA and the broader Newark community have been excluded from the process of filling a board vacancy outside of those provisions of a general election. While the appointment authority rests solely with the current board, it is also true that such decisions should reflect the positions of all important stakeholders in the community, including NTA. This needed stakeholder feedback can only be known if it is both asked for and listened to. To this point, both NTA and the community have not been given an opportunity to participate in the selection process. Important decisions must be made rationally and not sped through without accurate reflection and measurement. The process for the current appointment has only allowed the community three business days to interview the written applications of the three candidates. This abbreviated timeframe cannot adequately allow the board members to have thoroughly vet and gather meaningful feedback from the community and school staff. How can NCA and the community be sure that the board is choosing someone who is knowledgeable of the district and board functions vested in the Newark community and prioritize the opportunities for our students. The insufficient amount of time that has been provided for this process does not allow us to reach out to the candidates and ask questions. Let me be clear in stating our dissatisfaction that the board has removed the voice of NTA and the community from the appointment process. Having said that, NTA appreciates the value of community members who have a history of involvement and activity in prior board actions. NTA hopes that each board member will consider each candidate's prior active involvement in issues brought before the board, some of the primary responsibilities of a school board member, are to ensure accountability and provide fiduciary oversight responsibilities. Please carefully consider how each of these candidates will ensure accountability for NUSD. Thank you.

[3424] Bowen Zhang: Any online comments?

[3425] SPEAKER_37: Yes, I will start. We do have a few. I will start with the first one is Eric Tam. Eric Tam, you may begin. Hello? Yes, you may begin.

[3448] SPEAKER_03: Hi, thank you, board members. I just wanted to thank you for this opportunity tonight. I appreciate listening to all three candidates. I wanted to thank you, the three members, for putting yourselves out there. Having listened in on the board meeting this past year, I would like to speak on behalf for Mr. Kerry Newt, because that's the only person I've heard about in the past year or so. I want to just remind you about the positive interactions that he's had with the board during COVID-19. the board meetings. He's spoken on behalf of being COVID preparedness and having the operational manuals and documents available and accessible to the community. He's also spoken up about HVAC and about requiring more detailed analysis and plans for wanting to, you know, not having any issues while we are doing such a massive project. So based on just those small interactions this past year, I would like the board to consider Mr. Kerry New as the board members. And I also wanted to wish all interviewees the best of luck. Thank you.

[3533] Bowen Zhang: Thank you. Next one.

[3539] SPEAKER_37: For the next speakers, they requested Spanish. So if you allow me a couple minutes so I can move our translator. At this point, Maria, I'm going to move you to the floor channel.

[3574] SPEAKER_36: Maria, can you hear me?

[3580] SPEAKER_32: Ahora vamos a pasar a los comentarios públicos. Tenemos bastantes personas dentro de la sala. ¿Hay alguien que quiera comentar algo? Todavía se pueden anotar para hacer un comentario aquí en público. Señora María, en este momento... Antes de que pasemos a la sección de los comentarios, nos gustaría decir que de acuerdo con las leyes de educación, We are going to treat everyone equally and we are not going to discriminate against students or the community. That is why we ask the community to be respectful of all the candidates who are members of the community and to focus on the qualities they want to see in the members of our council. Thank you very much for your cooperation. And now we are going to start with the public comment section.

[3633] SPEAKER_37: Can you hear me? Hello, Maria, can you hear me? Okay. Maria, at this point, I'm going to pass forward the English speaker, sorry, the Spanish speaker, and then as soon as they finish, then you'll translate their comment.

[3680] SPEAKER_33: Yeah, okay, but we have an English speaker now speaking.

[3684] SPEAKER_37: No, no, don't look at the YouTube. Oh, okay. Okay, so right now, I'll do the next speaker.

[3690] SPEAKER_32: Okay.

[3704] SPEAKER_37: Angélica Ballesteros. Angélica Ballesteros puede empezar. Angélica Ballesteros, si me escucha, puede empezar. Okay. ¿Ya puede empezar, Angélica? We might have some technical difficulties. Señor Angélica Ballesteros, no lo escuchamos, entonces voy a ir con la siguiente persona y luego regreso con usted. The next speaker is Esther Garcia. One second. Esther Garcia, me escucha? Esther Garcia? Esther Garcia? Esther Garcia, can you hear me?

