001All right, I'll call this meeting to order. Um, we'll do a roll call. Kelsey, she's approved. Glenn, you'll be a little bit late. Merl >> here. >> Blake >> here. >> Jenny >> here. >> Crystal chair here. If you'll join me in the pledge of allegiance. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Great. First session, >> right, we have uh two updates for you. The first is a budget update from Kim as we're getting ready for uh budget season. And so with that, I'll turn it over to her and she does have a presentation that aligns to the budget update document. Correct? >> Yes. >> All right. >> Wonderful. Well, thank
002you. So, as we are uh definitely getting down to the nitty-gritty and in the budget, I wanted to provide uh a report essentially an update that um gives some information on on some of the key pieces uh when it goes into budget development. You know, there's there's a lot of talk about, you know, budget and where it goes and what do we fund and that is absolutely critical. But it is absolutely critical that we clearly communicate what are the assumptions that we are making on those revenues. What are we assuming we're going to have as far as cost increases? And so before we get into absolutely, you know, releasing the budget document, I wanted to walk through a few things with you here tonight. So on our do you mind pulling up my slideshow? >>
003Yes. Thank you. >> So we you know we had uh for your >> I'm sorry I emailed it to you before. I'm so sorry I had not linked it yet. >> So the state the state forecast actually that came out in March was actually more positive than some of the projections were were looking to be. The economic growth is looking good. Um there's a lot of things that are looking very positive. One of the things that's lagging behind a bit is job growth. Unemployment is up and higher than >> sorry. Give me just a second. >> Sorry. Right there. >> There we go. All the way down there. >> No. Completely different. >> Second one down. >> Right there. >> Thank you. So anyway, with job growth lagging a little bit behind some of the
004economic growth, uh basically what that means is that slower job growth, that slower wage growth means less income taxes being paid, which does put a little more strain on uh the funding for uh school funding. So, you know, it's it's a tight uh a steady economic outlook, but it is still going to be tight. um corporate tax, apologies to those who get hit with that that the corporate activity taxes is uh yes going trending positive if you will in terms of revenues for the state. But basically just wanted to point out that we just need to make sure we're continuing to align our enrollment to our funding. So on the next slide, our funding level assumptions for 26 for this 2627 uh budget. We're in the second year of the bienium. There was 11.36 billion
005put into the state school fund for the bienium and the state splits that up 49% year 1 and 51% year two. And of course the goal is you're going to have higher costs rather than doing a 50/50 split. Makes great sense. Unfortunately, as I've shared in previous budget updates, our share of that state school fund is declining. and that is directly tied to our enrollment declining slightly faster than the statewide average. So while our state school fund is 51% of our bianial allocation, it's only a 1.3% increase uh because our share of that pie is continuing to slip. Now the even the 202526 number we are 10 out of 12 months the way through the year that is still an estimate for another 14 months. Uh and the 2627 number of course is an estimate
006until May of 2028. Um however we do use these and we we are using these as our uh assumptions for state school fund. However, moving on, there has been some change in how the integrated plan uh grants, which are our most significant pot of grants, there's been a change in how those are funded and they actually allow us to lock in at our enrollment as of the 202526 school year. So, we are in a sense safeguarded for the second year of the bianium. So we are seeing the 4.1% increase in these grants and as you can see that is a very large amount of money uh that we rely on and these primarily pay for staff. So this is a this is a key positive if you will for us 4.1% tight but at least
007it's not 1.3%. >> Question on the ground Sarah how long do they what's the duration of them? So these are bianial grants. The now as far as the d long-term duration, these are now in statute. So SIA is in statute. Um the student investment account that is largely funded by the corporate activity tax. >> High school success um has a little more fluidity in the volume of funding it gets. Um we do see some some movement in that. And then the early literacy grant. I know that's a very um prominent uh focus for our current governor. I do not believe it's in statute. Um so that that is a very >> that was we're not as sure. >> Good way to put it. >> Is the employment tied to the grant then when you have
