[00:00:20]
GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME EVERYBODY.
REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING OF THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER.
[2. ROLL CALL-6:31 pm (ALL TIMES ARE ESTIMATED)]
TAKE A ROLL CALL.AND I'M DIRECTOR KADAMS SO WE ARE FULLY HERE.
[3. LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT-6:32 pm]
NEXT WE HAVE THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND I'LL ASK DR.KADAMS. WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF PLACE, THE SADOVISH PEOPLE, AND THEIR SUCCESSORS, THE TULALIP 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 EDUCATION AIMS THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED IN OUR CLASSROOMS AND SCHOOLS.
[4. FLAG SALUTE-6:33 pm]
AND NOW IF EVERYBODY WILL RISE AND JOIN ME IN THE FLAG SALUTE.I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[5. APPROVAL OF AGENDA-6:34 pm]
NEXT WE HAVE APPROVAL OF OUR AGENDA.DO I HEAR A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED? I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE.
I'VE HEARD A MOTION TO APPROVE IN A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? YES, MADAM CHAIR.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
AS I SEE WE HAVE QUITE A BIT OF COMMUNITY INTEREST THAT I BELIEVE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
I'D LIKE TO EXTEND OUR 30 MINUTES OF PUBLIC COMMENT WHICH IS TO TWO HOURS AND IT'S USUALLY 30 MINUTES.
SO I'D LIKE TO EXTEND THAT TO TWO HOURS.
AND ALSO, IF WE DO THAT, I'D LIKE TO MOVE THE BOND ITEM NUMBER 11.2, THE BOND SALE PLANNING, TO RIGHT BEFORE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SO THOSE WOULD BE THE TWO CHANGES THAT I'D LIKE TO ADJUST ON THE AGENDA.
CAN WE DO THOSE IN ONE MOTION? OKAY.
SO WE'VE HAD A MOTION TO MAKE THOSE TWO CHANGES IN THE AGENDA.
SO WE WILL VOTE ON THOSE TWO AS A BLOCK.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? I WILL SECOND IF IT'S NECESSARY.
I THINK I CAN ASK, ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THOSE TWO? IF NOT, THEN THOSE TWO CHANGES TO THE AGENDA ARE APPROVED.
AND NOW I'M GOING TO ASK FOR US TO APPROVE THE MODIFIED AGENDA, THE REVISED AGENDA, IN ITS NEW FORM.
HOW MANY ARE IN? IF YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE REVISED AGENDA AS PRESENTED, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
ANY ABSTENTIONS? AND THE REVISED AGENDA IS NOW APPROVED.
[6. CELEBRATIONS- 6:35 pm]
NEXT WE HAVE THE BEST THING, WHICH IS CELEBRATIONS, AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DR.IT IS THE BEST THING INDEED, AND WE HAVE FOUR REALLY WONDERFUL CELEBRATIONS THIS EVENING.
THE FIRST, AND WE'LL CALL OUR SCHOOLS UP ONE AT A TIME WITH THEIR REPRESENTATIVES, WE'RE GOING TO RECOGNIZE SOME SCHOOLS WHO HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED BY THE WASHINGTON STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION SCHOOL RECOGNITION PROGRAM.
SO THE FIRST SCHOOL I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME FORWARD IS LINDALE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHICH IS RECEIVING THIS AWARD FOR GROWTH FOR STUDENTS IN ONE OR MORE RACIAL OR ETHNIC GROUPS.
WELL, I'LL ASK YOU TO COME FORWARD.
WE'LL GIVE YOU YOUR BANNER, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A PICTURE WITH THE BOARD BEHIND US.
[00:05:09]
OUR NEXT GROUP TO WELCOME FORWARD IS MEADOWDALE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GROWTH FOR STUDENTS IN ONE OR MORE RACIAL OR ETHNIC GROUPS.WELL THIS EVENING BEING RECOGNIZED IS MONTLAKE TERRACE ELEMENTARY GROWTH FOR LOW-INCOME STUDENTS.
NEXT GROUP IS SHERWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GROWTH FOR STUDENTS IN ONE OR MORE RACIAL OR ETHNIC GROUPS.
NEXT WE HAVE TERRACE PARK ELEMENTARY CHALLENGE PROGRAM ACHIEVEMENT IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS, MATH, AND ATTENDANCE.
NOT LEAST, WESTGATE ELEMENTARY GROWTH FOR STUDENTS IN ONE OR MORE RACIAL OR ETHNIC GROUPS.
WELL THIS CELEBRATION ONLY LASTS A MOMENT.
I BELIEVE THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN AWARDED THIS YEAR REPRESENT THE ALIGNMENT OF THEIR SIP PLANS WITH THE VERY HARD WORK THAT ALL EDUCATORS IN THOSE SCHOOLS ARE DOING.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE EDUCATORS AND THE STUDENTS IN THOSE SCHOOLS.
LET'S HAVE ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL OF THOSE SCHOOLS.
NEXT WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR STUDENT BOARD ADVISORS.
KADAMS. SO IF WE COULD HAVE ALL OF YOU COME FORWARD IN THE FRONT THAT WOULD MAKE THIS MUCH EASIER.
[00:10:17]
FIND IT.U5 HAVE BEEN SO INCREDIBLY THIS YEAR.
I JUST CAN'T BEGIN TO HAVE THE WORDS.
ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE SCHOOL BOARD, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO MUCH FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE A STUDENT ADVISOR TO THE SCHOOL BOARD THIS YEAR.
HAVING STUDENT ADVISORS BEING A PART OF OUR MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS IS A VITAL LINK IN GROUNDING OUR WORK WHERE IT MATTERS.
AND THAT'S FOR ALL THE STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT.
ALL FIVE OF YOU, BETANIA, ISMAEL, SAM, TATIANA, AND SCARLETT, ALL OF YOU ARE ACTIVE SCHOOL BOARD ADVISORS.
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, MAKING THE SCHOOL BOARD A VERY HIGH PRIORITY IN YOUR LIVES ALONG WITH THE MANY OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT YOU GUYS DO.
WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THE TIME, THE ENERGY, AND THE THOUGHT THAT YOU'VE GIVEN TO YOUR ROLE AS A STUDENT ADVISOR.
YOUR INSIGHTS AND PERSPECTIVES HAVE HELPED TO INFORM MANY OF OUR DECISIONS THIS YEAR.
YOU SPOKE UP WITH COURAGE, PASSION, AND CARING FOR YOUR PEERS.
FOR THOSE YOU KNOW, AS WELL AS THOSE YOU DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL PART OF OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY.
FOR THE FOUR OF YOU WHO ARE SENIORS, WE WISH YOU THE VERY BEST IN YOUR FUTURE.
AND ISMAEL, WE ARE REALLY EXCITED YOU'LL BE BACK NEXT YEAR.
WE NEED TO HAVE THAT TRANSITION.
AND TO ALL OF YOU, YOU ARE OUTSTANDING ROLE MODELS AND LEADERS, AND WE KNOW YOU WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE TO DO.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO WELCOME FORWARD ANGIE MCGUIRE FOR OUR SPRING SPORTS RECOGNITION.
WELL, THANKS EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT, AND THANK YOU FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO JUST GIVE A SNAPSHOT OF OUR SPRING SPORTS SEASON.
THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING OUT IN OUR SPRING SPORTS, AND THESE ARE JUST SOME HIGHLIGHTS.
AND CONGRATS TO THE SCHOOL BOARD, THE STUDENTS ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, SUPERVISORS, ADVISORS TO THE SCHOOL BOARD.
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AS WELL.
I'M GOING TO START, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, ALL OF THE...
THE STUDENTS WE'RE RECOGNIZING TONIGHT ARE SENIORS AND THIS IS THEIR LAST WEEK OF HIGH SCHOOL.
AND SO I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL.
YOU'RE GRADUATING SOME FRIDAY AND THE REST SATURDAY.
SO IT'S AN EXCITING TIME AND APPRECIATE YOU TAKING TIME TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
FIRST, IF YOU'VE EVER COACHED ANY SPORT IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHETHER IT IS REC, YOU'RE A COACH, RAISE YOUR HAND.
ANYONE IN HERE COACHED? VOLUNTEERED AT A SPORTING EVENT, JENNY RAISE YOUR HAND.
HOW ABOUT TEACHERS IF YOU'VE EVER TAUGHT TEACHERS
[00:15:01]
IN THE ROOM ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, HIGH RAISE YOUR HAND BECAUSE IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO GET SENIORS TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE AT THE END OF THEIR JOURNEY.AND THEN FAMILIES IF YOU'RE HERE TONIGHT TO SUPPORT SOME OF OUR STUDENT ATHLETES PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND BE RECOGNIZED.
IT IS MANY MANY MANY YEARS OF FINDING THE RIGHT SOCKS, MAYBE SHIN GUARDS, THE CORRECT SHOES, SPIKES, YOU NAME IT, ALL OF IT.
TO GET THEM HERE, SO CAN WE GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT'S HERE TO SUPPORT TONIGHT.
FOR MANY OF US, IT'S JUST A JOY TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF A PART OF YOUR JOURNEY BY WATCHING YOU AND SUPPORTING YOU.
AND I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE ROOM THAT COME OUT AND DO THAT.
SO I'M GOING TO START WITH MOUNT LAKE TERRACE.
SADIE PARKER FROM MOUNT LAKE TERRACE GOLF.
JUST STEP FORWARD AND THEN DR.
CERTIFICATE, I'M GOING TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT EACH STUDENT ATHLETE.
SADIE, YOU HAVE TO JUST STAY OUT A LITTLE BIT FOR JUST FOR A MINUTE.
SADIE HAD JUST A FANTASTIC GOLF SEASON FOR MOUNT LAKE TERRACE GIRLS GOLF TEAM.
SHE EARNED SECOND PLACE FINISHES IN THE THREE SEPARATE MATCHES THIS YEAR, COMPETING AGAINST SOME REALLY STRONG WESTCO OPPONENTS.
HER COMPETITIVE PLAYER EARNED HER SECOND TEAM ALL WESTCO RECOGNITION.
AND SHE COMPETED AT DISTRICTS AGAINST THE TOP PLAYERS IN THE REGION AND TIED FOR 19TH AT THE DISTRICT GOLF TOURNAMENT AND QUALIFIED FOR THE STATE GOLF TOURNAMENT IN SPOKANE.
SADIE, AND THIS IS AN IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE, SHE WAS THE SOLE MOUNT LAKE TERRACE GOLFER, BOYS TEAM OR GIRLS TEAM TO MAKE IT TO STATE, REPRESENTING HER SCHOOL, WHICH IS REALLY POWERFUL.
HER COACH STATED THAT THIS SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENT REFLECTS HER DEDICATION.
COMPOSURE UNDER PRESSURE, DEFINITELY HELPFUL IN GOLF, AND ABILITY TO RISE TO THE MOMENT.
HER COACH ALSO SAID THAT SHE STANDS OUT IN AN ATHLETE BECAUSE OF WHO SHE IS EVERY DAY.
SHE HANDLES SUCCESS AND ADVERSITY WITH MATURITY, MAKING HER NOT ONLY A TOP PERFORMER, BUT A GREAT TEAMMATE AND LEADER.
SADIE PARKER, MOUNT LAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL, CONGRATULATIONS, SADIE.
AND UP NEXT FROM MOUNTLAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL, OWEN MEEK FROM THE BASEBALL PROGRAM AT MOUNTLAKE TERRACE.
I WASN'T SURE BECAUSE I'M SO USED TO SEEING HIM WITH A BASEBALL HAT ON AND IN A BASEBALL JERSEY.
SO I'M GLAD I WAS RIGHT WHEN I SPOTTED HIM.
HE'S A FOUR-YEAR MEMBER OF THE MOUNTLAKE TERRACE BASEBALL PROGRAM.
HIS OUTSTANDING PLAY THIS YEAR EARNED HIM FIRST-TEAM ALL-WESTCO HONORS AS A PITCHER AND AS AN OUTFIELDER.
SO WHEN THE OPPOSING TEAMS VOTE, HE WAS EARNED FOR TEAM ALL-WEST GO-HONORS IN TWO DIFFERENT POSITIONS.
AS COACHES SAY, HE'S DEFINITELY MADE AN IMPACT IN HIS TIME AT MT.
HE LED THE TEAM OFFENSIVELY IN HITS, AVERAGES, OPS.
I HAD TO RESEARCH THIS A LITTLE BIT.
ON BASE AND SLUGGING, WHICH COMBINES HOW OFTEN YOU GET ON BASE WITH POWER.
I LEARNED SOMETHING NEW TODAY AND I'LL REFERENCE THAT LATER.
AND WAS ALSO PITCHED FOR THE HAWKS ON THE MOUND.
HE LED THE TEAMS IN INNINGS PITCHED AND ERA.
HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING HIS TEAM MAKE A DEEP RUN INTO THE DISTRICT TOURNAMENT, WHICH WAS REALLY FUN TO WATCH AND ROOT FOR.
HIS COACHES SAY HE'S CREATED A LEGACY AT MOUNTLAKE TERRACE AND HAS GIVEN IT HIS ALL, NOT ONLY THIS SEASON, BUT EVERY SEASON.
AND OWEN WILL PLAY BASEBALL AND ATTEND SCHOOL NEXT FALL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PUGET SOUND.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO EDMONDS-WOODWAY.
THE FIRST EDMONDS-WOODWAY STUDENT-ATHLETE IS CADENCE HANSON FROM EDMONDS-WOODWAY TRACK AND FIELD.
IF YOU WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT TO A TRACK MEET THIS YEAR, REALLY JUST OUTSTANDING ACROSS THE BOARD FOR ALL FOUR OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT.
AND CADENCE WAS DEFINITELY ONE OF THOSE TOP PERFORMERS.
SHE'S A FOUR-YEAR VARSITY LETTER WINNER IN TRACK AND FIELD FOR EDMONDS-WOODWAY.
HER COACH DESCRIBES HER AS DEDICATED AND FOCUSED ATHLETE WHO IS BOTH DRIVEN AND WORKS HARD TO IMPROVE HER CRAFT, WHICH IS IMPORTANT AS A THROWER, RIGHT? CADENCE COMPETED IN THE DISCUS, THE SHOT, AND THE JAVELIN, ALL THREE THROWS ALL SEASON.
IT'S NO SURPRISE SHE WAS A TEAM CAPTAIN FOR THE THROWERS THIS YEAR.
SHE HAS THE SECOND BEST THROW IN EDMONDS-WOODWAY HISTORY IN THE DISCUS WITH 132 FEET, 6 INCHES.
DID I GET THAT RIGHT? THAT'S AN IMPRESSIVE THROW.
SO SECOND ALL TIME AS WE'RE TALKING SCHOOL RECORDS.
THIS, JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, CADENCE WENT DOWN TO THE STATE TRACK MEET AT MOUNT TAHOMA HIGH SCHOOL.
COMPETING IN THE DISCUS PLACED FOURTH IN STATE,
[00:20:02]
WHICH IS SUPER IMPRESSIVE.REALLY AMAZING TO FINISH YOUR SENIOR SEASON WITH SUCH A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT.
CADENCE WILL BE COMPETING NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
SHE'LL BE ATTENDING SCHOOL AND COMPETING IN TRACK AND FIELD AT AZUSA PACIFIC.
AND AALIYAH CARL, EDMONTON VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL TRACK AND FIELD.
SO IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO RECOGNIZE AALIYAH TONIGHT AS WELL.
SHE'S ALSO A FOUR-YEAR VARSITY LETTER WINNER.
I KNOW THAT COACH FILLMAN WILL BE SORRY TO LOSE YOU BOTH ON THAT TRACK TEAM.
SHE'S BEEN THE DISTANCE TEAM CAPTAIN WAS THIS YEAR.
AALIYAH DID SOMETHING VERY DIFFICULT TO DO.
SHE COMPETED AT THE STATE TRACK MEET ALL FOUR YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL.
SHE SET THE SCHOOL RECORD IN THE 800 METER AT THE STATE MEET HER JUNIOR YEAR AND EARNED A SIXTH PLACE.
THEN THIS YEAR, SHE WENT BACK TO THE STATE TRACK MEET AS A SENIOR, EARNED ANOTHER SIXTH PLACE FINISH.
DID I SAY SHE SET, OH, I'M SORRY, SHE SET THE SCHOOL RECORD AS A JUNIOR, AND THEN THIS YEAR WENT BACK, GOT ANOTHER SIXTH PLACE FINISH IN THE 800 METER, AND BROKE HER OWN SCHOOL RECORD AT THE STATE MEET.
WERE YOU UPSET WITH YOURSELF, OR WERE YOU HAPPY? YOU WERE HAPPY.
YEAH, YOU BEAT YOUR OWN SCHOOL RECORD.
AT THIS YEAR'S STATE MEET, THIS IS WHERE IT GETS REALLY EXCITING AS WELL.
SHE ALSO TOOK SIXTH PLACE IN THE 4X200 RELAY WITH HER TEAMMATES, GETTING THE SECOND BEST TIME IN EDMONDS RELAY SCHOOL HISTORY.
ALSO PLACED SIXTH IN THE 4X4 RELAY AND WITH HER TEAMMATES SET A SCHOOL RECORD IN THE 4X4 RELAY.
SHE FINISHES HER CAREER AT EDMONDS RELAY WITH A SECOND BEST TIME IN EDMONDS.
WOODWAY SCHOOL HISTORY IN THE 400 METER AND SHE WILL BE COMPETING FOR EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN TRACK AND FIELD NEXT YEAR.
GO EAGLES CONGRATULATIONS, AALIYAH, ON SUCH A GREAT CAREER.
AND I WILL SAY I ACTUALLY PARED DOWN WHAT COACHES SENT IN TO ME, WHICH WAS A CHALLENGING FEAT.
AND THEN LAST FROM EDMONDS WOODWAY, CRUZ ESCONDON, EDMONDS WOODWAY BASEBALL.
SO CRUZ ALSO IS A FOUR-YEAR LETTER WINNER FOR THE WARRIORS IN BASEBALL.
HE'S A THREE-SPORT ATHLETE IN FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, AND BASEBALL.
AS A FRESHMAN, HE SCORED THE WINNING RUN.
HE WAS ON SECOND, AND HIS BROTHER HIT HIM HOME.
HE SCORED THE WINNING RUN TO WIN A DISTRICT 1 CHAMPIONSHIP.
AS A SOPHOMORE, HE HELPED LEAD THE BASEBALL TEAM TO A THIRD-PLACE FINISH IN STATE.
AND HE JUST HAS TOO MANY CLUTCH PERFORMANCES TO NAME HERE.
SO I'LL JUST TALK ABOUT ONE THIS SEASON, AND I KNOW DR.
MINER WAS AT THIS GAME AGAINST STANWOOD.
TIE GAME, CRUISES UP TO BAT, AND HE HITS A WALK-OFF SINGLE TO DEFEAT STANWOOD IN ADVANCE IN THE DISTRICT TOURNAMENT, WHICH WAS A REALLY EXCITING GAME.
HE'S RECEIVED ALL OF WESTCO RECOGNITION AS A SENIOR IN BASEBALL AND FOOTBALL, AND WAS FIRST-TEAM ALL-AREA IN BASEBALL AS A SOPHOMORE.
HE WAS AMONGST THE WESTCO LEAGUE LEADERS IN TRIPLES WITH FIVE.
HE ALSO HELPED HIS BASKETBALL TEAM TO A SIXTH AND STATE FINISH THIS WINTER WITH EDMONDS-WOODWAY.
AND I COULDN'T, I HAVE TO SAY THIS BECAUSE I'VE NEVER, I'VE BEEN AROUND HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS FOR THE LAST, IN THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THE LAST ALMOST 30 YEARS, AND I'VE NEVER SEEN A STUDENT-ATHLETE DO WHAT CRUZ DID THIS PAST SCHOOL YEAR.
AT THE BEGINNING OF HIS JUNIOR YEAR, HE SUFFERED AN ACL TEAR AND MISSED AN ENTIRE YEAR OF PLAYING SPORTS.
AND WHEN HE CAME BACK AS A SENIOR, HE PLAYED FOOTBALL IN THE FALL, HE PLAYED BASKETBALL IN THE WINTER, AND HE PLAYED BASEBALL IN THE SPRING.
I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYONE COME BACK FROM AN INJURY LIKE THAT AND PLAY ALL THREE SPORTS FOR ALL OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
IT'S PRETTY INCREDIBLE, AND IT SAYS A LOT ABOUT WHO YOU ARE AS A COMPETITOR AND AS A STUDENT ATHLETE.
CRUZ WILL PLAY BASEBALL NEXT YEAR AND ATTEND SCHOOL AT EVERETT COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
AND MOVING ON TO LINWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH MONET WINFIELD-SOLARS.
MONET IS A FOUR-YEAR MEMBER OF THE TRACK TEAM AT LINWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, ALSO COMPETED IN CROSS-COUNTRY.
HER COACHES SAY THEY'RE EXTREMELY PROUD OF THE WORK SHE PUT IN ALL THROUGHOUT HIGH SCHOOL, AND IN PARTICULAR HER SENIOR SEASON.
AFTER AN OUTSTANDING REGULAR SEASON, MONET QUALIFIED IN BOTH THE HIGH JUMP AND LONG JUMP
[00:25:01]
FOR THE DISTRICT TRACK MEET, SO ADVANCED TO DISTRICTS IN BOTH.AND THEN AT THE DISTRICT MEET, MONET SET A PR, SO A PERSONAL RECORD, IN THE LONG JUMP, NOT ONLY A PERSONAL RECORD, BUT IT WAS A STATE QUALIFYING JUMP, SO SHE QUALIFIED FOR STATE.
AND THEN AT THE STATE MEET AT MOUNT TOMAH HIGH SCHOOL, ON HER FINAL ATTEMPT, SHE SET ANOTHER PR.
AND IN ADDITION TO IT BEING A PR, THAT JUMP ALSO EARNED HER A FIFTH IN STATE FINISH IN THE LONG JUMP, WHICH IS SUPER, I'M SURE IT WAS A LOT OF FUN, SUPER EXCITING.
SHE WILL COMPETE NEXT YEAR AND ATTEND SCHOOL AT EVERETT COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
CONGRATULATIONS, MONET, ON SUCH AN OUTSTANDING HIGH SCHOOL CAREER.
AND THEN ALSO FROM LINWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, ANNA DODICK, LINWOOD HIGH TRACK AND FIELD.
ANNA LETTERED IN FOUR DIFFERENT SPORTS THROUGHOUT HIGH SCHOOL.
SHE PLAYED FOOTBALL HER FIRST TWO YEARS AT LINWOOD AND THEN SWITCHED TO VOLLEYBALL AND WAS A STARTER ON VOLLEYBALL, BUT SHE WAS A LINEBACKER ON FOOTBALL FOR TWO YEARS, THEN PLAYED VOLLEYBALL.
AND THEN SHE ALSO PLAYED GIRLS BASKETBALL AND THEN IN THE FALL HER WHAT I WOULD PROBABLY SAY WAS YOUR MAIN SPORT TRACK AND FIELD THREE SPORT ATHLETE SUPER COMPETITOR FUN TO WATCH IT'S JUST BEEN A PLEASURE JUST WATCHING YOU COMPETE THESE LAST FOUR YEARS SHE'S A THREE-TIME WEST COAST SOUTH DISCUS CHAMPION TWO-TIME WEST COAST SOUTH SHOT PUT CHAMPION DISTRICT ONE CHAMPION IN THE DISCUS FOR HER JUNIOR AND SENIOR SEASONS SHE PLAYS FIFTH AND STATE IN THE DISC AND 20-24, SO AS A SOPHOMORE.
AND THEN AFTER THAT FIFTH IN-STATE FINISH, SHE WENT BACK TO MOUNT TAHOMA HIGH SCHOOL A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AND FINISHED WITH A THROW THAT EARNED HER A SECOND IN-STATE FINISH.
HER COACHES SAY HER IMPACT AS AN ATHLETE IS UNPARALLELED, BUT SHE IS EVEN A BETTER HUMAN BEING.
SHE WAS ALSO RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE EDMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOLAR ATHLETES A FEW WEEKS AGO.
AND THEN OUR LAST LINWOOD HIGH STUDENT, HENRY TORRES-HERNANDEZ, LINWOOD HIGH SOCCER.
AND YOU'RE OUR LONE SOCCER PLAYER TONIGHT.
YOU HAD A GREAT SENIOR SEASON.
FOUR YEARS, HENRY HAS PLAYED FOUR YEARS OF VARSITY SOCCER.
HE'S A FOUR-YEAR STARTER AND HAS PLAYED IN EVERY GAME AT LINWOOD HIGH SCHOOL OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS AT THE VARSITY LEVEL.
DIFFICULT TO DO AND TAKES A LOT OF HARD WORK AND DEDICATION.
HE WAS A CAPTAIN OF THIS YEAR'S TEAM.
HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING HIS TEAM REACH THE DISTRICT TOURNAMENT ALL FOUR YEARS.
HE BROKE THE SCHOOL RECORD FOR MOST GOALS SCORED IN ONE SEASON WITH 26.
VERY DIFFICULT TO DO ESPECIALLY IN IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE WEST COAST SOUTH AND SOCCER A VERY TOUGH DIVISION AND ALSO HAD THE MOST ASSISTS.
SO HE EARNED FIRST TEAM ALL WESCO HONORS AS A FORWARD, AND HE WAS SELECTED BY THE COACHES IN THE WESCO LEAGUE AS THE WESCO SOUTH OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR.
HIS COACHES AND ATHLETIC DIRECTOR SAID HE BECAME A REALLY STRONG LEADER THIS YEAR AS A SENIOR.
HE WAS THE GUY WHO OTHER TEAMS WOULD TRY TO STOP.
STOP AND A LOT OF TIMES THAT CAN BE FRUSTRATING TO BE THAT PERSON WHEN YOU KNOW THEY'VE SPENT THEIR ENTIRE PRACTICE THE DAY BEFORE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO STOP YOU FROM SCORING GOALS THEY SAID HENRY SHOWED A LOT OF MATURITY AND GROWTH AND PERFORMED AT A HIGH LEVEL HE WILL CONTINUE GOING TO SCHOOL AND PLAYING SOCCER AT EVERETT COMMUNITY COLLEGE CONGRATULATIONS HENRY IT'S GOING TO BE A TOUGH SENIOR CLASS TO LOSE OKAY, MADISON MITCHELL, MEADOWDALE HIGH SCHOOL FAST PITCH.
SO MADDIE LED THE TEAM IN BATTING AVERAGE AND HITTING.
SHE HIT .500 FOR MOST OF THE YEAR AND ENDED WITH .425 OVERALL AND LED THE TEAM WITH 27 SINGLES.
I KNOW THAT THAT'S A LOT OF STATS, BUT WHEN YOU PUT ALL OF THOSE TOGETHER, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO DO.
SHE EARNED 13 RBIS, SCORED 18 RUNS FOR THE MAVS.