[3802] SPEAKER_32: I'm speaking to the Spanish interpreter. Right now, the people in the district have their microphone off and we can't hear anything. The interpreters can't hear anything either.

[3813] SPEAKER_37: Okay, perfect. Excuse me. Esther Garcia? Esther Garcia? Can you start? Esther Garcia.

[3853] SPEAKER_39: Yes, hello? Sorry, I had my microphone on. You can start now. Okay. Give me a moment.

[3861] SPEAKER_37: And Mrs. Maria, after you finish a comment, will translate your message.

[3866] SPEAKER_39: Okay. I can follow everything in Spanish, right? Correct. Okay. Okay, good afternoon. My name is Esther Garcia, esteemed members of the board. Superintendent, Dr. Tripe, and members of the community. I thank you for the opportunity given to me on this day to share with you my opinion on why it is important for me and my community to have a Hispanic representative on the board of directors of the school district of Newark. In my personal opinion, it is very important for me to have a Hispanic representative to represent our families in our community. porque yo quiero que esta persona se pueda identificar con nuestros valores culturales y nos pueda proveer la ayuda necesaria para nuestras familias y especialmente que pueda fomentar la superación educativa para nuestros hijos. He tenido la oportunidad de leer las respuestas de la señora Márquez y en mi humilde opinión veo en ella una digna representante en nuestra comunidad y le ofrezco todo mi apoyo. Como madre de familia y con hijos en el distrito escolar, pido que la comunidad hispana sea representada apropiadamente. Les pido que consideren su nominación y hagamos de Newark una mejor comunidad y podamos proveer una excelente educación para nuestros hijos. Gracias a la mesa directiva por darme la oportunidad de escucharme y quiero darle las gracias personalmente al Dr. Trippett y su staff

[3975] SPEAKER_33: Good afternoon. My name is Esther Garcia and I would like to thank you for the opportunity that you gave me to speak in front of you today. Thank you to the school board. Thank you to Dr. Tripit and thank you to the community. In my opinion, I think that it is very important to have a Hispanic representative in the board. In my humble opinion, I think that it is of the outmost importance for our families, because a Hispanic representative would be able to defend our cultural values, to help our families in what we need, and to promote academic achievement for our kids. I had the opportunity to read the responses by Ms. Marcus and I think that she would make a very good representative for our community. I am a mother with children who go to the school district and I want to have a Hispanic representative because I think that it will be better for our community and for the future of our children. I would like to thank the school board for considering her nomination. And I would also like to give special thanks to Dr. Trippett and his staff for all the help that he's been providing to the Hispanic community in the past. Thank you.

[4066] SPEAKER_37: The next comment is Angelica Ballesteros. Angelica Ballesteros.

[4077] SPEAKER_40: Estimados miembros de la mesa directiva, superintendente Dr. Chiplett, y miembros de la comunidad. Mi nombre. Madres de familia me gustaría al mejor candidato. Alguien que me de la confianza de recurrir a él o ella en cualquier situación que se me presente en la escuela. Alguien que se preocupe por las necesidades de nuestra comunidad y que nos apoye. Que tenga iniciativa y que tenga las mejores propuestas para que nos superemos como comunidad habla hispana. Sabemos que nuestros niños son increíbles y que tienen sueños enormes. Así que lo que necesitamos es que los impulsen. y que nos apoyen a lograr todos sus sueños. Por favor, vamos a poner la confianza en sus manos, con la esperanza de saber que nos decidimos por él o por la mejor candidata. Con respeto y mucha sinceridad, gracias por la oportunidad.

[4161] SPEAKER_33: To the members of the School Board, of the Education Board, to Superintendent Mr. Triplett, to the community, I would like to ask you that you please choose the best candidate because this candidate is the person that we will have to trust in order to ask for help for anything that we might need related to our school community. We need a candidate who cares about our needs. We need a candidate with initiative, a candidate that can give the best suggestions so that we can support our children to achieve their goals, especially within the Hispanic community. We know that our children are incredible, and we know that they have big dreams. They need your support. They need for you to lay the foundation so that they can achieve those big dreams. So please, I trust that you will do what you can in order to choose the best candidate for this position. And I hope that you will be able to do so. Thank you so much for the opportunity.

[4233] SPEAKER_37: The next speaker is Veronica Torres. Veronica. Veronica.

