But none of this would have been possible without the help from your family, your friends, your teachers, and other mentors. They've been with you every step of the way, and today they share in your success. So, let's take a moment and thank them for their unwavering belief in you. Personally, I'm reminded of the legacy of my own parents, Carl and Jane Johnston. My mother was a kindergarten teacher and my father a high school English and journalism teacher. And together they taught me the importance of collaboration, curiosity, and being a lifelong learner. And although they are no longer with me, their influence continues to shape my journey. And I encourage you to hold tight to the lessons from those who have helped you along the way. So graduates, listen to the wisdom that is shared with you by others. A poem that captures the essence of values like humility, grace, and living life well is if by Ruddard Kipling.
If not, then I will take a motion to accept the consent agenda. I move to accept the consent agenda as presented. I second. All right. All in favor? I I I motion carries five to zero. Okay. Okay. With that we will go to 8.1 to consider discuss amend if desired and if deemable adi advisable to adopt the resolution ordering and calling a special bond election to be held in and for the district and author authorizing the chief financial officer to comply with the certain sections of the in the internal revenue code. Wow, that's a lot. And it's like look at that. like it was in like bold even like okay so this is just what we've been talking about for the last six months um this is the formal resolution uh for a call for a bond election um although the amount is not in the resolution that's per state statute uh in the backup material it is there and it's the 80 million that we've been talking about uh again just very quickly if there's a couple audience members that don't understand uh or wonder why we're doing what we're doing uh when we went ahead and had a conversation ation with uh Stifel which is our our bond uh council.
They have to justify their thinking. So, I went from having a room of scholars who didn't necessarily realize their potential to now I have fifth grade leaders that are ready to go into middle school showing their skills and everything that they've learned. So, one challenge was really just like fostering that confidence that wasn't initially there just because of the traditional learning setting that they grew up in. Thank you so very much. I love hearing that and I hope that that is shared throughout the entire district because I think it's really really important that we build up our kids confidence. Thank you. Yeah, I agree. Um really impressive. Um when I was writing down I mean things that we've spoke to before about critical thinking, getting the kids to do critical thinking. I always say um out of the I'm one of six boys, I'm the only one that graduated high school, but I actually think my brothers are cleverer than I am because they learn critical thinking, not necessarily academics.
Okay, I'm gonna actually before you I'm I'm gonna take that one off the table because um I think listening to the conversation I I want to ask and I'm going to ask each of you this question. What is your understanding of the role of a select board member? Think about that for a second as you as as you're running for this position and Brandy and Joe, you've been sitting there. Carlton, you're looking to step in. What is your understanding of what the role of a volunteer member of the select board means and who wants to go first? Well, I'd like Carlton to go first actually because I would love to hear what you think we do. Go ahead, Carl. Yeah. No, abs. Absolutely. And obviously I' I've been to meetings and I've read minutes and I' I've you know, so some of the policies that are obviously in town are agreed upon by the select board, right?
Um you know, so it can be hard, you know, for working families that have, you know, to have a nine o'clock coffee. However, you know, the night that we went, um childare, exactly. Child care becomes a factor at night and, you know, so there's so many different factors, but you know, simply just putting it into the newsletter too is like a great bonus push, too. Um so those little things I think go a long way. It sounds wonderful and it's clear that you're reaching a lot of parents and able to engage a lot of families in just the community of Pitway, right? Um have you identified any um gaps is probably the wrong word, but but maybe topics that you want to cover or u maybe specific populations of parents that you feel like you haven't quite connected with yet that will be part of your plan moving forward for next year.
And then I always try to attend all school meetings u because they're always such fun because they're led by our students and they always do such a great job. Then we had the polar plunge. That was something. And uh quite cold. I was in the chicken coupe not jumping in. And uh the first middle school band concert that actually has happened in a while. And shout out to Hannah Cherry for making that happen because it was amazing. We are back on the radio which is part of the marketing plug. Um folks had answered a family survey at the end of the former superintendent's tenor here. And one of the things that they were looking for for uh us is to get back out there on the radio, to get back out on social media, and to really be more uh apparent in that uh technological world.