008these hires? >> Yes. Yeah. And that's >> the position. The position is tied to that. Correct. So, >> so if the funds go away, the position goes away. >> Correct. >> Okay. Thank you. You carry on. I didn't mean to interrupt. >> No. Well, appreciate the appreciate the conversation on that. And and that is of course the difficulty with with grants is it's great when they're here, but if there happens to be a change in those, it it impacts people. So, >> absolutely. >> And typically those people are higher. They they are because they're in coaching positions or different things. They have seniority. So, usually their space is still guaranteed. they would bump somebody that's a lower seniority if if the grant suddenly went away. >> Appreciate that. Yeah. So, as as we've been talking
009about funding student enrollment, I just wanted to share a slide again that uh you know, our enrollment is is trending downward. Um we're currently building our projections, our budget based on a fall 2026 enrollment count of 1525 students. uh we used 1581 in for this school year. So um really this decline is largely driven by those graduating classes being uh that are leaving being just much larger than our incoming classes. Really want to emphasize though great positive that at this point in the school year already we have 90 kindergarteners already on the books. So, if past year trends uh continue, we we believe we could out uh outrun the 89 student number. Um until they're here in a seat and make it past that 10day draw, we're very cautious, but that is is great news
010based on our historical trends. So, the big piece in budgeting right now is uh PERS rates. I I know we we all hear about this over and over, but it is such a a large portion of our budget. So, currently uh for the current fiscal year as well as the next fiscal year, for this bianium, Senate Bill 849 was passed and has provided a 1.68% reduction to our rates for this bianium. So for our tier one and tier two employees, these are employees who had uh entered the PERS system uh many longer further further back. Yes. Uh so yeah, we you know we have different rates because the pension structures are different for these different groups. So you can see what our rates we were projected to have to pay 28.71% uh for tier one
011tier 2 this year. That 1.68 68 dropped uh rate credit dropped us to 27.03. This is just the pension side. This is not the additional 6% side that the district must pay to the uh individual account program which is a uh supplement to a pension as well. However, uh in simple terms, we're seeing short-term relief in rates, but there are concerns coming. So back in 2003, North Marian purchased a bond or purchased debt service, bonded debt service, provided those funds to PERS, and PERS set up what's called a side account. And by having that side account, PERS gives us a discount, if you will, on our rate every single year. That side account, which means the discount in rate is set to expire June 30 of 2027. So, you're going to lose a what we
012what we call a discount against our rates with PERS. And that would be great if our bond payments ended at the exact same time. >> They were not structured to have the rate credit expire at the same time the bond payments are done. So for the year, we must make over $800,000 in bond payments with no discount from PERS. So for 2728 in blue, I'm showing our rates before the additional 6%. And then again in 2829, that bond will be paid off. So, we will drop back down to uh I'm projecting a 28.19 uh percent. We have two different bonds. Uh there was one issued in 2021. I really would love to have an opportunity to talk with the board uh and make a presentation on what those bonds have meant for this district. I
013think it's important for our taxpayers to understand the value of PERS obligation bonds. Um, right now the market is not favorable to be looking at one maybe right now. However, that is going to be something that all districts are continuing to look at. It has saved the taxpayers of North Marian School District millions and millions and millions of dollars. And I would love to uh have a presentation in the future to show show what that looks like. >> So, just so you know, we are not the only district that is facing that. All the districts that that did that in two 2003 are facing this exact same issue. So this wasn't like a North Marian mistake or anything. It was >> I don't think it was a good thing. >> It was a good thing.
