001Good evening everyone. >> This is a meeting of the board of education in public for the purpose of conducting business and it's not to be considered a publicity meeting. The agenda reserves two periods for public participation and those wishing to receive a personal response from the board or superintendent should complete a public comment form available at the meeting entrance or on our website. Upon request to the superintendent, the district shall make reasonable accommodation for a person with disabilities to be able to participate in this evening. Both can you please call the role? >> Mr. Albright >> here. >> Mr. Berley >> here. >> Mr. Sapola >> here. >> Miss Kangas here. >> Mr. Pisano >> here. >> Mrs. Riser. Mrs. here. Miss GTO >> here. Grant >> here. >> Thank you. Uh we have meeting
002minutes from our April 13th meeting in our packet. I'll move for the board of education uh approve the attach meeting minutes for April 13th from 26. >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All those in favor of approving the meeting minutes from April 13th, please say I. I. Any opposed? Board policy provides that the superintendent of schools shall prepare an agenda for all board meetings as directed by the president of the board of education. Do we have a motion? >> I'll move that the board of education approve the agenda as presented. >> I'll second. >> We have a motion and second. Any discussion? >> All those in favor of approving the agenda say I. I. Any opposed? Okay, first up, we have a school presentation tonight on our DEX meeting
003data update um from chief academic officer Bell Thank you for your patience. Okay. Um, tonight I would like to give you a little update on early literacy legislation and how we at Dexter are addressing not only to meet the letters to law and the legislation, but more importantly how we're we are meeting the needs of our students with early literacy. So, I'm going to focus on um what we are currently doing and how we to um but before we dive into that, I want to um go over some general terms. This might look familiar to you if you've been on the board for a couple years. These are the same terms that we've gone over a few times. Um just want to make sure that you know what we look at to make informed decisions
004going forward to pick curricular resources, screeners, and how to make decisions in the classroom. Um so first of all standardized testing um for the most part these are the types of um tests that do not change. They same questions um to students in the same cohort. Um not much is variable there. Um think of some of the parts of the SAT um and the PSAT although some parts are adaptive now because they are digital most of it is um standardized. um adaptive testing. Um these tests, if a student gets a a question wrong, the computer usually adjusts and gives a little bit easier question. If student gets a question right, it usually levels up a little bit. Uh think of ELA, math, um ELA and math endstep questions. They will adjust to how a student
005answers. Uh positives for an adaptive test are usually, you know, it keeps a student interested because it either encourages them to continue to do harder and harder and more difficult questions or if the student is not getting a question um or not getting questions correct, it doesn't they don't get discouraged because they it'll get them easier questions to take um answer. Um but sometimes it can be um challenging to examine adaptive test data because not all students have the same question. So, it's sometimes hard for apples to apples. Norm reference tests. Um, think of your bell curve and how students um compare to typical um scores for students in um from a large. Um so, lots of scores from students all over the US or however far reaching that test uh is. Uh they give
006percentile scores. Um, think of MAP growth where on a student's report you might see that they are in the 79th percentile. We'll compare them to other typical students in their problem. Uh, predict predictive validity. Uh, it describes when data is collected over time and it can pretty closely predict future performance if a student stays on a certain trajectory. And reliability is when data is u taken over time and is a really good predictor of how they in the future. some of the types of assessments um that are used um in these buckets. One would be a universal screener. These are screeners or these are kind of tests that might identify um what students are at risk and in what areas, but it does not give um specialized areas. Diagnostic test is what is the specific
007need? Gives some more specificity how we would address some of those areas of concern. Progress monitoring tools are used after a student is identified for needing specialized instruction and how they grow over time. Formative assessments um are tests that help teachers um adjust their practice. What should we do um next and at what level of intensity and then summitative assessments are usually just snapshots in time of what have students mastered right now? What we have done in the classroom? what we currently use here at Dexter um Y five through four specifically with reading are these assessments right here um I'll start with MSTEP that that's on your right side of the screen that is more summitive it can show impact of instruction um we use utilize that in grades three through eight and 11 um
008and again those are usually snapshot in time tests um teacher observations and diagnostics below that are when teachers use their professionalism and um they see what's in front of them, the student in front of them. Are they struggling? What are they struggling on? Or is this a bad day and we should come back to the test at a later time. Whereas a standardized test does not give student the opportunity that um acadance and NWA um these allow students to show growth over time and although acadance is not adaptive, it will help us measure what students know now and how we can help them grow as a teacher. Um, a cadence is also a type of screener that is called CBM. It's a um, curriculum based measurement. And so it measures on uh, measures students on
009a very specific set of um, reading confidence levels. We'll get into those specific areas in a moment here. Um, both Aadians and NWA are taken three times a year and it helps us um, compare apples to apples. So we can take um the results from the beginning of the year and compare it to winter data, help inform our instruction and then again in the spring so that each step along the way we are improving our instruction in real time to help our students. Um and unlike sumitative um tests about instead of like what you did or did not learn there it's not just memorized um tests like Acadians and NWA really make you master the skills because it will ask you to apply the skills um not just memorize facts. Um so we'll start with
010MSTEP our favorite test right now. joking. We've had lots of issues with MSTEP, but parents um across the district have gotten several emails from um building administrators because we've had some technology issues. They were not local issues. They were issues that were being experienced across the state. Um so, I appreciate everyone in the community to for going with the flow. Um that our team tried all all of the things um and still just didn't work. This was not a Dexter based issue. So, I appreciate all the flexibility. Um hopefully um our scores will still be okay and valid, but um they even out with some um notices that, you know, we might have to look at some some of the data in a different way because of frustration levels and students were starting and stopping
011starting at stopping. So, it might not be a great data set to look at this time next year. So, just want to put that out there. Um so MSE is primarily a summitive test and it really just is a snapshot in time and it measures how how well does a student understand the information that they were given at that point in time. Um it can help inform instruction but it usually is not um results are not given until the next year. So a teacher cannot their instruction at that given point in time. They can give the data to the teacher the next year but sometimes it's not always used that way. So usually it's just a snapshot of time. NWA um this is given three times a year. There are three versions of the test.
