2025-08-20 Board Meeting

001Live meeting of the San Monteo County Board of Education will come to order. As is our practice, this meeting will be recorded. I warmly welcome our youth commission liaison Bethany Zhao joining the board at the DIAS. I also note that Superintendent McGee is joining us remotely this evening. The board provides remote access for members of the public and welcomes community members joining in person and remotely. The board is following the requirements of Assembly Bill AB2449 which enables remote participation by board members only under specific circumstances. We use simultaneous uh interpretation in Spanish for those attending virtually through the end of public comment. Translation will continue further into the meeting if people are utilizing the channel. So, thank you to our interpreters, Anna Cruz and Kimberly Ldios, for joining us remotely. For meeting attendees wishing to

002access the Spanish translation channel on Zoom, please click on the interpretation button on the menu bar. We ask all speakers to be mindful of the Spanish interpretation and speak slowly and clearly. Item 1B is the approval of the agenda. I note that item 4E, the introduction of new staff member Ron Campa, coordinator, college, career and community partnerships educational services division has been tabled to the next meeting. Is there a motion to approve the amended agenda? >> So move. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. There is a motion to approve the amended agenda made by Trusty Gerard and a second by Trusty Alvaro. Is there any further discussion? All those in favor say I. >> I. All those opposed say no. Uh the motion passes with a vote of 70 and the

003amended agenda for tonight's meeting has been approved. Item two is public comment. Guidelines for public comment are available on the SMCE website and in board docs and on the table outside the boardroom in both English and in Spanish. Speakers who require Spanish interpretation. Um our interpreters, Miss Cruz and Miss Larios will interpret following each speaker's comments. At this time, members of the public may provide comment for topics not included on the approved agenda. The County Board of Education does not act upon any matter that has not been agendaized except under limited circumstances as permitted by law. It is the policy of the county board to refer matters raised in this forum to the superintendent for investigation and or action were appropriate. Um, Superintendent McGee, do we have any comments submitted prior to the meeting? We

004did have comments submitted prior to the meeting. We had um about uh we put together a packet of about 45 pages of comments from current and former uh staff out at outdoor ed. Um what we plan, we've already forwarded that to the board, those 45 pages. Um and what we'd like to do is um any any speak any um individual who submitted a um a written document, we would ask that you um refrain from speaking in the in the public speaking comment tonight. Um, if you were not able to get a a um a pre-written uh comments turned in before tonight's meeting, we will uh take up your comments during the uh live uh the live comments section. >> Thank you. So due to the large number of anticipated people wishing to make public comment,

005speakers are invited to make live comment and have one minute to speak, the board's executive assistant, Jennifer Pererna, will keep the time and advise when the speaker has 30 seconds left. Um, there might also be a timer on the screen, so please keep within the time limits. Uh, to make a comment over Zoom, members of the public may use the raise hand feature. Instructions for using this feature are provided as an attachment in the board packet. Once the hand is raised, please wait to be acknowledged by Superintendent McGee. Uh, Superintendent McGee, are there any members of the public attending remotely who wish to make a comment at this time? >> Um, let me see here. Yes, we have one speaker um, Janice Pelazari who is online. Janice, let me get you uh let me give

006you permission. Okay, you're good to go. >> Okay. Good evening, President Torres, board of trustees, and Superintendent McGee. I want to report um I wanted to report on the beginning of the 2526 school year. We have been back for six days, uh three with staff and three with kids. Uh, it's been a rocky start. Two of our three programs have started without their principles. Anne Campbell said or lost Heather Logan on June 30th. Uh, most of her staff is feeling a huge loss for their program. K22 has Ellen out and Miss Ziggler is filling in for her. I hear that it has um she has been doing a nice job, but it's not the same as having your own principal. Corn community has started the year yet again with new principal and vice principal this

007year. We are still learning how to adjust with the new leadership. It has been smooth in some places and rocky in others. At court, we have two teachers that retired after school started and we still have not hired for positions that we lost at the beginning of last year. as well as the RSP teacher that we held interviews for in May in hopes that we if we didn't find one we could hold second round interview or second set of interviews in June which didn't happen as well as one SMCA teacher was transfer transferred to Canyon Oaks only days before the school year started which was frustrating for her since every day of ESY 2 she was asking if they had the assignments ready. Um, as for Gateway, we have six kids that started with us.

008It has been a really great smooth beginning to our school year. I know K 12 had a great start and I know Hillrest might have had a pretty a little rocky start and I'm not quite sure about um Ann Campbell. I know I'm meeting with the preschool population tomorrow. Um, we are excited um to talk about our comp study and what it has found for us with HR since we increased principal salaries before ours so we could find fitting applicants. With so many SMC positions open, we might need to get through our comp study so we can do the same thing. Have a good night. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um, and we also have uh Johanna Rasmmanson. Johanna, let me get you. There you go. You are allowed uh you're free to talk now.

009>> Thank you so much. My name is Johanna Rasmusen. >> You're muted, Johanna. Yeah, that's Let me fix this. I I hit uh Janice and it muted um Johanna. So, hang on a second talking. It's not allowing me to here. I'll come back on so you can shut me off and maybe that'll allow you to do it. Um, >> can you hear me now? >> Yes. >> Okay, great. Thank you so much. So, I'm Johanna Rasmus. I'm the chair of the Juvenile Justice Commission for the County of Sonteo. And the reason why I'm speaking tonight is I just wanted to let the board know that the commission intended to do an evaluation of Gateway this year. Um on any given week, we get calls from students and parents. Uh both of the prior principles have

010been in contact with us when there have been problems over there. Um and so we were concerned and and wanted to look into what was happening. Um and we were denied uh the request to do so. But we were told that that was not under our purview and we didn't feel that was very transparent. The the process was confusing because we also have county council and they weren't contacted. So I just wanted to make the board uh aware of what has uh transpired and Tuesday night the commission will be voting to take on a gateway project where we'll spend the next year doing an indepth look of gateway and the services that are provided to our atrisisk youth. Thank you so much. Thank you. And that is all the uh speakers uh who are online.

011>> Thank you. Members of the public may also provide live comment in person. Superintendent Mickey McGee, are there any submitted cards? >> Uh yes. And I'm going to turn it over to uh Deputy Superintendent uh Marco Chavez because uh we have several speakers. We want to make sure we get them uh uh in the right order and um not miss anybody. So since I am remote, uh uh Deputy Superintendent Chavez is going to take over for this part. >> Thank you. >> Our first speaker, Owen Meadi, please. Can you hear me? Oh, can you hear me? >> Yes, we can hear you. >> Uh, we are Samite Outdoor Education. Our group is not just composed of the staff of outdoor ed, but of our entire community. Many of us are naturalists, but among us are

012former students, high school cabin leaders, interns, current students, and fifth grade teachers. We are Sano County, and we are asking you to hear our story and help us advocate for our program. For those who are unaware, on July 17th, the full-time employees of SMO, Samato Outred, were informed that our interns hours will be reduced from about 42 to 29 and a half hours a week for the upcoming school year in order to be compliant with labor regulations in California. To make up for the deficit in hours, we are tasked with hiring five additional interns. This decision was made by uh county office leaders without input from our out outdoor education team, and the reasoning behind it was communicated poorly. To those outside our program, this change may not seem like the end of the world.

013But for our systems, which have been in place for decades, this reduction in internship hours has a significant impact. Given just over a month to prepare, the lead naturalists are currently scrambling to salvage something meaningful out of the disastrous impacts that this decision will have on our program. Outdoors teaching team is the intern naturalists. They are the lifeblood of the program and through their work accomplish something incredibly unique and impactful. As naturalists, they guide fifth and sixth grade students through a week in our beautiful redwood forest. They are their teachers but also their primary caregivers during this time leading weeks full of wonder, learning, science, and growth. >> We are at time. If you can wrap up the statement, please. >> Thank you. >> Lily uh Tatusco followed by Joshua Stacy. just gonna be continuing

014what I wanted to say. Um, our work is deeply rooted not just in NGSS but also in social emotional development of our students. We've seen immense growth in the fifth grade graders of Sonteo County and it has been an honor to serve this population for the last 60 years. In a world that is increasingly addicted to screens and indoor time, the importance of taking students out of their comfort zones and into nature has never been more important. At the core of outdoor education is a relationship that is built between the naturalist and the students. 11-year-olds are taken out of their homes and support systems and asked to live with people they've never met and try new things every day. Because of this, students often spend the week working through some of the most significant emotions

015they've ever felt. Not all students are wellversed in advocating for their own needs, working through conflict with friends, meeting people who are different from them, and getting through feelings of discomfort and fear. Luckily, their assigned internationalist is trained to guide them through these challenges. This relationship isn't a given. It takes effort, intention, and most of all, time. Our interns work incredibly hard to know each student enough to care for them in ways unique to their individual needs. Taking 10 hours of their time with the kids open opens up a huge gap in the emotional and physical safety that we are able to provide at Outdoor Education. >> That's gone since he came to Uni Care. >> Joshua Stacy, >> followed by Steve Venzant. to move with. >> Historically, our internship program has comprised of 11

016folks from all over the county, but mainly from here in Sonteo County Country. They receive three weeks of training and shadowing that is carefully crafted to ground them in the theory and practice of creating magical experiences for students. In addition, once a week they have a two-hour long professional development session where they learn how to lesson plan, use positive discipline techniques, and care for students with all different needs, backgrounds, and abilities. Our reputation for the quality of our training makes our interns extremely competitive candidates once they leave our program. It is also the only reason that we can provide the level of safety and quality that we have provided for the past 60 years. This decision forces us to reduce the amount of training they can receive. We will not be able to train them

017to our typical standards before students arrive and we will have fewer hours dedicated to professional development throughout the year. This reduction in training directly translates to a reduction in the quality of the experience >> property. >> It will also require the senior staff to make up for this deficit in hours >> and without a change in compensation. The experience of the interns will simply be less impactful. >> That was never changed. While Sanato Outdoor Education employees have been assured that this change is temporary and that we will be part of a solution that keeps us compliant with the law and maintains the magic and traditions of our program, we were not informed of that until two days ago. For an entire month, we were under the impression that our 60-year-old program was changing permanently and

018we had no power over it. All these changes were presented to us in a way that ignored our personhood. Not only does it create more work for us, it hurts to see our internship program impacted. Our quality of housing was also greatly impacted and we did not have the right number of houses for extra staff we required. Instead, we are forced to use housing previously reserved for students with accessibility needs to house our staff. This impacts who is able to attend altered ed. Additionally, senior staff members are now making a lower hourly rate than the interns we are training. When these decisions were brought to us, our questions were ignored and deflected. We are not given the grace and patience and consideration we deserve and are used to receiving from our leadership. >> We are

019at time. Steve Vanzant followed by Schlook Shadri. >> Thank you. Thank you to the board for your service and thank you to uh Superintendent McGee. Um my name is Steve Anzant. I was a a naturalist in the 70s. I came back and was principal for 30 years from 93 to 23 and I have the longest view on the planet of this program and um the internship Mark Nolan and I took careful uh intention to make sure that internship was met. So those internship interns got it wasn't just cheap labor but it focused not only on the students that we told our interns not our senior staff not only focused on the students but focus on giving those interns the best experience they could have and that includes not just how to teach that included um

020how to manage a program how to have leadership skills all of those things are compromised right now how to take autonomy in the program. All of those are being accomp compromised by this new setup and I really hope the board looks at that and it returns to status quo next year. >> Shook uh Shadri followed by Neil McBride. Hello board. Can you hear me? Hello board. My name is Schllo Chadri and I thoroughly enjoyed outdoor ed. This was one of the biggest learning moments in for me in fifth grade. Naturalist played a big part in this experience. My naturalist was harbor. She sang, danced, and was so into it and she brought us along with her. She made us feel safe physically and emotionally. For example, on the very first day, we went through the

021woods and she helped po point out poison oak and poison ivy. Another example is when we went to the beach and there was actually a tsunami warning and they kept us safe by rushing us home and uh back into our cabins. Being away from parents means we are emotionally a little bit unsta unstable but harbor was always there in case we needed to talk or just needed to know where the water fountain was. Soon enough we we built a strong rel relationship. One example is on the night where we would dance. Harvo was on the on the dance floor totally vibing and I was in the side a little bit nervous. So, she came over and helped me um and explained to me that um if you get into it, you're not it's not going

022to be embarrassing. Another example is when we were saying goodbye. This was one of the saddest moments of outdoor red. But I could tell that she also didn't want to say goodbye, which shows how important uh how strong the relationship was uh between the students and the naturalist. Harvard became a mentor and a role model. And now I'm looking forward to high school because then I will be able to become a cabin leader um and revisit outdoor red once again. All in all, outdoor red was an was an amazing experience and the naturals played a big part in it. I believe that all students uh should be able to have the same experience as I did. Thank you. >> Neil McBride followed by Surya Anand. >> Thank you members of the board and uh Superintendent

