Oct 12, 2021 Board Meeting

[00:00:01]

I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING FOR OCTOBER 12TH, 2021.

[1. CALL TO ORDER-6:30 pm]

FIRST, WE'LL HAVE A ROLL CALL, DIRECTOR NOBLE? HERE. DIRECTOR KATIMS? HERE. DIRECTOR CHASE? PRESENT. DIRECTOR MCMURRAY? I KNOW SHE'LL COME ON AS SOON AS SHE CAN, AND I'M HERE, SO WE HAVE A QUORUM.

NEXT, WE HAVE OUR LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT.

[3. LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT-6:33 pm]

WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF THIS PLACE, THE SDOHOBSH PEOPLE AND THEIR SUCCESSORS, THE TULALIP TRIBES, THE TWO NATIVE TRIBES WHO HAVE SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL HAS TAKEN CARE OF HUNTED, FISHED AND GATHERED ON THESE LANDS.

WE RESPECT THEIR SOVEREIGNTY, THE RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION, AND WE HONOR THEIR SACRED SPIRITUAL CONNECTION WITH THE LAND AND WATER BY ACKNOWLEDGING THESE HOMELANDS.

WE COMMIT TO WORKING WITH TRIBAL NATIONS TO FURTHER THEIR EDUCATION AIMS HAVE IDENTIFIED IN OUR CLASSROOMS AND SCHOOLS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DR.

BALDERAS. AND I'D LIKE TO STATE FOR THE RECORD THAT I SEE DIRECTOR MCMURRAY IS HERE WITH US, SO WE HAVE A FULL HOUSE.

NEXT, WE HAVE OUR FLAG SALUTE.

[4. FLAG SALUTE-6:35 pm]

AND NEXT, WE HAVE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA, WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION?

[5. APPROVAL OF AGENDA-6:37 pm]

OH, GO AHEAD, DR.

BALDERAS. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT. SO YES, THERE IS A SOME ITEMS I'D LIKE TO PULL FROM THE AGENDA.

IT'S 9.12, 9.13 AND 9.14 ARE CONTRACTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THE ERROR WE HAD SUBMITTED THE INCORRECT MOUS TO BE APPROVED AND WE'LL HAVE THE CORRECT MOUS FROM THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT ON THE 10 /26 MEETING.

AGAIN, THIS IS A MOU.

THIS IS 9.12, 9.13, 9.14.

THOSE ARE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY THE BOARD AT THE LAST MEETING.

I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AS AMENDED.

SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AS AMENDED.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR A VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING THE AMENDED AGENDA, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED SAY NAY.

ANY ABSTENTION? THE MOTION PASSES AND THE AMENDED AGENDA IS APPROVED.

NEXT, WE HAVE OUR SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.

[6. SUPERINTENDENT REPORT-6:40 pm]

I WANT TO THANK ALL STAFF WHO HAVE BEEN BUSY IN DEALING WITH COVID CASES THIS SCHOOL YEAR BEGAN AND HERE WE ARE ALREADY IN OCTOBER, HEADING TOWARD NOVEMBER ALREADY AND BUT REALLY WANT TO THANK ALL FOLKS WHO WORK TO KEEP KIDS ON CAMPUS AND DOING THE BEST WE CAN WITH QUARANTINING AS WELL AS CONTACT TRACING.

AND THAT'S EVERYONE.

EVERY SCHOOL STAFF, EVERY EVERY NURSE THAT WE HAVE, OUR STUDENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT, EVERYBODY HAS BEEN REALLY WORKING VERY, VERY HARD TO ENSURE THAT WE KEEP OUR KIDS ON CAMPUS.

I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A FRUSTRATION FOR FAMILIES AS WE CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME CHANGING GUIDANCE AS THIS CONTINUES TO MORPH AND WE CONTINUE TO AGAIN WORK THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC.

BUT I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE HARDWORKING STAFF IN TERMS OF JUST WORKING HARD TO KEEP OUR KIDS ON CAMPUS AND WITH THE COVID MANDATE DEADLINE NEARING ON OCTOBER 19TH OR 18TH.

THE DISTRICT HAS BEEN WORKING AGAIN ON SOME CONTINGENCY PLANS IN CASE WE WILL BE, WE WOULD FALL SHORT ON STAFFING AND WE STILL HAVE SEVERAL OPEN POSITIONS.

I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE MORE INFORMATION HERE IN A LATER ON ON THE AGENDA.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE THE CURRENT STATUS OF OUR SCHOOLS IN OUR REPORT THAT WE HAVE DONE EVERY BOARD MEETING, YOU'LL HAVE UPDATED INFORMATION IN TERMS OF STAFFING LEVELS.

BUT I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE GOT INFORMATION TODAY THAT WE WILL HAVE TRANSPORTATION FOR

[00:05:05]

THERE'LL BE SOME CHANGING BUS NUMBERS, BUT WE FEEL STRONGLY THAT WE DO HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO BE ABLE TO RUN TRANSPORTATION AND GET OUR KIDS TO CAMPUS, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN TOP OF MIND FOR ALL STAFF.

AND REALLY, KUDOS TO BEN MOUNT OUR DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION HAS BEEN WORKING VERY HARD AND DILIGENTLY ON THIS TOPIC, AS WELL AS LYDIA SELLIE, OUR CFO, WHO'S ALSO BEEN WORKING HARD ON OVERSEEING THIS PROJECT.

SO THANK YOU TO ALL THE DRIVERS AND FOR WHAT YOU DO EACH AND EVERY DAY.

BUT AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M REALLY HAPPY TO REPORT OUT THAT WE WILL BE TRANSPORTING STUDENTS.

AND I KNOW THAT BEN MOUNT, OUR DIRECTOR, IS CONTINUING TO GET MORE FOLKS CERTIFIED TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE BUSSES.

AND SO I'M JUST EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

SO I WANT TO SHARE THAT GOOD NEWS, BUT WE STILL ARE SHORT SEVERAL POSITIONS THAT I KNOW STAFF WILL REVIEW LATER ON AND AGAIN.

FINALLY, I WAS ABLE TO HAVE A MEETING TODAY WITH THE THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR THE OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND THE SMALL GROUP SETTING VIA ZOOM.

AND IT WAS REALLY GOOD TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO HER IN REGARDS TO WHAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS DOING WITH OCR, WITH THE OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND HOW DISTRICTS WILL CAN BE MAYBE HAVE FUTURE IMPACTS AND BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME, JUST SOME REAL LIFE EXAMPLES OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AT EDMONDS AS WELL AS OVERALL IN WASHINGTON STATE.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING, THAT PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY IN THE OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND AGAIN, JUST WANT TO HAVE THAT PUT IN THE MINUTES AS WELL.

BUT AGAIN, AND I APPRECIATE CARIN CHASE, YOU AND YOU, DR.

KILGORE, AS WELL FOR BEING PART OF THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, THE SLATE THAT WE'LL BE BRINGING TO OUR BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION HERE IN THE FUTURE MEETING.

AND THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE OUR CURRENT AGENDA HERE IN WASHINGTON STATE.

SO I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THAT CONVERSATION WITH OUR BOARD AND AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME THE TIME.

THANK YOU, DR. BALDERAS.

[7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES-6:50 pm]

FIRST, WE HAVE A SINGLE READING TO APPROVE THE STUDY SESSION MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 21ST , 2021. IS THERE A MOTION? I MOVE TO APPROVE.

THIS IS ANN SECONDING.

IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE STUDY SESSION MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 21ST.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING THAT I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE STUDY SESSION MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 21ST PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED SAY NAY.

ANY ABSTENTIONS? THE MOTION PASSES AND THOSE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.

NEXT, WE HAVE A SINGLE READING TO APPROVE STUDY SESSION MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2021. IS THERE A MOTION? I MOVED TO APPROVE.

I SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE STUDY SESSION MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 28TH,K 2021.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR A VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE STUDY SESSION MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 28TH, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED, SAY NAY.

ANY ABSTENTIONS? THIS IS ANN, I ABSTAIN, I WAS NOT PRESENT.

CARIN ALSO. THANK YOU. THAT'S RIGHT.

THANK YOU, CARIN, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR TRYING TO ZIP THROUGH.

OK, SO THE MOTION PASSES WITH THREE AYES AND TWO ABSTENTIONS.

AND THOSE MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 28TH ARE APPROVED.

NEXT, WE HAVE A SINGLE READING TO APPROVE THE BUSINESS MEETING MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2021. IS THERE A MOTION? I MOVE TO APPROVE. I SECOND IT.

IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE THE BUSINESS MEETING MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2021. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, THEN I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE BUSINESS MEETING MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 28TH, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.

[00:10:01]

ANY ABSTENTIONS? THIS IS ANN, I ABSTAIN AS I WAS NOT PRESENT, AND THIS IS CARIN, I ALSO ABSTAIN AS I WAS NOT PRESENT. THANK YOU.

THE MOTION PASSES AND THE BUSINESS MEETING MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 28TH ARE APPROVED.

NEXT, WE HAVE OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIGNED UP.

[8. PUBLIC COMMENTS-6:55 pm]

PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES.

OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS SATYA ANANDAN, AND I HOPE I SAID THAT CORRECTLY.

PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND YOU ARE SPEAKING ON THE FUTURE OF CHALLENGE BUS PROGRAM.

HELLO. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.

YEAH. OK.

GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.

AND MY REQUEST WAS NOT NEEDED AT THIS MOMENT BECAUSE I WAS JUST THRILLED AND EXCITED TO SEE THE E-MAIL TODAY AT 4:00 P.M.

THAT THE THERE WAS NO CHANGE TO THE CHALLENGE BUS THAT COMES FROM [INAUDIBLE].

BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF MY BIGGEST ISSUES SO FAR BECAUSE HAVING TWO KIDS AT HOME IT WAS A HASSLE FOR DROPPING MY SON AT THE TERRACE PARK.

IT TAKES 20 MINUTES ONE DAY AND IT WAS A BIT OF A CHALLENGE AND I WANT TO SPEAK UP FOR THAT, BUT I WAS NO NEED FOR IT.

AND I TAKE THIS MOMENT TO THANK YOU.

THE BOARD AND THE MANAGEMENT, WHOEVER IT TOOK TO GIVE ME THE GIVE, THE APPROVAL THAT THE TRANSPORTATION, THERE WAS NO CHANGE IN TRANSPORTATION.

MY SON WILL STILL GET THE BUS.

I THOUGHT IT'S A BASIC PRIVILEGE FOR ANY KID TO TRY TO TAKE THE BUS, TO GET TO SCHOOL MORE THAN ACADEMICS. SO I'M REALLY HAPPY AND I JUST I REALLY APPRECIATE WHATEVER THE BOARD TOOK IT. AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE ONE POINT THAT LAST YEAR, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DID THAT, BUT EDMONDS, THEY LAID OFF THE BUS DRIVERS BECAUSE THEY WERE OUT OF WORK, AND THAT WAS VERY SAD AND DEPRESSING.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS THAT.

THAT SHOULDN'T BE BEHIND THAT, BUT IT'S NOT.

IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY MORE MEANINGFUL RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT'S ALL GOING GOOD AND FINE.

