001Call to order. School board work session 4626 at 6 p.m. of Independent School District 531. Start with attendance. >> Yep. Alicia here. Lisa >> here. >> Nadia >> here. Jeremy >> here. >> Gary here. >> Sorry, I was doing two things. I'm here. David >> here. >> Trying to find my here. >> Did we say Kelly? >> I did. >> Okay. Sorry. I didn't hear. >> I'm sorry. I think >> all right. Vision. Byron Public Schools. A community of learners committed to making the world a better place. Mission: learn, share, innovate, and inspire. Priorities: personalized learning in the pursuit of academic excellence. Inspire students and staff to develop their character, share their talents, and apply their learning, maintain excellence in resource management. Any questions on the agenda? Otherwise, I would entertain a motion to approve
002the agenda. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion and a second. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Motion carries. Uh Nate informed me there are no reports for tonight. So on to discussion items, review policies 573, 593, 721, 920, 520. >> Okay. Um these uh I mean we go through these policies and I and the early graduation one is one near and dear to my heart as a former high school principal that this these policies form an important back stop for um for families that want to explore the possibility of things like early graduation. So, um, so any this this provides, um, guidance for, uh, both the community and, um, the high school staff as to when to consider a student eligible for for early graduation. This is a this is a very
003common set of criteria and process. Um, the number of credits change. Um but the big reason that we we require so many credits is just because we operate that block schedule in the high school. Um so um the Minnesota bare minimum is 21 and a half credits just in case you were ever wondering. So we we go well above and beyond the call of duty. So >> anyway, any questions on early graduation? >> Well, I was looking at this. So, we just reviewed this last year, November 2025. So, why are we doing it again? >> Because it had it was on the list because sometimes if there's any sort of change, we review it and then it stays in the three-year rotation. >> Okay. >> This time, no, nothing has changed this time. So, in
0042024, there must have been a slight change. Sometimes it can just be a phrase or >> Okay, come off my top. Did we just do this? Okay. >> Um, this one is uh this one and it's a very closely linked uh sibling um early kindergarten enrollment. So, we aren't reviewing the early kindergarten enrollment on this one, but um those two policies are are linked and challenged frequently. So, >> so for 28 credits um and this is I don't think we have discussed this but um is there reason for us to have more than what the Minnesota standard is. >> Uh let me think about the easiest way to explain it. The only reason that there are that many credits is because of the block schedule and that in a in a traditional seven period day
005um a student across an entire year generally earns six credits. Um and then you multiply that by four years so they get to 24 credits. That's that and then a lot of times the district sets the bar a little lower. It might be like 22. Some districts go right at the 21 and a half credits. The reason I could imagine that Byron has 28 credits is that unlike a traditional seven period day, um students can earn um students can earn up to four credits every single year that they're with us. Um and so, uh they can earn more if they fill up their schedule. Um, but that that's one of the reasons that the block schedule ends up being significantly more expensive than a if you're only talking in terms of money. This is one
006of the the district pays a premium for having more credits than than what's required. >> So, does this mean that the 28 credits are designed to benefit us, not the students? In this case, uh, people who would be proponents of the 20 credits would argue that this provides students, uh, uh, more requirements, more credits that they have to navigate through, more classes that they have to take in order to graduate from us. So, if you went down the road to a neighboring district that requires 21 and a half credits, >> in a sense, you well, I shouldn't say in a sense, in reality, that district, a student has to take far fewer classes >> in order to graduate compared to us. Thank you. >> Yeah, there um there's a much more complex way of laying
007that out, but that might not be the place for board me, but I could I could kind of sketch it out. It requires a spreadsheet, which maybe exciting >> um to some of us, but yeah. Okay. All right. Um, is that 593? Sean, can you see the battery? Yeah. Um, so the sibling of the early graduation is the the younger sibling of early graduation is early admission to kindergarten. Um, and so, uh, you'll you'll notice there's a lot more specific criteria as it relates to, um, early entrance to kindergarten. Um anyway, but these these are the these are common across all districts. I actually think that the that section C that has the specific things that might actually be statue if I recall correctly. Maybe not since there's not a footnote >> the evaluation part
008of it. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Like what the cut scores are. >> Okay. >> I don't have to double check if that's statute. I'm not seeing any footnotes, so it might not be statute. Anybody questions on early kindergarten? Okay. um 721 um adjustments to um the procurement policy a lot of times are guided by and I want to say make sure I'm saying it right Gazsby standards that everything say okay um one of the major changes comes a little lower down here where which section was this >> ha I think >> yes thank you H2A >> is that um in adopting this policy, one of the things that changed this time around was that um you in policy provide at least the superintendent, it can also be other um employees of the district um
