August Board Meeting | 8-12-2025

001What would a meeting be without me messing up the microphone? Um the uh so he's going to record on Zoom. So we have a recording of it. It is going live to the um to the net so people can see it. But we are having a little bit of issue with our YouTube um stream. So, did I say that right, Nathan? >> Okay. Well, then I will call to order the Newberg School District board of directors meeting for August 12th, 2025. And we will start with the flag salute with Director Hayden. I aliance flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> And just for the the minutes to reflect that director Woler is not in attendance

002tonight. And uh do we have any agenda additions andor deletions that anybody needs to request? Okay, hearing none, let's just move into the consent agenda. Um, I would like to mention that under the new hires and resignations that while it seems alarming that maybe Mary Jane Bachmeire's name and Andrea Nichols names are on the retirement, if you please make sure you know that they're staying, that they're coming back. Um, uh, so I don't want anybody to panic by seeing that in the minutes. And then um of course it's really critical to outline or identify and celebrate the donations that we get. The Austin Family Foundation has made considerable donations to us for the the Career Connect Learning Program to the tune of $615,000. The Student Health and Mental Wellness for um a little over $394,000.

003and then Newberg Dundy School Tiger Cubs at the tune of $294,62 and Cronhn's Appliance and who is very generous in the community has also given a dishwasher to the Antonia Creator staff. So >> yeah, I just wanted to echo that. It just I I can't tell you how um impressive the generosity of the Austin Foundation is here. The total amount of giving is $1.3 million to the district. The career related learning um pieces will um be are invested at in people and time at Catalyst and at the high school. The student mental health and wellness um is providing uh counseling um I mean mental health services to our elementary schools. There's other programs that are also working the middle school. um they've supported the prek, the both classes of prek. Again, I just want to

004say how um how deeply we're appreciative of this kind of generosity. I don't know any town in the metro area that has and again, we saw it last year when we did the riff and how people stepped up from the community to help support um the district. I just can't say enough about how special that is and we're appreciative of that. So, just want to make sure that I said that on the record. >> Great. Thank you. Um do we have a motion for the approving of the consent agenda? >> Real quick, before we do, um I just want to give a welcome to the folks that are joining us. um as we accept some probationary contracts. I want to thank the folks that uh have served in in Newberg and are off to their

005next adventure. Um I also wanted to uh kind of a shout out to my fellow directors here that um we took our oath in our July meeting. Um but I think there is a stray comma in that uh in that oath of office and so I just wanted to submit that for revision. So I think in the in the oath uh it should say um I will support the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution and laws of the state of Oregon, and the policies of the Newberg school district. So my my recommendation is to remove the comma after the second constitution. >> Gotcha. It's very common, right? >> It is. You know those commas? >> Commas. Everybody loves commas. >> Everybody loves commas. >> Okay. Would anybody like to make a a motion? >>

006I move that the Newberg School District board of directors approve the consent agenda as presented. >> As amended. >> Second. >> Any further questions? Um not. Um what am I doing? Oh. Uh, I'll we'll do a full vote. Sorry. All in favor say I. >> I. Motion carries unanimously. It has been a while. Okay. >> Can we um >> I wanted to just announce one other person. Um Yes. >> We've got our new executive assistant to the superintendent and to the school board is in our audience today. It's Jackie Torres and she is here ready to start learning, taking minutes and doing all of that work. Um she's been at work a full seven days. So um but it's been a pleasure. She brings with her a wealth of experience in both the building as

007a attendant secretary at the elementary level as a um bookkeeper at the high school level and she has a BS in accounting. So she was made the accounting senior accountant at Twi Tiger Twalatin and then we've hired her way to kind of um bring all of that set of skills to um our district and um a native Spanish speaker just um has been a a really great addition um with Tabitha leaving that was a big those are big shoes to fill but this was uh she's doing just a great job. So again just want to introduce Jackie to >> welcome Jackie. Thank you. So this is a time for public forum if there's anybody in the audience who has a comment to make. Okay, hearing none, we're going to move into uh we have a

008a mandated training regarding civil rights. And I'm just going to make a a general um statement to sort of bring us into context as to where how we got here today. Uh, and this this happened um in the 2021 2022 school year and uh none of the current board of directors were directors at the time, but um this this is a result of a complaint that had been made to the Department of Education regarding um a potential civil rights violation. and the board member at the time who was on the board um filed the the um complaint and then in September of 2022, the Department of Education accepted an appeal from that individual. Um and uh so then that started the review process for the Department of Education. And just in case anybody out there

009wants to know, that was uh case reference 2022-m7 in we received the Newberg School District received a statement from the Department of Education and this is what it said. It said in 2021 2022 and and I'm just taking a section out of that document which is in our our um our records. the board did not reasonably accommodate a board member's disability, denying that person the right to fully participate in those meetings on the same basis as her peers. Uh, and this this had a um the complaint alleged three different board meetings in which this happened. And so in September of um 2024, our board at the time entered into a consiliation agreement with the person who was identified in that um complaint and and there were a number of things that we agreed to as

010a board that we would do and um one of them was to have this training and the I think in fairness the department of education kind of wanted us to move a little f you sooner than having it today, but um Rebecca Pyrus, who is the named person in that complaint, really asked that we do it when we have a new board seated. And I really appreciate working with Rebecca on that for the consiliation agreement. and the Department of Education had accepted all of the the changes that we had made up to that date and recognized that we would comply fully with the complaint um with the agreement um through this training. And so that is why we are here today. And I want to introduce Miranda who is going to be doing our training.

011And um when we're com this is completed then do we send something to the department of education or do you check in with somebody or I'm there's a next step to sort of show that we've been in in compliance. >> Yes. So and so we're going to do the training. I know that um we'll all listen and um pay great attention. Director Wolfer is not in attendance but he has um committed to listening to the training. Um he had a work conflict. And then at the conclusion um I have um chatted with Rebecca and she's gonna come up and give a little statement to the board. So we'll go from here. Go. It's up to you now. Thank you. >> Wonderful. Thank you. So I want to confirm I have about an hour and a

012half. Does that sound right to you? Okay. Great. Perfect. And let me make sure this works. Okay. I'm also not used to sitting down and providing training, so I might move around a little bit. This is rough on me. Okay. Um Okay. So, um, first and foremost, I come from the Oregon Department of Education. I'm a civil rights specialist. Um, and in my role as a civil rights specialist, I work with the protected classes under the federal laws of section 504 and title two of the ADA. Um, Oregon has its own non-discrimination statutes. So, I also work within the protected class of disability under Oregon law. And then I'm going to talk briefly in a little while about Oregon's requirement to have civil rights coordinators, but it's our unit that oversees a civil rights coordinator

013program for the state as well. I have colleagues in my unit who um oversee the protected classes under title six and title 9 and we we collaborate very closely. With that said, um this is a training, not not legal advice. We I am here to provide technical assistance. I hope that you all have access to this as a PDF um slide deck because I have hyperlinks throughout. Um, one thing I want to note that anything that's external to the OD website is subject to change. So, we have noticed that the US Department of Education's um, web pages and links aren't always working right now. So, I tried to find original sources like within the CFRs instead of the the federal um, agency's web pages, but just note that as well. Today is also August 12th,

014tomorrow is August 13th. Things change. So as you go through those as references and resources, please make sure that nothing has changed in state or federal law and consult with your legal counsel as needed. So OD serves the entire state. Um that's over 90,000 educators. I was just talking to a district who has four students. That's a we have a very diverse state as far as how big um in these districts are. And no matter what, we still have to follow the law, right? So Newberg is its own um entity. you are unique in your space and our state and federal requirements are the same whether we're at Salem Kaiser, Newberg or in Vale or whatever. Our civil rights unit um is growing. So probably when you first went into consiliation, it was a really

015small care team and then we've expanded our civil rights unit to now have the specialists such as myself as well as support specialists. So now families and community members can reach out to the department and get support on h navigating their children's educational civil rights. Um so just know that that that support is available to them and it is not quite an advocate but someone that helps them navigate really difficult systems, right? Our educational systems are hard to to navigate. So today we're going to go over the ADA's general provisions. Um, and then we're going to go through the Amendments Act as it was amended in 2008. We're going to go through some specific provisions um that just for your awareness, we can't get through all parts of the ADA, right? Um, then we're going

016to talk about Oregon related laws, so how those intersect here in Oregon um including non-discrimination and civil rights coordinators. And then we'll go into a quick review of how that complaint process works. And my style is if you have questions, ask them. um I can keep up with that cadence just fine. So it's better for me to like answer questions as they come up within the context. So that's basically what that says. Okay. So just to level the playing field some terms and acronyms that we see throughout this slide deck in training. OCR is the US Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. They have the legal authority to oversee federal civil rights laws as they apply to our public schools and public charter schools. So you can have complaints filed directly with OCR um

017versus what kind of maybe happened in other situations where there's an appeal to the state. OCR also issues guidance um dear colleague letters and the such to help us interpret the regulations as it applies to our public school systems. Um the DOJ is a department of justice. So actually the ADA falls within the scope of the DOJ. Um we are seeing however right now multiple agencies get involved in investigations. So the department of energy could investigate a school district if they receive monies from those um systems as well as agencies. So just be aware I'm referencing um um OCR and DOJ, but there is possibility that other agencies depending on funding sources could be involved in a civil rights investigation. The ADA is the Americans with Disabilities Act. And you might see ADAA, that's the

018ADA Amendments Act, so it gets just longer. Um, section 504 is shorthand for section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. And CRC is what we're calling Civil Rights Coordinators here in Oregon. So to understand federal civil rights laws, we have to think of it like from the law all the way through to guidance and your colleague letters, right? So you have the actual law. So like the ADA you have you can read the law itself. It's a non-discrimination statute and then it has implementing regulations. So you go even deeper and so different um agencies will have implementing regulations that they must follow. So we look at those regulations and try to interpret what does that look like for our public school systems under title 2. Right? Um and then we have agency federal agencies

019that release um more guidance when it becomes confusing. Right? So OCR might release some guidance on how to interpret title 2 of the ADA as it relates to section 504 because they're sister statutes. Um and so that's a way for us to look at deeper interpretation of these laws. And then we look at case resolutions. So when there is a filing of a complaint at the federal level, we can look at those case resolutions and say, "Okay, this is how the OCR or DOJ would fi find maybe in a similar situation um findings for a similar complaint, right? And if you're ever interested, like you can see how those eb and flow over time um and where those complaints are lying right now um through the OCR website. And then we have court decisions, right?

020So that not only under the ADA do we have this way the compliance mechanisms of agency oversight, but we also have the ability for folks to file civil lawsuits. And so we're able to read into those court cases to understand how the laws applied in those situations. This is just a disability civil rights timeline to give you some context on where these laws live. Um so 1954 um Brown versus the board of education that was the first time that we were actually allowed to educate students with pervasive um disabilities. Up until that point like it was almost a prohibition to include students, right? So we desegregated schools. That also meant that we started to integrate students with disabilities. But it wasn't until 1973 that there was actually a um civil rights statute that says we

021cannot discriminate on the basis of disability. Section 504 applies to federal recipients of federal funds. So section 504 applies to y'all. It applies to the state. It applies to anyone receiving federal funds. Um and it has implementing regulations specifically for primary and secondary schools. So, when we're talking about ADA and section 504, um, we're all kind of talking about them in conjunction because they are doing the same thing as a non-discrimination statute that applies to recipients. Um, then we have them um basically what became the idea. So, we have special education, right? So, and we're not going to talk about that today because this is that's really regarding students. Um, but that's a intersecting law as well. So, just so you know, students who are protect who have services under the IDA and special education

022also have civil rights protections under section 504 and title two of the ADA. So, they could go through procedural processes to get their IDA requirements um fulfilled like making sure that they're getting a FAPE, all of those things, but they can also file civil lawsuit for discrimination under title 2 and section 504. So the non-discrimination statutes live within those two laws. The access is through IDA and special education. Then in 1990, the ADA passed and the ADA extended basically what section 504 did to all areas of civil life. So, you might notice that you go to a concert and there's going to be accessible ramps for folks to be able to also attend the concert or even if you go to a hotel, there might be there should be rooms that folks with disabilities can

023access. So, it no longer was u just recipients of federal funds, but it became all all parts of civil life have an obligation. And we'll talk about there's five titles to the ADA. One of those that we're talking most about today, which is title two. And then in 2008, uh, they went through an amendments act. And so that became, um, effective in 2009. And we'll talk about what that meant for us. And it actually meant a lot because I started working in public ed before 2009. And our definition and scope of who we consider to have a disability was much more narrow. And at at the amendments act, we broaden that scope of individuals who are protected under these civil rights laws. and it took us a while to catch up. Right? So, we're still

024seeing schools who make mistakes in these spaces because they need abundant proof of disability and Congress says no, you don't need abundant proof of disability. Um there should it shouldn't be exhaustive. We can we can f support people and um provide protections without a lot of evidence. So, we're going to dive really quickly into the basics of the ADA. So again there are five titles. Um title two applies to state and local government and that's you. So you re you uh title two is that sister statute to section 504 and um it's important to understand that this applies to public schools, public charter schools, ESDs, any part of state or local government. Title one also applies to y'all as well because of employment practices. So, we're not going to talk about that today, but there

025are employment related um obligations that the district has and your HR department is probably well aware of that and works with the employees um at the district to assure compliance with Title One. So, this is where you'll see I have some links. Um anytime you see those blue hyperlinks, if you want to see where this comes from, I don't make it up. So, that's where it comes from. Um so first really this is the non-discrimination statute that says no qualified individual with a disability shall on the basis of their disability be excluded from the participation of deny the benefits or services programs or activities of a public entity or be subjected to discrimination by any public entity. Okay. So, it's not it's we're not excluding we're not denying benefits. Um any program or activity that