012Um there's a K through2 version, a two through five and a six plus. We utilize the two through five and the six plus versions for our students. Um NWA is a universal screener. So it can um show us what students are at risk and in what areas. It's also diagnostic, so it can help us with um identifying those needs, but it gives us more broad um areas of need and it's also summitive. So again, some of those snapshots of time. However, NWA is not really designed to be a progress monitoring tool. You cannot enter in data um after an intervention is given. It's not utilized that way. Instead, it just three times per year. Um, at the elementary level, we sometimes use MWA scores to compare against other data points like a cadence, like teacher
013observations, uh, because we always want to use multiple data points when making a decision about a student's education. Um, because not just one in here, um, tells us a whole story about our student. Um, let me give a quick data overview of our students, our current data here. So, this is just a quick snapshot of our um district's overall NWA performance profile. I have this snapshot right here because um when I looked at grade level um cohorts compared to their performance from last year at this time, there were not huge swings um either up or down with each cohort. So, for instance, fourth graders this year compared to their performance in third grade at this same time. Um there were not um swings up or down. So, this um right here was pretty representative of
014all of our grades 2 through eight um that took the NWA. Um and as you can see the we increased the percentage of students scoring in the 80th percentile or higher by 2% from last year to this year. Um and also increased our median percentile 23 um or 73 to 75. um that's not a huge change. That is um pretty I don't want to say stagnant, but it is has increased a little bit. Um but again, this is pretty representative for all of our cohorts across grades 2 through eight, which is why I'm not going to show you a separate um screen for each grade level because you're going to see much same data. Did not want to bore you with the same data over and over. This is really this really paints that same
015picture. Um no major increases. >> Is there a target of like to make sure you had a certain based on percentages like the need that mean you're at? >> Good question. So um NWA is uh what we call from that earlier slide the normed referenced. So it compares students against um peers. So this is typical uh typical performance. So this is not really a benchmark at this is not a predictive score. These are not predictive scores. This just compares students against uh students in their state. >> Is that that cohort is that just Michigan or is this a national testing? >> It's national test. >> Those are great questions. Um, which is precisely why we use different measurements because this doesn't exactly tell us how students will perform in the future or and it's not
016indicative of how well they're reading right now. It's just compared to other students in that same age range, which is why I really want to dive into Aadian data because that gives us a much better uh view of where our students are and it also helps predict um their reading fluency in the future. I know I'm going through these ones quickly. I'm going through these ones quickly because this doesn't really give us the meat and potatoes of what we want to address in um early literacy. So, cadence, this is the one that we'll focus on tonight. Um so, cadence is the old dibbles. So, if you've ever heard the term dibbles, this is the newer version of that. Um it's been around since the 1980s, so there's um years and years of data. Um so
017this is what we would call um research reliable valid and predictive all those terms that we went through earlier. Um so there's a lot of historical data that proves that their predictive scores are true um to what they give us. So Dan to address your question like this is really the data that we rely on to show if a student is on track um for u strong reading skills. Um, so a cadence data, this really measures how students are performing their um, essential early literacy um, skills. And I'm going to go through all those early literacy skills in a second here. Um, currently we use a cadence reading in Y five through fourth grade for all students three times a year. Then in grades five and six, we use it for students who are currently
018in intervention or might possibly need intervention. um Aadian data is not data where we would compare by folk because it is not percentile it's not norm um data instead it really um helps um inform us what each individual student needs. So um again is universal screener. It identifies which students need um in intervention. It's diagnostic. It gives them very specific need. So it gives more specificity than the NWA. NWA will give like broad areas of improvement. Um Aadians will give very specific areas in the essential um early literacy skills and it also does progress monitoring. So it will show that growth over time or if uh growth is not being made um our leading interventions interventionist will look at that and then switch up their methods to try to um increase that progress. So we
019are going to focus on a cadence because of PA 146 and 147. Just a quick overview of um public's act 146 and 147. Um these were what we now refer to as K12 nursing dyslexia laws. I'm not going to go through all them. So there's a lot of information in the collab primarily um in summary it really focuses on the science of reading. So and that is addresses the early literacy skills um essentials. So although it was passed in 2024 they are still really slowly releasing information on how districts can follow um public acts 146 and 147. Um for example in the fall um the state department has said that they will release their approved list of screeners. Still have not released that. So um we are meeting bi-weekly with um our reading interventionist team
020and some of our um representatives for um early literacy to look into all of the different options. But we can't make a decision until the fall because that that approved list has not been released yet. Um so early literacy um essential early literacy skills the ones in blue are the ones you um want to focus on. So this is the science of reading. This is what PA 146 and 147 focus on. And um even before 146 and 147 came out um Dexter elementary teachers really focused on science reading and early um literacy skills. So they have been um choosing tier one instructional resources for all students to help bolster um reading um comprehension skills and also improving our reading intervention um processes and systems. So we want to teach phmic awareness, fluency, comprehension, the targeted
021vocabulary, alphabet phonics and uh this will help um increase our early literacy. You do not have to memorize these because I'm going to um refer to them in a little bit. On the left side of that graph, you're going to see a lot of alphabet soup. Okay, so this alphabet soup is what our elementary teachers live and breathe. Um, this is what they look for on the Acadian sta. So these line up with on the right side of that table, the ear the essential early um literacy skills and Aadian will with these different measures help um our teachers identify different areas of need for different students. So again, you don't have to memorize that. I will refer back to these in a moment, but just wanted you to see where these came. So, let's look
022in depth in one of these charts. So, in this chart, it's really um this is from in our previous um testing um cycle. 37 students in grade two for this year scored well below the benchmark. However, since then in the um current uh cycle, 29 of them we call these this is a half donut. We call these sorry I'm right behind you. This is called a half donut and we call those um hill bars. Um 29 students out of the 37 still stayed in the well below benchmark. Seven of our students increased to um below benchmark. One of our students increased to at benchmark. Um and none of the students from the well below went to above benchmark which is yeah that that was a good increase. So even though this red part might look
023alarming, this is actually good to show that our students are growing. So um and similarly if you go to the below benchmark that yellow um hillbar and that half donut 14 of our students in the um previous testing cycle um scored below benchmark um but then eight of them increase to at benchmark >> that show that show >> again that where does that show then >> why go left to right at least four to three >> good question these are difficult I had to take an entire training. I learned a lot this year. So, um it is complex data, which is why I want to um really um elevate our elementary teachers and reading interventionists because they know this like the back of their hand. It's a lot of data to absorb and it's a
024lot of information to understand. So, in here, 14 students originally scored um below benchmark. Since that last cycle and they were reassessed of those 14, eight of them increased to the green bar which is now at benchmark. Students are going to get one of four scores. They're going to get well below, below, half, or above. So those are the four donuts that I'll be pointing at. Then the pills are showing the delta. So of the kids that scored below benchmark the last test session since then eight of them have moved up to half benchmark. So it's showing they improved that s these two sessions. >> This is two sessions correct. So each time you look at a half donut it compares two sessions. It so this is the progress monitoring part of this assessment tool.
