001He's the second junior social butter. >> Oh my gosh. Yeah. >> She and my daughter are one year apart. together. >> Here is the cutest thing you have ever seen. If you ever seen her first one, >> we're streaming. So, >> you want to join the table? I don't bite. I promise you. >> Say hello. Good to see you. >> Yes. >> Well, thanks for calling. >> Yep. >> Thank you for inviting us. Absolutely. >> Uh I'll call us to order. um is the joint board meeting of Valley Charter School in the school district. Um I assume there's no RS we would call work session under. >> All right. So calling us Twitter 606. Uh welcome. And we have a agenda. Excited to have some for you. Um so we're going to start with introductions.
002There are definitely a couple faces I don't know. Um I guess I'll start. Uh so Tom Clifffell I'm newly elected um this last term got sworn in uh in July um serving as the chair um as some of you know I served on the board from 2007 to 2017 10 years before um it was supposed to be at 15 but I got out of 10 on behavior >> behavior so there's still hope right I'm standing here let's see I've got do we have two years left Yes. >> Yes. Over halfway through. >> Yeah. >> You're almost down to a year and a half. >> That's true. That's right. >> Yeah. >> Not that you're counting. >> No. >> Should have a paper at home. >> No. Took a second to sink in. Um I'm Aaron
003Gudge. I'm in my second term on the board here. And so it's about this is like part partway into my fifth year. Uh, my name is Ren Huff. I am the new business manager at Kings Valley Charter School. Um, I was previously the treasurer of the board for King Valley Charter. Um, to say more. >> Yeah, there's probably more questions about your position, but we've got organizational structure there. So, that starts at I've got three young gentlemen. they can be. >> Okay, good. Uh at KV um in third grade, seventh grade, and ninth grade. >> I also have a ninth grader right here in not right this month, but but like occasionally that's my stuff. So, it's a little different kind of. >> I'm Diana Barnhard. I'm no longer a board member. Um I am
004the board representative for King Valley Charter School. I'm Bethaki. I don't even know the board. >> A while. >> I am a founding member. Um yeah, I have two kids that went to school there. My oldest started when she was three years old. Um graduated high school there, went to OSU, got a degree in ecological engineering, and voice as an engineer. >> So yeah, students assess really cool. >> Uh John Corbin uh board chair um thanks to Sally. Um I had three children out at KV. One of them graduated last year and went off to the army. um and three years. Um then about 18 months ago, Sally one day said she was stepping down and nominated me with no prior notice and here I am. >> Works here board member or both? >> Uh
005board check. Yeah, >> you were already on board. Yeah, >> he passed. >> Yeah, >> even though I live in independence. It's okay. >> We had to get over that. Oh, I know. >> We should say Linda's Linda North is not with us tonight and Linda is our other board member. >> So, the board has three members, right? >> We have Brad also. So, >> right. >> Yes. >> Yeah. the the intention and the you know results of the intentions are just not quite lighting up right now. >> Yeah. >> Yet >> great. >> I'm Kelsey Gradiana student services director for school district and half a year on the board. >> Aaron, this is my first term. I was really elected and didn't come elected. I did serve on the board at Money Creek for
006six years because my big kids who were little went to Money Creek >> and I all sort of connection. I'm Susan How the superintendent my uh sixth year in that role and my 18th year in the district >> and I can't believe that it's been that long. >> Sister. >> Wow. Okay, great. Um, all right, updates. I don't know if we had anything specific, more just sharing on both sides if there's anything notable. Hopefully, good news. >> And we've typically done kind of the updates and questions just to kind of say what's happening and who's doing what. So, >> and you guys go first. >> Go was on the table. There you go. >> Somebody had left it on there and neither one of us picked it up. So, >> um updates. Okay. Um we
007This is our largest student enrollment um that we've ever had in we're currently sitting at 208. Oh. Um that's our charter cap is 216. So, we're near capacity. Um, we have for the most part exhausted a weight list um for students. So, we're that's pretty much where we're going to probably hang out. Um, still oneird alone area, two3 Dallas of Independence. So, we're still close to that. um which is the historic brick for King Valley and a lot of that is still really given where we are to all of those district lines. I should include balance in that too city. Um there's been a little bit of some families coming to us from the Lute um charter schools. So, we've had probably seven, eight students being charged with recently. Um, which was three or four
