I just I've always loved the idea of SDC students being able to go out at lunch and talking, oh, what are you doing in your English class? What are you doing? And find out that they're all reading the same content, that they're all reading the same book. They all can have those collaborative discussions in and outside of the classroom. As a co-teer, I'm able to provide the necessary accommodations to those students with IEPs um in that co-eing setting and also addressing the uh students that have tier 2 needs. Um mostly recently at my site um in my classroom, I've had three general three students that had IEPs in my co-taught setting come into my SDC setting. After doing new assessments, we realized that they needed to be placed. And then at the same time, I'm also able to make recommendations to other general uh excuse me, other special education teachers to let them know, hey, you know, student A, B, and C, they're really performing high.
What a wonderful event that was. Uh from basketball, my personal favorite, to bowling, uh students could be seen running events and participating. Many hands made light work. The smiles on their faces said it all. Um I enjoyed our time at the regroup and restart lunchon with the High Desert School Boards Association as well. It was nice getting together um as board members as we look to the future of all of our districts. Um, I also attended the Great High Desert Chamber of Commerce's Valley Morning Insight, the state of education, where we acknowledged the three students who got received those uh scholarships from our local businesses. Um, so well done and a big congrats to each of them. Uh, love, love, loved opening night of Granite Hills High School's theater dramatic performance of Lelay Miser School Edition. It was an inspiring performance by a brilliant cast led by an equally talented teacher and director Sherry Glisten and and other amazing staff that was there to support.
Um my kids are actually on spring break but still want to come to work with me which I that I can't believe that. Um so uh looking forward to that and I'm hoping that our staff uh bring their children. It's so nice when our when our family gets to meet our work family. It's nice and most of the schools have activities planned. We have activities planned in the administration building. Um and so it's a lot of fun. So looking forward to that. Uh, finally, um, two more serious topics that I want to make sure that I review and I want to make sure that, um, hopefully I'm very clear and everyone understands what I intend to say. First, when I gave the presentation Tuesday night, we talked about the possibility or what we were told that we were losing $11 million in federal funding, federal ARP esser money.
do respond with any questions um that we put out there. I'll try to give you that maybe every two weeks. I don't know. Or if you just have something like that update sheet that the other one I provided you that kind of has other issues, I'll show it to you. Okay. So, um sorry. Okay. Yes. ISBA spring regional meeting um May 5th and change of buildings. So, that's good. Uh, please let Stephanie know. How are we doing, Stephanie? Have you heard from everyone or do you need kids? Okay. All right. Uh, diplomas are at central office to be signed at your earliest convenience. Which central office? Yeah. Which central office? Why do you need that? We are the next board meeting is Tuesday, May 13th at 3 West Athenian Drive. Um, we will have an open house. You have this at 4:00. Um, Shmani, sorry you're out of town.
So like what's the next step on this that we're comfortable with? No, I think it's uh what I would do first is to type this up ex, you know, basically exactly as it is and then kind of start fiddling with it. Do you want to do that? Are you in that that mindset to do it? I could take a step. Okay, that'd be great. Would you like I think I that went to everyone. You can unpdf it. I probably can unp I mean I think this was important to Kate and I think it's great if we can make progress on it while Kate is still in the board. Um, I will take personal responsibility for number five on the list because I had promised I would eventually do the research on the zoning for downtown hotels. So, I don't think I can do that by the time Kate leaves, but I can commit to like May June to bring the research towards the board.
But not knowing that there's $4 million sitting in the school accounts when you're asking for more money each year, is offensive to me. It is not good practice for the taxpayers in this town who are requesting transparency. We want to know where our money is going. So I would ask that that is included in every budget going forward that is presented to the public. How much money is sitting in accounts not being used? Because it's not fair to be asking for additional funds. And it's also not fair to teachers and students to know that we're getting a cut. We're going to cut music, but we have money. Goodwin, I think that um you've we've heard these comments before. They're not particularly on topic for the question. I'd like to move on. Does anyone else have items related to the the current item on the agenda?
