Eastside Union School District Packet Summary — 2026-08-19
Meeting: 08/19/2026 - 04:30 PM Eastside Union School District Board of Trustees Regular Board Meeting Agenda Board Meeting
The Eastside Union School District Board of Trustees is scheduled to consider a districtwide phone-free instructional program, a resolution opposing a proposed placement near a student bus stop, and updated conflict-of-interest rules. The consent calendar also includes a roughly $4.7 million fire-alarm replacement project, special-education services, student enrichment agreements, and other operational items.
Key Items on the Agenda
Districtwide Phone-Free Program
The Board is scheduled to consider purchasing a Yondr Education Package for 1,500 students for the 2026–27 school year. The proposed cost is $37,372.50 from the General Fund.
The district describes the proposal as a districtwide approach to creating a phone-free instructional environment. The package includes locking pouches and unlocking equipment along with implementation planning, policy support, staff training, family outreach, and ongoing program support.
Staff says the proposal is intended to establish consistent expectations for personal technology use, reduce classroom distractions, increase student focus, and reduce the burden on individual teachers to enforce cell-phone restrictions. The Yondr materials also include student resources on responsible technology use and implementation support for district and school leaders.
Resolution Opposing Proposed Placement in Hi Vista
The Board is scheduled to consider Resolution No. 26-27-03, which would formally oppose the proposed placement of a designated sexually violent predator at 45310 200th Street East in Hi Vista.
The proposed resolution states that the residence is a few hundred feet from a school bus stop at 200th Street East and Avenue H12 that is used by district students. It cites student safety along transportation routes and at bus stops as the district's basis for opposing the placement.
The packet identifies two upcoming dates connected with the matter:
- August 26, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. — deadline for written public comment to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
- September 10, 2026 — currently scheduled Los Angeles County Superior Court placement hearing.
If adopted, the resolution would direct the Superintendent or designee to submit written opposition before the public-comment deadline and authorize further lawful action reasonably necessary to protect student safety. It also calls for a certified copy of the resolution to be transmitted to the District Attorney's Office, California Department of State Hospitals, and the office of Supervisor Kathryn Barger.
Conflict-of-Interest Policy Returns for Second Reading
The Board is scheduled for a second reading and proposed adoption of Board Policy/Bylaw and Exhibit 9270: Conflict of Interest. The packet states that the first reading occurred on August 5, 2026, and identifies revisions in the materials.
The proposed policy addresses circumstances in which Board members and other designated district officials may not participate in decisions because of financial, family, or other personal interests. It also addresses the district's conflict-of-interest code, disclosure requirements, and Statement of Economic Interests/Form 700 filings.
Among the provisions, Board members would abstain from personnel matters that uniquely affect their relatives, while retaining the ability to vote on collective bargaining agreements and personnel matters affecting a broader employee class to which a relative belongs.
Presentations
Expanded Learning Opportunities Program
The Board is scheduled to receive an overview of the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P), which provides learning opportunities beyond the school day for TK–6 students and supports student engagement and attendance recovery.
The presentation says the district's TK–6 model is anchored by the RISE and HOKALI programs. Before ELO-P funding can be expanded to broader opportunities, the district must meet TK–6 access requirements including a nine-hour day, 30 non-school days, and required staffing ratios. Once those requirements are met, the presentation says funding may support opportunities involving grades 7–8, preschool, field trips, and community engagement events.
For 2025–26, the presentation reports that the district received and fully spent $5,252,315 in ELO-P funding on programming, supplies, transportation, and staffing. The presentation also reviews attendance-recovery efforts and their fiscal impact.
District Communications
A second presentation focuses on the district's communications approach for 2026–27. The materials describe a shift toward more standardized and repeatable communication systems while allowing individual schools flexibility in how they connect with their communities.
The presentation identifies priorities including complete and current web information, defined roles for different communication channels, family-centered messaging, reusable branding and communication standards, assistance and follow-through for families, and staff readiness. Future work identified in the presentation includes an annual communications and storytelling plan and measurement of engagement, response, participation, and assistance.
Major Financial and Facilities Items
Eastside Elementary Fire Alarm Replacement
On the consent calendar, staff recommends authorizing the district to begin formal bidding for replacement of the fire alarm system at Eastside Elementary School. The agenda lists an estimated funding impact of approximately $4.7 million, with Fund 21 — Measure ES Bond Funds identified as the budget source.
