The Fullerton Joint Union High School District includes 7 schools and serves over 16,000 students. Meetings of the district’s Board of Trustees usually occur twice a month at 6:00 p.m. in the Education Center Board Room, located at 1051 West Bastanchury Road in Fullerton.

Here are some hilights from August 6 Board Meeting.

New Student Board Member

The Board of Trustees welcomed Buena Park High School senior, Angelica Mosqueda as the new Student Board Member. Student board members inform the Trustees of student perspectives concerning School District issues and are welcome to make comments on any open session issue the Trustees discuss.

New Teachers Grant

Trustee Montoya recognized La Vista HS mathematics teacher Dr. Al Rabanera as part of the coordinating team for the Cultivating Teacher Leaders project, a multi-year $500,000 grant to recruit and mentor 125 new teachers from high school student identification through credentialing and early teaching. The grant supports students of color and is open to all high school students who wish to participate. Parents and students need to contact their school counselor to see if their school site is participating in this program and get additional details.

School Safety Update

FJUHSD Assistant Principals attended a recent Safe School conference and talked about increased cyber security awareness, teacher’s awareness of vaping trends, parent/student relationships with administration and School Resource Officers (SROs), social and emotional learning, trauma informed teaching practices, and helping students feel safe on campus. No examples were given and the Board did not ask any questions concerning these topics. (For information concerning the recent charges filed against former Fullerton High SRO, Jose Anthony Paez).

Sonora HS assistant principal Belinda Mountjoy presented an update on the drug sniffing dog program. The take away is that after 3 months, the campus visits have brought down the incident rate of marijuana suspensions, evidently because the students are no longer bringing it on campus sites. They are calling it a “proactive deterrent” and the school sites seem to consider the issue resolved.

Trustee Klatzker and Montoya asked if there were more detections from marijuana or tobacco from vaping or other means. Dr. Karl Zener, Executive Director of Administration, admitted that the dogs do not look for tobacco hits; there would be too many to sort through. Superintendent Scambray emphasized that safety is paramount concern of this district and while they can always improve, sharing new information with parents is most important.

Facilities Update

Todd Butcher, Director of Facilities, shared a Facilities project update referencing the fact that the Trustees and the Administration are currently seeking another Bond to complete additional work throughout the FJUHSD sites. No additional project list was presented at the open board meeting, but Mr. Butcher and President Fawley indicated that additional money would be necessary to complete the Facilities project list. Looking at the Online Facilities Master Plan, certain projects scheduled 11 years out may be these unfunded projects. ( https://www.fjuhsd.org/Page/1048 Facilities Master Plan [FMP] 2019)

At BUHS, besides the new stadium, modernized gymnasium, theater, and planned aquatics facility allocated in the present Bond, a new Choir and Band Building at an estimated cost of $6 million-dollars is not covered.

At FUHS, besides the $10 million stadium upgrade, modernized Little Theater and Gallery area, new projects include an Athletic Room along Lemon Ave. and due to the condemned gymnasium, a modernization plan has now turned into replacement plans. Both these projects are estimated at $24 million. FUHS Principal Laura Rubio said the Athletic Room concept drawings were presented to parents, staff, and the community and all were delighted. She mentioned that the architect worked to match some of the historical architecture of the flagship campus, but was vague on which era they were trying to match, pointing out that there are many different arch styles on campus buildings. She finished by saying this gym will bring cohesion to the FUHS campus.

Plummer Auditorium is now listed under the FUHS heading, but was considered a district-wide facility before. The Plummer is scheduled for $5 million in earthquake updates, and $10 million in ADA upgrades from the current Bond. The Plummer upgrades are still in the planning stages with no timeline presented for any work on that facility.

La Habra received a new theater, new stadium, modernized library, and gymnasium and is scheduled receive a new pool from the current Bond allocation.

Sonora High School received a new multipurpose gymnasium, upgraded roof, and theater modernization. Additional projects listed are modernization of stadium, and $2.5 million-dollar synthetic track.

Sunny Hills High School is currently getting an updated Performing Arts Center, received a new aquatics’ facility, modern gymnasium and updated science classrooms.

Troy High School is now getting their theater modernization after a new Aquatic Facility and gym modernization.

Reading the 2019 Facilities Master Plan, unspecified individual school site building updates account for millions of additional dollars. Little information explains what these updates entail. The current Bond was prioritized by the voters to update technology and classrooms, visual and performing arts facilities, and safety measures before any athletic facilities.

Buena Park Stadium Parking

President Fawley asked Superintendent Dr. Scambray about Buena Park stadium parking concerns and how the 4,000-seat stadium is causing parking issues in the neighborhood. He replied that this always happens with stadiums and living by a high school “is what it is” and extra cars parking around a campus’ neighborhood is just what happens.

The Fullerton Joint Union High School District Board information available by calling 714-870-2800 or visiting http://www.fjuhsd.net.