Apr 16, 2024 Board Meeting

[00:00:02]

GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME.

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

[2. ROLL CALL- 6:31pm (ALL TIMES ARE ESTIMATED)]

HERE. DIRECTOR SMITH.

PRESENT. DIRECTOR CHASE.

HERE. DIRECTOR KILGORE.

HERE. AND I'M DIRECTOR KATIMS. WE ARE ALL HERE.

NEXT I WILL ASK DOCTOR MINER TO DO THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT.

[3. LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT- 6:32pm]

THE SNOHOMISH PEOPLE AND THEIR SUCCESSORS, THE TULALIP TRIBES, WHO SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL HAVE TAKEN CARE OF, HUNTED, FISHED AND GATHERED ON THESE LANDS.

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

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

THANK YOU. AND IF EVERYBODY WILL RISE WITH ME FOR THE FLAG SALUTE.

[4. FLAG SALUTE- 6:33pm]

[5. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT- 6:34pm]

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR ENGAGEMENT IN BOTH THIS PROCESS, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE BALANCING ACT PROCESS.

YOUR FEEDBACK HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE, AND IT'S SO HELPFUL TO GET SO MANY PERSPECTIVES ON OUR DISTRICT'S CURRENT BUDGET REALITIES.

I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I KNOW THAT THE CHALLENGES FACING SCHOOL SYSTEMS, WE'RE NOT ALONE, ARE INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT.

THERE ARE NO EASY ANSWERS WHEN IT COMES TO BUDGET SHORTFALLS.

I WOULD HONESTLY SAY THERE WAS NOT A SINGLE EXPENDITURE ON THE BALANCING ACT SIMULATION, WHICH I DON'T THINK BENEFITED, WHICH DIDN'T BENEFIT STUDENTS, STAFF OR ADVANCE OUR MISSION IN SOME WAY.

PRESIDENT KATIMS AND DIRECTOR CHASE AND I SPENT TIME WORKING TODAY AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO.

WE'RE PLANNING A LEGISLATIVE EVENT BECAUSE WE THINK IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO SHARE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR PARENTS AND OUR UNION LEADERSHIP OF THE DISTRICT, OUR DISTRICT'S STORY WITH OUR LEGISLATORS IN THE HOPES THAT EVENTUALLY WE CAN FIND A PATH FORWARD WITH THEM TO FIND FUNDING THAT IS STABLE, PREDICTABLE, AND ADEQUATELY FUNDS OUR DISTRICTS TO END THESE CYCLES OF BUDGET CUTS.

THE NEXT STEPS IN OUR BUDGET PROCESS, FOR THOSE OF YOU HERE TONIGHT, AS WELL AS THOSE WATCHING AT HOME, WE'LL HAVE A STUDY SESSION A WEEK FROM TONIGHT.

IN THIS ROOM. WE NORMALLY HAVE OUR STUDY SESSIONS THERE, BUT WE'LL HAVE IT IN THIS ROOM FOR LARGER CAPACITY.

AFTER AND THAT'S ON TUESDAY, APRIL 23RD.

AFTER THAT TIME, WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL BE GETTING ANY ADDITIONAL SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES TO OUR BUDGET REALITIES WHICH WOULD CAUSE US IN ANY WAY TO CHANGE THE INFORMATION THAT WE'LL HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PLANS TO PRESENT TO THE BOARD REGARDING BUDGET IN JUNE, AS IS THE CASE WITH ALL STUDY SESSIONS, THAT'S AN OPEN PUBLIC MEETING.

BUT AS STUDY SESSIONS, WE DO NOT TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE REGULAR MEETING IMMEDIATE WELL, NOT IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING, BUT FOLLOWING THE STUDY SESSION ON APRIL 23RD, WE'LL HAVE A SECOND READING IN THE REDUCTION OF FORCE, WHICH IS A FIRST READING THIS EVENING.

WE'LL ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF EMPLOYEE AGREEMENTS FROM VARIOUS GROUPS WHO HAVE PUT REDUCTIONS TO THEIR COMPENSATION OR OTHER PACKAGES ON THE TABLE.

SO THOSE WILL BE GOING TO THE BOARD AS WELL NEXT WEEK.

LET ME JUST SEE WHERE I AM.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE I DON'T MISS ANYTHING.

I'LL BE ASKING THE BOARD TO APPROVE THOSE AS A PART OF OUR BUDGET PROCESS.

AND I APPRECIATE AGAIN, THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT TO JOIN THE BOARD AND I, AS WE NAVIGATE THIS COMPLEX JOURNEY TOGETHER.

THANK YOU, DOCTOR MINER.

THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL.

WE NOW HAVE ALLOCATED AN HOUR FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS, WHICH IS TWICE AS MUCH AS WE USUALLY ALLOCATE.

[6. PUBLIC COMMENTS- 6:40pm]

WE HAVE BEEN ABLE, THANKFULLY, TO GET INPUT FROM ACROSS THE COMMUNITY, FROM OUR STAFF, FROM OUR PARENTS, FROM OUR STUDENTS IN MANY WAYS.

I WANTED YOU TO KNOW WE HAVE ABOUT 270 COMMENTS ON THE GOOGLE DOC THAT WE HAVE ASKED PEOPLE TO GIVE US COMMENTS ON.

WE HAVE OVER 160 COMMENTS FROM THE BALANCING ACT SURVEY, WHERE PEOPLE GAVE US VERY SPECIFIC COMMENTS, EVEN IF THEY FELT THAT THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO COMPLETE THE SURVEY. AND WE'VE HAD ABOUT 75 EMAILS ALSO ABOUT THE BUDGET.

[00:05:01]

AND WE HAD MUCH MORE TIME ALLOWED FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT THIS HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO GIVE PEOPLE LOTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO TELL US WHAT YOU'RE THINKING. SO IN TERMS OF OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS TONIGHT, THEY WILL BE THE SAME EXPECTATION THAT THIS SECTION OF THE AGENDA IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE 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 SPECIFIC WORK WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THIS IS NOT A TIME FOR THE AUDIENCE TO ADDRESS EACH OTHER.

PEOPLE MAY SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR A BOARD MEETING, EITHER BY READING YOUR COMMENT ALOUD IN PERSON, OR BY SUBMITTING YOUR COMMENT IN WRITING.

TONIGHT WE HAVE 16 COMMENTS IN WRITING.

THOSE WILL BE ATTACHED TO THE MEETING AGENDA AND AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC ON OUR BOARD DOCS WEBSITE.

IF YOU'RE PRESENTING YOUR COMMENT TONIGHT IN PERSON, PLEASE BEGIN YOUR COMMENT BY STATING YOUR NAME, YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE, YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE DISTRICT, AND THE AGENDA ITEM ON THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TOPIC THAT YOU'RE ADDRESSING.

WE ASK THAT IF YOUR COMMENT CONSISTS WHOLLY OR PARTLY OF TEXT VERBATIM FROM AN ARTICLE, AN ONLINE POST, AN EXCERPT FROM A BOOK, ETC.

THAT YOU SIMPLY SEND US OR GIVE US THE LINK TO THE TEXT AND SPEND YOUR COMMENT TIME TELLING US HOW THAT PARTICULAR SET OF INFORMATION RELATES DIRECTLY TO OUR DISTRICT WORK. PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES.

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

PLEASE MAKE YOUR STATEMENT 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 SHOW RESPECT BY LISTENING QUIETLY, WITHOUT TALKING OR WHISPERING TO EACH OTHER SO THAT EVERYONE CAN HEAR EACH COMMENT. ITEMS BROUGHT FORWARD DURING THIS PORTION OF THE MEETING ARE NOT TYPICALLY ACTED UPON BY THE BOARD AT THIS TIME, BUT MAY BE FOLLOWED UP BY THE BOARD, BY THE SUPERINTENDENT, OR AND OR BY STAFF AT A LATER TIME.

AND AS I'VE SAID, THE BOARD ALSO ACCEPTS COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS VIA EMAIL AT ANY TIME WE READ EACH EMAIL WE RECEIVE, WE READ ALL THOSE COMMENTS AND WE APPRECIATE THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT IT TAKES YOU ALL TO SEND THOSE TO US, TO WRITE THEM AND SEND THEM TO US.

TONIGHT, THE FIRST PERSON FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS IS ANDI NOFZIGER.

AND YOU CAN MODEL FOR EVERYBODY HOW WE DO IT HERE, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU KNOW IT.

I'M A GREAT MODEL.

I'M ANDI NOFZIGER, EEA PRESIDENT, BREYER.

I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE WE NEED YOU, THE DECISION MAKERS, TO CLEARLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE REDUCED EDUCATION PLAN REPRESENTS.

THIS YEAR, WE WERE PROMISED STAFFING WOULD BE DONE BETTER, THAT THE DISTRICT WOULD ALLOCATE THE CORRECT STAFFING TO BUILDINGS IN THE SPRING TO AVOID THE CHAOS SEEN IN THE PAST FEW YEARS.

WE WERE TOLD THE DISTRICT WASN'T INCREASING THE STAFFING RATIO TO BALANCE THE BUDGET.

VERY LITTLE OF THIS TURNED OUT TO BE TRUE.

WHILE THE DISTRICT DID NOT TECHNICALLY INCREASE THE STAFFING RATIO, THEY'RE STILL NOT STAFFING HONESTLY.

THE 29 TO 1 STAFFING ALLOCATION FOR SECONDARY IS BASED ON STUDENTS TAKING FIVE CLASSES INSTEAD OF SIX, WHICH IS ABSURD SINCE STUDENTS MUST TAKE SIX CLASSES TO GRADUATE ON TIME.

HERE'S A REAL EXAMPLE.

MOUNTLAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL WAS ALLOCATED 1.9 FTE LESS IN SOCIAL STUDIES FOR NEXT YEAR.

IN REAL TERMS, THAT MEANS THE DISTRICT THINKS TERRACE NEEDS NINE FEWER SOCIAL STUDIES CLASSES, ANOTHER ABSURDITY, GIVEN THAT MOST OF THE CURRENT SOCIAL STUDIES CLASSES ARE WELL OVER 30, WITH SOME AS HIGH AS 42.

WHERE ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO PUT THE 270 STUDENTS FROM THE ELIMINATED CLASSES? I ASK A CABINET MEMBER WHY SCHOOLS WERE BEING DELIBERATELY UNDERSTAFFED.

THE ANSWER TO STAFF FOR SIX CLASSES WOULD REQUIRE 17% MORE STAFFING.

THEY SAID THAT THEY'RE NOT INCREASING THE STAFFING RATIO YET THEY'RE UNDER STAFFING SECONDARY BY 17%.

THAT'S NOT HONEST.

THIS PRACTICE PUTS ADMINISTRATORS IN AN IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION.

THEY MUST CUT ELECTIVES TO AVOID CORE CLASSES OF 40.

