2025-06-10 Board of Education Regular Meeting

001All right, let's get started. Cara, are you ready? All right. Thank you all for being here. Uh the this public regular meeting of the board of education for June 10th, 2025 is called to order. Uh all items being considered this evening are posted on the PPS website under the boardings board and meetings tab. This meeting is also being live streamed live on PPS TV services website and on channel 28. Uh it will be replayed throughout the next two weeks. Please check the district for uh website for replay times. Uh good evening. Welcome. Really thank all of you for taking your time out of day to care about public education. Uh before we get started, some housekeeping rules. Um, just want to remind everyone tonight, board members, audience, staff, that we all be respectful to each

002other. Uh, we are excited that you're here. Um, we also want to make sure that we, um, if you brought signs to keep them at chin level, just to respect the people behind you so they have a wonderful view of my face. Uh, for safety reasons, please keep the aisle uh, clear. spills along those areas are pretty spectacular but also horrifying. Um, and also just in general, please be mindful of each other in this room. All right, as we start, I am really proud to announce the first item on the agenda tonight, uh, which is, uh, recognizing June as LGBTQ plus pride month and Portland public schools. Thank you for Dr. Dr. Armstrong, could you uh expand upon this? Absolutely, and thank you, Chair Wong, and members of the board. Pride Month is a time

003to recognize and honor the contributions, history, and resilience of the LGBTQIA community. It also serves as a reminder of equity, inclusion, and dignity for all students, staff, and families in our district. Here to speak on the resolution tonight is Dr. Renard Adams. I'll turn it over to you now. Thank you, Madam Superintendent. Good evening, Chair Wong, vice chair to pass, board directors, and do we not have student director Kavi online? Oh, okay. All that hand shaking. Yes, absolutely. I'm here before you tonight with a resolution honoring Judas's Pride Month and PPS for your consideration. Pride Month is an opportunity for us to reflect on the societal accomplishments of LGBTQ plus Americans and the diversity that spans the range of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and more. Pride is a month of inclusivity where we

004recognize all the colors of the rainbow. Pride Month is a time for LGBTQ plus Americans to stand and shout, "We're here." Pride Month is a time of celebration and acknowledgement. It's a reminder to LGBTQ plus students, staff, families, and community members that they are seen, that they are valued, and that they are accepted exactly as they are. Times have certainly changed since I sat before this board one year ago. Hateful rhetoric has increased. Violence against members of the LGBTQ plus community has increased. Discriminatory legislation has been brought forward in multiple states. In this time, in this moment, your resolve means more than ever, board directors. I say this not to cause any of us to shrink in fear, but rather to call us all to arms. Now is the time to stand up and stand

005together. At a time when pride flags are being legislated so they won't be recognized and flown. Now is the time to raise our flags higher and wave them harder. At a time when hate speech and hateful violent acts are increasing. Now is a time to check hate speech when it is spewed and to wrap our arms around our queer brothers and sisters in protection. At a time when students right here in PPS are being deadnamed and told that their pronouns will not be respected. The exact quote reported to me was, "Don't come in my face with this BS." Now is a time to call upon all of our staff and to insist that they respect and honor people's dignity by using their chosen names and pronouns. At a time when universities, states, and school districts

006are signing away their commitments to those most in need, now is the time to double down on our commitment to our LGBTQ plus students, staff, families, and community members. Yes, now is the time not to shrink in fear, but to rise up. It's never the wrong time to do the right thing. It's always the right time to be who you were born to be, out and proud. Now is the time to live louder and love harder. Now is a time to affirm our values that stand for equity, diversity, and inclusion. To stand for all the colors of the rainbow. So, I'm asking each of you to stand with me and stand up for our LG LGBTQ plus students, staff, families, and community members. Thank you board directors for your consideration. Thank you for standing in

007solidarity in support of us and the students, staff, and community members of the LGBTQ plus community. They need you. We need you now more than ever. Thank you from all of us. Happy Pride. Happy Pride. You're here. Do I have a motion and a second to adopt resolution 7118, resolution recognizing June as LGBTQ plus pride month in Portland public schools. So move. Second. Second. Director Split moves and Director Brim Edwards seconds the adoption of resolution 7118. Is there any board discussion? Just that it's a happy time of year. Um it's also a um historically I mean we're here because of the history of um LGBTQIA2 plus um history in our country. And um I always look forward to the parade and all of the different bike rides and the the the the happy and joyful

008parts of Pride. Um, and it makes me proud to be in Portland uh during this time. Thank you, Dr. B. Dr. Adams, I don't know how many years it's been that you've come to read the the resolution. Um, I'm always looking forward to it. I'm always looking forward to like what's he going to wear too because you you always have a special way to rainbow tie, rainbow socks, rainbow pen. I I like the socks. Yes. Um, and I want to just, um, this is my last time that you're, uh, before me with, uh, the declaration. I want to thank you for, um, providing representation to our students and our staff. Um, and also this year for the call to action, I stand with you. I know this board does as well. Um we stand with

009our students and our staff um in a you know pretty unprecedented assault against their rights and um so I just appreciate you and um I'll be an enthusiastic yes. Um, I'd just like to also thank the district and the opportunity to be in a district that is supportive and look at all these nice postcards for from students. Anyway, I'm just proud to be in a district that's standing up and it's not easy and as a board we we want to but it may cause some trouble and you all know that and you're willing to take it. So, it just makes me really proud. So, thank you uh Ditto. Um thank you so much Dr. Adams. This is a new tradition for me and I can't wait to see what tie you have on next year.

010Same one. Oh, it's my favorite. Sorry. Okay. Okay. Maybe we'll get some new accessories. Um but really um in all seriousness is what I wanted to say is a little bit less light is that you know for one in one way I just want to say that I'm I am so proud of the fact that our district has a shared value around protecting all students all staff regardless of their gender identity, sexual orientation etc. Um, I'm glad that that is a shared value that sure seems universal, but I also want to make sure that we uphold our commitment to that in practical ways in our schools. I think I've got some nodding heads right behind you. Um, that we have work to do to make sure that we match our values and make sure that

011we're consistent and that those values are felt by our students and our staff in our schools. I also just want to personally say give a shout out to a fifth grader at our school. Um I won't say her name just in case that'd be awkward for her family, but she has organized a pride parade at our school for four straight years. And she's moving on to middle school this year. And last time I saw her was the day of the parade, which was on the 2nd. And she said, "Don't worry. I'm going to make sure that there's another fifth grader and it'll be a tradition at our school that the fifth grade runs this pride um parade at our school every year." I mean, this was just a kid's idea, something that that she led

012um for our community. And so, I doubt she'll ever see this, but I just want to make sure that she knows how much it meant to me to our community and how I know there's kids all over our district that do things like that to increase visibility to either be allies or to be there um for for themselves um to stick up for their own rights and their own respect. So, shout out to her. Thanks. Um, as board chair, sometimes I'm actually kind of sad that I have to go last and follow up on all that. Uh, I agree with everything that's been said, Dr. Adams. I'm really thankful that, uh, you were the one that presented this. Again, my second time I get to see this. So, thank you. Um, I just want to

013say I will stand with you. I will stand with all the the people who um are have you know especially the most marginalized and and vulnerable populations that all students and all people uh deserve the dignity. I will use the I am committed to using the power of my office to do as much as possible to protect everyone. Um at the same time it's just it's one thing to say that you are committed to something. It's another thing to continually seek out ways to improve. And that's what I I think we need to constantly do is find ways that we can improve our practice and improve the ways that we reach out and help uh those who definitely need the help. So, thank you all for being here. Thank you for the people in the

014audience for being here tonight. It it it does mean something when you're here and we're actually talking to not empty chairs and and having public support. So, thank you all for being here as well. Um and with that, Miss Brancher, any public comment? No. What? All right. We will now the board will now vote on resolution 7118, resolution recognizing June as LGBTQ plus pride month in Portland public schools. All in favor, please indicate by saying yes. Yes. Yes. All opposed? Yes. All opposed. Any abstensions? All right. Resolution 7118 is approved by a vote of 7 to zero. Uh, thank you all for being here. I am super happy and very proud to be part of this. Thank you. And may I I Yes. It's a little offscript. I was surprised that there was no public

015comment and I guess I was just curious since it seems as if we may have students hear the sign the message that they want to convey if if we could at least understand and and see it and hear what the message is. Is that okay? If they're willing and comfortable to sign up comment too. Yes. Oh, they are sign Oh, there is a sign up. Okay, good student comment. Never mind. Sorry. That's why we follow protocol. All right. Uh, next up we just a quick announcement about board leadership intent. Uh, in May of 2021, board adopt adopted a process by which board members could be considered for board leadership positions. The resolution states that in order to be considered for leadership position, board members and uh must notify the board manager in writing by June

0161st that they plan to run for board leadership in the July election. Then at the first board meeting in June, which is tonight, the board chair will publicly confirm board members who are interesting in serving in leadership. Uh I personally have submitted my desire for continue running as board chair to Miss Powell, as well as director to pass who has also uh indicated that she would like to be considered for board vice chair. The board will vote on board leadership at the July 22nd board meeting, the first board meeting of the next school year. All right. Next up, we have the superintendence report. Uh, Dr. Armstrong, could you take it away? Absolutely. I think the slides are loading. Super excited to give the final superintendent report of the academic year as that loads. Oops. Sorry.

017All right, we're queued up. Thank you. So, first, um, I want to thank the board and the Portland community for believing in Portland public schools and our future. And you can see just some of the signs that were captured across our district, thanking V uh voters. And just know that our commitment is to be transparent in our communications and show how the investments are um at work um in an annual report. So just wanted to first start off by saying thank you. Second, we had our annual torch awards and we had the opportunity to celebrate 15 PPS employees who exemplify our educator essentials and core values across roles in schools. And so we say that these honores are the soul of our our system. They're equitydriven, student centered, and service-led. And so it was really

018great to be gathered with them and to be reminded of the impact that is lasting and how it lights the way. And so for those of you that were able to join, thank you and uh just super excited about that. Sorry, slides are moving a little bit slower. Graduations, how exciting. We had the opportunity to have 11 schools um graduate and uh over the last week, last week over five days, 11 graduations. And so my new tradition is to take a picture with the last person walking across the stage. Um which was exciting to be there at all of them and a reminder of what it means to hit a major milestone. And so that's captured in moments. Let's see. Sorry, I have a lot of celebrations, so it's going to be a minute. I

019want to give a huge shout out to our two PPS educators who were honored as OnPoint 2025 educators of the year. We have a social worker at Mary'sville Elementary and a third grade teacher at Fabian. And so super excited for them to be recognized. and some pretty awesome prizes with I think rent or mortgage paid for a year. Uh who wouldn't want that? So that's super exciting. And then also from Lincoln High School, we had two students who were awarded the National Merit Scholarship. And I think what's important to note is that there were 15,000 finalists for this award. and having two of them at Lincoln High School is definitely an honor for our district and a shining spot. So, super excited to lift that up. Then also our band, listen, let me tell you,

020Portland Public Schools, um being in public schools is where it's at. We had we have amazing bands. Had a chance to see them at the Rose Parade, a couple of them. And then we had a jazz band sweep at the OMA. And so, let me just share out first place was Grant High School as you can see up there. Second place Roosevelt, third place Cleveland, and then you can see pictured our three band directors. So, it's kind of nice to have a state sweep representing um for for Portland, the Youth Empowerment Summit. So, this was a first ever first annual because our belief is that it will be an annual event. It was a day of leadership, purpose, and student voice where nearly 200 students from across the district gathered, attended workshops, and it was

021led by eight community leaders on topics like self-respect, entrepreneurship, and leadership. The summit was opened by Mayor Keith Wilson and featured a session with DJ OG1, the official DJ of the Trailblazers. And just a huge thank you to Ronnie, Mustafa, Temp, and Brandon for bringing this powerful event to life. I look forward to this being an annual thing, and I hope that next year you all will have the opportunity to join in um and see all of the the wonderful learning that happened. So, Royal Rosarians, I guess I should say that I'm now known as Dame Kimberly Armstrong. I had the opportunity to have an honorary nighting alongside Dame Julia Brim um Edwards and night um which is of course our um Oregon State teacher of the year uh Brian Butcher. And so super excited

022for that event. We had our outgoing queen who was from Jefferson High School to our incoming queen of Rosarian which is a Lincoln High School student Ava. So really excited to share that that news. Just a quick little video on how we're lifting literacy. I committed to bring forth an update. Though the um the campaign literacy campaign ended, we're still leaning into lifting literacy. And so there's a quick little video I'd love for you to see. Darn it. I'm going to have to exit out and go back into the thing to make it the sound. It's not running through the systems. Apologies. Okay, no worries. It's worth the one minute. I wrote it when I was in kindergarten. The school has a partnership with KS Mocha through Portland State University. One of the teachers with

023KS Mocha. She um and I have partnered to um develop this dream publishing. I put in my Peach Boy book. At the end, they became friends with the monsters. When kids are reluctant to read um or reading is hard, writing can be a good springboard to um become more and more interested in literacy. and knowing that literacy is not just reading a chapter book from front to back, but what different types of literacy can we expose the kids to? [Music] Thank you. And then the last slide is just an update on our PEC uh relocation. And so I take that over to you all. Thank you for your patience. told you lots of things to celebrate and acknowledge as we close down this academic year. So, just really quickly, we're in phase two of the

024PEC relocation and so we're focused on identifying need and evaluating conditions for the new location option. As you know, we have listening sessions launched. As a matter of fact, we have a couple happening tomorrow. And we are building out multiple channels of communications where there will be a clear cadence of updates that our staff will be um have access to. Also, there'll be an open channel for feedback and um communications and and questions. Um staff will be able to access that through QR codes. There'll also be some debriefing and consensus building. So, we'll reflect on what surfaced with staff and then be able to align on values and then have a board briefing and an executive session where we'll be able to share um more information on um what has come up for for folks.

025So, as always, appreciate you all. Together we rise. You can follow along on social media of all the great work that is happening in Portland public schools. Thank you. Yes. I had a a quick question. Sure. When you said by the end of the year, did you mean the end of the calendar year or the end of the school year? I'm just I was just wondering if I would be there for that or if that's Yeah, sorry. Let me You had the slide was just Yeah, just Okay. Yeah, it's the end of the year, not the academic year. Okay. End of the year. So I just also wanted to clarify that next meeting we're having the staffing plan which I thought think we agreed to the staffing plan for the we there was I forget

026the exact name of it. Yeah. Yeah. That the update will be included. Yes. At the next meeting. Yes. At the next meeting. Great. Okay. Great. Thank you. I didn't understand. I did not understand the exchange where you guys were going. Yeah. Yeah. That thing blah blah blah. It was it was the mind. Yeah. Yeah. I'm glad. I knew what I was thinking about. It's um it came out of the um district council of unions um opportunity and wanting to be part of the discussion and the decision was we'd have something on the at the like an engagement strategy for them. Yeah. Thank you. That's that's what we called it. Okay. Great. Cool. This update does show what that engagement strategy for the relocation is. And so, uh, we can certainly provide, uh, more information at

027a later meeting, but this was, um, to share out, as indicated at the last meeting, an update on the relocation. But, um, Chief Capory may want to share more. Thank you, Deborah Capori, chief of staff. the amendment that um director Wong added to or the suggestion that he asked for at the if it wasn't the last one was the one before board meeting was to have an update before June 14th and the update that superintendent gave tonight is a encapsulation of that. If you would like a longer document we're happy to share that. I I guess what I and we're meeting with uh we have a meeting with superintendent's meeting with the DCU representatives on Friday afternoon. It's part of our monthly engagement series. I think it was useful to get that tonight, but I

028think the expectation ahead would not be that we'd get something in advance of what actually what it was and that we'd have an opportunity to have a discussion about it. And I So this wasn't Yeah, let's talk about it. I mean it seemed like it was going to be an agenda item is how it got described. Yeah, it was supposed to be an update on the uh feedback process for the search. Um but yeah, we can have a discussion about it in terms of how much how how much depth we want to provide. So then just for clarity because we have the timeline built and we're starting those the the series of um discussion and engagement and so the item in two weeks would be on more on what that plan looks like or the

029results of the feedback or the information that we're gathering just to be clear. Both. Okay. Yeah. I thought it was to be your engagement plan. It just seems like um we should let the employees know that we're having like whatever the the meeting is just in the spirit of continuing to be Yeah. And you know it also doesn't have to be finalized at by that date. I mean this this is an ongoing process. So whatever updates that can be provided as we're going about this is adequate and you know in terms of like um considering how we're moving forward and and things like that. So I think um it can be an ongoing thing as well. I think the the ask was for the 24th for an update on both um the feedback process and

030what has been done so far. Correct. And and just to be clear, the the engagement has already begun and in fact tomorrow there are two listening sessions here in this building with staff. Um I don't have my calendar in front of me. There's another one scheduled as well. There's also um an email account that's been set up. There's a QR code if people want to send their um their thoughts, their suggestions, their hopes and dreams for the future anonymously as well. So the there's really a multi-tered um uh structure moving forward. And I think the point of tonight was to get out ahead of it because they are starting tomorrow. So waiting until the 24th to announce to our staff here that we're engaging them after we've already been engaged seemed a little late. And

031that's I would say that's all fine to gauge it, but it seemed like the way we were talking about it was going to be an agenda item. So and then we'd get some materials in advance um that we could ask about it versus just being a cursory like here's what's happening. Um, okay. We we'll be in discussion about the most appropriate format for that. Thank you. The only thing I'll add is because it was something that I asked for and I think you're already on top of it, so no big deal. But when you do share because I think what we were thinking was not this like initial a plan for this initial engagement, but really like how are you going to engage in that final decision-making process and make sure staff and union voices

032are being heard. Um, and so the thing that I think I also asked for, and I think you're on top of it, was talking to labor about how they're going to be engaged throughout the process. So when you're having those meetings, the briefings, like I really hope you'll ask not just what do you think right now, but like how do you want to be engaged in this process over the course of now till the time when we make a decision? So, I'll just put a little plug into something that like I remember talking about that night that I think would be important to include in any future update is like what what did labor and staff say they want as far as like how they're going to be consulted going forward in the process. Does

