Mar 22, 2022 Board Meeting

SO WELCOME AND THIS MEETING OF THE REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD OF THE EDMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT IS

[00:00:08]

I DON'T USUALLY GET TO DO THAT ON ZOOM.

VERY EXCITING.

MY FIRST TIME.

SO WELCOME, EVERYBODY.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMING AND BEING WITH US.

I'M GOING TO DO A ROLL CALL.

DIRECTOR KILGORE, HERE.

DIRECTOR NOBLE, HERE.

DIRECTOR CHASE AND DIRECTOR CHASE WILL BE WITH US REMOTELY DUE TO A RECENT SURGERY THAT KEEPS HER FROM BEING WEIGHT BEARING.

OH, THERE YOU ARE. THERE YOU ARE.

DIRECTOR CHASE, ROLL CALL.

SHE'S HERE AND DIRECTOR SMITH IS UNABLE TO BE WITH US TONIGHT.

AND HE ASKED ME TO READ A STATEMENT.

HE SAID, IT IS VERY EXCITING THAT TODAY WE GET TO RETURN TO IN-PERSON MEETINGS AFTER TWO YEARS AWAY.

THIS IS A DATE THAT I KNOW EVERYONE HAS BEEN ANTICIPATING FOR TWO YEARS AND I AM EXTREMELY HAPPY THAT WE CAN ALL SEE EACH OTHER IN PERSON AGAIN.

UNFORTUNATELY, I HAD A PREEXISTING WORK COMMITMENT SCHEDULED FOR TODAY THAT I SIMPLY COULD NOT MOVE.

I KNOW THAT WITH THE ISSUES ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA, TONIGHT IS AN INOPPORTUNE TIME TO MISS A MEETING. BUT I HAVE COMPLETE CONFIDENCE THAT MY COLLEAGUES WILL BE ABLE TO ADDRESS TONIGHT'S AGENDA AND GIVE ME A FULL UPDATE WHEN I RETURN.

I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED TO MEET EACH AND EVERY.

EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ATTENDS OUR APRIL 12TH MEETING, WHICH IS OUR NEXT MEETING OF THE REGULAR MEETING.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE IMPORTANT WORK OF THE EDMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT WHEN I RETURN. DIRECTOR KEITH SMITH.

I'M GOING TO ASK DR.

[3. LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT-6:33 pm]

THANK YOU, PRESIDENT KATIMS. WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF THIS PLACE, THE SNOHOMISH PEOPLE AND THEIR SUCCESSORS, THE TULALIP TRIBES WHO'VE SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL HAVE TAKEN CARE OF, HUNTED, FISHED AND GATHERED ON THESE LANDS.

WE RESPECT THEIR SOVEREIGNTY, THEIR 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 THE EDUCATION AIMS THAT THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED FOR OUR CLASSROOMS AND OUR SCHOOLS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

AND NOW LET'S ALL RISE.

AND PLEASE JOIN ME WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG.

I THINK HE'S GOING TO PLAY THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.

SO DO YOU WANT TO DO THE PLEDGE FIRST?

[4. FLAG SALUTE-6:35 pm]

AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

AND NOW THE LYNNWOOD HIGH SCHOOL BAND IS GOING TO PLAY THE NATIONAL ANTHEM FOR US.

[00:05:09]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

VERY MUCH.

IT'D BE BEST IF WE COULD JUST END THE MEETING NOW AND EVERYBODY FEEL GOOD.

[LAUGHTER] NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

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

THANK YOU. WE HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE.

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

EVERYBODY IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE, AYE.

EVERYBODY OPPOSED PLEASE SAY NAY.

ANY ABSTENTIONS.

AND THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT IS APPROVED.

NEXT. WE ARE THRILLED TO HAVE THE LYNNWOOD HIGH SCHOOL MUSIC PROGRAM PERFORMERS HERE TO

[6. SCHOOL PRESENTATIONS 6:40 pm]

AND I THINK I'M GOING TO ASK THE BOARD TO GET UP AND WE'LL GO LIKE TO THE SIDES SO THAT YOU ALL CAN FACE THE AUDIENCE AND WE CAN BE PART OF THE AUDIENCE RATHER THAN HAVING YOU TRY TO LIKE LOOK AT US OR THEM.

[00:10:21]

[APPLAUSE]

[00:15:30]

I'M A JUNIOR AT LYNNWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, SO I JUST HAVE A FEW NOTES ABOUT THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT I WANT TO SHARE.

OKAY, SO AS A FULL TIME RUNNING START STUDENT, THAT ALSO WORKS.

IT CAN UNDERSTANDABLY BE EASY TO BECOME ISOLATED AND STRESSED DUE TO HAVING JUST A LOT ON MY PLATE. HOWEVER, IT'S ALL EASE WHEN I GET TO PLAY MUSIC AT SCHOOL.

MYSELF AND MY FRIENDS REALLY NEED A CLASS DURING THE DAY THAT WE ENJOY.

I MEAN, WE FEEL INCLUDED IN AND ULTIMATELY WE JUST FEEL BETTER AFTERWARDS.

WHILE OTHER CLASSES AREN'T NECESSARY, AREN'T NECESSARILY EXCLUSIVE, THE ENRICHING AND POSITIVE CULTURE OF THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT AT LHS CREATES A NETWORK OF STUDENTS WITH ALL KINDS OF BACKGROUNDS, EXPERIENCE, LEVELS AND PERSONALITIES.

THIS ALLOWS FOR EXPOSURE TO A DIVERSE ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS, WHICH IS NOT ONLY NECESSARY TO FUNCTION WELL IN THE REAL WORLD, BUT ALSO CREATES AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THERE IS NO ONE LEFT OUT, WHICH IS DEFINITELY IMPORTANT DURING A TIME LIKE THIS, AFTER WE'RE WELL, AT LEAST I THINK WE'RE STARTING TO EMERGE FROM A PANDEMIC.

AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE RESUMING TRYING TO RESUME OUR SOCIAL LIVES.

THE MUSIC PROGRAM AT LHS PROVIDES A VALUABLE OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS, INCLUDING MYSELF, TO IMPROVE OUR SOCIAL HEALTH THROUGH LEARNING, PLAYING AND JUST GROWING TOGETHER AFTER JUST LIKE WHAT FELT LIKE DECADES OF JUST BEING SEPARATED.

ON THE NOTE OF GROWING, IT'S WORTH POINTING OUT THAT MY SUCCESS AS A MUSIC STUDENT HAS BEEN DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE VAST RESOURCES PROVIDED BY LYNNWOOD HIGH SCHOOL.

AS MS. STEVENSON WAS SAYING, THERE WERE A LOT OF GRANTS DEFINITELY ALLOWED FOR COACHES INSTRUMENTS. AND I MEAN, THAT'S IT'S DEFINITELY PAYING OFF.

LIKE AS A FRESHMAN, I WAS A VERY AVERAGE MUSICIAN FOR MY EXPERIENCE LEVEL.

AND IF I MEAN, IF I'M BEING 100% HONEST, I WAS TAKING BAND QUITE SIMPLY TO GET SOME OTHER CLASSES WAIVED.

BUT AS THE YEAR WENT ALONG, WENT ALONG, I WAS VERY QUICKLY ENTANGLED IN THE CULTURE OF THE MUSIC PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDED ME OPPORTUNITIES I WASN'T GETTING FROM SPORTS LIKE I WAS DOING FOOTBALL FRESHMAN YEAR, BUT I ENDED UP QUITTING.

HOWEVER, I FOUND THE CULTURE AT THE MUSIC.

THE CULTURE AND MUSIC CLASS IS REALLY INSPIRING AND I JUST BECAME MOTIVATED AND FOCUSED ON GROWING MUSICALLY. OF COURSE, THIS WAS ALL DERAILED WHEN SCHOOLS WERE SHUT DOWN.

AND PLAYING WITH STUDENTS OVER ZOOM IS JUST, JUST TERRIBLE.

BUT HAVING ACCESS TO PROGRAMS LIKE SMART MUSIC WAS REALLY BENEFICIAL.

JUST, I MEAN, THAT'S ACCESS TO THOUSANDS OF EXERCISES AND SONGS AND RECORDINGS THAT REALLY ALLOWED ME TO JUST KEEP GROWING AND IMPROVE MY PLAYING.

IT WAS ALSO DURING THE LAST YEAR WHEN WE WERE ON ZOOM THAT I WAS ABLE TO RECEIVE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR GETTING A PRIVATE INSTRUCTION OR GETTING A PRIVATE COACH FOR SAXOPHONE FROM JUST AN AMAZING TEACHER WHO I MET THROUGH THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT.

I HAVE BEEN CONTINUING THOSE LESSONS UP TO THIS DAY, WHICH HAS CONTRIBUTED TO MY SUCCESS AS A MUSICIAN AND LIKE [INAUDIBLE] PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN ME GOING TO STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR SOLO AND ENSEMBLE LATER IN APRIL.

I CONSIDER MYSELF A GOOD PLAYER, BUT THAT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO IT WITHOUT THE COACH.

AND ADDITIONALLY, TO ADD ON TO THE GRANTS FOR FINANCIALLY TROUBLED STUDENTS LIKE MYSELF, IT'S NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE TO AFFORD AND PAY FOR BOTH INSTRUMENTS AND INSURANCE, WHICH LUCKILY LYNNWOOD HIGH SCHOOL HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO SO, WHICH ALLOWS OR WHICH CREATES AN

[00:20:02]

AND THIS HAS ALLOWED ME TO COMFORTABLY LEARN HOW TO COMFORTABLY PLAY THREE DIFFERENT SAXOPHONES AS WELL AS CLARINET, WHICH HONESTLY WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT. UM, MRS. STEVENSON, MR. ONISHI AND THE CULTURE OF THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT HAVE JUST BROUGHT ME AN INFINITE AMOUNT OF OPPORTUNITIES, SUPPORT, GROWTH AND JUST JOY THAT HAS HELPED ME TREMENDOUSLY SUCCEED NOT ONLY AS A MUSICIAN OR EVEN A STUDENT, BUT JUST AS A PERSON IN SOCIETY, JUST TRYING TO LIVE MY LIFE AS BEST AS I CAN AND ULTIMATELY JUST BE HAPPY WITH WHAT I DO, WELL WITH MY TIME. THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE] HELLO.

MY NAME IS RAMON. I'M A JUNIOR AT LYNNWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, I PLAY THE VIOLA IN THE SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRA. IN NINTH GRADE, I DID WELL IN MY CLASSES AND THINGS WERE OKAY BEFORE WE HAD QUARANTINED. LEARNING ON ZOOM WAS REALLY HARD FOR ME.

THE CHROMEBOOKS WERE SO BAD, THINGS WOULD NEVER WORK, AND I SPENT A LOT OF TIME HELPING MY TWO YOUNGER BROTHERS WITH THEIR HOMEWORK.

FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, I WASN'T PASSING MOST OF MY CLASSES.

AFTER THE FIRST SEMESTER, MS. STEVENSON ASKED ME IF I NEEDED HELP WITH HOMEWORK.

WE STARTED MEETING AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK.

SHE WOULD ALWAYS CHECK ON ME, WHEN MY CHROMEBOOK DIDN'T WORK SHE HELPED ME GET A NEW ONE RIGHT DOWN THE HALLWAY.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE I GOT MY NEW CHROMEBOOK AND MR. ONISHI WOULD DELIVER MUSIC TO MY HOUSE SO I COULD PRACTICE.

ALL OF THIS REALLY HELPED.

EVEN THOUGH I HAD FAILED A FEW CLASSES, I FELT LIKE I COULD GET BACK ON TRACK.

WHEN WE WENT BACK TO SCHOOL LAST YEAR FOR HYBRID, RIGHT AWAY I WAS I GOT SENT HOME TO QUARANTINE. IT WAS FRUSTRATING, BUT I JUST KEPT MEETING WITH MS. STEVENSON LAST YEAR.

SHE EVEN HELPED ME FIND AN APPOINTMENT FOR MY VACCINE.

BEING IN ORCHESTRA THIS YEAR IS MUCH BETTER THAN ON ZOOM.

WE GOT TO PLAY TOGETHER EVERY DAY, AND WE SOUND PRETTY GOOD.

EVEN LAST WEEK WE WENT TO DOWN TO EDMONDS AREA AND WE HAD A CONTEST AND WE ENDED UP GETTING LIKE FIRST PLACE.

I STILL SEND MS. STEVENSON SOME UPDATES ON MY GRADES, BUT I AM BACK ON TRACK NOW.

THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] HI, I'M PHIL ONISHI AND I TEACH AT LYNNWOOD HIGH SCHOOL.

AND I GOT TO SAY THAT WE HAVE A VERY COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE IS EXCEEDINGLY UNIQUE.

YOU KNOW, I COULD STAND UP AND SAY I'M A BAND DIRECTOR, BUT I'M ACTUALLY I'M ACTUALLY INTIMATELY INVOLVED WITH THE ORCHESTRAS AT LYNNWOOD HIGH SCHOOL.

AMY SCOTT SEVERAL ORCHESTRAS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.

BUT WE HAVE A REALLY UNIQUE SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE THREE ORCHESTRAS, WE HAVE THREE BAND CLASSES, WE HAVE TWO JAZZ BANDS, WE HAVE A GUITAR CLASS, AND I TEACH A WORLD MUSIC ELECTIVE AS WELL.

BUT WHAT'S REALLY NEAT ABOUT IT IS THAT SO OFTEN WE DO COLLABORATIVE WORK WHERE STUDENTS IN THE ORCHESTRA GET TO WORK WITH BAND STUDENTS, AND BAND STUDENTS GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH ORCHESTRA STUDENTS.

AND I HAVE THE JOY AND AND AMY DOES AS WELL.

WE CAN STAND UP IN FRONT OF ANY OF OUR ENSEMBLES AND WORK WITH THE STUDENTS BECAUSE WE REALLY CONSIDER OURSELVES A DEPARTMENT AS OPPOSED TO THE BAND AND THE ORCHESTRA AND THE CHOIR THAT IT'S EXCEEDINGLY UNIQUE, BUT IT'S SO POSITIVE.

I REALLY FEEL LIKE IF YOU WALK THROUGH OUR HALLWAYS IN THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT, WHAT YOU SEE AND WHAT YOU FEEL IS KIDS WHO HAVE A SENSE OF BELONGING, WHETHER THEY PLAY IN THE ORCHESTRA, THEY PLAY IN THE BAND, OR THEY PARTICIPATE IN THE CHOIR, THAT THEY REALLY SENSE THAT WHEN I SAY HI TO THE STUDENTS, I REALLY DO KNOW THESE GUYS, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE THEY'RE NOT MY STUDENTS.

RIGHT. AND IT'S IT'S UNIQUE AND IT'S FANTASTIC THE WAY THAT THINGS RUN.

AND I CAN ONLY ATTRIBUTE THAT TO THE AMAZING WORK THAT AMY STEVENSON DOES.

SHE'S BEEN THERE FOR 20 YEARS.

I'VE BEEN THERE FOR 10 YEARS.

I'VE BEEN IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WORKING AS A MUSICIAN, A MUSIC TEACHER SINCE 1989.

SO THAT'S NOT NEW.

THAT'S NOT NEW TO ME EITHER.

BUT WE'VE HAD THIS REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD SOMETHING AT LYNNWOOD HIGH SCHOOL THAT I THINK FEW OTHER BUILDINGS CAN AFFORD TO DO.

SO IT'S VERY COOL. WE WE REALLY DO SUPPORT STUDENTS IN WAYS THAT I HOPE THAT YOU HEARD FROM FROM JACKSON AND RAMON, THAT WE REALLY BELIEVE IN SUPPORTING THE WHOLE THE WHOLE STUDENT, THAT OFTENTIMES EITHER OF US WILL BE REALLY LOOKING AT HOW IS SO-AND-SO DOING.

BUT WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT JUST FOCUSED ON MAN, THAT KID DOESN'T KNOW THEIR SCALE.

WE'RE REALLY SAYING, MAN, I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT SO-AND-SO, BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING

[00:25:03]

RIGHT. BECAUSE ULTIMATELY.

OUR SUCCESS IS REALLY NOT ABOUT GRADES.

IT'S REALLY NOT ABOUT CONTEST SCORES.

IT'S REALLY ABOUT THE WHOLE KID.

AND AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE DO.

SO IT'S AN EXCEEDINGLY FUN PLACE TO WORK BECAUSE I REALLY FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHERE OUR LOVE IS. AND I TRY TO LET STUDENTS KNOW, ESPECIALLY IN OUR WORLD RIGHT NOW.

RIGHT. WE TALK ABOUT SEL BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY TO I THINK IS.

COMMUNICATING TO STUDENTS IN EVERY OPPORTUNITY THAT THEIR VALUE THEIR ACCEPTANCE IS REALLY NOT TIED INTO THEIR SUCCESS.

IT'S REALLY NOT TIED INTO ARE THEY WEARING THE RIGHT CLOTHES OR WHETHER THEY'RE WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE AND I TRY TO LET STUDENTS KNOW THAT THEY ARE LOVED, THAT THEY ARE APPRECIATED, THAT THEY HAVE VALUE AND NOBODY CAN TAKE THAT AWAY.

AND THOSE KIND OF MESSAGES ARE REALLY I THINK WHAT MAKES OUR DEPARTMENT, OUR DEPARTMENT.

AM I ON FOR THE NEXT ONE? HERE YOU GO, MISS STEVENSON.

SO WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.

WE JUST WANTED TO SHARE SOME OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT ARE CONSISTENTLY HAPPENING IN OUR CLASSES, AND WE HOPE THAT YOU ARE APPRECIATIVE OF THESE AMAZING STUDENTS AND CELEBRATING THEIR MUSICAL SUCCESS RIGHT ALONG WITH US.

THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM, BUT. I'D LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING.

IF YOU GO BACK TO THAT LAST PICTURE, I KNOW THAT MRS. STEVENS, MRS. STEVENSON AND MR. ONISHI RECENTLY WON VERY SIGNIFICANT AWARDS, AND I DON'T REMEMBER THE NAMES OF THE AWARD WHICH MR. ONISHI WAS INDUCTED INTO THE WMEA HALL OF FAME, WHICH IS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT SITUATION.

[APPLAUSE] AND I WAS RECOGNIZED AS THE SNOW KING MUSIC EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR, WHICH IS OUR LEAGUE WITH ABOUT FOUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

[APPLAUSE] SO I JUST ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU, BUT ALSO THE STUDENTS AND SAY WHAT A WONDERFUL JOB YOU GUYS HAVE DONE.

BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU WERE SPECIFICALLY RECOGNIZED FOR THE WORK YOU'VE BEEN DOING, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY BEEN RECOGNIZED BY OTHERS AS WELL.

SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.

I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT AS A FORMER BAND MOM.

I KNOW HOW CRITICAL IT IS FOR KIDS TO FEEL LIKE THEY BELONG TO A GROUP.

AND A GROUP LIKE BAND KIDS IS THE BEST YOU CAN FIND.

IT'S WONDERFUL AND AS A PARENT, I NEVER WORRIED ABOUT THE FRIENDS HE WAS HANGING OUT WITH BECAUSE THEY WERE BAND KIDS WHO ARE AMONG THE BEST.

SO I THANK MR. PIPER, IF YOU WILL SHARE AGAIN WITH EVERYBODY WHO'S BEEN INVOLVED HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE.

THE PRESENTATIONS TONIGHT.

AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HEAR FROM MR. PIPER, WHO IS THE PRINCIPAL OF LYNNWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, ABOUT THEIR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND THE INITIATIVES THAT THEY'RE UNDERTAKING IN THAT REGARD.

IS THIS MIC ON. OKAY, THERE WE GO.

WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GOING TO BE AS SMOOTH AS JACKSON ON THE SAXOPHONE, BUT I'LL TRY MY BEST. I'M SURPRISED THEY ALL LEFT, BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT WATCHING ME PRESENT THE SIP WAS GOING TO BE THE HIGHLIGHT OF THEIR WEEK, BUT I'LL CATCH UP WITH THEM AFTER THIS.

BUT THEY COULD HAVE GONE ON TO OUR MUSIC PROGRAM.

WE TALK ABOUT TRYING TO BUILD A SENSE OF BELONGING IN OUR SCHOOL, AND THEY REALLY EMBODY THAT AND JUST OTHER THINGS THAT WE DO.

THEY DO WITH OUR BLOOD DRIVE AND OUR FOOD DRIVE AND JUST REALLY ESTABLISHING THAT WELCOMING, EMPATHETIC, CARING CULTURE [INAUDIBLE] HIGH SCHOOL, REALLY CREDIT OUR MUSIC

[00:30:05]

OKAY. SO I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

AND IT'S NICE BEING HERE IN THE BOARDROOM.

I MUST SAY, THIS IS OUR IT'S BEEN A WHILE.

SO BEFORE I GET INTO TALKING ABOUT SPECIFICS IN THE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, ONE, TO JUST TAKE A STEP BACK AND TALK ABOUT THE JOURNEY WE TOOK TO GET THERE AT THE END OF 2020 WHEN WE GOT TOGETHER AS A STAFF.

AND EVERY YEAR I'D DO THIS, SENT OUT A SURVEY ASKING WHAT'S GOING WELL AND WHAT ARE AREAS FOR GROWTH. AND WHAT REALLY EMERGED IN THAT DATA THAT YEAR WAS THAT THERE JUST WAS CONFUSION AROUND WHAT ARE WE DOING? WE'RE DOING A LOT OF GREAT THINGS, BUT HOW ARE THEY CONNECTED AND WHAT'S OUR DIRECTION AND WHAT'S OUR GOAL? AND WHILE WE HAD A SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND WE HAD THOSE GOALS, IT WAS PRETTY CLEAR THAT AS A COMMUNITY WE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THOSE AND WE NEEDED TO FIND CLARITY IN THAT.

SO PRIOR TO WRITING OUR SIP, WE STARTED TO GET TOGETHER WITH OUR EQUITY TEAM AND DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP TEAMS TO TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH HIGH SCHOOL AND HOW DOES THAT CONNECT TO OUR ULTIMATE GOAL.

SO WHAT I PLACED FOR OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND DR.

BALDERAS AND STUDENTS IS I HAVE EVERY STAFF MEMBER, HAS THIS LAMINATED.