SO I JUST GIVE BACK ONE OF THE FEW MINUTES AND I REALLY, REALLY THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE BOARD AND EVERYBODY TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

NEXT, WE HAVE SCOTT BLOOMENKAMP SPEAKING ON YOUR UNLAWFUL, DANGEROUS MANDATES.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT SPEAKERS HERE, PRESIDENT KILGORE.

OK, GREAT.

I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT.

MAYBE HE'LL COME BACK NEXT TIME.

OK, MOVING ON.

WE SEE THE AGENDA AGAIN.

I'LL TRY TO FIND IT.

AND. OK, I HAVE OH, NEXT, WE HAVE OUR CONSENT AGENDA.

[9. CONSENT AGENDA-7:25 pm]

I SECOND IT. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS AMENDED EARLIER. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR A ROLL CALL VOTE, PLEASE.

DIRECTOR MCMURRAY? AYE. DIRECTOR NOBLE? AYE. DIRECTOR KILGORE? AYE. DIRECTOR CHASE? AYE.

DIRECTOR KATIMS. AYE. AND THE MOTION IS APPROVED AND THE MOTION PASSES AND THE CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED.

NEXT, WE HAVE OUR REPORTS AND OUR FIRST REPORT IS FROM THE TEACHERS OF COLOR FOUNDATION.

[10. REPORTS-7:30 pm]

SHE DIDN'T THINK SHE'D BE ON UNTIL 7:00.

OK, IS IT OK TO GO ON TO THE NEXT REPORT AND COME BACK? YES, PRESIDENT KILGORE, WE CAN YES, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND START WITH THE OTHER REPORT AND

[00:15:04]

OK, GREAT, WELL, THEN LET'S GO ON TO OUR REENTRY UPDATE OR STATUS REPORT NOW THAT WE'RE FULLY REENTERED, I THINK.

YEP. AND THANK YOU BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO BE AND WE'LL CHANGE THE TITLE, AS WE DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF NO LONGER REENTRY REPORT.

IT'S JUST REALLY A STATUS UPDATE IN TERMS OF OUR WORK HERE THIS YEAR AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO HAVE THESE STATUS UPDATES BECAUSE I THINK THEY'RE VERY INFORMATIVE FOR THE BOARD AND BROADER COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF JUST WHERE WE SIT IN A VARIETY OF ASPECTS.

SO NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

AS WE STATED, THIS IS GREAT NEWS.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT LED BY OUR PHENOMENAL HARMONY WEINBERG SENT SOMETHING OUT TODAY AT FOUR O'CLOCK OR 30 OR SO TO FOLKS LETTING THEM KNOW THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO THIS.

AND AGAIN, I CAN'T EMPHASIZE ENOUGH HOW MUCH WORK APPRECIATION PEOPLE CAN PUT IN TO THIS EFFORT. IT'S WE'VE HAD CONTINGENCY.

WE HAD A PLAN A, B AND C.

PLAN A, B AND C. AND PLAN C NOT BEING SO PRETTY FOR THE DISTRICT OR FOR KIDS.

SO I'M JUST HAPPY THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE FOR OUR KIDS TO BE ABLE TO GET THEM BACK ON CAMPUS AGAIN.

SO JUST I'M STILL ON CLOUD NINE WHEN I HEARD THE NEWS.

SO I'M STILL KIND OF THIS IS VERY EXCITING FOR ME AS A SUPERINTENDENT SCHOOL, SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GET OUR KIDS TO CAMPUS.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. TURN IT OVER TO DANA IF I COULD.

OR ACTUALLY, IT'S JUST.

DEBBIE, THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

I'M SORRY. THANK YOU, DR.

BALDERAS. GOOD EVENING.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

THIS SLIDE GIVES YOU AS OF FOUR O'CLOCK TODAY WHERE WE ARE WITH VERIFYING EMPLOYEE'S COVID VACCINATION STATUS OR APPROVED RELIGIOUS OR MEDICAL EXEMPTIONS. SO THIS SHOWS BY EMPLOYEE GROUP.

AND IF YOU DON'T SEE AN EMPLOYEE GROUP, IT MEANS THERE'S 100 PERCENT.

SO THIS IS FROM THE EMPLOYEE GROUPS OF THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUAL STAFF MEMBERS WHO HAVE NOT YET PROVIDED US WITH VACCINE VERIFICATION OR REQUESTED AN EXEMPTION.

THIS IS MUCH BETTER THAN IT WAS TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN I SHARED WITH YOU.

SO OUR OVERALL NUMBERS, INCLUDING OUR CASUAL WORKERS, WHICH ARE CLASSIFIED HOURLY AND ARE CLASSIFIED IN CERTIFICATED SUBS, AND THEN SOME OF OUR ATHLETIC COACHES THAT DON'T COACH UNTIL WINTER OR SPRING ARE INCLUDED IN THAT NUMBER.

AND SO THEY WOULD NOT NEED TO PROVIDE THEIR VERIFICATION BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT BE ENGAGED IN WORK STARTING ON OCTOBER 19TH, INCLUDING ALL OF THOSE.

WE'RE CLOSE TO 88 PERCENT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE PROVIDED THEIR VERIFICATION OR BEEN APPROVED WITH EXEMPTIONS.

IF WE TAKE OUT THOSE SCHEDULES, WE'RE CLOSE TO 98 PERCENT OF COMPLIANCE.

SO WE'RE PLEASED WITH ALL OF THE FOLKS THAT HAVE HELPED THE HR TEAM IN COMMUNICATING AND REMINDING OUR STAFF OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS SO THAT WE CAN KEEP PEOPLE EMPLOYED IN THESE CRITICAL POSITIONS.

NEXT SLIDE. OK.

I'M SORRY. YEAH.

CAN I ASK YOU A QUICK QUESTION ON THAT? I WAS JUST CURIOUS HOW IT WORKS BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR'S MANDATE SAYS ON THE 19TH, BASICALLY ALL THESE PEOPLE HAVE TO BE FIRED; RIGHT? SO YEAH, THE PROCLAMATION IS THAT AN INDIVIDUAL CANNOT ENGAGE IN WORK AND WE CANNOT HAVE SOMEONE ENGAGED IN WORK THAT PEOPLE CAN BE ON AN UNPAID LEAVE OR SOME OF OUR FOLKS ARE ON A LEAVE OF ABSENCE FOR ALMOST A FULL YEAR.

THEY WILL NOT HAVE TO PRESENT THEIRS UNTIL THEY COME BACK.

SO I WAS THINKING ABOUT AN ACTIVE EMPLOYEE, FOR INSTANCE, MAYBE JUST GOT THEIR VACCINATION LAST WEEK, SO THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE FULLY VACCINATED BY MONDAY.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO GET FIRED AND THEN REHIRED AGAIN TWO WEEKS LATER.

THEY JUST HAVE TO NOT WORK UNTIL THEY'RE FULLY VACCINATED.

SO WE HAVE REACHED AGREEMENT WITH MANY OF OUR ASSOCIATIONS THAT IF THAT'S THE CASE, IF THEY'VE HAD THEIR TWO SHOTS, BUT THEY WON'T BE FULLY VACCINATED TWO WEEKS BY THE 18TH, THEY CAN REQUEST AN UNPAID LEAVE FOR UP TO 10 DAYS IN ORDER AND THEIR JOB IS HELD FOR

[00:20:05]

THANK YOU. WELCOME.

THANK YOU. UM, SO AS DR.

BALDERAS HAD MENTIONED EARLIER IN HIS COMMENTS THAT WE, LIKE MANY DISTRICTS BOTH LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY, ARE FACING SOME SHORTAGES OF STAFFING IN OUR POSITIONS.

AND SO THE NEXT SLIDE WILL SHOW YOU THE OPEN POSITIONS THAT WE ARE STILL ACTIVELY RECRUITING FOR AND HIRING.

SO AT OUR CERTIFICATED STAFF AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE 6.4 FTE IN CONTINUING POSITIONS AND. 2.4 IN NON CONTINUING POSITIONS, SO THOSE ARE TRADITIONALLY NON CONTINUING OR THEY'RE FILLING IN FOR SOMEONE ON LEAVE.

WE HAVE THREE FTE IN SPECIAL ED AND 3.80 FTE IN OUR EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT ASSOCIATES POSITIONS.

AND THEN WE ARE VERY ACTIVELY TRYING TO RECRUIT OUR POOL FOR CERTIFICATED SUBSTITUTES, AS YOU COULD SEE ON ONE OF THE EARLIER SLIDES.

WE STILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF OUR SUBS WHO HAVE NOT EITHER PROVIDED THE VERIFICATION OR THE EXEMPTION, SO WE'RE ACTIVELY RECRUITING FOR THOSE POOLS.

DEBBIE, THIS IS NANCY.

COULD I ASK A QUICK QUESTION RELATED TO THE SUBSTITUTES SO THE CERTIFICATED SUBS? SO THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE QUITE A LARGE NUMBER.

BUT I'M WONDERING HOW MANY TOTAL SUBS DO WE HAVE ON THE LIST? AND THERE'S ABOUT 412, ALTHOUGH SOME OF THEM DO NOT WORK ON A REGULAR BASIS OF THAT.

SO I THINK IT'S A LITTLE OVER 60 PERCENT IF I RECALL OF OUR SUBS WHO HAVE PROVIDED VERIFICATION.

FROM THERE. OK.

OUR PICTURE WITH THE CLASSIFIED SHOWS A MUCH GREATER NEED AND STILL SOME OPEN POSITIONS.

WE HAVE 55 PARA EDUCATOR POSITIONS OPEN AT THIS TIME THAT WE NEED TO FILL.

AND I WANT TO ALSO POINT OUT THE NURSING SERVICES.

THESE ARE SOME NEW CLASSIFIED LPN POSITIONS THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO HIRE TO SUPPORT WITH THE CONTACT TRACING WITH COVID AND OTHER ASPECTS OF THE MANAGEMENT OF COVID.

AND AGAIN, AS I HAD POINTED OUT TWO WEEKS AGO, WE HAVE ONGOING POOL FOR RECRUITING BUS DRIVERS AND FOR FOOD SERVICE PERSONNEL, AS WELL AS ANOTHER AREA THAT WE HAVE SOME CONCERN IS WITH OUR CLASSIFIED SUBSTITUTE POOLS AS WELL.

SO WE'RE DOING SOME TRADITIONAL AND NONTRADITIONAL OUTREACH TO GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS, AS WELL AS REALLY ASKING SCHOOLS TO ENCOURAGE PARENTS AND OTHERS THAT ARE CONNECTED WITH THE SCHOOL TO CONSIDER SIGNING UP TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR US.

SO THAT GIVES AN OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE CURRENTLY ARE WITH OUR OPENINGS.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? OK, NEXT SLIDE.

AND THAT I'LL TURN THAT OVER TO DANA.

GOOD EVENING. BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

QUICK UPDATE FROM SNOHOMISH HEALTH DISTRICT.

WE CONTINUE TO BE AT A HIGH TRANSMISSION COMMUNITY, BUT IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS RELIEF AHEAD. IF YOU'RE WATCHING THE NEWS AND SEEING THE TRENDS ACROSS THE NATION AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS THAT THE RATES ARE GOING DOWN AND THEN IF YOU SEE THE GRAPH AT THE BOTTOM, HERE WE ARE IN A DOWNWARD TREND, WHICH IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD NEWS, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR AREA.

