Board of Education July 30, 2025

001Hello and good evening. I'd like to call to order the Wednesday, July 30th, 2025 board of education regular meeting. And Don Mara is going to lead us in the pledge this evening. everyone. Um, I want to thank um the board for um having our meeting here at the end of July. I know it's hard on everybody, but the business of schools continues 12 months out of the year and we're excited tonight to have a great facilities update report for us this evening. Um the last day of our elementary learning academy, just to highlight, um was yesterday. Today I attended the science fair for uh the summer RAB program over at Roosevelt. So we're very excited to give an update on all our exciting summer programs uh at the next board meeting in August. So I'll

002have Maria and um Kim who will talk about the extended school year program as well. So, um, I don't know if anyone had a chance to take a look and notice, but Low Hud recently spotlighted our awesome high school summer arts academy. So, I want to thank the folks over at Low Hud and Nicole Reese for pushing out all kinds of great information um that can spotlight the great work that is taking place. And it was a lot of fun this past Saturday at the Austining Early Elementary um PTA um event. Lots of happy families and kids and lots of fun games that I didn't win at, but I totally enjoyed um attending. So that's my uh superintendence update for tonight. All right, moving along. our work session and our equity uh item is our

003facilities update. So, Mary Fox, please continue. >> Okay. All right. So, I'd like to invite uh to the podium our team and I and again I stress that we are a team. We meet like every two weeks. Sometimes we meet weekly. Sometimes there are there are always daily emails and conversations back and forth. But I'm um super excited tonight to have um Dave who is the lead architect on our project, our uh friends from Harris Construction and Jarus, Chris and Paul, if you could just um want to come up to the podium and share the great news of all the hard work we're doing. And at the end of this then Jared has a brief update on some of our capital projects that aren't part of our burn. >> Thank you, Mary. It's a pleasure

004to be back here for a summer update for all the projects. We'll talk about the capital projects and the bond project. All right. Uh the first four projects you see here are the capital projects that are underway or in process. Um let's first talk about the Brookside classroom addition and fire alarm work. Uh there's construction going on at Brookside. Um, when we get to some pictures, I'll have uh Chris and Paul come up and talk to you a little bit about the progress specifically at that at that job site. It's it's going well. We're excavating and uh things are moving along. Park and Claremont, if you remember, was some exterior site work at a loading dock and uh some boiler flu replacement work. The contractors have their contracts and materials in hand and they're just

005getting started now. U so we've seen some activity at the loading docks and demolition. You may have seen that as you've driven by. So, we're excited to see that and they're on track. They're saying that their work is going to be pretty well in hand by the beginning of school at this point. Uh the AMD driveway and cooling project, uh that has been up with review with various state agencies, uh we're at kind of the end point of a comment period by the EPA right now. So, we should be hearing back and we move on to our next phase of approvals with that project. So, that project is also progressing. We don't have any shovels in the ground yet, but we're getting through the regulatory approvals. And the uh high school doors project, uh that

006was some replacement of some student entry doors. Uh that's going to be a capital project that Jared is handling and we can talk about that in a second, too. Okay, just an overview of the Brookside. Um there's a six classroom edition, teachers lounge, um some other support spaces for students, and an elevator going on. Um we are currently in excavation and getting ready for the temporary egress that has to go on. Uh Chris, do you want to say anything? >> So re real quickly, the uh contractor has mobilized. Uh site fencing has been installed. Uh trailers are installed and as David mentioned, um the excavation has started. Uh some of the baitment had taken place this summer as well along with uh some masonry work in the um library corner there uh to close that

007up. uh along with egress pathways that we have u shown on the doc that egress work is really in preparation for the school year. Um when we bring students back into the building, we want to make sure that there proper ways to get in and out of the building. So we have to make some temporary uh egress corridors for them to get through the construction areas safely. So this is kind of prepar preparatory work. The excavation footing and piping work that's going to stay, but we wanted to get the heavy work done before school starts. the AMD work. You'll remember that's the connection onto Stormmytown Road. There was a resolution by the town approving the speed limit along Stormmy Town. Um so the pieces have fallen into place here and you know we're excited once

008we get our regulatory approvals. Um there are some time frames and windows due to ecological concerns that we have to be aware of. So, we are really pushing our our envelope here with our our time frame, but we're things are moving and we're pretty comfortable with uh where we are at this point. Okay. Jared, do you want to say anything about the doors? Anything to add about the fire alarm or doors? >> No, not really. We're we're we're in the process of obtaining contract. >> We're we're in the process of obtaining contractors for that work um and getting prices and and that's where we're at. Um the both of those projects will be done on state contract uh vendors. >> Okay. Gives us a chance now to turn to the bond project. So I think

009you remember at the last meeting we discussed the introduction of phases 0 A and zero B. um you know, instead of phases one through five, these phases were added as again kind of preparatory phases to get the sites ready uh around the church and the rectory in preparation of the work that's going to happen at the high school. Uh the addition that's going above the locker room. Um removal of the rectory, which is that small building adjacent to the church. And then there's a piece a later addition that was added to the church. It's called the annex. So phase 0 A was and is the demolition of the rectory building. Phase 0 B is the demolition of the annex building. Um phase 0 A is awaiting final approval of the state historic preservation office and

010the state education department. Uh we are hearing updates daily with them as they go back and forth on an agreement we had. You've seen the letter of resolution that was in front of you. Um the SED is now looking at the language and their legal counsel is reviewing it. Uh we should be hearing back. We hear every other day from them. Um so we're we're excited. I we know that the work Paul, do you want to say anything about the timing or phasing it out? >> Well, um the phasing of it was originally planned for the summer when we haven't lost the summer yet, but every day that it goes later makes it more difficult to basically occur um to make that occur. So, if we don't hit the summer, we'll come up with another

011timeline because we want to take that building down during a u nonschool period and we need about 4 days. So, I might try to grab the weekend on the 23rd, 24th of September um and then just do preparatory work on uh through the weekend and on Monday and then start removal on on the two days that you're out of school. So, we're as soon as we have the approvals, uh, we'll put it on the street for bid and, um, we've got contractors looking at it, but we can't edit it until we get the approval. >> That permit, right? >> It's that permit. We've we've heard that before. Um, phase 0 B, similar situation where we have the annex has to be removed so that we can actually start working on the high school portion, that

012addition that's going on over there. So that the site work is is going to aid the contractors. It's going to give them some staging area, some storage. Everybody's curious about when are we building and what are we building when? So, uh really the phase um 0B which is the removal of the annex building and prepar and and preparing the site for the uh CTE addition uh is going to be in January of 26 uh through April of 26. In that period we're going to get the site ready. the uh phase um one which is if you remember we combined the locker room with the two-story edition above it with the CTE edition and we that's going out as one project right now the construction portion will be November of 26 to to June of 28

013but there uh what we are looking to do is put the gymna I'm sorry the locker rooms back online uh for June of 27. So, uh, we can, uh, go in there, build the whole structure, and get it down to where the shell is in, and we're just working on the interiors for the top two floors while we open up the, um, uh, locker rooms and give that back to you for use. um on the phase two uh which is the music uh wing. We need the building that I'm just talking about the two stories above the locker rooms to use as a swing space to move the music department in. So that building has to be complete so that we can use as a stage out of there or use it as a swing

014space which will be June 28. So that'll build from June of 28 to uh December of 29. Um then we move into the CTE renovation which is the renovation of the church with the uh bathroom edition on the back of it. Um and that one will go off at uh October of 28 to July of 30. And then the um so that'll wrap up the high school program. The 78 building is which is the U new 78 is July of 22 uh 27 to July of 29 and the program total the whole bond wraps up with the Claremont which will start in June of 28 to July of 30. So, that one has to be run over a longer period. Um, mainly because we have to build the classroom edition to be able to uh

