Yeah. >> Okay. So uh GCG and and traffic. So So they're they're responding to those. So hence So then the second question is when are we um when are we continuing to >> they were hoping for the 26th >> 26th? >> Yes, it is >> March. I'm sorry. The >> February >> 26th of February. >> So is that also when YMC wants to be heard? >> Yes, it is. >> And then we also have a joint hearing with the select board on the comprehensive plan. >> That's all that's all next week. >> I would not next week is sorry two weeks next time. >> So I would think that's a big load to have. >> I agree. The Y >> are we confident the Y will be ready? >> They should be. Yes. 55 Tilton A. You still have time to continue. They haven't reached their their time limit yet for review, but the Y has.
Students now have structured opportunities to discover and develop their voices through intentional outreach, meaningful relationships, and performance opportunities. More than 25 elementary school students participated in a December concert and were later invited to perform at the AESD board meeting in January to help kick off the new year. These milestones represent more than performances. They mark the launch of a sustainable foundation that will strengthen the vocal music at Sycamore and across the district for years to come. It has also been a very exciting season in the Saxon community. On February 3rd, Laera High School welcomed eighth graders from Ball Junior High for the launch to Laera, offering campus tours of vibrant sports and club fair in a spirited pep assembly featuring the band, color guard, and cheer team. This week celebrates Lera's love week uh from February 10th through 13th, bringing students together through themed spirit days that highlight connection and school pride.
So, >> does the problem go away though? Does the problem go away with >> it? Does not just go away. There's there's >> still a case is still before us and everything would need to flow that >> if you lose the cases and so forth or whatever happens. Um, are you gonna continue um giving all the students a free tuition forever and ever? >> We have no intent of changing that. >> We we've committed to that in as much as we have a board of trustees and we cannot speak for a board of trustees 30 years from now, but our board right now is absolutely committed to this as a longstanding longstanding policy and that is the intent. Okay. Okay. I just want to make sure that you know as this legislation go forward what what the what there might be unintended consequences and trying to anticipate that.
We, you know, we're not we're not in control of that. We get to control how we spend them, but we don't get to control whether they occur or not. And then we always talk about current year funding u because uh that those that BSA 55 can change things every month. Um, I'm not going to do a revised budget every month. Uh, but it but it fluctuates up and down based on those things. Um, and then federal funding, and that's been uh that's been an issue this year. We've talked about it a lot. Um, Jen gets gray hair from uh from all of the discussions about federal funding. Um right now what we've been told is um that the federal legislature uh the Congress has has funded those federal programs uh pretty close to current and in a couple of cases have increased some things. So um uh you know we're hopeful that that's that that's the case.
That way. And then we can turn around and show the digital. All right. Hold your picture up in front of your belly. Okay. The side they can see it. There we go. Okay. So, I gave them a blank piece of paper and I said, "Here's your homework." And they looked at me and they're like, "What? What? What is this?" Okay. So, our job for them was simple. They needed to put their name on it. They needed to draw the classroom they went to and they needed to draw how it made them feel. And then I said, "I'm going to ask you how it makes you feel." And they're like, "Okay, I can do that." So, what's your name, sweetie? >> Kendall. >> This is Kendall. And who is your teacher you go to every morning when you first get to school? >> Miss Cheney. >> No.
And so, as a school district that is um, done a lot of work with STEM, and we've seen all of the growth it provides our kids and opportunities, I'm excited to see that science is included in that. Um, looking forward then a big thing I will point out on that seventh to eighth grade band, you'll notice in that purple box on the far right, high school level course and and credit. So, what that's saying is our middle school will get a grade based on their middle school students earning high school credit while in middle school. Right now the benchmark that the state is discussing and setting is two high school credits for each year of middle school. So two in seventh grade and two in eighth grade. Um so the challenge put before us is what high school courses are appropriate developmentally um for middle schoolers and how could we provide that programming.
So if you want to >> continue 55 Tilton, >> that would be my gut. My gut would be to move that one to March. >> Okay. >> I mean, just throwing that out there. >> I 12th. March 12th. >> Yeah. I mean, I'm a little unc Yeah. Uncomfortable loading up an evening, >> right? >> But are you um do you really think uh the YMCA is going to be coming? I they are still they do still have one response to give to GCG Associates, but it should be the absolute last response. GCG will then review that response and that should have everything tied up. >> Do you think two weeks is enough for that for that happen? >> I believe so. They've gotten GCG's comments last Friday, so that should be enough time. I'm hoping they they think that they have enough time by then.
