and to have your daughter in the car and to not be able to use those cognitive abilities is just unconscionable that our departments of public utilities would choose that over giving us the right to opt out. So, we're very honored that up in uh Vermont they have had a no fee opt out since 2012. And sometimes the utilities will come back and say, "Oh, no. We can't get those analog meters anymore. You have to have these digital meters." Well, I picked up the phone one day and I called one of the manufacturers and they said, "Well, of course, we can make whatever the customer wants." So, this is just industry railroading us in to using the technology that they've come up with because they're making revenue off of it and our towns think it's a cost save, but nobody is taking accountability for the biological factors and I think that should be front and center.
We wanted our courtyard to be a welcoming space, educational, and fun for everyone. What we mean by fun for everyone is that some people can't take have the ability to step down. And when you need to get into the courtyard, you need to take a step. Some people don't have the ability to do that. Three major requirements. Reconfigure the flower garden. Seating options for a minimum of a 20 people. And provide a covered space. New garden space. Recreated three different garden areas. Two out of three spaces are flower gardens. Each 20 ft by 4 ft. We have one garden area with vegetables, fruits, and walking paths so that students can interact with the space. The vegetable fruit garden is 20 ft by 8 ft. As you can see, there is a scale drawing of our flower garden. And at the bottom, we have a scale drawing our with scale drawing of our vegetable and fruit garden and also a inspiration photo.
This year we're at 48% um just from winter to winter. In math, we started at 27% last year proficient. Now we're up to 36 this year. So things are moving in the right direction that we want to see. Um and that's exciting. Um as a building and thinking about practices we're doing as staff, we're working on a staff read. um that's called grading for equity. And so it's a book that we spend um every week in collab. They spend some time as a collab team. Our collab teams are not necessarily department um teams. So we also have some time throughout the year in our um faculty meetings that we do some department time as well. So we're really as a whole school looking at this and just some critical reflection on how we grade, what those practices look like, especially considering our subgroups and just thinking about how um we're looking at what we do and how we improve that.
This year at 48% um just from winter to winter. In math, we started at 27% last year proficient now up to 36 this year. So, things are moving in the right direction that we want to see um and that's exciting. Um as a building and thinking about practices that we're doing as staff, we're working on a staff read um that's called grading for equity. And so, it's a book that we spend um every week in collab they spend some time as a collab team. Our collab teams are not necessarily department um teams so we also have some time throughout the year in our um faculty meetings that we do some department time as well so that we're really as a whole school looking at this and just some critical reflection on how we grade, what these practices look like, especially considering our subgroups and just thinking about how um we're looking at what we do and how we improve that.
Next slide, please. And a famous quote, I say if you ever come to South Street, South Street is the best. Best quote I can give you. Thank you everyone. Have a great night. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Carmen, don't go just yet. Carmen, you can't go anywhere. >> [laughter] >> I would just want to say thank you. You know, Carmen I think is a testament opened up her presentation today with data and with a projection on the outcomes. And so you've been grounded in your outcomes for so long and then you've designed you've built a culture around what it is you're trying to accomplish and you know, just that that our ability to get STEM moving in in elementary school was is a huge goal for us as a district and you know, congratulations for being one of the first principals to to lead the way in that particularly with PTCLW which is very high level science for students.
We got um a lot of teachers who in appreciated the fact that they were able to choose during the morning time and then have that time in the afternoon with their actual school site and their teams to collaborate. Um it made it so that they they had the choice in what they wanted to learn and then in the afternoon it was something that was directly related to either their grade level or their uh actual classroom. And that's our 28th January PD.
She knows every system, every person and every detail and she uses that knowledge to serve others. Wendy is the most selfless, caring and dedicated individual. She's the heartbeat of McManus and I can't begin to imagine what we'd do without her. I want to share Chris's thoughts. Is Chris here? Chris, I'm sorry, you made me cry when I read it. Chris Weaver said that with so many said with so many ways to describe Wendy, I honestly don't know where to begin. McManus is so incredibly fortunate to have her. She is truly second to none. Every single day she gives her whole heart to our 458 students, their families and our amazing staff. Office manager might be her official title, but it doesn't even come close to capturing what she actually does. Wendy is the glue that holds us all together. She's the calm voice in the middle of chaos, the one who figures everything out.
