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until noon and just want to note at 11:00 a.m. our families with children who are experiencing sensory needs um there's some time for them so mark your calendars for March 30th for that and also as we are all aware by now the eclipse the total eclipse which will be at Fort Ben Comm Community Park April 8th this will be at 1: p.m.

60 FTE athletic director this will bring both of those positions to fulltime so now I'm going to quickly go through each school with you so at Berlin Memorial the compare some was initially presented with a 3% increase it is now being presented with a -2% increase with a savings of $16,679.24 Tonto middle school high school this was presented with a 12% increase it is now being presented with a 6% increase with an increase of $ 7,753 compared to the fiscal year 24 budget now we'll go over the capital changes at Berlin Memorial we took out the roof and we moved it to next year we decreased it support by $20,000 at Boon Elementary we moved the updates to the bathrooms and the playground equipment to next year we decreased it support by $20,000 and the cafeteria floor replacement increased by $4,800 at Tonto middle school high school the refurbishing of the track was moved to next year it support was taken out security swipe card systems was moved to next year the auditorium projector Sound and Lighting was moved to next year our hbac controls in repairs was decreased by $61,900 the athletic field renovation was increased by $4,240 the non-student device repl placements was decreased by $25,000 the paving of the walkway was decreased by $22,000 and we added in boiler repairs for $10,000 and down below is your debt for the for the high school so these next three pages go over the assessments by each school as you look at these you'll notice that the four s sources of revenue are from the preliminary chapter 7A that the governor released at the end of January if anyone wants to look at the backup of these figures you can go to page 23 of the slide I'm not going to go through each of these individually what I will do is I'm going to go to the assessment comparisons so you can see them by town so this is where the town of Berlin in the assessment comparison has a 5 % increase for $455,500 increase for $175,300 so that is my quick version of the presentation and I'm sure we have lots of questions all right so before we get into that Carol did you want to say something yeah I can my statement gonna say something sure just said the budget subcommittee the administrators and I've worked diligently it's understatement over the past months to develop the proposed budget prepared for you this evening on the course of our numerous discussions we focus primarily on our immediate needs while holding to a commitment to continue educate to continue advocating in areas we want to create maintain this year while postponing until next year and that to that end I think what I can say about our team is we made these decisions as a team throughout this process as painful as some of them were um we also recognize that we're not only um can be supportive of our schools but respectful of our towns and their current fiscal conditions to the best of our ability and we met numerous times with the town various Town um Representatives so in conclusion we feel very strongly that this budget can be supported by the towns and best represents our needs for the fy2 school year thank you all right before we get into questions I just want to explain um a few things so uh Julie and I have worked closely or try to work as closely as possible with Carol and Nancy with with the towns so I'm gonna start with Boon um because we have Howard here who's the um chair of the their fincom so boon is in a situation where they're able to give us $500,000 more than last year so a $500,000 increase um for both operating assessments and the Tanto Capital assessment Boon has agreed they're going to be able to use free cash to fund the Elementary School uh Capital assess Capital assessment so the thing with boilson is that $500,000 limit that's not just a suggestion that's if we go over that limit the town will have to go to override so that that's the levy ceiling right is that the right word Levy ceiling correct Boon will be at its Levy limit if we exceed approximately $1 million in operating expenses between the town and school side which 500,000 split between the two parts so that is a fair statement and correct statement I should say okay thank you okay so we're very close there um if you add up on if you're on page 13 and you add up the two increases for the operating assessments between bees and Tanto and then you deduct as it's in a negative the Boon Tanto Capital assessment don't worry about the elementary school Capital if you look at the 32213 and you net that against the two additions then you subtract with the 500 ,000 I think we're like about aund I think I went through Karen sent an email earlier today I think we're $13,000 off we're $133,000 off but Nancy you have in your number in your budget you already have a a moving money from the school choice for this number that's correct yeah so we'll have to talk about that later yeah can you repeat that okay which page I'm on page 13 would it help if I pointed as you spoke would that help people yeah all right so what Nancy did is she worked with the principes and Carol and they worked to lower the expenses which should lowers the assessment y so if you add up the 571 761 which is the increase in Boon Elementary operating assessment the very top one and then the increase in the Tanto operating assessment which is a 26 23 441 and then you can subtract out the Boon Tanto Capital assessment you should be at close to $113,000 yeah I know John so what Nancy has done in there is she has added a line to move almost $200,000 from school choice about the 337 the 337 don't worry about that because Boon has said they're going to cover all of our capital last year they covered Elementary School um from free cash and that's what they're going to do again this year so it's not in assessment it's I don't know if that's in this presentation I wanted to explain what did you say sorry I couldn't hear him you they're committing to that we have something that we can see that they're committing to that uh the chair of the fincom has committed to that so so our expectation is and that we will cover those four Capital items or five on the bo preschool site out of free cash which will use up a good chunk of it at this point that point so I don't see an issue with that is how I would leave it okay and then the other thing how much is that toal um if you look at the oper nany's number was 285 450 for the capital yep well that's just that's Elementary School yep that's all that he Howard was just saying yep the 285 450 plus we talked about in the me and I don't want to get into this because the roof at Boon Elementary and I feel like we need to touch upon it because we've talked about it so frequently in these meetings and now the select board had a meeting about the roof I don't know if anyone was able to join that meeting but oh yeah I did okay so maybe you can speak a little bit more to that but the gist of it is the town is going to fix the roof for us they've gotten a quote to have the roof resurfaced which is essentially ripping the top layer off and um putting a a home that's pretty much like reshingling the top the library roof I believe they're going to be able to fix immediately some holes were pluged pluged so the one was going they're going to do a good patch job that's going to take us get us whatever the year or however long it is until they can get the $1.5 million or $1.3 million to fix the roof in its entirety so the town is going to take care of the roof Howard you can speak to that if you want so do you want me to clarify a little bit yeah go ahead yeah all right so um we had some independent people come in and do some roof assessments uh Matt one of the Selectmen has a contact uh they made some recommendations uh we'll be able to fund from free cash replacement of the metal roof over the library the flashings around the window which is where it appears that a majority of the water is coming in the rubber membrane will have a number of areas patched by this point and typically patches last about two years of but our working assumption is that next year we capit we look to figure out how to do the rubber membrane full replacement at that point so we're basically think of this is we're splitting the workout so that it's not a huge piece here and then we don't have to go out and finance it to get usor yep y I cannot answer the question how soon contractors get in they're still very busy as aware yeah yeah sure assuming the wheels aftere free cash expenditures then April can go off and start working with the contractors to go figure out what what bids go out and what we and when it can be scheduled and then the following year is the full replacement of the passion areas so that's the working assumption is that we'll be do a full replacement the following year prop fund from the majority of free cash at least 20 25 26 before so fiscal year 26 would be the next town meeting next calendar year and that would be when you would be looking at doing the rubber membrane that point so it could be like the summer or fall they can't do it when it's cold right we learned that you can but you get a poor jum you so we're not gonna yeah I think the guy that looked at it said the cold is not good so it would either be like summer or fall all along since last year though when it keeps failing right so what's going to be the difference year so patches so patches done in warm weather because remember rubber membrane when you do a patch you actually heat and weld the patch in Rel so the warmer it is the better the patch sticks but typically patches only last two years I I keep track of the building in Worcester we patch the roof all the time we get two years out of our patches basically and you get 20 to 25 years out of membrane you can patch the last couple years and then some point you got to bite the bullet and then you I I just yeah I just wanted to add that piece about applying for the msba grant we're hoping to get some funding back from that as well so but that process takes probably a year y I would May tie into the next second part of that replacement which is what but the key thing is the library is where we have the majority of the leaks in the building and um so hopefully that will be able you know again we they're not going to commit but hope the hope is sometime summer or fall that'll be fixed are you asking why if we've been patching all along what's the difference why this is going to work versus yeah just wondering we dealt that we dealt with leagues this year last year how much longer are we going to have kids sitting and leing so so I guess the working assumption here is that there's some money available from the repair process program that the state has but it takes uh a year plus to go through the ranting cycle to get this and if we can do that we might as well try to get some reimbursement it's 30 to 50% I I mean I'd rather grab some State money that's your state tax yeah no it it sounds like a reasonable plan I'm just trying to get an understanding of the timing for everything yeah so this year after town meeting free articles passed that are on here for the re roof repair for them which is metal and the flashing that would get scheduled next town meeting for Boon in May wherever it is in 205 for fiscal year 26 budget would include hopefully the grant here plus then the matching funds we going to use from free cash to to do that if assuming the grant is zero it's still going to go ahead then then that's a discussion the selectman have to figure out because if it's more than free cash availability it's going to have to get B and that be a s compensation so lots of unknowns but there so I think I can tell you from the finance committee and I can tell you what I've heard from that is that we're committed to fixing the roof okay okay not going to happen overnight it's a two-year process okay thank you okay so that's Boyston um so that brings us to what 460 uh what about 460 all that cap and increase 46 no what do you say that again I don't I don't follow that comment sorry your 571 your 263 your oh yeah those three things brings us brings you to uh it's should be no it should be lower should be higher sorry 761 plus 263 and then you have to subtract out uh minus 53079 so if you take out 500,000 which is what the town is going to increase the assessment by the deficit between what Boon wants to give or boilson fincom approved 500,000 this budget as stated is uh 513 no no no use the the change column Mike yeah and you told us to ignore the 337 and substitute with 285 no ignore the 337 period don't substitute anything there that's all free cash you add three numbers 571 761 263 441 and then three then you subtract up 3221 23 you get 500 5379 yeah 51379 yeah $3,799 is been deficit but that number assumes and we need to discuss that later I want to put a inin in the that because I want to switch to the Berlin assessment you're sh comparison of this year to last year you're showing a drop of 337 so yeah all right that's operating I sorry that's capital I just didn't follow you there for a second all right that's how Boon is doing the their assessment is they're they're funding the that's what Bo that was the offer from Boon on the table I'm just trying to explain it yeah so um the only caveat I want everyone to understand is that in that FY 25 assessment in the elementary school in Tanto and the operating assessment that assumes we move 200,000 from school choice she has it on page one thank you Nancy increase the school choice revolving you have it on that yep go back to that one you were on you want me to do the um this one no go back to the very first one sorry yep all right so the very first bullet increase the school choice revolving allocation by 194 450 all right so that these numbers are assuming we're doing that didn't we see like two weeks ago or whenever the last meeting was that school choice was at like basically zero where it come so if we go to this one there's been some adjustments to it so what adjustments school can can you point what so if you look here so the increase would come from Tonto so this includes that increase that I noted so we would be taking 6944 from school choice leaving us with a balance of $718,000 by fiscal year 27 if we continue at the same Pace using 600 each year to allocate towards the budget we're going to be down to 200,000 we have a big drop of a lot of students coming off in FAL year 26 I want to say it's about 13 kids coming off and the other that's not to say we can't open up more spots or yeah so we can yeah that's a problem we can solve but the issue with moving money from school choice so everybody understands is that when you do that that goes into the assessment for the following fiscal year right so you're essentially then the towns don't have that on their side of the assessment right but because we're using it for recurring expenses it's going to go into our assessment so it's going to happen is the towns are going to be able to provide you with less because they're already close to their ceiling at least Boon close to their ceiling so it's almost like deferring the burden right by pushing it off you're just def by using this free cash we're deferring it to next year and so next year when they come in they're like all right well you added you already you're off the bat you already added this 200,000 that we didn't have last year so there's 200,000 of increased for next year so if we want to add five things next year we've got that 200,000 ad I don't want to go down that road just yet because I want to do the Berlin assessment side and then I want to open up for discussion all right so that's where we're at right wrong or indifferent I just want everyone to understand that's what that number includes Berlin okay and P is here so um I had said before you got here Peg as Howard jumped in when I was if you want to jump in or interrupt to help me um that would be great okay so Berlin so last year what we did in Berlin is we um again we funded part of the budget with free cash we used part of our free cash Berlin actually used part of their free cash to fund operating assessments last year which made things get super confusing so the number that they have as their fiscal 24 are operating assessment differs from the number that Nancy has because they felt that that number should not be included in the assessment even though technically it was it was voted on a town meeting um so Nancy used the number that was voted on a town meeting so that's about what $360,000 let me hold 381 all right here it is um so using the loow so Berlin it's BMS is the number where Berlin we we used you're right it's 383,000 of free cash which was applied to the BMS operating assessment so the operating assessment that Berlin started with was 3,924 4434 Nancy has 4, 30749 it's the top number under fy2 4 so the difference is that 383k so Berlin's fincom proposed only giving us $178,200 and special education so that would mean we would have to cut things in birth to meet their request we'd have to cut about what I say about $200,000 worth of stuff from what we have now maybe more so maybe later on John can talk us through what that would look like at that school um because that's a serious problem now Berlin has not provided their override Capac or their their Levy ceiling or their Levy limit so I I have calculations that we have from Consultants that we all have right for the the levy limit um Berlin has said they don't like to dip into their into that pool um so that's where we are with Berlin so I don't know Peg I don't know if you know the number for the override or we don't um Y in regards to the information on the 383,000 that we gave you it was in a letter that we sent to you and superintendent costell stating that that was an ADD onetime funding to cover the Gap and then these funds are not added to the base so right there you have the discrepancy that's exactly right we weren't putting it in we took it out of free cash once we had the free cash to give it to you this year we do not have the free cash to give to you the override is a decision solely by the select Board of Berlin whether we choose to put it on the ballot or not but I guess my question Peg and I don't know what the answer is is there's a so there's a place right where it might be over what you guys approve but it's still under what the override limit is so it's like the place where we were last year right where we disagreed but it could still pass at town meeting um no not a town meeting if an override do need to be on the ballot right needs to go on but I don't know what the limit is to hit override at Berlin that's what I'm looking for is that number is it this number that Scott gave me the 178 270 I don't think that's true that the 178 that he gave you was the two and a half% that's two and a half% increase based on that number minus the the money that we gave you last year out of free cash and out of um I think out of your money as wrong yep no not our money it was just it was just the 383 so that's 78 Yeah 178 270 Scott is coming from is that is a two and a half% increase based on the last year number but I guess the question is what if tonight we vote to spend 500,000 in Berlin like we're doing in Boon would that put you at an override I I don't know the answer to that I haven't gotten that information I've asked that question I just don't know the answer I don't know if anyone knows if it's been calculated the calculations we have would say no you have calculations from an independent consultant that we've been working off of um but in Boon there were some other items that had to go into that calculation the fincom explained it to us so it was actually lower than the number from our consultant so that's the question I don't know if anyone from Berlin is able to answer that um I mean the excess living capacity is up to 1.6 million right that that's yep so that means we'd have that right and only has a million right but again passing that if that pass that becomes a tremendous tax increase to the residents of the Town ex pass the 4% last year which people struggled with with a minimum of a $600 increase based on our rough calculations last week or two weeks ago not including this current information that we have because we did not me for only potential taxpayers and again it's it's not exist act it's a guess the tax increase would be anywhere from $14 to $1,600 per household based on the budget that we originally got from you draft in February doesn't reflect this so right it's a lot this is a lot lower right but you're still looking at an astronomical increase to the tax in Berlin for this and unfortunately as you know um and as others may know Capital planning asked you to come back Megan you didn't fincom asked you to come back you didn't so we were operating only with the information that was provided to us and there were assumptions that were made unfortunately your budget was three months late in getting it to us it should have been in know by November so we went ahead with what we could for the budget thus that's what we're giving back to you okay all right so essentially if we voted these numbers as is it would not push Berlin to override but it would put a burden a tax burden onto the taxpayers all right the the 383 that was given last year that was special education so we didn't have a choice about those expenditures exactly yep thanks Jess that is true Jess what you say I couldn't he the 383 that was covered from free cash at Berlin was for special education expenditures that happened after the meeting and so that wasn't a choice that we had made to spend that much exactly last minute emergency thing right that Y and we can't just get rid of that this year because we have to fund those students or whatever the need is unless yeah the students leave the district which I don't think was the case so um does that mean that we're three months Le what it means Mike is that the budgets were due by all committees departments back to Berlin in November last four years I don't remember ever no that is an incorrect statement because we provide sorry that is an incorrect statement we provide a calendar every year on the due dates and it was extremely clear when the budgets were due back please don't interrup we had even please don't interrupt you interrupted me to start so you had some pretty false information out there last year as well P so about Berlin tax pay pay Boon Elementary budgets but I'm just saying I don't recall in the last four years approving a budget for the schools in November I always remember it in February and so I'm just asking for some clarification about that yeah we usually vote the end of February this year we decided to vote a little bit later because what happens is we're voting and Nancy doesn't have the revenue figures that's coming in from the state I think she's still waiting on something from in April you get so it's trying to just be as accurate as possible with the um and the reason why we didn't want to provide Things Early is because the mon from February 27th as you see the changes were large to put it lightly and so we didn't want to put things out there that where you would put it into your so I guess I agree next year maybe communication needs to be better but sitting and talking about numbers that are probably going to change is not a productive use of time so I didn't want to spend a lot of time talking about numbers when the committee hadn't had the opportunity to review and and vote and we understand that and we truly would have and I'm not going to speak for fin Kong we have a member from fin finom here but we truly have appreciated the time unfortunately by the time we get the letter from you like the final letter on this is our number due to our town meeting we have to have the budget 45 days before our town meeting date that's Friday Friday don't there has been no time left for for receiving the letter from you on Wednesday and making any final changes on Friday so we were extremely handcuffed and tried to do our best with what we have okay all right Mary sorry we're gonna I want to move on and discuss the budget okay and then we'll all right we had public comment at the beginning so we'll uh open it up again in a little while I just wanted to clarify the facts about how the budget process works that's all okay so well yes definitely we will move into that but I want have we're 40 minutes in I want to start talking about the budget all right so I wanted everyone to understand that on the assessment side does everyone kind of have a grasp at what Carol Julie and I and Nancy have been working on for the past couple months all right so yeah go ahead Julie let's open up questions so we have from the burland side it's 178 270 plus the 383 say that again Julie so the 2.5% increase is the 178 270 yes right period plus no no no no it's just 178 assuming the assessment is 383 lower so it's actually the increase if you want it it's the 178 minus 383 so yes that number would be negative meaning you have to make Cuts it's a negative number I want to clarify so that 383 is a special education their tuitions that we are mandated to which I mean they need their their education we're mandated to spend it's not a negotiable number for us we're not really in control of that number correct exactly I just wanted to clarify that because I'm not sure that everybody public understands that we're not asking for 383,000 to fund anything other than education for students who need a different kind of education that's right lri and Nancy if you go to that first slide where you show what we're adding at Berlin Memorial we add one more go back sorry again go to the one where you show what we're adding at each school oh sorry page three y there above level Berlin Memorial zilch they're getting nothing this year so it's not like we're saying we need a teacher we need a this we need a that we're asking for nothing we have contracted teacher salary increases we must pay we have special education Transportation increases we must pay so the other increases at Berlin Memorial are maybe a few curriculum supplies here and there that are are must CS um there is really not a lot of wiggle room Mr Campbell am I correct in saying that you are correct in say Okay so we're not asking anything new at Berlin Memorial this year can I can I add one more thing to that yeah go ahead the other I think one of the things is too the free cash was taken as one-time funds for certain expenditures that came up as an emergency at the end of the year even if there were changes no matter what those were eaten up by other special education expenses because there's always movement within special education so I just to explain that those funds are were needed still within special education you can't go too far in a public meeting but yeah all right does anyone have any questions about what's being presented Mike of course I do are you giving any do you guys want to go around Rob and everyone gets a turn just to talk or do you want to wait let mic go first and this is a lot to digest I had a question about the math teacher which one so foran so the current point6 math teacher that were're then making the point for adding in is that then sufficiently support the the math curriculum that's going to be required in the future for financial literacy it's the start okay it's a start Yeah we actually cut one whole Mass each yeah it wasn't what yeah can you explain more about the start so we would be able to add two math classes on to what is being offered now and that fulfills the graduation requirements or no one of the classes that would be taught would help to fulfill the graduation but it's not robust or anything it would I would not consider that robust no it would be um you know a foundation level of need you know that we provide for our [Music] students anyone else Mike you want yeah just maybe in general Carol can you speak to two years ago we voted on this District Improvement plan I know last year because of what reasons there are several things that we didn't include that were supposed to be according to that this year there are several things that we wanted to include that we were told that we needed that the committee voted on approved and said this is what we're doing to improve our school district I don't know that any of them are in this budget can you give some examples like I don't have the plan in front of so I can't I know last year we did the um we did the kindergarten Paris this year we were supposed to I think some of the public comment mentioned adjustment counselors science teachers elll teachers uh some upgrades to for power school social emotional materials page two page two is all the stuff the original stuff those are all the original asks yeah so we're not following our plan these were the things in the plan so we're not following our plan so what's the point of the plan guides what we need what we know we need to have and we've been pushing to have those things I think last year we were fortunate to be able to add more things than we anticipated adding um this year we're looking at like really what's essential we can't we're finding we can't get everything we need in the plan I guess that's what I would saying like we I think we were robust in our hopes and our intentions of getting these things but but when it comes down to numbers we keep looking at what's realistic as far as the figures you know we like to see a full-time floating nurse absolutely right now and I just wanted to clarify for the person who was here last week we are still maintaining that that part-time floating nurse we just haven't increased that to full-time um the other areas a math tutor for example we thought we would like to increase that perhaps to a full-time position but we haven't changed that position from having the mat tutor I think we got the kindergarten par of professionals last year for Boon I'm not even sure that was in the plan I'd have to go back and look again I didn't take a look at that recently but there are areas I think we're improving on um I just think I don't think we're forgetting those this year but we are behind them what we were hoping to accomplish you're correct in the three-year plan which should be wrapping up yes yeah yeah um so these reductions here you mentioned pushing them off the next year have the town's given any indication that that's possible we are we going to be back you're having the same conversation it feels like that at this point after going through these past couple of months we probably will be having these same discussions again next year and looking at what's most important we're still on the F we don't the athletic director uh trainer wasn't part of the discussion um that's just something that may be mandatory by the time we get to to next year we're not sure about that one yet I know the special education teacher was something that Janelle had has spoken about I think we can as much as she wants that I think it's we're holding on that one because part of that may be because of what what unfolds with the um it sounds like an odd connection but the preschool program and spacing at Tanto to be able to house that person so we haven't made that shift yet we're waiting for the results of that evaluation to come through so that's why I say these are not things you know do we push them off yeah you're right that's what it that's what it appears to be we had to make some really difficult decisions as a team we talked a lot about this and this is the best we could come up with but you're right we're not meeting hitting the highlights of that plan and and all of them anyway yeah I think it was I was watching one of the subcommittee budget meetings and and uh someone was in Berlin was not aware that there was a fiveyear plan and that we were trying to achieve all these things in one year two years but there is in fact a beautiful fiveyear plan um that we're trying to spread out um so that was unfortunate that that wasn't they weren't aware of that fact I think maybe we need to do a better job of about either letting people know where documentation is on our website um or uh I hate to say Mass emailing because nobody reads those um every went last we have yeah the other thing I would say too is we're coming up to the conclusion of that plan which was through the the other Administration and what we put down at that time I think what we need going to be working on next year I know what we're going to be working on is a strategic plan which is more which is much more realistic than than the plan I think that was created previously although I think we keep I mean that was more concrete things but we have to talk about the reasons why we want these things I think that that's going to be more meaningful to to the communities the why what of asking for these positions all right what else ask be on last question how many poers are in kindergarten right now one that's shared one that's Shar and there's two classes twoes and how many I guess current kindergarten class current is was 39 32 32 so and is there projected kindergart numbers next well I know people a to be rough what about Boon we have projected because I know this last year the classes in Boyston they're like each over 20 21 21 per class yeah three classrooms three pars is there a projection for next year for kindergarten is it going to be another huge class right now we have was 44 four with Drew but that was around where we were last year and we ended up the 6 okay and don't forget that big thing in the end of SE Wall Street yeah what's there yet yeah I know because that could start mid year people can start moving in yep yeah that's tough okay what else what else um can you explain unified I know what Unified sports is but the Unified sports coaches at the middle school high school for 11,000 to three coaches um so essentially we've Implement implemented a program for three Unified sports programs um and um as I think you know that there are some coaches salaries that aren't being used because there are certain programs that haven't run for approximately five years so that is really a wash that ends up I think it ends up being a wash yeah and ended up so even though it's it's there because it has to be you know it's a different title right it's kind of like a new position right so you have to put it in but at the end of the day it ended up being a wash because we were able to deduct three coaches from the budget I see yeah oh because we added the Unified sports remember I think you're asking what are the Unified sports no no I know what they are I was just wondering that figure um so when we were when so that figure is in fact for those those positions um but when we were as a team when we were looking at what currently exists I you know I had identified the programs that haven't been running so when we were developing like you know adjusting we realized it was going to be a wash anyone else Mike yeah I mean I know fantastic but we're not doing anything to improve anything I mean I mean you can do someh surely and then you know just it's kind of disappointing here with Danto I know we talk a lot about the drop in students from sixth grade to graduation in our whole idea around these plans was to provide more opportunities give more offering so to keep these students in town and uh I don't know that this doesn't I don't disagree but I think that and maybe something we can I I hate to use the words to do better on next year but if we could go out to the towns and say we need a million this year we need $2 million this year and we need $4 million next year I I'm just using numbers and not saying we're going to need four million don't worry Howard um I'm just saying like if when we do the district Improvement like Carol kept saying we're this is this one's coming to an end so we're going to have a new District Improvement here we have a whole new Administration there's going to be a new plan maybe when we're doing this plan if we tie some dollar figures to this and we say this is what we're probably going to be looking at Figures were there yeah so there was just no plan at the time there was just no plan I mean I think the planning needs to be the towns need to the planning needs to happen together at the beginning it has to happen like on year zero for the three-year plan so the towns can say Yeah in two in three years will we may or may not be able to fund this or do you know what I'm saying I do but I would also add to that what happened so in the last plan that was developed and there were most of the people weren't even here on the administration at that time yeah it was just the administrative team making that decision in a summer at a retreat we did not include staff in that discussion we did not include the towns yeah in that discussion to Mike I think to your point going forward it what probably would be beneficial to all of us in creating the Strategic plan to have Town representation well to speak to that Carol not talking about Select Finance commit but have you heard from parents about this budget about plans for you plans for the what they want what they do I mean have two people in two weeks public comment otherwise no not I have not other than the people that joined us today and and last week I have not heard anything and I don't know if the principles have heard anything I don't think it's on people's radar so it's not it's probably so School commit we need to figure out what the schools need y I think they need better than this and if the voters at town meeting want to pay for it then let them Miss can I just want to add one thing I think we're also forgetting like I know people are you know they look at I can't believe you're asking for so much I remember last year everybody being like wow why are you asking for so much we have increasing populations because we have lots of buildings going on in town it is what it is we also have incredible inflation when you look at just the price of special education Transportation it's more than doubled so we are in a really tough place where things that we could pay for let's say last year the year before are much more expensive every single year we're just in a really tough situation so it's not like we're being greedy I think we're we're trying to do what we can but I think people need to remember that we're in this situation because of things that are out of our control and it's hard because we're not not actually asking when you look at that the above level we're asking for what five one two three four if you take out the Unified sports coaches are asking for five things one two three four uh four things um so why is special ed Transportation considered I just put it in there because it's such a drastic increase but it's not actually no because it's a so it's really three things we're asking that's not an Ask we're asking for three heads yes we're asking for an occupational therapist one classroom teacher at bees and a point4 math teacher and a point6 athletic director that's really all we're doing and we're just kind of stuck with the co High Cost of everything else and and then the number of heads that are increasing as well 1100 kids where we lose 20% from 6th to 12th grade or whatever numbers so we lose that money yes per pup and the state reimbursement was dramatic ially lower than we expected the inflation rate was much lower than actually costs are going up and uh the state8 is going down yeah if you go to page I think it's [Music] 23 our Regional School TR transportation for fiscal year 25 is projected to drop at 200,000 38% Charter School reimbursement is going down by one really got hit hard with the transportation I'm just wondering if we didn't ask for anything at Tanto or that occupational therapist like basically nothing would Berlin both taxpayers still have to pay like $1,000 more like do we know well the classroom teacher is Boon only that's Boon Elementary um the that's not's on hook for a portion of yeah and the a portion of the 100,000 it's under 100,000 I'm just wondering the special there's no choice you can't cut it right that 57 that big number on there you there is you have to cut other things so youd have to cut heads right I guess I'm just trying to get to what L's point was that it's it's just it is yeah there's nothing much that we can do it doesn't seem like the little bit asking for is the cause of the increase in the tax that Berlin V Berlin residents would have to pay is that true or is that seems true it's yeah in general there's like level service increases but it's like you said it's just the cost everything's increasing so there's just not electricity increased and you know supplies increased in oil what is what is the at level budget percent increase um do it real quick I it's mandated at L budget what do you mean mandated at budgetting I know huge increase in that population we supposed to add one this year yeah I'm actually looking I got on the plan now Mike to go through what you yeah so you know what kind of burden is that going to put on the school the teachers and other students who are going to be impacted by that is there impa yeah I think there's going to be an impact each year we get more students who are who need elll Services that's increased in general I don't know if you have the number right now I don't want to push you y that's fine but we're definitely going to have to put another El person in place or or going to have to move that person currently splits that position with another course several other courses different that she teaches so we're going to have to make a full-time elll teacher out of that I think I from what two meetings ago I 40% increase in population or something like that let me let Janelle is certain about that but that's definitely you know on the radar as well that was last meeting so that not having that then not only those gets affected but the extra strain it puts on that teacher affects the other students the other classes yeah I mean it's a big class already it's a big class of students and that's at that's at Tanto primarily so you know I'm looking through the you know the plan and I'm just Janelle is looking for this you know we have hit a number of of positions that we've added on but to your point we either haven't gotten to all of them that we had hoped to I have to agree with you um we definitely had not so so but I I see some progress certainly last year we made a lot of progress adding things that we had even planned for this year um but I would have to say we're probably about three qus so if I had to look at this just ballparking things that we have put in place already but we still have a ways to go definitely so it comes out to 4% at $923,000 there total yeah correct districtwide instead of 5% so it's a one it's 4% so only 1% of the increase is due to the above level stuff and that's including your special ed Transportation because you had that an above level yes so it would be less than only things you're taking out are you're above level there yeah you could take yeah you could add those increases contractual that is of 23 million it's nothing all right so what do you guys think so Mike thinks we need to put some stuff yeah I don't think this budget do it for what we want and what we need the students I don't think it provides the right kind of working atmosphere for teachers with the working environment I don't think it do it not for two towns who want to claim that they have Great Schools yeah I'm GNA agree with Mike can you bring up the um page 21 just so we can look at our high school enrollment um so if we look at fy17 grade six right you have 88 kids and then you drop down to grade 12 all the way at the bottom for FY 25 that's 63 students we started with 88 no more1 no a go data go diagonal you lost more than 20 kids in that class yeah but that's the trend because that's your son's class usual no that was Rebecca's class that's not an unusual number that's the trend so to Mike's Point if we continue funding the schools at level every other year every two years going above level that's what we're looking at guys we're losing 20 kids a grade by the time they graduate that transl still what lost clubs lost SP lost clubs we can't offer those AP classes we don't have we certainly can't offer fourth year language right we want to have our kids going into school with the fourth year of a foreign language can we offer that if we don't have the staff if we don't have the kids no Julie sorry does this include school choice kids kids too yeah that's toal of the kids so you could lose you're probably losing more than 20 kids because there's school choice kids coming in yes yeah but they will be reflected in the number no this is n you're right I do still what I'm saying large yes I understand completely what you're saying we're adding inid grade nine adding you're saying resident well if you're adding in school choice kids in grade nine that are coming in and you're losing even if you're total at the end is only 63 you started with 88 but you added 15 in grade n that don't even live in town or don't even live in the districts because you need to fund it with you need to get students in here somehow well and this was Julian my argument about having the extra assistant principal at Tanto because if you look at the number diagonally from eight to nine that's where you lose most of your kids so if they have a very positive very you know Wonderful middle school education they're going to fight to stay here it's not even just the education it's the culture it's everything which I feel like they're working on really well this year heard very positive things um and that was the whole idea was we wanted to maintain those kids keep them here if you look FY 23 you have 75 kids in eth 75 in 9th and 75 in 10th so you're maintaining those numbers and the same thing um 82 to 87 we added some school choice but it stayed at 87 so kids are staying in R the last two to three years but in 22 you had 90 and8 and then in 23 there was only 74 and N yeah you gotta go up a row slide yeah I'm GL you attention to it sorry Julie I cut you off what were you no I just think it's a very important slide we those numbers are important yeah you're losing a ton of kids so so we started it by adding an assistant principal I mean we definitely need more because you you're seeing it thriving you're seeing you know more positive feedback from the Middle School um I just think we need to do more yeah but if we don't fund the schools they will leave oh they will they will leave I think we're even seeing a Resurgence of of Club after school clubs and activities I think the the the staff is stepping up to provide those opportunities for students I would plug for example the drama club and the performance it is good to see that that's come back again and I think that those are the kinds of things you know it's trickling back to us again um but to your point Mike you know we want to build these programs for the kids we see such great potential it's just our hands are tied to do what we want to be able to do that's just the way that's the way it's been so we have to pick and choose again all of the things on the plan yes absolutely we want all of those things we had to make some very very difficult decisions together about what we're going to put forward this year given the strengths that we had constraints we had I should say so I don't know if any of the principles want to speak to that at all or I just want to good I'll jump in thank you um all the things when when we do and I I shouldn't speak for all of us but I'm going just to jump in there we put in our needs what are these students need what is our schools need and I'm going to tell you having to make these cuts was very challenging and stressful because what we see at the students and when you cut things that you know they need I get it there's budget there's money but who are we doing a disservice to our students I don't want to speak for both of you but that's the highlight of what the last few months have been for me I think for me having been here the longest except for Carol um as an administrator I'll it's um I have a keen awareness of the Berlin community and representatives who are here and P and I we' talked about the need to more effectively communicate um on a more regular basis the problem we'll have at Berlin Memorial is that um there's not a ton to to cut and we've come over the years and you've all heard me be very proud of my teachers and the fabulous job that they're doing you know every time some little survey comes out that ranks us very highly I'm quick to point it out to parents those are things that have happened because of the commitment of teachers and the commitment of the community in this committee to at this point ratchet that back you're right and you you mentioned you know what would it look like um it's bodies bu it's and and you start to have these discussions in your head well would I cut the math and reading Tutors or the math and reading coaches would I cut this special or that special um these are the things that kids lose when you've got a budget that's already I'm going to say the word I'm going to say tonight but it's not for lack of generosity over the years um Carol and I have talked many times that the town of Berlin when we've gone to them said we really need fill in the blank they always come through um and that's not you know school that's not town meeting where we kind of r a bunch of noisy parents but in private meetings in at fincom with the select board you know when they I identifying need because that school is the center of that town um but we're in a tough place and again we've talked about this some of the things we're doing financially aren't sustainable and we have to find a better way to better identify our needs and then better plan to fund because right now as you can see you know we're not there and it's again it's there's not like fluff up there you know one of the things in the Improvement plan is an adjustment counselor for Berlin Memorial which as my school psychologist would tell you would allow her to do her actual job instead of being the adjustment counselor having for day it's a need can we afford it no it can't even come close to afford it um but it's there and we've got to find a way to balance what we have to have and some of it's just mandated special education I mean we all kind of shy away from talking about education but the expenses are crushing us you know it's just so you know we the towns were very generous with cash last year to support a a group of students who had incredibly High needs part of what we did with that was we created a whole new program because we've had kids come in since then with incredibly High needs and we're prepared for them it was a really good plan janel's part to to move us that way and that's the kind of thing we have to do you know the budget reductions that we're talking about will hurt and I think you know regardless of what this committee does or what people on the town side do or what people in the town meeting do we have to acknowledge this is this is not a good time yeah yeah so Meg given all the comments um about better planning and I know that you didn't want to give draft numbers is it possible can you make note that next year we start these discussions way early we're talking October November and you come to us with us being select board capital and fincom with a l not a wish list but a list of what you're looking for to say we need one two three we could probably look and say we can give you one and two can you push off three we can give you one and a half of this can you push this off the sooner you involve us in your discussions the better it's going to be so it does not come down to the 11th Hour like it did last year and like it is this year yeah of a disagreement agreement Battle Royale when it comes to what is the town nice description that's good I like it I mean but that's what it kind of is is that you know we don't want to handcuff you you don't want to handcuff us we didn't have the information so we went on your February best estimate and made assumptions from there so if the school committee can make a commitment to come to the not just berin but also we don't want to leave our neighbors out um come to us earlier this can potentially be avoided Megan yes what did Nancy and Carolyn you give the toal when we met we didn't have anything in October October is way too early I think December we went to the fincom meeting and Nancy provided a very rough we had a capital plan and a Julie you were there it was early December right 13 yeah yeah um there was a capital plan and operating we had the level asks so yeah that was in December so I don't know that October okay that's fine but I mean we can talk about Carol that's you know again that's something interally if I think if they have a three-year District Improvement plan that um the other thing is like for the special ed stuff as and I think this is where we got all got frustrated last year our hands are tied you know like John said nobody wants to talk about it but if you get a kid that's coming in out of District they can cost like anywhere between like hundred to $500,000 I mean that's like six teachers right there right so and and it's not like oh you can push this off it's nope you're handcuffed you have to pay this now no choice so I mean and then it's like when that happens then we're like scrambling to cut other things so um I mean but yeah if we I I hear what you're saying and I think that Communications could have been a lot better this year so um yep I think yeah the sooner the better then this way if you you know you guys are are good at the budget we're good at what has to happen on the town side so whether it's no right what is access Le capacity what is impact to Residents this is where the discussion happens so that everyone is included those who watch this on playback those who hear some version of the truth after this meeting it's out there and it's said and there's agreement not hey here's our budget good luck yeah I don't know that and there may not be agreement but at least you'll know well that's just it so we can know so that we can say yes we can shift this to Capital we'll shift it to Capital in two years take this out of here um yes we can give you this no we can't give you that but unfortunately when we're at the end of our timeline our hands are just tied to go back to all the other committies and departments in town to say hey all that uh um you know whatever you wanted for an extra half a person but we have to take that away from you so we are not in any position to do that to the burlin boards okay that was a helpful okay so that all being said we have some great ideas for next year so right near right now we're kind of faced with this budget so we've had a lot of people say they want to add things in if we add things in to boilson we will go to an override how do people feel about that so with with the amount though our our plan was like if this particular above level that was presented can cover that for now with school choice funds so it was like $133,000 it's like 200 Nancy has about right there 194 450 and then I think there's a deficit of 13,000 which I'm sure yeah if we come 13,000 close to finom number sure we can work something out sorry Lisa yeah um I think it's really important for us to all I I I can totally respect I raised both of my children um through the Berlin Boon system I lived in Berlin for close you know over 20 years um and um I deeply respect all of the processes that take place and all of the people involved we work really hard on putting together this budget the budget that's in place right now I it um if anybody's Italian they'll know I'm getting ad up um thinking about adding things because that makes it more fragile you know what I mean it it just makes it more fragile and it makes it less um it just makes more it's not sustainable not sustainable if you look at page 17 the school choice but like funds go down significantly and very quickly and so I and and I think and I really think but I think it it takes time and planning and out of respect for what everybody has talked about about planning and about putting things forward in a mindful way and having a good plan and and I think those those three and five year strategic plans are really important but that planning that embedded planning and transparent planning together but to change it on a d to change it on a dime like in a meeting makes me really nervous because then it becomes something that we can't control like we we we've thought about this we've agonized over it we've thought okay if we do it this way and then next year we can do this but if there's too many moving parts then you're playing whack and just uh Just one thought too about the school choice money y um you know and because it seems like a really and I don't I don't know that I have um you know all facts but thinking about the buildings and the size and the capacity just thinking about oh here we'll solve this problem by adding more school choice students but we only have so much states right we only have so many teachers only have so many sections of classes so it's it's a great like let's replace maybe the kids that go but in the end like the number maybe we're comfortable here with that tont was what 90 Max right per class right so just some with the current facility right with with our current uh programming things like that and even that you know where we're at right now we're able to to do our offerings and have students be in certain sections the more you increase that student Choice which is great so it gets this pot larger for us it it you know we then need to add more right so just some that's just something to consider that's a valid point last year we talked about the cost you get five grand for a school choice kid the average cost to educate a pupil is like 18 Grand 16 Grand so it's it's a it's a if you did it on a per base thing it's a losing proposition but if there's space to fill that's where you know the concept of yeah you're just getting the revenue without the added cost yeah the goal of this committee hasn't been to increase school choice do a certain number it's been to stop losing our own kids yeah I agree why do we want you know we're we're having a hard enough time asking taxpayers to fund our students why do we want to ask them to subsidize other towns absolutely I guess my the only you know thought is if we're funding a portion of this budget with the school choice funds right I guess that's just where my thought process that's going to be an ongoing process that we have to do we need be kind of mindful of how we're using that money numers we're bringing it's not sustainable but it's it's also not I think we need to operate with the idea that once those fun school choice funds are gone they are gone because at least this commun is not really interested in increasing school choice at least we haven't been in the past right because the goal is to have Berlin Boon kids in the burlin Boon schools that's I don't want anybody to misinterpret that and think that any nonb boals who are currently here that they're not welcome enough but going forward the idea is to support our ten so yeah if we use this 200 Grand in school choice that's we're not replacing yeah I don't love the idea of using school choice money to fund the budget um that's probably the only thing I don't like about this presentation personally [Music] um so I just don't know the solution I don't know how to get there that's why I said how do people feel about an override personally again I'll say my point of view on the override I don't I don't want to go for an override I am not interested in leading a campaign like that I am not interested in you know going down that path because quite frankly I do not think it will pass right I think for an override to pass you need a shiny prize at the end of that tunnel I think taxpayers have felt the burden of their electricity and their oil and we're in a tough time desperate times desate so I do not think an override will pass even if we all believed in it I just don't think it'll pass so um you know again in Boon we're in that situation where we got to cut another 200,000 or we moved 200,000 from school choice um so I'm opening up I don't know the answer I'm asking you guys Boon in Berlin uh you know Peg had said they have their love yep in in Berlin Peg said they have their Levy capacity so there it's not going to go to an override but it will increase the tax burden for residents if we vote on the current budget so if you go to the assessments page in Berlin if you want it like with the current budget so we're just talking about the current budget Kristen I'm gonna ask you I hope you okay I believe in Berlin and and correct me if I'm wrong that Berlin has agreed so uh this slide 12 yep so the Berlin Tanto includes the bond the sorry the Berlin Tanto Capital includes the bond in here it does you have the bond in here right Nancy yes yep in here it does she has it in this number so we can get you it backed out later the Tanto debt for payment is I have it down as$ 449 954 yep so 449 minus that 498 that would be the Tanto Capital which is about what 50 grand for barlin super confusing right now I'm getting confused sorry we don't look at the Deb repayment if you look at this the debt repayment is $459 935 right and the capital is 38253 all right so Kristen go back to that other slide Nancy added them together on the slide I know you don't think of it that way but you got I'm just explaining to you as one yes so my assumption where I want to get to is that Berlin and maybe not this amount Berlin is able so the total actual capital is what did you say 38,000 plus the 543 543 for Berlin Memorial that's capital plus the 38 go back to the other one 38,000 for Tanto 38 for Tanto that's what the town I mean that's what the schools need for Capital so my understanding is that would potentially come from free cash so Capital all always comes from free cash because it's one time expenses yeah um the problem that we had is we have we our free cash plan allows us to spend 30% on free cash so of our previous year's free cash which was 1.7 million so that's 533,000 for all Town School not counting the debt repayment not counting the debt so the debt repayment doesn't come out of that okay 38 253 that's room Memorial oh so Berlin might not have the free cash to fund the capital as stated but again if you go back I think Nancy you've got that uh HB in there for 400,000 and I think there's some rebates I mean at the end of the day we need to see what we actually paid in Boon have we finished paying that in Boon no we hav't yeah so I mean Megan can I ask another favor yeah for Capital um I saw it come through today that Burl Capital planning is meeting tomorrow night okay okay Thursday one of those days Thursday okay can you please provide a description and a priority yeah for everything that you see this will help them because we only have so much money allotted for that that it's going to help determine what happens in these Capital budgets okay excellent yeah so we'll do that and um okay so going back to the assessment right now for Berlin if we look at operating so what what goes into the assessment in Berlin is just operating unlike Bo you missed the beginning but Boon adds into yeah so Boon adds in the Tahanto Capital into the assessment yeah yeah okay so but Verlin just looks at the increase in the operating for BMS and Tanto so the increase for let's just put a pin in in capital we can figure that out later so if it would be 200 957 plus 335 911 plus [Music] $383,000 because our beginning fy2 24 number is different yep so that's [Music] $99,800 they have cut yes okay got it so is that doable without an override in Berlin because if that's an override situation then that's another it depends on how the select board decides to place on the warrant they're the only member the only body in town that can place an override on the warrant so yes there's excess Levy but um they do have the ability to request that an override be called to get the greatest majority of residents to have the opportunity to vote on it so they could call for an override even if you have exess Levy yes so does everyone understand that and yep and does everyone understand the consequences of that why would you do that because if this then it goes to ballot and it's not going to pass on a ballot well that's not the reason well that's not the reason you I would say you get the greatest give me a second you get the greatest number of residents to vote on it right because you think about 7:30 on a Tuesday you have parents that have kids in activities you have seniors that don't drive after dark you have people that are just like I'm not sitting at that meeting for three hours I frankly don't blame them I don't want to do so if you also on a day when you vote during regular election hours you get the greatest number of people that can come out so it's the fairest shot that that's really genuinely my thinking on it no you're right Kristen I was just being fous for us for us the downside would be it could go on a ballot and then if it goes on a ballot and it fails we go back to Berlin's proposed budget from their fincom right which is to make $200,000 of cuts so what let the voters vote on you want it to go to ballot because what's our alternative we decide how to cut c a cut from off this getting one extra thing we're be slashing how do that's tough there's also possibility that they won't push the there is a possibility so we're still having that discussion with our legal councel who's helping us draft a warrant as to how things should be laid out so that's still under discussion um you know I will say that I I think you know the appreciation for all the work that you've done and cutting back is certainly there I think we are still really far off though in terms of you mean even to slash the budget just for reference by $900,000 would be literally cutting out entire department like police or fire so that's a huge amount of money from our budget um so at this point I just think given the time frame that we have with everything being due on the 22nd and being so far off I do think we're going to have two different budgets and the town's people will need to make that determination as to how they want to vote Megan if I might ask a couple of questions that might help this maybe maybe not uh okay sure um slide 18 in the right okay so I looked at desie public numbers for our fiscal 24 this is actual desie reimbursement on that Revenue line and it doesn't match that number so we've got 488 something there and what des's published is $647,000 16 so I don't know if that's you know a typo or whatever it is but um what I want to say to the people assembl this 75% of that Mary we don't get the full the number I said is already after the 75 is applied it's a published desing number so so one of the things that's been so hard for our finance committee and perhaps waron as well I don't Mar sorry can you do you have that link that you can easily send to ncy uh it's published desie number hooked right their fiscal 24 it's it's public all of this is public I think my point just she can look it up quickly while speaking I don't you don't have I don't have internet access so other but it's the Des circuit breaker fiscal 24 number and and what what's been hard for the finance committee to try to come to Common Ground with the school district here is the transparency um on these kinds of things so if the school district can find some revenues in the coffers here uh or what's available from the state and and that's a pretty big swing we're trying to get to a number that both the towns and the school district can live with I think it's really important that the revenues available to the school really be transparent and and available to all of us so we might be able to do what our principal Campbell needs you know we might be able to do these things if we look at those particularly the revenue in this area and um when um someone here asked what the budget increase would be for at level services and it was 4% in a certain figure I I I I wanted also ask Nancy on the basis for that number that 4% increase does that include the Berlin free cash of 383 yes thousand okay basis so so um my understanding from our the chair of our finance committee is that there was an understanding between the past chair Michael tomman and Scott Schultz last year that this was specially designated to go to the four or five students that were coming in we were advised a year ago March that those students were going to land in burland Memorial for fiscal 24 and we needed to close that Gap and the school put in uh 3 ,000 school choice you know it was a huge number that happened at the end of the year it was not intended to be the budget basis for fiscal 24 as you look at fiscal 25 so we can't we can't cut that okay all right there's things I don't I don't know and understand but let me ask we can't cut that so we'd have to cut make other Cuts okay so in our current year budget I mean one of the things that we really needed to look at was what was a level Services budget this is the first time that I've actually heard a number and I wanted to understand it was my followup question but where did that $383,000 go uh did those four students actually enroll and show up and we are re educating this year as have gone somewhere else and then I think there is a same year emergency payment through circuit breaker did we get those monies I I know last year a couple in the last just see here we have gotten those same year payments I don't know they're emergency payments and I think we would have qualified in fiscal 24 but I don't know if we actually received the money so the overall question is can you help the towns you know we don't have a credit card in the towns we are under the state mandate just like you're under State mandate for special ed we're under State mandate for two and a half proposition two and a half and that's meant to be just a little break so that the residential real estate taxpayers year to year don't get these huge increases all of our taxpayers are dealing with the same inflation we're talking about here and and I I think what John Campbell said is is really appropriate you know I've been looking at the desing numbers we are this District in particularly the town of berland has been has always done more than was required and Massachusetts takes a look at our population how many students how many people we have it looks at the land it looks at the property values it looks at wages and it comes up with these Chapter 70 numbers so the state aid that comes to us is based on a complicated formula I don't understand it but the thing we need the thing we need to do year to year is live within that two and a half% That's the Law it's been the law here how many decades three four decades and and so all right you know let me finish Megan because I just I don't want to go too far off I'm trying to get the particularly the Educators in the room to have a little level of comfort that I think this can be worked out and um I don't want to see either town have to go to an override because look in the long term you pay for it and you have to borrow money we need to be fiscally responsible on our towns and and that has a knock on effect on the schools and what we've been able to do and if we do a plan if we do a fiveyear plan like we do with capital we do fiveyear plans that will that will make the wish list doable but to the point that Peg made we need to we need to go we need to stay integrated in the process of planning and we've had a couple of rough years because we haven't been in it and I want to see us come together better so thank you Megan for giving me the floor and I um was there a all right so you asked two questions so the first one was nany's verifying that number so Janelle the question was and I don't know if you know this off the top of your head do we use that $383,000 for educating did those students actually come into the district and did we use that money to educate so I'm really uncomfortable discussing specific student circumstances in this setting but we absolutely used appropriately for special education that's all yeah in Berlin memorial correct yeah that those would have to be used in Berlin um I I did send a link yeah to the admin team um to show the have quick access to the information and you just um you'll have you have to download from that link you have to download fy4 and you'll find the numbers are are you referring to circuit breaker yes so it m on March 4th they did update it and I apologize I I didn't get this they did increase the 75% so that we will be getting 646 831 and that was updated on March 4th thanks Nancy that that Revenue line uh 2014 forecast so this is Grand news we just found coule $1,000 which will help us 158 so that will increase by 5883 my wish that's for the whole District Mary so that's gonna go I understand yeah yeah so that's good news good news what I what a good um easy way just for the committee you could always trade out school choice for circuit breaker now that we have more money for the allocation or do a little bit from each or something well you know I mean that revenue is going to lower the um you can either we don't want to take from school choice it seems like that's not favorable so the we could lower the one 94 by the 158 and use circuit breaker instead I could allocate it differently and then we could take less from school choice we don't have to decide that tonight though we just have to vote on yeah you got to vote on a number we the total number and then we can decide if we take it from circuit breaker or whatever and S sorry one other com I just want to ask on the Tonto student numbers how does the contingent fit into those numbers your moment's definitely going down the numbers are going down into is that because some of those students are going into as yeah the also droing correct Coro all right guys so uh this is where we are we feel people feel that we need more we found $158,000 that's great so we can take a chunk of that from instead of using school choice if we keep do people want to make Cuts in Berlin or do you want to do you want to add things what do you want to do I think we kind of NE we're at this point in this conversation where we need to be productive in the conversation because we married the teachers in class I want you to be serious one per grade one grade I don't this is I'm trying to be serious I don't want to I want you to say what you would do to this budget you want to add things you want to cut things I'm asking honestly stick to yeah stick to our plan uh I would stick to the numbers from the February 27th whatever the date was February 27th that's what I would do so you would include all of these these things on page two can somebody go yeah the reduction so you'd add back the Berlin math tutor oh my goodness if the town votes not PID for it then we come back all right so what specifically do we want to add back in because a lot of this is Tanto I think we I think we have to listen yeah a lot of time but that that's one person's opinion on the that's all know I want to get everyone's op yeah yeah yeah all right so Mike is saying he wants to add back but just the math tutor so added back in the math he said just the Berlin Memorial stuff the recess Aid are we sure that recess Aid was BMS and not beses that's a bees thing that's typo no you already have one at BMS I thought we were adding no this is these are reductions from the budget on February 27th on February 27th bees wanted to add a recess Aid we do not have a recess Aid so that's a reduction that's taking out the BS my current recess a I have a recess a she covers lunches and recesses and does some work for teachers that's that wait wait hold on no told that none of these positions currently exist yeah no that should say be that's a typo that should say be we're notp we're not we're not getting rid of your recess a we're not we're not in the business of cutting heads at least I'm not okay she'll be happy to hear it told her something else today Megan that was my question I had to this list none of these positions exist today like they're not going to work tomorrow yes that's my understanding of this list correct well what John just said is no some of them are are we sure because that's I don't think that we're sure but it's ch would no we are sure that is bees I thought weren't cutting any heads i i w was completely unaware of that not looking at stay yes we had it in The Bu none of the cuts were heads no what and I just want to point out that some of them are just not adding time on to what currently exists but was that another cut that he put through that might be been a different cut that he put through when he did his Cuts adding time on adding he did not cut the rec yeah that's what I just want to make sure we're saying for the math Tut we have a math were're not cut that point we're just adding another half go so to be clear this list none of these hours on this list are paid up today Mike that is my understanding of this list okay John sh yeah me too no yeah I'm feel really bad that a little bit it's in my figure as bees recess sa like that that is what that is it's not so that's a typo that should say bees so there's nothing on here that we were cutting it's the part-time Math t yeah and the par professional the kindergarten par professional so Mike you want to add back the kindergarten par professional and you want to make math tutor full-time that's my opinion what we should do up two I mean do you want to do the preschool evaluation I think that's fine to push that okay all right everybody else Lisa what are you thinking I'm thinking that we don't change anything like you suggested okay what did she say Lisa's thinking we vote on the budget as is as currently stated and what what are so now that we found that we have that money in circuit breaker we don't have to decide that now but that opens up some opportunities to make that action that we will have to take in boil and not so painful because we won't get that whole 158 but we'll probably get 60 no more we got a good chunk of it more than 50% well 50% for Tanto you'll get 65 50 plus you get 25 6 you're gonna get you'll get a decent chunk you know you're gonna get more than half of that for Boon all right uh L sorry or jul did you want to speak I'm sorry I just wanted to ask question Janelle the the full-time special education teacher at tondo I know Lisa has spoken to this do you feel like that is a need more than a want I think all of the items on that on that list are truly needs um but as Lisa said before we really did you know work on presenting this budget so that it was um you know balanced and responsible then hearing that I would feel like we should vote on the budget as okay Julie yeah I was going to ask about the special education teacher and then the um the adjustment C PS again that's a position that that would have been added on to not not eliminated by this right I just want to make sure so what does that mean in terms of that would mean she or he would be there every day we still have a point six position there yeah if they came if we added the additional point for it would be every day every day versus what is it three days a week now three days two she does if I can jump in here she's there two full days and two half days just because of her schedule and the student needs no is she shared with the MS no they don't have one they they do not even have Bor Berlin does not have an adjustment celor but they got a recess Aid Jess they have a recess um all right Julie did you have anything else so what how do you how are you [Music] feeling I know I putting everyone on the spot and then I'll say how I feel too I mean I would agree I'd agree with Mike and that these are these are needs and Janelle these are our needs however um to be careful and thoughtful with this budget um I think the reductions are not ideal but to Lisa's point they did take time to go through this and say we will be okay this year upcoming year okay um with this reduction was that that I see so I would I would agree that to go ahead with okay because we we we can't add any more reductions to this there's nothing we can't add any more reductions yeah there's nothing there's nothing to add for yeah we're in a tough place this year yeah this is a very tough tough place this year and it you know the state is not helping with the with the mandates kids deserve education that's a hard thing for the schools and the towns um Jess I just want to confirm so the point2 FTE floating nurse remains correct we were trying to make that a full-time correct yes um yeah I mean you know we don't want to cut bodies that we currently have you know and if the admin you know bees we need a classroom teacher to Hanto to make the full time to at least get two more classes added to the math curriculum um you know it's not ideal um I think all of us would like to put that back on the February budget totally agree but if you know it's potentially going to Berlin to fail and then go and then we have to cut bodies you know I think you know and hopefully with working with the towns next year and they realize where our at level budget actually means because of the different cost that we have no control over that maybe we'll be in a better place next year okay all right does anyone want to say anything else before I think I'm gonna put this to a vote is every is everyone ready I said I was going to give you a break at 6:30 and I didn't but how about I do you one better and we put this to vote unless anyone has anything else to say I just want to thank the admin team because knowing that everybody's on board it makes that that it was a collaborative effort I think makes a huge difference as a school committee member I speak for myself but that's how I feel knowing thank you that everybody had their say in their voice every step along the way I mean we were we were our prin the principal in the buildings and they were grueling conversations so but everybody's I think everybody stuck together and helped each other too during this time Carol did you want to say I just didn't know if you want to give your opinion oh my opinion my opinion is to vot as this um I'm a little concerned about Berlin is K still here crunch numbers real quick yeah so I mean we're still in Berlin we're still asking I guys like honest to God I'd love to add all this I see the need for the floating N I would love the grounds maintenance I want to bees every day and I'm Blown Away by how much work needs to be done outside they have they have garden beds there's so many things that could be done math tutor everything I think it's only fair to have a two pair of Prof professionals a BMS we have two a bees you know the adjustment counts are all of it every single thing especially the special ed teacher um so it's painful to look at this and um and say this but at the same point in time I don't think an override is going to pass I don't want to be put in that situation um and I think next year it might not work maybe it will I think we need to get where the towns you know not give them our number ahead of time but hey we need to add this this this and this how are you going to make it happen you know and we kind of did that with the roof of bees and I was very skeptical but I think that's GNA work out please don't prove me wrong it sounds like in two years we're gonna have a new roof on bees and we're not going to have to do an override to get it so that's a very positive thing and I'm hoping like we can have more of those instances with the towns you know moving forward so I I think we keep it as it is like I said the only thing I'm a little concerned with is is the Berlin number but I just don't see where we can cut anything um we're not adding anything to Berlin Memorial so the only thing we could cut you know like John says what's special do these kids not get music or do they not get art and how detrimental is that to these these children's education so my opinion is thank you as keep it as it is all right so do you guys want to take it to vote and if there's more discussion we'll take a break or first off does anyone else want to say anything else Meg I say one more Sor I'll make it really okay um the 383 I'm not trying to all and the money was to fill a gap in special education is clearly needed obviously mandated and and no one's disputing that however I know that that gets reimbursed a year and a years right so because there was such a high and fy2 four I think we're seeing those numbers come in higher in terms of reimbursement in FY 25 so the one request I would have is if you can go back and look at those special education reimbursement numbers for FY 25 and what they're estimated to be because I think you might actually be picking up a little bit of money there um and that might be one place that you can look at that may help yeah thank you Kristen that's an excellent point we're whereas we're getting this money or we found this $158,000 with the circuit breaker you know maybe maybe we figure out if we use some of that as well to fund part of the budget this year I hate using the revolving funds to fund the budget but um you know hopefully with planning um and I mean I hate to say this but at some point these towns are going to have to go to override at some point in time because when you're putting up houses your taxes you're getting if you put up a $500,000 house and somebody's paying $10,000 in taxes that's not enough to educate even one child forget about if you have two or three or four kids and oh by the way all the services your police your fire your roads so I mean the thing is these towns are popping up houses left right they're putting on additions you know in people are moving in they're putting up apartment complexes those are losing propositions for our schools and for our towns you want to talk commercial development okay that's another story but the towns B both Berlin and Boyston have shied away from that they don't want to turn the towns into that you know shopping malls stuff like that we've talked about Solomon pal M so at the end of the day that is the huge issue I see us all facing and we need to work together to solve that problem for the schools I don't know what the answer is though um all right so does anyone else want to say anything yeah mik first sorry then you Mary yep just kind of to Mary's point and Peg's Point earlier and Kristen's point you know March 4th they change these numbers if we try to do a budget in November yeah we're going to be changing these numbers and March even if we vote at the end of February so maybe after town meeting someone puts together a timeline check list policy procedure how often to check these numbers how often to update these numbers how often to review the State numbers since it seems to be you know a moving Target or moving goal post as joh to say but something we can all follow so everybody's on the same page you know yeah a great idea ility for that because this this has given me to your point the a of this year if we kept our original meeting for February 27th to do this budget hearing we' be back here next week because March 4th had changed it yeah we'd have to do another vote yeah so I mean I don't know what the timelin are should be but let's get on the same yeah we gotta yeah and maybe that's a good question for our consultant to put something like that together for us to well I think the reason why our timeline was this year is because we had Consultants M they were telling us to do that that's why we did this yes because they knew these were going to change in March right that was the intention it we've never expected firm numbers in February so know we just need something to work off we know change so just to clarify that all right Mary what do you sure very briefly on the timeline so as Town start as the town start to see their revenue picture it's an iteration to go back and forth and so so budgets r as estimates I did them corporate so you you go back and forth they're never a fixed number they always but we do have to we have to draw a line in the see and vote at some point but but building it what it does is it tempers the expectations on both sides of what can be done and to your point about as we had as we had as we build new residential and so on the state formula on Chapter 70 I learning it more than I want to know about all this is driven by how many students are enrolled you know your minimum mandated budget and also driven by the real estate values in the municipalities and the towns and by the wages by the the so right yes we went over that the state money it it this may not be a catastrophe that you're worried about NE because the state monies are going to go up well if the income I mean this that's the other thing we looked at this with our consultant and the incomes in the towns are too high believe it or not I understand that that's a problem for as when when they're doing the school because the incomes are so high so the C lowers our calculation right so we should all give up some money right we should all just we can donate it to the school district then we get more money well then loing I mean the idea that the incomes are too high they're not too high they are what they are too high for the calculation no no okay who cares about forget about the calculations incomes are are higher in these two towns because these two towns attract people with higher incomes who want to live here because it has a good school district because they want to be in this type of you start cutting cutting this not improving that not adding to that I guarantee I'll get your property taxes way down promise you that value yeah exactly you won't value your house y tax will nope I agree all right what do you guys think okay so um Nancy where's the final number in this it's on page I just got to vote we just have to vote the 23762 4 23762 4 58 okay can I please have a motion to approve the bbrsd school budget in the amount of 23 m762 458 for the fiscal year 25 so moved L Jess any discussion I'd like to move to amend the motion to add in all the FTE production CS to that number [Music] okay a second and just to be clear that would be all these FTE positions listed on their reductions onage every single reduction the FTE so everything except the preschool and school okay so that amendment is on the table does anyone want to second that all right so there's no second so that dies right all right so the original motion is on the table to approve the budget for the 458 all right any more discussion all in favor any opposed I oppos I'm an i as well that motion passes all right thank you so much everybody for seriously thank you for all of your hard work administrators Nancy Dan Paul Nicole Sally Janelle Carol Julie Julie so thank you guys very much um all right guys we're gonna meet when probably tomorrow when are we meeting April oh April April 9th April 9th is our next meeting all right could I please have a motion to adjourn the meeting so Mo lri second Julie all in favor I I'm not as well thank you yeah