015take over the music classrooms and be able to get into the uh the cafeteria. So, that's the program that we have right now. Talk a little bit about the design work that's going into the uh the bond project right now and some of the the parts and pieces. This is just to get everyone um familiarized. And so you can see just as a landmark, you can see the church right here in the left corner. Behind that is the uh gymnasium building. And that in front of that building is where that locker room addition is going to be. So when we talk about the CTE addition on the corner, this is a new addition where the annex which is being removed in zero B is going to be. So that's a new building. Uh the addition

016over the gym that's just considered an addition by the state. The CTE building is a new building. So we need that to link the high school to the church. So the first step is going to be the locker rooms and the addition there. Then we build the CTE building to link the church to the high school bringing the whole facility together. >> The church is really just a renovation to the school. >> Right. Right. So once the church can be considered part of the school then we are going to re renovate it and that you heard from Paul's schedule. So this has all been planned out not only to kind of minimize the interruptions to the educational programs but to maximize efficiency for cost and also financial aid. So there's been a lot of planning

017that goes into these you know the phasing and staging of these projects. It's important. He he glossed over it, but uh I will and Alita and I know that that subtlety that was just mentioned um took a lot of planning and um I just want to congratulate the team for doing that. Um it's super important that that was caught. It was super important that we're able to figure out a way because it caused an entire rescheduling and a relook at the timeline for it. So again, great work, >> Mary. While we're while we're on this real quick, um I know we're no longer referring to it as the church. What language are we using going forward? >> Yeah, right now it's being labeled as a CTE renovation. So it's going to what we're considering it

018is part of the high school building and is a CTE program. So, it's a renovation to the CTE program is what we >> So, we'll call it the comprehensive CTE renovation. >> That could be that works well. >> That's good branding. >> So, some of the design work that's going on right now is refining uh some of the spaces on the inside of the CTE edition and uh the areas in the locker room and the gymnasium edition that are going above there. Um it it's been a lot of effort to kind of coordinate with Mary's staff. Uh the faculty's been great, a great great response and the robotics team which was here at the last meeting would be excited to see the space and see some of the developments of they get a very nice

019dedicated space on the first floor with rollup doors giving them access to the exterior. It's really going to be a wonderful robotics lab for them. We have science labs as we go up. on the far left you can see some of the uh the athletic facilities rooms. Uh there's planning that's going in there for the number of kids and the equipment layouts are coming together right now too. No, >> just to highlight even even the conversation over what type of doors, the rollup doors do we what type of doors do we have? That took a a long meeting with a lot of input from teachers and every single lab station that you see here, where the gas is, where we're putting sinks, the type of stations, all of that. Um, lots of feedback, lots of

020input from the um science department. So, and and of course Jared who attends all these meetings and he understands the flow of it all. So, there was an awful lot. I know you're looking at something that looks like okay that looks like a science lab but every question about it prep station lot of attention a lot of work. So, thank everybody. >> So, this is a view right now and you can see the student entrance right there where it says Austining High School. Um that that building is going over that low one-story locker room. You can see the locker room addition there. It's kind of creating that courtyard. And I'll show you some views now of the CTE addition which you can see right to the left there. You can see the connecting bridge between

021the um the addition over the locker rooms connecting the CTE edition. So that's linking the entire uh facility together. So this is the view right now from M. Wilton. If with the church on your left, you're looking at the annex and you can see the rectory to your right. So the proposed here's your CTE edition. So the thinking here to see this coming together. The team is picking out materials that are going to mimic but not closely replicate the church. So, it's kind of honoring the materials used in the church. U we've done some research and they know exactly the kind of granite that was used in the the making of the church and the the flake. they can talk to you the about the flake and the stone and uh the silica content there.

022But um those materials because that quarry is no longer available to us. We have to use more modern materials. So um and you can see some of the the idea if I can zoom in here. You can see there's some elements that are replicating some of the stained glass. So the use of colored glass is going to be important in the CTE edition. and it's going to be a really wonderful, bright, open uh accessible building when it's uh put together. So, we're really looking forward to this addition. >> Can I just say that that is this is awesome. I just got to say so exciting to see this. Just want to say that because height of >> Yep. Well, if you like this. So, here's your night view of the same facility. So, thinking that

023it's going to be used after hours, the the transparency of the connector between the church and that connecting piece and that transparency, a lot of what we're presenting to the state and historic preservation office has to do with the materials, has to do with um how we're going to reuse and what we're going to do with the stained glass windows. So, we have some information that we're going to be sharing with the board. some strategies um ideas of ways that we think are going to do that and achieve some really wonderful results. >> I'm so happy to see Austining getting nice things. This is a rendering of uh one of the computer labs in the CTE building. Um the fabrics aren't exactly what's going to be be um be used in the classrooms, but you're

024starting to see uh the treatments of the ceilings, the size of the windows, um the amount of light that's coming into these rooms. Um, if you've seen any of the the classrooms at Park, they're great, bright classrooms. It's going to have similar feel, but more kind of sophisticated materials for an older group of students. >> I just want to say I notice your inclusive representation. I appreciate it. >> Some preliminary studies of the fitness center. Um it's it's going to be a great space. Um and if it's open to the staff and to the faculty and to the students, it's really going to be a wonderful asset here for the uh the community. So we're looking forward, we have some information on the equipment. Uh we're laying out the space to kind of maximize and

025fit everything in there, but make it a comfortable space, something that's easy to maintain. Uh so the the flooring, the walls, everything is being looked at. Jared's had it been great. Um, you know, this is his building. Once once we all leave. This is for Jared and been a great balance between them respecting the needs of you know how they're going to teach in these spaces but what the potential of the space is after hours you know if you want to use something after school if a group wants to come in how do we use the space because of that flexibility has been a a key component in all their thoughts and decision making here so you can you can start to see some of the development of uh there's public spaces that include bathrooms

026for, you know, large crowds. There's there's going to be storage for seating, whether it's going to be on risers or loose seating. Um these are all things that, you know, if you you want to stage a play or you want to have a a you know, recital with a musical instruments, you have to be able to change the seating layout. So the uh acoustical designers and our team have been looking at ways to make sure that the acoustics in the in this area will work in any configuration and that the sound equipment that's being selected and lighting is flexible enough to be used in all situations >> including a faculty meeting. One of the uh interesting things that we were able to do is to get some drone flights over the building, which has been

027really interesting because there's parts of this building that I don't think, you know, we would certainly not be able to see up close, which we really need to be able to do. Um, if I can zoom in on some of these, you can see some of the the trim work is it's great wooden trim around some of these pediments on top of the windows. Unfortunately, it's all in pretty rough shape. There's some missing pieces. There's some holes and things. Um, we know, we can see it from the ground, but having this drone footage really has enabled us to take a look at the roof, take a look at the flashing. We can see some evidence of leaks on the inside of the building. So, to be able to fly over it with a drone and

028zoom in on some of these things really helps us to prepare the documents and get a good sense of the fixes that we're going to be need to to address. But it's it's all wonderful, you know, beautiful detailing, craftsmanship, you know, that's hard to replicate these days, but we are going to preserve and and maintain what we can. This is a picture of the steeple where the bells were. Those are wooden louvers that, you know, really keep the pigeons out, but I think there's a pretty good nesting population in there right now. So, uh, I know the team's been hesitant to go up into the steeple because of the amount of pigeon leings and some of the other the conditions up there. So, um, having the drone and having that accessibility has been great. We

029were able to take a look at the roof and the flashing and really get a good sense of the work scope there. So, we're trying to use all the tools at our our disposal to be able to see and get a good picture of the next steps of this project. >> Can I just ask a quick question? Sure. Um, I know in one of the meetings Frank had brought up something about, you know, having some sort of a light that would probably stay on just almost like it's like the beacon of our school. Did you have any perspective on that? >> So, that's why we're looking at those louvers and that's a good question. You know, for me, I'd like to take those louvers out. We're trying to decide, you know, what we can do