023Nancy McGee. Um, we're asking you um for your your help to hold the county office accountable for their actions and to help us ensure that we can make progress moving forward to keep our program in thestead that it has been for so many decades. We need your help. Um, it wasn't until recently that Chris Sha stepped forward to to reach out in Olive Branch and and help us um bridge some gaps and and reconcile some of the the harms. And for that, I think we owe her a thank you. Thank you. Um, we want to make sure that the county hon county office honors their commitment um to to making sure that staff are whole because our interns work incredibly hard. They dedicate their lives. They dedicate their times. I myself has been a naturalist

024for 13 years and we feel that is imperative for the board, for the county office as a whole, Superintendent McGee to honor and respect the the traditions, the the the power of our internship as you saw here. We're affecting lives every single day and we need your help. And um we hope that as we move forward through this process that we can continue to reconcile and and and repair and and make whole our program uh once again. And and for that I I thank you because I've dedicated my life to this program. And there's nothing more important to me in this moment than making sure that outdoor education remains as impactful is as it has been for as long as it has moving forward into the future. Thank you for your time. >> Sura Anand

025followed by Eleanor Levenson. M. >> Do you prefer to sit? We have an extra mic. you hear me? My name is Serend. I'm a sixth grader at Lronto Middle School. First, I would like to say thank you for the opportunity to share my experience with you. Before I start, I have to say outdoor ed is the best. Just the activities alone can top some places I've been. But it wasn't only the activities we did when we were great. It was the people around us such as other kids, our cabin leader and naturalist. Especially our cabin leader and naturalist. My cabin leader and naturalist names were Dylan and Harbor. Some of the best people I know to this day. Even the small things they did, such as playing guitar to help us sleep or making sure

026we were comfortable, was so nice. I benefit from outdoor ed so much. I can't put it into words. Now I know about kindness, nature, and so much more. I always thought that outdoor that being away from home would be scary, but it was anything but that. Sleeping with other kids, sharing the bathrooms, 2inut showers. I thought I knew that would be bad, but I loved it. Outdoor Ed taught me so many things and not just nature. It taught me the importance of friendship and both consequences and incentives. They did this by pairing us up with someone we didn't know. They also did this by giving out their warning system. I'm not proud to say that by the first day of outdoor ed I already had two strikes, but for the rest of the week I

027didn't get a single strike. Um because I realized these warnings are not jokes and they were actually for good reason. Although there are many rumors about outdoor ed such as the spaghetti makes you sick. Of or the boys cabins are bigger than girls cabins etc. But none of these are true and outdoor ed is just a truly amazing place. Eleanor Levenson Muff followed by Liz Milad. >> Good evening. Can you all hear me? Okay. Good evening to the board and good evening to Superintendent McGee. Um, thank you again for taking the time to listen to our concerns tonight. My name is Eleanor Levenson Muth and I want to speak to the experience of interns at outdoor education. So I was an intern myself two years ago and I'm now an outdoor educator at Exploring New

028Horizons Outdoor School in Santa Cruz County. And it's not an exaggeration to say that completing this internship changed my life. When I arrived at Santo Outdoor Ed, I wasn't certain of the direction I wanted my career to take. And a year later, I left with new skills, with passion for education, and determined to consider to continue pursuing education as my career. In addition, the high quality training that I received at San Mateo Outdoor Education made me competitive as an applicant at other outdoor schools. All I had to do was say the name San Mateo Outdoor Ed, and directors of other outdoor schools sat up and took notice because they knew the high quality of the education and training that interns receive. But more than that, it was really the connections with students that I was

029able to make at Outdoor Ed that made my year as an intern truly impactful. I can't imagine making those kinds of connections with only three quarters or less of the time of the complete internship. Um, I'm I'm thinking about you just heard from some of our students. So, the types of experiences they're describing where a single naturalist is able to bond deeply with them and to take them through an entire day at outdoor education from maybe their first time seeing the ocean in the morning to experiences making new friends and bonding with students from different schools in the afternoon all the way to maybe the night hike or a dance party at night which could be their first time walking at night, seeing the Milky Way, hearing an owl. Being able to have all of

030those experiences with students is deeply impactful for the students and for us. And it would be impossible to do that if interns were only able to work half a day or weren't able to stay with the whole group for the same week. So I just >> we are at time. >> Thank you. Thank you for listening to our concerns. >> Liz Mil followed by Tim Dailyaly. Hi, my name is Liz Milad and tonight I'm here in support of our outdoor education program and in protest of the proposed cuts to the naturalist hours. I know the proposed plan would end the current schedule of having one naturalist per group for the students for the entire week. One naturalist per group of kids. That means security. This week away from home is nerve-wracking for our parents and

031it's scary for our students, many of whom this is their first time away from home. The one thing that alleviates all these fears that allows for this trust is knowing that there's one consistent caretaker for our kids. They're naturalists. From day one, the naturalist priority is building a relationship with the students, making them feel seen, safe, and included. I see their commitment from the first day when naturalists ask me specific and insightful questions about my students. This information is used to inform decisions that that naturalist makes all week from deciding how to best support a homesick student to helping encourage a reluctant student to participate on trail. This type of information simply can't be efficiently passed between different naturalists. With rotating naturalists, you cannot provide the care for students in the same way. I think

032it's also important to note that the outdoor ed lessons are a model, a gold standard of scientific teaching in the outdoors. These lessons are delivered in every imaginable way. Students leave with a genuine commitment of taking care of our earth, which is a direct result of those immersive and excellent lessons. The cut in hours will decrease the amount of time our students spend on these lessons and thus lower the quality of this valuable and unique education outdoor ed offers. It will decrease its positive lasting impact slide. I Okay, thank you. I just want to say I don't think I said who I am. I'm Liz Mad. I'm a teacher. I went to Outdoor as a fifth grader. I went back as a cabin leader. I have gone many times with Redwood City and Menllo Park

033schools. Thank you for this time. Tim Daly, followed by Whitney Tweet. >> Hi there. Uh, I want to say thank you to the board members and Superintendent McGee for the work that you're doing here today. Um, my name is Tim Dailyaly. I'm an intern from 2016. Um, the program that Mark Nolan and Steve Vanzant curated over decades um, inspired me to pursue a career in education. Um it was the most impactful experience of my life because of the immersion in community teaching and nature. Um the changes being made to outdoor ed will diminish the quality of the program for students and staff just completely. The the connection between naturalist and student that makes our program so impactful will not be the same. Students will be a drift between various naturalists because no intern is able

034to work a full day and give them that commitment. Despite the interns, the ones that we hire, I mean, they bring so much passion and joy for what they do. To me, it seems that the soul of the program is compromised if naturalists aren't even given this chance. On top of the significant reduction in quality for the interns and students alike, the housing situation for everyone now is dire. Um, interns will be forced into housing that is inadequate, and senior staff has already needed to take housing away from students that have accessibility needs. We're not here today because we refuse change. However, we ask in the future to have a seat at the table. Um, we hope you can understand how important these small changes can be and how important outdoor ed is for the

035students and everyone in San Monteo County. >> Whitney Tweight followed by Alexandra Edwards. Hi, my name is Whitney Thuait and I'm a fifth fourth and fifth grade science teacher at Lrada School in Menow Park. Ever since I began this position, I've joined our fifth grade students at Outdoor Ed. As their science teacher, I see the enthusiasm and learning that take place while experiencing the redwood forest, the beach, the garden, and mountains at night. They get to experience firsthand things that they may have learned, things that they will soon be learning. A big part of their experience is working with the naturalists throughout the week. The board, sorry, the bond they develop with the naturalists and the respect they gain for the naturalist both enriches their personal self-awareness and self-confidence and their respect for the natural

036world. Each year I also see a number of kids emotionally depend on their interns natural naturalist interns away from home. The naturalist is someone that knows them and cares about them. The naturalist has been given the individual information to make informed decisions about kids well-being while they are in this less familiar environment. The consistency means a lot to these kids and is important to be maintained. A quick note, I still remember my week at outdoor ed 50 years ago and sorry, I don't know why I'm getting emotional. Um, Liz Mila, that's your job. >> I know. Um, so please don't reduce the time naturalist spend with these students. The learning and growing depend on it. Thank you, >> Alexandra Edwards, followed by Ben Crook. >> Hello. Thank you so much for being here tonight and

037hearing our concerns. I'm Ally Edwards. I'm a former intern three years ago and a current fifth grade teacher at San Francisco Day School up in the city. And similar to some of my friends and colleagues that have talked, I did not know I was going to pursue education until I did this internship three years ago. It also absolutely changed and pivoted my life in so many ways that have only enhanced it. Um, especially being wanting to be a teacher with fifth graders specifically. And I was only able to know that I really like the fifth grade age because I was able to be with them the full week. I think it's an exciting age or the height of their kid power, but it can be a lot if you're only with them one or two

038days. So, um, and that's what would happen if you reduce the hours of the interns. They wouldn't be able to know the kids. They wouldn't be able to know how to support them, their needs. And so, we're asking pleased um, next time to consider the staff in the decision. And we're very grateful for it all. Thank you. Ben Crook. >> Hello board. Um, thank you so much for your time and Superintendent Nancy McGee. I'm going to try to wrap up what has been shared already. Um, our other ask is that in the future interns will be considered full employees with benefits. A large part of the reason why this decision was made was so that we can stay in compliance with labor laws that state that any employee working over 30 hours a week is

039entitled to benefits. It is no coincidence that our interns are not are now not allowed to work more than 29.5 hours a week. Our interns work incredibly hard and they deserve for our county office to take care of them the same way they are taking care of the fifth graders in this community for 30 weeks a year. At Outdoor Red, we teach our students ways to be empowered to make changes in their community. We teach them how to connect with nature and themselves. We teach them how to do hard things, how to make mistakes, and learn from them, and how to communicate their needs. Now, we are here preaching, practicing what we preach. We need all of the help we can get. Thank you for your time. >> President Torres, that was the final card

040submitted. >> Thank you. A public comment addressing a specific agenda item will be heard after the board's discussion on the item. If members of the public wish to speak to a specific agenda item, please use the raise hand feature when the item is announced or if in person submit a card in advance of the item. Um before I move on to item 3A, um for our youth who spoke, uh can you please leave your emails with uh Jennifer Pera? So, for our two youth who spoke, um, Jennifer, if you could collect their emails, please. Thank you. Um, item 3A is the August 2025 employee of the month, Christina Sers, administrative assistant 3, safe and supportive schools, educational services division. Will Christina, please join me in the middle of the room. So each month the board

041and superintendent recognize an employee for providing outstanding service. for the month of August 2025. Christina Sers, administrative assistant 3, safe and supportive schools educational services division. Christina joined the county office in July of 2023 during one of the busiest times of the year. And from day one, she jumped in with enthusiasm and professionalism. In her first month, she began planning, coordinating, and hosting full-day workshops for districts, often assisting with multiple events each week. This this early display of initiative set the tone for the outstanding contributions that she has continued to make. Throughout her time with the county office, Christina has been a steady and reliable support to all of the managers in her department. She consistently steps up to assist fellow administrative staff, help with large-scale events, and complete projects with impressive turnaround times. She

042is the kind of team member everyone hopes for, always smiling, ready to lend a hand, and fully committed to getting the job done. One of Christina's most notable contributions this past year was helping to create and launch the countywide student attendance review board or SARB. Uh this initiative quickly grew beyond its original scope, but Christina faced the challenge with grace, creativity, and empathy. As part of her role, she regularly communicates with families whose students have not been attending school, and these can be difficult and emotional conversations. Christina handles these situations with remarkable composure and compassion. Drawing on her background as a classroom teacher and tutoring center manager, she meets families where they are, provides clear and empathetic explanations of the SAR process, and often works in tandem with interpreters to ensure families are heard and

043understood. Christine Christina is described by her team as an absolute rock star. Her dedication, warmth, and professionalism towards her team as well as the students they serve cannot be overstated. They are incredibly grateful for all that she brings to the department. We are proud of our county office staff and are pleased to recognize Christina Sers for the for her outstanding work. Congratulations to Christina for being named employee of the month for August of 2025. Would you like to say a few words? >> Uh, good evening, Board President Torres, members of the board, and Superintendent McGee. Um, I just want to say thank you so much for this recognition. Uh, I'm very grateful for my wonderful, supportive, amazing team um, at Safe and Supportive Schools. And I'm looking forward to continue to support and work and

044grow with the department. Um, and thank you again. I really appreciate this. Thank you. >> And this is also for you. Um, item 4 A is the introduction of Valerie Rizu, executive director. Safe and Supportive Schools Educational Services Division Executive Director Arbizu. Hopefully I said that correctly. Oh, yay. Usually that Z just totally throws people off. Um, good evening uh, board president Torres, members of the board, Superintendent McGee, and, uh, folks who are online and in the audience. Um, I am incredibly excited to join the Sanonteo County Office of Education in this role. um as the executive director of safe and supportive schools when I grew up in Gilroy and trust me this will be short um I I went to a high school in uh it was a one high school town and being

045in a school where you serve every student and every student's needs can be tricky um especially when you're in a town that feels a little bifurcated both racially and socioeconomically um but that a huge that had a huge impact on who I was growing up and who I became as an educator ator. Um, I started working in Eastside San Jose. I taught English. Um, from support classes with freshmen all the way through starting uh our AP English literature and language programs. Um, I was there for seven years before I started making my way up the peninsula. And I've been working in Sanonteo County for the last 13 years as a site administrator with Sanonteo Union High School District. Um, I was uh honored to serve the Milbury community as an assistant principal at Mills. I

046was at Berlingame High School as an assistant principal for six years. And then I served the Aragon community as principal u as the uh pandemic principal uh starting in 2020 when everything was shut down and raising that back up um as students started coming back to school. It's been a humbling experience. I have an amazing amount of gratitude uh for all of the people that I've had an opportunity to work with. Um and I'm really excited to be here to continue the work that um that I've been doing for the last 23 years. My focus has been on making sure every student comes to school feeling seen and safe. Um building schools that I would want my own son to attend. Um and he did. My son graduated from uh Sanonteo Union High School District

047in 2021 and he just got a job with uh Sononteo Foster City um working with students. So, we're keeping the educators uh going. I'm super proud of him um for that work. Uh and I'm really excited to have so many people here from our department. You just met Christina. Um and then we have other folks here who and they're waving signs because some people wanted to be here, but they're taking their children to college as well. So, there's a lot of educators in the department. Um, and so I'm really excited to be here and continue that work and and yeah, here we go. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> Uh, item 4B is the introduction of Jason Arenas, assistant principal, Court and Community Schools, Educational Services Division. Assistant Principal Ainas. >> Good evening.

