By Allen Payton

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) San Francisco field office joined with the City of Pittsburg to present a special naturalization ceremony at the council chambers on Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021. At the event, 25 immigrants from 13 nations became U.S citizens. (See Zoom video – begins at 5-minute mark)

Nine the new U.S. citizens were from the Philippines, three from Mexico, two each from India and the United Kingdom, and one each from El Salvador, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Kazakhstan, Liberia, Mongolia, Nicaragua and Pakistan.

Four of the new citizens shared about themselves. Antioch resident Sergio Roque Henriquez came here from El Salvador at age 16, speaking no English.

“I had a goal, to go to school,” he said.

His cousins helped him get an exception and enter the local junior college’s English as a Second Language classes. Now, he’s married, dad of two, ages 16 and 11 and works as a chef.

Roya Yousefelahiyeh, of Concord, came here from Iran to study, and now works as a civil engineer in wastewater treatment. Pittsburg resident Suku Varney, from Liberia applied, as do millions of others, for the diversity visa. He was selected at random and got the golden opportunity to immigrate to the U.S. As a student at San Francisco State, he’s doing an internship in Superior Court, and hopes to go to law school.

Concord resident Liswana “Celilia” Judanu, formerly of Indonesia. She came here in 1978 to join her brothers after being rejected by the State Department for a visitor visa. Back home, Celilia had studied English, so she did well and wound up as a long-time employee of Wells Fargo, working now as a credit associate.

The keynote speaker was Pittsburg Mayor Merl Craft and opening remarks were presented by Councilwoman Shanelle Scales-Preston USCIS San Francisco District Chief of Staff Joseph Hamilton administered the Oath of Allegiance, and Assistant Director of Economic Development & Recreation Kolette Simonton sang the National Anthem.

“We are so proud to have hosted Pittsburg’s first-ever naturalization ceremony alongside USCIS,” said Melaine Venenciano of the Pittsburg Community Services Department.

“It was a wonderful event, and it went so smoothly,” said Joseph J. Hamilton, Chief of Staff, District 42, USCIS. “I have no doubt that our 25 newest citizens will forever have fond memories of their naturalization ceremony and the City of Pittsburg.”

USCIS naturalized approximately 625,000 people in fiscal year 2020. Many of them applied using USCIS online tools. More than seven million people have applied online for immigration benefits. To file online, individuals must first create a USCIS online account at USCIS naturalized approximately 625,000 people in fiscal year 2020. Many of them applied using USCIS online tools. More than seven million people have applied online for immigration benefits. To file online, individuals must first create a USCIS online account at https://myaccount.uscis.gov/.

USCIS encourages new U.S. citizens to share their naturalization photos on social media using the hashtag #NewUSCitizen.

Facts on Naturalization

Since our founding, the United States has welcomed immigrants from all over the world who have helped shape and define our country. During the last decade, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services welcomed more than 7.3 million new citizens into the fabric of our nation. Despite extended office closures and the impacts of the COVID-19 global pandemic, USCIS naturalized approximately 625,400 in fiscal year (FY) 2020.

Deciding to become a U.S. citizen is a personal decision and an important milestone in an immigrant’s life. Individuals who naturalize demonstrate a commitment to the principles that unify us as Americans and, in return, enjoy the rights and privileges that are fundamental to U.S. citizenship. We are committed to making the naturalization process more accessible to everyone who wants to start their citizenship journey.

About the Naturalization Process

People age 18 or older seeking to become U.S. citizens apply for naturalization by submitting Form N–400, Application for Naturalization. The N-400 application is available for online filing. An applicant must meet all the eligibility requirements in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to naturalize.

These general eligibility requirements specify that the applicant must:

• Be at least 18 years of age when they submit the N-400 application;
• Be a lawful permanent resident (have a Green Card) for at least five years;
• Demonstrate continuous residence in the United States for at least five years immediately before applying for naturalization;
• Have been physically present in the United States for at least 30 months;
• Be a person of good moral character;
• Demonstrate an understanding of the English language including the ability to read, write, and speak basic English;
• Have knowledge of U.S. government and history (civics);
• Demonstrate attachment to the principles and ideals of the U.S. Constitution; and
• Be willing and able to take the Oath of Allegiance.  

