Mr. Marvin Jones led Board member and guests in the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America (USA). 

1. Justin Adams

Background

IT Supervisor for the past 8 years.

El Camino alumnus, Class of 2006.

Has strong personal and professional ties to the school community.

Concern About School Culture

Believes the campus is at its lowest point.

Staff are afraid to speak up due to fear of retaliation or losing their jobs.

Employees do not feel comfortable approaching HR with concerns.

Morale, passion, and the sense of community have declined.

Concerns About School Conditions

Describes the campus as poorly maintained.

Believes the school’s dysfunction needs immediate attention.

Closure of the Director of Technology Position

Former Director of Technology Ryan Guinto’s position was closed six months ago.

Justin believes the closure was unnecessary.

Questions whether the decision was truly due to budget cuts.

Points out that the school later created other positions and entered into a new security contract.

Concerns About Leadership and Governance

Questions whether the Board considered Ryan Guinto’s qualifications and contributions.

Believes Ryan upheld the school’s values and worked to maintain a high-performing team.

Raises concerns that reporting ethical breaches may have contributed to the closure of Ryan’s position.

Identifies current acting Board members Brad Wright, Alexander Ramirez, Joe Kolkowitz, and Stephen Kofahl as responsible for the decision.

Call for Change

Believes Ryan’s leadership and expertise are needed to help restore the campus.

Calls for new leadership to address the school’s problems.

Emphasizes that El Camino’s legacy belongs to its teachers, counselors, technology staff, custodians, and students.

Urges immediate action to protect the school’s future.

2. Hailey Fiber

Introduction

Junior at El Camino.

Recently appointed captain of the girls’ varsity soccer team.

Speaking on behalf of the girls’ soccer program and all ECR student-athletes.

Support for Coach Choi

Coach Choi has been an important mentor to Hailey and her teammates.

He supports them as athletes, students, and individuals.

His absence has left the team feeling lost.

Coach Choi’s Contributions

Helped develop multiple Division 1 college commits.

Coached teams that reached the Open Division playoffs.

Created opportunities for players throughout the program.

Encouraged athletes to become better players and people.

Impact on Hailey

Relies on Coach Choi for personal and academic support.

Needs his guidance during her junior year of soccer.

Considers junior year especially important for competitive soccer players.

Impact on the Team

The team is struggling without his presence and leadership.

Players feel they need his guidance to have a successful season.

Call to Action

Requests that Coach Choi be reinstated.

Emphasizes that the team needs its coaches back to succeed.

3. Pooja Savla

Introduction

Science teacher at El Camino.

Addressing Agenda Item 5, Governance Item C: Board Chair.

Request for a New Board Chair

Asks the Board to approve a chair who prioritizes the school’s best interests.

Wants a chair who promotes balance and equity for all stakeholders.

Stakeholders to Consider

Students.

Parents.

Teachers.

Staff.

Expectations for the Board Chair

Act in the school’s best interests.

Avoid actions or decisions that benefit themselves personally.

Ensure fairness and equity across the school community.

Concerns About Current Board Engagement

Some Board members may be struggling to respond to emails and stakeholder concerns.

Questions whether their current availability allows them to effectively fulfill their responsibilities.

Call for Commitment and Communication

Emphasizes that Board service requires meaningful commitment.

Asks Board members to communicate with the school community.

Requests that the Board prioritize responsiveness and engagement.

4. Scarlett Harris

Introduction

Senior at El Camino Real.

Four-year member of the girls’ soccer team.

Three-time captain of the varsity girls’ soccer team.

Coach Choi’s Impact

Helped Scarlett achieve her goal of committing to a Division 1 college with a significant scholarship.

Supported her personal growth and development as a soccer player.

Helped her with academic challenges in the classroom.

Impact on the Team

The team misses Coach Choi and feels his absence.

Practices have become more difficult without his leadership.

His absence has significantly affected how the program operates.

Call to Action

Believes Coach Choi needs to return for the team to have a successful season.

Emphasizes that the team needs his guidance to compete and win.

5. Jesus Contreras

Introduction

Counselor at El Camino Real.

Entering his sixth year at the school.

Concern About Counseling Leadership

Raises concerns about the absence of Mr. Juan Alba, the administrator overseeing the Counseling Department.

The Counseling Department has been without its administrator for over five weeks.

His absence comes during one of the busiest and most demanding times of the school year.

Impact on the Counseling Department

Creates additional stress and challenges for the counseling team.

Counselors have been asked to take on responsibilities outside their scope of practice.

Staff are working to maintain essential student services despite the leadership gap.

Lack of Communication

The department has received no updates beyond the initial July 27 announcement.

Staff were only told that Mr. Alba would be absent that week.

Impact on School Operations

Mr. Alba plays a critical role in overseeing the master schedule.

His expertise helps identify and resolve scheduling conflicts before they affect students and staff.

His absence has created challenges beyond the Counseling Department.

Request to the Board

Asks for an update on Mr. Alba’s return.

Requests a clear plan for adequate leadership and support for the Counseling Department.

Importance of Mr. Alba’s Role

His leadership and experience are valuable to the entire ECR community.

His proactive approach helps support students, staff, and families.

Believes losing him in this role would significantly impact the school’s success.

6. Albert Vazquez

Introduction

Co-Department Chair of the History Department.

Intervention Coordinator and teacher with 20 years of experience.

Fear of Retaliation

Hesitated to speak because his wife was concerned about possible retaliation.

Believes fear has become part of the culture at El Camino.

Says many colleagues have concerns but are afraid to speak up.

Call for Accountability and Transparency

Requests accountability and transparency from school leadership.

Believes staff should feel safe expressing concerns.

Concerns About Staffing and Leadership

Counselors and the remaining administrators are overwhelmed.

Questions why an effective administrator is on paid administrative leave.

Expresses positive experiences working with Ms. Larew.

Executive Director Position

Believes the school needs a transparent process to fill the Executive Director position.

Sees this as an important step toward healing the school community.

Concerns About Leadership Accountability

Teaches students about accountability as an AP Government teacher.

Finds it difficult to teach accountability when school leaders appear to be held to different standards.

Believes repeated administrative leaves and negative morale reflect a lack of accountability at the top.

8. Sue Schuster

Introduction

In her 23rd year at El Camino.

Currently serves as Dean of Student Discipline.

Previously worked in the Math Department.

