001the weather and for those at home that are staying warm and dry um welcome to the live stream. Uh Michelle, do we have any agenda changes for this evening? >> Um the one change that we may have is that Next schedule. >> We're in the first public comment section of our uh meeting and that is agenda related public comment. Just want to give everybody a reminder that the public comment portion board of education meetings designed to give members of the public the opportunity to address the board related to school district operations. The board will not permit public session discussion involving individual district personnel or students. Persons wishing to discuss matters involving individual district personnel or students should present their comments and or concerns to superintendent of schools during regular business hours. All speakers are to
002conduct themselves in a civil manner. Obscene language, lialist statements, and threats of violence will not be tolerated. It is not the practice of the board to respond during the meeting to questions posed or comments made by speakers. Therefore, while the board will certainly take any questions or comments you might have under advisement, we will not be responding to any questions. Always encourage people feel free to provide uh any information you want the board to have in writing. Uh and that happens quite often and I um don't see Mandy in the crowd, but I do want to thank Mandy Burke last week. Uh her three minutes were up. She shared everything she wanted to say to the board via email. It was very informative. So, that's an excellent way to do it. Um, and the threeminut
003timer we did try to play with the buzzer. Um, it can neither go down in volume nor be changed to a different sound. So, just be aware of that. I will let you finish your thought when the buzzer goes off. Um, but please do finish that thought uh when that happens. Is there anybody that's here tonight for agenda related items? >> Yes. So, >> thank you for having me and sorry, I just arrived and you guys are really awesome drivers here because uh that drive from Buffalo was some for me. My name is Michelle Z. Um I'm the snowbl representative for Club America. Um I'm also white mother, veteran, and former teacher. Um I'm honored to be in the presence of these brave students here today. um who've come before you to share their desire
004to be recognized as an official club within their school, to be heard, to be respected, and to have their thoughts and viewpoints as conservative students within their school body um allowed to be shared. Um conservative is not synonymous with Republican, nor is it exclusionary of gun. Um, Club America is a 501c3 nonprofit nonpartisan organization that centers along the ideas of limited government, fiscal responsibility, and the free market. I like to consider what I do to be civics education, constitutional training, and learning about civil discourse. Because, as Charlie Kirk used to say, when we stop talking, that's when people get violent. I am thankful that the federal equal access law provides a path for students to exercise their rights within their school. What do you do when you hear an opinion that you disagree with? How
005do you debate an idea without attacking the person? These are concepts that students who are part of club America practice regularly with the guidance of their adviserss and with the encouragement of their peers. Do you know who said this quote? Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech. That was Benjamin Franklin. And that is in our first amendment game that students play when learning about the first amendment. What does it mean to be made in America? Did you know that American presidents have a history of wearing Americanmade suits to their inaugurations as well as the first ladies? Presidents, both presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump wore brothers suits to their inauguration. These are information that we have for students in
006our made in America material. The opportunity to learn not just from our materials but from each other are second to none with Club America. As our students across just not just our own territory but across the country are doing amazing things, but I want to highlight a couple in our territory. So, Trinity Co-op in Buffalo fed seven veterans families full Thanksgiving dinners. Folton High School did a coat and a hat drive for youth. Well, also at last 81. [laughter] >> Anybody else for agenda related items? >> Yes. I I wish I had more time to prepare because I found out that we were voting on this 45 minutes ago because I actually talked to Mr. Smeaggel not even an hour ago about my two grandchildren in the school district if you know who I'm talking
007about. Right. And I do not believe our city school district should have Charlie Kirk turning point really as decisive and heated. People were getting their jobs suspended or fired for comments made because of Charlie Kirk and we want to add more hate in our school. There's there's an easy way to have debates. We could have a debate club. We don't need Turning Point, which is actually a a religious group, >> who thinks that it's okay if their 10-year-old daughter got raped, they'd still make them have the baby. That was Charlie Kirk's words. so that his 10-year-old daughter could maybe die from giving birth to a baby at 10. And also look at the rapest child in their child's eyes the rest of their life. How great of a father would that be? It infuriates me.
