001Please no exits in the room. No kids not permitted on school grounds. And if you could please mute or turn off your cell phones. First item on our agenda tonight is the STA. >> So I can get my text up. All right, just nice. All right. Okay. We'll see if this all works for you today. Usually does. I told I told Steve earlier I tapped or something. That was a lot. All right. So, I wanted to start out by telling you uh about an experience I got to be part of today, which was super cool. Um so, some of these pictures are me because this is how that thankfully took some photos. I was really busy and didn't have time for that. This was um fifth grade thing. They sometimes invite me over to the
002other building to hang out with them. Um this was a civil war experience. It's a wick and wisdom topic combined with student based learning. Um I think they just needed an extra set of hands, but I was able to come over. Um Andrew Fau from model schools also came. Uh there's a picture of him as well. And he brought uh Alicia McKenzie. I don't think there's a picture of her. She's a librarian from the treeis. and they focused on the photography of the Civil War. They were right before me and the kids kept coming out and telling me how cool it was. Um, they learned about the early process of capturing an image and then they use Canva, which I'm also using to show you this um and the photo imaging tools to uh editing
003tools to place themselves in pictures um with historical scenes from the time. And then uh the students also visited Mrs. Johnson and they took on the role of someone in Army Field Hospital and they learned about the spread of disease and then waited to see if they survived the outbreaks of dysentery and typhoon fever. So it's my understanding that some of us did die from dysentery. Um Mrs. Ali worked with students to set up army camps using maps in the library. Uh they use their math skills to block out the area where latrines, hospitals, kitchens, and company streets would best be placed for the health and success of the regiment. And then you get to see me as well. The students shared uh lots of information that they had learned about the underground railroad with
004me. So they told me they can they know a lot about the underground. It was fantastic. And I had um I got to support them as they deciphered coded messages um from uh they were pretend but coded messages from conductors on the Underground Railroad that would help people go from one station to another um as they travel the Underground. And man, they were really good. They were fantastic. So this is one of those things that's really cool to do. I get to go visit with them. Um and Mrs. Johnson and I were talking about this afterwards and it's really nice when I I told the kids too um when they come over and do their tour for sixth grade, they come in here and they all sit in here and people parade through and they're
005like, "Oh, I'm so and so and I do such and such." So, I get to come in and be like, "Hey, I'm Mrs. Carpenter. I'm a sixth grade or I'm a sixth through 12th grade librarian." They're like, "Yeah, you know." So, that's kind of fun. So, I got to do that today. That was super super cool. If you ever hear that something like that is going on, like 100% come in because it is just the coolest stuff that happens here. Um, another really cool thing that happens in the elementary school every year is uh, pick a reading partner. So, there's a lot of stuff about books in my talk today. Um, this one is not an exciting picture. You can not look there if you want to. U, but Tiffany Marie and Kayla Dyer coordinate
006with Scholastic every year to have the book fair come in for a week during March. Um, they do a teacher preview on Friday morning before the book fair opens where teachers come in and they pick some books. Um, they're on display for the week. They get to do a raffle. They put bookmarks inside books as teacher recommendations. Um they do two uh family events, one on the evening and one on Saturday morning where families can come and shop for their children. This uh students come in during the week to shop. They work really closely with the PTA. They develop a theme. The PTA sends volunteers in um to run the book fair so students can shop during the day. They run down during their lunches to make sure the teachers that is to make sure
007that everything's running smoothly. They get changed. They do returns if they're needed. And then with some of those profits from the book fair, they were able to donate, and this was the first thing when we announced it, please tell me more. Um, that they were able to donate 28 books to the backpack program and they purchased 15 books for classrooms in the elementary school. Um, should you want to put it on your calendar for next year, they told me that the book fair for next year is March 1st through the 8th, 2027. Um, and Mrs. So Malie hosted books and bagels in the library in the elementary library to highlight all the new books that she purchased and added to the elementary library for students. Um teachers got bagels for breakfast and they were entered