Objection to Closed Session

Formally objects to proceeding with Agenda Items 2A–C in closed session.

Believes the newly elected Board members should be seated first.

Concerns About Board Terms

Points out that the new Board members’ terms began August 27, 2026.

Believes the outgoing Board should not conduct closed-door business while excluding the newly elected members.

Transparency and Accountability

Emphasizes that voters elected the new Board members to represent them.

Teachers and parents deserve to have their elected representatives present during school-related discussions.

Questions why the newly elected members are being excluded.

Believes the exclusion undermines public confidence in the Board.

Request to the Board

Asks the Board to immediately seat and swear in the newly elected members.

Requests that this happen before entering closed session.

9. Lisa Huffakaer

Introduction

El Camino alumna, Class of 1989.

27th year working at the school as a Special Education teacher.

Speaking on behalf of the school community.

Concerns About the School’s Decline

Says El Camino was once a highly respected and desirable school for academics and athletics.

Believes the school has deteriorated under past and current leadership.

Notes that enrollment has declined from more than 3,500 students, with a former waitlist of over 1,000.

Concerns About Leadership

Says staff and the community do not understand the Board’s agenda or long-term direction.

Calls for the Board to stop repeating past mistakes.

Raises concerns about previous leadership transitions and the lack of transparency surrounding them.

Executive Director Position

Calls for an outside candidate with significant leadership experience.

Supports conducting a nationwide search.

Wants someone who is not deeply connected to existing internal conflicts and history.

Says the next leader should rebuild trust and transparency.

Concerns About Workplace Culture

Describes a loss of school spirit and staff morale.

Says coaching staff have left or walked out.

Says strong teachers are leaving for other schools.

Raises concerns about employees allegedly being disciplined or terminated after speaking up or participating in a strike.

Concerns About Transparency

Raises questions about several personnel matters and investigations.

Questions the status of employees who may be on leave or under investigation and whether they continue to receive pay.

Questions the roles and whereabouts of two UADs.

Calls for greater transparency regarding these matters.

Concerns About Security

Criticizes the new third-party security company.

Describes alleged incidents involving security personnel being intoxicated, asleep, or using phones while on campus.

Questions whether the current security arrangement provides a safe environment.

Concerns About Former Technology Director

States that Ryan Guinto was terminated without cause, according to her account.

Claims his termination was connected to bringing attention to alleged ethical breaches involving Board members.

These are presented as allegations rather than established findings.

Broader Concerns

Raises allegations involving misconduct, nepotism, conflicts, and other serious workplace issues.

Says the accumulation of these issues has damaged trust and school spirit.

Characterizes the overall situation as a result of poor leadership, secrecy, and lack of direction.

Call for New Leadership

Calls for new leadership in both the Executive Director and Board President positions.

Advocates for a nationwide search for qualified candidates.

Wants leadership that can:

Restore trust and transparency.

Provide clear direction.

Support teachers.

Support psychologists and nurses.

Rebuild the broader school community.

10. Naomi McCoy

Background

Former ECR instructor.

Worked on the school’s charter committee.

Collaborated with teachers, including several who later retired, on the charter proposal.

Concerns About Current Situation

Says the community did not expect the current level of turmoil at ECR.

Believed the transition after retirements would proceed smoothly.

Concerns About Teacher Representative Voting

Sent letters on August 25 regarding inconsistencies she observed in the voting process.

Wants to confirm that Mrs. Rodriguez and Mrs. Larew have received and reviewed her letters.

Hopes to receive a response.

Request for Voting Transparency

Was not selected as one of the charter teacher representatives.

Requests the final ballot count from the teacher representative selection.

Specifically wants:

Total number of votes cast by certificated teachers.

Exact number of votes she personally received.

Says the information would help her understand the outcome of the election.

Questions About Board Eligibility

Raises concerns about Board members who have children currently enrolled at ECR.

Says her understanding of the application process was that parents of currently enrolled students were prohibited from serving on the Charter Board.

Requests clarification regarding recent Board appointments and whether they followed the stated eligibility requirements.

11. Sukhbir Dhillon

Background

Longtime member of the El Camino community.

Has served as:

Administrator.

Leader of the Dean’s Office.

Head of campus security and safety.

Concerns About Leadership Decisions

Says he does not understand several recent Board decisions.

Believes some decisions lack reasonable judgment.

Expresses concern that certain decisions could jeopardize campus safety.

Says these decisions are negatively affecting people’s lives.

Concern About Mr. Jones

Believes Mr. Jones should be returned to his previous position.

Questions why the position was filled without interviewing Mr. Jones, despite his application.

Calls for Mr. Jones to be brought back.

Request Regarding Closed Sessions

Calls on the Board to table all closed-session agenda items.

Believes these discussions should not proceed before the newly elected Board representatives are installed.

Call for a More Transparent Process

Wants the new Board representatives seated first.

Believes they should have time to review and understand the new information.

Supports making decisions afterward through a more informed and transparent process.

12. Angel Lerma

Background

Has been at El Camino for 32 years.

Attended the school himself.

Describes himself as deeply invested in the ECR community.

Has more than 20 years of experience as a student dean.

Main Concern: School Safety

Expresses strong disappointment about the current state of campus safety.

Believes the current security company does not have sufficient experience working with students.

Concerns About Current Security Guards

Says the guards are nice and well-intentioned young people.

Claims they were placed into their roles without adequate training.

Questions whether the guards were properly vetted.

Contrasts them with previous security companies, which he says had experienced, trained, and supervised personnel.

Concerns About the Board’s Decision

Believes replacing the previous security company has jeopardized student and staff safety.

Strongly criticizes the Board’s decision regarding campus security.

Says the Board should be held responsible for the potential consequences of inadequate security.

Emergency Preparedness

Raises concern about the school’s readiness for a serious emergency, including an active-shooter situation.

References recent school safety incidents reported in the news as a reminder that such events can happen unexpectedly.

13. Stephanie Franklin

Background

Teacher for 33 years.

Has worked at El Camino for 20 years.

Issue 1: Interim Director

Supports providing the Interim Director with a new contract and appropriate compensation.

Believes the Interim Director should have the authority needed to make decisions effectively.

Questions the need for a formal evaluation process for an interim position.

Urges the Board to open a search for a permanent Executive Director.

Believes the Interim Director should be allowed to apply and be selected if she is the strongest candidate.

Says the current situation leaves the school without stable leadership.

