Board of Education Meeting April 9, 2025

001All right. Good evening. I'd like to call to order this Wednesday, April 9th, 2025 board of education special meeting. Uh our assistant superintendent is going to uh Maria Angelica Meyer is going to lead us in the pledge. I aliance to the flag of 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. Welcome. Uh, next on our agenda for this evening is our superintendent's update. Um, Mary Fox Alter, please take it away. Um, hi everyone. Um, we are approaching our spring break, so I hope uh we'll get some spring weather when we approach our spring break. Um, but in the meantime, um, we're excited about all the different activities that have been taking place. I'm going to share a little

002bit of my update after I go through some crowds with our assistant superintendent for instruction and our assistant superintendent for business. I think Alita has some followup regarding some work u the board had about cafeterias and um lines for kids. So, we have a a positive report to share and Maria has an update on the New York State testing because as I'm sure you've seen some of the headlines in New York State, some school districts couldn't do it. It was all CBT, computer-based testing, and it was a bumpy ride for the state of New York. So, Maria has some awesome data for us. But in the meantime, I want to give a huge shout out to Austining High School senior Sophia Mandalas who presented her Alzheimer's research at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting

003in San Diego, California. Absolutely amazing. Our Austining High School VA program completed over 150 tax returns for our community members um that gained hands-on experience and made a real life difference in where it matters most. I want to thank Miss Pavoc and Miss Jacobe for their leadership here. Our spring outdoor track team this year hosted their first annual invitational this past Saturday. We welcomed over 1,000 student athletes from 18 different schools. an incredible turnout. We just we are in the middle of celebrating um assist national assistant principles week. We want to thank our amazing and hardworking assistant principles for their hard work, dedication, and leadership uh in our schools. Claremont held an amazing science fair last week. I love our young scientists. They they wowed us with their creativity, curiosity, and amazing projects. Um, a

004big shout out to the Austining Early Childhood PTA for organizing a simply amazing readathon. This is thanks to their hard work and dedication of our towards our students. They raised an incredible I want everyone to wait for it $46,000 and read a whopping $314,000 minutes. Can we all give them a big round of applause for that? I see their a president here is in our audience and I did invite them to come to a future board meeting where we can talk a little bit more about what an incredible rate readathon and fabulous work. Um Claremont um school put on an excellent production of I Love Broadway. I want to thank our students and um their parents and our teachers and our and Miss Fzine and her team for what they did. Our high school bots

005made waves at the packet competition. They ran ranked second overall by going undefeated in the qualls and battled to the finals to receive the autonomous award. Now they head off to the New York Tech Valley competition. Math Madness took Brookside by storm. I want to thank all the families that joined in to help support math awareness, mass games, and and a special thank you to our amazing PTA once again for their support. Um, just a brief reminder again, we're closed next week for our spring recess. We wish everybody a restful and relaxing break. And um, for those celebrating Easter and Passover, we uh, wish everyone a wonderful holiday. Um, lacrosse and flag football and basketball camps are taking place during the week of spring break at Austining High School. There's still limited space available. So,

006if anyone would like to join in, please do. Right. Um, our lady, our prestigious ladies of power. I was at uh they had a like a booth set up at the high school today with some wonderful um made jewelry and baskets. They're hosting their uh fashion and achievement night May 1st from 7 to 900 pm. So mark your calendars and come for a night of creativity, fun, and fashion. Okay. So, Maria, can I turn over to you for the state testing update? Absolutely. Good evening. Thank you, Superintendent Fox Alter. Um, as Mary mentioned, we started our assessment window. We opened it up this week with English language arts. be started on Monday. Um, Wednesday and Thursday. Yesterday, as Mary mentioned, um, there was a little hitch with the administration. The Nextera uh, platform went down

007and had a shortage. Uh, so, but yesterday we were not impacted. Yesterday, our Roosevelt and our Claremont schools went without a hitch. Um however today we had um Claremont day two and AMD's day one. Uh we did uh we were impacted by the shortage and uh however with a slight delay we went we implemented and we administered the ELA assessment and our children completed it. a letter went out to our families to just let them know. Um and the we are advocating with the state and the state is advocating on our behalf to make sure that Nextera is on point as we continue with the spring administration. uh when we come back from our tomorrow's day two for AMD uh and when we return we will be uh administering our nice slot for our English

008uh English language learners the speaking component on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday that is obviously oral so we won't be impacted by computer-based um testing and then right after that beginning of May we will be administering our math assessments that will back to computer-based testing. And at the end of August, uh, April, excuse me, we will be administrating administering our fifth and eighth grade science assessments, which also will be computer-based. The state is expecting the next be on point with the administration and the platform. That's the vendor for the computer-based testing. There were some school districts, some large ones, that just couldn't log on at all. Yes, I heard. I'm glad we got the testing done. I heard a lot of districts have to basically reschedu and they're really losing two days. This is a big

009deal. So, I'm glad I'm glad to hear we didn't have that level of disruption. And you are correct, Mr. Schnecker. So, the state did make an adjustment. They did extend the administration window by one week. So, now they're giving us until May 3rd, 23rd for the administration and May 30th for scoring. So, they did give us that that extension. However, at this moment in time, I'm knocking wood. Uh, Austining is not impacted. Tomorrow is our day two. So, stay tuned. And I think it's important to note that just think about our little third and fourth grader sitting down and take a test and, you know, it's half hour, 45 minutes, you're all ready to do this. It's a computer-based test and just um very disappointing to say the least. So the the state issued some

010I think you'll probably see it in the paper tomorrow, but there were some pretty strong statements put out by the state. And I must I must commend our administration, our teachers for really creating a very calm uh testing environment. Uh even though our children needed to wait a little bit, they opened up their books um and they were really calm. And then we staggered the the actual um administration. And u I want to thank Mike Hannah and his team too. Absolutely. technology very helpful again with that calm supportive presence. Absolutely. Very important and we'll be back at it tomorrow. Thank you. Thank you. So did so just to understand what happened. So were some students not able to take it and then they were were any students like taking it and then it just crashed

011and they have to go back in or all of the above? Thank you for the question. Um, so today, so yesterday when it went went without a hitch. Today, uh, we weren't even able to start the test. So, um, and then there were, I believe, three incidences where the computer shut off on our student, but when we put it back on, we turned back the computer back on, the student was exactly where they left off. And every child that took the test today was able to submit and complete the assessment. There are makeups though, but I think all the above started happened in a lot of other districts. I know there's students that were 50 questions in and then lost the rest of the test and now have to go back and redo it. So,

012we we we got lucky on this one. Yes. Yes. Yes. We are very fortunate. My inbox was filled with emails from very angry, rightly so, superintendent whose kids lost all their work, kids who were hanging, kids who couldn't get on. Yeah. Hi. Thank you. Thank you. All right, Alita. So, I'll start off by um discussing uh my visit uh to AMD. I met with uh Nicole, the principal, and also Ena, the director of food services here. Uh I can tell you that um in speaking with Nicole, she's very pleased with the amount of time um that students are being able uh to eat. Uh she has said that uh students are typically moving through the lunch line in 15 to 20 minutes, which provides up to uh 20 minutes outside. Uh, one thing that we

013did notice is that um the students that are waiting uh for food are the students that are interested in a um a uh a handmade uh sandwich. So, the sandwich line when I was here, uh these are students that were waiting because they wanted the sandwiches. Handmade. We do make some pre-made sandwiches. Um so one thing that might be an opportunity is maybe having another lunch line uh for um for sandwiches. Uh but again we have to revisit um fund balance um to see if that's possible. Um but overall she said that um the students are getting in the line um and and accessing their food within uh 15 to 20 minutes minutes and eating their food um providing them with um up to 20 minutes outside. So uh she will continue to work with

014her staff to monitor the lines but um overall she does not have any issues with the number of students uh or the length of the lines. um with regard to them missing out on recess time. Uh regarding C, I did take a I had a conversation with our consultants and um we do have a consulting group that we work with because we um use a vendor uh to provide our food service and they provided me with some great news related to C. Um they said that the likelihood of C not being available um to the district um in 2526 is very unlikely. Um they said that we should plan that we will have C and still be eligible um in 202526. In fact the state already put out the applications for um C. Um sorry

015what is C? Community eligibility provision. um have they've already put out the um applications for from the state and they would not do that if they didn't think that the funding wouldn't be there uh for the C program. Um there's a consultant that the consultants work with and one of their representatives had a meeting with the uh United States Department of Agriculture and uh community eligibility provision which allows for all students to eat for free in the school district all meals um and it subsidizes by the state and the federal government. Um so the uh USDA didn't even mention the word C during their conversation so they said there there's no need to worry. Um what they did encourage us to do is to um complete another application. Uh C normally lasts for four years.

