The Board of Education Meeting of March 25, 2026

001Good evening and I'd like to call the meeting uh the Wednesday March 25th 2026 board of education regular meeting to order. Uh please stand and join us in the pledge. Uh Roger Batitaria is going to lead us. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All right, we're going to start off with our superintendent's update from Mary Fox Alter. >> Great. All right. Good evening, everyone. Um, welcome to our board meeting of March 25th. Um, spring has started. Um, we can almost smell it a little bit in the air, but there was still frost on our cars this morning, but we are anxiously awaiting the good weather. Um, I just

002want to give a huge shout out and lead my prouds tonight for the Austining High School Obots team 4122, who received the highest and the most prestigious honor in robotics, the first impact award. It was simply outstanding. Our coach and teacher of the program, Do D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D Alrech, also won was named the volunteer of the year award. So, we want to give a huge shout out to all of our kids who participated. Very exciting, outstanding job to everyone. Um, and the pictures and the videos which are out there, please, if you haven't had a chance, you you just feel the passion and the joy when you see that. Um, two of our high school students, Eric

003Wang and Robert Kang, earned first place at the Regeneron Westchester Science and Engineering Fair awards celebration held at Smer's High School. Again, another outstanding achievement for our students. Our high school marching band performed at the Sleepy Hollow and the New York City St. Patrick's Day parades. Uh, and again, if you hadn't had a moment to check social media or even some of the pictures, they look great. They look great. So proud of our students. A AMD students in Miss Javit's class brought history to light by creating an incredible museum of ancient Egypt. Visitors to this museum explored detailed pyramids, tombs, uh, looked at different jars, and even explored the process of mummification. Congratulations to AMD students Eve, Diani, Evie, Samantha, Catalia, Elizabeth for being selected and performing in the highly competitive, this is such a

004big deal, all county chorus and orchestra. That is fantastic. We congratulate them. Reading month fun continues. The hosening high school students visited Claremont to share their favorite books and to celebrate the joy of reading together. Students and staff throughout our schools rock their socks for World Down Syndrome Day. And the OS is proudly getting ready prepare and to present The Prom School Edition, a heartfelt and hilarious musical about friendship and acceptance. So check out the calendar for these show dates. Uh, the science research students work with our Roosevelt Science Club. You always want to build a feeder to all of our programs. The students teamed up in groups and use the question formulation technique, QFT, to brainstorm and develop possible research questions about every fifth grader's favorite topic. Slime. It's true for those of us

005who remember fifth grade. and having had fifth grader. Um, the Austining High School prestigious ladies of power held their 20th anniversary event, Shades of Love fundraiser. It was unforgettable, celebrating 20 years of impact, sisterhood, and service. Our Brookside students had a blast at the PTA Glow Dances. A big thank you to Van Go Wagon Company. It's a nonprofit dedicating to bringing sensory play experiences to kids. They do for they donated and ran a wonderful sensory room during the event. And a big thank you to our PTA and our volunteers for running that event. >> Can I throw in something for any families who might be watching at home? Um, Van Go has also been working with NU build separately from me and have they've taken over toddler time at here coffee and beer and they've

006been trying to integrate first step students into it too. So for any first steps families, please check it out. It's free and very cool. >> Thank you. It's great. Thank you. Um, and um, last but not least, uh, Claremont School welcome author and illustrator Jarrett Learner for a special visit. students had an exciting opportunity to hear about his journey as a writer, an artist, and learn how he created his hilarious and imaginative stories, and even see his drawing process in action. So, very exciting. And I had the opportunity to visit Claremont twice this week for their book fair. So, a very busy week for our school. So, congrats to all. That's >> Mary. One other interesting fact I learned about uh the Austin um high school science research. We are the third in the county

007and the number of winners that just just learned that on the way in. >> Wow, that is phenomenal. Absolutely phenomenal. >> All Westchester County. >> Amazing. Thank you. >> All right. Love nice updates. Okay. Uh at this time, I'd like to take a motion to move up 7.1. So moved. >> Second. >> Uh any discussion? All in favor? >> I >> opposed. Abstensions. And uh now we'll take a vote on 7.1. Uh can I get a motion? >> So move. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> All in favor? >> I >> opposed. Abstensions. All right. Um, and I'm gonna invite at this time, uh, Derek De Renzo to come up and say a few words about what we've just voted on. >> Good evening everybody. So, we're here tonight to celebrate someone whose impact on

008our students for many years. I'm sorry. We're here to celebrate someone whose impact on our students is profound and will impact our students for many years to come. Our math AIS teacher, Miss Evelyn Pryant. Miss Pryment has a gift of incorporating social emotional learning and real world learning into each and every session she does with our students. Just yesterday, she was helping students use play money to budget and spend, incorporating number sense and math skills so that students could learn real world skills. She makes sure that no matter how much a child might be struggling in math, they feel like a ruse leader in her space. Students help each other, share their work, and help make sure they learn from their mistakes. She also uses her superpower of being bilingual to make sure students can

009tap into their home language assets in Spanish and then learn even more in English. Last year, she worked together with Miss Castellano to rec to to create a math talk tool that is used throughout the math classrooms in our school to promote discussion, vocabulary, and collaborative learning. Evelyn, thank you for your passion, your expertise, and your belief in our students. Congratulations on this well-deserved celebration of your tenure. Bruce grows leaders, and tonight we honor your growth and commitment to ongoing learning and leadership. All right. So, Evelyn, you can't leave just yet. Okay. So, um for the for those of us who've been at this a very long time, that would be me, I guess. I guess that's telling my age. But, uh the arrival of tenure is a is a really a capstone moment. Um

010it under it means you've undergone a tremendous amount of scrutiny. uh many people dropping into your classroom, announced and unannounced, multiple conversations and follow-up conversations, multiple conversations on lesson plans and and how a lesson is structured. And it's a process that we review with the Austining board of education and you went through that for three years, right, in order to earn this award of tenure. So congratulations, Evelyn. And this is a certificate. On behalf of the board of education of the Austining Union Free School District, we recognize you in acknowledgment of your tenure appointment in elementary for the Austining School District. Congratulations. And uh congratulations to your family because this is a journey you do together. Thank you. THANK YOU SO MUCH, EVELYN. And congratulations. >> Congratulations. >> And this is where we always say,

011"You're welcome to stay, but you're welcome to go." >> We encourage you to go. >> Yeah. Go celebrate. >> Go celebrate. >> Thank you. >> Welld deserved. >> All right. Um this brings us to our first uh audience recognition for agenda items. Um, at this time we've agreed for that not to exceed 10 minutes. I'm seeing nobody here in public who may wish to speak. Um, I'm seeing online that there is I'm sorry, Rob, I'm looking past you at the screen. >> Um, all right. Uh, then we'll continue on to our first work session or our only work session. Oh my goodness, what a night. >> And it's just beginning. Okay. Um, take it away Mary to discuss our equity item. >> Continue. continue budget discussion. So, I want to thank again the board of

012education for the Saturday workshop. Um um we tried a little slightly different format which we will build upon. Um there was a lot of as the board knows because I've written uh a lot to you and my updates that we did some significant changes and studying actuals to actuals etc. And um a lot people had a lot of questions which we really appreciate. So tonight again it we are and then that it ended with I'm sure with the board and there was a lot to process as the board president said. So tonight is meant to have those conversations. So um Miss McCoy is going to review the um budget so we can set the frame for tonight's conversation. >> Good evening everyone. Um, I'm here on my third uh show, rodeo show. Um, um, so

013we're we're at the point now that we are able to finalize our budget and make recommendations to the board. Um, we met on the 14th, that's Saturday, and uh, laid out what we recommend uh, as far as a tax levy and fund balance. So again, our expenses have increased mostly in the area of medical insurance and salaries, which is predictable um and debt service. And the debt service, the increase is coming from um it's not an increase to the budget. It's a increase. It's a re reallocation of um the money from transfer of capital to debt service. So it's not an increase in the um the budget or a levy. Most of our revenue comes from um property taxes. And the second largest revenue source is all of our state aid. Uh third largest is

014our um appropriated fund balance and also our um we're using grant funding um to uh offset um the expense in a general fund associated with grants that have expired. So we we're using a portion of those funds as well. We also um have um a reduction in our interest in earnings uh due to the market um changes. When we were seeing $3.2 million in revenue, we were at a 5% interest rate. Uh now the interest rate is down to about 3.2. Um so that's why there's a drop there. So there's also a change in our foundation aid. There's a flattening out uh due to uh a converging number of factors. There's a significant increase in our actual valuation which makes us look more wealthier. there's a decrease in the federal p federal p poverty count

015which is called sape and which is a federal indicator of poverty and a dip in overall student enrollment. So this has a impact on the formula the foundation a formula. So currently um we are in a hold harmless uh position which means that the state will keep our funding at this level but we will only get what they recommend as their um percentage increase. The governor recommended her increase be 1%. So that's what we have which it amounted to $400,000. So, we we're waiting for um the their budget to pass um the legislator's budget to pass and then we'll know what the final number is and we anticipate that date to be April 1st. Um just to give you a sense of uh how the median value of properties in the town of Austining have

016changed. So we were starting at $425,000 average median or median value um in 201819 school year and now uh for this school year the median value is $649,000. So even though the property uh the median value is um increasing you can see that the tax rate has decreased significantly from those two times. Um, so the estimated tax school tax bill based on a a median value home is about $12,863, which is a increase of $23 from the previous year from last year. So, I just wanted to point that out. um that the impact on a uh on a median a median value home was $23 in a in a whole year. So when we're looking at going below the cap or um at the tax cap, we have to consider what the ramifications are. So

017if we go below the cap, we have We're assured um that we will result in programmatic reductions and limited availability availability of certain programs in order to align with our current revenue projections. At the tax cap, we protect um our comprehensive programming and continued availability of a full spectrum of educational programs. So I developed this chart um which shows that um going to the cap obviously we see um what the increase will be and we do we don't lose any money um but if we go to 2% over 3 years we'll lose $1.4 million. Um because foundation aid is cumulative. Um so we know in 3 years that if not using the additional 464,000 which is the difference between 2% and 2.3% is going to compound from 464,000 to 475 to 486. And the total