AND FOR HER OUTSTANDING PLAY THIS SEASON, SHE EARNED FIRST-TEAM ALL-WESTCO RECOGNITION AS AN INFIELDER.
AS A LEADER AND TEAM CAPTAIN, MADDIE KEPT THE TEAM'S WORK ETHIC AND STANDARD HIGH BY ALWAYS PUSHING HER LIMITS AT SHORTSTOP.
AND OTHER ATHLETES ON THE TEAM LOOKED UP TO HER AND THE WAY SHE WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH ADVERSITY.
[00:30:01]
ATHLETE THAT NEVER BACKS DOWN.AND ALWAYS HAS HER TEAMMATES BACK.
WATCH YOUR TEAM MAKE A RUN AT THE END OF THE SEASON AND INTO DISTRICTS, AND I KNOW THAT YOU PLAYED A HUGE PART IN THAT AND WILL BE MISSED NEXT YEAR ON THE FIELD.
CONGRATULATIONS ON SUCH A GREAT SENIOR SEASON, MADDIE.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, MEADOWDALE HIGH BASEBALL, KEALOHA KEPO'O SABATE.
SO ANOTHER ONE OF ALL THESE STUDENT ATHLETES HAVE BEEN SO FUN TO WATCH COMPETE, KALOA, NO DIFFERENT.
HE'S BEEN ON VARSITY BASEBALL ALL FOUR YEARS, WHICH IS VERY RARE FOR A FRESHMAN TO COME UP AND START VARSITY, ESPECIALLY AS A SHORTSTOP.
SO I KNOW THAT SAYS A LOT ABOUT YOU.
HE'S A TWO-SPORT ATHLETE IN BASEBALL AND FOOTBALL.
HE WAS AN IMPACT PLAYER, ALL-LEAGUE PLAYER IN FOOTBALL, AS WELL AS RECEIVING FIRST-TEAM ALL-WESTCO RECOGNITION AS A PITCHER.
AND ALSO FIRST TEAM ALL AREA HONORS AS AN INFIELDER.
AT FOOTBALL YOUR FIRST TEAM ALL WESCO RECOGNITION WAS AS A WIDE RECEIVER AND HAD SOME REALLY KEY OUTSTANDING HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE MAVS DURING GAMES THIS SEASON.
HIS BASEBALL COACH SAID FOR FOUR STRAIGHT SEASONS HE HAS BEEN THE HEARTBEAT OF OUR PROGRAM AND WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE TO REPLACE.
HE HAS A STRONG WORK ETHIC, COMPETITION, AND HIS LEGACY IS UNMATCHED.
REMEMBER WHAT I TAUGHT EARLIER ABOUT THAT STAT? HE FINISHED WITH .939, WHICH IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE AND AMONGST THE TOP IN THE LEAGUE.
AND HE WILL ATTEND SCHOOL AND PLAY BASEBALL NEXT YEAR AT TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY.
PRETTY STRONG BASEBALL PROGRAM.
WHAT I WILL JUST SAY VERY QUICKLY IS WHAT I JUST READ WAS JUST A REALLY SNAPSHOT, JUST A TINY PIECE OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS HAVE GIVEN IN YOUR LAST FOUR YEARS AND THEN ALL OF THE YEARS BEFORE THAT.
WHAT I WILL SAY, THIS IS A PACKED ROOM AT A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.
YOU COME FROM A VERY SPECIAL COMMUNITY IN THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT AND TO ALL THE STUDENTS IN THE ROOM.
AND AS YOU MOVE FORWARD IN YOUR JOURNEY, KNOW THAT WE ARE STILL ROOTING FOR YOU.
YOU MAY NOT SEE US, YOU MAY NOT HEAR US, BUT BEST OF LUCK TO ALL OF YOU AS YOU MOVE FORWARD IN YOUR JOURNEY.
AND CONGRATULATIONS, AND HAVE A GREAT LAST WEEK OF SENIOR YEAR TO ALL OF YOU.
CAN WE HAVE ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL OF OUR ATHLETES? AND WE HAVE ONE MORE SET OF RECOGNITIONS THIS EVENING.
THAT IS THE LINWOOD HIGH SCHOOL FIRST ROBOTICS TEAM.
I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME FORWARD CYNTHIA NELSON TO INTRODUCE THESE STUDENTS FOR US.
SO I'M ONE OF THE ASSISTANT COACHES FOR THE LINWOOD HIGH SCHOOL ROBOTIC TEAM.
I WILL GO AHEAD AND ANNOUNCE ALL OF THEM BUT FIRST I WANTED TO KIND OF EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR TEAM.
WE GET, ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD, INSTRUCTIONS ON BUILDING A ROBOT TO COMPETE IN A GAME AND THE GAME CHANGES DRASTICALLY EVERY YEAR.
THESE AMAZING KIDS WE'LL BUILD A ROBOT IN SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS AND COMPETE.
WE ENDED UP COMPETING INTERNATIONALLY.
WE WENT TO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR THE SECOND TIME IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.
IT ALL KIND OF BLENDS TOGETHER, YOU KNOW.
BUT THESE KIDS ARE INCREDIBLE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE OFTEN SAY IS WITH KIDS WHO ARE IN THE FIRST PROGRAM, THEY ALL HAVE A CHANCE TO GO PRO, AND IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
[00:35:02]
PAY ATTENTION TO THEM.YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR THEM IN THE FUTURE.
THESE KIDS ARE THE ONES THAT WILL CHANGE THE WORLD.
AND THEY'RE ALL FROM EDMONDS, SO HERE WE GO.
OKAY, SO WE HAVE NATHANIEL BLACK, OR NATE.
BOTH OF THESE, ALTHOUGH WE'RE A LINWOOD HIGH SCHOOL TEAM, BOTH OF THESE STUDENTS ARE FROM EDMONDS-WOODWAY.
CY GUNZE, A LINWOOD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT.
HE'S NEW TO OUR TEAM THIS YEAR.
THE OTHER TWO HAVE BEEN ON FOR FOUR YEARS, THREE YEARS, FOUR YEARS.
NIKOLAI HENDON, ANOTHER LINWOOD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT.
HE'S BEEN ON THE TEAM FOR THREE YEARS.
JOSH WAS ON THE MOUNT LAKE TERRACE TEAM, BUT HE DECIDED HE WANTED TO COME TO OUR TEAM.
SO, HE'S BEEN WITH US FOR TWO YEARS.
SHE IS NEW TO OUR TEAM THIS YEAR.
THIS IS WESTON'S FIRST YEAR ON THE TEAM.
YOU'RE WAITING AREN'T YOU? CAROLINE Z.
I'LL HAVE HER SAY HER LAST NAME.
SO THESE ARE OUR STUDENTS THAT WERE ABLE TO COME.
THERE'S A COUPLE THAT WEREN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT BUT DO WE HAVE TIME FOR OUR STUDENTS? TO GIVE THEIR PRESENTATIONS TO? YES, WE HEARD THEY HAD A COUPLE OF BRIEF REMARKS, YES.
ACTUALLY, I THINK WE'LL HAVE YOU GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO THE PRESENTATION STAND THEN.
I THINK THAT'LL BE JUST A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO.
HELLO, MY NAME IS NATHANIEL BLACK.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I CAME FROM THE BOARD LAST YEAR TO SPEAK ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THIS TEAM AND PROGRAM AND WHAT IT'S DONE FOR ME.
AND IN THAT YEAR, THIS PROGRAM HAS CONTINUED TO SHAPE ME AND SUPPORT MY GROWTH.
FIRST ROBOTICS OFFERS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERY STUDENT TO GROW ALONGSIDE THEIR TEAM AS BOTH AN ENGINEER AND AN INDIVIDUAL.
I JOINED THE TEAM AS A SOPHOMORE WITH A CLOSE-KNIT GROUP OF FRIENDS.
THEY LET ME IN AND THEY INSPIRED ME WHILE TEACHING ME WHAT IT MEANT TO LEAD A TEAM.
FOLLOWING THEIR GRADUATION, THE WEIGHT OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES FELL DOWN ON ME AND A SMALL HANDFUL OF OTHER STUDENTS.
AND WHILE THIS CAUSED ITS FAIR SHARE OF STRESS AND TENSION, WE CAME THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE BETTER AND STRONGER AS A TEAM.
THAT SHARED PERSEVERANCE TAUGHT ME WHAT IT MEANT TO STICK BY A TEAM AND WORK TOGETHER THROUGH THE STRUGGLES.
AND THIS EXPERIENCE GAVE ME THE CONFIDENCE TO COME INTO MY OWN AS A LEADER WITHIN THE TEAM.
A FIRE WAS LIT UNDERNEATH US THAT PUSHED OUR GROWTH THROUGHOUT THIS PAST YEAR.
AND AS SENIORS, THIS HAS BEEN OUR CHANCE TO SHARE WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED WITH INCOMING STUDENTS AND BE THE ONES TO INSPIRE.
THIS YEAR, WE BUILT ON OUR PREVIOUS ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND EXPERIENCE TO SHOWCASE A STRONG PERFORMANCE.
WE WON MULTIPLE AWARDS AT DISTRICT COMPETITIONS FOR OUR PROGRAMMING CREATIVITY AND TEAM PASSION.
WE PLACED WELL AT EVENTS AND QUALIFIED FOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN HOUSTON.
WHERE WE COMPETED AGAINST SOME OF THE BEST TEAMS IN THE WORLD.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE DID THIS ALL TOGETHER, UNIFIED, AND AS A STRONG TEAM.
THESE OPPORTUNITIES ARE GIVEN TO STUDENTS THROUGH THE CONTINUATION OF THE FIRST PROGRAM, BUT THAT IS NOT THE GREATEST STRENGTH.
THE GREATEST STRENGTH OF THE PROGRAM IS THE MENTORS, WHO ARE THE CORE OF EVERY TEAM.
THEIR DEDICATION AND THEIR SACRIFICE, AS THEY SPEND OVER 40 HOURS A WEEK DEDICATING TO THE TEAM, IS IMMEASURABLE.
[00:40:01]
THEY PLAN MEETINGS, THEY SUPERVISE, AND THEY SUPPORT US IN EVERY ENDEAVOR, BOTH IN AND OUTSIDE OF ROBOTICS.THE IMPACT THAT THEY HAVE IS, THEY HAVE A LARGE IMPACT ON EVERY STUDENT, AND I WILL NEVER FORGET WHAT THEIR GUIDANCE HAS DONE FOR ME.
IF THERE IS ONE THING TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS SPEECH, IT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MENTORS WITHIN THIS PROGRAM AND HOW MUCH WE SHOULD BE INVESTING INSIDE OF THEM.
WE ALSO OWE A LARGE PORTION OF OUR SUCCESS TO THE PRACTICE FIELD.
WHILE THE MENTORS OFFER US KNOWLEDGE AND GUIDANCE, THE FIELD GIVES US THE SPACE TO GROW AND ITERATE ON OUR IDEAS AND IMPROVE OUR ROBOT.
THIS OPPORTUNITY IS INVALUABLE TO US AS IT GIVES US THE CHANCE TO PRACTICE DRIVING AND PROGRAMMING BEFORE COMPETITION.
THIS YEAR, OVER 40 TEAMS FROM ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE AND TWO FROM CANADA CAME DOWN AND UTILIZED THE PRACTICE FIELD.
THIS INCLUDES TEAM 2910, WHO WON WORLDS LAST YEAR AND WAS A FINALIST THIS YEAR.
THE EXISTENCE OF PRACTICE FIELDS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY UPLIFTS AND BENEFITS THE ENTIRE REGION, AND ALTHOUGH THE PRACTICE FIELD WILL BE CLOSING SOON DUE TO CONSTRUCTION, WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN WORKING.
WITH MANY OF THE TEAMS IN OUR AREA TO SECURE A NEW LOCATION AND WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE CONTINUED SUPPORT.
AS I MOVE FORWARD INTO COLLEGE I'LL CARRY WITH ME THE LESSONS AND EXPERIENCE THAT THIS TEAM HAS GIVEN ME.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
HELLO, MY NAME IS ALLISON ROSEBROOK.
I'M A SENIOR AT EDMONDS-WOODWAY HIGH SCHOOL AND I WAS ALSO HERE LAST MAY TO DISCUSS MORE ABOUT OUR ROBOTICS TEAM.
I'M ALSO ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD OF 4-H ROBOTICS ALONGSIDE NATHANIEL.
I JOINED THE TEAM IN JANUARY OF 2024 AND I WAS DRAGGED INTO A MEETING BY MY COUSIN, COMPLETELY UNAWARE OF WHAT I WAS GETTING INTO.
IN THE THREE YEARS SINCE, ROBOTICS HAS BECOME A BIGGER PART OF MY LIFE THAN I EVER EXPECTED.
I'VE ATTENDED 17 COMPETITIONS, ACTING AS THE ROBOTICS OPERATOR IN 13 OF THEM.
IT'S BEEN TIME-CONSUMING, BUT NOTHING IF NOT REWARDING.
WHILE PLAYING IN A WORLD STAGE SURROUNDED BY 50,000 OTHER STUDENTS AND SPECTATORS IS AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE.
ONE THING THAT REALLY STANDS OUT TO ME ABOUT OUR TEAM IS THE REWARDING NATURES THAT THE OTHER TEAM ASPECTS CAN ALSO HAVE.
THE BIGGEST OF THESE, FOR ME, IS OUR FLL, OR FIRST LEGO LEAGUE, PROGRAMS. IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE HAVE STARTED THESE PROGRAMS AT THREE DIFFERENT DISTRICT LOCATIONS, O'KITE ELEMENTARY, WESTGATE ELEMENTARY, AND ALDERWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND REACHED NEARLY 70 STUDENTS, IN ADDITION TO COUNTLESS PARENT VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF WHO HAVE WORKED WITH US AT THESE SCHOOLS TO KEEP THE PROGRAM RUNNING SMOOTHLY.
ADDITIONALLY, WE PLANNED FOR THESE PROGRAMS TO REACH 30 STUDENTS WITH TEAMS OF 10 AT EACH SCHOOL.
DUE TO TREMENDOUS ENTHUSIASM AND ENROLLMENT, WE RECEIVED 38 TEAM APPLICATIONS AT WESTGATE ALONE IN THE FALL OF 2024.
WE EXPANDED OUR HORIZONS AND RESOURCES TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THESE STUDENTS COULD PARTICIPATE.
IT WASN'T EASY, AND IT FORCED US TO MAKE CHANGES.
WE WEREN'T PHYSICALLY OR MONETARILY PREPARED FOR THIS NUMBER OF STUDENTS AND HAD TO WORK EXTENSIVELY WITH THE SCHOOLS TO ENSURE TO SECURE A ROOM FOR AN EXTRA DAY EACH WEEK, ALLOWING US, IN ADDITION TO WRITING A GRANT, TO HELP OBTAIN ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
WORKING WITH THESE TEAMS, NOT ONLY FROM WESTGATE, BUT ALSO FROM OAK HEIGHTS AND ALDERWOOD, WE ORGANIZED A SCRIMMAGE EVENT TO ALLOW FOR ALL OF THESE STUDENTS TO EXPERIENCE A COMPETITION ENVIRONMENT, EVEN IF WE HAD THE CAPACITY TO ONLY TAKE SOME OF THEM TO OFFICIAL COMPETITION.
WITH CHANGES WE MADE THIS YEAR, WE WERE ABLE TO BETTER CONTROL TEAM SIZE AND WERE MORE PREPARED.
ALLOWING US TO HAVE THE CAPACITY TO BRING ALL TEAMS TO AN OFFICIAL COMPETITION LAST DECEMBER.
THIS YEAR, AND LAST, OUR FL TEAMS HAVE BEEN RUN WITH STUDENTS FROM OUR HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH HELPS US TO GAIN HANDS-ON LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCES.
I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT SETTING UP AND LEADING THESE TEAMS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING EXPERIENCES I'VE HAD AT ROBOTICS.
FROM SEEING KIDS' FACES LIGHT UP WHEN THEIR PROGRAMMING WORKS, TO GETTING AN EMAIL SAYING WE RECEIVED A $3,500 GRANT, IT'S TRULY BEEN AN EXPERIENCE I'LL NEVER FORGET.
AS THIS LEG OF MY EDUCATION COMES TO AN END, I FIND MYSELF LOOKING BACK AND REFLECTING ALL THE THINGS I'VE LEARNED IN THIS TIME.
IN ROBOTICS, THERE ARE THINGS THAT I'VE LEARNED THAT I MAY NEVER NEED AGAIN.
THERE ARE VERY FEW TIMES IN THE FUTURE WHERE I THINK I'LL NEED TO DIFFERENTIATE SCREW TYPES OR KNOW HOW TO OPERATE A LATHE.
BUT EVEN WITH THIS, THERE ARE EVEN MORE THINGS THAT I'VE LEARNED THAT I WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE WITH ME.
LEADERSHIP, HOW TO MANAGE A GROUP, PUBLIC SPEAKING, TIME MANAGEMENT, FINDING SOLUTIONS EVEN WHEN TASKS FEEL IMPOSSIBLE.
I MAY BE LEAVING THE TEAM, BUT THESE THINGS WILL STAY WITH ME, AND I PLAN TO STAY CONNECTED AND STAY A PART OF THE COMMUNITY THROUGH VOLUNTEERING.
IN THE END, I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT I'VE BEEN A PART OF ROBOTICS AND A PART OF THIS TEAM.
I'M PROUD OF WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED, AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THE NEXT GENERATION OF STUDENTS WILL DO NEXT.
WE ARE VERY, VERY PROUD OF ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.
STUDENT ATHLETES AND OUR STUDENT ROBOTICS EXPERTS.
IT'S AMAZING THE KIND OF PASSION AND SKILL AND EXPERTISE KIDS CAN BRING TO THE THINGS THAT EXCITE THEM, AND IT'S WONDERFUL
[7. SUPERINTENDENT REPORT-7:00 pm]
FOR THEIR LEARNING.[00:45:02]
NEXT WE HAVE THE SUPERINTENDENT REPORT.WELL I WISH WE COULD HAVE EVERY SENIOR HERE TO JOIN US THIS EVENING.
I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'LL BE HAVING SIX GRADUATIONS OVER THE COURSE OF THURSDAY, FRIDAY, AND SATURDAY.
AND CELEBRATING THIS MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR SO MANY OF OUR STUDENTS WHO HAVE OVERCOME OBSTACLES, WHO HAVE JUST PERSEVERED, WHO HAVE HAD AMAZING LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR SCHOOLS.
AND ARE NOW HEADING OFF TO A VARIETY OF NEXT STEPS IN THEIR LIVES, BUT WE'RE VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO CELEBRATING THEM THIS WEEKEND.
[8. APPROVAL OF MINUTES-7:05 pm]
NEXT IS APPROVAL OF MINUTES.WE HAVE THREE SETS OF MINUTES TO APPROVE TONIGHT.
ONE OF THE MINUTES FROM THE MAY 19, 2026 SPECIAL MEETING, WHICH WAS OUR JOINT SESSION WITH THE EDMONDS COLLEGE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
THE SECOND IS A SET OF MINUTES FROM THE MAY 26, 2026 SPECIAL MEETING, WHICH WAS AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, AND THEN THE MINUTES FROM THE MAY 26, 2026 REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING.
DO I HEAR A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THESE THREE SETS OF MINUTES? I MOVE TO APPROVE ALL THREE SETS OF MINUTES.
I'VE HEARD A MOTION TO APPROVE AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? HEARING NONE, THESE THREE SETS OF MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
GIVEN THE CHANGE TO THE AGENDA, THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS BOND SALE PLANNING, ITEM 11.2.
I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME FORWARD LYDIA SELLE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS AND FINANCE, WHO WILL INTRODUCE MARK PRESSING, FINANCIAL ADVISOR, WHO WILL PRESENT TO THE BOARD ABOUT THE UPCOMING BOND SALE.
BUT I CAN SAY THAT ANYBODY WHO NEEDS TO LEAVE AT THIS PART OF THE...
YOU DON'T HAVE TO STAY FOR THE WHOLE MEETING IF THE PART YOU PARTICULARLY CAME FOR HAS BEEN DONE.
I BELIEVE YOU MET MR. PRESSING ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO AND AFTER A SUCCESSFUL BOND ELECTION, AND WE HAD THE FIRST SALE OF OUR 2024 AUTHORIZATION.
SO WE ARE NOW TALKING ABOUT OUR SECOND SALE OF OUR 2024 AUTHORIZATION.
LYDIA, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT CAN WE JUST WAIT A SECOND? A LOT OF NOISE TO HEAR YOU OVER.
SO INSTEAD OF LISTENING TO ME TALK, MR. PRESSING HAS COME ALL THE WAY UP FROM SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON TO GIVE A PRESENTATION THIS EVENING.
PRESIDENT KADAMS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR.
MINER, IT'S A REALLY PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
I HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS ITEMS FOR YOU THIS EVENING, NOT AS GOOD AS THE STUDENT ATHLETES AND THE ROBOTICS TEAM, BUT STILL I THINK GOOD NEWS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I'M THE FINANCIAL ADVISOR WITH EDUCATIONAL SERVICE DISTRICT 112 AND I SERVE THE DISTRICT AS YOUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR ON ALL THINGS RELATED TO BONDS AND LOBBY PLANNING.
THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE PLANNING OF THE BOND SALE.
YOU AS A BOARD HAVE THE ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY FOR APPROVING THE BONDS.
THE SUPERINTENDENT AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WORK WITH COORDINATING THE FINANCE TEAM, AND ULTIMATELY YOU, AS APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION AT YOUR NEXT MEETING OR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THAT, DELEGATE TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO SET THE FINAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS ON THE BONDS, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING TO APPROVE THAT.
YOUR LEGAL COUNSEL IS SPECIFIC, A LAW GROUP.
THEY MAKE SURE YOU'RE DOING EVERYTHING IN ACCORDANCE WITH LOCAL LAW, FEDERAL LAW, SECURITY LAW, SECURITIES LAW, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT YOU MET ALL THE CONDITIONS TO HAVE THESE BONDS BE EXEMPT FROM FEDERAL INCOME TAX, SO YOU GET A LOWER INTEREST RATE.
AGAIN, I SERVE AS A FINANCIAL ADVISOR.
I HAVE A FIDUCIARY DUTY TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU THAT I THINK ARE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE BOARD, THE DISTRICT, AND THE TAXPAYERS OF THE DISTRICT.
AND UNDERWRITERS ON THIS WILL BE D.A. DAVIDSON AND PIPER SANDLER.
THEY WERE THE UNDERWRITERS ON THE LAST SALE.
WE FLIPPED THE SENIOR AND CO-MANAGER POSITION FOR THEM.
AND THEY ESSENTIALLY BUY THE BONDS FROM THE DISTRICT AND TURN AROUND AND SELL THEM TO INVESTORS.
THEY FIND INVESTORS FOR THE BONDS.
WE HAVE TWO PIECES OF BONDS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT SELLING.
ONE IS THE NEW MONEY PORTION OF THE 2024 BOND AUTHORIZATION.
THAT WILL BE $200 MILLION FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION.
AND WE ALSO HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO REFINANCE OR REFUND SOME OF THE EXISTING OUTSTANDING BONDS FROM 2015-2016.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO DO THAT.
WHEN YOU SELL BONDS, YOU TELL INVESTORS YOU WON'T PAY THEM OFF FOR THE FIRST 10 YEARS, SO THE 2016 BONDS.
AND IN TODAY'S INTEREST RATES, OR IT WAS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, BUT ABOUT THE SAME NOW, WE COULD SAVE ABOUT $1.8 MILLION FOR TAXPAYERS.
SO THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER GOOD PIECE THERE.
[00:50:01]
TO THE VOTERS, YOU TOLD THEM TO EXPECT A TAX RATE FOR BONDS OF 81 CENTS PER THOUSAND, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MEET THAT GOAL.AND I CAN SKIP THROUGH THIS PAGE TO BE BRIEF FOR YOU THIS EVENING, AND WE HAVE A LONG MEETING, AND WE'RE $200 MILLION FOR THIS PORTION OF THE $594 MILLION THAT THE VOTERS APPROVED IN 2024.
THE BOND MARKET INTEREST RATES ARE VOLATILE, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE.
YOU HEAR THE NEWS OF EVERYTHING GOING ON IN THE NEWS.
THE GLOBAL INSTABILITY HAS CAUSED...
INFLATION HAS BROUGHT INTEREST RATES UP, BUT WE'RE NOT THAT MUCH HIGHER THAN WE WERE BACK WHEN WE SOLD THE BONDS IN 2024, ABOUT 0.75%.
WE ARE HIGHER, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE CHART, WE'RE STILL RELATIVELY LOW COMPARED TO HISTORY.
SO THIS IS STILL A GOOD TIME TO BE BORROWING ON BEHALF OF THE DISTRICT TAXPAYERS TO FINANCE THESE CAPITAL PROJECTS.
THERE IS SOME VOLATILITY, SO WE HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY BUILT INTO OUR PLAN TO MOVE IF WE NEED TO KIND OF CHANGE OUR PLAN.
THIS IS A GRAPH, KIND OF HARD TO READ WITH A PRINT.
PRETTY SMALL BUT THESE ARE THE TAX RATES ASSOCIATED WITH THE DISTRICT'S OPERATING LEVY, BONDS, CAPITAL LEVIES AND YOU CAN SEE HOW WE'RE KEEPING THEM STEADY OVER TIME.
THAT'S REALLY OUR GOAL, TO BE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT VOTERS AND TAXPAYERS ARE MEANT TO EXPECT.
THE AGENDA ITEM GOING FORWARD, OF COURSE WE HAVE THE BOARD BRIEFING TONIGHT.
MY REAL REASON TO BE HERE IS TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE TOO SO PLEASE INTERRUPT IF YOU NEED TO.
AT YOUR NEXT MEETING YOU'LL BE CONSIDERING A BOND RESOLUTION.
THE BOND RESOLUTION, I'M NOT YOUR LEGAL COUNSEL, BUT I CAN TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY WHAT IT DOES IS IT FORMS A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE DISTRICT AND INVESTORS.
IT REQUIRES THE DISTRICT TO MEET CERTAIN CONTINUED DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO INVESTORS OVER TIME.
AND IT ALSO DELEGATES, AS I MENTIONED, TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO FINALIZE THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS ON THE BONDS.
I LIKE TO TALK ABOUT BONDS AND I COULD PROBABLY TALK ABOUT BONDS FOR TWO HOURS, BUT I'M THINKING YOU HAVE A LONG MEETING.
SO AGAIN, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE, BUT WE'RE WELL SET TO MEET ALL THE GOALS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? I JUST HAVE ONE FOR YOU.
CAN YOU GO BACK A COUPLE OF SLIDES TO THE REFUND? I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND THIS PIECE, THIS ONE.