030with those openings. We want to keep the animals out. So, if we put a light in there, you know, how how are we going to deal with the openings? So, we're looking at the frames right now. The louvers themselves, you know, it's probably going to be more of a problem to restore those louvers than to take them out, you know. So, we're still we're still looking at that. And, you know, there's some you can see this little balcony that's up there. There's a door leading to that balcony. I don't know. There's three of them on this steeple. So, um, we need to restore it, but hopefully no one will be going out there. I don't think Jared is volunteering for that duty there, but all right. So, one of the interesting parts of this the

031CTE building has been, you know, the fact of the the framing in the roof is this old smallcale timber that the structural engineer has to be able to um maintain the roof structure and put in all these other components that we need for a modern building below. So, we need bathrooms. We need, you know, rooms that we can do teaching in. We need rooms that are acoustically um, you know, resonant and we need, you know, an envelope that's not going to leak and have be thermally efficient. So, the structural engineer has been hard at work, uh, looking at the basement, looking at the existing footings and foundations, and he's really made he's been crawling all over every part of that building. So, it's really exciting to see as he digs in and he's making a

032computer model of all parts of this building. So, when this is done, you know, we will have a model of, you know, pretty much every piece of timber in this building. And if we discover something that's in poor shape as we go through in our renovation work, he'll know exactly what piece it is, the size, and we'll be able to respond to that in the field. It is nice to have this technology and to be able to get this level of detail. Um but this type of renovation would rather solve it by the computer first and then you know rather than scramble in the field. You know we were talking about some of the elements the existing elements. One of the things that if you've seen the choir area there's a railing and a balcony

033there. We'd like to reuse that railing up on our new mezzanine space. So, we're starting to think about that. You can see some of the way scotting is being uh depicted and shown in there. So, any of the great woodwork that's in there, we're really aiming to keep it. You can see the columns right there. There's beautiful uh detailing on those columns. So, those are going to be protected during construction, even as we put in those new floors. So, of course, the structural engineer has to figure out how to maintain everything when we take that floor system out. They call this a section up in this corner, but that gives you just a sense of the ceiling and the volume of space that we're dealing with here. It's really an impressive room when you get

034in there. Talk a little about the 78 building right now. So, the team is working on what's called massing. So, we have we've worked out the plans. We've spoken with everyone for their their needs, how much room they need for different spaces and different program areas. Right now, it's putting those pieces together and starting to think about the blocks and how they fit together. So, this massing uh gives you the volumes of spaces. Uh there's some areas in the front that are going to be cafeteria. There's an area along the side that's going to be a gymnasium. You know, as we go through and develop uh the cladding and the the look of this building and the feel. Um, you know, we spent a lot of time talking about the site work of this building

035and as you approach it. So, the the team is starting now to look at the entry into the building. You can just see some rudimentary uh ideas now about a covering over the entry and what that's like to get off the bus in front of this building. So, all these details about how you enter the building, what it's like when you go into the lobby, who are you seeing first in the lobby, you know, where's the main office off of the lobby, all this is being planned out and discussed with the with the users. And Mary and her group have been fantastic uh weighing in and and you know, they have some really great ideas and some great uh views on how a school should be run. Um, as the plan is getting more developed,

036you can start to see the cafeteria in the bottom left there. Um you can see in the main in the center of the building is the auditorium the gymnasium and locker rooms are kind of on the right side and in the front the main office and the that entry sequence that still the bar with the classrooms in the back that's still you know part of the main idea of this building that the public spaces are towards the road the bigger louder spaces are towards the driveway and the road and then the quieter study classroom spaces are to the back. um you know the coordination between the kitchen um the kitchen consultant has been working with Alita and her crew um you know how are deliveries coming in how often do they need deliveries where what

037size refrigeration uh walk-in freezers uh all these things are being thought out before and and planned right now and the same thing goes for all the program spaces the classrooms um we are we have more meetings scheduled for different departments to go over everything and um we're looking forward to nailing that down. But the design is incremental, you know, and and one piece it's kind of like a a set of dominoes at this point, you know, where we move one thing, we have to shift something else. So, uh we did get our preliminary submission reviewed by the state. They had a couple questions about some things. Nothing um nothing really earth shaking for the 78 building. So, we're excited. So, we're we're on track and on target with this. Um, you know, and it's an

038exciting project for us. I mean, >> absolutely. >> One of the things that, um, is happening at the same time is how we're keeping the project moving forward and keeping it u in budget as it goes through. So the proc the process is um that all the design elements are really three phases is the schematic design development and construction documents. Most of the projects were either in a schematic design or design development. So after they produce a set of drawings, we cost it out to see where what the price is on what they're proposing and then we start negotiating so that as we're negotiating, everybody gets involved in what can we afford, what can't we afford, and what could change to make this work. So when um Mary was talking about it's a team um

039process, it really is. So they we're into uh design development in um uh like the the uh locker rooms in the CT edition. Um so right now we're commenting on that one. We're in SDS on the um renovation work that so each phase of it we run a budget and then there are multiple meetings afterwards um going over different systems. We did the same thing when we looked at the uh uh the uh renovation work at the CTE building in that uh the structure is something that um was the the structural engineers spent a lot of time on it. But as they start going, we start figuring out what is what he what is he proposing and what is that going to cost and then start discussing alternatives on how do we get this so

040we maintain budgets in the runway. So right now we're we're doing well and um it's a you know it's a good process and u successful working team. So, um, at the onset of this, um, bond, we talked about it being, um, 70 70% funded with, um, state aid. So, um I just want to remind you we talked three dates uh two in August and one in September. Um, so we're probably going to pick September so we can have give them their feedback and then they can re um give us a final count of the BAUs. Um, so that is happening to ensure um that we maximize aid as we promised the voters. And I think ju just to give you an example of what that work looks like um was an email from yesterday a

041conversation I had with Stephanie, one of the architects over a question that we got back on the grade seven and eight buildings. So um I I I wrote a like two-page thing that she'll condense to a little bit more and that's the backup for discussing. So it's like overp preppare and go into it together, but sending it to a whole group of people because there's quick turnaround on this for us to be able to look at it. So it's greatly appreciated. I mean, even um when Dave brought up the um locker room area at the gym and the locker room, we spent a lot of time on where do you put the bleachers? Where is the slop sink? Where do we put the bathrooms? Where is the storage closet? How does that work with let's

042say big wrestling mats? How do people get in get like a lot of attention to a lot of detail in this area? And you got to involve more people to it. So, and again bringing in our teachers into the conversation about I wish I could remember the detail they had over when we enter into robotics competitions, but we were able to incorporate into the design their feedback for certain stages of that and um height and size of the rooms and air handling and air flow all of the above. So, um, I'm just, uh, you know, Alita and I talk every single day about this project. Every single day. Every single day. Sometimes it's an hour, sometimes it's five minutes, but again, we have a week, every two weeks we have a big meeting and then

043every week we have multiple meetings with different elements of this team. So, thank you. It's very exciting. Um before I open it up for general questions. >> Oh Jared, do you have more? >> I think I have one one slide here just to uh go over. >> I get this. Am I doing this correctly? Okay. So, a couple things that we're working on uh over the summer uh as facilities projects. Um, I just want to we, uh, Mary asked me to go over this with with the board, just kind of update everybody on what we're doing and some of the things we've accomplished. So, u, first one on the list was at Brookside. Uh, we did, uh, uh, paint all the, uh, 95 wing hallways, um, a fresh color that hadn't received a coat of