009the authority to approve purchases up to a certain amount. Um previously this wasn't part of policy, but this is a this is a new thing this time around to meet the new standards. So, um since this is new, there isn't super explicit guidance yet. Um, but in looking through some of the most recent purchases of the district, um, uh, my recommendation is for you to approve up to $50,000 that I'm able to approve using our normal procedures, um, that that we have in place before coming to the board and asking you to approve the purchase. >> What was this minimum before then? >> There wasn't. Okay. You would sometimes see you would sometimes see a policy like this when you were when a district was engaged in a construction project so that if there was
010like a change order that the beforehand the board would say you know if the change order is up to $75,000 or whatever the superintendent could just sign off on it. But anything else had to wait for board meeting. Any other questions? Okay. The next one is number 920. Um, a couple of you have shared that uh, and I don't disagree with this, that the wording of this is a little bit clunky. So, um it's going to be my intent to kind of review this and and clean up the language a little bit. Um we absolutely want to provide opportunities to for people to remember those who have passed on and who have made made good contributions, but I think we also want to be careful of of what that looks like. not only in the
011initial instance of a memorial happening on our grounds, but then also what does that memorial look like 30 years from now and and what what responsibility does the does the district hold for that? Um, I was sharing with David before the meeting, um, when we were talking about this policy that at a previous district, we needed to add a driveway to our parking lot. And the most obvious place for the driveway ran right through a memorial that a family had purchased for their um, student that had passed away years before. the family had also purchased two memorial trees to to kind of bracket the it. And um you know, luckily for that district, when I connected with the family and kind of explained what was going on, they were super open to working and dealing
012with it. And um but that's not always going to be the case. And that I would argue that's probably the exception as opposed to the rule. And so we do want to memorialize and we do want to remember all the amazing people that have come through our halls and and make contributions to our community, but we also want to be mindful that um people expect our properties and our structures to be around for 75 years or more um without major changes to them. And so, um, so anyway, the I'll I'll I'll reconfigure some of the wording on it, but the base idea behind it is that we're very strategic and careful about how we memorialize um, and that, um, and that if we are going to do any types of memorials, um, that those should
013align with what the district is, what the district's mission, vision is, and move our mission forward. Um, and that if there are going to be memorials that we're very careful about the upkeep and the maintenance and how long the memorial is going to be there. >> Um, I've I've heard of some districts that have some of these memorial trees that when the tree dies, the family is expecting the the district to then replace the tree. And so it there's just a lot of funny things that happen. And I think it's all with good intentions and good cause, but um I'd like to save future boards and superintendents from headaches if if we could at all. So >> is there a contract then between school district and and a family then for a memorial? >> No.
014And even if we would agree to some type of a memorial situation, I would heavily advise against the contract. And that the policy here talks about, which I do think is wise, that once the memorial arrives on district property, it is part of the district's property, even though it might, you know, memorialize Lisa's grandmother or whatever that and and even if you fundraised for it and did all the stuff for it, that it does become part of the district property and our we have an ability to do with it as we need. Yeah, I think a clearly written policy will also prevent the necessary additional heartache towards trying to memorialize someone. >> Yeah. And I I I don't want to be against memorials. I just I do think there's other ways that schools can memorialize
015people. Um again, high school principal guy thinking here, but like scholarships and endowments of that sort, like those are things that get recognized year over year. they make a difference to families, generations of families, especially if the if the fund is set up appropriately for a very long time, >> right? >> Um and so th that would be the sorts of memorials I would I would love to get in the business of and support. So >> sounds good. >> And we currently don't have any right on the premises. >> I don't know. >> I think there's >> Yeah, the cages has um Well, who's down there? Um, the softball coach uh Howard help me out. No one has older kids here. Terry Howard. Okay. So, we have he's on the batting cages. And then we've
016got Larry Moore's wife, Lori, a bench by the softball fields up on top of that hill. at the high school. DJ has the high school. >> So there's a handful. >> Yeah. >> But if we don't have a contract for things like that and this falls serve as a contract, right? >> So there should well back to what you said about trees, right? Yeah. >> Yeah. essentially the because it's a memorial, it ends up getting handled a little more delicately than like a >> piece of furniture or another piece of property. And >> I think I think this is more done out of an abundance of sensitivity for the memorial to be like, >> "Yes, hey, we want to raise this money and we want to put a bench down." >> It's not the bench