SO WHAT I THINK THIS MEANS, AND YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M INCORRECT, IS THAT WE SOLD BONDS IN 2015-16 AT 5% AND NOW WE'RE ABLE TO BUY BACK OR REFINANCE THOSE WITH THE NEW INTEREST RATE AT 3.3%.
IS THAT BASICALLY WHAT THAT SAYS? THAT'S EXACTLY IT.
SO IT WOULD BE SIMILAR TO YOUR HOME MORTGAGE BEING GOING FROM 5 TO 3.3.
OTHER QUESTIONS? WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING HERE AND EXPLAINING THIS TO US.
WE WILL BE LOOKING AT IT AS A FIRST READ TONIGHT, BUT WE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE TRUST YOUR EXPERTISE MUCH MORE THAN OURS, AND SO WE LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY TO YOUR ADVICE, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR PROTECTING OUR TAXPAYERS' MONEY, OUR COMMUNITY'S MONEY, SO THAT WE CAN GET THE MOST THAT WE CAN FROM THEIR SUPPORT WHEN THEY VOTE FOR OUR BONDS.
SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO THIS KIND OF CONSTRUCTION THAT WE NEED TO DO.
KADAMS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME MOVE AHEAD OF HERE A LITTLE BIT.
[9. PUBLIC COMMENTS-7:10 pm]
SO NOW WE CAN.WE CAN GET TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
THE PUBLIC COMMENTS SECTION OF THE AGENDA IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO ADDRESS THE SCHOOL BOARD.
THE PURPOSE OF PUBLIC COMMENTS IS FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN COMMUNICATING WITH THE BOARD ABOUT ITEMS ON THE AGENDA OR SPECIFIC TOPICS THAT ARE WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THIS ISN'T A TIME FOR THE AUDIENCE TO ADDRESS EACH OTHER.
ALSO, AS DOCUMENTED BY BOARD POLICY, THE BOARD IS NOT OBLIGATED TO RESPOND TO QUESTIONS OR CHALLENGES MADE DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
AND THE BOARD'S SILENCE WILL NOT SIGNAL AGREEMENT OR DISAGREEMENT OR ENDORSEMENT OF THE SPEAKER'S COMMENTS.
PEOPLE MAY SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENTS EITHER BY READING YOUR COMMENT ALOUD OR SAYING YOUR COMMENT ALOUD IN PERSON OR BY SUBMITTING YOUR COMMENT IN WRITING.
THE BOARD READS AND APPRECIATES ALL WRITTEN COMMENTS AND THEY ARE LATER ATTACHED TO THE MEETING AGENDA AND POSTED PUBLICLY ON THE BOARD DOCS WEBSITE.
FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING, WE'VE RECEIVED 18 WRITTEN COMMENTS, ONE ABOUT ROBOTICS,
[00:55:02]
ONE ABOUT OUR STUDENT INTERVENTION COORDINATORS, TWO ABOUT STAFFING, AND 14 ABOUT START AND END TIMES.AND WE WANT TO THANK ALL OF THOSE OF YOU WHO TOOK THE TIME TO SHARE YOUR THINKING WITH US THROUGH THE WRITTEN COMMENTS THAT'S ALREADY BEEN GIVEN TO THE BOARD TO READ.
WHEN YOU PRESENT YOUR COMMENT IN PERSON, PLEASE BEGIN BY STATING YOUR NAME, YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE, YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE DISTRICT, AND THE AGENDA ITEM OR SCHOOL DISTRICT TOPIC THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE ADDRESSING TONIGHT.
PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES.
A TIMER WILL BE RUNNING SO THAT YOU CAN MONITOR YOUR TIME, AND AT THE THREE-MINUTE MARK, THE MICROPHONE WILL BE MUTED.
WE WANT TO HONOR ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE SPEAKING TONIGHT.
PLEASE MAKE YOUR STATEMENT IN A CIVIL MANNER WITHOUT DISPARAGING, NAME-CALLING, OR OTHERWISE TARGETING ANY ONE PERSON OR GROUP WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
IF ANY PERSON MAKES AN UNCIVIL COMMENT, I WILL DIRECT THE MICROPHONE TO BE MUTED AND YOUR COMMENT WILL BE ENDED REGARDLESS OF THE TIME LEFT ON THE TIMER.
THE DESCRIPTION OF AN UNCIVIL COMMENT IS STATED IN OUR SCHOOL BOARD POLICY 1400.
AND IT'S ALSO INCLUDED IN THE INFORMATION ON THE TABLE WHERE YOU SIGNED UP TONIGHT TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT.
PLEASE USE GOOD JUDGMENT IN THE PHRASING AND CONTENT OF YOUR COMMENTS.
RELEVANT ITEMS MENTIONED IN COMMENTS ARE TYPICALLY NOT ACTED UPON BY THE BOARD AT THIS TIME, BUT IT MAY BE FOLLOWED UP BY THE BOARD OR THE SUPERINTENDENT OR STAFF AT A LATER TIME.
DUE TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE INTERESTED IN MAKING A COMMENT TONIGHT, WE HAVE EXPANDED THE AMOUNT OF TIME ALLOTTED FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM WHAT IS USUALLY A TOTAL OF 30 MINUTES TO UP TO TWO HOURS.
IF YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO MAKE YOUR COMMENT TONIGHT, PLEASE KNOW THERE'S ANOTHER BOARD MEETING IN TWO WEEKS, AND OF COURSE, YOU CAN SEND US COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS AT ANY TIME THROUGH EMAIL.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN SPEAKING ABOUT THE PROPOSED START AND END TIME SCHEDULES, PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THE PROPOSED START AND END TIME SCHEDULES ARE NOT THE SAME AS THE PROPOSED START AND END TIME SCHEDULES.
UNDERSTAND WE HAVE CREATED A VERY LONG RUNWAY IN TERMS OF THIS WHOLE INITIATIVE BEFORE ANY ACTIONS WILL BE TAKEN TOWARD IMPLEMENTATION.
SO THERE IS PLENTY OF TIME TO ALLOW ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM OUR COMMUNITY TO SUPPLEMENT THE THOUSANDS OF RESPONSES THAT WE'VE ALREADY RECEIVED THROUGH THE THREE DISTRICT-WIDE SURVEYS THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN.
SO THAT BEING SAID, COMMENTS WILL BE MADE FROM THE PODIUM.
THAT IS OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE BOARDROOM AND I WILL FIRST, FIRST UP IS GINNY BERRY.
I LIVE IN BOTHELL, WASHINGTON.
I'VE WORKED FOR THE DISTRICT AS A CERTIFICATED TEACHER IN THE MUSIC PROGRAM AND THEN AS A CERTIFICATED SUBSTITUTE AND AS A STUDENT INTERVENTION COORDINATOR.
LAST WEEK I SENT AN EMAIL TO EACH AND EVERY BOARD MEMBER ASKING AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.
WHEN IS THE DISTRICT GOING TO FOLLOW THE LAW AND NOTIFY PARENTS OF THE STUDENTS WHO WERE HARMED BY THE TEACHER AT ONE OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS? HERE'S RCW 28A 32016.
AFTER RECEIVING A REPORT OF AN ALLEGATION THAT A STUDENT IS A VICTIM OR RECIPIENT OF PHYSICAL OR SEXUAL ABUSE, SEXUAL MISCONDUCT OR ASSAULT BY A SCHOOL EMPLOYEE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT MUST IMMEDIATELY NOTIFY THE PARENTS OR LEGAL GUARDIANS.
EVEN THOUGH SEVERAL INSTANCES OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT WERE REPORTED TO THE PRINCIPAL AND THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, THEY DID NOT NOTIFY THE PARENTS AND THEY STILL HAVE NOT DONE SO.
WHY? WHAT THOSE STUDENTS SUFFERED IS GOING TO AFFECT THEM FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.
THEY NEED HELP AND THEIR PARENTS DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.
INSTEAD OF HEARING BACK FROM THE BOARD, AS I WAS PROMISED, I HEARD BACK FROM THE DISTRICT'S ATTORNEY AND THE QUESTION WAS NOT ANSWERED.
I'D LIKE THE PARENTS OF STUDENTS ATTENDING THE SCHOOLS TO KNOW THEIR CHILDREN ARE SAFE.
AND IF THEY ARE NOT SAFE AND THEY ARE VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE, THEY WILL BE NOTIFIED AND SUPPORTED BY THE DISTRICT.
INSTEAD, THE DISTRICT HID THE TRUTH.
AND THE TEACHER WAS ON PAID LEAVE OF ABSENCE FOR TWO YEARS AT A SALARY OF $8,500 A MONTH.
THEY THEN NEGOTIATED A RESIGNATION PACKAGE IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, SIX MONTHS SALARY AND SIX MONTHS MEDICAL INSURANCE.
SO, SO FAR, THIS PERSON HAS COST THE DISTRICT $470,000.
[01:00:01]
LAWSUIT SETTLEMENTS THAT ARE COMING UP.THE DISTRICT HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO REPORT THAT MISCONDUCT TO THE PARENTS.
SO AGAIN, WHEN IS THE DISTRICT GOING TO NOTIFY PARENTS THAT STUDENTS WERE HARMED AND BE HONEST AND OPEN ABOUT HARBORING A SEXUAL PREDATOR? DO NOT THINK BECAUSE YOUR STUDENT DID NOT GO TO A SPECIFIC SCHOOL THEY ARE NOT AFFECTED.
THIS HAPPENS IN ALL SCHOOLS, UNFORTUNATELY, TO SOME DEGREE.
AS A TEACHER, A MOTHER OF TWO DAUGHTERS, AND A HUMAN BEING, I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT STUDENTS AND THEIR WELL-BEING.
THE DISTRICT CHOSE NOT TO OBEY THE LAW, AND THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
IN ORDER TO HELP QUEUE PEOPLE UP, I'M GOING TO ANNOUNCE WHO THE NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE AND THEN WHO THE NEXT SPEAKER AFTER THAT WILL BE SO THAT PERSON CAN BE PREPARED.
SO THE NEXT ONE IS TOM, AND I'M GOING TO DO THE BEST I CAN.
KOZUCHINSKY, AND AFTER TOM WILL BE BUCK STEWART.
I LIVE IN EDMONDS, AND I AM THE PARENT OF TWO STUDENTS AT WESTGATE ELEMENTARY.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT ONE THING TODAY AND THAT IS THE 7 20 A.M.
START TIME THAT'S BEEN PROPOSED.
UNDER THIS PLAN, FIVE-YEAR-OLDS WOULD NEED TO BE AT BUS STOPS BY 6 30 IN THE MORNING.
HERE IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, THAT MEANS STANDING IN THE DARK, IN THE RAIN, IN THE COLD, MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR.
THESE ARE KINDERGARTNERS, THESE ARE FIRST GRADERS.
CHILDREN WHO NEED 10 TO 12 HOURS OF SLEEP TO DEVELOP, LEARN, AND GROW.
WE REVIEWED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCHEDULES IN SEATTLE, EVERETT, MUKILTEO, AND SHORELINE.
NOT A SINGLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN ANY NEIGHBORING DISTRICT STARTS BEFORE 7.55 IN THE MORNING.
DISMISSAL WOULD MAKE EDMONDS AN OUTLIER IN OUR OWN REGION.
NO OTHER DISTRICT HAS DETERMINED THAT THAT IS ACCEPTABLE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN.
IN FACT, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS, NOT A SINGLE STATE IN AMERICA HAS AN AVERAGE ELEMENTARY START TIME AS EARLY AS 7.20.
THE EARLIEST IS MISSISSIPPI AT 740.
WASHINGTON STATE'S AVERAGE IS 847.
THIS PROPOSAL IS NOT JUST A REGIONAL OUTLIER, IT WOULD BE A NATIONAL ONE.
AND THE QUESTION OF WHO BEARS THIS BURDEN MATTERS.
TEN OF THE DISTRICT'S 14 TITLE I ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO THE 720 AM TIER.
THAT IS OVER 71% OF OUR HIGHEST-NEED SCHOOLS.
THE FAMILIES WHO ALREADY FACE THE GREATEST BARRIERS TO CHILDCARE, TRANSPORTATION, AND BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL SUPPORT ARE THE ONES BEING ASKED TO ABSORB THE MOST DISRUPTIVE SCHEDULE IN THE DISTRICT.
THAT IS NOT EQUITY, THAT IS ACTUALLY THE OPPOSITE OF EQUITY.
DISMISSAL CREATES A FOUR-HOUR GAP BEFORE MOST PARENTS FINISH WORK.
FOR MANY WESTGATE FAMILIES, AFTER-SCHOOL CARE RUNS $4,500 TO $5,750 A YEAR, AND THAT IS IF A SPOT IS EVEN AVAILABLE.
NO CHILD CARE MITIGATION PLAN HAS BEEN PRESENTED ALONGSIDE THIS PROPOSAL.
NO SAFETY ASSESSMENT HAS BEEN CONDUCTED FOR THESE EARLY MORNING PICKUPS.
THE PROCESS ITSELF RAISES CONCERNS.
ACROSS THREE ROUNDS OF SURVEYS, NO OPTION WAS EVER PRESENTED THAT DID NOT INCLUDE A 7.20 A.M.
FAMILIES WERE NEVER GIVEN A CHOICE THAT PROTECTED YOUNG CHILDREN.
THEY WERE NEVER TOLD WHICH SCHOOLS WOULD BE ASSIGNED TO WHICH TIER, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO GIVE INFORMED FEEDBACK.
PARTICIPATION DROPPED 58% BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND SURVEYS.
AND IN THE THIRD, THEY WERE NO LONGER ASKED WHETHER THIS SHOULD HAPPEN, ONLY WHEN.
I'M ASKING THIS BOARD TO PAUSE AND ADDRESS FOUR THINGS BEFORE MOVING FORWARD.
EXPLAIN WHY THE DISTRICT IS PROPOSING AN ELEMENTARY START TIME EARLIER THAN ANY STATE AVERAGE IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
SHARE THE CRITERIA THAT PLACED 71% OF TITLE I SCHOOLS IN THE EARLIEST TIER.
PRESENT A CHILD CARE AND SAFETY PLAN FOR FAMILIES AFFECTED BY THE 6.30 A.M.
AND COMPLETELY RECONSIDER IF ANY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SHOULD...
AFTER BUCK STEWART WILL BE WENDY MASTERSON.
I'M A RESIDENT OF EDMONDS AND I WORKED FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I'M MERELY DOING THIS TO WORK THROUGH MY EXPERIENCE, STRESS,
[01:05:03]
TRAUMA RELATED TO ALSO TO MEADOWDALE.I WORKED AT MEADOWDALE AND DURING THAT TIME I FOUND OUT THAT THE PRINCIPAL DOESN'T HAVE TO CONTACT PARENTS IF THEIR CHILD IS WITNESSED OR SUSPECT OF ABUSE.
I THINK PARENTS SHOULD KNOW THAT BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE ROSE-COLORED GLASSES WHEN IT COMES TO THE SCHOOL.
THE TEACHER WAS ACCUSED OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT BY FELLOW STAFF MEMBERS.
I REPORTED MY CONCERNS TO THE PRINCIPAL AND ALSO MADE SEVERAL CALLS TO CPS.
WHEN READING THE PULLED POLICE REPORT THAT I FOUND A LINK ON YOUTUBE, I LEARNED THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE TO ADDRESS THE SITUATION.
I COUNTED 11 OTHER STAFF MEMBERS WHO REPORTED THEIR CONCERNS TO LINWOOD PD.
A FEW EXAMPLES OF MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE ARE AS FOLLOWS.
WHEN ENTERING THE CLASSROOM, I FOUND THE LIGHTS OFF AND A FEMALE STUDENT ALONE WITH THE TEACHER.
ANOTHER TIME, ALSO TO SAY SOMETHING THAT SEEMED TO GO UNNOTICED.
PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL IN YOUR DESCRIPTION HERE.
OTHER THINGS TO NOTICE ARE THE WAY THINGS ARE ARRANGED IN THE CLASSROOM.
THE CUBBIES AND THE BOOKSHELVES, EVERYTHING WAS VERY, LOTS OF DIFFERENT NOOKS FOR STUDENTS TO SIT IN, AND IT WAS HARD TO KNOW IF ANYONE WAS IN THE ROOM WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE OUT.
THE TEACHER ALSO, NOT ONLY DID HE KEEP THE LIGHTS OUT, BUT THE DOOR CLOSED, AND HE COVERED ALL THE WINDOWS, WHICH, YES, WE DID COMPLAIN ABOUT, AND WE WERE JUST TOLD IT'LL BE FIXED, AND IT WASN'T, NEVER.
HE TOLD ME, THE TEACHER TOLD ME I WAS NOT TO USE THE LEARNING SUPPORT ROOM WITH MY LEARNING SUPPORT STUDENTS THAT I WAS ASSIGNED TO.
HE DISCOURAGED OTHER PARENTS FROM USING THE LEARNING SUPPORT ROOM WITH THEIR STUDENTS AS WELL.
I WAS TOLD TO GO FETCH ALL THE VARIOUS STUDENTS AND JUST FIND A PLACE ON CAMPUS TO WORK WITH THEM.
I WANT MY TAX DOLLARS TO BE SPENT ON THESE LEARNING SUPPORT STUDENTS, AND I FEEL THEY SHOULD ACTUALLY BE ENTITLED TO USE THE LEARNING SUPPORT CLASSROOM, USE THE MATERIALS PAID FOR BY TAXES.
AND I FEEL THAT EVERY SPECIAL ED STUDENT SHOULD HAVE A PERSONALIZED CURRICULUM FOR THEM, FOR ME OR ANYBODY COMING INTO THE CLASSROOM TO KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT AND WHAT'S APPROPRIATE, WHAT DO THEY NEED IN TERMS OF LEARNING.
AND THAT'S NOT WHAT I EXPERIENCED.
AND THAT'S ALL I'M GOING TO SAY BECAUSE IT'S STRESSFUL.
AFTER WENDY WILL BE ELIZABETH STEELE.
HI, MY NAME IS WENDY MASTERSON.
I AM A RESIDENT OF LINWOOD, WASHINGTON.
I'M A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF THE EDMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I AM A GRADUATE OF THE EDMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND I HAVE TWO CHILDREN THAT GRADUATED FROM THE EDMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I WOULD LIKE YOU TO IMAGINE A CHILD THAT IS COGNITIVELY LOW, HAS A SPEECH PROCESSING DELAY OR DISORDER, A LOW IQ, SELECTIVE MUTISM, SIGNIFICANT SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL CONCERNS, HAS ADVERSE CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING, HOUSING AND FOOD INSECURITY, AND COMES FROM A FAMILY THAT IS LOW INCOME, SINGLE PARENTS, PERHAPS UNDOCUMENTED PARENTS, NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING PARENTS, AND PARENTS THAT ARE UNABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR THEIR CHILD.
THESE ARE THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES THAT WERE VERY CAREFULLY TARGETED BY THIS MALE LEARNING SUPPORT TEACHER.
LEARNING SUPPORT TEACHERS HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF KNOWLEDGE REGARDING THEIR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
GROOMING, AS A DELIBERATE ACT OF BUILDING TRUST WITH A CHILD, AT THE LEAST THIS WAS GROOMING BEHAVIOR.
THIS TEACHER NORMALIZED HAVING YOUNG FEMALE STUDENTS IN A DARK ROOM, THE LIGHTS OFF, THE WINDOWS COVERED, BLINDS DOWN.
SITTING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY, SO CLOSE THAT THEIR LEGS ARE TOUCHING, HIS ARM AROUND THEIR SHOULDER, STROKING THEIR HAIR, RUBBING THEIR BACK, LEANING ON THEM.
THESE LITTLE GIRLS SHOULD NEVER FEEL AS THOUGH THIS BEHAVIOR IS NORMAL.
GROOMING BEHAVIOR IS A MANIPULATIVE PROCESS OF BUILDING TRUST, TESTING BOUNDARIES, AND ISOLATING VICTIMS. IT HAS BEEN FOUR YEARS SINCE THIS BEGAN.
THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE VICTIMS AND TO THIS DAY THE EDMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS YET TO INFORM THE PARENTS OF THESE
[01:10:01]
YOUNG STUDENTS THAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE VICTIMS OF GROOMING BY THIS TEACHER.AFTER LEARNING FROM OSPI AND HAVING A DISCUSSION WITH DR.
VIVANCO, THE SUPERINTENDENT OF NORTHWEST EDUCATIONAL SERVICE DISTRICT 189, I NOW KNOW THAT THE EDMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT IS SELF-GOVERNED, WHICH MEANS OSPI HAS NO JURISDICTION REGARDING THIS MATTER.
I AM COUNTING ON THIS SCHOOL BOARD.
KADAMS, I AM ENCOURAGING YOU TO DIRECT DR.
MINER TO NOTIFY THE FAMILIES WHOSE CHILDREN ARE THE VICTIMS OF THIS TEACHER.
IT IS THE DISTRICT'S LEGAL AND MORAL OBLIGATION TO INFORM THESE PARENTS.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT A HAIL MARY LAST-DITCH EFFORT TO HAVE A POST-MORTEM INVESTIGATION TO LIMIT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S LIABILITY.
THIS IS ABOUT DOING THE RIGHT THING.
AFTER ELIZABETH STEELE IS ASHLEY PRICE.
THANK YOU TO THE BOARD FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU.
MY NAME IS ELIZABETH STEELE AND I'M A FULL-TIME WORKING PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN IN THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
MY INTENT IS TO ADDRESS THE 7-20 START TIME.
I ATTENDED EDMONDS SCHOOLS, MY HUSBAND ATTENDED EDMONDS SCHOOLS, AND MY FATHER GRADUATED FROM MEADOWDALE HIGH SCHOOL IN THE 1960S. THIS COMMUNITY MEANS A GREAT DEAL TO MY FAMILY AND I AND BEYOND THE CONCERN THAT I HAVE FOR MY OWN CHILDREN I WANT IT TO BE A PLACE THAT SUPPORTS ALL CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
I WANT TO START BY SAYING THAT I SUPPORT LATER START TIMES FOR OLDER STUDENTS, BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD SOLVE ONE PROBLEM BY CREATING ANOTHER FOR OUR YOUNGEST AND MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS.
I WOULD LIKE EVERYONE HERE TO THINK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS.
KINDERGARTENERS ARE MAKING ONE OF THE BIGGEST TRANSITIONS OF THEIR LIVES.
MANY ARE COMING FROM PRESCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS WHERE REST TIME AND NAPS ARE STILL A NORMAL PART OF THEIR DAY AND WHERE THEIR DEVELOPING NERVOUS SYSTEMS ARE ACCUSTOMED TO MORE STRESS.
MY OWN PRESCHOOLER STRUGGLES WITH SLEEP AND WAKES UP FREQUENTLY THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT AND STILL NAPS.
WE KNOW THAT THE HOURS BEFORE SLEEP ARE WHEN CRITICAL REM SLEEP OCCURS AND WHEN CHILDREN'S BRAINS AND BODIES ARE DOING SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK.
INTERRUPTING THAT COULD BE DETRIMENTAL FOR MANY CHILDREN, MY OWN INCLUDED.
IN FACT, A STUDY PUBLISHED IN PEDIATRICS FOUND THAT CHILDREN, THAT KINDERGARTNERS WHO CONSISTENTLY RECEIVED ADEQUATE SLEEP SHOWED BETTER EMOTIONAL REGULATION, LEARNING ENGAGEMENT, AND OVERALL ADJUSTMENT TO SCHOOL, WHICH WOULD BE DIFFICULT UNDER THIS NEW START TIME.
ALSO UNDER THIS PROPOSAL, MY CHILDREN AND MANY OTHER CHILDREN OF WORKING PARENTS WOULD BE REQUIRED TO BE AWAY FROM HOME FOR MORE THAN 10 HOURS PER DAY WHEN YOU FACTOR IN AFTERCARE, WHICH UNLIKE HIGH SCHOOLERS, IS A REQUIREMENT FOR ELEMENTARY-AGED CHILDREN.
WE SHOULD BE SETTING CHILDREN UP FOR SUCCESS AND NOT ASKING THEM TO BEGIN THEIR FORMAL EDUCATION ALREADY EXHAUSTED AND FORCE THEM INTO SCHEDULES THAT WOULD BURN OUT MOST ADULTS.
WE ALSO CANNOT IGNORE THE FACT THAT SOME OF OUR YOUNGEST STUDENTS RELY ON SCHOOL BREAKFAST.
UNDER THIS PROPOSAL, SOME CHILDREN WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE HOME WELL BEFORE 7 A.M.
SIMPLY TO RECEIVE THE NUTRITION THAT THEY DEPEND ON TO LEARN AND SUCCEED.
FOR MANY ELEMENTARY STUDENTS, WHICH IS...
FIVE, SIX, AND SEVEN-YEAR-OLDS.
A 7.20 START TIME MEANS WAKING UP AROUND 5.30 IN THE MORNING AND STANDING AND WALKING OUTSIDE IN THE DARK BEFORE THE SUNRISE, AND THAT IS A SCARY THOUGHT.
I KNOW ONE MOM HERE WAS MENTIONING THAT HER COMMUNITY DOES NOT HAVE SIDEWALKS AND THEY'RE WALKERS.
THE MEASURE OF A COMMUNITY IS NOT HOW WE TREAT THE PEOPLE WITH THE MOST FLEXIBILITY.
IT'S HOW WE PROTECT THOSE WITH THE LEAST.
NO ONE IN THIS DISTRICT HAS LESS CONTROL OVER THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES THAN A SIX-YEAR-OLD CHILD.
I'M A MOM OF A SECOND GRADER AT CEDAR WAY ELEMENTARY.
I JUST HAVE A COUPLE BULLET POINTS I WANT TO BRING UP.
[01:15:01]
GRADUATED FROM EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT.MY HUSBAND, MY MOM, MY AUNT, LOTS OF OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS.
SO EDMONDS IS VERY SPECIAL TO OUR FAMILY AND WE'D LIKE TO STAY IN EDMONDS.
SO YOUNG CHILDREN WALKING, RIDING, WAITING AT THE BUS STOP ALONE IN THE DARK MOST OF THE YEAR AND IT'S VERY UNSAFE.
THE MORNINGS WILL BE DARK, WET AND COLD.
A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOODS DO NOT HAVE STREETLIGHTS OR SIDEWALKS.
STUDIES SHOW ELEMENTARY KIDS NEED MORE SLEEP THAN TEENS AND DEPRIVING THEM OF THAT IS AFFECTING THEIR DEVELOPMENT.
KIDS AGED 6 TO 12 NEED 9 TO 12 HOURS OF SLEEP AND KIDS AGED 13 TO 18 NEED 8 TO 10 HOURS OF SLEEP.
THEREFORE MY 8 YEAR OLD WOULD NEED TO GO TO SLEEP BY APPROXIMATELY 7 P.M.
TO WAKE UP FOR SCHOOL BY 6 30 A.M.
OTHER KIDS COULD POSSIBLY BE MUCH EARLIER THAN THIS.