IT'S ON THEIR PLANNING DESK OR IN THEIR CLASSROOM, WHAT IS OUR PILLARS OF SUPPORT DOCUMENT. AND WE WENT THROUGH AND STARTED TALKING ABOUT.

THE STEPS THAT WE WANT TO TAKE TO CREATE THE SCHOOL THAT WE'RE DREAMING OF AND HOW TO GET THERE. AND ORIGINALLY I DREW A PRETTY MY ARTWORK'S NOT THAT GREAT A HOUSE AND THEN HAD SOME TEACHERS SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE GOT A BETTER IDEA AND THEY CREATED THESE GRAPHICS TO GO WITH IT. BUT REALLY TALKING ABOUT LAYERING AND THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AND HOW THEY ARE CONNECTED. SO AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF OUR HOUSE, OUR FOUNDATION FOR OUR PILLAR OF SUPPORT IS DEVELOPING OUR EQUITY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OUR STUDENTS.

SO THAT IS OUR FOUNDATION THAT WE'RE BUILDING EVERYTHING UPON.

AND THEN WE GO UP TO OUR NEXT LEVEL, WHICH IS TALKING ABOUT HOW TO CREATE THAT SENSE OF BELONGING AND CREATE THAT STUDENT ENGAGEMENT, AND SPECIFICALLY THINGS THAT WE WERE DOING IN OUR BUILDING OVER THE YEARS.

CULTURE, RESPONSIVE, TEACHING, OUR WORK WITH [INAUDIBLE] AND TRAUMA INFORMED PRACTICES, HOW TO RELAX THE BRAIN.

SO THAT'S READY TO LEARN OUR WORK WITH SEL AND RESTORATIVE PRACTICES.

SO THAT'S OUR NEXT LAYER AT OUR SCHOOL THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, TO PREPARE OUR STUDENTS TO BE IN THAT PLACE WHERE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY BELONG, THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE RELAXED AND THE BRAIN IS READY TO LEARN UP TO OUR NEXT LEVEL, WHERE WE START TALKING ABOUT INSTRUCTION, WHERE WE HAVE THE SAME FRAMEWORK.

WE HAVE OUR WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING WITH [INAUDIBLE] AND THEN NOW NEWLY INCORPORATED THE SCHOOL YEARS, WE'VE BECOME AN AVID SCHOOL.

SO OUR INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES WITH AVID LIKE FOCUS NOTE TAKING.

AND THEN ULTIMATELY IN THIS DOCUMENT, I'M SORRY YOU ALL CAN'T SEE THIS, BUT AT THE TOP WE HAVE WE'RE ALL ROWING IN THE SAME DIRECTION WITH OUR VISION FOR OUR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. AND THIS JUST HAPPENED TO LINE UP NICELY WITH THE CABINET'S WORK AND DR.

BALDERAS AROUND OUR THREE E'S FOR OUR DISTRICT AND JUST FOLDED IN BEAUTIFULLY TO OUR THREE LAYERS THAT WE HAVE OF EQUITY, ENGAGEMENT AND EXCELLENCE.

SO AT THE TOP OF OUR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, THIS IS OUR MISSION AND OUR VISION.

IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH AVID, OUR MISSION LINES UP CLOSELY, AVID HELPS TO SUPPORT US IN THE WRITING OF THIS.

AND THEN OUR VISION IS ON THE TOP OF THIS DOCUMENT, WHICH IS HOW WE ARE ACTUALIZING OUR MISSION FOR OUR SCHOOL, WHICH IS BY 2024, OUR VISION IS TO HAVE 95% OF OUR STUDENTS GRADUATE AND THEN ON TIME WHILE DECREASING OPPORTUNITY GAPS IN ALL OF THOSE RATES.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, 95% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE GRADUATING ON TIME.

WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PULL ANY CATEGORY LIKE OUR STUDENTS WITH AN IEP.

AND WE SHOULD SEE 95% OF THOSE STUDENTS GRADUATED ON TIME.

WE WOULD NOT SEE DISPROPORTIONATE OUTCOMES IN OUR SCHOOL.

SO THEN WE GOT TO WORK THIS SUMMER INTO BUILDING OUR SIP.

WE'VE SPENT SEVERAL YEARS CONTINUING TO ANALYZE OUR DATA.

OUR EQUITY TEAM HAS BEEN OUR PRIMARY LEADER IN THAT.

BUT WE'RE PULLING DATA FROM OCI, FROM THE BUILDING, FROM THE DISTRICT AND ANALYZING THAT TOGETHER AS A TEAM TO LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING WELL AND WHAT ARE AREAS FOR GROWTH.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR DATA, OUR ELA PROFICIENCY RATE, OUR DUAL CREDIT ENROLLMENT, LOTS OF STRENGTH IN OUR STUDENT FEEDBACK ON CLIMATE AND CULTURE FOR OUR SCHOOL, THOSE ARE ALL AREAS THAT WE SEE THAT ARE GOING WELL FOR US.

FOR AREAS FOR GROWTH.

WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR ON TIME GRADUATION RATE, ATTENDANCE RATES WITHIN THAT AND WHATEVER DATA THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN OUR SCHOOL, WE'RE NOTICING AND WE'RE SEEING DISPROPORTIONATE OUTCOMES SPECIFICALLY WE'RE SEEING THAT FOR ML OR IEP AND OUR STUDENTS OF COLOR. SO WE TOOK THAT DATA AND WE TOOK OUR VISION AND OUR MISSION.

AND THEN WE WENT TO WRITING, OKAY, WHAT WOULD BE OUR GOALS TO GET THERE? AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT ALL OF THESE TONIGHT, BUT I DID HIGHLIGHT THE ONE THAT I WAS GOING TO HIGHLIGHT TONIGHT, WHICH IS OUR FIRST GOAL, WHICH IS LOOKING AT INCREASING OUR GRADUATION RATE. SO IN THIS SCHOOL YEAR, OUR GOAL IS TO GET TO 88% AND AGAIN, ELIMINATING THE OPPORTUNITY GAPS WITHIN THOSE RATES.

AND WE PICKED THIS GOAL TO FOCUS ON TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT.

BUT THIS IS OUR ULTIMATE DATA POINT AND GOAL FOR OUR SCHOOL.

WHILE WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT AREAS FOR GROWTH.

[00:35:02]

HOW DOES THAT CONNECT TO OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IN HOPING OUR STUDENTS GRADUATE ON TIME.

SO I GOT AHEAD OF MYSELF A LITTLE BIT.

BUT YES, THAT IS OUR FOUNDATIONAL GOAL.

AND THEN THIS YEAR, 88% IS OUR TARGET AND OUR STEPS TO GET THERE.

SO EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING SHOULD CONNECT TO THIS OVERALL FOUNDATIONAL GOAL FOR OUR SCHOOL. SO THEN ONCE WE HAD THAT, WE GOT BUSY AND WROTE OUR THEORY OF ACTION, WHICH IS HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THIS? IF WE DO THIS, THEN WE SHOULD START TO SEE THIS.

AND I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO BE ABLE TO SEE THIS, AND I'M NOT GOING TO READ IT ALL TO YOU.

BUT THE REASON I HAVE THIS SLIDE UP HERE IS TO HIGHLIGHT AGAIN AND SHOW THAT WHEN WE WENT INTO AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, THIS WAS OUR PLAN.

AND THE REALITY IS WHAT'S HIGHLIGHTED IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

AND THERE'S SOME REASONS BEHIND THAT.

THE MOST OBVIOUS ONE IS COVID.

WE'VE HAD A VERY CHALLENGING YEAR.

I WILL SAY IT'S SAFE TO SAY FOR ME AND I THINK FOR MANY EDUCATORS AS WELL, THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE HARDEST YEARS OF OUR CAREER.

AND FOR LYNNWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, WE HAD FOR EVERYBODY, WE HAD A REALLY BIG SURGE IN JANUARY WITH COVID SPIKES IN OUR BUILDING, AND UNFORTUNATELY THAT COULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED AT A WORSE TIME FOR OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF.

THAT'S RIGHT. AT THE END OF A SEMESTER ON ANY GIVEN DAY IN JANUARY, WE HAD ABOUT A THIRD OF OUR STUDENTS OUT AND OUR TEACHERS THINK OF OUR STUDENTS.

THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IT CAME OUT NOW AND I'M GOING TO COME BACK.

HOW AM I GOING TO MAKE UP THIS WORK? AND OUR TEACHERS ARE TRYING TO CREATE PLANTS TO SUPPORT ALL OF THEM.

SO WE REALLY GOT INTO A MODE OF REALLY DEALING WITH WHAT WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF US, WHICH IS WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO.

BUT IT ALSO IMPACTED OUR ABILITY TO BE PROACTIVE AND DO SOME OF THAT DEEPER WORK WITH [INAUDIBLE]. WE TO RELIEVE STRESS ON STAFF.

WE PULLED UP ON SOME OF OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

AND JUST AS AN EXAMPLE FOR MY LIFE IN JANUARY, I TOOK EVERY SINGLE MEETING THAT WASN'T ESSENTIAL AND I PULLED IT OFF OF MY CALENDAR JUST TO TRY TO SUPPORT WHAT WAS GOING ON WITHIN OUR BUILDING WITH COVID.

AND THAT WAS THAT MONTH.

AND SO WE JUST WEREN'T ABLE TO DO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ENVISION DOING BACK HERE WITH OUR THEORY OF ACTION.

SO IT'LL BE EASY TO SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE SCRAPPED IT, WE DIDN'T DO IT.

WE'LL START IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR.

AND WE'VE REALLY TALKED AGAINST THAT LANGUAGE AND THOUGHT OF IT THIS WAY, THAT WE ARE WELL, WE'RE NOT DOING EVERYTHING HERE.

WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS AND MAKING STEPS WITHIN OURSELVES.

AND TO START TO VIEW THIS YEAR AS WHAT IS CONSIDERED AS OUR FOUNDATIONAL SETUP YEAR TO REALLY GET INTO OUR CIP NEXT YEAR.

SO ORIGINALLY WE HAD THIS IDEA DOWN TO EVERY PLC AND DEPARTMENT BEING ABLE TO DO CYCLES OF INQUIRY AROUND OUR PASSAGE RATE AND CREDIT ACCRUAL FOR OUR STUDENTS.

WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GET DOWN TO THAT LEVEL, BUT WE ARE RIGHT NOW BEING ABLE TO DO THAT WITHIN OUR 12TH GRADE TEAM.

AND SO WE'RE TAKING THAT TEAM RIGHT NOW AND LEARNING FROM THAT PROCESS SO THAT WE CAN SHARE NEXT YEAR AND REALLY DEVELOP THESE TEAMS IN ALL GRADE LEVELS AND ALL DEPARTMENTS AND PLACES WITHIN OUR SCHOOL.

SO THIS IS A YEAR THAT WE ARE SETTING UP AND WE'RE NOT PAUSING, WE'RE NOT STOPPING, WE'RE NOT WAITING TOWARDS FOR NEXT YEAR.

BUT WE ARE HAVING TO ADJUST OUR PLAN.

SO WITHIN OUR 12TH GRADE TEAM, WE I'M ON THAT TEAM, A COUNSELOR, SUPPORT STAFF, WE HAVE A TEACHER IN ALLIANCE WHO'S HELPING WITH THIS AND WE ARE UNDERGOING CYCLES OF INQUIRY AROUND WHAT ADJUSTMENTS CAN WE MAKE TO BETTER SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS SO THAT WE CAN GET THERE? WE'RE MEETING WITH ALL SENIORS AND DEVELOPING PLANS FOR THEM FOR OUR CREDIT DEFICIENT SENIORS, FOR WHAT THEY NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO GRADUATE.

AND AS AN EXAMPLE, I'M SPECIFICALLY TAKING A GROUP OF STUDENTS THAT ARE OFF TRACK BUT HAVE A PLAN TO GRADUATE THIS SEMESTER.

AND IF THEY MEET THAT PLAN, THEY WILL GRADUATE.

BUT ATTENDANCE IS A BARRIER FOR THEM.

AND SO I'M HAVING MEETINGS WITH THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES TO TALK ABOUT THAT AND AND LOOK AT, OKAY, WHAT ADJUSTMENTS CAN WE MAKE TO BETTER SUPPORT YOU? AS AN EXAMPLE, A STUDENT MIGHT BE LOOKING AT ENGLISH AS A CLASS THAT THEY NEED TO PASS SO THEY CAN GET THAT BACK FULL CREDIT FROM FIRST SEMESTER.

AND THEN SO THEN MAYBE THEY MIGHT HAVE FAILED THAT FIRST SEMESTER, BUT THEY NEED TO PASS THAT SECOND SEMESTER AND THEY'RE STRUGGLING WITH THEIR TENANTS.

AND THEN WE MIGHT LOOK AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, LET'S TRADE AND HAVE YOU HAVE THAT TEACHER FOR ADVISORY. SO NOW YOU HAVE EXTRA CONTACT TIME WITH THAT ENGLISH TEACHER TO HELP SUPPORT YOU WITH WORK THAT YOU MAY HAVE MISSED OR TRY TO GET CAUGHT UP ON.

SO IT'S VERY SPECIFIC FOR EACH STUDENT, BUT OUR 12TH GRADE TEAM IS HELPING TO LEAD THAT WORK. AND THEN WE'RE MONITORING DATA ON HOW IT'S GOING.

NO, WE'RE OBVIOUSLY LOOKING AT QUARTER AND SEMESTER PASSAGE RATES.

LOOKING AT OUR CREDIT DEFICIENCY REPORTS, BOTH MACRO AND MICRO ON INDIVIDUAL LEVEL FOR STUDENTS LOOKING AT ATTENDANCE RATES, THOSE PLANS AROUND CREDIT RECOVERY AND BACKFILLING IN THOSE OPTIONS FOR OUR STUDENTS.

AND ALL THAT CAME WITH, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WITH COVID AND MISSING SCHOOL.

[00:40:03]

AND THEN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SO WE WERE REALLY RALLYING.

OKAY, WE NEED TO PULL THAT UP.

AND AT THE END OF SEMESTER ONE, THERE WAS, I WOULD SAY FOR US, A BIT OF A OH MAN, WE DIDN'T GET TO WHERE WE WANTED TO GET THE END OF THE SEMESTER, 86%.

BUT I TALKED WITH THE COUNSELING AND STAFF ON OUR TEAM ABOUT THIS AND AND SHARED.

WE JUST WENT THROUGH THE HARDEST SEMESTER THAT WE'VE HAD AND THINK ABOUT HOW THAT SEMESTER ENDED.

AND IT'S THE CELEBRATION THAT WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF, THAT OUR DATA IS STILL TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, NOT AT THE RATE THAT WE WANT TO YET WE PUT THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IS WORKING. WE'RE SEEING IMPROVEMENT.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT OUR SENIOR CLASS RIGHT NOW, THIS IS THE DATA FOR OUR CLASS.

REMEMBER OUR GOAL OF 88% FOR THIS YEAR RIGHT NOW.

AND IT'S KIND OF AMAZING HOW THE NUMBERS FELL LIKE THIS.

BUT OUR SENIORS THAT ARE ON TRACK.

SO RIGHT NOW AT HIGH SCHOOL, 50% OF OUR KIDDOS IN 12TH GRADE, IF THEY PASS ALL THEIR CLASSES THIS SEMESTER, THEY'RE GOOD.

THEY'RE GOING TO GRADUATE. WE HAVE 31% THAT FALL INTO THIS CATEGORY OF THEY'RE OFF TRACK, BUT THEY HAVE A PLAN THAT'S DOABLE.

AND IF THEY MEET THAT PLAN, THEY'RE GOING TO GRADUATE THIS JUNE.

SO IF YOU TAKE THOSE TWO NUMBERS AND THIS POPPED OUT AT US AND THINKING ABOUT BACK TO THE VERY BEGINNING OF THIS PRESENTATION WITH 88%, WELL, 57 PLUS 30 ONE HALF FOLKS IN THE ROOM. SO IF ALL OF OUR KIDS THAT HAVE THOSE PLANS MEET THEM, THAT'S THAT'S SOMETHING EXCITING AND ENCOURAGING IN THE MIDST OF WHAT HAS BEEN A VERY DIFFICULT YEAR FOR OUR KIDS AND FOR OUR STAFF. AND THEN WHILE THAT'S OUR GOAL, GRADUATING ON TIME, EVERY KID, THAT'S NOT OUR ONLY THING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH STUDENTS TO SUPPORT THEM WITH THEIR LIVES. AND WE'RE DEVELOPING PLANS FOR THOSE THAT ARE OFF TRACK.

SOME MIGHT BE COMING BACK OR HELPING THEM CONNECT TO THEIR NEXT POST-SECONDARY OPPORTUNITIES. 10% OF OUR STUDENTS RIGHT NOW FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY FOUR PLAN, BEYOND THE FOUR YEARS. AND I WAS TRYING TO STICK TO 10 MINUTES AND I WASN'T EVEN LOOKING AT MY WATCH, SO HOPEFULLY I DID OKAY.

I DIDN'T GO TOO FAST OR TOO SLOW FOR YOU ALL, BUT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY AT THE END.

I BELIEVE THERE ARE QUESTIONS.

DR. KILGORE, THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.

I WOULD JUST ASK, WHAT CAN THE DISTRICT OR THE BOARD AND OR THE BOARD DO TO SUPPORT YOU IN THIS PROCESS GOING FORWARD? THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO COME TO LYNNWOOD HIGH SCHOOL TO JUST TALK WITH STAFF, TO TALK WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, TO TALK WITH STUDENTS.

I THINK JUST LEARN SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING ON THE GROUND FOR US.

I THINK THAT'S ONE KIND OF FIRST STEP THAT I KNOW THAT WE'RE ENGAGED IN NOW, BUT THAT'S TO SUPPORT YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE'S LIMITED RESOURCES, BUT THEN IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND WE CAN START TO DISCUSS WHAT RESOURCES MIGHT BE MOST EFFECTIVE FOR US.

AND EVERY POSITION IN EDUCATION RIGHT NOW.

YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO CLONE ALL OF US BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE NEED.

BUT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT CREATING THESE PLANS AND THE WORK THAT'S THE COUNSELORS ARE UNDER RIGHT NOW, HOW WE CAN SUPPORT OUR CLIENTS AND TEAMS TO WITHIN THIS.

BUT I COULD GO ON FOR A LONG TIME ABOUT IDEAS.

YES. THANK YOU.

YEAH. I HAD ONE QUESTION.

SINCE THE TRUE GRADUATION RATE IS ALWAYS BASED UPON THE NINTH GRADE COHORT.

AND HOW MANY OF THE NINTH GRADERS WHEN THEY REACHED 12TH GRADE GRADUATE? ONE OF THE DIFFICULTIES SCHOOLS HAVE ALWAYS HAD IS DROPOUTS STUDENTS THAT DECIDE TO QUIT SCHOOL, TO GO TO WORK FULL TIME, FOR INSTANCE.

AND WHAT KIND OF STRATEGIES CAN HIGH SCHOOLS USE TO AT LEAST IDENTIFY THESE STUDENTS? BECAUSE ONCE THEY'VE DROPPED OUT, YOU'VE LOST THEM.

HOW DO YOU EVER IDENTIFY A STUDENT THAT'S GOING TO DROP OUT IN ORDER TO GO WORK FULL TIME BEFORE HE GRADUATE? WELL, ONE THING THAT WE'VE STARTED TO DO IN THE NOT THIS YEAR, THIS IS A FEW YEARS AGO IS JUST FROM STUDENTS WERE TO WITHDRAW WHEN THEY HIT THAT 20 DAY THEY WOULD DISAPPEAR IN OUR REPORTS BUT THEY WERE STILL PART OF OUR SCHOOL.

YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE THEM ON YOUR REPORT IN TERMS OF HOW YOU'RE GOING TO CLAIM FUNDING, BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO LOSE THAT STUDENT.

SO WE'VE DEVELOPED A SYSTEM WITH COUNSELING, WITH OUR REGISTRAR TO KNOW IF THIS STUDENT'S WITHDRAWN THEY'RE ZERO DOUBT.

THEY'RE NOT THEY DON'T HAVE A SCHEDULE ANYMORE, BUT THEY'RE STILL OUR STUDENT.

AND SO THEN WHAT CAN WE DO TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING, WHERE THEY WENT, WHAT THEY NEED, WHAT THEIR PLAN IS? AND WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE SUPPORT STAFF THAT HELPS OUR RE-ENGAGEMENT TEAM WE CALL THEM THAT WHAT THEY HELP TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN ADDITION TO ADMINISTRATION AND COUNSELING, TRYING TO CONNECT.

THANK YOU. YEAH. DIRECTOR CHASE.

[00:45:07]

I CAN SEE A LOT OF THE LOVE, THE ART AND HOW EVERYTHING'S SET UP AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AND THE UPDATES FROM LYNNWOOD.

WELL, MR. [INAUDIBLE], YOU'RE GOING TO BE SURPRISED, BECAUSE AS A DATA PERSON, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I THINK YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.

THANK YOU FOR THIS. YOU DID A VERY NICE SYSTEMATIC PRESENTATION FOR US, AND I THINK THINGS ARE GOING WELL AT LINWOOD HIGH AND I WOULD LOVE TO COME VISIT AND I WILL DO SO SOON. ALWAYS WELCOME.

THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] WE DON'T TAKE QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE AT THIS POINT.

SORRY, BUT IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, YOU CAN SIGN UP TO DO THAT.

DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.

AND IF IT'S FOR ME, ALWAYS FEEL FREE.

YOU CAN JUST EMAIL ME ON IT.

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. SO YOU GUYS SENT ME A MESSAGE.

THAT'D BE GREAT. OKAY.

THANKS AGAIN.

[7. SUPERINTENDENT REPORT-7:00 pm]

SO I'M GOING TO TURN THIS OVER TO DR.

BALDERAS. I'LL BE BRIEF.

I REALLY WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR MAKING THIS MEETING POSSIBLE.

OUR FIRST IN-PERSON MEETING.

IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS, BUT ALSO JUST ALL THE STAFF, THE TECHNOLOGY FACILITY STAFF.

WE ARE STREAMING WE ARE STREAMING THE MEETING VIA A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT.

SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

I ALSO WANT TO JUST SAY THAT WE APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM STAFF AT THE LAST MEETING, SPECIFICALLY THOSE EXPRESSING CONCERN REGARDING OUR SPECIAL PROGRAMS. AND LAST WEEK WE HELD FIVE LISTENING SESSIONS AND I KNOW THAT IT WAS FACILITATED BY EEA, THE PRESIDENT, ANDY AND ALSO SANDRA A UNIT SERVE THAT WORKED ON OUR WORKING ON A TIMELINE AND ACTION STEPS BASED ON WHAT THEY HEARD AND WE'LL BE PRESENTING THOSE AT A LATER TIME.

BUT REALLY I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT FROM EEA AS WE WORK THROUGH AGAIN HAS BEEN STATED A DIFFICULT TWO YEARS BUT THE TIMELINE AND ACTIONS STEPS ARE BEING CREATED AND REALLY, REALLY THINK ANDY FOR HER SUPPORT IN HELPING WITH THE MODERATION OF THOSE MEETINGS.

ALSO, JUST REALLY QUICKLY, I KNOW THAT BEFORE I FORGET, I GOT AN EMAIL FROM ONE OF OUR STUDENT ADVISORS, LEAH, AND REALLY THANK YOU FOR THAT, FOR THAT, FOR THAT MESSAGE REGARDING BEING MORE INVOLVED IN THE DIALOG THAT WE HAD.

SO MAYBE WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER ON IN TERMS OF HOW THE BOARD ADVISORS, STUDENT ADVISORS CAN WEIGH IN ON CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS AND TOPICS.

SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

I KNOW WE HAVE THREE STUDENT ADVISORS HERE AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENCE AND I KNOW THE COMMUNITY AND THE BOARD ESPECIALLY REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.

SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE I CALL THAT OUT.

ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE OUR RETIREES.

THIS WEEK IS WASHINGTON STATE SCHOOL RETIREES APPRECIATION WEEK.

I WANT TO THANK AND HONOR EACH ONE OF OUR RETIREES THAT HAVE GIVEN SO MUCH TO THE EDMONDS SCHOOL SYSTEM. GOVERNOR INSLEE'S PROCLAMATION FOR THIS SPECIAL OBSERVANCE WEEK IS FOR ALL SCHOOL EMPLOYEES SPECIFICALLY CITES THE EFFORTS OF THE WASHINGTON STATE SCHOOL RETIREES ASSOCIATION. THE ASSOCIATION PLAYS A HUGE ROLE IN SUPPORTING AND ENCOURAGING RETIRED EDUCATORS TO REMAIN ACTIVE IN EDUCATION, BE IN THE EDUCATION PROFESSION THROUGH VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT STUDENT LEARNING.

AND I WANT TO ADD BY SAYING THAT THAT WE'RE EXCITED TO WELCOME OUR RETIREE VOLUNTEERS PRETTY SOON AFTER BREAK.

SO WE'RE GOING TO BE OPENING THAT UP.

I KNOW WE HAVE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE THAT ARE WANTING TO GET BACK INTO OUR SCHOOLS, AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT POSSIBLE RIGHT AFTER SPRING BREAK.

SO NEXT MONTH.

SO JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT OPPORTUNITY.

THANK YOU, PRESIDENT WILLIAMS. GEE, I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS GOING TO BE RECOGNIZED SINCE I AM A RETIREE VOLUNTEER SERVING THE SCHOOLS. SO YAY! NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS OUR APPROVAL OF MINUTES.

[8. APPROVAL OF MINUTES-7:05 pm]

[INAUDIBLE], I SECOND THANK YOU.

I'VE HEARD A MOTION TO APPROVE AND A SECOND FOR THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 8TH, 2022 STUDY SESSION. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY.

ANY ABSTENTIONS.

AND THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.

THE SECOND SET OF MINUTES TO BE APPROVED.

DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 8, 2022 REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING? I MOVED TO APPROVE.

[00:50:03]

I'VE HEARD A MOTION TO APPROVE AND A SECOND FOR THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 8TH, 2022 REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY.

ANY ABSTENTIONS? AND THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 8TH REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING ARE APPROVED.

[9. CONSENT AGENDA-7:10 pm]

AND THE CONSENT AGENDA IS A SET OF ITEMS WHICH ARE REALLY ROUTINE ITEMS THAT ARE LISTED TOGETHER. BUT IF WE WANTED TO SEPARATE THEM, WE COULD.

ON TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA, WE HAVE NINE ITEMS. FIVE OF THEM ARE FIELD TRIPS FOR OUR STUDENTS.

TWO OF THEM DEAL WITH PERSONNEL.

ONE OF THEM IS THAT WE LOOK AT ALL OF OUR BILLS AND VOUCHERS EVERY MONTH, AND ONE OF THEM HAS TO DO WITH THE PURCHASE OF STAFF LAPTOPS, WHICH WILL BE PAID FOR THROUGH THE TECH LEVY. WHEN WE ALWAYS THANK OUR TAXPAYERS AND OUR VOTERS FOR HELPING US TO TO BE ABLE TO FUND TECHNOLOGY.

DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE OUR CONSENT AGENDA FOR TONIGHT? I MOVE TO PROVE.

THIS IS KAREN, I SECOND.

THANK YOU. I'VE HEARD A MOTION TO APPROVE AND A SECOND TO APPROVE OUR CONSENT AGENDA FOR TONIGHT. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR TONIGHT.

PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY.

ANY ABSTENTIONS? AND THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR TONIGHT PASSES IS APPROVED.

NEXT, WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND WE NOW HAVE THREE WAYS PEOPLE CAN GIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

[10. PUBLIC COMMENTS-7:20 pm]

WE ALLOW YOU TO DO THAT RIGHT HERE.

AND WE GIVE PRIORITY TO THOSE IN TERMS OF TIMING, BECAUSE YOU MADE THE ATTEMPT TO COME HERE, THE EFFORT TO COME HERE.

THE SECOND WAY THAT PEOPLE CAN GIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS CONTINUES TO BE THE WAY WE CREATED DURING THE REMOTE MEETINGS, WHICH IS BY DOING VIRTUAL COMMENTS.

AND WE DO HAVE FOUR OF THOSE TONIGHT THAT PEOPLE WILL.

COME IN REMOTELY TO GIVE US THEIR COMMENTS.

AND THE THIRD WAY THAT PEOPLE CAN GIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS IS IN A WRITTEN FORM THAT WILL BE ATTACHED TO OUR MINUTES THAT ALL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS GET AND WE READ AND WE APPRECIATE ALL VERSIONS OF YOUR COMMENTS.

AND I THINK MANY OF YOU KNOW BECAUSE IT HAS PEOPLE CONTINUE DOING IT IS WE ALSO WELCOME EMAILS AND OTHER KINDS OF MESSAGES THAT YOU WANT TO GIVE TO US ON ANY TOPIC THAT IS OF CONCERN OR THAT YOU'RE HAPPY WITH.

AND WE READ THEM ALL AND TRY TO RESPOND TO THEM AT LEAST.

EITHER I RESPOND ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OR I'LL ASK A STAFF PERSON TO FOLLOW UP.

SO I BELIEVE WE HAVE ONE PERSON.

AM I CORRECT? WHO HAS CARLA DORSEY, WHO IS SIGNED UP TO DO AN IN-PERSON COMMENT TONIGHT.

CARLA, THANK YOU FOR COMING.

AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

MY NAME IS CARLA DORSEY.

I'M A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER AT CEDAR WAY ELEMENTARY.

YOU HEARD MY VOICE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WHEN WE READ THE OPEN LETTER FROM THOSE CONCERNED WITH SPECIAL ED CURRENTLY.

AND I'M HERE TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT.

AND I'M CURIOUS, AFTER LISTENING TO THE PRINCIPAL FROM LYNNWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, WHO I THANK YOU, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE DISPROPORTIONATE OUTCOMES OF GRADUATION FOR STUDENTS WITH IEPS, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MEET THAT GOAL IF OUR SPECIAL ED.

DEPARTMENT WITHIN THIS DISTRICT CONTINUES TO HEMORRHAGE.

THAT IS A QUESTION I HAVE FOR HIM.

AND I'M SORRY. IN JUNE OF 2021, 38 TEACHERS IN SPECIAL ED FEARING RETALIATION, ANONYMOUSLY SUBMITTED A SURVEY TO THIS BOARD STATING OUR LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN OUR DEPARTMENT, STATING FRUSTRATIONS THAT WERE NOT RELATED TO COVID IN ONE YEAR, THAT WENT AND GREW TO OVER 350 SIGNATURES ON THE OPEN LETTER.

AGAIN, NOT RELATED TO COVID.

I'M HERE TO FOLLOW UP BECAUSE WE HAVE 132 COMMENTS THAT WERE ALSO SUBMITTED WITH THAT LETTER, AND I'M GOING TO READ A FEW.

NUMBER 12, I HAVE WORKED FOR THE DISTRICT FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED

[00:55:03]

NUMBER 15 DUE TO TOXIC WORK ENVIRONMENT CREATED BY STUDENT SERVICE LEADERSHIP SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR DEPARTMENT HAS HAD NINE RESIGNATIONS, OF WHICH FIVE ARE ADMINISTRATORS.

19, THIS IS NOT A COVID ISSUE.

THIS HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE IN MY FIVE YEARS WITH THE DISTRICT.

AT THIS POINT, I DON'T PLAN ON STAYING IN SPECIAL EDUCATION NEXT YEAR, MOSTLY DUE TO CONCERNS LISTED IN THIS LETTER.

NUMBER 39, THE RATE OF TURNOVER WITHIN OUR DISTRICT AND SPECIFIC DEPARTMENT FEELS SIGNIFICANT AND ALARMING.

I HOPE THIS IS MADE CLEAR BY THE AMOUNT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED THEIR CONCERNS HERE. THIS DIRECTLY IMPACTS OUR ABILITY TO SERVE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN AN EQUITABLE WAY. WE NEED STABILITY, TRANSPARENCY, TRUST, INCLUSION, COMMUNICATION AND INTEGRITY. AT A MINIMUM, WITHIN OUR DISTRICT, POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP DO BETTER.

55 I'M A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF STUDENT SERVICES.

I RESIGNED IN SEPTEMBER 21, 2021, IN LARGE PART BECAUSE OF THE ISSUES DESCRIBED IN THIS LETTER. AND NUMBER 84, BUILDINGS ARE NOT GETTING THE SUPPORT FROM STUDENT SERVICES THAT THEY NEED TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, BEHAVIOR REFERRALS, THREAT ASSESSMENTS, IEP SUPPORTS AND IEP TEAM DECISION SUPPORTS.

I HAVE BEEN IN IEP MEETINGS WHERE LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN DISMISSIVE OF REQUESTS, STATED THEY WILL LOOK INTO ANSWERS AND NEVER RETURN.

IEP TEAM MEMBERS EMAILS.

PARENTS WITH RESOURCES UNDERSTAND THAT BUILDINGS ARE DOING WHAT THEY CAN AND THAT LEADERSHIP IS FAILING US.

WE ARE NOT HEARD. WE ARE NOT SUPPORTED.

KIDS AND FAMILIES DESERVE BETTER.

AND WITH ONLY 26 SECONDS REMAINING, I WILL STATE THAT WHILE WE APPRECIATE THE LISTENING SESSIONS. WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT CONCERNS AND MOVING FORWARD.

WE ARE CONTINUING AND GOING TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE BEST OF OUR STUDENTS BECAUSE THOSE ARE WHO WE ARE HERE FOR AND WE LOVE THEM.

AND WE ARE CONCERNED.

THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, CARLA.

I FORGOT TO MENTION AT THE BEGINNING THAT WE DON'T RESPOND TO COMMENTS HERE, BUT WE DO FOLLOW UP OR A STAFF PERSON WILL FOLLOW UP AT TIMES AS APPROPRIATE.

SO WE HAVE THREE VIRTUAL THREE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ASKED TO GIVE VIRTUAL COMMENTS.

THE FIRST ONE IS [INAUDIBLE].

I DON'T KNOW IF I'M SAYING THAT CORRECT.

IS NEXT.

MARILYN, ARE YOU CONNECTED? YEAH, I'M HERE. GREAT.

YOU MAY BEGIN. YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.

WE DON'T HEAR YOU RIGHT NOW.

HELLO? HELLO? [INAUDIBLE] SPEAKING? YES.

WE CAN HEAR YOU NOW.

I'M SORRY. I THOUGHT THAT I WAS AFTER [INAUDIBLE].

YOU ARE. THAT PERSON HAS DROPPED OUT.

OH. OKAY.

SORRY. SHE IS ALSO FROM THE SPEECH, LANGUAGE AND AUDIOLOGY TEAM.

WE WERE SPEAKING TOGETHER. POSSIBLY THERE WAS TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.

MY NAME IS MARILYN HARMAN.

I'VE BEEN A SPEECH AND LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST IN THE EDMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS. I AM HERE TO READ A LETTER OF CONCERN THAT SIGNED BY 37 MEMBERS OF OUR SPEECH LANGUAGE AND AUDIOLOGY TEAM.

THE SPEECH LANGUAGE AND AUDIOLOGY TEAM SHARES OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS CONCERNS AND HAVE SEEN HOW THESE ISSUES HAVE IMPACTED THE PROGRAMS AND SCHOOLS IN WHICH WE WORK.

WE HAVE ALSO HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF HAVING AN AMAZING GROUP OF ADMINISTRATORS TO LEAD THE ITINERANT STUDENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT THAT INCLUDES THE SLA OR SPEECH LANGUAGE AUDIOLOGY TEAM. OUR DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN FUNCTIONING WELL OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS UNDER THE GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION OF JOE CALLAHAN, KATE [INAUDIBLE] AND CHARLOTTE RICHARDSON.

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR OUR HARDWORKING, CARING AND SUPPORTIVE ADMINISTRATORS AND WOULD LIKE FOR MANY OF OUR CURRENT PRACTICES TO CONTINUE.

THERE ARE SEVERAL FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESSFUL FUNCTIONING OF OUR SLA TEAM AND WE WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THESE POLICIES AND PRACTICES.

THE OCCURRENCE OF REGULAR TEAM MEETINGS WITH OUR ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM IS AN ENORMOUS REASON FOR OUR SUCCESS.

HAVING A SET TIME EACH MONTH TO RECEIVE INFORMATION AND UPDATES, ASK QUESTIONS, PRESENT CONCERNS AND LEARN TOGETHER HAS BEEN EXTREMELY VALUABLE.

CRITICAL EVEN.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT ALLOWS OUR WORK TO BE STREAMLINED, EFFICIENT AND EXTREMELY HIGH QUALITY IS THE STRENGTH OF THE CONNECTION BETWEEN OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM AND OUR ADMINISTRATORS. SLA LEADERSHIP TEAM MEETINGS WITH ADMINISTRATORS PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES

[01:00:03]

MANY TIMES, SPECIAL EDUCATION COLLEAGUES TURN TO US, TURN TO MEMBERS OF THE SLA TEAM WITH TIME SENSITIVE.

POLICY AND PRACTICE QUESTIONS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT YET HAVE THE INFORMATION.

IT IS WORTH REPEATING THAT SLA ADMINISTRATORS HAVE EXCELLED AT SHARING VITAL INFORMATION WITH GREAT REGARD TO OUR TIME, WITH TOO GREAT WITH GREAT REGARD TO TIMELINESS AND CLARITY. FINALLY, WE HAVE UNION REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE SLAY TEAM WHO WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR ADMINISTRATORS.

THIS POSITIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIP HAS BEEN ESPECIALLY BENEFICIAL TO OUR TEAM.

THESE REPRESENTATIVES PROVIDE OUR UNIQUE AND SPECIFIC PERSPECTIVE DIRECTLY TO OUR ADMINISTRATORS, ALLOWING THEM TO FULLY SUPPORT US AND TO BLEND OUR NEEDS AS PROFESSIONALS WITH THE OVERALL DISTRICT PERSPECTIVE.

OUR FANTASTIC ADMINISTRATORS LISTEN TO OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM AND UNION REPRESENTATIVES INCLUDE THE SLA TEAM, A TEAM IN DISCUSSIONS AND DECISIONS AND THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS AND ADVOCATE FOR US AND THE THINGS LIKE THERAPY, MATERIALS AND SUPPORT THAT WE NEED TO BEST SERVE OUR STUDENTS.

THERE ARE OTHER WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT OUR ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO MENTION AS WELL. WE HAVE A ROBUST SET OF PROCEDURES AND RESOURCES HOUSED ON OUR SLA GOOGLE WEBSITE, WHICH IS CREATED AND MAINTAINED BY THE AMAZINGLY ORGANIZED CHARLOTTE RICHARDSON. AND THE ADMINISTRATORS HAVE BEEN RESPONSIVE TO OUR NEEDS AND UPDATING AND ADDING DOCUMENTS, DOCUMENTS AS NEEDED TO THIS SITE AND ALERTING US ABOUT WHERE WE CAN FIND THEM. WHEN WE CONTACT THEM WITH A PROBLEM, THEY RESPOND IN A TIMELY MANNER WITH OPTIONS AND SOLUTIONS.

JOE, KATE, AND CHARLOTTE HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE AND UNDERSTANDING AND AVAILABLE TO LISTEN TO OUR QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS EVEN THROUGHOUT COVID TIMES TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITIES WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN PULLED IN EVERY DIRECTION.

MARILYN, I NEED TO ASK YOU TO CLOSE IT UP IN THE NEXT SENTENCE OR TWO, PLEASE.

WE'VE SURPASSED THE TIME.

THANK YOU. IN SHORT, WE WANT THE PRACTICES THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING IN THE SLA TEAM TO CONTINUE, AND WE HOPE THAT ALL OF SPECIAL ED CAN MODEL AFTER WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING BECAUSE IT'S BEEN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL AND WE'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LOSS OF OUR ADMINISTRATORS. THANK YOU.

AND NEXT, OUR NEXT VIRTUAL COMMENT IS FROM.

OH, OKAY, GREAT.

SO WE'RE GOING TO GO [INAUDIBLE].

AM I SAYING THAT CORRECTLY? YOU ARE. MARILYN ACTUALLY COVERED THE LETTER, SO.

BUT THANK YOU. OKAY.

WAS THERE ANY MORE? BECAUSE I CUT HER OFF AND SHE HAD GONE OVER 3 MINUTES, BUT IF SHE WAS ABLE TO COVER EVERYTHING, THAT WOULD BE GREAT TO KNOW.

YES, SHE DID COVER EVERYTHING.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING ON AND FOR.

AND FOR ADVOCATING.

ABSOLUTELY. OKAY.

SO NOW WE CAN GO TO LAURA BAKER, WHO IS THE NEXT VIRTUAL COMMENT PROVIDER.

LAURA, ARE YOU ON? HI. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN.

OKAY, GREAT. MY NAME IS LAURA BAKER, AND I'VE BEEN TEACHING IN THE DISTRICT FOR 18 YEARS AS A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER AT CEDAR WAY.

I HAVE THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN STUDENTS EDUCATIONAL CAREERS AND HELP MOLD THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF WHAT SCHOOL IS LIKE.

I'M COMING TO THE BOARD TO ASK FOR HELP.

OUR KINDERGARTEN TEAM HAS REACHED OUT TO OUR BUILDING ADMINISTRATION AND ONE TEACHER IN OUR BUILDING TOOK THE STEPS OF REACHING OUT TO DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION.

BUT THERE'S BEEN NO RESPONSE.

THE LISTENING SESSIONS THAT ARE SCHEDULED, I WAS TOLD, DO NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR GENERAL ED TEACHERS TO TAKE PART.

AND SO I SEE THE BOARD AS BEING THE NEXT STEP IN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.

MANY OF MY STUDENTS HAVE NEVER BEEN IN AN EDUCATIONAL SETTING.

IT'S A DAILY GOAL OF MINE TO MAKE THEIR FIRST YEAR OF SCHOOL, ONE THAT IS SAFE, CARING AND FUN. SO THEY LOOK FORWARD TO COMING TO SCHOOL EACH DAY.

THIS YEAR, I FOUND THAT GOAL IMPOSSIBLE TO MEET.

CEDAR WAY HAS BOTH AN INTERMEDIATE AND PRIMARY ISD PROGRAM.

OUR KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM SHARES A POD WITH OUR PRIMARY ISD PROGRAM, AND AS A RESULT, WE'RE HIGHLY IMPACTED BY THE DISRUPTIONS OF STUDENTS IN THIS CLASSROOM.

TO KEEP MY STUDENTS SAFE, I TRY TO MINIMIZE WHAT THEY HEAR AND SEE.

I'M FORCED TO LOCK DOWN MY STUDENTS DAILY.

DOORS ARE LOCKED, SHADES ARE PULLED, WINDOWS OR OUTSIDE DOORS CANNOT BE OPENED FOR VENTILATION. HERE ARE SOME SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF WHAT MY STUDENTS HAVE SEEN OR HEARD.

POUNDING ON OUR CLASSROOM WINDOWS WITH NO WARNING DUE TO THE BLINDS BEING DOWN, DOORS BEING FLUNG OPEN INTO OUR WINDOWS SO HARD IT CAUSES THE STUDENTS IN MY CLASS TO YELL OUT IN FEAR, LEARNING SIGHT WORDS.

ONE DAY MY STUDENTS LEARNED THE N-WORD AS IT WAS BEING SHOUTED REPEATEDLY.

THEY'VE SEEN STAFF BEING ASSAULTED.

THEY'VE HEARD CHAIRS BEING THROWN IN OUR HALL AND CLASSROOM WALLS BEING POUNDED ON

[01:05:04]

HOWEVER, THESE DISRUPTIONS ARE NOT ISOLATED TO JUST OUR POD, AS WHEN THESE STUDENTS ESCALATE, THEY RUN OUR HALLWAYS AND THREATEN STAFF AND OTHER STUDENTS.

THEY'VE PULLED THE FIRE ALARM, DISRUPTING THE ENTIRE SCHOOL AND CAUSING LOSS OF INSTRUCTION. THE AGGRESSION IS NOT ISOLATED TO STAFF IN THOSE PROGRAMS. FOR EXAMPLE, I PERSONALLY HAD A CHAIR THROWN AT ME AND MY [INAUDIBLE] WAS ASSAULTED BY ONE OF THESE STUDENTS.