048Wastardes. Um, board president Torres, members of the board, superintendent McGee and community. My name is Jason Arenas and I'm honored to serve as a new assistant principal of Corin Community Schools here at the Sanonteo County Office of Ed. It's my privilege to join this incredible team and to help advance the 1 SME vision and values in support of our students and families. I'm a proud son of two resilient immigrant parents from Colombia who was raised in eastern St. Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles. My career uh in education spans over 20 years. I be uh be began as a high school soccer coach and uh when I moved up here from Southern California, I started as a Marraore academic mentor for first generation migrant communities in Soma County. Since then, I've held diverse leadership roles across

049California, including teacher, assistant principal, district director, and most recently principal and teacher at a small uh rural uh public school in Contraasa County. Alongside my work in K through2 education, I've also contributed to youth development, nonprofit, and community engagement programs. My educational philosophy is rooted in the belief that all children are brilliant. Every student deserves caring adults, equitable opportunities, and a chance to learn, make mistakes, and thrive, regardless of their backgrounds or circumstances. I'm deeply committed to building the capacity of our educators, partnering with families, and working with community organizations to interrupt inequities and ensure every student in our county is successful. I want to express my gratitude to my colleagues, executive director Sarah Notch, Associate Superintendent Chris Shou, um Director Dr. Jesus Himei Mennez, Principal Freedom Siam, and Superintendent Nancy McGee for welcoming me

050into this role as I'm in my seventh week, and I'm extremely excited um and have spent many days already in the classroom teaching and getting to know our young people and our staff. Um I'd like to thank you all for this opportunity and have a good evening. >> Thank you. Item 4 C is the introduction of Eric Artiaga, supervisor fiscal services, business services division as supervisor Artiaga. Hello, President. Hello, President Torres, members of the board and superintendent McGee. Uh, my name is Eric Artiaga. I am the somewhat new fiscal services supervisor for internal business services. Um, I started working at SMCE a little over a year now, back in June of 2024. Um, in my role, I worked with programs such as the teacher and administrative development program, uh, career technical education program, curriculum instructoral

051services, among others. Um, and once I got a good hold of that, you know, I started asking for more responsibility and that quickly grew to include some programs in the superintendent's office, uh, the special education program, which is pretty big. Um and you know from there I just kept asking for more and more and you know thankfully Manette gave that to me. Um and after about a year uh she approached me and said you know would I be interested in this position and absolutely uh you know I've always been the type of person that tries to take on as much as I can and I'm really appreciative that she sees that in me. Um, and I'm really looking forward to this new position to meet all the other people in the other programs that I

052wasn't working on before. Um, support the financial analysts that were, you know, my my colleagues as well at the time. Um, and really just learning and growing. This is my first uh role in education. I wasn't in this field at all before. Uh, I was in real estate and before that I was in a uh small mom and pop type of shop as a business analyst. And so this is something relatively new to me. Um, and so, you know, I've really enjoyed it so far and really looking forward to to growing in this in this role. So that's a little bit about myself. Thank you. Um, item 4 D is the introduction of Heather Compagna, Supervisor Payroll Businesses Business Services Division. As Supervisor Compagna My name is Heather Khana. Um I'm the new payroll supervisor

053in um district business services. I've been working in Sano County um in elementary, middle school or high schools as a parent volunteer, a volunteer coach, a paid coach. I've helped various PTO and school um sports booster positions. I've been a yard duty. I have been an office assistant, a setup, a fill in, hey, can you do this? Can you do that? Um, we need this done, we need that done, planning events for students. Um, until I position before I got here, I was a payroll technician for about 10 years. I came to San County about two years ago and was lucky enough to be mentored by Faith Marty Cougar who recently retired. She taught me a lot. I currently have a team of five fabulous people. They um they're working really hard on the implementation

054of the new frontline ERP system and I look forward to the journey that I have with them serving 24 districts and students in the district and all of the staff that often get forgotten. I look forward to dealing um and learning from the internal business services and Kevin as well as and also from the DBS, the district business services. Um, all the financial analysts, all of the people that the accountants and everything like that. Um, and I look forward to and I want to thank Doris and Da and Kevin for the opportunity to become a supervisor and I'm excited about the chance and the experiences I'm going to learn from them and the mentoring that they're going to provide because ERP is very interesting and we look forward to everyday challenge. Thank you for your

055time. >> Mr. President, I just >> I just wanted to say second that because I remember when I since I've got elected to the board here, I've had several employees come up and remember me from when I was on the school board in Pacifica. And I remember Heather was very active and loved in Pacifica. and I remember being on the soccer field with her kids and uh PTO meetings etc when I was on the board. So congratulations Ed. >> Welcome. So as noted earlier in the meeting um item 4E has been tabled until the next meeting. Um item 4 F is the introduction of Freedom Siam Principal Court and Community Schools Educational Services Division. Principal Sam or Sam. >> Thank you President Torres. uh Sam and or principal free. Uh as long as you say

056it with love and respect, I'm okay with that. Um good evening board. Uh Superintendent McGee, I believe, is at home. Uh oh. Yeah. Okay. And uh President Torres, board, thank you for the opportunity to speak uh for you. Uh it's an honor to join you tonight as a new principal of court and community schools. Uh and my journey in this role has been shaped by over two decades of service and education uh spanning classroom instruction, site leadership, curriculum development, and district level administration. Each step has deepened my commitment to equity, student voice, and transformative learning. Uh my trajectory in education started as a youth confronting many different challenges. Uh those challenges propelled me into this calling. Uh and I began my career in alternative education settings teaching students whose lives were shaped by systemic barriers

057and personal challenges. And that experiences that experience grounded me in the belief that every student especially those impacted by poverty, trauma or the justice system deserves a school that sees their full humanity and potential. As the principal of BOA High School in San Francisco Unified, I led a schoolwide transformation that doubled staff diversity, expanded ethnic studies, and built restorative practices into the fabric of our culture, and uh deepened community partnerships with community- based organizations, which I also hope to do here uh in San Antonio County. Um, this helped create a school that was not just academically rigorous, but emotionally safe and culturally affirming. In my role, my recent role prior to arriving here as a director of human resources for uh, Sequoia Union High School District, I led classified union relations, compliance efforts, and equity

058equity focused hiring practices. Um, I also served as a supervisor for history, social science, and ethnic studies in San Francisco. facilitated the design of culturally responsive curriculum and build pipelines for the future of educators of color. Uh this principal ship is more than a position. It's a return to my roots. Uh court and community schools serve students I know very well. Students I've taught, mentored, and advocated for. And I bring to this role not only instructional expertise and systems leadership, but a deep understanding of traumainformed, culturally responsive and communitydriven approaches that these students deserve. My why is clear. I'm here to serve students who have been underserved. Uh to lead with integrity and urgency and to build a school culture where healing and learning goes hand in hand. and I look forward to partnering with

059you in advocating for our students and to ensure our current community schools are places of hope, opportunity, and transformation. Thank you. >> Item 4G is the introduction of Cindy Nielsen, coordinator, special education local plan area, also known as our sulpa. Uh, coordinator Nielsen is joining us remotely this evening. Coordinator Nielsen. >> Hello. Good evening, Board President Torres, members of the board, Superintendent McGee. Thank you for the opportunity to share a bit about myself as I started as a coordinator in the SULPA. I am joining the SULPA from Boston Public Schools where I worked for 15 of my 23 years in education. My career is focused on special education and centering equitable access to highquality education for students with disabilities and their families. I've been a paraprofessional, teacher, school leader, and assistant superintendent of special education.

060Most recently, I was a regional school leader serving high schools in Boston public schools, supporting and coaching school leaders in the creation and implementation of programming for students with disabilities and MLS. As a school leader of special of a special education day school in Boston public schools serving only students on IEPs with emotional impairment, I learned the importance of a strong centralized office that operates in service of supporting schools, specifically the teachers and staff that are in front of students every day. I'm in the process of completing my doctorate and with this milestone happening, I decided to look in California for a new position and an opportunity to move closer to my family. When I was looking and applying for roles, I was struck and drawn to SMCOE's equity statement that uplifts work to disrupt

061and replace inequitable practices, honoring strengths and talents of historically marginalized populations while centering their voices and continuous education and growth for long-term change. This commitment led me to apply and now gratefully I'm able to work here and be part of supporting the implementation of the equity work here in the county. Thank you again and I'm very excited to work for Dr. Young with the SELPA and SMCO team COE teams and look forward to serving the ELEA's students and families of Sonteo County. Um for item 5 A, is there a motion to approve the minutes of the July 16th, 2025 regular board meeting as presented? >> So moved. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. Uh there's a motion to approve the minutes of the July 16, 2025 regular board meeting made by

062Trustee O'Neal and a second by Trustee Lev. Um is there any further discussion? All those in favor say I. >> I. >> All those opposed say no. Uh the motion passes with a vote of 70 and the minutes of the July 16th, 2025 regular board meeting have been approved. Item six is the consent agenda. The consent agenda is not debatable and requires a unanimous vote for passage. Any item may be removed from the consent agenda and placed on the regular order of business for separate discussion and action if any member of the board, the superintendent or the public so requests. Is there a motion to approve the consent agenda? >> So moved. >> Is there a second? >> I want make comments on item F. >> Uh yes. So I don't know if you want

063to pull it or just hear a comment because I want to acknowledge Igoran is on the with his hand raised from Elk Ranch. So >> um so we can >> call Mr. President. >> Yes, we can do that um for the discussion piece. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Um, >> okay. >> Oh, so >> move to approve the consent agenda minus item. >> Do we want to pull it? >> Okay. Yeah. To follow protocol, I think it would be best to pull it. Was that good? >> Okay. Um, so then is there a motion to approve the amended consent agenda? >> I made a motion to >> second. motion and then second. One more time. Sorry. Who made the first motion? Been a long day. >> Mike. Um, is there a second? >> Yes, I second.

