001All right, good evening everybody. Thanks for your patience as we chase down some technical difficulties, but I think we're in good shape now. We're decent shape. Um, first item of business is uh student representative report and welcome students. Turn it over to you. >> So at PHS we're going to be holding a fashion show in which students can showcase their style, culture or crafting skills. And this is a fundraiser for our sparrow and will be held on April 16th. You're all invited to come and uh support the people who are going to be showcasing their styles. Also, the quarter is coming to an end and some students were a bit confused because this quarter is 10 meets instead of nine. On the topic of fundraisers, we have the talent show and the staff student basketball
002games for both fundraisers for our Sparrow and I think we raised a little under $1,000 across both of those events and the talent show is a big hit. We had a lot more events sign up this year than last year. Staff student bout game was heated. I was there watching it and it was like one points away. The staff were winning just until the end and one of the students made a bucket. The students ended up sweeping at the end. It was really fun. Bull's events were really good and made a lot of money with the Sparrow. Brought some awareness and then we've got prom coming up. We leadership just went to Ashen Springs Hotel recently to check out the venue. We've got our theme this year which is night the bayou. So it's kind
003of like the frog theme, but we've just been getting ready for prom and wrapping up any fundraisers we've had going. It's been good. >> Great. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Um we had a request um from PTA to do their um report um sooner. Is everybody okay with that? Y >> okay awesome. So take it away >> when welcome. We have a microphone. >> Do we have a mic for the Okay, great. Thank you. >> Is that one on back there? >> Is that little Wi-Fi on? She's >> I got my usual board. >> Uh oh, my name is Laura Leam. It's not working. >> I think it's working on the Zoom. Yeah, which is the most important piece. So, Hang on one second. Sorry. All kinds of technical problems that >> is in charge
004of your kid, I think, which is he's he is good with kids. Yeah, he's good with kids, so it works. Yeah. >> All right. Well, we'll make this super private. >> Oh, no problem. >> My name is Laura Leam. I'm the president of the beauty style education association. Appreciate your flexibility. Uh that mom life is making us run on home with my daughter. uh you know just wanted to come over say hi. You've seen multiple of our representatives of the building in uh local level and which is always a great to share with y'all what's going on. Uh a couple things going on for us right now. Our educators are just excited to be back with kids and back in buildings and serving students after spring break. Um, and so, you know, ready to kick
005off the last little bit of the year here, uh, getting ready for state testing season, which we're all thrilled by, as you all are, and it's going to be great. And then the other thing uh we're really excited and grateful uh looking at the academic calendar you know we were uh really grateful to see that a lot of the input and collaboration that we had with Brent uh as well as our schoolboard members around the academic calendar especially bringing that soft start back um and then being able to work out uh the newification of our contract language from indigenous people's day. Uh we're really excited about that out there for next year. Uh and you know it's so things are going positive and we're just excited looking forward to a really strong. Thank you all
006so much for >> Thank you so much. >> Right. Um and Laya left otherwise I would have loved to hear from her but maybe next time. Okay. >> Okay. Uh accentuate the positive. Oh, we're waiting for Casey to kick it off. Yeah. >> Round of applause. >> A little bit. >> Hold on. Sorry. I got locked out. >> That's my fault. >> Nobody. >> It's all good. >> No one's fault. Turns out we like kids here. So >> good evening. Welcome to Talent Middle School. I have a few uh people and things I want to shout out. Uh first and foremost, uh Brianna Williams has stepped in as long-term sub as a special education teacher here at TMS. Big role to jump in. We are so lucky to have her. Just her presence, her kindness.
007Um already having students like that that's how they're describing her is just kind of humans that I want in our building. Um and then just other like just quickly problem solving. some of our students reaching out for families um just right from getgo. So just thank you for for her being here. Um that leads me to Mary Martin and and she was here today and as you're supporting Raven and helping in this transition and just her support, her guidance, just her knowledge of our kids um is uh awesome to see. I asked her at one point said if I could help her through the situation going on and as the words left my mouth, I'm like she's the one that should be helping me. But she was great and uh great uh support. Um Jessica
008Hamlin and Monique Strain, we've been to a couple of job fairs um recently and just uh the coordination and organizing all of that. Um down to steamers to make sure that our uh tablecloths are have no wrinkles in them. Things that I don't think about, but I appreciate their attention. Um and actually had a math interview today um from someone that we met at the job fair that's yeah met a lot of good candidates and hopeful candidates for our school. >> Awesome. Um track has begun. We have 115 athletes um which is awesome. Um just all the coaches and the student athletes that are taking the department. They had their first meets earlier this week um and did really well. One of our students is set in the stage in discus. First time he's ever
009done it. So yeah, um other activities, Kelly Case, I've shouted her out before, but her addition to our school and just our music and band and programming and all that. Um she there was choir festival at Benford High School and she shared um just essentially like what the judges had to say about our school and it was just glowing and thinking about like how far kids have come um in her short time here. Uh it's amazing. Uh our varsity man will be participating in the pair of Boston parade that's this weekend and she'll be taking that. She's just doing great work for our school. And then last but not least uh the screamers the balloons. Tomorrow is library appreciation day and uh Richard Bird uh wears many hats and I rely on him on so
010many different ways and he always shows up um with kindness and I'm just grateful for his support. So this more than >> Thank you >> Casey. Did you just say meet Mary and it's been >> okay one direction took her anyway um Kent Fer principal of Orchard Hill and why I wanted to follow Casey is I'd also like to thank and highlight Mary Martina and two other of our Hawks uh Mary Ashley Sims and Jenny Weaver all have student teachers and I can't think of kind of a higher compliment to give it a current you know a current teacher to help train a homecoming teacher and it's not easy work sometimes. Uh there's just a lot of some frustration. Uh but I can't think of three better teachers, Mary Artan, Jane Weaver, and Ashley Simmons
011to be doing that. Um I also want to publicly thank Fiona Browski from SOOU. Uh we meet with her pretty frequently to uh talk about the progress of the student teachers um because old people like me won't be around forever and the the pipeline of newcomers will be important for us. Also, I'd like to thank again Ashley Sims, Jamie Cross, and Katie McCormack. Uh you talked about track, Casey, and for us at the elementary girls on the run starting up and it's an awesome awesome program and uh those types of things wouldn't happen without talented adults to lead our kids and I can't think of three better models for our earth than than those three to two program. So, thank you John. >> Good evening board. I'm Sean Schlle, principal at Phoenix Elementary School and
012I'm also speaking on behalf of Heather Lo. She's principal at Fall class today. So, a few things that are going on at both schools. This is the fun time of year where we're like ending this year, but already thinking of next. So, next week we have our Kinder launch, which is always a really exciting time to meet our new um incoming students for both of our schools. Big shout outs to both of our uh front office staff for getting things ready and our kindergarten teachers for getting everything ready for that next week. Um, in the spirit of talent shows, it feels like every school has been having a talent show. So, our talent show happening next Thursday. So, inter launches Wednesday. PS talent show will be happening at PHS in the evening. We have 22
013apps. So, we're really excited to showcase that their hard work. Um, going on at both of our schools. We're starting state testing a little bit early actually next week. We're going to be getting with a our extended ELA test. Um, so both Talent and Phoenix are starting that next week. your our our students, our staff, they're feeling really ready and prepared. It's been really fun to watch the preparation for that and just kind of the excitement and just to show what they know. So, we're looking forward to the results of how that's going. Um, in this spirit, I just want to honor a few people. During spring break, we had a spring break or a spring break camp. We had students coming to school. So, we had Laura Mlette helping support with Palent Maker City.
014We have Carrie Baker and uh David Alvarez who were helping um with those classes. They had a really great time with that. Just want to give another shout out to David Alvarez as well. He coaches a girls basketball team mostly made up of PES students and so they are spending time two days a week after school working on that. So um things are just going really well. I'll end on this. Um every day I drop my son off at talent and they have a little board that says um what the attendance was. It says, you know, I can't even remember what it says. I should remember because I see it every day, but just like thank you for showing up. And so, just lately, this last week, we've had some really positive attendance at the
015TEDs. And yesterday, we had 97% attended a students were gone. So, just feeling really proud about having kids shows to school. That's >> Shauna. What time is the talent show? >> 5:30. Really quickly, we've got uh some great family engagement for our student classes this year. Um we have a packed house every Friday. Parents, grandparents, younger siblings, children support their students. It's really fun to see the families and the kids coming in and learning together, building connections and increasing their connections to school, which is awesome. And I want to thank the families who show up every week. We have several coming every Friday for that. And especially thanks to Maddie Mas and Shannon Harley for creating those lessons and creating atmosphere that really promotes school connectedness from birth through grandparents. So thanks to those guys.