018uh money being left on the table and resulting in potential cuts um to educational programs is $1.4 million. Why we recommend the going to the cap of 2.43%. Um it's the rising cost of doing business mandated growth. While our revenue is flat, non- non-negotiables, non-negotiable costs, educational mandates, and health insurance continue to rise. The gap without local action, we face a budget deficit of 1.4 million in three years. Preservation, not expansion. A tax cap budget 2.43% 43% protects the core class protects the core class sizes, athletics, arts, and AP courses. It's fiscally responsible. Maximizing the allowable levy now presents drastic double-digit spikes or mass layoffs in the future. The bottom line for homeowners is that the median assessed home value is 649,000. Uh the proposed tax levy increase is 2.43%. The annual tax bill increase

019estimated is $185 per year. Um the estimated monthly impact is $1542 per month. So we are securing the district's baseline funding for roughly $15 a month. I just want to put the caveat out there that this is based on a median value. Um, your bill may look different. Every bill won't look the same, especially if your assessed value has changed. Um, I told the story at the last meeting um that a homeowner came into my office complaining about her steep increase in property taxes and I I I calculated what her increase should have been, which was around $400. Um I called the uh tax assessor and she was sitting in my office while I called him. He was on speaker and he explained to her that her test value sharply increased. Um you have to

020rec remember that oening is a um a real value um is is assessed at real value. um our other um like uh Yorktown Heights and Newcastle, they use a um uh what do you call it? They don't do uh full value. They use a like a I can't think of the name of it, but I'll get it in a minute. But they don't do assess value um actual val uh med actual value, sorry. Um, so you may see a spike in your um assessed in your um bill. If it's excessive, it's due to changes in your assessed value. And in that case, you should contact the assessor's office equalization, right? So the budget tobudget um increase the estimated budget and revenue these are our recommendations that the budgettobudget increase is 4.3%. And we know that

021the spike in health insurance if not for the spike in health insurance the budget-to-budget increase would be in the neighborhood of 3.2%. Uh our 2627 budget is 186 186 million 337769. We're recommending a tax levy increase of 2.43%. And an unappropriated fund balance of 5,25971. So with that I will respond to any questions or comments. Anybody at the table want to start? >> Go ahead, >> Alita. Thanks for putting together the presentation. Will you do me a kind favor? Would you just go back just um to some of the earlier slides if you wouldn't mind terribly just so we can um talk through it. Um right about keep going up a little bit more. Right about there. Right there. Sorry. the there was at one point you you had I don't know if it's last

022year or the year before may have been last year there was some sort of a reference that we talked about in terms of the tax per thousand tax rate per thousand that we had as where that compares to to other districts because if I remember correctly there was a reference where we were saying we are our tax rate per thousand was equal to or less than whatever in some of these other districts. And I think it was you that may have pointed out which is actually an interesting statistic to have just as a reference because I think looking at it this way is actually it it looks I mean it looks like we're declining just because it is an inverse relationship with the property values and that. So that's I think that's an important fact

023just to kind of bring out there just to look at that as an index to others. Yeah. And you did that last year and I thought that was actually very wellreceived. I'll I'll work on that. >> Um could you go back a little bit further further up? Um there was a question that I had specific right about there. Sorry. Right about there. Um okay. Is there a portion of this increase in which the library is accounted for >> in what point does the library uh kick in? Do we know? >> After we complete um the bands. So right now we're issuing um a bond a b a a b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b

024b b b b b b b b b b b b b b ant anticipation note >> um in April. >> A the uh first phase of their project got approved by SED um yesterday. Um so we are working on uh taking putting it out uh for um for banks to uh bid on. So we wouldn't see anything in theory per perhaps until there the note becomes due or there's there's the the payments are being made in that and and it probably we won't see anything hit for this year but for next year is probably likely when we start to see something right. >> So the ban um is being covered by their debt service falling off. So their debt service fell off at $1.12 million. >> Yeah. >> Last year. >> Okay. So, I'm

025taking $320,000. That's the anticipated um uh debt service pay payment for the ban. Yeah. >> And um I'm setting aside the additional $800,000 remaining and using it towards our transfer to capital so that money is available when we need to make sure like we can't let it go away because then it will increase the levy. Um it will increase the levy after the bands are done and then the bonds start. >> Got it. So we're still a ways off. So when we start to see future increases, those future increases will be a as we're we're obligated based upon that bond payment, the coupon payments that are due that'll show up within that and that that's that's what we'll So I guess just nothing for this round, but as we go forward in next year, it'

026be good to kind of see that when we think about it for next year. >> It's not going to be next year. >> It'll be the year after that, right? >> It probably be three years later. >> Oh, three years. Okay. Okay. >> Cuz this is their first phase and they're only borrowing borrowing $8 million. >> So just they're doing entrances then. >> Yeah.$ 8 million of 30 million. Once they we borrow the entire 30 million >> it then it becomes a bond. We re we issue it as a bond. >> Got it. One other question. It's probably a little bit more touchier. So just humor me here for a minute. >> You talked about the gap between the 2.4 to 2.0 in there. Can you for the sake of clarity um and it may

027not be answered here so you may have to come back on this one. Can you for clarity provide what in order if something changed what programs in order of priority would end up being impacted if something changed on there? Um or not order of pri order order of cuts I'm sorry order of cuts in that or is it an acrosstheboard cut? And you you don't need to answer at this time but that's my last question. >> Yeah. So, that's not my decision educationally. >> I was put in this place when I first got here um and was asked to do a three-year um projection and I did that and I showed that the gap was widening between revenue and expenses. Yeah. >> So, what I did back then, I looked at non um non-educational codes.

028So, I looked at health insurance, I looked at transportation, um I looked at overtime, and we reduced all of that in those areas. Um we did still in that year, um the 1213 budget have to cut staff as well. >> Yeah, I I do I do remember that. Yeah. >> Yeah. So, I can't answer that question. That's for the superintendent to answer. >> Got it. And just one last thing on this one because I I you know and I think that's something we'll probably go into detail in an offline conversation or in sorry not offline but in you know we I can email you with that we can respond. >> But um I I think the other piece is more of a broader question is what can we do to about this? I know you've

029looked at options for the health insurance. there's something going on that's there that you know I know that the cost of health insurance has been increasing for a lot of people but is there something that we can do via Albany and is there advocacy is there something that we can do and you know I know Frank you have a lot of you know back history on some of these things that can be done but I'd be curious just to hear a little bit more about >> so there's a bo a board resolution on the agenda tonight um asking you to uh send a resolution up to our uh representatives in Albany um to uh allow for school districts, all school districts um to establish a health insurance reserve fund. Currently, you have to petition the

030state um as an individual district. And that's usually done when like for us when we were self-insured, it's usually done when you're self-insured. We had money set aside in a fund. I I didn't establish it, so I I don't know how it came to pass. Um but that happens when you go into um a um self-insured program because you need fund balance. >> Um but this and there's several school districts that have done that in the area. Um Marinac, I believe, but I shared that information with you at on my weekend update. >> Yeah. >> Um but yeah, that's the only thing that we can do with regard to the health insurance. We cannot change from NICHIP. uh we were denied uh by the consortium PNW aboseis because our experience which means the the um

031gravity or cost of certain uh uh illnesses is very high for our school district. So being in NISHIP, they don't they have to accept us. They can't deny us, right? >> So and I can't change that program. That's >> Yeah. And that that's and I don't think that that's the expectation. And I think you did a lot of costbenefit analysis of looking at different things. So I I appreciate that. I think that the thing that that kind of like kills me every single year is even though we get some funding, it gets eaten away as soon as that nice ship bill hits. It's like all even that first year when we got foundation 8 like $5 million increase like and these are increases that just keep coming in huge chunks and I think it's a

032conversation that I think um I'm interested in being part of you know but I'll leave it there. >> Thank you. >> I I it clearly indicates that in New York State we have a health insurance problem. We're not the only public school facing this. Everyone is talking about I think uh Bedford I mentioned it because it's a matter of public record. It was u mentioned in a local um newspaper that uh they spent $10,000 to get a consultant and they recommended NICHIP and it will save them5 or six million dollars. So it just goes to show you where we are as a state and I really would I did appreciate the comment about our elected officials need to pay attention to this. It's this it up and down being a expected to absorb these increases

033is it needs a comprehensive look and it needs someone to address. Right. I >> I haven't seen the down yet. >> Yeah. >> So it's been it's been just up and up and up >> up up. Right. Yeah. >> Kind of living with if it could just be my year. >> Last year last year was flat. >> It was flat. >> But it's it's still they made up for it by the years that they've taken it. So >> Exactly. And that's the whole point even about having a reserve for it that you could then flatten out the increases so you don't it doesn't have the impact that >> you know what what was the number I think with the foundation aid was over $11 million and 8 million ended up going to >> nice ship

034yeah so health insurance >> all of the increases that are there you wonder why it's nice ship's not not helping right >> helping anybody >> I mean I think I want just just to give a global topic about the 400,000. I mean, that's a conversation to have with the board. Uh, is it a philosophy that you would expect everybody to go back and cut, you know, 15 20%, do you then do your extra and your co-curricular programs first and you don't hit the core of your day? Um, I do know the board knows because they've seen it. Um, we analyzed 887 codes in the budget. We did a study of actuals to actuals to make this budget as tight as possible. So that's why the fund balance recommendation has dropped because when you tighten up

035based on real expenditure and we needed we needed two years of data some cases three to feel comfortable to make a recommendation to you because that's pretty serious to kind of study and we had to change codes we had to move things around. We had to track things. It took months to do all of this, to come up with these recommendations, um, and to trace the actual expenditures and to align them in areas where we can get more aid or better aid. But the other little caveat I want to put out there, and again, it's an opportunity for me to thank the board for the reserves for the mental health grant and the New York Gear Up grant. We have two more years >> and MBK >> and the MBK grant. I I need to

036find a way to absorb those a over three years. So if I cut 400,000 now, where where am I going with those when I have to find a place to absorb those? So I think a way um for us was from the beginning to do a better and the board saw it last um you know last year when we were doing the Saturday workshop you know well this code it got moved here but it it's not just budget to budget but a real detailed study of actuals uh to present to the community. So this is tight. This is very very tight. But go back to your original question, the 400,000. It's actually more than that because kind of kills the flexibility to absorb the mental health grant. But that would be a conversation. >> So

037last year's last year's appropriated fund balance was 6.7 million and now we're down to 5.259. So, we shaved uh almost $2 million off the number. >> But some of that related to the uh the AC, right? That we >> I'm sorry. >> Some of that was related to the air conditioning, right? >> And that >> No, >> the air conditioning was paid. >> Oh, that's right. We paid that. >> That was last year. And that was um You're right. Yeah. >> Covered by debt falling off. That's how we use that money. >> Yeah, you're right. >> We had it. We um because the state budget was uh late, you know, how do you get fund balance? You know, it's a good it's a great question to mention again at a discussion of a board meeting