008families. Um, teachers turnover. We've had pretty consistent teachers. Two new staff members this year was not teaching PE. Um, so we found a PE teacher and that was long an advertisement and we to have an elementary teacher retire uh or leave um not for any other reasons except for her husband graduated college and got a job elsewhere. So um but we have been fired in elementary school. So, two new teachers, but um regular staff system on that. Uh still doing transportation with Fall City as one of our charter party people. Um still providing our own lunches. Uh which is also part of part of our charter lunches. >> How long has that charter >> provider lunches? >> How long has that been? Since beginning. Oh yeah. >> Yeah. >> And the meals were independent of
009the district. >> Delicious. >> That's that's one of the things that I love to to proud of was that whole Monopoly thing is started school. Mark had this brilliant idea to give us all Monopoly money as a community and then we stuck it where we wanted. A lot of people went for the Olympic size pool, but that one is still in the wish list. Being thankful that you did not make that decision. >> Seriously, literally something on the board for >> Well, it was I mean like a issue. Yes, but he in fact anyway and Olympic size would have had to buy a second monopoly. >> You can have our pool. >> I don't know that I I can afford that. >> Yeah, >> my point exactly. >> Scratch cooking. >> But scratch scratch cooking
010local sustainable >> ingredients. Absolutely. Is the chicken coop finished? >> Chicken coop is finished. >> I'm very I was very very excited about that on our It's finished. It's not completely placed. Um but it is done and we will have chickens in it. Y >> they're building another one. If you would like to purchase the second one, they're building another chicken cube and they they're going to sell that one to three cube. I like it. >> I love it. >> Wasn't there a goat being donated right? Yeah. Borrow of goats cuz I don't want a goat. I mean that's just not quite >> who takes it home over the summer. >> Right. I mean on the I mean forever sheep cows pigs you know that's that's more my gig. Goats mouth. So >> just back
011out of lunches. So in Colon, I know we've been on student bodywide free breakfast and lunch. Um same thing. >> Same thing. >> Yeah, we are a C school. In fact, this is our second year being a C school. Um there are challenges of course associated with that. There's grants that you can't figure out how to figure closely related to do the math, but yes, we are a C school. Um we serve typically about 140 lunches a day which is beyond 208. So we're real close to two of us are enjoying the meal >> uh anywhere from 75 to 50 breakfast um a morning. So we serve a high number of students. >> We have an interesting setup that most of the schools here do breakfast before school starts. >> Right. The middle school has
012changed theirs to and it's been a while since it's been this way >> where they wait till like after second period at morning break. >> So at 10:00 >> is when they'll do their breakfast >> instead of before school in the morning >> and they are probably the highest >> quantity >> of students who eat breakfast >> anywhere in the district. >> Yeah, breakfast after the bell is an interesting option. >> Yeah. Yeah, it's a big hit. My middle schooler, well, when my kid was in middle school, loved that that was the option. >> Yeah. They just found that there were some kids that that had food in the morning before they came to school. And so, if you offered it up at 10:00 by that point, those little bodies, >> well, not so little
013bodies are ready for that. >> Just one second, right? >> Yep. Well, you also have >> Thomas some of those families that struggle to get >> just the time to get breakfast on the table. >> They're also the ones who struggle to get their kid there early enough to get the breakfast. Right. >> True. Absolutely. >> Does did that correlate with any better outcomes in Has there been any measurable or any data around it? >> All pretty subjective. Oh yeah. you know, just in terms of they find that kids are more attentive >> in the later in the later portions of the morning. >> Um, and kind of like it gives them that that second wind um or that boost >> um to get a little bit of something in them. And then it's really
014about um you know, my choice of what I'm going to do for my break. I'll go get something to eat. But it it really is has been a rejuvenator that they're seeing. um behaviors less in that span of time. So um >> it's been pretty interesting to watch. >> That makes sense. >> No get grumpy will be little ones are burning through that so fast. >> Worse than angry 12y old would say angry. I was just going to say that I was about to recant that >> we offer a snack similarly at that time. So it's a non reimburseable where we do have grants um and Ren is very shamelessly promoting um to support >> and helped us with that >> shameless promotion too. So that's all good. >> I do. >> I'm here. >>
015Yeah. Yes, we do agree that it is important particularly the last couple months. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> And then again for this you need to be catching up when they get back on the board. The charter was renewed just last couple years. >> Uh it's been more than that. Um four years >> a 10 year chart. >> Yeah. >> I think four is right. >> Four is for >> Yeah. So Mark and I worked with Susan for years ago to review the charter. It's a 10 year charter. >> Then we still talk to one another which is really >> it's a little bit of arm wrestling. Season one most of those. >> Yeah. >> Uh great. Well, anyone else want to add anything? I think that just we face a lot of the same issues.