They're meeting all the standards. They are totally able to go into my co-taught classroom. So, and I being in both SDC and COT, I'm able to have that expertise. I'm able to understand the standards. Um, and I'm able to make those recommendations to my other colleagues at work. Um, I'm very familiar with all of the abilities of my students across both settings. Uh, and this is really largely due to the fact that I have an amazing co-teer who shares the gradebook with me. She's open to SIDAI strategies with me and she collaborates on all the assignments with me. Thank you. [Applause] So, I just you've already heard this quote once tonight, but I just want to illustrate another way how the work we're doing in SYS is really connected to the work that we do across the district because this quote, which Lacy had already shared with everyone, really does ring true.
I look forward to the next performance as I do love theater and music. I've had the pleasure of visiting all the schools in our district except our two high schools. I still need to make it out to you Granite Hills High School for that tour and Apple Valley High School. I look forward to coming and seeing all you have to offer our students. Um, thank you to all have taken the time to welcome us onto their campuses and into their classrooms. Many a time we happened upon teachers and it was like, "Yay, surprise." And they just handled it with such grace. Um, it has truly been a pleasure to see all of the wonderful ways you care for the social, emotional, and academic needs of our students every day. So, thank you. [Applause] Maria Oara. Okay. Um, thank you again uh for coming this evening to listen to us uh do your your business the do the business of the children.
And I informed the board that 70% of that money, 70% of the projects that that money was supposed to fund is already done. It's already completed. and four million of that we've already paid out and haven't received reimbursement. And I'm I did mention that it was my hope that the states get together and um file a lawsuit to try to stop this from happening. So, at 5:56 p.m. Tonight, just two hours ago, I received an email from the chief of staff of the um commissioner of education from the New Jersey Department of Education, which says, "We are reaching out to let you know that New Jersey has joined a multi-state lawsuit for a preliminary injunction against the US Department of Education and Secretary McMahon regarding the abrupt cancellation of late liquid ation of ARP esser funds. The relief sought under the complaint includes requesting that the court vacate the March 28th, 2025 letter that that uh to states that truncated by one year the deadline for our ARP esser late liquidation and further requests that the court declare that letter to be a violation of the administrative procedure act.
Um, teacher appreciation week. I know you guys have done something the last few years. Um, giving you the heads up that that's May 5th through 9th. And I say I'm giving you a heads up. Stephanie, she takes care of all this. April Athenian Oracle is in there. State championship color guard team. do give thanks to North Montgomery for having our hosting our host kids. North McGomery's FFA. We don't have that program. Um, so our kids got to engage with some farm animals and some high school kids. Love it. I wish we could do that program, but we can't offer. Who knows? We'll see. Jail. Um, hose and CHS. You look in there, they did their collaboration with the art class over the book Wild Thing. Nothing makes me happier than seeing that collaboration.
It sounds like we are I don't want to jinx us, but we're in a slightly quieter project related area. So my legs are crossed and my fingers are crossed. So I would inspire and motivate the rest of the board. If there's an item that you care about, let's grab, you know, if we each grab one. I mean, obviously you guys are sounds like Trisha might be grabbing on to the thing we just talked about, but if we're willing to grab one and kind of be responsible for bringing it to the board, maybe this is the time for us to quote unquote plan the next couple months. So, I'm going to put in I mean definitely a plug um about the comprehensive plan because that really what about it? Um a supporting getting to the finish line because there are some things but but particular getting another member.
I do. Me mayor disorder. This is my last question for Andy. um in any of the other districts that you work at or or just your opinion, do you think we should have a policy on revolving accounts? Have you seen that in other schools? All revolving accounts are governed by uh Mass General Law. So, I think it's chapter 44. I would have to check. Some of them might be under different ones. So, uh, I would say statute dictates what it is as far as that whether or not you want to have a policy, but it's I'm going to some specifics. I mean, you're not going to use your transportation revolving account for anything other than transportation. You're not going to use, you know, school choice technically is to be used to offset the expenses for educating kids that choose to choice into the district. There are some allowable exceptions to that.
