Mr. Bennett led the Board members and guests in the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America (USA).

1.  Andrea Herrera

• English teacher and UTLA Chapter Chair, thanked the Board for discussing and potentially voting on a whistleblower portal.
• Expressed regret over delays in establishing accountability, citing the impact on employees and families.
• Acknowledged the progress being made to protect El Camino from future harm and emphasized the need for additional safeguards.
• Described the school’s ongoing transformation and cleanup efforts, recognizing the contributions of teachers, counselors, classified staff, the returning Director of Technology, administrators, and new Board members.
• Recognized that the transition has been difficult, unsettling, and challenging.
• Expressed optimism that continued changes and progress will lead to a better future for El Camino.

2. Dylan

• Thanked the three Board members for their leadership and efforts in addressing ongoing school challenges.
• Shared that teachers and classified staff feel relieved and more comfortable speaking openly following recent changes.
• Expressed appreciation for the positive progress and improvements in the school environment.
• Raised concerns about the former library being converted into a media center and used for storage.
• Requested that the Board consider restoring the space into a welcoming, comfortable, and functional library.
• Suggested removing unnecessary furniture and storage items to create a more inviting learning environment.
• Proposed using the space for classroom lectures, educational films, and student discussions.
• Recommended bringing back books and implementing an honor-based borrowing system for students.
• Expressed hope that restoring the library would benefit students and teachers.
   

3. Pooja Salva

• Shared that recent school changes have brought a sense of relief and renewed optimism.
• Raised concerns about the Technology Committee previously being ineffective, with teacher and staff recommendations often not being acted upon.
• Highlighted concerns about high technology program costs, citing an example of a classroom program costing approximately $60,000 annually compared with an alternative costing under $6,000.
• Expressed frustration over expensive, underused technology programs and software issues that negatively affected teachers.
• Shared that after eight years at El Camino, she had recently considered leaving the school.
• Expressed renewed hope and confirmed her desire to remain at El Camino next school year.
• Thanked the Board for restoring hope and encouraging positive change.
• Offered to help with the school’s improvement efforts and noted strong staff interest, as demonstrated by the attendance of more than a dozen people at the recent Technology Committee meeting.

The board entered the closed session at 5:47 PM on the 16th of October, 2026.

The board reconvene the open session at 7:54 PM on the 16th of October, 2026.

The Board reported that no actions were taken during closed session.

• The Board discussed the certification of Mr. Dean Bennett as Acting Interim Executive Director.
• The current Interim Executive Director was on leave, and Mr. Bennett was serving in her place.
• The Board was given the opportunity to ask questions; no questions were raised.
  
   

• The Board discussed the final certification of the Parent Representative.
• Board members were given the opportunity to ask questions; no questions were raised.

• The Board reviewed five candidates for two Community Representative Board positions.
• The nominating committee, consisting of two Board members, recommended Brian Archibald and Beatrice Chen for appointment.
• The committee reviewed the school’s bylaws, charter requirements, and the need for diverse professional backgrounds and perspectives on the Board.
• The Board emphasized the importance of balancing teacher representation with expertise in business, finance, law, governance, and fiduciary responsibilities.
• The committee sought candidates who could provide independent perspectives, support healthy debate, and strengthen financial and school oversight.
• Brian Archibald was recommended for his prior board experience, leadership roles, and background in banking, finance, and organizational oversight.
• Beatrice Chen was recommended for her experience as a family law attorney, child advocate, and fundraising professional, as well as her prior board experience.
• The Board clarified that Ms. Chen’s appointment was based on her qualifications and that she would not serve as the Board’s attorney.
• The Board noted that both candidates are alumni of El Camino.
• First Community Representative – Brian Archibald
• Second Community Representative – Beatrice Chen
  
   

• The Board discussed the appointment of Alex Palencio as the Classified Board Representative.
• Alex was selected by classified employees following a meet-and-greet and a straw poll, with unanimous support from those who participated.
• The Board emphasized that classified employees were directly involved in selecting their representative, rather than having the Board Chair appoint someone on their behalf.
• The Board clarified that this selection was made to ensure genuine employee representation and transparency.
• Classified employees were contacted through their union representative to identify and vote for their preferred candidate.
• The Board highlighted the importance of fair representation and improving practices from previous years.
  
   

• The Board announced that El Camino’s Board will have six members, excluding the El Camino C representative, who is not appointed by the Board.
• The newly appointed members are scheduled to be seated on Thursday, October 22, 2026.
• The Board noted that the school’s charter allows for up to 11 Board members.
• Efforts are underway to fill vacancies left by former Board members Brad Wright and Alexandra Ramirez.
• The Board is also attempting to contact the LAUSD representative, who has not responded to emails or phone calls.
• The Charter Schools Division (CSD) and LAUSD have indicated that they are conducting a review, but no further details are available.
• The Board emphasized its commitment to transparency and to expanding Board membership to improve representation and reduce the burden on the current three-member Board.
   

