Board Briefs: Aug. 25

Here are a few highlights from the Aug. 25 board meeting (the agenda packet is available):

Board hears update on the start of school

The start of a new school year signals possibility and opportunity for students, families, schools, district staff and the community. This year was no exception as we welcomed new students and staff to San Juan Unified and set the stage for another year of learning and growing. 

Staff provided the board with an update on activities and professional development opportunities provided for the start of the 2026-27 school year, including:

• The district started the year with 39,356 students enrolled in its schools. 
• More than 240 new employees were hired this summer.
• Numerous trainings and workshops were held for staff, including a classified office support training day, leadership summit and Smooth Start event for new teachers.
• Schools held a variety of welcome-back activities for their school communities in anticipation of the first day of school. Get a glimpse of the first day of school, Aug. 13, by watching this video.

Update shared on the district’s attendance improvement initiative

Staff provided an update on the district's Attendance Improvement Initiative and progress toward improving student attendance during the 2025–26 school year, while outlining priorities for continued implementation in 2026–27. 

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, student attendance patterns have shifted significantly, with students missing more instructional days than pre-pandemic levels at local, state and nationwide levels. In response, the Attendance Improvement Initiative is grounded in a tiered system of supports that emphasizes prevention, early identification, targeted intervention and intensive support to improve student engagement and attendance. 

Staff discussed districtwide attendance trends, including average daily attendance and chronic absenteeism, and highlighted progress toward the district's attendance goals and key milestones achieved during the 2025–26 school year. Next steps and strategic priorities for strengthening attendance outcomes during the 2026–27 school year were also shared.

In other news…

• Board Trustee Abid Stanekzai has resigned after relocating outside district boundaries, and the board will discuss in September whether to fill the Area 1 vacancy through a special election or provisional appointment.
• The board discussed the proposed revisions to the board bylaw on conflict of interest. Action is anticipated on Sept. 8.

The next regular board meeting will be held on Sept. 8 at 6:30 p.m. Visit www.sanjuan.edu/boardmeeting for details. You can also view videos of prior board meetings at www.sanjuan.edu/boardvideo.