001How about good evening everybody? If everyone can find their seats and the candidates make their way to the stage please. [Music] That's fine. voice. Serenity, is lost. Please report to customer service. Can you uh grab our phone? Make your phone, please. that announcement to everyone. So, uh, real quick, I I really do appreciate you guys coming tonight, candidates as well. This is our American right and it's awesome to see this in play. So, thank you guys for being here. I also want to thank Larry and I'm going to let him do all his introduction and rules. So, I'm going to be very quick, I promise. But Larry not getting so he's going to be our moderator facilitator for tonight and I hope you guys have a great time to get to know the campus. Thank
002you for being here. All right. Thanks for Did it not work? Thanks for coming everybody. As I was telling Kathy earlier today, grew up with four sisters, so I know how to project. Okay. I'm Larry Domini. I farm in the Willows area. I'm on the board of directors for the Glen County Farm Bureau. We've done three of these candidates nights for county offices in the last six years. I've been part of each of them. [Music] Uh thank you to the candidates. This is a volunteer job that they're seeking. Win or lose, I give them high marks for volunteering to do it because being on the school board is not an easy job. There are a lot of different issues intersecting. So, they're going to learn a lot. They're going to get a lot of experience.
003But, thanks for being here. What we're going to do is we'll have opening statements 3 minutes each all time. I'll start waving when this is like 2 minutes 30 seconds. Okay? And I'll c when it's 3 minutes. Uh we'll do opening statements. We got five prep questions that I'll ask them. We'll go through. Everybody will get a chance to answer. Then it'll be three minutes for closing statements. They can choose to skip the opening or closing statements if they want. There'll be there's questions in the back. I'll grab those at some point. Um and I'll consolidate them. If there's similar questions, I'll put them together. Questions already been I'm not going to ask that. Um, if the question is just specific for one candidate, I'm not going to ask that. That can be a one-on-one
004between you and the candidate that the questions directed at. So, that being said, water. I don't know if there's coffee, there's cookies back there. Let's figure out where the bathrooms are because you guys know the place I don't question. Is that the county library or the school library across the parking lot? So, they moved it down from the high school. Okay, that's the preschool. Last time I was up here was the rules library always. So, all right. Again, thanks. The rules of the quorum. No cheering, no booing, no cat calls, anything like that or clapping. This is a nice civil discussion. All right. So, I'm going to leave it at that. So, we're gonna start um with opening statements. Kathy, you get to go first. Go down and then the five questions. Abby, you'll answer.
005You get to go first on the first question and we'll go around and then you get to answer the second question and start that way. is all and they got these questions Saturday. So, we had some time to think about it. And as I said, these five questions, I'm sure it got them thinking and it'll get you thinking also as we ask them. What I'll do is I'll just say the question first in each round and we'll go around. I won't repeat I won't repeat the question candidate I think you all have maybe print out your questions if you want I can always restate questions so Kathy would you like to start with an opening statement hello my name is Kathy and I live in area Thank you all for coming tonight and thank you
006and thank you for school administration cafeteria. I have lived in the El Creek community for 12 years now. I have a 16year-old granddaughter Serenity who lives with me and attends El Creek High School. My motivation for participating on the board is to the in the position to be actively connected with my grandmother's education and to help encourage and maintain voluntary leading the board. Brian decided to get involved because of the need. My granddaughter's serenity is motivated to go to college. She wants to take advantage of opportunities to do this without the strain of the student loan debt. Therefore, I want to help her with this by being on the school board. It will help me to be more aware of how I can assist her and setting a good course for her academic future. My
007other motivation is unity. Many people describe our communities as charming. We are charming in comparison to larger communities. Unfortunately, along with being small and charming, our communities tend to slip through the county press at times. So, we have to work a little harder to get what we need. We have quite the diversity of peoples here, culture, religion, work ethics, and nostalgia. In spite of these adversities, I believe we need to create an atmosphere of family for the kids. Our kids spend a significant amount of time with each other and the faculty. This school, the administration and the kids are a human, a family set apart from their personal family structures. We can get behind this whole family. It needs to be supported, appreciated, encouraged, and protected. With such a rapidly changing world around us, how
008do we keep the charm within our school district? We need to support this school family. They need to be able to establish their own school culture, help the kids to stay focused, and create goals for their futures. Hi, my name is Abby. aka Adam. I went to school myself here in El Creek. I graduated from El Creek. I married my husband Ken. We've been married for 48 years. And also we've raised our kids who have attended Oak Creek as well. Um they graduated from here, all five of them. They raised their families here. Up until this year, we only have one grand left in this district. which is pretty sad. I I feel um we are generations before users. Before that, my bill family all attended Stony [Music] For the school that it once was
009for our kids and to continue to have them be proud of what is here for them. And I want kids to learn that they want to stay in the community to be equal and to get and to get the education and to do what do enjoy their young lives to grow in turn to be great. Thank you. Thanks. Hi Martin. I'm a member of I've lived here all my life. I've went to school here. My grandchildren. So, my goal is to make sure that are are heard. and they feel welcome and they feel that they are protected. Um, I want our school to connect everybody involved. Speaking for myself, childare provider. involved in school. But I just want our children, not just for every Excuse me. My name is um I have lived in this
010area for 55 years. So have been here for a while. Graduated from the largest class in history of this. My late husband graduated from here. Our daughter graduated from here. Um my siblings went to school here in Indian Valley. I have I have nieces that have graduated from here. I now currently have great great nieces attending the school. So, I have some, for lack of a better word, I have some ownership in the school. I guess I care about what happens here. I do want to squash a rumor that's going around. I am not moving and selling out and I'm not strictly on this to get rid of the superintendent. I won't success not only to a face but in a meeting. I want that made clear. Now somebody comes along and offers me a
011good price for my house and I can afford to move to Fort I'm sorry I will do that but it's probably not going to happen right away. I want to see our kids come back to our school. I went through and did some research and a couple years ago we had 87 kids. I think we have 58 and that's disturbing. I wonder where they go in one of my answers here. That's part of it. I think that I believe summer or the superintendent may have said it's like a six to1 ratio. We should be a rockstar school with that. I mean, that's a dream for kids to have that kind of contact mostly during classrooms with 25 or more other children, you know, and 15 of those could be naughty children. So, they're really not
012learning, but there was a position opening I tried out for getting appointed and myself and Miss Davis and that didn't happen. So I decided to go ahead and run for this position. I um retired from 28 years in the education field. Prior to that I federal government and I was on this school board for 12 years. I have I have a school background and good evening everyone. I'm the second district of our boundary. I'm a li member and an alumni of the district as well as a parent of two middle schoolers here and I'm eager to continue to serve the district. I have a background in grants and finance as well as experience with my students attending other schools. So I feel like I have skills and knowledge that will help me continue to serve
