Apr 12, 2022 Board Meeting

THIS REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING OF THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS CALLED

[00:00:05]

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

DIRECTOR NOBLE PRESENT.

DIRECTOR CHASE, HERE.

DIRECTOR KILGORE, PRESENT AND DIRECTOR KATIMS. AND I'M HERE. AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, DIRECTOR CHASE IS VIRTUAL TONIGHT BECAUSE SHE HAS AN ISSUE THAT KEEPS HER FROM BEING NON WEIGHT BEARING.

AND WE WISH THAT YOUR FOOT GETS BETTER VERY QUICKLY.

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 SDOHOBSH PEOPLE AND THEIR SUCCESSORS.

THE TULALIP TRIBES WHO IS TIME IMMEMORIAL, HAVE TAKEN CARE OF HUNTED, FISHED AND GATHERED ON THESE LANDS.

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

BY ACKNOWLEDGING THESE HOMELANDS, WE COMMIT TO WORKING WITH TRIBAL NATIONS TO FURTHER THE EDUCATION AIMS THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED IN OUR CLASSROOMS AND IN OUR SCHOOLS.

THANK YOU. PLEASE STAND AND JOIN ME IN THE FLAG SALUTE.

[4. FLAG SALUTE-6:35 pm]

THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL FOR OUR AGENDA TONIGHT.

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

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE, AYE.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY.

ANYBODY WHO IS ABSTAINING AND THE MOTION PASSES AND THE AGENDA IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.

NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A REPORT FROM DR.

[6. SUPERINTENDENT REPORT-6:40 pm]

I KNOW THAT WE'RE INVESTIGATING THE BEGINNING OF A PROGRAM AT THE WOODWAY CENTER TO SUPPORT OUR MOST IMPACTED STUDENTS.

I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK TO SEE IF WE CAN GET THIS PROGRAM STARTED, IF WE CAN GET THE RIGHT STAFFING, THE RIGHT STAFFING IN PLACE.

SO SINCE 2018, 2019, WE'VE USED 13 CONTRACT PLACEMENT PROVIDERS, EARLY AVERAGE, ROUGHLY BETWEEN 15 AND 27 STUDENTS EARLY IN THOSE PROGRAMS. AND WHAT WE HAVE IN DIFFICULTY THIS YEAR IS HAVING SLOTS FOR THESE CONTRACTED SERVICES FOR OUR KIDS OUTSIDE BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF ABILITY FOR THESE CONTRACT SERVICE PROVIDERS TO TAKE ON MORE KIDS.

EVERYBODY'S DEALING WITH THE SAME THINGS WE'RE WORKING WITH, INCLUDING STAFFING SHORTAGES. SO THAT'S NO DIFFERENT IN THE OUTSIDE.

AND OTHER DISTRICTS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING.

SO SOME BEHAVIORS IN SCHOOLS HAVE ESCALATED BECAUSE WE RETURNED TO COVID SINCE COVID STARTED AND RETURNED TO IN-PERSON CLASSROOMS. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S ALSO BEING IMPACTED ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS OUR KIDDOS, ESPECIALLY THE YOUNGER AGE, THEY'VE BEEN 24 TO 25 MONTHS AWAY FROM YOUR TYPICAL SETTING AND IT HAS BEEN DISRUPTIVE.

SO ALSO SEEN SOME OF THAT ACROSS THE COUNTRY AT THE MIDDLE LEVEL ACTUALLY AT ALL LEVELS, BUT PARTICULARLY IN THE EARLY GRADE LEVELS, ALSO THE MIDDLE LEVELS AND ALL DISTRICTS ARE CONTINUING TO TRY TO PRESS TOWARD THIS RESOLUTION AND RESOLVE THIS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE THROUGH INTERVENTIONS INTERNALLY.

AGAIN, AND CONTRACT PLACEMENTS ARE TYPICALLY TRANSITIONAL.

SO THEY THESE ARE PROGRAM PLACEMENTS THAT ARE THE GOAL IS TO HAVE THE KIDS COME BACK TO THEIR HOME SCHOOLS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT IT'S JUST NOT DONE UNILATERALLY.

THESE ARE DONE USING DATA INPUT FROM AND PERMISSION FROM THE FAMILIES AND GUARDIANS IN ALL CASES AGAIN.

AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP THE BOARD INFORMED ON THESE PLACEMENTS BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS PROGRAM AT WOOD WASTE CENTER AND SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE AGAIN, WE RIGHT NOW ARE TRYING TO FIND THE RIGHT STAFF TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THAT PROGRAM.

WE'VE HAD A REALLY GOOD PRESENTATION EARLIER IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS WITH REGARDS TO STUDENTS COMING FROM REFUGEES FROM AFGHAN THAT WE HAVE IN OUR SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW AND REALLY WANT TO APPLAUD OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR EQUITY DEPARTMENT SPECIFICALLY TO THAT HAVE

[00:05:05]

WE DO HAVE QUITE A FEW STUDENTS FROM UKRAINE AND ALSO FROM RUSSIA, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THOSE KIDS AS WELL IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH, AND THEIR DIFFERENT TRAUMAS. BUT AND THOSE FAMILIES AND WE DO EXPECT DOWN THE ROAD TO BE ABLE TO GETTING ADDITIONAL REFUGEES FROM OTHER COUNTRIES, SUCH AS UKRAINE, COMING INTO OUR SYSTEM AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR OUTSIDE PROVIDERS OR AGENCIES TO SUPPORT THOSE KIDS AS WE GO THROUGH THESE DIFFICULT TIMES.

BUT AGAIN, NO MORE DIFFICULT TIMES THAN ARE HAPPENING IN SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE WORLD RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, DR. BALDERAS.

THE NEXT THING ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF MINUTES.

[7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES-6:45 pm]

DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE MINUTES? I MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND, I'VE HEARD A MOTION TO APPROVE AND A SECOND FOR THE MINUTES OF THE MARCH 15TH STUDY SESSION.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I'M 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. MADAM CHAIR, I AM ABSTAINING.

I WAS NOT AT THE MEETING.

THANK YOU, DIRECTOR CHASE.

THAT'S CORRECT.

SO THE MOTION PASSES AND THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 15TH STUDY SESSION ARE APPROVED AS WRITTEN NEXT TO THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 17TH SPECIAL MEETING.

DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE? MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND, I'VE HEARD A MOTION TO APPROVE AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 17TH SPECIAL SESSION SPECIAL MEETING.

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 FROM THE MARCH 17TH STUDY SESSION, SPECIAL SESSION ARE APPROVED.

NEXT, WE HAVE THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 22ND STUDY SESSION.

DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED, I SECOND.

I'VE HEARD A MOTION TO APPROVE AND A SECOND FOR THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 22ND STUDY SESSION. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE, AYE.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED NAY.

ANY ABSTENTIONS? I ABSTAIN. THANK YOU AND THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 22ND STUDY SESSION ARE APPROVED, AND THE LAST SET OF MINUTES IS FROM THE MARCH 22ND BUSINESS MEETING.

THE REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING.

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED, I SECOND.

I'VE HEARD A MOTION TO APPROVE AND A SECOND FOR THE MARCH 22ND BUSINESS MEETING MINUTES.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SO I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE, AYE.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY.

ANY ABSTENTIONS? I ABSTAIN. THANK YOU AND THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 22ND REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING ARE APPROVED. NEXT, WE HAVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

[8. CONSENT AGENDA-7:00 pm]

OR IF THERE'S DISCUSSION AND WE WANT TO SEPARATE THEM, WE CAN.

TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA HAS TEN ITEMS ON IT.

SEVEN ARE FIELD TRIPS, ALL FOR HIGH SCHOOLS, AND MANY OF THEM FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING TO SPECIAL CHAMPIONSHIP KINDS OF COMPETITIONS THAT THEY'VE QUALIFIED FOR.

SO WE'RE PROUD OF ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.

ONE OF THEM IS A LISTING OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING DATES FOR NEXT YEAR.

AND THEN THE 10TH ITEM IS THE PERSONNEL AGENDA ACTIONS, PERSONNEL ACTIONS FOR THIS MONTH.

DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? MOVE TO APPROVE, I SECOND.

I'VE HEARD A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AND A SECOND.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION?

[00:10:04]

AND WE WILL MISS HER GREATLY AND APPRECIATE HER SERVICE.

WE HAVE HER UNTIL THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, BUT.

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO DEBBY.

SO I'VE HEARD A MOTION, RIGHT, AND A SECOND TO APPROVE.

AND THAT WAS MY POINT IN THE DISCUSSION.

SO I DON'T LOSE TRACK.

SO 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 IS APPROVED.

NEXT ON THE AGENDA ARE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

[9. PUBLIC COMMENTS-7:10 pm]

THOSE SUBMITTING PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR BOARD MEETING ARE ALLOWED TO EITHER GIVE THEIR COMMENT NOW IN PERSON HERE BECAUSE WE'RE BACK IN PERSON, OR THEY MAY READ THEIR COMMENTS VIRTUALLY BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE.

THANKS TO THE PANDEMIC, ONE OF THE FEW THINGS WE CAN THANK THE PANDEMIC FOR THE TECHNOLOGY TO BE ABLE TO DO COMMENTS VIRTUALLY.

OR THEY MAY CHOOSE TO SUBMIT THEIR COMMENTS IN WRITING TO BE ATTACHED TO THE PUBLIC MINUTES OF THE MEETING.

SO THERE ARE MANY WAYS WE ALSO ACCEPT ANY WRITTEN COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS AT ANY TIME THROUGH EMAIL AS WELL.

AND WE READ EACH COMMENT AND EMAIL THAT WE RECEIVE AND WE APPRECIATE THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT IT TAKES FOR PEOPLE TO COMMUNICATE TO US.

WHILE WE ENCOURAGE AND APPRECIATE PUBLIC COMMENTS, WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO 3 MINUTES.

IF A COMMENT BECOMES TOO LENGTHY, I MAY NEED TO INTERRUPT IN ORDER TO ALLOW EACH PERSON EQUAL TIME.

WE ALSO ASK THOSE WHO ARE MAKING A PUBLIC COMMENT DURING A BOARD MEETING TO PLEASE MAKE THEIR STATEMENTS IN A CIVIL MANNER.

SO TONIGHT WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO'VE SIGNED UP IN PERSON AND WE HAVE ONE VIRTUAL.

WE LET THE PEOPLE WHO'VE SIGNED UP IN PERSON GO FIRST BECAUSE YOU'VE MADE THE EFFORT TO COME. WE APPRECIATE THAT.

THE FIRST PERSON IS KAREN MOSSMAN.

GOOD EVENING I'M KAREN MOSSMAN.

MY TOPIC IS SPECIAL DISTRICT SANCTIONED DAY.

ON MARCH 31ST, 2022.

AN EMAIL WENT OUT TO SET ASIDE THIS DAY TO PROMOTE INTERNATIONAL TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY, INCLUDING BOOKS ENTITLED I AM JAZZ AND MY PRINCESS BOY, TARGETING ELEMENTARY GRADES AS WELL AS WEBSITES TO VIEW.

THE DISTRICT ALSO SET ASIDE ONE FULL WEEK IN NOVEMBER FOR TRANSGENDER AWARENESS.

WHAT DAY WILL THE DISTRICT PLAN TO SET ASIDE TO PROMOTE, RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE STUDENTS AND STAFF WHO MADE THE CHOICE FOR THEIR GOD GIVEN GENDER, OF WHICH THERE ARE TWO MALE OR FEMALE? WHAT DAY WILL THAT BE? WHAT WEEK IN A DESIGNATED MONTH WILL BE SET ASIDE TO OBSERVE WHAT WE ALL ONCE KNEW AS COMMON SENSE TWO GENDERS.

SINCE THE DISTRICT WANTS TO PLAY THE INDOCTRINATION GAME, IT BETTER BE FOR ALL AS THE DISTRICT POLICIES ARE TO BE INCLUSIVE, DIVERSE AND SHOW EQUITY.

DO WHAT YOU ARE HIRED TO DO, TEACH.

TEACH MATH, READING, SCIENCE, ENGLISH AND THE ARTS.

LEAVE ANY NEED FOR TEACHING OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION TO THE PARENTS IF THEY SO CHOOSE.

PARENTS WHAT MORE WILL IT TAKE FOR YOU TO WAKE UP TO THIS ATROCITY THAT CONTINUES TO DESTROY YOUR CHILDREN WHO HAVE YOUNG, SMART, IMPRESSIONABLE MINDS AND SAY, WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH? DO YOUR JOB AND EDUCATE, NOT INDOCTRINATE.

THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU.

THE NEXT PERSON IS CINDY WHITMAN.

[00:15:01]

THANK YOU. SORRY FOR THE NOISE.

THERE YOU GO. MM HMM.

MY NAME IS CINDY WHITEMAN.

DEAR SUPERINTENDENT BALDERAS AND MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.

NEVER BEFORE IN THE HISTORY OF WASHINGTON HAS YOUR JOB BEEN SO DIFFICULT.

I EXTEND MY GRATITUDE FOR YOUR SERVICE.

SINCE THE NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION HAS ATTEMPTED TO WEAPONIZE THE FBI AGAINST CONCERNED PARENTS.

I AM UNFORTUNATELY COMPELLED TO STATE THIS DISCLAIMER.

THIS LETTER AND THE ENCLOSED DOCUMENTS ARE IN NO WAY MEANT TO CAUSE YOU TO FEEL THREATENED IN ANY WAY.

I HOPE THAT YOU SEE THESE DOCUMENTS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE SUPPORT.

THE ENCLOSED PUBLIC DISCLOSURE REQUESTS ARE BEING SERVED TO ALL DIRECTORS OF THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT.

MANY DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE, INCLUDING SEATTLE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND SEVERAL MORE THROUGHOUT KING COUNTY, WILL BE OR ALREADY HAVE BEEN SERVED THE SAME DOCUMENTS OVER THE PAST 90 DAYS BY THOUSANDS OF PARENTS STATEWIDE WHO HAVE COME TOGETHER AS A UNIFIED VOICE TO ENSURE THAT THIS EFFORT IS RECOGNIZED AS A DEMONSTRATION OF SUPPORT THE SNOHOMISH COUNTY SHERIFFS HAVE ALSO BEEN GIVEN A COPY OF THESE DOCUMENTS AND INFORMED OF OUR PEACEFUL INTENT.

WE RECOGNIZE THERE IS A FUNDAMENTAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST BETWEEN SCHOOL, GOVERNMENT AND PARENTS. SCHOOL GOVERNMENT HAS A VESTED INTEREST IN THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE.

WHILE PARENTS HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN THE CHILDREN.

WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT THE SOURCE OF THIS CONFLICT MAY STEM FROM THE FACT THAT OUR LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS HAVE BEEN FORCED TO GIVE AWAY INCREASINGLY MORE DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY TO THE WASHINGTON STATE SCHOOL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION AND OTHER STATE AGENCIES.

THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, CHRIS REYKDAL, HAS CLEARLY THREATENED TO WITHHOLD TAXPAYERS FUNDS THAT RIGHTFULLY BELONG TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.

BASED ON WHETHER OR NOT WE COMPLY WITH HEALTH POLICIES WE MAY OR MAY NOT AGREE WITH.

NOWHERE IN THE REVISED CODE OF WASHINGTON IS POWER GRANTED TO MR. REYKDAL OR THE OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION TO WITHHOLD OR BRIBE WITH THE FUNDS THEY ARE TASKED TO DISPENSE TO LOCAL DISTRICTS.

IS IT POSSIBLE THAT IF MR. REYKDAL INDICATES OR ACTS ON THE THREATS OF WITHHOLDING FUNDS, THIS WOULD IMPLY EXTORTION ON HIS PART. WE, THE PEOPLE, FOUNDED THIS COUNTRY WITH A STRUCTURE THAT WAS DESIGNED TO KEEP THE GREATEST AUTHORITY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT.

YET OUR GOVERNOR AND STATE AGENCIES HAVE MADE UNILATERAL DECISIONS FOR THE WHOLE POPULATION WHILE IGNORING THE VOICES OF LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS AND PARENTS.

SORRY. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS GOING TO BE SO LOUD.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THE NEXT PERSON TO SPEAK IS CODY HERNANDEZ.

GOOD EVENING. CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES. I'M GOING TO CONTINUE THE LETTER THAT SHE WAS READING.

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? PERHAPS WE LOST SIGHT OF THE ORIGINAL VISION OF STRONG LOCAL AUTHORITY WHEN WE LET STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES LIKE WSSDA, OSPI, AND THE NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION GAIN ENOUGH CONTROL TO WITHHOLD OUR STATE FUNDING OVER MATTERS THAT SHOULD BE A PERSONAL MEDICAL CHOICE FOR EVERY CITIZEN.

ALL OF US SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF GETTING OURSELVES INTO THE DANGEROUS PREDICAMENT OF A FEW PEOPLE DICTATING TO THE MASSES.

WE ALSO SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF GETTING OURSELVES OUT OF THIS PREDICAMENT.

THERE IS A SOLUTION AND A PATH FORWARD.

THE DOCUMENTS ENCLOSED ARE A FIRST ACT OF HELPING YOU, OUR LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD TAKE BACK YOUR RIGHTFUL AUTHORITY TO DETERMINE HOW BEST TO REPRESENT THE PARENTS OF THIS DISTRICT.

PLEASE USE THESE PUBLIC DISCLOSURE REQUESTS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE YOURSELVES AND US SO WE CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND THE ENTANGLEMENT WE FIND OURSELVES IN WITH OSPI, WSSDA AND OTHER STATE AGENCIES WHO ARE OVERSTEPPING THEIR LAWFUL BOUNDARIES.

ACCORDING TO RCW 28A.345.020.

ALL WASHINGTON STATE SCHOOL BOARDS ARE REQUIRED TO BE MEMBERS OF WSSDA.

[00:20:05]

THEIR SCHOOL BOARDS STILL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO CHOOSE WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO TAKE GUIDANCE FROM VARIOUS STATE AGENCIES, BUT NOT HERE IN WASHINGTON.

IN RCW 28A.343.100.

SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ARE AGAIN COMPELLED BY LAW, STARTING IN 2022, TO TAKE GOVERNANCE, TRAINING AND CULTURAL COMPETENCY, DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION STANDARDS.

THOSE WORDS ARE REFERRING TO CRITICAL RACE THEORY.

SEXUAL EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS FIVE YEARS OF AGE AND CURRICULUMS THAT PROMOTE TRANSGENDERISM. THESE ARE JUST TWO EXAMPLES OF HOW OUR STATE LEGISLATOR HAS TAKEN AWAY YOUR AUTHORITY TO CHOOSE WHAT YOU'RE TAUGHT AND WHAT YOU WILL BE COMPELLED TO PROMOTE TO OUR CHILDREN. REPRESENTATIVE JOEL MCINTYRE ATTEMPTED TO INTRODUCE A BILL IN THE CURRENT LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT PROPOSED A LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERSHIP AND WSSDA TO BE OPTIONAL RATHER THAN MANDATORY.

MAKING MEMBERSHIP OPTIONAL WOULD RETURN DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY BACK TO THE LOCAL LEVEL AND SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE TO WSSDA THAT WE EARNESTLY LET POWER BECOME TOO CENTRALIZED.

WSSDA HAS BEEN TREATING WASHINGTON STUDENTS AND PARENTS AS IF THEY BELONG TO ONE LARGE DISTRICT, RATHER THAN RESPECTING THE AUTHORITY OF THE 295 ELECTED SCHOOL BOARDS IN THE STATE. UNFORTUNATELY, JOEL MCINTYRE WAS JUST RECENTLY STRONG ARMED INTO DROPPING THIS BILL UNDER PRESSURE FROM WSSDA.

WE, THE PARENTS OF WASHINGTON, FINALLY COMPREHEND HOW LITTLE AUTHORITY THAT YOU HAVE LEFT TO US TO REPRESENT US.

IT IS TIME WE COME TOGETHER TO RESTORE YOUR AUTHORITY AND OURS.

IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING INFORMATION REQUESTED IN THESE DOCUMENTS, WE ASK THAT THE EDMONDS SCHOOL BOARD DO ALL OF THE FOLLOWING.

ONE REACH OUT TO REPRESENT JOEL MCINTYRE TO GIVE HIM YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS BILL THAT PROPOSED WSSDA MEMBERSHIP BE OPTIONAL.

THANK YOU, JODI.

THE NEXT PERSON TO SPEAK IS SEAN PARSONS.

YES. I'M SEAN PARSONS, LONGTIME RESIDENT OF SNOHOMISH COUNTY.

I'VE HAD KIDS AND GRANDKIDS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

I WOULD LIKE TO FINISH UP THE STATEMENT THERE ABOUT THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD TO DO THE FOLLOWING, REACH OUT TO REPRESENTATIVE JOEL MCINTYRE TO GIVE HIM YOUR SUPPORT OF THE BILL THAT PROMOTES WSSDA MEMBERSHIP TO BE OPTIONAL.

WHETHER IT'S THIS YEAR OR NEXT YEAR, THAT BILL MUST GET PASSED FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR CHILDREN. STRONGLY URGE WSSDA TO WITHDRAW MEMBERSHIP FROM THE NSBA.

CURRENTLY, ALMOST 20 STATES HAVE LEFT THE NSBA AND WASHINGTON PARENTS ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED TO SEE WSSDAS SILENCE ON THIS MATTER.

THIRD PASS A RESOLUTION ACKNOWLEDGING AND AFFIRMING THAT PARENTS ARE THE PRIMARY STAKEHOLDERS IN THEIR CHILDREN'S FUTURE.

SEVERAL OTHER DISTRICTS IN WASHINGTON HAVE PASSED THIS RESOLUTION.

AS WE FINISH THE 21-22 SCHOOL YEAR, WE ENVISION A HARMONIOUS PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN PARENTS, SCHOOL, DISTRICT LEADERSHIP AND LEGISLATORS TO RESTORE THE FREEDOM OF PERSONAL CHOICE OVER WHAT OUR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS WEAR ON THEIR FACES AND PUT ON THEIR BODIES, AS WELL AS RESTORE AUTHORITY TO THE LOCAL LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT.

HOWEVER, IF THESE FREEDOMS ARE IGNORED BY THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT.

WE WILL PLAN TO TAKE OUR CHILDREN OUT OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM BY THE FALL OF 20-22.

AS YOU ARE WELL AWARE, OVER 55,000 CHILDREN HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN FROM THE WASHINGTON STATE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM OVER THIS YEAR AND THAT NUMBER WILL MORE THAN LIKELY TRIPLE IF MASK MANDATES ARE UPHELD AND A COVID VACCINE IS MADE A REQUIREMENT OF ATTENDANCE.

AS A BODY OF PARENTS ACROSS WASHINGTON STATE WE HAVE HEARD YOUR COLLECTIVE PLEA FOR COOPERATION AND HELP.

YOU'VE BEEN SINCERELY TELLING US YOUR HANDS ARE TIED BY WSSDA AND OSPI.

WE UNDERSTAND YOU NOW, SO TOGETHER, LET'S UNTIE YOUR HANDS AND RESTORE YOUR AUTHORITY TO REPRESENT US, THE PARENTS AND CITIZENS OF THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.

THANK YOU, SEAN.

THE NEXT PERSON TO SPEAK IS TONY SHAPIRO.

[00:25:15]

I BELIEVE THIS EARLY RETIREMENT HIS EARLY DEPARTURE OF THE CURRENT SUPERINTENDENT CREATES A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BOARD TO ASSESS THE DIRECTION HAS TAKEN THE BOARD HAS TAKEN ON THESE PRIOR YEARS REGARDING THE EDUCATION PRIORITIES ESTABLISHED.

FOR OUR STUDENTS.

A FREE, FREE COUNTRY NECESSITATES HAVING CITIZENS A KEEN UNDERSTANDING OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES REQUIRED OF THEM TO PARTICIPATE, CULTIVATE AS WELL AS, PERPETUATE THE SURVIVAL OF THAT COUNTRY.

THIS REQUIRES THE ABILITY OF OUR CITIZENS TO PERCEIVE, DISCERN AND UNDERSTAND BOTH SIDES OF ANY GIVEN ISSUE WHICH THEY WILL ENCOUNTER OVER THE COURSE OF THEIR LIVES.

HOWEVER, THE DIRECTION THIS BOARD HAS TAKEN IS LEAVING OUR STUDENTS VOID OF THE APTITUDE AND SKILL SETS NEEDED TO SURVIVE, MUCH LESS THRIVE WITHIN THE ECONOMY OF THIS COUNTRY.

THE DISTINCT IMPRESSION LEFT WITH MANY OF MY FELLOW CITIZENS.

