001Great. Uh, good evening everyone and welcome to our December combined legislative advocacy and community engagement and citizens advisory committee. It's a mouthful meeting. Um, we uh had some scheduling conflicts with the county association for tomorrow. Uh, so we had to consolidate our meetings onto one day. Um, and so this meeting itself wasn't really affected too much um because it's usually around this day and time. Um, but appreciate everyone's flexibility. Um, we're going to get right into our agenda. Um, so the first thing that we were going to discuss is our finalized I I hope um advocacy letter. Um, so uh Mr. Moralda had uh sent this out today to members of the committee. Um and essentially it takes what we had last month um and then um he had added based on feedback from the
002the committee the um different points that were from the survey like regarding uh flexibility as well as like allowing for the actual enrollment and cost. So sort of saying what we prefer without having to go through the dot by dot and you know sort of making a statement what works best for us. Um, and then the other thing that was added, um, I had done a little bit of research and found that, um, prior to the school funding reform act, there was a subsidy provided for every student enrolled in Monroe and similar resident like communities that had a significant percentage of their population over 55. You were given an additional $500 per student. Um, that was eliminated with the school funding reform act in 2008. Um, there has been legislation since then trying to get
003it back. So, I actually reached out to Senator Greenstein's office to ask them if they would be able to help me find the bill. Um, they did respond. Um, it wasn't exactly the bill we were looking for. Um, it was more about limiting um, building and the the cost associated than this specific thing. Um, however, I did see that there are other townships that have been requesting that this aid be restored um for the $500 per student for uh communities with a percentage of seniors that's higher. I think basic 55% which I don't think we're at. So, um I would want to see like our demographics in town. I think we're about 40% senior citizens or so because I would hate to advocate for this and then not be eligible. Um but essentially that idea
004of an additional subsidy for the districts that are being affected um with zero equalization aid because of the weird quirk in that formula. Um so those were the major differences and then there was some other tweaks uh here and there but um if does anyone have any feedback on the letter itself? >> I think it looks good. >> Yep. Just wanted to mention that uh in addition to uh the revisions that Miss Ratner included, we did receive several uh submissions from the committee which we um we integrated. Uh there was some attention again a lot of it came back to actually what you spoke about which would be some of the uh more nuanced variables that can sometimes be a little ambiguous to the public but asking them to address them specifically like the senior
005supplemental stabilization. I thought that was a nice addition. Um, and uh, I just wanted to make uh, to say thank you to the committee because uh, I know it can get frustrating, you know, when we pass around this stuff, but it really does feel like everyone got to have their say in this in this letter. And I feel like uh, as far as its recency relevance, um, it's as up todate as we could hope. And so I just would ask that before we put this to bed is like just some how would you like this to now >> be distributed? So we could do a couple couple different ways. Um we've we've in the past we've dedicated web space which the the the framework is already up there. We already have a separate line we
006can use for that. Um in addition we can push it out to the public in word and PDF form >> with uh an ask and maybe some links on how they could submit it. In the past we've actually provided directions on how to submit it. Just not explaining them or directing them on how and what to say. Right. >> Um and we could obviously be we're extra careful on how we do that. Other than that, if there's any other any other uh suggestions on how to get this out there, >> is there a way we can put a signature line or there's no room? >> Oh, yeah. No, it'sualized, you know. >> So, yeah. And actually, we we talked about that. Yeah. So, that would just be a matter of of some formatting stuff. But
007when we if we were to do it as a web form like we did in the past, it doesn't really matter because it just kind of scrubs down. Okay. >> But yeah, but some people will prefer to print it and stuff, >> right? getting actual letters made also, >> you know, make an impact. >> Uhhuh. And yeah, because sometimes the hard copy volume speaks speaks for itself, but I can, you know, I could just reduce your bullet points there and your margins look a little unnecessarily spacious, >> I guess. Is there because I I agree with you. I wonder is there a way to communicate that though? I also know like for me it's like I always find it a lot harder for to send the postal mail, but to sort of explain like the
008importance of why it would be better for someone to do it that way. Yeah, >> I just give the outline. >> Yeah. No, I could say here are a couple recommendations on how we how this how you can advocate on this issue. Option one, click this link and submit it to the following leaders. >> Um, in the past we had we we choose our local legislators and whoever is in charge I believe Mr. Goldstone of the education or >> he came up with the bill, but there there is some new in I can look it up. >> Yeah. So, we'll just make sure we we'll clear all that out and then um we could also offer them a link to download the letter and mail it themselves. Uh we could provide them with some targets