013on our board. Um my vision priorities going into this next term and something that I believe in is maintaining our standards. We've a fantastic job of increasing those standards and bringing in new ways to look at data and make sure that we're making decisions and I think that that can only continue create a safe and inclusive learning environment for all of our students maintaining communication between school boards and ensure that our district manages it finances wisely and efficiently. I believe that we have a really in our district and I'm passionate about the success of our students in our school. As a parent myself, I know there's a lot of challenges with all the schools and everywhere in the country and I think that we can continue to find solutions to make it really good for
014our students so they can thrive and current I have not been married for 18 years and I taught in public school, private school. I also program another school board. I do think that the credentiing that I have and my experience has actually as far as this for the last year and I'll say our district has faced a lot of challenging things that we had to overcome and when I've gone out with community members I have heard a lot about the district here and it kind of compendants layers and staff things And I know that's all for my time, but I do have an understanding and I feel for people's perceptions are concerned about the school district as um this last year like I said we have a lot of challenges um safety inclusive resources. We
015also create it also things like rules and expectations and consequences among all of our grade levels. We also heard from students themselves and their desires. They met those you know gym because they really wanted to expand sports programs. They program that we've also added the latest and ultimately I do look forward to continues and serving our students and staff and really working to bring our communities together to support our last name. I'm running for the school board for area four which is Stonyport. Um I've lived in the Stonyport area for the last 17 years having moved here from Bloomville County. My husband and I have been married for 38 years. I'm the mother of three grandchildren and five grandchildren. I've been working for the post office for the last 11 years. While living in Booneville,
016I was a PTA president for 10 years. I was a Girl Scout leader, a youth group organizer, a member of the local senior center board, and parent volunteer. Community service is my passion. Since moving to Stonyport, I have tried to continue with reaching out to offer my time and resources. We have been foster parents to a high school senior in need of a stable home. I am currently the treasurer of the Lucy County Garden Club. My husband and I are members of the H Creek High School a Advisory Board. I am a member of the school side council. I have been a 4 leader for the last three years when we restarted 4 in and stoning for I teach scrap cooking and garden club. My husband started teaching welding um in 4 last year and
017then Donald Wilson asked him if he would be interested in volunteering one day a month here at the high school to teach it in the egg class and that quickly turned into two to three days a week. Great response from kids teachers. My goal, should I be elected, is to continue finding new opportunities for the students in this school. Kids need to be exposed to new technologies and future careers. Not every child is collegebound and they need to know that they have choices to explore. I support job shadowing and apprenticeships visiting colleges and vocational training programs. I want to bring people and resources together from this community and beyond to share their knowledge, talents, and experiences. Not every child has an interest in team sports. I want them to find a spark that lights their
018fire. Thank you for your time. Right now, we'll start the uh questions. You get to go first. The question was, what is your top priority? I think for me right now with the changes that came last year um we got a whole new staff almost here and you gain the trust of the kids because a lot of things new things have been thrown at them gone through a lot of things here um I've heard some things but I don't want to get into that but you know to think about the kids, but I also know that community nation is one of the babies here because in my experience that I worked here, it wasn't very very good. So, um, but I was in the district long enough to know what I had to do and
019I did it. With all the new people coming, I don't know, from who is going to step up to do what I did. And um at the time I had to improvise, do a lot of things within what I talk to kids, help the teachers and the communication thing sometimes we didn't get. So I think those are some of the goals we need to to get a communication going between everybody. But that was mine. I don't know. I understand some of that is still going on. So I think that should be up. And then I think we need to get the people in the right positions because when I got I had a teacher job, I had a bus driving. And to me, the bus driving job should have been because how do we get
020these kids here? I had the biggest bus load and I have the littlest bus. But the majority of people that I brought to school every day was on my list. And I think that should have been taken care of ASAP in my book because those kids need to get to school. To this day, I see van after van after van coming out to pick up the kids on the reservation when we should have had one driver picking up those kids at the spots. And and our teachers are teachers, not drivers. I know how that is because I did. You come in that door over there. It's like a mindset. You got to be prepared for what's in front of you. When you step through that classroom door 15 years, you don't know what to expect.
021And those teachers driving and coming in, they need to prepare their classes. They need to prepare their work. A lot of things go behind that. And I think My topunation and I think they need to feel safe. They need to feel welcome. They need to feel comfortable. Um I know change from being home to school. And right now there's like a lot of teachers that don't like as well as other children, but it just it's going to take a long time to that um being comfortable feeling or whatever communication and pretty much the main staff drivers everybody that is involved in school everybody My priority would be to support administration staff so that we can have the best school possible. Um I want to somehow entice the students that have left come back. We have
022a lot of kids in our district that are homeschooled. Find out maybe there's something here to them. Like I said, we have an 88 students down to 58 and that's where those kids go. That's a lot of kids. Um I I think we need to to make sure we are fully staffed because the school year did not start out fully stone. So because well now there's vacant mechanic maintenance position. There's also the transportation position. Um there's there was a half a Stony Creek aid and half GCE aid in Elk Creek that was not filled. And even though Indian Valley is closed, those students are down here. They should get the same services down here. So I think that needs to be looked at. So there's plenty of support, especially since there's I think what is
023it, five or six new teachers here. So I I want to make sure that money is being spent wisely and that our budget stays solid. That's really important. And I really want to work as a unit of five that can be professional and leave personal feelings aside and work cohesively with the superintendent. That would make it stronger and in order to do that communication have transparency. My top priority continued this past year. Things are not going to change overnight. We know that. But there are some really exciting things moving forward in our district and I'm looking forward to supporting those. The 4 school week, the governor has signed a bill that will allow us to really start planning and seeing what school would look like. our students. I really believe that that's going to increase
024our student wellbeing, less stress, less burnout, allowing students more time and that's going to lead to higher attention. We have a lot of teacher turnover and we need anything we can get to. We have these teachers now. We want to keep school with that support our community and families by allowing more family time and more time to do cultural events. Another thing that's really positive going forward in our district that's going to just increase this year is the PBS positive behavior and interventions and supports system that's in place. I was on the team that helped build the framework for our school and I'm excited to see how it's being rolled out across all campuses. There's big focus on incentivizing kids across all classitive influence in our school. We have the advanced enhanced ext. They're being