044paint in a while, and that included patching the walls and and also changing out the, um, the cove base, uh, at the bottom at the baseboard. Um, at Park, we're uh, you heard that we're um, we're starting loading dock repairs. the contractor's uh full uh full speed ahead on that. Uh he's been working there this week and getting the demo done. He's planning on doing some concrete work next week. Uh and then we've already completed some of the paving and sidewalk repairs that we planned for at the front of the building. So, one of the things that uh we wanted to do there uh was now if you remember there was a there used to be a little step when you went into park, a small step. That's now eliminated. The the black top goes

045all the way up to the front. So, um, uh, you can get in the front of the building with a wheelchair now. So, uh, we did that and there's a little bit of fence work we have to finish up, but that'll be that'll be done very very soon. Um, we're working on chimney repairs both at Park and at Claremont. Um, they're both kind of related. It's just kind of the same trade uh on uh on some of the high efficiency boilers down there. Uh, that kind the contractor there has some finishing touches to finish up. Um, inhouse we did the software repairs and the repainting at the science hallways. That project is about 75% complete. Uh, we'll finish that up over the next couple of weeks. And then we've also been working all summer on

046various plumbing repairs in the different bathrooms. Um the high schools as you all know is a really busy bu building. It gets intense use. Uh so there was a lot of a lot of kind of little things that needed to be addressed. So we made a good list uh before we went into the summer till we could tackle those and get them done. Um and then at Roosevelt, we had we had a chronic pothole situation at Roosevelt that kept coming up. Uh, so we we took care of that and we tore we we repaired a bunch of other areas in the parking lot of Roosevelt. That paving got done this past Monday. I haven't actually seen it yet, but everybody tells me it looks good today. >> Yeah, I haven't been I just haven't had

047a chance to be by there yet. Um, and then also Roosevelt, uh, we've got some, um, broken interior doors on some classrooms, two different classrooms, and, uh, we have to change the projector screen in the cafeteria, which is something that, uh, the principal, the staff has been asking for. And then kind of the last thing on the list, because I already mentioned Claremont, is the floor tile of Baitman here at AMD. So the floor tile up here on the stage behind the curtain and also going out the side entrance by the elevator, it's just old uh, tile. It's kind of worn and uh so we're going to get that tile Uh >> yeah. So so with the window units. Yeah. So the other thing that's going on is that uh we have we have ordered

048the window units for putting the air conditioning in the rooms putting window units in the rooms that didn't receive air conditioning already. We're expecting those window units to arrive sometime in late August. The the the great majority of them. Um we have the electrical contractor on board um and he is going to be starting his electrical work very very soon. Um I talked to him actually this afternoon. Um and uh the uh as the window units come in, we're going to start to do those do those window units. Um Mary and >> Right. So Mary and I, Alita and I strategized today about how to uh best approach that. We have about 12 in stock right now and uh but not in stock. They just came in recently um that have kind of straggled in.

049I may receive a couple more, but there's no promises with that. Um, and so we will we will do some of the rooms that we can um in some of the more high priority rooms um ahead of school being here uh in the September being here. We're only a couple weeks away. >> Sure. >> So Jared has been working with um >> Albright Albbright um to make sure that they are um for classrooms um to make sure if the units aren't installed um by the time school starts that there would be um fans available. So Jared is going to order fans and if we don't need them, he's going to send them back. So, that's that's all I have for my update. >> Thank you. >> There's a lot going on. >> Yeah. >> Um

050before I open it up to questions from the board, I just want to um express my gratitude to everybody here. I think as I came in, I mentioned you guys don't have like a slow time of year. This is um still all systems go over the summer and that there's a lot happening and uh particularly with this bond project, it it's not going to slow down. for years. Um, so I want to invite other board members if they have a question. I know we heard some kind of explanation um explanations and um clarifying questions during the presentation, but does anybody have any questions that they want to ask at this point? Um based on the sort of slight hiccup we've had in the timeline, um I think you know with like the driveway stuff over

051here and some other things. Do you have an updated anticipation of when the whole CTE complex is expected to be like completely usable and ready? the CTE complex is um the good thing about it is we uh the regulatory agencies are really just state ed so we can calculate them when when you start adding uh the EPA and the uh Army Corps of Engineers and the rest of those agencies in the program it makes it difficult to uh manage what they're going to do and when we're going to get results but the CT edition Um we're we're starting now with the phase one and if you remember there there were hiccups on on moving uh the drive project through which is really attributable to the Army Corps of Engineers and EPA which they just ran

052out of time today to answer We need to get some other work. We need that building complete before we could start on the church building. Um, and that one or the CT uh renovation and that one is uh phase three starting in October of 28. So when when that whole complex is complete, we're expecting to um the school year of 30 is when we're going to have that building um turned over. So when you have the the new portion, the new CTE being built and it's done in, you know, anticipated June 27 for the locker, the gym, June of 28 for the other spaces. >> Will students be able to utilize those? Yes. >> Oh, okay. Great. >> Our intent is that we our plan right now and our staging areas are based on trying

053to move through and turn space over to you. that was when we start on the uh locker room edition that that area we're taking away you know what critical service we're taking away your locker rooms so we're going to have to create a temporary um uh area for locker rooms during that period um we're working on that with your staff on where it's going to work but um as soon as that's why we put that on as soon as we have a shell where it's a safe shell we can then reopen the locker rooms and turn those back over to you the rest of that building will become a staging area for the music because once we need to start the music, we're emptying that entire building. So, we need to create enough space for

054you to move your music program in which becomes the fitness center. That fitness center in the classrooms above, we haven't laid out the space. We just know we have enough space to move the program there. So, you'll be using this the two-story addition above the locker rooms, but not for its uh final or intended use. It'll be a swing space for a little while. At the same time, the area where robotics is, that whole uh three-story addition will open at the same time. So, we'll just create fencing and uh pathways um to separate the um CT renovation work away from the student occupied areas. >> Thank you. Thank you very much. Um, for the project timeline, is this still the same one or have we fallen behind a little? Has it changed it? Solve that

055problem of how to get this connected and get state ed to approve it. Um that uh basically moved that um it it moved it back in the schedule so it was taking a little longer but then actually Alita came up with some good ideas that created us to be able to accelerate that program and picked up another year. So all in all we're doing pretty well on the schedule. >> Okay. And then understanding that this is all in the design phase the new se Dave, >> thanks. So, if I went back to uh let's go back to that rendering of the CTE building. So, what we're trying to do here is create a plaza that you can't there'll probably be ballards along here that aren't shown right now. We have lights which will probably be

056ballarded lights so it won't be accessible to traffic. So, we are aware of keeping the separation of cars, pedestrians, and buildings. And that rest of the building to the right that you see here, that is on the first floor. It's really a harder shell. It's uh less windows there. They're technology rooms. They don't need as much uh window, but we we try to keep the glazing set back. Um, we are probably going to use it's always going to be tempered glass wherever we're in a corridor, which means it's harder to break and breaks if it does break breaks into small pieces that aren't jagged. Um, security film is another thing that we'll probably be using for all these for all these classrooms. Then it's an interesting question because right now um in fact at our

057uh meeting two weeks ago uh we discussed that we wanted to look at the entire site that surrounds the um CTE complex with the locker room complex because they all tied together. So we thought it was a good idea and and those discussions were coming up on how do you want to use that space. So um Dave's company you know his people um put together what they were thinking and that's one of the meetings that we have to have as a team to start discussing what is the final finishes how do you want to use it how is it being accessed etc. So right now the concept that um David's showing you are good but they might not be the final concept that that meeting is um in progress let's say. >> Thank you. That's