008into raffles and then she talks with them about all the books they can tell students about use in their classrooms and got to come hang out with each other. Uh Mrs. Shy who talks to you all the time and always invites you into the classroom. She said again she says always come to her classroom. She needs it. Go visit. Um, she also emailed me to say that the fourth grade went on a really great field trip to the Universal Preservation Hall, which is spectacular, uh, to see the show, The Workers on the Eerie Canal. This is not from that show, but it is from a really cool website that New York State has the digital heritage. Um, it is work, these are actual workers on the Canal locally. That was a wonderful live performance that
009taught students about the importance of the waterway in New York State and a little about little it about the immigrants who lived here during that time. Um, so stop by as soon as it's shooting. I'm sure about it. And Mrs. Gable showed me this fantastic video. There is no sound, so I have no idea if the sound is going to work yet, but this is a video that she shared with me about the elementary art room. So, feel free to enjoy that for a minute. the quiet. I hope that there is sound in the later video. Uh the sixth grade teachers invited Andrew Fon. He's popped up twice already. Um he comes to us from model schools at bookies. He's fantastic. Please keep him coming. We love him. Um he was a guest teacher and
010supported instruction for a Canva book trailer project. Book trailers are like movie trailers. You know movie trailers well. Um the students borrowed books from our library. He showed them how to create book trailers to share information about their books. Um and that was very well received. And then yesterday, the Stillwater Books and Bites Book Club had a virtual author visiting with author Ellie Schwarz. She is the author of the current novel they're reading, Hidden Truths. And the students asked her questions about her writing process, her motivation for telling this particular story, and ask her questions about regarding characterization and other thoughts of parts, sorry, parts of plot development. Um, music department super busy this month. Um, let's see. This is not that. Cara Pickin accompanied 12 sixth grade students to Napole Middle School for the
011NISMA solo festival on March 6th and 7th. They each prepare prepare a vocal solo with her beginning in November. And they worked on that every week after school right up until March. They have to sing that prepared solo and site readad an eight measure piece of music that they have never seen before that moment. As they're preparing and educate adjudicator adjudicator is listening and critiquing their performance. They all received a score based on 28 total points of comments on what was good and ideas of things to continue working on. Best thing about this all of these students received scores that were rated either excellent or outstanding. They uh they were Joel Miller, Evan Putney, Eve Riley, Moham Perry, Charlie Loft Surface, Bernie Makin, Grace Whiting, Cora Pacencia, Chloe Wilbert, and Jera. But what's actually up
012there, I don't know if you guys, any of you made it to the play. It was, I'm told, phenomenal. the following weekend, March 13th and 14th. Many of the same people I just said are in these pictures and a large number of other middle school students. There were 45 of them in total presented in middle school musical descendants. Uh that was led by Patrick Fox and assisted by Perken. They had been working on this since September. Both Patrick and her are very proud of the work they put in and even prouder of the fact that it was entirely studentrun. The students were in charge of lights, sound, spotlight, and backstage. These are jobs that don't get a lot of mentioned but they are essential to the full running of the show. Uh the performance themselves
013worked very hard to memorize their lines, the songs and actors during the process. Huge success with many hours of rehearsals and work with anyone everyone involved. And I have something else to tell you about middle school but I do want to put in a quick plug here for the school of rock performance tomorrow night which is high school. If you are looking to go um out on the town um 6:30 tomorrow night at Putnham Place in Saratoga, uh there's information tickets on the school website. Um nine of our talents and high school musicians are performing a real live like rocking out gig. Um and they would love your support. I'm told there's Chuck Barry and Metallica and Pat Benar. And I know that I was just in a meeting with Michael Kavanagh who was not