THIS WILL ALSO CREATE AN ADDED BURDEN OF CHILD CARE COSTS ON TOP OF THE RISING COST OF LIVING.
FULL AFTER CARE PROGRAMS, A CHILD CARE CRISIS, SOME FAMILIES CANNOT AFFORD EXTRA CARE, SO MORE CHILDREN COULD POTENTIALLY BE LEFT AT HOME ALONE SO PARENTS CAN KEEP THEIR JOBS.
NO CHILD BETWEEN THE AGES OF, IN MY OPINION, FIVE.
AND 18 SHOULD HAVE TO START SCHOOL BEFORE 8 A.M.
NO OTHER SURROUNDING SCHOOLS START EARLIER THAN 7 50.
THIS IS JUST SWAPPING THE BURDEN, NOT SOLVING.
FIXING ONE PROBLEM FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS TO CREATE 10 OR MORE OTHER PROBLEMS FOR THE ELEMENTARY COMMUNITY IS WRONG.
AFTER ANDY WILL BE CYNTHIA NELSON.
HELLO MY NAME IS ANDY I LIVE IN MOUNTLAKE TERRACE AND I HAVE TWO KIDDOS AT TERRACE PARK ELEMENTARY.
THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME AND THE WORK YOU DO FOR ALL OF OUR CHILDREN.
LIKE A LOT OF FOLKS HERE TONIGHT I'M HERE TO VOICE MY STRONG OPPOSITION TO ANY 720 START TIME INCLUDING THE PROPOSED TIER 1 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
FROM AN EQUITY STANDPOINT THE DISTRICT'S PLAN CHARGES OUR NEEDIEST YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES WITH AN ESTIMATED IN $5,000 ANNUAL CHILD CARE COSTS PER CHILD.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ACTUAL DATA FOR THE SCHOOLS, 10 OUT OF 12 ARE TITLE I.
WE'RE ASKING FAMILIES AT CEDAR VALLEY, WHERE NEARLY 73% OF STUDENTS ARE LOW INCOME, AND COLLEGE PLACE, WHERE 67% ARE LOW INCOME, TO ABSORB A MASSIVE FINANCIAL AND LOGISTICAL SHOCK.
MEANWHILE, OUR AFFLUENT NEIGHBORHOOD AND PARENT COOPERATIVES IN TIER 4 ARE BEING GRANTED A HIGHLY MANAGEABLE 920.
THIS SEVERE BURDEN ON WORKING CLASS FAMILIES FEELS COMPLETELY UNEXPLORED BY THE COMMITTEE.
IT IS CLEAR THAT THE COMMITTEE OPERATED UNDER A FLAWED MANDATE WITH THE WRONG GOAL, TO MOVE JUST THE HIGH SCHOOL START TIMES BACK WHILE BINDING THEMSELVES TO OUR EXISTING STRAINED TRANSPORTATION FOOTPRINT.
NO RESEARCH OR DUE DILIGENCE WAS DONE INTO EXPANDING OUR BUS TRANSPORTATION FLEET OR SEEKING ANY ALTERNATIVE FUNDING FOR IT.
FURTHERMORE, THESE TIMES HAVE ON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLERS.
YOUNG CHILDREN HAVE CRITICAL SLEEP NEEDS AND DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS, AND BY TURNING A BLIND EYE TO THE OUTCOME OF THIS CHANGE, WE'RE MAKING OUR YOUNG LEARNERS GUINEA PIGS, WHICH I DON'T REALLY AGREE WITH.
IN SUMMARY, WE CAN'T FIX ONE PART OF OUR SYSTEM BY BREAKING ANOTHER.
THE DISTRICT NEEDS TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD, REJECT THIS IDEA, AND IDENTIFY A BETTER CHANGE WHICH PROTECTS THE WELL-BEING OF ALL EDMOND STUDENTS.
AFTER CYNTHIA WILL BE RIVER BUCKINGHAM.
HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME? I'M CYNTHIA NELSON.
I AM THE RETIRED TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR, BUT I ALSO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THAT LINWOOD HIGH SCHOOL ROBOTICS TEAM.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S AMAZING THAT WE HAVE FOUR COACHES THAT VOLUNTEER TIME.
AND BECAUSE SOME OF THEM VOLUNTEER TIME OUT OF MICROSOFT, THAT IS HOW IT FUNDS THE TEAM.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT KEEPING DOING THIS IS THAT GRACIOUS
[01:20:01]
PROFESSIONALISM, OKAY? BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE YOU WORK WITH PEOPLE DOING DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT YOU SUPPORT EACH OTHER, AS OPPOSED TO MOST SPORTS WHERE IT'S JUST THE SAME KIND OF THING.AND AS A TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR, I THOUGHT THAT OUR DEPARTMENT MEMBERS WERE...
GRACIOUS PROFESSIONAL, AND THAT'S WHAT HELPED OUR DEPARTMENT.
DO SO MANY GOOD TECHNOLOGY THINGS.
BUT THE REASON I WANTED TO TALK WITH YOU GUYS TONIGHT IS THAT I HEARD FROM THE LINWOOD ASB THAT IF WE DON'T GET FIVE LINWOOD HIGH STUDENTS ON OUR TEAM, THEN THEY'RE GOING TO CANCEL OUR TEAM.
AND THAT IS REALLY SAD NEWS, BECAUSE FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE HAVE HAD MORE STUDENTS FROM EDMONDS-WOODWAY HIGH SCHOOL, BUT THIS YEAR WE ALSO HAD SOME STUDENTS FROM MEADOWDALE HIGH SCHOOL AND EDMONDS HEIGHTS K-12, IN ADDITION TO A FEW LINWOOD HIGH STUDENTS.
AND IF THEY MAKE IT GO AWAY, THEN I THINK OUR TEAM IS GOING TO GO AWAY BECAUSE THE OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS...
DO NOT HAVE THE SPACE TO DESIGN AND BUILD AND PRACTICE THE ROBOT.
SO THE ONLY TEAM YOU'LL HAVE IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS AT MEADOWDALE HIGH SCHOOL.
SO YOU'D ONLY HAVE ONE TEAM FOR THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND ALL THOSE STUDENTS FROM OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS PROBABLY COULDN'T JOIN THEM.
AND SO I'M JUST ASKING YOU IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT YOU CAN, BECAUSE YOU'RE THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, IF YOU CAN ASK LINWOOD ASB TO NOT REQUIRE FIVE LINWOOD HIGH STUDENTS OR MAKE THE TEAM GO AWAY.
OKAY, THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING ABOUT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LISTENING TO ME.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.
AFTER RIVER WILL BE HANNAH MEYER.
I AM CURRENTLY A SENIOR AT MOUNTLAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL.
I'M GOING TO BE GRADUATING THIS WEEKEND.
I AM HERE TO TALK ABOUT HOW A TEACHER AT MY HIGH SCHOOL HAS REPEATEDLY BROKEN DISTRICT POLICY AND HAS RESULTED IN MULTIPLE STUDENTS HAVING TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL.
MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH HIM WAS MY FRESHMAN YEAR, MY CHROMEBOOK WAS SLAMMED ON MY HANDS AS HE YELLED AT ME FOR DOING HIS SCHOOLWORK IN HIS CLASS IN THE TIME HE ALLOWED BECAUSE HE WANTED TO START TALKING ABOUT AN EXTRA CREDIT OPTION THAT I COULDN'T EVEN APPLY FOR BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE EVERY ASSIGNMENT TURNED IN.
IT MAY NOT HAVE LEFT BRUISING, BUT IT STILL LEFT MY FINGERS STINGING FOR THE REST OF THE PERIOD.
AS A FRESHMAN, I DID NOT COME OUT AGAINST IT BECAUSE I WAS SCARED OF RETALIATION.
NOW I'M COMING OUT FOR THE STUDENTS WHO, JUST LIKE ME, ARE AFRAID OF EITHER THEIR PARENTS' BACKLASH FOR COMING AND TALKING TO THE SCHOOL BOARD, OR SCHOOL AND SCHOOL BOARD BACKLASH FOR COMING OUT AGAINST A TEACHER.
HOW I LEARNED THAT MY EXACT PROBLEM WASN'T ONLY ME WAS WHEN I HEARD FROM FRIENDS WHERE HE WOULD NOT LET THEM TALK TO POLICE.
WHEN THEY WERE TRYING TO HELP THEIR FRIEND WHO WAS A TEMPTING SUICIDE.
WHEN THEY FINALLY GOT OUT OF THE CLASSROOM, THEY WENT TO THE MAIN CENTRAL ENTRANCE INSTEAD OF THE COUNSELOR SO THEY COULD TALK TO 911.
THEY WERE PLANNING TO GO TO THE COUNSELORS AFTER TO INFORM THEM, BUT THIS TEACHER THEN YELLED AT THEM, FORCING THEM TO PUT 911 ON HOLD TO THEN GO TO THE COUNSELING OFFICE AS THEY WERE IN TEARS.
LUCKILY THAT STUDENT DID SURVIVE AND FROM WHAT I HAVE HEARD THEY HAVE MADE A FULL RECOVERY.
HE HAS DONE MANY MORE THINGS THAN THIS LIKE TELLING HIS FEMALE STUDENT TO COME AFTER CLASS BECAUSE HE HAS A SPECIAL SURPRISE FOR HER AFTER WINNING A CHALLENGE IN HIS CLASS.
AND MULTIPLE TIMES HE HAS NOT ALLOWED MUSLIM STUDENTS TO PRAY DURING CLASS.
AND I HAVE HEARD SIX DIFFERENT
[01:25:01]
ACCOUNTS OF...504 VIOLATIONS, FOUR OF THEM ARE FOR 504 VIOLATIONS, FOR 504 POLICIES THAT ALLOW THEM TO HAVE HEADPHONES OR EARBUDS IN THEIR EARS DURING CLASS BECAUSE OF SENSORY ISSUES.
ONE OF MY FRIENDS, JACKSON WALTER, HAS COME OUT AGAINST THIS AT THE SCHOOL AND WAS THREATENED WITH A HATE SPEECH LAWSUIT AGAINST HIM.
AND MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PULLED DURING CLASS ABOUT THIS.
I WANTED TO CLOSE WITH A QUOTE THAT I THOUGHT OF.
EVEN THOUGH MY EXPERIENCE MAY NOT BE THE WORST, I AM SPEAKING UP FOR THE STUDENTS WHO CANNOT OR ARE AFRAID TO.
MANY TIMES THE PEOPLE WITH THE NOT-WORST EXPERIENCE HAVE TO SPEAK UP FOR THE PEOPLE WITH THE WORST EXPERIENCE.
I LIVE IN METLAKE TERRACE AND I AM A PARENT OF AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENT IN THE DISTRICT.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER THE PROPOSED TIER 1 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCHEDULE OF 720 A.M.
I WANT TO BEGIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT I UNDERSTAND THE RESEARCH SURROUNDING SCHOOL START TIMES AND THE NEED FOR LATER START TIMES FOR ADOLESCENTS.
I AGREE THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT WE NEED TO COLLABORATIVELY SOLVE.
THIS IS WHY I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE DISTRICT PROCESS WITH SURVEYS AND PARENT FEEDBACK.
HOWEVER, I DO NOT AGREE THAT THIS IS THE SOLUTION.
RATHER, IT IS THE CREATION OF A DIFFERENT PROBLEM.
WHAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT THERE IS VERY LITTLE RESEARCH ON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCHEDULES THAT BEGIN THIS EARLY, BEFORE 7.45 A.M.
WE ARE ENTERING TERRITORY THAT IS OUTSIDE WHAT MOST EXPERTS HAVE STUDIED OR RECOMMENDED FOR OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS.
A 7-20 START TIME MEANS MANY ELEMENTARY STUDENTS WILL NEED TO WAKE UP BEFORE 6 A.M.
THESE ARE VERY YOUNG CHILDREN BEING ASKED TO BEGIN THEIR ACADEMIC DAY BEFORE SUNRISE FOR MUCH OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
THAT RAISES NOT ONLY DEVELOPMENTAL CONCERNS, BUT ALSO SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS.
MANY STUDENTS WALK TO SCHOOL OR WAIT AT BUS STOPS IN DARKNESS.
NOT ALL NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE SIDEWALKS, CROSSING GUARDS, OR SAFE WALKING INFRASTRUCTURE.
FAMILIES WITH FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES MAY BE ABLE TO DRIVE THEIR CHILDREN, BUT MANY CANNOT.
ONCE AGAIN, THE BURDEN FALLS UNFAIRLY ON FAMILIES WITH THE FEWEST RESOURCES.
THIS IS WHY THIS PROPOSAL IS ALSO AN EQUITY ISSUE.
MORE AFFLUENT FAMILIES MAY BE ABLE TO ADAPT BY CHANGING WORK SCHEDULES, ARRANGING CARPOOLS, OR DRIVING STUDENTS, WHILE WORKING FAMILIES DO NOT HAVE THESE OPTIONS.
EARLIER START TIMES WILL FORCE ADDITIONAL CHILD CARE COSTS AFTER SCHOOL, LOST WORK HOURS, AND UNSAFE SITUATIONS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN.
THESE IMPACTS WILL NOT BE EVENLY DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
SCHOOLS SERVING HIGHER NEEDS POPULATIONS WILL FEEL THESE HARMS MORE DEEPLY AND MORE IMMEDIATELY.
THE FAMILIES ALREADY CARRYING THE GREATEST BURDENS WILL ONCE AGAIN BE ASKED TO ABSORB THE GREATEST SACRIFICE.
BEFORE IMPLEMENTING SUCH AN EXTREME EARLY SCHEDULE FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS, I ASK THE DISTRICT TO FULLY EXPLORE ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS.
ONE PROMISING OPTION IS A STRONGER PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY TRANSIT.
YOUTH UNDER 18 ALREADY QUALIFY FOR FREE TRANSIT ACCESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
EXPANDING DISTRICT COORDINATION AND ENCOURAGING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO USE THESE OPTIONS COULD REDUCE PRESSURE ON THE DISTRICT BUS SYSTEM AND HELP ADDRESS THE BUS DRIVER SHORTAGE THAT LED TO THIS PROPOSAL.
EVERY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WHO SAFELY TRANSITIONS TO PUBLIC TRANSIT CREATES MORE CAPACITY FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS TO RIDE DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION.
THIS APPROACH WOULD USE AN EXISTING COMMUNITY RESOURCE TO PROTECT HEALTHIER SCHEDULES FOR OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS WHILE ADDRESSING TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES IN A MORE EQUITABLE WAY.
RECONSIDER THE DISPROPORTIONATE EQUITY IMPACTS OF THIS PROPOSAL AND PRIORITIZE SOLUTIONS THAT DO NOT PLACE THE HEAVIEST BURDEN ON ELEMENTARY STUDENTS AND THE FAMILIES LEAST ABLE TO ABSORB IT.
AFTER ZWOLLE WILL BE TOBIAS LIU.
GOOD EVENING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MY NAME IS JODY LIANG AND I LIVE IN EDMONTON SCHOOL DISTRICT.
MY DAUGHTER IS A SECOND GRADER AT TERRACE PARK ELEMENTARY.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE NEW START TIME COMING IN THE 2017-2018 SCHOOL YEAR.
HERE'S WHAT THE CHANGE LOOKS LIKE IN MY HOUSE.
TODAY MY DAUGHTER'S BUS PICKS HER UP AT 8.03 AND THE SCHOOL STARTS AT 8.45.
AND THE NEW PLAN, TERRACE PARK STARTS AT 7.20.
WALK BACKWARDS FROM HERE, THE BUS WILL LIKELY COME AROUND 6.40, WHICH MEANS WAKING A 7-YEAR-OLD SHORTLY AFTER 6 IN THE MORNING.
IN A PACIFIC NORTHWEST DECEMBER, THE SUN DOESN'T RISE UNTIL ALMOST 8.
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IN THE DARK, EAT BREAKFAST IN THE DARK, AND STAND AT THE BUS STOP IN THE DARK.IN THE RAIN, SHE IS ONLY SECOND GRADE.
ON A TRANSPORTATION SPREADSHEET, IT WORKS BEAUTIFULLY.
THE BUS ROUTES EFFICIENTLY, THE TIRES LINE UP.
A DAD COULD LOVE THIS SCHEDULE, A CHILD CANNOT.
LET ME BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT I AM NOT ASKING.
I AM NOT ASKING YOU TO ABANDON LATER START TIMES FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS.
THE SCIENCE ON ADOLESCENT SLEEP IS REAL AND SUPPORTS THAT GOAL, BUT I AM ASKING YOU TO BE HONEST ABOUT THE COST.
THE DISTRICT'S ORANGE SPRING 2025 SURVEY ALREADY SHOWS MORE THAN 3,100 RESPONSES FROM THE COMMUNITY BROADLY OPPOSE THE OPPOSE A 720 ELEMENTARY START TIME AND THIS IS A NEW PETITION I RECEIVED IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS.
ALREADY OVER 1,600 VOTED AGAINST THIS PROPOSAL.
SO THE COMMUNITY HAS ALREADY ANSWERED THIS QUESTION.
NO NEIGHBORING DISTRICT ASKED ITS YOUNGEST STUDENTS TO START THIS EARLY.
SO TONIGHT I'M ASKING FOR THREE THINGS.
FIRST, PUBLICLY SHARE THE DATA AND CRITERIA.
FAMILY DESERVES TO KNOW WHY THESE 12 SCHOOLS WERE CHOSEN.
SECOND, BEFORE 2027 GENUINELY EXPLORE ALTERNATIVES TO A 720 ELEMENTARY START INCLUDING ADDRESSING THE BUS AND DRIVER SHORTAGE DIRECTLY RATHER THAN PASSING IT DOWN TO OUR SMALLEST RIDERS.
THIRD, IF ANY EARLIER START DOES MOVE FORWARD COMMIT TO A REAL FUNDED PLAN FOR THE CHILD CARE BURDENS INCREASE.
OUR CHILDREN CANNOT STAND AT THIS PODIUM, THEY CANNOT VOTE, AND THEY CANNOT EMAIL THE BOARD.
THEY JUST GET UP WHEN WE WAKE THEM UP.
PLEASE DON'T ASK THEM TO WAKE IN THE DARK SO A SCHEDULE WORKS ON PAPER.
GIVE US A SCHEDULE A CHILD COULD LOVE.
HELLO, MY NAME IS TOBIAS AND I AM 11 YEARS OLD.
I LIVE IN LINWOOD, WASHINGTON AND I AM A STUDENT IN THE EDMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
I AM HERE BECAUSE I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROPOSAL TO MOVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL START TIMES TO 720 A.M.
STUDENTS, WE ARE CONSTANTLY TAUGHT THAT SLEEP IS IMPORTANT.
TEACHERS, DOCTORS, AND PARENTS TELL US THAT GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP HELPS US LEARN BETTER, STAY HEALTHY, AND MANAGE STRESS, AND PERFORM OUR BEST.
WE HEAR THIS MESSAGE ALL THE TIME.
THIS IS WHY I FIND IT A BIT CONFUSING THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING A SCHEDULE THAT WOULD MAKE IT HARDER FOR MANY CHILDREN LIKE ME TO GET THE SLEEP THAT THEY NEED.
A A SCHOOL START TIME OF 7.20 DOES NOT JUST MEAN ARRIVING AT SCHOOL AT 720.
MANY STUDENTS WILL NEED TO WAKE UP BEFORE 6 O'CLOCK A.M.
MANY STUDENTS WHO RIDE THE BUS MIGHT NEED TO WAKE UP EVEN EARLIER.
FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT IS A VERY VERY EARLY START TO THE DAY.
WHEN STUDENTS ARE TIRED AND YAWNING ALL THE TIME LEARNING BECOMES HARDER.
IT IS MORE DIFFICULT TO FOCUS DURING LESSONS, PARTICIPATING IN CLASS DISCUSSIONS, REMEMBERING INFORMATION AND SOLVING PROBLEMS. WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT IMPROVING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT BEGINNING THE SCHOOL DAY, WHEN MANY STUDENTS ARE STILL EXHAUSTED AND TIRED AND LAZING AROUND THE CLASSROOM, WILL HELP US LEARN MORE EFFECTIVELY.
THE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE AFFECTED ARE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS.
ELEMENTARY IS THE PRIME TIME FOR LEARNING.
IT NOT ONLY SETS THE BASE FOR YOUR ENTIRE ACADEMIC JOURNEY, BUT FOR YOUR WHOLE LIFE.
NOT STUDYING WELL IN ELEMENTARY IS LIKE HAVING A WOBBLY FOUNDATION ON A HIGH RISE.
AND MOVING THE START TIME TO 720 WILL ONLY BLOCK OUR ABILITY TO LEARN.
THIS ISSUE IS NOT ONLY ABOUT ACADEMICS.
IT IS ALSO ABOUT HEALTH AND WELL-BEING.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE STILL GROWING.
SLEEP IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT, EMOTIONAL HEALTH, AND ABILITY TO HANDLE CHALLENGES.
A SCHEDULE THAT REGULARLY REDUCES STUDENTS' SLEEP MAY CREATE PROBLEMS THAT CANNOT BE MEASURED BY TEST SCORES ALONE.
THE PEOPLE MAKING THIS DECISION ARE GROWN-UPS, BUT THE PEOPLE MOST AFFECTED BY IT WILL BE STUDENTS LIKE ME.
THAT IS WHY I ASK YOU TO RECONSIDER HOW THIS CHANGE
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WOULD FEEL FROM A CHILD'S PERSPECTIVE.IF THE GOAL OF EDUCATION IS TO HELP STUDENTS SUCCEED, THEN WE SHOULD CREATE CONDITIONS THAT HELP YOUNG CHILDREN ARRIVE AT SCHOOL RESTED, HEALTHY, ALERT, AND READY TO LEARN.
I RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO RECONSIDER YOUR DECISION.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO MY VOICE AND TO THE VOICES OF OTHER STUDENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
AFTER JOE WILL BE HEATHER GLUED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
I'M A FATHER OF AN AMAZING SEVEN-YEAR-OLD AT MOUNT LAKE TERRACE ELEMENTARY, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE 7.20 A.M.
START TIME FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
I WANT TO BE CONSCIOUS OF TIME.
I'LL PROBABLY BE THE QUICKEST ONE TONIGHT.
OTHER PARENTS HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN SO THOUGHTFULLY AND ELOQUENTLY, AND I JUST WANT TO TELL A BRIEF STORY.
I WAS FORTUNATE TO SPEND A GOOD AMOUNT OF TIME THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR IN MY DAUGHTER'S CLASS, AND WHAT I NOTICED ABOUT HER CLASSMATES IN THIS WONDERFUL FIRST GRADE CLASS IS THEY WERE ENGAGED, EXCITED, AND LOOKING BACK, THEY ALL SEEMED PRETTY WELL-RESTED.
MY DAUGHTER'S TEACHER AND THE REST OF THE TEACHERS AT THIS WONDERFUL SCHOOL, THEY MAKE IT LOOK EASY.
BUT I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW MUCH HARDER IT GETS FOR EVERYONE IF THEY'RE ALL OPERATING ON LESS SLEEP.
I WOULDN'T DREAM OF TRYING TO MAKE LIFE HARDER FOR ANY OF THESE AMAZING STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS.
AND THIS IS ONLY THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THE OTHER POINTS THE OTHER AFOREMENTIONED PARENTS HAVE BROUGHT UP.
SO I'M HERE TONIGHT TO JUST ASK YOU TO PLEASE RECONSIDER THIS POLICY, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
AFTER HEATHER WILL BE YITU CHEN.
I LIVE IN LYNWOOD AND HAVE TWO CHILDREN AT TERRACE PARK ELEMENTARY.
I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT REGARDING THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE SCHOOL START TIMES.
I KNOW THE BOARD HAS HEARD AND WILL CONTINUE TO HEAR MANY CONCERNS ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL AND I SHARE MANY OF THOSE CONCERNS INCLUDING THE IMPACTS ON FAMILY SCHEDULES, CHILDCARE, STUDENT SLEEP AND SAFETY.
RATHER THAN TRYING TO COVER ALL OF THEM TONIGHT, I WOULD LIKE TO FOCUS ON TWO QUESTIONS I BELIEVE DESERVE PARTICULAR CONSIDERATION.
FIRST, HAVE WE FULLY EXPLORED TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES BEFORE ASKING ELEMENTARY STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES TO ABSORB THE MAJORITY OF THE IMPACT? I SUPPORT THE GOAL OF LATER START TIMES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
THE RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENT SLEEP IS COMPELLING.
HOWEVER, I AM NOT CONVINCED THAT MOVING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL...
START TIMES IS THE ONLY WAY TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS GENERALLY HAVE MORE TRANSPORTATION FLEXIBILITY.
MANY ALREADY USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, ATTEND PROGRAMS OUTSIDE THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD ATTENDANCE AREA, PARTICIPATE IN RUNNING START, WORK JOBS, AND OTHERWISE TRAVEL INDEPENDENTLY.
I ALSO REMEMBER A TIME WHEN MOUNTLAKE TERRACE OPERATED WITH MULTIPLE START TIME OPTIONS, WHICH SUGGESTS THAT THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL APPROACHES WORTH EXPLORING BEFORE CONCLUDING THAT EARLIER ELEMENTARY SCHEDULES ARE THE ONLY PATH FORWARD.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE BOARD AND DISTRICT STAFF TO THOROUGHLY EVALUATE ALTERNATIVES SUCH AS EXPANDED USE OF TRANSIT PASSES, HUB STOP TRANSPORTATION MODELS, LARGER WALK ZONES FOR OLDER STUDENTS, OR OTHER APPROACHES THAT COULD REDUCE PRESSURE ON THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM WHILE PRESERVING MORE FAMILY-FRIENDLY SCHEDULES FOR OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS.
MY SECOND QUESTION IS WHETHER WE HAVE FULLY ACCOUNTED FOR THE IMPACT ON FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN.
ELEMENTARY STUDENTS ARE NOT SIMPLY SMALLER VERSIONS OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
THEY REQUIRE MORE SLEEP OVERALL, MORE ADULT SUPPORT, AND MORE SUPERVISION BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL.
EARLIER START TIMES AFFECT NOT ONLY THE CHILD, BUT THE ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD.
WHEN I ATTENDED LINWOOD HIGH SCHOOL WITH A START TIME AT 7.20, I GOT UP AT ABOUT 6.15, MANAGED MY OWN MORNING ROUTINE, AND MY PARENTS DID NOT HAVE TO BE INVOLVED.
UNDER THE PROPOSED ELEMENTARY SCHEDULE, SOME YOUNG STUDENTS WOULD BE CATCHING BUSES AS EARLY AS 6.30 AND WAKING MUCH EARLIER WHILE REQUIRING ACTIVE SUPERVISION AND SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE MORNING.
MANY PARENTS CANNOT SIMPLY SHIFT A TYPICAL WORK SCHEDULE TO MATCH AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DAY THAT BEGINS EARLIER AND ENDS IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON.