016Tomorrow we're going to be doing macro refle refraction flower science if you know what that is cool if anybody wants to join. That's going to be 10 to 12 tomorrow. Good evening boards, proud people of high school. Um, a couple of quick shout outs. Our student services team, which includes counselors, our academic adviser, and our grad coaches, helped to organize a spring break school. Um, with the help of several teachers, including John Theoring, and Vaky, Bob Watkins, Monica Gonzalez, Lee Larson, and Mindy Terelli, students were able to earn back 12.2 25 credits um over the course of that opportunity which as you know puts students back on track for graduation and we're really excited about that targeted work. I also wanted to shout out to our ELD department, Gary Miller, who's our ELD teacher, Jackie
017Weber, and Lyanna Sandaval, who are who are our IAS in that program, have supported students through a million things, but also most recently through the ELPA test. And we're proud to say that we have 13 students who are now exiting because they are proficient in their language abilities, which is a huge celebration. We're really proud of the work of those students and those staff members. um we are going to hopefully be the holders of another state title um for masonry through Skills USA. And so I wanted to shout out to David Ford for making that magic happen. We're actually hosting a masonry tournament. Um and also to Tammy Ingerson who is just an encourager and is able to make really complicated things very simple and supporting CT teachers and programs. Uh Maggie Taylor has uh
018been present on Phoenix High School through a lot of different shifts. She was an alumni. She has been the color guard coach and she now is pretty much whatever we ask of her and that's really important when uh when things get in for staff and students. She's just there and I wanted to say thank you publicly for her. Last, but certainly not least, I wanted to shout out that our ASB president, Abby Corona, was recently crowned the pear blossom queen. Uh that's important for a lot of different reasons, but also because Abby and our other ASB officers who include Adriana Flores, Elliot Santo, and Lincoln who are here um make uh us administrators better leaders by their constant um like questions and requests to refine things from like job roles um questioning the wise behind
019events and all of those kinds of things. And I really appreciate that. So just say and congratulations to Abby. Great job. >> Um, I just left the unified basketball game at Phoenix High School. Just amazing. So, we wanted to give a shout out to our coaches, Darren Rodman, Jolly Shout, our um, school psychologist. Also, Jim Ready was there to Judith Fog and of course, James Joy. So, thank you for them. And then um in front of you, you have an invitation to our districtwide literacy luau. It's replacing any of our math nights um but it's going to be just as fun but based on reading and other literacy activities. So um it's preschool through grade 12. I want to thank Charlie Pson for all the organizations we've met at and our media specialists in all
020our buildings have really been helpful in organizing it too. Um you'll see there's a passport this time. Every school has a couple activities um for the family based around literacy. Kids will get uh a little sticker. Um their last stop is the Scholastic Book Fair that they each get to pick out one free book on the Scholastic Book Fair. Hopefully it's a little nostalgic for our families as well to be at the Scholastic Book Fair. And um our high school students, our book club has been amazing in planning the high school activities. They've picked out some books that they think high schoolers would like to have. So hopefully you can join us. >> Uh good evening everybody. Brian sweet, executive chef for the district with a quick update from food service. I want to start
021off by thanking Joseala for his help with future chef on March 19th. Great. He was able to uh bring down some open. We have some representatives from JPR and KDB down there. There's some links if anybody like to go online and check out the footage from that day. It was great. Brent, thank you as well for helping with the awards ceremony. It was awesome. And then lastly, I'd like to thank John Call and the rest of Sylvia's team for spring break. They were able to install two new ovens, one at PHS, one at Georgia Hill. Um, also a new cryback machine at PHS as well, which I'm really excited to see. Uh some things that I'm working on currently, we develop some new partnerships with Mohawk Valley Meat, State of Park Raising, Paul Valley Meat,
022and Walk Vineyard to get some new uh produce and proteins in. Um we are looking forward to some meals we got this month and next month. Uh in light of Earth Day for this month, we're doing a vegetable stir fry with some local uh produce from Brian Farms on April 16th at all schools for lunch. Uh Sedexo is doing their LTO on the 23rd. that I'll be coaching for. It's the Hawaiian chicken. And then of course May 5th, St. O. I'll be doing up next week. Um lastly, just to open you guys up a little bit, uh continue to build some oyster local farms, get some local produce in here some things. Um, April 21st, uh, our Sedexo regional, uh, dietitians come down, Heather Steels. So, we're going to work on some student engagement activities
023at Phoenix Elementary as well as Town Elementary. And then just a quick reminder that our spring food service survey is out. So, if anybody has a chance, please fill that out. We'd love to hear from you guys and your opinions. Thank you. >> What was the second machine that you said you got? >> Bryat machine. It's a fancy vacuum sealer. >> Oh, thank you. >> Who Who won the Audrey. >> Okay. >> Awesome. Cool. Thank you. >> Anyone uh anything from the board for accentuates positive? >> I was pleasantly surprised to watch the Talon troop of the Ashland Art Club or the Phoenix Art Club their trip >> on fantastic. I mean, I I think that's the best education you can get is travel. So, I was really pleased to see that. And there was
024another group going to Puerto Rico. I'm assuming they're back was maybe >> make it back. Okay. Good groups or something. >> Yeah. >> Awesome. Okay. Uh, next is Citizens Cons. Did we have anybody? I don't think we have anyone in the audience. Do we have anybody online? >> Sure. Joe's online listening mode only most likely. Hi Joe. Okay. Um superintendent report. >> Yeah. Thank you, Chair Campbell. I just have a few things. A lot of this is in your packet. Um with the end of the short session. Uh we have legislative reports from KOSA uh that we get from Morgan Allen that's in your packet. And then uh from United Strategies, our our advocate that we uh signed on to help us uh be the eyes and ears on the ground at the capital. Don
025and I met with uh Greg yesterday and talked about uh some of the um you know main topics, but I'll if you have questions on that, I'd be happy to answer any of those. Um really the focus was no unfunded mandates. um try to limit the um you know impact on education as much as possible uh when we come out of these sessions and so and and I think we did that we uh have a same state school fund for the bienium which was nice they did not it balanced the budget in different ways so um that information is in there you'll have a facility newsletter uh that we uh John puts together we also have a technology newsletter that Canyon sends out that we'll get uh to the board either by email or in
026your next packet. So, that's great. Just little tidbits of information uh for our staff and what's going on in those different departments. Um wanted to share the uh uh future chef report. Uh just really appreciate the partnership with Sedexo and it's such a a tremendous event and uh kids and families fill the commons and uh it's just it's just great and um it was a tough I'm glad I wasn't a judge this year. Uh it was a tough decision and uh but everybody had a great time and really appreciate the partnership with Sedexo. Finally, SOSD has their grand opening and I think Paulie you mentioned this last time on the 14th uh over on the uh highway over here 5465 South Pacific Highway. Um April 14th at 400 PM uh they will be doing a
027grand opening and then after that we'll have uh some self-guided tours. Um if you drive by that facility, it's kind of tucked away a little bit. >> It's all chained up now. >> Yeah. And it's uh uh but it's it's um Yeah, it's they just started moving in furniture. >> Yes. >> And u so that that'll be exciting. I can't imagine I'm just thinking when we finish the high school and all the final preps of um moving into a building. It's just it's a lot of work. But, uh, look forward to seeing, um, what that looks like and the functionality and having that be a partner in our district again. >> That building that used to be there, the Bird was really old when I was young. >> So, what a blessing. >> It's going
028to be definitely an upgrade. >> Is it in the same spot as the the work center? >> That's it. >> And that's all I had. So, >> thank you. Uh, next is the consent agenda. Do I have a motion to approve? >> Move to approve the consent agenda as it presented. >> I'll second it. >> Thank you, Becca and Paulie. Any objections? Hearing none, the consent agenda is approved. Information and discussion. Legislative OSBA update. >> Oh my goodness, I have a lot. First off, um, the SEI information, Denise put that in our thing. If you have any questions, you can ask Denise. Um, I'm going to make sure I can read all this. I'm sorry it's a lot today. Uh, the, uh, House Bill 47 4079, which was the immigration one that was passed about,
029um, protecting students. So, I want to give like a little back thing of what happens when a bill is signed by the governor in case no one knows because I've had people ask me. So, it gets signed to the governor and then the next step it goes to the shoot attorney general and then the attorney general has it on his desk for a little while. Um, and then it comes to to then OSBA will write some policy. So, some people are like, why hasn't OSBA sent us out like a policy? And it's like because they don't know exactly how they don't want to do the work and then have to change the work. And so if you if any districts or anybody's concerned, OSBA does have um some information on their website and you can