THIS IS WHAT MY STUDENTS THINK IS NORMAL FOR SCHOOL.

THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE TO ME, FOR MY STUDENTS.

I WANT TO BE CLEAR, IT'S NOT A CRITICISM OF THE STAFF IN OUR PROGRAMS WHO ARE CLEARLY WORKING UNDER A SET OF DIRECTIVES.

THESE PROGRAMS, AS THEY CURRENTLY ARE MANAGED, CAUSE SYSTEMIC PROBLEMS. MY BUILDING'S PRINCIPAL IS CALLED DAILY MULTIPLE TIMES TO ASSIST.

THE EFFECT IS A LACK OF ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT FOR GENERAL EDUCATION, STUDENTS AND STAFF, AND I QUESTION THE EQUITY OF RESOURCES ACROSS BUILDINGS THAT HAVE THESE PROGRAMS. I'M HOPING THESE EXAMPLES GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM.

THESE PROBLEMS HAVE ALWAYS CAUSED DISRUPTIONS, BUT SOMETHING IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAS CHANGED.

IS IT LEADERSHIP? POLICY? BOTH.

I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT IT'S UNSUSTAINABLE.

HOW LONG DO MY STUDENTS AND STAFF HAVE TO WAIT TO BE PROVIDED A SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU, LAURA.

ALISON, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHERS? OKAY. I SEE THAT THAT WASN'T HIGHLIGHTED HERE.

GREAT, SHARON.

SHARON [INAUDIBLE]. ARE YOU ON? YEAH. EXCELLENT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YES.

GO AHEAD. AM I.

YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU. AM I BEING HEARD HERE? AM I COMING THROUGH? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.

OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU.

I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT [INAUDIBLE] HAD NOT BEEN ALLOWED INTO THESE TEACHER LISTENING SESSIONS, AND WE JUST ASKED FOR ONE REPRESENTATIVE, AND WE'RE NOT.

AND WE KNOW THAT IT'S INEVITABLE THAT [INAUDIBLE] EDUCATORS ARE GOING TO BE DISCUSSED.

AND WE JUST WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM OUR UNION TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE LISTENING SESSIONS.

SO I DID WANT TO EXPRESS THIS AND EXPLAIN.

I AM FROM THE I'VE BEEN WITH THE DISTRICT FOR OVER 21 YEARS, [INAUDIBLE] EDUCATOR WHO LOVES HER JOB.

IT'S BEEN A LOT MORE DIFFICULT THIS PAST YEAR, BUT I KNOW IT HAS FOR EVERYONE.

I WILL TELL YOU, THOUGH, WE HAVE A WIDESPREAD CONCERN ABOUT THE LACK OF SUBSTITUTES THAT WE HAVE AND THE HIGH TURNOVER OF [INAUDIBLE] EDUCATORS AND THESE ROOT CAUSES.

THESE ARE CONNECTED.

THESE ALSO AFFECT THE CLASSROOMS LIKE THE ONE WE JUST HEARD ABOUT FROM LAURA BAKER AND FROM THE PARENT LAST WEEK AS WELL.

AND THESE ARE FOUNDATIONAL PARTS OF THE DISTRICT THAT REALLY NEED TO BE CONNECTED.

I REALLY NEED TO BE CORRECTED.

THE PARENT EDUCATORS ARE THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE DISTRICT, THE ROOTS.

WE AFFECT HOW THE TEACHERS CAN DO THEIR JOBS.

AND BESIDES OUR PHYSICAL SERVICES, WE CONNECT WITH THE STUDENTS IN WAYS THAT THE TEACHERS DON'T HAVE TIME TO MENTOR AND INFLUENCE.

AND WELL, THEY WE'VE NOT BEEN HAVING A VERY GOOD YEAR, MORALE WISE, STAFF SHORTAGES AND THE WORKLOADS INCREASE WHEN THERE'S NOT A SUBSTITUTE. FOR EXAMPLE, THIS INCREASES THE STRESS, THE WORKLOAD AND REALLY THE JOB ENVIRONMENT, AND IT DOES NOT MAKE AN ATTRACTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR A SUBSTITUTE AS WELL.

IN ORDER FOR AN ORGANIZATION TO THRIVE, IT NEEDS TO RETAIN QUALITY EMPLOYEES AND ATTRACT NEW ONES. AND WHEN THE FORMER IS THE OBJECTIVE, THE LATTER WILL HAPPEN.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE HOPE.

AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASKING THE DISTRICT TO PRIORITIZE CLASSIFIED STAFF LIKE YOU'VE NEVER BEFORE. WELL, HAVE NOT SHOWN WE'VE REALLY BEEN FEELING EXPENDABLE AND DISPOSABLE WITH ALL THE TEMPORARY JOBS THAT NEED TO BE REHIRED THE NEXT YEAR.

AND WELL, PLEASE PRIORITIZE THIS THESE PROBLEMS WITH [INAUDIBLE] EDUCATORS.

[01:10:09]

YOU WILL SEE IMPROVEMENT IN THE OTHER AREAS AS WELL.

IT'S REPAIRING THE STRUCTURE AND INVESTING IN [INAUDIBLE] EDUCATORS IS AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN GET TO INVESTING IN STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

AND WE'RE ALL IN THE SAME MISSION TOGETHER.

BUT IT IS GOING TO BE ACHIEVABLE AS IF WE HAVE SOME ACTION ON THIS, WE WILL BE GETTING OUR NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE DISTRICT.

[INAUDIBLE], I NEED TO ASK YOU TO FINISH IN THE NEXT SENTENCE, PLEASE, BECAUSE WE'VE RUN OUT OF TIME. YES.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THERE ARE ALSO FOUR WRITTEN COMMENTS THAT WERE SUBMITTED TWO WERE ON THE TOPIC OF CONCERNS ABOUT SPECIAL EDUCATION, AND TWO WERE ABOUT THE REQUEST FOR THE BOARD TO CONDUCT A FULL SEARCH FOR A SUPERINTENDENT.

AND THOSE WILL BE ATTACHED TO THE MINUTES.

ALLISON HAVE DID I COVER ALL OF THE COMMENTS.

GREAT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR THAT CORRECTION.

SO NEXT WE HAVE A COUPLE OF REPORTS.

[11. REPORTS-7:50 pm]

BALDERAS. [INAUDIBLE] AND HARMONY [INAUDIBLE] TO COME UP OR IN OTHER STAFF THAT ARE GOING TO BE PRESENTING AS WELL.

WE HAVE A FEW STAFF THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING UP AND TAG TEAM IN THIS PRESENTATION AS WE HAVE VIRTUALLY.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT BEING ALIVE BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE.

IT'S ACTUALLY EASIER TO DO IT VIRTUALLY.

SO WHEN YOU CAN JUST GO PERSON TO PERSON.

WAIT FOR THE PRESENTATION TO POP UP.

YEAH. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

WE WILL START WITH THE THEME OF MUSIC THIS LAST WEEKEND, THE SNOW KING MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION HAD MUSICIANS FROM AROUND THE REGION.

THOUSANDS OF MUSICIANS CAME TOGETHER AT THE EDMONDS CENTER OF THE PERFORMING ARTS AND MEADOWDALE HIGH SCHOOL.

OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL CHOIRS, ORCHESTRAS AND BANDS TURNED OUT IN AMAZING, AMAZING PERFORMANCES.

AND I HAVE TO JUST COMMEND SCOTT BARNES, WHO IS THE MANAGER FOR OUR VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS FOR HIS CONTINUED ADVOCACY.

YOU HEARD THAT FROM OUR STUDENTS HERE TONIGHT.

AND THEY ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY PUT INTO PLACE TO BE SAFE ALL THE WAY DURING COVID AND THEY WERE READY TO PERFORM WHEN THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.

AND COULD WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? AND I BELIEVE HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF THEIR WORK.

RIGHT. [SINGING] ALRIGHT NEXT SLIDE.

[01:15:02]

GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY.

I WANT TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF NEWS WITH YOU.

ALL THIS MONTH, WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL OF OUR CTE PROGRAMS AND STATE ORGANIZATIONS PARTICIPATED IN SOME STATE COMPETITIONS.

AND SO JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPDATE.

OUR DECA STATE COMPETITION WAS HELD MARCH 3RD THROUGH THE 5TH, AND WE HAD FIVE STUDENTS WHO WILL BE ADVANCING ON TO THE NATIONAL COMPETITIONS IN APRIL.

WE ALSO HAD OUR FCCLA, OUR FAMILY AND CAREER AND COMMUNITY LEADERS OF AMERICA CONFERENCE AND COMPETITION ON MARCH 16TH THROUGH THE 18TH.

AND WE HAVE ONE STUDENT THAT PLACED FIRST IN THE BAKING COMPETITION.

WE'LL BE GOING TO THE NATIONAL COMPETITION IN SAN DIEGO IN JUNE.

AND THEN THIS LAST WEEKEND WE HAD OUR TSA STATE COMPETITION IN [INAUDIBLE] AND ONCE AGAIN, THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS INCREDIBLY WELL REPRESENTED.

WE HAD SEVERAL SCHOOLS WITH STUDENTS THAT PLACED EDMONDS-WOODWAY HAD FOUR STUDENTS THAT PLACED LYNNWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, THREE STUDENTS.

THE PLACE MOUNTAIN LAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL HAD 33 STUDENTS THAT PLACED.

ALDERWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL HAD 16 STUDENTS AT PLACED AND [INAUDIBLE] I'M SORRY.

JAMES SULLIVAN I'M SORRY.

JAMES SULLIVAN IS HERE REPRESENTING BRIER TERRACE MIDDLE SCHOOL.

THEY HAD SEVEN STUDENTS IN PLACE.

SO AGAIN, WE WANT TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE STUDENTS.

AND ANOTHER SIGN THAT THINGS ARE RETURNING TO NORMAL AGAIN WITH OUR SOME OF OUR STUDENTS BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN STATE COMPETITIONS.

THANK YOU. I'M A LITTLE CURIOUS.

WHAT IS THE TSA COMPETITION? WHAT DID THEY.

YEAH. TSA STANDS FOR TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS ASSOCIATION.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE DECA AND IT'S A ORGANIZATION THAT HAS 34,000 STUDENTS NATIONWIDE.

[INAUDIBLE] WE HAD 1,000 STUDENTS IN 100 SCHOOLS MIC] IN DALLAS, TEXAS.

I FIGURED IT WASN'T RELATED TO MAKING THEM LIKE SECURITY PEOPLE AT THE AIRPORT, BUT I JUST WASN'T QUITE SURE.

THANKS, JIM, FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO, JAMES.

GREAT. SO GOOD TO HEAR ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING FOR OUR STUDENTS.

A QUICK COVID UPDATE AND SNOHOMISH COUNTY HEALTH DISTRICT HAS REPORTED THAT WE ARE NOW HAVING THE LOWEST CASE COUNTS THAT WE HAVE SEEN SINCE MAY, JUNE OF 2021, WHICH IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD NEWS. OUR CASE COUNTS ARE DOWN TO 79 PER 100,000.

IF YOU REMEMBER, WE WERE CLOSE TO 4,000 PER 100,000 DURING THE OMICRON SURGE IN JANUARY.

THE POSITIVITY RATE IS LOW.

IT'S DOWN TO 3.5% AND IT WAS UP BY 10%.

SO THAT'S REALLY GOOD NEWS.

OUR 7% OF OUR HOSPITAL BEDS ARE OCCUPIED DUE TO COVID 19, WHICH IS DOWN EXPONENTIALLY AS WELL. AS OF MARCH 16TH PER WASHINGTON STATE, THE OMICRON VARIANT STILL IS MAKING UP 90.6% OF ALL CASES. AND THERE'S A VARIANT OF THE OMICRON VARIANT, THE BA-2 HAVING THAT SLIGHT INCREASE. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO WATCH THAT AND SEE IF THAT SURPASSES THE OMICRON VARIANT.

SO THEY TEST, THEY SEE THAT IT'S OMICRON AND THEN THEY SEE WHICH WHICH VARIANT OF OMICRON IT IS. SO THE INCREASE TO 9.5 OR 9.4%, AND THAT'S A SMALL INCREASE.

THAT'S NOT THE RISE THAT WE SAW IN THE DOUBLING OF CASES WHEN OMICRON FIRST CAME.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE WITH THIS OMICRON VARIANT, THE COUGH, A SORE THROAT AND HEADACHE ARE REALLY THE PRIMARY SYMPTOMS THAT WE'RE FINDING NATIONWIDE.

SO THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR.

BUT SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THE 79 PER 100,000.

EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT COVID UPDATE.

WE'RE STILL OFFERING TESTING FOR THOSE THAT ARE SYMPTOMATIC OR REQUESTING TESTINGS.

FAMILIES AND STAFF THAT REQUIRE TESTING.

YOU CAN CONTACT YOUR SCHOOL OR YOU CAN CONTACT THAT CENTRALIZED LINE AND THE NUMBER IS PROVIDED THERE. WE ARE STILL HAVING CENTRALIZED SERVICE TO THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND THEN WE ARE ALSO ACCEPTING THE SELF TESTING RESULTS WITH A CONFIRMATION FROM A PARENT OR GUARDIAN. SO WE KNOW WHEN STUDENTS OR STAFF HAVE BEEN POSITIVE AND THEY WANT TO COME BACK, IF THEY COME BACK ON DAY SIX AND IF THEY DON'T WANT TO WEAR A MASK ANYMORE, YOU HAVE TO WEAR A MASK ALL THE WAY THROUGH DAY TEN IF YOU HAVEN'T PROVIDED PROOF THAT YOU'VE TESTED NEGATIVE. DISTRICT CASE AND TESTING RATES.

THE DISTRICT REPORTED POSITIVE COVID 19 CASE RATES IN THE LAST 14 DAYS OF ONLY 35.

THAT'S VERY LOW FOR THE PAST HISTORY THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS.

WE PROVIDED SOME PCR TESTS, 245 TESTS WERE CONDUCTED WITH A 1% POSITIVITY RATE.

AND OUR RAPID TESTS ONLY, WE ONLY HAVE THE POSITIVES ON THOSE.

THAT'S ULTIMATELY RESULTS WE HAVE.

AND WE ONLY HAD TWO.

NEXT SLIDE. A REALLY QUICK UPDATE FROM THE WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

WE'VE GOTTEN SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT ARE WE REQUIRED TO DO NOW, NOW THAT THE MASK MANDATE IS LIFTED, WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS? AND THE REQUIREMENTS ARE HERE.

THEY'RE VERY CLEAR FOR ALL WASHINGTON STATE SCHOOLS MAINTAIN THE EMPLOYEE VACCINATION

[01:20:05]

THE DISTRICT MUST EXCLUDE FROM SCHOOL THOSE THAT ARE SYMPTOMATIC ISOLATE STAFF AND STUDENTS WITH COVID 19, A COVID 19 DIAGNOSIS OR THAT ARE SYMPTOMATIC.

AND THAT'S WHY WE STILL HAVE OUR CONTAINMENT ROOMS AT ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS.

FAMILIES AND STAFF MUST NOTIFY THE DISTRICT IF THEY HAVE A POTENTIAL EXPOSURE.

DISTRICT MUST PROVIDE ACCESS TO MASKS AND TESTING, WHICH WE WE HAVE.

DISTRICT MUST REPORT POSITIVE CASES TO SNOHOMISH HEALTH DISTRICT BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL KEEPING A KEEN EYE ON HOW MANY POSITIVE CASES ARE HAPPENING.

WE MUST REPORT OUTBREAKS AND WE HAVE SOME METRICS THAT WE LOOK AT TO DETERMINE THAT TO SNOHOMISH HEALTH DISTRICT.

AND THEN WE MUST, OF COURSE, RESPOND TO OUTBREAK CRITERIA AS AS DEFINED BY SNOHOMISH HEALTH DISTRICT. ALL RIGHT, DEBBIE.

GOOD EVENING. I'M DEBBIE CARTER, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR HUMAN RESOURCES.

AND I WANTED TO GIVE THE BOARD AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE ARE STILL WITH SOME OPEN POSITIONS AND KIND OF OUR FOCUS THAT WE'RE ALSO CONTINUING TO PLAN FOR THIS YEAR AS WELL AS HAVE BEGUN OUR RECRUITING EFFORTS FOR THE '22-23 SCHOOL YEAR.

SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE CERTIFICATED POSITIONS, WE HAVE SIX OPENINGS CURRENTLY THEY'RE ALL OPEN ONLY THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR, SO THEY'RE NON-CONTINUING CONTRACT.

THREE OF THOSE WERE JUST RECENT POST WHERE WE JUST HAD SOME LEAVES, THREE INDIVIDUALS GO OUT ON LEAVE. SO THOSE WERE JUST POSTED IN THE LAST DAY OR TWO.

AND THEN AS A REMINDER, ONE OF THE STRATEGIES THAT WE HAVE DONE AS A DISTRICT EARLIER THIS YEAR WAS WE DID DEPLOY 6.4 FTE OF OUR TEACHERS ON SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSIGN THEM TO THE CLASSROOM.

AND SO THEY HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING US THROUGH THE YEAR.

OUR CLASSIFIED OPENINGS, WHICH THOSE OCCUR MORE OFTEN AT DIFFERENT TIMES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. SO WHAT I'VE PROVIDED FOR YOU IS A BREAKDOWN BY EMPLOYEE GROUP OF WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE OPEN.

YOU SEE THERE WE HAVE ONE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT.

THAT POSITION IS FOR THE '22-23 SCHOOL YEAR, BUT WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING FOR THAT POSITION AT OUR CUSTODIAL.

THAT COVERS ALSO WAREHOUSE DRIVERS AND FOOD DRIVERS.

WE HAD FIVE POSITIONS THAT OVER THE LAST MONTH HAVE JUST BEEN POSTED AS A RESULT OF SOME RETIREMENTS. AND WE STILL HAVE ONE CUSTODIAL POSITION THAT IS OPEN.

THAT FLOAT POSITION ALLOWS OUR CUSTODIAL SERVICES AND FACILITIES TO DEPLOY THEM OUT WHERE THERE'S THE GREATEST NEED.

OUR FOOD SERVICE ARE LOOKING BETTER, BUT THERE ARE STILL SIX POSITIONS THAT WERE ACTIVELY RECRUITING AND HOPING TO GET FILLED.

OFFICE PERSONNEL.

THERE ARE FOUR POSITIONS.

THREE ARE JUST RECENT WITHIN THE LAST WEEK AND A HALF, AGAIN DUE TO SOME RESIGNATIONS AND RETIREMENT. PARA EDUCATORS WE CURRENTLY HAVE 41 POSITIONS.

AND 14 OF THOSE WERE ONES THAT WERE JUST OPENED OR THEY HAVE CLOSED.

BUT TESTING IN H.R., THEY'RE STILL AN OPEN POSITION BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED WHO HAS BEEN HIRED AT THE BUILDING YET.

SO 14 OF THOSE ARE ONES THROUGH THE MONTH OF MARCH.

WE EITHER HAVE JUST POSTED OR THEY HAVE CLOSED AND WE'RE WAITING FOR THE RESULTS.

AND THEN IN OUR PROFESSIONAL TECHNICAL, WE CURRENTLY HAVE EIGHT POSITIONS THAT ARE OPEN AND OUR [INAUDIBLE] IS A REMINDER IS A GROUP THAT THAT COVERS A WIDE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS.

LOOKING AHEAD.

WE HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN RECRUITING FOR THE 2022-23 SCHOOL YEAR.

WE HAD SOME OVER THE WEEKEND.

TODAY WE WERE INVOLVED AND WE HAVE SEVERAL MORE PLANNED AS WE LOOK AND TRY TO ANTICIPATE OUR OPENINGS FOR THIS COMING SCHOOL YEAR.

[INAUDIBLE] HARMONY WEINBERG AND I'M THE COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER FOR THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND WE JUST WANTED TO END THE PRESENTATION ON A FUN NOTE.

OUR LATEST NEWSLETTER LANDED IN YOUR MAILBOXES.

IF YOU LIVE IN THE DISTRICT, IF NOT, LET ME KNOW.

WE'LL GET YOU A COPY.

BUT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT GETTING BACK TO SOMEWHAT OF A NEW TIME.

[01:25:05]

THERE, WAS FEATURED IN AN ARTICLE, PROJECT BASED LEARNING ALL THAT GREAT STUFF.

SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A LITTLE SHOUT OUT TO THE GREAT WORK THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS, AND THIS IS OUR WAY FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

ALL OF YOU HERE TO GET A REALLY GOOD LOOK AT SOME OF THE GREAT THINGS HAPPENING IN THE DISTRICT. AND SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ IT.

AND A BIG THANKS TO THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM FOR THE DESIGN WORK AND STORYTELLING THAT TOOK PLACE IN THIS.

SO THAT'S IT FOR US TONIGHT.

THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND I DO HAVE A REQUEST TO PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE.

IF YOU COULD KEEP YOUR CONVERSATIONS EITHER EXTREMELY LOW OR MAYBE TAKE THEM OUTSIDE BECAUSE IT'S VERY HARD TO HEAR THE PRESENTATIONS.

AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE LISTENING REMOTE CAN ALSO HEAR THEM.

SO THE NEXT REPORT IS THE SVA REPORT, I BELIEVE.

HI AUSTIN. AUSTIN [INAUDIBLE] IS GOING TO SHARE WITH US THE SMARTER BALANCED ASSESSMENT DATA REPORT. THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING. BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN PULL UP THIS PRESENTATION.

PERFECT. THAT ONE.

THIS EVENING, I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR FALL 2021 SMARTER BALANCED ASSESSMENT RESULTS THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN BACK, JUST SOME CONTEXT AND LIMITATIONS ABOUT THE RESULTS THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO LOOK AT THIS EVENING.

OSPI HAS PROVIDED CAUTION AS WE'RE INTERPRETING THESE RESULTS.

AND WE'VE LISTED HERE SOME OF THE REASONS WHY WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE RESULTS, WE ARE CAUTIOUS AND USING THIS TO DETERMINE DIRECTION FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT GOING FORWARD.

I'LL ADD THAT TALKING TO WERA AND OTHER ASSESSMENT GROUPS ACROSS THE STATE, THERE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT CAUTION FROM OTHER ASSESSMENT DIRECTORS AND COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE STATE AND HOW WE USE THIS INFORMATION.