025So, it allows our teachers and reading interventionists to um look at how the interventions that they're currently giving are either helping or not helping their students so that they it informs their instruction going forward. >> How much time would it have been between these two sessions? >> Usually a couple months. Usually a couple months. Three about three months. Um so it's 23 or 24% of students in the beginning were either well or below benchmark is that I mean I just took the numbers just took the 37 14id by 215 is that fair >> so be 37 + 14 divided by the total of all >> so it's a so how does that compare what this is too great >> compared to other districts around >> so can we not do that >> this is not
026one of those types of um um assessment so this is not normed to other districts this is specific this is more of a progress monitoring tool and a universal screener which is more specific on a student's need >> what's the benchmark >> good question so benchmarks and that was the slide that I skipped over there's a lot of that goes into that. So in the fetch marks there are multiple tests. These multiple tests these different colors that you see are all based on this chart right here. So that left side the um first sound fluency letter naming fluency segmentation all of those different areas are tested in different ways. At the beginning of the year not all of those areas are tested because we don't expect students to know all of those areas. especially if
027you have an incoming kindergartener, we wouldn't expect them to have all of those things mastered. So, they might pick two or three of those areas to test all the kindergarteners. And with those different areas that they're tested on, there are different um benchmarks and cutoff points that they are that they utilize to help identify who might need um intervention in those areas or not. And there are very specific areas to each essential um literacy skill which is why this is a very helpful tool. It doesn't just give the broad area of the student needs help in reading. It very specifically gives them an area in which to work. >> I still don't understand why you can't take that benchmark and compare to other districts. >> Like is our benchmark different than Chelsea? We're all using
028this same benchmark here by from Katie >> because it's individual and children >> because it's based on the individual student and their intervention plan. So could we technically take how many of our second graders are um in one of these half donut areas and compare it with another school? We could. that might not give us the informed data because within those donuts, there are very different areas in all of these different areas. So, it might not be the same area in which a student is performing at benchmark or below benchmark. So, it's there's these half donuts for every single one of these areas. Um, so if I look at a specific student's data, this right here at the bottom of the screen, this is for a specific student's data. This student has been tested three
029times so far in all of the different areas. Each of these charts, as you can see by the acronym, more of this alphabet soup on the top is each of those individual early literacy skills. So, our elementary teachers, our reading interventionists look at each of those areas so that they can really target what area that student needs help in. So, could we compare like a broad number of students? Yes, we could. But unless we break the data down to each individual early literacy literacy scale um by by bench like where are they um landing in that benchmark and grade level it doesn't give us any actionable data >> these progressions help us better understand where student should be at the moment time right so it's a little bit predictive to understand that if Ryan does
030not bet this outcome by a certain time there are higher there's a higher probability of programs. So outline these are each showing different subtest subcategories. The student has a really high score in retelling, right? But there are other areas that we need to build, need to work to improve. And to think of it as a step ladder, we're always working back toward the last run. So if they're not ready yet, that's where we're building up to before they get that next step on >> this like this teachers have something. >> Wow. >> So we we we brought on a cadence about four years ago before we made the literacy change. This was one of the tools that we used to inform, oh boy, maybe some of the other data we've been looking at hasn't been
031telling us the whole story. because it shows what we don't see is during the year, correct? Our kids actually develop >> especially after this at least at the lower >> correct and that's exactly why we utilize this data. So it's very specific in all of these different areas so that we can give targeted help to our students and not just general this student needs help in reading. Well, what specific help can I um give this student to increase their reading um fluency? um because this really breaks it up into manageable pieces for our teachers, for our reading interventionists. Um it helps our our teachers with different groupings so that students can um help each other. It really helps um students to hear other students say words if they're having um issues with um letter sounds
032um those types of things. So it's very specific instead of getting a broad range of where a student is scoring and just saying they're um at a 73rd percentile. Okay, but what does that mean? Where do they need help? >> Good question. So, this was a snapshot of um a kiddo who started in the well below and then moved to below benchmark. So, moved from the red to the yellow halfway through the year. Um and you can see most of his charts are going up. Most of his graphs are going up. Um and when talking to the reading interventionist about this specific student, this is why I used this example. they changed their approach with the student um several times because it just wasn't working. So you can see here these are the scores at
033which he um at which he performed um and then they were trying different methods very specific methods in that area to help. So it gives very targeted information to our um staff working with students to make to help our students make programs. >> Yeah. The big dots are three times a year standardized. The little dots are progress monitoring check. >> So every time a reading interventionist logs um an intervention with them, it'll show them where they are at. So this year everything retail >> still going forward. I like >> 25 to 22 >> on the retail. Okay. I like to score. >> Well, the 33 is where you should be at the end. That circle there. >> Oh, that's the end of the year. >> Yep. He's actually scoring higher than that, right? >> Oh,
034if it were a good progression, he'd be a third. So, he's going to score higher than that probably. >> Okay. >> Correct. So, this is why it's predictive. It's progress monitoring and it's very specific um more than just a screener tool. gives very specific areas in which our um teachers can address. Um so this is why I wanted to highlight this because our elementary staff is so knowledgeable. Um they really work hard. They put a lot of time um and energy into this. So every single student has a very specific um reading plan. Um and if they need help, they're giving very targeted instruction. So this is much more than saying Melanie needs help in reading. How can I help Melanie? How can we get the team together? In what areas does she need very
035specific help? And what tools, what resources can I pour into Melanie so that she can increase in this very specific area. Um, so that's why I quickly went through some of the other types of tests and explained what those types of tests are because a screener like this is also a progress monitoring um tool um will really help us gain that specificity to help a student in a very specific area. years ago. >> I'm just kind of curious because I like see how just all about the curriculum talk about this teacher new curriculum you got a problem. I'm just kind of curious to see. Okay. >> Yeah, we can get you uh the the original Acadian data is going to be incomplete. We were not using it for every student that started with one class,