016They said that we should consider applying again even though we haven't lost our eligibility status under the previous eligibility status which is now 25% and used to be 40. Um they said that they would encourage us to do that so we can extend it out even further and be grandfathered in. should there be any changes made in the future. Um, but they said that there is really no need to worry. They also talked about the impact uh dollar amount with regard to taking the money out of a federal budget and the impact is minimal. Um, but the success of the program is great. So, I they don't believe that the the the amount of money that they may save is worth the the heartache um that it would cause for that kind of program to

017go away in a state and not be funded with federal dollars. Nolita, you're also looking at a kiosk of one kind or another. You're still doing that investigation. Yeah, I need to check fund balance. Um, but I did I also met with a vendor yesterday. Um, and was looking at if we were to do a um a kiosk, it would be right there where those vendors, those vending machines are. Those would be removed and the kiosk would be placed there. That's really the only place that it can go. Right. So again, helpful to help move kids, have another station where they could be having um we'd have to staff it obviously and they we have to make sure that they get all the components of a free lunch, but again um we're we're um following

018up on the board's recommendations, right? Um so can can we follow up on that? Um sure. Those two those. So first Alita on the on the launch thing. First of all, thank you. I appreciate you going into the school speaking with Dr. Novver. Just on the timing though, if the lunch period is 41 to 42 minutes, if kids are taking 15 to 20 to get through, and I understand the context of the recess, but my sort of bringing this up over and over is not so much do they have enough time to recess, it's more the holistic view. So, if they're 15 to 20 minutes to get through a lunch line, they're sitting down. Hopefully, they're not eating in five minutes. Let's call it 10. Now we're at 30 10 minutes for recess. So the

019net here, you know, respectfully to to Dr. Novver. And I I also want to think about the staff because we didn't bring that in. Like if a staff is ordering lunch too, like do they have to wait and they only have uh 40 41 minutes. The point is, I don't think it's a done deal here because we've now confirmed that half of the 41 minute period is waiting on a line before a kid sits down to eat and then we they So, they're only getting 10 minutes maybe of that recess. So, I do think there's more work here if the board and I'm going to keep bringing it up to look into whether Yes, the other lunch line. Great idea. Roger. I know you might want to mention and the the an app but the

020net is it's confirmed that the line is taking half the period and so I do think there's more work to be done on here what that work is TBD but thank you for going in on that um Alita do you know and if you don't know off the top of your head uh roughly how many students are in a lunch period it's an entire grade level right that's how they're chunked right now so That's in the neighborhood of how many kids? 300. 300 kids. 350. 350. So, um, and presumably most of them because we are offering free lunch are in that line. Yes. And that's the other thing I that actually Nicole, Dr. Nova, brought up today is that our ADP, which is our average daily participation, has significantly increased since we became C. So,

021it's good to see that even though the ATP has gone up, the students are still moving through the line. I I was here for quite some time, not quite some time, but um I remember being here before C and it it felt more more like everybody was rushing, but it was quite actually calm when we were here standing here um watching the kids patiently wait um for their their sandwich. the sandwich, which is very nice because we have Bor's head. Um, so it's nice to see that they like that product. Um, but they really wanted that that made sandwich um for themselves. So they it looked like and and Nicole said those students are really not they weren't rushing to go outside. They really just wanted to eat their food. So today was a little

022chilly too outside with with the weather today. But I think she mentioned to us, at least she mentioned to me that her goal is to make sure that kids are outside for at least 15 20 minutes. So we'll circle back and get more specificity, but that was um just on the path towards the questions, right? I mean, I think the option of a kiosk for those students that want more time outside and like you know, you know, that's a good option too to consider. So appreciate the work being done and look forward to hearing a little bit more. Thank you. Alita, just a quick question for you. I know this is perhaps more of a harder sort of a question to answer and is there any discussions um with um our food service vendor for

023any of our buildings um potentially look at like pre-ordering through an app type of thing? I know that is that and it's not can they do it for us. Are they doing it for any district anywhere? And if they are, if they're piloting testing and things like that, is that something you can find out about and come back to us? Yes. Thank you. All right. Anything else in our superintendent update? We're good. Okay. Ready to move on. So, our first audience recognition period is not to exceed 10 minutes and um comments should be made only related to agenda items. Uh, do we have anybody in our first public comment period who wishes to speak? No. Um, anything that's on the agenda? Yes. Agenda related items. Okay. So, I'm going to if you are going to

024speak, that's fine. You you can speak. I have to read my public comment guidelines beforehand. So, it'll take a moment. If nobody speaks, I skip reading the guidelines because then who am I reading them to? Okay, here we go. Uh we are about to begin the first public comment period of our meeting not to exceed 10 minutes. Although the 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 that the board is here to listen. The public comment period is not designed to be a discussion. Accordingly, please do not expect the board to necessarily respond to your concerns and

025questions tonight. We take uh 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 that you go through the appropriate administrative channels. We want our schoolboard meetings to serve as an example to our students that members of our schoolboard and members of our community can deal with controversial issues in a civil manner that demonstrate mutual respect for one another. In that spirit, we

026will 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. During the first uh 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 BOENUSD.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 meeting 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

027public 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 you're ready with the timer. Okay, you can come up. Thank you for being patient. Good evening. Alex received some very disappointing news. Sorry. So, uh, I received some very disappointing news today and I know from the summary that you just read that this isn't an active discussion, but I would like it to be. So, I would like any input that you could give me. The resignation of our athletic director, uh, Chris Herrera. the why, just kind of, you know, the summary about how this is going on. Uh, I've lived in this town. I've seen some really bad athletic directors through my time here

028as a student and, uh, my time here as a parent as well. is my opinion mine alone that Chris has done a very good job in the short period of time that he has been employed through the system. Um I'm sorry you can't speak about specific uh he's on he's on he's on here you I'll read again from our policy for you. Um let me find it. Uh under state and federal privacy laws we are unable to entertain any comments or questions about school personnel or individual student matters. So, you can talk about what you'd like about the program. You can keep your comments specific to the program. You can talk about what you'd like to see in the program, but we can't be dropping names. Okay? So, those are your rules. I'll read again

029from our public. That's fine. I won't say a name. These are your rules, though. It's only our task. It's under state and federal privacy laws. We are unable to entertain any comments or questions about school person. Okay. So, it is my opinion that this athletic director who doesn't have a name has done a very good job. Can you please try to conform to our public comment guidelines? This athletic director has done a very good job in his short period of time here. I don't know what caused this friction, but I can tell you that this athletic director has done a very good job with our kids. Sir, sir, can I redirect you? If there's a program that your children have been involved with and you'd like to talk about, things that you've seen in that

030program that you appreciated, if you could structure your comments that way, then we won't be risking violating state and federal privacy laws. Varsity soccer, varsity softball, varsity baseball, varsity football, JV football, basketball, varsity basketball. I mean, you go through the gamut between myself, my children, my sister, my sister's children, my cousins. We've gone through the gamut of every single athletic event that you could have here, minus maybe flag football because it's brand new. It is my opinion. It is the opinion of a lot of people in this community that we should actually crawl before we walk in regards to this matter. Find out what's going on. Is there pressure from somewhere else that's actually pushing this? All I can tell you is I've been in this community for 40 something years. I know all of

031the games that are played from behind the scenes to put pressure to move good people out of great positions here. I would hope that our school board is in favor of an athletic director, a teacher, a principal, somebody that's in it for more than just themselves and have done really great things for the community. So, I just want to get my point across. That is it. Thank you. Um, we have room for a couple more comments during this period if anybody else wishes to make a comment right now. uh related as long as again it's related to the agenda. Uh just want to support him and say you you can come up and and take your three minutes if it's related to an item that's on the agenda. She can speak Spanish. Yes, she can

032speak. Just say the name and the address. Okay. Romero Avenue in New York. for muchos. for your personal opinion. fundamental Extracurricular. Spring, summer. Studios. I'm sorry. We have to keep our comments. Thank you. Um, we have time for Thank you. Uh, we have time for one more comment at this point and then we'll have to move on. Um, as long as it's related, we have time for one more comment. Okay, it's a comment. Yeah. Um, the same thing that she say. Um, oh, please. He say we just coming from support. I am part of the project. This is the I'm sorry. Can you just state your name for the record for the Oh, yeah. My name is Denise. Uh I am part of the group of project cancer is Spanish community as she say before