AND THAT IS DUE TO FIRST THIS ASSESSMENT IS TYPICALLY GIVEN DURING THE SPRING AND DUE TO THE PANDEMIC THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, MOVED THE ASSESSMENT WINDOW FROM WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SPRING OF 2021 TO FALL OF 2021.

THAT CHANGES THE WINDOW IN WHICH STUDENTS TAKE THE ASSESSMENT AND CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE RESULTS AS WE SEE THEM.

OUR THIRD BULLET THERE IS TALKING ABOUT OUR RESCHEDULING.

DUE TO THIS RESCHEDULING, WE STILL HAD TO OFFER THE TEST TO THE SAME GROUP OF STUDENTS.

SO IF WE THINK ABOUT IT, WE HAD STUDENTS WHO ARE FOURTH GRADERS IN FALL OF 2021 TAKING THE THIRD GRADE EXAM.

SO THEY WERE CURRENT FOURTH GRADERS IN OUR SYSTEM TAKING A THIRD GRADE EXAM THAT THEY WOULD HAVE HAD THE PREVIOUS YEAR THAT WAS DELAYED.

AGAIN, THAT JUST OFFERS A LIMITATION FOR WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE RESULTS, WHAT THEY CAN MEAN FOR US.

AND ALSO AS WE LOOK THROUGH THESE GRAPHICS, WHEN YOU SEE INFORMATION ABOUT THIRD GRADE, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OUR CURRENT FOURTH GRADERS.

WHEN WE SEE INFORMATION ABOUT FOURTH GRADE, WE ARE LOOKING AT OUR CURRENT FIFTH GRADERS AND SO ON. UNDER THAT NEXT BULLET.

THIS TEST WAS ALSO ABBREVIATED IN ORDER TO MAKE IT MORE SIMPLE TO TAKE.

AND SO THE COMPUTER ADAPTIVE PORTION, WHICH IS TYPICALLY THE MULTIPLE CHOICE SECTIONS, WERE ABBREVIATED.

AND THEN THE PERFORMANCE TASKS WHICH ARE OPEN WRITING OR OPEN ANSWER WERE ELIMINATED FROM THE TEST THIS FALL.

AND THAT WAS IN ORDER TO KEEP A SHORTER AMOUNT OF TESTING TIME.

SINCE WE ARE TESTING BOTH THIS FALL THAT IS PAST AND THIS UPCOMING SPRING.

SO THESE STUDENTS WILL BE TAKING THE SMARTER SBA TWO TIMES THIS YEAR.

ANOTHER THING WHEN LOOKING AT THESE RESULTS AND WE CAN GET INTO MORE PARTICULAR AREAS IS PARTICIPATION WAS SIGNIFICANTLY DECLINED ACROSS ALL LEVELS, BUT MOST SIGNIFICANTLY IN OUR HIGH SCHOOL AND LOOKING AT HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE.

PART OF THAT IS RELATED TO THE NECESSITY OR LACK THEREOF FOR TAKING HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE FOR GRADUATION, WE BELIEVE.

BUT WE SAW A SIGNIFICANT DECLINE, WHICH IMPACTS THOSE SCORES.

WE CAN START OFF BY TAKING A LOOK FIRST AT THIS OUR SMARTER BALANCED ASSESSMENT FOR ELA WHICH IS ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS OR READING FROM THIS FALL.

AND ON THE BAR CHARTS, WHAT WE CAN SEE IS EDMONDS PERFORMANCE ON THESE IN THESE AREAS FOR OUR DIFFERENT GRADES. SO THIS IS THE PERCENT OF STUDENTS WHO ARE MEETING STANDARD.

AND THEN IN RED WE CAN SEE THE STATE OF WASHINGTON'S AVERAGE.

SO COMPARISON BETWEEN HOW WE PERFORMED AS EDMONDS' SCHOOL DISTRICT COMPARED TO OUR

[01:30:06]

LOOKING ACROSS THESE RESULTS, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THESE ARE LOWER THAN WHAT WE SAW IN THE PREVIOUS PANDEMIC.

HOWEVER, WE WANT TO BE CAUTIOUS WHEN COMPARING THIS INFORMATION TO WHAT HAPPENED PREVIOUSLY, AND WE ARE REALLY LOOKING TOWARDS THE SPRING RESULTS THAT WE'LL GET BEFORE STARTING TO LOOK BACKWARDS IN TIME.

WE CAN CLICK TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

WE WANT TO LAYER THIS INFORMATION BY BEING ABLE TO BREAK THIS OUT BY SPECIFICALLY BY RACIAL GROUPS AND ETHNICITIES.

AND SO ALONG THE BOTTOM HERE, WE CAN SEE WE HAVE DIFFERENT GROUPS BROKEN OUT.

JUST SOME CAUTION AS WE INTERPRET SOME OF THIS INFORMATION IS THAT THERE ARE SPECIFIC GROUPS THAT MIGHT HAVE LOWER POPULATIONS OR SMALLER POPULATIONS SUCH AS OUR PACIFIC ISLANDERS. AND SO WE CAN SEE A LOT HIGHER VARIATION IN THEIR PERFORMANCE BETWEEN GRADES VERSUS SOME OF OUR POPULATIONS, SUCH AS OUR WHITE POPULATION, WHICH IS LARGER.

IT WILL HAVE LESS VARIATION FROM GRADE TO GRADE.

WE CONTINUE TO SEE TYPICAL GAPS BETWEEN RACIAL GROUPS THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST AND ARE INVESTIGATING THE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC ON THESE PARTICULAR GROUPS.

ON THIS NEXT SECTION, WE'RE LOOKING AT BY PROGRAM.

SO ALONG THE BOTTOM WE CAN SEE ALL WE CAN SEE OUR LIMITED ENGLISH STUDENTS, OUR LOW INCOME STUDENTS, OUR MCKINNEY-VENTO STUDENTS ARE ALSO CONSIDERED OUR POPULATIONS OF STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT HOUSED.

SPECIAL EDUCATION.

AND WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THE WASHINGTON STATE REPRESENT OR WASHINGTON STATE POPULATION REPRESENTED HERE.

THIS IS AGAIN ON OUR ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS RESULTS.

AND SO WE AGAIN SEE CONTINUED DISPROPORTIONATE PERFORMANCE BETWEEN THESE GROUPS AND OUR OVERALL POPULATION.

WE CAN CLICK TO THE NEXT.

ON THIS NEXT SLIDE, WE RETURN TO THE BEGINNING COMPARISON.

BUT FOR MATH, FOR SBA RESULTS BETWEEN EDMONDS AND WASHINGTON STATE, READING WAS IMPACTED AND ELA WAS IMPACTED ACROSS ALL ASSESSMENTS.

BUT WHAT WE NOTICED AND WHAT WE NOTICED ACROSS THE NATION WAS A MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON STUDENTS MATH SKILLS.

AND THAT WAS REPRESENTED NOT ONLY IN SBA BUT OTHER STATE ASSESSMENTS ACROSS THE NATION AND IN DIFFERENT INTERIMS SUCH AS I-READY, ACADIENCE AND OTHER METRICS THAT WE'VE SEEN IS THAT READING WAS IMPACTED, BUT MATH WAS MUCH MORE DRAMATICALLY IMPACTED DURING THE PANDEMIC. WE SEE HERE AGAIN OUR BREAK UP BY BOTH RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS.

AND WE CAN SEE AGAIN FOR SOME OF THOSE GROUPS WHERE WE SEE PACIFIC ISLANDER, WE HAVE A VERY LOW NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO ARE REPRESENTED BY THIS GROUP.

IF YOU CAN CLICK TO THE NEXT ONE.

WE CAN ALSO SEE BY PROGRAM AGAIN HERE.

AS A REMINDER, ALL OF THIS INFORMATION IS CONTAINED IN ITS SPECIFIC PERCENTAGES AND NUMBERS AT THE END OF YOUR PACKET.

HERE FOR WCAS.

WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT OUR SCIENCE PERFORMANCE.

AGAIN, WE HAVE OUR PERFORMANCE AS EDMONDS COMPARED TO THE STATE.

WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DRAW ATTENTION TO HERE IS OUR 11TH GRADE LOOKS TO BE DRAMATICALLY LOWER THAN THE STATE.

WE HAD SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER PARTICIPATION IN THIS AREA THAN EVEN THE STATE DID FOR OUR 11TH GRADERS.

AND THAT IS REPRESENTING IN HOW WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THESE REPORTS.

SO, AUSTIN, CAN I INTERRUPT A SECOND? ABSOLUTELY. WOULD YOU CLARIFY FOR EVERYBODY THAT WHAT I BELIEVE FROM WHAT YOU JUST SAID, IS THAT THE PERCENT OF STUDENTS MEETING STANDARD IS NOT ONLY THE STUDENTS WHO TEST IT, IT'S NOT THE PERCENT OF STUDENTS WHO TEST IT.

IT'S THE PERCENT OF STUDENTS WHO TESTED AND ALSO THOSE WHO WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE TESTED, WHO WERE BEING TREATED AS NOT HAVING MET STANDARD? CORRECT. THANK YOU, DR.

KATIMS. THANK YOU.

I DON'T THINK I CAN SAY IT BETTER MYSELF.

YOU PUT IT PERFECTLY.

SO WE CAN SEE OUR WCAS RESULTS HERE BY OUR RACIAL AND ETHNIC BREAKOUT GROUPS.

AGAIN, WE SEE THAT DECREASE IN PERFORMANCE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AS BOTH SOMEWHAT

[01:35:05]

YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND CLICK TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

HERE WE HAVE THE SPECIFIC NUMBERS BROKEN OUT IN PERCENTAGES.

SO I REFERENCED EARLIER THAT WE'LL HAVE DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF STUDENTS REPRESENTED IN THESE BREAKOUT GROUPS AND THAT CAN IMPACT WHAT WE HAVE VISUALIZED SO FAR.

FIRST CATEGORY UP THERE, WE HAVE OUR AMERICAN INDIAN ALASKAN NATIVE THAT WE DO NOT HAVE REPRESENTED IN MOST OF THE REPORTS JUST DUE TO A LACK OF STUDENTS REPRESENTED IN THOSE GROUPS IN THE DATA.

IF WE CAN CLICK TO GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO HERE WE HAVE THE TEST PARTICIPATION.

AND IF WE TAKE A LOOK AT THAT BOTTOM, RIGHT, MOST CELL 11TH GRADE AND A DROP IN PARTICIPATION. WE SAW A DROP IN 28% OF PARTICIPATION FROM OUR PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS OF STUDENTS TAKING SCIENCE.

AND SO, AS DR.

KATIMS OR DIRECTOR KATIMS POINTED OUT, THOSE STUDENTS ARE COUNTED IN OUR SCORES AND ARE NOT PULLED OUT, BUT ARE INCLUDED AS ZEROS.

SO WE BELIEVE THAT WOULD DRAMATICALLY IMPACT THE RESULTS THAT WE WOULD SEE.

BUT WE CAN ALSO SEE A DROP IN PARTICIPATION IN SEVERAL OTHER AREAS AND CATEGORIES ON ALL OF THESE EXAMS. THE DROP IN PARTICIPATION WAS REFLECTED ACROSS THE STATE.

I WOULD SAY OUR 11TH GRADE, THOUGH, WAS MORE IMPACTED.

THAT IS THE END OF OUR PRESENTATION.

I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE HERE.

WELL, ONE THING I THINK IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE BY RACIAL GROUP OR IN BROKEN OUT COMPARED WITH THE STATE FOR THOSE SAME ETHNIC GROUPS, BECAUSE OUR GROUPS IN OUR DISTRICT ARE NOT THE SAME NUMBERS AS THE GROUPS FOR THE WASHINGTON STATE.

BUT INDIVIDUAL GROUPS IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE THE COMPARISON HOW BLACKS OR HISPANICS COMPARE WITH ALL BLACKS OR HISPANICS IN THE STATE.

THE OTHER THING THAT ALSO WOULD BE INTERESTING TO ME IS TO SEE THE SAME CHARTS COMPARED WITH EVERETT SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHO HAS ALMOST IDENTICAL DEMOGRAPHICS TO US AND HAS TRADITIONALLY DONE BETTER THAN US IN MOST OF THESE AREAS.

SO I'D STILL LIKE TO SEE THAT COMPARISON.

ABSOLUTELY. I THINK IF THERE'S PARTICULAR ANALYSIS THAT WE'D LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IN A STUDY SESSION, I'D BE HAPPY TO COVER THAT IN MORE DEPTH.

I JUST WANTED TO ASK FOR ARE THERE EVER ALTERNATIVE WAYS OF DELIVERING THE TESTS FOR, SAY, SPECIAL ED STUDENTS? YEP. SO THERE IS A SPECIAL ED SPECIFIC TEST THAT WE OFFER FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE THAT ON THEIR IEP. SO IF A STUDENT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS NEEDING A DIFFERENT VERSION OF THE TEST, WHETHER THAT IS FOR A PHYSICAL ACCOMMODATION OR BECAUSE SOME OF A COGNITIVE ACCOMMODATION, THERE IS A DIFFERENT VERSION AVAILABLE FOR THEM.

AND SO THAT IS MADE AVAILABLE FOR THEM.

IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE BREAK OUT SPECIFICALLY OUR IEP STUDENTS IN PROGRAM HERE, BUT WE CAN TAKE A DEEPER DIVE ON THOSE STUDENTS IF WE WOULD LIKE TO IN A STUDY SESSION.

THANK YOU. I ALSO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SO JUST TO CLARIFY, IF STUDENTS DON'T TAKE THE TEST, THEY COUNT AS NOT MEETING STANDARD.

CORRECT. AND THAT'S WHAT THESE PERCENTAGES REFLECT.

YES. IS THERE ANY USE TO LOOKING AT OUR STUDENTS WHO TOOK THE TEST AND SEEING THE PERCENTAGE OF OUR STUDENTS WHO TOOK THE TEST WHO MET THE STANDARD? ABSOLUTELY. WE CAN RUN THAT ANALYSIS.

TYPICALLY, AS WE'VE TALKED WITH OTHER SURROUNDING SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THIS IS HOW THEY'VE PRESENTED THE INFORMATION BECAUSE THIS IS HOW IT'S HISTORICALLY SHOWN TO BOARDS.

BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO RERUN THESE ANALYSIS WITH THAT INFORMATION AS WELL.

I'D VERY MUCH LIKE TO SEE THAT.

THANK YOU.

DIRECTOR CHASE DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NOT AT THIS TIME, BUT I DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE SLIDE PRESENTATION IN OUR AGENDA BOOK.

[01:40:05]

GREAT THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

AND I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM OUR STUDENTS.

I'M NOT SURE IF YOU ARE IN THE GRADE LEVELS THAT TOOK ESPA THIS YEAR OR IF YOU TALKED TO ANY OF YOUR BUDDIES I WOULD SAY THAT IN TERMS OF LIKE TESTING I KNOW THE PEOPLE WHO DID TAKE IT, IT WAS RELATIVELY EASIER FIGURE OUT, LIKE, HOW DO YOU WORK WITH SENIORS AND JUNIORS WHO HAVE VARIOUS DIFFERENT PATHWAYS AND NEED TO BE GUIDED IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW WHAT TEST ACTUALLY NEED TO BE TAKEN.

BUT IN TERMS OF THE TEST ITSELF, I KNOW THAT AT LEAST FROM THE PEOPLE THAT I TALKED TO THEY THINK IT WAS EASIER BECAUSE THERE WERE NO PERFORMANCE TESTS ON IT.

IT WAS ALL MULTIPLE CHOICE.

YEAH. AND BASIC INFORMATION THAT DOES I THINK THE PERFORMANCE HAS BECAUSE IT ASKS YOU TO APPLY WHAT YOU KNOW.

YEAH. UNDER A TIME CRUNCH WELL, IT'S NOT TIMED IF YOU'RE DOING A TEST.

LIMIT.

YEAH. I THINK A LOT OF MY PEERS DID OPT OUT.

I DIDN'T END UP TAKING THE SBA.

I END UP CHOOSING THE OTHER PATHWAYS.

PATHWAY AS WELL TOOK IT. SO.

BUT IT IS DEFINITELY A GREAT WAY TO FULFILL THAT REQUIREMENT IT'S ALSO NICE THAT THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS AS WELL TO FULFILL IT.

SO OFTEN WHEN A STUDENT CHOOSES SAT OR THE ACT OR SOMETHING ELSE.

OR THEY ARE COUNTED CORRECT. SO EVEN IF A STUDENT HAS A DIFFERENT GRADUATION PATHWAY IDENTIFIED, THE EXPECTATION FROM THE STATE IS THAT ALL STUDENTS WILL STILL TAKE SBA.

AND SO WHEN THEY DO NOT PARTICIPATE, WE STILL TAKE THE ZERO SCORE FOR THEM.

DIRECTOR KILGORE I JUST WANTED TO ADD, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE PRESENT THE INFORMATION THIS WAY IS BECAUSE THIS IS HOW IS REPORTED OUT BY THE STATE IS WITH THIS INFORMATION IS INCLUDING THESE ZEROS.

AND SO WHEN WE PRESENT TO OUR COMMUNITY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PRESENTING THE SAME INFORMATION THAT THE STATE IS PRESENTING AND SO THAT THERE'S ALIGNMENT BETWEEN THOSE TWO. BUT WE ARE HAPPY TO RUN THOSE ANALYZES AS WELL FOR YOU.

I MEAN, LIKE I'VE HAD PREVIOUSLY AND LIKE A LOT OF OTHER CLASSMATES HAVE ASKED IS LIKE WHAT EXACTLY IS THE BENEFIT OF THE SBA TESTING? LIKE, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT THE STUDENTS WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS AFTER TAKING IT, OR WHAT EXACTLY IS THIS LIKE GOING TO DO FOR STUDENTS? SO FOR SBA TESTING, ONE OF THE PRIMARY USES FOR IT IS GRADUATION PATHWAYS FULFILLING ONE OF THE EXAMS THAT YOU NEED TO TAKE OR FULFILL IN ORDER TO GRADUATE.

I KNOW THERE IS ALSO QUALIFICATION THAT SBA CAN HELP YOU IN COLLEGES IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO EITHER FULFILL CERTAIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS OR BE ABLE TO MOVE PAST CERTAIN CLASSES.

I THINK THERE IS, I COULD FOLLOW UP WITH MORE INFORMATION IF YOU WOULD LIKE OR I THINK MARK MADISON HEADS UP OUR GRADUATION PATHWAYS A BIT MORE.

WE CAN HAVE SOME MORE INFORMATION FOR YOU.

BUT THIS IS LARGELY, I WOULD SAY SBA IS A REQUIREMENT FULFILLED FOR THE STATE THAT WE DO TO HAVE INFORMATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY ON SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND IS A FEDERAL REQUIREMENT THAT WE FULFILL FOR ESA.

IT IS LARGELY THE THINKING BEHIND WHY WE PARTICIPATE IN THIS EXAM.

[01:45:03]

I THINK THERE MIGHT BE MORE INSTRUCTIONAL BENEFIT AT THE LOWER GRADE LEVELS THAT TEACHERS CAN USE IT FOR SEEING WHERE KIDS ARE IN A GENERAL WAY IN TERMS OF ENGLISH, LANGUAGE ARTS OR MATH, AND THAT ONCE THEY START GETTING INTO HIGH SCHOOL, TEACHERS ARE PROBABLY RELYING MORE ON THEIR OWN CONTENT AREA ASSESSMENTS IN TERMS OF MAKING THOSE KINDS OF DECISIONS.

SO THERE ARE BENEFITS IN TERMS OF INFORMATION TO TEACHERS WHERE IT MAKES SENSE.

BUT I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION, AND I HONESTLY THINK IT'S CRAZY THAT THE STATE WOULDN'T ACCEPT THEY'VE CREATED THESE ALTERNATIVE GRADUATION PATHWAYS.

IT USED TO BE THAT ONCE A STUDENT PASSED ANOTHER WAY, THAT WAS CONSIDERED HAVING THAT STANDARD. SO THE FACT THAT THEY'RE BASICALLY SAYING THEY HAVE TO TAKE THE SBA IN ORDER TO SAY THEY'VE MET STANDARD IS A CHANGE AND IF I WERE AROUND A STATE OSPI ASSESSMENT PERSON, I WOULD ADVOCATE [INAUDIBLE] [LAUGHTER].

I CAN FOLLOW UP ON THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY'VE MET STANDARD FOR THE PURPOSES OF GRADUATION, BUT THAT THE LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY IS THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HAVING FULL PARTICIPATION FROM ALL STUDENTS. IT'S PROBABLY TRUE AND IT'S PROBABLY FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ED, THE US DEPARTMENT OF ED.

I HAD JUST ONE QUESTION THAT SINCE WE NEARLY ALWAYS LOOK AT THE COMPARISON BETWEEN OUR STUDENTS PERFORMANCE AND STATE PERFORMANCE.

CAN YOU GIVE US A QUICK SENSE OF HOW OUR DEMOGRAPHICS COMPARE TO STATE DEMOGRAPHICS THESE DAYS? I THINK WE COULD PROBABLY PRODUCE A REPORT FOR YOU.

IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN, I THINK WE'RE PRETTY COMPARABLE IN WHAT OUR GAPS ARE LOOKING LIKE COMPARED TO OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

BUT THERE IS ABSOLUTELY GOING TO BE DIFFERENCES BASED ON GEOGRAPHIC AND LOCATION.

SO WE HAVE LOOKED AT A REPORT THAT WOULD PROVIDE US INFORMATION ABOUT SOME OF OUR SURROUNDING AREAS AND SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT THE IMPACT OF PERCENT OF STUDENTS ON FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH AND HOW THAT WOULD IMPACT WHAT SORT OF MEETING HOW MANY STUDENTS WE SEE MEETING STANDARD.

SURE. I WAS WONDERING WHAT THE STATE AVERAGE IS OF THE PERCENT OF STUDENTS ON FREE OR REDUCED MEAL STATUS? I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO TELL YOU OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I'M HAPPY TO GRAB THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU. I'M SURE I CAN LOOK IT UP TOO.