NOW THIS DISTRICT, AS WELL AS MANY OTHERS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, ARE MORE INTENT ON INDOCTRINATING OUR STUDENTS WITH ONE SIDE OF AN ISSUE AND THEREBY DISABLING THEIR ABILITY TO BALANCE AND JUDGE FOR THEMSELVES HOW TO REACH A CONCLUSION WHICH BEST SUPPORTS THE LIES THAT THEY CHOOSE TO FOLLOW.

THEREFORE, WHAT ARE THE EDUCATIONAL PRIORITIES AND GOALS OF THIS? WILL THIS BOARD PUBLISH PROMOTE THESE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES PRIOR TO STARTING THE SELECTION PROCESS? BY SETTING OUT THESE PRIORITIES AT THE ONSET OF THE REPLACEMENTS.

THE PUBLIC WILL BE BETTER ABLE TO ASSESS, EVALUATE AND PUBLICLY CONSIDER EACH CANDIDATE.

WE'D LIKE TO SEE YOUR ASSESSMENTS OF THESE CANDIDATES PUBLISHED ON A REGULAR BASIS AS YOU PROGRESS THROUGH THIS PROCESS, AS WELL AS WELCOME COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC AT LARGE VERSUS FROM A SELECT GROUP.

AMONG THE VARIOUS STAGES ALONG THE VARIOUS STAGES OF THE SEQUENCE.

AND IN CONCLUSION PLEASE TAKE THESE GOALS AND MAKE THESE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THE PRIMARY BASIS AND IMPETUS.

FOR YOUR SELECTION PROCEDURE, THOUGH NOT RELYING UPON THE CONSULTANT CLASS TO TELL US THE CITIZENS OF THIS DISTRICT WHERE YOUR PRIORITIES ARE.

YOU ARE THE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT WE LOOK TO.

THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, TONY.

AND THE NEXT PERSON TO SPEAK IS JENNIFER MARTIN.

EVERYBODY MY COMMENT IS IN DIRECT REPLY TO DR.

BALDERAS OPENING COMMENT ABOUT THE WOOD WASTE CENTER PROGRAM THAT THE DISTRICT IS CONSIDERING. OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT I KNOW AND MY PEERS KNOW HAVE NOT BEEN HAVING ISSUES THAT DR.

BALDERAS SPEAKS OF BECAUSE THEY'RE USING THEIR ESSER FUNDS FOR BEHAVIOR SUPPORT AND COUNSELING THAT'S NEEDED.

TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WE HAVE NOT DONE THIS.

THEY ALSO HAVE NOT HAD TEACHERS QUITTING AT THE RATE THAT OUR TEACHERS HAVE BEEN QUITTING DUE TO THE LACK OF LEADERSHIP IN OTHER DISTRICTS.

OTHER DISTRICTS ARE NOT LOOKING TO MAKE THEIR OWN THERAPEUTIC CENTERS.

THESE TRUE THERAPEUTIC CENTERS ARE OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF EVERYONE IN SCHOOLS, HENCE NEEDING A THERAPEUTIC CENTER WITH PROFESSIONALS THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS DO NOT AND SHOULD NOT HIRE BECAUSE IT'S OUT OF THEIR SCOPE.

FROM WHAT WE KNOW, THE KIDS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO SEND TO THE WOODWAY CENTER ARE LARGELY KIDS THAT WHO WOULD NOT BE SENT TO THESE CENTERS.

WE'RE SENDING THEM THERE BECAUSE THE SCHOOLS AND PROGRAMS, SPECIFICALLY THE ONE AT CEDAR WAY, DID NOT GET THE SUPPORT IT NEED AND ASKED FOR ALL YEAR LONG.

WE ARE HOPING THAT YOU WILL TAKE THIS UNDER CONSIDERATION AND PLEASE HIRE FOR THE STAFFING THAT'S NEEDED IN OUR DISTRICT PRIOR TO HIRING FOR STAFF AT THE WOODWAY CENTER.

SUPPORT THE KIDS WHERE THEY ARE BEFORE OPENING A PROGRAM AND TAKING THEM OUT OF THEIR HOME SCHOOLS. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, JENNIFER.

AND THE NEXT PERSON WILL BE KAY [INAUDIBLE], WHO IS GOING TO GIVE US A COMMENT VIRTUALLY . NANCY, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. YES.

OKAY, GREAT. MY NAME IS KATE [INAUDIBLE], AND I'M THE PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN IN THE EDMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT WHO ATTEND SHERWOOD AND WOODWAY CENTER.

[00:30:03]

I HAVE THREE MAIN CONCERNS THAT I WOULD URGE THE SCHOOL BOARD TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM AND WHETHER IT MEETS THE STATED VISION OF EQUITY, ENGAGEMENT AND EXCELLENCE FOR ALL EDMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENTS.

MY FIRST CONCERN IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ISOLATED PROGRAM IS THE ANTITHESIS OF THE GOALS STATED IN THE DISTRICT WIDE STRATEGIC PLAN AROUND INCLUSION AND BELONGING.

PLACING STUDENTS ABOVE KINDERGARTEN AGE AT A CAMPUS THAT HAS BEEN CLEARLY DELINEATED AS NOT BEING AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS THE OPPOSITE OF INCLUSION AND BELONGING.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ARE GENERAL EDUCATION STUDENTS FIRST.

PLACING AT A CAMPUS WHERE THEY CANNOT BE WITH SAME AGE PEERS, CANNOT ENGAGE IN SCHOOLWIDE ACTIVITIES IS NOT BELONGING.

HAS THERE BEEN CLARITY ABOUT ACCESS TO EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES? WHAT ABOUT ACCESS TO AND STAFFING FOR SPECIALISTS? WHAT ABOUT RECESS AND ACCESS TO STAFF FOR COUNSELING SERVICES? IS THERE A QUALIFIED TEACHER? IS THERE CURRICULUM? IS THERE A VISION FOR THE PROGRAM? AND WOULD THERE BE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROVIDED FOR THE STAFF ABOUT THAT VISION AND THE PROGRAM GOALS? MY SECOND CONCERN SURROUNDS LEGAL AND ETHICAL QUESTIONS WITH [INAUDIBLE].

THERE'S A LIST OF SCHOOLS WHERE SIX STUDENTS ARE BEING CONSIDERED FOR PLACEMENT INTO THIS SEGREGATED CLASSROOM.

HAS IT BEEN PREDETERMINATION OF THE STUDENT'S PLACEMENT? THERE'S NO PUBLISHED DISTRICT PROCEDURAL PROCESS FOR CHANGE OF PLACEMENT.

HAVE THE SCHOOL BASED IEP TEAMS BEEN SUPPORTED TO REVIEW LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT OR LRE? INCLUDING CONSIDERING NECESSARY SUPPLEMENTARY AIDS AND SERVICES, PEER EDUCATOR SUPPORT, SPECIALIZED SUPPORT ACCOMMODATIONS RELATED SERVICES IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THEM WITH THEIR NON-DISABLED PEERS.

OSPI TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, PAPERWORK AND IDA ALL SAY THAT WE HAVE TO DO A REEVALUATION FOR ANY SUBSTANTIAL OR MATERIAL CHANGE PLACEMENT.

IF THEIR CURRENT PLACEMENT INCLUDES ACCESS TO PEERS DURING RECESS, LUNCH OR ANY PART OF THE DAY. MOVING TO A SEGREGATED CLASSROOM IS A CHANGE OF PLACEMENT.

IS THERE A RUBRIC TO SAY WHAT SCHOOL READY SKILLS GET KIDS INTO THIS PROGRAM OR OUT? DOES THE STAFFING INCLUDE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS, OTHER RELATED SERVICE PROVIDERS, ASSOCIATES, PEERS WHO ARE CRITICAL TO THE SERVICE PROVISION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION? HAVE STUDENTS BEEN OR HAVE PARENTS BEEN INCLUDED IN THIS DISCUSSION? AND DO THEY UNDERSTAND THEIR CHILDREN WILL BE ISOLATED AWAY FROM PEERS AT THE SEGREGATED CLASSROOM? MY FINAL CONCERN IS THAT THE SEGREGATED CLASSROOM WAS CREATED IN ISOLATION WITH NO INPUT FROM STAFF IN THE MIDST OF LISTING SESSIONS WHERE SPECIAL EDUCATION STAFF WERE ASKING FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE ABOUT SUPPORTING STUDENTS.

THIS PROGRAM IS BEING COMPARED TO A CONTRACTOR PLACEMENT, BUT CONTRACTED PLACEMENTS HAVE RECREATIONAL SPECIALISTS, THEY HAVE BEHAVIOR TECHS, THEY HAVE ABCA, THEY HAVE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS, SCHOOL COUNSELORS.

THEY'RE TRAINED IN EVIDENCE BASED PROGRAMS LIKE LIFE SPACE CRISIS INTERVENTION.

WILL THIS SEGREGATED GREATER PROGRAM CREATE ALL OF THOSE OPTIONS? AND IF SO, WHY AREN'T WE PUTTING THOSE IN OUR EXISTING ISCS AND ILS CLASSROOMS IN ORDER TO MEET STUDENTS BELONGING AND POSSIBLE INCLUSION IN GENERAL EDUCATION? I BELIEVE TEAMS HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR SUPPORT MORE STAFFING, MORE TRAINING, MORE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, VISION, PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, CURRICULUM, NOT FOR STUDENTS TO BE ISOLATED. I WORRY THE SOLUTION WILL HARM STUDENTS THAT THEIR BELONGING INCLUSION WITH PEERS WILL BE IRREPARABLY BROKEN.

IN THIS CASE ALL DOES NOT MEAN ALL.

AND I BELIEVE THIS IS A BACKWARD STEP FOR EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT, PROVIDING AN EQUITABLE, EXCELLENT AND ENGAGING EDUCATION TO SOME OF OUR MOST VALUABLE, VULNERABLE STUDENTS. I DID INCLUDE MY WRITTEN COMMENTS WITH SOME LINKS TO INFORMATION.

I'M HAPPY TO TALK MORE.

THANK YOU, KATE. [APPLAUSE] NEXT ON THE AGENDA

[10. REPORTS-7:45 pm]

AND I'LL TURN TO DR. BALDERAS FOR THAT.

[INAUDIBLE] GET THE POWER POINT UP AND WE CAN HAVE STAFF COME UP AND PREPARE FOR THE PRESENTATION, PLEASE.

THERE YOU GO, THANK YOU.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE SHORTER VERSION BECAUSE WE ARE NOW BACK IN PERSON AND AGAIN THINGS ARE GOING WELL AND CARRIED OVER TO SOON TO BE SOON TO BE DR.

SCHWAB. WE JUST PASSED HIS COMPS.

SO I WANT TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO DR.

FUTURE, DR. SCHWAB, JUST HIS COMPREHENSIVE EXAM.

SO HE'S ON HIS WAY TO COMPLETION.

SO. DR. SCHWAB, IF I'M SMILING TONIGHT, THAT'S WHY SO.

[LAUGHTER] SO I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT TONIGHT ABOUT PAPER TUTORING, WHICH IS A SERVICE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LAUNCHING THIS MONTH TO SUPPORT STUDENTS, BEGINNING WITH STUDENTS IN GRADES 9 THROUGH 12.

AND THE GOAL OF PAPER TUTORING IS TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH SUPPORT AND ACCESS TO ONLINE TUTORS THAT CAN ASSIST THEM IN THEIR COURSEWORK.

AND PAPER PROVIDES ACCESS TO TUTORS IN OVER 200 SUBJECTS.

THEY ALSO PROVIDE LANGUAGE SUPPORT IN SPANISH, FRENCH AND MANDARIN, AND WE ARE WORKING

[00:35:01]

BUT THE PURPOSE OF PAPER TUTORING IS REALLY TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH THAT HELP AND SUPPORT OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL.

AND SO THE WAY THAT PAPER TUTOR WORKS IS THAT STUDENTS CAN LOG IN AND THEY WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS, HELP AND SUPPORT IN MATH, ENGLISH, WHICHEVER COURSES THEY'RE TAKING.

THEY'LL BE ABLE TO ACCESS A TUTOR IN A CHAT BASED PLATFORM WITHIN WITHIN MINUTES, THEY'LL BE CONNECTED WITH A TUTOR WHO CAN HELP THEM WORK THROUGH WHATEVER PROBLEM IS A PROBLEM THAT IS THAT THEY'RE HAVING WITH THEIR COURSEWORK AND CAN ALSO PROVIDE THEM WITH PROOFREADING ON ESSAYS, FEEDBACK ON ESSAYS AS WELL AS TEST PREPARATION.

SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND MORE TO COME, BUT WE ARE JUST IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING WORD OUT TO OUR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS THIS WEEK AND NEXT WEEK.

AND OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE PAPER TUTORING FULLY LAUNCHED BY THE WEEK OF APRIL 25TH.

SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT LITTLE BIT OF GOOD NEWS.

GOVERNING BOARD MEMBERS SUPERINTENDENT VICTOR VERGARA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EQUITY AND STUDENT SUCCESS. AND I'M HERE TONIGHT TO REPORT WHAT I CONSIDER TRULY COLLABORATION AMONG DIFFERENT AGENCIES IN OUR COMMUNITY.

CITY OF LYNNWOOD AND SCHOOL DISTRICT REFUGEE IMMIGRANT SERVICES FOR NORWEST AND VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA, WESTERN WASHINGTON.

ABOUT THREE OR FOUR WEEKS AGO, WE RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE CITY OF LYNNWOOD TELLING US THAT A GROUP OF AFGHANISTAN AFGHAN REFUGEES ARE IN OUR TOWN.

SO RIGHT AWAY, THE NEXT DAY WE MET AND WE SENT A GROUP OF OUR FAMILY RESOURCE ADVOCATES TO THEIR PLACE WHERE THEY ARE STAYING RIGHT NOW TO REGISTER OUR STUDENTS, NEW STUDENTS.

SO WHEN THEY HAVE REGISTERED ABOUT REGISTERING ABOUT 17 STUDENTS, THAT WAS ON THURSDAY ON MONDAY, THE STUDENTS WERE IN OUR SCHOOLS READY TO GO.

WE HAD INTERPRETATION AND OUR DIFFERENT THREE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL. AND WE MAKE THE CONNECTIONS, RESPECTIVE CONNECTIONS WITH ELL, ENGLISH LEARNER TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS.

AND WE IT WAS A REALLY WELL DONE PROCESS, SEVERAL MEETINGS AND 3 TO 4 DAYS AMONG ALL THESE AGENCIES.

AND WE'RE HAPPY TO REPORT THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE DOING WELL IN OUR DISTRICT AND OUR DIFFERENT SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW, AND WE'RE EXPECTING MORE.

SO, AGAIN, THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF TRULY COLLABORATION AMONG OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR AGENCIES A FEW DAYS LATER.

SO WE NOW HAVE 17 STUDENTS.

A FEW DAYS LATER, [INAUDIBLE] REACHED OUT AND DID A STORY ON THIS EVENT AND THE WORK THAT EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT IS DOING, HELPING STUDENTS THAT ARE COMING FROM DIFFERENT FROM OTHER COUNTRIES. SO I WILL INVITE YOU TO PLEASE WATCH THE SHORT VIDEO.

[VIDEO] ATTENTION BIDEN VOTERS, IF YOU VOTED FOR BIDEN IN 2021.

I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT IS NOT THE VIDEO.

I APOLOGIZE.

[LAUGHTER] SORRY ABOUT THAT.

GUYS, THIS IS THE VIDEO.

[VIDEO] ARIEL AND PASTA TUNA, RIGHT? IS THE EDMONDS HUB OR E HUB DR.

SALLY GUZMAN SAYS IT'S A SPOT FOR FAMILIES IN THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT TO FIND EVERYTHING FROM HOMEWORK HELP TO LAUNDRY.

FAMILIES CAN COME FOR 2 HOURS OR THE WHOLE DAY IF IT'S NOT TOO BUSY AND DO LAUNDRY.

THE CENTER WAS CREATED FOR FAMILIES DURING THE PANDEMIC, HOWEVER, IT'S FOUND IN ADDED PURPOSE. WE DEFINITELY DIDN'T REALIZE THAT WE WOULD ACTUALLY MAKING SUCH A QUICK PIVOT TO HELP SUPPORT AFGHAN REFUGEES.

THREE WEEKS AGO, THE DISTRICT LEARNED THEY'D BE RECEIVING A COUPLE DOZEN AFGHAN REFUGEES, RANGING FROM KINDERGARTNERS TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE IN HOTELS AND CONSIDERED UNHOUSED.

FAMILIES FROM ALL DIFFERENT CLASSES ARE COMING HERE AND THEY'RE ALL STARTING IN THE SAME PLACE, WHICH IS ZERO KNOWLEDGE OF SYSTEMS, NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE LANGUAGE.

AND THEY'RE HAVING TO REBUILD EVERYTHING DURING THAT TIME, WHICH IS PROJECTED QUICKLY.

HOSTING A RESOURCE FAIR THIS WEEKEND AT THE E HUB FOR FAMILIES.

THEY LOOK EXCITED AND GRATEFUL FOR THE RESOURCES AND BEING ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS.

DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT DR.

GUSTAVO BALDERAS SAID THEY'RE BUILDING ADDITIONAL SYSTEMS TO ASSIST FAMILIES, SO THESE KIDS HAVE EXPERIENCED SOME PRETTY TRAUMATIC EVENTS.

THEY GOT IN HERE, SO HOW DO WE TAKE CARE OF THEIR SOCIAL EMOTIONAL NEEDS? DR. GUZMAN SAYS THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES.

FINDING THAT KIND OF LINGUISTIC AND CULTURALLY RELEVANT SERVICES IS DIFFICULT ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS.

ADDING IN A NEWLY INTEGRATED FAMILY, IT'S VERY HARD.

THE CHILDREN STARTED CLASSES TWO WEEKS AGO, AND FOR THE KIDS IN DISTRICTS, EVERY DAY IS

[00:40:04]

SO IT'S HARD FOR THESE KIDS OH 100% AND FOR FAMILIES.

AND THAT'S WHERE THE E HUB COMES IN, A PLACE WHERE SUPPORT FOR BUILDING A NEW LIFE IN A NEW PLACE. THIS IS DIFFICULT FOR FAMILIES AND WE WANT TO MAKE IT AS POSITIVE AS POSSIBLE.

[INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU.

AND SO ONE OF THE FINAL ACTIVITIES WE HAVE, THIS FAMILY ACTIVITY WHERE, AGAIN, WE PARTNER WITH DIFFERENT COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THE FAMILIES HAD A CHANCE TO SIGN UP FOR LIBRARY CARD AND LEARN ABOUT THE CD COUNTY AND DIFFERENT DISTRICT RESOURCES.

SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PARTNER PARTNERSHIP AND HOPEFULLY WE CONTINUE DOING THIS FOR OUR NEW STUDENTS.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

GOOD EVENING, BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

I'M DANA GEASLEN, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT ED SERVICES.

A QUICK SNOHOMISH COUNTY HEALTH AND WASHINGTON DOH UPDATE.

SNOHOMISH COUNTY CASES ARE CURRENTLY AT 69 PER 100,000, WHICH IS INCREDIBLY LOW.

WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT SINCE PROBABLY A YEAR AGO, MAY, JUNE, AND THEN WASHINGTON STATE IS ACTUALLY AT 54 PER 100,000.

THE POSITIVITY RATE IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT IT WAS THE LAST BOARD MEETING AT ABOUT 3.5% AND THOSE ARE FOR TESTS THAT ARE TAKEN IN WASHINGTON STATE AND REPORTED.

I THINK IT'S NOTEWORTHY THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL DO A RAPID TEST AND WON'T REPORT.

MAYBE SO THESE NUMBERS COULD BE A LITTLE BIT LOW.

THE OMICRON BA 2 VARIANT IS THE DOMINANT VARIANT AND AGAIN, THE COUGH, SORE THROAT AND HEADACHE ARE THE PRIMARY SYMPTOMS OF THAT VARIANT.

AND SO WE JUST KEEP ENCOURAGING ANYONE WHO SHOWS SYMPTOMS OR IS SYMPTOMATIC TO STAY HOME AND GET TESTED AND THEN GET WELL AND THEN JOIN US WHEN THEY ARE, THEY'RE BETTER.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. A REALLY QUICK UPDATE ON OUR DISTRICT, COVID 19.

THESE HAVE BEEN MORE LENGTHY IN THE PAST, BUT COVID HAS JUST DECLINED SO MUCH.

IT'S EXCITING. WE GAVE 217 PCR TESTS IN DISTRICT FROM MARCH 22ND TO TODAY.

THERE ARE SIX POSITIVE CASES AS ALL IN ALL OF THOSE TESTS, FIVE POSITIVE RAPID TEST, BECAUSE WE HAVE BOTH PCR TEST AND RAPID TESTS AVAILABLE AT ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS FOR STAFF AND STUDENTS TO ACCESS IF THEY NEED TO.

WE DID HAVE TWO CLASSROOMS THAT WERE IN, WENT TO A REMOTE BECAUSE THEY HAD THEY MET THE CRITERIA WITH SNOHOMISH COUNTY HEALTH FOR AN OUTBREAK.

AND SO THEY QUARANTINED AND THEN THEY'RE BACK.

AND SO THAT IS IN THIS LAST FEW WEEKS PERIOD, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE HEALTH SCREENERS AND CONTAINMENT SPACES AT ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS.

AND AGAIN, LASTLY, THE PCR RAPID TESTS ARE AVAILABLE AT ALL OF OUR SITES FOR OUR STAFF AND STUDENTS. THANKS.

AND I BELIEVE THAT IS THAT IS A REPORT FOR FOR TONIGHT'S A LITTLE BIT QUICKER.

SO I JUST APPRECIATE THE THE STAFF AND I KNOW THAT WE'LL BE PROVIDING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING JUST HOW OUR STUDENTS ARE DOING IN OUR SCHOOLS THAT ARE COMING TO US RECENTLY FROM THAT ARE RECENT ARRIVALS.

DO ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE UPDATE? WHAT ABOUT OUR STUDENTS? ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS.

I WANTED TO ASK. YEAH, I DON'T.

CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? I DON'T KNOW IF I'M ABLE TO ASK THIS NOW, BUT I WAS KIND OF EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THE PAPER TUTORING.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT STUDENTS HAVE TO SIGN UP FOR OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S JUST GOING TO BE AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS TO JUST HOP ON? YES, IT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ALL STUDENTS.

EVERY STUDENT WILL HAVE AN ACCOUNT.

IT'S NOTHING YOU NEED TO SIGN UP FOR.

SO YOU BASICALLY YOU'LL ACCESS IT THROUGH A LINK THAT WILL BE ON.

WE'RE WORKING TO GET IT ON CANVAS PAGES AND ALSO IT'LL BE ON TEACHER EMAIL SIGNATURE.

SO YOU'LL HAVE ACCESS TO IT SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS.

BUT THERE'S NOTHING YOU NEED TO NEED TO DO TO SIGN UP.

YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN SIGNED UP, SO WE JUST NEED TO GET IT STARTED.

SO AWESOME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

GOOD QUESTION.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. SO, LYDIA SELLIE, WE'RE GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO YOU FOR OUR BUDGET REPORT.

OKAY SO, WE ARE ON FEB WHICH FOR US SINCE OUR FISCAL YEAR ENDS AUGUST 31ST MEANS THAT WE ARE 50% THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR.

SO ON THIS SLIDE, I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT ON EXPENDITURES AND OUR TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE FUND, THOSE REPRESENT BOTH THE WELL ACTUALLY IT REPRESENTS FIVE BUSSES ON ORDER.

[00:45:06]

THE OTHER FOUR ARE IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, BUT THERE ARE WAITING FOR CERTAIN COMPUTER CHIPS DUE TO SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES.

SO WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS ON OUR BUS ORDER.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

LOOKING AT EXPENDITURES FROM A COMPARISON OF YEAR TO YEAR, PRETTY MUCH IN EVERY CATEGORY OF EXPENDITURES, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF BENEFITS.

WE ARE AHEAD OF WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR AND EVEN THOUGH IT FEELS LIKE WE ARE SHORT STAFFED IN SOME PLACES, THE BUDGET IS EVIDENCE THAT WE ARE HIGHER STAFFED THAN WE WERE A YEAR AGO. OKAY.

I'M GOING TO SKIP THIS SLIDE.

THANK YOU.

OKAY. ON THE TOP LEFT WHERE IT SAYS PROJECTED YEAR END BALANCE AS A PERCENT OF BUDGETED EXPENDITURES. IT'S COMING IN JUST OVER, JUST UNDER 7%.

JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THAT IS TOTAL FUND BALANCE.

AND THE BOARD HAS A BOARD POLICY OF 4% THAT IS UNASSIGNED.

SO IT IS NOT ASSIGNED TO ANY OTHER CATEGORY.

SO THAT 7% IS THE TOTAL.