025exposed to those huge opportunities that has a younger level now that they're going to be even more excited and engaged when they get to high school. I have an eighth grade boy who is not a public speaker, but he had memories as he was a freshman. I think I speaking. So, it's anything like that we can do to really help connect our kids and they can have pride in what they do, it's just going to continue to build better students in the future. We have a new new college dual enrollment now for freshman through our career exploration class. That's just just the beginning of what we can look at dual enrollment for our students. And then the multiple pathway offerings much as I would like it, not every kid is going to want to have
026animal science or mechanics. So, this is going to allow us with our small class size to really be able to hone in on what every kid wants to do next special. Anything that can interest them, any anything for their career that can help build that path to the future. You know, we should be embracing all the great things that our micro small school can provide for our students and community and not get bogged down on all the things that our kids will be missing out on. Focus on the students and staff and teachers we have right now and the very best. considering that we did start off that he has um which I thought was great that was something that we haven't had in a lot of years and it was really a great thing
027to start off with our bus driver still in the process of getting her certification but it actually opportunity for teachers to drive those vans to have the experience and student because they are new teachers, you know, and it gave that time for the opportunity. But I think um my top priority will really want to be in enrollment. Right now, we have a lot of um attendance issues for various reasons. And um as mentioned, enrollment has been down. It's been down since the early 2000s. I mean, we look back on the board meeting minutes, it's been dropping very consistently. And this is not just our district. It's across the whole state. You know, we have a lot of that are having this problem. Um, and I don't think that we need to be going and trying
028to pull kids in and things like that because I don't want any um I don't want the district to look like we're trying to fully force anyone coming to our school, right? I think the best option is actually to expand the opportunities to have great academic curriculums and things that we can offer the kids that actually draw people back and we earn them back to our district. And as far as home schooling families, I mean, who are we to say as a government entity that they should come and put their kids in public school? Could we operate open and charter options so that we can have those? Sure, we can look at that and talk about that. I think that would be great. Um, but ultimately, I do think we need to earn those families
029back. And as far as the day school, I think that's going to be a great way to increase our um and help retain qualified staff that we've been very fortunate to have. Um, again, we'll probably go into that some other questions here, but I think our 4 days is going to be a really good option for all the families that are represented in all the districts because we are one community. And I know I'm sitting here representing one district of area 5. But I really do think that as a board, we should be working together to work on increasing enrollment. Again, the platform of security that we already Um, as a parent of three children that are very diverse, our oldest son chose the military route. He went into the army two weeks after high
030school and is a 20-year veteran of the 82nd Airborne. Um, our daughter chose college. She now works for UC Davis. She has been employed with them for the last 20 years. Our youngest son is a heavy equipment operator. His dad taught him how to run a backhoe when he was 2 years old. and he is successful at that. I believe that every child has a spark that is not necessarily college town that we need to expand and look into um technologies and blue collar jobs. There are so many opportunities that you don't have to suffer from college debt, you know, to get these kids foot. I believe that we companies and people into the community into the school to show what you've done. you know what what is capable out there that these kids aren't
031just here in El Creek and here in Stony that you have a bigger world that you can expand your knowledge that you can go farther that you have opportunities that you wouldn't necessarily know about until you've got people coming in willing to teach willing to show you know willing to spend their time with the kids the volunteerism in this community is so low. Um when we had the meeting last year at the Indian Valley School and discussing the closing of the school, um my husband had to ask the question at the time, you know, all it takes background check and a fingerprint. Somebody else step up. Lee stepped up to do welding. Not one single person in the last year has stepped forward and done the background check and the and volunteer to do anything
032in this school district. That needs to change. That needs to fall on you. That needs to fall on us. That needs to fall on other people in the community. This school cannot thrive if we're not here to help. Not complain, not cause problems, but say, "I've got this ability and I am willing to teach somebody else to do it. I will read in kindergarten. I will be a lunch lady. What do you think that is to happen to school? I have not had as much experience as this is all fairly new to me. My experience I have children six of boys and I reach their time there. My desire is to create an atmosphere of peace not only for the students but for the teachers. These these teachers are job because they enjoy the kids
033learning and when there's chaos it disrupts everybody even the ones that want to learn it's it's very uncomfortable and discouraging as Melissa said that you know not all children are college And there's lots of blue. We have men in this community, ranchers, beekeepers, different ones that are always looking for help and they're willing to teach and guide. And if these young men want to learn something, there are men out there that are willing to take them under their wing and show them. How do we how do we motivate them to want to learn something and to grow? It takes time. Big thing, you know, getting behind the administration and the faculty supporting them. Um when we when we are at odds with each other eventually gets down to the kids and they are they're not
034doing well and that is on us. We need to hold to a standard where we are being respectful to each each other and we're doing the best we can our work we are an example and we're having them to learn and grow in these areas I I know that sports is a big thing and we'd like to see more kids participate and I think we've got some good people in charge of and coaching those things and I appreciate all those. Uh second question start and is one of your responsibilities is to manage tax dollars to the best of your ability. What are your thoughts on this responsibility specifically? I would say that former I think that should be the first other activities that brought to school that into a [Music] This is one of the
035most important parts of the trusty Along with making sure the board policies and procedures are being followed, we have to make sure that the budget is being followed and it's solvent. Board members need to do their own research. When it's brought to a board to approve a project and you don't understand, it's okay to say, "We need to table this. I need to do some more research." I think sometimes money may get spent on stuff that not everybody fully understands, which is okay. And it's okay to say that you don't understand. So I think it's really important to especially on large expenditures to know exactly what the money is being spent on. Um be sure to have communication on the expenditures exactly not just say oh it's been there x y and z what exactly
036is this being spent on? That's that makes things much better because as a board member you could get asked, hey, why are they building that building out there or for lack of something better not that approved without the board? But you you have to let the board know what's going on so that folks ask me blindsided and say I have no idea. A school must show that they can beat their budget for three years out and I think sometimes spending carryover money and this is something that a board must pay attention to because we never know what the governor is going to give us every year in the education fund. You might think we're going to get a lot of money and then you don't have it. You spent your carryover and you're in trouble.