016We have a a small kinder class, you know, so we're worried about um the changing demographics. Um but I think a a success that Diana um didn't want to brag about is uh I think that what led to a lot of the higher enrollment is better retention. Uh because historically we've struggled to retain from middle school to high school. >> Um and we've um our admin head teachers uh kind of um tackle behavior problems or behavioral issues um much more actively, much more, you know, partnered with families that much more. And uh we've seen a lot of improvements with behavior. And I think subsequently we've seen the enrollment, you know, pick up. >> Yeah. Our freshman class is 17. That's our largest class historically. Uh and most of those students are moving for the eighth
017grade. I went from 8th grade to the freshman class. So we picked up a couple from a district. Uh but for the most part, that's been our largest largest class. Our sophomore class is uh under that in the 13 range. 13 to 14 range. So, we've kind of ticked up a little bit. Um, last year we had 44 high school students and we're up in the mid50s this year. So, >> that's where the biggest influx came in your middle. Is that right? >> Yeah. U middle school is really full, too. Ironically, our seventh grade is like capped out. Um so um and we kind of we've always had the philosophy that students can float to where they need. So I have seven seventh graders into sixth grade math and you know vice versa. So I
018have a few seventh graders that are sliding into sixth grade or into the eighth grade where they need to be. But we did we really picked up a lot which is stating is very true. We have 11 kindergarteners. Um we had we had 10 last year and 11 the year before. So kindergarten that small demographic is very true. Works great for my kindergarten. >> But yes, that is something that we're looking at as as time moves forward. >> And then just to kind of um give some context to those numbers, last year we graduated six seniors. Mhm. >> So, you know, classic 14 is >> Yeah. Because I remember I mean in the in the first five years it's you know it's ranged from four to 10 to >> Yeah. >> six to Yeah. um
019>> your seventh grade, how many of them started? >> Have you seen I guess my question is have you seen a decrease in kindergarteners in the last seven years? Has it been a steady decrease? >> It's been a steady since co really since co the decline in in kindergarteners um and you know to you know the year after co we still had a 20 running benefits years since then who've been in that. As far as the number of seventh graders probably say half of those students have been with us for a while. Again coming out of co we saw a lot of transient family some movement and so the kids that have had pretty good retention in the last year. Um, coming out of that that time, Christ, >> was it two or I think
020it might have been three years ago when Athena was saying that you pretty much had a a a big turnover >> and who I mean, not necessarily in overall numbers, but in terms of who the kids >> Yes. >> were it sounds like that's kind of stabilized. >> Um, >> yeah. But I remember her saying, >> yeah, >> go figure. We did. We really did in elementary have a large swap of families. How many families going? I have this year, interestingly, I have quite a few large families anywhere from three to four children within the school and varying ages. Um, and so that's been kind of an interesting swap to having siblings. I'm curious what your graduation rate is. um again kind of co it was we we had a few students that um got
021their GEDs or >> um or disappeared so to speak. >> Um so last year it was 100%. >> Great. >> Um the year before I think we were probably at 60% because even if a child leaves >> Yeah. So two kids would drop usually It's better to talk about numbers of students than talking about percentage when you it skews the percentage that >> right um and so that's that's part of so yeah so last year was 100% love that year before that we had two students achieve their GEDs >> um one of them chose to walk with us and graduate so that's that's that's a piece of that too Thank historical fact. I was appointed to the board in 2007 to fill out a teach seat and the next meeting would be me there after
022my first and biggest decision was to extend Kings Valley to high school. >> Wow. >> I was the swing vote. The other two two and two that were came in very firmly. I was the newest guy to learn all about >> no stress. >> Yeah. No regrets. It was a tense one. >> No regret. >> I got I got some flowers from over there. >> That that high school element is why I'm moved over. >> Um >> I was at uh we were at Le Valley >> and I grew up in Dallas and familiar with the system over there. Uh, and I had I went to Pey Elementary as >> a little >> and so I moved from that tiny school with 12 my class to the middle school where I went from 12 kids