064>> Thank you. There's a motion to approve the amended consent agenda made by Trusty O'Neal and a second by Trusty Gerard. Is there any further discussion? All those in favor say I. >> I. I. >> All those opposed say no. Uh, the motion passes with a vote of 70 and the amended consent agenda has been approved. Um item 7A is superintendent's comments. Superintendent >> 6F the consent agenda was moved for Egore had his hand up. >> So Mr. President, what we would do here is just um call item number six F um and then public comment for that. Got >> it. Um any comments or questions from the board? any from the public. >> I'll make a comment. Igor did have his hand up, but it's not there now. I just wanted to say I've

065worked with Elkus Ranch in my day job. I've toured it a couple times and I I don't exactly know his title, but he's the leader of the Elkus Ranch and we should be congratulating them because they were just chosen to be called they are now Elkus Ranch Research and Extension Center and they will be able to bring some new ideas, abilities and um abilities to agriculture. culture in San Monteo County because of this new designation by the UC system. So it would should be able to help our kids as well as a $50 million a year industry and who is not there anymore. Okay. So I moved unless somebody else has a comment I make move to approve 6. >> So we thank you. Um all those in favor say I. >> I. All those

066opposed say no. Um motion passes with a vote of 70. Um for item 6F, um anything else? Um item 7A is a superintendent's comments. Uh Superintendent McGee, do you have any comments to share? >> Yes, I do have a few comments. Um I want to start just by acknowledging the um amazing talent that our staff has been able to recruit and attract. Um this is uh uh for the new school year. This is evidence of a a strong team in both personnel in personnel services both um on the per personnel commission side with uh executive director Randy Perez and on the HR side with associate superintendent Tammy Moore. Um just very impressed with all the new hires that we have coming into the county office. there's a different level of commitment and um engagement from

067these uh professionals and I'm looking forward to working with them. Um, speaking of exceptional uh, professionals, I want to acknowledge and thank um, Bethany Zhao, who is has been our uh, youth commissioner liaison for two years sitting with the county board of education. Um, she's been um, uh, ambitious in her uh, efforts to make change. uh stepping into join statewide organizations and participate in statewide convenings that involve um legislators and um other elected officials across the state. Um I think Bethany, you have an amazing uh future ahead of you. Um, make sure that you're kind to yourself and take some time off every once in a while. Um, just to take care of yourself. Uh, we all have to learn that at some point when we're um, really progressive uh, go get them leaders. And

068I would say that's who you are. And um uh just know that all of us at the county office of education wish you the very very best in your college career. And um like many some other uh youth commission liaison, we may see you back in the county uh working for um some of our own elected officials here and making change for the better. So, it's been a pleasure to meet you and work with you and I just want to acknowledge all that you've done for um in your role as the as the liaison. um to the board. Uh a couple of uh just heads up is that um last at the last board meeting you had a group of parents come before you um talking about wanting to petition and open a new charter

069school. um they have talked about doing that in the Pacifica um community and um since that time the uh this group of parents have been doing a lot of outreach to um to myself to uh board members um to other staff members uh about um the idea of a countywide benefit charter. Um this is a different kind of structure uh requires different parameters and um and obligations. Um, and the uh staff would like to bring a report uh at the September 3rd board meeting about what a countywide benefit charter is and uh how um one would qualify to open or approve such a charter school. um as well as the uh a little bit of review about the process um in uh opening up a new charter school. Um we want uh and then from

070there we'll see where this community group decides to lean in and uh actually turn in a um fully developed petition. Um, but wanted you to know about the September 3rd plan for a presentation. Um, if you have specific questions about that, you could send them to me or to Marco Chavez and we'll make sure that we try to cover those in the presentation itself. Um, another very exciting uh accomplishment that we've had uh at the county office is if you've gone on our website lately, you would know notice that we have updated our entire county office of education website um with uh current information, current and accurate information using new tools, um new design features Um, and everyone's very excited about it. We're all uh working hard to upgrade uh or update um our content

071around our program areas and um certainly the board uh has a uh a whole new look with all your new pictures are posted on the website as well as um new uh just a new look for the county board pages. Um, I want to acknowledge um the communications team, executive director Ian um Bane, as well as Anton and Sarah Hopkins um for the hard work they've done to um lead the entire staff into um what they need to know about using the new tools on the website and um how to stick with our branding principles and just continue to have our uh professional uh public facing look be very professional and um well written. So, thank you um executive director Bane and your team for very hard work on the website. um you guys got

072it done really quickly and um and it's really exciting to have it uh already there to look at and um learn from. So uh I think that is going to conclude my comments tonight and um I turn it back over to President Torres. >> Thank you. Um, for item 8A, uh, Lisa Cho, deputy county attorney, will provide a report on the regulations, processes, and the communication plan for recruiting student board members. Um, deputy county attorney. >> Good evening, Board President Torres, members of the board, and Superintendent Nikki. Um, I'm just going to double check that this clicker. Do I have to point it at you, Jen, or can I? Okay. Um, so we're good. Okay. Thank you. Technology. We had a discussion back in May about the process of recruiting student board members and uh

073you know the desire of this board to continue including student board members. Uh we took a look at our um current board bylaws as well as the education code around the process and procedures for that. I'm back tonight um to give you a more detailed overview of um the selection process for uh bringing new student board members um to join this group. Um so let's just go through this. I'm going to do a bit of review of the material that we looked at back in May. So, according to our board bylaw 9150 regarding student board members, it is the professed desire of this board to include students um in our governance. Um it's important to teach students uh civic involvement and the county board has expressed the desire to support the participation of high school

074students in our governance uh procedures. and we looked at education code section 1000 which sets forth all of the uh rules around how we bring student board members um into the county board. Um the first way that this can happen is through petition. And we talked about a petition needs to come either from a group of 500 students of high school students that are enrolled in the school districts of the county or by uh not less than 10% of students that are enrolled in our court and community schools, which represents a far smaller group of students. And depending on how many students we actually have in our court and community schools, this really could just be a handful of students required to bring a petition. Um so in the case that we have a petition

075filed by the students of our county, uh the board has 60 days to um within or at its next regularly scheduled meeting to order the inclusion of at least one student member. And then importantly, when we have a petition that's filed, the student that gets seated with the board is one who is enrolled in one of our court and community schools. They may be less than 18 years old, and they have to be voted in by students of the county. So, it's a really interesting process. We select a student from the Courtney and community schools, but we put them up as candidates to be elected in by their peers who are attending high schools across the county. So, that's set forth in uh section 1000 of the education code. I took a good look at

076our county board policy as far as do we have any procedures set forth as to how that communication goes out to our students? How do we um you know invoke student interest? How do we uh you know what sort of time frame do we have for these processes to take place? Currently the U board bylaw 9150 does not have uh such specifics. And so the recommendation here tonight is that uh let's go through a draft or just suggestions on what to put into such a board policy. I'm happy to go back after getting feedback from the board tonight to draft that for you and present it as a board policy for review and adoption at the next two board meetings u if that's the desired time frame. So the recommendation here is that the county

077board adopt a policy setting forth the following so that when we have a petition that's brought by students um they need to be submitted to the county superintendent. We can select a certain due date uh each school year for example September 30th that has to either bear 500 signatures or 10% of the number of students enrolled in the Corton community schools uh whichever is less and then we I am happy to draft the sample petition form for students to use in order to put that petition together um within 60 days of receiving that petition. um and then again uh or at its next regularly scheduled meeting. Then the board orders the inclusion of that student member and then it begins the process of selection. We have um candidates for the student trustee position should be

078enrolled in a high school under the county board's jurisdiction which is the court and community schools. Again, they're selected by students enrolled in the high schools in the county. How do we go about doing that? Um, I would recommend that we have language in the board policies that says interested candidates from the court and community schools um are invited to submit an application form to the county superintendent uh including a brief personal statement explaining why they wish to join. The county board can set a deadline for all applications to be submitted and then I would recommend that we close that within 30 days after um submissions are solicited. Um and then communications should then go out to all the high schools in the county. So this is um involving a bit of communication work with

079our 23 school districts, but to give um high schoolers in our county the opportunity to take a look at the candidates and their position statements um and then give them a chance to vote. And so that's I think internally that's a a technology related um function. I would actually recommend that we have an online voting system created so that students can log in and cast their votes. Um so preferably via there's an online link access through their school sites. So that's some coordination with our school districts in order to make that happen. And then um recommendation that the voting process be concluded within you know a set period of time 15 to 30 days and then when the selected student is identified they are seated at the next county board meeting. So that would be

080the recommended process for doing the petition um process for seating board members. Of course, this is always subject to any, you know, feedback or any changes or suggestions that you'd like to talk about here tonight, but just going through the overview draft. When we have a situation where no petition has been filed, and this is currently our our case now, I don't think we've ever had a student petition um be filed in this county, then the county board has more freedom to select students who are either enrolled in a high school that is within our county, so any of the school districts within our county, or we can also select a student who uh attends the Courtney Community Schools or both. The um the board certainly has discretion to order the inclusion of one or

081more students to the county board. So as many as you would like to include um to increase student participation, you're welcome to do that. So that's set forth in ED code 1000. Um so again, our board bylaw 9150 states that if the county board does not receive that petition, the board may select a student who is enrolled in a high school also enrolled in the court and community school. So I think there's a little bit more more leeway as far as who you can select if there is no petition. Um again, if we have um students that are going to be selected through this process, I would recommend that we set forth procedures where students can apply and the board can review applications for interview. So, um we can do the application appointment process. An

082announcement should be sent to all high schools under the jurisdiction of the school districts in the county as well as to our court and community schools inviting applications uh from interested students by a certain due date. And the county board here can appoint a subcommittee to review these applications and select candidates that they'd like to interview. And then the county board would then set a time to conduct those interviews and then appoint their student trustees. Again, our our board bylaw 9150 does not have these specifics set forth in the actual language. So I am recommending that a draft be brought forth so that the board can take a look at it and approve so that we can move forward with the actual procedure. Um recommendations for the proposed county board policy um would be that

083SMCOE sends out an announcement by a certain date to all high schools um in our county um and then ask for students to apply by providing a cover letter, a resume, transcripts, and a recommendation letter. The county board subcommittee can review and select students for interview. The county board to conduct interviews and select student trustees within a certain time frame. My recommendation here would be 30 days. Um, again, because we're doing this at the beginning of the school year, we probably want to wrap it up rather quickly so that we have the county board members or the student members seated before we get too far into the school year. Um, the policy should indicate that one position is going to be reserved for a student attending high school under the jurisdiction of the school districts

084in the county and then one position reserved for students that are attending Corton Community Schools. Just to make that really clear to the applicants. This slide is really uh dense. It actually um repeats information that I had uh provided to the board back in May. And I my recommendation here is that the draft county board policy includes all of the shells and shell knots of the student trustee role. And so what what do they have the right to do? What do they not have the right to do? Um, importantly, I think we need to include there that the term for any student board member is for one year, commencing on July 1st and then ending on June 30th. Um, if there is an opportunity to provide um positions for more student members throughout the year,

085the county board certainly has the discretion to um shorten a term and bring on more students throughout the year. So, that's completely fluid. And again, this is just additional information regarding what does the student board uh trustee do and not do. Um, and then what are they entitled to as far as compensation for the time that they spend um, sitting with the board? Sorry, I just lost my clicker. Okay, we do need to have information in this draft policy that talks about what happens if a student trustee does not um, attend the meetings regularly or does not fulfill the duties of the role. Um, that's certainly a possibility. So in that case, um the county board certainly has the u option to remove a student trustee and then to bring on an alternate if it

086so chooses. Um if in the event the county board at some time in the future decides it does not want to include student trustees anymore, then there's also an option under education code 1000 to remove um that student trustee position and that would be done u by a motion done at a hearing. And that is kind of the nuts and bolts of the recommended policy. Um any thoughts as far as uh time frame, procedures, um content of applications? I'm I'm happy to take any recommendations so that we can edit and draft that for you. Um yes, >> jurisdiction define that. Is that charter schools, private schools, only public schools? >> That's a good question. So I yeah the language of the statute is extremely difficult to parse out. So when we talk about schools that

087are under the jurisdiction of the county board, we are specifically referring to our court and community schools. And then um the other language is uh students that attend high schools under the jurisdiction of the public school districts in the county. So it's the public schools. So our 23 school districts, which not all have high schools in them? Yeah. No. Yeah. It would only be our public schools. So Oxford Day would not be included in that then >> if they're not under the jurisdiction of one of our public school districts. No. >> Well, I mean it's it's under us. >> It's under our >> Okay. They're Yeah, they're under the office. Okay. >> So, or county board. So, >> yeah. Then Oxford Day would would be considered part of that schools under the jurisdiction of the

088county board then. >> Yeah. >> Beth me. Totally okay if you don't know this, but is there any chance you know why the board has never received a petition? You know, I I actually think it's a maybe a access to information question. Um maybe coupled also with lack of interest. Maybe we need to publicize that more. You know, put out more information and advertisement to our school districts that such positions are actually open and then allow students to advocate for themselves. Yeah. I I think just historically we just haven't had that come forward. But I I don't know how many high schoolers are out there reading education code section 1000. Probably not a whole lot. Yes. >> Um Trusty Alvaro, >> thank you. Thank you for that. Um I just had two questions. If we're

089talking about our court and community schools, as we should be, a lot of those kids don't stay a year. So if a if a student for instance is is at let's just say Gateway or I can't imagine somebody from Hillrest wanting to but you never know and then goes back to his or her own school district is does that student remain eligible to stay on this board because they were part of our court community schools. So that's I think exactly why that ED code section is written the way that it is that if there is any event that happens where a student trustes term is ended before that one year is up then the board is completely entitled to replace that student trustee. Now if that student were to leave Gateway and go back to

090their home high school. Um, I don't know. My my recommendation there was it would be just keep that student on because what a wonderful testament that they're able to serve both while they were at Gateway and then when they returned back to their school >> and there might be some little >> Yeah. and >> dance we have to do to say now you're not this but you're that but you're still staying on our board. >> Yeah. And I think the ED code provides a lot of sort of u discretion and leeway to the board as far as how much inclusion you want to provide to student trustees. And it exactly um provides for situations like that, you know, that students may not be there for the entire year or they may um switch uh school

091placements. Um and certainly, you know, if you if the student started off at one school and then ended up in another, then it would be up to the board to decide, you know, do we want to keep you? Do we want to reopen this position to another gateway student? >> Yeah. >> And you never know, right? Right. But uh so my other question h is I'm I've been reading this and not understanding it. So there's there's the clause that says once we get a petition we the student has to be selected by all the students in the county. So I mean if we only have one kid that's going to be >> yeah it'll be election >> but then but then we interview and select the student. So I'm I cannot understand how that works.