okay good afternoon it's Monday March 18th ining conference room 224 3pm agenda uh joint committees on labor and Technology higher ed for a number of uh two bills two house bills and before we get started um the event that something catastrophic happened with YouTube or anything uh we're going to come back on Wednesday the 20th at 300 p.m.

joint agenda with the labor and Technology Comm committee and the committee on higher education members the recommendation um well the decision making on Two Bills recommendation on the first one house bill 2720 house draft 3 read to collective bargaining after conferring with the uh chair of higher education we will be uh recommending a senate draft one to remove all contents of the current draft and insert uh Senate Bill 3317 Senate draft one that effectuates a barain in unit bargaining Unit 16 and insert also a definition of grad assistant I believe it's yes and we're going to keep the date defective for now okay any questions or concerns members just recommending the committee report that we put in about the fact that you know being a union organiz doesn't necessarily as a panace to resolve a lot of the issues which still have to be addressed by the University of Hawaii okay okay we'll go ahead and insert that chair in the committee report I know that there's another bill with criteria for how you create a bargain un so I'd like that if if um so I would go WR unless we can put that say in the contents um committee report to say that it should be a determination with some criteria for bargain yeah can we put that uh we probably could put the language in the no in in the committee report yeah so it's it's sort of like conditioned so that there are criteria by which you do it and hlr okay I believe we can do that yeah we we'll go ahead and do that in the committee report to uh make mention of a of a bill that would um help address to have Cru determination for okay okay thank you very much okay any other questions or concerns members see on Vice chair fo of hold K HB 2720 uh passed with amendments um chair hi Vice chair moai Senator car hi Senator Lee okay Senator p i okay recommendation adopted thank you and for higher education House Bill 2720 house draft 3 same recommendation to amend to the Senate version uh that we passed out and with the um insert inserts into the committee report any discussion members hearing none chair votes I chair votes I Vice chair votes I Senator faga excuse Senator Hashimoto hi Senator flla hi measures adopted mam chair okay thank you and for House Bill 2501 house draft one this is for um removing the reporting for workers compensation recommendation is to do an sd1 uh basically technical amend M ments correcting any legal technical or substantive amendments any discussion if not chair V chair V Vice chair V Senator fuka excuse Senator Hashima hi Senator FLL hi measures adopted M thank you Liber and Technology committee same recommendation any questions or concern seeing n Vice chair any members will no with reservation recommend adoped thank you right thank you thank you calling to order the joint committee on the of education and committee on labor and Technology uh today is Monday March 18 the 302 p.m.

good afternoon welcome to the committee on education members the first item we have several agendas but the first agenda is a decision making only unfortunately we didn't have quum to vote um on the Friday agenda so with that saying we are our first item is House Bill 2774 this was a joint committee meeting with a and edu this is relating to local agricultural products and my recommendation is to pass HB 2774 HD2 pass with amendments defecting the date to July 1 2050 chair votes I okay B 2774 H2 to pass with amendments a chair votes I Vice chair votes ioto hi Senator Richards I Senator FLL five members present all voting and affirmative recommendations adoped thank you the next one is House Bill HD1 relating to making an appropriation for the Department of Education to Pro to promote student Mental Health recommendation of the chair is to pass with amendments defecting the date to July 1 2015 chair both ey okay HB 1906 house draft 1 pass with amendments any member voting no any member voting with reservations hearing none five members present voting I recommendations adopted thank you for House Bill 2399 HD1 relating to the Hawaii state public library system recommendation the chair is to pass with amendments defecting the date to July 1 2050 chair votes out HB 2399 house draft one pass with amendments any member voting no any member with reservations hearing none all members voting I recommendations adopted thank you final one on this agenda is House Bill 335 HD2 relating to the Department of Education procurement and exempting small purchases recommendation of the chair is to pass with amendments adopting the proposed sd1 chair VES I okay recommendations s HB 335 HD2 pass with amendments any member voting no any member with reservations hearing none all members voting I recommendations adopted going to um end this here [Music] thank you for joining us on the on education this is our 30 5:00 p.m.

in room 229 and a public notice will be posted on the legislature's website I'd like to take this time to remind our testifiers that due to time restrictions on our hearings we will be limiting testimony to one minute per testifier per bill for people participating remotely please remain muted and video disabled until shortly before it is your turn to testify when I call your name unmute yourself and your time will begin after your minute is completed staff will mute you so that we can move this hearing along in an orderly and efficient manner members please hold any questions until testimony and all measures is heard first item on the agenda House Bill 1652 HD1 relating to tax credits establishes a state income tax credit for qualified expenses incurred by certain individuals employed by the Department of Education a public charter school the Hawaii state public library system or as part of a Head Start program in a school to testify superintendent please chair Vice chair members of the committee Sean BAC on behalf of the department please stand on our written testimon support thank you thank you Sean yuku AR call cross thank you Gary sugan Numa chair Vice chair members of the committee Quinton Piper Department Department of Taxation we'll stand on our written comments uh just note um we do have one recommended amendment to clarify the scope of we sorry the scope of the tax credit we believe this is in conformance with section one purpose thank you thank you thank you oui in support in support yes thank you Tom yamach not present on Zoom chair for tax Foundation of Hawaii offering comments is there anyone else here wishing to testify on this measure if not moving on House Bill 2384 HD2 relating to the school facilities special fund changes of means of financing for a portion of funds appropriated for deposit into the school faciliity special fund to expand pre kindergarten student capacity within the state from General funds to General obligation bond funds itals the funds appropriated into and out of the school facilities special funds by act 257 session laws of 2022 as amended to testify Lewis salivaria director budget and finance he says we can spend all the money we want he is in support Ricky fujitani inter executive director school facilities Authority goodno fu stand our ttim com thank you Ricky is there anyone here wishing to give testimony on this bill see none moving on to our final bill House Bill 1651 relating HD2 relating to the safety of educational workers requires the Department of Education and public schools to take certain steps to report incidents of harassment and implementation and Implement procedures for handling harassment of educational [Music] workers to testify Department of Education superintendent chair members of committee for the Department of Education stand on our thank you Ed no state public charter school commission we commission We Stand strongly support this thank you and huchi Attorney General's office good afternoon chair kidani Vice chair Kim members and herui Department of the Attorney General um in the interest of time I'll just state that in our testimony we've suggested some clarifying amendments to be made to the bill I'll be available for questions thank you and kamakana Kima upw in support iner Stonehill hi good afternoon uh chair kadani Vice chair Kim and committee members I've been an educator for 20 years and I'm here to support this bill which is aimed at addressing unlawful harassment in the workplace of educational workers even the Senate itself acknowledges the seriousness of harassment and has its own policy we want to also establish clear and enforceable guidelines to prevent and address such behaviors in all workplaces this bill presents a framework for identifying and combating unlawful harassment by defining the rights of educational workers and ensures that everyone in the doe is aware of their obligations it places a strong emphasis on the employer's responsibility to promptly investigate and address any allegations of harassment this proactive stance is crucial in fostering a safe and inclusive work environment harassment takes a toll on the mental health and job satisfaction of educational workers leading to decreased engagement and increased turnover rates we can uphold the rights and Dignity of all employees and Foster safe learning environments for students and teacher success thank you thank you Lindsay Chambers H chair kidani Vice chair Kim and members of the committee as stated in aoy news now report over the weekend the Mantra if you see something say something is a fundamental lesson urging us to speak up when we sense danger numerous victims have voiced our concerns to doe and Boe officials yet little to nothing changes we still many who speak out face retaliation silencing victims and perpetuating a dangerous cycle hb1 1651 isn't asking for anything excessive it is looking for a basic systemwide response procedure that should have been established long ago the liability now rests on the shoulders of State leaders who have been made aware that there is a serious safety problem in our public and Charter Schools we cannot continue to allow more rights and freedoms to harassers while ignoring victims thank you for the opportunity to testify thank you oi good afternoon h stand on thank you is there anyone else here wishing to yes come forward please St your name chair K Vice chair Kim and committee members my name is Sean witor I'm a special education teacher from fton high school and I support HB 1651 at the end of the last school year my family and I were harassed on social media and I was physically threatened through emails by a parent of one of my former students for an incident related to enforcing the electronics use policy my classroom for nearly 6 months I attempted to secure a TR to protect myself from an irrational parent who didn't respect the boundaries of Civility and my professional and private life during this time I navigated the legal process and interactions with law enforcement and the judicial system alone as the situation was treated as a personal matter by the de ultimately I wasn't able to secure a TR I've worked for the doe for 25 years and I believe that I and my fellow Educators deserve better than this I believe the policies outlined in HB 1651 will fully support and adequately protect education Educators who face harassment and a respectfully ask that you support hb1 1651 in its current form thank you thank you Sean go go anyone else here wishing to testify on this measure not recess come back reconvening the committee on education um Senator Kim will sing a song while we wait for Senator fella sen fella we're gonna vote [Music] the wi today that was for for for um we're going to go ahead with the vote if Senator flla is nearby we are going to vote okay for House Bill 1652 HD okay must have been our song recation So 1652 HD1 recommendation this is relating to tax credits we delay us we sang a song waiting for you to come back paron song relating to tax credits the recommendation of the chair is going to be to pass with amendments and the Amendments uh to include do taxes testimony regarding definition of qualified expenses questions members discussion Madam chair yes I'd like to also recommend that we put in the community report some of the concerns raised by the tax Foundation about um that these monies has been appropriated the system that is frustrating instead of using tax system to compensate these teachers first consideration should be fixing the system and I agree that you know we should be fixing the system the teachers shouldn't have to be outlaying it so I'd like something to that nature put in the community report um about that and there's others um in the tax credits that that they mention so if we could incorp that agree further discussion cherai Cher vsai House Bill 1652 house draft one with amendments uh any members present wishing to to vote with reservations or opposition hearing none all five members present um measures adopted thank you for House Bill 2384 HD2 relating to the school facilities special fund recommendation of the chair is to pass with amendments and we're going to amend section 1A the sum appropriate it shall be expended by Department of Education replace school facilities Authority amend section 302 A- 1706 C school facility special fund shall be administered by Department of Education reflect other changes throughout the section 302 A-1 1701 through 1708 to pass with amendments members questions CH hold okay chair Vol I House Bill 2384 house draft 2 with a a senate draft any member voting negative any M voting with reservations hearing none five members present and ad thank you and our final bill House Bill 1651 HD2 relating to the safety of educational workers um members I want to defer this um decision making to Wednesday March 20th at 3:2 2: p.m in this conference room 229 thank you this meeting is adjourned

e okay all jul certainly Cara Caston here Ken Dawson here CHR espanosa here pavich here Don rener here J hunie here and Al MTH here thank you very much all right having a quum let's stand for the Pledge of Allegiance I pledge aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liy and justice for all first order of business is uh approval of minutes I get a motion for the Board of Education approve the minutes of the February 26 2024 business meeting February 26 2024 closed meeting and the March 4th 2024 Workshop meeting in action so moved second J moves K thank you very much Terry pavich hi Pen Dawson hi S Espinosa abstain Jenny hagstrom I Cara Caston I and Don rener I motion car thank you alna for the foundation has asked to reschedule their presentation to another evening so we'll work with them to schedule a night for them to come back so we're going to skip that agenda item okay reception of visitors s all right Staffing pre overview uh Rob is our MC for the evening hi everybody hi uh we're ready for uh giving you our overview and our staffing recommendations for uh the upcoming school year um just a reminder as I said at the last meeting is that this is a super complicated process that starts with uh student course requests um and when you consider the number of students that we have and the number of courses you're looking at over 20,000 data points that are used uh in this process um so there's a lot of input that comes from the Department chairs from the counseling office uh p in it all together but tonight we're really going to highlight the two people who uh who put that giant puzzle together and for G sleep for a few months um we have Jake Giblin and Keith Pals here uh they are associate principles for curriculum instruction and they are the ones who uh take all of our competing interests and put it into a schedule and courses uh that makes sense for uh students based off of their requests so you have in your packet my chart that I prepare for you it's um just a really big overview for our sectioning FTE that's the courses that are tied to the uh what students request you can see that this year we have a total of of 308 uh and that's a reduction of 7.4 uh FTE so for uh things that are tied to the exact courses that students request we're down 7.4 FTE however we have increasing needs for our students so highlighted in yellow there on the chart are the areas outside of sectioning that we've added additional supports in for our students the biggest areas that we had some ads was around our El and our bilingual uh bilingual so our El coordination and our bilingual facilitation we increased those because that's a uh increasing need in our buildings we also increased uh at each building North and South uh 1.0 social worker so that was an ad that we needed to have in there the other ones are are not as big of differences um one note I'll say is that on my memo I indicated that for the yellow cell for instructional coaching at North I wrote that we had a reduction we actually had an increase of a 0.1 FTE uh but that's um that's an FTE that comes and goes depending on what partial uh teaching we need and the licenses that are instructional coaches have um so that's our overview uh overall when you consider the reduction in the sectioning FTE and some additions below uh in the section the non sectioning area we're down 5.1 FTE from this time last year with our chart so that's that's uh in terms of numbers we're going to send it over to Gina Gina's going to talk about some particular courses uh and then she's going to send it over to um our apis here who are looking forward to uh sharing their expertise with you and then Jeff will close it out for us of what that means for uh the individuals who are here so go ahead before Gina tops Pops in I just want to point out that our overall enrollment has returned to levels similar to pre-pandemic numbers we're about 135 130 students less than we were then um which can be directly correlated with changes we made in residency uh checks over the course of the pandemic even though we're down by about 130 students we're up somewhere between three and four depending on how you do your math of pre pandemic teacher FTE to now much of that support is in the area uh is is shifted from like that above the line sectioning FTE to the below the line student supports Social Work path coordinator you know those types of uh El psychologist those kinds of things have increased over those five years in response to student needs all right so each year I bring forward the courses that are with enrollments of less than 20 that we are recommending cancelling and those courses with enrollments of less than 20 that we would like to run um in the memo you can see that there's an increase in the number of courses recommended for cancellation due to low enrollment um we're recommending 19 for next year compared to 11 for this year we also have an increase in the number of courses with enrollments of less than 20 that we would like to run and that increases almost double with 41 for the upcoming year versus 22 for this year I would like to point out that we and I shouldn't say we I should say Jake Giblin and Keith Pals have done um some fine work here in stacking courses and combining courses so that students get the courses that they really want so that their interests and needs are met and so you will you will note in that section uh some some stacking uh that's even more than I would say sometimes is typical um so really working hard to try and give the students the courses they need and want so with that I will turn it over to Jake and Keith okay I'm going first right Jake you are going first okay very seasoned over here um so I'm I'm I'll start with um just overall Trends the going to core courses and then the electives courses so just an overall trend we're seeing just um some what I would call just normal shifts in students moving moving around um in their requests for next year um we did see some what I would like to highlight really is our business courses we saw a 12% increase in our uh requests for our business courses going into this year um and so it really looks like that entrepreneurial spirit is Alive and Well in North High School um and also our music programs uh specifically our instrumental music programs have seen a 10% increase in um in the requests for next year so that's just really fantastic for both of those programs um jumping directly into the core courses so our English uh courses are are holding steady uh as they did last year we had a little dip last year about 3% in request but it's holding steady this year um we are looking to add a section of radio for next year and also creative writing for our seniors so that they can explore their passions in that area in mathematics um we've got some exciting changes coming for next year that are going to support students so we're of course continuing to support our English language Learners with a foundations for math one a math one course and an uh math 2 sections that are El supported um we um also would love to share right now that our math team has started translating the ENT insance um assessment for uh for um words escaping my my for the incoming for our incoming students into uh whatever their language preferred language is so no matter where you're coming from in the world uh we will translate that we'll do the uh language English language proficiency but also the math is in your native language um so uh the team math team also U dove into some data uh this year and is going to Pilot a math 3 lab next year this will be happening during fourth fifth and sixth period during lunch so it'll be specifically for students taking math 3 uh if they're struggling or they want a little bit extra support they'll be able to go in there and that'll be totally teacher directed so the teacher will work with the student if they need a little help and they'll be able to go there that's happening on both um sides of town in science um we're keeping an close eye on requests as um the board knows we added Earth and space science as a for students last year and that uh at the time we saw a shift to a lot of students taking Earth and space science we're seeing a shift back to some other areas um we saw some fewer requests for chemistry but I do want to note that biology honors is growing um and I really want to watch that Trend over the course of the next couple of years because I um we are wondering if that Earth and space science and students taking honors Earth and space science is giving students the um just the confidence um to take an honors biology to take another honors course so that's that's pretty exciting to watch um social studies of course continues to lead the way in their e programming um next year we are going to be um uh starting something new in a rotating model for our El students we're going to offer US history but we're going to offer it at two different language levels for our El students um so that's pretty exciting and that that idea comes straight out of the department and Mr rler who is the department chair uh along with his team um in CTE I mentioned of um the um the sorry um I mentioned oh the business classes yes that are are growing um I do want to highlight that both before I get from CTE into Fine Arts that um Gina mentioned the stacking of courses and uh both our department chairs and our teachers have done such a fantastic job of looking at how to offer honors and upper level options for our students who are really in specific programs um whether it's architectural drawing which is stacked so that students who are really interested in that can continue to follow that passion or a painting and drawing class so that they can continue along the way as well all the way to the AP level so um teachers work really hard to make sure that those options are there for our students and just to clarify stacked means you have multiple levels of the same kind of course area Blended together in the same class period and that that allows us to take class that doesn't have a lot of students signing up and combine them in a way that you you get close to that 20 number or over that 20 number where it becomes economically feasible to run those courses in those student interest areas um Fine Arts I mentioned um the celebration in the music program um for the instrumental music program to be specific um I would also point out we have a slight reduction in our Visual Arts re Quest this year um but that's by no means um something that we should be worried about because the program is packed so I'm speaking specifically for our Ceramics room is used all day long our jewelry and metal uh work classroom is used all day long both of those are extremely popular programs um and although there's a slight reduction in the requests um that those both of those rooms are used the whole time the same thing goes for our culinary program as well those spaces are used all day long and in fact we have to have an overflow room for our our kitchen um and our teachers work together so that they can best use that space to accommodate all the students so um just awesome there um in our world languages Department um we are bringing back the Heritage Spanish class next year to help with our um students who speak Spanish and are working to um for the co bi literacy but are also looking to um really work on their academic language they may speak Spanish at home fluently with their families but this is to focus on that academic piece um and also we're uh I was talking with the department shair and we're really looking at our both our French and German programs and how we can work with our feeder schools to try and boost uh enrollment in those two programs as well so that's uh on our radar looking forward to next year and finally I would I would mention to go with that stacking and pulling things together in PE next year we're offering the sports officiating class um in in combination at the same point in time when students are taking team sports so students that are going to be able to really in the while they're learning how to be Sports officials they're going to be able to practice that in class in real time and get the confidence so that they can go out um and they can help the parks department during the summer by by working in those program so oh Jake take over thank you very much um I'm going to start with career in tech and and I do appreciate G uh um uh talking about us being able to put a puzzle together and put stacks of classes as Hank described and as keth did but we both want to emphasize we could stack them any way we wanted but if the teachers didn't teach those classes in the way they do it would not be effective uh I had a conversation with the fine arts department the other day and uh I said if someone told me that I was going to teach math one math 2 and math 3 all in the same class I would have thought my head was going to explode and they do some of that on a regular basis in CTE and Fine Arts and as a testament to their professionalism their willingness to try to put kids in the best positions possible um and and try to give them the experiences they're Desiring at the high school at this time um within our CTE Department we're seeing very similar growth as what Keith's describing at North we've had an increase in sections of our intro to business one each year we're at 7 this year um over the last two years um our intro to engineering and design program grew by 62% from 42 students to 68 our Advanced culinary arts went up 45% um and again they continue to work and build these um intricate programs that layer multiple levels so that kids can take AP and what we call Studio experiences at the upper levels that they wouldn't otherwise be able to um in Fine Arts Ceramics is popular um but the the class that actually grew the most in the building was digital photography it had a 79% increase uh went from 80 students to 143 um this year so they they are doing a great job of bringing students into that program um in English what we're seeing is a growth in our AP English language and English Lit um 29% and 22% uh respectively um is how much they grew um and at South we're able to uh pilot a program this year called modern rhetoric it uh is in conjunction with College of dup page uh it is a transition English course that will allow students that maybe are on the borderline of some of the testing and grade metrics that College of DuPage would require a student to have in order to automatically place into a credit bearing program at COD and by taking this class if they earn a SE or higher they will be able to do that regardless of those testing or grade metrics that they have um and so we're we're excited to be able to Pilot that this year um at South in math um L status quo the one thing we're very excited about is math 3 honors um grew significantly it jumped 35% what we're what we're excited about is that at math 3 honors that's where we lead to the pre-cal honors and then maybe your Cal ABS your AP stats um and apbc calculus um the more of those obviously we can get in sophomore in junior year the better chances we have at the AP levels at that point um the other thing and you'll hear this a couple of times from me um our El section uh has grown tremendously um we we have traditionally only had one section of el um foundations and one section of el math 1s this year we started with two and we had 12 students to begin that program we're well over that we're about 30 now um and so we're those El programs are exploding and we have many teachers who have the El certification in our math area to be able to help support them at the level of where they're at which is great for us um in science we saw a significant growth in our AP biology and chemistry AP biology um grew by 68% from 25 to 42 students in our chem grew by 40% from 47 to 66 and even our physics honors uh grew by 32% so we're very excited at the higher level seeing that growth and students wanting to expand out we're also excited because that means they're feeling like they've got some support from the teachers in the classroom and be able to take those risks and take classes that are a little bit harder and stretch themselves um where you're going to see a lot of growth in uh AP again is also in social studies our AP Psychology and AP Government grew by 51% each they both grew um by uh 56 and 66 students respectively um and then their El programming is strong in there as well and it all grew um by 24% in our e Global and we have an El Civics economics and uh Society course it it grew by 57% and we have an elus history that doubled we went from 9 to 19 students in that in that program as well lastly with all those World languages does encompass a lot of the El students obviously um we're trying something new this year that we actually began this semester we're we're adding what are called newcomer programs for our uh El students and those typically are for students who are on the lower range of not only language but also maybe academic skill as we test them and bring them in um and we were able to add those at the semester this year um and we're going to continue those next year as well um but aside from the El programs we we had a really nice growth in uh French this year um we're going to have two full-time French teachers which we haven't had for a while um AP French grew by 33% French three honors grew by 30% and um as Keith spoke to earlier we do have Spanish for Heritage speakers and that doubled went from 16 to 33 students uh so we're able to meet them at those levels as well so thank you very good thank you guys and uh good evening everybody as you've listened to all these various pieces of this puzzle obviously when we're trying to meet these of all our students there's some things that shake down so I fortunately get to be the person has both good news and then for some folks some not so good news but uh I'll start off just talking about on the uh Personnel report which is part of your consent agenda for this evening are all of our recommendations for renewal for our non-tenure teachers um and so those are all broken down by where they are current their status in terms of years of service with the district so that's as I mentioned probably s j that's the good news these are the people who I'll be meeting with later this week with their new contracts for them to sign um after they have signed denied and approved by you of course um then the other couple of pieces that are from my office that you'll be reviewing as well are our resolutions first is for honorable smiell honorable smiell are for uh also for many uh they're all non- 10year teachers uh these are teachers who going into next year uh the reason why it's honorable dismissals the only reason we are dismissing them right now is because we don't have FTE for them to occupy next year so it's nothing that they've done wrong it's just a situation where we have unfortunately don't have the FTE to keep you on for next year so those folks are all being honorably dismissed I believe there are 10 of those on on that uh report for you uh the other ones are the non-renewals now that's a little bit different non-renewal doesn't sound as nice as honly dismissed um those two there's two individuals on that resolution for you those are both people who took leaves of absences so the reason why we are not renewing them isn't because of anything do with our ft it's because that people have come back and their positions um and so then we don't have any place for them for next year but they both did a great job uh helping us out with some of our staff who were out for portions of the school year this year um so those are the two main pieces uh that you'll have to look at uh for that and again that'll be uh based on your approval and everything so those are the renewals The Honorable dismissals and the non-renewals any questions so am I understand that the primary source of the reduction in FTE is just the number of students is going down so sectioning is going down that's the biggest driver yes okay and then the way it plays off with these course selections that everyone's mentioned it just kind of kind of trickles down and distills into where we've arrived now okay no way to Salve a JP music theory with nine students it's a course that we probably we've been discussing uh there's several like this that we we believe we should start offering like on odd and even years so the students are making their four-year course plans that then we could kind of stack two classes together in that year and if students start to anticipate like okay this one is offered in odd years and this one's offered in evens they can start counting on us running it and then we get to the spot where we're offering it every other year and we're telling kids we're going to offer it that year then if we do have an under 20 we'll feel more obliged or inclined that we told kids plan on it being run this year and now we should run it if that's the case we're starting to look we have a few courses that are always seemed to fall right on the bubble like that AP music theories one we have a few others we think that might be a long-term solution for us any other questions all right anything else all right uh the rest of those flow through a variety of the items the rest of the evening thank you thank you Keith for all all this thank you gentlemen all right next uh agenda item is capital Pro projects this is also an action item this evening and also Life Safety work turn this over to Travis uh these are really bids that have coming good evening uh if you remember back in November uh Jim and I uh talked with you about different capital projects that we were working on uh and these projects required in line with our board policy 460 with purchasing um that we go for out to bid for these so we had sealed bids they were placed in the paper uh there are requirements on timing we met all of those right and we had our our bid openings here at the ASC and these are the results of those uh bid openings so the first is uh asphalt replacement and I'll tell you we uh we did this uh bid writing everything um inhouse all all d99 it's in line with some asphalt work that we've done in the past as well um so we had uh eight different sealed bids uh that we had an opening actually last week um on and the low bidder had the amount of $152,600 lot that's involved with this uh we worked with white on we needed to actually get a design uh put in place from uh the Electrical uh side so we've done that um we again went out to bid um we did receive one bid we were hoping to get more than that but I will tell you that that is uh when white looked at uh the project and what they gave us an estimate it is in line with the estimate that they provided uh so we when we opened it we weren't surprised by the amount uh but we were hoping for more so that we had more of a competitive there but same process where it was in the paper publicly all of that information um so that is coming in at $548,500 and again that's for both North and South both indoor and outdoor all of the scoreboards and the fiber that will run to that um the the final one actually involves both the classroom improvements in Renovations and the galvanized pipe replacement it was one bid opening that we had for for that and why we put those two together um even though they'll be coming from different uh sources of funds uh that we'll be paying for is economy of scale so we we worked with white uh to get both of those this was all at one bid opening um and we did receive uh a total of uh 32 sealed bids for all of the different areas uh that are required for this um so you can see uh there's several moving pieces that are uh noted in the in the memo that I've I've shared with you several different uh entities that will be uh working with to to get all of the the work done so the classroom improvements and Renovations came in at 70,5 and then the galvanized pipe replacement uh came in at 778848834 reminder that also includes uh locker room Renovations uh both girls and boys as part of that that project as well so any questions about any of those uh bids or any of the the projects themselves summer projects all this summer yes and do you feel the scoreboards are on on Pace to be done y before next school year yes excellent we're we're working on the timing of everything so we're having monthly meetings with our uh digital scoreboards to make sure that because we have the the turf the track um resurfacing so uh we have a sequential order that we need to follow and we're working with everyone and making sure that that gets done great we'll be starting right after graduation so so you're G to shoe us off and start right away yes we're we're getting we're getting going on these things that is for sure it's hard to believe you get 32 for one group and then you only get one for another group does that happen I mean is that it does but remember those those 32 sealed bids were for 10 different breakout areas okay okay so it's not like we got 32 for one thing one thing right we got 32 for 10 different areas and we had one area um you'll see in the memo where it says a $10,000 allowance we didn't get uh something for the bid uh package number seven um so that is something though that is is allotted for and we feel like that that $10,000 uh is in line uh with and that's the fire safety we we work with other uh entities with that and and we can get that work done so not a concern so it's a little bit misleading right so when you hear 32 there's there were 10 breakdowns if you will so we averaged on three but there was one that we didn't get any so we did range from 1 to four I think was the most that we got for one whereas the the scoreboard power and the um fiber really was one project and White's estimate is based on for you know having schools that have undertaken similar work that's kind of what they spent on it okay in in the scope so they design the work right so they understand the intricacies that are involved with what's needed to to get the work done good okay and that's what we built the budget around right all yeah and it all seems to fit into it it all fits into into the budget yeah and we need to do the asphalt sou there's some there's some nice potholes over there yeah and this is remember that we had two different alternate bids so that total amount is including those two alternate bids as well uh which is taking care of some additional things so that's that's great and and for us to still come in under budget these are up as action items later on this even any other last questions for Travis on these I would just note in the in the action item we did break out the classroom improvements and Renovations and the galvanized pipe right because there are two different sources of funds that we'll be using so we wanted to make that clear and clean cut thank you uh the next one is textbook recommendations from Travis yeah so we have um two recommendations that we have uh coming forward um and kind of in line with what J was saying uh we have our El math 1s uh that we are uh looking at doing a a pilot with um so we're uh exploring uh that as a another resource for our our students um I I'm was really happy I I'm a former high school math teacher so when I saw Big Ideas Math um in my previous District we went through the process of looking at resources and this is the one that that we landed on it's really well done it is um the the authors were uh Math teachers and it is written in Friendly language that provides a lot of really great resources uh for our teachers uh to implement and to use in their in their teaching so we have that one which is the integrated math one um again as a pilot that could be expanded to other math one classes it'll be a great opportunity for us to to see what uh resources and and what learning opportunities that that uh avails and then also we have integrated mathematics 2 um for our all of our math 2 uh level courses that are that are listed there so those are the two um our math departments did a lot of uh work uh to get to this stage and we feel really confident that um these will provide great resources for us uh moving forward all right any questions for Travis on textbooks the next item up this evening is uh property tax abatement for the rexnord uh facility uh this began in 2016 as a a project this is also an action item later this evening in your uh board packet it outlines that agreement that we entered into in 2016 believe this is year eight of that agreement um we're kind of one year away from the last time the way that this was structured was we abated 100% of their new taxes in year one every year that has been reduced so uh over a 10-year period for it to to go and if you drive by that facility you'll see it was totally worth it for the the taxes and jobs that's brought our community so uh this is although we have to take action on it each year the board has already entered in an agreement to do this so this just formalizes this year's but it's really we have to do it formality yes it's a formality so uh any questions on that one for tonight and then um Don had requested that the beginning of the year I brought you a list of leadership events that the board approved my attendance ad over the course of the year I wrote up a short reflection for the board uh and it's included in your board packet on those I attended and kind of my key takeaways from um each of those I think you'll see in those there's some key things that tie back to board goals and directives into the work that we're doing within the district opportunities for me to really shine a spotlight on uh the district as a whole uh either you know through some some opportunities that I had to present or lead uh in a variety of different ways uh and it's really especially uh the work I would say the most recent huge growth was going to the National superintendent conference in that I attended a lot of sessions about indicators and measures of success and a lot of that has influenced the work that we're working through with our leadership team and eventually we be our whole staff on on that work and allowed me to connect with a lot of superintendents that have led that work already um and kind of figure out what worked for us and what doesn't so uh you know that was the most recent one that I went to and is really influencing our work heading into to the next school year so I appreciate the board uh in supporting my growth and my ability to show off the district in a variety of ways uh and you can read through uh each of those opportunities and kind of what happened there uh any questions from from board members on those I just say would I think it's money well spent because um you know we're never at any stage of our career Beyond improving ourselves and growing in our our profession and Hank that's there's no exception with Hank and so we want him to continue to grow and to continue to to um research and be exposed to different ideas and bring those ideas back to District 99 and help improve our district here and I'm really excited about the the metrics and um what your team's working on right now and uh you know I understand you we'll be you'll be presenting to that to the board later on this school year and into the summer y um so I'm I'm really looking forward to that I think there's a great opportunity for growth and great opportunity for catching students and providing safety nets through the metrics that that we're we can utilize so it's a great way to better and improve our district absolutely more to come on that yep all right um that's the list of the events all right uh freedom information requests uh we have received them have either filled them or in the process of doing so all of them are listed on our website could be can be found by just searching for Foya on our website okay item number seven I'd like to open up a public hearing on the honorable dismissal of our non-tenure teachers is there anyone in the audience who wishes to address the board on this subject matter all right hearing none um can I get a motion to close the public hearing so moved second second Terry moves and Ken seconds very much Terry pavich I Ken Dawson hi Christopher Spinosa I Jenny hagstrom I Cara Caston I and Don rener I motion carries public hearing is closed item eight consent agenda before the board votes on the cons consent agenda is there any agenda item a board member would like to pull out of the consent agenda for further discussion hearing none I need a motion for the Board of Education to approve the consent agenda as presented which includes a Personnel report 24 2025 5ifth year full-time renewals 2024 2025 4th year full-time renewals 2024 25 third year full-time renewals 2024 25 non 10year full-time renewals 2024 25 non- tenure part-time renewals and appointment classified B Personnel report retirement Administration resignation certified resignation classified C February treasurers report and February Financial Pages d student trips e 2025 26 proposed calendar F acceptance of donation District 99 Education Foundation and G Illinois High School Association membership july1 2024 through June 30th of 2025 so moved second Terry moves and Chris seconds thank you tyry pavich I CHR janosa I Jenny hagstrom hi caric haston hi Ken Dawson hi and Don rener hi motion carries thank you to the foundation for nearly $55,000 in Grants for projects in the schools yes no doubt okay item nine recommendations for Action uh in item a can I get a motion for the Board of Education to adopt the resolution authorizing notice of honorable dismissal of non-tenure teachers other than final year probationary teachers and that the president and secretary be authorized to sign the S moved moves second 10 seconds thank you Jerry pavich I Ken Dawson I chosa I Jenny hagstrom I Cara Caston I and Don rener I motion carries for Item B may I get a motion for the Board of Education to adopt the resolution authorizing notice of non-renewal to non-tenure teachers other than final year probationary teachers and that the president and secretary be authorized to sign the S so moved second any moves Chris suck thank you Jenny hagstrom hi Chris R Spinosa hi Terry pavich hi Cara Caston hi and Ken Dawson I and Don Renner I motion carries item C can I get a motion uh for the Board of Education to approve the recommended text books for 20242 as presented so moved second moves Ken seconds thank you Chris Espinosa hi Ken Dawson hi Jenny hagstrom hi ter pavich I carck Caston I and Don Runner I motion carries uh item D may have a motion for the Board of Education to award the North and South High School scoreboard power projects to Richmond electric company Woodridge Illinois for a base bid in the amount of $548,500 so moved second Terry moves Ken seconds thank you Terry pavich I Ken Dawson I CHR Spinosa I Jenny hagstrom i k haston hi and Don Runner I motion carries item eight may I have a motion for the Board of Education to award the base bid alternate a bid and Alternate B bid for the West events and Mustang way asphalt Replacements project to Advantage Paving Solutions Inc in the amount of $152,600 motion carries item F may have a motion for the Board of Education to approve contracts for classroom improvements and Renovations at North and South High in the aggregate amount of $71,500 for Life Safety work at North High in the aggregate amount of $778,000 tax year so moved second and moves Terry second thank you Ken Dawson hi ter pavich hi Cara Caston I CHR sposa I Denny Hegstrom I and Don rener I motion carries item number 10 any old business the second reading and approval of policies second reading reading and approval of policies these all came to the board last month they're in your packet again this month um there's one change that came from uh recommendation from the administrative team in policy 6.27 uh it used to just the first reading it res it referred to the counseling department we updated that name to be more specific to District 99 in counseling and student Support Services C uh just to make sure that it was clear that it pertained to that entire department uh not just a counselors other than that they're all exactly the way you saw them last month with no concerns uh coming from anywhere and we'll vote to approve on those no so we need a motion to approve the policies as presented um may I get a motion from the Board of Education to approve um the policies as presented so moved second Chris moves Ken seconds thank you Chris just sposa I Ken Dawson hi Denny hagum I har pavich I Cara Caston I and Don Runner I motion carries any new business no new business and Julie any uh visitors um Jenny can I get a report reception uh item number 13 Jenny can I get a report on Len please I wasn't there on nor was I but Gina attended so she has a report for so at Friday's Len meeting we were very fortunate to have state superintendent Dr Tony standers attend and that was timely in light of some things that are going on that he couldn't talk much about um but he did share uh some news that was released several days before that that the state had put out an RFP for the accountability our state accountability measure which is currently the SAT the current contract with the College Board ends June 30th of this year so there requesting proposals obviously for the federal and that's required by federal law that we have state accountability that has been the SAT you may recall prior to that it was actually the psae and the Act was a component or the the one day of it and while he couldn't talk much about it because they're still in the procurement process it was released before this meeting that um the ACT had the lowest Bid And of course you could imagine what has been going on in my email and probably the email of most assistant soups and superintendents across the state and while he didn't speak much about it he did say obviously it's a competitive process they have to follow the procurement procedures as we would expect and the one question that was on all of our minds was whether or not there would be the suite in other words with the College Board we have the PSAT 89 which freshmen take the psat1 that sophomores take and then the sat that Juniors take and it's called The Suite of Assessments and so we had questions regarding that whether the RFP actually called for those what I've referred to oftentimes is like leadin tests they kind of like practice tests to get you there or to help students get to taking that final assessment and he did say that the RFP was for those uh SED of course it's the ACT there's a preac for grades 8 n so that would be obviously for freshmen there's one for grade 10 and then the act for uh grade 11 but other than that he didn't talk much about it of course um there were some questions asked and he continued to talk about the procurement process there is an appeal process or I should call it a protest I think it's called a protest process which act by the way and I do recall this when it was happening protested last time and the College Board did get the contract cuz they were the lowest bidder um so I he did not say that the College Board was protesting but that's very possible um it's in that protest period so point of that will be and while he didn't say this I am saying this um that would be for the tests that are given next year because the contract expires or ends in June okay so what does that do to like National Merit we would we would still offer the nmsqt we offered that even when we had PSA long before the College Board had gotten the state contract um however students wouldn't be taking the PS t89 or 10 which presumably helped prepare them for the nmsqt the ACT is and I I've done some reading since then because you know we've lived in college board world for a while now um is aligned to standards and they talk a lot about how it prepare students for um college and so on and so forth so but is not a lead in test for the nmsqt so he talked a little bit about that but did not say much other than what I've shared I actually shared a little bit more just from what I looked at online but he did say that that will be wrapped up soon because the contract expires in a in a few months you will not question for as an assessment tool what are the main differences between the SAT and the act so there are several differences the one difference that I would say is part of the reason why many people including myself are concerned is that we went from the paper pencil sat for years right last year included MH to this year we will be giving the digital of both the PSAT PSATs so the 89 the 10 and the SAT which is a digital online test that is adaptive so BAS basically scales up down for students based on how they're performing the ACT is online as well so it's also a digital test but from what I understand and we have not had many students taking the act in recent years because Illinois went to the SAT it is not adaptive in that way so that is one of the concerns is that our students this year so in three years three different experiences paper pencil static no changing you know I mean the tests are different for each student of course there's several forms but it doesn't change based on how you answer questions and then secondly the digital online so our staff is learning a whole dashboard a whole new dashboard for this test and then if this goes through and it's still an if then a completely different test with a completely different dashboard for all of us to learn so those were some of the concerns that were um I know shared in my group not necessarily in the meeting because he couldn't talk much about it but he did share that it is still in the procurement process that there is a protest option and when it exactly expires and that it would impact us next year the other key factor in this that I did share with Dr Sanders is we're finally reaching the point where we have longitudinal data for our students right where we can start to look at what their progress has been over their time with us that all goes resets right it all resets again so we had the ACT went to the SAT so we reset when that happened then we got to the point where we were starting to get longitudinal data and then pandemic happened now we're to the point where we're starting to get longitudinal data again and we could potentially switch Data Systems right so uh that really helps us or doesn't help us in demonstrating growth over time at all uh it won't be for another three or four years that we able to show you longitudinal data that holds hands like that so do they have to take the lowest bid I don't know all of the I believe so but then there's this this process this protest process that almost always whoever loses the bid especially one this large I mean it's how many $26 million $24 million I don't remember the exact am it's substantial yeah it's substantial that that's a usual process that happens and one of my concerns is that our teachers have aligned some curriculum to the standards of the SAT which are changing too because it's going digital with the Adaptive testing we've done professional development Ryan dhy our director of student experiences has done a lot of PD particularly with our English Department to um prepare our teachers and our student you know for our students who are going to be taking it uh we also had this year the SAT prep class which was totally focused on the digital ESS and on the SAT obviously but more so on this digital so that those are other concerns that we have which many of us have expressed to the state so going back to lend I know we took a little bit of a detour I apologize for that I'll get off the Soap Box um so he also talked about um Statewide systems of support and his vision for how that could go in the future the idea that um that all schools while we're already doing this should be supported in moving forward with school Improvement um he also um talked a little bit about um you know just his work at the State Board and how um he looks at different factors in making decisions he as you may remember was a sitting superintendent for many years and he you know shared some ideas he had around um some of the support that's out there and state accountability and then the meeting wrapped up there was literally about 5 minutes left in the meeting um with a series of bills and just a brief update none of them that were discussed in any great depth um but just mentioned a few of them and where they were at in the process that was pretty much the meeting and can we provide a report on sass uh yes uh my schedule got a lot more open over the next couple of months I was on the bargaining committee and it sounds like we may have a TA to just extend the current deal for a couple of years so that's in progress right now that might get resolved over the next uh couple of weeks and uh that will at least allow the new executive director to come in under uh a contract we won't have to bargain you know anything through the next couple of months or into the summer so that that's the big news I have a meeting on Wednesday uh of this week Terry any report on the foundation uh we're meeting Wednesday so it it's the same as what it was last month okay sorry can any update from iasb I'm going turn that over to Terry was able to attend the dinner give us an update on how that went you know what I'm I'm going to get on my Soap Box a little bit I think it's important that we all make an effort to go to the division dinners because there's usually a very good program and uh this one was on social emotional learning and it was a very very good program and um um I think it's something that uh um we as board members can can uh learn a lot from and um um I'm on the uh the committee to um work on the um program for next fall and so if anyone has any suggestions on what they would really like to see as a presentation please uh let me know I'm going to be meeting uh in June and so that'll give you plenty of time to think about it but uh um Hank had suggested maybe a little bit more into um um oh um ai ai yeah was trying to think of the com the initials too many initials in my life um but uh uh that's an interesting aspect of Education that uh we could all learn from so please uh when you see the date come up I don't know when it is exactly um please try to make an effort to to come because it's not only a presentation but you also get to talk to other board members that are um at districts that are very similar to ours and it's also where you can also um talk to our sender districts and uh those folks and the superintendents there so it's nice to know who your who your um your kids are going to be coming from and so um that's my little commercial for for the um for next year should be released in the next month so as soon as they come out I'll share them with everybody yeah yes so you can put it on your calendars yeah so so like I said if you have any suggestions for um programming let me know okay item number 14 upcoming board meetings on April 1st the day after Spring Break um we'll be having a workshop meeting at 6:30 p.m.