033and we talk with many parents and we really feel that we need support from the school and have a tremendous people and um athletic department is very important for us. Like as she say before our kids because of this um support they have opportunity to be more in the school doing sports or varsities or different kind of activities that they do. We we feel that this is because this kind of people this kind the professional people that the school and we just want to say please don't let them go. We need the people. We need the support. Thank you so much. Thank you. All right. Um we do have to move on. Uh but we do have another public comment period after our board business. Um if so if there's anybody here or online who

034still wishes to speak, we can hear those comments after we um complete our board business for the evening. It's okay. We take three and then we move. Okay. Well, we uh they they'll have to to wait until the next public comment period because this comment period is intended to take only 10 minutes and then um the next comment period does not have an end time. So, we'll be able to hear whoever wishes to speak at that time. Christina, I have point of order though. I think we can make a motion if we wanted to extend it if that person want did want to go now. So I I will make a motion to extend it to take that one that did chime in on it if anyone wants to second it and we can vote

035on it to get that person so they don't have to wait late until later. Are you making a motion? I am. I'm making a motion to extend the first public comment period to allow for the uh because we didn't go online to to give that person an opportunity to to chime in for the three minutes. Um I'll second it. All right. There's a motion on the floor to extend the comment public comment period for one more comment. Is that um All right. Um any further discussion? All in favor? I I I opposed. Opposed. Abstensions. All right. The eyes carry. So we'll take one more public comment. [Music] Are you able to hear me? Uh, I could hang on a second, Kristen. Okay. We ask her to speak to Sure. Are you able to hear me?

036Yes, that's better. Okay. All right. Um, we'll we'll start your time now. Okay. Kristen Arita, Crest Drive, Brier Crest Manor, New York. Thank you so much for making the exception for one more. It's quick. Um, just two things that were on my mind. Um, one specific to the um, the lunchlines and just sort of hearing stories from my own kids. Um, something that just sticks out for me is just from an equity perspective. you know, something obviously we're always looking at and you know, the kids who really um it's great that everybody is has access to the free lunch and we know that the students who really need the free lunch are the ones who definitely have to access it. And I feel like the the lengthy lines and just sort of that whole idea

037of having to wait online a long time have more rush really impacts a certain you know kind of demographic of children who may not have the opportunity to choose differently you know may not have the resources at home to choose to bring their own lunch in order to avoid that. So I just wanted to kind of highlight that um you know just from a parent perspective on equity. Um and the other piece is just in terms of announcements and updates. I hope this is considered along the lines of the agenda and I missed the first minute of the meeting so I apologize if it's the first thing that was said. Um but I just wanted to um congratulate the Austin SEPTA um the brand new special education parent teacher association that was formed. Um they

038did have their official first charter meeting last night and I think that's a huge milestone for the parents in the district um for special education families. All right. Thank you, Kristen. Thank you. Okay. Um, so I think now we're ready to move on. Um, our next item on the agenda is our work session item 3.1, our equity item, the superintendent's proposed budget for the 2526 school year. Um, take it away, Mary. Or Alita. Alita. I turn to Alina. I can think. Okay. So, Mary's looking at me because she probably told me to do something. Um but I now I remember. So, um the update the the update is that the board um will be adopting the budget at the next board meeting. Um, so I just wanted to remind everyone of that um date and

039uh there's nothing different than um the current superintendent's recommended budget. Uh the tax cap has not changed. Um the budget the state budget has not been passed yet. Um but as of now the the tax cap has not changed. It's still proposed to be 1.67%. We're still proposing to uh levy that entire amount. Uh the budget is still lower than um the amount that it was uh last year. Um so all of those things are the same. There's no major changes in the budget itself. Um so we look forward to uh presenting the budget to the board at the uh statutory deadline which is the next board meeting um in April. Right. And it is on a Tuesday night. It's the Tuesday right after break. The statutory deadline is April 25th, which is a Friday.

040So that's that meeting. So again, if board has any additional questions or thoughts or comments, um I'll open it up to the table. Take it away. Um so first thanks for all the hard work on the budget. I think it is fisc overall it's fiscally responsible when you look at where we line up with a lot of other district as per the Westchester Putinham schoolboard association they put out a spreadsheet I mean there's a lot of you know Terry Town what was like 4% like you you have some pretty big jumps at other places. So overall as I mentioned I think did a good job. I I I come back to a couple of the things again. I threw them out there as possible discussion items. It doesn't seem like there's much interest to discuss

041further on them, but again, the New York the US school board, National School Board Association that costs us five grand a year. We talked about the annual demographers report. If it's not statutory, can we do it every other year? That was what another 8,8500. So that's 135 right there. Um, and then there was discussions about a couple of other things as well. You know, the calendar, again, not to pick on it, but could we explore a digital? That was what, another six to seven. So, when you add that up, that's 25 grand right there. And that was just, you know, some of the work I was personally looking at. I mean, I get it. Um, if if if the rest of the board feels things like that and we don't want to dig in further

042on any of these things and the administration has done the heavy lift, that's fine. But I do think we should consider that those type of things going forward. I mean, the money does add up and we we we ask about other services and things we need, things we're not doing so that we want to do. So, that was like 25 grand give or take right there that we could apply to other things. So, you know, I get it. That's requires us digging a little bit more. It's a little bit more work. Um, if we don't want to look at it this year, I would strongly say going forward if we're going to have that Saturday budget session, we kind of go line by line. These are things we should all bring up. Every penny counts,

043not only for the taxpayers, but for things we want to do. And we've already had discussions that next year we might have some more concerns around what's going on fiscally, what things are going to be cut back or not. So, just throwing throwing that out there. If we don't want to do it this year, I think 167 is reasonable. But I do think we owe it to ourselves, the community, and to the administration's hard work to look at every single line and every single penny to make sure are we do we need it or can can we can we adjust? I want to understand what the goal is for this year because at this point we wouldn't be able to apply that money to other things um or like new services or programs. So, is

044the goal for this year to find that money that you think we should cut talk about cutting out and lower the tax rate or is it just to have it for the future or it would be both, but again, we've sat at this table, right? And I've said like I think we need a data cruncher, data analyst, whatever that is. And I know that $30,000 is not going to pay for that, but we need someone to look at all the data. It doesn't have to be that thing, Annie. And it's a fair question. Point is, I'm looking at what do we get out of this you National School Board Association that we pay five grand a year. I I don't know. Do we need to print the calendar for every single person in the district

045and mail it out? That's 5 to7,000. Do we try digital? And again, these are yes, these are maybe little things in the context. And then the demographer, we get it. The demographer report that we get every year, right, which says like, okay, how many kids are we going to get? The margin of error is 2%. That's been consistent. So, do we need to run the thing every year? Because in the worst case, we're only 2% off. So, that adds up to 25. And to answer your question, maybe it is for some other things we wanted to do because if we look at more lines, maybe that 25 goes to 100,000. Right now, it you're having mass. So, it could be that we could look about whether or not sure does that help keep the, you

046know, the levy stable. But I I guess have that discussion, right? Here's some things. Do we need them? Do we want them? and what can we either lower things or or apply them elsewhere? Yeah, I guess my question is and anyone can correct me if I'm wrong. Um, at this point we can't add new things for the 2526 school year. Is that not true? Like if we do find things to cut and have that money apply elsewhere, can we still do that for 2526? You you can do that. Um, but you have to take from So if you're taking it from somewhere else, then you can add because you took away. Right. Right. But if it's like a new thing that we don't have like a new program or a new Yeah. in persons. Yeah.