014The the structure and the timing of it was was not poor was not >> was poor design. Uh and everybody and a lot of districts went in on 2003. So everybody who who bought those bonds in 2003 is facing the same thing. >> Yes. >> In a previous meeting you had mentioned that sometimes these bond purchases are not favorable for the district. There has been one issuance they call them. I believe it was in 2007 or 2008 right before there was a a big economic swing >> and there was an issue and unfortunately because the performance was so poor in the first couple years of the debt service >> unfortunately those districts are not going to see any savings. In fact it is going to cost them. However since 2003 to curry that is the
015only one issue that has not performed well. And in that presentation that Kim would do it would clearly indicate that this is it is a you know a risky I mean you'll have other people say it is like gambling. You are taking a risk into this. However, indicators outside of the 2008 year have always proven. Um, and we did decide to purchase into a study to see when might be a good time and many other districts are looking and it was a pretty inexpensive cost to say when might be a good time in the future to pursue this. And again, right now is not a a favorable time, but >> but it is a three-year uh analysis. over the next three years they will continue to review that and let us know if there becomes
016a an opportunity that uh the taxpayers could say it again on these pur costs because they are not they are not going away. So all right so also contracts and negotiations I don't have a slide on that one but I did just want to mention we we have had excellent um negotiations with our license group over the past few months we have a contract with our classified association already set in place and then working with the rest of our non-represented staff um to to get those in place. Um, so currently when you don't have a contract and you don't have a number to necessarily uh work with your budget, but uh we we look forward to moving forward on that uh in the next couple meetings. So um as you kindly uh authorized Dan during
017our last meeting, we are very uh pleased to be working with First Student on a significant uh reduction in our increase um for Yeah, that's all right. For transportation for next year. That is another piece that is is helping. Fortunately, that is a known cost. Um, short of having to add specialized routes. At times, we may have students come into the district that require independent transportation. Uh, and that is a requirement that we are are faced with. One piece too that you know I just want to point out and I picked two examples. You know, essential services, if we can go back one slide real quick. essential services, electricity and insurance are impacting all of us, every one of us personally, but also those of us, you know, at the table. So, while we absolutely
018want to do everything we can to help our staff, we also having to manage this ourselves. Our electricity increases over 60% in this these few years, insurance premiums over 92%. >> And in that same time frame, revenue up 17%. So unfortunately as it is for all of us in our personal lives, it's eating into the rest of our budgets, right? Um and that is is I am just wanting to make sure that um we are doing everything we can, but we need to have lights on and we need to have insurance. >> So we'll turn the lights off when we leave. the um estimated ending fund balance. Uh as you've seen in your monthly financial reports, we are coming in way above our budgeted ending fund balance. That is absolutely great news and a testament
019to the hard work that everybody's doing to be really mindful of expenditures this year. But I want to be very clear that that projected ending fund balance looks positive, but we are going to need to use some of that savings in next year's budget to balance the budget. So, if we end this year at a $2.4 million ending fund balance, I cannot balance a budget putting 2.4 million as next year's ending fund balance. So, we are going to be bringing a proposed budget to you, but I just want to be very clear that without utilizing some of that savings next year, we we would not be able to balance the budget. So, we are continuing to work toward increasing that ending fund balance to the new board target. But when we bring you a proposed
020budget, we are going to be proposing a level below that target. Clearly, that's up to the budget committee and board to provide guidance. But we just want to be clear that that uh those those savings this year are going to help with um minimizing disruptions for next year. So, in summary, what's next? budget committee meetings coming up very soon and we'll uh you'll have a budget message from Dan. We will present the proposed budget me uh document. Public comment will be received and discuss up for discussion. So if the budget uh is approved that evening, it will go to the board for adoption at the June board meeting on June 8th. if a second uh budget committee meeting is needed for any kind of uh revisions or or changes that will take place Monday, May
02118th. So, just want to be clear um there's a lot of positive but there are some challenges in front of us. We are in a stable but just tight environment and we are just we are going to continue to make thoughtful decisions now so that we can prepare for the future and continue to serve serve our students and our families with everything we can. >> Any questions? >> Yeah. Well, I just want to say first of all, thank you for the extensive, you know, reading material and all of the things that we have because it it really is important for people to have transparency and accountability into where their top dollars are going. But also, could you remind me how much um the transportation amount was that's included in that ending fund balance? Was it
022how much for the 80% versus 79? >> Oh, thank you. Exactly. So, uh, currently about $280,000 of revenue is in that ending fund balance that could be handed back to the state next. Yes. Yes. And so that will be another line item um in the budget that there will be a reserve that is not allowed. You have contingency funds that could be accessed by board uh authority. We also have um funds that they they they need to be reserved. I can't put them I can't make them not touchable because if the state calls them back, I do have to be able to hand them back. But but yes, we are we are making sure that that will be called out separately too as Yeah. >> All right. Thank you. >> Anybody else? >> All right.