030always contact um Spencer Lewis and he can help. But I just wanted to let everybody know that it seems like it's immediate, but it's like a long process like everything else um in the government. The we're do we're going through the executive director evaluation for OSBA. Um PACE was given a national award at their agrip ceremony. Dave Harvey from Pace did a lot of work and his assistant Emily and some other people to be recognized um just nationally to have everything in place and have systems in place which took a long time but it also helps the organization and help PACE be stronger and better for their members. So that's great. PACE day is coming up. It's April 23rd. I get confused because the day >> I'm supposed to be there the 21st. I get
031to stay there for a couple days. Um then we are OSBA is working every three years they do a government redo. Um in my opinion we haven't really done a robust indepth view. Apparently there has been one done but there's no records of what the last one anything about the last one. like there's like hit or miss stuff. So, um we're doing an indepth one which is and we um Emily sent out an email. Emily Nishik sent out an email with an interest form. So, if anyone wants to be on there's different categories of focus groups. Please sign up. I got an email from Karajia group today saying please let people know that we are wanting as many people as possible for the focus group. Um, so and I can let you know I am
032the chair of the govern government governance committee. So I do know a thing or two about what's going on there. At least I hope I do. Um Stacy sent an email out today um with updates of policies and what's going on and it's pretty it's pretty robust and um there's a calendar of legislation which I think I'll be looking at so that because I know I've heard from our region that they want another um legislative reception type thing before next year and so I think maybe aligning it somehow with the calendar I don't know I gotta to get connected with the other two people that are helping me uh and the superintendent and the ESD because the ESD has also said they want to be more involved and so I really appreciate everybody who sees
033that this is important and want to help as much as possible. So I will be getting um that all to you as well. >> Thank you Don. Um any committee reports today? Okay. Uh superintendent evaluation summary. Um you all have a letter in your packet. I think tradition is we usually read it out loud. So I will um do the honors unless somebody feels passionate they'd like to read it. Okay. Not really. I I am like saying no to everything I can possibly say. >> Do it. So, as you know, we um we did our annual evaluation process and one of the unique things this year was was the targeted feedback summary and um it was it was pretty awesome to be able to get feedback um from those who work closely with Brent as
034well. And so, I will read our letter to Mr. Barry um after um we went through that process. Um so dear Mr. Barry, on behalf of the Phoenix Talent School Board, thank you for your continued leadership and service to the students, staff, and community of the Phoenix Talent School District. Following its review of your self- assessment, board observations, performance across professional standards, and established goals, and feedback from the community and staff, the board affirms your strong performance during the 2526 school year. The board commends your leadership in advancing the district's strategic plan, maintaining high ethical and professional standards and strengthening relationships with families, community partners, and regional and statewide stakeholders. The board also notes that feedback from the community and staff strongly affirms your leadership and continued positive impact across the district. In addition, the
035board recognizes your commitment to transparent communication, effective organizational leadership, and sound fiscal stewardship. The board further acknowledges meaningful progress toward district priorities, including improved student attendance, growth in elementary literacy, early gains in middle school mathematics, expanded community engagement, and continued advancement of inclusive practices for students receiving special education services. At the same time, the board identifies several areas for continued attention, including strengthening language access and engagement for Spanish-sp speakaking families, deepening culturally responsive and inclusive practices across the district, and providing the board with clearer visibility into key performance indicators, and the results of datainformed decision-making. The board also looks forward to continued collaboration regarding long-term financial and facilities planning, organizational alignment, and ongoing staff development. Thank you for your leadership, professionalism, and dedication to the district. The board appreciates your continued service and looks forward
036to the work ahead. Sincerely, the Phoenix Talent School Board. Congratulations. >> And so, um, uh, Mr. Barry had a uh he had a clause in his contract that after um evaluation it just kind of roll kept rolling. Um that's not in there because I think like Kent he's he's becoming wiser um through the years in his educational experience. And so um if it's okay with the board, I'll I'll take on the task to get with Mr. Barry and talk about his contract and bring that back to you all for approval if that works. Okay, great. We will work on that. Um, speaking of contracts, the next item is SRO contracts. >> Yeah, thank you. Um, we have shared uh the updated contracts with both uh city managers and police chief. Um, we should be fairly
037uh expedient, I think, with the city of Phoenix. That partnership is um really solid. We've had conversations with the city of talent and the chief of police with uh some budgetary um challenges and we're looking at our budgets as well. And so uh we've been supporting that position fully um >> uh from the district and in at this at this school um and just with budgets we're not going to be able to do that. So, uh, we'll cut that in half and it'll be a sim we're proposing a similar contract that we have with the city of Phoenix and we'll see what, uh, type of service we can get, uh, from the, um, from the city of Talent. I don't think there's a question that, uh, both entities value, um, school resource officer and that
038resource in our buildings. I know our u administrators and staff and and just the presence um is uh something that's really important to I think both of our entities. And so I'm hopeful we can work something out, but it'll have to be um different terms of the contract. So, uh with that said, I think we can get our contract back from the city of Phoenix. I'm not sure if it'll be back before um the meeting on the 16th. Uh but it should be back in May and then I will keep you updated on the city of talents uh status. >> Question. Do you I >> I vaguely saw that there are some upcoming um conversations with the city of town doing with budgets. Do you know when um I think there's one like this week
039or next? Rebecca is saying yes. Um, do you know how many there's going to be and when when they'll have a better idea? >> I don't know, but I know that um uh Rick and Rebecca and I met uh a couple weeks ago and and I sent them some information and following up with some of their leadership. I don't know their budget meeting schedule and we went to that one. That was kind of the be first one of many, but um I don't know a timeline for them. >> Thank you. Yep. >> All right. Next is review interd district transfer slots. >> Yeah, pretty standard. Uh very similar to what we had uh last year. Actually, we increased the incoming uh last year at the board's uh recommendation. Um and we continue to have zero
040out slots. You would have to qualify for a hardship uh to to transfer out of the district. So, uh, we do have some requests already. Most of them are new. Um, there are three current students that we'll review, but once we get, um, this approved next time, we will, uh, look at contacting those families and start making decisions. Got it. Thank you. >> Were you going to ask about 11th and 12th grade? >> No, I was going to ask about something else, but you ask about 11th and 12th grade, though. I'm just Yeah, I'm just Do we just not feel like we have capacity or um >> There there's a lot that goes into that. We have we we used to have numbers in there. Uh we haven't had a lot of success with students
041transferring at 11th and 12th grade and reaching that graduation target. Okay. >> So, my question was on the request for transfers release. It says total non-resident students and I was kind of confused on what that meant. If we're releasing students, aren't they resident? >> That's where I was confused. >> Does that mean non-resident to >> I don't I I'm just clarifying it and you're talking it should be resident. >> Oh, it should be resident. I'm sorry. >> No, that's fine. I just wanted to make sure that I was understanding the data. you know, should be >> okay. But if they're not a student right now, that could be it could be a mid-year move where they moved into that district and want to retain um that will still have to meet a hardship uh criteria.
042Okay, that's that's um usually typically what that means. >> Okay, >> more questions. >> All right, board meeting calendar for 2627. So, this reflects Thursdays, back to Thursdays. Um but for the most part utilizing the second and fourth Thursday of the month um instead of the first and third um Thursday of the month due to um we have essential confirmation that that might be what a neighboring district does that we have an employee a board member that's an employee of that district an employee >> uh the the only minor changes are the um actually on the there's five Thursdays in July and so it's it's actually the third and the fifth Thursday. Um the reason I uh and we can put the second and fourth but I will be in DC on the 9th of
043July. Um so I wouldn't be here for that first organizational meeting so decided to push that back. We do start a post Labor Day as you're going to see. Um so we do it's not um we will still be able to get those meetings in. Um and then in March it's actually the second and then the third we come right back with the work session the third Thursday due to spring break. >> I felt like we had the exceptions but it just talks about the November one. So just maybe Denise out of consistency writing the asterric about or just leaving that off. Oh, I was going to this was just for this just a draft. I'm sorry. I just >> That's the only thing I looked at both dates and I didn't say anything weird.