047I think that would require deeper conversation. So yeah, I I I I think I think first of all, I I want to go back to a balcony perspective and thank the board of education for all their hard work last year because the conversation last year put um put this board of education in a very favorable spot as evidenced by the data throughout the county which Rob just said it was a really heavy lift. We thank the community for the volume of support. Um the annual levy is recurring revenue and it's critical in in this time in this period. I also want to thank Alita and Don for doing a really huge significant project in the business office on position control and tidying up there. That also brought about a significant amount of savings because we're

048adding new staff. We're adding new teachers in um in for special education and for English language learners. We are doing that. We're adding some new coaches as well. Uh we've upped the salary for an athletic trainer. All of this possible with the 1.67 um levy cap. So, but how we got here is because of the decision- making. The board also made last year being aggressive with reserves, being aggressive about projecting uh income that's not re reoccurring, using reserves, which you're really not supposed to do for recurring expenses because then you just create a bigger gap and then going to the maximum of allowable levy, which put us in a favorable position this year. I think um and I'm hoping the board finds that Q&A helpful and useful um that we've been adding to and it's

049still a live document. I know in speaking with Nicole Ree, she finds and she gets calls about the calendar. Um you know, it's a we can certainly survey it. We can do it. I think there have been changes made to it. Made it a little cheaper, changed coloring and printing, trying to do different sides, but um there's this sense from all the principles. I brought it up that that's that document is a paper document. The change was made. It doesn't go out to everyone in the community. It only goes out to families. The National School Board conversation is a conversation you should have. Do you find the membership valuable or not one year or another? Um the demographers report actually le we needed state education wanted that to us to submit for this um two

050$210 million capital reserve project. In fact, I needed to analyze the two years and write a whole report. I think I put the link to the board to it in one of my updates. So that year was was needed. I no clue what they're going to ask for next year for that, but I clearly will do the homework on that to see is there another legal requirement for us for whatever we're submitting for state aid to do that that might be enrollment related. Um, but they asked specifically for that report. So, I think these are all really good questions. I think the inclusion of staff or new programs comes from feedback from all your administrators, right? um um to have that inclusive conversation as to what what they need. Uh obviously they all need somewhat

051level of flexibility within their budgets because we're projecting out you know what could happen a year from next May or next April. So having some level and next year has so many unknowns as this board spoke about and the ability what happens if mid year we lose federal funding. uh we get five a little over $5 million in staffing from federal funding. What happens if we lose that midyear that all goes to staffing? We have a New York State mental health grant that covers us a lot for social workers. So I think um the point is well taken and important as we move forward. Um and I think though having a one point and we heard the board loud and clear last year, keep the levy under 2%. Um at 1.67 67. Um it does

052put a set point that makes it um gives more options in terms of your budget next year once you do that once you set a different set point. So those are just my observations. I do want to thank the board for all their hard work in this. For for myself, I just wanted the clarity of the purpose of this because you are right. If we're not using something or you find something that is wasting money, then we should not waste that money. I just wanted to understand if this if the goal of it this year was to reduce the tax levy or apply it elsewhere because my like I'm going to think about those things in different ways. Yeah. And the last piece of that is it's more um it's both but it's more philosophical,

053right? We get a budget. I know we talked about board table but I see like the administration does very hard work well prior to March, right? you're doing you're in budget season in November like right give or take maybe earlier Mary so that starts way early and you're looking you're obviously making good decisions you're not going to get everything you want then it comes to us is it this board's responsibility then to say okay what else in here do you feel and maybe we approach this this way next year you know we do red light yellow light green light like look you've had this and by the way two of the things that I mentioned are I felt the demograph was like a board thing but maybe it's a school thing, but certainly the 5,000

054to the state to the national school board, that's a board thing. That that's not something per se the district needs. But if we took that 5,000 and again moved it elsewhere, the 5 10 15 20 eyes up. So to answer your question, it's more a philosophical. Is it our job when the when the district presents the the the line by line that big budget book which we got here some of you have it out do we need to then go a step further and ask every line is this something you need andor maybe it's a yellow light maybe it's like well it's a nice to have or yeah here's things that are kind of tied to the board's expenses maybe that goes so that's I guess it's more the bigger philosophical and then you have

055the discussion on okay if you if you knock this out do you move it towards moving the levy down potentially if it's substantial or you take it and put it elsewhere. So that's that's sort of the big balcony perspective that's in my head. That's why I keep bringing it up. So thank you. Appreciate the comments. I I think we should acknowledge too because we did in the in the all day meeting as well there's going to be differences, right? And listen, I'll take the NISA, you know, on each one of these things, three things. I think we may pro look at it differently like the NISBA basically the $5,000 fee there does a few things. It allows you to meet with legislators as part of a larger lobbying group and it also they will be

056lobbying on your behalf in Washington for $5,000 on top of things like we like we had meetings with Noodia at different times to get grants for particular programs. This money is a very small amount to basically multiply it with all the districts that do this across the board whether they're Westp region districts or others and I know outside of New York State there's others that see different value to this but like we've had meetings with the secretary of educa of agriculture about the lunch program we did this at Maris all this like so part of these organizational memberships are important so that when you have issues like the potential of losing C right that we have that established channel in place and So, I think we may see a difference in value in it. I

057see a high value. I'm not sure everyone does, but that's my lens on that. I think, you know, the the calendar, there's there's an equity lens on that in terms of making sure that people have access to it in a way that comes through the same way the early grades things go home in the backpacks and the older grades don't. I'm not I'm not adverse to it, but I guess my two cents and what I've heard from people in the community is they like having the calendar and for the small amount that it is, it gives a lot of information. It gives board member contact information. It's a it's a real entry point. I see it in a lot of houses and so certainly would want to solicit more around that. Um the demographers report

058this board over a decade has been questioned and scrutinized by the community over facilities plans and I think the demographers report gives you a sound basis of demonstrating that across the board. Now, you could say it's been 2% and it's been up and down, but there's been years where the demographer has been off by more than 2% at the end of the day. And so, I think the question really is on this is, you know, as a as a method of as a as an approach to um especially with a large bond in place at this, it's the right time to have this. Does that mean every year going forward? I think if you'd asked the board 10 years ago, they'd say you don't need to do it each year. So, but I think you're

059in this period of facility transition at the end of the day and you know the birth rate piece of the county aspect when you have all these other things at play. Knowing your birth rates across the board and how that's going to impact is important for the amount of money that we're investing for me. The $16,000 to make sure that we're doing things that are prudent. I I see the value in it. But I understand like there's lots of lenses. We all come at this differently from the board at the end of the day. But for the 200 million we're spending, the 16,000 to make sure we're doing it right, we just have probably have a different view on it. Was your question specifically on those line items or were they more specifically on things

060of that type that but those were just particular examples you you picked out just to kind of illustrate the example. What was Yeah, it's both. It's the philosophical and I just found three things that you know that I thought okay well you know are there alternatives you do the calendar you do it digital do we get the New York state 22 states in the country pulled out I think from all sides of political spectrum on the national school board they didn't find value in it so do we need to do we feel personally valued because we get a lot of value out of Westpot right they do a lot I see them cranking out stuff right so they so they do a lot NISBA that school board association they do a Uh so I haven't

061heard I haven't seen any tangible benefit to this board as in my year and a half here n on the national one. So that's what I was looking at, Roger. But I brought up things like we talked about consumables, the books, kids were coming home, a gate came with the books. Books were a third filled out. So was there something there? And that's a higher ticket item, right? Can we get reusable versions of the ARC books? So they can be used year after year. And you know, you Maria, you answered the question said no, we have to get them. That's fine. So, I'm looking at some of the smaller ticket, some of the, you know, larger ticket, but I'm trying to look for things that again, Danny, to your point, like maybe we, right, we

062talked about after school programs. We're not doing them all between books and that, that's a that's could be a half a million bucks if the answer was on that. So, that's what I'm looking like. Things we want, we have. Can we can we look at things holistically that we might be able to move elsewhere? So, so you, if I understand it correctly, it sounds like you're saying more like let's look at as we go forward. Um, because right, you know, it wouldn't be something you'd be able to do between now and when we have to vote on the budget, but when we look forward, what are those things that could be rationalized whether it's repurposed for other things or or maybe a reduction in tax levy? Is that pretty clear? Pretty much kind of the

063direction. Yeah. So, I would say maybe for next season the board we have a retreat, right? We talk about okay adjustments to our budget process that would allow us that doesn't necessarily more work for admin but allow us to look at this again I don't know red light yellow green light the musthaves the hey you might want to look at this or yeah we we agree that's something like that and then you bring it back to the board table so it's more the structure of how we go about looking at the budget what we keep what we don't what we we challenge what we have and that's probably a good retreat discuss Right. Absolutely it is. And um because we I think and I think I've said this before kind of approach the the problem

064of the budget differently and I think the lines that uh pertain specifically to the board are unique, right? Because we're deciding kind of our we're making the value judgment ourselves about what what is valuable to us when it comes to for example memberships and professional organizations. But um I take the approach of this is how much money we're comfortable spending and then leaving you know in the case for example that things need to be cut um that I'm going to trust our staff to find those things that they feel like with their expertise that can go because I'm trusting them to make their own kind of prioritization list. Now, if we want to look under the hood of what those priorities are and how do you balance one department over another, one group over another

065or what I mean, we can have those kinds of phil philosophical discussions too, but definitely um if we want to approach how we evaluate how we approach our our budget season, that can absolutely be a retreat topic, right? I I and I will say um throughout the month of November and December and this team here knows it an administrator will come in and spend about three hours going line by line. So um and we do ask those kind of questions. So I think um sharing that or finding a way to kind of make sure how do we get that to the board and an understanding of it. But in my experience that if let's say the board said I want to cut the budget by 10%. I would go back to the entire team and