026you all sponsor or partner with is under your jurisdiction, right? So, you're also thinking about not only um Newberg Dundee public schools, but those partner after school programs that you're engaging with, right? Because that's part of your programs and activities. So this applies to our public schools, ESD, state and local government. And remember section 504 is that sister statute. So we weren't allowed to discriminate since the 70s. Then in the '9s ADA told us that again. And then later again in 2008 we um re-uped some of those obligations. So this is where the challenge is is really understanding disability. There are three prongs of disability eligibility. One is in an individual determined to have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities or bodily functions. That one's pretty easy,

027right? But we have two other prongs. One is someone who has a record of an impairment or someone regarded as having an impairment. That means people who have a record of a disability have the same civil rights protections as someone who has a disability. Same thing if we treat someone as if they have a disability, they have the same civil rights protections as if they actually had a disability. So, for example, um a record of an impairment, my school-based example is always like this kiddo had leukemia when they were in kindergarten. It's in full remission. uh they tell the high school football coach they're going to try out and the football coach says you need special clearance because of the leukemia that you had. We don't want you to get injured. That treatment might have

028made your bones brittle. So you need special clearance. That's a record of an impairment and that's discrimination under the law. You can't treat that child s differently simply because they once had leukemia. Now do we all go and get physicals? Yes. That child will get the same physical that any other student would. uh regarded asprong. Um some examples are a person has a really significant scar, but it doesn't actually limit them in any way, but if we treat them differently because we think it does limit them, they're protected under the law. Another example that was really big for a while was folks who had family members who are HIV or AIDS positive and you treat that child or their family member as if they are HIV positive. It doesn't matter that they're not. If you

029treat them that way, they now have the civil rights protections afforded to them. Okay. Are there questions about that piece? >> I guess my question would be how is it how is it determined or how I guess how would we know if that like that third prong um if it's not us making that >> Yeah. It's how you all regard that person. So it's not somebody regarding themselves necessarily, but if the system is treating them as disabled, then that protection is there for them. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> I always warn teachers like don't talk about that kid as if they have ADHD and they don't have ADHD because now he basically has ADHD, right? Like don't talk about him that way. Like yeah, he's just be careful about how you talk about people and

030and and what we think we know about folks, right? So we and we're going to go deeper into defining disability because the amendments act helped clarify some of these pieces. So we'll get to that momentarily. The other thing that the ADA did is it required every uh large enough entity to designate a responsible person to oversee compliance with the law. And so generally we call that person an ADA coordinator. And that person has the obligation to oversee compliance with the ADA, publish grievance procedures, receive complaints, and resolve complaints um regarding discrimination on the basis of disability. Now, this person probably wears multiple hats. So, it doesn't have to be a person that their only job is ADA coordinator. And it could be multiple different people. So you might have someone who oversees web accessibility, right,

031for all your virtual platforms that has an ADA coordinator role as well as someone maybe in HR that has an ADA coordinator role. As long as everyone knows who's doing what and there's collaboration there and you have a grievance procedure and somebody's overseeing compliance, you can kind of divvy out those responsibilities. Sometimes this person wears other hats like the section 504 coordinator. that's fine as long as they're still defined as the ADA coordinator, too, because the ADA does have provisions that are not within section 504. So, we're going to go into some of those special provisions under the ADA, but you would want to make sure that everyone knows when they get onto your website or they get to your handbook who that ADA coordinator is and how to reach them and how to file

032grievance. So, that's part of this notice. So every public entity must um provide notice um to any applicants, participants or beneficiaries, any interested person on the um regarding the ADA and the protections against discrimination. Luckily, you probably have a non-discrimination is required under Oregon law. And so as long as it fulfills that requirement as well within the ADA, it's probably compliant. And in our Oregon law, the notice of non-discrimination must be continuously available on your website, posted multiple locations, um available in languages of the community uh served by your district, and disseminated annually. And so this statement contains that non-discrimination requirement and you're identifying disability in there as one of the protected classes both because of Oregon law and because of these federal laws and the contact information of the ADA coordinator and then we'll

033talk about the civil rights coordinator as well as all the other federally required coordinators. And then for this to be compliant on your website, there has to be a direct link um to your discrimination complaint process and procedures. questions before we move on. >> The protected classes are different in state of Oregon versus private. >> Yeah. So there are there is overlap between federal and state uh thank you um protected classes but Oregon has its own def defined 10 classes. So you won't see some of these in federal law. Right now Title 9 is not recognizing sexual orientation and gender identity. Um but Oregon law does. So that is still a protect those are protected classes here in Oregon. >> Generally as an organization >> can you turn sorry >> I was an audience member

034and generally as an organization we're we're directed to go with the more most restrictive. >> So you need to have those 10 to be compliant with Oregon law. You can have more but then your question would be how do you how are you compliant? Um would you go through the same complaint processes if you define more protected classes? Often times I'll get the question of like what about socioeconomic status? Well, in Oregon that's not in law. If you want to have your own policies, you need to establish those and then create those systems around that. But those those 10 have to be represented. >> Dr. Peters, before we go on, I just want to ask who who does serve as our ADA coordinator and our section 504? >> So, Dana serves as both ADA coordinator

035and then um our 504 coordinator. We also went through an OCR audit. So we were just last year all of this was gone through website where the where all of the pieces are. So we've just been through that process to um agree to um to make sure that we're compliant. Great. >> Thank you. >> Okay. So the ADA went through the amendments act in 2008. So as of 2009 we have some different understanding or a broader understanding of disability. So this offered broader coverage. This is a kind of a the primary p purpose of the ADA amendments act was to make it easier for people folks with disabilities to obtain protection under the ADA. So what Congress said is that the term disability or the definition of disability should be construed broadly in favor of

036expansive coverage. um whether the the question of whether an individual meets the definition of disability should not demand extensive analysis. Um so a couple of of highlights to this here is substantially limits remember a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities is not meant to be a demanding standard. So it's not whether or not someone can do something. Is it more difficult? Is it take more time? Right. Condition and manner duration. An impairment that's episodic or in remission is a disability if it would substantially limit a major major life activity when active. The easiest example of this is epilepsy. So when you're looking at a an individual who has a seizure disorder like epilepsy, you would be asking the question, does that individual have a physical or mental impairment?

037that substantially limits one or more major life activities when they're having a seizure. If the answer is yes, they have are defined as having a disability under the ADA in section 504. Um, that's also true. Well, I'll talk about that in a second. The the determination of whether an impairment substantially limits a major life activity is made without regard to the millative effects of mitigating measures except for just regular eyeglasses. So when we're asking do they have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits, we're asking that when they're not medicated or when they're not using the FM system or when they're not using those tools and devices. Okay? So yes, they they might be using these things that help them and they don't aren't perceived as disabled when those are in use. Um but

038that's not the question. The question is when they're not in use, um are they considered disabled and do they have those protections? >> And I'm sorry, I have one. What's what's FM systems? Oh, an FM system would be like like in a classroom, maybe a student who's hard of hearing would get to have um kind of a projected um system for them. >> And then we just can't have a standard in which we say um you know transient or non you know impairments lasting for a certain amount of time don't qualify. what what OCR and DOJ would say that's case by case like if that impairment is going to last 5 months and it's so significant that it does limit their major life activity it can still be considered a disability. Another example is traumatic

039brain injury and concussion. So we might have someone who has a mild TBI or we think it's a mild TBI. we would think that they're going to start to improve over time and they're just not following that trajectory. We don't need to wait and like say, well, once it's, you know, they've been impaired for 6 months, we're going to make sure that we're, you know, protecting them. Um, we would we would assume that most likely this substantially enough, right? Um, so when it comes this like it's it's funny because we're thinking about these in adult spaces, in child spaces. This is really hard for like educators. Like the kids using medication for their ADHD, what are you telling me that they're disabled and need of, you know, 504 protections? But that's the law. And even

040if one in nine students have ADHD in 2025, which is what the data suggests, um that means one one in nine kids have section 504 and ADA protections, right? Um now, not all of them necessarily need 504 plans, but they might need some type of service. We'd have to determine that. So this is that question of like what is substantial? Um an essentially limited in a major life activity. We're comparing that person to the general population and the condition, manner or duration in which it takes that person to perform that major life activity. So again, it's not whether they can do it, but the conditions, manner, or duration. So we're thinking difficulty, effort, time, pain, side effects of medication, or any other type of burdens associated with treatment. So um we're just kind of thinking

041the the challenge again is there is no bell curve that we're using. There isn't like a standardization of like when does someone suddenly become disabled. That's always oops case by case um and determining kind of in the general population as compared to other folks. So for the ADA itself there's some really important specific provisions to be aware of. One is your program accessibility. And so your programs need to be accessible for individuals with disabilities, including your physical spaces. And that means anytime that you build a new building or renovate or update any type of building, they have to be compliant with the ADA regulations. I'm not going through all those cuz that well, first of all, I don't think I know them all. There's so many. Um, and it would be days of training, right?

042But you would you that's why you have the folks that you have to consult on those projects because you would want to make sure that that addition or that renovation to a really cool old building is still it becomes accessible to folks with disabilities and there's all types of accessibility features that we need to be considering. The ADA even has accessibility requirements for playgrounds and how to make them um accessible. So, it's just making sure that your ADA coordinator, facilities manager, all of those things are working together to get the right consultation and contracts. So, all new buildings or alterations have to meet the 2010 um ADA accessibility um design. The other one is communications. So basically your um your program needs to provide communication to individuals with disabilities so that they can receive the

043same benefit as anyone else um with other with don't need communication um accommodations. And the thing to think about here is in determining this it's usually up to that individual. Okay? So they know what their communication needs are and if they need ASL, they need ASL. Like working with that individual on knowing what their communication preferences are is really important. And so if you have someone who's going to come to a board meeting and needs communication services, um you have a statement on your web page that says let us know uh within 48 hours or whatever and we will get that service for you. And so it's just very important to note that we're working with that individual to determine what their communication needs are because it's hard to say that all individuals who are

044hard of hearing need the exact same thing, right? Or all individuals um who have low vision need the exact same thing. Okay, this is the ones that uh people get in trouble with a lot and so I'm going to spend a little bit of time here. Um, and I've been there's been recent recent cases, very recent cases still, and I'm like, this is like the easiest answer in the whole wide world cuz it's like so cut and dry. There's so little that's cut and dry, and this is really cut and dry. Okay, service animals. This is a specific provision under the ADA, so you won't find it under section 504. You're not going to find it in the IDA special education. This is an ADA requirement. Um, and you must modify your policies, practices, and

045procedures to permit the use of a service animal by an individual with a disability. By definition, a service animal is a dog or a miniature horse. That's it. There's no other animal that's a service animal. Okay? It can be any kind of dog. It does. The breed does not matter. Okay? And you can only ask that individual two questions regarding their service animal. One is is this animal required because of a disability and two is what task has it been trained to perform. You do not ask about what type of training it received. You do not ask for them to show cert certification of that training. You don't ask them about the nature of their disability. You don't call Dave Parker and say, "Can we allow this person on campus with their service dog?" Because

046it's not up to him, right? It is a ADA requirement. So, those are the two questions that can be asked. The problem often comes is that we don't tell the front office staff. That's what you can ask or the teacher. I think the most recent case that um I was looking at was a parent was disallowed from participating being a going to their child's field trip as a chaperone because they came with their service dog. Um and so the parent left and the kids crying and it's all because the teacher just didn't know. Right. We don't train our folks frontline staff on what the requirements are. Now not >> on the I mean it seems like it's pretty obvious the answer to the first one if they say no then it wouldn't be a service

047animal with the second one what would the goal or you know what are you looking for >> so what you're look basically think about it as the service animal is an extension of that person so are that is that animal doing something that they couldn't otherwise really do but they would need as part of their disability right so um good I mean some are really obvious vious, right? So, someone who has low vision might have a seeing eye dog, but there are also um there are dogs that are trained to detect um a diabetic event that are trained to predict seizures and be present with a person who's having a seizure. Um with PTSD, that's also one where it's it's like predicting the uh the like traumatic response. A comfort animal is not the same,

048right? So it has to be a function or a task that they've been trained to do as an extension of that person. Now they don't have to go through any formal training. They that person can train their own animal. They could have their best friend train their animal. The ADA does not require specific training for service dogs or service animals. So I guess the reason I ask is like a front desk individual ask that question that >> an error on the side of sure and let the animal come in and then it they if that person can work with whomever their leadership to say this is what the answer was >> you know what I'm not sure if that's right that's fine but really it's is it something that the person wouldn't be able to

049do or need help with um otherwise yeah just think of them as like an extension of themselves, right? Yeah. >> Um there are times that a service animal, so obviously you're more likely to see service dogs. We don't have a lot of miniature horses. They are allowed, but um it's rare that we see those. Um but there's only two times that you really can take uh to request that the animal be removed. And one is if they're out of the control of the handler and the handler cannot regain control. And two is if they're not housebroken. So, if that dog is going pit all over the school, no, they cannot be there. So, those are the only two times. Um, so we're going to do an activity. Oh, I thought they were going to come

050through it separate. Okay, so we're not not going to look at each one. Let's look at the first one. So, a community member with a panic disorder shows up to the schoolboard meeting with a service dog. Before entering the front doors, a staff member stops the individual and tells them that dogs are not allowed until the superintendent makes that determination for it to be on campus. the dog cannot enter. So, what's the problem? >> We don't have a dog here as like, you know, to practice with, which is really sad to me because I love dogs. >> But should have brought >> um the problem is that the staff member is not educated about the rules. >> Yeah. And there's no one individual that's like qualified or certified to allow or not allow a surface