033that make sense? Maybe, maybe not. Yeah, it I I will say this is um a little different than I interpreted from the last meeting. So, I appreciate you giving us um additional direction because this is not this is uh not you know more conversation is always better. So, I appreciate having uh further further direction and feel free to reach out as as well if you have other thoughts moving forward that are not being incorporated. Yeah, I just really appreciate you being all over having those communications now. Thank you. Y I I guess I would also just to put a fine point on it, expect that we would tell our labor partners like there's going to be an update at the meeting on the engagement plan. Materials are going to be available in advance and so

034if they have some comment on it that they want to share, then they have the opportunity to to do that. Um again, just otherwise it seems like, hey, we we didn't even know it was going to be on the agenda and it's already happened and it's over. So I I would just be very deliberate because that was part of what happened the last time is they felt like it was happening to them without them at least knowing what was happen what was going to be happening. Thank you. All right. Thank you for that. Um yes we will we'll keep working on this to figure out the best format. Um, next up we have uh general public comment or we just kind of combine them both. Do we start with student comments? Correct. Okay. Uh, next

035up we have student comments. Um, is there an issue? Before we begin, just kind of review general guidelines for public comments. So, this applies to if you're doing a general public comment as well. Uh, please understand. Thank you for uh coming out here. Your voices, especially from our students, uh really helps improve our work and we really value hearing from you. Uh our board office may follow up if there's any board related issues that's raised during public testimony. Uh we we request that complaints about individuals uh individual employees be directed to the superintendent's office as a personnel matter. I will remind PPS staff who are giving public comment that they may not provide testimony about students that could violate confidentiality protections under FURPA. This includes testimony using information that could identify students especially their school

036community uh especially in their school community by use of direct or indirect linkages such as school grade special education or other status. For materials you would like the board to receive handouts pay etc. Please don't come to the dis. Please hand them over to our uh board manager, Miss Bradshaw over there, and she will distri distribute them to us. Uh if you have any additional materials that you would like to provide the board or superintendent, we ask that you email them to public comment, all one word, at pps.net. Uh please make sure that when you when you begin your comment that you clearly state your name and spell your last name. You'll have three minutes to speak. uh you will and then when the uh yellow light goes off up there, that means you have

03730 seconds to wrap up your comment. Let's start with our students. Uh Miss Bradshaw. Who do we have signed up? We have Scar Dickerson, Envy Nelson, and Lydia Culie. Um, hi. I'm Scar Dickerson. That's D I C K E R S O N. Um, I'm a transgender boy. I am and I'm the president of Prism, which is our LGBTQ club at um, Franklin High School. I just finished my freshman year there. Overall, it was really incredible. I had a lot of fun and made a lot of great friends. Um, but the thing that was really hard for me this year was our school's real lack of genderneutral bathrooms. There are three in our main building, excluding um, dressing rooms and there's only one in the gym building. That is not enough for like 1,800 students.

038Uh, like most freshmen, I'm taking gym class. Overall, I really like the class. Um, I had an extra elective next year and was considering doing it, but really the only reason I didn't is that I hate changing for gym class. I don't presently feel comfortable in either gendered bathroom and especially not in locker rooms. To me, it could be a bit of a safety issue. Um, I there's only one gender neutral bathroom in the gym building like I said, which I have to share with multiple other students, which means I have to leave class early just to change. And that's just when the bathroom is open. Multiple weeks this year, it's been closed due to vandalism. So, I've had nowhere to go. My teacher is luckily pretty great and would unlock the staff bathroom for

039me to use, but that really shouldn't have to happen. I feel like there should have been somewhere better for me to go to begin with. I didn't want to have to deal with this again, so I'm not taking the class next year. Not only like should something like a place to change be guaranteed, but not having it is and it's stopping me from taking a class next year. It's also been taking a lot of time out of my educational day. By my own count, we've had like 87 A days this year. Not sure that number is exactly correct, but assuming it is, I leave class 12 minutes early each day, which means I have spent over 17 hours this year just waiting for the bathroom to change for gym class when I should have been

040in class. And that is just one class. It's not including how I was 10 minutes late to math on Friday or how um one inquiry class I sat there for half an hour and when cuz somebody was vaping in the bathroom which was the only place I felt safe. Um I know I'm not the only student with um these issues. Um I don't know too much about this. I believe our club adviser is going to talk more about it, but we were promised money to improve our bathroom situation, but have not heard of any plans to actually do so. Um, so I'm just coming back here to say this is still a really real issue and still something we face every day. My name is Lydia Culie, C O L E Y. Um, I am

041also a freshman at Franklin High School, but I am non-binary. And we have gendered bathrooms, girl and boy. See, I am not a girl or a boy. Where do I use the bathroom? Well, we have three or four, not gender neutral bathrooms, but we have a really big school. I have a lot of classes in a lot of different places. I have one class that is in the farthest wing of the school because it's acting. And so they got to be all the way over there by the theater. Um, oftent time the bathrooms there have to be closed because of safety and stuff. Um, it's complicated. Um, so I have to walk very far. It will take me out of class for over 10 minutes at a time to go use the bathroom, which is

042just extremely unreasonable. Um, and oftentimes the gender neutral bathrooms are closed because people graffiti them. Um, yeah. Uh like also gym like same as same as him. Um gym class is also like I don't I don't want to change in the girls locker room. I do because I have like I don't want to wait in the line for the general neutral bathroom. Um but I shouldn't have to wait. Um and wait what? Oh, at the beginning of the school year, last September, last August, I we were allowed to only wear just our gym shirt shirts. Um, but during when at the start of the last semester, my my gym teacher changed it and was like, "You have to change your pants now, too." And that was really stressful for me. It I am not scared

043easily, but I cried over that. I don't have that a lot. Um, but that was terrible. I like because I don't want to like change my clothes. I like oftentimes when I'm scheduling like my doctor's appointments, I will choose it on the days during PE class so I don't have to change my clothes. Um, which is not something I should feel and not something I should have to try to do. Yeah, that's that's it. Thank you both for your testimony. Yes. Thank you. Do we have any other students? Was Envy Nelson here? No. Okay. Well, thank you for not only just taking the time out of your day, but also shedding light on this issue and and know it takes a lot of courage to to come up here and and speak. So, thank you

044very much. Uh, next we have uh our regular public comment. Ellen Wetmore, Vika Savvi, Ted Morgan. Good evening. My name is Ellen Watmore. W H A T M O R E. I use she her pronouns. I am a teacher at Franklin High School. And this is my friend and colleague. Hi, my name is Charlie Dishman. um and last names D I S H M- an N and I'm the other adviser for our um GSA group. So, we advise Prism, Franklin's GSA club. And in the spirit of Pride Month, I want to remind everyone that according to this evening's adopted resolution, uh, the Portland Public Schools Board of Education reaffirms its commitment to policies and practices that ensure equity, safety, and belonging for LGBTQ plus individuals throughout our schools and the wider community. Moreover, in last

045year's resolution, he resolved to continue to improve the support of our LGBTQ community through a number of actions, including a restroom equity plan to incorporate gender neutral restrooms in modernized school buildings. One year ago, almost the day, my colleagues Charlie and Yoshio Dresser appeared before you to give public comment on the status of gender- inclusive bathrooms at Franklin High School. They shared that our campus lacks sufficient genderneutral bathrooms and that many of our transgender, non-binary, and gender expansive students feel uncomfortable with our current facilities. They also explained that since Franklin's modernization occurred right before the creation of PPS's restroom equity plan, our campus doesn't have the same number of single stall genderneutral facilities as other PPS high schools. In response, former director Andrew Scott said, and I quote, "I would love the facilities and operations

046committee to take this up and to figure out what is our plan for schools that were built prior to that policy and what's our timeline for making those changes." Co-chair Michelle Deass said, "We should put this directly to the facilities committee and we should make a plan for implementing the retrofits that are needed." Director Gary Holland said, "I'm going to talk with Dan. I believe this issue is actually on our next bond piece, but I will definitely check with Dan to make sure of that." and chair Eddie Wong said, "Being the facilities committee, I can request that we talk about this and bring it up. Your responses last year were promising, but we have not seen any change. Did the facilities and operations committee take this up? Was a plan made for implementing the necessary

047retrofits? Did anyone talk to Dan? On May 20th, Portland voters passed a $1.83 billion construction bond the largest such school bond in Oregon history. Was this issue on that bond? If so, we haven't seen any evidence. You just heard directly from Franklin students personally impacted by this issue. What can you tell them about the future of quote equity, safety, and belonging for LGBTQ plus individuals that you reaffirmed earlier this evening? What do we need to do so that we're not coming back again a year from now with the same request? And we are members of the Portland raging granny's. Uh we support peace, social justice, human rights, and environmental protection. protest song and performance. Thank you so much for your action tonight recognizing June as LGBTQ plus pride month in the Portland public schools. We're

048here to provide testimony and support of the Franklin High School GSA whose members are requesting that the district provide sufficient genderneutral bathrooms at Franklin High School. We will sing our testimony. [Applause] They need all toilets for them all. Do you meet the UBC? Please add some restroom stalls. They don't want the moon, just their privacy. LGBTQ, they just want to pee. Life is hard enough. They just want to do [Applause] Thank you. Thank you. I just want to say I've been on the board 12 years and this is my second to last meeting and I always say like I think I've seen it all but I hadn't. So thank you. Uh, next up, whenever you're ready. Good evening. My name is Victoria Seitzki and I am a parent of three children enrolled in the Russian

049immersion program. I am here tonight to express serious concerns on behalf of the RARI families. Since December, our children have been left without a Russian teacher at Lane Middle School. Despite repeated pleas from parents, principal L. Yousef responded with silence, vague explanations, and offered no clear or timely plan to resolve the situation. Students watched videos and completed worksheets, thus leading to academic setbacks, setbacks, and behavioral challenges. Principal Ysef does not support the program. When a parent raised concerns, she advised, "Maybe you should just leave the program." This shows a clear bias against our community. After contacting the superintendent, we had a meeting on May 7th where Dr. Rristic and DL assistant director Munos acknowledged communication failures and promised action. Yet the teaching position wasn't posted until May 23rd and meeting notes were never shared. We

050still have no teacher. This situation reflects the district's tendency to undersupport the RARI program. The lack of adequate Russian teaching material and restrictive enrollment policies such as caps on kindergarten admission are part of a systemic system systemic failure by PPS to recognize and support Slavic communities as a distinct and underserved group. Although PSU conducted research in 2014 identifying Slavic people as people of color, PPS has not reflected this understanding in its policies. As taxpayers of this district, we respectfully demand the following. Number one, recognition and inclusion. The district must formally recognize Russian speaking students and families as people of color and reflect this in all documentation, data collection, and equity related decisions. Number two, transparency and hiring. Form a hiring committee that includes parents and RAI teachers to ensure the process is transparent. The job

051posting should explicit the job posting should explicitly mention the pathway to lensure through the PSU bilingual teacher pathway program to encourage candidates. Number three, leadership accountability. Remove principal elusive from her current position or relocate the Russian immersion program to a school where administrators value, understand, and value bilingual education. Um and number four um replace the DLI administration due to their lack of effort support effective support for the RA program and inadequate understanding of the needs of linguistically and culturally diverse students. Our children deserve better. We ask that you treat this matter with urgency and seriousness it requires. Thank you for your time and consideration. Thank you. And thank you all for uh taking time of your day to provide public comment. Um it's always very helpful to hear. Uh next up, I also want to

052invite uh John Con, who is the high school pass coordinator for TRET, uh who has requested some time tonight to highlight the summer pass program. Welcome, Mr. Con. Thank you, uh Superintendent Armstrong and members of the Portland School Board. Again, my name is John Con. I am the high school pass coordinator from TRAT and I was here a couple of years ago uh when we first launched this summer pass program that we have and I know there's been a lot of changes in leadership here. So I wanted to just give you a quick download on the program for this year and where we are with it. Um some of you might I don't know if you've seen these or promotional andformational posters that we produce. We have these in in English and Spanish at all

053uh at all of our high schools. Uh, Trummit uses state grant funding from uh, transportation uh, packages that have been passed by the Oregon legislature to provide 30,000 youth summer passes across the entire region. So that includes Forest Grove uh, out west uh, Beaverton, Hillsboro, Reynolds uh, to our east, Parkros, that kind of thing. The about of the 30,000 we have been distributing about 10,000 alone to PPS. No big surprise where the we're the where where the transportation core is here and and the largest student population. Um and I think probably as you know all PPS high school students have a a transit hot pass embedded in their student ID card that is for the school year. Um those will uh continue to work for about another week or 10 days after the school year

054ends and then that tariff will will come off of those cards. So, uh, students should use, uh, their free summer, uh, passes. The passes themselves, it's actually a a little paper hop ticket in a protective sleeve here. Um, so we did distribution, uh, we primarily to all the Portland high schools. Uh, this program, however, is uh, the rising eighth graders. So, those current eighth graders who are we consider them now in high school as well as graduating seniors. So, it really kind of covers five grades. Um if uh for any students in the kind of under the umbrella of the multiple pathways to graduation who might be uh 19, 20 or 21 years old, as long as they are working on a high school diploma or a GED, they're eligible uh to have this as

055well. Um, I work directly with Patty French in multi in multiple pathways to make sure that all those program sites um are covered and and Patty does the outreach to all those uh those program sites and those communities to make sure they have uh passes. We also work directly uh I work directly with Dave Holm who's the principal of the summer uh of the summer scholars program so to get passes there. Um that's just a quick overview of everything. If any of you has more questions about this or or anything, uh, Roseanne Powell has my contact information and I'm available as a resource. And, uh, but we just want to thank PPS for being a great partner with TRAT. It we want to get young people uh, riding this writing over the summer. It's a

056great uh, it's a great life practice. The passes is uh, unlimited use uh, from June 1st until August 31st. So, again, more questions. I'll be glad to follow up with with any of you uh, later on. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Uh yeah, we specifically wanted Mr. Con to be able to present tonight to offer as a PSA to uh any upcoming and current high school students so they can continue to travel the summer. Um we can always point them to either whatever this minute of this YouTube video will be uh for this information or um as you know contact uh our board manager as well. Um, Miss Bradshaw, do we have any union partners signed up for tonight? We have the Portland Association of Teachers. That was it. Okay. No other union partners

057today. All right. Next up, we have uh reports from our board committees and board members. You have one. All right. Thank you, Director Sullivan. The audit committee's next meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 23rd. To accommodate scheduling in the very busy month of June, the meeting will be virtual and is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. The purpose of this meeting is to receive the annual bond performance audit year six report from our contracted bond auditors. with the community's approval of the 2025 bond package in the May elections. By the way, thank you again everybody for voting for that bond. Um it is important that we, the PPS board, provide transparency, accountability, and oversight of our bond program to retain our community support. One of several ways we are able to do this is by

058obtaining annual bond performance audits. The audit committee is looking forward to this presentation. As I said, at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, June 23rd, this is virtual. Lastly, I acknowledge that bond performance audits are of interest to all of us board members, and I hope non- audit committee members of the board know that you're also welcome to attend this meeting. Okay. Thank you. Great. Thank you. Go for it. I was just going to say that um the policy committee was supposed to meet yesterday and um we still have one last thing there. So um hopefully we'll get it rescheduled and pop it out so it can be on its way. Then we have two other um policies that are going to be considered tonight. I think the pipeline will be empty for now. Awesome. Thank you.

059Uh, speaking of which, next item on the agenda is the uh, ethics and conflicts of interest policy 5.10.066-P. Director Bim Edwards, would you like to introduce this item? Yes. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Um, let's see. So, the ethics second reading of the ethics and conflicts of interest policy. Um, this was on the agenda I think over a month and a half ago, but we got involved in a very long late meeting. So, uh, we deferred to a future meeting and tonight's night. Um, so we currently have a policy 5.10.066, uh, the ethics and conflict of interest policy. um that lays out sort of an a framework um for uh staff, board members um the district. And so we have a an amendment that is being added that um essentially creates a cooling off period between board

060service um and seeking or accepting employment with PPS. Um and the basic premise is that uh while an individual is serving on the board, they will not seek an employment at the district as they have an oversight evaluatory role um in relation to the superintendent. And conversely, the superintendent staff should not offer a position to a sitting board member given a sitting board member exercises budgetary authority and oversight over all departments in the district. Um as part of the process uh Director Wong uh raised a very practical um issue for those who um have worked in schools in the past um and that essentially that the issue of board members if they waited if they were cycling off the board they waited for a school-based job um to the end of their board term. It's

061actually after the district school-based hiring uh process. Um so Director Wong suggested some language um for a school-based exception which has been included. There was um no formal comment provided although informally there was a fair amount of we're surprised that isn't already um not allowed. And that's it. All right. Do I have a motion and a second to adopt resolution 7104? Resolution to adopt revised ethics and conflict of interest policy 5.10.066-P. So moved. Second. Uh director Deass moves and director Brim Edwards second adoption of resolution 7104. Board discussion. I do have and do you want to go? Um yeah, I'm um I think with the amendment I can support it. I'm I I'm know that it's to try to protect us against any problem that I don't really see them happening but just in case.

062So yeah, I'm okay with it. I I can say the same. Um I had questions about what we were trying to solve for considering that we already had a policy um that allows for that board members cannot also work for the district, but I'm okay passing it as is with the amended language. I guess I'll go. Um I have more problems with this. Uh let me tell you a story. It's going to it's going to be a series of questions. Is the point of this series of questions to highlight some problems. So uh this says the policy of the new amendment says to uh that the last six months of the board member's term uh exceptions can be granted and then you have to notify the board and the board board has to approve it.

