But we appreciate all of you and I'm excited to see the things happening in our schools so thank you. Is there anything? Hi. I was able to attend the Wassuma uh awards ceremony last month and I just went to like absorb and like soak in what an awards ceremony is like and I was able to see how much our teachers um are right there at where all of the magic happens, where students learn and the teachers have figured out exactly what makes that kid tick and the other kid tick and and how they're all different and how our teachers keep that all in their mind as they're going through their lesson and they're presenting and and they can see the littlest switch or detail in kids' behaviors and they respond and they know who needs a little bit of extra and they know who's feeling super strong today and can be a leader and it was just really awesome to hear all of the details that each teacher could identify about the their students in their class and why they were getting that award or especially there was a teacher that said, "I'm giving the grit award and a lot of you are very happy about that but you need to know that it comes because they've overcome challenges." And for the teacher to be able to know that this kid is going through something and is recognizing that they're showing up and giving their best was just like so heartwarming.
Hearing none, the chair votes I as we amend Voting on 162 and and SR 153 to amend as discussed with certain certain amendments to the measure. Thank you. Chair votes I. Chair votes I. Vice Chair votes I. Senator Gabbard. I. Senator Hashimoto. I. Senator Riviere Cole. I. This is adopted in its entirety. Thank you. And for the Committee on Hawaiian Affairs, uh SCR 162 SR 153 passing with amendments. Uh same recommendation, Chair votes I. Okay. For Committee on Hawaiian Affairs, for SCR 162 and SR 153, recommendation of the Chair is to pass with amendments. Chair Richards I. Vice Chair Lumsdale is an I. Senator Ihara is excused. Senator Kilklooney is also excused. Are there four? >> I. Your recommendation is adopted. >> Thank you. Um I have to make one correction members on page three. I said Nana Kuli'i Elementary and Waianae Elementary. It's not Waianae, it's Waialua Elementary.
It was so much fun because people got prizes after. Then we had our Jackson Lamper Week. So this is where we honor one of our past Stasha High School students who passed away from cancer. And every year student government works with his foundation to honor his scholarship of going into law enforcement, which is what he wanted to do when he uh grew up. So what we did this year is we did a SOA senior. So myself and many other senior volunteers were soaked with ice and it was so much fun and we raised just over $800 in only two days for the Jackson Lantern Foundation. Moving into our sports, our winter sports, I would like to acknowledge that our boys basketball, girls basketball, boys soccer, and girls soccer all made it to quarter finals and sadly lost. but they worked so hard and it was so incredible to see all four of them make it to the final four.
I think what we try to do as a department um and is really important to the overall goals of the district is uh we try to keep things in that love this phrase that zone of proximal development right we try to keep it in that appropriate level of rigor for kids so that we are we don't want kids in 12th grade reading a sixth grade novel can I align that to the standards absolutely I can teach character traits I can teach um story development I can teach plot development I can teach all of that out of any novel but we definitely want to have an appropriate novel both for content and Lexile level. So that's why we would typically recommend it in kind of a grade band fashion like this is a great book for sixth, seventh grade, sixth through eighth grade, whatever that might be.
Now, we also recognize the fact that we can't educate every one of our children because we don't have the programming. Um, and every child deserves the best programming they can get. Um, it comes at a cost to do that, right? But our programming, you know, has estimated the annual savings and and you know, Paul will tell me to how do I get this number um and explain it. But if we look at the true cost of what it to send a student out of district um say at $50,000 uh and and it's a low number, but and then we have um spending 30,000 in district when you add up the costs, it's a $20,000 savings and just multiply that by the 127 students. Um, you know, it it's it's significant every year. Um, and again, I I I want to emphasize I do outline that how I got this number in the budget book, extrapolate it for you.
I move that the school committee request the community engagement subcommittee to work with the administration to obtain information on our family expectations, needs, and engagement metrics so that we can ensure that we're paying for what best serves Greenfield families. >> Second. Okay, we have a motion and a second. Discussion. Yes, member Denim, >> I'm so glad that you are looking at our social media costs. Um, it's definitely important to send that to the community engagement subcommittee. That would be in their charge. So, I just have a comment on past history because I'm the one that brought this up a few years ago. um I believe in 2022 and we sent out a survey to see what parents would like and they came back saying that they would like social media. Um so I guess what I would say is I'm a little bit surprised how it's happened because it's been very expensive and the engagement has been low.
