And you couldn't have a new stipend until that club had been active for 2 years, right? So, there's always that window. Um we can have that conversation about looking at what stipends might not be needed next year, what stipends might move around based on Rich's experience of this year, and what students have been interested in um this year. I mean, right now, agreed, this is not budgeted. >> No. And and and the conversation about these three stipends has just begun. But what we'd like to do is just continue that, look at those stipends, and see which are which are priorities for next year. Are there activity clubs and things like that with dwindling numbers or that that just aren't more active this year, and what we might take off the table, and then we would bring that to the union and back to the school committee for eventual approval as almost like an MOU into the union and into the union.
Okay. Thanks for it. Quickly you and my wife. Let's see. Okay, I'm gonna call the board back into water. regular the regular session at uh 8:53 p.m. Now back in order and I will take a a motion uh from the board. Um, I move that the board of education extend superintendent's contract by one year to June 30th, 2029, as well as authorize the chair to finalize and execute the terms and conditions of the superintendent's contract. Discussion. You don't need a second. Discussion. All those in favor? >> I vot. >> Thank you very much. >> Please vote. Le is on the phone. So say okay with that is there any other business come before the board of education hearing that there are none um we are a journ at 85. Bye. >> Thank you.
I know that there are instances where as a parent, you know, you hear certain things, but I there aren't there aren't things that I feel like can't be addressed or aren't addressed. It's more or less that run-of-the-mill um frustration when it comes to how and what um students are either doing or experiencing or parents themselves who don't take the time to make sure they're informed about those types of issues. But I just want us to make sure that we're careful not to create policies that do unintentionally place a financial burden on our families. And I get that that tends to be the responsibility of the school district here and there. um we are it's falling sometimes on the school to have to be that parent so to speak but but I also want to make sure that we are not without making sure those systems are in place within our classroom management um responsibilities for our teachers and that again they are supported and I think what has been presented feels to me fairly um uh fair to the degree that it needs to be in in in in recognizing that that mutual responsibility um in a classroom setting.
>> So I have a state Oh, sorry. Go ahead, Margaret. >> I have a question too. When when uh if we'd want to continue visiting groups in the community, then that's okay as long as there's only one or two. >> Yes. Um right to avoid quorum issues. Um yes. Um individual board members, superintendent, district staff may tour uh conduct tours of the community. And the purpose of that is just to provide information. It's not to persuade. It's just here are the facilities. Um here's what would be repaired, replaced, renovated if the if the bond is approved. >> Okay. I think one of the biggest um I don't know biggest conquests up here is to get people to come out and vote for anything. And I think that we do such a good job with our staff and our maintenance everybody of making the school look good.
Um as Superintendent Man shared, we looked at the data. We didn't just say three coaches, nine schools, each coach gets three schools. Instead, Sarabeth spent countless hours diving in to the data, looking for patterns, and um ultimately, we identified these four high-priority schools, and then we realized that some of the teachers didn't have coach support for one reason or another, or perhaps they were receiving it in another area, but this we saw as a greater need. And so, the really intentional alignment for the need and the coaching support being provided, I think um has been has been vital. So, the weekly coaching support um often, the coaching is um focused on planning and facilitating whole group tier one or small group tier two. The coaching support is a full cycle. So, they are working really hard not only to Let's not forget build the relationships with the teachers as they are willing to be vulnerable to share here's something that I I want to figure out in my classroom or can you help me get even better at what I'm already good at.
But we need school committee member to be part of that negotiation process, right? When we're opening up what we're basically doing is opening up the contract again and looking at all this. So, um we we really we should have um we're just seeing some of these stipends that we we we need to revisit. So, would we be able to do this at both of the elementary schools, too, and see if there is money in there that >> There Yeah. We Yes. >> We had some clubs that like we had a comic book club. I don't think we do that at Boyle Street Elementary. So, there's 700 and something dollars Yeah. Yeah. We did something with that. We did something with that. We did something with that. We did that this year. We changed that to an art club, but there was like a kindness club.
But again, I also don't want to make it seem as though this type of thing is neither here nor there because technology is here and our students are going to be participating in it whether we like it or not. So, I'm hopeful we can find a balance, you know, not only to hold our ST students accountable, but building stronger systems within the school system. Um, supporting the the the classroom management, supporting our school sites, um, clearer procedures, better tracking methods that were presented. So I was really took the time to to read through this because um I was the the board member who actually requested the information and I think it's only because I think when when we when parents started to hear different um information about what what is this uh device agreement mean or what does it say or how is it how is it the possibility that my student can or cannot participate in certain uh events, which again, I don't disagree, but I also want to make sure that we're able to present information to show them, okay, well, it's not just us imposing that.