AS OF YESTERDAY, WE HAD 357 POSITIVE CASES PER HUNDRED THOUSAND IN THE PAST 14 DAYS, AND THAT IS DEFINITELY A DOWNWARD TREND.

THE COVID 19 POSITIVITY RATE IS DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

ALSO, IF YOU REMEMBER, A FEW WEEKS AGO IT WAS AT EIGHT PERCENT.

THAT IS, OF ALL THE TESTS THAT ARE TAKEN, 6.9 PERCENT OF THOSE ARE POSITIVE.

THAT MAY SEEM LIKE A VERY SMALL NUMBER, BUT REMEMBER THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE TAKE TESTS IN MULTIPLE TESTS TO TRAVEL FOR DIFFERENT REASONS.

[00:25:02]

SO THAT'S ALSO A POSITIVE TREND.

PFIZER IS THE APPROVAL PENDING FOR THE VACCINE FOR OUR FIVE TO 11 YEAR OLDS, SNOHOMISH HEALTH DISTRICT ANTICIPATES BY EARLY TO MID NOVEMBER.

DR. SPITTERS DID SAY TODAY AND THIS IS JUST AN ESTIMATE.

I THINK IT'S A NATIONWIDE ESTIMATE THAT THEY ANTICIPATE TWENTY SIX PERCENT OF FAMILIES ACCESSING THAT VACCINE INITIALLY FOR FIVE TO 11 YEAR OLDS, THERE COULD BE.

SOME PARENTS COULD BE A LITTLE TENTATIVE AT FIRST.

THEN WE MIGHT SEE MORE OF THOSE VACCINES AS IT'S ROLLED OUT A LITTLE BIT.

NEXT SLIDE. AND SPECIFICALLY FOR OUR DISTRICT, THE COVID 19 UPDATE, THIS IS SINCE THE LAST TIME WE WERE ALL TOGETHER IN A BOARD MEETING.

SO THIS IS THE LAST TWO WEEKS THERE'S BEEN SEVENTY NINE CONFIRMED CASES OR PRESUMED POSITIVE CASES IN THE DISTRICT, SEVEN CLASSROOM CLOSURES,706 STUDENTS AND 50 STAFF IDENTIFIED AS CLOSE CONTACTS.

THAT'S MEANINGFUL BECAUSE CLOSE CONTACTS ARE RESEARCH, AND SO OUR STAFF EVERY TIME IS A CLOSE CONTACT. IT'S A LOT OF INTERVIEWING AND PHONE CALLING AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

301 STUDENTS AND 12 STAFF QUARANTINED AND 490 PCR TESTS PROVIDED AS AN ANTIGEN TEST AND A PCR TEST. AND THE PCR TEST IS THE ONE THAT WE OFFER IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS FOR STAFF OR FOR STUDENTS WITH PARENT OR GUARDIAN PERMISSION.

SO IF A STUDENT IS AGAIN COVID, OR IF THEY HAVE SOME SYMPTOMS OR WANT TO BE TESTED OR A STAFF MEMBER HAS HAD EXPOSURES OR WHATEVER THEY CAN, THEY COULD TEST BEFORE THEY LEAVE IN THE IN THE CONTAINMENT ROOM.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO OFFER THAT AS THIS IS ALL AT NO COST TO THE DISTRICT.

THIS IS GRANT FUNDED THROUGH THE CDC AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE NUMBERS? RIGHT. HOPEFULLY, WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEE THAT DOWNWARD TREND AND THEN NEXT SLIDE.

THIS IS JUST A QUICK WRAP UP FROM LAST TIME WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT MOVING FROM THE 14 DAY QUARANTINE TO THE 10 DAY QUARANTINE, SO THAT HAPPENED, AS YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT IT AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING AND THEN ABOUT THREE DAYS LATER, WE MOVED IN THAT DIRECTION ALONG WITH OUR NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS.

SO OF COURSE, SOMEBODY IS QUARANTINED.

THEY HAVE TO BE REMOVED IF THEY'RE QUARANTINED AND SENT BY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

WE ARE LIKE THE CONDUIT BECAUSE WE HELP CONTACT TRACE.

AND THEN WE HAD THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH THE AUTHORITY FROM THE SNOHOMISH COUNTY HEALTH MOVED TO THAT 10 DAY QUARANTINE.

IF THE PERSON THAT IS, THESE ARE FOR UNVACCINATED PEOPLE.

IF YOU ARE VACCINATED AND YOU ARE A CLOSE CONTACT OF SOMEONE WHO IS COVID POSITIVE, YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO QUARANTINE.

BUT WE MOVE TO A 10 DAY QUARANTINE.

SO IT'S SHORTENED THOSE QUARANTINES FOR STUDENTS AND FOR STAFF.

IT WON'T BE AS BIG OF A THING BECAUSE MANY OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS HAVE NOW BEEN VACCINATED.

BUT FOR ANY STUDENT WHO HAS NOT BEEN VACCINATED GOING FORWARD, WE WILL CONTINUE WITH THE 10 DAY QUARANTINES.

IF THEY PRESENT WITH ANY SYMPTOMS, THEY DO NEED TO RETURN TO A QUARANTINE.

THAT'S THE LAST PART OF OUR HEALTH AND SAFETY UPDATE.

MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT SLIDE.

GOOD EVENING, BOARD, WE WANTED TO RELAY SOME GOOD NEWS.

EARLIER, WE WERE ONLY ABLE TO PROVIDE OUR ONLINE ONLY STUDENTS AND YOUNGER STUDENTS WITH MEAL KITS EVERY DAY.

AND MEGAN DE VRIES, OUR FOOD SERVICE DIRECTOR, RECEIVED PERMISSION FROM USDA THAT WE CAN DISTRIBUTE WEEKLY MEAL KITS TO THESE STUDENTS AND CHILDREN ONCE A WEEK.

SO THEY ONLY HAVE TO COME TO GLENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL ONCE A WEEK INSTEAD OF EVERY DAY.

SO THAT'S A GREAT NEWS.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE CONCERNS WE ARE, WE'RE REALLY PLEASED WITH OUR VACCINATION PERCENTAGE IN THE FOOD SERVICE DEPARTMENT, BUT OF COURSE WE ALREADY HAD VACANCIES GOING INTO THIS SEASON, SO WE ARE SHORT STAFFED.

WE DO ALSO HAVE SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES.

SOMETIMES WE HAVE SOMETHING ON THE MENU AND THEN DISCOVER, YOU KNOW, THE DAY BEFORE THAT WE WON'T BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THAT ITEM.

SO STARTING NEXT WEEK, WE ARE JUST GOING TO DO COLD ENTREES AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS UNTIL NOVEMBER, WHEN WE HOPE THAT WE'VE GOTTEN PAST THAT INITIAL HURDLE OF SHORT STAFF AND THE SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES.

SO OUR GOAL IS TO RESUME HOT LUNCHES IN NOVEMBER, BUT JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A HEADS UP THAT THIS IS JUST TO MITIGATE SOME OF THE IMPACTS OF THOSE SUPPLY CHAIN AND LABOR SHORTAGES. AND JUST AS IN TRANSPORTATION, WE ARE ALSO ACTIVELY HIRING AND TRAINING NEW

[00:30:02]

YOU KNOW, SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OTHERWISE, WE'LL MOVE ON.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, THIS LAST SLIDE IS ME.

HELLO, I'M HARMONY WEINBERG, THE COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER FOR THE DISTRICT, AND TO LYDIA'S POINT, WE ARE HIRING, SO I KEEP THIS UP NOT JUST BUS DRIVERS, BUT FOOD SERVICE DRIVERS.

SO ANY TIME WE CAN TELL PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF POSITIONS OPEN AND THAT THE DISTRICT IS A REALLY GREAT PLACE TO WORK, GREAT BENEFITS AND WE JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO MIGHT BE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES.

SOME OPPORTUNITIES IF MAYBE YOU'RE NOT LOOKING FOR A FULL TIME POSITION, BUT YOU WANT TO HELP OUT. WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT OPPORTUNITIES, SO THERE'S MY PLUG TO CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AND PLEASE LOOK INTO AN OPEN POSITION THAT MAY BE JUST THE PERFECT FIT FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. AND SO WE WANT TO END ON ON A POSITIVE NOTE, LET'S TALK ABOUT FRIENDSHIP AND BUDDY BENCHES.

SO LAST MONTH, WE SHARED THE STORY OF EAGLE SCOUT AND FORMER SEAVIEW ELEMENTARY STUDENT MITCHELL COOK. HE HONORED FRIENDSHIP BY INSTALLING THREE NEW FRIENDSHIP BENCHES ON CAMPUS FOR HIS EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE BENCHES THERE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN.

AND THEN THE AMAZING THING IS WHEN YOU COMMUNICATE AND SHARE GREAT INFORMATION, YOU OFTEN LEARN ABOUT MORE GREAT THINGS AND MORE GREAT STORIES.

SO WHEN WE POSTED THAT PICTURE OF THE WORK THAT MITCHELL DID, WE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WE THEN HEARD OF TWO JUNIOR GIRL SCOUTS WHO OVER THE SUMMER THEY EARNED THEIR BRONZE STAR AWARD AND WHEN THEY THEN INSTALLED A BUDDY BENCH AT MOUNT LAKE TERRACE ELEMENTARY.

SO ELISABETTA AND LINDEN, THEY USE THEIR FUNDS RAISED FROM THOSE COOKIE SALES, WHICH GO OUT AND BUY YOUR COOKIES WHEN YOU CAN TO CONSTRUCT THE BENCH THAN THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT STUDENTS WHO HAD LOST CONNECTION IN THE PANDEMIC AND YOUNGER STUDENTS WITH NO SCHOOL EXPERIENCE BEING ABLE TO MAKE FRIENDS AS THEY CAME BACK TO IN-PERSON LEARNING.

SO JUST WANT TO SHOW YOU THAT THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE DOING AND WE REALLY THEY LEAD US THERE.

WHY ARE WE HERE? AND SO WE JUST REALLY WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH THE BOARD IN THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.

I'LL HAND IT BACK TO DR. BALDERAS.

SO THANK YOU, HARMONY AND THE REST OF THE TEAM.

I THINK, AS YOU STATED, I THINK THERE IS MAGIC HAPPENING EVERY DAY IN CLASSROOMS. THERE'S MAGIC HAPPENING EVERY DAY IN CLASSROOMS BY WITH OUR KIDS AND OUR WONDERFUL TEACHING STAFF OR OUR SUPPORT STAFF OR PRINCIPALS.

AND THANK YOU FOR THOSE BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE ABLE TO COME OUT TO SCHOOLS AND VISIT WHEN POSSIBLE AND CONTINUE.

AND AGAIN, AS STATED EARLIER IN A PREVIOUS STUDY SESSION, IS OPEN DATES TO VISIT SCHOOLS AGAIN, FOLLOW ALL THE PROCEDURES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN TERMS OF DISTANCING AND SO FORTH, BUT JUST GREAT TO SEE KIDS IN CLASSROOMS, TEACHING AND LEARNING, EVEN THOUGH, AGAIN, WE'RE STILL IN THE PANDEMIC.

THERE'S MAGIC HAPPENING IN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND THAT ENDS OUR PRESENTATION.