014alive when these people were popular. So there is actually some Green Day as well. They may have been um he may have been alive when they were playing music. So if those other ones are not names that you are familiar with um sorry that you might have heard me a little bit last. Um, so sorry. Um, also at the Stillwater Middle School, the um middle school. >> Today we're going to be learning some >> So the uh middle school >> Today we're going to be learning some easy >> All right, we're just going to watch this. >> Today we're going to be learning some easy conversation starters in ASL. First phrase that we're going to do is how are you? There are two ways to do this. For the first one, you put your hands
015close to your chest, but they're still together like this, and they're touching by the fingers, and they're at your chest. And you bring them out and point your dominant finger towards the person you're talking to. And make sure that your face is like asking a question. So, um, the second one we're going to be doing is older, but still acceptable. You put your hands the same way, fingers touching close to your chest, and bring it out. And then point at the person you're talking to, still confused or asking questions. Next phrase we're doing that we already learned a while ago, but we're just doing this as a refresher. It's what's your name? So, as we said earlier in the year, what's your name is different in ASL. It is backwards almost. So it's your name,
016what? ASL. They don't sign exact English. So what you would respond is my name. And then you'd finger spell your name. So K A Y D E C E. The only way to get a sign name is if someone deaf gives it to you. And it is usually based off your personality and your mannerisms. First we're going to do is nice meet you or nice to meet you. So first to do nice, you take your non-dominant hand and your dominant hand rubs on top of it towards the person you're talking to. So nice meet, you make D's with your hand. The hand that is closest to you is your dominant hand. The hand that's farther away is your non-dominant hand. And you take your dominant hand moving towards your non-dominant hand like you're meeting someone.
017Nice, neat. And then you just point at the person at the end that you're talking to. So one more time, nice me you. So you just met Cadence. Um it's still our middle school middle school TV students are they televised the morning announcements and they uh they're going beyond the lens to foster a little bit more inclusive campus. They're dedicating a little time to learning ASL, American Sign Language. Um this is powered by two teachers and actually one of our building subs as well. So, Mrs. Deckard volunteers her expertise to teach the signs and our building substitute, Miss Purcell, has also been helping with the ASL instruction and Mrs. Cochrunner helps the students edit and polish their final video segments and she produces um MSTU. So, Cadence has really been committed to this. She shows
018incredible dedication to improving her skills and um sharing her passion for ASL with the entire school. So hugely informative, but also a great bridge to the deaf community and making sure our school culture is accessible to everyone. She's really mastered her alphabet, the numbers, and basic phrases and um you know, empathy and inclusion. It's huge. So um that's fantastic. Sorry, I was just introduce yourself to um this one, my son's a senior, and I wish my um they did this when he was a junior. I suppose elsewhere, but Mrs. Brown's students are in English 11 and they just did an assignment that asked them to get a letter of advice from responsible adult or adults to compare to the advice Felonius gives his son Leesies in the Shakespeare play handbook, which is something they study
019in the class. Um, and so they went home, they asked a parent to provide this or you know, an adult to provide this letter. If they didn't have someone provide a letter, those are more generic letters, but they so they could still do these if no one's left out. Um, and one class did have all the students write a letter and that was super powerful for them. And she did say that several years ago a senior parent came to speak to her at open house to thank her for the assignment to give him a chance to say thanks to a summit. Thought that was really great. Uh, this one super cool. I see this a lot um on social media. There's so many notes, but this particular one um Okay, let me I'll tell you
020about it. Anyway, so Mrs. Jackson's first period participation in government class, I lost the picture for it, was discussing how the New York State Board of Elections verifies the registered voter post. Use your signature, you go out, you sign your name, make sure your signature, and the students were like, "Uh, I don't really have a signature. I just wrote my name." one or not the thing. Um, nothing special. And so one student was like, um, I we're gonna have to sign lots of things in the next year. We have lots of legal documents, student loans, leases, things like that. So she got an online cursive uh template and did their names on it and then created individualized handouts for them. Um, and so they practiced if they wanted to and she gave them extra credit.