Issue 2: Campus Security

Raises concerns about the process used to select the current security company.

Says the selection criteria were changed multiple times before the company was chosen.

Wants careful consideration of the company that will replace the current security provider.

Specifically objects to considering International Services, saying it had previously been excluded during the vetting process.

Emphasizes that school safety should not be treated as a gamble.

Personal Experience With Campus Emergencies

Says she has experienced two serious campus incidents.

Recalls a lockdown involving an active-shooter situation and another incident involving a police officer who shot himself.

Says staff and students were confined for approximately six hours during one lockdown.

Does not want students, staff, or her own children to feel afraid at school.

Concerns About School Culture

Says she is hearing fear within the school community.

Believes the current environment is different from the school community she has worked to build.

Thanks others who have spoken publicly about their concerns.

14. Steven Roe

Background

Has worked at ECR for 13 years, primarily in the Dean’s Office.

Says he understands what a safe campus should look like.

Main Concern: Campus Security

Says the current security plan is failing.

Believes removing security oversight from the Dean’s Office and placing it under the Plant Manager was a serious mistake.

Says that when Mr. Camp and Mr. Jones oversaw security:

Student safety was the highest priority.

Student suspensions were remarkably low.

Concerns About the Security Proposal

Says a June scoring report presented by the Plant Manager was flawed.

Claims the report totaled 110%, which he says was unexplained.

Questions a reported increase in security guard rates from $25/hour in the fall to $34.50/hour in the spring, saying no explanation was provided.

Says the Board failed to properly vet the information.

Concerns About New Security Guards

Says guards were introduced to teachers during staff development while wearing:

Tactical vests.

Handcuffs.

At least one visible weapon.

Says the rollout of the new security team was poorly managed.

Problems During the First Week

Claims some guards were sent home for improper behavior.

Raises concerns about what he describes as questionable moral behavior.

Says some guards left early without replacements.

Claims several guards were younger than the promised minimum age of 25.

Student Safety Incident

Says inadequate training contributed to a non-student entering campus and assaulting/injuring a student on the first day of school.

Says security posts were left completely unattended.

Current Gate Security

Says an untrained custodian is currently opening the Burbank gate every morning.

Claims IDs are not being checked at the gate.

15. Student Speaker

Frustration with School Leadership

Says they are tired of pretending the school is being run acceptably.

Accuses the Board of making decisions behind closed doors.

Says students are given incomplete or vague explanations and expected to remain quiet.

Questions About Transparency

Raises concerns involving:

Mr. Alba.

A marketing employee.

The firing of coaches.

CPR certification.

Alleged financial misconduct involving others.

Questions why people asking for answers are being treated as the problem.

Directly asks leadership, “What are you hiding?”

Says that if decisions and investigations are legitimate, the school should explain what it can.

Concerns About Accountability

Says people are being “thrown under the bus” while students deal with the consequences.

Questions how leadership decides who is held accountable and who is protected.

Specifically challenges Brad about decisions involving people he reportedly still considers friends.

Student Frustration

Rejects requests for students to simply:

Be patient.

Trust the process.

Stop questioning decisions.

Says students have already been patient and have watched the process unfold.

Argues that leadership created the problems and should take responsibility for resolving them.

Campus Safety

Says students are afraid for their lives when they come to school.

Calls for proper security measures to protect students, teachers, and employees.

Says there have been repeated safety incidents and believes the response has been inadequate.

Emphasizes that no one should be afraid to come onto campus.

Message to Leadership

Stop hiding behind vague statements.

Stop asking students to remain silent.

Provide answers and greater transparency.

Put concrete safety measures in place.

Take responsibility for decisions affecting the school community.

Overall Message

The speaker expresses intense anger and distrust toward school leadership, focusing on transparency, accountability, treatment of employees, and student safety.

Presenter: Emilie Larew

Start of School Year

Staff and faculty were recognized for working together during an unusually challenging summer.

School year got off to a successful start despite the difficulties.

7 students graduated during a summer graduation ceremony at Shu.

Welcome Week & Student Laptops

The usual Royal Welcome program was not available.

Many ninth graders had not yet received laptops.

615 laptops were distributed on July 29–30.

An additional 57 laptops were distributed before school started.

219 more laptops were distributed after August 10.

702 laptops went to brand-new ninth graders.

The Tech Department and other staff were thanked for managing the large-scale distribution.

Parent Communication

School is increasing communication with parents, particularly through text messages.

Parents indicated that they are more likely to see texts than emails.

The school has received positive feedback about text communication for:

Welcome Week.

Back-to-School Night.

Other school information and announcements.

Recent & Upcoming Events

Back-to-School Night was held August 20.

Senior parent meeting was held to discuss upcoming senior activities.

Senior Sunrise was held recently.

Varsity football team had an opportunity to play an interway game in Hawaii.

Fall MAP testing took place over the previous two weeks.

Spirit Week was held.

A blood drive was conducted.

Students will have an opportunity to take the PSAT.

Heatwave Precautions

School implemented precautions because of the ongoing heatwave.

Portable AC units are being distributed to hot classrooms.

Some classes have been moved to cooler locations.

Additional classroom adjustments are being made as needed.

Some athletic practices and games have been:

Canceled.

Rescheduled.

Moved to alternate locations.

HVAC & Campus Projects

A multi-year, $12 million HVAC project funded by LAUSD is ongoing.

Thermostat replacement is also underway to improve classroom temperature management.

The front marquee remains under construction.

Construction experienced delays.

New expected completion is by the end of September.

Community Concerns & Ongoing Review

A community update was sent to the ECR community on August 17 following information and rumors that had caused concerns.

The administration said it has read and acknowledged the community’s feedback and concerns.

Student safety remains the stated top priority.

The administration said it is committed to a full and fair review.

Once the review is completed, an update will be provided to the extent permitted by law.

Personnel information is confidential and cannot be publicly disclosed.

The administration emphasized:

Compliance with relevant laws.

Protecting students.

Addressing concerns appropriately.

Avoiding assumptions while the review is ongoing.

Community members were encouraged to remain patient and not make assumptions.

Mr. Wright made a motion to move close session until after the new Board Members are installed and the board chair, the board vice chair and the secretary have been selected.

Move into closed session at 6:37 pm

Reconvene to open session 8:08 pm

The board reconvene to open session at 8:08 PM on the 27th of August, 2026.

The board returned to open session following the closed session. 

