[00:00:05]
>> [BACKGROUND] THIS REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING OF
[1. CALL TO ORDER-6:30 pm]
THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER.DIRECTOR KATIMS, ARE YOU HERE?
>> WE ALL HOPE FOR YOUR SPEEDY RECOVERY SOONER THAN LATER.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M UNABLE THOUGH FOR SOME REASON TO TURN ON MY CAMERA.
[BACKGROUND] IS THERE A REASON FOR THAT?
>> I GOT A MESSAGE THAT SAYS THE HOST HAS STOPPED IT.
CAN THE HOST START IT SO PEOPLE CAN SEE I'M REALLY HERE?
>> WE CAN HEAR YOU. BUT YES, WE'D LOVE TO SEE YOU AS WELL.
>> I JUST DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE THOSE FACELESS KIDS DURING REMOTE LEARNING.
>> [LAUGHTER] HOPEFULLY WE CAN WORK ON THAT, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, CAN WE CALL THE ROLL PLEASE.
[2. ROLL CALL-6:31 pm (ALL TIMES ARE ESTIMATED)]
>> NEXT, WE'LL ADMINISTER THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT, DR. MINER.
[3. LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT-6:32 pm]
WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF THIS PLACE, THERE IS TO KNOW HOME MUCH PEOPLE AND THEIR SUCCESSORS, THE TWO LEYLA TRIBES WHO 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 EDUCATIONAL AIMS THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED IN OUR CLASSROOMS AND SCHOOLS.
[4. FLAG SALUTE-6:33 pm]
>> NOW I INVITE EVERYONE TO JOIN ME FOR THE FLAG SALUTE.
>> NEXT, WOULD SOMEBODY LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA?
[5. APPROVAL OF AGENDA-6:34 pm]
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING TONIGHT'S AGENDA, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
>> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY.
THE MOTION PASSES AND THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT IS APPROVED.
JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE, THIS IS A PRETTY LONG AND INTERESTING AGENDA.
BUT FIRST WE HAVE A WONDERFUL PRESENTATION FROM
[6. SCHOOL PRESENTATIONS 6:35 pm]
OUR SEAVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS. [BACKGROUND]>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
MY NAME IS HEATHER PICARD AND I AM THE PROUD PRINCIPAL AT SEAVIEW ELEMENTARY.
I HAVE A WONDERFUL CREW WHO IS PART OF OUR PRESENTATION TONIGHT THAT ARE REPRESENTING SEAVIEW.
THEY'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES TO YOU.
>> HI, MY NAME IS RAVEN AND I'M IN FOURTH GRADE.
>> HI, MY NAME IS LUCY AND I'M IN THIRD GRADE.
>> HI, MY NAME IS ABBY AND I'M IN FIFTH GRADE.
>> HI, MY NAME IS HELLEN, I'M IN FIFTH GRADE.
>> HI, MY NAME IS EMILY, I'M IN FIFTH GRADE.
>> THANK YOU. OUR VIDEO TONIGHT HAS 20 SEAVIEW STUDENTS IN IT, AND WE'RE VERY PROUD TO SHOW YOU HOW WE BELONG AT SEAVIEW.
>> [MUSIC] HI, MY NAME IS EMILY OFFE.
I'M A FIFTH GRADER AT SEAVIEW ELEMENTARY.
THANK YOU, DR. MINER AND THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR ALLOWING OUR SCHOOL TO SHARE WITH YOU HOW WE FEEL WE BELONG THAT SEAVIEW.
OUR SEAVIEW MISSION IS S, STRIVE FOR SUCCESS, W, WORK TOGETHER, I,
[00:05:01]
INSPIRE OTHERS, M, MAKE A DIFFERENCE.IN OUR PRESENTATION TODAY, YOU WILL LEARN HOW WE DO THIS.
WE ALL BELONG AT SEAVIEW ELEMENTARY.
>> HI, MY NAME IS SOPHIA COPSTAD AND I'M IN THIRD GRADE.
EVERY SEPTEMBER WE HAVE A SHARK RUN.
THIS IS AN OLD-SCHOOL SHARK RUN WHERE WE RAISE MONEY FOR OUR SCHOOL YEAR.
WE RUN WITH OUR CLASS OF FRIENDS.
>> HI, MY NAME IS LINCOLN BAILINK AND I AM ALSO IN THIRD GRADE.
I LOVE TO RUN AND SHARK RUN MAKES ME FEEL LIKE ONE BIG SCHOOL FAMILY.
>> HI, MY NAME IS CHARLOTTE SPENCER AND I'M IN FIFTH GRADE.
I'VE BEEN A LEADER IN SHARKS RUN FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
WE HAVE ACTIVITIES WHERE OLDER STUDENTS WORK WITH YOUNGER STUDENTS ON IMPORTANT TOPICS LIKE GETTING ALONG WITH OTHERS, FRIENDSHIPS, AND THERE'S ALWAYS A LOT OF FUN.
BEING A LEADER AND SHARK AND MINNOWS HAS BUILD MY CONFIDENCE IN A LOT OF AREAS.
I CAN LEAD A GROUP OF STUDENTS IN A GAME, CREATE AN ART PROJECT AND BUILD FRIENDSHIPS TO BE ALL FAIRLY BELONG.
THIS YEAR, ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS IS WHEN OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER.
THIS YEAR WE HAD A KINDNESS PARTY WHERE WE PAINTED WALLS.
WE PUT OUR KINDNESS ROCKS IN OUR SCHOOL COURTYARD.
THEY REPRESENT HOW WE ARE ALL A LITTLE BIT THE SAME AND A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, BUT WE ALL BELONG.
>> HI, MY NAME IS SANTA ST. CLAIRE.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES IN OUR SCHOOL IS THE LIBRARY.
I CAN CHOOSE TO JUST WRITE BOOK TO HELP ME LEARN ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE AND PLACES.
THIS HELPS BUILD OUR COMMUNITIES SO WE ALL FEEL LIKE ONE SCHOOL COMMUNITY.
>> HI, MY NAME IS RAVEN BUBAKER, AND I AM ALSO IN FOURTH GRADE.
MY LIBRARIAN HELPS ME FIND BOOKS THAT I LOVE TO READ.
SOMETIMES THE CHARACTERS IN THE BOOK ARE JUST LIKE ME, FUNNY, SMART.
I LOVE TO SHARE GOODS BOOKS WITH MY FRIENDS SO THEY WILL READ THEM TOO.
>> HI, MY NAME LAILA AND I'M IN FOURTH GRADE.
IF YOU EVER VISIT SEAVIEW, THE FIRST THING YOU WOULD NOTICE THEY'RE OCCLUDING THINGS IN A MONTH.
IN OUR WINDOWS WE CELEBRATE DIFFERENT THEMES REPRESENTING OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN OUR SCHOOL.
>> HI, MY NAME IS CARL HERIK AND I'M IN FIFTH GRADE.
MUSIC, WE GET TO LEARN ABOUT OUR FRIENDS, CULTURES, AND HERITAGES THROUGH MUSIC.
WE ALSO GET TO PLAY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.
I'M ALSO IN BAND WITH MY FRIENDS.
>> HI, MY NAME IS OWEN AND I'M IN FIFTH GRADE.
AT SEAVIEW OUR PE AND MOVED 60 PROGRAMS HELP OUR STUDENTS WORK TOGETHER TO IMPROVE OUR MINDS AND BODIES.
>> HI, MY NAME IS JUNE AND OWEN IS MY BIG BROTHER.
OUR RUNNING CLUB HAS RUN OVER 2,500 MILES ALTOGETHER THIS YEAR.
>> HI, MY NAME IS LUCY BLUE AND I'M IN THE THIRD GRADE.
AT SEAVIEW, WE HAVE AN ART DOCENT PROGRAM WHERE VOLUNTEERS COME INTO OUR CLASSROOMS TO TEACH US HOW TO DO ART.
WE LEARN TOGETHER AND IT IS A LOT OF FUN.
>> HI, MY NAME IS MAYA HAZARD.
WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL ART PROJECTS THAT THE WHOLE SCHOOL PARTICIPATE IN.
SOME OF OUR ART PROJECTS HAVE OUR STUDENTS FACES IN THEM.
THIS MAKES EVERYONE FEEL LIKE THEY BELONG.
>> HI, MY NAME IS ABBY AND I'M IN FIFTH GRADE.
WE ARE GOING TO SHARE OUR SCHOOL CHAT WITH YOU.
WE ARE SAFE, RESPECTFUL, RESPONSIBLE, READY TO WORK.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE ARE USING OUR CHANT IN THE MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS AND AT OUR ASSEMBLIES.
WE FEEL THAT TOGETHER WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE AND THAT BUILDS A SENSE OF BELONGING.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? [APPLAUSE]
>> DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US?
I'M SORRY. DID I INTERRUPT SOMEBODY?
>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY AS A FORMER SEAVIEW PARENT WHOSE CHILD DEFINITELY WAS MADE TO FEEL HE BELONGED WHEN WE MOVED HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE HOW YOU ALL ARE STILL CREATING THIS CLIMATE OF BELONGING FOR EACH OTHER AND IT JUST WARMS MY HEART TO HEAR EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO HELP ALL THE KIDS AT SEAVIEW FEEL THEY BELONG.
>> I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THE SHARKS AND MINNOWS.
[LAUGHTER] DO YOU DECIDE IF YOU'RE A SHARK OR A MINNOW?
>> ANYBODY OLDER THAN FOUR THROUGH SIX IS THE SHARKS AS THE BIG BUDDIES FOR THEM, AND THEN ALL THE MINNOWS OR ANYTHING YOUNGER THAN THAT.
>> I LOVED YOUR PRESENTATION AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY IN THE PAST YEARS TO VISIT YOUR SCHOOL.
CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME FURTHER IDEAS ABOUT WHAT YOU DO WITH YOUR BUDDIES.
[00:10:06]
>> WE DO ART PROJECTS AND WE MAKE POSTERS FOR AROUND THE SCHOOL ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING.
>> WE PLAY GAMES A LOT AND WE DO GET CANDY AT THEM MOST OF THE TIME. [LAUGHTER].
>> WE'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU A FRIENDSHIP ROCK AND LET'S GO DELIVERED.
THIS ROCK CAN GO IN YOUR GARDEN OR YOU CAN PLACE IT ANYWHERE IN EDMONDS.
WHEN YOU SEE IT, REMEMBER SEAVIEW ELEMENTARY. [NOISE].
>> THANK YOU. CAN WE HAVE ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE? [APPLAUSE] THANKS SO MUCH.
NEXT, WE HAVE OUR SEAVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN UPDATE.
>> THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME BE HERE TONIGHT, DR.
I'M JUST REALLY EXCITED TO SHARE OUR SEAVIEW LITERACY.
TODAY I'D LIKE TO SHARE OUR GOAL TO INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS IN GRADES 2ND-4TH MEETING GRADE-LEVEL READING STANDARDS FROM 48% TO 75. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
[NOISE] SORRY, I GET TO BE IN CHARGE OF THE FLICKR.
[BACKGROUND] AM I ON? TESTING. CAN YOU HEAR ME? MAYBE YOU DON'T NEED IT.
AS A SCHOOL, WE HAVE A SENSE OF URGENCY.
WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A CLEAR NEED TO IMPROVE STUDENTS' READING ABILITIES. STUDENTS WHO ARE [OVERLAPPING]
>> I'M SORRY. IF YOU COULD MAYBE GET THE MIC A LITTLE CLOSER.
WE DO KNOW THAT WHEN WE'RE NOT PROJECTING OVER THE MIKES, FOLKS AT HOME CAN'T HEAR US VERY WELL.
>> ABSOLUTELY. LET ME KNOW IF I NEED TO START AGAIN.
AS A SCHOOL, WE HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF URGENCY.
WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A CLEAR NEED TO IMPROVE STUDENTS' READING ABILITIES.
STUDENTS WHO ARE READING BELOW GRADE LEVEL NEED TO MAKE MORE THAN A YEAR'S WORTH OF GROWTH EACH YEAR TO CATCH UP AND BE ABLE TO COMPREHEND GRADE-LEVEL TEXT.
OUR STRATEGIES INCLUDE DISTRICT AND BUILDING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
EXAMPLES OF WHAT YOU WOULD SEE IN OUR CLASSROOMS INCLUDE LEARNING TARGETS, WHOLE GROUP AND SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION, INDEPENDENT PRACTICE, STUDENTS REFLECTING AND GOAL-SETTING WITH THEIR TEACHERS AND MORE.
WE BELIEVE WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER.
TEACHERS AND THEIR PLCS COME TOGETHER TO REVIEW CYCLES OF INQUIRY, WHAT WENT WELL, WHAT DID NOT, AND HOW WE CAN SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS MORE EFFECTIVELY.
THE USE OF MULTIPLE FORMS OF PROGRESS MONITORING IS AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO TRACK STUDENT PROGRESS AND MAKE INFORMED INSTRUCTIONAL DECISIONS.
SEAVIEW PROGRESS MONITORS OUR STUDENTS THROUGH, I-READY, RUNNING RECORDS, CLASSROOM-LEVEL DATA, AND ACADIENCE.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS A SNAPSHOT OF OUR MID-YEAR GOALS AND DATA.
ON THE RIGHT SIDE, YOU WILL SEE GREEN, 61% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE ON GRADE LEVEL OR MID OR ABOVE.
THE YELLOW AND RED REPRESENTS 38% OF OUR STUDENTS WE ARE WORKING WITH ON TIER 2 AND TIER 3 SUPPORTS.
THE MEDIAN STUDENT AT MID-YEAR IS GROWING FASTER AT SEAVIEW THAN EXPECTED.
EIGHTY PERCENT OF THEIR TYPICAL GROWTH HAS ALREADY BEEN MET.
MOST STUDENTS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES ARE AT 50%.
THIS IS A POSITIVE SIGN THAT INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES ARE BEING USED AT SEAVIEW AND ARE EFFECTIVE AND THAT STUDENTS ARE RESPONDING WELL TO THEM.
IT ALSO SUGGESTS THAT OUR SCHOOL'S APPROACH TO PROGRESS MONITORING AND GOAL SETTING MAY BE CONTRIBUTING TO THIS SUCCESS.
MID-YEAR DATA PROJECTED PROFICIENCY DATA OF
[00:15:01]
61% ALIGNS WITH OUR SBA STATE TESTING PROFICIENCY.SIXTY-SEVEN PERCENT OF STUDENTS PERFORMING THREE OR MORE GRADE LEVELS BELOW HAVE ALREADY MET THEIR TYPICAL GROWTH THIS YEAR AT SEAVIEW.
SECOND-GRADE MID-YEAR HAS DECREASED THE GAP BY 27% AND INCREASED STUDENTS AT STANDARD BY 27%.
THIRD-GRADE STUDENTS MID-YEAR HAVE DECREASED THE GAP BY ALMOST 9%, 8.97, AND INCREASED STUDENTS AT STANDARD BY 8.97 ALSO.
FOURTH-GRADE STUDENTS HAVE DECREASED THE GAP BY 12% AND INCREASED STUDENTS AT STANDARD BY ALMOST 12% TOO.
AT THIS TIME, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR SEAVIEW?
>> COULD YOU GO BACK TO TWO SLIDES? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE STUFF THAT'S ON THERE.
IF I'M READING THIS CORRECTLY, AT THE START OF THE YEAR, 45% WERE AT OR ABOVE GRADE LEVEL AND WE'VE GOT UP TO 61 NOW.
IS THAT A CORRECT READING OF THAT?
AT THIS POINT IN MID-YEAR, I DON'T HAVE BEGINNING-OF-YEAR DATA UP HERE.
>> THEN, I GUESS, MY QUESTION THEN WOULD BE WHY DOES IT SAY FROM 25 AND FROM 20? I ASSUME THAT WAS BEGINNING-OF-YEAR DATA, BUT MAYBE IT'S NOT.
>> RIGHT BELOW THE COLOR-CODED SECTION THERE.
IT SAYS FROM 20% UNDER THE GRADES.
>> THAT IS THE GROWTH FROM THE BEGINNING OF YEAR-TO-YEAR DATA, IT'S ALL MID-YEAR.
THAT IS THE GROWTH. THANK YOU FOR ASKING.
>> HI, HEATHER. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS INFORMATION TO US.
ONE THING I'M INTERESTED IN IS YOU TALKED ABOUT THE POWER OF YOUR TEACHERS MEETING IN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES, THE PLCS.
I'M WONDERING, WHAT ARE THE ACTIVITIES THEY ENGAGE IN TOGETHER THAT'S HELPED THEM TO MOVE THE KIDS LEARNING IN THIS DIRECTION?
>> GREAT QUESTION. OUR TEACHERS MEET REGULARLY, THAT COULD BE WEEKLY, BIWEEKLY, OR EVEN ONCE A MONTH.
BUT WHAT THEY FOCUS ON IS STUDENT LEARNING.
IT COULD BE READING OR WRITING OR MATH.
WHAT THEY DO IS A CYCLE OF INQUIRY.
THEY SET GOALS FOR WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE TEACHING.
WE HAVE SEVERAL CLASSES AT EACH GRADE LEVEL, SO TWO OR THREE AT EACH GRADE LEVEL.
THEY WOULD TEACH THEIR PLANNED UNITS OF STUDY.
WHEN THEY WOULD COME BACK TOGETHER, THEY WOULD LOOK AT THE DATA THAT THEY SAW, WHAT WENT WELL? HOW DID OUR STUDENTS GROW? WHAT DIDN'T GO WELL? MAYBE A DIFFERENT CLASS MIGHT HAVE A DIFFERENT GROWTH DATASET.
THE TEACHERS GET TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT THEIR STRATEGIES.
THEY SHARE THOSE STRATEGIES TO MOVE ALL STUDENTS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR LEARNING GROWTH.
>> WELL, I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
[APPLAUSE] NEXT, WE HAVE OUR SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
[7. SUPERINTENDENT REPORT-6:55 pm]
>> GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, I'VE TIMED MY COMMENTS.
I'LL TRY TO KEEP THOSE TO TWO MINUTES JUST AS WE'RE ASKING OUR OTHER SPEAKERS TONIGHT.
OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, I HAVE BEEN REALLY HAD THE PRIVILEGE AND HONOR OF HEARING FROM MANY STAFF MEMBERS, CURRENT STUDENTS, ALUMNI, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON A WIDE VARIETY OF TOPICS THAT ARE FACING US TODAY.
I'VE DEEPLY APPRECIATED YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS, IDEAS, EXPERIENCES, AND CONCERNS.
TO THOSE, I HAVE NOT YET RESPONDED TO PERSONALLY, I APOLOGIZE AND I CONTINUE TO WORK TO RESPOND TO ALL PERSONALLY.
IN THE PREVIOUS DISTRICT I WORKED IN, WE USED TO FREQUENTLY USE THE PHRASE, WE CAN DO ANYTHING, BUT WE CAN'T DO EVERYTHING.
I DON'T THINK THAT PHRASE HAS EVER BEEN TRUER THAN IT IS TODAY.
SADLY, IN OUR STATE, THE ABILITY TO DO THE ANYTHING PORTION OF THAT PHRASE IS DIMINISHING.
AS SUPERINTENDENT, I HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO SEE THE EVERYTHING AND ITS IMPACTS ON OUR SYSTEM, AS WELL AS A RESPONSIBILITY TO SEE WHAT'S ON THE HORIZON.
IN THIS PERIOD OF DECLINING ENROLLMENT, WHICH IS A NATURAL PHENOMENON FOR DISTRICTS BUT HAS BEEN VASTLY EXACERBATED BY THE IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC AND WITH STATE COMPENSATION NOT BEING FULLY FUNDED BY THE STATE FOR OUR STAFF MEMBERS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO FUND OURSELVES IN BUDGET SHORTFALLS FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.
THERE ARE NO EASY ANSWERS IN A COMPLEX ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE MUST CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE
[00:20:04]
A VARIETY OF THINGS INCLUDING SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND SUPPORT IMPROVING OUR GRADUATION RATES, CLOSING DEMOGRAPHIC OPPORTUNITY GAPS, AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE SUCCESSFUL.I KNOW THAT MANY OF THE INVESTMENTS WE'RE MAKING NEXT YEAR IN OUR SCHOOLS WILL SUPPORT THOSE ENDEAVORS AND I DON'T DISPUTE THAT REDUCTIONS WILL ALSO IMPACT OUR PROGRESS.
I, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER STAFF MEMBERS, CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE AT THE LEGISLATIVE LEVEL, RIGHT GRANTS AND LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL REVENUE SOURCES.
AS AN EXAMPLE, ON MAY 1ST, I'LL PRESENT TO LEARN WITH CITY COUNCIL FOR A SECOND TIME, ADVOCATING THAT THEY AWARD A GRANT FOR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS IN OUR SCHOOLS.
I FIRST PRESENTED TO THEM ON SEPTEMBER 19TH AND THEY'LL BE RECONSIDERING THEIR PROPOSAL AT THEIR NEXT MEETING.
I'LL JUST CLOSE AGAIN WITH MY DEEP APPRECIATION FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS.
[8. APPROVAL OF MINUTES-7:05 pm]
NEXT, WE HAVE APPROVAL OF MINUTES, AND I UNDERSTAND WE CAN DO THIS ALL AT ONCE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO PULL OUT THE 8.2 ITEM SEPARATELY SINCE I WASN'T IN ATTENDANCE.FOR THE OTHER ITEMS, 8.1 SINGLE READING APPROVED MINUTES FOR MARCH 21ST STUDY SESSION, AND THEN 8.3 SINGLE READING APPROVE MINUTES FROM MARCH 28TH BUSINESS MEETING, AND THEN FINALLY, 8.4 APPROVE MINUTES FROM APRIL 11TH, 2023.
I'M SORRY, IT WAS 8.4 THAT I DIDN'T GO TO, 8.2 APPROVE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 28TH, 2023 JOINT SESSION WITH THE FOUNDATION.
>> I MOVE TO APPROVE THE MOTION.
>> TO APPROVE THE MINUTE FOR THE ITEMS ON 8.1 AND 8.3, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION?
>> I WAS NOT PRESENT FOR 8.2, SO SHOULD I ABSTAIN FROM THAT VOTE?
>> THIS ISN'T STRICTLY NECESSARY THAT YOU ABSTAIN BECAUSE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO? WELL, IN THAT CASE, THERE WASN'T A VIDEO OF THE STUDY SESSION, BUT WE DOUBLE CHECK PUBLIC RULES OF ORDER IT ISN'T STRICTLY NECESSARY THAT YOU ABSTAIN FROM THEM MINUTES, BUT I BELIEVE IT HAS BEEN OUR PAST PRACTICE.
>> I WILL ABSTAIN FROM 8.2 BUT APPROVE THE OTHERS.
>> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES FOR MARCH 21ST AND THE TWO MEETINGS ON MARCH 28TH, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
>> [LAUGHTER] OKAY, AND THE MOTION PASSES AND THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
THEN I HAD PULLED OUT 8.4, THE MINUTES FOR APRIL 11TH, 2023, JOINT SESSION WITH EDMUND'S COLLEGE.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM APRIL 11TH.
>> WE'RE GLAD WE ARE ABLE TO DO THAT IN PERSON NOW.
>> HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE APRIL 11TH MINUTES, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSE SAY, NAY? THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED. THIS KEEPS GOING OFF ON ITS OWN, I THINK.
NEXT, WE HAVE OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS SECTION OF THE AGENDA.
[9. PUBLIC COMMENTS-7:15 pm]
THE PUBLIC COMMENTS SECTION IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ADDRESS THE SCHOOL BOARD.SINCE THIS IS A BUSINESS MEETING OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, THE PURPOSE OF PUBLIC COMMENTS IS FOR THOSE INTERESTED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ABOUT ITEMS ON THE AGENDA OR OTHER SPECIFIC WORK WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THIS IS NOT A TIME FOR THE AUDIENCE TO ADDRESS EACH OTHER.
ITEMS BROUGHT FORWARD DURING THIS PORTION OF THE MEETING ARE NOT TYPICALLY ACTED UPON BY THE BOARD AT THIS TIME, BUT MAYBE FOLLOWED UP BY THE BOARD, THE SUPERINTENDENT, OR STAFF AT A LATER TIME.
PEOPLE MAY SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR A BOARD MEETING IN THREE DIFFERENT WAYS.
YOU MAY CHOOSE TO READ YOUR COMMENT ALLOWED IN PERSON, YOU MAY CHOOSE TO READ YOUR COMMENT ALLOWED VIRTUALLY OR YOU MAY SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS IN WRITING.
THE BOARD READS ALL WRITTEN COMMENTS WHICH ARE LATER ATTACHED TO THE MEETING AGENDA AND AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC ON THE BOARD DOCS WEBSITE.
[00:25:03]
THE BOARD ALSO ACCEPTS WRITTEN COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS AT ANY TIME THROUGH EMAIL.WE READ EACH COMMENT AND EMAIL WE RECEIVE AND WE APPRECIATE THE TIME AND EFFORT IT TAKES FOR THOSE WHO WRITE THEM.
WHILE WE ENCOURAGE AND APPRECIATE PUBLIC COMMENTS, PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TONIGHT TO TWO 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 WITHOUT DISPARAGING, NAME-CALLING OR OTHERWISE TARGETING ANY ONE PERSON OR GROUP IN THE DISTRICT.
SIMILARLY, WE ASK EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE TO PLEASE SHOW RESPECT BY LISTENING QUIETLY, WITHOUT TALKING OR WHISPERING TO EACH OTHER SO THAT EVERYONE CAN HEAR EACH COMMENT.
WE'VE HAD SIGNUPS IN ADVANCE, I HAVE A LIST OF IT LOOKS LIKE 30, THREE OF THOSE ARE VIRTUAL COMMENTS AND I THINK I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD.
ARE WE READY FOR THOSE OR SHOULD I? OKAY, SO THE FIRST ONE WOULD BE TANYA SHARP.
I'M A MOTHER OF TWO DAUGHTERS WHO ATTEND THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT IN GRADES 5 AND 7.
I'M HERE TODAY AS YOUR PARENT, TO EXPRESS MY DEEP CONCERN FOR EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENTS WHO ARE FACING SOCIAL EMOTIONAL DISTRESS AS A FALLOUT FROM THE COVID-19 CRISIS.
BOTH OF MY DAUGHTERS ENORMOUSLY BENEFIT FROM THE ARTS THAT PROVIDES EMOTIONAL SOCIAL SUPPORT, EASING BACK INTO SCHOOL AFTER THIS CRISIS, THE ARTS GIVE THEM JOY AND MOTIVATION TO ATTEND SCHOOL EACH DAY, AND I'M SURE THAT IS THE CASE FOR MOST STUDENTS.
I'M ALSO AN ADVOCATE AND ARTS LEADER IN THE CITY OF EDMUNDS AS AN ADMIN CENTER FOR THE ARTS BOARD MEMBER, ARTS WALK MURAL COMMITTEE MEMBER, ARTS COMMISSIONER, ADMINS CREATIVE DISTRICT COMMITTEE MEMBER, AND A PROFESSIONAL USER OF EXPERIENCE DESIGNER.
I KNOW PERSONALLY THAT THE ARTS ARE INTEGRAL TO EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY SINCE I SERVE ON THE EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH COMMITTEE FOR EDMONDS CENTER FOR THE ARTS, I CAN PROVIDE WITH A PERSPECTIVE THAT MANY DO NOT HAVE.
ECA ALREADY SUPPORTS THE GAPS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DOES NOT FULFILL.
UNFORTUNATELY, IF MORE ARTS ARE REMOVED, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUPPORT ALL STUDENTS.
THE PROGRAMMING ECA PROVIDES IS LIMITED BASED OFF WITH SPACE AND FUNDING SO AS A RESULT, IF ARTS ARE CUT, MANY STUDENTS WILL GO WITHOUT THE ARTS AND ESPECIALLY THE MOST VULNERABLE, AND THAT RISK STUDENTS WHO ARE TYPICALLY PEOPLE OF COLOR THE ARTS ARE WHAT UPLIFTS AND PROVIDES SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SUPPORT FOR ALL STUDENTS.
SCHOOL ARTS PROGRAMMING IS A KEY DRIVER THAT SUPPORTS OUR CURRENT ENROLLMENT RATES, ESPECIALLY FOR STUDENTS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH INSTABILITIES, STUDENTS THAT DO NOT IDENTIFY WITH ACADEMIA AND STUDENTS THAT ARE DRASTICALLY BEHIND THEIR GRADE LEVEL.
CUTTING ARTS PROGRAMMING WILL CAUSE US TO SEE A FURTHER DECLINE IN ENROLLMENT AND WE'LL LOWER STUDENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT.
SCHOOLS PROVIDE ACCESS TO ARTS EDUCATION TO MARGINAL POPULATIONS AND AS WE KNOW, AT LEAST 36% OF THESE EDMUND SCHOOLS ARE ON FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH AND EXPERIENCING POVERTY, INCLUDING THESE POPULATIONS MOST LIKELY DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE ARTS AND OUTSIDE OF SCHOOLS.
IN CONCLUSION, ONCE THE ARTS ARE CUT, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THEM THERE.
SAVE THE ARTS FOR THE SAKE OF OUR CHILDREN AND THEIR SOCIAL EMOTIONAL HEALTH, IMPROVED TEST SCORES, AND PROVIDE THEM JOY AND MOTIVATION TO ATTEND SCHOOL EVERY DAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME FOR CONSIDERING.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT. [APPLAUSE] NEXT WE HAVE DONNA MORIN.
THEY'RE NOT HERE. OUR NEXT PERSON IS ELIZABETH BIRD.
>> WONDERFUL. OUR FAMILY JUST RECEIVED NOTIFICATION THAT THE SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSES AT WESTGATE ELEMENTARY ARE BEING DISPLACED TO MARTHA LAKE.
WE HAVE MANY QUESTIONS AND QUITE FRANKLY, ARE EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED AT THE MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS ARE THE ONES BEING TARGETED.
SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE INVESTED IN THEIR HOME SCHOOLS, IT IS EASY TO UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPACT AND IMPORTANCE OF THEIR RELATIONSHIPS.
NEURODIVERGENT AND SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN MORE THAN ANY OTHER GROUP NEED CONSISTENCY AND CONTINUITY, THESE ARE NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE WELL-BEING AND THEIR LEARNING.
WE CAN PERSONALLY ATTEST THAT ALL CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES AT WESTGATE ELEMENTARY ARE INTENTIONALLY INTEGRATED INTO THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT.
IT IS A SAFE, CONSISTENT, AND SECURE WORLD.
STRONG RELATIONSHIPS ARE DEVELOPED, THE TEACHERS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, STAFF,
[00:30:01]
AND PRINCIPAL WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH EACH OTHER TO PROVIDE A WARM, SUPPORTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND INTEGRATE CHILDREN IN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM INTO THE GENERAL ED CLASSES AS APPROPRIATE.TEACHERS ALSO DILIGENTLY PROVIDE INCLUSION AND SENSITIVITY TO THE GENERAL STUDENT POPULATION.
THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT ESPOUSES A PHILOSOPHY OF EQUITY, INTEGRATION AND INCLUSION.
MOVING CHILDREN FROM THEIR DESIGNATED HOMESCHOOL SEEMS COUNTER TO THAT.
SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN MUST HAVE THE SAME AND EQUITABLE RIGHTS AS MAINSTREAM STUDENTS.
THIS DECISION VERY CLEARLY TELLS THEM THEIR NEEDS ARE NOT CONSIDERED, THEY DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO THE SAME SCHOOL YEAR AFTER YEAR AND BE ASSURED THAT THEY WILL ARBITRARILY BE MOVED.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, ONCE THESE CHILDREN WERE ASSIGNED TO SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASS, THAT SCHOOL BECAME THEIR HOME-SCHOOL.
MARTHA LAKE IS ALSO 25 MINUTES FROM THE WESTGATE AREA AND OUR HOME.
OUR NEURODIVERGENT CHILD IS BEING ASKED TO ENTER THE HARDSHIP OF SENDING OVER AN HOUR A DAY ON A BUS.
CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS OFTEN FACE UNIQUE CHALLENGES IN THE SCHOOL SETTING.
NEURODIVERGENT STUDENTS, STRUGGLE WITH EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SKILLS, THAT IS ORGANIZATION AND TIME MANAGEMENT, SOCIAL AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND SENSORY PROCESSING DIFFICULTIES, THEY TYPICALLY LIVE WITH A HIGH DEGREE OF STRESS AND ANXIETY.
THIS ARBITRARY DECISION IGNORES THE ONGOING TRAUMA, IT DOES NOT FULLY CAPTURE THE EXPERIENCE OF NEURODIVERGENT LEARNERS, NOR THE SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR CARE PROVIDERS.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE OUR [APPLAUSE] IN-PERSON SPEAKERS FIRST WE HAVE ERICA BASIL.
I APOLOGIZE IF I MISPRONOUNCE NAMES.