023Thank you. >> All right. So, I sent you some homework on our strategic plan and uh and it really was to try to uh take a look at that document and and and divide it up a little bit. And so, what's that? >> Yeah. Oh. Uh, so want to um really get your feedback on the entire document if you would like to share feedback, but really the focus of of your homework was those performance indicators and the strategic initiatives. And so um and so on the student achievement side uh uh Crystal and Merurl, you were you were assigned student achievement. So, I don't Dez and I have, you know, we didn't have a like here's how this conversation's going to go, but really just wanted to get some feedback, some questions um from you before
024we we move to finalize this. >> You want me to go first or do you want to go first? >> Me. Okay. Um under academic achievement it's uh under strengthening core instructions in mathematics there was purchase and use high quality instructional materials. When was the last time we bought I should have probably submitted this beforehand. I apologize. >> You're good. >> When's the last time we did a mathematics? >> That was like two years ago. So we're >> So we're good, right? >> Yeah. Absolutely. and all of the materials that we purchased at that time would fall under that quality, you know, assurance of high quality instructional materials. That term is something the state is really pushing on heavily. Okay. So, we're going to also make sure we use that lens if we need to
025buy any sort of materials to support um as we see intervention needs for example, etc. >> Okay. Excellent. And I apologize I didn't tell you that before. >> I know it as I as I started I was like I should have probably said that. Um, and then the other piece that I had, I believe, sorry I'm getting down there, was in metrics. I mean, thank you for being transparent, even though those are brutal. Um, but did we have like how many times a year we would be sub, you know, seeing student achievement or did I just miss it? Um so we because of the different metrics it will depend on the specific metrics. So obviously our state testing metric will be once a year and then now with the new state requirement to do interim
026assessments we will do those three times a year. So we can add that data. Um so that's at the beginning of the year midy year and end of the year. Those metrics will be gathered. We've um talked with the cabinet. The state initially had said K12 and then changed and moved it to K8. Um, we've been in conversations with other districts and a lot of districts are moving to like a K10, like a 910. And when we looked at like where are we missing data, that 910 makes the most sense, especially as we think about how the data can inform us in how we can help kids be more successful on those state tests. So if we can get that ninth grade data and that 10th grade data and then their 11th grade year, they're
027getting ready for the state test. So that made a lot of sense. Um so right now the quotes we have in to make purchases of this the test that we have to do at this like required by state, we're looking for um ninth and tth grade as well. >> And those will be three times a year. >> Okay. >> I think one of the things is we we probably haven't done quite as much data review this year as we did last year. I mean, and I think in part was we've been working on this strategic plan and doing some other things. So, I think Dez has already put together some frameworks of what next year and the three years will look like in terms of what we need to be reporting. But I think uh
028it would be great during in August or even in the board retreat to kind of what does those data reviews at the board level need to look like the frequency where do we put them already place them on work session agendas so that we're bringing data to you know regularly >> and while we haven't necessarily brought that to the board for review we have been collecting data this year just like normal and using that to inform our instructional practices and um high dosage tutoring and different instructional kind of um programming that we're doing at each of the schools. Uh specifically this year we rolled out STAR because that was part of our district um literacy initiative. We rolled that out um K8. So we've been uh using those assessments this year. I think we did
029that middle school. Are we still using Fastbridge at the middle school? >> We may still be using Fastbridge. This is our last year. We'd already pre- purchased it when the state made their decision. So we have one year left of FastBridge. Fastbridgeidge and Stargo are owned by the same company and the data talks to each other. >> Excellent. >> Great. That was my Thank you. >> Yeah, >> I hardly know what to say. superintendent mentioned quite some time ago that his uh comment or I won't say mandate but to the strategic planning people I guess whoever is on the team and a number of you are that you would move toward conciseness of pairing down not quite so large and then I got the text and it said this is huge and I agree it's
030huge huge and I see what impacts me is all the time and energy that fed into this plan and you've partly at least answered one question that was uppermost in my mind and that is that the bureaucratic establishment requires certain language to >> and that was what I kind of came down on after my review which certainly is not comprehensive. that there are so many adjectives describing the action verbs that I think we get lost. I Google forest for the trees and I don't know if it actually fits but it does measure and I would still inclin toward simplify if we can and I had that thought and they've noted that that I know there are bureaucracies and they expect a certain language and it's not my language necessarily. I've been through that with the