IT SHIFTS BLAME FOR CUTTING VALUED PROGRAMS TO THE PRINCIPALS, WHICH ISN'T FAIR.

THE BOARD IS CONCERNED ABOUT GRADUATION RATES, AND OUR DISTRICT WANTS SENSE OF BELONGING TO BE THE FOCUS OF FUTURE CIP GOALS.

THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT STUDENTS WHO FEEL A CONNECTION TO THEIR SCHOOL ARE MORE LIKELY TO GRADUATE.

HOWEVER, EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS REDUCED EDUCATION PLAN RUNS COUNTER TO IMPROVING GRADUATION RATES IN A SENSE OF BELONGING.

YOU KNOW, WHERE STUDENTS MOST OFTEN FIND CONNECTIONS TO THEIR SCHOOL, MUSIC, DRAMA, JOURNALISM AND OTHER ELECTIVES THAT ARE BEING CUT.

[00:10:01]

IF YOU CHOOSE THESE CUTS, BE THRILLED IF OUR GRADUATION RATES AND TEST SCORES REMAIN STATUS QUO, THAT MEANS OUR STAFF ARE PERFORMING MIRACLES BECAUSE WE ARE ON AN UNTENABLE TRAJECTORY. IF YOU WANT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND GRADUATION RATES TO INCREASE, YOU NEED TO MAKE SOME TOUGH CHOICES.

THERE IS NO DOUBT THE STATE IS FAILING TO ADEQUATELY FUND EDUCATION.

HOWEVER, A $20 MILLION ENDING FUND BALANCE REPRESENTS ABOUT 5.2% AND IS ENOUGH FOR A WELL RUN DISTRICT OF OUR SIZE.

THERE ARE SOME CAPACITY IN THE ENDING FUND BALANCE TO MAKE FEWER CUTS.

I'LL PUT MY OTHER SUGGESTIONS IN AN EMAIL.

BECAUSE OF THE THREE MINUTE LIMIT, YOU'RE IN A TOUGH POSITION, BUT YOU'RE NOT HELPLESS.

MY FIRST SUGGESTION TO REBECCA WAS FOR ALL DISTRICTS IN THIS DEFICIT SITUATION TO LINK ARMS AND GO INTO RECEIVERSHIP TOGETHER, FORCING THE STATE TO ADDRESS THE UNDERFUNDING ISSUE RATHER THAN THE DEATH BY A THOUSAND PAPER CUTS APPROACH TO THE BUDGET BEING TAKEN THAT WAS DISMISSED.

AND SO, SINCE YOU'RE APPARENTLY NOT READY FOR REVOLUTION, PLEASE ASK SOME TOUGH QUESTIONS.

DON'T SAY ONE THING AND HAVE YOUR VOTES TELL A DIFFERENT STORY.

WE CAN DO BETTER THAN THIS REDUCED EDUCATION PLAN.

THANKS.

NEXT IS SUZANNE WALLACE.

GOOD EVENING.

WE HAVEN'T STARTED YOUR TIME.

OKAY. AWESOME. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING.

I'M SUZANNE WALLACE.

I AM THE CO DEPARTMENT CHAIR OF THE WORLD LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT AND THE FRENCH TEACHER AT MEADOWDALE HIGH SCHOOL.

SO CURRENTLY FRENCH THREE OR THIRD YEAR FRENCH AND GERMAN THREE ARE ON THE CHOPPING BLOCKS FOR NEXT YEAR AT MEADOWDALE HIGH, AND I WANTED TO BRING ATTENTION TO SOME, PERHAPS UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF THIS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN FULLY THOUGHT THROUGH BY SOME OF THE DECISION MAKERS.

JUST HOPING THAT THE DISTRICT WILL KEEP WORLD LANGUAGE IN MIND WHEN THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTED FUNDING THAT IS PASSED DOWN.

SO A MAJOR ISSUE WITHOUT THREE YEARS OF A WORLD LANGUAGE IN HIGH SCHOOL, STUDENTS ARE NOT COMPETITIVE APPLICANTS TO SELECTIVE COLLEGES LIKE UW OR UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA.

PERIOD. SO RIGHT NOW, MY FRENCH ONE AND FRENCH TWO STUDENTS ARE FACING THE SCARY PROSPECT.

THEY MIGHT HAVE NO REAL CHANCE TO BE ADMITTED TO UNIVERSITIES THAT THEY HAVE BEEN PREPARING FOR YEARS, AND THEY ARE ANGRY AND THEY FEEL BETRAYED BY THE ADULTS IN CHARGE.

AND THEY, WE'VE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS AND THEIR FEELINGS ARE CLEAR.

MY SECOND POINT IS THAT WITHOUT THIRD YEAR FRENCH AND GERMAN, WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY JUST TALKING ABOUT THIRD YEAR, WITHOUT THIRD YEAR, THOSE PROGRAMS COLLAPSE COMPLETELY BECAUSE STUDENTS DON'T SIGN UP FOR THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE WHEN THEY ARE NO LONGER A REAL COLLEGE PREP PATHWAY.

RIGHT? SO WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT CUTTING FRENCH THREE AND GERMAN THREE.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CUTTING FRENCH AND CUTTING GERMAN.

SO ROLLING FORWARD WITHOUT FRENCH AND GERMAN AND A COUPLE OF YEARS AT MEADOWDALE HIGH THAT WOULD LEAVE JUST SPANISH AND AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE AT MEADOWDALE.

OKAY. SO IF WE PLAY THAT OUT, WHAT ABOUT OUR NATIVE SPANISH SPEAKERS WHO WANT TO TAKE A LANGUAGE? WHAT IF THEY DON'T WANT TO TAKE ASL? DO THEY NOT DESERVE OPTIONS LIKE EVERYONE ELSE? WE HAVEN'T OFFERED SPANISH FOR NATIVE SPEAKERS IN YEARS, RIGHT? AND IN ADDITION TO SENDING THE MESSAGE THAT OUR SPANISH SPEAKERS DON'T DESERVE A CHOICE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, ASL IS THEIR ONLY OPTION.

SENDS A REALLY INSULTING MESSAGE.

BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE AWARE, BUT ASL HAS THE REPUTATION OF BEING THE LANGUAGE FOR THE LESS ACADEMIC STUDENTS BECAUSE IT'S NOT A WRITTEN LANGUAGE AND IT'S CROSS-LISTED WITH US WITH CTE.

FOR A LOT OF REASONS.

I THINK THAT PERCEPTION IS COMPLETELY WRONG AND IT'S SUPER PROBLEMATIC AND I THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT TOPIC, THAT'S NOT FOR TONIGHT, BUT THAT IS THE REPUTATION AMONG MANY STUDENTS AND ALSO FROM MESSAGING I'VE GOTTEN FROM ADMIN.

SO IN ONE FELL SWOOP, WE'RE SHUTTING THE DOOR TO COMPETITIVE COLLEGES FOR A LARGE NUMBER OF OUR CURRENTLY ENROLLED, MOST ACADEMICALLY DRIVEN STUDENTS, AND AT THE SAME TIME, IN A COUPLE OF YEARS WHEN FRENCH AND GERMAN ARE GONE, SPANISH SPEAKERS WILL BE GETTING THE MESSAGE THAT THEIR CLASS PREFERENCES MATTER LESS THAN THEIR PEERS, AND THE ONLY LANGUAGE FOR THEM IS THE ONE WITH THE REPUTATION OF BEING THE ONE FOR THE LESS ACADEMIC KIDS, WHICH I FIND TERRIFICALLY INSULTING.

SO I THINK IF THESE WORLD LANGUAGE CUTS GO THROUGH IT, IT WILL JUST BE HARD TO SAY WITH CREDIBILITY THAT LIKE EDMONDS DISTRICT IS ACTUALLY COLLEGE PREP.

[00:15:03]

AND WHEN I HAD TO PUT ON READERS TO DO THIS IS BEYOND ME.

IS IT ON? NO. WHAT DO I NEED? YEAH. OKAY.

COOL. ALL RIGHT.

MY NAME IS AMY FROST.

I TEACH AT LYNNWOOD HIGH SCHOOL.

I'M ALSO THE EDMONDS EA VICE PRESIDENT, AND I HAVE OTHER ROLES I'VE SERVED THAT I'LL TALK ABOUT IN A BIT.

YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM A LOT OF FOLKS ABOUT HOW THIS REDUCED STAFFING PLAN IMPACTS KIDS AND CLASSES, AND I THINK WE KNOW IT.

WE'RE SEEING INCREASES IN BEHAVIORS IN SCHOOLS.

WE'RE SEEING ATTENDANCE ISSUES, WE'RE SEEING THE INABILITY TO GET KIDS TO CLASS WHEN THEY'RE IN THE BUILDING.

CLASS SIZES ARE ASTRONOMICAL.

STUDENT NEEDS ARE HIGHER THAN THEY'VE EVER BEEN BEFORE, AND PROGRAMS THAT ARE ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK ARE VERY, VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO STUDENTS.

AND YOU WILL HEAR, I'M SURE THAT PEOPLE IN BUILDINGS FEEL BROKEN.

THE WORKLOAD IS HIGHER THAN IT'S EVER BEEN.

I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 20 YEARS.

I'M WORKING NOW MORE ON WEEKENDS THAN I EVER HAD HAVE BEFORE, LARGELY JUST BECAUSE OF NEW DIVERSE STUDENT NEEDS AND HUGE CLASS SIZES AS A HISTORY TEACHER.

BUT ONE OF THE OTHER ROLES I'VE GOTTEN TO SERVE IS FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS I WAS ON THE PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR STANDARDS BOARD.

I ALSO SERVED AS THE CHAIR FOR FOUR YEARS UNTIL I TERMED OUT THIS YEAR.

SO I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN STATEWIDE INITIATIVES AROUND CULTURAL COMPETENCY, AROUND WHAT EDUCATOR PREP NEEDS TO DO TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO BE AN EDUCATOR PREP PROGRAM AROUND WHAT RESTORING THE OR DIVERSIFYING THE EDUCATOR WORKFORCE LOOKS LOOKS LIKE.

SO PLEASE KNOW WHEN I SAY THIS, I'M COMMITTED TO REFORM.

I DON'T THINK THAT THE STATUS QUO IS WHAT WE NEED, BUT I ALSO NEED YOU TO HEAR THAT WITH THESE REDUCED EDUCATIONAL PLANS OUR STAFF ABILITY TO TAKE ON ANY KIND OF A DISTRICT INITIATIVES IS GOING TO BE ESSENTIALLY NEXT TO NOTHING.

WE TRIED TO JUST SEE SURVEY OUR FOLKS TO SEE IF THEY'D BE WILLING TO GIVE UP FIVE MINUTES OF THEIR PLANNING TIME TO HELP MONITOR HALLWAYS.