037So it's the budget is very very important and it's very important to be transparent about it. The public has a right to know what their I recently development was we have enough money to do anything but not enough money to do everything. So we really have to adjust and it's used to benefit students in some way. We must make sure that these funds are spent efficiently prioritizing initiatives and programs that we know work or that have data behind them that are going to support student achievement and wellbeing. Often times it seems like we're just putting out one immediate fire after the next. on longterm investments such as maintaining school infrastructure, updating technology, looking at competitive salaries for our staff as ways to ensure that our district can maintain. As I said before, I work in
038grant finance and I understand how complex that is with that mix of grants and partnerships and alternative funding sources to supplement those tax dollars and all those funding sources have different strengths. It's really important that we realize that not everything can be spent just on salaries, just on buying the bus of knowing what those funds can can't be used for, what the timelines are associated with them, that they're use it or lose it in a lot of cases. And it is important that we have that clear communication with our staff, with the community, with our parents to know that why these decisions are being made. Lastly, we need to use data to make informed decisions. For example, the closing of Indian Valley campus was based on many different aspects. One of those was the budget
039implications without having sound financial statistics, understanding the attendance of open versus increased operational efficiencies and how those increase how those could impact our budget. The board could not engage in decision in that kind of a situation. Managing tax dollars is a serious commitment and We have to balance financial stewardship with student success. The goal has to be making sure that every decision reflects both respect of the taxpayer and community and what their input is and the drive to continue improving and having a better future for our students. But um as a previous small business owner, I can Running a business is not the same as personal finances. It's very, very different. And running a school district, it's even more different. And so, you know, when you have a regular finances and you go to a
040school district, it's having to budget millions of dollars, which yeah, to us, that's a lot. You go to the bigger school district, Orange County, and things that they're trying to balance. And it's rough. I'll be honest. There's a lot of we do have a business officer helps us in that. Let's be honest, I'm not a CPA and I don't have plans to go to college to do that and be able to know every single line item of everything. And that's why we rely on resources that we do have because we do have someone that did go to college for that and guide us in it. Um, and I do think there needs to be a huge balance between weighing out what we're spending on and yes, being informed in those decisions. Um and I do
041feel like over this last year especially given all the challenges that we faced we did do that um with the security system with um there's a lot that goes into that when we get proposals from um the contractors or individuals who are bid on these jobs they are the sick you know and we have to take the time to work through them because like the question we are And as a taxpayer, yes, I'm concerned on the taxpayer side and then on the board side, I'm concerned managing that well and doing what's right by our students and making sure that we can pay salaries that we can take advantage of these funds that are used and you know when I was back in 2012 someone mentioned for six years six years I don't think that's where
042we do need to balance things. We also need to give wages to our teachers in the best ability that we can make sure that we're having those discussions with CSA and our teachers and all these that we can provide the best for our students and our staff. Well, the other thing I can say about this is if you've ever heard the expression, she's so tight she squeaks. That's me. I not spend moneylessly. Not in my home, not in any of the the companies that I work with, um the groups, the volunteerism. I question everything. There is not a line item that I am not asking why was this amount of money spent on this thing. I am green as brass to the schoolboard issue. So, I don't know our budget and you know how we
043allocated and everything, but I will tell you that I'm not rubber stamping anything. I will question every dollar that needs to be spent. I had someone as far as setting up a system like for myself anyway. I take the finances seriously the tax money and in this system it would be how spending money does it benefit the kids faculty the school the community if it only benefits one maybe it's not considering it benefits consider, as I said earlier, I have a lot to learn and I will be on this. Okay. Well, for me, I worked in kindergarten. I met with classic points. So, but anyway, for me, I would have to I think getting the advice from our financial guy. We always I know from county, he um give you some advice and then working
044together with whomever is on the board. Um great to work together, I think. So, um, with that being said, and we would have to go and see where and how this money is to be spent, not just on or you know, some of those things and we it all like Kathy said, what's going to be to our district as a whole, the kids, the staff, and Next question. First and the question is, how would you go about improving student engagement? Well, I thought a lot about this because children are different in this day and age. They're talking about sports. There's a lot of schools that can't even feel because kids aren't. So, I We need to have electives that entice all students, not just a few. So, I know that Oak's always kind of geared
045towards a type classes. However, a lot of kids aren't into that. They just really aren't. And so, I think we need to tap into their interest to try to set up elects that fit the majority of the kids. So, I don't know. I mean, maybe poll. There's not that many children. and find out what you're really interested in and maybe lean towards that with electives. Um, at one of the board meetings here actually mentioned doing the Native American meeting which would be I mean cover a lot of things do a history course on it culture all that kind of stuff and it would be that would be a really cool thing and and I believe um I think Melissa brought up about We have a lot of people in the communities that have different skills.
046We have a we have an artist that makes my earrings I have on. He makes all kinds of stuff out of silverware. He's draw stuff. He's a musician. We need to we need to get a hold more than just a small pot of books and see put it out there advertise or whatever not just word of mouth and maybe get somebody to come in and some different things, you know, advertising community for folks that may have a specialy that could or wouldn't want to help students. Um, as for the required curriculum courses, I think we need to really support the staff if they want to venture outside that box and still meet the standards. Some teachers have some wild ideas that might entice the kids to really um want to get involved. And like I
047said before with the six to1 ratio, this should be a desired school for learning. And then I think that making attendance and Emily may already be doing this. I don't know. I asked my niece, but first quarter is not yet. So I think that making attendance a big deal. The better the attendance, the better the learning. And attendance has always been an issue here. It's actually an issue for a lot of schools. Make a big deal out of those kids that make maybe not 100% all the time, but make a big deal out of it if they make 90%. There's a lot of talk about social emotional learning and honestly I didn't really understand what it was about. So I came to the teacher here and got a real education office about how if our
048kids are not safe and fed and warm and clothed, we can't even think about teaching them anything. So really being able to make sure that we can support our kids mental health and wellbeing wheies, counseling, anti-bullying initiatives. If we can create a place where these kids feel safe and valued and respected regardless of where they came from, what their background, it's going to really make them feel like they're part of our community. Like we talked about here, bring in volunteers in real world folks in careers project learning so that the kids can apply what they're learning to something how it's actually going to impact them in the real world. Different electives pathway programs that might interest offering a broad range of extracurricular activities like track team we were able to start this year to cater
049to a diverse range of student needs and things that don't need a big realistic big sports teams as much as we want to but there's a lot of other alternatives that we can look into golf and provide kids a way to be a leader they have a voice even in small classes there ways that we can provide leadership positions having a student member of the school board setting a way for our high school students to be leaders we have read the kindergart elementary the hero used to come up and be a reading buddy from the high school. Just any way that we can make our students feel like they can take that ownership of something. So we we need to address not just academics and sports, but really being sure that we can have our
