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Sequoia Union High School District board meeting, Jun 10, 2026

2 h 16 min · 13 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 16 min.

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What happened

What happened at this meeting

Sequoia Union trustees discuss cell phone policy as staff recommends in-class ban 1:14:48

  • An assistant superintendent presented the 2026⁠-⁠27 proposed budget as information, with action set for the June 17th meeting. 31:18
  • The board discussed a new board policy on mobile communication devices, with a district staff member recommending a ban during class while allowing students to use phones during brunch, lunch and passing periods. 1:14:48
  • Several speakers at public comment urged the board to adopt a bell-to-bell phone policy instead. 1:15:50

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Item by item (14)
  1. Opening and roll call 0:03
    • The meeting was called to order at 4:03 PM and went into closed session, then reconvened in public session at 6:07 PM. 0:07
    • A staff member said a quorum was present after the roll call. 3:46
  2. Board correspondence 9:36
    • The board received a May 12th, 2026, letter from the San Mateo County Office of Education stating that the district's second interim report appears to reflect adequately the district's financial and budgetary status. 9:36
    • The letter said the district submitted a positive certification that it will meet its financial obligations for the current and 2 subsequent fiscal years. 10:39
  3. Trustee and staff reports 11:02
    • Maria E. Cruz said board members and the superintendent visited EPAA, and that they were the keynote speaker for the Boys and Girls Club. 11:44
    • A staff member said the district was offering professional development to staff this week and that summer school would start Monday. 23:21
  4. Consent agenda 25:35
    • Public hearings 27:58
      • Amy Koo opened and closed public hearings on the 26⁠-⁠27 Local Control Accountability Plans for the district and for East Palo Alto Academy, the 2026⁠-⁠27 proposed budget and a maintenance assessment district resolution. 28:14
      • A staff member reported no public comments at each hearing. ~28:26
    • Proposed budget presentation 30:32
      • The assistant superintendent said projected reserves for the current and subsequent years fall below the 8% reserve in Board Policy 3100, and that adoption is set for June 17th. 31:18
      • The assistant superintendent of administrative services said total revenues for 26⁠-⁠27 are projected at $268 million and total expenditures at $266,028,635, with the contribution to special education at approximately $40 million per year. 39:19
      • One board member, speaking for the budget subcommittee, said they appreciated the conservative approach. 50:18
    • Local Control Accountability Plans 50:56
      • A staff member said the district plan had no changes from the last meeting and would return next week for final approval before going to the county by the end of the month. 51:44
      • A presenter said the East Palo Alto Academy plan also had no adjustments. 52:48
    • Policy revisions under settlement agreement 53:02
      • A staff member presented revisions that add examples of discrimination based on shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics and specify that such allegations will be investigated as UCPs. 1:10:54
      • A speaker proposed moving the revisions to the consent agenda for approval at the next meeting. 1:14:21
    • Mobile communication device policy 1:14:48
      • A staff member recommended a full class ban except for specific academic reasons, while allowing students to use phones during free time. 1:29:23
      • One board member said they would support a bell-to-bell ban, a second member said they favored an instruction-only policy for now, and a third member said they would support an in-class ban for 2026⁠-⁠27 with a fresh parent survey. 1:31:25
      • A staff member suggested keeping the policy for 2026⁠-⁠27 and revisiting it by December, and a speaker proposed placing it on the next meeting's consent agenda with that change. 1:52:37
    • Recommended policy updates 1:58:01
      • A staff member said the updates came from CSBA recommendations and covered safety plans, records access and disclosure of immigration status only with parental consent or a warrant. 1:58:31
      • A speaker asked how off-campus activity would be monitored, and a staff member said the district looks into reports of activity that may affect students on campus. 2:06:59
      • A speaker asked whether everyone was good with bringing the item back on consent for the next meeting. 2:08:07
    • Placements and service agreements 2:08:34
      • The board took up non-public school placements and agreements with Sausal Corporation Inc. for a Menlo Atherton bleacher and press box and with Club Excite LLC for mental health services. 2:08:34
      • The board also took up agreements with OnPoint Language Solutions LLC, Subject Technologies, Inc. and Escon Builders for pool repair and deck replacement at Menlo Atherton High School. 2:10:06
    • Year-end finance and assessment resolutions 2:11:40
      • The board considered a temporary interfund loan transfer not to exceed $800,000, year-end budgetary increases and transfers, and an engineer's report and levy of assessment for fiscal year '26-'27. 2:11:40
      • Each motion carried 5⁠-⁠0. 2:12:22
    • Service agreement and related resolution 2:14:17
      • The board considered a service agreement and adoption of Resolution Number 25. 2:14:17
      • The motion carried 5⁠-⁠0. 2:15:06
    • Future agenda items and adjournment 2:15:08
      • Amy Koo adjourned the general meeting at 8:27 and said the board would return to closed session. 2:15:08

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

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    Video: posted by the district as “SUHSD Board Meeting - June 10, 2026”