008Infuriates me that somebody so controversial that we want to start a club in here for them. Really? Why don't we start just a regular debate club? Like why does it have to be a Turning Point Charlie Kirk Republican? You know, cuz I'm a lefty Democrat. Please make sure you're addressing them. >> Well, she's the one that's commenting. >> Okay. So, I have two grandchildren left in this school district. One of them is really big into history. That's his favorite subject. And he sees the parallels right now of Nazi Germany and dictatorship going on. So, I don't think it's appropriate that our Watertown City School District is [clears throat] going towards first of all a religious organization and a such a political organization. If we want to start a debate club, hey, I'm all for it.
009Let's do it. But to start a Charlie Kirk Award debate club, are you kidding me? >> Good evening everyone. My name is Brady Horton, the president of the Club America chapter at Watertown High School. Tonight I am here to discuss Club America. Club America has over,200 high school chapters and counting. Club America is for free speech, a place for everyone to be heard. We will learn from the Constitution, empower, [clears throat] empower everyone to explore their interests, allow members to grow as leaders, and to make a difference within the community. We're about education, service values, and fun all meshed into one. We will host meetings, guest speakers, and offer volunteer opportunities that give students the opportunity to learn conservative values. I [clears throat] cannot wait to bring this to students within Watertown High School. We
010look forward to being a place where all can speak freely and openly. Thank you for this opportunity. >> Thank you. >> Is there anybody else this seeking that would like to speak to agenda related items? >> No, I don't have anything prepared although I know that I did share a brief email with board members. Um, I just wanted to say with the establishment and approval of any club within the school district, we need to know that it completely aligns with the ideals of the mission of the school district. And what's happening right now related to um health USA in particular is very controversial, very divisive and it doesn't stand for that mission statement about respect for all. So I have concerns about how such a club would be able to you could have wonderful things
011happen. People could be amazing community members. I ran to sit in a board seat. I had people sign my petition who were all walked for the political spectrum, including conservative members of the community. That said, we need to make sure that what's happening in our school district that we have to solo meets those ideals. And uh I won't be saying I just wanted to say that that's not an affront to anybody here, but I just wanted to make sure that that was said. Thank you. Anybody else this evening for agenda related items? >> Okay. Uh we have a proposed executive session. Executive session for the purpose to review the employment contract of a specific employee. Can I get a motion to go into executive session, please? Tina, I had a second. Discussion. All those in
012favor? Any oppose? We are we're almost in a second. Jason discussion. All those in favor? Any oppose? Uh, at this point, we're in need of an agenda change. Uh, we need to add a letter I, which will be an approval of an employment agreement. Can I have a motion, please? >> Tina and second. Discussion for the agenda change. All those in favor? Any opposed? That motion carries. Okay, moving on to our board and staff reports. Policy committee meeting was tonight. What do we have, T? So we discussed we reviewed the policy uh 6002 employee use of district vehicles um and the associated regulations that go along with that. Uh we hope to have it on the agenda second meeting in February. Um we've been working a lot with uh Buly's legal and our legal and
013um with it being a new policy with the regulations that we're still waiting for a little bit of feedback from them. So we hope to have on the uh second February we review the policy uh every place policy 5401 and 5403. as the policy to ex uh the purpose and administration of district digital information systems. Um we reviewed that um uh Jeff Wood will be here at the next meeting um for our first view. uh so he can explain things and if you have any concerns or questions and we also have hope to have that on the February the 2nd February meeting and we reviewed policy is 0 or 820 homebound instruction and we had um two proposals coming in to come to compliance with with the New York state before it was a minimum
014of hours. Elementary was 5 hours, now it's 10 hours per week. And 7 through 12 was 10 hours, and now it's 15 hours of instruction time. Um, they usually um reassert this every semester, but they've changed it to every 60 days. So hopefully with this, it will be on the agenda for February 4th. Any questions for Tina? >> Thank you, Tina. >> Superintendent of Stojour, Dr. Larry Schmegel. >> Good evening, everyone. Um, just a public service announcement. As you leave tonight, please be extra cautious. Drive down the hill. Um, the first thing I want to mention is something that uh broke in the Watertown daily times uh which was the NAERTA grant. Uh there was a grant recognized that the district was receiving $2.5 million um with a comment that we don't own our own