The board reported that it had agreed to a settlement with Employee A5143. 

No other actions or matters from the closed session were reported. 

The minutes of February 26, 2026 Regular Board Meeting are not yet finalized. Therefore, this item will be tabled and brought back for approval at an upcoming Board meeting.

Discuss and Vote to Install the One (1) Parent Representative Board Position

Term: August 27, 2026 through June 30, 2029

Board Discussion — Election Complaint & Certification

Complaint Received

The school received a complaint alleging irregularities in the Parent Representative election.

The school is required to investigate the complaint.

An independent outside review is currently underway.

Scope of the Review

The complaint and review concern only the Parent Representative election.

The two Certificated Representative positions are not involved in the complaint.

Those two positions will be certified through the ordinary certification process.

Parent Election — Provisional Certification

The Board will consider provisional certification of the Parent Representative election results.

The provisional certification means the election count remains subject to the independent review.

Final certification will return to the Board after the review is completed.

Board’s Reserved Authority

Depending on the investigation’s findings, the Board may:

Amend the provisional certification and certify a different result; or

Direct that a new election be held for the Parent Representative seat.

Any Parent Representative seated that night serves subject to these reservations.

Closed Session / Confidential Matters

The review involves personnel and legal matters.

The Board will therefore not discuss the substance of the review in open session.

Directors and members of the public were asked not to discuss those matters publicly either.

Protection Against Retaliation

The school prohibits retaliation against anyone who reports a concern in good faith or cooperates with the review.

The Board stated that it expects this policy to be followed.

Certificated Representative Board Positions

6 candidates ran for 2 available seats.

The proposed action was to seat the two candidates receiving the most votes:

Beth Corbett.

Mariellen Webster.

Brad Wright welcomed Meredith Webster.

Beth Corbett was not present at the meeting.

Brad Wright asked the Board to certify Beth Corbett despite her absence.

He stated that Corbett should be informed about Board matters, except for matters discussed in closed session.

The Board was reminded that matters discussed in closed session cannot be shared with individuals who were not present.

Brad Wright stated that Beth Corbett had been certified to serve on the Board.

Nominees

Mariellen Webster.

Brad Wright.

Remote Participation Concern

Mandy Rogers raised a concern about a new Board member who was out of state.

She said the Board member had been told she could not access the meeting remotely.

Mrs. Rogers stated that the Board member should be able to participate in the Chair vote.

Brad Wright’s Response

Wright explained that the Board member was not listed on the agenda.

He also stated that the Board did not know she was out of state.

Because of those circumstances, Wright said nothing could be done for her to participate in the vote.

This item has been tabled until an upcoming board meeting where Beth Corbett will be present to vote.

This item has been tabled until an upcoming board meeting where Beth Corbett will be present to vote.

This item has been tabled until an upcoming board meeting where Beth Corbett will be present to vote.

Board Committees

Executive Director Evaluation Committee

The first committee discussed was the Executive Director Evaluation Committee.

Brad Wright proposed that Beth Corbett serve on the committee.

Corbett was not present at the meeting.

Mr. Wright stated that he had spoken with Corbett and that she agreed to serve.

The committee requires 3 members.

Committee members:

Mandy Rogers – Chair.

Beth Corbett.

Steven Kofahl.

Finance & Investment Committee

Mandy Rogers – Chair.

Beth Corbett.

Mariellen Webster.

Capitalization Projects Committee

Brad Wright – Chair.

Alexandra Ramirez.

Joe Kolkowitz.

Safety Committee

Steven Kofahl – Chair.

Brad Wright.

Joe Kolkowitz.

Technology Committee

Mandy Rogers – Chair.

Brad Wright.

Mariellen Webster.

Travel Committee

Brad Wright – Chair.

Steven Kofahl.

Joe Kolkowitz.

Discussion and Vote to Respond to Notice of Concern from LAUSD with Written Action Plan

Discussion Topic

The Board discussed how to respond to a Notice of Concern from the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).

Presenter: Janelle Ruley.

Level of LAUSD Action

LAUSD’s Charter Schools Division issued a Notice of Concern to El Camino.

The attorney explained that this is the lowest level of progressive discipline used by the District.

It was described as the starting level in the District’s progressive discipline process.

Issues Identified by LAUSD

A significant portion of the notice explains the District’s interpretation of applicable laws and policies.

The District raised concerns regarding contracts entered into with relatives of staff members, including relatives of high-level staff.

The District questioned whether those contracts were consistent with El Camino’s policies.

Requested Response from El Camino

LAUSD specified what it wanted El Camino to address in its response.

The District requested a Written Action Plan.

El Camino worked with staff to prepare a draft response and action plan.

Contents of the Proposed Action Plan

The response begins by acknowledging receipt of the Notice of Concern.

Most of the response addresses the individual corrective-action items that the Board was scheduled to discuss and vote on.

The Written Action Plan consolidates those actions and provides explanations for each.

Third-Party Review of Internal Controls

Purpose

The Board discussed securing a third-party organization to review ECRA’s internal controls.

This review is part of the school’s response to the LAUSD Notice of Concern.

Items K through R were identified as actions connected to the school’s response to LAUSD.

FICMAT

LAUSD requested that the charter school contract with the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FICMAT).

FICMAT is a statewide entity that provides fiscal and management guidance to:

School districts.

County offices of education.

Charter schools.

The presenter described FICMAT as a highly regarded organization for reviewing and advising on school finance and fiscal matters.

Contract Progress

Because ECRA received additional time to respond to LAUSD, staff were able to begin working directly with FICMAT.

Staff have developed a proposed contract with FICMAT.

The contract has not yet been signed.

The proposed scope includes most of the specific items LAUSD requested FICMAT to address.

The proposed contract cost is not to exceed $38,000.

Board Question

A Board member asked whether FICMAT is the only organization that can assist charter schools with these requirements.

Response

FICMAT is not the only available organization.

It was described as one of the most frequently used organizations for this type of work.

One advantage is that FICMAT primarily works with school districts and county offices of education, which are familiar with and trust its work.

School Services of California was also contacted because it provides similar services.

School Services of California did not have availability in the near future to provide the requested assistance.

California IT in Education (CITE) Contract

Purpose

The Board discussed a proposed contract with California IT in Education (CITE) to review the school’s technology operations.

Janelle Ruley presented the proposed contract and was available to answer questions.