050students feel socially emotional supported and empowered to succeed. I think we've obviously always we always like to be students coming to school and we don't want to be like bored and so just focusing on textbooks and curriculum isn't the only class visits I've seen a lot of teachers have been doing um in the out of the box thinking students um and able to rewards and things like that. But I really do feel that this four week school um four day school week um is going to offer those opportunities for all these things are trying to get volunteers are trying to work on that aren't just sports but if we have a 4 day week we have that whole extra day for enrichment and honestly this comes back to not just um the fun engagement but
051also being able to Because with some of this we have enough kids that can make sourcing small right but if they don't all meet requirements then we don't have a team and so it's not just supporting their engagement in extracurriculars and activities but also that solid support to be able to give them to right like if they know that their grades are dependent on they're going to work for that. Then we have other things where they're not so they're not deprived solely on that. But I think having this opportunity to have an entire day of all these things that we can meet and differentiate the specific needs and desires of our students is going to open a world of opportunity to our kids that quite honestly none of the state are able to do this
052right now. And I think that we should I think that there are opportunities here in this community. There's opportunities here at the school. You have a wood shop that is vacant for a teacher. Donna Wilson is teaching the animals the ad program. She's very clear about the fact that she doesn't do wood shop. She reached out to my husband to do the welding shop. There's $1,000 worth of welding equipment this school owns that was sitting in that portion of the building unused because there's nobody that's coming forward to teach it. He's doing welding, but he's not a carpenter. So, you know, you've got a whole portion of your school. It it doesn't matter how much stuff you buy for the kids if you don't have someone willing to come forward and teach it. um reaching
053out to, you know, businesses that somebody can come teach the kids, teach an adult how to take over it. You have to give the kids opportunities that they're actually going to do. You can't just do the sports. Um I agree with the tearing it down that you can't kill a football team, okay? But you can feel the track shooting team. We can feel the track and field. We can have one kid grow shot with. You can have kid running traffic, you're at least doing something. There has to be things out there. It's also the parents responsibility to get your kids involved. Don't just say, "You don't have to do anything. Go to school, do your time, and come home." You have to reach those opportunities. As a parent, you have to encourage your kids, whether
054they're in elementary school, you know, you're going to do a teball team or the poper football. I don't know if they call it popcorn anymore, but all the way up through high school. If you as a parent aren't looking at who's in your house going, "What are they doing? Where are they engaged?" That's on you. You have to encourage your kids to come. You have to be the one who's driving the practices. You have to be the one that's driving the extracurricular activities and make sure that they're fed and rested and have good have a good night's sleep. You have to engage as much as a parent as you're expecting these children to engage in a school system connection last year and started the building with the kids. It made such a difference for some
055of them and They're excited about those things. We can be connected. We can learn kids names. We can show up for the games. We can encourage the parents to encourage their children. Being connected, reaching out to different people in the community that that might be willing to give some of their time. And a lot of people are busy. I know that. But connection that's that's what I want towards. Well, my thing was like both of them we need to get the kids out. I think that really you can ask not just tell them this is what we're we want to do. What do you choose to do of these things that I'm offering you? How about you ask them, hey, what would you like to do? Is there something you would like to try? How
056about you? I don't think that was offered like that. I think if you ask your kid, honestly, he would open up and Maybe today let's uh do something different. Let's go out on the basketball court. Let's go play catch on the football pit. Let's go up there and play some crazy. You get the option to kids and tell you something. Let's go. You see my front yard? I got a lot of in my front yard. Kids love my because it's offered to them to do what they want to do. You let them make choices. Offer that choice to them. Kids love to make choices and here we offer one or two things when there's a lot in the world to offer. I think we can if we step outside the box and not be afraid
057ourselves, these kids will pick that up as well. Thank you. We also want to know the children, you know, maybe they want to sell ch something like I think maybe engaging in some deep work. Um show show the rest of the students what we have to offer. You know, maybe a little bit of language or um maybe how to make fragr, you know, something simple like a necklace or a pair of earrings or you know um just you know just so we could all be I think um communication is a big thing and all that they want to know [Music] basketball that opportunity to express themselves. They don't want next question. The community needs to be involved in our schools and education system. How would you work to improve the engagement of the community? Well,
058I think that increased engagement comes back to communication. We've talked about here a lot and improving channels of communication that are clear, frequent, and accessible. I think that that perspective has been happening a lot lately with the district. You probably noticed a lot in usage of the district's Facebook page to students, different activities, things as well as a dedicated page both for athletics to inform about sporting events, different things that are going on. The district has also started sending out a newsletter so that we can reach those folks that are not in Facebook. This is also going to help reach potential students who may attend other districts or new to our area and not know anything about our school. It's not a secret that our school might not have the best reputation for folks who
059are not, you know, that don't really know what has been happening. So, if we can reach more people in the community and share share what's going on, invite them to events, have events like we had back to school night, which is probably one of the most well attended events that we've had in a long time. Have more things like that that are open to the community, have meals, bring people in. It's no pressure. We're not here for parent teacher conference. We're here community what's going on extended family everybody is welcome to create those connections we need to continue to build strong partnerships with our families the school's not here just to be another parent to the student to run their lives for them the students are not going to thrive and be productive citizens without
060a hand in hand partnership between school and the parents and supporting each other we can continue the grindstone advisory committee and see if there's a potential for providing other workshops or resources that families might find useful and I think we can continue to support student and teacher involvement out in the community through community service projects learning things responsibility students and helps connect these new teachers that are new to the school to the community to get them involved and out there and learning about our families learning culture, learning about the history of our tribe, the history of the ranchers, making sure that there's that good connection so that they're able to come back in the classroom and have that connection with our students because they've met their family. They've seen their ranch, they've been to the
061dance, they've been able to make those connections in a non school environment, not the teacher conference, which is housed at community events. I think that they will the teachers themselves will I think this goes kind of hand in handcunt and be part of this for the streets. But als that community involvement around our students. Um I don't know about you guys when I was in high school being able to go to sporting events and going to all the different things the school was offering. One, it's cool to see the community come alongside it was like oh my gosh they don't even have kids and they're here and they're watching me, you know, like they care, you know, and to be able to come alongside these kids and show them that yeah, maybe our kids might
062grow with grand But we're all part of the same community. And so I do think kind of building that and it's not just once your kids graduate like well there there's alumni there that the other. It's no we're still all part of this community. We still all come alongside these are the rising generations, right? These are things that we want to look for into building this big community but building with the rest of our community. I think it's something in such a positive way. I think it's going to impact us as adults in our community in a positive way because when we come along and help one another and the kids don't like But when you get to come alongside someone and do something, doesn't that just help every like you feel good about that?