At the same time, Laera's winter athletes are shining in boys soccer, boys basketball, and girls basketball advanced into CIFF playoffs. Proud proudly representing their school on the competitive stage. Orange View Western extends sincere appreciation to the board and district leadership for supporting the grand opening of three new spaces on campus. The wellness center, the PAIO patio, and the community schools room. These spaces are already making meaningful differences. The wellness center alone recorded nearly 600 student check-ins during the first semester thanks to the leadership of the social workers and the support of the counselors and school psychologists who keep the space open before school, after school, and throughout the day. Meanwhile, their athletic teams are competing in CIFF championships, traveling as far as Catalina Island, Sherman Oaks, Pasadena, and Roseme with bringing the hopes of playoff action back home. In a true reflection of the growing 7th through 12th identity, their eighth grade students participated in the first time in voting for next year's high school cabinet, demonstrating that civic engagement begins early.
So thank you. >> Other questions members? >> Okay. If not, thank you very much for being here. Um did you want to break decision making or >> everybody apparently? Yeah. All right. So, >> that's >> the recommendation for the from the two committees is it's pass with amendments. Um we'll go ahead and track the um amendment suggested by Kamehameha Schools that will include that in that will be add school condition enrollment in any any private school um to donor conditioned educational grant as creating a conditional gift and not a contract. And we'll allow this default rule to be overridden with a written agreement which is what we had talked about before uh unless the parties agree otherwise in writing. That's the specific language. and then we'll make some conforming amendments throughout the bill to affectuate those changes. Questions or concerns? If not for JDC, Senator Gav for the vote >> on SB 3123, the chair's recommendations to pass with amendments.
Now whether it trickles down to us as being the same or slightly higher, we just wait until we get those numbers to see in um internal things. I'm not going to read that whole list to you, but you can see the internal things that affect what we have to decide. Um, uh, the obvious ones are student enrollment, um, and, uh, that's the biggie, student enrollment, but even more important is that average daily membership, um, that help us determine staffing levels, class sizes, and all of those things. Um, so you can see that whole list of how we start looking at the budget. we have all these uh all these things in play and then we decide uh we set some budget uh priorities and um uh and then build build from there. Um in this district we've not had the luxury ever to uh have a lot of money to say, "Oh, okay.
when you first get to school. >> Miss Burns. Okay. So, you start off in Miss Burns's class and then for phonics, you go to Mrs. Cheney, right? So, show the show the board members and Dr. Riker and Dr. Bookart your picture. Okay. And then tell them your favorite thing about switching for phonics. Just what do you love the most about >> by sitting on the carpet learning? >> You get to sit on new carpet and Mrs. Cheny's got great carpet and you get to learn phonics, right? And and it's right where you need it. And then you'll take that assessment and the next time if you need harder, we'll get you harder. If you need to say the same, we get you the same. Okay, you can stop being nervous. All good. Okay. All right. What's your name, sweetie? >> Bianca. And Bianca, who's the teacher you go to right when you get to school in the mornings?
Um so that is one thing that we've been working through and you'll see a course request that Carrie's going to bring to you in a minute that aligns with that. We do have some good options that we feel like um can be done after discussions with middle school teachers and staff and administration. Then you go down to the high school level. The high school is now divided into two parts. You have your ninth and tth graders that on track to graduate credits are their biggest majority of their score. And then they earn extra points for college and career coursework and CTE, their biology score assessment, their PSAT assessment if they were off track. graduate and get back on track. The school can earn credit for that. Attendance, you'll notice that attendance keeps showing up every level. Um, and then some other specialty subgroup test areas like I am and EL at the junior and senior level.
So, >> okay. So, can we um >> I don't It's difficult to >> That's a tough one. I mean, if we have time with the Tilton, I'm tempted to push Tilton to March if if that's not going to mess with their deadlines. >> You do? Yeah. I can let you know exactly when the deadline is. >> I'm just throwing that out there that otherwise we're going to have potentially two big projects. >> So many, >> right? >> Yeah. And and the joint it's a joint meeting with the select board, right? That's a that's a big important meeting. >> Yeah. or um >> so I I would suggest we move the tilted to March if Jasmine confirms we have the deadline to do it. >> Although 240 260 that's the other one that >> I don't Yeah, I think that's being pushed out further. >> That is being pushed out much further.
They also invite the board to save the date for March 17th for the Orangey Western's open house. A formal invitation will follow. Magnolia High School was honored with the OCDE impact design. Representatives from the Orange County Department of Education visited twice to meet with staff and students during the January visit and presented the school with a commemorative banner. This recognition highlights the powerful impact of MAC and its positive influence on the entire school committee community. Finally, on January 22nd, 2026, Cypress High School hosted the Jiren Duran Community Foundation mental health master class launch, welcoming alumnist Jiren Duran of the Boston Red Sox back on campus as a mentor and mental health advocate. Jiren Jiren openly shared his personal journey modeling resilience, helpseeking, and positive self-t talk in a way that deeply resonated with the students. The event blended intentional wellness conversations with hands-on creative activities that fostered connection and joy.