to the flag of the United States of America and to the for stands Nation God indivisible andice for all good evening can you all hear me okay good evening everyone um thrilled um since 2015 our district has engaged in taking time every month to recognize those who are leading and contributing significantly in our district I'm going to invite Teresa Kamas to now speak to our pride award and we have uh members this evening who have joined us and we are excited to welcome them and to have the board recognize them here in our um monthly board meeting yes so Bard if you could join us in the middle here so as Dr KAG mentioned this is a program The Pride program stands for proudly recognizing individuals demonstrating excellence and was started by the board in 2015 we want to thank our generous District Partners serve Bank Huntington Learning Center Chick-fil-A and Culver for helping make this program a success we'd also like to thank all of those who nominate individuals for consideration of these Awards awardees tonight as your name is called and we share your nomination please come forward and be greeted by the board and Dr katti we'll begin tonight by congratulating our February and March teachers of the month for February Joe Bean a language arts teacher from plank Junior [Applause] High Jill is the epitome of professional and caring to her core she goes out of her way to make all students valued and welcome and making the extra effort to get to know them as a person she quickly becomes a favorite of many students everyone is welcome in her classroom and recognized Miss Bean is the first to check in on her colleagues for new teachers she regularly takes personal time to make and share materials along with guidance to encourage smooth and successful transitions her creativity and personality are credit to her to the profession of an educator and to plank Junior High School congratulations Joe next we welcome up Katie bosi drama theater teach from as weo East High School next up we welcome Diane Johnson kindergarten teacher from Long Beach Elementary School Miss Johnson consistently goes far above and beyond and she does so effortlessly the needs of students are placed above all else and she stops at nothing to ensure that everyone has what they need to be successful Dianne's classroom management is amazing her ability to build relationships and pivot fluidly to accommodate the diverse needs of students this year is impressive going the extra mile would be a gross understatement for Miss Johnson and others are honored to work alongside of her congratulations [Applause] Diane next up our March winners we ask Tim T tivani the business teacher from ASO High School Tim is in his 20th year of teaching at asigo high school and he's also been a member of the boys basketball coaching staff as a teacher Tim is loved by his students and one of the kids' favorites he also runs the panther Credit Union teaching kids about finances as a basketball coach Tim spends countless hours at practice games reviewing videos all in hopes of making his players better people and not just better basketball players Tim is a great example of someone that goes the extra mile for his school his students and his players he does it all with a smile and never asks for any recognition we thank you [Applause] Tim next up Anna Marie cantos fourth grade teacher from Hunt Club Mrs Kos has been the most amazing pleasing fourth grade teacher she goes above and beyond for her students pushing them to do their very best and helping them keep their love of learning she also works hard in helping make students mentally prepared for taking tests reaching out and keeping parents up toate on everything and truly caring about their her students well-being and education she truly is an amazing fourth grade teacher and we thank you [Applause] congratulations Mela Matias kindergarten dual language teacher from Boulder [Applause] Hill she is described as a modern version of a Mary Poppins she's truly an amazing teacher teaching kindergarten is perfect for her because she's so welcoming and students have the most amazing and engaging experience entering their school system she goes above and beyond for her students always in communication with students and parents and cares for their well-being that whether that be their educational mental or physical well-being we want to say thank you and congratulations at this time we invite any of our building administrators who are present here this evening to come forward and join our awardees as we take a photo with the board stand on a chair want stand on a chair yeah okay HR don't look say not on the table congratulations [Applause] teachers next up we're going to begin awarding our amazing support staff winners awardees again after your name is called please come forward to be congratulated by the board and Dr katti starting off with our February winners first we're going to start with Tommy beel from [Applause] transportation tomm is a dispatcher and has been an integral part of the transportation team since February of 2023 from the beginning he has demonstrated a remarkable level of enthusiasm and dedication towards his role as a dispatcher his willingness to assist his colleagues in his infectious smile makes him a valuable asset to the team Tommy has exhibited exceptional potential for growth and development and his patience in assisting schools and parents with Transportation information is commendable we have no doubt he will continue to excel with the department and eagerly anticipate witnessing his future accomplishments congratulations we welcome up Yolanda Sanchez special education teaching assistant from Wolf's [Applause] Crossing as a first year teacher in the Stars program Yolanda was described as a godsend she's the backbone of the classroom defend Dependable firm yet gentle and hardworking she follows the teachers lead and goes above and beyond to make sure the classroom is running smoothly and students are working to achieve their personal best she arrives early to help set up the classroom and takes materials home to prep she has a special bond with the students and knows when they need time to process when they need a start chart to incentivize or when they just need a hug she pushes the students and encourages them you can always be counted on youa and we want you to know how much we appreciate you congratulations next up is Maria Sosa our custodian from our maintenance department Maria cleans several buildings around the district her smile her positive attitude and willingness to pitch in is appreciated she works hard to get to know people and remembers special things about them which is hard given how many locations she goes to we love seeing her wear school spirit shirts and talk about the things going on around the district in a role that can be difficult Maria always approaches each messy situation with a smile when she comes in she brings a bit of sunshine with her and we're always so happy that she's here Maria really lives out the values of sd308 thank [Applause] you our March winners begin with Mr Gabriel Torres building engineer from Long Beach not here this evening [Applause] okay next Kathleen matah special education teaching assistant from transition [Applause] Pathways and Kristen Whittle special education teaching assistant from Lakewood Creek Elementary School Kristen has a natural ability to work with children possessing a remarkable ability to connect with students and staff creating a supportive and nurturing atmosphere in the classroom she quietly goes above and beyond to ensure that every student feels valued and understood fostering a sense of belonging that greatly enhances the overall educational experience for everyone her calm and reassuring communication skills are such a great asset to the overall success of every classroom that she's in throughout the day she's able to identify the strengths and challenges of each student providing personalized assistance that promotes academic growth and confidence all the students who know Miss Kristen love her and are excited to show her when they succeed at a task within the classroom she's always there to cheer them on and praise every accomplishment big or small and tonight we say congratulations to you again we'll invite up any of our building administrators who are here tonight to join us for a photo just going back up close your eyes as workers come one final round of applause for tonight's winners congratulations [Applause] everyone y all did great I going to thank the Communications Department for their and the human resource department for the organization of our pride Awards and also all the sponsorship we received for this so thank you to both departments for really helping um honor the best in our district we'll move on to public comment now so on behalf of the Board of Education I would like to thank the public for attending tonight's meeting we value the feedback we receive from our residents and encourage everyone to take an active interest in their Public School System residents interested in speaking to the Board of Education this evening are asked to have completed completed a comment card and provided it to the secretary to the board when the secretary calls your name I ask that you step to the microphone state your name for the public record and provide your feedback in order to hear from as many as possible comments tonight have been limited to three per subject three minutes per person for a total of 30 minutes so after we have heard from that segment of indiv of public comment we will then take as many additional comments that have been submitted until our 30 minutes have elapsed comments should address the Board of Education as a whole and not be directed to an individual board member audience or staff the board does not participate in public comment and follow up to your questions and concerns will be addressed by Administration through the contact information provided on the comment card thank you thank you Kate coxworth can you hear me is it working okay hello my name is Kate coxworth I'm an industrial broker I was here last June speaking to you guys on behalf of the Caris project in Montgomery Illinois right up the road um I just wanted to come back we've have been having some discussions and as the project has been going forward we are still trying to finalize our incentive package and we are here to hopefully answer any questions that you guys might have although I understand that you cannot interact with me but I'll try to get some information out there that maybe you might not have already or um cover some things that hopefully if we we'll just play by ear you can let me know um so I understand that trusty Bowman met with a couple people today um the village of Montgomery has been very helpful with this project I think um some of the disconnect on the on the incentive piece might have come from there's been a lot of staff changes both from a incentive perspective at Montgomery as well as you guys have had some staff changes um as you guys have noticed I'm sure we have a building that's going up right now in Montgomery that we're really excited about it's home to Rago it's 500,000 square feet right now um that's phase one of what they have planned at that site it's supposed to be up to 1.1 million square fet when they're done and we hope that they continue here because they're a fantastic company um and they have over 325 locations throughout the world um they're one of the biggest plastic pellets distributor in the world they I think they do like 65% of all plastic resin P pellets it's a great company they really like the communities that they go into and they want to stay for a long long time the amount of money that they're putting into this project so far would take far more than the 10 years that we're asking for an abatement to cover the cost far more and they have really identified this area somewhere where they want to be so I we think that that's all really positive um we also have 100 acres left to the north and that is something that the developer is looking to um put into production as soon as possible truth be told we actually have three people looking at the site right now um all of them understand kind of where we are with incentives and none of them will go forward until we understand what what the situation is so we are asking if there's any way we can either have a more formal conversation we'd love to talk to the board directly about it um but we're just really looking to try to figure this out as quickly as we can so that we can put all this into production and get the full sight going because I think that in that situation everybody wins because that's all taxable dollars then instead of having just remaining farm field for a long period of time um trying to see what else I can talk to here so I know there's been a lot of numbers that have been thrown around but you know I think that there are a lot of positives to this project there's a lot of new infrastructure that wouldn't be there already um part of that is just because of some projects that Montgomery had planned I know that there's a new water situation that's happening in the early 20 30s and we are oversizing pipe so that that project is able to be carried a little further west and able to benefit the entire Community um we are really aiming to build to bring in worldclass businesses to be here these incentives go towards the businesses just so you guys understand that and not the developer we're not asking on behalf of the developer it's it's really to get the best companies that we can thank you Kate sure Dominic carar good evening can everybody hear me my name is Dominic carbiner I'm a Kate's partner at jll again here on behalf of jll and Caris to what I like to do is not talk about the incentives so much as to talk about the marketplace and how the market place has shifted for these occupiers and what that means to for you the community and how being a little bit more attractive with an incentives program can change these three options we have they paused we're kind of said once you figure this out it'll go into our analysis and we'll go forward from there being different matters today when you're marketing these projects um Chicago is a different marketplace now the demand has shifted it's not like it was 18 24 months ago so to be more attractive to these sites to have you know increased infrastructure to help produce for them today and then tomorrow in the unknown that all that all comes down and means a lot to the community furthermore as we as we invest in the community with these businesses you know they're going to input all this infrastructure they're going to be able to market the Orchard Road piece for more retail and Commercial businesses which will continually drive you know more foot traffic through the community and increase the exposure of Montgomery in general so it's not just it is you know a 10year program but the investment to Kate's point about Rago and the other two infrastructures they're not just warehouses where there's Fork uh Fork trucks and trucks coming in and out this is manufacturing this is you know the inside the Box investment is for the next 50 years it's not for the next 10 years and so that's what really matters and that's what the visions of these companies that we're seeing these companies we can't mention these three names but these names that you're all familiar with or have seen you know their vehicles going down the street thank you thank you Christopher Kennedy hello again hello uh if you don't mind picking up the the sheet here that we prepared this evening just a recap where we kicked off a couple of weeks ago talking about the exciting sport of Lacrosse but more importantly an opportunity for our youth for something new a new opportunity we uncovered a couple of barriers that were brought up diligently from the last meeting and we wanted to focus tonight on how we found solutions for those barriers most notably the financial one um H how do we get opportunities for our students in a creative way that engages our community and happy announce if you turn the page over an exciting announcement from epic lacrosse which is one of the national leaders they actually support the professional lacrosse league has selected asigo for our discount partner for all of the equipment outside of the helmets this is a tremendous opportunity and one that I work directly with the CEO he sends his congratulations directly to all of us and commends us on the planning that has gone into this so it's a really a testament to the people that you'll hear us speak tonight that kind of joined me in this effort um but I also want to highlight the the Dynamics around when we look at costing getting to True numbers there were some numbers thrown out at the last meeting that simply aren't accurate right it's not $35,000 in this case it was $25,000 when we got the quotes back the $25,000 between the boosters and our sponsors and more importantly in my mind our community stakeholders those dollars have now been taken care of so finances are not a barrier that that could have been there and actually something to for us all to consider is those barriers moving forward for other sport sports or even looking back in the revie miror at some of the sports today that have Financial barriers how can we raise money in the community to address some of the athletic fees for example I'll also let you all know that we took into account the education component and I know one of the other members of the boosters will talk more about that and in the spirit of these anxious other members of the lacrosse team behind me I'll turn my time over thank you thank you John [Music] McLure good evening everyone uh my name is sha mcair and I was here a couple weeks ago with Chris as well as some other fathers to talk about the lacrosse program and we listened and walked away with uh some things that we felt we needed to think about some effort and energy that we needed to put into things which obviously as you see here on this sheet we have done that and when I look at youth today uh my son being one of them I never played lacrosse I never had the opportunity to play lacrosse I had an opportunity when I was a resident here in iGo which I have been for over 20 some years and the coach through the park district program which was right here in the oso Park District said will you help coach and I said I know nothing about lacrosse he goes that's all right we'll teach you so I learned the sport with my son at a very young age I learned to coach many kids from the age of kindergarden up to third grade then I turned them over to someone that played the sport and knew the sport and on the education piece I think our district has put ourselves in a good position to expand the sport offerings and when you look at the sport of Lacrosse um ASO Park District is now offering Youth Lacrosse again this spring in a uh collaboration with East AV which is the program my son plays with true lacrosse has also been here for two clinics which I think most people weren't even aware of those clinics because they weren't really publicly advertised and there wasn't a lot of uh sharing of information but we had a good turnout in the first two sessions and I think when you look at our spring Sports there's sports that will cut kids and what do we have as an alternative if they get cut what if they don't make the team for say volleyball what's their other options out there track maybe what about lacrosse maybe it's another offering that our kids could consider and I look at the kids that maybe get cut from a program that's a tough feeling to walk away from a sport and I'm hopeful that when we get lacrosse in Osgo that we're in a position where we not only fill a roster but maybe we'll get to that point where we have to consider having a cap on the number of kids we've thought about that and we've talked to True lacrosse which is another uh company that uh offers youth programs in the area they'd be willing to grab those kids and help them in the offseason learn the sport get them educated on the sport and get them ready for the next season we can take this a step further and look at our physical education program we could take all of our element elementary schools introduce a session of Lacrosse with tennis balls and lacrosse sticks in the gymnasium very simple it's called wall ball we could build the future generations for our lacrosse program through the physical education program in combination with the park district assets whether it be East AV or true lacrosse but these are fundamental things that as a community I would love to see us come together and not look at this as just a high school sport for today but for Generations ahead and I look at my youngest son who plays o TF football I got 9 seconds he loves that sport but he also loves lacrosse so in the spring he'll be here trying out for lacrosse one of these days but again I appreciate your consideration of bringing lacrosse to asgo so we can compete with some of these neighboring communities and build a program that is known for us Wego thank you thank you Enzo morasco hello my name is Enz morasco I'm a student at Rob Junior High School I've never played the sport of Lacrosse but I enjoy uh like the thought of playing it someday thank you thank you hel Schultz think it's on already all right I would like to speak I'm Kelly Schultz I would like to speak in behalf in support of the math interventionists that were hired in the non-title elementary buildings with eser funds as we all know those funds will no longer be available to us this year and I've been lobbying to anybody who will listen to me all year in support of these interventionists the interventionist at Churchill Who services over 60 children a year has made a difference in our math test scores student achievement performance in the classroom and more importantly these students are more visibly confident and Performing and participating more in class they have found a fresh love for learning in math I strongly advocate for these interventionists and hope that the administration and the school board will actively continue to secure funds to continue this position thank you thank you Norman V J uh hello my name is Norman v um I currently attend Cher junior high school and uh I'm playing basketball I look forward to playing basketball in high school but I also feel like lacrosse should be included in high school sports because it also would have a impact on people who never played the sport before or people who's more passionate about the sport thank you thank you Earl Holmes good evening uh Earl Holmes um I have got four children that play sports in the village of asigo Ages from 13 all the way down to six two in trer and two in Prairie Point uh my wife and I both serve on the board for the asao Bears football and chair organization she is the director for cheerleading and I'm the director for recruiting uh we've worked heavily with that organization and other organizations in asigo to bring on Co-op Partnerships with pure motion and then other businesses throughout the community we've done recruiting in schools in sports and then in our neighborhood um and and I'm here to support um bringing lacrosse to as weo as well I've heard Rumblings from parents from moms from coaches Around The Limited options that some of the kids have especially when they get to sixth grade there's not many options for sports I think track and I think wrestling is it and then from when you start looking at some of the villages that surround us we go Neighborville planfield and they've got a program like lacrosse I think it's a great great option for some of our kids that one play sports and then two for options for the kids that don't really play sports to give them some education around what it means to play lacrosse so some of the things that we've done with the bear so far around recruiting and Partnerships with some of these co-ops I don't see any reason why we can't take that same Dynamic that we've done with them and bring it to something like lacrosse here in asigo I fully support um the vision for Chris and Sean to bring asigo to uh or to bring lacrosse to asigo and I appreciate the time tonight thank you thank you ran McKinley hi there I'm Brianna McKinley um lacrosse sounds really nice by the way I think some Boulder Hill kids might like that as well um but I'm not here to talk about lacrosse um I am currently in the school psychologist at Boulder Hill Elementary School um I take great pride in representing this school that's become my second home for the past seven years um I've always been very fully vested in the students at Boulder Hill I don't know if I can do it but we have a lot of amazing people in initiatives at Boulder Hill but we have a lot of barriers right now and we need some help so in order for help to happen we need to look at some of the things that can help us so one of them is overcrowding so we have a very high mobile rate at Boulder Hill and we have a lot of overcrowding and we have a lot of students who are not getting what they need a lot of the kids that come to our School are emerging in a lot of their pre- Readiness skills um you can see this from Mastery connect data from kindergarten screeners a lot of the kids that come in um it's just a different playing field and we need to help them and so I'm hoping that maybe looking at some redistricting um within our district or within our boundaries uh such as the mountgomery place Apartments there's about 70 students who have um had a lot of bus issues this year as well um there's five elementary schools that are closer in mileage that maybe they can um they be able to go to that one of those schools that way their bus routes not as long because they're also really hungry and exhausted um they pass the wheatlands Long Beach Churchill Homestead and wolves crossing the second barrier is the kids are not getting what they need and I just want them to get the things that they need sorry this is going to be really hard for me but I just I've served this district for seven years and I just want the kids to succeed um another thing too is we had a third admin position posted and it's not posted anymore it was posted in November December and it was never filled and we really would benefit from a third administrator to help us with crisis with access testing because we have the Dual language program and that takes a lot of uh proctoring and it would also help with some of the student discipline so I'm sorry that I got really emotional tonight but thanks for allowing me to speak with you and I just encourage you to continue to visit Boulder Hill regularly and have discussions with all those teachers and ta and administrators because you guys have a lot of power and I want you to be able to help the staff and the community of Boulder Hill thank you s Diaz hello my name is it on yeah okay hello my name is Sarah Diaz priz I come today as a concerned parent and frankly also a Fed Up parent I also come to speak on behalf of all our students but in particular our black and brown around students you see I have a problem when my child cannot use the school bathroom without being stopped and event and unreasonably unreasonably searched on his way out because the bathroom smelled like marijuana my child's rights are being violated when it is not a situation of individual suspicion because there are three or five other kids in the bathroom these searches are unreasonable how how are we sure unconscious bias isn't happening or children are not being subjected to unreasonable search and seizure are we here really for the benefit of the students and seeing them graduate high school or are we here to police all day and lose focus on what is most important because for what I can see District 308 or as we go East High School is part of the problem we have across this country with the school to prison pipeline are we not aware that the ones mostly affected by this are black and brown students or those with disabilities many times these searches are invasive and violate the rights of our students is this a school where our students can come to learn or a place where they have to face the uncertainty that they will be searched again because unconscious bias is in play I know there is the thought that these searches are here to protect our children but are they really doing that overall or are they just causing more damage than good by causing anxiety and other lifelong major mental health disorders trauma when being done so loosely and I can say this as someone who personally lived through this damage through this over overly policing behavior that it causes another concern I have is our students being used to give statements against other students and losing class time because of this why do we have cameras in the school shouldn't this be sufficient or shouldn't at the very least students who are not personally involved have a choice to participate or not these tactics are being done since elementary school in District 8 I feel this causes unnecessary trauma unto our youth that will then become lifelong trauma there has to be other ways of handling these issues in a less invasive way thank you thank you thank you there Aria uh hi I'm a student at trer junor high and and I play volleyball and I don't play lacrosse but I would like to give lacrosse a chance so I hope that you vote for lacrosse thank you thank you hi Kennedy hi U my name is Ty Kennedy I currently am an eighth grader at trer Junior High and I'm also here to talk on behalf of the possible sport of Lacrosse in the SD 308 District um I've been playing lacrosse for I think three years now and it's the game just brings joy to my life it's amazing I love playing it and I actually just came here from trying out for the volleyball team at trer Junior High and there were four total of like 40 over 40 people I think who tried out for the volleyball team and only 16 people ended up making the team so that's much over half of the people and those kids like they they might not have anything to do you know that volleyball is out of the picture for them so I just think that bring them across to the district and uh the high schools would be like just an amazing opportunity like Mr McClair had said previously so I hope that you guys will give it a chance thank you thank you thank you Ali Berto hi I'm Ally Rell and I'm a student at trer Junior High as well I'm also a multiport athlete and I going into high school I'm really looking forward to trying new sports and giving every chance I can to New Opportunities and Lacrosse being one of those so thank you thank you Katie heyden hello my name is Katie heyen passionate advocate for the Trel trades and Advocate also for neurodiversity and other Industries uh tonight I actually kind of want to Echo what the other teacher was speaking about before was how we can struggle with some of our students being underserve how sometimes your learning difference or some refer to as disability can be an invisible barrier that other people cannot recognize if you're introverted or different forms of Education when it comes to licensing exams or certification courses those students can feel those real barriers I wanted to kind of touch base from what I was here on the last meeting how I think it's wonderful how you guys are doing you know trying to create new sports within District 308 lacrosse water polo girls wrestling but as someone who's very passionate about the travel trades and construction one makes me feel that sometimes we're on the sidelines we kind of get forgotten about because what are visual canese learners those are people who love sports they love art they love music you know they love culinary all people who are physical not doing the same monotonous thing every day and I would like you to just dream about what a new kind of program would be to involve more kids in trades at you know a younger age even if they didn't like sports why not get them interested in the construction industry if you don't Market it and showcase how wonderful it is like how we do for Sports in you know the United States then people aren't going to be engaged and that's how we have a Workforce where most of our workers are 45 and older that's 45% I need you as Educators and staff and board members to promote it just as much as you do universities and Community College if you're not promoting it our students will not be eager to join so just as much as I'm excited about a new sport let's get students excited about the trades and new programs that we could bring on through deferred and preventative Mo uh deferred and preventative maintenance at local schools so they could get the experience they need and get prevailing wages out of high school thank you thank you Dominic Holmes can you hear me y hello my name is Dominic Holmes um I'm currently a student at trer Junior High I'm in sixth grade I'm 12 years old and I'm also here to uh talk about lacrosse and uh how we should bring it to asgo um I've been living here since 2018 and and I've been playing the three basic Sports football basketball and baseball and wanted to try out something new such as lacrosse and not just me other kids too um uh other people like if they don't want to play other sports they can try out new things such as lacrosse and trer is very limited on Sports and there's only two sports you can really play in sixth grade it is wrestling and cross country and we want to bring a third sport in for other kids who don't want to do those two things uh we want to bring lacrosse in for kids who do and don't want to play sports that much and uh we're considering bringing it to as we go thank you thank Simon yes we can you guys okay with hearing those last three okay Norman good evening I will try to be brief and and not not use up the entire three minutes uh once again my name is Norman Vil I am I'm actually here as a parent um I've I've actually had two children at actually attend uh District uh 38 schools uh currently right now my my actual daughter is a freshman at at actually how house University um actually have a son back there the the actual little guy little Norman uh 8th grade I am actually here in support of Lacrosse reason B is actually this for for actually starters my definition of success is options got to have options for our kids our kids are the future and it's up to us to provide for them an opportunity so that way when they get our age they can flourish even now in my job right now one of the things I actually look for is people that have actually played Sports because you know what it actually teaches you a lot about life competition teamwork family all those things that that that that actually we we look for as far as good employees and actually Future Leaders lacrosse is another option out there that can actually help out our children and you know what Christopher back there has actually done a lot of hard work I'm actually going to call him Verizon because you know what he has actually provided a network of actually knowledge and actually funds for lacrosse why not lacrosse lacrosse also what what would actually you do this make District 308 that much more marketable right everyone loves home value is going up right why not we're the seventh largest District in Illinois why not us let's bring lacrosse to District 308 thank you dlin McLure can you hear me yes yeah my name is Dean McClair and I'm here to support the potential lacrosse program company to ASO I'm currently a eighth grade student at tror Junior High and thecross has always been a huge part of my life I've actually been playing it for more than half my life and I started all the way back in kindergarten from kindergarten to now lacrosse has taught me sportsmanship discipline and what it feels like to be a part of a team and most importantly I made lots of friends along the way I hope to be able to play Spring asgo lacrosse next year and I thank you for your time and consideration thank you thank you Amelia Kennedy hi my name is Amilia Kennedy I I go to a prairie Point Elementary today I came over to talk about how girls and and a lacrosse because girls are getting treated not equally because boys are getting more Sports to play in the NBA the girls are getting a quarter of the money that the boys are getting just because they're girls think of a think for a minute why do girls get treated this way I once I first found out about that it made me think for a while then I realized it it's not fair and then I realized why can't girls play the same Sports as boys and now I'm happy that because when my family first told me we're going to provide 24 new sticks for girls to play lacrosse if we vote for girls to play lacrosse so hopefully we will vote for girls to play lacrosse thank you oh my go okay that's it another speaker one more speaker what one more speaker one more speaker okay come on thank you my name is Lena Funk I'm one of the social workers at Boulder Hill Elementary I'm going to pick up where she left off um Briana was talking about the overcrowding and then the other barrier is that the kids are not getting what they need I'm going to read her report for you we've had a number of students exhibiting unsafe behaviors in the pictures I have shared with you you'll see pictures of me with bruises scratches and bites you will also see classrooms that have been destroyed our teams work so hard to connect with students and families on a personal level with phone calls meetings messages and notes because we really try to understand who they are and how we can help them despite this students are struggling and we are in crisis daily this school year our team has responded to a total of 572 calls which is a total of 22,6 75 minutes of crisis on average we have five calls a day and they last on average 39 minutes per incident because of this other other students are missing out on their learning and services and are significantly impacted academically and emotionally our building is currently holding 697 students and is larger than two of the junior high schools in our district in School District 3 are eight four of the five junior high schools have one principal and two assistant principales model if we are the same size or larger then we should fit this model where did the posting go and why are we still trying to hire an additional administrator at R to Hill this is crucial to help with administrative D duties such as supporting the hundreds of students taking the access test supporting the crisis team and implementing student discipline in a timely manner an easy solution for this is to please repost the job so we can hire a third administrator I have the pictures that Brianna has I can leave them here for you to see um I can personally say that I have responded to just almost these or many many more so want you guys to be aware of what's happening at our school and that we desperate desperately desperately need we need a lot more help we need a lot more support and um as she said you guys um have a lot of pull and we could really really really take some of your help to get us to where we need so that our students are getting what they need personally myself as a social worker I am to meet my children that have 504s and IEPs I can't see them I miss them almost every day because I'm responding to crisis calls my other social worker we do the same thing it's just all day all all day long the same thing over and over another thing Brian was asking for is that um if if we are able to do this with the kids and this kids need maybe they need to have um something done maybe they need an assessment or something and these are being denied so now these kids continue to struggle day in and day out and that's not fair to them they need help and we need to be able to respond to them and be responsible for them thank you for allowing me to finish thank you thank you okay good evening board uh this evening really I would I want to just I know we are we often say we're not going to speak directly to public comment but I but I do feel moved to say that our presentation this evening is really almost symbolically aligned to the breadth of what you heard in our public comment period tonight and what I'm speaking to directly is both the significant and tremendous challenges that are faced in um some of the schools and in the school that you heard described tonight to the also the tremendous opportunity we see before us in the way in which it's reflected around lacrosse and the opportunities there both are are extremely um both tremendous great positive opportunities but also an urgency behind what needs to be addressed and and when I think about what you're about to hear in depth tonight in terms of our iggo sc308 strategic map road map I have to say that it's exactly for these reasons we are bringing to you this evening really the the breath and the scope of what we have what I have identified with the team with our staff with our oea partnership with our Educators with the board's leadership with the community with the partners and the parents and the business partners and the village presidents that we have engaged with over the last really seven to eight months these priorities are not in a in were not created in a vacuum they were really created in response and also thinking about what does it mean to start to build and to really create a foundation for a long-term success when I took this position almost eight months ago nothing was more important to me than a path for long-term term success every board member that I met with in those first few days talked about this long road map and I want to just start by appreciating all who participated in the recent organizational audit and in all the work with our partner an Cummings Bogan and our leadership and thinking about the foundations of these priorities so tonight I want to thank um our our leadership team um Mr obafemi Dr Paul Dr Waller Dr zmy Mrs Kam us Dr conade Miss doist and and cummings Bogan for really really laying out the the key components um this evening and presenting to the board what is important this plan is rooted in a vision of success for our schools and long-term sustainable success we're not looking for a flashband this is not a quick fixed result uh solution this is about creating that road map to really strategic success for this District so I want to invite um next um our our team to speak to it and so I want to invite to uh Dr Paul who also be joining us and Miss anomy Bogan and members of the cabinet will be um speaking to it so I'm going to hand this now to miss Kamas who's going to start us yes so thank you um we're all super excited to introduce this to you tonight so um really when we thought about what were the road marks along this journey that we really wanted to to stop and um honor they begin kind of with that Collective Vision in 2023 um prision over 24 reflecting over 25 and then really gearing up and planning to launch a true strategic plan um along this road map we um kind of summarize the journey as being led by our mission enhanced by our vision and driven by our values this journey of learning evaluating and planning sets a direction for where we want to be and how we plan to get there so the four guiding principles being informed guided intentional and aligned um as we walk you through these individual components um you'll find that this really is a different way of doing things it's pausing and not setting goals arbitrarily or or kind of just randomly you know picking numbers and hoping we can attain those it's really taking time to dig deep and understand where we are at status quo um good or bad and acknowledging and accepting where we are today um as we learn and build where we want to be tomorrow and developing that Collective Vision so um we've spent a lot of time getting to this point and we're super excited to share with you kind of where we're headed from here so I mentioned those Milestones on the journey so the first one really is the collective vision and this is the one we've kind of been in um since the fall I would say really the data collection as Dr katti mentioned we've been working really hard and having lots of focus groups and surveys and interviews and ways to really collect data we just involved this uh huge curriculum and systems audit for us to understand you know deep down at every level what's going on what's our current state how can we really analyze where we are today we really want to be transparent we want to make sure that we aren't just looking for the good things and putting the rose-colored glasses on we really want to take a hard look at where we are in order to design our ideal State we really needed to um you know work backwards and see where gaps were where opportunities were and what we have today um our next step is really refining that Collective Vision um and strategic Direction so that we are all working in the same direction and traveling on that same pathway and then one key component of this is really the reflecting so it's coming back and evaluating the strategies we set forth in the beginning and determining whether or not we you know had it right or if we're looking for revision and being able to develop um a lasting strategy for us to really attain those um success indicators that we'll share with you tonight and then by all of that kind of coming together once all those steps are in place then we feel we'll really be able to have an informed intentional aligned and guided um launch of a strategic plan so turn it over to you so not only thank you so much Miss citus um I really appreciate the introduction and I just really want to build on on that space as it pertains to our mission vision and values um and you know as a collective team we have definitely gone through a journey of um kind of you know all working very hard but um needing to work together and find that alignment um so this journey has been been very powerful um and we are human as well right so one of our six values we um are passionate about our families and our students and our Educators and our administrators and so as we look at our mission and vision and values um we wanted to make sure that that embodied um the full scope of our Center the core of um our work in what truly matters most to us um so going to the next slide I'm truly excited um to talk about our shared vision and the intersectionality of these pieces um and so hopefully as you're listening tonight you see This Thread throughout each of our priorities um we truly wanted to focus on our systems right we've had our families come out and share you know their feedback and so we want to highlight this is an important piece for us that we need these effective systems and teams working together um smarter and hard but smarter rather than harder um in addition to that we want that high quality instruction that ambitious instruction um and I'm skipping because I love Equity so I have to leave that for last but equity and rightful presence is also the shared Vision um and so it's been exciting to learn so much more about rightful presence and um we've been able to engage with a lot of different Partnerships and we're like cutting edge with our rightful presence piece and so it's important to make sure that everyone understands rightful presence typically as we talk about diversity equity and inclusion um inclusion still holds this idea of this guest and host mentality and so rightful presence truly stretches us um to address what what even got us there in the first place of having this guest and host it is directly acknowledging the challenges um the marginalization the injustices that have actually taken place place for those who are considered guests um within our spaces so that we make sure that they are seen valued and heard and rightfully present inside and outside of the classroom so without further Ado we are so excited to share with you all our eight priorities all right so throughout our presentation as Dr Waller just mentioned we're going to kind of go through all of our eight priorities um last time we heard about priority area one uh really looking at building that partnership not only amongst our district team but between our buildings and amongst our community so our focus in priority area one is on enhancing that collaboration you'll hear from all of our members of cabinet our leadership team and also and C Bogan about our partnership and collaboration again not only at the district level but also with our Union so really the focus of priority area one is strengthening those strategic Partnerships and focusing on the planning this road map takes us on that journey to really develop our new strategic plan so as we listen to all those voices that Teresa and Jadon mentioned we wanted to focus on what is essential for building the base to ready us for a strong strategic plan to be implemented for 2526 so the strong coherence is looking at our planning our teaming and our learning so with that J Don is going to introduce priority area too awesome thank you so much so equity and rightful presence there are so much to cover in that space um and it's exciting going into the third year um looking at this and seeing how much is being embedded throughout the other priorities um and how much of a team it feels like in the collaborating on equity and so um I just want to highlight that you know we're excited we have our Equity policy for information tonight our Equity success indicators are an important part of the work that we're doing um as we know it will be the foundation for mtss academic and SEO framework and our school improvement process um I also want to make sure that um I'm clear on the idea those three pieces that I mentioned the um systems the instruction and the equity those three pieces will also align with school Improvement plans we're trying to make sure that everything is aligned in and scen throughout and that would be done in collaboration with um our Innovation and learning Department um in addition we are truly looking into these restorative practices for our students again in collaboration with student services with seal with ntss um we are also um very excited to um leverage our student voices and our student groups and truly continuing to be intentional about that work with our superintendent student inv bors um with our um Coalition students as well as all the other student groups in those spaces um our students are brilliant and they have so much to say um and so we'll be utilizing that as well to continue to drive our progress to be able to monitor our growth with our students um there's so many things listed up here but I will also just add um our Data Systems is an important Focus as well um we are very want to be very intentional about how we're utilizing our our data to drive the work that we're doing um as well as having that research to support our vision as well um so very excited now to um hand this off to Dr Paul thank you Dr Waller the third priority is about rigorous curriculum and ambiti ambitious instruction and using the results of our curriculum audit we're going to be able to identify our curriculum review cycle priorities in addition next year we're going to be implementing our um English language arts um literacy pilot that was taking place this year as well as social emotional learning you'll hear more about that coming soon uh career Pathways and continuing the implementation of our Pace framework grades 6 through 12 in collaboration with the equity and engagement department and Human Resources we're going to continue to Center our work on profile of a learner you'll hear more about profile of an educator and profile of a leader a little bit later this evening in addition um priority three is focused on creating protocol and expectations for collaborative teacher lead time in collaboration with Union leadership and then finally we're going to be working on integrating professional development in collaboration with equity and engagement and our diverse Learners so handing it back to Dr Waller for priority four so I just want to make sure because I want to make pointing all of this out but our first three priorities those are shared Vision if you notice we're looking look at the Innovation and learning that's our um instructional piece our systems is our Priority One and our equity and rightful presence is our priority too so just wanting to name how those pieces are weaving together for us in addition um so really excited about our effective programs and services for our diverse Learners another piece that I didn't mention within Equity but also lives within this space is our partnership with our families um their voices and their needs and rightful presence in these spaces is extremely important our multilingual and our special education students um they they need space to be able to grow and to learn they need to be seen and valued and so we are going to be working diligently to have those clear roles and responsibilities um for our district um and school administrators as well as our staff so that again our students are always rightfully presence in those spaces um I know that um a little bit later an um Bogan will will be speaking a little bit more about the work that is already begun within special education um but so we are extremely excited um for all of our collaborative pieces with communication and HR and so I would like to hand it off to Dr zmy thank you Dr Waller thank you everybody um really our three goals in uh priority area number five in Human Resources is always about recruitment retention and rewarding our staff those dovetail very nicely to um our three uh eight priorities but are three big areas of high quality instruction effective teams and staff members who promote equity and rightful presence um ultimately we need to make sure that we have high quality Educators in our system um it really starts with a strong union partnership and we've been blessed to have four strong union Partnerships that care about uh these priorities they've been Partners along with us and will continue to be um I think it's also very uh important as we develop uh a portrait of a student and a portrait of a graduate we think about the portrait of the educator uh working with the folks and then we also think about the portrait of the leader to support those Educators and then finally um making sure that we have organizational Clarity around um the jobs the job descriptions need to be refined throughout the system those will be part of our work in priority number five and at this time I'm going to turn it over to Dr King Kade for priority area number six so in priority area 6 um as we heard earlier this evening uh really a focus on collaboration around our crisis management with consistent protocols um with that not only protocols in response to students in crisis but then enhanced professional development for our threat assessment protocols emergency response and crisis management one of the priority areas that we continue to focus and enhance on is our systemic safety protocols including our visitor management uh we started some of that work last year into this year and that continues to be a focus for the physical health and safety of our students um looking at our priority area and our goal some of the emotional safety uh that you'll hear later tonight is around our students rights and responsibilities specifically our call to action which really brings a focus on equity and rightful presence that Dr Waller spoke to but then it enhances our systemic response to bullying harassment and racism so as we look forward to addressing our student safety our uh staff safety and then also we want to in priority area 7 talk about our families and our commitment to our community with that Teresa cudas is going to talk about priority area s yeah so within this Communications and community relations we really are going to begin to expand out what we would have considered up to this point as really the community um and moving out into um a broader educational Community including our business partners um our legislators you know everyone that makes up our educational community so we really want to increase that Community involvement perception and support with really some improved communication practices branding of the district and increasing our Outreach so um within this one of our success indicators is our website strategy um within our brand our website is our largest um you know forward-facing piece that helps us to really Define who we are and we want it to represent and be both engaging um accurate timely information that really helps for people to understand and hear our story and how we partnering with people on this journey so um there' be some intentionality behind updating that as well as a calendar of updated district and school Publications so people can again understand what consistency and reliability in relation to building that trust and engagement and we will be working with our school leaders on enhancing their um professional development around Communications by um helping to develop you know some common templates some common language some goals within those Communications again to really reiterate and strengthen that communication and that partnership with our families and community um we will be continuing to um participate in Outreach and events it's just that we would be really monitoring this and helping to align this type of Engagement more purposefully with our communities and we want to make sure that um you know our communication and our engagement is both Equitable across our community as well as engaging um one of the other uh indicators that we have up here is really the the awards and recognitions that are received across the district and really how those uh affirm our commitment to transparency accountability and Community engagement so I will hand it over here to my left to Mr OB well everything sounds nice and good but we know none of this is going to happen without some money so Financial Resources is the is the secret source that make everything go so we recognize that and we've been working to make sure that is done thoughtfully and it's done well one of the critical way to do that is to re imagine the way we develop budget and uh starting the with the 2025 budget we actually are doing zerob based budget whereby we reimagine every single line of expenditure and we figure out a way to justify the need for those expenditures and once we determine that then we go ahead and we develop the budget and we are committed to making sure every budget that we present to the board for approval is balanced and additionally we will make sure that we have some surpluses in that budget and the key reason for that is we need to start increasing our fund balances we know we need some rainy day funds because there's so many unknowns on a daily basis as we operate this organization so it's important to have some some reserves some savings if you will and in addition to uh to the the financial aspect there's some operational imperatives that we need to consider to one critical thing that I would like to point out is that we know the majority of our buildings are actually approaching the 20e mark this is when those buildings need some TLC and we have to be thoughtful in making sure that we have a plan that is coherent as well thought out to make sure those repairs in our buildings are addressed and really the only comprehensive way of doing that is through a master facility planning whereby we work with uh expert to Envision I will be using our building currently 5 years from now 10 years from now 20 years from now so we start planning the repairs that we need to have done another important operation uh phase that we need to look at is food service from the day that I walked into the building every time I see a student I talk to a kid one of the things they ask me is when are we going to improve our food service so with that I will say my second week here with my team we work to develop an RFP for food service and we are very close to actually providing a recommendation to the board probably no later than May where we will select a provider hopefully that provider will bring a better quality of food and services to our students two other things I would like to point out on the operational side is transportation and Technology we transport a lot of students in the district we were big District we cover 68 square miles so the goal is to reimagine how we do transportation and we provide good Transportation with a great customer experience one thing that I would like to point out and I think I've shared this with the board before transporting our students is very expensive it's something that we need to do but we need to do in an efficient way that doesn't result in financial ruin to the district so that's an important thing we need to spend time doing the other part of the operational thing that we need to focus on in the district is technology how do we use technology enhance instruction how do we do it in such a way that provides and protect our cyber um assets those are important things and the final thing that I would like to point out is to continue to work collaboratively with a union colleague we want to make sure that we negotiate Fair affordable contract with them we're in the process of doing that with one of our unions right now and the work goes on but make no mistake this Administration working with the board is committed to doing whatever we need to do to make sure financially we are sound we're able to to ensure that our kids get an excellent educational experience in a way that we can afford with that said I'll hand it over to miss an cumins good even evening everybody um Board of Education thank you uh for the opportunity to um work with your amazing uh staff leaders um and I really am just here to uh be available in case there's any questions about the process I've supported um up on the screen are those six building blocks that I shared with you back in October um when I had the opportunity to meet with you um as you reflected on your own sense of common Vision um and aspects of the system and I think it's just been a remarkable um amount of work these slides look really um nice and it's very concise but it reflects hours and hours and hours of uh reflection self assessment uh vulnerability openness uh willingness to be challenged um and I think really getting everybody on the same page about what's the most important thing this is an amazing District um but there are great opportunities to really harness the the talent and the expertise of the the leaders and then the um the Educators the students and that's what the systems piece is about so um I you know the one thing I think somebody highlighted was um one of the reasons that I was brought in to support the work is the experience I have with supporting um Partnerships between labor unions and management um and that work is off to a great start I think Brian um talked about there are already healthy strong relationships which is great and we've been able to partner initially with oea to start to do some collaborative assessment of special education and um we're in a midst of a pretty good process we had um a group of engaged Educators and administrators come together a couple of weeks ago got really great feedback from 31 participants on that um and a future meeting scheduled so um really I I think just uh I hope you're hearing the alignment I think um Jadon Dr Waller's reference to that um the effective systems high quality and rightful presence and Equity as a as just a foundational approach is is solid and um really will help um to move this and I and I just I know that there is tension when we're trying to be strategic and thoughtful about the work because sometimes it takes a little bit longer um but the research would show and I have great confidence that you will start to see Returns on the investment pretty quickly just as this team starts to work together so um I'm open for any questions um that folks may have um but just very very excited to be part of this amazing work so thank you okay so we'll move to questions and discussion um we want to thank you one of the things that I want to highlight and this work is that at the center of this work is the student and really the classroom space so when we think about all the priorities you heard this evening everything is about strategically aligning creating the pathway and creating really the scaffold that's necessary to ensure that that educator those Educators in those classrooms have the most robust Dynamic learning experiences that's going to accelerate those outcomes for students and with that is the par our parents our staff are the finances are I mean it's an increasing circle of support for that space so these priorities are really about the level of coordination you've heard a lot about our financial shifts that we've been doing this year these priorities reflect those same mirror a sense of what we need to do in our instructional in our organizational space to get to success for those classrooms questions from the board uh I have a comment a question and then another comment uh so I can I want to say thank you to everyone for all the hard work I can see I can see things coming together and I see the alignment and a lot of the stuff that we've been talking about uh this past year uh so thank you for for for all that hard work uh my question is about um so and I appreciate the success indicators because that is very helpful for me to understand kind of what that means in in practice um my question on the success indicators is about timing because and I I I see the aster these are highlights shared from a longer comprehensive planning document so I can see that some of these are more finite like complete the curriculum audit check right and some of them are more long lasting um and I don't know if this I'm assuming there's some timeline that will be some timelines maybe this is a comment more than a question but um that's one thing I'm noticing about the success indicators and then my other comment is more also very specific um and I don't know if that has been T you don't have to answer this now uh but um School structures like what I'm specifically thinking about Middle School where the Middle School model where an investigation of that type of a model might fit Within These priority areas I have some ideas of where it would fit uh but I don't see it specifically named here and I don't know if it came up in the discussions among Administration but I know board members have talked about it for a little bit and I think it's on the mind of at least some of the administration that I've had interactions with um so I guess those were all comments but I'll open up the discussion with that Dr Kate and then Dr so just uh some thoughts about thank you for uh the comments um so in terms of when we built out the Strategic road map we kind of started with a wide priority area went to the goal success indicators and in conjunction with that yes each um person in their team does have action plans with time frames Associated so there's even more minute details than what would was um in the planning document um and again we're trying to time bound what uh suc indicators that we have here for the end of next school year so um there are um timelines for each of the action plans connected to the success indicators um we've also had some uh introductory conversations about the Middle School model and that is something that we are looking at I'll turn that over to Dr zy with our uh School Day committee yeah so I have um currently right now the privilege of serving with um oea on um the school Day committee and so we had a chance to meet uh in mid-February um have um Penn together a joint statement that we're currently reviewing with our cabinet team uh to look at the feasibility of of some Concepts um in in looking at the middle school concept itself when I look at these eight priorities successful middle school has four key features organizational structures academic Excellence Developmental responsiveness and social equity and I think when you look at any of those four when you look at Strong Middle Schools strong 40 middle schools across the state or 600 across the country that have achieved this type of status and recognition those absolutely fit those four components fit in very well into our 8 priorities um it would just be a matter of taking the time to research the model to make sure that we're making the right investment that they are aligned to our priorities I look forward to bringing you more information in the spring on that yeah um one of the things that we identified through uh focus group conversations primarily is the need for greater Pathways for your learners um when they enter your district and when they leave your district and so I think the the thought approach of connecting your entire system um also makes sense because there is a there there is an opportunity for greater connection as your fifth graders move into the sixth grade and then your eighth graders into the ninth grade and so kind of trying to just bring everything together which is going to be a lot of the work under the the um academic um rigor as well as again none of these priorities lives alone they they really do touch each other but I think from my perspective it would be um to look at middle school and isolation um without the greater context given the way the system sits right now it it makes sense to kind of extend that a little bit but yeah I'm not saying to look at middle school and isolation good but I do see specific like K8 things on the priority aers so I just want to make sure that we're not missing out on the other piece as well but yeah I mean I agree with the the Continuum of the experience for our children is super important and that's good feedback in terms of the specific their uh ensuring that that is named rightly in our process so we will definitely take that and thank you for the feedback um I'll speak so um a board is focused on two things student learning and organizational Effectiveness so when we hired Dr katti we charged him with standing upst systems that were going to root out inequities and injustices within the system and we know that students don't fail but it's the systems that fail our students right and so we want to make sure and and I'm I'm appreciating what I'm seeing because you're addressing both of these issues that will help our our organization um to be what it should be so that the disparities that we see in achievement the disparities that we see in so many different different areas um that are affecting the learning experience of our students we're going to root them out and I I believe that this will do exactly that so I appreciate the work and thank you for all of you for your hard work thank you okay so now we're going to move on to our superintendent report Dr kti thank you yes thank you so first and foremost just want to thank our teams for all the work across the district all our partners and really preparing this evening um these comments uh around our priorities um just some uh important business tomorrow is election day um your vote does matter and our schools will not be in session and that is important part of this work as they are are they are used as polling locations and we encourage again everyone to vote polls are open Statewide from 6:00 a.m.

