001I call this meeting to order it is 7:00 p.m. on Monday August 20th 2018 this is a regular meeting of the Richfield school board in attendance this evening we have board members Tim Hollis crystal rocky John ash me defeat tensing Paula Cole we have superintendent you now ski and I am or chair Christine Malek I would like to remind us of Richfield Public Schools mission statement Richfield public schools inspires and empowers each individual to learn grow and Excel we will keep this in the forefront of our minds as we work together this evening we will start with review and approval of the agenda of anyone is not there to make a motion only to be agenda new motion by mr. Paulus a second by min sprockie is there any further discussion on favor please say
002aye all right any opposed the chair votes aye and the agenda is Richard is approved we will move on to information and proposals not action items and we're starting to see me with public comment so individuals who wish to address the school board during a school board meeting may do so during the public comments portion of the agenda the meeting to participate individuals must make a written request to the board secretary up to 4:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting or up until one minute before on the signup sheet outside the door this grant speakers the opportunity to make a presentation up to three minutes the board secretary beth will indicate with a sign 30 seconds and time's up when the time is up we ask that you finish your comments if you have
003more to share with the board I would request that you put your additional comments in writing on a board comment sheet for us to review before the next meeting those are located on that table outside where you entered the key room we ask that each speaker who signed up addressed the board and state their name and address for the record speakers are asked to refrain from using this form to criticize or make allegations about specific employees by name due to privacy and legal concerns for employees and for the speaker the board takes into consideration comments made during public comment but is not holding the two-way dialogue or discussion during the public comments it is designed for us to listen now and if needed provide a district district response at a later time and questions and
004concerns and requests may be directed to appropriate administrators for review if you require a written response to a specific question you may also request that we also expect others attending the meeting to be respectful of those that have signed up to speak and allow them there are three minutes without interruption and conversation if you do interrupt I would have to request that you please stop and allow them to speak or I will have to ask you to leave the meeting if you continue I will have to ask you to leave the meeting if you are unable to make a request in advance of tonight's meeting we have two ways for you to share your thoughts with us either using the board comment sheet so you can do it in writing those get it out front
005and we would review your comments before the next meeting the other is for you to request to participate in public comment for a future board meeting so I really thank you all for attending and for your attention and respect in this process we're really happy that you are all here to share with us tonight so we are going to start with and flee I lost - you know me this year I have two students going to be freshman very I'm very excited that you are looking at my engineer is we've been very lucky that concerns for me raising kids that are LGBTQ my concern is how can I make schools how I make their school environments and if you get this issue not a survey [Music] and of those who persevere and to the there's
006UK's so when we're looking at gender inclusive policies [Music] as an adult I have friends policy in the night so I wanted to be just to ingesting in here we have Ribera Basso and I ignore your clothes so I like another mother I am SuperDuper inclusive honor percent of this pub and because there will be many more how they are I wanted to give some guff of what we can also promise because I don't want to say that this is a great guy thinking if we want to go ahead and think about that steps of good tape to improving our on I have some ideas for especially with the other bathrooms I I think a good idea in general back then we have nouns right you know but it's increased your area and locate having
007to go from class into the interview and walk all the way down there or even to the nurses along with them but that's taking out the nurses time because she may be attending to other people and it's just a problem especially for kids you just eat faster so I think at least having one or two more general for backers would be repetition so also to that I would just become kind of recommend keeping keep in mind with all this you know we start with our other gender foods you know please make sure you be trying to be genuine I know is very empty because of the backlash whatever man goes to the field and but there are and you know that there are generally neutral for gender-fluid kids who made fluctuate between that we may
008be they may feel male one day then said can I'm feeling a lot more feminine and that's totally fair but maybe just get backlash red because of all the other bachelor that question but they should be lucky to the restroom that they feel comfortable - sir so well as it will disintegrate for first up there is there's so much more you know you could do for all these Jenner you know the kids I got the one thing that I was meaning about you thank you you know if you think of maybe families write it down on a second next we have Jennifer help jennipher hopeless and mother of a transgender teenager and [Music] wasn't gonna divulge that but in his and my child has experienced discrimination because is that case basis and standard student us
009they won't alert to see that you're doing this work by director policy I really understand I believe they do really do better than her I'm going to I read it so intermediate and review tonight I was looking you to consider the following things about names and women's usage the parental consent requirement is not clear that's tremendously important for fish energy support the gender neutral bath there's only a few it's great who can use the bathroom but not any mundo so the gender-neutral bathroom additions put here being open about how your district will provide a long line gender marker changes to official records this is common reference to people who have already to transition suggesting processes within schools to ensure jet beams are not used in documents this is that my child they're dead he was
010used in an honor illness posted in the hallway posted on the newspapers there's there's a way to have a process to learn and also my final thing with regard to students equally apply these genders transition plans as my student went to a new school so these students come to us in so many ways about our they if they're like non-residents that rich people will say they transition into their other themselves there's somebody who moves from somewhere else to be here they're already finished they already know so there's so many places it's beautiful to us right so with these gender transition plans my background is in a charm like I studied it affirmative action it doesn't work unless it's equally a flight through all the schools so my last thing I do state is use this
011opportunity to design inclusive policy to a certain more than a justice the rights of transgender adults in your schools as employees guest appearance of cisgender students so much better the second and he can never go my name is matthew Sikich and I've been practicing in Hennepin County and throughout five state area and the couple others games nationally as American consultant and and I have some comments tonight that I wish to make and out of respect for everybody that's involved in this number one I really like that the board has moved ahead to look at this situation seriously to include all students and I think Pam and her daughter and Jennifer another district that's really important because all children need to be respected and supported I do however have a look through this I think some