044>> And then the fifth might conflict with OPA. >> Oh yeah, that's another >> The only thing that conflicts with OSBA is July 16th is the re the summer conference in Luchi. >> Okay. which >> which I'm not sure if anyone besides me is going. >> Do we do we typically two in July >> or do we just usually have a >> Well, it's kind of like a we've done it uh >> kind of like a retreat you scheduled a retreat >> and it says we talk Did you ask about Louis V or >> Yeah, for November. Well, both >> November one is fine. I double check. What day is that? It's like the 13th or something. >> Oh, it's late this year. >> No, it's usually right around late. Uh >> oh, holiday. >>
045Veterans Day. It's like the Yeah, the 12th or 13th. But the only date that did conflict according to the OSBA calendar was July 16th. Again, I don't know. They're having two summer conferences with and one in Redmond. And I don't know besides me if anyone's even going to go to the one. >> Yeah. So, I just wanted to throw it out there to be out there >> that we can look at July. I might be gone the very end of July anyway. So, we might just need to look at July. Wonder if we could get away with just 23rd or something. Is everyone going to be around the 23rd? >> Just a thought. We can talk more about it, but >> have fun. Is everyone gonna be here the 23rd? Are you here? >> July.
046Goodbye. >> Denise reminded me now is the time to talk about it. So just look at our calendar. >> So are you talking about just having one meeting in July? >> Yeah. >> Okay. some thought >> I mean and then that would be there that's our election but we don't have any right >> it would be our >> we just have the >> board chair >> and somebody else is going to have to do it >> yep >> by statute >> y >> so it >> so start your >> I already said it not it >> I would be more than I would be more than happy to help whoever but >> I can't there's No way I can board chair and no come on. >> You could you could you could say yes to
047that one thing. >> 23rd word we can work that up. >> Yeah, that works for me. >> How's that? Just the one meeting in July and the third that work. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> There's two other dates that I can't Michael. >> What's that? >> We're changing because of you. I'm just saying >> because >> No, I'm gez. >> There. Speaking of changing, there's two dates that I may not be able to make. The jab meeting, I don't think I'm going to be in town, >> and which I'm super super sad about. >> And then and Nancy might not be in town either. Who knows? It's it's the Washington DC advocacy trip >> and we usually leave on the last Thursday of the month. >> You leave on Thursday. >> Well, yeah. Usually we
048fly. I I don't I don't know when I'm supposed to be there. It'll probably be Wednesday or Thursday. I'll either fly Wednesday or Thursday. >> So, if we did doing it on a Wednesday wouldn't happen. >> Well, it would help more than Thursday. I don't know exactly when it is. I can ask them um next week or I could send them an email. >> Okay. Can you find out? Yeah. >> Because I'd like everybody to but that >> I'm just letting you know that that one might be >> an issue because usually it's like Thursday. I usually fly out Wednesday or Thursday to also >> Okay. Yeah. >> And I will not be on September 24th. >> Okay. >> I'll be >> Got it. >> It could be a lot worse. Okay. >> Yeah, it's
049not bad. >> The jab one is just sad. >> Yeah, >> we'll find out more about >> I will I'll send an email. >> Okay. We just flipped those. The jobs >> we could shift job. >> Oh, could we do? Yeah, we could do jab on the 14th. >> Still in January. >> Oh, >> probably if we did that. >> That might work. >> Maybe you just miss a regular boring. >> Just a regular for me. I do watch them online by the way every single time. >> I know. >> But >> regular show. >> Welcome. >> Is Denise tracking all? >> Is there a month that we haven't changed yet? We should look at that. No, >> December. asking her question. >> I like that. December 10th, only one meeting. >> Okay. >> All
050right. So, we got July 23rd. >> Switching jobs. >> And that's it. >> Okay. Speaking of processes, we love um representative process. So, looks like we will um application submitted no later than May 6th and the board will interview applicants on May 20th. >> Just a suggestion. Does that is that an okay time frame? >> Okay. >> Do you have some questions about the actual >> please? >> I just am wondering if if the task needs to be edited and I'll get more of what you are hoping for >> and also just like any feedback so that we tailor that in a way that you're getting what you'd like and also maybe asking all that you would like to have during that time like maybe you guys coming on to HTV, maybe you guys coming
051and doing tableling events so that people are really understanding the connection. >> Um, >> but on the face of it, they're not always understanding what God is like. And so I think that could kind of shift >> the way that it's perceived and what your >> yeah next steps. >> Great idea. Do you have any >> do you have any ideas about the task that of what you think would be I have felt it's it is becoming a little bit I don't want to say stale but I think what happens is it kind of kind of ends up being similar things and so um I don't know what do you >> I think it tends to be a little bit leadership related which is good in way right but I think that we're not just
052looking my interpretation is that we're for students who are involved in leadership want that but that's not the only you know like >> yes >> right and so if we could do something that's more related to kind of what you all are doing maybe there's like I don't know like a moral policy review kind of thing or there's some more like civic engagement something that would be something I think you guys should talk about but I do I think we've stepped in the right direction but I don't think we landed on something that really feels relevant to what you guys are >> I really glad that you're mentioning that because actually that has been a we've kind of sort of discussed it and then it always kind of fizzles out and then we get excited
053and then it kind of fizzles out and my request has always been that it isn't just leadership because then we continue to kind of create this cycle of the same students doing the same thing and that doesn't really open up opportunities for like really brilliant minds that might not be engaged in all the high visible um engagement. So my that has always been my hope, but I think that we just continue to kind of fall into this hamster wheel. Um and then um I think it just kind of depends with the students like what sorts of things they might want to do and I don't know like I would almost love to have more students kind of come and shadow. for a minute. We had um well not for a minute, for a while we
054we have some student representatives of the um equity policy belonging committee and that has been really sweet. Like I love to have that input. The conversations tend to be really rich because you're talking to students that this is that these policies and structures and systems directly impact and then they're able to give us really good feedback. So, I really appreciate you um elevating that concern because I think we can do a much better stronger engagement in what we've done. >> I think that the task also lets students know what the expectations are and I know I haven't had the chance to talk to our student board reps uh this round, but last year some of them were feeling a little bit like even though the was great, it wasn't what they thought it was going
055to be. And so, a task really helps to set students up for you know, like practicing some of that without asking them to do. And so I think um you all giving some thought around that would be really good and um I'd be available to talk through that >> at some point once you guys have thought through some options as well. But I do think that >> to kind of elevate to the next step, we've done a good job so far, but I think we can do yeah >> a better job of that. >> Such that >> I'm thinking about a couple things. one, we could have students share an update like they do at board meeting. But if we wanted to take it further, we could have students identify a policy or um just
056something they would like to see changed. Then I I think the the thing I like about the task right now is that it involves engaging your peers. Um, and so that's that's kind of element I like. I just I'd love to hear from our students if you have ideas about um what >> what you think would be a meaningful um idea of something that would help the board decide when student reps >> the task but I think a lot of people don't really know about the board. Like remember when we applied there were only like six applicants, right? Is that what it was? And I think if you guys did come to the high school or do some event to make it more known with the students, you would get a lot more applicants because
057I think the way I learned about it, I'm sure you heard about it through leadership because our leadership teacher was like, "Hey, this is an opportunity, but other students don't hear about that." I think that's why you guys get that cycle of mostly leadership students, but that's only students that really hear about it. But if you guys could like go to the high school or do something on PHTV >> and make it known so that not just leadership students are the ones applying, we get like more diversity in the groups and not just that hamster wheel leadership students. >> Yeah. >> I don't know if like to add on to that. Um and not only like saying oh come apply to be a student rep but explaining what it means to be a student rep
058and the responsibilities that be in this role. >> Yeah. and um and like timewise and responsibilities. So what kinds of things you do get once you are in court? >> Great. >> Can you each share like what your biggest um uh takeaway or what you learned the most from doing the experience so far? I learned that this is where they talk about budgets and they like they actually advocate for different policies and they go to Washington to advocate for these kinds of policies. I like um the immigration one. Yeah. Policies when federal immigration authorities enter public education property. I had seen this like online and I'd seen it's been an issue, but I wasn't sure how our board was addressing this or how they were um approaching that kind of situation. And I'm glad to
