Apple Valley Unified trustees accept one claim, deny another and approve personnel actions after closed-session review

The Apple Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees returned from closed session Tuesday to report two formal outcomes: by motion the board unanimously agreed to accept and pay a claim brought by Nicholas Garrett, and later voted to deny a late claim filed by Andre Scott. Both actions were announced by the clerk after the board met privately on litigation and personnel matters.

The claim-payment motion was made by Trustee Renee Longshore and seconded by Trustee Anita Tucker; the board recorded the vote as unanimous. The denial of Andre Scott’s late claim was moved by President Amanda Buchanan, seconded by Longshore, and recorded as a 5–0 vote with Trustee Rick Raleigh absent.

Those closed-session items came amid a fuller business agenda that included approval of certificated and classified personnel actions, authorized leaves, and a recommendation from an administrative hearing chair to implement disciplinary action related to specified expulsion cases. Trustees approved those personnel and administrative recommendations during public session by roll-call votes.

The meeting also included extended discussion of the consent agenda. Trustees voted to approve the bulk of consent items but pulled a number of contracts and program approvals for separate review. Trustee Maria Akara and others asked for additional enrollment and cost detail on several items; staff said some contracts represent previously budgeted LCAP allocations, some costs are one-time or reduced this year, and other items will be reported back in August when student enrollment is finalized.

Public commenter Holly Black asked the board to clarify discrepancies she perceived between the March 5 meeting video and the published minutes regarding a previously debated “vote of confidence.” Trustee Renee Longshore later moved to amend the April 2 minutes to record secondary motions and the president’s decision not to put them to a vote; trustees debated parliamentary procedure over whether those secondary motions should have been recorded. The board agreed to return the minutes and the pulled consent items for additional review at a subsequent meeting.

Trustee Longshore used her remarks earlier in the meeting to reiterate concern about recent budget reductions affecting school-site staff, saying, “Children deserve better than this,” and urging the board to scrutinize special reserve funds and alternatives to cuts. Superintendent Nelson and staff answered questions on line-item funding sources and noted that some third-party special-education costs are anticipated to be lower next year because of returning vendors and more predictable staffing.

The board closed the meeting at 8:33 p.m. and announced a follow-up session in early June to continue review of minutes and pulled consent items.