Questions or comments on matters under legal review will not receive a response. Members of the governing board may not discuss items not on the agenda. Personal attacks are discouraged. At the conclusion of a call to the public, individual members of the board may respond to any criticism made by an individual who addressed the board. The expectation of the governing board and district is that everyone treats one another with respect and that the speaker presents viewpoints in a civil manner. If more than 10 individuals request to speak, the board president reserves the right to limit individual speakers to two minutes and may set a time limit to the call to the public session. We're not going to watch it again. Um, Holly Elena Good evening. I want to start this off by saying that I have a 15-year-old special needs daughter. To be more specific, she has an intellectual cognitive delay and she's also autistic.
And so when I see them excited to do like when they have to go to that station, they're like, "Yay, we get to go to that one." And so I keep those things in mind when I plan them that I need to get them competing against each other where it's a healthy competition and moving. And so those are the two big things, but the engagement is always there. They're always wanting to to please the teacher. Um, but they like learning with each other as well. And they I feel like they get a little more one-on-one attention from me as well, which the kids always want. And so they really look forward to doing our intervention groups. >> Great. That was one thing that I did notice too is the the classroom and the activities. Um and I haven't spent a lot of time in a kindergarten classroom, right?
We're going to see >> Braden Smith of esports, >> of course. And it's Terry. I love playing Terry. Yes, we all know Terry from the game >> Fatal Fury. >> Yes. >> Yep. Pretty good. Pretty good game. I never played it myself, but it looks good. It looks fun. >> Terry looks like an athletic uh specimen here. >> He definitely is. He definitely is. All right. >> And again, Deacon jumping off the side. Please, please explain the strategy there. And again, is is Deacon moving on? Is he giving someone else on the team the opportunity to to play here? >> Unfortunately, not. So you see here, Deacon Deacon lost two stocks in the time he's been playing so far. So he's >> So now he's just down to one. >> Yeah. So now he's just down to one. Since he lost those stocks, he has to jump off the stage cuz starting a new game actually gives you your stalks back.
And then goals next. Okay. All right. And then um we're going to elaborate on our school goals. So as Anderson and Anderson team has identified, um, three school goals. Um, the first of which is proactive behavior support systems to increase student safety and well-being. Um while we currently use um the evidence-based practices of TBRRI and Boytown, we want to make sure that it's sustainable and it's implemented at a tier one level. So every student is the goal and every faculty and staff member knowing the language and utilizing the language and the procedures that we um that we believe are important um for students to impact their behavior. And then also um to strengthen our efforts just maintaining data through refined tracking tools and um behavior plans so they're consistent and we can monitor effectiveness of our behavior plans. The second goal is academic achievement and growth and the measurement of that will be I read and I learn um ELA and math scores and the goal is to increase proficiency by 10% and the the data is promising and already indicating that we're on our way there because the initial attempt for I read was showing an 8% increase in the pass rate and and 2% increase by the third summer attempt is anticipated because the data is promising.
So, we just want to make sure we have that buttoned up. >> Paul, go ahead. >> And and I would even say that we should have some level of expectation as to the contracts they have. >> That's right. >> Um we just have a new field at Mendes. >> Perhaps what one of them was going to do wouldn't be appropriate for the new field. So, we need to make sure that um if we're going to have a barter system like that where they would take on that expense that it it meets whatever requirements that we would have. >> Correct. Right. And that's what we're working through. Right. We're we're trying to figure out exactly what it will cost us um to to do this properly. This slide is just another way of showing how the process unfolded from 2011 through 2026. U July 1 comes, we are assuming control.
All right, so um thank you for having us. As Kelly said, you know, for me, this has been a treat, a a true treat. Um, so when I started at Newton last December 6th, uh, it was, you know, started out to be one of the best experiences of my career and I've been at it 47 years. Um, so the first order of business when I came on board, we had to really work on the culture and fostering a sense of team and community. Um, the school had experienced a number of leadership changes. um uh Mel Goodman was the last I would say long-term uh principal um and she you know she had a lot of things solidified but then you know new people come in things change so I would describe when I first started there as you know people were in survival mode and they just really needed um somebody to come in and just stabilize things and to build on the good things that were happening and then identify some lowhanging fruit that if we did it we would be very successful in terms of our goals.