063So let's let's let's do a stress test on it like a hypothetic scenario, right? Majority of our employees are teachers. Um teachers are not hired by the superintendent. They're they're hired by the principal and the hiring staff at that school. So it's already more than once removed. The the board only has two employees which is the superintendent and our internal auditor, right? And so u decisions made to be hired is not with the superintendent. It's with principles. Uh so my issue is this. Let's say hypothetically speaking we have a teacher that wanted to run for the board and and run for the board. Uh unfortunately as you know this is an unpaid volunteer position. Let's say in year two of their term, they can no longer afford to run continue on the board. So, what

064does that mean? So, again, a series of questions just to highlight some issues I have with this. Do they have to announce that they're going to resign in 6 months before they can notify the board that they intend to apply for employment? Okay, so let's just say now they have to notify I'm going to resign in six months because I want to apply to a position at at at Franklin High School. Um, now we have a whole series of other issues. As you know, when you when you seek employment, it's typically a private affair, right? You you you have some sort of privacy because there's issues that come up. I know, for example, 20 years ago, I applied to a position and uh I was one of two finalists. Uh, and the other person got

065the job because they had a little bit more experience than I, you know, I was only like I only taught like three, four years, so I was pretty new. Um, but now I got rejected from that. I just public again I'm just scenario here. I just publicly announced I'm going to apply to a job. Everyone knows I'm going to apply to a job. Now everyone knows I got rejected from this job, right? And so now I have a black mark on my name. And I mean no one's going to, you know, we live in a headline uh society. We don't look in the details like, oh yeah, that person may have been one of two finalists. What what's going to happen is, and this is very real, you know, this person might want to apply

066to Benson. And guess what? They know that Franklin rejected them. They're not going to look into why. So now they're going to reject them, too. So now we basically committed someone with uh potentially a black mark that oh, this person got rejected. I'm going to reject them, too. And so now something that is immensely private, like in terms of like applying to jobs, uh, is now a very public affair. Not only that, but there's unintended consequences of what this means as like, hey, here's this public figure who's applying to our job and now everyone knows about it. There's now some undue pressure that could also be created from that. Um, and what if they don't get the job? I mean, they have an option of going out of district. Sure. But now, do they have

067to resend their resignation state or or maybe it took them more than six months to find employment? I'm just so these are some issues I have. I think a better policy again I am not opposed to the the the general spirit of this policy but I think a a better policy would just be something as simple as that if a board member wishes to apply for employment at the district they need to notify it publicly and that's it. sorry, just notify their intent to publicly and that way if there is some kind of issue going on and people want to look into it, they can look into it. But overwhelmingly, it can keep, you know, unless there's real issues are actually being raised, um, it will at least afford them some sort of privacy and

068dignity in terms of their potential failure in finding a job. So anyways, these are these are examples of why I think um I really am pushing that this policy be simplified in a way that can uh again allow for some of these unintended consequences to kind of be more flexible and and cleaned up a little bit. So that those are my issues with this. Yeah. So, um I'll just say the um the language relating to a school board's member I believe you provided. Um so is edited. Yeah. So um and I'm a bit disappointed that we've had several policy committee meetings and board meetings. I I wish you would have raised it earlier because we could have done it. I'm sorry. I I Do Do you have a Do you have it? How would you

069make that simpler? Like like I said, I think the policy should just be something that just says that because Okay, so here's the thing. We already have a policy that bars current board members from being employed in the district. Right. Right. And so that that part's taken care of. So I think a simpler policy would just be that if a board member wishes to apply to a position in the district, they have to signify their intent publicly. Well, I don't get how that Well, first of first of all, it doesn't remove the undue influence of you're applying for for a position at the district. And again, we I mean, tonight's a case in point, we're going to be voting on the superintendent's evaluation, right? And we'll be voting on the superintendent's pay, right? So announcing

070that you are intend to apply for a job does not remove a conflict. I have a question. Does it matter on the timing of this announcement? Because maybe if the superintendent's already had an evaluation, then it removes the the burden of it. It it it separates the superintendent's evaluation from the intent of a board member. And I guess back to my original point, my original I didn't think this was necessary was I wondered how often this had happened and what we are solving for. I I didn't know if it had ever happened if if if if we're actually solving for something that's a problem and it looks like Gary has his uh director Holland has his hand at but I that was my question. Is this solving for a problem that we have? As I've

071said previously and sent around the article, this was raised earlier by a board member who came back and worked for the district after the superintendent um had received a raise and a position special position was created and I I think I sent you that article. Um so has it ever happened? And I think again the spirit of ethics rules is you're not doing them after you've had a problem but just to lay the framework. And I don't your suggestion doesn't actually remove the the issue of somebody applying for a c a central office job. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you for point. Uh director I'll call in just a sec. I just want to respond really quick. Um, I I do want to apologize I didn't bring this up earlier because honestly like before actually the last

072meeting was supposed to be brought up. I just thought about it the night before. So again that's that's on me. Uh I do apologize for not bringing these things earlier. Uh Director Holland. Thank you. Can everybody hear me? Okay, we can. Thank you. All right. Um, what I and I've said this before, I don't when I look at number eight, I don't think it solves for what I think the intent was for when I because it there's no way bars a board member who is not on the board anymore from gaining employment. And so I don't I I guess my question is what what is the purpose of the extra language when even in the extra language it doesn't bar uh previous board member from applying for a district position? I'm sorry. Director Holland is

073your question is that what is the purpose of the additional language? Correct. the the the part that starts within the last six months of a board member's term or just the current board members may not apply or accept any offer of employment. Well, no, I understand the current board members may not apply for accept any offer or employment with the district, but whether they say they want to do something in six month before 6 months or not. Case in point, you know, if a board member leaves June 30th, there is no policy, which there cannot be a policy for that non-board member to seek employment at that point. Yeah, th this that language was suggested by director um No, I I Okay, so I get I get whoever whoever suggested it, but there's no legal

074recourse to say a exo board member after June 30th cannot apply for an employment. So to have that it just doesn't it doesn't make any sense. So I would just say we just take that out and just go with the current board members may not apply for or accept any offer of employment from the district. but that's a current board member. Once they're no longer a board member, there is no policy you could have in here that will bar someone for applying for employment without some legal ramifications. Um, I would just chime in to say that I wouldn't support just having that. I've been pretty compelled by some of the conversation over the last couple of meetings where we've talked about this. So, I want some sort of caveat. I in hearing um Chair Wong

075and the conversation tonight, I actually I mean like I think if the goal is transparency, then I like the idea of just adding may not apply or accept any offer of employment from the district without providing notice. And I think that shining a light does provide um more than we have now as far as preventing there from being that concern about undue influence because if everybody knows that that undue influence could be taking place, I think that helps to prevent it. Like I think shining it's kind of like to me like we have um well I can't believe I'm gonna sit up and say something nice about Oregon's campaign finance system but we have we have really good transparency about donations um in Oregon. It's I'm going to say it's easy to search. I feel

076like anybody who's listening to me and regularly uses worstar it's actually pretty hard to search but it's all there. You can find it. That transparency makes it so that if somebody wants to drop $2 million on a campaign, we all know that and we all have thoughts about that and it prevents um in my opinion um some of the unsavory things that can come of that sort of dynamic being in the shadows, right? So it sounds like something like that would be supported broadly because for me I want there to be some sort of exit door from this may not apply for accept any offer from the district and I think it's in part because in one these are volunteer positions two I want to encourage teachers and even administrators from serving on the school

077board. I think they'd make excellent school board members. They already do. Um it's me that I'm talking about, not you. But anyway, no, I'm just kidding. But but yeah, but it I think it helps having educator voices. Um and I want to keep that coming, but then yeah, what if life circumstances change and somebody needs to go back to work for financial reasons and they're taking a leave? Um so I want there to be some sort of exit ramp. So if we don't like this exit ramp, then I'd like to suggest that we provide a different one um that allows for it to not be unilateral and there to be an ability for somebody excellent to apply and move and do a job at our district. I want the best person for the job, not

078the person that um not having the best person be disqualified out of pocket. So, so I'm glad you My other question, my other question would be how how do we legally enforce that and when we are talking about this exit ramp or when we're talking about this policy in whatever form it it takes, I would would love to know legally how is that enforceable when there that person or board member is no longer a board member of PPS of PPS. So that way, and the reason why I'm asking that too because I want to make sure that we're not doing something that we can be legally on the hook for as well. Um, I'll call Director Ben, but just really quick, I think part of the the enforcement is that this enforces staff and district

079employees not to hire. I think that's where the enforcement is. It's not on not on future board. I mean future uh ex board members can apply to whatever they want but it it it limits staff's ability to hire them current question then legally how can that legally how can that be challenged if legally that could be challenged do we want to put the district at risk for a lawsuit because they're saying well I didn't get hired because I was a past board member whether it's six months or whether it's two years or three years down the road Director Berts So, um that what I would say is it's probably enforced like everything else in our ethics policy. Um that if it's not in law, it's our policy. Um I think board members um when they

080agree to sign up, they agree to like abide by the policies of the district. We're we're district leaders and we should be we we expect our students and staff to follow policies. So board members should should as well. Um, so that's how we enforce a lot of the other ones since we don't have a censure or reprimand. Um, but as how do you f how do you follow policy if you're no longer a board member? Those policies don't apply to you at that point. But but if you're no longer a board member, then this wouldn't apply to you anyway because it only applies to current board members. Exactly. So, um I'm going to offer a um a change which I think addresses the issue um or the example that um director Wong just raised and

081it just basically would be putting a period after um at the end creating the end of the sentence after the word board leadership. So it would say to seek an exemption, a board member must send a communication to board members stating their intent to potentially pursue schoolbased employment with the district and board leadership. So it's a it's a statement of intent, but you're not getting approval. You wouldn't have to go on the record at an agenda on a on a and have it approved. Have it approved as an board meeting item. Yeah, that okay, that makes sense. I was just questioning what it would change and then um okay then so just one other thing we just um and so just just so I'm clear and this is so if a current board member decides

082that they want to be a employee while they're term while they're a current board member this would be that policy for them. This is if you're seeking a school-based employment. So it wouldn't be like I think I want a central office job. This is if you are seeking school-based employment. And the reason why this is different than a central office job when you would need to wait till after you're done with your employment is that school-based employment the hiring cycle is not doesn't coincide with the end of a board member's term. Yeah. Typically the hiring cycles between majority of hiring happens January through April. And so if a board member has to wait until June to apply for a school-based site, that means they would have to wait an additional year, which is a huge

083burden, especially if especially if their reasons for doing so are financial. Um, right. And yeah, I I thank you for addressing that uh director members. Again, I want to reiterate that I I am supported with the spirit of this um policy. Although I and I I like the direction that your suggestions for edits, I do think I need a little bit more time to think about it. So, I have a suggestion. Why don't we send it back to the policy committee, work at the details, and socialize it again? I mean, that's that's the way we can move it back and Well, work on it in committee. Yeah, I agree. So, ideally, I'd like to get this over the finish line at the next committee meeting. I don't think this is I can send around tomorrow

084morning and and I'd ask this in in fairness because when I when it was supposed to be on the agenda, yes, over a month ago, I was fine with it moving to a later date. Um and then um again, I it's no problem to breeze it tonight. we can fix it, but I'd rather not like have that be the reason why we don't get it because it could have been across the finish line a month ago or or we'd be working on the second time. So, I think I have some a pretty simple edit that I will circulate and what I would ask is if people have issues with it to let me know. So, are we are we moving this back to the policy committee? Sure. Um, that looks like the general counsel wants

085to I'm trying to understand. Are you um exc I'm concerned about uh that email trial. Yes. Yeah. So, I'll just state that what I'm going to send out so it's in a public meeting and by the end of the meeting actually by the end of the meeting I will ask to have it posted so everybody has it. Okay. I mean it can be it can be posted and so we're in a public meeting. Sure. I'm I I just wanted to clarify how the steps that you were proposing after that because I mis perhaps I misunderstood it would not be appropriate to have that conducted by email. I I was I can send it I can send something out. It's not a serial meeting to send something out. Yes. I misunderstood. If you if all you're

086doing is sending it out, I have no concern. I understood you were soliciting conversation. Well, if somebody has like just like anything else, when somebody sends something out, people can come can send something back separately, right? But then one, we're going to try and have another policy committee meeting, but I'm going to send it out and post it tonight because again, there's no there's no reason to wait for a policy meeting when I've got the language right here. So, except that we might want to weigh in on some of the details, which I thought I thought that that was a friendly suggestion to move it back to the policy committee. Yeah. Yeah. So, okay, let me just reiterate the steps really quick. Uh, Director Brenwards has ideas for changes in a more refined policy. We

087will be motioning hopefully of appending the vote, motioning and and hopefully voting to move or maybe not, sorry, wrong word. motioning and moving this back to the policy committee, voting on that. And then because you sent it out earlier because you can send this out tonight or tomorrow, people have more time to think about this and so when we get to the policy committee, we can get to business and move it out ASAP. Correct. And I would just say as a courtesy when something's before the board multiple times, it's um a courtesy to other board members if you have other things up to raise issues that you have versus delaying the delaying the process or No, I I'll send this around tonight and um so I'm going to um I'm going to move that we

088send it back to committee. a date that's not yet been set and I will send around the revised language which I think addresses the issue that um commissioner that um sorry wrong public body that um Chair Wong raised and I I also just want to publicly and personally apologize for not raising this earlier. This is my fault and I completely overlooked it. So, I apologize and um I'll be as supportive as I can be in terms of this next move. So, thank you. Do we need to second her motion? Is that a formal motion? Yes. Okay. Do we have a second? I can second it. All right. And I'll also commit along with something else coming out of policy committee to steward it through the 24th because there's no reason that's been sitting out there

089for three months should that's literally two paragraphs. But yeah, I think we want to make sure that we have some level of consensus though amongst the at least the people on the policy committee before we bring it to the full board and and it's we haven't been able to agree on it which is why it's kind it's been on the it's been on the agenda every policy committee meeting we've had and nobody has said anything. So, um, it except we've we've gone back and forth about whether to refer it to the full board or not. No, we we referred it to the full board and we had a first we had a first reading. This is the second reading. So, the committee had a meeting. We recommended it to the board for first reading. We

090had a first reading and this is to be the second reading. So, it's not that and and it's been on the committee agenda for every we we always carry anything that's out for public comment which has been out which has been for several months. Thank you. And I'll again we'll take full responsibility. I oversaw I overlooked it and I didn't bring up these issues earlier and that's my fault. So I apologize. Um all right. Uh we will now be voting on the motion to move the policy back to policy committee for revision. All in favor please indicate by saying yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. All opposed. Abstensions. I was a yes. I couldn't get my mute off fast enough. All right. Thank you. All right. The uh conflict of interest policy 5.10.066-P. 066-P is moved back

091to policy committee by a vote of 7 to zero. Thank you. I'll do what I can to help. Okay. Uh next up we have the second reading of the student representative and district student council policy. Uh very sad that soon direct representative Jay Convi cannot be here tonight. Um this is part of his work. Uh director Ben Edwards, could you please introduce uh 1.20.012-P student representative and student district council policy? Thank you, Chair Wong. So, we have a student representative and district student council policy um that um was drafted several years ago um the district student council and student representative Kavi asked if we could make two changes. Um the two changes are that um we would go from having a representative and an alternate to going to two representatives. So there's no alternate that's

092two representatives. And then um the other piece was changing the um threshold for elective credit. So students who serve on the district um council have a second credit can get an elective credit and this is just moving the attendance require requirement from 90 to 80%. the senior director of high school core academics um has reviewed and expressed no concerns. Um, as you might note that we ask and I'll just say we asked for expedited consideration so that we could get through this before um student representative as as a courtesy to him um that we get this through before his um tenure was over and we've had no public comment to the contrary and we recommended um sending u approval from the committee. Thank you. Do I have a motion and second to adopt resolution 7119

093resolution to adopt revised student representative and district student council policy 1.20.012-P. So moved. Second. Director to pass moves and director Sullivan seconds the adoption of resolution 7119. Board discussion. I just want to thank student representative Conce for bringing this forward. I think he approaches his work with a how can we leave it better than we found it approach as a general rule and that's one of my codes that I live by too. So I wanted to thank him for his leadership. I also wanted to note um during a public meeting that it sounds like he was the first student representative to ever attend all of the graduations. Um, and I think that just goes to show um his general above and beyond nature. Uh, so I'm glad that we'll have some legacy of such an

094awesome student representative in our policies should this pass. And I will leave it at that. Ditto. Well said. Yes. Thank you. Although part of me wants to move this vote for the next meeting so that he could be here for that vote, but I don't think he would want that. So, um I am really bummed that we have to vote on this when he's not here. So, good work to everybody involved in this. All right. Is there any public comment? No. All right. The board will now vote on resolution 7119, resolution to adopt a revised student representative and district student council policy 1.20.1-P. All in favor, please indicate by saying yes. Yes. Yes. All opposed. Abstensions. Resolution 7119 is approved by a vote of 7 to zero. Thank you. Thank you. Um before we move

095on to the next one, there's one more uh thing I forgot to there was to give was the uh school improvement and facilities oversight committee um update. In our last meeting, we went over uh the seismic updates. Uh it was also notified that we are the the district is also waiting on um an engineer report that is due in July for further cost and benefit analysis and uh coming up with a uh plan for our seismic updates. And that was the main takeaway from the facil facilities committee meeting. All right. Next, we will be uh approving the amendment an amendment to this year's budget. Uh Dr. Armstrong, could you introduce us? Thank you, directors. Um as you know, during the course of a year, there are occasions and circumstances that require us to update our

096budget. This is the budget for this current academic year. It's common and routine best practice to ensure proper spending levels are maintained in accordance with what has happened throughout the school year. So, I'm inviting our chief financial officer, Michelle Morrison, forward to share about the budget amendment you'll be voting on this evening. Thank you, Michelle. Chief Morrison. Thank you, Dr. Armstrong, and members of the board. Um about this time last year uh you guys voted to adopt a budget for the current year that we're in. And when we do that, it's set at uh the highest level by fund and major fund and major function. And as we come to the close of the year, we try and reconcile um our actual spending versus the budget. And so there are some variances that we are