063They feel good about that and we can do that and show and model this for our kids. So I like I think that um getting the word out again doing this and let's be honest, social media is kind of the communication of this world. Um but also realizing that likeing on Facebook and so having these newsletters going around putting out flyers doing mailers like that and opening up these opportunities for people to come in to volunteer and to really invest in each other because we are one community school and otherwise I want to say that when I came to the after the back to school night opening day um and introduced the gym floor I had never Native American dancers before totally different culture from mine. Never seen it. Didn't know anything about it. I
064sat next to the sweetest lady that told me what the dances were about. Let me answer and ask questions, describe things, and just bridging that cultural gap without making me feel awkward that you shouldn't be asking questions and giving of herself. And I think that that community that this community needs more of that that we need to not be two different cultures side by side in one school, but we need to blend. We need to do the, you know, the beating and classes like that, the pride that Delena has talked about across the board. Um, we need to have more of these cultural campuses and, you know, have the kids have pride in their culture, but share it and and not, you know, keep things back that that there's a lot that we can bridge
065just by understanding each other better. And and I think that our kids can do that and by the kids doing it, the parents can do it. The parents interacting with each other, talking to somebody when you're adding them. Don't just be in your own little cluster. Meet somebody new. What's your name? Who's your kid? Where do you work? You know, interact with each other. Don't just be separate. The kids see that, the kids start interacting that way. If you're closed up, they'll remain closed up and they're not going to go out in the big world and be children that want to approach, you know, anybody and take on a new adventure. They're going to stay close up. You have to give a kid confidence. Um, my thoughts are word of mouth, people come in contact
066with let them know what's going on, what's taking place in the school, how the school's improving, how they can get involved if they want, and taking the opportunities whenever we're helping somebody to just be a part of it. Okay. I think we need to keep encouraging and inviting our community to our schools and let them see what's here and what we are offering. Keep them informed because before we got this new system up, whatever it is, I don't know what it's called. I used to be that Facebook lady. I would the super let everybody know this is a snow day we're two hours on the delay or we would uh whatever was happening everybody would look on my Facebook page and see what was going on. So really the new system I really like it
067because I can I can see what's going on and also I think all the schools have my grandson and I get to see what he's doing down in the valley. Yeah. And I think that communication has really gotten better that way just not within. I think that Facebook is really going and um to community involved starts happening there's a lot better or But yeah, communication again is a big important thing for our community, our school staff, and for our board members. Emily, you're doing this. My first thing is really a tough one. We're becoming a retired community both and there's not a lot of new folks moving in with kids. So, Um, one of the ways I think to engage some of the elders in our communities is I want to go back to see
068the board meetings held in. It used to be alternated every other month and that made it more to the folks in Stony because you know a lot of meetings down there. They can come to a board and that's one way to get the community engaged in the school to find out what's going on. And I think it's only fair that's that's also stud part of this district. I believe that um the more inviting and open staff is and the more transparent the school is, the more comfortable it makes it for people to become involved. Um I think the Facebook page is great. It really is because it does have lots of But a lot of people don't do Facebook, especially your older folks in communities. One of the things that I think it wouldn't be
069a bad idea to have some everyone poster thrown up on some of the billboards in town so that people can see what's going on. One of the things that happens at my granddaughter school that I think is really cool is they have what's called lunch on the lawn and the The kids can invite their parents, their grandparents, you know, relative or a neighbor and they come to the school that day and bring lunch or they can buy lunch through the cafeteria and they spend it with the students and it's just a nice little thing to do. they get a big turnout at the school that they attend. And then like I said, board meetings need to go back to being in that community. Crystal teachers professional development and wellbe wellbeing is important. How would you
070directly support the effort for professional development of the current development and as a teacher I know there definitely need to be met as a lot of that is actually in the realm of administration um and so we can support our superintendent in doing that and giving the direction to ensure that there are professional development they can go to that we make aware of it some to provide them the opportunity to go to that um to continue their professional development um I do think that their wellbe is really important in any job mental health can you know suffer from time to time I think having the support of a really good administrative staff that helps us feel that we are to come and express their needs, their desires or anything in between. Um, I know this
071last year we were having some specific teacher that needed to request more behavioral support and superintendent specialist in there. So, I feel like that is ways that especially the mental well of our teachers and our staff. Um but as far as professional development per se to accomplish that but again be able to support them possibly financially and those are discussions that I love to have when we have our board meetings and any opportunity we have to support our staff for their professional development and their wellbeing is up. Well, you know the expression, you don't know what you don't know. I thought teachers once you got your degree, that was it until I spoke to yesterday and she informed me that no, no, they have to continue and they're required to get credits throughout their teaching
072career and there are trainings and things for them to go to. That was news to me. I thought that was pretty cool though because you're not stagnant. I know my children grew up post core core math for common core math. I would have never been able to do that. Didn't know that that was a thing that these teachers that were teachers back from, you know, in elementary school that are now being exposed to this get the training for things like that. That they get future developments for progress of what things are going on and they can actually as she just stated, reach out and say, "I need help with this, a disciplined child. I need help with, you know, somebody else that's got a special need. I have one kid in my class that's smarter
073than everyone. They're writing cursive in first grade and everybody else is still learning the alphabet. I need to be able to stimulate that child. So, I need some extra training, you know, to do that." I, you know, I think it's great that teachers can reach out and request and Now the superintendent find those courses and training seminars and everything to offer them. I was surprised about the development as well. I have to keep learning experiencing new things and I'm fully support listening to the teachers and what they see the ch [Music] help them and the the teachers well um they they need to be supported and encouraged. They're they're facing many challenges and they they just need to get back and the whole faculty and administration means the community and the board behind them and
074helping them to achieve the things In the past we have had the professional development here. Um and I think even um cook she had to have um some personal development class that they with our previous um superintendent. We had all we were dealing with kids like um and how we were dealing with those. So, um and that is a big deal. It really is a big deal. And so, I would keep on encouraging the new people here because We do we do need that. And and then I would also encourage them to write those behaviors and to turn them in and to keep asking for help. We have kids that need maybe an IEP. Maybe they need um counseling. Maybe they need tutors. Maybe they need a oneon one because I know a lot of
075these kids and and I would encourage these teachers to keep on asking the administration to please come and help me because day after day it is the teachers who are watching our children and listening to them and they those teachers need to keep safe in order to teach and do their job well. And so, um, I feel for them. I know I work here and I behind them 100% on helping our children to be the best that they can be and to get the help that these teachers need when trouble arises here. And that needs to be dealt with. from my perspective like now because I've been here a long time 15 years in my class right so I experienced a lot of that so these personal development and the kids I mean the teachers
076really do need that to process on how we're going to deal with these kids. And with the development, I feel sometimes we need to retract how long we've learned and to calm down and think about these kids because I know I have 15 years to do that with my grand. But you know, kids are kids. So we need to keep an open mind and work and do stuff because I know they're very stressful and support with the parents, My parents come and get our students come back to our district. [Music] school district as much as professional development is very important. That's way new ideas, be able to depend where they go, they can meet with other teachers, find out what they're doing. But I think that all staff need to have professional development, not just
077teachers. You need to have offer every single staff member an opportunity because one of the parts of this is the the well-being of a teacher. It's not just the wellbeing of the teacher, it's well every staff member that you have for your district because um appreciated staff makes a better environment, which makes a better learning environment. And one of the ways I believe that you can show appreciation to staff is to offer them training because just because you're a cook or an a or a janitor or a bus driver, bus drivers have to take training. There still might be something out there that can help you with your job. And it may just be a used to go to these women's conferences which were they were pretty cool in where I worked at was strictly
078for women on how to handle we're we're different creatures than men so we it was good we learned really good stuff there and if staff's not happy children pick up on that somebody mentioned that earlier I think um did that children pick up on anger and staff is not getting along well that can affect children's learning as well. I think team building is important. I hated team building in the 28 years I worked in education but I got something out of everyone I went to. We we had fun stuff though not just business. Um the district I was at they had a team building and they had a painting snap where they actually come in and they did some paint and it was you know, read different look at it, it's like, oh my goodness.
