But every once in a while, find a quiet spot, look back at the forest you leave here, and remember how to play. Congratulations to each and every one of you. [applause] Thank you, Mr. Jagger. This next part of the evening is a very special time for everyone here and we want to make sure that all family members have a chance to see and hear their graduate being announced. So, we're asking all of you to please remain seated until the last graduate's name is read. Superintendent Jagger, if you will again, please join me at the podium for the presentation of the Canyon Deloro High School class of 2026. Superintendent Jagger, I have the honor to present and recommend the assembled diploma candidates of the 2026 senior class of Canyon Deloro High School. Dorado, will you please stand? [applause] >> [cheering] [cheering] >> Superintendent Jagger, the faculty of Canyon Deloro High School and I present these candidates for a high school diploma and hereby certify that each of them has met the rigor and requirements for the same as established by Arizona State Law, the Arizona academic standards and the policies of the governing board of the Amphitheater Unified School District.
So, do you know when that board meeting is going to actually start? >> Um, so if I remember correctly, that board meeting will start at 6:00 pm with the budget hearing and truth and taxation hearing. Typically those are 15 minutes >> and then um >> sorry Hold on. >> No. Can you guys hear me now? I was trying to take myself off of mute but I couldn't. >> Oh yeah. >> Uh I can't remember what you had asked me, Adria. >> No, no, you're good. We were just asking if you could send an calendar invite for the time that the um team should join if they're able to come to the June 23rd invite. I just wasn't sure if like if I was if I did it if it was going to mess up some rule because I'm reaching out to them. Um, >> no, you can send them a calendar invite, but are you guys going to get together to do a recording?
We work um a great deal with the recruitment and retention of high-quality staff. I take care of labor management relations. I am heavily involved in our school safety initiatives and I'm also the fun police because I'm in charge of legal compliance in our district. So, I get to say no a lot. So, sorry about that, everybody. Um about a third of our staff are residents of the city of Des Plaines, something that we are very, very proud of. All of the work that we do in the Human Resources Office is done with students in mind. Every decision we make is for students and that is why it matters what we do because we want to attract, retain, and um and protect hire, retain best educators and staff to give our students the best educational experience possible and to sustain a working environment that supports adults so that they can do great things for kids every day.
But 3245 I'm really happy with. And of those 81.5% of the students reported that they were in at least one activity or sport in District 99 and 57.5 of that 81.5, they are involved in two or more. So, we do have a lot of participation. We also have students reporting like I don't want to participate, right? So, you can see that did you meet your goal to participate this year that we do have about 400 kids who I didn't want to participate. Many of those kids are participating in outside sports and activities. They're either in club ball or they're participating in church or scouting or things like that. But 2,555 students said, "Yes, we did meet our goals." We also asked about their sense of belonging, right? 91% of the students report that they have a sense of belonging. So, yes, most of the time or absolutely yes, 91%, which is fantastic.
So, it's going to be parent education for sure is the biggest lift. >> I guess my only add on to that is that as as long as the important piece here, too, is like teacher training. >> Yeah. >> Right? The teacher training is going to be the most important right now because what we're putting in front of them, they're going to put in front of the kids, right? So, the teacher training to me would be the most important thing if we're going to go forward with this because they have to know what they're doing in order to grade the 30 kids that are in their class based off standards, right? And And I'm not for sure how it looks in every classroom in the at the elementary right now, but are there standards up on in every classroom and every Cuz I know it's the report card standards, but like the standards in the class.
So making sure that all device use is intentional Uh uh because some of our kids can do some quite amazing things and we're all on devices quite a bit and productive on those versus kind of the scrolling or uh just kind of that passive consumption um and age-appropriate levels with that as well.
Again, as I mentioned, our staff have been very appreciative of this extra prep time. This additional time has been utilized for teachers to collaborate, especially those special programming like our special education and our title one um ML lanes. Um at Autumn we have celebrated quarterly honor roll achievements with students and families by having an honor roll breakfast. Um those families have really enjoyed coming and celebrating with their child being in the school. This year we have implemented PBIS celebrations every quarter. Um this year we did Minute to Win It games one 9 weeks. Um in December we had Silly Safari reindeer come, which then got bumped back to January because we had the nice uh sickness come around. Um so we had Christmas in January. Um we had Boomer from Pacers. And then this week here um we're going to have Kona Ice for our fourth one.
Uh any questions for Kim on any of that stuff? No. Uh Jamie, we'll do grants, so we'll come back to the resolution things. Okay. What? I thought you said you were coming back to me. No, we'll do grants, and we'll come back to the resolutions. Got you. Um before I talk about grants, uh Parent Square is something that we wanted to talk to you about. We're in the final steps um of looking at the financials of moving to that program. Um but Parent Square is something that had come up in our strategic plan when we worked through that um and looking for different options to help uh kind of streamline communication across the district. Um it would be it's a program that would replace final forms with athletics. Um and it also opens up that two-way communication between parents and coaches, which is something that's very much desired through athletics.