051animal, right? There's not one person that makes that determination. Okay. A community member with a panic disorder shows up to a schoolboard meeting with a service dog. The front office staff stops the individual and asks for certification to prove that the dog is actually a service animal. What's the problem? >> We are not allowed to ask for any form of certification. >> No certification. And just think about it. If we did, do you know how easy it'd be to like hit print like $45 webpage like website? Like it wouldn't mean anything even if we did. So, uh, we never ask for a certification. That also includes vests. They do not need to be wearing a vest. A community member with a panic disorder shows up to the schoolboard meeting with a service dog. The assistant

052superintendent tells the individual that the dog cannot be in the boardroom because there are other people attending who are allergic to dogs. What do we do about that? allow the dog in and just tell people that there's a dog present and they can move across the room, have to leave, watch on video. >> Yeah. So, our obligation is to serve both folks with disabilities, right? So, if they have a severe allergy and there's a service dog, our obligation is to be okay. So, how can we create the space so that both can be present um to the best of your ability? But we don't disallow service dogs because of allergies. Um, that would also be the same in classrooms. If there was a student with an allergy in a classroom, the service dog is still

053allowed and we figure out the way to accommodate both. A community member with a panic disorder shows up to the school board meeting with a service dog. The board tells board chair tells the individual the dog cannot be present until the ADA coordinator has met with them and determined the dog's actually necessary. Yeah. And what's the ADA coordinator going to ask? What's your disability? We can't ask that, right? Like there's no other question that an ADA coordinator is going to ask that we can't already ask of that person. So, always air on allowing and then if you need to do some more investigation into what's really going on, um, then you can do that. But this is districts get really stuck on this. Um, and it's a pretty cut and dry answer. May I ask

054what prevents somebody from just saying yes? >> Nothing would really prevent them and they could um if at at a time you just realize this animal is not providing any type of service um then that person could you know be taken aside and discussed this service animal needs to provide a task or a service but yeah there's nothing that prevents them. Um but the Congress really didn't want that. What they did do though is narrow it the scope. So for a while, I don't know if you remember, I remember this, some lady showed up at the airport with a peak service peacock. Okay, that's not a service animal. It's not under the ADA, but the ADA did like narrow that scope where it's like, no, we're not having peacocks and snakes as service animals. We

055don't know what sort like task those are performing. It is a dog or a miniature horse and that's it. So, if the bunny rabbit shows up, you don't have to allow it. But it's cute, but you don't have to allow it. Okay. And then this is the new big rule on web accessibility. Um, and so this just passed in 2024 and you will need to be compliant no later than April of 2027 because of the size of your city um that the district that you are in. So your IT folks probably are working on this or close to being compliant, but basically all web uh district web pages, mobile apps have to be completely accessible to folks with disabilities. And I'm thinking about all types of disabilities. So with mobility impairments, um if there is

056issues with dexterity and they can't use a mouse, how are they navigating your website? um vision impairments. When you're uploading your schoolboard meetings and they have hearing impairments, how are they able to listen or or know what was being said at the schoolboard meeting? So, um everything has to be fully accessible and that's the standard. Um there is a DOJ fact sheet that kind of outlines that. Um, and for folks, and this might be more interesting for like folks in districts of like the wise and the hows, OCR has a little video series, which is really nice cuz they're like each four minutes long, so you're not devoting a huge amount of time to understand how do we do like color contrasts, right, on a web page. And why is that important? Um, and what

057is really what is closed captioning like can you do AI closed captioning or not, right? So for a while OCR was going through district websites just like pro like without a complaint and just dinging districts like throughout the United States and making and then requiring compliance. My understanding is that they still could do that. So even though the compliance date isn't until 2026, if they wanted to, they could still ding you now. Um so the compliance date is just a date that is an expectation that everyone's there by that point but we should be working towards compliance already anyways. Um this will get gets more challenging when we have we want to have a lot of cool things on our web pages and we realize that each time we link a really cool document that's

058not been checked for accessibility now we're not compliant. So, it's important to make sure that the right folks understand like really cute graphics and is that accessible. Um, and so those are just some some things to consider and to that at the district will have to work through as is every other district in the United States. Colleges, universities, state agencies, ESDs, we're all going through the same thing. Okay. So, I'm going to pause there. That's kind of big picture ADA without going into the nitty-gritty details of the law. Remember, it's a non-discrimination statute. So, anything that denies benefit um or is discrimination on the basis of disability, like that's what the ADA covers. Um it just has provisions and uh specifically for public entities um and how that looks for accessibility features and such. But

059I'll pause there before we jump into some state stuff. >> The compliance around the web accessibility is actually a really big um issue because my understanding is PDFs don't qualify. So we actually this is actually a lot of work that we're Chloe with the SD has just begun kind of a conversation with me about that. We have lots of work to do on this. Just so you know that that's a um it's a big deal. Yeah. So, we work through our office, we work really hard on accessibility, but it's like if you use Microsoft Office first, do a full accessibility check, then pull into a PDF, then do another full accessibility check, it may be accessible. Now, do that for all three or four languages that you want that document in. Right. Yeah. Um, and

060then other things like sometimes we want to put surveys and like Google surveys and links to that. Often times those are not accessible. Google tends to not be very fully accessible. So when we start to link on our web pages these really cool things, we have to also make sure that they're accessible um for folks. So >> does that mean that that is work that we're contracting out exclusively to WSD? we have somebody in district who's >> we'll need to have folks in district and our ability just to push up a PDF. Um it's really easy right now and so there's a lot more that we're going to have to a lot more process we're going to have to put into place as we start thinking about the website and what we're putting on it

061and how we're doing that. So that's just work out in front of us. It'll be not only Chloe and the SD helping us but it's going to be here too. So, one last B. Is it is the issue right now more going backwards in time to make all of that compliant or is it the work to have these processes in place to make it less of a compliance issue every time something's coming up? >> So, the website's become super stale. Um, and again with not enough people really working on it. So, I think it's a little bit of both, Saul, which is I think there's a bunch of content that we're probably not going to um move forward, but there is some. And then there's also the things that we're as we move forward and

062we begin to post, we'll also have to figure out, you know, how we're going to get that up there. And and we haven't done much of this work. So, I really I mean, actually, I just learned a little bit about a process of getting to an accessible document um from Miranda. So again, I think there's still a lot of work for us to do here. >> Well, and I I think about too like um you know, booster club and um sports teams that are loading things up into the website and and how that's going to need some caretaking. >> Yeah. >> Dave, could I ask you to repeat what you said about PDFs? I just want to make sure I'm clear. Well, my understanding is I think there's ways to get them to be accessible,

063but they aren't necessarily right off the bat. And specifically with some of the readers that some of our um folks use to be able to um accommodate and get to that material, um they don't work well. And so, we have to start, we have to do some thinking. And I don't have I don't have the answer yet. I just know that it's a problem that we're going to have to figure out. >> Got it. I I I thought I heard you say that PDFs were not a part of the requirement and I as as an OD colleague I'm like >> oh I thought I'm pretty sure they are. Um I had one question about program accessibility. Um in the in the slide it said that a public entity shall operate each service program or activity

064so that that thing is readily accessible to and usable by individuals with ex with disabilities. So I'm I'm wondering what are the implications of something like that for a school district particularly an out of school program. So there is some conflicting information like on especially when we've looked at some case resolutions and lawsuits but generally speaking if you have any type of relationship with an organization whether like whether because you just create the space for them like oh you can use our classroom for free like of course and the main office staff will call the kid in if their mom calls or whatever like even and they're doing all the services for free but they're not actually making the services accessible for the students who are using them or for the parents who are calling

065in. There could be an implication there. Um same thing with like thinking about so one of the one of the cases I was just reading was um there was a choir group that wanted to perform at a local museum. And so they went and they got there and there was no ramp. So the mom couldn't see her child perform cuz she utilized a wheelchair. So she filed complaint and the district said, "Okay, we'll we'll work on we won't use them anymore then if they're not going to be accessible." But the museum said, "Actually, we will. We'll become accessible so you can have us next year." So they did the same thing except that the ramp hadn't been installed yet. And so for the second time, the mom couldn't go to her child's performance. um in

066that case they were not found to be a program or activity for some reason of the district but I think in other jurisdictions they would have said yes. So sometimes it's hard to know um when it's considered a program or activity of the district. So generally speaking if we're giving them any type of assistance whether there's money or a contract or you know inind kind of assistance we need to assure full accessibility as if they were our own. Um that also means that if for example you had a afterchool club that used your space for free and you know excluded students on the autism spectrum because they didn't have the staffing to support them and there was a discrimination complaint it would likely be filed against your district. So if it because it's going to

067come through the the the the relationship that you have with them and it would be we the claim would be that relationship is discriminatory because they're allowing an a you know a nonprofit or an agency to function with us um and still discriminate against students with autism. So uh you just have to be really aware and of who you're partnering with whether there it's you're paying for that or contracting or just kind of in kind support. Oh, >> you gave an example and I don't we could get into the wild flowers on a lot of like edge cases, but one that you mentioned early was epilepsy >> and I know for a lot of people with epilepsy, you know, strobe lights and that kind of thing can trigger seizures. So does that mean that for

068example if a school had a dance and a strobe light was part of that that that and this that led to a seizure in the in the child that that >> well not necessarily in that in that situation that student would be covered under section 504 and that would need to be predetermined probably as part of their 504 plan. So we're saying, okay, we know the triggers for this child. It is this thing. Where are there times where there would be strobe lights and what can we do to reduce the the risk for them? And as long as everyone's fulfilling those obligations as part of that plan, it would probably be fine. But if someone ignored that, we're not going to do the strobe light thing because of the 504 plan for this student, then

069that could constitute discrimination because we reduced their access because we were unwilling to change our pro programs for students. for accessibility purposes. So, and that can be anywhere that I mean when we're think when we talk about programs and activities, we're talking from the time from this the bus stop to the board meeting to the prom. Those are all programs and activities of the district. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Now, the parent Facebook group that you have no control over, that is not your program or activity and you don't have to worry about that. Okay. state specific statutes and rules. So, Oregon has its own um discrimination prohibited rule and a statute and rule. Um and discrimination means any act that unreasonably differentiates treatment intended or unintended act that is fair and form but discriminatory

070in operation for any of our 10 protected classes. So this is a reason why an a complaint can be appealed at the state level because we have state laws that say this is disallowed. So you cannot discriminate on the basis of age, disability, national origin, race, color, marital status, religion, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity here in Oregon. And this is for any uh state funded school. So that includes our public charter schools or even our you know we have some really cool special programs. um those are all encompassed within. Um and this is kind of gets to that point of yeah we can't treat people differently. We can't provide aid and benefit service in a different manner. Um we can't deny services and there that e is what we were just talking about. We

071can't aid or perpetuate discrimination by joining or remaining a member of an agency or organization which discriminates by providing any type of aid or service benefit to them. So, we're thinking about like OSAA. Um, we can't be a part of OSAA if they had um discriminatory practices, right? So, we're always thinking about our partnerships um all the time. So, these are some examples of disability discrimination. The first one, a parent who is deaf wants to attend a schoolboard meeting and request an ASL interpreter. The board indicates that there is not a budget for such services. encourages the parent to watch the recorded meeting which has closed captioning. So why could that be considered as why would that be maybe potentially discrimination? >> We're not providing the service necessary for that person to access everything that

072somebody else would be able to. >> Yeah. So everyone else gets an opportunity to be at the live meeting if they want. Right. That's a benefit that is afforded to all community members. and we're saying because of it's a burden to us, we're going to give you an alternative and it's not your preferred alternative. So the ADA would also say no the communication request was ASL, not the closed captioning, but Oregon law would also say that's a different treatment on the basis of disability, >> but they have to request that in advance. Yeah. Right. >> Yeah. Yeah. Because you can't have an ASL interpreter at at the weights at every given moment. So they can request it. Yeah. Um, a school district adopts a strict no cell phone policy from students from Bell to Bell.

