001Welcome everyone to the Taylor School District special board meeting of October 23rd, 2023, where our mission statement is to educate, engage, and empower those we serve. And our vision statement is that we will be the innovative destination district where all succeed. This meeting is called to order at 6:02 p.m. Miss Block is absent. Mr. Heath here. >> Mr. Myers is absent. Mr. Thomas is absent. Mrs. Thomas >> here. >> Miss Shu >> here. >> Mr. Wright here. Please stand for the pledge of >> allegiance. Aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Moving on to item number three, we have revisions, approval of the agenda, policy 0166. Is there a motion? >> Motion by
002Mr. Heath. Is there support? >> Support by Mrs. Thomas. Mr. Heath. >> Yes. >> Mr. Myers is absent. Mr. Thomas is absent. Mrs. Thomas. >> Yes. >> Miss Shufelt. >> Yes. >> Mr. Wright is a yes. Miss Block is absent. That carries. 4 Z. Moving on to item number four, our discussion items. We have TFT memo of Memorandum of Understanding. Mr. Wagger. We have three of those tonight. >> Correct. Yeah, we have three that we're bringing before you. Um, so we've been working with TFT on a variety of issues um to help uh not only their membership but help us with some of the things that we are looking for for getting done as a school district right now. Uh the first one before you is regarding the vision insurance for the Taylor Federation of
003Teachers. Um this is pretty simple and straightforward. Essentially, we are bringing the TFT onto the NVA vision that is in place for other district employees. Up to this point, uh the Taylor Federation of Teachers has had a reimbursement policy that's been on the books for quite some time. And this is just something that is going to bring them on board with the others. It is actually uh should be a benefit to the district in the fact that we no longer have to worry about looking at all these reimbursement checks and this process of how we were paying that money back out when uh TFT members uh went to get classes or an eye exam or any of those kind of items. So, uh it benefits both the district and uh the Taylor Federation of Teachers.
004>> Real quick question. So, this is adding vision insurance to their benefits. So, uh, essentially what was agreed to, and like I said, this was several years ago, um, that instead of being on the vision insurance, they took, uh, that you could get a reimbursement check like when you went in to get it. So, it was in lie of actually having an insurance plan for vision. There was, uh, you got the equivalent reimbured back to you on a you could claim so much every year or every couple of years to towards vision. >> Okay. It it just makes it in many ways just a lot simpler for all involved >> and the price point same it's negligible it's about the same and like I say it does help from an administrative side and not keeping
005track of those reimbursements on our end. >> Is there any discussion with that one? All right, the second one before you. Um, as we have been talking uh recently about safety and security concerns at Taylor High School, uh, one of the things that, uh, stood out to me when I was looking at the discipline data for Taylor High School, um, I saw a need that we really need to get an inschool suspension uh, room in place there. There are certain infractions that um from my experience as being a building administrator, you don't want to jump to suspension form. The example I'll use is skipping. Like kids are skipping class, they're not going where they belong. Sending them home is really not the answer for skipping. But you need something more than just where you're having
006that administrative talk or that warning take place. Um but the issue with in school suspension for a while has been what we pay in school suspension. uh people to be in that room. So, I approached the TFT and asked if there was a way that they would be willing to work with us to change what was in their contract, particularly about the pay to make it a much more attractive position for people who want to take. Um, and you'll see in theou that we're raising that to $25 an hour for an ISS teacher. You'll also see in there that, excuse me, this wouldn't include just Taylor High School, but this is for our middle schools as well. We'd have a room at each middle school, and we'd have two rooms at uh Taylor High School.