I WAS JUST CURIOUS AS WE THINK ABOUT THAT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR INPUT OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND IT WILL BE VERY INTERESTING TO SEE WHEN WE GET SPRING RESULTS, EVEN THOUGH I KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE LIMITATIONS TO THOSE DATA, TOO.

BUT IT'S VERY HELPFUL.

ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU. NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS NEW

[12. NEW BUSINESS 8:20 pm]

NOW, THESE ARE NOT RELATED TO SCHOOL BOUNDARIES AT ALL.

IT IS SIMPLY THAT EACH ONE OF US ON THE BOARD REPRESENTS A GEOGRAPHIC REGION IN THE DISTRICT. EVEN THOUGH ALL OF THE VOTERS VOTE FOR ALL OF US AND WE THINK OF OURSELVES AS REPRESENTING THE ENTIRE DISTRICT, WE ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY REPRESENTING A CERTAIN DISTRICT AND WE ARE REQUIRED BY THE STATE TO EVERY TEN YEARS AFTER THE CENSUS TO REBALANCE SO THAT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITHIN EACH OF OUR DIRECTOR DISTRICTS IS FAIRLY EQUIVALENT.

WE'VE LOOKED AT THIS IN PREVIOUS BOARD MEETINGS AND WE'VE HAD PUBLIC HEARINGS AND WE'VE ASKED FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.

SO RIGHT NOW I'M ASKING, IS THERE A MOTION TO AND WE'VE RECOMMENDED ONE PARTICULAR MAP CHANGE. WITH HELP FROM A CONSULTANT THAT WOULD BRING EACH OF THE DISTRICTS INTO COMPLIANCE APPROPRIATELY AND ALSO THINK ABOUT FUTURE GROWTH IN THE DISTRICT AND WHERE THAT'S HAPPENING.

[01:50:02]

SO MOVED. I'VE HEARD A MOTION TO APPROVE AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MAP THAT WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE BOARD FOR REDISTRICTING THE SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTOR DISTRICT BOUNDARIES.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. I'LL CALL FOR A ROLL CALL VOTE.

DIRECTOR NOBLE. YEA.

DIRECTOR CHASE. AYE. DIRECTOR AYE. AND THE RESOLUTION PASSES.

THE SECOND PIECE OF NEW BUSINESS IS TO APPROVE THE ARCHITECT AGREEMENT WITH INTEGRUS ARCHITECTURE FOR REPLACING OUR OAK HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

AND AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING WE WANT TO THANK OUR TAXPAYERS AND OUR VOTERS FOR APPROVING THE LEVY THAT WILL BE PAYING FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF OAK HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY.

DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS PARTICULAR ARCHITECT AGREEMENT? MOVE TO APPROVE.

I SECOND. I'VE HEARD A MOTION TO APPROVE AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE ARCHITECT AGREEMENT WITH INTEGRUS ARCHITECTURE FOR REPLACEMENT OF OAK HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. I'LL CALL FOR A ROLL CALL VOTE.

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE THAT DIRECTOR CHASE IS GOING TO PROVIDE FOR

[13. LEGISLATIVE UPDATES]

AND I THINK YOU HAVE A POWERPOINT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SHARE WITH US.

WELL, I DID, BUT INSTEAD, WE'RE GOING TO PIVOT TO DOING AN ORAL REPORT AND PUT THE POWERPOINT IN THE MINUTES.

PART OF THAT IS IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, AND PART OF IT IS THE POWERPOINT USES AS MANY LINKS THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND THE BOARD MEMBERS ALL HAVE ACCESS TO.

SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE SHOWING THE POWERPOINT TODAY.

I'LL JUST GIVE YOU A REPORT ON WHERE WE ARE.

SO WHAT AS WE KNOW, THE 2021 LEGISLATIVE SESSION DID END.

AND I WANT TO THANK ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE STAFF OF THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT, ALONG WITH THE TECH COMMITTEE, WHO'S PROVIDING FOR THIS HYBRID MEETING TONIGHT.

FOR ALL OF THE SUPPORT WITH THE MEETINGS THAT WE HAD WITH ALL 9 OF OUR LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVES IN OLYMPIA.

WE DO KNOW THAT AS A GENERAL PRIORITY, OUR PRIORITIES ALIGNED.

OH, YOU DID DO IT.

OUR PRIORITIES DID ALIGN WITH WASDA.

AND LET ME JUST MOVE DOWN HERE AND BY THE NUMBERS AND WE'LL GO THROUGH THOSE PRIORITIES AND BILLS THAT PARTICULARLY ALIGN THAT WE'RE HAPPY THAT WE DID PASS.

NOW, BY THE NUMBERS, THERE WERE 108 BILLS THAT WERE BEING TRACKED THAT WERE RELATING TO EDUCATION. 80 OF THEM DIED AND 28 OF THEM DID PASS.

THAT IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

AS BY PRIORITY THE SUCCESSES THAT WE HAD BY PRIORITY IN CATEGORIES EXCUSE ME OF IMPROVED HEALTH AND SAFETY FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF.

WE HAVE HOUSE BILL 1664, WHICH INCREASES THE MINIMUM ALLOCATION FOR NURSES, SOCIAL WORKERS AND PSYCHOLOGISTS, WHICH WAS VERY TIMELY FOR US.

WE HAVE THEY EXCUSE ME, WE HAVE A BILL 1878 WHICH EXPANDED THE COMMUNITY ELIGIBILITY PROVISIONS, WHICH DOES NOT IMPACT THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT IT WILL IMPACT A NUMBER OF SCHOOLS TO MAXIMIZE THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM.

WE ALSO HAVE HOUSE BILL 1833, WHICH REQUIRED OSPI TO INITIATE AND OVERSEE DEVELOPMENT OF A REPOSITORY OF HOUSEHOLD INCOME INFORMATION.

THIS HELPS STREAMLINE THE PROCESS FOR THE SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAMS AND THE LUNCH PROGRAMS FOR US. AS WE ARE PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS, I'LL REPORT THAT THERE WERE NO BILLS DIRECTLY IMPACTING SPECIAL EDUCATION

[01:55:01]

ON THE AREA OF FUNDING FOR STAFF THAT REFLECTS CURRENT REALITY.

WE HAVE HOUSE BILL 1590, WHICH PROVIDES ENROLLMENT STABILIZATION FOR IN THE AMOUNTS OF THE 2021 TO 2022 SCHOOL YEAR.

AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO SOON GET THE SPECIFICS ON HOW THAT IMPACTS OUR PARTICULAR SCHOOL DISTRICT. LYDIA MAY ALREADY HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HEAR AS WE CONTINUE FORWARD IN DEVELOPMENT OF OUR BUDGET.

NEITHER OF THE.

I'LL KEEP. AM I GOING TOO FAST OR ARE WE OKAY HERE? WE'RE OKAY, I THINK. OKAY.

NEITHER OF THE STUDENT TRANSPORTATION BILLS PASSED OR ADOPTED THIS SESSION, BUT 13 MILLION IS PROVIDED IN THE FISCAL YEAR OF 2023 FOR OSPI TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION SAFETY NET FUNDING FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH A DEMONSTRATED NEED.

WE HAVE AN ADVANCED INFRASTRUCTURE TO BOLSTER STUDENT LEARNING.

WHICH IS HOUSE BILL 1723, WHICH REQUIRES THE STATE BROADBAND OFFICE TO DEVELOP A STATE DIGITAL EQUITY PLAN.

FOR THE BUDGET OVERVIEW THERE ARE A NUMBER OF IN THE, WHAT WILL BE LINKED IN THE MINUTES, A LINK WITH THE CAPITAL AND OPERATING BUDGET OVERVIEW RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES AND CONSTRUCTION.

THE DIGITAL EQUITY.

AND WE HAVE THREE PARTICULAR BILLS IN THERE THAT DID PASS WITH A PARTICULAR AMOUNT OF FUNDING. AND I ALSO WANT TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE FUNDING FOR SMALL DISTRICTS.

WE ARE NOT A SMALL DISTRICT.

HOWEVER, SMALL DISTRICTS DO NEED ATTENTION ALSO AND IN THE AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SMALL DISTRICT AND TRIBAL CONTACT SCHOOL MODERNIZATIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN FUNDED BY THIS BUDGET. ALSO IN OF NOTE, THERE'S A PROGRAM FOR NATIVE AMERICAN NAMES.

IT'S FUNDING FOR CONTINUOUS SERVICE OF GRANT PROGRAMS FOR K-12 PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO DISCONTINUE THE USE OF NATIVE AMERICAN NAMES, IMAGES AND SYMBOLS AS MASCOTS AS REQUIRED BY THE 2021 HOUSE BILL 1356.

JUST WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THAT.

THAT'S GOT A 4.5 MILLION OUT OF THE OPERATING BUDGET.

ALL OF THIS INFORMATION WILL BE IN THE MINUTES WITH LINKS SO THAT WE CAN TAKE A DEEPER DIVE INTO THE BUDGET AND THE BILL OVERVIEW AS WE CONTINUE FORWARD WITH THE BUDGET PROCESS. AS WE THINK ABOUT WHAT'S NEXT STEPS, THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE IS GOING TO BE MEETING NEXT WEEK AND WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT HOW WE INTERACT AND ENGAGE WITH OUR LEGISLATORS, NOT DURING SESSION, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THE WAY THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING IT IN GENERAL, BECAUSE IT'S MUCH MORE WE HAVE A LOT MORE TIME AND NOT SO MUCH PRESSURE WITH DEADLINES. WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT HOSTING EVENTS, COMING UP WITH MEETINGS OF THE WHOLE THAT WILL LEAD US IN GETTING PREPARATION FOR JANUARY 2023, THE NEXT SESSION.

AND WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING SOME BREAKOUT MEETINGS FOR LEAD TOPICS ON SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE IN OUR PARTICULAR DISTINCT PRIORITIES.

FOR US FOR NEXT STEP.

AS WE KNOW, ADVOCACY IS A YEAR ROUND PROCESS.

AND IN MARCH AND APRIL, THE SCHOOL BOARD, WHAT WE DO AS A BOARD AND WITH OUR WITH STAFF IS TALKING ABOUT ASSESSING THE OUTCOMES, HOW THEY HOW THEY MORE DIRECTLY IMPACT OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THEN START THINKING ABOUT ANY LEGISLATIVE POSITIONS THAT WE MAY WISH TO ENGAGE WITH.

THE PROCESS AND THE TIMELINE.

JUST A MINUTE. THERE'S A WEBINAR COMING UP WITH INFORMATION ON THIS NEXT TUESDAY.

ALSO, THERE ARE SOME KEY DATES FOR US AS A BOARD TO BE CONSIDERING IF WE'RE GOING TO BE ENGAGING IN SOME POSITIONS, LEGISLATIVE POSITIONS WHICH ALLOW US TO ADVOCATE WITH WSSDA TO NOT ONLY FOR THE STATEWIDE INITIATIVES, BUT TO BRING MORE POWER TO THOSE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO EDMONDS.

AND SO WE'VE GOT APRIL 1ST, THE WINDOW FOR POSITION WINDOWS OPENS AND APRIL 20TH CLOSES.

SO APRIL 1ST TO APRIL 20TH, WE WILL BE TAKING A LOOK AT SEE IF WE WANT TO HAVE ANY POSITION CHANGES AND I'LL BE SUPPLYING SOME INFORMATION FOR THAT.

IN MAY AND JUNE WE'LL BE TAKING A LOOK AT THOSE POSITIONS.

AND THEN IN SEPTEMBER, WHEN WE HAVE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, THEY ARE ADOPTED.

AND THAT IS A OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW WITH THE END OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION

[02:00:03]

THE PRESENTATION WILL BE IN THE MINUTES WITH A NUMBER OF LINKS WITH RESOURCES FOR US TO ACCESS, AND SO I'D BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE STUDENTS OR THE BOARD MEMBERS? EVERYBODY GOOD? THANK YOU, KAREN, SO MUCH.

THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WHEN WE GET A REPORT FROM LYDIA, WHICH I KNOW SHE'LL BE WORKING ON, TO HELP US UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS OF SOME OF THIS LEGISLATION IN TERMS OF OUR BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR, FOR WHAT WAS NOT ANTICIPATED EITHER IN A GOOD WAY AND OR IN A BAD WAY, SO THAT AS WE WE CAN INCORPORATE THAT INFORMATION.

YES THE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE BUSINESS DEPARTMENT IS KEY RIGHT NOW.

AND SO I KNOW LYDIA WILL BE WORKING IS WORKING ON THAT ALREADY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[14. BOARD DISCUSSION]

AND FIRST I AM I ON? FIRST I WANT TO SAY HOW SAD WE ARE THAT DR.

BALDERAS IS LEAVING.

WE HAVE REALLY APPRECIATED EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR US FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.

WE WERE REALLY HOPING TO HAVE YOU FOR LONGER.

WE UNDERSTAND YOUR NEEDS, PERSONAL NEEDS, FAMILY NEEDS, AND WE RESPECT THAT AND WE WISH YOU WELL. BUT WE ARE VERY SAD TO LOSE YOU.

SO I NEED TO GET THAT RIGHT OUT THERE.

SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, IT GIVES THE BOARD THE TASK OF FIGURING OUT HOW TO FILL THE POSITION. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FACTORS THAT THE BOARD HAS TO CONSIDER.

SO JUST SO IT'S CLEAR TO THE PUBLIC, IT IS THE BOARD THAT MAKES THE DECISION.

OUR ONLY PERSONNEL RESPONSIBILITY AS A BOARD IS RECRUITING, HIRING AND EVALUATING THE SUPERINTENDENT. SO THIS IS OUR PRIMARY, ONE OF OUR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FACTORS WE HAVE TO CONSIDER, INCLUDING WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND HOW TO CONSIDER A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO FILLING THE POSITION.

SO ONE OF THE FACTORS THAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT IS WHETHER OR NOT WE IT IS BEST FOR US TO HIRE AT THE MOMENT AN INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT, WHICH MEANS A TEMPORARY PERSON WHO MIGHT GET A CONTRACT FROM SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR AS WE THEN PUT TOGETHER A COMPREHENSIVE FULL SEARCH FOR PERMANENT AND WE HOPE LONGER THAN TWO YEARS A PERMANENT SUPERINTENDENT FOR THE LONG TERM.

AND WHAT I DID IS I ASKED DIRECTOR KILGORE TO DO SOME RESEARCH FOR THE BOARD IN TERMS OF WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF HIRING AN INTERIM NOW VERSUS TRYING TO DO A FULL SEARCH FOR A PERMANENT SUPERINTENDENT.

SO I'M GOING TO ASK DEBORAH TO SHARE WHAT SHE LEARNED IN HER RESEARCH.

THANK YOU, DIRECTOR KATIMS. THE BOARD HAS TO CONSIDER WHETHER TO HIRE AN INTERIM OR GO FORWARD WITH OUR SEARCH FOR PERMANENT SUPERINTENDENT.

IT'S LATE IN THE HIRING CYCLE FOR THE YEAR AND IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO GO FORWARD WITH A PERMANENT SEARCH.

AND DIRECTOR KATIMS IS AWARE THAT THE LAST TIME WE DID THIS SEARCH, WHICH WAS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, IT TOOK QUITE A FEW MONTHS.

AND SO WE DON'T WANT TO TAKE ANY SHORTCUTS IN THAT HIRING PROCESS, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY THAT WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF INCLUDING OUR BROAD COMMUNITY IN THAT PROCESS.

INTERIM SUPERINTENDENTS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY COMMON.

EVEN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, SUPERINTENDENT, TENURES HAVE BEEN GROWING SHORTER AND THERE'S A SMALLER POOL OF CANDIDATES UPON WHICH TO DRAW.

AS A RESULT, WHAT'S EMERGED OUT OF THAT IS THAT A POOL OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEMPS HAS EMERGED TO CARRY DISTRICTS THROUGH TRANSITIONAL PERIODS UNTIL THEY FIND THEIR PERMANENT LEADER. SO THIS IS A POSSIBLE OPTION.

TYPICALLY, THESE TEMPORARY SUPERINTENDENTS, THESE ARE RETIRED SUPERINTENDENTS.

THEY DON'T WANT NOR DO THEY EXPECT TO BE APPOINTED THE PERMANENT SUPERINTENDENT.

WHAT RECENTLY HAPPENED IN SEATTLE, WHERE THEY HIRED AN INTERIM AND THEN CONVERTED THE JOB TO PERMANENT THAT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE THE NORM.

[02:05:03]

AND I'M GOING TO ADD SO THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT'S INVOLVED WHEN WE DO A FULL SEARCH, WHICH WE WILL DO WITH COMPLETE DUE DILIGENCE, JUST SO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT'S INVOLVED AND HOW LONG IT TAKES.

BASED ON THE PROCESS THAT WE USED FOR HIRING GUSTAVO, WE HAVE TO FIRST SELECT A FIRM, A SEARCH FIRM TO HELP US WHO ARE PROFESSIONALS.

THAT TOOK ABOUT A MONTH TO CREATE AN RFP, GET THE PROPOSALS, LOOK AT THEM AND MAKE A CHOICE. THEN THERE'S A CREATION OF A TIMELINE FOR THE WHOLE PROCESS WORKING WITH THAT GROUP. THEN WE GET STAKEHOLDER INPUT AND THE STAKEHOLDER INPUT THAT WE GOT FOR GUSTAVO AND I'M SURE WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW THIS PRETTY CLOSELY BECAUSE IT WORKED VERY WELL, EXCEPT THAT HE WANTS TO GO BACK TO OREGON.

EXCEPT FOR THAT IT WORKED REALLY, REALLY WELL.

WE THE INPUT INCLUDED THE CURRENT SUPERINTENDENT, BOARD MEMBERS, 1 TO 1 CABINET, SECONDARY PRINCIPALS, ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS, THE MANAGERS, THE MANAGERS AND DIRECTORS IN THE DISTRICT. OUR FOUNDATION FOR THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT.

OUR TEACHERS ASSOCIATION, EDMONDS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION.

WE HAD PUBLIC SESSIONS AT THREE DIFFERENT PLACES FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO COME AND GIVE US INPUT.

BASED ON THAT WHICH WAS ALL DESIGNED TO GET WHAT THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THAT FULL TIME PERMANENT SUPERINTENDENT SHOULD BE THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR FROM ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE.

THE GROUP, THE BOARD THEN CREATED A PROMOTIONAL FLIER THAT WOULD BE USED TO RECRUIT.

LOOKING, OF COURSE, FOR THE BEST CANDIDATE, WHICH WE HAD FOUND.

SORRY [LAUGHTER] THEN THE JOB IS POSTED.

THEN THE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS HAVE TO BE DEVELOPED.

OBVIOUSLY THAT GOES THROUGH SEVERAL ROUNDS WITH ALL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS LOOKING AT THEM AND GIVING INPUT.

THEN THERE'S LOOKING AT THE TOP CANDIDATES THAT ARE BROUGHT TO US.

CHOOSING CANDIDATES THAT WE WANT TO INTERVIEW.

INTERVIEWING THE TOP CANDIDATES.

CHOOSING CANDIDATES.

THEN WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.

THEN DOING A MEET AND GREET FOR THE FINALISTS WHERE WE HAVE TEACHERS AND CLASSIFIED STAFF, THE PRINCIPALS ASSOCIATION MEMBERS, ALL OF THE MANAGER DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION, A COMMUNITY FORUM IN THE EVENING FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO MEET THE FINALISTS.

AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE GIVEN A CHOICE A CHANCE TO FILL OUT A FORM AND GIVE THEIR EVALUATION AND IDEAS ABOUT WHAT THEY THOUGHT FOR THAT PERSON IN TERMS OF A MATCH FOR THE DISTRICT. THEN THEIR FINAL INTERVIEWS.

THEN THE BOARD ACTS TO SELECT THE CANDIDATE AND THEIR CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS.

AND THEN THAT HAS TO BE SIGNED.

SO I SAT DOWN AND I FIGURED OUT HOW LONG THAT TOOK.

THE MONTH FOR RFP PROCESS STARTS WITH A MONTH, AND AFTER THAT IT TOOK 20 WEEKS.

SO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS IF YOU'RE NOT COUNTING THE MONTH OF OUR FEE PROCESS, JUST THE 20 WEEKS FROM RIGHT NOW WOULD TAKE US TO AUGUST 9TH.

UNFORTUNATELY, DR.

BALDERAS LEAVES HIS POSITION AS OF JUNE 30TH.

SO THAT GIVES YOU A SENSE IF WE WANTED TO DO A FULL COMPREHENSIVE SEARCH RIGHT NOW.

WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN IN TERMS OF TIMING, WE WOULD NOT HAVE A SUPERINTENDENT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, WHICH WE CANNOT DO.

SO THAT GIVES YOU THAT BACKGROUND.

BUT I'D LIKE TO GET THE OTHER DIRECTORS INPUT AS WELL.

ONE COMMENT ON THAT.

TYPICALLY, I'VE BEEN WATCHING SUPERINTENDENTS COME AND GO, NOT NECESSARILY IN OUR DISTRICT, BUT PEOPLE IN OUR DISTRICT APPLYING FOR SUPERINTENDENT POSITIONS.

TYPICALLY, A PERSON THAT WANTS OR IS THINKING ABOUT APPLYING TO BECOME A SUPERINTENDENT OR TO MOVE TO A LARGER SCHOOL DISTRICT TO A BIGGER RESPONSIBILITY.

THOSE DECISIONS TAKE PLACE IN THE FALL AND USUALLY OPEN SUPERINTENDENT POSITIONS START GETTING POSTED LATE FALL EARLY THE FOLLOWING YEAR, DECEMBER, JANUARY TIME FRAME.

THAT IS WHEN THE POOL OF AVAILABLE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO CHANGE POSITIONS OCCURS.

[02:10:01]

AND SO MOST PEOPLE THAT HAVE APPLIED OR WANTED TO CHANGE POSITIONS, AT LEAST THE HIGHEST QUALITY ONES, HAVE ALREADY APPLIED FOR JOBS AND BEEN RECRUITED AND HAVE A POSITION FOR NEXT FALL.

AND SO EVEN IF WE WERE TO DO A FULL SEARCH RIGHT NOW AND DO IT IN A REALLY COMPRESSED WAY, THE POOL OF AVAILABLE SUPERINTENDENTS THIS YEAR HAS ALREADY BEEN DEPLETED.