036one grade level, but we can get that just >> so I just want to I got to see this in action with teachers down at Deck. So, I just wanted to speak to that because when we're talking about teachers collaborating and thinking about instructional practices and how to help their students, they're really working together and they're looking at these graphs. So, they're meeting with um an instructional coach and a reading interventionist on their planning time and they're strategizing these teams. So, I just want you to see that perspective too, which is fine. But I got to witness this firsthand. I saw the dots, the lines, all the fun. Um, and they are working together to collaborate on. So, I think that's cool. No. And I appreciate that because the first time I sat in one
037of those meetings, there was so much alphabet soup being thrown around. I'm like, slow down. I need to understand what you mean. And so I had to have my chart in front of me like, okay, what's And they know all of these terms right off the top of their head. They know exactly how to address them. They know the different curricular resources and the different um interventions that connect to each of these areas to help our students. a lot of time, thought, preparation is um put into this for each and every student in the building to help them u make their next benchmark. So, um they do some fabulous work in this. I just wanted to highlight that because in the fall, like I said, um the state will be um releasing their approved list
038of screeners. And so no matter what um the state comes um comes out with on that approved list, our teachers are still going to be doing diagnostic tests and progress monitoring on our students um to help them get to that next step. Um right now we are using a KDS um that could change in the future depending on what the state comes out with. But these are the most important and I think most impactful and useful types of tests um for our students so that because it actually informs our instruction. Is this um related to third grade a replacement the third grade reading law? >> It's not a replacement but it goes hand in hand. So um PA 146 and 147 specifically address dyslexia and underlying um characteristics of dyslexia. So and those are identified
039as those early literacy skills. Um so these right here the awareness accuracy and fluency comprehension vocabulary oral language alphabet principles and phonics which is why we really like a cadence because it has a type of screener a test to address all of these different areas. So, it doesn't replace um it's kind of an added to. >> I know that was a lot. Sorry. Thank you very much. We really appreciate the update. >> All right. Um next up is our first opportunity for public participation. Is there anyone who would like to address the board? We will move on for administrative update starting with the superintendent. >> Uh last week we had our AI community conversation. Uh wasn't as well attended as our cell phone conversation. We had a really thoughtful group and some great dialogue. Uh
040we've been talking about AI as a district for a few years now and a presentation we've given in a few different spaces. Uh it's been fun to see how the presentation and the learning has really evolved. This last time we were able to put two of our teachers forward and really have them talk about how they're using AI in their classes. Uh so we had Mr. Kimmy have an opportunity to share and then we had Mr. Digs, one of our ninth grade teachers, have an opportunity to talk about how he is using AI and how he's teaching students to use AI. And I think for the folks that came to the conversation, it was great for them to hear the application. how our students learning teams to use AI appropriately and responsibly and some of
041those experiences in the classroom. So great conversation really thrilled to have people join and excited to see the future. Our AI task force has been continuing to work and some of our next steps is to think about what are some desired outcomes for learners as they leave the Dexter community schools and then to work backward to think about how can we provide skills, experiences and opportunities for students to develop. Uh we're even working as far back to think about uh capitalizing the terrific things that our launch teachers are doing at young first grade with analog paper. They're doing some basic coding, some basic understanding. So, it was a great conversation. Had to glad to have so many people join us for that. I wanted to highlight a really exciting event that will be the first
042hopefully of many. Miss Ford Sports and Recreation Management class is putting together a really exciting event. Uh the 9th they are hosting a military and first responder recognition evening or afternoon I should say at the Dexter varsity baseball. It's a double header. 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. But they are hosting a recognition event in between the games. It's been a really cool project. Students are working to uh spread awareness. Students are working to solicit donations from community partners and they're really putting together a thoughtful presentation. They've been trying to get an armed guard to come out and play the Star Spective or retired military individuals to come in and be recognized at the event. Uh but it's completely student generated which has been a really thing. They're trying to raise funds for special jerseys for
043the event. So it should be a really fun afternoon. Uh and that will take place between the double header on the finally as Melanie alluded to we are well into testing and I'll let our student representatives talk a little and I testing as to come but most of our buildings are racking wrapping up their state testing cycles. Uh we did have some technological challenges and some hiccups. But our kids, our staff were terrific. They persevered. They did a really wonderful job. This, as Melanie alluded to, this was a statewide issue. So, a lot of schools across the area. We typically like to let other school districts go first so they can experience any pickups. And we check our list serves to find out what went well, what didn't go well. Uh, and this was one
044that we just didn't see coming. It really had to do with usage and traffic. uh the servers just weren't set up in a way that to accommodate the number of students that were trying to access them at the same so we ran into that spacing issue. We are well on our way to reach our 95% testing threshold. So we need at least 95% of our students those grades to take tests. Uh we've been working with our buildings to ensure that we are going to be at or above everything. So that's your concern. Second time of the year it's busy. I uh was had a chance to connect with Dr. Timus the other day and he said make sure you don't let your grass get too long in May because it goes quick because every night
045there's something every weekend there's something in May. What's so far has been pretty good. Well, I have exciting things coming up for our seniors for our students. >> Thank you. Um I just wanted to give a quick update on the sex ed advisory board. Um, just as a reminder, our board formed a sex hurt the book ad hoc committee last fall to address any issues, questions that came up throughout the revision process. Um, we were notified that the uh, CM had finished their revision work. Um and our ad hoc committee met with um Melanie Noak, director or chief officer last week to just talk through process, make sure that uh the board went through the process that our board expected them to and that we felt like all of the uh revisions had been addressed.