073Sound familiar? The parent of a student with insulin dependent diabetes requests a modification so that his daughter can use her cell phone for continuous glucose monitoring. The PR principal denies the request stating that once one child's allowed cell phone, it will create a situation where many families will be requesting exemptions from the policy and which will make it effectively make the cell phone ban ineffective. When the parent appeals a decision, the school board upholds the principal's decision. So why could that be constitute discrimination and >> that child most likely has a 504 allowing them all sorts of medical accommodations at school? >> Yeah, this would be one of them. >> That that device for full access to school, then we modify policy for that student to have access. Um, if there was a different way,

074if the school wanted to spend a lot of money on a continuous blood blood glucose monitoring device that notified the parent and you want to spend your money that way, that's fine. Then you don't have to modify the cell phone policy. But probably the easier solution is to modify the policy. Um, so this is only true, however, if it really mitigates discrimination on the basis of disabilities. So if this same student had a different monitoring tool but needed their cell phone just so they could call their parents whenever they wanted to. Yeah, that's not discrimination, right? Also within this context, um we're always thinking of about things on a case- by case basis. So blanket rules and statements where we say we never do that. I'd be really cautious about that because there's probably always

075going to be some nuance to that. Um, and you you know I've had many conversations with folks already about the cell phone bands and they're like, "Well, how do we tell the kid other kids why they have a cell phone?" I'm like, "How how do you tell other kids that kids have certain things all the time?" Like, it happens all the time. There'll be growing pains. It's fine. Um, and we kids are used to this. They're used to seeing students that have differing needs. Not everyone has a one-on-one assistant and we don't have to go around saying, "Well, they're disabled, so they need a one-on-one assistant." We don't do that. And the same will be true about the cell phone. Um, a schoolboard member uses a wheelchair and needs accessible parking near the boardroom. On

076multiple occasions, the accessible parking spot has been occupied and used as a loading zone by the district facilities manager. The school board member notifies the superintendent, but the superintendent indicates that it's outside his jurisdiction and suggests they just call the police if it's such a big deal. Don't do that. So, those accessible parking spots are there for a reason. We cannot use them for any other purpose. They are often used as loading zones. We see it all the time. and that um is disallowed both under the ADA. And if that if that school board member was unable to get to the boardroom because of that, then that's discrimination, right? So we have both a federal and state case here. Okay. So these are um associated rules um that go along with our non-discrimination requirements. So,

077we have this original one that I was talking through about prohibiting schools from discriminating against individuals on the basis of protected classes. Um, you also have to have your complaint procedures for receiving and resolving complaints of discrimination. And this is where I'll put the plug is as you're working on your complaints processes. And we're talking about web accessibility, those complaint processes on your website better be fully accessible to individuals with disabilities. So if they have to go to a PDF form that is not accessible, then it's not met the requirements under the ADA either. Okay? So it's discriminating on the basis of disability under Oregon law because they don't have they're unable to access the form, but it's not meeting the ADA standards either because we have to have those accessible. Um, you have to

078have your notice of non-discrimination on your website and annual notify members of your school community. and you are now required to have a designated civil rights coordinator to oversee compliance with state um non-discrimination law. So in Oregon, we passed this law. Maybe that's what that's what I'm getting to. Uh we passed this law to require all public schools and charter schools to designate one or more civil rights coordinators to oversee the implementation of state and federal civil rights laws. And so this civil rights coordinator um must be have the independence, authority and knowledge to fulfill their responsibilities. Um we provide the training. So those folks who are designated if they want free training OD offers that in a ver virtual um asynchronous or synchronous format. Um and we go over all the federal laws and

079state laws and rules uh that apply um for them. One of the reasons we uh the civil rights coordinator bill passed is because you are required to have a title 9 coordinator. You're required to have a 504 coordinator and ADA coordinator. But there's a federal law that's missing and that's title six. Title six is our first non-discrimination law that co uh that was passed in 1964 uh that protects race, color, national origin and we don't have a coordinator requirement for that. So there were a bunch of complaints regarding race discrimination, national origin discrimination, um shared ethnic, you know, characteristic discrimination and nobody really overseeing that process. Um and with Title 9's new kind of reversal of uh of how they define who they are protect, what that law protects um sexual orientation and gender identity

080would could also be protected classes. I don't have a federal um required coordinator. So, Oregon now, every school district needs to have someone that oversees all those laws, but maybe are working more closely with those protected classes because they don't necessarily have a federally required coordinator to oversee um processes. So the civil rights coordinators must monitor, coordinate and oversee compliance, ensure the resolution of discrimination complaints including the remedies. Uh provide guidance to school employees and or you whoever on civil rights law and response to questions and coordinate efforts um to prevent discrimination. But I just want to highlight that this person cannot do this work alone. This person is a coordinator of processes and there are many folks that need to be at the table. So most likely you have a a larger team of

081individuals that might be working through a discrimination case together. Um you might have um you know other equity groups that kind of inform the civil rights coordinator on prevention efforts and they can kind of work in coordination. So those uh that's just something to be aware of um there. So, this is your time to locate your own notice of non-discrimination. So, I don't think the t I think the timer is not working. So, I'm going to kind of watch you within 2 minutes should be able to do this. Okay. So, you're going to find your notice of non-discrimination or your non-discrimination policy on your website. Find the discrimination complaint procedure and I want you to find the name of your ADA coordinator and civil rights coordinator in two minutes. Go. Yeah, she wins. videos. I'm

082dancing here. Okay, >> I have questions. >> Notice of non-discrimination found. >> Good. You all have 45 more seconds. >> Got Oh, sorry. >> I've got um our civil rights title N coordinator, Tammy. Mhm. >> Um, our special program section 504 coordinator is listed as Amy Stevens, who is no longer that position, correct? So, we'll update that. >> Okay. >> Did I even find the ADA coordinator? >> I am not finding EV. >> So, I didn't either. Um, but I did check your website. So, one thing to think about is is your 504 coordinator also your ADA coordinator? That's fine, but then define that as such. Make sure it's really clear. Um, if you go into your staff handbook, which is online, all different names are listed there. So, does that mean that the staff

083handbook's outdated or which one's right? So, I did find an ADA coordinator in the staff handbook, but I couldn't find that person as employed with the district anymore, I think, is what I think so, but maybe I'm wrong. I've looked at a lot of district websites. So, just um you want to make sure that this is something that's not so hard for folks to find. That's kind of the the purpose of the exercise, right? How hard is it to find? Um and would they be able to say, "Yep, this is the ADA coordinator that I need to contact um because somebody, you know, told me I couldn't come to the school with my service dog and I want to resolve that now and not have to file a complaint somewhere else, right?" So, they want

084to you want to have that really accessible. The other thing to think about is how accessible all this information is both for speakers of other languages and for folks who have disabilities. So once you're doing your website updates and you're getting everything to the accessibility standards that will probably be really much there. Um, we find a lot of these things I we have to go through a lot of uh websites, but a lot of times districts have a lot of PDFs of processes that are in English only and not accessible. Um, there yours were a little bit easier to find. They were a little bit more accessible for folks. Um, so just thinking about that and you should have it available and the language is spoken by your community. So thinking about who what languages

085are in this community. Um, you can tell that by like the churches and the stores and the, you know, community groups that are in um, Newberg and Dundee and get a sense of which languages you should be representing on your website. Okay, so we're going to jump really quick into responding to complaints. So just so you know um when a discrimination complaint is filed it has to be responded to and not only a filed complaint is a complaint. So oftent times uh individuals will make a report in lots of other ways like an email um or a phone call um and those are still considered complaints. So you're it's fine um if they do that and you want them to fill out a form. You just need to direct them on how to do that.

086So maybe you go, "Hey, our civil rights coordinator can help you fill out that form." And um you just we had to have to make sure that we're treating all complaints equally. And for some folks, filling out a form is the barrier to filing complaint. Um what the district must do if there is discrimination is first in the discrimination in in the sense in the context of disability that might mean in that denial of access. So, we might be some sometimes discrimination, we're thinking like discriminatory harassment, using foul language towards an individual based off of their protected class status. But in disability cases, often times this is denial of access. So, what can we do to provide access again, right? Um, you might have to fix the harm that was caused. So, they lost something

087in the meantime. Uh, how can we get give them that back, right? How do we re make them whole again? um what because that incident of discrimination already occurred and then we need to make efforts to prevent it from happening. So again, so it's kind of a process. It's not usually a oneanddone issue. It's a okay, we fix the harm now, let's monitor and make sure that we're not, you know, the our practices and procedures aren't continuing um to perpetuate discrimination. >> I I have a question about that. So the the reason we're here tonight getting your fabulous training is a circumstance that happened in 2021. And so I mean I h how does that app really apply to the work of the board in terms of because it takes a long time. you know,

088decisions were made, whatever, whatever was the context of those three meetings in which the board member was unable to participate fully because of not having um access. >> I mean, there's a couple pieces here. One is kind of the theoretical piece of okay, what do we do from here on out? Like we there there was harm caused. Let's do what we can to fix it. And what can we do now? what is our procedures moving forward so that we're not waiting for a complaint or us to miss make a state mistake again. We're going to have annual trainings on accessibility or we're going to have a review once a year on a certain thing. So you you can kind of make uh build up your systems to be resilient to those problems. Um the best

089that we can do to help that person regain what was lost is important. Sometimes it's nearly impossible, which that the parent that never got to go to that kid's um you know, field trip or to the the choir. Uh that's really sad because that does happen. And how do you give them those moments back? I don't know a really genuine way to do that, but making efforts towards that is really important. Um and maybe working with the individual on what that can look like. So um if that it was access loss that can't be regained in the exact same way where can we find that that kind of middle ground where the best we can do and and what are what input do they have in that so I think it's building systems I think

090now that you have ci civil right coordinator and someone that can maybe oversee some of those processes they can audit pro you know procedurally kind of what do we do as a system um to help with that and pull in team members to make sure that those are actually occurring. So, but again it's not like it's a one and done like that happened but like from here on out now we have to continue to work on be doing better right. Yeah. So the only uh the other thing I want to say about um discrimination complaints is being really excited about local discrimination complaints because they're an opportunity. So if you get a complaint that comes and and I don't know how much you know comes to your table as an appeal um if you make

091the final you know decision regarding complaints but when an individual files locally there are so many opportunities for mending relationships for creating solutions that support that person or that group and the district. um that we don't want to shy people away from actually filing, right, or talking through that and what deciding whether they want to file a formal complaint. Um it really can once you get external folks OD or OCR or DOJ involved, sometimes nobody's needs are met. It's three years down the line and we haven't met that person's needs. the district is getting a resolution agreement that really feels like checkboxy checkquity to say um so you know taking those opportunities to resolve them at the local level and build alliances with folks who've experienced discrimination and support that and regaining access within your

092systems is really important. Um, so we have all these other options, these appeals processes, these federal agencies, but if they can resolve it here with you all, um, everyone usually benefits in the long run. And the other piece too is thinking about making those that accessible to individuals. So, how hard is it to file a complaint? Uh, what we don't want to do is exclude folks who have the are navigating our educational systems with the most challenges, right? You're going to get the folks who know how to do this stuff and they're going to do it and they're going to be loud and they're going to file 10 complaints and that's fine. But what you're not what you might get is the families that can't navigate those systems very well and they never file that

093complaint and that kid doesn't have access or that parent doesn't make it to that um to those events or what have you. So making it equally accessible to folks who can navigate or don't navigate our systems as fluidly. So, a discrimination complaint can only be filed in two ways, either with you or with the federal office, usually OCR, or it could be DOJ if it's a an ADA complaint. Um, OD can only take it on appeal. So, if we got a a a complaint on first instance at OD, we would kick the complaintant back to the district to try to resolve it first. And so um that's why those processes can take so long is by that point they might be 90 days through your complaint process before they can you even appeal to OD

094OD and if there was an access issue for 90 days probably more than that because the complaint might have been something regarding uh something that happens through for 3 months prior to that that person hasn't had access for months going on years. There's also civil lawsuits, and it's just important to know that the ADA and section 504 allow an individual to go directly to court. They do not need to exhaust your remedies through a local complaint, through a complaint through a federal agency. They can just file a civil lawsuit. Um, there are two kind of outcomes. One is injunctive relief. So, typically that would be like the court orders you to solve the problem. Now, you need to make that website accessible. You need to make that building accessible. Um, and they often times the

095district would have to pay that person's attorney's fees. Along with that, there's also compensatory damages, which is the monies that could be owed to a plaintiff if the discrimination was intentional and that's shown through um deliberate indifference. So, basically, the district knew that what was happening was discrimination and they were indifferent to it. they could bring that to a civil lawsuit for civil compensatory damages. Um, and the prevailing party would not only get those um, uh, compensatory damages, but also probably recover attorney's fees as well. So, those are just important things to know. And often times where some of these things start is just a lack of knowledge. So it could be the front office staff that kind of started the the whatever issue and it doesn't got bring brought up to the right people

096at the right time and we didn't train the right people in the right spaces and suddenly we find ourselves in the middle of civil lawsuit. So just making sure that your teams all know that um all all representatives of the district have the same responsibilities for non-discrimination. Whether it's a contracted bus driver or an elected schoolboard member, it doesn't matter, right? They have the same responsibilities. Um so we have we're trying to update our web pages, but we have more resources now for families and districts. So, I just um those are linked there if you go to the um PDF. And so, if you want to look at some of the resources that are available, those are there. You can also direct families there if you'd want to. Um but it's just a little more

097accessible to from the OD side of things. So um before I open up for last minute questions I just want to remind people that the ADA is a civil rights law and it prohibits public entities which includes school districts from discriminating on the basis of disability. The ADA amendments act passed in 2008. So we have to understand that that scope of and pool of individuals determined to have a disability broadened at at that point and both under the ADA and section 504. So we have to understand that disability lives within that definition even if at the beginning of our careers we thought about it differently. Um there are very specific provisions of the ADA that aren't encompassed in other laws that you need to be not necessarily intimately aware of but make sure that you

098have the right folks monitoring for that including accessible buildings um web pages all those things. And then we have our own Oregon laws um that prohibit discrimination um and allow us to um respond to um appeals of discrimination. Um we are offering webinars for anyone who wants to join. So these are not educator specific webinars. These are for anybody. So if anyone any of you are interested or you have contacts that would be interested um these are just on very basic topics within the civil rights realm um in education. So just overviews all the way through specific federal laws and state requirements. Um so those we want to keep open to the ent community members um if you want to share those links. And then we do um have a unified um email address. So

099if you have any questions regarding any civil rights concerns um or just whatever um that will get you to the right folks within the agency. So with that said, I will open up for any questions that you may have and then let you all take your >> I don't have a question, but I want to say thank you for your time and going through this. I learned things I had questions about the other part of the aspects of of law and our relationships etc. and just still learned it here. More of a comment though towards the board because some of our printouts like missed like the email or whatever, right? So I just checked on our board packet all the links work and everything's filled out in the board packet. So, if you really want

100because I saw you writing, I wrote down stuff that was missing, right? Um, it's all there and all the links work. I I I clicked a few. So, >> well, I appreciate your time and coming out. You did a really good job of succinctly, you know, condensing a lot of really important information and it looks like we've got a lot of work to do with our website. Yeah, I'll also say that um Tammy Tammy just redid the staff handbook, so the new one isn't up yet. We're working on the student rights and responsibilities. Um I was actually surprised that some of the um new folks who will be taking over in a couple weeks when staff report there are there's some pieces that we need to fix there, but yeah, there's some work on the

101website. um not having a communications director for the last year I think has been a little a little harmful to our um process, but I'm I was actually surprised that um some of it's already updated and which is good news for us, but we'll get working on that. >> Okay. Any >> I'm just curious if uh our teachers and staff also take related training. There's just a lot in here that I didn't know when I've been in different public spaces that this would have been very helpful to have known. >> Yeah. So, every year all of our staff go through a series of um training over the years. Um since 1990, those trainings have become very extensive and um civil rights is one of those trainings along with um a whole series of different things.

