Board approves behavioral specialist hire; site administrators report staffing and program updates

The Gateway Unified School District board approved the hire of a behavioral specialist after the district presented a candidate profile and recommendation. The transcript records that Calvin Johnson was interviewed and selected for the behavioral specialist position and that the board voted in favor of the recommendation (vote recorded as five in favor). Site administrators, including Miss Grimball, reported the new school year is under way with several personnel additions: a new assistant principal, Greg Walker; multiple summer hires processed quickly by human resources; and full staffing reported at one site. Administrators described new and returning programs: an agricultural class with a greenhouse expected in October, construction and lab instruction, an expanded intervention program, an advisory program that meets multiple times per week to teach transcript literacy and goal setting, and ongoing Regional Occupational Program (ROP) participation (about one-fifth of a school's population was reported enrolled in ROP). Staff also announced a planned dedication for the football field/homecoming on Sept. 12 and noted a long-serving employee, Anna, will retire in about a week; administrators presented gifts and thanked her for long service since 2007. The behavioral-specialist hire was presented as a staffing action intended to support students with significant dysregulation and to coordinate family and classroom supports; staff said the position will work across classrooms and assist parents and teachers in regulation strategies. The transcript records the motion, a second and a recorded affirmative vote of five on the behavioral-specialist hire; other items mentioned (title change for director of business services to chief business official, teacher-assignment resolution 25-26) were presented for board action but the provided excerpt does not show final votes on those items.