031US Department of Agriculture and there are certain >> things that they expected to be on that document. So, I understand that and it's well written and professional, but I would still lean toward that, >> right? >> I've probably mentioned before that I'm close to a certain person that doesn't use four words and two words will do. And just to confirm that, I checked my texts and out of the last nine, seven of them were one word and I knew what they meant. The other two were two words and I knew what they meant, but I don't expect us to do that. But >> um do we going going on that I think this document is very well written and all the documentation that's there is what I've seen before. So I think you can leave
032it. I wonder if you're worried about the page count if we need every metric in there that was shared. >> No. And in fact, Dan and I've had a lot because I had the same thing. I was like, this thing is stupidly big for printing especially. Um part of the reason why we shifted over to tabs is to think what is the public facing document and then what is the document that is the you thing we use at a building level or at the teacher level to guide our work and then what is the kind of addendum that you know when you want to look at that data and then those can all really live separately. So my plan after this initial review and once we get it approved would be one to take the
033kind of the meat of the plan piece and make a public facing document that's pretty simple and and stripped down to the point you're making than the pieces that we use that are more at the teacher level or the building level because ultimately while we've done a lot of this work and it's really to to the point you're you're making Merl like it's finding the balance between how do you say simply what we're doing but also point out I think there's so much work happening in our schools that because we don't get to talk about it there is an assumption that maybe it's not happening and so we really did try to find this balance but between where do we say like just trust us we're doing the right thing and where do we call
034it out and say this is what we're doing we have initiatives we have programs we are working continually on this these things and looking to shift the data because of it and shift student achievement because of it, but how is that comprehensible for our community who just wants a a good snapshot to know their kids are in the right spot, right? >> So, finding that balance and then like I said, um having it so like if you want to see the data, here's where you go for it, but it's not a natural part of it, especially because that data part like that's right now data as of today data >> that will get bigger, right? because I'll add a line under each of those that's like and the next wave of it and the next
035wave of it so you can see how those data points change, right? And those graphs will start including additional years and like this is where we're at now, this is where we've come from. Um, and so it will get bigger before it gets smaller in those ways. So finding that way so that we have an easy printable piece, but also we're constantly making transparent and available the data piece so people can see it. I have no doubt you and Dan will do a great job. Thank you. >> But I certainly would welcome some u you know if there is language that is too uh >> academia I would uh I would welcome some feedback there. I mean uh Glenn's not here but he sent us some about a couple different things that said I think
036this would be better worded a different way. So uh and we want it to be >> uh reader friendly. So, we don't want to be talking over the tops of people. >> Yeah. >> So, >> well, I as you you you really touched on what I was thinking because the phrase I you mentioned community and I thought community and and senior board members and you need a certain language that we can understand. But I also think of just the the um redundancy or you know using a different word to say the same thing and we'd have three of them and you know >> what is strong and what is rigorous and what is >> you know what is high quality what defines it. They're rather subjective and yes, >> maybe the the teachers know and
037immediately that brings a picture to their mind, >> but for me, I don't necessarily know >> how what is not high quality or what is not rigorous or what is ineffective versus effective and so on. So, I could make a list of my words just for fun, but I don't expect you to go with with mine. And the data part I I like. I think that's >> that's more objective. >> Yeah, for sure. >> That's why men like math because it's not a question. >> Now, remind me some of our language is directly reflected in some of our grant. >> Yeah, for sure. And and to the point you're making, I think you know the pieces of it that can sometimes be hard like high quality instructional materials. That's a such a good example because
038um I couldn't right at this moment tell you what that means. >> Every subject area it might mean something different and it might mean something different every time they do a a materials review. So anytime there's a seven-year rotation where the state looks at materials, they come up with a rubric. That team comes up with a rubric of what is high quality and then they review the materials and give us scores and say this one meets the high quality standard, this one doesn't. And um sometimes you can see it, sometimes you can't. There are times where they say this is high quality materials and then we have experience with those materials and we're like but is it you know is that really what we're experiencing right now? So even that is sometimes so subjective. Um,