102We just met today talking through the vector trainings that our staff will go through. Um but it's always something that's um we're thinking about I mean this is a primary function of schools is how do we provide access um not only to our students who qualify for disabilities but for all sorts of um folks. though. And I'll also say some of what happened should have never happened. Like it it's we don't need I don't need training to understand that access. Um I mean I appreciate the training. Don't let me say it like that. But again, some of these things should have never happened. Um that's just not how we how we work. So I don't know. That was more than you wanted, I'm sure. No, I appreciate that comment. >> Yeah. >> Uh Rebecca, would

103you like to come up and join us? And if you and Jean want to come over and sit over here on this left hand side that or your right hand side, that would be great. And just a reminder to please turn on your microphone. maybe introduce yourself for the just for the record for when people watch this in 20 years and are curious. >> Promise not to be as long as I was before. >> You have all the time you need. >> It's on. >> Is it Is it on? >> The mic's on. >> Okay. >> Yes, your mic's on. I just want to take a moment to thank the board for considering for educating yourselves and and being aware of the situation. Um, I s sorry that's what you get for having a talking

104phone >> and an assistant. >> Yeah. Just just >> there you go. >> Yeah. Okay. Um, it's been um three years since I resigned from the board. It was three years ago in May when I submitted a complaint to the board and then the in June 28th of of 2022, the board rejected my my complaint and said it had no validity. And I was thinking about the question that was asked. What part of the board's responsibility um do we have in this regard? I think your responsibility is to to educate yourself as you have tonight, to have compassion for people who are different, and to be willing to ask the questions, how can I help you? Dave Parker was assistant superintendent in 2017 when I wanted to return back to the high school to work.

105And he was very willing even though um he asked the question, well, what can a blind person do? To me, that he was so open to having me come back. That was so encouraging. And then um when I became a member of the board, Dr. Morlock asked me, "What can I do to make your job possible?" And just asking those questions that um to to get a better understanding of of people where we are at and the compassion that was uh was lacking prior to the sit to previous situations. I'm just so thankful for the board's new direction and for the light that's coming back to Newberg. And I'm thankful for the Oregon Department of Education for for taking up my appeal and and working with us through this reconciliation. It it feels like the

106one last thing I could do for Newberg School District and I'm I'm very proud to to have been part of this and um thank you very much. I also um I'm still a volunteer at Newberg School District and I am open to coming to classrooms to talk about blindness. I think educating young young children. I've been to kindergarten, first grade classes, fifth grade classes, middle school, and high school health classes on my disability. It it brings us together and shows that that that we we can add to each other's lives so much. And I think the actions you're taking now will help make sure that no other student, no other staff member, no other board member or community member will experience what I experience. And I thank you very very much for this opportunity. Well,

107I am going to get a little teareyed. You have given so much to this community and I just thank you so much for all that you've given and your compassion that continues. You are the shining light for our community and thanks for your dedication to the board and your continued dedication to our students. >> Thank you. I just want to say that I really appreciate that you didn't let this situation be what it was. Um that you made sure that that it was known that it wasn't okay. That uh there's things that we all need to learn, even those who people who may be more compassionate uh or more um willing to do those things, but to not let mediocracy be the answer. um to make sure that we are learning, that we're growing um

108as a district, as a community. So, I I really appreciate that you you stood up for what you know is right um not just for you, but for everyone. So, thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> I'll just add um of course Rebecca Pyros, you would bring this back to students. You've always done that. And so while you are here because of something hard that happened to you and this community, the fact that uh you took this right back to students is such a testament to who you are. So thank you for being here. Thank you for being light in our community. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Well, I think that we this is a probably a good time to take a break >> and then we'll come back and get to the other

109portions of the agenda. So, thank you so much for your time and your experience and your knowledge and making this a very very interesting presentation and thank you to the prioris for being here as always. Okay, we'll take a we'll take a five minute break. Okay, we are returning from our brief break and moving into the next step of our agenda and Holly, you are up to talk to us about some policy. >> Good evening everyone. Um last spring um specifically April 15th um we had an AI workg group gather for the first time. It was comprised of almost exclusively secondary teachers and admin to talk about the latest tech wave in education which is AI and it is so much more than tech at this point. Um but we gathered to talk about the

110two facing conundrums which is staff use of AI as well as student use of AI and what does that look like. So, we used exemplars from McMinnville, from Tiger Twallin, and just looked at how are other school districts approaching this um wave of change. And in that meeting, we drafted an initial policy off of a recommended um policy draft from the Oregon Association of School Boards. And um we made some changes that made sense to us and our practice not only as colleagues but also as practitioners with students in mind. Um that group then took back the draft policy to their buildings to collect feedback from their fellow colleagues and then we gathered again on May uh 7th and this is the um result that you have in front of you. So again, very much

111guided by the policy exemplar that was shared with us from the state. Um, a couple of additions and refinement from what we know to be true uh here in Newberg Dundy public schools. And so, um, you'll see that represented really well and how we're trying to confront not only staff use and our absolute need for privacy, um, and how to manage that well, as well as how to guide students to use this very valuable tool, um, at the same time and give teachers that gatekeeping possibility of what is used and what is not used within their learning cycles and, uh, teaching approaches. So any questions about that process? >> Yeah, I have a couple questions. So this so OSBA actually has a sample of this this policy. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Uh for next round

112when we actually approve this, can we have that sample and understand the differences? >> Absolutely. >> Okay. Then two, I know this is a little outside of our scope because we're really only on the policy side. Um but I would love to understand and again it doesn't have to be today it could be a future um presentation or whatever like what are the tools that teachers or administration has to combat AI or overuse or um I know there's a couple um I'm drawing a blank uh >> yes it is um you know if it's um a pirate and that's music and videos what >> plagiarism >> yes There you go. Plagiarism. I knew it was a P. So, but like I know there's other plagiarism tools in the past. I'm sure there's they even now

113have scoped over into AI. Are we just using certain tools? Like I guess what do we have at our expense from a teacher administration level? >> Absolutely. And if we want to dive into that further, we we can. Um I will tell you that we are looking at the use of this particular policy for only a year because like anything else even the tools that we have with all the vetting tools within them to identify where students have used AI heavily or it is truly plagiarism at that point um and not just ideiation and they're using that as a starting point of their thinking and creating um they're going to be already outdated within a matter of months. So, it is just a slippery fish that we're working with and we kind of know that

114um just how rapidly tech advances. Just to give you some scenarios that scare all of us, um our alternative learning platform of KA programming is all online at our 612 grade bands. Um it is so wonderful for students and who need that approach and need that flexibility or they're going through some life experiences where that just makes school work for them and that in that um uh approach. The problem is that our students are so savvy with what exists in the online world that you can go and you can get a bot that impersonates you and does all of your learning and work for you. and it's just an AI program that now students know how to use so well. So one of the major changes for us to consider is when we as educators

115require by hand and on demand work so that we can verify that that is that students learning and it doesn't mean that we're not doing things online. Of course like we're equipping our students for life and life is um so much online or using these AI tools. And just as point of information, lots of different high schools are now providing a class on how to use AI. So it is overwhelmingly a tool to be used to help kids guide in decision making and ethical practices. This is just another way to live and we'll teach through that. But exactly what you're asking will change in four four weeks, four months. And that's tough for us. >> Yeah. So I I get I I live in the tech world. Yeah, >> I work with software developers, so

116I get it. Um, >> and you know, I think I might be quoting somebody, but you know, we thought uh spellch check was, you know, >> a tool that was supposed to be prohibited way back in the day, right? So, you know, >> I get it. Thank you. >> Yes, absolutely. >> Yeah, that too. Um, I'm curious the process or a list of how are we deciding what AI tools are safe and useful and how is that process going? >> Great question. So, we'll have a general list that's developed between our tech department and us and they basically do the vetting for safety on that side of the tech world and then we'll share that list with our educators. The educators get to decide within their classroom what is used from that list and what

117is not. But AI is now embedded into so many things. So whether we're talking about Grammarly or we're talking about a Google search, AI is at use and all that. And even some of our instructional platforms are utilizing AI as part of the platform we're paying for. So it gets tricky when we have to identify everything. So some things will be described in broad strokes of what we already have while others will be very identifiable by the actual program. Um and again that will be shared with teachers um and then teachers decide as gatekeepers what's used in their classroom and not >> so the other question I have and like it almost feels like the problem with trying to write a policy like the furpa and confidentiality obviously you have that in there don't put

118that information in here. What do we It's It feels to me like it just it's going to happen. There's no way you get around certain things. I have my own thoughts on AI and like the medical field because there's so many things where you have student input and when their name goes in, when information goes in, do we have any way that >> we can control that? if that makes sense that >> I think this burden rests not only within our processes and how we train our staff around what we know to be true of what we know people will be using. Um and also anonymity. How do we ensure that nothing is identifiable within any of the things that we're putting in AI and expecting that output from? Um but there's a lot of

119guidance that's going to also be resting with our tech department because they know infinitely more than I do about um so much of this AI um complex world. So I think it's a it's all of those things in tandem. as soon as we know something to be true of a process that we turn around and we uh train our staff well of what we do and what we don't do and utilizing a tool. But definitely I mean it's a blanket statement. You'll see in the policy that student our top priority is um safety and security when we're using any of these tools. One last question is, is there anything specific that you could say that having this policy is going to change the practice of in the classroom or is it just saying what is

120already happening and outlining that? >> Ooh, good question. If you were to ask our workg group, this is actually still relatively new to teaching. So, we're actually putting in some safeguards and parameters first rather than crazy blanket use across our district. That's actually not occurring. But they are encountering even on the teaching preparation side. What do we do? It it is an amazing time-saving tool if you know how to use it well, >> if you know how to take that and morph that to your students sitting in the classroom. But when it comes to student use, as always, we're behind what our students have been doing. And so, we are playing a catch-up game. And actually, I don't mind that. I kudos to those students who are the, you know, early adopters and gunning ahead.

121They are exhibiting skills in this world that you get paid really well to do. But we have to also ensure that we are having our students learn. they are learning and not deferring their learning to a tool that they can readily access. So that's our work is to make sure that the learning the student needs to have within each grade level happens for them and not by accessing an online tool. But like calculators are a great example. >> If our students know the process, they know what they're looking for. They already have a selfch check in their mind. They know that answer can't be correct because they know these math facts in their heads. But yet you they use the calculator because the process is so much faster. AI is similar in some regards but

122then it's not in others. So we we have a lot of work to do. >> Um thank you for this. I am continually fascinated by AI and education and just the roller coaster that we are all on there. Um, do we have any hopes, dreams, plans, bandwidth for possibly teaching explicitly um at the middle or high or honestly elementary level some of this AI literacy and um >> yeah, I believe that that's coming, but we're going to cover graduation requirements next and we'll see how >> that is complicated because just even articulating time away from our current programming >> for adding another class is However, I have full um faith in our teachers. Our teachers know how to equip students and we have some phenomenal teachers who are already embracing how do I make this

123accessible to my students? How do I teach ethical situations with my students um utilizing AI in any of these ways? So, um we do not have a plan right now for this is the class, right? But we started last um fall two amazing professors at George Fox walked our secondary teachers through AI tools that are available to them and just AI and education in general. And I think that got them sparked into what do we need to start embedding into our class. This policy helps to define for them what they can stop students from doing because they know their learning process needs to not include AI for these pieces of um the education within a class. Um but it does give them the permission to use it, teach them how to use it. >> Yeah.