015buses. So that's going to tie into the next comment that I made. Um in the past, last year's board had requested a feasibility study for transportation to see if it was feasible for the district to operate their own buses. And so we're still waiting on that feasibility study. The way it came in was not in a way that it should have been. Um, so Bri and I are pushing back and we really want it to be a good picture whether or not um it's feasible or not the feasible part of the name should explain itself but unfortunately it was not sent to us in that fashion. So um that should be expected soon. What I will say, which is the same thing that I reported to uh Jeff Cole in my email to him, that
016the even if a district does not own their own buses, the contractor, so in our case, first student, the contractor is legally, you know, able to apply for the same grant money that a school district can. Um and the realization for the school district is is that if the if the say in this case first student receives the grant of 2.5 million then we would see as a district or our taxpayers would see and our and our um um contracts moving forward with first student. You would like to see that realization because the cost of an electric bus as opposed to a gas fueled bus is significantly higher. Um so we would like to see that benefit. What I will say as of this morning when I called to check with the NAERTA office there's
017some miscommunication between that office and the governor's office um regarding the NAERTA 2.5 million for Watertown and so we are pending uh more information on that uh but if we do get the grant the monies will not be realized by the district in the sense that we'll be collecting those funds um and um they would be going directly to first year and those are the two updates that I wanted to say. Thank you very much, Michelle. Item four, items for consent agenda. >> Resolve that consent agenda items A and B are hereby approved. >> Motion, please. >> Melanie had a second. >> Any discussion? All those in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries. Items for board action. A. Approval of the 2026 2027 academic calendar. >> 2627 school year calendar as presented to the board. that
018motion please and a second. Gotcha. Discussion. What I would like to highlight um on behalf of the district is our breaks do align with Bosey's um calendar. Um so it was presented to us a little bit differently uh this year, but both of the February break and the April break both align. And the only change some of the districts are going back at the the first day in a or last day in August. Um who will be coming back on the Tuesday Wednesday similar to what we did this year for staff development with students returning on uh the 3rd of September. And the only other change from the one that was posted for the public to see tonight um was T was missing for April under that column. special Labor Day being late kind of
019drives things back and a lot of the holidays fall. >> All those in favor? >> Any opposed? Motion carries. Item B, approval of personnel report. We >> resolve that upon the recommendation of the superintendent of schools, Dr. of the board of education might includes instructional and substitutes non-instructional >> motion please and a second now discussion all those in favor Any opposed? Motion carries. Item C, approval of an employment agreements. >> All that an employment agreement by and between the Water County City School District and Bling Gaffne for the period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029 is hereby approved. MOV discussion All those in favor? Any oppose? Motion passes. Is there penalty clause in there? >> D, approval. Item D, approval to amend personnel report. is a resolution was passed by the board of
020education on September 16th, 2025 approving the pay rate of $1,000 stipen for Terry Miller as literacy coordinator and it further resolved that this amended resolution reflects a change in the pay rate to be $2,000 effective December 22nd, 2025 and is hereby approved. >> Motion, please. >> Have a second. Chase discussion. Uh the only thing I'll say is when it was approved by the board in the past, they were going to split that stipen. Now one teacher is going to take that stipen responsibility. >> All those in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries. Item E, approval of the creation of a new club. >> Resolve at the formation of the turning point USA club ascurricular club at high school with Jamie Strader and Jamie Gon as club adviserss. Is hereby approved. Motion, please. Second. Jason discussion. >>
021I would just like to say I I don't think there's ever been an instance where I've seen as immediate a response uh to something this board was doing as there was on this when the spirit of the news at 5:00. We encourage students to have initiative, right? We don't judge them on their political beliefs. We don't judge them on who they are. or if they have an initiative to create a club, we want to provide a space where they can do that, where they can pursue their interests uh in a safe and meaningful way. We have board policy, we have district policy that governs what our clubs can and cannot do. And outside of that, we're not going to be able to discriminate. We don't want to discriminate against a club where students have interests.
