Moving on to Cherry Brook um with the kindergarten, first grade and third grade classes, they had partnered with the Roaring Brook Nature Center um holding their annual uh visit to there and the third grade class also had visited Lubis Mills for a performance by the Nutmelike Orchestra which kind of opened up the world of music towards them. Additionally, having visited Yukon School of Music where they had collaborated with the professors and students for a very valuable musical experience. Both the CIS and CBPS had finished their ESPback testing and assessments this month of May. And just to reiterate from Dr. Gman, the Cherry Brook Art Show will also be held tomorrow May from 6 PM to 7:30 p.m. which marks kind of their substantial growth throughout the year. if the time that would also perform. >> Thanks, John. >> All right. On the middle school, as Dr.
But um for us as you know to adopt this into the budget tonight would be uh very helpful to first of all balance the budget. Um second of allow us to get started on a hiring process because >> right >> um it's May 12th and you know we want to try and get the best of what's available. No, I understand that and I'm happy I'll be happy to go along with what we decide here tonight. Um, just want you to know that that is something that >> absolutely >> I think we all need to put eyes on. >> Absolutely. We've uh we've already started a draft. Um, Marlene, Kim, and I have kicked around different stuff. Um, I think we have a real vision of what we want it to be, but we don't have that finalized yet. U, Mark, you're on deck. So you answered one of the questions whether this person would have uh classroom teaching responsibilities in addition to the uh to the supervisory position.
Uh, it is my distinct privilege to present to you Miss Emiloo, validictorian of Pine Creek's class of 2026. [cheering] [applause] Can we give another big round of applause for our saludiatoran, validictorian, and all of our other fantastic academic achievements? [applause] Each year, the student address is given by a senior selected through a tryyout process. Our student speaker for the class of 2026 is Adel Buyers. Adiel, will you please join me at the podium? Adel Shan Buyers loved serving Pine Creek as executive vice president of public relations for student council and as co-president of the National Honor Society during her senior year. Throughout her high school, Adele enjoyed being involved with young life and wildlife. Adele is very proud to say her nephew said her name first, declaring her the favorite aunt.
They stepped forward with courage, with heart, and with the willingness to give themselves in ways that went far beyond their job description. Their dedication, enthusiasm, and commitment to our students never went unnoticed. The energy they brought from day one to the very last day made a difference that can never be measured. The impact they made on our students is priceless. Worth far more than any shoe or bag they may have collected along the way while they were here. Together, we built a culture and an environment that was truly one of a kind. The memories we created through the heat, the monsoons, the wind that felt like ice, and the shock of realizing you actually did need a jacket here will stay with us forever. We will miss each and every one of you. And we are deeply grateful to your families for sharing you with us and allowing you to experience the desert life in all it extremes.
>> Good luck. >> All right. Good luck. Next item on the agenda is 3.1 and this is to consider amend if desired. Uh we have a whole list of things. Mr. roll off. I'm going to let you take over here and give us our options. And after the options are explained, and we've uh perhaps discussed this with our attorney somewhat, uh then I'm going to open it to the public since this is on the agenda. I'm going to open it to the public for some brief uh comments, positive or negative or whatever you would like to feel uh to help persuade the board in one way or another uh uh before we make a vote as a board. So, Mr. Rolloloff. Well, thank you. Uh, one of the things I think uh, as we look towards possibly um, adopting a resolution for a bond and override tonight is I think this has been almost a year-long process since I started and, you know, we were able to identify right away that we need to fix some things and get some things up to date on our main campus here especially.
So, thank you so much. You guys are amazing. >> Mr. Nathan, I just want to add, um, when we were on the river cruise, um, I had this gentleman come up to me, the two of our students at his side, and I thought, "Oh, no. What happened?" Right? >> And he said, "I just want to tell you and I want to commend you for how good and respectful your students are." He said because they were on the river cruise and they heard taps and that principal or whoever he was with the other school told his students to take their hats off, pay their respects and to have a moment of silence. And our students did it. Those boys did that without any of us being present. And he said, "You should be really proud that your kids are amazing." But they constantly were complimenting us, our tour guide saying she rarely has groups that ask questions, that are interested, that are just really active participants in the learning.
And I think a lot of the times on some of these strategic questions that we ask is what adult behaviors need to be changed in order for us to move the needle for our students. Um I get a little weary when I hear things um of that nature of well, you know, they were just an implemented because XYZ. To me, that just doesn't sound accurate. So, I think we all need to be doing a better job and making sure that at those adult behaviors are actually changing because at the end of the day, that's what's going to move the needle. It's not going to be We can set up all the processes and all the frameworks and all the coaching and all the data out in the world and if we're not having that change, it's it's only going to go so far. So, I hope that as coaches, I see a lot of principals here, admins, that we're really taking that to heart because that's what's going to move the needle for our students.