124The one thing I will say unintended benefit which is in tandem with this conversation of um the American Disabilities Act there is so much accessibility now by using AI tools whether it's changing something to a reading level that you need whether it is changing uh XYZ of a particular tool that students are using. So, as a practitioner, I get really excited because oh my goodness, now this and this and this is accessible. But with that comes, did we think through the unintended consequences of relying on something too much? Yeah. So, >> any other >> Holly, thank you for the the overview. Um, I just want to name that I greatly appreciate the collaborative approach to developing the policy. I will say that my initial my initial instinct when I read it is this doesn't look

125like some of our other policies and so I'm eager to to really dig in. One of the things that um >> I guess it it it feels in some ways a little too detailed for what we would normally see as a policy. Um, however, one of the things that my eyes go to are anytime I see the words must, may, should, can, cannot. And, um, I do have a concern about the last line on the first on the first page, what is page 51 of the packet, um, in the section where it talks about specific rules for independent use. >> Um, and I think Dr. Peters spoke to this a little bit in the OCR presentation. Um, it says failure to follow these rules will lead to an incomplete or no credit given. To me,

126that seems I mean I understand that, right? But that's saying there are no edge cases. There are no nuances and it feels like maybe that that should say may. >> That was a huge piece from our educators. It didn't say that originally. They wanted it to be clear that in all the ways that you can use this tool, if something is prohibited, it is prohibited. You do get a referral for going outside the boundaries of that. I believe that the balance of that and I can't remember where in the policy we talked about in collaboration with a teacher having a discussion for student use but if we need to expand on that really clearly that that's where the give is in those case byase conversations for student use with a teacher but you have to

127understand and this is what I think they were trying to capture and maybe they didn't do it well so by all means please give the feedback I think that they want it to be clear. It is very easy to sidestep a parameter or something that they are not allowed to do and say but I need this I need this this way. Um that is a conversation to have but there has to be agreement with your instructor on that use. And so it is a very fine line. Um so we either counterbalance that again with making it really clear that case by case situations could be discussed with their teachers or um a teaching group and if we need to completely remove that so we don't create a problem um we'll have to look at that

128but I want to speak up for our teachers they were very adamant because this is this is a classroom changing environment um that their gatekeeping for the learning experiences they're trying to create itself are protect protected and some things are prohibited. So, it's a fine line. >> That's really helpful to understand. The way it reads right now is if I as a student fail to identify or attribute within my work where I've used AI, I automatically fail the course. >> Well, so think of the scope of our courses. >> Some are totally online. Some are very few assignments that turned in as your summitive work. That's where the grade rests like 80% of your work is summitive work. And again, this is dependent on the class, but if that was a type of activity that

129could be heavily influenced by AI, I think that's what they're trying to represent very clearly. You can't expect to pass the class if you haven't done the work. And so it's it a bot hasn't done the work in your name. There's so many things they're trying to capture there. But again, feedback will be gladly received. >> I I really appreciate that. Um, two other things really quickly. Um, in the staff professional development, it says the district will provide professional development opportunities for staff. Uh, just, you know, knowing the broader context of our funding situation and the calendar that we're going to talk about later. Um, can you speak a little bit to what those opportunities will be? >> I can speak really specifically to that. Like I said, secondary last year already began receiving PD

130in our inservice week. And this year, we're making it more focused to the universal design of learning, specifically those instructional practices. How do we make learning accessible for all students in our classroom with AI tools? So they're going to get explicit training and support of the approaches we're trying to put in place in all of our classrooms uh 612 and then what are the AI tools that support that. Simultaneous to that our K5 group will be receiving explicit instruction of what we're looking at with small groupoup instruction. she they're going to basically look at our process of small groupoup instruction at that time, but we'll also be extending these are the tools, the AI tools that could help you set that up in your classroom. It won't be within that training, but they need that

131training first and then the tools that would support that work later. >> Is that primarily coming from within? like is there is there probably a both end but I'm guessing like there's >> it's definitely going to be a both end but our um our presenter on UDL is actually coming to us from Chicago very well regarded with an greater organization called learning tree um which is in tandem with our PLC training for our admin and then um our like I mentioned before two professors from George Fox had offered the previous AI instruction and guidance >> great thank you absolutely last question um I know we'll also be talking about a contract later today. Did the work group bring up any specific concerns about work load? >> You know, not really. But again, remember that this

132is who in all of our opinions, this is for a year because we just don't know what we don't know. And most of the discussions around AI tool use is timesaving. Um, so we just don't know what we don't know. There's some assumptions made in what this will and will not do. not only for staff but for students. So we have to give it a year and and see what comes of it. >> So should this policy indicate the length of the the policy? >> I don't know. I mean it's a policy, right? If it's elastic enough and it holds true and it holds water for a year, it might not be worth. >> Okay. So really I think what I'm hearing you say is it's going to be revisited in a year and could

133look at some revisions. Um, one thing that I want to add is it would be very fun if sometime in the year we could hear some examples of how students are utilizing AI in an exciting dynamic way. So that might be a really fun thing to um have at a you know a meeting. >> I have um I'll try to be brief a followup to the professional development question from um Andy. So, in the independent student use um rule number three, the teacher's ability to detect usage accurately and consistently um that is a area that I've had personal experience with work is so varied. >> There's so many programs out there um many of which are paid subscription um sort of programs. I've sat in many rooms where teachers will have very different opinions on

134whether or not we think, you know, AI was used. It's just it is a very gray area. Um, and I'm curious if we have a service that we are maybe going to try out this year or whatever that process looks like. And it doesn't have to be a a clear answer now, but just I would love to hear about that, you know, at the end of the year of what did we find worked well for us. >> I will just let you know cuz it is it's too long of an answer for right now. But um our two programs are the Google classroom suite where we utilize Google documents already has a built-in filter as does egeneuity which is the platform we use for online learning has their own and I will tell you that

135because AI use is so rampant now it's flagging even quotes that a student has identified as a quote in their writing but it's just looking for those patterns like crazy. So it doesn't mean like the work is done. teachers are still having to scrutinize um student work, but yeah, those are already built in at this point. Do we need more? We don't know. >> Thank you. Yeah. >> Um I'm going to propose I'm directing this question to the policy committee because I believe you were you were presented this via email and at that point maybe jot down your notes, bring them here to talk about and the three of you have asked most of the questions. not having the OSBA sample plus all the questions you already addressed. Does this need to go back through

136the committee officially and to actually have a discussion to talk about and address all your concerns? >> Uh pro probably um I think I one of my biggest questions is what separates this is policy rather than like a student handbook thing like there is no policy on plagiarism. there is no policy on any other like I'm looking at the u um instruction the eyes and it it doesn't feel like this fits in the same way as policy. Um it seems like this is this is how it's going to be run in the classroom. This is what's going to be happening at your school. Uh to to um director Bryley's point, it it's set up in a way where it it's very explains a lot of things for us. Um I'm trying to find the policy

137part of it rather than the direction for the classroom, the direction for students, for teachers. Um and just separating that out if that makes any sense. >> Well, I mean my initial thought, which I can see that Tammy wants to also say something. Um my initial thought is it's a new wave of change and policy is to have a common understanding correct an understanding of staff utilizing something students utilizing utilizing something but it goes beyond just instruction. It is trying to pro provide some parameters and again on a very slippery fish of a new a whole new world called AI. So, I don't know how to better answer that question other than we're also following the recommendation to have one in place from other school districts and from this state. >> Yeah, OSBA has policy

138on this. So, I I think it the suggestion that it goes back to the policy committee, that's fine. >> Yeah. >> Um if there's if that's what the board wants right now, we can send it back through there and we can take a look at some of the questions you you you've answered here. But again, with something this major, I think we need policy on it. I don't think it's a just a handbook piece. Um, and it's new and emerging. Um, and I've, you know, I also spent some time recently with a recent graduate and we got to talking about this. It was really interesting because he actually utilized it in a really effective way around developing study questions and about the way in which he was using AI and how to help him actually

139not just not cheat but actually study and learn. So I think there's um we do need some policy around this. Uh truthfully, we were trying to get this in before the school started school year started. But if you wanted to go back to um the policy committee, it's fine. It's like let's do that. It's it's going to take another week or two. I mean, we'll probably set up a special meeting for this one because it is kind of timesensitive, but really if if that's what we want to do, just say the word and we'll do that. >> Well, that that's my recommendation. It sounds like it might need a bit and I agree with um with Director Allen that some of this sounds more AR-ish versus policy-ish and I think we need to kind of

140delineate the differences. So is that where everybody else I mean this is we're just it's a report. I mean we're just presenting right now. Anyway, I see lots of nodding. So okay, I'll set that up to go back to the policy committee and we can sit down and take a look at that. Thanks for your questions. Super helpful. >> Well, thanks for all the work on it. I think it's >> it's really interesting. It's very emergent, but it's out there and kids are going to figure it out well before we do and people who want to use it for not for good will figure that out even faster. So, okay. So, let's hear about um IKF. >> Okay. IKF just had minimal updates. sits the uh requirements for graduation. This was vetted by TNL, so

141both Jillian and myself as well as Dana um and our SPED uh our sped director. Looking at all that was there, the biggest change for you guys to note is the addition of the 0.5 um higher ed and career exploration at the high school level as well as a 0.5 u financial literacy. Um those are with the additional credits of social studies. now the 3.5 credits um in our social sciences department that a a kid must meet in order to graduate. It also had some more clarity around the modified um diploma which um Dana vetted completely and so you're seeing the most final draft um for us but it fully refle essentially within our own policy. The modified is that specifically for special ed students or is that actually the difference between Oregon diploma and

142Newberg diploma? >> No, that is specific to SPEN. >> Okay. Anybody have questions about this one? >> Okay, >> I don't have a question about this one. I do have a just general question of how do we introduce potential policies we want the policy committee to look at. >> Um, >> sorry the long list of long. >> That's what I was gonna say. Just send me an email and we'll add >> because there's only 500 and some >> there's such a long list. There is some obviously, you know, there might be some priorities on some of them. So, I would recommend sending it to to Dave and >> yeah, if there's some >> an official. So, >> yeah. Yeah. No, that'll be great. >> Um, the other issue that we need to do is really

143um set down a a calendar. Um, so again, this this meeting around the AI policy will also give us a chance to sit down and crank out like what days, when are we bringing things back? And I know um it's one of the projects that Tabitha is still working on is is kind of to get all of that organized because it's a it's a very big list of things to try and get organized. So yeah, send it to me and we'll get it added into the list. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> I will send an email to remind you though. >> Thanks. >> Okay. Thank you very much. >> Thank you guys. Okay, Nate, you want to talk to us about taxes and >> I'd love to >> RFPs? >> Start with taxes. Um, just a

144brief uh review of construction excise tax since um Celeste wasn't here last time we went over this. So, construction excise tax um began in 2000 was passed in 2007 that allows us to levy taxes against new developments. Um originally it was set at a dollar per square foot and um in 2009 those rates became indexed and the depart uh department of revenue um establishes the the rate increase each year. However, in Newberg we haven't updated the rate since we implemented in 2009. So we've been levying a dollar. It's not a levy, I'm sorry. We've been having that tax added to construction permits at a dollar per square foot since that time. And uh I have the presentation here for you if you you want to see it later. Um so what we want to do

145is we want to come up to the index rates and then each July the state puts out the the rates for the following year. So we've actually gotten that since we originally talked about this and so we're able to identify those index rates in the resolution. Um, and then just as a point of context, um, with this, uh, new rates, I look back just to the last two years, and if we had been using, uh, indexed rates, we would have had a little over 250,000 more dollars, uh, over the last two years. Uh, but since they're not indexed, we didn't get that. Uh so what's in your packet uh it's a little bit out of order but the first page on 63 uh is the um the index rates that we get from the state

146the department revenue. Page 64 is um the cover page that off that has the recommendation at the bottom. And then page 65 is the actual resolution that we'll use to share with the um uh the city and counties for for establishing those rates. >> And and Nate, can you remind folks what we can spend u instruction excise tax on? Yes, we so um we can spend uh the this on acquisition of land, equipment, furnishings or other tangible property um other assets with a useful life of greater than a year, construction, improvement of school facilities, related professional services and obligations and costs of issuance. Um could be a bond or lending for those purposes. So school-based expenses only. So we couldn't apply it to this office as an example. Thank you. Good question. >> So this

147is resolution 20 2605. The resolution >> is 20 in my >> So no. Yeah. So we originally were going to do this in June and so the resolution should be >> 2026 05. Okay. And so then on the resolution that I'll sign, you need to just change the the at the top. >> Yep. >> Do we need to read this resolution into the record? >> No. >> Just because Okay. >> Yeah. So when it say when your recommendation says by title only. >> No. >> That means you don't have to re read the whole resolution. >> But so point of clarity, the 2526 will go in effect as soon as today if we approve and sign. >> Correct. And then 26 27 is that now therefore it be resolved that years beginning July 1st of

1482026 the tax rate still in the resolution shall be indexed to the inflation determined. Right. Correct. Okay. Correct. Want to make sure. >> Okay. I move that the Newberg Dundy Public Schools Board of Directors approve resolution 2026-05 to revise the construction excise tax rates to match the Oregon Department of Revenue index taxable rates for 2526 and 2627 by title only. >> Second. >> Any further questions? I'll call for the vote. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Motion carries unanimous. Lee, did you say I? >> Okay. Okay. >> I've said it in my mind. >> Okay. Perfect. Okay. I um Okay. Wonderful. Thank you. Thank you. All right. The next one, uh, approve the contract award Spring Valley Dairy. Um, our board policy says that any contract over $100,000 a year, the board will

149operate as local contract review board to approve that contract. Uh, this was a cooperative contract between um 12 districts uh to get fresh dairy products and uh we participated in that cooperative and Spring Valley Dairy uh who is our current provider um was the sole respondent to that RFP. uh and they after going through the scoring they they scored 90 out of a possible 100 points uh and are identified as the award awardee for that. >> I know this is the only one and we should prove it but like do you know what the cost was there an increase from last year to this year or last contract to this contract? >> It's hard to say uh because it's based on participation. So we're just looking at last year's participation numbers to identify this amount.