>> HELLO. SORRY. MY NAME IS ERICA BASIL AND I AM A NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED SPECIAL EDUCATION EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER AT ACC.
I'M HERE TO BRIEFLY TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF TEACHER PREPARATION.
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT CERTIFIED TEACHERS IN CLASSROOMS YIELD THE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS.
THIS IS SO CLEARLY EVIDENT THAT THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INDICATES THAT A HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHER, "MUST OBTAIN FULL STATE CERTIFICATION." BUT WE KNOW THAT OFTENTIMES EARLY LEARNING IS OVERLOOKED.
SO LET'S TURN TO THE STATE OF WASHINGTON.
FROM THE OSPI'S WEBSITE, WE KNOW THAT "TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN IS A PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN WHO DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY EARLY LEARNING EXPERIENCES PRIOR TO KINDERGARTEN.
ADDITIONALLY, THEY HAVE BEEN DEEMED TO BE IN NEED OF ADDITIONAL PREPARATION TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN KINDERGARTEN THE FOLLOWING YEAR." THIS PRETTY ACCURATELY DESCRIBES THE CHILDREN AT ACC AND WOODWAY CENTER RIGHT NOW, IF WE KEEP LOOKING AT THOSE REQUIREMENTS FOR A TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN TEACHER, PILLAR 2 CLEARLY STATES THAT CLASSROOMS ARE STAFFED BY CERTIFICATED TEACHERS WHO PROVIDE A RICH, VARIED SET OF EXPERIENCES IN LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE AND ADDRESS THE WHOLE CHILD.
IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT TEACHERS HAVE EARLY CHILDHOOD AND OR EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION ENDORSEMENTS.
I AM HERE TO ASK EACH OF YOU, THE ELECTED MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, WHY YOU WOULD APPROVE A PLAN THAT INCLUDES REMOVING CERTIFIED TEACHERS FROM CLASSROOMS WHEN RESEARCH, THE STATE AND FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION? NO, THAT'S CERTIFIED TEACHERS PROVIDE THE BEST OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS NO MATTER THEIR AGE.
WE ARE A SCHOOL AT ACC AND WOODWAY CENTER.
WE ARE NOT CHILDCARE PROGRAMS. [APPLAUSE] I'M SURE YOU KNOW THAT THE DISTRICT'S COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY IS EQUITY, ENGAGEMENT AND EXCELLENCE.
THIS IS YOUR COMMITMENT AND IT CANNOT HAPPEN IF YOU PROVIDE LESS TO OUR YOUNGEST AND MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS WHO WILL BE WITH YOU FOR YEARS TO COME.
INVEST IN EARLY EDUCATION, INVEST IN THE ARTS AND INVEST IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
>> THE NEXT SPEAKER IS GLADYS SPRINGBORN.
>> HI, MY NAME IS GLADYS SPRINGBORN AND I'M A DISTRICT PARENTS AND EMPLOYEE.
SINCE THE START OF COVID, THERE'S BEEN TALK WITH A WIDE RANGING IMPACT ON KIDS AND FAMILIES FROM THAT EXPERIENCE, WE PASS IMMEDIATE CRISIS, THE EFFECTS ARE STILL WITH US.
ACCORDING TO THE CDC'S MOST RECENT YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY, FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND
[00:35:01]
BEHAVIORS ARE INCREASING FOR NEARLY ALL GROUPS OF YOUTH.STUDENTS OF ALL AGES ARE ALSO STRUGGLING WITH ANXIETY, SOCIAL CONNECTION AND LEARNING SETBACKS.
THIS ISN'T SOMETHING OUR STUDENTS ARE GOING TO RECOVER FROM IN ONE YEAR.
AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF MENTAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TRAINED TO WORK WITH THEM.
THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION BELIEVES THAT SCHOOLS ARE A KEY WAY TO REACH AND HELP CHILDREN.
ONE STRATEGY THEY SUGGEST IS CULTIVATING SCHOOL CONNECTEDNESS, THE DEGREE TO WHICH YOUNG PEOPLE FEEL THAT ADULTS AND PEERS AT SCHOOL CARE ABOUT THEM AND ARE INVESTED IN THEIR SUCCESS.
THAT'S BEEN SHOWN AS A KEY CONTRIBUTOR TO MENTAL HEALTH.
YOUTH DO FEEL CONNECTED DURING MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL HAVE FEWER PROBLEMS WITH SUBSTANCE USE, MENTAL HEALTH, SUICIDALITY IN RISKY SEXUAL BEHAVIOR AS ADULTS.
IF WE WANT TO HELP OUR STUDENTS GROW INTO HEALTHY ADULTS, WE NEED TO STEP UP TO MEET THEIR MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS NOW AND FOSTER SCHOOL CONNECTEDNESS.
SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN THAT PROCESS AND NEED TO BE KEPT AS A RESOURCE FOR STUDENTS.
AND AS YOU'VE HEARD MUSIC IN THE PERFORMING ARTS ARE ALSO A STRONG SOURCE OF CONNECTEDNESS FOR MANY YOUTH.
IN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL YEARS, STUDENTS OFTEN HAVE DIFFERENT TEACHERS AND CLASSMATES FROM YEAR-TO-YEAR AND THE PERFORMING ARTS THEY USUALLY HAVE ONE TEACHER AND OF COURSE SET OF CLASSMATES AND STAY WITH THEM THROUGHOUT THOSE YEARS.
THAT PROVIDES AN INVALUABLE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW A SENSE OF COMMUNITY.
GIVEN WHAT CURRENT YOUTH EVENTS IT FEELS RECKLESS FOR THE DISTRICT TO PULL RESOURCES FROM STUDENTS, TAKEAWAY KEY STAFF, THEY CAN TALK TO YOU IF THEY'RE STRUGGLING, TAKE AWAY THEIR SAFE SPACES, REDUCE CONTACT BETWEEN OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS AND SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS AND INCREASE CLASS SIZES.
THE SHORT-TERM MONEY SAVED NOW WILL LEAD TO MORE COSTLY ISSUES IN THE FUTURE, THIS IS WHAT THE DATA SHOWS.
BETTER TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW CURRICULUM, MAKING CUSTOM ADMINISTRATION, REDUCING HOW MUCH MONEY SET ASIDE AND RESERVE.
PLEASE WAIT TO VOTE ON THIS BUDGET UNTIL MAY 9TH SO YOU CAN BETTER EXPLORE THE OPTIONS.
AS THE EA PRESIDENT SAID LAST WEEK, PLEASE BE THE HEROES OUR KIDS DESERVE NOTHING LESS FROM YOU.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATHRYN WEBB.
I'M A NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED PRE-SCHOOL SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER AT GACC.
I'M SPEAKING TO YOU THROUGH A LENS OF EXPERIENCE IN EDUCATION.
PRESCHOOL IS THE TIME WHEN WE CAN MAKE THE BIGGEST IMPACT AND GET THE BIGGEST RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR OUR STUDENTS.
EARLY INTERVENTION HAS PROVEN TO WORK AND IS THE BEST CHANCE OF STUDENTS EITHER EXITING SPECIAL EDUCATION ALTOGETHER OR BEING ABLE TO ACCESS THE CURRICULUM AND EDUCATION THEY WILL NEED TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL AND LIFE.
THE FIRST EXPERIENCE A CHILD HAS IN EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT SHOULD BE OUR FINEST MOMENT AS A DISTRICT.
INSTEAD, THE PROPOSAL IS TO INVEST LESS IN EARLY EDUCATION AND INTERVENTION AND LEAVE OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF SUPPORT.
THE EARLY EDUCATION PROGRAM IN OUR DISTRICT INCLUDES STUDENTS LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LINE, STUDENTS WHO LIVE WITH A LIFELONG DISABILITY, STUDENTS WHO HAVE A NEW DIAGNOSIS OF A DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY AND FAMILIES WHO ARE LEARNING TO NAVIGATE PUBLIC EDUCATION.
WE ARE OFFERING THEM LESS THAN WHAT THEY DESERVE AND LESS THAN WHAT IS NEEDED TO INVEST IN LONG-TERM PLANNING FOR A FUTURE, WHERE STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS WHAT THEY NEED TO BECOME THE AMAZING CITIZENS OF OUR WORLD.
THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU'RE PLANNING TO CUT ARE A SHORT-TERM QUICK FIX THAT WILL NOT RESULT IN LONG-TERM BUDGET RELIEF.
THE ARTS SINKS, COUNSELORS AND EARLY LEARNING IS A LONG-TERM INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE OF OUR DISTRICT.
STUDENTS HAVE MOVED TO OUR DISTRICT FOR THE EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS THAT ARE OFFERED ONLY IN EDMONDS.
STUDENTS STAY IN OUR DISTRICT WHERE THEY HAVE AN OUTLET FOR THEIR EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL NEEDS, THE ARTS.
STUDENTS STAY AND GRADUATE WHEN THEY HAVE SUPPORT TO ACCESS WHAT THEY NEED TO STAY ENGAGED IN SCHOOL, SINKS AND COUNSELORS.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS WILL HURT THE FUTURE OF THIS DISTRICT.
MORE STUDENTS WILL LEAVE WITHOUT THESE SUPPORTS.
FEWER FAMILIES WILL MOVE HERE FOR A HIGH-QUALITY PROGRAMS WHEN THEY ARE CUT TO LOOK LIKE WHAT EVERYONE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD DISTRICTS ARE DOING.
FEWER STUDENTS WILL GRADUATE TO GO ONTO HIGHER LEARNING OR TECHNICAL CAREERS WITHOUT THESE SUPPORTS.
THE SHORT-TERM PAYOFF IS EASY TO SEE IN THE BUDGET.
THE LONG TERM PAYOFF IS WHAT WILL KEEP THIS DISTRICT ALIVE AND WHERE FAMILIES WANT TO MOVE.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MAY SMITH.
>> MY NAME IS MAY SMITH AND I'M ALSO A NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED SPECIAL EDUCATION PRESCHOOL TEACHER AT GACC.
LIKE OTHER TEACHERS AND PARENTS, I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT PROSPECTS TEACHING OUR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AS CLASSROOM TEACHERS.
IN THE CURRENT MODEL, PROSPECTS WHO HAVE NEITHER TEACHING CERTIFICATION NOR SPECIAL EDUCATION EXPERIENCE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY TEACH OUR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
[00:40:02]
THE EMAILS SENT TO PARENTS BY THE DISTRICT SAYS THAT THESE TEACHERS WILL HAVE AT LEAST AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE AND CERTIFIED CHILDHOOD CREDIT.I BELIEVE THIS IS NOT ENOUGH FOR TEACHING STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
I THINK IT WILL BE HELPED TO KNOW HOW WE, CERTIFICATED TEACHERS, PROVIDE SERVICES TO OUR STUDENTS.
WE INTENTIONALLY EMBED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS IN THEIR DAILY ROUTINES.
FOR EXAMPLE, LUNCHTIME, IT'S NOT TO JUST DO FILL THE STUDENTS STOMACHS.
IT IS TIME TO PRACTICE INTERACTING WITH PEERS, USING FINGERS, COUNTING SNACKS, CLEANING UP AFTER THEMSELVES, USING UTENSILS APPROPRIATELY, REQUESTING SNACKS, ETC.
THIS REQUIRES CAREFUL AND CONSIDERABLE PLANNING.
MEANWHILE, WE USE MANY STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES THAT OUR STUDENTS FACE, ABC STRATEGIES, PBIS, MODELING, PROMPTING AND FADING STRATEGIES, BEHAVIORAL MOMENTUM, FUNCTIONAL COMMUNICATION TRAINING, ETC.
THESE STRATEGIES ARE USED ON AN ONGOING BASIS AS NECESSARY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT CERTIFICATE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS WILL STILL PROVIDE SERVICES TO STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AT CASE MANAGERS.
HOWEVER, THIS DOES NOT ALLOW US TO PROVIDE THE ONGOING SUPPORT THAT THEY ARE CURRENTLY RECEIVING.
PROVIDING THESE STRATEGIES AND EMBEDDED RUNNING OPPORTUNITIES REQUIRES SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCE, PRACTICE AND AN APPROPRIATE EDUCATION.
I SINCERELY HOPE THAT YOU CONSIDER THE THOUGHTS AND CONCERNS SHARED WITH YOU BY ALL STAKEHOLDERS, PARTICULARLY THE FAMILIES WHO KNOWS THEIR CHILDREN BEST AND THE TEACHER WHO'S TRAINING AND KNOWLEDGE PROVIDE THEM WITH INSIGHT INTO HOW BEST TO SERVE THE STUDENTS THEY WORK WITH EVERY DAY.
>> NEXT, WE HAVE ANDREA DORCHEK.
>> HI, MY NAME IS ANDREA DORCHEK AND I'M THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENTAL KINDERGARTEN TEACHER AT WOODWAY CENTER.
THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR AS A TEACHER IN EDMONDS.
HOWEVER, I WAS ANDREA LYNCH IN THIS DISTRICT FOR 13 YEARS.
I WAS AN ORIGINAL WOODWAY DOLPHIN, ATTENDED SHERWOOD WHEN WOODWAY CLOSED.
HEADED OFF TO COLLEGE PLACE AND FINALLY GRADUATED IN 2017 FROM EDMONDS WOODWAY.
I STAND HERE BEFORE YOU AS A PRODUCT OF THIS DISTRICT, THE DISTRICT THAT RAISED ME TO BE KIND, INCLUSIVE, CONSIDERATE, PASSIONATE AND SPEAK UP WHEN THINGS AREN'T RIGHT.
WELL, THINGS ARE NOT RIGHT, RIGHT NOW.
THE CURRENT DECISION TO CUT AND MOVE SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS, CHANGE OUR PRESCHOOL MODEL, ELIMINATE SOCIAL WORKERS, DECREASE OUR MUSIC PROGRAMS AND MANY OTHER POSITIONS THAT WORK DIRECTLY WITH STUDENTS IS NOT OKAY.
I'VE ALWAYS DREAMED OF COMING BACK TO EDMONDS, BUT NOW I'M FEELING AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF DISAPPOINTMENT IN THE STAFFING DECISIONS, BUT MOSTLY THE DISAPPOINTMENT FOR THE STUDENTS WHO WILL BE IMPACTED BY THESE DECISIONS.
TEACHERS ARE CRYING OUT FOR MORE SUPPORT AND WHAT'S THE RESPONSE? LESS SUPPORT.
ONE OF THE CUTS IS BEING MADE TO IS THE CUT OF A DEVELOPMENTAL KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOM.
BEFORE MAKING THIS DECISION, I INVITE YOU TO COME OUT TO THE DK CLASSROOMS IN THE DISTRICT.
COME SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A STUDENT BECOMES DISREGULATED AND COMMUNICATES THEIR FEELING THROUGH HITTING, KICKING, BITING AND YELLING.
SEE THESE SITUATIONS AND TELL ME WE NEED TO CUT A CLASSROOM, BUT ALSO COME OUT AND SEE THE BEAUTIFUL INCLUSIVE PROGRAM WE WON.
COME SEE STUDENTS MASTER AND INTRIGUE ROUTINE, SET FOR CIRCLE TIME AND WAIT TO APPEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME.
COME SEE THESE EXTRAORDINARY MOMENTS.
BUT TO CUT OFF A DK CLASSROOM, THE DISTRICT IS TAKING AWAY THESE BEAUTIFUL OPPORTUNITIES AND INCREASING THE CHALLENGING ONES.
THIS DK CUT IS JUST ONE OF THE 46 PLANNED.
THAT IS AN EXTREME NUMBER OF BEAUTIFUL MOMENTS THAT WILL BE POOF, GONE.
I ASKED BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO MAKE ALL THESE CUTS, COME OUT AND SEE, COME SEE THESE CLASSROOMS, COME SEE THESE TEACHERS.
IF YOU STILL MAKE THE CUTS, THEN YOU NEED TO LOOK THE TEACHERS AND THE STAFF AND THE STUDENTS IN THE FACE AND TELL THEM THAT THESE BEAUTIFUL MOMENTS DO NOT MATTER ENOUGH TO KEEP AROUND.
PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME LOSE FAITH AND LOVE IN THE DISTRICT THAT RAISED ME.
VOTE NO TONIGHT ON THE PROPOSED CUTS.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SYLVIA FERRARA.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS DR. SYLVIA FERRARA AND I'M THE PARENT OF A SPECIAL EDUCATION PRESCHOOLER AT THE ALTON EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER.
THIS BUDGET'S ASSAULT ON THE EDMONDS PRESCHOOL MODEL IS AN ASSAULT ON SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS IN THIS DISTRICT.
AECC WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED FOR AND CONTINUES TO SERVE THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PRESCHOOLERS IN OUR DISTRICT.
IT'S ONLY BEEN INCLUSIVE FOR ONE YEAR, SO WHO EXACTLY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HERE? THIS INCLUSIVE FORMAT IS NOW BEING USED AS AN EXCUSE TO CHANGE THE STAFFING MODEL TO ONE THAT WILL NO LONGER MEET THE NEEDS OF ITS SPECIAL EDUCATION POPULATION.
[00:45:03]
WE ARE LOSING EIGHT CERTIFICATED SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS AND OUR PRINCIPAL, ALL OF WHOM WERE BELOVED BY THE STUDENTS AND PARENTS AND HAVE THE PROPER TRAINING AND CREDENTIALS TO SERVE OUR KIDS.IN EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT IMMEDIATELY SURROUNDING US, CERTIFICATED TEACHERS SERVE AS CLASSROOM LEADS IN PRESCHOOL CLASSROOMS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS, BUT IN EDMONDS, YOU ARE GETTING RID OF CERTIFICATED TEACHERS AS CLASSROOM LEADS.
OUR CLASSROOM LEADS WILL NO LONGER BE REQUIRED TO HAVE A TEACHING CERTIFICATE OR ANY SPECIAL EDUCATION EXPERIENCE.
HOW CAN THESE NEW CLASSROOM LEADS POSSIBLY BE "PARTNERS" IN PROVIDING SPECIALLY DESIGNED INSTRUCTION AS YOUR MESSAGE TO PARENTS STATED? HOW WILL THEY POSSIBLY HANDLE THE NEEDS OF COMPLEX LEARNERS WHEN SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS AREN'T PUSHING IN? HOW WILL THIS NEW MODEL AND YOUR REDUCTION OF CERTIFIED SPECIAL EDUCATION STAFF POSSIBLY ALLOW YOU TO MEET THE LEGAL OBLIGATIONS OF STUDENTS IEPS? HOW WILL THIS MODEL POSSIBLY FOSTER MEANINGFUL INCLUSION AND ALLOW SPECIAL EDUCATION CHILDREN TO RECEIVE A FREE AND APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT? THE ANSWER IS, IT WILL NOT.
AS SOMEONE IN THE EDUCATION FIELD, I KNOW THAT YOUR PROPOSED MODEL CHANGE TO THE PRESCHOOL IS OPPOSED TO BEST PRACTICES.
IT IS OPPOSED BY RESEARCH, IT IS OPPOSED BY TEACHERS, IT IS OPPOSED BY PARENTS, AND IT IS SUPPORTED ONLY BY THE DISTRICTS DESIRE TO SAVE MONEY.
THE MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS IN THIS DISTRICT ARE THE ONES WHO WILL PAY FOR IT.
THE PARENTS OF AECC WILL NOT ALLOW OUR CHILDREN'S RIGHTS TO BE VIOLATED.
WE DEMAND TO KEEP OUR CERTIFICATED TEACHERS AS LEAD TEACHERS AND TO KEEP OUR PRINCIPAL SO THAT OUR KIDS HAVE ACCESS TO THE SAME LEVEL OF EDUCATION ENJOYED BY EVERY OTHER STUDENT IN THIS DISTRICT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GRETCHEN CAMPION.
>> EVENING EVERYONE, I AM GRETCHEN CAMPION.
I AM A PARENT EDUCATOR AT EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER, SORRY.
I'M SPEAKING TO YOU TODAY ABOUT THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO OUR PROGRAM RELATED TO THIS BUDGET SHORTFALL AT A AECC, WE HAVE MOVED TOWARDS A MORE INCLUSIVE MODEL THIS YEAR COMBINING OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS WITH E-CAP AND COMMUNITY PEERS, WE CURRENTLY HAVE CERTIFICATED SPECIAL TEACHERS TEACHING OUR CLASSES, MANY OF WHOM ARE NATIONALLY BOARD-CERTIFIED.
THIS PROPOSAL WOULD REPLACE THESE TEACHERS WITH A NON-CERTIFICATED EMPLOYEE.
THIS COULD BE SOMEONE WITH AN AA IN EARLY CHILDHOOD WHICH DOES NOT COMPARE TO A NATIONALLY BOARD-CERTIFIED SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER, AND IT'S CERTAINLY NOT BEST PRACTICE.
OUR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS REQUIRE MORE FROM US.
THEY ARE SOME OF OUR MOST IMPACTED CHILDREN REQUIRING MORE TIME, ATTENTION AND DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION FROM STAFF IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
WITHOUT A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER IN THE CLASSROOM FULL-TIME, THE AMOUNT OF SUPPORTS WILL BE DECREASED.
THIS WILL HAVE AN OUT-SIZED IMPACT ON OUR MOST VULNERABLE LEARNERS.
EVERY DAY AS A CLASSROOM TEAM, WE DISCUSS WHAT WORKED AND WHAT DIDN'T.
WE BRAINSTORM IDEAS TO HELP OUR STUDENTS SUCCEED AND WHEN IT'S A TOUGH DAY, WE TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE A REPEAT PERFORMANCE.
AS ONE OF TWO PARA EDUCATORS IN OUR CLASS, LOSING OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER IS AN INCALCULABLE LOSS.
WE WILL LOSE ACCESS TO A VALUABLE RESOURCE THAT IS CONSTANTLY AVAILABLE TO US WITHIN OUR CLASSROOM, WHERE WE CAN ADAPT ON THE FLY DEPENDING ON OUR STUDENTS NEEDS THAT DAY.
OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES RELY ON US TO GIVE THEM THE BEST INSTRUCTION TO HELP THEM BE SUCCESSFUL, AND THIS PROPOSED CHANGE IS NOT THE BEST WE CAN OFFER.
EARLY INTERVENTION HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE EFFECTIVE, AND IN THE END, BY GIVING OUR STUDENTS LESS NOW, WE WILL BE PAYING MORE LATER.
ON BEHALF OF OUR YOUNGEST MOST VULNERABLE LEARNERS, I IMPLORE YOU TO DO RIGHT BY THEM, DO NOT VOTE FOR THIS BUDGET.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MELISSA PETERSON.
>> HI, I'M THE SLP AT MAPLEWOOD AND NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED TEACHER AND THE 2022 ESA OF THE YEAR.
I'M HERE BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED ABOUT DISABLED STUDENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT WHO NEED REASONABLE CLASS SIZES TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS INCLUSION IN GEN ED.
THEY DESERVE INCLUSION IN THE CLASSROOM THAT HAS ROOM FOR THEM TO JOIN, WITH STAFF WHO HAVE THE TIME TO SUPPORT THEM.
WE HAVE THREE INTENSIVE SUPPORT CLASSROOMS AT MAPLEWOOD FOR STUDENTS WITH SIGNIFICANT DISABILITIES.
INCLUSION OF ANY KIND IS DIFFICULT DUE TO DANGEROUSLY LOW STAFFING AND UNFILLED PARA POSITIONS AS EACH CHILD NEEDS A PARA TO GO WITH THEM FOR SAFETY.
[00:50:01]
WE HAVE DIFFICULTY GETTING THESE STUDENTS TO SPECIALISTS CLASSES, NEVER MIND GEN ED.WE HAVE SPENT WEEKS AT A TIME AT SHELTER IN PLACE, STAFFING LEVELS.
ONE OF OUR CLASSES ONLY LEAVES THE ROOM FOR PE BECAUSE THERE IS NO OTHER SAFE OPTION.
CURRENT STAFFING SHORTAGES, MEAN THAT THOSE STUDENTS ARE NOT RECEIVING ANY GEN ED INCLUSION AT ALL.
WITH CURRENT CLASS SIZES OUR STUDENTS JOIN GEN ED CLASSROOMS WHICH DON'T HAVE CHAIRS FOR THEM TO SIT IN.
THEY DON'T HAVE ROOM FOR DESKS FOR OUR STUDENTS.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO PROVIDE INCLUSION NEXT YEAR WITH MORE STUDENTS IN EACH CLASSROOM, FEWER PARAS AND TEACHERS WHO HAVE EVEN LESS TIME TO SUPPORT THEM.
WE CANNOT DO INCLUSION WITHOUT REASONABLE CLASS SIZES.
WE CANNOT DO INCLUSION WITH FEWER PARA EDUCATORS.
WE CANNOT DO INCLUSION WITHOUT PARA SUBS WHICH ARE BEING CUT TO KEEP US SAFE STAFFING LEVELS.
OUR DISABLED STUDENTS ARE NOT GEN ED STUDENTS FIRST UNTIL WE PROVIDE ENOUGH STAFFING TO ALLOW THEM TO BE THERE.
YOU CAN REJECT OR REVISE THIS PLAN.
PLEASE VOTE NO, OR VOTE TO DEFER UNTIL MAY 9TH AS YOU CONSIDER OTHER OPTIONS.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE JENNIFER CARVER.
>> WHILE SHE MAKES IT UP TO THE PODIUM, I'M JUST GOING TO ASK, I'VE HEARD A FEW CELL PHONES GO OFF WHILE PEOPLE ARE SPEAKING.
IF EVERYONE COULD JUST TAKE A QUICK SECOND, MAKE SURE THEY ARE ON VIBRATE SO AS NOT TO INTERRUPT OUR SPEAKERS. THANK YOU.
>> MY NAME IS JENNIFER CARVER AND I'M A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER AT ALDERWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I'M HERE TO URGE THE BOARD NOT TO APPROVE THE REDUCED EDUCATION PLAN, BUT POSTPONE THE VOTE UNTIL THE MAY 9TH MEETING.
LAST WEEK WE WERE TOLD EDMONDS IS MAKING A SMALL BUDGET CUT COMPARED TO NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS, ONLY FOUR PERCENT COMPARED TO 11 PERCENT.
YET THOSE SAME OTHER DISTRICTS ARE MAKING CUTS EITHER EXCLUSIVELY AT THE DISTRICT AND ADMIN LEVEL LIKE TACOMA OR PREDOMINANTLY AT THE DISTRICT OR ADMIN LEVEL LIKE MUKILTEO.
[APPLAUSE] THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS A DUTY TO CRAFT A BUDGET WHERE THESE CUTS IMPACT STUDENTS AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE.
CUTTING THIS MANY STUDENT-FACING POSITIONS, ESPECIALLY ROLES LIKE THE SOCIAL WORKERS AND SYNCS, WILL HAVE A HUGE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON STUDENTS.
POSTPONING THE VOTE UNTIL MAY 9TH, WILL GIVE THE DISTRICT MORE TIME TO WORK ON A MORE REASONABLE, ACCURATE, AND HUMANE BUDGET THAT HONORS OUR STUDENTS INSTEAD OF HINDERING THEM AND REFLECTS THE VALUES ESD CLAIMS TO STAND FOR.
YOU HEARD HORRIFYING STATISTICS ABOUT STUDENTS MENTAL HEALTH LAST WEEK, INCLUDING MANY ADMITTING THAT THEY WERE LOST AND SUICIDAL BEFORE FINDING A PLACE THEY BELONG AT SCHOOL.
WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AND STUDENTS UNDENIABLY NEED MORE CARING ADULTS, NOT FEWER.
THE PUBLISHED RATIO OF 14 STUDENTS TO ONE CERTIFICATED STAFF MEMBER IS A FARCE AND DOES NOT REFLECT THE REALITY WITHIN THE CLASSROOM.
[APPLAUSE] MY SCHOOL WILL BE LOSING ALMOST 20 PERCENT OF ITS INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF AND GEN ED CLASSES WILL BE CLOSER TO 31-35 STUDENTS.
WITH BIGGER CLASS SIZES AND LESS SUPPORT, STUDENTS WILL LEARN LESS.
THEY'LL GET LESS OF THE ATTENTION THEY CLEARLY DESPERATELY CRAVES.
THEY'LL GET LESS ACADEMIC FEEDBACK AND MAKE LESS PROGRESS WHEN THEY'RE ALREADY BEHIND.
IT WILL BE HARDER TO ACT EQUITABLY TO MEET STUDENTS NEEDS, HARDER TO ENGAGE STUDENTS AND MAKE EXCELLENCE HARDER TO ACHIEVE.
THERE'LL BE LESS OF ME, OF US TEACHERS AND STAFF TO POUR INTO OUR STUDENTS AND STUDENTS SAFETY AND LEARNING WILL SUFFER AS A RESULT.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KRISTA MORALES.
>> I'M KRISTA MORALES FROM BTMS. WHEN MY STUDENTS EXAMINE AN ISSUE IN SOCIETY, I TEACH THEM TO ASK CRITICAL QUESTIONS, CONSIDER ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS, AND SEEK CLARITY TO MORE FULLY UNDERSTAND.
WITH THAT INFORMATION THEY BEGIN TO COMPREHEND THE COMPLEXITY OF A SEEMINGLY SIMPLE SOLUTION.
THEY HAVE ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT A PROGRAM NOT ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK.
I-READY? I ONLY SPEAK AND REPRESENTATION OF ITS USE IN SECONDARY ENGLISH, NOT IN MATH INTERVENTION OR ELEMENTARY, NOR AM I SUGGESTING THIS ONE THING AS AN ANSWER.
I AM ONLY ILLUSTRATING ONE EXAMPLE OF CRITICAL ANALYSIS THAT COULD BE APPLIED ACROSS THE SYSTEM.
HOW MUCH DOES THIS PROGRAM COST? ARE ENOUGH STUDENTS TAKING I-READY SERIOUSLY ENOUGH TO MAKE THE RESULTS STATISTICALLY SOUND? THERE ARE MANY STUDENTS INTENTIONALLY THROWING IT.
WE HAVE EIGHTH GRADERS PLACED FROM KINDERGARTEN TO TENTH GRADE.
WHAT SHOULD THAT BE TEACHING US? EVEN IF I-READY HAS LESSONS TO HELP THEM PROGRESS? HOW EFFECTIVE ARE THEY A STUDENTS WON'T ENGAGE BECAUSE THEY FIND DIGITAL LESSONS TEDIOUS AND UNDER STIMULATING.
IS ADMINISTERING I-READY IN MAY ALONGSIDE FIVE STATE TESTS, A GOOD USE OF TIME.
[00:55:01]
THIS AMOUNTS TO ROUGHLY 11 OF 20.5 INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS IN MAY DEDICATED TO TESTING.THE OTHER DAYS CAN'T BE ACADEMICALLY RIGOROUS BECAUSE STUDENTS ARE EXHAUSTED.
DOES ALL OF THIS TESTING CONTRIBUTE TO POOR MENTAL HEALTH AND ACADEMIC APATHY? HAVE WE ASKED STUDENTS, SINCE IMPLEMENTATION? IS THIS A BETTER PLACE TO SPEND MONEY, THAN STRUCTURES THAT SUPPORT ACADEMIC AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH? YOUR TEACHING STAFF AND STUDENTS HAVE ANSWERS.
DOES DISTRICT LEADERSHIP? WHAT OTHER EXPENDITURES ACROSS THE SYSTEM ARE COSTLY BUT NOT A GOOD RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
IF THE PLATE IS EQUIVALENT TO STUDENTS SUPPORT, IT IS BEING SHRUNK TO A SAUCER WHILE REQUIRING IT TO HOLD MULTIPLE TRIPS TO THE BUFFET.
EXCELLENCE DOES NOT EQUAL MORE STUDENTS IN CLASSES, MORE BEHAVIORAL ACADEMIC NEEDS MINUS TEACHERS, SYNCS, CCR, SOCIAL WORKERS, AND CLASSIFIED STAFF.
YOU ARE AN ELECTED CHECK AND BALANCE AND THE DISTRICT THIS BUDGET IS THE SAME RESPONSE TO THE SAME PROBLEMS WITHOUT A HISTORY OF POSITIVE YIELD.
DELAY YOUR VOTE UNTIL MAY 9TH AND CHALLENGE LEADERSHIP TO SPEND THE NEXT TWO WEEKS EXAMINING OTHER OPTIONS.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TARYN KELLER.
>> HI, MY NAME IS TARYN KELLER.
I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MOLLY GREER WHO'S WITHOUT A VOICE TONIGHT.
WE REPRESENT COLLEGE PLACE MIDDLE-SCHOOL.
I AM NOT PLANNING ON SPEAKING ABOUT THE RECENT COMMUNITY VIOLENCE PERPETRATED ON OUR DOORSTEP, BUT THE BOARD NEEDS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR COMMUNITY.
CUTS DO NOT MAKE THE STUDENTS SAFER.
FOR CPM, THESE CUTS ARE A DEATH SENTENCE.