BUT ALSO BEFORE I'D BE REMISS IF NOT TO ASK OUR STUDENT ADVISORS, WHICH WE HAD A FEW TO GET SWORN IN EARLIER TODAY BEFORE THIS MEETING.

SO IF THEY HAD ANY COMMENTS TO THAT, THEY'D LIKE TO SHARE IN TERMS OF THEIR EXPERIENCES.

I'M SURE I CAN START.

SO, I MEAN, I THINK YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD, DR.

BALDERAS. IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGING COUPLE OF MONTHS, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE COMING BACK FROM A PANDEMIC, WE'RE NOT IN THE CLEAR.

AND THERE'S I MEAN, AS MUCH AS WE'VE TRIED TO MITIGATE SOME OF THOSE STAFF SHORTAGES AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT, LIKE IT'S DEFINITELY FELT LIKE EVERYONE'S TRYING TO FIGURE THINGS OUT, BUT IT'S BEEN SO GOOD TO BE BACK AND SO GOOD TO BE IN PERSON DOING THE THINGS THAT WERE SO DIFFICULT LAST YEAR.

LIKE, I THINK YOU TAKE SO MUCH FOR GRANTED WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE, WHEN YOU HAVE ACCESS TO IT EVERY DAY. BUT WE SPENT A YEAR AND A HALF OVER ZOOM ONLINE AND NOW BEING BACK IN PERSON, EVEN THE LITTLE THINGS YOU'RE SITTING THERE GOING, OH MY GOSH, LIKE WE HAVE THIS.

I WAS SITTING THERE TODAY.

WE WERE DOING A GROUP PROJECT JUST TURNING AROUND AND TALKING TO EACH OTHER, AND I'M SITTING HERE GOING. WE'RE NOT IN A BREAKOUT ROOM.

THERE'S NO SILENCE.

LIKE IT'S A LITTLE THINGS, AND IT'S JUST BEEN SO GOOD TO BE BACK AND TO INTERACT AND HAVE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND THOSE DAILY INTERACTIONS AND JUST DO THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TAKEN FOR GRANTED FOR SO LONG.

AND IT'S JUST US BEEN SUPER POSITIVE AND WE'RE A MONTH IN.

SO YEAH. UM, YEAH, I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH RITIKA.

IT'S REALLY GREAT SEEING A LOT OF STUDENTS JUST LIKE LOVE BEING BACK AT SCHOOL.

[00:35:02]

I THINK IT'S REALLY GREAT TO SEE EVERYONE JUST BEING REALLY HAPPY TO BE BACK IN SCHOOL AND TO BE LEARNING IN PERSON.

YEAH, I AGREE WITH LIKE HOW WE COULD HAVE LIKE LAST YEAR OR WHATEVER, TAKING THINGS FOR GRANTED BECAUSE IT REALLY IS ABOUT THE LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT.

I FEEL LIKE GET TO ME THE MOST, AT LEAST LIKE JUST EXPERIENCING THIS YEAR FOR WHAT WE'VE HAD SO FAR. IT JUST BEEN SO MUCH BETTER.

LIKE, LIKE HOW THEY STATED ABOUT THE BREAKOUT ROOMS? YEAH, IT WAS SO SILENT, SO AWKWARD.

LITERALLY, LIKE NO ONE HAD THEIR CAMERAS ON.

SO IT WASN'T INTERACTIVE.

SO BEING BACK IN SCHOOL, BEING ABLE TO CONNECT WITH YOUR CLASSMATES FACE TO FACE IS JUST SO MUCH BETTER.

AND EVERYONE IS MORE FOCUSED AND MORE ACTUALLY LEARNING WHEN IT WAS SO HARD VIA ZOOM.

AND LIKE WITH CLUBS AND STUFF LIKE LAST YEAR FOR DRAMA BECAUSE I'M IN DRAMA, IT WAS JUST.

IT WAS AWESOME WE WE STILL DID OUR FIVE SHOWS, AND WE GOT TO LEARN HOW TO DO DRAMA THROUGH ZOOM THROUGH VIDEO AND THAT WAS AWESOME.

BUT ENSURE WE STILL CONNECTED AND STUFF.

BUT BEING BACK IN THE ACTUAL THEATER WITH ALL THE CLASSMATES GETTING TO LITERALLY JUST INTERACT, PLAY ALL THESE FUN GAMES THAT WE COULDN'T PLAY OVER ZOOM IS JUST THE GREATEST THING EVER, AND YOU DON'T REALIZE HOWAWESOME IT IS JUST TO BE FACE TO FACE WITH PEOPLE THAT YOU THINK YOU'D NEVER CONNECT WITH.

OH, YEAH. I TOTALLY AGREE WITH WHAT THEY SAID.

IT'S A REALLY GOOD EXPERIENCE TO FINALLY BE BACK IN PERSON AFTER, I'D SAY LIKE A YEAR AND A HALF HIATUS, I GUESS JUST COMING BACK AND SEEING EVERYONE, INCLUDING FRIENDS AND ALSO TEACHERS THAT WE'VE MISSED.

IT'S JUST REALLY MORE OF A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE THAN I FEEL LIKE IT USED TO BE.

LIKE, I CAN'T REALLY SEE ANYONE, BUT I KNOW THAT THEY'RE SMILING UNDER THEIR MASKS AND EVERYONE JUST SEEMS TO HAVE A MORE POSITIVE OUTLOOK TO SCHOOL.

AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY GOOD FOR PEOPLE'S MENTAL HEALTH AS WELL.

OTHER COMMENTS, WE HAVE A COUPLE OTHER STUDENTS, IF NOT, WE WILL HAVE A CHANCE FOR YOU TO SPEAK AT THE END OF THE MEETING.

THEY'RE STILL GOING OFF OF WHAT EVERYONE ELSE WAS SAYING, BEING BACK IN THE BUILDING IS SO AWESOME, JUST SEEING EVERYBODY AND ACTUALLY HAVING PHYSICAL INTERACTIONS, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST TURNING ON YOUR SCREEN AND JUST TALKING ON THERE.

LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, LAST WEEK AT LINWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, WE JUST HAD OUR HOMECOMING WEEK.

SO EVERYONE ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED IN SPIRIT WEEKS.

WE WEREN'T LIKE AT HOME, LIKE HAVING TO SHOW OURSELVES THROUGH THE CAMERA SCREEN THAT WE WERE OVER THERE INTERACTING.

AND IT WAS FUN TO LIKE, TEACH THE FRESHMEN WHAT IS HOMECOMING AND WHAT WE DO FOR HOMECOMING WEEK.

AND IT'S JUST SO MUCH FUN TO BRING BACK ALL THESE SCHOOL TRADITIONS AND SUCH.

I JUST WANTED TO ADD ONE MORE THING THAT SO HOMECOMING WEEK, YEAH, BECAUSE SPIRIT WEEK IS LIKE THE GREATEST THING EVER FOR HIGH SCHOOL LIKE, ESPECIALLY FOR ME SINCE IT'S MY SENIOR YEAR, LIKE, I WAS SO SAD LAST YEAR, WE DIDN'T GET TO DO SPIRIT WEEK BECAUSE FOR WEEKS, THE BEST THING EVER, YOU GET TO SHOW ALL YOUR PRIDE FOR YOUR SCHOOL AND ALL THAT RIGHT.

SO IT WAS REALLY AWESOME BEING ABLE TO ACTUALLY DO A SPIRIT WEEK THIS YEAR BECAUSE IT SUCKED NOT BEING ABLE FOR ME TO GO ALL OUT WITH MY OUTFITS AND BE LIKE, YO, I HAVE PRIDE FOR THIS SCHOOL. SO, YEAH, IN THE HOMECOMING WAS THE BEST EVER.

SO YEAH, I'M REALLY HAPPY.

ADDING ON TO THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE SOMETHING MY ENGLISH TEACHER TOLD US LAST YEAR WE WERE SOCIAL DISTANCING, BUT THIS YEAR WE ARE PHYSICALLY DISTANCING.

THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE SHE FELT LIKE I'M NOT AGREED WITH HER THAT SOCIAL DISTANCING, SOCIAL DISTANCING IS KIND OF A HARSH TERM USE BECAUSE AS HUMANS, WE ARE SOCIAL BEINGS.

AND IT WAS DEFINITELY REALLY TOUGH ON ME LAST YEAR BECAUSE I DEFINITELY FELT LIKE I DID

[00:40:06]

AND THIS YEAR I HAVE MADE A LOT OF FRIENDS BECAUSE I ACTUALLY GET TO SEE PEOPLE.

AND THIS YEAR WE ARE PHYSICALLY DISTANCING INSTEAD OF SOCIALLY DISTANCING, WHICH IS NICE.

OK. THANK YOU, STUDENTS, AND THANK YOU STAFF FOR THIS EXCELLENT REPORT.

AND NOW WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CIRCLE BACK TO THE TEACHERS OF COLOR FOUNDATION REPORT WITH DIANA WHITE. THANK YOU FOR COMING.

HI, EVERYBODY. CAN YOU HEAR ME OK? GREAT, YES, IT'S GREAT TO SEE.

GREAT TO SEE YOU ALL.

YEAH, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR EVERYBODY ON THIS MEETING.

IT'S BEEN A REALLY HARD COUPLE OF YEARS AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE I KNOW HOW HARD THE JOB IS.

SO, SO YEAH, WELL, THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO.

I'M HAPPY AND GRATEFUL TO BE HERE AND TO GIVE A REPORT ON THE TEACHERS OF COLOR FOUNDATION. WE'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD AND RIGHT BEFORE COVID HIT, WE TOOK ON FOUR NEW MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM, SO I HAVEN'T EVEN MET IN PERSON.

SOME OF THE VERY PEOPLE THAT WERE PART OF OUR NEW COHORT, SO.

BUT I JUST WANTED TO JUST GIVE YOU A BRIEF UPDATE AND THANK YOU FOR ASKING ME TO TO PRESENT TONIGHT.

JUST TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT TEACHERS OF COLOR WE, OUR MISSION IS TO BRING A CULTURE OF DIVERSITY TO OUR TEACHING FACULTY AT THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT BY RECRUITING, EDUCATING AND RETAINING TEACHERS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR CHANGING STUDENT POPULATION.

AND IT'S CHANGING ALL THE TIME.

SO COULD I HAVE THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A JUST AN UPDATE ON WHAT THE TEACHERS OF COLOR, YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S ABOUT FOR JUST A REMINDER FOR THOSE THAT ARE THAT ARE HAVE HEARD ABOUT THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME. BUT WHEN I WAS ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, YOU KNOW, JUST MANY OF THE GLARING INEQUITIES JUST KEPT REPEATING THEMSELVES SO.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO BE A PART OF IS TO ESTABLISH THE TEACHERS OF COLOR FOUNDATION AS A 501C3.

AND WE GOT OUR ACCREDITATION IN 2016, SO WE'RE ABOUT FIVE YEARS INTO THIS.

THE HAZEL MILLER FOUNDATION PROVIDED THE FIRST SEED MONEY FOR THIS AND IT IS ACTUALLY CONTINUED THEIR FUNDING YEAR AFTER YEAR TO HELP SUPPORT OUR PROGRAM.

AS YOU KNOW, HAZEL MILLER IS A GREAT ORGANIZATION TO COUNT ON FOR SCHOLARSHIPS, AND THEY'VE CONTINUED TO BE BELIEVERS IN THIS PROGRAM AND SUPPORTERS.