007And the reason for the two rooms is we want to set a limit in there of 20 students. Again, from experience, you know, if you have typically more than 15 students in an in school suspension room, it becomes to get chaotic and it doesn't always work as well as you would like. So, that was why uh we put in there this cap of 20 and we made two spots at Taylor High in case we had to go over what is recommended. But, it's just good practice to to not be exceeding that amount of students. Um, one of my questions is kind of related to what you're saying. In the inschool suspension room, is there like a curriculum or is there like a process that they follow? Because I know from previous experience when I was
008in high school, sometimes that became the hangout room and kids wanted to go there. So, >> so having been an administrator and you were in high school, um, uh, one of the things that was done differently at that point was they were allowing the teachers to send directly to the inschool suspension room. We've talked about that that's not a good practice either, but this is really meant to be where an administrator is making the decision of who goes in that room timely. And we have had the discussions that as part of this there has to be some sort of I wouldn't say curriculum but there has to be some reflective exercises built in. Like typically you're going to get them to go through some uh restorative practice worksheets to show where they realize that they
009did harm to another or what they did wrong and then reflect and kind of get feedback of what they would do differently in that situation going forward. But we do recognize that that piece has to be >> will that be counter counted as like what they would be doing in class then >> or is there online >> schooling where they can be learning whatever class they would be in at the time. >> Yeah, those things can be built into that too. But I I because you're right, the reflective piece isn't going to take, you know, all seven hours of the school day. But uh certainly we want to make sure they're getting classwork and that uh I know Hoover already does some of this stuff because they do have their in school suspension room in
010place currently. Um and that they they have these kind of setup and they're being reflective and they're also getting work. I think they even use a Google sheet where the teachers have access the obviously the ISS person has access and they can check to see what the progress is outside. So >> I would assume Google classroom they would be able to like >> right >> most teachers just upload the work to the Google classroom and then they can access it from there. >> Do you know why and I know you weren't here at the time. Do you know why they got rid of the inschool suspension at the high school? It's not so much a got rid of, it's the whether you could hire somebody. And that's kind of the case. Not just Taylor, it's
011the, you know, when you were paying the rate of pay that ATA had made in their contract, it was hard to fill that position. >> So, we're staffing two rooms. If only one's needed. Are we still paying that other teacher? >> We would be like now because technically we would we still have this position on there as under the old rate of pay. We just have never been able to fill it. So we only able to fill one then we would have one that operates. >> So Hoover >> two people go now that it's up and >> but Hoover already has one. >> Correct. >> So we're going to make one at West two at the high school. >> Y I talked to Mr. Doyle. Um he said that currently he doesn't have a room
012open but if someone were to apply and put him for that position he could make the the space happen and get it under us. >> Okay. >> Any other discussion? >> All right. Moving on to the third one. Uh third one is a couple weeks ago we brought before the board um two positions, two support positions that uh the Michigan Department of Education had approved for helping at uh Meyers Elementary. And when we did that, I simply would be having a uhou coming before the board with TFT to give the approval for those particular positions to be exempt from the uh teachers contract. And the reason those were sought to be exempt is those are grant funded positions. Um we're anticipating uh a year or two from that grant, but we're not sure beyond that
013if that's going to be something sustainable. So rather than put them into the position where they go into the TFT contract and then we have to take it out in two years. So, as part of that process, um what was asked for by the Taylor Federation of Teachers was a change in their contract to their uh language regarding staff meetings. And uh essentially right now they are required to have weekly staff meetings and uh they're they're essentially asking for one of those to come off. So we would be at three staff meetings a month and that the other three staff meetings would be flexible in how they're used. One will always have to be a full staff meeting and then the other two could be used for uh PLC's. They could be used for professional
014development. They could be used for various building committees that they have like the PBIS committee or the MTSS committee or you know any various committees that some of these buildings have going on. And uh it just makes sense that we should give that opportunity for that to be flexible for uh the staff and for the uh building administration to find what they need for their building and it's giving them that in exchange for having the exempt position we ask for. >> Any discussion? >> Moving on to item number five, action items. First, we have the Taylor Federation of Teachers, TFT, Memorandum of Understanding. It is recommended that the board of education approve theou between the Taylor School District and the Taylor Federation of Teachers, TFT, regarding National Vision Administrators SLvision Insurance. Is there a motion?