023to 30 kids and they split us all out in two of the 12, you know, 12 classes. So like I didn't even know anybody in there. And it was such a tough transition. It was such a hard transition that when it came my turn with my babies, I was like, "Well, we've got high school, we're going to have to, >> you know, they're going to go through a lot of transitions and processes. It doesn't need to be, right?" >> Yeah. That won't of course have that same scenario, right? All the It's the same kids in say fifth grade that move on to sixth grade. I was some of those class well type Southern California where six, seven, eight elementary schools most vulnerable times of kids alive get aggregated into mass institutions and coral of course
024is making their mass institution that much bigger because they're going to close shovel >> and so it yeah it is I think that is one of the best >> elementary and tonight >> yeah right now well and >> Carson at the botto elementary school principal came from Leticia. >> Yeah, you're going to be a principal at least. >> Anyway, I that is one of the gems of following us in King Valley is you don't transition those kids to these huge institutions most of the time. Uh great that was great update. What do we want to share in those? >> Well, first of all, I'd like to share kind of a um just because we don't talk the joint the jointness very often. Um um I have appreciated um the the principles teachers um who reach
025out and Diana who's reached out on a number of occasions to be able to um you know ask for clarification, seek information about policy and other related kinds of things. Um I've been um consulted and involved in some some student issues around behavior and some things like that. And um it's nice to be able to have that level of connection um uh to be able to feel like we can lean on one another um uh when we have question instead of a mine. Thank you very me alone. um or you're not ever to call me, you know. So, um that's been been greatly appreciated um in terms of the connection and being able to do those things. So, um it's been good. And we'll talk a little bit later on the status of special education
026of um we pressed hard and uh u so we want to hear about what the the special education changes have done. Uh but uh that was Kelsey was all over that one. Um to be able to say can we look at how we do business a little bit different uh to be able to see what we can can make happen for kids. So um it'll be exciting to hear about that stuff. So um we also continue to partner around um the integrated guidance grants and things like that that um uh excuse me keep us connected and your what was that >> the integrated guidance so which is the the student success act and high school success and at all >> and um some of the programs Kings Valley asks for their own funding and I
027think there's only one now that >> high school success >> yeah that that we asked for and pass it through as >> the plan >> yeah so SIA we're in SIA high school success that's where our own entity, >> right? >> Yeah. So, it's just making sure that, you know, we stay coordinated in um reporting and planning and um I think we've been able to maintain a nice um a nice balance of um the goals can be established in such a way that that there's no saying, well, you can't do that because it doesn't match the goals. um that we've been able to come up with with what we need to be able to meet the needs at both schools or both entities in terms of being able to um have the activities we need
028in our areas to do. So, I don't feel like we've had to say no um that that can't be done. So, the goal statements have been broad enough to be able to allow those things to occur. >> Yeah. To double back on that, we had to create stakeholder surveys. And since some of my families have younger students and then older students move on, we shared stakeholder survey information with the district. Um, our goals and outcomes match very very closely with what the district's goals for. So, it's it's it's an easy um way to be part of the district given that um and that's the state's requirement for the other charter school to be part of the SIA funding versus high school success or major 98. Um we can we're independent from that. Yeah. Um, and
029you know, I think on on our front here, especially, it's uh being able to help support Kings Valley uh as we look at two big things coming down the line. One of them is accountability >> and the state's measures of accountability and uh being able to make sure there are support systems there and and then the other is what will happen from a funding perspective. um as we look at and we'll talk a little bit later in our meeting about um state agencies and and putting forward their proposed cuts and and um what that means, what that looks like um the options for um rainy day fund or the education stability fund if those might be tapped to be able to help out with some different things and um uh really trying to be thoughtful
030in in how that works, but being able to continue um walking down the road of that information. So >> very much so as far as buying in with the Canada fire will um state required additional goals that we will partner with the district on choosing local goals um as well as interim testing to share information with the board three times a year. Yes. >> Um and that's part of the new accountability requirements for state. I think just to kind of update from here, Kelsey, you can add in too is um our our enrollment is up a little, not significantly uh but a little bit >> and not not down >> not >> just exactly why Coralis has closed their school and it was >> five or six years like 10 before was dealing on top
