Clerk’s Report

Clerk’s Report

Overview and Highlights from the April 16, 2025 Regular Board Meeting.

Approval and Ratification of Superintendent’s Employment Agreement

The Board of Trustees is thrilled to announce the approval and ratification of Erik Burmeister’s Superintendent Employment Agreement. Mr. Burmeister was selected and appointed by unanimous decision after a thoughtful and thorough search process. He will officially begin serving as Superintendent on May 1, 2025, ensuring a smooth leadership transition and laying the foundation for a stable, collaborative, and successful 2025–26 school year.

A copy of Erik Burmeister’s employment agreement can be found [here].

Heartfelt Thanks to Dr. Park for Her Interim Leadership

The Board of Trustees extends its deepest appreciation to Dr. Valerie Park for her exceptional service as Interim Superintendent over the past several months. She has led our district with grace, compassion, and a spirit of deep listening during this time of transition. Her dual role—as Interim Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent—reflects her deep commitment to our students, staff, and broader community. As she returns to her role as Assistant Superintendent on May 1, we are profoundly grateful for the steady guidance she has provided during this pivotal chapter.

Remembering Janice Frankel

The Board of Trustees joins the entire LLESD community in mourning the loss of beloved long-time substitute teacher Janice Frankel. Janice was a bright, joyful presence on campus whose kindness, warmth, and genuine care for students left a lasting impact on all who knew her. She often said that Las Lomitas was “happier than Disneyland,” and she carried that spirit with her every day. We are deeply grateful for the many years she dedicated to our schools, and she will be missed dearly.

Update from the Budget Advisory Committee

The Budget Advisory Committee (BAC), presented a brief update on the committee’s recent work. The BAC has been focused on aligning budget goals with district priorities, targeting a 50% deficit reduction for the 2025–26 fiscal year, and identifying cost-saving strategies. They also previewed the committee's next steps, including upcoming community meetings, continued research to inform future budget recommendations, and updating the BAC website as a hub to share information and gather feedback.

The committee’s projected timeline includes:

Spring 2025 – Community meetings and 2025–26 budget recommendations

Summer 2025 – Deep-dive research to inform 2026–27 budget recommendations

Fall 2025 – Initial framework and recommendations for the 2026–27 budget

Winter 2025–26 – BAC-specific recommendations on preliminary notices (for the March 15 deadline)

All BAC meetings are open to the public, with the next meeting scheduled for Monday, May 12, 2025, at 2:00 PM. The full presentation can be viewed [here].

Presentations from CSEA and LLEA

The Board heard presentations from both of our labor associations at the April 16 meeting. Olivia Betancourth, President of the California School Employees Association (CSEA), presented on behalf of CSEA. Daniella Lefer and Jennifer Montalvo, Co-Presidents of the Las Lomitas Education Association (LLEA), presented on behalf of LLEA. We are grateful to our union leaders for their continued partnership and their commitment to supporting students and staff across the district.

To view the presentations, please refer to the meeting video at the following timestamps:

CSEA Presentation – 30:11

LLEA Presentation – 36:08

Reports and Board Comments

If you would like to view the reports and board comments from the April Board Meeting, they can be found at the following timestamps in the meeting recording linked [here]:

President’s Report: 23:47

Interim Superintendent’s Report: 28:16

Board Comments: 1:02:22

The next regular board meeting is on Wednesday, May 7, 2025 at 7:00 pm.

Board of Trustees

Paige Winikoff, President

Kimberly Legg, Clerk

Heather Hopkins

Gautam Nadella

Jason Morimoto

You may email the board at schoolboard@llesd.org. (Please note that any written correspondence with the board is subject to the California Public Records Act, which gives members of the public a right to inspect and request copies of records maintained by the school board.)

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