012of the areas are too soon and too hard to implement and that the board needs to take seriously walking at the considerations of the impact on all the other students and how you bring it together which I'm going to bring some of these up for me and over number one that says all students and I don't think all students are included especially the ones that do not share this type of growth or change in their life okay I don't into it I think we really have to reflect when we start using that term in there excels gender identity and gender expression I have no idea I don't know better how much your expression of yourself and all of who you are compared to somebody else okay and where that would cross over I think that
013that needs to be an open discussion and not only do adults need to learn this but the kids need to learn from each other how that would be and how we would accept one another in there but because it's not clearly defined here I think the school can get into serious legal implications by those instead of working together are taking either political or other types of sides instead of coming together and I just want to warn you of that especially being a mediator so there's other things in that I think it's just too soon and basically there's in here that specifically addresses what that expression means I think serious repercussions especially in the form of discrimination and especially when you get into sports activities lock of them situations and other things I think we're far
014too there's too much too soon on that but the movie in the right direction to recognize I think the activities and how things happen and how you deal with other kids are really important and I think ideas that Rivera has these are pieces so you can't use the names of other people and with we have individual speaking tonight whose name not mention that I think had some great ideas on what we could be done for restrooms and other things to make it more comfortable and more positive in our schools thank you so much we move on to America my name is Mara okay a transgendered woman of those just a few blocks away from their 60 60 that's good I lost most of my life to be it's too soon mentality and now in fact
015it was nearly six decades worth of that I raised three sons process they're all about they're doing very well so I guess I didn't mess things up too badly because I mean I spent a life in management and I have I believe a pretty good understanding with this matter provide anybody that I just want to point out first of all I want to thank you for what you've got in place you're ahead of the curve and I go to school board meetings and it's a lot differently I said we had a curve just like Minnesota itself has been way this Minneapolis was the first city ever to implement protections for people like us in 1975 so it's been 43 years and they're still arguing profits not to state of Minnesota implemented protections of 1993 for
016a state to do so every major medical and mental health organization advocates for affirming and being compassionate to transgender and gender non-conforming youth as any yeah so I mean the American Medical Association the American Association of that pediatrician is the American Psychological Association they always burn taking being nice to transgender kisum and letting them be who they are and therefore their rights thank you again for letting to Stanford and next we have Jamie Ebert my name is Jeannie you usually leave her out of it 3 0 0 8 West 74th Street in Richfield for about five weeks now but my boyfriend bought a house in Richfield six months ago that I just moved into a beginning of July so I woke up this morning I seen Alert doesn't go to the Richfield school word to
017support transgender students no no crack what am i doing what did we move into so I get to work I hop online I do some research and I see that it's not you folks that are attacking transgender students but I read the history of the minutes and what you've already talked about this when I read through your policies and I'm just needed to show up anyway to make sure there were folks in the room to say thank you for others away my mom and teaches eighth grade math in an adjacent districts and he runs the GSA at her school she has students who was eighth grade and you know one week wanted to be called this name and these pronouns and then the next week was not sure why I go by deceive in this
018pronoun and my mom's you know trying to work through it with this student as best as she can and then my mom has another teacher caught up to her and say oh man come on I got used to call them this name and now I got to figure this thing out no this is so hard for me to which my mom says back to this person if you think that's hard for you how hard do you think it is for this student who's an eighth grade trying to figure out what gender they are among everything else you have to deal with in middle school so I ran through this policy today and I wanted to very specifically note a couple of things in here that I think know how they're made to show that this
019twin is the first thing that era is healthy specifically the privacy section that varies who and when need to know different things and how things can be shared as well as the section on just setting up visualize and focusing on making sure that each student has exactly what we did with men and their specific my boyfriend and I are planning on living here for at least two years while he's there just an engineering degree at which point we will hopefully start a family and decide whether or not we're going to stick around here in Richfield and seeing you do this seeing you go out of your way to support in here for individuals such a well-thought-out rating makes me know that if we do end up seeing here and be proud to send my kids
020to a school district that we know is going to actually give this much attention and gear to each individual student so I wanted to just show up today I did not make Richfield micro a president but making this a space where you're accepting people in this way means a lot to me I'm happy to be here thank you thank you thank you all for coming tonight thank you for sharing their perspectives they really didn't appreciate that we will move to information from school sources starting with superintendent update all right so first I'm just going to welcome a new director of special education Larry Tesler who's here with us today wait for some we enhanced our cleric policy at their last meeting and some of our new staff were here at home that was avenging so
021she's just here to be welcome to our district she joins us with a great deal of special ed experience that serving the individual needs of kids and she was recently from Colorado the special education leader in green brisket biscuits we're very happy to have her join our team with that I'm proud to brag on mr. Bill Davis to the microphone mr. Davis is one of the leads for the Spartan foundation as we think about how we support our students in Richfield and how this community has supported students Ascari foundation has given hundreds of won hundreds of thousands of dollars to scholarships to our students to help them ensure the futures that they do for themselves and so with that I believe mr. Davis has a presentation for us also a graduated high school are back
022in storage in 1960 after the 66 curry I accept yourself the richest part of the foundation we just spend another fun thing here and it was started by 2x2 a long time this cool water Jordan fairness while Ingrid was nine years ago as a method to supplement to the fine arts and have a programs every high school in a golf tournament and able to provide that type of funding and our learners with over the years we've attracted the attention of some other foundations and some other people and starting about three years ago we extended our scholarship program to include scholarships for up to and including this year 24 students yes miss college important high school the scholarships ranged from academic and athletic and leadership roles the part that excites me the most is what we