[4238] SPEAKER_37: Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica.

[4239] SPEAKER_37: Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica.

[4242] SPEAKER_38: Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica. Veronica Hay muchas razones por las que deberíamos preocuparnos por esta brecha de representación. Esto es un problema. En la medida en que la democracia implica cierta responsabilidad y capacidad de respuesta a la comunidad, y cuando un segmento grande de esta población no puede elegir a alguien que los represente, es posible que sus opiniones e inquietudes no sean tenidas en cuenta cuando se toman decisiones importantes en la escuela. La ausencia de latinos, entonces, implica un déficit de preocupación por aquellos asuntos que podría ser de mayor interés para los niños latinos en edad escolar y sus familias. Eso también puede importar en términos de política. Un representante latino en la junta escolar puede ver las diferentes prioridades, necesidades, o ver los problemas desde su comunidad. Y, por lo tanto, puede abogar por un conjunto de diferentes different policies. In addition, Latino representation can have an impact on the performance of Latino students. If we have a Latino representative in the board, diversity can have a great impact at the district level. As a mother and with a daughter in the school district, I ask that our Latino community be represented. Good evening, members of the board, superintendent, and members of the community.

[4369] SPEAKER_33: We live in a community where the majority of the population represented in the district are Latinos. However, we don't have a representative in the council. This is why I see a big gap. And this means that we have a problem. As part of democracy, we need to represent our communities in a fair way. And when we have a big segment of our population that has not been able to elect a representative from that segment, then this jeopardizes that the representatives will be able to advocate for their values and for their needs that this specific culture has. We don't have any representative that can take into account the Latino community, our children, and our families. This will also have an impact on policies. If we can have a representative that is Latino who sees our needs, who sees our perspectives from his or her own perspective, then this person can advocate for better policies that will also take this population into account. Diversity can have a very big impact in our school district. and I have one child who goes in this district and I would like to have this represented, this type of representation. After reading and also hearing the responses given by Ms. Marcus, I can say that her perspective aligns with my expectations. This is why I would like to ask the board to support her nomination. Thank you.

[4481] SPEAKER_37: Thank you. I believe the remaining of the remaining public comments are in English. So, Ms. Maria, you can go back to the interpretation room. I will set it up. Give me one second. Thank you, Ms. Maria. Okay, the next public comment is from Adriana Lopez. Adriana Lopez, you may begin.

[4521] SPEAKER_30: Good evening board members, superintendents, staff and community members. I am Adriana Lopez, a resident of Newark and a mother of two ninth graders at Newark Memorial High School. I'm here today To remind our board and our community that we still have a lot of work to do and we still have a lot to move forward in some of the findings and priorities that came out from our Latinx Summit in February 2019. The Latino community are over 50% of the NUSD population, to be specific, 52.8. As another reminder, we would like to mention the main motives for organizing this district-wide event, and this was the need for our Latino parents, students, and community to express loud and clear in a safe platform the necessity to be heard, to resolve ongoing problems, and to make the Board of Education aware and responsive to the numerous challenges the students and parents face on a daily basis. The main and outmost concern is to improve and enhance our Latino students' academic outcomes at all levels. With all these said, we cannot definitely rely on a board with no Latino representation. We want to make sure that the Board of Education chooses Alicia Marquez as a strong Latino representative to provide the best possible direction along with the rest of the board to the district superintendent to develop a strategic plan for Latino students with measurable action plans to reduce achievement and opportunity gaps, which during the pandemic, we have no doubt the gaps have become greater. These action plans need to provide supportive environments for Latino students with successful outcomes. Thank you very much.

[4637] Bowen Zhang: Thank you. Next speaker.

[4642] SPEAKER_37: Next speaker is, one second, Lorena Talavera. Lorena, you may begin.

[4652] SPEAKER_41: Hello, board members and Dr. Triplett. I am Lorena Talavera, a mom of four students at Newark Unified School District. I would like to have Alicia Marquez representing our 53% Hispanic community. We need a diverse board member representation who can understand the Hispanic community. I know Alicia Marquez will represent us well and will do an excellent job. Thank you for this opportunity.

[4682] Bowen Zhang: Thank you. Next speaker.

[4687] SPEAKER_37: Next speaker is Luis Sanchez.