021and if they put sign their name on their test. So, and they've also been writing advocacy letters on topics of their choice and they will sign those letters to their community. So, um and then also in cursive uh Mrs. Hland's class, Madam Half's class has been writing penthouse from France and they write the old fashioned way. They exchange letters and photos and artwork with their new friends and still are students who said are always amazed that French kids have to write in cursive. They use graph paper instead of loose leaf and they're always traveling to other countries and this is their kid her kids getting their letters. Mrs. Dunn, who is the class of 2028 adviser, shared with me that the class just completed an Easter themed fundraiser. This was the first or I'm sorry,
022the third one they did this year for the community. They did a trick or treat in October Christmas event in December. And she stopped me today. She told me about this the other day. Um, but she stopped me today to say about 100 children attended the event, but she was most proud that a whole bunch of parents that were attending the event stopped to tell her um to compliment her on the sophomores and and how how well they were doing. So that was really and then Mrs. Luskin's 12th graders just completed the true crime research papers. They developed their own thesis involving a specific criminal or case and support it within evidence and reasoning. They explored high interest topics like criminal psychology, nature versus nurture and their effects on criminal behavior, the impact of DNA
023technology on investigations, media's influence on specific crimes and criminals, issues involving wrongful convictions, and crimes that led to changing policy. So, this one I wish I had pictures of. This is another one of those ones where I would invite you to go to the classroom because pictures, but Mr. Gregoire is doing all sorts of cool things. He's actually chaotic to make this picture which I don't do all the time but use your imagination. Um feel free to visit him. He is doing in his residential structures class, Mr. Bar's class of building a 16T x 12t tiny home and they were building it in the classroom. He was describing this to me one day and I was like okay. So um they've been building it inside but they've been building it in panels. The students designed
024panels inside but so in such a way that they could take the house apart, move it outside and put it back together right outside the classroom. So the she said now that it's the weather is decent. The building it outside should be quick because everything's complete and the roof structure and the trusses have already been built and the goal is to have it weathertight in time for spring break. So we're almost there so that they can focus on the finishing of siding, the windows, the doors and roofing for the end of the school year. So that's pretty amazing. And then in his principles of engineering class, they have been building and designing or designing and building power generation units. They were evenly split. Half of them had been creating windmills. The other half have been
025building water turbines. Um and they did three 3D printers in there. And they've been working non-stop since February 11th to produce multiple components for these builds um to build rapid prototype renewable energy generators to the students designs. And then um in his intro to engineering design, students have been building 3D cube puzzles to attempt to stomp their classmates with most challenging puzzles. Um they've been digitally designing, testing, and redesigning interlocking 3D puzzles in the form of competition. and they have prototype their most difficult along with individual cubes. Performing a statistical analysis of the components to ensure that individual parts fit together based on a single statistical standard deviation based on their components individual measured sizes to ensure a proper plate fit. And now that the 3D printers are freed up from the other projects, they
026will transition to their final project printed in plastic. So I asked AI to show you all of that and that's what we got. So I was I would very much invite you to visit Mr. Greg because I'm sure it's even cooler than that. That's what AI for me. Um but I also wanted to so I just mentioned the finance committee meeting before this because I was interested in that. And um some of the things we were talking about in there are things that STA's been engaging in for advocacy purposes as well. So I wanted to mention some of that as well. Uh we had the opportunity to recently send Ian Godfrey to Nicence Community 100 day and he met with our elected representatives in their offices um as well as some from surrounding areas as