I move that the school committee request the community engagement subcommittee to work with the administration to obtain information on our family expectations, needs, and engagement metrics so that we can ensure that we're paying for what best serves Greenfield families. >> Second. >> Okay, we have a motion and a second. Discussion. Yes, member Denim, >> I'm so glad that you are looking at our social media costs. Um, it's definitely important to send that to the community engagement subcommittee. That would be in their charge. So, I just have a comment on past history because I'm the one that brought this up a few years ago. um I believe in 2022 and we sent out a survey to see what parents would like and they came back saying that they would like social media. Um so I guess what I would say is I'm a little bit surprised how it's happened because it's been very expensive and the engagement has been low.
Right? Moving in that direction. We also when we talk about all this and I shared this in my update, so I try to queue us up for a lot of this in my update as well. The whole special education continuum and what our needs are there. That is a critical area as well, right? So with all that said, we want to try to do that in a way where we are balancing out the impact on current programs and that we aren't so narrowly focused that we don't think about the future programs or how what we might eliminate today will have an impact on the future tomorrow that we haven't even thought about. We need to think about that. Our children deserve that. So what do we want to do? We want to align what you have already contemplated as some of the board recommendations for reductions in previous meetings even before I got here as well as what the administration has looked at.
And they notice the spark that lights the curiosity, the word like catching the reading bug or catching or when they get when they the kids get it, when it finally clicks for them, it's awesome to see how excited the teachers are when the kids are learning, too. And I just wanted to say like how much I appreciate when I was in there I could just see the teachers showing up, giving 100% to these kids and and all of the, you know, differences that are happening here do not it does not appear to me that it is reaching our students and I just wanted to say how much I appreciate the professionalism, how much I appreciate that you guys put your all into these kids and show up every day to do that regardless of what's going on in your personal life because you guys are humans and you have things going on, too and I just wanted to say thank you because it's pretty cool to see kids up on stage so proud of themselves and identifying their parent in the audience and then also their classmates being so happy for them.
But it's Nana Kuli'i Elementary. So get that. We're going to move on for decision making for SR SCR 202, SR 190. And this is requesting the University of Hawaii allow a Leeward Hawaii pathway with under the Niihau dialect. Um members after the hearing the testimony, uh recommendation is that we amend the resolution to uh clarify the pathway could be a micro um credential. So we and then give them the latitude if they want to take it through the process.
Uh moving into our spring sports, we had our baseball who's currently ranked 25th in Arizona. And then we also have softball keeping the momentum from winter sports and ranked third in Arizona. Then we have our beach ball volleyball holding a seven to3 record and our boys volleyball who just got a recent win against ECB 2 to1. Our track and field is also doing very well and our boys uh overall score one at nightmare at the nest at Highland High School. Um in other extracurricular events, our culinary 2 student Gunnar Wy entered the food styling competition reflecting his heritage by making a coconut, pineapple, and mango tart inspired by his family's heritage. He this was placed into a competition that was all over the country and he is the only person from Arizona to actually win uh from Arizona and he earned third place overall. Uh upcoming we have prom.
Um, and then we give them that autonomy and choice in there, but we do want to make sure that we don't have folks going too far down in simplicity and teaching something that might be cool and fun, but really not challenging our students. So there is a little bit of nuance to that. >> Okay. So then next week, next month, you'll bring us you're bringing us the list. >> So before next month, I'm going to get you the list. We don't have to wait for the board meeting. So I will get you that comprehensive list to consider >> and then we'll come in May with some options for you to consider and then in June you'll let us know which direction you want us to go >> and and just as a reminder as a result result those you were here for when we went through a situation regarding the color purple uh the teachers have gone ahead and provided in the syllabi a little bit more information relative so there's still choice.
>> Just to to clarify that point, Jim, that so this is >> 127 students is not a total number of students that are special education students. It's a number that are in programs that built. >> Yes. >> To keep them in disc. >> Correct. That's correct. Right. What's our actual special? Yeah. 653. Yeah. Yeah. We talked about grants. We've already mentioned this. One, two, three, four. So, this is the final slide. You have we have two paths, right? what I'm asking you to uh have a discussion on and to approve this evening um are I think we should approve two numbers uh one uh including the override and if an override failed uh then we have to have a number uh prepared for town meeting um for a secondary budget number uh and that would be the 3.25% 25% number. So, I'm asking you to consider both of these so we can approve them and get them to the select board uh to have on their next meeting which is next Wednesday I think uh for for the budget approval for the budget book and or for the Tom Warren article.
But also something just to think about and look at in the subcommittee is that there are four or five very active Greenfield parents pages on Facebook and there's Greenfield parents hashtags on Instagram and people interact in those spaces but we do not as a district. So we're not posting the things in the spaces where the parents are looking. So, as a social media user, I could very easily give you all of those pages. And I used to regularly post in them when we had um subcommittee meetings and regular committee meetings and things that would come up because I noticed that the district was not interacting in those spaces and that's where the people are. So, when you're ready to look at that, um, shoot me a message and I'll send you all of the spaces where they are. And that's where we need to be doing the work and that's why we have no engagement.