038in case someone in there I know the board has heard this multiple times but it bears repeating that you get you know recurring revenue or you get unexpected revenue or you you were very conservative in your estimates. conservative with sales tax from the county, conservative with estimates based on interest, and then all of a sudden you could get state aid back, state the re the rule of thumb is when funds are available, you could get more money. Uh when funds are made available and la and last year the state budget was late, it was late. It came after we had to adopt the budget and we ended up with more state aid and foundation aid which we need now this year. So, and we were able to take some of that money and put it

039into those reserves to protect these grants. So, I congratulate the board. It was a beautiful strategic move. I think we're the only ones in this position. Um, I will share with the board a recent letter we got from the United States Department of Education because they lost the first round of the appeal of that. But the letter we received said something to the effect of you can spend it, but should we prevail, you're going to owe us this money back. >> So, for this year, >> for this year. So, for us, we're okay because we have the reserves. But the other school districts that receive this money, um, they're they're a little bit stuck with some tough decisions to make, >> right, >> Rob? >> Yeah. Thanks. Um so just a reminder Alita on the

040debt service again. Can you just remind the board the reason for the spike in it um this year and you know what that what that is from? And then I just have a quick followup on that one. >> So 5.6 million is for our um ban is for our ban. So again that money was coming from transfer to capital and now we move it into reserve. We are going to borrow our first phase of funds um in this this summer this summer. So that's the debt service for that. Um and >> that that's for the $210 million capital um bond or the first for the bond >> for some of the for >> the first borrowing. >> Right. Um then um again we took we have two EPCs and we have current debt service. Um

041that's what comprised that amount but the the spike was from us the school district. The $5.96 million that was estimated by our fiscal adviserss had to be transferred to the debt service. And that's why um that's aligned with what we told the community and when the bans expire then the full debt service is going to come on and it's going to be much higher than 5.9 million but it be it will be offset uh with um building aid >> right and that's why if I don't know if we're able to go back to the one just to show the debt surface so right so the followup then on that was okay we so we spiked this year >> to uh what 9.9 million in debt service overall. I don't know if that's a slide or

042the other one but but um so the question then becomes yeah that that's it. So 9.95 for next year from we went up from 4.01 01. So the net is 5.9 increase in following years. You just said that the debt service will it continue to rise rise significantly will it plateau? What sort of we look out three to five years from now? Yeah, we have a debt service schedule and once the debt comes on uh we have um balanced it with the expectation of foundation aid. So it it it offsets it and there's no increase to the budget as we promised taxpayers. >> Right. And then the foundation aid though, when do you get the actuals on that or are you sort of >> We have them. >> You have the actuals that >> the

043governor Yeah. The governor recommended an increase of 1%. No, I mean going for you said it will be balanced that increase in debt service which you said will continue to increase the >> building but building a right. So when do we get the numbers on the building aid to say okay the building is is x amount that's going to balance down the debt service like do you get actuals on that I know you can predict it but you get actual >> we have to file for building aid we have to file for building aid >> so we cannot we have projections like what we we have done is work with our fiscal advisor in um um nid um uh facilities planning Um and she's have has given us her estimates of what will be covered

044and right now we're aligned with what we uh told the community >> and the confidence I mean you don't you can't predict but based on what we did with all this is this question is for the anyone watching so if they know the debt service we're saying that it's going to increase tied to the capital bond we think the building aid will offset that but um you know you won't have those actuals until a later date and then you'll have more of an accurate number precise number of debt service this going to be covered by building a right that and that when does that start that start next year or the year after years three years >> actually longer than that the project ends 2028 the entire project and then that's when we do our

045our um >> no let me not say that we are working on phase one of the bond so once we complete phase one then we file for building aid. So when is Mary do you know when phase one is completed? Do you remember? >> 2028. >> I I'm it's it's a ways away. So I I I guesstimate. I think it was uh no I I I don't recall the date that um the phase one is being is projected to close out. So after it closes out, the project is complete, then we file for building aid, >> right? and then we'll know definitively when um the project closes how much money we're adding to our our um to offset debt service, >> but it's in phases. We have multi we have phase 01 0B and they

046all have but but I'll make sure I I think the question is an excellent question and it should be part of our Q&A on the website particularly for the community because the board has seen a lot of this you've seen I mean fiscal adviserss who Alita meets regularly I meet with them too um they're they're sound they their track record professionally has been solid and they are saying we're on target um you know um um we But the state ed basically right now when we submit the paperwork they look at every room every space saying yep yep yep so we would never move forward until we get clearance from state ed from fiscal from architectural and engineering we need those three before we move forward then we bid it out. So th those are the

047controls if you will that are in place for the process right now. That sounds like a good idea because then the the library bond will come onto the debt service line right at some point too. So where's that intersection? I'm looking beyond this. I'm saying like there's a number in three five years from now like the community sees like what is that composed? >> I'm not I I I'm not controlling their phasing. >> They're at phase one which is $8 million. I don't know when that's going to be completed, >> right? >> And I can't apply for building aid for that project >> because it's not um our it's our building, but it's not used for >> uh instructional uh >> work meet their criteria. So, um, their phasing is what's going to predict when

048you'll see the spikes, but again, um, typically right after a phase, we can apply for building a. So, I mean, no, sorry, right after the phase is complete, then you'll see it jump into debt service. >> Yeah. >> Um, okay. >> I was able to pull up the last time we were presented this was December the December 17th meeting. So, if you look at the presentation on that day, that's the one that has that kind of like plot chart with all of the different phases for anybody Rob or anybody at home who's curious about when that construction project might take place. >> The materials had a whole schedule of this and you know, there's conservative planning that goes into this at the end of the day and right, >> you know, but >> things always

049adjust slightly. The state has always had a very good track record on funding capital projects and school districts and we would expect that to continue >> and I certainly think only because of the numbers for this budget you know like when we put out the budget for sure that's a good thing to highlight and just remind the community and link them to the documents that we have already in place. >> Um I'll move around the table to Frank. Do you have any? >> I don't think at the moment, but I'm still formulating. >> Okay, we can come back if you'd like. Annie, do you have anything? >> Yeah. Um, so when you say that the town of Austin consistently outperforms the county for the median household income, does the state only take into that take

050that into account or do they average in with the village? And >> no. So, um, it's not comparing uh us to any other school district is basically evaluating properties based on actual value every year. So they use the state for foundation a purposes only uses the town of Austining values. They don't incorporate the um the village. >> I'm um talking about the household income. So the household income is um something that the state uses as an indicator of wealth. So that's where they see us outperforming the income uh against other area school districts. >> Yeah. So my question is is that are they taking into account just the town the town and the village or every area? >> I believe it's just the town. >> Town. >> Weird. It's town. It's a town. >> We

051should probably just I mean for the sake of clarity just confirm it. >> I I know that for fact that the uninorporated part of like now we're getting into all the minutia of the municipalities. There's the unincorporated portion of the town of Austin. There's the village. Then there's the part of Brier Cliff that's in there. >> You know, >> no, it's just the town of Austin. >> Okay. >> But the town as a total or a town? >> Just a town of they don't they don't separate in unincorporated and incorporated. >> Right. So the town of Austin includes the village and includes the parts of Brier Cliff that are in the town of Austin. So those three municipalities are in that number. And so the median income of the parts of Brier Cliff, the parts

052of the town, the unincorporated and the parts of the village >> outpace the county's median income which includes Yoners and White Plains and all these places that you say town in Austin like it means something different specific, >> right? Yeah, they definitely just say the town for both indicators. >> I assumed this was census data and in the census it's like the town is 125, the village is 103 and then I don't know how to carve out the small pieces of other places that are part of it. So I just wanted to know if it if they were only taking the town into account or if they take in, you know, the district. That was just my question. >> It's interesting that we have to fill out in our income taxes what school district you're

053in. So have obviously someone is trying to parse that somewhere someplace too. >> Okay, that was just I was just curious how they were calculating that. >> Um and then obviously health insurance is one of the biggest drivers right now. Salaries are too, but you know we have to pay people. Um if the insurance didn't go up by 2 million, what would your recommended tax levy be? the max the maximum allowable tax levy, which is a tax cap calculation. >> I was hoping for a percentage, but it's okay if you don't know that off the top of your head. >> I guess I was trying to help the me and anyone watching kind of understand like the 2.43% is because of this health insurance. >> No, no, the the tax cap does not calculate um

054the health insurance. >> No, I I know. I don't think I'm answer I'm asking my questions properly. I assume you wouldn't need as high of a tax cap if the medical insurance did not go up as much as it did. >> Again, I would still recommend the 2.43 as a tax levy because if the health insurance was zero, it would still be 2.43%. >> Okay. And then if we did do 2%, what would the program and staff effects be for 2627? Do you know like is there >> $400,000? >> Okay. >> So I think though it's an important clarification for community members. I I I I forgive me but I sense where where you're going with that. the you know like in the past sometimes right Alita you would go through all the steps of

055the levy formula which is really pretty much not that much to do with the direct impacts of our budget so the problem is is that the we could still end up with that but I would need less of fund balance to cover the gap >> got it >> right that that's where we would see that or that would be an approach let me just put it that way >> okay so the medical insurance doesn't necessarily mean that the tax cap would be lower. >> Correct. Correct. >> I think it's just the use of your funds and how you >> The gap would be smaller. >> Correct. Correct. Correct. Correct. >> The gap would be smaller. That is exactly the point. >> Anything else, Annie? >> Nope. >> Melissa, you have anything? >> Uh, just a

056couple just like a quick clarification. I think I appreciate the presentation and your attention to detail later. So I don't have many other questions. Um I wanted to clarify if I understand I know that the insurance is one of the biggest expenditures that we're dealing with or always deal with. Our projections for what we're going to be paying for insurance. Is that just for existing staff or are we projecting any additional staff that might come on in that budget year? What is How do we prepare for what we're actually going to have to pay for health insurance? Yes. This is the first time the last last year I said it was flat. >> Um the $2 million I can't predict that. The only thing that I do is project in my um in my expense

057for the uh school year um the following school year. I look at um the trends in the different uh tiers >> um and I project out. So, I already know um what 2026 of the school year looks like um going forward, but I don't know the information for 2027 because they're on a calendar year um budget, right? >> Um so, I make projections based on what I saw with the increases in in those different tiers and I put a percentage on the um premium. I look at the number of people actually enrolled uh at a snapshot in time um and that's how I project but I have no way no real way of knowing that we're going to be flat going forward or we're going to see continue to see large um spikes. >> Right.