AND THE RESPONSE WE GOT IS SURE, IF I FELT SUPPORTED BY MY OVERTAXED ADMIN AND OUR RE-ENGAGEMENT TEAM, WHO'S ALSO BEEN SHORT STAFFED THROUGHOUT, I'M GUESSING POTENTIAL CUTS TO SINKS WILL MAGNIFY THIS.

I'M SURE IF I IF FIVE MINUTES OF MY TIME WASN'T SO IMPORTANT IN MY DAY.

SO WHEN WE ARE ASKING PEOPLE TO DO BASIC THINGS LIKE PATROL, LIKE NOT PATROL, I SHOULDN'T USE THAT WORD LIKE MONITOR THE HALLWAYS AND HELP GET KIDS IN CLASS TO HELP, YOU KNOW, CREATE A SENSE OF BELONGING, THE ANSWER IS GENERALLY NO BECAUSE STAFF ARE SO OVERWHELMED.

RESTORATIVE PRACTICES IN THE PAST IS ANOTHER GREAT EXAMPLE.

IT'S NEVER BEEN FULLY STAFFED, AND AS A RESULT, IT'S NEVER BEEN FULLY IMPLEMENTED, AND IT'S PERCEIVED BY MANY STAFF AS CUP OF NOODLES IN THE OFFICE AND NOT REAL GOOD PRACTICE.

SO PLEASE KEEP IN MIND WHEN YOU MAKE THESE CUTS, WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR BEST.

WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO HOLD IT TOGETHER.

WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO TEACH OUR KIDS, BUT MAKE A PLAN NEXT YEAR AROUND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT RECOGNIZES THAT WE ARE AT CAPACITY AND WILL BE MORE, WILL BE MORE TAXED NEXT YEAR.

SO THERE ARE TWO PEOPLE LISTED, I'M TOGETHER.

I'M ASSUMING THAT MEANS YOU'RE GOING TO PRESENT TOGETHER.

ANNIKA BACKSTROM AND AMITA RABARA.

DID I SAY THAT? OKAY.

CLOSE ENOUGH.

OKAY. OKAY.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ANNIKA AND MY NAME IS AMITA.

WE ARE SOPHOMORE STUDENTS AT EDMONDS-WOODWAY HIGH SCHOOL, AND WE ARE ENTERING.

OKAY.

OKAY. GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS ANNIKA AND MY NAME IS AMITA.

WE ARE SOPHOMORE STUDENTS AT EDMONDS-WOODWAY HIGH SCHOOL AND WE ARE ENTERING THE IB PROGRAM.

WE CAME TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCES IN OUR SCHOOL REGARDING THE CURRENT CLIMATE CRISIS.

OUR KNOWLEDGE ON CLIMATE CHANGE HAS GROWN TREMENDOUSLY AS OUR SOCIAL STUDIES CLASS WAS ASSIGNED A RESEARCH PROJECT REGARDING THIS ISSUE, WE WERE TO STUDY THE REASONS BEHIND THE CLIMATE CHANGE AROUND THE US, BUT WHAT STOOD OUT MOST WAS THE SIMPLE THINGS THAT SURROUNDED US EVERY DAY.

AND THIS IS ACTUALLY CAUSING THE MOST PROBLEMS, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE THE SIMPLEST TO REDUCE IF IT IS GIVEN THE RIGHT ATTENTION.

PRIOR TO THIS PROJECT, WE HAD A VERY LIMITED UNDERSTANDING OF THIS TOPIC AS WE WERE NOT EXPOSED TO IT IN PREVIOUS YEARS.

WE ARE AWARE OF THE CONSERVATION POLICY THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED IN THE DISTRICT AND THE ROLE IT PLAYS IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT WE DON'T NOTICE ACTION TAKING PLACE.

[00:20:04]

WE WANT TO IMPLEMENT A MORE DISCIPLINED SET CURRICULUM BY DEVOTING A PERIOD OF TIME OR A UNIT TO STUDY THIS ISSUE.

SEEING THE PASSION OUR CLASSMATES HAD LEARNED ABOUT THIS, WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT OTHER STUDENTS WILL PUT THEIR EFFORTS TOWARDS MAKING A CHANGE TOO.

OUR ACADEMIC FUTURE IS NOT THE ONLY NECESSITY OF SCHOOL LEARNING.

THAT'S WHY WE WILL BENEFIT FROM MAKING CLIMATE CHANGE AN ESTABLISHED UNIT IN OUR CURRICULUM.

WITH THIS CRISIS CONTINUING TO GROW EACH YEAR, WE WILL HAVE A VARIETY OF ASPECTS THAT TEACHERS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH ON.

FOR YOUNGER KIDS, LECTURES IN A CLASS WILL BORE THEM, SO FIELD TRIPS WILL MAKE STUDENTS FEEL LIKE THEY CAN HELP.

RESEARCH FROM BYU FOUND THAT STUDENTS WHO ATTEND EDUCATIONAL FIELD TRIPS ACTUALLY BECOME MORE CAUTIOUS ABOUT THEIR SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT.

MIDDLE SCHOOLERS WOULD MOST LIKELY BE INTERESTED IN PROJECTS THAT THEY CAN BE A LEADER IN.

BRAD PROFFITT AT MADRONA K THROUGH EIGHT BEGAN A STUDENT LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FOR HIS COUPLE CLASSES CALLED THE STUDENT ACTIVISM AND LEADERSHIP TEAM, OR SALT.

THIS GAVE STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO FIND PROJECTS THEY WERE INTERESTED IN REGARDING CLIMATE ISSUES, AND LEARN TO MAKE A VALUABLE CHANGE.

TEACHERS HAD TO VOTE THEIR EXTRA TIME TO THIS PROGRAM, BUT STUDENTS SEEMED VERY INTERESTED IN THE TOPIC.

WE UNDERSTAND THE URGENCY TO ACT FOR OUR FUTURE, BUT WE ARE AFRAID THAT WE ARE THE ONLY ONE OF THE ONLY CLASSES ADDRESSING THIS, SO OTHERS AREN'T HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE EDUCATED. INCORPORATING A CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION INTO OUR CURRICULUM BENEFITS STUDENTS BY ENCOURAGING THEM TO BECOME ADVOCATES FOR A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.

THE PEW RESEARCH CENTER STUDY SAYS THAT 71% OF OUR GENERATION'S RESPONDENTS BELIEVE CLIMATE CHANGE TO BE ONE OF THEIR BIGGEST SOCIETAL AND POLITICAL CONCERNS RIGHT NOW.

BY STARTING TO INFORM YOUNGER KIDS TODAY, THEY WILL DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING AND PASSION OF HOW HUMAN ACTIVITIES ARE AFFECTING THE ENVIRONMENT.

NOT ONLY DOES THIS EDUCATION ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, BUT IT ALSO PREPARES THEM FOR CHALLENGES AHEAD.

ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, INCORPORATING CLIMATE CHANGE INTO THE CURRICULUM HELPS STUDENTS DEVELOP CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS, PROBLEM SOLVING ABILITIES, AND THE SENSE OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY.

BUT IF THIS IS NOT A REQUIRED CURRICULUM, HOW DO WE KNOW STUDENTS WILL BE GETTING ANY EDUCATION ON THE CLIMATE CRISIS AT ALL? WE UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE LIMITED TIME, AND THERE ARE OTHER NECESSARY TOPICS TO CONSIDER FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE AFFECTING OUR FUTURE IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW, AND WE HOPE YOU TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION.

THANK YOU.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING AND SHARING.

HEARING STUDENT VOICES IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US.

AND YOU TALKED ABOUT A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC.

NEXT IS WYATT AHRENS.

HI, MY NAME IS WYATT AHRENS FROM I AM A STUDENT IN THE FIFTH GRADE CHALLENGE AT TERRACE PARK ELEMENTARY, AND I'VE COME TO DISCUSS THE CANCELING OF A BAND AND ORCHESTRA.

I REALLY ENJOY BAND AND ORCHESTRA, AND I JUST, I THINK IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY, I THINK IT WOULD JUST BE DEVASTATING IF YOU CANCELED IT, BECAUSE IT MEANS A LOT TO SO MANY STUDENTS, AND I JUST FEEL THAT, I MEAN, IT'S JUST, IT'S.

I LOVE BAND AND ORCHESTRA.

IT'S, I PLAY CELLO, AND, I MEAN, IT'S JUST AMAZING.

MY TEACHER IS AMAZING AND SHE MIGHT LOSE HER ORCHESTRA.

I MEAN, MY ORCHESTRA TEACHER, MY ORCHESTRA TEACHER IS AMAZING AND SHE MIGHT LOSE HER JOB IF YOU CANCEL ORCHESTRA. AND I HAVE THIS, MY BEST FRIEND IS IN FOURTH GRADE, AND HE'S REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING BAND ORCHESTRA. AND I JUST REALLY THINK I'M JUST, I'D BE REALLY SAD IF YOU CANCELED BAND AND ORCHESTRA, BECAUSE IT MEANS A LOT TO SO MANY PEOPLE.

ALSO, IF YOU CANCEL BAND AND ORCHESTRA JUST FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, IT'S GOING TO HAVE AN EFFECT ON MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY WON'T BE STARTING AT THE SAME LEVEL, OR SOME OF THEM WON'T BE STARTING AT THE SAME LEVEL AS THEY WOULD, IF THEY HAD ALREADY STARTED TO PRACTICE DURING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

THANK YOU.

WELL DONE. THANK YOU.

NEXT IS JASON MOORE.

[00:25:03]

I WAS REVIEWING THE AGENDA FOR THE MEETING TODAY AND SAW THE PROPOSED CUTS.

I KNOW THOSE AREN'T CONCRETE AS YET.

AND YOU'RE WORKING ON THAT.

BUT I SAW THAT THEY'RE CUTTING YOUR POSSIBLY PLANNING TO CUT, YOU KNOW, PARAEDUCATORS AND PROFESSIONAL TECHNICAL POSITIONS. I BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, I'VE JUST BEEN LEARNING MORE ABOUT PARAEDUCATORS, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO, YOU KNOW, MAINTAINING SOME TYPE OF ORDER IN THESE CHAOTIC CLASSROOMS THAT WE HAVE.

SO THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE UNFORTUNATE.

SO WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE OF THIS DISTRICT WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION POSITIONS ARE THERE IN THE DISTRICT AND WHAT IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT THE TAXPAYERS ARE SPENDING ON THESE POSITIONS? BECAUSE IF YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE CUTS TO POSITIONS IN THE DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, THAT SHOULD BE NUMBER ONE ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK, I BELIEVE, BECAUSE IT'S LEAST IMPORTANT FOR THESE STUDENTS TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

DEI IS RACIST, DISCRIMINATORY, ANTI-FAMILY, AND IT'S ANTI-AMERICAN.