AND SO I BELIEVE THAT THE POOL OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD APPLY FOR THE JOB AT THIS LATE STAGE MIGHT BE GREAT, BUT IT CERTAINLY WOULD BE A REDUCED POOL OF AVAILABILITY THAN ONES THAT WOULD BE TYPICALLY APPLYING MID-YEAR NEXT YEAR.

THANK YOU, GARY.

DIRECTOR CHASE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COMMENT ON THIS ASPECT? YEAH. I JUST. YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A FEW THINGS TO THINK ABOUT.

I AM VERY MUCH, I THINK, GIVEN THE COMPRESSED TIMELINE AND AND WE OBVIOUSLY WANT TO DO A VERY THOROUGH SEARCH WITH A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PICK FROM THE BEST POOL.

I DO THINK AN INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE FOR US RIGHT NOW WHILE WE START MOVING FORWARD WITH THE PROCESS AND LOOKING AT THE BEST TIMING FOR THE ACTUAL CANDIDATE POOL. I REALLY WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR KILGORE FOR THE RESEARCH SHE DID AND SHARING ARTICLES AND INFORMATION ON THIS.

AND THEN KNOWING, NANCY, YOU SAID IT WAS LIKE 20 WEEKS AND WE'D KNOW.

I THINK IT'S AT LEAST A FOUR MONTH MONTH PROCESS DIRECTLY.

RIGHT.

YEAH SO THAT SO ALL THE FRONT LOADING WE DO, THEN WE HAVE OUR SEARCH FIRM, THEN WE DO THE THOROUGH SEARCH.

AND SO GIVEN THE COMMUNITY, THERE IS FROM THE NUMBER OF INPUT THAT WE'VE BEEN RECEIVING ON EMAIL AND FROM PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNITY INTEREST IN MAKING SURE THAT WE DO A THOROUGH SEARCH.

SO THIS THIS LEADS ME TO THE BEST THINKING.

THE BEST SOLUTION IS THE INTERIM START THE PROCESS AND THEN SO THAT WE'D HAVE, YOU KNOW, FALL-ISH, OUR SEARCH FIRM HIRED AND IN PLACE THAT SEEMS LIKE THE TIMELINE THAT MAKES SENSE IS THAT KIND OF WHAT I'M HEARING FROM FROM WHERE WE'RE TAKING THIS AND THE POINTS.

THAT'S CERTAINLY WHERE I WOULD BE LEANING.

SO THEN THE QUESTION I HAVE IS, DO WE WANT TO IN TO ASSIST US IN CHOOSING AN INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT.

DO WE WANT TO ENGAGE THE SERVICES OF ONE OF THE CONSULTING FIRMS? AND WHAT WOULD THAT COST? I'M NOT SURE.

FACE THAT. BUT I DID WANT TO POINT OUT, AS WE THINK ABOUT HIRING AN INTERIM VERSUS A PERMANENT RIGHT NOW, AND I CONCUR WITH WHAT I'M HEARING, WHICH IS THAT I THINK WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO DO THE RIGHT KIND OF SEARCH, NOR WOULD WE HAVE THE KIND OF FULL CANDIDATE POOL TO GIVE IT THE BEST POSSIBLE MATCH FOR OUR DISTRICT.

BUT WE RECEIVED A LOT OF EMAILS FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE REALLY ASKED US AND ARE SEEM QUITE DETERMINED THAT THEY WANT US TO HIRE A FULL TIME PERMANENT PERSON NOW.

AND MANY OF THEIR THEIR REASONING WITH REGARD TO THE RATIONALE FOR THIS HAS TO DO WITH THEIR CONCERN WITH OUR CONTINUING THE KIND OF WORK THAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT IN TERMS OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION, OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, MOMENTUM ON THE NUMBER OF INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE GOING ON.

AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN WE GET AN EXPERIENCED INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT, WE CAN KEEP, THAT'S A PERSON WHO CAN KEEP THE MOMENTUM ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN, KEEPING FOCUS ON WHAT MATTERS TO US.

AND I WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT IT'S THE BOARD THAT GIVES THE SUPERINTENDENT DIRECTION.

AND BECAUSE THE BOARD HAS THESE AS OUR HIGH PRIORITIES AND WE'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH DR.

BALDERAS AND THE OTHER STAFF IN TERMS OF CREATING A STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE ALL BUY INTO AND AGREE TO.

THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD GIVE AS A CHARGE TO WHOEVER MIGHT BE THE INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT, AS

[02:15:03]

SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT POINT AS WELL.

BUT TO SUMMARIZE WHERE WE ARE AT THIS POINT, IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S AGREEMENT THAT WE THINK WE SHOULD MAKE A PLAN TO HIRE AN INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT NOW, WITH THE IDEA OF IN THE FALL GOING STARTING THE THE PROCESS FOR A FULL TIME PERMANENT SUPERINTENDENT.

IS THAT TRUE? OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

SO THE NEXT FACTOR I THINK WE NEED TO CONSIDER THAT SOMETHING ELSE. AND AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC AND FROM STAFF IS A CONCERN ABOUT.

IF WE HIRE AN INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT, SHOULD THAT PERSON BE AN INTERNAL PERSON, SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN WORKING IN THE DISTRICT OR AN EXTERNAL PERSON, SOMEBODY WHO IS NOT CURRENTLY WORKING IN THE DISTRICT? AND SO AGAIN, I ASKED DIRECTOR KILGORE, WHEE MY BACK UP, TO TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON THAT AND TO SHARE WITH US THE FACTORS THAT WE MIGHT CONSIDER IN TERMS OF AN INTERNAL STAFF VERSUS AN EXTERNAL CANDIDATE.

THANK YOU. SO IN SORT OF DOING SOME RESEARCH ON INTERIM SUPERINTENDENTS, I LEARNED THAT THEY'RE OF COURSE, THE INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT COMES IN AND THERE'S A UNIQUE CONTEXT IN WHICH THEY COME IN.

THIS IS TRUE IN EDMONDS, BUT IT IS SIMILAR TO OTHER DISTRICTS.

FOR ONE THING, THEY DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY, THE WAIT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY WON'T BE HERE FOR VERY LONG.

SO THEY DON'T HAVE AS MUCH AUTHORITY AS A PERMANENT SUPERINTENDENT.

AND OF COURSE, FOR US, THEY'RE TAKING THE HELM DURING A TIME OF UNCERTAINTY AND STRESS, AND THAT'S TYPICALLY THE CASE.

THE COMMON WISDOM IS THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS LIKE OURS NEED A SEASONED PROFESSIONAL THAT IS SOMEONE WHO'S RUN A DISTRICT BEFORE.

THIS PERSON WOULD HAVE THE RELATIONAL SKILLS TO BRING FOCUS AND CALM TO OUR DISTRICT.

THEY SHOULD ALSO HAVE GOOD ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT AND MANAGERIAL SKILLS TO KEEP US GOING, TO KEEP OUR PRIORITIES, KEEP THE MOMENTUM FOR OUR PRIORITIES AS DR.

KATIMS DISCUSSED.

A STRONG INTERIM WOULD CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT OUR PRIORITIES, THE PROCESS, AND THAT THAT MEANS THE PROCESSES AND PROGRAMS THAT ARE THAT WE'VE STARTED UP THAT REFLECT OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, ENGAGEMENT AND EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING.

AN INTERIM APPOINTMENT IS NOT CONSIDERED BY THE RESOURCES THAT I LOOKED AT, IS NOT CONSIDERED A GOOD PROVING GROUND FOR SOMEONE WHO HASN'T RUN A DISTRICT BEFORE GIVEN THE UNIQUE INTERIM CONTEXT.

ON THE TOPIC OF INTERNAL VERSUS EXTERNAL CANDIDATES, MOST ADVICE THAT I VIEWED SUGGESTED THAT WE HIRE THE INTERIM FROM OUTSIDE.

THERE ARE THE POSITIVES OF HIRING AN INTERNAL CANDIDATE.

THAT CANDIDATE IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH OUR DISTRICT, OF COURSE, AND HAS SOME COMMUNITY TRUST. BUT THE DOWNSIDE OF AN INTERNAL HIRE IS THAT IT MAY CAUSE SOME STRIFE AMONG SENIOR STAFF, AND IT ALSO MAY DETER GOOD CANDIDATES FROM APPLYING FOR THE PERMANENT POSITION BECAUSE THEY THINK THE INSIDER HAS THE ADVANTAGE.

THE UPSIDE OF HIRING AN INTERNAL CANDIDATE, AS I SAID, THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF THE DISTRICT, THEIR ABILITY TO PROVIDE CONTINUITY, AND PERHAPS THEY'LL HAVE COMMUNITY CONFIDENCE.

SO THOSE THOSE ARE THE THEMES THAT I DISCOVERED IN MY BIT OF RESEARCH, LEARNING ABOUT INTERIMS VERSUS PERMANENT AND INTERNAL VERSUS EXTERNAL CANDIDATES.

THANK YOU. THAT WAS REALLY USEFUL.

DIRECTOR NOBLES, DO YOU HAVE COMMENTS OR.

I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENT ON THAT I APPRECIATE THAT I THINK THAT'S REALLY GOOD. OKAY.

DIRECTOR CHASE. THIS WAS VERY HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR US TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO GO ABOUT AN INTERIM CANDIDATE.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND SOME OF THESE ASPECTS ON THE INTERNAL VERSUS AN EXTERNAL CANDIDATE.

[02:20:01]

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? ALSO DIRECTOR KATIMS ON NEXT STEPS TO IF WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND HIRE AN INTERIM.

SO ONE THING I WOULD SAY IN TERMS OF THE QUESTION OF AN INTERNAL VERSUS AN EXTERNAL CANDIDATE IS WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION.

WE CAN SAY OTHER THAN SAYING WE'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO EVERY CANDIDATE WHO IS INTERESTED IN APPLYING AND TAKING IT FROM THERE.

SO MY PERSONAL OPINION HERE WOULD BE NOT TO LIMIT IT TO EITHER INTERNAL CANDIDATES OR LIMIT IT TO EXTERNAL CANDIDATES, BUT TO OPEN IT UP TO EVERYBODY WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN APPLYING AND CONSIDERING EVERYBODY A VIABLE CANDIDATE.

I THINK THAT'S REASONABLE.

SOUNDS LIKE AN EXCELLENT PLAN FOR MOVING FORWARD.

OKAY, SO WE'VE.

WE HAVE CONSENSUS ON THAT.

WE'D LIKE TO HIRE AN INTERIM AND THAT WE ARE GOING TO INCLUDE BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL CANDIDATES. AND NOW DIRECTOR CHASE, I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO YOUR QUESTION, WHICH YOU HAD POSED TO ME EARLIER, AND I DID RESEARCH FOR YOU ON THIS ONE ON WHETHER OR NOT WE FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD HAVE, HIRE A SEARCH FIRM WHO SPECIALIZES IN INTERIM CANDIDATES TO HELP US IN THIS OR IF WE WANT TO DO THE SEARCH ON OUR OWN.

AND WHAT DIRECTOR CHASE ASKED ME TO FIND OUT WAS BOTH A COST AND AN APPROXIMATE COST FOR HIRING SOME SEARCH FIRM TO DO THAT.

AND THE TIME FRAME THAT IT WOULD TAKE BECAUSE WE'RE STILL WITHIN WE'RE JUST ABOUT AT THE END OF MARCH.

WE HAVE A SPRING BREAK.

SO IT'S APRIL, MAY, JUNE MINUS SPRING BREAK.

SO WE HAVE THREE MONTHS AND WE CERTAINLY WOULD WANT TO HIRE SOMEONE IN TIME TO SPEND SOME ONBOARDING TIME WITH DR.

BALDERAS FOR TRANSITION TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE.

SO WHAT I LEARNED IS THIS.

AND I SHOULD SHARE WITH PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED NAMES FROM A VARIETY OF EDUCATIONAL PROFESSIONALS.

NAMES OF EXPERIENCED INTERIM SUPERINTENDENTS WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN WORKING HERE IN A SHORT TERM PERIOD.

WHEN I TALKED TO ACTUALLY, I WAS ABLE TO TALK TO TWO DIFFERENT SEARCH FIRMS FOR PEOPLE WHO REPRESENT TWO DIFFERENT SEARCH FIRMS. AND THE APPROXIMATE COST IS REALLY DEPENDENT ON WHAT WE WOULD NEED AND WANT FROM THEM.

SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WAS, WOULD WE AND THEY SAID THEY COULD MAKE A COUPLE OF CALLS AND PERHAPS FIND US THE PERFECT CANDIDATE AND IT WOULD BE FREE.

RIGHT. IT'S JUST LIKE A.

OR WE COULD DO A MUCH MORE COMPLETE.

AS WE COMPRESSED, I'LL USE VARIOUS TERM A COMPRESSED VERSION.

BUT IF WE WANT TO GO OUT AND ADVERTISE AND THAT IT WOULD OBVIOUSLY COST MORE DEPENDING ON HOW MANY, WHAT ARE THE SERVICES.

AND ANOTHER PIECE THAT WAS PART OF THEIR GIVING US AN ESTIMATE WAS WHETHER OR NOT WE WANTED TO PACKAGE THIS, MEANING IF WE HIRE THEM FOR THE INTERIM AND SAY WE COMMIT ALSO TO HIRING YOU FOR WHEN WE DO A FULL SEARCH, WE'RE GOING TO GET A BETTER DEAL.

SO THE THE COST RANGES THAT THEY GAVE US AND THIS IS COMPLETELY APPROXIMATE IN BALLPARK BUT WOULD RANGE FROM FREE IN THE CASE OF I'VE DONE A COUPLE OF PHONE CALLS AND HERE, IT'S A PERFECT PERSON. AND WE GO, YEAH, THE PERSON, WHATEVER, FROM THAT TO A MUCH MORE FULL VERSION IN TERMS OF WHATEVER THAT COULD BE UP TO $10,000 OR SO THAT GIVES YOU SORT OF THE RANGE WHICH STILL.

YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT HUGE.

I MEAN, IT'S NOT WHAT WE PLANNED, BUT IT'S NOT HUGE.

IN TERMS OF THE TIME FRAME, THEY SAID, OF COURSE, IT COULD BE VERY SHORT IF IT WAS THE TWO PHONE CALLS OR WHATEVER, BUT IT COULD TAKE UP TO 45 DAYS OR 60 DAYS, DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH INPUT WE WANT TO GET FROM ANY OF OUR STAKEHOLDER GROUPS.

AND SO WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT.

I KNOW WE PROBABLY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME INPUT FROM STAKEHOLDER GROUPS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT DOING THAT IN AN EFFICIENT WAY.

[02:25:01]

THINKING ABOUT HOW WHAT WE WANT TO DO IN TERMS OF HOW MANY PIECES OF THE PROCESS WE THINK WE NEED TO DO FOR THE INTERIM SEARCH.

WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK? I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY A LIMITED NUMBER OF HIGH QUALITY SUPERINTENDENTS THAT WANT TO THAT PROBABLY LIVE IN THIS REASONABLE AREA SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO MOVE ALL THE WAY FROM TEXAS TO BE HERE, WHICH I DON'T THINK I WANT SOMEBODY MOVING FROM TEXAS TO BE HERE FOR A YEAR. SO I THINK I WANT I, I THINK I HAVE A PREFERENCE FOR PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN SNOHOMISH COUNTY OR THE REASONABLY LOCAL AREA THAT COULD TAKE THE POSITION WITHOUT HAVING TO TOTALLY RELOCATE.

AND I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY A LIMITED NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THAT CATEGORY.

BUT IF OUR CONSULTANTS KNOW OF SOME WHICH THEY CONSIDER AS HIGH QUALITY.

I WOULD BE WILLING TO LOOK AT A FAIRLY LIMITED NUMBER OF QUALIFIED APPLICANTS.

BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT TOTALLY MAKES SENSE.

I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARY TO DO A FULL SEARCH, ADVERTISE THE POSITION, AND, AND YET I THINK I'M MORE COMFORTABLE FOR THIS WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FROM PEOPLE TO START RATHER THAN PUT AN RFP AND HAVE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE APPLY.

I DON'T I JUST I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WOULD WORK, BUT THAT SEEMS TO BE THE WAY I FEEL A LITTLE BIT COMFORTABLE.

SO I'M WILLING TO GO WITH ANYTHING.

AND WE COULD ALSO JUST GO WITH A SEARCH FIRM BASED ON THEIR REPUTATION AND NOT DO A FULL RFP FOR THE INTERIM.

THE QUESTION IS, THEN WE WOULD BE PAYING MORE, PROBABLY BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T GET THE PACKAGE. ON THE OTHER HAND, I KIND OF AGREE THAT THE INTERIM SHOULD BE LOCAL AND FOR THE PERMANENT WE MAY WANT TO DO A NATIONAL SEARCH.

SO WE MIGHT WANT A DIFFERENT KIND OF FIRM FOR THE INTERIM THAN WE WOULD FOR THE PERMANENT. WHAT DO YOU THINK? WELL, I WOULD AGREE WITH GARY THAT I DON'T THINK WE WANT TO DO A FULL BLOWN SEARCH FOR AN INTERIM. BUT WE DO.

WE DON'T WANT TO.

I MEAN, EVEN THOUGH THE INTERIM WILL BE HERE SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR, IT'S STILL A BIG DISTRICT AND IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT JOB.

SO I WOULDN'T WANT TO JUST YOU KNOW, TAKE A PHONE CALL AND SAY, OKAY, WE'LL TAKE THAT ONE, WHICH I DON'T IMAGINE THAT ANY OF US ARE INTENDING TO DO.

BUT THAT WE WOULD WANT.

I THINK THAT I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE.

I THINK SETTING UP A PACKAGE DEAL WITH A CONSULTANT.

BUT IF WE WANTED TO HIRE THEM TO DO THE BACKGROUND CHECKS, TO DO THE REFERENCE CHECKS AND THE THINGS LIKE THAT, AND MAYBE TO GIVE US A FEW NAMES, I WOULDN'T BE OPPOSED TO THAT.

BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT I FEEL COMFORTABLE IN THE COMPRESSED TIME FRAME NECESSARILY SETTING UP A PACKAGE DEAL. I DON'T THINK IT'S WORTH IT.

DIRECTOR CHASE.

YEAH. SO WHERE I AM WITH THIS IS MY INTEREST IN THIS IS THAT WE CONDUCT AS THOROUGH RESEARCH AS POSSIBLE GIVEN THE COMPRESSED TIME FRAME, DO IT IN A WAY THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN FOLLOW, WHICH IS TRANSPARENT, WITH AS MUCH ENGAGEMENT AS I SAID AS WE CAN DO.

AND I REALLY THINK THAT WE SHOULD HIRE PROFESSIONAL A PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT TO HELP US IN THAT PROCESS.

RIGHT NOW, THINKING ABOUT A PACKAGE DEAL.

WELL, THAT KIND OF LIKE I.

THAT ELIMINATES THE.

I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD DO A PACKAGE DEAL BECAUSE FOR THE FULL SEARCH, OUR INTENT IS TO GET US TO A POINT WHERE THE DISTRICT IS RUNNING WHILE WE CONDUCT THE FULL SEARCH IN THE MANNER THAT WE WANT TO, THE MANNER THAT OUR COMMUNITY WANTS US TO DO BOTH THINGS.

I THINK WE DO NEED SOME PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE IN EITHER WAY.

AND IT MAY BE THAT IT'S IT'S QUICK AND IT MAY NOT BE AS QUICK.

IT MAY BE THE FULL 60 DAYS.

BUT BUT I'M IN FAVOR OF GETTING THE PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR US, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE MAY HAVE BEEN THROUGH A NUMBER OF SUPERINTENDENT SEARCHES, THERE ARE ALWAYS THINGS

[02:30:03]

SO I WOULD LIKE TO GET SOME PROFESSIONAL ADVICE ON THIS FOR THE INTERIM AND THEN ALSO NOT THINK ABOUT ANY PACKAGE DEALS UNTIL BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DONE THE FULL SEARCH YET.

RIGHT. I MEAN, IT MAY BE THAT WHOEVER WE HIRE AS AN INTERIM DOES END UP APPLYING FOR THE FULL TIME POSITION.

BUT I THINK THEY WOULD NEED TO GO THROUGH THE THOROUGH VETTING PROCESS THAT OUR DISTRICT WANTS BEFORE WE MAKE ANY FINAL DECISION THERE.

THANK YOU. AND AS I THINK ABOUT THIS AND LISTEN TO WHAT YOU ALL ARE SAYING, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT OCCUR TO ME.

SO I LEAN TOWARD WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING, KAREN, THAT.

A PROFESSIONAL FIRM COULD DO A COUPLE OF THINGS FOR US.

ONE IS, I THINK THEY MIGHT HAVE ACCESS TO MORE PEOPLE THAN WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND FROM OUR YOU KNOW, PUTTING OUT OUR WORD.

BUT SOMETHING ELSE THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT IS THE CONTRACT FOR THAT PERSON WILL BE DIFFERENT THAN A TYPICAL CONTRACT FOR A FULL TIME SUPERINTENDENT.

AND AS FAR AS I KNOW, THIS DISTRICT HASN'T HIRED AN INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT FOR AT LEAST 30 YEARS.

WHEN I WENT BACK IN MY MIND THINKING ABOUT THE VARIOUS SUPERINTENDENTS THAT I'M AWARE OF, AND A SEARCH FIRM COULD GIVE US ADVICE ON DEVELOPING A STRONG CONTRACT FOR THE INTERIM CANDIDATE. SO I GUESS I LEAN TOWARD HAVING A PROFESSIONAL HELPING IF AT LEAST FOR SOME ASPECTS OF THIS, BUT TRYING TO KEEP IT LIMITED.

I SEE SHAKING OF HEADS HERE.

AND, KAREN, THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID.

SO THAT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING ELSE WE'VE AGREED ON.

MM HMM. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. SO I'M GOING TO SUMMARIZE AND ASK IF I'VE GOTTEN IT RIGHT.

