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West Sonoma County Union High School District board meeting, date not confirmed yet

3 h 03 min

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 03 min.

  1. Who spoke · first speaks at
What happened

What happened at this meeting

Board motion on director of digital learning and technology job description fails 2:09:26

  • The board also heard reports on enrollment and interdistrict transfers, a first reading of a graduation requirements policy, and an update on bond-funded facilities projects. 1:47:05
  • The board considered a job description for a Director of Digital Learning and Technology, and the motion failed. 2:09:26
  • Several speakers at public comment raised the cost of the position and asked the district to restore technology support and other staff positions instead. 2:23:26
  • One board member said they would be more comfortable putting the item over at least a month for more discussion, and a staff member suggested it could return at the first meeting in December. 2:45:44

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

Item by item (12)
  1. Opening and agenda approval 0:10
    • Jeanne Fernandes called the meeting to order, and the board went into closed session after no one commented on closed session items. 0:10
    • After calling the meeting back to order, Jeanne Fernandes started with the Pledge of Allegiance and called for a motion to approve the agenda. 57:45
  2. Public comment on non-agenda items 1:00:11
    • Speakers at public comment asked the board to put the issue of racism in the schools on an agenda. 1:00:44
    • A speaker thanked the board for reinstating stipends that support music programs and other extracurricular activities. 1:05:05
    • Another speaker said a Gemini popup in Google Docs distracted students and asked district leaders to use less AI in their own writing. 1:11:02
  3. Consent calendar 1:12:09
    • Jeanne Fernandes called for a motion and a second on the consent calendar, and no discussion was offered. 1:12:09
  4. Student representative reports 1:13:41
    • A student representative described homecoming events, a band performance alongside professional performers and an upcoming choir performance in the theater. 1:13:41
    • The Academy of Innovative Arts representative described kitchen and garden work and invited the board to an exhibition night on December 17th. 1:15:24
    • The Laguna representative reported a new Safe School Ambassadors chapter and Path to Purpose interviews with 25 students. 1:17:54
  5. Employee association reports 1:19:30
    • The teachers association representative asked the district to look into another district's self-funded dental plan and said the association opposed creating the Director of Technology position. 1:21:28
    • The teachers association representative also asked for an accounting of the financial effects of the district no longer administering the special education consortium. 1:23:35
    • The CSEA president said members had questions about the director position and asked the board to consider the 2 positions eliminated from the bargaining unit. 1:25:57
  6. Board member reports 1:29:03
    • A board member asked staff for a report on issues students bring to counselors related to DEI-type concerns. ~1:29:03
    • Lewis Buchner said the district has an active Access and Belonging Committee and invited the public to its monthly meeting. 1:31:35
    • Jeanne Fernandes said a report was coming next month and described attending a football game, a band concert and the CTE building's grand opening. 1:35:12
  7. Superintendent report 1:36:03
    • A district staff member said the Alumni Association agreed to award about $35,000 toward a marquee and that 90% of Prop 28 funds are invested in staff. 1:36:03
    • A district staff member said the special education consortium MOU is set to expire in 2028 and that an item to formalize its expiration is planned for November, with a community forum in January or February. 1:37:48
    • Jeanne Fernandes said they met with Sonoma County Office of Education officials, who declined to take over the consortium. 1:45:52
  8. Graduation requirements policy first reading 1:45:52
    • A staff member said the revision strikes language that could be perceived as conflicting and that only one student in the past 3 years had asked to use a college course toward graduation requirements. 1:47:35
    • Jeanne Fernandes said the policy would come back as a second reading. 1:50:03
  9. Fentanyl awareness month resolution 2:01:35
    • A staff member said the resolution would be brought back annually and may change to address other opioids. 2:01:52
    • A speaker asked whether a parent information element would continue, and a staff member said it would be held annually. 2:03:24
    • One board member said they supported the resolution 100%. 2:04:09
  10. Teachers association contract proposals 2:05:56
    • Jeanne Fernandes opened and closed a public hearing with no speakers. 2:05:56
    • A staff member said the district's proposal identifies articles including wages, hours, class size and leaves, and that all articles are potentially open in a successor year. 2:06:41
    • The staff member asked the board to accept the teachers association letter acknowledging that all articles are open for negotiation. 2:08:26
  11. Technology director job description 2:09:26
    • A staff member said the position would include direct hands-on technology support as well as leadership on digital learning and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. 2:09:48
    • Linda Helton asked whether the director would also handle tickets, and a staff member said the role would be very hands-on. 2:17:41
    • One speaker at public comment estimated the position would cost close to $170,000 annually, and another cited a starting salary of $137,000. 2:35:07
    • Jeanne Fernandes announced that the motion failed. 2:50:22
  12. Facilities and bond funds update 2:50:22
    • The presenter said the Analy Stadium project has a budget of $7.16 million and the Annalee Cafeteria project has a budget allocation of $9.7 million. 2:52:13
    • A presenter said the bond fund began the school year with $26 million and has a budgeted ending balance of approximately $1.5 million. 2:53:20
    • The presenter said the district expects a minimum of $3 million in Prop 2 grant funding. 2:59:26

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

What was said

What board members said, in order

This is about, um, DEI, which now we're calling the Access and Belonging Committee. So we have a very active committee and real work is happening.Lewis Buchner · Trustee - Vice President - Area 51:31:35
Other meetings

Other meetings of this board

Video: posted by the district as “Board Meeting October 21, 2026”