017necessarily that's the issue. And it's more like we would want to maintain the bench and maybe 20 years from now when we have to do some major maintenance work to the bench. It that maintenance work fundamentally changes the structure of the bench, >> right? >> And maybe the family is really sensitive about the way that the bench went in or what it looks like. And that just it just there's a weirdness there or an awkwardness that >> that to your point Nadia like if it was spelled out in a contract it would be super clear and that's what I think the policy is chasing after is that once once it is >> once it's placed on the school district property it's school district property and but at the same time we serve our community we
018want to be sensitive to the people who >> donated funds for that maybe you know sacrificed a Saturday to put it in or whatever. >> Very next sentence though state that it's mutually agreed that any repairs replacement is at the expense of the family or group that gave the memorial. It's not off the district. So >> it's halfway already written in the policy without >> Yeah. >> If you know that it's 30 years later. >> Yeah. And that was that was part of the issue with the thing I ran into is I mean the the memorial was maybe 10 12 years old at that point and it wasn't >> I'm not saying that it took a huge amount of effort but the family had moved to a different community entirely and you know it required
019a little bit of coordination but good. >> Okay. Um 520 um surveys especially in the digital age have become a very easy way easy and air quotes to collect information from groups of folks. Um there are student surveys um and and this policy ends up guiding how we administer student surveys. What are what's the purpose behind the surveys? notifying the parents of the survey presence. Um, in today's world, I would argue probably the most controversial standardized survey that comes out is the Minnesota Student Survey. Um, and that's a study once every 3 years. Um, and I think the last I think this year it was administered. We did not administer it. Um and then the like they said it comes out once every 3 years and then it's they they compile all the results they
020share it with all districts across the state whether your district participated in it or not. So um that has become controversial in the postcoid world. Um so guidance on student surveys >> so we opted out of it. >> Yes. Okay. Any other questions on any of the policies reviewed? >> All right, then moving on to dates for July board retreat. So I um I would argue it's a good idea even though like um when I came on board in July um we uh we were originally planning for like a full day and then we ended up uh kind of narrowing it down and and focusing it. I think we got together for maybe an hour and a half or or two hours on a morning. Um for me I see a lot of purpose and
021use in us coming together in a forum like that where um where I can provide some training like I did in the in July or in the board meetings leading up to that we can collectively decide hey we're going to have these number of hours together that are going to be uninterrupted and we can do what is the what is the top piece of work that we need to work on together and then I can um I can fashion a way to lead that. So I think the first step in that is um is trying to find a time that would work for us. um recognize and my my hope in this one is that even if we can't arrive at a date here tonight that maybe when you go home to your families that
022um I would I'll put this on the agenda until we arrive at a date and then it'll shift into a discussion of well what should we do during that time together. Um, one of the best practices for high functioning boards is that we do this at least once a year. Um, where we get together and um, we can decide together again what we talk about. If you don't want to decide on what to talk about, I am happy to come up with a list of things that that we can talk about together. So, um, it doesn't have to be July. It can be June. It can be July. It could be August. It could be September. It could be whenever. I just know that sometimes the summer ends up being a little depending on the
023week of course it could be a little easier. So I don't know if we wanted to people could share out hey these are the weeks that I'm already blocked out for the summer or or whatever and go from there. the um the 7th through the 12th is not good for me. >> Of June >> of July and I think the first week's out, right? >> Yeah. 4th of July. >> And historically, we've only met once in July. >> Yeah. The just the board meeting at the end, right? >> Yeah. The week of the 19th is really good for me because my kids will be asleep waking up. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Are we looking at like a specific day? >> Um, honestly for me, uh, my my weeks open up like each day of
024the week because it's like, you know, there's not leadership meetings instead of checking meetings. So, >> okay. >> Um, so July works best for me, but I'm sensitive to >> me not being the reason. So, to answer your question, I think any day, at least on my end, works fine. >> That week, July 20th works for me. I believe we have a school board. >> Um, we do Monday. >> Yeah. Is that too much to do it all in one day? Would it be all in one block? So, we'll start. So, we have budget committee there as well starting at 4:30. >> So, would we start like at 2:00 and go? >> Yeah. Are you thinking how long are you thinking for the retreat? >> I would love at least two hours of your time.