058Thank you. Um just the last one for me about I know you said the taxerts also are a really big expenditure and I remember from past years you always kind of forewarning a bit about you know that could we were used to almost never having to be worried about that but it seems like that's changed drastically. Can you remind me again like where we are with that or what we could expect as far projection wise, you know, around >> how big of an impact that is to us? >> Currently, we have $5.6 6 million >> okay >> in the tax hurt reserve >> we will be establishing a taxert reserve because it's done by year for this school year and we anticipate that that um reserve will be o a little over $2 million leaving

059us with $3 million. $3 million will not cover us if we continue to see um $2 million annual um uh change um that we we would have to fund. >> Okay. >> So this year is 3 million. I I don't know but the it changed it just started to change this year. So if they continue to change, we are not going to have enough funds to cover us in 2728 and how would that potentially impact the like what would we have to that just comes out of the budget, right? That we have to figure out a way to pay that basically, right? >> There are school districts that borrow >> that borrow to pay for that. We were fortunate enough not to have to do that, but me and Mary have some ideas um that

060we will >> we do. >> Okay. >> Talk about later. >> Thank you. >> That's it for me. >> Okay. Frank, did you end up having anything? >> Um I do, but I don't think I have it at the moment. Um let me pull it together. I guess just one thing related to night shift, right? and we're talking about advocacy and things along those lines like so nice ship has its years, its up years and down years. There's been years it's been an advantageous force. There's been years it's not been. Um I will say there's a political nature of lobbying that goes on for the increase in rates that happens a lot from the healthcare industry. I think the education lobby needs to get very active at that because last two years ago it was

061a it was a huge hit and some of the unions in New York City went to the governor and they brought it down to two percentage points which is huge but your budget to budget. So I guess my one question for tonight is is and it's not for now but can you confirm like out of our tax cap how what's the total increase of funds and how much of that as a percentage is the increase in health care at the end of the day eating up out of that like is your whole tax cap getting eaten up by the healthcare is a portion of it getting you know so that's really the question it's not for now and I don't want to play around with the back envelope stuff but just curious something to watch

062and I think we've had this nice run of foundation aid that's sort of coming to an end from an increase in revenue and things that we've been able to weather to this point are going to be tougher in the years going ahead and the work we're able the fact that we're talking about maintaining when other districts that I know of are talking about cutting programs significantly >> or going over the limit right is where they can um >> is like is part of the story that we have to keep our eye on and kind of reminding where we were, how we got here, where we're going, because anything in the year to year is tough, but we don't take care of this and smooth it out. Like you see the years where we went tax

063tax rates, the average bill went up $20, then some years it went down $20, then it goes up $600. Like you're trying to smooth this out for the community as well. There's been a lot of work done to do that. So, it's a complex thing. I'll have more questions. I guess my more winded way of saying have more questions, but the one first thing is is how much is of the tax cap is taken by >> So, it's not the tax cap. The tax cap is not um being eaten up. Um we would reduce the gap. So, instead of using $5.6 million um for fund balance for this year's for next year's budget, we would only use three million. >> Okay. 3.1 million fund balance to do it. Okay. I'm just thinking of a number

064percentage like just if it's doing million dollar increase and you could raise a certain amount of funds what that percentage is. But I I hear what you're saying. >> It wouldn't change operationally what you do. >> I mine's more publicly of a buzzword of okay well the tax cap is taking 80% of the of the >> No, I can I can I can >> you see where you're going? No, I see. >> I know that's not how you do things, but from an outsider looking in >> I knew what you were trying I can I can get you that information. >> That would be great. Thank you. C can I just is it fair to say Mary that because of that increase in nice ship that that's the reason why a lot of those wishlist

065items could not possibly move forward. >> Um well >> another million dollars. >> I know I know >> no I mean I just want to know like what else like would that >> I mean I and again you could increase the budget by those expenditures keep the five million would be a conversation on fund balance. Yeah. I mean, like obviously that's an increase. It's increasing. The levy cap would be the levy cap. It would stay the same. We we could still drop down on fund balance and yet have a million that we could spend more on staff. I mean, instead of dropping down from five to three, you could drop I I guess at the end of the day, many options are possible. But our the reality is we have this $2.1 million in health

066insurance. And um >> the use of fund balance um to balance a budget and increase uh staffing is a solution is a shortterm solution for a long-term problem, >> right? >> It's the problem doesn't go away because the use of fund balance is a one-time use. >> Um and it may not be available going forward. So if you continue to plug um fund balance with uh recurring expenditures, you're basically budgeting going forward in a deficit every year. >> So it's very important to align the budget with our revenues, our expenses with our revenues. And that is a healthy school district. We don't they don't have to defend depend on um fund balance. Right. >> Even a use of reserves for ongoing expenses is the same thing. It's a a short-term answer to a long-term problem.

067>> Yeah. So, it it comes down to that philosophy that we mentioned, you know, like the comfort level of it. I would rather we stepped off our reliance on it, but look how much money we have to cover by it. We're projecting savings ahead of time, you know. Um I mean I think Molita shared with you the comment from the controllers's office as to how to look at a lot of dis we're not recommending that we eliminate it because that would be a huge amount of money we'd have to cut from the budget but we're estimating that we can forecast some savings here. We think we have some cushions in some places but it's a conservative recommendation this year. I'd feel a lot better if it were less than that, but we will keep an

068eye on everything, particularly with the analysis we did of actual spending. >> And the other thing is um if we have extra fund balance, the smartest thing for us to do um and we'll know that towards the end of the year is to appropriate it to the tax service. >> Absolutely. >> Because we don't have enough to cover it, >> right? That's that's where your exposure is. So, yeah. >> And those are one-time payouts, right? onetime pay. It makes very it makes sense to put it there. >> Katherine, did you have anything? >> Yeah. Um I actually had a question about the taxert. So I just want to make sure my understanding is correct. Let's say for example, we have a very large property and they are doing a taxert and we owe them $3

069million after negotiating a settlement on the taxert. Um is my understanding correct that we owe them one time $3 million. We don't then lose that $3 million permanently. It's sort of redistributed in the tax. >> Correct. Correct. And it's not houses. It's um it's um condos. It's um >> uh town like apartments. It's I shared um where the $2 million is coming for from for this school year and I'll share it again. But it's not houses, >> right? houses. Houses basically they go through a SCAR process >> which is a small claims court uh process and they are able to uh get their taxes reduced based on the outcome get their uh assessed value reduced based on um the outcome of that court proceeding. >> So these are large corporations um and like big establishments.

070All right. So, we we would expect something if there was a large parcel that was a privatelyowned um for-profit parcel owned by a for-profit business and it changed to a taxexempt business. That's when we would see something like this. Do I kind of understand that correctly? >> No. Tax exempt businesses don't pay taxes. They don't take pay property taxes. So, >> right. So I'm saying if they if a if a private company that was paying property taxes sold that plot >> so >> to a company that was taxexempt then we'd be in a similar kind of a situation. >> Yeah. It comes >> impacts the taxpayers. It impacts the taxpayers. >> Okay. All that money gets shipped to everybody else. It's a tax shift. >> Yeah. We don't determine um the uh proportions for the

071tax levy across the three districts, the three uh Yorktown, Austining, and um >> Newcastle, they do that. So when they know that something they they develop the entire assessed value for the entire school districting does theirs uh uh Newcastle does theirs and um Yorktown does theirs. So um in Austining that's where you see the biggest problems and not problems but people appealing. So um it would just be redistributed amongst taxpayers. Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. And I certainly think Alita, correct me if I'm wrong, the my understanding of this is that it obviously because the board sees that it's on a resolution, but you set up a taxert for every single year. Yes. >> And you estimate based upon your exposure of what you understand. >> We we we actually uh base it on um

072the actual approved claims, >> right? So I'm coming like I guess my I was in a place where it was the equalization rate. So you had to you had to sort of guesstimate about but on your exposure but but on another layer though if you didn't have enough money that year to cover yours the money that's left over one year >> goes on a board agenda and you create another fund the next year. >> Correct. >> Yeah. >> Let me go back to your question. Um the um the the the $2 million that we anticipate has been settled, but it's based on more than one year. >> Yeah. >> It's based on um some of them go back to 2023. Um and you could see that in the the um information I gave you um

073in my weekend update. We do project, we have been projecting um when the assessed value was um turned into actual value, we were lowering our projection. So we went to like 60% down to 30% for um after the assessed value um took place. So now we have to project even higher because it doesn't match what we should be budgeting for based on the significant increases. So we have to look at that going forward as well. So, it's fascinating how people's private homes have increased in value, but the significant number of commercial, which is considered co-ops and condos, they file taxerts to have it lowered. >> They all end up in a tax shift. At the end of the day, it just shifts the taxes to others. >> Alita, I accidentally sent you a request to

074view a taxert document from 2024. You can just go ahead and ignore that. That is outdated. That is outdated. >> Annie, it looks like you had something else. >> Yeah, I just want to clarify once more from my own understanding. The medical insurance being lower would still have the tax cap at 2.43%. So, it wouldn't make a difference in how much it was affecting people's health. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> Correct. because there are different ingredients that go into the formula, right? >> I like to be able to answer questions to the public. >> I know. I know. I know. And it's like that's because the tax cap is as clear as mud. >> And if we were in Massachusetts, we wouldn't be worrying about the pensions and healthcare. And we wouldn't even be going

075out for a vote because they get 2% without pensions and healthcare because the state takes care of that. So when we're talking about the NIH advocacy, >> the long-term sustainability of a tax cap is going to be based on changes. Structurally, it can't go on forever as Alita is saying, >> right? >> How we how we work to advocate for that. You know, communities now are facing cuts. You have a few years of this. >> There's going to be some changes. >> I think we need to take this up to all. I I think this is an important step. >> Yeah. I was going to ask if the legislative advocacy committee would think this is something worth meeting on. I know that we're sending the letter, but you know there's other stuff that >> so

076the list of people that the resolution is going to is on the resolution. >> So you can meet with those people. >> Okay. And I think Alita maybe based on Annie's question because it seemed like what do you mean I 2.4 is gone? Wouldn't that maybe we should do a walk through? I know you would love to walk through the >> I was actually looking up my top five top >> top five fast five packs >> that I was looking at that today tonight but >> I don't think it's I can I can do it. I was going to do it but >> right but I think it just for everyone to see in the community what actually goes into the calculation of it. Right. Yeah. And then you end up looking at your gap.