039and so I definitely didn't wouldn't want to put that in there because it's just like, you know, it's very heming and hawing on on different things. Um, and I think one of the things that I've really experienced since I came here as well is the concepts of like and what does it mean for our community, right? Um, because there is this definite the state can tell us this is high quality instructional materials and we know what our kids specifically need. we can look at the data and say these are gaps our students have. Do these books intentionally address those gaps and those are the the lenses we really look through. So that's an additional layer of what makes something high quality. Does it look like our students? We when we did our math adoption actually
040one of the things we really talked about is you know we we live in this community. What does a math problem look like for kids who grew up here versus it look like for someone who grew up in the city? Um, you know, we there was an example a few years ago where they were talking about like culturally responsive testing and the example they would always give is that on the SATs there was um an analogy that was like yacht is to regalia as gala is to and kids were like what is a yacht you know like what is a gala what is a you know like a yacht party >> um you know whereas our kids might understand something that's like you know a tractor is a you know, that piece of what is
041their lived experience. And so we really took that lens of like are they using a bunch of examples that for our students is like this isn't part of their reality. And we really took a a a lens to the books we picked because of that. Same with the the English materials. I wasn't here for that, but I know it was a big driving force in their decision- making. So that's even an additional layer that um we put on. And I think for me when we think about the strategic plan, it's then how do we use the strategic plan as a part of our storytelling that needs to happen afterwards? Um that we can put something simple like we're going to adopt highquality instructional materials. Where that becomes meaningful is when we're adopting those materials, we're
042communicating with the community, this is the process we're using. These are the lessons we're learning. Here they are for you to look at. you can tell me if you think it's high quality or not. That's how that story becomes something real. Not because it's, you know, strategic plans are as good as how they are lived. Otherwise, this will be in a binder on somebody's desk and not be a living document. So, um it will be how we communicate, how we talk about it, and how we reference back to it. We're talking about in high quality instructional materials that is on goal performance indicator three on our academic achievement. Here's what we're doing. and is telling that story over and over and over again. >> So, you're bringing that into a narrower context and then the
043high quality is more apparent. >> Absolutely. >> Yes. And what it is not. I was going to say one other thing before I forget it, which won't take very long. So, just interrupt me once and it'll probably be gone. But Jim Collins, I think he was the author. >> Good. Good. Great. >> But he he said this, uh, if you have more than three prior priorities, you don't have any. thinking of the length of the document. >> Oh yes. I >> he wants you to shorten it. >> But I would also indicate I would also indicate that we have three you know student achievement, talent development, culture and community is our focus. So if you just break down Jenny and I had the opportunity to be part of this uh committee and if you look
044at our vision for culture and community and then the statement after and if you take each statement >> right >> from each one you can really distill that down to see our vision for talent development to develop and sustain a skilled reflected workforce. The cool thing about it is if you really do this right as which is the goal that we had when you're hiring, when you're firing, when you're disciplining students, when you're deciding as a district, what are we going to do for sports? It's all in here and our goals are laid out. So, we know what we do. We don't every time have to be like, hey, we're hiring exposition. What are we thinking we need to do? This is all part of what we do. And so, you do have to start
045out with something like a vision statement here. And then you have to add to it because without the adding to it, you don't have the depth of it. >> Yeah. And I would think I I'm actually uh Greg Mcuan wrote the book essentialism and he has the same thing. He said the word priority was never plural until it hit American culture, right? And then we pluralized it and we make it like and now we have more than one priority which actually goes against what the original definition is. I would argue that our priority is actually we only have one priority which is the the education of kids >> much like our own health though like I could say like my priority is my health but if I only work on what I'm eating and I
046don't look at exercise and I don't look at my mobility and if I don't think about how I'm exercising my brain I'm still not helping. So the the goal can be one and we only have one educate kids but we've got to do a lot of little things to get to that education of kids. So for me, our one priority goes back up to actually our mission and vision. And that's that piece of like create those pathways for kids so that they can leave here and achieve that lifelong learning. Um all of these are the the small tweaks to the system. They feel like lots of priorities, but in reality it's the multiple actions we have to do to achieve that one priority. >> Well, I did ask myself that question. Not every bullet point