SINCE 2019, WE'VE HAD A REVOLVING DOOR, A PART-TIME STAFF MEMBERS.
SOME STAFF MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR YEARS HAVE EITHER LEFT THE DISTRICT OR LEFT EDUCATION ALTOGETHER DUE TO THE RECENT SURPLUSES.
IN SOME CASES, WE HAVE TO RELY ON PEOPLE RETIRING OR GOING ON LEAVE JUST TO KEEP CONSISTENT STAFF AT OUR SCHOOL.
AS OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR, WE HAVE 33 CERTIFICATED STAFF MEMBERS, OF WHICH 18 ARE FULL-TIME TEACHERS ON A CAMPUS OF 470 STUDENTS.
THAT MEANS SUPERVISION, ASSEMBLIES BEFORE AND AFTER-SCHOOL MEETINGS, PARENT MEETINGS, CLUBS, SCHOOL-WIDE EVENTS, COMMUNITIES.
>> I'M GOING TO TAKE OVER FOR A MOMENT.
[BACKGROUND] I'M GOING TO ALSO TAKE OVER JUST GIVE ONE SECOND.
[APPLAUSE] I'M GOING TO TRY MY BEST BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, I'VE HAD LARYNGITIS SINCE LAST TUESDAY AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT SO HERE WE ARE.
AS OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR, WE ONLY HAVE 33 CERTIFICATED STAFF MEMBERS OF WHICH 18 ARE FULL-TIME TEACHERS ON A CAMPUS OF 470 STUDENTS.
THAT MEANS SUPERVISION, ASSEMBLIES BEFORE AND AFTER-SCHOOL MEETINGS, PARENT MEETINGS, CLUBS, SCHOOL-WIDE EVENTS, COMMITTEES IT ALWAYS FALLS ON THESE 18 STAFF MEMBERS THE MOST.
THESE CUTS TO OUR CLASSIFIED HOURS ARE ADDING MORE TASKS TO THEM AND IT'S UNETHICAL AND UNSUSTAINABLE AS WELL.
OUR ATHLETICS SECRETARY AND ATTENDANCE SECRETARY ARE ONE-PERSON, WHEREAS THEY ARE HELD BY TWO PEOPLE AT MANY OTHER SCHOOLS.
THE REGISTRAR IS ALSO THE COUNSELING SECRETARY.
AGAIN, POSITIONS ARE HELD BY TWO PEOPLE AT OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT.
THESE USED TO BE FULL-TIME 40-HOUR POSITIONS YEARS AGO, THEY WERE CUT DOWN TO 6.5 AND ON TOP OF THAT, THEY STILL HAVE TO DO ALL OF THE ORIGINAL RESPONSIBILITIES THEY PREVIOUSLY HAD.
WE KEEP HEARING THAT THE ENROLLMENT NUMBERS ARE LESSENING.
MY AMAZING, AMAZING REGISTRAR WHO SPOKE BEFOREHAND HELPED ME COME UP WITH THIS.
EVERY SINGLE YEAR WE DROP AT WINTERTIME, AND THEN IT IMMEDIATELY COMES BACK UP.
OUR NET YIELD IS ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS HIGHER THAN THE VERY VERY START SO THAT IS NOT TRUE.
HERE. [APPLAUSE] I KNOW SPI YOU CAN ALSO LOOK AT THIS DATA.
I SENT YOU THIS DATA VIA EMAIL.
[01:00:02]
ALL OF YOU HAVE RECEIVED IT AS OF I BELIEVE 4:30 EARLIER TODAY.PLEASE LOOK AT YOUR WHOLE DATA FOR YOUR BUDGET INSTEAD OF PINPOINTING DATA PIECES FROM 2019 THAT MAKE YOUR CUTS LOOK JUSTIFIABLE.
REMEMBER, OUR DISTRICT HAD TO PAY $80,000 THE FIRST SEMESTER OF 2019 BECAUSE OF ALL THESE TRIGGER PAYMENTS.
WE HAD TO PAY SO MUCH MONEY BECAUSE OF THESE UNNECESSARY CUTS.
TRENDS AND ENROLLMENT ARE VERY CONSISTENT AS CPM AS THEY ARE MIDDLE SCHOOLS LOSING SO MANY CRITICAL AND FOUNDATIONAL STAFF MEMBERS AT OUR SCHOOLS ARE DEATH SENTENCE.
PLEASE VOTE NO, AND VOTE TO POSTPONE.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TISHA CROTTO.
>> HELLO. MY NAME'S TISHA CROTTO AND I'M A BOARD CERTIFIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSTS FOR THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I'M HERE TO IMPLORE YOU TO VOTE NO TO THE PRESENTED REDUCED EDUCATION PLAN.
AT THE VERY LEAST, PLEASE DEFER THE VOTE TO MAY 9TH IN ORDER FOR YOU TO TRULY CONSIDER THE IMPACTS THIS DECISION WILL HAVE ON OUR STUDENTS, STAFF, AND COMMUNITY AND FIND OTHER PLACES TO CUT AWAY FROM OUR STUDENTS.
FROM A BEHAVIORAL STANDPOINT, UNSAFE BEHAVIORS AND SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS HAVE BEEN IMMENSE AND UNPRECEDENTED.
IN RESPONSE TO SUCH NEEDS, OUR DISTRICT HIRES SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS AND HAVE RELIED HEAVILY ON THE SINKS TO PROVIDE THESE NECESSARY SUPPORTS.
THESE AREN'T JUST THINGS WE CAN RUN AWAY FROM, YET IT SEEMS LIKE OUR DISTRICT IS REFUSING TO KEEP POSITIONS THAT SUPPORT AND TEACH LIFE-LONG SKILLS.
CONNECTING STUDENTS TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND PROVIDING SUPPORT TO STUDENTS THAT CAN KEEP THEMSELVES AND OTHERS SAFE AT SCHOOL TO HELP THEM BE ALL RIGHT.
INSTEAD OF KEEPING THESE POSITIONS BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING, THERE IS A PROPOSAL TO SIGN TWO CONTRACTS TO CONTRACT OUT PARA AND BEHAVIORAL AIDS.
LOOK AT THE CONTRACTS CLOSELY.
YOU WILL BE PAYING FOR BEHAVIOR SUPPORTS OF $55 AN HOUR WHILE WE PAY OUR PARAS ABOUT 20 EACH, AND ELIMINATE OTHER SUPPORTS THROUGHOUT OUR DISTRICTS SUCH AS THE SOCIAL WORKERS AND SINKS.
HOWEVER, OUR EMPLOYEES ARE INVESTED IN OUR KIDS.
THEY ARE A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THEY ARE PARENTS OF OUR STUDENTS AND WANT TO BUILD A COMMUNITY WITHIN THEIR BUILDINGS.
WHILE CONTRACTED PARAS COME AND GO, THEY MAY HAVE VERY LITTLE BUY-IN TO SHOW UP FOR OUR STUDENTS.
WARM BODIES DO NOT TEACH OUR CHILDREN, INVESTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OUR EMPLOYEES DO. ONE LAST THING.
MY SON IS A FIFTH GRADE STUDENT AT BRIER ELEMENTARY, AND WHILE THEY ARE PRIVILEGED ENOUGH TO KEEP THEIR SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSROOMS, SHERWOOD AND WESTGATE DO NOT GET TO KEEP THEIR FRIENDS, DO NOT TO GET TO KEEP THEIR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
MY SON HAS MADE YOU ALL SCHOOL FOLDERS AND PLACED INSIDE IS YOUR HOMEWORK.
[LAUGHTER] PLACED INSIDE IT READS, "DON'T TEACH ME TO EXCLUDE MY SPED FRIENDS.
SPED BELONGS TO SHERWOOD AND WESTGATE." [APPLAUSE] IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN EXCLUSION AS AN ADULT, WE SHOULDN'T IT BE TEACHING EXCLUSION TO OUR CHILDREN.
FIND WAYS TO KEEP CUTS AWAY FROM KIDS, BUT NO ONE THE REDUCED EDUCATION PLAN AND THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING THESE PIECES OF EVIDENCE [APPLAUSE]
>> NEXT, WE HAVE KELLY JANE DENKI OR DENKI.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KELLY JANE DENKI AND I HAVE A SON IN 11TH GRADE, ENROLLED AT MOUNTLAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL.
THE VERY CENTER OF HIS UNIVERSE IS THE JAZZ PROGRAM THERE.
IT'S AN AWARD-WINNING [APPLAUSE] JAZZ PROGRAM THAT IS SLATED TO BE CUT NEXT YEAR.
THE LAST TIME I STOOD AT THIS PODIUM, I ENDED WITH AN ANALOGY REGARDING THE TITANIC.
THE BOAT WAS SINKING, BUT THE BAND PLAYED ON.
IN THAT STORY, THE BAND DID THEIR JOB.
THEY HONORED WHAT THEY WERE CALLED THERE TO DO.
YOU'VE BEEN CALLED HERE TO REPRESENT OUR STUDENTS' NEEDS.
IT'S YOUR JOB TO PILOT THE DISTRICT'S FINANCIAL DECISIONS.
YOU'RE ALL CO-CAPTAINS. IN A SENSE, WE ARE YOUR CREW.
WE'VE SHOWN UP TO DO OUR JOBS AS PARENTS AND STUDENTS AND CONSTITUENTS.
[01:05:01]
WE'RE HERE TO REPRESENT. BUT SO ARE YOU.YOU ARE HERE TO REPRESENT WHAT IS FOR THE BETTER GOOD OF US ALL.
I THINK WE ALL SEE EYE-TO-EYE.
WHEN I SAY THE KIDS COME FIRST IN THIS MOMENT, AT THIS TIME, YOU ARE THEIR VOICES.
YOU ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WILL EITHER SUPPORT THEIR JOURNEYS OR IMPEDE THEM.
WHEN YOU SAY PART STARBOARD AND THE BOAT KILLS OVER, YOU'RE TAKING THE KIDS WITH YOU.
WE'RE THE BAND, YOU'RE THE CAPTAINS.
BE THE CAPTAINS YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE.
DELAY THE VOTE. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AMY FROST.
>> STILL RIGHT. IT IS FAR WHEN YOU SIT IN THE BACK? HI, MY NAME IS AMY FROST AND I'M HERE AGAIN AS A HISTORY TEACHER AT LHS, BUT ALSO AS THE EDMONDS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION VICE PRESIDENT.
67-0-35-3-11-25, 67 IS THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS ENROLLED IN PSYCHOLOGY AT LHS NEXT YEAR.
ZERO IS THE NUMBER OF SECTIONS THAT WE CAN RUN BASED ON THE FTE PROVIDED TO OUR BUILDING, WHICH IS ALSO RELATED TO THE ZERO FTE YOU ALL HAVE PROVIDED TO RUN CREDIT RECOVERY CLASSES DESPITE DISCUSSION ABOUT GRADUATION RATES.
THIRTY FIVE IS THE NUMBER OF SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS THAT WILL BE STACKED IN A PORTABLE AT WESTGATE OR FIFTH GRADERS IN A ROOM AT SHERWOOD ELEMENTARY.
THREE YEARS IS THE LENGTH OF THE CONTRACT THAT WAS JUST BARGAINED.
THE CONTRACT IN WHICH YOU AGREED TO SMALLER CLASS SIZES IN GRADES FOUR THROUGH EIGHT, WE'RE IN YEAR 1 OF THAT CONTRACT [APPLAUSE] I'M GOING TO QUOTE OUR ILLUSTRIOUS PRESIDENT [INAUDIBLE] ON OUR LAST TWO NUMBERS, 11.
ELEVEN IS THE APPROXIMATE CERTIFICATED FTE ENROLLMENT DECLINE OF 150 STUDENTS WOULD DRIVE NOT THE 50 PLUS PROPOSED AND 25.
TWENTY FIVE IS THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT ANDREA HARDY FROM WPA PROJECTS OUR END FUND BALANCE TO BE, WHICH IS 6% OF OUR SPENDING, WHICH IS HEALTHY AND WELL WITHIN BOARD GOALS.
STAFFING BASED ON ENROLLMENT IS A DISINGENUOUS CLAIM WHEN EVERYONE HERE ONLINE CAN GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF A CLASS THAT WON'T RUN DESPITE ENROLLMENT OR IRRESPONSIBLE AND QUITE FRANKLY, DANGEROUS CLASS SIZES.
IF YOU HAVE TO MAKE CUTS, I SUGGEST A TWO-STEP PROCESS.
SPECIFICALLY IF IT TAKES MORE THAN TWO STEPS FOR PERSON'S WORK TO MAKE IT TO KIDS, THAT'S ONE STEP TOO MANY.
OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A DISTRICT IS TO OUR STUDENTS.
CUTS NEED TO BE KEPT AS FAR AWAY FROM THEM AS POSSIBLE.
MOREOVER, CUTTING STAFFING, INCREASING CLASS SIZES, AND LIMITING COURSE OFFERINGS WILL ONLY EXACERBATE ENROLLMENT ISSUES WHEN STUDENTS AND FAMILIES LOOK TO OTHER PROGRAMS AND OTHER DISTRICTS THAT OFFER THE COURSES THEY WANT AND NEED IN MANAGEABLE SETTINGS [NOISE] PLEASE RETHINK THIS PROPOSAL [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE KAYLEE DETHLEFSEN.
>> MY NAME IS KAYLEE DETHLEFSEN AND I'M A MATH AND HISTORY TEACHER AT MOUNTLAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL.
I WAS HIRED LAST YEAR JUST BEFORE SCHOOL STARTED, AND I WAS SPLIT BETWEEN BRIER TERRACE MIDDLE AND MOUNTLAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL.
FOR THE FIRST MONTH AND A HALF OF SCHOOL, I HAD TO RUN BETWEEN DIFFERENT CLASSROOMS BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ROOM FOR ME, AND THOSE CLASSES WERE FILLED WITH 30-38 STUDENTS.
IMAGINE TRYING TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AND FILL GAPS AND LEARNING WITH THAT MANY STUDENTS AND NOT MUCH CHANGE THROUGHOUT YOUR DAY.
THEN THE OCTOBER SHUFFLE HAPPENED AND I WAS PUT IN A SINGLE CLASSROOM WITH AN ADDED CLASS AND CLASS SIZES BETWEEN 25 AND 30 STUDENTS, BETTER.
BUT THAT NUMBER WAS STILL TOO HIGH.
THERE WERE TIMES WHEN I STOOD LOOKING OUT AT 15 PEOPLE WITH THEIR HANDS RAISED WITH TEARS RUNNING DOWN MY FACE KNOWING I DIDN'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO HELP THEM ALL.
FIVE TO TEN PERCENT OF THEM DID NOT SPEAK ANY ENGLISH.
ABOUT 25 PERCENT HAD IEPS OR 504S, AND ALMOST 100 PERCENT OF THEM NEEDED ONE-ON-ONE OR SMALL GROUP HELP COMING OUT OF COVID IN ALGEBRA 1.
I SHOWED UP EVERY DAY AND DID MY BEST TO BUILD MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS WITH STUDENTS AND GUIDE THEM IN THEIR LEARNING, YET I STILL FEEL LIKE I FAILED.
THIS YEAR, I HAVE FACED SIMILAR CHALLENGES WITH
[01:10:02]
LARGE CLASS SIZES AND LIMITED SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WITH SUCH A WIDE VARIETY OF NEEDS.I'VE BEEN STRETCHED TOO THIN AND HAVE FELT AT TIMES AS THOUGH I'M JUST SURVIVING.
I'VE DEDICATED MY TIME, ENERGY, PASSION, AND MANY, MANY HOURS BEYOND MY CONTRACTED TIME TO TEACHING.
I'VE BEEN THERE FOR STUDENTS WHEN THEY'VE COME TO ME WITH THEIR STRUGGLES WITH IDENTITY, WITH SELF HARM, WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO KEEP A FRIEND OR JUST HOW TO TALK TO A BOY.
BUT DESPITE THESE PAST TWO YEARS OF GIVING NEARLY EVERY PART OF ME TO TEACHING, I LEARNED LAST FRIDAY THAT I MAY BE RIFT AND THAT I VERY LIKELY NEED TO FIND A NEW JOB.
IT FEELS LIKE A SLAP IN THE FACE AND PART OF ME FEELS LIKE I'VE FAILED.
BUT IF THERE'S SOMETHING I'VE LEARNED AND I'M TRYING TO KEEP IN MIND IT'S THAT I'M NOT THE ONE WHO'S FAILING [NOISE] IT'S THE SYSTEM THAT'S FAILING WHEN THE ODDS ARE STACKED SO HIGH AGAINST US.
TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, STUDENTS, AND FAMILIES ARE PAST THEIR CAPACITY, OUR STUDENTS ARE THE FUTURE.
WE CANNOT FAIL. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]
>> GOOD EVENING. AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT ASK THE QUESTION WHY WE ARE GRAPPLING WITH BUDGET CUTS? WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THE LOSS OF FUNDING? WHY IS ALMOST 5% OF THE STUDENT BODY LEFT THIS DISTRICT? THIS DISTRICT AND OTHERS IN THE SEATTLE AREA AND ACROSS OUR STATE ARE EXPERIENCING THIS FACT AS PARENTS ARE ELECTING TO WALK WITH THEIR FEET.
HAVING BECOME FED UP WITH THE DISTRACTIONS, GOVERNMENT-RUN SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN ABSORBED WITH, INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON THE BASICS AND FUNDAMENTALS OF EDUCATION, WHICH WILL ENABLE THEIR CHILDREN WHO HAPPEN TO BE THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY TO BECOME PRODUCTIVE AND JOYFUL CITIZENS, TO EARN A LIVING AND PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES IN AN ECONOMY THAT IS BECOMING EVER MORE COMPETITIVE AND SOPHISTICATED AS THE YEAR SLIP BY.
THE FAMILIES WHO ARE LEAVING ARE NOT LOWER RUNGS OF SOCIETY THOSE REMAINING ARE THE ONES WHO CANNOT AFFORD PRIVATE SCHOOL OR HAVE A PARENT WHO CAN STAY AT HOME AND HOME-SCHOOL.
THEY ARE THE ONES COUPLED TO AN EVER-INFERIOR PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM.
IT IS EVIDENCED YOU'RE NOT SERVING THE LESS FORTUNATE OF OUR SOCIETY BY FOCUSING ON THE LATEST SOCIAL DIVERSIONS AND IGNORING THE PRIORITIES WHICH COULD MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THE REMAINING STUDENTS.
THEREFORE, I SUGGEST YOU MIGHT CONSIDER SEARCHING YOUR SOULS REGARDING WHAT PRIORITIES YOU CHOOSE TO FOCUS ON IN THIS DISTRICT.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER? ARE WE GOOD? [LAUGHTER] OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BROOKE GREENBERG.
I AM THE PARENT OF A FIRST GRADER AT THE ISES PROGRAM AT WESTGATE ELEMENTARY.
I'M ALSO A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL WITH A FOCUS ON NEURO DIVERGENCE.
WESTGATE IS THE FOURTH SCHOOL THAT OUR CHILD HAS ATTENDED IN THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT, MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THE SHUFFLING THAT THE DISTRICT HAS DONE REPEATEDLY WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS. THIS LAST MOVE, HOWEVER, DURING HIS FIRST-GRADE YEAR, WAS BECAUSE OF HER CHILD'S MENTAL HEALTH.
MY CHILD BEGAN THE SCHOOL YEAR AT AN ISES PROGRAM IN ANOTHER ADMIN SCHOOL, WHICH I WON'T BE NAMING.
HOWEVER, THE CULTURE THERE WAS VERY DIFFERENT AND FAR LESS SUPPORTIVE OF OUR CHILD.
AT THE END OF OCTOBER LAST YEAR, WE PULLED HIM FROM THAT SCHOOL BECAUSE AFTER WEEKS OF DEPRESSION AND REGRESSION, HE TOLD US THAT HE NO LONGER WANTED TO BE ALIVE, AT SIX YEARS OLD.
WE CAME TO WESTGATE WITH A TRAUMATIZED CHILD.
HE HAD DAILY PANIC ATTACKS FOR MONTHS AS HE ATTEMPTED TO ADJUST.
EVERYONE, THE PRINCIPAL, THE TEACHERS, THE FRONT OFFICE STAFF, THE SCHOOL NURSE, THE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST, EVEN THE CROSSING GUARDS AND OTHER STUDENTS AT WESTGATE SUPPORTED HIM AND SUPPORTED US.
I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT MY CHILD IS THRIVING AT WESTGATE.
[APPLAUSE] HIS TEACHER, MS. DUCK WEILER, HAS BEEN IN HER CLASSROOM AT WESTGATE FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND HAS HELPED FACILITATE AWARENESS, ACCEPTANCE, AND INCLUSION THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL.
BUT THIS PROGRAM EXTENDS BEYOND THE CLASSROOMS THAT THESE CHILDREN ARE IN TO THE ENTIRE CULTURE OF THE SCHOOL.
OUR KID HAS FOUND BELONGING AND COMMUNITY HERE.
THIS PROGRAM CANNOT SIMPLY BE PLUGGED INTO ANOTHER CAMPUS BECAUSE THE PROGRAM IS THE CAMPUS.
[01:15:06]
SORRY. MOVING THESE KIDS TAKES AWAY THE ENVIRONMENT THAT IS FOSTERED THEIR SUCCESS FOR DECADES.BEFORE YOU FINALIZE THIS DECISION, PLEASE TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN WITH THE FAMILIES AND THE TEACHERS AND TALK ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THEIR STUDENTS.
I KNOW THERE ARE MANY OF US, BUT THIS HAS REAL POTENTIAL FOR HARM.
PLEASE RECONSIDER. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JANETTE GREEN.
>> GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS AND DR. MINER, MY NAME IS JANETTE GREEN.
I'M A MOM OF A THIRD GRADER AND A FIFTH GRADER AT MEDTRONIC KE.
I HAVE BEEN A MUSIC EDUCATOR FOR 19 YEARS.
I'LL BEGIN BY TELLING YOU THAT WITHOUT A QUALITY MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAM, I WOULD NOT BE STANDING HERE.
I WAS TOLD TO FIVE CHILDREN WITH TWO PARENTS WITH SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS THAT WERE IN AND OUT OF HOSPITAL AND MENTAL ILLNESS FACILITIES.
THERE WASN'T MONEY FOR INSTRUMENT LESSONS, EXPENSIVE SPORTS, BUT THERE WERE FREE AND LOW-COST, HIGH-QUALITY MUSIC PROGRAMS THAT I GREW UP IN LED BY ENCOURAGING AND CARRYING INSTRUCTORS WHO CHECKED ON ME, OFFERED EXTRA HELP AFTER SCHOOL.
IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL I FOUND MY PEOPLE, I FOUND PEACE AND SOLACE IN MUSIC WHEN MY HOME LIFE WAS A DUMPSTER FIRE.
IT LED ME TO FRIENDSHIPS, COLLEGE MUSIC SCHOLARSHIPS, AND NOW IN ALMOST 20-YEAR MUSIC CAREER.
I NOW HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES TO MY OWN STUDENTS NOW, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE COVID PANDEMIC.
WHEN IT WAS TIME TO LOOK AT SCHOOLS FOR MY OWN TWO CHILDREN, HAZELWOOD WAS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL.
MY FAMILY LOOKED AT PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND HEARD ABOUT THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICTS TWO CHOICE PROGRAMS, MADRONA AND MAPLEWOOD.
WE TOOK A TOUR OF MADRONA AND I WAS IMMEDIATELY DRAWN TO MADRONA'S RICH HISTORY OF AWARD-WINNING QUIRES, ORCHESTRAS, BANDS, AND THE INCREDIBLE MADRONA'S CHILDREN'S THEATER.
MY FIFTH-GRADE SON, RUSSELL, WHO SUFFERS FROM ANXIETY AND OTHER MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES LIKELY COMPOUNDED BY THE COVID CRISIS, HAS BEEN A STUDENT AT MATT EDWARDS BAND CLASSES IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
HE WAS LIKE COME FORWARD TO JOINING FOUR YEARS AND WAS HEARTBROKEN LAST YEAR WHEN HE DID NOT HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
HE'S EXCITED TO SHOW OFF HIS NEW SKILLS TO HIS SISTER, TALK ABOUT HIS NEW TROMBONE BUDDIES GIVES UP RECESS TO GO IN AND PRACTICE MORE.
HE HAS FOUND JOY IN A CREATIVE OUTLET.
MATTERS CREATED SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL.
MY DAUGHTER CHARLOTTE WILL BE IN FOURTH GRADE NEXT YEAR AND WAS SAD TO HEAR THAT NOT ONLY CHOIR WAS CUT, BUT NOW THE ORCHESTRA PROGRAM AT MADRONA WILL BE CUT TOO WITH NO PLANS TO REPLACE IT.
NO CHOIR, NO ORCHESTRA, LIMITED BAND, FAMILIES WILL LEAVE.
WHY WOULDN'T THEY? THIS IS A CHOICE SCHOOL.
YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE TEACHERS WITH DECADES OF EXPERIENCE BE LOVED BY THEIR STUDENTS.
THESE TEACHERS SAVED MY SON'S LIFE AS MY TEACHER SAVED MINE.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE JILL ESPITIA OR ESPITIA.
>> ESPITIA. THANK YOU. SORRY ABOUT THAT.
>> SURPRISED YOU DON'T KNOW MY NAME BY NOW.
[LAUGHTER] I'M JILL ESPITIA, RETIRED FIREFIGHTER, MTHS MUSIC BOOSTERS PRESIDENT.
I DIDN'T EXPLAIN LAST WEEK WHAT DROVE ME TO RETIRE FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE EXPERIENCED THE LARGEST INCREASE IN ADOLESCENT SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND IDEATIONS.
THERE WAS A 30% INCREASE IN EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS FOR MENTAL HEALTH REASONS FOR CHILDREN AGES 12-17.
OUR EMERGENCY CALLS SWITCH FROM FIRING CHEST PAIN TO MENTAL ILLNESS RESPONSES.
MORE STATISTICS, NEARLY 20% OF HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS REPORT SERIOUS THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE AND 9% HAVE MADE AN ATTEMPT TO TAKE THEIR LIVES.
THIS PERCENTAGE HAS INCREASED 12% AND CONTINUES TO RISE.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 78 HIGH-RISK STUDENTS IN OUR MUSIC PROGRAM THAT I'M AWARE OF AND THERE'S PROBABLY MORE.
PEOPLE THAT HAVE VULNERABLE SELF-ESTEEM ARE THE HIGHEST AT RISK FOR SUICIDE.
MUSIC AND ART ARE THE DEPARTMENTS WHERE THE STUDENTS FEEL THE SAFEST.
THEY ARE ACCEPTED FOR WHO THEY ARE AND ARE ENCOURAGED BY THEIR PEERS.
DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND THAT? LAST WEEKEND, OUR JAZZ 2 LARGE ENSEMBLE WON THEIR DIVISION AT THE LIONEL HAMPTON JAZZ FESTIVAL.
BUT THEY DIDN'T EVEN FEEL UP TO CELEBRATING BECAUSE THEY KNEW IT WAS THEIR LAST TIME TO DO THIS.
IT WAS REALLY SAD TO SEE THAT.
ALSO TO BE CUT IS PERCUSSION A SPECIALIZED CLASS WHERE PRACTICE CAN ONLY HAPPEN DURING SCHOOL.
OUR STUDENTS NEED THESE CLASSES.
IS BEYOND MY CAPACITY TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU CAN ACROSS-THE-BOARD CUTS SO MUCH OF
[01:20:03]
THE MUSIC AND ARTS PROGRAM WHEN THE DISTRICTS FOCUSES ON SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING.AGAIN, THIS IS THEIR COMMUNITY AND SAFE SPACE AND YOU'RE TELLING THEM THEY ARE NOT WORTH IT.
THEN ON TOP OF THAT, YOU ARE ELIMINATING SOCIAL WORKERS.
YOU ARE REMOVING RESOURCES THAT KEEP OUR STUDENTS SAFE.
DO YOU THINK THE COUNSELORS ARE BUSY NOW? JUST WAIT UNTIL YOU CUT THESE PROGRAMS. AS OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND AS WELL-PAID ADMINISTRATION I WOULD EXPECT YOU TO WORK HARD TO MAKE A DECISION TO PROTECT OUR STUDENTS.
IT'S TIME YOU FIGHT FOR OUR STUDENTS.
I'M ASKING YOU TO POSTPONE YOUR VOTE TONIGHT RATHER THAN MAKE A KNEE-JERK DECISION AND CUT THOSE CLASSES THAT ARE OBVIOUS CHOICES.
WHY AREN'T YOU FIGHTING FOR THEM? WHY AREN'T YOU ENSURING OUR MUSIC AND ART STUDENTS AREN'T GOING TO BE FOUND ON THE FLOOR IN THEIR BEDROOM BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT?
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LARISA PIZZO.
>> LARISA PIZZO I THINK I SAID IT RIGHT THIS TIME.
>> MY NAME IS LARISA PIZZO, AND I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT HOW SUPPORTIVE AND HEALING THE MUSIC PROGRAM HAS BEEN FOR STUDENTS.
ON JANUARY 20, 2021, MOUNTLAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, MR. SCHELLENBERG, SENT THE EMAIL ABOUT THE SECOND STUDENT DYING BY SUICIDE AT MOUNTLAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL.
HE PROVIDED A LIST OF COUNSELORS, NAMES, AND THEIR PHONE NUMBERS.
THE LIST HAVE FIVE COUNSELORS FOR ABOUT 1,300 STUDENTS.
AS YOU'RE AWARE, THERE WERE HARDLY IN YOUR RESOURCES PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO ADDRESS RISING OF DEPRESSION AND SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AMONG THE STUDENTS DUE TO COVID ISOLATION.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPRESS WHAT THE PARENTS FEELS, I SAW ONCE HAPPY AND CHEERFUL KID SITTING IN A DARK ROOM FOR HOURS, SOMETIMES A COUPLE OF DAYS AND REFUSING TO OPEN THE BLINDS, REFUSING TO EAT.
DURING COVID TIME, MY HUSBAND AND I HAD TO GO TO WORK BECAUSE WE PROVIDED THE FIRST RESPONDERS ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
WHEN I CALL MY DAUGHTER AND SHE DID NOT PICK UP THE PHONE, MY THOUGHT WAS WILL I MAKE IT IN TIME BACK HOME.
I THANK YOU MUSIC DIRECTOR, MR. DARREN FALL KEEPING SOME NORMALCY FOR HIS MUSIC STUDENTS.
[APPLAUSE] FOR ENCOURAGING THEM TO SPEAK WITH EACH OTHER AND CONTINUE PLAYING THEIR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.
PLEASE NOTE THAT MR. FAUL INHERITED BUNCH OF FRESHMEN WHO HAS NOT FINISHED MIDDLE SCHOOL DUE TO SCHOOL CLOSURE IN APRIL 2020, AND THEN THE STUDENTS CONTINUED THEIR FRESHMAN YEAR VIA ZOOM CLASSES UNTIL THE END OF APRIL 2021.
MR. FAUL MIGHT NOT BE A COUNSELOR IN MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL, BUT HE HELPED MANY KIDS TO GO THROUGH THEIR FIRST YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL WITHOUT THEM STEPPING FOOT IN THE SCHOOL BUILDING.
YOU EVER WATCHED HIM WORKING WITH HIS STUDENTS, YOU WOULD HAVE NOTICED HOW ENTHUSIASTIC HIS STYLE OF TEACHING IS.
THE SCHOOL BOARD STATED EARLIER THAT THE MENTAL HEALTH IS A BIG CONCERN, THEREFORE, I ASK YOU TO KEEP THE MUSIC PROGRAM ALIVE FOR THE MENTAL WELL-BEING OF YOUR STUDENTS. THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TRAVIS PIZZO.
>> IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WHEN BUDGET CUTS ARE NEEDED, THE FIRST THING TO GET CHOPPED ARE THE ARTS PROGRAMS. AS MUCH A NECESSITY AS MATH, HISTORY, AND ENGLISH, I SUGGEST YOU MAKE OTHER ARRANGEMENTS AND GET CREATIVE WITH YOUR BUDGETS, MAYBE RENEGOTIATE WITH VENDORS AND SUCH.
IF IT'S TOO LATE TO EXPLORE THOSE AVENUES OF SAVING MONEY THAN THAT ONUS IS ON YOU, THE COUNCIL, YOU SHOULD HAVE FORESEEN THESE ISSUES.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HAVE KNOWN WHEN THE LAST TIME WAS THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WENT THROUGH AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT? I DON'T THINK IT'S EVER GONE THROUGH AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT.
I TRULY UNDERSTAND YOUR PREDICAMENT AND SCHOOL DISTRICT IS UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE.
I DON'T ENVY YOU IN THIS ENDEAVOR.
MY DAUGHTER HAS BEEN AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT MUSIC PROGRAM SINCE DAY 1.
SHE HAS SPENT LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF HOURS PRACTICING AND OWNING A SKILL.