022Um, so I know this this was obviously if you've seen the social media, which many of our board members had, there was no in between. and everybody was one way or the other. Just like we wouldn't discriminate against a young Democrats club or some other the chess club, the bowling club, we're not going to discriminate against this club. So, we wish Brady this club all the best. Um and um we've got high hopes that you know all of those things that you talked about doing for our school and our community are great things. So, we encourage that. All those in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries. Item F approval of the donation. >> A donation on behalf of the Northern New York Community Foundation for $500 designated as support for the Educator Rising Club at Watertown
023High School. This generous contribution is gratefully accepted and approved and will be acknowledged in writing. >> Take a motion, please. Melanie, you had a second. Chase discussion. All those in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries. Item G, approval of a donation. >> Result that a donation on behalf of the Northern New York Community Foundation for $2,000 designated as support for the STEM program programming across the district. This generous contribution is gratefully accepted and approved and will be acknowledged in writing. >> Motion, please. Tina and this chase discussion. Thank you. No other New York Community Foundation. All those in favor? >> Any opposed? That motion carries. Item eight, approval of an anonymous donation. >> Resolve that an anonymous donation of $1,210 to the Watertown High School uh class of be accepted by the board. This generous donation
024is gratefully accepted and approved and will be acknowledged in writing. >> Motion second. >> Discussion. >> All those in favor? >> Any opposed? Motion carries. Item I, approval of an anonymous donation. >> Resolve that the board accept local donation totaling $158 to the Case Middle School um musical. designated to support the pancake breakfast fundraiser. These donations are greatly accepted and approved and will be acknowledged in writing and discussion. All those in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries. Item K, approval of a donation. resolve that a donation on behalf of the Robotics Educational and Competition Foundation for $2,913 designated as support for aerial robotics. Uh this funding covered competition uh season registration, three drones, and a competition playing field for a team. This generous contribution is gratefully accepted and approved and will be acknowledged in writing. It
025piques my interest in aerial robotics. Is that something we can get to a future board meeting? >> Thank you. All those in favor? Any opposed? Motion carries. Uh and item L, approval of an employment agreement. >> Miss J. I miss J. >> It's possible. Item J then approval of a donation. >> Okay. >> Result of a donation from promotions support to the athletic department for the current seventh grade modified boys basketball game. The board gratefully accepts and approves this donation which will be acknowledged in R. >> Motion and second. So many donations I can't keep track of. Discussion. All those favor. Any opposed? Motion carries. Now we're on to um whereas the superintendent employment contract provides for an annual compensation review. And whereas all other district employees receive compensation increases effective July 1, 2025. Therefore,
026be it resolved that the board of education approves a compensate compensation increase of 4.25% for the superintendent effective July 1, 2025. >> Motion a second discussion. All those opposed carries. Okay, we are at the second opportunity for public comment for non-aggenda related items. Uh Lori, you were the only one that emailed in and asked to speak. Same rules apply. >> Hi everyone, my name is Lori Converse. I reside at Westflower Avenue in Watertown and I'm a former board member and it takes three minutes. I got this all written down so hopefully I didn't make it. Um I'm here formally to share two concerns following my review of the most recent board meeting. First, I was watching the meeting for an update on the capital project, which as you all know, I was deeply involved in
027while serving on the board. During public comment, I was shocked and disappointed to see a speaker cut off and instructed to submit the remainder of her comments via email. This action undermines transparency and contradicts the intent of policy 2306, which I worked on extensively with others three years ago while I was on the board. The recent restructuring of this policy appears to discourage public participation and disappropriate city benefits administration and the board rather than the community. Not all community members feel comfortable to speak here. We've seen it before when we did the policy three years ago. There were people it takes a minute for them to even get out their first thought. They aren't as comfortable as all of us. I mean, a lot of you aren't comfortable speaking with your full voice while you
028stood up on the board. So, to expect that people are going to stand here and feel confident to get what they need to say in three minutes, you guys got to re that. Um, I'm very disappointed that the speaker was interrupted while addressing collaboration and moving forward from last year's prek situations. As someone recently appointed by the county to the CAPC board, an organization that values collaboration and inclusi inclusivity, I find this particularly concerning. If children truly are our future and priority, meaningful collaboration with community partners should be encouraged, not limited. I hope lessons were learned from last year and the future reflects that. Finally, prior to my departure from the board, I raised the need for a formal vehicle usage policy for the district-owned vans and SUV. I did hear um Tina bring that