077You look at foundation aid and then you have to decide how we're plugging the gap. Do you cut program? Do you use fund balance? Do you pull out reserves? You know, it becomes that decision, right? >> Yeah. I think that there's like a un misunderstanding about what a 2% tax cap means. And people think that it means that our budget, we can't ask for more than a 2% budget increase when really that number, that 2% maximum is just one number plugged into a much larger equation, right, >> that spits out this number. >> Correct. Um >> 2% has always been a misnomer with the tax gap. >> Yeah. >> And I explained that when it was first started, I forget what year. I think 2013 14. >> Yeah. It was right after the market crash

078and all that. >> 20134. And the only way I can explain it to people, I showed them the complicated formula and I I just glazed over it and then I came up with five facts that they should know and I think it needs to be tweaked again. Um, but that's it. Yeah, it's not 2%. >> Um, I'll just I don't have any questions myself. I've thought about this a lot and I when I look at um just our neighbors across the state, a lot of districts are in much worse situations than we are in right now. I'll be very curious um when Westp puts out those lists of what other school districts are asking for, really collects it and is we're able to compare at least to our local neighbors, but I know statewide there

079are districts in big holes right now because they didn't take some of the steps we took like you mentioned with the grants. Um >> I know um the I can give you information on who in Westchester uh what district in Westchester is considering an override. >> Yeah. >> This next year and eventually will share that as um business officials. >> Okay. >> Pay attention to board meeting because there's districts that are talking about cutting music programs, cutting all kinds of core things at the end of the day. like it's not in the large volume right now, but it's going to be loud enough this year because a lot of districts aren't in the position we're in. >> So, um I will share um our data on that uh portal um when the board solidifies the

080tax levy increase. I don't that you have to only put public information on there. And for me to put that we're going to a 2.43 43 cap um is not >> that wouldn't be accurate. >> Yeah. Um but I anticipate that going to the cap is not going to be we're not going to be outliers if we go in that direction because other districts may be in situations where they have to do that and make cuts at the same time or other you know hard decisions. Right. >> Um Mary, what do you need from us out of this discussion right now? Other questions, other information, >> if there's anything directives from the boards to make a informed decision actually, you know, at the next meeting, whatever you need. >> So, are there any asks from

081the board? >> I sent in my questions via email. >> Okay. >> I have a question. Um, if the state comes back in the budget and basically the numbers higher than the governor's proposal, it sounds like there's a lot of options on the table, but I guess are you would you be leaning more towards backing down the use of the fund balance? Yes. >> I mean, we're not talking about adding things in like or like reducing like because we're really trying to >> you want to trend in the way of pulling back off of the use of reserves, right? So, okay. I just for as much as my heart will pull the other way, I we absolutely know fiscally stepping down on the use of fund balance and especially with the tightening and the flattening

082of foundation aid, it's in this district's long-term best interest to do so. >> So doing that helps avoid the real hammer that comes down the road if if you have a higher dependency. So backing sometimes moving it up a bit is important, sometimes moving back and like I think we're on the right trend here and I just wanted to see what your thoughts were but clearly when the known numbers come in hopefully they will can get it in by April 1st. You never know. >> You never know, right? >> But because that would be helpful to know what's the next step here >> and and it's always the difference of like ongoing expenses like if you get additional money and you can spend it on one time expenses that's that's another conversation but >> Okay.

083>> Yeah. Thank you. >> And Mary, one one question about the um the federal funds that are that we want to try to lobby for in this one. Um what more can we do around poking that one? >> Um well, thank you and Annie again for doing that and going down to DC to do that. You know, it's my understanding that the SF funds have been approved by Congress. Um uh we're just hopeful that uh the uh the executive branch of the federal government gives the authority to the states to get the money because we get the money from New York State. So even though both houses so I guess the pressure question the one that I will be asking because I got invited to a meeting with with superintendent with Mike Lawler will be

084uh what what is he doing to ensure that the money they voted for is is distributed to New York that New York actually gets it. >> Is there anything that we can do on our end? >> Yeah, that same question. Yes. >> So just poke them a little bit. Okay. Right. And I just want to send out a caveat that the SAP um poverty factor um is a fiscal is a federal factor and so they look at the school district as more wealthier. So they it'll impact um program uh grants like uh IDA 611 619 >> um the title grants potentially. Yeah. Um so that will become an issue as well that will factor into right the um future funding. >> So that's all the more reason whatever we've been doing with those grants to

085absorb them into the general fund not relying on fund. It's a very conservative approach but it's a belt tightening approach that I put puts us in a better place fiscally. Okay, a thorough discussion. We have to go around the table a couple times. Important work to be done, right? >> Um, last call on budget questions before we move on with the meeting. >> Speak now or email your questions later. >> So, we have we'll make sure we'll go through the tax cap levy formula. I think the the question that Annie asked and then the question Rob asked and and it was brought up on Saturday about that significant up in debt service being able to explain it so everyone understands. I think that's very important. All right, we'll move along. Now we've got um our

086consent agenda for uh business of the board. Does anybody have anything from 4.1 through 4.5 that they wish to break out? Right. Seeing none, I'll take a motion for 4.1 through 4.5. So >> moved. >> Second. >> 4.1 resolution calling for the annual budget hearing and annual district budget vote and board of education election. 4.2 resolution regarding an installment purchase agreement IPA with Southern Westchester Boseies. 4.3 Resolution to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of January 28th, 2026. 4.4 Resolution to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of February 4th, 2026. 4.5 resolution to approve the minutes of the special meeting/executive session of February 11th, 2026. Any discussion? All in favor? >> I >> opposed. Abstensions. All right. Now, we're on um item five, consent agenda, business office matters. Does anybody have anything from

0875.1 through 5.4 that they wish to read out? >> All right. Seeing none, I'll take a motion for 5.1 through 5.4. >> So moved. >> Second. 5.1 Resolution regarding advocacy for a health insurance reserve. 5.2 resolution regarding disposal of furniture Roosevelt. 5.3 Resolution regarding cooperative bidding with a Putinham Northern Westchester Boseies. 5.4 Resolution regarding intraf funge transfers. Any discussion? >> Just one question. Sorry. On on the disposal of of items from Roosevelt or are um any of those particular like those are more um there's nothing that's like donatable, right? It's more stuff that's kind of like has to be like >> removed, right? >> Yes. >> Does it get destroyed or it's just kind of like it we just have to >> Yeah, we get rid of it. >> Okay. >> They put it in

088a dumpster. >> It's just in a dumpster. >> Okay. >> Any further discussion? >> All in favor? >> I >> opposed. Abstensions. All right. We're on um item six, consent agenda, curriculum and instruction. I'll take a motion for 6.1. So >> second >> 6.1 resolution to accept recommended placements for special education students. Any discussion? >> All in favor? >> I >> opposed abstensions. All right. Does anybody have anything? Oh, we're on consent agenda personnel matters. Does anybody have anything from 7.2 through 7.14 that they wish to break out? Seeing none, I'll take a motion for 7.2 2 through 7.14. >> So moved. >> Second. >> 7.2 Resolution regarding rescending bus attendant appointments. 7.3 Resolution regarding rescending bus attendant appointments. Uh uh resolution regarding rescending bus the same thing there. I don't know deals with that.

089Resolution regarding support staff resignations. Resol uh 7.5 resolution regarding bus attendant resignations. 7.6 resolution regarding professional staff appointments. 7.7 Resolution regarding support staff appointments. 7.8 Resolution regarding professional staff appointments before after school programs. 7.9 Resolution regarding support staff appointments before after school programs. Uh 7.10 Resolution regarding professional staff appointments summer school programs. 7.11 Resolution regarding support staff appointments summer school programs. 7.12 Resolution regarding APR annual professional performance review accountability. 7.13 resolution regarding pdium substitute appointments and 7.14 resolution regarding approval of school volunteers. Any discussion? All in favor? >> I >> opposed abstensions. All right, we're on to board policies and we have some first readings here. Um let me pull up my notes because I was at the policy committee meeting. Um, we'll talk first about 8.1 resolution to adopt new policy number 8121.2 automated

090external defibrillators as a first reading. Hold on a second. If somebody um from the policy committee wants to update us, you're welcome to. Otherwise, >> we should just get a quick overview of what it is. >> It's just for the community. Um yeah, I put my notes in the wrong spot here. Um the version that we have here is about automated external uh refriators which is compliant with a new law that requires us to um have them installed in schools and also available at um sport sporting events um on and off site. Uh this is this version is tweaked by uh NISSBA. We had our cons a consultant named Jessica if I remember I had to ask like uh a NISBA attorney take a look at it. It's comp the name of the law that

091this is compliant with is DEA's law. Um and it is required and it requires us to have access to ads in the building and um for someone required to be trained on site for after school um clubs and sports on and off site. Um, and it also requires all staff to participate in cardiac emergency training. The difference between the NISBA policy and this version is um like little just minimal tweaks. That's what I have in my notes. Anybody from anybody else can chime in with more there. >> You did great. >> Okay. >> All right. I have a question about when we're ready for >> Oh, so does the does the um either our policy or does the the state law say like they have to be outside at all? Like if there's a team

092school team practicing outside where actually does the AED have to reside can it be inside? Can it be outside or is it not specified? >> I don't recall that it's specified coach. So sports is already covered. Um the the coach has been trained um and has to uh uh go again every two years. It's a mandate of their fee their um salary certification certification. >> Um they um when they sports activities outside they carry or have access to a um a portable AED defibrillator. >> Yep. And in that bag too, you got Epipens and a variety of other things. >> And when they go away or go to another uh school district, um then we would have uh carry our own and they would probably have the same thing available in the school because they're

093required to do that as well. This is inclusive of sometimes sports games don't take place at any school, right? And they might be at an event that wouldn't already have an AD. Um, you know, they're at a third venue. Um, and this would require us at those times to also bring one with us. >> Okay. So, they're like they're not like you see some municipalities >> going up into the building to get it. Is that what you mean? >> Well, yeah. Well, like some municipalities in the park have one permanently mounted. you know, outside a bathroom, a snack bar, something. So, you're saying that's not what we would do, but if there's a practice outside for a certain sport, that coach would have a portable one or is it one AED for like say baseball's