[4693] SPEAKER_42: Hello board members, my name is Luis Sanchez. I'm in sixth grade, student from Lincoln Elementary. I'm here today to ask you to take consideration of our 53% of Hispanic students and elect Alicia Marquez as our next board member. Dr. Tripoli, I really liked when you came to Lincoln. Please come more often, thank you.

[4726] Bowen Zhang: Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker.

[4729] SPEAKER_37: Our next speaker is Nicolás Sánchez.

[4735] SPEAKER_42: Good evening, board members. My name is Nicolás Sánchez. I'm a fifth grader. I'm a fifth grade student from Lincoln Elementary. I'm here to support Alicia Marquez for board member. I know she will be a good representation the Hispanic community very well. Dr. Triplett, next time you come to Lincoln, I will give you an elbow bump. Thank you.

[4770] SPEAKER_37: Thank you.

[4771] Bowen Zhang: Thank you. Next speaker.

[4775] SPEAKER_37: The next speaker is, one second, Lucero Arias. One second. Lucero Arias, you may begin.

[4807] SPEAKER_14: Can you hear me?

[4808] SPEAKER_37: Yes, we can hear you.

[4809] SPEAKER_14: You may begin. Good afternoon. My name is Lucero Arias. I'm a parent of a Newark Memorial student, and I am here in support of the appointment of Alicia Marquez. As most of us know, Newark has a large Latino and Hispanic population. It's been mentioned before that our district does comprise of 53% Latino Hispanic students followed by Asian students at 24%. That means that not only are Latino Hispanic students a majority in our district, but the next ethnic group is half of our Latino student representation. It does worry me that a school board that serves as a representative of their local district and advocates for their community It does not currently have one member that represents the Latino community, a majority in this Newark school district. I would like to see more diversity. Yes, knowledge and expertise can contribute to the diversity of the school board as a whole, but also one's culture and life experiences provide an individual school board member with a stronger bond or relationship to the community that they represent. This can aid to the school board when having difficult conversations or when focusing on addressing or responding to specific issues or concerns in their governance actions. A study in Florida State University found that district school boards that were more ethnically diverse, comprised of black, white, and Hispanic board members, reduced the probability of disciplinary suspensions for all students. The study also found that board diversity significantly reduced the disparity between minority and white students, and that levels the playing field. When students see leaders of their community that look like them or have had similar experiences, it can be encouraging and supportive to that student. The importance of students having role models who truly serve as representatives of their best interests and leaders of their communities cannot be diminished. So today I advocate for board candidate Alicia Marquez. Alicia would not only represent our community, but she also has the expertise and experience, having been a Newark resident for over 30 years. She's been a Newark School District parent, having had children graduate from Newark schools, and has been involved in the community through Little League, Boosters, and many other programs. Thank you.

[4931] Bowen Zhang: Thank you. Next speaker.

[4943] SPEAKER_37: Next speaker is Lupe Lopez.

[4948] Guadalupe Lopez: Good evening. Thank you for the opportunity to make a public comment today. My name is Lupe Lopez, a longtime resident and business owners in Newark. Newark is a diverse community with a large Latino population, 35%, and even a greater and larger student population, more than 50% Latinos. These facts in itself are indicative of the need to have Latino representation in our school board. It is imperative our students and parents have someone that understand the community, can communicate with parents and students, can help with the understanding and navigating the school system, can be a mentor to our students, but most of all, and that the students and parents can relate and can approach someone with their questions and concerns to assist in solving issues when arising at the school. It has been my experience in the past that when an issue arises with the students, the solution practice has been very challenging to the parents and students. Therefore, I urge the board to appoint a Latino representative to the newer school board to help our parents and the students navigate and understand the system. Thank you for the opportunity.

[5028] Bowen Zhang: Thank you. Next speaker.

[5035] SPEAKER_37: Next speaker is Jacinta Arteaga. You may begin.