[01:25:04]
SHE LOVES IN A PLACE THAT EMBRACES HER.SHE IS A GREAT PERSON, A PLACE WHERE SHE AND OTHERS PRACTICE RESPECT FOR ONE ANOTHER EACH AND EVERY DAY.
THESE STUDENTS HAVE FOUND A PLACE WHERE THEY ARE ABLE TO RELEASE STRESS.
THE STRESSES THEY ARE AND ARE BEING CREATIVE AND HAVING A PLACE THAT THEY CAN TRULY BE THEIR BEST SELVES.
I THINK YOU'D BE HARD-PRESSED TO FIND SUCH AN OPENNESS AND INCLUSIVITY OF ALL WALKS OF LIFE.
MANY OF THE STUDENTS IN THE ARTS PROGRAMS ARE TRYING TO GET NOTICED BY COLLEGES FOR THEIR TALENTS AND THEIR FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES SUCH AS SCHOLARSHIPS.
MY DAUGHTER BEING ONE OF THEM AS MANY AS THE OTHER STUDENTS ARE ALSO.
BY REDUCING THE ARTS PROGRAM, MANY OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES WILL BE OUT OF REACH, AND OUT OF TOUCH FOR THESE STUDENTS.
I ASK THAT YOU REALLY RECONSIDER THESE CUTS AND POSTPONE YOUR VOTE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE]
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CAROLYN HARVEY.
>> I THOUGHT HARD ACTS TO FOLLOW. [LAUGHTER] HI, I'M CAROLYN, AND I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE MOUNTLAKE TERRACE MUSIC BOOSTERS. YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF US.
[LAUGHTER] MY PERSONAL SAY IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS IS SIMPLE.
MY SON IS A TENTH GRADER AND HE'S A MUSICIAN IN MOUNTLAKE TERRACE JAZZ ENSEMBLE.
THIS PROGRAM HAS HAD AN ENORMOUSLY POSITIVE IMPACT ON HIS LEARNING, HIS HAPPINESS, HIS SENSE OF BELONGING, AND HIS PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS.
HE'S CONNECTED TO MUSIC EVERY DAY.
[NOISE] IT DRIVES HIM TO DO BETTER AND TO BE BETTER.
HE'S DOING THINGS THAT I NEVER COULD HAVE DONE IT HIS AGE, AND LARGE PART BECAUSE OF MR. FAUL, THIS PROGRAM IN THIS COMMUNITY.
TO CUT THE PROGRAM WOULD HAVE A DIRECT AND UNFORTUNATE IMPACT ON HIS LIFE AND SO MANY OTHERS.
YOU'VE BEEN TASKED TO MAKE BUDGET CUTS AND YOUR PROPOSED PLAN WAS PRESENTED LAST WEEK IN GREAT DETAIL.
THE PROPOSED CUTS WERE SEVERE AND CHOICES BEFORE YOU WERE NOT EASY.
HOWEVER, BEING A BOARD MEMBER IS YOUR CHOICE, AND IT'S TIME TO FACE MUSIC LITERALLY.
I'M ASKING THAT YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S MOST CRITICAL FOR OUR STUDENTS AS THEY'RE STILL RECOVERING FROM THE TRAUMA OF THE PANDEMIC.
WHAT IS IT THAT'S BRINGING THEM TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY? WHAT IS IT THAT'S GIVING THEM JOY? WHAT'S HELPING THEM LEARN AND ACHIEVE IN ALL DISCIPLINES? WHAT COMMUNITIES HAVE THEY BUILT? THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE.
I'VE NEVER SEEN MY SON MORE CONNECTED.
REJECT THE CURRENT PROPOSAL, DELAY YOUR VOTE, SAVE THE ARTS, AND FIND YOUR CUTS ELSEWHERE.
A QUOTE FROM JOHN LENNON, WHEN YOU'RE DROWNING, YOU DON'T SAY, I'LL BE INCREDIBLY PLEASED IF SOMEONE WOULD HAVE THE FORESIGHT TO NOTICE ME DROWNING AND COME AND HELP ME, YOU JUST SCREAM.
WE'RE SCREAMING, OUR STUDENTS ARE SCREAMING.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SOPHIA PIZZO.
>> MY NAME IS SOPHIA PIZZO, AND I'M A JUNIOR AT MTHS, AND A TRUMPET PLAYER IN JAZZ BAND 2.
MOST OF MY BAND FRIENDS EVER PLAYED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS STARTING AT FIFTH GRADE FOR 5-8 YEARS.
THERE ARE MOMENTS WHEN I FELT TO DROP PLAYING TRUMPET AND TO SEE SOMETHING EASY ELECTIVE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I REMEMBER WATCHING THE PERFORMANCE OF [INAUDIBLE] JAZZ BAND AT THEATER.
JAZZ BAND INSPIRED ME, YOU ARE A MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT, CONTINUE PLAYING YOUR TRUMPET, AND GETTING IT TO JAZZ BAND IN MTHS.
DURING COVID I HAD NO HOPE OF ANYTHING EVERY DAY WAS A STRUGGLE THAT I COULD NEVER FOCUS.
THERE WAS CONSTANT FEAR AND MY SANITY WAS NOWHERE.
THE PROPOSAL BY THE SCHOOL BOARD TO CANCEL CLASSES FOR YEAR 2 IS NOT GOING TO WORK.
LEARNING TO PLAY MUSICAL INSTRUMENT REQUIRES EVERY DAY PRACTICE, OR AT LEAST MOST DAYS.
MUSIC STUDENTS GRADUALLY MOVE FROM ONE LEVEL TO ANOTHER, IF ANY CLASS IS CANCELED ON THIS CHAIN, IT WILL BREAK LEARNING PROCESS BEYOND RECOVERY.
LAST WEEK BOTH JAZZ BANDS WENT TO LIONEL HAMPTON JAZZ FESTIVAL AND BROUGHT THE FIRST PLACE.
OUR JAZZ BAND 2 HAS LESS THAN 30 STUDENTS AND THEREFORE IT'S CUT NEXT YEAR.
YOU ARE DECIDING MY BAND FUTURE, THE FUTURE OF 19 OTHERS STUDENTS AND MY FRIENDS.
BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY AND BRING RECOGNITION AND
[01:30:02]
GLORY TO MTHS AND THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT.WE WILL BECOME OF STATISTICS NUMBERS.
OUR NUMBER IS 0.2 FTA AND $29,000 IN COST.
BUT WE ARE NOT JUST NUMBERS ON PAPER, WE ARE YOUR STUDENTS AND PEOPLE.
[APPLAUSE] WE RESPECTFULLY ASK YOUR EDUCATORS TO COME TO OUR JAZZ 2 CLASS, WATCH US PLAY JAZZ, LOOK INTO OUR EYES, AND WITH CLEAR CONSCIOUSNESS, TELL US, SORRY KIDS, THIS DISTRICT DOESN'T HAVE TO HOLD IN $29,000 FOR YOU, WE'RE CUTTING YOUR CLASSES AND YOUR HOPES.
PLEASE BE COMPASSIONATE AND BRAVE, AND GRANT US THE WISH AND PERSONALLY BRING US THIS NEWS.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRISTINA BALL.
>> [BACKGROUND] [LAUGHTER] I'M CHRISTINA BALL.
SAFETY AS A PARENT AND PARENT IN THE DISTRICT ARE MY TOP CONCERN.
SATURDAY EVENING, THERE WAS A SHOOTING ONE MILE FROM MY HOME INVOLVING TWO TEENAGE BOYS FROM OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
MY FAMILY DROVE BY THIS DEAN ON OUR WAY HOME FROM BASEBALL.
ONE BOY WAS SHOT IN THE ARM AND TRANSPORTED TO HARBOR VIEW.
THE OTHER, PHYSICALLY UNINJURED BUT BOTH UNDERSTANDABLY TRAUMATIZED.
SUNDAY, DRIVING BY THE SCENE AGAIN TO BASEBALL WITH MY YOUNGER BOYS, WHEN ASKED WHAT HAPPENED, NOT WANTING TO INSTILL FEAR IN THEM IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THEY'RE GROWING UP IN, I JUST SAID ONE WAS RUDE TO ANOTHER ON THE STREET.
MONDAY MORNING, THE FIRST QUESTION OF THE DAY I RECEIVED AS A PARA FROM A FIFTH GRADE STUDENT WAS, DID YOU HEAR WHAT HAPPENED OUTSIDE CPM? THE NEWS OF WHAT HAPPEN SPREADS THROUGH THE SCHOOLS WITH FEAR AND WORRY FROM THIS VERY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE'RE MEETING IN TONIGHT.
THIS IS THE RIPPLE EFFECT OF TRAUMA.
THE EMOTIONS AND PSYCHOLOGICAL AFTERMATH THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE EXPERIENCING ARE PRECISELY THE CHALLENGES THAT THE SCHOOL SINKS AND PSYCHOLOGISTS ARE TRAINED TO HANDLE.
HOWEVER, IF YOU AS THE SCHOOL BOARD ARE TO CUT THOSE POSITIONS, WHO'S GOING TO OFFER TRAUMA SUPPORT? CERTAINLY, TEACHERS WHO ARE TASKED WITH TEACHING CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE THE ASSISTANCE WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE AND PASSION OF OUR CARING SINKS AND PSYCHOLOGISTS, WHAT RESOURCES WILL THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFER TO SUPPORT FAMILIES AND STUDENTS DURING TRANSITIONING BACK TO SCHOOL AND LEARNING? WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO CUT PARAS, THE CHANGES MADE WILL RESULT IN OUR SUFFERING CHILDREN GOING UNNOTICED AND UNSUSPECTED AS THEY PROCESS THEIR FEELINGS ALONE.
AS PARENT WERE TASKED WITH KEEPING AN EYE AND EAR OUT TO GUIDE STUDENTS, WITHOUT THEM, WE RISK LOSING OUR CHILDREN TO HARM.
I STRONGLY RECOMMEND FINDING MONEY IN REDUCING TOP TIERED ADMINISTRATION OR PAY AND REMOVAL OF UNBELIEVABLE TECH APPS INSTEAD OF CUTTING MENTAL HEALTH.
[APPLAUSE] [NOISE] WHO, IF NOT THE SINKS AND PSYCHOLOGISTS WILL SUPPORT THE VICTIMS AND OUR GREATER STUDENT BODY THROUGH THE NEXT TRAUMATIC EVENT, YOU AS THE BOARD MUST PRIORITIZE THE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF OUR STUDENTS AND PROVIDE THEM AND OUR SCHOOLS WITH THE NECESSARY SUPPORT TO NAVIGATE THE AFTERMATH OF TRAUMA THAT YOU COULD PROVIDE.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DARREN FALL.
YOU DIDN'T KNOW THE ARTS MEANT SO MUCH TO OUR COMMUNITY.
I CERTAINLY DIDN'T KNOW, AND I'VE WORKED AS A BAND DIRECTOR AT MOUNTLAKE TERRACE FOR 25 YEARS.
WHAT A GIFT TO ME TO SEE THIS OUTPOURING FROM THE COMMUNITY.
BUT ALSO WHAT A GIFT TO YOU IN YOUR POSITION. NOW YOU KNOW.
PERHAPS YOU THOUGHT THERE WERE POCKETS IN THE DISTRICT, MAYBE DOWNTOWN EDMONDS, WHERE THEY ARE CLEARLY AN ARTS FOCUS COMMUNITY, BUT NOW YOU KNOW THAT PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT ARE NOT IN FAVOR OF CUTTING MUSIC AND ART PROGRAMS IN ANY WAY.
THEY DO NOT WANT THEIR KIDS TO ATTEND SCHOOLS WITH LIMITED OR NO ACCESS TO THESE PROGRAMS. IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT.
YOU DIDN'T KNOW. BUT NOW YOU KNOW.
IT'S INCUMBENT UPON YOU TO LISTEN.
YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PROVIDE WHAT OUR COMMUNITY WANTS OR THOSE WITH MEANS WILL PULL THEIR KIDS OUT.
SCHOOLS ARE GOVERNED LOCALLY IN ORDER TO BEST MEET THE NEEDS OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
IT'S UP TO THE SCHOOL BOARD TO HELP CREATE THE SCHOOLS THAT OUR COMMUNITY WANTS, AND WHAT DO THEY WANT? THEY WANT ROBUST ARTS PROGRAMS FOR EVERY STUDENT.
[01:35:01]
THE ARTS BRING TO THEIR KIDS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR SCHOOL CULTURES.THEY WANT SAFE SPACES, CREATIVE SPACES, PLACES FOR KIDS TO BE AUTHENTIC AND DISCOVER WHO THEY ARE.
THEY WANT ENRICHED LIVES FOR THEIR KIDS.
THEY WANT THEM TO ENGAGE AND FIND THEIR PASSIONS.
AND THEY WANT ALL THE SIDE BENEFITS THAT MUSIC PROVIDES.
HIGHER GRADUATION RATES, IMPROVED MENTAL HEALTH, A SENSE OF BELONGING, IMPROVED GPA AND TEST SCORES, ENGAGEMENT IN SCHOOL, AND ON AND ON.
THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT, AND NOW YOU KNOW.
THE ROMAN EMPEROR MARCUS AURELIUS WROTE, "IF ANYONE CAN PROVE AND SHOW ME THAT I THINK AND ACT AND ERROR, I WILL GLADLY CHANGE IT FOR I SEEK THE TRUTH BY WHICH NO ONE HAS EVER BEEN HARMED.
THE ONE WHO IS HARMED IS THE ONE WHO ABIDES AND DECEIT AND IGNORANCE." I BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW, BUT YOU KNOW NOW. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MOLLY GREER.
>> SHE WAS THE ONE THAT LEARN [OVERLAPPING].
THEN OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JENNIFER CASTLE.
>> HELLO. I'M JENNIFER CASTLE.
I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE EDMONDS WOODWAY HIGH-SCHOOL MUSIC BOOSTERS.
I'M SPEAKING TO YOU TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF THE 250 MUSIC FAMILIES THAT WE HAVE AT THE SCHOOL, AS WELL AS MANY ALUMNI FAMILIES.
TONIGHT, WE RESPECTFULLY ASK THE BOARD TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE PROPOSED CUTS ARE GOING FAR BEYOND THE COVID BUBBLE, THE ENROLLMENT DEPTHS THAT HAD FOLLOWED A FEW NINTH AND 10TH GRADE CLASSES.
MANY OF THE PROPOSED CUTS ARE IN FULLY OR OVER ENROLLED CLASSES.
REDUCING STUDENT ACCESS TO THESE CLASSES AS THEY ADVANCE THROUGH SCHOOL ARTS PROGRAMS IS NOT EQUITABLE.
ONCE CLASSES ARE CUT, THEY CANNOT EASILY BE BROUGHT BACK WHEN TEACHERS ARE REASSIGNED.
WE ALSO ASK YOU TO REVISIT THE GRADUATION RATE DATA FROM THE FEBRUARY 28TH BOARD MEETING WHERE YOU LEARNED THAT STUDENTS INVOLVED IN EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES HAVE A 97% GRADUATION RATE VERSUS THE DISTRICT AVERAGE OF 83%.
[APPLAUSE] WE ALSO WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT PUSHING THESE DIFFICULT DECISIONS TO THE SCHOOLS HAS UNFAIRLY PITTED PRINCIPLES AGAINST THEIR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES.
INSTEAD, WE'D RATHER HAVE YOU RESEARCH THE MUGHAL TO SHORELINE IN ISSAQUAH DISTRICT CUTS WHICH RESULTED IN LESS TEACHING STAFF LOSS AT A PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL BUDGET.
WE HAVE A HIGHLY DECORATED INCLUSIVE PROGRAM HERE WITH MANY SUCCESSES.
JUST LAST WEEKEND, DISTRICT SCHOOLS WON MULTIPLE AWARDS AT COMPETITIONS.
THIS TROPHY HERE IS FROM THE LIONEL HAMPTON JAZZ FESTIVAL.
EDMONDS WOODWAY HIGH-SCHOOL CHOIR WAS VOTED THE BEST HIGH SCHOOL VOCAL PROGRAM IN THE REGION UNDER THE DIRECTION OF CHARLOTTE REESE.
[APPLAUSE] THE MUSICIANSHIP REQUIRED TO BRING SOMETHING LIKE THIS HOME IS A RESULT OF YEARS OF HARD WORK AND TRAINING.
THE VERY ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAMS THAT INSPIRED THESE STUDENTS TO COMMIT THEMSELVES TO THEIR CRAFT AND STRIVE EVERYDAY TO IMPROVE ARE BEING GUIDED BY THESE CUTS.
THE ARTS MEET ALL OF DR. MINERS INITIATIVES THAT SHE SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER.
PLEASE VOTE NO ON RESOLUTION 23.06.
WE HAVE TIME TO WORK ON THIS AND COME UP WITH SOMETHING BETTER FOR OUR DISTRICT AND OUR STUDENTS.
WE HAVE ONE MORE VIRTUAL COMMENTER, DONNA MORIN.
>> THANK YOU AND GOOD EVENING.
I'M A PEER EDUCATOR AT ALDERWOOD EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER.
I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED WITH THE BUDGET PROPOSAL TO REPLACE FULL-TIME CERTIFICATE AS SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS AND EARLY LEARNING CLASSROOMS WITH PROFESSIONAL TECHNICAL EDUCATORS, PROF TECHS.
DOING SO IS AGAINST THE BEST INTERESTS OF OUR HIGH NEEDS STUDENTS.
PROF TECHS ARE CLASSIFIED STAFF WHO LOVE WORKING WITH CHILDREN, BUT THEY POSSESS ONE-THIRD OF THE DEGREES AND TEACHING ENDORSEMENTS THAT OUR CURRENT CERTIFICATED STAFF POSSESS.
FEW OF THEM HAVE THE SKILLS OR EXPERIENCE TO WORK WITH YOUNG STUDENTS RECEIVING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AND
[01:40:02]
THOSE GEN ED'S STUDENTS WHO ARE DEMONSTRATING CHALLENGING POST-COVID BEHAVIORS DAILY.PROF TECHS ARE NOT CERTIFICATED TEACHERS AND SHOULD NOT BE MADE RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING A CURRICULUM AND HELPING MEET IEP GOALS.
PROF TECHS SHOULD NOT BE PUT IN CHARGE OF A PRESCHOOL CLASSROOM HAVING A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF HIGH NEEDS STUDENTS WHOM THEY DON'T KNOW, AND THEN BE ASSURED OTHER CERTIFICATED STAFF, SUCH AS SPEECH AND LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS, WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ASSIST.
SOMETIMES THERE ARE NO CERTIFICATED SUBS AVAILABLE.
ALTHOUGH IN EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS, CURRENT MODEL OF A CERTIFICATE IS SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER USING PAIRS AND CERTIFICATED SPECIALISTS AS PARTNERS IN THE CLASSROOM ENSURES THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS RECEIVE A FREE, APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION WHILE MAXIMIZING CLASSROOM SAFETY FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF.
THE DIRECTOR OF AECC HAS A DEGREE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION, YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE, AND LEADS A SUCCESSFUL INTEGRATED EQUITABLE PROGRAM SERVING SPECIAL EDUCATION AND GENERAL EDUCATION STUDENTS ALIKE.
WHY MUST THIS MODEL BE SCRAPPED? I URGE YOU TO REALLOCATE FUNDS TO COVER THE COSTS OF KEEPING FULL-TIME SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS IN OUR EARLY LEARNING CLASSROOMS. PLEASE VOTE NO ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
FIND A BETTER SOLUTION. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL A FIVE-MINUTE RECESS FOR THE BOARD TO HAVE A BIO BREAK.
[BACKGROUND] ATTENTION. [BACKGROUND] THE MEETING IS BACK IN SESSION PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEATS.
[BACKGROUND] THANK YOU. THE REST OF THIS BUSINESS MEETING IS A REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING AND IT INCLUDES ONE ITEM THAT I KNOW THAT THIS AUDIENCE IS VERY INTERESTED IN.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK THE AUDIENCE THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD DOES NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK PRIVATELY ABOUT THESE MATTERS.
ALL OUR MEETINGS HAVE TO BE DONE IN PUBLIC AND ALL OUR CONVERSATIONS HAVE TO BE CONDUCTED IN PUBLIC.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU WHILE WE ARE CONDUCTING THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS, TO PLEASE REFRAIN FROM EXTENDED APPLAUSE OR OTHER EXPRESSIONS OF SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION.
IT'S A SERIOUS CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AND WE WANT TO GIVE FULL ATTENTION TO IT.
ON THAT NOTE, NEXT WE HAVE OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
[10. CONSENT AGENDA-8:15 pm]
THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS ITEMS THAT ARE REGULAR BUSINESS ITEMS AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR A MOTION.>> I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NO DISCUSSION I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR A ROLL CALL VOTE.
>> THE AYES HAVE IT AND THE CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED.
NEXT, WE HAVE OUR REPORTS FIRST, DR.
[11. REPORTS-8:30 pm]
MINER WILL TALK ABOUT HER ENTRY PLAN.>> I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SHARE SOME DETAILS ABOUT MY ENTRY PLAN WITH THE BOARD AND WITH SO MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BOTH HERE AND AT HOME WATCHING TONIGHT.
IT'S PART OF A SUPERINTENDENT'S TRANSITION INTO A DISTRICT THAT THEY GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY BEING SCHOOLS, BEING OTHER COMMUNITY AREAS, AND ASK QUESTIONS AND LEARN ABOUT THE DISTRICT.
I DIDN'T DO AN ENTRY PLAN WHEN I CAME IN AS AN INTERIM BECAUSE IT TAKES A LOT OF ENERGY, IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME, AND IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE SENSE IF SOMEONE ELSE IS GOING TO REPEAT THAT PLAN AND JUST A FEW SHORT MONTHS, IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE THE CONTINUING SUPERINTENDENT FOR THE DISTRICT.
BUT NOW, I AM HONORED TO BE ABLE TO SERVE AS A CONTINUING SUPERINTENDENT.
[01:45:05]
I AM GOING TO BE ENGAGING IN THE WORK OF AN ENTRY PLAN AND I HOPE MANY OF YOU WILL JOIN ME AS I EMBARK ON THIS WORK.THIS ENTRY PLAN WILL TAKE PLACE I'VE ALREADY STARTED AND YOU'LL HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
BUT THIS ENTRY PLAN WILL TAKE PLACE REALLY BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR IN DECEMBER.
AN ENTRY PLAN REALLY ALLOWS ME TO ENGAGE IN DEEP AND MEANINGFUL TWO-WAY ENGAGEMENT OF STAKEHOLDERS.
THE PURPOSE OF AN ENTRY PLAN IS NOT REALLY FOR ME TO SHARE WHAT I'M ABOUT, BUT TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT OUR COMMUNITY IS ABOUT AND WHAT PRIORITIES WE ARE PLACING.
I USE A RESEARCH-BASED METHODOLOGY.
I WILL BE GATHERING LITERALLY HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS, I'M SURE, THOUSANDS OF PIECES OF DATA FROM THIS, AND THEN I WILL USE A CODING PROGRAM, PROBABLY THE SAME CODING PROGRAM I USED WHEN I DID MY DISSERTATION RESEARCH, AS WELL AS THE LAST ENTRY PLAN I COMPLETED CALLED INVIVO, AND THAT ALLOWS ME TO TAKE SNIPPETS FROM WHAT IS BEING SHARED WITH ME, CODED AND TO ELEVATE THINGS AS THEY'RE BEING DESCRIBED BY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
IT WILL HELP REALIZE THE GOALS OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND HELP ACTUALIZE OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND OPERATIONALIZE THAT.
I'LL BE SHARING THIS STRATEGIC PLAN AS A PART OF THIS BECAUSE WE DO KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY HAVEN'T REALLY HAD A CHANCE TO INTERACT WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, HAVEN'T REALLY HAD A CHANCE TO THINK ABOUT THAT, OR HOW WE MIGHT MAKE THOSE LOFTY GOALS IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN, A REALITY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I'LL ALSO BE USING FOUR DEFINED QUESTIONS TO GAIN MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES ON THE ESC, AND AS I INDICATED, A PRETTY FORMAL MANNER, THE GOAL IS REALLY TO GET AS MANY DIVERGENT PIECES OF INFORMATION AS I CAN.
IT'S ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT AS YOU'RE DOING AN ENTRY PLAN.
AS SOME OF THE RESEARCH SAYS, TO LISTEN TO THE SILENCE.
PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT'S BEING SAID AND PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT'S NOT BEING SAID IN THAT ENTRY PLAN AND THE INFORMATION YOU GAINED FROM IT.
WE'RE REALLY IN A PRE-ENTRY PLAN RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S FEBRUARY 15TH THROUGH JULY 1ST.
THIS WILL BE GETTING WORD OUT ABOUT THE ENTRY PLAN, SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT IT WITH OUR COMMUNITY, GETTING LOTS OF THINGS SCHEDULED.
I HAVE DONE A FEW AT SCHOOLS JUST BECAUSE WITH THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS WE HAVE AND THEN HAVING LIMITED STAFF MEETINGS AND I CAN ONLY BE IN ONE PLACE ON ONE TIME, ON A WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
I'VE STARTED WITH SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS ALREADY TO BE ABLE TO GET TO ALL OF THOSE STAFF MEETINGS.
I'LL BE DOING THE DATA GATHERING LARGELY FROM JULY 1ST TO OCTOBER 30TH.
THOSE WILL BE MOSTLY WHEN I'M OUT IN THE COMMUNITY DOING THESE PRESENTATIONS AND GATHERING THIS FEEDBACK, THEN DATA ANALYSIS BETWEEN NOVEMBER 1ST AND NOVEMBER 30TH.
IT WILL TAKE ME A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME TO DO THIS.
OBVIOUSLY, THE ONGOING WORK OF A SUPERINTENDENT AND OTHER DISTRICT CONTINUES DURING THIS.
I HAVE TO MAKE TIME AND CREATE TIME IN MY WORK TO DO THIS.
THEN FINALLY, I'LL DISSEMINATE THAT REPORT WITH PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONSIDERATION SOMETIME BETWEEN DECEMBER 1ST AND DECEMBER 30TH OF THIS YEAR.
THE FOUR QUESTIONS WILL BE, WHAT SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE? WHAT ASPECTS OF OUR DISTRICT SHOULD BE PRESERVED? WHAT ARE THE KEY ISSUES FACING OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM WHICH NEED OUR ATTENTION? AND HOW CAN I BE MOST HELPFUL IN MY ROLE AS SUPERINTENDENT? AS INDICATED, I'LL BE OUT AT SCHOOL STUDENT GROUPS WITH THIS, I'M ALREADY CONNECTED WITH SOME OF OUR SCHOOL CLUBS AT EVERY SCHOOL IN A VARIETY OF COMMUNITY GROUPS.
DURING THE DATA GATHERING PHASE OF THE ENTRY PLAN, I'LL BE MEETING WITH EACH SCHOOL STAFF, EACH DEPARTMENTS.
IT'S AN EXAMPLE I'VE ALREADY MET WITH OUR TECH DEPARTMENT, COMMUNITY-WIDE MEETINGS, INCLUDING ONE THAT WILL BE VIRTUAL.
PEOPLE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND WHETHER THEY CAN COME IN PERSON OR NOT.
I'M TRYING TO DO ONE OF THOSE IN EACH QUADRANT DURING THAT DATA GATHERING PHASE, COMMUNITY PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS.
I'M HOPING TO DO THIS WITH SOME OF OUR PARTNERS LIKE VERDUN AND ROTARY CLUBS, PERHAPS FAITH-BASED GROUPS, ETC.. AND THEN THERE'LL BE A FORM ON THE WEBSITE.
WE'RE STARTING A WEBPAGE FOR THIS WHERE PEOPLE MUCH LIKE WE DID WITH THE AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR RESEARCH WORK THAT WE DID AROUND SPECIAL ED.
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE MY PROGRESS.
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE WHERE I'M SCHEDULED TO BE.
YOU'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO RECOMMEND OTHER GROUPS BECAUSE I'LL BE USING WHAT'S CALLED A SNOWBALL TECHNIQUE IN QUALITATIVE RESEARCH TO HAVE PEOPLE RECOMMEND TO ME OTHER GROUPS WHERE I SHOULD GO SO THAT I DON'T MISS THOSE.
>> SORRY. DR. KATIMS. I'M SO SHE CAN'T SEE THE POWERPOINT.
>> IT'S JUST A BLACK SCREEN AND IT'S BEEN THAT WAY SINCE THE BREAK.
[01:50:02]
I CAN CERTAINLY SEE IT IF I GO TO THE BOARD DOCS AGENDA, BUT I'M THINKING OF PEOPLE WHO ARE SEEING THIS ON LIVE STREAM SEE NOTHING BUT A BLACK SCREEN.>> I THINK DR. KATIMS YOU'RE ON THE ZOOM LINK AND THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE LIVE STREAM LINK CAN SEE IT.
BUT MAYBE IS OUR CABINET MEMBERS WHO AREN'T IN THE ROOM, ARE THEY ON ZOOM OR ARE THEY ON THE LIVE STREAM? I WONDER IF WE CAN GET CONFIRMATION FROM SOMEONE WHO'S ON LIVE STREAM THAT THEY CAN SEE IT.
>> THANK YOU. REPORT DR. KATIMS IS THAT IT IS WORKING ON LIVE STREAM.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU. I'LL GO TO A DIFFERENT DEVICE FOR MYSELF.
THE FORM ON THE WEBSITE TO BE ABLE TO RECOMMEND GROUPS, WE HOPE YOU'LL ENGAGE WITH THAT IF YOU KNOW OF A COMMUNITY GROUP OR ORGANIZATION THAT MIGHT LIKE TO HAVE YOU THERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE SCHOOL DISTRICT I'D LOVE TO DO THAT.
I ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE WEB PAGE AND PROVIDE UPDATES AS THE WORK PROGRESSES.
I PROBABLY WILL NOT HAVE INITIAL THEMES MUCH BEFORE NOVEMBER BECAUSE IT WILL TAKE ME QUITE A BIT OF TIME TO CODE THOSE AND DEVELOP THOSE THINGS.
I'M CLICKING, BUT I THINK THAT'S THE END.
[LAUGHTER] ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD ON THAT?
>> NEXT WE HAVE SAYS FEBRUARY BUDGET STATUS REPORT WITH LYDIA SALLY.
>> I THINK I WILL HOLD THIS, BUT IF I AM TOO CLOSE TO THE MIC, JUST HOPEFULLY THE FEEDBACK WILL LET ME KNOW.
WE'RE GOING TO BE PULLING UP THE FEBRUARY MONTH AND FINANCIAL REPORT.
THIS IS A PERFECT TIME, THERE'S A WORD ON HERE THAT I ALWAYS GLOSS OVER, AND THAT IS THE WORD UNAUDITED.
WE ARE REQUIRED AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PROVIDE A MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL BOARD SO THAT WE KEEP YOU INFORMED AND APPRISED OF ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES, ANYTHING TO BE ALERTED TO.
THE MONTH AND REPORTS ARE UNAUDITED BUT WE ARE AUDITED EVERY YEAR BY THE STATE AUDITOR'S OFFICE.
IN FACT, THEY WORK REMOTE MOST OF THE TIME, BUT THEY ARE TECHNICALLY IN OUR DISTRICT, VIRTUALLY, WORKING ON OUR 21, 22 ANNUAL AUDIT FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR ENDED OR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31ST, 2022.
THEY LOOK AT OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, THEY HAVE A FEDERAL SINGLE AUDIT IN WHICH THEY LOOK AT OUR FEDERAL GRANTS THAT WE RECEIVE AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS.
THEY SELECT DIFFERENT STATE LAWS THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW AND THAT'S CALLED A COMPLIANCE AUDIT.
THEY LOOK AT THOSE THREE AREAS AND LATER THE SPRING YOU WILL GET A REPORT FOR 21, 22.
I'VE GOT THE CLICKER AND THE MIC.
BY THIS TIME A YEAR, WHICH IS SIX MONTHS INTO THE FISCAL YEAR, GENERAL FUND STARTS GETTING VERY CONSISTENT.
OSPI FUNDS US ON A BUDGETED LEVEL FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH DECEMBER.
IN JANUARY, THEY START FUNDING US ON OUR ACTUAL ENROLLMENT INSTEAD OF OUR PROJECTED ENROLLMENT.
AS YOU RECALL, WE ARE UNDER ENROLLED COMPARED TO BUDGET SO THAT WAS TRUED UP BY OSPI BACK IN THE JANUARY REPORT AND FEBRUARY CONTINUES ON.
ALSO IN FEBRUARY IS WHEN WE FIND OUT WHAT OUR TRANSPORTATION ALLOCATION IS.
THAT'S NOT THE TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE FUND, BUT IT IS OUR GENERAL TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS THAT IS CONTAINED IN THE GENERAL FUND.
FORTUNATELY, IT WAS BETTER THAN WE PREDICTED, BUT IT IS REALLY HARD TO DO A BUDGET WHEN YOU DON'T FIND OUT ONE MAJOR STREAM OF REVENUES UNTIL HALFWAY THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR.