046Um we as committee were happy with the process and we did make plans to start rolling out the curriculum to the board. Um, none of us have seen the updates yet. It will up to all of us. The district is working out the permissions and making sure technology works for us. Um, and we will be verifying and clarifying dates for community review and for public comment on that curriculum with the intention of our board uh discussing and voting on this next round prior to the end of the school year so that we make sure the community feels like they had time to be engaged in the process. So, all of those dates and details will be rolling out as the district is able to finalized. And that's it for me. And on to our student
047representatives. >> I senior year really does go by fast. It really feels like it's wrapping up now. Just a couple tests in front of me, but um last week or the week testing of testing, seniors had their senior meeting. Um lots of kids did not want to be there. I'd be surprised. A majority of the senior class did show up and we were hard at work. We got our IE sure what they're called done and submitted all the forms we need to submit. So hopefully everyone can walk the stage, graduate as long as they turn their library books as well. Um and then I believe last Friday was also the senior's last advisory and during that advisory actually um students had the opportunity to go down to the CPA and um watch a financial literacy
048concert. Um this band that basically put on a concert and then ended it with a quick but effective talk on like five basic things that are very important to know for financial literacy. And honestly, I like I think a lot of people were hesitant at first. Um, but looking around like you could see people, they were smiling. They were like, "Okay, maybe I'm glad I'm here instead of just stuck in a classroom." Um, but I I honestly think it was a great way to get students engaged and a great way to use the advisory period. And I would say the five things he did emphasize. I think it's a great way to get that information out to students and especially for seniors to leave them with something that when they're going out into the real
049world, they now have some goals to accomplish and um some things to stay away from. So I think that was a great way to do it. And I know they came maybe like eight years ago or so, but I think if more of these opportunities come up, it's definitely a great way to engage students um high schoolers even younger. Yeah, financial literacy is very important and it's a very easy way to get the information out. Um, yeah, again, more testing coming up. This week is the first week starting with IB testing. And this year is being done a little differently. Instead of being spread throughout the school, it's now um centrally located in on the second floor in one of the hallways. They've blocked it off. So, I believe hopefully it will prevent any like
050noise complications or people running into rooms that they shouldn't be. And also, I think I'm hoping that um any other complications will be a little quicker to sort out because people aren't trying to find rooms. They know where the rooms are. That was kind of problems that often arise. People are in the band room, people are in counselor hallways. It's kind of hard to find people um especially if people are missing tests. So, I think that would be good. The only downside is it does displace some teachers. I know um my fourth hour is in a different classroom. So it's only a couple classes, but it will be an adjustment period. But I do think that the centrallylo testing will ultimately be a benefit for students um and hopefully make the process go smoothly so
051no tests get cancelled and nothing bad happened. So um and then couple sports updates. last Wednesday, I believe, was senior night for soccer. It was very fun. They scored eight goals. Um, it was very great seeing the seniors come out and play and have a good time and just you could see how happy the team was that they were doing great. Um, getting so many nice goals and they've done good since then and they still have games to go. Um, and then tennis is also still going strong. We have three matches in a row this week. Um, so we have PA at home tomorrow. That'll be a tough one, but um and then Hon and Gabriel Rashard. So, yeah, just do it. >> Yeah, I did miss this financial literacy concert, but I heard all
052about it. But I missed it for a good reason. Uh the next school forensics team went to state tournament this weekend. We did absolutely excellent. We had seven people, I believe, go and five of them broke semi-finals. So, um it is the hardest tournament of the year. Um, I'm going to shout out my two good friends here. Kate Ganis got second in the state in her category pros and Dasha Hubert got six in category broadcasting. He's the most competitive uh second >> categories most competitive categories in the term and we absolutely crushed it. This is Mr. Lancaster uh just out there at the high school, but he's also our new forensic coach and first year doing it and we took home 10th in the tournament overall. That's incredible for only having seven years. It's great
053time. It was up at Eastern Michigan Friday and Saturday. It was great. Dexter Darling Club is performing singing the parade this week. They'll go Thursday through Sunday, I believe, 700 p.m. every night except for Sunday, which will be that day at two, I believe. Um sports are doing great. Boys lacks are playing right now. Softball's home on Wednesday. Robotics at States I don't think last week but maybe two weekends ago. They did well and worlds is coming up in Houston. Very exciting. Um Dexter High School bands will all be playing May 9th in CPA. I think we may see each other again next week. I'll come back with time for that. Be very great. The jazz band for the symphonic or the jazz band will play which is gonna be great. And we have full
054orchestra coming up. Um quick little cell phone update. is sort of becoming a lunch table conversation. I am walking around the school and hearing all about it. Not a lot of positive things, I must say, but I'm glad students are talking about it and um yeah, I was actually tutoring at Creekide yesterday and fifth graders were asking me all about it. It was it was very cool. But I'm glad to see the students doing well. And oh, shout out to Dexter High School admin. They had unlimited rice krispie treats during uh test fest and it was that was the highlight of my week whenever that happened. So that's all I had. >> Those are some great updates. Thank you for for the all the fun color and rice krispie treat. >> Okay. Um next up
055is our consent items. We have a resation budget board of education through items. >> Second question. >> We'll get to that with the financial narrative. Yeah. >> Um uh yes. So the consent includes the budget report. Um, okay. We have a motion, a second. Uh, any other discussion? All those in favor of approving the consent items involved, please say I. I. Any opposed? >> Okay. On to action items. Uh, first up is our administrative salaries. Um, we have a recommended salary level for 2026 27. The board of education approve the attached administrator salary requations and a second. Any discussion? >> Questionette. >> Uh J has years of experience at previous districts. So traditionally when we hire an administrator who has previous experience, we're able to honor some of their administrative time. Uh so that's why
056you'll see some of our people new to administration starting at level B. uh others that are uh coming to us with experience, we are sometimes able to honor something, but those years in previous district uh Janette served uh for a number of years in a few different roles within her previous organization including high school minimum of five, seven years. Yes. How many of these increase? >> Did they all bump? No, they didn't. Some of them. >> Yeah, >> most of them were >> We are fairly fortunate to have a pretty seasoned team. So, most folks were at will remain at level G, but where you see otherwise or individuals profession or that that particular job. Yeah, >> I think that would be it'd be great to have. Here's where they were last year. Here's where
057we're proposing to be this year. We can get that green. >> Yes. >> Anyone who's not G would be an increase from the last. >> Okay. >> But we can get you that date. No problem. Any other questions? Let's do April. >> Hi. >> Thank you. >> Hi. >> Okay. Next up is our one bid package five red stadium improvements. Our packet a recommendation letter and bid calculations for construction for the al stadium improvements project. I'll move that the board of education award contracts for series 1 bid package 5 alt stadium improvements for carpentry and general trades electrical earthwork and site concrete as detailed in the attached recommendation letter dated April 22 2026 for a total cost not to exceed $1,319,841 and assign them to management >> also have a motion and a second discussion.
