001Everybody's got the red. >> Hey, it's 5:30. Okay. I now call the August 22nd, 2025 Young Community School special board meeting to order. Please stand for the pledge of >> allegiance. Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. So, >> all right, welcome everyone. My name is Denise Hendrickson and I am the school board president. Before we begin, I want to remind everyone that the agenda and meeting packet are made available on our district website at least 24 hours prior to the start of each meeting. Please note that while we strive to provide all relevant materials in advance, modifications to the agenda are permissible. Uh, Superintendent Woods, are there any community comments? >> No,
002nobody signed up. >> Okay. Uh, the um item on the agenda is uh the acceptance of a gift Yelm High School Connects Booster Club to support the YHS band. I move we approve. >> I second. >> Is there any discussion? Yeah, I have a couple things, but I'll defer to you if you had anything that you wanted to speak on first. Um, well, first of all, um, yes, I do want to say that we are very appreciative of it. Um and um there's nothing like this community when um there's a need that they come together for our kids. And um the other thing that I want to say is that um we knew nothing about this until Tuesday evening. And so for us to be kind of vilified that we were holding up the process,
003you know, I want to be completely transparent about it. We knew nothing about it. And so as soon as the information was brought forward and um all the paperwork could be brought into the district and um we could get things in order. We have a process that we have to follow. We have to get um information to the newspaper. We can't just automatically call a meeting and do that in um in the uh effort of transparency. we notify everyone. So, we did that and here we are and we're going to accept this gift and we're going to move forward. And so, the other thing is um I would like Superintendent Woods to um let us know what this donation covers. So, I don't have the full description in front of me. Diddy, do you happen
004to have or can I pull it up on here? The >> you you >> that'd be great if you don't mind. Um, so while Dee is getting that because I can't pull up the full description. Um, she's got the full job description, but uh, what this does is it takes us back to current contract language. Um, just a brief explanation. last year um due to the levy failure and a loss in revenue uh we entered into a letter of agreement with um YA to reduce stipens. And so then what we had to do is sit down um and then determine what uh job duties were going to be included in that reduced stipen and which ones were not. And so that was what we did for last year. So um since we do not have
005a letter of agreement this year with YA, we um divert back to current contract language. So this stipen would be for um typically uh it would be for uh band, marching band. It would be for the practices associated with that. It would be for pep band. It would be for concerts. Um I think it's those three components. And um I don't think I'm missing anything. Marching band, pep band, and then evening concerts. Um and then the practices associated with that. Um including uh band camp, which um I believe um was the uh urgency for this to be able to do that starting on Monday. Um so that's kind of in a general sense um the duties of the stipend that um this specific amount um was raised for. >> Awesome. Thank you. Just make sure
006I so um band 9 through 12 coordinate rentals repairs four evening four evening concerts solo ensemble contest and then marching band 9 through 12 August marching band camp um marching band practice performance at all home football games pending uh administrative approval attendance at any postseason football games the marching band instructor will be paid per hour at that perdm to the nearest quarter hour to be recorded on time sheet with transportation. Um, and then pep band performance at five home girls basketball games and five home boys basketball games and then goes into the same criteria for postseason. Um, so that's what >> So it's a it's a lot of a lot of things for >> a lot of time. Yep. >> A lot a lot of money for a lot of things. >> Yep. Not not
007just for the >> not just for band camp. So I just I just wanted the community the the parents and community members and students to know that when you raise this kind of money, >> there's a lot of work also that's going to go along with this. >> Okay. >> Yeah. It's money in and money out, >> right, >> for the district. So >> Okay. >> All right. Is there >> um the only couple things I will add is um uh I want to say thank you to YHS connects. They've been um really trying to understand the process because not only band, but we've got other groups that potentially want to do the same thing. And so I appreciate them um taking the time to learn the process so that they can then help the
008other groups so that we don't run into this issue. Um the other thing that I I also want to add is that um in one of the emails that was sent to the group um without saying it, I was accused of of lying um that we knew about this stipen coming. Um and I just want to be very clear because uh integrity and and honesty is probably um the thing that I value most. Um, we've heard lots of rumors about lots of fundraising for lots of groups. Um, but we have not heard anything about a specific amount of any group of any check coming to the board for approval until Tuesday when I got an email. And at that point in time, um, we had conversation and we agreed that, um, we would not be