097bringing here to you tonight um in hopes that you uh get any questions you may have answered. Um it was a little bit um of movement between the major functions of instruction and support services for both the general fund and our special revenue funds. So there is a oh yeah sorry budget staff report and uh the amendment we did have a small revision um so we did update that through Rosanne and um again I'm here to answer any questions that you have. Awesome. Let's put this on the table. Uh, do I have a motion and a second to adopt resolution 7120, amendment number one to the fiscal year 202520, sorry, 202425 budget for school district number 1J, Multma County, Oregon. So moved. Second. Director Split moves. Director Sullivan seconds the adoption of resolution 7120. Uh,

098board discussion or questions? I have some questions for the record. Um, so I asked them in advance. Um, and um, I'm just going to ask them at the meeting. So the there was a decrease in instruction by 4 million and a shift. What's the four million that we didn't spend? because when I when I asked that question and I'm I'm looking at you, but this is a question for the broader universe because you weren't here all this um fiscal year, but if we didn't spend four million on instruction, like why not? We agonized over like a $100,000. So, I'm just curious what's what's the four million that we didn't spend on instruction? because the answer I got was basically saying this is just a very small variance and it is but like we agonize over

099you know like we cut a lot of the library people and that was a lot less than $4 million. So I'm curious like we we could have paid for the li all the library services and the assistance that we laid off last year. some well well those funds those savings were utilized and that's why this amendment is between instruction uh we did use more support services funds and so that's what we're what we're sharing with you here this evening but wouldn't that that have been in last year's budget I'm just because we're we're amending it because we actually amended the the we're amending the budget we approved last year right yes this is the budget that was adopted this time last year for the current fiscal year, right? So last year we set the budget

100and we actually decreased it. So this is this is after we passed the budget, we decreased instruction by another 4 million. I think what happens over the course of the school year is if we are experiencing savings in one area of the budget. So we set a spending level at X and if there were instructional positions that were going um unfilled over a period of time, but we could also support students through the other support services area. That's where the money was spent from. So I do think that you know there is a little bit of variance from the spending plan that we put forward. our budget was $850 million for the general fund. And so when you look at that and I and I shared that percentage with you of uh how little movement

101that was between instruction and support services, I know that sounds like a really large number, but we do have fluctuations throughout the year based on what our student needs are and what our actual operational costs are. So the money was spent just in a different place. Yes. Yeah. We increase the requirement for that was my next question which is we increase the requirement for support services. Um so this is just a general process question and again this you're midyear so this is just a process question generally for finance we have to amend the budget because we're over 10% of the change because otherwise you can just move things around right? No, that that would be a supplemental budget. So that would be recending all again and publicizing because it is a variance. It is movement

102between and it's a best practice and a p past here that if there's any variance, we need to bring that forward to you. Our auditors look for that for transparency and disclosure purposes so that it's not happening after the year has closed. And so that's why we're bringing it to you now. If we didn't, we would likely have an auditor finding for not sharing uh this information with you. Right. But it's already happened. It is happening. Correct. It has happened. Yeah. So, it's just a basically a formality. It's a disclosure. Yes. A disclosure. Um does this amendment that increase the debt service, does that true the books up then for this year? Is it a trueing or is it is that not the right way to debt service change was more of a recommendation that

103came to us post adoption that we are not for our debt service fund supposed to budget any contingency there. So we have to move it to a unappropriated fund balance and so that that was the shift that we made there. It was it was more of a technical correction as we were just closing up the year. And just from an an accounting standpoint, do you do we know exactly what the sport the the as the money was shifted into other accounts like what that purchased? I I don't have that level of detail here for you tonight. And to be frank, we won't likely know until the the financial accounting has been reconciled for the whole year. And that doesn't happen until pre- audit period of probably se late late September early October. And so those

104final numbers will come to you in the form of the um financial report for the year. And then the the the way the money was spent was um there was an increase in support and then an increase and that looks like it was for um outside placement for special ed students and transportation costs related to specialized student transportation. and then RESJ contracts. So you're saying this and it says in the explanation we got this afternoon that the one point the RSJ that's a technical correction because we planned on spending but the money wasn't there or well it's my understanding that that was a board directive at the end of the adoption to go ahead and refund contracts that weren't necessarily provided for in the proposed budget. And so that created a a need for a

105shift Okay. So, even the board did it though before the board before it was adopted. You're just saying it just didn't get captured. I I don't believe it was captured in the document and in the appropriations. Okay. It was late in the process, but we did this. This is how we make space for that change. Okay. Yeah. It was before it was before we adopted the budget, so it just must have not gotten in the budget. Yeah. I'm not firm on the timeline. Yeah. pass. We'll have the history from going forward. Right. Any other questions? Is there any public comment? No. Right. Thank you. Um the board will now vote on resolution 7120 amendment number one to the fiscal year 202425 budget for school district number 1J Multma County Oregon. All in favor please indicate

106by saying yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Thank you. Uh all opposed abstensions. Resolution 7120 is approved by a vote of seven to zero with um so yeah passes. Just going to call on student represent. Right. Uh next we have the adoption of the 202526 budget. The board began receiving initial recommendations in January. It was revised and reshared in March before we received the superintendent's proposal in April. Uh since then we've had a budget hearing and received the community budget review committee's report. Uh we approved the budget at our last meeting and earlier this evening. The tax supervising and conservation commission reviewed and certified the budget we are adopting tonight. Dr. Armstrong, do you have anything to add? Absolutely. Just wanted to emphasize that we made every attempt to preserve key supports for teaching and learning including

107early literacy and math acceleration. And we also wanted to u minimize our impacts to schools as much as possible. But with that, I'm going to pass it to our chief financial officer to present. Thank you. Thank you. I don't have a slide deck or anything. I think you guys are well familiar with the information that we presented and the feedback we received. Um just great appreciation for the terrific questions and interactions we had with the you the directors and um gratitude to my team a really amazing team that uh just this process for them was like amazing clockwork and I was very proud to be a part of it. Thank you. Uh, do I have a motion and a second to adopt resolution 7120 imposed taxes and adoption of the 202526 budget for school district

108number 1J Multma County, Oregon? Excuse me. It's a resolution 7121. What did I say? 20. I'm sorry. Uh, adopt resolution 7121. Do I have a motion and a second? So moved. Second. Director Depass moves. Director Sullivan seconds the adoption of resolution 7120. Uh board discussion. You you can go. I'm always go first. I guess I just always go first now. Um I of course can't vote for this budget without just quickly acknowledging the fact that the state has continued to underfund public schools throughout Oregon for decades. Um, and this budget Hey, is that is that what you want to say? Oh, we're calling you next. Uh, and so, um, this budget reflects not the values that I think we as a district have, the values that we as a board have, but a reality that

109we're stuck with. Um, that we're making cuts to schools that we know need more resources, that we're losing valuable team members. There's a first year teacher from my school that came in and just saved the day with a really tough second grade class with a lot of high needs. You know, we all have stories every school of somebody super valuable that's not going to be in our schools next year because of the passage of this budget. And I know the district office is feeling the loss of so many important and key co-workers as well. Um, I I don't know what's going to change this dynamic for the state of Oregon, but I promise to speak up every chance I have and do all that I can with my legislative experience and some of the relationships

110I have to try to change the dynamic. Um, I'll be a yes on this budget, but I want everybody to understand that it's not because I support underfunding our schools or making cuts when we need when we need more resources, but it's because we need to have a budget. And I think it shows respect for the work that assists assistant director Morris and her team and the superintendent have done um toward doing their best. And we all know there are things that we don't agree with in this budget. So my yes vote does not mean that I agree with every move or every piece because there's so much I don't agree with because it's what we're stuck with. So I just wanted to put that on the record um and make it really clear. Um

111you know the dozens of emails we get about different dynamics at different schools. I hate all of it and um I wish I could do something to change it. Thanks. Thank you, Director Holland. Yes. Um I just want to thank uh Oh Lord, my brain is this is on the block. Um, but what I will say is, um, I'll be voting no on this budget again like I've done the last three year, um, the last three years. Um, it's not because I don't value the hard work that's gone into it. Um, but just I just cannot get conscious support a budget that continues to fall short of what our students deserve. Um, once again, the state of Oregon has failed to fully fund public education um, even according to its own quality education model. Um

112that's the very standard that's that standard it creates to define what an adequate and equitable education should look like. Um so by adopting this budget, we're accepting a funding gap that shifts the burden onto our schools, our staff, and ultimately our kids. Um, once again, we're asked to do more with less, you know, and and until the state meets his obligation. It's moral obligation um to really fully fund education, there's no way I will vote yes on a budget that continuously um normalizes underfunding. And when we have a legislative office, um, legislators in Salem continue to put a sham of legislation together around accountability and what they hope to get and all this things, you know, it's it's it's a big I I it's a big con, you know, and I I want to sell

113them some some bridges as well. um you know when we talk about shared accountability it has to be shared across everyone not just on the back so that way they can scapegoat and um use that as well we gave them more money and we asked for accountability knowing that they didn't even give us what they say we needed and so once again that's why I'll be voting no and I'mma I'mma ask my fellow board members to vote no because I think if something has to happen something has to change. And maybe if we vote no, maybe the state will figure out they got to do something better. Or maybe not. But that's just my my my yearly protest with underfunding schools. Thank you. Uh Director Holland, I I love your protest. Uh I agree with

114all your sentiments that you said. So what I say next is not direct at you, just so you know. Uh but I just want to make sure that we understand the context and and you know it's for public education. Um I 100% agree with my fellow director Split and Director Hollands and we how how both you said it perfectly lays exactly how I feel. Um I do want to remind just kind of just in terms of public education uh when we approved this budget it is it is the board approving the limits on the money that PPS does have does get from the state. um we have no say in the amount of money that we get uh from the state and so this is basically just improving uh the limits of spending uh that

115we put on the district. So I just want to I just want to put that out there so that you know people aren't unclear that when we approve if we vote yes and approve this budget we are not approving the behavior of the state of Oregon. Uh what we are doing is we are approving the behavior of our district with what we are given. So, uh, that is my piece and I agree wholeheartedly. We need to keep raising a ruckus with the state and show them that what they're doing and what their funding levels totally inadequate. Any other board discussion? Yeah, I have a couple questions um and then um some comments. Uh, so first of all, I want to thank uh, Chief Morrison for um, responding to a lot of questions I ask. I

116appreciate that. Um, and sort of tracking them down. Um, there's one that came up just in the last couple days that, um, I'm interested in what the district approach is going to be just given the fluidity is the, um, potential cut to outdoor schools. So, um PPS even in the worst fiscal years in the last 50 years has always um supported 5 days of outdoor school. Uh so I'm curious with the state um potentially the state cutting the amount what the district response would be. So, we did a it was a pretty short turnaround and time there, but I did a little bit of um connecting with our staff on this topic. And a a day of outdoor school for PPS is is about $665,000. So, you can, you know, per day. It kind of

117um shows what the impact of that would cost. Um yeah, and this is for all sixth graders. So, um there are other districts uh not far from us that have like a three and four day, so a little bit abbreviated outdoor sto school experience, but is still um developed and ran very similarly uh to meet the curriculum because there it is a state funded um program with very specific standards that students must meet while they attend. So, I have a phone. PPS always paid for it out of our own district funds until we passed outdoor school for all. Um, and then it was a became a state appropriation, but PPS had always paid for it by itself. I mean, this is one of the ways actually the state actually picked up some funding that PPS

118had paid for. Um, pardon, how long ago? Um, well, I'll just say I still have my soil samples upstairs. Um but even for example in 2002 when we did we were going to lose five weeks of school like this school community was we want to m maintain five five days of outdoor school like the exper the experience that everybody's had and then in I want to say it's like 145 um there was a statewide initiative because it was like it's great for Portland students but a lot of other districts couldn't afford it so they took a part portion of the re the lottery revenue to pay for it at the state at the state level and it goes through Oregon State now. Um, thank you, Director Split. So, if they if they cut it, would

119the district come back? There's not currently a plan in place for that. our our proposed approved and hopefully soon adopted budget for 2526 is um probably a higher risk budget than I've uh built before considering we're using up some one-time funds a set aside. we were banking on those PERS savings from Senate Bill 849 and there all of those one-time shifts have been um they've been done and so as we continue to budget um counting on vacancy savings and um you know strategizing and getting tight and having to move money between um fund and function areas. I I think that that would require um another look to see what we would reduce in order to accommodate an additional cost and that would that would be for any legislation that comes through this spring that we

120haven't planned for. Director Split, I don't I know we I want to go back to you but want to talk about outdoor school if that's okay before you move on to your Go ahead and talk about outdoor school while I'm is that okay? I think it's like I just Okay, cool. Um, I have a few things to say on this. Um, so first of all, I just want to clarify this. 665,000. That's like the total is like five times 665,000 for all the sixth graders to go. I was imagining it was like when one class was up there and I was like, I don't even understand. Okay, it's just collectively. So, if we if the state cuts funding by 20%, which would be commensurate to a $665,000 hole in our budget for Am I Are

121we Am I getting that right? Okay, sure. Great. Yeah. Well, 5 days minus 20% would be Yeah. So, we would be $665,000 short of being able to offer that. Okay. Um, just making sure that we all understood that because I got a little confused. Um, the other thing is, um, I had an idea and I haven't executed it yet of doing, if I'm worried I'm going to say something I'm not going to say, but I've been wanting to do like a si sign on letter with school board members to the legislature about this because they're cutting outdoor school by 20% and lottery proceeds are down I think like.5%. It's like a really dis talk about like cutting kids instead of whatever else they need the lottery funds for. Um, and it's really only been I

122think since it's like 2016 I think that we passed outdoor school for all. It's not even been very long. Um, and so I was thinking about doing like a letter. So I can Am I allowed to circulate a letter for people to sign on to the legislature? Of course she can. Yes, it's not a serial meetings law. You can submit share the letter with your fellow board members and then not have meetings about it, not engage in discussion. Okay, sounds good. All right. Um, I will, um, do something like that and I would love to have anybody who wants to stand up for outdoor school so that we avoid having this hole that we would need to somehow figure out how to fill. Um, I also just wanted to say I think it might be

123a great opportunity for um, the fund for PPS um, to do fundraising to support outdoor school. Um, what if we had families in the district that were willing to help donate money to help keep that program going or make it four and a half days instead of five or four or something because I know raising 665,000 seems like a lot, but um, but I also know how much our school raises at my school and our auction. So, I feel like, you know, maybe we could make it happen. So, I think that might be a good plan if the bill pass, if the lottery bond package passes with that 20% cut. So, that's all. Thank you for the clarification. I will work on getting a letter around and um I hope we can consider creative ways

124to keep that fifth day um next year if we need to. Love it. Director Hollands. Yes. Uh, Director Split and Director Bowers, I'm so glad you guys brought that up. I am 100% um supportive of keeping outdoor school um at 5 days. Um, you know, I I director Bomero said she has her uh soil samples. Um, I still have my hobo stove um from from outdoor school. And you know that is one of the greatest experience that I think our kids get that when you talk with school uh leaders across the country we're we're very uniquely positioned with our outdoor school here. And I think it's that is something that not only our sixth graders, our elementary schools when they get to sixth grade look at look at and really are excited about going um

125but even our high schoolers are proud of it. When you're at graduations, you see them still walking the stage with their outdoor cookie, right? And and that's the pride of PPS, right? as the pride of of Oregon that you know when you have seniors that are graduating with their cookies on their shaw like that is that's huge and to make sure that we are continuing that that tradition that curriculum that leadership skills and all the skills that is possessed by attending outdoor school or going back to volunteer outdoor school I think it's something that we need to fight tooth and nail for and director split I will be happy to line, speak, talk, go down to Salem to talk about that at any time uh you need me to go down there. Um, and I

126will also employ our board and or and new board when they come on to figure out a way to if that does happen, figure out a way to um raise additional 600 and some thousand dollar and I will help with that as well as far as fundraising or whatever needs to be done to make that happen because that is something that is so valuable to our kids and it stays with them from third grade on when they're thinking about going to outdoor school when they see the sixth graders leave for outdoor school, when they see them come back, you know, the elementary school kids see that and all the way up to when they are excited about being a counselor um or a team leader at outdoor school. And so, you know, that is just

127that's something that is Oregon and that's something that we need to continue to um advocate for, fight for, and however way you guys need me, um I'm here to help. That's excellent. I I love outdoor school, too. It was a really great experience for me. And I was in the polar bear club, jumped in the unheated pool four days out of the five um and would do it again. Um and my kids really loved it. And as a single parent, I needed that fifth day uh just to spend time with the other child at home. So, um yeah, I wonder if there's something that the um fund for PPS could um pitch in for just a question. So, I'll just say um I appreciate you drafting a letter. Um but I also think we should

128just mobilize the ranks. So, it was 2016 when ballot measure 99 passed. I was part of it. And I'll just say anytime outdoor school is threatened, like all those wood cookookie people come out of the um myself included. Um come out of the out of the woodwork. Um and I I think it should be just more than a um a letter. I so um I think we can mobilize our our rising sixth graders um their families and um send a real message and regardless of what the legislature does. Um I also think there is a lot of opportunity because um when we were cutting everything else in 2002, this is the one thing that we saved um for our sixth graders. Just speaking to uh Director Holland's comments. Um if you grew up in PPS,

129this is a defining a defining moment in your years at PPS. Do I see Brimmer on the cookie? Brimmer. That was a high school. Uh See, I keep everything. And that's that's my sixth grade one in that picture, too. And I do have my soil samples. Um are we done without Dar School? Because I'm Yeah, just one comment. Um, my daughter just did outdoor school this year and she wishes she could go back. So, it sounds like it's $3.3 million for the full five days. Let's raise 6.6. Make it a full 10 days. No, I'm just kidding. My daughter would love that because she didn't want to come home. Um, it's the first time I've ever heard her say that. So, anyways, um, no. Uh, what was going to say? Yeah, director my words. Yeah.

130So, I'm just going to go on. Sorry. I'm glad everybody got on board at that door school. Um so I had a question about um Indian education and the tribal liaison. So uh in the series of questions I asked about um whether there were any new positions and that was mentioned the tribal liaison. Um the meetings I went to with the Indian parent committee um Dr. Armstrong, you had talked about um sort of how you'd see the that a position because you um recommended it. Um I'm wondering if you could just describe a little bit better because they the parents had described it as something um sort of their vision is something a little bit different than what would be traditionally a tribal leaison. So just for clarity, yeah, thank you. I appreciate the question.