023call our and all odds scholarships these are students who have had personal setbacks first of all and overcome them - we have a successful and meaningful experience in which your high school for $2 $2 scholarship is dysfunctional and we hope to continue we are 30th year coming up and the boots and Galatians and that bastard just going to share with Texas around this is an example the scholarship breakfast that occurs and it's one of the highlights in the school year inspire the foundation and for our students and so our students and their families are inviting the scholarship breakfast and it receives acknowledgement and then also a scholarship this year we had over 100 the deathless ecology breakfast to me it's part of the year were swallowed up recipient for supporters and originality recognized right so
024with with that with a transition to a conversation around a capital facility improvements um and bring Craig multi and the team up to the microphone to talk about some of these significant transformations under that paper that are saluted the high school actually Frankfurt into the conversation I'm appeared in public comment very good thank you very very exciting to hear the update on the work that's taking place at Ridgefield High School I'm at the last board meeting the board has a chance to see what's been going on at a traditional school rich local language school and central and so some of these are becoming regular frequent faces in front of you I'm sharing the updates and keeping at the board as well as keeping the community informed of the excitement is there any place so with
025that I'm going to be brief here and turn it over to Andy and Vaughn in their team that are here to kind of share the highlights of this work textbook good evening so since we're here last it will have to be given the update on the central party lots of our stamina and to save the where we've been where we're going presentation portion so just to remind everybody the district-wide initiatives that were accomplishing and eligibilities are security improvements kitchen and serving or renovations 80 arrests of improvements mechanical improvements such led space improvements and long-term facilities maintenance needs which are the emotional bus portion of the projects and then I'm going to turn it over to Don and he's going to get into the details outside of those things that were accomplishing at the high school
026and you should be thanking her because she has been challenging the design team her own staff for what is this ability to look like the next 50 years versus what has it been for the last 50 years so I want to make sure that acknowledge all the hard work that she's put into this particularly the safe diagram here you'll see sort of the big components on where they fit the project for starters expand in the commons area which is really about changing it from just sort of a circulation spacing they're really looking for the heart of the buildings we're creating a secure entry at the addition and also moving the administrative offices of the building as opposed to be very passive are where you come in the district office as result moves out of its
027application because that's a private real estate for the high school office big one for students is creating a move through started link that connects the upper level so you no longer have to go down the stairs and back up the stairs and it's working out but Gary's at the rough this is a diagram here if you look at the lower right corner you can see the extent of remodeling versus additions and so this building is just building practically really predominantly about presentation spaces for the buildings this diagram really shows that more space for you this yellow comment area will wrap around the existing courtyard it actually expands out into the partner that is there it keeps a little bit of an apartment full of daylight it reorganizes some of the classroom spaces and creates flexible
028and extended learning environments and multiple areas around the building so students have a place where doing one-on-one work small group work with teachers outside of the classroom areas and the main level here you'll see this is actually a new corridor along the side of the gym so that you can actually get from one side of the gym to the other without going downstairs in the library to back up and we also are doing some work with reorganizing the entire office function of approach with our main entry coming in I'll show you some three-dimensional diagram of this as we go forward the upper level also expands that accommodation plan out that there's a new large staircase in center of the commons area that can help with circulation as well as a new staircase in front of
029the building to help with the vertical circulation of moving students around more of the Flex spaces here this is an arts and social studies the Flex area reduced staff offices will name spaces to provide a way of not only helping to monitor what's happening in that link but also to free up some of the classroom space around the building and create those requesting the working environments upper level or in the sand additional flexible areas opening up some of the corners what we notice is it was a lot of pinch points in the building so these black spaces actually help with supination as you move through them as well while the Atlanta a little bit static three-dimensional images a little bit national look at so this is actually a rendering of what the new entry will
030look like coming into the building new stair tower element here giving us an opportunity to bring a little bit of signage and identity through building the old entry comes down new canopy glass doors this is part of the new office expansion which will be that secure vestibule coming in and one stream coming off the parking lots of two diagonal ones that you can't from the front so now it should help guide you to the front door a little bit better this is a three-dimensional image of the and it's really showing that common space so coming in the main dorm this is actually in the same proximity the main entry area now this is the secure vestibule coming into the office area business from the opposite edge of school store directly adjacent to the entry all
031of the orange areas we become so this is a mixture of student dining small group work think of it as sort of a variety of seating environments ways for students to do group activity and see the base of that induce severe case going to the upper level here we're renovating bathrooms throughout the entire facility which is a huge issue as well creating additional gender-neutral bathrooms or cleanability trying to locate those in areas that are flexible throughout the space we've got all a cart actually moves out to a different area to the building's we're just we're seeing some of that new service work and then we've got classrooms that are in some little occasional here and this is just a snippet of part of that you can see the secure entry pieces would be highlighted well
032on the upper levels where that staircase comes up to the continent this is directly out from the upper level gotta turn about me the blue area is the media center renovation and what this has done is it's actually taking some of those secure spaces from the media center give us a way to secure those but move some of that flexible seating environment that would be the student areas would help create that common space of our musical arts areas and see some of those flexible learning spaces along the sides of quarters or almost pinch points to the front of the building there's another three-dimensional abusive this is standing in the media center now looking into the new common space let's see the stairwell coming up from a lower level I'm going to see how both levels