We we met yesterday so they know where they're going to go. And Miss Fernandez passes out. We'll start off first with um Princess Montes. PRINCESS GOT A MENACE. >> ANGELIE, you want this? SOPHIA WALKER Morgan contas Maya Lopez, >> KIMBER NO, Emma Rose, Anton Amy and Noel Williams. Families, we're going to give you a chance if you want to take a picture. Oh, sorry. Morgan Olsson. Families, we're going to give you a chance. You want to take a group picture. We're going to take a picture. What do you say with your students? >> Anyone else pictures? Give him a big hand. That's awesome. President special very special recognition to this outstanding group of students all girls and they offer the world awesome awesome job. Thank you very much. And since this is the end of the awards and recognition, I invite you all to stay for the whole meeting.
The secret wrap the wrap is an expensive product as well but um that's kind of where we stand on constructibility feibility. >> What's it look like? I mean I know you talked about with that wrap you got to >> I got to get up there. >> You got to take the paint off. I got to take paint all the way down to be bare block. Um it's a wet applied fabric that you put it up. Um then you can do your steel. Um you're probably going to want that wrap repainted white and then you get your steel and then repaint the steel white as well. Then tear down scaffolding. >> So obviously not a not a clean job. >> Yeah. You know >> because of the grinding of paint I'm thinking in my head. Right. You're just >> Yeah. protection and mess mitigation is there's a lot of there's a lot of cost built up in access protection and mess and obviously um based on this budget I mean it would be a bid type project it's over public um spending thresholds or whatever um feel like in that I mean you feel like you had everything kind of I mean I know there's some unknowns obviously right but fairly >> I feel pretty bit about it.
Um, we are also heavily intertwined with legislation, new legislation that's getting ready to come out. Um, and a whole bunch of tax dollars that that you are contributing to and don't know it. Um, so surprise if you don't know. Um, but we will talk about some of those and where your money is actually going. Um, out of all these things, the proudest thing for me is I'm a husband and father. I have a seven-month old daughter that's going to go to public schools. So, there are 1.25 million students across the state of Indiana. It's our job to make sure they're safe every day, just like I want my daughter to be. So, um out of all the things I've done, I've been in education, um special education, agriculture, uh principal, assistant principal, uh 15 years in in law enforcement, SRO. Uh those are all great things.
Maybe they'll pick another Nest. >> Yeah, >> maybe some Nest, maybe a different Nest player is just like, "No, no, no. I could play that better. I could play that better." But I'm not sure. >> What would you say? What's the biggest mistake players make just making that player change or the pick of the player? Is that one of the mistakes they can make? >> Yeah. Yeah. If you're talking about like outside of the game, the player you the character you choose is definitely a can definitely be a be a problem if you're talking about inside the game. Well, like that directional air dodge move I mentioned earlier. Yeah. If you don't grab the ledge with that, it can leave you very vulnerable off stage and make it really hard to get back to the stage. >> Yeah, I saw that. >> There have been times I've lost dogs specifically cuz I didn't uh directional air dodge the right way.
It helps us with communication with parents and the importance of attendance. We're able to send messages back and forth, um, conducting interventions, recording notes all through this app. And it's been really nice. I've had a lot of parents um, comment on being able to they get a parent square message when their student is absent and they can reply right back to us and say that they were sick. So they don't have to worry about calling in or making that call or ensuring that there is a note sent the next day because sometimes with elementary students the notes kind of get lost in the backpack a little bit. So so it's been it's been great for us. Okay, fundraisers. I know all schools do fundraisers, but man are we small but mighty. We've just had two really large fundraisers this year and for alone with just these two we have raised over $5,000 for us to put back in for our students.
So Lexi, I'm so sorry that you guys had to take it in your state through legal channels just to give you the right to opt out of this. And it turns out you lost. And so you've had to go off the grid and find other ways to produce what used to be public utilities. Now you've got your own private utility. Is that right? >> It was very expensive to do that, but yes. Yes, we generate all of our electricity now. And so how did you do that? >> We have a lot of solar panels on the roof and two big um poles with more solar panels in the yard and a very very large battery bank for nighttime when it could be cloudy for a couple of weeks and you don't generate enough over the winter time. So between the solar panels and the battery backup, that's that's how we function now.
Both garden spaces are all for educational and stress relief purposes. Students can have a hands-on experience growing vegetables and fruits in a peaceful interaction with nature. Koi pond. We want to add a koi pond for a focal point. This allowed the space to be more inviting and can also be used as a calming space for students that need it. For safety, the ponds are about 2 ft deep and this is very important because we don't want a super deep pond because it is obviously dangerous and also hard to maintain and by having a shallow pond, it is safe and it's easy to maintain. Seating options. We have four picnic tables and two benches for the students to sit at. Three tables are 10 ft by by 4.5 ft, which can seat up to 10 to 12 people each. One table is 8 ft by 3.5 ft, which can seat up to 8 to 10 people.