And then I always try to attend all school meetings uh because they're always such fun because they're led by our students and they always do such a great job. Then we had the polar plunge. That was something. And uh quite cold. I was in the chicken coupe not jumping in. And uh the first middle school band concert that actually has happened in a while. And shout out to Hannah Cherry for making that happen because it was amazing. We are back on the radio which is part of the marketing plug. Um folks had answered a family survey at the end of the former superintendent's tenor here. And one of the things that they were looking for for uh us is to get back out there on the radio, to get back out on social media and to really be more uh apparent in that uh technological world.
Do you know? We don't. We are right now we just finished or just finished applying for all of our grants that we go through the state for. So our applications are in and done. I literally just certified a couple not too long ago. So we've done our part and a lot of times the state will wait to get all of the grant information from all of the districts and then they'll do their application. So we've done our due diligence. Okay. So that that would probably be coming early next year. You think? Okay. I don't think anybody knows when the money's coming. Well, you know, they got they've got to go to the to the best of my knowledge, the Department of Vets still exists in some way, shape, or form. They got to go there and and ask for the money, but uh you know, God knows what's going to happen then.
[Applause] The board welcomes public participation and ask that speakers please limit their comments to three minutes. Speakers may offer objective comments of school operations and programs that concern them. The board will not permit any discretion of personal complaints or defamatory comments against board of education personnel and students nor against any person connected with the dam public school system. Is there anyone in the audience that want to come before the board and do not sign our paper tonight? No. We move on down the agenda. Consent calendar, please. Motion that the board of education approve consent calendar exhibits 25-80 and 25-82 in accordance with motion made by Lisa. Could I hear a second by saying all in favor? Can I hear I oppos? Motion so carried. Anyone representing our educational staff here? Seeing none, we move on down to our students. Our beautiful young student board. Good evening board of ed members, cabinet, and community members.
Yeah because I think and maybe we can talk about this at our board workshop when we have our board workshop. Um, I think one of the concerns I might have too is just when is it going to be, you know, addressed? When are we going to look at it? When are we going to evaluate it and, you know, make sure that things aren't being forgotten or dropped off because sometimes that's happened in the past. Well, clearly this is going to have to be finalized soon, right? Because we're going to have to be having lots of conversations across the district on letting people know, implementing it, and so forth, right? So I would think that probably maybe the second meeting in June, right? There should be a final draft and then um maybe we have conversations when we do the board workshop about like how cuz cuz we have an academic achievement standing agenda item, right?
So this is the report for 2023 2024 annual report for measure L and and you uh the letter from the chair. I'm sure everyone has well it's on on the screen. So that's great. Thank you. Um, I am ple I am pleased to present to you the to you the 2023 2024 annual report of the measure LNU citizen board of oversight committee covering the period of July 1st 2023 through June 30th 2024. The annual report is submitted to the Beressa Ununa school district board of education and local district residents by the Beressa Una school district measure LNU citizen bond oversight committee is fulfillment of its role as specified by law. The priority dues of the committees are review bond expenditure to ensure that proceeds have been expanded for the purpose outlined in measure LU. Inform the public concerning the district expenditure of board of bond proceeds.
And then after we identified those 14 things and went, "Oh my gosh, it's a mess." But it turned out not to be a mess because of the work that Chico Unifi's personnel, all of us did in pulling this off. So, I wanted to recognize that before we spent 15 seconds on the next topic. Well, I also think the COVID um era played a huge role because we were seeing the huge learning loss coming through and trying to look at how can we attack that and solve that. And so that was another that wasn't part of the dilemma pile, but it was definitely a dilemma that we needed to address. Well, if and if I may add, I was just going to bring that up. During COVID, uh we saw learning loss, but we also saw students disengaged, not participating, and failing. And students were were many credits behind.
You spent countless hours in the gym, in the weight room, in the practice field, in the sta on the stage with no spectators watching, studying between activities, and in rooms, planning projects in collaboration with others. Your future journey will require the same amount of dedication and hard work. So take what you've learned from these experiences, apply it to your new experiences, and let them shape your future endeavors. Now, let me finish with reminding you of the hope is what of the thing that I love most about graduation. Tonight, friends, it's a false summit. We're not at the end. It is only the beginning. It's the beginning of a new adventure. On your journey, there will be moments that you can predict, and there will be moments that will surprise you. As Remy from Ratatouille has said, the only thing predictable about life is unpre its unpredictability.