AND IF NOT, LET ME KNOW OR OTHER IDEAS THAT YOU HAVE BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE WE ARE GOING TO HIRE AN INTERIM FOR THE SHORT TERM AND PLAN TO HAVE A PERMANENT SUPERINTENDENT AND DO A COMPLETE FULL SEARCH STARTING IN THE FALL FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

UNLESS WE COULD GET THEM IN SIX MONTHS, WHICH WE DON'T KNOW, THAT'S ALWAYS AN OPTION, THAT WE WILL INCLUDE BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL CANDIDATES, AND THAT WE WILL SEEK THE SERVICES OF A PROFESSIONAL SEARCH FIRM TO HELP US WITH THE INTERIM SEARCH.

AND WE'LL JUST WORK OUT WITH THEM WHAT WE WANT THEM TO DO VERSUS WHAT WE FEEL LIKE WE CAN'T GET DONE IN THE TIME FRAME.

ANY ADDITIONS? CORRECTIONS? SOUNDS GOOD. I THINK THAT.

GO AHEAD. THAT IS, NANCY, I THINK THAT THAT IS IN AGREEMENT WITH WHAT I WHAT I.

YOU RESTATED WHAT I THINK IS A GREAT WAY FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING REALLY CLEAR ON HIRING AN INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT ALLOWS US TO DO THE FULL, THOROUGH SEARCH THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN SHARING THAT THEY WANT US TO DO, AND JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S CLEAR.

AND IT MIGHT BE THAT WE WANT TO SHARE SOME OF THE RESOURCES THAT DIRECTOR KILGORE FOUND, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION OUT THERE IF YOU THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO SHARE IN THE MINUTES. OKAY? YEAH, SURE. I'LL SEND THE RESOURCES TO ALLISON, AND MAYBE YOU CAN ATTACH THEM TO OUR MINUTES. OKAY.

SO I THINK WE HAVE A PLAN.

WOO HOO! I REALLY THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH BECAUSE THIS IS DIFFICULT, BUT I THINK WE'RE DOING THIS IN A LOGICAL, ANALYTICAL AND REASONABLE WAY.

WITH THE GOAL TO STILL COMPLETELY PROTECT OUR DISTRICT, TO MAKE SURE WE CONTINUE TO HAVE STRONG LEADERSHIP WHO WILL CONTINUE THE WORK THAT WE HAVE STARTED AND WILL.

RESPECT WHAT WE AS A DISTRICT CARE ABOUT IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE EVERY STUDENT FEELS INCLUDED. EVERY STUDENT FEELS LIKE THEY BELONG.

AND THAT WE WILL CONTINUE ON A MOVEMENT OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT ACROSS OUR SCHOOLS AND THE DISTRICT. SO ALLISON, DID WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENTS, ANYBODY? INDICATED NO, SO WE'RE GOOD ON THAT.

[16. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]

[02:35:01]

AND I'M GOING TO START WITH OUR WONDERFUL STUDENTS AND I WANT TO THANK THE THREE OF YOU FOR BEING HERE. LIA DO YOU WANT TO START? LET ME LIKE REFLECT ON BEING A PART OF THE MUSIC PROGRAM.

ONE THING THAT I REALIZED THAT IT HAS GIVEN ME IS STABILITY.

THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY NEEDED AS A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, NOW BEING A SENIOR. LOOKING BACK, IT REALLY HELPED ME I GUESS WITH THE MOTIVATION TO CONTINUE WITH SCHOOLING AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW? SO YEAH.

THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR ALL THE PRESENTATIONS AND SO EXCITED TO BE HERE IN PERSON FINALLY. YEAH.

I GOT TO SAY, IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU GUYS IN PERSON.

RITIKA.

YEAH. FIRST OF ALL, IT'S REALLY STRANGE TO BE IN PERSON APPARENTLY, THERE ARE PEOPLE BEHIND ZOOM. THAT'S STRANGE.

DR. BALDERAS, I ECHO WHAT DIRECTOR KATIMS SAID.

IT'S EXTREMELY SAD TO SEE THAT EMAIL GO OUT.

DIDN'T REALIZE YOU WERE GOING TO GRADUATE WITH THIS YEAR'S SENIORS.

DECIDED TO JOIN THAT PARTY.

REGARDING THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH, I KNOW HOW INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT IT IS FOR SUPERINTENDENT LEADERSHIP AND THE LEADERSHIP THAT SUPERINTENDENTS PROVIDE.

THE DISTRICT IS SO SIGNIFICANT.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAVE BEEN ONE TO THE OTHER, TO THE [INAUDIBLE] TO THE OTHER. IT FEELS LIKE. AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH ONE OF OUR LIKE ONE OF MY ADVISORS.

AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW THE DISTRICT HAS SO MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE FANTASTIC EDUCATORS AND FANTASTIC LEADERS AND EVEN JUST SO MANY ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS ALONE IN THE DISTRICT THAT HAVE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB AND WHO HAVE DONE SO MUCH FOR THE DISTRICT ALREADY AND ARE SO INCREDIBLY INVESTED.

AND SO I AGREE WITH DR.

KATIMS IN THE SENSE OF PROVIDING THOSE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD AS MUCH AS EXTERNAL.

BECAUSE WHILE THERE IS THAT ISSUE OF SENIOR STAFF AND THE STUFF THAT WAS BROUGHT UP, THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF TALENT, A LOT OF SKILL, A LOT OF EXPERIENCE.

I MEAN, I LOOK AT LOOKING AT [INAUDIBLE] LITERALLY HAVING DONE A PRINCIPAL AT A WORD WHATEVER, PRINCIPAL ING AT [INAUDIBLE] FOR AS MANY YEARS AS YOU DID AND THEN DOING AND THEN SERVING AS ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT.

THOSE ARE LEADERSHIP ROLES AND EXPERIENCES AND RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE ALSO INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, THAT ARE WORTH LOOKING AT, TOO.

AND SO I THINK THIS IS A HUGE SEARCH, IS A HUGE UNDERTAKING.

BUT I ALSO KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THE LEADERSHIP IS TO HAVING WHETHER WE HAVE AN INTERIM INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT AND THEN SWITCHING OVER TO LIKE OUR FULL TIME SUPERINTENDENT, THE LONGEVITY OF THAT LEADERSHIP AND HAVING THAT THOSE PEOPLE IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

AND I THINK UTILIZING ALL THE INTERNAL DISTRICT TALENT THAT WE HAVE IS ALSO INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. SO I DID WANT TO SAY THAT AND THEN AGAIN, JUST IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE IN PERSON. IT FEELS LIKE THINGS ARE GOING BACK TO NORMAL, WHICH IS VERY STRANGE AND IT WAS INCREDIBLY NICE TO GET THE MUSIC PRESENTATIONS.

I WAS I'VE BEEN IN THE CHOIR WORLD, IN THE ORCHESTRA WORLD, AND THE ONLY REASON I HAVEN'T BEEN IN THE BAND WORLD IS BECAUSE I COULDN'T GET ANYTHING OUT OF THE TO COME OUT OF A FLUTE OR A TRUMPET.

BUT IT'S I MISS IT A LOT.

AND I HOPE THAT THE DISTRICT CONTINUES TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE MUSIC PROGRAMS BECAUSE THEY'RE SO INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

AND MR. ONISHI AND MS. STEVENSON ARE SOME OF THE BEST OUT THERE TO DO THAT.

SO THAT WAS REALLY COOL. THANK YOU SO MUCH, ISABEL.

OKAY. YEAH, I DEFINITELY AGREE ABOUT HAVING LIKE AN INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT.

I THINK THAT'S THE BEST OPTION.

SOUNDS LIKE THE BEST OPTION.

AND DR. BALDERAS WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO MISS YOU.

BUT ALSO YOUR NEXT SCHOOL DISTRICT IS VERY LUCKY TO HAVE YOU AND THE LYNNWOOD HIGH SCHOOL MUSIC PROGRAM, THEIR PRESENTATION OR THEIR PERFORMANCE WAS REALLY LIKE YOU REMINDED REALLY SHOWED HOW THE MUSIC PROGRAMS CAN BE A FORM OF A REALLY IMPORTANT COMMUNITY WITHIN EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL.

AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE PRESENTATIONS.

DEFINITELY LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THE SBA.

AND I WANT TO SHARE SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY EYE OPENING IN ONE OF MY [INAUDIBLE] THAT'S

[02:40:01]

SO WE DID THIS ACTIVITY WHERE STUDENTS PUT STICKY NOTES UNDER CATEGORIES INDICATING THEIR PARENTS LEVEL OF EDUCATION, AS WELL AS THE SUPPORT THAT THE STUDENTS GOT FROM THEIR PARENTS FOR SCHOOL AND THE SUPPORT THAT THE STUDENTS FELT THEY GOT RECEIVED FROM THEIR TEACHERS. AND IT WAS REALLY EYE OPENING AND DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT I WAS BLINDED TO BEFORE BECAUSE THESE WERE 20 OR 20 HISPANIC STUDENTS AND OUT OF THOSE 20, ONLY ONE HAD PARENTS, HAD BOTH PARENTS WHO RECEIVED A MASTER'S DEGREE OR HIGHER, AND MOST HAD PARENTS WHO HAD ONLY GRADUATED MIDDLE SCHOOL, IF NOT ONLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

AND THAT WAS JUST REALLY EYE OPENING BECAUSE THAT KIND OF LIKE SHOWS WHICH STUDENTS WE REALLY NEED TO TARGET FOR THAT ADDITIONAL LIKE COLLEGE AND CAREER AND GRADUATION SUPPORT AND ADDITIONAL SCHOOL SUPPORT BECAUSE THEY AREN'T SURROUNDED BY LIKE EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS, LIKE A LOT OF LIKE A LOT OF US, LIKE PRIVILEGED STUDENTS ARE.

SO THAT WAS REALLY EYE OPENING, SEEING HOW MANY STUDENTS PARENTS HAD ONLY REACHED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THEN AFTER THAT HAD TO WORK.

AND THAT'S BOTH THEIR PARENTS.

AND THEN ALSO SEEING THAT THOSE STUDENTS, OBVIOUSLY, THEY DON'T RECEIVE AS MUCH SUPPORT FOR SCHOOL FROM THEIR PARENTS.

AND THEN ALSO SEEING THAT THEY FEEL THAT THEY DON'T RECEIVE SUPPORT FROM THESE STAFF MEMBERS EITHER, WHICH WAS PRETTY SAD.

SO I FEEL LIKE THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON IMPROVING BECAUSE THAT'S DEFINITELY A MAJOR GAP.

AND YEAH, BUT THANK YOU.

IT'S DEFINITELY GREAT TO SEE EVERYONE IN PERSON AS WELL.

THIS IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN BEING ONLINE.

YEAH, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT HAD REPORTS TODAY PARTICULARLY.

I WAS REALLY I THOUGHT THE COVID REPORT WAS INTERESTING AND I'M THRILLED THAT THE COUNTS HAVE GONE DOWN, EVEN THOUGH THE MASK REQUIREMENTS HAVE GONE AWAY.

BUT OUR COUNTS ARE STILL GOING DOWN, WHICH I THOUGHT MIGHT NOT HAPPEN.

SO THAT'S THAT'S THRILLING.

I WANT TO THANK HIGH SCHOOL AND THEIR MUSIC PROGRAM FOR COMING TO VISIT US.

AMY STEVENSON AND [INAUDIBLE] JUST DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB OF GROWING THIS PROGRAM SINCE MY CHILDREN WERE IN IT.

THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB. AND I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO HOLLYWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL ALSO FOR THEIR MUSIC PROGRAM, BECAUSE THEY ARE PROVIDING A HIGH QUANTITY OF REALLY HIGH QUALITY STUDENTS FEEDING INTO THE PROGRAM.

SO THEY'VE HAD A BIG PART IN THE GROWTH OF THE PROGRAM IN HIGH SCHOOL.

SO ALL OF [INAUDIBLE] MIDDLE, YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB, TOO.

I AM ALSO A TRUSTEE FOR THE FOUNDATION FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND I JUST WANT TO PUT A BIG SHUTOUT, SHOUT OUT TO THEM AND THE COMMUNITY FOR SUPPORTING THEM.

LAST FRIDAY WE HAD A OUR ANNUAL BREAKFAST LIKE LAST YEAR WITH VIRTUAL.

SO HOW DO YOU DO AN ANNUAL BREAKFAST ON ZOOM? WELL, THEY DID IT AND THEY MANAGED TO BRING IN $179,000 FROM OUR COMMUNITY.

AND THIS IS MONEY THAT GOES DIRECTLY BACK TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT TO HELP WITH OUR PROGRAMS AND SCHOLARSHIPS AND EVERYTHING.

SO JUST A FANTASTIC COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND SUPPORTING THEM MEANS OUR COMMUNITY IS SUPPORTING US TOO.

SO IT'S A REALLY, REALLY GOOD NEWS STORY AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THANK YOU. AND I AGREE.

I WENT TO THE FOUNDATION BREAKFAST DIRECTOR CHASE. I WAS HAPPY TO JOIN ALL OF YOU AT THE FOUNDATION BREAKFAST.

BUT I DIDN'T WIN THE RAFFLE, SO THE FOUNDATION GIVES A RAFFLE TICKET OUT AND IT'S FOR A PLANE TICKET. SO WE'RE ALL ANXIOUSLY WATCHING OUR TICKETS AND OUR BASKETS.

AND I WANT TO SHARE THAT IT IS VERY NICE TO SEE ALL OF YOU MEETING IN PERSON.

SO SOON SOON I'LL BE ABLE TO JOIN YOU ONCE THIS ANKLE HEALS UP.

AND THEN I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYBODY AT THE BOARDROOM.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THE DIALOG TONIGHT AND THE UPDATES AND THE PRESENTATIONS AND I DO REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THIS SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH BECAUSE IT'S AN EXCELLENT WAY FOR US TO DO A TOUCHPOINT AND ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE FEEDBACK WE GET ON WHAT FOLKS ARE LOOKING FOR IN A SUPERINTENDENT KIND OF ALLOWS US TO SEE HOW WE AS A DISTRICT ARE DOING FROM A VARIETY OF STAKEHOLDERS THAT WE MAY NOT OFTEN HEAR FROM.

AND SPEAKING OF FOLKS THAT I DON'T HEAR FROM OFTEN, I PERIODICALLY ATTEND EACH MEETINGS AND I DID. SO LAST NIGHT WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE WORK THAT THIS GROUP IS DOING AND

[02:45:02]

AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR NEXT MEETING AND AND MOVING FORWARD.

THANKS. THANKS, KAREN, AND THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING THE EACH MEETING.

I NEARLY ALWAYS GO TO THEM, BUT YESTERDAY WAS ACTUALLY MY HUSBAND'S AND MY ANNIVERSARY AND I TOLD HIM I WOULD SPEND THE EVENING WITH HIM.

HE HASN'T SEEN MUCH OF ME, SO I'M REALLY GLAD WE HAD BOARD REPRESENTATION THERE.

I REALLY APPRECIATED ALL THE REPORTS FROM ALL THE STAFF.

BUT I PARTICULARLY WANT TO THANK MY BOARD COLLEAGUES.

WE ARE NAVIGATING SOME DIFFICULT TIMES FOR US RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE UNEXPECTED AND WORKING WITH A TEAM LIKE YOU ALL WHO ARE THOUGHTFUL AND COLLABORATIVE AND CARING FOR ME AS THE PERSON WHO ENDED UP UNFORTUNATELY, IN THIS SEAT DURING THIS PARTICULAR TIME.

I JUST REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE SUPPORT AND TEAMWORK AND THOUGHTFULNESS THAT YOU BRING TO THE WORK THAT WE DO.

AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DR.

BALDERAS. AND I'LL BE BRIEF IN MY COMMENT.

CAN I ACTUALLY INTERJECT FOR A MINUTE.

I DIDN'T GET MY CHANCE.

AND I JUST WANT TO.

YES, YOU DO. [LAUGHTER] BUT I DON'T.

ALL I WANTED TO SAY WAS I JUST REALLY LOVED SEEING LYNNWOOD HIGH SCHOOL BAND HERE.

OR ORCHESTRA MEMBERS OF THE ORCHESTRA.

IT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.

KIND OF BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES, AND I'M JUST SO HAPPY FOR US TO BE BACK IN PERSON AND ENGAGED. IT MAKES SUCH A DIFFERENCE.

SO THANK YOU. I AM SO SORRY.

BEEN LONG STANDING WHERE WE'VE WORKED ON A STRATEGIC PLAN THAT FOCUS ON INTENTIONAL ACCESS, OPPORTUNITY, INCLUSION, SO THAT EVERY STUDENT BELONGS.

AND WE'VE DONE THAT VERY, VERY WELL.

START OFF WITH CHRIS MCDUFFIE AND PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION AND THIS BOARD'S FRAMED IT.

AND WHAT I JUST REALLY HONOR AND RESPECT THE COMMENTS THAT FOLKS HAD EARLY ON REGARDING A STUDENTS IN CLASSROOMS BECAUSE THIS IS A NATIONAL ISSUE NOT JUST HERE IN EDMONDS.

TALKING TO COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WHICH I BELONG TO, A FEW GROUPS OF SUPERINTENDENTS FROM NEW YORK STATE TO FLORIDA TO TEXAS TO HERE IS THERE'S BEEN DISRUPTION IN CLASSROOMS BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN IN A PANDEMIC.

KIDS HAVE COME BACK.

I'M LOOKING AT THE KIDS SHAKING THEIR HEADS.

WE'VE COME BACK AND THERE'S BEEN ISSUES IN SCHOOLS AND THIS HAS BEEN A TRAUMA THAT'S BEEN UNEXPECTED AND IN NO BLAME OF A STUDENT NOR STAFF.

IT'S JUST HAPPENED.

WE'VE ADJUSTED AS BEST WE COULD.

WE'VE ADJUSTED AS BEST WE COULD.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS IS WITH 21,000 KIDS, 500 KIDS, WE HAVE 56% OF OUR KIDS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS. 56% OF OUR KIDS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS.

WE HAVE OVER 500 KIDS THAT ARE UNHOUSED, MEANING THEY'RE HOMELESS.

OVER 500 KIDS THAT ARE UNHOUSED AND ARE HOMELESS.

36% OR SO OF OUR KIDS RECEIVE FREE MEALS.

ALL THAT TO SAY IS WE DON'T PICK THE KIDS THAT COME TO OUR CLASSROOMS. WE DO NOT TAKE THE KIDS THAT COME INTO OUR CLASSROOMS. EVERY KID HAS A RIGHT TO A FREE AND APPROPRIATE EDUCATION.

SO WE DON'T BLAME KIDS FOR ADULT BEHAVIORS OR SYSTEM BEHAVIORS.

DO NOT BLAME KIDS FOR ADULT BEHAVIORS OR SYSTEM BEHAVIORS.

LET THE ADULTS FIX IT.

IF WE CAN, WE WILL.

WE WILL FIX IT.

BUT DO NOT BLAME STUDENTS FOR THEIR MISBEHAVIOR.

DON'T BLAME THEIR PARENTS.

WE DON'T PICK THE KIDS.

WE'RE IN A WE'RE PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LEARNED A LONG TIME AGO IS WE NEED TO FIX THE SYSTEM AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO FIX THE SYSTEM.

AND WE HAVE THE STAFF TO DO SO.

WORKING TOGETHER IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR ASSOCIATION PARTNERS.

BECAUSE WE NEED TO DO THAT.

WE NEED TO DO THAT.

WE NEED TO LOOK AT ALL THE ASPECTS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED.

GENERAL EDUCATION.

SPECIAL EDUCATION.

ALL EDUCATION.

I THINK WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB DOING THE BEST WE CAN DURING WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE'VE EVER DONE DURING A PANDEMIC, LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY.

WE'VE BEEN DOING THE BEST WE'VE EVER DONE DURING A PANDEMIC.

IT'S JUST BEEN REALLY, REALLY DIFFICULT FOR FOLKS.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S WE DO NOT PICK THE KIDS THAT COME INTO OUR SYSTEM BECAUSE OUR KIDS ARE GOING TO BE MORE AND MORE IN NEED.

AND I'M GLAD THAT LEGISLATION IS PROVIDING MORE FUNDING FOR SOCIAL EMOTIONAL WELLNESS FOR

[02:50:05]

BECAUSE THE THING THIS HAS BEEN A TRAUMA FOR STAFF AS WELL.

I MEAN, ALL STAFF IS THIS HAS BEEN VERY, VERY DIFFICULT.

WE'VE HAD TEACHERS LEAVE THE SYSTEM IN GREAT NUMBERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND WASHINGTON STATE IS NO DIFFERENT TALKING TO PEOPLE, SO OTHER COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE SYSTEM.

AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TAKING CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES AS BEST WE CAN WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE DO HAVE AND SEE HOW WE CAN EXPAND THE SUPPORTS FOR STAFF, INCLUDING ADDITIONAL WAITS FOR A PARA PROS.

THAT'S BEEN STATED. I KNOW THAT HR IS WORKING HARD ON THAT, TRYING TO BE FULLY STAFFED FOR NEXT YEAR, BUT ALSO WHAT ELSE IS NEEDED IN TERMS OF MENTAL WELLNESS FOR OUR STAFF AND KIDS. DO WE NEED MORE COUNSELORS, SOCIAL WORKERS? DO WE NEED MORE SUPPORTS OUTSIDE OF OUR CURRENT SYSTEM? THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO ASSESS.

BUT AGAIN, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE WORK AHEAD HERE AND THE PLAN OF ACTION AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN.

THERE'S A LOT OF WORK YET TO DO, BUT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK THAT OUR SCHOOL STAFF HAVE DONE, OUR PRINCIPALS HAVE DONE, AND OUR SENIOR STAFF HAVE DONE THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM, AS WELL AS EVERY OTHER SUPPORT STAFF.

AGAIN, TO BE SHORT, A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN I WANTED TO, BUT I GET A LITTLE PASSION IN TERMS OF WHEN I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF KIDS IN NEED AND WE NEED TO FIND THE RIGHT HOMES FOR THEM. SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, DR. BALDERAS.

AND THE LAST ITEM BEFORE WE ADJOURN IS, ARE THERE ANY ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION THAT THE

[17. ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION AT FUTURE MEETINGS]

SO KIND OF IN LINE WITH THAT.

OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY. WELL, YOU KNOW HOW WE CAN ALWAYS ADD THINGS? LET ME KNOW. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE THROUGH A VERY LONG MEETING.

AND THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.