033we've got a variety of scene on the main level here a lot of glass built that I forget are bringing new lightning for buildings so this will be a space that you've seen a lot of other new high schools as you go through it changed it from Norman institutional cafeteria in the student on space that we use before school after school for variety of functions this is the latest act up on all three levels here so this is actually it's a combination of helping with the circulation but also as we build things we're gonna have to take the link talent bring cranes in there are construction we're in that period then rebuild the link as we go up and so first of all we relocated the food shelf increase in flux areas particle in the
034second floor we have departmental offices don't want to have what space on both sides of that and there are parking lots as well so that will all just be a corner which would be an occupied space the area that link that people once at the gym to the other as well as on the models and putting concessions up and primary location so when you have a game or event expansive concessions in the lobbies that will be possible in that area as well this also connects to that quarter cup knew that that common areas on weekends or evenings we have tournaments you can use that common space as flexible overflow for the athletic events and then the lower-level locker rooms this isn't something that was necessarily shown on referenda diagram we've done this more a part
035of your long-term facilities maintenance it's work that we're planning but as we've taken a look at how to take this apart and put it back together with all screening Center rain doesn't show it on this diagram currently but gender neutral locker rooms within that space as well so how great some of that space we've got a district technology offices still remain within the building although we've relocated them into a different area to help free up some of our real estate within the building our administrative offices here's the secure vestibule so these interior vestibule doors will lock down at the start of school day all visitors will then come into the office area where they'll be checked in and registered before moving out of the building our outreach you lose personal from the office location so
036we've got a great way of engaging with the community our administrative offices on one side are Student Service offices and the nurse's office like the reputation of that common so students have a way of cayenne essentially our back door into those areas and getting to help that they need without I'm gonna pass through the main reception area that most administrators and the district office this is really more dynamic at this point but this is any mold at the curious space and so we started meeting and that how that word says Ellis was creating a way for the public to engage with the district office without having to go through the high school office to get it so that's an overview in terms of where we are in terms of the design we're ready the comfortable
037father another schematic design estimate so we're right around five percent of that so that's a comfortable spot for SD somatic designer and schedule eyes were moving into the design is the design development excuse me and then followed by construction drawings and we're looking for business in late fall and early winter direction looking right now we're planning on case Union I'm going to get December than fitting it right after the first of the year but we're also going to play that into consideration uh traffic zone architecture to stay on schedule we actually we've taken so many things that was last spring before staff user group meetings to the space and building they're those renderings are really initial ideas and the next time you see this fall has been abused all over the building question on the
038conferences that I am I interpreted correctly that the basically there are at least three walls of that cooperative space that will be essentially a floor ceiling territory so works so we're really looking at natural light diffusing throughout an entire crown bacteria exactly a lot of reasons was obviously common sailors to help remain who's that I should also mention but out in there but part of the product is also renovating the kitchen spaces and this reversal is serving so if it's in the diary as well so one of the things there into our planning groups taking off with the sweet chili one they still have a small side to eat so that kerberion how much is that so you have to come into that gender-neutral bathrooms are part of your design this point are you currently
039planning on having at least one gender all right our structure each war right now but it is something students that they're coming I just appreciate the intentionality that it's very clear and Daniel's that sound like you've been leading a lot of death and making sure that our school is going to reflect our kids who they are what their needs are and either just that you know you pointed out a gender-neutral locker room I think it's a fantastic idea and I'm so excited just to see how thoughtful all of this and making sure this is in school for the next 50 years so just thank you my question is it's more about time ladies that it's going out late fall early winter so if that step goes we're looking to start right after the break after
040we get to this great adversity we were apparently planning to start like some of the vacant work in January I would say pretty much every school that I've ever been in the statements of had some sort of asbestos pipe insulation or something and that's as a separate package this is a different group of contractors to do that so we might get that going first before we come together demolition dangerous students that danger staff take it out it's highly regulated so I mean there's a yearly report becomes of it identifies where all the movements and also walk instructions have a good school year they'll be disruption of white and those students our staff after we worried that their construction we do have a project oversight committee to meet just as a reminder in two weeks including
041mr. nazmi myself mr. Polti these gentlemen and a set of other the dining area across communities as well as region it's exciting to see after a lot of talk about but with that to the matter conversation on super tech goals for the school year coyote howl bullet first perhaps to so give some feet at counter to some of the formulas counter Jam not some post it into the public format but we will have that as part of our conversation today so this is around that time as we think about how I am evaluated and success of our school district and our outfits are going up extenders we categories absolutely achievement process goals and then also individual performance so looking at the things we're putting into place to be successful achievement and also your evaluation of
042my performance of Joseph tension feedback from my direct reports and also feedback the survey done throughout the community that breaks down formulaic way into practical thirty five percent the student achievement 35% of those process goals at the same time so as we think about from an achievement perspective we already through individual formulas on that looking to continue our growth through graduation rates 3% and and also closing the gap in the highest and lowest groups disaggregated is going to be we break down into what that formula is 35 percent around five goals means each of those goals is approximately seven percent of the utterly evaluation and so the overall growth and then the gap each hole about half of that seven or 3.3.5 apiece I'm looking at proficiency baby factors in Ohio that are voluntary pre-k