058settling. We don't want the kids to go to school in like a closed box that you >> No. And you're right. You know transparency is has its benefits but also you know now I think there's a little more sensitivity to use in to buildings and we're aware of that and So, I was concerned about that. But I know in addition to safety considerations, there's always an impact of cooling and heating when you use that much glass. So, I'm assuming that's been considered with what type we're using, right? >> Yes. It it'll all be energy efficient glass. >> Okay. um the the the glass assemblies now, you know, it's not just one pane of glass anymore. It's multiple panes of glass with inert gases in between them. It it can get a little overwhelming sometimes, but

059um the energy standard that we're looking to is a very green standard. It's it's above the New York State Energy Code in most most instances. Um so you know it for operational reasons and for the longevity of the building it makes sense to have something that you can maintain and it isn't like losing heat or you know >> and some of these fins and overhangs that you see the team is looking and doing daylighting studies about how the light is going to enter the building. So there's uh some you can't it's on the other of course it's right to the off the rendering here but there are some overhangs and that those daylighting studies are important. If we can cut down use of electrical lighting in classrooms and rely more on natural light that's beneficial

060for everybody. So um the use of glass is great if done well. If not it's no good. So >> right. Yeah. >> Thank you. >> That's a great concern. Um, the fitness room, I know right now it's located in like I guess would be considered the basement. I'm not sure I'm I'm aware of where it's going to be. Is it still going to be in like the lower level? What does it look like in terms of >> these concepts? Maybe I'm just not my eyes. >> So, do you see where the students are walking in the plaza? The next level up is really going to be where the fitness area is. So, it's going to be in that addition that that lower level is the locker rooms. Okay? >> So, those locker rooms are getting

061renovated and then the two stories that are being added above it, that first area that you see, that first level will be the fitness room. And the the next level up are the classrooms, the science labs that we were showing. So, it's a great spot. You know, it's close to the gym. It's close to the fitness area, the locker rooms, and access to the gym. It really worked out well for, you know, the programmatically for the school. Instead of having people all over the place, you're able to centralize everything. >> Thank you. >> And it's not going to be the basement anymore. So, >> that's it for me. Thank you, >> Roger. I'm just so impressed. I don't know what to say. Honestly, it's it seems like when I say impressed, not so much just

062by the design. I'm impressed by the level of collaboration and teamwork that that brought this together to get this. And I I appreciate how much detail went into um somewhere in front of that like that's kind of the M. Wilton side, >> right? >> It's kind of like I don't know if it's quasi parking or whatever that is that's over there. Will that kind of be made into like sitting area garden? What What's the thinking on that? Cuz because right now it's everybody and anybody parks during the year to kind of, you know, almost fit a car in wherever it can fit in. Um it doesn't look safe even trying to do that. I don't wouldn't imagine parking should probably continue there because that's still a very odd place to come out yet creating another

063choke point onto Milton. Um so what's the thinking from that space there? >> So you're absolutely right. We are in the process right now of making kind of a master plan for the site. >> Yeah. >> And we do need some parking spaces for uh accessible access to this building. Yeah. >> So that's really what's the park. It's not going to be the >> student parking the way it's going to be now. So, it'll be kind of um blocked off a little bit more. We want a little bit of breathing space around some of those entries, a little bit of green space so that cars can't get right up against the building. Um but it's not going to be a student parking area anymore. It'll be really handicap accessible parking for that building. >> Okay.

064>> Ah, yeah. Phase zero B. >> It's going to be contractor staging area. >> Okay. because that that would probably like block off that cuz it's just I I feel like that that >> allowing I don't just didn't know what that was going to look like in the end and it's just dangerous today. >> There's a lot of cars in there. >> There's a lot Well, you have a lot of points that are there that even when they're coming out there's blind spots for you know and it can create problems. >> Remember that we have to also um build this all these buildings on this campus without interfering with you. So, uh, part of our original plan is to come into and use that area, take down the rectory building, level that area out, and

065we bring a crane in that way to set the steel on the locker room edition. So, we're going to try to build the locker room edition, the three stories there from the outside of the from not on on the main campus, from outside of the campus. So, that gets it up there. So, we're going to be that's why we're going to be moving ourselves around. So, there will be traffic in and out of that entrance, but it'll be construction traffic. I would. through to the um CTE building right >> there. So currently what I know now there is a pass through where students walk from the front end of or the back end of the campus to the front end of the campus and this is your this will be a new pass through. Is

066that correct? >> That's true. And would that be a se a sitting space somewhere in there for like if somebody wants to sit outdoors and eat lunch or something like is that what's contemplated in that space there? >> It could be you know there is the attractive nuisance problem. It it is a a narrow space. We do have some views in it and we're aware of we don't want to make any kind of blind corners or dark. >> Agreed. Agreed. I'm just trying to understand what this is. >> So I don't know. It's really going to be a conversation when we get this master site plan together. How much time the district really wants to have people in that area as a a pathway coming up and connecting the street. I think it's fantastic. >>

067Okay. If that's if that's just intended to be a pathway, it's fine. It's just the way that it appears in this drawing. It appears a little bit more than what you know >> that's our thinking. We're not sure where it's going to go. I just wanted to make sure if that's just more of a like a somewhat of a breezeway to to walk through, then that's, >> you know, if we had good light in there and we could feel that it was a comfortable space to be in. Right now, you know, you're going to have this walkway going over your head. You're going to have two buildings on either side. It's thing in you know what I mean the way that that looks and maybe I'm just misunderst potential. >> Yeah, it does. And we've

068talked about that that kind of plaza and how to treat that and make it make it nicer than it is now and more inviting than it is now. So, we talked about that in design. >> And the other thing is as we place that CTE addition, I I stressed strongly that we can't make that any narrower uh just so that it doesn't kind of become like a squeeze uh spot because that's an important pedestrian pathway. Oh, yeah. A lot of students use that to get to school um and walk into school into the school building. There will be a period though when we're when we're building on top of the locker room that we're going to have to close that pedestrian pathway for just for safety reasons. >> Sure. >> Uh so, but once as

069soon as that construction is done and we can do it, um we'll we'll open that back up. >> Okay. Yeah, it makes sense. It just that one caught my eye just because it just seemed like a really nice new space that I'm like, "Oh, that looks nice. I didn't know we were going to have that >> phase six and seven. Is that what you're proposing? I know 2035. It's kind of like more the front of the school. >> You want to see the plan instead? So, >> so we were still phasing that out. That was going to be like the last phase of what happens to the high school. Correct. And and I know we've had some discussions around what would be additional potential commissary space that would be there. Um, has anything materially changed

070in terms because I know conceptually we talked about originally we had that really beautiful glass >> thing that I'm still kind of sad about, but that's okay. Um, but we we and it turned into something a little bit different, right? Lower ceilings than what we had, but um, is there what's what may have changed in anything at all for that? >> So, when you were asking that question, I kept thinking about the atrium. Um, so we did before Dave's time, uh, we walked, um, that area and one of the things that we talked about, me, Chris, Colby, and Jared, was making sure that the the the floor becomes flat because with the original design, it was like steps and steps here, um, which, uh, made you kind of lose square footage. Um, so we talked

071about um making it a flat space so it could um house more students. So we have not had discussions as of late about the atrium um but it's something that's still um going to be talked about and discussed further. >> Okay. Yeah. I I just wasn't sure if that was something that maybe was discussed and maybe I just missed it and >> yeah not yet. It's it's design of that is in 26. So, we haven't even no one's look really looked at that space for further development because we're working on all the rest of the spaces. you know, and that that impression as you approach the building is is going to be a great first impression. And that's really something that they don't want to show anything too soon. So I they even said don't

072show them the massing model yet because you know it's right now it's the shapes and the boxes but they're they're still working out those details. But the the idea of bringing together all those parts is really important and making an identity an identity for the building something that reflects aing and the values of the school district. Um it's it's asking a lot you know as you drive up onto this building but I think talk about but the the layer I mean that site is complicated right because you got different elevations we've got two parking lots we had a lot of conversations still ongoing about the kitchen servery area so we spent a lot of time on the inside and some broad strokes around the outside and and again of course as Jared points out that

