A resident, Dave Olivera, criticized the superintendent for multiple unresolved issues, including teacher vacancies and inadequate class scheduling that had led some students to stay home without a first-period class. Olivera was particularly aggrieved by the financial strain on taxpayers, highlighting that maintaining a single school building costs upwards of $80,000. He argued this was unacceptable and called for the superintendent’s resignation, suggesting a vote of no confidence in her and another official, Ken Pachico. Olivera’s comments prompted the committee to seek clarification, especially regarding his claim about students being asked to stay home, though the specifics remained vague.

Further complications arose as Taylor Perry addressed a critical compliance issue at the Robert El Maderas Resiliency Preparatory Academy. Perry referenced a detailed report from the Department of Labor Standards, which cited 23 violations related to construction work, including missing inspection records and inadequate safety measures. The district faced potential fines of $81,250 if these issues were not rectified by the October 13 deadline. Perry demanded independent air quality testing to ensure the safety of students and staff, urging that the building not be used until it was declared safe.

In response to these serious allegations, the committee acknowledged the urgency and agreed to pursue independent testing by an external agency to verify the safety of the school environment. The committee was already in dialogue with the Department of Public Health and was expecting further guidance. There was a clear commitment to resolving these issues promptly to avoid penalties and ensure the safety of the school community.

As public concerns were addressed, the committee shifted to discussing the superintendent’s evaluation process. The need for clarity and structure in the evaluation was emphasized, particularly as the committee had previously opted to assess the superintendent six months into her tenure. This decision was questioned, with members expressing doubts about the efficacy of evaluating performance after such a brief period. One member’s query, “How can you really truly evaluate someone after six months on the job?” echoed throughout the discussion, as others supported the call for a more comprehensive evaluation process that reflects the superintendent’s ongoing work and objectives.

A proposed timeline for wrapping up the current evaluation cycle was presented, suggesting the superintendent submit an end-of-cycle progress report by October, followed by individual assessments from committee members in November, culminating in a final report in December. This proposal was met with general agreement, as members stressed the importance of closing out the current evaluation cycle before planning for the next year.

The committee further discussed setting realistic expectations for the evaluation process and ensuring member roles were clearly understood. Concerns were raised about potentially duplicating efforts from the previous year, as the evaluation tool and timeline seemed similar to those used before. Members emphasized the need to finalize the evaluation process, with some suggesting a formative evaluation halfway through the next cycle to monitor goal progress.

Continuity in the evaluation process was highlighted, particularly with impending committee membership changes due to upcoming elections. Evaluations conducted by members familiar with the superintendent were deemed more accurate and informed. There was a consensus that members who had worked with the superintendent for over a year should complete the evaluation to provide a more informed assessment.

The evaluation tool itself was scrutinized, with some members noting confusion about the standards and goals set for the superintendent. The lack of early goal-setting meetings in the superintendent’s tenure was cited as a shortcoming in previous evaluations. The committee agreed to refer the superintendent’s evaluation tool to the full committee for approval.