Let's not arm teachers or anyone who goes on campus. Who is going to protect our school children? Is their a current police officer on each school campus in Menlo Park or EPA or Atherton? Not security guards, unarmed.... The real protection. A highly trained law enforcement officer...

I bet not......Don't tell me that their response times are short, is an excuse for not having a sworn gun carrying law enforcement officer...there!

If schools are going to posting armed guards (police or otherwise), they had better be people with frequent training and testing for armed gunman situations.

I'm concerned about the disparity in the stories. Interviews with the individuals show one story and sources reporting to the Almanac show another. Thank you, Almanac for keeping the public informed.

Why aren't the board meetings video recorded? I've watched the meetings from Menlo Park City School District which have been recorded for well over a year. Can't LLESD do the same? We live in Silicon Valley and this should be easy to implement. I'd like to see these meetings recorded so that those of us who are unable to attend are able to keep abreast of the topics discussed.

I'd also like to see this school board and superintendent provide some greater vision to the district beyond safety and facilities. While these are of great importance, I see our neighboring districts running circles around us, starting new programs, using new tech platforms, and the like. It's time to start envisioning, Ms. Cesario. LLESD Board, please pass the resolutions for safety and then set direction, that's beyond the status quo, for the district.

When my children were of school-age, I remember attending LLESD school board meetings from time-to-time. I have a clear memory of meetings being recorded. A woman sat at the end of the table with a tape recorder and switched tapes during the course of the meeting. I don’t think I dreamed this. Are you sure Ms. Cesario is speaking the truth about the meetings not being recorded? I believe it would not be the first time she was not forthright in an answer. I hear many grumblings about her leadership, and those she surrounds herself with, from a neighbor with current ties to the school district. As a longtime community member it seems fortunes have changed for a our once remarkable school district. Does that require further investigation?

Ms. Wood, could you confirm that the LLESD board meetings are not recorded for the public? How are you able to cover school business if you are not able to view the meetings?

I asked Superintendent Lisa Cesario if the meetings are recorded, and she said they are not, which I noted in the story.

Ms.Wood, Would you please find out from Me. Cesario then if the meetings are not recorded when did that stop? How are minutes taken and when are they published? In an attempt to clarify the discrepancy noted in an earlier comment I went to the school district website. Well over a week after the board meeting in question, there are no posted minutes. There are no posted minutes for the February meeting either. The minutes posted seem nothing more than motions. Hardly helpful.

Wondering -

Have you ever thought about calling yourself? In the time it took to write you comment, you probably could have gotten the answer.

Pogo, unfortunately sometimes parents within the district don't feel safe to call for fear of retaliation. Calling is easier said than done if you have to fear being retaliated against.

I will provide the answers:
The district does not videotape its board meetings.
The district does publish comprehensive minutes.
The district does not allow the press to communicate with the board except through the superintendent.

Perhaps the district doesn't feel confident about having a well informed populace.

The minutes for LLESD board meetings are posted with the materials for the upcoming board meeting (so they can be approved by the board). For example, the February meeting minutes were included in the March meeting packet: Web Link

I agree that recording the board sessions would help engage and inform Las Lomitas School District families. Menlo Park City School District records and posts board meetings and seem sincere in their efforts to engage families. (For example, they distribute an annual survey to all stakeholders and pore over the results to see how they can improve; they also count heads at school/PTA meetings to ensure engagement).

Thanks Heather. Are you in a position to request this of LLESD. Unfortunately, I am not but would really like to see these steps, comprehensive survey, recorded meetings, etc. for the district. Any step that the district can take to engage its families is likely to be helpful.

LLESD Board Policy

Web Link


Any district recording may be erased or destroyed 30 days after the meeting. Recordings made during a meeting are public records and, upon request, shall be made available for inspection by members of the public on a district recorder without charge. (Government Code 54953.5)

The Sequoia Healthcare District on whose Board I serve uses digital recorders. They provide me with those recordings on memory sticks which I then post on my website.

answers, I'm always happy to chat with other LLESD community members. Please feel free to reach out to me - heather at toddle dot org.