058>> Great Brand here from Ranger can walk us through scope of the project. We have some graphics to show as well. Thank you so uh so we have uh both athletics projects here today, but specifically at Alred. Uh this will be revising the entrance into the stadium. um primarily focus the dashed area in the upper right um below on the side there. Uh it will be um mainly moving the main entrance instead of coming in through the fieldhouse be coming off of the parking lot directly be adding in two ramps and a larger set of stairs so people come directly into the field. uh provide some new fencing gates uh to better provide or control traffic. Also give a space for people to uh come off of the parking lot and be in a safe
059standing area uh before going through the ticket gates. That's a a detail of what it would look like to before you go through the fence. This is the only area of this uh not actually row iron but but that's dial. Uh the rest will be uh chips uh going up. This also u provides a new uh entrance for ambulances but also food trucks or any deliveries going into uh Alred Stadium uh by revising the fencing that currently is behind the high jump pits. Uh also giving a little bit of extra room for the pole ball uh at track field are to kind of clean up that corner. Does that does that impact the away lockers away lockers? Are they is that not >> uh it will not impact over the summer it would impact it
060but it will have like a new walking out of it but won't change how that functions during any athletic competition. Uh then it will also uh we are basically building it on top of the old uh concession building um a number of leaks and everything there. We're not really doing inside building uh but they are addressing the leaks. We're also painting the outside of the building. Um and uh was clean we need that making it dry for for >> that's actually just used for storage right like for equipment and then overhaul for possessions and whatnot. Yeah, there's a lot of track storage in that building. Um, there's also there are some rest and grand work to clean up the space, paint it, group it in a way that it'll match the other building. So, right
061now it stands out. It looks a little older. uh you'll get a refresh and it'll just flow much better with the other buildings that you've been um >> that's that's really you finished the next >> the next one. >> I'm sorry. Sure. on the exit same and exit will exit will be to the left. So basically the the only change that we're doing is instead of having people going through the tunnel in the middle of the fieldhouse, they'll now all be going through the through the gates. But instead of that being kind of a, you know, currently there's it's that concessions door opens to a chain link gate that's only partially open. That'll be kind of wide open plaza. Uh it will have stairs and ramps going up. So it will look like a potential
062access uh be accessible sorry accessible ramps. Um, you'll still be able to get out back on the shield roadside and going around the back side of >> what to go to the ranch now that still be open exiting. >> So, we are adding back to storage. It could technically still be able to cut. I believe the intent is that that closed off the left. >> Uh that will still be a gate for >> So just to clarify, we are not changing the overall function of the exits or entrances. >> It's a it's a neutral. >> It's a net loss of >> there is no loss. >> There's no loss. Um, >> we still have >> this one here. >> Yeah. >> And then this month >> that's not really supposed to be used as an
063exit. That's really where >> the game's over. >> My concern is that I want to say this side because if you go to some games thereifications and So you haven't seen it, check it out. Scarcely part of these Chelsea tough game >> tried to give like pressure point like out. So yeah, if we go up, >> it will be better lit and a wider less of a choke. because those four gates there can be completely open and so that is I think those are four foot >> you're talking up here >> uh no right here >> so that's going to be closed now >> I don't remember if that has >> uh 15 so that's we have something like 28 foot wide. >> Yeah. 15. >> So instead of going through the current 8 foot
064choke point, it's two 15 foot wide. So there's a little more space. Yes, you are walking down the safe place, but you know, we have to walk out Michigan State next. >> It's more a relocation than of the main gate as opposed to >> I mean it'll be nicely lit. be a a true looking >> I think it's a it's a point well taken you know as we get into the season and we start to see we think about some of our more popularly attended games and the games have the potential we will have other gates so we need to open up some other gates or bigger >> to support. >> Yeah, >> that's a great point. Thank you. >> Any other questions about the state department? >> Students, you have any questions? >> What's
065the timing on this one? >> Uh, this one is this summer. >> Does it be ready to go for football season? Is that >> Yeah, the parts that we are not sure of. Uh so those uh signage over the gates >> has say that they'll be um the rest is concrete fences. the roof on the top of the building. Um, we're going to make sure that we're not doing anything back, but this will be going through August, meaning that there will be an alternate entrance for uh August through right the first few games uh or the first game uh for student athletes content uh for practice. So they'll be able to use the shield road entrance no problem and we'll have a pathway to come in uh to the track area but >> yeah start
066hockey games Tuesday the Thursday so I think it's the 24th 26th but work starts June 1st so we have graduation Friday night if not you have the regular day on Sunday we start here June 1st to give us two months. Yeah, because this is kind of out of the way back side started two weeks early to be done for that first two and back. Is that okay? >> Yes. If he stops but 12 chance to look through the individual bids, you'll see Ranger once again did a terrific job getting us great coverage. Multiple competitive bids in every single bid category. Uh did a terrific job. So they're they're working hard. They're working the phones, working relationships. A lot of familiar name for the contractors on here, people that are already on site. Uh people that