009>> and then uh and then what we could do in addition to putting that on the website uh with the new messaging service, one of the things that we have the ability to do is to tailor the uh communications um point origin. So I could create uh if you have a student in high school, you may have received an email from MTSD esports. >> I can very easily make that say MTSD advocacy. >> Okay. So it may, you know, I don't know if if the majority of our community is very much interested in reading about MTST esports, particularly those that don't have enrollment in the school, but I could very easily that if I change the point organ or the the centers name to be monitor school district advocacy, maybe that's a way that we
010get more of our subscribers, if we have 9,000 of them, >> uh to uh to open it up and take action. um >> about giving it to the uh Monroe Township Senior Center. I always put that up, bring that up because they have a very big they have a nice website and I'm sure there's a lot of seniors on there that would you know participate but I do remember from a couple years ago when we signed these letters and Carmen's right I agree sending mail to them in bulk would say look I mean look what came from Monroe Township today you know here's a bag of letters from everybody I mean because if you're they're going to email it to somebody that you know they're gonna to It's up to them how they want to
011do it, >> right? >> But could you say it's a preference of ours to send it by mail so that they get the bulk of our I don't know if you can >> I would the weary about offering a preference. >> Okay. >> Um but we certainly can make all options >> right >> we could clearly communicate what their options are and and what and how they could go about executing those options should they choose to do so. >> Right. And I just hope a lot of them will mail it because of the effect. Well, you might not have stamps or you young people don't have stamps. >> My son uses them to decorate our house. So, we >> My husband does all the bills and we have we we send out everything with stamps,
012but uh I'm sure most of the seniors probably have stamps, too. >> Um >> I like them. >> Yes. Oh, I know. I have to go get them. >> Should have gotten those rubber stamps back in the day. >> Yeah, it's like you saw Joe there. Um, the other thing I was gonna say, when we have the form, it's really warm in here. When we had when we have the form letter, does that send an individual email to each person as well? So, like if they got 50 people that filled it out and sent it, it would show up as 50 different emails. >> So, yeah. So, uh, the last year, uh, the tech department set up through, I believe it was Jot Form, >> uh, pull it up right now. The, uh, a way
013that you not only could send it, you could actually decide who you want to send it to. So, we we actually allow them like you may say, I'm only communicating with this, >> they represent my So, you could check off their their box as opposed to, let's say, everybody. But the idea is to make sure that our our um anyone that wants to participate in our advocacy in our advocacy efforts has the opportunity to do so. Here it is here. Um and they can do so however they wish to do it. >> So if you clicked on the email link um it it pops up a uh a a jot form here. There it is. which would allow you to just simply move our letter along without even having to make an adjustment. But you
014also have the opportunity to download the letter, >> reconstruct it however you'd like and then send it to the uh legislators or leaders directly however you want them from your personal email address or whatever. What the Jot form does um is as you fill it out, it'll ask you for your email address. I mean, there's no way to verify so someone could put in like um >> Joe Schmo. >> Yeah. So, you know, probably get caught up in the span filter somewhere. That's why sometimes they prefer it's always a little more effective to come from your official account, but >> right little more tedious. >> And then just the other thing, um, and I know I think I had mentioned this, um, Mr. to you that there were other districts that were also handling the
015survey that was sent out by the DOE in different ways. Um, so some of them just sent out the the link, which we realized was probably not ideal because you don't really know what would be best. Um but then there were, you know, other districts that sort of said what we were saying that, you know, it's really important for this to be analyzed um by the Department of Education. However, like, you know, we've asked for you to contact the DOE. Here's their email address to send, you know, this letter with this information. Um, so I'm wondering if we want to do the same letter um to the Department of Education, if we want to just send the Department of Education like one letter from the district with this information because essentially as I understand it,
016the legislature sets up the framework for the formula like what can and can't be done and then the department of education actually creates it. So I and like you know sort of sets the limitations based on what the legislature allows. So I think it's important for them to see this too. Um I don't know if they'll be as interested in the bills per se, but I don't think it hurts. Um >> so last Yeah. So LA I I think it would be very easy to do that um whether it's a separate letter or not. >> Okay. >> So last year uh we sent it to uh the governor's office and local legislators. >> Um it doesn't appear that we directed any direct correspondence to DOE specifically. Uh, so I'm actually I'm looking at the job