A lot of people don't think there are any problems. And that's what that's why the need for going out and speaking to different groups and getting it out there and promoting people actually getting out and voting because we have very few people some years when this goes on the ballot that actually show up. And there was a misunderstanding the last time we tried this that you had to own a home to be able to vote. And that was a big misunderstanding at the um with the parents of the elementary kids. So we just have to make sure that everybody understands what they can do within the school district. >> Yeah. Um the district can absolutely conduct public, you know,formational sessions um assuming they're factual and neutral in nature. Individual board members or even members of district administration can speak to community groups and and even promote the election if if they choose to do so.
So, that full-cycle gathering data, setting goals, co-planning, practicing this new behavior, reflecting on the new behavior, and doing it all over again. We also heard Superintendent Man say that earlier. Professional athletes don't think I've I've made it. I'm done. Nope, they continue to aspire to get better and better. And I think that over time we will see that confidence, but it will take some time. And then part two to this Again, we recognize that it will take time and just monitoring those shifts. The team has been um working really hard too to develop their own relationships. They were all new to each other as well. New to I'm new, Sarabeth is new in her isolated role for literacy, the team is new. So, again all of us getting in sync and getting into the same rhythm of shared philosophy and our commitment to our students and our teachers.
>> Right. And there was other clubs that maybe they don't Yeah. So, I think we should look at that because if Jessica's saying it's like four grand to bring back or you know, like we're talking couple thousand dollars if we clean so I didn't realize I thought we had done this. So if I I get it. I remember Nancy had brought this >> Yeah, Megan we did it earlier in the year where we'll give us a list of stipends and clubs and we re- reallocated them however that was, right? But yeah, to answer your question Megan, we're going to do that at all all both elementary schools, the high school cuz it's all part of the teachers union, all part of contracts. But if there's extra money are we and we don't have clubs to reallocate we'll be able to use it for vital budget items?
It's not just us saying, here's a bill for damages. There is a lot of other things we try to do on the other end to make sure we're not just turning that over to you as the parent. Um, so I just want to say again, thank you so much for the presentation and I'm interested to kind of hear if possible any feedback um from however that however that feedback comes to us, whether it's in in a survey, which I know we all love surveys, or um whether it's input from u professional development uh time that principles have with their with their teachers on some of the discussion we're having regarding this type of expense and some of the financial responsibility that we're going to also place uh not only the possibility on them but also in the sense of our students and our families. Um in 2022 it was an entirely different world and entirely different place.
But if they choose to do so, they're doing so as individuals with a disclaimer that it's as an individual and not as someone associated with the school district. >> Okay. >> The information packet is where you make the statement. Individual board members can make a statement is in the uh information packet. >> It'll be in the voter information pamphlet. Yes. >> Thank you. >> Absolutely. >> Yeah, we can do that. >> Any other questions? >> Can I clarify one thing? You said the board members can't use social media. They can use their personal social media to do Okay. I just wanted to clarify that they can use their personal time. So they heard Yeah. >> So I have a question. How many how many items can be on the ballot? Just one one bond amount and one override amount. So just two. >> Well, by tradition, um good question.
Last slide, shortest answer. Yeah, I can answer I can answer this. >> Go for it. Thank you. So, this question is I also want to share that by June I'd really value hearing more directly from principals to understand better what their experience this year, what's working, and where the challenges still are. And as we think about strategy for this given the multiple schools we have, maybe we can split them half of the June board meeting, maybe July study session, thoughts. And so, we are in the planning stages to implement this idea. I mean, as you saw tonight we asked a couple principals to come up and as we're planning and working with our principals going through uh show the the evaluation process, we're working to have them come in June, right? We talked about June. >> we're really trying to target that June meeting because we have attempted July study sessions in the past and we've even struggled to get like a short board meeting in in July at times just cuz it's hard to get quorum when everybody's kind of spread to the winds.