Kipling was a prolific writer who won the Nobel Prize in literature in 1907. He had one son, John Kipling, and we can infer that this poem was written for his son before John left to be a soldier in World War I. And even though this poem was written for John and somewhat reflects the culture of the times, there are ageless truths embedded within. And I encourage you to listen to what resonates most with you. If by Roger Kipling. If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you. If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you. But if you can dream and not make dreams your master. If you can think and not make thoughts your aim. If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two impostors just the same. If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken twisted by naves to make a trap for fools.
Um they had indicated that we could go up to 80 million without increasing the tax rate. We understand that uh if we didn't go out for a bond that the tax rate may decrease at some point but we're approximately a$110 and we would maintain that$110 for the next uh 14 years and then it would start to decrease. Now that's uh presupposing that other things don't take place that does not take into consideration. for example, um, uh, LG and what the LG plant will do to the tax rate, that will actually be very positive, but that's not factored in because they will not hit the roles until 18 months after they, uh, come on board. Uh so based on that information, we went ahead and put a bond committee together that had community members as well as uh uh employees and we talked about all of our needs uh what was necessary in the in the district uh for the district and for our kids uh and came up with uh significant amount of um areas uh and then paired those down to uh to the 80 million and what we could move forward with.
They learn how to think and how to work and all had good lives, good careers. Um communication and teamwork. We know today's generations struggle at that. Struggle to get off that phone, off that um computer. So that I can see the kids talking to each other and working with each other. That's impressive. I can see fun. I assume that's what you're getting. I hear fun from you in the classroom that you're having fun. I'm sure that gets into the students as well. But if you're the teacher's having fun, the kids will have fun. Um I Kira, I think it's Kira, that's that was actually her statement that you read from the student. Um I'm not sure I could do anything as good as that to make a statement like that. It was informative. It was well structured and you had plenty of $20 words in there.
So that's that's the big deal of you know the policies that we agree that come down from you talked about the municipality the town manager they have a separate entity the town runs you know through the town manager and their staff but the select board agrees on the policies that affect the town and the businesses and going forward the reason why I'm so financially heavy is that they're intertwined at this point when you can continue to go down a road of insolveny the select board is not going to matter as much. So that's why it's it's crucial. It's it's important to talk about both. It's it's it's important to talk about you talked about the tri board. You got you got to at this point talk about both because we can talk about open space. We can talk about um funding and grant money. And I can't remember who who said it.
We'll definitely kind of do an exit survey for anyone who's attended um or just out in some more to see if if people have comments about how to improve it. Um our educators have tons of topics they would like to talk more about with families, but that might not be matching what families need. So, I think we'll be looking at that. Um you know, I've been talking to Jen. She was also part of the Makea-Wish Club for one of the wishes that was granted for a preschool family. Um so, we were there and thinking like maybe we utilize high schoolers and do child care one night. you know, how how can we meet this need um in different ways and and just keep that outreach going um and utilize some some help when we need it. Um I think that might be a nice way to try to fill in some of those gaps.
So, we have partnered again with WHI and Bear Country and every Thursday we tape a message about Greenfield Public Schools. It plays on Fridays and Tuesdays. Um, we also have language bridge interpretation now, which is really beneficial for all of us. Um, years ago, we used to have to wait for translation services and now all we have to do, no matter who you are in district, is dial a phone number and you're connected with someone who can translate on the spot. So, communication with our families is not stalled. So, it's a really great service. And I want to shout out to our director of pupil services, David Messing, for making that happen. Um, this was just some of the results from the parent survey that really showed they wanted some alternative ways that we were connecting. And one of those has been our social media launch.
So we have partnered again with WHI and Bear Country and every Thursday we tape a message about Greenfield Public Schools. It plays on Fridays and Tuesdays. Um we also have language bridge interpretation now which is really beneficial for all of us. Um, years ago, we used to have to wait for translation services and now all we have to do, no matter who you are in district, is dial a phone number and you're connected with someone who can translate on the spot. So, communication with our families is not stalled. So, it's a really great service. And I want to shout out to our director of pupil services, David Messing, for making that happen. Um, this was just some of the results from the parent survey that really showed they wanted some alternative ways that we were connecting. And one of those has been our social media launch.