059see that we actually do address these kinds of things. >> Like the biggest thing for me has been seeing that there's so much more that goes on behind the scenes. Like I knew you guys, I knew you guys were doing all this work, but I realized it was so intricate. you guys were going in with all this detail to all these different little issues and like really making sure that students are getting like what they deserve, what they need, and you guys are like really addressing the concerns, but I didn't realize that there was so much depth to it. >> I think having you all participate in in that I love this idea of us coming in and engaging. Um >> Oh, tap that for us. Um but I think it's important that your peers
060hear from you all too. Um um and that would be that would be what we >> Yeah. But hearing them speak. >> Yes. >> I think also we need to be clear about what the time commitment is and >> I feel like our attendance this year has been a little bit different than it has been since I started with the board. But be clear about what's expected and and um you know if you can't commit to those meetings, you know um it's important that you come for that. And also I feel like >> if if I knew someone was committed, they're going to be there. It's it's I make I'm making a decision out of this group and it's always so hard to pick the students, but then if we don't have the participation the
061whole time, then you're like, "Okay, did someone miss out for that slot?" Yeah. So that's all I'm thinking is that just being clear about what that commitment looks like and I know people have sports and everything like you know they're they're doing those things and that's totally fine but also um knowing that their voice matters and that there is a commitment. >> Can we have like a subcommittee to start to grab some of these things or is this the space that we need to have those discussions? >> We certainly could. Yeah, we could do that. I think having a subcommittee might help us kind of start to lay some of that groundwork and >> make ideas. >> Yeah. Well, it's and it's also something reflective because I mean that is a concern that I had
062brought up in the every time we do selections because what this individual is the individuals that usually participate or apply they're such high achieving individuals. But the flip side of that is that because they're so active, >> then they might not participate. So it's not a fault. It's just like how do we help >> students be more thoughtful and manage that time because it it is a lot. >> Well, it elevate some other voices maybe to contribute, right? >> And it does I mean what you said is really valid. It takes up space. it it blocks a seat that somebody who does have more capacity to participate could participate but we don't because you know we already have >> I also think oh sorry go ahead go ahead >> I'd like to see students coming
063from representing our alternative programs maybe more the vocational end of the school CTE and also the online um alternative program. I'd like to hear from some of them and maybe you know broaden our base of where our students are coming from. >> We have had that in the past. Okay. >> Yeah. Like CT like like Javier was CT program. Yeah. >> So yeah, you know >> encourage that. >> So Nancy, what would the subcommittee be tasked with? um kind of creating what is it that creating her ask the task in the in the >> what is the task what is the time commitment what is it how do we envision that engagement just like the nuts and bolts of the role of a student representative and also it helps us communicate to invite um students
064to participate I think it's a lot of different things. >> Do you think it's April 2nd? Just thinking about the timeline, is that something that's realistic to do right now? Um, >> I mean, otherwise we will just do the same thing for another year and then we'll call them to the same thing. I I think what I might suggest just given the time constraint is maybe that committee could could develop the the task >> this time around >> and and and report back to the board on that in two weeks. Is that would that be realistic? I'm just think I think it's a great idea just trying to figure out what would we have the time and capacity to accomplish. >> Yeah. >> Oh, please. Sorry. Yeah. I think they can get some of the
065information you're looking for in just like asking more questions on the application not necessarily the task. Okay. >> Right. So if you want want to know what things the students are like if you want student from CT or you know whatever the place is we can ask for those things application. Applications are very simple right now. Yes. which is good, right? But um I think that that could help reduce the amount of time you're spending on creating the task because you could kind of like think about the application in a way that can get some of the information and then the subcommittee could focus on the task, but the application could be used for some of that piece. The task doesn't have to encompass all of those >> or or it could be just the
066whole application including the task. That could be, you know, something. I don't know. What do you think? I think >> I hear you volunteering to lead it. >> I am I am volunte sometimes. >> Would would anyone like to join Nancy in that work or >> I have some other comments but not to join. >> Go for it. Don's like I'm not committing to anything else. >> Two things is one I think part of it is part of the problem is getting the word out. Like sometimes the word gets out. One year we had like 15 or something and the word got out really well. And so I think getting the word out to Armadello and other places I think is important and I think these ideas are great. Second, there is a national organization
067for student reps >> and they probably have some information and tools for us. >> I will be seeing them at the conference next week. >> So I would be more than happy to connect with them and ask some questions. >> That' be great. It'll be awesome. um because they're usually there and the and the guy is usually walking around and I think it's also that's another topic that I want to talk about. I think that that would pro I think it's not very much the fee to become a member of that and I think it might be useful for our because then the student reps can then talk with student reps throughout the United States and I think that would be really helpful as well. But that's a >> we're not reinventing the wheel. >>
068Yeah. Well, and I I really I think something an interest that we voice that we just haven't that hasn't come to fruition is having our student reps work on policy. You know, even if it's one policy that we take up that is that is student kind of a studentled effort. um that that could be the what what's what's the defining policy for that cohort of student representatives that we could take up during the year. Um I I would love to see us, you know, really kind of have students um participate and understand the importance of policy development um to their their experience as students. And um so and by the way, you all are incredible. So this is All of this discussion is not is not any reflection on on you all, but it's just
069about trying to find ways to to strengthen the experience for you and um >> so better. >> Yeah. So, so could you be an honorary member of the committee since you're going to have another idea too? So, >> I was looking through my emails trying to find it. Somewhere today I saw they were looking for students on some government task force. I can't remember where I saw it. >> Yeah. >> And and we and we haven't seemed to open that up if that's what students want to do. And so there's conversation of of that as well as as um being on the on a task force. There was another thing that student that I don't think we've opened up as well. I think it was probably the national organization. So um yeah, I think that's
070something that Brent seems to remember. Yeah, I think it was OD and we've had people apply for those n those statewide task force before and through the selection process we haven't uh been successful but uh Nancy said something earlier about nuts and bolts of what is I mean I don't want Joe to fall off his chair at home but we could have Joe do like a nuts and bolts of what a student rep what it means to be a student rep and >> yes >> you know you've seen Joe's >> things he puts together and they're amazing and so that could be something on PHTV it be on social media. It could be, you know, something. I don't know what the turnaround time would be. Um, if we could do that in time because there's
071a lot of activities in the next couple weeks, but we would have that every year to be able to show and advertise. >> How awesome to talk with students actually, right? Like what their experience has been. >> Absolutely. Um, >> yeah. I I just think >> and I think he captured some interviews last year already. So, um, so we can have a running yearly kind of >> Yeah. Would you >> also I know you have a thought. Did you have something else to share? Okay. I'm also thinking about is there something could students earn some credit or something um that would create a little bit more incentive maybe some skin in the game? Could could they earn a a sash for graduation or a court or something like that? Um just to you know just
072to create some >> what's that? >> Yeah something. >> Maybe there's >> we can do both of them. >> They have the CT stashes. Why didn't you have >> they're called stoalls >> stos? Yes. >> Thank you. >> Yeah the stoalls are the actual >> not castles or any of those things. >> Yeah. >> Haven't had a lot. I'm thinking of just, you know, um >> that, you know, >> because I really this idea of of taking up a policy and, you know, there's there's got to be some civic stuff there and it's an incredible time commitment. >> The policy I'm just going to say the policy is a real time commitment. I'm a little concerned about that. >> Sure. just depending on what you mean by taking up a policy like so what what
073your idea what that is if it's just a simple thing but I have seen students that make a policy take it to legislator get it >> get somebody to back it and all of that that takes years and so usually what happens is it it's a real challenge and a commitment so I don't know what you mean by policy so um yeah I do have some concerns if talking like from the ground up passing it. Yes, Kate. >> I was just going to say I do think probably that national organization would have some information that would allow us to better update through awarding credit and some of the work that would need to happen in order for credit. So I would be interested in that terms of high school. Yeah. From around that. Great. Cool.