>> Um, similar to how we did it last time, we'll have all the folks give presentations and then we'll do Q&A. >> Um, >> yes. Um, I'm not sure that I have your PowerPoint. Great. I'm going to stop sharing Miss Green then. >> Okay. >> Yes, Kelly was more. >> Oh, there you go. Thank you, Melissa. All right. So, um, thank you for having us. As Kelly said, you know, for me, this has been a treat, a a true treat. Um, so when I started at Newton last December 6th, uh, it was, you know, started out to be one of the best experiences of my career and I've been at it 47 years. Um, so the first order of business when I came on board, we had to really work on the culture and fostering a sense of team and community. Um, the school had experienced a number of leadership changes.
Um with all that, I just like to share some updates in regards to teaching and learning. I had a great opportunity to meet with uh the Brookfield Stepto uh team and uh what a great group. They were so uh welcoming and had a lot of great questions. Um Mrs. Scalera was at the meeting as well joining me. So, um had some wonderful questions about um you know, the differences between our half-day pre-K program in the new full-day program. So, that was wonderful. Uh a few questions about the Cubs program that was introduced, as well as um kind of the you know, uh spectrum of you know, pre-K to to 12 programming for special education students. And uh as well as a lot of other things that they had on their agenda that they spoke about that I was able to hear in and listen in on uh and really get a great sense of the work that they do.
But, it's just at OCI. The other two sites, the fire alarms are up and running. They're very old, okay. Yeah. The system light It's a very old system, too. So, you have to go get the other ones fixed, too, perhaps. No, because uh that site that system is a lot older. Okay. In the uh proposal for Yosemite Fire, it says here in the fine print that um I'm asking a question now. Does the district typically name the company we do business with in this case uh as as additional insurance on our general liability and auto insurance policies? Cuz that's what they're asking that we do. Usually, we get a certificate of insurance from any of the vendors we work with that have equipment on site. So, they would They would have to provide that. Uh and and we would you know, if there was a fire or something, you know, the insurance would cover that equipment.
I got I got a roof leak or I've got a a painting job to do and the wall is you know, is is spackling or whatever. And I want I want the job done and and do I put it in a work order and how do I know that it's going to be worked on or I get a response or what is that communication with the user or the one who's requesting and the job being done and what is the time frame for that? Like one year? That is that is um definitely something that um I have um looked at and really want us to improve on it which is that um communication and the outward-facing part cuz we do have again the maximal for the work orders where uh you know, principals can get on the system or their staff to see where projects are and sometimes it's not very clear um so we're trying to make it better.
>> Good good evening members of the school board. My name is George and I'm a fifth grader at Anderson Elementary. Before starting one of my action lab projects, we had the opportunity to hear from guest speakers who work as shoe designers for Boba Fett and UGG. It was exciting to hear from them because it was nice to see cool people in my job who were making the world better. After hearing from them, I was inspired to create my own shoe in action lab. One important part of the project was showing empathy. We had to design a shoe for someone else and think about what they needed. I decided to design a shoe for my sister because she needs comfortable shoes. This helped me really think about how my design could solve a real problem. After that, I had to plan my design, gather materials, and build a prototype of my shoes.
I want to address a very a very serious issue that I have had with the Combmes High School. My daughter was sexually abused by a 16-year-old general education student. She reported it to the school social worker, Abby Anderson, immediately after it happened. The district determination states that there is no written documentation that my daughter reported that this boy put his hand down her pants inside of her underwear and touched her vagina. That is not accurate. As an email from Miss Anderson states that my daughter reported he went down her pants and also touched her breast. The investigation was then narrowed to narrowed to a completely different version of events. something about a belt loop which is not documented anywhere. That is not a difference of interpretation. That is a misstatement of the record. The second concern is the method used during the investigation. The district relied heavily on a physical demonstration from my daughter to define the allegation even though staff should not be asking a child to demonstrate sexual contact.
But it looks so much different than long time ago when I was in in school, too. So, um I I I love the way that everything is kind of shifting to needing to keep the kids engaged. >> It's all about engagement. We know that's where they do their learning. They were so excited to do the video and then we sat them down and it was complete stage fright. They couldn't talk. It was so funny. You know, they were so excited about all the things they were going to say about their about their class and and they were adorable. They they did a good job. >> What's the What's been the biggest challenge or opportunity for you to hurdle over or jump over to really kind of push this out and grow this program? >> The data. So, we have these data tools, but really um having the the time, the manpower, the um knowing what we're looking for and what questions we have that we're trying to get answered from the data to like dig in and figure out exactly what it is that that kids are missing.