meeting um thank you all for joining us today it's a very special day would you stand rise with and recite the Pledge of Allegiance with me I pledge aliance to the flag of the United States of America to The Republic which stands one nation God indivisible liberty and justice for all we're going to begin this evening with our recognitions good evening Madam president Dr Smith and members of the board tonight we present above and beyond awards first we have eloida Lopez Ramos if she could come forward and her principal is with her Mrs [Applause] danz Mrs eloa Lopez Ramos is tenacious supportive and deliberate in her support of teachers and students at Sunnyside at our literacy Cadre coach she has worked alongside our K2 teachers to implement changes to our reading practices she has provided professional development imparted valuable advice to our teachers and implemented student centered coaching Cycles she is open reflective and loves to learn and deepen her knowledge of reading her expertise in biliteracy advocacy years of experience and skills and teamwork helped to make our school a great place to learn to read we are honored to present Mrs aloa Lopez Ramos with the above and beyond award congratulations thank you [Applause] okay okay next we have Maggie Houston interventionist at Sunnyside Elementary Mrs Maggie Houston is an important part of our reading team she brings her expertise and skills in working with students with disabilities to the role of the interventionist and reading specialist as part of her roles Mrs Houston has focused on improving tier one instruction through co- teing in addition she has supported teachers in the analysis of student data resulting in more focused reading interventions for our students her positive and Relentless belief in our students has resulted in positive student outcomes we know that Mrs Houston is a great asset to our reading team congratulations right on up there and next we have Lori Sharp Lori is the reading specialist and a first grade team member at Sunnyside Elementary [Applause] Mrs Lorie sharp is tenacious hardworking and deliberate in her support of reading practices at Sunnyside as part of the first grade team and her responsibilities as a reading specialist Mrs sharp has focused on improving tier one instruction in Literacy By supporting teachers with the implementation of ufly curriculum in addition she has supported teachers in the analysis of student data resulting in more focused reading interventions for our students her passion and belief that all of our students can and will learn to read has helped to Foster our school vision of collective efficacy We Believe Mrs Maggie Houston is an important part of our reading team she brings her expertise and skills in working with students with we're just really really proud of her it just goes on and on and on congratulations good J [Applause] yeah [Applause] next we have from Lawrence North High School Ki moroka Mr Ki moroka is in English as a new language teacher at Lawrence North High School Mr moroka is a reflective practitioner who constantly pushes himself to be the best educator he can for language Learners and is a strong advocate for their access to rigorous courses and for receiving appropriate supports to be successful as a former language learner himself he shows his students that they too can be successful in high high school and Beyond he is passionate about making sure that all ml students receive an equitable education and is always eager to present ml PD to plc's We Appreciate his continued belief in all students at Lawrence North High School we are also proud to announce that Mr moroka is the recipient of the 2024 teacher creativity fellowship program through the Lily endowment education division we are honored to present Mr moroi with the above and bond [Applause] award and Mr krausser is here [Applause] and next we have Mr Dan kosnik assistant superintendent of secondary education good evening Madame President Dr Smith members of the board earlier this semester Lawrence Central High School girls basketball made history securing the 4A state championship at gamebridge Fieldhouse with a 55- 28 win over Lake Central the Bears finish an incredible season with a 30 and one [Applause] record with us this evening is principal Bush and going to turn over to athletic director Barnes to introduce the team thank you Mr kosnik for having the Bears in the building tonight I'd like to thank uh superintendent Dr Smith president mson members of the board Dr Nesbit our parents our principal Bush and again I say I am again I am proud of this group right here before I get into the introductions of our team and our coaches uh Mr King alluded to uh we made a lot of history this year with this group I can remember just a short year ago us taking a tough loss in the sectional and just the look on our young ladies faces but it wasn't a look of defeat it was a look of okay guys we going need to get back to work and we believe in ourselves and we're going to put in the work and we're going to show Indiana and the nation what we're made of at this time I'm going to introduce our team coach Lampley coach Janan Lampley coach Bryce Stone coach Terence [Applause] Johnson coach Holly [Applause] Coulter to our players Katie Castro Lola Lampley Mariah Garrett Jayla Lampley Malia Hughes Jordan wi annah McKenzie Jessica heavner Janiah Russell leel LA and Alexander Harington ladies and gentlemen these are your ihsa 48 state champion 2024 in addition to the state championship this group was our first time in school history won Maran County the mar County Champions also Mick Champions also first sectional Championship since ' 87 first Regional Championship first semi State and of course state [Applause] champions e congratulations [Applause] bears [Applause] though you are all welcome to stay for our business meeting which will be terribly exciting thank you for being being here and I just want to also say that um this will resonate this will resonate forever in the community of Lawrence so thank you y I still your my give him a few minutes s be well that was the super fun part but we'll make this as painless as as we can uh Mr Smith would you like to um update us on the Blue Ribbon plan please m president Dr Smith members of the board you'll see some drone shots here as we continue to do our site work and getting ready for our opener and baseball stadiums at both sites work continues another shot out of a soccer and Concession and entry into the stadiums uh old pool demo continues uh new pool floor or the the bottom of the pool is in uh walls are going and then next the decking uh the new uh hallway from north to south uh is currently open for student use and LC pool again some of the Interior finishes are going in Ln side Improvement continues on uh front steel is moving so we're nearing the end of that where uh Roofing then will be the next l in Plaza uh you'll see the Landscaping is in and we continue Landscaping throughout the site baseball concession again site work continues uh Len multi-purpose gym um painting and lights are next and then the floor bser Middle School auditorium continues there's some sight improvements with the concrete going in and again the main entrance to the auditorium and the auditorium itself six classrooms completed we're moving on to uh four more classrooms in the building B Creek Valley hallways are being stripped for new finishes as well as three more classrooms that have started uh two classrooms plus a science room LCC Bridge work continues on downstairs and uh roof work up above continues Transportation second floor actually they had started painting today uh so all the drywall is complete ceilings are going in and flooring next so moving uh very well out at Transportation lecc site work staging will start next week and full excavation the first week in April Ward we have any questions Mr Smith Miss Lawrence Mr Smith can you remind me when we move our um staff into the Ellie there I'm sorry the transportation center second floor uh we're planning on moving them in July okay I knew it was soon I couldn't recall so yeah we're excited about that thank you yes Mr Smith I just want to continue to express my sincere gratitude for the incredible work that you have done for Lawrence Township to ensure that our building are certainly first class this as I think through all that you have accomplished over the last several years and what is coming next it is truly a feat that could not be accomplished by anyone I think other than you quite frankly because you are just your attention to detail your updates everything I just want to make sure that you understand how incredibly um blessed we feel to have you part of the Lawrence community so thank you very much great team effort I had a couple questions um to go with Miss Lawrence's question can you remind myself and the public uh which departments will be on the second floor of the transportation we plan on moving the uh Food Service uh Administration staff out there um our custodial and maintenance staff for the district will be out there uh of course underneath rjb as well as technology uh Network part of Steve's uh support team will be housed out there thank you um and we had the opportunity to tour it a couple years ago uh when we did the ribbon cutting and that is a very expansive space so um that's that's great that it can be utilized for that um I had one other question um regarding the I'm not sure what it's called the old pool area for Lawrence North it's going to be the multiuse space um when is the estimated uh completion date on that space we're looking at the end of the of May to turn that back over to the building oh great okay thank you yes Mr Smith um it's been a while since we've talked about the second floor of the transportation center um just for members of the public who may not be aware of this expansion can you explain why this was done in two phases and not part of the initial um construction yes in the in the design phase of Transportation the first phase of it uh we built in the design factor that we could expand eventually out there uh hoping that some anticipation of what maybe would happen to this building we would need space for our staff to go so that was in the design of the first phase and as it materialize we see the expansion has indeed met our plan uh to move forward uh with this building as well as moving them out there thank you so much it's a pretty cool thing to have an expanding District that we need to go build more space to accommodate absolutely and to miss Dunn's point to have an Administration that has the vision to know what's coming not next year but the year after the year after and the year after so thank you thank you so much for that and then would you please update us on our Blue Ribbon 2 projects Madam president Dr Smith members of the board without a plan you can't go anywhere so uh under the vision of Dr Smith and the board in 2014 and 15 a blue ribbon phase one plan was put together and I want to just kind of backtrack a little bit and show um the board and the community what we have done so next slide we of course we started in 2015 at Crestview and that was the third phase of renovation going on 2017 uh Mary castle and part of mckeny was added on to with cosmetology barbery and uh culinary expansion at mckeny 2017 both inzone and the stadium work was uh upgraded at both high schools and then 2018 Skyles test Elementary and and Harrison Hill uh in inding Creek renovation was done and in 2018 we went back to the high schools uh Lawrence Central Lawrence North auditoriums at both high schools and also upgraded uh full stadiums for the softball programs 2019 Emy beverin Sunnyside and again going back to the track and field upgrades and just a reminder uh on Amy beverin and the track 201529 was all under our debt service with no impact to taxes for those Renovations but in 2019 we had to have some help and uh uh help with the two high schools and eight elementaries uh four elementaries and four Early Learning Centers we went out to the referendum and passed that suc successfully for the renovation of those eight buildings uh 2020 we renovated the new transportation we bought land and renovated or uh built new the transportation but we sold the old uh Transportation property again this was under uh The Debt Service no increase to tax what have we done in 2021 uh these buildings here Brook Park Forest Glen o clandon w Ridge four Learning Centers were under the referendum we started those in 2020 both high schools started a four-year journey of full renovation expansion uh both inside and out and I'm proud to say that we're going to complete these high schools in July of this year I'm excited um 2022 2 23 we did an HVAC upgrade at the middle school building uh sites and just a reminder those were federal dollars that we got out of the Essa funds that were allowed for HVAC upgrades and then in 2023 uh 25 renovation of Belzer uh Fall Creek and and the new LCC building uh are under plans and under way and again those are no impacted taxes as well that moves us to Blue Riven Phase 2 in the 2023 uh we put an executive committee together representing operations finance and uh people that represents all levels of Education throughout our district as you see there we also put a big uh committee together uh consisting of board members uh we had community members MERS uh Lea representation and a lot of representation from the buildings themselves and in that their task was to evaluate their building give us input uh also we were to prioritize the schools uh based off renovation and needs academic programs and their needs as we move forward and continue to upgrade our facilities uh with the HVAC and Roofing per our uh in plans and HVAC plans increased space we do have some buildings that are lacking space uh due to growth so prepare and reopen lecc as well as protect cpf um the next one is why again it kind of goes along with that slide uh academic needs mainten maintaining our buildings growth of our district at some of our buildings and Future preschool and also to continue a level of supporting High uh achieving schools that look and act as they need to next slide is some information this is a summary of what every building went through and building had stacks of paper and information that was sent to us and we compiled that to look and see what the needs were based off when they were previously renovated and also what they needed moving forward this uh as well as the next slide we try to put some numbers and again help us prioriti our needs for uh the next 10 years of renovation what do we need to do so the plan uh would be to uh put a plan a 10year plan together that will take us forward and also working on the financial plan of course uh prepared by the superintendent chief Financial Officer when and how can we move this plan forward so that's why you see here we have five priority groups based off the needs that we see in the buildings and also District needs that we have uh for example our Roofing we have a roof plan in place and have for several years and maintaining a warranty this would take us and continue that warranty for the next 10 to 15 years also h vac and controls over the last 10 years so a lot of advances in the control of our buildings and now with the high schools middle schools the new uh LCC building and this building we're under a new control system that we want to bring the level of that control in all of our buildings especially the elementaries uh priority two is based a lot on capacity needs we have some buildings that are at or over 100% capacity so uh we also want to address those needs and as well as some buildings you'll see Crest View they were renovated in 2015 so again a chronological order of When We Touch our buildings goes on to three four and five priorities uh based off The Chronic chronological renovation of those buildings so so we want to make sure they don't go too far without continually to upgrade them so this priority plan uh it kind of we have some years in there but this is very flexible and a lot of that's going to be based off our dollars and cents as we move forward with our debt service I won't talk about Debt Service this is CFO side of things and if he needs to he can dress some of those so thank you Mr Smith can you just refresh um refresh the community and the board um we see the buildings listed in chronological order from the when they were first um finished Crest viw in 2015 but we also noticed Forest Glenn which was um finished in 2021 is in one of the top priorities and can you explain why that is for us no actually when we renovated the building we did not have two uh uh preschool and kindergarten sections in that building so with after renovation of course the added of those programs increase the number of kids in the building after we had already renovated so as a result of that we did put some Portables to meet that need and therefore as we move forward uh to put them back in a uh School building with classrooms uh that's why they're in that priority to list that is different than the other Bill thank you I just wanted to address that board do you have other questions Miss D thank you again for this update the proactive planning is so incredibly appreciated I do have one quick question as it pertains to the slide that has the anticipated costs um not sure what number that is because I didn't see right there yes um I noticed that for Life Safety and security that our high schools are both considered high priority are those things that are going to be addressed with the renovations now um or is that something that we are anticipating they're being addressed now and we continue to put life safety skills as a priority okay uh not only for the high schools for our entire District okay so uh we want to make sure that that's in our plan to address that and that may fall into every priority as we move forward okay that I know is top of mind for a number of constituents so thank you very much for that clarification yeah I do have a followup that actually combines both of these questions a bit um Mr Smith would you please I I've heard from various members of the community particularly the forest Glenn Community which I am now a part of um and about the Portables that are on um on our property can you help us understand how we ensure the safety of our students when they fall outside of that safety parameter we Tred to develop a plan in all of our buildings especially when we renovate we constantly change our safety plan to meet the need of what that building is going to uh going through at that particular time uh Force Glen is no different so we have an emergency preparedness plan that will address uh people in those Portables as well as in the uh uh building itself so we continue to place a high priority on safety no matter what situation our building is and try to accommodate them as best we can thank you the other thing I just wanted to call out here too is none of these Renovations would have been possible without us winning that referendum 7030 wasn't that was that's about right right Dr Smith so I I think I think that goes to that speaks to the level of commitment this community has to ensure that we have the um the topnotch facilities for our students and I think that that all of us especially those of us who still have kids um and you know a kindergartener that's going to benefit from all of the renovations um I think that speaks very highly to the commitment um and the level of support that this community has for the school district and that's to be commended so thank you for all the work that you've done I appreciate this plan um because I think you know that I love a good plan so this is this this is great thank you Bo if I can remind you with the help of Mr miles and our great financial team that we have uh each project will come back to you individually for approval of financing and as well as design of the building and approval of that so we do have very specific statutory steps that we would have to go through to eventually renovate all of these facilities over the next 10 years so it's imperative for us board we will ask of you not today but later um next next month to approve the the plan itself but reminder that each individual project that we will do will be done separately as separate approvals both financial and building plans and and I would just like to add that all projects pre 2020 were carried out um on debt service not Debt Service but you know on you got it right and so and so there was to know there was no additional tax expense to the public until the referendum and as I look forward if I'm not mistaken as I look forward to our plan going forward we continue to operate with no with with the the next 10year plan with no additional tax to our taxpayers that that there will be debt falling off and we will use that debt that's falling off to fund further Renovations and um if I'm correct there will be um no referendum that we foresee at this time correct that is correct yeah we we will uh we we'll go back to the original plan uh as we did for most of you know the Blue Ribbon Blue Ribbon phase one so you are absolutely correct Madam president there's our hope in the future not to have to bring back a referendum we're so grateful for the community support of that referendum and have taken care of those dollars very well and and um we promised we' do what we did with them we did Madam president yes one one additional point of clarification Dr Smith if you could please describe the difference between an operating um and a capital referendum um and and you know draw a distinction because it's a point of it's a point of Pride that this District hasn't had an operating referendum um and that's different than many school districts around right due to the amount of money that we needed to spend to renovate our two High School we went out and asked permission for a capital referendum by Statute uh anytime you do a project that's over a certain threshold you you automatically fall into that category obviously with $200 million we ask of the public that immediately put us into a capital referendum where we had to go for a vote of the community uh we just needed to get one vote more than against to support that but we obviously appreciate the 70% vote that we received from the community an operating referendum is totally different and Mr miles does our presentation on our finances he will obviously show that we are in the positive in terms of our balances uh an operating referendum requires that we go to the public and ask for permission to raise additional tax dollars from the community to provide money for our day-to-day operations and that extends over an eight-year period of time uh we are not in that position as you'll see once we do our finances board and we hope to continue to do that many of our colleagues in it around are our neighbors have had to ask that request and we've been very blessed to not have to do that and so we hope to continue that that helps us with our bond ratings Mr miles it just helped us all the way around that we able to keep a very steady Financial picture for our school corporation so uh that is a good question board member Dr Smith if you could also explain that an operating referendum is something that has to be voted on on a um on a fairly regular basis we would if we yeah once you apprciate that referend if you plan the extended past 8 years it does require for a renewal of that and we would have to go back to the ballot again and ask the public to extend that referendum Beyond eight years that simple question please Mr Smith we've heard um about debt debt that debt that falls off being used to fund future projects can you give like a brief layman's terms on what it means when sorry sorry Mr miles but when the debt falls off what does that mean in just basic l in terms plenty of money don't you Roger yeah Matt explain that happy to do so miss Bo member um that's separation of Duties over here and we're big on that um so in in layman's terms uh we we strive to have uh a a level or Fair a level tax rate to our to the property owners of the district so that um we're not borrow when we borrow more money that adds to our debt and taxes go up if if uh those um those loans those bonds fall off over time as we pay them off what we strive to do is as those fall off if we've paid one off we may open up a new Bond to borrow new money for new projects so basically Keeps Us level as far as as far as what we're what the taxpayers are paying and what we can how we can operate thank you I just you're welcome I had a couple questions um the first one I think it was it was Slide Five um this is from public members to myself included um I remember when the high school football stadiums were redone and around that same time I believe the Ed Martin group was is very generous is that correct was um what did their donations go to specifically and was that outside of the Dr nesb go to the microphone for us as a leader works very closely in this area and works with our athletic directors and our athletic departments that is a very good question because zero of those dollars go towards the facility goes to even greater cost Dr nesi tell the board and I would that goes we are very fortunate the Ed Martin Automotive Group continues to support our schools and they had a particular interest in helping our student athletes and part of that gift that was an RFP but we put it out but when they they offered that uh they wanted to go directly to student athletes they actually send those checks to the athletic departments and the athletic departments are able to use that for anything and everything they do their gate the athletic departments Again by Statute can only be funded through gate receipts uh so I saw young ladies wearing nice gear which that may have been through our n partnership but um when they traveled down to gridge fieldhouse uh that that cost money they they feed them that cost money I'm not sure how they funded the state championship rings they go get to get but those are the kind of things that anything and everything that we do for the student athletes uh that's where that money goes towards okay right yeah yeah thank you for that clarification because I remember about that time was when the name was up on the and it was great to have that Community partner ship so and they've renewed and and we're we we really enjoy that partnership yes thank you Dr desth they're bears and wild cats both the the Martin girls yes yeah we have one one bear graduate and one Wildcat graduate okay very good and then my second question is for Mr Smith we had the opportunity recently to um visit Fall Creek Valley in Belzer um with all the work going on in the middle schools uh currently and I didn't I noticed there wasn't a build out but instead it was a utilization of the space that was already there can you explain a little bit more how we um additional classrooms are being created correct but within the same square footage that we have right uh good question because as we look at the design uh when the building was first designed in the '90s it's different needs then as it is is today for example the media center centers were were huge and based off their needs today we're able to take some of that space and redesign it reconfigure it to meet the needs of the building today so as a result of that uh also they had learning areas uh within each uh I guess section you have a 600 700 800 Wing uh for example at Fall Creek Valley and redesigned some of that internal space there that gave them offices and or classrooms within their four walls thank you for that one quick follow-up question um so as you were waving your Harry Potter wand to make space out of no space um how are we ensuring that that we're also preparing um for future growth 10 years down the ra Road well we are matter of fact that's part of board goals as we look at building capacity uh constantly evaluating where we're at and where we need to go so we have been doing that uh with the middle schools and Beyond I actually have been doing that with all our buildings but as uh our enrollment continues to increase uh we need to always address that and evaluate as we move forward can I ask a followup to that how what are the metrics that we use for that do we have a demographer or how do we determine what we are anticipating in terms of future growth in the district looking at the capacity of the building when it gets at 90% I'm concerned so uh when that starts to happen we're having conversation looking at facility needs or a curricular change may help us do that too so a lot of factors go into that as we monitor uh the size uh the enrollment level of our buildings have do we have a demographer or any we have we have it's been about five years uh so when we feel comfortable as a board and really what triggers that uh board members is really like Roger said the capacity of the buildings when we can feel sit something out there in the community a number of homes being built or just this massive movement of kids then we we usually go to that but our last demographic studies studies was really very praiseful of Lawrence that we were going to be very steady whereas around Central Indiana there were a lot of districts that potentially were losing or are losing students our growth was going to be very steady but the unpredictable part about it is scoot choice so I just want to put that on the record scoot Choice doesn't factor into the demographer they just really look at the natural births ins and outs uh look at your housing situation and ours was very steady but if we kind of look at where we've been with enrollment since that over the Last 5 Years our enrollment has increased every year um um since the pandemic so we we'll keep an eye on it we may have to call for another demographic study Dr Smith within the school choice that's you're talking about school choice within our Township correct or in general oh okay obviously people live within our district who want to come to us and people outside who may decide they want to come to our district so in addition to the magnet applications for yes absolutely thank you y and to to our um tour of the middle schools and the high school I would like to commend this District on and Dr NE Miss neemar for um the work you have done for our life skills students and the consideration we've given them in the special spaces there um outstanding outstanding in addition to that um I noticed that Fall Creek Valley and I will presume also at Belzer we have a hallway dedicated to counseling with gallahue right on on site um so our our middle schoolers have every opportunity for the care they need so thank you for those things any other okay um Mr Smith can you give us an update on the mechanical bits please M president Dr Smith me members of the board if you recall in February we asked to go back and rebid uh the HVAC and plumbing for the new LCC and we did that we received those bids on March the 7th uh there were two bid categories five contractors bidding uh bids came in about as expected per our estimations and good competitive bids the GMP contract for core and Garcia for this HVAC and plumbing uh contract would be 4, 382,000 for phase two of LCC please back in January uh we requested from the board to send out an RFP for CMC for LCC Phase 2 renovation and on February 29th we conducted uh three interviews and the committee uh did a great job as well as uh the three vendors coming in and the committee's recommendation is to select or the selection was powers and Suns uh for the CMC of lecc phase 2 Renovations and just for clarification since we're working simultaneously on two projects labeled lecc this is for the new lecc this is for this building currently uh the LCC SL Craig Academy or the Craig building okay thank thank you for that clarification because I was wrong okay um board questions okay thank you Mr poers for being here with us um and uh then again uh I guess that I guess that's the end of your show at this point he'll be back he need some back all right ask now we've got to ask ask Dr gag line to update us on the virtual desktop infrastructure yes president must and members of the board Dr Smith we have several courses we offer that uh are primarily at McKenzie that require for lack of a better term much more horsepower to run than a student Chromebook can provide so in order to give our students access to these programs we have to outfit the entire classroom with standalone computers we have about 600 of those machines and they cost about anywhere from $1,000 to $1,200 a piece so you can imagine uh every four or five years when we need to refresh that's a big expense to us also because that software is installed on the machine the machine stays in the classroom students can't access that software unless they're at school so they have no opportunity to do their work at home then maybe they would like for me to leave it that way but we want to give them access so our uh infrastructure and tech support team has proposed that we install what's called a virtual desktop infrastructure and basically what we want to do is instead of having all those individual machines is to buy a few very high-powered machines that can do all the heavy lifting and then students can access the program on their Chromebook so that should reduce our refresh cost because we're only only buying a few very expensive machines instead of a lot of them and it because it will be on the network uh students can access this software from home so we think we're going to be it's a win-win um we've been talking to several vendors about this and now it's time to see if they can meet our expectations as far as finances we've got money secured through the common school loan we've told them what our budget is and now we want to put that out for an RFP so we'll be asking your permission later on Dr gagl I have a question a couple questions the first question is how many years are those super machines do we expect those super machines to last and and the second question it would be just what's the cost of those super machines versus the cost of you know supplying the kids with computer that they so the well sometimes we make them last longer than we should but uh after four years we begin to keep an eye on them six years is probably pushing it we've have a few that we're running right now that have gone beyond their expected life and we're just keeping them alive we don't really want to do that when it comes to the students as far as uh price we've um you know if we're buying 600 machines at a, or 1,200 bucks that's you know 72 thou or $720,000 um we have set the the goal to keep it at 500,000 or less to see if they can do it and if they can do it then we know that this concept works and we could apply it in other places great that's that's music to my ears we're trying to help Mr miles yes and and then we expand their homework opportunities exactly okay all right thank you questions for okay thank you um and then uh Mr miles do believe that the common school loan was mentioned a few seconds ago can you update us on that uh common school loan absolutely thank you madam president Dr Smith members of the board uh so the common school loan um comes out one or two times per year and at this time of the year we come to you in preparation for that being released uh once again so we have to predict that a little bit and that's what we're uh doing tonight at this time with this agenda item um we'll bring it back to later for action but we use these dollars for uh technology in the classroom be it's student technology or teacher technology um the common school loan that Dr gagin was referring to was actually one that we've previously approved so we have those funds set aside these would be for new Chromebooks that we would like to purchase and just a a note of clarification as I mentioned we kind of predict this going forward we did bring this to you back in October um um in 22 the state issued a fall common school loan they did not do so in 23 so we did not utilize we were not able to use uh those funds at that time and our common school loan is a much better interest rate than anything else we can get correct correct it's a low interest rate loan that the state uh supports and subsidizes it's typically right at 1% and the amount that we are looking to um to apply for is based on our student enrollment and it's just right at one almost $1.6 million this year I just had a question as a non- educator um on the common school loan that is not offered every year is that correct it's typically Every Spring at right at this time okay um sometimes again like in 22 they'll do it twice a year um but it's really at the state's discretion okay thank you okay yes yes um in the term of repayment I understand it's five years is that accurate that's correct B based on the amount that we typically and since we're at 1.5 I think anything over a million is five years is that correct yes okay thank you there are no further questions we'll go on to our 2425 Board of Education meeting's calendar Miss pocket you are technically secretary just yes so we can see these um we can see these dates um and note that there are not two months in a row that we have a single meeting occasionally we need to have a combined work session and a Schoolboard meeting um you'll note um I believe in April no that's not not in in March of next year um because of spring break Etc and you'll notice the same thing in December but we try very hard not to do that two months in a row most months we have our work session on the second week and our Board of Education meeting on the fourth week Madam pres president in addition in the when we get to action we will ask permission to request to move your we have a date set for July currently July 15th but moving that to July 22nd that would be great for everyone here at the deis and your financial people to move it later in the month for a July meeting okay so that I will consider it even though I will have a daughter in town from Belfast there you go might force her to come to the meeting well okay all right we'll consider that later any any other input on that calendar board that you see anything that's a conflict I just I do have a question because this has always been set before I was a board member so why are some of our dates our times at 6:30 and other at others at s board members the only time we do 6:30 is for student recognitions we try to get those in earlier uh just due to the size of your community and who you recognize extra time would help us out that's why we just like sometime we do recognitions right at 7 but there are times when we have our winter Mr I'm looking at the secondary we just we next month we want to get them early because you're going to have hundreds of youngsters who have achieved high level success so that's why we do that only for student recognitions public so get out your gym grippers get ready I'll remember not to wear heels like I did last year this time around M Miss blankin ship thank you for always reminding us when there are deviations in the normal time CU that isn't always a muscle that I like to flex so I appreciate the reminders uh next we will have our board committee chair reports oh no we won't we're gonna have a financial update if if Mr miles would be happy to give that to us be happy to share that Madam president thank you once again uh in front of you you have both our general fund and our transport ation fund month end reports for the end of February as we share um both uh first and foremost the general fund uh our revenues exceeding expenditures at this point through the year which equals a increasing cash balance I will note and remind the board um that our on our March financials for our general fund we will um see a higher uptick in our uh salaries and and payroll due to two things we have three repay periods in in March we also are have expended some some stiens that were approved last year in March so just a point of clarification there and then as we move on to Transportation uh also in a good place um we only get revenues for Transportation uh the big chunks come twice a year so we don't have those pieces just yet but from an expenditure standpoint we are on track thank you that's great news I have a question it was brought to my attention by a member of the public um that Indiana moved from the terms um general fund and transportation fund and now we're using the terms education and operations I be believe that's been happening for a number of years can you help us understand why Lawrence is still utilizing the terminology from past um administrations absolutely that's a great question um as you know you know in our in our world those terms things change um our education fund and our our operations fund did change a handful of years ago um due to some uh basically state state action we have chosen especially for these meetings to use the general fund and our transportation fund for consistency those are the benchmarks that we've had over the years um it allows us to um to to measure year toe and historically kind of where we've been um it ALS so um helps us to uh we do we still do make those transfers twice a year as you may recall in uh after June 30th and at the end of the year to rebalance those so there are monies going back and forth between the general uh the education fund and the operations fund so the operations fund really now encompasses um transportation U bus replacement and our operations um so a point of clarification then the transportation fund is not including all of our operations funds correct it is just one piece of that operations fund okay yes is is there a way that we can get for just transparency for the public the general um instead of General the education and um the operations because I did that that was a question that had come from a member we we we can but it will be somewhat confusing and what I mean by that we decided to keep all of the silos behind the scene to assure that all of our funds all of those old funds are funded equally including Roger Smith I see Steve gagl out there we can have running all these lists of operations and show all of that but at the end of the day what has really happened it's really one fun okay it's truly One Fund and that is at the end of the day it's your education font or your operation funds because you can go back and forth between them so we're really showing really how much money we have on hand but those funds those silos behind the scenes are really there for each and every single one of our funds and I would say most school districts don't even have a financial presentation like this as in depth as ours and it really gives a true picture of where we are financially when it comes to our ability to be able to operate because I think Matt just eloquently our CFO explained that the funds can go back and forth between both sides of it and it even gets even more complex board because uh the state kind of zaps you if you move funds too many funds from operations to to education and vice versa I think it's a 15% threshold before they kind of put you on the list and we've never operated in that vein so we're really in a truly a good spot so let me have more conversation with you directly board member if you want to know how much Roger Smith we can just tell you up front the community Roger doesn't have enough money because behind the scenes the tax caps truly impact our operation side of it okay no and I appreciate that I think it's just the transparency for the public to be able to see the operations like the because I think at least as the way it was shared with me is that the district is spending a lot more than what we are actually seeing in these two reports and so I think that that helps paint a picture of how we are thoughtful stewards of the district's dollars we we spent over $280 million just to operate the district okay that's our budget all in for total but it would be very complicated to show all of that because there's so many different pots of money board that you receive both federal and state that really complicate it and and really given the the outs of it our true Financial picture of what we held accountable for Mr miles has got you right on point with that when we talk about doab and understanding how much money we have on hand and how we're spending our money we we are certainly on point with that okay what um in our budget in our yearly budget we receive um schedules and one of the schedules that is the most clear isn't that like form four something 4 C or what is that form um in our budget every year there is a form four uh that we look at when we approve we take the budget for approval in the fall um trying to think of the the exact for I'll I'll look it up and try to bring that back next week but I think that's public information too our budget there yeah it could be referring to form nine maybe that might be it and and that and that shows everything in a silo yes and and to Dr Smith's Point as well um another reason and I think going back to uh really the vision that the that the district had uh years ago when when the state changed the the fund process we wanted to make sure we kept each uh each of those silos within its budget whereas some districts um if when you putting them all into one pot it gets a little confusing as to where your expenses are truly coming from where your revenues are truly coming from so that's another reason why we we've continued to show things and and really work daytoday um in those same budgetary silos thank you for good question thank you welcome are there any more questions for Mr miles all right well then we really are have reached board committee chair reports um Can should we start on this side of the Des policy Miss done get ready buckle up because the Indiana General Assembly short session ended on Friday March 8th um of note six house bills and nine Senate bills impacting education emerged and have been sent to the governor for further action um the policy committee will track these bills and work with Neola to update revise or make new our current policy and administrative guidelines um yes so thank you very much for that co-chair uh one of note that I know that as a district um and as an educator of note is uh House Bill one which um has some serious ramifications to our districts around the state for the retention policies and so that is something that I'm looking forward to um determining how we can work collectively to ensure that our most vulnerable students um our special education and English Learners are not retained um because of their learning um differences or because of their English language acquisition um and so look forward to working as a member of this board to support in that area thank you very much Dr harburger you're here miss dun all right um uh Miss Lawrence and Miss Norman can you update us on the foundation all right I'll be happy to tag team um the Gayla was a success over 700 people attended I don't believe the numbers were out yet on on what it brought in but it was we haven't had a board meeting since the case yes thank you it's all a blur um but no it was a wonderful event so thank you to all who attended and supported including our district um and the the two events that are coming up next next are uh the Prairie Dash 5K at Connor Prairie on May 18th and for the kids golf outing on May 30th uh registration information can be found on msdlt f.org thank you the only thing I would add is our former mayor man he pulled in a lot of dough over that Burbon uh that live auction bourbon it was s $177,000 forting no it was for it's for it was for more it was for more than just a tasting dinner and then you know some bourbon but you better slip you sip slow for 17K that's right strong that's right and um I will say it was one one of our partner vendors and thanks to them thank you very much to them um and I guess Miss pocket can you let us know what's going on with Parks and Recreation please Parks and Rec I'll let you know we are um going to celebrate the annual Spring Fling and Easter egg hunt at Community Park this will be on March 30th um festivity start at 10: a.m.