150Um, this is about 10% higher than what we anticipate, what we paid last year. Okay. This projected amount. >> Do you know where Spring Valley Dairy is? >> Uh, I could find out. >> I can Google it. >> Yeah, >> my assistant here could Google. >> I was going to say who has AI who has AI up Salem. There you go. I move that the Newberg Dundy School Board DI District Board of Directors approve the RFP contract award to Spring Valley Dairy for the 25 2025 26 and up to four subsequent years as presented. >> Second. Any further questions? >> I do. Um, is is it >> I guess it just seems interesting that only for milk we're having this conversation. Is it >> dairy dairy products? >> Dairy products, excuse me. >> Fresh dairy

151product. >> Uh, I guess it's just interesting that it's not for other >> yogurt. >> Well, other foods, other >> Yeah, we have separate contracts for depending on where the food is coming from. So, our whole wholesale distributor is through like Cisco. Uh, fruit and vegetable can be through uh Charlie's Produce, for example. We also get uh produce through Department of Defense contract um United Salad. So there's depending on where we can get the best pricing, we have separate contracts for different >> and so the dairy hits a certain amount that brings it to us where other ones wouldn't >> or it was approved in a prior year. >> Okay. >> Because they're five-year contracts. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Any further questions? Um, just would like to thank them for their milk because

152my children drink a lot of it, including the chocolate milk. My kids had a competition to make sure they could each consume a chocolate milk every day and they succeeded last year. So, >> wow. Thank you, Spring Valley Dairy. Look at that. Applying themselves. Okay. Uh, we'll call for the vote. All in favor say I. I. Motion carries unanimously. >> Thank you, >> Tammy. you're up. >> All right. So, um I've provided you with 85ish pages of light reading. Um this actually is uh the draft for our contract uh agreement between Newberg Education Association and Newberg Dundy Public Schools. Uh we um met several times throughout the late spring. Uh it felt a little bit truncated. Uh I don't know if it felt the same way for for others, but we were we waited uh

153so that we had a better uh idea of where we were going to come in uh budget-wise and and what we could work with. Uh but then it it ended up being a a really productive um negotiation session. Uh it felt very collaborative between the two uh parties and um we were able to put in a couple of long days and actually get the contract um agreed upon uh prior to July 1st. And I think that that that was um again a testament to the collaboration and uh a desire to have a contract in place by the time teachers came back this fall. So what I did is I provided for folks uh just a a summary of some of the major changes um uh that uh we agreed upon and so happy to answer

154any questions related to those. >> Um on the article 12 uh in district interviews per building to two a year could you explain that? >> Sure. Uh so uh when we have openings um in uh district buildings uh folks in our current um school district um are able to apply for those. So um um interd district you know applications uh if someone applies for a job uh and um doesn't get it applies for again for a job again the same building doesn't get it applies again and again. and we're having the same interviews. Um really what we were trying to do is is set a precedent for if if someone applies for a job uh in a specific building and doesn't get that job that there there is um feedback specific feedback to that person

155and conversations. Uh and I I don't know that we were completely confident that that was always happening. So, um, we thought, uh, we wrote in there that there we needed some specific feedback for folks and then limiting those, um, applicants to two per year, um, with that feedback given, uh, would suffice for opportunities for people to apply for jobs within specific buildings at least for that year. >> Thank you. That's super helpful. >> Now, if they're chosen by the screening committee, that's still they can do that. It's the automatic um interview that's limited to two >> and that's based on the school they're trying to apply for correct towards. >> Okay. >> I guess what's the difference between the automatic interview and the >> Well, again, there are screening committees that go through the paperwork

156and um look at the um the folks. Um, our contract says we will we will interview every in-person >> applicant. That's what we're limiting is that automatic screening committees still have the total ability to look through and choose the candidates that they want to interview. And if it was the third time, but that screening committee wanted that person, then that happens. It's really about the automatic interview. >> Correct. Yeah. there's language uh indicating that we will and so we just added some qualifiers and we also added some language to ensure that feedback was given. >> What was the last contract? Was it wide open still? >> Wide open. Yeah. >> So I'm assuming either the district office or the administration had the feedback to try to narrow it down. Is that where it came from?

157Again, I think the conversation really came back to h in these situations, we need to provide feedback. >> Sure. >> And so people need to understand what they're doing well and what they might not be doing well in these interview situations. I think that was the major focus, but there was another part here where, you know, if it's your fifth time interviewing this person inside the building, that seems counterproductive. So that was what the but the conversation was mostly about how do we provide feedback to the employees about what's going well and what's not as under number four of that same D4 members requesting transfer will be given notification of approval or disapproval of the request is that what supposed to be addressing that >> that's a little bit different those are for voluntary transfers

158yeah >> I had the same question Saul so >> it's a great question Um, >> you you'll notice the the majority of the changes um you know a lot of conversations around um salaries um benefits um some language just to uh point out some language to uh provide better support. Uh, for example, our counselors, the a recognition from the district that counselor case loads uh and responsibilities have increased and as such uh an opportunity to converse with counselors if they need some additional release time. Um added the extra duty. We wanted to make sure uh that uh there was equitable compensation uh for everyone who has to enter postseason and that's inclusive of our pep band director. So we wanted to make sure he was compensated as well. uh on article 30 the language for

159building discipline plans at what point does that I' not necessarily come back to us but I feel like that's been something that we've kind of talked about trying to have a better understanding of what's going on with those and I guess what is how does that change adding the fall labor management what is that entail I guess. >> Yeah. So there were there were some extensive conversations around article 30 um and as you had kind of mentioned some some issues that have been brought up to the board especially in regards to um some you know students who have escalated um and what that looks like. Uh so I think what what these language changes capture is just uh collaboration between um uh the union uh and the district in terms of what uh discipline plans

160look like within the building. What communication uh is transpiring between administrators and teachers and specifically teachers maybe who have who have experienced physical violence from a student ensuring um that there are some agreements about uh what followup looks like and what the discipline plan is for that particular student. So, it's really just creating some language to open up, ensure that there's some conversations happening and that there there uh there's a plan of support for staff who have experienced some physical violence >> in that case. Did you say it becomes an individual case by case or is it more this higher level building this is what we do? >> So, that's that's really captured in our discipline policies and in our student rights and responsibilities. we do have discipline matrices and um and so uh I

161you know globally that's what we use uh but we're talking about um issues where um students um have you know somehow harmed um a teacher uh and and we have to put a plan in place to ensure um that that student can still uh get access to their education be in the classroom but that we support and protect our teacher teachers as well. >> I think our our conversation with the union really kind of came down to um this issue of of student misbehavior in class and they were looking for more restrictive measures and we felt like actually we have language in our contract to deal with this. It's just it we're not very aligned across the district. So part of this conversation was about making sure that everyone has a building discipline plan and

162that we're communicating that plan to staff and that lang some of that language is already built into this contract. So a lot of what we're trying to do right now is again kind of align practices across the district that may have fallen off over the years. Um, and so that's the the nature of the conversation between the union and us is them wanting to make sure that the union um members have recourse and are protected and that we have systems that are solid in trying to um to protect them and the students. >> I don't know if that >> No, that's great. Yep. >> Yeah. Director Director Allen and I are really on sync on what we're pointing out today. So I just want to make sure it's clear and maybe you guys either of

163you could expand on this. Even so building discipline policies I'm assuming that the same policies or the same it's like all elementary schools should have similar policies right like the one is not different than the other and like like the secondary levels right should be the same. Same is a tough word for me um because of every discipline event is slightly different. >> But we should have similar policies so that kids who are having physical altercations in one school are being dealt with basically the same between the two. Um today we met with um principles to begin to talk about kind of some discipline matrices where we where we align some of these practices. But I can give you is every single discipline event is slightly different and you have to we have to take

164into account some of these changes in how we um apply our our discipline the building plans and that's why we we have a district student rights and responsibility. Tammy has just revamped it because there wasn't one last year and we've it but we haven't revamped. We presented it to principles today in our admin meeting. And so we're beginning to align some of those practices. But there's also kind of some building practice. Buildings have different shapes. There's different hallways. And so like how you actually get an administrator's attention, how you um walk a student. Some of those things could be different from building to building, which is why we have a building plan. Now, they should be taking into account kind of the overall piece, but I will say that we're not consistent across the district

165with those building plans and the knowledge of teachers of how to access that help. That's also not consistent. And that's one of the things that we're working on is is to get that. And it's what the union really was wanting is like, hey, we just when we need help, we need to make sure that it's being um given and we know how to access it. >> Exactly what I want to hear and I love it. Thank you. >> Do we have any further questions? >> I do. I don't know why my eyes are like drawn to the really arcane details. However, I I read something and made me go back through my notes from the OSBA summer board conference. Um on page six where it talks about the definition of a contract member, any member

166who has been regularly employed by the school district for a probationary period of three successive years. There was actually legislation passed that changed that for folks who have already done those three probationary years in another district that reduces it to two um if they were to transfer here. So, I I wanted to flag that in case that needed to somehow get reflected and I'm not a lawyer, but >> So, yeah. Um I mean, we're going to the state law trumps policy. >> Um but let's take a look at that and we'll work through that with our union. But good >> good coffee. >> Eagle eye. I don't know. Yeah. Yeah. The summary, Tammy, was really helpful. >> Thank you very much. >> You're welcome. [Laughter] Okay. So, um procedurally since that it looks like that

167contract member needs to be looked at or revised. >> Um >> yeah, let me be So, let me be clear. This is in draft form. I think we could still move to approve this. Okay. Um, I actually spoke with my union president this afternoon, uh, with the understanding that we may have some small edits to make on this. For example, the, um, the issue that Andy brought up, we didn't even bring this article up either side for uh, conversation or negotiation this year. So, so those types of things will still be fixed. Um, so you can choose to move forward with approval should you choose to do so >> under with the understanding that we'll continue to work on those minor nuances. >> But hold on. So when we approve stuff, it needs to be

168as amended as we're recommending it. Unless you two are going to negotiate with the union and have a different worded change, then I don't think we can approve it. Unless we approve and then come back with >> No, we just come back with anou. Okay. >> Um to change that specific piece, >> right? Okay. I'm fine with that, too. So, >> okay. Okay. Are we ready to have somebody make a motion? >> Uh it is recommended that the board is that I am my Yeah. It is recommended the board approve the 2025 to 2027 licensed contract between the Newberg Dundy School District and the Newberg Education Association as presented. >> Second. >> Any further questions? Okay. >> Well, eagle, >> you know you're on it. Uh we'll call for the vote. All in favor say

169I. I >> Hey, >> motion carries unanimously. >> No, that's good. That's that's been a long process. I'm excited to move forward and >> like I said, the the nature of the um negotiations had been so toxic before and it it was it was a very good negotiation where p folks got to speak their minds and um so I'm just really happy that that's approved. >> Yeah. Well, and I think that's a testament to you, Dave, >> your leadership and your willingness to be collaborative. Um, and for your care and compassion for the people who work in the buildings. So, thank you. >> Yeah, I was going to say the same that it's a big deal. That last vote is a big deal. I mean, as someone who has been a classroom teacher and for

170whom a contract like this has allowed my family to, you know, like that's a big deal. These are the people that are making magic happen in our classrooms and thank you Dave for your leadership. I also just want to say um congratulations to the union and our teachers for having a contract that's going to help govern their work. >> Yeah. And for them always stepping up in Newberg. Always. >> Thank you. Okay, Tammy, >> you have one more thing to bring it on home. >> All right. So, a little little hiccup on uh this one which is uh in front of you. It says that we will have eight furlow days. So we'll let's talk about that. Um I think that so that is just an error. Uh as part of this uh negotiation um

171we we knew that uh we weren't uh financially where we need to be to go from 8 to zero. And so as part of our negotiation we landed on um reducing to five furlow days which is a step toward where we want to be. Uh and that will still uh give folks um you know some some additional um money um that is welld deserved in their pockets uh because I don't think they saw much of that this past year uh with the reduction in days. So we're excited to go down to five. Uh we did meet after um NEA negotiations. We did meet with both the union president for NEA and OEA uh Jen Emond and uh we worked together on placing these furlow days um so that everybody had some input and say uh

172we tried to avoid the beginning of the year. We thought it was important to start the year off on the right foot. Uh we have strategically placed our furlow days. The first one uh being the day before Veterans Day. Veterans Day falls on a Tuesday this year. Uh and then uh so we thought that placing that on the Monday would give folks a 4-day weekend. Um it just made sense since that that's always kind of a wonky one uh because it can sometimes fall in the middle of the week. Uh the second one is uh January 5th and that is the Monday uh after winter break. So adding an additional day to winter break and then we come back and actually have some professional development on Tuesday and students uh school will resume for our

173students on Wednesday. Uh February uh Monday the 9th uh there may be a big sporting event that happens on the 8th. And so there was a real interest in uh wanting the the um the 9th the day after the Super Bowl off. And so uh that seemed to be a common theme from both uh sides. uh the next day falls in April. We call that the longest month of the school year. It is it it's a pretty long stretch between uh spring break and and uh the end of school. And so strategically placing uh a furlow day for a Friday 3-day weekend. And then the very last one uh adding it on to Memorial Day gives uh families an opportunity to um go out of town, travel, camping, uh gives them an extra day and

174then uh gives our um educators an an extra day to recoup for those last couple of weeks uh of school. So any questions? >> During the budget cycle, we had budgeted for six. Was that correct? And we got one one more out of there with >> Perfect. >> Correct. >> How does the do do the trimesters remain fairly equitable in terms of correct? >> Okay. >> Yep. >> I I couldn't count that fast. >> That's okay. I think first trimester is a little bit longer and there's some there's some um strategic thought behind that, Andy. Um uh at the beginning of the year there's a lot of nuts and bolts that we do with our students and it happens K12 like we're going over some of the student rights and responsibilities. We're having some extra

175home rooms. We're teaching kids about evacuation drills and so we embed a lot of that in the beginning of the year. So, we do intentionally make first trimester a little bit longer to kind of offset some of those um very important but but non uh curricular activities. >> I'll also say built into our negotiations with the union is some trigger language around where the ending fund balance is and where we would put back another day. Um, so we were working with the union trying to balance um that just so that you know that that's out there um in this contract. So it's on it's in anou. It's not in the actual contract. >> Um but just wanted you to know that that was there. I'll also say that um the furlow days um it'll it'll