Excellence and equity are inextricably entwined such that excellence without equity is not true excellence. And equity without excellence is unfulfilled promise. And that is truly the foundation of the work that we do in SYS, trying to bring equity and access to our students and have their voices heard. Uh quick thank you to Tess and Christy and Shay. Um and I would be remiss if I didn't thank the SYS leadership teams that came before me because as much as I would love to take all the credit for this, they laid the foundation that enabled us to get to this point. So, um, Brad's list and Amy deserve a thank you as well, Carl, because he's always there and always giving me advice. And none of this could happen without the teachers, the instructional aids, the nurses, the health techs, the speech pathologists, the everybody who I'm not naming, but please know you're in my heart and I'm thanking you.
Uh but before I start, I need to extend a special thank you um to Kylie. Um, since I stepped away from being the board president, Kylie has never f uh um wavered in terms of getting um the task done to make our lives easy. Uh we're as we're getting ready to go to coast to coast. Once again, Kylie has made it possible for us to know exactly what we do, where the envelopes are, what we need to do with the envelopes, and that is above and beyond what she's supposed to be doing, but she is doing it so that we will not stress when we go out to do the people's work. Thank you, Kylie. Um I went to Yakaloma school uh today um for another business and I was really thrilled to see the children doing jump rope for heart and I know that uh some people uh some of the teachers wanted me to do it and I said at this age um I am not sure if I jump what will happen.
enjoin the US Department of Education from enforcing the contents of that letter or otherwise revoking previous late liquidation approvals and provide any other relief that the court deems appropriate. I have a pretty good understanding what all that stuff means, but I know that our board attorney can explain it perhaps in more layman's terms so that we have a better understanding of what that actually means. So, Miss Miller, if you wouldn't mind. do my best. Um, essentially the letter that they're speaking about cut the time frame for liquidating the funds or paying them back to the states by a year and it stopped it immediately. As of March 28th, no more money was being paid out. um the action will stop to enjoin which means stop the the government from enforcing that letter which means that any money due would be paid out and they would be permanently prohibited from not allowing the money to be spent.
You also see some collaboration between CHS and Hoover for their freedom crossing and I'm Rick Striker and I'm grateful to be [Music] in any other business board communications hearing none comments hearing none I would entertain a motion to move second all in favor Thanks everyone. Thank you.
Um no no the um so implementation plan belongs with the planning board. That's true. We have and if you wait till it's all approved and done it's just going to sit there for a while and linger again like the so typically the comprehensive plan will say this is what we want for our town. It's not going to get to the level of zoning changes that might need to accomplish them for instance. No two things related right typically the planning board is not only involved in pushing a comprehensive plan but also pushing an implementation committee and starting to think about what are the zoning changes we need to draft. Essentially, as the comprehensive plan starts to do the writing work, we as a planning board could bring that back here and in that year of writing, we could start thinking about the zoning changes that need to happen.
So, it's all dictated by uh the statute that governs each of the revolving accounts as to a policy. I've never seen a policy uh per se as to use or anything. Um I have seen committees talk about the practice of only using prior year balances for uh next year receipts, always using having a year and a rears. Uh and the goal quite honestly is to have maybe two if if possible. I've also seen a percent where along the lines is similar to cities and towns free cash is like a used to be a 5% cap. That's what I've seen in other places too that they hold the school districts to the same standard or whatnot. So long answer your honor is it varies. Mhm. I I think in the past we had a policy and we no longer have it that's you know including what the suggested balances.
Um, because without them, this doesn't happen. So, I just want to thank you. I want to apologize to my fellow directors because clearly I did longer than 10 minutes and I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I know it's a thing and I failed. So, um, so thank you and I'm sorry.
Um but I thoroughly enjoyed the joy on the faces of the children and I really really anytime you put me in front of children I come on light. Uh so I enjoyed that. Um congratulations to the honores. Um it is not always easy in a sea of hundreds of people to be picked out in the group uh to go above and beyond the first group of honores. I thank you so much. I thank you for um going out of your way to be of service to somebody else that may or may not be able to say thank you to you, but those of us who are still on this side of earth can at least say thank you. Thank you for the service to be able to help somebody else. And in terms of the last three honores, I can't express how excited I am uh to see uh that out of 33 schools, 373 schools, 37 districts um that we came out came out on top.