with live music food trucks lots of family fun friendly games with the eclipse you want to get there because um the eclipse is at 306 and um yeah that's what's going on with the parks well the full eclipse is at 36 yes but you got to get there early because a little darker a little darker be hard to find it got to put your little boxes down on the ground and look and see if you can find the crescents get there at one yeah all right that's and and what are what are Dr Smith remind us what are school children going to be doing that day with all that excitement uh assistant Sops remind the board uh for the record what we have planned that day Dr Smith members of the board we adjusted our calendar a few months AG plan for this appropriately so that will be a day off for our students so our students will be home that day and leing up to it our instruction team has worked our stud forward and glasses for it out just prior can't them out too early want our students to lose but them out just prior is that a day off or is that an e-learning day no a day off official day a day off official day wow Miss Le plant we also have some Littles that we'll have in our school so give board update on preschool yes to support our year round families we will still provide care for our year round preschool students that dayk you okay I think that updates us on our committees we'll move to the action items and um Mr Smith approval of the mechanical bids please Madame President Dr Smith members of the board I recommend you approve the GMP for core Garcia as presented so moved second properly moved and seconded all in favor if there are no questions all in favor I I any opposed the eyes have it thank you we'll move on Mr Smith to the approval for the CMC for phase two Madam president Dr Smith members of the board recommend you approve powers and Suns as the CMC for the LCC Phase 2 Craig building as presented move so move second second properly moved and seconded if there are no questions all in favor I any opposed that is approved thank you Mr gag line Dr gag line I do that every day president must and members of the board Dr Smith I request your approval to advertise the RFP for the virtual desktop infrastructure as submitted oh moved second properly moved in second if there are no questions all those in favor I I I any opposed we have our RFP for virtual desktop infrastructure and we'll move on to Mr miles the approval of the common school loan thank you madam president Dr Smith members of the board at this time I recommend that the board approve the application for the common school loan as submitted so moved second properly moved and seconded all in favor I I any opposed we have approved our Carmen school loan and we'll move on then uh Miss Pucket um the approval of the 2425 Board of Education meetings calendar anybody okay all right um all those in favor well we need a motion so moved second and properly moved and seconded um all those in favor I I um and none opposed uh I this does say the approval of the 2425 Board of Education meetings calendar I would like to add that that includes the change date on the calendar so that is included in that vote correct board any descent on that okay all right um go ahead Norman oh Madame President I uh move that we treat action items 4.6 through 4.10 as consent agenda we have a second so moved um all those in favor of moving uh 4.6 through 4.10 as a consent agenda I I I um and then do we have a motion to approve the consent I move approval of the consent agenda second properly moved and seconded um all those in favor of approving the good set agenda I and no and anybody all right president must I do have a quick question because on the board it looks like the July 15th is still on the calendar in the board so that will be updated it will be a combined work and Board of Education meeting on the 22nd okay just want to confirm and Miss blankin ship I know you and I know you'll send us calendar reminders or we'll be here on the 15th I just know we will okay all right all right so now we're on to our board comments Miss Norman thank you Madame President um some exciting things have been going on recently in in March Madness uh the sixth grade basketball championships uh don't worry to both the men and women's teams the pipeline is strong for the high school um it was well attended and just very exciting to watch the um elementary schools in their element um also recently we had the faith-based uh community and leaders luncheon and that was a wonderful event um it does take a village to raise our children the school does a great job in supporting this but we can't do it without our Community Partners and that segs in Segways into my last um point I want to thank the City of Lawrence they're a great partner um this is March's developmental disabilities month and the council for uh disabilities in the city of lawence recently hosted a disability resource fair at the Fort Ben library and it was such a useful event for the community um just having every resource that people could need right there there in one um event therapies trust Finance support um just you name it so again kudos to the City of Lawrence thank you for that thank you very much Miss pcket can you come back to me real I will come back to you Miss Lawrence thank you Madame President um well first this is also women's history month and I do want to acknowledge that we are the very first female all female School Board in Lawrence Township's history so I'm incredibly grateful to serve with each and every one of you it's a pretty impressive thing what's that I I did I saw it I saw it um I also want to just take a moment to acknowledge um some of the violence that we have noticed in our communities that have impacted our schools um I've been reflecting a lot on on this recently and um you know we are tagline is strong School strong Community I think it also is strong Community strong schools because you can't have one without the other and I know this weighs on every board member's heart very much so miss Pucket you do a lot of work in the non-violence world and I'm grateful for your leadership there I do I I do believe the time has come for our community to come together and have a conversation not just the school district certainly we are a stakeholder in that um but also the rest of our community which includes our um our mayoral leadership our government our community and Business Leaders um and and other stakeholders that have um that have a a a part in all of this um I think it it is important to note that violence for youth has reached a five-year high and our state legislature has enacted some bills that make it really difficult to keep guns out of the hands of our youth and so I think it behooves us as members of the community to stand up and say no and to demand the type of community that is supportive of each and every one of our students and that we as a community come together to make sure that happens and so I just wanted to acknowledge acknowledge that and uh and make that call to action it's done just back um uh from the sense of just it is a public health um it is a public health and safety concern and schools can't do it alone it isn't and I'll be honest too I I'm if you have anybody experiencing a trauma and because there are stigmas that are tied to calling the police and certain black and brown uh families um their stigmas tied to it I wasn't planning on going down this route however um you have they have something called MCAT MCAT mobile crisis um assistance teams because a lot of times violence is a byproduct of trauma it's a by byproduct of mental health it's a byproduct there are a lot of parallels there so for those that are in need of help you can call 911 and you can ask for an uh MCAT mobile crisis assistant team to um come out and that will help with those mental substance or any other um items that may be needed um and to just I'm going just leave that there because this is this is that is a deep well um yes you can reach out to also the Ops the office of public health and safety um there are a lot of groups right now that are looking to address the youth violence because yes homicides have reduced youth violence has increased schools we have become more than just schools we are hubs for so much and it's becoming an overload and so I'll just leave that there this is a deep well but um yeah it is definitely a public safety concern I could say a whole lot I'm very very passionate about that that is uh that is a premise and the Cornerstone of a lot of my work but um I thank you Dr Smith when I have talked to uh Mrs Bush um we are doing work in those areas but I'll be honest with you the state still our our city is still trying to figure it out so that is a slippery slope um but yes I do call and I'm hoping that this could be y'all I'm going just leave that there so yes that there I will Echo what you say what you've all said and it affects us all very deeply and again this weekend um in in another part of our city but one of our own and um I will just I just want to thank Dr Smith and your entire team because I know you have met with the health department with the city so I know we have begun the work of CommunityWide action and and it's crucial that we do the work and it's also very complicated how we get that work done um in our state so it's going to take um a lot of time and a lot of effort on everyone's part to do something about this Scourge um beyond that I would like to say that um I'm not going to I'm not going to call anybody out but um I know we have a real IEP winner in the audience this evening and I would like to speak with that person later after so he's paying attention really happy happy with with all the hard work that our teachers have done but even more so all the hard work that our that our third grade students have done to make the district a success thank you Dr Smith little yeah of course thank you board and I wouldn't expect anything different from the Board of Education to speak to the health and wealth of children we have over 16,000 youngsters that are our responsibility to educate and it is very disheartening and hurtful when we lose a child so I I Echo the board sentiment that our children have to be safe and well taken care of because they're our future and that sounds cliche but it's real I see only adults here I see Ellie sitting out there but we're not going to be here 10 20 30 years from now but our youngsters that we're educating right now will be leading the community and we just have to think about their health and wealth uh it has been a journey over the last month we have celebrated we have been at the highest level winning at the state in basketball Dr nesb I lost my voice and it ended this weekend with the wild cats at the semi state but the wild cats have sented BL birie to me they'll be back next year and so we are really proud of all of our students and I want to remind you board next month will be a celebration like you've never seen before of the winter athletes so we will have the Bears Wildcats and many more including those sixth grade basketball teams will join us as we celebrate their achievements and we have a lot to be proud of as we close out the winter sports Dr nth and we'll start spring Sports so that's all I have to say today thank you Dr mad president I could I please add to that that as as exciting and as important and as Community changing it is it was for our Bears to bring home the state championship um I we honor all of our our Sports youth because they all put out a 100% effort and we're so proud of all of them so miss muston yes I hate to be the person on the de to suggest that you would not acknowledge the great work that the music departments have also done but would also like to to to acknowledge that um we hosted at Fall Creek Valley over the weekend isma and all of our Middle School bands and orchestras received gold we also had the show choirs um and Lawrence North placing for the very first time fourth um and so again I hate to tell the professional musician but I did want to call that out I'd I'd hate to be the one to bring it up for fear that that I only I only love the musicians so thank you Miss president will'll name all as well yes we will we got their names that is very exciting news all right um our our next um Board of Education meeting will be Monday April 15th that's tax day um um at 5:30 so get your taxes in before 5:30 and then come on to the meeting okay um and I would entertain um a motion to adjourn so moved we are adjourned for

meeting is being recorded your image and or voice may be broadcast please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance I pledge allegiance to the flag United States of America and to the repic for it stands one nation under God indivisible withy and justice for all okay so um what we're going to do tonight is we'll approve the consent agenda first and then if anyone would like to speak we'll let you guys speak first that way not you don't feel like you're stuck here um and if others come in as we're deliberating they'll be able to speak as well so this is a forum it's a little different than our usual meeting so if there's if you have questions later in the meeting you decide to stay you can raise your hand and I can call on you but it's not just an open conversation where everyone can so we're g to try to keep productive and um and moving in the right direction all right so let's start with the consent agenda okay could I please have a motion to approve the consent agenda so mov second all in favor I I I'm in I as well that motion passes all right before we do public comment did anyone have any Communications they wanted to bring up before we get into public comment okay great all right public comment do you want sure go ahead okay um first I want to thank you all for being here and for the work that you do thank you for taking the time to hear my comments some of you know me my name is Erin Kean I'm a royon resident I'm a of two young children we a seven and in second grade Owen is five he goes to Tanto preschool he'll be in kindergarten next year I wanted to speak in support of the proposed school budget oon Elementary School is a wonderful school and our students deserve nothing their new principal Mrs syes is phenomenal her energy her passion her enthusiasm for the job are unmatched and our students deserve nothing less if the committee does not approve the proposed budget Mrs Sykes will be forced to make Cuts some place our students will have less what less will they have will they have less space in their classroom if we don't hire an additional third grade teacher the Third grade classes will have about 28 students each will they have less social emotional support Miss cward is a point6 adjustment counselor if we cannot bring her on full-time we run the risk of losing her to a district that can't will they have less support staff the PA of professionals at bees are working day in and day out to help our media students succeed will they have less high quality training for their staff how will they recruit and Rain the best St will they have less enrichment opportunities for students my son has been extremely fortunate to participate in an inur group science with Mrs X for about 45 minutes a week he has learned about aerodynamics cohesion adhesion surface tension Rockets thrust with less staff those remaining will be expected to do more with less our students education will be less than it is now I inore you to approve the proposed budget info our students deserve nothing less or choose your list thank you thank you I really appreciate that do you want to speaker okay all right so with that being said um the only thing on the agenda tonight is our budget so I think the way we're going to run this is Nancy um is going to get up and she's going to present this presentation does everybody have access to this right all right so Nancy why don't you take 15 20 minutes and kind of explain um walk us through this and then we're gonna spend the majority of time tonight um having the committee deliberate and review this budget okay okay thank you all right thank you so on February 27th we presented a draft version of our fiscal year 25 budget this budget showed a 10% increase in the districtwide budget today we are presenting the districtwide budget with a 5% increase this is a summary of the changes since February 27th we increased the school Cho excuse me we increased the school choice allocation by $194,400 we have a new audit District tuition at Tonto for $75,000 we increased to special education transportation for $99,000 that split between Berlin Memorial School for 24,000 and Tonto middle school high school for 75,000 in our administrative team have met several times now so with the final review in uh adjustments from the administration team we also pushed 7.7 FTE to next year that totals approximately 617,000 and won't go through them all to save time but you can see them all listed here this page shows what we kept in the budget District y we kept a one FTE occupational therapist Boon Elementary we kept the 1.0 FTE classroom teacher and HTO we kept three unified sport sport coaches and we kept the 0 40 FTE math teacher.

in room 224 okay and we do have a 2-minute testimony limit but it's highly recommended that you stand on your written testimony okay all right up first house bill 2720 into collective bargaining up first we have uh good afternoon chair Vice chair members of the committee Deborah Halbert vice president for academic strategy I do stand on my written testimony but I did want to make one uh one clarification of a number that has been circulating about 80% of courses being taught by graduate students in February 20233 we had 498 graduate teaching assistants so those are the folks that would have been teaching courses of the 2543 undergraduate sections that would be excluding independent studies or those types taught at uh Manoa a total of 579 sections or 22.7% involved a teaching assistant of some kind 187 sections had a ga and the instructor of Rec or as the instructor of record which would have been 7.3% so we just wanted to clarify some of the data on what and where the students are teaching and I know way mean this to undermine the quality of the work that they're doing or the services that they do provide just wanted to clarify that thank you thank you very much up next we have BNF director saw earlier okay the comments okay up next we have Benjamin wisman good afternoon chairs Vice chair members of the committee I'm uh Ben wisman I'm here with the graduate student organization of the University of Hawaii at monoa I'm also a a graduate research assistant and PhD student and the gso um unanimously passed a resolution in support of this bill and we stand on that resolution St testimony okay thank you very much up next we have hsda good afternoon president to going to be here today I'm Andrea echelman the deputy exec we stand on our written testimony I'm available for any questions you might have okay thank you very much here we have okay thank you very much comments okay next we have n Tom Israel on Zoom hello my name is Danielle dco and I'm here on behalf of Tom Israel and the National Education Association I'm a higher education organizational specialist with NAA and I join you tonight to thank you very much for the opportunity to testify and to again express our commitment the National Education associations of commitment in our steadfast support for academic labor United's efforts to unionize specifically I want to highlight that we are here to support reverting HP 2720 uh HD3 to HD2 which more appropriately uphold the constitutional right of all grad workers to collectively bargain I just want to share with the room I have witnessed myself that academic Labor United is ready to unionize they have the support that is necessary they have the resources that are necessary they have the expertise that is necessary now is the time to support them in their efforts to form their Union appropriately this support of this committee I urge you all to push this bill forward so that we are able to provide the support that we have been that we have been prepared to provide the last couple of months and are looking forward especially to um seeing them through the recognition process and as they form their Mighty Union thank you very much malaho for the opportunity Balo excuse me for the opportunity to participate hey thank you very much okay up next we have diano it's a little tooo close um afternoon um chair Senator Henry okino and Senator Don Mar kakim as well as the members of the labor and technology and higher education committees uh I'm di un teaching assistant from mography and I'm the chair of academic Labor United We Stand in strong support of HB 2720 but we contend that it must be reverted from HD3 to HD2 ht3 the current uh version of the bill as it stand simultaneously creates bargaining Unit 16 for grad res unit workers and classifies them as a class of workers that shall not be included in any bargaining unit nor entitled to coverage under chapter 89- 6 we recognize that the legislature has the power to place public employees in the exent workers category as this detailed in chapter 89- 6 however doing so for graduate student workers directly interferes with their constitutional right to collectively bargain as public employees which the Supreme Court in ubw versus Yogi already ruled that the legislature cannot do so having both mend Ms ra a legal contradiction since graduate student workers were placed under the exemp category buing them from coverage under chapter 89- 6 this removes her ability to eventually file any petition to the hlrb much less for inclusion in bargaining Unit 16 and finally since the law in the hlrb looks to the legislature to create new bargaining units first having Unit 16 take effect only after the hlrb certifies it is a clear obligation of legislative Authority thank you for the opportunity to provide us and I will be able to answer questions okay thank you very much up next we have hga okay with comments okay we have Elizabeth yenu new support okay Chris Coffield Jason Bradshaw Chris Coffield again uh mikeu Senor Michu Jr Ronald sturis loha good evening chair Vice chair other members of the committee uh my name is Ronald sturis I'm the vice chair of the uh student caucus that's the University of ho student caucus uh we represent formally we are authorized to serve as a systemwide Association of students from each student campus government across all 10 campuses in the UA system we unanimously share a position of support for House Bill 2720 with a specific request to have its language amended back to the uh How It Was Written HD2 thank you very much for allowing me to testify okay thank you very much up next we have miles jakowski how it chair marot Kim chero members of the committee I appreciate the opportunity to offer my testimony today my name is Miles rowski I'm a civil engineering graduate worker as well as an organizer with academic Labor United and I like i' like to voice my strong support and reverting HP 2720 HD3 back to 2720 HD2 uh firstly I want to say that we're proud to have the support of and stand in solidarity with OA we recognize the vital role that OA members play in our professional and academic lives now we've pre previously estimated that 80% of students are affected by ta labor during their course of study uh based on the available data that we had this estimate does not imply that t teach 80% of classes this is not the case merely that our contributions and our labor during our employment will collectively account for 80% of The Graduate students during their course of study the important truth here is that the university doesn't function without our labor in addition to making valuable and significant contributions to advancing our respective fields we affect so much of the student body the labor Central to our struggle doesn't subtract from the labor of others nor does it negate the value and the significance of that labor our desire is that we are all recognized for the contributions we have poured our emotional and physical labor into we believe that any attempts to minimize the vital role that graduate workers and our colleagues in OA play in the future of our communities and this island represent an ignorance of the True Value that we all bring our Collective contributions cannot simply be a ledger entry to be tallied and summed up this is not a zero sum calculation 100% of undergraduate students will eventually in some way be affected by graduate workers and 100% of students will eventually be affected by uh faculty we firmly resolve to stand in solidarity with AA and our Collective struggle to have our labor recognized and fairly compensated I want to thank you guys for allowing me to testify before you today thank you very much up next we have Sarah Maria s moin did I get that right perfect just look intimidating chair committee members I'm s they pronouns I'm a third-year PhD student in political science and a graduate teaching assistant I support reverting HB 2720 HD3 back to HD2 which upholds a constitutional right of graduate assistance to collectively bargain I stand behind my written testimony and want to add additional color about how the university works with the gso in 2021 to 2022 I was elected the academic Affairs chair of the graduate student organization which means I worked with uh Deans and faculty on issues including both academic and graduate student grievances representing graduate students to The Graduate faculty Council provos Council and faculty Senate a key issue I worked on was the punitive practice of academic probation when students pass the recommended time of their program while still being within the maximum time limits uh puts academic probation on our transcripts this could happen if a student took courses part-time while caring for a sick family member or got sick with covid-19 imagine what employers and funders think when they see academic probation they assume the person cheated or Worse not that they're simp l a few years away from the deadline to finish their program this Draconian measure impacts graduate students applying for research funding fellowships postal positions and faculty jobs upon graduation I talk about this because I worked for seven months to Garner graduate student testimony and faculty support for changing this policy in May 2022 The Faculty Council then unanimously agreed this practice should be stopped this however didn't occur instead uh decided without further graduate student input that they wanted to keep the academic probation notation policy even as it hinders the financial security and job prospect of their students our constitutional right to Union would allow us to actually successfully work with uh to create working conditions for us as both students and workers without a union our efforts to organize frequently are undone by uh Mahi andoss okay thank you very much up next we have Noel iaki okay support will coron junin Olivia Meyer Daniela es contella Monica orillo John Nightingale all in support and we have at least at least 20 30 or so all in support um we do have Hannah manshel with comment any others wishing to testify Aloha cherino cherim and committee members my name is Lily fiser I'm a graduate assistant in the American studies department at uh monoa and an organizing chair with academic Labor United um I'm here to testify in support of reverting HP 2720 HD3 to HD2 which upholds the constitutional right of graduate assistants to collectively bargain um the University of Hawaii could not run without grad student labor collective bargaining will allow graduate students to harness the power of our labor to address structural inequities in student salaries treatment and security we deserve to represent ourselves and negotiate with the administration as a collective and we've proven that we're capable of doing so for years and without institutional support Alo has created Avenues to serve the unique needs of our diverse membership we're a truly Grassroots organization committed to creating a union built on principles of community care and inclusivity that can attend to the intersecting needs of every graduate student I've been working with Alo for over 2 years and I've listened to many stories of the compounding academic economic and interpersonal stresses that make life as a ga unsustainable but I've also seen Alo emerge as a space and resource in which we can seek sustenance from our community I'm so inspired by the brilliant workers that compose our membership and seeing in spite of numerous roadblocks and our own heavy workloads our numbers continue to grow we're becoming more organized better resourced and more committed to one another and our mission for a union we're going to continue to work for the rights that we know we deserve because we genuinely care about keeping each other safe and about making higher education accessible to people of all socioeconomic backgrounds we also know that a graduate student union will benefit not only the students and workers of U but workers in Hawaii more broadly we're here asking for support and a legal Pathway to do what we've already been doing which is to care for our community mollow for the opportunity to testify okay thank you very much any others wishing to testify guessing non members questions chair yeah a question um Sarah can you come back up hi so and I you know any one of that you could answer this question but uh I've read in other testimonies and heard that part of the problem is that um The Graduate assistants seem to be overburden with um number of classes and that if folks complain then you concerned about retaliation because the professors you would be complaining about are the ones that you are working for is that any truth to that I think there is truth to that so when I was the academic Affairs chair I was the person who was trained on all of The Graduate division policies for academic and graduate grievances who graduate students would go to and most frequently students did not want to go through the proper channels because you have to list and document everything and show it to your Superior and and that's still the person who would need to write your letters of recommendation for any future jobs or anything else but there's no other Pathways that we have to actually address grievances that are outside of a system built without us and that when we raised concerns about it in training was just this is the thing that we've had to build legally I rais that because I listened to the testimony of person before you miles who said folks are in solidarity with OA but yet it's OA members who are the ones that are doing this so have you folks approached o as far as you know making sure that they would they would um give you folks equal kinds of work and Fair Labor practices I think would you want to take this yeah thank you let me well I have one more question for you too you do you want to come up why don't I finish asking then and then you talked about the amount of money that you make how much in tuition what's your tuition I pay out of state tuition um so I'm trying to think of exactly what it is off the top of my head but it's like what is it 12 I think it's 10,500 up to 13,000 depending on how many credit hours I take per semester per semester depending on how many credit hours I take okay so you could actually 205,000 $22,000 a year inition wavers soim no I don't ever actually receive that money that no but they're waivers right be tuition waivers the the tuition waivers are in the M of I believe 12,000 in the fall yeah but per semester so per semester so 12,000 in the fall yeah so about 24,000 a year if you went sure yeah I think it depends on the amount of coursework if you didn't have the waivers that would be out of pocket cost right it could be either out of pocket costs or other funding that I would have to cover it so there are other ways to get tuition waivers or to get f for like Fellowship so there certain fellowships that requ you not to have any other things that would offset funding for example there's fellowships I can apply because I have a tuition waiver as a worker so it doesn't necessarily mean I would be paying for that out of pocket right but somehow that cost would be attributed for your education okay thank you so yeah to clarify the statement regarding OA um so there are members of Faculty that may have that gent workers may have grievances against but that does not mean that the entirety of OA is responsible for that yeah Behavior just like the entire legislature which we get blamed for and or not but we get blamed Anyway by the unions so I'm just saying that you're talking about solidarity by the unions and by Opa and they're the members that are in fact um viol ating or making you guys want to go to a union because you don't have certain rights you know the fact that they're a union you would think that they would want equal rights for you as well so I'm just you know concerned when you folks use such words because they come they come here and they don't come in person necessarily but they come here and talk about you know that you folks should get it but then what are they doing to helping you folks and the uh as well I think is a culprit in that they're not helping to make your um your workplace uh you know equal or or reasonable as far as you folks doing the work and I think it's unfair and yet You' have nowhere to go which is crazy that you should be in that position and so trying to understand that OA has supported the formation of a collective bargaining unit for graduate student workers ever since that any kind of legislation yes that's not the question is whether or not they've helped you folks in resolving some of your issues with their members well so the thing is that OA has a union and so there is a process by which renes are acknowledged because they have a union because graduate student workers do not have a union even though you have faculty that may be supportive even though you may have The Graduate um I think our interim graduate um division share was held testimony to that that they can offer us options they can offer us all these Pathways but because we do not have the that Union we do not have that legal framework but which we can kind of um accommodate these policies then there's a limit what um can be done but labor practices are labor practices whether you have a union or not right I mean you would think at this day and age the University of Hawaii would recognize some of these labor practices or or policies or the way they're running things that shouldn't be going on um and so should the union and so that's all I'm I'm raising that that's a concern that I rais when you know you guys talk about solidarity yes maybe for you folks to have a union but whether they're not they're there to assist you and theying sure that their labor practices and what's going on and how they're treating you folks in the workplace uh is fair so again these are individual members of OA Senator and so we're not trying to um blame it on OA as an Union as a whole because there are these policies in place and there is a way for them for their members to be held accountable because they are a union and for example if there were some grievances between you know AA and the uh they have that recourse but because graduate student workers do not have a union no I understand I'm just saying that these are issues that if we folks don't get this bill passed that you be in the same situation and the university shame on them for not stepping up to make sure that you folks are adequately taken care of uh for the work that you do and similar to the union that you folks are not getting treated adequately or the way you guys think you should be so with Aion fact really push for that kind of fair treatment because right now there's no legal accountability framework where we can there's no legal framework by which we can hold them accountable similar to what SAR said even though a polici unanimously supported by the faculty Council I think if you've listen to you know the executive management has no Union and they want to be treated correctly and equally right and they do and they raise their issues with uh without having a union so you don't have to have a union I'm just saying that the treatment of the graduate assistant necessarily just having a union is not going to necessarily solve all your problems because even though you go by grievance you ask how many union members and I know cuz my mom was a um shop steart for her Union and that it doesn't get resolved just because you file a grievance doesn't necessarily mean it gets resolved but truly Senator there is a recognition that a unionized worker has more power because of that collect bargaining unit because of being able to negotiate a contract rather than a non-unionized worker is there that recognition of the difference between a unionize and a non-un ni worker yes and you still have people that op out of being in the union and they still get the same rights so thank you okay thank you chair um any other questions pleas chair uh Dr Halbert afternoon um so the students are saying that they have brought concerns up they don't feel protected um and and so the university has a process why are they saying that they haven't been treated well and protected by faculty who may be abusing their position could I ask that our dean of graduate education come up to help answer that question because there are processes in place at man but I believe she's been more involved in afternoon announce yourself please uh Julian MAA interm Dean graduate division there is a process for graduate students as well as graduate assistants to share their concerns or report concerns um about how they're being treated uh neglected all kinds of different things in order for the university to move forward with any type of investigation we do require a formal complaint most of the graduate students that come talk to me they do not want to file a formal complaint they do not want the respondent to know that they filed a complaint even though there are options on and we've have had cases where they could change their committee and reconfigure it so they were not part of that um I guess in that relationship or that environment anymore with the mentor or whoever it is that might be um causing an inappropriate environment for them but the vast majority do not want to to go through the investigation process so if they form a union and they have representation do you think these how how would the process be so that we can protect our students have them finish up their studies and graduate I think it would it would be similar to the way faculty and staff um if they reported a situation it would be a similar process where they would invite their union representative or I mean if they went formally I don't know too many employees that that have just in my own um experience um due to similar concerns of retaliation or um just unfair treatment perhaps uh I think it would be similar in in that sense there would still be the fear of retaliation and not having the situation completely resolved and I mean and I and I get it it's I get very frustrated because I can't do anything to help them because they don't want to go forward and as part of due process we have to I mean we can't move forward investigating someone if that someone doesn't know that they're being investigated just going to maybe it's for um end up um so in terms of one of the other concerns that they brought up is the salary compensation and being overworked um is there any standard so that you do um Monitor and assess that they're not being worked overly over the the 20 hours or whatever hours and that they are compensated there's a way of of raising their salaries so we do have policy under revieww right now and sometime in the next few weeks we'll be meeting again to go through the comments from the formal consultation that would increase the salary steps for gas another 10 steps so instead of stopping at 20 which is currently $35,000 it would go up to 30 that's uh at 52,000 at that point we're starting to hit a salary that if doubled to a full-time one FTE would be more than what many of our faculty make so there's concerns that we would need to balance in terms of that as well so what is the salary now of your different steps so the steps start well at Manoa I believe you start at step 12 this year is currently step 12 step 12 which is $25,988 it's 22,170 so that's the starting um Step now the other part of your question is the workload piece and that's always a really difficult question to answer because there is the 20 hours part-time work but then oftentimes these are students who if they're research GA are potentially working on the work that is part of their doctoral dissertation so how you choose to categorize any given thing I mean it's similar to what faculty work is right if I'm reading for my course is that work or is that fun I don't know right it's just all part of what we have to do in in preparing for both our scholarship and our teaching so so there's always going to be some fuzziness around the end now in ga's TAS or gas who have a more discret kind of workload then it should be easier to be able to identify the starting and stopping points but the other part of it I mean this is obviously infinitely uh complex is that if you're assigned teaching a class not all the work happens in a 20-hour work week right sometimes it'll be more sometimes it'll be less depending on the waxing and the waning of the work in the course so so what what do you say when they say that the university couldn't run without grad assistance I think that in addition to that graduate students this is a critical professional development training for graduate students so for those who are going on into the academy this may be the opportunity they have to teach a class or to be mentored by someone who's teaching a class so so it's a critical part of what we do at the University and also for the research component both for their personal research but also for the research that they will go on to do in in their professional careers there's these critical parts of what graduate students do that's important so are they taking on loads that should be done by faculty no I think in I mean and again I think Julie can speak in more detail to the specifics of what's happening at monoa but it's a it's an important relationship and it's one in which you know and and again it's not to say that there aren't that it's perfect right there are definitely problems that need to be addressed you answer to that no I think um what Dr hbert shared is is accurate it it's a it is a complicated um issue thank you chair s just just going forward this see one the complication and going forward the students cannot be rep representative with the more Union but they keep talking about these Oompa whatever I don't know people that is supposed to be setting in unity with them where's those guys who set in unity with them representing on their behalf to their fellow colleagues I mean if I got to advocate for somebody in my community with one of my colleagues I'm going to Advocate is say how much of them going to have evocation from them going forward when we come into the Union because they kind of keep waiting to become Union and keep getting past you guys telling me to getting $112 so how can we get more of that to help them so they can move forward right you heard how much of think came up said right I don't know all the acronyms they had over there but I heard about three or four of them said unified and I know what union unification means that means we unified as one but it doesn't seem I think there's the disconnect between them and the unification because unification means they're advocating and they're not advocating they're just giving the verbal I would you girl well I can't speak for the unions but I would I would like to highlight something that Dr MAA had said which is that in the process of making a complaint right now a faculty member would come for have forward and have Union representation in this case uh it would also be something potentially a graduate student could do uh for their own if if they are engaged in a complaint process is that they would have an advocate for them uh now whether or not that means all unions will unite I cannot tell but um that's different yeah but the thing the thing is what what you were saying so the students we can complain black Bal power they're not going to use them CU they black Bal and you can't say the university not going to do that because they're they're very you know you know anyway so going forward how can we end up protecting them CU that's the reason why they came to us right they want to feel some kind of protection or being used and misus and Abus for decades or years I don't know how long Abie said he created him so I don't know since Abie how long is that see so how can we again help them cuzz I heard something about $12 how much how much you get P an hour $12 an hour no oh sorry 12 12 step 25,000 25,000 I was like BR you're getting ripped off okay thank you chair whatever you guys can help because we want to help them how can we help them if you know we don't have the tools to do it so thank you thank you chair sen kidani thank you so do you have a a number or percent of um other universities that have um unions for grad students I should have looked that up before I don't have that right here but I I bet the students do though yeah it's quite a number yeah it's quite a few right and and very large systems as well like California's system has unionized grad students so specifically is the University Administration against Union in reg we we not in favor we are taking no position because this is a legislative matter but a legislative matter because you folks made it that way well since they have no position I think we should support the gr students so you you responded to Senator moraki that when she asked you about the university could function without grad assistance and you your answer you didn't really answer that question but your answer was no more that this program is for the benefit of the grad students and not necessarily for the University so I would take that as the answer is uh yes you guys could function without grad assistance I would like monoa to answer that but I don't think that a research one institution can function without graduate students would you like to that is that is correct okay so let's get that on the record because the way you answered it didn't see sound that way um to somebody listening where you didn't really answer the question yeah I wanted to make sure I highlighted what I think some of the value of that right is the value were more towards the grad system than it was through the faculty because technically The Faculty should be teaching in classes if there's no grad assistance to teach them right but not all grads assistants teach many are research faculty or research assistants and many of those who do teach are you know in the classroom or Tain section so okay so um Dr Maya the number of complaints that you receive I mean it's well kind of well known right or well documented Mano that there's these issues surrounding gra assistance yes right that's correct kind of well known so the fact that it's well known why do I have to need an investigation why couldn't there be whole whole system changes to address these issues why why do you have to wait for individual investigations when you know that it's it's problematic it's question to you AG right you guys know it's there yet you kind say well there's a process oh well you know we have to go through this we have to wa for an investigation and these these students fear for retaliation and not just them that fear trust me I get calls from faculty that belong to the unions that don't do Grievances and that's why I bring that out because they're not no matter who represents you you're still going to be known to that Professor that you filed agreements and doesn't always get resolved I get so many faculty that call me and they either quit or they file lawsuits I just got two last week they're filing lawsuits you know um for hostile work environment for for some other reasons um but if you folks know that this is there why why have't be hope so changes system changes for the the students who have come to see me one they're all different faculty so it's not necessarily all in the same now if it was in the same unit then no but then it should be for the whole university why is it only one unit I mean you know what's good for one should be good for the other so whether you have graduate assistants not being violated or not being protected others that are the fact is the whole university should have a same same kind of policy to protect them all right we we do have policies against a hostile work environment hostile academic environment um but it's a prevalent and it's not working something's not working enforcement's not working something's not working so why hasn't you guys I mean technically I always hear this that you know a lot of the University they're the brightest mindes in the state right they're the brightest mindes in the state they get paid a lot of money in the state they do a lot of research so how you guys can't we solve this issue one a basic labor practices is and and treatment of your employees do if I can if I can clarify though for most of the students who have come to talk with me they're not a ga they're a graduate student I've maybe had two come to speak with me in maybe three in the 10 years I've been with The Graduate Division and so those are very few and far between um we do have Advocates now for them and actually The Advocates out of the manal carees office was created primarily to help graduate students especially with the concerns that they have okay but the fact that you've said that it's kind of well known that why are we addressing them whether they gas or whether they're Grant students it shouldn't be occurring and yeah they they're never going to be perfect system but it shouldn't be dis prevent right yes I mean we but we do offer trainings um for the faculty um it's just a matter of making them much more I guess annual and to encourage all of the faculty to attend so one last thing I just want to make sure so all the those grad students that are supporting this understand that whether you are represented or Not by a union rep for a grievance you file a complaint this complaint is going to be made known to the person that you're fing it against right and that not all griev get resolved to the liking of the people bringing you up and there's still retaliation that go on despite that right even though we have policies against it yes and even though you have a union you still have issues yes right okay just so that they know that this is not the Panacea because it's still going to occur and because I get union members call me and they don't want to file agreements they don't want to go they don't even want to go on the anonymous on the anonymous of law because they feel that that they're still going to somehow be found out and they fear for their job jobs even though they may be tender they still do so okay thank you I have a quick question so what's your reading on the current house draft it's a little confusing in one section it says they can bargain and then another section that says they're exempt from bargaining I mean what's since you shared your position can you share on The house's position um I I'm not sure I can speak to how uh that should be resolved it seems contradictory to have it in both of those sections the way it is currently written okay thank you very much members any other questions you see on chair okay thank you move on to the next item on the agenda which is House Bill 2501 house draft one this is relating to the university reporting requirements repeals the reporting requirement to identify the cost impacts to the state of providing workers compensation coverage for the University of voice students and uh just as far as Jen goes there there she is walked in great timing Jen thank you uh the University of ho stands on its written testimony and support of this [Music] measure you are the only one testifying members any questions no questions good for you okay um anyone else wishing to testify on this measure okay nobody else so with that I'm going to the decision making going to recess briefly thank you okay reconvening our 3 p.m.

agenda and we are in room 224 first item on the agenda is House Bill 2400 HD2 relating to education and to testify superintendent please good afternoon chair uh M of committee Department thank you next to testify Ani good afternoon chairs kidan aino members of the committee and heri Department of the Attorney General as we stated in our testimony in order to align the bill with terminology currently used in statute uh the department recommends substituting the word surrender with the word forfeit or forfeiture as applicable I'll be available for questions thank you thank you an next to testify Felicia this thank you is there anyone else here wishing to testify on this measure Angela Angela Melody young testifying on behalf of kapalama neighborhood security watch um in strong support um so this policy will set forth an act to add predators and offenders to the National Association of State directors of teacher education and certification which maintains an interstate agreement with the hoi teacher Standards Board it is unacceptable for offenders accused of abuse to evade accountability by relocating to different jurisdictions or institutions this um act then will make sure potential Employers in an educational setting are aware of the unlicensed statuses of these offenders so I think the terms of this law can benefit from more specificity especially if it is dealing with grave offenses in the penal code of title 37 of the Hawaii revised Statute um so I'd like to point to an example that this policy can copy it also has to do with protecting students from abuse and in integrating the levels of care in response to uh child abuse this policy I'd like to refer to is house spill 2425 an expungement of the central registry to equip those working with children youth and families so with the expungement of central registry in a response to integrate the levels of care to protect students from child abuse the records of child abuse and neglect reports are maintained by the State Child Protection or social services offices and there's a process to get evidence to confirm abuse and then a process for clearing of expungement from the records so this is data from the Child Welfare information Gateway office um an office from the United States Department of Health and Human Services and so it refers very specifically to child abuse in the state law of what defines harm harm means section 587a threatened harm means the same chapter 587a which is the child protective act so back to this bill HB 2400 um it needs to have more specificity to refer to the Peno code of what are the degrees of sexual assault um Class C felonies and Class B and class A felonies Buy in the degree of the sexual assault portrayed by actors um as per the penal code so um I think it will be um more um specific for the sexual abuse offenders to get the penal code chapter there thank Angela members any questions on this members question testimony see that we have allegations and and and all of that on top maybe I never redrew the whole bill but we we have a problem in the doe and I know you know too all uh I'm not going to say teachers but people that in education that do grooming and you you you know that you heard the name before right grooming so um how how we going to address that if a student maybe wasn't uh abuse abuse after two years of grooming and then she realized that she was being groomed for other things on I guess uh solicitation or more more an arras of harassment how how we going to address those issues that we have in the schools too thank you Senator um uh in any situation involving uh what what you had just shared the department does have a process for us to initiate investigations in those immediately investigations no in those areas and so um uh we definitely will do so um with expediency and I and I see that you know it talks about I mean like I said I just reading what I have here in in a brief of the bill but how how are we going to address coaches who's not affiliated with um the doe and another thing maybe you can go look in to I just wanted to find out when and why and how come that the do decided to not have coaches that are teachers and faculty and going outside the room of getting nonstate employees or employers or employees excuse me going forward and coaching because in the previous past I'm not saying it didn't happen but we got to look into something like that to also take care of our student athletes because they're being victimized of nonstate um employees and then how we're going to move with that one well thank you Senator um definitely the Safety and Security of our students is of utmost importance um we're looking at uh athletic coaches you're referring to Athletics yeah athletic coaches um you know the department does look at teachers who are willing to coach um but also um it is open to other uh members of the community that are able to coach at our high schools or at our schools um definitely uh their interview and process is in place to do our best to ensure the safety of our students but should an allegation be made as I had shared um investigations would be launched and uh but for this bill in the process of that investigation if an individual who is um with the Department decides to um resign from the Department then we would in in this situation for uh for teachers we would um immediately ask that their um license be surrendered thank you chair thank you thank you for the questions okay moving on House Bill 1653 relating to education pursu to a collective bargaining agreement negotiated for bargain un five provides annual salary step increases for public school teachers and educational officers who completed a Year's satisfactory service and compli with specific requirements superintendent please H Cher kidani Vice chair Kim Cherry Kino Vice chair of moraki uh Sean bacon assistant superintendent for the office of talent management testifying on behalf of the department we stand on our written testimony offering comments and are available to answer any questions thank you thank you Lis alaria Department budget Finance good afternoon CH Vice chair Department of budget and finance we will stand on our written testimony respectfully in opposition respectfully wibert hul good afternoon chani chairo Vice chairs and members of the Committees um my name is Wilbert Hulk I'm the chief negotiator with the office of collective bargaining and we must um oppose this bill basically because um wages such as this are negotiable under chapter 89 the collective bargaining law um I will be here if there are any questions thank members questions good afternoon Senator um do you do you think that there is a issue with this moving forward yeah um I think there are practical implications if we do remove this particular provision it's currently collectively bargained uh so from the standpoint of the employer uh because we do bargain step uh movements um we would just not include that in any forward negotiation that we would do and in all likelihood what we would just propose each time would just be uh increase es to base but since there would be automatic step movements throughout there the likelihood would be that the the itbs would actually just be smaller amounts than what we currently provide because there would already be automatic movements uh outside or within a contract term you think there's a Time timing problem a Time problem with um the negotiations and moving forward with that um it would it would be challenging because you know you would be negotiating at any given point in time but then there would also be movements that are happening outside of negotiations because you have these Provisions in statute that would provide for automatic step movements essentially okay thank you thank you chair could this set a precedent for all other um unions I believe it could yes because this is just one particular unit uh and you know there are other units that have steps to as well which we actually you know again bargain when we negotiate both uh well when we negotiate contracts does this also affect um the ability to bargain for other areas I mean like for instance over the years um I believe that U the teachers union are the only one that get all of their vacation time in C up front um is that is that correct or I I'm not sure about that um I I would defer to to to the areas that really kind of handle those types of benefits I I'm just looking at it from the standpoint of uh wages and and really there are two particular issues of wages that we negotiate on uh and which we budget and finance really look forward what that are really involved with and that's either increases to base and step movements and so essentially removing one of those Provisions basically just leaves us with one particular option that we would be negotiating on right but when you negotiate you don't just negotiate a salaries or the stat yes there are other provisions and and but for the most part we're we're not involved in a lot of those when the employer cannot give certain raises the Unions would ask for other things to compensate at that given time that's a possibility could be in the instances of getting vacation time all up front you know because then it gives them more flexibility in of getting the raises that they might have wanted it's all it's all on the table time I guess in in viewing it it it's a uh it's it's a total compensation package right uh benefits as well as salaries and wages and you know to be you know just to I mean we support and we continue to support uh you know the educational workers we just finished you know uh a four-year contract with them this year which we believe was very uh you know competitive uh you know but in this particular case again we're just looking at it as as a tool that we both negotiate on both the employer and the employee groups and this would just eliminate one of those Provisions that we negotiate on okay and I know that the unions do Al always bring up issues that that well that's a negotiated item therefore we shouldn't bring it up in the cases where they don't want to brought up right understood yes okay thank you further questions question chair hang on and Mr Hulk could you come up as well I'm a process person meaning we have something in place now and it's not that I I don't support the teachers getting the wage I think we all know we need to keep stepping this up but I'm also not wild about partially changing things because when we start seeing um potentially bandaid after bandaid to fix something that we tried to fix and um from your perspective and you're The Negotiator I mean I I think I understand what you're saying is your concern and this could be applicable across other contracts are we studying our St up so we're going to have some Stutter Steps going forward and I just I in my mind I can see this thing starting to snowball and just comments on that and and both of you please okay I think this does create as you call a Stutter Step because part of the problem with it is that in the year 2000 the legislature pack passed act 253 which was the civil service reform and within that act um they the legislature amended chapter 89 to give a clear definition of what wages included under chapter 89 and um among other things one of the things that the legislature determined was that wages included increment steps and longevity steps and then in 2016 the legislature repealed um this very language from U HRS 302 a626 education section which to clean it up so you know you're going to what you're going to do is go back and forth back and forth I don't know if that's a good thing to do and to follow on I I think from a from a process perspective uh I think we've been uh we we've grown accustomed to negotiating against step movements and itbs increases to bases which usually translates into about you know on average I would think for the last couple anywhere between 3 to 4% uh each to for each one like a step movement or an increase to base but if you have automatic step movements that are happening outside of negotiated agreements then the reality is is that I think you would see itbs that would probably be a lot smaller than what uh what we've grown accustomed to I mean probably in the vicinity of maybe more like one between 1 and 2% versus like three or maybe three and a half so the there are practical implications by making these changes and and I just want us to make sure that if we do decide to go that these things are are you know we go into it Eyes Wide Open okay and I appreciate that because you know again I we know that we need to step up but I don't like changing things um that's why I'm not wild about Constitutional Amendments or or anything like that because I think there's a process we have established and sticking to processes are important for going forward so I I appreciate that thank you chair thank you members I'm sorry but we have a few more testifiers I just asked okay just just really quickly so you know we've got all these V encies and we need some incentives and say the city has gotten bonuses where they get police officers at $25,000 more would bonuses be outside of the system so that you're not tampering with a current I mean if you really needed to incentivize so some kind of um incentive you know to to H I mean to to attract to attract so there there are those um and I'm not an HR expert but there are you know bonuses and incentives especially for you know hard to recruit type positions on and different types of categories so there are there are those types of uh of incentives that exist something rather than trying to temper with a system as Senator Richard says you know in this bill I think that that would be a path that would essentially kind of you know again take away a a negotiating tool for both the employer and the employee group uh going forward yes okay thank you chair thank you Joy buan thank you HOH chairs members of the committee L Moore speaking on behalf of foui president of the Hawaii state chers Association the hsd ends on our written testimony and I want to give history when I started in 1970 in 22 years I would have been at the top of the scale we got automatic step movements and then when you get to step 10 you stay for three years then three years three years well in 19 in 1989 the legislature took away our automatic stat movement and in 1992 I was supposed to be at the top of the salary schedule I came to the top of of the salary schedule in 2006 36 years after I started teaching and now that I'm at the top of the salary skill when teachers move a step I get a bonus at least the bonus counts towards my high three I believe that giving us back our automatic stat movement and when you get to the top you get a bonus is the way to attract and recruit our teachers the legislature took away our automatic set movements the legislature can give it back to us thank you very much for the opportunity to testify thank you John Fitzpatrick not present on Zoom chair thank you is there anyone else here wishing to testify in this measure okay members are there questions other questions okay moving on to the last item on our agenda House Bill 241 HD1 relating to workers compensation testifies superintendant please chair Vice chairs members of the committee CH for the Department of Education standing AR and testimony thank you Martha gan testifying in support for special education advisory council is there anyone else here wishing to testify on this measure if not recess okay reconvening our uh joint agenda uh 3:02 p.m. with education and labor and Technology committees okay so members the recommendation of the chair of commit education for 2400 HD2 to pass amendments defecting the date to July 2400 HD2 pass with amendments chair bothai numbers HB 2400 HD2 pass with amendments chair kidani votes I Vice chair votes I Hashim senator hasim I Senator Richards I Senator favella I byby recommendation adopted labor and Technology committee see recommendations questions or concerns Vice chair for the V HP 2400 uh pass with amendments chair votes I Vice chair votes I Senator Yara I Senator Lee I Senor fella I I votes recommendation adopted thank you for the next one house bill HD1 relating to education recommendation of the chair is to defer thank you very much okay moving on to the uh last measure um sorry and for LBT uh for that same measure House Bill 1653 same recommendation okay moving on to the last house bill 241 house draft one relating to workers compensation members the recommendation is to move that as a house draft one with technical amendments and a defective date of July 1st 2015 questions of concerns member sing on Vice chair for the vote chair V side 41 chair vot I Vice chair vot I Senator Yara hi Senator Lee hi Senator fella hi recommendation adopted committee on education same recommendation chair votes I okay for house build 241 house draft one recommendation to pass with amendments any members in the education committee voting with reservations anyone voting no if not five members present all voting I recommendations adopt okay oh we're Jour thank you very much okay joint committees on labor and technology and Health and Human Services uh joint agenda uh 3:10 p.m.

agenda we are in room 229 this meeting including the audio and video of remote participants is being streamed live on YouTube you will find links to viewing options for all Senate meetings on the live and On Demand video page of the legisl website this Zoom meeting and YouTube live stream event will include the 3:00 pm agenda no the 3:5 p.m. agenda for the committee on education in the unlikely event that must abruptly end this hearing due to Major technical difficulties the committee will reconvene to discuss any outstanding business on Wednesday March 20th 2024 at 3:03 p.m.

until noon and just want to note at 11:00 a.m. our families with children who are experiencing sensory needs um there's some time for them so mark your calendars for March 30th for that and also as we are all aware by now the eclipse the total eclipse which will be at Fort Ben Comm Community Park April 8th this will be at 1: p.m.