Why CITE Was Selected

This is the second of two contracts being considered as part of the school’s response to LAUSD.

Some of the technology-related items requested by LAUSD were outside FICMAT’s area of expertise.

FICMAT recommended California IT in Education (CITE) to handle those technology-related components.

Proposed Contract

A draft contract with CITE was presented to the Board.

The estimated cost is approximately $15,000.

CITE was flexible during contract negotiations.

The agreement incorporates the specific wording and requirements requested by LAUSD into the scope of work.

Cybersecurity Policy

Purpose of the Policy

The Board discussed adopting a new Cybersecurity Policy for El Camino.

The school did not appear to have a specific, standalone cybersecurity policy already in place.

The policy is intended to protect confidential student and personnel information from:

Unauthorized access.

Unauthorized disclosure.

Misuse.

Vendor & Third-Party Requirements

The policy also establishes cybersecurity requirements for vendors and third-party service providers that may have access to confidential information.

The school has other technology-related policies, but this would be a specific cybersecurity policy.

Review by CITE

The school asked California IT in Education (CITE) to review the proposed policy as part of its technology review.

The policy is considered an initial step.

CITE may later recommend revisions or additional changes.

Cost

There is no additional cost to adopt the policy itself.

The policy can be reviewed by other organizations as needed.

Cybersecurity Training

The policy includes a requirement for mandatory cybersecurity training.

Training must be completed by August 6, 2027.

The intent is to have staff trained before the start of the 2027–2028 school year.

The timeline allows the school to establish the appropriate training process and schedule.

Fiscal Policies and Procedures Handbook Amendments

Presenter: Janelle Ruley

The Board discussed and considered amendments to its Fiscal Policies and Procedures Handbook.

The handbook has been in place for many years and was most recently revised in June 2026.

The proposed revisions were developed in response to the LAUSD Notice of Concern.

Approximately 4 pages of new material were added.

Key Changes

Procurement & Contract Bidding

Added clearer requirements for procurement and contract bidding thresholds.

Established steps for the procurement process, including:

Public solicitation.

Evaluation of vendor proposals.

Use of established evaluation criteria.

Maintaining proposal scores and evaluation records.

Documenting reasons for vendor selection.

Competitive bidding requirements.

Procurement procedures for goods and services.

Vendor selection criteria.

Segregation of duties to reduce concentration of procurement responsibilities among one or two individuals.

Required retention of procurement records.

Independent Oversight

Added measures requiring independent reviewers to conduct in-depth analysis and justification of certain transactions.

Intended to provide additional checks and oversight within the system.

Centralized Vendor Records

Vendor-related records will be maintained in a single cloud-based location.

This will allow staff to quickly determine whether the school has previously worked with a particular vendor or contractor.

The goal is to avoid records being scattered across multiple locations.

Sole Proprietors & Partnerships

Added specific requirements for contracts involving service providers organized as:

Sole proprietors.

Partnerships.

Overall Purpose

The amendments are intended to strengthen procurement controls, documentation, oversight, transparency, and recordkeeping.

The changes were presented as part of the school’s response to concerns identified by LAUSD.

Resolution Addressing Related-Party Vendors

Presenter: Janelle Ruley

The Board discussed and considered a resolution addressing related-party vendors.

The proposed resolution acknowledges concerns raised by LAUSD regarding related-party vendors identified in the Notice of Concern.

Key Points in the Resolution

External Investigation

ECRA acknowledges LAUSD’s concerns regarding the identified related-party vendors.

The Board had launched an external investigation into those vendors.

The investigation had already been completed.

Updated Fiscal Policies

The Board acknowledged the updated Fiscal Policies and Procedures Handbook approved earlier in the meeting.

Updates include requirements related to:

Vendor solicitation.

Vendor proposals and bids.

Evaluation criteria.

Recordkeeping.

Procurement oversight.

Vendor purchases.

Open-Ended Contracts

Updated policies address open-ended hourly contracts.

Additional review is triggered when such contracts reach $50,000, particularly when they approach or exceed approval thresholds below the Board level.

Enhanced Oversight

The updated policies include additional oversight measures.

These include requirements related to Form 700 (Statement of Economic Interests).

The discussion clarified that Form 700 requirements referenced immediate family members.

Enforcement

The fiscal policies now include guidance for establishing and implementing enforcement policies.

Software / Financial Benefit

The resolution states that ECRA does not receive direct or indirect financial, operational, intellectual property, or other benefits from software developed by another entity for exclusive use at the school.

The external investigation determined that this arrangement had not continued.

Training Frequency Schedule and Completion Timeline

Purpose

The Board discussed adopting a training frequency schedule and completion timeline requested by LAUSD.

The primary training discussed was ethics training.

Ethics Training Requirement

The requirement applies to charter schools and school districts.

The original deadline for the first required training was December 31, 2025.

The required training covers:

Brown Act / Open Meeting Law.

Public Records Act.

Conflicts of interest.

Bribery and gifts.

Proper use of public funds.

Required Frequency

The legal requirement is 2 hours of ethics training every 2 years for each individual Board member.

It is an individual requirement, rather than 2 hours for the Board as a group.

Proposed Schedule

The proposal is for Board members to complete the training every year instead of every two years.

The same annual schedule would apply to designated senior-level employees.

Who Is Covered

The proposed requirement would apply to:

Board members.

Designated senior-level employees.

It would not apply to teachers.

Board Discussion

A Board member expressed support for the more frequent training, noting that circumstances and community needs can change.

The Board indicated that additional training could be beneficial for safety and ongoing awareness.

A question was raised about whether teachers would also be required to complete the training; it was clarified that they would not.

Complaint Governance Framework

Purpose

LAUSD asked El Camino to develop a formal complaint governance framework.

The framework is intended to provide a centralized procedure for receiving, classifying, routing, investigating, and resolving complaints.

The framework consolidates processes that are already required by law, policy, or existing agreements.

Four Types of Complaints

General Complaints

Complaints that do not fall into another specific category.

Generally routed through the Executive Director.

Represented Employee Grievances

Handled according to the applicable collective bargaining agreement.

Follow the procedures established under that agreement.

Uniform Complaints

Handled under the Uniform Complaint Procedure (UCP).

Includes allegations involving:

Discrimination based on protected classes.

Certain state-funded or state-administered programs.

Title IX Complaints

Covers allegations involving sex discrimination or sexual harassment.

Handled through the school’s Title IX compliance process.