SO BACK IN 2016 UNDER DR.

[INAUDIBLE] LEADERSHIP, A POSITION WAS STARTED TO HELP ACTUALLY PULL ALL OF THE INGREDIENTS TOGETHER TO HELP THIS FOUNDATION THRIVE, AND IT'S CALLED THE TEACHER EDUCATION ADVANCEMENT COORDINATOR.

IT WAS FORMED KIND OF IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, YOU KNOW, IT WAS THE DISTRICT'S WAY OF SAYING, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE CAN PARTICIPATE IN AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE CAUSE.

THIS POSITION IS ACTUALLY NOW OPEN.

IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THOSE JOB POSITIONS THAT DEBBIE WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT.

SO THIS SUMMER, WE LOST ANDREA, TOO.

SHE LEFT THE DISTRICT AND SO WE ARE LOOKING FOR THAT REPLACEMENT.

SO BUT THE TEACHERS OF COLOR FOUNDATION, JUST A REMINDER, THIS CAN ONLY BE FOUND IN THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THERE'S NO OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE NATION THAT WE'VE FOUND THAT HAS A TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM EMBEDDED WITHIN THE DISTRICT.

SO YOU SEE A LOT OF THEM WITHIN LIKE A COLLEGE OR A JUNIOR COLLEGE.

BUT WE JUST FEEL REALLY BLESSED THAT WE FOUND A WAY TO HELP, YOU KNOW, CHANGE THE NARRATIVE ON TEACHERS OF COLOR SO THE TEACHERS OF COLOR SCHOLARSHIP.

WHEN WE DO ASK SOMEBODY TO COME ON TO OUR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, WE DO FULL SCHOLARSHIPS AND THESE ARE HELP SUPPORTED BY TUITION WAIVERS FROM SOME OF OUR COLLEGES AROUND US.

THE FIRST IN LINE WAS THE EDMONDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

WHAT WE ALSO PROVIDE IS SUPPORT SERVICES AND MENTORING AND RACE AND EQUITY TRAINING, EMERGENCY FUNDING.

SOME BIG THINGS COME UP.

WE HAVE SOME MONEY SET ASIDE FOR THAT.

WE REALLY WORK WITH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND PROBABLY THE THING THAT MAKES US MOST

[00:45:02]

AND SO DEPENDING ON WHERE THEY ARE AT, THEIR TEACHING, WHERE THEY'RE TEACHING COLLEGE IS, BUT THIS IS THE BARRIER THAT ACTUALLY PREVENTS MANY, MANY PEOPLE FROM THAT STEP OF BECOMING A PARENT EDUCATOR TO BECOMING A TEACHER.

AND SO THAT'S KIND OF THE THE THING THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE AND MAKES OUR PROGRAM WORK.

AND WHO'S ELIGIBLE, OUR PEER EDUCATORS AND CLASSIFIED STAFF.

ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IS THAT THEY ALREADY BE EMPLOYED FOR A YEAR WITH OUR DISTRICT.

THEY IDENTIFY AS A PERSON OF COLOR.

AND WHEN THEY'RE FINISHED, WE EXPECT A THREE YEAR EMPLOYMENT FOR THEM TO CONTINUE TO BE EMPLOYED BY THE DISTRICT FOR THREE YEARS.

AND SO, YEAH, IT'S WORKED OUT PRETTY WELL SO FAR.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO SOME OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE IS THAT I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE'RE RECRUITING FOR OUR FIFTH COHORT IN THE FALL OF 2021.

AND THE APPLICATION PERIOD OPENS UP IN A FEW WEEKS ON NOVEMBER 1ST, AND WE'RE GOING TO OPEN IT THROUGH NOVEMBER 30TH.

SO FAR, OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FIVE YEARS WE'VE HAD, WE'VE INVITED 14 PEOPLE TO COME IN AND BE A PART OF OUR SCHOLAR PROGRAM, AND 12 OF THEM HAVE STAYED ON.

AND SO WE FEEL THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD RETENTION RATE THERE.

ABOUT EIGHT OF THEM HAVE GRADUATED OR IN THE PROCESS OF EARNING THEIR BACHELOR'S DEGREE AND THEIR TEACHING CERTIFICATE, AND MANY OF THEM, 2021 IS ACTUALLY A YEAR WHERE MANY OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE ELIGIBLE TO START TEACHING IN THE CLASSROOM.

SO, YOU KNOW, AND ONE OF THEM ACTUALLY IS PURSUING HER THE SCHOOL OF ADMINISTRATION.

SO MAYBE SOMEDAY WE'LL SEE A PRINCIPAL AND SUPERINTENDENT TO OUR MIX.

AND HOW WE DO THIS FOR FUNDRAISING? WE'RE KIND OF JUST STARTING TO TO KIND OF GET OUR FEET UNDERNEATH US WITH THAT HAZEL MILLER MONEY IS STARTUP MONEY THAT KIND OF HAS KEPT THE LIGHTS ON, I GUESS.

BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE STARTING TO BRANCH OUT AND GET MORE GRANTS.

WE JUST WERE NAMED THE PEOPLE'S BANK COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD THIS FALL, AND SO THAT'S BEEN A REALLY HUGE HELP.

WE ARE STARTING TO GET INTO BENEVITY, GIVE BIG, AND AMAZON SMILE AND OTHER WAYS TO TO MAKE TO RAISE MONEY.

AND THEN LAST SUMMER, WHEN COVID WAS HITTING IN, A LOT OF OUR SCHOLARS WERE AT HOME HAVING TO WORK AND, YOU KNOW, BE A STUDENT AT HOME WITHOUT ANY DIGITAL EQUITY.

WE ACTUALLY APPLIED FOR THE SNOHOMISH COUNTY AND RECEIVED A GRANT THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL IN GETTING ALL OF OUR SCHOLARS UP TO SPEED ON WORKING IN THE CLASSROOMS DIGITALLY.

AND THEN WE'RE ALSO PART OF THE EDMONDS SCHOOL GIVING PROGRAM.

AND I KNOW SOME OF YOU ALREADY ALREADY CONTRIBUTE AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.

BUT IT'S JUST A WAY THAT PEOPLE CAN KNOW, LEARN ABOUT US, LEARN WHAT WE DO AND JUST HELP A LITTLE BIT. EVERYTHING HELPS.

SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE FUNDRAISE.

WE ALSO APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID AND LIKE I SAID, TUITION WAIVERS AND WE KIND OF FIND EVERY WAY TO USE TO SAY DIG FOR THE COINS AND THE COUCH, I THINK IS ONE OF YOUR SAYING THAT USED TO SAY SO.

SO WE'RE DIGGING, DIGGING PRETTY HARD FOR THOSE COINS.

SO NEXT SLIDE.

SO HERE'S SOME OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS, AND MANY OF YOU WHO WERE THERE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING KNOW THAT EDMONDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE HAS ALWAYS BEEN BY OUR SIDE AND THEY'VE BEEN GREAT SUPPORTERS.

OF COURSE, THE DISTRICT WE WE JUST LOVE THE SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT WE GET.

HAZEL MILLER, SOME OF OUR WE HAVE WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT GO TO BOTHELL AND CITY UNIVERSITY.

AND AGAIN, HERE ARE SOME OF OUR GRANTEES THAT HAVE HELPED MAKE THIS POSSIBLE.

NEXT SLIDE. SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE MOST PROUD ABOUT TO BE HONEST, IS OUR SCHOLARS, SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, WE ASK THEM TO HAVE A FULL TIME JOB.

MANY OF THEM ARE RAISING FAMILIES, THEY'RE PARENTS, THEY'RE COACHES, THEY'RE JUST HAVE A VERY, VERY FULL LIFE.

AND THEN YOU ADD ON TOP OF THAT, HEY, YOU'RE GOING TO GO TO SCHOOL AND YOUR OFF HOURS AND YOU'RE GOING TO EARN A TEACHING CERTIFICATE.

SO THE PEOPLE THAT AGREE TO TAKE THIS ON OR TAKING ON A LOT OF EXTRA RESPONSIBILITY FOR

[00:50:01]

AND MANY OF YOU ON THE BOTTOM LEFT, THIS PICTURE WAS OF A GRADUATION THAT WE HAD.

I THINK IT WAS IN 2018 WHERE WE HAD THREE GRADUATES AT THE TIME.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HOPING AGAIN TO MEET IN PERSON AND HAVE ANOTHER GRADUATION BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A FEW MORE SCHOLARS GRADUATING.

SO I, YOU KNOW, SOMEDAY WHEN WE DO THAT, I WILL MAKE SURE TO INVITE YOU ALL.

AND THEN ON THE TOP RIGHT OUR SCHOLAR.

THIS IS JOYCE, AND SHE WAS ACTUALLY PUBLISHED IN THE UW, IT'S A PAPER WHERE THEY PUBLISH STUDENT PAPERS THAT THEY'VE DONE.

SO SHE WAS FEATURED IN THIS ARTICLE AND SHE WAS LIKE A FIRST GENERATION ALASKA NATIVE PERSON THAT WAS JUST SHE HAD, YOU KNOW, SHE MANAGED TO MANAGE IT QUITE WELL.

I THINK SHE WAS ON THE DEAN'S LIST FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

SO AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE ALSO, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING THAT WE ARE STARTING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN WHAT WE'RE DOING.

WE'VE GOTTEN SOME AWARDS FROM THE HUMAN CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSION AND HAZEL MILLER WAS ALSO HONORED FOR THEIR PART IN HELPING THIS PROGRAM GROW.

SO THOSE WERE THINGS THAT WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO READ THIS.

YOU KNOW, I GOT A BEAUTIFUL LETTER, A THANK YOU LETTER FROM ONE OF OUR NEWEST COHORTS, AND HE JUST REALLY SPOKE ABOUT STUDENTS AND THE THE WHOLE REASON WHY THIS PROGRAM BEGAN WAS, IF YOU REMEMBER THIS, THE STUDENTS WERE PROTESTING AT ALDERWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL WAY BACK THEN ABOUT, HEY, WE WANT TO HAVE TEACHERS THAT LOOK LIKE US AND CURRICULUM THAT LOOKS LIKE US AND THAT REALLY RESONATED WITH ME.

AND TO ME, THAT'S KIND OF THE SPARK OF WHY THIS WHOLE PROGRAM IS EVEN HERE TODAY.

BUT HE SAYS KIDS ARE STRUGGLING.

KIDS WHO ARE STRUGGLING CAN HAVE SOMEONE WHO REALLY UNDERSTANDS TO LISTEN TO CARE FOR AND TO ADVOCATE FOR THEM.

I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH HOW GRATEFUL AND HUMBLED I AM TO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM.

I FELT SUPPORTED AND ENCOURAGED WHEN I WANTED TO GIVE UP, AND I HAVE FELT THAT I HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE TOOLS TO SUCCEED.

YOU ARE NOT ONLY HELPING ME, YOU ARE LITERALLY CHANGING THE FACE OF EDUCATION.

SO THAT'S FROM ONE OF OUR NEWEST SCHOLARS, LEON, AND SO I COULDN'T SAY ANY BETTER, BUT I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU KNOW THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS AS PROUD OF THIS PROGRAM AS I AM BECAUSE I REALLY FEEL THAT THAT'S TRUE AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING US AND OUR IN OUR JOURNEY THAT WE'RE ON.