073he's got that history here the the view from the back as well because it'll be on a very high point. Everyone's aware about what this needs to look like from the outside from both when you drive up and also from the back. But there's a it's a for lack of a better term a little tricky site. I I'll say the word challenging because of the different elevations and there's a lot of attention spent on those things >> right right now what was happening on that process to give you an idea and pro and why you're really not seeing the renderings yet is because their first goound is what they'd really like to try to do and then we cost it out and say okay that's great but we can't afford that so let's lower the

074cafeteria and Jiren and I both came up with that simultaneously and that we don't need they had a a twotory or two and a half story cafeteria. Let's lower that. Let's lower the um auditorium a little bit because that was made out of three story. So we start looking at the design and saying okay we're pushing it. I'm not looking to cut the design elements just keep them in budget. So that's what we work on now. the same thing with the you you figure at the same time we're looking at all the mechanical systems that have to go in there and uh Jared and I become the the instrumental parties to basically challenge the engineers on what's going on with the mechanical systems how are we doing this and where are they placed so all

075that is happening at the same time so it's all being developed uh we come up with our ideas um everybody and then they have to go back to the drawing board redo it I think they're very close to an exterior design, but we haven't seen it either. >> All I have to say is this. I always look forward to these meeting. I always always this is just like the best. But the fact the way that you guys have integrated all of this and the way you kind of make this all work, I can't tell you how amazingly proud I am um of the work that you guys have done and thank you so much. >> All right. Um thank you. So I just want to kind of like recap what I have heard about all

076of these projects is that um you know you're all meeting regularly um and tinkering in the under the hood right to get you know at some point you have to pick where the outlets go and pick which way the doors swing and that's the kind of kind of granular work that we're doing now and maybe we've hit some snags with SED with Army Corps of Engineers but we've seen some flexibility in our approach that have allowed us to stay basically on track. We're still hopefully going to kind of catch up to where we want to be in um phase zero A. We don't want to fall behind while we're still in phase 0 A, right? Um and that things are basically going on track thanks to the heavy lift that you guys are all sharing

077a load of. So, um I appreciate that. Um my question is related to the uh drive driveway for AMD. Um hopefully there's no hang-ups and that we would know already by now if there were any like end of day today or when would we hear if there were any related hang-ups? Would we already know or would we be waiting for like an email or something like that? >> It's it's any it's any day, right? Um the Army Corps of Engineers, that's really where it's sitting right now. Um Mary has written letters and have contacted the your legislator. >> Yes, we've talked about that pushing that through. Um they basically indicated that they didn't see really any problems. They're going to have standard comments. It's really just getting them to sign it. >> Okay. >> EPA

078piece. >> That's correct. EPA >> until the end of >> right com. So, no news is good news there. That's correct. And right now the schedule for that, remember we can't start the the drive work until we get to. and which is before. >> So we're tracking that along the way and and everybody is applying appropriate pressure to get somebody to move. >> But again, done a great job. We need contractors as soon as this is approved. So we try to do a parallel path to make sure everything is all ready to go so that and we have people lined up who want this. So assuming it was good news today that no news was good news, when should our community members like see something happening there? >> November. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> It's

079going to start with the tree cut, >> right? Um my other question is about Brookside and I apologize if this was answered in the presentation, but if it was, I um missed it. When are we expecting the Brookside classrooms to be ready to go? >> Uh Brookside classrooms will be completed next uh June and then there's some summer renovations as well. >> Okay. >> So, our kids who are in Park School can look forward to that uh to taking advantage of that space. >> Great. >> Let me add one more thing to that. In this year's budget, you put in the Brookside Cafeteria, >> right? So, we're trying to push um the architectural team into pushing that through so we can actually get that approved. And we're trying We don't know if we're going to

080be able to do it, but have that being constructed right at the tail end of when we're finishing the addition so that you get everything in one shot. That's our goal. Let's see if we hit it. >> Okay. Anything else from the board? Thank you so much for coming out um tonight and and sharing. It's always nice to hear good news and the work that you guys are doing is beautiful and uh exciting stuff for our students. Uh, next on our agenda is our consent agenda. Does anybody have anything from 4.1 through 4.7 that they wish to break out? Okay. Um, I'll take a motion for 4.1 through 4.7. >> So moved. >> Second. >> 4.1, Resolution to approve an agreement with the Westchester County Board of Elections. 4.2, Resolution to approve Phoenix Graphics, Inc.

081as the official ballot printer. 4.3 Resolution to approve Ron's Trucking Corps as a moving company for transporting the voting machines. 4.4 Resolution to appoint a consultant for the 2025 2026 school year. 4.5 Resolution to approve the minutes of the special meeting of June 4th, 2025. 4.6 Resolution to approve the minutes of the special meeting executive session of June 11th, 2025. 4.7 resolution to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of June 20 uh June 25th, 2025. Any discussion? All in favor? >> I opposed abstensions. Looking at consent agenda uh business office matter. a 5.4 resolution regarding disposal of classroom equipment and textbooks AMD and Roosevelt. 5.5 resolution regarding interfund transfers. Any discussion? All in favor? I >> I >> opposed abstensions. All right, we're on um six consent agenda curriculum and instruction. I'll take a

082motion for 6.1. So >> move second. 6.1 resolution to approve recommended placements. Any discussion? All in favor? >> I opposed abstensions. Now we're on consent agenda personnel matters. Does anybody have anything from 7.1 through 7.13 that they wish to break out? All right. Seeing none, I'll take a motion for 7.1 through 7.13. So move. >> Second. >> 7.1 Resolution regarding professional staff resignations. 7.2 Resolution regarding civil service staff resignations. 7.3 Resolution regarding professional staff appointments. 7.4 4 resolution regarding confidential staff appointments. 7.5 Resolution regarding civil service staff appointments. 7.6 Resolution regarding support staff appointments. 7.7 Resolution regarding bus attendant appointments. 7.8 Resolution regarding professional staff appointments before after school programs. 7.9 Resolution regarding professional staff appointments summer programs. 7.10 10 resolution regarding civil service staff appointments, summer school programs. A 7.11 resolution regarding support staff

083appointments, summer school programs. So, we should probably have some discussion on this because we're adopting it as a second reading. Um, so I guess my question is, uh, there has been a strikethrough made in the enforcement section, which is on page two. if you're looking at the print out that's here um because of some kind of I don't know uh parent red for clarity sake but it's not a >> yeah no it's um um we um it's about a consequence of progressive discipline for failure we really wanted to take the spirit of u obviously this was a template that came from different law firms that different people have been working on them. But um we wanted to make sure that um this was this is going to be really hard for students particularly high school

084students and we wanted to not make it a policing situation in many ways. So that um we need flexibility in terms of how this is going to work. How do we um provide um you know strong positive behavioral motivations in this Does this it doesn't seem to me to be a substantive difference in the policy just to strike through for clarity sake because what's there is not untrue but it's also redundant in our code of conduct. Correct. Um, so are we able to pass this as a second reading as amended? >> Yes. >> Or would we have to rely and I went through all that today and we're good. >> Okay. Um, any other questions about this policy or further discussion read? Yeah, >> this is I I just want to say I think this

085has been a lot of work that's been put into this and we've had conversations um and this is back when I was on the policy um committee and I'm glad that Latoya and team had put her input into this because I think that was the thing that always worried me just because I know in the in the middle school there's it's an easier transition. Yes. >> Um and obviously the younger schools How do I get in touch with my kid? What happens if I something happened at home that I know need to let the kid right? There's going to be a lot of that that's going to be there. Um and and just know that there might be some points where we are going to need to figure out how to adapt, but you know,