[5042] SPEAKER_31: Hi, the first comments I'd like to read are on behalf of Susie Koyasu, who is unable to join us today. She is caught in an emergency, so she apologizes profusely, but didn't want to lose the opportunity to speak. And so she says, good evening, Superintendent Triplett, board members, staff, and parents. I'm Council Member Susie Collazo. Today, I am calling in to endorse Alicia Marquez, a longtime Newark resident, having her own children who have been through the Newark Unified School District. The valuable knowledge she has as a teacher, the value she brings home from her experience of serving on several boards, She is bilingual, and she would be an asset to the non-English speaking parents that have a hard time communicating and understanding. I believe that Mrs. Marcus would be a perfect fit for her school board. Some have made this a racial thing, which I truly believe, leaving race aside, she is a perfect fit. Thank you. And that is Ms. Collazo's comments. I'd like to move forward and make my own comments. Lucia, may I begin? Yes. Thank you. Dear board president, board members, superintendent, Dr. Triplett. My name is Jacinta Arteaga, and I am speaking to you today as Avanzando's board president. Avanzando has been fundraising since 2008 to provide scholarships to Newark students and to support our school educators, the Newark School District, and this board. In 2021, we provided 27 $1,000 scholarships and three 2,000 scholarships to our Newark students. We do this to support Newark students to pursue a college education and in this way strengthen our Newark community. We may not speak before you board all the time, but we certainly feel that we have contributed to this community more so than a lot of people in that room and in this community. A vacancy on this board was created by our friend and contributed Elisa's move to the Ohlone College Board of Trustees. The newer community is a very diverse community and its school board should represent the community it serves. With Elisa's absence, it leaves a gap in Latino representation. And with 58% of students being of Latino descent, the lack of representation is significantly large. This vacancy is also close to our heart Since Alisa moved to Ohlone, it has a result of the passing of one of our founders, Vivian Larson, who nobody can argue is a true community hero. Alisa Marquez is one of the applicants to the vacancy on this board. She reached out to Avanzando to seek their support. We met with her and we were impressed with her qualifications because she demonstrated her commitment to enhance the lives of our students. Alisa works in education. She understands education. She is a mother of a Newark school district graduate. She's a resident of Newark and a member of the very large Gonzalez family who has deep roots in the Newark community. And she is involved in the community she is seeking to represent. During last week's board meeting, there were four Spanish-speaking parents, in addition to today's, that could not speak English. 30 seconds. that requires some assistance. Wouldn't it be great if these parents were able to call one of the board members to discuss their concerns in the language they are most comfortable? Doesn't it make sense that this board would want to select a candidate that would allow these parents to relate? and find commonality with proper representation. I was pleased to hear that several of you have visited the schools, but how many of you were able to have an in-depth conversation with Latino parents, who I remind you, make up 58% of the school population. The concerns expressed by those parents that spoke at last week's meeting include poor communication with Spanish-speaking families, and I urge you to vote for Alicia. Thank you, and have a good evening.

[5297] Bowen Zhang: Thank you.

[5303] SPEAKER_37: The next speaker is Elisa Martinez. You may begin.

[5313] Elisa Martinez: Good evening, Board President Zhang, Board members, Superintendent Triplett, and Executive Cabinet. My name is Elisa Martinez, and I am a parent, a proud parent, of two Newark Unified students, one in junior high, one in high school. Wanted to take a minute to thank you for the work that you the board are doing for our school district. I know it's not always easy to carry out this awesome responsibility while constantly being bombarded with in most cases negative comments. This evening as you make your decision on who to appoint to be your colleague please evaluate them on their stated ability and commitment. to be the voice of our students and our staff and our student families. At last week's meeting, I made public comment regarding the importance of representation, especially of our traditionally underserved students and community. To that end, I would like to voice my support for candidate Alicia Marquez, a long-term Newark resident whose children attended our schools She is also obviously a long-term member of our Latino community, has been involved in a lot of extracurricular activities, which has allowed her to create the relationships that we all know matter as we try to understand the real needs of our community. She is also an educator and serves in the Sanislaus County environment with, again, a very significant Latino population. I think this would be an important asset to the board as you seek to address the needs of all of our students, of which again, as many folks before me have said, Latinos represent over 50% of our student body. After listening to Ms. Marquez's answers this evening, I am confident that she will be able to serve all of our student needs. but I hope that you recognize the importance of having somebody that understands the particular needs of our Latino community. And again, I do not want to miss the opportunity to state, hopefully I don't think it's an overstatement, that our district has traditionally underserved this community in many instances, just by not understanding what those needs are. So again, I advocate the, that you support Alicia Marquez and appoint her to the board this evening. Thank you.

[5484] Bowen Zhang: Thank you. Next speaker.

[5488] SPEAKER_37: That finalizes public comments.