A preliminary construction estimate included in the packet places total project cost at $4,655,885, including construction-related conditions, overhead and profit, bonds and insurance, and contingency.
The proposed action would authorize commencement of formal bidding and authorize the Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services, or a designee to review bids and contracts and execute construction agreements. The packet notes that formal bidding procedures apply to projects exceeding $220,000 under the cited public contracting requirements.
Eastside Elementary Library Furniture
Staff recommends approval of a $80,738.68 School Specialty purchase for library furniture at Eastside Elementary School using OMNIA Contract Piggyback #R240115. The identified budget source is bond funding.
Special-Education Services
The consent calendar includes a proposed Emit Learning service agreement for the 2026–27 fiscal year with expenditures not to exceed $250,000, funded through Special Education.
Another proposed memorandum of understanding would establish a 2026–27 relationship with Abilities Network Hub, an organization described in the packet as providing inclusive social events, activities, and community connections for children, teens, and adults with diverse disabilities. The financial terms include complimentary informational appearances, event rates and per-event caps for organization-led or collaborative events, and reimbursement provisions for materials and travel. The identified budget source is Special Education.
Health, Wellness and Family Engagement Partnership
The consent calendar also includes a proposed 2026–27 memorandum of understanding between the district and AVPH. The packet describes the districtwide partnership as providing coordinated health, wellness, attendance, and family-engagement services while combining AVPH's community-based services with district school infrastructure.
Student Programs and Enrichment
Two proposed agreements would add enrichment activities to Saturday School attendance-recovery days:
- Giddy Up Ranch: A petting-zoo agreement with an expenditure of $8,000, funded through ELO.
- TMJCCK Business Dreamers / Gather Blast: A gaming-truck agreement with an expenditure of $2,842.50, also funded through ELO.
Staff describes these vendors as part of an effort to make attendance-recovery days more engaging through hands-on activities while supporting student participation and enrichment.
The consent calendar also includes proposed ratification of 2026–27 field trips. One supporting document identifies a July 24, 2026 Cole Middle School trip to Tierra Bonita Park for seventh- and eighth-grade band students to perform at a back-to-school kickoff event.
Consent Calendar and Routine Business
The Board is scheduled to consider the consent calendar in a single motion unless an item is removed for separate consideration. Items include:
- Personnel Action Report 26-27-03, covering certificated, classified, and unclassified personnel actions.
- Ratification of bills and purchase orders from July 31 through August 14, 2026.
- Ratification of an August 2026 donation, including a $525 California Credit Union donation identified for a July 20 leadership dinner.
- Conference Schedule 26-27-04, covering proposed conference attendance and associated expenses.
- Proposed ratification of 2026–27 school field trips.
- The Eastside Elementary library furniture purchase, Emit Learning agreement, AVPH MOU, Saturday School enrichment agreements, Abilities Network Hub MOU, and authorization to begin bidding for the Eastside Elementary fire-alarm project.
The purchase-order report included in the packet covers transactions from July 31 through August 14 and reports $3,909,081.53 in accounting-line amounts, with $3,611,330.17 shown as open accounting-line amounts.
Closed Session and Public Participation
Before returning to open session, the Board agenda includes closed-session items covering negotiations with the Eastside Teachers Association, negotiations with California School Employees Association Chapter 779, public employee personnel matters, and anticipated litigation.
The agenda provides opportunities for public comment, including comment before closed session and during open session. Individual speakers are generally allotted three minutes, with the Board indicating that it will conclude receipt of information on a specific agenda item after a 20-minute timeframe.
What to Watch at the Meeting
The most consequential scheduled decisions center on several different areas of district operations: whether to implement Yondr's phone-free system for 1,500 students; whether to formally oppose the proposed Hi Vista placement and authorize district advocacy before the August 26 deadline; whether to adopt the updated Conflict of Interest policy after its second reading; and whether to move the approximately $4.7 million Eastside Elementary fire-alarm replacement into formal bidding.
The two presentations also provide broader context for district priorities. The ELO-P presentation reviews how expanded-learning funding is being used for student access, enrichment, and attendance recovery, while the communications presentation outlines a more standardized districtwide approach to keeping families informed and connected.