066just say okay let's prioritize now what would be your must-have important to have and um and and give a list of suggestions to to to the board. I' and I've also done that in the past have had to I'm pretty sure you've done that here in Austin too but just also getting feedback from the administrators as to what they see everyone that has a budget I should say everyone that has a budget can I I'm sorry can I just also say too I think you also had if I'm not mistaken you also had a very long list of asks which which did not make it into the budget well over a million dollars yes yeah so that that was kind of like that that was like the first chop back that you did right yes

067so I guess just if I'm thinking about this just more on a broader level into next year and when we get to like the the overall um uh board retreats and planning season maybe we before that talk about kind of like things that could potentially be more optimized for efficiency type I know I know in the past the board has put on the agenda budget discussions as early as November um to to be talked about the board table and I think this year we really focusing on the bond in the fall and and then moving things forward from there. So, I'm not sure it made as much sense this year. Um, but that's something that we can we can look at. Sure. Yeah. Um, did you mentioned an administrator goes line by line? Okay. That

068was one of my questions because it sounds like that is kind of what you are wanting to do or am I off? That's exactly what well I mean personally speaking I believe and it is you know we put our hand took a note that it one of the key things about the board one is the superintendent right hire retain and otherwise and two or one B is the budget we have a fiduciary responsibility so again what I've done in private life when I bring a budget to the CFO I know they're going to cut it back and I got something in my back pocket and say, "Well, I here's why I need this or here's why I not." So, I look at this process the same way and even Mary has indicated and I agree

069there was a bigger wish list. Left the wish list out that's fine, but it's still a hey board what do you here's what we think and it's our job literally yes to look line by line and say do you need this? Do you not need this? Can we take this? Can we move it elsewhere? Even though Christine I get it. You say you trust the administrators but it's still my opinion based on you know understanding board service it is our fiduciary responsibility to look deeper on that and again tax levy reduction spending elsewhere so there is some philosophical difference it seems at the table that's okay but that's how I look at it because that's what I do when I'm not at this table in terms of budget budget yeah I'm asking because that was

070one of my previous jobs was going line by line through a budget but no one above me was doing that they wanted the overall picture and then you go from there. So that's why I was wondering if there's already somebody who works here who does that so we're not doing like double the work. Um, I think for the the board stuff like the NISBA membership that makes sense for us to go line by line and I mean even when we get the budget I do go down I have questions. You know there's discrepancies you want answers on but to get to that level of detail feels like like not a board job but like a district employee job if that makes sense. I mean, I here's my perspective on this, right? I'm in my seventh

071year. I'll just go off on a tangent really quickly. I find the Demograers report hugely helpful. I think it helped us pass the bond in a major major way. If we didn't have the ability to talk about that in such depth after prioritizing it for many of the past few years, I I could not have spoken about the need for the facilities with the evidence-based reasons that I had. So, I find it very important. Um, I think our I view our role as a board as we go to a retreat in the summer. We set board goals. We set district goals and that's usually done at the retreat. And then we task our superintendent who then tasks her admin with how do we further these goals, develop these goals, and meet these goals and does

072the budget that we propose to the board, support the goals that we all agreed on in the beginning of the year. I don't view it as my job to kick the tires on every single line item or audit the budget. If I get a budget proposal back and I don't think the community is going to support that proposal for whatever reason, and we've done this in many years past, I feel comfortable going back to our superintendent and saying, "Appreciate it, but I can't support this this year. Here is my reasoning why. Could you come back to me with a different number and tell me what that's going to look like?" In some years, it's looked like, "Well, I would have one less social worker. I would probably have less bus monitors. I would, you know,

073there have been things that have been proposed back to us when we've been, we've asked for that levy to be reduced. I'm okay if we want to set a goal of, you know, we've set goals in the past of we'd really like to have um a robust SEAL program and more structure. We've wanted to see that, you know, this is under Dr. Sanchez and so he's folded that goal into various budget presentations and especially in the years when we got the extra foundation aid the additional staffing increases definitely aligned with the board's directives on those goals if we had something very specific right like we got a budget back and then something happened and we felt like we really needed a certain extra position you know I'd feel I'd feel comfortable going back to Mary

074and saying can you squeeze this in can we save on paper? Can you know here's some spitballing ideas? But then I would expect our superintendent to come back to me with, hey, I heard what you wanted. Here are my ideas. Here's where I think we can save. Here's what I think we can move around in order to meet the board's goal. Now, on budget Saturday, it's a very long day. That's our opportunity where if we something sticks out at us, you know, we generally do ask those questions, we do kick those tires on those little things. And I guess at this stage like I'm pretty happy with our process and that's kind of how I view it sort of from like the balcony down. Any further discussion on this topic? I'm sorry Melissa, I can't

075see you, so I can't see if you're um I don't mean to put you on the spot, but I'm like she's over there waiting for you to finish talking. No, I just wanted to chime in as well. I think um the points are real well taken and I did um ask for further clarification myself last board meeting to see you know just theoretically what some of the um the ask were with that proposal. I think maybe I'm recalling um incorrectly, but I think it was even proposed that this year that it was requested that we had a more kind of streamline condensed budget meeting presentation um and did not go line by line or we did we had the opportunity to but I believe um it was actually asked that we did not um get

076into the weeds um that deeply and we did and we put our trust in the administrators to kind of give us the synopsis of what was being asked and we had the opportunity to ask questions about whatever we saw in the budget book that uh wasn't clear to us or you know we didn't really uh understand. I think historically the board has always taken steps to do what was in the purview of its role to uh cost save. I mean, I think it's huge that we were forward thinking even on the energy performance contract and doing things like implementing um you know, solar panels when that was wasn't really a big conversation topic um for districts. So, I think on a board level, we have taken those steps to kind of mitigate cost for the

077district so that um other programs and initiatives um can have that flexibility to roll to to to roll out, you know, the things that they're suggesting. I think as well though, um, ironically, we'll probably find ourselves as a district, not necessarily a board, um, down the line somewhere, having to really get into the weeds and figuring out how we can shift, um, this from here to there. But I don't think, um, the process that we have is missing uh, any elements to be able to capture how we save uh, money or how we move money around even potentially. we have really been up um against the wire in recent past and in not so recent past and have really had um some unwelcome exercises in having to do that. So I think I I I

078I trust that the administration and the uh people that we have entrusted to do that um have flexed those muscles quite um frequently uh to be able to do that. So I mean I I definitely understand it is our job to make sure that we are doing the best but I I don't think there's any glaring uh tax levy decreasing resulting things that we would find. We might find a little here or there, but I really don't think because I think that's a reflection on what we're saying um the people who are in these roles, their capability of making sure that they are bringing us that the the tightest budget that's also providing those resources that as a district we want to provide to our students. But I don't I don't personally think just from

079experience and what I've seen that there would be anything that we find that is this is such a gross waste of money and we could have reduced the tax levy if it wasn't for this. Um but I do understand the responsibility to make sure that we're never in that position and I think we have a pretty strong system in place to make sure that occurs. But thank you for coming to me Christine. All right. Anything else on this right now? Are we Are we done with our work session? Let me see what time does it say on the agenda. 8:45. Look at us go. All right. So, that's a conversation we can continue. Um, but we look pretty stable at 1.67. No need to change anything there. All right. Moving ahead. Uh uh item four

080is consent agenda business of the board. Does anybody see anything between items 4.1 through 4.4 that they wish to break out? All right. Um I'll take a motion for 4.1 through 4.4. So moved. Second. 4.1 Resolution to approve a dual agreement with the OMI teachers association and employee number 05035. 4.2 2 Resolution to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of February 26, 2025. 4.3 Resolution to approve the minutes of the special meeting/executive session of February 5th, 2025. Uh 4.4 Resolution to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of January 22nd, 2025. Any discussion? All in favor? I opposed. Abstensions. Looking uh at item five, consent agenda, business office matters. Does anybody have anything between uh 5.1 and 5.5 that they wish to break out? All right, I'll take a motion for 5.1 through 5.5.

081Still moved. Second. 5.1 Resolution regarding disposal of cafeteria equipment. 5.2 Resolution regarding secret negative declarations capital improvements districtwide. 5.3 Resolution to reduce the tax certiary reserve. 5.4 Resolution regarding acceptance of funds from National Park Trust Claremont School. 5.5 Resolution regarding interfund transfers. Any discussion? All in favor? I. Opposed? Abstensions. Um looking at consent agenda personnel matters. I'm told we need to break out 6.3, right? Um, so we'll we'll we'll break that out right now and then we'll take a motion to table it later. I'm told Don will explain. Um, is there anything else from items 6.1 through 6.2 and 6.4 through 6.15 that anybody wishes to break out? Okay. I'll take a motion for 6.1 through 6.2 and 6.4 through 6.15. So move. 6.1 Resolution regarding administrative staff resignations. 6.2 Resolution regarding professional staff resignations.