074presentation. We're just talking about um having engaged with the folks from the National Organization for Student Representatives on boards and I was just sharing that I they've talked about this. I mean, there's even like some sessions which I've gone to >> and there's some sessions coming up >> and they haven't, in my opinion, they haven't been >> that groundbreaking or like anything that I felt that was like, oh my gosh, we could really learn from them. I think that a lot of the pieces that they talk about are pieces that our students have already done or are continuously practicing. But I think ours is kind of touch and go because there has it hasn't been like super consistent. But we pretty much do this very similar participation and work every >> Yeah. But when I
075talk to other board members throughout the state and stuff and ask them about their student reps, then they tell me stuff and I'm like, "Oh gosh, you're not they're great, but we're not in the same lane of them." >> Well, and there are districts who don't even have them at all, >> right? >> In our own. >> No. >> So, I think this is a great example. >> I know that >> why, you know, we we are we we aim high and it's good. we have um high expectations for ourselves and for and and it's great and it's always good to to learn and grow and get better and refine. So um okay, so it sounds like Nancy and Don are going to work on >> something. >> Yeah, improving the application along with Kayyn
076and >> where does the application live? >> I have it. Thank you. Lives >> within email it to us. Thank you. I think we can figure something out. >> Awesome. Good discussion. >> Back to Denise's dates that she has here. >> Yeah. >> I think the third grade. >> Okay. >> I think that sets us up for a good timeline to be able to get this student. >> Yes. >> Elected um before Yes. the next school. >> Yep. I agree. Great. Okay. Handbooks. Um You have the handbooks in there. Not too many changes, but the changes are highlighted. I don't know. I know high school had a few changes. Middle school had maybe a dress code clarification. >> Middle school dress codes. >> So, if you have any questions on there, we'll be happy to
077ask, but we wanted to present those to you. uh as we start getting registration open, uh families have to go in there, check and say they've read the handbook and or seen the handbook and go from there. >> Does the handbook address drop off >> at Orchard Hill? >> Well, could be. >> What do you mean? >> Here's here's what I see. I see first of all, I see our staff out there doing an incredible job. One of the things is like drive all the way forward people. Um, right. That's but but I remember one year um we did a lot of u communication around drop off and encouraging people to have their kids exit the driver's side because what I see a lot is kids exiting the passenger side. And I worry because sometimes
078cars Well, now I will say like today our staff member did a great job. she recognized it was happening and she went out and stood by the, you know, where where it was happening. So, kudos to our staff, but I just I wonder if it might be a good time to just do some more education for families on here's here's good drop off etiquette 101 and for safety most important >> I think and I think we can do that specifically with each school. I don't know. We have one elementary, but >> yeah. >> Um, but I do >> I mean that didn't really matter, but it is way better than it used to be. >> I'm curious about the changes that we've made at Talent Elementary with And I'm wondering if that has helped. I
079don't know, Heather. >> And that doesn't that might not be in the handbook. It might just it may be just some feedback, you know, when we start the year, some explicit reminders for families. It's all >> start getting out of hand. You bring the SRO and have them talk to the people that are actually causing the issues. They don't do it anymore. >> Yeah. >> One method opportunity partnership with SR students and he will be having that policy. Please come in person before you go. I just think like exiting the driver's side is a big one because it just >> that seems like >> that seems weird to me because every time I've dropped off the kid the passenger >> well it depends on the school. So at Orchard Hill the curb is on the
080driver's side, right? So So the idea is exiting whatever side the curb is on. >> So that is frame the curb exit on the curb side the sidewalk >> side. Right. So Phoenix is the opposite. >> So I think that was the only one. >> Got it. Yeah. Okay. >> Well, there you go. Yeah. Exit the sidewalks, whatever side. >> Occasionally there'll be some chaos happening in the elementary. And a lot of the time I would say they send out like a email or some text message or something like, "Hey guys, >> calm down." Yeah, >> usually it will get better there for like quite quite a while. Calm down person. Now you have to go to work. So does everybody else. >> Yes. >> But it's just good practice for everybody to get the
081same messaging. I mean, you all talked about this in your work session, the value of shared language. I mean, you guys went around and around about what questions meant and how each of us interpreted things. >> Yeah, >> shared language. >> But I think that if you just have Joe Yeah, >> working with the SRO's >> and I don't >> sick tomorrow. >> Yeah, >> I need to know. >> All right, speaking of um language, um the last item on info and discussion is language accessibility. Um, I thought just to kind of introduce this topic, I I I think it would be best I know we've had some experiences recently in particularly that are that we wish had gone different and I want to acknowledge that, but I also think what's what would be most
082productive for this conversation is to be forward looking. So what is it that you know maybe do an assessment of what we have now? Um, but then think about what is it that we're looking for to improve a language accessibility in our district. Um, and um, if I if I may, I have some ideas and I'm happy to hear um, any any feedback or ideas, but so what that might look like is just kind of clarifying what what do we have in place now? Um because I think a lot of what we're talking about and and correct me if I'm wrong is just at what events and families show up and expect there to be um services available to them for language accessibility. Um, and so I think it would be helpful and you know
083Brent and and staff just clarifying what what categories of events do we have where we already have automatic interpretation available. So I think graduation is a good example. You show up, it's the first thing you see when you walk in is they're there passing out the devices. That's a big event. you could you can know that you're going to go there and there's going to be you know you don't have to call and request it ahead of time. It's going to be there. Um and then identifying where where is it typically um requestbased now and then maybe just outline one or two ways um a policy if we wanted to explore a potential policy around this could formalize presumptive access for languages accessibility. um you know certain family facing events or you know and and
084and what are the criteria that might determine that is it based on expected attendance is it based on you know so um I don't know that's just a thought for I I would just encourage us let's think about this through a policy lens um and and um kind of start there it's just my suggestion happy to hear any other suggestions but I think that might be most helpful in because it is it's something we've been talking about for a long time and I think the way that we best can address that in our role as board members is is looking at it through a policy. thoughts. >> I like that idea. think I think that would be the best way to assure that I think it would be that tedious but I think that that's
085the best way to address all of our concerns surrounding language access >> and and I will I will share um after I think it was a January meeting we had some discussion around language accessibility and I think Nancy was at the JAB meet you is something that you brought up and So, I I did reach out to Denise and I asked her to reach out to some districts around the state. Um, and the truth is there's not a sample policy with OSBA right now that we could find and and and I don't think we could find one district that had a policy on the books. Um, so we would be this would be groundbreaking. We would be kind of crafting our own, but it certainly can be done. Um, and so yeah, go ahead. >>
086I was I feel like I speak about this a lot, so I'm just waiting for other people to share. >> I think you're kind of the leader here, Ros. >> Well, I I want to say that um I was thinking about like we were talking about there's um the fashion show coming up. Is there language accessibility at the fashion show? I was just thinking that when they announced that and wondered if it was there because I was really bothered by that experience for me because I felt like it it hurt my heart that some folks at a meeting here couldn't understand what was being shared. Um so I don't want to have that happen again. I don't and it's hard it's hard for us but I I'm like why don't they have policy for this
087that is so important and why do we have to be ground like that's Phoenix that's what we do like let's do it 100% like that should be what it is >> that we are known for that in our district we have >> we have families who are driving their kids to our school to participate in our programs who don't necessarily have the, you know, English language as they're that's not their first language and let's meet them where they are. Um, >> so h how do we decide how do how do we do it now? How do we are there events where we just aside from graduation, what other events do we say we just automatically have? say um I've attended a lot of like band concerts or the choir concerts and uh just different I
088don't know after school activities where they have language access available if necessary or an interpret interpreter >> all conferences okay obviously is a is a big one that we have interpretation is and I I get to any other if there's other events. I mean, we have we've really um >> um had a concertive effort. We've actually incentivized bilingual staff to make sure that we have bilingual staff at uh all of our events. And so uh I think there's certain events throughout the year where we have dedicated that there is going to be interpretation uh services there. Um, we're continuing to look at a technology to make sure it is functional and we do um have uh devices that that makes sense and that you can hear and is timely and things of that nature. Um,
089but um I would say not every single event, but quite a bit of our events are are are done. It is it is something that's obviously important to us from where we've been few years ago to now. I think we've made some good strides, but we can always get better and need to make sure I mean just like tonight if we had somebody show up to have some translation services. Do the devices that we have now is the technology such that you don't need a human interpreter there speaking into a microphone. Can you can I can I have something that kind of functions like an like a like the live translation or do you do you have to have somebody there interpreting live? >> We have both and I think there's we're figuring out some
090of them. It's it's kind of like the UN, you know, you can put your ear piece in there and then you can do that. But I think there is a delay. I think there's a some challenges with that. Um, we do have the other devices like the graduation where you're speaking in and you're broadcasting to all the people that have the devices as well. >> So, okay. >> So, we have a language differential in our pay scale that um does that. I know my own company have, you know, specified folks who are doing um the bilingual piece of where I work um and there's not enough of them. But I we do have that here, right? That >> we've done that for several years. No matter your role in our district, you get that. >>
091Yeah. >> Okay. Yeah. Because I wondered about like for the struggle at my own company is having enough of those folks and I didn't know um if that was a struggle here as well. Um >> so one one of the thing I I think that I've heard some feedback about the tech some of the technology that we have that it's that it that there is a delay and and that that delay can sometimes almost render the the tool useless or you know >> close to useless and so I wonder if that's something we could explore of seeing if is there a way to get some improvements with those devices Because I think the the biggest challenge is if if we have something technological that can just be made available and and it might require an
092investment on behalf of the district. But um that's that's that could be the easiest way to expand language accessibility because I think one of our biggest challenges that any organization has is having a human being at every event who event not just not just interpreting but interpreting well. >> Yeah. >> Is the other thing right people say she likes to do one but not the other. It's like she each one has their specialty and >> and there's something lost in it. We had conversation about >> Lara's um interpretation of what went on there and there was some missed pieces that you know we may not have heard. >> Um >> I think there's that's always that can always be the case too. But yeah, >> well that is often times or can be the case.