Special naturalization provisions modify these requirements for certain applicants or exempt them from one or more of these requirements. Among the applicants exempt from some of these requirements are spouses of U.S. citizens or members of the military.

• Individuals may apply for naturalization as the spouse of a U.S. citizen just three years after they receive a Green Card, instead of waiting five years. They must have been physically present in the United States for at least 18 months.
• Spouses of U.S. citizens stationed abroad may not have to meet any particular residence or physical presence requirements.
• Members of the military who served honorably during certain periods of conflict may be eligible for naturalization even if they do not have a Green Card and even if they are under the age of 18.
• Members of the military who served honorably for at least one year, at any time, and apply for naturalization within a certain time after their military service, are also exempt from the general residence and physical presence requirements.

Everyone filing an N-400 application who submits a complete application with all required documents will have an interview with a USCIS officer. Applicants we approve for naturalization are scheduled for a ceremony before a judge or with USCIS. They do not become U.S. citizens until they have taken the Oath of Allegiance.  

Naturalization Statistics

• Since 2005, USCIS has welcomed approximately 730,000 citizens each year during naturalization ceremonies across the United States and around the world.
• In FY 2020, 70 percent of all naturalized citizens lived in 10 states: California, Florida, Texas, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, Illinois, Georgia and Virginia.
• In FY 2020, the leading metropolitan areas of residence were New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA (10 percent), Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL (8 percent), and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (7 percent).
• In FY 2020, the top five countries of origin for naturalized citizens were: Mexico (82,700), India (47,900), Philippines (33,100), Cuba (31,000), and China (23,000). Since 2002, we have naturalized more than 139,000 members of the U.S. military, both at home and abroad. We have held naturalization ceremonies in more than 30 countries from Albania to the United Arab Emirates. In the last five years (FY 2016-20), we naturalized almost 30,000 service members. In FY 2020, we naturalized more than 4,500 service members, about the same number as the previous year.
• More than 40% of those we have naturalized since FY 2016 have been service members born in the Philippines, Mexico, China, South Korea and Jamaica—the top five countries of birth among citizens naturalized in that time span. Another 17% of military naturalizations from FY 2016-20 have been immigrants from the next five countries of birth: Nigeria, Nepal, India, Ghana and Kenya.

For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

There are three U.S. immigration agencies within the Department of Homeland Security.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Following are the responsibilities of each agency:

USCIS

• Adjudication of applications to gain immigrant status, based on family or work petitions, refugee or asylee status or through the Violence Against Women Act.
• Adjudication of naturalization applications
• Adjudication of asylum and refugee applications
• E-Verify employment verification
• Help with foreign adoptions
• Adjudication of work-related non-immigrant visas
• Adjudication of T and U visas (victim visas)
• E-Verify

ICE

• Homeland Security Investigations
• Preventing Terrorism
• Illegal Movement of People and Goods
• Immigration Enforcement
• Fugitive Operations
• Detention and Removal Management

CBP

• Inspections involving customs law
• Inspections involving immigration law
• Border Patrol
• USDA-APHIS agricultural quarantine inspections program

Sharon Rummery, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services contributed to this report.

No answers to questions of why the morning meeting and urgency for choosing an interim since Bernal isn’t retiring until end of year, how many candidates nor who they are

By Allen Payton

The Antioch City Council will hold a special 9:00 a.m. closed session meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021, to discuss the recruitment of a new city manager and to negotiate with a potential interim city manager candidate. ACC110221 Special Mtg

The public can make comments on both items before the council adjourns into the closed session. The mayor will report out what actions were taken following the conclusion of their closed-door meeting.

Questions were sent to the mayor, council members, City Manager Ron Bernal, Assistant City Manager Rosanna Bayon Moore and City Attorney Thomas Lloyd Smith. They were asked, so that the public can provide informed public comment for your closed session meeting next Tuesday, who is the candidate with whom you will be negotiating for the Interim City Manager position, please?

They were also asked if it is Assistant City Manager Rosanna Bayon Moore, is it, as has been rumored, City Attorney Thomas Lloyd Smith, or someone else. Additional questions were also asked of Bernal, Mayor Lamar Thorpe, and Councilmembers Lori Ogorchock and Mike Barbanica why hold the meeting at 9:00 a.m. when most people would be at work, what the urgency was and why the  meeting couldn’t be held during their regular meeting the following Tuesday (since Bernal isn’t retiring until the end of the year). They were also asked if Bernal was leaving that day and using his accrued vacation time. (See related article)

Both Ogorchock and Barbanica said they didn’t know how many candidates their were for the interim position, nor why the meeting was being held next Tuesday in the morning. But each of them said they couldn’t say anything more about the matter.