131I actually have my team queued up. So we have Dr. Adams and senior director Watson who are prepared to answer the question and just share a little context about the evolution of um the position from when I first proposed it to where we're at today. Please. Sure. Um good evening again board directors. I'm happy to begin and then Miss Wat Miss Watkins Watson I always want to do that. Only up here only up here um will continue. Um the position has evolved um based on some feedback we've received and um Nicole will be able to speak to that to be a director of tribal relations um based on some feedback we've received from the native and indigenous um community and um Miss Watson can take us through the timeline of where where and how we've

132been engaged so far to talk a little bit about that evolution. Thank you Dr. Adams. Good evening board. Nicole Watson, senior director of family and community engagement. Um so happy to share a little evolution around this role. The role um will be developed based on some some feedback that we've received from our native and indigenous communities. The director specifically will kind of serve as this critical bridge um between the district uh and the tribal nations. Uh to strengthen our relational infrastructure and honor our responsibility to native and indigenous uh communities, students and families. Uh the office of family and community engagement is leading the effort to establish a director of tribal relations um a position in the 2526 school year. Uh the position was first introduced uh in the January 2025 board report from Superintendent

133Armstrong as a part of a broader vision uh to support and to build trust and alignment with native communities. Since then, we have engaged in multiple conversations to refine the purpose of and potential impact of the role. uh specifically on April 10th uh during the Indian education public meeting uh we revisited the proposed position and discussed kind of how it could be complemented with the work of the director of Indian education which is director myrrh I want to shout out her work and the incredible strides that she's taking in community uh and particularly in supporting students with multiple tribal affiliations or multi uh racial identities who may not currently being uh might not currently being served by title six. Uh this conversation continued at our May 21st community conversation uh with the native and indigenous

134community at Jefferson High School where we uh engaged community where they shared really powerful insight and feedback uh aspirations for the role uh aspirations for the position um and uh how this role might operate across departments, our schools and our system. Throughout these engagements, one theme really emerged uh that was really crystal clear that we do have a shared uh desire for PPS to demonstrate uh in action its long-term commitment to native and indigenous students through sustained investment, not only programmatically, but in leadership and in infrastructure. So, I want to also just pause and share my um my genuine support and appreciation for Director Sullivan and attending that community conversation. Um, I also want to flag that while there were diverse uh perspectives on how the role should be defined, uh, the community was really

135consistently clear in expressing the need for PPS to allocate uh, dedicated resources to support all native and indigenous students regardless of tribal enrollment status or access to existing programs. Uh specifically, the director of tribal relations uh is envisioned as a trusted connector, a collaborator uh and a systems level advocate working in partnership with native families and tribal leaders to ensure that students are seen, that they are supported, and that they are empowered throughout their educational journey and experience. Um I also just want to pause and recognize the very real sense of urgency um that often accomp accompanies efforts like these. Uh and yet in our commitment to rebuilding trust with some of our most historically harmed and marginalized communities, I'm also equally proud uh that we are choosing to slow down, that we are intentionally

136making space to listen, to learn uh and to be guided by the voices of native and indigenous families who are generously, keyword generously, uh showing us how to move alongside in allyship with their community. Um, I know the dominant impulse is to often move quickly, especially when our intentions are good, but we recognize the meaningful lasting change requires patience, humility, and a posture of accountability. So, I hope that shares a little bit of some timeline around the role, the evolution of the role. As uh Dr. Armstrong had initially mentioned it in January, we needed to pause to wait to hear from community in April and in May. And we feel ready at this time to proceed. Thank you. I appreciate um the continued listening to the native community because I I think their focus was

137less on the government to government relationships which is what a um tribal liaison would be and more on the native students and the families and how PPS can support um them. So, I appreciate um the continued listening and um hope that they are key to shaping it because if it doesn't serve our native staff and students and their families, then it's um probably not the best use of um the FTE. Um so, thank thank you for that. Um I had a thank you. Um I had a question about uh the or just a clarification on the college and career coordinators. So, all the schools in the question Q&A said they have a college and career coordinator, but I my understanding is that Alliance does not have either. Thank you for your question. I think I'm

138going to invite Dr. John Franco up here to respond to that. He's uh has responded to that in the past, that category of question. So, I'd like to invite him up now. Can I um while we're waiting for Dr. Franco to come down just thank and shout out senior director Watson um for her very careful and intentional listening um at the Indian ed the community meeting. I heard from people that were at the meeting and I heard from also director Sullivan who was um really proud of how Nicole worked with the community and listen and and is a trusted people believe her when when she makes a commitment and I think that's really important in building rebuilding trust and uh solving for those marginalized uh students. Yes, I just ditto what what you said. I

139I was so impressed with her listening skills and really hearing what was being said, not you know, really taking it to heart. Senior Director Watson, we don't she's hiding. Yeah, she's hiding. She's not hearing all this. We we really meaningfully want to say thank you and we've heard from community members and again director Sullivan how uh meaningful that engagement was. Thank you. Do you want me to repeat my question? Yes. Thank you. Sorry. So my question was um so the staffing manual this year um basically said that they wouldn't be staffing the district wouldn't be staffing a career coordinator and in the responses um when I asked like do all schools have a college and career coordinator the answer was yes but my understanding is alliance and MLC don't have that. Yeah. So we staffed

140we allotted um staffing for a 0.5 college coordinator which is a licensed position but gave autonomy to principles to um they could convert that if they wanted to to a 1.0 uh career coordinator if they so desired. So they had that autonomy to do that. Uh MLC is one that they do they do not have that. I think those are pieces that principles work through in order to meet core program on how to utilize their staffing and alliance they don't have it so so I would say alliance and MLC are the two and did they have one when this district provided an FTE for it? They did. They did. Okay. Thank you. Um, while you're up here, the southeast southeast guiding culture schools. So, I asked about this before and um I had asked what

141schools asked for and the the protocol instead of PPS setting aside 10 was that the schools needed to ask for it and that the decision would be made. And when I asked what schools had asked for it, it kind of surprises me because I see them only list of seven schools and it appears that um what got approved was essentially uh three FTE correct but 2.8. So, um, if the this list that has the seven schools, Woodstock, Atinson, Bridger, Kellogg, Woodmir, Lane, and Mount Taber, th those are the only ones who throughout the process asked for additional FTE, the principal. Correct. Those are the requests. Okay. Very specific to SEGC. And if they if like the school community asked, but the principal didn't ask, that that didn't It's there's not a wrong answer. I'm just

142clarifying because like we're getting lots of emails so I'm just like surprised to see the list. Yeah, I'm I'm getting them as well. I will say the emails that I have gotten um I don't know what which ones you've gotten but there's there are ones on this list. So they are ones on this list and so they we did follow um the process where senior directors of schools were involved and principles did request senior directors of schools then went through all the requests and then brought them to an overarching meeting that we had and we've had uh three meetings to date. And um you know the rationale for the schools that weren't given an allocation is they were so close and even beneath the threshold say for class size that we needed to wait until

143the fall. Um but we're still again we're the plan is to to start in August and to meet weekly uh monitoring um enrollment adjustments. So, um, if we got emails from schools that aren't on this list, it's because their principal didn't ask for it, even though school communities asked for it. That's correct. Again, there's not a wrong answer. I'm just wanting to reconcile this. And then I'm going to just ask about Atinson because actually we just had the TSC um chair from that school who had raised this issue of PPS essentially collapsing their neighborhood program which in the past PPS had said that single strand neighborhood programs weren't the thing to do. So it can't be solved within this school. that is that actually we're creating a single strand for Atkinson. Yeah, there request and

144and and so the first thing that we do is to see if there are any level of internal adjustments that could be made and this uh was very specific to the Englishonly strand. Okay. I'm going to follow up after the meeting but because in the past PPS has said they don't they try not to have single strand programs because um there's a whole host of impacts. Um, okay. Thank you for that clarification. So, instead of 10, we've given out three. Yes. 2.8. Okay. Can I ask Can I just ask what single strand means? Is that just one section K through five? And so, we have a bunch of schools that are single strand, right? Correct. Okay. Yeah. So, the I was just curious what the word means. That's all. The issue is like we have

145a lot um and this is specific to Southeast Portland because it's overloaded with focus option schools. This is exactly what the TSC CCC um chair was asking about because it's totally overloaded and so then you get all the parents squeezing into the focus programs and leaving the neighborhood strand. Um we lose 30 kids every we we lose 30 kids from my school to Odyssey. So I know how I know about it. Yeah. Yeah. Um but during the closing of the Lent neighborhood program, there was a whole host of discussion about how it wasn't academically it wasn't good for kids to be have single strands. So we're that create the solution within the school there is creating a single strand. Um my my last question is and then I have just a comment. My last question

146is about the health and welfare trust. So I in February I'd asked about um the contract with um a former administrator who was supporting it. In April I asked for some travel records and again asking about the um ANC consulting which had a consulting contract. Um and then in May I asked for the audit and um today I got today I received the travel information. I'm just it's disappointing that this came like in the middle of the afternoon. I got that even though I asked two months ago the travel documents. um a notice that instead of winding up the contract with the administrator in May, that we actually have signed a new contract with the former administrator that is going to is going to go on. Um and that the audit is not available. And

147we have $111 million that goes into the Health and Welfare Trust. and does it seem like to ask for the audit seems like the bare minimum of love of transparency. Um, so I don't I don't know why we can't get the audit. I I'm looking at you Sharon because you're the person who's been talking to the trust, but it it seems the trust is a separate entity and they get to make that decision. They have we have requested them and they have we have been told no so far and I I believe as I I shared with you we're we're pursuing that with the trust lawyer. So this is not a definitive. We asked promptly when you asked us. So we we put 111 million in. We have PPS administrators on the trust trust board.

148They do they get the audit in in their role with PPS? They get the audit, right? I'm not a trustee. I can only assume that they do, but they have an obligation to the trust. And so we're in this place of trying to navigate between the trust as a separate entity and PPS and trying to meet your request as well with those those competing interests and relative obligations. Yeah. With the amount of money that we spend and the fact that our senior administrators are engaged in the trust from a minimal transparency standpoint, it seems like we we should have access to that because it just raises the question like is there something that some reason why we shouldn't see it? Um, and then the other question I had is and I would ask Sharon Reese

149if she were here, but I'm going to ask you because we were we were she's right there. Okay. Okay. you weren't here earlier. Sorry when I asked. But so you had sent me an email saying that um the contract with a former administrator that we spent a couple hundred,000 with last year that would wind down in would expire in June is what you told me. And then now there's a new contract that started in May for that same Yeah, this is this is actually mine. uh we we were sharing the response and compiling information and so Sharon was the one that sent that back to you but uh the contract you're referring to was um it's it's was for two different purposes. So for the remainder of the current year, it was onboarding myself and

150um three other new finance leaders as we jumped into budget and we jumped into operationalizing um this system which is quite large and complex. And so I had requested that we uh maintain that level of support for the remainder of the current school year. Um, two of us in the finance team are um part of the trust now on the board. We're very new to it um and the operations of it and uh this administrator, former administrator has experience with the trust. And so we asked that that person stay on as an alternate through the end of December. And so that was a requirement for the a new abbreviated contract just for that purpose. and no longer for training and onboarding of our new finance staff. So in February you told me it was that

151the training was going to happen and that was going to expire, but I guess this is a contracting question. It's the same entity. Why wouldn't it be an amendment to the existing? Does it basically it looks like it's just trying to stay looks like it's trying to stay below the level. The scope of work is quite a bit different than what we were asking um those consultants to support us with in the current year and I I agree. I guess it it could have been an amendment, but to me it was a totally different abbreviated. I'll forward the previous correspondence I got because it was this is to do the transition and then we'll be done in in June. Um I do think that was in fact at the time and then we became uh

152involved with the trust and realized that we needed additional support in that area. So that was that was by my request. Okay. Um, do you have anything you want to say? I was I was going to add that another complicating factor is one of our long-term trust members um is resigning as well. So, we continue need to need continue the need for additional um subject matter experts um to serve on the trust. Okay. Um, pardon your closing comments. Yes, closing comments. Do you want do other people can ask your questions so I can do my director to pass? Right. Right back to you. Sorry for the interrupt. I thought there was another question. Okay. Um, I want to say I think we have done as best we could. Um, staffing our schools, staying focused on

153what we would what's what's the main thing, which is our students. Um I'm I have to say that I'm disappointed that the um early slides that we had that laid out the administrative savings whether it was from professional service contracts, travel or um professional development that we had targets and that now there is no specificity. And I feel like when we're cutting 240 to 270 FTE in our um schools that and it that's an overarching but 150 156 FTE in our school uh positions in our schools that we need to be very transparent and the answers that I when I asked for the the details it was like it's not yet determined and the 200,000 in travel savings when I ask like from from what amount. So that we like the school community would know

154at a certain point like hey we're this is like all shared sacrifice that um you know school communities lot lost teachers and um other staff that um are valuable members of their community that the shared sacrifice would also be in these other categories that got highlighted early on. Um, and I'm afraid that like there it's just so vague that it may never happen. Um, because it's not outlined. In the past, we've had some pretty specific, okay, like we're going to have shared sacrifice. These are the contracts that are going to be trimmed or this is amount of travel we have and it's going to go down to this amount and there hasn't been any of that specificity and I'm obviously not going to be here this next year to like ask with about the specificity.

155Um, but I think that's what our school community deserves when we have to make hard cuts. And um I'm also um I'm concerned about um the fact that I've asked for several months for an operational budget for the Center for Black Student Excellence and we we don't have that. If we're anticipating and standing up a program, it's not going to be free and we can't use bond dollars for that. So, the fact that we're adopting the budget um and we there's been no visibility and the the answer the questions say that we got we got some information at the May 19th meeting which we didn't um I think is a a big hole. Um, and I'm also, you know, just going back to I feel like the district we we build trust by doing what

156we say we're going to do. And I feel like we we we're in this budget cycle, we didn't say we didn't do what we said we were going to do for the um Southeast Guiding Coalition schools. And it may seem like, hey, those are just a couple schools, but it was a hu it was a huge process and very traumatizing for a lot of schools. And so when the district said, "We're going to support you by by taking these um specific steps um over the next several years because it's not just a one-year thing that we should, you know, stick to what we said we were going going to do or have some engagement with the community." And I ask about the community engagement early on and it never happened. um which is disappointing because

157if we're going to tell a community we're not going to do something, I think frankly they respect if we show up and say here's why things changed and why we can't do it and that you know didn't that didn't happen. Um so I this is a case where I think there are some pretty significant gaps in how we put the the the school budgeting together. it and how the the transparency to the community with how we're going to spend some of our money. And I'm I'm I'm really concerned the fact that to ask for like a month about just a basic audit, which is a pretty standard thing that um they have refused to give it. I mean, I can only I can only assume they've refused to give it to us because we've asked

158for it. Um and I think that is a pretty concerning governance issue. Yes, they may be separate, but we're sending them, you know, $111 million. So, Director Holland, uh, yes, I just wanted to kind of comment a little bit what the director Brim Edwards was saying. Um you know one one thing that and I've said this before about you know one administration um or one set of board members making promises and commitments that binds other districts I mean other administrations or other boards to u to things um does not lead or lend itself to be very flexible when things come up. you know, when we have one of the most um worst cuts that we've had in current history of having these these type of cuts. um sticking to a commitment or a promise that

159other administrations or other boards made is it's not necessarily fair um to not just to that community but fair to the other communities that you will have to take money from to make sure that that promise or that commitment is is made to. Um so it's not fair on all fronts from the previous folks to the current folks. Um you know and another thing when we talk about um fully transparent I feel that um this administration and this this team where the budget has been very transparent from the beginning. Um there were it was always said there's going to be cuts that have to be made. um there was ample opportunities for board members to um advocate for what they felt should stay and also whether those trade-offs would be. It was one thing to

160tell someone, well, we need you to cut such and such, but then another thing is to say, you know what, if we cut such and such, we can get it from here, we can get it from there. Um and so, and that's as a budget committee, that's on us. That is our responsibility to do that. If you if anyone on the board had a opinion of we need to do this, we need to do that, it's our responsibility to also say and we should take it from here or we should take it from there. Um, as far as the CBSE um goes, this is really fascinating because um I actually went back and looked at the um some of the conversations they had in 2020 about putting this uh center for black excellence on there.

161At no time did I hear about operational costs back then knowing we going to have some. And so it's mindboggling that now we talk about operational cost when that didn't even come up at least in the some of the things that I have researched they didn't come up about what operational goal cost was going to be and so to bring that up now as a as a almost a fail is to see it just seemed really disingenuous because when we whenever whoever brought it up to be put on the bond should at that point talk about as well what is the operational cost that's going to come from the decision that we're making. And this is what happens when we make either emotional or political decisions and not look at all the underlining consequences or

162underlining facts of what this decision is going to impale later on. Anytime we talk about we want to do a bond for school or for or for um improvements, we know that there's maintenance. Same thing that goes with the sports that we allocated 87 or $97 million for. I haven't heard anyone talk about what's the operational cost for those things either. I haven't heard not one board member say you know what we just we just allocated $97 million for sports hubs. No one said anything about well what's the maintenance cost? What's the operational cost? So to to do that on a for this is really disingenuine and I think it's really totally out of line because I haven't heard except for this one piece of thing that's in a bond that anybody talked about operational

163cost members. Yeah. And then we need to finish after your comment. Okay. Great. Um, Director Holland, I think it's completely within the realm of responsibility to ask if we have a major new asset coming online whether we've budgeted for it in the next fiscal year. It's just a we don't have any of those other um items coming on capital items coming online, but if we had a major capital online, I would I would expect it would be in the budget. So my questions that I've been asking have been is it in the budget and where is it? Not any sort of not any sort of oper opposition but it's just I haven't seen it. So it's like if we're not if we didn't budget can can you allow me to finish my statement director Holland.