025>> Yeah. Yeah. I think that allows us some time to flush out things >> for a thing. >> Beginning of days or end of days are the last. >> Okay. Sorry. >> Anytime after 5:30. >> So that so the 20th would not work for you. >> Um not unless you Yeah. Okay. If it's after 5:30, that opens up my evenings, too. >> Okay. So, I can be flexible really almost. >> I would prefer the 27th over the 20th. >> Okay. >> At all possible. for me. >> Work for you. >> Yes, I think um >> Yeah, I'm not running into issues yet. >> Are you still planning to have the 20th meeting though? And >> yeah. Yeah, I'd love to keep that one just cuz there's there's always some hiring stuff that needs to happen
026in July. >> Does 5:30 p.m. on the 27th work for people? That works for me. >> Does that work for me? >> I don't know where I'll be. >> Okay. >> As of right now, yes. >> Okay, >> David. So far, I mean, >> yeah, so far >> I have zero family vacations. >> Okay. So, we're saying the 27th at from 5:30 to 7:30. midnight. You can go to >> Yeah. until about 900 p.m. >> Could we bring our own like dinner and sit here and eat while we're doing it? >> Absolutely. Yeah. >> Oh, he's buying. >> No. >> Yeah, sure. >> I know, right? Audrey's Burritos >> 5:30 to 7:30. Okay, >> sounds good. >> Is there um I hate to push this is going to I'm going to poke a a bar
027and bear here. >> Is it worth finding trying to find a rain a rain date where if things end up changing? >> Yeah, I think that's a good idea. >> Something different than the 27th at 5:30 >> an alternate. >> Should we look at um >> 28? So the let's see so Monday the 3 would be a work session, right? >> I'm just wondering if we pick a date that's on a different week so that in the event somebody's family vacation ends up lining up. We don't >> What about August 10th at 5:30? >> I cannot do that. >> Oh, I can't either, actually. Sorry. Just kidding. Um, maybe should we look at June as a backup? That doesn't really work though. >> The 27th to be the backup. >> Yeah, we can look at
028June as the >> It's like the original date. Yeah. >> I feel like August gets too close to school starting. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Well, there there are five Mondays in June. >> Okay. I don't know what is the 29th >> is that the 29th is it's if people travel for the 4th >> they might be gone that week. >> Okay. >> Um the 22nd maybe >> that would work for me. >> That would be difficult for me. >> Okay. Would a different day that week work for you? >> That week is very difficult. >> Okay. >> What about the week of the Do we want to do two things in one week though? Prior week is a meeting. We could also change the June work session to a retreat. >> Oh, like that first
029>> that first Monday. Yeah. >> So, start of a work session. >> Say June 1 or June 8th. >> June 1. >> We do have We're supposed to have a facility meeting that night. >> Do you think that's reasonable or is that not reasonable to have two months in a row with only one meeting? I feel like a lot of boards only meet once a month, but what do you think? >> Like I guess I'm not super uncomfortable with it, but I'm looking over here at Ann. >> Yeah, I was just looking at the like my board planning doc and really June is pretty late. It'll just be policies, which we could um I could potentially put June polic because typically we don't do a lot of policies in July because we only have one
030work session. So I could just maybe move the June policies that would be to review into May. >> Okay. >> We're going to buckle up for May. >> Yeah. >> Well, would we um I don't mind the June >> the June 1st in place of the work session. um doing a board retreat >> or we could do a board retreat and just try to keep the meeting really light and still hold a meeting but do it could we change the time of the meeting? Maybe do the meeting at 5:30. Try to keep it short and do retreat after. >> We can as long as we put notice but then you need to know or you'd have to decide if you want to hold the listening session still because there's always a session part of the
031work session. So, you just need to let people know you wouldn't be holding a listening session or at 5:00 p.m. whatever it is. >> I would suggest keeping the listening session >> and just changing the work session to a retreat. >> Okay. And then any work any board action um you know we are taking care of it on May 18th >> or it moves to two weeks later in June 18th >> you know and don't take this the wrong way but a lot of times there aren't things that are hyper critical that you know are time sensitive but have to happen inside the board meeting >> that day because we're the post of the school year. >> Correct. Yeah. One big thing that has to happen to >> There is one big thing. Yes. >>
032John, is that okay with you? We Okay, we can plan around it. >> So, would that be your guys's first choice then? And then the >> and the backup date would be July 27th. >> Yeah, >> I think so. >> I Is that okay with everyone else? >> Okay. I can't guarantee it though on June 1st, but I will I will try six. >> Okay. >> That would be my second choice. But >> that would be >> okay. >> Well, maybe um when we talk about it next time, um would you have any more clarity the next time we get together? >> You know, only because I'm starting a new job on May 18th. >> Okay. I'm probably going to be spending a lot of time doing some traveling. So >> that >> it's going
033to be hard to ask for >> time off cuz I actually asked them to wait for me for my graduation first. >> Oh, bless. >> Okay, >> I get that. >> Fair. That's good that they did. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Well, why don't we do this? Let's um let's keep June 1. I know it sounds kind of weird that it's like the rain delay date, but it's before the actual one. Um, but let's let's plan on July 27th being the the one at 5:30 here. And then we'll put this on the agenda for the next couple meetings. Not only to see where everybody's dates, if that's still feeling good for everybody, but then also to to start brainstorming things that you all think would be fruitful to do on that day, knowing that if