031of collapsed economy. >> Well, and it's such a common theme right >> just put out an article if you get the OSBA email newsletter that Oregon's down 37,000 students since 2020. >> Um, yeah, the annual enrollment is down 37,000 and right after CO it was about 20. So, it's continued to decrease. Part of that's because birth rates stated for a little while or dramatically went down and we're seeing that. I bring it up probably far too often, but that's why our kindergarten numbers are low is because people were choosing to not take the risk during COVID and the year or two after. But, um, >> yeah, >> sitting in our regional meeting on Friday, we were the only district in the non. >> Yeah, we were I was sitting in the front. >> We're not
032in line. I mean, >> we were able to say we got We're like slightly It felt a little bit >> like you're rubbing it back. We dare put it up. It's been like that for the last two or three years that we were the only one that even when we had a drop our drop was so much smaller than other districts. >> So what do you guys >> we don't want to question it. We don't want to know what we're saying. >> Well, but I mean just as a you know after action is what do you guys attribute that to? What you know how do you celebrate that success? What is driving that retention? for a great district. >> Community is a I mean it is affordable housing within the greater area. So >> are
033solid. >> Yeah. Our that's a huge I mean >> appreciating. Yeah. >> Uh uh I mean we've always had a much higher transfer in rate than you know Corvals wanting to come here versus the other, right? I mean it's like it's like you know we'll get 80 they'll get 20 right if the numbers aren't 4x so that's it which goes to the quality of the product right um and then the other thing is despite all the you know villagers who get frustrated about developments we have had that I live just right across from the elementary school and South 16th street used to dead end at the um public works yard it's still dead end there but on the other side of that now it continues on there's a whole new miller barn devel development >>
034and there are lots of kids who are in my kids class who live there and have now elementary school age kids and they would not be living in if those houses I get my guest would eat were not there um and so I think there have been pockets of developers that's defination but that's what I >> mean the population has gone up by I think like 10% in the last 10 years >> I think a lot of it is trying there was like very clear age like me all all of us were like the same age >> and then there was a gap in kids like coming down by island thing so most of the people at my age have kids that are my kids are in elementary middle school now they've come here versus
035going to Corvalis and the school district boundary is just so dumb you can walk 100 feet and be in Corvalis school district middle school >> so the people that lived >> it's >> the people that could a rocket hit middle school or in Queens. >> Okay. >> And so >> when you look at the transfers, you really need to look at it by a two mile and beyond because if you took a two-mile, most a lot of those out of district transfers are within >> across the street, >> right? >> You call walking distance to the pool and interd district transfer. Even though >> we're in Chapel Drive that goes middle school, the other side is Coralis >> and as we live just two miles out of town, our field is the dividing line between
036and so we're, you know, >> yeah, easy choice. >> Yeah, >> I was surprised to learn, you know, the Lam River is Benton County versus um Lynn County and yet the courthouse is three blocks from, you know, the county seat is three blocks from the county border. So, Um, >> go figure. Yeah. Big storm comes, we might be in trouble. >> Yeah. Yeah. The rivers really >> uh maybe just two quick updates. We were talking about the pool. I think the pool is a community resource. I'd like to thank people at King and use it occasionally. We did just get Ryan I think and were instrumental getting some funding because of course pools are incredibly expensive to maintain and to operate. Um but this you know we were getting to the point where we weren't
037sure if we were able to extend the life for the next five or 10 years. We now can. Um so that's huge news of our study >> for me personally. So hence why I'm sharing. >> Um the other one I'm just curious the cell phone ban. Maybe you guys already had this locked down. >> Oh I bet they got the Wi-Fi in the bill. Uh >> not that they have access to. >> No. Uh so the the the ironic thing about that is that at Kings Valley we actually took the opposite. We had the screens come forward because we do have a very locked down Wi-Fi that requires individual access by like IP of your phone. >> Um >> and the student said, "Hey, you know, um we want access for X, Y, and Z."