164So, if we didn't budget for it, that's one thing I've just been asking like we budgeted for it or not and what specifically we budgeted for and I don't think it's an unreasonable question at at all and I don't think it's disingenuous at either because we we do forecast out when we replace a high school we have exist we have existing costs that we're either going to lower or increase and that gets built into our annual operating costs and we have frankly if we have a new asset coming online it makes sense to ask what the operational cost is and it's not just maintenance I mean so that's that's one thing the other thing is um you first of all I I would say when our closing comments that um it's I don't expect to

165have a rebuttal um but since you raised the question about offering other um items as offsets. The professional development, the the contracts, and the travel weren't things that I put on the table. I just asked what the details were. And I've asked for a month and the answer is that's going to be decided later. And I'm just making a statement that I don't think that is adequate when we are making some really specific cuts in our schools and in our staff. And and again, if I were here later on this year, I would be asking the question six months from now, what what are the, you know, $6 million in cuts? What are the $200,000? Do we actually achieve them? But I'm not going to be here now. So, and traditionally, we've outlined what those

166were when we adopted the budget for the for the sake of time. Let me I just want to say one thing and then I'm done. Okay. Thank you. I agree with looking for operational cost and looking what how things are going to cost and I understand that but we have $97 million of athletic hubs come on that's coming that's going to be new assets new capital products that we're going to be bringing on to PPS. I not once ever heard you ask for operational cost for that. I have never once heard you ask for well what is it in the budget or what we're going to be costing for that. That's all I'm saying. If we're going to do it for one, it has to be for everything that we're bringing on. And when they

167come online, I would be asking those questions. You can be sure. Okay, I need to cut this off right here. I appreciate both of you. All right. Um, Director Ben Webers, you bring up some serious concerns that we need to pay attention to. Director Hollands, I'm very thankful that you also are bringing the perspective that we also need to consider. Um, you bring perspective to this. So, thank you both. I think you both add good points. For the sake of time, we do need to move on. Um, I would like to ask if there are f further questions that may or may not sorry if there are further questions that may affect your vote on this, we can ask that now. But, um, otherwise, uh, I think a follow-up email or to staff would be

168more appropriate in terms of, uh, tonight's agenda. So, are there any other comments tonight that or sorry, questions that would affect your decision? All right, I don't see any. Um, do we have any public comment? Yes, we have Aaron Frasier, Samantha Thomas, and Anna Federeno. Thank you, Chief Morrison. I really appreciate uh your time answering the questions. you've been here before, so I assume you you already know all the rules, guidelines, and everything, correct? Yes. Thank you. Aaron Frasier, uh, executive director of the Center for Black Excellence. Um, and while I did not realize that my commentary would be quite so timely, I'm very glad to be able to give it in response to the discussion that just arose. I think a key factor that I would like to bring up here and thank you

169all for, in fact, is the inclusion of real programming dollars in this budget for the Center for Black Student Excellence. As you all well know, the Center for Black Student Excellence has been without consistent leadership within this district for, I'm sure, a myriad number of reasons for many, many years. that even in this very tight fiscal fiscal scenario that you all are facing, you have committed to making to ensuring that there is a director for the Center for Black Student Excellence who can in in their everyday work be committed to answering those questions that will in fact have to be answered as we move further into this process is commendable and I would say actually suggests a commitment to making sure that you can do this work thoroughly and in alignment with board and community

170goals. Uh in addition to that piece, I'd also just remind this board that um this is a fiscal year 2025 to 2026 budget. And at least as far as I know, there is no physical center yet. If you would like to announce one, you all know that you are very much so invited and encouraged to do so by June 24th. And as I understand it, you've been making progress towards that goal. But for this year, I don't know that we are actually in a particular position to be describing what programmatic budget would be related to it that isn't covered by bond dollars because the bond will cover community engagement related to the center. It will cover the design of the center and it will cover uh really any other aspects that I think anyone can

171reasonably expect us to get to by June of 2026. If you all beat that goal, uh, kudos. But I do not I do not think that that is really the plan that the district currently has. So, thank you for your time. Thank you for your commitment. I hope to see it continued. Thank you. Thank you. There's no one else for public comment. Correct. All right. Uh the board will now vote on resolution 7121 imposed taxes and adoption of the 202526 budget for school district number 1J, Maloma County, Oregon. All in favor, please indicate by saying yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. All opposed. Yes. Did you mean did you mean to vote yes on that or no? Whichever one. Yes. No, Gary. Just no. Whatever. No. Is that it? No. Director Green. I didn't hear your

172vote. I'm sorry. I was a yes, but now I feel like I should be a no, but it I'm Yes. Good. Thank you. I'm a yes as well. All right. Resolution 7121 is approved by a vote of 5 to2. Thank you. Right now that we can turn the page on that very thorough long process. Thank you for everyone involved. Um it was very informative and again I learned a lot this year. All right. Uh we are next uh next we're moving on to the superintendent evaluation. Uh as board members one of our chief responsibilities is to hire and evaluate the superintendent. Uh, last Thursday marked the one-year anniversary of when board the board of education authorized and approved Dr. Armstrong to serve as superintendent of Portland public schools. So, thank you. Uh, following that decision,

173the board approved an evaluation template uh that would then use this year to evaluate Superintendent Armstrong. Throughout the year, we we received performance data on the board goals as well as post-secondary readiness indicators. Additionally, we had opportunities to meet with Dr. Armstrong for quarterly check-ins on the board goals. Since this is her first year, the focus of her evaluations on the core competencies that came directly from the criteria that the community proposed for the superintendent when we were looking for a new leader. Uh we worked with a retired superintendent uh with over 30 years of experience to gather feedback from each of us who then crafted an evaluation based on the information uh he collected from the board. Last night we had an opportunity to present the Dr. Armstrong with her evaluation and to hear

174from her her reflections for the year. Dr. Armstrong, is there anything else you would like to add? Well, just to say that I began my interview process with a a tagline, together we rise and it has been a a um a line that has carried us through this year and the work in which me and the team has organized around and I just want to emphasize that the rise uh that we hope to see is our forward progress on our students academic achievement. It's the completion of the Albina projects and it is making sure that all of our facilities are safe and um restored, renovated, renewed with the ability to heat and cool when it needs to. And so I just so appreciate not only my board team for leaning in and um investing in

175me and being on this journey, but also my district team in the back who is hanging in after a very long long school year and week and day. And so just want to express appreciation for both of the teams that I have the pleasure of um working alongside. That's all. Thank you. Do I have a motion and a second to adopt resolution 7122, superintendent's performance evaluation 202425? So moved. Thank you. Uh, director Deass moves and director Brim Edwards seconds the adoption of resolution 7122. Uh, board discussion. I just want to start off by saying thank you so much. I've really appreciated the um 100 days, the 59 days, the 69 days, the countdown. Um I've heard from all parts of the district um the appreciation for your authenticity um your willingness to dig in um

176to adopt uh start working in an organization where you inherited some challenges and have faced them u straight on. Um you've put together a really uh strong team. I mean, they're here tonight at, you know, almost 9:00 at night, um, supporting you and, um, I don't expect anything but for you to continue rising and, um, putting your mark on this community in this district. Um, really happy to vote in favor of this and really have appreciated the, uh, the process that we went through to hire someone to compile those responses for us. I think that was a really smart move on our part. Um, I'll thank myself for that and and Director Wong um for figuring out a way to move the process so we could come to some kind of a consensus even if

177we don't all necessarily agree. But this is mostly just to say um thank you. I have very high hopes and high expectations for your future path here. Really excited to welcome you um back into this community and um am here to work with you to get the work done that needs to be done. Thank you. [Applause] I'll just pretty much ditto what you said, but uh it's been a pleasure working with you and pleasure not a pleasure working with the budget at all, but um if I had to work with the budget with anybody, it would be you, I guess, because I think you're really honest about it. Um, I have great hopes that that we're going, you know, maybe just keep surviving since the money is so short, but surviving the very best we

178can and hoping um that somehow we get supported in the way we should be supported, that all the schools get supported in the way they should be supported. And if we have to go through a hard time, I think you're a good one to go through it with because you don't say, "Oh, like I'm saying, I just wish we had more money to do what we wanted." You sort of say, "We don't have it, so we're going to make the best we can with what we have." And I really appreciate that about you. Thank you both of you. Well said. uh could repeat ditto for both those. Uh is there any uh sorry director Holland? Yeah, I just want to um just take a moment, you know, just to lift up and give deep praise

179to you um Dr. Armstrong. You know, your leadership, you know, has brought something this district desperately needed, not just direction, but restoration. Um you stepped into it. you stepped into in a in a moment of uncertainty and brought calm confidence and care. Um, but even more than that, you brought excellence, black woman excellence. You know, to see you lead as a black woman with such integrity, intelligence, and strength in this role. It matters. It matters to our students. It matters to our families, and it matters to this community. You carry this work with grace and grit, knowing the weight that comes with being the first or the only. And you still walk boldly and grounded in your purpose. You show up for our kids, especially those often left behind. You listen to this community you

180have gone that have gone unheard. You lead with your heart and you don't flinch from hard truth. It's not just leadership. It's legacy work. Thank you for showing our students, especially our young black girls, what's possible. Thank you for leading this district with courage and compassion. And thank you for reminding all of us what it looks like when excellence and equity walk hand in hand. You forever have support and my deepest respect. Thank you so much. [Applause] Well said. I don't I just don't want to not say anything that be red is anything. I just want to say thank you so much and ditto to what everyone else is saying. Um I think what I especially appreciate is um a a commitment to problem solving and getting in there getting your hands dirty and like

181figuring things out. Really look forward to getting down and figuring things out with you over the next couple of years. Um so really grateful. uh didn't have a beautiful eloquent speech, but I will say that. All right. Thank you. Um I can't say anything better than what's been said before. I just going to add that I'm super impressed that in your first year, you learned so quickly to uh to fill this role, which is a very difficult and huge role. And I'm very excited to uh see what you're doing for year two. So, thank you. All right. Uh, Miss Bradshaw, is there public comment? No. All right. The board will vote now vote on resolution 7122, superintendent performance evaluation 2024 2025. All in favor, please indicate by saying yes. Yes. Absentions. Resolution 7122 is approved

182by a vote of seven to zero with Sorry, I keep calling on. Get better, JJ. have it. Thank you. Finish that. Your finals for year one is done. Get a summer break and we move to year two. Uh next we have an update on the Jefferson enrollment strategy. Dr. Armstrong, I hand this off to you. Yeah, perfect. Thank you. So, I've been excited to begin discussion on this. So, as you all know that in December 2022, you all directed the superintendent to initiate a process to develop a plan to increase student enrollment at Jefferson High School by the start of 2627 school year. And tonight, I want to share our initial thoughts and begin this conversation. So, I have a team John Franco and others will introduce themselves as they speak. But um we definitely

183are excited to begin this discussion with you all tonight. So we'll we'll call up the slides and then um while we're pulling up the slides, I guess I can say we have Dr. Adams and we have uh Dr. Calbertt and um Chief Gross. Thank you all for being here. So the purpose I'm just going to take this opening um as I mentioned before um this is what we consider the first strategic discussion about potential solutions to stabilize um the growth at Jefferson High School and enrollment. Um, right. And so we're here today to align on bold forward uh looking solutions for Jefferson High School's future enrollment. And while Jefferson has long held the promise of being a premier academic hub in North Portland with a middle college program and expanded choice through dual assignment, these

184e these efforts haven't fully delivered on equity, stability, and strong identity. And so as a result of that, enrollment remains low. And so, um, I just want to make sure that I'm clear that we still believe that Jefferson, um, is that premier academic hub. Uh, what we're noticing is the impact of the dual assignment, which is what's preventing the, um, ability to deliver on the equity, stability, and strong identity. So, I just want to be clear in that. And so the dual assignment model has unintentionally fragmented the student body and at the same time we're investing near nearly right half a billion in a once- in a generation modernization of the campus. And so this is our strategic inflection point and it's our moment to realign on vision, investment and student experience. And so this

185opportunity is a responsibility to re-establish Jefferson as a strong highdemand neighborhood school rooted in community culture and excellence. So I'm going to have the team walk through some data points and bring some context and timelines into the conversation and then we'll have uh I'll have a prompt a question at the end to open up the discussion. But at this time I will turn it over to Chief Franco. Yes, thank you, Dr. Armstrong. So, for more for more than a decade, PPS has operated a dual assignment procedure for Jefferson High School, allowing students to choose between Jefferson and neighboring high schools, in this case, McDaniel, Grant, and Roosevelt. The overall intent of this resolution was to offer flexibility. However, this has led, as Dr. Armstrong has stated, to underenrollment and Jefferson at Jefferson and overcrowding as

186well at other high schools. Board resolution 4358 was enacted in December of 2022 and directed the district to resolve Jefferson's student assignment structure by 2027 aligned with the modernization of Jefferson. In response to this resolution, PPS proposes a community dialogue to begin in the fall of 2025 to consider sunsetting dual assignment in reestablishing Jefferson as a comprehensive neighborhood high school, ensuring equitable access, enrollment clarity, and long-term stability for students and schools. What you are seeing here is the published modernization schedule uh in regards to Jefferson High School. So in spring of 2025 um design and documentation the fall of 2025 through the fall of 2026 was land use and permitting spring 2026 through the winter of 2627 field improvements. Fall of 2027 to the spring of 2029 is construction. Fall of 2029 student staff have

187a new building. Fall of 2029 through fall of 2030. The work continues. Track and field football is completed. And I will note as that Dr. Armstrong is going to interrupt. There you go. I warned him from this and I think um I've shared with the team. I know I've been in conversation with the office of school modernization. I'm struggling with the timeline and I want the board to know that we're accessing um and calling on some additional resources to see how we might speed up the timeline and make some adjustments because uh we're while this is what's established and communicated now, uh we're very hopeful that this timeline will be accelerated in enough in a way that opens Jefferson a lot sooner. So, I just wanted to verbalize that as I've said it in many

188spaces and that's our commitment and that Jefferson will be the first high school that opens out of these three modernization projects. So, whatever we need to do to make sure that happens. Thank you. Yeah, I had questions about the timeline. I'll hold them till later. Well, we're we're we're pushing to see how soon we can be. Um, so maybe even sooner, but I don't want to get ahead of myself, but there are some active plans underway and some resources that we're going to utilize. Director Holland. Yeah, just in response to the timeline, I'm just curious on why are we starting with the athletic field versus the building first? That's one of the things that that I'm exploring. I know that this was the um initial plan and so like I said I I don't want

189to get ahead of ahead of myself but um these are some things that we're going to look at because um we know that getting this building open for the livelihood and and also for enrollment to be able to thrive in the way that it needs to. We know that that building um our building needs to be open um modernized uh and then opened as soon as possible. So, we're exploring that whole all parts of this timeline. Um, even with the arrangement of what goes first. Okay. I it would just be my recommendation. I won't be here for for all of that. But, you know, when we when you put academics and athletics against each other and you put AC athletic stuff first, it sends a message. It sends a message that you know I don't

190know what other school that we have done that we made athletics first in designing and or building and to have Jefferson which is a predominantly black school to have athletic stuff goes first I I really question what kind of message that sends and those who make that decision you know what what their thought process was as far as putting athletics over academics. Director Hollands, I have that same question. Um, and I've had that question ever since we were talking about rehabilitating the old building. Um, that there seemed to be an emphasis on athletics when it does send a very strong message about the importance of the academics particularly in that school. So, thank you for bringing that up. Thank you. Um, thank you Dr. Franco. Thank you, board directors. Um, resolution. Let's start looking at

191some data. Resolution 4394 established that eighth grade students could choose either Jefferson or another high school based on their home address. So, we wanted to show what those numbers look like in terms of data. The table you see before you shows school enrollment and of the school enrollment, the number of students who are dual assignment students. For example, if we look at the grant row, of the over 2100 students attending grant, nearly 700 of them are dual assignment students. Similarly, of the of the 5700 students enrolled across these four campuses, 1,700 or 30% are dual assignment students. I'll give you a moment to just look at that. And I think this is a great moment to even pause and make sure that we the the board is clear on the dual assignment and what that

192means. Okay, we can say it very explicitly though. It means that if Jefferson So yes, you can choose almost any other school to go to and Benson's included in there too, but it's not shown on the slide because it's a lottery option. But basically, if you buy a house in that area, you can choose to send your students almost anywhere else besides Jefferson. So, quick quick question. So, if this if Jefferson was a regular neighborhood high school Yeah. Hold on. Let Let Director Director H. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't see her talking. I'm sorry. Um, I'll call you next. Just clarifying. It's not that you can go to any school. You either can go to Jefferson or McDaniel or Jefferson or Roosevelt or Jefferson or Grant. It's dual. Not you can choose any of

193them. True. Correct. Director Holland. Yes. I just want to make sure I'm I'm clear because this is this is really great information. Um I want to make sure I'm clear. So you're saying if if Jefferson was a regular neighborhood high school, they could roughly have around 1739 kids going to Jefferson. That is possible. Yes. Wow. Okay. As we go to the next slide, we're showing you the dual assignment zones and the high school students who reside in each of those zones. These two maps have been made have been made available for board directors tonight in printed format and enlarged for ease of um introducing the data to you. Each dot on the map represents a high school age student. These maps show high school students by dual assignment zone in two ways. On the left

194are the all the high school age students by program of study or chosen school within the dual assignment zone. A key point about this map is that students are choosing Jefferson at a much lower rate as shown on the table below the map. Next, the map on the right shows these same students but by race and ethnicity. Key points here are one to director Deass's um point earlier about 650 high schoolers attend PPS schools other than Jefferson or their dual assignment choice many at Benson and two black students choose Jefferson at a higher rate than other schools while white students are much more likely to attend their comprehensive option. So, um, you know how I love talking about enrollment and projections. This slide shows historical and projected enrollment for the dual assignment high schools. Historical

195and present enrollment is shown by a solid line with future projections of enrollment shown by the dotted lines. All all of these comprehensive high schools have been modernized. So you'll see sort of after you can tell when they were modernized because afterwards there was a slight or a big enrollment surge after construction construction ended. The average modernized capacity is 750 students and we expect that Jefferson could also see a surge beginning in 2029 which is the original completion date that we know we're trying to accelerate. um at Dr. Armstrong's behest. Um but it would still be without any um adjustments to dual assignment, it would still be well below the modernized school capacity. Next, I'll um share the mic with Chief Gross. Yes. Uh good evening, board of directors. Uh Candace Gross, chief of communications.