Well, this this is a contract issue, right? So it's a stipend in the contract to use for a certain stipend, right? Not a salary. So if you're looking at re-evaluating those they are budgeted because they're in the contract. You're just looking to allocate them differently than what the contract says. So it's a little different. It's not like we can just say, oh well, we don't have an athletic event coordinator. So let's use that for the elementary school. It's And we need to be careful because everything that is is a stipend position is in the contract right now. So we have to work with the union and for them to say, okay. So all these got to be conversations cuz right now in their contract some of these statements exist. So where we're at this point tonight is like these are things we're looking at. We're going to open up the an MOU to start talking with the union and that hopefully maybe next year looking at the elementary as well, too, that we might be able to add these in cuz the work's being done and be able to take off some others with hopefully cost neutral.
2026 27 is so difficult for for families at this point as in finances. Um and I don't want us to become another burden on more on our families for something that they feel like because some will feel very adamant that they have to make sure they take care of this. So, does that mean a student goes without food for a day because we wanted to make sure that they paid for their fees um for their laptops or whatever it may be? And some grandparents aren't fixed incomes, don't always have that type of money. Districts are closed. Some not enough money is being actually being spend shared around. I want us to be able to find some sort of middle middle ground or balance in that. Um so if the 27 26 27 year comes and and I think Mr. Mr. debates and conversations we've had did say these are these are living developing types of things that we want to be able to if it's not working or working within mid year make changes or or you know decide in a different route but um it's truly the only reason I wanted to kind of make sure we had the information readily available and then um especially if we're asked of this type of information from our representatives at uh that lobby for us um for impact 8.
Um so by tradition, we've we've always had just a single bond amount per election for each school district. Having said that, we have a district in the valley that is considering two bond questions on their ballot. I've never done it, but I think the statute is fine with it. And it seems like Maricopa is going to be fine with it as well. So, in theory, and I I think in reality, you could have two separate bond questions. I'm not advocating that, but but in that case, it's pretty unique. They have one project that's a little polarizing in the community, and they don't want that project to drag down the bigger bond question. So, that's why they're considering it. But I've never heard that come up before. So it's kind of a coincidence that it's happening this year. And on the override side, um it's it would you so you're considering a maintenance and operation override tonight.
So, if there's a strong desire to do that, you know, we certainly can, but I just have not had a lot of success with it in the past. >> And one thing I'm going to say because I know my coach is going to come back and say something is he always tells me that one month you're not talking about students is the month that you don't care about students. Just putting it out there. That's literally what he tells me, so just saying. Well, we will be here in July, so we are >> [laughter] >> we we will be talking about students if if there is a time that works for the board to be part of that conversation. We're >> Or June, whichever one, but Yeah. Um I'm sorry. I know it's good to ask questions and I You know that meme that's like when you have ADD and you do like a week's worth of work in like 5 minutes or whatever.
I'm just curious that the totals for the same thing are are different numbers at the bottom of the AP coordinator and the PSAT coordinator. I don't know if I'm misreading that somehow. You're seeing two different numbers for the PSAT At the very bottom. Yeah, so like total stipend for AP and PSAT is 2250 and then on PSA it says 3000. On the third page in the bottom, it totals it up to 3000 instead of Yeah, so these numbers themselves we have looked into compared with comps. There was an initial thing that was shared in the school community live. We've gone back and took a look at that and in terms of what we have finally comparable, we compared to the amount of AP tests and how that how that operates. In short, there is differentiation because there's less work within the PTA PSATs in terms of I think this is just a I'm just a Yeah, so there's a there's a typo in there.
But um I know that we do highlight that a lot within our presentations to uh our representatives. So that's pretty much all I have unless you have anything. Mr. Yes, >> President Mia >> um for clarity purposes u the request is um you would like some feedback um regarding the professional development given to our staff members in how to manage uh the equipment. Second one, feedback from teachers on what is specific information. >> Well, this is from the perspective of the district. I I'm I'm I'm taking this in the sense of what the presentation is and everything that's presented. I as a board member will like to hear what is that perspective or that input from our >> sites, >> teachers or sites. And the last one you want to also hear um if if this is u the the the the way that we are going to be reinforcing it a system in place when there's a hardship.
You can also have a district additional assistance, i.e. a capital override on the same election cycle. Be a separate ballot question, but you don't have a resolution for the for the DAA. You're not considering that this election cycle, but perhaps in the future. Would uh if there were two numbers for a bond, wouldn't that dilute the vote? >> Well, um each voter would get Well, possibly. I mean, I'm not a pollster, so I don't know how voters would would would approach that, but I think they're just trying to be safe um that district and they feel like they they can afford to lose on that kind of special bond for that special project as long as they get uh the bond for their for their the larger bond uh for the general district. So, um, each voter gets to vote on each bond question. So, it's not like you have to pick one or the other.