Board approves consent items including electric‑bus recommendation; public commenters press for campaign‑literature clarity and paraeducator pay

The board approved a consent agenda covering AP textbook purchases (psychology and physics), a capital program construction management services recommendation, a 2024 electric school‑bus purchase recommendation and a utility easement on Nixon Road; the minutes from the Aug. 28 meeting were removed for separate consideration and later approved. Trustees also approved appendices to the rights and responsibilities handbook addressing harassment and Title IX information and accepted several donations.

During public commentary, Glenn Nelson of Better Boards, Better Schools urged the board to clarify whether distribution of campaign literature on school grounds outside of buildings and not during school hours remains allowed, saying a recently circulated legal opinion and administrative language appeared to reverse a longstanding practice. "Distribution of campaign literature on school grounds outside of buildings and not during school hours is a longstanding practice that contributes to democracy," Nelson said.

Susan Bohn, who identified herself as a paraeducator, described severe understaffing in self‑contained classrooms and urged higher district pay to reduce reliance on agency hires. "You need to value us more and pay us what we're worth so you don't have to go through agencies to get the people that we so desperately need," she said.

Lena Kaufman urged the board to update the district mission statement to use plural gender‑neutral pronouns ("their" rather than "his or her"), a change she said has been stalled in committee for two years.

Trustees clarified funding for the electric‑bus purchase: staff and trustees said the buses would be paid for from the capital programs fund (bond proceeds), not the general fund, addressing concerns raised by the teachers’ association about operating‑fund impacts.

The board recessed for a closed session and later resumed to continue board business including additional actions and a ratified settlement.