• The Board discussed adding an in-person training component to supplement the existing two-hour video training for Board members.
• Training schedule: 30–40 minutes before every other Board meeting.
• Participants: New and existing Board members.
• Training content: Topics related to the Brown Act and other Board governance requirements, with opportunities for questions and answers.
• The Board’s legal firm, Young, Minney & Corr, LLP, will conduct the training.
• Cost: No additional fees; the training is included in the existing legal services contract.
• The Board emphasized that no Board business or agenda items may be discussed during these training sessions.
• The in-person component reinstates a previous practice intended to strengthen Board members’ understanding of governance rules and responsibilities.
   

• The Board discussed a proposed whistleblower policy portal to strengthen safeguards, close loopholes, and prevent past issues from recurring.
• Although a whistleblower policy already exists in the employee handbook, the proposed website portal would provide an accessible way to submit complaints and direct them to the appropriate personnel.
• The Board emphasized the importance of protecting employees from retaliation and ensuring they can report legitimate concerns without fear of losing their jobs.
• The portal is still under development and requires further review by legal counsel to establish the appropriate procedures and workflow.
• The Board decided to table the item until the legal review is completed.
• The proposal is expected to return for consideration at one of the next two Board meetings.
  
   

• The Technology Committee resumed meetings after a hiatus of several months.
• Ms. Megan Rayzor was requested to serve again as Board Chair of the committee.
• The recent meeting included representatives from four departments and classified staff.
• The committee’s responsibilities include evaluating software applications, supporting implementation, reviewing department concerns, and voting on annual application renewals in April and May.
• The next Technology Committee meeting is scheduled for November 19, 2026.

- 1. Attendance Discrepancy Solver

• The committee is exploring alternatives to the current system.
• The team is working with Aeries to determine whether attendance discrepancy reports can be generated directly from the student information system.
• A digital solution is preferred over the less accurate paper-based process.
• Updates are expected at the November meeting.

- 2. Aeries Analytics

• The proposed system could replace MyClass, which currently costs approximately $63,000 annually.
• Aeries Analytics would provide customizable dashboards and data visualizations to help teachers and counselors better support students.
• Mr. Ryan Guinto and Ms. Stephanie Avila are working with Aeries and conducting a trial.
• The committee plans to gather feedback from teachers and counselors to identify their data and reporting needs.
• Estimated pricing:
  • First year: $7,500
  • Subsequent years: $2 per student annually, approximately $5,600 per year.
• MyClass is expected to be phased out by the end of the school year.
• The goal is to finalize the evaluation and gather staff feedback by November.

- 3. Inventory and Asset Management System

• The IT team is developing requirements for a unified system covering:
  • IT support tickets
  • Facilities maintenance tickets
  • Inventory and asset management, including musical instruments, tools, and other equipment.
• Three to four vendors are being evaluated.
• A recommendation and presentation will be provided to the Board once the evaluation is complete.

- 4. Purchasing System

• Ms. Janneyra Verduzco, Director of Accounting and Finance, discussed limitations with the current IQ system.
• The Accounting and Finance team is evaluating three alternative platforms.
• The goal is to transition away from IQ, with January identified as the target transition period.
• The replacement should integrate with the student information system and other school platforms.
• The committee will help evaluate usability for teachers and staff submitting purchase, conference, and expense requests.

- 5. Student Conduct and Hall Pass System

• Mr. Jason Camp reported plans to replace the current 360 system with Student Conductor.
• The system was recommended through prior Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) work.
• Implementation will occur in two phases:
  • Phase 1 – Tardy system: Planned for an earlier rollout, potentially by Thanksgiving. Existing hardware can be reconfigured, avoiding additional equipment costs.
     
  • Phase 2 – Hall pass system: Planned for a later rollout, potentially closer to Thanksgiving, allowing additional time for staff training.
• Key features include:
  • Real-time email and optional text notifications to parents about tardiness and attendance.
  • Customizable dashboards and automated tracking of tardies, detentions, and time outside the classroom.
  • Limits on the number of students permitted to leave class at one time.
  • Tracking of frequent hall-pass use.
  • Safety controls to prevent students with conflicts from being out of class at the same time.
  • Data reports to support school decisions and parent communication.
• The system is expected to improve student accountability, classroom attendance, campus safety, and parent communication.

- Board Discussion and Follow-Up

• Board members asked whether technology changes could be implemented in time to support responses to the school’s notice of alleged violations and charter-related concerns.
• Mr. Guinto explained that some systems are still under development, while others have subscription timelines around January, particularly the attendance discrepancy solver, tardy system, and purchasing platform.
• The Board requested a status report or formal proposal with target milestones and benchmark dates as vendors and solutions are evaluated.
• The Technology Committee agreed to provide additional information to the Board as needed.