IT'S ALSO A LIABILITY TO THE DISTRICT AND TAXPAYERS.

THERE ARE MANY LAWSUITS GOING DOWN ACROSS THE COUNTRY TARGETING DEI PROGRAMS FOR BEING EXACTLY THAT, RACIST AND DISCRIMINATORY.

DON'T GET CAUGHT UNPREPARED.

START DEFUNDING DEI TODAY AND FOCUS ON MATH, ENGLISH, AND SCIENCE INSTEAD.

AND ALSO ON A SIDE NOTE, WHAT IS THE DISTRICT AND THE BOARD GOING TO DO ABOUT ALL OF THESE ASSAULTS AND FIGHTS WITH FEMALE STUDENTS GETTING KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS IN THE BATHROOMS? THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.

I GREW UP AND I GOT INTO SEVERAL FIGHTS WHEN I WAS YOUNGER.

I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYBODY GET KNOCKED OUT IN A SCHOOL, LET ALONE FEMALE STUDENTS.

SO WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THIS PROBLEM IS AND DEAL WITH IT, BECAUSE THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.

THANK YOU. NEXT IS SHARON CALLS, TELL ME HOW YOU SAY YOUR LAST NAME.

THANK YOU.

I'M SHARON KOLSETH FROM THE WORK EXPERIENCES, FORMERLY WORK ADJUSTMENT PROGRAM WITH THE DISTRICT WITH THE DISTRICT FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND WORK ADJUSTMENT STARTED SEVEN YEARS AGO NOW.

WORK EXPERIENCE. AS I SAID, WE TAKE STUDENTS IN FROM TO OUR PROGRAM FROM ALL THE DIFFERENT HIGH SCHOOLS, AND WE WORK ON VOCATIONAL TRAINING.

THE PROGRAM HAS STARTED OVER 40 YEARS AGO BY PARENTS AND ADMIN TO MAKE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT WOULD HELP OUR STUDENTS BE SUCCESSFUL WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES.

SO THEY COME TO US FOR HALF THE DAY, AND THEN THEY SPEND HALF THE DAY AT THEIR HOME HIGH SCHOOL.

AND WE'VE BEEN TOLD OF A DECISION TO DISMANTLE THE PROGRAM AND TO RECREATE IT, REASSEMBLE IT AND ALL OF THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.

NOW, THIS DECISION, IT WAS MADE WITHOUT THE INPUT OF THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR, SUE DANIELS, WHO'S BEEN RUNNING IT SUCCESSFULLY MAGNIFICENTLY FOR 25 YEARS.

SO THANKFULLY, DOCTOR MINER IS GOING TO MEET WITH OUR GROUP.

THAT'S MAY 1ST.

I DO HOPE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE ANY DECISIONS TO DISMANTLE THIS PROGRAM BEFORE THAT MEETING.

BRAINSTORMING AND IDEAS AND CREATIVE IDEAS ON HOW TO PRESERVE THIS PROGRAM WAS NOT EXPLORED TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, AND THERE ARE SEVERAL OF THEM.

PART OF THE REASONING FOR THIS, BY THE WAY, AND UNDERSTAND IS THE ELECTIVE, I'M SORRY, THE CREDIT REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIAL ED, BUT WE WERE ALSO TOLD THEY WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO ELECTIVES WHICH WE HEAR ARE BEING CUT.

SO I JUST WANT TO SAY MY JOB I WORK WITH, I WANT TO TELL JUST A FEW MINUTES MY JOB IS TO WORK WITH THESE

[00:30:02]

THEY LEARN HOW TO USE COMMUNITY TRANSIT, HOW TO EXPLORE THE RESOURCES WE HAVE LIBRARIES, CITY HALL RECREATION CENTERS.

WE SERVE THE COMMUNITY EVERY WEEK AT ANNIE'S KITCHEN IN EDMONDS.

EVERY WEDNESDAY, THANKS TO OUR STUDENTS, THEY'RE ABLE TO SET UP TABLES AND PREP FOOD.

AND THAT IS JUST A LITTLE PICTURE OF WHAT WE DO AND WHAT WE TEACH THEM.

WE THEY PRACTICE TIME MANAGEMENT, SUCCESS, PRIDE IN THEIR WORK TIME.

WE HAVE IT A CURRICULUM THAT IS WELL, IT'S A GEM AND IT REALLY HASN'T BEEN NOTICED AND THAT IS FINE.

BUT BEFORE YOU DISMANTLE IT, PLEASE TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT IT.

PLEASE LOOK AT THE OPPORTUNITIES, THE SOLUTIONS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE AND NOT TO HAVE TO LOSE IT AND THROW IT ALL AWAY.

AND NEXT IS DOUG TROST.

TROST. TROST.

I KNOW YOU, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT I STILL PRONOUNCED YOUR LAST NAME, RIGHT? YOU GOT IT CORRECT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

HI, I'M DOUG TROST.

I'M A PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN IN THE DISTRICT AND A TEACHER AT EDMONDS-WOODWAY HIGH SCHOOL.

EVERY YEAR THIS IS MY 21ST YEAR IN EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY SINGLE YEAR THAT I CAN RECALL WE GET INTO A BUDGET CRUNCH.

WE LET NEWER, YOUNGER TEACHERS GO, WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, LOWER DOWN ON THE TOTEM POLE, SO TO SPEAK.

AND THEN WE GET TO AUGUST AND WE HAVE TO HIRE A BUNCH OF NEW TEACHERS.

MANY OF THESE YOUNGER TEACHERS ARE AMAZING.

THEY'RE INCREDIBLE TEACHERS.

AND WE WANT TO RETAIN THEM, BUT BY THE TIME WE'VE ALREADY LET THEM GO, WE GO BACK TO THEM, THEY MOVED ON.

THEY FOUND A JOB UP IN EVERETT OR SHORELINE OR SOMEWHERE ELSE.

AND WE LOSE THESE TEACHERS AND IT ALWAYS PUTS US IN A CRUNCH.

HOW DO WE GET HERE EVERY SINGLE YEAR? AND IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE GOING DOWN THAT SIMILAR PATH AGAIN.

ANOTHER THING THAT WE END UP HAVING IS, IN THIS CASE, YOUR AP AND YOUR IB CLASSES.

IT LOOKS LIKE THE WAY THINGS ARE PRESENTING THEMSELVES, WE'RE GOING TO BE STAFFING THEM AT, SAY, 35 TO 39 STUDENTS IN A CLASS WHICH IS GROSSLY OVERSTAFFED. AP AND IB CLASSES ARE RECOMMENDED TO BE STAFFED AT 20 TO 23.

WE'RE LOOKING AT 35 OR GREATER.

OKAY. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HEARING, WHETHER THAT'S TRUE.

BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE THAT'S WHAT THE THAT'S WHAT THE RUMORS ARE AT THIS POINT.

BUT THEN AGAIN, THEY MIGHT NOT BE BECAUSE THEY'VE HAPPENED BEFORE.

ANOTHER POINT IS TEACHER BURNOUT IS REAL.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REALIZE HOW LOW STAFF MORALE IS RIGHT NOW AND HAS BEEN FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

AND IT'S UNBELIEVABLY LOW AND IT SEEMS TO COME ABOUT TO ANOTHER THING.

OH, AND ANOTHER THING.

AND TEACHERS, HERE'S ANOTHER THING, OH AND OH ANOTHER THING AND ANOTHER THING.

I CAN'T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME SOMETHING WAS ACTUALLY TAKEN OFF MY PLATE.

AND JUST LIKE AMY FROST SAID, I'M PUTTING IN MORE TIME THAN I EVER HAVE.

AND IT'S, AT THE EXPENSE OF WHAT I CAN PUT INTO MY LESSONS.

IT'S REAL AND AT THE EXPENSE OF WHAT I CAN PUT IN TOWARDS MY STUDENTS.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, YOUR PARAEDUCATORS ALSO NEED YOU.

THEY'RE GROSSLY UNDERPAID.

THEY ARE GETTING CUTS, THEY DON'T KNOW WHETHER THEY'RE GOING TO BE AROUND NEXT YEAR.

AND THEY'RE ALSO VITAL TO THE SUPPORT OF OUR IEP STUDENTS, WHICH UPHOLD FEDERAL AND STATE LAW.

IF WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PARAEDUCATORS, IT LEAVES US WIDE OPEN TO LAWSUITS, ON MULTIPLE LEVELS.

WE HAVE TO HAVE THESE PEOPLE AND THEY'RE FUNDAMENTAL TO THE CONNECTION TO OUR KIDS.

AND ON THAT, OUR KIDS DESERVE BETTER.

AND I WOULD CHALLENGE YOU AS A SCHOOL BOARD TO DO BETTER, AND WE AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT NEED TO DO BETTER.

THANK YOU. AND NEXT WE HAVE ANOTHER PAIR, KAYLEE MARQUETTE MARQUIS AND KIRA MILLER.

I'M KAYLEE.

I'M KAYLEE MARQUISE.

I'M KIRA MILLER, AND WE'RE FROM CEDAR WAY ELEMENTARY.

AND WE ARE HERE TO DISCUSS ELIMINATING BAND AND ORCHESTRA.

[00:35:06]

AND THERE I KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY KIDS THAT DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON, AND THAT WE ARE HERE TALKING ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW. AND THERE ARE A LOT OF KIDS THAT DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, AND THEY DON'T HAVE A SAY IN THIS AT ALL.

AND, ALSO THERE'S SOME LIKE CLASSMATES AND STUFF THAT INSIDE OF OUR CLASS THAT WEREN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT AND THEY WOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING.

BUT WE ARE HERE TODAY TO SPEAK FOR THEM OR SPEAK FOR OURSELVES, THAT WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO KEEP IT BECAUSE WE'VE SOME OF US HAVE LIKE PLANNED SOME OF OUR LIVES OUT FOR LIKE, ORCHESTRA AND THAT STUFF.

AND ONCE WE START ELIMINATING FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADE ORCHESTRA THAT IT COULD WORK OUR WAYS UP TO SEVENTH AND EIGHTH AND NINTH AND ETC..

I KNOW THAT ME SPECIFICALLY, I WOULD HAVE A BAD DAY AT SCHOOL AND THEN IT LET'S SAY IT WAS A TUESDAY.

I KNEW THAT I WOULD HAVE LIKE A BAD DAY AT SCHOOL, AND THEN AT THE END OF THE DAY, I KNOW THAT I WOULD BE GOING TO ORCHESTRA CLASS, AND AS SOON AS I WALK INTO THAT CLASS, I GET TO SEE MY ORCHESTRA TEACHER'S FACE.

AND THEN AS SOON AS I SEE HER FACE, MY FACE JUST LIGHTS UP AND I END UP GETTING ALL HAPPY.