AND JUST A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS.

YOU KNOW HOW YOU CAN HELP.

YOU KNOW, LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE HAVE AN EMPLOYEE GIVING PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, TELL YOUR FRIENDS, TELL PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW, THAT ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO HELP THEIR COMMUNITY. THIS COULD ONE OF THEM FOR SURE AND SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT OUR APPLICATION PROCESS OF, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY WHO MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THIS, YOU KNOW, IN THE SCHOOLS OR, YOU KNOW, HELP US SPREAD THE WORD.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE THING THAT THE TEACHER EDUCATION ADVANCEMENT COORDINATOR USED TO DO IS KIND OF SHE KNEW WHERE PEOPLE WERE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

AND SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF HAVE TO GO FROM WORD OF MOUTH AND ALSO JUST A REMINDER OF ALL OF OUR PEOPLE WHO ARE ALLIES IN THIS WORK AS TO HELP US BUILD A NETWORK WHERE WE CAN MENTOR AND HELP SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER.

YOU KNOW, IN THIS JOURNEY THAT WE'RE ON.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL SUPPORT EACH OTHER AND THAT WE CONTINUE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THESE STUDENTS LIVES.

THAT'S IT FOR ME, BUT DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? HI, DIANA. I'M NANCY.

WE KNOW EACH OTHER. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'VE BEEN DOING.

IT'S AMAZING AND WE SO APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'VE DONE IN THE PAST TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOLS AND THAT YOU'RE CONTINUING TO.

I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.

ONE IS IN ORDER TO HELP US GET OUT THE WORD ABOUT THIS; COULD YOU SEND US MAYBE IN AN EMAIL OR SOMETHING, A DESCRIPTION OF IT AND A LINK TO THE APPLICATION OR WHATEVER SO THAT WE COULD HAVE SORT OF OFFICIAL LOOKING SOMETHING TO POST ON FACEBOOK AND OR SEND AN EMAIL TO OTHERS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO HELP US SPREAD THE WORD TO GET MORE SUPPORT? SO THAT'S ONE QUESTION THAT'S SORT OF A LOGISTICAL QUESTION.

THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE EARLIER IN THE YEAR OR SOMETIME, I DON'T KNOW.

A FEW MONTHS AGO, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THE EDMONDS EDUCATORS OF COLOR GROUP AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY TALKED ABOUT, AND I'M JUST WONDERING TO WHAT EXTENT THE TWO GROUPS WORK TOGETHER OR NOT, BUT THEY TALKED ABOUT HOW CURRENT EDUCATORS OF COLOR,

[00:55:07]

AND SO I WAS JUST WONDERING TO WHAT EXTENT YOUR GROUP AND I KNOW YOU'RE VERY FOCUSED ON THE SCHOLARSHIP GROUP, AND I THINK THAT'S HIGHLY VALUABLE AND IMPORTANT WORK.

BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT EXPANDING OUT SOME SORT OF SUPPORT TO CURRENT EDUCATORS OF COLOR.

IF I'M MAKING SENSE IN THAT QUESTION? OH YEAH. YEAH, NO, EXACTLY.

NO, I ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATE THE QUESTION.

SO FOR THE FIRST ONE, I JUST WANT TO SAY GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE TEACHERS OF COLOR BOARD BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME REALLY HEAVY HITTERS ON THERE, INCLUDING DR.

BALDERAS, ANDY KNOPFSINGER.

WE HAVE [INAUDIBLE], WHO'S ACTUALLY PART OF THE EDUCATORS OF COLOR NETWORK.

SO WE LIKE TO THINK THAT OUR WORK ON THE TEACHERS OF COLOR KIND OF GAVE THE IMPETUS FOR THAT EDMONDS EDUCATORS OF COLOR TO START.

SO WE ARE CONNECTED AND OUR BOARDS ARE CONNECTED AND OUR PEOPLE ARE CONNECTED.

SO, YES, ONE THING IS THAT WE HAVE TO PUT ASIDE MONEY TO HELP DEVELOP A MENTORING PROGRAM, AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS TO ACTUALLY MATCH THE THE EDMONDS EDUCATOR OF COLOR WITH OUR TEACHERS OF COLOR SCHOLARS.

AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE MONEY THERE.

BUT COVID IS KIND OF MADE A PAUSE FOR HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS DEVELOPED.

BUT THAT'S OUR HOPE IS THAT WE CAN JUST HAVE THIS REALLY ROBUST TYPE OF MENTORING PROGRAM.

SO ANY IDEAS ARE WELCOME AND WE DEFINITELY WANT TO GET SOMETHING LIKE THAT OFF THE GROUND. SO YES, THEY'RE CONNECTED.

YES, WE CAN SEE A PARTNERSHIP.

IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME TO, YOU KNOW, AND RESOURCES, I GUESS, TIME, RESOURCES AND TIME TO GET THAT GOING AS FAR AS HELPING SPREAD THE WORD.

YOU KNOW, DR.

BALDERAS ALSO SAID THAT WE COULD WORK WITH SOME PEOPLE AT THE DISTRICT TO HELP US MAKE SURE WE GET OUR MESSAGE OUT.

WE'RE DEVELOPING AND CRAFTING THE MESSAGE RIGHT NOW.

AND SO YOU'LL GET A LIKE SORT OF A DIGITAL NEWSLETTER.

SO I'LL MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE HARMONY AND HER STAFF CAN CAN HELP US TO MAKE SURE IT GETS TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE SO THAT IT'S DELIVERED IN A TIME SENSITIVE WAY.

SO THANK YOU, NANCY.

THANK YOU. THAT SOUNDS GREAT.

APPRECIATE THAT.

IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU, DIANA.

STILL MISS YOU FROM THE BOARD AND YOU'RE ALWAYS POSITIVE ATTITUDE YOU HAD FOR US.

I CAN REALLY WELL REMEMBER YOUR STRUGGLES WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED PUTTING THIS PROGRAM TOGETHER AND YOU WORKED SO HARD ON IT AND SO PROUD OF YOU WHEN WE HAD OUR FIRST COHORT AND THEN I HEARD VERY LITTLE ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION SINCE THEN.

SO IT'S THRILLING TO SEE THAT YOU STILL ARE ALIVE AND WELL AND THRIVING AND YOU SURVIVED THE WHOLE COVID EPIDEMIC, WHICH MUST HAVE MADE ALL YOUR WORK VERY DIFFICULT.

SO GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

CONGRATULATIONS ON KEEPING THE PROGRAM GOING SO WELL.

HMM. THANK YOU, GARY.

YEAH, THIS IS NN, DIANA, JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR PERSEVERANCE, FOR NOT ALLOWING CIRCUMSTANCES TO GET YOU OFF KIND OF OFF MESSAGE, OFF TASKS, BUT ONE OF THE HALLMARKS OF YOUR TIME ON THE SCHOOL BOARD WAS FINDING WAYS AROUND OBSTACLES TO COMMUNICATE AND TO GET THINGS DONE. AND YOU'VE JUST CONTINUED THAT WONDERFUL POSITIVE CHARACTERISTIC WITH THE TEACHERS OF COLOR ORGANIZATION.

AND SO JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.

THANK YOU FOR THE WAY THAT YOU, YOUR VISION IS ALLOWING EDMONDS TO BE A LEADER NOT ONLY IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, BUT AROUND THE COUNTRY.

WELL, THANK YOU AND THANK YOU.

WELL, DIANA, I'M GOING TO SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD IN THE APPRECIATION THAT WE'RE ALL SHARING OF YOUR CONTINUED PASSION AND DEDICATION ON THIS, BUT IT'S REALLY HEARTFELT FROM WHEN SEEING THE INCEPTION OF THE TEACHERS OF COLOR FOUNDATION AND AND THE WORK AND THE PROGRESS AND THE GRADUATIONS AND BEING ABLE TO PIVOT AND CONTINUE WITH THIS KIND OF

[01:00:02]

IT'S JUST WONDERFUL AND YOUR WORK'S VERY APPRECIATED.

AND SO I REALLY AM GLAD THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO GIVE US THIS UPDATE ON NOT ONLY YOUR WORK NOW, BUT HOW WE CAN HELP IN THE FUTURE.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU, CARIN. AND I'D HAVE TO ECHO WHAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS SAID, AND I'M JUST SO APPRECIATIVE OF THESE HIGH QUALITY EDUCATORS IN OUR DISTRICT WHO I DO SEE FROM TIME TO TIME AND AND IT'S JUST A WONDERFUL BENEFIT FOR US.

AND I WOULD JUST ADD THAT I'M SO APPRECIATIVE OF THE TIME THAT YOU AND I HAD TOGETHER ON THE BOARD. I WAS NEW AND I JUST SO APPRECIATED YOUR MENTORSHIP AND YOUR ASSISTANCE AT THAT TIME. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

THANK YOU. OK, WELL, THANKS AGAIN, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUED PROGRESS WITH THE TEACHERS OF COLOR FOUNDATION AND CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP.

YEAH, OK, I'LL KEEP YOU ALL POSTED, SO I DON'T HAVE TO STICK AROUND FOR THE MEETING, IT LOOKS LIKE. YAY.

YOU DON'T WANT TO. YEAH, I DO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO SAY HI TO BELLA HOPKINS OVER THERE. SO BELLA, YOU KNOW ME? YEAH. HER YEAH, HI.

ANYWAY, WE GO WAY BACK.

THANK YOU. OK, THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

TAKE CARE. BYE.

[11. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 8:30 pm]

ONE ITEM, A SINGLE READING TO APPROVE THE STUDENT ASSISTANCE PROFESSIONAL CONTRACT.

IS THERE A A MOTION? I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT.

THIS IS ANN, SECONDED.

THANK YOU, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE STUDENT ASSISTANCE PROFESSIONAL CONTRACT. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I JUST WANT TO GIVE A THANK YOU TO GREG SCHWAB IN THE WORK THAT HE DID FROM THE LAST TIME IT HAD BEEN ON THE AGENDA TO RESPOND TO MY QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS.

AND I'M GLAD THE CONTRACT NOW IS MORE PROTECTIVE OF THE DISTRICT AND I BETTER UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENT SOURCES OF MONEY AND WHAT SCHOOLS ARE BEING SERVED AND HOW THEY'RE BEING SERVED. SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO GREG FOR HIS WORK ON THAT.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, I'D LIKE TO CALL FOR A ROLL CALL VOTE, PLEASE.

DIRECTOR MCMURRAY? AYE.

DIRECTOR NOBLE? AYE. DIRECTOR CHASE? AYE. DIRECTOR KATIMS? AYE.

DR. KILGORE? AYE. AND THE MOTION PASSES AND THE CONTRACT IS APPROVED.

UP NEXT, WE ARE AT OUR BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS TIME.

[13. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]

BELLA, YOU'RE THE FIRST ONE ON THE SCREEN FOR ME, BELLA HOPKINS.

OH, SORRY. WHAT ARE WE DOING? SO WE ARE GOING AROUND, IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER FURTHER COMMENTS FOR THE NIGHT, REACTIONS TO WHAT YOU'VE HEARD OR THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO BRING TO OUR ATTENTION FROM YOUR SCHOOL, THINGS THAT WE MIGHT LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT THAT WOULD HELP WITH DECISION MAKING AND POLICY AND SO FORTH. ALL RIGHT.