094outside, lacrosse is outside, football's outside. Who actually has the AED? Is there one designated coach or adult? Like how does that work? >> So, um we do have permanently mounted AED. Yes. >> Uh defibrillators in our school buildings >> in inside the buildings. >> Yeah. Inside the buildings and actually also in district office. >> Um we're required to do that. >> We were required to do that before. That was a a requirement. Now the issue is um things like field trips um we have to have a plan in place after school programs we have to have a plan in place um to have somebody on site that's trained on how to use the AED >> um and the fibrill slash defibrillator. >> If I recall correctly the policy states that it has to be no

095more than 3 minutes away to access it. So whatever we have to do to make that possible. Yeah. >> And that was one of the that was not specified in law but something that was added. >> Um >> okay. So 3 minutes away. It could be inside. It could be outside but the clock is three minutes. >> Okay. But we are not putting any permanently mount outside is what we're saying. We we are >> I mean the policy doesn't specify that they must be outside. I >> No, I'm saying if we have made it what's I guess what is our decision for things that are happening outside? We we've timed it that like they're all the way down there and god forbid something happens on the track. We timed that someone will be able to

096run back into the building in 3 minutes and get it and and get it back out like that. >> They have to align with um their certification. So they're trained on that and it gets renewed every year. So they have to have a plan in place that would give them access within three minutes. Okay? It can be one coach um and they're playing on the different fields of the high school. Um but like like they said, it has to be 3 minutes away. Okay. >> And because the high school is so large, they're actually a number mounted in the building because of that threeminut piece. When we did our safety training here, we actually identified where it was for us here at AMD. Um so I and and then when you um we have an

097athletic trainer who has access to it as well. And um the coaches take this it's been in place for quite a while now over 10 years. They take it very seriously and they do uh they can't coach until they do that certification piece. So we change the pads. We make sure they're up to date and Yeah. >> Right. I I guess what I was getting I just want to make sure that we have tested a scenario that and again I'm thinking of the high school far away off field thinking of AMD here that clock starts they can run into the building get it and get it back down and that drives the decision of where to put these things versus mounting them all the way down by the fieldhouse. So, if we've tested it and

098we're good, I guess we're good. But I was just thinking of, >> you know, I know I can't run down there then back in three minutes, but I'm not >> Yeah, we would have the portable one available. >> The coaches would carry the portable. So, they will have the So, >> they will have a portable. >> So, they also so that we've got that for any practices and things down there. They've got them down there. They don't have to try to run back. We'll be happy to share the protocol from athletics as to how it works for them, which ones which time, which year. >> They keep they keep them under inventory quite well, too, and make sure that they're >> the batteries are working. >> The batteries are okay. The nurse then has to

099check them all. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Any uh further discussion? Well, I haven't taken a motion, but >> you take Yeah. >> Um >> I'm good on the 81, but are we putting them together? We're separating them. I was going to separate them. >> Okay, fine. I'll wait then. >> Okay. Um I'll take a motion on 8.1. >> So move. >> Second. >> 8.1 resolution to adopt new policy number 8121.2 automated external defibrillators as a first reading. Any further discussion? >> All in favor? >> I >> opposed abstensions. All right. Now we'll take a look at 8.2 two res resolution to adopt new policy number 4321.12 timeout and physical restraint for all students as a first reading. Um, somebody else want to take the lead on explaining this? I'm sick of listening to my

100own voice. >> Oh, you go ahead or Annie if you want to jump in. I was going to give a very brief overview that you know um this is kind of like a last resort type of thing and it's if the student is in danger of hurting themselves or someone else and they can't be deescalated in a less um say intrusive way and um just parents have to be notified. They have the right to meet with the school about it. um they're given the policy and yeah I feel like it was just a lot of like this is a last chance like last um >> step >> yes in the protocol like if you can't DST and it's heavily required by law and regulated by part 200 regulations the policy articulates those things right >>

101um I'm trying to remember because we didn't talk about this at the most recent policy committee meeting this is landing Um, yeah, we talked about it a while ago that it needed some like I think basic editorial work or redlinining or whatever before we could see it. So, I'm having to reach back kind of in the recesses of my memory to remember um because the redline version of this is it's completely rewritten, but I don't think substantially it's very different from what we had before. There's just new law and new language. >> Uh no, it's it's pretty updated. >> It is pretty updated. >> It is updated. >> Okay. >> In whole. >> Okay. >> There was a lot of additions. Um our previous policy um didn't have indepth details like this um this policy

102that's currently redlined. >> Okay. Frank, did you have something? >> Yeah. So I mean I guess the first question just is it's all red line because it's a new policy, right? It's not really a red line. It's a new policy. Right. Right. So okay, >> but when you look back there's like first readings and adopted first readings >> at the bottom. That's why I was I mean >> so the bottom is not public content I think is what you're talking about. >> No, the the references are up on the board right there. They're just not they're not red line where it says first reading and adoption 2014 revises the first reading 2021 second first reading and adoption 2021. There's nothing like >> Okay. But the resolution that's on the board agenda is a resolution to

103adopt a new policy. >> Right. >> Okay. >> That's that's where my I'm >> and so >> highlighting that confusion for myself right now. >> So the first reading and adoption. So I guess that's really where I'm coming to. This doesn't look like is it a new one or is it an old one that we're changing cuz everything in this is new and I'm just ask >> a strike through if there was >> because we had something from December 17th of 2014 according to the bottom of this if that's correct but then this wouldn't be a new policy it would be a revision to an existing one. >> Yes, you're stating my exact confusion. >> Okay. So, I think we should try to clear that up whether we vote. I mean, if there's a need

104to vote on this as a first reading tonight, I would say I'm not necessarily opposed. But if we could clear that up, I would also maybe be in favor of just putting that off. Um, but the second question I have, which is kind of material or I guess more of questions, there's some been some issues this past year in the state with the use of spaces to confine students that were very highprofile and concerning. Did this policy come out of th that issue those issues or because I guess my question is should we be asking the questions about the situations that happened elsewhere and incorporating that into this you read the Albs union this has been a >> yes to me it was people who ignored the law that was currently on the books that's

105my two cents about it >> balcony >> it totally seems like that's the case I guess my question is is that I was reading this I was thinking Maybe that's in response to this. >> No, this was discussed I think before that even >> Yeah, this this was discussed I actually um I would like to work with Illy um just to make sure I could answer your questions in regards to comparing the redline policy that we originally reviewed um and ensure that that's the correct policy um that you are viewing right now. And so the only thing that would be great >> what we can do is um we will add the old policy text and then we'll strike it out and then we'll do the red line uh underline. It wouldn't be a new

106one. It would be a red line. Okay. >> Okay. >> Did the commissioner send the only question I have above and beyond that and I get it. You were working on this and it was there. Did the commissioner issue anything in response to the incidents that happened upstate that basically would change this in a way? >> So I >> because because that situ like a district went off the rails. Is there something now that should be in the policy that highlights that or not? I don't know the answer to that and I don't need a answer for tonight. But I think if we're going to do this policy, we should make sure that that's either covered or doesn't need to be covered. So I I don't know if the policy came out based on the

107instances that had happened upstate. I do know that the commissioner did come out with guidance >> and based on that guidance um was a review of the policy um that all school districts did need to look at. Um so I would assume that based on what has happened in other districts, they felt that there needed to be additional clarification. Um and specifically on this one, >> and specifically outlining um how to define a restraint and what are the appropriate trainings that staff needed to encounter in order to really conduct um a restraint and how we document that. >> Right. Right. But but our take on we talked about it cabinet like it was clearly in my lens a violation of the current law and policy that existed% it was like wow >> I'm just asking

108the question if the commissioners came out and said okay in addition to your policies that you had you need to make sure that you specify that this cannot be done like I'm just trying to make sure we've done the diligence on that such a sensational issue and it went so far off the rails right >> in my update I will I can attach exactly what the commissioner came out with. >> Okay. >> And the guidance >> that would be great. >> Yep. >> And and maybe all of it's covered in this and that's fine. But >> and I can also attach the presentation that I've done with the administrators. >> Okay. >> Be helpful. Thank you. >> And I know a lot of some of this was inspired by it was a Nisma recommendation around

109it. So I guess it's all probably tied together. Um, but also we the policy that we had had a different title to it as well. >> So the previous one, so I'm not sure if that's why the whole thing's red line. I know a lot of >> the whole thing is redlined because it is so different. >> Right. Right. >> Yeah. There was a lot like our policy before that before the NISB recommendation had a totally different title and had different language. So, it is technically a brand new policy, but I don't know if there's any language left over carried over from the old one, >> but I know most of it is a brand new policy based on >> those recommendations from NISBO >> and it could be looking at it and I always

110struggle with our redline versions sometimes and it's probably me, but typically I'd see the old language with the strikethroughs and then all the new language. Right. Right. Everything in this looked red from where it would Ellie will take care of that. That would be great. >> I'll say just I pulled up the policy manual. We do have a policy with the same number. It's got a different title. It's called It's 4321.12, Use of Emergency Interventions for Special Education, >> and it's much shorter and more broad. >> Um, which is aligning with my memory. Like, I knew it was something different, but I knew we didn't have we not have nothing on this before. >> That's correct. >> Um, >> so it would be like two paragraphs that were all crossed out. Yeah. The whole document

111of red line, >> right? And then you'd have your whole new thing under the same title. Right. >> Right. >> Okay. Um, so would we is there an appetite to table this until we get it like worked out clerically >> unless there's a need to move on something sooner rather than later. I would say >> I I think that we should move on it tonight because >> as a first reading. >> Yeah, because it's it should it should have been >> it should be already done. >> Okay. >> All right. But we'll we'll get it the all the red. >> We'll get the right red line. We'll get commissioners in. So we may have readings of this one that I like. But it may not change at all. So might as well put it on

112the books. >> Right. And and what would be struck through is available right now on the website. You can look it up. It's just not in this document. >> Um all right. I'll take a motion then before I take the motion. Any further discussion? Okay. I'll take a motion on 8.2. So move >> second >> 8.2 resolution to adopt new policy number 4321.12 timeout and fiscal restraint all students as first reading. Any further discussion? All in favor? >> I >> opposed abstensions. >> Um can I just point out that it's not a new policy? >> Right. I >> the language in the resolution says adopt new. So, I think you have to put revised if you're going to adopt it as a first reading tonight. Okay. I hear that very Okay. Do I need to