079And it it was really good because during that there was also business being discussed. Um there's there needs to be settings for staff as well, all staff. I worked in one district where you would come in to work and there might be a desk and that was it. And you might have a new pen and it was a token, but it makes you feel appreciated and I think that helps build a staff as a whole. Pretty soon we started putting a Tootsie Roll on the superintendent's desk or on the administrative assistant desk because they were the ones doing that. So I I think um I think this maybe should have been teacher professional development. You have to train every year. Not just for staff. Ongoing training across the boards on best practices, new technology, new
080laws, regul different ways to look at things. Professional development opportunities should be tailored based on the needs of that particular staff, teacher, aid, superintendent, what they might need. It should be practical relevant. There's a lot of one size fits all in order to actually be useful to our staff. There should be access to different forms of professional development, external conferences, webinars, online online or hybrid options which can allow them to do things at their own pace. We need to support teachers and staff in continuous improvement where they are supported to try new strategies. Things might not work perfectly the first time. They want to bring some new way of teaching curriculum into their classroom and there needs to be that good supported feedback loop between the administration and teachers and staff that supports them and
081get instructive feedback so they can be contined professional development time that we're trying to shove things right now in a couple of days a month and I think Having these extra days able to expand offerings and not have the teachers losing out on classroom times to cover the time they need to go to a conference. It's not always going to allow them more to be able to do more development without taking away from class time or prep time. And we can ensure that they have the resources to do whether it be financial support or materials that they need to different out of their pocket. We're going to support them to be trying new things. I've had the opportunity to attend a small school district assessation conference. There's a lot of superintendent and school board members
082there and just those type of opportunities just to network with other superintendent, other school board members, find out on a very casual basis, hey, what works in your school? Oh, we haven't tried that yet. Oh, no, we tried that. I probably shouldn't bother. And it's just really not not anything formal. Just being able to bounce ideas off of folks and it's it's easy to get caught up here and this is just what our school board does. That's the other way that school specific. All right, that's the prepared questions. There's some audience questions and answers but Rita I'm going to start with the audience questions with you because it's about um it says have you how school week willffect parents and maybe could you explain a little bit everybody's aware I'm not aware I'm curious so
083you're yeah so the week was a much bigger challenge than I thought it would be I have some friends who have their son that really makes a lot of sense in class but have more time and that's something that we had talked about a lot feedback that there are working parents I find myself a working parent and it's a big challenge something I thought about that we would still have the day staff here at whichever that Monday we would still have a Monday staff here. There would be the same meals provided there would be we would really structure based on what the population of kids that came similar to a spark program or summer school program. There's going to be different ages and be able to tailor what type of knowing it might be opportunity.
084crafts or cultural enrichment but there would be the same for childare but having a safe place for kids school day. Okay. Thanks Crystal. Any thoughts on weeks? Yes. So I know a huge issue for people who amamilies that swing it and like cool we get the kids to stay home with us or you know for the families that they work from home where they're part of that um one thing but then the parents are like I can't just have a day where I don't have you know child care I think that really does open up and I kind of touch on that student engagement being able to open those nutrition opportunities um ting but it really I think helps us to tailor the what we're offering to the kids and extra support, offer the extra
085enragement, challenge them in these things, be able to see what they're interested in, and then work to offer it. Um, and so it's, you win, you know, all wins. Um, because when it comes to families who have their kids home, you know, for our Native American students when they have their dances on the weekends and it is so hard on Monday to get up and come to school, now we expect the they still need that day, it's available. Um, and if they want to sleep in because they spend the weekend, you know, doing their ceremonies, then fine, they get to sleep in. And the kids where their parents are like, I need a place for them to be let's provide awesome opportunities for those kids as well. And even on that, the things that we
086offer, maybe they're going to start. But the cool part is there's funding that we can only use on extracurricular things. So, school day. We're going to have the whole world open up to us to use those funds on the extra day. So, it's kind of like a day plus one week. Melissa, anything? Um, I think that having the day offers the kids credit recovery for anybody that's falling behind in a class. you get more one-on-one with the teachers that are that are there and available. It may not be your said teacher in your history class or your math class, but it's another teacher that's going to be able to work with you, maybe teach you a new perspective on what it is you're you're learning. Um, I think that it turns Mondays into field days
087and every kid loves field day. You know, you get to do anything you want. If you've got a rolling rotation of we're going to learn archery this Monday, you know, we're going to learn how to everybody's making meatballs, you know, giving those kids some skills that they're going to get a one day thing and go, you know what, that was pretty cool. When I'm asked, what would I like to pursue when offered more opportunities? I had a day of archery that I was good at and I think I could, you know, expand on that. Giving kids those kind of opportun for the school attendance for the native children who come on Monday. And then it would also offer an opportunity for these boys who maybe want to go with the ranch. And the fact that
088The school is going to be providing um these other things for workingamilies that need their child in school and they can get some ting and special. All of those are great ideas, but that's enough. In the world that we don't really live in a lot on the kids go to school, you could probably count maybe three days in a row, maybe. If you go to four, they're going to get lower. I mean, realistically, and they're all I would say a lot of them are behind already and they're never going to catch up. You're offering them a day to stay home. But are they really going to come to school on that big day that you're offering them? I don't think so. I think they're going to go do like you said she said they're not
089going to come to school to catch up. You're offering me a day to stay home. I do what I want. That's what they're going to do. But but You know, that's that's my outlook on that because I know the kids on the they're already missing. Do you really think they're going to come and say, "Oh, God, I want to catch up on math today. I'm going to go to school and I'm going to get all that work caught up." Not when I could stay home and go swimming. Are you kidding me? I mean, that's such a reality. what they're going to do in the real world. This all sounds perfect, but I don't think so. I wish it was [Music] because I know a lot of single parents that have a lot of single parents
090or you know like I mean obviously there's like opportunities for the school to be open for some people know single parents that have answers and [Music] schools about kids not wanting to go to school. I remember when I was growing up, if you didn't go to school, you were either on or you know CPS or something or you know I don't my learn and that's their choice, right? Um, I did a little research. I holding support and he told me that $55,000 happens every year, but it's not only a 4 day. The district's still going to be open five days a week. So, how are you not going to save money? You're going to have to have certificated here for the kids. How you going to know how many certificates where you don't have other
091folks besides the teachers. Um, so in that aspect, it's not going to benefit all the staff and talking about staff, how many of your teachers are going to say, "Pick me, pick me," and work that fifth day. And are you going, if there's going to be a contract? Are they going to want more money than their normal daily pay? Um, and I'm going to bring up these ladies. The kids aren't going to come to school on that day. They're not. My daughter was in she was good at school, but I can guarantee you if she had the option, she would not come on that Monday. So, I don't know what the four I don't know how and maybe I don't I don't have all the information, but I just don't right now see how that
092would benefit anybody. Um some of the questions from the audience are about enrollment and how to increase but maybe give us some thought when you do your closing statements that's been touched on by student one last question from the public I was going to ask you get this first what are your opinions on required vaccinations to attend California has a law that you used to be able to get a religious exemption so that your kids didn't have to be vaccinated. That law has changed and you now have to get a certification from a doctor stating that that you are exempt from it. There are currently 72 vaccinations that you need to enter public schools. So based on the chemicals that are in it, a lot of parents are opting out of that. You know, I
093mean there's formaldahhide that's in some of the vaccines, there are weird things that are, you know, for the polio and the measles and stuff. You know, we're trying to keep an outbreak from happening. I get that. But as as a parent, um, coming from the community of menville, a lot of parents chose based on the not wanting to get their kids those 17 70 vaccination shots. I think my thought is nice people if I had the opportunity grand but because it would be nice if people had their children still working here. I know we had the kids when they entered kindergarten there um I mean that much children. So know Did you say 72 [Music] requires We stopped a lot of diseases, but I do know a lotical reason. something that's decision for whatever reason
094I don't think that we should have a oneizefits all rule on vacation They definitely, you know, we've come a long way to prevent diseases, but every single person is different and every single person's body reacts different. And so to put kids into a box and expect that every stating that a parent doesn't actually know what's best for their child. And I would never want to be on the side of that. that's far overreach from a government entity and I do think that because of those specific things that parents should be able to get waivers and that's done and it should be between a doctor and a little tiny patient to be able to say if they are exempt from that and so I don't think the government or state or any government should be putting
095any All [Music] right. Again, everybody's got three minutes. We weren't told we had to make a closing statement, so I'm winging this one. I You don't have to use your your full three minutes. Oh, thank you for that. I'm very interested in being on this board. I want to be a part of something bigger. I want to expand what I'm already doing. I want to grow in my knowledge of the community of the school, what's being offered. Um, offer some perspective. My children have gone to school from Oregon to Menescino County. They've actually attended 10 different schools because we travel with my husband for his job. They have all kinds of world experience. me being a part of it because I never let my kids just go to school and say to you when you
096get home I was there. I was interacting. I was, you know, a part of the school. I was a PTA president for 10 years. When my youngest child was finally a freshman in high school, somebody said, "Do you still want to be an elementary school PTA president?" Because I didn't, you know, but I was involved and nobody else was stepping forward to take over that responsibility. I'm a parent that asks questions. I am not going to sit home and complain that my kids got bad grades when I don't even know who their teacher is. I don't know what their homework is. I don't know what they're doing. I don't know who their friends are. Um, you know, one of the schools that my children attended had a policy at the start of the school year.