I DON'T REALLY THINK THERE'S ANYTHING MAJOR THAT I CAN THINK OF THAT I'VE HEARD FROM MY OTHER STUDENTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING.

OK. AND IF YOU THINK OF SOMETHING AFTER WE'VE GONE AROUND, FEEL FREE TO CHIME IN.

OK, YEAH. OK.

DIDN'T MEAN TO PUT YOU RIGHT ON THE SPOT.

OH NO. SO DANIEL, ARE YOU WITH US? YES, I AM.

I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING EITHER AT THIS TIME.

JUST WANTED TO AGAIN SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK BECAUSE IT'S TRULY BEEN A BLESSING TO BE BACK AT SCHOOL AGAIN.

[01:05:04]

ROSHNI? AND PLEASE TELL ME IF I'M PRONOUNCING YOUR NAME CORRECTLY.

IT'S PRONOUNCED ROSHNI.

ROSHNI. OK, THANK YOU.

I DO HAVE ONE CONCERN AND IT'S REGARDING ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND SOME LIKE COVID, SO AT TERRACE PARK, THERE WAS ONE FIRST GRADE CLASS THAT WAS SHUT DOWN DUE TO COVID BECAUSE THERE WAS LIKE AT LEAST FOUR KIDS IN THAT CLASS GOT COVID OR SOMETHING.

AND APPARENTLY BEFORE THAT, THE TEACHER OF THE CLASS WAS OUT FOR TWO WEEKS.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF SHE HAD COVID OR NOT, BUT I FEEL LIKE IF THE STAFF AT TERRACE PARK OR ANY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAVE COVID, THEY'RE AROUND CHILDREN WHO ARE UNVACCINATED.

AND I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE REPORTED AND I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S LIKE CONFIDENTIAL AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T WANT TO SHARE THAT STUFF, BUT THESE KIDS COULD GET REALLY, REALLY SICK. AND THEY'RE LIKE, THEY DON'T HAVE ANY THING PROTECTING THEM BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A VACCINE. SO I FEEL THAT IT SHOULD BE, LIKE, THEY SHOULD AT LEAST LET THE PARENTS KNOW THAT THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED.

BUT OTHER THAN THAT, FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL, EVERYTHING'S GOING GREAT, AND I'M REALLY HAPPY TO BE BACK.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ISABEL? YEAH, I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE PRESENTERS.

IT'S REALLY GREAT TO SEE THE GIRL SCOUTS AND THE BOY SCOUTS MAKING THEIR FRIENDSHIP BENCHES. I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND IT'S NICE TO SEE THAT EVEN THROUGH COVID, THEY WERE STILL ABLE TO FIND THAT COMMUNITY AND CREATE THOSE LIKE HAVE THOSE GREAT PROJECTS. THAT'S REALLY AWESOME.

AND FOR THE TEACHERS OF COLOR, I THINK THAT'S AMAZING.

AS A LATINA, A PERSON OF COLOR, IT'S REALLY GREAT TO SEE THAT THE DISTRICT IS PRIORITIZING HAVING A MORE REFLECTIVE LIKE TEACHERS AND KIND OF MORE REFLECT THE STUDENT BODY AND THE STAFF, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS TO FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE AND SUPPORTED IN SCHOOL.

SO THAT'S REALLY GREAT, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE HOW IT GOES IN THE FUTURE.

ALSO, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL [INAUDIBLE] TO ALL THE STAFF FOR HELPING OR FOR DOING AMAZING ON WITH FREE ENTRY AND SCHOOL, AND EVERYTHING IS JUST REALLY GREAT.

THANK YOU, LEAH? DID I PRONOUNCE IT CORRECTLY? YEAH, THANK YOU.

SO I ALSO REALLY THINK THAT THE REENTRY PLAN HAS BEEN AMAZING.

I THINK DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL, THE FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS OF SCHOOL, IT WAS A BIT NERVE RACKING A BIT SINCE WE CAME BACK WITH A WHOLE BUNCH OF STUDENTS.

I MEAN, AT LINWOOD, IT WAS PRACTICALLY PACKED GOING TO CLASS TO CLASS.

PEOPLE WERE REALLY LIKE ALMOST SHOVING TO GET TO THEIR NEXT CLASS BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE AND SOME KIDS SOME, FOR EXAMPLE, SOME OF MY FRIENDS DID NOT FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE BEING AT SCHOOL AT THAT TIME.

BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAS CHANGED, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS LESS PEOPLE AT THE SCHOOL.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT SHOWING UP OR IF PEOPLE ARE QUARANTINING OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.

IT SEEMS A BIT BETTER RIGHT NOW.

THE AMOUNT OF KIDS ALL PACKED IN ONE AREA HAS REDUCED, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A GOOD THING OR A BAD THING. BUT YEAH, I THINK IT'S BEEN PRETTY GOOD SO FAR.

THANK YOU. AND, RITIKA? YUP. I'M WITH LEAH AND EVERYONE ELSE AND SAYING THAT IT'S BEEN REALLY FUN TO BE BACK AND OF COURSE, THERE ARE CHALLENGES LIKE THERE ARE GOING TO BE OBVIOUSLY THE WHOLE OVERCROWDING THING.

IT'S HILARIOUS. HOW PSYCHOLOGY WORKS IS LIKE YOU'RE EVEN STAIRWELLS AND MAIN AREAS WHERE PEOPLE DIDN'T NORMALLY CONGREGATE AS MUCH BEFORE PANDEMIC.

NOW EVERYONE JUST GOES THE SAME WAY BECAUSE THAT'S JUST THAT'S JUST HOW IT WORKS, APPARENTLY. BUT YEAH, IT'S BEEN REALLY, REALLY GOOD TO BE BACK AND JUST GETTING BACK INTO THE SWING OF THINGS BEING A MONTH IN.

IT'S CRAZY TO ME TO THINK THAT IT'S BEEN LIKE A MONTH.

I WILL SAY IT'S LIKE WITH THE STAFF SHORTAGES, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S REALLY HIT HARD FOR SENIORS AND ESPECIALLY AND I DON'T KNOW HOW IT IS ACROSS OTHER SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW, BUT

[01:10:06]

POST HIGH SCHOOL IS TERRIFYING, AS IS, BUT JUST THAT.

NOT HAVING THAT PARTICULAR SUPPORT IN PLACE IS A LITTLE BIT TERRIFYING, BUT OUR COUNSELORS HAVE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB OF TRYING TO COMPENSATE FOR THAT, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO HANDLE LITERALLY EVERYTHING AT THE SAME TIME.

THE TEACHERS OF COLOR PRESENTATION WAS REALLY, REALLY COOL, AND I LOVE THAT, YOU KNOW, SHE WAS A PART OF THE BOARD BEFORE BECAUSE THOSE VOICES DEFINITELY NEED TO BE REPRESENTED MORE AND MORE. AND I APPRECIATED THAT COMMENT EARLIER ABOUT SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE THE ONLY [INAUDIBLE] OF COLOR IN THE SCHOOLS, AND I KNOW THAT THAT CAN BE EXTREMELY CHALLENGING BECAUSE ESPECIALLY WITH THE GIVEN SOCIAL ISSUES THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND LIKE JUST THE CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN GREAT, BUT PUTTING THAT ON ONE PERSON OR TWO PEOPLE IS JUST SUPER CHALLENGING AND I KNOW THAT THE SUPPORT, ANY SUPPORT THAT WE CAN GIVE THEM IS APPRECIATED.

AND LIKE THE TIME I SPENT WITH THE EQUITY TEAM AND AS WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THAT AS WELL AND JUST PROVIDING SUPPORT.

AND THEN ALSO, OF COURSE, ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.

SO SAYING THAT WE SUPPORT THEM IS ONE THING.

BUT THEN ACTUALLY SHOWING YOU IN THE WAY THAT THE TEACHERS OF COLOR GROUP HAS DONE BY SUPPORTING EACH OTHER IS JUST PHENOMENAL.

AND I'M HOPING THAT IT GROWS OVER TIME AND THAT THEY CAN DO MORE OF THEIR WORK.

BUT YEAH, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION TONIGHT AND A BOARD MEETING ENDING BEFORE 9:00.

IMPRESSIVE, BUT YEAH.

WE TRY TO RUN A TIGHT SHIP.

IT DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK.

DIRECTOR MCMURRAY? WELL, I GUESS I WILL, I SEND MY THANKS TO DIANA AND THE TEACHERS OF COLOR FOUNDATION.

THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO JUST MENTION WAS HOW PLEASED I AM AND MANY THANKS ESPECIALLY TO OUR BUS DRIVERS.

I WAS REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT ISSUE OF GETTING OUR KIDS TO SCHOOL AND THE DIFFICULTY THAT PARENTS WERE GOING TO HAVE IF THE WORST CASE SCENARIO PANNED OUT.

AND IT HASN'T.

AND I'M SO GRATEFUL TO OUR BUS DRIVERS AND FOR ALL IN THE HR DEPARTMENT TO GET THOSE VERIFICATIONS AND SO THAT OUR KIDS CAN GET TO SCHOOL.

AND I KNOW WE HAVE OTHER POSITIONS AND I RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE NOT DIFFERENT FROM DISTRICTS ALL OVER OUR STATE, OUR AREA, OUR STATE AND OUR COUNTRY WITH STAFFING SHORTAGES. IT SORT OF IS, MY HOPE IS, THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH AND OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET OUR STAFFING LEVELS BACK UP TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.

BUT THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR THE HARD WORK TO GET EVERYBODY VERIFIED AND GET THE PEOPLE IN PLACE THAT WE NEED TO AS MANY AS POSSIBLE.

DIRECTOR NOBLE? YEAH, FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THE I REALLY APPRECIATED THE DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAM PRESENTATION THAT WE HAD IN A STUDY SESSION PRIOR TO THE BOARD MEETING.

THE PROGRAM IS GOING WELL AND I GOT TO THINKING ABOUT IT.

WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, PROBABLY MY LEAST FAVORITE COURSE THAT I HAD IN ALL IN HIGH SCHOOL WAS SPANISH AND SPANISH II.

I REALLY HATED IT.

BUT NOW, AS AN ADULT, IF I'D HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN A PROGRAM LIKE THIS AND ACTUALLY BE BILINGUAL NOW, IT WOULD BE SO FANTASTIC.

SO I'M REALLY PLEASED OUR DISTRICT IS STARTING THAT.

THANKS LIKE [INAUDIBLE] THANKS TO BEN MOUNTAIN AND ALL OUR BUS DRIVERS FOR GETTING UP IN AND MAKING IT WORK.

I KNOW IT'S HARD FOR EVERYBODY AND I'M JUST SO THRILLED THAT WE ACTUALLY CAN HAVE A WORKING BUS SYSTEM THAT'S GOING TO GO.

AND YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THOSE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE THAT WE SO FAR HAVE NOT QUALIFIED FOR EITHER HAVING BEING EXEMPTIONS OR HAVING THE VACCINE, WE HAVE OVER 3000 EMPLOYEES IN OUR DISTRICT.