Complaint Process

Step 1 — Receive & Classify

Determine what type of complaint has been received.

Route it to the appropriate process and responsible person.

Step 2 — Route Within 3 School Days

Complaints should be appropriately routed within three school days of receipt.

Step 3 — Review & Investigation

The designated compliance officer reviews and investigates the complaint promptly.

Investigations must follow applicable legal and procedural deadlines.

Step 4 — Communication

The appropriate compliance officer communicates with the complainant throughout the process as required.

Step 5 — Resolution & Follow-Up

After resolution, recurring complaints may trigger:

Root-cause analysis.

Systemic corrective action.

Repeated complaints may indicate an underlying systemic issue that needs to be addressed.

Training Requirements

Annual training would be provided for responsible personnel covering:

General complaints.

Represented employee grievances.

Uniform complaints.

Title IX complaints.

Training responsibilities would apply to the Executive Director, designated personnel, and relevant compliance officers.

Existing Policies & Procedures

The framework does not appear to create entirely new complaint requirements.

Existing processes already include:

General complaint procedures.

Title IX complaint procedures.

Uniform Complaint Procedure.

Collective bargaining grievance procedures.

The framework brings these existing processes together into one centralized governance structure.

Additional Format

A flowchart was also developed to visually show how complaints should be classified and routed.

The presenter noted that the flowchart was difficult to simplify because of the number of requirements.

Overall Goal

Create a single, clear framework so that when a complaint is received:

It is properly classified.

It reaches the correct person.

Applicable deadlines are followed.

The complaint is documented and tracked.

Recurring issues can be identified and addressed.

Submission of Board Meeting Agendas and Minutes to LAUSD

Presenter: Janelle Ruley

The Board discussed providing LAUSD with copies of all relevant Board meeting agendas and minutes.

The submission is part of the response to the June 2026 Notice of Concern.

The notice was addressed to the Board, so the response is being submitted on behalf of the Board.

LAUSD requested copies of agendas and minutes where the issues identified in the notice had been discussed by the Board.

School staff gathered the requested agendas and meeting minutes.

The Board was asked to give approval/authorization for the documents to be submitted to LAUSD.

Purpose

Provide LAUSD with the requested Board records as part of the school’s formal response.

Annual Performance-Based Charter School Division Oversight Visit Report for 2025–2026

Presenter: Emilie Larew, Interim Executive Director

The annual Charter School Division (CSD) oversight report is 56 pages.

The report was connected to the Notice of Concern discussed during the meeting.

Overall Ratings

The CSD report uses a 1–4 rating scale:

4 = Accomplished.

3 = Proficient.

2 = Developing.

1 = Lower performance level.

A rating of 2 or 1 in any category limits the Governance rating to no higher than 3.

1. Governance — Rating: 3 (Proficient)

Areas reviewed included:

Governance structure.

Compliance monitoring.

Educational program oversight.

Staffing and evaluations.

Fiscal condition and management.

Accountability.

The rating was affected by:

The active Notice of Concern.

Concerns regarding fiscal oversight.

Existing unresolved concerns.

The separate fiscal rating of 2.

2. Student Achievement & Educational Performance — Rating: 3 (Proficient)

Areas reviewed included:

English Language Arts (ELA).

Math.

English learners.

Student subgroup performance.

Assessments and MAP scores.

College and career indicators.

Chronic absenteeism.

Graduation rates.

Suspension rates.

Science information.

Science data was informational and not scored for this report.

Areas identified for improvement included:

MAP scores.

Progress toward benchmarks for students with disabilities.

Students With Disabilities

Benchmarks included ELA and math progress.

The first benchmark was met, with an increase in performance.

The second benchmark was partially met:

Performance was maintained.

The expected increase was not achieved.

The school identified this as an area requiring continued work.

3. Organizational Management, Programs & Operations — Rating: 4 (Accomplished)

This was the highest rating received.

Areas reviewed included:

Educational program implementation.

Meeting the needs of all students.

Student group data analysis.

Special education.

School climate.

Student discipline.

Stakeholder engagement.

Employee clearances and credentialing.

Mandated training compliance.

Health and safety compliance.

Transparency and stakeholder information.

Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) information.

4. Fiscal — Rating: 2 (Developing)

Areas reviewed included:

Fiscal operations.

School performance and financial highlights.

Financial ratio analysis.

Enrollment and enrollment-related financial information.

Fiscal documentation.

Fiscal preparation procedures.

The rating of 2 was attributed to unresolved concerns regarding fiscal operations.

Areas of concern included:

Potential conflicts of interest.

Procedures involving related-party vendors.

Contract approval procedures.

Transparency.

Frequency and number of stakeholder complaints received by CSD.

Required Corrective Action

The school is required to provide a formal response from the governing Board to the Notice of Concern.

The Board’s actions during this meeting—including updated fiscal policies,

Investment Update – August 2026

Financial Advisor: Bill Thompson of Beacon Pointe

Update covered Q2 2026 performance for two investment pools:

OPEB Account.

GA Account.

OPEB Account

Balance: ~$37.5 million.

Investment mix:

60% global equities.

40% fixed income.

Performance:

Q2 2026: +9.3%.

Past 12 months: +14.5%.

Past 3 years: ~13% per year.

Portfolio is diversified across:

U.S. equities.

International equities.

Bonds.

Alternatives.

Current allocation is within the investment policy’s approved ranges.

Current positioning:

~2% overweight U.S. equities.

~1% overweight international equities.

~3.4% underweight fixed income.

Some cash was raised to meet monthly spending needs.

GA Account

Balance: ~$8 million.

More conservative investment mix:

70% fixed income.

30% global equities.

Performance:

Q2 2026: +5.6%.

Year-to-date: ~+4.4%.

Past 12 months: +10%.

Past 3 years: +9.2% per year.

Allocation also remains within approved investment ranges.

Investment Changes

Two active U.S. equity managers were fully liquidated:

FMI.

Vertus.

Funds were reinvested into similar investment strategies.

The changes were part of normal portfolio management.

Beacon Pointe’s Market Outlook

Long-term challenges identified as the “3 Ds”:

Debt — high government debt.

Demographics — aging population and fewer workers supporting entitlement programs.

Deglobalization — movement away from globalization.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is viewed as a potential source of productivity gains that could offset some of these challenges.

Near-term outlook described as “late-cycle resilience.”

Advisor said:

U.S. economy remains relatively strong.