AND YOU WILL HEAR FROM ME ANOTHER TIME THAT OUR ACTUAL FUND BALANCE THAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH BOARD POLICY IS CLOSER TO 4%.

BUT THE TOTAL IS GOOD TOO.

OKAY. SO I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT SINCE THE LAST TIME I PRESENTED IN FOR THE JANUARY REPORT, THE ENDING FUND BALANCE IS UP $4 MILLION, AND THAT IS A SPECIFIC RESULT OF LEGISLATIVE ACTION.

SO THE LEGISLATURE IN THIS LAST SESSION APPROVED A BILL THAT PROVIDES FOR ENROLLMENT STABILIZATION. SO THEY HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT DISTRICTS HAVE DECREASED IN ENROLLMENT SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMIC.

AND THIS IS A BIT OF FUNDING THAT WE WOULD HAVE RECEIVED HAD THOSE STUDENTS STILL BEEN IN OUR DISTRICT. SO THIS IS A ONE TIME INCREASE IN APPORTIONMENT THAT WE WILL EXPECT TO RECEIVE THIS MAY AT THE END OF MAY, AND I'VE ALREADY FACTORED IT INTO THIS PROJECTION.

AS FAR AS ENROLLMENT, AGAIN, LOOKING LIKE A PRE-PANDEMIC CURVE, WE DECREASED JUST ABOUT 21 FTE IN THE LAST MONTH, WHICH IS A PRETTY SMALL NUMBER BASED ON 19,500 OVER 19,500 KIDS NOT IN RUNNING START AT OPEN DOORS.

AND SOME GOOD NEWS ON OUR NEW STUDENTS COMING IN.

THAT'S THAT'S SUPER EXCITING.

AND THEN THE REST IS THE TYPICAL BUDGET STATUS REPORT FORMS THAT YOU SEE EVERY MONTH.

SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM

[11. BOARD DISCUSSION]

SO ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, I'D LIKE TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON OUR SEARCH FOR AN INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT. PLEASE NOTE THAT OUR INTENTION IS THAT THIS WILL BE AT MOST A ONE YEAR POSITION, DURING WHICH TIME WE'LL BE CONDUCTING A THOROUGH SEARCH FOR PERMANENT SUPERINTENDENT, USING A COMPREHENSIVE PROCESS THAT WILL BE INCLUSIVE OF INPUT FROM ALL OUR STAKEHOLDERS.

TO BEGIN WITH, THE BOARD AGREED ON WHAT WE SEE AS THE MOST IMPORTANT GOALS THAT WE WANT THE INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT TO ACHIEVE.

THESE PRIORITIES INCLUDE ONE THAT WE WANT THE PERSON TO KEEP PEOPLE CALM, TO FOSTER UNITY, AND TO KEEP MOVING ON THE DISTRICT'S STRATEGIC PLAN.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THAT THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE BOARD AND THE DISTRICT ARE CLEARLY LAID OUT IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN.

[00:50:03]

THREE IN ADDITION TO RUNNING A DISTRICT FOR A YEAR AND GAINING THE RESPECT OF STAFF IN THE COMMUNITY, WE'D LIKE SOMEONE WITH SKILLS ON HOW TO INCREASE GRADUATION RATES AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND SOMEONE WHO'LL UNDERSTAND HOW TO IMPLEMENT WHAT DR.

BALDERAS HAS STARTED THROUGH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.

AND FOURTH, WE'RE HOPING THAT THE PERSON WILL HAVE THE PEOPLE SKILLS TO ENSURE THAT WE NOT ONLY KEEP OUR CURRENT STAFF INTACT, BUT ALSO CONTINUE TO RECRUIT HIGH QUALITY STAFF WHO REPRESENT OUR DIVERSE POPULATION.

WITH THESE GOALS IN MIND.

WE'VE DECIDED THAT AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE THINK IT'S BEST IF WE HIRE AN EXTERNAL CANDIDATE WHO IS FAMILIAR WITH OUR DISTRICT AND OUR COMMUNITY.

WE KNOW THAT THIS DECISION WILL NOT MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY, BUT PART OF THIS THINKING IS RELATED TO POTENTIAL UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES IF WE WERE TO HIRE AN INTERNAL CANDIDATE.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE WERE TO NAME A CURRENT CABINET LEVEL STAFF MEMBER TO THE INTERIM POSITION, THEN THAT PERSON'S LEADERSHIP ROLE WOULD NEED TO BE FILLED WITH AN INTERIM PERSON. AND THEN WE'D HAVE TWO HIGH LEVEL DISTRICT LEADERS IN POTENTIALLY ONE YEAR TERMS, WHICH WE FEAR MIGHT ADD TO A FEELING OF INSTABILITY IN THE DISTRICT.

IN ADDITION, OUR CURRENT CABINET MEMBERS ARE ALL SPECIALISTS IN THEIR AREAS, AND WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN THIS EXPERTISE TO SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE DISTRICT DURING THE TRANSITION TIME.

SINCE THE LAST BOARD MEETING, WE'VE BEEN BUSY RECRUITING POSSIBLE CANDIDATES FOR THE INTERIM POSITION AND WE HAVE INTERVIEWS SET UP LATER THIS WEEK WITH TWO CANDIDATES.

AT THE REQUEST OF AT LEAST ONE OF THE CANDIDATES WE ARE KEEPING THE NAMES CONFIDENTIAL AT THIS TIME. IF NEITHER CANDIDATE SEEMS TO BE A PERFECT FIT, WE'LL CONTINUE OUR SEARCH.

AS PART OF THIS PROCESS.

WE'VE ASKED SEVERAL KEY GROUPS IN THE DISTRICT FROM BOTH STAFF AND THE COMMUNITY TO GIVE US THEIR PRIORITIES FOR THE INTERIM POSITION IN THE FORM OF INTERVIEW QUESTIONS THEY'D LIKE US TO ASK, IN ADDITION TO WHAT THEY'D LIKE US TO LOOK FOR IN THE RESPONSES.

WE'VE ALREADY GOTTEN FROM ALL OF THE GROUPS THAT WE ASKED, SOME GREAT QUESTIONS AND SOME INSIGHTFUL LOOK FORS FOR WHICH WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL.

NOT ONLY FOR THE VALUABLE INPUT FROM THE GROUPS, BUT ALSO BECAUSE IT WILL MAKE OUR JOB OF DRAFTING INTERVIEW QUESTIONS SO MUCH EASIER.

OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE A FINAL DECISION IN TIME FOR THE INCOMING INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT TO HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO MEET WITH DR.

BALDERAS AS PART OF THE TRANSITION BEFORE HIS JUNE 30TH DEPARTURE DATE.

DO ANY OF MY BOARD COLLEAGUES HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? GOOD SUMMARY. THANKS, DIRECTOR CHASE.

YOU OKAY? EXCELLENT SUMMARY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, NANCY.

THANK YOU, KAREN.

NEXT ON THE AGENDA IN FACT IS A WSSDA LEGISLATIVE POSITIONS UPDATE OR DISCUSSION THAT DIRECTOR CHASE AS OUR LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVE IS GOING TO LEAD.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. DIRECTOR KATIMS, CAN YOU HEAR ME ALL RIGHT? YES. OKAY.

I WANT TO FIRST THANK THE TECH TEAM FOR SETTING UP THIS VIRTUAL ACCESS.

IT MAKES PARTICIPATION IN THE MEETING.

IT ENABLES PARTICIPATION IN THE MEETING FOR ME.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE EXTRA TIME THAT THEY TOOK TO SET THIS UP.

FIRST OFF, AS YOU MAY KNOW, I AS YOU DO KNOW, I AM YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TO WSSDA AS A LEGISLATIVE REP.

AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT AWARE, WASHINGTON STATE SCHOOL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION IS A GROUP OF THE REPRESENTING THE 1477 LOCALLY ELECTED SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.

AND IT HAS A STAFF THAT CAN DO, AMONG OTHER THINGS, LOBBY FOR LEGISLATION BASED ON THE LEGISLATIVE POSITIONS AND POLICIES OF WSSDA ITSELF.

AND WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PERIOD OF TIME OF ADVOCACY WHERE ALL SCHOOL BOARDS, DIRECTORS ACROSS THE STATE TAKE A LOOK AT THE ARE INTERESTED, TAKE A LOOK AT THE POLICIES, PERMANENT POSITIONS AND LEGISLATIVE POSITIONS OF WSSDA FOR SUGGESTING UPDATES, AMENDMENTS AND SUCH.

AND THIS IS A YEARLY EVERY YEAR AT THIS TIME THE PROCESS HAPPENS.

WE THE WINDOW FOR PROPOSALS CLOSES ON APRIL 20TH.

AS A LEGISLATIVE REP, I HAVE IN DISCUSSION WITH COLLEAGUES IN NORTHSHORE, OAK HARBOR,

[00:55:06]

WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT THE POSITIONS AND THINKING OF THAT SOME OF THE UPDATES RELATED TO CLIMATE POLICIES, CLEAN BUILDING AND THE ELECTRIFICATION OF OUR SCHOOL BUSSES WAS SOMEWHAT MISSING IN SOME OF OUR POLICY POSITIONS.

SO I HAVE SHARED WITH THE BOARD SOME SUGGESTED LANGUAGE THAT WE ARE THINKING THAT THIS GROUP WAS THINKING OF PUTTING FORWARD, THE IDEA BEING BRINGING TO MORE CURRENT STANDARDS OF A PERMANENT POSITION AND ALSO SUGGESTING A NEW LEGISLATIVE POSITION WHICH WILL ENABLE THE WSSDA STRATEGIC ADVOCACY COMMITTEE TO LOBBY IN OLYMPIA ON BEHALF OF THE PROPOSALS.

AND I WILL READ REALLY QUICKLY, IT'S NOT VERY LONG.

A NEW LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL WHICH HAS BEEN DRAFTED.

THIS IS JUST A DRAFT FOR US TO DISCUSS IS WSSDA WILL SUPPORT LEGISLATION TO ENCOURAGE POLICY AND FULL FUNDING FOR GREEN BUILDING AND CLIMATE RESILIENT DEVELOPMENT AND PRACTICES THAT WILL SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS GROWING UP IN A HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT. THAT IS A VERSION AND THERE'S AN OPTION ON ADDING SOME BULLET POINTS SAYING SUCH AS FLEET ELECTRIFICATION, GREEN BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE MAINTENANCE PRACTICES.

THE IDEA BEHIND THIS IS THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH CLEAN BUILDING STANDARDS AND BEING ENACTED WITHOUT FUNDING FOR ONE THING, AND SOME LEGISLATION AROUND PERMITTING TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE FUNDING TO BE USED FOR ELECTRIFICATION, THERE'S NOT REALLY A LEGISLATIVE POLICY THAT THAT SAYS OUR ADVOCACY TEAM CAN SUPPORT THIS TYPE OF LEGISLATION.

SO THAT'S THE THOUGHTS BEHIND THIS THIS NEW LEGISLATIVE POSITION.

I COULD I COULD PAUSE HERE OR JUST KEEP GOING.

THERE'S JUST ONE OTHER. I'LL KEEP GOING.

THE OTHER IS A PERMANENT POSITION RELATED TO CAPITAL FACILITIES AND SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION.

IN THE THOUGHTS OF THE GROUP I WAS SPEAKING WITH, AS WE THINK ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND GREEN BUILDING AND LOOKING AT OUR CARBON FOOTPRINTS, A MORE UP TO DATE LONG RANGE FACILITIES PLANNING POSITION IS WHAT WAS SUGGESTING.

THE POSITION RIGHT NOW STATES WSSDA ENCOURAGES SCHOOL BOARDS TO ADOPT POLICIES INTENDED TO PROMOTE FISCAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION AND STEWARDSHIP.

UPDATED LANGUAGE PROPOSED IS WSSDA ACKNOWLEDGES THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS AN ISSUE FACING OUR STUDENTS AND COMMUNITIES.

WSSDA ENCOURAGES SCHOOL BOARDS IN CONSULTATION AND COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL TRIBAL PARTNERS TO ADOPT POLICIES INTENDED TO PROMOTE FISCAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION AND STEWARDSHIP THAT SUPPORTS OUR STUDENTS GROWING UP IN A HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT. SO I'M BRINGING BEFORE OUR BOARD TONIGHT A DISCUSSION ON IF WE AS A BOARD WISH TO SUPPORT THESE TWO AMENDMENTS.

TO THE WSSDA THE LONG RANGE FACILITIES PLANNING, PERMANENT POSITION AND A NEW SUGGESTED LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION POSITION.

AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS.