034you come up with nothing, I'm happy to come with topics. Not in like a torturous way, but there's there's uh there's always some stuff that we could we can work on together. So, >> okay, great. >> Good. Anything else on there? Sorry, that's supposed to be the question. >> Got it. >> Thank you. >> Uh, Honda, the fiveear strategic plan discussion. >> Okay. Um so in the in kind of the pivot from the um groundup strategic plan more into the let's let's get refocused on this profile of a graduate. Um as more time is going on and as as I'm reading more nerdy educational articles, I I continue to be convinced that this really is a a better direction to head. um as opposed to um what I was thinking earlier. So I do appreciate
035your support um and vision on what this could look like. Um this would present our this is how I would suggest again think about this is this is kind of like the 30,000 foot view of it is that um this would take take place over 5 years um and the first phase would be listen and learn where it's a lot about the staff coming to mutual understanding of what proficiency in these six C's looks like how they interact with each other um understanding what what we do. Um that that work has actually already begun. Um I'm meeting with uh by middle school staff on Thursday to to listen to hear how they've implemented this. Um and I want to try and collect some of that data at the end of this year. Um and then
036that data that I gather obviously will share with you with leadership with teams and that becomes the launch pad for next year which ends up being more learning designing um experimenting. Um, and we're worried we're much less worried in this first year about like getting it right in the first instance and sort of like um I can't remember the cool corporate buzzword that I was thinking about earlier today, but um proof of concept. That's what I proof of concept. Um we're wanting we're wanting some of that to start happening in in year one. Um, in year three, we're taking those ideas that we've decided are working best on how we implement this in terms of communicating, helping students understand, onboarding staff members so that we have a collective understanding, really zeroing in on how we
037assess proficiency and growth on these. Um and then in year four is when we finally start to see standard operating procedures on this because we've arrived at a mutual understanding. We've had a chance to explore the space um and decide what are good practices, what are best practices and then it's really year four where things start to cement and where we where we really see the culture change. And then that fifth year ends up being the okay now we've moved through this what what are our next steps where um you know setting the stage for the next set of years um on what that is. So on the right hand side I give you I give you some some things about actual actions that take place. This isn't intended to be like a universal set
038of actions but just some ideas. Um, I'll admit that some of these items are very buzzwordy. Um, and but we what will happen on some of these protocols and processes is I'm also constructing a playbook that right now is about 20 to 25 pages that says, you know, if I'm looking at the first line where it talks about empathy interviews. Well, if you have no idea what an empathy interview is, it's going to be hard for you to conduct such. And so this playbook has for every one of these protocols and processes, here's how you conduct an empathy interview and here are the types of questions that we ask. So that if I come and ask board members, what do you know about the profile of graduate? That then when I turn around and ask
039staff members, I'm asking a similar sort of question. So I'm collecting a similar some similar piece of evidence. So, um, anyway, the playbook, um, I was really hoping I'd have that done for the leadership to review tomorrow. Um, that's not going to happen. I'm hoping maybe by next week's leadership meeting for them to be able to start reviewing that playbook so that then um maybe at the May work session you'll you'll be able to look at that playbook so that you can see it'll be it'll like I mean it's already at 20 plus pages so it's kind of an extensive thing but I just wanted to be clear about what's going on how this works. So >> great. So Nate did you say empathy and interviews are happening? That's the 2526 fiscal year. >> Yeah.
040So so the this listen and learn phase I misspoke at at the onset. This first one is things are going to start happening this week. So my first my first fora into this is Thursday with um teams of staff at the middle school. Um, and I just have time set up with them where I just am asking them questions about the profile of a graduate and what they're seeing, what are the pitfalls that they're falling into, you know, what are the pros, the cons. Um, I did meet with the high school student council. um uh they were in their classroom, I was on the beach, but um but uh they are working to set up a set of listening sessions at the high school for me where I'll ask questions again about the profile of
041a graduate, what they see, how it's implemented. Um and then, um I also have a meeting set up with the community ed staff. I I can't remember if that's next week or the week after. So some of these are already getting set up and and built up. But the intent is to gather information about what is the current reality. Like when people say profile graduate, do most people be like what are you talking about? Or are people like yes and here's everything I know? >> How will you um choose which families to speak to? >> I don't know yet. That's a good question because there's a I I'm super reticent about surveying people. Um so I I would take any advice about if there maybe if you had selected families that you know have been
042um both super supportive and super critical of the district. I think having a having constructive uh constructively critical viewpoints is super helpful. Um, I I to be quite honest, I don't that's the one group I have the least ability to like know what's the right approach to take with >> with families. >> Yeah, I'll think about that a little bit. >> Yeah, cuz with that last part with the the intentional outreach to voices not typically heard. >> Yeah, I read that and I was like, okay, so who is that? >> Yeah, that's good. It's great. Because a lot of times those are the families where you know school person sends an email, sends many emails, leaves a phone message, leaves many phone messages and you never hear back from them. >> In a real sense,