017form now, so that's why I'm We actually had a disclaimer in there, too. So, we we told the public that after hitting submit, this the message will be sent to and then we listed everyone who was on there. It's all elected officials. >> Um, we could have I mean, this this takes no time. It's just a matter of are we going to kick a letter another letter around for a couple months, >> right? Well, I would get it out. That's what I'm saying. It has to get out this letter uh >> state officials. >> You just simply just added on end members of the >> DOE >> uh DOE officials. Yeah. >> Yeah. I again I know >> Yeah, >> I'm it's not cutting a corner. We could always go back and redcon it, but
018I think for the purposes of heading into the final month of the year as we turn over the government in January, >> right? >> Um we could set up >> it's this is what it looks like. You find a website. It's a very easy form. from the tech department with no as long as we provide them with the content and the specifics. >> I'm looking at mic. You're not I'm not asking you to do >> the um it it's very easy installed on the website, we could have it up easily >> and you'll have the addresses for people that want to mail it. >> Yeah. The only thing um I would just want to do and we don't do it right now. We could talk about it is um just verify who we want the
019recipients to be, which legislators and which uh individuals from the DOE. >> Um and then we just have to make sure that that's clear. make sure that everyone that we're asking and then give instructions on how they can get hard copies and then we'll reach out to the township and uh leverage all of our community networks to see senior center rec center anyone else. I don't answer. >> Um, okay. Yeah, I think that our local legislators, right, like so our senators are um assembly people um senator assembly people um governor and um the chairs of the education committees. Do we want to do budget committees? I don't I don't really know. Um not like a budget appropriation, but it it also obviously affects the budget. I guess it doesn't hurt to send it to them.
020No, I think that if if the if it it would be nice if if one side says Monroe and the other says, "Oh, yeah, we heard Monroe, too." Oh, yeah. >> Yeah. >> Um and then for Department of Education, um I know they have that SFR funding um email. I don't remember exactly what it is. Reform I think email perhaps. Um so we could maybe add that. I don't really know who that goes to. And then I do know like there's a person in charge of finance at the DOE. So maybe him or her as well as the commissioner. >> I'll compile a list. Uh I'll circulate it amongst the everyone and then once everyone's good with it, we'll we'll assemble the uh >> the distribution. >> My god, that all right. Anything else? All
021right. Um, so actually I'm gonna just go to the next top, the third topic next. Um, because this was about community engagement. Um, which sort of ties into what we're we're saying about getting the letter out as well as, you know, engaging for other reasons. Um and so one of our board goals for this year is to try and engage um different groups that are within our township, whether it's parent organizations or civics organizations or things like that to help with our advocacy causes. Um, and so I actually had found out at the um most recent cultural arts commission meeting that the mayor has a um it's different than the commission on aging, but it's basically like a a senior advisory committee that is one representative from each of the assist um different groups. What's
022the I forgot the official term for the different >> active adult communities. a >> active adult. >> Um, so I guess Gail, I don't know if you know about this living in one of them about the mayor's commission. >> I'm on the commission for aging. So I know about the others. So right because I've from what I was told this sort of his way to get feedback from each of these groups and um so I thought that might be a great place for us to reach out whether it's to the group itself or to um the different representatives to sort of ask them to pass along the information. I know we had started compiling that list a few years ago of those contacts. Um obviously I think you know PTA PTO groups are a good
023place for us to reach out. I think that you know we can reach out to >> are they looking for a representative from the school district >> um for >> to sit on the committee >> for the seniors? >> Yeah. What they have to say? >> I that I don't know. It sounds Yeah. No, no, no. It was just that I had heard that this existed and I felt like it would be a good way for us to connect with the senior communities, but I guess that's something we would have to talk to the mayor about. Um I don't know if it's not an official commission. Um so I'm not sure. >> So is it like their own little citizens advisory committee? >> I from what I'm gathering. Yeah, >> it's and I'm not So
024it sounds like it's not uncommon. Um some some school districts even do it by contractor. Mhm. >> So it wouldn't be um I think that anything that we can do that can further acclimate the community to the comingings and goings of any organization, a public organization like a direct department as their committee. Um but uh as far as um the school district, are you are are you suggesting that the board takes a seat on it or >> I was sort of I guess the first step would be finding out from the mayor exactly. Yeah. um what it is and if there is any room to network between the district and this group and if whether that's just sharing the information to pass along to those members or having a representative attend the meetings that they're