093I think what we're talking about is just a more general things that are missing. So simultaneous interpretation, you're interpreting as one person speaking, I'm interpreting >> like I was sharing with Polly that that is my strength. I my brain works better that way. Somebody can be speaking and I can just um interpret in Spanish because that's the other language. French or something. But um consecutive interpretation it's harder because one person goes and then the other person speaks. One person speaks and then the other person repeats that. So sometimes because we are not wellversed on interpreting. >> People will ramble for five minutes and our brain can't capture all of that >> and you have this issue that we're talking about that some information gets missed. So, I do appreciate your question about like, well, what
094events do we have? And I think having an inventory of what places that interpretation is actually happening is one thing because I think we've talked about like, well, it happens everywhere. It doesn't happen everywhere. Um, we've talked about graduation. Even that is really iffy because I think there's a couple of things. It's where we're interpreting and also the level of interpretation that is done in a way that it's actually dignified, right? Cuz sometimes I have kids in the school district. So I come to and when my kid had an IEP, I came to the school a lot because my kid just needed a lot more attention. And when I came a lot, I cannot tell you of one time that I did not interpret for a family because there wasn't enough staff interpreting at conferences.
095Fortunately, I know a lot of our families and they felt really comfortable. So, they were like, "Nancy, you help me." But I also felt like I don't know if again I felt very honored for people to feel comfortable for me to interpret for them during um conferences but I also knew like I think that they go to me because there was probably no one else or if there was they would have to wait 30 minutes for somebody else to be done and that still happens um in at the high school when there's um open houses. I still interpret for families because we just don't have enough staff and I'm wondering if like if we can, you know, get an extra stipen or something for parents. I know that there's a lot of really beautiful staff
096at all of the schools, but for just to have that extra support for families just to have somebody um interpreting and I mean, yeah, sometimes I not sometimes it can absolutely be a financial u consideration, but I think our families are worth that. I think our families are worth having somebody that's going to be accessible where they're not having to wait for long periods of time so they can get their notes met. So for me it's not just um doing an inventory of where interpretation is happening but how does that interpretation happen? Because I think we have very different ideas. I some oftentimes hear people say here, "Oh, I speak the language." And I'm like, "You kind of understand it, but you don't speak it very well." And and I think we have these very
097different ideas of what that means. So, at my high school, when I you know, you said, "Well, people come in." When we first started doing it, I would just see parents walking by because Our families are very interesting. We are they're very loving, but we also have a lot of pride. Like there's this need of like, I don't need help. I can just go and get my seat and I don't have to get something else. But I'm like, I know you need this here. Take it. And then they're hearing it and they're like, "Oh my gosh, this was so great." But otherwise they wouldn't have picked up that piece of equipment because we also didn't do an introduction of there's this piece of equipment that's available. So again there's a lot of gaps even when
098we are thinking that we are providing language accessibility. There's no announcement at the beginning of graduation that language accessibility is available. There's this equipment go use it. There isn't that. work. We don't It needs to be systematized in a way that families will start to feel more comfortable utilizing the tools that we have. >> What What do you think about what Michael's saying about the policy? >> I mean, I love this idea of the policy, but if we kind of go around, I don't know what it entails to create a policy from scratch. That's just my ignorance. I don't know. But I think that simultaneously we can work on a policy and also start to improve the processes even without a policy. >> So again I don't know what it entails for a policy. I
099don't know if like it has to be I mean I don't because I don't know but I think that we continuously kind of go back and forth between like the chicken what needs to come first. I think we can just do it. I think something that says when we have events >> at in Phoenix Town, here's what and here's what the board expects in terms of language accessibility both in the the manner and method of how interpretation happens, but also to your point, what does it look like, right? And so I I I I I think we should be realistic to we could pass a policy that says there will be a live interpreter at every event, but I don't know that that I don't know that that would be realistic either. So So I
100think the way my brain was thinking about it is can we have almost like tears, you know, like what's what's one solution that could potentially be available at all events in the district? I think that that's part of the >> the way my brain is working. It's how do we how do we create a strategic plan? Like the goal is not to be from zero to 100. We're not going to do that, right? But every year really increasing by a particular by a percentage of this year we have we have had interpretation at I'm just making these numbers up. Three out of the 10 events that we've had. Next year we're going to have five out of the 10 events. So again, my I'm not expecting per perfection, but I am expecting progress. And sometimes
101I feel this resistance because it's like, well, we already do that. Yeah, but if we don't do it well, we might as well not even do it. um or or I shouldn't say that because I just contradicted what I said about the perfection in progress. But what I mean is like if there's a resistance to do something better which I do feel I personally feel that it's really difficult you know at the meeting that we had last time when we had um when we the irony we had a conversation about inclusion and our special guest were not even included. It was incredibly infuriating. It was painful. It was embarrassing. Like that is not who we are. That is not who should we should be. Those families to me felt incredibly tokenized and it was embarrassing
102for me because these are not families that I'm just here as um board serving. These are people that I love and I care for. And to have these families for me to feel like they're totally tokenized. Why do we only have Spanish speaking families representing special education? That was so painful. No, I I understand and I I want to be sensitive to the fact that we're >> that we're talking about individual families and so I I I want to I want to try to keep the conversation >> forward focused. Um but I I I hear you. But in order for me to be forward focused, I really need to address the things. I hear you. >> So it's not about like and we also have we have staff who were incred you know I think
103I think >> I get that and this but that's kind of my point Michael that I think that we say >> we're doing so much better and at the same time we're failing. >> We fail in a way that it's that we can do better. So it's not about like >> what >> I think this is like a both and situation. >> What if >> yes, we can continue to do better. And I love and I appreciate and I see the heart and I see the work and I still think we have a long roads to go. So when we think about not just an inventory but how we're doing that, how well are we actually providing language accessibility? What if we started with some data collection >> because you know I I I think
104we I think I hear a lot of anecdotes. >> Yeah. >> You know we have these events we have inter but what if we what if we h I mean we already have a method that we track events that happen. What if we what if that's where we started? What if that's where the policy started was you know you had this event were language um was language access provided? what was the type of language access that was provided >> data collecting data and like doing a baseline assessment I think that's fantastic but I think that we can also simultaneously start to practice on doing better interpretation >> right I agree I agree it's >> maybe it's the two parts of it we have a policy that says it's going to be there >> and we
105get the data of where we're starting at >> so I'm going jump in on the tail end of this. I had conversations with some families about interpretation. Um just one of those things that happened and um it and from this conversation as well it definitely there's some gaps and a few years ago I can't remember when I think it was we had some great groups and we had like bridging communities came and other places came and we had families come we fed the we fed them and we asked really important questions and got without people in the room so people can have their honest feedback. And when I had these conversations with their families and I don't mind saying I'm going to have a few notes, but when I came from that I was like,
106"Okay, there's definitely some gaps." And one of the things was that to relay the gaps, they're relaying it through their interpreter who they don't want to offend of what the gaps are. And then their interpreter has to go to their boss and tell them the gaps. And so that was like one of the challenges that they had brought up. And so when we had those workshops, they seemed I was in one, it seemed to go really well. And I'm wondering if something like that for this is this challenge would maybe be good to get a lot of brainstorming ideas. Um, and I'm sure there's some organizations to help because that was I want to make sure that pe that families feel comfortable and can speak their their >> focus group focus groups. I don't know
107four years ago. >> This was at Phoenix Elementary. I'm not sure what it was called. And but I'm thinking I mean it doesn't have to be that big because that was for different topics but just have something where community groups can can come and what's that word just kind of facilitate it and get the information so the parents feel comfortable and we can work on because there's probably other things I think Nancy does a great job saying but I think there's probably other things if families are coming to me telling me things um I'm sure we're missing a gap. And so that's all I'm saying is maybe just start with that and then we can build on policy and then we can build on goals because I'm afraid that if we don't do that first