196So um of course, we can't talk about enrollment without talking about marketing and engagement. Um and so this slide is just to show you the work that's already being done in this space. Um right now strategies in motion. So this is not a wait andsee approach. Um our goal is clear and it's just to increase enrollment at Jefferson with deliberable um deliberate and measurable steps. Um so the first thing we're doing is we want to make sure we're leading with the facts. And so earlier this spring we launched an in-depth analysis of eno of enrollment trends. We've identified patterns uh pain points and leverage areas to guide our next move. Um we've been in several conversations and in weekly meetings uh regarding all the data that uh Dr. Adams has shared with us. Um our

197messaging is already being built um as we speak. So there's a customized Jefferson marketing toolkit that's in development as a part of a two-tier campaign strategy. Um we're doing a a uh I call it global enterprise level but at the district level there is a marketing campaign um that's being launched this fall called legacies are made at PPS which sets the tone but then there are localized uh campaigns um particularly uh for different schools and it's called opportunity in your community it positions Jefferson as a school of value revolence and pride um and so the toolkit for Jefferson will equip uh the school the staff partner um the staff and partners with focused messaging um tailored to the uh values of Jefferson. Um and so actually at the end of this week I'll be doing

198a walkthrough of Jefferson with the principal just to get more to calibrate uh more about what makes Jefferson a great school to to the to the team's point earlier. Um it's not just about athletics, right? And so there's so many great things that we want to market about Jefferson. And so I'll be there this week to just really have a full comprehensive look at that so that that toolkit can be done uh with intention. Um and so visibility will not be optional. Uh this fall uh I want to roll out uh a media campaign. And so uh putting Jefferson um in the front line of families and and digitally uh physically and through trusted uh community messaging. And so I'll uh turn it over to my colleague to finish with that. Uh if we can

199go back just for one second, Dr. uh Franco, I think you're driving. Thank you. Um good evening uh board of directors, Margaret Calbertt, uh assistant superintendent. Um so part of what uh just in highlighting on this slide, there's a marketing communication and engagement efforts that are ongoing right now at the top and down below there's going to be a dual assignment community dialogue. The key with this is that we're doing this these two pieces are going to be fully integrated. Um, we're co-hosting events with partners to meet families where they are. This includes in-person conversations, school visits, and real-time feedback loops. In addition, I just want to highlight the alignment is very intentional. Every message, every effort is aligned with a dual assignment transition. We're not running disconnected campaigns. This is one unified effort. Uh,

200a recommendation is coming. And you'll see in winter of 2026, the board will receive a clear databack enrollment recommendation tied to outreach results, campaign impact, and community input with, as you can see, the goal to strengthen enrollment at Jefferson during modernization and ensure long-term robust enrollment. In concert with enrollment efforts just discussed, we'll also engage the community in conversations about dual assignment, which as we mentioned impacts Jefferson High School, Middle College for Advanced Studies, as well as neighboring comprehensive schools, Roosevelt grants, and McDaniel. We are formally beginning this process with you tonight. As we move through the summer, we'll build out a detailed um plan for engagement to be ready by the time students return in the fall. The first phase review and initiate is what we're starting today uh which will ground our work

201in our current context including how we got here um and and looking at the enrollment numbers that Dr. Adams has shared. Then we will quickly move to initiate the engagement process. The second phase will be to engage with community members including families, staff and community partners um and students, excuse me. I um don't want to miss the students um to develop scenarios and prepare for the final phase which is to study and recommend. We will ask for feedback on pro potential scenarios that will shape a recommendation to bring back to the board uh this early this winter. Um key is the um uh key to this process will be public meetings and a guided advisory committee all focused on putting us on a path not only to increasing enrollment at Jefferson but as Dr. Franco

202mentioned earlier to equitable access enrollment clarity and long-term stability for students and schools. So as we prepare to turn over to you all for active discussion, um one number that I want to share with you is right now the rising as of today the rising ninth graders, meaning the current eighth graders who have committed to Jefferson High School, that number is 87 students. And so we're moving and bringing this forth with some urgency, right? um we cannot allow for our students not to access Jefferson High School or to see those numbers um dip off in a way that um programming and uh resources are compromised. And so that's our urgency in this conversation of like why now and in June. And so as we continue to explore ways to increase enrollment um including the suns

203setting of the dual assignment resolution, what other information do you all have and um what will be helpful as we begin this this conversation and community engagement strategy? How can I help? Yeah, I have some um ideas if um unless anybody wants to go first. Um I'll just they're just mostly comments. I I think you answered one of them. One of them was why are we doing this now and not you know closer to 2029 and I think I understand that there's an urgency around it because of the incoming rising uh 9th graders are really low and we need to boost that number. Um, yeah, just to point out, I know that we may have talked numbers, but the enrollment at Jefferson, um, right now is 449 students, right? Overall, um, if anybody's gone by

204the field though, uh, just south of the school, there's some great, um, like visual, you know, what do I want to do when I grow up kind of thing. It's really cool to see. I I was just there the other day walking by on my daily walk. Um, I would encourage in terms of community engagement to contact the alumni and I mean there's probably people in the room if you're black you probably went to Jefferson. Um, you know, contact the alumni association u especially Richard Hunter because he is and Lita Elliot. There are some people in the in the community that are that love Jefferson and would be happy to help out any way they can. Um, I would encourage also a partnership with the realtors. And I say that kind of very seriously, but

205um, this neighborhood has a history of gentrification. It's got uh, you know, for six decades now. Um, and part of that undoing of this community had to do with the realtor, the realy board. They were party to the uh, displacement of hundreds of black people. In fact, last week, city council awarded $8.5 million to uh displaced residents in Albina. Now, it wasn't everybody, but that was the 26 people that had been displaced. And I was very, very proud of Commissioner Smith in that moment. Um, and the entire council. Um, but encourage partnership with our corporations, our realtors, our banks to let them know this is a great school. Um, it's a it's where if you buy a house in the neighborhood, you want to send your your students. Um, and I just want to make

206sure that we get it right. Um, I want to make sure that the engagement goes well, that um I have high hopes for the for the campaign and I'm really looking forward to it. I anything I can do to help um I'm I'm here to help um do that and I'm hoping anybody that's watching, all 11 people watching, that they're willing to help, too. because I think it's going to take more than just one person to get us over the finish line. So, let's start talking about what a great school it is, highlight alumni, work with our corporate partners, and you know, get the message out that this is a great school. Thank you. Thank you. Oh, yeah. Director Split. Well, I know you like to go last. I don't like to go, but yeah.

207So, I feel like this is what I'm here for. Not just Jefferson specifically, but like this is the kind of thing that really excites me because I think it's what moves the needle on equity. Um, I moved to um when I bought a h I bought a house in Woodlon, um it's where my husband and I first lived and had we not immediately realized having an hour plus commute from Salem for my husband was not going to work with having children. But I we moved right by Woodlon School, it was our intention to go to school there. And I like that's when I leaned in on PPS. Like when I was like, "My kids are gonna go to Woodlon. My kids are going to go to Jefferson. This is like my future." And then of

208course my husband was coming home with like vein popping because the traffic was so bad. And we had like a four-month old and we were like we can't we have to move southwest. So, I'm like, I just want you to know that this was like my neighborhood and like I have a lot of like connection and really feel strongly that we have to make changes um that are going to rock the boat and that are going to upset particularly white affluent parents. Um, and I'm here for making those choices and dealing with the ramifications and it's not just going to be about this school. So, I just kind of want to like name that and say it's going to be tough and we're going to hear a lot from people that are saying no way

209this is going to affect my child in a way that I'm not comfortable with. And I'm going to be here every step of the way to say get uncomfortable. Like this is equity. If you have a Black Lives Matter sign in your front yard or ever had one, then you're going to have to make this switch with us. So, I'm just going to kind of name that and like set that right to begin with. I also feel like I'm going to say a bunch here and if anything um lands wrong um please let me know afterwards. I want to um just name that sometimes talking as an affluent white woman myself I might not come across how I'm meaning to. Um so uh so a couple of things on my mind. Um in addition to

210like not letting affluent parents stop us from doing this um I want to name that we've heard about some quick fixes that could be done now. Um, those of us that went and heard from students at the student summit that JJ organized, there were a couple Jefferson students that talked about lunch being too short, um, the lunch lines being a problem, the food being a problem. There's a situation that might require an exterminator this summer. like let's get that stuff tight um this summer while we can so that those stories aren't the ones that we're hearing as schoolboard members when we hear from students because those students are going to talk to their younger siblings and their cousins and their friends and that's what they're going to hear. Um so I think listening to students

211and making quick fixes um I think might be a an interesting first approach. Um it's going to be really hard asking people to come for construction. So I also was just thinking in my mind about like well how could we do it in a way where like we acknowledge that and consider like maybe a tiered approach. Um for example um like I said we were we were in Woodlon and I just remember being like you want my kids to go to Roosevelt like that's really really far away like maybe like a 40-minute bus ride or something. It just didn't make any sense. So, I think maybe considering starting with like a catchment area that actually like it's extremely convenient to go to Jefferson might be interesting to think about because it's very inconvenient to go

212to McDaniel, Roosevelt, or Grant if you're like living pretty close to Jefferson. So, I'll just put an openness to not necessarily um uh do something all the way um figuring out a way that we can um try to balance like preferability. That's not probably a word. Um with kind of the desire over over the long haul to make the big change. Um, I've heard this idea in emails, but I'm not sure if it's actually happening or on the radar. But my understanding is either there should be, according to my emails, or there is a process by which black students anywhere in court PPS can request to go to Jefferson. Is that right? And if not, could we also consider Okay, cool. Consider and my understand and then maybe even from outside the district because I

213think there's probably plenty. Okay, perfect. So, I think we should take advantage of that and um you know, the marketing approach that we come up with, I'd love for it to consider because I feel like when I think about like I know Lita, too, and like the way that woman feels about her school and how it's wrapped up in her identity as a black Portlander, I think is just so powerful. Um, so I just from my limited perspective that seems worth worth considering how we can also reach out to those folks. Um, on the public engagement strategy, I'd recommend either public meetings or somebody from the district coming to each elementary school and each middle school that's in the dual assignment area. Um, I also heard from the Irvington PTA who are really forward thinking.

214um whenever I talk to them um they have a lot of really interesting things to say like they've been like should we have two underenrolled elementary schools right next door to each other um maybe not like that kind of stuff which I really feel like you don't hear um hear from everybody um and they wrote to just let me know and I think this is right that there are a lot of underenrolled or like in unequally enrolled middle schools and elementary schools in that area and while we're having this conversation maybe be open-minded about that dynamic um while we're having these conversations with people about the Jefferson change hearing and being open to ideas on other schools in the area. Um, finally, the idea that I have, um, that I've thought about since literally my

215children were not even born yet and I lived in Woodlon and thought that they would be going to Jefferson someday is, um, how do you get those educators that have been teaching for 20 years and are the, you know, the the and like you look at like the tenure of the teacher tenure currently at Jefferson, it's it's lower than it is for other comprehensive schools, right? So, how do we flip that? How do we get some of those tenur teachers to come over and they'll become and so I think really like I I hope Angela hears this, but I think like PAT the Portland Association of Teachers talk about equity and like I really think working with them to come up with a plan or like an idea or something together to figure out how

216we get um diverse teachers would be amazing, but any teachers that are excellent and experienced and how do we get them to move to Jefferson and be part of this sea change? And I know I just talked a lot, but truly I've been thinking about this for 11 years. And um I'm just really excited that we're doing this and I'm here for it. I want to be supportive and most of all want to listen to you all and also to the community um of neighbors around that area and also to um black Portlanders who really value and treasure Jefferson. And I will have my own ideas, but will also be happy to sit on the bench and not um and not use those ideas when they're not what the community wants. Thank you. Thank you.

217Um I share director splits enthusiasm. So you know um I I just want to uh highlight a couple things. It's not really suggestions or ideas. Um but maybe just for us uh it is an equity issue. I mean we need to make sure that our students at Jefferson are getting a full comprehensive and all the rich opportunities that every other high school go gets. Um that is the right thing to do. Uh the other thing I also want to be also be wary about is um I know you mentioned tiered system but that does bring a little concern because what we do at Jefferson is also going to impact other high schools as well in terms of um their enrollment and also the changes that happen. It's it's better to just do one change, right?

218Instead of having some families have to go through two changes. Um you know these are again lessons learned during the SEGC process. We want we want to make sure that um we always take in account the fact that impact you know spreads like a wave in a pond right it it goes to hits other schools other families too um so doing this once doing it right uh is what I would be pushing for and soon so thank you for putting this forward before us and um like So I'm just start the quick question. I was um it wasn't clear to me on the timing of when you're thinking about the switch because we have this even even with a compressed timeline. There seemed to be a gap between 2026 and 2029 of like when it

219would be implemented implemented. And I know this it's just a um it's not for certain but like are you thinking about doing it now? When I say now like after the engagement process like in the next year versus because originally when the amendment was offered is like and of course so much has happened since then but it was like and would we need to do it before the new high school opens. Um and that was when it was going to open earlier. So I'm curious because Yeah. Yeah. You know, I appreciate the question. As I've um said in in many other spaces, I think anytime we're talking about boundaries, enrollment, or even school closures, it's a community conversation. And so, we really want to spend this summer and the fall getting into spaces and talking

220about the impacts, movement, timeline, and potential unintended consequences. My hope is that we bring before the board uh some recommendations and that recommendation will either be to begin the transition of one grade um to start accessing um Jefferson in the 26 27 year. It could be 2728. I mean obviously it's something that the board would you know need to approve and take action on. But we want to bring a recommendation that um really continues to u make some movement in the enrollment at Jefferson. So we'll be able to see the results of the enrollment campaign and we know you know as of now the 80s something students that are um confirmed to attend. We also have a rising um eighth grade class, current seventh graders for another couple of days who if there's an opportunity

221to get as many of those students into Jefferson, we want to take that. But it's a community conversation and we want to go at the speed that's appropriate so that, you know, we're being thoughtful in our approach and with urgency, I think, you know, with the numbers. Great. Thanks. That's helpful. So, um I'm just going to speak as a former PPS uh student uh who went to Washington. Um I will just start by saying Jefferson is resilient. Um because um I'm thinking back in the in this late 70s and 80s when enrollment across the district was dropping and I went to one of those high schools that like students weren't choice choosing to go to although it was there wasn't dual enrollment and um you know just What happens when enrollment drops? It then spreads

222like the word spreads amongst parents. You have fewer programs and um it's it's hard to reverse. But I will I will say Jefferson so when it first got on the board in 2000, they just gone through reconstitution which if people don't know what that is, it's basically replacing the entire staff. This was part of the federal thing, the entire staff. So that happened to um Humbult and Jefferson. So imagine that your entire staff switched out. The students stayed. Wow. And then through No Child Left Behind, they had adequate yearly progress. And if you weren't making adequately yearly progress, the federal government said, I forget like in year two, um, you had to you had to open up transfers to anywhere else and you had to provide transportation and like it got escalating worse and worse

223and which is why eventually we split the schools because it basically started the clock again and then fortunately the whole thing went away. But every student at Jefferson has chosen Jefferson which I think is a a testament to this the school. So, I think we should like hold on like they're resilient and I actually I mean I think there's I think we should tap the alums because I think they're like the most powerful force and I think like Lenzo, Marshall Haskins, I mean we have people in this district who um you know will will bleed for for for for Jeff. Um, so I think we should, you know, like marshall them as a as a resource. Um, I I have a little less I had a different reaction about the athletics fields. It was like,

224huh, that's interesting. And then I thought, well, Cleveland would die for that, right? I'm pointing um just to get something going. And I guess I would say I think it should be considered. And also because here's what I would say. If we, this is why I started with asking about the timing because it's very different to ask students to be like, hey, we're going to take away dual assignment and we're going to send you a brand new school versus we're taking away dual assignment and instead of having the option to go to a new school, you're going to go to the one school that hasn't been redone. And I think just think it's a harder cell. And so I do think athletics and music and dance are things that are selling points. And um I

225mean just refreshing and asking students what it is that would make the experience better. When we before we opened the Jefferson field when we re redid it in that beautiful blue the one thing the students said they wanted for the grand opening all these other schools had like we want fireworks and like the helicopter bringing the football in. They said, "We want the barb wire taken around the top of the fence." Margaret, you were there. That's the one thing they want that we're the only school that has barb wire encircling us in. Um, so I like I would ask the students like what would make things different. And again, it's not all about athletics. It could be one thing to give students like, "Hey, you're going to go here and like we've got this amazing

226dance program. We've got great athletics. We've got CTE." I mean the the relationship with you know the middle college with PCC I mean you know I think it's it's a cell to the middle schoolers and one thing that PPS has changed in the last 10 years is we started middle middle school athletics and I'll tell you what happened in Franklin and and Cleveland neighborhoods is previously you had like informal wreck leagues where the parents could pay for a coach and get reserved of gym time they or like West Silvin, they had like you know six teams of sixth grade boys playing basketball and like Hosford where my kids had they had one team and then when we got middle school athletics where the district paid for it all of a sudden if you went to

227say Mount Taber Middle School you were playing on the Franklin like middle school team. So it gave this sense of like hey we're on our way to this high school. really connected our students, our middle school students who were involved in athletics and middle school athletics isn't necessarily competitive. It's like there's a lot of recreational. So, it gave a lot of students an opportunity to get connected into their cluster. And I think there's an opportunity to do this here now. But if it's like, hey, you could go play for the Grant team, you know, middle school rising team or we get you in the Jeff team. You create friendships and um and again, not just athletics, but I think doing this with like music programs. Um I think gets kids in cohorts of like, hey,

