HIGH SCHOOL valedictorians for the Class of 2022 in the Garden Grove Unified School District (Orange County Tribune photo by Jim Tortolano).

By Jim Tortolano/Orange County Tribune

It was a night for a lot of honors and a bit of humor at Tuesday’s meeting of the Garden Grove Unified School District Board of Education.

Valedictorians from the eight high schools in the GGUSD were introduced and their accomplishments noted in videotaped clips played at the meeting.

Also honored were district Employees of the Month for May. They are Marlene Miramontes (classified) and Jay Heck (certificated).

On a 4-0 vote (Boardmember Dina Nguyen was absent) the board ratified a tentative agreement with the local unit of the California School Employees Association, which represents classified employees such as bus drivers, food service workers, etc.).

The agreement calls for a 4.25 percent pay increase retroactive to July 1, 2021.

Additionally the board approved a memorandum of understanding with the Boys and Girls Club of Garden Grove for the expansion of the Extended Learning Opportunity Program, a decision that will allow the BGCGG to increase staffing and services for free after-school and summer programs for district pupils,

Boardmember Walter Muneton came to the meeting hobbling on crutches and took some good-natured ribbing as “Dr. Dunk.”

He explained that in a pickup basketball game with college friends, “I made a move that I shouldn’t have,” and the result was the crutches and a boot on the injured foot.

The next board meetings are scheduled for June 7 and 21.

The GGUSD is a K-12 district serving most of Garden Grove and parts of Anaheim, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Santa Ana, Stanton and Westminster.