029up tonight. Um which I'm happy to hear. Um I did say in here today I did not find such policy. I just saw the one from 6401 which we had not updated since May of 2022. This concern was reinforced to me recently when the wrestling team traveled to Elmyra using a bus at an approximate cost of $2,500 to transfer around 10 students. Um, when I was at the wrestling tournament, guess what? There was buses and bands. We were like the only bus. Um, we could have utilized district vans and we could have used that money for significant cost savings and put that elsewhere for the wrestling team or another team. Um, so I hope while you're doing that vehicle policy that is considered going forward, um, where we can use for the golf team, there's
030many times where we can use those vans and save money. Think about what the wrestling team could have done with $1,500. So, thank you so much. Appreciate it. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. >> Anybody else like to speak to non-aggenda related items? Hi. >> So, first um Sean, I want to commend you. I'm not cutting anyone off today. Actually, someone like Michelle, he grows all the way from Buffalo. Um and that's the way like I said before, I think the three minute rule it could be held to a standard, but not when people are really speaking things that you need to learn it. So, your leadership in that is greatly appreciated. your leadership and what you said regarding the TPUSA plug is dead. We cannot discriminate. We have to allow every child opportunity to have
031a platform. New York State dictates that you have to have equal platforms. If you have a liberal platform, you have to have conservative platform. And what you said regarding, you know, great needs initiative to start something. and for you to support that again is another indication of great leadership. So I wanted to commend you on that because I know that that's important to get confidence. I had questions about the policy committee, but thank you Tina for telling us that you're working on that vehicle policy like Lori brought up. I think that's very important because that's been brought up for a while now. So I was glad to hear that you're working on that. Um, I was also glad to learn today that you are moving forward with having a meeting with the UPK CBOS and
032coming into some, you know, genuine listening maybe conversation. They should be allowed an opportunity to speak about what they want. Um, their increases, you know, their accommodations, all of those things should be heard. and I'm happy to hear that you again took the step forward to contact some of these CBOS and have open conversation. Those are all great things and that to me demonstrates and shows community that you are trying to work with us and that's all that I ask for is that your leadership really is a voice for this community. One other suggestion and this is for the superintendent. We all learned in the public yesterday that and it's not just this school district, but several school districts apply an additional tax on the national grid bill that is delineated as a sale tax
033and for the city of Watertown it's a 3% for St. Lawrence it's 4% and for Agnesburg it's 7%. So a lot of us didn't know that and actually Verizon does the same thing. I've asked our county legislators to find out where that came from. I'm sure Larry you know that. I never heard about that. But my question to you would be in a very friendly manner is where are these dollars going? Like we know that the district is getting them and you know we have a healthy general fund. We have healthy reserves account and I would wonder if the board would consider alleviating that 3%. I don't even know if you have the jurisdiction to do that, but it's something that I think the board should be looking at in terms of being fiscally responsible
034to the community, especially when in February we're going to be approaching a new budget season, and we don't know what that budget's going to end up looking. So, it would be nice if the board took a look at that and saw if that would be something that you could alleviate the taxpayers from. We're already heavily burdened and as you know, when the city council meets for budget season, we're looking at a 40% tax increase. So, thank you. >> Thank you. >> Anybody else this evening for non-aggenda related items? >> Thank you everybody. >> Uh we had no items listed for discussion information. Anything that any board members would like to bring up under that category? >> Okay. upcoming dates. Uh, Friday, January 30th and Saturday, Saturday, January 31st is the Bycount Festival for Music at
035Lefarville Central School for this one. Wednesday, February 4th is our FAF committee meeting at 5:00 in the district office and that'll be followed by our board meeting at 6 p.m. Hopefully the weather's a little bit better. changed. The board meeting will still be located up here. >> Okay. >> We'll look around the district. Bill, you want to go first tonight? >> Sure, why not? >> Later, earlier this weekend, Molly Dickson was recognized as Central New York. I believe she received her award by I'd like to congratulate them both. Um I think that turning point USA would be a good club for both students. It's going to recognize a lot of people, encourage public speaking a little bit more. And that's what I'd like to say. That's all I have to say. Good luck, Brady. Okay.