[5492] Bowen Zhang: Okay. Moving on to candidate selection. Just like we stated before that because we only got three candidates, we'll move on to the ranking one, two, three. Is there a shared spreadsheet or that we just.

[5512] SPEAKER_37: So at this point with the board has the same score sheet but your individual score sheet. So you put your scores on that score sheet and then I'll come by pick them up and I'll show the scores to the public. The students' points are preferential, so they will not be tallied up with the total points.

[5717] Bowen Zhang: I move that we approve Alicia Marquez as the next board member of New World Unified School Board District. May I get a second? A second. Student board member, how do you vote? Yes. Member Grundahl? Yes. Member Hill? No. Member Nguyen?

[5738] Phuong Nguyen: Yes.

[5739] Bowen Zhang: My vote is yes as well. Motion carries with three ayes. You know, as Board President, I want to welcome on board, and generally, in this case, I wouldn't use the C word. This is not an easy position to be in. Difficult decisions will be made. Your mental health will be challenged. You will be disparaged online, criticized online, fair or unfair, but welcome on board. Next, Superintendent Oath of Office.

[5793] Mark Triplett: If I may, President, while we're waiting, I just wanted to say to Luis Sanchez and Nicolas Sanchez, I'm going to be there on Thursday. I look forward to seeing you guys and giving you some fist bumps, or some elbow bumps, rather.

[5843] SPEAKER_37: Can you see it from the screen? I can, yeah. OK. Ms. Marquez, if you.

[5850] Mark Triplett: So just go ahead and read it, and then she

[5875] SPEAKER_26: I, Alicia Marquez, do solemnly swear.

[5881] Mark Triplett: I, Alicia Marquez, do solemnly swear. That I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California against all enemies foreign and domestic.

[5896] SPEAKER_26: That I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California against all enemies foreign and domestic.

[5905] Mark Triplett: That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California.

[5912] SPEAKER_26: That I will bear the true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California.

[5920] Mark Triplett: That I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion.

[5927] SPEAKER_26: That I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion.

[5933] Mark Triplett: And that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon which I am about to enter.

[5939] SPEAKER_26: And that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon which I am about to enter.

[5945] Mark Triplett: Congratulations. And I will give you an elbow bump.

[5948] SPEAKER_26: Thank you. Board members, excuse me.

[5957] Bowen Zhang: I move that we adjoin the meeting.

[5959] SPEAKER_30: May I get a second?

[5974] SPEAKER_26: I second the adjournment.

[5975] Bowen Zhang: Student board member, how do you vote? Yes. Member Marcus?

[5982] Julienne Sumodobila: Yes.

[5983] Bowen Zhang: Member Grindel? Yes. Member Hill? Yes. Member Nguyen? Yes. My vote is yes. Motion carries unanimously. Meeting is adjourned at 6.35.

1. CALL TO ORDER

Meeting Introduction

Type Information, Procedural IN-PERSON MEETING INFORMATION NUSD has opened its boardroom for in-person meetings and will follow the State's and Alameda County's safety guidelines for public gatherings. Please refrain from attending in-person meetings if you have any of the following symptoms: Loss of taste/smell Difficulty breathing Vomiting Diarrhea Fever Cough Headache Sore Throat Runny Nose

For additional COVID-19 information please go to https://www.newarkunified.org/covid-19 or https://www.acoe.org/guidance

OBSERVE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING Members of the public may observe the meeting via the NUSD YouTube Channel, live transmission on Comcast Channel 26, or in- person at the NUSD Boardroom. Spanish translation will be available via Zoom.

PUBLIC COMMENT The public will have the opportunity to address the Board of Education regarding non-agendized matters and agendized items with a live audio-only comment via Zoom with advance notice requested by email at PUBLICCOMMENT@newarkunified.org, a written comment by submitting a speaking card via email at PUBLICCOMMENT@newarkunified.org, or with live in-person comments by submitting a speaker-card with the Executive Assistant.

Roll Call

Type Procedural TRUSTEES President Bowen Zhang

Vice President/Clerk Phuong Nguyen Member Terrence Grindall Member Aiden Hill Member VACANT

STUDENT BOARD MEMBER Member Estaina Resendiz-Ortiz

2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

Approval of the Agenda

Type Action, Discussion

Recommended It is recommended that the Board of Education approve the agenda for this meeting. Action PURPOSE: Members of the Governance Team may request that the agenda be amended or approved as presented.