043those are the people that we we desperately want to hear from, >> right? >> So >> yeah. So that that first part like from now to the end of the school year is is essentially what is our current reality on the profile graduate. What do we have now? >> And sort of synthesize condense that into here's here's where we're at >> so that we can start saying um I already know our our biggest hurdle is going to be how do we assess student growth on these >> six that's the that's going to be the biggest thing over. So >> great. >> Any other questions for Nate? >> All right. No further questions. We'll move on to action items. Action on pay to ride. Yes. So last last meeting when we went over the pay to
044ride fees, we didn't I for uh failed to ask for the actual approval on these. So is bringing them back for that official approval. >> Make a motion to accept as presented by Sean. >> Second >> motion and a second. All in favor say I. >> I. Motion carries on to action on bus lease. >> So we've got a aging fleet of buses and uh valid or val and John had looked around to actually first they were approached by um company that had buses. They ordered for another school but they ended up backing out of. So, um, we kind of looked at those as a opportunity to get a bus that was ready made as opposed to having to wait a year to get the bus. Um, then we talked about some potential financing options
045because we don't have the wiggle room in our budget this year to buy the bus outright. It's pretty difficult for schools to lease those buses for a couple years. Um, and that they presented their financing options. Uh, we felt like four years was an adequate length of time for a lease on a bus as opposed to five. By the time we get through five years, we'll put a pretty decent amount of mile in those buses. So, um, the idea is that, uh, currently there's a bus that's being used as parts. to dispose of that through a through an auction site and then the bus that's currently being used in route be left over as a spare. So if we had like a an athletic trip or something like that, we use that as a spare
046and then this new bus would go into service as a route bus. So >> and this is leased to buy, correct? >> Yep. Lease to buy, no balloon payment or anything like that. So be four payments of the just under $40,000. >> Great. >> During the term, do you see us needing to add another one or probably >> Potentially more. Yeah. >> But we'd be able to budget accordingly. >> Yeah. >> Other uh other districts contract their buses out. We own ours or essentially own. It's there. And just kind of knowing a little bit more about the bus industry, it cost more to to have ours essentially. Was there ever a reason to to not lease out? >> Um I mean as opposed to like having a bus company. >> So right now we we
047have the control of our transportation, right? um if we were to basically contract that out, then we'd be selling our buses. So, we'd never be able to go back to having our own buses company. Um but then you're also at the mercy of this comp of this other company, this third party for the cost of those, >> which is usually substantially cheaper than the maintenance and things that you have to to do on I was just curious. >> I've actually I've actually heard the opposite. It's actually more expensive. Yeah, I don't know >> potentially >> because you're paying all those fees or you're paying all those fees plus markup >> is the way it was presented to me. >> Yeah, I can see it being presented that way. >> Yeah, >> because buses are only
048getting more expensive. >> Yeah, right. >> Those things are not getting cheaper as as we go along. >> So, that's coming still effectively releasing those buses to you. So, you still going to be paying for the buses plus the services. So, but that's, you know, mid point, right? Because we need to compare the with the whatever if we receive a proposal for something like this. >> Is that something we'll be able to look at when we um get the audited budgets in that software that we bought like compare our transportation costs to districts who contract out? Okay. >> Absolutely. >> Okay. >> Yeah. We just need to find some districts. >> Okay. >> That'll give us a good idea. Let me think of the I'm trying to think of the six districts. >> No, Stewartville
049and Cassen contract or does Cass contract their own? >> I thought they own theirs. >> They own theirs. Anyway, Stewville contracts their own. >> Okay. >> Winona has their own >> and um I think Delano contracts theirs out. So, there's a mix of our comparative districts. >> Great. We'd have to look too just not just at uh student population. We have to look at >> right. >> Yeah, that makes >> because our district is actually fairly large. >> It basically goes to >> Yeah, exactly. So there's there's a lot of miles that are >> Okay. >> Is there a time frame of So we have this opportunity for a bus that's ready now. Um, do they need an answer by a certain date before they're going to a different school district and say, "Hey, I
050have this opportunity for you." >> Um, he's he's holding the bus for us currently. >> Okay. >> Val and John have been been over to see the bus. They've driven it. They're they're comfortable. >> Says it's good. >> Yeah. I guess in my mind the conversation we're having is probably a longer term conversation and in the short term >> this is where we need to be. That's just my thoughts on it. So >> agree. >> So I would make a motion to accept uh leasing a new bus as presented. the charging. >> It was around what? Like 170,000 total roughly. >> Yeah, >> they aren't cheap, but they do get used, >> right? >> Do they do any maintenance or anything in that time frame if there's any problems with the bus? Is that just
051the standard warranties on them? >> Do you know how long those are for posters? >> I don't. >> I'm guessing we hit the mileage before we hit the length of the warranty. >> Nothing quite like something or something. >> That's a new >> Yes, it's a brand new series. >> Okay. Yeah. It says new were >> new to you. >> But you know, we aren't already into our warranty, >> right? >> And I did second motion. >> Yes. I was going to say there is a motion and there's been a second. >> Um, >> is there any further discussion? Okay. Um all in favor of uh leasing a bus as presented uh say I. >> I. >> All oppose. >> I >> motion carries. Uh on to the recap of the listening session. >> Actually