SO DIRECTOR CHASE, I HAVE A QUESTION ON THE CONSERVATION AND STEWARDSHIP STEWARDSHIP POLICY. THE VERSION THAT YOU SENT THAT I'M READING SAYS THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS AND THEN IT SAYS A REALITY OR AN ISSUE OR A CONCERN.

DO WE GET TO, LIKE, SAY WHAT WE THINK IS THE BETTER WORDING? WE CAN I MET WITH THE GROUP AFTER I SENT THAT TO YOU AND EVERYBODY DECIDED ISSUE, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY WEIGH IN.

REMEMBER THAT ANY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER CAN SUBMIT A PROPOSAL.

THIS ONE JUST HAPPENS TO BE ONE THAT A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE COME TOGETHER COLLABORATING.

SO YES. WELL PERSONALLY I THINK IT'S A REALITY AND THAT'S A STRONGER TERM.

BUT THAT'S JUST ONE PERSON WHO HAS A FAMILY MEMBER WHO WORKS FOR APPA.

I WOULD THINK THAT ANYWAY.

ANYWAY, I JUST THOUGHT I WOULD MENTION THAT.

BUT IF THE OVERALL GROUP THINKS ISSUE SUMS IT UP, THAT'S FINE.

[01:00:06]

IT IS AN ISSUE.

WELL, WE JUST HAD THE SAME CONVERSATION I ALIGN WITH YOU, BUT I DO BELIEVE ISSUE MAY BE SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND MORE CLEARLY ACROSS OUR STATE.

OKAY, FAIR ENOUGH [INAUDIBLE].

DIRECTOR CHASE, I HAVE A QUESTION.

I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S A QUESTION.

IT'S A SO IS THERE A PLACE IS THIS THE PLACE TO PUT SOMETHING IN ABOUT.

SO WHAT I'VE BEEN THINKING IS OUR STUDENTS ARE THE STEWARDS.

I MEAN, WE WON'T BE HERE WHEN SOME OF THIS STUFF HAPPENS.

IS THERE A PLACE TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS IN THE LANGUAGE HERE, TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS IN THEIR GROWTH INTO STEWARDS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE? WELL, WE SAY WE SAY THOSE WORDS.

WE SAY THAT THAT IN PRACTICES IT WILL SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS GROWING UP IN A HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT.

ARE YOU MEANING LIKE WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST? I'M NOT SURE, BUT I GUESS I'M SUGGESTING A MORE SORT OF CENTRAL ROLE, ACTIVE ROLE FOR STUDENTS THAT THEY ARE THE ONES WHO ARE THEY'RE NOT JUST GOING TO GROW UP IN WHAT IN THIS, THEY ARE GOING TO TAKE THE BATON VERY SHORTLY.

AND SO SUPPORTING THEM IN SUSTAINABILITY, EDUCATION, I DON'T KNOW THIS.

THIS MAY BE THE SPOT I'D LIKE SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE STUDENTS AND THEY'RE HERE, I'D BE REALLY HAPPY FOR THE STUDENTS TO WEIGH IN ON HOW WE MIGHT THINK THIS LANGUAGE.

AND ALSO, WE WE ARE NOT LIMITED TO THESE TWO.

THESE TWO PARTICULAR POSITIONS HAVE JUST BEEN TALKED ABOUT BY BY A NUMBER OF FOLKS ACROSS THE STATE. AND I SEE WHERE YOU'RE GOING.

WE CAN ALSO THINK ABOUT IF THIS IS THE RIGHT SPOT OR A DIFFERENT PROPOSAL.

I'LL TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT THE POSITIONS RIGHT NOW AND INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT THE STUDENTS THINK. AND YES, YOU'RE PUT ON THE SPOT.

OKAY. I'M ALWAYS IN FAVOR OF LIKE ADDING THE SUPPORT THERE, I THINK WITH SOMETHING LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT.

DIRECTOR KILGORE HAD HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD IN THE SENSE THAT LIKE IT'S IT'S GOING TO BE US THAT DEAL WITH THIS PRETTY DIRECTLY AS WE CONTINUE.

SO I THINK HAVING SOME SORT OF LIKE INTEGRATION OF THAT STUDENT SUPPORT IN THIS SECTION WOULD PROBABLY BE GOOD. YOU KNOW, I THINK.

WAS THAT [INAUDIBLE]? YES.

YEAH, I THINK, I THINK THAT, UM, I THINK PERHAPS IF WE'RE WORDSMITHING RIGHT HERE BECAUSE WE SAY THAT WE'LL SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS GROWING UP IN A CHANGING GROWING UP IN A TO AN ACTIVE MANAGEMENT ROLE.

SO LET'S SEE WHAT WE SAY THERE.

I MIGHT WANT TO USE THE WORD INHERIT THERE.

THAT WORD INHERIT.

OKAY. WELL, SO A COUPLE OF THINGS WE CAN DO.

WE CAN DO THAT SO THAT DEPENDING ON IF WE CAN COME UP WITH SOME LANGUAGE.

I AGREE WITH SOME OF THESE INHERIT AND THINK ABOUT.

I LIKE THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING.

WE CAN IN PRINCIPLE SUPPORT THESE AND THINK ABOUT WHAT LANGUAGE WOULD BEST REFLECT, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A LANGUAGE WE COULD PUT IN HERE THAT WILL REFLECT THAT THE STUDENTS ARE THE ONES THAT WILL BE GRAPPLING WITH THE PROBLEMS AND IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS THAT WE WANT TO EMPOWER THEM AND SUPPORT THE CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT OF STUDENTS.

BUT SOMETHING THAT DOES CENTER AND I'D BE HAPPY TO EITHER DO THAT TONIGHT, OR WE CAN PUT THIS OUT TO THE GROUP THAT'S WORKING ON THIS.

BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU NOW THAT IN THIS PARTICULAR GROUP THAT WAS WORKING ON THAT, THEY WOULD ALSO SUPPORT THIS IDEA.

I THINK YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE I DO COMING FROM SO I TRUST YOU TO COME UP WITH THE RIGHT

[01:05:01]

ALL RIGHT. I AM OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS ALWAYS.

BUT I DO THINK THAT CENTERING THE IDEA THAT THAT THE STUDENTS ARE IT'S NOT A SOMETHING WE'RE GIFTED. IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE IN THE LEADERSHIP POSITIONS AND IMPACTED BY THE DECISIONS WE'RE MAKING NOW AND DEALING WITH THEM AS THEY GO FORWARD.

AND THERE IS SOME LANGUAGE AND I KNOW THERE'S SOME WRITERS OUT THERE THAT ARE GOING TO SEND ME SOME SUGGESTIONS ALSO.

SO AT THIS POINT, KAREN, AS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THIS, OUR LAST THOUGHT.

THAT IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR THE STUDENTS, PERHAPS HAVING SOMETHING IN THERE ABOUT OR MAYBE IT'S IMPLIED IN SUPPORT, BUT I'M THINKING THE EDUCATION FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND THE SCIENCE BEHIND CLIMATE CHANGE, TO HELP THEM BE BETTER STEWARDS AS THEY WILL BE INHERITING THIS AND THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT.

I THINK THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME ROOM IN TAKING A LOOK AT THE TOTALITY OF THE PERMANENT POSITIONS WHERE WE MIGHT WANT TO INSERT LANGUAGE LIKE THAT OR CHECK IF LANGUAGE DOES EXIST THAT ACCOMPLISHES WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO SAY.

I DIDN'T DO A SPECIFIC SEARCH IN THE POLICIES.

THERE'S A 240 ISH POLICY POSITIONS, AND I DIDN'T SPECIFICALLY CHECK FOR THAT, BUT I CAN.

SO MY JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THE LANGUAGE DOES NOT REFLECT THAT STUDENTS ARE PASSIVE AND GROWING UP, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S IMPACTING THEM NOW AND THEY WILL BE MANAGING HOW THESE POLICIES MOVE FORWARD.

TAKING A LOOK AT THE POSITIONS THAT WE JUST MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER TO SEE IF THERE ARE SOME OTHER SPACES WHERE WE MIGHT WANT TO INSERT SOME LANGUAGE.

IF THIS IS NOT IF IT DOESN'T FIT IN HERE AND THEN THIS IS THE LAST BOARD MEETING BEFORE.

ON THE 20TH, I BELIEVE THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THIS SUBMITTED BY.

SO IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE, I THINK, AT THIS TIME, TO SEE IF EVERYBODY IS SATISFIED WITH THE DIRECTION MOVING FORWARD.

PUT OUR EDMOND SCHOOL BOARD SUPPORT BEHIND THESE TWO POSITIONS GIVEN WE'RE GOING TO BE CHANGING A LITTLE BIT OF LANGUAGE.

SO I WAS A LITTLE BIT ON EMAIL, JUST A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED THAT THERE WERE THE TWO PIECES THERE. THERE WAS THE I'LL JUST QUOTE DIRECTLY FROM YOUR EMAIL BECAUSE YOU'LL KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, THE PERMANENT POSITION AND THE LP NEW PORTION BELOW IT.

SO THE LP NEW PORTION DOWN THAT SECOND PIECE, I DID WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I HAD A CHANCE TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR THAT.

I THINK THAT IT'S A FANTASTIC IDEA TO SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT'S GOING TO HELP WITH GREEN BUILDINGS. THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY AMAZING THINGS THAT YOU CAN BE DONE WITH THAT SORT OF TECHNOLOGY, OPENING UP GREEN SPACES FOR STUDENTS, REALLY BEAUTIFYING SOME CAMPUSES IN WAYS THAT ARE SUSTAINABLE.

AND THEN THE FLEET ELECTRIFICATION IS I JUST KIND OF THINK THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE HEADING ANYWAY FOR MOST OF OUR TRANSPORTATION.

SO I DO BELIEVE THAT SCHOOLS CAN KIND OF BE ON THE LEADING EDGE OF THAT AS WELL.

SO I DO WANT TO EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR THAT SECOND PORTION DOWN THERE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

NOW, REMEMBER, WE ARE NOT LIMITED TO THESE TWO.

THESE TWO JUST HAPPEN TO BE IN A FORM THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD AT OUR MEETING CAN DECIDE IF WE WISH TO AS A BOARD VOTE TO APPROVE MADAM CHAIR.

PRESIDENT I MEAN.

THANK YOU DIRECTOR CHASE, I HAVE SEEN ALL YOUR COLLEAGUES HERE ALL SHAKING THEIR HEADS YES. THAT I THINK THERE'S AGREEMENT THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT THESE AND THAT WE WILL TRUST YOUR MAKING WHATEVER KINDS OF SUGGESTIONS IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE INTENTION TO TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THAT TO THE FOLKS WORKING ON THIS.

AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR HELP ON THIS.

THANK YOU. SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION THEN THAT THE EDMONDS SCHOOL BOARD DOES SUPPORT THESE TWO POSITIONS.

I THINK THAT BECAUSE THIS IS JUST A DISCUSSION ITEM, WE DON'T ACTUALLY PUT IT ON THE BOARD. GOT IT. IT'S NOT AN ACTION AS IN GENERAL, BUT I THINK YOU CAN SAY THERE'S

[01:10:01]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SUPPORT THIS.

OK.

PERFECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

EXCELLENT. SO NEXT ON THE AGENDA, ARE BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS AND WE'RE GOING TO START WITH

[13. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]

WE APPRECIATE YOU GUYS BEING HERE TONIGHT.

THERE'S ANOTHER PUBLIC COMMENT.

JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE. NO, I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.

WHERE ARE WE? BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS.

OKAY. SO I'M GOING TO GO IN THE ORDER I HAVE YOU HERE, DANIEL.

AND BY THE WAY, CONGRATULATIONS.

WE HEAR YOU'VE BEEN ACCEPTED TO HARVARD.

WHOA GOOD JOB.

THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU.

AND IT'S KIND OF SURREAL.

YOU KNOW, IT'S MY FIRST WORD IN PERSON BOARD MEETING, AND IT'S QUITE DIFFERENT FROM ZOOM.

BUT I'M GRATEFUL TO BE HERE.

I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

I JUST REALLY WANT TO SAY I REALLY AGREE WITH DIRECTOR CHASE AND ALL THE DIRECTORS HERE ABOUT THE INCLUSION OF STUDENTS WITH THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE LEGISLATION OR LIKE THE WORDING THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT.