015>> Motion by Mr. Heath. Is there support? >> Support by Mrs. Thomas. Mr. Meyers is absent. Mr. Thomas is absent. Mrs. Thomas, >> yes. >> Miss Shufeld, >> yes. >> Mr. Wright is yes. Miss Black is absent. Mr. Heath, >> yes. >> That carries. 4 Z. Moving on to item number two. Taylor Federation of Teachers TFT Memorandum of Understanding. It is recommended the board of education approve theou between the Taylor School District and the Taylor Federation of Teachers TFT regarding regarding Meyers Elementary School MDE grant support positions. Is there a motion? >> Motion by Mr. Heath. Is there support? >> Support by Miss Shoefeld. Mr. Thomas is absent. Mrs. Thomas. >> Yes. >> Miss Shufeld. >> Yes. >> Mr. Wright is yes. Miss Block is absent. Mr. Mr. Heath. >> Yes. >> Mr. Myers is
016absent. That carries. 4 Z. Item number three, Taylor Federation of Teachers TFT Memorandum of Understanding. It is recommended the board of education approve theou between the Taylor School District and the Taylor Federation of Teachers TFT regarding the inschool suspension rooms. Is there a motion? >> Motion by Mr. Heath. Is there support? >> Support by Miss Shufeld. >> Mrs. Thomas. Yes, >> Miss Shufeld. >> Yes, >> Mr. Wright is a yes. Miss Block is absent. Mr. Heath, >> yes, >> Mr. Meyers. >> Yes, >> Mr. Thomas is absent. That carries. 5 Z. Moving on to item number six, public comment. Thank you to all those who could be with us tonight. We understand the importance of continuing to keep you informed and providing an opportunity for you to be heard. Public comment will begin with those
017in person and then move to our online audience. For those in person, please step up to the microphone and state your name and address for the record. After the in-person comment, our online audience will need to find and raise find the raise hand symbol for our moderator to recognize and unmute you. Please take into consideration common courtesy. Refrain from any personal attacks and please keep your comments to 3 minutes or less. We will provide and assist with timekeeping so each guest will be able to monitor their own time and know when to conclude. So all who wish to speak will have an equal opportunity to do so. As a reminder, if there are any questions at this meeting or by some other avenue, interim superintendent Michael Wager or his designate will work on getting those
018answers in a timely manner. Any All right, online. >> Good evening. This is Michelle Hodkinson. I just wanted to take a minute to thank everybody for their continued support this year and remind you that this week is our trunk or tree and we look forward to seeing everybody there. Again, thank you so much for your support. It means a lot. Anyone else? All right, we'll move on to item number seven, adjournment to close session per policy 0137.2 two. Pursuant to Michigan's Open Meetings Act being public act 267 of 1 and as amended, I move the board of the board convene in close session pursuant to 8H material exempt from disclosure by state or federal statute. Is there a motion? >> Motion by Mr. Heath. Is there support? >> Support by Mr. Meyers. Miss Shufeld. >>
019Yes. >> Mr. Wright is a yes. Miss Block is absent. Mr. Yes. >> Mr. Myers. >> Yes. >> Mr. Thomas is absent. Mrs. Thomas. >> Yes. >> That carries. 5 Z. The Board of Education will go into close session at 6:17 p.m. >> That's right. >> We We are returning from close session at 7:42 p.m. There is no action. Moving on to item number nine, board member comments. Are there any board member comments? Moving on to item number 10, adjournment. Is there a motion? >> Motion by Mr. Myers. Is there support? >> Support by Miss Shufelt. Miss Block is absent. Mr. Heath, >> yes. >> Mr. Myers, >> yes. >> Mr. Thomas is absent. Mrs. Thomas, >> yes. >> Missel, >> yes. >> Mr. Wright is yes. That carries. 5. The Board of Education special
020board meeting for October 23rd, 2023 will adjourn at 7:43 p.m. Have a great night. Thank you.