027well. Um he said those meetings were positive. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are talking about the same things you guys are talking about the need for support and certain changes within our schools in the state. Um, one of the most important things was where we were just talking about school funding and foundation aid. Um, there's clear need to increase foundation a generally specifically for snow water. We're at that minimum 1% increase which does not match the current climate. And I know that he specifically said yes. I spoke to our legislators and said that specifically for us is not going to work. Please increase that and they were like yes we know that is not going to work. We'll work on that. So, you know, whether that happens or not, but they they know
028they heard us and we went to their doors and said, "I'm so um I want to thank you though for allowing us to share every month what our members are doing." Um, every time I ask my colleagues to share with stuff with me to tell you, I'm always amazed by what's going on. Like, I talk to my colleagues and I kind of I'm a little high. I know what's going on in my building, but mostly but like I didn't there's a lot of stuff going on that I don't even know about and I'm firm believer that if I we as colleagues don't know what all is going on. There is no way you guys know all the cool stuff that's going on in this district unless we tell you. So, I really appreciate the opportunity
029to tell you about this stuff because I want you to know. Um, I I serve on a library board and I have my staff tell me what's going on in the library so that I can tell other people all the cool stuff that we do. So, I hope that you will tell other people all the cool stuff that happens here because we're doing a lot of amazing things. And if it's not just Mrs. If you want to come to our classrooms, let us know. We want to see you come on in. Um, we're happy to have you. So, thanks again. Sorry I took up so much time. They told me a lot of really cool things. So, I appreciate that. >> Thank you, Amy. We do appreciate you guys coming and telling us what you're
030doing. I think it's very important for us to know. So, thank you. Okay, moving on. Um, we have public input on a agenda items. like to thank everybody for joining us tonight and this is the public input part of our meeting but just a reminder that you're we believe it's essential to hear your thoughts and concerns and to make sure that we get feedback and input from the administration. We won't be responding to you tonight, but hopefully we'll follow up with answers either at the next meeting or via email from the appropriate staff. Uh please keep in mind that we do not discuss students or personnel issues during this time. Uh we take those concerns very seriously and we ask that you follow proper administrative channels to resolve it. Finally, please you be respectful of
031everyone. Uh and hopefully everyone will get a chance to speak which I don't think that's going to be a problem tonight but when you speak please state your name and address for the record. Anybody would like to uh comment to the board? Nothing. Okay. Thank you. Moving on, uh, we'll go to the consent agenda items. I need a motion to approve the consent agenda items exclusive of board minutes of the 31126 board meeting and CSA recommendations. >> So move second. >> Questions, comments? All those in favor? >> Opposed? Motion carried. Uh, next we have the superintendent report. >> Good evening everyone. Uh I just want to uh bring this to closure. I know you've heard from me multiple times about our professional development day that we collaborated with Cornet that occurred between board meetings. So
032last Monday um Corn came to faculty staff came here and um initially it was just we partnered with them to get closer to hear a speaker. uh at their suggestion, hey, you can come over for the full day. And it doesn't sound like a lot, but there's a ton of planning that has to go into that. A lot of choreography, a lot of um conversations that occur. So, they started to go at the district level. Uh then we went to the building level and um I was pretty confident at the end, although you get a little hesitant um that it was going to end up being a good day and a little positive by nature. So I I figured it would and great a lot that would and um the res the results of that
033day from the teachers that I've spoken to uh from the administrators that they've you know solicited information from uh their faculty and staff. Uh it it was it was a great day. Um started off in the morning everybody broke either in grade level or by department and they had discussions regarding you know curriculum and you know behaviors. this the speaker was more about behaviors that we're seeing in the classrooms and it's gotten kind of a lot of hand. I'm proud that we did this because um I think it was a it's been a little while since we've had a PD day like that, not just you know some internal or a couple people coming in and um and I think something to this magnitude was was really good. I do know from my history and