Motion & Voting It is recommended that the Board of Education approve the agenda for this meeting.

Motion by Bowen Zhang, second by Phuong Nguyen.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bowen Zhang, Phuong Nguyen, Terrence Grindall, Aiden Hill, Estaina Resendiz-Ortiz

3. INTERVIEW AND APPOINTMENT

Candidate Interview

Type Discussion, Information PURPOSE:

The Board of Education will have the opportunity to interview the candidates.

BACKGROUND:

Member Martinez accepted an appointed position on the Ohlone Community College Board and has resigned from the NUSD Board of Education. Her resignation took effect on July 28. The Education Code provides that the Board can decide whether the vacancy is filled by a special election or through an appointment made by the Board. On August 5, 2021, the Board decided to proceed with the appointment process. On August 23, 2021, the applications were made available to the public, with a closing date of September 1, 2021. A Board directive was given to diligently review the board bylaws, and an administrative oversight was discovered. As a result, the application process was re-opened on September 3, 2021, and closed on September 10, 2021. Four applications were submitted, and three candidates confirmed their attendance at the September 21, 2021, Special Board of Education Meeting.

The candidates will be selected at random in order to decide the order of the candidates to be interviewed. The Board members will ask the candidates interview questions, and all candidates will be asked the same questions.

Candidates to be interviewed: Alicia Marquez Casper Knoop James Miguel

File Attachments 2021-0921 - Board Vacancy Application - Alicia Marquez (1).pdf (582 KB) 2021-0921 - Board Vacancy Application - Casper Knoop (1).pdf (786 KB) 2021-0921 - Board Vacancy Application - Jason Miguel (1).pdf (1,017 KB)

Public Comment on the Board Vacancy

Type Discussion, Information PURPOSE:

The Board of Education encourages the community's participation in its deliberations and has tried to make it convenient to express their views to the Board.

BACKGROUND:

Please see the instructions on the link below for public comment information on non-agenda items and agenda items.

http://go.boarddocs.com/ca/nusd/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=C4Q2D4019F40

Candidate Selection

Type Action, Discussion PURPOSE:

For the Board to score the candidates based on the interview questions, select, and approve one candidate to take the vacant seat on the NUSD Board of Education.

BACKGROUND:

Per Board direction, the past practices will be followed when scoring and selecting the candidates. Traditionally, candidate selection consists of two rounds. Normally in the first round, the Board members will each select their top three (3) candidates without a number scale or grade, and no more or no less than three will be selected. Per guidance from the Board vacancy sub- committee, the first round can be bypassed due to only being three candidates who will be interviewed. In the second round, the Board ranks the three candidates using a 3 - 2 - 1 number scale (3 for their first and top choice, 2 for their second choice, and 1 for their third or last choice). All Board members will rank the candidates using a 3, 2, or 1. Each candidate must be given a 3, 2, or 1 score. After a sum of the scores provided by the Board, the candidate with the highest score will be selected to move forward as the candidate selected to join the NUSD Board of Education. A motion and second, with approval from the majority of the Board will affirm the selection.

File Attachments Sept 21, 2021 - Board Appointment Ranking Sheet.pdf (77 KB)

Motion & Voting (not specified)

Motion by Bowen Zhang, second by Terrence Grindall.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bowen Zhang, Phuong Nguyen, Terrence Grindall, Estaina Resendiz-Ortiz
Nay: Aiden Hill

Oath of Office

Type Procedural Purpose:

The newly appointed NUSD Board of Education Trustee will be sworn in to their new position.

Background:

Oath: "I, _____________________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon which I am about to enter."

4. ADJOURNMENT

Adjournment

Type Action, Procedural

Recommended The recommendation is that the Board of Education adjourns this meeting. Action PURPOSE: No items will be considered after 10:00 p.m. unless it is determined by a majority of the Board to extend to a specific time.

This action will conclude the meeting.

Motion & Voting The recommendation is that the Board of Education adjourns this meeting.

Motion by Bowen Zhang, second by Estaina Resendiz-Ortiz.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bowen Zhang, Phuong Nguyen, Terrence Grindall, Aiden Hill, Estaina Resendiz-Ortiz

No minutes available.