Brea Olinda board approves routine business: recognitions, facilities work, wireless upgrades and several unanimous votes

At its Jan. 20 meeting the Brea Olinda Unified School District Board of Education approved a series of routine and operational items, highlighted by recognitions, facilities reports and several unanimous votes.

Superintendent Leon opened the recognitions, noting the district’s observance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day (Jan. 27), the districtwide kindness challenge and National School Counseling Week. Leon highlighted mental‑health work including the Era Vista wellness space opened in partnership with Rady Children’s Health and the Orange County Department of Education, and he praised career‑technical education pathways and strong AP participation at Brea Olinda High School.

The board accepted a series of donations read into the record, including a $2,350 gift from the Brea Education Foundation to Brea Junior High School and several other gifts to school programs. The consent calendar and minutes were approved by unanimous vote.

Facilities staff reported completion of districtwide fencing with punch‑list items remaining, installation of LED lighting at Country Hills, drainage work at the high school, completion of the Era Vista front office modernization, and the recent acquisition of 14 additional acres for Bray Hills Park; staff said underground utility surveys have begun as part of bond work.

On action items, trustees approved second readings of multiple board policies and adopted Resolution 26‑01 recognizing Black History Month and Resolution 26‑02 authorizing administrative signature changes; both resolutions passed on roll call with unanimous votes. The board also appointed a member to the Measure H independent citizens oversight committee to fill a vacancy.

In education‑technology business, the board approved an RFP to upgrade wireless access points at six elementary schools using E‑rate funds to support Wi‑Fi 6/7 protocols, a project the IT director said matches upgrades completed last summer at the high school. Capital‑project adjustments included removing contingency funds from the completed Apollo Electric project and approving an increase in the agreement with J & A Engineering (doing business as J & A Fence) to cover a DSA change and district‑directed additional scope for the fencing project; both motions carried 4‑0.

The superintendent and board also reminded the public of upcoming dates: staff development day on Jan. 30, a high‑school facilities study session on Feb. 5, and the next regular board meeting on Feb. 12. The meeting closed with the board reading a memorial for Murray Adams, a long‑serving district employee who died Jan. 13, 2026.