AND REALLY, THAT'S WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT FROM THAT STANDPOINT, I'M REALLY PROUD OF OUR DISTRICT THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE COME THROUGH AND GOTTEN VACCINATED, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT IN SAFEGUARDING OUR STUDENTS WHO CAN'T BE VACCINATED.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYBODY WHO HAS DONE THAT IN THE DISTRICT.

[01:15:02]

THAT'S, I MENTIONED A REALLY GREAT PROGRAM AND I REALLY DO REMEMBER THE STRUGGLES OF GETTING IT GOING AND GETTING THAT FIRST COHORT GOING.

AND I'M JUST SO THRILLED THAT IT IS STILL ONGOING.

AND THANK YOU FOR OUR STUDENTS FOR ALL THOSE COMMENTS.

I'M SURE IT IS JUST SO REALLY GOOD TO BE BACK IN PERSON CLASSES.

I REALLY LIKE ONE COMMENT THAT THEY MADE, THE FACT THAT WE HAVE GONE FROM SOCIAL DISTANCING TO PHYSICAL DISTANCING.

AND ACTUALLY WE STARTED OUT, I BELIEVE, BASICALLY SOCIAL BARRIER.

THERE WAS NO DISTANCING AT ALL.

IT WAS JUST TOTAL SOCIAL BARRIERS AND THEN WE WENT TO SOCIAL DISTANCING.

AND I THINK THAT'S A REALLY, REALLY GOOD WAY TO PUT IT ACCURATELY.

NOW WE'RE JUST AT PHYSICAL DISTANCING BECAUSE THE SOCIAL ASPECT IN-PERSON IS THERE AGAIN.

SO THANKS FOR THAT COMMENT.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THANK YOU. DIRECTOR CHASE? THANK YOU, DIRECTOR KILGORE.

I MUST SAY TONIGHT'S MEETING REALLY IS HAS BEEN REFRESHING BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN REALLY TALKING ABOUT THE WORK OF EDUCATION AND THE SCHOOLS, AND IT FEELS LIKE A TRANSITION FROM REACTING AND TRYING TO PIVOT TO THIS GLOBAL HEALTH CRISIS.

AND IT'S STARTING TO REALLY FEEL, IT FEELS GOOD AND IT FEELS GOOD TO BE ON THIS END OF IT, SEE THE WORK CONTINUING AND THE RESILIENCY OF EVERYONE INVOLVED.

AND ALSO WITH THE DUAL LANGUAGE STUDY SESSION WE HAD, YOU KNOW IT AND THE UPDATE FROM THE TEACHERS OF COLOR FOUNDATION, THE CONTINUING MOVEMENT FORWARD WITH ALL THESE CHALLENGES GIVES ME A LOT OF HOPE AND RENEWED ENERGY FOR THIS WORK.

SO JUST EXPRESSING THAT TODAY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S DEFINITELY CHALLENGES; RIGHT? WE ALL HAVE THE CONTINUAL CHALLENGES, BUT I JUST FEEL LIKE WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. AND WITH THAT, WE ALSO HAVE A LEGISLATIVE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND WHICH IS COMING UP ON THE 29TH AND 30TH OF OCTOBER THAT I'M UNABLE TO ATTEND.

HOWEVER, I BELIEVE DIRECTOR KILGORE WILL BE, AND IT IS OPEN TO ALL OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND MANY STUDENTS WOULD LIKE TO GO.

I'M SURE THAT THEY CAN REGISTER ALSO.

THIS IS WHERE WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE POSITIONS AND THERE'S SOME AMENDMENT PROPOSAL WINDOWS.

ANYWAYS, THAT WE'LL BE SENDING OUT AN EMAIL ON THIS.

AND ONE THING FOR THE BOARD TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT IN THE FIRST WEEK OF NOVEMBER IS GOING TO BE THE TIME FOR US TO PRIORITIZE THE LEGISLATIVE POSITIONS IN SOME OF THE PAST.

YOU HAD TO DO IT IN PERSON THAT DAY, BUT NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A WEEK FOR US AS A BOARD TO TAKE A LOOK AND PRIORITIZE AND SHARE THE INFORMATION BEFORE WE GIVE IT BACK.

AND SO THESE POSITIONS MAY HELP TO UPDATE OR INFORM OUR CONTINUED LEGISLATIVE POSITIONS FROM ART AND FROM NOT ONLY OUR DISTRICT, THIS WHOLE AREA.

SO THE WORK CONTINUES.

THANK YOU. DIRECTOR KATIMS? THANKS, DIRECTOR CHASE, FOR YOUR WORK ON THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.

THE REST OF US REALLY APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE YOU HELPED TO SYNTHESIZE AND SUMMARIZE FOR US AND HELP US MOVE THROUGH THOSE DISCUSSIONS.

I REALLY WANT TO THANK DR.

BALDERAS FOR SETTING UP THE SCHOOL VISITS THAT HE'S DOING.

AND PRESIDENT KILGORE AND I GOT TO ALREADY SEE THE WONDERFUL LITTLE KIDS AT THE WOOD WASTE CENTER.

IT WAS JUST DELIGHTFUL TO VISIT, SEE THE WONDERFUL WORK THAT WAS GOING ON BOTH IN THE PRE-KINDERGARTEN, DEVELOPMENTAL KINDERGARTEN, ECAP AND KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOMS THERE.

SO I JUST, AND I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING TO THE SCHOOL VISITS WITH DR.

BALDERAS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK DR.

BALDERAS FOR SETTING UP THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A RIDE ON AN ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUS BECAUSE WHILE WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON ALL THESE OTHER THINGS, THIS IS DEFINITELY AN EYE TO THE FUTURE. AND I THINK THAT WE ALL RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF STARTING THE PLANNING TOWARD SOMETHING THAT WILL TAKE YEARS IN THE MAKING AND A LOT OF FUNDING NEEDED, BUT TO START THE PLANNING TOWARD MOVING TOWARD A FLEET OF ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUSSES, AND IT COULD BE AS LONG AS 10 YEARS OR SO IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO PLAN AHEAD.

AND THINKING ABOUT PLANNING, I REALLY WANT TO APPLAUD THE DISTRICT FOR HAVING A PLAN B WHEN THE BUS DRIVER SITUATION SEEMED TO BE A PROBLEM.

[01:20:03]

BUT I WAS REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF THE COMMUNICATION AND PLANNING THAT WENT INTO THE WORST CASE SCENARIO AND MAKING SURE OUR FAMILIES KNEW IT.

SO IT WOULDN'T BE A SURPRISE IF, IN FACT, WE HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO SOLVE IT.

BUT WHILE THAT PLANNING WAS GOING ON.

THE STAFF WAS ALSO SOLVING THE PROBLEM, SO I THINK THAT KIND OF BOTH PLANNING FOR MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES AND SOLVING IT IS WHAT IS NEEDED, AND I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT. WHILE WE'RE CELEBRATING HOW GREAT IT IS, WE NEED TO ALSO CELEBRATE THE FACT THAT WE WERE IN A SITUATION TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGE WHEN THE CHALLENGE WAS THERE, SO I JUST THINK THAT'S WONDERFUL.

SO THANKS, AS EVERY TIME, I THANK THE STUDENT ADVISORS FOR YOUR INPUT BECAUSE YOU'RE ALL WONDERFUL PEOPLE AND WE SO APPRECIATE HEARING FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE SCHOOLS BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE IT'S AT.

SO THANKS TO EVERYBODY.

THANK YOU. WELL, I'LL JUST WRAP IT UP, IT'S A NIGHT OF GRATITUDE, FULL OF GRATITUDE, AND I AM SO GRATEFUL TO EVERYONE WHO HAS MENTIONED.

I'M ALSO VERY GRATEFUL TO OUR COMMUNITY.

I HAD A LOT OF PARENTS WHO WERE NERVOUS ABOUT THE BUS SITUATION, BUT THEY WERE ALL UNDERSTANDING AND REALLY WERE STARTING TO COME UP WITH THEIR OWN PLAN B'S AND SO I THINK OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES A SHOUT OUT.

AND FINALLY, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS MORE NORMALCY, I ACTUALLY GOT TO MEET RITIKA THIS WEEK AFTER.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN, YOU KNOW, OVER A YEAR YOU'VE BEEN ON THE SCHOOL BOARD? YEAH, YEAH. AND IT WAS A MEETING IN THE WILD BECAUSE JESSIE AND I WERE OVER AT MOUNT LAKE TERRACE GETTING OUR FLU SHOTS, AND RITIKA WAS COMING OUT WHEN WE WERE LEAVING.

AND SO IT WAS NICE.

IT FELT NORMAL.

IT WAS FELT NORMAL TO RUN INTO STUDENTS.

I KNOW IN THE BUILDINGS WHEN I'M THERE AND SO THANK YOU, AND I WAS SO EXCITED TO INTRODUCE MYSELF BECAUSE WE'VE ONLY MET ON THE SCREEN BEFORE THEN.

SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR ALL THE HARD WORK.

WE'RE ALL DOING OUR PART.

WE'RE ALL DOING WAY MORE THAN WE EVER, I EVER IMAGINED WE'D BE DOING WITH LESS.

AND I'M SO GRATEFUL.

AND DR. BALDERAS, DO YOU HAVE ANY FINAL COMMENTS JUST CLOSING? I WANT TO JUST CONGRATULATE RITIKA.

SHE'S ONE OF OUR SEPTEMBER STUDENTS OF THE MONTH.

IT WAS PUBLICIZED IN ENEWS, SO WE'RE TAKING CONGRATULATIONS FOR BEING STUDENT OF THE MONTH. I THINK WE AGAIN, WE HAVE 22000 ALMOST STUDENTS OF THE MONTH RIGHT NOW.

SO REDI-GO, YOU'RE BEING HONORED AND I APPRECIATE THAT.

AND ALSO ROSHNI, IN TERMS OF YOUR COMMENT ABOUT THE STAFF BEING OUT AND YOU'RE CORRECT, WE DON'T DISCUSS PERSONAL INFORMATION OF WHY STAFF ARE OUT.

SO BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS IN TERMS OF HOW TO COMMUNICATE TO FAMILIES WHEN APPROPRIATE. BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU BOARD FOR OUR GREAT MEETING AND TO YOUR POINT.

I THINK OUR BOARD MEETINGS WILL GO BACK TO WHAT I THINK WHERE THE BOARD SIGNED UP FOR IN TERMS OF MORE OF A WORKING BUSINESS MEETINGS WHERE WE ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT MORE ITEMS THAT ARE OTHER THAN COVID.

AND AGAIN, BUT VERY THANKFUL TO EVERYBODY WHO HAS TURNED IN THEIR VACCINATION CARDS.

JUST NOT THAT LONG AGO, WE WERE AT 73 PERCENT IN TERMS OF OUR STAFF BEING HAVING TO TURN IN VACCINATION CARDS.

THAT'S WHY THE NERVOUSNESS WAS THERE AND IT WAS RIGHTFULLY SO.

SO THAT'S WHY STAFF BEEN BUSY PLANNING FOR A, B AND C CONTINGENCY PLANS.

I'M THANKFUL THAT EVERYBODY DID STEP UP AND WORK THROUGH A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION. SO KUDOS TO THE ALMOST 4000 STAFF MEMBERS THAT WE DO HAVE.

SO THANK YOU, BOARD, FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND YOUR SUPPORT.

AND WITH THAT, I'LL CALL MEETING ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.