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Azusa Unified board meeting, Aug 18, 2026

3 h 00 min · 1 public speaker

This board doesn’t post agenda times. Click a board member to jump to where they first speak; we list only members whose voice our check named. Video length 3 h 00 min.

  1. Who spoke · first speaks at
  5. Sandra BenavidesPresident
What happened

What happened at this meeting

Azusa Unified board reviews self-evaluation, missed-meeting pay rules at governance workshop 7:54

  • Earlier, the board approved the agenda 5⁠-⁠0. 1:03
  • A staff member led the board's annual board self-evaluation and said 4 members completed the whole evaluation. 7:54
  • Board members discussed how information tied to a closed session item should be shared with the full board, and the facilitator said a protocol would be drafted for the governance handbook. 45:33
  • The board also reviewed a resolution adopted on 10/2/2018 on board compensation for missed meetings and discussed guidelines for recognitions. 2:24:09

Until Nov 4, lines where a board member takes a side don't name the member. Why →

Item by item (11)
  1. Opening and agenda approval 0:00
    • Sandra Benavides called the meeting to order on Tuesday, August 18th at 5:29 PM and began the roll call. 0:00
    • No one spoke on closed session items, and the board went into closed session before returning for the Pledge of Allegiance. 0:43
    • The agenda was approved 5⁠-⁠0. 1:03
  2. Public comment 2:11
    • A speaker at public comment said the board voted 5⁠-⁠0 in 2022 to keep the Aztec name at Azusa High School and said the name Azusa Jaguars was introduced this past Sunday. 3:55
    • The speaker asked whether a name change was in the works and whether it should be an agenda item. 5:09
  3. Board self-evaluation results 6:08
    • The facilitator said 4 members completed the evaluation and one did not finish, so answers from question 25 on showed not sure and results may be skewed. 7:54
    • Carlos Ramos asked whether the survey sends a reminder to those who do not finish, and the facilitator said that would be looked into. 11:40
    • One board member said that if they could change the evaluation, it would not be anonymous. 23:36
  4. Sharing information before closed session 33:03
    • Carlos Ramos asked whether the superintendent or the board president has the final decision on whether information is relevant to a topic. 48:55
    • One board member suggested passing relevant information to both the board president and the superintendent and said it should be shared out if connected to the topic. 51:55
    • One board member read a board bylaw stating the board president and superintendent jointly decide whether items go on the open or closed session and said it may need to be amended. 1:02:59
  5. Direction to the superintendent 1:14:42
    • Adrian Greer noted responses suggesting some members felt direction was given to the superintendent outside board meetings and asked about it. 1:14:55
    • The facilitator said the superintendent only receives direction from the board as a whole at board meetings and in closed session, apart from emergencies. 1:22:24
    • Sandra Benavides said the question was marked with a question mark because of its wording. 1:24:44
  6. Mission, vision and perspectives 1:25:10
    • One board member said they did not recall the board circling back to the vision, mission and goals and suggested looking at them once every other year. 1:26:08
    • Sandra Benavides said the board members understanding other perspectives item tied to miscommunication and timing issues in the earlier situation. 1:34:59
  7. Board training and development 1:39:57
    • A board member said meeting once a month is not proper training for board members. ~1:39:57
    • The facilitator suggested a Good Beginnings workshop in lieu of the governance handbook meeting, and later announced a Board President's Workshop January 11th and January 12th online. 1:43:10
    • One board member said they were still interested in the board president workshop. 1:52:17
  8. Workshop follow-up 2:12:48
    • The facilitator said the follow-ups were draft wording on disseminating information for the governance handbook and an outline for a Good Beginnings training, both sent through the superintendent. 2:12:48
    • Adrian Greer and Sandra Benavides thanked the facilitator. 2:15:02
  9. Board compensation for missed meetings 2:19:07
    • Adrian Greer read a resolution adopted on 10/2/2018 indicating missed meetings result in a percentage of compensation loss unless approved by the board for listed reasons. 2:24:09
    • A staff member said the policy was not always followed, and Adrian Greer said it is probably more rare that all 5 members are present than not. 2:26:10
    • Sandra Benavides said there were several instances when the board did not hear from an absent board member, and a staff member said 30 minutes notice for running late was fair and could go in the governance handbook. 2:32:14
  10. Guidelines for recognitions 2:49:31
    • A staff member said recognitions at board meetings are for special occasions, citing existing policy. 2:49:42
    • One board member said the board should continue doing what it does now. ~2:51:30
    • Sandra Benavides requested copies of the bylaws discussed in the next agenda packet. 2:56:08
  11. Closed session and adjournment 2:56:35
    • The board returned to closed session and concluded it at 9:39. 2:56:53
    • The meeting was adjourned at 9:40 PM. 2:59:18

Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.

Other meetings

Other meetings of this board

Video: posted by the district as “8/18/26 - Board Of Education Governance Meeting”