OUR ORCHESTRA TEACHER IS AN AMAZING PERSON.

SHE'S ALWAYS MADE A SCHOOL AN AMAZING PLACE TO BE AND MAKING ME LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE DAYS.

WE ARE ALSO SPEAKING FOR THE FIFTH GRADERS AND FOURTH GRADERS IN ALL THE YEARS BELOW US THAT HAVE WATCHED FIFTH GRADERS AND SIXTH GRADERS WALK INTO SCHOOL WITH THIS BIG THING IN PLASTIC OR CLOTH IN THEIR HANDS ON THESE TWO SPECIFIC DAYS OF THE WEEK.

AND THEY'RE LIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT THIS SEEMS SO FUN.

OR THERE'S THEY'RE AT RECESS AND THEY HEAR US IN ONE OF THE PORTABLES PLAYING THIS PLAYING ON THESE AMAZING INSTRUMENTS.

AND THEY'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO PLAY THAT IN ONE DAY.

I HAVE A LITTLE BROTHER THAT'S INSIDE OF FOURTH GRADE, AND I JUST THINK THAT HE'D HAVE A LOT OF FUN INSIDE OF BAND OR SOMETHING, AND BEING ABLE TO PLAY ONE OF THOSE INSTRUMENTS AND BE ABLE TO GO AND MAKE LOUD NOISES.

WE HAVE MULTIPLE FRIENDS OR YOUNGER KIDS THAT ARE IN FOURTH GRADE THAT, OR THAT HAVE SEEN US SPECIFICALLY WALK INTO SCHOOL WITH AN WITH LIKE ME A CELLO OR HER VIOLA.

AND THEN THEY ARE LIKE, WOW, I WANT TO BE LIKE THEM.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR STORY AND FOR REPRESENTING OTHER STUDENTS AS WELL.

AND IT WAS WELL WELL DONE.

NEXT WE HAVE NEW BUSINESS.

[7. NEW BUSINESS- 7:40pm]

THAT IS, BY MAY 15TH, AS REQUIRED BY LAW.

SO WHILE THESE WE'VE FRAMED THIS, WE DO INCLUDE ON OURS BY JUST HISTORICALLY EDMONDS HAS INCLUDED BOTH CLASSIFIED AND CERTIFICATED, BUT WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO THIS CERTIFICATED STAFF BY LAW BY THE 15TH.

THESE NUMBERS MAY CHANGE, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE'VE DONE UP TO.

THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE DONE THIS YEAR.

SO THAT WOULD BE A MAXIMUM THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY RELEASE.

GIVES US ENOUGH ROOM TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ANY ADDITIONAL DATA WE MAY RECEIVE IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO THAT WOULD IMPACT OUR BUDGET DECISIONS.

THEY ARE IMPACTED BY RESIGNATIONS, RETIREMENTS, ETC., AS HAS BEEN POINTED OUT IN THE PAST, THOSE DON'T NECESSARILY IMPACT THE AMOUNT OF STAFFING THAT'S GOING INTO BUILDINGS, BUT THEY DO IMPACT, AS SOMEONE ELSE SAID, THE EMPLOYEES WHO GET A REDUCTION IN FORCE NOTICE WHO WOULD BE LET GO FROM THEIR CURRENT POSITION.

SO AND THE LIST IS ATTACHED.

SO I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

LYDIA AND ROB ARE BOTH HERE.

IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE CAN HELP YOU THINK ABOUT AS YOU PROCESS THIS.

I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE FUND BALANCE, WHAT SOME OF THAT IS ALREADY ASSIGNED, IS THAT RIGHT?

[00:40:06]

YOU MAY RECALL AT OUR REDUCTION IN FORCE MEETING, WE DID HAVE SOME MOTIONS, AND WE DID A LOT, 14.5 FTE TOWARDS CERTIFICATED STAFF THAT WAS TAKEN OUT OF FUND BALANCE LAST YEAR.

THOSE 14.5 POSITIONS, WHICH WOULD HAVE OCCURRED LAST YEAR, ARE NOW IN THIS YEAR'S 26 CERTIFICATED STAFF.

BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT THAT WAS A ONE TIME USE OF THOSE FUND BALANCE.

SO, LYDIA, IF YOU COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT RESTRICTED AND UNRESTRICTED, WHICH OF COURSE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, IS IN PROCESS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

SO WE ENDED THE 22-23 FISCAL YEAR AT 2.56%.

THE 20..

UNRESTRICTED. UNASSIGNED.

YES. UNASSIGNED. YES. UNASSIGNED, AVAILABLE.

WE ANTICIPATED REDUCING 23-24 BY ANOTHER 1.25%.

SO THAT WOULD ROUGHLY TAKE US TO ONE AND A QUARTER TO END THIS YEAR.

FORTUNATELY, THIS YEAR HAS IMPROVED.

ENROLLMENT IS UP OVER BUDGET.

SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT REDUCED THE 24-25 BUDGET DEFICIT ARE ACTUALLY BEING RECEIVED THIS YEAR FROM THE LEGISLATURE.

THAT WILL GO INTO FUND BALANCE TO BE HELPED.

TO HAVE BROUGHT US DOWN TO THE FINAL TOTAL OF 10.6.

SO, THE 24-25 BUDGET DEVELOPMENT ANTICIPATES ROUGHLY THE SAME FUND BALANCE AS WHERE WE END AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.

SO AT BEST, PROBABLY 2.5% AND HOLDING STEADY AT THAT RATE.

DOES THAT ANSWER THE QUESTION? AND AS YOU RECALL, WE DO HAVE A BOARD POLICY AROUND THIS.

SO WE WILL BE BRINGING TO YOU WITH THE BOARD THE FINAL BUDGET WE WILL BE BRINGING TO YOU INFORMATION THAT WE WILL NOT BE REACHING OUR TARGET. AND THE BOARD CAN DECIDE TO SUSPEND ITS BOARD POLICY AROUND THAT.

WE WON'T REACH OUR BOARD TARGETED FUND BALANCE FOR THE COMING YEAR.

UNLESS WE WERE TO MAKE ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED CHANGES.

OKAY. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT? SO WE HAVE A BOARD POLICY WHICH RECOMMENDS A 4%, WHICH ASKS US TO PREPARE FOR YOU A BOARD, A BUDGET WHICH GETS THE UNDESIGNATED FUND BALANCE TO 4%.

AND WE WILL BE ASKING YOU TO SUSPEND THAT POLICY BECAUSE WE WON'T BE BRINGING TO YOU A BUDGET THAT RESTORES THAT MUCH OF THE FUND BALANCE.

WE'LL STAY WITH THE STATUS QUO OF ABOUT TWO AND A HALF.

SO I GUESS I HAVE A QUESTION AND A COMMENT.

HAVE WE HAD TO PAY OUT MORE DUE TO INCREASED LAWSUITS THIS YEAR? WE HAVE PAID OUT $20,000 THIS YEAR FOR A SETTLEMENT CLAIM, SO FAR.

AND CAN I ANSWER THAT ANOTHER WAY? YES. INSURANCE.

WELL, SO THAT'S INDIVIDUAL DISTRICT INSURANCE RATES FOR DISTRICTS AS A WHOLE ARE GOING UP FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.

THOSE INCLUDE AND WE ARE WE PURCHASE INSURANCE JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE DOES.

SO IF THERE ARE A LOT OF CASES OF ONE TYPE OR ANOTHER, EVERYBODY'S INSURANCE GOES UP IN, YOU KNOW, THE COLD WEATHER AND THE FACT THAT INSURERS HAD DOZENS OF CLAIMS, OF WHICH WE WERE ONE THIS YEAR MAY MEAN THAT INSURANCE RATES WILL GO UP AGAIN.

SO THAT'S A TWO FOLD ANSWER.

THERE ARE IMPACTS TO STATEWIDE LAWSUITS AND INSURANCE CLAIMS. AND I GUESS MY NEXT QUESTION IS WITH PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS.

ARE THOSE REQUESTS REMAINING STEADY OR ARE THEY INCREASING? IT HAS BEEN HIGH VOLUME FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.

I WOULD SAY IT'S PROBABLY IT'S PRETTY UNCHANGED THE LAST TWO YEARS, BUT SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN VOLUME STARTING I WOULD SAY SOMETIME DURING COVID.

AND I ASK THIS BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING IS CURRENTLY THERE'S A FULL TIME STAFF MEMBER PRETTY MUCH DEDICATED TO MANAGING THE..

SO.. PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS..

[00:45:01]

HE WAS ALREADY DOING A LOT OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS.

HE STILL HAS HIS AUDIT LIAISON DUTIES, HE'S WARRANT PREPARATION FOR THE BOARD DUTIES.

AND HE FITS THE PUBLIC RECORDS IN, AS DO I INTO WHEN WE CAN.

SO THEN IT WAS A FULL TIME POSITION, BUT NOW IT'S PART OF YOUR JOB, PART OF SOMEONE ELSE'S JOB.

AND THAT'S MAKING IT PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT TO DO YOUR JOB IN THE OTHER PERSON'S JOB? SURE. YES.

I GUESS I'M ASKING THESE THINGS FOR CLARITY, BECAUSE WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE FUND BALANCE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE POT OF MONEY THAT WE HAVE AFTER WE'VE SPENT EVERYTHING, AND THOSE ARE FOR EMERGENCIES.

AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF THAT'S GOING TO BE ENOUGH TO MANAGE THE EMERGENCIES THAT COME OUR WAY.

AND I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.

I'M NEW AT THIS, BUT I KNOW THAT IN OUR FAMILY, WE SET ASIDE A CERTAIN AMOUNT SO THAT WE KNOW IF SOMETHING HAPPENED TO ONE OF US WE, WE ARE GOOD FOR A MONTH.

AND THAT'S THAT'S NOT VERY COMFORTING, BUT AT LEAST WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THAT PIECE ASIDE, AND I BELIEVE THAT THE 4% WAS PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD ALL SLEEP WELL AT NIGHT, KNOWING THAT IF THERE WAS SOME KIND OF EMERGENCY, WE'D BE ABLE TO RIDE IT OUT, SO TO SPEAK.

NOW, I'M NOT ADVOCATING FOR REBUILDING MORE OF THAT FUND BALANCE THAN WE'VE ALREADY COMMITTED TO, BUT I REALLY AM CONCERNED ABOUT NOT HAVING IT AT THE 4% AREA.

SO I GUESS A COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS, BUT THANK YOU.

SO I'D LIKE TO GET CLARITY AROUND WHY WE DESCRIBE STAFFING AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AS, I SUPPOSE, MIDDLE SCHOOL, SECONDARY, AS FIVE PERIODS INSTEAD OF SIX PERIODS.

DO YOU WANT TO TAKE IT, OR DO YOU WANT ME TO LYDIA? I'LL LET YOU START, AND THEN I'LL JUMP IN IF NEEDED.