YOUNGER CHILDREN GENERALLY CANNOT STAY HOME ALONE, CREATING ADDITIONAL CHILD CARE NEEDS AND EXPENSES FOR FAMILIES.
IN MANY HOUSEHOLDS, OLDER SIBLINGS OR NEIGHBORS HAVE HISTORICALLY HELPED BRIDGE SOME OF THESE AFTER-SCHOOL GAPS, BUT THAT OPTION IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE WHEN SECONDARY SCHOOLS DISMISS LATER THAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, MANY ELEMENTARY STUDENTS WOULD ALSO BE WALKING TO SCHOOL OR BUS STOPS AND WAITING FOR TRANSPORTATION BEFORE SUNRISE, INCREASING RISK TO THEM.
[01:40:01]
I RECOGNIZE THAT ANY SCHEDULE CHANGE INVOLVES TRADE-OFFS AND THAT THERE IS NO SOLUTION THAT WILL SATISFY EVERYONE.MY HOPE IS SIMPLY THAT BEFORE MAKING A DECISION, THE DISTRICT CAREFULLY EXAMINES WHETHER ALTERNATIVES EXIST THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO SUPPORT LATER HIGH SCHOOL START TIMES WITHOUT PLACING SO MUCH OF THE BURDEN ON OUR YOUNGEST STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
AFTER YIT HU WILL BE MICAH WINSKILL.
GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT KADAMS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR.
I'M A PARENT IN MONLAKE TERRACE, AND I STARTED A PETITION.
WHY SHOULD FIRST GRADERS WAKE UP EARLIER SO SENIORS CAN SLEEP IN? THIS IS A GENUINE QUESTION THAT MANY OF US HAVE.
I THINK IN JUST SIX DAYS WE RECEIVED OVER 1,600 SIGNATURES.
AND THREE OUT OF FOUR LIVE RIGHT HERE.
AND THEY DESCRIBED THE HARM OF WAKING SIX YEARS OLD AT 6 A.M.
AND HAVING KIDS WALKING IN COMPLETE DARKNESS WITH NO SIDEWALKS AND ALSO 150 DISMISSAL TIME THAT FORCES FAMILIES INTO CHILD CARE.
AND WE ALSO HEAR A LOT OF PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THESE CHALLENGES FROM THEIR SPECIALTIES.
WE HAVE CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS WHO POINTED OUT THAT YOU CAN'T JUST SHIFT A KID'S BEDTIME BECAUSE BIOLOGY DOESN'T BEND THAT WAY.
WE HAVE A GRANDMOTHER ON THE PETITION POINTED OUT THAT HER GRANDSON NEEDS TO REST ENOUGH IN ORDER TO GROW.
AND EVEN A HIGH SCHOOLER WHO SAID, I'D BENEFIT.
HOWEVER, I THINK THE YOUNGER ONES, THEY DESERVE THEIR REST MORE.
SO WE ALSO DID AN OFFLINE SURVEY AT MULTIPLE AFFECTED SCHOOLS.
AND WE FOUND THAT MULTIPLE FAMILIES AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF PARENTS ARE OPPOSED.
SO WE LOOKED AT HOW THE SURVEYS WERE CONDUCTED BY THE DISTRICT BEFORE AND WE FOUND THAT WE ASKED ABOUT THE QUESTION WHETHER WE SUPPORT LATER HIGH SCHOOL STARTS BUT NEVER THE RIGHT QUESTION DO YOU SUPPORT A 720 START FOR YOUR ELEMENTARY KIDS.
WE LOOKED HARD FOR EVIDENCE THAT JUSTIFIES A 720 START.
AND THE STUDIES WE FOUND TESTED 8 A.M.
SO LET'S BE HONEST, 7.20 IS A BUS ROUTING DECISION, NOT ANYTHING WE KNOW ABOUT OUR CHILDREN.
TO SOLVE THESE CONSTRAINTS, WE'RE PUTTING OUR YOUNGEST AND MOST VULNERABLE KIDS IN THE DARK AT THE BUS STOP, SLEEP DEPRIVED.
AT THE RISK OF THEIR SAFETY AND ELEMENTARY HARMS, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THE BOARD RECONSIDER.
AFTER MICAH WILL BE ANNA SHEPARD-JOHNSON.
MINER AND THE EDMONDS SCHOOL BOARD.
THANK YOU FOR CREATING SPACE TO LISTEN.
MY NAME IS MIKA WINSKILL, AND I'M A MIDDLE SCHOOL COUNSELOR IN THE DISTRICT AND A MOTHER TO A FIRST GRADER AT WESTGATE, AND MY SON WILL BEGIN IN 27-28 FOR KINDERGARTEN.
I WAS RAISED BY TWO TEACHERS AND HAVE BEEN IN EDUCATION MYSELF FOR 15 YEARS.
I CONSIDER MYSELF DEEPLY FAMILIAR WITH THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN, PRETEENS, AND ADOLESCENTS.
AS WELL AS THE IMPACT OF EARLY EDUCATION AND INTERVENTION UPON THEIR LONG-TERM ACADEMIC SUCCESS.
MY OWN CHILDREN AND MY STUDENTS ARE MY HIGHEST PRIORITY AND PURPOSE.
I RECOGNIZE HOW COMPLEX THE DECISION AROUND SCHOOL START TIMES HAS BEEN.
AS A DISTRICT EMPLOYEE, I'M AWARE OF THE BUDGET AND TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES THAT PLACE CONSTRAINTS AROUND WHAT OPTIONS ARE VIABLE.
I BELIEVE WHOLEHEARTEDLY THAT NO STUDENT SHOULD BEGIN SCHOOL BEFORE 8 A.M.
AND I'M ALL FOR GIVING OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS BELL SCHEDULES THAT
[01:45:01]
SUPPORT THEIR BRAIN DEVELOPMENT.HOWEVER, WHEN THE NEWS CAME OUT LAST WEEK THAT THE DECISION ABOUT START TIMES FOR THE 27-28 SCHOOL YEAR HAD BEEN MADE, I WAS IMMEDIATELY DISTRAUGHT.
I SUPPORT MY FELLOW PARENTS SPEAKING UP TONIGHT AND AGREE WITH THEIR POINTS.
GIVEN SUCH A SMALL MOMENT AT THE MICROPHONE, I WANT TO URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER FOR REASONS THAT I HAVE LIVED PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY.
TO BEGIN WITH, MOST ELEMENTARY STUDENTS DO NOT NATURALLY WAKE UP BEFORE 7 A.M.
AND WHEN THEY DO, THEY OFTEN MOVE SLOW AND REQUIRE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ADULT SUPPORT TO GET THEM OUT THE DOOR.
HELP WITH CLOTHING, SOCKS THAT FEEL FUNNY, THE RIGHT OUTFIT TO WEAR, TEETH BRUSHING, BACKPACK PACKING, REMINDERS TO WEAR THE RIGHT OUTERWEAR, AND HOPEFULLY SOME SORT OF BREAKFAST IF THEIR FAMILY CAN PROVIDE THAT AT HOME.
RUSHING IN THE MORNING, ESPECIALLY WHEN BEING WOKEN UP BEFORE THEIR LITTLE BODIES ARE READY, OFTEN LEADS TO TEARS, PROTESTS, AND GENERAL DYSREGULATION.
ADDING TO THIS MORNING CHAOS AND RUSHING OUR KIDS OUT THE DOOR TO SCHOOL COMPOUNDS THEIR EXHAUSTION AND EMOTIONAL BURDEN THAT OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS ALREADY EXPERIENCE ADJUSTING TO LONG AND DEMANDING SCHOOL DAYS.
OUR KIDS NEED AS MUCH POSITIVITY AND STABILITY AS THEY CAN GET.
DYSREGULATED KIDS UNDER THE AGE OF 10 ARE FAR HARDER TO SUPPORT AND PROVIDE INTERVENTION FOR THAN TIRED TEENS.
WHEN THEY'RE TIRED, THEY LACK THE COPING SKILLS TO ENGAGE WITH LEARNING, LEADING TO CRYING, SHUTTING DOWN, AND PHYSICALLY ACTING OUT.
IT WILL, WITH CERTAINTY, IMPACT THEIR TEACHERS AND AFTERCARE PROVIDERS.
SO MANY OF THE STUDENTS I WORK WITH WHO STRUGGLE AS MIDDLE SCHOOLERS DID NOT HAVE A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
I'M CONCERNED THAT HAVING KIDS LEAVING THE HOUSE BEFORE 7 A.M.
AND RETURNING AFTER 4 OR 5 P.M.
WILL ADD TO FEELINGS OF TOIL AROUND THEIR SCHOOL DAYS, LEAVING WORKING PARENTS WITH NO CHOICE BUT UTILIZING AFTERCARE.
BASED ON MY PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, I BELIEVE THAT OUR TEENAGE LEARNERS NEED BETTER BOUNDARIES AROUND SLEEP AND TECHNOLOGY USE.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT A MERE 45 MINUTES IS GOING TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AS PARENTS CREATING HEALTHIER BOUNDARIES FOR THEIR ADOLESCENT CHILDREN.
AFTER ANNA JOHNSON IS ANNA RICE FARGETT.
I'M A WESTGATE ELEMENTARY MOM OF TWO.
TO THE BOARD, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
I WANT TO CLARIFY WHAT THE SCIENCE ACTUALLY SAYS ABOUT START TIMES BECAUSE THE TWO STUDIES ON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIDS CITED BY THE JOINT COMMITTEE TO TRY TO JUSTIFY THIS PROPOSAL DO NOT SAY AND CAN'T CANNOT BE USED TO CLAIM THAT THIS PLAN IS FINE.
THOSE STUDIES INVOLVE START TIMES AND SUNRISE TIMES FAR LESS EXTREME THAN WHAT IS BEING CONSIDERED HERE.
AND EVEN SO, THOSE STUDIES SHOW HARM TO CHILDREN.
THE METZLER STUDY LOOKED AT DENVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT MOVED THEIR START TIME TO 8 A.M.
IT STILL FOUND DAILY SLEEP LOSS.
ALSO, IN MIDWINTER, DENVER'S SUNRISE IS 40 MINUTES EARLIER THAN OURS, AND THOSE SCHOOLS STUDIED BEGAN WELL AFTER SUNRISE.
WITH THE PROPOSED CHANGES FOR MONTHS AT A TIME, OUR CHILDREN WOULD BE WAKING UP IN THE DARK, WAITING ON STREET CORNERS IN THE DARK, AND LEARNING IN THE DARK.
THAT REALITY HAS NOT BEEN STUDIED AND WE CAN'T PRETEND THAT IT HAS BEEN.
THE BASTIAN STUDY, AGAIN THE COMMITTEE'S OWN CITATION, CONCEDES WHAT OTHER RESEARCH SHOWS.
MULTIPLE OTHER STUDIES FOUND WITH EARLIER ELEMENTARY START TIMES THERE ARE MORE DISCIPLINARY INCIDENCES.
MORE ABSENCES, LOWER TEST SCORES, LOWER READING ACHIEVEMENT.
THE AVERAGE START TIME STUDY THERE WAS, AGAIN, NOT ONLY LATER THAN OURS BEING PROPOSED HERE, THE AVERAGE SHIFT EARLIER WAS JUST 27 MINUTES.
FOR US, IT WOULD BE AN 85-MINUTE SHIFT, MORE THAN THREE TIMES LARGER.
THE LOCATION OF THE STUDY ALSO HAS EARLIER SUNRISES THAN WE DO.
AND EVEN UNDER THOSE FAR MORE MODERATE CONDITIONS, THE STUDY FOUND, QUOTE, FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS WITH EARLY START TIMES AVERAGE 45 MINUTES LESS SLEEP PER SCHOOL NIGHT THAN PEERS WITH LATE START TIMES.
NEARLY FOUR HOURS OF SLEEP LOST EACH WEEK.
NOW, THAT WAS JUST A BRIEF REBUTTAL TO THE COMMITTEE'S OWN SELECTED STUDIES USING ONLY DATA FROM THOSE SAME STUDIES.
I COULD SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THE BROADER SLEEP LITERATURE SUPPORTING OUR POSITION.
BUT DUE TO TIME, I'LL MENTION JUST ONE STUDY PUBLISHED IN THE LANCET WHERE IMAGES WERE TAKEN OF THE BRAINS OF OVER 08,000 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN AND FOUND THAT THOSE SLEEPING LESS THAN NINE HOURS
[01:50:01]
HAD MEASURABLY SMALLER GRAY MATTER IN REGIONS RESPONSIBLE FOR MEMORY, ATTENTION, AND IMPULSE CONTROL.AND THOSE DIFFERENCES PERSISTED TWO YEARS LATER.
THIS BOARD IS NOT JUST MAKING A SHORT-TERM SCHEDULING DECISION.
IT IS MAKING A LONG-TERM BRAIN DEVELOPMENT.
WE TEST WATER FOR LEAD IN ALL SCHOOLS, NOT SOME SCHOOLS AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHERS.
THERE ARE SOLUTIONS LIKE MORE BUSES, MORE...
AFTER ANNA WILL BE KENNETH WONG.
MY NAME IS ANNA RIOS-VARHAT AND I LIVE IN LINWOOD AND I'M A PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN IN THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT, ONE OF WHOM RECEIVES SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AT HILLTOP ELEMENTARY.
I AM HERE TONIGHT TO RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO RECONSIDER THE PROPOSAL TO MOVE A STARTING TIME.
HILTON, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE DISTRICT IS SEEKING TO IMPROVE SCHEDULES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
WE ALL WANT OUR TEENAGERS TO HAVE BETTER OPPORTUNITIES FOR SLEEP AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS.
HOWEVER, I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT THE COST OF THAT SOLUTION IS BEING PLACED ON OUR YOUNGEST STUDENTS.
WITH THE SAME DISTRICT, SOME ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WILL START AT 8.45 AND EVEN AS LATE AS 9.00.
WHILE HILLTOP STUDENTS WILL BEGIN THEIR DAY AT 7.20 AS MANY OTHER SCHOOLS.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS AND STAFF.
MANY CHILDREN ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM AS WELL AS STUDENTS WITH OTHER DISABILITIES FACE CHALLENGES THAT ARE NOT ALWAYS VISIBLE.
DIFFICULT FALLING ASLEEP IS EXTREMELY COMMON.
IT IS NOT SIMPLY A MATTER OF PUTTING CHILDREN TO BED EARLIER.
AS A MOTHER OF A CHILD ON THE AUDIENCE SPECTRUM WHO RECEIVES SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AT HILLTOP, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE ARE NIGHTS WHEN DESPITE A CONSISTENT BEDTIME ROUTINE, SLEEP SIMPLY DOES NOT COME.
THESE STUDENTS ALREADY WORK INCREDIBLY HARD TO REACH THEIR GOALS.
DEVELOP COMMUNICATION SKILLS, PRACTICE EMOTIONAL REGULATION, AND BUILD INDEPENDENCE.
EVERY STEP FORWARD REQUIRES TREMENDOUS EFFORT AND DEDICATION.
SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCING THEIR SLEEP DOES NOT ONLY AFFECT THEIR GRADES, IT WILL IMPACT THEIR EMOTIONAL REGULATION, ATTENTION, CLASSROOM PARTICIPATION, AND THE PROGRESS THEY WORK SO HARD TO ACHIEVE IN THEIR THERAPIST AND SUPPORT PROGRAMS. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE EFFECT THIS CHANGE COULD HAVE ON ONE OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENT POPULATIONS IS NOT BEING FULLY CONSIDERED.
AND I ALSO LIKE TO SHARE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
I WAS A STUDENT THAT ATTENDED THE SCHOOL STARTING AT 7.30 FOR MANY YEARS IN THE MORNING.
I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT THE SCHEDULE DID NOT MAKE ME LOVE SCHOOL, DID NOT MAKE LEARNING MORE ENJOYABLE, DID NOT MAKE ME WANT TO PARTICIPATE MORE IN CLASS.
SO I RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO RECONSIDER.
AFTER KENNETH IS ANNA ALCAZAR.
IS KENNETH HERE? LET'S GO AHEAD.
AND AFTER ANNA WILL BE STEVE KEELER.
GOOD EVENING, SUPERINTENDENT, BOARD MEMBERS, AND COMMUNITY.
MY NAME IS ANA ALCAZAR, AND I AM HERE NOT ONLY AS A PTO PRESIDENT OF MOUNT LAKE TERRACE ELEMENTARY, BUT ALSO AS A PARENT.
ESPECIALLY, I'M HERE AS A VOICE FOR MANY LATINO FAMILIES.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? FOR MANY LATINO FAMILIES WHO ARE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS NEW 720 SCHEDULE WILL AFFECT THEIR DAILY LIVES.
OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK WITH MANY FAMILIES FROM OUR SCHOOLS.
FAMILIES WHO WORK LONG SHIFTS,
[01:55:01]
CLEANING OUR BUILDINGS, COOKING OUR FOOD, OR WORKING IN OUR GARDENS, TO NAME A FEW.THE MAJORITY OF LATINO FAMILIES WERE NOT AWARE OF THIS PROPOSED SCHEDULE CHANGE.
WHY? BECAUSE FOR MANY FAMILIES, DAILY LIFE REVOLVES AROUND SURVIVAL, WORKING LONG HOURS TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.
IT'S NOT A LACK OF INTEREST OR CARE.
LANGUAGE BARRIERS, DEMANDING WORK SCHEDULES, LIMITED ACCESS TO INFORMATION, NOT UNDERSTANDING THE SYSTEM, IT TOOK ME A LONG WHILE, AND FEAR OF SPEAKING UP OFTEN PREVENT FAMILIES FROM BEING PART OF THIS CONVERSATION.
WE FEEL WE WEREN'T PART OF THIS CONVERSATION.
THEIR SILENCE SHOULD NOT BE MISTAKEN FOR AGREEMENT.
FOR SOME PARENTS WHO WORK LIKE SHEEP, IT MEANS LOSING SMALL WINDOWS OF TIME THEY HAVE WITH THEIR CHILDREN AT NIGHT.
FOR OTHERS WHO WORK AT NIGHT, IT MEANS COMING HOME SUPER EXHAUSTED TO GET THEIR KIDS READY.
FOR THE BIG MAJORITY, IT MEANS HAVING TO FIND CHILDCARE WE CANNOT, SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD.
I UNDERSTAND THIS DECISION WAS MADE AFTER MANY CONVERSATIONS AND I RESPECT THE INTENTION OF SUPPORTING OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS BUT EQUITY IS NOT ABOUT SOLVING ONE PROBLEM.
EQUITY MEANS MAKING SURE THAT THE SOLUTION DOES NOT CREATE A NEW PROBLEM FOR FAMILIES WHO ALREADY LIKE MY FAMILY CARRY MANY.
TODAY I AM ASKED ASKING THE DISTRICT TO PLEASE PLEASE LOOK AGAIN AT THE IMPACT OF THIS DECISION, ESPECIALLY TO OUR TITLE I COMMUNITIES.
PLEASE MAKE SURE THE FAMILIES WHO ARE THE MOST DIFFICULT TO REACH ARE NOT THE EASIEST TO OVERLOOK.
I'M A RESIDENT OF EDMONDS, WASHINGTON.
TAXPAYER WITH NO CHILDREN IN THEM IN SCHOOLS.
I PROVIDED DOCUMENTS FOR EACH OF YOU THIS EVENING.
THEY ARE IN PART MY BUDGET TO PRINT CONSTRAINED THE CONTENT.
YOU CAN GO ONLINE AND READ THE FULL ARTICLE.
YOU CAN ALSO STUDY OTHER ARTICLES ONLINE ON THIS TOPIC.
IS TO LEAVE YOU WITH THE QUESTION.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DON'T RESPOND AND I CAN APPRECIATE WHY, BUT I LEAVE YOU WITH THIS QUESTION.
DOES THE BOARD INTEND TO RESPOND AT SOME POINT WITH A REPORT THAT INCLUDES DATA WHICH JUSTIFIES THE CONTINUATION OF LAPTOPS FOR ALL IN THE CLASSROOM? I REMAIN OF THE FOLLOWING OPINION.
CLASSROOM LAPTOPS ARE A WASTE OF TAX DOLLARS.
THE TECHNOLOGY BURDENS CAPABLE TEACHERS, CONSUMES DISTRICT SUPPORT STAFF, AND FAILS MANY PARENTS WHO ARE TECHNICALLY CHALLENGED.
WHERE IS ANY JUSTIFICATION OTHERWISE? THANK YOU.
AFTER EMILY WILL BE JINDALEE JHONPE.
GOOD EVENING MY NAME IS EMILY DIPERNA HERE REPRESENTING OAK HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY AND THE DOZENS AND DOZENS OF PARENTS I'VE BEEN ABLE TO CONNECT WITH REGARDING THE PROPOSED EARLY SCHOOL START TIME.
OVERWHELMINGLY WE ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS DECISION AND FRANKLY AFRAID OF WHAT THOSE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR LIVES AS PARENTS.
LUCKY FOR YOU, I'M A SOLUTIONS-ORIENTED PERSON, SO I COME HERE TODAY WITH A LIST OF IDEAS AND SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM THAT YOU HAVE CREATED WITH THIS PROPOSAL.
NUMBER ONE, REVERSE THIS DECISION AND HOLD TO LAST YEAR'S START TIMES AND END TIMES FOR ALL SCHOOLS.
NEWSFLASH, TEENAGERS HAVE BEEN
[02:00:01]
TIRED SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL.THIS IS BECAUSE OF PUBERTY, NOT BECAUSE OF WHEN THEIR SCHOOL STARTS.
NUMBER TWO, MOVE ALL DISTRICT SCHOOLS TO LATER START TIMES.
EVERYONE IS CALLING ATTENTION TO THE DIFFICULTIES THAT EARLY START TIMES PRESENT TO BOTH STUDENTS AND PARENTS AT ALL LEVELS, BUT NO ONE IS REQUESTING SCHOOLS TO END ANY EARLIER.
BY ADJUSTING ALL TIMES TO A LATER TIME IN THE DAY, IT OFFERS ALL STUDENTS A CHANCE TO START THE DAY RESTED AND REFRESHED, READY FOR A DAY OF LEARNING, AND OFFERS PARENTS INCREASED FLEXIBILITY IN CHILD CARE.
NUMBER THREE, LEAN INTO THE FLEXIBILITY ALREADY AVAILABLE TO MIDDLE SCHOOLERS AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGH THEIR CLASSES THAT INVOLVE PERIODS.
OFFER AN OPTIONAL HOME ROOM TO START EVERY DAY, ALLOWING STUDENTS A WINDOW OF TIME WITH WHICH TO ARRIVE TO CLASS.
OR INCORPORATE A FLEX PERIOD INTO THE DAY THAT COULD BE APPLIED TO THEIR FIRST PERIOD FOR STUDENTS THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM A LATER START TIME.
NUMBER FOUR, IF BUSES ARE THE CONCERN, PARTNER WITH PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO SUPPORT STUDENT COMMUTES, AS MANY NEARBY SCHOOL DISTRICTS ALREADY DO.
WE COULD CAPITALIZE ON THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS ALREADY IN PLACE BY INCORPORATING SCHOOL BUS SCHEDULES INTO THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.
NUMBER FIVE, IF MENTAL HEALTH IS THE CHIEF CONCERN FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND FOR EVERY STUDENT, LET'S LOOK TO THE CURRICULUM FOR OPPORTUNITIES HERE.
MENTAL HEALTH IS A COMPLEX ISSUE THAT IS IMPACTED BY FAR MORE THAN SLEEP.
SOCIAL MEDIA, FAMILY CHALLENGES, INTERPERSONAL DYNAMICS, SOCIOECONOMIC STATUSES, HORMONES, DIET, EXERCISE ALL HAVE MAJOR IMPACTS ON MENTAL HEALTH, AND AN EXTRA HOUR OF SLEEP CANNOT BEGIN TO COMBAT THIS.
LET'S SET UP OUR FUTURE ADULTS FOR A LIFETIME OF IMPROVED MENTAL HEALTH AND STABILITY.
BY OFFERING COURSES IN SCHOOL AROUND MINDFULNESS, MEDITATION, POSITIVE SELF-CARE, AND COPING SKILLS, STUDENTS WILL QUICKLY FORGET AN EXTRA HOUR OF SLEEP, BUT THEY WON'T FORGET A TOOLKIT OF RESOURCES THAT THEY CAN BENEFIT FROM LONG-TERM.
I'M SEEKING YOU TO LOOK AT THESE SOLUTIONS, WHICH, FRANKLY, I CAME UP WITH WHILE BRUSHING MY TEETH.
I NEED YOU GUYS TO DO BETTER FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.
AFTER JIN LUO WILL BE ALEKIA GALI.
HI, YOU KNOW, WE COULD HELP HER SO WE COULD SEE HER.
ARE YOU OKAY THERE LIKE THAT? OKAY.
HELLO, MY NAME IS JEAN AND I LIVE IN MOUNT THORN GRADES AT CHALLENGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND I AM HERE TO TALK ABOUT SCHOOL START TIMES.
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO START SCHOOL AT 7.20 A.M.
MY PARENTS GET HOME AROUND 7 P.M.
WE FINISH DINNER AROUND 7 30 P.M.
AND THAT MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO FALL ASLEEP BEFORE 7 30 P.M.
UNLESS I COOK DINNER FOR EVERYONE.
PLEASE RECONSIDER YOUR DECISION FOR US.
ALEKIA WILL BE THE PRESIDENT OF LINWOOD OAKS HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY.
WE ARE FROM A RELATIVELY NEW COMMUNITY WHERE WE HAVE AT LEAST EIGHT PRESCHOOLERS WHO ARE GOING TO START SCHOOL FROM NEXT YEAR ONWARDS.
SO ON BEHALF OF THEM, I ALSO REPRESENT.
I WANT TO TALK OUT OF MY EXPERIENCE HERE.
LIFE AFTER COVID HAS BEEN MORE DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY KIDS, I MEAN PARENTS WHO HAVE KIDS.
AFTER THE COVID HAS HIT, EXPERIENCE MORE ILLNESSES, MORE RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS.
THEY ARE PRONE TO MORE MEDICATION.
IF WE START LOOKING AT STATS, HOW MANY TIMES I GO TO PEDIATRICIAN IN A MONTH IS AT LEAST THREE TIMES.
I'M A REGULAR VISITOR OVER THERE.
SO KIDS WITH MEDICATION NEED MORE SLEEP.
SOMETIMES THEY PURELY CAN'T WAKE UP BECAUSE IT'S THE ANTIBIOTICS OR ANY OTHER MEDICATIONS THAT ARE WORKING.
THE SECOND THING I WANT TO ALSO BRING UP IS RETURN TO OFFICES FOR MANY CORPORATES, LIFE HAS ALREADY BEEN HARD FOR MANY PARENTS WHO ARE WORKING HARD TO MEET THEIR NEEDS.