The end of the school year is fast approaching. We have 6 and 1/2 days left of school for the 2025-2026 school year to be completed. We're very proud of our students, teachers, support staff, and administrators for all that they have accomplished this school year. What our students have achieved this year is remarkable, both academically and in the extracurricular realm. And to our families, thank you for sharing your children with us. We are very thankful for all that you do for our schools and our community. This year, we'll be graduating approximately 3,000 seniors. 13 years of hard work will pay off in the coming days. Our first two high school graduation ceremonies are on Wednesday of next week for the students of Canyon Valley and Gilbert Classical Academy. This week, we have two other graduation ceremonies. On Thursday evening, we will have our Pathways graduation ceremony.
>> That's why we have tears. All righty. Superintendent, you could carry on. >> You're welcome to stick around, but you're welcome to get ready for tomorrow's day. >> I appreciate that. >> Have a great night. >> Take care. Be safe out there. >> We've just got a couple items here uh real quickly. These are just uh letting you know these are going to be on the board uh packet next week for your vote. Um we are presenting to you uh board meetings of her 2x27. um just kind of the still the same uh routine that we're doing to um same Tuesdays of the month. So if there's no discussions on that, we'll kind of move on. And then again, um I have had uh our new secretary, Miss Wolf. She helped go through all the press plus issues. And again, I think you will find that they were all just updates and legal updates and so forth.
Let's add this 15,000 back. And let's add this back or add that back. It's going to make things incredibly difficult to convince people to go for an override because the first question anyone's going to ask is, "Well, where did you get the money for the band? Maybe you should have put that towards this year." I just think it's a I am with you. We should not have cut the band. 100% I'm with you there. But I don't see how we how we can do this and then be taken seriously by any voters or taxpayers. >> also not 3 years ago when we're being told, "Oh, yes, we have money to add 2 days of a >> Just a week ago, Mary Porter accused us of doing just that. >> No, I know that. But But because the optics look like we're lying, it's not 2 or 3 years ago when we had the budget, we pushed for it, and then all of a sudden we're saying, "Oh, yeah, JK, we have money for 2 days of of nurse." And then the There was something else that we passed.
Gman had already mentioned, um they had wonderful concerts from the seventh, eighth, and eighth grade band and chorus, as well as the jazz band and chamber singers. Uh Mr. Moore noted, that was an exceptionally beautiful performance and it was amazing to see the outcomes of the hard work. The eighth graders also had their annual trip to Washington DC. I'm told it was lovely. coming up soon for the middle school. Uh the state assessments are this week and students are showing great focus in their exam rooms as well. Uh eighth grade band students go to adjudication this Friday and then celebrate with an afternoon of six flags. In the high school, the majority of senior nights for our spring sports are this week with back lacrosse taking place right now or it might be finished. believe it's still going on though and we have some on Monday, one this Friday for tennis and then golf is in a couple weeks and the choir leg legacy concert will be on May 20th and the honors celebration will be on May 28th.
Um are we adding I mean this is something that we hadn't talked about before and now we're going to have in all likelihood a full-time assistant principal. Are we getting too heavy on the administrative side and you know >> Yeah, classroom teachers, you know. >> Yeah. Yeah, it's a fair question. I did take a look at that relative to our peers and um we are actually one of the few Durgby school systems that don't already have a full AP in in every building. our ratios are um you know I'd say a little higher on the um I could I could share that. >> Yeah. So my question is if we have if we're adding that assistant principal to a full-time job, would that position not be able to cover some of these responsibilities as well in lie of having another layer of of uh support for the classroom teachers and early childhood?
Adele would like to thank Miss Babbot, Mr. and Mrs. Saunders, Mrs. Cornelio, and Miss Macintosh for helping her realize her potential and encouraging her to achieve her dreams. She would also like to give a big shout out to her parents and family for always supporting her. In the fall, she's going to attend the University of Wyoming to study nursing. She's incredibly grateful for the love she has experienced throughout high school and for her opportunity to share that love with those around her. It is my distinct honor to introduce to you our student speaker for the class of 2026, Miss Adiel Buyers. [cheering] [applause] >> Dear Eagles, the day we have waited so long for is finally here. We sit here, soon to be graduates, walking to the next chapter of our lives. We started off as eager freshman walking around the hallways with our Creek Connectors.