052two people this time. >> Three two groups of people. Yeah. >> Yeah. So why don't you I mean you can talk to them. >> Um the first family that came were representing um my family's total and they came with a lot of really good information. They had concerns about the bus stop. Um I think we kind of all know a little bit of background. They did provide um some information that I feel like we should definitely share with specifically. They cited a safety concern that I will share with you and make sure it's information that you already know about. Um, and then we did tell them that after we discuss it, we would follow up with them with an email. So, please don't let us forget to do that. >> Yeah. Um, yeah. I I
053don't know that I don't want to give, you know, share anything personal about their information. So, >> yeah. So, I guess what what's the next step for us then? So, we heard the concerns. We have them. Do we bring them? >> Yeah, you can. Um, you can share with me, you know, what they presented. >> Okay. >> Um, and I >> because they've talked with you, you know, when they got the channel. >> Yeah. The Val and I went out to the place. Um, you know, we reviewed we reviewed the area where the stops are at and where they should be at and all that. um we did meet with them and so I think um the next step is just to share with me you know in the event that maybe they shared with
054you something that isn't that they haven't shared with me yet um in the intent that >> um we're making sure that we have all the information >> and then um I can take if there is new information I can absolutely take that to to Val and she and I can um can work on it together and And then if there's um we can we can come together again to say hey here's here's what we're recommending >> what we suggest doing. >> Okay. Sounds good. >> Okay. >> And then do you want to talk about the next one? >> Um so the next one was um a woman with a kindergartener and a preschool son and um she's concerned about class sizes. So when the referendum passed, she said, you know, I thought that was that
055class sizes would not be touched, that kind of a thing. And so she has some concerns about larger class sizes and um just in light of the budget um trying to think what else we talked about. I mean, it's really class sizes and open enrollment. And so we talked about open enrollment, how that really >> affects our district um and and how it's a good thing for our district >> and I know that's really hard to get across to >> the general public because before I was on the board too I was like you got to close open enrollment like you know you can't can't keep building these schools and then they don't pay taxes and so that's people don't understand that open enrollment brings money to our district and we now depend on that
056money. So um another question was about community input. I had actually spoken to her about the referendum before November and I told her that we are going to if it if it passes we will elicit community input to help prioritize how we spend our entire budget going forward and she was wondering what that will look like and um that's partly why I asked about how we'll talk to families. Um, so I told her we're still, you know, working out our strategic plan planning, but that we haven't forgotten about that. And yeah. >> Um, oh, and then she also asked if we would be sharing information about the budget comparison software that we have. And so we talked about how um once everyone's audit is complete, we will have probably more information. But I think it
057would be helpful to share what we can with the community >> when we um do that. Um I feel like those are the main the main points. Yeah. Yeah. >> You said she had a kindergartener and a preschooler. >> Yes. >> What um what were the class sizes last year >> in comparison to >> We talked about, you know, declining birth rate and the kindergarten. >> I was just curious if there were actually additions to those or if it stayed the same. >> We talked about moving to ranges. um and she didn't love that idea. You know what? There's one other thing too that she asked that we all board members um prioritize academics when we think about our budget overall. >> Yeah. And how class sizes in the earlier um grades impact the education.
058>> Yeah. So, this is the enrollment and the breakdowns of our grades. I know the I love how Sean describes it as a wall of text. This can get a little wall of texty, right? But going back to the 23 24 school year, um, you know, kindergarten was at over 20 kids in class. First grade was 21. Second grade was almost 22. You know, you're that's this slide right here. Okay. >> Okay. So, the 2425 school year, these are the class sizes. So, kindergarten's at uh 18 and 12. Uh first grade was uh 20 and a half. Second grade ends up being almost 25. in this school year. Whoops. Sorry. >> Thank you. This year, kindergarten is almost 21, first grade is 23 and a half, second grade is 23, third grade is 25 or
05924 in court. >> And then the the the intent for next year Um, and kindergarten is the hard one. So, as as much as you can, you're going to have to ignore this column C because >> um because we don't have the section number right, nor do we have the number of I mean that is the number that's enrolled right now. But >> um but first grade's at 20, you know, 24 and a half, second grade's at 20 something. >> So, it's flu fluctuating some, but it's kind of staying getting a little lower. Well, first grade. >> My understanding of changing the ranges was so when we fall outside or go over, we understand how much over that is so we have a better understanding of where we're at and not necessarily that we're increasing
060caps. Yeah. >> Is that accurate? Well, and then and I I really appreciate you bringing up the range because in years past and this is column I can't see what number that is. Five. >> Five. >> Um this the unfortunate part about class size targets is no matter how you convey that number, the perception is that that's the max number. when in reality and we can I can show you year-over-year there are always classes that are beyond that number and in some cases well beyond that number and the unfortunate part about having a a defined target like that is that it is conveying an unrealistic it's I would argue it is not being transparent >> it is it is purposely obfiscating what is going to happen >> right >> whereas a range range as we