And so again, we're about twothirds of the way through the book. We've seen several different um kind of areas that come out that that staff are working on. And then we're just continuing to work on what are some some schoolwide as well as departmentwide um practices that we can make. And so that's been a really good experience for us. Um we also working on uh just building a strong ILT. And so something that that um we've been working hard on to kind of grow them as a team. So this year they've really focused on peer visits and so that opportunity to go into classes and have um another staff member come and observe you as well as you observe them and and so and I know this has been done at the middle school and they had a really great model of this and where it was kind of a slow start of just some some things that you notice and some things you wonder and then each time every quarter we're doing a new one with a with a little more of an intense um look at things and so we're on our third one this quarter.
And so, again we're um about two-thirds of the way through the book. We've seen several different um kind of areas that come out that that staff are working on. And then we're just continually to work on what are some some schoolwide as well as departmentwide um practices that we can make. And so, that's been a really good experience for us. Um we also working on uh just building a strong ILT. And so, it's something that that um we've been working hard on to kind of grow them as a team. So, this year they really focused on peer visits and so, that opportunity go into classes and have um another staff member come and observe you as well as you observe them. And and so, and I know this has been done at the middle school and they had a really great model of this and where it is kind of a slow start of just some some things that you notice and some things you wonder and then each time every quarter we're doing a new one with a with a little more of an intense um look at things.
But thank you for all that you've done. There's a reason why you're becoming a school of distinction on an annual basis and we appreciate you very much. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Okay, next public participation. Lauren, can you read for us? Thank you. The board welcomes public participation and asks that speakers limit their comments to 3 minutes. Speakers may offer objective comments of school operations and programs that concern them. The board will not permit any expression of personal complaints or defamatory comments about Board of Education personnel and students nor against any person connected with the Danbury Public School system. Thank you, Lauren. I don't have anybody that has signed up, but is there anybody here that would like to speak or address the board? No? Okay, we'll move on. Al, can you do the consent calendar for me. The motion that the Board of Education approve consent calendar exhibits 26-19 through 26-27 in accordance with with the minutes of Finance Committee Community Relations Committee regular meet board meeting and Policy Committee.
Any questions? Thank you. Are there any questions from the board? >> Well done. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> I know it sounds and looks like an awesome PD day. So, thank you so much for the hard work. >> Yeah, absolutely. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. Our next presentation is 10B, California's Assembly Bill 3216, Phones Free School Action Presentation. Thank you, Dr. Mccur. >> Okay. So, everybody's getting in line over here. I'll introduce everyone. We have our middle school principles and assistant principles who are going to lead us through the phone free school act that will be implemented July 1st, 2026. So from Marill we have Maya Dong and Marissa Mayora. From Sierra Mont, Mr. Chris Mosley. From our newly identified California Distinguished School, Piedmont Middle School, we have Dr. Barnes and Miss Rhonda Jacobs. And so tonight's agenda, we're going to understand a little bit more about the ED code and the specific number of ED.
The first smile people see when they walk in and the steady presence we all rely on. Quite simply, Will McManus runs better because of her. On a personal note, Wendy has become my rock. She has supported me through thick and thin as I can continue to grow as a principal. She checks in on me, making sure I'm taking care of myself, lifts me up with her constant encouragement and always has my back. That kind of unwavering support means the absolute world to me. Wendy, Chico Unified is so blessed to have you. And I am so grateful for you. Thank you for all that you do. Thank you very much. So, we do have one more announcement and for that I'm going to ask Erica Sheridan to come on up. Please, right over there. So, uh we got some news this week about uh uh, Chico High School.
But if you have something you'd rather be doing, Mr. I just want to know where all those tall girls came from, >> man. So next up on the agenda is the visitors comments which appears we do not have any. So next up is I will make a motion to approve the consent. >> I'll second discussion or question for a vote. >> All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Motion carries five to zero. >> Okay business. First thing up in business is approval of additional classroom site funding for the 2627. >> Yes sir. Mr. President and members of the board, um the administration and the district's finance consultant agreed uh instead of revising the the uh certified salary schedule for the 2627 school year, it is recommended that an additional increase an additional increase be added to the classroom site fund base amount allotted to each certified classroom teacher.