034education although you know people roll their eyes sometimes say oh another group of people I don't want to do this you know huggy type hi how you doing type hangout and uh meet other people but I I believe uh this really went well um in fact at the end of it the culmination uh Corinth when I spoke to them they said we'd love to have some type of partnership to uh end up doing other things when we when we end up having professional development in case next year's calendar is a little bit tight and I think the following year. So I might have to wait a little while but I want to I want to thank everyone faculty staff administrators that you know did such a great job and especially um with the way you
035represented still who we are. Um so I I did receive an email from their superintendent I'd like to share with everyone. Uh Joe, we're on a first name basis. Uh thank you for hosting uh Corny for a recent superintendent conference day. We truly appreciate time. We appreciate the time, effort, and care that went into making the day a huge success. The event was exceptionally well organized and it was clear that thoughtful planning went into every detail. Our faculty and staff valued the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussion around their interests and Mr. Menler was outstanding. Your staff was professional, kind, and incredibly accommodating throughout the day, which did not go unnoticed. We were also very impressed with your facilities and campus. Please extend a special thank you to the administrative team for their work in
036organizing the event and ensuring that we were comfortable throughout our visit. Your efforts made a lasting impression. Thank you again for your hospitality and partnership. So I just want to share that uh it was a great day. We were working. I know Broen loved the day. He he he told us it was great that the students had a day off and looking forward to that. So I think everybody was happy. So most of them was aware. So, thank you for your support that >> Thank you. Uh, next we have the business administrator. >> Yes. Thank you. I only have two items. Uh, the bids for phase one of the capital project have been released. Um, they were published in newspapers and they're available online for contractors that are interested. This Friday, uh, the architect in
037collaboration with Bruce, uh, is hosting a walkthrough for interested contractors that want to take a look at the facilities, uh, and work that needs to be done while they determine if they're going to bid or not. So, we continue to be right on schedule um, to get this work started after Memorial Day. Then the other item to talk about tonight is uh this morning I was at along with superintendent Ariana Allen and Renee Price we were at a safety award uh recognition conference this morning uh for which the Stillwater Central School District received a titanium with honors the highest level safety award for National Insurance Company. Um they have a variety of metrics, bullying prevention programs, playground safety, transportation, risk management, other uh specific and quantifiable surveys and uh you know us receiving the highest
038level safety award is really a testament to the environment that uh has been created here and the tireless work of Renee for submitting such a complicated and and really significant application to get us this award. Um, so we were recognized along with other school districts for our safety programs and the value that we place on safety here. Uh, we've received another plaque that we can put in the hallway and uh, we got a check for $500 to continue the the good work we do toward a safe environment. So, thank you for everything you did for that award. >> Thank you. >> That's it. That's it. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. Um, next is our student board member report out. >> Hi. Um, I first want to say sorry there was like a last meeting
039that got mixed up at the last meeting when you gave us some stuff coming. >> Oh, okay. >> But other than that, things are going well. I know NHS just did a bottle drop for colon cancer last weekend. I was there that well. Um, Key Club, they had a field trip to the memory care center today and I've heard good things about that. Everybody's pretty content. I haven't heard any complaints. Everybody's happy. >> Thank you. Okay, moving on to personnel. I need a motion to appoint Madison Rams as the modified girls lacrosse coach for the spring 2026 season at a stiper of $2,627. Mrs. Rams has all the criteria required to coach. >> Questions, comments? All those in favor? >> I opposed. Motion carry. Um, we have a motion to appoint Logan Tolman as the
040modified boys lacrosse coach for the spring 2026 season at a stipen of $2,627. Mr. Tolman has all the criteria criteria required to coach. >> Questions, comments? All those in favor? >> Opposed? Motion carried. I need a motion to approve the resignation of Deborah Stalker as a as bus driver effective March 20th 26th. Deborah would like to stay on as a substitute driver at a rate of $22 an hour after the specified date of retirement. >> Second, >> questions, comments, we have a resignation that says retirement. They should return >> after the specified date of retirement. Stop. Oh yeah. >> Is it a resignation or >> resignation? >> Okay. All right. So after the specified date of resignation. Okay. Um all those in favor >> I opposed. Motion carried. I need a motion to approve the