092So that's two different processes. If you have a student petition come forward, then we do have candidates that come forward and then they are selected by their peers who attend the high schools in the county. So that would be the petition process. Where there is no petition, then the board is up to its discretion to select, interview and appoint. So that's the separate >> So it's a whole separate thing. So once a student files a petition and is selected by the other students in the county who probably have no idea who this student is but >> right >> they get to vote >> right >> we have to take them. >> Yes. >> There's there's no point where we say now let's us talk to you. >> Yeah. Under that um section that talks about

093the petition process. If the students come forward and say we would like to seat a a county board member of our own you know peers then we have to the board would have to accept that and then the selection process again would be done by the students not by the board. So that's a really it's it's like a self-election. >> Okay. >> And that's where I was recommending that any interested candidates submit a candidate statement so that we can have like an election page where students can go and see who is this person that's interested in representing us as a student on the county board. um and maybe have a photo and just a little blurb of why it is that they wish to serve so that the students are are better informed. And you're

094right, I think if you have a student coming from a smaller court and community school, the other kids in the county probably don't are not going to know who that person is. So, I think having that candidate statement is important, >> but we vote for people we don't know all the time. >> So, based on a little blur. Yep. >> Okay. Because my confusion was it seemed like there was this sort of two-part process where first they get selected by the students in the county and then they get selected by us. >> These were like two parallel tracks. >> One or the other. >> Got it. Thank you, >> Jesse Benini. >> Um I I'm also confused. So I just am going to ask first. Can you clarify that there's a process for petitioning that

095we would have first that would be for Porton Community Schools? >> No, it's an eitheror. So, if if a petition were to come forward, then we would follow the petition process. If there is no petition filed, then the county board has the discretion to conduct a recruitment >> of Corton Community Schools. you can select a student from court and community schools and from the the school districts of the county. And I think that's the desire that was expressed at the last meeting was that this board was considering maybe having two, you know, one from each and that's completely within within your discretion to do that. >> Okay. Well, I think part of that discussion too was whether we would retain the current practice um of having a a youth commission liaison >> in addition to

096and I think that would be a discussion. So whether we wanted to do that and have um an elected or appointed um student trustee, I'm not sure, but I'm that's what I recall from the conversation. Yeah, I think there is currently a policy in place regarding the youth commissioner u the leazison position that was you know brought into play I think in 2019 was when that was started. So we do have board policy documents around that if you wish to retain that um if you wanted to move towards more of the traditional processes that are set forth in the ED code that's fine too. >> Okay. So um my understanding too around the leaison it's that there's a memo or some documentation. It's not an actual policy >> I don't think but >> there's some

097guidelines around how selected and how they're recommended. >> Okay. >> Great. And so the second question I have is there is a board policy already around this notion of appointing someone. So, um, are you in your description of what we might add, are you talking about, um, a regulation or are you talking about a separate policy? So, what I'm looking at right now is the board bylaw 9150, which very generally sets forth these procedures that we've talked about, but it doesn't give all the specifics around when would the applications be turned in, when would students have the opportunity to vote if we had a no petition process, when would the um county board accept applications from students, when would the interviews be conducted? So, all of the nitty-gritty around the process is not set forth

098in that board by law. And I think that's just, you know, that's sort of the gamut um template that we got. And if we want to add to that and actually set forth the deadlines and the and the procedures so that that becomes a document that can be provided to students to say here's how the county board is going to conduct these interviews or here's how the county board is going to receive a petition. It kind of just lays out the whole procedure a little more clearly than we have right now. >> Well, what you're describing to me sounds more like what we have as a handbook, which would be like a regulation that goes along with the policy. Just that's what I'm hearing. But potentially it's um I guess an amendment to the policy.

099Is there one or the other that you were envisioning? >> The content of these slides as as I presented them tonight, I think would probably end up with a two to three page policy. I don't know that it's enough to fill a handbook. Um but it was just sort of recommended language to include into that board bylaw so that if an interested student were to inquire into how the county board seats student trustees, they have a reference document that they can look at. >> Okay. Thank you. And then my my last question is um is there are you aware of any counties who have or any board members for that matter where any counties who have gone through this process and um paired with that do we have have we seen any such policies um

100or and or does CSBA have um something that's more fleshed out because this has been in place kind of to respond to what Bethany said it's been only a few years since this law has actually been >> yeah the ED code 1000, the language there sets forth again just the very general structure and then it says that the selection process and the petition process is subject to um procedures that are put into place by each county board. I have not gone and examined what other counties are doing in this regard. I think we had some feedback as far as you know Santa Clara County might be doing it this way, Santa Cruz might be doing it that way. I I have not gone and compared that. I just looked strictly at the language of the

101code and then our current policy and then saw where you know there's a little bit of gap there as far as information goes as to like how does this process actually play out. >> Thank you Bethany. I saw your hand earlier. >> Thank you. Um so I was just wondering if there has to be a set due date because I was thinking about how students enter the court and community schools at different times. So, they just happen to enter at like past the due date, but they're interested, then wouldn't that like not allow them to pursue the opportunity? >> Yeah. And that's a good question as and that's kind of, you know, one that I would maybe send back to the board for consideration. Um, I would believe that the desire to seat student trustees

102would, you know, be at some point in the beginning of the school year. So, you have that participation throughout the school year. And so, the suggestion was September 30th. Certainly, I know like already today it's August 20th. So for this year, maybe that's too soon. Um but yeah, that's a great consideration as far as um students who may join the court and community schools in January. Would they would they not have an opportunity to be seated? And so that's a question here. I mean, would you want to have maybe a secondary appointment process that opens up in the latter half of the year to provide for that option? >> Thank you, Jesse Lep. >> Uh thanks for all the work on this. Um, I remember watching a Santa Clara board meeting where they had a

103student participate, but they couldn't have their face shown because they were from their their court program. Um, I I would like us to focus on doing our best to get a student from our program involved on the board. Um, and prioritize and put the energy. I think it'd be hard to be running this campaign for all the high schools in the county and then focusing on our programs. um just as a my opinion on that. Um also this says that they'll have a vote. So then you bring in two people new people with votes and then that's that's impactful on an organization, right? That's a high percentage of new people voting. So, um, I would just air or suggest we go a little slower or we keep a youth commission liaison who's not a voting

104member necessarily with a voting member um, from one of our programs or something just I'd rather focus more on our programs than more broadly. And I do think one of the benefits of not having had an actual student petition come forward is that again the board does have more discretion as far as how it wants to select an appointment and then you have more flexibility in selecting students from different um school types. I just the last thing was that um on the question of having flexibility. I think since I would like us to really work on having our students so we have flexibility if it's somebody comes through in October and you know one of our staff's like this is a person who'd love to get involved in a great opportunity that we're flexible enough

105to maybe help make that happen. >> Yeah, that's great feedback. Thank you >> Justin O'Neal. >> Um I was just gonna kind of agree with Patricia. I think the youth leasan, which is I think how you got here, correct? Yeah, youth lethosan would be kind of a nice continuity. Um, and then one from our program would be ideal, but I was also wondering the target market we would be looking at is kids that are already involved. Could we put a stipul like I know the Jefferson High School district has two student leons on their board. Um, could we put a restriction that if you can't be on another board, it's youth leison would be okay, but you can't be on the Jefferson board as a student trustee and on the county board as a student

106trustee. >> So, you can't have too many board positions under >> correct. Yeah. >> Is that something we could put in our policy? I'm I'm just throwing it out for discussion. >> I don't think there's anything against that. Um, I think the tendency in these types of positions might be that students are selected from an already pretty go-getter group of students and then, you know, is the desire here to broaden the net a little bit and allow for more opportunity for students who traditionally may not have had those opportunities um and maybe did not have the means to get to positions like this. Maybe that's a really great leadership opportunity for someone who otherwise would not have been recognized that way. Jesse Benini. >> Um I just had a um a request um and maybe

107just for you know the board to consider. Um when we talked about this in May um I was actually anticipating that the conversation I was surprised by this but I'm glad we're fleshing out like what we're doing but I thought that we would have be having more of a conversation around like how do we get the word out to our students sort of as Patricia noted. And so, um, I would be interested in, um, future, um, to, uh, be a little more clear about that in terms of what I, I think I would like to see, which would be input from our staff, from the staff at the county office, input from the teachers, um, and any everyone really, like what is, um, the right or an effective way to get students to want to

108do this? What do we need to what information do they need to be able to consider this? Those types of things because that I think is where um I feel when we saw this policy and when it was being advocated for by one of our prior student liaison and working on it, we were I was envisioning that it would be one of our students. And now I see that that's much more complicated than I initially anticipated it being. And this whole idea of the the voting makes me super nervous for that student. I don't like it actually. And so I want to know like do we have to do what does that look like? And what are other counties doing? because um I don't want there to be barriers or um giant hurdles in the

109way of a student actually being willing to step up. I want to make it easier than than that. And this I this is, you know, causing me anxiety. I'm sure it would not be wellreceived in, you know, all of the steps for a student, right? I'm a little worried. >> Yeah. And that's from the legislature on their um up high they put in language that says the student shall be selected by their peers who are high schoolers attending schools in the county. So then um as I'm sitting there around like legally what's required and what's that process for selection other than to cast votes? I mean there's really how do you reach out and and as far as communication strategy and what's the best messaging? I think I would probably say that's in um ed

110services communication department. and then also our IT division around how do we facilitate something like that. I mean this presentation is strictly around the legal process but certainly uh invite more voices to join in as to how to get that word out. I think um to Bethy's point the the fact that we have not had student petitions before. I think it's just they don't know about it. So then how best to communicate that to them that this is accessible to you, right? And we want to make this easy for you. >> Yeah. I and I I appreciate too all of the information. I would like to maybe also have us look a little deeper into um the legislative intent behind that or the understanding and if it seems like it's going to be something that

111isn't I mean I can imagine having students within our schools >> making that decision on that front or um students widely for um a non you know um justice or you know whatever you know student who's in our programs but I believe that um I would like more information about it. So we can kind of do that, you know, have that conversation and also maybe we need to change that. So maybe it requires some advocacy around how the decision is actually made like practically what does that look like and and is that something that might be you know traumatizing or such. >> Thank you Trusty Alvaro. >> Thank you. U two things. One is I first of all I don't think that the student has the right to vote the way we the I'm sorry

112talk with my hands. Um I think it understand it says that the student can cast preferential votes on all matters except those subject to close session discussion but that is a a a expressing an opinion and is not actually counted as part of the official vote. So there is that little kind of buffer there in terms of you know we're not just ha you know having a student come in and and now we have eight votes we have to contend with. It's it's a >> I think they're two different conversations >> votes. Um I'm talking about the whole county of students voting. >> I misunderstood you and I thought you were talking about the same thing that Patricia had talked about a minute ago. >> I misunderstood. So the the other thing is I'm wondering

113if it would be helpful to you if the board policy subcommittee met with you. >> Yeah. >> To just sort of, you know, hammer out a couple of bits and pieces and then it can come back to the board for more discussion and questions and you forgot this and you forgot that. Would that be helpful to you? Yeah, because there's a lot of fine details in there that I don't want to presume. And so that's why just putting out like here's the recommended language that I would I would suggest we put into a first draft. But certainly we need feedback from the board as far as exactly how do we want to carry that out. Yeah, I think that's a great idea. So um Edith, you're on our committee now and Patricia, is it okay

114if we schedule, you know, I'll do it later on, but schedule like a Zoom meeting with Lisa to sort of flesh this out a little bit more and then bring it back to the board? I think that's a great idea. We also have some other policies. Okay, I'll get in touch with everybody then. Thank you, >> Chustio. I was just kind of commenting on, you know, if you have a countywide vote, okay, there's kind of an issue is like, you know, Bethy's from Oceanana, which is like 500 kids and somebody from Westmore runs and that has 2,000 kids. Is that would you get the smaller high schools ever get an opportunity to have somebody up here? And would we want to consider that one year it's district one, you know, our districts, one is district,

115one year, one district one, another year district two, another year district three to try to get a balance of the whole county on there. I'm just throwing that out for discussion. That's all. >> That's a good point. >> Other comments or questions from the board? Um, I have three things. Um, one, I agree with the just thinking about equity and opportunity. Um, I I'm not in favor of all the students voting. Uh, like one of the examples that Trusty O'Neal just stated. Um, yeah, I just and I also want to make it more accessible for our students so that it's something that's easier, which then also leads to my next point of like communication. Um um once we solidify policy and everything, if our communications team could put a presentation together that um could be

116presented to the students ideally with a county board member um there. Um I want to say president, but I don't want to stick that solely to like one role. So maybe either like a person from the uh subcommittee or a person from policy, someone from the subcommittees or anyone from the board. We can um figure out details later, but I think someone from the board should be there to present. Um, so that way I think just putting a face to to that and getting putting it right in front of students um, also gives them the opportunity to ask questions um, is something that I would prefer and I'd be willing to do that if I if that's what we decide to do. Um, and then is this something that we could bring to the retreat?