043programs the Tia school is an assessment that given to early childhood to say that we're doing the work to get everybody ready for school efficiency growth in that but then also closing the gap between our highest and most achieving students and they also grow in based on math proficiency so we're able to get a projection in the fall based on the messages that mimic progress test and that will give a projection of where we should be in the spring on the MCA and so taking a look at just their overall proficiency but also growth both in reading in that then also as we focus on on continuing to improve our climate and reducing significant incidences we really want to decrease those expendable incidents is really looking at a ten percent or greater reduction across the
044entire district but then also we have a gap between some of our highest and lowest students in terms of behavior it's an instance we really want to lower that gap and really reduce the amount of suspensions across for all of our students as we think about some of those process goals we have teachers in just last week training in our rollout of t5 literacy as we roll out lucy Caulkins and for reading curriculum and we are also rolling out b612 have found that our teachers have also been in more training in regard to that and so we're going to look at some evaluations as we go on throughout the course of the year of implementation role of fidelity of implementation we're looking at our vision parts that we did and we'll be rolling out vision
045card to later on this fall and regard to finance and operations and we did our first vision card I'm in regard to promotion and marketing this summer it's will look to roll it all four of those and that produced revised copies by the end of the year input and participation groups continuing with reimagine richfield's has the pertinent strategic advisory the extra curricular advisories and we'll take a look at making sure that those have been implemented those are done on a regular basis to make sure that we're taking into account the feedback of people within our organization and across our community then also leading social emotional support system improvements I'm looking at the work for our safe and supportive schools group and then our overall systems alignment as we look at some of the survey feedback
046that we get and then also the data based on our [Music] similarly as we saw tonight they'll be helping to oversee the planning and start of our capital facility work summer launch looks like it just got pushed back to January but we are going to continue working to keep things rolling time we do have bits coming up and our team meetings will continue to occur we've really looked to increase our supports to our staff making sure that we are expanding our mentoring program for our new teachers and also for our ongoing staff as we've changed where Q comma teacher pure peer evaluators know peer consultants peer reviewers thank you do their work removing some of the evaluative component and adding a support component to their rules we want to continue increasing equity work and increasing
047our staff diversity so as we look at our strong hiring your recruitment process I'm you actually worth barely reaffirming if your commitment to our ongoing equity work as you all participated this this summer an innocent classroom training I'm a member on pace for our initial training for all of our staff and equity work throughout the course of this year and we also have some specific leadership and equity being brought to us through a team that went out to a Minnesota Humanities Center you know be bringing some additional equity worked across all of our buildings to our staff and the last piece is really leading communications and marketing influences we look to review and improve our social media work and then you notice the relaunched Litchfield Facebook which has jumped up from just over 400 followers
048to approximately 650 at this time we're going to continue on in that way we'll be updating our social media continue to create more marketing materials including that a video on some additional communication support other areas that will doulas we talk about by evaluation and how we look at if we are achieving the goals we're sending out to this is a reminder usually we do a district and superintendent survey looking for growth across their base the baseline of previous years I'm looking at where is our market share land in comparison to previous years and how many enrollment applications do we have based on the number of students possibly within our population looking our teacher evaluations of staff training is so so as we're working with rollout of literacy and math how our teachers assess how is
049the training going and as our evaluative team assess the implementation of data of our new group then obviously expanding social media is I just touched on and then also looking as our HR and all of our teachers and staff evaluators complete their data look at the data comparing how do our staff evaluations compared to previous data in those areas you also have the additional formulas right in each of those areas down further as we really look to mathematically put some some numbers behind the things that we're looking to to achieve draft - we'll say up drafts or second take draft one as we try to finalize that for this fall a final draft at the start school amenities I just have question around the bowl for viewers of the susceptible incidence extent how do we
050propose implementing that and managing that I mean there's there you can easily be accused of simplistic a single more suspensions which I doubt is going to be the case and so how do we measure what what is this is some of the suspend will incident so quietly do we have a list of things now and we review that and said anything that counts as one of these or some of them are single incident some of them are the result of a series of escalating incidents so I think that you make a very clear semantic and important point suspending all incidents if you look within our handbook there are a set of incidences that recommend suspension to the goal to recommend the reduction in suspensions which might be done suspend when it's a sustainable incident we
051document all of our behavior incidences within our schools the goal is to reduce obviously we want to have more proactive positive situations but also reduce the negative situations so reduction in sustainable incidences their incidences that call for within the handbook suspension now fighting an assault drug sales things along those areas we're looking to reduce those particular incidences so as you can grass incidences from a minor incident that might have possible paths teacher redirection parent contact student conference and there's a wide range and a wide menu of behavior interventions that are suggested there are some for which suspension is one of the suggested interventions we want to reduce that level of incident obviously speak to a reduction in the negative incidences for negative higher level distances of dinner we expect that so what I'm hearing from
052you is we're not changing relax but are seeking to be more proactive before they before they hit that suspect of all traction can I remind the taking use my words can be a very clean and clear way is that yes this is our attention yes that was too much correct my micro stranded is fairly similar to what I assured the last meeting which is I think it's helpful to see how the goals are going to be calculation but I think how we'll know whether success happens at the end of this next school year is still a question that I have her the I think that there's a way to just a yes we did it and then there's a way to say and how successful was it and I think it's that second piece that
053I just need her to get work there like what are the different we'll determine whether or not and I'm having for that for the next draft or whatever I have the piece that I curious about is and again mrs. Leeds I coward to fighting not really defining the sublease beverage but we what measure basically whatever I wanted to shoot is that we are appropriately normalizing those measures or the size of the group so in other words I just want us to not fall into any traction for a measure that should be relative to the size of the seven want us to call it to attract those not normal as the so yeah very much in the leads but I think it's important we end up measuring was both transparent but accurate and then we communicated