086not everybody can be a possible exception to this, right? So, you know, just putting that out there for the purpose of the community and this board um for us just to contemplate. >> It's the law. >> Yeah. No, it it is the law, but I'm just saying that there there are plenty of people who may not even be aware what the law is or is not. So that's why I'm just saying here like you know we we just prepare for a good um cause of what we're trying to do here but at the same time prepare for potential backlash that would that we may need to figure out how to address it. So it comes at the building level versus school level >> right and I think uh we will um meeting with actually it's

087on articular with Nicole we have many drafts of how do we communicate this and then my um conversation with Latoya we we spent about two hours going through it this is to be continued but we have to be clear on this and then in in another level I will do a gentle respect and redirect if people uh are objecting at particularly at the high school level with a we have an open campus. We have kids that leave. We have um kids who purchase their own phones. Their parents don't buy them for them. There's a whole list that you know the Remind app is very popular. Um it's uh uh just anyway, we'll see how it goes. A lot of my colleagues are not happy with this at the high school level. Not happy. >> Meaning

088that they're they're not happy with this policy. >> Yeah. that that it's a mandated one-sizefits-all with very little flexibility, particularly at the high school level itself. You you it's the same solution for a like, you know, like during here's a perfect example. If we have a lockout, how do we notify kids who are out at lunch? >> Right. >> How do we do that? How do we do that? >> Right. Right. or you know and if there's ever like again this is thinking about in terms of the the that communication just because there's this is a different crowd where this students are out and they have more liberties of doing things they want to that maybe outside of what middle school allows for but middle school this has been this wouldn't be a surprise as

089much in middle school as it is in the high school >> there there would be very little change this year was a different approach to the current policy at AMD and Nicole mentions that it's been um successful. >> Um we do have a strobe light um that's on the building, a blue strobe light on the high school to notify students that there's a lockout or a lockown. >> Is it prominent to for to that that would be kind of like that students be aware that hey >> yeah I mean that that's good. I mean the lockout part is not what concerns me. I think that what concerns me is the the the reasons for why we should versus what we're putting in place >> and we're addressing that. And I also think though I guess

090some school districts as well Austin was quite proactive to put that light out. But you know usually if you have your phone with it you would get an explanation. You would get more information as to what to do. But again and um at the high school level you have kids that have um get their sports information immediately on their phones. uh whether a game changed, a location changed, um they could be meeting with their counselors over um you know um post-graduation employment or um a college application and you might need to factor authentification that could involve your phone. So there we we there there will be unanticipated challenges at the high school level. So the whole point about the um slight change here is to provide a little bit more flexibility and support for our

091kids as they go through this change. >> Yeah. No, I agree. I think just from as a board I think we probably should maybe be behind making sure their buildings are supported for particularly but let's start with you obviously because you're managing all the buildings but um making sure that there's more of that this ability to be able to do what it's needed to be flexible. So okay thank you. Um, if there is consensus from the board on this, I would be very curious to hear this in um information on how this is going incorporated into Latoya's presentation to the board whenever she she makes it because I I I'm curious about its impact on on try potentially. You know, if a student says, "Well, I can't use my phone in school. I'll just leave."

092Right. >> Right. And then they may end up they may have been a kid who went to the bathroom for the period and hung out in the bathroom doing it. Maybe now they'll be a kid who walk who walks down the street like or maybe not. Maybe it will work. willing to kind of think about this and toil away at it because that was one of my primary concerns when I even heard this was going to be a thing is what are going to be the impacts on on discipline, right? That are already a concern for um for many people. So, I'm glad that we're looking at it through that lens. Um, in addition to what Christine said, I'm also interested to see how, you know, as we're starting to grow with this, how we're

093preparing students in particular for that this is even a thing, right? Some may know already, some may come to school day one and realize this is a thing for the first time. I know we have a website that's used to educate the community. Um, but I'm curious because much like the code of conduct itself, many students don't even know it exists, let alone what is in it. So, this is another addition to that and I'm just curious as to what that roll out looks like to because there's also that piece, right? We have a policy saying what you can and can't do with the device, but we also have students who are going to be showing up day one knowing for the first time this exists. So, that's why I'm really glad. >> And it's

094awareness. It's a transition. It's awareness. And you have to It's time. >> All right. Thank you. >> Further discussion. Um, >> I opposed. Extensions. All right. Item nine on our agenda is our audience recognition. So we'll take public comment on any school related issue. Does anybody in our audience wish to speak? Please, not all at once. Okay. Um Elliot, is there anybody online? >> Okay. Thank you. All right. Now it's time for board reports and dialogue. Um I'm assuming that no committees have met since our last um meeting. Um so I'll start I'm going up to Albany tomorrow for the leadership and education event. So I'm excited to do that and when I come back I'll if I get any good uh slides I'll make sure to share them out. >> It's a great event

095to go to. So yeah I'm hoping next year I will be there as well. >> Yeah I I got to go last year. It was really um it was good and there's like a little there's a Westchester Putinham meet up tomorrow night before it starts so prepare to miss a bet a good time everyone who's staying home. Um is does anybody else have any other updates? Um, I did just and um, you know, it it wasn't going to prohibit me from voting on 7.11, but I did just want to confirm like, have we filled all coaching positions for our fall sports season in anticipation of the school year beginning? >> Dr. >> We have. The only exception I have to double check with uh, our athletic director is for JV boys volleyball, which is a

096brand new team. Yeah, >> which was uh requested during budget Saturday and approved by the board. That's the only one because it's brand new and I want to double check on that, but every everything else is full. >> Okay, great. And we're on track for winter sports. >> Yes. >> And all of that. Okay, perfect. Thank you. Um, and then I guess the other item of board dialogue is I wanted to acknowledge and full disclosure I am director of a private nonprofit that is awesome destination imagination boosters and I have done that for many many years but um the district has um sent out an info form and announced an intention to run some teams that are district led this year and I know that that is something that at the board table has been

097discussed for a number of years and honestly from start to finish this has been 10 years in the making. Um I do serve on the international DEIB committee for the global organization and the committee's conclusion are the number one step that districts can do to combat the equity issue within the program itself is to become involved. um rather than having it being run by private organizations. So, I'm really pleased to see that happening here. >> A reminder to complete your board self avail. That was a date I selected so that I would have time to process and share out the information ahead of our retreat on the 20th. So, um, we haven't yet done it. I don't think perhaps anybody's completed it. Maybe we've got one my daughter perform in a band concert. So, that's

098where I will be. Um, and I don't think I have anything else. Does anybody have anything else? >> Ju just one um one other thing just as part of our discussion. Um just in thinking about that the Robert Robert's rules um for the um reading the resolutions I I think we probably should um have some sort of discussion as to you know whether we want to continue to read out every resolution that there is just because there you know there's not really a requirement for us to do so. So I just want to see how the rest of the board feels in terms of we don't have to read out every single one of them line by line. So, um, throw that out there to anybody. >> I know we had that discussion before. I

099think most of us were aware it's not a requirement, but there were, um, you know, speaking of things like equity and things of that nature. I think there were reasons that we decided as a board that it best for us to do that. >> Okay. Um I'm sure that's it when all of us are here. We can revisit that conversation. But I do remember it um being a back and forth before at one point for some of those same you know recollections that it's not required but something that we felt was you know best for us to do but can always revisit conversations. >> Well let's why don't we wait till we have everybody here then I'm I'm open to that. I just figured let's have a conversation as part of that and you know

100if there's you know if I don't know if it how much time it saves or what have you but I think the thing is if we decide as a board that we want to keep that it's fine in terms of how we want to keep it. I just figured we'd put it out there and let's see how the the temperature of the board is on this particular discussion. >> Um I will take an opportunity to uh let us know that we >> um will be discussing board norms in our retreat on the 20th. Um, and we've asked Jay Verona to join us for the first hour of that. Um, and I I don't think we'll be Yes. So, I don't think that we are um probably going to discuss that specific item during that hour.