047is a priority. >> Right. Exactly. >> So you're looking at maybe this slice and maybe there is only one or two priorities there for this group of people and so on. But >> yeah, >> I didn't get that far. >> Well, you saw the dry race board on each side. went to from and narrowed down to. There was a lot that >> if time permitted, I could have looked at the previous one and >> probably would have seen some differences. >> Yes. >> Admittedly, I'm a little bit more of a Monae than a Dainci. We might somewhat impressionistic. >> All right. Moving to culture and community. Blake. Yeah, I reviewed it. I was fortunate to be a part of the process. So, I don't have much to add to it. I feel like the meetings
048I came to were Jenny and I shared what our thoughts were during it. So, if you want me to elaborate more, I can, but don't need to. >> Okay, good. >> Jenny on talent development. Yeah, I I think I would just ask like on acquisition, what are what would we do differently after this strategic plan is implemented than what we are doing now? I mean that's kind of a rhetorical question. Um but I I do just kind of want to touch on what we were talking about earlier is like I'm I'm a person who likes the weeds. So, I I like that this document is big. I mean, it is narrow in the beginning, but it is big and it tells you exactly what we're going to do and how we're going to get there
049and how we're going to measure ourselves, which I think is even more important of >> how are we going to measure, how are we going to identify where we're falling short, what we're going to do about it to correct it. >> That that's where I like to see. And then I like your thought of this being a living document that we're going to be adding to and and updating as kind of our our five our next five years. Um >> I I don't disagree that maybe the community might like kind of like a one little image one pager throw it in AI and see what that spits out. But >> yeah, just like Blake said, I I was there. I thought the I thought the conversations were were productive and good and yeah >> I
050think you know the big thing and I it goes right to what you just said that I would see being different. One of the big pieces is actually the metric part of it because we what we haven't done some of the actions are not any different than what we may be currently doing but what we haven't done is collect the data as to the effectiveness of those actions and what to like causation to understand the causation of maybe the results we're getting so that we can make those small tweaks to them. When I think about, you know, some of these, there aren't a lot, especially within um the the talent development, there aren't a lot of things that are like, oh, that's brand new for us. But we have not, especially within talent development, done
051much data collecting as of anything. Um, and I think that's what I see the biggest tweak being, Dan. Yeah, I was thinking the same thing was really the data piece of this because if you think about probably the most uh engaged conversation that we had this year is when we shared the youth truth data with you and you saw some very stark numbers >> and you were like kind of wo in certain areas and and we did do some responsiveness to to some of those things. But the reality is is I think there is there's a lot to I think by having youth truth as in this really commits us to looking at it and doing something about it. Um, and so I think I think it is is more of that piece of we've
052had this data, we've talked about it a little bit, but then it goes back sits on the shelf and what did we really do with it >> right now in how how will you use this for uh meetings that you hold with staff? Is it something that you're going to break out the first five minutes to keep it live? Like there there has to be ways that you >> you're holding an assembly and you want to you know just we're having an event here at the school. How do you tie these pieces to the using this document to help not only have the reason you're doing it but you know teach from it or or connect that I it's just a thought on >> so it's not put in a binder thanks let's see in
0532031 and >> so I think some Dez has already kind of outlined what we want to get accomplished between now and and July when when people break for the summer what do we need to get done in August where you know what how to the conversation we had earlier about how big this is what do we share with staff on welcome back and then how do we make this part of every all of our principal meetings because I've said it before I mean these plans live and die with the principles >> that's right >> I'll just say that >> because like we can have all the work in the world or all the ideas but it really lives with the principles and them executing it off through their staff >> um and so um those
054plans are are being developed and making sure that this is relevant to their work and then we've got to be as a leadership team kind of keeping the focus narrow. So, >> sounds good. >> We we had a definitive moment with the the principles the other day where we kind of said don't get ahead of yourself planning because your work will live and die through this document. Um, and so this is not your time to be like, I have a pet project. I'm going to go rogue with it. It's like, nope. If it doesn't live in the strategic plan, it doesn't happen because this plan is big enough, it should take up most of your work from this point forward. And it is the right work to be taken in. >> Absolutely. >> One thing