054about this before but to add something about customer service the customer service aspect of meeting the needs of our students and Families I think I think I would really talked about adding it to communications and marketing but I found that I could yeah sorry to go back sort of step by tier toaster Christine little the other question I have to the student discipline easy is I'm assuming that this and served up a very nice man with yes also with our safe and supportive schools group which is reviewing all of our handbook all of our practices they I think they've talked about our attendance policy and our truancy policies and there should we pass the gender inclusion policy will be looking to add some guidelines they'll be working on that and then they will also be
055working by working on the behavior policy practices perfect right - I will with regret I will add the suggestion of chair Melek and there are other feedback prior to finalizing those with school year I will have that conversation and I will roll that out by their first day of school or the second meeting in September thank you last thing I'm the superintendent update is just a rough guideline we presented this a couple years back to the board asked for us to review this again just sort of a rough outline of the things that we address on the general timeline that we do it with regard to our board meetings so you'll see in front of you so as soon as the RPS management team along with the School Boards Association and also the Board of
056Education what we do as captain team but also that I review with chair Malek we walk through the things that make the most sense to figure out to the agenda and then we also try to catch the things that have been brought up by board members at previous meetings to add those on a timely basis and sort of work our way through most of these things over the course of the year I just want to point out and that the policy review appears in every month except October seriously that in October a policy you challenged me to keep it off the agenda correcto all righty then we'll make sure I'm a so what happens when you take a break at all sir yes then it catches up with us thank you for including us about
057to have this potentially just of every board packets as we have in there as certain our constant reference and all moreover the wool so you can absolutely do that I'm just going to remind this is a rough guideline and that's a heavy anything as long as we include that yeah but it is helpful if people are interested in a specific thing and then if they want you do not have commendations and we would move on to the consent so no motion by mr. pencil all favors any pose the chair both I and the consent agenda passed then we will now go on to old business board policy review and board policy 586 gender inclusion policy all right so this should be the 4:3 and recommended board policy so I have to Cepeda asking for more
058court action on that decision as is our policy when you are SSR practice when we come up with a new policy there are several Reid's revisions prior to me moving them forward for requests for votes and so just as a reminder we have gone to that the ticket significant feedback and input on our policy where our proposed policy and just as a reminder gender inclusion is something practiced by Richfield public schools this policy reaffirms this at the board level and many of these practices are already in place what this does is this normalizes from a board level that this is a policy that we will acknowledge that we are following the laws and guidelines at the state of Minnesota and the we are reaffirming our commitment to gender inclusion within our schools we are also
059going tasking me on the estate and supportive schools group with creating some guidelines to go along with this differently delineate some of the specific actions and plans that would occur as we work to accommodate begin as the at the students request in this to support our students in regard to our vision to answer a couple of the pieces that I heard just to make sure that you are aware this is fully and appliance with the expectations of the laws the state of Minnesota state of Minnesota is very clear the Director General inclusions are involved genders and gender identification so that's not really ambiguous within our state as it's also not invidious within our schools this is something that we support in the state of Minnesota supports our role within our schools and our role that
060you have defined very clearly as to support our students in to find all the ways possible to support our students in one of the ways that we do that so this policy in place supports our students as as into our schools so what I believe it's an important policy so I'm going to move that towards the chair for comment towards next steps does anyone have is there discussion I have received several calls regarding this matter and because I was concerned about not on representing citizens of Richfield but also personal interest I did some research and the transgender panacea that many people claim is not all ahead acoustic i found numerous situations where high rates of suicide and self-harm are found and research on transgender I did outcomes are not necessarily improved after sex reassignment surgery
061or hormonal treatments 30 years studied the suite of 324 people found that they have a suicide rate nearly 20 times greater the general public with fidelity there's been a real significant spike in individuals seeking treatment for transgender concerns and a lot of it is regarding to youth and there's been a rather significant trend called rapid onset gender dysphoria which manifests itself suddenly in adolescents and teachers who showed no signs of gender dysphoria before puberty many cases 50% of the youth are ended and pre-existing friends become transgender together the average number of friends within a group three and a half or more so there is some concern it might be half that well we want to be open and wild kids to express themselves I think tread very carefully we should not open doors that we
062can't do it's found out that after Zhu Bertie he may be 8% of all girls are more readily identifiable but they're feeling good about being identified with her biological sex number 98 percent of the boys after pupil about themselves in terms of an original biological sex so obviously it's not a panacea that everybody is it helped it does how many but there are others that call these this transitions even after the surgery and they're always happy the transitioning the street I just want to make that clear in my table and there are any I should zoom in several would have called me with concerns and this one couple things I'm just going to point it back out to address some of those thoughts within our policy so our role so we are responding to students
063right so students are requesting students are sharing with us their perspective and our role is to listen in to support our role is not to convince students of things one way or another our role is to support our students similar research shows that not having supportive adults in students lives or specifically when there are gender identity questions and be a very damaging situation and so as a school district our role and the role that that I feel that I've been tasked with is to provide supports to all of our students and the grades were possible and so that's what my hope is as far as its policy and that's what my hope should we pass this as far as the guidance to create those systems and structures who supports make sure that all of our