But also something just to think about and look at in the subcommittee is that there are four or five very active Greenfield parents pages on Facebook and there's Greenfield parents hashtags on Instagram and people interact in those spaces but we do not as a district. So we're not posting the things in the spaces where the parents are looking. So, as a social media user, I could very easily give you all of those pages. And I used to regularly post in them when we had um subcommittee meetings and regular committee meetings and things that would come up because I noticed that the district was not interacting in those spaces and that's where the people are. So, when you're ready to look at that, um, shoot me a message and I'll send you all of the spaces where they are and that's where we need to be doing the work and that's why we have no engagement.
So we take all that into consideration when we're trying to achieve this. Cut. So some of the funding considerations that we need to be aware of. There's our starting point, the close to half million dollars, right? We have invested in full day pre-K. So that increases it $100,000. We also have special education program that I spoke to earlier that we have to make sure that the program that we have in place right now is solid and strong. And when we conduct an analysis of that, we know that we are limited in the area of occupational therapy. Right now we have a part-time 0.5 COTA doing some work for us. We know to keep our program and to meet the IEP needs that we have, we need a full-time occupational therapist. Someone who can both provide the servicing that's needed as well as engage in the evaluations that are needed.
It's just such a wonderful celebration of all of the learning that's going on in our district and even when they had to like re-teach the one clap so that the timing could be like, "We only have 20 minutes for this assembly. Come on, everybody, one clap. Let's do it. Let's practice." It was great. So, I just wanted to I know what I did. I sat there and I closed my eyes and I thought of my favorite teacher and I know this is done over and over and over and over. Um many of you have already done that so many times in professional development but it was really just a great moment for me to remember that. Like when I think of my favorite teacher, those kids on stage that are happy and high-fiving their teachers, they're getting to experience the building of their educational um experiences and they're going to remember their favorite teacher because of cool moments like this and I know I'm running on and on, but I did also want to acknowledge not just the teachers, but the staff because as I walked onto campus, I had to go in the office and I had to sign in that I was there and I had to get a sticker and they had to have the sign-up sheet ready and they had to have the student visitor stickers printed in advance.
Any discussion members? Hearing none, um Chair Woolsey. So this is for SR 190 and SCR 202. Correct. Chair Woolsey. I. Vice Chair votes I. Senator Pukunaga. Senator Hashimoto. I. Senator Dela Cruz. >> I. Which is adopted. Okay, thank you. And that ends our joint committee. >> whoa, whoa, whoa, you got to take the vote. Slow down, Chair. Automation. I'm sorry. >> No, automation. Yeah, you're going too fast. Um Committee on Hawaiian Affairs uh for SCR 202, SR 190 accepting the same amendments. Chair votes I. Uh Vice Chair votes I. Uh members on Committee on Hawaiian Affairs uh for SCR 202 and SR 190, uh recommendation of the Chair is pass with amendments um with members present. Anyone voting with reservations or no?
Student government has been working really hard on our prom events and our theme is story nights on April 18th at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. There will be plenty of food, live music from a jazz band, dancing, a photo booth, and lots of food as well for a fun night under the stars. Uh we also upcoming or just had our dance recital program themed Wizard of the Oz, No Place Like Home, and they put in so much effort. It was such a talented performance from all of the dance program at Basha High School. I would also like to invite all of you to our upcoming Spongebob musical presented by Bashid Drama. It is from April on April 20th 22nd through the 24th at 6:00 p.m. And it is they put so much work and hours into it. It is going to be incredible. Upcoming events, we have our senior sunset on May 15th at 5:00 p.m.
So, if there was four books that the people could ch the kids could choose, they've attempted to put more uh a little bit more into each of the books so when a parent and or the child takes a look at whatever the four choices are, if there's some that has violence or sexual content or inappropriate language, that that is communicated enough in the syllabi so if I as a parent are looking at it or my child comes to me and says, "I'm not sure by looking at the syllabi." And that was uh coming out of Color Purple where we were doing not a bad job, but we could do a little bit better. So the teachers did step up to say we're going to put more information in just so people feel comfortable. So to your point, Miss Argus, is is if there's something that you're okay with, but you're not okay with or vice versa, the choice in in the syllabi allows for parents uh if if they're engaged to go ahead and and look and say, "Well, I think based on these four choices, I don't have a problem with these two, but by God, you're not going to read this one or whatever." So just do know that our teachers are working on that piece.