RIGHT NOW, FEBRUARY'S VERY CONSISTENT WITH WHAT I SHOWED YOU IN JANUARY.
[01:55:07]
I JUST POINTED OUT THAT ASB IS STILL RECOVERING.IF YOU LOOK AT THE PERCENTAGES, WE ARE AT OVER 38% REVENUES AND 30% EXPENDITURES.
LAST YEAR AT THE SAME TIME, AND IT WAS ABOUT 27.
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, WE WERE ABOUT 43% REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES FOR FEBRUARY OF A PREVIOUS YEAR.
THIS ONE DIDN'T CLICK. PERFECT, THANK YOU.
NOW IN 22, 23, WE HAVE A MORE CONSISTENT PATTERN OF ASSET CLAIMS. FOR FEDERAL GRANTS, WE SPEND THE MONEY IN ONE MONTH AND THEN WE ASK FOR REIMBURSEMENT THE FOLLOWING MONTH.
THIS IS A LITTLE BIT MORE CONSISTENT THAN THIS YEAR THAN BACK IN 21, 22 AND I WILL ALSO POINT THAT OUT WHEN WE GET TO THE TOTAL FUND BALANCE GRAPH IN A FEW MINUTES.
PRETTY IMPRESSED TO SEE THAT THE PATTERNS AND TRENDS ASSUME THAT WE WILL HAVE COLLECTED 47.5% OF OUR STATE SOURCES.
WE ARE ACTUALLY JUST A HAIR ABOVE THAT.
AGAIN, REVENUES FOR ENROLLMENT ARE SLIGHTLY DOWN, BUT IT'S OFFSET BY THAT ADDITIONAL INCREASE IN TRANSPORTATION.
BECAUSE STATE SOURCES MAKE UP OVER TWO-THIRDS OF OUR TOTAL REVENUES, THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT INDICATOR TO KEEP AN EYE ON.
I'M GOING TO SKIP STRAIGHT TO THIS GRAPH.
RIGHT NOW, THIS IS AN ESTIMATE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, SO EVERYTHING THROUGH FEBRUARY IS ACTUAL, EVERYTHING MARCH AND BEYOND IS AN ESTIMATE.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE ESTIMATING THAT TOTAL FUND BALANCE IS JUST UNDER 24,800,000, WHICH IS VERY CONSISTENT WITH A NUMBER THAT YOU HEARD EARLIER FROM THE WA BUDGET ANALYST.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS YEAR AND TWO PREVIOUS YEARS AND LAST YEAR WAS, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT RED SPIKE BETWEEN JULY AND AUGUST OF LAST YEAR, WE DID ASSET CLAIMS OF CLOSE TO NINE MILLION DOLLARS BECAUSE WE'RE BEHIND ON CLAIMING.
THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THAT FUNDING AVAILABLE, WE'RE CLAIMING IT EVERY MONTH INSTEAD.
THE TREND LINE SHOULD FOLLOW WHAT'S CALLED PRIOR YEAR TWO AND PRIOR YEAR THREE INSTEAD OF 21, 22.
UNFORTUNATELY, AGAIN, I'VE POINTED THIS OUT SEVERAL TIMES, WE WISH WE WERE THAT GREEN BAR, THAT WAS 19,20 SCHOOL YEAR.
WE ARE THE GOLD BAR TOWARDS THE BOTTOM.
OUR ENROLLMENT PATTERN IS VERY STABLE THROUGHOUT THE MONTH.
BUT AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THE SIGNIFICANT DECREASE THAT WE'VE HAD SINCE THE 19,20 AND EVEN LAST YEAR.
UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
>> LYDIA, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE ONE POINT THAT WASN'T CLEAR IN THERE.
WE'VE HEARD THAT 25 MILLION DOLLAR NUMBER A FEW TIMES, BUT THAT'S NOT ALL JUST MONEY THAT WE DON'T HAVE A PLACE FOR.
SOME OF THAT IS ALREADY ALLOCATED, CORRECT?
SOME OF IT IS FOOD SERVICE INVENTORY, FUEL INVENTORY.
THAT INVENTORY GOES INTO THAT 25 MILLION DOLLAR TOTAL.
IT OBVIOUSLY CAN'T REALLY BE SPENT ON ANYTHING ELSE BECAUSE IT'S NOT LIQUID.
I GUESS FUEL IS LIQUID, BUT THAT'S NOT CASH.
WE ALSO HAVE THINGS, WE HAVE A RESERVES SET ASIDE.
WE'RE SELF-INSURED FOR LABOR AND INDUSTRIES, SO WE ACTUALLY BY LAW, HAVE TO SET ASIDE A PART OF OUR FUND BALANCE IN ACCORDANCE WITH WHAT LNI REQUIRES.
[02:00:03]
WE'RE ESTIMATING THAT JUST OVER 14 IS WHAT'S AVAILABLE GOING INTO THE 23, 24 SCHOOL YEAR.>> I THINK I MIGHT BE UP NEXT AGAIN.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BOARD? DR. KAY ADAMS? WE'RE GOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[12. NEW BUSINESS 9:10 pm]
OUR FIRST ITEM IS A SINGLE READING TO APPROVE THE 2023 TO 2024 SCHOOL BOARD REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING DATES.>> I MOVE TO ACCEPT THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED BUSINESS MEETING DATES.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR A ROLL CALL. VOTE, PLEASE.
>> THE MOTION PASSES AND THE BUSINESS MEETING DATES AS WRITTEN, ARE APPROVED.
NEXT, WE HAVE A SINGLE READING TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 23-07 O'KITES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL REPLACEMENT RESOLUTION TO CERTIFY PROJECT WILL NOT CREATE OR AGGRAVATE RACIAL IMBALANCE.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 23-07.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR A ROLL CALL VOTE, PLEASE.
>> THE AYES HAVE IT. THE RESOLUTION 23-07 IS APPROVED.
NEXT, WE HAVE A SINGLE READING TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 23-08, INTEND TO COMPLY WITH THE REVISED CODE OF WASHINGTON RCW, CHAPTER 39.10, ALTERNATIVE PUBLIC WORKS CONTRACTING FOR THE NEW OAK HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GC SLASH CM PROJECT.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 23-08.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR A ROLL CALL VOTE, PLEASE.
>> THE AYES HAVE IT AND RESOLUTION 23- 08 IS APPROVED.
NEXT, WE HAVE A SINGLE READING TO APPROVE A PROJECT AWARD TO WANES ROOFING THROUGH EDUCATION AND INSTITUTIONS COOPERATIVE CONTRACT NUMBER CNR O1 306 FOR THE SEA VIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ROOF REPLACEMENT PROJECT.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE PROJECT, AWARD THE WANES ROOFING FOR C VIEW ELEMENTARY.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR A ROLL CALL VOTE.
>> THE PROJECT AWARDED TO WAYNE'S ROOFING IS APPROVED.
NEXT, WE HAVE A SINGLE READING QUITCLAIM DEED TO CITY OF EDMONDS.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE QUITCLAIM DEED.
>> JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THIS IS JUST PAPERWORK FOR SOMETHING THAT WE DID IN 1978.
>> WE PROCRASTINATE SOMETIMES.
>> HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE, PLEASE.
>> DIRECTOR KATIMS. SORRY, I THINK WE MISSED THAT.
>> YOU'RE MUTED. JUST FOR ME THEN.
[02:05:07]
DR. KATIMS. WE SEE THAT YOU UNMUTED YOURSELF, BUT WE CAN'T ACTUALLY HEAR YOU SPEAKING NOW.
>> I WONDER IF IT'S MY INTERNET.
>> ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF THE QUITCLAIM DEED?
>> I DON'T KNOW. I WASN'T HERE IN 1978, THAT'S FOR SURE. [LAUGHTER]
>> THANK YOU. I'M JUST TRYING TO DO THE JOB.
>> I HEAR YOU. YOU'RE DOING GREAT.
>> THE QUITCLAIM DEED TO CITY OF EDMONDS HAS BEEN APPROVED.
NEXT, WE HAVE A SECOND READING TO APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 23-06 THE 2023-2024, REDUCED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM.
>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 23-06.
I'D JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT ALSO THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A MOTION SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS THIS. THANK YOU.
>> YES. BUT ALSO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO BEFORE WE START DISCUSSING IT IS I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER AN AMENDMENT TO THE RESOLUTION.
>> I'D LIKE THE AMENDMENT TO READ, WE AUTHORIZE DISTRICT STAFF TO REDUCE THE DISTRICT'S UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE FOR THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR TO AS LOW AS 3% TO DIRECTLY ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF OVERLOADED CLASSROOMS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS DRAWS US BELOW THE MINIMUM UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE OF 4% AS STIPULATED IN OUR BOARD POLICY, 6022 AND WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE POLICY STATES, THAT DISTRICT STAFF WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO PREPARE AN OPERATING BUDGET PROPOSAL FOR THE NEXT FISCAL PERIOD THAT WILL RESTORE THE ENDING FUND BALANCE TO THAT MINIMUM 4% LEVEL.
>> IS THERE A SECOND FOR THAT AMENDMENT?
>> NOW WE HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE RESOLUTION AS WRITTEN AND AMENDED TO INCLUDE THE STIPULATION THAT WE GO DOWN TO 3% UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE.
>> SINCE I MADE THE AMENDMENT, I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND EXPLAIN MY THINKING AND THEN I'D LIKE TO HEAR MY COLLEAGUES' THINKING.
>> I'VE SPENT MANY DAYS READING AND RESPONDING TO HUNDREDS OF EMAILS AND WRITTEN COMMENTS FROM ACROSS THE DISTRICT AND BEYOND, LISTENING TO ALL THE PUBLIC COMMENTS MADE ORALLY LAST WEEK AND TONIGHT AND ASKING QUESTION AFTER QUESTION OF OUR DISTRICT LEADERSHIP WHO'D BEEN INCREDIBLY PATIENT TO TAKE THE TIME TO HELP ME UNDERSTAND ALL THE COMPLEXITIES OF THE ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THE DISTRICT BUDGET.
I HAVE GIVEN JUST ABOUT EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY THINKING ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT SOLVE SOME OF THESE ISSUES IN AN EQUITABLE WAY ACROSS THE DISTRICT, HELPING AS MANY STUDENTS AND STAFF AS WE CAN.
THAT BRINGS ME TO WHY I'M SUGGESTING THIS AMENDMENT.
ACROSS ALL THE MESSAGES THAT WE'VE RECEIVED, I'VE ANALYZED FOUR MAIN THEMES.
ONE IS PERFORMING ARTS COURSES.
ONE IS STAFF WHO SUPPORTS SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING, MEANING OUR SOCIAL WORKERS AND OUR STUDENT INTERVENTION COORDINATORS, ALSO KNOWN AS SINCS AND ONE, CHANGES IN OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION PRESCHOOL MODEL.
BEFORE I ADDRESS EACH OF THOSE, I DO WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW TWO IMPORTANT THINGS.
ONE, THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF STATE FUNDING THAT'S RELATED TO THE CHANGE IN OUR EARLY RELEASE SCHEDULE WILL BE ADDRESSED IN A SCHEDULED BARGAINING MEETING THAT'S COMING UP NEXT WEEK AND WE HAVE TRUST IN THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THESE NEGOTIATIONS.
SECONDLY, THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF FUNDING FROM THE STATE WITH REGARD TO OUR K3 STAFFING RATIO HAS BEEN SOLVED AND WE'RE NOT LOSING THAT MONEY.
WITH REGARD TO PERFORMING ARTS CLASSES, I NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR.
EVERY COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT WILL BE ABLE TO OFFER MUSIC,
[02:10:04]
DRAMA, AND VISUAL ARTS CLASSES.WE ARE NOT, AND I REPEAT, WE ARE NOT TARGETING MUSIC OR ARTS CLASSES AND WE'RE CERTAINLY NOT TERMINATING THESE PROGRAMS. THERE ARE SOME CLASSES THAT HAD VERY FEW NUMBERS OF STUDENTS ENROLLED AND SOME OF THESE ARE BEING COMBINED WITH OTHER CLASSES, WHILE SOME MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE OFFERED DURING THE SCHOOL DAY.
THIS WOULD NOT REMOVE THE POSSIBILITY OF A SCHOOL ORGANIZING TO CREATE A CLUB TO ADDRESS A SPECIALIZED TOPIC OF ANY TYPE, FOR AN AFTER-SCHOOL CLUB THAT WOULD HAVE A STAFF PERSON WHO WOULD SPONSOR IT AND BE PAID WITH THE STIPEND.
THE STIPENDS ARE STILL IN THE BUDGET.
I ACTUALLY SEE THE WHOLE DISCUSSION OF PERFORMING ARTS CLASSES IS FALLING WITHIN THE LARGER CONTEXT OF CLASS SIZES.
IF VERY SMALL CLASSES WERE FUNDED WITHIN OUR LIMITED RESOURCES, ANYWHERE INCLUDING MUSIC OR ARTS, THEN BY DEFINITION, THIS WOULD BE RAISING THE CLASS SIZES IN OTHER CLASSES.
WITH REGARD TO FUNDING FOR STAFF WHO SUPPORTS SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING, SPECIFICALLY SOCIAL WORKERS AND STUDENT INTERVENTION COORDINATORS, OUR FOUR SOCIAL WORKERS WHO HAVE CLEARLY BEEN DOING AMAZING WORK WITH THE STUDENTS WHO MOST NEED THEM, WERE FUNDED OUT OF OUR ONETIME FEDERAL ESSER MONEY.
WITH THOSE FUNDS GOING AWAY, WE WOULD NEED TO PULL FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE TO FUND THEM.
FORTUNATELY, WE DO HAVE ADDITIONAL COUNSELING POSITIONS THIS YEAR AND NEXT.
WHILE THESE TWO JOBS ARE DIFFERENT IN SOME WAYS, WE'RE HOPING THAT OUR COUNSELORS CAN PROVIDE ADEQUATE SEL SUPPORTS FOR OUR STUDENTS SINCE STAFF HAVE REQUESTED ADDITIONAL COUNSELORS.
WITH REGARD TO OUR SINCS, THIS YEAR WE'VE HAD 27 SINCS, SO THE REDUCTION OF NINE TAKES US DOWN TO 18 SINCS ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
SOME SCHOOLS WILL HAVE A FULL-TIME SINC, SOME WILL HAVE A HALF-TIME SINC, AND A FEW THAT ARE OUR VERY SMALLEST SCHOOLS WON'T HAVE A SINC.
AGAIN, MANY PEOPLE WHO CONTACTED US INDICATED THEY THOUGHT WE WERE CUTTING ALL THE SINCS IN THE DISTRICT, WHICH IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE.
NOW, WITH THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL ED PROGRAM, I KNOW THAT CHANGE IS DIFFICULT, PARTICULARLY WHEN THINGS HAD BEEN WORKING WELL.
I PROBABLY ASKED THE MOST QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THIS IS AN AREA I HAVE WORKED IN MYSELF AND I CARE VERY DEEPLY ABOUT OUR PRESCHOOL KIDS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH THE IEPS.
THAT BEING SAID, I BELIEVE THAT THE PROPOSED CHANGES WILL CONTINUE TO ALLOW US TO PROVIDE A HIGH LEVEL OF QUALITY AND EXCELLENCE TO THESE STUDENTS.
STUDENTS WITH IEPS WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THEIR IEP INSTRUCTION BY A SPECIAL EDUCATION CERTIFICATED TEACHER.
I WOULD ASK THAT THE DISTRICT LEADERSHIP MONITOR CLOSELY HOW THINGS GO DURING THE TRANSITION AND THROUGHOUT NEXT YEAR, AND REPORT BACK TO THE BOARD ON A REGULAR BASIS AS TO THE STATUS OF THE SITUATION SO THAT WHEN WE'RE GIVING IT A TRY, WE'RE EVALUATING IT VERY CLOSELY ALONG THE WAY AND PROVIDING PROTECTIONS.
MY PROPOSED AMENDMENT IS DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO TAKE WHAT SEEMS LIKE AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF FUNDING OUT OF OUR UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE AND FOR THE DISTRICT TO DIRECTLY USE IT TO MITIGATE OVERLOADED CLASSES.
IN MY MIND, THIS IS THE MOST EQUITABLE WAY TO USE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, SO THAT WE ARE HELPING STUDENTS AND STAFF ACROSS THE DISTRICT, THOSE THAT NEED IT THE MOST TO ENSURE OUR STUDENTS ARE RECEIVING THE BEST EDUCATION IN A REASONABLE-SIZED CLASS.
IN TERMS OF OTHER POSSIBLE CUTS, LET'S SAY I READY IN THE SECONDARY GRADES OR OTHER GRADES WHERE THE SCORES MAY NOT BE VALID OR USED WELL.
OUR VOTING ON THIS RESOLUTION IN SOME FORM TONIGHT DOES NOT REMOVE THE POSSIBILITY OF THE DISTRICT MAKING OTHER CUTS AND THEY COULD ALSO BE PUT TOWARDS STAFFING NEEDS TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE.
THAT SUMS UP MY THINKING AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING WHAT MY BOARD COLLEAGUES THINK.
>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR KATIMS. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A POINT OF ORDER, AND THIS IS PERSONAL.
I AM HARD OF HEARING AND THE DISTRACTION FROM OUTSIDE IS MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO HEAR MY COLLEAGUES.
IT WAS MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO HEAR YOU WHEN YOU WERE SPEAKING OR CONDUCTING THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS AND I'D LIKE TO REQUEST THAT A FRIEND OF THE MUSICIANS PLEASE ASK THEM TO TONE IT DOWN.
[02:15:07]
NO. [OVERLAPPING]THANK YOU, DR. KATIMS FOR BRINGING THE RESOLUTION AND STARTING THE DISCUSSION ON THIS AMENDMENT.
SPECIFICALLY TO YOUR AMENDMENT I'M DEFINITELY IN FAVOR OF WHEN WE'RE DEVELOPING THIS BUDGET TO SPENDING DOWN THE FUND BALANCE.
BUT I ALIGN JUST BRIEFLY I ALIGN WITH TAKING IT DOWN TO 2.5.
BUT WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE THE RESOLUTION IN FRONT OF US, THAT WOULD BE ADDING A LINE TO THE THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, LIKE LINE NUMBER 3, THAT WE DIRECT THE FUND BALANCE TO BE REDUCED IN THE FURTHER BUDGET DEVELOPMENT, CORRECT? I'M GOING TO ASSUME, YES.
IN THOSE THINGS THAT WE'VE HEARD TONIGHT, I HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET AND I'M ASSUMING THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO BE ANSWERED BECAUSE WE DO KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF UNKNOWNS AND THAT EVERY YEAR WE HAVE, EVERY TIME THAT A BUDGET COMES UP, WE NEED TO DEVELOP A BUDGET BEFORE WE HAVE THE KNOWN SUCH AS WHAT THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO DO, WHAT OUR ENROLLMENT IS.
WE HAVE WONDERFUL STAFF AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE PRESENTATIONS THAT TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE LISTENING SESSIONS THAT OUR STAFF AND DR. MINER HAVE DONE TO BRING THIS IN FRONT OF EVERYONE.
WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT BEFORE I WANT TO MAKE ANY SUGGESTION ON THE FUND BALANCE IS, WE DO HAVE A BUDGET PASSED FROM THE STATE.
WE KNOW THAT HAPPENED SUNDAY, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IMPACTS ARE GOING TO BE TO OUR DISTRICT.
OF THOSE IMPACTS, I DO KNOW THAT SOME OF IT HAD TO DO WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION ENHANCEMENT FREE MORE EXPANSION.
WE'VE GOT THE LIST HERE AND I THINK I SHARED IT WITH MY COLLEAGUES EARLIER TODAY.
IF WE WERE TO DELAY THIS RESOLUTION BASED ON ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WE GET ON THE CHANGES FROM THE STATE.
I AM MAKING THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT MAY CHANGE WHAT OUR BUDGET WILL BE, AND THAT MAY IN TURN CHANGE THE REDUCED EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT'S PRESENTED BEFORE US TODAY.
I'D LIKE TO BRING THAT UP FOR DISCUSSION.
AS WE DO NOT NOW KNOW THAT THERE'S A BUDGET, BUT WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH WE'RE GOING TO GET AND HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO HELP US AND WHAT HAS BEEN BUILT IN BY STAFF IN ANTICIPATION OF THAT.
[APPLAUSE] JUST BRING THAT UP FOR DISCUSSION.
>> YES. I CAN SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT WITH YOU AND MAYBE LYDIA COULD COME UP AS WELL.
WE DID BUILD IN THE STATE INCREASED SPECIAL ED, WHICH WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE CAP TO 15%.
WE DID BUILD IN 14% BECAUSE WE HAD A HIGH LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE GIVEN THAT THAT WAS CONSISTENT ACROSS ANY OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET, SAID IT WOULD BE AT LEAST 14.
OUR DISTRICT IS AT 14.1% RIGHT NOW.
WHILE THE 15% GIVES US CAPACITY FOR FUTURE IDENTIFICATION OF STUDENTS, THE 0.1 IS NOT GOING TO GIVE US A LOT OF ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO DO THAT.
LYDIA, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD THERE?
>> WE CALCULATED THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 14 AND 14.1 AND IT'S ABOUT 120,000, 140,000 ADDITIONAL. THAT WASN'T FUND FOR.
>> THERE WAS ALSO INCREASES TO THE K12 SALARY AND HEALTH BENEFITS.
YOU SAW THIS, THE MEAL EXPANSION, SPECIAL PASSENGER REIMBURSEMENT, DUAL CREDIT ENROLLMENT ENHANCEMENTS, TRANSITION KINDERGARTEN, FEDERAL RE APPROPRIATIONS FOR SCHOOLS.
ARE THOSE GOING TO IMPACT OUR BUDGET? ANTICIPATE THAT THEY WILL IMPACT OUR BUDGET?
>> YES. UNFORTUNATELY, THE INCREASE IN HEALTH CARE COST US MONEY.
WE DON'T GET ANY FUNDING IN FEDERAL GRANTS AND IN SOME PLACES.
THE STATE SAYS, PLEASE, HERE'S THE FUNDING FOR ONLY THE STATE POSITIONS THAT WE FUND.
PASS THAT THROUGH, BUT WE HAVE TO PASS THAT THROUGH TO ALL EMPLOYEES SO THAT THEY HAVE THE SAME BENEFITS PACKAGE.
ACTUALLY AN INCREASE TO SEB COST THE DISTRICT IN THOSE FEDERAL PROGRAMS THAT DON'T GO UP COMMENSURATELY.
THAT'S PROBABLY THE BULK OF WHAT THE 2.9 BILLION THEY'RE SAYING IS THAT THEY GIVE THAT TO US.
BUT AGAIN, WE ARE NOT ONLY NOT ALL OF OUR POSITIONS ARE FUNDED BY THE STATE,
[02:20:04]
WHICH MEANS WE HAVE TO CARVE IT OUT OF SOMEWHERE ELSE.BUT THE STATE DOES NOT FUND THE LEVEL THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE PAID.
THE IPD AND SEB ACTUALLY COST THE DISTRICT MONEY, AND THAT HAS BEEN FAIRLY WELL FACTORED IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
THERE WAS NO SURPRISES COMING ON THE STATE.
>> HOW ABOUT ON THAT SPECIAL PASSENGER REIMBURSEMENT?
>> YOU ONLY QUALIFY IF YOU'RE.
>> WHAT THEY DO IS THEY SAY, LET'S LOOK AT YOUR ALLOCATION.
WE LOOK AT YOUR EXPENSES FOR LAST YEAR COMPARED TO YOUR REVENUES.
IF YOU WERE, "FULLY FUNDED IN TRANSPORTATION, YOU CAN'T APPLY".
THAT IS WHERE WE FIND OURSELVES WITH THE 13 MILLION THAT'S BEEN ALLOCATED THIS YEAR FOR ALL DISTRICTS.
IS THAT BECAUSE WE MANAGE OUR TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM WITHIN ITS AVAILABLE RESOURCES WERE NOT ELIGIBLE.
>> BUT YOU DID MENTION THAT WE GOT ADDITIONAL TRANSPORTATION FUNDS THAT THIS YEAR THAT WERE NOT EXPECTED?
>> I THINK IT WAS 600,000, BUT OUR ENROLLMENT LOSS IS ABOUT A MILLION.
IT'S STILL A NET LOSS, BUT WITHIN 400,000 ALMOST $400 MILLION BUDGET IS NOT TOO BAD.
>> OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE AN AMENDMENT TO TAKE OUR FUND BALANCE DOWN TO 3%, AND IN THE DISCUSSION WE'VE TALKED ABOUT 2/1/2% POTENTIALLY.
WE'RE NOT ADOPTING THE BUDGET TONIGHT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR FOR EVERYONE.
WE'RE NOT ADOPTING THE BUDGET TONIGHT.
WE'RE ADOPTING THE REDUCED EDUCATION PROGRAM, THAT COMES FROM THE BUDGET THAT WE WILL ADOPT IN JULY, WHICH STILL HAS A LOT OF UNKNOWNS.
WE HAVE HEARD YOU WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF COMMENTS.
WHAT'S BEFORE US IS NOT SPECIFIC TO POSITIONS, IT IS A NUMBER IN CATEGORIES.
WHAT IS IN OUR RESOLUTION IS SPECIFIC NOT TO SCHOOL PROGRAMS. I BELIEVE DR. KAY ADAMS HAS BEEN REPLYING TO A LOT OF THESE QUESTIONS AND GAVE AN OVERVIEW IN HER COMMENTS JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO.
THAT SAID, I DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT I'M HEARING ON HOW IT HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED.
BUT TO GO BACK TO THE CURRENT AMENDMENT TO SPEAK TO THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO BRING IT DOWN TO 2.5 PERCENT AND DIRECT IN THE LANGUAGE THAT DR. KAY ADAMS HAD SAID, I BELIEVE WAS TO DIRECT THE REDUCTION IN FUND BALANCE TO FUTURE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT.
BUT I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT ELSE YOU SAID IN THE REST OF YOUR MOTION.
COULD YOU RESTATE YOUR MOTION, PLEASE?
>> YEAH, I WILL HAPPILY DO THAT.
ONE IS WE AUTHORIZE DISTRICT STAFF TO REDUCE THE DISTRICT'S UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE FOR THE 2023-24 SCHOOL YEAR TO AS LOW AS 3 %.
I THINK KAREN, YOU'RE SAYING YOU WOULD WANT TO CHANGE THAT TO AS LOW AS 2.5 %?
>> TO DIRECTLY ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF OVERLOADED CLASSROOMS SO THAT WOULD BE ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF OVERLOADED CLASSROOMS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
THEN THE OTHER PIECE THAT I ADDED BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO FOR OUR PROTECTION BECAUSE WE ARE BASICALLY BREAKING OUR OWN POLICY, IS TO SAY, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS DRAWS US BELOW THE MINIMUM UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE OF 4 %AS STIPULATED IN OUR BOARD POLICY 6022.
WE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE POLICY STATE IS HISTORICALLY FROM THE POLICY THAT DISTRICT STAFF WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO PREPARE AN OPERATING BUDGET PROPOSAL FOR THE NEXT FISCAL PERIOD THAT WOULD RESTORE THE ENDING FUND BALANCE TO THAT MINIMUM 4 % LEVEL.
[02:25:06]
DIRECTOR CHASE, I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND WHY YOU ARE SUGGESTING WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING.WE KNOW THAT NEXT YEAR WE'LL BE FACING ANOTHER BUDGET DEFICIT.
PROBABLY WHAT I'VE GOTTEN FROM LYDIA AND DR.
UNLESS THE STATE LEGISLATURE STEPS UP NEXT YEAR BETTER THAN THEY HAVE THIS YEAR AND PROVIDING ADEQUATE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SPIRAL DOWNWARDS IN OUR BUDGETING NEEDS.
I KIND OF IN MY MIND, SEE THE CONCEPT OF USING FUND BALANCE NOW TO OFFSET BUDGET DEFICITS THIS YEAR AS THE ANTITHESIS TO THE CONCEPT PAYING IT FORWARD.
IT SEEMS TO ME TO BE SPENDING IT FORWARD.
IN OTHER WORDS, SINCE WHAT WE WOULD BE USING THE FUND BALANCE RESERVES FOR THIS YEAR IS FOR STAFF IN THE FORM OF REDUCING CLASS SIZES WHERE MOST NEEDED RATHER THAN USING IT FOR SOME ONE-TIME PURCHASES.
FOR NEXT YEAR, WE WOULD HAVE TO CONTINUE TO COVER THESE COSTS PLUS THE ADDITIONAL FUND BALANCE DEFICIT WE'VE ALREADY CAUSED.
STAR UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE THAT PROTECTS THE DISTRICT IN CASE OF UNANTICIPATED EMERGENCIES WHICH COULD DEVASTATE THE DISTRICT IN IRREPARABLE WAYS.
WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL THINKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE SPIRALING ACROSS YEARS IN THIS WHEN OUR 2021/2022 FUND BALANCE PER PUPIL IS COMPARED AGAINST THAT OF, AND DR.
MINER SENT THIS TO ALL OF US TODAY.
OUR 2021/2022 FUND BALANCED PER PUPIL IS COMPARED AGAINST THE SAME OF 19 OF THE LARGEST DISTRICTS IN THE STATE.
OUR FUND BALANCE IS THIRD FROM THE BOTTOM, THIRD FROM THE LOWEST.
THAT WAS BASED ON THE TIME WHEN OUR FUND BALANCE WAS OVER 5% OF OUR BUDGET.
I PERSONALLY, WHILE I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO DO EVERYTHING AND SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS, I AM UNCOMFORTABLE TO TAKE OUR FUND BALANCE BELOW THIS SUGGESTED 3%, BUT I AM COMFORTABLE TAKING IT TO 3% FOR THIS YEAR.
HOWEVER, I ALIGN WITH ANN WHO WAS PREVIOUSLY IN YOUR SEAT, KEITH.
THAT WE ARE IN SURVIVAL MODE RIGHT NOW.
I THINK WE'RE HEARING THAT AND NO ONE WANTS TO GO BACK TO 0.95% OF THE FUND BALANCE LIKE WE DID IN, I BELIEVE IT WAS 2008.
BUT I THINK THAT WE CAN ATTEST WE'VE BEEN OPERATING UNDER 4% AND THAT LOW FOR QUITE AWHILE.
I THINK THE FACT THAT HOW WAS ONE OF THOSE SEATS? WE'RE DROWNING AND SCREAMING AND WE'RE HEARING FROM OUR DISTRICT, ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS SAID, AND I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN END UP PACING THAT BACK IN THE SYSTEM AND WE CAN USE IT NOT TO NECESSARILY BALANCE.
I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT TO SPECIFY REDUCING CLASS SIZE.
BECAUSE I THINK WITH THOUGH I HAVE A LOT OF TRUST IN OUR BUSINESS DEPARTMENT THAT THESE FUNDS MADE AVAILABLE CAN BE WRAPPED INTO WHAT THE MOST NEEDS WERE SEEN IN THE DISTRICT ON THAT ENTIRE BUDGET.
THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS RIGHT NOW AND I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM MY OTHER COLLEAGUES.
>> I WONDER IF I COULD ASK DR.
MINER TO WEIGH IN ON WHAT THE IMPACTS WILL BE AND WHAT IT WILL FEEL LIKE IF WE'RE DOING 3% VERSUS 2% OR TWO-AND-A-HALF PERCENT?
>> I'M GOING TO ASK LYDIA, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND IS IF WE'RE SAYING THAT WE'RE GOING TO RESTORE TO 4%.
IT'S HARD TO DO THIS WITH REAL NUMBERS.
BUT IF, LET'S SAY OUR BUDGET WAS $100, AND FIRST I'LL JUST TALK CONCEPTUALLY AND THEN I'LL ASK LYDIA TO GIVE THE REAL NUMBERS FOR THIS.
IF OUR BUDGET WAS $100 AND WE SAID WE'RE GOING TO SPEND DOWN TO 80 ON STAFFING.
BUT NEXT YEAR WE'RE NOT WILLING TO GO TO 60.
WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO DO THAT BECAUSE THE DISTRICT WILL GO INTO RECEIVERSHIP.
IT'S HAPPENED TO DISTRICTS IN THE STATE HISTORICALLY NONE AS LARGE AS OURS.
BUT THEN YOU ARE ABSORBED BY THEIR DISTRICT OR THE STATE COMES OVER, THEY TAKE OVER YOUR FINANCES, ET CETERA. WE DON'T WANT TO GO THERE.
WE SAY, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO CUT TO $80 NEXT YEAR.
WE'RE GOING TO PUT 20 OF THAT INTO STAFFING.