117because um with policy I know it's like three members but if it's at the retreat we're able to get voice and input from all uh board members. Yes. >> I was just thinking that the policy subcommittee could help Lisa refine some of the some of the broader language and questions and stuff and then it's then it comes back if you want to have at the retreat. Yeah. But then it's not quite so big a blob. you know, we've sort of paired it down to something we can all talk about. >> Oh, yeah. Or if we could do both. Just an idea just so that way um we're all looking at it. And uh Trusty Gerard. >> Yes. I I just kind of want to uh piggyback on uh what Trusty Alvaro just said about when

118I w when I was reading that and looking at it, I thought, "Oh my gosh, you know, we've taken something that we've done for the last few years relatively simply and turned it into something huge and um really complicated." And um >> I don't think this is kind of bored. It's >> it it just Well, >> yeah. Right. >> You know, I I'm just saying that um the more complicated it is, the harder it is to get somebody that wants to do it, quite frankly. >> Yeah, I agree. >> And um you know, we haven't exactly had people beating our door down um the last several years wanting to do it, especially with the county. They prefer to do it with districts. So, I I'm really um concerned about it being so complicated. I'm hoping

119the policy committee can kind of work through that and make it a little less complicated. Um, and especially if we want to look at our own students. I mean, these kids, you know, don't want to have to jump through hoops. we're going to probably have, I would say, maybe a difficult time convincing them that they would like to do it. So, um I'm really concerned quite frankly and I've been sitting here listening to everybody and I just um I'm starting to panic, I think, um that we're just making this huge huge thing. So, >> so I think focusing maybe on policy language that's very clean and simple to read and maybe even reads like a checklist so that it's easy to navigate for students. Um, you know, certainly we can focus on that as we're

120going through that first run draft. >> I'm happy to simplify it as much as we can. Yeah, I'm I'm all in favor of that. It it it's daunting for an adult when we were running for um our positions when it was countywide to have to have a countywide vote and for a student to have to go through a countywide vote is I think well I think it's ridiculous. I'll be perfectly honest with you. I I just don't think that's necessary but whatever you know I just don't. So, um, I'm I just put in my two cents worth. >> Thank you, Bethany. >> I honestly just want to echo a lot of those concerns because I think it's hard enough for a lot of students to even like find out about this opportunity. But if it's

121like they have to go through hoops to even like try to access it, I think that's just going to prevent people who might be interested from even pursuing this opportunity. And on a related note, does it have to require like 500 signatures or like 10% number of students or could it be something like a hundred students or 200? Yeah. So for the for the petition process, what the code section says is a petition of either 500 students that come from school districts across the country or it's 10% of the students enrolled in our court and community schools. So, for example, if we had 15 students enrolled in all of the court and community schools and then like three or four of them said, "Hey, we'd like to put forward a petition." They could. That would

122be enough. So, that's really interesting with the way that that language is written. I agree with the language of the statute. It I went cross-eyed reading it because I hate the way that it goes. Like all of the schools that are under the jurisdiction of the county board or all of the students that attend the high schools under the jurisdiction of the school districts in the county. I was just like, so I'd had to put in commas to just se separate out all of that. that and I just thought what high school student is going to weigh through all of this and understand hopelessly what what this means. So yeah, I agree and we'll work on a very clean version of this draft. >> Jesse Ben. >> Um just I guess as a final comment

123my qu or question would be this policy I think was intended to promote having someone involved, right? And I guess my question or my thoughts around it as I hear everybody um weigh in is is this a it's not a man we haven't been doing this right so it's not like a mandated policy right you must do this so what I'm thinking right now really is that we put in place um or it was I think raised by superintendent McGee in fact to you know seek a liaison from the um youth commission. Is it possible that we might just do a different process altogether and not do it under this policy? Question for you as the council. >> That's a interesting question. So in the absence of any student petition, your question first is are

124we mandated to do this? No, you're not. You can either bring the on the student trustees or you can choose not to. you can do them one year and not do them the following year. Um, where you do have a petition from students, then you have to seat them until the board decides not to have any more student trustees. So, that's kind of a different process. So, in this situation where we're just looking simply at the board opting to recruit and select and appoint um I think looking at the way that the student liaison are brought in from the youth commission. Um, I have looked at that policy and compared it to the ed code language and certainly that meets all the check marks as far as selecting a student that comes from one of

125the high schools in our county. That's fine. And if you want to seat them, one recommendation that I would put in there though is that the term is limited to one year. So, we'd have to do the one-year limit. Um, now do when you talk about a different process, is that something completely different than what we're talking about? Um, I mean just something simple as we're sort of suggesting um that we might focus on our students within our programs >> and that we might create a process whereby it would be >> accessible to them and welcoming and >> you know include us and um make it you know easier because even if it's easy I don't think we're going to get a lot of applicants. >> Yeah. So, kind of distilling a couple of trustes

126points um as far as the desire to bring in candidates from the court and community schools. Certainly, if the if the board would like to remain with the youth commission liaison for the student that's selected from our high schools in the county and then do a more um you know concerted effort to recruit a candidate from the court and community schools, putting together a presentation and then having a trustee actually go there and speak with the students. I think that's a fantastic outreach opportunity for you to um connect with the students and let them know that these leadership opportunities exist for them. Um I was actually just making notes here. Maybe in the draft policy there can be language around staff to identify and encourage potential candidates that that they think would like to be

127elevated to a position like this. Maybe that would be helpful as well in um identifying kids who are interested in something like this. >> And then can I name one other barrier that I just thought of? Um I believe they have the option to join in person or Zoom. >> Yep. >> Right. Um if we could provide or if um if there could be transport transportation services that we would add so that they could make it in person. Again I just thinking of like reducing as many barriers as possible. >> And uh I think we had um a comment I think it was Trusty Alvaro had raised about um what if it is a student from Hillrest and they're not physically able to leave um in order to join? Can we have them joined by

128Zoom? Absolutely. Of course you can. Yeah. And I think transportation um is a great option. So we can put that language in there as well. Any other thoughts before we kind of knock together first? >> Trusty Alvaro, >> we can talk about this, but Hillrest Zoom evening is a really complicated formula to put together, >> but is it the Wi-Fi? Yeah, >> but we'll we could talk about >> we can Yeah, we can work with that. Okay. Um, any other comments or questions from the board? Are there any from the public? >> We did have a Yes. Uh, Janice Pelosari has a comment. Janice, let me Okay, you're ready to go. >> Okay. I just have one question that if it ends up going out to districts, can it go to our alternative programs who

129are similar to our kids? I'd rather have our kids do it, but if we want to try to open up, um, I would like to see that happen, not just to all the high school kids, please. Thank you. >> Thank you, Janice. >> Are there any other comments from the public? No other comments. >> Thank you. Um is there a motion? >> So here um the action item for the board would be um is there a motion to proceed with the formulation of a draft board policy setting forth the um process and procedure for recruiting student board members. And then I can add to that that the board policy subcommittee to meet with council to review a first draft which will then be presented at the board retreat. So that's a huge long action item,

130but that would be the recommended language for a motion. >> Yes. >> So moved. >> Is there a second? >> Thank you. There is a motion made by Trusty Bonini and a second by Trusty Alvaro. Um is there any further discussion? All those in favor say I. >> I. All those opposed say no. Uh the motion passes with a vote of 70. Um and the board has approved to move forward with that process. Thank you. Um for item 8b, the board will discuss an act on a joint letter urging local congressional representatives to co-sponsor HR2598, the idea full funding act. Uh Superintendent McGee. Um yes, this uh came through um some broader statewide legislative um discussions. I believe um board members, was it um board member Love, uh were you involved in this in uh

131someone speaking to you about bringing it to the full board? No, >> it came up at one of the task force meetings from some of the staff that was there >> brought up that did, you know, that this was happening and that we might want to consider endorsing it. >> Okay, >> that's what I remember. >> Okay. Um and so uh of course we have been trying to um increase or advocate for full funding of IDA for years and years and years. Um it is the right thing to do. Um the timing is you know I guess it's even more important right now given the timing of the philosophy of the government of the federal government. um that we need more people speaking out loud um about this particular advocacy issue. So um I would

132recommend that the board uh vote to approve this um action. >> Jessia Alvaro, >> thank you. I I love this. I just have one question and it's on the letter on paragraph three where it talks about um the trend mirrors state and national data which indicates the number of students requiring specialized support has increased while enrollment has decreased. Are we talking overall enrollment or are we talking about enrollment of students requiring specialized support? >> Um I'm gonna guess that it's overall enrollment but uh Dr. Young, are you available? Do you have a thought about that? >> And then if that's So maybe we could just add that word. >> Yeah, let let's hear from >> There she is. >> Hang on. Um >> Yes. Um good evening board members and superintendent Mark McGee. Um the

133overall enrollment has declined in San Monteo County and across the state. Um while the identification referral and identification of students for special ed has increased and this has um raised a cost burden on our local school districts. So we are asking for and advocating for full funding even though um this has been an ongoing ask and it was a promise uh from Congress over 50 years ago. So thank you >> trusty Alvaro. >> Thank you. So in that case I'm Thank you very much Dr. Young. I was assuming that's what you meant. I would just ask that we put that word in there so that it is clear that the number of students requiring support has increased while overall enrollment has decreased because that affects our funding in two directions. >> Other comments or questions

134from the board? >> Are there any from the public? >> Uh no comments. >> Thank you. Is there a motion? >> Move. >> Second. >> Thank you. Um there is a motion um to co-sponsor this letter made by Trustee O'Neal and a second by Trustee Gerard. Um is there any further discussion? All those in favor say I. >> I. All those opposed say no. Uh the motion passes with a vote of 70 and the board has approved to co-sponsor this letter. Um, for item 8 C, U, Marco Chavez, Deputy Superintendent, Educational Services Division, will provide information on the board docs transition process and choosing a new agenda posting platform that Deputy Superintendent Chavez. Good even Good evening, board president Torres, board members, Superintendent McGee. Picture picture this Samato County Board uh agenda online was no

135longer going to exist and so we began a transition process to uh board docs and so that's what I'm here to talk to you about. So now fast forward to today or actually to to May of this year. We received notice from um that Bordox as we know it has been acquired by a new company Diligent and um the current Bordox platform is no longer going to exist. So we have to merge all of our documents to a new platform. So this evening I'm here to share with you kind of a process that we drafted both to uh solicit staff input as well as to engage you as a board um to provide us your your um what you value about a platform that you would be interested in um in transitioning to. Um so

136um like I said um Bordox was acquired by Diligent and so when we learned this we began to organize ourselves and engage it in developing a process so that we can um at the end um come up with a with a platform that we are we are we're all in agreement. Um so we started um we convened a small comm a small committee of of folks that um that began to explore and research different options that are out there um as well as draft a plan or this timeline so that we could at the end um our goal is to have something by February um so that we can um implement um board docs has given us the deadline of April to to have something in so that we can transition our documents. So if

137we implement something by February, we'll be it will be um we'll be all right. Um today I'm I'm sharing that process that's August 20th. We want to um engage in the product review around September. That means we want to uh well we've already identified what's what what are um what platforms are out there that we um could explore. Um and then we want to uh once we explore some of those uh with a tool that we developed, we want to bring those back to you um around um October. So you're able to maybe hear from the representatives um and hear and hear presentations on these different products and get your additional feedback there. Then again with the objective of getting people um selecting a product, getting people trained and um implementing in February. Um so

138like I shared we we convened a committee that um um obviously Miss uh uh Jennifer Pererna is uh very present and active in in the committee um as well as other um um staff members that that work with for example the the county committee on school district organization the CCSDO they currently use boards so they're engaged um in the selection process as well as represent representatives from our SULPA um our child care council um because all of these different committees use currently use boards so they're providing their feedback and obviously we partner with our IT uh team because they help us select the the platforms that um that um meet the u IT needs for our organization. Um so in that committee we started by drafting what we value in terms of um these platforms

139and I'll share with you uh with you in the next slide but currently these are some options that are out there. There's uh on board is a is a platform escribe diligent is who's acquired uh board docs board pro and gamut um gamut also has a product that um that is an option and as we engaged um again our staff these are the areas or the um um items that we value when it comes to using the platform. We want the platform to work on multiple devices including cell phones, tablets, and laptops. Um that it's accessible, that um that usable by everyone regardless of the person's abilities or disabilities. Um that it's intuitive to the user. Um that it's uh that it has functionality for our board members, our committee members, general public, and staff.

