Board approves leadership slate, routine contracts and labor agreements; votes at a glance

At its Dec. 11 meeting, the Banning Unified Board of Trustees moved through organizational elections and a series of routine and negotiated items, approving leadership roles, calendar and multiple agreements with unanimous or procedural votes.

Trustees elected Shelly Ruiz as board president after a nomination by Trustee Novellis and a second by Clerk Myra Angiano; the nomination was approved by voice vote. Laura Troutman was elected clerk and Myra Angiano was named the board representative to the county committee on school district organization elections.

On consent and routine business, the board approved the posted agenda, the consent calendar (items 6.2 through 6.4), the annual certification of signatures and monthly fiscal reports. Trustees also approved tentative bargaining agreements with the Banning Teachers Association and ratified contractual items presented under business services.

Human-resources actions approved included a variable-term waiver for a speech-language specialist for the spring semester and a memorandum of understanding with California State University, Northridge. All motions referenced on the agenda during the regular session were approved by recorded voice votes or roll calls, with tallies shown as 4-0 where provided.

The board also reported a closed-session disciplinary action: the expulsion of a middle-school student in case number 2025-26-2.

Ending: Most motions were routine approvals recorded on the agenda; trustees asked staff to bring future items (including STEAM/makerspace and AB 1390 discussion) to upcoming agendas.