009doing anything until the proper paperwork and the check showed up. And it showed up at 12:00 when Debbie and I were in our regularly scheduled uh, meeting. And at that point, we called you and got you on the phone and said, "Would you be willing?" You said yes. Uh, Frank and Casey had prior arrangements. Um Frank was going camping with his family. Um Casey has his anniversary and they were going out to dinner and so then it's almost impossible to get a hold of Bill because he's always working on something and he said I would make it in. And so I just want to be very clear that um people sending emails and saying well if I were a board member um I would be there. Um, I just think it's very important that um,
010it's recognized that you three um, said regardless of what we had planned on a Friday night that you said you would be here for our kids. Um and and the first comments coming out were um negative about the board and the superintendent because we weren't quick enough. Um on a positive note, I need to mention William Ice Noble. Um he is a senior uh one of the drum majors. He emailed me um one of the most professional, kindest emails and he said um Mr. Woods, can I meet with you? >> He emailed the uh board. >> Yes. >> And um I said I explained what was going on and where we were in the process and said I'd be happy to meet with him. And then um yesterday morning he came at um I think
011it was 8:00 a.m. uh to meet with me and um couple things about this meeting. Number one, he wanted to explain to me why this year band camp was important. um him and I think it's Rory went to um camp at WSU and they learned some new things and he said we're going to do things different and I think this year we really need that time to prepare you know we're going to have new new um members and um we really want to be ready and then he um also said I want to make sure that the board and everybody understands and the importance of this. And I I said, you know, um our board chair um is the grandparent of Jenny Hendrickson that graduated last year. And our board chair went to every home
012football game and every basketball game um not just to support sports, but to listen to the band. Um he smiled. And then the last thing I shared with Williams, I said how proud I was of him. um because he took the time, sent an email, called or emailed um with Debbie to set up an appointment, came in, was early, um had a great meeting and um and then he followed up with an email to you because he asked, "What can I do?" And I gave him two things. Number one, share what you just shared with me with the board. I will also be sharing it, but email them. He did that. I said number two, start making contingency plans because if we don't have the board meeting until next Thursday, you're going to have to
013think about Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday before school starts um to maybe rearrange band camp um and that there was still a way to make it happen um even if it didn't start on Monday. And so I believe um he was doing both of those things. But as soon as we were able to get a quorum and um each one of you said absolutely, I emailed William and um he was thrilled. So I just think it's important that we recognize him for his efforts and his professionalism and um you should be very proud. He's going to Rice University next year and um he's thinking about uh whether he will do uh music and band, but um he's very excited about that and he uh represents our community and our schools very well. Yeah, we would.
014Um I just want to also add that um if there's a way that we can support our kids in this that we can support our schools, we're going to do it. So don't ever think that we're going to stand in the way of holding something up. And um I it just I think it really hurts us that people think that we're going to stand in the way >> of our kids um having an opportunity even when the money's tight. You know, things look bad that we can't find a way to support our kids. So, um please don't ever think that we're not going to find a way to support our kids no matter what. We're going to f we're going to figure this out. So on that note, all those in favor of supporting this
015donation, >> I >> opposed. Motion carries. >> All right. >> On that note, we have >> the next is there any other comments? Um, I was just going to say that uh Dee and her team have worked to prepare documentation because on the backside there's then the contract which we can't do until you take this action >> and so um Dee has been preparing that so she can send that to YA. YA has to do their approval process. Um so that will happen between now and Monday so that band camp can happen. So, a thank you to Dee and her team as well for making that happen. >> I just got to say I won't be able to make it next Thursday. Uh, it's Christopher's first college football game. >> Woo! >> So, I will
016be over there cooking. You can just stay. >> You will be cooking. >> Yes. >> Literally. >> Mhm. >> Okay. Our next board meeting is Thursday, August 28th, 6 pm. Uh it's regular board meeting and it will be here at the district office. Okay. Meeting adjourned. >> Do we have to sign anything, Deb?