>> Now >> it's still going. Everything's still going. I think that's what we want until we adjourn. >> Yeah, >> I think so. >> Yeah, >> but I ended up breaking out with the first group and so I was probably like 30 people total for, you know, I mean it's a few thousand people. >> Yeah. And so the beginning the first mile of the race was like backwater, but then you run through Disneyland. >> Uhu. >> And by that point it was so spread out that I was all by myself. >> Wow. >> It was so >> that's so nice. >> Cool. >> Yeah. >> Because you ran I ran into Disneyland and there were still people kind of around me and then it gradually you know they spread out in front of me and then people fell off behind me. Mhm. >> So, the last mile which was through the park and then down um Disney Main Street or Disney >> Downtown Disney.
Let's just do the one day and get another day off. So, >> it works in our contractual agreement with the teachers to do it that way. So, >> and that's the way a lot of school districts are going. Yeah. >> Right. Because you gota you got to get that time in. >> Um I just have the question with you have virtual for conferences. >> You is that something that you want virtual conferences versus in person? >> Yes. So in the schools that we've talked to uh that do teacher conferences like at this window of time they emphasized how important it was to be virtual because of the number of families that might be traveling for vacation and that uh they are virtual. We have tried to do conferences that are a blend in the past and they become problematic for teachers because a parent is there in person and they if the next one is virtual, they don't see that that other parent is waiting to get in and it gets hard for a teacher to manage that space.
>> Oh. >> Back toward the hotel. Um there was no one within sight in front of or behind him. So, I'm running by myself. And of course, normally you're running hundreds of people. You know, it would spread out some, but >> yeah. >> So, there's it's enough. And of course, it's pretty pre-dawn. So, it's dark in the park. >> It got to the point where I had trouble telling where the course was >> because normally you're just following the flow of people, >> right? >> And there were a couple times I'm running I'm like I don't even know if I'm still on the course. >> Wow. >> Other than, you know, there's cast members, >> but I remember I don't know if you know Disneyland well or not. >> It's been a long time. So, kind of. >> So, there's you kind where where Pirates of the Caribbean is, there's kind of a path up and then there's a bridge kind of over the queue.
Like if it's all in person, they see the person waiting out there. If it's virtual, they know that like when our time ends, we're going to cut off this call. when it's a blend, it has been problematic when because we had a couple of years where like you as a family got to choose your own model for a night and it just logistically was really difficult to manage. So we feel like for the flexibility of families that are traveling it needs to be virtual and if it's virtual then it just needs to be virtual for everybody. Okay. Um, does anyone on the board have any strenuous objections to proceeding with further exploration of these proposed changes? >> Then I think we can direct Dr. They to continue exploring. >> We'll keep working. >> I appreciate all the work of the teachers and administrators that like this I am bringing you their proposal, right?
Okay. >> And you double back right there >> and there were cast members there. And I just remember running that by yourself. There's nobody else around. >> Yeah. >> And you're running through the park and when when else are you going to be by yourself? >> So cool. >> It was it was really a cool experience. But again, it's so hard to be far as how fast you have to be and everything. It's so hard to be in a place like that. >> But it was that was really cool because I I think I And even to like the finish line, I was by myself. >> That's amazing. >> Yeah, it was it was really cool. >> That's fantastic. Yeah, that's that's awesome. >> Done like a couple mountain bike races and like the first one I did, I was just like in great shape.
Uh, but people have spent a lot of time on this to get to this point. So, thank you everybody. Thank you, [clears throat] >> Julie. Um, item six. Do we have any uh slips for public comment? >> No, sir, we do not. >> Okay. Before we can go into close session, I'm just going to open up for an opportunity for any board member to address any open items uh for new business. >> Another time. >> Yeah, that's you. >> Um, Dr. The could you walk us through um for for the public, there has been um conversations and rumors going around of a proposed student walk out in both of our buildings to for I think originally it was supposed to be Friday, but now I think it may be tomorrow. >> Um >> could you walk us through district policies on all of this? Sort of the district response.
Um I was like 25 and like I didn't have anything to worry about but just going and biking and uh >> I was like oh I'll go to the back like this is my first time and stuff and man >> you don't want to be that guy. >> Exactly. Yeah. And so I did, but I really should have tried to break it up further because uh like especially on single track, you have to be like, "Hey, I'm passing." And like I lost so much time. >> Yeah. And I'm just like, "Man, I really should have just sprinted at the >> But it was like road at the beginning, >> which was not my strong suit." Um, like once I hit the trail, like that's when I caught up to everybody was just passing a gazillion people. And >> yeah, >> every once in a while we'll manage to get ourselves like perfect for where we are to where the people around you are starting at about the same pace and you're all just smooth.