036Yeah. >> Um I don't have much. I also just wanted to congratulate Lorie Peters. Um I think that that's a pretty memorable award that she won. Um still trying to get Molly here. Um I just wanted to a little shout out to Inqual Graphics. Um they do so much work around the district and just around the city and they did a very nice job doing those professional details we have on our bands and stuff with our graphics. So, I just wanted to thank them to the state. They really do a nice job. >> Yeah, they do a nice job. So, I just wanted >> um last week Tina and myself went to the public speaking finals um at the high school. Wish someone had told me to bring my tissues. I was not prepared for
037what was presented. um in the finals and so how eloquently all of the students spoke and the topics that they spoke about I was floored um and I would like to give kudos to that teacher for creating an environment where those students felt they could say and speak and present about the things that they did in a room full of not only their peers but adults that I'm going to assume they didn't really know. So that was really incredible to watch. I'm also looking forward to the spelling be hopefully this week. We will see we can get there. Um and I would like to thank that teacher as well because I have my dates all confused. So she got me on the straight and narrow with my schedule this week. So thank you. >> Um
038I didn't prepare. I guess I'll just say nice to see in the room again. We all miss you. Um Brady, congratulations. Uh what you had to say was very nice. Being president is tough. I don't know that you'll enjoy it. [laughter] I never particularly did, but uh I think you've got the right guy. So, um and I guess that's it. That's it. I really don't have much anything to be just redundant. I already been said just um just from my area myself there's a bunch of government oversight news. Oh gosh. Um we did have a report from Dr. Annie Deer Harts and I'm going to remember to read it tonight. So that's two two the last two doctors. Um, we've been slowly implementing school links, a career and college exploration platform since before last year.
039The following has been put in place through school links. Career interest surveys given to students in grades 7 through 12. Teachers who naturally teach careers in their curriculum have been both formally and informally trained on how to use school links. Watertown High School counselors are being trained in the near future on the class planner aspect of school links. Students will be able to choose their classes in preparation for their one-on-one scheduling meetings with counselors. For our school links representative, we have shown three we have shown three times the amount of usage on this platform since last year. According to him, this is nearly unheard of and other districts usually plateau on their usage by now. Matt Elliot and Vicky Cole are credited with much of this success as they have dedicated much time into incorporating
040school links into their presentations and conversations with students and teachers. This truly is a beneficial platform for students to explore their strengths, various career choices, and a variety of colleges. It provides terrific foundational knowledge for students to be able to set short and long-term goals in order to be successful during and after their high school career. Thank you, Dr. Andy. Um, congratulations, Brady. I don't know how you're going to do it all being a leading man and stage notes and rehearsals and running a new club. Uh, but good luck to you. Um, you know, we talk about like our, you know, our speech class where those kids, um, you know, have these wonderful skills that they're going to take forward with them in whatever they decide to do in life. And I I see this
041club as kind of along the same lines of that. We're going to give kids skills um that they are going to be able to take to college, to the workforce, to military careers. So, I I think that's um, you know, important. You know, you don't have to play politics at school. This is not a political club. as a leadership club. So, I look forward to seeing what they're doing. Um, I did want to correct the record in just a couple of things that I've heard in the media lately. Um, it's been stated that we had 100 students weight listed in the UPK and that's simply not true. Um, I don't know if the public knows this, but we're capped by the state on how many UPK4 and UPK3 students we can have. Um, so we've
042always had a wait list for UPK3. Um, ever since we started the program, we've never not had a wait list and we have fewer slots for UPK3 than we do UPK4. We did have eight parents who did not get their first choice for the UPK4 program that decided that they wanted to wait list for um the school of their choice, the UPK of their choice. Um, so we do have slots for every UPK four-year-old. It's just we've had a couple of parents that have chosen not to take advantage of that. Um the $1.2 million that we allocated for the two classrooms in our building go far beyond the two classrooms that we created for prek in our own building. It also allow allowed us to hire additional psychologists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists that