0826.4 Resolution regarding administrative staff appointments. 6.5 Resolution regarding professional staff appointments. 6.6 Resolution regarding civil service staff appointments. 6.7 Resolution regarding support staff appointments. 6.8. Resolution regarding bus attendant appointments. 6.9 Resolution regarding professional staff appointments before after school programs. 6.10 Resolution regarding civil service staff appointments before/fter school programs. 6.11 Resolution regarding support staff appointments before after school programs. 6.12 Resolution regarding support staff appointments summer school programs. 6.13 Resolution regarding PDM substitute removals. 6.14 Resolution regarding PDM substitute appointments. 6.15 resolution regarding approval of school volunteers. Any discussion? All in favor? I opposed. Obstensions. All right. Um I'll take a motion to table 6.3. All right. 6.3. Resolution regarding civil service staff resignations. Um Don There's information the board needs to review before they can vote on that. So that's forthcoming. All right. Thank you. Um the

083motion's on the floor. All in favor? I I opposed. Abstensions. All right. That's tabled. Uh looking to uh it's listed as a consent agenda. Um, does anybody see anything through 7.1 from 7.1 through 7.3 that they wish to break out or her desire perhaps to take these one at a time? I think we should probably take one. Let's take them one at a time. Um, in fact, I'm not even going to take a a motion on it yet. Let's discuss 7.1 resolution to approve policy regulation number 47 470-R grading systems regulation uh as a second read. So, we discussed this last time and it was a policy change intended to change the time of year at which the school determines its uh validictorian and saludiatoran for the purposes of being able to submit those students

084for scholarship opportunities. Yeah. Um so I'll take a motion on 7.1. So moved. Second. 7.1 resolution to approve policy regulation number 471-R grading systems regulation Austining high school grade waiting policy as a second reading any further discussion all in favor I opposed abstensions all right 7.2 2 resolution to approve policy 5150-R school admissions uh policy regulation as a first reading. Um should we have some discussion? Is there any discussion on that? I I have a question about this one. Sure. So the policy this is about um uh hold on a second. Sorry I lost my Okay, actually this is this is I'm sorry. We're at 72. 72. 72. There's one about that has residency. Yeah, residency. Okay. Um, actually, no. I don't think I actually had something on this one. Oh, no. I'm sorry. No,

085no, there is. My bad. There is a point here about health information, I think, in the policy. And we reference basically, if I'm summarizing, basically, we're saying we f for proof of immunizations, we're saying we follow what New York State says. What I didn't see in the New York State document, it is a document that says, "Okay, here's what you need in terms of the vaccinations. There's nothing in that document nor our policy." And I thought what I'm about to mention is govern at the state level is prior to entering school like do you need to have I thought there's something especially around um some of the new arrivals that there's still a 30-day window that you don't need to have proof of vaccination. You can enter the school district and then retroactively um get

086vaccinations that meet this. But I don't see that in the document we referenced and I don't see it in our policy explicitly called out. So I'm not sure if we need it or don't need that. But I believe that's governed at the state level and we just basically say whatever they say we have to do. But I don't see it in the document we referenced about the timing that there's a waiver that you can enter school 30 days later then you can get the the vaccinations. I I don't I I know that there was something that was mentioned about that, but I don't think that that was we can have make any kind of change and ours has to reflect that. But you're saying are you saying specifically we should copy that down into this

087is what you're suggesting? I don't see it in our policy and I don't see it referenced in the document the PDF which says proof of immunization blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. click here. So, are we covered? Basically saying, here's what you got to get shots for and here's the timing on that. If PHL2164 and the regulations of the commission of health 10, now it's getting very wonky, 10 NYCRR 566-1. If that mentions this timing, I think we're good. If we're not mentioning the timing, do we need to or reference the New York State requirement around the timing? So, I don't know if the lawyer in this case said, "Yeah, we're this covers it all or we don't have it covered." It's it wasn't at the most recent meeting that we had

088discussed this, but this is something that um Allison Perriott basically updated the language, I believe, to match NISBA recommended policy. Um, and anybody else from the policy committee feel free to chime in and correct my memory if I'm not um Christine, I can have the um lawyers look take a look at it. Attorneys take a look at it. Yeah. If the lawyers looked at this and said, "Yeah, this covers all your stuff. We're good." I just don't know if the lawyers have looked at and said, "Yeah, you're covered on what shots you need, the timing, blah blah blah, like all the specifics." Hold on. Let me just That's That's what I'm trying to get at. I just before we move on from this want to make sure that I take down the policy number and

089that your question about it so that I get it. Ellie Ellie Ellie's going to um she'll annotate it for she's noting it. Okay. It looks like 66-1.4 in the state code talks about the timing. So, we might be good. But I you know Yeah, I remember I'm not a lawyer. Like I said, it's been a I feel like perhaps a month. I don't I don't believe we talked about that specifically. So, I think we can have the attorney just take a look at it. Illie is going to rewind this so she gets all the right information and I'll follow up with the attorney and we can discuss it at the next policy committee meeting. So, um so we'll take this. I'll take a I'll take a motion to table this then. All right. So, move.

090All right. Yes. The second. Um so, I'm taking a motion to table 7.2 2 resolution to approve policy 5150-R school admissions policy regulation as a first reading. Any further discussion? We're voting to table. Um all in favor? I I opposed abstensions. Okay. Now we're looking at 7.3 resolution to approve policy number 8210.1 use of surveillance cameras on school property as a first reading. Any discussion about this? Yep. Go ahead, Rob. So, in the policy, there's side notes here about school buses. Yes. And so, my question is, did we answer that in the policy? Meaning, are we allowed as per this policy to put surveillance, video, audio, and otherwise in the buses? If the answer is yes, I think we're good because I think we do it now. Yes. So, this came up and I don't

091know why we're getting this um specific red line, this version that includes comments. Um but that was a question our attorney had before um she was looking when she was looking at the policy. She said, "I want to know if your school buses record audio." They do. Um but what we ultimately decided and why that whole section is uh striketh through is it doesn't need to our policy doesn't need to acknowledge that one way or the other. So if things change they don't have to it doesn't have to be reflected in this policy. So we struck that language which you can see the strike through. So the comments it ends up not mattering. Stephanie says you don't really need to have that in there. It's in there and that's why she asked. And then um

092I believe it was Roger who made the suggestion like can we just nyx this whole section and she said yeah it's no problem. And nixing the section still allows us to record on the bus. Yes. Okay. And and it's a broad interpretation. It says property on school grounds. It's a broad Yeah. You're on. Yes. We had come back specifically with questions about the bus. Great. Yeah. Because that's where we felt that there was gray area there. School grounds. Okay. So this is a broad interpretation. We should be good. School buses are covered and I'm good. Thank you. Yeah. Um, did I see any other discussion? Was this the last Was this the last document? It wasn't. Or is it the last document? That was uh We got a funky version. I That's what I'm apologize.

093I didn't see that. I'll make sure you get the proper um Okay. document. Yeah. I I'd like to have that. I don't think we can vote on what the way it is now. Can Can we We can That's fine. Still vote on it. The language is there's nothing pressing. Yeah. Okay. So, we make I'll take a motion motion to um Yeah. I'll take a motion on 7.3. So second. Okay. Resolutions uh to approve policy number 8210.1 use of surveillance cameras on school property as a first reading. Any further discussion? Just a question. Yes. Sorry. Are we tableabling this one because we need the final copy or we're moving forward? We're going to move forward because unless Well, it sounded like there was nothing pressing to deal with this on this one. Yeah. Should we get

094So we Sorry. So then we can Well, it's already out here, so we can just oppose it. I just I I don't want you guys to have a document that you don't No, sorry. We did say we're tableabling it. Not Oh, I'm sorry. I read the motion to uh I took a motion to approve it. So, we can um take a vote on it. I'll take a vote on it and feel like I just entered the matrix. I know. We can take a vote on I misunderstood. So, we can take a The motion's already on the table. We can take a vote and oppose it and then I can take a motion to uh table it. All right. So, all in favor? Opposed? Opposed. Abstension. All right. Um I'll take a second motion on 7.3