228we're all going together. Um I mean, that's what I did when I went to Washington. and I was like, "Oh, a lot of my kids in my neighborhood like decided like we're getting out of Washington because that's a school on decline." Um, but when you create a cohort, then you're all like in it together. So, I think about how we create cohorts of middle school students who see their future and that there's opportunity and they don't have to go to the other schools to get it. And then, um, we we have returned to Albina already, which is a part of our policy that if you can um establish it. Hasn't I don't think been well I don't want to say how it's I don't know how it's been marketed but like we haven't had a

229lot of students utilize it. So like how do we share that because like literally that was my first board meeting in 2017 where Lenzo and Tony and Ronnie all came and said we want you to do this and we did it. So do you have you were starting to say like do you have to prove some connection to having family who's lived in Albina before? Or maybe we go to that part. But anyway, sorry. There is something in policy. We get it for you, but you you can um and then my uh my last thing and this is just in the release valve for boys going that didn't want to go to Washington was going to Benson. And this is a hard conversation as well because Benson is beautiful. Um there needs to be thought

230about how Benson impacts that because even if you change the no dual enrollment um where there's there's not dual enrollment anymore, there still is hundreds of seats um at a pretty amazing high school. And obviously we want that to be an opportunity for students across the district, but it will just be a factor and that needs to be considered among all this. CT is for some students. If it is like Benson's a great place to go, we got to make Jefferson a great place to go as well. So that's So I just wanted to comment on um two comments that I heard about the idea of Jefferson when the ribbon has been cut and the doors open and it's fully restored. having then the boundaries be in a way in which students are like returning

231and invited in. I think the concern right and this is what I ask you all to hold on and maybe not for today's discussion but as we have these cons these conversations I think what I ask you all to hold on to is that um right now the um the rising senior class is 133 and that's the largest class right so there's 86 uh rising nth graders the fear is that that number continues to shrink because what families also want access to is not just the high quality academics, but they may want to access the band class, right? They may want their student to be able to access an advanced placement or um another classroom that meets their needs. And if there aren't enough students to then have that class, right? and even the sports

232and the activities in which some of you remember and are fond of. You know, could the numbers be so low that there's trouble fielding a team or even even having a um you know, two teams where there's like a JV and varsity. And so as we have these conversations in community and and we make our way, I think that's one of the probably biggest and hardest conversations that as a board you'll um be leaning in with us on is you know do we uh wait until the school is brand new and ready to open and do we risk that Jefferson maybe being 200 students or worse even lower or do we begin to make some adjustments and shifts now so that we protect um our high school, right? And and then the other thing is

233and I know that Jefferson School of Champions, right, and have produced a lot of legacy and I want to call on all of the alumni and folks in the in the black community who has attended Jefferson who celebrates Jefferson. And I also want to be clear that it's a Portland public school high school. And I need all of us, whether we've been a part of it, whether we're attached to it, whether uh we had a small experience with it, to be champions of of um Jefferson. And the way that we take that action and do that is by making sure that we in we restore enrollment as fast as we can. I mean, it's it's it's urgency and that's I just I just want to put that out there. So, thanks. Thank you. Yeah. Uh

234I I mean in terms of the preference policy, there's a housing preference policy, city of Portland and the return to Albina, you have to look at the intersection of race and housing ownership, cost of home ownership in Albina. All of these contribute to people and also there's two things you never want to segregate and concentrate and poverty is one of them and race is another one. So we don't want a segregated school necessarily. We want all of our schools to be able to serve um all of the kids in the district in in their neighborhood. Um it does all of our kids a disservice when we have segregated spaces. Um anyway, thank you. I I think I've changed my mind about, you know, I had that question about the timing and why would you recruit

235people to an empty building, but I think I understand the urgency in being able to we're doing a disservice to the kids that are still there if we don't offer highquality rigorous classes as soon as possible. So, I appreciate the clarification. And if I may, I you know, I've visited Jefferson. I've walked the building with um Principal Shelton on many occasions. There's there is now high quality, rigorous instruction going on there. Yes. What we want to ensure is that there is equitable programming in all the variety of courses and offerings that other high schoolers experience. The Jefferson High School students can also experience that, which gets incredibly hard when the school is so small. Yes. So, I have a a question. I'm wondering um have we have we done any research about um whether the

236middle college um like what people's perception of that is. So, I find a fair number of parents are like, "Hey, we want AP or IB." Um but less understanding of like what the middle college or what dual credit is. And I'm I'm wondering um what we know about that with people like, "Hey, I want to go to an AP school or I want to go to a school that has IB and Jeff doesn't it's one of the few that doesn't have that." And so, um I I wonder if this is like um and Candace, this is maybe for you, like, you know, is it you know, what do people think about it? What do they know about it? Do they know it's incredible? like you can graduate with the high school diploma and you know

237essentially associates degree. Um so to me that seems like an opportunity like and but maybe we might need I I don't know enough about like how we've sold it in the past what people think about it and whether that is a reason why maybe people like I want to go to this other high school because my kid can get AP credit which I know you know colleges across the country accept. So I think we actually have the person that started uh that program at Jefferson High School. So you want to speak to that? Absolutely. Um thanks for the question. Um so I think that when um back in 2011 when we looked at high school system redesign um part of the conversation at that time was um the role that Jefferson would play in the

238high school system. Uh it's also the time when we were looking at um you know what was going to happen with the Marshall campus. So the decision at the time was to take programs that were at Jefferson and take them to scale. And the partnership at PCC had been a long-standing one and has been a long-standing well over 30 years the partnership with PCC has been present at Jefferson and uh dual credit in some form. Um, so what we said at that time was that we were going to make uh the entire school uh middle college. It was the t-shirts at the time read um go to Jeff go to college was one of them um along with um you know I chose Jeff was another really significant um campaign that we had at the

239time. So I think that what has changed um and uh director members the point that you're surfacing is probably in the last decade across the country and in Portland the notion of what is dual credit and what does that mean for students has expanded and what we um see not that dual credit opportunities have expanded not only at Jefferson but at other high schools across the system. We see it at Franklin Grant uh Lincoln for example offer uh dual credit courses as well. And so I think the pieces um of the middle college, the unique placement of Jefferson across the street from PCC open up the catalog of PCC to families. And um so that's that's slightly different in that way, but I would say the understanding of the role of dual credit and the

240transferable credit um uh has expanded over time. We know that I think early um you know I had the pleasure of serving as the as an administrator at Jefferson for 13 years um and as a principal for almost a decade during um the the time from high school redesign to just recently. Um, and what I would say is that the understanding of what happens with dual credit has become much more um, broadly understood not only at Jefferson but also at um, other schools. And the way that it has been measured is through the middle college diploma. And that was part of the work that we really built was to say that um, in order to earn a middle college diploma, you had to complete at least 12 college credits. Um when we first started the

241number of students that completed a mil college um was less than 50% of the seniors and I think you know we'd have to ask um principal Shelton where where it is now but it is well over 90% of the students um complete at least 12 college credits prior to graduating. And so I think that understanding what that looks like and how that plays out um over time um has changed. So I think that is it well understood um by all it is the names uh international balorate and advanced placement have higher name recognition. I would believe that is true. We see an increased number of dual credit courses um being offered not only at Jefferson but across the system and we also see a higher number of students of color completing college level coursework and

242dual credit courses than IB or AP across the system. and at Jefferson. I I appreciate that. What is the value like? Is it understood outside of the community what the value of that dual credit the middle college designation is compared to IB or AP? I think you know at a college let's say in the Midwest or on the East Coast. I think that you know that um the that what that looks like from um a receiving college and institution um IB AP and dual credit depending um within the state of Oregon a transfer module and that understanding of what those credits are whether they're coming from PCC or going into UVO or another one of the um schools in the Oregon university system is much more um seamless going outside of the state and what

243does that look like? Um that there that is the same as that you'll experience with AP and IB and if you go from a public institution to private institution there's differences in that as well. Okay. Thank you. So as we conclude I appreciate the time and to being in this discussion and we look forward to bringing back maybe as discussion items to continue the conversation and update in our engagement. I want to thank the team and then also behind the the scenes who has really helped um really uplift the work and shine a light has been um Miss Brennan. And um I just appreciate that she decided on her big birthday today to stay even though she wasn't presenting and to be a part of the conversations because she is so invested and connected to

244making sure that we fully restore Jefferson to a comprehensive high school. So happy birthday. Happy birthday. [Applause] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Awesome. Thank you all. Demos, I say. All right. Our finalformational topic this evening is the overview of the high school science instructional resource recommendations. I know time. It's so late, but we're really energized right now after that. So, we're here for you. Okay, I think we're gonna I think we introduced you all. I think we're we're so busy watching the room clear out. Just go. Okay, we're short in time. Go. Sorry. Okay. Okay. So, we Okay. Yes. as well. Um, Oregon requires all public districts to select and adopt highquality research-based materials for instruction and we have engaged in this work during this year to comply with state requirements and our goal

245is to complete the adoption process once the board has approved the purchase of the new curriculum. Our chief academic officer Christina Howard will begin the presentation and then of course we have senior director heist. Great. Thank you. Good evening board directors. Um my name is Christina Howard and I am the chief academic officer and I just want to introduce uh Dr. Phipe Priest that um and he will be able to uh share the remaining presentation for tonight. Uh good evening board directors uh chair Wong um vice chair the pass uh Dr. Armstrong uh my name is Phy Priest. I'm the senior director for high school academics. My colleague Noel Gorbett, our assistant director for math and science, um is not here this evening uh but she deserves all the credit uh for the uh for

246leading the high school science adoption that you will hear about this evening. Uh I will share information about the science adoption background, the selection process, uh the recommendation and our professional development plan. I will uh try to move uh quickly through this presentation, but please don't hesitate to stop me. Uh as you know and as Dr. Armstrong uh reiterated, Oregon requires school districts to adopt highquality researchbased instructional materials. PPS is aligning with this requirement for science for the 2024 2031 cycle. The adoption also aligns with the board priorities of eliminating graduation and post-secary readiness gaps. Adopting highquality instructional materials uh allows teachers to focus their energy on strong instruction instead of spending most of their time creating materials. Um, good instructional resources allow teachers to spend time differentiating and engaging students. High quality instructional materials

247also f foster consistent, rigorous, and culturally relevant instruction across the school district. At the same time, we know that uh textbooks alone don't teach students. Uh how our educators use the materials uh really matters for us in PPS. Uh highquality instructional materials are baseline for equity. Uh they support new and veteran teachers, define grade level expectations, and anchor professional conversations about rigor and instructional quality. They ensure that every student in every classroom in every school at every grade level has access to highquality research-based instructional materials. Next, I'll speak briefly about um the selection process and the implementation plan. You can see in this timeline, it's spring of 2025. So, we're wrapping up the selection process and about to jump into the implementation uh process. Uh in the fall, this past excuse me, in the p

248this past fall, we established our advisory committee. Uh the team included central office staff, high school administrators, science teachers from every school um every comprehensive uh school and option school. They reviewed science materials approved by OD to determine uh whether or not they were aligned with um next generation science standards, Oregon uh science standards and determining which of the curricular resources will be field tested in our schools. Field testing occurred in 10 of our high schools um across all three core science courses, physics, chemistry, and biology. Teachers and students engaged in uh deeply with these materials uh in our classrooms and provided very valuable feedback. In making the final selection, we prioritized teacher and student feedback and coherence across uh the science courses uh standards alignment and support for equitable access to rigorous instruction. HMH

249science dimensions emerged as the best fit based on these criteria. Among um other things, this curriculum is aligned with next generation standards on engineering and real world um phenomena. It promotes rigorous learning through claims, evidence and reasoning structure and it provides strong support for problem solving and active student engagement. In this slide, you can see the cost breakdown for this curriculum. The cost includes class sets of textbooks and purchase of digital access to instructional resources and platform for teachers and students. We will support the implementation of this curriculum through a robust PD plan uh which will include in-person sessions for our teachers and administrators, monthly remote learning opportunities, uh professional learning um uh time during PLC's and asynchronous resources. um our instructional coaches will be engaged uh in this professional development and we will also

250provide ongoing support from uh our office of teaching and learning. Uh finally uh this adoption will help us ensure that all PPS high school students have access to coherent, challenging and engaging science resources and instruction. We're confident that this investment supports both our teachers and our strategic commitment to equity and excellence and I'm happy to answer any questions. Great. Thank you. Any questions? Have a couple. Um I'm curious what phenomena phenomena based means. Um I'm a I'm a social studies and a language arts person. So I I hesitate to delve. I can tell you all about it, but let's after the meeting maybe. Okay, it's a long answer, not a short one. Okay, sorry. And then um the 2.4 million to cover all that new that's roughly. I did not I rounded to 800,000 for

251my math. Um does that include like all of the sort of PD and training and all of that or just the like actual materials? Just the materials. Okay. Thank you. Yeah, the the PD is built into our budgets, but I think you're highlighting the uh the the reality that we can use bond money for for curricular resources, but not for professional development. Yeah. And just to I mean I think and chair Wong you can probably speak to this better than I can but the idea is that we're not teaching science through discrete uh definitions and concepts but are studying natural phenomena and bringing those to life in our classrooms to develop scientific understanding. So yeah I can talk a lot and the I won't be long because I know this we're getting late so I'm

252going to be really quick. Uh, it's a little bit exciting. Very exciting. Thank you for all the work put into this. But it's also a little heartbreaking because I was one of the teachers that piloted the previous curriculum for patterns. Yeah, patterns for physics and biology. So, uh, thank you for deleting all my work. Um, what was I going to say? Uh I I the only comment I have is about um I'm it's actually not about the district but actually an ask for uh more information later. Uh you know Oregon law requires us to update and our curriculum every seven years. Um I am not a big fan of a one-sizefitit all law mentality whatever because as you know some curriculum needs to be replaced like three years in it's we know it's awful. Uh

253some curriculum could probably go for 15 years right? Um it and as you know changing curriculum is very expensive. Um, it would it would be nice, again, this is for later down the line, to if if there's any way we can kind of keep track of, for example, there are some things that maybe could have gone longer, maybe some things could have gone short, but just kind of the onus that this is being placed on the district in terms of how not ideally it's fitting with really our student needs, right? And so, um, that's that's kind of my my future ask. I don't want to talk about that today. So, thank you for all your hard work. Any other questions before we move on? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. All right. Uh, first off

254we have um Hold on. Sorry. Excuse me while I pull this up. Uh, Director Brim Edwards, who is also Commissioner Brim Edwards, has requested that we pull two contracts off the consent agenda for a separate consideration since both of those are with Multma County. Uh, so we will vote on those first. Uh, do I have a motion and a second to adopt resolution 7129, expenditure contracts exceed $150,000 for delegation of authority? So moved. Second. Director Split moves and director to pass seconds. Uh the adoption of resolution 7129. Board discussion. I think I need to state the nature of my conflict. Um both of them are intergovernmental agreements with the body that I serve on. Any public comment? No. All right. The board will now vote on resolution 7129, expendure contracts that exceed $150,000 for delegation

255of authority. All in favor, please indicate by saying yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. All opposed. Abstensions. All right. Uh resolution 7129. Oh, sorry. Thank you. My bad. Um, resolution 7129 uh passes with a vote of six to zero with one abstension. Did I misspe that? We have another one, right? Um, yeah, we have another one. 7129. Um, oh no, 7129 is both of them, right? It's both the sun and the sun and the separate Yes. Twice here. 7124. 7124. Okay. All right. 7124. Thank you. Okay. Do I have a motion in a second to adopt resolution 7124 expenditures that expendure contracts that exceed $150,000 for delegation authority? Chair W. Which one? I believe that one's part of the consent agenda. That's what we're saying. The the 7124 the original ex um expenditure contracts resolution is

256included in the consent agenda still. Okay, I see. So, we have to pull that. So, we have to pull it from and then Okay, so resolution 7124. I'm sorry, I didn't hear that. Sorry, let me clarify. 7124 is the one that director Brim Edwards wants to vote on separately. So, the rest of the I just have a question. Okay. So, it can stay on the consent agenda. Okay. Okay. That's what I thought. So, now that I have thoroughly confused you, the consent agenda resolutions are 7123. Yes. Through 7128, including 7124. I apologize. I thought the request was Yeah. on the agenda. The 7124 was never pulled out because in 7129 includes both the contracts that involve Multma County. Yes. Sun school and the IGA. Okay. And that was what you requested to be voted on

257separately. All right. So, we can now refer to this as a consent agenda. Uh we'll now move to vote on the consent agenda. If there's any items you would like to pull, board members, if there's any items you'd like to pull for a separate vote, please indicate that now. Miss Bradshaw, is there any changes consent agenda? None that weren't just noted. Thank you. Do I have a motion, a second to adopt the consent agenda? So moved. Second. Directed to pass moves. Director Sullivan seconds the adoption of the consent agenda. Uh discussion. Uh so this was on the agenda I think about a month ago and it was taken off and the I'd asked a question at the time about why the um presenting or the person who was their authorized signer responsible administrator had changed

258and um because I asked that question I just wanted to have the answer and I know are you going to answer that Um, no, no, no, no. Christine, excuse me. Um, Chief Howard, I wasn't sure who I should be looking at. Chief Howard is here. Chief Chief some other questions that were also answered separately. So, thank you. Um so I am now the responsible contract uh manager on our contract with Lewis and Clark. Um and that is because uh a member of the dissertation review team for the prior contract manager um there was a potential situation there. So that we concluded that it did not necessarily need to be changed about who the responsible manager was. Um, but we wanted to mitigate any potential concerns about the appearance of a conflict. So, we made the

259change. That was my answer to earlier. Yes. All right. Uh, the board will now vote on resolution 7123 through 7128. All in favor, please indicate by saying yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. All opposed. Abstensions. Consent agenda is amended as amended is approved by a vote of 7 to zero. Thank you. Thank you for staying here all tonight. I know we have a um future topics segment on the agenda, but I ask that board members can just call me and talk to me directly about that. Oh, then I also want to note that without hopefully not jinxing it, but in her entire three terms on the board has never missed a single board meeting and I we have one more to go. So, don't screw it up. Knock on wood. All right. With that, the meeting is

260through thick and thin.