Newport-Mesa Unified board meeting, date not confirmed yet

2 h 39 min · 2 public speakers

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 2 h 39 min.

  1. Who spoke · first speaks at
  2. Lisa PearsonClerk
  3. Carol CraneMember
  4. Ashley AndersonMember
  5. Michelle MurphyVice President
  6. Krista WeigandMember
What happened

What happened at this meeting

Newport-Mesa board approves policy updates, waives second reading by unanimous vote 2:01:17

  • The board heard reports on the District English Learner Advisory Committee and multilingual programs, and on an alternate pathway diploma and Unified Champion Schools program. 58:48
  • The board approved the district's initial proposal to the California School Employees Association Chapter 18 for reopener negotiations commencing 2026 by a unanimous vote. 1:41:58
  • The board also approved board policy updates with a waived second reading, and adopted governance protocols, both by unanimous votes. 2:01:30

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

Item by item (14)
  1. Opening and closed session comment 0:02
    • The board took a roll call and a motion to adopt the agenda was made and seconded. 0:24
    • A speaker at public comment asked that 11 acres be preserved as open space and that the district look for alternative locations to build workforce housing. 1:21
  2. Closed session report and minutes 5:00
    • A motion to adopt the minutes was made and seconded, followed by a roll call vote. 5:50
  3. Student and employee recognitions 6:36
    • A speaker said construction students at Estancia won a Southern California design-build competition against more than 30 learning institutions for the second year in a row. 7:30
    • A district staff member recognized two 2026 Classified Employees of the Year, in the custodial and maintenance services and technical services categories. 11:07
    • A district staff member recognized the 2027 Teachers of the Year, and another staff member recognized a district director named ACSA's Region 17 Student Service Administrator of the Year. 25:58
  4. Student board member reports 31:05
    • Student board members were asked to share the favorite or most valuable thing they learned this year. 31:15
  5. PTA and employee group comments 39:21
    • A speaker said PTA volunteers contributed over 150,000 hours to Newport-Mesa Unified school communities this year. 40:51
    • A speaker said parents should have access to the same e-bike safety training required for students. 47:42
    • Speakers marked Classified School Employee Week and described the work of arts teachers at district events. 48:50
  6. Public comment on non-agenda items 54:36
    • A speaker at public comment stated opposition to Board Policy 5142.04 and said the policy does not account for the interests of parents and students. 55:22
    • The superintendent said the board did hear clarifications between types of bikes and that staff would welcome continued conversations about keeping children safe. 58:05
  7. English learner advisory and multilingual report 58:48
    • A parent presenting the advisory committee report said many parents still do not fully understand the reclassification process and that it should be explained more at school sites. 1:07:26
    • A district staff member said the number of long-term English learners decreased by 400 students over the last 4 years and that the dual immersion program has a little over 500 students. 1:11:28
    • Ashley Anderson cited an increase from 62% to 75% in reclassification by 6th grade and asked for middle and high school dual immersion enrollment numbers. 1:20:36
  8. Alternate diploma and unified programs update 1:23:07
    • A district staff member said the alternate pathway diploma includes 13 courses and requires 130 credits, compared with 230 credits for a regular diploma, beginning in 2026⁠-⁠27. 1:23:37
    • The staff member said Unified Champion Schools, a Special Olympics program, would launch at Corona del Mar, Costa Mesa, Estancia and Tewinkle with courses in Unified PE, Unified Art and Unified Student Leadership. 1:23:37
    • Lisa Pearson asked how many students the pathway would affect, and a staff member said it would affect all students in 9th through 12th grade in extensive special needs classes. 1:32:13
  9. Consent calendar 1:38:48
    • A motion to approve the consent calendar was made and seconded, followed by a roll call vote. 1:38:48
  10. Classified employee reopener negotiations 1:39:24
    • A district staff member said both parties agreed to negotiate Article 3, hours of employment, in addition to salary and health and welfare benefits. 1:40:10
    • No public comments were received at either public hearing. 1:40:27
    • The board approved the district's initial proposal to the California School Employees Association Chapter 18 by a unanimous vote. 1:41:58
  11. Board policy updates 1:42:54
    • The board took up policy 5144.1, which a district staff member described as a routine update reflecting the state's continued refinement of its policies. 1:49:12
    • Carol Crane moved to adopt the policies as discussed and edited and to waive the second reading. 2:01:17
    • One board member said a preference going forward was to approve the policies individually, but that this did not seem to be the consensus at the moment. 2:01:45
    • The board approved the policies by a unanimous vote. 2:02:20
  12. Board governance protocols 2:02:20
    • A district staff member said 2 items were added to the protocols this year, with small edits to 2 other items. 2:02:27
    • The board adopted the governance protocols by a unanimous vote. 2:03:37
  13. Resolutions on calendar, insurance and finances 2:03:37
    • Carol Crane asked for the savings amount, and a district staff member said participation in the PIPS was estimated at about $625,000 in savings for the first year. 2:06:47
    • A district staff member said a resolution allows the district to sell 3 portables back to Huntington Beach City School District for $5,000 each, for a total of $15,000. 2:10:32
    • A district staff member said a resolution would allow temporary transfers from the county treasury to meet cash flow needs because Fund 40 may not have sufficient funds to borrow from. 2:12:20
  14. Superintendent and board member reports 2:15:52
    • The superintendent thanked community groups for scholarships for students. 2:15:56
    • Krista Weigand said the district swim program gave lessons to 337 students this year. 2:20:02
    • Lisa Pearson said 33 students took part in an athletic signing ceremony at CDM to play in college. 2:31:57

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