Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District trustees take actions on status of top-level administrators during regular, special meetings

 Trustees of the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District spent several hours in closed sessions in regular and special December and January meetings, with many of the actions taken involving the employment status of top-level administrators.

The extra meetings drew comment from Todd Frazier, who said, “No more special meetings ever again” during a Jan. 23 session. Frazier represents Area 4, which includes portions of Yorba Linda, Placentia and Anaheim. Trustees usually meet once monthly.

The closed sessions in three December and two January meetings resulted from a change in the board's majority in the Nov. 5 election. Tricia Quintero was elected in Area 1 to replace Shawn Youngblood, who didn't seek a second term.

Marilyn Anderson was reelected in Area 2 and Leandra Blades in Area 3, changing the prior 3-2 majority from Blades, Frazier and Youngblood to Anderson, Quintero and Carrie Buck in Area 5, which includes portions of Yorba Linda, Placentia and Anaheim.

Quintero's northwest Area 1 includes portions of Placentia, Yorba Linda, Fullerton and Brea; Anderson's southwest Area 2 includes portions of Anaheim, Placentia and Fullerton; and Blades' eastern Area 3 includes a large portion of Yorba Linda and a tiny part of Anaheim.

Here's a breakdown of key actions taken by trustees since the Nov. 5 election:

Nov. 19: At the last scheduled meeting of the past board, trustees 3-2 amended the contracts of Superintendent Alex Cherniss, Deputy Superintendent Issaic Gates and Assistant Superintendents Olivia Yaung and Renee Gray to require four votes for dismissal.

Trustees voted by the same 3-2 alignment to add Dec. 3 and Dec. 10 meetings before the new board would take office Dec. 17 (Blades, Frazier and Youngblood in favor and Anderson and Buck opposed). The Dec. 3 meeting was later cancelled.

Dec. 10: Postponed action on revisions to the Orange County School of Computer Science charter at the Bernardo Yorba Middle School campus until the Jan. 14 meeting 3-2 (Anderson, Buck and Youngblood in favor and Blades and Frazier opposed).

Dec. 17: Anderson elected board president 3-2 (Anderson, Buck and Quintero in favor and Blades and Frazier opposed) and Buck vice president and Frazier clerk, each 5-0.

Dec. 19: Placed on paid administrative leaves 5-0 were Superintendent Alex Cherniss, Deputy Superintendent Issaic Gates, Assistant Superintendent Olivia Yaung, two executive directors, one director and a principal (identified only by employee numbers).

Jan. 14: Named Gray acting superintendent 3-2 (Blades, Frazier and Quintero in favor and Anderson and Buck opposed). Named acting and interim assistant superintendents 5-0 were Yolanda Mendoza and Joan Velasco. Denied revisions to the computer school charter 4-1 (Blades opposed the denial).

Jan. 23: Returned Assistant Superintendent Olivia Yaung, two executive directors, a director and a principal to duty from paid administrative leaves 5-0.