ALL RIGHT. SO IT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND A GREAT QUESTION TO APPROACH OUR LEGISLATORS WITH AROUND AGAIN A LITTLE BIT OF A HISTORY LESSON.

WHEN I STARTED AS A TEACHER, STUDENTS WERE REQUIRED TO GET 19.5 CREDITS TO GRADUATE.

SOME DISTRICTS AT THAT TIME HAD MAYBE 22, LIKE THEIR BOARDS ESTABLISH A GRADUATION THAT WAS ABOVE AND BEYOND, BUT YOU COULD STILL GET A WASHINGTON STATE DIPLOMA.

EVEN IN THOSE, YOU COULD GET THE WASHINGTON STATE DIPLOMA WITH 19.5.

SO AT THAT TIME WE WERE FUNDING ABOUT FIVE PERIODS AND TEACHERS TAUGHT FIVE PERIODS.

IT WAS VERY COMMON FOR STUDENTS TO HAVE A LATE START, AN EARLY RELEASE ALL KINDS OF THINGS IN THEIR SCHEDULE, WHICH MEANT THAT A NUMBER OF STUDENTS, SOME STUDENTS TOOK SIX PERIODS EVERY DAY AND NUMBER DIDN'T.

THIS FUNDING FORMULA HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE THE 1970S.

WHAT? AS FAR AS LYDIA HAS TOLD ME, I DON'T REMEMBER.

SHE DOESN'T EITHER, BUT SHE'S DONE HER HISTORICAL RESEARCH.

SO THAT IS HOW THEY FUNDED US, AND THEY CONTINUE TO FUND US THAT WAY.

TEACHERS TEACH FIVE PERIODS, STUDENTS TEACH SIXTH, AND NOW THEY ARE REQUIRED TO TEACH THAT MANY.

AND SO THAT THAT'S THE STAFFING RATIOS WE GET AS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE FUNDED ALMOST EXACTLY.

WE HIRE ALMOST EXACTLY THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS THAT WERE FUNDED BY THE STATE, UNLIKE IN OUR PARAEDUCATORS, WHERE WE HIRE ABOUT 120 MORE THAN WE'RE FUNDED BY THE STATE.

SO THAT'S THE WAY WE'RE FUNDED AND THAT'S THE WAY WE DISTRIBUTE THE STAFFING.

OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I GUESS I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION.

FIRST, I WANT TO SHOUT OUT TO CEDAR WAY KIDS.

I USED TO BE THE PRINCIPAL AT CEDAR WAY YEARS AGO, AND I STILL HAVE MANY FRIENDS WHO ARE FORMER COLLEAGUES THERE.

THERE WAS A TIME AT CEDAR WAY WHERE WE BROUGHT OUR TEACHERS TOGETHER, AND PARTICULARLY IN THE FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADE.

OUR TEACHERS WERE REALLY STRUGGLING WITH NOT HAVING ENOUGH INSTRUCTIONAL TIME WITH THEIR KIDS.

THE OTHER TEACHERS HAVE MORE INSTRUCTIONAL TIME WITH THEIR KIDS BECAUSE IN FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADE, NOT ONLY DO KIDS GET MUSIC, BUT THEY ALSO TAKE BAND OR ORCHESTRA.

LEAVING THE TEACHER WITH, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A THIRD OF THEIR CLASSROOM TO DO WITH WHATEVER THEY MIGHT.

AND MY KIDS WHO HAVE HAVE HAD, WELL, FOUR OF THEM HAVE COME THROUGH.

ONE OF THEM IS IN SIXTH GRADE RIGHT NOW.

[00:50:02]

SO BACK THEN, WE DECIDED TO SEE IF WE COULD HAVE STUDENTS MAKE A CHOICE.

IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN BAND ORCHESTRA, THEY COULD TAKE BAND ORCHESTRA, BUT THAT WAS INSTEAD OF MUSIC, SO THAT KIDS WOULD JUST HAVE TO DO ONE PERIOD. OR THEY COULD DO AN ELECTIVE JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER KIDS KINDERGARTEN THROUGH SIXTH OR FOURTH GRADE.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT MIGHT NOT BE A POSSIBILITY, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THAT WOULD CERTAINLY SAVE A LOT OF A LOT OF JOBS IF THERE WAS SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND I KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE UP HERE, AS FORMER GENTLEMAN SAID, WE HAVEN'T MADE DECISIONS YET ON ANYTHING.

AND ALL THESE DECISIONS ARE AWFUL THINGS TO CONSIDER.

BUT I'M JUST HOPING AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK FORWARD, WE UNCOVER ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF SOLUTIONS LIKE THIS.

BECAUSE I THINK IF WE REALLY GET OUR HEADS TOGETHER, WE CAN COME UP WITH OTHER SOLUTIONS BEFORE WE HAVE TO MAKE THESE CUTS, BECAUSE I KNOW THE, AS THE YOUNG GENTLEMEN TELL ME YOUR NAME AGAIN, WYATT WAS SAYING AND OUR TWO FRIENDS FROM CEDAR WAY.

TELL ME YOUR NAMES AGAIN.

KIRA AND KAYLEE.

IT'S NOT JUST THE ELEMENTARY BAND AND ORCHESTRA.

IT'S THE ENTIRE PROGRAM.

AND I AGREE WITH EVERY COMMENT THAT'S BEEN SAID.

WE WE DESERVE BETTER FOR OUR KIDS, FOR OUR DISTRICT.

SO WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN DO THAT MOVING FORWARD.

THANKS. AND I JUST ALSO WANT TO REITERATE WHAT I BELIEVE YOU SAID, BUT I JUST JUST FOR CHECKING FOR UNDERSTANDING THAT THE NUMBER OF STAFF THAT ARE LISTED ON THE RIF RESOLUTION IS THE MAXIMUM.

AND WE HAVE TO GIVE YOU APPROVAL FOR A NUMBER.

BECAUSE THERE'S TIME BETWEEN NOW AND MAY 15TH, WHICH IS THE CERTIFICATED DEADLINE FOR WORK TO BE DONE.

BUT IF SOLUTIONS ARE FOUND IN CERTAIN WAYS, THAT COULD REDUCE THAT RIFF.

THAT, WE'RE NOT SAYING IT'S THIS NUMBER, WE'RE SAYING THIS IS THE MAXIMUM NUMBER.

THAT'S CORRECT, AND THINGS LIKE RESIGNATIONS, THINGS LIKE RETIREMENTS, ETC.

CONTINUE TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF STAFF WHO WOULD RECEIVE A RIF NOTICE.

AND THAT THE FINAL BUDGET ISN'T DONE UNTIL JULY.

THAT'S CORRECT. AND IT IS, I ADMIT THAT TIMING IS BAD, THAT TIMING HAS ALWAYS BEEN BAD.

RIGHT? LIKE WE PASS A, WE PASS A RIF RESOLUTION BEFORE WE PASS A FINAL BUDGET.

I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE INTENT OF HAVING TEACHERS NOTIFIED, I WAS A TEACHER, I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE INTENT OF HAVING TEACHERS NOTIFIED BY MAY 15TH IS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A COMPLETED BUDGET BY MAY 15TH.

IN SOME YEARS, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION WE NEED.

NEXT YEAR WILL BE A LONG LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

IT'S POSSIBLE THAT WE WON'T HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION FROM THE LEGISLATURE THAT WE NEED PRIOR TO MAKING DECISIONS.

AND IN RELATION TO DOUG'S COMMENT, HAVING WORKED IN THE DISTRICT FOR 17 YEARS BEFORE HAVING BECOME A BOARD MEMBER, EVERY YEAR WE SAID THE SAME THING AS DISTRICT STAFF.

WE SAID WE HAVE TO LET THESE YOUNG PEOPLE GO.

THESE YOUNG, ENTHUSIASTIC, EXCELLENT YOUNG TEACHERS GO.

THEY'RE GOING TO GO ELSEWHERE.

AND THEN WE HAVE TO HIRE BACK BECAUSE IN AUGUST THINGS HAVE CHANGED.

IT'S NOT THE DISTRICT'S FAULT.

I KNOW IT'S NOT. I KNOW IT'S THAT DEADLINE.

BUT IT'S BEEN FRUSTRATING AND I DON'T KNOW.

IS THAT A, THAT'S A STATE LAW? THE MAY 15TH STATUTORY REQUIREMENT? YES. YEAH.

I MEAN, IT'S JUST.

YEAH, I MEAN, THERE'S A FLIP SIDE TO THAT, WHICH IS IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A POSITION, I'D RATHER KNOW HONESTLY, I'D RATHER KNOW MAY 15TH AND BE ABLE TO GO FIND A JOB. SO WE'RE DEALING WITH A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

WE'RE DEALING WITH THE SYSTEM, BUT THAT'S TO LET AN INDIVIDUAL GO.

BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, IF WE LOOK AT A LARGER SYSTEM OF PUBLIC EDUCATION, WE WANT A WONDERFUL PUBLIC EDUCATOR TO END UP SOMEWHERE WITH PUBLIC EDUCATION STUDENTS.

I'D RATHER THEY STAY HERE, BUT ON AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL, CERTAINLY WOULDN'T WANT TO BE LETTING SOMEBODY KNOW AUGUST 1ST THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE A JOB HERE THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT BUMPING IS PART OF THE CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT..

AND WE HONOR OUR CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS WITH ANY RIF RESOLUTIONS OR IMPLEMENTATIONS.

I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE THAT'S COMING OUT TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS ON THIS WITH US TONIGHT.

WE REALLY, AS A BOARD AND MY BOARD COLLEAGUES, WE REALLY ARE TAKING AS MUCH TIME AS WE CAN AND WE READ EVERY COMMENT WE APPRECIATE,

[00:55:06]

AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THAT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF BUDGET DECISIONS TO BE MAKING, AND WE HOPE THAT YOU CONTINUE IN THIS JOURNEY WITH US. AND COME TO, AND BE SURE WE KEEP ADVOCATING WHEN IT'S TIME FOR OUR LEGISLATORS TO.

BECAUSE THE FUNDING MODEL, I MEAN, COME ON, WHAT YEAR WAS THAT? 70S. IT'S JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE.

AND WE KNOW THAT.

AND I GOT TO TELL YOU, I'VE BEEN SITTING IN THIS CHAIR IN THIS POSITION, ALMOST EVERY YEAR, IT FEELS LIKE.

AND I DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN ANYMORE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME REAL TOUGH CONVERSATIONS WITH THESE LEGISLATORS.

AND I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE RECORD THESE MEETINGS, BECAUSE I WANT TO SHARE SOME OF THE COMMENTS TONIGHT WITH SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT HAVE THAT ARE ABOVE US MAKING THOSE DECISIONS ON HOW WE'RE FUNDED.