038um specifically their our uh our student council members. They they claimed they wanted to communicate for student counseling. And so we deliberated over several months and we came up with kind of a um a rigorous system where as a um as a reward for good attendance, good grades, you know, uh you complete the course on you know how to be a safe you know um respectful person on the internet which is a stretch. Um, you know, then you give then you were given the right to have uh access to Wi-Fi and then the ban happened >> after we had so many debates and conversations. >> You So you didn't really They weren't really using phones before that and you started to open it up. >> They did for a long time. Yeah. We didn't go
039near it for a long time. >> He took phones. Yeah. >> As did everybody else. >> Yeah. And then we dialed it down and then we had a little bit of a rebellion. >> Sure. >> It was a very respectable. >> Oh, it was and it was what we come to the board meeting with proposals and they speak to the board and we give them something to chew on and then they refine it and they come back and that's great. >> Yeah. And we got to this and and we put it on that right. So it also became a great opportunity for like peer mediated training and engagement around internet usage with the older kids teaching because we're like you know kids don't listen to grown-ups. So if you guys want to take the responsibility
040to teach your younger >> um peer group how to do this then um yeah let's make it actually work. Yeah. So, we got it all set up and that and we're obviously in a unique position where uh without the Wi-Fi there is no cell service. >> Oh, seriously. You don't have there by default. They don't have >> I mean, you know, is a pretty wide open area. It's not like you're deep in a gorge or something, you know. But anyway, that shocks me. >> Some kids are really good at finding that. >> They stand on some kid's shoulder and lick your fingers. Tin foil hats. We know what >> they're section. The phone section. >> The smoking section. >> um well, it has gone very very well here. We have as we mentioned we're at
041the Oregon School Board Association this week last weekend and I asked it there in our regional meeting and universally the fuel hiccups it's going really well. I think we're all grateful that we could blame the governor for sure. >> So that made it a lot easier than so we were this way anyway. I mean I think we're you know but this made it much clearer and much easier and the results have been very impressive. the kids are actually engaging with each other and and the teachers appreciate that they're not constantly saying, "Put your phone away. Put your phone away. Put your phone away." Um, so yeah, >> our last word when the student representatives commented about how much more the kids socialize now, >> but the kids commented how much better they play. >> Yeah.
042>> And so how did you guys implement that? Is it with a bag system or how how how do you guys >> No, can't see it. Can't hear it. Got it. That's kind of >> they can have it in their pocket even if they want as long as no one sees it or hears it. Got it. >> And and what I hear, again, I'm obviously building, >> but what I hear is the kid who pulls it out, it's out of habit. It's not out of I'm trying to break the rules or I'm trying to get away with something and someone will point it and they'll quick put it away. And yeah, so it's I I I you know, I I I really thought the kids were going to get over it very quickly. Um and
043appreciate that there's way more to life than that. And the uh it was going to be a handful of parents who were going to have a problem with it. That's exactly >> it was in common. So she likes having the kids phone on something they need to take a picture of. >> Yes. >> So they she likes the fact they have there. So if they see something get a video or picture of >> or if they need to make a phone call, if they need to call 911, I don't want their phone pouch somewhere. >> Right. But the other thing, we had surveyed parents and staff and kids probably a year and a half before this happened. And our parents were very much of the the desire for us. If you make a decision to
044take it away during instructional time, most said we can we can agree to that, >> but what we don't want is is for you to take our kids' phones away. >> Amen. And so the whole idea of being able to say, "Okay, so we're going to start where people want. If if if you don't see them or you don't hear them, then let's trust that. And if it goes outside that, it gets to be a problem, then we make a change. But nobody's given us any reason um to be able to say we need to change that." So, if something does happen or somebody sees something, I would much rather they pull out a phone and call >> than than not be able to. >> Um, and they've been very respectful. It's been really really
045nice. >> There's a lot to be said. I'm sorry. >> There's there's a lot to be said for not starting at the extreme. >> Yeah. Oh, yeah. >> For starting at a space where people feel comfortable. >> Well, you're giving them a respectful that they can you a grownup. Well, not during their development, >> right? >> You know, at this point, I said this at the I've said this in a couple places. Um, >> definitely at the OSBA conference, um, that at this point, the only question we're asking ourselves is why we didn't do this 20 years ago when my daughter, who's now 31, you know, was one of the very first ones to, you know, her class was one of the very first ones, 2012 to, you know, have phones through high school. And
