Trustees debate new assistant superintendent job description amid public pushback; closed session approves settlement and assistant principal hire

Trustees at a Cajon Valley Union School District special meeting debated whether to adopt a new job description for an "Assistant Superintendent, Educational Excellence and Innovation," while members of the public urged the board to prioritize classroom staff over new administrative positions.

The chair introduced the recommendation and asked staff for comment; Michelle Hayes, who prepared the job description, explained that new job descriptions are processed through HR and that adopting a description does not equal hiring. "The job description would be implemented in the manner in which it was approved by the governing board," Hayes said, emphasizing that the presence of a job description does not mean an incumbent will be placed in the role immediately.

During public comment, student Will praised the superintendent and asked trustees to renew the superintendent’s contract. Several community members, including Mary Davis and Scott Ludwig, opposed creating a high‑paid administrative job while paraeducators and classroom staffing needs persist. "Given the fiscal uncertainty coming to this district, is this now really the time to add another, administrative layer?" Mary Davis asked.

Scott Ludwig and other commenters also raised accountability questions about the superintendent's leadership and cited district performance data. Trustees asked staff clarifying questions about how the new job description differed from existing assistant superintendent descriptions and whether it included sections not present in other certificated job descriptions.

Legal counsel and trustees discussed whether the Brown Act or special‑meeting rules limited board action on items that touch compensation; counsel noted that a job description alone is not a contract, and any employment contract would be presented separately at a public meeting if and when the board considered hiring. After discussion a motion to approve the job description was moved and seconded; roll call produced mixed votes and the chair announced the item would be brought back at a later time.

Report out of closed session: The chair reported that, following closed session deliberations, the board by motion and unanimous 4‑0 vote approved a settlement agreement in case number 37202000027110 for payment to Evan Collins, and unanimously appointed Megan Reynolds as assistant principal at Montgomery Middle School.

Why it matters: The debate highlights local tensions over staffing priorities and fiscal prudence as the district faces uncertain federal funding; the board deferred final action on the new administrative job description while moving forward with personnel and settlement actions in closed session.

The meeting adjourned after the reported closed‑session decisions; trustees asked staff to return with any policy clarifications before taking final action on the proposed job description.