U.S. consumers generally have healthy balance sheets.

Government spending and AI investment are supporting economic activity.

Current strategy is slightly overweight global equities and slightly underweight fixed income.

Portfolio Performance & Diversification

U.S. equity investments are largely:

Passive.

Low-cost index funds.

Diversified across large- and mid-cap companies.

International investments are more actively managed.

Emerging-market investment returned ~46% over the past 12 months.

Both portfolios have benefited from broad diversification.

Market Risks

The first quarter was difficult amid geopolitical concerns, including the Iran war.

The second quarter experienced a strong market rebound.

Advisor noted that markets may eventually experience:

A pause.

Increased volatility.

Portfolios are designed to remain diversified and positioned to manage market fluctuations.

Overall Message

Both investment pools have produced strong recent returns.

Both remain within their approved investment allocation ranges.

The long-term goal is to:

Grow the assets.

Avoid taking unnecessary risk.

Maintain sufficient cash flow for the organization’s needs.

Advisor emphasized continuing to focus on the long-term objectives of the portfolios.

OPEB Actuarial Valuation Report

Presenter: Mr. Brett Schwab, OPEB Actuary

Report covers the June 30, 2026 fiscal year-end valuation of retiree healthcare benefits.

OPEB = Other Post-Employment Benefits, primarily retiree healthcare.

The annual valuation determines:

The plan’s funded status.

Accounting information needed for the school’s financial statements.

Future funding projections.

Actuary Background

Mr. Schwab has:

30 years of actuarial experience.

Experience in public and private sectors.

Specializes in charter schools, school districts, and government entities.

Has worked with El Camino since 2016.

Has provided annual OPEB valuations and funding projections since the school began funding the plan.

Funded Status

Funded percentage increased to 112%.

Previous year: 108.5%.

Increase: 3.5 percentage points.

This means the plan currently has more assets than its projected benefit obligation.

This is the third consecutive year that the OPEB obligation has been fully funded.

Improvement was mainly driven by:

Higher interest rates.

Strong investment returns.

Benefit Obligation (APBO)

APBO = present value of expected future retiree healthcare benefits.

Includes expected benefits for:

Current retirees.

Active employees who are expected to receive benefits after retirement.

APBO increased:

Previous year: $30.8 million.

Current year: $33.4 million.

Increase was mainly due to:

Employees earning another year of service.

Employees getting one year closer to retirement.

Impact of Interest Rates

Discount rate increased from:

5.30% → 5.35%.

The higher rate reduced the APBO by approximately $250,000.

Higher interest rates generally lower the calculated benefit obligation.

Lower interest rates generally increase the obligation.

Actuary emphasized that even relatively small rate changes can significantly affect the funded percentage.

Example:

If the rate had been 4.5% instead of 5.35%, the plan’s funded status would have been below 100%.

OPEB Assets

Assets increased from:

$33.4 million → $37.4 million.

Increase was driven largely by investment performance.

Approximately $4.6 million was attributed to investment returns.

Approximately $660,000 was paid from the trust for benefits.

Impact of Investment Returns

The 2025–2026 fiscal-year investment return was over 14%.

Investment performance generated approximately $3 million more than expected.

This strong investment performance was a major factor in increasing the funded percentage to 112%.

Without the stronger-than-expected investment returns, the funded status would have been closer to 102%.

Annual OPEB Expense

Annual OPEB expense for the year: $925,000.

This is an accounting expense, not a cash expense.

It includes:

Benefits earned by employees during the year.

Interest costs.

Amortization of changes such as participant changes, premium rates, and interest-rate changes.

Key Takeaways

OPEB funded status: 112%.

OPEB assets: ~$37.4 million.

Benefit obligation: ~$33.4 million.

The plan remains fully funded for the third consecutive year.

Strong investment returns and higher interest rates were major contributors to the improved funded status.

The actuary cautioned that the funded percentage can change significantly with future:

Interest rates.

Investment returns.

Healthcare premium rates.

June & July 2026 Check Registers

June 2026 — Accounts Payable

264 payments.

Total checks issued: $1,788,993.32.

Largest payees included:

LAUSD: $203,285.73.

Maintenance & operations.

Payments covered January–March 2026 at $70,000/month.

Golden Star Technology: $176,610.06.

Other major payments included:

Chartwells.

College Board.

Insurance.

Facilities.

Food services.

Testing.

Special education.

Spending was described as normal/recurring vendor activity.

June 2026 — ASB Trust Account

74 payments.

Largest payments:

Brook Transportation Bus: $19,300.

Charter bus transportation for Granite.

Approximately 488 students.

BSN Sports: $7,991.22.

Athletic/football equipment.

Spending included typical ASB activities:

Athletic activities.

Student trips.

Transfers.

Other student-related expenses.

June 2026 — General Account

Total: $383,645.

Mainly consisted of recurring vendor payments.

Examples included:

PenServ.

403(b)-related expenses.

LegalShield.

Other recurring obligations.

July 2026 Check Registers

July 2026 — Accounts Payable

62 payments:

35 ACH payments.

27 checks.

Largest payee:

Golden Star Technology: $262,945.97.

Technology/laptop equipment purchased in preparation for the new school year.

Second major payment:

Infrastructure Inc.: $40,416.

Canvas licensing.

Other spending reflected:

Back-to-school preparation.

Instructional software.

Standard vendor obligations.

July 2026 — General Account

Primarily consisted of recurring payables, including:

LegalShield.

Health-related expenses.

CharterSafe.

Plant/facility services.

Plant servicing services totaled approximately $533,595.30.

July 2026 — ASB Trust Account

Total payments: $15,679.95.

Account reviewed as part of the July 2026 ASB trust activity.

Overall Highlights

June and July check registers were reviewed by the Director of Accounting and Finance, Mrs. Janneyra Verduzco.

Major expenses included:

Technology and laptops.

Facilities/maintenance.

Food services.

Insurance.

Transportation.

Athletics.

Student activities.

Instructional software.

Spending was generally described as recurring, operational, or related to preparing for the new school year.

June & July 2026 Credit Card Statements

Presenter: Mrs. Janneyra Verduzco, Director of Accounting and Finance

All transactions were:

Reconciled.

Matched to an approved purchase order (PO).

Exception: a few disputed charges were identified.

June 2026 — David Hussey

Total credit card charges: $31,733.03.

Largest expense:

Harvard Hotel: approximately $27,000.