BUT WITH RETURN TO OFFICES, THERE ARE MANY OTHER COMPANIES THAT ARE PUTTING IN A PLACE WHERE SEVEN TO EIGHT HOURS OF WORKING
[02:05:02]
IN THE OFFICE IS MANDATORY.THAT MEANS EARLY DISMISSAL HAS TO BE LIKE AT LEAST THREE TO FOUR HOURS BY THE TIME THE PARENT COMES HOME.
AND NOW I'M MISSING ON THE COMMUNICATION GAP.
RECENTLY I'VE HAD AN INCIDENT WITH MY ELEMENTARY STUDENT.
I'M REALLY GLAD THAT HE CAME UP AND SPOKE TO ME RIGHT AFTER HE GOT OUT OF THE BUS.
NOW FOUR HOURS HE HAS TO WAIT FOR THE PARENT TO COME HOME.
NOW HE HAS TO GATHER ALL OF THAT INCIDENT IN MIND AND NOW HE HAS TO COME UP WITH THAT AND TELL ME WHAT HAS HAPPENED.
I CAN'T EXPECT A KINDERGARTEN OR A FIRST GRADER TO COME UP WITH THOSE YOU KNOW THINGS THAT HE HAS TO TELL ME AND THAT BUILDS BRIDGE AND GAP.
AND NOW I HAVE TO DIG THROUGH THOSE INCIDENTS AND I HAVE TO FIND OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SCHOOL.
THAT'S RIDICULOUS FOR A CHILD.
AND THEY'RE ALREADY GOING THROUGH THEIR SLEEP AND I'M MISSING OUT ON MANY THINGS.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WANT TO NAIL DOWN IS COMPROMISE.
NOW, TO MEET THE EARLY SCHOOL TIME, I'M COMPROMISING ON MANY THINGS.
SOMETIMES IT CAN BE NUTRITION DURING THE DAYTIME.
SOMETIMES IT COULD BE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, HAVING A COMMUNICATION BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY TIRED.
AND NOW I'M ALSO COMPROMISING ON THEIR AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES.
MY CHILD LIKES TO GO AND PLAY OUTSIDE.
BUT NOW I HAVE TO COMPROMISE BECAUSE HE HAS TO SLEEP BY 6.30 OR 7.
HE HAS TO HAVE DINNER BEFORE 6.30.
AND THAT'S SIMPLY NOT FAIR FOR A CHILD.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT I ALSO WANT TO BRING UP IS, IF WE DO AN EARLY START AT 7.20, IS THE RECESS GOING TO BE AT 9 A.M., THE FIRST RECESS, EVEN BEFORE THE LIGHT HITS WITH DAYLIGHT SAVINGS AND EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING TO COME IN NOVEMBER? PLEASE RECONSIDER ALL OF THESE FACTORS THAT ARE ADDITIONALLY ADDING ON THE TIMETABLE, AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, THEIR NUTRITION, AND THE COMMUNICATIONS AND EVERYTHING HAS TO BE THERE.
AFTER TANDY WILL BE JOHN MCHALE. GOOD EVENING.
I'M A PARENT AT WESTGATE ELEMENTARY AND ADDRESSING THE 720 A.M.
I AM A PARENT OF A NEURODIVERGENT CHILD WHO IS ABOUT TO FINISH KINDERGARTEN.
WE ALSO ARE A NEURODIVERGENT FAMILY.
IN OUR HOME, SLEEP, TRANSITIONS, EMOTIONAL REGULATION, AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING ARE NOT BACKGROUND DETAILS.
THEY CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A STABLE MORNING AND A COMPLETE DERAILMENT OF THE DAY.
EVEN UNDER OUR CURRENT 845 START TIME, MORNINGS AND EVENINGS ARE ALREADY DIFFICULT.
MY DAUGHTER IS STILL LEARNING HOW TO REGULATE HER BODY AND EMOTIONS WHEN DEMANDS SHIFT QUICKLY.
WE ARE STILL LEARNING HOW TO SUPPORT HER THROUGH THESE TRANSITIONS WHILE ALSO MANAGING OUR OWN NEURODIVERGENT CAPACITY AS PARENTS.
I ALSO WORK SEVERAL NIGHTS A WEEK AND I HAVE A TODDLER AS WELL.
SO BEDTIME ROUTINES AND SLEEP INTERRUPTIONS FOR OUR FAMILY ARE UNPREDICTABLE TO SAY THE LEAST.
FOR MANY NEURODIVERGENT CHILDREN, SLEEP IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN SIMPLY BE MOVED EARLIER BY WILLPOWER OR ROUTINE.
THEIR CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS, SENSORY PROCESSING, AND REGULATION SYSTEMS DO NOT ALWAYS RESPOND PREDICTIVELY TO SCHEDULE CHANGES.
A MUCH EARLIER WAKE TIME DOES NOT JUST MEAN EARLIER MORNINGS.
IT OFTEN MEANS REDUCED SLEEP, REDUCED REGULATION CAPACITY, AND A HIGHER LIKELIHOOD OF EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIOR DYSREGULATION THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DAY.
WHAT THE SCHOOL MAY SEE AS TARDINESS, MISSED ITEMS, OR MORNING STRUGGLES ARE OFTEN THE VISIBLE OUTCOMES OF A CHILD WHOSE NERVOUS SYSTEM IS ALREADY OVERLOADED BEFORE THEY ARRIVE AT SCHOOL, AND A FAMILY WHO'S JUST TRYING THEIR BEST TO KEEP UP.
A 7.20 START MEANS WAKE-UPS CLOSER TO 6 A.M.
FOR NEURODIVERGENT CHILDREN WHO ALREADY STRUGGLE WITH TRANSITIONS, THAT COMPRESSION OF TIME REMOVES THE BUFFER THEY RELY ON TO BECOME REGULATED, ORGANIZED, AND READY TO LEARN.
IT TURNS THE MOST FRAGILE PART OF THEIR DAY INTO A RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK.
AND WHEN THOSE SYSTEMS BREAK DOWN, IT'S NOT JUST INCONVENIENT.
IT DIRECTLY AFFECTS THEIR ABILITY TO ACCESS LEARNING, PARTICIPATE SOCIALLY, AND FEEL SAFE IN THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT.
AND FOR WESTGATE FAMILIES, THE 7-20 START TIME CONCERN IS MAGNIFIED BY THE UPCOMING SCHOOL REBUILD THAT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, WHICH WILL REQUIRE EVEN EARLIER DEPARTURES AND LONGER COMMUTES DURING THE DARK WINTER MORNINGS TO A TEMPORARY LOCATION.
I ALSO WANT TO NAME SOMETHING THAT FAMILIES LIKE MINE EXPERIENCE QUIETLY.
WHEN MORNINGS FALL APART, WHEN FORMS ARE MISSED, WHEN LUNCHES ARE FORGOTTEN, AND WHEN WE ARRIVE LATE.
IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE DO NOT CARE.
IT'S BECAUSE THE MARGIN OF ERROR IN NEURODIVERGENT HOUSEHOLDS IS ALREADY VERY SMALL.
YOUR START TIMES SHRINK IT FURTHER.
WE ACTUALLY TRANSFERRED TO WESTGATE IN PART BECAUSE THE CURRENT SCHEDULE GAVE OUR DAUGHTER A BETTER CHANCE TO SUCCEED.
A SHIFT TO 720 REMOVES THAT SUPPORT AND PLACES MORE PRESSURE ON ALREADY FRAGILE ROUTINES.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE DISTRICT IS TRYING TO SOLVE COMPLEX SCHEDULING AND TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES AND SUPPORT HIGH
[02:10:01]
SCHOOL STUDENTS AS WELL.I AM ASKING THE BOARD TO RECONSIDER THE 720 ELEMENTARY START TIME AND TO ENSURE THAT NO...
MY NAME IS JOHN MCHALE, AND I AM A PARENT AT HILLTOP ELEMENTARY IN LINWOOD.
I AM HERE TO STATE MY FIRM OPPOSITION TO THE 7.20 A.M.
I AM IN COMPLETE AGREEMENT WITH THE OTHER PARENTS AND CHILDREN WHO HAVE SPOKEN.
I AM SO GRATEFUL THE COMMUNITY IS RAISING THEIR VOICE.
THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS...
LEADING SLEEP EXPERTS RECOMMEND 9 TO 12 HOURS OF SLEEP FOR CHILDREN AGES 6 TO 12.
START TIME CAN MEAN WAKING CHILDREN AT 6 A.M.
OR EARLIER PRE-DAWN, MAKING THAT HEALTHY AMOUNT OF SLEEP VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR MOST FAMILIES.
MY WIFE AND I BOTH WORK UNTIL 5 P.M.
DISMISSAL IS MORE THAN AN INCONVENIENCE.
IT LEAVES A HUGE GAP THAT WORKING FAMILIES ACROSS THIS DISTRICT CANNOT AFFORD TO FILL.
THIS BURDEN COMES ON TOP OF RISING COSTS, JOB MARKET INSECURITY, AND OTHER UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES THAT ORDINARY PEOPLE ARE FACING IN THESE TROUBLED AND TROUBLING TIMES.
NO COMPARABLE DISTRICT IN OUR REGION STARTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT EARLY.
IF NONE OF OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE CONCLUDED THAT 7.20 A.M.
IS APPROPRIATE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN, WE SHOULD ASK OURSELVES, WHY EDMONDS? WHY ARE YOU GOING THERE? THE COMMUNITY HAS ALREADY ANSWERED THIS QUESTION WITH MORE THAN 1,650 SIGNATURES.
WE ARE TELLING YOU CLEARLY THIS IS WRONG.
I SUPPORT LATER START TIMES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, BUT I WILL NOT ACCEPT THAT THIS IS THE ONLY PATH FORWARD THAT REQUIRES FIRST GRADERS TO WAKE UP BEFORE DAWN.
GIVE ME A MINUTE, MEGAN, OKAY? AFTER MEGAN...
WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW OUR STUDENT ADVISORS TO, AT THE END OF EVERY MEETING, OUR STUDENT ADVISORS GIVE COMMENTS THE SAME WAY THE BOARD MEMBERS DO.
THEY HAVE SENIOR FINALS RIGHT NOW.
THEY STILL HAVE A 7-20 START TIME.
TONIGHT IS THEIR LAST NIGHT HERE.
WE'D LIKE TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO SAY THEIR COMMENTS AND NOT FEEL RUSHED TO GET HOME.
SOME TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION HOME.
SO, MEGAN, I'M GOING TO LET YOU DO YOURS, AND THEN WE WILL GET BACK TO EVERYBODY ELSE WHO SIGNED UP, I PROMISE, BUT WE'RE GOING TO LET OUR FIVE STUDENT ADVISORS MAKE THEIR, BASICALLY, THEIR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SO HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY'S OKAY WITH THAT.
HI EVERYONE, MY NAME IS MEGAN LYNN AND I AM A MOM OF TWO CHILDREN WHO ARE JUST SITTING RIGHT OVER HERE THAT ARE IN OUR DISTRICT.
I WANT TO START BY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WE ALL WANT THE BEST EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES FOR OUR CHILDREN AND GIVE A THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE ON ALL SIDES OF ALL OF THESE ISSUES BECAUSE I THINK THAT OUR CHILDREN MATTER AND I THINK YOUR SUPPORT HERE SHOWS THAT YOU CARE.
THE DISCUSSION HAS CENTERED ON THE NEEDS OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, YET ELEMENTARY STUDENTS ARE THE GROUP WITH THE LEAST INDEPENDENCE AND THE GREATEST NEED FOR DIRECT PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT AND SUPERVISION.
EARLIER ELEMENTARY SCHEDULES WILL REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF TIME MANY WORKING PARENTS HAVE AVAILABLE TO SPEND WITH THEIR CHILDREN BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL.
WE HEAR THE DISCUSSION HAS FOCUSED ON ADOLESCENTS, AND I'VE HEARD THIS IN EMAIL FROM THE DISTRICT, THAT THERE IS NOT RESEARCH ON ELEMENTARY AGE STUDENTS.
BUT I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS IS TRUE.
DECADES OF RESEARCH SHOWS THAT PARENT ENGAGEMENT IS ASSOCIATED WITH BETTER ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.
BETTER LITERACY, BETTER SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, BETTER SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, AND HIGHER GRADUATION RATES.
DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCHERS CONSISTENTLY DESCRIBE MIDDLE CHILDHOOD, WHICH IS AGES 5 THROUGH 11, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AS A PERIOD WHEN CHILDREN STILL RELY HEAVILY ON PARENTS FOR SUPERVISION, EMOTIONAL REGULATION, ESTABLISHMENT OF ROUTINES, TRANSPORTATION, AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT BY ADOLESCENTS.
HOWEVER, A KEY DEVELOPMENTAL GOAL IS INCREASING AUTONOMY AND INDEPENDENCE.
I DO NOT DISMISS THE DATA THAT LATER START TIMES WOULD BENEFIT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
HOWEVER, A TRUE ANALYSIS MUST EVALUATE BOTH SIDES OF THIS EQUATION.
I'VE HEARD SOME TERRIFIC IDEAS AND SOLUTIONS TODAY.
WE MUST ALSO CONSIDER THE FINANCIAL IMPACTS.
THIS HAS BEEN WELL DISCUSSED BY OTHERS.
HOWEVER, WE ARE IN A NATIONWIDE CHILD CARE CRISIS, AND THIS WOULD COMPOUND THOSE IMPACTS.
OUR STATE IS FEELING THIS MORE HEAVILY THAN MANY OTHERS.
[02:15:01]
LOWER INCOME FAMILIES WILL FEEL THIS IMPACT DISPROPORTIONATELY.THIS MUST, MUST BE CONSIDERED.
I ASKED GREG SCHWAB TODAY, WELL, MY HUSBAND ASKED IF A RISK ANALYSIS HAD BEEN DONE.
HIS REPLY WAS, THE COMMITTEE DID NOT CONDUCT A FORMAL PREDICTIVE MODEL THAT QUANTIFIED AND COMPARED POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF START TIME CHANGES AGAINST FACTORS SUCH AS CHILD CARE COSTS, FAMILY STRESS, OR SOCIOECONOMIC CONDITIONS.
INSTEAD, THE WORK RELIED ON TRANSPORTATION MODELING, COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS, AND THE EXISTING BODY OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENT SLEEP AND SCHOOL SCHEDULES, WHICH I WILL STATE HE ALSO SHARED THAT HE DID NOT FEEL THERE WAS SUFFICIENT RESEARCH ON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
ANYTHING ABOUT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS WAS MISSING.
WE MUST BALANCE THIS DISCUSSION.
WE MUST CONSIDER ALL SIDES, AND WE MUST FIND WAYS THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS CAN CONTINUE TO LEARN AND THAT OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS CAN GROW TO BE THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO ALSO DESERVE SUCCESSFUL EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES.
OKAY, SO AS I SAID, WE'RE NOW GOING TO GIVE TIME TO OUR FIVE WONDERFUL STUDENT ADVISORS WHO HAVE SERVED ON THE BOARD ALL YEAR LONG.
SCARLETT, YOU WANT TO START? HI, I'M SCARLETT AND I'M A SENIOR AT EDMONDS-ULUE HIGH SCHOOL.
I THINK EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM CAN FEEL THE TENSION REGARDING THE SCHOOL START TIMES AND HONESTLY AS SOMEONE WHO'S IN THE 720 LIKE SCHOOL START TIMES IT'S NOT IDEAL EITHER AND IN AN IDEAL SITUATION NO ONE WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT.
TO OFFER A HIGH SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE, MANY HIGH SCHOOLERS INCLUDING PEOPLE IN CLASSES SUCH AS IB THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE OR JAZZ BAND HAVE A ZERO PERIOD AND THAT STARTS BEFORE THE 7.20 TIME.
SO I PERSONALLY HAD A ZERO PERIOD AND I HAD TO START AT 620, SO THAT'S EVEN EARLIER, AND I ENDED SCHOOL AT FOUR O'CLOCK ON SOME DAYS, PLUS ALL THE AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS THIS AND ALL THE HOMEWORK.
I WAS AVERAGING FOUR TO FIVE HOURS OF SLEEP A NIGHT, AND THAT'S NOT EVEN JUST ME, THAT'S MANY OF MY CLASSMATES AS WELL.
I KIND OF GOT RID OF MY SOCIAL LIFE JUST TO STUDY, SO I'M NOT GOING TO PARTIES, I'M JUST TRYING TO KEEP UP IN MY ACADEMICS, AND THAT'S THE UNFORTUNATE COST.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE OTHER PERSPECTIVE IS BECAUSE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, IT'S ALSO BENEFICIAL TO HAVE THEM END A LITTLE EARLIER, WHICH COMES AT THE SACRIFICE OF STARTING EARLIER.
SO ALTHOUGH WE DON'T HAVE A SOLUTION TO THIS RIGHT NOW, I THINK THE DISCOURSE, THE CONVERSATIONS NEED TO CONTINUE.
I THINK THIS IS WHAT COMMUNITY IS ABOUT, AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT THIS TO CREATE HOPEFULLY A BETTER CHANGE THAT WORKS FOR THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE.
AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THESE PAST TWO YEARS.
I'M KIND OF IN DISBELIEF THAT I HAVE ARRIVED AT MY LAST PUBLIC COMMENT.
IT'S BEEN AN ABSOLUTE HONOR TO REPRESENT EDMONDS-WOODWAY AND SPEAK ON BEHALF OF STUDENT VOICE AT A DISTRICT LEVEL AND I'M SO THANKFUL TO HAVE WORKED WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO VALUE STUDENT EXCELLENCE AND STUDENT WELL-BEING AND EDUCATION AS MUCH AS YOU GUYS DO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND MY FUTURE PLANS INCLUDE ATTENDING THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON FOR POLITICAL SCIENCE.
ISMAEL, YOU WANT TO GO NEXT? HI, MY NAME IS ISMAEL BLUEBERRY.
I'M A JUNIOR AT LINWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, AND I WANTED TO START BY JUST GOING OVER WHAT THE MAIN POINT OF PUBLIC COMMENTS WERE TODAY, WHICH IS START TIMES.
I AGREE 100% THAT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS NEED THEIR SLEEP, AND THAT 720 CAN DEFINITELY BE A CHALLENGING STARTING TIME PERIOD.
HOWEVER, I ALSO NOTICED THAT SOME OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS WERE SPEAKING ABOUT HOW TEENAGERS ARE ALWAYS TIRED, OR THAT THE 7.20 START TIME FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS IS COMPLETELY OKAY AND HAS NO NEGATIVES TO IT.
AND FOR THAT, I WANT TO RESPOND IN TWO WAYS.
FIRST, WITH THE SCIENTIFIC ANSWER, WHICH IS THAT WE NEED ABOUT 8 TO 10 HOURS OF SLEEP, AND WE NEED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RAPID EYE MOVEMENT SLEEP, OR REM SLEEP, IN ORDER FOR OUR BRAINS TO FINISH DEVELOPING.
MOST OF THE SLEEP HAPPENS IN THE LAST...
NOW, AT THE CURRENT SCHEDULE THAT WE'RE AT, I BARELY GET IN ABOUT EIGHT HOURS OF SLEEP.
IF I WANT TO CONSISTENTLY ATTEND MEETINGS SUCH AS THIS MEETING, OR THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS TO GET INVOLVED IN MY CITY OR OTHER THINGS, I COULD BE HERE, SAY, UNTIL 10 P.M.
AND THIS IS NOT INCLUDING THE FACT THAT I GET HERE WITH PUBLIC TRANSPORT, WHICH TAKES AN HOUR TO GET HERE AND TO LEAVE.
[02:20:01]
I HAVE A MEAL TO COOK.I WORK A JOB TO SUPPORT THE FAMILY AND OTHER THINGS.
DOES THAT REALLY SEEM LIKE A FAIR DEAL TO SAY THAT TEENAGERS ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE TIRED? IT'S NOT.
AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO FIND A MIDDLE GROUND SOLUTION FOR BOTH OF THEM.
BACK TO THIS BEING MY LAST PUBLIC COMMENT OF THE YEAR, I DO WANT TO THANK THE BOARD FOR HAVING ME HERE.
AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE KINDNESS THAT I HAVE BEEN GIVEN.
AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND SHARE MY VOICE.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL SEE YOU ALL NEXT YEAR.
WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE HAD YOU THIS YEAR AND WE ARE THRILLED TO HAVE YOU AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
BATANIA, YOU WANT TO GO NEXT? HELLO EVERYONE, MY NAME IS BATANIA AND I'M THE MED SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVE.
REGARDING THE PUBLIC COMMENTS ABOUT TODAY, AS A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, THE 7.20 A.M.
START TIME IS REALLY EARLY, I'D SAY.
ALONG WITH THE EXTRACURRICULARS THAT I HAVE, YOU KNOW BEING INVOLVED WITH THE DISTRICT AS WELL, HOMEWORK, ALONG WITH SCARLETT AND ISMAEL AS THEY SAID I BARELY HAVE TIME TO GO TO SLEEP BUT I ALSO DO THINK THAT FOR THE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS IT'S SUCH A BIG BURDEN ON THEM AS WELL ALONG WITH CHILD CARE COSTS.
I REALLY ADMIRE THE PARENTS AND THE STUDENTS THAT CAME OUT HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE IT REALLY PUT THINGS INTO PERSPECTIVE.
I LIKE THAT I WAS ABLE TO KIND OF HEAR THEIR SIDE OF THINGS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE CHILD CARE AND STUFF, THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING OUT ON THAT BECAUSE IT REALLY DID PUT THINGS INTO PERSPECTIVE, AND I HOPE THAT THE DISTRICT IS ABLE TO KIND OF FIND THE MIDDLE GROUND SO WE CAN SOLVE THIS ISSUE.
I ALSO WANTED TO SPEAK ON GRADUATION.
GRADUATION IS NEAR, AND I WANTED TO CONGRATULATE ALL THE SENIORS HERE TONIGHT AND ALL THE SENIORS THAT AREN'T HERE AS WELL IF THEY'RE LISTENING.
I WANTED TO CONGRATULATE EVERYONE.
AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO THANK THE BOARD.
SERVING ON THIS BOARD THIS PAST YEAR HAS BEEN A GREAT BLESSING.
I LOVE THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO BE A VOICE FOR MY PEERS, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
I'M A MOUNTLAKE TERRACE STUDENT.
I THINK THE EARLIER TREE ALREADY COVERED WHAT THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT PERSPECTIVE IS FOR THE START TIME.
SO I'D LIKE TO GIVE MY PERSPECTIVE AS SOMEONE WHO GREW UP IN THE PHILIPPINES.
WE HAD LIKE A REALLY EARLY START TIME AS WELL IN ELEMENTARY, AROUND LIKE 7, I REMEMBER.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WHAT IT WAS LIKE FOR ME GROWING UP, ESPECIALLY WITH TWO FULL-TIME PARENTS AS WELL, SO I SYMPATHIZE WITH ALL THE PARENTS WHO CAME HERE.
MY DAD HAD TO WAKE ME UP AROUND LIKE 5 A.M.
AND IT'S SUCH A CORE MEMORY FOR ME, ALL THE CREATIVE WAYS HE HAD TO GET ME TO GET UP.
THERE'S LIKE TIMES WHERE HE LIKE SHOT ME WITH A TOY.
LIKE THE WATER GUNS, SOMETIMES IT WAS LIKE A WATER BALLOON.
IT WAS JUST LIKE, I DON'T WANT ANY PARENTS OR ANY KIDS TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT.
SO YEAH, I ALSO OPPOSE THE LATER START TIMES FOR, I MEAN THE EARLIER START TIMES FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS.
I FEEL LIKE FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, WE'VE JUST, WE SHOULD BE MORE DISCIPLINED.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO CARRY THIS BURDEN.
RATHER THAN THEM, YOU KNOW? THERE REALLY ISN'T A BETTER SOLUTION.
UM, YEAH, WE'RE GRADUATING SOON.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
WHEN I FIRST JOINED, I EXPECTED TO LEARN ABOUT LEADERSHIP AND POLICIES, AND I DID LEARN THOSE THINGS.
BUT I THINK WHAT I'LL REMEMBER THE MOST IS THE PEOPLE HERE.
I'VE APPRECIATED BEING ABLE TO WORK HERE WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO CARE SO DEEPLY ABOUT STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING STUDENT VOICE SERIOUSLY AND FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE THIS YEAR.
IT HAS BEEN AN EXPERIENCE THAT I'LL CARRY LONG AFTER I LEAVE THE DISTRICT.
HI EVERYONE, I'M TATIANA LIMBURG AND I ATTEND EDMONDS HEIGHTS K-12.
AS EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF COMMENTS TONIGHT AND I ACTUALLY WANTED TO ADDRESS MULTIPLE TOPICS THAT WERE...
ABOUT IN THE COMMENTS, ONE OF THE SCREEN TIME IN SCHOOL.
TO SAY THAT AS A STUDENT I AGREE THAT THERE IS TOO MUCH SCREEN TIME IN SCHOOL BUT I DON'T THINK THE SOLUTION IS ELIMINATING SCHOOL COMPUTERS OR ELIMINATING TIME ON COMPUTERS BECAUSE THAT'S AN ESSENTIAL SKILL FOR US TO HAVE IN COLLEGE AND IN OUR JOBS AND EVEN JUST FAST TYPING IS ALSO AN ESSENTIAL SKILL
[02:25:02]
FOR STUDENTS THAT IF WE'RE LEFT BEHIND OUR HOMEWORK WOULD TAKE US CONSIDERABLY LONGER.BUT A POINT I'D LIKE TO BRING UP ON THAT TOPIC IS SOMETHING THAT'S HELPED ME AND I THINK ALSO SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED MORE IN SCHOOLS IS LIKE HAVING TIME WHERE AFTER MAYBE 15 TO 20 MINUTES ON SCREENS, STUDENTS JUST LITERALLY LOOK OUT THE WINDOW TO REST THEIR EYES.
AND THIS IS ALSO LIKE SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN FOR LIKE OUR VISION.
I GET A LOT OF HEADACHES FROM LOOKING AT SCREENS ALL DAY.
I CAN ASSUME THAT MY PEERS THAT ALSO LIKE SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON COMPUTERS AND I DO RUNNING STAR, ALL OF MY HOMEWORK IS PRETTY MUCH DIGITAL.
AND YEAH, IT'S DEFINITELY HAD NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON MY HEALTH AND ON MY ABILITY TO SLEEP.
BUT YEAH, THE SOLUTION IS DEFINITELY NOT TO CUT OUT COMPUTERS FROM OUR EDUCATION OR NOT MAKE THEM REQUIRED, BECAUSE THAT WOULD DEFINITELY NOT SET US UP FOR THE FUTURE THAT WE NEED.
BUT I DO THINK THAT RESTING OUR EYES AND HAVING MORE HANDWRITTEN WORK WOULD BE BENEFICIAL.
A BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE START TIMES.
MY SCHOOL IS AN ALE, SO SINCE FOURTH GRADE I'VE BEEN GOING TO A SCHOOL WITHOUT SUPER STRICT START AND END TIMES.
