Manhattan Beach Unified's five-member board gathered Tuesday, July 14, for a governance retreat at the district office, the first time trustees have sat down to discuss strategic direction since adopting a budget that eliminated nearly 59 staff positions across the district's schools.
The retreat was also the first formal planning session for new Superintendent Dr. Kimberlie Linz, who took the job July 1. For families at Mira Costa High, Manhattan Beach Middle, and the district's four elementary schools, the meeting offered the first look at how leadership plans to move forward after months of cuts. Official minutes had not been posted as of Wednesday, July 16.
What was on the agenda
According to the posted retreat agenda, the board's single discussion item covered three topics: governance team leadership, strategic direction and priorities, and communication. The session began at 11 a.m. at 325 S. Peck Avenue and was open to public comment.
No outcomes or decisions have been confirmed.
The budget that got them here
The board unanimously adopted the 2026-27 budget on Thursday, June 18, on a 5-0 vote. That budget authorized the elimination of 58.85 full-time equivalent positions: 40.4 certificated staff, 15.45 classified staff, and 3 management roles. The cuts nearly doubled the 31 reductions approved the prior year.
Without those reductions, the district's projected deficit was on track to grow from $3.12 million in 2025-26 to $6.28 million in 2026-27, according to district budget documents. MBUSD receives $11,657 per student in state funding, compared to a statewide median of $14,421.
"We are not trimming fat. We are trimming muscle. There's no fat left," Vice President Jen Dohner said at the board's February 25 meeting, when trustees authorized the layoffs.
The Manhattan Beach Education Foundation partially offset the impact with a record $7.64 million grant for 2026-27, its largest ever, with a significant share directed at class-size reduction.
New superintendent, familiar challenge
Linz spent a decade as principal at Pacific Elementary and Manhattan Beach Middle School before leaving in 2018 to serve as El Segundo Unified's chief business officer. During her superintendent interview in April, she proposed forming a budget advisory committee to bring community members into fiscal planning.
"Because we are reliant so much more on local funding than many other districts, bringing the community into the solution is a really important next step forward," Linz said in April upon her selection as superintendent finalist.
Board President Tina Shivpuri has said communication with families has been a recurring board priority for years. It appeared explicitly on the retreat agenda alongside governance leadership and strategic direction.
The district is expected to post official retreat minutes to its BoardDocs page in the coming days.