I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT SINCE WE ARE GOING TO BE THE ONES GROWING UP THROUGH THIS KIND OF PROGRESSION IN THE WORLD, I GUESS THAT WE HAVE A VOICE AND THAT WE'RE ABLE TO TEACH OTHERS AND JUST SUPPORT WHATEVER WE HAVE GOING ON.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I REALLY ENJOYED LEARNING ABOUT THE PAPER TUTORING OPTION THAT IS COMING INTO PLAY HERE SOON, ESPECIALLY SINCE EVEN THOUGH WE'RE COMING BACK FROM ONLINE NOW, IT'S LIKE OUR FULL IN-PERSON YEAR.

THERE'S SOME STUDENTS THAT STILL REALLY STRUGGLE WITH, YOU KNOW, GETTING BACK TO THE BASICS AND JUST REALLY LEARNING.

AND THAT PAPER TUTORING OPTION REALLY GIVES A LOT OF STUDENTS THE OPTION THAT THEY DIDN'T REALLY HAVE BACK THEN.

AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE HOW IT MOVES FORWARD.

THANK YOU, DANIEL.

LIA, YOU WANT TO GO NEXT? YEAH, SURE. SO I'D LIKE TO SAY, FIRST OFF, THAT I'M VERY EXCITED FOR THE PAPER TUTORING.

I FEEL LIKE THIS.

I REALLY WISH THIS HAD CAME OUT SOONER.

I'M NOT GOING TO LIE.

I FEEL LIKE IT COULD HAVE HELPED LOTS OF STUDENTS I KNOW FOR MYSELF.

I FEEL LIKE I COULD HAVE ALSO BENEFITED FROM THIS.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT I APPRECIATED EVERY COMMENT THAT WAS SAID.

LIKE, I LIKE TO HEAR THE DIFFERENT TYPE OF PERSPECTIVES, I GUESS.

ALSO, I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AS ME COMING HERE TODAY ONCE AGAIN.

I APPRECIATE IT.

UH, ALL THE TRANSPARENCY THAT THE BOARD HAS BEEN GIVING US ALL.

AND YEAH, THAT'S ABOUT IT.

THANK YOU, LIA.

ISABEL. SORRY.

I SHOULD DO IT BY TABLE SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO KEEP HANDING THE MIC BACK AND FORTH.

KEEPS YOU ACTIVELY ENGAGED? YEAH. I AGREE WITH LIA AND DANIEL ABOUT.

I DON'T KNOW IF THE MICROPHONE IS ON.

I THINK IT'S JUST THE BUTTON ON THE MICROPHONE.

OKAY. I DON'T KNOW.

OKAY, CLOSER THERE.

THERE YOU GO. YEAH, I AGREE WITH THE OTHER ADVISORS TO THE BOARD ABOUT EVERYTHING THEY'VE SAID. SO IN ADDITION, I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT IT'S REALLY IT'S REALLY A GREAT OPPORTUNITY WITH PEER WITH THE PAPER TUTORING THAT IT'S OFFERED AT ALL HOURS.

BECAUSE I KNOW THAT A LOT OF STUDENTS HAVE OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES AND COMMITMENTS WHERE THEY AREN'T ABLE TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK OR DO HAVE ANY TUTORING BECAUSE THEY AREN'T ACTUALLY ABLE TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK UNTIL LATE IN THE NIGHT.

SO I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY GOING TO HELP.

AND I KNOW I'M ALSO GOING TO BE USING PAPER TUTORING.

I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

AND I GUESS I'D SAY THAT I'M VERY PROUD TO BE A PART OF A DISTRICT THAT SUPPORTING THE AFGHAN REFUGEES AND REALLY ANY REFUGEES OR INCOMING IMMIGRANTS, NEWCOMERS.

IT'S REALLY GREAT TO BE A PART OF A DISTRICT THAT VALUES SUPPORTING THEM AND MAKING THOSE RESOURCES ACCESSIBLE TO THEM.

AND LET'S SEE HERE.

YEAH, I FEEL LIKE THE OTHER STUDENTS COVERED A LOT.

LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO JUST HIGHLIGHT THE STUDENT LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE THAT'S NOW GOING TO BE IN A WEEK. AND I'M JUST EXTREMELY EXCITED TO HAVE THE WORK THAT A MAJOR CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST BE LIKE HERE IN OUR DISTRICT IN EDMONDS.

I'M VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

[01:15:01]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ISABEL.

AND RITIKA, WHO IS, I UNDERSTAND, ALSO GOING TO HARVARD.

[APPLAUSE] THANK YOU FOR THAT.

IT'S PRETTY CRAZY SENIOR YEAR.

THE FACT THAT WE'RE THIS CLOSE TO ENDING A CRAZY I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER WORD.

IN TERMS OF, ISA YOU COVERED THIS REALLY WELL.

BUT I AM EXCEEDINGLY PROUD TO HEAR ABOUT THE SUPPORT THAT WE'RE PROVIDING OUR AFGHAN REFUGEES. AND I JUST LOVE BEING IN A DISTRICT THAT DOES SUPPORT, ACTIVELY SUPPORTS REFUGEES, THE LGBT COMMUNITIES, ALL OF THESE COMMUNITIES, BECAUSE EACH STUDENT MATTERS.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS ON THE BOTTOM OF EVERY EMAIL THAT WE HAVE AND EVERY EACH EACH STUDENT LEARNING EVERY DAY.

BUT THAT'S THAT ONLY HAPPENS IF EVERYONE FEELS HEARD AND SUPPORTED.

AND THAT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE, WHAT YOU, HOW YOU IDENTIFY.

AND IF YOU'RE GOING THROUGH A HARD TIME RIGHT NOW WITH THE REFUGEES, THERE IS A LOT OF SUPPORT THAT COULD CAN BE PROVIDED.

AND I'M REALLY GRATEFUL THAT THE DISTRICT IS TAKING AN ACTIVE ROLE IN DOING THAT.

YOU KNOW, IT CANNOT BE EASY COMING IN TO ANOTHER COUNTRY GIVEN EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING, AND SO THAT'S REALLY COOL TO SEE.

THESE BOARD MEETINGS ARE AN EXCELLENT WAY FOR ME TO SEE WHAT THE NEWS STORIES OF THE MONTH ARE AND PAPER TUTORING IS DEFINITELY GOING TO BE ONE THAT I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE WE WRITE ABOUT FOR THE SUDANESE PAPER.

SHAMELESS PLUG RIGHT THERE, HHS HAWKEYE, BUT.

THAT IS A REALLY EXCELLENT RESOURCE AS WELL, AND I THINK IT'LL BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT SUPPORT BECAUSE YEAH, PEOPLE, LET'S JUST FACE IT THAT STUDENTS DO HOMEWORK AT ODD HOURS OF THE NIGHT AND THEY ARE NOT NORMAL HOURS A LOT OF THE TIME.

SO I'M REALLY GLAD THAT THAT IS HAPPENING AND I'LL BE INTERESTED TO SEE HOW THE ACCESSIBILITY ON THAT IS TO IN TERMS OF SCREEN READERS AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVEN'T REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT PROBABLY, OR THAT HAVE NOT BEEN TESTED YET.

SO I WILL DEFINITELY BE CHECKING THAT OUT JUST TO TEST IT OUT.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE, AS ALWAYS, YOU GUYS BEING HERE AND GIVING US YOUR PERSPECTIVE. IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR US.

DIRECTOR SMITH.

THANK YOU. SO I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR INCLUSION EFFORT HERE IN JUST A MOMENT. BUT I ALSO WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T POINT OUT THAT WHEN WE DECIDED THAT WE WERE GOING TO MAKE MASKS OPTIONAL IN THIS DISTRICT, WE HAD A VERY STRICT NO BULLYING POLICY. WE SAID THAT EVERYBODY WAS GOING TO GET TO MAKE THEIR CHOICE BECAUSE IT WAS THEIR PERSONAL DECISION AND WE WERE GOING TO RESPECT THAT.

AND THE FACT THAT AN ADULT IN THIS ROOM DECIDED TO TAKE A SHOT AT A STUDENT FOR WEARING A MASK IS VERY DISHEARTENING.

WE HAVE THE STUDENTS HERE WHO WE'VE SAID TONIGHT ARE GOING TO INHERIT, BUT WE ARE STILL THE LEADERS. AND IF WE'RE GOING TO SET THAT EXAMPLE FOR THEM, THAT IS EXTREMELY INAPPROPRIATE. NOW, AS FOR THE DIVERSITY WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, I THINK IT'S VERY HEARTENING BECAUSE WHEN I GREW UP IN THIS DISTRICT, A 2004 GRADUATE, DR.

BALDERAS AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS.

I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT NUMBERS, BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 90% CAUCASIAN.

AND NOW WE ARE, IF NOT A MAJORITY MINORITY DISTRICT, VERY CLOSE TO IT.

AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THESE THINGS IN PLACE NOW TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL WELCOME IS AMAZING. I DEFINITELY WAS NOT A SAINT WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.

NONE OF US WERE.

AND THINKING BACK ON SOME OF THE WAYS THAT I MAY HAVE MADE MY PEERS FEEL BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T FIT IN IS SAD TO ME, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THOSE ARE PEOPLE WHO NOW I TRY AND BE FRIENDS WITH AS MUCH AS I CAN, PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS THAN ME, WHO CAN TEACH ME DIFFERENT WAYS TO THINK.

AND I CAN RESPECT OUR DIFFERENCES.

AND I JUST WISH THAT I HAD BEEN MORE WILLING TO DO THAT AT A TIME WHEN I WAS AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY INSTEAD OF ONLY NOW THAT IT'S MORE INCLUSIVE THAN IT WAS BEFORE.

SO I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT THE DISTRICT IS DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR REFUGEES AND OTHER IMMIGRANTS ARE FEELING WELCOME HERE.

AND I HOPE THAT WE CONTINUE THOSE EFFORTS INTO THE FUTURE.

THANK YOU. DIRECTOR NOBLE.

YEAH. THANK YOU.

FIRST OF ALL, I THANK YOU FOR THE COVID REPORT.

AGAIN, AT LEAST IT'S ENCOURAGING.

IT WAS SO DISCOURAGING FOR VERY LONG, AND I'M THRILLED THAT THE CASES ARE DOWN IN OUR COUNTY, EVEN THOUGH OUR COUNTY IS STILL ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE.

[01:20:02]

ON THE AFGHAN STUDENTS, THANKS FOR THAT REPORT.

BUT WHAT IMPRESSES ME OR MAKES ME SO PROUD IS NOT THAT WE MADE THE SPECIAL EFFORT TO INVITE AND WELCOME THE AFGHAN STUDENTS INTO OUR SCHOOLS.

THAT'S REALLY, REALLY SPECIAL.

BUT WHAT IMPRESSED ME MOST IS THE FACT THAT WE HAD THE RESOURCES AND SYSTEMS IN PLACE WHERE WE COULD REACT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AND PUT TOGETHER THAT WHOLE PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE HUB, THE HUB FOR RESOURCES FOR THEM.

SO THANK YOU, EVERYBODY IN THE ADMINISTRATION, THE DISTRICT THAT HAS PUT TOGETHER THIS WHOLE SYSTEM OF SUPPORT THAT WE CAN JUST DISPATCH ALMOST IMMEDIATELY FOR UNKNOWN AND INCOMING CRISES OR ANYTHING ELSE.

LAST THING I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS, IS ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT ON THE LEGISLATIVE ON THE WSSDA THING WAS ELECTRIFICATION OF BUSSES.

I THINK THAT'S IT'S A REALLY EXPENSIVE THING.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO GET THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE TO ALLOW US TO START DOING THAT, BECAUSE WE WE CAN ONLY BUY BUSSES THAT COST THE SAME AMOUNT AS THE BUS THEY'RE REPLACING.

THAT'S THE KIND OF FUNDING WE GET.

AND SO IF WE WANT TO GO BUY AN ELECTRIC BUS, WHICH COSTS CONSIDERABLY MORE, WE WOULD HAVE TO ADD FUNDS FROM OUR BASIC GENERAL FUND AND TAKE IT AWAY FROM BOOKS AND STUDENTS TO DO THAT. AND SO WITHOUT LEGISLATIVE HELP, WE CANNOT ELECTRIFY OUR FLEET.

BUT IT'S SO IMPORTANT.

I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT AS I RECALL, WE DRIVE OVER 10,000 MILES EVERY DAY, EVERY SCHOOL DAY, OUR BUSSES GO OVER 10,000 MILES.