061have here. A range gives a better sense of what what the actual process is that if there are numbers that fall outside of that range, there's not a guarantee of any district action. There never was a guarantee of district action. Even when you set up a target, that was never the point of the target. um the when you fall outside of that range, it guarantees that there is a conversation and a and a reapproachment as to what is happening in that in that grade level. There are some grade levels that if you were at 24 kids in a grade and your target was 20, just due to the makeup of the grade level and how things are are laid out, none of the teachers, it wouldn't matter just just the culture, the makeup of the
062kids, the way that they are sorted. But the very next grade level, which might be five or six kids under the target in each grade level, the teachers would feel like this is hell on earth. I can barely even keep control of it. And so it we do we do have grade sizes and targets like this or target ranges to help us keep a sense of how can we maintain management. Unfortunately, especially when you when you dedicate it or when you target a specific number, it creates a false narrative in that that number is is the defined number. So, for example, in years past when the board had allegedly taken action on 2022, 24, the challenge to that is how did the board arrive at those specific numbers? like why did you decide why did
063the board decide I'm going to say you some of you wouldn't have been here for these numbers why did you arrive at 24 instead of 23 for grade two >> you know and and that's that's the false narrative that gets created is that well this is the number and you have declared it and so we can't go above beyond it but that's not the reality of what happens in the schools on top of that the other part that free when we talk about class size is that frequently gets misconstrued is that those the class sizes there's a whole bevy of supports especially at the younger levels >> that aren't accounted for in the class size. So like if you took if you took the both either the primary or the intermediate school there are math
064interventionists there's reading interventionists there's uh um social emotional support paras in both of those buildings that don't exist at the middle and the high school level. Um but the the classroom the class side the regular ed classroom number doesn't account for all of these additional supports that end up being in place. So like the MCA, it is a metric that we can use to help us understand in part what's going on, but it's a far cry from being a crystal clear picture of exactly what's happening inside of a inside of both a specific classroom, but inside of a school and then also inside of a district at the same time. So I know people want a specific number that this is the this is the most important number. the class, you know, the number of
065students per class is a number, but to say that it is the number um ends up ignoring a lot of the things that the school intentionally puts a lot of energy and effort and resources into. So for example, if you wanted to say, well fine, we are happy to drop the the number of kids per classroom, but then that ends up meaning that we reduce the support that English language learning students receive at Byron schools. Well, then because there's limited resources, so unfortunately it does become a zero sum game. And so there's a balance that happens and that's why the the singular target is a is not as clear as as people would want. >> Right? >> So anyway, that's super wishy-washy. But again, the the school environment is >> we work with humans, right?
066>> And little humans. And so the very its very nature is wishy-washy, right? >> Like >> anything can happen in these places. and to try and concretely define things by by super concrete numbers um you just end up setting everybody up for for failure frankly. So >> So yes, we we do try and keep um numbers manageable but recognize that beyond this is just the general ed numbers that are in there. There's a whole army of people that the district employs that provide support, assistance, supervision that are not impacting that that kids per classroom number at all. >> Are there any state standards or something uh that talk about the maximum number of kids per class per grade? >> Um there are some guidelines at MDE um and that that changes by um with each
067grade level. Mhm. >> Um but they they don't they trend more towards ranges like what we have established here. >> Um where it's it's not a defined number. It's more of a this is about the right number. But there there's with every one of those ranges there's quite a few asterisks on attached to that where it also indicates this also depends on your free and reduced lunch number. This depends on your EL number. This depends on the number of students with disabilities. This depends on your number of migrant students. This depends on your number of homeless students as well. >> I was just wondering if there's something that we can kind of provide to the community to reassure them that our classes are still in a good place. >> Um the I do have uh
068let me >> Yeah, that would be something. I do have our numbers compared to every district in the HBL and beyond. >> Yeah. >> You know, and and in some cases, you end up seeing the same story is that every district has these >> uh these these funny little statistical bubbles, >> you know, like what you're seeing is that we have this little bump right now in first grade that is different from the grade below it and above it. Mhm. >> Um but then as you as you start comparing other grades, every every district ends up falling into a similar >> into a similar bit. Um but I do feel like within reason um you know this was part when when the leadership team came together and was like, well, what should these ranges be?
069looking at our comparison districts not just by by student population but then also by geographic region because that plays a role in it. >> Um that that also played into well how do we decide what these ranges are because we're we're looking at what the other >> the other schools are doing. So there's as much as we want it to be a science, it's not. It's it's both a science and a art, I guess. But >> I would prefer it if it was just a number that we could point to. That would make life that would make life uh a lot easier, but it's it's a little more complicated than that. >> Anything else off the listening side? >> All right. leaves us with the last item. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> Motion
070in a second. All in favor say I. Hi.