140That it has a search fe feature um to be able to search agenda items. uh and also in the minutes that the pricing is something that we we uh can afford and something that we we feel is reasonable and using public funds for that it's aligned to SMCOE's branding and strategies. One of the one of those examples is that it um it connects well with our website, that it lands well, and that it's able to to function there, that it has security features. Um and also that there's good customer service from the vendors. And so this evening, we would like to just right now brainstorm and and um and capture your thing, your val what you value in the platforms. Um, we can start now and then we could um um maybe if you prefer

141we can design a a quick tool that we can send out to all of you that you can provide that feedback. But we would like to include what you value as we begin to to evaluate these new products. We'll open it up for a few minutes to to capture those thoughts. >> Uh Trusty Le, >> thank you. Um just a couple quick thoughts. Um, one is that it's easy for the public to use and it's the interface is helpful. I don't think the current one is that helpful really or that engaging. Um, and the second thing is that the history is still there. I don't know what happens to all of the like when we switch to board docs, you can no longer get anything before 2017, I don't think, without going to the website.

142So, what happens to everything for the last few years? will though still be migrated over or a link to the old system? I'm not sure. >> Thank you. That's that's very important. >> Trusty O'Neal. >> Um I agree with um Patricia in terms of I definitely like a search feature and um have access to prior to conversion would be great. Um, I think I know there's rules and regulations about ADA compatibility and accessibility. So, I want to be sure that it meets those legal requirements. And also, I would like to see um this is actually going to be a cost to districts in a tough budget year. And is there if if would it be cheaper if we allowed other districts, you know, a package deal that they're they're separate. They're totally separate, but let's

143say you bring us plus five districts on, everybody gets it a little cheaper, you know, volume buying, so to speak. I think that would be nice just to kind of support some of the smaller districts that are going to be budget challenged given what the where the world is right now. >> Wrote it out. Yes, trust Alvaro. >> Thank you. I I thought this was just for county office so we don't have to really worry about integrating with the other districts on this and stuff, >> right? Um that's what I that's what I'm presenting that Right. this is the what we're um engaging in is for the county office. But what I'm hearing you say is that if we decide to go with a specific vendor, if we say what if you know uh five

144additional school districts want to buy their own, will there be a discount is what I'm hearing. So asking that question. >> Okay. >> Kind of like >> so >> Costco buying type of thing. I would say my number one priority would be that it is easy for staff to use to load all of this documents and everything and have to be loaded because I remember what happened in 2017 and how very very hard that was and how much time it took. you know whenever you transition there's a learning curve but it's it suddenly became ownorous it became so difficult for you know our our staff and to be able to to use the thing and I do want to be very cautious of you know Jennifer and anybody else who has to work with it

145that it's usable >> thank you >> um Other comments from the board? Jesse Ben mean? >> I've just I don't have anything else, but I agree with all that's been said and I guess if I had a most important one, it would be the historical references that we could search because I didn't actually know that we didn't have them before a certain time period. I'm not sure if some of them were there, but anyway, that's um I think really important so that we know what we've done and if we need to look back. Thank you. Um, for me, I don't know if Board Docs does this or if there are other platforms that do it. Um, if it translates information for folks so that it's accessible to other languages. Um, and then I agree with

146the rest of the team. Um, other comments from the board. Um, are there any from the public? >> Uh, not seeing any comments. >> Oh, sorry. I remembered one thing. I wrote it down. Um, so I know there's a cost to this. I saw that there was the CSBA gamut. Would there also be an additional charge given that we use the service a lot of their services already? >> That is my understanding that there there this is a separate product. Um, it's uh it's called Simly powered by uh Gamut I believe it's the right name but I I will research all of that. No, I figured I just wanted to ask. Gamut makes me really nervous because it's not easy to use with the policies at all. So when you I saw Gamut up there,

147I wanted to run up with a red pen and put a big across it. That's just my opinion. So [Laughter] >> thank you. We really appreciate the the the feedback. So, what um what we'll do next is we're going to integrate your feedback um as well as the the feedback from the the staff into a tool. So, as we're reviewing these different products, we'll rate them and we'll select the top two or three and then those are the ones that we'll bring back to you um for um additional feedback and for you to ask questions of the reps or um or materials that they provide. >> Awesome. Thank you, Um there is no action to take on this item. Um for item 8, when an ad hoc subcommittee meets or a representative attends a meeting

148related to their given assignment, board members may choose to bring a report to the board at this time. Would any board members like to report out Trusty Gerard? >> Thank you. Um I'd like to report out on behalf of the Workforce Housing Committee. Um, we did meet um with uh Kevin Bolta and several other people along with Hart and uh saw another property in San Bruno. And after um a lot of discussion and asking a lot of questions um with everyone um we decided that it isn't really the property for us. So, we'd like to keep looking. >> Thank you. Um, any questions for the workforce house workforce housing subcommittee? Any other subcommittees? Trusty Love, >> just real quick that the funding task force, which is part of the um advocacy subcommittee, is meeting on

149Monday, August 25th, um to review a draft report, which will make its way here, but we're going to get input from the committee members. >> And that is in person and Zoom, correct? >> That is um >> via Zoom. >> Oh, via Zoom. Sorry. >> Oh, no, no, it's either in person or via Zoom. >> Okay, that's Thank you. Uh questions for the advocacy group. Okay. Uh any other subcommittees or representatives that would like to speak? Um I will speak on um representing for ACCBE. Um I was in Sacramento this week this weekend with Trusty Gerard um working with the ACCBE group on just the our strategic planning uh for the year and uh focusing on the mission, vision and uh focus areas that we um are going to do and it was a lot

150of fun. I I know some people may not think of strategic planning as enjoyable, but um those two days um were were great with amazing people and there's uh great work coming. Um and then I know ACCBE has great um workshops uh uh coming each month um available on the website. Um so that's all on my end. Um any comments or questions from the board? Are there any from the public? >> No comments. >> Thank you. There is no action to take on this item. Um for item 8E, the board will discuss topics for future board agendas. Would any board members like to discuss any agenda ideas? Trusty O'Neal. Um, given the large number of comments we received from the outdoor ed staff, I would like some sort of explanation as to why they were

151hired under one set of rules and then and state law and then six weeks later we're taking medical benefits away from them because that's a major expense and issue. So, I would like to know how how did that happen? If that's if I understood what is said today and the the communication from um Nancy, they were all hired under the assumption of 40 hours with medical and then we cut them down to below 30 so they wouldn't get medical. >> Um Trustee O'Neal, I'm not sure that came from me. Um uh I I don't know for sure that that is actually true. I know the intent was not there. Uh it was more about uh recognizing that the law had changed. Um would it be adequate if I wrote a uh if uh I worked

152with Deputy uh attorney Cho and we wrote another uh memo updating the board on what the direction is that we're going in. Well, I'm just concerned that now I'm assuming that we hired him effective for a calendar July 1st to June 30th, which is fairly typical and according to what their my understanding of what they said is they were hired under one set of terms and then we changed it. And if we knew the law was X, then why didn't we hire them under the rules of law X versus Y? >> So, if I could just address um Trustee O'Neal, we're happy to provide a follow-up memo to the board. I think this has not been agendaized and so we cannot have a discussion about it, but I'm happy to Yeah, I can. >> Well,

153this was the item is to request future agenda items. So that's why >> devolving into a discussion. So perhaps I can um touch base with Superintendent McGee and then talk about providing a more detailed memo to the board explaining what was going on. >> Okay. Thank you. And then um for our joint meeting with the um community college board, I would like to see if the superintendent could approach the adult school consortium and see if they would be willing to make a presentation because that's the one entity that is run by both K12 districts and the community college district and I know they're having some big challenges given the ice and the drop in enrollment they're having because of the immigration issues. I was I met with the principal of one of the schools and

154I think their enrollment's over quite substantial because of people scared to come to school and I would like to see if they would be interested in doing a presentation to the joint meeting. >> Thank you. Uh trusty Benini. >> Um I have one question and then I have two follow-ups. One is um there's this item that's been on our other topics for the last few meetings which is civics's education emphasizing the Bill of Rights and I don't know um where it I don't know what it is or what it where it originated from. I'm just curious who requested it or where it came from. >> I requested that we put on the agenda that this board vote that we support the Bill of Rights and it's never been put on the agenda. >> I see.

155Okay. And that's the only response I know of from that request put on the >> agenda. Nice. Sort of remember that. Um okay. And then also um in regard to the um uh sorry the joint meeting with the community college district, we discussed in meetings past that it would be a great idea to have a subcommittee to meet with um board members from the community college district who um I had I had raised it and I had talked to a couple of them and they want to have a conversation for like planning. And so my request is to have an agenda item where we form a subcommittee so that can actually happen the planning. Um and then um in regard to the outdoor education issue um I know it's maybe um uh some somewhat related

156or maybe is related to uh staff of course and HR. However, um I do not understand um the the change of you know how that came about. So I mean I do think it would be helpful for the board to have more information about it given that we're hearing it and also for the main reason of I want to understand one how it's impacting the program um because that is very important to our board I believe and then also whether there um whether it was a decision that was made or whatever whatever it is whether there are any other options and it did sound to me like there were some discussions that might be happening as the followup. But in any case, um I think that beyond the staff issue, the the programmatic issue is

157something that the board would I would like to hear more about. So I don't know if the board has any feeling about that. >> I just want to echo that I agree. Um again, I know the staffing and HR doesn't fall under our jurisdiction, but if it's impacting the programming um or if it the programming is going to look different, um then I would also like um an update on how that's going to look. Also, >> and can I add one thing to that? Yes. The other thing that I'm curious about is just um there was a note I think it was part of justformational, but it was regarding sustainability or something about the program. And so I would actually like to understand um the cost um of the program and what what what is

158what is impacted in regard to funding because if it's a funding issue and it's a budgetary issue um potentially that might fall within our jurisdiction as well. >> Yes. Um like a comparison cost of Yes. I also agree. Other topics for future board agendas. There is no action to take on this item. Um for item 8F, board members will comment. Um youth commission leaison. >> Firstly, just to start off with a little update, I've been interning with the office of supervisor Ray Mueller this summer, which has been an awesome experience. Um he's super cool and everyone from his office is amazing and I feel like I've learned a lot. And it's also great to be in the office of my own supervisor. So, that's been really fun. And I also did want to say that

159I think this will be my last board meeting. Um, I just want to thank you all so much for these last two years. not just like this opportunity to um be here with you all, but especially for all the um you know support and guidance and just like um everything you guys have um helped me with and just really um it's been such a pleasure to get to know all of you. I'll be leaving for college um Northwestern in Chicago early September, but don't worry, I'll come back to visit. Can't get rid of me that easy. Trusty Love. >> Well, thank you. You're the first um item on my list. It's been such a pleasure working with you. Um from those first days, remember with the interview when you were late for the interview when

160we were managing the whole thing. Um to having the opportunity to sit with you up here has been wonderful. It's been great to get to know you and watch all you've accomplished. And I hope that you stay in touch and then we'll get to hear more because it really has been an honor. So, thank you for that. Um, and it was great to see Christina Sers being honored. Um, another wonderful member of the SMCE team. And a special thank you to Deputy County Attorney uh Lisa Cho. She's done a lot of work for she was very involved in all of this and I appreciate um all the good counsel she has offered and I have strong feelings about outdoor ad. A lot of issues raised in that and I think we're going to hear more

161about it. So, that's great. Um just the passion of all those people that were here just is testament to what an amazing program that is. And then I was just recently appointed to an AI working group um by the state for CDE and that's going to get up and going. There's only a couple meetings involved but it's a topic that I'm interested in. I think it's important so I'm happy to do that. >> Awesome. Trust O'Neal. >> Um I just wanted to invite anybody that wishes to come in Pacifica on August 30th. Um there's a group there's a couple of parents that lost their son to an overdose of um of fentinol and they've actually started a nonprofit called Hope for Change 650 and they had a memorial walk that a couple year last year

162or the year before where there was over 200 people walking down Highway One with pictures of their loved ones that they had lost to drug overdoses. and they're having that memorial walk again and on August 30th 10:00 at the Moose Lodge on Bradford in Pacifica and um it's a way to try to memorialize the issues and what their the goal of the nonprofit is and they've actually been able to place it is to place free NAR can dispensers around so that if you have a drug overdose you can you. Narcan is available for you to use and there's and they they have it located in four different places in Pacifica and one of them has already saved one life and they have access to refill the Narcan dispensers and each Narcan dispenser is I think

