Unions Critique Superintendent as Pacifica Navigates Funding Shift

Both of Pacifica School District's labor unions delivered pointed criticism of Superintendent Dr. Carissa J. Bowman's leadership at the board's Aug. 19 meeting, citing garbled communications, blocked hiring, and the departure of irreplaceable staff — all while the district prepares for a precarious transition to basic aid funding that could create cash flow problems if property values dip.

• Teachers and classified staff unions both accuse superintendent of communication failures and staffing roadblocks that left classrooms scrambling at the start of the school year

• District shifts to basic aid funding but will maintain a parallel LCFF budget in case property values trigger a costly mid-year reversion

• Parents blindsided after Sunset Ridge and Ocean Shore schools were abruptly separated over the summer with no advance notice; board president acknowledges the move was "corrected"

• Give Forward Foundation grants expand literacy programming through 8th grade and fund a two-year leadership fellowship — all at no cost to the district

• Three key administrators appointed to fill leadership gaps at IBL, Ocean Shore/Sunset Ridge, and the district office

• Parcel tax renewal heading to the ballot will determine whether counselors, libraries, and outdoor education survive

Two Unions, One Message: Leadership Isn't Working

The most striking moments of the evening came not from board votes but from the union podium, where representatives for both the teachers and classified staff delivered unusually direct criticisms of the superintendent's management.

Why it matters: When both labor organizations — representing every adult in the schoolhouse — use their board-meeting time to flag the same problems, it suggests systemic dysfunction, not isolated disagreements.

Where things stand: The Laguna Salada Education Association (LSEA) representative opened with a litany of communication breakdowns, accusing the superintendent of sending incoherent messages and failing to engage meaningfully with staff.

"Being the recipient of garbled emails, emails that make us question AI use, lack of visibility from leadership and simply forwarding emails on to someone else does not constitute good dialogue and communication," said the LSEA representative.

The union said the superintendent's absences at the end of the 2025-26 school year delayed approval of the tentative agreement until June and left teachers without clear answers on retroactive pay. More damaging, the union charged, were roadblocks to staffing.

"Our union fought for proper staffing and hiring and we were met with roadblock after roadblock from the superintendent, whether it was not approving positions or canceling interviews," the LSEA representative said.

Two critical district office employees departed over the summer — one who managed the student information system and another whom the union described as having "kept the district going in the chaotic year we just had." On a brighter note, the union acknowledged that the new assistant superintendent/CBO, director of facilities, and two new principals have received positive initial feedback.

California School Employees Association (CSEA) Pacifica Chapter 128 echoed many of the same themes. CSEA Chapter 128 President Charlene Hilo described a chaotic start to the school year: new phone systems rolled out without adequate support, ParentSquare removed with no clear replacement communication, and student passwords changed — all generating a flood of confused parent calls.

The union's sharpest complaint targeted the reassignment of longtime employee Yolanda Pranza away from the district office front desk.

"The front office is often unlit and unstaffed. There is no one to greet parents and visitors. No one to let in the mailman, FedEx, UPS, SMCOE county delivery or receive important deliveries," said CSEA Chapter 128 President Charlene Hilo.

CSEA members themselves reported difficulty gaining entry to the building — a public facility.

The union also paused to celebrate Barbara Smith, who retired after 47 years of service. CSEA Chapter 128 Second Vice President Nicole Ortega delivered an extended tribute, describing Smith as the institutional backbone of the district.

"Think about the sheer scale of 47 years of service. That's nearly five decades. It means that Barbara has seen generations of students grow up, graduate, return as parents or even as colleagues, myself included," said CSEA Second Vice President Nicole Ortega.

Smith's departure compounds the staffing concerns raised by both unions: with her went deep knowledge of enrollment, CALPADs, attendance, and state reporting systems.

Parents Discover Schools Separated Without Warning

The basics: Sunset Ridge and Ocean Shore schools operated essentially as one campus last year, with intermixed students, shared programming, and joint events. When families arrived for the 2026-27 school year, they discovered a hard line had been drawn between the two.

Why it matters: Abrupt reversals on school organization undermine parent trust and create real inequities — one school may end up with split-grade classes while the other does not.

Where things stand: Sunset Ridge parent Travis Shaw testified that the change caught families off guard and raised questions about which programs their children could access.

"My personal feeling has always been that I'd rather have one great school together than sort of have two separate schools with this hard wall and sort of picking and choosing which side we're on," said public commenter Travis Shaw.

Trustee Hardt addressed the situation during board communications, revealing that teachers made class placements at the end of the prior year, were then directed over the summer to reorganize and separate students — reversing the integration work — and were subsequently asked to reconsider placements again after school started.

"Late in the summer they were directed to reorganize those classes so students would be separated, which was going in a different direction than all the work we did to bring the communities together," said Trustee Hardt.

Decisions: Hardt said the separation decision was "corrected" and thanked Inverness staff for absorbing the uncertainty. The episode reinforces a pattern — flagged by both unions — of late, poorly communicated operational decisions rippling out to classrooms and families.

District Prepares Dual Budgets as It Teeters Between Funding Models

The basics: California school districts are funded either through the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), which distributes state money based on average daily attendance, or through "basic aid," which lets districts keep local property tax revenue when it exceeds the LCFF entitlement. Pacifica is crossing into basic aid territory — but just barely.

Why it matters: Basic aid brings extra revenue, but sitting near the threshold means a dip in property values could flip the district back to LCFF mid-cycle. The two systems use different monthly payment schedules, creating a cash flow risk that could affect the district's ability to make payroll and vendor payments on time.