SO THANKS FOR EVERYBODY.

SO WE PROBABLY STARTED MORPHING INTO BOARD COMMENTS, WHICH IS NEXT ON THE AGENDA.

BUT IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE ANYBODY WANTS TO SAY SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE BUDGET OR THE RIF RESOLUTION.

WE'LL GO ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS.

[8. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]

WHERE'D YOU GO? OH, HE LEFT, DARN.

SO MY WIFE AND I BOTH TEACH.

I TEACH MIDDLE SCHOOL OVER AT VALLEY VIEW MIDDLE SCHOOL IN SNOHOMISH.

I WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO TEACH IN THIS DISTRICT AND DO THIS AT THE SAME TIME, FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.

MY WIFE TEACHES IN SHORELINE.

AND TEACHER BURNOUT IS VERY REAL.

MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE HAVE HAD IT.

IT'S JUST GETTING ROUGHER AND ROUGHER.

MANY OF MY FORMER COLLEAGUES AS PRINCIPALS, THEY'RE ALSO BURNING OUT AND QUITTING.

AND IT'S NOT JUST HERE IN EDMONDS.

IT'S EVERYWHERE.

THE REASON WHY I CAME ON THIS BOARD IS BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN EDMONDS.

I BELIEVE IN OUR TEACHERS, I BELIEVE IN OUR PRINCIPALS, I BELIEVE IN OUR PARENTS AND OUR STUDENTS.

AND I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN FIGURE THIS OUT WITH WHATEVER WE'RE GIVEN FROM THE STATE.

WE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THE BEST OF IT TOGETHER.

AND I KNOW THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.

AND I'M GOING TO DO EVERYTHING IN MY PART TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN AS BEST AS I CAN AS A BOARD, AS ONE SINGLE BOARD MEMBER.

BUT I DO WANT TO LET PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE KNOW THAT I FEEL THAT BURNOUT, AND I FEEL THAT THE WAX BURNING ON BOTH ENDS. SO I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT TO THE COMMENTS.

THANK YOU. THANKS, DIRECTOR SMITH.

I IT'S THESE ARE ALWAYS TOUGH MEETINGS, AND I DON'T HAVE ANY GREAT WISDOM HERE THAT WE HAVEN'T ALREADY DISCUSSED, TO BE TOTALLY HONEST.

WE'RE LOOKING AT BAD NUMBERS, AND I CAN'T REALLY CHANGE THE MATH.

AND WE'VE ALL KNOWN THIS FOR A WHILE, AND IT'S TERRIBLE.

AND WE HAVE HARD DECISIONS TO MAKE.

THE LEGISLATURE HAS TO STEP UP AND DO A LOT OF THINGS.

AND RIGHT NOW I THINK THAT I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT I'M HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO GET ACROSS HERE, IS THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF COMMENTS.

WE HAVE A LOT OF WAYS FOR THIS STUFF TO GET TO US, AND I ENJOY HEARING IT, EVEN IF SOMETIMES IN THIS JOB, THE THINGS THAT YOU HEAR AREN'T ACTIONABLE WHEN YOU HEAR THEM. BUT HAVING THE KNOWLEDGE ALLOWS ME TO TAKE THE ACTION WHEN THE ACTION IS AVAILABLE TO ME. AND SO I DO WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY WHO'S OUT HERE, WE, I HONESTLY THINK THE BEST WAY TO GET COMMENTS TO US, AND WE DO APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT ARE VERBAL IS SEND US WRITTEN STUFF, BECAUSE THAT ALLOWS ME TO LOOK AT IT LATER.

SOMETIMES COMMENTS HIT DIFFERENT LATER AND I KEEP EVERYTHING.

I MEAN, I'M SUPPOSED TO BECAUSE THEY'RE PUBLIC RECORDS, BUT ALSO I JUST AM A PERSON WHO KEEPS EVERYTHING.

SO IT IS, YOU KNOW, THESE GET A FOLDER IN MY INBOX SOMEWHERE AND MAYBE WE HAVE A BUDGET SURPLUS NEXT YEAR.

FINGERS CROSSED. THANK YOU.

NO, PLEASE. LEGISLATURE AND I CAN GO BACK AND I CAN LOOK AT THIS STUFF AND SAY, WHERE DID PEOPLE REALLY WANT US TO HAVE THAT MONEY BE? WHERE WHERE DID THE CUTS HURT THE MOST? SO PLEASE JUST KEEP US IN THE LOOP ON THAT.

I THINK ALL MY COLLEAGUES HAVE KIND OF HIT ON OTHER THINGS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO THIS BUDGET DISCUSSION.

[01:00:02]

I GET VERY FEW PERKS WITH THIS JOB, OTHER THAN I HAVE A MICROPHONE TO MEMORIALIZE THINGS THAT I THINK ARE VERY IMPORTANT. AND I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO HEAR SOME OF THIS STUFF WHERE YOU GO OFF SCRIPT OR IT'S NOT ON OUR AGENDA BECAUSE IT LETS YOU KNOW WHAT WHAT MY VALUES ARE AND A WAY THAT ISN'T JUST BUSINESS AS USUAL.

AND SINCE OUR LAST MEETING, A COUPLE OF PIECES OF NEWS HAVE COME THROUGH ON THE WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC SIDE THAT I WANTED TO JUST MENTION SPECIFICALLY, A COUPLE OF BIG FIGURES HAVE BEEN LOST, ONE THROUGH RETIREMENT AND ONE THROUGH OTHER REASONS.

AND I WANT TO JUST GET THEM ON THE RECORD AS BEING TWO VERY IMPACTFUL PEOPLE.

THE FIRST ONE IS WYATT TOMPKINS.

HE WAS THE SHOREWOOD HIGH SCHOOL VARSITY BASEBALL COACH FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

HE HAD A CARDIAC EVENT AND PASSED HE IF YOU ARE A BASEBALL FAN, HE WAS THE COACH OF BLAKE SNELL WHEN HE WAS HERE.

VERY, VERY GOOD TEACHER.

EVERY TIME I SAW HIM OUT WITH HIS KIDS, HE FOUGHT SO HARD ON THE FIELD, BUT TAUGHT HIS KIDS TO DO IT IN SUCH A RESPECTFUL WAY.

AND MY UNDERSTANDING OF HIS STORY IS THAT HIS WIFE PASSED A FEW YEARS AGO, AND HE REALLY DEDICATED HIMSELF TO THE SPORTS PROGRAM IN SHOREWOOD, LIKE, REDOUBLED HIS EFFORTS AT THAT TIME.

SO I SAW HIM AS A FOOTBALL COACH.

HE WAS THERE DURING BASKETBALL SEASON, ALL SORTS OF STUFF, AND I KNOW HOW MANY LIVES HE TOUCHED DOING THAT, AND THAT'S A HUGE LOSS.

THE OTHER PERSON WAS THROUGH RETIREMENT NALIN SOOD OUT OF MOUNTLAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL AS THE BOYS VARSITY BASKETBALL COACH.

I, MY MATH MAY BE ONE YEAR OFF ON THIS, BUT I BELIEVE HIS VERY FIRST YEAR COACHING AT ANY LEVEL AT MOUNTLAKE TERRACE WAS 1986, WHICH MEANS THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A WAS IT 87? OKAY, SO THERE WAS ONE YEAR OF MY LIFETIME WHERE MOUNTLAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL DID NOT HAVE NALIN SOOD AS A COACH.

SO IT IS REALLY ALMOST IN A WAY, LIKE A CHANGING OF THE GUARD FOR ME TO THINK THAT MY WHOLE LIFETIME, EVEN THOUGH I COULDN'T APPRECIATE IT WHEN I WAS TWO YEARS OLD, MY WHOLE LIFETIME, THIS MAN HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS.

AND AND NOW TERRACE IS GOING IN A NEW WAY, WHICH I CONGRATULATE HIM ON ALL THE SUCCESS, AND I WISH HIM THE BEST.

HE'S GOING TO KEEP TEACHING IN THE DISTRICT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER HOW MANY TIMES I JUST SAW HIM WITH HIS KIDS OUT THERE COACHING AND AND THE GOOD THINGS AND THE GOOD LESSONS HE WAS TEACHING THEM.

SO WASHINGTON STATE ATHLETICS LOST TWO VERY BIG, VERY INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN THE LAST MONTH.

AND I WANT TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE REMEMBERED.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR CHASE.

THANK YOU. YOU'RE RIGHT, I DID START MY BOARD COMMENTS A LITTLE EARLIER, SO.

BUT THERE IS SOMETHING I DID WANT TO MENTION THAT I'M REALLY PROUD OF OUR EQUITY ALLIANCE AND ACHIEVEMENT COMMITTEE, AND ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE THAT THEY REMINDED ME THAT THE AMERICAN IT'S A THE AMERICAN ARAB AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM HAS A TRAVELING EXHIBIT THAT'S GOING TO BE HERE.

IT LOOKS LIKE ON FRIDAY.

IS THAT CORRECT? IT IS HERE NOW.

OH, IT'S HERE NOW. WELL, IT'S HERE NOW.

AND I ALSO WANT TO DO A SHOUT OUT A FEW YEARS AGO, MAYBE IT WAS LAST YEAR WE GOT AN EQUITY TREE.

WAS THAT LAST YEAR? NEAR TWO YEARS.

IT'S GOING FAST. ANYWAYS, THERE WAS THIS TREE AND THIS IN EACH MONTH WE WOULD GET A AN ORNAMENT THAT SPECIFICALLY TOLD US WHAT THIS, THE MONTH WAS CELEBRATING AND I HAVE MINE ON MY DESK AND I REALLY WANT TO APPRECIATE THE STUDENTS AND THE STAFF AND EVERYONE THAT PUT THE EFFORT INTO MAKING THOSE THAT I APPRECIATE RECOGNIZING THE DIVERSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY.

THAT BROUGHT IS BROUGHT FORWARD WITH THE ART THAT THEY'RE DISPLAYING, THAT BRINGS THAT BRINGS ME, BRINGING ME BACK TO REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK IN OUR DISTRICT ON OUR RACE AND EQUITY POLICY AND THE WORK THAT THE OUR COMMUNITY IS DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY STUDENT HAS A SENSE OF BELONGING AND IS RECOGNIZED.

AND SO I RECOMMEND EVERYBODY MAKE SURE YOU SIGN UP FOR THAT EACH NEWSLETTER BECAUSE IT'S VERY INFORMATIVE.

SO THANKS. AND I BELIEVE THOSE STUDENTS WERE WORK EXPERIENCE STUDENTS WHO CREATED THOSE.

I BELIEVE THEY WERE. THAT'S I THOUGHT THEY WERE.

WERE THEY. YEAH. YEAH. NO THEY WERE THEY WERE GREAT.