Smith was out of the office on Friday and attempts to reach the mayor, the other council members and Bernal were unsuccessful throughout Friday afternoon.

Viewing

Members of the public can watch the meeting at https://www.antiochca.gov/live_stream, on Comcast Channel 24, or AT&T U-Verse Channel 99.

Public Comments

Members of the public wishing to provide public comment may do so one of the following ways (#2 pertains to the Zoom Webinar):

1. Fill out an online speaker card by 7:00 a.m. the day of the Council Meeting located at:

1. Provide oral public comments during the meeting by clicking the following link to register in advance to access the meeting via Zoom Webinar: https://www.antiochca.gov/speakers

– You will be asked to enter an email address and a name. Your email address will not be disclosed to the public. After registering, you will receive an email with instructions on how to connect to the meeting.

– When the Mayor announces public comments, click the “raise hand” feature in Zoom. For instructions on using the “raise hand” feature in Zoom, visit: https://www.antiochca.gov/raise_hand. When calling into the meeting using the Zoom Webinar telephone number, press *9 on your telephone keypad to “raise your hand”. Please ensure your Zoom client is updated so staff can enable your microphone when it is your turn to speak.

1. Email comments to cityclerk@ci.antioch.ca.us by 7:00 a.m. the day of the Council Meeting. The comment will be read into the record at the meeting (350 words maximum, up to 3 minutes, at the discretion of the Mayor). IMPORTANT: Identify the agenda item in the subject line of your email if the comment is for Announcement of Community Events, Public Comment, or a specific Agenda Item number. No one may speak more than once on an agenda item or during “Public Comments”.

All emails received by 7:00 a.m. the day of the Council Meeting will be entered into the record for the meeting. Speakers will be notified shortly before they are called to speak.

Householder does not provide response for petition, won’t say why

Effort has until April 6, 2022 to gather 9,913 signatures of voters in the district

By Allen Payton

Following receipt of a letter from the Contra Costa Elections office, on Wednesday, approving the petition to recall Antioch School Board President Ellie Householder, one of the leaders of the effort, Lindsey Amezcua said signature gathering has begun. HouseholderRecallPetitionApprovalLetter

Householder was served on Friday, Oct. 8 with the notice of intent to circulate the recall petition, and it was submitted to the county on Tuesday, Oct. 12. Householder then had seven days to provide a response, of up to 200 words, to the reasons given on the petition for the recall. But Amezcua said she did not provide one. (See related article)

Then the notice had to be published in a local newspaper, which was done in the East Bay Times on Friday, Oct. 22. The necessary paperwork was then submitted to the county elections office that same day.  A minor correction had to be made to the paperwork, which was submitted on Tuesday, Oct. 26, Amezcua explained.

The effort included gathering signatures at Wednesday’s school board meeting. Amezcua announced it during public comments at the beginning of the regular meeting.

They will also be gathering signatures during the Rivertown Trick or Treat event in downtown on Saturday, and will be in front of grocery stores, have them available in a variety of businesses, as well as door-to-door directly to voters, she shared.

According to the letter from the county elections office, the effort has 160 days, until April 5, 2022, to gather “not less than 9,913 valid signatures of properly registered voters in the Antioch Unified School District at large”. That’s based on 15% of the total 66,087 voters in the district.

“That’s more than who voted for her in 2018,” Amezcua pointed out. According to the election results, Householder received 8,705 votes when she was elected that year, placing second behind Mary Rocha who received 13,148 votes.

Questions were sent late Wednesday afternoon to Householder asking why she didn’t submit a response, if she missed the seven-day deadline, and if she didn’t care to defend herself, or if she doesn’t consider the recall a serious matter. But she did not respond as of publication time Thursday afternoon.

For more information visit www.RecallEllieHouseholder.com.

Please check back later for any updates to this response.