Thank you for your courage, your sacrifice and your heart. You came here as teachers. Please accept the shell necklaces as you are leaving as friends and family. So, the necklaces are from myself, your new friend, Flanigan, and Sky. Thank you for everything. If if I may, um just as a board member on behalf of the governing board, I know we did um share a little bit at the time that we had accepted their resignations uh which was kind of process But um I think that especially as a parent, excuse me, especially as a parent um but as a board member as well, but as a member of the community, my children, um they pretty much grew up with these teachers. uh at least to the degree that they've been here for the amount of years they have. And so it's it's a reality that I think that we knew was coming as a board, but as a community member, as a father, it's not one that you always want to think about too much because they truly have given as much as they could.
And um and then when we look at things like employee wages and the override, we want to make sure our employees are getting more competitive so they're not leaving us because as much as you know they love Blige and they're committed to Blige, we also want to make sure that they're it's it's not a temptation to move to another neighboring district because they get paid so much more. So um I don't think anybody on our campus is looking to become a millionaire. We do have Jim Gil here who's our um legal counsel who will be helping us out with this. And so he drafted resolutions for um a $50 million bond as well as a $30 million bond which are included in the packet. Um I think um you know Mark Reer from Stiffel did a good job of really breaking down those financials as far as $11 a month versus $8 a month for those two amounts.
So that was a super I felt like a proud mom, you know, when somebody comes to tell you the good news. So I'm just I can't say enough how proud I am of our students and of our chaperones and of our whole entire team. So thank you and thank you to the board for supporting us and supporting our students. >> Miss the steward is she even told us that they were so wellmannered and that's a lot of us who were playing and that she commended us because she said that they were so wellmannered and it made her proud. >> Thank you. >> So I just noticed one other student was also with us. Preston, do you want to say anything about the trip? You almost got away. >> What was your favorite part about the trip besides Mr. >> and me and your camera? Um Kai said all I did learn a lot of stuff from that was really good.
Absolutely. I completely agree and I do also want to share like So, these are actions that we've taken that we've started doing in the second semester and one of the things that we as a support team were struggling with in the first semester was we were really, really struggling to get these small groups to get started. And this number of like 76% of teachers making changes in their behavior was much, much lower in the first semester. And so, yes, we did implement a new structure and a new process. It did create a dramatic shift in adult behavior from the first semester. We know that we're not there yet. Um But we're we're working on it. I mean, I I could just add we're continuing to um work with our principals and our teams to hold teachers accountable and it's just a process. Like I think about our learning walks we had, you know, no one like a very small amount doing learning targets and now we're like more like at 50% or more doing learning targets.
Pathways is a teacher preparation program developed by Gilbert Public Schools, and the program is for people who hold a bachelor's degree outside of education and want to become teachers. This year, we'll have 19 graduates of the program. And this Friday evening, we will have our adult education program graduation. This graduation is for adults who are earning their GED and those who are attending the English for speakers of other languages. To all of our seniors and adult education learners and their family members, congratulations. We are so very proud of you and can't wait to see and hear about the great things that you will accomplish. And lastly, this year we have 81 employees retiring. On behalf of myself and the governing board, we thank you for your years of dedication and devotion to our students and Gilbert Public Schools. We hope nothing but the best for you and please know that you may be gone, but we are always here for you.
Um, I did highlight one for the board in the FYI was just a policy regarding our um, end of the year events and I think I highlighted that as well uh, for those that um, that there's going to be a cash bar and a an adult event after hours that you know there's provisions in there for that. That was one highlight and that was included in the press plus. So that that concludes uh, my updates. >> Okay. Uh, No, she didn't. They didn't do the board pay yet. He didn't do the board pay. >> No pay. >> Mr. Okrainski is up for business. He's got a couple items. >> Uh good evening, President Brown, distinguished members of the board of education. >> Dr. Cara Kaganise. I have four items, but they are quite routine uh around this time of the year. First being that we need to establish a date of June 9th, 2026 to hold the amended budget public hearing.
And I asked in that meeting, "Where is this money coming from?" We just like squeezed and you know. And so, this is not 3 years ago. And this is one very specific to try to float this cost that would be an expiring cost. Voters willing Mhm. that it would float just the band. I mean, heck, do point point zero five to just do an hour and a half where she's in the building. You know, like yes, we can find private lessons, but you are going to miss that band. And yes, maybe band could be an after-school club, but maybe not because people have lives and families and kids. So, by preserving even a point zero five FTE in Boylston, swinging that cost of $3,000 for one fiscal year will at least preserve some hope of maintaining the band program going up to Tantasqua. No No one loves the arts better than myself, right?