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

Here are the public comments: 

1. Amy Carter, a teacher at El Camino since its charter conversion in 2011, expressed concern over recent teacher layoffs and the first-ever teacher strike during her tenure. She noted that a proposed 3.5% bonus for non-union staff is on the agenda—originally negotiated by teachers to offset lost pay from the strike. Carter opposed extending this bonus to administrative and support staff while teacher layoffs are occurring, urging the board to vote no on the proposal.

2. Unnamed Speaker, delivered a passionate and critical statement regarding the school board's recent decisions, particularly highlighting dissatisfaction with teacher layoffs, administrative raises, and proposed bonuses for non-union staff. They criticized the board for mismanaging the budget, prioritizing aesthetic upgrades over educational needs, and lacking leadership during the teacher strike. The speaker condemned the perceived disregard for teachers' contributions and the impact on students, calling the board's actions out of touch and disrespectful to the school community.

3. Daniel Sutherland, a science teacher at El Camino and one of those impacted by the current teacher layoffs, urged the board to support a severance package proposed by the teachers' union. He emphasized that many laid-off teachers have young families and depend on continued health insurance, especially during vulnerable periods. He noted the 3.5% bonus received does not adequately cover health costs and asked the board to demonstrate care and accountability by advising administration and legal counsel to accept the union's severance proposal.

4. Aaron Sanders, a teacher and parent at El Camino Real Charter High School, expressed deep concern over declining enrollment, negative public perception, and a lack of transparency from school leadership. She criticized the new parent board representative, Ms. Ayvazian Iwal, for not responding to multiple emails sent in March and highlighted that only Board Member Mr. Hussey had acknowledged her outreach. Sanders shared that due to these issues, her second child would attend Calabasas High School instead of El Camino. She emphasized that recent discussions of laying off up to 44 teachers have further damaged trust among families, deterring new enrollments. Urging the board to ask tougher questions and engage more directly with the school community, Sanders called for action to retain quality educators and restore confidence in the institution’s future.
 

Mr. Hussey gave a detailed Executive Director Report.

Academic Decathlon

• National Championship: Our Academic Decathlon team is heading to Iowa this week for the opportunity to bring home another national championship. We wish the team and the coaches Good luck.

Standardized Testing

• SBAC & MAP Testing: Ongoing efforts are in place to achieve the state-mandated 95% participation rate. Students are being called from classes to meet this requirement.

Advanced Placement (AP) Testing

• AP Exams Schedule: AP testing is scheduled from May 5 to May 16, 2025. Last year, over 2,000 exams were administered, with similar numbers expected this year.

Upcoming Senior Events

• Senior Awards Night: Scheduled for Thursday, May 29, 2025, from 5:30 PM
• Prom: Set for Saturday, May 31, 2025, from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM
• Graduation: Planned for Friday, June 6, 2025, at 6:00 PM

Chief Business Office Update – Janneyra Verduzco

1. 2025–2026 Budget Collection
   • Approximately 86% of department budgets have been submitted.
   • Remaining budgets are expected by end of the current week.
   • A final audit will commence once all submissions are received.
2. California Department of Education (CDE) Audit
   • The team is addressing five identified findings.
   • All necessary documentation is being gathered and submitted.
   • A final in-person exit review meeting with the CDE is scheduled for next Thursday, after which the audit process will be finalized.

Board Chair Update – Brad Wright
 

1. Acknowledgment of Public Comments
   • Expressed appreciation for the community’s engagement and feedback.
   • Emphasized that all comments are important and valued by the board.
2. Clarification of Board Role
   • Noted that the board relies on the administration's work and decisions.
   • Stated that the board acts as the final decision-making body based on administrative input.
3. Gratitude for Participation
   • Thanked attendees for their presence and for sharing their perspectives during the meeting.

Presented by Janneyra Verduzco, Director of Accounting and Finance

1. Starting Investment Balance
   • Reported starting balance: $30,844,000
2. OPEB (Other Post-Employment Benefits) Payments
   • Total payments for retiree benefits over nine months: $475,612
3. Investment Performance
   • Net gains/losses: $1,063,507
   • Portfolio growth: Increased by 3.4%
4. Ending Investment Balance
   • Current balance: $31,000,400
   • Reflects a 1.9% total increase during the reporting period

Presented by Janneyra Verduzco, Director of Accounting and Finance

1. Cafeteria Profit & Loss (P&L) Summary
   • 15% increase in meals served from February to March.
   • Additional 5,141 meals served in March.
2. Meal Service Highlights
   • Total meals served in March: 39,397
     • Breakfast: 19,952
     • Lunch: 19,445
3. Free & Reduced-Price Meal Program (FRPM)
   • Noted a decrease in students approved for FRPM services.

Presented by Janneyra Verduzco, Director of Accounting and Finance

1. Key Revisions
   • Page 6: Student enrollment figure revised from 3,260 to 2,900.
   • Correction: Adjusted to ensure accurate reporting of the service population.
2. Disclosure Confirmation
   • Page 10: Highlighted Section 11a — confirmed that a complete Form 990 has been provided to the board for review.
3. Vendor Update
   • Page 12: Added a new consulting vendor: Impact Philanthropy Group, a new mental health services provider.
4. Financial Overview
   • Page 28:
     • Total Revenue: $55,308,000
     • Total Expenses: $43,049,322 
5. Board Acknowledgment Required
   • Page 34 (Part VI, Section B, Line 11b): Reiterated that the board must notify the Director of any changes prior to submission to the IRS.
   • Next Step: Form will be submitted following final board approval.
      

The board entered the closed session at 6:26 PM on the 28th of April, 2025.

The board reconvene to open session at 8:06 PM on the 27th of February, 2025.

Closed Session Report-Out

• The board instructed management to cost out the UTLA severance pay proposal and report back at the next board meeting.
• Vote Outcome:
  • Yes: Alexandra Ramirez, Ronald Laws, Greg Solkovits
  • No: Brad Wright, Steven Kofahl
• No further actions were reported from the closed session.