108piece, we're going to be missing something. We have to know what problem we're trying to I mean we know generally what problem we're trying to solve but we need to know in detail the problem that >> so some of the >> I think that you can find that through focus groups that or like um listening sessions for people to come and and you can share like what's working really well so we can continue to do more of that. What are some things that you would like us to improve on so we can think about how we're going to strategize and scaffold all of these improvements into these new things so we can actually have some sort of baseline so that we can include it in a policy that we're thinking about. But I do appreciate
109that idea because I think it's really wonderful. It's not just about listening to me, but it's really listening to the people that are mostly impacted, the people who continuously are facing this gap. Well, it speaks to what we've been doing in our self evaluation and our and our superintendent evaluation of having a connection with our community and knowing what they are needing and showing up in that space. >> And we talk about how do we engage the community? How do they evaluate what we're doing? >> That's already Yeah. >> So, so yes, go ahead. >> I I don't know. It's maybe devil's advocate, but I was very impressed with the meeting. Special needs families who dad and mom both showed up. The kids, special needs kids, it's difficult to predict. And there was a level
110of respect and courage. I was astounded at the courage to speak to the whole group um in in Spanish as well as some English. Um, and to have the staff members who worked with these kids right there, I felt like, and again, I'm the newbie. Um I felt like it was one of the most um the best meetings that I had attended. >> Mhm. >> Um because of that level of involvement and the the actual people right there saying what they said and and and the kids doing what they do, you know. I mean, I especially enjoyed the little boy who then there was somebody who said and he some he had some talent that was being talked about. >> Dancing. Dancing. Yes. And his little boots. And >> I felt like finally we're getting
111some interaction there within that community. and and it spoke to me of the inclusion that we're doing with special needs and with English as a second language. Um and so I I felt really positive about the meeting. Yes, I agree. You know, we've got this but we can improve. So, I wanna um we I think role alignment is important. So, you know, I think Brett hears it loud and clear because I mean, we put it in his letter, right? We talked about it. Um, so I'm sure you're already thinking about this. U So, I love this focus group idea. So, I'd love to hear from you, Brent, just your thoughts on could could we direct Brent as a next step? Because I'm trying to think of what's our next step. Could we direct him to
112explore this focus group idea and report back to us at the next meeting on what that could look like? whether it's engaging an outside group or and and kind of help because we need you know I think it's important that we we need our chief executive to to do his to do his job right and to engage his staff in in this work and so um >> there should be students involved in >> Oh yeah for sure is a request um thinking about focus group but also doing an inventory of >> what places and also what equipment are we actually utilizing that we can do the three >> pieces >> yep have inventory on events and equipment and to remind you that was during our student investment account focus groups >> to where we were
113doing that and so and then we asked >> uh trusted member of the community our partners which we have a number of um so we could we could do that specifically for this for this topic as well >> yeah I wasn't thinking doing a whole new focus group with all the groups. I was thinking maybe just family, you know, >> specific to language. >> I think that designed proof to work pretty well. >> It was so good. Well, and this these parents that talked to me said, you know, the awkwardness of saying like, I'm having a like challenge with this or that then that they and it's such a we have such a close-knit community that everybody kind of feels like family and so they don't want to put their trusted interpreter in a position
114where it might be awkward for them as well. And so that's why after I drove away, I thought, "Aha, maybe this might be helpful." Well, and it's not the end all be all and I think I think nothing will ever replace the value of a good human being who could who could be but I but I my understanding is some of the equipment we have is a few years old and the advancement in technology in the last just two years when you think of AI and the capabilities of live translation and things like that and that type of stuff to your point Don could could help alleviate some of those tension points I don't want to, you know, I don't want my person feeling like I'm speaking ill of them, but I need to be
115able to to share, you know, honest feedback >> and and technology could assist with that perhaps um in in that format. So, um >> so that seems like of kind of immediate, but also it's going to be like a while. And I'm also curious. have offered myself just because we've done medical interpreting. So this is part of the thing that I do have familiarity with I will continue to extend myself to you all on how to do interpretation in a way that is more person centered in a way that actually helps us think through of like what are some pieces that you might not know because you don't care but because you simply don't know because you haven't had the need to do that. And um again when I talked about graduation, we have them
116but we don't announce it at all at the front, right? Like there's an opportunity >> or someone's who's Spanish speaking standing at the table handing out the stone. >> Yeah, we do that. >> I don't know. I never noticed like like you're saying >> they're sometimes we don't see them because >> they come in a different way. Yeah. >> Yeah. But I think that, you know, there's there's some things that we can do. We're coming up to the end of the year. There's going to be a lot of transition from elementary to middle school, middle school to high school, high school and on. And I am happy to start planning and thinking about what resources we have available so we can um better so we can offer a better experience for the parents or the
117caregivers of these students that come in without them having to continuously ask. Okay, again off topic, but I was thinking about the talent shows and there were talent shows that were earning money for the Sparrow and there's talent shows at different schools and whatever. That seems like a perfect place to have translation because well, Bad Bunny, need I say more? If there had been an English translation, >> would we have benefited from that? Probably. and we would have learned a lot, you know. So, >> okay. Well, I think we have a good start this would you agree and I think we got some things >> that are we've got two weeks to work on and we're back 2016 and we can keep let's just keep it alive and keep it moving forward. >> I do
118appreciate the space to share. Sometimes it feels really weird because it can be really easy to judge me as the angry brown woman and I'm not angry. >> You're not. >> But I do have a responsibility and my responsibility is our community and our students and I'm just saying that out loud. So just >> well knowing Nancy that there's no other district that we could find that has a policy I think and and and your expertise and interpretation I think this is a business opportunity for you throughout the state of Oregon. So you might want to think about that >> as a medical interpreter. You can't you can't advocate and it creates a lot of challenges because again you have to it's not just the language you think about the person and the person who
119often times >> there's power differentials and people go I'm not going to say anything. I don't want to seem uninformed or uneducated so I'm not going to ask questions. And then people's diagnosis go kind of haywire and that's why >> now that you have a little bit more it's in my life. >> Makes sense. If I may, we just have one action item. It's academic calendar. I think we can pick that up fairly quickly. So, do I have a motion to approve the Did you want to speak to anything before we Okay. >> I move to approve the academic calendar for 2627 as presented. >> Oh, everybody. >> Thank you, Ali. Who said Diana? >> Oh, she >> We'll give it to Diana. >> Give it to Diana. replace. Okay. Any discussion? I just appreciate
120listening to staff and incorporating feedback and community and um you know the calendar can be a very be a very touchy subject. So >> I will just say one thing that we will be closed on um uh that that October 12th for students and staff but we our year round employees will work. It'll be a contract day for employees. Got it. Okay. >> And then on the next meeting that we have the agenda um the >> we have to vote yet. We have to vote first. >> Oh sorry. >> Yeah it's okay. >> Yeah. Is there any other more discussion on the calendar? >> Oh, okay. >> I just forget about that. >> That's okay. That's all right. Diane, >> yes. >> Nancy, >> yes. >> Don, >> yes. >> Holly, >> yes. >> Becca,
121>> yes. >> I vote yes. Okay. Sorry. Go ahead. Next. >> So, the SIA report, is that going to be a document that we're going to have of ways before that meeting or what? I know we talked about this when we were you. I would love to see this. This one is um in the effort of the state to have consolidation and integrated guidance. It's not being implemented super well. This is we gave a big integrated guidance report in the fall. I think you knew this is really just that agreement that we'll need to share with the board and it'll be a just a few minute talk on what that agreement means and what we're we're doing. We just have to show you what that contract looks like. Essentially, >> this is the new requirement.
122>> Yeah, we can send that. We we'll put that in the board book, right? Yeah. Yeah. >> Because I just love to be able to see it a full bit before we >> we thought we had done all of this >> to work to get through the stuff. >> Um we thought we've done all this and then Yas mean tried to fold the rest of our SIA funds and we couldn't and we thought that fall integrated guidance did that but we have to do this one other time. >> So could we just add then Denise? um we don't already have it on there. It closed that board book, but just an update on language accessibility. Just add that to um information and discussion. Awesome. >> Thank you all. in East Turkey.