AND SO IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A CLIMATE IMPACT, YOU DON'T PUT AN ELECTRIC CAR IN MY GARAGE, YOU PUT ELECTRIC BUSSES IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND THEN THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE YOU'RE MAKING A HUGE IMPACT. THINK ABOUT TAKING THE EMISSIONS OF 150 BUSSES GOING 10,000 MILES EVERY SINGLE DAY. THAT'S AN IMPACT THAT YOU CAN REALLY QUANTIFY.

SO I HOPE SOMETHING HAPPENS ON THAT.

AND I DON'T I'M NOT IN A DON'T THINK IT WILL HAPPEN VERY FAST BECAUSE IT COSTS A LOT OF MONEY, BUT IT'S SO IMPORTANT AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN REALLY HAVE A BIG IMPACT VERY QUICKLY. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

DIRECTOR CHASE.

OH, WELL, DIRECTOR NOBLE.

I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN CONNECT.

I THINK THAT I HAVE JUST REALIZED YOU SHOULD BE THE PERSON THAT'S HELPING TO LOBBY FOR THIS AS WE CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD.

SO THERE'S A FEW MEETINGS COMING UP WITH SENATOR MURRAY AND SENATOR CANTWELL OR SENATOR MURRAY AND CONGRESSWOMAN JAYAPAL AND SOME OF OUR STATE LEGISLATORS AS WE'RE LOOKING FOR FUNDING FOR THIS, SO LET'S CONNECT.

ON EVERYTHING ELSE. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO ALL THE WORK THAT WE'VE GOT TO DO.

WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO, AND I'M THRILLED TO BE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND EVERYONE WORKING ON THIS.

SO THANKS. DIRECTOR KILGORE.

THANK YOU. I DO HAVE A FEW COMMENTS.

DURING MY SPRING BREAK I SPENT A COUPLE OF DAYS WITH LEADERSHIP STUFF.

JUST TO BE CLEAR, WSSDA IS THEY REPRESENT US.

IT'S NOT REALLY THE OTHER WAY AROUND.

WE TELL THEM WHAT WE NEED AND THEY AS AS DIRECTOR CHASE SHOWED US ALL THE POSITIONS THAT WSSDA HOLDS COME FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND COME FROM THE DIRECTORS.

AND THEY HAVE TO REPRESENT, OBVIOUSLY, A WIDE VARIETY OF DISTRICTS BECAUSE THEY'RE OUR STATE IS REALLY DIVERSE.

AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT THEY DO.

BUT DURING MY TIME WITH THEM THIS WEEK, WE ALSO WE MET WITH SENATOR MURRAY BY ZOOM, AND WE MET WITH A FEW OF OUR STATE REPS CALLAN SENATOR WILSON AND ALEX YBARRA, WHO ARE ALL VERY INTERESTED IN EDUCATION AND REALLY GOT A SENSE OF A WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING AT THE STATE LEVEL AND WHAT'S HAPPENED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

AND OF COURSE, WE ASKED FOR ADVICE ABOUT HOW TO INFLUENCE THINGS.

AND WHAT I HEAR IS ONE OF THE MAIN THEMES IS, LISTEN, WORK ACROSS THE AISLE.

YOU KNOW, TRY TO DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE AND YOU DON'T ALWAYS AGREE WITH

[01:25:03]

AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON FOR SURE.

AND SO I DO APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE TONIGHT.

I MAY NOT AGREE WITH EVERYTHING, BUT I AM LISTENING.

AND I THINK I HOPE THAT WE CAN COME TO SOME COMMON GROUND.

AS A SCHOOL DIRECTOR, I MADE A YOU KNOW, I TOOK AN OATH TO FOLLOW THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON. AND THE WAY TO CHANGE THE LAWS IS TO ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE.

IT'S NOT TO JUST BREAK THEM.

SO THAT'S PROBABLY NOT SOMETHING THAT I PERSONALLY AND I'M SPEAKING FOR MYSELF.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I PERSONALLY WOULD BE COMFORTABLE TO DO, BUT I AM COMFORTABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR OUR NEEDS, FOR OUR DISTRICTS NEEDS AND FOR OUR STUDENTS NEEDS.

AND I'M ALWAYS FOCUSED ON OUR STUDENTS.

AS YOU HEARD, WE DON'T HAVE MASK MANDATES, YOU KNOW WE HAVE WE LEAVE IT, AT LEAST FOR NOW, UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL.

AND YOU CAN SEE I'M NOT WEARING A MASK.

I'M LISTENING TO THE EXPERTS.

AND UNTIL THEY TELL ME OTHERWISE, I'M COMFORTABLE RIGHT NOW FOR ME NOT TO WEAR A MASK.

BUT I UNDERSTAND OTHER PEOPLE FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE TO WEAR A MASK, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO. ONE THING I WOULD ASK PARENTS TO DO, NOW THAT WE'VE OPENED OUR SCHOOLS BACK TO VOLUNTEERS, COME VOLUNTEER.

THAT'S HOW YOU FIND OUT WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON IN THE SCHOOLS.

I THINK SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT I'VE HEARD TONIGHT, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE WE'RE DOING A LOT OF NEFARIOUS THINGS.

BUT I THINK IF YOU GO WATCH WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CLASSROOMS, THERE'S NOT VERY MUCH TIME SPENT ON THOSE KINDS OF ACTIVITIES.

SO I ENCOURAGE VOLUNTEERS.

I ALWAYS DO.

AND LET'S SEE.

AND MY LAST THING IS KIND OF BESIDE THE POINT, BUT I HAVE LEARNED THAT THE SEATTLE SOUNDERS THERE ARE TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS THAT ARE $19.74.

SO UNDER $20 AND GO, I FORGOT TO BRING THE FLIER, BUT GO LOOK FOR IT ONLINE. I THINK IT'S IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS AT EDMONDS AND ANY OF THE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND, OF COURSE, THE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES IN THE AREA.

AND STUDENTS, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, CONTACT ME AND I'LL GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION.

BUT I DID WANT TO MAKE THAT KNOWN.

LET'S PACK THE STANDS WITH STUDENTS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

I WANT TO THANK THE STUDENTS AND AND MY BOARD COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR COMMENTS.

IF YOU LOOK AT OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT PIECES IS THAT WE WANT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS TO FEEL THAT THEY BELONG.

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS.

SO PART OF THAT MEANS THAT THERE ARE STUDENTS WHO TEND TO BE IN MARGINALIZED GROUPS WHO TYPICALLY ARE TRADITIONALLY HAVE NOT FELT THAT THEY BELONG.

THIS INCLUDES STUDENTS OF COLOR, LGBTQ STUDENTS, SPECIAL ED STUDENTS, ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS, IMMIGRANTS, MANY STUDENTS WHO WE FEEL HAVE BEEN TO SOME EXTENT IN THEIR LIVES, NEGLECTED IN TERMS OF FEELING THAT THEY BELONG TO THE OVERALL GROUP AND THAT THEY FEEL WELCOME. AND THAT IS WHY WE PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO STUDENTS IN THOSE GROUPS.

THIS DOES NOT TAKE AWAY FROM STUDENTS WHO TYPICALLY AND TRADITIONALLY FEEL THAT THEY BELONG. WE WANT EVERYBODY TO FEEL THAT THEY BELONG.

ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.

AND FOR SOME, THAT MEANS REACHING OUT AN EXTRA HAND.

BECAUSE THEY COME FROM A SITUATION WHERE THEY MAY NOT FEEL LIKE THEY BELONG.

THANK YOU AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO DR.

BALDERAS. I'LL BE QUICK TO FINISH UP AND WRAP UP FOR THE EVENING.

AGAIN, WHEN I COME TO BOARD MEETINGS AND I APPRECIATE THIS IS THE SECOND BOARD MEETING WE'VE HAD SINCE THE PANDEMIC HIT 25 MONTHS AGO.

AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY COMING OUT BECAUSE I THINK WHEN COMMUNITY COMES OUT, THAT MEANS THE COMMUNITY CARES.

SO I, I LOOK FORWARD TO ACTUALLY FULL BOARD MEETINGS.

I LOOK FORWARD TO PEOPLE WANTING TO BE OUTSIDE, TRYING TO GET IN BECAUSE THAT MEANS YOU CARE. THAT MEANS YOU CARE.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING. AND EVERYONE HAS A VOICE.

THAT'S WHY I APPRECIATE THIS COUNTRY THIS COUNTRY.

I AM BUT MY PARENTS WEREN'T.

SO BE VERY, VERY FRANK WITH THAT.

IT'S THE FACT THAT THERE'S CIVIL DISCOURSE THAT TAKES PLACE AND THERE'S A LOT OF LACK OF

[01:30:07]

THE WORLD RIGHT NOW.

I MEAN, WE SEE THAT. WE SEE THAT.

AND WHERE THERE'S SOME COUNTRIES WHERE THE VOICES YOU'RE JUST NOT HEARD, YOU'RE JUST NOT HEARD. SO THAT'S WHY I APPRECIATE THE UNITED STATES AND WHAT THE UNITED STATES IS AND THE ABILITY TO HAVE CIVIL DISCOURSE AND AGREE TO DISAGREE IN A VERY CIVIL MANNER, BECAUSE, AGAIN, NOT EVERYBODY IS GOING TO AGREE.

WE ALL KNOW THAT. WE'RE NOT ALL GOING TO AGREE, BUT CAN WE LISTEN TO EACH OTHER AND SEE WHY THERE ARE DIFFERENCES IN OPINION AND WHAT THE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION MAKE THIS COUNTRY, WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN.

JUST A GREAT PLACE TO REALLY RAISE A FAMILY, TO LIVE, TO WORK, TO HAVE OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL PEOPLE, ALL PEOPLE.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING WHERE I AM A PRODUCT OF THAT, WHERE PEOPLE LIKE IT OR NOT, I AM A PRODUCT OF THE US PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AND MY PARENTS ARE FROM MEXICO AND I AM A BOOTSTRAP KID.

LABOR CAMP, MIGRANT WORKER, THE WHOLE NINE YARDS.

AND I WAS GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE IN A SEAT BECAUSE OF THE UNITED STATES PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM THAT I'M VERY, VERY PROUD OF, BECAUSE, AGAIN, I HAD GREAT TEACHERS, GREAT TEACHERS THAT SUPPORTED ME AND MY FAMILY.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO FOR OUR KIDS.

THAT'S THE FUTURE RIGHT THERE.

60% OF OUR KIDS, ALMOST OUR KIDS IN COLOR IN EDMONDS, 130 LANGUAGES ARE SPOKEN AND MORE AND MORE EVERY YEAR.

SO I GET EMOTIONAL ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THAT'S MY BACKGROUND.

AND AGAIN, THAT'S MY PASSION.

I'M HERE BECAUSE I'M A TEACHER ON SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT AND I WILL ALWAYS SAY I'M A TEACHER ON SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT.

I JUST HAVE A DIFFERENT TITLE.

BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE GREAT EDUCATORS IN OUR SYSTEM.

WE HAVE A GREAT BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP COMING BACK TO HAVE THE DIALOG WITH US TO SEE HOW WE CAN IMPROVE OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, DR.

BALDERAS. WE APPRECIATE HAVING YOUR VOICE HERE.

NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS ASKING THE BOARD IF THERE ARE ANY REQUESTS FOR ITEMS FOR US TO

[14. ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION AT FUTURE MEETINGS]

DIRECTOR CHASE.

THERE WAS. THERE WAS.

BUT I THINK IT'LL COME UP A LITTLE LATER ON IN THE YEAR.

SO I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING RIGHT AT THE MOMENT OTHER THAN IF WE CAN JUST THERE'LL BE A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE ON WHAT THE PROPOSALS COME IN THAT COME IN AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING SO I CAN SHARE THAT.

OKAY. ONE THING I'D LIKE TO PUT DOWN, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN RIGHT AWAY, BUT I DON'T WANT TO LOSE TRACK OF IT IS.

I'D LIKE US TO DISCUSS HOW WE CAN RECRUIT STUDENT ADVISORS THAT WE GET FROM ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS AND ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR POPULATION.

YOU GUYS ARE GREAT, BUT NOT ALL OUR SCHOOLS ARE REPRESENTED WITH YOU.

AND SO I'D LIKE US TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN RECRUIT STUDENT ADVISORS THAT THAT CUT ACROSS ALL OF ALL OF THE SCHOOLS MAYBE SOME TIME LATER IN THE YEAR.

BUT I JUST WANTED TO CAPTURE THAT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

I'D LIKE TO FIND A REAL GOOD CROSS-SECTION.

THANK YOU, KIDS. AND.

WITH NOTHING ELSE.

I THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING AND FOR EVERYBODY'S LISTENING AND BEING INVOLVED, AND THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.