064students know that we will be supportive we will accommodate and try to figure out best support students based on during their voice same way we did to reimagine Richfield and hearing from our students directly on what do they need to to be those adult partners that I think there are there are couple bucks that I think to interpretation service values that are cited the first point is that it's always very difficult to positive facts observation always they soon exciting [Music] we weren't randomly assigning those two reassignment in an effort to treat that gender dysphoria this work so what that means is that even though it may be true that there was a higher rate of suicide famine in particular study if that does not follow that the transgender status was the cause of that individual
065suicide there may be any number of other factors at play that living as binary society can be very to follow generations that have preceded us a nation and a number of other challenges that that basis to leave yourself so I think that's before the point don't misinterpret information that's the second piece that I this new set is that I'm pleased with our policy has that's what I see striving to May as they say two songs it's impossible of course - the wall ourselves off from society and it is certainly true that across our society about you information and some of that dialogue there's always gonna be pendulum that swings true to say that during adolescence questioning and exploration many humans are sort of experimenting with and so we know that is just the president's policy
066is to allow our students to have that exploration three of David's strengths is placed upon them by the school district society is already placed miss rates powers we at least want to take I think that's the way I'm reading so what I really see is that our our responsibility and not to make a judgment call what they were there again or wherever they are in their process our goal is to support the students so that they can learn and thrive in school to echo some of what Steven said we're dealing with this already this is this policy is an effort that you know we one of the things is to have consistent application of those procedures across the district you know John the studies you mentioned suggested people making you know decisions and treatments in
067that are well beyond what we do in school we're just trying to welcome them and say you be you there's math you know and we'll get through math class and and whatever we can do to help you learn the math and the other subjects that are here it'll be it'll be a friendly environment for its friendlies we can make it and that's what I see noise it is I don't see within the policy anything that we're recommending or condemning it's just we're just trying to make it clear and consistent implementation of the procedures that are already in existence but this is how we retreated you know it's one of the things that's brought up earlier was with just some of the definitions but but what I said a moment ago about you know October being
068missing we review policy all the time our policies are not perfect and they're not permanent right so there's there's aspects of this policy we could read in a month from now and find some other words to insert or perhaps a sense to distract them you we could look at the actual burning over that I don't have a problem the policy is presented in the whole I can probably work Smith no one likes my writing anyway I only say you know you can see in the track too because there are couple of versions to this policy in fact the third version that we looked at at our last meeting and want to appreciate a young person who shared recommended language that they thought would better serve this policy and what we are trying to do and
069that to me is a great example of listening and saying you know we are going to continually evaluate and revise and even what we are going to be voting tonight were less changes from the last meeting because of new information that we learned that someone was generous enough to share with us so just wanted to appreciate that publicly and let me think about one of the things that is great about the pulse and I hope and really encourage people to read the policy it is what actually sets and what it doesn't say so much of the headlines they get rid of backers and yes is about so much more than that and I think this policy is set up so that our families know what to expect so that our staff know what to expect
070and how to best support our young people and their family that is why I support this so strongly because I think it is about that self-determination that you talked about Keith and our students to bring their whole selves to just wool everyday and you know see if much of the statement supportive school group I live for it representative on that and I think we are eager to take this policy if it is passed and really get into that implementation question of what does this look like that for each one of our schools this is the guidance that we would be setting in the board and then it really is you know up to our staff up to the folks that are members of the community on that committee do help really think about how do
071we make this win and how do we ensure that the practices that we're doing in our schools live up to this policy and you know what we're already doing experience in the five years we are supported I feel that we have been striving for transparency strive for inclusion informants or the community I'm very proud of the work with last year with our imagine Richfield and how we have students voices roll up to the top and I remember that we've had talked about how important it is that those students see that their words had a meaning that were meaningful and buried in the we listen to them and I think this is this policy is one of those examples I think it's not the cross-reference policies in Mesa about bullying prohibition equal opportunity for education Univision
072prohibition and also I think for the sake of providing the week we are in the business of teaching students and offering welcoming academic and Richmond opportunities for all of them and these this policy does that and I comments how are you no it's not judge what happening do we have 4,000 students is really not what this is about this is about please doesn't really I don't think times anybody are already and he brings a lot of benefit and a lot of our wellness to everyone as I said crystal family really needs the other students there is that and this is why I'm practiced for the books it varies Johnno the reason is here some of the policies presented you know motion barrister pal I [Applause] so we will move on to new business and the
073bid award thank you so we have the bit award that we're recommending here - I'm burning through - not as part of a review that we've conducted it's a four year contract it's being set up one year for initial and then it has up to three additional years reading after that the epics from Bergen Dixon up early excludes we've worked with all the different capacities conducted records checks on all those did some analysis on purpose entered produce that's what we did last year - this coming year with the new pricing how we play out and what that burden comes in with about the 12 to 16 thousand dollar savings as part of that for the annual spend on that so we've looked at a number of different ways looking at that looking at guaranteed fixed
074pricing compared to the pricing that's more variable and how that was appearing in there as well as looking at the top 10 products and how that fell out into that category with that as well and so with that analysis we're bringing forward this recommendation for that award we're going through - not for the 1819 year with an up to four year contract at that point Craig can I ask um the top ten seems to be about whatever percent of the total now our top ten items are obviously the things we buy routinely how many of that is there any of those that were on the fixed price that we know what they are for oh I see a trace comparison so you can see what the volume is on the fixed price and where that