WE REALLY AND I KNOW THAT THEY ALSO PARTNERED WITH KIDS, I BELIEVE AT LYNWOOD HIGH IN TERMS OF PRODUCING THEM THROUGH 3D PRINTERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT YEAH, THEY'RE GREAT.

AND THEY'VE GOT THE LITTLE THE, THE PLACARDS THAT GO WITH IT.

I'VE GOT IT ALL. IT'S JUST.

BUT I WANTED TO DO A SHOUT OUT TO THE WORK EXPERIENCE, KIDS.

THANKS, THANKS.

JUST I WANTED TO MAKE A MENTION OF THAT BECAUSE I WOULDN'T HAVE THOUGHT TO SAY THIS, BUT ACTUALLY, IN MY OFFICE, LIKE MY MY STATE AGENCY, I HAVE PUT THAT UP IN A PUBLIC SPACE.

WE ARE YOU KNOW, WE DO DISCRIMINATION STUFF IN OUR OFFICE.

SO I'VE PUT THAT IN A PUBLIC SPACE FOR EVERYONE IN MY OFFICE TO SEE, AND IT'S REALLY GONE OVER WELL WITH THEM.

[01:05:07]

WELL, I GUESS I HAVE NOT MUCH TO SAY, THIS IS A TOUGH NIGHT, AND PROBABLY HAVE A FEW MORE TOUGH NIGHTS AHEAD OF US.

I DID WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE IMPORTANCE OF ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

YOU KNOW, INCLUDING I KNOW WORLD LANGUAGE GETS KIND OF SHOVED TO THE SIDE A LITTLE BIT, BUT I'M A PERSON WHO TOOK A LANGUAGE FOR FIVE YEARS, AND IT STILL DIDN'T HELP ME, BUT I TRIED, I TRIED.

IT GOT ME, YOU KNOW, CONVERSATIONAL A LITTLE BIT.

BUT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT.

AND IT IS A SIGN OF A HIGH CLASS EDUCATION, A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION.

AND I I WOULD JUST ECHO WHAT EVERYONE SAYS ABOUT STANDING UP TO THE LEGISLATURE.

WE CANNOT, YOU KNOW, AS WE CHIP AWAY AT OUR MUSIC AND AT OUR ART AND OUR DRAMA AND WORLD LANGUAGE AND ATHLETICS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT MAKE US, YOU KNOW, A HIGH QUALITY, WORLD CLASS EDUCATION HERE IN THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THIS IS NOT THE WAY ANY OF US WANT TO GO.

AND I KNOW THAT ALL MY BOARD COLLEAGUES JOIN ME HERE.

NONE OF US WANT TO CUT ANY OF THESE THINGS, SO.

THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANTED TO SHARE.

ONE OF THE THINGS IS SOMETHING I SHARED PREVIOUSLY.

I SHARED IT AT THE MARCH 12TH MEETING, BUT I'VE SEEN ON SOCIAL MEDIA SEVERAL COMMENTS AND WE RECEIVED SEVERAL COMMENTS IN OUR HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF COMMENTS ABOUT THE PROPORTION OF CUTS AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE AND ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL VERSUS AT THE TEACHING LEVEL.

AND I WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE THESE ARE CHARTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE BOTH ON THE MARCH 12TH MEETING THERE ON THE DISTRICT WEBSITE UNDER THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT FAQ.

AND IT BASICALLY SHOWS.

20 LARGE DISTRICTS IN THE STATE AND WHERE EDMONDS IS IN TERMS OF THE PERCENT OF OUR EXPENDITURES, OF OUR OVERALL BUDGET FOR DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, IN TERMS OF OUR PERCENTAGE FOR CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION, WHICH MANY PEOPLE ARE SAYING WE NEED TO CUT MORE OUT OF 20 DISTRICTS IN THE STATE, WE ARE THE FIFTH LOWEST IN TERMS OF WHAT PERCENT WE HAVE.

WE ARE VERY LEAN.

WE'VE BEEN LEAN THROUGH THE 25 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN AFFILIATED WITH THE DISTRICT.

WE'RE WAY BELOW AVERAGE ON THAT.

AND IN COMPARISON, ON THE SAME 20 LARGE DISTRICTS IN THE STATE IN TERMS OF THE PERCENT WE SPEND ON TEACHERS AND TEACHING SUPPORT, OUT OF THE 20 WERE THIRD HIGHEST.

WE SPEND A HUGE PERCENT, AS WE SHOULD, ON TEACHERS AND TEACHING SUPPORT.

WE DON'T SEE IT ENOUGH.

WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY NEXT TOPIC.

I THINK THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW KNOW ME AND WATCHED US.

ANDY NOFZIGER, THANK YOU AND I PARTNERED AND SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS THIS PAST YEAR FROM LAST BUDGET TIME THROUGH, AND THIS IS GOING TO CONTINUE ADVOCATING STRONGLY WITH OUR STATE LEGISLATORS.

WE MAY NOT BE READY TO BAND TOGETHER ON RECEIVERSHIP.

BUT I THINK THERE ARE MANY THINGS WE CAN KEEP IN MIND IN TERMS OF LONG TERM THINGS, LIKE A MCCLEERY 2.0.

BUT BETWEEN NOW AND THEN WE'RE ALREADY LIKE DOCTOR MINER, SAID DIRECTOR CHASE AND DOCTOR MINER AND I TODAY STARTED THE PLANNING FOR MEETING WITH OUR STATE LEGISLATORS.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE KEY PEOPLE, PARENTS AEA PEOPLE, PARA PEOPLE, ETC.

STUDENTS TO JOIN US TO HAVE A LOVELY DISCUSSION.

SOME OF THE DISCUSSION TONIGHT IN TERMS OF IMPACTS ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS WE WANT THOSE LEGISLATORS TO HEAR.

WE WANT THEM TO HEAR IT FROM AMY FROST'S PERSPECTIVE, FROM THE STUDENTS PERSPECTIVE, FROM THE PARENTS PERSPECTIVE.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN IN TERMS OF THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE WE SERVE? BECAUSE IT IS THE STATE THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

AND THEY GAVE US A LITTLE BIT, BUT NOWHERE NEAR.

[01:10:04]

WE HAVE TO KEEP, AND I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT WHEN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION WAS OVER AND IT WAS THROUGHOUT THAT WE SAW BILLS THAT WOULD HAVE HELPED US TREMENDOUSLY BE KILLED, BE CUT APART, BE REDUCED.

I STARTED GOING THROUGH THE PHASES OF GRIEF.

OKAY. AND THOUGHT ABOUT, DO I REALLY WANT TO KEEP DOING THIS? IS IT WORTH IT? WELL, I'M NOW INTO THE PHASE OF ANGER AND ACTION AND I'M READY TO KEEP FIGHTING.

AND WE ASK ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY HELP.

PARENTS HAVE BEEN HAVE BEEN GREAT.

EVERYBODY HAS BEEN GREAT.

WE JUST NEED MORE AND MORE.

AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP PUSHING BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO THIS EVERY YEAR.

WE JUST CAN'T KEEP DOING THIS EVERY YEAR.

IT'S IT'S NOT RIGHT FOR OUR KIDS.

THAT MAY BE ALL I DO TO MAKE THINGS.

OH, I WANTED TO SAY ONE OTHER THING, I WANT TO END ON A POSITIVE NOTE.

WE'RE STILL LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS.

AND THERE ARE THERE ARE IDEAS THAT ARE PERCOLATING ON VARIOUS THINGS AND ON ONE THING IS THE THIRD YEAR OF FOREIGN OF WORLD LANGUAGE. I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WHAT'S BEEN SAID, OTHER THINGS ABOUT BAND AND ORCHESTRA.

SO I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WE HAVEN'T STOPPED.

WE'RE STILL, WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS.

THERE ARE IDEAS THAT HAVE COME THROUGH YOUR COMMENTS, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, THAT WE'RE JUMPING ON AND SAYING, HOW CAN WE HOW CAN WE USE THESE IDEAS TO MAKE THINGS WORK? SO WE'RE WE'RE STILL LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS.

WE'LL DO THE BEST WE CAN GIVEN THE RESOURCES AND THE PARAMETERS THAT WE HAVE.

DOCTOR MINER.

I WOULD JUST I KNOW YOU ALL WON'T SING YOUR OWN PRAISES, BUT TRULY, I APPRECIATE THAT THESE ARE NOT PRO FORMA EXERCISES THAT YOU ARE DEEPLY EXAMINING THE ISSUES ASKING GREAT QUESTIONS, TIRELESSLY WORKING WITH THE LEGISLATURE THIS YEAR.

I KNOW PEOPLE SPEND AN ENTIRE DAY WAITING FOR THEIR TURN TO TESTIFY SIGNING IN ON BILLS, DOING ALL OF THAT HEAVY LIFTING.

IT IS MY FERVENT HOPE.

BALANCING ACT CAN BE USED FOR THE REVERSE AS WELL.

IT'S MY FERVENT HOPE THAT NEXT YEAR, IF WE GET WHAT WE NEED FROM THE LEGISLATURE AND WE HAVE $10 MILLION TO REINVEST IN OUR SYSTEM, WE COULD DO A BALANCING ACT PROGRAM TO SAY MAKE IT BALANCE.

WHERE WOULD YOU INVEST THESE MONIES? I TRULY THINK WITH A CONCERTED EFFORT, NOT JUST IN EDMONDS, NOT JUST WITH SUPERINTENDENTS, NOT JUST WITH BOARDS, THAT WE TRULY CAN GET THERE. IT'S BEEN DONE BEFORE WHERE THEY'VE HAD TO MAKE SOME COURSE CORRECTIONS AND SUPPORT US IN EDUCATION.

IT IS NOT OFTEN SAID ENOUGH CONTINUES TO BE THEIR PARAMOUNT DUTY THAT THIS CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON SAYS THAT K-12 EDUCATION IS THE PARAMOUNT DUTY.

WE'RE SLIPPING IN THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT WE GET AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE REVENUE OF THE STATE.

THEY HAVE A FUND BALANCE.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE CAN PURSUE THERE.

I TRULY HOPE NEXT YEAR I'LL BE SHARING.

NOT THIS LATE, MAYBE IN FEBRUARY, MAYBE IN MARCH.

THE RESULTS OF A BALANCING ACT PROCESS THAT HELPS US REINVEST IN OUR SCHOOLS.

I'M GOING TO PUT THAT ON MY WISH LIST EVERY SINGLE DAY.

THAT SOUNDS WONDERFUL.

I BELIEVE WE, AS THIS WAS A SPECIAL MEETING.

IT'S CALLED A SPECIAL MEETING, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A BUSINESS MEETING, BECAUSE IT WASN'T OFFICIALLY ON THE CALENDAR TO START WITH.

SO JUST TO EXPLAIN THE NAME OF IT, BUT THIS SPECIAL MEETING OF THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.