Federal grant funding Impaired Driving Reduction efforts

By Jaime Coffee, Information Officer II, California Highway Patrol

SACRAMENTO, Calif. –  The California Highway Patrol (CHP) and the California Office of Traffic Safety are partnering on a campaign aimed at reducing the number of crashes caused by impaired drivers.  The $5.5 million grant will fund the Impaired Driving Reduction (IDR) education and enforcement campaign, which began October 1, 2021 and continues through September 30, 2022.

In 2019, impaired driving crashes were responsible for 568 deaths and 11,444 injuries within the CHP’s jurisdiction throughout the state.  Each one of these injuries and deaths represents a preventable tragedy and a continued need to focus efforts on reducing impaired driving in California.

“This grant will help support the Department’s mission by strengthening education and enforcement efforts throughout the state,” CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray said.  “As a public safety organization, we will continue to do everything in our power to promote safety for all on California’s roadways.”

In 2020, CHP officers made more than 90,000 violations for driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol and/or drugs.  The IDR grant provides the CHP with funding to conduct additional saturation patrols, checkpoints, and traffic safety education efforts throughout California.  These efforts are designed to remove impaired drivers from the roadway and educate the public regarding the dangers of DUI.  Additionally, the CHP will actively participate in California’s Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over public awareness campaign.

The CHP wants to remind the public, “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.”  Alcohol, cannabis, certain prescription and over-the-counter medications, illegal drugs, or any combination can affect your ability to drive and will result in an arrest if you are under the influence.  Always make good decisions and plan ahead by designating a sober driver, take public transportation, or call a taxi or ride-share.  There is always a better option than getting behind the wheel while impaired.

The public is encouraged to call 9-1-1 if they observe a suspected impaired driver.  Be prepared to provide the dispatcher a location, direction of travel, and vehicle description.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security.

Follows Kaiser Permanente’s Medicare health plan in California receiving a 5 out of 5-star rating making it among the highest rated in the nation

By Antonia Ehlers, PR and Media Relations, Kaiser Permanente Northern California

Kaiser Permanente’s Medicare Advantage health plan is one of the best in California for quality care and service, according to U.S. News & World Report’s Best Insurance Companies for Medicare Advantage Plans 2022.

To create its 2022 list of best insurance companies for Medicare Advantage, U.S. News & World Report analyzed Medicare Advantage offerings in each state based on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) annual Star Quality Ratings for 2022.

In the CMS 2022 ratings, Kaiser Permanente’s Medicare health plan in California received a 5 out of 5-star rating – making it among the highest rated in the nation – for providing expert medicine, seamless care, and outstanding service to its Medicare health plan members. This is the 11th straight year Kaiser Permanente’s Medicare health plan in California has been rated 5 out of 5 stars.

According to U.S. News & World Report, a “best” Medicare Advantage insurance company is defined as a health care organization whose plans were all rated at least 3 out of 5 stars by CMS and whose plans have an average rating of 4.5 or more stars within the state.

With Kaiser Permanente, Medicare members get high-quality medical services, hospital care, prescription drug coverage, preventive care, and more in one easy-to-use plan. We also offer convenient care options, such as video visits, phone appointments, and secure email.

Learn more about Medicare, explore Kaiser Permanente’s Medicare Advantage plans, and get information on enrolling. 

About Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve almost 12.5 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health. http://about.kaiserpermanente.org

 

Wanted to discuss hiring a board consultant, first; board agrees to hire consultant to help with governance and evaluating the superintendent

By Allen Payton

Antioch School Board Trustee Mary Rocha moved forward with her effort to censure Board President Ellie Householder, also at the request of leaders of the recall against the embattled trustee, during the board meeting, Wednesday night. Their first in-person meeting in 20 months was held at the Deer Valley High School theater.

“From the time you were voted onto the school board you have been nothing but disruptive,” Rocha said reading prepared remarks, offering her reasons for the censure vote. “You encouraged protesters who tried to intimidate a council member to vote a certain way.  In fact, not only did you encourage it you participated in the protest.”

“You encouraged a protest at the Antioch district office which resulted in some of your friends breaking into the building, destroying district facilities and pushing and shoving that resulted in two board members and one employee getting injured,” she continued. “You were censured for further encouraging friends to intimidate board members in order to push your agenda. You posted and applauded your friends on social media for screaming ‘f… Gary’, ‘f… Mary’, ‘f… Diane’, repeatedly.”