097You just filled in all of your paperwork and it said that your children will go on school field trips anytime we decide to take them and you for giving blank permission. I came to school one day with balloons and a cake for my daughter's class and the entire school was empty. And I went, "Whoa, where's my kids?" She was at the high school, but they had taken all of the kids from elementary school to the high school. This mom was not okay with that. You know, I have to know where my kids are. Being a part of the school board, being a part of the community, asking questions, being on campus, having the newsletter, having the Facebook, it's bringing us all in. It's it's expanding what's going on. Knowing when there's volleyball games because we're
098in, you know, that season right now. It's like, hey, I have Friday off. You know, I go watch a volleyball game. I didn't know about it. If it wasn't published, I'd still be sent home, you know, on Friday. So, I think it's so important to outreach and and and to better understand some children's names. Well, I want to be on board, but my biggest problem right now is I want to know who the poor poor voting members in our district. We've had trouble with the we only have four four voting members in our district that between Delena and I right now. So what we need to do is get the voting things out from you guys. So we can get some votes in so we can have have one of us be on the school
099board. So without that, I don't know. Maybe one of us won't be [Music] What can you say? We don't have enough voters on our side. You know, I know it's not funny, but I've been on the phone all day like waiting for answers from the county to tell me what we were going to do about our situation. um we have to encourage the people out there that did um some reister to vote. So, and that's going to be our goal. We can probably get half of this board. So, we should Yeah. So, we get on the ballot. We're not even on our ballot. So that's our goal. Um I've been on the board for five years and it's a learning experience and still want to learn [Music] more a lot. I just and you know
100try to listen to all aspects of opening um hoping for a better future for all of us that are involved students. I think I would be an asset to the board because of my experience. I want to see kids come back to our school. I don't want to see the doors closed. I want to see Indian Valley actually being repaired. Do I think it'll ever open? I don't. But at least we need to do what's bringunities together. actually experience would be an asset to this board. They were driving a long ways for school at that point here. at [Music] home at home was not so improvements that I want to see and I have critiques I want to give I can't do it from sitting on Facebook or texting my friend about all this stuff
101that's happening I need to be a voice and actually make a lot of positive change and I'm looking forward to being able to continue that I want to stay on the really encouraged by all the changing in a lot of areas and mention of Indian pursuing connections and we're already able to do more than we ever thought we could in this time frame. And so I think by reaching out in our communities and like this cluster of community that we are reaching out even further and getting the help from experienced people I mean our superintendent it was her first year she doesn't know everything. We're a bunch of volunters we don't Um, but I mean I do think that my my credentials, you know, teacher and business owner and all the experiences that I've had
102do help contribute to this award. And honestly like really not about me though because if you live in area I'm here to represent you and so I want to be the best representation of you and society but like I find them to the I want to hear from you. You know, I am here to be a representation of you and not just represent my own agenda or my own thoughts and opinions on things that why everyone have some sort of qualities and things to offer. We all base our opinions and our thoughts on our past experiences and things that that we have to offer. I think ultimately remembering that we're here to represent you. You know, it's not just about us. the best that we can, but I I would love to have that involvement
103to hear from you guys. Um because it takes a village and we have all these kids that are currently enrolled and hopefully more in the future and I want that that village to come alongside and be a part of the process. Thank you. Hey, how about that? It's 9:00. How's that? So, just a second. Hey, just real quick. Um, I heard some of the candidates say what district they are representing, but can we go down the line just so we know what district you're representing? area of property. Okay. And then two one and one district four district four two two and okay and so just so you guys know the map is up here if you don't know where you were at you can come and look at where you were represented at. So these
104are the districts up here. So the number of the legends are right here and the colors. So district four, district five, district one, district two, district three. I cover all of them. Okay. And then real quick also before I turn it back over to Larry, um this these type of things don't happen by magic. There was a lot of donations over there by the community. Um, whoever helped set this up, if you want to stand up or just raise your hand just like this if you're nervous. But awesome job. This is a great setup. Thank you for doing that. You've been a great host tonight. Thank you so much for doing your job. Again, I'll give it back. [Applause] You guys all did a fantastic job. It takes a lot of courage to sit up
105there in front of everybody in front of the community and do what you all did tonight. You guys all did a great job. Thank you so much. Last wouldn't matter if you all were here. So, thank you very much. [Applause] Uh, this is a nice turnout, a very nice audience, a lot of good questions. Um, one thing I want to say, I was a little surprised. So, I grew up in Willows and Willow Unified. It's that large district. Okay, I hear. Okay, I got figure out. It's a little different for me. So, I can understand why. One thing I learned when my wife was on the school board, even though they're elected by a district, they represent the whole school district, right? They're working for every single child and parent in the district and is
106a lot of work. I really appreciate and impressed that they're willing to take on this job. And so keep that in mind. Um my kids will grown up they were here um they are filling attempting to fill constitutional office. All right just to give you the big picture comes right down to right here under the US constitution public form of government for each state school board is part of that right that's why when they take office they have an oath to support the constitution of California and United States. So this really is your democracy in action and I very much appreciate that you're here and you're participating. So that being said, I say it's time for cookies. All right, that's what I'm getting. I get two cookies everybody. That's it. [Applause]