BUT PRIOR TO THAT I ATTENDED WESTGATE ELEMENTARY FOR TWO YEARS, AND I RODE THE BUS, AND I ALSO CAME FROM A LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLD, AND SO I WAS DOING LIKE MOVE 60 AND THINGS THAT WERE LIKE PRIOR TO SCHOOL STARTING ACTIVITIES, AND THEN ALSO AFTER SCHOOL CARE ACTIVITIES TO SUPPLEMENT WHEN I WASN'T HOME.
AND I WILL SAY THAT IT IS PRETTY MUCH DARK HERE.
SO I THINK THAT JUST THE DARKNESS ITSELF IS A VALID POINT AND ALSO I WAS STANDING IN THE DARK EVERY MORNING AND I ALSO APPRECIATED HAVING THOSE AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES.
I DON'T LIKE NECESSARILY FOR IT TO BECOME A NARRATIVE OR BE ILLUSTRATED THAT THAT TIME BETWEEN LIKE 1PM AND 5PM WOULD NECESSARILY JUST BE LIKE THIS WASTED TIME.
LIKE I ACTUALLY ENJOYED THOSE AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES A LOT.
AND THOSE SET ME UP FOR LIKE GOOD STUDYING HABITS AND GAVE ME A LOT OF COMMUNITY WITH OTHER STUDENTS THAT ACTUALLY CAME FROM A SIMILAR BACKGROUND TO ME BECAUSE WE ALL HAD PARENTS THAT WERE WORKING.
AND IT JUST SET ME UP IN A GOOD COMMUNITY.
AND I DON'T REGRET THE TIMES THAT I SPENT IN A NON-ALE WHERE I WAS, YEAH, HAVING LIKE CHILDCARE AFTER SCHOOL AND ALL OF THAT.
SO YEAH, I THINK THAT THE POINT IS VALID THAT SLEEP IS ESSENTIAL.
I DON'T GET MUCH SLEEP PERSONALLY, SIMILAR TO MY HIGH SCHOOL PEERS.
DO FULL-TIME RUNNING START AND EXTRACURRICULARS IN MY HIGH SCHOOL.
THERE'S NIGHTS OF THE WEEK WHERE I SLEEP LESS THAN TWO HOURS TO COMPLETE ALL OF MY WORK, AND IT IS DEFINITELY DIFFICULT, AND I DON'T THINK THAT ANYONE SHOULD BE GOING THROUGH SLEEP DEPRIVATION.
NOW SOME GRATITUDE FOR MY TIME ON THE SCHOOL BOARD AS A STUDENT REP.
FIRSTLY, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE BOARD FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
IT'S LITERALLY IMPROVED MY LIFE SO MUCH TO BE ABLE TO SHARE STUDENT VOICE AND HAS ALSO TAUGHT ME TO SEEK OUT STUDENT VOICE IN MY COMMUNITY AND REALLY GAIN THE OPINIONS OF MY PEERS.
AND HAS ALSO GIVEN ME HONESTLY JUST A LOT OF CONFIDENCE TO SEEK OUT ADVICE FROM MY PEERS ON OR IN THEIR THOUGHTS ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY AND GIVE ME A MORE COHESIVE PERSPECTIVE AS A STUDENT.
I JUST GRADUATED BECAUSE MY SCHOOL'S GRADUATION IS A LITTLE EARLY, EARLIER THAN SOME OF THE OTHER ONES.
SO THAT WAS A REALLY POSITIVE EXPERIENCE FOR ME AND I REALLY ENJOYED IT.
I INTEND TO STUDY POLITICAL SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, SIMILAR TO SCARLETT.
AND I'M GOING TO BE DOUBLE MINORING DANCE AND THEATER, AND I'M ALSO PLANNING TO JOIN A SORORITY.
I'M GOING TO RUSH, SO LET'S HOPE THAT ALL GOES WELL.
AND NOT BE DOING ALL OF THE EMPHASIS ON EDUCATIONAL FUNDING AND WHAT I'VE LEARNED FROM BEING ON THE BOARD.
IT IS TO ADEQUATELY FUND EDUCATION.
AND SO, YEAH, I'VE LEARNED A LOT.
LOT FROM THIS EXPERIENCE AND I'M EXTREMELY THANKFUL TO EVERYONE THAT'S BEEN A PART OF IT SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND WE ARE INCREDIBLY THANKFUL FOR ALL FIVE OF YOU.
YOU MAY STAY, YOU MAY CHOOSE WHEN YOU WANT TO LEAVE, BUT YOU HAVE PERMISSION TO HAVE A END TIME THAT'S REASONABLE FOR YOUR NEEDS FOR RIGHT NOW AND WE CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH.
FOR YOUR GIVING US YOUR TIME AND I THINK EVERYBODY HERE SEES HOW ARTICULATE AND BRIGHT AND CARING THESE STUDENTS ARE AND WHAT A WONDERFUL WONDERFUL CONTRIBUTION THEY HAVE BEEN.
TO US AS THE SCHOOL BOARD TO HAVE THEM AT OUR MEETINGS TO HELP BRING THEIR PERSPECTIVE AS THEIR K-12 CAREERS.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE NEXT PERSON FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
DIRECTOR KADAMS, BEFORE YOU MOVE ON, CAN I MOVE FOR A FIVE-MINUTE RECESS? YES.
[02:30:01]
WHY DON'T I JUST MAKE SURE, ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO US TAKING A FIVE-MINUTE RECESS? I'M LOOKING AT YOU, YOU DON'T GET TO SAY THESE PEOPLE.FIVE-MINUTE RECESS AND WE'LL BE BACK.
OKAY, EVERYBODY, THIS REGULAR MEETING OF THE DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS NOW...
THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE SIGNED UP, EVERYBODY WHO IS SIGNED UP WILL BE ABLE TO FIT WITH IT CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE TWO-HOUR WINDOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.
SO NEXT UP IS ELIZABETH LUNSFORD AND AFTER HER IS DERICA ESCAMILLA.
I HAVE TWO KIDS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AT SPRUCE ELEMENTARY.
I LOVE TO SEE ALL THE PEOPLE COME IN.
I CAME TO HEAR TO TALK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.
LAST TIME I TALKED HERE WAS ABOUT AT SPRUCE, AND IT HASN'T BEEN IMPROVED.
I'VE RECEIVED RETALIATION FROM THE PRINCIPAL FOR SPEAKING UP HERE.
SHE EXHIBITED BULLYING BEHAVIOR TO PUTTING MY TEACHERS, THE KIDS OF MY TEACHERS, IN AWKWARD SITUATION, SAYING THAT SHE DIDN'T WANT ME TO VOLUNTEER IN THE KIDS' CLASS TO ACTUALLY DEMANDING.
SHE HAS HAD A LONG HISTORY BEFORE SHE BECAME PRINCIPAL ABOUT BEING INTIMIDATING AND BEING RETALIATING.
I AM ONE, AND I WANT TO KNOW UNTIL THERE'S ACTION.
I HAVE TO ADMIT, I'M JUST HURT.
I'M HURT BECAUSE MORE KIDS ARE NOT GOING TO, MY KIDS' FRIENDS ARE NOT GOING TO GO TO SPRUCE BECAUSE OF THIS PRINCIPAL.
THEY'RE SEEKING ANOTHER SCHOOL.
I'M ALSO HURT BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY KIDS THAT ARE NOT THERE ANYMORE.
BECAUSE OF THE IMMIGRATION INSTITUTE.
I HAVE SUCH APPRECIATION FOR YOUR STANCE ON THAT FROM WHEN I REMEMBER BOARD MEMBERS SPEAKING THAT THEY WOULD FIGHT, BUT STILL HEARTBREAKING.
I'VE BEEN IN THIS CLASSROOM FOR EIGHT YEARS PROVIDING ART PROJECTS BECAUSE I BELIEVE ART IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
FOR RONNA TO TAKE AWAY THESE ART OPPORTUNITIES FOR THESE KIDS THAT ARE JUST SO UNDERSERVED IS JUST EVIL.
I WANTED TO SAY I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW I DIFFICULT IT IS I REALLY WISH YOU GUYS HAD TOWN HALLS AT THE SCHOOLS FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THIS NOT JUST EMAILS BUT HAVE THE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS ESPECIALLY AT THE IMPACTED SCHOOLS THERE'S GOOD SOLUTIONS THAT CAN COME ACROSS WHEN COMMUNITY IS ACTUALLY INVOLVED AND AS HEAVY AS IT IS THE PART THAT ACTUALLY TERRIFIES ME IS A LACK OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE KIDS THAT WERE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED.
I HAVE A KID WHO STRUGGLES WITH COMMUNICATION, AND THEY DEAL WITH STAFF THAT I DON'T KNOW, AND IT TERRIFIES ME TO PICK MY KIDS TO THE SCHOOL, BUT I'M HOLDING ON TO TRUST BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME AMAZING TEACHERS THAT I KNOW WILL FIGHT TOOTH AND NAIL.
I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE DIFFICULT SITUATIONS TO BE UP THERE, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THE BOARD MEMBERS DO NOT GET PAID.
I'LL QUICKLY MENTION HOW PROUD I AM FOR THE ART PROJECT THAT I'LL BE DOING TOMORROW, BECAUSE I FEEL WITH THE WORLD CUP COMING UP, EVERY KID DESERVES ACCESS TO A CORE MEMORY OF THE KIDS.
SO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE PROJECT WHERE I CUT OFF LITTLE GUYS, AND THEY GET TO MOVE THE SOCCER BALL BACK AND FORTH.
AFTER DERRICKA IS LISA LANGAMATH.
SO ORIGINALLY I CAME HERE TO SPEAK AND TELL YOU GUYS HOW PROUD THE CITY OF LINWOOD CONFIRMED 15 STUDENTS FROM REPRESENTED FROM FIVE HIGH SCHOOLS.
TO BE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CITY OF LINWOOD YOUTH COUNCIL.
AND I HAVE A WHOLE SPEECH THAT I WROTE ABOUT THAT, BUT SITTING HERE AND LISTENING AND BEING A PARENT OF A STUDENT AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, I'M GOING TO SAVE THAT FOR ANOTHER SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, BUT I COULDN'T LET THE STUDENTS LEAVE WITHOUT LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THEY WERE MY INSPIRATION FOR THE ENTIRE THING.
AND I WOULD HAVE NEVER FOUGHT SO HARD FOR A YOUTH COUNCIL IF I HADN'T COME HERE AND SEEN THE
[02:35:01]
OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU GAVE THESE CHILDREN.AND WATCHING THEM ADVOCATE AND SPEAK AND BE WHO THEY ARE.
HELPED ME FIGHT WHAT I NEEDED TO TO MAKE THE YOUTH COUNCIL BECOME REAL.
SO WHAT I HAVE TO GIVE YOU IS SOME REAL PERSPECTIVE FROM A PARENT THAT HAS A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WHERE WE HAD TO DO A HYBRID MODEL WHEN HE WAS IN HIS LATTER YEARS BECAUSE HE HAD AN AUTOIMMUNE AND HE WAS IN SPORTS AND HE HAD TO PAY FOR IT.
THERE WASN'T THAT FLEXIBILITY, SO HE DID AUTONOMOUS.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WITH BUDGET CUTS THIS YEAR, THAT'S NOT EVEN AN OPTION, AND THAT WAS A CONCERN OF MINE THIS YEAR.
I REALLY QUITE HONESTLY HAVEN'T FOLLOWED UP ON THE EFFECTS OF THE KIDS NOT HAVING THAT HYBRID MODEL THIS YEAR.
WELL, I'D LIKE TO THINK THAT I KEEP UP WITH EMAILS AND EVERYTHING, AND I THOUGHT THE SURVEY FOR THE LATER START TIMES FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL, BUT I ALSO DON'T RECALL THIS EARLIER START TIME FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
I HAVE A 9-YEAR-OLD AT CEDAR VALLEY, AND I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO CHAPERONE SEVERAL FIELD TRIPS AND BE IN THAT SCHOOL THIS YEAR.
THE STUFF THAT I WITNESS IN THERE BEHAVIORALLY, I AM MORTIFIED OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN WE WAKE THESE KIDS UP EARLIER AND WE SENT THEM THERE.
THERE WAS A KID THAT PUNCHED A HOLE IN THE COUNSELOR'S OFFICE.
TODAY, WHEN I WENT TO JUST GO DROP OFF A FIELD TRIP FORM, A TEACHER WAS ON THE VERGE OF TEARS BECAUSE A STUDENT RAN OUT THE SCHOOL AND WAS NEAR THE BANK OF AMERICA HEADING TOWARDS 196 AND WITH NO SUPPORT.
AND SHE'S NOT COMING BACK NEXT YEAR.
THIS TEACHER HAS BEEN THERE FOR OVER A DECADE.
I'M SCARED WHAT OTHER TEACHERS AREN'T COMING BACK TO CEDAR VALLEY NEXT YEAR.
WHAT IS THIS START TIME GOING TO DO? MY OWN SON WITH THE 8.45 START TIME DECIDED TO SACRIFICE HIS BREAKFAST FOR MORE SLEEP AND BECAUSE HE COULDN'T, AS A NEURODIVERGENT, HANDLE THE NOISE IN THE MORNING ALSO.
SO I'M ALSO SHOCKED AND WONDERING WHY WE MADE THIS DECISION.
AGREE WITH THE LATER START TIMES FOR THE HIGH SCHOOLERS UM BUT I DON'T AGREE WITH AND ALSO GUYS WHAT DO YOU WHAT ABOUT ALL THOSE POOR KIDS THAT ARE IN HIGH SCHOOL THAT NOW ARE GOING TO HAVE TO WAKE UP EARLY ANYWAYS TO HELP TAKE THE LITTLE ONES TO THE BUS STOP AND THE SCHOOLS LIKE I DON'T I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS CONSIDERED OR NOT BUT AFTER LISA IS LEAH RENFROW.
I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE, BUT I SEE LOTS OF MANY FACES THAT ARE FAMILIAR, AND SOME OF YOU HAVE RETIRED FROM TEACHING.
I'M A TEACHER AT MALIK TERRACE ELEMENTARY.
ONE IS GRADUATING THIS YEAR, AND HEARING ALL THE START...
TIME AND FOR BOTH ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOLERS.
MY SON DID IB AND HE HAD TO BE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL BY 6 10 OTHERWISE THEY LOCKED THE DOOR AND IT'S THREE DAYS A WEEK SO FOR DURING THEIR JUNIOR YEAR AND SENIOR YEAR.
I ALSO RECOGNIZE BEING AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENT THAT WHEN STUDENTS ARE NOT WELL RESTED IT IS A HARD DAY.
JUST LIKE ANY PARENT WOULD KNOW, YOU ALWAYS THINK, SLEEP OR DID THEY EAT? THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT HELP REGULATE THEM.
SO I HAVE STUDENTS THAT LITERALLY FALL ASLEEP IN MY CLASS, AND THEY'RE HARD TO WAKE UP.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU GO, WELL, SHOULD I WAKE THEM UP AND HAVE THEM TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON WHEN COGNITIVELY THEY'RE IN A FOG, OR DO I JUST LET THEM NAP SO THAT I CAN CATCH IT LATER? BUT.
TODAY I CAME BECAUSE THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT I THINK FAMILIES DO NOT UNDERSTAND.
THAT'S THE WORKING OF DUAL LANGUAGE.
THE INTENT IS REALLY WONDERFUL, BUT THE IMPACT IS DIFFERENT.
AND IT'S IMPACTING MY COMMUNITY, AND IT'S IMPACTING SPRUCE.
SO THIS YEAR, THE THIRD GRADE TEACHER ONE OF US HAS TO LEAVE, I VOLUNTEERED, SO THAT THE OTHER THIRD GRADE TEACHER CAN TEACH AN ENGLISH CLASS.
THE FOLLOWING YEAR, A FOURTH GRADE TEACHER WILL NEED TO LEAVE OUR BUILDING AND CONTINUE ON.
SO, BY THE TIME 2029 COMES, WE WILL HAVE ONE ENGLISH
[02:40:03]
SPEAKING CLASS PER GRADE LEVEL.BUT OUR DUAL LANGUAGE WILL HAVE TWO PER GRADE.
I'M NOT AGAINST DUAL LANGUAGE.
BUT IN THE BEGINNING, WE DID THIS OF AN EQUITY ISSUE, MEANING SERVING OUR LATINO FAMILIES AND SPANISH-SPEAKING FAMILIES.
BUT WHEN I LOOK AT THE CLASSES OF DUAL LANGUAGE, A LOT OF THEM SPEAK.
OKAY, SO AARON, ARE YOU HERE? YEAH.
OKAY, YOU GET TO GO NEXT WITHOUT EVEN A PRE-WARNING.
YEAH, LET ME PULL UP MY SPIEL.
I LIVE IN THE SUN ABOUT TO START KINDERGARTEN IN THE FALL, AND I WAS VERY SURPRISED TO SEE THIS MESSAGE THAT START TIMES ARE GOING TO SHIFT.
WE'RE ABOUT TO START THIS BIG EXCITING ADVENTURE OF KINDERGARTEN, AND THEN THE NEXT YEAR IT'S A WHOLE BIG SHIFT ALL OVER AGAIN.
BUT I ACTUALLY DON'T EVEN WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
I'M AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST.
I WORK FOR THE MARYSVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO I WORK WITH THE MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THESE STUDENTS WHO DON'T ALWAYS HAVE SOMEONE TO ADVOCATE FOR THEM.
ALL CHILDREN, ALL CHILDREN THRIVE ON ROUTINES, AND THIS IMMENSE SHIFT TO AN EARLIER START TIME MEANS A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN WAKE TIMES AS WELL.
THERE ARE SO MANY CHILDREN IN SPECIAL EDUCATION AND GENERAL EDUCATION ALIKE WHO STRUGGLE WITH SLEEP.
SLEEP CAN BE AN EXTREME CHALLENGE FOR KIDS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH ANY DISABILITIES WHO MAY NOT SLEEP MORE THAN A FEW HOURS A NIGHT, IF AT ALL.
FORCING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS TO GO TO SLEEP BEFORE THEIR NATURAL RHYTHMS ALLOW FOR REGULAR SLEEP MEANS LESS SLEEP FOR KIDS, MORE STRESS FOR PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN, A MORE STRESSFUL HOME, WHICH DIRECTLY TRANSLATES TO AN INCREASE IN BEHAVIORS DYSREGULATION AND A DECREASE IN READINESS OR ABILITY TO LEARN FOR THESE STUDENTS.
THESE STUDENTS NEED AN AVERAGE OF 10 HOURS OF SLEEP PER NIGHT FOR ANY PEDIATRICIAN, ON AVERAGE.
LET'S THINK ABOUT THE AVERAGE FAMILY.
PARENTS MIGHT WORK UNTIL 5 O'CLOCK OR LATER IN THE EVENING.
THESE STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO GET UP BY 5.45 A.M.
POTENTIALLY TO GET ON THE BUS, MEANING THEY MIGHT HAVE TO BE ASLEEP BY 7.45 AT THE LATEST, AND MAYBE THEY TAKE 30 TO 60 MINUTES TO GO TO SLEEP FOR THEIR BEDTIME ROUTINE.
NOW THAT'S 6.45, WHICH MEANS DINNER AT 6, WHICH MEANS MAKING DINNER AT 5.30, WHICH MEANS WHEN DO I HAVE TIME TO SPEND WITH MY KIDS? WHEN DOES THAT HAPPEN? I DON'T KNOW.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TAKING AWAY, IS TIME WITH KIDS, SUPPORTING THEIR DEVELOPMENT, SUPPORTING THEIR ABILITY TO LEARN.
NOW IT'S OUT ON TOP OF THAT, A CHILD WITH DISABILITIES.
THAT'S EVEN MORE TIME AND ENERGY AND PHYSICAL AND MENTAL STRAIN ON THE CHILD AND THE PARENTS AND THE FAMILY.
THIS INCREDIBLE SHIFT EARLIER FOR THESE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IS A CHALLENGE.
AS OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED, THOSE ARE THE KIDS WHO NEED THAT SUPPORT.
THEY'RE NOT INDEPENDENT WITH THEIR DAILY ROUTINES YET, NOR SHOULD THEY BE.
WE SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AS A PARENT TO SPEND TIME WITH OUR KIDS.
NO OTHER DISTRICTS START THIS EARLY IN THE COUNTRY.
WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO FIND A SOLUTION THAT SUPPORTS ALL OF OUR STUDENTS TO CREATE AN EQUITABLE, ACCESSIBLE SCHEDULE.
NEXT IS PHILIP LAM, AND AFTER PHILIP WILL BE DAVY HEMERICK.
IS PHILIP HERE? OKAY, SO NEXT WILL BE DAVY HEMERICK.
EVERYBODY NEEDED AN EARLY BEDTIME.
[02:45:03]
KIRSTEN LYSON.I LIVE IN MOUNTLAKE TERRACE AND I AM THE PROUD MAMA OF TWO YOUNG KIDS, THE OLDEST OF WHOM WILL BE IN KINDERGARTEN NEXT YEAR AT TERRACE PARK.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND HAVE MY VOICE HEARD.
I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE RECENTLY RELEASED SCHEDULE FOR THE 27-28 SCHOOL YEAR.
SO I WASN'T GOING TO SAY THIS.
BECAUSE IT FELT TOO VULNERABLE.
BUT AFTER A PREVIOUS COMMENT, I WANT TO SAY THAT WE ARE ALSO A NEURODIVERGENT FAMILY.
AND FRANKLY, THE EARLY SCHEDULE TERRIFIES ME.
AND I FEEL LIKE WE'RE BEING SET UP FOR FAILURE, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF THE NEURODIVERGENCE IN OUR FAMILY AND THE SLEEP ISSUES THAT COME WITH THAT.
OKAY, BACK TO MY PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED COMMENTS.
I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT LATER START TIMES FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS.
AND I'M DISMAYED BY THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN DISMISSIVE.
THE EARLY START TIMES I'VE EXPERIENCED THAT I EXPERIENCED IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL, THEY WEREN'T HEALTHY FOR ME, AND THEY CONTRIBUTED NEGATIVELY TO MY HEALTH FOR YEARS.
SO I APPLAUD THE DECISION TO PAY ATTENTION TO BOTH THE SCIENCE AND THE INTERESTS OF THOSE STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
AND SHIFTING THE BURDEN TO A DIFFERENT SCHOOL POPULATION DOESN'T RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.
STUDIES SHOW THAT SCHOOL START TIMES DIRECTLY IMPACT HOW MUCH SLEEP KIDS GET, REGARDLESS OF THEIR AGE.
WHEN MY KID DOESN'T GET ENOUGH SLEEP, IT DRAMATICALLY IMPAIRS HIS EMOTIONAL REGULATION, HIS ABILITY TO ENGAGE, AND HONESTLY, HE'S JUST MISERABLE.
AND THEN SO ARE THE REST OF US.
HE'S NOT HIS BEST SELF IN THOSE TIMES, AND I WORRY THAT A 720 START TIME WILL SET HIM UP FOR UNNECESSARY CHALLENGES IN THE CLASSROOM AND ALSO...
AN EARLY START TIME WILL ALSO NEGATIVELY IMPACT OUR FAMILY FINANCES.
BECAUSE OF THE GAP BETWEEN SCHOOL AND PRESCHOOL DROP-OFF AND THE EARLY RELEASE TIME, I'M GOING TO LOSE PRECIOUS WORKING HOURS THAT MY FAMILY DEPENDS ON.
I KNOW THIS IS A COMPLEX PROBLEM TO SOLVE.
I KNOW THERE ARE COMPLICATED BUS SCHEDULES, AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE UP AGAINST REALITY.
BUT ALSO, PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT...
EARLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL START TIMES, IT DOESN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM, IT SHIFTS THE BURDEN.
WE NEED CREATIVE SOLUTIONS, AND I SINCERELY HOPE THAT WE CAN FIND A WAY FORWARD THAT IS EQUITABLE TO ALL OF US.
AND AFTER OLEG WILL BE JASON MOORE.
HELLO, DEAR BOARD MEMBERS, DEAR SUPERINTENDENT.
I'M A FATHER OF THREE AND MY KIDS ARE AT ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL.
SO THE SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM THAT WE ALL HEARD ABOUT AND IT'S BASICALLY START ONE HOUR LATER.
THAT'S THE SOLUTION BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER WHO IS IN IB PROGRAM, HE WILL HAVE TO BE IN THE SAME POSITION AS THIS LADY WAS HERE WHEN SHE HAS TO START AT 6.20 A.M.
SO SHE HAS TO BE UP AT 4 TO 4.30 A.M.
BUT I WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT LIKE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR HEALTH, FOR MENTAL HEALTH, PHYSICAL HEALTH, ETC.
BUT I JUST DIG DATA BECAUSE I DO SOME DATA ANALYSIS.
AND WHAT I FIGURED IS THAT OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, THE WAY HOW OUR ACADEMIC SUCCESS FOR STUDENTS IN WASHINGTON STATE, IT'S ACTUALLY DEGRADING.
AND IN FLORIDA STATE, I WAS USING FLORIDA JUST FOR COMPARISON, IT'S ACTUALLY GOING UP, DESPITE THE FLORIDA WAS ABOUT THE SAME, YOU KNOW.
PER STUDENT COSTS PER YEAR AND NOW WASHINGTON STATE IS 44% HIGHER THAN FLORIDA SO WE ARE PAYING MORE FOR SERVICE THAT IS LESS LIKE THAT DEVELOPS WORSE AND I WAS HOPING WELL WE HAVE LIKE 15% TAX LEVY INCREASE SO MAYBE WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS TO FUND THE BUS DRIVERS OR WHATEVER IS NEEDED TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS TO START LATER ALL AT THE SAME TIME BECAUSE WE HAVE LIKE SIX OR 7 MILLION, RIGHT? BUT HOW I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THAT ACTUALLY MOST OF THAT MONEY WAS SPENT ACCORDING TO F195 FORM, THE BUDGETING.
[02:50:01]
IT WAS FOR HR, PROGRAM 97, STATEWIDE BENEFITS.SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT, HOW THAT, LIKE IF YOU CAN DECIPHER THAT FOR ME, THAT WOULD HELP.
SO I BASICALLY ASK THE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION, ARE WE SPENDING MONEY THE RIGHT WAY? AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS TO START LATER ALL ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, HIGH SCHOOL, VERSUS SPENDING IT ON SOME PROGRAM 97, WHICH RAISED 10 TIMES.
SO IT WAS 600,000 IN THE PREVIOUS BUDGET YEAR, AND NOW IT'S 5.4 MILLION.
I THINK THIS ISSUE WITH THE START TIMES HAS ALREADY BEEN COVERED FULLY, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY AS A FORMER SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE, I'M STANDING HERE WITH ALL THESE PARENTS AND STUDENTS THAT CAME OUT HERE.