Any questions or comments? There being no questions or comments, we'll move to a vote. All in favor signify by saying I. I nay. Vote carries 4. >> Thank you, Dr. Darl. Uh we'll move on to item five, action items 5.01, policy conversion, wave readings and approval. Mr. >> Thank you, Mr. President and board members. I bring with you tonight some language uh to update a an important policy and that is regarding electronic devices in our schools. As you know, new state legislation has been passed and finally have received language that will allow us to just update our policy on electronic devices. I've highlighted some key areas there. Um, as you know now, uh, if students are to bring electronic devices to school, they must be powered off and stored during the school day. That means no access during passing periods, lunch, etc. So, we'd like you to this evening in order for us to get this language into our student handbooks in preparation for the fall.
They won't let me, but this is like Yeah. But you can point it out if there's an awareness that's starting to to bubble. And if you are involved in medicine, that or other organizations that we give talks on this, so that's one of the things that we do with our time, so uh invite us to spread the word. The good word. All right, group, we have a partner up up before you we you guys do before I transition to you. I I do want to call out like within Ashland itself, we do have a couple of initiatives that we're working on for reduction of plastic. We've talked about skip the stuff. Uh part of what we wanted to do was actually follow along with Newton and actually also ban styrofoam and black plastic. Haven't quite gotten there because we've got a fair amount of pushback from um you know, businesses, other stakeholders.
Um, just briefly what we have in this portion here, this is the proposed building. The the red portion line here is the area of the buildings that are proposed to be removed. Um, we have the blue line here shows the traffic patterns through the site. Uh, these purple areas along here show the temporary basins that we've proposed to contain water on the site. Uh, we've proposed to cap all the drain pipes along the back. There are four of them. They will all be closed and capped during this to ensure no water gets into the Sudbury. Um, and uh, >> [clears throat] >> plan looks like like it got corrupt I can't read it. Second. It looks like the PDF may have corrupted it. Do you have a clean copy and uh Actually, let me see. If you bear with me, I believe I I have one here.
Kylie and to me requesting an audit feels so disrespectful in a sense that we are an open book and I just think back to a couple years ago I don't know who asked why we didn't return money and it's like well we don't ask for what we don't need and so um I don't know if other departments ask for you know put $300,000 in that account for whatever and I don't know what it's for, but that's just a good number. No, we we are to the penny and all of the state and the federal requirements that we are beholden to um abiding by. Mr. Kylie again does it with such grace and clarity and consistency um and understands his audience and is patient and thorough and to spend money on something that we've been saying five times five different ways is feels foolish and [clears throat] um one person on the committee I certainly anyone could look at our books and and uh you know they're not going to find anything.
Do we not have any programs that, you know, are closer than Holyoke that would fall under that category? I'm just concerned about traveling to Holyoke with students. That That's pretty much all you know, I'm I'm just really listening, but thank you for allowing me to speak a little bit. Well, thank you for commenting and member Goodwin has an answer for you. We will We will answer your question. So, there are there are definitely um over the years, and I can say this is as a principal I used to have to visit all of the out of district placements that my students were at and many of them have closed down. Um I think of Brightside, I think of all the different places. And so yes, we do transport kids to programs in Holyoke because they're the only ones offering those type of services. Um and parents also have a voice in the program and whether the program fits the needs of children.
Um, and sometimes we, um, rec- recommend that to families before they come um, requesting it themselves. Um, and then other times we have to have conversations with families about why we think it is the right time or why we don't think it's the right time and why we feel like the child is is making meaningful progress in with our instruction and on their IEP um, and therefore it's not the right time. Um, so again, we've had a a number of different avenues that we've taken through those conversations. Um, we've also, to Jess' point, had conversations with families about thinking our recommendation and families um, not being on board with the idea um, about placement. Um, and really having to, um, explain the logic and and why the child um, why we can't meet the child's needs in district. So, I've been at both ends of that conversation.
So, he and I met, we we We with textbook representatives, we did a whole bunch of research into OpenStax about things even going so far as looking at what you know, what does it provide in terms of accessibility and equity? And they have quite a robust uh process to review for inclusivity. Uh we were very impressed by that. Uh and that it is constantly reviewed. So, if you get a textbook that has a content error or or a bias in it and it's a static textbook it it's there, right? This is continually being reviewed. So, it has uh this ongoing review process. Um so, we met >> one of the things I'll I'll jump in is uh Julie brought a recommendation a couple of times. So, we had some questions as well and uh we as Dr. Rita and myself in this and we asked for and and other teachers around to go back and do some really in-depth like side-by-side comparisons.