095to table 7.3. So moved. Second. All right. Any further discussion? All in favor? I opposed. Abstensions. All right. Now it's tabled. All right. We've come to our second um audience recognition. This is for topics uh related in any way to the school system. So um if we have people who are going to come again, I do need to read this again. So um you can read it. I should read it. Okay. Uh we are about to begin the second public comment period of our meeting. Um 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 board

096is here to listen. The 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 not able we are unable excuse me, let me start the sentence again. 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

097through the appropriate administrative channels. We want our schoolboard meetings to serve as an example to our students that members of our 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 insist that all speakers and members of the audience maintain civility and respect for the divergent views that others possess. We ask that speakers please address their comments to the board directly rather than the audience. Uh during the first public comment period, speakers may address only items pertinent to tonight's meeting agenda. 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 austinufsd.org email in lie of or in addition to speaking

098during the public comment period. In the unlikely event the meeting becomes unruly, the board will recess and uh the meeting and return once order has been restored. Each individual speaker is allowed 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 board business that is being conducted tonight. Before speaking, please share your name and address. So I take it uh you've had your three minutes. Well, this is something new. So, I think yeah, I think um he should be able to to speak as long as it's as it's on a new topic. Yeah. Thank you. Uh I just wanted to say a quick kudos. Thank you, Rob. As a business owner, I

099trust all of my employees, all of them. But I do verify that all the information that is done on my P&L is line by line because I have investments, investors into my business, just like you guys have investors into your business. So, totally different topic that I spoke about last time. I just want to commend Robert for wanting to do the work to either move money here or save money to us. So, Robert, thank you. That was as a business owner, that was very impressive. That's it. Thank you. Any other comments? Robert because yeah um and support Robert too because as a parent and as a part of the community uh it's convenient for us to know what's going on in the schools and also please correct me if I am wrong but my understand

100is the property next to high school was borrowed from the district and I would like to know the all money that is wasting and the second boulevard for the administrations it should be done maybe the administration can move to that property and use that money for something else um I don't know maybe I'm wrong but uh like uh if we can try to save money I think in that is the best part to use thank you. Any other comments uh from attendees present? Um I can't see Angela. I is there anybody online? All right. Next, we're moving on to board reports and dialogue. Um, so I think the first thing we should probably discuss is we just had a mascot related workshop before the board meeting and um I know not every trustee was able

101to make it. So, um, I will just give kind of like a a brief overview of what happened, how it went, and if anybody has any questions or if anybody who is there, uh, wants to, uh, continue to shade in the details, feel free to jump in. So, um, we had a collection of, you know, Nicole Reese led the discussion. Uh we had Miss Lynn there to present her work and a collection of students uh equity partners uh I'm trying to picture the room. Um Miss Langley was there and then we had students from Roosevelt and the high school there to share kind of their feedback and Nicole kind of went over her whole mascot process. Uh what that's been like. Uh, Miss Lynn got a chance to explain what the mascot represented and what

102each portion of the of the mascot represented and how she went through her process. She um actually hired a um an alum of aing to help her, a recent graduate. Um, and the feedback was, I think, positive. Uh, there was an ask at that meeting if we could kind of discuss here at the table tonight. um putting a a giving a green light to go ahead with option I think it was a two two yeah a the first the first one of the three um because that seemed to be kind of where everybody was circling around in that um yeah go ahead and pull it up if you need to um Catherine which one was that it was two it was the one that I had said was my pick okay with the the hill

103and the double arches inside the the line. It's not the one that looked gothic or the one that looked like it had a Snoopy dog ear. A as is or any other as is. And what was really interesting about that presentation um was Miss Lim was able to show us some mascot and logo designs that were part of kind of one family, right? So, uh we knew our student athletes were hoping for a mascot that looked kind of ferocious, right? And so we were able to see that, you know, there are places, most places have one logo that might work for letterhead and business cards, etc., but doesn't necessarily work on a um in an athletic context. So what we can do from here is use this logo as sort of a guiding light. And

104then if certain clubs want to create a variation on a theme, if we want to have a variation on a theme for athletics, if we want to have a variation on a theme for you know what's come up over and over again and is a very popular idea is some sort of cub or something like that for the younger grades. Uh Miss Lynn can design something that works fits in. um an example uh there were examples in the slideshow which we don't we're not was not shared with us but I can ask for that to be um passed along well like a couple just for because you weren't there right like one of the examples was you know there were like sort of like ribbons it's supposed to be the sinking kill coming out of

105the lion's mane so um or or like main street yeah like a saga group wanted to do that like the colors of the rainbow making each different one a different color we were thinking cultural arts could use it as a music staff and put notes on it. Um that was some of the ideas thrown about. Then there was some others, you know, athletics wanted one a variation that was slightly more fierce. Um that's sort of like mascot 2.0. Um this is mascot districtwide serves all purposes. It's our unifying main uh branded image at at this point and then Miss Lynn has her work cut out for her um going into this for next year. But that there hasn't been like there's no we can't go there until we until we until we start here. So,

106so if we give the green light tonight, style guides be prepared um and all all of the brand guidelines be put together so this way they could be ready for a launch on on or about um OS day. And the only thing that is going to be launched is the O with that image. No wording at this point. None of that yet. Like that's all 2.0. Correct. Right. But I probably need that as an FAQ question because I bet that's going to be one of the first things. See our old pride there, right? So people are gonna be like, "Oh, great. Is this are we pride? Are we lions? What can we use it?" Because that usually, right, would go into the brand guidelines, right? So Nicole's recommendation was to see how this hits, right?

107Put this image out on os day. Yeah. OS day. see how it hits. She really feels like it will become a pretty natural choice after that once it starts getting used as to where to go from there. But we're putting out just O and lion, not lions or pride. And that's it. Just the actual um lion in encased in the O. Okay. And then the use different colors musical notes. Not doing that now. No, we didn't like see mockups of that or anything like that. That Yeah, it was just like what some of the students looking at it had suggested maybe they could think about in the future. Yeah, th those were those were ideas but having nothing to do with what we need for launch day, right? And but we should probably be proactive

108and you know again as doing this literally right now private life but like the guideline should say do not put other things on the logo right now. Do not go with a cup. Like I think we need to be somewhat prescriptive about that because if you don't you're going to get someone saying oh I took it and I put on the shirt and I want to put my musical note and then someone's going to say well you put a musical note I want to put a color. So I think the guidelines need to be this is a usage right like you put big X's don't do this don't do this and then we can have that discussion in the future otherwise it's going to go off it will go off the rail rails right away.

109So that that's the that's what we need to give her green light to start to put some of those guard rails in place. So those those are conversations that that the folks um and trustees or on the communications committee probably have discussions around that, but this is right now to go forward with that. Otherwise, right now they're kind of like in a position where nothing Yeah, we can't go in any direction if we don't. So we we would need to to um say that we're giving it a green light going forward. Well, I'm a green light with that prescription FAQ, the dos and don'ts as part of the brand guideline for now because I think it's really important to keep it tight until we want to make any adjustments going forward. One of the So,

110I think Katherine mentioned we had we heard pretty much all the different voices that were there. There's a lot of excitement around this because of the fact that they it was realized just how inclusive the logo came out. Um, and I I think this is perhaps as good a time as any um for us to talk about giving this green light. I was I thought it was really neat how there were students there that saw things. I see a lot in the logo, but they saw different things in the logo. And I think every student and group there looked at it and felt a reflection of themselves. And that was really neat to see. I agree. I think we should draft a policy that talks about the use of district images at the end of

111the day. And to to Rob's point, I think we need to at the beginning of this be, you know, I don't think anything should be allowed to be used without approval. And you know, because this can and will go a lot of different directions. And I think getting to this point was a tremendous effort. I give the committee a lot of credit for the work that it did and trying to incorporate a lot of different ideas. I certainly look forward to the flexibility for students. However, we also have to balance it as I've said many times at the table with the educational purpose at the end of the day and that's I believe our role is to make sure that we're doing that and I feel like with the logo that we're looking to green

112light tonight, I think that work has been done. So, one one question around that. Um, in terms of the logo usage and and application and usage, as I mentioned to you just sitting next to you, um, and I'll say this for everybody else, these are types of things that could potentially have uh are up for trademark. You put it up for a trademark in terms of it usage, then that that becomes a natural fit into a policy versus a policy that will not work in a trademark law case. Right? So that's what you can say what what's acceptable uses, but you just need to make a small tweak to something and it can be used any which way you want to and then and what's that going to change? It won't change anything. And I