I SUPPORT YOUR RIGHT TO PETITION YOUR SCHOOL FOR GRIEVANCE.
AND I SUPPORT THAT AND ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THE BOARD MEMBERS TO PLEASE LISTEN TO THE PARENTS, LISTEN TO THE STUDENTS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO LISTEN TO ME THIS TIME.
JUST LISTEN TO YOUR COMMUNITY.
THREE OF YOU ARE UP FOR ELECTION SOON IN A COUPLE YEARS SO WE WILL REMEMBER THIS AND WE EXPECT.
YOU TO LISTEN TO OUR CONCERNS AND ACT ACCORDINGLY.
THE ROLE OF A BOARD MEMBER IS NOT TO BE A RUBBER STAMP FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I DID TALK ABOUT DURING MY CAMPAIGN BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN WITNESSING FOR THREE YEARS PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROCESS HERE.
DO YOUR ROLE AS A SUPERVISORY BOARD TO THE DISTRICT.
WE KNOW THAT YOU DON'T GET PAID.
WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE VOTED OR A LOT OF YOU HAVE BEEN APPOINTED.
BUT YOUR ROLE IS TO BE TO LISTEN TO OUR VOICE AND DO THAT.
TO GO AGAINST THE SUPERINTENDENT IF YOU NEED TO.
I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT ONCE IN THREE YEARS.
THERE IS ONE MORE PERSON LISTED HERE, BUT THAT PERSON HAS ALREADY SPOKEN.
I THINK IT MAY HAVE BEEN AN ERROR AND WE DON'T ALLOW PEOPLE
[10. CONSENT AGENDA-7:30 pm]
TO GIVE MORE THAN ONE COMMENT.I BELIEVE THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS AND TAKES US TO THE NEXT PART OF OUR AGENDA WHICH IS OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
OUR CONSENT AGENDA IS THE GROUP OF REGULAR ROUTINE ITEMS THAT WE CAN VOTE ON TOGETHER OR SEPARATELY AS WE WISH.
TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA CONSISTS OF NINE ITEMS. TWO HAVE TO DO WITH PERSONNEL AND STAFF AGREEMENTS.
ONE HAS TO DO WITH BILLS AND VOUCHERS.
THREE HAS TO DO WITH INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS WITH EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.
DO I HEAR A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED? MOVE TO APPROVE.
I'VE HEARD A MOTION TO APPROVE AND A SECOND.
[11. REPORTS-7:35 pm]
HEARING NONE, ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS? TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED AS PRESENTED.NEXT, WE HAVE OUR REPORTS, AND SINCE WE'VE HAD ONE REPORT ALREADY, WE HAVE ONE REPORT LEFT.
JUST ONE REPORT REMAINING THIS EVENING.
I'D LIKE TO WELCOME FORWARD LYDIA SELLE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS AND FINANCE.
COULD WE ASK IF CONVERSATIONS ARE GOING TO GO ON, THAT THEY GO ON OUTSIDE SO THAT WE CAN HEAR THE PEOPLE SPEAKING? THANK YOU.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT APRIL TONIGHT AND IN TWO WEEKS WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE 26-27 BUDGET.
[02:55:02]
SO APRIL IS THE LAST MONTH THAT I HAVE AVAILABLE DATA, SO 26-27 BEGINNING FUND BALANCE IS BASED ON APRIL PROJECTIONS BECAUSE THAT'S THE MOST CURRENT DATA THAT I WILL HAVE.APRIL IS ALSO OUR HIGHEST FUND BALANCE MONTH OF THE YEAR IS BECAUSE THAT'S SPRING PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS AND OUR APPORTIONMENT IS ADJUSTED ACCORDINGLY.
THE STATE GIVES US LESS MONEY IN THOSE MONTHS THAT THE PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS ARE HIGHER.
OKAY, I HIGHLIGHTED THE TWO NUMBERS IN YELLOW BECAUSE I HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT THIS MUCH, BUT WE DO LOOK AT, AT A POINT IN TIME, HOW DO REVENUES COMPARE TO EXPENDITURES.
SO IN 24-25, IN APRIL, WE WERE 13.1 MILLION MORE REVENUES THAN EXPENDITURES.
SO WE ARE JUST TRENDING UPWARDS SLIGHTLY, WHICH IS REALLY POSITIVE.
AND THAT'S JUST ANOTHER WAY TO DOUBLE CHECK.
ON REVIT'S SOURCE, LOOKING AT THIS FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS, OR CURRENT TO THE LAST THREE YEARS.
IN THE OTHER CATEGORY, IF THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF VARIATION IN THE TRIM, THAT'S BECAUSE...
SOMETIMES OUR COUNTY GRANTS DON'T COME CONSISTENTLY LIKE APPORTIONMENT DOES, SO NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT THERE.
AND THEN JUST A REMINDER, WE TALK ABOUT PURCHASE SERVICES, AND OH GOSH, PERHAPS WE CAN LOWER PURCHASE SERVICES FOR OTHER USES, BUT JUST REALIZE THAT INCLUDES THOSE KIND OF SIMILAR ITEMS THAT YOU HAVE AT HOME THAT CAN BE A LITTLE HARDER TO CONTROL AS WELL, WHICH IS UTILITIES, FUEL OBVIOUSLY IS GOING UP SUBSTANTIALLY, AND THEN INSURANCE.
ON THIS SLIDE, IT'S JUST A REMINDER, AS USUAL, FEDERAL REVENUES ARE ALWAYS ONE MONTH BEHIND BECAUSE THEY'RE BASED ON THE PREVIOUS MONTH'S EXPENDITURES.
THEN WE SUBMIT A CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT.
SO IF THE PERCENTAGE LOOKS A LITTLE BIT OFF, IT'S REALLY LAGGING BY A MONTH.
SO IT WILL CATCH UP THE FOLLOWING SEPTEMBER.
AND THEN OUR FUND BALANCE PROJECTION, AGAIN, THIS IS GOING TO BE USED FOR THE 26-27 BUDGET.
WE ARE ESTIMATING THAT WE'RE GOING TO END AT $41,650,000.
YOU WILL SEE THAT WILL BE THE STARTING FUND BALANCE.
FOR OUR 26-27 DISCUSSION IN TWO WEEKS.
AND THE APRIL DECREASE, AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO SEE A DECREASE, BUT AT LEAST THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE PREVIOUS YEAR, SO IT DOESN'T INDICATE ANYTHING UNUSUAL AS FAR AS SPRING IS CONCERNED.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I DO HAVE ONE THING FOR YOU, LYDIA, THAT I HOPE WILL HELP ADDRESS ONE OF OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS' CONCERNS HERE.
COULD YOU JUST REALLY BRIEFLY, I'M SORRY TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT HERE, BUT JUST LIKE WAYS THAT OUR COST FOR EMPLOYMENT GOES UP THAT WE AREN'T BUDGETED FOR.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE STATE SAYING LIKE WE HAVE TO PROVIDE BENEFITS TO SUBS.
OR LIKE THE IPD DOESN'T KEEP UP.
CAN YOU JUST TOUCH ON A COUPLE OF THOSE REAL QUICK? ABSOLUTELY.
SO ONE OF THE BIGGEST IS THE STATE HAS, I CAN'T SAY ONE SIZE FITS ALL, I CAN SAY FOUR SIZE FITS ALL, IF THAT'S SUCH A TERM.
THE ENOUGH SALARIES OR THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF SALARIES FOR THIS REGION, THEY JUST PICK A NUMBER SO THE LEVY HAS TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE.
THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE LARGEST, BUT ALSO THEY PAY FOR VERY FEW SUBSTITUTES IN TEACHING.
THEY PAY FOR ZERO SUBSTITUTES IN LIKE A CLASSIFIED.
YOUR CLASSIFIED COULD BE YOUR CUSTODIAN, YOUR OFFICE MANAGER.
ANYBODY WHO, A PARAEDUCATOR IS A CLASSIFIED PERSON, CERTAINLY YOU NEED A SUB.
[03:00:03]
THEY ALSO HAVE, THROUGH THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, NOT A SCHOOL DISTRICT THING, A SICK LEAVE, 25% COMPENSATION.SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE EXAMPLES.
OUR WEBSITE BUDGET PAGE IS AN OUTSTANDING OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO SEE THIS.
WE HAVE AN FAQ THAT GIVES A VARIETY OF WAYS TO LOOK AT THAT INFORMATION AS WELL.
WE REALLY DON'T SIT HERE AND DO A Q&A WITH THE AUDIENCE ONCE WE GO INTO A REPORT, BUT I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO TO THIS WEBSITE.
SEE THAT OVER THE YEARS WE HAVE DONE A GREAT DEAL OF ADVOCACY WITH OUR NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS WHERE WE HAVE TOGETHER IN UNISON RUN A CRISIS TOWN HALL FOR OUR STATE LEGISLATORS WE HAVE WRITTEN LETTERS AND OP-EDS IT WE HAVE OUTLINED ALL OF THE MINUTE NOT WE CAN'T GET TO ALL OF THEM BUT MANY MANY OF THE BIG-TICKET ITEMS THAT THE STATE IS SIMPLY UNDERFUNDING THEY ADMIT THEY'RE UNDERFUNDING US.
THEY ARE NOT MEETING THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL, SORRY, THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY.
YOU CAN TALK TO LYDIA AFTERWARD.
I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN, LYDIA, FOR EVERY ONE OF YOUR REPORTS AND ALL OF YOUR ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS, AND YOU'RE MAKING SURE WE REALLY DO
[12. NEW BUSINESS- 7:45 pm]
UNDERSTAND HOW THE BUDGET WORKS.ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANKS.
THERE ARE FOUR ITEMS OF NEW BUSINESS THIS EVENING.
THE FIRST IS 12.1, A FIRST READING NO ACTION REQUESTED OF RESOLUTION 2610, UNLIMITED TAX GENERAL OBLIGATION AND REFUNDING BONDS 2026.
YOU HAD A PRESENTATION ON THIS EARLIER THIS EVENING.
IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, WE WILL BRING THIS TO YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION FOR APPROVAL AT THE NEXT MEETING.
THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM 12.2, A SINGLE READING APPROVAL OF GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE AMOUNTMENT FOR NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL PROJECT, RENAMED SALISH MIDDLE SCHOOL, APPROVED BUDGET AUTHORIZATION AND DELEGATE CONTRACTING AUTHORITY.
SO DO I HEAR A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE AMENDMENT FOR THE NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL PROJECT, SALISH MIDDLE SCHOOL, APPROVE THE BUDGET AUTHORIZATION, AND DELEGATE CONTRACTING AUTHORITY? I MOVE.
I'VE HEARD A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? THE ONLY COMMENT I WANT TO MAKE, THANK YOU TO OUR VOTERS FOR SUPPORTING THIS.
THIS IS PART OF OUR 2024 BOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE AMENDMENT FOR THE NEW SCHOOL, SALISH MIDDLE SCHOOL, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
ANY ABSTENTIONS? AND THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE AMENDMENT FOR THE NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL PROJECT, SALISH MIDDLE SCHOOL, APPROVED BUDGET AUTHORIZATION AND DELEGATE CONTRACTING AUTHORITY IS APPROVED.
ITEM IS 12.3, A VERY SIMILAR ITEM FOR COLLEGE PLACE ELEMENTARY AND COLLEGE PLACE MIDDLE SCHOOL REPLACEMENT PROJECTS.
DO I HEAR A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE AMENDMENT FOR THE COLLEGE PLACE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND COLLEGE PLACE MIDDLE SCHOOL REPLACEMENT PROJECT, APPROVE BUDGET AUTHORIZATION, AND DELEGATE CONTRACTING AUTHORITY? SO MOVED.
I'VE HEARD A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ONCE AGAIN, THANK GOODNESS FOR OUR VOTERS.
WHO HAVE APPROVED THE 2024 BOND, THESE SCHOOLS DESPERATELY NEED TO BE REPLACED.
VERY EXCITED TO SEE THE BUILDING OF THE TWO BUILDINGS AS A NEW MODEL.
VERY EFFICIENT USE OF FUNDS, I BELIEVE.
SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR APPROVING THIS GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE AMENDMENT FOR THE COLLEGE PLACE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL REPLACEMENT PROJECT, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
ANY ABSTENTIONS? AND THE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE AMENDMENT FOR COLLEGE PLACE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL REPLACEMENT PROJECT, APPROVED BUDGET AUTHORIZATION AND DELEGATE CONTRACTING AUTHORITY, IS APPROVED.
NEXT ITEM IS ITEM 12.4, AUTHORIZATION FOR THE ARCHITECTURE SELECTION FOR THE WESTGATE ELEMENTARY PROJECT.
I'VE HEARD A MOTION TO APPROVE IN A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? JUST REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THIS MOVING FORWARD.
IS THIS THE SAME ARCHITECT? HAVE WE USED THIS ARCHITECT? I DON'T KNOW.
[03:05:05]
GO AHEAD AND COME UP TO THE MIC, LYDIA.TANE WILTON, THE DIRECTOR OF CAPITAL PROJECTS IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE ARCHITECT BUT IT'S BEEN QUITE A WHILE SINCE WE'VE USED THEM SO PROBABLY MORE THAN SEVEN YEARS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ONCE AGAIN THIS IS FUNDED THROUGH OUR 2024 BOND.
IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE AUTHORIZATION FOR THE ARCHITECTURE SELECTION AND AGREEMENT WITH MITHUNT INCORPORATED FOR THE WESTGATE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL REPLACEMENT PROJECT PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
[13. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - 8:00 pm]
ANY ABSTENTIONS? AND THE AUTHORIZATION FOR THE ARCHITECTURE SELECTION AND AGREEMENT HAS BEEN APPROVED.THREE ITEMS OF UNFINISHED BUSINESS THIS EVENING.
SADLY, IT'S A LITTLE BIT ANTICLIMACTIC, BUT EACH ONE OF THESE REPRESENT YEARS OF STUDY, TREMENDOUS PILOT OPPORTUNITIES BY OUR TEACHERS, AND THEN IT'S JUST A HUGE AMOUNT OF WORK ON THE PART OF OUR STAFF AND OUR STUDENTS WHO GAVE FEEDBACK ABOUT THESE.
AS OFTEN HAPPENS, ADOPTIONS CAN BE CUT.
THROUGH BUDGETS AS WE TRY TO KEEP THE CLASSROOMS AS FAR AWAY FROM STAFFING AS POSSIBLE.
AND I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE BEEN IN A GOOD ENOUGH FINANCIAL POSITION TO BE ABLE TO ADOPT SOME CURRICULA.
SO ITEM 13.1 IS A SECOND READING FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL HEALTH ADOPTION.
DO I HEAR A MOTION IN A SECOND TO APPROVE THE HIGH SCHOOL HEALTH ADOPTION? MOVE TO APPROVE.
I'VE HEARD A MOTION TO APPROVE IN A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IT'S A QUICK COMMENT HERE ON THIS ONE.
I WAS SHOCKED WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT THEY'RE STILL USING THE SAME TEXTBOOK THAT I WAS USING WHEN I WAS HERE.
ESPECIALLY IN A SUBJECT SUCH AS HEALTH WHERE EVERYTHING CHANGES SO QUICKLY.
SO I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE MAKING THIS UPDATE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? I THINK THAT, AND IS JASON STILL HERE? THE STUDENT LEARNING DEPARTMENT DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB OF TAKING ALL THREE OF THESE THROUGH A VERY COMPREHENSIVE PROCESS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? KAY? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE HIGH SCHOOL HEALTH ADOPTION, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
ANY ABSTENTIONS? AND THE HIGH SCHOOL HEALTH ADOPTION IS APPROVED.
THE NEXT ONE IS 13.2, A SECOND READING OF THE HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES ADOPTION.
DO I HEAR A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES ADOPTION? MOVE TO APPROVE.
HEARD A MOTION TO APPROVE AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? THRILLED TO BE SEEING THIS UPDATE.
WE HEAR A LOT OF TALK ABOUT CIVICS AND WE'RE UPDATING OUR CIVICS CURRICULUM.
YEAH, NO, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? OKAY, HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES ADOPTION, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
ANY ABSTENTIONS? THE HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES ADOPTION IS APPROVED.
AND FINALLY THIS EVENING UNDER UNFINISHED BUSINESS IS ITEM 13.3, A SECOND READING OF THE HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE ADOPTION.
DO I HEAR A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE ADOPTION? MOVE TO APPROVE.
I'VE HEARD A MOTION TO APPROVE AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? AND WE HAVE, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE JUST MOVING QUICKLY THROUGH THIS.
WE HAD A HUGE PRESENTATION ON ALL OF THESE WITH ALL OF THE DATA AND EVERYTHING THAT WENT BEHIND IT.
SO A SECOND READING IS USUALLY PRETTY EASY FOR US.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THIS? I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE ADOPTION, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
[14. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS - 8:20 pm]
ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY.ANY ABSTENTIONS? AND THE HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE ADOPTION IS APPROVED.
NEXT WE'LL HAVE BOARD COMMENTS.
I WANT TO THANK EVERY MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY, ALL THE PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT CAME FORWARD TONIGHT TO PARTICIPATE AND HELP INFORM US.
IT WAS EYE-OPENING AND INFORMATIVE, SO I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY.
AND I AM ALSO IN AGREEMENT THAT WE WANT TO.
CHANGE THE START TIME OF THE HIGH SCHOOL TIME, BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF ELEMENTARY.
[03:10:01]
IT DOES SHIFT THE BURDEN.SO I'LL BE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO HAVE THAT OPINION INFLUENCE POLICY MOVING FORWARD.
ECHO WHAT DIRECTOR KRAMER HAD TO SAY.
I THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR COMING OUT AND SPEAKING.
I HAD A FEW THOUGHTS ON THE THINGS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP, BUT IF THEY'RE NOT HERE, I WON'T ADDRESS THEM DIRECTLY OTHER THAN TO JUST SAY THAT NOTHING THAT WAS SAID IS SOMETHING THAT I FIND DISAGREEABLE.
THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS, THOUGH.
AS WE WORK THROUGH THESE THINGS, A LOT OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT WE GOT TONIGHT, AT SOME POINT, SOMEONE AT THIS DAIS IS...
ASKED ABOUT AND THEN IT WAS OKAY, BUT IF WE DO THAT WE'RE SACRIFICING THIS OVER HERE AND SO IT'S BEEN A REALLY TOUGH BALANCING ACT ON THIS ONE THAT DOESN'T I'M NOT TRYING TO MINIMIZE ANYONE'S CONCERNS ON THAT.
I DEFINITELY HEAR EVERYONE'S CONCERNS AND I DO UNDERSTAND.
THIS IS A REALLY TOUGH DECISION FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE TO MAKE WHETHER IT'S US OR WHATEVER ENDS UP HAPPY.
IT'S JUST TOUGH TO MAKE THIS SORT OF CHANGE BUT I DO WANT TO JUST LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW THAT WE HAVE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS.
WE'RE CONTINUING TO HAVE THEM, AND WE DO APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT AS WE HAVE THEM.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S WHY THEY PAY US THE $0 TO DO THIS, BECAUSE WE MAKE THE TOUGH CHOICES.
BUT NO, WE'VE DECIDED TO DO THIS, AND SO THIS IS OUR JOB, AND WE TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.
I DID WANT TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A LONGER COMMENT, THOUGH, AND THIS IS FOR YOU, MR. KEILLOR.
I'M ACTUALLY GLAD THAT YOU BROUGHT UP THE STUFF ABOUT SCREENS IN SCHOOLS BECAUSE MY YOUTUBE ALGORITHM HAS FIGURED OUT THIS IS A THING THAT I'M INTERESTED IN AS WELL.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF RESEARCH OUT THERE ACTUALLY THAT SHOWS THAT AS MORE TECHNOLOGY COMES INTO THE CLASSROOM, STUDENT PERFORMANCE SUFFERS.
AND IT WAS IN WAYS THAT I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE BECAUSE THE OBVIOUS THING IS TO THINK, OH, THEY'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION OR SOMETHING.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THE RESEARCH SHOWS.
IT'S NOT THAT THEY'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION.
HOW THEY'RE USING THE TECHNOLOGY IS HURTING THEIR CRITICAL THINKING ABILITIES.
AND IT'S VERY INTERESTING RESEARCH, AND IT'S WORLDWIDE.
AS OTHER COUNTRIES BRING LAPTOPS INTO THE CLASSROOM AND WHATNOT, WE SEE THIS TOO.
SO IT'S A VERY INTERESTING TOPIC AND ONE THAT I'M ACTUALLY JUST NOW GETTING VERY INTERESTED IN MYSELF.
AND I WISH THAT TATIANA LINDBERGH WAS STILL HERE BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO MISREPRESENT HER POINT.
BUT I DO RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITH THE IDEA THAT BY LIMITING THIS ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM THAT WE'RE SETTING OUR STUDENTS UP FOR FAILURE.
I THINK THERE'S A WAY TO DO IT THAT ALLOWS THEM THE EXPOSURE BUT DOESN'T HURT THE PERFORMANCE.
SO ANYWAY, ALL THAT IS TO SAY THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS COMMENT.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT TO THE BOARD'S ATTENTION.
I KNOW OSPI IS LOOKING AT SOME GUIDANCE ON SCREEN TIME IN CLASSROOMS RIGHT NOW, AND SO I'M INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT THEY COME UP WITH.
AND HOPEFULLY ONCE THEY COME UP WITH SOME STUFF AS A BOARD, WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION TOO.
I WANT TO THANK ALL THE PARENTS WHO SPOKE TONIGHT, ALSO ALL THE PARENTS WHO HAVE WRITTEN, SENT US EMAILS OR WRITTEN COMMENTS.
I MEAN, WE'RE READING ALL THOSE AND HEARING ALL THE COMMENTS IS HELPFUL.
IT DOESN'T MAKE THE SOLUTION ANY EASIER, BUT IT'S HELPFUL TO KNOW.
I DID WANT THE BOARD TO KNOW THAT OUR, NOT SCREEN TIME, BUT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, OUR REWRITE OF THE POSITION FOR THE WASDA NOW HAS A DO PASS RECOMMENDATION.
SO WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THAT WILL BE ADOPTED AT THE LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE IN SEPTEMBER.
I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND LINWOOD HIGH SCHOOL ALONG WITH DR.
MINOR FOR THE BATTLE OF THE BOOKS.
WE GOT TO READ SOME QUESTIONS TO THE HIGH SCHOOL.
I USED TO DO THAT, BATTLE BOOKS WITH MY STUDENTS FROM HILLTOP AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL. IT WAS FUN TO SEE THE HIGH SCHOOLERS WHO CHOSE TO PARTICIPATE. AND ACTUALLY, ONE OF MY FORMER STUDENTS WAS THERE, SO THAT MADE IT EVEN BETTER. I GOT TO GO TO THE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION FOR EDMONDS HEIGHTS AND SAW SATYANA GRADUATE. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE OTHER HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATIONS ON SATURDAY. I'LL GET TO ATTEND.
AND I DID GO TO THE MONTLAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL'S PLAY BETWEEN THE LUNCH. YOU KNOW, THEY WERE LIKE TO SEE THEM UP SHINING ON STAGE. THEY WERE HAVING SUCH A GOOD TIME PERFORMING. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TONIGHT. THANKS. THANK YOU.
DIRECTOR CHASE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND CONGRATULATIONS ON GETTING THAT THROUGH WASDA. THAT'S A.
SIGNIFICANT CHANGE THAT CAN MAKE AN IMPACT STATEWIDE ON OUR AI POLICY. WELL, WHEN
[03:15:02]
IT'S ADOPTED IN SEPTEMBER. YOU KNOW, ECHOING THE APPRECIATION FOR THE COMMUNITY TAKING THE TIME TO COME OUT. IT'S NOT, AND WE'VE GOT A FEW STILL HERE, BUT WE DO HAVE LOTS OF COMMENTS ONLINE. THEY'RE STILL COMING IN, AND WE DO TAKE THE FEEDBACK SERIOUSLY AND REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. I ALSO WANT TO... YEAH, THE CELEBRATIONS, YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW IMPACTFUL HAVING STUDENT VOICE ON THE BOARD IS. IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE HEARD THAT IMPACTS AND INFLUENCES A MODEL FOR NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HEAR FROM OUR STUDENTS ON THEIR PERSPECTIVE AND HOW OUR DECISIONS IMPACT THEM. AND I'M JUST SO PROUD OF THEM THAT I JUST CAN'T CONTAIN IT. ALSO TODAY, I WANT TO REMIND FOLKS, JUNE IS PRIDE MONTH, AND OUR...WEBSITE. WE CELEBRATE THE HISTORY, CONTRIBUTIONS, AND LEADERS OF THE TWO-SPIRIT LGBTQIA PLUS COMMUNITY. WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF CREATING WELCOMING, INCLUSIVE, AND SUPPORTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS WHERE ALL STUDENTS, STAFF, AND FAMILIES FEEL VALUED AND BELONGED. AND I WANT TO INVITE FOLKS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE LIBRARIANS FOR EQUITY READING LIST TO HELP INFORM YOURSELF ON THE THINGS THAT LIBRARIANS THINK ARE IMPORTANT FOR US TO READ ON OUR WEBSITE. THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR COMING OUT. THANK YOU. I HAVE ON MY PRIDE BUTTON, BUT I WEAR IT ALL THE TIME. WE SHOULD ALL TAKE PRIDE IN OUR IDENTITY, WHATEVER IT IS. I THINK TONIGHT WAS A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF WHAT MAKES OUR COUNTRY GREAT WHEN WE HAVE CIVIL DISCOURSE AND THAT EVERYBODY COMING OUT AND SPEAKING IN A CIVIL AND VERY ARTICULATE WAY. THERE'S A LOT OF... REALLY GREAT RESEARCH THAT PEOPLE DID, A LOT OF GOOD IDEAS. I REALLY APPRECIATED THE SOLUTION DIRECTION THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD, NOT JUST SAYING THE DIFFICULT THINGS, WHICH WE ALL KNOW, BUT HELPING TO REALLY TRYING TO THINK THROUGH SOLUTIONS.
THIS IS AN OPEN DISCUSSION AND I KNOW AS A SCHOOL BOARD WE REALLY APPRECIATE THESE ARE DIFFICULT DECISIONS. AND WE WANT TO MEET, WE KNOW YOU CAN'T PLEASE ALL THE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME, BUT WE WANT TO MEET AS MANY OF OUR STUDENTS' NEEDS AS WE CAN IN EVERY DECISION THAT WE MAKE.
THE ONLY OTHER THING I WANTED TO SAY IS I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE GROUNDBREAKINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE HAPPENING IN THE COMING WEEK. THIS IS VERY EXCITING FOR OUR NEW SCHOOL AND FOR THE TWO COLLEGE PLAY SCHOOLS AND THE GRADUATION'S FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR, WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DR.
MINER. NOTHING FURTHER FROM ME THIS EVENING. THAT BEING SAID, THIS REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING OF THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.