WE STILL HAVE TO CUT THE $20 THAT WE PUT INTO STAFFING BECAUSE WE NOW CAN'T GO TO $60 PLUS WE NEED TO CUT THE ADDITIONAL MONEY THAT WE KNOW ALREADY AROUND $10 MILLION,
[02:30:08]
THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SHORTFALL NEXT YEAR.IF YOU ASK US TO RETURN TO 4% FUND BALANCE, WE ALSO HAVE TO KNOW THEY'RE 20.
BECAUSE WE HAVE TO CUT TO GET BACK TO $100.
I WOULD ASK, AS WE THINK ABOUT THIS, AND LYDIA WILL GIVE YOU THE REAL NUMBERS.
BUT AS WE THINK ABOUT THIS, WE MAY WANT TO PUT INTO PLACE A TWO-YEAR PLAN SO THAT WE GOT $10.10 DOLLARS TO GET US BACK TO 4%.
IF YOU'RE ASKING US TO CUT ALL THE WAY TO 4%, NEXT YEAR'S CUTS WILL LOOK LIKE THE PROPOSED CUTS THIS YEAR WERE EASY AND NEXT YEAR WILL BE HARDER.
AGAIN, I SAID AT THE BEGINNING, IT'S MY JOB TO SEE THE HORIZON AS WELL.
IPD, CONTINUING ENROLLMENT DECLINES, OTHER EXPENSES WERE NOT LOOKING LIKE A SURPLUS BUDGET NEXT YEAR EITHER.
IF WE HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO 4% IN ONE YEAR, THAT WILL BE VERY, VERY DIFFICULT YEAR.
I'LL LET LYDIA TALK ABOUT THE REAL NUMBERS.
>> LYDIA JUST BEFORE BECAUSE I MY QUESTION I THINK IS WHAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO ANSWER, SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S GOING TO GET ANSWERED IN THAT IS VERY ABSTRACT FOR ME THIS CONCEPT OF 3.7 VERSUS THREE VERSUS TWO-AND-A-HALF.
I KNOW WE HAVE A $15 MILLION BUDGET SHORTFALL.
IF WE GO DOWN TO THAT, HOW MUCH MONEY DOES THAT FREE UP FOR US? I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO ANSWER, BUT I JUST WANTED TO GET IT OUT THERE.
>> SURE. WELL, ROUGHLY OUR ACTUAL BUDGET FOR 22/23 IS 397 MILLION, PLUS SOME CHANGE.
OF COURSE COSTS INCREASE EVERY YEAR, SO I'M JUST GOING TO USE A $400 MILLION GENERAL FUND BUDGET FOR EASY NUMBERS.
WE ARE SHORT IN ADDITION TO THE 15 MILLION AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WE'RE STILL SHORT 1 MILLION, SO THERE'S 16.
IF WE BRING FUND BALANCE FROM ITS CURRENT 4% TO 3%, THAT'S ANOTHER, THAT'S 1%.
IF WE BRING IT DOWN TO 25, THAT'S ANOTHER 2 MILLION.
IF THAT 4 MILLION BY BRINGING IT TO FOUR, DOWN TO THREE, AND THAT 2 MILLION BY BRINGING IT DOWN TO 25, THAT'S $6 MILLION.
GOING INTO 24, 25, WHEN WE'VE USED THAT $6 MILLION FOR STAFF, IF WE WANT TO CONTINUE THOSE STAFF, WE HAVE TO FIND $6 MILLION SOMEWHERE.
THAT'S AN ADDITION TO, WE HAVE SR FUNDS OF 2.5 MILLION GOING AWAY, NO LONGER AVAILABLE IN 24, 25, WE HAVE ANOTHER LARGE IPD EXPECTED OF 3.9%, SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT A ROUGHLY $4 MILLION.
TWO-AND-A-HALF FESTER, 4 MILLION IN IPD, SIX-AND-A-HALF.
I LOOK AT OUR CONTRACTS AND HOW THEY'RE STRUCTURED AND HOW THEY'RE BARGAINED, AND ROUGHLY IT'S $4-$5 MILLION A YEAR.
LET'S JUST SAY FOUR-AND-A-HALF.
THERE WAS ONE MORE ITEM ON MY LIST.
THIS AFTERNOON I CAME UP WITH $12.9 MILLION REDUCTION NEXT YEAR WITHOUT A LOT OF INFORMATION, THAT'S LEVEL ENROLLMENT, WHICH WE DON'T NECESSARILY EXPECT, SO THAT'S ALMOST 13 MILLION, THEN YOU'D HAVE TO ADD $6 MILLION IF YOU WANTED TO RESTORE FUND BALANCE TO 4%.
WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT A $19,000,000 BUDGET REDUCTION WITHOUT EVEN THINKING ABOUT THOSE OTHER INFLATIONARY COSTS LIKE UTILITIES AND INSURANCE.
>> LYDIA, I NEED A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, PLEASE.
WHEN YOU'RE SAYING WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT 12.9 MILLION NEXT YEAR, IS THAT IF WE WENT DOWN TO 2.5% IN OUR FUND BALANCE, OR IS IT IF WE GO DOWN TO 3% IN OUR FUND BALANCE? OR IS IT NOT IF WE DON'T EVEN TOUCH THE FUND BALANCE.
>> 12.9 IS INDEPENDENT OF FUND BALANCE.
IF WE WANT TO RESTORE FUND BALANCE FROM WHATEVER LEVEL WE GET TO, WE HAVE TO ADD THAT.
REMEMBER, 12.9 IS A VERY ROUGH ESTIMATE OF LOOKING AT WHAT THE WORLD'S GOING TO BE LIKE OVER A YEAR FROM NOW.
[02:35:05]
REMEMBER, WE CAN'T NECESSARILY EVEN ESTIMATE WHAT THE COST OF GASOLINE IS GOING TO BE TO THE PENNY TWO WEEKS FROM NOW.IT'S A WAYS OFF, BUT I'M LOOKING AT IPD AND I'M LOOKING AT THE FINAL LOSS OF SR, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M COMING UP WITH.
>> I HAVE TO SAY I WASN'T ON THE BOARD WHEN THE BOARD MADE THE POLICY TO HAVE THE FUND BALANCE BE AT 4%.
THROUGHOUT MY HISTORY IN THE DISTRICT WHICH GOES BACK TO 1999, IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS THE STANDARD EXPECTED AMOUNT.
I'M CURIOUS SINCE DIRECTOR NOBLE IS OUR MOST EXPERIENCED PERSON ON THE BOARD AND HAS SEEN US GO THROUGH UPS AND DOWNS ON THE BUDGET.
I'D LOVE TO HEAR HIS PERSPECTIVE.
I WOULD SAY THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF YEARS I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, WE'VE MADE REJECTIONS.
IT'S ONLY A FEW RARE FROM A CLEARING WHERE WE GOT INCREASED BUDGET.
WITH A STUDY IN 2008, EVERYTHING WENT DOWN.
AS FAR BACK AS I CAN REMEMBER, WE'VE HAD OUR GOAL AT 4%, BUT I WOULD SAY A LOT OF THE YEARS WE HAVE NOT MADE THAT 4% BECAUSE CLEARLY WE'RE MAKING REDUCTIONS FOR MOST OF THE TIME I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, PARTICULARLY AFTER 2008, THE RECESSION, AND SO WE WERE UNABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT 4% FOR VERY MANY YEARS.
MY COMFORT LEVEL WITH BEING UNDER 4%, I'M NOT TOO UNCOMFORTABLE WITH IT BECAUSE WE'VE HAD THAT CASE MANY TIMES.
NOW, USING FUND BALANCE LIKE A CHANGE CLASS SIZES, I REALLY AM MORE COMFORTABLE WITH USING FINE BALANCE FOR FIXED EXPENSES, OR ONE TIME EXPENSES LIKE A SPECIAL CURRICULUM ADOPTION THAT WE DON'T INTEND ON NEVER DOING AGAIN, OR MAYBE BUYING A BUNCH OF VEHICLES FOR FOOD SERVICE, AND WE DON'T NEED TO DO THAT AGAIN.
THAT'S THE THING THAT IS A LITTLE BIT BETTER TO USE FOR FUND BALANCE BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING YOU DON'T HAVE TO FUND THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
BUT IN THIS CASE, SINCE WE ARE IN PRETTY DIRE STREETS THIS YEAR, AND IT MIGHT HELP A LITTLE BIT AS LONG AS WE DON'T TRY TO RESTORE IT VERY FAST, THEN I COULD BE SLIGHTLY COMFORTABLE WITH IT, LIKE I SAID.
I DON'T LIKE DOING IT, BUT IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE REASONABLE TO DO THIS ONE YEAR BECAUSE OF A REALLY DIFFICULT BUDGET YEAR.
>> WHAT LEVEL ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH DIRECTOR NOBLE?
>> AS SMALL AS YOU'LL AGREE TO, BUT PROBABLY 3%.
>> I THINK, I JUST WANTED TO COUNTER IT A LITTLE BIT TO SAY THAT I'M COMFORTABLE WITH DOING A FUND BALANCED REDUCTION AND RECOGNIZING THAT THERE'S NO WAY THAT WE CAN BRING IT BACK ANYTIME SOON, IF EVER.
BUT FOR THIS YEAR IN PARTICULAR, BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF FAITH IN OUR NEW SUPERINTENDENT.
AS SHE MIGHT NOT LIKE THIS REASONING, BUT I THINK THAT OUR NEW SUPERINTENDENT IS COMING IN AND SHE'S TAKING A VERY DETAILED LOOK AT OUR SYSTEM, AND SHE'S FINDING WAYS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE OUR EFFICIENCIES AND IMPROVE OUR EFFECTIVENESS AS WELL.
MY REASONING FOR USING A LITTLE BIT OF OUR FUND BALANCE IS TO GIVE HER THE TIME THAT SHE NEEDS TO TAKE A REALLY CLOSE LOOK AT OUR SYSTEM.
>> I DO APPRECIATE THE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF MY ESTEEMED COLLEAGUE.
I WILL POINT OUT IN THE EIGHT YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE, I THINK IT'S ONLY BEEN ONE YEAR THAT WE'VE BEEN ANYWHERE CLOSE TO EITHER AT OR ABOVE THE FUND BALANCE.
I'M VERY COMFORTABLE TAKING IT DOWN TO 2.5 RIGHT NOW.
BUT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE STIPULATION OF REDUCING CLASS SIZE.
JUST TO SPEAK TO GARY'S POINT THERE THAT DO WE WANT TO BE THAT SPECIFIC IN THIS REDUCTION POINT THAT WE'RE ADDING TO THE RESOLUTION.
[02:40:07]
>> DIRECTOR CHASE, IF WE DON'T SAY WE WANT TO HAVE IT TARGETED AT OUR OVERLOADED CLASSROOMS, MEANING ACROSS THE DISTRICT, WHAT CRITERIA WOULD YOU USE? I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE TO CHOOSE AMONG OUR CHILDREN TO SAY, WELL, WE LIKE THIS PROGRAM BETTER.
WHICH IS WHY TO ME, SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO ADDRESS OVERLOADED CLASSROOMS ACROSS THE DISTRICT WILL HELP KIDS, ALL GRADE LEVELS, ALL LEVELS OF ABILITIES, ETC, TO PUT THEM IN THE OPTIMAL SIZE CLASSROOMS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE JUST SEEMS TO ME TO BE THE MOST EQUITABLE APPROACH.
AS SOON AS SOMEBODY HAS TO START CHERRY-PICKING, WILL THIS, OR WILL THAT, OR WILL THE OTHER, I CERTAINLY WOULDN'T DO THAT.
IF YOU WANT TO LEAVE IT OPEN TO DISTRICT LEADERSHIP TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, YOU CAN SPEAK TOWARD THAT IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE THINKING, BUT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THOSE DECISIONS WOULD BE MADE AND HOW WOULD WE ENSURE THAT THEY'RE EQUITABLE.
I'M NOT SURE THAT ACROSS ALL OF OUR INPUT, SOME OF THEM ARE FREQUENT OR LOUDEST VOICES OR WHATEVER, MAY NOT REPRESENT THE WIDE SWATH OF OUR DISTRICT.
BUT EVERY ONE OF OUR CLASSES, I WALK IN AND OUT OF CLASSES ALL THE TIME, I COUNT THE NUMBER OF KIDS IN EVERY CLASS WHEN I GO IN.
I HAVE A SENSE OF, DOES THIS SEEM REASONABLE OR DOES IT SEEM BIG? IT'S THE FIRST THING THAT STRIKES ME.
THEN I LOOK FOR THINGS LIKE LEARNING TARGETS AND OTHER THINGS.
BUT I DON'T WANT TO WALK INTO CLASSROOMS AND FEEL LIKE THIS IS AN OVERSTUFFED CLASSROOM ANYWHERE.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOOD FOR OUR KIDS ANYWAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF WE DON'T SAY WE'RE GOING TO TARGET OVERLOADING OF CLASSROOMS, THEN HOW DISTRICT STAFF WILL KNOW HOW TO USE THAT MONEY THAT WE'RE PULLING OUT OF FUND BALANCE.
>> TO BE CLEAR, I AM IN FAVOR OF REDUCING CLASS SIZE AND TARGETING THAT.
HOWEVER, MY CONCERN WAS SPECIFYING THAT IN THIS PARTICULAR RESOLUTION, BECAUSE I THINK THE DISCUSSION OF THE IMPACT OF THE PROPOSED RRIFS COULD BE A LARGER CONVERSATION THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY TIED TO THE FUND BALANCE.
I MAY BE WRONG IN THAT FRAMING, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE PULLING THAT ALL TOGETHER.
I'D LIKE TO ACTUALLY BRING THAT UP FOR DISCUSSION, AND THE PROCEDURAL ASPECTS OF HAVING THAT SPECIFICALLY IN THIS PARTICULAR RESOLUTION, AS WE'RE GOING TO BE CONTINUING BUDGET DISCUSSIONS FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
IF MY COLLEAGUES THINK THAT IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE THAT SPECIFIED IN THIS PARTICULAR RESOLUTION AND THERE'S NO ISSUE WITH IT, I'M FINE WITH THAT, AS LONG AS WE GO DOWN TO 2.5.
[LAUGHTER] I'D REALLY LIKE TO HEAR IF THERE'S ANY THOUGHTS IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT OF A CONCERN OR IS IT JUST SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS GOING TO BE NOT SOMETHING WE'RE SOLVING IN THIS CONVERSATION, BUT I THINK IT'S A CONTINUAL DISCUSSION THAT WE HAVE AS MORE CLARITY COMES WITH THE BUDGET AND BEFORE WE ACTUALLY ADOPT THIS BUDGET.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE DOING THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S PROPER PLANNING AND TO FOLLOW THE LAW THAT WE HAVE TO DO IT BY MAY 15TH.
>> ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AND THIS WOULD BE TO SAY, BECAUSE WHAT ROB HAS FOR US IS A REDUCED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM AMENDMENT.
WE COULD DETERMINE THE FUND BALANCE THAT YOU WANT TO REDUCE, MAKE A SUBSEQUENT.
WE'VE ALREADY BEEN SUPPORTING CLASS SIZE AS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIND ECONOMIES OR OTHER CUTS.
WE'VE PUT 16 BACK INTO OUR SCHOOLS SO FAR, INTO THE STAFF RATIOS.
WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT ALREADY.
WE CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, HOTSPOTS, WHERE WE KNOW THERE'S GOING TO NEED TO BE ADDITIONAL FTE.
[02:45:02]
WE ALREADY HAVE ANOTHER 0.8, I THINK, THAT'S BEEN ASKED.WE CONTINUE AS THEY CONTINUE TO REFINE THEIR SCHEDULES TO DO THAT.
WHAT WE COULD DO IS DETERMINE THE LEVEL OF FUND BALANCE THAT YOU WANT TO NEED.
REDUCE THESE CERTIFICATED NUMBER OF TEACHERS THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING FOR A RRIF BY THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT, AND THEN CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE REDUCING THE CLASS SIZES AND THEN WHATEVER IS LEFT.
AGAIN, I KNOW IT'S SO HARD AND IT'S SO COMPLICATED A.
TRUST ME, I WISH MAY 15TH WAS A DIFFERENT DATE, BUT WE HAVE TO DO ONE THING BY MAY 15TH.
OUR BUDGET PASSAGE DATE LYDIA, IS JULY 12TH, I THINK.
>> ELEVENTH. SOMETHING IN THERE, WHATEVER YOU CAN FIND IT.
THERE'S A GAP THERE, AND SO WHAT WE COULD DO HERE IS REDUCE THE CERTIFICATED REDUCTION, BEGIN TO USE THAT FOR OUR CLASS SIZE REDUCTION, AND SEE WHERE WE COME UP AT THE END OF THAT.
I THINK WE CAN PROBABLY SOLVE THAT FRANKLY IF WE GO TO THREE FOR THAT, BUT THEN WE COULD MAKE OTHER CHOICES IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
IT WILL LIMIT US, I WILL SAY, TO IF WE'RE COMMITTED TO A CERTIFICATED STAFF, IT DOES MEAN THAT WE WON'T BE ABLE TO DO SOME OTHER THINGS WITH THE MONEY BECAUSE WE WILL BE AT THAT POINT COMMITTED TO CERTIFICATED STAFF.
WE WON'T BE ABLE TO TRANSFER THAT TO, FOR EXAMPLE, PROFESSIONAL TECHNICAL STAFF, ETC.
>> IF I MAY, IN TERMS OF THE REDUCED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM, WE HAVE A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT TO GET APPROVAL FROM OUR SCHOOL BOARD TO MAKE A REDUCTION, AND THE LANGUAGE WE'VE USED IS UP TO AN AMOUNT.
THE AMOUNT THAT YOU SEE ON THE CURRENT CERTIFICATED PLAN IS 46 AND CHANGE OF CLASSROOM TEACHER PLUS SOME ESAS.
WE ARE ALREADY BELOW THAT NUMBER AS WE'RE WORKING THROUGH OUR PROCESSES.
IT IS ALWAYS OUR GOAL TO REDUCE AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE.
AND EVEN THOUGH WE MAY HAVE A CAPACITY IDENTIFIED ON THE REDUCE PLAN, IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THAT'S A TARGET WE'RE TRYING TO REACH.
WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO WORK WELL WITHIN THE CAPACITY THERE.
WHAT THE RESOLUTION DOES IS IT TAKES CARE OF OUR STATUTORY REQUIREMENT TO GET APPROVAL FROM OUR BOARD TO REDUCE CERTIFICATED STAFF AND PRINCIPLES.
THAT'S ALL WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO BY STATUTE.
WHAT WE HAVE DONE TRADITIONALLY IN THIS DISTRICT IS PROVIDED A FULL LIST OF CLASSIFIED AND CERTIFICATED STAFF ON OUR REDUCED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM.
THAT'S WHAT WE PRESENTED THIS YEAR AS WELL.
ALL OF THAT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS APPROVAL TO OPERATE OUR STAFFING PLAN AND EXECUTING WHAT WE NEED TO DO BY BARGAINING GROUPED CONTRACTS BY THE STATUTORY DEADLINE, UP TO THOSE POINTS.
I THINK THAT'S JUST AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION TO MAKE, AND I HOPE THAT IT HELPS IN SEPARATING THIS FROM MAKING A CHANGE TO FUND BALANCE.
>> BASED ON WHAT I HEARD WAS YOU PUT 16 BACK INTO THE CLASSROOMS. ARE WE DOWN TO 30.55 TEACHING CERTIFICATED, OR?
>> WE ARE NOT YET AT THAT STAGE.
WHAT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER IS A COUPLE OF THINGS.
WHEN WE MOVED TEACHERS OUT OF AECC, WE REDUCED THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS THERE FOR THEIR PROGRAM.
THAT'S A NUMBER OF TEACHERS WHO ARE CERTIFICATED AND ENTITLED TO A CONTRACT.
WHILE WE MIGHT BE ADDING SOME FTE INTO OUR SYSTEM, WE STILL HAVE ADDITIONAL TEACHERS.
WE MOVE TO PTOSIS OUT OF THE CENTRAL OFFICE.
THEIR CERTIFICATED TEACHERS ENTITLED TO A CONTRACT, THEY'RE ADDED TO THE PROCESS AS WELL.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PLACES WHERE WE STILL HAVE POSITIONS TO FILL, AND WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
ON BALANCE, IF I'M BEING MOST OPTIMISTIC RIGHT NOW, WE'RE MORE AROUND 35, BUT REMEMBER, THAT'S FTE AND SO THAT COULD AFFECT MORE THAN 35 PEOPLE IN THE WAYS THAT THERE MIGHT BE 0.4 FTE THAT SOMEONE IS RRIFED, THEY MIGHT MAINTAIN THE REST OF THEIR CONTRACT.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO GET RESIGNATIONS AND RETIREMENTS.
[02:50:03]
WE'RE ABLE TO FIND OTHER CREATIVE WAYS TO ADD STAFFING.IF WE LOOK AT HISTORY, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CALL ALMOST EVERYONE BACK BY THE TIME THAT SCHOOL STARTS THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
WHICH IS NOT TO SAY THAT THAT'S NOT A HIGHLY DISRUPTIVE THING FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, AND WE FULLY RECOGNIZE THAT.
BUT THAT IS THE TRUTH IF WE LOOK AT WHAT'S DONE HISTORICALLY, THERE ARE ALWAYS EXCEPTIONS.
THERE ARE CERTAINLY CLASSES THAT BECAUSE OF ENROLLMENT WHERE WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO BRING THEM BACK.
BUT WE HAVE A GOOD TRACK RECORD OF RECALLING MANY OF OUR TEACHERS THAT HAVE FACED THE RRIF.
>> I UNDERSTAND NOW WHAT THIS RESOLUTION IS VERSUS WHAT I THINK THE BOARD INTEREST IS TO IMPROVE THE CONDITIONS IN THE CLASSROOM.
WORSE, I THINK WE STILL HAVE AN INTEREST IN HELPING TO DO THAT IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN AND THE ONLY WAY WE HAVE IS BUDGET OR MONEY OR A LITTLE POT OF MONEY.
>> FUND BALANCE. THAT'S WHY RECOGNIZING AND I APPRECIATE THE DISTINCTION AND I UNDERSTAND THE DISTINCTION WITH HIS RESOLUTION AND THE FACT THAT HISTORICALLY EVERY TIME WE DO THIS, WE'RE PRESENTED WITH A REDUCTION, BUT IT ALWAYS IS LESS.
I THINK A FEW YEARS AGO, I THINK IT WAS 18, WE GOT DOWN TO 26 THINKING THAT WE WERE IN [MUSIC] PUSHING 50, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT THE INTEREST, THE REASON THAT THE ONLY THING THAT WE HAVE IMPACT OVER REALLY RIGHT THIS MOMENT SINCE WE DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA GET A LOT OF RELIEF FROM THE STATE IS TO MAKE THIS NUMBER AS SMALL AS POSSIBLE TO MITIGATE SOME OF THE IMPACTS THAT I THINK WE'RE STILL FEELING FROM COVID, AND THAT'S WHY I THINK THAT WE'VE GOT THE DISCUSSION ABOUT FUND BALANCED WRAPPED INTO THIS PARTICULAR RESOLUTION THAT WE'VE GOT.
WE DO HAVE THE AMENDMENT ON THE FLOOR WITH THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION THAT WE'RE STILL DISCUSSING.
JUST REFLECTING ON SOME OF THE DISCUSSION ON CLASS SIZE, THINKING ABOUT IF WE ARE GOING TO INSERT THE DISCUSSION OF FUND BALANCE INTO THIS OR MAKE DIRECTIVES SOMEHOW, I DO THINK THAT AS WE SEE THIS, WE DO HEAR THE IMPACTS FROM OUR COMMUNITY FOR THE BUILDING LEVEL.
I'M WONDERING IF THE ALLOCATION SHOULD BE IN A COLLABORATION WITH THOSE DECISIONS MADE AT THE BUILDING LEVEL IN A PARTNERSHIP WITH WHATEVER AND WHOEVER IS MAKING THAT FINAL DECISION DOES IT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BUILDING LEVELS.
[APPLAUSE] I'M ASSUMING THAT THAT IS OUR CONTINUED PRACTICE, [OVERLAPPING] IS WHAT WE DO.
>> THAT ACTUALLY IS WHAT WE DO CURRENT.
WE PUT 16 STAFF BACK INTO OUR STAFFING PLAN.
THE WAY THAT WE DETERMINED THAT WAS BY LOOKING AT STAFFING PLANS THAT BUILDINGS SHARED WITH US.
WHEN WE LOOKED AT HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL, THAT WAS ALL BASED ON WHAT WE'D USE THE TERM HOTSPOTS.
WHEREVER THE PLACES WERE, CLASSES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGH AND WE ALLOCATED FTE TO SUPPORT THOSE.
SIMILARLY, WE GET A STAFFING PLAN FROM ALL OF OUR ELEMENTARY BUILDINGS WHICH SHOWS US BY CLASS HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO ROLL UP.
WE WENT THROUGH AND ALLOCATED FTE THAT WE HAD AVAILABLE.
THERE IS ALWAYS A LITTLE MORE THAT COULD BE USED.
BUT THE SIX THAT WE HAD AVAILABLE, WE ALLOCATED ON FRIDAY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE PLACES WHERE IT WAS SIGNIFICANT.
NOTE THAT THAT ALSO COMES WITH ADDITIONAL MUSIC AND PE STAFFING AS WELL.
IT WAS SIX, BUT THERE WAS ACTUALLY 6.4 STAFFING THAT WAS PUT OUT BECAUSE OF THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL MUSIC AND PE IN A COUPLE OF PLACES BECAUSE THERE'S MORE SECTIONS.
>> IT'S ALWAYS NICE IF WE CAN HOLD A LITTLE BIT OF THIS FUNDING FOR NEXT FALL.
WE HAD A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE THIS YEAR WHERE WE HAD A SECOND GRADE, I THINK IT WAS AT ONE OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
THERE WAS NO WAY TO DO COMBINATION CLASSROOMS IN THAT SCHOOL, THERE IS NO WAY TO DO.
UNEXPECTEDLY, YOU HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF SECOND GRADERS SHOW UP AND WASN'T IN SECOND GRADE, I THINK, AND WE ENDED UP PUTTING ANOTHER FULL-TIME FTE INTO THAT SCHOOL IN OCTOBER BECAUSE THE SECOND GRADE CLASS SIZE IS OVER UNTENABLE.
IT'S NICE WHEN WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT THAT WE CAN HOLD BACK, HOLD THE TEACHERS, HOLD THE STAFFING BACK SO THAT WE CAN ALSO HAVE SOME FUNDS TO ADDRESS THOSE HOTSPOTS IN THE FALL.
>> ROB, YOU AND I KNOW BOTH THAT I'VE ASKED YOU THIS QUESTION BEFORE.
IT'S AN IDEA THAT I DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP BUT I DO UNDERSTAND THAT IT MAY NOT SAVE US,
[02:55:05]
BUT I STILL WANT TO ASK IT IN PUBLIC SO THAT THE IDEA IS OUT THERE.WE DO KNOW THAT THE WAY THE TEACHERS ARE BUMPED DURING ANY REDUCTION IS IN FACT DEFINED THROUGH OUR CONTRACTS WITH EEA.
BUT THAT BEING SAID, IT ENDS UP BECAUSE IT'S MOSTLY BASED ON TENURE THAT WE LOSE OR HAVE TO REF AND THEN HOPEFULLY GET THEM BACK, OUR YOUNGEST AND OFTEN NEWLY HIRED STAFF OF COLOR, BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE PROCESS WORKS IN TERMS OF EXPERIENCE.
I'M GETTING TO THE FACT THAT I DO KNOW THERE ARE SOME DISTRICTS THAT HAVE A STRATEGY WHERE THEY CREATE LIKE A PERMANENT FLOATING SUBGROUP BECAUSE WE ALWAYS NEED SUBS AND CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN HAVING SOME SHORTAGE PROBLEMS OF THAT THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO OFFER CONTRACTS TO EVERYBODY, BUT TELL SOME, YOU'RE GOING TO START OUT POTENTIALLY AS A FLOATING PERMANENT SUB AND WE HOPE THAT WE'LL RESUME AND I HEAR FROM EVERYBODY WHO'S EXPERIENCED THAT JUST ABOUT EVERY YEAR WE'RE ABLE TO HIRE OR ASK EVERYBODY BACK.
THAT WAY, I UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE WOULD CHOOSE PERHAPS NOT TO STAY BECAUSE THAT MAY NOT BE A GREAT IN-BETWEEN STEP, BUT FOR SOME THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY THAT DOESN'T WORK?
>> WELL, I DON'T THINK THAT THE ANSWER IS THAT IT DOESN'T WORK.
IT'S THAT WE HAVEN'T TRIED TO EXPLORE THAT AS AN OPTION.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN ASKED THE QUESTION, IS THERE A COST SAVINGS FOR US? IS THERE A BENEFIT? I THINK WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT IT THROUGH THAT FISCAL LENS, THE HONEST ANSWER IS NO.
BUT IN TERMS OF SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR STAFF, I THINK THERE ARE TONS OF BENEFITS.
I'M FAMILIAR WITH DISTRICTS WHO HAVE AN OFFERING THAT THEY BASICALLY BRING SOMEONE IN ON THE TEACHER PAY SCALE AT YEAR 1, LEVEL 1 OR YEAR 0, LEVEL 0 REGARDLESS, BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY GET PLACED ON THE SALARY SCHEDULE SO THAT THEY DO HAVE A CONTRACTED POSITION WHICH COMES WITH BENEFITS AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
IT WOULD COME AT A COST TO THE DISTRICT BECAUSE WE WILL BE PROVIDING BENEFITS AND WE'D HAVE TO NEGOTIATE WITH OUR UNION PARTNERS ON WHAT THAT POSITION WOULD LOOK LIKE, WHAT THE SALARY RANGE WOULD BE, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
WE DO HAVE CERTIFICATED SUBSTITUTE LANGUAGE ALREADY THAT WE COULD LEAN ON.
THE PIECE THAT WE WOULD WANT TO CAPTURE THERE IS WE NEED TO MAKE SOME CHANGES TO HOW WE ALLOCATE BENEFITS AND WHAT CONSTITUTES A BENEFIT ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEE.
THAT'S ALL GUIDED BY SUB-LANGUAGE AND THINGS THAT ARE NOT LOCALLY DETERMINED.
BUT I DO THINK IT'S AN OPTION THAT WE CAN CERTAINLY EXPLORE.
>> WELL, I, FOR ONE, HAVE AN INTEREST IN THAT.
I THINK THAT IT'S SUPPORTIVE OF OUR STAFF.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MY COLLEAGUES FEEL AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TIMELINE MIGHT BE IF IT'S EVEN FEASIBLE WITHIN OUR CURRENT SITUATION, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY PUBLICLY THAT I FOR ONE SUPPORT THAT BECAUSE IT'S SUPPORTIVE OF OUR STAFF.
>> I THINK IF IT IS SUPPORTIVE OF OUR STAFF, IF IT'S NOT TOO COSTLY THEN IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD CERTAINLY EXPLORE, BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO TODAY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SUPERINTENDENT FEELS.
>> WE CAN'T DO IT TODAY [LAUGHTER].
WE KNOW IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE, AND SO YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE CUT A FULL-TIME CERTIFICATED TEACHER SERVING AS A SUB COSTS MORE THAN A SUBSTITUTE.
THE BENEFITS WE GET FROM THE REDUCTIONS AREN'T AS GREAT THEN, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
WE'D HAVE TO CALCULATE THAT AND DO A COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF THAT.
[03:00:03]
OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN THAT.THAT COULD ALSO BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO AS WE ARE RECALLING STAFF, IF WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO BRING SOME STUFF BACK INTO THOSE POSITIONS AT THE END OF THE PROCESS RATHER THAN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS.
>> THE COST TO THE DISTRICT WOULD BE, IF IN FACT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO PLACE THOSE TEACHERS IN REGULAR CERTIFICATED CLASSROOMS SPOT BY THE FALL, AND THEN THEY WOULD REALLY BE A PERMANENT SUB.
BUT MY GUESS IS FROM WHAT EVERYBODY SAYS, THAT WOULDN'T REALLY HAPPEN.
WE'D BE CALLING NEARLY ALL OF THEM BACK AND THEY WOULD THEN BE IN SLOP BEING PAID WHATEVER THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN PAID.
IT'S GIVING A LIFELINE TO THESE PEOPLE AND SAYING WE REALLY CARE ABOUT YOU AND WE WANT TO KEEP YOU AND WE'RE GOING TO OFFER YOU THIS SITUATION BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE WOULD HAVE TO NOT OFFER YOU ANY CONTRACT AT ALL AND THEN COME BACK TO YOU IN THREE MONTHS.
AM I CORRECT THAT THE ONLY COST TO THE DISTRICT WOULD BE THAT COME FALL, WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY BEEN ABLE TO FIND THEM A MATCH IN A CLASSROOM THAT MATCHES THEIR QUALIFICATIONS AND THEY WOULD THEN BE A PERMANENT SUB, AT LEAST FOR SOME PERIOD OF TIME?