Where things stand: Superintendent Dr. Carissa Bowman explained the stakes during her Forward Focus presentation.

"One of the things that happens whenever you are close and you go from basic aid to LCFF, you risk cash flow, and that would be a direct item that we're worried about because you don't receive those same payment allotments monthly when you go back and forth," said Superintendent Dr. Carissa Bowman.

New Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Chuck Niedhofer and San Mateo County staff are developing parallel budgets — one for basic aid, one for LCFF — so the district is prepared for either scenario. Trustee Kai Doggett asked about timing; Dr. Bowman confirmed a flip would take effect at the start of a fiscal year, with payment impacts potentially extending into the following year.

The district also plans to address contractual staffing costs through a recruitment plan and contractual reduction plan with community input, aiming to reduce reliance on expensive staffing agencies.

Stability Plan: New Curriculum, Parcel Tax, and $2M in New Funds

Dr. Bowman's Forward Focus presentation doubled as a state-of-the-district address, outlining priorities for a year she titled "A Year of Stability."

Why it matters: The district received an additional $2 million in federal and state funds for workforce housing and professional development — a significant influx for a small district — and is using it alongside new curriculum purchases to address longstanding gaps.

Where things stand: Key investments include adoption of Bridges Mathematics 3rd edition aligned to the new state math framework, purchase of Open Court multilingual literacy materials, and a new elementary social studies curriculum replacing materials from 2002.

"We also have an elementary social studies curriculum that was recently purchased, replacing our curriculum from 2002. This was a finding on the Williams Audit last year, and so I'm happy to say this will help also rectify the concerns found in the Williams Audit," said Superintendent Dr. Bowman.

All schools earned PBIS silver or gold awards. CIPS Reading Intervention was purchased district-wide, and Science for Scientists expanded into elementary schools and 6th grade. A new Boys and Girls Club partnership will streamline fingerprinting and DOJ background checks, with clearance tracked in the student information system for portability across sites.

Compensation increases of 3% were agreed upon for CSEA for both 2025-26 and 2026-27, and for LSEA for 2025-26. Retro payments are targeted for October.

What's next: The parcel tax is heading to the ballot for renewal. It funds outdoor school, counselors, and library media technicians. No language changes are proposed, but failure to pass would eliminate core student services.

Grant-Funded Literacy Push Extends Through 8th Grade

Director of Education Support Services Katherine Prescenzi presented on an expanded literacy initiative bankrolled entirely by the Give Forward Foundation, building on the district's success with the Big Lift early literacy program.

Why it matters: The grant extends structured literacy support from TK-3 through 8th grade and provides executive coaching for principals — addressing the kind of systemwide instructional incoherence that small districts often struggle with.

"Our success with the Big Lift helped position Pacifica for this new investment from the Give Forward Foundation. It allows us to expand focus on literacy from TK-3, which was the Big Lift focus, all the way through 8th grade," said Prescenzi.

The district hosted Core Learning's two-day Leadership for Literacy Institute over the summer, bringing together Pacifica principals with colleagues from Cabrillo and La Honda Pescadero districts. Each leader developed a 90-day action plan and will receive ongoing executive coaching.

Prescenzi also announced her selection for the Bay Catalyst Fellowship, a two-year systems-level leadership program funded by Give Forward in partnership with CAMBR Catalyst. The fellowship includes an Action Impact project grounded in Pacifica challenges.

"Grant funding isn't free money. It's earned trust. And when we use our funding well, demonstrate results, and follow through on our commitments, it can open doors to future opportunities," said Presenzi.

Minor Items

• Closed session: The board voted 3-0 to direct counsel to initiate litigation on one matter (Item 4B). No action was taken on three other closed session items.

• Consent agenda approved after Trustee Doggett requested removal of contract 2027-018 with 0riFi/Brookwood Group LLC. No separate discussion of the pulled contract was recorded.

• Superintendent mileage reimbursement: Board added IRS-rate mileage reimbursement language to Dr. Bowman's contract after removing the monthly auto allowance in February. Approved 3-0.

• Consolidated Application for 2026-27 federal and state funds approved 3-0.

• Outdoor Education Contract with San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools renewed 3-0, keeping the week-long Camp Jones Gulch program free for all 5th graders via parcel tax funding.

• Three administrators appointed (3-0): Kathy Alderson as Coordinator of Strategic Initiatives, Guillaume Gendry as Principal of IBL, and Jared Bosnich as Vice Principal for Ocean Shore/Sunset Ridge.

• Teacher Induction Agreement approved 3-0, providing state-required mentoring for approximately eight new teachers at an estimated cost of $45,000–$75,000.

• Resolution 2026-0819A adopted 3-0, updating the district's Conflict of Interest Code per its biennial review under the Political Reform Act.

• Resolution 2026-0819B adopted 3-0, declaring September as Attendance Awareness Month and committing the district to multi-tiered chronic absenteeism interventions.

• Resolution 2026-0819C adopted 3-0, updating authorized bank account signers. Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Chuck Niedhofer — presenting his first official action — noted that several long-departed employees were being removed from signature authority.

• Trustee Hardt reported meeting with Richard Barrera, a candidate for California Superintendent of Public Instruction, and attending an early-stage meeting with Clean Coalition about potential solar projects for district facilities.

• Trustee Doggett reported visiting the workforce housing construction site weekly over the summer.

• A counselor at Ingrid B. Lacey Middle School was confirmed to start the following Monday, responding to parent advocacy.