Ahead of the school year, Central Unified is bringing all staff members together for a professional development training for the first time — though the location raised a few questions and “deep concerns” by at least one employee of the school district in Fresno.
The two-day event Thursday and Friday required a venue large enough for 1,100 employees and Northpointe Community Church was available and in the right price range for Central Unified, a district spokesperson said.
In a letter to superintendent Mark Marshall and school board trustees, Michael Kurnosoff Jr. questioned the decision to host the two-day training at Northpointe. Kurnosoff also sent the letter to The Bee.
Kurnosoff, an employee of the district, said since Central Unified is a public school district, it should remain neutral and avoid the appearance of endorsing a religion.
He also said employees who practice different faiths or have no religious affiliation may feel as though one religious institution is being favored while attending the training.
Additionally, Kurnosoff questioned whether Central Unified considered holding the training at district-owned sites that wouldn’t need to be rented.
In a statement to The Bee, Central Unified spokesperson Johnathon Burrows said that the district has grown to have more than 1,100 teachers and credentialed staff and doesn’t have any facilities large enough to accommodate everyone, Burrows said.
Burrows said only a handful of locations had the required space and availability for the two-day training, and Northpointe was a competitively priced option available for under $50,000.
“We also want to emphasize that this event is strictly dedicated to public school professional development. All materials and instruction are provided exclusively by Central Unified for professional development purposes. Northpointe is serving solely as our facility provider and is not providing any training, supplemental materials, or content that in any way alludes to any type of religious endorsement,” Burrows said.
Fresno Unified and Clovis Unified also host professional development trainings prior to the school year.
Clovis Unified spokesperson Kelly Avants said the district hosts various professional development days throughout the year, including one at the Clovis North Educational Center on Wednesday that brought together about 1,000 site leaders and support professionals.
Additionally, Clovis Unified gathers the entire district the Tuesday before the school year for a half-day experience at the Save Mart Center at Fresno State.
As for Fresno Unified, the third-largest district in the state, spokesperson A.J. Kato said district leaders and site administrators gather for a two-day training ahead of the school year. Teachers gather for professional development at their respective school sites in the three days leading up to the school year.
The Fresno Bee
Nick Fenley is a reporter covering education, lawsuits, breaking news and more for The Fresno Bee. He’s originally from the Imperial Valley and joined The Bee in 2025.