>> THAT'S CORRECT. THERE ARE MANY, MANY SITUATIONS THAT OUR SUBS MAY FALL INTO AS THE YEAR GOES ON.
MANY ARE IN LONG-TERM SUBSTITUTE POSITIONS.
IF THEY MEET A CERTAIN NUMBER OF DAYS OR LENGTH OF TIME, THEY ACTUALLY BECOME CONTRACTED TEACHERS FOR THAT STENT.
THERE ARE DEFINITELY BENEFITS FROM A STAFFING PERSPECTIVE.
I THINK THE COST, YOU'RE HITTING IT PRETTY WELL.
DIRECTOR KATIMS, IT IS GOING TO BE INCURRING THE BENEFITS COSTS AND THEN WHATEVER WE WOULDN'T NEGOTIATE AS A SALARY.
LIKE I SAID, WE DO HAVE EXISTING LANGUAGE.
BUT IF WE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN THAT, FOR THESE POSITIONS, WE'D WANT TO NEGOTIATE THAT WITH OUR PARTNERS.
WE ALSO DO HAVE A WHOLE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THE SUBSTITUTE POOL.
WE'D WANT TO MAKE SURE AGAIN THAT WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR PARTNERS SO THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MAKE SENSE FOR EVERYONE.
[OVERLAPPING] I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF INTERESTS HERE.
>> I DON'T WANT TO DERAIL OUR CURRENT CONVERSATION, BUT I DID WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE AS A STRONG INTEREST AND I'D LIKE TO SEE DISTRICT LEADERSHIP PURSUE IT.
IF IT COULD BE DONE NOW THAT WOULD BE GREAT BENEFIT.
WE'RE CLEARLY HAVE THIS PROBLEM EVERY YEAR.
FOR ME, IT'S THINKING A LITTLE BIT OUT OF THE BOX AND TRYING A NEW APPROACH, AND I KNOW IN YOUR POSITION NOW YOU'RE GOOD THINKER LIKE THAT.
I KNOW YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN ALSO TRYING INNOVATIVE THINGS THAT ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THE DISTRICT.
>> I WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IT.
THIS IS DIRECTOR KATIMS' STRONG INTERESTS.
IT'S NOT THE BOARDS AT THIS POINT JUST TO BE CLEAR.
>> I WOULD WANT TO CONFIRM ONE QUESTION I HAD FOR REALLY ABOUT THE BUDGET ON THE FREE SCHOOL MEAL EXPANSION.
I DON'T BELIEVE ANY OF THOSE BILLS IMPACTED OUR BUDGET.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'D ASK THAT QUESTION. I DON'T REMEMBER IF I DID.
>> NO PROBLEM. I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET WARM AGAIN. THEY ARE.
>> EXCUSE ME, COULD YOU JUST PUT YOUR SIGN DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT JUST SO I CAN SEE YOU.
I CAN STILL SEE THE SIGN, I JUST WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE. THANKS.
>> THEY ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND THE SCHOOLS IN A COMMUNITY ELIGIBILITY PROVISION.
THERE ARE SOME EXPANSION FROM INDICATE 4, IF YOU'RE A CEP SCHOOL.
BUT REMEMBER, FOOD SERVICE WAS FUNDING THEMSELVES.
THAT COULD CHANGE DOWN THE ROAD AS COSTS GET MORE EXPENSIVE.
BUT BECAUSE OF COVID RELIEF FUNDS, SPECIFICALLY FOR ANY NUTRITION SERVICES, THEY HAVE BEEN COVERING THEIR OWN COSTS.
SO THEY AREN'T PART OF THE REJECTION IN 23-24.
[03:05:01]
SO THIS COULD HELP THEM A LITTLE, BUT IT WILL HELP OFFSET AGAINST SOME OF THOSE RISING COSTS.BUT THEY HAVE BEEN CONTRIBUTING TO THE GENERAL FUND.
THEY HAVEN'T BEEN TAKING FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
>> THANK YOU. MY INTEREST IN THIS IS PROTECTING THE CLASSROOM FROM THESE CUTS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
IT SEEMS THAT, AND I BELIEVE WE ALL FEEL THAT WAY, AND BY THESE AMENDMENTS THAT ARE PROPOSED WITH BEING MORE COMFORTABLE WITH A LOWER FUND BALANCE, WHICH IN MY TENURE HERE HAS BEEN RIGHT AROUND THE TWO'S MOST OF THE TIME.
THE INTEREST IS IN TAKING A LOOK AT THIS PARTICULAR RESOLUTION AND MAKING THE REDUCTION NUMBER AS SMALL AS POSSIBLE.
ALSO, IN ADDITION, MITIGATING SOME OF THE IMPACTS, IT SEEMED TO BE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTING PERFORMING ARTS.
I SAID IT'S NOT ONLY, BUT WE'VE HAD FOLKS SHOW UP.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE DON'T HEAR QUITE AS MUCH FROM THE BIOLOGY TEACHERS, BUT THEY'RE IMPACTED TOO.
I JUST WANT TO SHOUT THAT OUT BECAUSE WE DO GET A LOT OF INFORMATION.
I JUST WANTED TO DRAW US BACK TO TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THE DISCUSSION ON PASSING THIS PARTICULAR RESOLUTION ON THE REDUCTION IN FORCE AND THE AMENDMENTS?
>> IF I MAY SPEAK ONE THING OR I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION TO YOU.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TARGETING A FUN BALANCE OF 3% OR 2.5, THAT IS A VERY CHALLENGING TASK.
IT IS NOT THE SAME AS YOUR HOME BUDGET.
I COULD SAY, I'LL PLAN THIS BUDGET AT 2.5%, AND THEN THERE'S SOMETHING OUT OF OUR CONTROL THAT HAPPENS AND IT SLIPS DOWN TO TWO-TWO.
YOUR PERSONAL BUDGET, YOU MAY HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTROL OF YOUR SPENDING.
A DISTRICT THIS SIZE WHEN WE HAVE UNFUNDED MANDATES, SUCH AS SICK CASH-OUT AT RETIREMENT, THAT'S CONTROLLED BY THE STATE, MANDATED BY THE STATE, NO FUNDING.
SO IT'S JUST THE RISKS THAT WE CAN'T THROW THE DART AND MAKE IT TO TWO-FIVE OR THREE.
>> I JUST ALSO, THANK YOU, BUILDING ON WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I AM A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT WE DON'T HAVE REPRESENTATION HERE IN THE BOARDROOM FOR OUR ENTIRE DISTRICT, AND THAT'S IN MY MIND.
THAT WOULD BE AN ARGUMENT FOR BEING STRAIGHT, FOLLOW THE STUDENTS' INTERESTS.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT ON THE BOARD TO LOOK AT SHORING UP PROGRAMS AND I'M TAKING A LONGER VIEW AND TAKING A STRATEGIC VIEW.
I AM CONCERNED ON THE OTHER HAND, THAT SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS MAY BE HURT IN WAYS THAT WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT TO RECOVER.
SO I JUST THROW THAT OUT THERE.
>> I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO CALL THE QUESTION ON THE AMENDMENT THAT IS ON THE TABLE.
>> CAN WE RESTATE THE MOTION? [LAUGHTER]
>> I'D BE HAPPY TO. I COULD ACTUALLY SEND IT TO ALLEN AND SHE COULD PUT IT ON THE SCREEN.
>> YEAH, [OVERLAPPING] WE'RE TOO GRAY.
>> I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE WORDING ABOUT RESTORING THE FUND BALANCE BECAUSE I DON'T SEE THAT HAPPENING IN THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS.
>> AS WE GET THERE, CAN WE DISCUSS THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE WHILE WE'RE WAITING? MAKER OF THE MOTION TO CALL THE QUESTION.
>> WELL, ONE THING I WOULD SAY WHILE I'M LOOKING FOR THIS IN RESPONSE TO WHAT LYDIA JUST SAID, IS GIVEN WHAT SHE JUST SAID, THAT IF WE SAY TAKE IT DOWN TO THREE, KNOWING IT MIGHT GO DOWN TO TWO-SEVEN, I'M OKAY WITH THAT.
BUT THE IDEA OF SAYING TAKE IT DOWN TO TWO-FIVE AND THEN IT MIGHT GO DOWN TO 2.2 KNOWING WHAT'S COMING NEXT YEAR MAKES ME REALLY NERVOUS.
AARON, IT'S COMING YOUR WAY NOW ON EMAIL.
[03:10:06]
>> THAT WE CAN LOOK AT THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE BECAUSE PART OF IT, SO SOON AS WE GET THAT UP, THEN I'LL BE ABLE TO SPEAK MORE TO IT BECAUSE MY INTERESTS TO IS IN MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE NOT IMPACTING ALREADY STRAINED PROGRAMS THAT ARE JUST RECOVERING FROM COVID, WHICH IS EVERYBODY.
>> WHICH IS EVERYBODY AND THOSE LOWER THE CLASS SIZE, THE LEFT WE HAVE OVERLOADED THE CLASSROOMS. THE MORE TEACHERS CAN MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH THE KIDS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT NOW.
>> WE DO NEED TO ALSO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC AND THE PERFORMING ARTS.
I THINK WE'VE HEARD THAT LOUD AND CLEAR.
I'D BE REMISS IN SAYING THAT HAS BEEN WELL REPRESENTED, EVEN UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE OTHER CLASSES AND SUBJECTS AND TEACHERS AND SPECIAL ED AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL WORK THAT IS BEING IMPACTED THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
BUT I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I DO ENJOY COMING IN AND ALSO TO BAND MUSIC AND I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE GOT THAT UP YET, THAT THIS COULD BE A MORE REGULAR OCCURRENCE.
>> I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT WHEN WE SAW THAT, WHAT IT REALLY LOOKS LIKE IN TERMS OF WHAT CLASSES WILL BE ABLE TO BE OFFERED NEXT YEAR.
THERE WILL BE MUSIC AND ART AND DRAMA AVAILABLE AT ALL OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOLS, AT SOME OF OUR SMALLER MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
I'M NOT SURE IF EVERYTHING WOULD BUT IN GENERAL, WITH THE CREATIVE COMBINING OF CLASSES WHERE IT'S NECESSARY AND DOING OTHERS.
BAND TO MY KID WAS THE SAME AS EVERYBODY'S DESCRIPTION HERE.
IT WAS HIS LIFELINE TO SCHOOL.
ABSOLUTELY. IT IS WHAT TOOK HIM TO SCHOOL.
BUT LOOKING AT WHAT'S AVAILABLE.
I HAVE THE FEELING THAT SOCIAL MEDIA HELP TO JUST BLOW THIS UP INTO A HUGE, MUCH HUGE THING THAN IT REALLY IS.
[NOISE] AS OPPOSED TO CLASS SIZE, WHICH IS A PROBLEM. ANYWAY.
>> IF WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S PRESENTED, THE SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT THEN WOULD BE, THAT I MADE WAS CHANGING THESE 3%-2.5%.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S BEEN SECONDED.
>> I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS VOTE ON THIS IN ITS CURRENT FORM AND FOR THOSE WHO WANTED TO BE 2.5, YOU WOULD VOTE NO TO THIS AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE WANTING IT TO BE A 3.01 VOTE YES TO THIS.
THEN IF FAILS, THEN WE WOULD MAKE A NEW AMENDMENT AT 2.5 THEMES.
>> THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO IT, BUT ONE WOULD BE THAT DIRECTOR CHASE COULD OFFER AN AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT.
IF IT'S SECONDED, THEN WE COULD VOTE ON THAT AND IF THAT FAILS, THEN WE VOTE ON THE ORIGINAL AMENDMENT.
>> MY UNDERSTANDING AND MY INTENT WHEN I MADE THESE SUBSTITUTE TO SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO THIS AMENDMENT WAS TO CHANGE THE THREE TO A 2.5 AND THAT NEEDED A SECOND.
I DON'T KNOW IF I GOT A SECOND OR NOT.
>> BEFORE I SECOND WHAT YOU SAID.
I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT TO MY COLLEAGUES HERE THAT EVEN ONCE WE'RE DONE WITH THIS AMENDMENT, WE STILL HAVE THE MAIN MOTION ON THE TABLE SO IF WE WANT TO DISCUSS IN MORE LENGTH BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THIS AMENDMENT, WE DO HAVE TIME TO DO THAT SO THAT IS WHY I CALL IT THE QUESTION.
I WANT US TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS AMENDMENT PIECE.
I WILL SECOND DIRECTOR CHASE'S MOTION.
>> I ALSO COULD POINT OUT THAT THERE'S ALWAYS A COMPROMISE OF 2.75.
>> NOW THAT WOULD TAKE A NEW AMENDMENT.
>> WELL, [OVERLAPPING] I WAS READING ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER [LAUGHTER] YESTERDAY AND TODAY.
THAT'S WHY I THOUGHT TAKING ONE OF THESE AT A TIME WOULD BE HELPFUL.
>> MADAM CHAIR, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
[03:15:03]
>> THERE IS A MOTION THAT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO AMEND THE AMENDMENT TO BE 2.5%.
IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? THERE IS BECAUSE AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT PROCESS, THE OTHER PART WAS TO ELIMINATE THAT THE NEXT FISCAL PERIOD HAD TO RESTORE THE ENDING BALANCE TO 4% BECAUSE WE DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S GONNA BE REALISTIC AND SO IT WAS TO STRIKE EFFORT TO PREPARE A PROPOSAL THAT WILL RESTORE THE ENDING FUND BALANCE PERIOD?
>> I MAY I MAKE A SUGGESTION TO THE LANGUAGE THERE? I THINK WE SHOULD IN GOOD FISCAL STEWARDSHIP PRESENT IN THEIR PLAN FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION.
I THINK YOU SHOULD KNOW WHAT IT WOULD TAKE EVERY YEAR.
YOU SHOULD KNOW WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO GET BACK TO 4%. SAY NO TO IT.
BUT WE'VE GOT TO KEEP THAT AT THE FOREFRONT OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE CAN'T JUST LET THIS I UNDERSTAND. [OVERLAPPING]
>> WE COULD SAY, WE'LL PRESENT A PLAN FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION FOR AN OPERATING BUDGET. BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
>> I NEED TO POINT OUT, THIS IS STRAIGHT FROM OUR OWN BOARD POLICY.
THIS I JUST PICKED UP THAT LANGUAGE, TRYING TO PROTECT OURSELVES FROM AN AUDITOR COMING OR WHOEVER WOULD COME AND SAY, YOU'VE BROKEN YOUR BOARD, YOU'VE VIOLATED YOUR OWN BOARD POLICY HERE THAT'S THE REASON WHY THIS IS IN HERE.
WE COULD AMEND AT SOME POINT OUR OWN BOARD POLICY ON FUND BALANCE, BUT AT THE MOMENT, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE AS OUR BOARD POLICY. [OVERLAPPING]
>> WE COULD ALSO DO RESOLUTION TO SAY WE'RE GOING TO SUSPEND BOARD POLICY, WHATEVER FOR THE PERIOD OF TIME WE CAN DO THAT.
WE WON'T BE IN VIOLATION OF THIS POLICY FOR A YEAR.
SOMETIME DURING THAT TIME, WE COULD ALSO DO RESOLUTION THAT WOULD SUSPEND THAT REQUIREMENT OF THAT POLICY FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
>> I'M SATISFIED WITH THE LANGUAGE 2.5 AND THE REST CAN STAY.
>> I AM NERVOUS ABOUT TAKING IT DOWN TO 2.5, GIVEN THAT COULD BE, I THINK WE'RE ALL READY, FOR INSTANCE, RIGHT NOW OR BELOW FOUR.
BECAUSE NEXT YEAR WILL BE HERE AGAIN.
WE WON'T HAVE ANYTHING, ALMOST ANYTHING TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS OR TO GET OUT OF SURVIVAL MODE.
THAT'S DEFINITELY A CONCERN I HAVE.
>> SORRY, I MISSED THE QUESTION.
WHAT DO YOU CALL IT IF THERE'S [OVERLAPPING].
>> I DON'T HEAR DISCUSSION COMING FROM THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.
IS EVERYBODY READY TO VOTE? I JUST WANT TO BE QUITE CLEAR.
WE'RE VOTING ON THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT?
>> WE'RE VOTING ON THE WAY THIS IS PHRASED, BUT WITH 2.5 INSTEAD OF THREE IN HERE, THAT'S WHAT WE ARE VOTE ON FIRST?
>> THE QUESTION HAS BEEN CALLED AND I'LL JUST SUMMARIZE THAT IT'S FOR THE AMENDMENT.
THE VOTE IS ON THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT.
THE AMENDMENT AS WRITTEN AND SHOWN ON THE DISPLAY, EXCEPT INSTEAD OF THREE PERCENT, IT WOULD BE 2 1/2%.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR A ROLL CALL VOTE.
>> THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT FAILS.
NOW WE HAVE THE ORIGINAL AMENDMENT AT 3%.
THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION POTENTIALLY ABOUT HAVING A COMPROMISE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT INTEREST THERE IS ON THAT.
WAS THE DIRECTOR KADUM IS GOING TO OFFER IT TO 2.75?
>> NO. I WAS JUST TRYING TO COMPROMISE WITH THOSE WHO WERE LEANING TOWARDS 2.5 SO IT WOULD HAVE TO COME FROM SOMEBODY ELSE.
I PUT IN 3.0 BECAUSE WHAT I'M MOST COMFORTABLE WITH KNOWING IT COULD GO DOWN TO 2.72, 2.8 WHEN ALL THE DUST SETTLES.
[03:20:01]
THAT'S WHAT I FAVOR AND I STILL FAVORITE THAT.I WOULD LIKE US TO JUST VOTE ON THE 3.0 WHICH WAS THE ORIGINAL AMENDMENT.
>> I WILL MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE GO TO 2.75 IN THE INTERESTS OF TURNING OVER EVERY SINGLE ROCK THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN IN THIS BUDGET CRISIS. SECOND.
>> WHICH MEANS THAT WE COULD END UP GOING TO 2.5.
>> THERE'S BEEN A MOTION AND A SECOND TO AMEND THE ORIGINAL AMENDMENT TO 2.75 INSTEAD OF 3.0.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. I'LL CALL FOR A ROLL CALL VOTE.
>> THE AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT PASSES SO NOW WE HAVE AN AMENDMENT ON THE TABLE [APPLAUSE] THAT'S 2.75 FOR THE FUND BALANCE.
I THINK WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THAT.
[LAUGHTER] GOING TO VOTE ON THE 2.75 FINAL AMENDMENT.
>> I'M SORRY. I MISSED, I THINK MY INTERNET WENT OUT OR SOMETHING.
BUT IF YOU WERE JUST TALKING, I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING AND I SHOULD PROBABLY KNOW WHAT THIS VOTE IS ON.
THAT WILL BE A LOT. BECAUSE I THOUGHT WE ALREADY VOTED ON THE KEY POINT.
>> THE AMENDMENT TO YOUR AMENDMENT HAS PASSED WITH 2.75 INSTEAD OF 3.0.
NOW WE ARE AT THE POINT WHERE WE'RE VOTING FOR THE ORIGINAL AMENDED AMENDMENT, SO 2.75.
>> I THOUGHT WE JUST VOTED ON THAT.
>> FOR SPECIFICITY, IT'S TO ADD IT TO THE DOCUMENT, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE AN AMENDMENT ON THE TABLE THAT HAS NOT BEEN ADDED TO THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS.
AT THIS STAGE, IF YOU JUST DON'T WANT TO AMEND IT AT ALL, YOU WOULD VOTE NO HERE.
>> WELL, THAT'S FINE. I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND.
I FIGURE IF WE JUST VOTED FOR AN AMENDMENT TO THE RESOLUTION WE VOTED FOR, OR THOSE WHO DID VOTED FOR IT TO BE ADDED TO THE RESOLUTION.
THAT'S THE POINT OF AN AMENDMENT.
>> IF WE QUICKLY DO THIS VOTE THEN WE'RE COVERED.
>> THAT'S FINE. WE DON'T NEED TO DO IT AGAIN. DO IT AGAIN IN.
>> JUST IN CASE. A ROLL-CALL VOTE ON 2.75.
THE AMENDMENT TO THE RESOLUTION.
>> THE AMENDMENT PASSES, AND NOW WE HAVE THE RESOLUTION AS AMENDED ON THE TABLE.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION BEFORE WE VOTE?
>> HERE'S WHERE I'LL JUMP IN WITH THE DISCUSSION.
THERE'S A LOT OF ENERGY THAT'S COME OUT HERE IN THE LAST TWO BOARD MEETINGS, AND I LOVE IT.
THE PROBLEM HERE IS THAT THE LEGISLATURE AT SOME POINT HAS TOLD US TO BUDGET WITH ONE HAND TIED BEHIND OUR BACK.
I SPOKE TO LYDIA EARLIER AN EXTRA $2.5 WORTH OF TAX REVENUE THAT WE CAN'T COLLECT BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURE SAYS WE CAN'T.
IT'S LIKE WE'RE IN A HOLE AND THE LEGISLATURE SAID THE ONLY THING YOU GET IS A SHOVEL AND YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT US LIKE, WHY CAN'T YOU GET US OUT OF HERE? THE LEGISLATURE HAS THE CRANES AND THE TEAMS AND EVERYTHING ELSE AND THEY'RE JUST NOT DOING IT.
THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS MCCLEARY AND IT TOOK A LAWSUIT AND THEN THEY WERE IN CONTEMPT AND THERE WERE FINES AND TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, THEY NEVER PAID THOSE FINES.
I DON'T RECALL A HUGE WAVE ELECTION IN 2014 WHERE WE KICKED EVERYBODY OUT WHO WOULDN'T PASS A BUDGET THAT FUNDED SCHOOLS.
WHAT'S IT TO THEM? THEY ARE JUST GOING TO SIT IN OLYMPIA AND WHY DID THEY CARE? YOU ALL HAVE A VOICE.
THEY ARE GOING TO LISTEN TO VOTERS.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT, I'LL GO GET J ENSILS LISA, DRESS FOR YOU. YOU CAN ALL SHOW UP THERE.
HE CAN CALL THAT LEGISLATURE BACK WHENEVER HE WANTS AND TELL THEM THEY NEED TO FUND SCHOOLS.
I DON'T WANT TO CUT A DOLLAR FROM THIS BUDGET BECAUSE I
[03:25:03]
KNOW THAT WE DON'T HAVE PROGRAMS THAT DON'T HELP OUR CHILDREN.BUT I CAN'T GO HOME AND FIRE UP THE PRINTING PRESS EITHER.
I'M STUCK MAKING BAD CHOICES AND I'M STUCK HURTING KIDS, WHICH IS NOT WHY I GOT INTO THIS.
BUT IT'S WHAT I'M STUCK TO DO BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURES ARE DOING THEIR JOB.
PLEASE, ALL OF YOU HERE DON'T LET THIS ENERGY DIE TODAY.
GO TO ENSLAVE, GO TO YOUR LEGISLATOR, GO WHEREVER YOU'VE GOT TO GO.
BECAUSE THOSE PEOPLE HOLD THE PURSE STRINGS.
THEY'RE THE ONES WHO CAN FULLY FUND THIS FOR US.
[APPLAUSE] ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?
>> NOW WE'RE IN, DOING THE MOST WE CAN TO GET THIS NUMBER AS LOW AS POSSIBLE.
THINK ABOUT HOW WE MAY BE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTING THE PERFORMING ARTS AND THE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING OF OUR KIDS.
I WANT TO JUST HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF PUBLIC TESTIMONY ABOUT THOSE ISSUES.
>> I DEFINITELY DO HERE FROM THE PERFORMING ARTS.
I'VE HEARD YOU AND MY FAMILY HAS BENEFITED FROM MUSIC, AND I ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO FAMILIES WHO PARTICIPATE.
I ALSO UNDERSTAND AND BELIEVE THAT MUSIC WAS UNIQUELY AMONG SOME OTHER PROGRAMS UNIQUELY AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC.
IT WASN'T JUST TWO YEARS OF LOSS, IT WAS FIFTH, SIXTH, SEVENTH, AND EIGHTH.
ONE OF THOSE KIDS WHO LEFT WAS MY KID.
IT JUST COULD NOT BEAR TO DO MUSIC ONLINE.
I DO HOPE THAT WE CAN FIND A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR MUSIC PROGRAMS STAY STRONG AND DON'T LOSE MOMENTUM AND DO ALL THE GREAT THINGS FOR KIDS THAT THEY DO.
YES, SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I DO RECOGNIZE THAT I DO WANT TO SEE US NOT ONLY LOOK AT WHAT OUR KIDS IMMEDIATE INTERESTS ARE, MEANING THIS YEAR'S INTERESTS BUT ALSO TO LOOK MORE LONG-TERM AT OUR PROGRAMS, TO LOOK MORE SUBSTANTIALLY AT OUR PROGRAMS. THAT SAID, WE HAVE A LOT OF NEED.
I WOULD AGREE WITH DIRECTOR SMITH THAT THIS IS A POSITION NONE OF US WANT TO BE IN.
IT'S A POSITION THAT'S AN IMPOSSIBLE POSITION.
THE STATE HAS PUT US IN AN IMPOSSIBLE POSITION WHERE WE'RE YELLING AT EACH OTHER AND NOT AT THE PEOPLE THAT PUT US HERE. THAT'S ALL I'LL SAY.
>> WELL, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT CAN WE DO.
WHAT CAN WE DO GIVEN THE RESOLUTION IN FRONT OF US? GIVEN WE DON'T THINK IT'S MUCH OF AN IMPACT WITH THE BUDGET THAT THE STATE ALLOCATIONS.
GIVEN THAT WE ARE JUST NOW SAYING USE SOME MORE FUN BALANCE.
WOULD IT BE WHO'VE US TO DELAY THIS VOTE FOR ONE WEEK SO THAT WE CAN SEE WHAT IMPACTS ADDING THE FUND BALANCE IN THERE WOULD DO TO MAKE THIS NUMBER AS LOW AS POSSIBLE? KNOWING I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NO MORE THAN, BUT PINK SLIPS ARE DEVASTATING AND WE WANT TO HAVE AS SMALL OF AN IMPACT AS POSSIBLE AND ALSO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT OUR COMMUNITY SHARED WITH US.
I'M PUTTING THAT OUT THERE FOR DISCUSSION. [APPLAUSE]
WE CAN DO THE MATH TONIGHT OF LYDIA, I BELIEVE, IS STILL BACK THERE I CAN'T SEE HER ARE YOU STILL HERE, LYDIA? WE DO THE MATH TONIGHT AND WE CAN TELL YOU HOW MUCH WE CAN REDUCE THE TEACHING FTE REDUCTION TONIGHT.
ANOTHER WEEK IS NOT GOING TO GET US TO COMPLETION OF THE PROBLEM-SOLVING, SO IS NOT GOING TO GET US TO THE END OF ALL THAT WORK.
WHAT WE CAN DO TONIGHT IS CERTAINLY REDUCE THESE CERTIFICATED REDUCTIONS OF 46.55 BY THE NUMBER COMMENSURATE WITH THE AMOUNT OF FUND BALANCE THAT WE THINK THAT COULD BE IT LOOKS LIKE LADY WAS ALREADY AT HER CALCULATOR AND WE COULD DO THAT, BUT WE CAN'T.
SOME OF THAT WORK. SOME OF WHAT YOU JUST AUTHORIZED IS TO CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF OVERLOADED CLASSROOMS. WOULD THAT WORK WON'T BE DONE IN A WEEK? THAT WORK WILL BE DONE BEFORE MAY 15TH.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENS NOW AND I ACKNOWLEDGED THE TIMELINES ARE REALLY DIFFICULT.
[03:30:04]
NOW WE PULL KIDS OUT OF THE STAFFING WHO ARE GOING TO RUNNING START.THAT ALLOWS US TO RE-BALANCE AGAIN, THINGS HAVE TO BE REGISTERED FOR CLASSES WE PULL THEM OUT OF THAT.
ALL OF THAT RE-BALANCING CONTINUES TO HAPPEN AND WE WILL NOT HAVE THAT DETAIL OF WORK DONE PRIOR TO YOU BEING ABLE TO TAKE A VOTE ON THAT.
>> IF HOWEVER LONG THAT'S GOING TO TAKE, I WOULD SUGGEST WE TABLE THIS PARTICULAR ITEM AND FINISH THE REST OF THE AGENDA.
UNLESS YOU'RE NOT GOING TO AUTHORIZE US TO CUT ANY STAFF, WE HAVE TO GET THIS TONIGHT.
>> WE WAIT FOR HER TO COME UP WITH THE NUMBERS.
>> BUT SHE CAN DO THAT RIGHT NOW.
>> TO WORK WITH YOU, DIRECTOR CHASE, I'LL MOVE TO LAY IT ON THE TABLE AND THEN WE AS A GROUP, CAN BRING IT BACK UP HERE AT THE VERY END OF OUR AGENDA.
I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO LAY IT ON THE TABLE, I BELIEVE IS THE CORRECT TERMINOLOGY.
>> UNTIL THE END OF THE AGENDA.
>> LYDIA CAN I? I CAN'T KICK YOU.
>> YOU TAKE A BIO BREAK, LIKE A 5-MINUTE BIO BREAK WHERE LYDIA CAN BE WORKING THE NUMBERS AND WE CAN THOSE OF US WHO NEED TO STEP OUT FOR A MINUTE CAN DO THAT.
>> LYDIA, ARE YOU READY? SHE LOOKED READY.
[LAUGHTER] WE'RE BACK, PLEASE SETTLE. [BACKGROUND].
>> LET'S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD.
WE ARE STILL DISCUSSING THE AMENDED RESOLUTION.
DO WE HAVE AN ANSWER FROM LYDIA? YES, WE DO BUT SHOULD I JUST ANNOUNCE, OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO ANNOUNCE IT?
>> FOURTEEN AND A HALF FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT TEACHERS WITH BENEFITS.
>> WOULD THAT REQUIRE NOW AN AMENDMENT?
>> WE COULD JUST MAKE THE CHANGE TO RESOLUTION 2306.
I'M NOT SITTING IN FRONT OF IT ON MY COMPUTER.
WHAT IS THE NUMBER CURRENTLY IN THE BOTTOM OF?
REMEMBER WE ALSO HAVE 3.1 FTE THERE FOR ESA.
THE TOTAL NUMBER IS 3.1 HIGHER THAN THAT.
>> YEAH. WE COULD REDUCE CERTIFICATE IN NUMBER 2.
CAN YOU REPEAT IT ONE MORE TIME ROB INTO THE MIC?
>> NOT GREAT, BUT GETTING BETTER.
JUST TO CLARIFY THAT IS AN UP TO NUMBER AND THAT YOU WILL BE WORKING UP UNTIL THE FALL TO.
>> INITIAL, THIS WILL BE UP UNTIL AS CLOSE AS WE CAN GET AND STILL DISTRIBUTE THE REDUCTION ENFORCED NOTIFICATIONS ACCORDING TO STATUTE BY MAY 15TH.
AFTER THAT HAPPENS, THEN IT WILL BE RECALLED PROCESSES ACCORDING TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS.
>> OKAY. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDED RESOLUTION?
>> IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE CAN DO? [LAUGHTER]
>> NO, FOR REAL, WE WOULD HAVE TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.
I DO KNOW THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS IN THE CITIES, IN THE ARTS COUNCIL'S IN THE FOUNDATIONS TO HELP US, BUT TONIGHT, WE DO KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT BY STATUTE TO APPROVE A REDUCTION.
I BELIEVE INFORMATION FROM STAFF THAT WE DO NEED TO DO A REDUCTION.
I WANT TO GET THIS NUMBER AS SMALL AS POSSIBLE, THE IMPACTS ADDRESSED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND I JUST DON'T WANT TO LEAVE ANYTHING ON THE TABLE THAT [BACKGROUND] WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED ABOUT.
>> WE ARE ALREADY PAYING TAXES. [LAUGHTER]
>> GET HER NAME. I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP FOR CONVERSATION, AND WHAT WE THINK ABOUT WHAT WE'VE HEARD.
WE'VE HAD MANY BUDGET DISCUSSIONS AND STUDY SESSIONS,
[03:35:05]
AND I STILL WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR KATIMS AGAIN FOR ANSWERING, I BELIEVE EVERY SINGLE EMAIL ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD.THAT'S NO SMALL FEAT JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S OVER 400 PLUS I'M NOT SURE WHAT CAME IN AFTER THREE O'CLOCK TODAY.
>> I HAVE TO SAY I DIDN'T GET TO THE LAST ABOUT 80 BECAUSE I ANSWERED MORE THAN 400, BUT I COULDN'T GET TO THE LAST 80, AND I APOLOGIZE TO THOSE FOLKS BECAUSE I WANTED TO READ EVERY ONE OF THEM AND I WANTED TO READ EVERY ONE OF THE WRITTEN COMMENTS THAT CAME IN WHICH WAS OVER 100, WHICH I DID BUT IF I DIDN'T GET TO YOU OR IF YOU FELT LIKE YOU GOT A CANNED RESPONSE, IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE YOU WANT TO TELL ME, LET ME KNOW.