176be the number one um the number one thing would be to be zero furlow days next year. It made this negotiation extremely hard and it just is creating a lot of so we'll be working all year long um around um next year having zero furlow days. Um, that's kind of the goal. That's going to mean though, um, that's going to be some issues for us, uh, moneywise. Nate will present coming up here, the ending fund balance is still trending positive. It's a, we're in a we're in a better spot, but we're not out of the woods. And, um, eliminating the furlow days into the next budget cycle will be another challenge for us as we're moving forward. But, it's just something that we do have to get rid of. um because of not only we

177need kids in school but it's also creating other issues. >> Okay. So go I'm sorry. >> Um is there a an order in which the furlow days would be returned? >> Um right now the one that's looking um the November I think is going to happen before we're um too far. That 29 is the one that um we kind of had some discussions around. That would be one that we would probably pluck off first. >> Okay. >> Um and then the I would start looking at the I don't know from there they get a little bit more interesting in that the um January PD day. Um that's going to come right after Christmas. I'm not sure we're going to have the information we need to put that one back. So then I think you're looking

178at April and May. Probably April would be my next because that's still really good. um teaching time. >> So, >> thanks. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, we need a motion that reflects the five furlow days. >> I move that the Newberg Dundy School District board of directors approve the revised academic calendar for the 2025 2026 school year as amended. second, but I think it is just as presented because aren't we just >> Well, I know, but it's not the language of that that we're approving. We're just approving the academic calendar. >> Part of the language we have to approve. >> Okay. >> so second anyway. >> Any further questions? I'll call for the vote. All in favor say I. I. >> I. >> Motion carries unanimously. Thank you, >> Dave. >> Tammy, thank you very

179much for all your work. Dave, do you want to start us off on the um board superintendent comments? >> Yeah, I'd love to. Um well, our administrators are back at work. Um and we hit the ground running, not just with tasks to get ready for the first day of school, which they're all deeply in with, but we're also started with a lot of deep work. Um we started with solution tree training on professional learning communities. They did two week two days last week. It's the last two they've done four days total on kind of um it's more than just a meeting format. It's a framework for how we work together professionally. So getting principles trained in that's important. It ensures that every grade level, every subject team is focused on student learning first. uh uses

180evidence to guide decisions. Today um we have a new data system called Panorama. Today the administrators were trained on it. In the um inservice will be training all staff on it. It greatly simplifies our ability to figure out which kids are missing school or um local assessments are trending down or trending up. Um big big improvements there. Um and then again we just need to figure out which kids are slipping through the cracks and help them. It's one of the clearest ways we can live out our promise to know every learner and teach well is with this professional learning communities and our principles now been through four days of training in the last 3 months. Um tomorrow we'll wrap up the third day of our Mccrell balanced leadership training. So all administrators being um trained

181around what administrative practices have the biggest output on student achievement. Um we'll be on day three. Um as I presented to principles today around the purpose of our schools and what our promise is to parents, it was really interesting because I was reading the slides from our presenter tomorrow and they're all um lining up. So, it's I thought that was very interesting because I didn't plan that, but it was interesting to see that um what Kent is going to present tomorrow is lining up on this. And then we're um we're man, we're sprinting towards the start of the year. We're like a week and a half. On August 25th, our staff officially report ready to welcome students. On September 2nd, our first group of students will walk through the doors and by September 8th, all

182classrooms will be um full again. Kindergarten, we are working with parents and with schools right now because of we want to give an opportunity for our our teachers to know families. So rather than have every family report on day one, we've got a schedule going for kindergarteners that we're going to work through so that we they can learn systems and we can kind of um onboard them in a better way. Um we're in full swing though, preparing, planning, fine-tuning. Um more than that, we're excited. I'm excited to see students again and I'm excited to see staff. And it was wonderful today to finally get all our administrators because we've been in going in different directions. the first week. Um we're excited to partner with families. Um so this is good work. It's work that matters

183and so we're ready to begin it. So that's kind of where we're at right now. Start by saying thank you again to Rebecca Pyros for um being an advocate for our community and our students and all of us. Uh it was great training. Um I'm glad that we got to do that. I learned some things that I feel like I probably should have known already, which is uh good and problematic. Uh also want to say thank you to all the staff um who've been working over the summer on policies and making getting the contract signed. Um it's really awesome. Um so appreciative uh teachers union as well. Um and then yeah, just more locally with Joe and Austin. Uh it was fun. Uh our incoming kindergarten class uh my son is going to be in

184there um along with director Wolfers actually um child and one of the parents really wanted to find a way to get our kids together to get a chance to interact before going to that first day. Um so we had a few times where we met up at the park. We had a few teachers come out. Principal Carsley came out just to say hi to all the kids and uh it was just a really awesome community building to uh you know filling in those voids not having those uh federal grants for the Head Start was it called? Anyways, uh it was really nice to be able to get a chance to do stuff in the community for the school outside of the school. So I just wanted to shout that out. Um, yeah, mine might be

185short and sweet, but um, again, Rebecca Pyros and Jean just for their support of the school system and district. Um, I've said this before, they've been a lifelong friends of my wife's family and so I've known them for a long, long time. Um, I'm I'm glad we were able to close this chapter. Um but as uh director Bley said she uh Rebecca will always bring it back to the children which is her her to the fullest. So um but again I was glad we were able to do that. Training was well done. Learned a lot as well. Um I'm excited for the school year though for the first time I have no kids in the school district so my comments may be light this this next couple years at least. So uh but I I

186am excited that everybody's excited. um about getting back uh all the work that was done over the summer uh and continued as we ramp up for uh the first week of September. Um I'm happy that we have uh a new assistant, Jackie. I will have to say Dave, I think next time she needs a seat at the table because she's doing notes on her lap and that's not that's not the best. So >> we we will get her seat. >> Okay. Uh other than that, yeah, I'm looking forward to next meeting. So, thanks. >> Okay. I'm also going to thank Rebecca. It just really hurts my heart to know that, you know, that that was an experience that anybody had, but of all the people in the world, the sweetest, most generous and kind woman,

187I I it's it's it's hard for me to sort of wrap my head around what she experienced, but she's been so gracious with us since we got that um the letter from the Department of Education. Um, I had a fun event. We went to the Sananara party for the Bottomaya group. Um, was that last week? >> Yeah. >> Wow. Wow. I mean the kids, it was so much fun and to to hear the um exchange, you know, the the some speeches that the students made and they did some dancing and um uh there was wonderful food that were sort of represented every I think it was each CV kid their family's favorite dish. Yes. >> So it was this potluck of like the family, you know, wonderful things. It was it was just very wonderful.

188Um, I want to do a little I don't know if I'm stealing your thunder, but I saw a post on Dundy Community Conversations from a woman named Linda Stock who said, "Hey, let's have a cleanup party at Dundy Elementary School." And yes, it's all approved by the district. And and I'm like, "What?" You know, so I I double checked and and there there was some maybe some miscommunication, but a big group showed up at Dundy Elementary School. some landscaping professionals, people just really showed up and um came out on a Saturday and you know this is a community member. Again, this is very typical of Newberg and a person who sees something and says, "Hey, we can get a group of people together and and take care of that." Uh I need to do a

189big shout out to Jan Hart who runs the resource room. Uh, I came I I found out about a family who had a lot of um needs for um the kids in the family and I sent her a text and she said, "I've got it. I'll have it for you all by Friday." and um you know just she is such a an amazing caring person in the resource room world to really just say I've got this fun thing and I'm going to add this and I've got lot you know just it's going to make that beginning of school just so much easier and and the stress reduced for that family. I'm just really proud of her. Um we are going to have an onboarding meeting with the student reps. Just so everybody knows, Jeremy and

190I are going to participate that. And then I'm just very excited for the first day of school. So, I feel like it's going to be a great year. Um, echoing everyone's um sentiments about um Rebecca and Jean, and I've just um I agree with you in the the heartache and and but I also feel very honored to be in this position and have the opportunity to learn um in this setting. And I just really appreciate everybody who had um who played a part in the process of bringing that training to us today and it will not be forgotten by any of us. Um I am so excited about the beginning of this school year. I know that there are so many teachers out there who are already setting up their classrooms even though they are

191not on contract but that is what we do. Um the magic making that occurs in the end of the summer is just it's one of my very favorite things and I'm so excited to hear about all of the collaboration and professional development that our administrators are getting. I just think that is just an incredible support and I know that that is setting up their school year for success. So thank you Dave and team for facilitating all of that. I think you guys are doing an incredible job. Um, we had that meeting on July 1 and then I was thinking about it throughout July. I think that that period of time from July 1 until today is the longest >> Yeah. >> that we had ever gone without meeting. Certainly the longest that I've gone. Um

192and yesterday I came in yesterday afternoon for a brief meeting with um David's class and I came in with such a smile on my face and I went home with such a smile on my face and I found myself missing this work in July. Um which last July was my first month and I thought what what is this? Um so just I mean I'm just feeling so grateful and and excited. We have so many cool things coming up this year. I think that we as a board are really um feeling at least I am feeling so much more settled than I was last year at this point um and confident in what we need to do. I appreciate um tech helping us out with these Chromebooks. I'm excited to not have so many piles of

193paper um and I just think we've got we've got such a good thing going in this town. Um and I'm just really pumped. Um, I wanted to shout out, um, just like you have some kindergarten gettogethers happening at JA. Um, we found out recently that the middle schools are doing a sixth grade rising day, um, in I think it's August 21 where sixth graders at both Mountain View and CV will get to go and be there for half a day and and, you know, meet people and and I'm sure do activities and kind of get a lay of the land. And I just think those programs dramatically help our students who are in transition. So thank you to the uh middle school teams who are helping to facilitate that too. So that is all. Thank

194you. >> Right. I just want to say I I know why I've been moved over here because given the length of some of my public but I I will say tonight I have special permission to go long. Yeah. because I went to the OSBA summer board conference. Um, first and foremost, I want to second Director Hayden. Welcome, Jackie. It was a pleasure to meet you over the weekend. I really look forward to what you're going to bring to our our district. Uh, so welcome. Um, and I'll I'll second but not repeat all of the gratitude for Rebecca and and Jean and what they've brought to our our community. Um, I also at the very very beginning of the meeting, Dave, you thanked the Austin Foundation. I want to come back to that and just uh

195say that is such a beautiful example of the partnerships that happen in a community um that take relationships and so thanks to everyone who is involved in stoking those relationships and maintaining those um because we're all doing at the end of the day we're all doing work that is pointed in the same direction. Um so I'm I'm really grateful for that. Um uh Chair Bridges mentioned uh the Dundee event. Um, I just want to uh encourage folks uh there are volunteer opportunities around landscaping um I think at all of our schools. Um so if you're looking for something that might be it. Okay. Um uh one final shout out too. I know a lot of our athletics staff have been working hard over the summer. I have I will have two high schoolers this year

196and both have already been working with coaching staffs and doing concussion baseline testing. and I sent my youngest uh to concussion testing yesterday and came back with like eight tabs open of school clothes. So students are also looking forward to the year in in many ways. Um the OSBA summer board conference um I want to thank the district for facilitating uh me going to that and Jackie as well. Um was down in Salem Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Um this was an opportunity for us to uh take our mandatory public meeting law training. So um elected officials have to take a mandatory training. So this fulfilled that. We also received some key legislative updates coming out of the long session. Um Jackie Olsen from OASBO whom our board knows uh gave uh a very excellent overview

197of school finance. Um, we talked with the board development team at OSBA. Um, they shared some of the research on what makes school boards effective. Um, and I hope it won't come as a surprise that boards do have an impact on student achievement. And any guesses on the number one thing that board members can do to contribute to student achievement? Believing that all students can learn at high levels. So, uh, there were a series of hot topic tables that we could go get more information at. Um, Jackie and I were at least one of those together. Um, some of those hot topics were the, uh, executive order from the governor requiring a cell phone policy in place. Um, board stipens. So, board members now and public agencies are eligible to receive a stipend. Um, for

198the record, I am not in favor of that here in our current budget situation. Um, Senate Bill 141, um, also known as the Education Accountability Act, has a lot of implications for, uh, for what we're going to be doing this this coming year, particularly in 2627. Um, some guidelines on public comments, many things we are doing, but also just some other reminders. Um and then mostly just a chance to connect and collaborate with board members from other districts. So thinking particularly about Nissa, Springfield, um Beaverton, Tiger, Twolitin, I had some really good conversations um with folks doing this work. Um Dayton just down the road. So I'm excited to connect with board members um in other districts in in various ways. So um I think I'll stop there. Um, also, uh, we got some nifty

199little notebooks, uh, from, uh, compliments of OSBA. So, thank you to the OSBA staff, um, and the PACE staff for making that conference a success. Um, I'll just say a few thank yous. One, to teachers for all the prep and and our administrative leadership as well for all the prep for a smooth school year coming up. Um, having a Chromebook will be very helpful for notetaking and also, you know, you don't want to store paper notes of mine, I'm sure. So, I can email you a PDF. Um, helpful tools. Um, and one of my sons, well, both of my sons have been playing um, football, but the high school football program has been doing 7 a.m. workouts for the majority of the summer. And it's really helped keep my son on the rails. And so,

200thank you for um for all of those efforts to coaches and staff investing in our students. >> Well, thank you. Well, I think we're going to get out of here before 9ine. Meeting adjourned. >> Meeting adjourned.