041retirement of Sarah Minetto as bus driver effective April 30th, 2026. She has been in the district for almost 20 years. Sir would like to stay on as a substitute driver at the rate of $32 an hour after the specified date of return. >> Second. >> Questions, comments? All those in favor? >> Opposed? Motion carried. Okay, moving on to action on it. So, we have policy. I need a motion to dissolve policy 5574, Medicaid compliance program. >> So, move. questions, comments. I'll just note that this policy was reviewed and discussed and that it doesn't we don't foresee receiving at least a million dollars in consecutive 12-month period directly or indirectly from the Medicaid program. So that it's not really necessary for those of you at the meeting. Okay. All those in favor? >> I opposed. Motion
042carried. I need a motion to a motion of read to adopt policy 7530 child abuse and male treatment with changes. >> Oh, I'm sorry. All right. A motion for a read to adopt and change in policy 8130 equal education opportunities to policy 75054 equal education opportunities. >> Moved. Questions, comments? All those in favor? I >> I opposed. >> Motion carried. Now I need a motion to read to adopt policy 7530 child abuse and malreatment with changes. >> So move. >> Second. Questions, comments? >> All those in favor? >> I >> opposed. Motion carried. >> I need a motion to adopt policy 7470, student government with customizations. >> So move. Second. >> Questions, comments? All those in favor? >> I >> opposed. Motion carried. >> Okay. And we're I need a motion to approve the draft
0432026 2027 school district calendar. >> Questions, comments? All those in favor? I >> opposed. Motion carried. Um, I also have a motion to approve a day trip to Montreal, Quebec, Canada on May 1st, 2026 for the attached. So, questions, comments? I just had one question. Um, this is a seventh nth grade trip and it looks like they're going to let 11th graders go to. >> Yeah. Does anybody have any more information on that? They they were extended the they extended um because the 11th graders missed a trip back in or something. >> Yeah. >> All right. All those in favor? >> All opposed? Motion carried. Okay. We have a program committee report out. Daryl. >> Yeah, thank you. We had a program committee meeting last week. Uh we met with Rebecca Tolman, elementary school principal
044and Michael Benamadi in terms of pupil personnel support services. Right. Did I get that that time? Uh we discussed the elementary report card and uh additionally a focus on mental health as we kind of discussed before. So, the big the big takeaways of our conversation um were one that the results of the elementary school report card were improvements in science and math but compared to the state average but um still lagging behind in ELA and I we deep dived that a little bit and Mrs. Holman attributed that to a lack of attention span for reading due to the increase in digital media and everything like that in the prek years and prior to that before getting to school even. So that's one significant driver that's kind of outside of our realm of influence. And uh
045additionally in coordination with that or and in line with that the similar conversation around mental health, you know, we're we're doing many things here to support people that have challenges and needs, but they're only here for eight hours, eight or nine hours a day. And a lot of the drivers of things that are causing people problems with mental health issues and anxieties and grief are uh a result of things that happen after school hours and elsewhere in the community. So, I don't know that there's a lot specifically we can take action to do to address that. One interesting conversation we had was maybe a a non-school committee or organization pulling in some people from PTA, teachers, schoolboard members, parents, and other members of different organizations in the community to do a targeted social media kind
046of account or campaign for people in the community. Because you, if we put something out on school tool, people that don't have kids in school yet aren't seeing that. And um but almost everybody is you know the problem is social you know the problem driving a lot of this is social media and the solution is also social media. They're looking at their phones sometimes rather than reading a book with their kids or whatever it may be. So something you know targeting just just reminders. You see it on Instagram in different ways for reminders and positive uh quotes for your mental health, your physical well-being, stuff along that line. So, I'm going to reach out to different people and anybody that's interested in, you know, cooperating with me on that. I take that initiative and kind