043could service all of our elementary teachers. Those were high needs critical areas that we had at the elementary level that we've been able to fill. So, they help those UPK programs, but they also help all of our elementary students. Um, I was also encouraged with Governor Hokll's state of the state address, speaking to the importance of universal prek. Um, we've talked about it at this board before. Our administration and some of our board members uh have been very adamant about working with our state legislators to try to increase funding for UPK. And Governor Hokll not only indicated that her budget will include more money for UPK, but that she wants to extend universal pre-K to every single student that wants it. And if that's the case, we're going to have to find capacity within the
044Watertown City School District with our partners to be able to meet that capacity. It would be ideal if every single three-year-old and every single four-year-old in Watertown had EPK. That would be the ideal situation. So, I hope we get there. Um, as far as our graduation rate goes, we will have those numbers officially from the state in the very near future. Usually those numbers come out January, February. Um, so we'll have those numbers from the state. Um, there's no doubt Cyclone Academy has helped increase our graduation rate numbers, but so has the additional support of our teachers, increase special education resources, counseling resources, graduation coach, professional development for our teachers. Um, it's been a multi-pronged attack to try to get that graduation up. Engagement with clubs and activities and sports that gets our kids to
045school, buses in the morning that pick kids up if they miss their bus so that they can get to school and not miss more than one period of school. Um, it it's been a multiaceted attempt to try to make sure that kids are in school because they can't learn if they're not at school. And if they are in school and they are learning, we know that our graduation outcomes uh become better and better and better. Um the challenge is not getting it to 84%. The challenge is going to be keeping it going beyond the 84% um that we've got for this year. I think it's important to remember too that kids that walk the stage in June. That's not our entire graduation cohort. There are other students that graduate during the summer that apply to
046that cohort as well. Uh, and not only do we have four-year cohort, but we go back and we add numbers for a five-year cohort, a six-year cohort at the state level. >> Just to for the graduation rate, there's the June graduation rate, which is the one that most of us are aware of. There's also the August graduation rate, and then October. So, those are the three hits that um there's been some misinformation about our gifted and talented program as well. Um, a program that was created with uh Dr. Smeaggel when he arrived, it was a priority for him to get the gifted and talented program up and running. uh to great success. Um the criteria was designed to acknowledge several factors including some that made sure that especially kids from lower socioeconomic background weren't disadvantaged
047in the um in the factors and in the determination for who would be able to enter that program or not. Um another criteria that Dr. Schmegle was very adamant about was that just like we do with special education, students that come in with an IEP get an IEP when they come into Watertown. students that come in from a gifted and talented program should that should count for something. And so that was made one of the criteria uh to be considered just one of many criteria. No admissions decisions were made until the criteria was established by Matt Berdick and uh his group. Uh and at no point was any student given any preferential treatment for that program and he claimed to the contrary is categorically false. Uh and then the vehicle policy Tina, thank you for
048bringing that up. I'm looking forward to seeing what that has. I just want to point out that our vehicles have to have markings if we're to transport students in them. Um, so, uh, we cannot own a vehicle in the district that doesn't have markings and and legally transport students. So, it's kind of cool that we're able to make them look nice. You know, we own them. We can dial them up any way we want to to advertise the district or make the district look good or make the vehicles look good. I think they look sharp. So, um, I just wanted to clear a few of those things up that I have heard in the medioc um discuss trying to eliminate um streaming the board meeting. Um, it was a group discussion and a board meeting
049and it was to stop streaming live um public comment. not not the board meeting took the public out. So that was the only thing that was discussed and obviously we decided no. So it was a group conversation and it wasn't the whole board meeting. It was just the public's >> and I will say we've all heard time and time again we continue to stream these meetings despite our lawyers adamant advice that we don't. So we consider it important that our community and especially Jason you mentioned our shutins before people that can't necessarily get to the board meeting that have commented that they watch the board meeting to see what's going on in our district. So I think that's important and that's all I've got for tonight. With that I will take a motion to go
050into executive session. This time we are going to discuss the proposed acquisition sale or lease of real property. Can I have a motion, Tina, and a second? No. Any discussion? All those in favor? All the vote? Motion carries. We're in executive session.