025they're having. Um I think the first step would just be finding out from the mayor if there is a way for us to connect. Um, I don't I don't really know too much about that group other than what I had heard, you know, a couple weeks ago that it existed and so it sounded like a great way to add more communication. Um, but I don't I just don't know too much more about it yet. So, I feel like that would be the next step. I'm happy to reach out if you could reach >> I was going to say if you're okay with that. Um, but I I do think that it could help us get into some of the communities that maybe um, you know, aren't seeing as many things on our Facebook page and
026stuff. >> So, so you're just looking to broaden our network, >> right? >> Communication network. Yeah. And this could be a potential opportunity. >> Um, you know, we do have a pretty extensive list of communities, >> you know, to outreach and, you know, we push information out. We can we get to 12 or 13 of them. >> We yeah we um I will you know again I don't without at the risk of overcommitting because we don't I don't know much about this. We've always had very positive experiences when we've been able to interact directly with scenes whether that be through just even when they didn't agree with what we had to say through like budget the interacts always positive and fruitful so be open at least communication from our communication community relations there. I can
027tell you that we living in Rosmore. I know I I gave you Carol Dehan's um information. She called me and said that she wants to put in actually I just got my newspaper today an article about the schools so that everybody in Rossmore at least knows like she even mentioned Apple Garden. This was a couple months ago that I gave you the information. Um and she wanted me to tell Zach that she was a former journalist, which you said you she could probably be you. >> Yes, we reached out to her. >> Oh, you did? >> We did. And um we are uh one of the things we are currently examining is uh as the latest addition to our workbased learning program is the uh much similar to our sports marketing and our IT interns
028on our communications and journalist journalism interns who would then work with us with the Monroe news and any other opportunities we have and also some of the other local. >> Yeah, that would be great. >> Yeah. So, but but to your original point, um I think from community relations standpoint, we would prefer the community not get them information on Facebook, >> right? Yeah. Yeah. We want them anytime we can have official, you know, >> right? Well, I kind of know like our district basically >> I get what you're saying. Again, you like that they go there and they can get again that's more just about celebrating kids and stuff. Mhm. >> Um but yeah, I think that that would be I would imagine that I would imagine why the mayor's office would want to do
029that because that generally tends to be positive. >> Um do we have any accounts besides Facebook official accounts? >> Instagram. >> Okay. >> We do we do have um >> because less and less people are using Facebook, >> right? So we there are certain things that we >> we talk about this a lot. Um we we we envision that at some point Facebook is going to phase out. Yeah, >> but now I would see here and and I know as in the current construct of our learning community as it stands, it still becomes a viable way for good or for bad to get information out. >> Um, our students are on Instagram >> and and we're aware of that because we look at the engagement stuff. We had a Twitter account. Um, it becomes a
030little or it becomes a little le it's a little more tricky to govern and it's a little more restrictive content we push out. So, I've actually stopped pushing out to it. Um, the only other official district uh social media account would be the MTHS sports marketing interns. And the reason why that's official is because it's vetted by two layers of school of teachers and administrator prior to being pushed out. Um, other than that, everything else that you would see would be either, you know, again, there are some good, you know, sports teams have them. They're fine. They're not bad. It's just I wouldn't count on any of that being official, >> you know, even if it looks good. Yeah. Just >> it it nine times out of 10 it could be even like I'm talking
031about like times. >> I mean, I don't know who's posting it all the time. If it comes from our Facebook account, there's only very small amount of people that are clicking post and if there's a mistake on it, it's probably just someone mystified though, >> which happens from time to time. >> Never noticed. Is there any connection from our district to like we don't have like a local local newspaper right in our town like I know like East Brunswick they have like their own like the patch and tap into and stuff like that but whether it's like a home news tribune or something like that to share like the major articles is there >> the only official publication that goes out to official media would be whatever we have put into the monor news most
032recently. >> Okay. >> Um we we submit there's been times when I've sent out press releases. So, every Sunday, I'm sorry. >> Um, there there's been I I send out press releases regularly. >> Uh, depending on what it is, um, which would be it's written in a way for hopefully the journalist would just take with it. >> Um, but that, you know, that becomes a journalist's work if they if their editor decides to run it. I have no say over what, you know, I can submit a great press release if they I don't I don't they can take whatever they want to do with it. The only official communications from the district are coming from Messenger RXR. >> Um, anything that those official Facebook page that I mentioned or that over the over the phone.