So, if that happened before I got here, then that that shouldn't have happened, but I guess the board was voting on those things that they shouldn't have and I think uh any attorney would tell you that as well. Um but again, that may could have been the board's perspective before I got here. Um you know, everyone is getting a raise in contracts. So, so no one that has a contract is not getting a raise. We do have two bargaining units that are in the middle of contract negotiations. I'm pretty sure they'll get retro pay once that's settled. Um so, just to say that peo- So, people are getting raises. I don't know where that comes from. These are reductions in actual um structuring of different types of positions, not a true workforce reduction. It's not a riff. Um basically, when there's non-tenured individuals not being renewed, that doesn't have to be a reduction in force.
Thank you, Principal Boule. Acting upon your recommendation and that of your faculty and by virtue of the authority vested in me by the state of Arizona and the governing board of Amphitheater Unified School District, I hereby confer upon each of the candidates assembled here the diploma of Canyon Delora High School, which each of them has earned with all of the rights, honors, privileges, and responsibilities deriving from the same. Congratulations. You are officially graduates of Canyon Deloro. [cheering] [applause] You may be seated. [cheering] I would now like to ask the senior elected teachers who will be our name readers for the class of 2026 to take their places at the podiums. Miss Jordan Castle, Miss Jill Chrisman, Mr. Rob Gerard, Miss Camille Nicely, Mr. Matt Powell, and Mr. Kyle Sutton. [applause] Anukica. D. Peterson, [applause] >> Angelina Joy Aboud, >> Piper Ming, Casey, [cheering] >> Abigail Rose, Asetto, [screaming] >> Carter Mason, Dipo, [cheering] >> [applause] >> McKenzie Ray Adams, >> Cooper Riley, Dale, [cheering and applause] >> Adrina, Monnique, Alba, [cheering] >> Isidora, Daniel, Cassio, >> [cheering and applause] >> Aaliyah Alde, [cheering and applause] >> Ana Monnique Aldakoa, D'Angelo Cortez Alexander II, [cheering] [screaming] Malachi Dmitri Holloway Alexander, Omid Amary >> Ian Marshall Anderson, >> Keyn Ela Anderson, [cheering] >> Lauren Ray Anderson, [cheering and applause] Connor McCrae Angland, >> Henry Joseph Anaker, >> Robin Lynn Anaker, [cheering] >> Jose Miguel Apparicio, [cheering] [screaming] >> Rowan Mark Aparesi, [cheering and applause] Paula Armenta Jimenez, [cheering] >> Bianca Alexandria Ashby, [cheering] >> Ashton J.
>> Yes. >> Okay. And how many of you guys are going to be there >> for the presentation or for the recording? >> For the recording. >> Right now, I think it's just Amy and I. Okay, then that should be good. >> She could be there or should we keep it to two? Hilda, you tell us. >> Well, you guys should, you know, probably keep it to two to be on the safe side. Um, the only thing is, so you guys are going to record it, but you guys are going to also present it. >> No. Um, Jay just asked that people be there in case there are questions. >> Okay. Because this won't be under consent because it's Yeah, which what you missed earlier, Hilda, is I suggested that we could make the presentation shorter if the board had the recording in advance. Then the team could just do a summary overview and field questions rather than walking through all the slides.
Welcome to 62. Mrs. Sengel. Pass the time. All right, good evening, everyone. My name is Amy Sengel and I am the assistant superintendent for uh instructional services. Uh I have been a long-timer in District 62, started here in 2006, right after my daughter is was born, so that's always how long I remember. Um I've actually I did the math wrong um and I've been in education for about 22 years, serving in a lot of different roles. I was a teacher, middle school teacher, English as a second language teacher, instructional coach for several years, principal for 10, and serving in this particular role for 2 years. This is my second year. I am also a alumni of U of I I L L. >> [laughter] >> As as many of us are going to hear that from a few of us tonight. I am also a very proud parent of three District 62 graduates, which is exciting and I am a resident of Des Plaines.
We are concerned though about the 1.5%, right? Saying absolutely not. When we look through that data, some of those students are participating in two or more activities or sports. And so, it does run a little bit deeper on sense of belonging rather than just participating or having connections to your teachers. Sometimes it's peer-to-peer conflict. If you go to the next slide, um, students who did not meet their goals, right? We We came up with, um, a lot of different reasons last year, and then we also put other. We took the reasons for other that students reported and also added them. Uh, so, uh, peer coach or sponsor conflict, right? There's 12 students who are not participating either because of students on that team or, um, having some type of [snorts] conflict with the coach. Um, also, students with health concerns. We have a lot of students who aren't participating simply because they want to get off on the right track as a freshman.