113think that's where we kind of need to I would actually take that comment plus the trademark comment and bring that up to legal. Yeah, I I'll say I would agree, but I also think we have an authority for anyone that's using district resources, whether it's different departments, whether it's booster clubs or whomever at the end of the day if they want, you know, it should be tied with you're using an acceptable use of our logo at the end of the day. And if you're not, so that's something we can totally cover in policy. I would agree a trademark is a step more stringent that stops somebody on the street from going and doing this. But people that have an affiliation with the district, we should absolutely have a policy and I wouldn't wait for that

114because I think if you want to roll this out, you should have policy commission just put something kind of broad and general together that says use of district logos by you know district and district affiliated groups needs to be approved. Did did we have anything like that in regul in any of our regulations when we created like o pride? Yeah, there was there was some branding guidelines around it but yeah I don't think it was a board policy but there was branding guidelines guidelines. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Which if if we have guidelines really like we should have at least something in the board that references it whether or not we spell it out in a policy. We should basically say there are there is an next you know there's there's usage limitations to this at

115the end of the day. Okay. Let me look at when the next time the policy committee meets and when our next board meeting is. Sorry. Can we also I think during um uh we also talked about in within our policy committee. Can we talk about policy committee stuff? Um yeah or no? Yeah. Okay. Hold on. I don't I don't see the next policy committee meeting on this agenda. So I may I think 24th Yeah. Yeah. April 24th. I think that's probably a good time for it's also a good time for us to chat about um you we covered some of the policies that we already um looked at tonight that was on the agenda. But also we talked about um another policy Mary brought up that we're going to start to look at who's go

116forward around evaluating programs that um we that we currently have and that and Mary maybe you can say it much better than I can. I'm sure you can. Um we talked about like that um program evaluations going forth like curriculum evaluation, right? Um yeah. Do you want to Yeah. share what came out of that. Yeah. Yeah. That putting together a cycle of what we're going to look at um and some sample policies Maria's collecting them to and for the next policy committee meeting we'll be able to share with the committee is to just to get a sense of direction right so it's B the bottom line is that to create a which did have you know a curricular review cycle on the major subject areas but you could also include things like your guidance department

117or you can include other things in that. And then um also the flexibility within it that you'd have to create a cycle where um particularly at the elementary level you finish an evaluation of math and you expecting jump right into English language arts is hard in an elementary setting. Whereas on the secondary level it's different. So you might want to do world languages and then jump back to that or a dual language program. All of the above. Um but creating a cycle that's incorporating all that but yet flexible enough when something new from the state comes like we've changed the earth science curriculum and you've got to work on that that's flexible to handle that. Yeah. And and then post or I don't know somewhere in that vicinity of where we start to kind of

118put a policy together is when we as a board talk about um the potential formation of a committee. Correct. So you do do you have a committee that helps give oversight to the to the work like push the process? Correct. Yeah. Did any other committees meet or any other board dialogue topics? Code of conduct committee met today. Um the committee is working on revisions to the code of conduct and the language tying a lot of what's in the mission statement into it and sort of updating it. So they are working on bringing new copy that would go to legal for review and then would ideally be looking at this at the uh or they would code of conduct cuts get approved annually. So they're trying to make this cycle with those changes. So to be

119continued but there'll be some more. There was a lot of good conversation today. Thank you. You're reminding me of another policy committ. We talked about the cell phone policy. And in the policy that um Latoya and Nicole kind of folded they folded in their their own kind of vision into a what was what's been recommended. And in it there were stuff that we saw that said this this is reading more like code of conduct than it is like policy because it talked about um kind of if then statements about student discipline and it was like this belongs not in this section. So um there may be more kind of crossover there. Um there there isn't and I think the the other piece that we're we're still from that policy piece of it related to that

120there's a lot of questions around how this is managed in the high school from a cell phone perspective because AMD already has something that's already in place perhaps be more codified right so it's not as a hard of a lift but in the high school it's a little bit more of a challenge because of the fact that one it's a bigger building um two, there's just still this is it would be some pretty significant change. Yes. In that, right? And um there's a lot of variables in that which I know Latoya has still to come back to us on that one, which I think she will in the next U meeting on the 24th and the governor still hasn't signed the bill yet. So, we don't know exactly what the details around that. the previous

121iteration was left a lot to interpret and and I think across the state every everyone gets K8. It's the high school that's difficult. Yes. When you have an open campus, how do you how do you account for kids if you have an emergency? How do like there are so many reasons why people feel that at the high school level this is a completely different conversation and even more so when you have an open campus environment. Yeah. Yeah. It's complex. I just remembered we need a third member for the communications committee. We did not discuss this at the board table. So, um I would like to open up the invitation to everybody because we have an opening and I think Rob and I are already like if we disagree then it's like well what are we

122going to do because there's two of us. Um, we need a third. So, invitation to anybody, anybody would like to join Robin for the remainder of the year, which I can't imagine it's going to be too much. Although I just saw the next one's on the 23rd, any takers? What time do the What time does the committee meet? The the committee meets at 2:45 virtually. Um, on what days of the week? Wednesdays. Okay. Not that. But then when it's that's like the comm the broader community group when Nicole has something specific, she usually just emails everybody and says, "Well, can we meet via Zoom anytime in the next couple days, right? Has that's been the experience? Yeah, it's been very it's been ad hoc. And I think what one of the reasons why I resigned

123is because it was becoming more and more frequent and I just I just couldn't do it. I I do think that intensity is probably over. Um, you know, it's also probably the kind of thing where a third person could rotate through. We could we could just email out, but um if nobody shows that leaves Rob and I in a lurch. Um so yeah, I mean I think the challenge really is is going to be kind of the structure around it, right? So for the remainder of the year, like I'm happy to do it. However, I if the meetings are at times where I have conflicts, then I'd have to put it out to the board. But so I don't know if you want to send it to the whole board and let somebody weigh in

124or if you want me to, but your call. I can be an alternate to you if you cannot make it. Yeah. So I mean I think that'll be we can do that. I mean and the protocol is as always, right? If if you're on a committee and and you can't come to that committee to just email the whole board. Um and whoever's the alternate has the right of first refusal to attend and then after that anybody can come. That's already And do they the meeting appointments go into the calendar correct? Yeah, they're in the calendar. Okay. So you can look up for for what the rest of the year is and if you can come you can come and if you can't then maybe Roger can and if he can't then maybe somebody else can.

125That works. Sounds good. Okay. And we don't have to take any motions on that or anything. I just have to we have had to have discussed it. Anything else? Um, I've been thinking about this since the arts presentation and just gaining more inclusivity. I don't know what this looks like already, so this could be redundant, but I would love to know about or um if it's not a thing right now, consider adaptive instruments that the school district has. Um, and then I don't know if there would be the opportunity to have an OT there to help a child who, you know, I guess see it or an OT or whatever adult seems appropriate to help a child get through that class, whether that's physical disability, whether that's something neurological, whether that's something that they just

126can't sit. um whatever it is to just allow more kids to participate or have the option to participate. So, would you like information about that um through maybe an update? Sure. Okay. That works. All right. Anything else for board dialogue? Going once, going twice. All right. Um we do not need to have an executive session tonight. So um I will take an a motion to adjourn the meeting. So moved. Is that sorry you got something else? No. Sorry. Oh my goodness. Any discussion? Wait, there is a discussion. Sorry. Sorry. Are you serious, Ronnie? Yeah, just really quickly. Oh my gosh. Go ahead. Sorry. Did we Did we in fact I'm sorry I'm drawing a blank. Did we give green light to to move forward that with the logo? Oh, I suppose. I'm not sure. I

127don't feel like we did. We did. I don't know. We can go around the table now. You're a green light for the mascot. Green light for the mascot. Green light. I'm a green light. Melissa, are you a green light for the mascot? Generally speaking, but I just wanted to clarify. Are we trying to simultaneously figure out structure around what that means as far as usage? Uh yes. Okay. Thank you. Um I Nicole wanted a green light and the idea is there may be some swag printed for seniors at OS day with this image on it and that's it. and she's going to direct that and she is going to come up with brand guidelines in the interim. Oh, so it's a green light specifically to start using it immediately. But that the first that just

128that first day OS day. Yeah. It's not to kind of make all sorts of minations of it or anything like that. It's just specifically for that the seniors just want it before they graduate. They want to see their effort. Got it. Are we still It's hard to say no to the kids. It's hard to say no to the kids. Annie, green light. Frank, green light. Okay. Well, we we'll see the brand guy like what's when the brand guidance like will that be reviewed in the coms and stuff? I assume so. We'll see. Um it wasn't explicitly discussed, but I assume so. Okay. Sorry. Sorry to disrupt the happiest uh vote of the day. I know really, but you know, for good reason. All right. The motion's already on the floor and this is our discussion.

129So, I'll take the vote. All in favor?