046we should have thought about it then. And certainly when the smartphone came out then it was social media. >> Yeah. >> Anyways in the high school before that is about this they called it for a reason to the bag. Mine was a candy. >> Doesn't exist anymore. But I remember the Nokia too. Remember the >> still around working? >> Yeah. Yeah. Well, right. But any new ones? >> You could still get push to talk. Verizon has push talk. Nobody else has one, so I can't use it. >> I do want to thank the Kelsey school team for being really creative problem solvers for the kiddos who maybe who need access to music during the school day or things like that where it's a little harder without a phone. I think you're going to singlehandedly bring
047back CDs. >> I think this is going to bring back CDs. We're hitting up the music store frequently now. >> Really? >> And we have a disc man in our household. >> A CD. >> There was something after the CD before the phone, the iPod. You could, you know, there there's that little Anyway, >> but some of it connect to the internet. >> You have to get you have to get >> and I was like, >> yeah, the later iPod that would be on Wi-Fi. Yeah, >> we need to move on because we haven't got so uh organization organization though I think since there've been some changes even had asked that just figuring because we're getting together and I >> we haven't had a chance to touch base with you is >> is now that
048Mark has left and Ren has been hired and it's kind of like so so what does it look like now? What does it look like? It looks very similar to what it is historically looks like. Um Mark has retired. Uh he to quote him from yesterday's admin meeting. He still works three hours a week because he challenged his opinion and leave. >> He said without repercussions and he does invite me back. So that is >> there is still on staff um and and available to us. >> They have an official title advisor. >> Um currently he does not have a title. I mean it's an interesting thing of you know how you title people's work. He has task that he does and that he's only um pieces of it apart from generally giving me opinion.
049Um >> he's employed by >> KCS. >> Uh Ren has taken over his business management um portion of his task um like district going out on EMS, you know, all of those kind of things. is within what Ren's job duties as well as um Mark owns like updating our website, but Renate keeps like the current board agendas and all of those kind of things. >> Um Ren, you're employed by >> Y. Uh, and then my job, um, took everything that Mark had done except for spreadsheets. I don't really like those as well. >> Uh, and so typically my job is still taking care of the national school launch program. um uh doing any state uh interfacing with the state or any things working with the district on charter requirements or any interface is very kind
050to let me have her on speed dial and will very quietly text me give me five text a time or two >> right um >> she always call me >> you believe that >> uh as well as any any other contractual things for the transportation or contracts um or cursially if the toilet is plunged and where the plunger is at. So anything that needs to be done around the school or supported within it. Um, >> so I mean again we're talking about structure. I'm a guy. So did you have a title? >> It's currently my official title is director of operation. >> Yep. Um like I said the operations are broad and there >> yeah yeah understand it just helps to put >> and other duties as a sign >> and other duties or spouse
051>> like like necessarily a sign >> no I any small organization >> yeah so within that structure those are we have three employees that are employed by KCS within the Yeah. Yes. >> Yes. Within the administrative structure, I have three head teachers who are my licensed administrators. Um Adina Lodge uh is my head teacher for elementary school. Thought Castle and Michael Chan are most high school. Um, part of my job is to make certain that they're teaching and my students are um receiving the education that they need as well as them supporting them and making certain that they have everything that they need. Uh, so they make they um they are in charge of the deliverance of the material and they make recommendations for improvement. It is my job to make that the curriculum gets
052approved by the board and it meets states. So that's that's one example of the relationship. So it is their job to investigate for um create attendance plans or behavior plans, but it is also my job to make certain that those are carried out and they're following the policy to make those choices. In the past you had good mark right the exec way back when executive director Jame you had that title now someone had that position >> that's basically what I'm doing except we've Mark has always owned the business piece of it and I I still teach halftime >> I'm a CT teacher and so I do not >> just a little busy >> yeah not that I can't make spreadsheets but I So I choose not to do this. So we don't have some of
053the title except >> yeah it's still >> Yeah, that's exactly what I understand. Y that's all >> and and what I really appreciate about it is just the collaborative nature even though Gina you know maybe director of operations you know just allows everyone's input everyone has the same vision same weight at the table and so I I think we find a lot of our success through that strength >> yeah very much so and it's it um you kind of morphed it uh over time a little bit but It's a large urban a lot of places and it also follows our skill set because not everybody can do job and be able to understand what the state standards are. >> So it's it's it has worked really well in this capacity. >> I didn't you teach