IT MIGHT TAKE ME A WHILE TO GET BACK.
I NEED SOME MENTAL HEALTH TIME MYSELF BUT ANYWAY, I DID MY BEST AND THE BOARD HAS BEEN GREAT.
>> I JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING OUR SPOKESPERSON DURING THIS TIME BECAUSE WHAT YOU DID WAS PRETTY INCREDIBLE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE LABOR THAT YOU GAVE TO THIS EFFORT.
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY INTO THE EXTENT THAT IT ALLIES YOUR CONCERNS FOR LOOKING UNDER EVERY ROCK, PART OF WHAT I DID THIS WEEK WAS RUN THE NUMBERS ON HOW FAR OUR TEAMS TRAVELED THIS YEAR.
IT'S NOT VERY MUCH, I THINK TARA'S FOOTBALL HAD A GRAND TOTAL OF 30 MILES TRAVELED.
OUR BASKETBALL TEAMS HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE THEY WERE GOING TO TACOMA FOR PLAYOFFS.
I HEARD A COUPLE OF PEOPLE MENTION THAT WE COULD DO SOMETHING THERE, IT'S JUST WE'RE NOT SENDING THEM VERY FAR.
[LAUGHTER] IT'S REALLY NOT A HUGE SAVINGS TO DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I DEFINITELY WAS LOOKING AT THE THINGS THAT SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT MAYBE WE WERE THINKING WERE SACROSANCT BUT, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY THERE.
>> IN THE PRINCIPLE TOO, WE JUST PASSED A RESOLUTION, IT WAS 237 ON THE NEW OAK HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, TO ASSURE ATTENDANCE POLICIES WILL NOT CREATE OR AGGRAVATE RACIAL IMBALANCE WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
NOW WE HAVE TO DO THAT BY LAW, THE BOARD HEREBY ADOPTS THE 2023-24 REDUCED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM.
THE ATTACHMENT TO THIS, WHICH IS THE 2023-24 REDUCED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM, I UNDERSTAND WE'RE GOING TO FIX THE BOTTOM,
[03:40:01]
THAT SAYS THE NUMBER OF TEACHING FTE, BUT THE REST OF IT, UNLESS PEOPLE WANT TO CHANGE IT, AND I'M NOT SAYING WE SHOULD CHANGE IT BUT I'M SAYING JUST SO WE'RE GOING INTO THIS WITH OUR EYES WIDE OPEN.EVERYTHING ELSE ON THIS LIST IS REFERRED TO IN THIS RESOLUTION.
AM I CORRECT IN MY UNDERSTANDING OF THAT?
>> IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR A ROLL CALL VOTE ON THE AMENDED RESOLUTION, 23-06, PRODUCED EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR 2023 TO 2024 SCHOOL YEAR.
>> THE MOTION PASSES AND THE RESOLUTION AS APPROVED.
>> THREE MORE ITEMS THIS EVENING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
THE FIRST IS A FIRST READING, ITEM 12.7, [LAUGHTER] FIRST READING, NO ACTION OF NEW BOARD POLICY 2401, FINANCIAL EDUCATION, MASTERY-BASED LEARNING, AND CREDIT.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ANSWERED BEFORE WE BRING THIS FORWARD FOR A SECOND READING.
>> WILL WE BE SEEING THE PROCEDURE THAT GOES WITH THIS?
>> I ASSUME IT'LL BE PARALLEL TO THE OTHERS, ALTHOUGH THIS ISN'T QUITE SO CLEAR BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT REALLY LIKE FEEDER COURSES TO THIS.
>> ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT SCHWAB IS COMING FORWARD TO TAKE THAT QUESTION FOR US.
>> YES. THIS POLICY IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE OTHER POLICIES WE DEVELOPED IN PROCEDURES, BUT IT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN THAT WE WILL HAVE TO DO SOME MORE WORK TO DEVELOP THE PROCEDURES.
BECAUSE UNLIKE THE OTHER POLICIES AND PROCEDURES WHICH WE RECENTLY ADOPTED, THERE ISN'T A POLICY OR PROCEDURE THAT ACCOMPANIES THIS, NOR ARE THERE ALL THE VARIOUS DIFFERENT PATHWAYS THAT STUDENTS CAN EARN MASTERY-BASED CREDIT IN FINANCIAL LITERACY.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEVELOP THAT. WE'LL BE WORKING WITH MARK MADISON AND OUR CTE TEACHERS TO DO THAT.
>> THANKS. I DO WANT TO SAY I LOVED THAT WE'RE TEACHING OUR KIDS FINANCIAL LITERACY.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. THE NEXT ITEM IS 12.8.
NO ACTION RECOMMENDED THIS EVENING OF NEW BOARD POLICY 4311 SCHOOL SAFETY AND SECURITY SERVICES PROGRAM.
>> I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I APPRECIATE THIS POLICY AND I THINK IT WILL IMPROVE THE CLIMATE IN OUR HIGH SCHOOLS AND ANY SAFETY AND SECURITY OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE, MEANING WHETHER THEY'RE LAW ENFORCEMENT OR JUST INTERNAL.
WE DON'T HAVE RESIDENT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS RIGHT NOW, BUT ANY ANY EFFORTS THAT WE CAN MAKE TO INCLUDE THOSE SECURITY OFFICERS AND TO HELP OUR STUDENTS GET TO KNOW THEM AND TO KNOW WHAT THEY BRING TO THE SCHOOLS I THINK IS A GOOD ONE.
>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT ONE? GREAT. NEXT ONE, 12.9, FIRST READING, NEW ACTION AND REVISED BOARD POLICY 3420, ANAPHYLAXIS PREVENTION AND RESPONSE.
ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE CAN TAKE FORWARD BEFORE WE APPROVE THEM A SECOND READING?
>> THANK YOU. WE WILL HAVE THOSE PREPARED FOR YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION FOR APPROVAL AT THE SECOND READING ON MAY 9TH.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT WE'LL HEAR FROM
[13. LEGISLATIVE UPDATES]
OUR LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVE ON LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION.>> WELL, I SURE WISH THAT WE DID HAVE MORE FUNDING FROM THE STATE.
IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THE LAWSUIT, IF THAT COMES THROUGH, THAT WE WERE SIGNED ON WITH,
[03:45:03]
I'M JUST BLANK RIGHT NOW.YOU GUYS KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
IT'LL COME BACK TO ME IN JUST A MOMENT.
THE CAPITAL GAINS TAX LAWSUIT, WE MAY SEE SOME EXTRA FUNDING FROM THAT AND HOPEFULLY THAT COULD HELP MITIGATE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW.
BRIEFLY, 34 BILLS THAT WERE EDUCATION-RELATED, DOWN FROM 125 PASSED, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A FULL DEBRIEF ON THURSDAY WITH THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.
WE DO KNOW THAT THERE IS AN INCREASE IN THE MULTIPLIER IN CAP AND THE SPECIAL ED FUNDING 13-15.
NOW, I'VE GOT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT ONE ON WHY THAT WAS ELEVATED TO THIS LEVEL, BUT WE'LL SEE.
THERE THE IPD AND COLA INCREASE WAS CODIFIED, DUAL CREDIT OFFERINGS, SOLIDIFIED, SCHOOL MEAL OFFERINGS ADVANCED, COLLEGE AND THE HIGH SCHOOL FEES ELIMINATED, AND ADJUSTING TO PENSION CONTRIBUTIONS.
A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS THAT WE CAN POST.
SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT MANY OF THE INCREASES DON'T ACCOUNT FOR INFLATION.
THERE'S NO RELIEF FOR OUR BOND PASSAGES, SO OUR BONDS STILL NEEDED 60% TO PASS.
SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS MUST BE AUTO RECORDED, SO WE'RE AHEAD OF THE GAME THERE SINCE WE'RE ALREADY RECORDING.
WITH THIS NEW MULTIPLIER, THESE CHANGES WITH THE LEGISLATURE, THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO WANT TO TAKE A LITTLE TIME TO SEE HOW IT WORKS BEFORE THEY INCREASE IT AGAIN, SO THAT'S A BIT OF A CHALLENGE.
I DO KNOW THAT THEY'RE FRAMING IT ALWAYS SAYS OPPORTUNITIES, MEANING WHERE WE STILL HAVE WORK TO DO, OF COURSE, IS FIXING THE REGIONALIZATION AND UPDATING THE TRANSPORTATION FORMULAS, A LOT OF FOCUS ON STAFFING INCREASE AND THOSE THINGS THAT WERE NOT WELL ADDRESSED.
THIS LAST SESSION ARE GOING TO BE PROBABLY BROUGHT BACK NEXT TIME.
BUT WE WILL HAVE MORE INFORMATION AND SPECIFICS THAT WE CAN POST ON THE WEBSITE AS IT BECOMES CLEAR AS WE SEEK TO UNDERSTAND ALL THE IMPACTS OF THE LAWS THAT JUST PASSED.
THE LEGISLATURE DID FINALIZE AND ADJOURN ON SUNDAY.
WE DO NOT HAVE WORD YET AND IF THEY'RE GOING TO COME BACK FOR SPECIAL SESSION OR NOT TO ADDRESS ANY LINGERING THINGS.
THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT HAPPENED AT THE END.
WELL, ACTUALLY THERE'S ANOTHER THING, I TALKED TO OUR STUDENTS WHO HAD TO LEAVE ABOUT THE REGIONAL MEETING THAT WE JUST HAD IN QUARTUS, THE 20TH.
THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT STUDENT VOICE.
ONE OF THE THINGS WHICH WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT AT LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE WAS STUDENTS DOING ADVISORY VOTES.
WE DON'T DO THAT HERE. THAT'S ONE THING WHERE YOU HAVE YOUR STUDENTS BEFORE YOU VOTE ON SOME THINGS.
DO A ADVISORY VOTE BY THE STUDENTS.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE MAY WANT TO START THINKING ABOUT.
I WOULD SAY NOT ON VERY CONTENTIOUS ISSUES, BUT ON A LOT OF THE RESOLUTIONS AND THINGS THAT WE DO DEBATE AND PASS.
I THINK IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO GET AN AUTHENTIC STUDENT VOTE AND GIVE THEM A LITTLE PRACTICE, SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
I'VE GOTTEN SOME INFORMATION ON THAT.
THERE WAS ORIGINAL PAGE THAT WE'VE GOT ON STUDENT VOICE, ALSO ON MANAGING CONFLICTS THROUGH GOOD GOVERNANCE AND THERE'S SOME REALLY INTERESTING TALK ABOUT HOW TO HANDLE PUBLIC COMMENTS SOMETIMES THAT I FOUND INTERESTING AND I SHARED THIS RESOURCE WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
THEY ALSO POINTED OUT THE K12 PARENT BILL OF RIGHTS.
WE HAVE A LINK TO THAT BECAUSE PARENTS OFTEN COME THINKING THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF RIGHTS, BUT THERE ARE QUITE A FEW PARENTAL RIGHTS.
I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE, SO THERE'S A PARENT'S BILLS OF RIGHTS THAT WE HAVE A LINK TO THAT WE CAN SHARE ALSO.
THURSDAY I'LL GET ANOTHER UPDATE.
>> THANKS SO MUCH. NEXT WE HAVE
[14. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]
OUR BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS AND I'LL START WITH OUR STUDENT COMMENTS.OUR STUDENT ADVISORS HAD TO GO HOME AND DO THEIR HOMEWORK AND GET READY FOR SCHOOL IN THE MORNING, SO THEY'VE WRITTEN OUT SOME COMMENTS FOR US.
>> I HAVE COMMENTS FROM THREE OF OUR STUDENT ADVISORS.
THE FIRST IS FROM SADIER SADLER.
SHE SAYS, AS MOUNTLAKE TERRACE STUDENT, THIS ISSUE HEAVILY AFFECTS ME AND MY FRIENDS WHO ARE IN THE BAND PROGRAM.
THERE'S CHANGES THAT ARE NEEDED AND STUDENTS SHOULD BE THE FIRST PRIORITY.
I LOVE MY SCHOOL AND PARTICIPATED IN BAND, OUR MUSIC AND STUDENTS MAKE OUR SCHOOLS ONE TODAY.
I UNDERSTAND WHY WE NEED TO, BUT THIS IS GETTING OUT OF HAND.
EDUCATION IN OUR STATE AND IN OUR DISTRICT SHOULD NOT BE IN CHAOS.
WILL THIS ISSUE BE RESOLVED EVEN AFTER I GRADUATE?
[03:50:01]
IT'S SAD THAT THIS IS THE NEW NORMAL.I FEAR WHAT WILL HAPPEN FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING, THANK YOU, SEVIER FOR A WONDERFUL PRESENTATION AND THE AWESOME ROCK. I LOVE IT.
IT'S SO WARMING TO HEAR ALL OF THE FAMILIES AND FRIENDS OUT HERE IN SUPPORT OF SOMETHING THEY BELIEVE IN.
THE ARTS AND ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE VALUABLE.
I URGE YOU TO KEEP UP THE LOVE FOR ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TAKE SOME TIME TO MENTION THAT THE MEADOWDALE HIGH SCHOOL LSU FUNDRAISER IS TOMORROW ALL DAY AT THE MOD PIZZA ON 164TH IN LYNNWOOD.
THIS HELPS OUR CLUB KEEP FUN ACTIVITIES AVAILABLE.
MENTION US OR USE THE CODE MODGIVES20.
THEN THIS LAST ONE IS FROM PETER GARCIA.
IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE ALL OF THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT TONIGHT AND I'M HUMBLED TO WITNESS THE LOVE POURED OUT TO ME AS A STUDENT AND TO MY PEERS.
WHILE I PERSONALLY AM NOT IN BAND, I RECOGNIZE MANY OF OUR PROGRAMS ARE ALREADY UNDERFUNDED.
WELL, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE INTRICACIES OF THE BUDGET ISSUES TO THE EXTENT I FEEL I SHOULD.
AS ILLUMINATED BY THIS MEETING, I HAVE TO BELIEVE THERE'S A BETTER WAY OR THAT THE DECISIONS MADE HAVE THE BEST INTERESTS IN MIND.
MY EXTRA CURRICULARS HELP ME WITH MY INSECURITIES AND ALL THAT I DO AND I'M NOW.
I LOVE OUR COMMUNITY AND I'M SO AWARE OF ALL THAT IT LEADS TO.
I'M COMMITTED TO CAL STATE MONTEREY BAY, CONGRATULATIONS PETER, AND MUCH OF IT IS BECAUSE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES GRANTED BY THESE SCHOOLS, BUT I WORRY FOR INCOMING ASB FRIENDS AND UNDERCLASS MEN WHO ARE FACING DEEPER CHALLENGES THAN I COULD UNDERSTAND.
FORGIVE ME IF MY THOUGHTS ARE NOT AS COHERENT AS I'D HOPED, MY BRAIN MOVES FAST, I TRUST THE BOARD AND I LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING MORE SO I CAN BETTER COMMENT ON THESE CIRCUMSTANCES.
>> THANK YOU, AARON. DIRECTOR SMITH.
>> THANK YOU. I'LL MAKE ONE LAST COMMENT ON THE BUDGET THAT I THINK IT'S WORTH MENTIONING THAT IT IS A LITTLE ABSURD THAT WE HAVE OUR SUPERINTENDENT GOING HAT IN HAND BEGGING FOR GRANTS AND JUST PROGRAMS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE FUNDED BY THE STATE ARE NOT BEING FUNDED, NOW WE HAVE TO GO AROUND AND LOOK FOR DONATIONS.
A LOT OF THOSE COME WITH STRINGS.
I WAS THE LAST CLASS BEFORE MOUNTLAKE TERRACE GOT SMALLER SCHOOLS.
THAT WAS FUNDING THAT CAME WITH STRINGS, IT ENDED UP NOT WORKING.
IT'S NOT A GREAT SYSTEM FOR US IF WE'RE BECOMING SOMEBODY ELSE'S EXPERIMENT IN EXCHANGE FOR MONEY JUST TO FUND OUR BASIC AD.
I, AGAIN, WANT TO ECHO, GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL, GO TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE PRINTING PRESS BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES WHO CAN GET US AT THE FUNDING THAT WE NEED.
THEN THE LAST THING I WANTED TO SAY WAS A THANK YOU TO DR.
MINER. I REALLY APPRECIATE, AS THIS LAST WEEK HAS GONE ON, THE FACT THAT SHE HASN'T BEEN IN THE DISTRICT VERY LONG AND SO I'VE BEEN ABLE TO GO TO HER WITH QUESTIONS AND SHE'S BEEN ABLE TO GIVE ME THE PERSPECTIVE FROM WHAT DO OTHER DISTRICTS DO.
IT'S NICE TO HAVE SOMEBODY FROM THE OUTSIDE WHO CAN HELP ME UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE CONCEPTS THAT I THINK PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN HERE FOR AWHILE JUST TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW, SO I WANT TO GIVE HER A THANK YOU AS WELL.
>> FIRST, I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR HER.
EVERYBODY'S COME FORWARD AND EXPLAINED WHAT THE IMPACT OF THESE CUTS ARE ON IN THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATION.
I JUST APPRECIATE ALL THE VOICES WE'VE HEARD.
I'LL TELL YOU IN PREVIOUS YEARS, WHAT WE HAVE BEEN PRESENTED IS THE SINGLE SHEET THAT YOU SAW AND IT HAD JUST PRINCIPLES AND CERTIFICATED STAFF ON IT.
IT'S A SINGLE SHEET, IT'S A THREE PRINCIPLES AND 15 CERTIFICATED STAFF, THAT WAS THE PIECE OF INFORMATION THAT THE BOARD VOTED ON.
THERE WAS NO INFORMATION ON CUTS TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND NO INFORMATION OUT TO THE SCHOOLS ON WHAT THEIR STAFFING WOULD BE.
THEIR PARENTS AND EVERYBODY AROUND KNEW THE IMPACTS OF THE CHANGES.
I APPLIED OUR ADMINISTRATION THIS TIME FOR GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT EARLY AND MADE IT HARD FOR US BECAUSE WE HEARD FROM SO MANY PEOPLE ON HOW THESE CUTS WERE GOING TO AFFECT THEM.
BUT HAD WE DONE IT THE WAY PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS HAS DONE IT, WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD ALL THIS TALK BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN KNOWN WHAT THE IMPACT OF THE THING WAS.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH NO MATTER HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS.
SECOND THING, I JUST WANT TO THANK STEPHANIE KAY-FREDRICKSON.
SHE'S A PRINCIPAL AT MARTHA LAKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND SHE HOSTED MYSELF AND OUR SUPERINTENDENT TO JUST A WONDERFUL TOUR OF THE BUILDING.
JUST SAW SO MUCH GOOD LEARNING GOING ON.
IT WAS JUST FUN TO SEE IT AND PARTICULARLY BECAUSE
[03:55:02]
MARTHA LAKE ELEMENTARY IS THE HOME ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR MY HOUSE.THANK YOU, STEPHANIE, FOR BEING A GREAT HOST. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
THANK YOU. DR. KATIMS [LAUGHTER]. THANK YOU.
DR. KILGORE. I WANT TO JUST BUILD A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT GARY JUST SAID ABOUT TRANSPARENCY.
HE'S RIGHT. IN THE PAST, WE'VE JUST HAD A LIST.
NOBODY KNEW ABOUT IT. THERE WASN'T A WHOLE LOT OF COMMENT.
WELL, THERE WAS IN 2018, BUT THAT WAS THE BUDGET ACTUALLY.
IT IS BETTER FOR TRANSPARENCY FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE THIS BEFORE IT HAPPENS, RATHER THAN JUST HAVE IT HAPPEN TO THEM.
THAT SAID, I'M NOT HAPPY WITH WHERE WE'RE AT THE DISTRICT AND IT'D BE REALLY NICE TO POINT FINGERS.
THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS WHY WE'RE IN THIS.
I THINK IF YOU WATCH THE BUDGET PRESENTATION, YOU'LL SEE THAT IT'S MANY FACTORS.
BUT WE'RE THE BOARD AND WE HAVE A VOTE AND WE HAVE A SAY, AND WE'RE THE CONDUIT WITH THE COMMUNITY, SO I WANT TO KEEP THIS UP.
WE HAVEN'T ADOPTED THE BUDGET YET, THAT'S GOING TO BE IN JULY.
THERE'S PLENTY OF TIME TO ENGAGE WITH US AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
FROM A LOT OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS WE HAD, WE KNOW THAT SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, HEALTH IS A HIGH CONCERN IN OUR DISTRICT.
WE DO KNOW THAT THE PERFORMING ARTS ARE WHERE A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS SEEK REFUGE.
I THINK THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW, AND WHEN WE KNOW WE CAN DO BETTER.
WE'LL KEEP THIS IN THE FOREFRONT AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD AS WE CONTINUE TO SEE HOW THE DECISIONS WE'RE MAKING ARE IMPACTING THE CLASSROOMS AND DO IT WITH THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY.
>> THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I AM A BOARD MEMBER, WE'RE BOARD MEMBERS WHO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ON BEHALF OF THE STUDENTS AND THE LARGER TAX-PAYING COMMUNITY.
I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS PROCESS THAT BROUGHT US TO TONIGHT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR QUITE A FEW MONTHS.
I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE BEEN KEPT A PRIZE, THAT VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN CONSULTED THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS AND I'M ALSO VERY SATISFIED THAT THE BOARD RECEIVED REGULAR UPDATES FROM DR.
MINER AND MISS SALLY DURING THAT TIME.
THIS IS TO ME, A REALLY GREAT WAY TO DO THINGS AND IT'S DIFFERENT FROM SOME OF THE PAST PROCESSES THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH.
I BELIEVE THIS BOARD HAS IN GOOD FAITH PAID ATTENTION TO YOUR STORIES, YOUR EXPERIENCES, AND OPINIONS ABOUT THE PROPOSED REDUCTIONS, AND THAT EVERY MEMBER HAS BEEN THOUGHTFUL IN OUR DECISION-MAKING [NOISE] I'M NOT THRILLED WITH THE DECISION THAT WE HAD TO COME TO, BUT I'M SATISFIED THAT WE DID THE BEST WE COULD WITH THE INFORMATION WE HAVE AT THIS TIME [NOISE] I'M SATISFIED THAT ALLOWING THE SUPERINTENDENT TO DRAW DOWN THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE A BIT FURTHER IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE CLASS OVERLOADS IS SOMETHING I'M COMFORTABLE WITH.
IT'S LIKELY THE DISTRICT WILL FACE ANOTHER SHORTFALL NEXT YEAR AS WE TALKED ABOUT.
BUT HOPEFULLY, WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE TALKING AND CONTINUE TO HAVE A TRANSPARENT PROCESS.
MINER AND HER STAFF ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH PRINCIPALS TO ALLOCATE STAFF NOT ONLY TO MEET THE IMMEDIATE INTERESTS OF STUDENTS, BUT ALSO TO KEEP IN MIND THE BOARD'S LONG TERM VISION OF THE DISTRICT EQUITY, ENGAGEMENT AND EXCELLENCE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PROCESS OF RESOURCE ALLOCATION REMAINS DYNAMIC.
AS WE LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR STATE FUNDING, THINGS MAY CHANGE AND WE WILL ALSO FACE CHANGING CONDITIONS.
SOME MIGHT BE IN OUR FAVOR AND SOME MIGHT NOT.
I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ONCE AGAIN FOR COMING OUT AND SHARING YOUR PERSPECTIVES WITH THE BOARD.
I APPRECIATE YOUR PASSION, CANDOR, AND ACTIVE INTERESTS IN THE DISTRICT,
[04:00:01]
AND I HOPE WE CAN MAINTAIN THIS LEVEL OF ENERGY ON BEHALF OF OUR KIDS.AS WE'VE HEARD THROUGHOUT THE DISCUSSIONS, SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR BUDGET DIFFICULTY RESTS RIGHT AT THE STEPS OF THE STATE CAPITAL.
I HOPE TO SEE PEOPLE BRING THEIR TALENTS AND ADVOCACY TO THE STATE LEGISLATORS, ESPECIALLY THAT DRUM LINE [LAUGHTER] AS WE SAY IN MY FAMILY, ARE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE SAY IN MY FAMILY.
>> THANKS, DIRECTOR KILGORE FOR TAKING ON THE FACILITATION FOR THE LAST TWO MEETINGS.
I ABSOLUTELY PLAN TO BE BACK IN PERSON.
THIS IS DAY 12 AND I'M NOT A PATIENT PERSON AS A PATIENT.
THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS I'VE REFLECTED ON HERE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY WHO HAS COME FORWARD TO EXPRESS VERY DEEPLY HOW THEY FEEL.
IT BREAKS MY HEART THAT WE CAN'T MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY.
WE JUST CAN'T, WE DON'T HAVE THE FINANCES.
BUT IN THINKING ABOUT ALL OF THE INTERACTIONS AND OUR SITUATION, I CAN'T HELP BUT THINK WE, THE DISTRICT, HAS LOST SOME OF THE CONNECTIONS THAT USED TO BE BETWEEN OUR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY AND OUR DISTRICT, THE PEOPLE WHO RUN THE DISTRICT.
IT MAKES ME THINK OF WHAT YOU, AND I KNOW PEOPLE HATE IT WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE PAST AND WHATEVER, BUT SOMETIMES THERE HAVE BEEN SOME GOOD THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN LOST.
WE USED TO HAVE A GROUP CALLED THE CITIZENS PLANNING COMMITTEE.
IT MAY NOT BE THE BEST NAME OF IT, BUT THAT BEING SAID, IT WAS A GROUP THAT HAD A REPRESENTATIVE FROM EVERY ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS.
THIRTY-THREE PEOPLE, IT'S A BIG GROUP, WITH A FEW EX-OFFICIALS OR WHATEVER MEMBERS THAT MET I DON'T KNOW HOW OFTEN, MAYBE ONCE A MONTH OR SOMETHING.
BUT THE POINT OF THIS WAS THAT THERE WAS SOMEBODY AT EVERY SCHOOL THAT CAME REGULARLY AND HEARD WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT IN TERMS OF PLANNING, IN TERMS OF INFORMATION, IN TERMS OF PROGRAMS, IN TERMS OF PHYSICAL THINGS.
THEY TOOK IT BACK TO THEIR SCHOOL AND ALSO FOUND OUT FROM THEIR SCHOOL WHAT WERE THE INTERESTS AT THAT SCHOOL THAT THEY FELT EITHER WERE PROBLEMS OR WASN'T HAPPENING, AND THEY WOULD BRING BACK TO THE WHOLE COMMITTEE WHICH INCLUDED DISTRICT STAFF AS WELL.
BY DOING THAT, IT MITIGATES MISINFORMATION OUT THERE OR GETS QUESTIONS ANSWERED ON A REGULAR BASIS.
THERE WERE TASK FORCES, ONE WHO WOULD WORK ON BUDGET, ONE THAT WOULD WORK ON FACILITIES, ONE THAT WORKED ON INSTRUCTIONAL ISSUES, AND THEY WOULD THEN COME BACK TO THE GROUP AS A WHOLE TO SHARE WHAT THEY WERE LEARNING.
I THINK THAT KIND OF STRUCTURE SHOULD BE RECONSIDERED.
I KNOW DIRECTOR NOBLE WAS ACTUALLY ON THE CPC BEFORE HE WAS ON THE BOARD, AND KNOWS IT WELL AND CAN PROBABLY HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND IT.
BUT SOME VERSION OF THAT, I THINK SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE WHAT SEEMED LIKE WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE, WHICH WAS A DISCONNECT BETWEEN DECISIONS THAT WERE BEING MADE AND THE UNDERSTANDING OF PEOPLE ABOUT WHY THE DECISIONS WERE BEING MADE.
NOW PART OF THIS HAS TO DO WITH HAVING SEVERAL TRANSITIONS OF SUPERINTENDENTS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, HAVING NOT HAD MECHANISMS PUT IN PLACE LIKE THIS, THAT WOULD HAVE HELPED THIS TO HAPPEN.
BUT I'D LIKE US AS A DISTRICT TO THINK ABOUT BEING PROACTIVE SO THAT IN THE FUTURE WE CAN ENGAGE EVERYBODY REPRESENTATIVELY ON AN ONGOING BASIS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING AND A BACK AND FORTH SO THAT WHEN THE NEXT CRISIS HAPPENS OR WHATEVER IT HAPPENS TO BE, PEOPLE ARE ALL AWARE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.
THAT'S ALL I REALLY WANTED TO SAY, OTHER THAN I THANK MY BOARD MEMBERS, MY BOARD COLLEAGUES, I REALLY THANK DR.
MINER, MS. SALLY, MR. BAUMGARTNER, EVERYBODY WHO HAS BEEN HELPING US AS BOARD MEMBERS UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND WE ALL ARE GOING TO KEEP WORKING AS HARD AS WE CAN TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR KIDS.
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DR. MINER.
[04:05:02]
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR. KATIMS. I REALLY DO WANT TO THANK A FEW PEOPLE.
LYDIA SALLY, ROB BAUMGARDNER, AS WELL AS THE BOARD.
YOUR LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT, YOUR LEVEL OF QUESTIONS, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
IT SHOWED ME HOW DEEPLY YOU CARE ABOUT THE PROCESSES, AND HOW DEEPLY YOU CARE ABOUT OUR STUDENTS.
I SAID IT AT THE BEGINNING, I'LL SAY IT AGAIN.
WE CAN DO ANYTHING BUT WE CAN'T DO EVERYTHING.
I BELIEVE WE CAME TO A GOOD COMPROMISE TONIGHT THAT ALLOWS US TO DO A FEW MORE ANYTHINGS, EVEN IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET TO EVERYTHING.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THINKING ABOUT NEW WAYS TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY.
FRANKLY, LYDIA, SALLY AND I DID A SERIES OF BUDGET PRESENTATIONS, ONE OF WHICH IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE.
WE DIDN'T HAVE A GOOD TURNOUT, BUT WE WEREN'T HIDING IN FEBRUARY THAT WE HAD A $15 MILLION PROBLEM.
YES, WE ADDED SOME PEOPLE, BUT A RELATIVELY SMALL TURNOUT.
BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO MAYBE NOT SEPTEMBER, MAYBE OCTOBER, SHARING WITH PEOPLE WHAT OUR ISSUES LOOK LIKE, THERE'S VARIOUS WAYS TO GET INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY, DEVELOPING A REALLY SOLID PROCESS TO DO THAT, AND HAVING OUR COMMUNITY HAVE AMPLE WAYS.
IN ADDITION, PERHAPS WHAT DR. KATIMS IS TALKING ABOUT BUT GOING BEYOND JUST EVEN INTERNAL.
ONE THING I'VE NOTICED DURING MY TIME HERE THAT IT IS MY GOAL TO ELIMINATE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE DISTRICT AND WE ARE ALL THE DISTRICT, EVERY ONE OF US WHO SERVES FOR KIDS ARE THE DISTRICT, AND SOMETIMES I'LL SAY WHO, WHEN SOMEBODY SAYS THE DISTRICT, WE WERE TOLD WE COULDN'T DO THAT, WHO? I LOOK FORWARD TO US ALL COMING TOGETHER AS A DISTRICT TO PROBLEM-SOLVE WHAT WILL BE INEVITABLE CHALLENGES THAT WE WILL FACE AND WILL COME THROUGH IT BETTER AS A COMMUNITY.
>> THANK YOU, DR. MINER. AT THIS TIME,
[15. ITEMS FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION OR INFORMATION]
ARE THERE ANY REQUESTS FOR FUTURE ITEMS OR INFORMATION THAT WE'D LIKE TO GET?>> NO. I THINK WE ALREADY GOT IN THE STUDY.
>> NO, I NEED TO LOOK AT THE STUDY SESSION TO REMEMBER WHEN THE CLIMATE ONE IS. THAT WAS ALL.
I CAN DO THAT MYSELF, [OVERLAPPING].
>> ACTUALLY, THAT'S A GOOD POINT. WE HAD ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED THAT FOR THE NINTH, BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD A MINUTE TO DO ANYTHING ON THAT.
WHAT WE WERE THINKING ABOUT BECAUSE WE'RE PREPARED FOR THE MICROAGGRESSION TRAINING, IS SWITCHING THE MICROAGGRESSION TRAINING WHICH WE REMOVED FROM BEFORE THE MEETING TONIGHT SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ ALL THE COMMENTS AND MOVE THAT TO THE NINTH AND THEN WORK WITH YOU TO GET THAT SCHEDULED AS WELL AS GET AN OUTLINE FOR THE CLIMATE STUDY SESSION.
>> PERFECT. THAT SOUNDS GOOD TO ME BECAUSE THE NIGHT THEY THINK WILL STILL BE GETTING CAUGHT UP ON THINGS.
SO WE'LL HAVE OUR STUDY SESSION ON THE 9TH ON THE MICROAGGRESSION?
>> THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME. THANK YOU.
>> ON THAT NOTE, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED [NOISE].
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.