And we don't want that to happen. >> Ice. I understand. There we go. >> Yeah. We don't want that to happen. So to compensate for that, he um man, he uses a lot of ice, but he jumps off the stage to lose his stocks that the other team. >> That makes sense. I thought he was just, you know, trying to make it easier. >> Oh, no. >> Trying to make it more challenging for him. >> Mhm. >> no. Although I've seen Deacon do that when playing against me, unfortunately. >> All right. So, Deacon's using quite a few different attacks. Like, he's trying to keep Terry second guessing. You know, that's a good thing. That's a really good strategy. Like, having a lot of different moves to use. >> You never want your opponent to know what's happen. >> Definitely not. Oh, Terry just seems to be using a lot of fire.
And the third goal um student recruitment and retention. We were fortunate and blessed to have a full staff um at the beginning of this school year and we've been supported along the way. All right. Um with additional positions as well and we are so thankful for that. Um, but we we want to make sure that we are retaining our staff and um I know our district and our administration um are always working hard to get professional development for our new staff and teachers and those folks are in our building building relationships every day and when we have um people who don't stay then we start again in that position you know again. And so we want to make sure that we're trying to retain um staff who have built relationships with students because that can make a huge different huge impact for students. Um and so I think they're going to elaborate.
It's been made clear to anyone uh to to Doug Small's uh group at DPW, anyone who's looking to rent the fields after July 1, they're to go to through me and Chris right now because we we need to make sure we have control of of that and dealing with our athletic program. >> Sort of to that point, Jim, procedurally >> Yeah. Um, is there something like I understand you're you have a dotting eyes, crossing tees in that between now and the end of the fiscal year, >> what do you anticipate our action steps being as a committee, if any, we going to need to vote something or is it really just control over school property property, >> right? So, you you brought up to me before uh when we had a separate conversation, was a policy ever enacted? And the answer is no. Um, I can't find anything anywhere.
Um, in my first meeting, I said to them, I'm going to bring we're going to bring the joy back to Newton. Joy is a very big deal to me. I don't want to go to work every day in a place that is miserable or uh I want to feel joy and to me watching children and teachers learn and grow and work together is the ultimate joy. Um, so it is my hope and dream that that will continue with the next uh principal who's coming on board. working conditions are extremely important to me. Um so um I didn't put it up but I'm going to show you. I started with our why. So everything we do in all of our schools starts with our students. Our students are what we are what we are all about. So always keep every decision is like well what's going to be best for the kids.
Um, uh, Mel Goodwin was the last, I would say, long-term, uh, principal. Um, and she, you know, she had a lot of things solidified, but then, you know, new people come in, things changed. So, I would describe when I first started there as, you know, people were in survival mode and they just really needed um somebody to come in and just stabilize things and to build on the good things that were happening and then identify some lowhanging fruit that if we did it, we would be very successful in terms of our goals. Um, in my first meeting, I said to them, I'm going to bring we're going to bring the joy back to Newton. Joy is a very big deal to me. I don't want to go to work every day in a place that is miserable or uh I want to feel joy and to me watching children and teachers learn and grow and work together is the ultimate joy.
Um so, great group of folks and and looking forward to continuing that partnership with them. Uh in regards to um and they asked a little bit about the ad hoc committee. And so, in regards to the ad hoc committee, um we are excited um Mr. Rollin and myself will be putting out um a solicitation for volunteers to join that committee hopefully by the end of this week. Um we have everything kind of ready to go. We're just putting some final touches on it. Uh and we'd love to get uh staff, uh families and community members to to be a part of that group. Um and I did put in my updates just a few areas uh that we put out there for possible areas of focus and ones that obviously once we get together as a committee, we would welcome others and then we'll prioritize and figure out where we'll go from there.
>> more question. So, it was this because of the uh like a blowout or an accident, or has it just been an ongoing thing, and now we got to handle it? Well, in the one picture they showed that one area that shorted out. >> that. Um so, we don't know what caused that or when that had happened um because that isn't uh part of the panel that's normally opened up. Um and when they were having the issues noticing the orange lights that were saying the communications were down, then they opened up that section and saw that it was shorted, but Stephen, I don't remember. Do you think that Didn't James say something that could have been from like lightning? Or I couldn't remember what they thought. >> the answer panel of the walk what happened to it. Yeah. Okay. So, yeah, thank you, sir. Okay.