033>> Okay. >> Or the principal folks. >> All right. Um, just the other thing really quick and then we'll move to the next thing that I thought of for the community engagement. Um, because I know we're in the Monroe news now. There's also the township has um it's like an e newsletter. It's like a shortened monthly one. Um, so I don't know if for this purpose it might be too late for December, but because it's a smaller publishing, maybe they'd be willing to share even just like the link help school district out. Um, one of the things I would like to do and it's part of our way of addressing, you know, the the community community relations component of the strategic plan is to set up a regular routine uh schedule of communications like I
034we we we're getting closer with Monro News, but we're we're in the process of over re uh looking at our Falcon Towns newsletter as well. Um, but uh yeah, we ideally we would be able to sync up. I'll tell you right now, if any anyone's listening, if anyone has it, if if someone said, "As long as you get me something every six weeks, we'll run it." We would have something every six weeks. Um, even so much we're making an organizational and a curricular commitment to that, which is why we're going to install the interns next year because not only we want to have students learning skills that want to study it, but, you know, at the same time, we're developing a new one, a new show that's taking place in the mornings here at the
035high school. >> And we want, you know, we we we talked about it last year. we haven't talked about in a while, but we have that new broadcast server that we installed through the through with partnership with the township >> and we still have goals of developing more newsworthy, you know, more more broadcast style programming. You know, we just we just um we just redid the entire video production course at the high school. Uh so, you know, there's definitely room for it. Um it's just media is tough to get a hold of, you know, especially um stuff that you can count on people sit down and read, >> right? >> And it's slow. >> I'm going to say my husband gets the home news. I don't know why. >> Um and something that happened that
036we know of on maybe the weekend, it's the article's in there Wednesday or Thursday already knew about. >> Yeah. our student intern uh gave and this is again no fault to the modern note we're grateful for was we submitted the fall sports previewing back in in July because that's when their deadline is they have to get out by Labor Day so they need to edit and everything right >> and by the time it hit the print you know so and that's why again as as great as that was it was a great practice for the student obviously >> right >> um you know we we we had broadcast three games and six highlight films by the time that came to print >> you know uh But but I think it's important to recognize there's still
037a large component of the community that looks forward to getting that newspaper. So I think that's why what we do put in there and that we've been very strategic with if you look at the articles we've selected to put in there. It should be something that you can read and that may not necessarily Wayne in its interest with time. >> So we talked about the robotics program and their accomplishments. We did a a winter uh we we did our winter >> right >> concert calendar back in and we talked about athletics and the golf team because it was a story that might have been interesting six weeks old. >> Um I don't know if that's an update on the Apple project. I don't know if that's what your friend was looking for but like yeah
038you know >> you mentioned it as being something that maybe people would because we drive by and everything. Well, uh, but if I submitted when we're all back in there and we talk about how awesome because when they when those when they get back in there, it's going to be, you know, people are going to be this is a, you know, so that that's an interesting story particularly because it really should be celebrated about how many different parties came together to make that happen. And, you know, really the unsung heroes at the middle school and the Applebear school that kind of that allowed the teaching to continue while it happened. I can't wait to write a story about that. >> Um, you know, >> gonna invite Carol to the opening. Yeah. And, um, have her
039just be there to, >> you know, take notes on it for the Ross morning. I know Yale before he left, he was speaking to somebody at Rossmore and that they're setting up a concert in the spring. Mhm. >> So I that's something that you know we might want to read in our newspaper. Hopefully not too late, but you know something that can be sent out to us early enough to put it on our calendars. So >> Right. Yeah. I see. >> Still nothing's best though when you get them in a room like this and you can talk to them because they don't know what they want to learn about until they figure out what we're what we're doing too. So >> Right. And and Carol >> and that's just not the senior communities. That's all
040the parents that we meet in the room. >> Right. Right. Right. She had asked she stopped me. She lives down the street from me and she stopped me and asked me, you know, who do I talk to about? >> Well, maybe she'll see me down the street next time I'm in Rossmore. >> I What street? >> I want your mother's address to put up with the thing here. >> She would probably wouldn't care. >> Um, yeah. I think that what you're saying is also part of it just whether or not we're sharing the like articles directly with the newspapers in the communities or if um they are writing them based on the information we're sharing right like I know like you know Linda used to write Wonderbar the school district in the Rossmore news um