163like $500. So they're a nonprofit soliciting money to get these dispensers. So, if anybody's interested, feel free to contact me and I can send you the flyer. >> Thank you, Trusty Alvaro. >> Thank you. Um, first of all, Bethany, you absolutely rock. I've told you this before. Um, you are going to do great things. I mean, you've done great things here, but we're a tiny little microcosm. You're going to do great things. And um please do keep us informed as you move along. It's just amazing to hear about some of our previous youth liaison and some of the things they're doing and and you know we can be very proud. I feel very proud that at some point we'll say you know we helped her a little bit. You know she was she was part

164of our team and we pushed her a little bit. We supported her a little bit. we guided her a little bit. You know, you're doing the heavy work, but if we can say that we helped you a little bit, that's good enough. So, thank you for being part of our team for all this time. I also just wanted to bring up two of the resolutions. Um, thank you for the one for Elkish, the 50th. Um, when I sent it an email asking about it to President Torres and Superintendent McGee, they the response was like, "Yes, let's do this." Um, I've been aware of them since 1990, which kind of feels like I'm a newcomer to their to their game. And I've out been out there so many times um because they have all these different

165programs that they do. And Cababrio of course is the recipient of a lot of the help because it's right there in my backyard. But uh I mean just amazing things like I remember when they put in a scent garden because they had students come out who were visually impaired and they wanted them to enjoy nature just as much as the other kids. And so they made a scent garden so that if you can't, you know, see the roses and the lavender and the sage, you can still experience it. You can touch it. You can smell it. So I think they're amazing. And um thank you for the resolution. And then also just thank you uh as I say every year for the resolution on CMT awareness month. Um I've had CMT all my life. I

166wasn't diagnosed until I was like 50, but there were all these things that nobody could quite figure out what was wrong with me, especially when I was a kid. You know, it was like, well, she's clumsy and she falls down a lot and she can't catch a ball. But, um, the the reason for raising awareness is not just to to help find cure possibly someday, who knows? But that if we can help kids especially, you know, a kid who's who has a a a vision problem, we catch it early and we help them so that they function better in school. And and a kid who has a hearing problem, we catch it early. And so our hope is that as teachers become more aware, as parents and and even doctors, when I was first diagnosed,

167I had to come back and tell my doctor what it was. So, you know, to be able to to raise awareness, I think, is just, you know, just one more thing that we can do to help our kids be more successful. So, thank you for that. And that's all I have. >> Thank you, addressy audience. >> Well, first of all, Bethany, I, you know, I didn't have the chance to be the whole time with you, but I know you're a change maker, so I wish you the best. I know you're going to do good. And just like Trusty Albero said, we want to hear back. We wanna feel like what's what's happening with you. So definitely, you know, congratulations again for, you know, everything that you've done. So thank you. Thank you for your service.

168Um, I also want to uh just mention quickly about the outdoor ed. I'm very uh I hope as everybody else ask about more uh clarification and understanding about it because the three of my children went to outdoor ed and it was the most um definitely life-changing experience. My oldest is 34 and he went into fifth grade but he was in the special education and it felt like he wouldn't be able to go but because of this outdoor ed program and uh the accommodations that they did he was able to join it and just he was so it was the first time he ever left home. So it was just very exciting to for him to participate. So I really hope that we can support and we can make a difference to continue what they've done

169for more than 50 years. Um, then I also have I have a a little bit of here of my also thank you to the board for approving for for me to go to the National Association of Latino Elected Officials which happened uh on July 22nd to the 24th and I attended it was three-day and I attended several sessions and even though I cannot do like a a whole three-day uh um summary, I like to just share really quick my the sessions that I attended. I had uh lessons learned from LA especially regarding the racial racial profiling by ICE and the importance of holding know your rights events. I attended also the AI in the workforce opportunity challenges and policy considerations in the education track fostering school board and superintendent relations. I did uh investing in

170Latinas through financial empowerment and entrepreneurship. Another one on professional development for Latinos in public and corporate sector and another one in expanding the home ownership for stronger communities. one for mental wellness for public officials and the future of public education which uh really interesting um gives information of the state education policy tracking and the website ecs.org uh talks about the whole nation and how they track the educational policies around that. Um then I also want to say that I attended this Monday the August 18 from 5:30 to 8:30 SMCBA for the first time. Very thankful for the opportunity and I think it was a great meeting. I enjoyed it and uh was able to meet others which uh I think the um icebreaker opportunities were great um and well done in in less than I

171think it was about two hours. the first time uh the first half hour we we were uh more uh networking and having dinner. Uh I did volunteer with the BAS committee if they can have me. So uh hopefully I'll I'll I'll do it that uh that part of the committee. And then lastly, I just want to invite um the South San Francisco has cultura fest this Saturday from 11 to 5. uh they're closing the grand avenue and it's going to be a lot of uh music festival and it's mo the most um again about six hours of uh entertainment and coutura so rolling by thank you >> thank you trusty Benini >> um I just wanted to uh say welcome back to all staff and especially teachers for um from summer and starting the school

172year. It sounds like um things are getting going so that's good. It was really um wonderful also to meet um the new new staff members. So I appreciate that and welcome to everyone. Um uh as um Trusty Aras mentioned, we had our first planning meeting for um the Sanonteo County School Boards Association and it went um well um as she noted, we did a lot of networking. Um we had a pretty good attendance. We were here. So thank you uh to all staff who helped set up the room. next well I guess this half of the room the other half um in like a circle structure so we could interact and we really were working on programming for the year um and we really feel like we wanted to have input from uh not just

173the board um but also members so we had members who weren't area trustees or or on the um executive committee who came which was really great so I'm still compiling some of the information but we're trying to pin down what we're going to do for our quarterly meetings. Uh we just as a heads up for the board though, I think that those are likely going to be on like the third uh Monday of the months we choose, but more information will be coming soon. So, it's going to be a good year. And thank you to Trusty O'Neal for coming and um and uh lastly, um Bethany, uh it's been wonderful to have you. I'm so glad you asked if you could stay another year and that we were able, you know, to do that. And

174um from our our first interview with you, um Trusty Gerard and I were super impressed and obviously um it's been just amazing to have you here and to see all the things that you're doing in the community. Um coming to meetings and I see you out in public speaking. Um you're an amazing public speaker and I'm so excited for you to start college. So enjoy every second and that's it. All I have. >> Thank you, Trusty Gerard. >> Thank you. Um I'm going to turn to Bethany first because um I have always been so excited that she's been with us. Um as Trusty Benini just said, we uh were the ones that interviewed her and um I was very very impressed. Plus, she was from Oceanana and you can't go wrong um with someone from

175Oceanana and she was our first North Bay le county leazison and so uh we had really a lot to be proud of right off the bat. Um and you proved us to go above and beyond all of our expectations. So, thank you for everything and most of all, thank you for the relationship we have because I think that that is the most important thing of all and I'm so proud of everything you've accomplished. Um, and of looking forward to see what's in the future. I just can't imagine you can go wherever you want to go. And uh the only thing I ask is that you really really do keep in touch and not just say yes I will and then you'll be so busy in Chicago you'll forget all about us. So um don't do

176that. Okay. And we'll we'll miss you a lot and I love your outfit that you got in China. It's great. It's wonderful. So best of luck Bethany. Really I I really mean that from the bottom of my heart. So, okay, it's a deal. Um, I also, uh, would like to say that I was quite frankly very impressed with the number of our outdoor ed folks, our uh, naturalists and internists that were here this evening. Um, my children, all three of them, attended outdoor ed and so I know how important it is. Um, and it's such a remarkable, remarkable program and, um, it has been around for 60 years. Um, and just some of the things that the students that were here this evening had to say really proves that it goes above and beyond. Um,

177just learning about nature. It also is teaching so much about relationships and h human bonding and all of the things trust really um more than anything. And um I really really want to see this problem that we have worked out because um it has done such remarkable things that I I don't want to see that threatened and I will be extremely upset um if it is. So, um, say that for that. And, um, I'm also looking forward to hearing hopefully in the ne at the next meeting, um, how all of our schools have done on their school openings. Um, and, uh, hopefully the kinks in the, uh, community court and community schools that Janice was talking about this evening will be worked out. uh soon so that our students will be getting the education and

178uh help that they need from our teachers and staff. Uh I also was um at the meeting as Hugo said with the ACCBE this past weekend and they are doing absolutely remarkable things. It's unbelievable um what this group has accomplished in such a short amount of time. And they have an absolutely amazing program um already set up. I was just on a a meeting yesterday. I came from the two-day meeting and jumped right into another one yesterday um on our programs. I'm on the planning committee and ironically enough two of the things um that we're uh going to be highlighting are our student leaison and we're having two workshops on that. uh one with the howto and the second we'll have student leaison there on a panel um with board members so that they can

179talk to them and hopefully uh really um get to understand what they do because a lot of counties that don't have them don't understand the value and there's a huge value. The other thing that we're doing is we're doing three sessions on deep dives with Corton Community Schools. And um I have the dates, but I don't of course I don't have my paper with me that I wrote it all down on. But you can go on our website, the ACCBE website, and um I also will be be sure to bring them next time. But um they really are they will have g we have guest speakers for each one and um I think they're really really going to uh help a lot of counties with their court and community schools. And our next event, which

180I hate to say the date, is August 25th and it's going to again um com conflict with our school funding. Um, and this one is going to be at 6:00 on on that Wednesday night and it's going to be on s setting superintendent salaries and uh John McFersonson from the Monterey County Board of Education is uh going to be doing it and he did an excellent presentation at the conference last year. So uh he's he's going to be doing it this year. So, um, I'm looking forward to an exciting new school year for all our teachers and students. And, uh, with that, I think that's all for this evening. >> Thank you. I'm also going to start with Bethany. Um, you have been such a part of the team for so long that I forgot

181you were leaving that or I just didn't want to believe it. Um, but I've just been in awe of all the work that you've done and the accomplishments that you've had while we've gotten to know you. So, I just can't imagine what you're going to be doing out in Chicago. Um, you'll probably be back here for the winter break, which is when I go to Chicago because my family's in Chicago, so we'll probably catch each other at the airport or somewhere, but um, definitely keep in touch. Um, anything that you need from us, we're always available. I'll speak for myself, but I know they will also be available to you. Um, anything that you need and then just catching up when you get back. Um you whoever comes next has some big shoes to fill.

182So um we're going to miss you, but we'll see you soon. Yeah. Um for our outdoor ed, I always appreciate when communities can get together and advocate for what's important to them. Um and the extra special piece to me is when our youth get involved and they advocate. And I love seeing our youth here advocating their voice. Um and then speaking of our youth, um I'm hoping that we by the time we have our next visit to our current community schools, which I hope would be soon, um we get to see all the kinks worked out and seeing our new leaders in action. Um yeah, and then even hopefully depending on when we go have a presentation ready for them to let them know um of some opportunities for them. Um next I'd also like

183to welcome back all the staff. Um I've also been back at school and it's been a very tiring week but very fulfilling and I it's a lot of work but um once we get back in routine it'll be easier. So, thank you to all of our teachers, our staff, um our families, and everyone who's working to get make sure our students are in school. Um and then, um I was also in NLEO for the conference. Uh so amazing to just connect and collaborate with so many other leaders. There was a small crew from other departments of Sonteo County there. Um, so it was great for all of us to just be in the same space, uh, to learn and grow together and just figure out what we can do to, uh, further collaborate on supporting

184our families, especially right now given, um, the ICE rates. Um, and just support our students in different um, forms of education. Um, I also had the privilege of popping into the county's Day of Discovery. Um, I was only able to stay for a little bit, but it was amazing to see everyone all together in one room. I don't know how often that gets to happen. Um, just the energy in the room. Folks were so excited about the learning that they were going to happen and looking at the workshops. Um, it seemed like a very intriguing and and thoughtprovoking um, event. And so, I'm hoping they're able to get more of that and yeah, hopefully get to hear how everything went because I haven't been able to follow up. Um, and then other than that, I

185already discussed the ACCBE. Um, I do have the dates. So, um, Trusty Gerard mentioned August 25th for setting the superintendent salary. The other one is September 22nd, which is effective governance, uh, practices for county boards. And then the one in October is October 9th. Um, and that is the first session of three for the deep dive of the Corning Community Schools. Um, and then I will also be at the Culura Fest on Saturday. So I hope to see other folks there as well. Um, and that concludes my comments. Uh, item nine is the adjournment. So the next regular meeting will be the social dinner and regular meeting on Wednesday, September 3rd, 2025. The social dinner will begin at 5:30 p.m. and the regular meeting will begin at 7 p.m. This meeting is now adjourned. Good

186night everybody. Good meeting. Good to see you. >> Good night, Nancy.