075plays out so you can see 29 items were an ITEX price with bergen thank you 18 were with Vic's and 26 were with upper lake foods so the pricing there especially that first column is looking at if we were buying that product all this first year similar to what our spend was last year so the 46,000 working comes out more but it's because they have more product and more of our higher volume product on their fixed pricing a little bit of that is a gamble because if pricing goes down then maybe have some savings there but knowing that that's fixing that area we prefer duct statement there that reaffirmed kind of that support just given on the natural pricing component as well the only other difference I noticed was was deep into it the p-card
076acceptance is that an issue at all or not just because with the p-card we get some rebates and so there's a value is added with that but if you're spending money on a p-card because they're up charging the p-card then it doesn't make sense to do that so thanks looking for every time we can get for the district you know the contract he'll say we have a motion by miss Brock is that goodbye mr. Poulos is there any further discussion all in favor please say aye all right any opposed the chair votes aye and the bid Ward passes thank you Thank You mr. Halsey we will move on to board member work authorization right so sorry I was spacing out a little bit for a board member to receive employment with in Richfield public schools
077all board members need to be present that would be all six of you and the majority would need to vote YES on an individual roll call vote we're honored by mr. Ashe Nate who drives bus for us and helps our students get from point A to point B to help continue their education I appreciate that opportunity for mr. Richmond but it would absolutely have to be something the board next time it's a resolution before you tonight to determine your perspective I would be I would be remiss if I didn't say that I would if I didn't see John I've spent eats I don't know what I do be there so I will move that we approve the John asked me to perform careful part-time services level ii so have a motion by mr. tensing a
078second by mr. Paulus this is a resolution so I chair both time and the third board member were complications thank you thanks for your service general exeument yes be gracious to Phillip we wanted donations right so just as a reminder Bill Davis from the Spartan foundation and well he gave us an amazing check for $25,000 actually that goes straight to our students and so that is supporting the scholarships and the sparkle Foundation gave our students so well we are acknowledging receipt of their money that money is actually passed through and on the scholarships for our students we're going to thank miss Carter foundation for that as we've done at the breakfast to end and other times we're going to thank and a milk melnichuk richer public schools parents in the line a health employee chose
079to RTLS as recipient of $1 for viewers reward of $100 dollars reviewers including the Elena help employee volunteers and program mission matters we want to thank this is where they also sent an addition of $500 in the Ellen Carlson scholarship fund this scholarship is a memory of Ellen and Carlson Ellen work is a special and paraprofessional at Ridgefield High School from 2009 to 2015 and the scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior student for regional high school is conserved by a special education individualized education plan so we did Christopher and we think Ana for their generous donations we accept these donations of gratitude motion my name is Brock is like discussion all in favor please any opposed the chair books I and we will accept these donations with grad we move on to advanced planning
080and legislative updates so you don't have much in terms of the legislature left it just a reminder for the board the amnesty is beginning to put together ideas and a proposal in conversation around their platform I will have that to share with the board at the next week's meeting they're just wrapping up a survey district to see what are their legislative ideas and platforms and we will use that as with each fall of the legislative session we develop our own legislative platform practice who are meeting with our legislators information questions from the board just one thing I was going to share which is a the Richmond Historical Society and her neighbors kind of across they did a great presentation last week I mean history it was really well attended by many many RA just rather
081than I had somebody relatively new to Richfield learned a lot about how the high school was started how things you know reaching from the Spartan to the song to the name of the newspaper her chosen you know when you start ending high school and I think one thing and that I honestly didn't know what was the first graduating class was about 19 so it was just it was a great presentation and they do these history forms focus doesn't zone aspect there were two field once a month at Richfield community center I just really enjoyed it of course enjoyed the particular focus on a school but wanted to think for putting that on and just encourage people who are history buffs to check it out they presented that for the ritual optimists means the year this
082was a good lady people trying to get a golf course the first times 1956 that mr. Davis who gradually he was the first two freshmen forgive me this this was something that was discussed at the end yes we relative to mr. boy we have met at the board level the extracurricular advisory met on the beach August got to be Beth we are going back to do some redesign of the logo redesign to gather some additional feedback mechanism this we're kind of so we agreed on I believe it was sparked friend we agreed on a particular are and they'll surround that by the Advisory Group which is to walk that through again and then had some pretty substantial conversation over the logo and are going to play with that again before gathering some additional feedback and
083then bring it back here for conversation so it could be yes I think you should email me also in that regard I've had similar conversations with mr. Boyd and he needed color and letter to Joyce sooner and the logo is something later because once we get into construction if the logos be placed somewhere so that there's a delay on that but we have to get color scheme manager and font yeah I have a private email from from build a vasila from all along he's like me I've lived in dreary long enough to have been able to vote as a 7th grader on the school colors and nickname for the new high school we could have been the rides but Spartans was the name selected yeah I think that conversation is here what a conversation the
084extra curricular advisory was around an acknowledgment Canada's pretty old-fashioned that it is been there for a long time but this is also a community where people stay and a community where that might have a different meaning that a more transient for lack of a better word population community with the move and enough in and out more often so there is a lot of feelings around around that we're trying to figure out something that would bring things up to date while still retaining that acknowledgement of history is something we're trying to figure out try to get out is there it breakfast tomorrow there's a new teacher breakfast tomorrow at 8 a.m. I believe is in the Richfield high school cafeteria so you are welcome to be there I believe I will be speaking as well for
085you okay so we will move on to future meeting dates so our next meeting is Tuesday September 4th the first day of school 7 p.m. it's our regular board meeting followed by September 17th which is a Monday meeting which will include public comment are there any suit juice suggested future I'm pretty sure we'll get to hold up class sizes world up like that the buses are over that they have a first video update and our best undergraduate class size just as a reminder numbers of kids rotating and outlets have quite frequently over the next month and so we monitor very closely to see if they're in trouble spots that would give a really close eye so if no one has anything is anyone prepared to I will move to adjourn the Ottomans actually on favorite
086PCI video post the chair votes I am the Archer