Um >> Sure. >> Just give just an overview for >> a general overview. Sure. So, um, and Courtney and Arwin, feel free to jump in at any point here because they're managing it from the the building level. Uh, we are hearing a variety of rumors that have spread nationwide about a variety of different walkout days uh, related to immigration enforcement uh, in the US. And, uh, we've seen some happen in neighboring schools over the last couple of weeks. Um >> we had a small one two weeks ago. Yeah. With a small number of students uh walking out. Uh it has grown to the point where the the rumors of a various number of days where this could occur. Uh have grown to the level that we felt like it was a responsible thing to do to communicate to families and to students about what our procedures are around walkouts.
>> That's so nice. >> Breaking out. But boy, it's not not very often. So, we'll see how this goes for Eric. I think it'll be good. Um, >> man, his first half ever in the Dells like last week and that was rough for him, but like um that has a little bit of elevation gain and like he he did it and so once he gets down to Phoenix and there's the other people around and all that, he'll he'll fly. on a road course and the lower elevation >> and that the del that's super deceptive. >> It is. Yeah, it feels like it or it looks like it should be perfectly flat, but >> every time we run it, Michelle's like, "It is uphill both ways." I swear it's uphill both way >> because it just it never it's never enough of a downhill to be a benefit, >> right?
We've had a variety of walkouts over the years for a variety of different reasons, ranging the entire political spectrum of topics. Our response to those has uh always been consistent with when you're at school, you're expected to be at school. If you'd like to protest, we recommend you do it at a time when it doesn't disrupt the learning environment. Uh if you leave a classroom, there's student discipline for leaving a classroom. Um, if you leave the school, there's greater discipline for leaving the school building. If you leave the campus, there's greater discipline for leaving the campus. Regardless of what you do that for, whether you were fed up with your teacher or you have some political uh agenda that you would like to support through protest, uh, our consequences are the same, right? Uh, there is no punishment for protesting. The punishment is for leaving school and not participating in the educational environment.
>> But and the uphills are just subtle enough that you're like, >> "Yeah, >> from the Humane Society parking lot to the Iron King and back and >> Oh, yeah. We've run that." >> Iron King. I love that. Until you break out of the hills. >> Yes. Yeah. And especially it's so much worse now because they have all the houses there. >> Before it was built up, at least it was just open field. You'd have analopee. >> Oh, yeah. Tons of analopee there. Thankfully, I got to experience that for like a year. I moved here and and then they tore it all up and I was very upset. But >> yeah, now you're running through the city basically. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. If you did that course, if you did that because I know that stretch. Yeah. Well, um than a flat downhill course down in the valley, >> he'll do fine.
Right? We've been consistent with that for everybody uh for a very long time. These procedures predate me. Uh I think they were first put back into the district in 1990 when there was a walk out because South High took down a Christmas tree or North High did. I don't remember. One of the two schools, right? Was it South? >> It was South. [laughter] So uh so our district has a long history of student advocacy and student political involvement which at times to time has led to this. We would much more prefer greatly appreciate if students chose a time that didn't impact the school day. Right? Our primary responsibility here during the day is educating students and keeping them safe. Uh when they are in their normal bell schedules, in their normal routines where they're supposed to be, it is far easier for us to do that, right?
>> He'll Yeah, he'll be totally fine. >> Unless you got aid station and stuff instead of having to take care of yourself, >> right? >> Exactly. >> Because like I at a half marathon, I'll normally carry at least a water bottle, >> but I won't necessarily carry any food or anything. Right. >> I will because she needs to be about four miles or soish. >> Gotcha. Just in case. >> Yeah. So, it's sometimes I'll bring stuff just so I have stuff. >> Yeah. >> Well, that's cool. They'll they'll be fine. The elevation thing makes a huge difference. >> Yeah. >> And if he's been training doing trail type stuff, road is >> Oh, yeah. I should. >> Yeah. Like you want to come out with me? >> No, I'll stay on my bike. >> Used to love it. But once I found the bike, I was like, I don't want to run anymore.