“You participated in a taped forum when the moderator spent over an hour saying horrible things about our superintendent, many which were lies, and rather than correct him or offer the truth you said, ‘I like where this is going’,” Rocha stated. “Most recently you posted a video on your social media that included the faces of our students and insinuated staff had mistreated the student, yet you never asked about the facts.  If I were the parent, I would be furious.”

“Finally, you call a ridiculous special meeting asking the superintendent to violate employee and students’ privacy rights as well as board policy. You continue to call special meetings requesting an attorney and when speaking with staff costing the district money,” she added.

Rocha then made a motion to return with a formal vote to censure Householder. Trustee Gary Hack seconded the motion.

Public comments were then heard, most of them in support of the censure of Householder and three who spoke against it. Several district teachers, staff and other members of the public in the audience wore shirts with the words “You are not Recognized” mocking Householder for what she had said to both Rocha and Superintendent Stephanie Anello when they tried to speak during a previous board meeting. (See related article)

“During board meetings there is no dictator. I think Ellie should stay away from social media…and study up on Robert’s Rules of Order. That might be a better use of her time,” said Teacher of the Year Crystal Van Dyke.

“Trustee Rocha is not acting alone,” said Lindsey Amezcua, who is one of the recall leaders.

“This biweekly decent into nonsense,” said another speaker describing the board meetings in opposition to the vote to censure.

Willie Mims said, “I’m totally against this. You should look into the mirror and ask did you respect this young lady? No, you did not. I’m up here to support Ellie Householder.”

“There’s so much to unpack with this,” Householder said. “We don’t really have a policy on this. I just don’t think this belongs on our school board. I don’t think this should be a discussion we should have, here. We’re not in the business of punishing each other.”

“I call for the vote,” Rocha said.

“It’s an unpopular and uncomfortable situation when you’re talking about punishing someone,” Board Vice President Clyde Lewis said. He compared the experience of a young man he’s been mentoring and had “been counted out. But with the proper support…he’s going on to college.”

“This is a conversation. There is validity to the feelings of those who support the censure,” District 1 Trustee Antonio Hernandez said. “There have been a number of comments about coming together and working together as a board. Some of our best moments have been during closed session. I wish we could share those with the public. There are some deep issues on this board that we need to work through.”

“It’s not in good faith that we censure someone on the board and then deal with hiring a board consultant. If we censure her, we still have to work with her,” he continued. “It’s just so hard to untangle things and it’s hard…when we accidentally mix in the more personal things. The best that I can say, I hear you.”

“I think I’ve made it very clear,” said Rocha. “You’ve used your media…you’ve criticized our staff…I’ve brought things and I’ve been ignored.” She also mentioned Householder posting the video of the student being held down by security and Antioch police officers at Antioch High School, last month.

“Your chairmanship has not been a positive one,” Rocha continued. “I admired you when you were a trustee. I don’t admire your tactics because you put yourself above us. This has been an issue that has been brewing and brewing.”

“I do understand that my leadership style is sometimes heavy handed at times,” Householder said. “But…this board has gotten way off the rails…with the district leading this board…and I’m not going to apologize for it.”

“The part about the video, that’s totally valid,” she said. “It seems like every time we disagree it becomes like really extreme with removal or a censure.”

Householder then asked community member Melissa Case, who had spoken out from the audience several times, to “please leave. You keep having these outbursts” and asked for security to remove her.

“I really have to caution…it has to be a substantial disruption that prevents the board from doing its work,” said Superintendent Stephanie Anello. Householder dropped the matter and Case remained at the meeting.

“I just think my leadership style just doesn’t resonate with the board. But I don’t think I have been disrespectful of other board members,” Householder continued, speaking about the censure vote. “After the last censure…I changed. It’s been a month since this happened (referring to her posting of the video of the student being detained).”

The vote then failed on a 2-2-1 vote with Lewis voting to abstain, to which groans could be heard from those in the audience.

“I think that this conversation should happen after we discuss having a consultant,” Lewis explained.

“When you became the chair it changed you,” Rocha added, speaking to Householder. “I’m willing to have a consultant. But I wanted to clear the air and have the public understand what it’s like for you to be the chair.”

Board Consultant

After discussing three individuals to be hired as a consultant to assist the board in governance and the evaluation of the superintendent, the board members agreed to hire one and gave direction to Anello to do so. The board will make a final hiring decision during a future meeting.