054what you >> I'm teach all of our CT. >> Oh CT. >> Yeah. So natural resources are great. >> Then she also interfaces with the um community college is that with CTE and then all the requirements go with that. >> Yeah. as our dual credit and also my >> great. >> Did that answer your question? >> Yeah. And I when I was looking at I thought and asked so now that we've had some changes, let's just ask. Yeah. Well, I think you know when we started with a whole leadership team approach um you know after Jamon left I think there were some bumps in the road and then um I think the team has gotten really good at just dialing in on whose job is it to do what and what are the goals and
055how do they get um you know yet how do you match them up with the people in the right way and then how do you create transation so like yeah it's really I mean they really made it work which is really gratifying because from my position like seeing more of that flat structure where people are doing that collaboration and really just building each other up instead of just one person taking the hit or you knowarian a healthier place for everybody. >> But I know that appreciates having Michael Scott because then he's got counterparts. So >> yeah, she's an amazing person and her gifting is unmatching. Yeah. And I truly truly where she is comfortable comfortable and it's and she does not want me teaching. So she still loves the program which is for her to
056step into a complete administrative role is not really blessed to have people committed to education committed to speak to church as well. >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. what what's time to >> I was just going to say what's really nice as a collaborative community element as well is that one of the big changes I've noticed this year as now a staff member previously board member and a parent and PTO president for like ever is the and joy that I'm seeing in their faces as they're at work not to say they aren't dealing with hard things but I'm finding that they like are responding to things with less stress with less uhation and more like we've got this. There's more of this element of knowing that they're supporting each other figure it out and it's really nice.
057>> You need to cut back to like four packs a day. >> Yeah, I know. >> Sorry. >> Just four packs of fruitful. >> Got my stash. >> Wait, we got We're running a little late, but I'm I bet people think this is mix. I'm going to let them know, but we want to get into the OSBA audit. >> And I think as far as the OSBA audit, just in terms of our time, when I put that on the agenda, I hadn't heard from Kristen for a while. And right after we put it on the agenda, I heard from Kristen. >> Yeah, I saw >> um and and so it's the acknowledgement that I didn't hand off that spring in a real timely manner. And so there were some things late spring and then the
058movement into SOA which made it not easy to be able to >> get data meetings all those other kinds of things. And so we knew we were behind um um in getting all the information to them. And so now that she's got all the information she needs, it sounds like >> she's back on track and and finishing her reporting. So I think there's we know more now than I did two weeks ago. That I think is um a fair assessment of where that is. >> Yeah. So my answer is >> yeah, she asked today for a really good confirmation that I gave to her, but it it sounds like she's been >> um I would say that her intent is to have it done um maybe early December. Yeah. Wow. >> Yeah. And it started
059>> it started she asked for it in May. conversation, >> but she had started talking to us probably in >> November ahead of that. I mean, so it was it was an it was it was an elongated process on our end and then she would wait for me to hand it off and I had a few things, a few irons and a few flyers and admittedly it got handed off late. So, a lot of questions as >> and so that that was just given just any time we had just to be able to talk about >> are we thumbs up thumbs down or midway in terms of our special end >> right >> um yeah real briefly um we seen some fun and I really appreciate direction within that number very board and given the
060number of students we have referral and archite um I would love to have another staff member as always uh that's on my list but that's a difficult wish to be achieved and that you come there are hard working very hard very diligent >> good what is percentage of people >> uh about 25%. Yeah. Across the board. Um more in uh high school and middle school than >> And what the district percentage wise >> um it kind of varies high school. I would say we're about 17. >> All right. So substantially more >> right. And I think we could it's just well something that we'll keep checking back in on. Um because if it's if it's if it's meeting a need, hooray, hooray. Um but that's kind of the way to be able we want to
061be able to look at it and um appreciated the conversations last year to try and figure out how do we how do we change this? You know, Kelsey said, "Well, how about this idea?" And so, um, it's just always wanting to kind of keep an eye out for how it's going. >> Yeah. And we do we, um, we changed our funding, our start funding ratio of how we, uh, support and partner toward that. Um, and it has created some dialogue in our back piece with to make certain that we are partnering with the for the charter renegotiation specifically. Excellent. >> Cool. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you for making town. Maybe next time we'll see you guys. >> Um maybe when it's not quite so dark at 5:30. >> Uh but uh thank
062you again for making the trip in and professors. Anything else? I'll close the working for the audience. So that award your