041but then I also know that there's other um I don't know if there's other communities here and you've heard stuff for us before so you know, and I would never want to take that away from the people who want to do it. I also feel like getting a monthly column feature from the >> So when I when I um if I was going to submit something to you, not just Mr. Floyd, but the regency or something like that or stone bridge their own paper, too. >> Um I would if they want the article from myself or one of uh students or one of the staff members, I would just ask the teacher to write it and we'd work on it together. That's great. >> But if they prefer it themselves, I would give them a
042press release. >> Okay. >> Uh and and generally that's how the industry would prefer it. >> I mean, do sometimes journalists take my press release and put their name on it? Yes. But if when that happens, >> that's what you want because then they're printing your your story, >> right? >> So, generally we we'll we'll write the press release in its form that we want the district to be represented, which is always uh founded in in fact truth. And then it's up to them as the journalist and their journalistic integrity to do what they want. Right. >> Right. >> But we will review them if >> Yeah. >> Right. All right. Um we are going to move on to our last topic for tonight which is the um creation of this full calendar. Um so
043this was an ask by a few of us sitting up here as well as community members um who a would like to get sort of as early of a calendar as we can provide um because there's a lot that goes into scheduling you know other things as well into it. um and coordinating calendars and then also um you know just uh you know sort of understanding the way that the the calendar is created um and talking about some of the things that cannot be changed you know that have to be in there as well as some of the other challenges. So I don't know if Dr. Le start. So I mean the the development process really begins with you know taking a look at the bookends right at the beginning and end of the school
044year and then uh we fill in the middle with any of our basically required days off um whether it's holidays or you know the teachers convention and things like that. Um then we layer in any contractual requirements we have um whether it's um you know conferences and half days related to that or four-hour sessions related to that. And then also you know we consider our staff development needs and the um you know responsibility we have to provide those opportunities um you know per our plans and and expectations for the teachers to get their uh 20 hours a year. And then uh we really take a look and see where that lands. Um we want to make sure we have as many snow days as we can. Um and each calendar year annually changes because all
045of your holidays land on different days. Sometimes they're all on the weekend. Sometimes they're all in the middle of the week. Um sometimes we start a little earlier depending on, you know, the beginning of the school year than Labor Day. Um and then the tail end of the school year is is often defined by um when the graduation date is. So we have a little flexibility because we uh do have priority uh when we pick that day over other uh districts that would prefer to use, but once we start locking in, we lose the ability to really change um because they begin to fill their schedule in around us. So um you know, as for what we look for next year, we certainly hear the feedback. Um, I think we're coming off a couple years
046where a lot of the holidays were literally during the week, in the middle of the week, um, this next school year and we haven't laid it out yet. U, we started to do some preliminary looking. Um, we really when we flip the calendar, that's when we are able to lock in our graduation date. >> Um, you know, we we definitely see a lot of the holidays are on the weekend this year, which gives us some flexibility. Um, in theory, we're picking up school days that we didn't have this year. Um, we do have a potential later start date this year. Um, so we'll have to see how we actually begin the calendar based on where the holidays are. Um, and then, you know, we have to confirm with the graduation site to see if they
047have any of their paying customers. We're a paying customer, but they also have other paying customers and things about where um, our graduation weeks could even potentially be. Um so it'll come together you know very early in the winter. Um we certainly hear the feedback you know whether it was during board meetings and stuff about um specific days off. Um there are some things that you know we can certainly um you know the past few years we've been trying to put specific attention to the 4-hour sessions um and just trying to focus on those to see where we can >> um you know maybe address some of the the frequency of that. So, it's another thing we'll continue to look at. >> Yeah, I know last year we had that was one of the concerns
048we had had and um there was the we had gotten rid of the ones where like the kids that are not in high school or middle school don't go home early on those days that don't affect them. >> I I think those those got the I think uh a perception that they were the other part of the district was getting off because it was crumbs and stuff like that. In reality, those are district staff development afternoons. We would do scheduling, uh, class placement, um, we would do, you know, reshuffleling of, um, files and not files, but we would do a lot of the end of the year wrap-up stuff within the buildings. So, um, you know, that's something that, you know, we have mandatory trainings that we do each year. You guys that are in