101We're probably going to be wanting to talk about, you know, uh, well, we can decide what we want to talk about. Um, but during that time where we're discussing, board norm is something that we can discuss at that time. I don't know if we need Jay involved for that particular >> I don't think it should be >> part of the discussion but um >> yeah I don't I can't I can't foresee that being like an overly lengthy discussion. I mean I'm just thinking here there everybody's going to have some reasons and inputs behind why or why not etc. And let's have that discussion and if it's decided we're going to keep it the way it is and that's the discussion. Right. >> Right. Maybe you can time it next and see how much time it

102actually takes. Um, >> I might take you up on that. >> Well, you know what? You can go back. You can look historically and see because they're all on YouTube for you to watch. Um, >> but she's actually suggesting the retreat. >> Well, that actually >> what >> you're suggesting to time it at the retreat, right? >> No, no, next meeting. But yeah, you can also go back and, you know, make us a Excel spreadsheet of how long it takes. >> Excel. How much time? We could be home. >> Who knows? I put a loud How about we put a loud timer on it because 90 seconds earlier? Yeah, would be my guess. But yeah, I'll just say my position on this is I'm very ambivalent about it, but if there is one board member

103who feels very strongly it should be read, then I'm fine reading them. >> I I I concur with that. I just wanted to see where we all are. I'm >> I'm fine to read them. it. I have found that at the times when I want to go back and review a board meeting, which isn't very often for me because I live it obviously here, but sometimes I can't recall exactly what was said and I think, oh, where did we land on that? I want to go back and look. I find that having read equity issue, then even if it helps one person, I'm for it. I don't mind getting home five minutes later, 90 seconds later, whatever it is. I don't feel strongly about it other than that. I I will tell you what what

104there was one day at Catherine did such a speedreading job of it. I I think I almost fell off my chair. >> Um I know uh that the principles are the elementary school principles are asking about a paw print for a mascot. >> Yeah. >> Uh with school quickly approaching. Now, I know that we're not all here tonight and that may perhaps the people who feel most strongly and the two people on our communications committee. No, Rob's not on the committee anymore. Um are, you know, we're not all here tonight. So, I don't know if we want to have this discussion right now about whether or not we want to go forward with a paw print. >> I have one question. Sorry. Is there a reason they want a paw print and not a baby

105lion? Just just wondering >> I guess it's simplicity. I I guess the question comes up is that and I I guess we will start the year then with Parky Pig, the Brookside B the Claremont Owl because they've got campaigns that we want to roar into reading pause positive accountable well-mannered and safe. There's a list of things that they felt would be >> basically they're already trying to incorporate the lion into the culture. >> We want to roar into reading. I mean there's a list of them here. So there is the PTA. That's the one point just anybody listening. The mascot's mascot. The logo is the brand for the school. So the >> logo and the brand are the ones that are here. Those are >> K. They're on all stationary. They're on everything. They're on

106>> it's it's But if you like when you look at the science research program, right? They've got the >> atom going around it and there's a little critter there. I think it's a possum. Okay. Is that a possum? So, so, but I don't think anyone came to to the board for parky pig or >> it's the animal kingdom, right? We got the pig, the owls, the you know, Roosevelt, come one, come on. >> So, I'm not I don't think they would be no to a a cub, but at the end of the day, it's a it's just a neutral and you see that in other places. So, um that the question is is that you know >> so >> do you ought to have someone who will design one that the board can have a

107say in what it looks like >> and is it perhaps possible right now to not open the can of worms about athletics on the high school and just talk about do we want a paw print >> I mean I I agreed with trustee Melstein's commentary of like we really need to let this logo sit and percolate and be absorbed and be utilized before we do any iterations of that or variations of that. I do I do think that's sound advice. The paw print to me is is a cute little accessory to this. I don't think that it takes away from this. I don't think it interferes with this. I think I'd be much more okay with like a paw print being used in conjunction with this as opposed to a mini version of this or

108a cubby version of this or some other iteration of this at this point. And we're sorry just for clarity on this. Are we thinking that the front paw print would be what buildings are we talking about >> elementary setting like a lot of places they would put let's say in the middle of one park in the name of the school in it and >> it you know >> just is a little sticker or something. You see it in many school districts. I mean we did have a >> but but again like as what Katherine mentioned it it it will happen naturally because it's a >> it will >> it's a it's a line >> right which brings my question I in theory I guess it makes sense if we're going to go with that go

109with a rendering that we expect people to use but what's the expectation that people are going to everyone's going to go with that right because if people are already deciding what they're going to use who's to say that they're going to decide to use what we >> point to they can you that you can point to. But >> at least there's a reference document that'll basically say here's here's your >> if you want to use the paw print here. >> Exactly. Versus creating many different variations of the same >> versus 75 different paw prints. >> When I was on the PTA it was more annoying to have to create something didn't to use what was already there. So, I am just assuming that people would do that instead of doing extra work to make their

110own and having it match the color and all that stuff. >> I I'm going to say I'm comfortable if we decide, do we want to >> just to give you an idea of some of the things that they're looking at, they're looking at >> awesome scholars. They just um roaring readers, roaring writers, um you know um lion leaders, proud cubs, poor little I mean like like it it will >> there's no reason they can do all of those alliterations with or without a paw print, right? Like like they don't we don't >> we haven't said yes to that. That's where I am. There's a lot of sensitivity around this. you know, but but I um yeah, to me I'm like there is no reason why they can't say roaring into reading. >> To me, that's

111how the mascot >> is supported. >> It is supportive and becomes part of our >> culture. Correct. That we incorporated into things. Correct. So with with many particularly in terms of campaigns like that in for particularly for elementary school, what's the graphic that you add to it? I I think we should give them some sort of a standard graphic rather than they're becoming brainstorming and just finding all kinds of way to incorporate the borrow from Melissa the reality of the lion into our culture. >> Right. It's great. >> A quick question on the line itself. So um just for clarity for the that so the high school itself is going to use that ex use that into there as like a you know Austin high school pride you know Austin pride line that that logo

112or is that we just keep that as a district only logo right now >> it's for everybody everybody >> that's for everybody okay that's what I thought it was universal usage that for across the district okay good >> but I would imagine during Homecoming, you'll see kids dressed up as a lion. >> Oh, I've heard they are already >> I heard there's a mascot in the work. >> I know there it will take >> Yeah, it will. It will. But that's how it becomes part of our culture, >> right? Um I went to the NISPA federal advocacy echoing um webinar today and it was you know a lot of numbers and some good news and not so good news. So I guess the um July 1 funding freeze has since been released. So that was

113$400 million. I know our senators supported that. And then the bad news was that some previously appropriate appropriated funds might be taken back and they just need a simple majority to do that. Um, so that's a conversation that's going on in Congress and doesn't seem to be amazing. But did they send you any slides? No. If they do, would you mind forwarding them to the board? >> Sure. I did get um the consolidated essa webinar slides. Does everybody want those? >> Sure. Okay. And then um just going along with that, the NISBA had NSBA there too and they invited you know board members to the advocacy and equity institute in DC in February and I was just wondering what we have for that in terms of professional development that doesn't need to be answered right

114now. Just curious. Sorry if you take any kind of timing of when in February. >> Uh one one through third >> 1st through third. I might be interested if that if we do ever if we do have um a mechanism for us to get there. >> I would be too. Do you mind sending an email to the board so that we can track it um and the governance committee can keep like a record of it? >> Sure. >> Of like attendance. No, of the the request to explore it further. >> Oh, okay. Um, >> all right. Did you all get an email for it today? >> It came through today. Yeah. >> Anything else? Uh, any discussion? All in favor? I opposed. Abstensions. Have a nice night.