Novato Unified board meeting, Oct 6, 2026
4 h 04 min · 18 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 4 h 04 min.
- Who spoke · first speaks at
What happened
What happened at this meeting
Novato Unified board votes on moving Hamilton grades 6-8 to San Jose Middle School 2:28:37
- The board heard an equity impact analysis and then considered Resolution Number 9, which would move the Hamilton grades 6 through 8 program to San Jose Middle School beginning with the 2027-2028 school year. 1:37:22
- Several speakers at public comment asked the board not to close the Hamilton middle school program, citing distance, family schedules and community ties. 1:57:54
- The board also heard a teaching and learning report and approved a board policy on a 6-0 vote. 3:32:25
Until Nov 4, lines where a board member takes a side don't name the member. Why →
Item by item (12)
- Item 0:21
- Julie Jacobson reported that a majority of the board voted in closed session to approve a settlement agreement over special education claims against the district, providing reimbursement for services in exchange for a release of claims. 1:38
- Abbey Picus noted that the consent agenda included approval of the board's 26-27 legislative talking points for advocacy at the state level. 3:54
- The agenda was approved 6 with 2 student advisory votes, and the consent agenda was approved 6 with 2 advisory votes. 3:17
- Board and student reports 4:58
- Student trustees reported on homecoming events, arts performances and athletics at their high schools. 5:06
- Debbie Butler reported site visits at Hamilton and Loma Verde and attendance at Hamilton community meetings on the 6/8 program. 9:57
- A staff member said October 12th is a professional development day with no school, and that the next board meeting will include a study session on potential housing options at the San Andreas and Hamilton Meadow sites. 17:14
- Novato High Next Gen STEM presentation 17:42
- Novato High co-principals described Next Gen STEM as an honors pathway in which students can earn up to a 5.0 GPA. 18:27
- A co-principal said the cohort of 78 students is full and that completers earn the State Seal of Civic Engagement and the AP Capstone Diploma. 21:27
- Students in the program led trustees through an experiment with dry ice and expanding balloons. 23:39
- Williams Act public hearing 32:53
- A speaker at public comment said San Jose Middle School students did not have Chromebooks to reach online materials at home and asked the board to vote no on certifying sufficiency of materials. 33:29
- Another speaker said a $225 classroom allotment had been used up on Scantrons and asked the board to vote no. 37:50
- A speaker asked the board to vote no on certifying sufficiency at San Jose Middle School, saying there are no set district standards for ELA materials. 40:23
- Teaching and learning plan report 46:00
- District staff outlined six areas of focus, including proficiency-based education, early literacy, math instruction, English language learners, multi-tiered systems of support and the use of AI and technology. 47:52
- A staff member said San Jose Middle School is piloting not sending Chromebooks home this year, and Greg Mack asked whether the pilot was scheduled for one year before an assessment. 1:06:20
- A staff member said students who need a Chromebook can check one out and that the district needs to clarify that with the community. 1:20:59
- Budget report on restricted contributions 1:23:30
- A staff member said the parcel tax has been $251 per parcel since 2009 and now covers 9.34 FTE, compared with 20.18 in 2016-2017. 1:28:26
- The staff member said special education contributions grew $8.9 million over 10 years, or 117% growth. 1:31:54
- One board member said special education is one of the board's legislative talking points, and another board member said outside firms raise their claims when funding increases. 1:34:57
- Hamilton middle school equity impact analysis 1:37:22
- The district's chief financial officer said Hamilton's middle school has 153 students and that moving the program would save around $700,000. 1:38:07
- A staff member said the $6.5 million figure accepted that $700,000 would come from the elimination of the 6th, 7th and 8th grades, and that keeping the current program changes that number to $7.3 million. 1:52:26
- A speaker at public comment said parents had not received surveys, and a speaker asked whether the equity report was shared in Spanish; a staff member said it was and could be shared again. 2:03:06
- Hamilton grades 6-8 transition resolution 2:28:00
- A staff member said the transition is exempt from CEQA review and asked for approval of Resolution Number 9. 2:28:53
- One board member said the district has eliminated $15 million over the last 3 years and that sustaining a 6-8 program and 2 comprehensive middle schools is not feasible, and another board member said they were going to have to support this. 2:58:15
- One board member asked that staff bring reports on the progress of the transition to the board, and a trustee proposed amending the resolution to say the 4th community meeting reviewed the equity impact analysis on 9/30/26. ~3:09:51
- Williams Act instructional materials resolution 3:14:04
- A staff member said staff had certified sufficient materials at all sites and that students may request a Chromebook or textbooks to take home. 3:14:18
- One board member said there appeared to be a mismatch of information that should be addressed through an e-blast or FAQ. 3:17:38
- Abbey Picus asked for follow-up information on what is happening in classrooms where parents raised concerns. 3:25:22
- Retiree health benefits actuarial analysis 3:26:34
- Classified management board policy 3:28:56
- Budget reduction community engagement 3:33:06
- A staff member said the district faces $6.5 million in ongoing reductions and asked the board whether to organize options by values and student outcomes or by programs and services, saying there was no vote. 3:33:22
- One board member suggested a combination of the two approaches, and another board member asked that the impact on different student populations be included. 3:40:00
- One board member suggested facilitated community meetings to educate the community rather than surveys, and another board member agreed. 3:57:04
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 “Novato Unified School District Regular Board Meeting 10/06/2026”