joint agenda with the labor and Technology Comm committee and the committee on higher education members the recommendation um well the decision making on Two Bills recommendation on the first one house bill 2720 house draft 3 read to collective bargaining after conferring with the uh chair of higher education we will be uh recommending a senate draft one to remove all contents of the current draft and insert uh Senate Bill 3317 Senate draft one that effectuates a barain in unit bargaining Unit 16 and insert also a definition of grad assistant I believe it's yes and we're going to keep the date defective for now okay any questions or concerns members just recommending the committee report that we put in about the fact that you know being a union organiz doesn't necessarily as a panace to resolve a lot of the issues which still have to be addressed by the University of Hawaii okay okay we'll go ahead and insert that chair in the committee report I know that there's another bill with criteria for how you create a bargain un so I'd like that if if um so I would go WR unless we can put that say in the contents um committee report to say that it should be a determination with some criteria for bargain yeah can we put that uh we probably could put the language in the no in in the committee report yeah so it's it's sort of like conditioned so that there are criteria by which you do it and hlr okay I believe we can do that yeah we we'll go ahead and do that in the committee report to uh make mention of a of a bill that would um help address to have Cru determination for okay okay thank you very much okay any other questions or concerns members see on Vice chair fo of hold K HB 2720 uh passed with amendments um chair hi Vice chair moai Senator car hi Senator Lee okay Senator p i okay recommendation adopted thank you and for higher education House Bill 2720 house draft 3 same recommendation to amend to the Senate version uh that we passed out and with the um insert inserts into the committee report any discussion members hearing none chair votes I chair votes I Vice chair votes I Senator faga excuse Senator Hashimoto hi Senator flla hi measures adopted mam chair okay thank you and for House Bill 2501 house draft one this is for um removing the reporting for workers compensation recommendation is to do an sd1 uh basically technical amend M ments correcting any legal technical or substantive amendments any discussion if not chair V chair V Vice chair V Senator fuka excuse Senator Hashima hi Senator FLL hi measures adopted M thank you Liber and Technology committee same recommendation any questions or concern seeing n Vice chair any members will no with reservation recommend adoped thank you right thank you thank you calling to order the joint committee on the of education and committee on labor and Technology uh today is Monday March 18 the 302 p.m.

it's Monday March 18th uh conference room 224 we just have one measure house build 2552 house draft one relating to employee benefits members uh and members of the public uh we have a a limit of 2 minutes okay but it's okay to stand on your written testimony because again thank you for Indulgence we're a little late okay but I'd like to move forward because we do have one more agenda after this okay thank you very much so um up first um the only Bill House Bill 2552 house draft one related to employe benefits okay up first you have Department labor industrial relations okay thank you very much dcap Kirby Shaw director executive director can support the DHS director bets also in support hsta oliv and mo um speaking on behalf of Osa Tui president of the Hawaii state Teachers Association we sent on our written test morning I would like to testify on my my nephew was born 1B 2 oz back in 1983 and I went in there they they told my sister-in-law and my brother that he wouldn't make it I went in there and had the nurses do what I had learn in college in special ed that you play music you talk to him you touched him and every day we would go in and talk to him and take him out of the trator and to this day he's okay and so it can be done this is an important bill we can save our children thank you thank you very much l okay up next we have Nicole woo white children's Action Network speaks chair Vice chair members of the committee thank you very much for hearing this bill we support this bill it's eight weeks of unpaid leave um added to Hawaii Family Leave law for parents whose babies are in the NICU um especially in the state like Hawaii where so many families uh babies end up at capol Lani um even if they're from neighbor Islands these parents are put in a really tough position they have to be with their babies but then they can also lose their jobs um so this is just some protection for these really um precious little babies and their parents who um really need to be there for them so thank you for letting me testify okay thank you very much up next we have the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission Aloha chairs and vice chairs Heather McVey on behalf of the Haw Civil Rights Commission we the commission supports this bill we're happy to increase protection for Hawaii's Working Families and people that have children the only thing I would like to highlight is that we would ask the Committees to consider adopting the suggested statutory Amendment language that we provided that would uh for the empowering statute just give a full enforcement um in addition to the administrative so thank you I'll be here for questions okay thank you very much okay up next Patricia bck brei breastfeeding Havi get support DOR Matsunaga Deb NAD Don po poyani okay all in support and we have Tod taniuchi not pres on Zoom shair okay also in support any others wish you to testify okay yes Aloha Angela Melody young testifying um in strong support on behalf of cares um so newborn babies who need intensive Medical Care are often put into a special area of the hospital called the neonat Intensive Care Unit the NICU the NICU has advanced technology and trained Healthcare professionals to give special care for the tiniest patients nicus may also um provide care for babies who are not sick but do need specialized nursing care um and so when the babies are in the Intensive Care um they need uh more time for the families um to um go and care for their babies um and so you know before birth the baby depends on the functions from the mother um and these include breathing eating elimination of waste and immune protection when a baby leaves the womb the body system um then has to adapt right for example uh the cardiac and ponary circulation functions um the digestive system um will start to process food and um push out um waste and the kidneys will start to work to balance the fluids and the chemicals and the blood in the body um and then the liver and the immune system will start to work on its own so this is all a very complex uh matter and so if we can help with the care of creating a healthier lifestyle um for the families that need to go um because they need the Neo native Intensive Care Unit we should provide that um in the vision for them so thank you okay thank you very much any others wishing to testify okay seeing non-members questions seeing no questions here all right okay we're going to go straight into decision making okay yes well I'll do it I'll do it for you I'll do it for you okay sure okay uh decision making for House Bill 2552 house draft 1 relating to employee benefits get memb recommendation after conferring with the chair of Health and Human Services uh we're going to be recommending an sd1 we're going to be inserting the requested amendments of the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission uh specifically in section 4 to include neonatal care in section or excuse me chapter 378 and which is the empowering statute of the Civil Rights Commission um and also members we're going to make this uh clean bill of July 1st 2024 any questions or concerns members okay again this is unpaid uh this is eight additional weeks okay seeing none Vice chair for the chair vs I so uh I spill 2552 chair v i Vice chair v i Senator iara hi Senator Lee hi Senator excuse recommendation thank you for HHS same recommendation Vice chair for the vote chair votes on okay chair votes I Vice chair votes I Senator k i i sen a is excused recommendation is adopted chair yeah all right so we're J thank you stand by for the 330 again thank you for your patience everyone okay uh 3:30 p.m.

agenda and we are in room 224 first item on the agenda is House Bill 2400 HD2 relating to education and to testify superintendent please good afternoon chair uh M of committee Department thank you next to testify Ani good afternoon chairs kidan aino members of the committee and heri Department of the Attorney General as we stated in our testimony in order to align the bill with terminology currently used in statute uh the department recommends substituting the word surrender with the word forfeit or forfeiture as applicable I'll be available for questions thank you thank you an next to testify Felicia this thank you is there anyone else here wishing to testify on this measure Angela Angela Melody young testifying on behalf of kapalama neighborhood security watch um in strong support um so this policy will set forth an act to add predators and offenders to the National Association of State directors of teacher education and certification which maintains an interstate agreement with the hoi teacher Standards Board it is unacceptable for offenders accused of abuse to evade accountability by relocating to different jurisdictions or institutions this um act then will make sure potential Employers in an educational setting are aware of the unlicensed statuses of these offenders so I think the terms of this law can benefit from more specificity especially if it is dealing with grave offenses in the penal code of title 37 of the Hawaii revised Statute um so I'd like to point to an example that this policy can copy it also has to do with protecting students from abuse and in integrating the levels of care in response to uh child abuse this policy I'd like to refer to is house spill 2425 an expungement of the central registry to equip those working with children youth and families so with the expungement of central registry in a response to integrate the levels of care to protect students from child abuse the records of child abuse and neglect reports are maintained by the State Child Protection or social services offices and there's a process to get evidence to confirm abuse and then a process for clearing of expungement from the records so this is data from the Child Welfare information Gateway office um an office from the United States Department of Health and Human Services and so it refers very specifically to child abuse in the state law of what defines harm harm means section 587a threatened harm means the same chapter 587a which is the child protective act so back to this bill HB 2400 um it needs to have more specificity to refer to the Peno code of what are the degrees of sexual assault um Class C felonies and Class B and class A felonies Buy in the degree of the sexual assault portrayed by actors um as per the penal code so um I think it will be um more um specific for the sexual abuse offenders to get the penal code chapter there thank Angela members any questions on this members question testimony see that we have allegations and and and all of that on top maybe I never redrew the whole bill but we we have a problem in the doe and I know you know too all uh I'm not going to say teachers but people that in education that do grooming and you you you know that you heard the name before right grooming so um how how we going to address that if a student maybe wasn't uh abuse abuse after two years of grooming and then she realized that she was being groomed for other things on I guess uh solicitation or more more an arras of harassment how how we going to address those issues that we have in the schools too thank you Senator um uh in any situation involving uh what what you had just shared the department does have a process for us to initiate investigations in those immediately investigations no in those areas and so um uh we definitely will do so um with expediency and I and I see that you know it talks about I mean like I said I just reading what I have here in in a brief of the bill but how how are we going to address coaches who's not affiliated with um the doe and another thing maybe you can go look in to I just wanted to find out when and why and how come that the do decided to not have coaches that are teachers and faculty and going outside the room of getting nonstate employees or employers or employees excuse me going forward and coaching because in the previous past I'm not saying it didn't happen but we got to look into something like that to also take care of our student athletes because they're being victimized of nonstate um employees and then how we're going to move with that one well thank you Senator um definitely the Safety and Security of our students is of utmost importance um we're looking at uh athletic coaches you're referring to Athletics yeah athletic coaches um you know the department does look at teachers who are willing to coach um but also um it is open to other uh members of the community that are able to coach at our high schools or at our schools um definitely uh their interview and process is in place to do our best to ensure the safety of our students but should an allegation be made as I had shared um investigations would be launched and uh but for this bill in the process of that investigation if an individual who is um with the Department decides to um resign from the Department then we would in in this situation for uh for teachers we would um immediately ask that their um license be surrendered thank you chair thank you thank you for the questions okay moving on House Bill 1653 relating to education pursu to a collective bargaining agreement negotiated for bargain un five provides annual salary step increases for public school teachers and educational officers who completed a Year's satisfactory service and compli with specific requirements superintendent please H Cher kidani Vice chair Kim Cherry Kino Vice chair of moraki uh Sean bacon assistant superintendent for the office of talent management testifying on behalf of the department we stand on our written testimony offering comments and are available to answer any questions thank you thank you Lis alaria Department budget Finance good afternoon CH Vice chair Department of budget and finance we will stand on our written testimony respectfully in opposition respectfully wibert hul good afternoon chani chairo Vice chairs and members of the Committees um my name is Wilbert Hulk I'm the chief negotiator with the office of collective bargaining and we must um oppose this bill basically because um wages such as this are negotiable under chapter 89 the collective bargaining law um I will be here if there are any questions thank members questions good afternoon Senator um do you do you think that there is a issue with this moving forward yeah um I think there are practical implications if we do remove this particular provision it's currently collectively bargained uh so from the standpoint of the employer uh because we do bargain step uh movements um we would just not include that in any forward negotiation that we would do and in all likelihood what we would just propose each time would just be uh increase es to base but since there would be automatic step movements throughout there the likelihood would be that the the itbs would actually just be smaller amounts than what we currently provide because there would already be automatic movements uh outside or within a contract term you think there's a Time timing problem a Time problem with um the negotiations and moving forward with that um it would it would be challenging because you know you would be negotiating at any given point in time but then there would also be movements that are happening outside of negotiations because you have these Provisions in statute that would provide for automatic step movements essentially okay thank you thank you chair could this set a precedent for all other um unions I believe it could yes because this is just one particular unit uh and you know there are other units that have steps to as well which we actually you know again bargain when we negotiate both uh well when we negotiate contracts does this also affect um the ability to bargain for other areas I mean like for instance over the years um I believe that U the teachers union are the only one that get all of their vacation time in C up front um is that is that correct or I I'm not sure about that um I I would defer to to to the areas that really kind of handle those types of benefits I I'm just looking at it from the standpoint of uh wages and and really there are two particular issues of wages that we negotiate on uh and which we budget and finance really look forward what that are really involved with and that's either increases to base and step movements and so essentially removing one of those Provisions basically just leaves us with one particular option that we would be negotiating on right but when you negotiate you don't just negotiate a salaries or the stat yes there are other provisions and and but for the most part we're we're not involved in a lot of those when the employer cannot give certain raises the Unions would ask for other things to compensate at that given time that's a possibility could be in the instances of getting vacation time all up front you know because then it gives them more flexibility in of getting the raises that they might have wanted it's all it's all on the table time I guess in in viewing it it it's a uh it's it's a total compensation package right uh benefits as well as salaries and wages and you know to be you know just to I mean we support and we continue to support uh you know the educational workers we just finished you know uh a four-year contract with them this year which we believe was very uh you know competitive uh you know but in this particular case again we're just looking at it as as a tool that we both negotiate on both the employer and the employee groups and this would just eliminate one of those Provisions that we negotiate on okay and I know that the unions do Al always bring up issues that that well that's a negotiated item therefore we shouldn't bring it up in the cases where they don't want to brought up right understood yes okay thank you further questions question chair hang on and Mr Hulk could you come up as well I'm a process person meaning we have something in place now and it's not that I I don't support the teachers getting the wage I think we all know we need to keep stepping this up but I'm also not wild about partially changing things because when we start seeing um potentially bandaid after bandaid to fix something that we tried to fix and um from your perspective and you're The Negotiator I mean I I think I understand what you're saying is your concern and this could be applicable across other contracts are we studying our St up so we're going to have some Stutter Steps going forward and I just I in my mind I can see this thing starting to snowball and just comments on that and and both of you please okay I think this does create as you call a Stutter Step because part of the problem with it is that in the year 2000 the legislature pack passed act 253 which was the civil service reform and within that act um they the legislature amended chapter 89 to give a clear definition of what wages included under chapter 89 and um among other things one of the things that the legislature determined was that wages included increment steps and longevity steps and then in 2016 the legislature repealed um this very language from U HRS 302 a626 education section which to clean it up so you know you're going to what you're going to do is go back and forth back and forth I don't know if that's a good thing to do and to follow on I I think from a from a process perspective uh I think we've been uh we we've grown accustomed to negotiating against step movements and itbs increases to bases which usually translates into about you know on average I would think for the last couple anywhere between 3 to 4% uh each to for each one like a step movement or an increase to base but if you have automatic step movements that are happening outside of negotiated agreements then the reality is is that I think you would see itbs that would probably be a lot smaller than what uh what we've grown accustomed to I mean probably in the vicinity of maybe more like one between 1 and 2% versus like three or maybe three and a half so the there are practical implications by making these changes and and I just want us to make sure that if we do decide to go that these things are are you know we go into it Eyes Wide Open okay and I appreciate that because you know again I we know that we need to step up but I don't like changing things um that's why I'm not wild about Constitutional Amendments or or anything like that because I think there's a process we have established and sticking to processes are important for going forward so I I appreciate that thank you chair thank you members I'm sorry but we have a few more testifiers I just asked okay just just really quickly so you know we've got all these V encies and we need some incentives and say the city has gotten bonuses where they get police officers at $25,000 more would bonuses be outside of the system so that you're not tampering with a current I mean if you really needed to incentivize so some kind of um incentive you know to to H I mean to to attract to attract so there there are those um and I'm not an HR expert but there are you know bonuses and incentives especially for you know hard to recruit type positions on and different types of categories so there are there are those types of uh of incentives that exist something rather than trying to temper with a system as Senator Richard says you know in this bill I think that that would be a path that would essentially kind of you know again take away a a negotiating tool for both the employer and the employee group uh going forward yes okay thank you chair thank you Joy buan thank you HOH chairs members of the committee L Moore speaking on behalf of foui president of the Hawaii state chers Association the hsd ends on our written testimony and I want to give history when I started in 1970 in 22 years I would have been at the top of the scale we got automatic step movements and then when you get to step 10 you stay for three years then three years three years well in 19 in 1989 the legislature took away our automatic stat movement and in 1992 I was supposed to be at the top of the salary schedule I came to the top of of the salary schedule in 2006 36 years after I started teaching and now that I'm at the top of the salary skill when teachers move a step I get a bonus at least the bonus counts towards my high three I believe that giving us back our automatic stat movement and when you get to the top you get a bonus is the way to attract and recruit our teachers the legislature took away our automatic set movements the legislature can give it back to us thank you very much for the opportunity to testify thank you John Fitzpatrick not present on Zoom chair thank you is there anyone else here wishing to testify in this measure okay members are there questions other questions okay moving on to the last item on our agenda House Bill 241 HD1 relating to workers compensation testifies superintendant please chair Vice chairs members of the committee CH for the Department of Education standing AR and testimony thank you Martha gan testifying in support for special education advisory council is there anyone else here wishing to testify on this measure if not recess okay reconvening our uh joint agenda uh 3:02 p.m. with education and labor and Technology committees okay so members the recommendation of the chair of commit education for 2400 HD2 to pass amendments defecting the date to July 2400 HD2 pass with amendments chair bothai numbers HB 2400 HD2 pass with amendments chair kidani votes I Vice chair votes I Hashim senator hasim I Senator Richards I Senator favella I byby recommendation adopted labor and Technology committee see recommendations questions or concerns Vice chair for the V HP 2400 uh pass with amendments chair votes I Vice chair votes I Senator Yara I Senator Lee I Senor fella I I votes recommendation adopted thank you for the next one house bill HD1 relating to education recommendation of the chair is to defer thank you very much okay moving on to the uh last measure um sorry and for LBT uh for that same measure House Bill 1653 same recommendation okay moving on to the last house bill 241 house draft one relating to workers compensation members the recommendation is to move that as a house draft one with technical amendments and a defective date of July 1st 2015 questions of concerns member sing on Vice chair for the vote chair V side 41 chair vot I Vice chair vot I Senator Yara hi Senator Lee hi Senator fella hi recommendation adopted committee on education same recommendation chair votes I okay for house build 241 house draft one recommendation to pass with amendments any members in the education committee voting with reservations anyone voting no if not five members present all voting I recommendations adopt okay oh we're Jour thank you very much okay joint committees on labor and technology and Health and Human Services uh joint agenda uh 3:10 p.m.

agenda it's uh Monday March 18th uh committee on labor and Technology okay just a number of uh bills on this agenda in the event that we need to reconvene for uh further business or decision making we'll be reconvening on Wednesday 3:5 p.m.

it's Monday March 18th uh conference room 224 we just have one measure house build 2552 house draft one relating to employee benefits members uh and members of the public uh we have a a limit of 2 minutes okay but it's okay to stand on your written testimony because again thank you for Indulgence we're a little late okay but I'd like to move forward because we do have one more agenda after this okay thank you very much so um up first um the only Bill House Bill 2552 house draft one related to employe benefits okay up first you have Department labor industrial relations okay thank you very much dcap Kirby Shaw director executive director can support the DHS director bets also in support hsta oliv and mo um speaking on behalf of Osa Tui president of the Hawaii state Teachers Association we sent on our written test morning I would like to testify on my my nephew was born 1B 2 oz back in 1983 and I went in there they they told my sister-in-law and my brother that he wouldn't make it I went in there and had the nurses do what I had learn in college in special ed that you play music you talk to him you touched him and every day we would go in and talk to him and take him out of the trator and to this day he's okay and so it can be done this is an important bill we can save our children thank you thank you very much l okay up next we have Nicole woo white children's Action Network speaks chair Vice chair members of the committee thank you very much for hearing this bill we support this bill it's eight weeks of unpaid leave um added to Hawaii Family Leave law for parents whose babies are in the NICU um especially in the state like Hawaii where so many families uh babies end up at capol Lani um even if they're from neighbor Islands these parents are put in a really tough position they have to be with their babies but then they can also lose their jobs um so this is just some protection for these really um precious little babies and their parents who um really need to be there for them so thank you for letting me testify okay thank you very much up next we have the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission Aloha chairs and vice chairs Heather McVey on behalf of the Haw Civil Rights Commission we the commission supports this bill we're happy to increase protection for Hawaii's Working Families and people that have children the only thing I would like to highlight is that we would ask the Committees to consider adopting the suggested statutory Amendment language that we provided that would uh for the empowering statute just give a full enforcement um in addition to the administrative so thank you I'll be here for questions okay thank you very much okay up next Patricia bck brei breastfeeding Havi get support DOR Matsunaga Deb NAD Don po poyani okay all in support and we have Tod taniuchi not pres on Zoom shair okay also in support any others wish you to testify okay yes Aloha Angela Melody young testifying um in strong support on behalf of cares um so newborn babies who need intensive Medical Care are often put into a special area of the hospital called the neonat Intensive Care Unit the NICU the NICU has advanced technology and trained Healthcare professionals to give special care for the tiniest patients nicus may also um provide care for babies who are not sick but do need specialized nursing care um and so when the babies are in the Intensive Care um they need uh more time for the families um to um go and care for their babies um and so you know before birth the baby depends on the functions from the mother um and these include breathing eating elimination of waste and immune protection when a baby leaves the womb the body system um then has to adapt right for example uh the cardiac and ponary circulation functions um the digestive system um will start to process food and um push out um waste and the kidneys will start to work to balance the fluids and the chemicals and the blood in the body um and then the liver and the immune system will start to work on its own so this is all a very complex uh matter and so if we can help with the care of creating a healthier lifestyle um for the families that need to go um because they need the Neo native Intensive Care Unit we should provide that um in the vision for them so thank you okay thank you very much any others wishing to testify okay seeing non-members questions seeing no questions here all right okay we're going to go straight into decision making okay yes well I'll do it I'll do it for you I'll do it for you okay sure okay uh decision making for House Bill 2552 house draft 1 relating to employee benefits get memb recommendation after conferring with the chair of Health and Human Services uh we're going to be recommending an sd1 we're going to be inserting the requested amendments of the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission uh specifically in section 4 to include neonatal care in section or excuse me chapter 378 and which is the empowering statute of the Civil Rights Commission um and also members we're going to make this uh clean bill of July 1st 2024 any questions or concerns members okay again this is unpaid uh this is eight additional weeks okay seeing none Vice chair for the chair vs I so uh I spill 2552 chair v i Vice chair v i Senator iara hi Senator Lee hi Senator excuse recommendation thank you for HHS same recommendation Vice chair for the vote chair votes on okay chair votes I Vice chair votes I Senator k i i sen a is excused recommendation is adopted chair yeah all right so we're J thank you stand by for the 330 again thank you for your patience everyone okay uh 3:30 p.m.

in room 224 okay uh first we have House Bill 2658 house draft F okay related to Department of Human Resources development okay up first we have the her director okay thank you director any others wishing to testify seeing none members questions okay no questions okay let's move on to the next measure one oh you want a one so so with with this change it will decrease the amount of time that you can reclassify because you don't have to come back to the legislature before actually reclassifying or or or um eliminating positions is that correct yes that's correct um I should note though that de herd to my knowledge has never ever exercise this authority to abolish or to reclassify a position but it will expedite if you had to do it yes correct thank thank you chair okay thank you very much members any other questions if not moving on House Bill 1642 house draft one to General employee orientation okay first we have hga okay thank you very much United public work workers thank you very much any others wish you to testify seeing non members questions okay questions okay okay okay moving on to House Bill 2235 house draft 1 okay related to non-general funds okay first we have Department in labor industrial relations thank you very much up next we have tax foundation not present on Zoom chair thank you very much any others wishing to testify seeing nonmembers questions I don't know if you can answer but you David so you know the um you want to announce yourself David Roger with the D so it's exempting the boiler and elevator from the special fund um no not that one but um yeah entral Services fund that's a fee that the BF charges do you know why they said that they were Exempted from it that was an agreement we worked out with the BNF um because the the fund only generates between like 1 to 2.5 million I think it wasn't enough anyway so I guess exempting it would would allow the fund to have more money in it and then you know the penalties fund um is changing from special fund to trust fund do you know why um is based on the auditor's report for my understanding so no no but the reason for moving it in a special to a trust uh because BNF believed that it it's best suited as a general fund thing not not a special fund it wasn't yeah put into trust so you can draw down more or is there a cap like the special fund there's a cap right so I guess cuz with the special fund they weren't able I mean they were able to keep the money just for those purposes right but so this is more General use yes it's more General use now okay thank you chair thank you thank you members any other questions okay so n let's move on to the last measure House Bill 1639 house tra F reling to the eutf thank you for for your patience first we have Derek [Music] Mizuno okay thank you very much uh members any other sorry any others wishing to testify okay members questions okay we heard a similar measure in the Senate okay no questions I believe we're going to go directly into decision making okay so up first house bill 2658 house draft one okay reling to uh department of human uh Human Resources development uh this would repeal a certain uh report requirement members the recommendation is to move this as a senate draft fund with technical amendments and a defective date of July 1st 2050 questions or concerns members see on Vice chair for chair v i chair v i Vice chair v i Senator Iha hi Senator Lee hi excuse recommendation adopted thank you very much members moving on to Hill 1642 house draft one relating to uh General employee orientation members the recommendation is to move this as a senate draft One technical amendments and we will be uh making this bill clean uh of July 1st the effective date of July 1st 2024 questions to concerns members seeing n Vice chair for HP 1642 all members present anyone voting no with reservation recommendation adopted thank you very much moving on to hospital 2235 house draft one related to non-general funds members uh the recommendation would be to move this as a senate draft one uh technical amendments and uh we're going to move it up a little bit to July 1st 2050 questions of concerns members seeing on Vice chair for the vote all members present anyone voting no with reservation recommendation adopted okay moving on to the last bill House Bill 1639 house draft one okay uh for this one uh we will be moving this as a senate draft one with technical amendments and a effective date of July 2024 anyone know anyone with reservation recommendation adopted okay thank you very much everyone uh colleagues and members of the public thank you very much for your patience we adjourn

agenda it's uh Monday March 18th uh committee on labor and Technology okay just a number of uh bills on this agenda in the event that we need to reconvene for uh further business or decision making we'll be reconvening on Wednesday 3:5 p.m.