047of see if we can get some people interested in doing some of that in the community, >> a marketing campaign. Yeah. >> Yeah. just some and you know my thought is that we would pull in who you know maybe we could find out you know who are the most you know uh who are the most observed Facebook groups like this the water community group and the express community you know whoever's maybe we can get some widespread proliferation on different channels or social media posts that we push out and reach a lot of people and just little things I mean as a new parent there's things you don't you don't know what you don't know and maybe a little reminder like your kids should be reading x amount of time a day or you should be
048reading this amount of time with your kid. By this age, your child should be able to do this because we're having more and more kids coming to kindergarten, first and second grade that don't have uh some fundamental life skills that they ought to have by, four or five years old. And it's creating distraction in the school environment and um some of the other issues cause distractions in their emotional health. >> Those are the high points of the program community. Okay, thank you. >> Thank you. The next meeting is not date has not been set yet. I think uh the focus is going to be AI. We've been a lot of us have been exchanging different information, sharing policies. Um like to kind of put together a a core program committee uh mission statement for AI
049and how, you know, we can harness some of those advantages and then maybe forward that to the policy committee to develop a district-wide policy on AI implementation and and safeguards. I did some research on AI today and I pulled out some information so I can share it with you guys. >> Okay, that it. >> Thank you. Okay, our next item is public input or I'm sorry, board items of interest. Anybody have anything of interest? A few months ago, I talked about um I I visited another school and their their athletic booster club had uh signage in in and around the campus and it was a significant source of fundraising for them. They had a a unified booster club that served all their athletic programs. Um, other schools and ourselves include have individualized like we have
050a basketball booster club and a softball booster club, but I didn't find any information and it didn't seem like anyone was opposed to individual booster clubs pursuing that and displaying those banners. Um, >> where >> either either on the fences or in the gymnasium selling advertising space in a sense to supplement booster club revenue. Yeah. I mean, I have no objection to it, but it's something that we would have to approve. So, we don't have you just putting up any banner. >> Right. Right. I assume we have to have some sort of guideline on, you know, the size and, you know, placement. >> Maybe you can look into what the other school what if they have a policy or some kind of regulations because even with the booster clubs, you know, they just can't arbitrarily
051just put anything up in the school, right? >> You know, just in case, you know, there's liability for us. >> Yeah. So >> yeah, I'd like to keep pushing that. >> Get some momentum. >> Sounds good. Anything else? >> Just to kind of I guess follow what Daryl was saying about um getting the campaign out for mental health and bringing it from our school district. Maybe it's something that we can involve the student body in student government. And I don't know if it's a possibility to come up with like a big brother, you know, big sister type program for mentoring some of the younger kids that are coming in that might not have that support at home. >> I could definitely bring it up with student government. >> Oh, I I missed one highlight back
052in the program committee. We also discussed um middle school and high school athletes doing more at the elementary school level in that vein as under mentorship but also to drive participation levels in sports. So it was kind of a a win-win situation. So I think uh Rebecca's going to look into increasing those opportunities. You know, when I was in school, which is a long time ago, um during our study halls and stuff, the seniors, juniors and seniors, we could go down to the elementary school and sign up and help out in the elementary classrooms, you know, and be be there like, you know, mentors for those kids. So, >> yeah, they've in instances where they they've done it, it's been really wellreceived. The elementary students look up to the high school athletes >> and has
053a really positive impact on them. >> Yeah. But even outside of the athletic departments, just to have that with music and art and absolutely reading and any kind of mentorship from the older students and >> give some help to the teachers and volunteer hours for the kids volunteer. >> Yeah. >> Anything else? >> I don't remember. I think we covered it. >> Okay. All right. Moving on. Um, public input on non-aggenda items. Anybody would like to address the board? No. Okay. Um, that is it for our agenda. Um, I'd like to make a motion to adjourn the meeting into executive session. Uh, we are going in for STA negotiations and personnel. >> Okay. Personnel. >> Yes. >> Motion. So, second >> question. All those in favor? I >> opposed. Motion carries. >> Thank you everyone.
054>> Are we stay here? People come to us.