055I notice in in the the next section, what is it? the initiatives that there is quite a long list of create create initiate create develop I thought who is going to do it all >> raise your hand pretty daunting to me >> it's kind of banking on you now >> you know yes I will say some of it um and part of The reason why we added this section uh this came out of this section specifically came out of two places. One is the strategic planning team had some really fantastic ideas and we wanted to make sure that they didn't because sometimes they were very specific and we wanted to make sure that in the performance indicators we kept it a general concept. Um, so for example, use PLC's to improve instruction, right? But then
056within the actual strategic initiatives, we want to get to the specific like what does that actually mean? Um, and make sure that those ideas that were generated by that strategic planning team were reflected in that work. Some of these things that are listed also are like this is the work we're doing. Um, so for example, right at the top, development of the district early literacy framework. we have to do that because we got a grant and we got money to do that and um development of the district literacy framework is also something we got money for and we have to do that work. So and it directly supports the strategic plan. So let's call it out. Let's say we're already doing this work and in fact we've been recognized by the state for the work
057we're doing. I not in a braggy moment but I think it's reflective of of the good work this district is doing. I got an email today from the Oregon Council of um English Teachers that was like, "We'd like North Marion to sit on our board because you are being recognized. We're hearing about what you guys are doing and want you represented in the work we're doing at the state level. That's fantastic. Let's call it out in the strategic plan so people know about the work we're doing." So, a lot of that development development, those were things we were going to be developing otherwise. The rest of them that are kind of new are either things that have been on the burner for a long time like creation of the district MTSS framework. I think that
058was one of Dan's initiatives right when he came in was like what are we going to do about this? So there are things that have been in long time like let's let's get this going and then the rest I will admit are I'm just excited about because it's the right word. >> I was thinking about things like newsletters and communications. >> Yes. >> Yeah. What if I had to do that? I I just can't I >> Dan and I were having a conversation just this morning and I was like, "Okay, I'm getting really excited. I'm thinking about this. What do we do about that?" You know, I have a list on my board around like literally like he comes in, it's like adds to our communication list. So, there are things that are simmering that
059we know. Today was one of those weird days with stuff that came up where there was a lot of things where I think at least in my head I was like communication would be helpful here you know and we started thinking about what are ways to enact these things. I think they're natural byproducts. Um you know it is hard in a general sense that we are in a district Kim and I were talking about this this morning where all of us at the district level especially where probably 24 too many hats. >> At the same time, it's exciting work and I think we've done a good job of understanding like when is done good enough and where is the thing we we really like this is the thing that's going to move our needle. We're
060going to put the effort here. >> Right? So, >> today we're working on a staffing report where done was good enough, but you can see her budget report is where we're going to move the needle and she's going to put the extra effort. We're we're good at that. Development doesn't always mean from ground zero, >> Right. No, >> no, not at all. >> But we are getting better even at to that point. You know, I we were having a discussion with the literacy coaches about the district literacy framework and because we had developed the early literacy framework and we have a really good foundation with that and because the state has developed a larger K12 literacy framework, we were like, how much effort do we need to put into this and where can we just
061steal and take the good work and say this is how it's actually going to be enacted and have it much more of an actionoriented document versus a think piece. And so, um, I think that's the other piece we're getting better at is knowing how to focus our energy. >> Okay. >> So, there's no further feedback and you're certainly welcome to email us individually. Uh, our goal will be to bring back a finalized document for uh, adoption at the May 11th board meeting. And my goal would be to bring it in its different forms so you can see what we put out for the community, what would kind of live on our web, how we're going to push it out to our principles. >> Yeah. >> Okay, sounds good. >> All right, executive session. I'll read
062this into the record. >> Um, we'll be going into executive session. The board will now meet in executive session according to OS192.6602D 6602D to conduct deliberations with persons designated to carry on labor negotiations collective bargaining with UNME. Content discussed in executive sessions is confidential except as provided by law. Board members in the media are instructed not to disclose information obtained in executive session except when specifically authorized to do so or as required by law. The board will not be taking any action on the content discussed tonight and will adjourn following the executive session. Thank you. We'll do two minute break while we clear the room.