2% of our budget the majority of which is for us to send students out of District to special services school districts or approved private schools for the disabled in New Jersey in other words students who we can't provide programs for here in District we then have to send out of district and we're legally obligated to provide that service for them which directly impacts our transportation costs you can see transportation is the next highest cost there we have to transport those same students we also have to transport all of our students to and from school so Transportation costs are pretty high we do Outsource many of our routes due to our lack of drivers and the driver the Nationwide driver shortage operations of our school facilities so that's for the maintenance custodial and general operation of our facilities none of those other costs are salaries there that's just to operate our school facilities quite honestly that's a very low number for a district of our size but our facilities department does excellent work so we've been able to manage and then of course we need to purchase curriculum and technology and all other costs is 7.4% you're going to ask what are all other costs all other costs for us is just the cost of doing business as a school district so that would be um providing for FICA reimbursement that we must pay for each of our employees and salaries that's going to be for waiver payments for anybody who Ops out of insurance coverages our registrations for all of our staff uh profession association fees legal fees judgments against the district um and our annual purs obligation which is a few million dollars they all fall under that other cost again just the general cost of us doing business as a district in New Jersey the biggest takeaway from this screen for anybody here would be that salaries and benefits make up about 76% of our budget what that means is before we've even begun talking about educating students directly 76 cents of every dollar is accounted for so let's talk State funding we're all familiar most of us in this room are going to be familiar with the S2 State funding reductions just to go back to the timeline that I had mentioned earlier school districts are going to submit their budgets in March that's for a July one implementation So today we're submitting our budget for July 1st school years run July 1 to June 30th of every year so what we're looking at back in 2018 was Eve sham Township balanced a budget with 13.9 million accounted for it from state aid the state said in March here's your state aid so the governor gives his BD budget address in February of every year and within 48 Hours school districts get their state aid notices and then we we're finalizing our budget because we know exactly what the state is going to give us we never know until after 40 or until 48 hours after that budget address so in March of Eve sham got their notice and said great we're getting $13.9 million fantastic and they balanced the budget closed the year they opened up in July and they started implementing their budget that year and this happened to many districts who were S2 losers across the state and then the state said in the same year that's fiscal year 19 because it was July 2018 through 19 the state said you know I know we told you you're going to get 13.9 million we're actually only going to give you 13.1 million we need that $800,000 back oh and by the way you have to hold an emergency meeting in July and you have to tell us what you're cutting and where you're taking it from and we're not just going to take it one year we're going to take it for the next seven years for eam that's $7.1 million in a total reduction down at the bottom or 68% of our original state funding number that is a massive massive impact so what does this mean this means that the state is Shifting the burden to the taxpayers the blue bar represents the tax levy the yellow or Red Line would represent the state funding you can see from the Box on the top right State funding used to represent almost 24% of our tax levy this year for July 1 or bisic year 25 it's less than 10% under ideal conditions that red line would follow the same trajectory is our blue Bars Under normal conditions prs2 that red line would have remained constant or flat today you can see that that Gap is widening and it's only going to get worse so I want to bring you back to this slide really quick before we move forward our total funding reduction if you just look at it in a vacuum you say year-over-year what did we lose last year we were given 6.7 million that's crossed out we then applied for a one-time stabilization Aid we received around $486,000 back from the state so our total state aid last year came in at 7.2 million this year the state said we're going to give you the 6,754 617 and they're saying it's an $18,000 difference year over it is from their original number but it doesn't account for the stabilization AG that was one time that we received last year how we what we're actually feeling this year is a $55,000 loss additionally $7.1 million keep that number in your head because it's farce in 201819 we lost $815,000 in 1920 we lost $925,000 but they never gave me back my $815,000 so my actual loss that year was $1,740 th000 every year they don't give me the money back or give us this District the money back we are absorbing those losses to the tune of $31 million that is what the state funding reduction has done to Eve sham and every year that they don't give it back to us we will absorb 7.1 million dollar more in losses uh for our residents in the room if you want to know what this tax levy is going to do for you this year top right this is kind of hard to see do you have it here is it here yeah sorry guys I will uh make this clear if we um yeah thank you this one yeah so next year our tax Lev is 69 mil 963 484 that is an increase of 1,730 $2,413 for the average assessed home in Eve sham that's that yellow bar going across um in the middle there that's 272,000 roughly and you might say my home's not worth that amount of money my home's more or less so for every $100,000 of assessed value it's a sliding scale you can follow all the way to the right your increase is $345 so again for every $100,000 of assessed value your increase year over is $345 and that's it for me all of this information I pull from the uh Burlington County Abstract of ratables and those sources are listed at the bottom there and then also the average residential assessment report from the state of New Jersey thank you thank you Mr Yates and we will uh as he said we'll make that bigger when we uh I'll be sharing this out tomorrow and we'll post it on our website so that 12.5 million so that 12.5 million that we are missing if we had an average budget and you might wonder where is you know why where did that come from Mr Yates just explained we've lost over 7 Mill ion in state aid added to that is another 3 million roughly in tax slavy revenue that we uh you know basically let expire which at the time our district was being fully funded so it was not needed but over time now it means we can't go back and get that again you know the state doesn't have a mechanism for districts to go be be able to go back we can't go back in time and get that we didn't need it then we surely could use it now but that 3 million plus the 7.1 plus the compounded interest on the 3 million gets Us close to that 12.5 million so we're going to go to non- Staffing first um as we have been doing for the last three years we are looking at increasing walking uh we are we have budgeted for two bus routes to be eliminated and we do this really twofold one uh bus driver shortage second uh budget savings activity fee increase as we have done each year we are going to increase that as well um just incrementally uh new Walking Zone this slide was actually in last year's budget presentation um and just as an illustration of the difficulty not just for districts but everywhere it it took um a lot longer than anticipated to get the crosswalk installed for this you may have seen it uh recently uh finished from Washington nav across Tomlinson Mill to the sidewalk on the MMS side um so those the schools is going to be communicating um with the families in briwood this will start on April 8th when we get back from spring break the other walking Zone because we budgeted two is still under discussion um it could well be uh Mees briwood which would be 43 students one bus route and we'll continue to work on that each walking route takes time right so we we work with the township we work with the township engineer we work with the police department studies are done it's slow gradual careful work and and um that's why we you know each year our town but is not uh designed for walking those you know who live here know that um you may recall uh it was last year that I was sending out links to the Delaware Valley Regional planning commission's survey on pedestrian and biking accessibility for Marlton they had chosen Marlon to do their study on specifically because of our accessibility issues for walking and biking um and they they met with some of our PTA ptas as well this slide is the hardest slide of the whole presentation this is Staffing uh the uh we're going to talk about each one of these in more detail but I did want to give you an overview um total Savings of about 1.5 million and uh the biggest step is the top one which is uh grade seven and eight teachers teaching a sixth class instead of Team time and we'll talk about that the only consumer science that was almost eliminated last year this year it is um one of the steps seventh and eighth grade small music lessons that's one position tier three restructuring that's another position Elementary class size increasing uh that's two positions we've done that every year for the last four years Elementary Spanish increasing Elementary class size Elementary Spanish one position uh I'll talk about the next piece it doesn't save anything but it just keeps us from having to add a position back and then Elementary related arts positional reduction of three positions for 18 total the right hand column the our right hand column where it says retire and vacant what every District what we wish 100% is that maybe those numbers in the second to right column and the right column end up matching you know we we've seen um enough retirements and vacancies in the past few years to almost keep Pace with the positions that we had to eliminate this year uh it's a little bit of a it's a bit different story at this point um but nonetheless um it's it's still an in process which is why there's question marks at the bottom we'll see where that goes so why is our district cutting over 1.6 million in Staffing we're only losing quote unquote only losing about a half a million in state aid so and this is the this is situation for all districts right you can only increase the local tax levy by 2% but meanwhile operating a district the cost of operating go up by more than 2% per year so salaries and benefits go up by more than two hiring costs Transportation special education inflation outside providers and I ran out of room for bullets but basically everything else goes up more than 2% in the state's wisdom they set that ceiling at 2% means that basically every year if state aid stays flat so if if we had gotten Flat state a this year we'd still be talking about having to cut 1.1 million because that's the ever widening gap between that the cost of operating and the 2% tax levy and that's what we'll be looking at next year the state has not said what's happening with state aid next year but looking at how S2 has gone um it's not I'm I'm not encouraged a person isn't encouraged about what will happen for a town like eam that's perceived to be able to basically pay pay its own way you know um and even though the state hasn't released all the state aid formula so there's ingredients missing from that recipe that they won't share despite lawsuits even if we look at the product that's coming out of that recipe with the missing ingredients it's not consistent anyone can look and we have it we there's ample evidence if you if we look at around our state there are sending districts and receiving districts and the what's happening with the receiving districts should be the same as what's happening with their sending districts in total it's the same families it's the same ratables same property values and yet it varies vastly couple things to keep in mind about our grade progression so we're the only District in the county with two middle schools two grade six to eight middle schools only District where all students of a grade first combine in ninth grade so if you you know just to if you live in one of our neighboring towns all the kids combin in fifth grade if you live in another one they all combin in sixth grade and here in in in and they all combine in ninth grade currently what that looks like for us is six elementaries feeding into two midds with four halls and then feeding into one high school starting next year based on this budget six Elementary feeding into two midds four holes in grade six modified holes grade 78 one high school we remain the only District in the county with students in smaller ponds before high school it's a very nice feature there's a town that's not much smaller than us that has a 56 building and a 78 building this is great for us to be two identical middle schools two smaller ponds just a picture of the forest of class size in IAM so as mentioned earlier we've increased class size each year for the past four years for elementary that is incredibly painful to have the class sizes increasing for the smallest the the younger Learners right we have not been able to do the same in Middle because Middle with the house system has locked us into five core content teachers per house per grade the only way we can achieve efficiencies with middle school is by modifying the house system I highlighted G5 and G4 there because well for one from a class size standpoint they're edging a bit higher than some of the Middle School class sizes and here we are again having to increase increase class size in elementary again next year in those two grades this uh grade 78 step that we're talking about is $700,000 it's the largest single saving step in seven years and it basically comes from currently as I mentioned the 10 core content teachers per grade teach five classes which is 50 classes total next year it would be eight teachers per grade teaching six classes total which is 48 classes so essentially the same number of classes but eight fewer positions what that means in terms of change for the teacher day so The Quirk and I say this like you know I was a G7 core content teacher at one point my first Public School teaching experience language arts and social studies with a section of health and PE so four subjects um in a in a in a middle school that was grade six through eight with a house system it doesn't have that house system anymore I'm sad to say grade seven and eight core content teachers that's Reading Writing Math Science Social Studies will teach a six class in place of three team time periods one independent study period and one duty period per week and what that will generally look like is those teachers splitting the grades and teaching their six classes within both grades so some seven some eight that's a big lift that's a huge lift to go from teaching five to six and in the process losing time that while team time could also have been used for other things is a lot and you know just knowing that again just little data point but it's I've done that it's not it's not easy at all it's not easy and I under I would I totally understand the we wouldn't want to be taking this Step at all period it's just trying to go back to that mission of what's the least horrible path with our resources to achieve the mission the uh I would want to point out that most etsd teachers have been teaching six classes are the equivalent or more because for years so that's elementary teachers Middle School related arts teachers some middle school special education teachers as with all these changes they need to be unpacked and discussed granularly right within the buildings about how to do the best approaches how to come up with the best Alternatives inrs and IP just as an example of that you know could could well look like it does in elementary currently change for student day PE Health Tech 5 days a week instead a four so they will not have their period per week of independent study they'll walk out of their Hall a bit more for core content classes they they already leave their hall for related arts PE lunch special education and more they'll be in class with students from both holes and I this is important right sometimes there is a gain in in loss and parents who have you know had kids kids go through middle know this is a real Dynamic when you go into two houses you say goodbye to some of your friendships from fifth grade and you may never you may never have those again the way Road leads on to Road you may never have those again and when those kids combine from four ponds into High School versus a little less than four ponds you know with a few more friendships before they get to the one Lake that's a positive what's not changing is daily student schedule they'll still have the same periods same length same next year as this year we tried a different way so this year at Dei grade six we tried because again trying to turn over as many stones as we can to avoid a scenario like this we uh we we dropped Dei down one position in sixth grade and the teachers to their full credit have done a great job picking up a different subject so they're teaching still teaching sixth but if you're reading you might be picking up a writing class or you might I mean if you're reading might picking up Social Studies if you're math you might picking up science it depended on certifications and interest and we can't do it again at Dei next year because the uh the class size the the grade enrollment is going up to 255 but Marton middle which is highlighted is going to go down to 229 so Marton middle is going to do it next year to Macy will'll go back to 10 teachers in grade six budgetarily it's a wash um and that's going to be more change for grade six at MMS family consumer science just giving you an example of what it could look like we we have some firsthand experience with this um grade 78 small music lessons our music programs are amazing they are absolutely fantas fantastic and I get this churning feeling in my gut talking about these changes and this one like music is where kids find belonging right it's one of those ways kids find belonging and grade three and grade four we start a little earlier here than in other districts so if we have to peel back we're going to peel back from the end because as they do progress onto high school they're not going to have small group music lessons and every family on that Journey as their kids progress through and we start earlier on that Journey here than in other districts every family is faced with that process of trying to identify how to keep private lessons how to transition over to private lessons along the way and that again like the other changes will get discussed Within the Music Department because those are the people who understand understand best how to make it work tier three so we have two Standalone tier three teachers here in eam um It's a Wonderful it's a wonderful thing our district did not always have that and we've been fortunate to have it so we're going to go to one and it'll be in middle school because Middle School is facing more change for next year than Elementary and our Elementary classroom teachers will those who were here before we had that talone position no firsthand but it'll it'll be back to the classroom teachers to differentiate for tier three related arts teachers have very busy schedules but as able they will help and meet independently Elementary changes is continued we're looking at increasing class size in grades four and and five to 26 and 27 that's those are those are Maxes that we try to stay within right so when we look at our enrollment which we start to do very soon here for the coming year and decide on the number of sections and that always changes and you have to monitor that all along until the start of the year but as we look at that we basically like split the sections steering by these class sizes now if there's 100 kids in a Grade that's going to be four sections of 25 in grade four right you know we don't but so it may not always achieve a savings that depends a little bit on the enrollment per grade per school why I call this especially painful is because the number one place where kids develop connections is in class with their teacher right and and the foundation of success is through that relationship building between teacher and student and there's a bit of math to that so the number of points in a day when a teacher is you know they have 23 Kids versus 26 in a class over time there's loss there I I mean that that is if if a bag of money fell right now from the sky because our elementary teachers have have had class size increase for the last four years should it be to let Elementary class size keep going up and do that something else with that money Elementary Spanish restructured going from four to three teachers and we have some experience with this as well from this year and again that means change for elementary teachers because um those potentially depending on the scenario we go with but they may be providing uh minutes and time of reinforcement of new material enrichment of new material for their uh students with support from our certificated Spanish teachers Elementary related arts that's been a perennial uh wish to be able to um have every school have its own related arts team budgetarily it's it's just not going to be possible to make it stick we tried um again this year but um we're looking at a reduction of three positions for elementary related arts non-certificated so uh two support positions one of those conversations has been had already one one is still pending um middle school so we had we've had four Middle School teaching assistants who have been funded by Esser money so that's the federal money that um every District in the country got which was not allocated equally some districts got way more based on smaller populations sounds like S2 doesn't it um and uh so what we we use some of ours to fund Middle School teaching assistance and every district is faced with the same Choice which is these positions that were funded through outside the regular budget you either bring them back in and you pay for them out of the regular budget or they elaps they Sunset and we're going to bring two back in and let two uh go essentially let two of those positions end at the end of the year budget arily to balance it we're trimming two Elementary teaching assistant positions so there's no budgetary impact um from that standpoint for a total of 120,000 there other steps we reduce departmental spending each year for the last four years we found this year that we had hit bottom with that grants always looking for Grants applying for any that are relevant and we're eligible for school resource officer shared services agreement with the township I want to thank the township for that we got that a few years ago it's still good through next year and it splits the cost of our SRO we have one per School building it's a fantastic um support and one that very few towns have um so always thankful for that transportation department so Mr eids mentioned earlier about Transportation costs our district has to Outsource about two-thirds of our bus routes so we have 27 drivers and that covers a third of our routes we're continually looking for efficiencies including we've even looked at start times and beer we move back 10 10 10 minutes uh last year as a way to try to accommodate some iron out some wrinkles with Transportation there were some sidebars on the agenda tonight all relating some way to Transportation but one specifically increases wages for our drivers because other districts are increasing wages all around us so we're all competing for the same limited pool um and one thing we started doing this year was we had all of our drivers start earning benefits which is something very important and we're hoping over time with those steps to be able to build up our transportation department every driver we can add lets us pull back routes that are outsourced and at this point since there there's really nothing left with non- Staffing to cut the cuts are coming out of Staffing so all any money we can save by pulling a route back can go towards um increasing Staffing ad to C with State elected officials do that every year there we've had meetings as well in between um but annually absolutely even if we're the only District uh in that you know virtual hearing um not sure how much good it does but it can't hurt um the I my updates my last two updates shared ways that uh anyone can help with that as well and I would urge anyone to go there and check out those ideas and uh if you have some time reach out to our legislatures uh you know going back to the $31 million cumulatively that we've lost through S2 that's 31 million reasons to be a little ticked off and it's a decision that's rolls down on us from way high leaving us 150 teaching positions short of an average District our size School Bus advertising that we we've tried that we've never actually gotten full capacity of advertising any any uh business owners out there there's there's room for your ads on our buses and it brings in about 4 ,000 and then facility use fee increases we've done that as well other steps um mention grants exploring property sale so we've tried for the past three years to sell our property I'll get into that a little bit more later solar panels and additional cell tower we explore that um we have a lot of solar it it we have a um guidance from uh like a solar broker and um at this point it's not recommended to expand that health benefits reimbursement we've tried uh we tried in the past um voluntarily serving staff it didn't result in savings um it would cost our district more to change if we increase the reimbursement because of course you know like when you do that then you need more people to opt out um subscription busing just another thing that mostly happens in North Jersey we tried it uh three years ago um and it definitely was like fell like ton of bricks um and uh was not well received so um not you know not to say that we couldn't always keep talking about any idea but um some follow-up ideas uh so appreciate you know ideas people have shared ideas it's fantastic um it's great to have people thinking about these problems so we wanted to give some responses to collectively to some of the buckets of ideas that were shared and the first bucket is busing so cutting courtesy busing or all courtesy busing we do work on that you saw in the presentation earlier trying to peel back uh routes each year it's gradual work thankful to the township as we work with that because the crossing guards are the responsibility of police and it does increase costs uh for the township as well as the improvements um to structurally to to roads and and sidewalks and so on cutting late buses that's one that came up appreciate that as well uh it would cost our district more to cut late buses so I mentioned earlier about our drivers earning benefits this year and that's how we keep them they would walk if they didn't have those um I know that because just from meeting with that drivers multiple times that is the number one uh concern and um so if we cut late buses we would they would drop below 30 hours a week and lose benefits and then we'd be Outsourcing more routes school lunch ideas that came in um increasing the cost of school lunch our our feeling on that is uh it would decrease the number of students who are purchasing and then potentially have fewer kids eating and eating well uh affecting our you know this the cut off for um qualifying for free reduce is not high and there are a lot of families who don't qualify but you know would struggle um with a higher cost of lunch cut the size of lunches uh lunch size is based on Federal and State requirements so we can't we can't do anything with that appreciate the ideas again um properties okay I wanted to talk about this so um yeah we've tried this goes back actually uh that subscription busting it goes back to really those days um in Spring of 2021 um the uh yeah I would just say it's it's an ongoing process um appraisals can vary um we're trying to find a a fair common ground and um we're currently seeking updated appraisals appreciate would welcome you know welcome all further discussion on that selling the admin building issues there uh moving brings costs uh and people may not know it but the uh that building has two stories the bottom story is completely full of our records storage and um it is the uh the depot for the district for um storage as well the um our other buildings uh don't have a lot of space for those those hallways um at the admin building and uh it wouldn't be used for um it wouldn't be rented it would definitely be a tear down uh from its age extracurriculars appreciate these as well eliminating after school activities um you know and and again like I just I think of a a district next door to us that um is uh does not have any Elementary activities it it has only middle school and high school activities um and it it is sad when you see the elementary school completely empty at the end of a school day um it would save 330,000 total uh our activity feed covers about 45% it's generally been a little higher than that but uh it dipped a little bit this year so we are looking at that and going to keep talking about if what we can do to reduce that Gap ideally uh there would be no Gap but um it's it's partly due to an increase in the amount of extracurriculars that we've been offering so that's a good thing and uh it's just something that takes a lot of care to do because um some to be to be frank there are kids who come to school just because of extracurriculars you know like it might just be because of baseball that's why I'm coming in and if they're not the key the first thing that has to happen is they have to come to school you know all the rest of this doesn't matter if they're not in with us so I I you know that's a that's there are huge benefits academically to a strong extracurricular program uh increased activity fee uh we could do that we have we have been increasing it each year the hard thing is um we you know we and we kind of uh gauge ourselves against um a local high school to make sure we're not you know because what a high school can offer is even more than what we can offer and so we can't really be charging what a high school's charging um and uh but we do we do look at at the activity fee and we increase each year so appreciate appreciate that um there's also that piece where if you raise it too much kind of like with school lunches then fewer kids are participating uh are engaging in that so that's a factor administrative reductions this one came up um cutting administrators uh I would say if we go back to this slide hold on I got to go all the way back here to the beginning so there's only two areas where we are absolutely the leanest of all districts out of the 71 districts in the state that are K8 with 751 kids or more and those two areas are both related to Administration so we have more students per administrator and if you look at that you can see that not only are we lean but as other districts over the past last five years their ratio of students to administr went down ours went up significantly and the other number one is total administrative costs so we spend Far and Away the least per student administratively and while that is understandably an area that people look to First the vital functioning of a barebones administrative team is important for the overall success of every wheel turning into a school district and lastly cut Dr Smith the superintendent I'd say just a couple data points there his salary is less than those of similarly or even smaller sized districts while quality might increase our our district would our district would pay more and the next person would be making the same recommendations firmly believe follow up to ideas suggested for academics pay Middle School teachers to teach a sixth class during their prep instead of replacing team time with a sixth class um couple wrinkles there one is it would cost a district money instead of saving money and also it would leave building to build a schedule is incredibly complex work that so thankful again who who's doing that work our administrators um to do it based on an Ever shifting voluntary basis of teachers uh with that sixth class would be impossible cutting technology classes from elementary school and again each of these suggestions is very welcome and it also helps to um kind of like illuminate some of the background reasons for things so our technology teachers help our students achieve required standards right so were required to meet computer science and design Thinking by the end of grades 2 and five and the technology classes achieve that as well as providing uh part of a teacher's contract classroom teacher contractual prep time the uh these two items I did want to follow up on from our last board meeting a claim that came up a bunch was a lack of transparency to that a district builds its budget timeline based on state timelines so and Mr Yates mentioned this when he was talking about the the late announcement of state aid for districts and how much it can change we saw a district multiple actually that we share borders with find out they were losing Millions more in state aid than they thought it's horrendous we can't share a budget until we have that information and then it takes even more planning one year we lost more than we thought this year we gained a little bit back but we still lost half a million we have to explore options internally that's sound process but it is human nature at the same time that that might increase rumors districts in New Jersey are requ required to give one Public Presentation on the budget and a lot of them only do that which means this presentation would not be happening this happens because we choose to share because it's important to do that as well as conducting eight budget meetings we did it last year and this year with staff individually and we started doing that last year because Staffing impact was growing um and once we do that as well that means information is out but not out right um and I'll just and many in this room were part of this story of our district going back to fall of 2020 a very difficult time when during covid we were talking about phasing out the benefits for some of our PA professionals that was a very public topic and if nothing else it underlined the very drastic and dire Circ cumstances of our district it's only gotten worse since then we've seen tonight the millions we lost since that point and that's where we were four years ago this is the opposite of surprising or should be where we are right now the other claim that came up was that we promised not to make certain changes if the fdk ballot question passed to that so nothing can be promised period right especially in S2 District we said what might happen in order to pay for full day kindergarten specifically to full day kindergarten that is a ballot question it's outside the regular budget additional money for something not in the regular budget at no point was anything said this will forever prevent these changes from happening nor would it have been any ideas steps and possibilities not addressed in this presentation please keep sharing them you know you saw tonight we included followup on a bunch of different suggestions there's time between now and uh and our final budget presentation and and approval meeting to to look into and um follow up on any other ideas and as we talked about earlier like knowing that the cost of operating a district increases faster than the tax levy we could well be looking at Cuts next year and the year after that certainly this year's process and the years before that it always starts with the list of stuff that we didn't that was fortunately a bridge too far that we didn't need to look at but we may need to look at at the things again next year it feels like a waking nightmare most of all for our staff questions from the [Music] board thank you Dr Smith um questions from the board or comments Miss um yes what uh maybe Dr Smith or Mr Yates um could you explain what would happen if this budget didn't pass tonight procedurally where would we go from there given the county deadline tomorrow yeah so uh it's not uh entirely clear but I could tell you that we would have to notify the county you know that we did not meet our statutory deadline most likely the county would then say you need to hold an emergency meeting as soon as possible to get the budget passed and submitted um what happens beyond that I don't know I would we would consult our solicitor who would probably do some research yes and um you know realistically it would be up to the county and the state what kind of um disciplinary measures for the lack of a better word they would want to take uh there may be some qac finding some kind of fiscal intervention uh it just really depends it would be in their discretion but most likely they would just tell you they would originally say uh you know figure it out um but they could also step in and try to start making decisions every County's different so in every situation is different so they handle it differently but we are legally required to submit a budget by tomorrow de line thank you Boo um one more question I find it frustrating that we're up against this uh County deadline tomorrow and I understand there were scheduling conflicts last week and yesterday and that's the situation we're in now and we're here um my question Dr Smith is obviously we have a lot of passionate community members and teachers here tonight writing emails um online what is the plan after tonight to engage in a dialogue with the community before the final [Applause] budget it's a great question and it's it's an opportunity a fortunate opportunity to be able to answer it now that we're all working off of the same information that's the that's another purpose behind a presentation like this is to provide information publicly consistently for everyone so that we can use the time between now and whenever we have our final budget meeting to continue talking you know and I can't even imagine what it would be like for district to present something only on the final budget approval meeting so we will work out opportunities to meet with our stakeholders to discuss ideas share information and and I'll be sharing that out about what that looks like and reaching out to those groups to to be able to set that up but we want to use the time between now and that final budget meeting now that we're all having the same information to try to Foster common understanding thank you Mr dearcy I I've spoke before about how crucial the situation is we face with the state aid cut so I'm not going to elaborate on that any further uh most of the people in the crowd tonight are Educators I'm sure that they are very well aware um in facing that challenge The crucial step is looking at every stone turn turning over every stone looking at every possible option as far as the budget goes and where you're going to have to make up that money uh you know for our sake and for our understanding would you mind answering what the process for that looked like sure so we start um it's a 12 months it's actually when you're in S2 District I'd say it's a never-ending process of how to build a budget you know and and thoughts about this year started at the beginning of the budget cycle last year you know so it was the budget got approved in May last year and we as a Cabinet as a board we already knew what we were looking at for this coming year then come fall we meet administratively and gather ideas as sort of like a district leadership team involving input from all departments that's from a sort of a looking at what should we what cuts should we make in order to reach the number that's been developed by the business office you know and that number in the fall was at one point higher than it is now and through different efficiencies we were able to lower it um so this this the story of this evening was even worse at different points throughout the fall um the um we have uh liaison meetings with ETA and have had some talk about like we can't quite share what's going to happen with the budget because it's not public yet it's not the Forum to talk about the uh the U the the full budget but theoretical discussions about what might be cut and offering basically like please any suggestions you know share um and that then we talk about what's shared um and I I'll I I can you know Mr renti who is our business administrator who retired on January 1st isn't here to talk about the process through the fall but I wouldn't mind just giving Mr y a chance to talk about the business office process since he came on board at the end of January sure so uh in terms of finding um or turning over every stone we're constantly evalu Val ating our current expenses we're determining where we can find efficiencies and we're working in collaboration with the dep departments and Dr Smith um for context there right you don't really want your business office making decisions that are going to have educational impacts our job is to present the facts black and white here's where our gaps are help us identify how to close those gaps um we reevaluate our revenues too and our projections there see if there's anywhere where we might have some flexibility and then there's the the thank you Mr there's also the board process you know that the budget comes to tonight through our finance committee multiple meetings and since we started adding board Retreats a few years ago discussion through board retreat and discussion through any board member who wants to reach out and uh have conversations along the way which I know you did um shortly after you're uh swearing in yeah I have is my mic working no yep I have a few questions um speaking of the finance committee I I believe I saw in one of the slides about increasing fees um anyone from the finance committee want to explain uh did I see that right there was a slide about increasing activity Club activity fees yeah so we increased Club activity fees uh by $5 for elementary and $5 for middle which um you may remember from your time on the finance committee last year that um we we're following the same process we followed then um so there there we are um trying rather than sometimes the district will not make changes and then we'll drop a big change we prefer to go incremental wherever we can so I see okay I only bring that up because I had asked for um possibly looking at uh charging multiple fees in middle school and I'm just want to make sure that we look at that if that is something that's viable as we move forward rather than just raising that Middle School fee um possibly keeping the club fee at Middle School at a you know slightly lower rate and then also charging an addition to a sports fee where a student can play any sport they want throughout the year that's a suggestion that I had brought to the finance committee but perhaps it was too late and something if you could look at moving forward I'd appreciate that absolutely I'm just um I'm jumping to uh your suggestions anticipating um this slide you had it there we so no we we we do we want to look at that's it's really like a um coming up with a can we enhance longterm the way that we structure our extracurriculars in order to reduce the gap between what the activity fee covers and what our district is paying from the regular budget right okay fair enough and then also I I just I believe I asked this before this is a bit loud but as far as estimating a 35 or 34% increase for transportation for next year I think that's what's in the budget an estimate of a 34% increase in transportation I don't know what that is representing you know I was on the finance for many years and we discussed that quite often and we only saw numbers like that like for example when Hillman's came back and said we don't want to take the CPI we're going to increase by 25 27% is that what's going on here yeah so good to point that out so our transportation department this year has gone through a lot of change right so we we've actually we're actually on we so Barbara ol right was our transportation coordinator last year at this time and she served 53 years in the district fantastic right retired um after a long career and um then we had our assistant coordinator Patty Meer became coordinator um and um she retired on December 31st and now we have Rob Cedar who we're very glad to have back and Rob had previously been the coordinator in Vorhees before that he was assistant coordinator here so he kind of has an inside outside lens the issue though to that increase was during the process of that change is we had to Outsource more routes because we were losing some drivers due to among other things why we have the sidebar on the agenda tonight you know um other departments paying more and also trying to just strengthen the department overall right um which every coordinator brings positive elements and each did and now with uh Mr Cedar uh as coordinator I believe we're going to be able to strengthen the department um more and more and that'll result in being able to take back more routes but during that transition period we lost a few drivers okay so my question is then from and I'm sorry to ask a million questions but this year budget versus next year you're anticipating a a almost a million doll 34% increase in transportation am I reading that correct no um so if I can clarify that what your seeing is the difference between what was approved last year okay and what we're projecting to spend next year but what we're projecting to spend next year is closer to what we're actually spending this year gotcha it is not a 34% increase from our actual expenses so the expenses increased this year substantially and we did not anticipate that correct okay so that brings me to there are there is something on tonight's budget related to out sourcing a route to Helman I don't know if it's one or two routes that perhaps could give information on the increases I see a Helman yep so every time we have a we lose a driver or we pick up a route because we have to send a student out of District or whatever the nuances is are of Transportation if we don't have drivers to fill those um those roots we have to Outsource the Helman got or we Outsource Helman is our our primary source of Outsource I hope something changes $43,000 for two months there is the sidebar on tonight's agenda which we are hopeful will bring drivers back in District so we can then bring routes back in District I have another question for you Mr Yates I'm sure you have the answer but on the resolution it says capital projects this is on the actual resolution and you and I emailed a little bit about this but uh it says capital projects 1.8 48 but and you're moving money from the capital reserves but it's 1555 can you explain why that is different yeah not all of the expenses in fund 12 would qualify for a a withdrawal of capital reserve okay I don't know what fun 12 is our capital outlay okay so we are required to charge certain expenses there and the withdrawal of capital reserve is for those Capital Improv movements so those numbers almost never will match okay so our capital projects are exceeding the amount that we can withdraw from the reserves am my understand in correct the other way okay you're withdrawing less money from Capital the amount of money that we are required to budget in capital outlay exceeds the projects that would qualify for a withdrawal from capital reserve I see okay and what projects are within that part of the budget if you don't mind going over the because you and I emailed about it sure so we are going to be replacing our HVAC controls across the district um and that's going to give Mr Donahue and his team access to one touch on one screen control any building in the district additionally we are replacing fire alarm panels in two of our buildings Mr Don two of our buildings um the other buildings have already been replaced so we're now going to be upgrading fire alarm panels in the two buildings which have not been upgraded yet and there's a boiler replacement that we are going to be uh withdrawing for as well this is not boilers related to the capital emergent needs funding I did ask you that but and then also the control um you did you talk about the controls the psng that unite that is not the that is is not related to capital reserve withdrawal but those are also some of the projects that'll be going on and what about the there were bathroom projects projects on there as well yes I'm sorry so we're also withdrawing for a couple toilet room facilities at Jagger rice and deing okay and that's to be used from the capital reserves correct great okay I may have had another question let me check um nope I think that's everything thank you thanks Mrs no any other board members was to Mr visc uh Dr SMI Dr Smith um couple couple questions for you um one apologize here trying to find my wording um I want to talk about one of the things that irks me a little bit here um now first you know before I I say anything because I think it's really clear uh that we should all be on the same page about what tonight is uh tonight is a tentative budget approval all right to me personally that sometimes acts as a placeholder budget in case or for instances in situations like this where if the board has a lot of lot more questions or wants to see changes it has the time to make make doe until that final budget that final budget is what's really important to me tonight to me more like a placeholder and there's some things that I'm concerned about one of the things that that I'm I'm concerned about in particular um I I am concerned about the individual study aspect here that we'll be losing particularly in middle school 7eventh and eth if the board's wish is to go through with this plan and to be clear to be clear about this all right been doing these for seven years now um making these type of cuts and when I say the board's wish I don't think the board is really wished on any of this uh I I you know it's it's not like the board finds pleasure or Glee or or excitement uh it finds nothing but pain not the pain that you are feeling in the audience because you're living your life with this every single day um I I can relate to that uh being in in your shoes at another district and I I understand I understand um that gives you no Solace it gives you no comfort and I I'm and that's that's that's reasonable uh but I the individual study aspect if if let's say that this plan goes through all right I'm not comfortable with losing individual study I I think it needs to be charged that we need to find another way to incorporate individual study inside this curriculum inside for seventh and eth grade that we find a way that these seventh and eighth graders have the ability to still meet with their home room teachers in some capacity that's outside of because this gets thrown around and as an educator myself I get a little I get a little ticked by this the expectation sometimes from people is that well they can meet with them before school or after school uh or they can meet with them during their their their uh their contract at lunchtime and to be fair it that that makes the charge that that those teachers have nothing better to do which we we can't it's which I know is factually incorrect all right so where where I'm trying to say is I I think there's a couple things are important obviously teacher team times really important but we're looking specifically at the kids and and uh and and what their parents have been asking for and when we read these emails they're really worried about that individual study if we move to this system my charge here my charge is before we get to the final budget I should say is that we find a solution for that individual study within the realm of the time frame of the school day not before not after not at lunch for a time look does that am I saying that teachers shouldn't meet with with kids during lunch that's their prerogative if they want to do so but it also doesn't have to be the prerogative either if they want to look there are days that yeah I'll meet with a student at lunch and there's days that I'll tell a kid hey Home Room starts at 7:30 can you meet me over at 7:15 yeah okay that's fine but that's my prerogative to do so but I don't want I don't want to be as an educator pigeon held in into that idea so what I'm what I'm asking for what I'm asking for between now and then is to find the charge in order to find some kind of grounded time to create an individual studies uh it doesn't have to be in its form that it is now but in a form that is comparable all right that helps those kids because not every kid is utilizing individual studies but there are some kids who seriously they they need that they Absol they absolutely utterly need that um it's what gets them it's what gets them through some of their courses and I'm I am worried um about about the students educational well-being their mental well-being their emotional well-being because when you're a student and you don't get something something something that that accent came from when you don't get something all right it starts to fester in their brain I said my daughter I I I love my daughter I think she does great in school but man when she doesn't get a math problem my gosh the house falls down and I'm married to a math teacher all right so I am concerned about that and I want to make sure that that is um that is a charge that I I want to see taken care of uh before we get to that final budget because again whatever ever we do here tonight is a little moot comparatively to what that final budget is and I believe there are more discussions that need to be made I think there is more dialogue that needs to be made and I think that is a primary concern for people um so I just I want to throw that in I it wasn't a question I apologize I said it was a question but I didn't throw a question mark in the back of that I think it was more of a charge and I now you know and very appreciated and we can talk with our middle school administrative teams to to figure out what some options might be in that regard and then bring that back I just want to I want to make sure these kids are protected um now the question do you have about that I and I apologize and I I don't mean to take up people's time if I'm going over my time here just please let me know I talk too damn much sometimes um the Middle School aspect all right because sometimes this gets confused and even I was confused for a little bit here all right so the concept that you you brought up for the middle schools all right you called it a modification correct that was that was correct you referred to that all right so let's say for example let's pretend all right let's pretend that I'm in seventh grade green I'm in seventh grade green which I was back in 1994 when I had far thank you thank you I don't know who that was but Greenhouse love you guys um and I you know I had social studies with Mr mcol and math and Miss Ryback love them all right but the question was I was there now I stayed I stayed relatively in that pod and I crossed over that green the greenhouse pod I I crossed over for electives and I crossed over for lunch your charge here is that I may say I have social studies with my Greenhouse teacher I may have math with my Greenhouse teacher but I may have science and Redhouse yes am I getting that correct yes okay so go continue I'm sorry no no no yes so you would walk from green to Red so just green all right for are we looking at one or two classes here are we like what are we looking at here yeah so we both schools ran the schedule like basically vetted it out kick the tires on it to make sure that it works with the staff that we have it would look a little different depending on like which which subject are you walking for and so on that's that's all in in schedules that will still need to be built based on the current circumstances so we tried it we know it works which subjects kids are ultimately walking for will depend on how they how they are scheduled it won't be the same for every kid because just like you know when you're walking between classes you might have you know there are multiple science teachers multiple Math teachers Etc so so so like you could have you could be a Green Hall student and have the have math and Green Hall and Science and red hall or vice versa depending on which teacher is available that period okay but your primary base is still seventh grade green so you will when you're in sixth grade you're in your house you're in your hall right yeah and then you move to seventh GR grade and again what as the middle schools talk it out but you're as you're moving around you are in that you know you're basically grouped by house and then you're going to move and walk so by Home Room no I hold on I I I apologize I just I need I just need Clarity on this this is really important me for understand just because again it's been it's been a while since I've been in middle school and I Know M I know and I I know this from Walking The Halls just you know I I got lost in Marl to midle it's been since sixth grade since I've been here um there's still is there still a there's still a Home Room my daughter's in fifth grade so my daughter's going to middle school so I don't have the Middle School thing memorized like I used to have it memorized um is there still a Home Room Factor there there is still a home room that's all right because that's what the individual studies aspect had had that right yes okay so would that be their home base like for example where their lockers are located yeah where they where they know the teachers from the year before that's you know whether it's how much movement back and forth remains to be seen based on the schedule if that makes sense the the the here's here's the thing I I and and again you know we have talked about this for the next month and a half or so we we have a lot of a lot of moving Parts here right we have a lot of moving parts and I'm not just talking about this I mean it's like it's it's literally everything all the time and what I'm trying to find here and what I'm I'm trying to search for here is for allowing allowing for these students to have familiarity all right I change can be good but change needs to be incremental change too quickly can cause some some havoc and what I'm looking for here what I'm looking for here is if you're going to create this system to try to keep as much normaly in it as possible so that we eliminate some of the havoc and I'm what I'm looking for here is and again like we said this is tentative all right we're we're looking now into the month and a half all right I'm I'm looking for more consistency for those those those kids we want the same thing so when it comes to movement with the [Applause] students if there's availability in their pod in their Hall then that's where they're being scheduled but if we if they have to walk to Red then they walk to Red for that class and then they walk back you know and it's pod still takes precedent yeah yeah that's what I want I want the Pod to be precedent we what I would say is this until we build the schedule it's it's it's hard to say how those things will fall out but what I would say ultimately is the familiarity the foundation of familiarity they built in six and having their lockers and their kind of their main area still in the Pod that they came through in six means that when they're walking and they're identifying they're identifying with those house that house that they started in okay all right let me change the subject one more thing for you go any further here um and this is this is this is important um you talking about adding you know what actually let me I got to I got to rephase this that can you can you go another question someone else has another question I have to rethink what I'm going to say here sure I think I lost my my thought on that Mr that um yeah I basically I want to get some commitment down if we can lock that down I mean not you know the nuts and bolts of it but I really want to have you know representative public reach out um after this we have time after this since this is a since and I really want to get that like you know so we have like for example there's like you know I know there's one group you know parents United it's a you know well organized group get like representative leadership you know from there like for instance you know Cindy Rogers Jen pman Aaron sa invite them into like a finance meeting so we can actually have like dialogue with that and it wouldn't be like you know a whole room thing so like you know people just get into yelling and everything like that constructive dialogue every you know people pull together small group and then you know information can you know disseminate out from there you know um Jamie had a great idea about having you know another you know board retreat or anything like that you if we want to use time for that um or you know inviting him to like a finance meeting and dedicating time to that and extending that meeting you know a little bit um we you know might even need you know in the month and a half we have you know here we might even be able to do that a couple times if we need to can we get commitment you know for that and figure out like you know who we need to reach out you know who to reach out to and make sure we get that yeah absolutely and and I and I'm glad for your ideas about what that could look like you know we we we met um with a the the the phonics group recently uh at our administration building and I could see it looking a little like that where it's representatives from um different stakeholder groups that we all have a common interest in in trying to be able to try to walk together on on this budget yeah I I just want to make sure we have everything you know exhausted by the time the final vote comes out you know I know this is a preliminary um you know vote for the you know the tenative budget um but I really think that it behooves us you know to make sure that we have that reach out to make sure we are you know knowing everybody that every stone has been you know turned and figure out like you know if something else you know can come up and especially in the meantime you know parents please keep flooding the state you know as well um you know there's there's activity happening in that area you know please keep reaching out to them to see if you know maybe some something will happen in between now and then that you know they release some extra funds um you know keep that organization going as well um but and we'll make sure that we get you know a representative group together and you know thank you for you know being up for that if you're up for that yeah absolutely thank you can I add something here to I'm sorry but to Joe this is um I get a feeling that there was a little bit of politics here trying to add back the independent study because that was a a a a stickler for somebody but I'm glad you're asking questions this is about the entire team you you're saying you know make sure the independ independent study is not taken away uh it's not just about the independent study I'm a little confused by the phrase politics here are you accusing me of something there or I just got the Feeling with the you know a little bit of the conversations and um you know yeah I just don't know what happened in in the back room there and if it's trying to you know give an olive branch to somebody about independent study I think that you should look at the entire team model and not just focus on the independent study time well and and also I just want to say and I'm happy that you're you're asking questions thank you can I jump in before yeah okay yeah you may I wanted to say um in terms of Jamie and Dave meeting with certain stakeholders I also think a select view from the board doesn't have to be the whole board um I I think it should not just be administration at that meeting because I think everyone has some ideas and may comment things differently um sort of in in defense of Joe for me independent study like I I get the whole team time um one of the notes I took down I know my child had severe anxiety when she was younger in middle school she was not a kid that would raise her hand if she didn't understand things or go to a teacher in class and for kids like that it may not be feasible to come early or or stay late and it may not be feasible for those teachers so for kids like that independent study may be the only time that they can I know I couldn't help her with math I went to every Jagger math school night I still don't understand how bar models so for someone that a kid that needs help that may not be a kid to speak up I think for me like yes that independent study is the most important part of the team model to me I understand that everyone has their priorities but that's appreciate it and we're going to look into that and see what we can come up with in terms of uh alternatives to keep independent study in some fashion the way you've described it so Mr Marcy thank you um first of all just as a disclaimer I don't think politics is a motive of anybody on this board putting that out there um either way either way I'm concerned my biggest concern with all of this uh Remains the mental health support that a student might be able to receive as a result of the planning and the initiatives created during extra time out at that is my [Applause] biggest I mean speaking on behalf of an entire generation I don't even think I'm qualified to do that you have in the aftermath of covid-19 it's a crisis it it is it is a huge crisis and and it's one of the very reasons that that that I'm here um I was glad to see that we passed the ballot initiative last year uh in regards to the mental health issue uh because that's where these issues are going to be solved in the schools what is going to be done to remedy the ability of intervention and identifying kids who are now going to be flowing throughout the school and are going to have less time within the pods uh what is going to be done to remedy the intervention that is going to be needed to help those kids and get them the services they need in school MH so wholeheartedly agree about the importance of mental health right and we go back to the mission statement at the beginning of the presentation what we're trying to do with all these steps is to keep all the students in mind right so that's what led us to the 700,000 step for grade seven and 8 is because if it wasn't that where is that 700,000 coming from and and and what affects in terms of academic support mental health support would that have on other students right um so this you know again just just and and some of this would need to be talked out school by school because these are big changes right but our elementary schools their inrs so basically their their intervention and referral service teams meet without a team time you know they meet and IEP meetings take place also outside of uh Team time because there is no team time it could look like that in middle school there are existing examples of how to do that also if you don't if you don't mind I don't mean to interrupt could you just kind of detail what some of those examples look like in terms of how you know meeting face to face with with parents um and the stakeholders of of you know a child who who may have an IP or is you know being considered for one yeah yeah and I'm going to uh actually let um our director who supervises those inrs meetings to talk a little bit about that to give you the greatest detail possible thank you which one all right I'll do and then she'll do special ed um but if you're asking specifically at elementary school what he's referring to um the team meets a certain day there's Subs that are covering and then the team has different Representatives um on there who have meet with the teacher the teacher will come down talk about whatever the students needs are specifically uh the biggest difference obviously is at middle school they do it during team time um so that they can talk to all the members of the team in that regard so that would be that's the shift there that you wouldn't you need sub coverage basically um like we do at elementary and for IEP meetings I will pass it over similarly for uh for IEP meetings the we need a general education teacher and a special education teacher uh along with related service providers and once those meetings are scheduled we arrange substitute coverage at at the buildings to cover cover those meetings so all those meetings would still continue and they're legally required by code to have all those Representatives present and if the parent provides consent those those teachers or providers can be dismissed from from the meeting if if you don't mind um the it is my understanding that we currently have a shortage of substitutes across just about every District in the country in the most constructive way possible what is the plan for making sure that the face-to-face meetings occur between parents and teachers and that that time is ready and available outside if if we engage with this model outside of you know uh substitutes because I I you know I I don't know if I agree that that is going to always be a ready and available option to make sure that you know it meets with not only do you know teachers have schedules But but so do parents so uh you know what's what what's the plan to to to make sure that these meetings aren't going to not happen or they become a subsequent consequence of the fact that you know we don't have enough Subs to cover classrooms as is [Applause] so these inrs meetings and IP meetings happening in elementary are happening in our current substitute conditions right so they are happening in exactly this overarching sub shortage which I would say is you know we we pay a little bit more than some districts for substitutes and we started that during the pandemic because during the pandemic we we operated school for full days whereas other districts were operating for partial days and we had to pay more to get people to want to come in and we kept that going so we could look at that as a possibility and I also think I'd like to see what the schools again it's when when it comes to changes like this it feels I I I feel a bit presumptuous speaking for how something would happen in a building when there are experts in that building who could who haven't had a chance to talk about it yet that's fair it's just you know the the concern again relates to the fact that this is probably one of my biggest issues when it comes to education um is is those is those intervention services and and you know having a plan developed uh if if this does get passed having a plan developed to I mean because again you know you mentioned we have the overlapping substitute situation in elementary school but we're talking about adding a thousand kids uh you know to to to a model that would require IEP meetings uh outside of of of a team time um developing a plan to to make sure you know I'm well familiar at Cherokee right the substitute shorts got so bad they had to do a cafeteria right where you didn't receive any instruction at all you went to the the cafeteria and you sat in the cafeteria with with with a bunch of your other peers who's you know who who didn't have a teacher pres that that day um you know and I'd hate to see a model like that happen because teachers are required elsewhere you know to address these crucial issues and we and we would as well you know that's that's why we haven't we haven't done that here that that what you're talking about they are still do doing cafeteria classes because at least once a week my daughter sits in a cafeteria and doesn't learn anything yeah just just to to go even further with that their proposed budget for lenp regional is to eliminate all substitutes and everything will be Cafe class starting next year that's that was in their proposal today so if I can add one more comment to that before we get into other things I mean this is all coming from the state and as many emails as as I have seen and tried to answer please direct that same energy to the state government because they are the ones sending the cuts down this way and I think they should get some of the ey as well thanks Miss Fox any other questions or comments from the board seeing none we'll move on um this meeting will now be open to the public referencing agenda items only however if your questions or comments litigation student or Personnel items or negotiations we would ask that you see the superintendent after the meeting since we do not discuss these oh sorry mron uh yeah yeah all right go ahead good we good yeah yeah just make sure y um where are we good however if your questions or comments pertain to litigation student or Personnel items or negotiations we would ask that you see the superintendent after the meeting since we do not discuss these matters in public please limit your comments to 3 minutes per person please state your name and address at at the beginning and please one public comment per portion hello my name is Brian whtz vice president of ETA I've been an eighth grade teacher at DMS for 21 years and I'd like to speak to our association's concerns with some of the budget cuts proposed tonight first the tier three gifted and talented program over the last 10 plus years our district has made an invaluable investment in our tier three program which is underscore by best practices and a curriculum that stands as a beacon of Excellence a big part of what has made the tier 3 program successful in middle school is a dedicated period of week spent as a group these students get to collaborate with each other and discuss the curriculum we believe the restructuring will undermine the program the students will not be able to work together as easily we also believe that eliminating the tier three position in elementary school is against best practice and hinders the growth of our gifted and talented students in elementary by offering challenging and stimulating coursework pull out programs not only cater to the intellectual needs of gifted and talent Stu and talented students but also Foster a culture of Excellence that benefits the entire School Community maintaining a pullout program in elementary school aligns with the principles of equity and inclusivity just as we provide additional support for students who require remediation it is equally imperative to offer enrichment opportunities for those who demonstrate exceptional abilities by doing so we ensure that all students receive an education that is is commensurate with their individual aptitude and potential simply put there will be great activities such as Mo mock trials for instance that tier three students in elementary school will no longer be able to do additionally I'd like to address the increase in class sizes to grades four and five we have classrooms in some of our schools that are already bursting at the seams having that large of a class makes for Less individual attention to students are the numbers we saw an average or truly a cap classes will have too many guided reading word study and math Flex groups and the result will be less frequent small group instruction in addition students will receive less teacher feedback during Writers Workshop conferences these are formative grade levels for preparing our students for middle school and we believe the increase in class size will hinder their development and their education the larger class sizes are already a big struggle in our primary grades as well they're just too many needs and not enough hands to help out finally cutting two Middle School teaching assistant positions is is very detrimental to our students especially our struggling Learners as it stands now we don't even have that many Tas in Middle School our Tas are extremely helpful for our students providing extra guidance and individualized help this budget cut hurts some of our most vulnerable students and makes it harder for them to be successful I urge you to consider all this when discussing Dr Smith's budget cuts and restructuring proposals tonight thank you for your time my name is Tracy Brown I'm a teacher at Marlton middle and also the second vice president for ETA your proposal to restructure the middle schools to a junior high model is a horrible idea in fact have you noticed when you drive throughout New Jersey it's rare to find a junior high anymore they're dinosaurs of the past because about 50 years ago research found that adolescence are not just tall elementary students or many high schoolers they have unique academic emotional and social needs that are best met within the Middle School model dismantling our house and team system represents a huge step backwards for the students of etsd with cuts to state aid over the past seven years we are already doing more with less while students needs have continued to increase post pandemic with academic gaps social struggles and additional pressures in today's age of social media our current Middle School model allows for a team of teachers and staff to know the students more than just a number to develop relationships and Foster community of support here's a glimpse into a typical team 123 students 19 have IEPs 14 have 504s eight in tier three seven inrs and two home instruction so in in addition to the normal trials and tribulations of adolescence approximately 40% of our students have specialized programming or interventions in place team time is crucial for addressing these student needs making and revising plans discussion of Strat iies and meeting with counselors Vice principles and parents students would also lose independent study it's a time for all students to get extra help tier three meets special education students have time extra support extra time from their lead teachers students also organize binders Locker cleanouts this is just a very small glimpse when will all of these things occur if you dismantle our teams you know what it won't it can't the proposed schedule doesn't lie there won't be any common time to accomplish these things don't let him tell you otherwise the kids are going to lose out on so much Dr Smith you've repeatedly stated that ETA has offered no suggestions for saving the Middle School model we beg you to stop spreading fake news what has happened is this we asked to be included for months we were told to wait we offered a few ideas then sat across the room from you while you pointed a finger at us literally and said you've only offered two solutions despite this ETA still offered additional ideas and emailed the Board of Ed what we've experienced is everything but a collaborative effort you immediately shoot down any ideas that don't fit your agenda Board of Ed members dismantling our house and team model does not put children in their needs first and will destroy our middle schools forever that is what you're going to be remembered for we implore you to leave the current Middle School model intact hi uh Delina Jolene I'm the ETA uh treasur and at Marlton middle school but I'm actually reading this statement on behalf of Russ BS ETA president Russ wanted to be here this evening but he had to attend an njaa meeting regarding pension and benefits I'd first like to thank all the ETA members and parents who are here this evening to support our students and encourage the Board of Education to make informed decisions we've heard from Brian and Tracy about some of the devastating effects of program Cuts I want to take a moment to discuss a few more on The Chopping Block once again is family and consumer science in an era where life skills are often overshadowed by academic rigor family and consumer science plays a crucial role in preparing students for the realities of life this curriculum teaches fundamental skills such as cooking budgeting sewing and career planning which are essential for gaining independence moreover family and consumer science Fosters important values like responsibility resourcefulness and teamwork these are skills that students will carry with them long after they leave the classroom empowering them to lead fulfilling and productive lives we also oppose the loss of string lessons in grades seven and eight Dr Smith believes that students who are interested will receive private lessons this places a financial burden on District families and could deprive some of our students from pursuing music over the past few years our special education programs have been dismantled this continues to be evident by the decision to cut two of the four teaching assistants at the middle school level I really don't even know what to say here these two individuals teach six classes a day to approximately 150 to 200 of our neediest students the people in these positions are not even eligible for benefits how is this cost effective how is this what's best for students who is going to fill this role let's take a moment to discuss transparency I stand before you today to emphasize the crucial importance of transparency in our district transparency is something that our leader lacks transparency serves as a Cornerstone of accountability fostering trust integrity and Effectiveness within our schools and communities first and foremost transparency ensures that all stakeholders including students parents teachers and administrators have access to vital information regarding educational policies decisions and outcomes when information is readily available it enables informed decision-making and empowers individuals to actively engage in the educational process if we had transparency if we were included in the decision making process if Dr Smith valued our input you wouldn't have a room filled with concerned parents and employees and finally Dr Smith please stop saying that we offer no suggestions on how to save money we offer suggestions but you are quick to dismiss them you say they are a temporary solution well at least I think you're wrapping up I just want to let you know you're at 3 minutes I am wrapping up well at least our suggestions would buy another year to figure things out you say suggestions won't fix the problem because of the time frame well if you would have started working on them last year or the year before when we brought them to the table maybe they'd be ready to implement now Implement now nonetheless you have said over and over that the budget is your problem and no one else's if that's the case then the destruction of the school district rests solely upon your [Applause] shoulders hi my name is Vanda siski and I am an inclusion teacher at Marlton middle school so I just want to take a moment to speak actually in response to the conversation that was occurring about meetings IEPs inrs um specifically the comparison to how Elementary does it I'm going to start with inrs um remember that generally speaking right it's one teacher in an Elementary classroom possibly two if it's an inclusion classroom when we meet for and R Us during our team Mee team meetings we're talking about a minimum of four academic teachers to start if the student has a split language arts class we're up to five if they're in an inclusion setting six and whether or not they're in inclusion class having those inclusion teachers sitting on the meeting and other special education teachers to talk about the interventions what we could do if they were progressed to the classification process is valuable so it's many many more people and that's not to devalue anything that the elementary school teachers are doing because they work extremely hard and it's not fair that they have to have a sub in their room either so I just want to make sure that that's clear um I'm going to move on to IEP meetings I just finished my eth grade transition meetings um actually no I have one more that was rescheduled so far approximately for approximately 50% of my meetings a general education teacher who's required to be there by law has had to be pulled out and we've had to have parents come in and sign waivers on the spot before the meeting starts because we are ready don't have the sub coverage in our buildings so I just want to make sure that that's very very clear and let's talk about the time these students and parents deserve we've had meetings generally scheduled for an hour an hour and a half if necessary two hours the longest one that I know that occurred was recently three hours to make sure that the student was appropriately set up for their High School transition this is also the first time that eighth graders are brought into their meetings sitting in a room besides their special education teacher and their General Ed teacher they don't know most of the faces right so we are the people in the room besides their parents that they know and trust all important things when we're talking about transition but that's just eighth grade right we still have sixth and seventh graders and teams of teachers all sitting before you who are trying to do everything in their power to get those students set up for the best transition impossible as they move from grade to grade if we lose teams we lose all of this thank [Applause] you hi I'm Linda mman and I'm the reading specialist at Marlon Middle School and I do work with intervention so I would like to talk about that but before I do I wanted to address the um question you brought up about teams um and this modified team term that's come up tonight and um teams will happen in sixth grade but my understanding is after that the only part of the team that will exist for students is they will have the same guidance counselor and the same vice principal outside of that there will be no sense of Team those students will be placed with any teacher where the schedule fits it'll be made up of blue and yellow house students CU I'm at Marl to middle and there won't be a blue house class or Yellow House class they will be traveling all over the building there will be um travel time built into the schedule because students will be traveling throughout the entire building so I don't know where this term modified team is coming from sixth graders will have a team concept but then it'll be totally dismantled in seventh and eth grade so I hope that clarifies that a little bit CU I felt like that was very um unclear that's the way it was explained to the teachers so I think you know we need to explain it the same way to all of you um then I want to read what I had prepared to talk about in regards to intervention I have taught at Marlon Middle School since 1994 yes I'm that old and I've seen many changes over this time but no changes concern me as much as these most recent proposed ones my first concern is the loss of Team meetings and dependent study tea meanings are the time when teachers discuss students who are struggling academically socially and emotionally when teachers discuss students together they can see that there are patterns of behaviors and try to problem solve or the teachers can see that a student is prospering in one environment while floundering in another and work together to determine why team meetings are also the time where staff meet for intervention and referral services and plans are established to help students who are struggling these team meetings are invaluable in a time where students are having more academic and mental health issues than ever before independent study is a time for students to receive intervention in small groups and individually and to seek help when needed it is also a time for gifted and talented project based learning as well as a time to make a work from absences without missing more class instruction losing this time will also be a huge detriment to students I personally do an independent study group I actually meet with a small group every single independent study those students three minutes okay please um can I still speak or am I over okay um my next concern is the loss of the teaching assistant position in the middle school at present Marl to middle school I just meant like a final sentence well this is no you cannot do that I am sorry let me just say the final thing about the teaching assistant because um I'm sorry guys I have to everyone has the same opportunity to speak so I'll just say this last thing about a teaching assistant at present at Marlon Middle School we cannot meet the needs of the students we presently have an intervention I've actually had to tell parents we do not have services for them and you're cutting a teaching assistance which will cut our staffing by 30% we presently can't do it if you cut more staff I you know impossible thank you hi I'm Laura Davis I am a teacher here when I began teaching imoral to Middle School in 1999 close I was taken under the wing of my seven blue teammates I benefited greatly from such a close workking relationship with the same teachers that taught all of my same students I felt like I belonged even as I was settling into a new home and life outside of work but it wasn't long before I realized that even more importantly this team concept is essential for the success of our middle school students seventh grade is challenging if you've had a child go through these Middle School years you have to know that they aren't Elementary anymore but they aren't ready for high school yet they are friends with someone one day enemies the next their bodies are changing their workload and social relationships are changing but when they walk into Marlton Middle School they belong they have a core group of teachers that all work together to help them through these weird years they have an identity even when they may be questioning their own they have a place here even when it might feel like they don't know where that is outside of these walls the power that holds can be the anchor these kids need in a time in their life that is filled with changes and uncertainty at MMS they aren't just one of a thousand Mustangs they are seven blue they are eight yellow they don't get lost in the shuffle because their team of teachers know them and collectively work together to give each student what they need to mature and Thrive Middle School is a transition time an our Middle School setting with teams and cohesiveness and consistency Bridges the gap between Elementary and high school which is exactly where these kids are they are in the Gap people can fall through the cracks when they are in a sea of many our students don't hear at MMS because they are part of a smaller family too over the 25 years I have taught seventh grade here we've had students experience many life-changing situations and events we've had students struggle academically socially and personally my team uses our common meeting time to share our concerns meet with our counselor and vice principal and work together to help these students through these tough times we use our common independent study period to meet with those kids who need the extra time or instruction beyond the class period I know our students benefit from the team concept they have a core group of teachers as a United Force giving them the guidance and encouragement they need let me tell you how amazing it is to see a smile spread across the face of a student when they realize they are being cared for and cared about by their team of teachers it shows they know they feel here what they need children need support they need guidance they need to belong when we are loved we can thrive in a team concept this happens for many students our Middle School is their safe place please do not take this away from the hundreds of middle school students in Eve sham do not dismantle the team concept do not let the middle schoolers fall through the [Applause] cracks good evening Dr Smith and members of the board my name is Marne Benjamin and I am a vice president on the Marlton Elementary uh School PTA where my son is in fourth grade in Mrs scarpati's class I'm also vice president at Marlton Middle School where my son is in seventh grade and taught by some of the incredible teachers here tonight I am here to speak on behalf of our incredible Middle School um our incredible middle school and our tier three program um and getting and uh eliminating the tier three program is not in the best practice of the gifted and talented students of our school district I would like to begin by presenting some concerns regarding the cuts being made to ishim Township's tier three program what many people don't understand but parents and educator educators of gifted students know is that providing appropriate specialized instruction and curriculum enrichment opportunities and social and emotional support for gifted children is just as important as providing IEP services to children with special needs I can say this as the parent of both a child with an IEP and the parent of a child in the tier three program their needs are both equally critical to their growth and their development there are many reasons the proposed Cuts would be a major disservice to not just tier three students but all students in our district specifically it will reflect poorly on our District's reputation as a whole since the state of New Jersey is requiring more not less time to tier three programs I am hoping you'll strongly consider the following information when deciding if dismantling this program is in the best interests of our students the pullout sessions currently used for Elementry students are critical for gifted kids not only are these students working on projects the challenge them in a variety of ways they are working collaboratively with like-minded peers and guided by a specialized teacher specialized teacher not just any teacher who can support them in communicating with each other and with their social emotional development as I said earlier my gifted fourth grader needs pullout services in the same way as my seventh grader needed pullout services in sixth grade for language arts last last year to me there's no differentiation without the appropriate levels of Challenge and social emotional support that the district currently provides gifted children will be more likely to suffer from lack of motivation problems with engaging and focusing on schoolwork and mental health and behavioral problems waiting until middle school does not fall in line with the recommended practices which is why the law requires identification and services starting in kindergarten even though IAM Township doesn't actually do that until third grade in their position statements the National Association of gifted children states that differentiation is an approach that is necessary but not sufficient to comprehensive Service delivery for gifted Learners differentiation within classrooms should not replace more in ma'am you minutes services for gifted Learners thank you and I would just like to summarize by saying I also had some things to say about the teams program in the middle school and as was said previously the teams program is essential to the development of the students in middle school thank you so much hi my name is sheel pson and I'm a parent of a student who's in the tier 3 Program I'm bringing about some points for you to consider not cutting the the tier 3 Program in reality differentiation is not going to happen what exactly is the district's differentiation plan what will differentiate look like in the classroom who will be tracking progress ensuring Effectiveness in reporting to the state what specific training if any have classroom teachers had in gifted education considering that teachers will have more responsibilities than ever before how will they possibly be able to be handled this too and this won't affect just gifted children all of our kids will get less attention as increased demands are put on teachers specifically kids that have fallen behind when Co hid and need the additional support differentiation even if it if done effectively is not enough even if teachers receive the substantial training that would be necessary to enable them to level work for gifted students differentiation alone is not enough to sufficiently support gifted Learners according to the NJ strengthening gifted and talented Education Act which the state law passed in 2020 school districts need to among many other things consider the gifted programming standards position statements and white papers of the national Associated for gifted children in identifying and serving gifted and talented students differentiation with heterogenous classrooms should not replace more intensive services for gifted Learners gifted children have unique social and emotional needs and need to be with like-minded peers the NJ NC strongly recommends that curriculum geared to helping gifted children with social emotional and career development be part of gifted education programming both inside and outside the regular classroom the P sessions in elementary school are so important for gifted kids not only are they working on projects that challenge them all in variety of ways they are working collaboratively with like-minded peers and guided by a specialized teacher who can support them in communicating with each other in their social emotional development etsd is not keeping up with the state and federal trends and goals for gifted education if these cuts are made cutting gifted and talented Services is not the direction that the state of New Jersey and the county in general is headed New Jersey just passed the string gifted and talented education in 2020 it is a goal of the state to grow and enhance these programs and many districts are working on expanding them despite facing the same budget cuts that etsd is we are going to the opposite way for this proposal this population has so much potential in what they can achieve in our district gifted students are often overlooked because they can get by but they are also quite a sensitive group that can swing in the opposite direction of achievement if their needs are not met I completely understand that cuts need to be made but please consider not making those cuts to a program that serves this population which has such huge potential and so much to lose if neglected we need to think about the areas where the money is most impactful and our district tr3 program arguably the most impact ma'am you've reached three minutes so I'm wrapping of ensuring our students with exceptional abilities can reach the full potential thank you one second one second um to everyone who's speaking and especially to all those who don't get it in with the three minutes I say this every month please do email us what you're saying especially if it's already prepared um we would like the opport to to read them separately as well thank you hello my name is Jessica I'm also going to speak on the tier three program with the other ladies um my personal experience I'm going to share a little more anecdotal not a lot of research um but an experience in this District that I think is valuable for you to hear about my child's first grade year was remote due to obviously covid and not the board or anyone else um but just working first grade remotely we could see my husband and I at home home that my first grader was bored with the math that he was being presented with um his teacher didn't recognize that again at no fault of her own because she had a bunch of six-year-olds that she's just trying to Wrangle and stay their face on screen not even get to evaluate them for giftedness um so he missed out on that opportunity in first grade in second grade he took the sages which was probably his first experience with uh standardized testing and scored just shy of reaching the tier three criteria um so he was put on a like flagged list but he was not identified as tier three uh due to I think some budgeting reconfiguration after his second grade year he was rezoned to Mees from Rice um so brand new Educators a bunch of unfamiliar faces he was on a list but I think that his third grade teacher who was excellent had 27 students in her class which is more than the average or whatever was shared today um so she did not really seem to have the time to evaluate him for any propensity for math or science that I saw at home um again not at any faults of her own he went through third grade without being identified and finally this year in fourth grade I've pushed and his teacher has worked with me and we've finally after six months been able to identify him and he'll start tier three pull out soon um the reason I'm sharing that is because if you ECT differentiation in elementary school for tier three students there's not even enough time to identify them let alone educate them give them these challenges and then meet with parents I think four times a year or report to parents four times a year that's just not likely to happen and I feel like that's really a Miss for our tier three students like the other ladies have shared it's my son's legal right just like any child with an iep's legal right to have these services and I'd like to see them continue and elementary school thank you my name is Kimberly Henson and I have a student at beer good evening as you've been hearing we all have some serious concerns about the proposed budget of the many concerns one of the biggest is the Staffing cutet Middle School which will ultimately lead to the elimination of our team model approach the district that I taught at eliminated their team model approach several years ago since then the teachers there have not been able to provide the same level of instruction and care to their students their Team Planning time has been eliminated which is giving them fewer opportunities to work together and create individualized student- centered lessons based on their Collective experiences with those same students it has also created less time for social and emotional learning opportunities just because something can be done and has been done by others does not mean that it should I do understand that there is not enough money and that cuts have to happen however I also understand that in a time of such a budget crisis that our Administration has accepted salary increases and bonuses I also understand that opportunities to find the funds to cover at least some of the deficit even if just for this year to buy us time have not been explored we have been asked repeatedly by Dr Smith to trust him but that trust has been broken and it is your job to earn it back from us I cannot and will not support this budget until it has been proven that absolutely every other Avenue has been explored and I am imploring you as the board to do the same as our elected officials it is time that you act not in your own best interest not in what Dr Smith is telling you is best but in what is actually best for our students this plan is not a plan at all we keep hearing we don't know what it will look like yet we can't know what it will look like yet then you cannot accept this I am also officially requesting an additional collaborative meeting before April 25th to discuss this further I am not confident that if you accept this tonight that enough changes will happen before may we have been invited into the conversation too late and that is not our fault that is not our children 's fault do not accept this demand that Dr Smith go back to the drawing board demand that he include the teachers union parents and town representatives to go over every opportunity including Administration salary freezes and do not take away from our [Applause] children good evening my name is Colleen Ellis I have two sons in the district one is at um VanZant and the other is at Marlton Elementary um back in January I stood in front of this board after the switch was made from eam Child Care to just kids and my son lost his ability to attend the after Care Program because of his disabilities and I asked that you please consider in any future budget cuts the impact that it have on special education students and I can promise you that this proposed elimination of our team system in Middle School while affecting all students will disproportionately negatively impact those special education students you heard from several staff members that work with those kids and are standing here telling you that they do not have the time to meet the requirement of these students IEPs to have inrs meetings that are thorough and thoughtful and help kids that are on the cusp of being referred to the child study team and maybe don't have to if those interventions work and Mr pharo and Mr demarcy you asked thoughtful questions about what it's going to look like when that teams time is eliminated where is that going to come from and there's no answer because they don't have one one Dr Smith put that off to the experts that are standing here telling you they don't have an answer they were not included in the conversations that led to this plan and therefore they shouldn't be the ones that have to clean up this [Applause] mess I have two sons both have ADHD one is autistic and dyslexic and they are both thriving in their Elementary School environments because of the individualized attention that is given to them by their teachers by the child study team by their building administrators and part of the reason that my husband and I chose to move to this town was because we were assured by looking at the education system that that support was going to continue throughout their time in this District for it to be taken away now is devastating not only to my children but to many other children 25% I think you said of your budget of your student body is special education 25% of your students are going to be extremely hurt by this not only that but you're not going to be able to meet the needs of these students IEPs and then you're going to find yourself on the end of lawsuits that are going to be a lot more expensive than trying to to find the money to keep the house system intact ma'am you've reached three minutes if you could wrap it up you the board tonight have a small but distinct window of opportunity to do the right thing this plan is not even acceptable as a placeholder vote no thank [Music] you hello um just want to thank everyone in the board um even Dr Smith for continuing to give us your attention I know you're hearing a lot from a lot of different people both parents and staff alike I sent Dr Smith an email on March 7th I have yet to receive a reply but I do thank and appreciate the board members who took the time to acknowledge and thoughtfully respond to me Dr Smith's most recent email to parents and staff was sent on the 13th the day before the etsd parents United meeting in this email Dr Smith used the phrase the mission of a school district several times where does the Middle School fall in term in terms of our District's mission is the mission of a school district to neglect and push aside middle school children children with IEPs and 504s who will not be receiving the time accommodations and attention they are entitled to according to their individualized educational plan is the mission of a school district to neglect and push aside children who are at an extremely challenging time in their social and emotional development when you eliminate the middle school team model you eliminate the time children and teachers have together teachers join together to collaborate to discuss the needs of all the children we have the privilege and the joy to to work with when you eliminate our teams you also eliminate independent study this is an invaluable opportunity for children to meet with any or all of their academic teachers to get the support and time that they need to catch up to review skills and Concepts to make up assignments tests and quizzes and have their questions answered this time for children will no longer exist when teachers asked when in our day there would be time to give children what they need beyond their regular classroom period when teachers could discuss and collaborate about children Dr Smith suggested we meet before and after school and in the few minutes about eight minutes between dismissal and the end of our day teachers programs and time are being eliminated that have been there for children the focus now is on preschool and kindergarten both positive additions to our schools in the current plan as outlined in Dr Smith's March 13th email middle school children were lost we cannot push aside and minimize the needs of our middle school children thank you hi good evening my name is Jinger deetman 11 Lexington Circle I have a few topics I want to touch on as PTA president of deac Elementary and as a parent of a current fourth grader first I was relieved that the current fourth graders will be staying in their home schools for the 24 25 school year this was a good decision that will continue to give this particular group of students more consistency and stability in an environment familiar to them to be supported for learning and growing second while I understand that cuts must be made with the number as large as it is can we not also have conversations and brainstorming on fundraising and raising money as a community for our children putting aside our personal agendas and coming together as a collective group can there not also be conversations and meetings between the Board of Ed and the community before the next scheduled April meeting third being the PTA president I have the privilege of constantly being in our school at all all different times during the day and due to this I have gotten to know the teachers and the staff that I didn't know as well and have come to know the new teachers staff and principal and to be clear Dees started the school year with well over 10 related arts teachers this year plus eight new staff members and a new principal lots have changed we now have a staff since January for art music and PE all of which I've been able to get to know and form a relationship with in three short months Dees is always a school with the traveling related arts these teachers want to get to know our kids they want to be involved in events and activities our PE teacher reached out to me immediately after starting asking how can she get involved so that she can get to know our kids we have three 345 kids in our elementary we are not the smallest anymore I am asking you to consider Dees as The Homeschool for the related Arch that will be traveling next year lastly as a parent I am expressing my concern for the cutting and restructuring of the tier 3 Program being incorporated into the classroom how will this be executed differentiation is not enough excuse me our teachers are stretched thin already the kids of the gifted and talented program look forward to this pull out instruction where they have a voice that can be heard on topics and discussions that do not happen in the general classroom they participate and they work collaboratively with like-minded peers Guided by specialized teacher these children need pullout services and the same way that children with IEPs do my son has both an IEP as well as tier three ma'am you ma'am you reached three minutes I have okay I'm just wrapping up I can see the growth in the progress with the pullout instruction so I'm urging the Board of Ed to be sure that they are following the state law passed in 2020 regarding strengthening the gifted and talented Education Act as they make these decisions thank [Applause] you hello my name is Ain sapio I live at fairh Hill Court in Marlton I first want to thank the board for the hard work that you've been putting into this budget um it takes a lot of time and I appreciate the questions that you've been asking tonight we understand that the budget requires a focus on priorities for many of us the priority is to leave the Middle School teaching staff and structure alone we oppose cutting eight teachers from the Middle School we oppose dismantling the middle school hall and pods model which is also known as a teams approach which is evidence-based to be beneficial for cognitive and social emotional growth the budget presentation slide indicated that $700,000 would be saved by cutting these eight teachers so we're suggesting that to offset that projected savings we look at other options first you might use money saved from retiring teachers to fund teachers the number tonight was $80,000 as representing a teacher however retiring teachers are at the higher end of the scale and about $130,000 would be a more appropriate number for them so two retiring teachers could save three active teachers secondly uh we ask that you re-engage the Town Council about those selling those properties in Cambridge Park and country farms you mentioned this tonight which I appreciated and we know that the town offered to purchase those properties in 2021 I guess the price they offered wasn't acceptable so it went to the county just this past November 2023 and then it seems to have stalled so we're asking to really jump on that if there is an offer that could be money that could save our teachers third um please re-engage the Town Council in updating the agreement over their funding of the sro's and ask them to fully fund the SRO the presentation tonight said that they're funding half which is wonderful and that that agreement goes for another year but they are expecting a 2% tax levy from the local dispensaries so they will have more money that they could potentially fully fund those SRO next I think Mrs N asked um Mr Yates about the um capital reserve funds and I'm asking that you creatively look at the Surplus in that number it sounded like we were required to pull $1.8 million from that and we're earmarked 1.5 which leaves about $300,000 in Surplus which could be half of those eight teachers lastly take a look at any leftover money from the ECC and TBA funds there might be money there for the students who paid for this year and then those programs were ended so we're really asking you to take action to save the Middle School structure and make this the priority good evening my name is Terry buter moitz my address is 29 Buck Le Lane I have a sixth grader at Marlton middle school and a third grader at Marlton Elementary where I'm also the current PTA president I'm speaking tonight in firm opposition of the dismantling of the middle school house structure in a small way I feel somewhat responsible for the house system being the number one Target in the budget because the truth is about a year ago in a PTA president's meeting in the context of the full day kindergarten conversation Dr Smith asked us how we felt about the health system at the time my oldest child was approaching the end of her fifth grade year and starting to get nervous about what Hall she would be in in relation to her friends my response to Dr Smith at the time was that I was okay with the health system going away because I didn't think the stress of am I going to be separated from my friends was a healthy was healthy at an already stressful time of transition while I still don't love the social aspect of the kids being in the same Hall with the same kids for all of middle school I know I speak for so many parents new to middle school and Mr physic Caro that I just didn't know I didn't have any concept of the true value of the teaming model on every other aspect of her education no fifth grade parent does unless they're an educator thems or went to school in a similar system I certainly didn't know that removing the house system meant removing a ton of teachers and she is thriving in a system that makes her feel seen and supported in a way every middle schooler needs at arguably the most vulnerable time in their primary education I spoke to my now sixth grader in preparation for these comments and asked her how she would feel about having no more Halls no more independent study she looked at me panicked and said and I quote kids need that time there are so many more kids that need help than kids that don't when would we get that help if that period goes away we understand some cuts are inevitable and there are some tough decisions that need to be made and as a board I know you've been bombarded with story after story and a ton of research as to why the system is valuable and I also know you've been bombarded with a ton of suggestions of other things we can look to to avoid such a seismic loss to our unbelievably dedicated staff one key Point that's worth noting is that as of today per the public record four top of the skill teachers have submitted their intent to retire as of July 1st is the cost differential between a step one teach teacher and a top of the scale teacher being factored in as you're factoring as you're calculating headcount because that savings should go right back in to the teaching headcount so tonight my ask is simple as we talk about turning over stones and I know Dr Smith went through some of those stones tonight have you the board seen proof yourself or are you taking what you hear at face value if you cannot look in the mirror and not honestly say you have it is incumbent upon you to vote no to this preliminary budget because you know as well as I do the guest vote tonight even if you think it doesn't matter just because it's just a tentative plan it's due tomorrow is giving your blessing to this plan and you are complicit in the ultimate dismantling of the Middle School House system should that happen there's far too much at stake and if there's anything in this life that is worth all the due diligence it is the safety happiness and education of our children thank [Applause] you my name is Jacob pilman and I live at 33 snuffbox Lane good evening Dr Smith and members of the Board of Education you have heard from parents and teachers now I'd like you to hear from a kid I wanted to speak tonight because I'm a current sixth grader and I feel it is important you hear from the kids too the eam Township School District strives daily to prepare students academically for their future teachers create lesson plans and insire us and offer us help whenever we need it children are not just coming to school to learn they're coming to school with worries sadness stress fear attention struggles and ner Divergent challenges thankfully es etsd has known and understood for years that children are people and need to be fully supported developmentally which means addressing our social skills emotions and behaviors as well as our education for instance something that happened to me that was that I was struggling with my locker I had count I had tried countless times to open it even resorting to switching lockers eventually I talked to a trusted teacher and and they helped me during independent study after a 5 to 10 minute practice a teacher then told the six Green Team to cut me some slack if I'm a minute or too late Middle School structure is important it allows students to have personal relationships with their teachers while they're not there with where they are not just numbers independent study is so important too it allows students to do work and ask questions to teachers that they normally can't do at home whether it's not a quiet environment or they need teacher help this is one this is one week period is very helpful please keep our Middle School model we are not many high school students we are early teams with our own unique needs please keep the team time so we are seen by the same teachers who all get to know us as one Comm group this is a great district and when the administrators and District leaders continue to uphold the importance of social emotional learning it will grow it will continue to be a wonderful place to learn and grow thank [Applause] you good evening my name is Kevin want me I can bend I'm good either way good evening my name is Kevin pman I have two children in the district um I had a whole speech prepared largely about preserving the Middle School model and the lack of Engagement with teachers and parents to try to find solutions for the incredible incredibly challenging funding issues we Face instead I wanted to touch on a few things that were said tonight in regards to instrumental music lessons in middle school they do not receive more instruction than High School students kids who continue with music in high school have instrumental music classes concert band classes Orchestra classes jazz band classes a wide variety of options for them they meet four days a week at least as every parent with a child involved in the music program knows especially those on the board are in the administration this is blatant gaslighting telling half truths and withholding relevant information is just dishonest I and all of the parents and staff expect and demand better the comments about last year's presentation for kindergarten are another example of gaslighting we can all go back and look at the slides and watch the presentation and see how clearly the taxpayers were told if you don't vote for the kindergarten ballot measure these are the terrible things that will happen here we are the terrible things are happening in regards to whether or not the hall system is being eept again it's gaslighting tell us what is happening and be honest about it don't say it will be one or two classes then say well there's no way to know how much cross pollination will be between Halls the students aren't going to just move or walk they're taking classes in another Hall with students from the other Hall please stop pretending that this is anything other than a dismantling of the hall system we the stakeholders in this room are not stupid and the consistent gaslighting and lack of transparency has resulted in the loss of trust and faith in this Administration please we implore you do better hi I'm Oren cougar I live at Foxwood Lane I sure one moment please uh we need a motion from the board um in our bylaws if we have a meeting going past 11: we need board consent um I am looking for a motion for us to go past 11:00 for this board meeting noting that we'll take action past 11 motion by Mrs null seconded by Mr Demar see any questions or comments seeing n mr8 roll call please on going past uh Mr deari Mrs null yep on going past 11 Mr Bach yes Mr demarcy yes Miss Fox yes Mrs NL yes Miss Lee yes Mr Thompson yes Mr fiso yes Mr conon yes motion carries thank you Mr Yates all right I'm waren cougar I currently have a sixth grader here at morlon middle I'm not one that normally speaks in public so for me to be here in front of you tonight is huge so I'm just going to go read what I have my child and the others in the district need to matter and I hope you see that we're all here for them they need a voice too as they're the ones that are being directly impacted by the decisions you're making on their behalf I'm asking that you please leave the Middle School teaching staff and structure alone Middle School is appropriately named Middle School just for that reason they're not our youngest and they're not our oldest of kids it's a transition period to high school and should not be treated with the same teaching model as high school this age group isn't mentally or socially ready and needs the extra guidance and support that our current model provides independent study and team meetings that occur behind the scenes are not only needed but warranted for this age group the separation of Halls that offers a school within a school has so many benefits that it truly works for this population our kids need this middle level of teaching as they grow and develop into adolescen each section of schooling acts as a different level of development these levels are what start to create a strong foundation for these kids to stand on their own I'm sure you can all look back and remember where you were at their age so please take a moment and remember these years are really important thank [Applause] you hello I'm Jennifer pelman I live at 33 snuffbox Lan I am a mother of three and a licensed clinical social worker each day in the United States millions of adolescents go to school with mental health concerns that threaten their well-being and educational performance in 2022 New Jersey declared there was a youth Mental Health crisis in this State schools play a critical role in addressing the social emotional Wellness of children our middle school children deserve the best we can give them moving to a junior high model would be detrimental to the children and a huge step backwards for eam Township School District when many of us were in this when this room last people shared their concerns and changes for the structure of our district at that meeting at the end parents were reprimanded for not coming to the meeting prepared and in the same breath were told this is not your job well Dr Smith and the board I'm standing here today to tell you that the well-being of children is everyone's job and since the last meeting we've been busy a parent Facebook group has grown to over 800 members and people are asking fantastic questions and getting informed an informational Gathering was held to share ideas suggestions and for revenue and budget cuts parents have attended the town council meeting that have never gone before and numerous emails have been sent to the legislative Representatives so what are the next steps now we need to come together finally Dr Smith stakeholders have emailed you and asked for meetings since January and before and yet these meetings have not happened in the March PTA president's meeting you stated I knew this was all coming when I saw the budget projections in 2020 you stated the spring of 2024 will be a bad time I knew it and I knew a lot of people are going to be angry I ask you why did you wait so long to involve parents and have strategic meetings we all know and understand there are Tim taes for presenting budgets and that has nothing to do with the planning that takes place before the budget time lack of collaboration to this extent while stating in meetings that you saw it coming leaves people with the feeling at best that you like to work alone and at worst it calls into question issues of transparency and Trust so again I ask you to please remember the district's theme of cooperation and create a strategic planning committee neighboring districts had their Board of Education meetings much earlier in March far away from the 20th date which is tomorrow they posted the presentation online ahead of the meeting these are districts right next door to us not things that are not comparable to the Board of Education members many of you ran on platforms of transparency integrity and advocacy on this board are parents of current etsd students people committed to systemic legislative changes long-standing public servants as well as newer people of fresh ideas many are etsd graduates themselves who benefited from this Middle School model that is now threatened thank you to the board of ed members who tonight push for specific times that parent advocacy groups could be met with before the final vote I implore you to remember the platforms you ran on realize that you've been told parents are supportive of this structural change and clearly that is not the case realize that you've had three meetings you've reached three minutes okay I'm going to keep going CU you let other people keep going uh no I did not I let people wrap up so if you can just wrap up I'm going to wrap up them I'm asking the board to act tonight based on the pleas of the voters who elected you to the teachers we see you and we thank you and we're your allies to the parents we're in this together and I'm proud to stand with you to our children we are doing this for you and it's a responsibility of adults to turn over every stone until we can find a way to give you what you need to thrive and sore I'm hopeful we can find the 700,000 somewhere else Thomas Edison said it best there's a better way to there there's a there's a way to do it better find it hello my name is Chris Miller I live at uh Preamble drive here in Marlton um I did not prepare a speech I didn't even expect for myself to be here this evening but uh I I actually just got home I am an educator myself in a neighboring District I'm a music educator and I have children that are here in the school system we're fairly new to Marlton and I just wanted to speak on behalf of music education and the importance of music education for human beings uh whether they're in elementary school middle school or High School uh I just sincerely believe that music changes people's lives it affects everybody and when we start pulling these programs away from children I can just speak for myself that uh music education shaped me as a human being I became a a performer and a musician and I toured along the East Coast before I decided to become an educator and start teaching music for a career I've taught thousands and thousands of kids and I've seen it firsthand it affects their the way that their brains work for everything it affects math science writing reading everything all gets impacted from music and to to know that this is a potential thing that we want to remove from our kids experiences in school absolutely disheartens me as a human being and as an educator uh and as a father in so different ways for our children so I'm just uh really begging you to please reconsider affecting the music education of our our children that are here in the district thank you hi I'm Rosemary Bernardi ATT Health X Court East a former board member Ben uh this is probably my 2 first uh budget uh have had to sit through a budget presentation um so you know uh over the years we've had a lot of issues in uh Isam Township um a lot of challenging uh times um but I I'll Echo everything that the parents had said about the middle school program that is like the core of um the heart of our schools you know people move here because of the schools and it's the Envy the Middle School House concept is really an Envy for other districts around the around the uh State here so um it's unfortunate that we're at this point due to CS two funding um that's even being on the that this is even considered as a cut um the reason I'm here is really to talk about you know I'm glad to hear that you guys are open to uh to having a meeting i' want to do two themes one is transparency we uh I would ask that you actually go beyond the what you're required is actually to put the budget book online because I think it's very hard for us to solve a problem when we don't have all the details so if you could uh Avail that to us that would be great um the second thing is about collaboration I just want to say that you know um you know it's really so great to see the parents here and thank you board members putting together budget the administration doing all the hard work it really is a a hard process but if we can collaborate you know there's a lot of great ideas we know traditionally we're going to have new numbers we could have you know you're going to have the GIF adjustments you're going to have the health insurance you're going to have breakage from retirements uh the ECC you know how is that going to farare out at the end of the year you know really look at the fund balance accounts analyze those we have Surplus um I feel that there could be a whole uh collaborative committee to talk about Transportation transportation is what three4 four million are your budget I mean we really need to look at this a little bit differently so if we were to have a collaborative uh meeting that would be great Jen suggested the strategic planning session I think that's great um because honestly without a plan you know this is really we're going to be back here in a year talking about the same thing so I think that the board really needs to look at you know options for uh this year and how it's going to look you know next year and the year after so um the other thing that we're looking at too uh we uh as Jen mentioned parent United uh I have we're working on legislative initiatives we could get relief from uh stabilization Aid we can get relief from another bill that if they pass that we could go to 2.5% cap we can get um additional Aid uh Transportation they're looking at the school funding formula so there's a lot of things in the legislature that we could advocate for as a community it's unfortunate that we're here now we should have been do doing a lot of this work a while ago to start that work but we are going to do it so one of the things I want to just focus just to wrap up is really you know we and you have reached three minutes so yeah that's right I just want to wrap up that you know it's really great to see so many people here and really well we pitched in the kindergarten meaning strong schools strong community so I think I just want to close on that point because really you know we just have that strong schools strong community and here we are to support that thank [Applause] you uh just reiterating again thank you everyone for your comments um if your comments were typed please do email them to us so we could take aant to read them again um we will we'll now move on to the approval of the minutes we need a motion to approve items 6.1 through 6.3 do we have a motion motion by Miss Fox seconded by Mr Bach any questions or comments on the approval of the minutes seeing none Mr Yates roll call please on the approval minutes Mr Bach yes Mr Demari yes Miss Fox yes Mrs NL I have a question I'm sorry I will say yes to 6.1 board retreat but on 6.2 I was absent from the executive session can I just say abstain on that part only okay yes to the regular meeting on that 6.2 but not the executive session minutes yes to 6 point 6.1 in total and you're abstaining from the executive minutes on 6.2 correct yes got your exstension is noted Mr Thompson abstain from 61 yes that arrest your exension is noted yes to all abstaining 6.1 Mr fisar yes Mr conon yes the motion carries thank you we now need a motion for item 7.1 through 7.11 superintendent's report and an administrative item so we have a motion motion by Mr Thompson seconded by seconded by Miss Lee uh before we head into a roll call I'll hand the floor over to Dr Smith thank you Mr canthon just giving the time I'm going to shorten my comments and just say uh first thank you congratulations to all the staff that made our district Wellness night last week such a success it was a fantastic evening and saw a great turnout from our families also I'd like to plug our wonderful District Allin event it's all in disabilities awareness event tomorrow back here at MMS at 5:30 it's a fun familyfriendly event for everyone hope to see you there and then thank you to ETA for their collaboration on the three sidebars on the agenda the work to get a sidebar on an agenda can start months earlier it just worked out that it happened to be tonight but this is an important step in ensuring that our drivers are earning uh you know competitive wages that'll help us bring more routes back in District and that money that we Sav we can turn around and put right back into Staffing since at this point point the cuts we're making have pretty much exhausted non Staffing so thank you to ETA for that thank you Dr Smith any questions or comments from the board Mrs N I'm sure the board knows how I feel since we discussed it but um I can't accept this tentative budget as it is I feel as though I didn't was not able to analyze all of the information well that's not until item nine I I'm sorry I'm sorry I thought ignore me no problem Mr R I know we've been um working hard on these on these sidebar agreements and in particular I'm I'm really happy that we're on the verge of of passing these uh you're right there's that $4 million Transportation cost and that is a a horrible cost and the more that we a protect our drivers make their pay more competitive and also allow for other drivers to take a look at our our transportation and see that they can cross over with that same type of competitive pay uh will help us eliminate those Helman those Helman routes and every time we eliminate one of those private routes that brings more money back into the district so I am very happy that we're working on that I believe all of the sidebars are and the people involved um they they they are that very important I agree thank you Mr FIS any other questions or comments on superintendent items Mr Yates roll call please on administrative items Mr Bach yes Mr demarcy yes Miss Fox yes Mrs nll yes Miss Lee yes Mr Thompson yes Mr fisar yes Mr conon yes the motion carries thank you moving to item 8 curriculum and instruction we need a motion to approve items 8.1 through 8.5 do we have a motion motion by Mr fyso seconded by Mr Thompson any questions or comments as it pertains to curriculum and instruction I do no on tonight's agenda is 8.4 the eam Ed Foundation funding request we did speak about this in curriculum what was that last night and so I want to point out to the public how wonderful they are they're they are supporting the eyes on art show which is I don't know when it's starting but it's every year at the end of the year um and I want to thank if I have any eam Ed Foundation board members here I want to thank you and anybody out there they work very very hard to support put on events and support our district so I want to thank them for that that's it thank you Mrs null any other questions or comments from the board seeing none Mr Yates roll call please roll call on curriculum instruction Mr Bach yes Mr Mr demarcy yes Miss Fox yes Mrs null yes Miss Lee yes Mr Thompson yes Mr pisaro yes Mr con yes the motion carries thank you we now need a motion for items 9.1 through 9.20 under finance and operations do we have a motion motion by Mr Thompson seconded by Miss Lee any questions or comments for the board under finance and operations is this the part this is the part I know it is I'm only kidding I'm kidding anyway before I speak about the budget 9.19 I also want to give a shout out to our new uh the school bus advertisement uh finance committee I don't know when that's beginning is that next school year they're probably going to be uh put on the buses tomorrow morning oh tomorrow wonderful so I just wanted to ask the public support tailored Landscaping LLC any other businesses you want to get your name out there you can have your sign on our buses so I want to thank tailored landscape LLC and what else um I believe there there was nothing else besides the tentative budget I just wanted to say as I was saying before it's no secret we spoke about it in executive session at this time I cannot accept this tentative budget I have many many questions as obviously other board members do and I didn't have enough time to review all the back uh the workbooks and so on so um plus the fact that this will this will impact every child in Marlon because every student in Marlton goes through the middle school so you know moving forward I I hope that as a board we can work together and find savings elsewhere so it's unfortunate that the board is faced tonight with having to accept this budget it's unacceptable really the fact that this meeting was scheduled the night before the budget is due it puts us in a difficult position I saw online some districts met uh earlier in March I wish we could have done that so I asked for better planning in in the future thank you thanks Mrs null would any other board member like to comment Missy um first I would like to thank everyone who spoke um tonight for your feedback uh both here and uh via email it's very important for all of us on the board to hear from the people who are affected by these decisions and regarding the vote tonight from what I understand tonight's tenative budget whether it passes or fails is ultimately going to the county soon and the way I see it if this vote fails tonight um the meaningful changes and dialogue that the community is looking for and deserves is not going to be happening in an emergency meeting in the next 24 hours this is a longer process obviously and this is why we have a multi-step budget process so tonight I think we've all seen how the numbers are looking we've seen the presentation we're on an even playe field and this vote as I see it is not an end it's really a beginning of a dialogue and it's disappointing that it's taken this long for the dialogue to begin and that's something for the future but this is where we are right now and I hope to see um work with the parent groups that have formed and making substantive changes uh before the final vote in uh more than a month thank you thank you Miss Lee any other questions or comments from the board Miss Fox I would also like like to thank everyone for coming out for your emails um while it is true that the final budget will not be voted on yet I feel that there is just too much of a gray area and I'm not convinced that the collaboration between stakeholders and board and administration will happen if it does not go through and for myself there there was a lot I heard today that I am just not comfortable with saying yes at this time thank you Miss Fox any other questions or comments from the board seeing none Mr Yates roll call please on finance and operations Mr boach um I am going to say yes with the caveat of because if you know if we do vote it down today it would be we would have a lot more work as a board that would not involve the public I don't want to do that I want to give you know the public groups the most time um with this so I am I want to make sure um that that happens so that is my goal you know for this um and I'm going to make sure that the groups you know get representation with that and we get that pulled together a lot sooner than later so we have that time it's it's okay this is what I'm this is what I'm going to do so Mr demarcy no to 9.15 that's on everything else just to clarify Mr Demar you said yes to all no to 9:15 thank you your your vot is counted Miss Fox yes yes to all no to 9.15 thank you Mrs [Applause] N yes to all except a no for 9.15 Miss Lee yes Mr Thompson yes Mr fisicaro yes Mr conon yes the motion carries thank you Mr Yates moving on to Personnel we need a motion for items 10.1 through 10.10 do we have a motion motion by Mr Thompson seconded by Miss Fox any questions or comments as it pertains to Personnel seeing none roll call please Mr Personnel Mr boach yes Mr demarcy yes Miss Fox yes Mrs no yes to 10.1 through 10.6 no to 10.7 yes 10.8 10.9 and I'm sorry no to 10.9 and no to 10.7 yes to everything else if that makes it easier for you yep it does thank yes to all 10.7 10.9 you're no correct thank you no Miss Lee yes Mr Thompson yes Mr fisicaro yes Mr conon yes that motion carries thank you moving to policy of which we have no policies moving to committee reports are there any board members who would like to share a committee report seeing none we will move to Old business of which we have none we will move to new business there is none uh now we'll move into public comments on any open items uh this meeting will be open to the public referencing any items of Interest however if your questions or comments pertain to litigation student or Personnel items or negotiations we would ask that you see the superintendent after the meeting since we do not discuss these matters in public please limit your comments to three minutes per person and please state your name and address at the beginning hi Rosary Bernardi at 10 hell effect Court East um so I heard from Mr Bach that he's willing to have a meeting do I have commitment from is there a a commitment from the whole board I guess I'm a little confused the next step is just to be clear like with dates and you know next actions we're going to have like I'd like some clarity on that yeah I I'll I'm going to be reaching out to the groups that were here tonight so we can form a committee and discuss the budget where we're at and ideas that people might want to share and we can try to find a common ground to walk forward on so I I guess you know just from a facilitation perspective you know having everyone's schedules I think it might be be easier if we can just pick a date right now now we're all in the room here um Jen yes let's pick a date we all have our calendars here I think it would just be easier um and we could have a committee meeting to have I I feel it's going to get lost I just think that the Board needs to decide from their perspective and I don't know that they're prepared to do that here uh and I think the president needs to decide you know if this is going to be a full board meeting or if it's going to be a committee like an ad hoc committee so I think that's why we're saying that we need additional time so I mean I think that we can say we'll be in touch by the end of the week uh okay well moving on is public comment so all right I if you can discuss it during your board discussion to come up with uh how you're going to plan if you're going to do an ad hoc committee or honestly just have another Open Session um and I think it would be great if we can and in we you know we have people here today uh we do have Outreach but there might be other people who could have other ideas so I wouldn't want to limit that conversation thank [Applause] you Colleen Ellis 73 ulene I just want to say um Mr demarcy Miss Fox Miss null what you did tonight was not easy thank you [Applause] hi my name is Evans Scott 106 Williamsburg Court sorry I'm late uh I was listening to the meeting on the way from work I got off about uh 10 or so um I caught the last part of the public comment what I wanted to just talk about is the lack of transparency as it relates to the school funding formula because that really is the root of every single problem that we have and will have going forward until it's changed and I finally figured out one of the biggest factors so it's aggregate income it distorts the entire formula so they don't use median income and that's what matters so as long as we have that one single Factor we will be continuously affected so this process will go on and and on and on just like we talked before until it's addressed so we have to get everyone in the room the entire Community to literally raise their voices to Trenton to the Department of Education to the treasury Department to say hey we need to switch the factor from aggregate income to median incomes and then it will truly be representative of the community at large aggregate wealth is distorted by high income earners I've got tons of data here that I pulled from that I can share later on but that's where we need to take this [Applause] thanks we will now move to board member announcements are there any board members who would like to share an announcement Mr dearcy I assume this allows for a comment not necessarily announcement as well you can announce your comment okay announcing my comment um I wanted to speak uh in regards to to the vote we took um I did vote no and and and and I and I I want to tell the reason I ran for Bo I said this at the last meeting the reason I ran for the Board of Education was because of the harm that our community was experiencing based on the state aid formula that was crafted by people who don't understand Ean values uh having been elected having been here for two months I understand that you know the budget challenges that we face they are not easy solutions and even though the state has caused it you know our advocacy is one of the only steps we could take to to prevent further funding but the reality is this year we have $1.6 million that we have to find that being said one of the biggest factors that I have considered in this has been the Outreach has been the the the calls for suggestions that to me shows that that even shim you know teachers parents you know and and as we saw tonight students uh is a community who cares cares about the schools um and and and that to me spoke volumes which is why in that aspect of of team in that aspect of you know we're we're behind this we have to work on this together this is why the community meetings that we must have with the stakeholders are going to be crucially important in navigating these issues there needs to be not just parent groups there but also teacher groups as well um and realistically any other interested group because every resident in this town is affected by the state aid cuts and budget cuts in some way or another whether you are simply a taxpayer whether you are a student whether you are somebody who's looking to move to e sham Township there is that factor that has to be considered um I I I think that there also needs to be a recognition of the importance of logistics um in regards to handling uh not just mental health but also special education that those two things are are crucially important in today's generational education you know I I walk these very Halls not that long ago I see some of my former teachers in the crowd tonight um but the way I see it things are different than even from then for kids in the challenges that they face based on on the aftermath of not just the pandemic but but our changing world and and that could be very uncomforting for a lot of kids and a lot of families um and and I think it's important to say that you know we sympathize with that you know we're all understanding of that um and and and in future conversations we we're we're going to have to keep that as a factor in the decisions that we make um yeah you know something else uh was brought up about the local advocacy that has been done about this issue to not just our board but other elected officials and other governing bodies here in town that is crucially important I you know this is this is a chance for every governing body here in Eve sham Township to do something about the biggest issue that our community faces uh you know with regards to the SRO funding with regards to the properties that were mentioned um you know this is something that me personally think should be a big effort on behalf of the entire Eve sham Community as a United cause to address this issue State advocacy thank you to every single person who has written a letter to our state legislators um to you know ask them to say there are crucially flawed issues in our state aid formula um you know it's a very complicated matter you know that that that I would need two hours to go through but that would bring us to about almost 2 am so I don't think anybody wants that um but I but I went to Trenton on uh last Monday um and I and I testified at the assembly uh budget committee um two of the legislators who sit on that committee represent one of the towns in lrhsd right which is one of our partner districts every kid who goes through here ends up in that District which as we all know just lost $4.7 million um and and and you know I looked at them and I said how is this how how how are we how are you as elected officials going to permit this to happen to your home District this is not something that we could just sit idly by and say you know what that's the politics of it what is happening in Trenton what is happening with the stated formula is the politics of it that's where that's where we're going to address the long term of this issue because this will keep going on unless the people who don't understand the eve sham values that are making these decisions here from our community um you know just and i' I've gone way over my time limit but I mean you know I think at the end of the day when it comes to the to the budget you know my guiding philosophy and I mentioned this is that every stone needs to be overturned and and I appreciate the work that our Administration has done to you know the the the other things were listed in the budget and they said you know they they they went through those ideas and explained different you know challenges that came with those suggestions but we also need to have that community meeting and in that community meeting we need to go step by step with those suggestions and look at the financial figures of adding up to that uh it's it's about $640,000 we can and we will in those committees look at those suggestions and find a solution together thank you thanks Mr Marcy anyone else like to share an announcement Mr Brock um not so much an announcement but can we agree that we're going to do another board retreat to talk about um you know to really discuss the budget in depth as a board it's desperately needed I need a motion to approve a board retreat before the final budget vote in um yeah motion by Miss Fox seconded by Mr dearcy any questions or comments on that all right seeing n Mr Yates roll call please on a board retreat prior to our final budget approval on board retreat Mr boach yes Mr demarcy yes M fox yes Mrs NL yes Miss Lee yes Mr Thompson yes Mr visaro yes Mr con yes motion carries cool Saturday it will be on a Saturday it might not be this Saturday um Mr brck are you with your comments you have more um yeah that's basically it I wanted to just get the ball rolling on you know these meetings you got it so you know I know we'll be talking you know during the week to get that scheduled yep any other board members so I I had a feeling that my no vote would be a symbolic vote but I had to vote with how I felt um I do want to say I know Dr Smith has taken a lot of shots in the last few board meetings um seeing him behind the scenes He does care a lot and I know I know this but from my point of view um there's going to have to be cut somewhere and someone is not going to be happy with what it is but I do agree that I mean some some of your ideas that were sent to me are things that I I'd never thought of and that made a lot of sense and I would very much hope that we can coordinate the Outreach meetings to really see what else can be cut that does not affect the students and the teachers thank you Miss Fox would any other board member like to speak seeing none we'll move to a motion to adjourn motion by Miss Lee seconded by Mrs null all those in favor thank you meeting [Music] adour [Music] n [Applause] [Music] n [Music] hey hey he heyy hey hey heyyy [Music] heyyy [Music] n [Music] hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey [Music] hey [Music] e [Music] oh [Music] yeah [Music] yeah [Music] n [Music] oh [Music] m [Music] a [Music] [Laughter] [Music]