Will be used to address students’ academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs, as well as the opportunity gaps that existed before, and were exacerbated by, COVID-19

By Allen Payton

During their meeting on Wednesday, October 27, 2021, the Antioch School Board approved an expenditure plan for $30.5 million in federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds on a 4-0-1 vote with Board President Ellie Householder voting to abstain. ESSER III Expenditure Plan Presentation

According to the district staff report, all school districts that receive ESSER funds under the American Rescue Plan, referred to as ESSER III funds, are required to develop an Expenditure Plan for how ESSER III funds will be used to address students’ academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs, as well as the opportunity gaps that existed before, and were exacerbated by, the COVID-19 pandemic.

AUSD staff participated “in meaningful stakeholder engagement to solicit input in the development of the plan”. Antioch Unified is due to receive $30,531,253 in ESSER III funds. Under the terms of ESSER III, a plan must be approved by the Board of Education and presented to the County Office of Education by October 31, 2021.

It was that tight timeframe and short notice, and because the information wasn’t also provided in Spanish, which Householder gave as reasons she didn’t want to vote on the plan.

Expenditure Plan Overview

According to the details of the Expenditure Plan, $12.25 million will be used to implement strategies for continuous and safe in-person learning; almost $9 million will be spent to address the academic impact of lost instructional time; $4.5 million to recruit and retain staff; and $4.8 million for facilities improvements and repairs.

The ESSER III funds may be expended during the period of March 1, 2020, through September 30, 2024. According to staff, no funds were expended prior to the creation and approval of the plan presented at the meeting.

 

Rocha attempted to table it; Householder consults with district’s attorney, says use of performance evaluation is “kind of a catch all term”

Large police presence in parking lot for beginning of meeting.

By Allen Payton

Before the Antioch School Board could go into closed session to discuss the performance evaluation of Superintendent Stephanie Anello-Cantando, Trustee Mary Rocha made a motion to table the matter and fellow Trustee Gary Hack seconded it. But the motion died on a 2-3 vote.

The meeting was held in the Deer Valley High School theater, so that the board and staff members could socially distance and with the expectation of a larger than usual turnout. It was the first in-person meeting in 20 months and the first one ever for Board Vice President Clyde Lewis and Area 1 Trustee Antonio Hernandez, Board President Ellie Householder pointed out.

A police presence of seven Antioch officers and six vehicles was in the parking lot before and during the closed session, and the beginning of the regular meeting. Asked if something had happened at the school, one of the officers replied “we’re here to make sure something doesn’t”. They had left by about 8:00 p.m.

First, a few public comments were heard all in support of Anellog, including from Teacher of the Year Crystal Van Dyke who spoke in favor of “a glowing evaluation” for the superintendent. “She shouldn’t even be evaluated on test scores. Teachers aren’t evaluated on test scores,” Van Dyke added.

“Why are we really having this evaluation?” asked Velma Wilson. “Ellie, what really have you done?” She then gave a list of negative things she claims Householder has done.

“You need to step down,” Wilson concluded.

Rocha then made her motion to table. Although no discussion is to be held on a motion to table, Householder allowed it.

Asked by Hernandez if it was a motion to table or postpone, Rocha responded, “We’re tabling this. To not come back.”

“Why should we be doing a closed session evaluation when we have on the agenda on 12.E. a consultant to help us? Rocha asked, offering her reason for the motion.

“We are tabling it because it mirrors the conversation of 12.E.?” Lewis asked for clarification.

“Yes,” Rocha replied.

“So, what I will say is they are different. There’s two entirely separate things,” Householder said. “After consulting with our district’s attorney this is what he suggested and it’s kind of a catch all term.”

“Regardless of what you’re saying I’m still tabling it. So, if you’d please take the vote,” Rocha said.

The vote failed with only Hack and Rocha voting yes. The board then adjourned into closed session at 6:20 p.m.

When they returned from closed session at about 7:20, Householder said, according to the agenda she didn’t have to report out but, did state “there was no reportable action”.

While the meeting continued, questions were sent via email to all five trustees asking if the closed session really wasn’t the annual performance evaluation of the superintendent, why wasn’t one done in June as is required by her contract, and when will it be held, this year?

Please check back later for any updates to this report.