067we have interacted with in the past. So you you see if you have the numbers you see them there but it's a great package put forward by our partners at again we did trying to address some of the questions last time >> yes thank you for the updated information >> okay I guess just I don't know if it's both if there's this last the DSP construct >> I don't know but the difference is is like you have three bids that are almost the same and then one that's a triple >> 800 plus this one is for the high >> you're on the next one that bearings. >> I'm sorry. The first >> We're only doing that question, but the variance was on this one, correct? >> Yeah. And updated these recommendations to us to include
068some of the numbers that we've been asking for along the way. So you read through there's the treasury document number the design development estimate things um they've really worked to um include the information we're asking for. So thanks for that. Any other questions specifically about Albert? Okay, let let's do a roll call vote, please, on just the Alley. >> I miss >> I >> thank you. Um, next up is series one bid package five, the high school athletic fields. Um, we have uh the information uh wrapped into the same letter for free and I just need a motion. I'll move that the board of education award contracts for series 1 m bid package 5 high school athletic fields for carpentry and general trades electrical earthwork and site concrete as detailed in the attached recommendation letter
069dated April 226 for a total cost not to exceed 2,338,844 and assignment to for management motion second discussion Just a quick overview of high school athletics. U the entrance is is fairly similar uh in a great plaza again off the parking lot so people can uh get off the parking lot stand there people before going in. Uh there is a smaller gate uh uh that also it's a it's a similar gate does not have the dreadnot over it uh chamberling fence again going on from that uh replacing the pathways with a heavy duty asphalt so that uh the school trucks can still drive on it to get back their deliveries etc. Also we are replacing uh both softball and baseball Uh batting cages, pitching cages. Sorry, open. Yes, I was baseball. So, um and then
070we're replacing the beaches as well. Um we also took an alternate which we are not recommending due to the cost of alternate to take the old to dismantle build bleachers move them possibly over to the clean surface them somewhere that is still something we may choose to do but we won't um the bleachers are slightly different configuration because the difference baseball and softball fields but they're seats before. Um, and we're also replacing back stops with a taller end that's easier to see through will also uh be safer because he tight. And lastly, we are putting a taller net between a baseball field and a soccer to stop all those two. Um and that work is going to start the summer as well. Uh we are going to get the pathways to soccer done uh for
071the first soccer game. The bleachers specifically uh and likely bag is back stops will go through the fall into the winter because the long wait time for those items but uh soccer will be able to play their whole season on the field there and with both baseball and softball spring sports the time necessary to to finish those fall into this still grass. Uh everything is grass except for the bag. >> Okay. So then this gets to my question of this I don't know. >> So I just looked up the >> they provided a um combined so it's the same number of both the al and the high school. And so that's actually to do both projects. >> Oh. and they didn't give us a breakout. So it that's why it's the you should have probably
072written it differently but because anyway is that's why it's so jer it's a great question because as green opens up and sealed bids they find sometimes the bid is so under >> compared to everyone else sometimes so and they always follow >> yeah to understand why is that the case right they really understand what did the contract ctor scope. Sometimes the contractor by accidentally misses something, right? So we speck something out in a certain material or a certain way and they just missed it and there was a huge cost associated with that. So Granger takes that into consideration and we say well it's not a responsive bid because they didn't give us what we asked for them to do. Now the opposite when the bid is so high sometimes we scratch our heads and say
073are we missing something here? Often not. But it's a good exercise just to go through to make sure that we didn't miss something. Okay, we make sure to include the electrical here because we're going to need to run electrical to wherever it may be. So, Gringanger does terrific job. Colin, Greg, Jeff, Craig, the team over there wonderful job making sure the process is just top-notch and they're putting forth the best numbers, the best contract. In this case, because we have 18 coming for conversation, we talk to site concrete number as well. uh that make sure that that is what actually was. They did submit submit the number twice. So so technically it would report to 1.2 million but not that they would have done that. But that was their intent was to say if it
074work both of us to the six. So if their number makes sense that's that just >> what about um the electric >> I mean it's not a big difference >> that is a little bit more if they they wanted the job a little bit more specifically they had some capacity this is all almost all uh they have their own boring machines and earth work. Um so they were going to basically have a spot in their schedule that those were going to be sitting title. So this just fit really well for >> So that's that's most of that and I talked with because they have many other packages on this other variant we see sometimes is as Greg alluded some contractors have the people or the equipment to do something themselves and sometimes they have to
075hire subcontractors to you know part of the job which of course adds expense right so >> okay last question when you when you release these do you provide the estimates >> uh generally we you know the only time we do is quote work form is to provide us curious guidance thank you >> so it looks like the variance is you know the 17% overall variance 343,000 almost entirely from carpentry and general trades. Do you have a sense of like what drove the big difference there? >> Um it's the specific bleachers that we're adding. >> Okay. >> Uh and we we are looking in if there are any opportunities to reduce that cost, but at the same time we want to make sure we're still getting the scope that we all agreed on for the ask.