13 separate credit card charges.

Related to the football team’s Hawaii trip.

Approximately:

55 players.

3 coaches.

6 staff.

Other recurring expenses included:

Google.

Indeed/job postings.

Mailchimp.

Water.

Delivery services.

June 2026 — Fernando Delgado

Total credit card charges: $27,164.10.

Major expenses included:

Track & Field Team Banquet: $5,496.64.

Honey Baked Catering: for Senior Sunset and staff luncheon.

Fairfield Inn, Colorado Springs: $2,955.42.

Related to girls’ flag football.

July 2026 — David Hussey

Total credit card charges: $4,075.20.

Mostly recurring approved expenses.

One disputed charge: $2.49.

July 2026 — Fernando Delgado

Total credit card charges: $15,327.29.

Largest expense:

Sherwin-Williams: $6,584.52.

Purchase of new stadium wheelchairs ahead of graduation.

Covered by 3 approved purchase orders.

Other recurring charges were reported as properly supported by approved POs.

2025–2026 Proposition 30 EPA Budget – Education Protection Account (EPA)

Presenter: Mrs. Verduzco, Director of Accounting and Finance

Education Protection Account (EPA)

EPA = Education Protection Account.

Funded through the state allocation established by Proposition 30.

EPA funds have restricted uses under state law.

How the Funds Can Be Used

EPA funds can be used for:

Certificated teacher salaries.

Related employee benefits.

Funds cannot be used for administrative salaries.

2025–2026 EPA Budget

Total EPA revenue: $6,164,862.

Revenue came entirely from the state EPA allocation.

Expenditures

Certificated teacher salaries: $4,085,053.

Employee benefits: $2,079,809.

STRS.

Disability insurance.

Medicare.

Health and welfare benefits.

Key Takeaway

Total revenue: $6,164,862.

Total expenditures: $6,164,862.

Revenue and expenditures matched exactly.

No excess funds remained.

2025–2026 Unaudited Actuals

Report Overview

Presented by Mrs. Janneyra Verduzco, Director of Accounting & Finance.

Includes the school’s 2025–2026 actual revenue, expenses, and attendance.

Includes SACS Form 62, submitted to LAUSD and uploaded to SACS.

Required annual financial filing with LAUSD, the charter authorizer.

The report will also support the upcoming independent audit.

Certification was signed by Interim Executive Director Emily Larew on August 21, 2026.

Report was submitted to LAUSD on time.

Attendance

2025–2026 funded ADA (Average Daily Attendance): 2,600.97.

Projected 2026–2027 ADA: 2,725.

Special Education Funding

Federal IDEA Funding

Revenue received: $703,962.

Funds were fully spent.

Primarily used for:

Special education services.

Other operating expenses.

Revenue and expenses matched, resulting in $0 net balance.

State AB 602 Funding

Revenue received: $2,580,625.

Expenses: $3,257,486.

Resulted in a $676,861 encroachment.

General funds covered the amount by which special education costs exceeded the state funding.

Presenter described this as a recurring statewide issue.

Total Revenue

2025–2026 unaudited actual revenue: $53,920,012.

Major revenue sources included:

Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF).

State aid.

Federal revenue.

Other funding sources.

2026–2027 budget: $49,157,138.

Major Expenses

Classified salaries: $5,114,910.

Employee benefits: $12,262,907.

Depreciation: $1,188,004.

Services and other operating expenses: $9,925,249.

Year-End Financial Position

School reportedly ended the year with:

$4.95 million surplus.

$55.1 million net position.

These figures were reported based on SACS Form 62.

Key Takeaways

Unaudited actuals were certified and submitted to LAUSD on time.

Attendance remained relatively steady at 2,600.97 ADA.

The school ended the year with a reported $4.95 million surplus.

Special education funding remains an area of financial pressure, with costs exceeding AB 602 funding.

The next major financial requirement is the independent audit, due to LAUSD by December 15, 2026.

Attorney Departure

Brad Wright stated that the attorneys were no longer needed for the remainder of the meeting.

He formally excused:

Mr. Scott.

Ms. Willie.

Wright noted that:

There were no more closed sessions.

Their presence was therefore no longer necessary.

He thanked them for their assistance and said the Board looked forward to seeing them again.

This item will be tabled and brought back for approval at an upcoming Board meeting.

This item will be tabled and brought back for approval at an upcoming Board meeting.

This item will be tabled and brought back for approval at an upcoming Board meeting.

This item will be tabled and brought back for approval at an upcoming Board meeting.

Board Approval/Ratification of Compensation Comparability Study for Interim Executive Director Position

Agenda Update

Alexandra Ramirez announced that Items A, B, C, and D were tabled.

The Board proceeded to Item E.

Compensation Study

Item: Board approval/ratification of the Compensation Comparability Study for the Interim Executive Director position.

El Camino already has an executive compensation salary schedule approved by the Board.

The study compared El Camino’s compensation with three other LAUSD-converted charter high schools.

Salary Comparison

El Camino’s Executive Director salary is:

$3,500 higher than Birmingham’s.

$14,000 lower than Palisades’.

Substantially lower than Granada Hills’.

The study found El Camino’s compensation to be competitive based on the comparison.

Recommendation

Human Resources recommended maintaining the current Executive Director compensation.

Required Oral Report Regarding Interim Executive Director Employment Contract

Alexandra Ramirez presented the required oral report before the Board vote on the employment agreement.

The proposed contract term is 1 year:

July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027.

Compensation & Benefits

Gross annual base salary: $244,547.36.

Executive Director salary schedule, Step 1: $239,547.36.

Master’s degree differential: $5,000 annually.

Sick leave: 13 days per year.

Vacation: 2 days per month.

24 days per year.

Maximum accrual: 36 days.

Health benefits: Same health benefit premiums available to other ECRA employees.

Additional program participation: Available subject to applicable program and eligibility requirements.

• Board action: Ratification and approval of the Interim Executive Director employment contract. 

• Contract terms: Based on the terms previously presented. 

• Compensation finding: The board was asked to find the overall compensation fair and reasonable. 

• Basis: Compensation was compared with executives at similar schools in the region. 

Brad Wright stated that the Executive Director evaluation team has already been selected. 

• The evaluation team will determine how the evaluation process will be conducted. 

• The board had already discussed the process with the evaluation team. 

• The board agreed to move forward and allow the evaluation team to handle the process.