Chair RHS, >> vice chair vot. Senator Chang, >> it's excused. Senator Sanur >> Reservations. Senator AA. >> Hi. >> The measures adopted. >> Thank you for committee on education. Same recommendation uh vice chair for the vote vote sheet. Okay. >> Uh chair's votes reservations on this measure. >> We can just write it down and you can later. Yeah. >> Okay. So, vice chair uh chair votes with reservations. >> Vice chair votes with reservations. >> Okay. Senator Fukunaga. >> Hi. >> Senator Cord. >> Hi. >> Hashimoto. >> Reservations. reservations. >> Okay, I think that's >> okay. >> All right, thank you very much. The member passes out of the joint committee. Mahal for being here.
we've got, you know, we have a really healthy budget this year. Uh can we put can we do X Y or Z program that we've not been able to do in the past uh because we have a healthy budget. Our budgets have always run and I will tell you as long as I've been in this district. So, um uh there used to be when Doug Lutz was superintendent, um there were cynical people who said, "Well, yeah, it's meet and confer, but it's really meet and be told." And unfortunately, sometimes that's the way it is, you know, when when the pot only has so much money and you know what your expenses are, sometimes that's the way it is. Um, but we do try to use those priorities. And I will tell you that in my meetings, the three meetings that we've had as a leadership team, uh, where we're brainstorming the situation with our budget, uh, we have 84 items on a spreadsheet for consideration.
>> Miss Burns. You're in Miss Burn's class, too. Now, for groups, when you switch for phonics, what teacher do you go to? >> Miss Ba. >> Miss Bulvin. Miss Vin just bragged on you, didn't she say? So, there's your picture. Bianca went over the top and I think did a two-sided picture. So, you're going to have to show them both sides of that picture. Okay. Okay. Now, so Bianca, now that you've shown the picture, and that's that's Mrs. Volva's room. You have a lot more green in your room than I remember, but you know, here we are. So, I love that. I love the brightness. Now, what's your favorite thing about going to Mrs. Volva's room, or as we call her, Mrs. V for phonics. What's your favorite thing? >> The games you play. So, when you do the learn, you get the games at the end, and that's how you learn, right?
It's based on that diploma if they earn a and this is the new diploma. So, they're rolling out new accountability and a new high school diploma at the same time. Um so we've had been working a lot extra at the secondary level to dig through this. Um so their diploma that's awarded whether it's the regular honors seal or honors plus that is the main credential piece. Then you add to that or the main evaluation piece. You add to that workbased learning uh earning a credential of value such as our high school students in welding earning that welding certificate. That would be a credential of value. um their college level coursework so dual credit there's attendance again um biology if they took it in that time then you see SAT and ACT and then again a subgroup test for EEL. So I want to share this because this is a lot of metrics for a school to have on a goal of what they have to be constantly tracking and achieving to earn a letter grade that'll be publicly posted like A through F.
So that they were actually asking for the first hearing in March >> the 12th because they they're not aware. That's why I'm thinking Tilton and that one to March. And >> the Tilton we've got time. We've got until the first the second week of March, sorry. So we it would have to be continued until we'd have to open it that day, that March 12th hearing to be able to continue it again to ask for an extension at that time. >> Their their deadline would be up on the 15th. So if we continue them to March 12th, yeah, >> we'd have to ask them for >> Is there anything about like I mean I don't I know we don't want to get stuck with all of this at the same time, but I also would feel bad if we pushed Tilton and then can't and then YMCA needs to be pushed >> and then Tilton, you know, wanted to be on that like is >> look, we could move them all to the 26th, both of them to the 26th and then >> just put them on later in the agenda and see >> put them later and go see how it goes.
Most importantly, the students left field feeling seen, supported, and reminded that well-being matters. Additionally, Cypress High School has earned the Green Ribbon School Gold Level recognition, celebrating the outstanding work of their students and staff in sustaining wellness and environmental leadership. This honor highlights handson through our green tech engineering pathway, cross-curricular innovation, and studentled projects addressing realworld environmental challenges. It reflects Cypress High School's commitment to learning by doing and creating healthier, more sustainable futures for our schools and community across the district. These achievements reflect vision, dedication, and shared commitment to excellence. Thank you for your continued support of our students and schools. >> Thank you. >> Uh we now have our parent teacher student association report. Um, I know I saw uh Laura Allen. Did you want to speak or you Yes. Welcome. >> Um, I just wanted to announce that we have a a bingo night coming up Wednesday from uh 6:00 to 8:30 in the La Palma room here and everybody's invited.