076So it's easy to say we'll reduce the height but it's not but that's probably change scope. is there. >> Okay. And with those bleachers, you said we're it sounds like keeping the same general capacity in terms of seating or are they getting like what what is changing from the bleachers today to what the new bleachers? >> The bleachers today separate bleachers on side and these are more of the standard wrap around the dugout style. Um and one unit as opposed to two separate blocks and I believe it increases the classic resistance rate. So the ones that are there let's say more basic which is this is more what you're seeing here. So they're so they're nicer be nice not just more seats but nicer seats all that uh and then with the net you also
077mentioned the net between the fields I assume that was raised as a that's a a known issue I guess balls flying from baseball field soccer it's I believe more uh between baseball soccer you're getting balls foul balls going backwards Right. >> It's these these nets are a nicer fan experience both the safety concerns for the baseball. Right. >> And the and the bleachers between the softball and you probably said this, but softball and baseball are similar or the same. >> Yeah, they're slightly different configurations, but the same just because they're just >> Thank you. Thank you. >> And I think worth noting too, I mean this is obviously driving the big variance, but I see you know obviously a good full competitive process with four bids on on that section. So, uh, it just helps
078understand kind of what what exactly is going on. Appreciate it. >> No, I didn't. >> And I I guess I just want to mention to one of the discussion points in some was that the package that came to us last time was under budget. So, we are going to see in any given set of bids that comes to us. So, just on the overall, just throwing that out there. to remind everyone. Any other questions on the field and let's do a roll please. >> Hi. >> Mr. Ali. >> Hi. >> Thank you very much. >> Okay. Um we have a discussion item, our financial narrative. Our packet includes a financial update, a narrative report through March 31st um from the business office. This includes a compilation of individual financial narratives that are prepared by the
079administrators, program directors, and managers. And with item for discussion this evening we have CFOP here to help answer any questions. The intent is for it to be self-explanatory, right? Everybody puts their time and effort into trying to convey to you the board. What is happening building? While it's supposed to be budget focus, it's also have meant to be a component of I guess a little bit deeper context, but not only where are we at with our spending, but what are we spending money on? I think we've done a pretty good job of some of the building departments. Um but uh we we do a lot of work on our end developing uh beginning portion of the narrative for you. Then the buildings and the department have that separate we review everything in pretty um in
080in detail right to make sure that is accurate prior year that's correct. There's a ton of work that goes into it. Um hopefully you guys had a chance to read it and questions. >> I got questions u on the like the third benefits you put teachers pay less for DA. Oh, so sorry. >> 29 starts beyond the district or all of that. >> Correct. So I think that section pays off 20 budget expenses and per they were over the IR. So, I'm back to the sorry I'm back to the financial update. >> I just want to see that. >> Oh, yes. Okay. So, >> I know I have that in color. have no more questions. >> So, so sorry. So, I do understand as so um there is a healthcare gap >> um and so
081the amount had to be reduced so that all district contributions didn't exceed the gap. >> so that's all I'm trying to figure out. >> Uh no, so that was the DAA. >> So, that was the only one that was reduced based on the population. Um and we have to do that calculation annually but it's not necessarily more or less our district contribution is less for that group because we pay for it in other questions I get I love this obviously under the community program I like that things community education program. >> Yep. >> All revenue expenses on survey area except for swim. But then you bounce positive positive expenses. So as well and I look at the CL city have a negative there 58,000. Yeah, child >> revenue of 800,000 expense 82 >> students. >>
082So there's a few things that go on in the G program, right? That's meant to be a benefit to our employees as well community, right? So uh we have a tuition um program that's me on that program. Uh specifically the Jamus program, right? They have to operate the parameters of their tuition. There's also a grant in there as well. Um which can sometimes be confusing because we can only request reimbursement at certain times throughout the year. Um so sometimes we have costs that seed our grant revenue because of the timing of the reimbursement. Uh so for instance, GSRP is agreed in the Jenkins budget. So, um it's likely that that is causing a little bit of issue um in having excess expenditures. It's just there's a lot of things that happen timing. Uh so, we'll
083we'll request a reimbursement and then we'll get the funds next period and everything kind of settled out. So, um you did mention the uh 20% discount. You know, that's a huge impact to the program, but again, I think I think it's a it's a benefit. >> No, 100%. I'm just just noting that it's a good thing. That is a negative repision offset still and the only I'll save this for tomorrow. Um, it indicates that they're impact their budget was impact by unplanned repairs and it lists the the stage current purchase and install. I thought that's all under bond work. >> So, two separate um this is a specific teacher's classroom. Um and then the bonds from the itself. >> I see. >> So two separate um projects. Got it. That makes a lot of sense.
084>> Yeah. >> I have the same question, other questions. As always, we really appreciate the detailed uh work that everyone puts into this. It is always really helpful to understand how things are going in all different spaces building and it helps us think about what's happening. >> Thank you. I see another. >> Okay. Um this is our second opportunity for public participation. Is there like one move on to comments? kind of stumble. So I dropped off my eighth grader for his DC trip at fourth grade. >> That's right at that time. >> So I was a little tired. >> And then my daughter actually I got to go to DIA this week. I don't know how many class we have or are going but what a great experience for them. I think the Ed Foundation
085provides a lot of that. And then if you guys haven't signed up and it might be too late but Friday and Saturday are the MASB spring >> spring. Yeah. I'm taking a couple of classes there. Atlanta. You can drive there. Those are my >> Thank you. >> Saturday was really good because that's what we get from >> I'm excited about all the bond work that's going to be initiated summer wrapping up this school year. could be yellow tape everywhere and orange cones, but it's going to be good. It's be really really nice to maturity years plus. Oh. etc., etc. And as you get questions, please feel free to redirect them to the construction page on the website resource. Hope and Bill are connecting regularly to make sure that they have the most up-to-date information. Uh,
086Bill sends out regular updates to all the buildings that are impacted to let them know time frames, what parts of the building will be accessible, which will not be accessible. So, we really are working hard to make sure that all interested parties have the information they need to be successful. We know there will be a lot of scam and cones up around the district, but it's for a great cause. >> All right. Um, we have information items in our packet including CD minutes from two different meetings in March, facilities minutes from April 22nd. We have nice job notes. Um, and it is always amazing to see how many do those uh come in every every time that they're in our panic. Um, and then we have a vaccination rate kudos from the county health department
087and great job to our staff, administrators, nursing staff, etc. >> One last thing I forgot to note my do apologize for this. Uh we are really excited to hear that Jim Barnes, teacher at WY won teacher of the year and he won the top prize. So terrific acknowledgement award. Uh the committee that came with the big check to present and said feel like we've been on Dexter a lot the last couple years and we said that's a great thing. So another Dexter teacher won the top award just a really terrific honor for Wash. >> Yeah. >> Who who awards that? Is that the is that >> they used to now it's a cash prize but >> cash. >> All right. Thank you very much everyone.