Um if a student leaves the classroom to protest in the building or outside the building on campus, we will have to shift resources to make sure that people are safe, that people aren't coming onto campus, all of those kinds of things that go with it. We will dedicate as much of our resources we can to make sure all of that happens. However, it definitely stretches our resources differently than it would on a normal school day. We [snorts] cooperate with the village of Downer's Grove and the village uh Downers Grove police to share information that we're learning and to collaborate to make sure that they're working in close collaboration with us. I'm sure the police would prefer that not happen during the school day as well. Um, so the with every time this kind of communication goes out, we have a variety of dialogue and push back that happens of uh you shouldn't be punishing kids for protesting.
But >> well, it's funny because road trail I like I like road because you can just shut your brain off and just go, >> right? Michelle loves trail because you have to focus and so she doesn't think about >> right >> everything else right >> and I I enjoy I've learned to enjoy trail for that but at first I'm like I just like wrote because I >> Well there's both there's there's They're doing rock and roll Vegas again because it is cool to run down the strip at night, >> right? >> It's really pretty cool. >> Yeah. >> But >> when you get to like do that, that's Yeah. >> Yeah. I mean, it's one of the two things they closed the strip for. >> Okay. That's amazing. >> That and the uh I think Indie Car or whatever. >> Oh, okay. >> But yeah, there's only two events a year that they actually close the stroke to traffic.
We're not. We're punishing them because they left school. Like that's I mean in our student handbook it's by school code. You're not allowed to to just walk out of class, right? um it isn't about what topic they're protesting or you know their political leanings or any of those kinds of things. It's purely around maintaining a safe learning environment, right? And that's what this is all about. Um so we have been consistent with that for decades. We remain consistent with that if another uh walk out or political action occurs. uh we talk through it. We plan to do the best we can, but it definitely stretches our resources when students choose to do that during the school day. >> Can you tell us any more specifics about how we're stretching the resources? Are the village and the and the police department is aware of the walk out, right?
>> So, you're doing it at night. >> Yeah, it's also it's a night race. >> See, that's when Vegas is the only time it's pretty because of all the lights. >> You start you start about a half an hour, 45 minutes before the sun goes down. >> Uhhuh. >> Um so unless you're super fast, you're running most of it at night. >> Right. Right. >> Um Yeah. And you run all the way up to Fremont Street and kind of do a little squares just to get the mileage in. >> Uhhuh. >> And then back down the strip. >> That's cool. >> And at night it's that northern part is a little it's a little dicey. >> At least it's a sanction. You know, you >> feel like the occasional guy on the side of the road yelling at you or something, >> right? >> But to run down the strip Yeah.
>> Yeah. I I don't want to go into actually actual methods and those kinds of things, >> but the resources are being reallocated to the appropriate >> Yeah. We cooperate with the local authorities to, you know, obviously they're balancing other things in the community at that time as well, but we work very closely with them and they support us well. >> Okay. Yeah. I just want to make sure everybody's safe because it is happening and there are a good number of students that are participating. So, >> so >> we do our best, but we still like K if there's students still in their classrooms, right? Right. >> That's our number one priority is to supervise students that are in their classrooms. Um, so a student choosing to leave the building is definitely putting themselves at a higher level of risk, especially at times when there's protests going on where there could be counterprotests, um, than they would safely inside of our classrooms.
in the middle of the because you run you start you start around the MGM >> and you run south down just past the welcome to Vegas sign >> and then loop around and then run all the way up >> down to about the Mirage I think is where you finished. >> Okay. But I mean, you want to talk about chaos soon as you're off the course because the strip is still I mean, it's Vegas is still Vegas. >> Yeah. >> And so you've got all these runners that are beat up and got all their gear or their, you know, blankets that they give you, whatever mile, right? But then you've got all the regular people walking the street. >> Yeah. Plus, the road is closed, so Oh, it's >> getting back to like your hotel. >> Oh, I'm sure I'm sure it's a mess. >> It's >> I'm sure people go and visit and they're like for we picked the worst time.
>> And if they leave the campus, we will not leave the campus. Our staff will not leave the campus to follow them to wherever they're choosing to protest. >> Right. Yeah, there's definitely like a legality piece to making sure that we're keeping the students safe that are in our buildings and on our our campus. Um, and it's it's it's a priority to make sure that the students that are in our building and under our care are accounted for and taken care of. And um, and and I'm I'm I'd like to think the students who do participate understand the consequences of their actions. Uh I myself as a angsty student also protested and left class. That was the only detention I ever got. Was a little upset about it at the time. Um but there is an amount of um risk and sacrifice that comes with participating in uh protests and speech, right?