049education know we have all those. So, that those are times that we do a lot of those mandatory trainings. Um, we're working around that this year. So I I would definitely take another look at that potentially for this year because we do have a purpose for those. But I think um you know some of the four-hour sessions and other parts of the calendar we can take a look at and see um you know again it a lot of the four-hour sessions had to do with recognizing some of the holidays that we would traditionally like to be off on. But because of the way everything in the calendar played out, we had to get the kids in for at least a 4-hour session to get to our uh 180 days. So, um, again, just like our
050winter break sometimes is almost two weeks long and sometimes is barely a week long, >> every year is a different look because of the way everything plays out. You know, that's why um as much as we want to have a really consistent, you know, calendar, we are as consistent as we can be. Um but again, the variables >> with it's not just our calendar, it's the multiple calendars that feed into our calendar, right? Um and I guess that's my general overview without speaking to the calendar next year because again um you know it's something we've started to put a framework together. We'll pull pull the pieces together and probably in the next month or so we'll start running it through our associations um for their feedback um and we share obviously with the board through
051our you know confidentials get some feedback and then we bring it to the public. So, >> so I just had two quick questions and then I want to open up to anyone else who has um so the first one um un like when you mentioned the graduation day requirement that you know we need to make sure we have that locked in and I don't know if you're able because we were talking a little bit but I know a lot of the high schools also go to these places um but they're sort of able to I guess put out the calendar whether it's like I know like does it that year earlier or um you know or like whether it's toward the beginning of the year for the following year. Um so I don't know like
052if there's a way to I don't want to say predict it because obviously we can't predict when you know cure or whoever we're using will have that availability but sort of be able to work with them for like a like or find a tentative date and be able to get it out. >> Yeah, we're not going to get any feedback from them. Um and I don't know, you know, I know some of them use PNC and things like that. They may have a two-year calendar that they operate on. You know, they may have things or or whatever, but um >> you know, I think if we were to go out more than a year, we'd have to accept the fact that if we're a week off on graduation, we're totally revamping the calendar. And if
053if the goal is to communicate the calendar in advance so people can plan vacations and things like that, >> then there's the risk that we're off by a week because that's when the end of the school year is going to be and those gra those you know vacation plans or whatever whatever the intent was um are going to have to be changed. So okay, >> I think it's a >> you know it's it's a conversation I we've already had with with uh the cure in terms of looking pretty far out. But, uh, you know, we certainly bring it up again. The things that don't change are, you know, some of the religious, you know, observances we we take and obviously Veterans Day and things like that. We can kind of plan those out in advance
054and teachers convention and stuff. Um, but it's the kind of middle, >> you know, book ends, uh, you know, that that do have some variables. So, um, you know, we can certainly take a look and see, you know, take a look and see two two years ahead, but again, that's not that's a >> when you put it out, you have to be willing to have some potential serious serious changes. >> Right. So then are people upset because they thought it was in stone, >> but in reality it's not. >> Right. And I don't know how often they change in there. I just see the calendar that's created. So, >> yeah. And we change our own calendar. Like if we have more than one snow day, we're going to have to change our calendar because we
055only have one snow day built in. And that's certainly uh again it's a product of this year every single observance we had was during the school year and it's all throughout the year, spring, summer or spring uh fall and winter everything was in the middle and we have a really long winter break as well. So it's like the perfect storm for a really packed calendar. Um, so we have one snow day. If it's before President's Day, the first day to take is President's Day. Then we start taking off of spring break. So, um, you know, the goal is to build in a couple maybe in three snow days is would be ideal. And some days, some years three isn't even enough. We know that, right? >> Um, so that's another thing to take into consideration
056is building those three days in on the front end as well. So, >> um, >> all right. And those are a couple days that we don't have in our calendar this year, right? So, we're thinking about, >> you know, we got some days that aren't during the school during the week this year. They're on the weekend. Couple of those could just turn into straight up snow days, right? So, they're not days we're getting back in the calendar, per se. >> Um, >> yeah. >> So, and the other feedback we got, and we got it last year, we'll take a look at again for this year, is just the format of the calendar, just to take a look and see, um, is it a one one pager, like a one-sider kind of format? What's the uh