113rescend that then? Now, we have to now we have to take a motion. Take a motion to resend uh 8.2. So, >> move second. Uh, I don't need to read it again. Any discussion? All in favor? >> I opposed. Absent. >> Now I'll take a motion to amend 8.2 to exclude the word new. >> So move. >> Can I get a second? >> Um, adopt as a adopt revive >> as a revised reading >> as a revised >> revised policy. Revised policy should be resolution to revise policy number. >> Okay. So the new resolution would read resolution to adopt revised policy 4321.12 timeout and physical restraint. All students I'll take a motion. So move >> second. >> Uh any further discussion? All in favor? >> I >> opposed abstensions. Now I'll take a resolution on

114revised 8.2 2 resolution to revise policy 4321.12 timeout and physical restraint. All students >> second. >> Any f any further discussion? All in favor? >> I >> opposed. Abstensions. >> Okay, we did it. >> Um audience recognition uh is our 10th item on the agenda. There's nobody here who could wish to speak. I'm looking online. Um, >> okay. >> What's that? >> Okay. Before Joe speaks, I'm going to read our public comment period guidelines. We are about to begin the second public comment period of our meeting. Although state law does not require us to hold a public comment period, we have chosen to do so because we believe it is crucial for us to hear from our residents, district taxpayers, students, and school personnel about their concerns and issues. Having said that, please note the

115board is here to listen. Public comment period is not designed to be a discussion. Accordingly, please do not expect the board to necessarily respond to your concerns and questions tonight. We take your concerns and questions seriously and want to have sufficient time to process and research issues if need be. We will however respond to your questions and concerns at a future meeting or have the proper staff member get back to you at the appropriate time. Under state and federal privacy laws, we are unable to entertain any comments or questions about school personnel or individual student matters. Please know, however, that we take personnel concerns very seriously on these matters. We would ask you go through the appropriate administrative channels. We want our schoolboard meetings to serve as an example to our students that members of

116our school board and members of our community can deal with controversial issues in a civil manner and demonstrate mutual respect for one another. In that spirit, we will insist that all speakers and members of the audience maintain civility and respect for any divergent views that others possess. We ask that speakers please address their comments to the board directly rather than the audience. Um during the first public comment period, speakers may address only items pertinent to tonight's meeting agenda and during the second comment period can address any school related topic. I want to remind everyone that you may submit written comments to the board via our BOE at austiningufsd.org email in lie of or in addition to speaking during the public comment period. In the unlikely event the meeting becomes unruly, the board will recess the

117meeting and return once order has been restored. Each individual speaker is allotted up to three minutes. The individual time limits will be enforced so that as many members of the public who wish to speak may be allowed to do so and to respect the other board business that is being conducted tonight. Before speaking, please share your name and address and um I'll turn it over to our public commenter. >> Hello, my name is Joe 20 West. Um, I'm not sure if O prime is on the agenda, but it's related to budget. So, I wanted to know if I could speak about O prime. >> You can speak to any school related business at our second public comment period. So, go on. >> You want me to wait to the second one or this? >> No,

118this is the second one. You're right. >> Oh, this is Oh, thank you. Um, so I wanted to speak on OP prime. OP prime has been an amazing um resource for all of our community members and teachers. And um through the PTA, I've spoken to so many great teachers and um people of our community that think that it's just an amazing part of our community school. And I know that because we've become a more of a community school, I just want to try and push for more budget for them. Um they've got three great um employees and we want to make them more. Um but meeting with them with our PTAs, I just can't express how great they've been for the community. So, I just want to try and impress on you guys how much

119of a resource they are for all of our community. And um I just want to make sure you guys know how much they're important to the school and a day-to-day balance. Uh whether it's that uh the the school's getting resources through clothes or coats or shoes. um it's just really important that their the resources are uh keep coming. So, just wanted to speak on behalf of them as a PTA and through all the community members. That's all I've got to say. Thank you. >> Right. Um thank you for your comment. Um as a just tidbit of information for anybody interested in the topic of OP prime, OP Prime will be presenting um to the board on May 1st or on the first meeting of May rather I misspoke. So you can um tune in to

120learn more if you'd like to learn more uh about OKR. >> Thanks. >> All right. Is there anybody else online who wishes to speak? >> Okay. All right. We'll move along to a board reports and dialogue. Uh we'll do first um committee reports. Anybody has anything to share out? I'll um I can share the policy committee met last week and some of that um the result of that 8.1 was the result of that. We also discussed um school safety teams um but we weren't really ready to discuss it thoroughly. There were some formatting issues so that wasn't ready to come before the board yet. Um but uh it explains more details that policy. We expect it when it comes out to explain more details about who creates and implements the building safety the safety plans.

121Okay. Um and somebody else who's there if I'm getting it wrong, please chime in. Um we can expect coming down the pike uh 8505 we discussed charging school meals and prohibition and other and prohibition and other food items uh which will be a change in title only to match NISBO but it wasn't ready to come to the board table yet. And uh we also discussed a um a potential policy about um non-school related matters. Do we want to talk about that? Are we ready to talk about that? Is it ready to come out to the board table at all? No. >> No. >> Okay. So, we'll we'll we'll bring that up later. Um, still in the works. Any other committee updates? >> Just a question on the policy committee stuff. It would be helpful to

122know like if you're revising something or looking at something even in the early stages kind of what the impetus is behind it. And I don't know if that's appropriate like a Mary update or or some of the others, but like I'll take for instance a safety plan. >> If it's attorneys and it's New York state law and all that, that's one thing, but if there's other drivers behind that, that would be good to know so that we could be brought along in that process and be aware of it. Um I know at the beginning of the year um we sit down as a committee and decide how to balance the meetings between uh the regular policy packages that come out through NISBA that's recommended >> and then um I'm sure I don't have to remind

123you we had our policy book audited and NISBA made recommendations personally to us. >> Um and so we're trying to balance those things. So we take a little from one bucket, a little from the next bucket, and then the last we kind of leave open for policy needs that come up um if any if any need arises during the year. >> Um so Alita, if you want to speak more to that. >> Yeah. So um what we do reviews um the quarterly updates from NISBA and we are all caught up with the quarterly updates. um some of them are mandatory changes. So those are the ones that we have been um providing. Um and now we're at the point where we're looking at um the NISBA uh survey um the audit and seeing where we

124can start because we have not been able to successfully um develop a pace in reviewing um that manual. So now what we have to do is go back um look at the um that that policy uh recommendation from NISPA and we would also have to look at anything that's updated since that time related to those policies. >> Okay. So it sounds like the bucket that you're in now is not the quarterly releases that we have to get like the DEA's law like the defibrillators that came out right and that's one. So these three that you're talking about that we're going to be talking about in the upcoming you know in the future on this these fall into the bucket of things that we're assessing against the NISBO recommendations or these things that are coming out

125of the district that are like we need some changes for XYZ. >> Yes. So that's what would be helpful to know is is that like you know we need a change to the safety plan to address XYZ because maybe there's something that we should be talking about with the safety plan as a broader board before we're kind of really going to you know I mean you can always wait till a first reading but you hate to be like far down the path and trying to move on something by dates >> and then all of a sudden we got to move on it. So that's why I'm saying like the things that are locally driven changes would be helpful to know and know about that. I mean, it's coming to us through staff through Alita, right?

126>> It's coming from Ellie >> from Okay. >> Yeah. She gets it and she updates it. Um, so I can provide she can provide you with those links. >> Okay. Yeah. No, I mean I think getting an update's probably the appropriate way to do it saying we anticipate bringing this to the board and this is the reason for the change so that we can be part of that just know what's going on and why it's going on. I was wondering if it would be helpful also to just list the like a quick reason for the change on the agenda and then the agenda could be shared with the board or whatever makes sense. >> Yeah. >> Yes, we can do that. >> Okay. Um did anybody go to um equity committee? I couldn't go. Policy

127committee was the same day. >> Yes, it was. So was a another big conference. So we had a lot going on on that one day. >> I don't have a committee update, but I did bring up last or a specific committee update. So I've just I wanted to bring up again I don't know what the proper process would be whether ILY would help us um schedule the meetings. I have brought up three committees that I think um I think advocacy is one that keeps coming up. I just want to throw that out there because I don't know what the proper protocol would be to get those off the ground. >> Oh, I just emailed the advocacy committee about dates, but if I should if it should go through Illy, that's fine, too. >> Yeah, usually

128typically if you committee needs to meet, you reach out to Illy and I sends dates out for that or that you know >> I've seen both. Yeah, I'm just saying to make sure that you don't have a committee meeting going that's off. They only make sure it gets every, you know, everywhere on it at the end. So, >> I'm not critiquing how it's done. I'm just saying like it's good to have the clerk involved in those. >> All right. So, advocacy, governance, and hurdines. I don't know if anyone else has anything else, but that's the three I brought up last meeting. >> Okay. And then, you know, >> meeting is being recorded. >> It's throwing me every time. Okay. Um uh and any of us can set up so if somebody's on the governance committee

129and thinking the governance committee should really meet you can just email Iliot and set it up amongst the committee. >> Say I'd like to conduct. >> Yeah, >> good to know. >> Okay. >> Um >> are we still I can >> we let's do yeah general updates here and uh board dialogue. >> So yeah. So I have a question about I guess relates to committees the le liaison to the greater Austinine chamber of commerce. So I believe I'm on that. I don't know who else I don't recall who else from is on that. So I would same similar question. >> What is the mechanism? What is the charter of that committee? Full disclosure I ran into someone who happens to be on the chamber of commerce and this person said oh yeah don't you have

130a thing with schoolboard? I'm like, yes, and I think I'm on that, but I didn't know like what the charter committee is. Like, are we supposed to be going to the chamber meetings? Do they come here? Right. >> Um, but I do think especially since the chamber in the last two to three years has sort of change over on the board seem to be very energized or send out a lot of emails. It might be a good way to formally now connect through the >> In the past, it's typically attending the meetings. >> Okay. So um >> who attending who >> who's attending whose meetings? >> We I used to go actually and I would go to their meetings. >> Um >> but now that you have a liaison that would be the expectation that

131they would go to their meetings. >> Okay. Um also on that committee this year are Frank and Catherine. >> So I am I am on you are on it. >> Okay. So I wasn't wrong. Yeah. I mean I think that this person was you know was open to like whatever you want to do. you want to come to our meetings. Although they did caution a little bit against that because >> you know it's it's a meeting. It's not necessarily like hey let's get together and talk about how for example they have potential internships for their members that want to >> school like is that is the mechanism for that a meeting or is there something else there to discuss that like that's what I'm trying to understand. So, like you said, I don't know the