out of the consent agenda and we'll vote on them separately you have to vote you just have first and second oh that's right all in favor of that motion and second say I I okay okay we'll vote on items 2.1 through 2.6 of the 10 agenda I have a motion to accept that no motion second from Chuck all in favor say I I I thank you okay item 2.7 recommendation to approve out ofate travel request for Dr right or Kimberly you want to talk about that one or Dr Wright uh so 2.7 is um the annual trip that asbo puts on or the annual conference sorry that asbo puts on for for I hear feedback sorry um I'll do my best um for maintenance um and transportation and um the CFO and business managers I will be presenting um again at that um conference as as I did last year um and then uh of course it's specific to transportation and maintenance um and that's their annual conference it's about just making sure that we're compliant with those dep departments I would also add this is Laughlin Nevada which is not Fort Light area to go I personally would not go um but it's something we have to do for compliance and this is a fancy trip hotel rooms are probably 29 bucks and uh it's I could never be the mayor of Laughlin or an advocate for the city not a fun trip as far as I'm concerned any questions Jennifer Diana my biggest question is is there an opportunity for them to get the information from an online line Source local resource or state level um my response is no there's not one thing Kimberly's presenting secondly this is where asbo presents and if we're going to have our people participate in transportation facilities for compliance they have to attend so we're we're stuck with that location I would love for it to be in Flagstaff or anywhere else but that's kind of what we're stuck with the location schols in Arizona to get the information to remain compliant for this topic yes ma'am for this setting inside of this setting that's true and in each one of those areas Transportation maintenance and whatnot and congratulations for kimbery for being a presenter that's amazing yeah Kim you want to add to that I don't know what else I can provide as far as information no it this it's not it's a unique conference because it's their annual conference and it's not streamed unfortunately all right any any further questions comments okay if not then we'll ask for a motion to accept item 2.7 as presented we approve item 2.7 have a motion have second from Chuck all in favor in favor say I I I I thank you okay that passed unanimously okay item 2.8 any questions in regard to that we discussed that just a bit no questions no questions comments just comments that these need to be in a timely manner it doesn't seem to matter who it is this has happened lots of times with different staff I'm not sure why but you know y we we need a calendar not all right so if there's no further comment or questions we have a motion to accept accept item 2.8 I have a motion from Chuck a second I'll second that item all in faor favor for vote say I I I I I would I would like to vote nay nay all right so we have one nay and four eyes noted Jennifer's the name okay item 3.1 recommendation to approve principals teachers and counselors contracts as presented to us in our packets uh Dr W do you want or Kimberly either one of you want to address that or this just something we have to do yes it's an annual requirement in order to issue these they have to be approved by the board and so the the contracts that have been issued to our teachers counselors and principes have all gone out and are due for return by March 29th any questions or comments in regarding to that if not can we have a motion to accept item 2 point I mean 3.1 as presented I have a motion from Chuck oh a motion from Diana all a second from uh Chuck give be a second all in favor say I I I that would be unanimous thank you item 3.2 recommendation to approve the bluid Strategic plan Dr R I'm going to let you uh present that strategic plan we've all had a copy of that but is it going to be posted up I'll have the highlights of that a presentation but just some highlights to go over that beginning with the first slide that you have that there there there you go so this is the planning session if you go ahead and go to the next one Dave the planning session for our strategic plan and succession planning districtwide we invited stakeholders throughout the community uh we used every internal and external uh mode of notification that we did and out of that we formed a steering committee to make sure that we had representation from the various groups students parents community members teachers support staff and administration and we held uh a series of meetings to discuss the idea of a strategic plan what the objectives would be what we hope to accomplish and to gain Community feedback and then after all that we had a uh consultant that for I I think the majority of the fee or all the fee was paid for with a grant from uh Nick Clement and through a program with Northern Arizona University so it we we obtain these Services essentially free of charge and uh Dr Clement did a great job of bringing the people together discussing the project and what we are trying to accomplish as a group and by the way the steering committee comprised of about 20 people put in the better part of an entire day after having met earlier to discuss some of the concepts so we appreciate their effort and the final presentation was put together with four goals and I'll discuss those I'll present what those four goals was and each goal has four action steps Associated so if approved by the board the next step is to make sure that we have the who what and when with each of these actions and incorporate uh the strategy within our day to-day operation and have regular reviews so the next slide I guess I can go there goal one where's the go one okay this is an example our first goal the feedback that we had was to increase family and Community engagement in student extracurricular activities and volunteerism at all schools we want to Simply put get more people out to our our Fine Arts programs our athletic events and everyone agrees we need more volunteers so an action item in in order to achieve that action one for this specific goal one is to use District media resources to promote specific volunteer opportunities available and that the participation requirements are are made known and they're simple and so we want to simplify the process and we also want to make sure that these opportunities are known what some of the community members said is that they're afraid to volunteer sometimes because they don't want to be volunteering for something for instance math and the the subject matters over their head and we assur them that would not occur especially at the elementary level and that we have many roles that just require supervision or reading to kids or helping teachers uh produce product or making copies or whatever we have a lot of opportunities so that's action number one to review a couple the headings for the others that the two the three other remaining goals are these the second goal is to place the health safety and Welfare of our students and staff as our top priority and so we have we've done that and we've had four action items associated with that to give you a little bit of a flavor we want to make sure that we're providing appropriate learning environments that are clean well-appointed and the students have the tools and Technology they need to succeed that'd be an ex example of an action item the third goal is to improve student academic outcomes and College and Career Readiness so an example of how we use these goals this target was kept in mind when we had the consolidation of our programs we want to continue to improve our outcomes so we're going to retain the two we only have two uh curriculum coaches districtwide to support roughly 100 teachers we decided we're going to retain those positions to make sure the teachers have the support they need and therefore that provides our kids uh greater instruction and so we want to make sure that our decisions are consistent with our strategic goals that's done through monthly review and anytime we make an important decision to go back to these goals and make sure that the determinations are consistent with what our resources are number four the fourth goal is to provide clear and consistent communication with all stakeholders to ensure student staff support again that's on opportunities that are available we want to update our calendars and simplify our calendars we want to make sure folks know everything that's going on and they're able to participate in those things in which they're interested so in a nutshell that's that's how we achieved these goals and we are working hard to make sure that we make these a day-to-day thing it's not just a a very expensive long La drawn out process that results in a big old binder that sits on a shelf that no one looks at uh that that has been most of the strategic planning that I've been subjected to over the years that's what it's like this is very much a a workable plan it's simple it's straightforward and then we will Monitor and adjust this plan as it goes as it sets we're seeking board approval through 2024 through 2027 school year are there any questions from the board Mr President are there any questions Diana Jennifer any questions no I think it's a great plan I just wanted to get a little bit more information but I know you know as it's being implemented so I think it's a great idea a lot of the the new strategies um any other questions comments no I like the fact it's simple it's simple enough to follow we can make it happen yeah it's something that uh just can easily be follow simplified keep things simple and it's easier to accomplish instead of yes page and page and page of comment yeah it's equally informative for students as well as staff or parents or somebody walk in from the community and and be able to read through it and know what's going on yeah will we publish this yes sir we'll post it on our website as well and make it available to have a copy always are the district office and the front desk as well at each of our campuses any further questions or comments not can I have a motion to accept item 3.2 for the Strategic plan for bluid school district for 24 through 2027 so moved have a motion for Margaret second from chunk chuck all in favor say I I I I that looks to be unanimous thank [Music] you all right item 3.3 recommendation to approve the early graduation requests we I think everybody received a list of those students I have one question uh to Mr web are all of these students just graduating as of now or some of them just catching up and graduating so three of the students were um C they had caught up they were fifth year seniors and finally met the requirements for graduation so they had caught up the two two of them that are current Juniors they are at seing graduation okay kind of wondered about that any other questions about that now can we have a motion to accept early graduation for the list of students as provided I have a motion from Chuck second have a second from Margaret all in favor say I I I that looks to be unanimous also okay um um just a a comment one more comment check I just it just dawned on me if we're going back to a six period Day next year we probably won't have students graduating early they won't be able to earn enough credits to do that Mr that is correct um you may you there could be a possib ility with current Juniors and seniors or current Juniors but we would take a look at those students and Coach them and and make sure that they're making the decisions that's best for what their scenario would be but for next year's Juniors they would have to take a yearlong class so it would I I don't even anticipate that happening yeah Mr web when when they decide to do this do they have to bring a parent in with them and you all talk together that is correct all right item uh 3.3 oh that we just did item 3.3 item 3.4 um Dr Wright do you want to explain this or Kimberly you want to explain this I think this is just an housekeeping item yeah it's just a housekeeping item the Navajo County school um superintendent office um developed a Consortium to help schools in Apache and Navajo County um get services for physical therapists occupied therapists speech therapists um and psychologist and this is just the contract that that we have with them that says that we can use their services um if we need them they're just one resource that we use though to get those services but we do need to have this approved by you so that we can continue to use them next year and there are set fees for each yeah there's set fees for each service and that that check um are we using all of those services or just a couple or um from the Navajo Navajo County Consortium no um we're using some of them but not all of them we get um services from other vendors as well this is just one source any other questions or comments if not then we have a motion to accept item 3.4 regarding contract related services from Navajo Navajo County Consortium so moved motion from Chuck I have a second Margaret all in favor say I I I I have to ask a question on this really fast okay um it is a white Mountain Physical Therapy part of that organization CU if so I need to recuse myself from voting as an employee I'm not sure I'll just recuse myself yeah I think that would be safe for Jennifer I'm not sure I don't think so but if you do recuse yourself then then we'll know for sure that's probably the safe thing to do Jennifer so make make it be noted that Jennifer Brimhall recused recused herself from uh voting on this item okay next item 3.4 is the uh superintendent's General District update Dr Wright yes sir thank you so uh most importantly we have completed our consolidation and reduction in force effort and through that districtwide there are approximately 20 fewer positions now that doesn't mean 18 or 20 people were um non-renewed and lost job a vast majority of those folks retired and another group resigned and so we had either three or four people that were ultimately impacted without a job of the 20 or 22 that were identified so I just want to make that clear I think we see our friend from the newspaper here we didn't have there were not 20 people that were terminated we did have 10 or 11 people at least to my memory that are now doing a different position we consolidated positions so for instance M Mr archet who's over there is our beginning next year is going to be our vice principal and the athletic director we took those offices and we combined them and that's because of economy a scale we have to do that um there was an Associated assistant position position as a as a support position we could no longer afford that position was eliminated we eliminated three of uh three teaching positions we couldn't find jobs for frankly the program or their course was eliminated in about 12 other instances teachers moved and taught a different subject or moved to a different grade level or a different School we've had some cross polarization we've had people that went from one campus to the other and so a vast majority of the people were able to retain their employment and that was always our objective that doesn't mean that it's not important that we lost three or four roles cuz that that's always sad and it's never easy I think that a point that needs to be made though is classroom sizes will grow larger because we'll have fewer teachers and we've been saying that since uh I don't know last 12 months and we've been we told the community before the bond this last request to have some additional funding that this would happen so it did we're performing on what we said we do we'd have fewer people and fewer positions we can't have any fewer facilities people or maintenance people or bus drivers or food service or administrators and teachers was the only place we had left now the question would probably be are we going to suffer a similar uh adjustment next year the answer is no we're we're going to get to where we are we're adjusting and aligning our finances with our headcount and our average daily membership so I don't anticipate you want to explain why we had to cut back yeah we we've been operating on some funds that aren't going to be available now that's true uh we had for the past three and a half years we had over $5 million of federal funds that were provided and we knew those were going to expire this year and so in advance of that we asked for a bond and two years before that an override both of those elections failed and so this is the result of two failed elections and we have to bring our spending in alignment with our resources so those are the some of the painful decisions that we made but the good news is we're in a much better spot going into the upcoming school year and so does the board have any questions on the specifics or any anything I can answer with respect to the consolidation effort questions Jennifer Diana no not at this time okay thank you the the next is our state testing begins next uh this month on the 25th and 26th at the uh Elementary level and then the junior high is April 2nd through the 12th and then our high school will start a combination of March April late April so this this is when we're getting into the the part where the rubber meets the road all those folks Seated on your left and be very busy administering those tests and making sure that all the kids have been supported and those are really our our main updates are there any other questions that we the board might have that I could provide additional detail if not that concludes my report Mr President any question Jennifer Diana no not at this time all right so the next item on the agenda is our call to the public anybody that would like to address the board at this time we would ask you to come and um f out uh form giving your name and address to Mary Ford uh if there's nobody here we'll move to the next item on the agenda which is item number five which is just a notification of our next board meeting which will be on uh April 9th in this location at 5:00 p.m.