057what's a good quick quick reference piece? You know, uh we have a lot of information flagged on there. You know, everything from testing windows to days off to four-hour sessions. Um but is it always easy to find without having to look at a specific day and that's something we'll take a look at as we develop the calendar, right? >> Um at least the p the format, the publish format for the calendar. So, >> all right. Um just the other part of it and this came up last year um is that week in November um like for for me like and this was a discussion we had until like we are able to remove those polling places on election day like I feel like it's hard to have school on that day even though I understand
058we have security but I feel like there's just a lot especially with being at the elementary school level. Um, and then I felt like you because I know like one of the things I've heard, you know, being an educator from other teachers and parents is it's hard to get into a routine with having a week off after you're finally getting in, but I feel like having the day on and then a day off before election day and then a day on, you're really not getting a routine there. Um, I don't know if that I know a conversation we had with I think it's the county. I don't know if we reached back out to see if there's any chance of removing those last two polling places. Um, but you know, that's something that I feel
059like affects the calendar potentially because if we're able to remove those polling places, then we no longer have that third day off in that week. >> So, I can speak to that. I know there's a lot of interest from districts, not just in our county, but across the state to >> really limit uh elections and polling in schools. Um, >> yeah. So I don't see them taking it out of all the schools because I think some communities that is the only place that they have the technological infrastructure to get you know the voting done and it's the common place. So um I wouldn't hold our breath in terms of you know that changing anytime soon. you know, we we were advocating, we continue to advocate um our best bet is with locally within the town
060to find help each other find a another comparable place in a very similar location and we did that uh this past year just moving the the voting >> um you know out of one of our schools. So >> again, I think that's something we will continue to work on, but I wouldn't hold our breath for next year. Yeah. for anything changing because again the lead time on that change is massive. Right. Right. Um because we're thinking just some of the bigger elections, but they are potential voting locations multiple times throughout the year. So their deadlines for changing anything are probably already passed for now for the next calendar year. So um yeah, sorry. >> So uh we're voting at what's it? >> Oh, go ahead. No, we're voting in Woodland still >> and we're voting
061in it was Woodland, Brookside, and Oak Tree. Those are the three that we had left. >> Oh, they're still Woodland and Brookside that are uh >> Oh, those are still Okay. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> Not Oak Tree anymore. >> No. >> So, just down to two. >> Yeah. And I guess like and this wouldn't be us because I would be curious what the polling places near there look like. I'm at the rec center which is not far from Woodland and it's usually not packed. >> I think there's like a VF. >> Yeah. I mean that's something >> that's not our job. >> It's something data wise to to to can you continue continue to look at in terms of early voting numbers versus mailin voting >> you know where and then day you know
062day of election voting and then there's a difference between presidential elections gubernatorial elections and then you know a midyear election midterm election. So, >> um, you know, we are in we are in school for primaries. Yeah. In June, >> right? But again, I'm not advocating to be in on general election Tuesday. You know, that's not something. Um, but again, we look at every year whether that Monday and Wednesday are viable. Yeah. >> Um, >> and again, it plays out on the calendar. And then it also, you know, we have attendance data. Is attendance from our students better on that Monday and Wednesday than we have when we have to call an unexpected change your plans come in on the April vacation, right? Are more more people already on vacation then and is student attendance lower
063and worse then? Um so is it better to have scheduled school days on that Monday and Wednesday or and not have enough snow and or not have enough snow days and start taking unexpected days out of spring break? So for you know that's one thing we look at again >> we are in this position past couple years because everything is during the school during week right all of our uh rec I believe as we look into next year the majority of them are not >> okay >> so again we're picking up some days next year that we theoretically we're off this year. So again, it's it's a fresh look every year and uh yeah, there's a there's a lot of opinions and a lot of uh you know, a lot of feedback and things. >>
064Absolutely. >> Anyone else have anything calendars? >> Nope. >> Okay. All right. That is everything. >> Okay. >> Thank you all. Have a good day. Okay.