132new the new people, but in the past, I would go to their meetings and listens to the meetings. Um, I think going forward, what you can do is schedule time with the president um of the meeting of the chamber of commerce or their executive board. >> It might be a good strategy. >> Okay. I think it's just I think just taking in like what and reporting back what's been what are some of the points in that that >> might be important for us to know >> with the change over it sounds like it's time to just basically reach out and connect. I don't know that you're going to end up wanting somebody to go to all of their meetings at the end of the day but it sound and like a challenge with some of

133these committees are a lot of them meet during the day and if the chambers meeting during the day that's why Alita was on the meetings at the end of the day. So you might not have anybody go from the board, but you might have a district representative depending on when it is. >> That's why you want to be careful about saying, well, do you go to every meeting? I would say you probably don't, but like you want to probably have a touch point and say, >> yeah, >> you can establish a relationship like a so that people know who you are. I think a lot of these committees where we have liaons um is really just mostly a framework to have a built-in like now we don't we don't need to have a discussion. If

134the Chamber of Commerce comes to us and said, "We we'd like to, you know, form a relationship with the school board." We already have that set, we don't have a have to have a discussion about whether or not we want to do that or who we would send. It's already ready to go. So, um I feel like that's kind of the purpose of having that like built in in that way. So, you're welcome to go to a meeting and report back. >> Yeah. Yeah. I guess my though it's a larger question. There's nothing in our charter for this committee that says the liaison will go to a meeting or series of meetings. If there's nothing that indicates that's the mechanism, then the point being is that maybe we can reach out the three committee members

135can reach out to the AIN chamber of commerce and not just go to their meeting but have a separate board to board meeting to do that because to me like if we just go to the meeting and sit there and report back I don't see really the connection point right to the district. The point is connect that. So is if there's nothing that says the like a policy committee has to have a meeting. This doesn't say you the mechanism for this committee is to go to meetings. So the question I guess I have is can we now establish what that mechanism is because versus >> there the only um committees that are have a mandate is the um audit committee and the district um safety committee. >> Okay. >> Um liaison. the other ones they

136don't typically have a mandate or a prescribed right >> uh format um we just you know determine just like the policy committee like we there's no prescribed >> um yeah I'll give you an example um because I'm on the liaison to the public library committee years ago now when we were in the planning stages for our bond they were um also in the planning stages for a bond and and they wanted to have a meeting. They had a committee. We had a committee. Our committees met to kind of compare notes because we didn't want to be stepping on each other's toes about releasing a bond and should we try to coordinate and release it together or when where are you in your planning development? Where are we in our planning and development? And just took

137that information. We exchanged that information and then took that back to our respective boards. Um, and that in that like they have their meetings monthly at 7 PM. Um, we don't all have to, you know, the committee doesn't all have to go there. We don't have to send a representative every time, but when things come up, it's already there. And then if we get invited to something, we can. I try to go to, you know, maybe a meeting a year. There's really not I mean, there's not a whole lot going on as far as stuff that we need to report that I feel compelled the school the school um board needs to be a prize of. So, um that's just like an example where it worked out and it was nice to already have that

138um committee set up. So, um >> um another >> I just wanted to Sorry, go ahead. Um >> I was just going to say another example is a PTA liaison. They reached out when they wanted to go over the bond and some questions with their membership. So they asked for um a board member who was a lia one of the liaison to them to come to one of their executive meetings to sort of walk them through the finer points of the bond so that when they got questions from their members they knew how to answer them more accurately. >> Yeah. I just want to there's there's board committees >> and then there's liaons to others committees and this would fall into a liaison, right? So like they're not a public entity. A liaison could go

139to one of their board meetings because it's not a public meeting right at the end of the day. And so there's a different set of rules, right? But I I think with all of these, most of them were set up around things like when there was budget issues that were significant, when there was, you know, bonds and all that. You're bringing up a point of well maybe there's something more strategic that could be done. We could go and listen to say what are your ideas at the end of the day. Bring that back to the board. see if the board has any ideas and and do that. So I think >> all of these are a little bit as a needed and as we feel and it sounds like the change in leadership there because

140it was one person for a really long time it probably is a good time. So if somebody you know if if we if some if one of the aons wants to reach out if you wanted to reach out to them and say do you want to do an evening meeting do you do a daytime meeting and then circulate amongst the committee and if we really can't have anyone usually you want to maintain a relationship and so we would ask somebody from the district to do that but you want to just be careful people's time because we could be leaison to a million things and there's a lot of work that needs to be done right >> so it's it was me and who else? uh Frank and Katherine. >> Okay, great. So maybe we could

141figure out what the connection point is. Is it to go to their meetings? Is it to Frank's point reach out to the board and say, "Hey, let's have an informal gathering aside from going to the meetings like and then we figure out what to bring back." I think that sounds >> even just to make yourself available to them as a liazison. If there's a whole bunch of new people, they may may not realize that we have liaison to them, you know? >> They probably don't. >> Yeah. The net was because they were in this this, you know, they're like, "Hey, we'd love to do something with the school." I'm like, "Oh, we've got a board committee. Let's talk then we bring it back and then figure out if we want to do something or what

142that something is." That feels like the right way to go. >> Good. All right. Thank you. >> Um I had one item to bring up. Um last time we talked about setting up dates to do some um community coffee chats. Uh I asked Illy to reach out to the library and check in about availability to do it there because it's very accessible to everyone in the public, not just um our school population. And I realized that um I hadn't caught from the board when would be the best time to host these. Would we like to do it before the board adopts a budget so that we can hear from the community on the budget before we adopt it or would we like to wait until we have a finalized budget so that we can speak

143about the budget more authoritatively? Does that make sense? Like before we've adopted a short window between adoption and and uh >> it's April that t that Tuesday meeting in April, >> right? I think >> April 21st, we're talking about doing it before April 21st or after April 21st. >> Yeah, I think it can be frustrating for the community when we adopt things without hearing from them first. So, I would I would say to do it before >> um you just have to reach out to the library because a lot of their parking spaces are closed off by the retaining wall. >> Yes, I know. >> Yeah. A large part. >> A large part. No kidding. Illie's already reached out and we have like two sets. I we like looked at it. We have two sets

144of dates. Okay. >> So, I just needed to know kind of like from the board, do we want to do before we've adopted a budget or after we've adopted a budget? I'm hearing Annie want to do before. >> I'm supporting it um before. >> Okay. We could do both if they want to uh get some reasoning. >> Um I mean, a lot of times in the past, we've done these I don't know four or so spread throughout the year to kind of take the temperature at all different kinds of years. I don't I don't have a problem doing one before the budget, but like I don't necessarily know as though the focus of these should be the budget, >> okay? >> You know, I really think it should be >> community engagement all year long.

145>> Like there's a reason I refer to it as kind of a coffee chat, right? Because it becomes a um a catchall, whatever. But I do think the timing, >> we should consider the timing right now at this time of year. That's all. >> So the the time the you said April 22nd is the meeting or >> April 21st. We have a Tuesday meeting that day to that's the day where we have to adopt a budget by. >> So >> we've got basically like a week off of ne, you know, next week at the end of the day. So you're really talking about like a Saturday the 11th or Saturday the 18th, something like that, right? >> Yes. Something like that. We were going to um pick a couple dates. We had three dates picked

146out. We were going to see who's available from the board when and go with two of them if we could get two board members to attend at least two. We would do. So who's I mean when you're saying you're picking the dates out >> like >> with the with me, Illy brought dates to me. >> Okay. So it would be kind of helpful typically in the past like we solicit the board like do we have time frames we want to do it's like if we want to do this in a bit like during the business day like you know at the end of the day there's you're going to have some people can do it some can't. So that's why I'm asking like when you're picking the dates I guess give some insight into like

147how are we looking at days of the week? Um, so I had picked with Ilia a Saturday date, a Monday date, and a Wednesday date. And that's what we were going to put out to the board as like options. And then to your point, ask kind of pull the What's that? >> What were what were the actual dates? >> Uh, well, for April, >> Saturday, April 11, >> 10 to 12. >> Okay. Monday, April 13, 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 15. >> And do we have a board meeting that week of the 13th or no? >> No. >> Okay. >> Got it. Okay. Now, helpful to know kind of like so that >> Yeah. I mean, I was I just I was going to email with those dates to ask who's available and then

148we're not necessarily going to do all three of those dates, >> but um like if if nobody's available on the Monday, then we won't do the Monday, but if we have two available on Wednesday, we'll you know, like just based on our availability. >> So, but we're talking about doing three meetings right before the budget. >> I not necessarily putting out three dates to you, >> but those are all within like Oh, you're saying pick one of the dates. We're not saying do all three. I got it. Thank you. Yep, I got it. >> Um cuz I don't know how many of these we're going to be able to swing and if we need to do it would be nice if we're going to do like to do a weekend and a week night if

149we're going to do if we want to do two if we can swing two. Um >> I don't know. >> Yeah. I mean, I think what we're saying is we want to have some cadence of interaction with the community. I don't think the two weekend and weekday dates have to be before we adopt a budget. Sounds like we should just put them out in the calendar. Like I wouldn't look to rush those in in that fashion. I think probably a good practice would be to kind of schedule these throughout the year on some regular sort of cadence at the end of the day. >> Okay. Well, we'll try to get a maybe we'll put out those three dates. We'll find one that works >> for us and then we can look at the doing it

150another time >> another time. >> Yep. I don't know. It makes sense. >> Yeah, I agree with them being more just like general community, but because of the timing, it just kind of makes sense. And then the The hearing is May 6th, right? Is that what >> Well, that's kind of an official date, not really. >> No, I know. That's why I'm saying like doing it before would be nice because they will have an opportunity to >> Yes. The hearing is May 6th, but we will have already adopted a budget. I know it's already the hearing is kind of >> not really a hearing. >> Yeah. Like we literally hear what you're saying, but we can't change anything at that point. >> Yeah. And I think that's the part that's frustrating. >> Yes. I I

151definitely feel that. Um, okay. Thank you for feedback. Anything else for board reports in time. Okay. Um, let me pull up my little sticky here so we can um All right. At this time, I'll take a motion to enter into executive session for the purposes of discussing the medical, financial, credit, or employment history of a particular person or corporation or matters leading to the appointment, employment, promotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal, or removal of a particular person or corporation. >> So move second. >> Uh any discussion? All in favor? I >> I >> opposed abstensions. All right, we will be entering executive session. We do not expect to reconvene. And I hope everyone here has a nice evening. We'll see you next time.